At the same time that Soarin was giving Applejack the bad news about Rainbow Dash, Olive Branch and Fluttershy were making their way to the throne room of Canterlot Castle to give Princess Celestia even worse news. For the past week, they had been in near-constant negotiations with the camels and the ibexes, but neither nation had yet agreed to join the war. They had sent envoys to meet with the zebras, but they had all been denied entry into the Zebrican capital city. For the past several decades, Equestria and Zebrica had shared strained tensions almost tantamount to a cold war. As such, the zebras were none too eager to help the ponies in a conflict that didn't concern them.
When Olive Branch and Fluttershy trotted into the throne room to give their report to Princess Celestia, both ponies bent a knee before her. When they rose, Olive Branch began, "Your majesty, I'm afraid we have a less-than-pleasant report for you."
Celestia magicked a lightly decorated porcelain teacup to her lips. "Very well. Continue," she said after taking a short sip.
"Would you like the good news first or the bad?" Olive Branch asked.
"The good news," Celestia replied.
"The camels and ibexes refuse to join the war and have threatened to cut trade with Equestria if we do not stop trying to convince them that it is in their best interests to do so," Olive Branch stated flatly.
Celestia looked at him, her composure almost slipping for a split second. "That was the good news? Oh dear. Go ahead with the bad news."
"Prance and Germaneigh have fallen. Their governments surrendered yesterday afternoon." The room fell deathly silent. Celestia's eyes remained closed for seconds that dragged into a minutes.
Eventually, Celestia opened her eyes and looked to Olive Branch. "Thank you for your report. If you'll excuse me, there are many things to which I must attend in light of this new information." He and Fluttershy turned to leave the room when Celestia spoke again. "Not you, Fluttershy. I wish to speak with you privately." Olive Branch nodded to the yellow pegasus and continued out of the room.
Fluttershy slowly trotted over to the princess, her head lowered in her usual meek stance. "What can I do, your majesty?"
Celestia smiled gingerly at her. "I have a special mission for you, Fluttershy - one that I think only a pony as kind and empathetic as you could accomplish. If Prance and Germaneigh have surrendered, then our entire northern border is vulnerable to a gryphon attack. It is critical, now more than ever, that we gather allies. I think that we can solve two of our kingdom's diplomatic problems at once. This hostility with the zebras has troubled me for many, many years, but I have been unable to dispel it. I believe that these recent developments have provided an opportunity." Celestia took another sip of her tea. "The zebras are very in tune with nature. In fact, you share many of their society's core traits - respect for nature, reverence for wildlife, and a desire to protect animals that cannot fend for themselves. I believe that we can use this to persuade the zebras to help us."
"But how, princess? They seemed pretty determined not to talk to any of the ambassadors we sent..." Fluttershy said.
"That's because we didn't send you."
"Me?" the pegasus asked. "Oh, I don't think I would be much help. I'm far too shy..."
"On the contrary, my little pony, it is your meekness that makes you ideal. The zebras may be stubborn and headstrong when it comes to politics, but one of the core principles of their society is not to bully one weaker than oneself. Your timidity will prevent them from disrespecting and outright taking advantage of you in negotiations which will, in turn, allow you to convey the messages that they refused to hear from our other envoys," Celestia said, her tone quickly shifting from one of a monarch to one of a teacher - the tone she frequently used with Twilight Sparkle.
"Oh, I see," Fluttershy said quietly. Celestia remained silent for a moment, noticing that Fluttershy was thinking. "But what does that have to do with Prance and Germaneigh?" Fluttershy asked.
"That's where their reverence for nature comes in. With our two allies out of the fight, we will now face the full force of the gryphon war machine. That could mean one of two things - either many small incursions into Equestria to determine the weakest point on the border or one powerful push through Equestria with enough strength to power through whatever defenses we have. To get to Canterlot, however, they will have to pass through the Everfree Forest. Although we ponies avoid it because of the dangers it holds, it is still a sanctuary of untamed nature. Tell me, Fluttershy, why did the gryphons start this war?"
Fluttershy thought for a moment. "Because you and Princess Cadance wouldn't give the gryphons the minerals that they wanted from the Crystal Mountains, right?"
"Exactly; we wouldn't allow them to extract the resources they wanted from the environment to fuel their industry. If they took control of the Everfree Forest, don't you think they would want the resources there, as well? What do you think would happen to the creatures, both violent and friendly, living within the forest?" Fluttershy's eyes widened with fear. "The result would be devastation, both for the creatures dwelling in the forest and for their habitat. Point this out to the zebras. Make sure they know that, regardless of which of the two likely strategies the gryphons take, the Everfree Forest will be devastated if their army isn't stopped, and make sure they know that we don't possess the military strength to stop them alone."
As Princess Celestia finished explaining her plan, Fluttershy's face turned from scared to determined. She couldn't shake from her mind the image of smoldering trees and scared, homeless or even dead woodland animals. "Don't worry, princess. I'll make sure they see what's at stake. I won't let any harm to the innocent critters in the forest, even the mean ones."
"Corporal, has there been any sign of gryphon approach?" Luna asked. It was the morning of the third day since their reclamation of the Crystal Empire's capital city, and not so much as a patrol had been seen along the border with Gryphus. Each passing hour without some kind of activity brought concern. It was uncharacteristic of the war-like gryphons simply to give up so easily.
