22-FB-1204
I apologize for the abrupt end in the last entry and for missing a day. The events that followed came by so fast, I'm still having some trouble processing it all.
On the night of my last entry, while I was in middle of recording, one of Ironhoof's subordinates had rushed over and called for our immediate assistance. I explained to the panicking stallion that I was under orders to protect the princess. That delay may have cost many lives, and that guilt weighs heavily upon me, like an anchor tied to a pony lost at sea.
That night, as we celebrated our lucky capture, the town was attacked. The creature had somehow communicated with its brethren, which organized an escape. The number of changelings that had attacked the barracks is uncertain, with reports ranging from ten to a few hundred.
They had rushed into the barracks, biting and screeching and hitting their way to the cell where we were holding our captive. The guards that had survived explained that the darkness made it impossible to distinguish between friend or foe, and in the confusion and chaos, they were overwhelmed.
Two members of the militia positioned at the cell entrance suffered from broken bones and other serious injuries. One of Guard-Captain Shining Armor's lieutenants who had volunteered to assist them was rushed to the hospital, requiring extensive care. What the doctors could do there was limited, and he was immediately shipped to the nearby city by train..
The inside of the cell was an outright massacre. None of the four guards stationed with the captive were alive when I arrived. PFC 'Private', always eager to serve, was one of the them, but there was little time for grief.
Guard-Captain Shining Armor was silent as he identified the bodies and recorded the official causalities. He sent Ironhoof and his soldiers to prepare our gear and sent me back to the hotel to check on the princess. As I left the barracks, I almost tripped over Professor. He simply sat there, rocking himself gently and cleaning blood off the broken lens of his spectacles.
Before the hour had ended, we received new orders from the Guard-Captain: pursue the changeling and track them down to their base of operations. Rations were distributed and we brought out the snow gear. In addition to the Guard-Captain's lieutenant and an injured sergeant under Ironhoof, Professor would be left behind. For perhaps the first time since this affair began, I agreed that the poor old pony was in no condition to be traveling.
Guard-Captain Shining Armor extended this relieve of duty to Shimmer, telling her that the mission had grown far more dangerous than they had predicted. I wish she had accepted, but instead she simply looked the Guard-Captain in the eye and reminded him that, with Professor out of action, she was the most qualified unicorn to perform the identification spell.
She's right, we need her. We're about to try and chase after some of the most dangerous and mysterious beings seen in Equestria, creatures whose weapons include shadows and the ignorance of their enemies. Her knowledge is more useful than our blades and our armor, vital for the success of the mission. Her life is vital.
Princess Mi Amore Cadenza wished to join us but the Guard-Captain stood firm. He refused to acknowledge her pleads. Even when Her Majesty grew passionate and her cries became angry shouts, Guard-Captain Shining Armor simply shouldered his pack, pushed her aside, and walked away. The rest of us quickly followed. I've never seen the princess lose control like that.
Ironhoof wondered if leaving Her Majesty behind was a good idea. He noted of her magical abilities and how powerful of an asset she could be. There is some wisdom in the captain's words but I have to agree with the Guard-Captain; as a princess, she's too important to risk losing. If she was lost, the entire nation could collapse. The princess not only a leader, but also a symbol for the Crystal Empire, the living embodiment of the Crystal Heart itself. Who knows if the Crystal Empire could survive if she did not.
"She's too valuable," Guard-Captain Shining Armor had said. And that was the last word.
We've been marching through the tundra ever since, breaking only trice for a short meal and rest. I worry about Shimmer. She isn't used to this sort of exercise but she hides her weariness well. She was very grateful, however, when I offered to carry her supplies for a distance and even gave me a small tired smile.
We are fortunate the spring blizzard season hasn't begun yet. The wind still chills us to the bones, even with our heavy coats on, but it is manageable, and at least there's decent visibility. The lack of recent snowfall has made tracking easier, and the prints of the fleeing changelings haven't been too difficult to find. Shimmer has tried to reason why they'd bother walking instead of flying in order to throw off pursuers, but she has yet to decide on a satisfactory theory. It also seems rather foolish on their part to stay together instead of splitting into smaller groups, as indicated by the prints. Perhaps we've overestimated changeling intelligence, and these creatures were actually nothing more than marauding herd animals.
