"And so far, remaking of the clanhold proceeds ahead of our best estimates, Lady Protector. With the humans help most of the larger building have been rebuilt, and we've been able to bring in a couple of young hopefuls for combat training. Taken to calling themselves Rednecks I believes."
At this Shadows brow furrowed.
"Rednecks? Strewth private that ye have a story there."
Chuckling as he looked over his clipboard, the stallion said "Didn't much care for armor beyond leather with chain or scale mail, seem to prefer speed. Since that sort of plate isn't worth coloring, the two legs have taken to wearing bandanas around their necks or arms, flying ours clans colors. Thus Rednecks."
Shadow nodded.
"And how is yon training going."
Sighing, the stallion shook his head.
"Our siblings the unicorns can't use spells against them, and seem spooked to be near them. As for our tribe..."
"Yes..."
"Their ire is wrought. These fellows have taken to entering the training circle bare handed with a couple tying one hand behind their back. Practice weapons bruise them up pretty good, and they've got tons of stamina..."
Shadow frowned slightly.
"But..."
"But they are ill made for Long Patrol. Its a cruel joke of our proud clan to face the terrors of the wilds then come home and get struck cross eyed by beings who lack even basic magic."
Chuckling, Shadow shrugged her wings.
"Child, there is much difference between a beast and an intelligence. We are the students of our failures as well as our triumphs, and it seems this is a lesson ours must learn again. Put our new siblings in the care of training, forging, the coffers, or the Gendamery. And if needed hunting down our own."
Sighing, the stallion pawed at the dirt.
"Permission to speak ma'am."
"Ye may."
Taking off his helmet, the stallion scowled.
"Have thy taken a leap from thy good senses.
Shadows eyes narrowed as she snarled.
"Care to try again soldier."
Running a hoof through his mane, the stallion said bitterly "You hath brought shame on use Shadow. These two legs... we need them not! We have survived countless trials before with the aid of none. Why now>"
Sighing, Shadow shook her head.
"Because we are hated soldier. We have become a right terror in the eyes of the other tribes, and I cannot fault them. They believed us favored, and refused us aid. Suddenly, we are blessed with strong backs and giving hearts, and you believe it shameful to allow a few of their best to be of our clan."
"Lady Protector... they are... the ones we've taken... they have no sense of decorum. They are more then fit for service, but seem to lack in conduct though they respect rank. It gives bad form and does naught but ill for the more... stern willed of the Kickers."
Rolling her eyes, Shadow stuck her tongue out and much to the privates shock blew a rasberry.
"It matters naught what the thick skulled desire when the fact is we are wanting in ready and rough souls. We cannot be so bogged as to sacrifice our survival for foolish pride."
"Lady Shadow... I..."
"As ye said, they are fit for service. You claimed they had skill, and within a couple of weeks can hold their own, correct."
The stallion frowned.
"Aye..."
Shadow shrugged her wings.
"Congragulate our newest Guard members and put the two legs on duty."
The privates wings flared as she shouted "Thee must jest! Their raw recruits Shadow, barely out. How do you suggest we..."
Shadow eye rolled again.
"Mix them in ye silly git. Put two or three with a veteran and put them to work. Loosen up on yon spit and shine for a time, worry more on their fitness for duty. I'd rather they a little smudged then poorly broken in, or worse not there at all."
The stallion face contorted as though he'd bitten into a lemon.
"Years of decorum and conduct, and no less then our greatest mare guard Shadow tells us to not bother... what would thy father think..."
Shadow smirked, and gave the stallion a wink.
"That he wished his little filly hadn't kept him up till the wee hours in bed with a certain stallion she'd dragged from the training grounds."
The stallion groaned and face hoofed.
"Thee did not just... Lady Shadow, really!"
"Thee are most endearing in blush. We're grown ponies are we not."
Face deadpan, the stallion muttered "But I'd rather not know. Its like my mothers the morning after blowing kisses and fluttering their eyes at each other over breakfast..."
"Young folks are becoming such prudes..."
Here the stallions eyes narrowed.
"Permission to speak ma'am."