"Nothing, your majesty. Permission to speak freely, princess?" the pegasus mare asked upon landing next to Luna.
"You may."
"Did the force that we routed from the city make up a larger percentage of their army than our intelligence had indicated? Perhaps they do not have the numbers to feel comfortable moving against us."
Princess Luna pondered this for a moment before saying, "It is possible, but I find it unlikely. Helping my sister rule Equestria both before and since my banishment has put me in contact with gryphons - specifically their government - frequently. I have become acquainted with their habits and ways of thinking. I am certain that they are planning something. I do, however, find it not only possible but likely that our victory caught them off guard and as such has forced them to take extra time to regroup their forces before attacking. Thank you, corporal, for your service and your thoughts. Dismissed."
The pegasus saluted her princess and took once more to the sky. Luna poured over the possibilities in her mind. If they are regrouping their forces, then we need to attack before they're ready. We have had time to rest and recover from the previous battle. She sought out the army's officers to confer with them and devise a plan of attack. It was decided that they would march at dawn for the border with Gryphus. No intricate strategy was chosen; a straight march followed by a simple attack would, they hoped, be sufficient to put pressure on their enemy.
Luna gave the order to rouse the troops as soon as she'd lowered the moon. By the time her sister's sun was creeping above the horizon, they were on their way to the border with Gryphus. As Luna led the thousands upon thousands of ponies following behind her, she couldn't help but let a faint trace of worry and doubt slip into her mind. She was taking a big risk with this maneuver. If she were right about why they hadn't attacked and the risk paid off, she could end the war in a week. If she were wrong, Equestria would be left without an army to defend itself.
There is no need to worry Luna told herself as the walls surrounding the border with Gryphus came into view. The evidence and their behavior both point to their taking time to regroup after their defeat. We shall achieve victory.
As if the universe were mocking her, an explosion shattered her thoughts. An Earth pony in the front line dropped to the ground, a bloody mess where his head used to be. For a few seconds, the army broke into utter chaos as ponies scattered. No pony could imagine what kind of weapon that killed that Earth pony, but one thing was immediately made clear to everypony there: the gryphons' mysterious "superweapon" was no bluff, and the psychological effect of that realization was immense. Only Dead Eye and Razor Blade has experienced first hand the incredible power of the gryphon's new weapons. They had both seen the gryphon's "explosive crossbow" as Dead Eye had taken to calling it; it had nearly killed him.
Despite the chaos that had descended upon most of the army, Luna was able to locate the source of the attack within a second and a half, given away by a faint trail of smoke in the distance. She saw a gryphon perched atop a watch tower with what looked to her to be a long metal rod. She did not fully understand what it did, but she knew that it had to be avoided; since she knew where it was, she knew how to go about doing that. "EVERYPONY, REGAIN YOUR CONTROL AND OBEY YOUR PRINCESS!" Luna shouted, using her Royal Equestrian Voice to gain everypony's attention immediately. "CHARGE THE WALL WHILST STRAFING TO AVOID THEIR PROJECTILES!"
Thousands of ponies galloped full speed towards the wall that separated Gryphus from the Crystal Empire as the crack from another projectile tore through the air. Luna noticed that several other gryphons with identical weapons had appeared on the wall. Dozens of plumes of smoke were soon rising from the wall as shot after shot rang out, tearing through ponies despite their efforts to avoid them. Numerically, Luna noticed, they should haven no problem reaching and breaching the wall, even if the number of these weapons were doubled. That's when Luna was confronted with a new, unexpected variable.
The ground shook as huge clumps of earth and pony were propelled into the air. Luna's eyes widened as it dawned on her that her soldiers were galloping headlong into a mine field. Realization washed over the lunar princess in sickening waves; she had led the army directly into a trap. Explosion after explosion rocked the ground. The closer they got to the wall, the more gryphons popped up and began firing at the approaching ponies.
Land mines?! Luna thought to herself, her thought swimming in a sick mixture of rage and confusion. They have been banned for centuries, and for good reason. How dare the High King violate such a treaty, even in a time of war.
Luna watched in horror as her army was slaughtered. Her risk had not paid off. If the war ended in the next week, it would be because of the failure of her foolhardy gambit, not a stunning military victory. We have to fall back she thought, eyes wide with fear. "FALL BACK!" she cried, making only minimal effort to mask the panic in her voice. "FALL BACK TO THE CRYSTAL CITY!"
The army - for the most part still galloping to assault the border wall - turned around 180 degrees and began a full sprint away from the wall, away from the minefield, and away from Gryphus. For nearly an hour, the frantic pace of their retreat did not abate. By the time Luna gestured to slow to a canter, even the most physically fit ponies were feeling fatigued; those less in-shape considered themselves lucky simply to keep from collapsing on the ground. Luna took to the air to observe their surroundings as the army continued its retreat. To her surprise, she saw no sign of gryphon pursuit. Once satisfied that they were not being followed, she returned to the front of the army and had them slow to a trot for the last stretch back to the Crystal City.
For the rest of the day, the army began to lick its wounds and bury its dead, or least the fragments of their dead that they had been able to recover. Quartermasters determined what equipment had been destroyed in the massacre and what had been lost in the hectic retreat. Medics tended to the wounded, of which there were many. Soldiers supported each other and mourned their comrades. All Luna could do was watch the scene unfold before her, powerless to correct the high price of her tactical error. Oh gods, what have I done...?