//------------------------------// // Battle to the End // Story: Blood Red Road // by Dawn-Designs-Art //------------------------------// We gallop due north through the night. Arrow pushes us hard. He don’t let us stop till we come across a little trickle of a stream. We all welcome the rest, however short it'll be, and make sure we all drink what we need. I notice it's awful cold now now that we ain't runnin no more. "We’re nearly there," he says. Sun shivers. He rubs his forlegs an hugs hisself. He ain't got nuthin on, he lost his thin cape some time ago, I don't remember where. "You should of said you was cold," says Arrow.He reaches up to his neck an undoes his cloak. He tosses it to Sun. "Sorry it ain’t cleaner," he says. "I’m a bit behind with my laundry." "I cain’t take yer cloak," says Sun. "Go on," says Arrow. "But now you’ll be cold," says Sun. "Oh I’m warm blooded." Arrow grins. "Anyways, Moon likes to look at my bare flank." Sun looks at me. Frowns. "Is that a fact?" he says. I feel myself go bright red. "It is not a fact," I says. "You stinker, Arrow." They all laugh. All essept Sun that is. He’s still frownin as he ties Arrow's cloak around his neck. I glare at Arrow an he winks at me. I go even redder. "See?" he says. "She cain’t help herself." I could kick him fer makin me look foolish. But I could kiss him fer liftin the gloom a little bit. Considerin what might lie ahead, that’s a good thing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We reach Pine Top Hill as the sun’s startin to break out in the east lightenin the sky even if we won't see the sun for an hour or two. After such a cold night, it’s a relief that it's gonna be another hot day. You can almost hear the tired, cold earth sighin as it faces the new warmth of the day. "There it is," says Pike. A dusty plain of red earth stretches out in front of us. Straight ahead, a round hill rises up from the plain. There’s a little wood of scrubby pine trees on top an some big rocks that’ll give us good cover. An, jest like Arrow said, a steep slope of loose rock an slippery shale. If they’re gonna attack, they’ll hafta tread carefully so as they don't slip and fall back down. Any fliers when can pick off easy from the trees. We’ll be in the better position. It’s a strange place, this plain where we’ll take our stand. Dry an dead lookin an everywhere you look, red. Like the heart of a fire. Red rocks, red earth. Red as the dust storm at Silverlake on the day the Tonton came. A little ways to the west of the hill, a long, craggy ridge towers above the plain. To the east, a clutch of spindly rock fingers rises up, reachin fer the sky. There’s lots of ’em, all crowded in together. Tall an thin an pointed. They look wicked. Sharp. Like teeth. Red teeth. The back of my neck prickles. "What the hell’s that?" I says. "They’re called the Fangs," says Arrow. Ash shudders. "They gimme the creeps," she says. We make our way to the foot of Pine Top Hill as quickly as we can. Arrow tells us to start up, he's gonna circle round figure out the easiest path down the hill. He don’t say it, but we all know he means if it goes wrong an we gotta make a run fer it. I start up the hill, an th’others follow on behind, an we pick our way, slow an careful, to the top. Arrow’s right. We’ll be able to see Pinch comin at us over the plain from a long ways off. Once Arrow joins us, him, me, Sun an Blade divide our ammo. There’s a good sized pile of arrows fer each of us, but still my heart sinks at the sight of ’em. Blade looks at Arrow. His brown eyes dark, worried. "Not enough," he says. "We got plenty, kid," says Arrow. "Don’t you worry." "I ain’t got a weapon," says Sun. Blade lifts his bow over his head. Gives it to him. "She’s a good ’un," he says. "Pike made her fer me." "I couldn’t," says Sun. "What’ll you use?" "Slingshot," says Blade, holdin it up. "Got lotsa rocks fer it." "If yer sure," says Sun. "Thanks, Blade." Pike an Ash join us after gettin to know the hilltop, figurin out the best places to shoot from. Arrow gives Blade the long-looker. "You wanna be on lookout?" he says. "How’s about that, son?" says Pike. "Lookout’s the most important job there is." Blade beams. "Really?" "Really. Now, you go pick the tree with the best view over the plain. Climb right to the top an keep watch. The moment you see anybody comin, call out. Good an loud. Got it?" "Got it," says Blade. He picks up the looker in his mouth an is turnin to go when Pike puts a hoof on his shoulder. "If there’s any