//------------------------------// // Chapter 19 // Story: The Pale Land // by OrphiusOlyandra //------------------------------// Last chance Dash, this is your last chance. Just take a step back, take a step away from the edge of the tent, lie back down on the bed and everything will be perfectly fine. It was so simple, so easy, so straightforward. Step back, step away, and just pretend everything was normal, that she had never left to begin with. But... everything wasn’t normal, not with Fluttershy in trouble, and Rainbow Dash could not bring herself to pretend. That would be turning her back on everything she had been taught, everything in the Great Tempest. The stories of Snowstorm and Hail and Pansy, how they stormed Unicornia by themselves to rescue Hurricane. How it was their loyalty to Hurricane, to each other, that allowed them to win, and in that single act, they managed to turn the tide of the war. Or how Slipstream braved the frozen wasteland by himself to find the sacred moonflower in order to cure Hurricane who had been poisoned by a unicorn assassin? Without that loyalty, they would not be on the edge of victory. A single push was all that was needed and right now, loyalty was needed more than ever. Loyalty to friends, or loyalty to a nation? No. A hoof stomped the ground and Dash grit her teeth. Now was not the time for such thoughts. She had a goal, she knew what she had to do, and if she was willing to give up Fluttershy, to throw her to the timberwolves, then what next? To take that first step... No. No pegasus left behind, not this time. Breathing out slowly, Dash stretched out her wings and began walking forwards, only to pause with one hoof raised, touching the tent fabric. Then, with a tentative hoof, she zipped up her jacket, threw up her hood and stuck her head out the tent flap. "Yo, is there a bathroom I can use?" The two guards glared down at Dash, both of them easily towering over her and covered in heavy plate armor. "I'm serious, I'm busting here. Come on!" "That tent can fit two pegasi, use it," growled the red one on the right. Dash grit her teeth. "Are you serious?" A death glare.From both of them. A small shudder ran down her spine and Dash found her mouth moving of its own accord, "Look, I'd rather not sleep in the same place I shit. If you do this for me, I'll keep you two warm tonight. Inside." Forcing the bile back down, she forced herself to smile at the two guards and bat her eyelids before adding, "If you know what I mean." The white one opened his mouth to reply, but a sharp shake of the head from his partner stopped him. The two stepped away, out of earshot and with their mouths hidden behind hooves. From the looks directed at her, the roaming eyes and slimy smiles, she knew she had won, but it left a cold pit in the bottom of her stomach. With a shake of her head, she steeled herself. After all, it's not like she would actually have to go through with any of it, and by the time they realized that little detail, she'd long be gone. The two males approached and the red one jerked his head to the side. "Come on then, and don't go trying anything." "I should be the ones saying that to you," snapped Dash as she walked out, and it was only once she was five steps past them that she remembered to sway her hips. "You know, we've already agr- oof!" A glare was shared between the two before the white one smiled hesitantly while rubbing his side. "Name's Snowdrop." That got him another smack over the back the head. "What?" "Look, I don't care about names. I need to use a bathroom, and I need a thorough fucking, and hey, do a good enough job and maybe I'll come looking for you two again." Though the words came easily, it felt like she was eating the shit from her time in training all over again. "Don't mind him, just keep swaying those hips." Stallions. In the end, they were all the same. If she didn’t need them right now, they'd be dead.Flanked on either side by the burly guards, no pegasi dared approach, though more than one spat on the ground she walked. A couple looked completely murderous and one even tried to approach, but with a stern glare and hushed whispers, the mare left. Turning the corner, they stepped out into the snow and there, dangling from ropes, were pegasi. Pegasi missing wings, with no clothes, frozen solid an- The sound of pained moans echoed in Dash's ears and her head snapped to the side, looking down a smaller cave. As soon as she did, she looked away, throwing up all over the ground. Though she could not see any details, it was clear what was happening. The sounds, the motions in the darkness, the... A shudder ran down her back and she looked up at the dead pegasi. Now that she looked a second time, she noticed the pool of frozen fluids beneath them and how they looked as though they had just had a bath. Gritting her teeth and wiping her mouth, Dash walked away, trying her hardest to ignore everything she had just seen and heard. Screw them, screw them all. Torturing pegasi, using them like that, stringing them up like dolls to be used and abused. Fuck them all. Nothing deserved that. Nothing! Not dirtponies, not horned freaks, and most certainly not pegasi. Not even that purple monster. Okay, maybe that purple monster. Dash sighed, the image dancing across her eyes for a brief moment before bile rose in her throat once more. Biting down until blood filled her mouth, Dash allowed herself to be shoved along by Snowdrop. The three of them walked down a side ledge, moving in single file in order to fit on the narrow path. As they slowly descended into the fog, the stench of urine and shit filled her nose and Dash gagged only to immediately close her mouth. In that split second of her