Six weeks. That's how long since Rainbow Dash had been away from home. Darning Do was used to being out on the road but now the cyan mare was growing homesick. Being out in the 'Wild' they had seen things more grotesque than anything in Equestria; farms struck with famine, small colonies abandoned from plague infestations, hiding horrific flesh eating beasts and fields before and after battles.
The trio was now in a humid grassland, walking over the ruins of a battlefield. Rainbow Dash was physically sick from the sight and smell of aged carnage. Even Daring Do was repulsed by the decrepit bodies strewn about on the filthy field. Crows and vultures flew in the sky in droves, while opportunistic wild dogs picked at the bodies. There were more carrion eaters though, ones that made the dogs scamper and birds circle away; A Vulture Dog.
Vulture Dogs were some kind of mammal long ago that was like the little dogs running away, as Pea Gravel told the Equestrians, but with all of the carnage being a common thing they evolved into burly quadrupeds whose jaws became shaped like a snapping beak. They peeled armor of of human bodies by using their front paws and their beak as a wedge, happily gorging on the meaty contents. The trio of ponies avoided the carrion eating hot spots as they walked but in the distance stood another carrion eater, one Pea Gravel snarled at the sight of.
Rainbow Dash asked what it was. The cyber mare told her that it was a creation of Volm, called Lepuerics. Their bodies shaped like a stocky bears with equally stocky necks and a jaw that could swallow an ox whole. At the very front of it's head was it's eyes, small soulless beads that seemed to pick the most opportune target. It's skin was a sickly olive color that covered vascular muscles and scars. It's paws had eight or more little toes on it, it changed for each foot. Pea also said that a bite from these, if you survive the initial physical trauma, caused all sorts of diseases like it's go-to poison Leprosy. Leaving a battle field felt like walking in and out of a nightmare for the Equestrians but Pea Gravel said it was common to for ones such as herself.
Rainbow Dash felt uncomfortable almost every waking moment. She always looked behind her shoulder and could barely sleep from unknown fear. Daring Do felt similar. In Equestria she thought of Pea Gravel as some mysterious and amazing mare but know that she saw Pea act 'normally' Daring wasn't so sure anymore.
They camped in a savanna. They had just entered it and the environment changed from dry to muggy rather quickly. Scattered around in clusters were very bulbous, short trees and tall grass. The three mares made a bed of grass at the base of one of these trees and enjoyed a well deserved rest. Dishing out rations to Rainbow Dash and Daring Do, Pea Gravel ate something else. She had been eating meat for a good part of their trip so far, anything from lizards, rabbits or birds. She didn't let her Equestrian company see how the skinning and gutting process worked, just cooked meat.
The black pearl that Pea had was more white than ever; they were close to their first mission, finding Dew Berry.
Daring Do began resorting to eating the grass around them to conserve food,"So… tell me, or us," she said while chewing uncomfortably, "Tell us about Joe, Dew Berry's guy?"
Pea took a big bite out of a rabbit’s haunch, "Like what?"
Rainbow Dash tried some grass too. She spat it out from it's bitter taste, "Bleh...," she got back on track, "You know, what was he like. Was he cute with Dew Berry?"
Pea snickered, "I really don't like the word 'cute'...anyway, something about ol' Joe, eh?" The Equestrians nodded.
Pea thought back to the time she found with Joe, then told part of the tale;
. The Breakneck Bevy was growing in number now, a hundred mercenaries with a staff of sixty to feed or repair armor, they were mostly ponies or other smaller creatures who were either so angry they'd fight anything their leader pointed at or were too stupid to know better. Marching down a road they found Joe on the side in a field, pulling a farmer's plow. The farmer was either drunk or just plain hateful because when Pea Gravel saw him he was whipping Joe's back even though the mule was going at a good pace. Dew screamed at the farmer to stop but he just flipped the bird and went back to his business. Pea offered to buy Joe right off the farmer for thirty pieces of silver, weather that was a good or bad deal is debatable.
She remembered how he followed almost blindly to Dew Berry but he did have his own principles. He never fought, maybe shoving things out of the way to move somewhere but he never killed anything. Pea Gravel supposed that is what attracted Dew to him to start with.
Oza healed what he could on the mule and Joe happily agreed to join the Breakneck Bevy. Being around Dew Berry though he acted like a big dopey goof, around everyone else he was stern and one-worded. In campaigns he had taken arrows to shield his friends and was sometimes called 'Sponge' by the other mercenaries in the Bevy. Joe was approachable by anyone but watched over Dew Berry like a guard dog.
When Pea was alone with those two she'd hear Dew say, "You've got such a watchful eye I bet you could look after… a foal or two?"
Joe would force a smile, "Dew Berry, I'm a mule. I can't make no kids."
Dew would snuggle closer to him, "I know… you'd be a very good father though, my Joesy~!"