We will be heading off soon, and I know I better get some sleep before we do, but right now I'm a little nervous. I wonder if Shimmer knows she clings to things in her sleep. It's adorable, but it makes writing this entry a bit of a challenge.
*
23-FB-1204
It's been awhile since I've actually flown in the open sky. My job doesn't present too many chances like this, and I would grateful for the opportunity if it weren't for the circumstances.
The tracks gave us direction but told us nothing of distance. It would be useful to know just how far the changelings were and how much further we had left. As the only pegasus, it became my duty to scout ahead, using the cover of the clouds, and return to the rest of the unit with as much information as I could gather.
It seemed like a solid plan, one I applauded Sparky for coming up with, but I've overestimated myself. Something about the western Arctic air makes it difficult to breath at high altitudes but I need to be at those high altitudes if I want a decent vantage point. The clouds are thinner as well, so I can't rely on them as resting posts if I get tired. And if an unpredicted storm kicks up, well, I don't have a chance. I'm beginning to feel for the first pegasi that settled in Equestria, as they battle through that legendary blizzard. It's not even snowing and I'm having difficulties, what a laugh.
Well, in the end, I got used to the lack of oxygen and the less-than-optimal conditions but soon faced a new problem. At my height, there was little chance of me being spotted by the enemy but at the same time, I could barely see anything below me. You'd think finding a cluster of black on a canvas of white would be easy but all I could see was snow, snow, and more snow. Maybe if I had a spyglass, I could determine the location of the changelings, but right now I had trouble even finding our camp.
I dreaded my return back, but the Guard-Captain understood the difficulties I faced and did his best not to appear disappointed. I wish I had better news to bring, something to cheer everypony up. To make matters worse, the Guard-Captain had set aside extra rations for me, saying that I needed the additional energy as the flyer. Nopony was willing to share that extra portion with me, and each bite leaves me feeling emptier than before. I've done nothing to deserve this special treatment.
I'll try again tomorrow, at a lower altitude. I'll risk being seen by the enemy, but if we're going to achieve anything, it's a necessary risk I need to take.
*
24-FB-1204
Been flying since morning. Found an emptied ditch about a mile ahead. The disturbed snow suggests a possible campsite, possibly by the changelings. Not sure.
Taking shelter tonight next to the remains of a dead tree. Lost a tinderbox. Too tired to write more.
*
25-FB-1204
We found signs of changelings. We came across a few bodies buried next to a fire pit filled with ashes. The cold preserved the corpses, which made it difficult to determine the time of death, but we eventually concluded they couldn't have dead longer than a day, likely less. Cause of death was likely either exhaustion or hypothermia, due to the lack of visible wounds, but without a proper autopsy we couldn't be sure entirely.
We considered sending the bodies back to be studied, but both Captain Ironhoof and Guard-Captain Shining Armor agreed that we couldn't afford to decrease our number any lower than it already is. It was a waste of energy and of research resources, and no doubt Professor would be disappointed, but before we left, we reburied the bodies. Maybe on our way back we can retrieve them.
Apparently changeling bodies decay quite rapidly when exposed to air, which makes it difficult for researchers like Shimmer to gather information on their anatomy. If that's the case, I wonder why these changelings buried the dead ones when letting the cadavers decay would make our pursuit more difficult. It's possible that it was a sign of respect to their fallen comrades or that the changelings are not yet aware that they are being trailed. I sure hope it's the latter.
We lost another tinderbox, plus a pack of matches got wet. If worst comes to worst, we can rely on unicorn magic for fire starting, but our fuel is still limited. Tomorrow, we will spare a moment to take inventory. Tonight, however, there will be no fire and we must bundle tightly together in order to conserve heat.
