//------------------------------// // New Hope: Forest expedition // Story: Corrupted Lands // by Nameless Narrator //------------------------------// "How is it, Nightshade?" a dark grey, blue-maned batpony named Lunar Watch asks me quietly. "Clear and calm, sir!" I answer in hushed tones as well. "Are you sure?" Aaaand here it comes. Yes, it is getting dark. Yes, this damn corrupted forest would be dim even in the light of the day. And yes, pegasi like me don't have the same nighttime capabilities like thestrals, but he really shouldn't make it THAT obvious he doesn't think I should be here. Also, yes, he is a plothole. It takes all my self-control to not hiss at him. In the end, however, he is my boss, and this is an extremely important mission, so I just nod. "Nothing has moved in the past ten minutes. This place seems to be as clear as the briefing stated." "Let's hope that's the case. I could use a bit more to eat for lunch." I don't have to be a unicorn to read the wishful thinking of everypony around. There is at least one thing all of us can agree on - the rationing system in Ponyville enclave sucks. I wish I was a changeling. You bang a guy, and you are fed for the day. But noooo! I have to be a damn pegasus in an age where flying outside is forbidden. I wonder how out ancestors before the corruption felt, soaring through the endless sky, wings burning when fighting their way through a storm. Oh well, these days it's either walk on hoof or get a healthy dose of those freaking wine flytraps. I shouldn't have thought about food, as my stomach quickly reminds me. Scouting parties like we are don't go outside well-supplied. The protocol says that it is too wasteful and risky. Shows how much the upper brass trusts us. Okay, the chances of us getting here were pretty slim, but with how important this area is they should have given us a bit more food, equipment... ponies. There is only five of us. On the other hoof, considering how much every pony is needed back in the enclave five is a lot of resources to spend on exploration. Usually, this is done by sole trappers or hunters, not soldiers. So yeah, here's me, Nightshade -a lovely and completely awesome grey pegasus mare with flowing silvery mane I take good care of, thank you for asking, who is an exotic piece of plot because most of the pegasi are dead. Yes, that is not cynicism, that is simple observation- then there is the bosshole -heh, a new nickname to share!- Lunar, and three other soldiers I don't know personally, one unicorn mare and two earthpony stallions. Considering how much unicorns fear going outside with the threat of horn rot wherever you look, I think the girl has bigger balls than either of the earthponies. Horn rot, nasty stuff. I remember an anatomy lesson from basic training where they showed us the progress of the infection, bleh. Unicorn and alicorn magic works well against Corrupted, but if they get close enough to spread it to you, then it's either a bye bye to the piece of bone that makes you special, or the quick spread of corruption twisting you over few days into one of... them. Don't get wet, don't get wet! They can smell it. I've got a little... kink, let's say. I would never act on it, I'm not crazy, but the tentacles and unnatural members of the Corrupted. Phew, even the earthponies can only dream of those shapes and sizes. If I ever met a male Breeder, alone, and without the threat of being transformed, I would be on my belly with ass sticking up in no time, panting like a bitch in heat. Damn! Calm yourself, girl! Deep breaths! In and out. Much better. Think of the mission! I got carried away a little. Thankfully, nopony -and mostly no Corrupted- noticed. "This place is weird," I hear a whisper of the other mare in the group, "Not that I mind, it's not as dark as everywhere else." She's right. Let me explain. The Corrupted own the surface around Ponyville, and from what I heard the entire... Equestria, was it? That's what the history books up in the castle call the land we live under, right? So, several weeks ago a scout returned with the news that he had found an area free of Corrupted near the enclave. In light of that information the unicorn mages performed a survey of the land and came to the conclusion that it is fertile, and that with the help of chemistry -my little talent and the reason for me being included on this trip- it should be possible to use it to grow crops quickly and with minimal exposure to the Corrupted. We are here to check this part of the forest for threats, assess its suitability for farming on site, and set up a little device which would