mouth being open, she could taste everything, and bile immediately rose in her mouth. Collapsed on the ground, Dash dry heaved for all she was worth, but with each shaky breath she only got a better taste of the foul air. "So here's your bathroom." Though Dash could not see him, she could hear that smugness in his voice. "Enjoy." Gritting her teeth, Dash stepped back and turned to the face the two guards. "Real funny guys. Look, take us somewhere nice and I'll let you fuck my ass." That perked them up and they immediately began nudging her along further down the ledge. Typical males. Still it gave her a chance to check out what equipment they had, and damn, they were packing. High-end wing blades designed to slice through the air as though it didn't exist, top notch gauntlets with claws and super sick chain mail. "You know, if you wanted to stare, you could have just asked," said Snowdrop. Dash let her eyes drift over his equipment and forced herself to smile. "I don't suppose there's somewhere... private, around here, is there?" The two exchanged a look, but it was the red one who replied, "I may know a place." "Then let's go." After a brief second of hesitation, Dash licked her lips and fluttered her eyes at the duo. It took all her power not to gag yet again or to just throw herself onto a sword, but somehow she managed to keep her cool. "And the faster we get there, the longer we have before we need to leave again..." That got them moving. A minute later, they found themselves in an empty cave, fully sheltered and far enough from the main encampment that they probably wouldn't be overheard. Both stallions stood at the entrance, boxing Dash in, slimy smiles on their faces which Dash returned just as readily. Just as greedily, hungrily and full of lust. Turning around, she planted a kiss on one of the stallion’s lips, worming her tongue into his mouth as she trailed a hoof down his chest. Beneath her, Snowdrop fought back, his tongue pressing up against his and hooves wrapping her neck. With a smirk, Dash wormed a hoof beneath his chainmail, her freezing horseshoes pressed against exposed skin, causing him to hiss. Without warning, a hoof grabbed her mane, wrenching her off as a new set of lips were mashed against hers. Tongue forced into her mouth, Dash had no choice but to submit, and as she did so, she let out the most feminine, lust filled moan she could manage without gagging. Shoved up against the wall, she could feel that slimy hoof trailing along her front, down her sides, and to her flank. A small growl escaped at that, but that merely seemed to spur the stallion on, becoming more aggressive in his kisses and gropes. Out the corner of her eye, she could see Snowdrop remove his chainmail, and it hit the ground with a hollow thud. Flicking off her horseshoes, she ran a hoof along the red stallion's flanks then up and under his chainmail, drawing it off as her hooves moved. Their kiss broke long enough for it to be tossed to one side, before the stallion dove in once more. Next thing Dash knew, a second pair of lips was brushing along her neck, nipping and kissing the skin there, and it took every single last ounce of her willpower to keep moaning like some slut. If it wasn't because of Fluttershy, these two would already be missing their tongues at least. And the worst part was, she could feel them rubbing against her thigh. The slow steady pulsing as they ground their hips against her body, trailing fluids wherever they went. A small smile danced on Dash's lips as she felt them really starting to get into it, shedding their armor as their lips and hooves roamed all over her body, sear- A yelp escaped as she felt a hoof brush along her inner thigh, not even bothering to be subtle about where it was going. Eyes narrowing, Dash's hind hoof lashed out, catching the red one right between his legs. Before Snowdrop could even think about reaction, Dash made sure the he did not feel left out. Both males crumpled to the ground in a pained squeal and sure, Dash could have let that be that, but not today. Instead she gave them both a solid kick to stomach followed by one straight to the face. No doubt these two took part in defiling the bodies that had been strung up outside like some sort of barbaric dirt pony voodoo shit. Spitting on their unconscious faces, she began stripping them of their clothes. Though they were larger than she would have liked and sticky beyond belief, she slipped a uniform on and tightened it up. It'd make any sort of flying or fighting difficult, but with a bit of luck, she'd get out of there before they realized what had happened. After a brief moment of hesitation, Dash walked out with hood up and tail tucked. If those two died, they deserved it and if they didn't, she'd be back for them. As she trudged through the snow, her eyes scanned the sky, watching pegasi move from ledge to ledge. None paid her any attention as she went back up the ramp and began weaving through the cages that were out in the open. More than one freak was frozen solid, beaten and broken with a brutality that bought bile to her mouth.The worst part was, when she walked past them, they looked back at her, begging for death with their eyes. Well, those who hadn't already given up. Making a silent promise to come back and end their misery, Dash kept walking, easily slipping into the cave she came from. She wasn't certain what she expected; maybe a bit of a challenge, but it was just so simple and straightforward. There was cave, it was heavily guarded, and no pegasi slept inside. Either it was the where Hurricane was staying, in which case she was dead, or it was where they were keeping the more important prisoners. Stepping behind an outcropping