//------------------------------// // House of Earthborn: Appleloosan Rangers // Story: Equestria Divided Tales // by Grenazers //------------------------------// The army of Stormwing and Earthborn are at it again. However, this time the Stormwing forces have pushed the Earthborn back to their major settlement in New Ponyville. They laid siege to the place for days now and the Earthborn reinforcements are only a couple of days before arriving. Fortunately for the defenders, the Stormwing forces are suffering heavy casualties and is losing morale. With them on the verge of losing the Stormwing commander believed it was time to call in the backup, preferably ones from the North. A pegasus was sent back to their territory, to inform their allies up north. Unbeknownst to the messenger, he was being watched. The spy watched the pony fly away, then spreading his own wings flew back to his commander. Near the border between The Northern Expansion and The Heartland, a group of earth ponies were sitting around a campfire, waiting for their order. They are all a specialized units called the Appleloosan Rangers. Like the name says these ponies came all the way from Appleloosa, the Rangers specializes in disrupting enemy formation and is especially effective against flying opponents. The rangers waited around the camp for a while, soon a pegasus courier arrived and told all of them the message. The message was that they are to support a company of pegasus auxiliaries in objective of engaging the Stormwing reinforcements. The Rangers up and were about to head out, one certain pony was still lying down with his stetson hat on his face. The pony's name is Desert Eagle and he is the newest addition to the Rangers. While having no combat experiences, Desert was a good herder before joining the army. Also he has been trained by his uncle who is a veteran Ranger. As he was napping one of the Rangers woke him up, he was then informed of the message he missed. Getting up, Desert Eagle put on his hat and trotted with the rest of the group. Along the way they met up with other groups of Rangers. Their once little group got bigger by the time they reached their destination. When the large group of Rangers arrived, they can already see that the battle has already started. In the air the two flying combatants engaged each others in intense aerial combat. However, something was different in this battle. Instead of pegasus against pegasus, it was pegasus against griffins. The backup the Stormwing commander called for were not pegasus, instead it was their northern allies the griffins. This is going to be a problem. While the pegasus had only recently went back to their warrior's root, the griffins were a different story. The griffins still hold the traditions of being warriors and it has survived to this day. Because of their warrior ancestry, the normal griffin was stronger than the usual pegasus. This fact is proven in the battle before them. Their pegasus allies were being torn apart by griffins, their swift and brutal fighting was too much for the pegasus auxiliaries. Seeing that they needed help, the Appleloosan Rangers charged into the fray. Readying their lassos, they threw them at the griffins, grabbing them and pulling them to the ground. Once they were down the Rangers finished them off, using either sword, spears, or their own hooves the Rangers quickly dispatches any griffins they brought down The griffins soon realize the presence of the Appleloosan Rangers, some broke off from fighting the pegasus to take care of the ground forces. Luckily for the Rangers they came prepared, whenever those griffins come at them they'll use their smoke bombs to cover themselves and evade the flying warriors. Amidst this battle, Desert Eagle was faring well. All those training his uncle put him under has finally paid off. So far he has taken down three griffins by himself, ten more by assists. As the pony Ranger was galloping around, he spotted a pegasus mare falling from the sky. Desert galloped towards the direction of the falling mare, when he found her she surrounded by three griffins. Despite her injuries and being outnumbered she managed to fend off her three attackers, she constantly moved around while also evading their attacks. The mare tried to strike back, but because of her injuries and the griffin's tough build, her attacks barely did anything to them. Desert knew he had to act fast or else the mare below will die, taking out his smoke bomb he threw in the middle of the fight. The smoke bursts and engulf the four combatants. Two of the griffins were smart enough to fly away from the smoke, unfortunately the third one wasn't so smart. The Ranger got behind that griffin and slit his throat. With him taken care of, Desert carried the tired mare out of there. As he galloped the Ranger noticed two large shadows over him, the two griffins from before are now chasing him. Pushing himself to go faster Desert rushed away from his two