Stiletto had put out the call for brave ponies to help her remove the threat from the hill. She had paid Lady Virtue a large sum to have a mansion built there and had agreed to remove the Honey Badger ponies for free so that lumber could be harvested.
Kat answered the call. She was more than happy to help Stiletto clear out the lands to build her new mansion. Besides, she have always wanted to get more action.
Jaxler decided to help as well. Regardless of how much he hated the alicorn, it was his job to help Dawnpick, and clearing that hill of combatants would.
Zearoth wanted to try and help out as much as he could, so he jumped at the chance to help clear the hill.
Midnight was happy to have a chance to help a pony like Stiletto, and to do something to help Dawnpick as well.
Glaive arrives at the predetermined place, a bit earlier than was planned. He stands in his full armor. It gleams in the sunlight, having been freshly polished. His axe across his back was ready for a fight, having been magically sharpened by the unicorn this morning. Glaive still did not desire to help Stiletto, but knew he couldn't sit out while the militia fought an enemy so close to home.
Glyph arrives after leaving Friesden with Flux. It had taken a bit to convince himself, but he couldn't let both his loves fight while he did nothing.
Flux tries to watch over the various foals in the Stable as his friends go fight. Worrying doesn't help them any, but he still does.
Soon after, the silent footsteps of Midnight can be somewhat heard as he arrives at his destination.
Friesden gets to stay with Flux. He's not as fun as almost-dad, but he knows all kinds of songs and dances and games. Friesden hops along happily going "Meow, meow."
"At least foals are easy to keep entertained." thinks Flux as he finishes a song on the piccolo. He then puts it aside to prepare to tell a story.
Stiletto is in full armor, with her big axe on her side and a new bronze shield on her other side.
Kat arrives, ready and content. She is in her guard's uniform and had made sure to pack plenty of bolts this time around.
Jaxler arrives. He is wearing no armor except for a leather hood and chain-mail shirt, though he did bring his brass-horseshoes, his crossbow and an iron chain.
Zearoth soon shows, wearing simple armour and a crossbow rigged to his shoulder with another crossbow slung over his back.
Glaive stares at the face of his artifact shield, studying every inch of it. It was amazing the blows this thing had taken without leaving a scratch. It was clearly some sort of powerful magic that could make it so strong, yet so light. But while he seems occupied with the shield, in truth his mind is elsewhere. Glaive is thinking about the battle, about the fight to come. His time in the army had been mostly uneventful, and nearly every battle he'd fought in Dawnpick had been against surprise and ambushes, he wasn't used to this waiting. He feels like he would lose his mind if the waiting persisted.
Stiletto speaks. "Are you all ready for this? These Honey Badgers have all been named by the locals. I have a plan though, if you will hear it."
"Plans are good," said Kat.
"Of course," Glyph says sitting down to listen. "What is it?"
"I'm fine with a plan," stated Jaxler "so long as you don't send us all in head first."
Glaive stares at Stiletto. "Yes, but other than names, what intel do we have on the enemy? Numbers? Entrenched positions? Can we expect traps? What sort of gear and weapons do they possess? Do we know anything?"
Stiletto addresses Glaive politely. "All good questions, Glaive. There are five of them, they are positioned in the grove east of the large pond, they have no traps, and they have leathers and iron weapons."
Glaive ponders. "Only five, and they are poorly equipped. This shouldn't be difficult. What plan did you wish to propose, Alicorn?"
"Glaive, Glyph, and I will attack from the west, forcing them toward the pond. Kat, Jaxler, and Zearoth stand on the other side of the pond and provide covering fire. Midnight, you move in from the south after we have begun the engagement."
Jaxler: "Seems fine to me," said Jaxler.
Midnight gives a quick nod at the orders, making him seem a lot less talkative than the pony they met at the party.
Zearoth also nods to Stiletto.
"A valid plan, though they have the high ground," Glaive pointed out. "It is entirely possible they would see us setting up forces around the hill and try to escape before the battle commences. While that could well be a victory in and of itself, if we wish to make sure they don't come back to bother us again, might it better to bait them into an ambush of our own?"
"Can't we just keep shooting bolts at them from a safe distance?" Kat asked.