of rock, Dash stretched out her limbs, casually letting her eyes wander through the encampment. The important traitors, the ones who had information, they would be kept safe, out of sight, and out of the harsh weather, and that meant it would be the best guarded cave around. Well, best guarded after the two temple entrances and where Hurricane was staying. The only thing was, all the caves she could were pretty casual, even the one she had been forced to stay in, and that meant they were on the other side of the gorge. Stepping back into the shadows, she glanced down at the bridge, quickly taking in the guards, their stations, how everything was set up, and a sigh immediately escaped. The entire place was sealed up tighter than the Wonderbolt's headquarters and with her distinctive trail, there was no way she'd be able to just fly across. Unless... Dash's eyes trailed down to the mist that obscured the bottom of the gorge from view before drifting to the guards on the bridge. It was a good twenty meters between where she was and the mist below, and while she could get there fast enough, what lay underneath was another matter entirely. The large briars that rose out of the mists, with thorns as thick as her body did not make the decision any easier. Not that she really had a choice in the matter. With a sigh, she leapt off the ledge, one hoof on her hood to keep it up as she plummeted straight down. The mist hit her like melting snow, and for a split second, she might as well have been in a blizzard. White enveloped her on all sides, and before she knew what happened, a bolt of pain laced through her side. A second later, a frozen vine appeared before her face and she flared her wings while tucking her legs in, hitting it with enough force to make her hiss in pain. She stood on the vine, looking about, but was unable to see anything. Even her hooves weren't visible. Bloody, fucking lovely. Each wingbeat drew a tortured gasp from her lips and she could feel the blood seeping through the fabric. Despite only grazing the damn thing, it had sliced clean through. Peeking her head above mist, Dash quickly oriented herself before dropping back down, narrowly missing another thorn on the way down. Now with a sense of direction, she began edging forward, limping along the vine.Each step was taken with the upmost care, and she was forced to duck and weave around thorns, the burning cold leaving her gasping for breath. Every so often, she would fly back up to make sure she was travelling in the right direction and to check on the guards. With the way they sat on the ground, chatting away while watching the cliff face, it was clear they hadn't noticed anything. Then again, it could all be a trick of some kind. Well, there was nopoint in worrying about it now. Dropping back under the mist, Dash began gliding forward only to throw herself to the side in order to avoid a thorn pointed straight at her head. She hit another frozen vine and bounced off, barely managing to land on her hooves. She immediately slipped onto one knee, clutching at her side while gasping in pain. After a second, or maybe it was a minute, she rose to her hooves again and began easing forward, a dull throb accompanying each step.Using the thorns as hoofholds, she began climbing upwards, her lithe body easily slipping through narrow passages. Eventually, she found herself emerging from the mist and stumbling onto solid ground. With heavy pants, she crawled forward, leaning heavily against the wall for support. Despite how tired she was, she could hear South Star nagging at her to always keep an eye on the sky and on the horizon. More than once that old hag had ambushed her after a long day of training and despite being dead, Dash just knew that one day South would jump her as a ghost. Plus, Fluttershy needed her, and Dash wasn't about to give up on her friend over a bit of spilled blood, even if it was her own. Slipping into a small crevice, Dash ripped a bit of her sleeve off and pressed it over her wound before poking a head out. So far so good at least, no pegasi were on alert. Taking a deep breath, Dash stepped out and zipped across the open ground, skidding to a stop behind another outcropping of rock. Another glance, and another mad dash for safety. It was only once she got to a small cave that she finally allowed herself to catch her breath and plan the next move. From her position, it was hard to make out all the caves. Her eyes drifted over back to the bridge and she watched as two pegasi pulled a cart of crystals housed in two large barrels across the bridge. Light blue, designed to blend into the environment, and there seemed to be some sort of marking on the side. Dark blue markings.There was something familiar about it, but she couldn't quite remember where she had seen it bef- Those weren't barrels, those were fuel cells!And two of them in one place.She had been trying for years to get one cell, one small, tiny, miniscule fuel cell, and every time, she had been told that Fort Nightingale wasn't important enough. Two of them! They were bloody mammoth class fuel cells and one was enough to warm an entire fort for a year. The last time a new one had been bought to the capital, festivities were held for three days and here were two new ones. Dash's eyes narrowed as she craned her neck, trying to get see if they were new or were almost out of juice. After a couple seconds of trying, she quickly ducked back under cover and sighed. Okay, so now there were two highly explosive items being carted into a cave entrance. That could not be a good thing, but it would make for a good distrac- No! That is something that horned freak would do, and she was not about to sink to those depths. All