“U-ursa! U-u-ursa major!” Polaris’ voice escaped him as he froze in terror before the massive monster.
The creature roared with all the force of a thunderclap. Impossibly, Night-Mare 2 continued snoring. PW remembered what she told him and he kicked her shoulder to avoid making any sound.
“Mmf, PW? Whatever is the matter now?” The normally-biggest female asked.
The Ursa meanwhile took a ground-shaking step and lifted its shoulders, totally eclipsing the moon and casting the tundra into darkness. The Ursa moved her head as she repositioned, tracking her prey despite her movements. PW knew they were definitively spotted.
2, realizing from her times as a filly what was upon them, spun around and looked up.
“Oh no!” She cried in real fear as her ears went flat against her mane.
“Is it too late to hide?”
“Was she looking at us before she took that step?”
“Yes, and for a full minute before that. Maybe more before I woke up!”
2 pursed her lips and nodded. “Fuck. I’ve really enjoyed my time spent with you, PW.” She pulled out her D16 and took aim. “I wished we had more time together. Maybe we could have grown closer.” She smiled.
“Agreed.” Was all PW could say, reaching down in a futile attempt for his flashbang grenade.
The creature roared again and began its quarter-mile attack lunge.
“Finally, an easy target. No aiming necessary!” 2 squeezed the trigger and the D16 roared as it unleashed everything it had at 750 rounds per minute.
*CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CLINK!*
With the Ursa twice as close and undeterred, 2 nonetheless slapped a fresh magazine into her weapon in less than three seconds.
*CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CLINK!*
The superweapon spent all 50 rounds and once again clicked empty. The pair of ponies pulled their grenades on instinct and lobbed them into the creature’s mouth as a last ditch attempt. Finally, the teeth sailed through the explosions until the inevitable finally reached them...
“AGH!” Polaris shrieked and bolted upright, beads of sweat glistening in the frigid air.
“PW? PW what’s wrong? What happened?” 2 was instantly awake and visibly alarmed.
He looked up and saw the moon and only the moon; thank Celestia. 2 looked about and, seeing there was no immediate danger, relaxed and gave a sigh.
“Did you have another nightmare?” She asked.
The defeated stallion hung his head and nodded. “I’m sorry.” He whispered.
“It happens. D’ya wanna talk about it?” She crawled over and pressed her foreleg down on him for emotional support. “Was I in it? Another Night-Mare in a nightmare?”
“Yeah, along with an Ursa Major.”
“OH.”
“See... in my head, Night Mare-2, you’re all-powerful. My logical brain says that’s wrong, but my emotional brain says yes; you are. I can’t process you not winning a fight in a stable thought. You know?” He turned to face her. The moon reflected teardrops now forming around his eyes and cheeks.
2’s expression softened and she wiped his tears away with a finger. “Maybe you’re right PW. Maybe I am invincible. It hasn’t been proven. A fight between an Ursa Major and a Night-Mare? We’re good. Even better when size isn’t on our side! But your biggest task tomorrow is making my presence even more powerful. But you can’t do that if you don’t sleep through the night.”
PW laid back down and sighed. “I’m sorry about all this. My worrisome-ness. I know it’s getting annoying.”
“It’s not PW, really. Actually, it’s been a long time since somepony cared about me this much. A very long time. It’s nice to know that.”
“Thanks. Good night Night Mare-2. Really, this time.”
“Nighty-night PW.” She replied.
This time, PW would go all the way until the great mare woke him up.
“PW. PW! You made it! It’s time. Get up!” She shook him.
He stretched and set to rolling up his bag. “What’s the plan?”
“I want to get up to the ridgeline. We’ll be able to see more from there, be able to hide faster and be less likely to enter a direct confrontation which could force me to increase my body-count. Then, we’ll discuss our roles.” She explained.
After a quick breakfast of oats they ascended the hill.
“Hey, PW, it looks like our timing might work out for an amazing sunrise.” 2 realized.
The eastern sky was turning into a growing blaze of orange. No sooner had PW’s eyes peeked over the hill than a narrow, orange sliver was seen on the horizon. The peculiar pair stopped to admire the view.
“Now that’s a beautiful sight.” Sighed the big mare.
“I’m so glad to witness this here with you. What a great experience with you, 2. I’m never going to forget this!” Replied PW.
The lower limb of the sun popped off the horizon and a large gust of wind suddenly blasted them, kicking up snow sheens.