Raising a brow, Shadow made a go ahead gesture. Putting his helmet back on, the stallion said "Your age claims us prudes and mocks mine for our choices. I have not lain with anypony and shall wait to be married. Do you know why>"
"Fear thou are not fair enough to be with another. Rest assured thou are my good pony..."
Poking a hoof against her chest plate, the stallion growled "Have the jest. Mock if you wish. Mayhap thy have five bits so I could lose my innocence with a mare of the street. Is that all it means to you, or perhaps one should dine and boose their way into it."
Taking a step back, Shadow snarled "Thee have forgotten self sir!"
Turning away, the stallion replied heatedly "At least I have all of me, Lady Shadow. And the mare I love will have all of me. She'll have what easy ponies like ye threw away for naught love but lust."
Shadow wings flared, her eyes bugged as her mussle worked furiously. Turning back, the private saluted.
"I have spoken with naught a grain of respect, Lady Protector, and will accept any punishment that thee deem fit."
Sighing, Shadow shook her head, and flattening her wings to her side, patted the stallions pauldron.
"Nay colt... thou art the right to thy own way, and if I were a few seasons less I'd be thrilled to have one as you to be mine, and I hope some lucky mare comes along who deserves thy good soul. But that is not the only part of it."
"Oh. What else troubles ye then."
Sighing, Shadow pawed the ground
"In days passed, our people once thought naught of embrace or kisses. They were mere greetings between friends. And foals could be held as they should. My own parents were stern, as one aught, but thought nothing of holding me, and even as I became a mare and thought it emberassing, my father and dam kissed my cheek as I left on patrol."
"But..."
Shaking her head, Shadow scowled.
"Now our fool clan think it coddles them! Love has become weakness, embraces thought to take our warrior way. Fools. Tis not weak to love another and hold them, though a time and place is needed to be in ones mind. Dos thou know where this leads. It makes the Striker clan."
Here the stallion shivered. Sighing, Shadow scuffed her hoof.
"This fools thought is amongst the other pegasi, and even other tribes, though not for the same reason. They fear it will be misthought or bad deeds implied. They become a people who do not kiss or embrace, and tis a sad tale when we grow so afraid of what others think our own joy is forsaken."
For a moment Shadow looked at the stallion, her head tilted. Eyes widening, the colt shifted nervously, the expressiom the mare had unsettling.
"Private..." Shadow stepped forward again.
Gulping, the pony saluted.
"Ma'am?"
Leaning forward, Shadow firmly pressed her lips to the stallions. Eyes widening, the pony let out a muffled sound of surprise, his wings shooting out in surprise. Pulling away, Shadow gave a soft smile.
"I think thy love would not deny an old war lady like me a kiss, doth thy agree?"
Falling back on his haunches, the stallions pulled his wings back.
"Like ye said... just a greeting. But why..."
Wraggling her eye brows, and taking another kiss and sending the colt further into stammers, Shadow replied "As a boon to thank thee for granting me a glimpse of all that is kind and good in my dark days."
Smirking wolfishly, she added "And as thou said, a dirty old cunt like yours truly takes it where she can win it from a well toned piece of flank."
Face flaming, the private shouted "LADY SHADOW!"
"Calm thyself son. Just think it a hoof shake with tongue. Now, if thy would indulge me further, lets return to the report, aye..."
Sighing, the stallion rubbed the back of his neck.
"Shadow... please do not take lightly my resolve. It may seem foolish, but such things are grave to me. As a fellow Kicker, I ask that thou not do that again."
The mare blinked, then chuckled.
"I must say not many would have their ichor raised to be kissed by me. Celestias name boy, with that kiss you would never give a bit in a Cloudsdale inn for all thy days. Is such an oath of such importance to this time> Doth thou not think it... unhealthy not to..."
The stallion shook his head.
"To many of us spend our days in pursuit of such things. I'd rather spend mine learning to love somepony."
Shadow hmmed thoughtfully, and shrugged her wings.
"As thy desire my boy. Tis a shame to waste thy warmth in thy green spring, but if thy desire to be chaste so strong, and thy heart troubled by my teasing, then I shall honor thy request, and as a closing word say thou art a fool to deny thy natural way."