she needed was five bloody seconds to think and the solution would be obvious, it had to be. A shudder ran down her spine as a particularly chill gust of wind slipped through all the layers she had on.But then again, who said she needed a distraction at all? She wasn't some filthy, useless horned freak with no education. She was a Flight Commander. She was one of the youngest pegasi with an actual command. She had been top of her class! If anypegasus could think of a plan, it was her. Damn it! This was meant to be the easy part. Just... just calm down.Getting worked up over something as simple as this was just going to fry her brains further. Focus on the basics, forget everything else. She needed to find Fluttershy, but she didn't know which cave she was in. Somewhere safe, that much was obvious, but not too safe. After all, they'd want those traitors to suffer. Unless there was some new technique involving fuel cells, there was no way they'd store them in the same cave as Fluttershy. So that left five potential caves. It wouldn't be the largest one, or the smallest, and it'd be well guarded. That left just one final cave. See? Not hard at all. Unless there were other caves she couldn't see, but that was no way to think. Had to be positive in situations like these, the alternative was to admit defeat. Stay positive, but keep it realistic. Now, how to get in? Three guards from the lo- Nope, four now.Four guards in full ceramic armor with steel wingblades and gaunt- clawed gauntlets? Huh, had they already figured how to make them for ponies already? It'd definitely give them the edge needed to win the war, but they looked beyond awkward to walk in let, alone to run in. Actually... now there's a thought.All she needed now was a distraction—one that did not involve hurting the soldiers. After all, they were just doing their jobs; they didn't know better, didn't know what evils were taking place behind those stone walls. They- They didn't know. They couldn't know. They mustn't know. Even if they were hoof picked for the mission, even if- even if... Dash squeezed her eyes shut, but she that just intensified the images in her mind. The sounds and scents from the other cave. That mare strapped down, legs forced open, groping hooves everywhere, pressing down and... No. She had to have faith. She had to believe in something. Struggling onto her hooves, Dash began walking forward, a sharp intake of breath accompanying each step. One step at a time, that's all it took, a single step at a single bucking time.A sudden yell came from the direction of the bridge and Dash immediately dived to the side, a gasp escaping as pain laced down her side. Panting heavily and with a hoof pressed against her bleeding side, Dash risked a quick glance out from her hiding spot and swore under her breath. Sure, no pegasi were racing in her direction, but from the frantic running around, things were not looking up. Tick, tock, tick, tock. If she was not gone soon, she was gonna be fucked by a frozen thorn. Repeatedly. Throwing, all caution into the wind, Dash leapt up into the air, rocketing towards the ledge above her before landing with a dull thud. Her back was immediately up against the wall as she crept forwards, peering out from around the corner at the bridge once more. Whatever news it was, it had spread quickly and pegasi were racing in all directions, and yet the guards before the cave did nothing. They stood there, obviously curious as to what was going on, but something kept them firmly stuck where they were. Loyalty. That's what she wanted to believe, but there was that whisper in the back of her mind, a constant buzz that was impossible to understand. It wasn't words, it wasn't even the growling of timberwolves, it was something more primal than that. Something animalistic that called to her, making it impossible for her to ignore. A hoof drifted up to touch her neck and a shudder ran down her spine. A small shake of her head cleared away those thoughts and Dash began inching forward once more. Instead of flying up, she decided to climb the cliff face, but by the time she reached the top, she collapsed on the ground, panting heavily and eyes squeezed shut. Seconds passed, then minutes and it was only once her wounds were numb that she climbed back onto her hooves. She'd pay for it later, but later wasn’t important. Right now she had an opening, a small opening, but it was probably the best one she was going to get. Once more, a cry drew her attention and she watched as two guards approached the cave entrance. Hushed whispers were exchanged and they moved off as a group, leaving just one pegasus to guard the entrance while the rest went to guard the cave with the fuel cells. Dash frowned, but after another couple minutes of watching, she shrugged her shoulders and began walking forward. A dumb enemy was a gift from the sun and should never, ever be questioned. At least, that's what South Star always told her, and for once, Dash could see why. If they wanted to leave one pegasus to guard the prisoners then so be it, all that meant was that it'd be easier for her. Climbing up yet again, Dash slipped along the ledge until she was above the lone guard. A quick survey of the situation to make sure none were watching before she dropped down, slamming into the guard from above. Together they tumbled into the snow, but with his heavy armor and unwieldy gauntlets, Dash recovered first.Darting in, she landed a blow to his chest, throwing him off balance and followed up with a solid buck to his face. Down he went, and with it, a sense of disappointment welled up within Dash. But no time for that now, she had more important things to focus on. Dragging his body into