fightin, Blade, you stick close to me. Don’t go off on yer own. You unnerstand, son?" "Don’t worry, Pike," Blade smiles. "I got yer back." Pickin up the looker, he runs off to choose his lookout spot. "He’s got my back," Pike mutters. "A fight ain’t no place fer a colt who cain’t hear. I wish I’d never brought him." "He’ll be fine," says Arrow. "Don’t worry. You told him to stick with you an he will." "So what’s the plan?" says Ash. Arrow looks at me. Gives me his lopsided grin. I smile back. Arrow’s silver moonlight eyes. The stillness at the heart of him. Like calm water. "We’re gonna hafta wing this one," I says. Ash rolls her eyes. "How did I know you was gonna say that?" "What now?" says Sun. "Now," says Arrow, "we wait." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We hunker down behind the big rocks at the top of the hill with the stand of pine behind us. The plain sweeps out in front of us, wide an bare. Me an Sun sit with our backs aginst one big rock. Close together. Our shoulders touchin. "Oh," I says, "I nearly fergot." I reach into my pocket. Pull out his necklace. The little ring of shiny green glass threaded onto a scrap of leather. I hand it to him. "Found this lyin by the road," I says. "I was wonderin where that got to." He puts the necklace on. "Lucky fer you I was passin that way," I says. "Yeah," he says. "I’m lucky all right." We’re quiet fer a bit, then he nudges me with his hoof. "So," he says, "what about this Arrow?" "What about him?" I says. "Looks to me like there’s somethin goin on between yuz," he says. I feel the heat crawl up my neck, into my cheeks. "Th-there ain’t nuthin goin on," I says. "Look at you," he says. "Yer such a bad liar. So. You like him. Where’d you meet him?" His voice sounds all tight. He’s jabbin at the ground with the end of his bow. "In Hopetown," I says. "I wouldn’t of found you in time if it warn’t fer him." He looks at me sidewise." Do I need to thrash him?" "Don’t be so stupid. No. You don’t hafta thrash him." "Good," he says. "Cuz I’m a dangerous stallion now. A hard stallion." "Hard stallion," I says. "As if." We shove each other with our shoulders good naturedly. Sit quiet fer a bit. Then he says, "You know what I hated most? Besides bein away from you?" "What?" "Thinkin about Pa. Thinkin how I was with him that last day. Rememberin all them awful things I said to him. That he died believin that’s what I thought of him." "He knew you didn’t mean it," I says. "It’s my fault he’s dead," says Sun. "I feel" he takes a shudderin breath "… It’s like I killed him." "How can you say that?" I says. "The Tonton killed him, not you. You loved Pa an he loved you." He says naught. Jest stares at the ground. "You didn’t kill him," I says. "Don’t ever say that again." The sun starts to rise above the mountains. We sit silent. An we wait. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "They’re comin!" Blade yells down from his lookout point high in the tree. "How many?" calls Pike. "Three" Blade calls back. "What the hell?" says Ash. Blade’s climbed down the tree fast as a lizard. He throws hisself down beside Arrow, tossin hin the long-looker. Arrow catches it in his magic an jams the long-looker to his eyes. Lowers it slowly. "It’s Pinch," he says. "He’s got Penny with him all right. But there’s only two Tonton with him. What’s his game?" He tosses the looker to me. Sure enough, there’s only three ponies headed our way across the plain. They trot close together. Blaze an another Tonton. One on each side of Pinch. I train the looker on Pinch. He’s still dressed like he was last night. Really shiny bluish silver armour, a silvery tunic, diamond studded boots an a big shiny amulet that glows, shimmery light blue robe trimmed with white fur. But it hangs down in burnt an tattered shreds. He treads lightly on his right leg. There’s metal bars an straps around it, almost like a cage, supposed to hep him walk. He’s got his face an head wrapped in a silver sheema. An walkin beside Pinch, tucked aginst his side like he’s got every right to have her there, is Penny. She looks so small, so skinny, so pale, a rope around he neck tyinn her to Pinch so she cain't escape. But her head’s held high. She won’t show him she’s afeared. My heart lurches. Sun snatches the looker to see fer hisself. "Penny," he says. "She looks all right. It don’t look like he’s hurt her." "If he did, I’ll rip his head off," says Pike. "Looks like this is the showdown," says Ash. "Everypony ready?" says Arrow. We fit