//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: P.O.W. // by Bandit Blue //------------------------------// A brown griffon approached, by air, a border heavily guarded by pony soldiers. Pegasi intercepted the griffon as he descended towards the entrance in the guarded location. The pony soldiers were apprehensive and ready to attack. "Why would a single, meek looking, griffon approach the base by his lonesome? An messenger perhaps? Have the griffons come to their senses and wanted to parley a cease fire or maybe even concede the war?" They questioned, as in the whole time when this war was waged, closer to zero were similar events.  Upon landing, the guards on the floor could suddenly see why the pegasi didn't attack the griffon and it left them in awe. In his arms was a dark purple mare with short black hair, she was an unicorn but her horn was clearly broken.  "Her horn broke and she wouldn't stop screaming, I gave her sedatives to alleviate her pain and I've done what I could but I have no knowledge of unicorn anatomy." The guards took the mare off his arms and the pegasi took her to their medics, the griffon was promptly apprehended and put in a jail cell. A few hours later he was cuffed and taken into a room, where an earth pony awaited his presence. In fear of the griffon being a spy, he was thoroughly questioned. He claimed to be a doctor but when prompted why he helped an enemy his answers were unsure and unconvinced, he was clearly not a spy but could be some kind of saboteur no less, so the interrogation continued. At one point the pony resorted to light torture to see if he could extract some information on the griffon's operation, to which the griffon claimed he knew little to nothing and was simply a doctor. At first he was simply hit multiple times with hoof punches on his face, had his face slammed into the metal table in front of him a couple of times and even threatened to have his beak smashed against the very table. With swollen eyes, bleeding nostrils and multiple bruises, the griffon found himself breathing through his mouth with his face glued to the table. During the several hours long interrogation, he stopped bothering trying to answer even when hit, they wouldn't believe him anyway, his will was broken. Upon realizing this, the guards were ordered to toss him back into his cell, which they literally did, bruising him even further on the impact with the stone floor. After a few days, the griffon laid towards the wall on a makeshift bed made of hay when he heard the clank of the cell door being opened. He heard the voice of a mare and flinched with fear, thinking he was about to go through another beating session. "Hey, thanks for saving my life." Upon hearing these words the griffon shifted his body and turned his head to the mare with the broken horn whom he recognized immediately. After a brief moment of surprise he calmed down. "You're welcome. I'm glad you're okay." The griffon said with a weak voice. The mare was somewhat shocked by his visage, the griffon did not only look beat up, but on the brink of death, with his skin clearly touching his bones. "Are you okay? Have they not been feeding you?!" She said as she rushed to his side and helped him to sit up. "They have, I just have been having a little trouble eating and sleeping. I could've done without the beatings to be honest but I expected worse." "Don't worry, I'll work something out so they let you go home. After what you've done for me I doubt that'll be a problem." "That won't be much better really. I'd think dying here will be less painful." "Oh... Right." The mare understood that the griffon had become a traitor the moment he helped an enemy, should he go back now, a swift death would be a dream scenario. After a few seconds of silence the mare continued. "Why did you do it? Why did you save me?" "At first I didn't know the answer to that, I just did. But I had time to think. I couldn't take it anymore, I was tired. Your agony terrified me and I wanted to help you regardless of anything... And as a bonus I hoped... Well, be able to really rest." The mare was a little thunderstruck. The griffon's answer was sad but also confusing to her. She had been coming to terms with losing her ability to use magic properly. Daily mundane tasks had suddenly become nightmares to perform and she was struggling with it. If the griffon hadn't brought her to their base, she would've certainly died for when her horn broke, aural vessels were severed and she was practically bleeding her life force, something that can only be patched by magic. So she too considered if it was best for her to have perished instead, but she only needed to remember her father, mother and siblings to quickly shake off that feeling.  "I... I'm sorry to hear that. No matter the reason I'm grateful you saved my life, is there anything I can do for you? I don't think I can repay the favor but there's got to be a way for me to help you."  "To be honest... I haven't been able to sleep for days. If you-" "I'll get you a nicer place to sleep promptly, don't worry." "Oh, that's not really the problem." The mare stared at the griffon in confusion. "You see... whenever I close my eyes for too long, I can see it all again, somehow I can even hear it at times. I always thought I was tough, because I'm a doctor and I'm used to seeing blood and organs but-" "War is completely different." "Yes... I can't even imagine what it is like for you soldiers." "I'm no soldier. I was a scholar of magic and enlisted to defend my country. I didn't know what I was signing up for. Don't get me wrong, I still want to protect the ones I love, but I wonder if I made a bad choice. Neither of us would be here If I didn't sign up." "I'm so sorry. If it makes you feel any better I don't think I would've been much better with or without you. I don't even know what this darned war is all about." "You don't?" "Every time someone asked they just spouted some "Griffon Supremacy" nonsense. I assume it's about money. It's always about money with griffons." The griffon made an angry scowl, clearly showing he had a beef with his own people's behavior.  "They want to be the ones in charge of Equestria, control the Princesses and enslave ponies. At least that's what I've been told. It was what made me enlist." "I wouldn't doubt that's true. I used to wonder if there could be a truce, a cease fire, some accord, but the time kept passing and only the number of bodies would change. Now I'm just tired... I don't want to think anymore, I just wanna rest. I would appreciate it if you could give me some medicine to help me sleep, if it's not asking much." "No, no. Of course not, I'll get right on that. I'll do my best to help you with everything. Is there something you would like to eat?" "Well... Do you guys have corn?" "We sure do, I'll bring you some myself." The mare got up and headed towards the door. "I'll see you soon." "Thank you, miss.." "Moonflower. Your name is Leone, Right?" "That's right. Thank you, miss Moonflower." "Just Moonflower is ok, I'll see you soon, Leone. Hang in there." Moonflower got out of the cell and it's door was promptly locked." "Moonflower?" The mare looked back at the griffon. "Does it grow back?" The mare looked sad for a brief moment but forced a nice smile. "I'm afraid not, but don't worry, I'll manage." She quickly turned her head and left as tears flooded her eyes.