The memory shattered when she remembered Black Berry. Like Pea Gravel and Dew Berry had changed since the days of Alia, Black Berry had changed too...became insane and a rouge. He was the bastard child of a carnahorse and a pony, aka a meat eating mule-ish thing. He wasn't a normal mule in any way. Black Berry was the darkest shade of purple imaginable with beat red irises, his bald head and shark teeth stuck out like stars in a night sky. a thing that made him different than other mules is that he could spread his seed to mares of his choosing and he relished it. This cannibalistic rapist was a problem to roving traders and villagers because he was fast, strong, hungry and usually was satisfied if it smelled like a female...no matter what species.
The Bevy's camp was dark and quiet in a warm spring night in a lakeside forest. Black Berry crept through the tents like a lustful shadow. Silently breaking the night guard's spines so they flopped unnoticed he sought a specific mare. He hungered for the infamously beautiful mare of the Breakneck Bevy; Dew Berry. His red eyes stuck out in the dark while he licked his lips in anticipation. Finding the right tent, he peered inside. There was Dew Berry, sleeping soundly under the comforting arm of her lover. Black Berry lifted his husky body inside through the tent flap and simply looked down at his target. His look could send chills up even the most stable minded spines.
Joe awoke to the feeling of drool dripping on him. He looked up in horror to see Black Berry. The dark carnahorse shoved Joe away from Dew and stood over his prize like a show dog. Joe's body shook with sudden adrenaline and rage. He bolted to strike Black Berry. Black Berry however, maneuvered so that he toppled Joe over on his broad back. Winded he gasped for breath. Him surviving wasn't on Black Berry's plans.
The carnahorse put both of his fore-hooves on either side of Joe's head and twisted. Joe's neck bent disgustingly, paralyzing him from the jaw down. He looked with hopeless, tear filled eyes at Dew Berry. She just woke up to be knocked upside the head. Black Berry lifted his prize on his back and looked back to Joe before he left, "Thanks for the sweet meat!"
The next morning the Bevy was in an uproar. Oza had repaired Joe's neck but it would take days if not weeks for Oza's magic to course though Joe's muscles to get them working again. The fact that Dew Berry was kidnapped as well threw the Bevy into a violent mob. Pea did her best to try organizing her comrades but they were to angered to be stopped. They combed the surrounding forest for four days, over and over again. Some used their spears to pole the lake's bottom in case she was drowned. The Bevy's griffons searched the trees in case she was hung or stuffed into a bear bag for later. While the hunt was going on Joe was immeasurably depressed. He couldn't get up to find the love of his life, he had to sit with stiff muscles and joints for weeks. Every time a search party walked by he jumped the gun to ask if they found her and they all sadly said no. If there was one thing Joe hated, it was being helpless.
Eventually one group found Dew Berry, or a mare that looked like her, they weren't sure. Written crudely into the dirt next to her was,'Sweet meat for grabs'.
They carried her back to the camp, delivering her to Pea Gravel's tent before anyone else in case it wasn't who they were looking for. Pea felt a mixture of rage, disgust and sadness seeing the state her best friend was in. Dew now had matted hair, bruised and dirty skin, small but painful looking bite marks on her neck as well as her flank and an all too distinguishable smell of sex still on her. She had been left out in the woods for four days and was unconscious from fatigue.
Pea called in Oza to see what he could do. He cleaned up the unconscious mare and healed her wounds, but Oza sensed something that made him cringe. He looked to Pea Gravel who was just as troubled. Oza sighed, trying to think on how to word the news, "Dew Berry is… she's… she's pregnant..."
The grey mare became even more furious ,"Can you stop it? Get rid of the monster in her before it grows?"
Oza shook his head, "To early. Baby is not big enough to even see."
Neither knew how to break the news to Joe. Oza decided to get up and talk to Joe. As Oza walked across the camp any members of the Bevy that saw him knew that something was wrong. Once Oza entered Joe's tent, the mule was anxious to hear any news, "Did you find her? Is she alright?"
Oza sat cross-legged in front of him. Oza was hesitant in his words,"Shit… Oza not sure how to tell Joe this… ummm..."
Joe had a look of disbelief,"Don't tell me she's d-dead?"
Oza shook his head vigorously,"No, no, no, no! Dew Berry is alive and breathing. Red pony is resting in Pea Gravel’s tent."
Joe took an edge in his voice, "Then let me see her."
Oza folded his hands over his muzzle,"Well… she's not alone in tent."
Joe was growing impatient, "Right, Gravel is in there with her, why wouldn't she?"
Oza shook his head slowly,"No exactly. Joe… Dew Berry has… a, um...baby..."
Joe's heart skipped a beat. His face went pale and his stiff body fell to it's side. Oza cocked his head against Joe's chest to see if he was still breathing. Oza used some of his magic to calm Joe's nerves in case he may die of a heart attack. Joe to a gasping breath then shaky ones, "My Berry… is going to have a foal?"
Oza stood up and turned to the tent flap, "This is true. Oza will bring Dew Berry to this tent to be with Joe. Oza be back."
He walked briskly back to Pea's tent and picked up the sleeping red mare gingerly. Pea jumped over to him, "So how did he take it?"
Oza laughed nervously, "Joe's not dead, so Joe took it well. At least that what Oza thinks." Pea sighed with relief.
Oza cradled Dew in his arms as he walked back to Joe's tent. Bevy members gathered around to see if Dew was alright. All too loudly they cheered to see her alive. Oza held a finger to his lips and shushed the cheering mob,"Shhh! Dew is sleeping!"