The stallion shrugged his wings, and smiled.
"Tis easy in these time to lose our values, and hard as stone to break ourselves of base wants. But tis a labor worth the work."
Rolling her eyes, Shadow snorted.
"I'm surrounded by fools of two legs and four. Where didth thy father fail to show thee of the way of such things."
The stallion smirked.
"No dad. Born and raised by two earth pony mares."
"Next time thee visit, tell them they raised a fool."
"No need. They tell me that themselves all the time."
"Now... back to thee report private..."
Flipping the papers, the stallion replied "As for "Natural" Shadow... art we merely rabbits who doth do such things with neither love or thought? Are we so alone as soldiers we would warm the bed of anypony at hoof. Art we so cold as to hoof them out as soon as we have finished? Many things- greed, hate, cruel hearts and selfish deeds, depravity of mind and heart, the might of one crushing the weak, taking of others with naught in return- such is nature, but we do not abide them. Tis not my prudishness as you deem it a noble desire?"
Shadow shrugged her wings again, huffing in annoyance.
"I hath not said it not noble, and your will is that of steel to not indulge. But would it not be easier to do otherwise."
Brows raising, the stallions said cooly "You of all ponies should know, Lady Protector. Tis an easy way, and a right way."
"As I said, a waste. And doth not the resolve lead to the fool thought of our earlier words>"
Shaking his head, the stallion spat out his pencil.
"Nay Lady Protector. To seek comfort through embrace is not lust, but of love. Kissing is more... private. Shows connection that should not be taken lightly. I think thou would not think much if your superior doth take such liberties, would you..."
Seeing the look on her face, the stallion face hoofed.
"Really? To think the hero of our clan, its den mother, would not care one wit of rank and file and... By Celestia my head hurts..."
"You seen my times boy... and you get so scared you can't hope for a bright tommorow, you'd sure as sugar would fuck the nearest warm pony you could..."
The private winced, and looked at the mare. Here she was, a living legend, the great Lady Protector. In his mind, the private never thought she'd look so tired and sad. He'd never thought the mane of legend so dim, the eyes so weary. She just looked... tired and lonely, as blashpemous as it may seem. So vulnerable and thin... her statue was so big, but she was so slight it was worrysome. The same mare who'd faced the Mandate and reputed near god like was just a scared lonely pony far from home, same as him. A pony of flesh and blood like any other.
Smiling, the pony removed his helm, and kissed Shadow gently on her lips. Closing her eyes, Shadow murred, and as he pulled away, smiled and tilted her head.
"Change of heart."
Shaking his head, the private put back his helm.
"Nay. Tis not but a thank you, what little I can give to thank thee for thy deeds. I'm no fair princess as the stories tell, but I hope thy cherish what little it is."
Shadows eyes lidded halfway.
"Why art all the good males taken or of a fondness of other stallions."
"As thou said, merely a kiss. Thou claimed it merely a hello. Thou doth not take the parcel pony for the afternoon merely because..."
The look again.
"OH COME ON! Doth thy have roll call of any who you haven't.... Where in Tarturus is thy steel will, thy resolve!"
Shadow smiled dreamily.
"Hey, all that flying and package lifting makes for one fine figured fellow private."
Shadow had never seen a Kicker stallion break down and cry before. Must be all that pent up energy, she reasoned.
"OH! By the way Private, hath thou met my daughter> A chip off the old block just like her old dam."
Shadow whistled appreciatively as the private bolted away, his body blurring into the sky.
"Not bad from this end either. Wonder what set him off though... probably that chaste nonsense, Celestia knows what that can do to a healthy colt. Fast though."
................................................
Shadow glided down to their camp, a somewhat bemused expression on her mussle. Apparently her daughter was bedding for Arron, who slept soundly, his head and shoulders resting against the mares side.
"Well well, you two seem content."
Pressing a hoof to her lips, Gale scolded softly "Mother, please... he's dead on his feet. Try not to wake him."