the cave, she shoved it out of sight. Five minutes. Already she could feel her heart thumping away as she licked her lips in anticipation for what was to come. A quick glance backwards to make sure no one had noticed and then Dash raced down the tunnel. "Fluttershy!" she yelled in the darkness, her words bouncing back to her. Silence. Fuck! This was no- "D-Dash?" It was a mere whisper, the sound of a pony whose throat had been abused one too many times, but it sliced through the silence. "Don't worry 'Shy, we're gonna get you out of here in ten second flat!" said Dash as she took the left hand turn only to skid to a stop before Lightning Dust who was in full Wonderbolt uniform. "Dash..." Lightning Dust spoke slowly, her mouth opening and closing a couple of times before she sighed and whispered, "Please... just leave. Turn around and walk away, I won't tell them you were here." Behind her, Fluttershy cowered in a corner of her cage. "P-Please Dash, don't throw everything away for me, I'm not wor-" "Fluttershy, shut up." Dash backed up and settled down into an aggressive fighting stance. "And Dust, get out of my way, and I won't be forced to kick your ass." Amber eyes darted to Fluttershy before Lightning returned her gaze to Dash. "Why? Does Fluttershy mean that much to you?" "She's my friend," snapped Dash. "Something you obviously do not understand." Lightning's jaw clenched as she pawed at the ground. "I know all about friendship, and wh-" "Then how can you let this happen!" screamed Dash with a sweep of her hoof. "This isn't friendship, this isn't loyalty, this is cruel. We pegasi are above this, we have to be above this otherwise when we win it'll be meaningless. I will not let us sink to the same depraved depths as the horned freaks and dirt ponies! " "So you'd just rather let those soldiers die? You'd rather send thousands to be slaughtered rather than give up what? Some stupid self-entitled belief? They have families and friends, some were even drafted into the army against their will!" Lightning Dust mirrored Dash's stance. "I thought you were cool, but I was obviously wrong." "Funny, I was just about to say the same thing." The two circled each other slowly. "I am loyal to my friends. I am loyal to what it means to be a pegasus. I am loyal to my dreams." Dash darted in, throwing two quick punches to Lightning's face, but she blocked both blows. Shuffling forward, Lightning went for a hook punch, only to miss as Dash twisted to the side. Neither side gave an inch and both moved towards each other, throwing out a series of rapid kicks and punches. Each blow made Dash wince, each duck and weave left her side burning, but they eventually separated and began circling once more. "Then what about me?" whispered Lightning. "What about Thunderlane? What about Cloud? What about all the ponies who depended on you in Nightingale!?" Dash was forced to scramble to one side, but before she could even recover, a second punch caught her in the stomach. Hitting the ground, she rolled with blow, narrowly evading the hoof stomp that cracked the rock. Lightning was on her, throwing two jabs to Dash's face followed by one to her stomach, and then an elbow to the face. Barely fending off each blow, Dash ducked under the last one. The gasp of pain was like music to her ears as her hoof sunk into Lightning's unprotected stomach. Stepping forward, Dash threw all of her weight into her next shot. The crunch echoed through the room.Collapsing into a heap on the ground, Lightning rolled with the blow. In a split second, she was back on her hooves and she spat some blood onto the ground. "Loyalty? You call this loyalty!?" Lightning dashed forward, throwing a quick one-two punch. This time, both hits landed, causing Dash to stumble backwards. Weaving to the side, she followed up a backhoof blow into an open hoof strike to Dash's throat. Coughing and spluttering curses, Dash hit the wall with Lightning above her, pinning her down. "You weren't loyal to me. You weren't loyal to your soldiers. You weren't loyal to anypegasus except yourself!" Spitting in her face, Lightning kneed Dash in the gut before throwing her onto the ground. "All you ever cared about was yourself! Your glory, your awesomeness, your desires. Did you even bother asking if Fluttershy wanted to run?" "She... she's my friend. I didn't need to as-" A hoof connected with Dash's stomach, sending her sprawling across the ground in a heap. A red trail stained the ground and all she could do was groan weakly. On shaky hooves, she stood back up. She looked Lightning straight in the eyes, a low growl rumbling in the back of her throat as she half unfurled her wings and settled back into an aggressive stance. "Damn it Dash, you didn't even ask me!" Tears spilled over the edges of Lightning's eyes. "I'm your friend, what about loyalty to me? Y-You just upped and left with no word. I thought you had died!" "I needed to save Flutters-" Dash didn't even see the blow that hit her. She didn't even see Lightning Dust move. One second her rival was on the other side of the room and the next second, Dash found herself pinned up against the wall, a foreleg over her throat. Each breath was a desperate gasp for air as she pawed uselessly at Lightning's torso. "Save Fluttershy!? Are you even listening to yourself right now? You're the one who always talks about how strong she is, that she doesn't need us to foalsit her all the time." "I- I had to..." Dash forced a hoof up, trying to shove Lightning away from her, but it was no use. The more she struggled, the harder it became to focus on anything. "What about..." Whatever else Lightning said was lost as Dash's vision began to darken. W-Why? "Don't worry Rainbow Dash, I