"Can you do that after they run into the woods? Can you shoot a pony behind a tree, Kat?" Glaive questioned "If you can I'd love to see it."
"We could... burn the woods down with flaming bolts? Besides, the smiths could always use more charcoal."
"Good point Glaive, not all of us can move as quietly as midnight and I. Um, Kat, no, we need the lumber."
"Ah."
"You wish to burn the whole forest? To kill 5 Badger ponies? You are truly a ruthless strategist Kat, the biggest reason we are doing this if for the lumber those trees will provide."
"Right, the lumber."
"Pardon me," interjected Jaxler, "but can't we just have one of the groups get behind them while another charges from the front?"
Stiletto thinks for a moment. "Kat, you and Jaxler take two clouds in the north. Zearoth, you provide cover from across the pond. Midnight and I will come in from the west, Glyph and Glaive from the south, leaving them nowhere to run."
"Cloud sniping! Woo!"
"Yes, ma'am."
“I doubt anypony is a good enough shoot anything from that high up."
"Stiletto's plan is good, though I would offer an alternative. I would suggest that we send a small fast group, say 2 of us, to goad the enemy into a chase. They then lead them into a crossfire and the waiting militia. I'd volunteer to be the bait, but I can't really run with my bad leg. We then surround them and wipe them out."
“I'll volunteer.”
"Me too."
"We can just fly away if things gets too nasty."
"I brought a metal chain expecting some melee"
"Why would you put yourselves in danger when we have all the advantages? They will run into Glyph and Glaive as you snipe them from on high."
"I suggest we put it to a vote then. My plan or Stiletto's. Those in favor of my plan say aye." Glaive raises his hoof and says "Aye."
Kat was unsure on whose plan to vote for. Both plans sounds equally great.
Midnight keeps quiet.
Jaxler also keeps silent.
Glyph and Stiletto are silent as well.
Glaive is disappointed in having no show of support, from any pony. "And those in favor of Stiletto's plan?"
Jaxler keeps silent again.
Kat was still unsure on what to vote so she kept silence.
Glyph and Stiletto both say "Aye."
"Aye." Zearoth says as he raises his hoof.
Glaive sighs. "Alright then. We'll do what she said. Are we ready to move out? Everyone understand their part?"
Midnight gives a quick nod.
"Get on a cloud, scares the badger ponies into running into an ambush. Then clear them out!"
"Use my magic to make me and Midnight even more silent and flank them."
"Cut off their retreat with Glaive."
Jaxler breaks his silence. "Lets get going."
Glaive, not willing to take any orders from Stiletto so long as he can help it, moves forward and speaks again to everypony. "Alright soldiers, move out, and may the gods grant us victory this day."
Jaxler laughed and added, "If there are any."
Stiletto nods to Midnight: "Lets go around."
Zearoth nods and trots off to get into position.
Kat pulls the string of her crossbow back and load a bolt in then muttered "Goddesses protect us.."
Midnight stands up and gets ready to move. It starts to seem unlikely that he'll say a single word...
Glaive begins to walk toward the gate. Without looking he says, "Glyph, follow me. We need to hurry and get into position."
"Are you sure I should follow? I am really tough, and Stiletto has trained me to move much better in my armor."
Jaxler sighs. "Why the hell do I have to fly? I really don't like flying."
Glaive looks confusedly at Glyph. "What are you talking about? The plan was for us to cut off their retreat if they head south. We should get going, if you have doubts about the plan, you should have said something earlier."
Stiletto's horn glows for a second and then it stops as the shadows fold in on her and Midnight, the sound of their hoof falls vanishing.
Midnight smiles and gives Stiletto an approving nod.
Glyph hops past Glaive. "I mean you should follow me, ya old grump."
Glaive has never been so insulted in his whole life, he looks about to buck Glyph in his smug face, when instead he just says, "You are right, you shouldn't follow. You stay here. Dawnpick needs soldiers, not foals playing pretend," and proceeds to walk past Glyph.
Kat flares her wings out. "See you there, everyone. Let's go, Jaxler."
"Fine, Kat"
"Don't be jealous just ‘cause I have training from the best in the fort and you have a bum leg." He passes Glaive again, this time at a trot.
