//------------------------------// // The Warmistress // Story: The Wolves of Equestria // by FenrisianBrony //------------------------------// The sound of armoured hooves striking the ground echoed around the canyon we were marching through, the sound bouncing off the rocks and seeming to grow even louder, threatening to drown out the tide of laughter and howls coming from our ranks. When other Legions marched, most of them were silent, falling into rigid formation and sticking to established doctrine. The Arctic Wolves were not of a like mind on this however. Hundreds of ponies moved together, breaking the encroaching night with song and merriment, as well as the odd argument between Arctic Wolf and Drakeguard, the Legion being equally as happy to break the normal silence of a Legion march. The only ponies who stayed silent were those of the Black Ravens, each one marching in perfect step at the back of the formation, softly talking amongst themselves. Not that I could see them of course, my vision was not quite good enough to be able to see the back of the column from the front, even if I had decided to look back. Once again I let out a sharp, formless bark to my squad, the Blood Hooves splitting apart from their scuffle before actual blows were landed. A bit of hot-headedness was never a bad thing, but splitting a fellows muzzle before battle was quite another. “Keep those hooves down, unless you want to use them,” I called to the ponies, before turning my attention back to the encampment that was looming ahead of us. I liked to think that I had seem my fair share of warrior camps in my time, but this one was larger by far than any I had ever seen, eclipsing anything we had in the crusade against the Minotaur’s. Once again I felt my blood begin to boil as I thought of the foes I had been facing, and the ones I now marched to meet. Even the knowledge that this was a mission direct from the Empress and the Warmistress themselves did little to improve my mood, and I lapsed back into a sullen silence, Bardolf padding along just beside me. There was more than just battle playing on my mind though, mostly the ground beneath my hooves. My entire life I had walked on snow and slept on the ice fields, and while I had known about the southern lands and their plains of grass from my initiation into the Legion, I could still not get used to the fact that the ground beneath me was no longer white, but a vibrant green. Pushing by anxiety down once more, I focused on my hooves, putting one in front of the other and repeating, steadily getting closer to the camp, before a howl, louder than any other, rose from the very front of the column, quickly being taken up by every member of the Arctic Wolves as we came to a halt. Knowing what it meant, I made my way towards the Wolf Lord. “My lord? Orders?” I asked as I approached my father and his personal Wolf Guard. “Ah, Hoarfrost,” Umbrage smiled. “Take the company into the encampment. We have been assigned to sector nine as per standard layout protocols. Once they are settled, you are to come and find me in the central command tent. Do you understand?” “I do,” I nodded, before turning away from them and raising my voice into a loud howl. Again, the howl was taken up by the rest of the company, and they began to follow me as I marched towards the camp. “Halt,” A Lunar Knight placed his sword across the door, glaring at me as he drew his crossbow. “None may enter the presence of the Warmistress.” “The title of Wolf Guard says I can,” I shot back with a scowl. “Now…” I didn’t get any further, a long arrow slicing through the air and slamming into the neck of the Lunar Knight, the pony falling without a word. For a moment I was speechless, watching in shock as the ponies blood rushed out of his body, before I pulled myself together, drawing my hammer and roaring. “Everypony! To Arms! The camp is under attack!” The call was instantly heeded, ponies appearing from tents, some in armour and some looking like they just had only just managed to slip their headbands on and grab their weapons before appearing. Not wasting any time, I broke into a canter, following the path the arrow must have taken, passing more downed ponies with every corner I took, before finally finding a live one, dressed in the armour of Lunar Knight, a broken spear sticking out of his chest. “You, what happened?” I skidded to a halt, looking down at the pony, instantly knowing that I didn’t know enough to save him. “Dog,” the pony groaned, coughing weakly. “Came out of nowhere. Whole bunch. They’re in the perimeter. Got to…protect the Warmistress.” “You’re not protecting anything at the moment,” I shook my head, turning to leave, before I felt a hoof on my leg. Turning back, I saw the Lunar Knight looking up at me, steely determination written across his face. “Not just…for the moment. Do it.” “Find