As it turned out, the wounds that the male Xeno endured were sufficient enough to prevent him from aiding in the carrying of his wife. He had risen to his full height, towering a good half-foot over Anton, before slumping back down, hissing. The most severe of his wounds, a long scar across his lower back, limited his ability to stand properly. He limped alongside Anton through the woods, his eyes locked on the female.
She had been draped over his back, her head resting in the crook of his... foreleg. Blood soaked down his back, running through the cracks in his armor and soaking into his uniform. He had given them both a half-dose of Morphia before they had left for his entrenchment, though she would still occasionally murmur or hiss in pain on his back.
He snorted to himself, stopping to carefully adjust her position on his back. He still wasn't entirely sure as to why he was even bothering to save them from the beasts, let alone wasting supplies on saving the female. The cogitator results were even worse than he had told the other one. There was a very good chance that she might not survive the hour, with death practically guaranteed by morning.
Without really thinking, he asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Hmm?", the male asked, mostly focusing mostly on his wife and on walking.
Anton said, "I've never seen anyone like you out here. I honestly don't think I've talked to another hu... being, in at least six months."
"Mah wife an' ah", he said, limping along with a hiss. "We deliver apples ta towns outside'a Ponyville sometimes. We brought mah daughter, Applejack, along with us as a sorta punishment fer an... incident in town. There was a rockfall on the main road, and we wanted ta be back at the farm fer mah youngest's birthday tomorrow. An, well, we saw this old trail that ran through the Everfree on the map, and thought we could just rush through, an'..."
"You were attacked by the Beasts", Anton finished.
"Timberwolves, yea", he said.
"They have a name?", Anton asked.
The two forded the river, droplets of blood swirling around and drifting downriver in a swirl of red and blue. "Yea", the male laughed. "Mines Bright Mac, by the way. And, uh, that's Buttercup; mah wife."
"A pleasure", Anton said, despite his opinion on the matter being contrary to that.
The two of them reached the barricade without any major issue, though the trail of blood might be an issue later on. Anton pushed aside the abatis, allowing Bright Mac to enter before him. He closed the barricade, before beginning the climb up the hill.
The two of them reached the top of the house, Anton setting the female down as he climbed down into the trench, shifting his head towards the pillbox. Through his photo-visor, he saw the other one, who he realized must be Applejack, was sitting huddled in the corner, clutching the knife. "You can turn the Lamp-pack on. Bring it over here, along with the white box with the caduceus on it."
"Th-the wah?", she asked, illuminated once again by the bright light.
"The white box next to the spare helmet", Anton groused. As she brought it over to him, she stopped dead in her tracks, eyes darting between Bright Mac leaning against the wall of the trench and Buttercups bloody and wheezing form.
"Ma?", she asked.
Buttercup looked over at her, a faint smile gracing her lips. "H-hey..." She held out a hoof, cupping Applejack's chin.
Anton grabbed the medi-kit, opening it up and reaching for the medical stapler. He muttered, "I pray to slow the blood and close the wound." He went for the largest wound along her chest, pressing the head of the tool to the top part of the wound, squeezing the trigger. As he removed it, a small staple remained in its place, as he pressed the wound closed and squeezed another staple out. "I pray to slow the blood and close the wound."
The others stared at him, not wanting to interrupt him in his work. He shocked them out of it as he told them, "One of you hold up the light." Bright Mac did that, leaning against the wooden planks along the trench wall. "You, uh... Applejack, right?" When she nodded, he pointed back to the small tube holding the Sterilizing fluid of Cleansing. "Take that and some of the bandages. Apply a small amount of the fluid to the smaller wounds, then wrap them as tightly as possible. As you do, recite 'I pray to slow the blood and close the wound.'"
Applejack nodded, laying out one of her arms and doing as he told her. Anton, meanwhile, continued to stable shut the wound, finally closing the wound. As soon as it was done, he grabbed the Lotion of Embalm, running the coarse gel-like substance over the wound, before he stepped back.
Applejack finished her wrapping, backing away from her mother. The mare looked up at her daughter, holding out a bandaged hoof to her. She would whisper something to Applejack, though Anton was unable to hear exactly what was said. Anton used his aura to drag the medi-kit over to him as he began to wrap up the long claw marks along Bright Mac's rear legs.
As he did, Bright Mac asked, "So, sh-she'll be ok?"
"I didn't say that", Anton said, interrupting his prayers as he applied the Sterilizing lotion.
"What?", Applejack asked. "B-but-"
"I told your father I would try", Anton said, his ears involuntarily folding against his head. "I didn't guarantee that I would be able to save her."
"B-but you're a unicorn!", Applejack said, choking back a sob. "C-can't you use your magic t-ta heal 'er?"
Anton stiffened at the mention of magic, tightening the bandage more than he meant to. A wince from Bright Mac drew him back to reality. He shook his head, pushing the thought of his further degeneration into his mind. "If I could, why would I bother wasting these supplies. I've done all that I can. Her fate is in up to the Mercy of the Emperor."
"E-emperor?", Bright Mac asked.
"The God-Emperor", Anton said, as if it were obvious. Which, to him, it was. "'The Emperor is our guiding light, a beacon of hope for... us, in a galaxy of darkness. As we serve Him, He is our greatest servant. As we pray to Him, His thoughts are only for us. And in the dark when the shadows threaten, The Emperor is with us, in spirit and in fact.' If he wills that she live, then she shall."
The two of them stared at him as he finished bandaging Bright Mac. He closed the medi-kit. He leaned back, taking off his helmet and pulling out his canteen. "Wh-what if t-the Emperor can't-t 'elp ma?"
Anton looked at her, biting back an insult. He sighed, before saying simply, "Then her time has come."
Applejack just stared at him, shock written on her face. Bright Mac spoke next: "Th-thank you. Ah... ah mean it."
Anton stood, picking up and closing the medi-kit. "I don't have any other... well, holes in the ground. I can go get you a few spare tarps or something."
"I-its fine", Bright Mac. "C-can ya give us a bit? W-we need to-"
He didn't finish; He didn't need to. Anton nodded. He picked up his helmet and walked into the pillbox. He set them down next to his gear, before slipping off his lasgun and armor. He slid back into his hole, resting his head against the folded-up tarp. Despite himself, he murmured a prayer for the heavily injured female before sleep finally claimed him once again.
+++++~+++++
When he awoke, the sun pierced through the canopy and into his pillbox. He had rolled over in his sleep, allowing the sun to strike his eyes like a thousand tiny meltaguns. He climbed out of his hole, his limbs cracking in order to shake off the stiffness of sleep. He rolled his head on his neck, still idly hoping that the motion would break his neck and kill him.
He emerged from the pillbox and into the trench, eyes falling on the three others. All lay there, eyes clamped shut, with patches of the fur on their faces wet from tears. Bright Mac and Applejack, however, were still moving from the rising and falling of their chests as they breathed. The other female, Buttercup if Bright Mac was right, lay perfectly still, a faint smile on her face.
He walked up to her, pressing a hoof to her neck. He felt no pulse.