serve as a beacon for our mining parties razing underground tunnels leading here from Ponyville. I must admit the scout was correct. This area looks completely different from the mushroomy, swamp-like ground of the Corrupted I know from Ponyville. It's much colder, for one, crispy cold, only without the wind. So much nicer... Don't judge me! I love winter. How the white snow hides all the dark tracks of the corruption, how the fresh air stings your nose after the stillness and warmth of the underground... I love taking outside shifts in winter, no matter the danger. It's pretty weird feeling like that in the middle of spring, but hey, such is life in the zone. So yeah, the trees here feel, for lack of a better word, fragile. The entire place is still only a part of a bigger forest, but the leaves shifted from dark green to light blue when we entered, as if covered with thick rime. Frozen woods would be a pretty accurate term, if it accounted for no water actually involved. We left Ponyville in the morning, and after a day of careful sneaking we are already here. If this place is really as good as the spell showed then the tunnels leading here should be finished in mere two or three weeks, and then MORE FOOD FOR EVERYPONY, YAY! Speaking of which... "We should assess the soil first, sir," I say, rummaging through my backpack, "In case we have to leave quickly." "Alright," Lunar whispers and makes several gestures to the other ponies who quietly spread out. The guard pattern is clear. Nopony goes out of sight of the others, and all make as little noise as possible. Corrupted may be vastly stronger, faster, and tougher than ponies, but that does not mean they PREFER direct confrontation. In the middle of a square of ponies, I spread a blanket and put several vials full of chemicals on it. First, I have to scoop a bit of soil, scratch off what little tree bark I can, and grab some leaves for analysis. The chemicals bubble when I test each sample one by one, and... ...tyadaa! The carefully crafted acids melt away some parts of the soil, but what remains tells me that farming here would definitely be a fantastic idea. The less great result is that it seems that the entire biome is connected so much that cutting down some trees to make space for farmland would lower the soil's usefulness drastically. I wave at the others to come back. "So?" Lunar asks. "The area is fertile enough to support our style of quick farming, but the projected amount will be lower. All in all, if the farmers think of a good spread of crops to plant here WITHOUT touching the natural flora then this place will become our biggest source of surface crops," I report. I might be a part of the Hex Guard, but my flower and vial cutie mark isn't just for show. "Excellent," he smacks his lips, doubtlessly thinking of how much more food he's gonna get. I can't blame him, my mouth is watering as well, "Pack your stuff, let's finish the patrol and then we can go back home. This place gives me the creeps." When we go back to sneaking through crunchy, frozen -and at the same time not- grass, I only pray that the rumors about us being alone here are true. Not so much for our safety, we are well-trained and equipped enough to deal with one or two Corrupted, definitely of the lower class, but mostly I pray for the land to be free due to the rumbling of my stomach. We, as soldiers, get to eat a little more than the civillians so that we can keep our strength up through training, but that does not mean it is anywhere close to comfortable. Darkness falls, and the final part of our mission is at hoof - setting up a fake camp which is easy to find, and observe whether there are any Corrupted who are purely nocturnal. According to our gathered information they have no set sleep cycle, and rest only after their hunting for food or mate is done. Gathering food, to be precise. They seem to be herbivores, although some have been seen transforming wounded ponies into some sort of black mush and then eating them. But hey, the ponies were plants at the time... I think. I'd much rather be filled with their- nevermind. I COULD try to find a lone Drone or a female Breeder to satisfy my urges, but the town of Ponyville, not the castle enclave, is home to a pretty deadly hive, and if I even tried to approach one I would have the entire town on my ass, literally in most cases. Out here... I mean, there are ponies who are partially corrupted, those bitten and wounded, or those who got out of breeding attempts. Most succumb to the wild desire as the corruption progresses and have to be killed, but those who don't submit lead