Smirk fading, Shadow sighed, and sitting, said softly "Gale... we still need time, and I do not want to further our gap, but... I know you care for him. But... thou must think of thy future. Of our clan and tribe."
"I know..."
"He cannot give you foals or aid us beyond his hands touch to ease our aches. If thou wert to go further, where would you build a house to live> He's not a stallion my love, nor can the Magic of Love bless you two."
"Mother... we art merely companions."
"Gale... once we return, the chance you'll see either of them is near sero. For your heart, would it not be wise to be aloof."
Gale frowned, and said simply "Would you want to treat thy companion so coldly. You care for Carpenter. Mayhaps not as lover, but as a friend assuredly. Since he joined us, you smile and laugh more. Your happy again, and I know he's eased thy heart of its turmoil. Doth thou believe it not worthy to be as such despite the pain of goodbye."
Shadow scowled.
"Its going to be like pulling pinions when we do isn't it."
"We could still visit..."
Shadows wings slacked slightly in despair.
"He's my friend Gale. And as hard as goodbye is, our clan comes before all else. But at least we'll remember with a smile our friends."
And that moment was when Shadow got whacked up the head. Jumping up, Shadow spun around, glaring at Carpenter.
"Hey! What the... ow..."
Rubbing the side of her head now, she sat down again.
"What was that for?"
Carpenter scowled.
"For being a fool. You think you can just fly off to you castle in the blue and forget us. Even try it I'll come up there and beat a puddle into your backside."
Laying a hand on her head, Carpenter smiled.
"We're friends, companions. Even if we must part, if you ever need me Shadow, you need only call."
Shadow sighed, pushing away the hand.
"I cannot promise such... but I'll try. Mayhap visit time to time. A terrible thing... to care for others."
"But worth it."
Pulling his hand away, Carpenter sat down next to the dark furred mare.
"So... what news did you friend bring? Is their strife?"
"Nay. Actually your people and my clan get along akin to a home ablase. Some are even being made members. And thy folk are master of building. I doth believe if they were given a knife and patch of forest, they'd build me a table and house to put it in."
The human nodded.
"Good. What of thy fellows, the unicorns and terra."
Shadow looked at the human from the corner of her eye..
"Terra believe themselves out of employ from the sudden cheap labor and feel put out since humans can grow their own means. Unicorns are terrified that they think they can do naught to you. I think with a little thought they could do much, but lasiness breeds stupidity."
Nudging her friend, and with a wink, Shadow grinned evilly.
"I would have paid to see that light show. Apparently the mana in flame and lightning spell doth die in close range to thy folk, and most other manners arcane do little else. Tis a pleasant day to know somewhere some uppity noble doth be slapped as though a whore by one of yours. And its good for them to be taken down a peg. Builds character."
"And thy thoughts Shadow..."
Shadow looked fully at her companion.
"You scare me."
Gale gasped, but was stopped from further by Carpenters raised hand.
"Why?"
"You barely arrived in this place, strangers in a strange land. Tis nothing short of a demons luck or Makers will most aren't monster feed. Within weeks, though rebuild our clanhold, and did begin work on Canterlot. Your ability to adapt, survive, and thrive is terrifying in its depth. Some even are stronger then my own clan, who pride themselves on martial prowess. You've shaken the apple cart and dug up a few stumps."
Shadow grinned.
"You've brought change here human. And our people are slow to accept it. Scared as I am, I'm still going to enjoy the show as you continue forward and shake things up more. And we Kickers can deal with bald monkeys. I'm worried thy flesh is to fair to bear the tough life here, and if thee grow to much in thy hubris, we'll just kill you."
Rolling his eyes, Carpenter smirked.
"I'm shaking. No doubt my people should tremble in terror in the mere thought of a people who resemble a childs stuffed toy."
"Yes yes. Keep thinking that son. My clan kicked a whole new cult into every upstart clan and despot of this land. You lanky sods wouldn't even break our stride."
"Ah, then thy bruised form was a courtesy?"
"Broken clocks right twice a day child."
Gale just rolled her eyes, and laying her head down, joined her friend in sleep as the other two continued their talk.