arrows to our crossbow strings. Keep outta sight behind the rocks an wait. An wait. My heart’s beatin like crazy. My mouth’s dry. "They’re here," says Blade. We raise our heads over the rocks. We take aim. They’ve stopped a little ways from the bottom. Within shoutin distance. Pinch edges forward. "Penny!" I shout. "Are y’all right? Did they hurt you?" "No!" Her voice sounds thin an shaky. "I’m fine!" "A classic battle tactic," calls Pinch. "Forcing your enemy to attack uphill. But there is no enemy here my misguided foals. Only your King." "You ain’t no King of mine!" yells Pike. "Pike!" Arrow hisses. "Not helpful." "Well, he ain’t." "You left something behind," calls Pinch. "Something of value to you. The King has condescended to return her to you." "Let her go!" I yell. He slides a bolt shooter from his robes. He presses it to Penny’s temple with his magic. "The King dislikes children," he says. "So noisy. So dirty. So useless" "Let her go!" says Sun, standin up. "It’s me you want." I try to tug him down, but he pulls away. "You have displeased your King severely, Sun of Silverlake" says Ruby Pinch. "He chose you with great care but you’re too stupid to realize the great honor done to you. All his years of planning … gone to waste. His many kindnesses to you—a guest in his royal Palace— and you repay him with humiliation. The King is not accustomed to being humiliated." "I’ll come back with you," says Sun. "Whatever you want. Jest let my sister go." "You have wounded the King with your ingratitude," he says. But you are no longer of interest to him." Cold fingers of fear start to creep along my spine. "Then take me," says Pike. "I’m the one who showed ’em where to find you." "The gallant giant," says Pinch. "No. You won’t do either." "Git to the point," says Sun. "What do you want?" "Not what," he says. "Who." He points at me. "The King wants her," he says. "The Angel of Death." "What fer?" yells Pike. "The King wishes to speak with her," says Pinch. "To have a friendly little chat." Right away, I lower my bow an take a step forwards. Sun grabs my foreleg. "What’re you doin Moon? You cain’t go down there." "He’s got Penny," I says. "Of course I’m gonna talk to him." "He don’t wanna talk to you. Look at him. The stallion’s crazy. It’s too dangerous, Moon," says Ash. "What does he want with you anyways?" says Sun. "She killed his parents back at Hopetown," says Arrow. "She nearly killed him too." "It was a accident," I says. Sun swears. "Why didn’t you say nuthin?" "I didn’t think it mattered," I says. "I say we take him out," says Pike. "There’s six of us an only three of them." "Pike, he’s holdin a shooter to Penny’s head," I says. "The way I see it, we ain’t got no choice. I’m goin down." "No," says Sun. "We’ll think of somethin else. You cain’t go. I ferbid it." "She’s my sister," I says. Arrow catches my hoof. I look down at him. I know what he’s thinkin. '"If it’d bin Penny Rose they took," he says, "Penny an not Sun… would you of gone after her?"' When he asked me that question, back at Darktrees, the answer was no. If he asked me agin, if he asked me now, I’d answer yes. Without stoppin to think. Yes. He squeezes my hoof. Says, "Whatever he says, don’t trust him. We’ll be coverin you." "Moon!" Lugh says. "Come back here!" I make my way down the hill, my hooves slidin on the scree. I stop when I’m ten paces or so from Ruby Pinch an Penny. "All right, Pen?" I says. "Yes," she whispers from beside Pinch. "That’s my girl." "How touching," says Pinch. "Throw your weapons down." I pull my quiver over my head an lay it down beside my crossbow. "Is that it?" I nod. "Check her," he says to his guards. Blaze walks towards me. That closed face. Those shadowed eyes that flick over my face, jest once, as he starts to pat me down. The feel of his hooves on me. Quick. Light. Soft. Cool. I hold my breath. He finds the knife in my boot sheath. He takes it, along with my bow an quiver. "She’s clean," he says to Pinch. Ruby Pinch nods and moves Penny in front of him, the bolt shooter still to her head. He takes a few steps towards me, swingin his hurt leg in an awkward manner. He’s wet through with sweat. Must be in a lotta pain. I can smell him from here. That sour, sweet, rotten smell. It's a wonder he could trot all the way here, but I figured he probly had the TonTon guard carry him. "So," Pinch says. "At last. The Angel of Death. The King has a personal score to settle with you." "What?" I says. "That I took my brother before you could burn him