normal lives, only sometimes a little more active on the sex front. Why is the horizontal waltz so important? The creatures are in tune with their instincts, and what those boil down to is eating and mating. While eating is set mostly by the body, and the partially corrupted ponies still need only a certain amount of food, breeding is a different cup of body fluids. We have very strict laws regarding foals due to our limited supply of food, but nopony really cares how we make this miserable existence bearable. Strangely enough, the corruption does not spread from the partially infected. The general rule is that the more powerful the Corrupted is, the faster and irresistible his spread of corruption is. Drones and female Breeders are the weakest Corrupted we know of, and they are mostly passive, some even friendly, well, not outright hostile. I'm not into mares, but a Breeder's big, hanging teats, and wet- Nevermind, this place is getting to me. Hey, the guys even managed to make a small campfire while I stood on watch! Too bad it's only for the fake camp... with real tents. Our night will be spent by patrolling and sleeping in a sleeping bag on the ground some distance away. Morning comes mere two and a half eternities later. Nights are unbearably long with nerves like guitar strings and eyes peeled for any signs of movement. Thankfully, Lunar Watch is hopped on coffee and nocturnal to boot, so he takes the brunt of the shift himself. He might be a racist bastard, but he's a good Nightguard. My turn to watch is accompanied by sun slowly rising behind low-hanging silver clouds. I munch on some pressed hay biscuits which only serve to tell me how hungry I really are, but at least I have something to do while watching the clearing with the fake camp. The surroundings light up with the day taking hold, and the others wake up as well. "Not even a fallen leaf, sir." I report the result of my vigilance. "Good job, for a pegasus," the batpony didn't leave out a jab, "Let's make sure it's really clear, pack up, and go home. The high-ups can grab more supplies and come here themselves if they want a long-term observation set up. Nightshade, plant the guiding device! Fortress, you and Sturdy Gate clear the camp! High Wish, hide all trails we had a vantage point here." "Yes, sir!" we salute and go about our business. Before we head off, I need to answer the call of nature. As much as I like my privacy, I don't dare venture too far away. I loud sniff nearby almost makes me let it out right here an now. "Shi-!" A leg swipes at me, but if there is one thing smaller ponies have an advantage over the Corrupted in it is agility. The few pony lengths to the clearing should be easy. A second and third body on each of my sides prove otherwise. The time for secrecy is over. "RUN!" I yell as I jump over a clump of branches in front of me and gallop through the clearing, "HUNTERS!" Lunar turns towards me just as something wraps around my hind leg and I plant my muzzle to the grass. A hoof followed by a heavy body steps on my back and all movement I have left is turning my head. Four sets of hooves surround me, I look up to a black mouth full of sharp teeth, and a long tongue which crawls inside my ear. The long muzzles, lean bodies, and size similar to an expansive earthpony tell me that the Hunter guess was right. Five Corrupted against three ponies is a done deal, but if my mates can distract them long enough for me to get some chemicals from my saddlebag I have several firebombs which even the Corrupted don't like. "RETREAT!" I hear Lunar's voice, "The mission comes first!" "What?" I twist and struggle without result under my captor, "LUNAR, COME BACK YOU STINKING FLYING RAT!-" The hoof holding me pushes my head into the ground. A mouth grabs me by the neck and rolls me over. I have a clear sight of the Hunter above me and the three other Hunters around. Perhaps the last one is chasing Lunar and might bite his ballsack off, the worthless coward! I don't care what the protocol says! How could they just leave me he- The hunter growls, and I freeze. "So, what now, monster?" I say defiantly. Not that he understands a thing, but it makes me feel better about my impending future. Three long and slick tentacles slip out of the sheath between his hind legs. Turning my head away just grants me a good look on the others. A heavily breathing mouth licks my muzzle again. Hmmm... he doesn't actually smell bad. Sweat, fresh grass, desire. Taking a deep breath of his bestial scent is all my body needs to answer his lust. I guess I'll get everything I secretly wanted and a lot more on top.