Shimmer has set her sleeping bag next to mine. I'm already feeling warmer. Definitely redder.
*
26-FB-1204
Well, in our haste it seems we've under-packed. We've got enough rations to last us for a little under a month, if stretched, but only enough fire starting materials for another week. A fire isn't always necessary, as demonstrated by last night, but it's luxury we're bound to miss. It'll be a hit to morale, at the very least.
Perhaps more disturbing is the lack of tents. We hadn't had much need for those canvas shelters so far, but if the weather suddenly changes and it starts snowing again, we run the risk of becoming sick or, worst case scenario, freezing to death.
Guard-Captain Shining Armor and Captain Ironhoof debating on whether it would be wiser to retreat for more supplies and reinforcements, but we might lose our trail if we do so.
I went on another scouting flight and found another campsite ahead of us, this time less than a mile away. There weren't any graves but plenty of tracks. The changelings were here, there's no doubt.
On a more personal note, I am running low on ink and quills. There is nothing I can do to replenish my ink supply, I can't spare any of my feather to use as substitute pens. Pegasus feathers do not make very good quills anyways. In order to conserve my diminishing writing supplies, my reports will become less frequent and more concise.
*
27-FB-1204
Nothing notable. No fire tonight.
*
02-MR-1204
Expanded scouting radius by twenty five meters. Nothing discovered.
*
04-MR-1204
Expanded scouting radius by fifty meters. Another abandoned campsite discovered. Buried bodies confirm changeling activity. Proximity unknown, estimated a couple of days ahead.
*
05-MR-1204
Tick developed a cough and took some medicine.
No new discoveries.
*
07-MR-1204
Tick is better.
Another abandoned camp found, no bodies.
Thought I saw a changeling, just a stump.
*
08-MR-1204
Well, it turns out Shimmer has a whole bunch of extra ink and pens on her, and she was more than willing to share after discovering I was keeping a journal. I was a little reluctant in accepting, since I was sure her research would require those supplies more than I did, but when I brought that up in my protest, she giggled and told me that she hadn't written a single note since she arrived at the Crystal Empire. Most of the recorded research was taken care of by Professor, she explained.
In return, I would write down any revolutionary discoveries we come across on changelings on her behalf. A fair trade, I suppose, though it feels like I've just been coerced into doing somepony's homework for them. The way Shimmer puts it is a little nicer; she calls me her guardian scribe, a guard and a scribe. Funny, it feels like a promotion.
Ironhoof reprimanded us for laughing so loudly. Understandable, considering our mission, but getting triple guard shift as punishment seems a little excessive. I was shivering, and my teeth were chattering by the time I got back to my sleeping bag. She kept it warm.
There are more clouds out tonight. I'll have more cover when I'm scouting tomorrow but I'm worried about the lack of moonlight. These reports are going to be harder to finish if I can't find an alternative light source. My penmanship is pretty dismal as it is.
*
05-MR-1204
The clouds are getting thicker. They can almost hold my weight now, and that's worrying. If it starts snowing now we'll lose the trail, and the changelings will escape.
It's a race against time but on the bright side, we seem to be getting closer. The latest campsite we found still had the smoking remains of a fire. Optimism runs high in the group, even as the threat of stormy weather literally hangs over our heads.
With the possibility of a confrontation at its highest, Guard-Captain Shining Armor and Captain Ironhoof have been preparing battle plans. Details are still a bit sketchy since our intelligence on our quarry has been limited. If only I could find those changelings and spy on them properly.
Shimmer has gotten curious about my reports. I think she wants to give them a read, but if she asks I'm afraid I'll have to turn her down. This journal isn't ready for public viewing yet, and I hope she understands if I have to explain.
The moon's gone tonight, leaving me with only the light of the stars. It's getting pretty late as it is, so that's enough for tonight. I really shouldn't keep writing these entries so late, it can't be good for my eyes. My vision's a little blurry right now, and I think I'm beginning to see things.
*
That smoke was real. We're being followed.
*