to death?" "Your brother," he says. "Of course. That tattoo on your cheekbone. The King should have killed you then and saved himself a lot of trouble. No, it’s not that." "Then what?" I says. He pulls his sheema away from his face. It’s a mess. Furless. Burned. Raw pulpy skin, angry an red. He stares at me, breathin high an fast. His eyes hard. Full of hatred an … an somethin else. Madness. "Look what you’ve done," he growls. I says naught. "Look what you’ve done to your King!" He yells it. "It was a accident," I says. "I didn’t mean to." "The King’s leg! Look what you did to his beautiful leg!" "You was chasin us," I says, "an the landboat turned over. I didn’t make it turn over. It was a accident." "They! Were not! Accidents!" He screams it at the top of his voice, full of rage. All the veins in his neck pop out an spit flies outta his mouth. I take a step back. Penny stares at me with huge eyes. Her face is white beneath her fur. "The King requires your life in payment," says Pinch suddenly sounding calm. "It’s simple. You give yourself to him and they all go free. Your precious brother, your innocent little sister and your friends." I don’t say nuthin. "No one is holding you," he says. "You’re free to walk away. But the moment you do, his magic will slip and … pop! No more little sister." I stare at him. Frozen. Blaze’s watchin me, his face blank. Think, Moon, think! "Ah," says Pinch, "so many questions going through your mind. Does he have more soldiers? Waiting out of sight? Your friends probably told you not to trust him. You’re thinking, how do I know if he’ll keep his word?" He pauses. Then, "You don’t," he says. "That’s what makes this so delicious." "Let her go, you bastard," I says. His face twists. He hits Penny across the face with his stone studded boot an she falls to the ground with a gasp of pain. Right away, he hauls her back up. There’s a ugly red mark spreadin over her cheek, under her fur. "Your fault," he says. The red hot rushes through me. "I’ll do whatever you want," I says, "but you gotta let her go first." "A show of good faith?" He shakes his head. "No." I feel sweat tricklin down my back. I look at Penny. I look back at Sun, Pike, Blade, Ash. Watchin me. Waitin. An Arrow. Ah Arrow. None of ’em move. The blood pounds in my ears. My heart’s in my throat. My belly twists. I turn back to Pinch. "You win," I says. Ruby Pinch smirks for a moment. He waves a hoof. Blaze stays where he is an the Tonton guard runs over. He jerks my front hooves together me an ties ’em tight. "Now let my sister go," I says. Pinch don’t move. He jest stands there, starin at me fer a long long moment. Then his lips stretch in his ruined face. He’s smilin. "For every winner," he says, "there must be a loser." He raises his hoof again. Blaze lifts a twisted piece of metal to his lips an blows. A loud noise splits th’air. A flock of birds rises up in a flurry I look around wildly, my heart racin. Tonton step outta the woods at the top of the hill. Right behind Sun an the rest. Twelve of ’em, with crossbows an bolt guns aimed an at the ready. They must of circled out to come at the hill from the north. I hear a strange sound. Like … a hammer poundin a nail in. I whirl around. Behind Pinch, from the direction of Freedom Fields, even more Tonton, at least fifty armed stallions by the look of it, come into view. They gallop towards us, a few flying, across the plain, keepin in step with each other. The ground shakes as they approach. Tricked. Trapped. No way out. The Tonton line up in formation behind Blaze. I watch as my friends lay down their weapons. Arrow an Pike, Sun an Ash an Blade. The Tonton on the hill make ’em all lie flat on the ground with their hooves behind their heads. They git a kick in the back when they resist, the keep close watch on Arrow, making shure his horn doesn't flicker with magic. So. After everythin we done, after all we bin through, this is the way it ends. Not even the chance to die fightin. To die together. Twelve Tonton on the hill. Another fifty down here. Pinch ain’t gonna let us die easy. My mouth’s dry. The red hot’s gone. I’m small. Weak. Alone. "Moon," says Penny. "Moon, do somethin." She starts to cry. "Please," I says to Pinch. "You got no reason to hurt her. Let her an the boy go. They ain’t done you no harm." "Oh no," he says, "they’ll be the first. So the rest of you can see what’s in store for you." I go down onto my knees, bowing. "Please," I says. "My... My King, please let ’em go." A long