peace with the Empress,” I nodded, before grabbing his fallen sword and driving it into his neck, killing him instantly before pulling it free and setting off at a run again. I heard, rather than saw the dog leaping down at me, ducking beneath the crude metal cleaver as it passed over my head, before turning and slamming my hammer into the creatures chest, bones shattering at the devastating blow. I turned away, my hammer spinning in the grip of my headset and driving the spike on the pommel into the eye of another dog, blood spraying from the wound as it reeled away before its head met the head of my hammer, splitting like an overripe piece of fruit. I panted for a moment, looking around to see if there were any other diamond dogs around, finding myself alone. Something didn’t feel right here, and I couldn’t quite put my hoof on it. From every report, diamond dogs were loud, obnoxious and stupid, able to do little more than amass numbers and throw them at whatever enemy presented itself. This however, it was like they were being led properly, sneaking into our camp without so much as a howl. I could only guess at how they got in, or how many legionnaires were already dead. “Hoarfrost? Is that you?” I heard a voice from behind me and smirked as I saw Summit running towards me, fully armoured with his Grey Hunters behind him. “Thank the Empress, you’re a sight for sore eyes.” “Any idea what’s going on?” I asked. “A few diamond dogs have slipped into the camp, but the rest of the horde has sighted to the east, from the direction of their den. The Warmistress is rallying everypony to face them down, and Captain Scorpan is overseeing the hunt for the diamond dogs already within.” “Then we should hurry. Fall in and stay close, these dogs have already claimed the lives of Legionnaires tonight, I would not see that number swell absent cause.” Without a words complaint, the Grey Hunters moved into formation beside me as we set off at a run, darting through the camp as we headed towards the sound of battle cries. More than one dog tried to jump out at us, but they had lost the element of surprise now, and we cut them down without missing a step. As we neared the perimeter wall, Summit and his squad broke off, heading towards the wall while I looked around for a member of the Wolf Guard, quickly finding one and heading over. “Where is the Wolf Lord?” I asked, scanning around for my own squad as I spoke. “He and Captain Scorpan stayed behind to clear out the remaining diamond dogs. He ordered us to take charge on the wall.” “Any sighting of my squad?” “Not as of yet, they may…” I didn’t wait to hear where my squad might be, instead heading back into the camp, fighting every instinct to turn and stand on the wall with my brothers in favour of finding my Hoof. It was not an easy fight, but I pushed my way through it like I did everything else, heading towards where I had last seen them, hoping that… “Hoarfrost! Down!” I didn’t question the voice, diving to the floor as a trio of arrows passed over my head, cutting a few strands off my mane, but other than that leaving me unscathed. Five black shapes passed over my head as I began to rise to face the new enemy, but even as I raised my hammer, I saw that the job was already done. “You take directions well Wolf Guard.” “And you give them in kind, Captain Scorpan,” I nodded in return, looking at the other Black Ravens, before scowling at the dead diamond dogs. “Good riddance.” “You took the words right from my mouth,” Scorpan nodded. “What are you doing here? I told the Warmistress that I could handle those enemies behind our lines without support of the Legions. You should be on the wall.” “My squad is missing from the battle,” I shrugged. “Figured I’d come and find them, crack their heads together.” “We found them,” Scorpan nodded. “They are already on their way to the battle, where you should be as well.” Nodding, I turned to leave, before pausing and turning back to Scorpan and the others. “Where is the Wolf Lord?” “The Wolf Lord? I have not seen him since we broke from our meeting,” Scorpan shook his head.” “I was told he was helping you clear up diamond dog resistance,” I said slowly. “By who? He has not been with me.” “We have to find him. Now,” I growled softly. “Agreed,” Scorpan nodded, turning back to the other Black Ravens. “You three are to stay with me, you,” he pointed at the final Black raven. “Inform the Legion of what is going on, I would not have them caught unawares.” Nodding, the Black Raven took flight, before Scorpan turned back to face me. “Come then Wolf Guard, let us go and find your father.” Once again I found myself moving through the camp with a host of other ponies, staying alert in case any diamond dogs leapt out at us, and that if they did they met the same fate as all who would oppose Equestria. “Scorpan, I think this is the