Stiletto thinks to herself 'vielleicht sollte ich auf meinem eigenen weg haben'
Glaive continues to walk without looking at Glyph. "Best in the fort my ass. She's not as perfect as she thinks she is."
Midnight's smile quickly fades into an emotionless expression as he keeps following.
"Kat, please excuse me if I'm a bit edgy during this mission, I really don't like flying and I hate killing things."
"Oh, you hate killing things now?"
"She doesn't think she's the best, I knowshe is." He stops just south of the hill. "So, those two trees on the crest, should we set up there?"
"Yes I do, why exactly does that shock you?"
Kat settles herself comfortably on the patch of cloud, her crossbow aiming down. "Because you're Jaxler."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're Jaxler. And that it surprises me that you don't like killing?"
Glaive examines the place indicated by Glyph, "Yeah, that looks good enough. I'll head up there. You might want to head home now, foal. You don't want to get hurt when the fighting starts."
Stiletto makes a small motion to midnight indicating two heavy-branched pine trees.
"Oh, so you dodged the question, allow me to reiterate. WHY the BUCKING HELL do you think I like killing things?"
"Just try not to trip and fall in the pond, old man."
Glaive curses under his breath Stiletto for pairing him up with such an insolent foal. Somepony needed to teach this B@$!@^d some discipline, and some common bucking courtesy.
Midnight gives a slight nod before moving to hide behind one.
Zearoth hides across the pond, drawing the string on one crossbow as he uses a pulley system to ready the one on his back.
"Because you're Jaxler? That's my answer."
Glyph readies his axe and sticks close the tree he pointed out keeping a direct charge line between him and Glaive.
Jaxler lands on the cloud. "I order you to give me a better answer than that."
"Well, you're a drunk, violent pony who have been seen beating a foal to blood. So it's simply assumption that you would like killing as well."
Glaive moves into position behind the tree and draws his axe in his mouth and magics his shield onto the ground next to him, ready to grab it with his magic as soon as it was time to join the battle. While he doubted the enemy would even get this far with their small numbers and the archers in the clouds, he hoped he'd get a chance to prove himself again. Glaive also hoped to himself that the foal wouldn't do anything stupid.
"Oh, well then allow me to promise you that I ONLY HURT THINGS WHEN IT'S JUSTIFIED!"
Stiletto waits for the universal signal of screaming badger ponies to attack, hiding well. Not as well as Midnight, but well.
"Yeah, still. Sorry if i offended you or whatever. I just assumed that you liked to kill as much as you liked to beat stuff up." she says as she aims her crossbow down at one of the Badger ponies strolling around down there.
The Badger ponies mill about in the clearing, eating the remains of parasprites they had killed earlier.
Jaxler decided not to respond and just aimed his crossbow and fired. The bolt hit one of the badger ponies in the leg.
Kat fired as Jaxler fired, hitting another badger pony in the back. "Leather armor ain't so tough against iron bolts it seems."
Jaxler noticed that the badger ponies were startled. "If we start charging them right now, they'll probably start to run."
Kat reloads a bolt. "Just the two of us? Doubtful."
The one hit in the leg stumbles and falls on his face. The one hit in the spine gurgles blood. Two run south, just as predicted, and the last one stops to grab the remains of the parasprite first.
Glyph shifts into a more comfortable stance, watching the badger ponies. "Looks like it's almost showtime... Vremya dlyatantsa krovi." He grins slightly, focusing on the one that looked most likely to pass close to him.
"Looks like they're running, you chase the others while I put down the crippled one"
"Let's just stay up here and shoot. Nice, safe, fun, and the others can take care with the running ones. I like moving targets." She aims down her crossbow and fires, nearly hitting one of the running badger ponies which makes it run even faster.
The one grabbing the parasprite is suddenly held fast by a magical aura..
Glaive hears the battle begin. He tightens his grip on his axe, waiting for one to reach the tree line. He strains his ears and can hear the sound of hooves. 'Closer...closer...closer' he thinks. Just as his target is about to rush past the tree, he grabs his shield and strikes at the badger pony. If his timing was right, it should run straight into his swing.