“You ready for the Night-Mare’s orders?” Asked 2.
“Yes, ma’am!” PW answered and stood to attention and saluted with his wing.
“My plan is to walk the ridgeline in view of the Yak road. If anything is there I’ll be able to hide quickly and complicate things. I want you to do the following. First, we need positive identification of the changeling force. Fly southwest, halfway from Alpha to Bravo. You should encounter them by then either in the air or on the ground. Remember to stay hidden. It’s actually easier to spot them on the ground against the white snow. Unless they’re using camouflage but they’re not expecting company so I doubt they’ll be taking on any forms.”
PW nodded his understanding and 2 continued.
“Radio back to Vanhoover Control when you’ve spotted them or reached the turnaround point. I’ll be on the ridge, so I should receive the call. Once you get their position, make back for point Alpha and do your best to look for scouting parties. Notify me of every one you see. Then, land back at Alpha, where I’m planning to be. We’ll develop an attack plan then.” She finished. “Questions?” She asked.
“None, ma’am!” Replied PW.
“Then it’s getting bright.” She put on her goggles. “And time you get up there.” She added.
“Woah, you look great with those on!” Exclaimed PW, seeing the mare's mane blowing in the wind as well. She opened her mouth and grinned, throwing up her thumb and pinkie finger.
“What’s that mean?”
“I dunno, exactly. Something like ‘go get ‘em.’”
“Alright 2; you stay safe!” With that Polaris soared into the air.
“Stay hidden!” 2 called after him.
PW leveled off around five thousand feet until he reached point Alpha, then he flew southwest towards the Luna Bay as he clicked his portable radio.
“Vanhoover Control, good morning. Northwind flying Southwest from Alpha.”
“Good copy. Northwind, we need to nail down your callsign when this is all said and done. I can’t have Norths flying South and Number 1 and Number 2’s Number 1.”
“I totally understand sir.” Replied PW with sincerity, fearing his bad call-sign might jeopardize his chances with the company.
PW flew over a veritable sea of frosty mountains. Finally, a low, southerly valley broke free of the heights that hosted a vast forest.
“This must be where the Night-Mares are from.” PW noted.
It was at this point that he noticed some black streaks in the sky. They were moving against the apparent motion of everything else.
PW brought up the mouthpiece again. “Vanhoover Control, I’m halting my advance to check something out in the sky.” He said, using his wings to create a venturi.
“Get hidden.” Came the crackling reply.
“Already done.” He settled into his newly formed cloud.
PW wisely moved the cloud at an angle towards the moving objects, keeping them relatively motionless. From an enemy perspective his hiding place would simply look like a building cloud. He took note that the formation these objects were in did not match migratory bird patterns. It did not match the often chaotic formations of pegasi, nor the single file of griffons either. This formation was organized into 4 rows, front to back, and solid columns from one side to another. PW also noted it must have been another thousand feet up, which would place it some six-thousand above the terrain.
“Changelings.” He muttered, finally within distance to recognize the characteristic blue blur of their insectoid wings.
“Vanhoover Control, Northwind. I’ve spotted changelings in flight.”
“Count and description?”
He paused to double-check.
“Count and description?”
“4 rows… looks like eight across. 32 in formation!”
“Location?”
“Um, quadrant F-F!”
“Copy, 32 bad guys quadrant F-F. Good job Northwind. We want you to withdraw and make your way back to point Alpha! Once you’re out of sight range of the main force cut in front of their path. Changelings are slow fliers and you should get ahead of them. They will likely have scouts out ahead. You can descend if you need to. Report back all you see with positions!”
“Yes sir! Returning to Alpha, looking for scouts! Did you read Number 2?”
“Great job, Northwind! I’m proud of you!”
“Thank you so much Number 2!” PW answered back.
PW withdrew his cloud eastward from the area and evaporated it. Using the changeling’s formation as a vector, he then accelerated and overtook them. Once out of sight he adjusted his course to get in front of them as instructed. It was at this time that PW spotted four groups of black spots on the white snow spread out from one another. He hastily condensed another tuft of cloud and lowered his altitude to resolve the black specks. Each of the four groups turned out to be a pair of changelings. Another 8. PW then ascended.
“Vanhoover Control, I’ve got scouts. Location D-H. Almost to point Alpha.” He radioed.
“Count?”
“There’s 4 pairs, spread out.”
“Copy, four pairs. Zigzag on your way back to Alpha at your discretion. Could be more, keep your eyes peeled.”