first time I’ve fought beside you,” I laughed, smacking a diamond dog aside with the side of my hammer. “I believe you are right, Hoarfrost,” Scorpan cut the staggering dog down as he spoke, before looking around at the dead, pony and diamond dog. “This isn’t right, these are fresh kills. They shouldn’t have been taken by surprise like this.” “Agreed,” I nodded, kneeling down beside one of the fallen Arctic Wolves. “And since when did diamond dogs use tactics like this, or use weapons this precise? I thought they enjoyed the larger variety of weapon.” “As did I. It always surprises me how much our enemies can surprise us, even when we have been fighting them for so long. Perhaps they have finally learnt that our steel is better than theirs and have started using it instead.” “Maybe. But, something feels wrong here, Scorpan, I can’t put my hoof on it but mark my words, something is rotten here.” “You may be right, Hoarfrost, but we cannot afford to wait.” As Scorpan spoke, the Black Raven from before landed, his hooves barely making a sound as he touched down. He and Scorpan exchanged a few hushed words, before nodding and turning back to face me. “We have located your father, he is alone and he has a host of diamond dogs closing in on him. We must act quickly.” “Let’s move then,” I nodded, sweeping up my hammer as I ran after the others. Eventually we burst into a training yard, a pack of diamond dogs looking back at us and snarling, the largest of their number letting out a guttural laugh. “Ha! Puny ponies think they can stop us? Should have brought more friends to be killed with you, more fun that way!” “Stand down. Now,” Scorpan growled back, his voice staying level, and exhibiting all the comfort of ice. “Why? There’s six of you, and a whole lot more of us.” “Then it’s a fair fight,” I snarled, before roaring and charging forward, the diamond dogs at the front taken aback by the sudden charge, before quickly shifting their demeanour and pressing back against us, the Black Ravens quickly getting stuck into the fight. Heads rolled from shoulders, blood spattered our armour and the ground around us, and the howls of pain echoed through the night, many being cut short mid-way through as they were stabbed, shot and bludgeoned from this world to whatever hell their kind believed in. This was no time for finesse, no time for strategy, this was a brawl, pure and simple, and a brawl was where I excelled. “You think you can come into our house?” I roared, stabbing my hammers pommel spike into a diamond dog’s gut, dodging to the side as I pulled it free, firing off a shot with my crossbow at another diamond dog. “Into our camp, and live to talk about it? You do not know who you face.” “Pony talks too much, stupid pony.” I heard the voice, and felt as something picked me up off my hooves, before pitching me across the training yard. I hit the floor hard, my armour making a horrible screeching noise as I slid across the floor, before finally coming to a halt. The boss dog laughed, walking towards me, scraping its weapons across the floor and sending sparks into the night. It was easy to tell that this dog was in charge compared to the others, his armour being far bigger and bulkier than anything I had seen or heard of the dogs using before. Thick metal plates covered most of his body, much like my own armour did, and a large slab of metal was attached to his left arm like a shield of sorts, leaving his paws free for his weapons. In its left paw was a gladius, the short sword looking out of proportion compared to the rest of the dog. That could have come from anywhere, almost every Legionnaire had one, but his other weapon was not quite so common. My father’s axe, blood still staining the blade, was clutched in his right paw. Letting out a scream of rage I dived forwards once more, my hammer singing as it came down hard on the diamond dog’s armour. The shield dented, but held strong, and I only narrowly avoided being gutted by the axe. Backpedalling, I drew my crossbow again, firing a shot at the dog’s unarmoured head, the bolt grazing the skin just above his eye, sending blood dripping into the beast’s eyes, effectively blinding it. The dog howled in pain, swinging its weapons wildly, before I dived forward once more, using my own body as a battering ram and knocking the dog to the floor, before rolling off and raising my hammer, bringing it smashing down again and again on the dog’s chest. Eventually I stopped, panting hard as I glared down at the boss dog, placing the head of my hammer on his chest once more, before grasping my father’s axe with my headset and ripping it from the dog’s hand. “This does not belong to you, dog.” “Screw you…pony,” the dog spat, blood covering my armour. “Before I send you to meet your gods, you will tell me how you got in past the guards.” “I’ll tell you nothing, pony. I’m