//------------------------------// // Pegasi Vs. Griffons // Story: Crackshot: New Beginnings // by Cold Cuts the batpony //------------------------------// We had spent a long hard day training yesterday, and most of this morning brushing up. Crackshot had come a long way in a short time, but he was still untrained, and I was worried. "Remember, we're fighting under match rules, disabling shots only, don't try to kill them," I reminded the stallion, he nodded stoically. "And they might be faster and more agile, but we have weight on them, so if you hit em, hit em hard," I was getting antsy, they weren't here yet. I turned to Crackshot again. "And also-" Delta cut me off. "Leave the poor fellow alone, Belle, you think you're nervous? Think about him, you dragged him into this," the unicorn scolded me and I hung my head in shame. "Chin up now, ya hear?" Crackshot's voice was heavily accented, a sure sign he was nervous too, "If we're agonna do this, we gotta keep our heads high 'n in the game. Understood?" Encouraged, I reset my stance in one of firm determination, head high and hooves apart, jaw clenched and shoulders set, ready for anything. The griffon squadron arrived shortly. Stepping forward, the lead Griffon, the oberfeldwebel, something like a sergeant, addressed me. “Are you ready Kleines Pferd?” the griffon was taller than me and I had to look practically straight up at him, he was standing so close. “My wingpony and I both!” I spoke with a conviction I didn’t entirely feel. The Griffon sneered at me and turned to his assembled comrades. “Vogel und Lowe, schritt nach vorn,” two griffons, not the biggest, but maybe the meanest looking, stepped forward, “We have chosen our combatants, choose yours now Kleines Pferd.” “Crackshot, now’s the time,” I said cooly, never breaking eye contact with the griffon. Crackshot stepped forward in grim determination, or was it grim resignation, and took up his position next to me. Delta stepped forward to referee. "Let's keep it clean on all sides," he said firmly, "Hoof and claw held weapons, properly padded and sheathed, are freely usable. Projectiles of any kind are not," he looked sternly at both teams, "Combatants, take flight!" The griffons shot into the air with their superior speed and acceleration, had the match begun then, we might have been in trouble. Thankfully it did not, and as we reached the assigned altitude, I felt my heart lift, this is what I was built for. Crackshot was doing decently well keeping formation, and the griffons and us began to circle, watching each other's every move. "Ready?" Delta called out, both sides signaled affirmation, "Go!" "Remember the plan!" I shouted. We had time our circling to be between the griffons and the sun when we started, and we used this cover to quickly gain more altitude and hopefully the upper hoof. The griffons, however, had the same idea, and they too shot skyward. The griffons gained altitude over us and moved into position to strike. "Get ready!" I could only hope Crackshot remembered the maneuvers we had practiced. As the griffons dove towards us we shifted to fly abreast each other. The gap closed rapidly between us and as our combatants closed in to strike we flipped onto our backs, hooves up, blocking, and simultaneously counter attacking. The griffons veered aside before we could land a strike, but their momentum carried them below us. Now it was our turn. As one, Crackshot and I wheeled around to face our opponents. He drew his mocked up rifle and I drew my training knife. We dove, using our weight and wing power to drive us downwards towards them. In an attempt to dodge, the griffons split. I pursued the lead as Crackshot took the second. I heard a cry of alarm from Crackshot's adversary, but I didn't look, intent on my own. Tucking my wings in I plummeted, committing everything to this attack. With the full weight of my body, I struck the griffon and wrapped myself around him pinning his wings. Drawing my knife across his throat, I whispered, "Dead," before breaking away. Turning I saw Crackshot and the other griffon in freefall, grappling with each other face to face. Crackshot broke away, striking the griffon across the face with the butt of his "rifle", but not before the griffon could gore his belly with his lion's claws. Blood flowed and he plummeted like a rock. "Stop the match!" Delta exclaimed from the ground. I looked on in horror as the rest of the griffon squad took flight, catching flailing pegasus, expertly detaining his wild thrashing. A lump rose in my throat as I rocketed towards my friend. Reaching his side, it was all I could do to keep from crying. "This is my fault," I whispered to myself as we reached the ground. Seeming to hear me, Crackshot shook his head before collapsing into the griffon's claws. The oberfeldwebel turned on his subordinate, Lowe I think, yelling at him in their foreign language, and all I could do was feel numb. I heard the scream of sirens as the medical carriage made its way across the airfield. I watched as the medic ponies lifted the red pegasus onto the carriage, carrying him to the base hospital. I only broke from my stupor when I was approached by Col. Striker and Oberst Katze Feder. "We should like to see you," the Col. said to me. "Und you," the Oberst said to her griffons. "In my office," the Col. finished. Head hung low, I followed. ---- We assembled in Col. Striker's office. I was ready for whatever punishment he had in store. "We are disappointed in you," the Col. started. "All of you," Katze interjected. "We here in Kittyhawk work hard to maintain peace between the Griffon's Republic..." "...and Equestria. Your little stunt..." "...could have cost us all of that." The officers seemed to speak as of one mind. And they were right. My foolhardiness could have cost so much more. "You will all be-" the Oberst started. "Frau Feder, may I interrupt?" The oberfeldwebel cut in. "You may, Oberfeldwebel Hans," the senior officer raised an eyebrow in expectation. "This Kleines Pferd, this little pony, fought valiantly in defense of her honor. She was provoked by mein self und mein squadron. If anybird is at fault it would be us," the griffon's head hung low in shame. "Is that so?" the Oberst asked, "in that case, you will be put on probation, und you will see to it that the red pegasus is well tended to. Dismissed.". The griffons saluted and exited the office. "You, Ms. Belle, on the other hoof, are not under my direct command," the Col. Looked at me sternly, "the only thing within my power is to remove you from my base." He pressed his hooves together and leaned across the desk, "is that what you want?" "Sir. No, sir," I said slowly. "Then I need to be able to count on you to not undo what we have done here." "Sir, yes sir." "Very well," he sat up, " Dismissed." He took up some papers on his desk as if I wasn't there. After a moment I turned and left, making my way to the hospital. ---- Arriving at Crackshot's room, "You weren't in too much trouble were ya?" The stallion coughed. Delta stood by his side and one of the griffons sat in the corner. "No," I said, "not at all. You fought well out there." "Good," he sighed, "anything for a friend." He drifted off to sleep.