pursuers. He hid in the tall grasses and watched the two griffins scan the area. Putting the mare down in the tall grasses, Desert Eagle bursts out of the grasses attracting the attention of the two griffins. They gave chase, one of them flying a lot faster than his partner. As he was about to get his prey, the earth pony suddenly halted letting him fly pass him. The pony then threw his lasso around the griffin's legs, stopping him and pulling him down. Desert took this opportunity to kill the down griffin, but went got close to him the griffin swiftly turned around and slashed the pony with his talons. The scratch hit Desert's face leaving a nasty scar across his face. The griffin then used his wings and bash into the pony. He was about to finish the him off, but the pony threw dirt in his eyes. Desert bucked the blind griffin off, he then got up and tried his second attempt to finish the griffin. Then suddenly the second griffin came and rammed the pony away from his comrade. As Desert got up the second griffin freed his friend and were both aiming to kill the lone Ranger. Desert though it was the end of the line for him, then out of nowhere the mare from earlier jump by his side, wielding a spear. With the odds somewhat even the two sides engaged each other. The earth pony took on the griffin with the long sword, while the pegasus took on the one with the axe. The stallion dodges each of the griffin's sword swings while also trying to hit him with his knife. Meanwhile the mare kept jabbing her spear at the axe-wielding griffin. After a minute of fighting, Desert chucked his knife at the griffin's arm, causing him to drop his sword. The pony quickly picked up the fallen sword he swung upward., and slashing the griffin's stomach opened. The griffin fell down, trying to hold in his falling guts as he slowly died. With his opponent dealt with, Desert turned around and saw the griffin cut the mare's spear in half. Using the half with the spear point, the mare stabbed it into the griffin's leg. Ignoring his pain the griffin used his free claw and grabbed the mare, his sharp talons penetrate deep into the mare's flesh. He then tossed her aside, he then proceeds to rip out the spear from his leg. When he took off the griffin looked and saw the stallion standing over his fallen comrade, readying his axe, the griffin waited for the stallion to make his move. Desert raised the sword and charged at the griffin. The griffin tightens his grip on his battle axe and prepared himself to counter. Both warriors swung them at each other, with the griffin comes from above and the pony going below, their weapons were about to hit each other. But, then Desert moved his sword lower and slice through the handle and slicing the griffin's head off. With the fall of the griffin the battle was over, well for them anyway. All around the Ranger the battle was still raging on, as much as he wanted to help out his body was tired. Also the mare was still injured from her battle earlier. Concluding that he won't be much help out in the battle, Desert Eagle decided to stay with the mare and tend to her wounds. Later in the aftermath, despite heavy casualties, the Appleloosan Rangers and Pegasus Auxiliaries won the battle against the griffin warriors. With their backup gone the Stormwing commander had no choice, but to give up the siege and head back to base. The battle was over, the Earthborn forces have successfully defended New Ponyville and drove off the Stormwing invaders. After that, all the Appleloosan Rangers and Pegasus Auxiliaries head towards New Ponyville to celebrate their victory. Desert Eagle and a couple Rangers went to a tavern, while the others were getting drunk off their asses, Desert couldn't take his mind off that pegasus mare. He doesn't know why, but she is all he thinks about in his mind. Sure she was pretty, but he didn't know anything about her. He wished he had taken the time he spent with her to get to know her more. Unknown to the stallion a new patron entered the tavern, she looked around and spotted the sitting stallion. Smiling she slowly trotted towards him, taking the seat next to him, she sat there waiting to see how long before he notices her. It took Desert a full minute before he took notice of the pony sitting next to him, he moved his head to see this new pony. To say that he was shocked would be an understatement, he nearly fell off his stool before the mare caught him. After that bit of awkwardness the mare introduced herself, her name was Wild Flower. She was originally here to get a drink, but upon seeing him she had to meet the stallion that save her. The two ponies talked, they shared their interest, their families, and other things. After getting to know each other, Wild Flower invites him to spar with her tomorrow. And then maybe after that hang out together. Desert smiled and agreed to spend his time with her, and with that they both got glass to seal their agreement and drank for the rest of the night.