"Fine." Jaxler aims at the crippled badger pony and pulls the trigger, the bolt hitting the badger pony in the head.
Kat snickers from Jaxler's fine marksponyship. "Looks like you've just created a badger unicorn Jaxler, good shot."
Midnight fires off a bolt, glancing one's cheek. He moves back into cover to ready another bolt, still showing no emotion, not even any irritation at missing.
Glyph bursts from behind tree, running full tilt at the badger pony, trying to ram it with the full weight of his armour.
"Meh, i should have gotten him on the first shot." Jaxler was holding off on shooting again, he couldn't get a clear shot.
Kat reloads her crossbow again as she watches the fight, unable to risk friendly firing.
The badger pony was not expecting a shield to pop up in his face. It knocks him right upside the head and stuns him. As Glyph slams into the other badger pony, who is surprised by the ferocity of his attack, they tumble to the ground, tangled together.
Glyph backs off, slightly grinning, as he slams his axe down on his opponent’s back leg. "And where do you think you're going?"
Zearoth takes aim at one of the bound badgers. He lets his bolts loose, one glancing the fur of the badger as the other penetrates deep into its shoulder.
The badger pony runs, terrified of the bolts raining from the sky, thinking of his family, trying to escape. He sees the tree line, 'If I can make it there, I'll be safe.' He puts on a sudden extra burst of speed, suddenly, a glowing shield flew around the corner as he smashes into it at full speed. He falls, stunned, unsure of what has just hit him. He looks up and sees a bearded unicorn, with a somber expression on his face. The last thing the pony sees is shining metal axe falling toward his face, then all went black.
Glaive looks at the foalish one charging off. 'that wasn't the plan.' he grumbles, as he hurries over to the surviving enemy.
Stiletto steps out of her hiding spot, pulling the held badger pony toward her. One slash and its head goes sailing into the pond.
The badger pony looks down at the severed stump that used to be its foreleg. It dives at Glyph with its knife, making a desperate strike.
Zearoth reloads his crossbows and takes aim. Releasing another pair of bolts as he provides covering fire."Fire... Set, aim, fire... Set, aim, fire..." He says to himself.
Kat just enjoys the show from above for now.
"It's sad isn't it, Kat?"
"Kind of, yeah. But it's war, sad things happen."
"Meh, I just find it rather depressing. I mean, think about it. The only reason why we kill them is because they killed us and they kill us because we killed them. It's been this way since before recorded history, and in the end neither side can justify what they do."
"Just how things are. Until both sides stop killing each other, killing will happen."
"Or until both sides kill each other off."
"With all the killings.. I'm just worried that the goddesses will never come down. We were tasked to create the paradise on our own, and look at what we're doing. Killing and fighting."
Glyph ducks his head, catching the knife on his helmet right between his eyes. "You," He flicks his head, knocking the knife aside. "Shouldn't have," He kicks forward, knocking the badger pony on its back. "Done that." He slams his axe down on its neck, removing its head on one swing.
"Oh, they'll never come, because there are no gods. And if there were gods, do you really want to worship them if they allow this to happen everyday?"
Kat gives Jaxler the odd looks "There may be no gods, but the goddesses are out for sure. and of course they allow this to happen, they gave us the power to choose. It's our own fault to choose fighting and killing over helping each others create the paradise that they tasked us for."
"Or maybe they enjoy watching us fight."
"Maybe.. maybe not. who knows?"
"Yeah, as not-real as death."
"I'm not going to argue something as pointless as religion with you. Sooner or later we will all know weather or not gods exist, and I'll be proven right."
"Yeah, except you'll be proven wrong when you stand before the goddess of death herself judging where you go next."
"Well I'm already in hell, so I guess the only thing she can do is send me back here. And also, what kind of a benevolent being sends you to hell for not believing in them?"
"They don't care about you believing them or not. It's what you've been doing in life."
Zearoth spits the rope out of his mouth and slings his crossbow onto his back. "Impressive fighters... All of them."
"That's funny, because if there were any gods then they sure as hell have made a game of seeing how much shit they can throw at me before I just give up, so achieving nothing would only be obeying their wishes."