already dying. You get nothing from me. Never.” Nodding slowly, the slowly began to work the spike on my hammer into the dogs armour, being greeted by a howl of pain as it finally met flesh. The howl quickly died down to a whimper as I twisted the blade, before leering down at the dog. “There is still life in you, dog. Speak, and I will see it ended quickly. Stay silent,” I punctuated the words by twisting the hammer again. “How, did, you, get, in?” “Gah! Stop! I’ll talk to you, pony. Just stop!” “Talk, and pray that I find your words of worth.” “We,” the dog began. “Hoarfrost, look out!” Scorpan shouted, and I turned to look at him, watching as he fired an arrow from his crossbow, the bolt whizzing past my head. Turning back around, I watched as the boss dog’s eyes rolled back in his head, the steel tipped bolt sticking out of his skull. “He was about to tell me how they got in!” I roared, pulling my hammer free and advancing on Scorpan, only stopping when my head was pressed against his. “He was about to kill you,” Scorpan replied calmly, seeming to not care that I was slowly pushing his backwards. “You were so preoccupied that you didn’t notice that he still had the sword.” “I!” I trailed off, looking round and seeing the blade still clutched in the diamond dog’s paw, before turning and stepping back from Scorpan. “I’m sorry, captain. I did not mean any offense. You have my thanks for saving my life once more.” “All is forgiven, Hoarfrost,” Scorpan nodded. “I would have liked to know the lay of the dog’s thoughts as well, but I would not trade the life of a pony for the knowledge of one of their kind.” “Captain, Wolf Guard, we have found the Wolf Lord,” a Black Raven skidded to a halt in front of us, his gladius held in front of his face. “He is being tended to, but I believe you should go to him.” “Thank you,” Scorpan nodded, before gesturing around. “See that each one of these is actually dead, then make a pyre of their bodies. Remove the boss dog’s head, we will deliver it to the den to let them know what fate is in store for them.” “Very good, sir,” the Black Raven nodded, before Scorpan gestured for me to follow him, running towards where a pair of Black Raven’s were tending to the armoured bulk of my father, working hard to strip him of his armour. Umbrage was lying on his side, blood still seeping from a wound in his chest that had slipped between the plates of his armour. His eyes were closed, but that didn’t stop me seeing the bags under his eyes and the lines written on his face, showing the amount of pain he was in. “What’s going on?!” I all but bellowed at the closest pony. “The Wolf Lord is heavily injured, as a pony he should be beyond what warrants life,” the Black Raven replied, glancing down at Umbrage, before looking behind me at Scorpan. “His name is Wolf Umbrage, he is my father, and he is more than just a common pony,” I spat. “You are going to fix him, and you are going to make this right or I’ll…” “H-Hoarfrost?” the voice was barely a whisper, but it was enough for me to push the Black Raven aside, taking his place as I knelt down beside my father. “My lord, you need to…” I began, before a hoof lightly slapped my face. “None of that, my lord stuff, Hoarfrost,” Umbrage laughed weakly. “And none of that be quiet stuff either. There’s life in me yet, it’s not going to fade anytime soon.” “Yeah, nothing short of the Empress will kill you,” I chuckled softly. “The company,” Umbrage continued, smiling slightly at my joke. “It needs, it needs a leader.” “It’s not that bad of a wound, father, you’ll be leading us soon enough,” I assured him, before turning to the other Black raven, the markings on his shoulder showing him to be a medic. “Isn’t that right?” “The blade went in deep, but it missed anything vital,” the Black raven nodded slowly. “However, it looks like it was laced with Farriers Bane, a potent poison that can take weeks to work its way out of the system. If he moves around too much then it could prove fatal.” “There. You see?” Umbrage groaned as his chest plate was finally lifted free, the last of the straps falling away and allowing the medic to get easier access to his wound. “The company needs someone to lead it. Captain, you will be my witness?” “Of course, my lord,” Scorpan nodded, kneeling beside me. “I, Wolf Lord Umbrage of the Arctic Wolves ninth company, decree that Hoarfrost shall be acting Wolf Lord, until I recover enough to take my position once more.” “Father,” I croaked, before a raised hoof silenced me. “No argument’s Hoarfrost, it’s done. Scorpan will back up my words, he’ll help you. Stay close to him.” “Yes, father,” I bowed my head, before getting to my hooves and looking at the Black Ravens. “Stabilise him here, then move him to a more secure location. Scorpan? We should report in. I think the Warmistress needs to know what happened here.”