The golden rays of dawn shone off the scattered bits of managlider debris like sunrise over a dewy field. In languid motions, Eagle Eye and Josho shuffled through the mess, orbiting the main chunk of the dormant vehicle as they scavenged for whatever could be utilized as tools or weapons for the long journey ahead.
"What matters is that we're alive," Josho grumbled, limping from a fresh bruise to his lower body. "We can whine and moan all we want about being tossed around like living coconut baskets, but at least we have our wits about us."
"I can't imagine we're really out of the privateers' hair that easily," Eagle Eye muttered. A few seconds ticked by, and he blinked awkwardly in the older stallion's direction. "'Living coconut baskets?'"
"Look, I'm running on low fumes here. I haven't eaten. I haven't slept. Unngh! Burping Spark on a tricycle—I can't remember the last time it was that I had a friggin' drink..."
"Yeah, well, who's whining and moaning now?" Eagle Eye smiled bitterly. On the length of his binding to Josho, he tilted about and telekinetically lifted several shards of metal into a canvas bag hanging off his flank. "We shouldn't hang out here too much longer, now that it's dawn. Who knows when they'll send out their first patrol?"
"Who's 'they?'"
"The foxes, of course."
"Look, kid." Josho frowned at him. "They're done with us! They gotta be!"
"Were they done with us earlier?!" Eagle returned the sour expression. "When they sent three of their dudes to try and intercept us in the air?!"
"There's something to be said about the ego of creatures evolved enough to tote guns," Josho grumbled. "But don't dwell on it too much. I'm pretty sure we deflated that ego with a vengeance."
Eagle Eye sighed, picking up more pieces of metal and supplies. "Still, it just doesn't seem like a good idea to hang out here in the open any longer. Ever since we landed, one thing or another has been trying to kill us. The last thing we need to do is stay put."
"Will ya give it a rest, already?" Josho crawled over to the main chunk of the fallen managlider. He eyed a compartment and tried tugging at it with his magic. When that didn't work, he spat on his hooves and resorted to pulling at the lid the hard way. "Nnngh! We've... made... some fantastic progress! You gotta admit!"
"Do I have to?" Eagle Eye turned around with a furrowed brow. He motioned with his horn towards the air. "You smell that?"
"Yeah. Smells like your fruity breath."
"Come on!" Eagle stamped his hoof like a pouty little filly. "For real! Do you smell that acrid stench in the air?"
"Mmmm..." Josho continued tugging at the lid. "Maybe?"
"It's burnt forest, Einstallion!" Eagle Eye turned around, glaring at the charred horizon. "I know that smell! It's Foxtaur..."
"Pffft. Oh please... I could be any ol' forest..."
"We went north, went south again, then went west!" Eagle Eye moaned, plopping down on his haunches. "I'm telling you, we're in Foxtaur! We're back where this whole mess started."
All that could be heard from Josho's side was grunting and panting as he struggled with the metal lid.
"I always told myself that I would follow Crimson and the other stallions to the bitter end," Eagle Eye said. He brushed a shaky hoof through his mane and sighed. "And yet, each day that I spend alive, running in circles to boot, I feel like a coward... like I'm a diservice to their memory..." He fought tears as he sniffled to say, "I just wish there was a way that I didn't have to remember everything. That I could just shut down and restart myself anew—"
The metal compartment flew open, followed by Josho's yelling voice. "Aaaaaaaah-haaaaa!"
Eagle Eye shrieked, hopping up and dancing on squirmy hooves. "What what what what?!"
The bearded stallion was grinning a crescent moon, his eyes wide and bulging with rapture. "Son, we just hit the jackpot! Eh heh heh heh heh heh..." He threw the metal lid away and reached deep into the hidden compartment within the managlider. When his hooves came back out, they were cradling a wooden box full of six tall whiskey bottles. "Not a single crack in 'em! Hah! Do you believe in miracles?! Cuz now I friggin' do!"
Eagle Eye's gaze became a phalanx of violet daggers. "You have got to be joking..."
"You joke all you want! I'm going to Happyland!" Josho pulled one bottle out, zapped the cork off with his horn, and took a swig. Three and a half seconds later, he gulped, then exhaled a raspy warcry. "Fuuuuuuuuu-nahhhhhhhhhhh... hckkkkt—Yeahhhhh..." He leaned back, hugging the bottle to his pudgy self like it was an infant. "Queen's bridle, that stuff is loaded!"
"Thank you very kindly, Mr. Josho, for getting me better acquainted with your more handsome qualities," Eagle Eye droned.
"Hnkkkkt—Whew!" Josho gulped, stifled a belch, and smirked blearily in Eagle's direction. "Care to put the money where your fruit is?"
"Excuse me?!"
Josho floated the bottle over towards him, giving it a little shake. "Pour something down the hatch that won't come back up as flowers and rainbows for once!" He hiccuped, then smiled. "You're a soldier or ain't ya? We both know we could be dead tomorrow."
"Absolutely not!" Eagle Eye folded his forelimbs and lifted his lavender chin. "I'm not even going to humor the idea."
"Awwwwww... come on!" Josho smirked. "You said we're back in Foxtaur, didn't ya? Life sucks. Drink it up before it brings you down."
"I'm not a shameless floozy like you."
"Oh, please, kid. You wound me. Look, this is—whatdoyoucallit—a 'kind gesture' from soldier to soldier. Beneath all of that glitter, I'm sure there's a stallion who can respect that."
"I'd rather respect myself first!" Eagle Eye leaned forward and frowned at him. "The last thing I ever want to do, Mr. Josho, is get drunk anywhere near your or your beard..."