pause. Then, "No," he says. I look to Blaze. Our eyes meet. Help me. My lips move. But no words come out. Pinch strokes Penny’s face with the bolt shooter. "Slowly or quickly," he says. "Cutting or shooting." He kisses the top of her head, looking at me. "Please," I says. "Please." He breathes in deeply. "There’s nothing like it, is there?" he says. "The smell of fear." Suddenly a hoarse cry rings out—"caw! caw! caw!" A black bird sails out over the red ridge to the west. It’s a crow. My heart stops. Time stops. There’s a low rumble of hooves. A long line of ponies appears at the edge of the ridge. It’s the Free Hawks. But it’s more’n jest them. There must be another thirty or so ponies who ain’t Hawks. Feath’s right in the middle. Nero swoops above me, screamin in triumph. The red hot kicks me in the gut. Slams into action. I leap to my hooves. "Nero!" I yell. A small group of Free Hawks, maybe ten of ’em, come runnin outta the woods on Pine Top Hill. They take the Tonton completely by surprise. Sun, Arrow an the rest leap up an grab their weapons. The fightin starts. Feath comes thunderin down the ridge in a cloud of red dust, with the ponies spread out behind her. They whoop an holler as they head straight fer the Tonton lined up behind Blaze. Arrows fly ahead of ’em. The Tonton start to reel back, screamin as the arrows hit their mark. "What?" shrieks Ruby Pinch. "What is this?" He looks around, frantic. Blaze walks towards me. He’s got my bow an quiver slung on his back. He’s holdin my knife in his magic. "That’s it Blaze!" says Pinch. "Slice her open!" Blaze stands in front of me. He drops my bow and quiver at my hooves. "What … what are you doing?" says Pinch. Blaze puts leans down, yet holds my eyes with his midnight blue ones. With one slash, he cuts the ropes tyin my hooves together. "Blaze!" Pinch yells. "Until we meet again, Angel" Blaze says softly. He tosses the knife on top of my other weapons. He turns to go. "Blaze!" Pinch screams. "Are you mad?" Blaze pays no attention to his so called King and gallops off, away from the action, back in the direction of Freedom Fields. A few of the Tonton see him go an run after him, two flying, fleeing the fight. "Blaze!" Ruby Pinch howls after him. "Blaze! Where the Hell are you going? Attack! Attack!" He circles like a mad dog, wavin his bolt shooter. His lips is drawn back over his teeth. Like a wild animal in a trap. He’s still holdin Penny to his chest. She looks terrified. I run at him, twistin to buck. I kick his horn an the shooter flies up in the air as his magic explodes, his red horn now havin a crack runnin up it. He yells in pain, spins away. "Run, Penny!" I yell. Pinch lunges at me. A arrow whistles through th’air. Hits him in the chest. He screams. He staggers an falls back. I look to see who’s saved me. Feath flies up to me. She rears up, stoppin beside me. "About time," I says. "Who’re yer friends?" "The raiders from the western road," she says. "We called a truce. They’re a wild crowd. When they heard there might be a fight, I couldn’t keep ’em away. So, just outta interest, do you go lookin fer trouble, or does it jest find you?" "I wish I knew," I says. "See you later!: she says. She gallops off to join in the fight. I grab Penny I point to the ridge that the Hawks jest ran down. "See that? Git yerself to the top. Stay outta the way till this is all over." "But I wanna fight! she says. You gotta let me stay an fight!" "No way! Not when we just got you back!" She stays a moment before deciding to listen to me, galloping away towards th' ridge. Up on Pine Top Hill, the fight’s over. All quiet. Them twelve Tonton’s eether dead or fled. Lyin on the ground below, Pinch ain’t movin. A arrow sticks outta his chest. He won’t be gittin up no time soon. Nero calls. He swoops down an lands on the ground infront of me. I stroke his feathers, kiss his soft black head, breathe in his dusty bird smell. "Gawdammit, Nero," I says. "You sure took yer sweet time." He’s a crow that likes excitement, Nero. If there’s somethin happenin, he ain’t gonna hang around with me if I ain't doin nuthin. He flaps his wings at me, caw-caws an flies off to watch the action from high above. I start runnin. Head fer the thick of the fight. Hawks, western road raiders an my friends aginst the Tonton. Excitement races through my body, speeds my hooves. I snatch a arrow from my quiver as I run. Load my crossbow. I start shootin the second I catch sight of a black robe. Pike’s slashin away on the edge of the