won't kill you. I've got the power you know, I'm a Wonderbolt now." Leaning forward, Lightning Dust patted Dash on the head, "You'll live, I promise you that." The edges of Dash's vision faded to black and her hoof fell limply to her side. "After all, that's what friends do, isn't it? That's... loyalty." "Golden! We've got a group of earthponies coming from the north." Drifter skidded to a stop before Applejack. "Sharp Shooter has taken a group of ponies around the ridge to the west in case they're hostile." "They are earth ponies, it seems unlikely they will actively seek to do us harm," said Serpent. "They've got pegasi and unicorns with them," panted Drifter. "Not collared, but neither are the earth ponies." "How curious, one would think they were feather fuckers or horn riders." Serpent shrugged. "I fail to see why we should bo-" "They're earth ponies like us, so ya better keep ya trap shut." Applejack peered up at him from under the rim of her hood. "They may be allies and we need as many allies as we need right now." "You would have us associate with horned freaks and the like?" said Serpent. "Drifter, please inform Sharp that Ah order him to make first contact. Do not attack unless provoked or if the earth ponies are slaves, we need allies right now. Ah will join him shortly." For a brief second, he hesitated, but at Applejack's level gaze he ran off. Once he was out of sight, Applejack turned back to Serpent. "Look, Ah know ya distrust winged and horned freaks, but right now we need allies. We're just a small group and if we're to get anything done, we need to work together." "Well..." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I still don't like it, and if they cause trouble, I want them out." "Only if they weren't provoked." "You're starting to sound like a horn lover." "Ah'm being realistic and Ah refuse to become consumed by hate. Ah don’t trust them, not fully, but they should not be hated for what they are. It's not like they had a choice after all." Applejack's eyes hardened. "Ya ain't the only one who doubts the other races, but Ah would ask ya to try and not cause any fights." "Only if they behave themselves." A groan escaped. "Just try to behave. Please.Ah'd rather not have a fight breaking out in the middle of our encampment." "Very well, if that is your command, fearless leader." He gave a quick mock salute before making his way into the neighboring cave where everyone else was. Applejack rubbed her temples before making her way out, taking the path on the right that curved behind some rocky outcroppings and frozen trees. While out of sight, she took the opportunity to just shake out her limbs and breathe out slowly before trotting along the dirt path.Breath misting in the air before her, she eventually came to a stop at a small ledge overlooking the frozen forest before her. There, just below here, was a group of earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns in ragged clothing, but they seemed to be healthy. All of them, which meant the slaves were at least well cared for. If the earth ponies were in charge, that already put them miles ahead of the monster she left behind. Wait. They had weapons. All of them. There were bows, gauntlets, wing blades, magic, and everything in between. This group of ponies, what were they? Were they feather fuckers and horn riders after all?The thought made her gag, but if that's what they were into, they'd just have to pay the price. The freaks probably stole the soul for themselves. Though they were tense, a fight hadn't broken out yet and up front, five ponies were gathered. Applejack's frown deepened as she focused on the leaders chatting in between the two groups. Sharp was there, that was to be expected, but Rarity as well? Along with a pegasus, a unicorn and an earth pony. Breaking out into a gallop, Applejack raced down the ramp, weaving through the scouting squad Sharp had sent out. The first couple of ponies yelped in surprise when they were shoved to the side, but the rest quickly parted before her, giving Applejack a straight line to where the action was taking place. "A- Golden, darling, how nice of you to join us," said Rarity without turning around. "I have the pleasure of introducing Lyra, Blue Skiesand our stand-in Braeburn." "A pleasure," said Applejack dryly. "Ah'm more curious as to what y'all are doing." "Regrouping before we kill those bastards and get our friends back," growled Lyra. "And Ah told ya to that ain't happening. Ya've got responsibility to the survivors and what ya're suggesting is a suicide mission," replied Braeburn. "And I have enough patients to take care of right now without adding any more. Without Fluttershy and Bleeding Heart, the responsibility has fallen to me, so I'm telling you right now, we don't have the supplies to keep everypony healthy and we cannot keep travelling like this. We need to rest and heal up." The only one to not step back from the intensity of Blue Skies glare was Sharp, who merely stood there with an amused look on his face. "I am a medic, not a leader, I don't even know why I was dragged here to begin with. Now, I need to return to my patients before some well-meaning, but completely incompetent pony kills another one." There was absolute silence as she walked away. Braeburn let out a groan and began slamming his head against the snow. "Am Ah the only sane one here?" "Of course not, you're just a little bitch," chuckled Lyra. "Toughen up, girly boy, and take it like a stallion." "Lyra? Ya're the only one with experience so please take it seriously. Ah've never done this before s-" "Ya never done this before?" Applejack tilted her head to the side. "Then why are ya here?" "Because Ah'm the only one who was