With the battle over, Glaive searches the badger pony he killed. Finding nothing of interest, he takes out a rag and begins to clean the blood and brains off his axe.
"They gave you the power to choose what you do with yourself Jaxler. Do whatever with that. Nobody have the rights to deny you the gifts from the goddesses themselves."
Glyph smiles a bit at his kill, walking over to the hill and looking around for Kat.
"Every 'gift' I have ever been given has been stolen from me. So, all I can say is that they probably want me to go to hell."
Midnight sets his crossbow over his back, his expression already returning as the battle ends.
Kat is still talking with Jaxler over the hot topic. "We already are in hell."
Stiletto surveys the scene. "Done with. Good." She says to herself, "Beim nächsten Mal schneller."
Kat flares her wings and leaves the cloud patch, flying down to the group and seeing Glyph looking around.
"Then let us regroup, Miss Stiletto," Midnight says before quickly making his way back to the staging point. Even at a fast trot his hooves are barely heard.
Glaive finishes cleaning his axe and walks toward the center of the badger camp to regroup with the others.
Jaxler flies down, landing next to his kill.
Glaive looks to the landing pegasus. "Nice work, Jaxler. You and the others in the clouds did most of our work for us."
Zearoth strolls back to the staging area, thinking to himself along the way.
Glyph looks up, seeing Kat and waving to her, as he continues walking.
Jaxler bends over and picks up the badger pony’s weapon. It’s a barbed dagger. "Thanks Glaive, you did a great job as well."
"Yes, very good shooting, both of you."
Stiletto heads back to the staging area with Midnight and Zearoth.
"My apologies. I should have trained a little more before trying something like this."
Jaxler decides to keep the weapon. "Hey, does anypony have a problem with me looting these guys?"
Glaive checks around the campsite for anything worthwhile: stolen goods, something that might give away other badger pony plans for attacks, or valuables. He finds nothing worthwhile, just some iron tools that Dawnpick could melt down as scrap. "Take what you like, I am sure the rest will be taken by the haulers."
Jaxler searched the corpse but found nothing worthwhile aside from the dagger. When he got over to the second badger, he noticed that he wasn't dead yet.
"Everyone needs training. Even I do."
"Perhaps. But you managed to hit something. And perhaps you can help me later."
"Don't expect me to teach you how to use a rig like this, but I'll try and train you how to use a crossbow."
"Thank you, Mister Zearoth," Midnight says and takes a slight bow.
"Making sure my brothers can fight is something I'm more then happy to do. And please, just call me Zearoth. I don't deserve any title."
Kat spots Glyph looking in the air for something, so she trot up to his side and gives him a little surprise nuzzle. "Looking for something?"
Jaxler lashed the badger's head with his metal chain. he then searched the body and found nothing worth value. "Hey alicorn, I'm gonna head back to the fort."
"Very well."
Glyph smiles more, wrapping his hooves around Kat and pulling her close. "Gotcha! Was looking for you mein liebe..."
"Ok Jaxler, be well."
Kat giggles and sinks into his hug. "Eep!"
Glaive, after finishing his search heads back home in silence.
Midnight smiles at the two ponies hugging, despite the fact that one of them is coated in blood.
Glyph nuzzles Kat a bit, smiling as he notices that he's getting her all bloody. "Looks like you couldn't avoid getting all messy, huh, love..."
Jaxler starts walking home silently.
Kat giggles as she nuzzles back, getting the blood smeared on her as well "Well, where's the fun if not?" she says with a wink.
Glyph grins wider, giving Kat a squeeze, and leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Not quite a hunt, but fun either way..."
Kat grins and giggles from that. "Sure is!"
Midnight cocks his head to the side for a brief moment. Though sets it straight before anyone notices.
"Don't mind them, Midnight. Some people don't mind blood."
"Anyway. It's time to go home. There isn't anything for me here," Midnight says before heading off.
"Thank you for your help."
"My pleasure. If you need more help, I am happy to take the offer."
Glyph kisses Kat once, then leads her off to get cleaned up.
Zearoth nods. "Thanks for for assisting us as well, Stiletto. I'll be happy to help you again if you ever need it," he says before walking off.
"I will keep you in mind."