The Bevy members shut up and let Oza pass. Now he was back in Joe's tent with Dew Berry still asleep in his arms. Joe never looked happier in his life seeing her again. Oza lay her gently next to Joe who looked as if he was beaming. He couldn't move well but he forced a forearm over her as shelter. Oza wiped a happy tear from his eye and smiled as he went back outside. He found the ponies and ect. of the Bevy all around the tent, curious to know what was going on inside. Oza shooed them away from the tent like a broom sweeps dirt.
There was a meeting about finding and killing Black Berry. Word of what happened to Dew Berry got around and they demanded revenge, that or handing the bastard over to Joe so the mule could pummel him into a mush. Their want to kill Black Berry wasn't a new one, lot's of local farmers and merchants wanted his head on a pike. The reason why he was so loathed and hunted is because he was an expert at avoiding his hunters. He was known for biting off faces of those who got too close though...
Pea agreed that they should go after Black Berry. She sentenced him to be split open after pulling his limbs of, trampled, then tied to a tree for the vultures to pick off of. The Bevy relished that plan.
Dew woke up that day but was so traumatized that she wouldn't talk or see anyone, except Joe. In the following weeks Joe's body began working normally and Dew Berry opened back up again, but a different mare. She was more conserved now, hesitant of strangers and friends alike. While the Breakneck Bevy suited up to hunt down the carnahorse, a few stayed behind with the damaged couple. Either because they didn't want to see them hurt or they were afraid of being hurt themselves.
Joe took the idea of Dew having a foal that wasn't his rather well. He was determined to raise the foal like his own, no matter how much of a beat it was. Dew, however wasn't as upbeat about the child as Joe was but she eventually accepted the idea.
"Woah..." Rainbow Dash said, "You didn't lie about Black Berry..."
"He gives me the creeps," Daring Do cringed.
The trio sat quietly in their little camp next to a tree again. The Savannah was quiet… too quiet...
Some large birds flew overhead, they seemed to by fleeing from something. Pea grabbed her swords, ready for the surprise. Meanwhile Daring Do and Rainbow Dash turned, unsure of what was coming. Through the rustling of the grass was heavy breathing and thudding of paws. Pea Gravel commanded the mares to jump, all too much of a close call. Sprinting out of the grass, skimming their hooves, a Lepueric pounced at Pea Gravel.
The cyber mare side stepped and the gnarly beast smashed into the tree they rested next to. The Lepueric was even more repulsive up close, it's skin was warty and wrinkled. The smell of rotting flesh emanated from it's gaping maw. The Equestrians flew up a safe distance and watched as Pea squared off the monstrosity. Pea stood like a human, armed with threes swords and a wild glare in her eyes as the Lepueric snarled ferociously. They circled each other like two predators butting heads. The monster sprung forward with an open mouth full of bone crunching teeth. Pea and the Lepueric were locked in a dance of death, one struck while the other dodged. Rainbow Dash could see that this was no ordinary creature they were dealing with, it was warped… demonic.
Pea's foot slipped only once, but it was enough. The Lepueric's jaws clamped onto her leg. She viciously stabbed at the creature's neck but it still held on. It's dark, almost purple, blood poured onto the ground from the wounds Pea sliced into it's neck. The Lepric bucked and kicked like a rodeo bull with the cyber mare in its mighty jaws, not afraid to smack it's head against the tree or the ground to smother Pea Gravel. Pea showed no signs of fear, only an cruel drive to win. The two Equestrians were unsure of how long the fight was going to take or who would win.
Pea looked up at them for a fraction of a second and tossed a sword over to them, Daring caught it. Pea took the sword out of her jaw and stabbed with one in each hand. Daring was unsure of what to do. Before she could figure out a straightway Rainbow Dash took the sword and bolted down to the monster. She flew around the Lepueric, slashing and swinging like an angry horsefly. The beast paid little attention to Rainbow Dash, like an ox to a fly.
Daring Do flew around to the Lepueric's eyes and kicked her hooves into the shiny black orbs. The beast opened it maw to snap at Daring Do. Rainbow Dash saw this and tackled Daring out of the way just in time as the clamping jaws shut loudly behind her. One of it's teeth nicked Rainbow Dash's hoof and made a little scratch.
Pea was freed now, and rolled under the Lepuric's belly. With both swords she sunk them into the monster's flesh under it's rib cage. It reared up to swat at her. With the Lepueric standing on it's rear legs Pea had ample opportunity to slide down it's abdomen like pirates slide down canvas sails. It screeched unnaturally as it's body was split open. Pea dropped to the ground with the entrails and organs falling after her. The beast flopped to it's side and kicked around, pushing out the last of it's energy.
Pea took one of their blankets and wiped off the dark blood from her. She seemed rather calm for just fighting a monster like one of those. The trio was breathing heavy now, relieved that the creature was dead. Pea looked over to the pegasi and gave them a thumbs-up.
"You know what girls?" She looked over at the disemboweled Lepueric, "Maybe you two really do have the guts to kick with me!"