willing." He stared Applejack straight in the eye. "If yer with MacIntosh, we're leaving immediately." That got a snort out of AJ, but it was Rarity who replied, "Please darling, as though we could stand being around that brute for more than a day. We just left that filthy place and are looking for a place to settle down in." "Hold up, who is this MacIntosh?" Lyra's eyes narrowed. "You've been hiding information from us again, haven't you?" Braeburn snorted. "Lyra, Ah'm trusting ya to not get into any fights. For now, Ah'mgonna go let the others know what's going on." "H-Hey! Wait, get back here you piece of shit, don't leave me alone with these earth ponies!" Braeburn merely gave a wave over his shoulder. "Bloody Braeburn. Look, here's the deal, we need a place to stay since our last base was wrecked. Can we stay here? And don't even think about attacking us." With a flick of her hoof, a blade snapped out causing everypony to take a step back and take a defensive stance. "While we have foals and injured with us, you will not find us easy to take down. Got that?" "That... is an earth pony weapon ," said Sharp slowly. "So? A blade through the back kills just as easily as a spell to the face." Lyra retracted the blade. "We won't attack if you don't, but if you do you will die. Got that?" "We haven't agreed on anything yet," growled Applejack. The way Lyra's eyes drifted down Applejack's body then back up, made the earth pony's skin crawl. "From what Rarity was telling us, I was expecting something... more." Lyra turned to Sharp and Rarity. "This is your leader? She leaves something to be desired." "Excuse me?" said Rarity with a slight edge in her voice. "All I'm saying is that Golden here lacks a commanding presence. She's here, but she doesn't dominate the area, doesn't make herself seem larger than life, as though she can make the impossible possible. I'm sure she is a capable leader, but tell me, have you ever been in a large scale organized raid?" Lyra smirked. "I thought not. Like I said, you lack presence." "And Ah take it ya've got it?" "Of course not, don't be stupid. I'm not in charge of this band of misfits, even if I am the temporary leader." Though a smile appeared on her face, it sent a chill down Applejack's spine. "Ever tried screwing a pegasus with a rusty fork? No? Well I'm going to find out what happens." "And are there any earth ponies captured?" asked Sharp. "Why? Would it make a difference?" snapped Lyra. "Of course it would, I forgot who I was talking to." "And what is that supposed to mean?" said Rarity. "Nothing." Lyra turned to Applejack. "So we good or what?" "Explain," said Applejack, causing Lyra's jaw to clench. "There is only one unicorn among you." Lyra pointed to the mass of ponies behind her. "We have earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi. There's your answer." "What kind of an-" "The only one you'll be getting," snapped Lyra. "So we good or not?" "Not." Applejack took an aggressive step forwards. "Explain or you can leave." The two glared at each other, neither backing down. "We are those who left," growled Lyra. "Sick of the war, sick of the hate, sick of everything." "And yet you fight," said Sharp. "So they don't have to," snapped Lyra. "Final chance, we good or not?" A tense silence filled the air. "Sharp, your thoughts on this?"Applejack eventually asked and out the corner of her eye, she could see Rarity glaring at the unicorn. "Bloodthirsty little thing, but I see no reason to distrust her." He faced Lyra and his eyes narrowed. "But if you even think about double crossing us, you will end up with a bolt through your head. I will split that horn of yours in two, right down the middle from one hundred paces while blindfolded." "I'd like to see you try." Before Sharp Shoot could say anything, Applejack quickly stepped in, "Very well, there are a couple of caves along the western edge thatya can use, but tell ya ponies not to provoke anything." "Understood. I'll have Braeburn pass the word along as long as you tell your ponies the same thing." "Of course. Sharp Shooter, please begin spreading the word and place some ponies to stand guard," said Applejack before whispering, "If a pony called Serpent talks to any of your ponies, don't believe a word he says, or at least take it with a grain of salt. He does not trust unicorns and pegasi at all, so take care. He has a dark green coat, yellow mane, and blue eyes." "I'll tell the guards that." After a moment of silence, Lyra turned to Rarity, "I would actually like to talk to you some more. Perhaps later tonight?" "Of course darling, I've been away from unicorn society for far too long and I'm rather interested in the political climate as of late. There was one House in particular, a disgraced House, what was it again?" Rarity tilted her head to the side with a thoughtful frown. "Oh yes, House of Belle." Applejack's heart caught in her throat and she stared at Rarity, but there was nothing in Rarity's body language that gave anything away. She just stood there as prissy as ever with her back straight, perfect poise and a small smile on her face. There was no sadness there, no concern, nothing. If anything, it was the perfect face of curiosity. A growing pit of ice formed in Applejack's stomach as she watched the two unicorns talk. What if this was the master plan all along? Worm her way into Applejack's good graces, gather up all the information she could then sell it back to horned freaks in exchange for being taken back in. It was so obvious now, how did she miss it before? Stupid! "Golden, dear?" asked Rarity with a frown. "Are you alright? You're looking decidedly sick." "Fine!Perfectly fine. Ah musta ate something off at lunch, been