Glorious Dawn began organizing his ponies as the healers did their work, pulling his soldiers away from their hurt comrades with reassuring words. After a few minutes, they were gathered in a large circle around him. Red Roam joined Dawn in the middle of the group.
Glorious Dawn closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. “Sound off as I call for you. Always Alert?”
“Sir.”
“Able Body?”
“Sir!”
“Breeze Bender?”
“Captain!”
Red Roam silently observed the ritual. Glorious Dawn’s voice rang out, calling the names of his soldiers from memory. Many answered. Some, however, never responded. Glorious Dawn’s role call finished after several minutes, and he opened his eyes, looking over his stallions and mares. They stared expectantly back. After a moment, Glorious Dawn moved away, going to Amber. “Amber, I’ve got thirteen missing ponies. I need to check the stretchers, see who you’re taking.”
Amber gestured to the stretchers. Eight of them were covered with white sheets, denoting ponies the healers had been unable to save, or were too late to help. Five living but badly hurt ponies looked up from their places, pained eyes looking to their Captain. Glorious Dawn moved among them for a moment, touching a shoulder there, smiling encouragingly there, as he spoke every soldier’s name.
“Grass Seed, be well.”
“I’ll t-try, sir.”
“Rusty Nail, be well.”
“Sir.”
“Low Tide, be well.”
“I’m sorry, Captain.”
“Nothing to apologise for.”
The Captain moved away from the wounded ponies after speaking to each one in turn, walking slowly to the fatalities. He lifted each sheet, staring down at the unmoving form beneath, before leaning down and murmuring something over each deceased pony’s head. A few minutes later, he returned to Amber. “Thank you. Take care of my ponies.”
“You take care of Red, Captain,” said Amber solemnly. “I saw those cuts on his muzzle. They’ll look dashing after they’ve scarred over, I’m sure, but I’d rather not see any more missing bits of his hide, sir.”
“I’ll do my best. You know how he is,” Dawn replied, before returning to the group of soldiers.
Glorious Dawn faced his remaining men. “Eight dead, five out of the fight. We’re down to sixty, but—Celestia willing—that will be enough. I’ll speak to you all once I know more about how the wider battle goes. Until then, be at ease. Let’s push to the top of the hill and then stop there. Roam, post a few sentries, and everypony rest while you can. Orders will be coming soon. Seventh Canterlot Reserve, move out.”
Glorious Dawn watched his men as they moved slowly for the crest of the hill they had so fiercely fought for, Red Roam briefly trotting over to Amber to exchange a few words before the healers left for the rear. He followed his soldiers, Roam ambling up alongside him a few moments later. “Get those sentries posted, and try not to get shot by some sneaky griffon with a crossbow. Your wife wouldn't ever forgive me.”
Roam smirked. “Yep.”
Glorious Dawn watched his lieutenant organize a few of his men into sentries as they reached the top of the hill. Dawn finally sat down at the edge of the impromptu encampment, surveying the battlefield from this slightly higher vantage point. The surrounding rolling hills blocked much of his line of sight, but he began to see banners—Equestrian Military Banners— raising up atop the surrounding hillsides. The fight seemed to be going well. He looked North, to the bluffs before the ocean. The hilltops had been nothing but skirmishing fights, the first line of defense. The bluffs were a different story: wooden palisades and ramparts covered the area, and lines of griffon warriors maneuvered into position, preparing to defend their heavily fortified position. Straggling groups of defeated warriors streamed into the fortified area from many directions, filtering in from the East and West.
He heard the sound of galloping hooves, and turned South. A familiar pegasus mare wearing a red tabard approached, cyan wings pulled in tight to her sides as she ran at an impressive speed towards him. Dawn stay seated, waiting as the mare slid to a halt before him. She snapped off a salute. “Captain Glorious Dawn!”
“Lance Corporal Radiance. At ease, rest a moment. You look like you’ve been running hard.”
The pegasus mare flopped over, panting, and rolled onto her back, her wings flopping open and her legs splaying out. “Augh! T-Thank you, sir. You've got no idea, sir.”
“I’ll bet,” Glorious Dawn chuckled, watching the mare as she caught her breath.
Radiance glanced up at Dawn from her upside-down position, and Dawn regarded her evenly. She blushed, rolling onto her stomach and tucking her hooves under her, stammering a soft, “Sorry, sir!”
“Not to worry. Report, Lance Corporal.”
Radiance nodded, focusing, and began to speak. “The Eastern front has stalled out in a few places where the enemy forces had had more time to dig in and prepare defensible positions, but they’re mopping up the remaining pockets of resistance and clearing the enemy. The Western front was a rout, sir, our forces pushing out the griffons handily and suffering fewer than anticipated casualties…”
Radiance’s voice trailed off, and she glanced around. “H-how’d things go for you?”
“We lost eight, and five more were too seriously hurt to carry on. There are about a dozen injured but able soldiers, and the rest are relatively unscathed,” stated Glorious Dawn, his voice growing slightly strained.
“Sorry, I just… this is my first assignment,” Radiance said quietly, her eyes locked on Glorious Dawn’s tabard.
Dawn glanced down, following her gaze, and noted the streaks of blood spattering his tabard. He frowned at the stains, and looked back up to Radiance. “What are our orders?”
“Ah! Right, sorry. Orders are to link up with the Fourth Canterlot Company to your East, combining your forces, and await further orders. The High Command advises that the griffons may attempt a counter-attack within a few hours, just to keep us on our hooves, sir.”
“Anything else, Lance Corporal?” asked Dawn, looking East to the banners of the Fourth Company.
“No, sir. Do you have any messages you’d like to relay?” Radiance said, getting to her hooves in anticipation of moving once more.
“Yes. Inform the High Command that our effective Company strength is down to sixty. Forty earth ponies and twenty unicorns. I’m recommending that the Seventh Reserve should be linked with the Fourth Company for the remainder of the battle, or until reinforcements are available for us to return to a more effective strength,” Glorious Dawn said, standing up as well and saluting the runner.
Radiance returned the salute. “By your leave, sir!”
“Be careful, Radiance. Gryphons are known to try to capture runners. Stay fast and safe.”
Radiance smirked slightly. “Like they could ever catch me.”
Glorious Dawn chuckled grimly, dropping the salute. “I have faith that they won’t.”
Radiance dropped her own salute and sprinted away to the South, leaving Glorious Dawn alone.