Sergeant Bishop could feel the adrenaline pumping through his legs as she sprinted deeper into the forrest. Before he could loose sight of his team he slowed down to wait for them. He looked in his arms as Rainbow Dash grabbed his collar with her teeth. She looked up at him, grinding her teeth into the soft denim, looking at him with eyes, pleading mercy for the indescribable pain.
"P-please. .... Pleeheeheeheese! Make it stop!"
"Just hold on, okay, Just hold on."
Just then, Bishop saw his team running towards him, he looked around for cover, but there was nothing but trees, no rocks to jump behind or any trenches to jump into. He then caught a glimpse of the trail of blood left behind, his heart jumped up into his mouth, Rainbow Dash needed medical attention, now!
He helped Dixon, Cole and Andy, still holding the helpless creature in his hand before walking with them behind a large tree close by, bullets still flying through the air as they took cover.
"How many are th-"
His sentence was interrupted by an explosion of shrapnel coming from the tree, Cole and Bishop looked back to see a large hole, the size of a grapefruit going straight through it. Bishop then caught a glimpse of the platoon slowly getting closer.
"Five!!" Bishop said answering is own question. "Looks like we took out guards to a small base camp!! FUCK!!"
*BOOM!!*
The solid tree was shot through again, confirming that the oncoming fleet knew where they were hiding.
"What do we do Bish?!!"
Bishop looked around him, Dixon was yelling in pain as Cole tried to assist, Andy was low on ammo and Bishop was holding a wounded Pegasus, slowly growing paler in his arms. Just then, he thought of a plan.
"Dixon?!!"
"What?!!"
"Can you shoot?!!"
"Yeah, why?!!"
"Get over here!!"
Sergeant Cole helped Dixon to his feet before sitting him against the tree, making Dixon scream in pain again.
"FUCK!!"
Bishop then grabbed Andy's collar.
"Alright you two!! Use the tree, shoot through the bullet holes!!"
"Got it!!"
"Cole!! I need medical assistance over here!!"
"Hang on!!"
Bishop slowly placed rainbow dash on the ground, as he pulled back, sergeant Cole kneeled beside them. Cole quickly looked up and down the Pegasus before looking back at Bishop.
"We're loosing her, fast."
"Can you help her?!"
"I'm not sure! I don't know her anatomy!"
"You've got to do something!"
"Alright! .... Let me see the wound!"
Bishop looked at Rainbow Dash before gently holding her forehooves. Dash looked into his eyes as Cole emptied his bag onto the floor. Dixon and Andy were still shooting as they took out soldiers, one by one.
"EAT THIS!!"
With one precise shot, Dixon fired at one of the grenades tied onto a soldiers belt, making it explode on impact, both Andy and Dixon ducked as shrapnel and flames blasted past them, filling the air with thick dust. Dixon the looked back through the bullet hole, searching for survivors. A loud war cry was heard before he saw a soldier running towards them, holding a grenade in each hand. Dixon fired at his chest, stopping him in his tracks.
The soldier gasped before falling to his knees, gasping for air, Dixon then noticed the grenades had no pins in them. He grabbed Andy before throwing him to the ground.
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!!"
Everyone ducked as Dixon leaped into the air, in mid jump the grenades blew, sending flames and shrapnel in all directions, Dixon landed face first onto the sold ground as Bishop held Rainbow Dash's head in his hands.
"Rainbow. You need to let Cole see the wound."
Rainbow Dash shook her head, terror in her eyes as she struggled to breath calmly. Bishop tried to slowly pull her hooves away from the wound but Rainbow quickly realized before snatching her arms back and covering the still bleeding wound.
"Please. We can't help you if you don't let us see it. .... This is the last thing I wanted to happen to you. Please. Let him see it. I promise you'll be fine."
She looked at him before looking at her wing, she began to grow weak, her heart was beating out of her chest and she began to see double as the loss of blood began take it's toll. Unable to fight anymore she let her arms go limp, instantly regretting her decision as Bishop pulled them away.
Bishop then call for Andy and whispered in his ear. Rainbow couldn't tell what he was saying but before she could ask she felt Cole's hands touch her wings. She flinched, trying her best to keep still as the sergeant examined her wound.
"The bullet is still inside. .... I've gotta take it out now or she'll bleed to death."
Bishop's heart sank, he knew what was coming next.
"Where's the medikit?" He asked.
"We lost it back in Poznan, remember? We aint got no anesthetic. No morphine. No bandages. We aint got shit."
Bishop looked at Rainbow Dash, the image was just too heartbreaking. She was a ghostly pale, her eyes were staring at him, bloodshot with tears flowing from them, her body was a mass of cuts and bruises and her mane was covered in her own blood. Bishop sighed as he thought of a plan but he didn't like it.
"Andy?"
"Yes."
"Pull some thread out of your trousers. Cole. Do you have anything like a, fish hook, a needle?"
"I still have the old stitching needle from when I patched you up."
"Alright. Get it out. We'll use whisky as anesthetic."
"That's too risky Bishop."
"Do you have a better idea?!" The sergeant snapped.
Cole paused before looking back at the wound, he knew it was the only option they had. Sergeant Cole nodded before going through his bag. Bishop then looked at Rainbow as she looked back, weakly groaning in pain.
"Listen to me Rainbow. We're gonna help you. But it's going to hurt. Okay. I promise. I promise you it'll be alright once it's over. You need to trust me okay?"
Bishop looked at his team, Andy gave Cole the thread as he pulled the whisky and needle from his bag. Rainbow Dash whimpered as she watched Cole threading the needle. No matter what she did though there was no way she could stop it now.
Bishop then ripped the leather strap from his backpack before holding it in front of Rainbow Dash. She winced before she opened mouth and bit down hard on the strap. Bishop then looked at Cole before turning to Andy, giving him a nod to which the private responded by firmly gripping Rainbow Dash's legs. She squirmed as she was held down tight. Bishop looked up to Cole, who was washing his hands with they whisky as he finished he kneeled in front of Bishop.
"Ready?"
"Ready." Cole replied with a nod.
"Okay."
The tension grew with every second that passed. Bishop then held Dashie's blood stained wing to the ground.
"One."
Cole held his hand above the wound, taking a deep breath as he psyched himself up.
"Two."
Andy pressed his full body weight against Rainbow's legs, making it impossible for her to move as the final second approached.
"Three!!"
With one firm jab, Cole buried his fingers into the gory wound, Rainbow's whole body tensed up as her pupils were no larger then pin pricks. Her whole body began to tremble as Cole dug deeper into her flesh. Blood spurted from the wound as Cole searched for the bullet. Bishop looked at Rainbow as she buried her teeth into the leather. Stifled screams echoed off the trees as Rainbow chest heaved off the ground. Sergeant Cole cringed as he pushed his fingers past exposed nerves, muscles and tendons. With one last piercing cry, Rainbow Dash slumped onto the ground, numb and lifeless as she lost consciousness.