“OK.”
PW flew his zigzag pattern but did not see any additional scouts. During the descent to Alpha Night-Mare 2 hailed him.
“Northwind!”
“You called?”
“Look down and to your right.” She said, waving her black D16 against the bright snow.
“On my way down.” He replied.
He made his landing extra perfect to try and impress her. She lifted her goggles and cocked her head to the side. “Well?” She asked.
“Northwind reporting for duty!” PW responded.
“Take off again and climb up there. Tell Vanhoover that I’m going to engage one of the scouting parties.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Replied PW, taking to the air.
“Vanhoover Control, relaying a message from Number 2. We are going to engage one of the scout parties.”
“Roger.”
PW began descending but Night Mare-2 called out to him.
“Ah-ah-ah, PW!” She warned.
“Now what?”
“I want their location.”
“Got it.” He replied, flying southwest again to get a better fix. “The most southerly pair is five miles by my guess and southwest of your position. If you track with the sun on your left shoulder you should run into them.”
“Copy that.”
“I’m returning to your side now.”
“I feel safer already!” She joked.
PW met her and they continued their southwest offroading. “So, 2, why are we only intercepting one pair?” He asked.
“Biggest reason is the hassle afterwards.” She explained. “We’re going to try for capture. If we succeeded, we’d now be marching two prisoners by the time the main force arrives. Now if we went for all of them, we’d be marching eight; a much bigger hassle. But the other reason is information. If we can isolate two changelings we should be able to make them spill the beans.”
PW periodically flew to validate the position of the scouts. Finally, once they were in visual range on the ground, 2 laid out the plan.
“Alright, PW. I’m going to drop here. I want you to go over there and make contact with them. Distract them. Stand in one location as long as you can and make sure they keep facing your direction.” She said.
“Yes ma’am!” PW responded, knees aquiver in anticipation.
“Vanhoover Control, we’re engaging.” She radioed. There was no response – they were out of range.
Polaris glided down the hill to the scouts. As he neared them he could see them flinching back in concern.
“What is that?” The one on the right exclaimed.
“It’s a pegasus!” Replied the other.
“I know that, you nitwit! What’s he doing here?” Right hissed.
“Maybe he got lost?”
“We’re in the middle of nowhere! This is bad. Be ready to nab him.”
PW landed in front of the pair.
“We’ll ask him ourselves.” Left muttered before calling out to PW. “You there! Who do you represent and what are you doing here?”
“H-hey guys! Did you see the sunrise this morning? Wasn’t it beautiful? I mean – wow!” PW asked in jollity.
“Who do you represent pegasus?”
“Me? Why, I represent myself! I’m out exploring. I’m like the Daring Do of the north!”
“Who is Daring Do?” The changeling on the right asked.
“What? You don’t know who Daring Do is?”
“I think he means to –” Left began but was cut short.
“Daring Do is this awesome explorer down south in the jungles of Arimaspi!” PW exclaimed. She explores the jungles for amazing artifacts and hidden desperados!”
“You’re in search of desperados?” Left asked.
“Yeah, and historical artifacts!” Polaris answered.
“Hmph, I’ll bet you couldn’t even recognize a desperado right in front of you.” Left muttered.
PW noticed a pair of copper eyes behind them, creeping across the snow. They didn’t look very happy that he made contact with them. PW stretched back to mask his lookaway.
“Ha, sure I could! What makes you say that?” PW all but yelled as 2 neared them.
“We don’t have time for this… should we report, ignore, or dispose?” Left muttered to right.
“He’s in the middle of nowhere exploring with no gear and just happened to run into us? Something is wrong; I say dispose.” Right said.
“Dispose of what exactly?” Asked PW.
“You, nuisance!” The changeling hissed.
“How? I’m a pegasus in my prime. You can’t catch me, scale-wings!”
“Then be off already!” Shouted the changeling as a behemoth image was growing behind them.
PW had to try hard to mask his heavy, excited breathing.
“Your buddy here doesn’t seem to be giving you any trouble? Why don’t I just deal with you?” Replied PW.
“My so-called buddy doesn’t follow the rules of the hive. He’s nearly a Thorax-sympathizer! Now then, I think it’s time I put an end to you!” Declared the changeling, forming up into a stance.
“Just try and see what comes of it!” Replied PW, putting on his best high-schooler taunt.
The changeling opened his mouth and coiled his neck up. As he went to strike a size-ten hoof knocked him headfirst into his partner.