feeling weird all day." Applejack gave a nervous chuckle, glancing away at Sharp before looking back to Rarity. "It has been a rather long day and Ah've dealt with one too many complaints." "Of course, I'm sure Sharp and Lemon Drop and the rest of them will be able to take care of everything while you rest." Rarity turned Applejack around and began leading her back to the camp. "You need to learn to delegate responsibility." Like to a certain horned freak perhaps? "Perhaps." Applejack immediately took the lead. "Sharp, spread the news, if they have an issue they can come and find me. Ah'm going to scope them out." "And I'm going to come with you," said Rarity."After all, they may be more receptive if they see you with a unicorn." "True, and the more information we have, the better off we will be," added Sharp. Gritting her teeth until it hurt, Applejack just managed to get a small nod before walking towards the new group.As they trudged through the snow in silence, she felt a hoof being placed on her shoulder and her entire body went rigid. Slowly, she twisted around to look Rarity in the eye, totally silent and a neutral expression on her face. "Darling, is something the matter? You've been acting oddly all day." The concern on her face was almost convincing. "Ah'm fine." Applejack stopped in the middle of the field. "Ah think ya're better off with them." "Wh-What? Why would you thin-" "Ah said, ya're better off with them," said Applejack, looking Rarity straight in the eye. "Understood?" Silence. The first to break eye contact was Rarity, mumbling something under her breath. With a nod of satisfaction, Applejack began walking away, not even bothering to look over her shoulder or give a parting word as she made her way back to camp. Who needed that horned freak anyways? Silence. How long had it been since she truly experience total silence? Not since she found Spike for certain. To think she used to love this... this... state of being. It definitely had its charm and allure, there was no doubt about that, but it felt so foreign to her now. Almost as though she was meeting an old friend for the first time in years, changed beyond recognition by the years, but with the ghost of a memory hidden just beneath the surface. A sigh escaped as Twilight stretched out her limbs, trying to work some warmth back into them. Joints cracked and muscles strained, and by the end of it, she was nice and limber again. Still, that didn’t stop the shaking when she gazed out the cave.Tonight she would rest and tomorrow... She shook her head and sighed yet again. After a couple seconds of staring into the white expanse, she reached into her saddlepack and pulled out a single red apple and bit into it. It was stale, and probably worse than the bile she ate most days. Still, when was the last time she had one of these? It may have tasted like crap, but it was still an apple. Turning back to the flame behind her, she watched it with disinterest. Slowly, tenderly, she reached within in herself, cupping the well of magic that resided within her. She could feel it lashing out, striking at her again and again in an attempt to wiggle free. For a brief second, she let it go, just a small trickle, but even then she left as though as she was drowning. It wrapped around her, dragging her down, filling her up, making the world waver. The flames flared up brighter. The magic sung to her, drawing her in. Eyes closed, Twilight leaned towards the flames, feeling the way magic moved around and through her. A single hoof rose into the air and plucked the magic, feeling it vibrate and warp everything around her. A second hoof rose into the air and together, they began plucking the chords, her entire body swaying as she played. Back and forth she went, her hooves a blur. There was a hum in the air, a tension, thick and heady, an- A yelp escaped and Twilight scrambled back, her hoof throbbing in pain. Rushing to the entrance, she shoved her hoof into the snow, and it hissed where she touched it. She pulled it back out and examined the burn, before sighing and shaking her head. A quick glance back over her shoulder showed that the fire had gone out completely, but not before leaving scorch marks all over the ceiling and ground. She pressed a wet hoof against her horn, trying to dull the pain, but to no avail. It kept throbbing away,as though it was on fire. "Damn it, Twilight, focus!" she muttered to herself as she settled back down. She grabbed her flint, striking it in an attempt to get the fire starting again. A small voice kept whispering in her ear, telling her to just use magic, to just let go and let it all out. A drop, a stream, a torrent, just let it all out and really heat this place up.Clutching the flint tighter in her jaw, she struck it once more, flinching away as the small bits of tinder she had left burst into flames. A quick pat down of her muzzle to make sure it wasn't on fire before she settled back down. This time though, she kept her mind on the job and did not let it wander. If tomorrow was going to work, she would need every last scrap of magic she had. She was going to make those pegasi pay for what they had done. They destroyed the one patch of green in this damned land,and that could not be forgiven. They wanted power, they desired power. Power to crush their enemies, to remake the world in their image, and rule with an iron hoof. They thought they knew power. Holding out a hoof, Twilight released a drop of magic and lightning began sparking across her hoof. With a simple flick, the lightning lanced off, striking the wall opposite her. By the time the dust had cleared, there was fresh hole in the wall and a pile of rubble on the ground. They knew nothing of power.