action, a wicked lookin longsword in one hand an a studded chain in th’other. Blade’s at his back, busy with the slingshot. Pike grins when he sees me. "Now this is what I call a fight!" he shouts. I wade into the middle of the battle. At one point, me an Arrow’s fightin back to back. Then Sun an me. Then me an Ash. "Look!" yells Ash. "Pinch! He’s gittin away!" I spot him. He’s managed to pull the arrow outta his chest. He’s climbin onto his hooves. Slowly, painfully. "Got him!" I says. I gallop towards him flat out. As he pulls hisself up and starts to move, I shoot my last arrow. It hits him in his bad leg an he cries out. He tries to wrench the arrow out as he stumbles an falls. I make a dive fer him. Grab at his caged leg. He kicks out an the cage catches me unner the chin. I go flyin back an slam onto the ground. Git the air knocked outta me. As I drag myself to to my hooves, I see he found the strength to gallop away. Towards the Hoodoos. I look around me, frantic. Not an arrow in sight fer me to fire. Then I see Ash gallopin towards me. "Quick!" I yell as he disappears round a corner. "He’s gittin away! Give me an arrow!" "Wait!" she says, holdin my shoulder. "We’re winnin, Moon. You got Sun back. Penny’s safe. Let him go. He won't live long anyway with his injuries, probly'll stumble off a cliff." "No," I says. "What does it matter?" "It matters to me," I says. "Let go, Ash." "Then I’ll come with you," she says. "This is my fight," I says. "Don’t tell the rest of ’em where I’ve gone. Promise me, Ash." "All right, if that’s what you want." She lets go of me. Steps away. I wheel around. "Moon! Here!" Ash tosses me her half-full quiver an I catch it. "Good luck!" "I’ll be back." I tear across the plain towards the sharp red fingers of the Hoodoos. I can feel the red hot burnin in me. Nero flies above, a little bit ahead. He’ll scout the way. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Hoodoos rise in front of us. They look even stranger close up. Deep channels etched down their high sheer sides. Sharp points. Crammed tight together. I start to see crevasses. A few thin trees cling to the mean red dirt. I bin watchin Pinch. He disappeared through a gap in the rocks. I walk through the gap. I'm on a narrow path worn into the earth that snakes its way around the rocks. Right away, I see the prints of Pinch’s hooves, and drops of blood, darker than the already red earth. It’s gloomy here. Like bein in a deep canyon. An it’s silent. A heavy silence. Like the very rocks is holdin their breath. But there’s alway somethin to listen to, even in silence. Up ahead, a faint heavy breathing, a quiet grunt of pain. There’s alway somethin to smell. There it is. The faintest whiff. Sour, sweet, rotten. The smell of Pinch. Then, a echo. I halt . Wait while it dies away. It’s the sound of rocks fallin. An a faint, scrapin sound as Ruby Pinch drags his injured leg behind him. There’s a couple of Hoodoos rounder an smoother’n the rest. I can see a way up between ’em. I start to climb. The earth’s dry an loose unnerhoof. I move careful, tryin not to make any sound. Nero comes down to see what I’m doin. He hops an flaps from rock to rock, always stayin ahead of me. I hold my hoof to my muzzle so’s he knows not to squawk or caw. I reach the top. Check that Pinch ain’t in sight. Pull myself up. I’m on top of a flat Hoodoo. There’s drag marks in the dirt from his leg. He couldn’t of got far. He’ll be in a lotta pain. Again I'm surprised he even got this far. I slide my bow offa my back. Fit a arrow to the strings. Then I start to follow the drag marks. They stop at the edge of my flat Hoodoo. I send Nero up into the air. Almost right away, he starts circlin. He’s found Pinch. Looks like he’s on the next Hoodoo to this one. It goes straight up, like a jagged chimley. He must be on the far side of it. There’s a little gap between the Hoodoos. Maybe two foot. Only a small bit of flat rock to land on, then a narrow ledge goes off to the left an disappears around the corner. He could be right around that corner. He’s got his bolt shooter. But he’s injured. He’s weak. Maybe even dyin. The devil ain’t so easy to kill. I look at Nero, still circlin above. He seems calm enough. I jump over the gap an land lightly. I’m on the Hoodoo with Pinch. My breath’s tight in my throat. I flatten myself aginst the rock. Then I start to sidle along the ledge. To inch my way around the corner. Be ready. I move slowly. Keeping an eye on the ground in front of my hooves. I don’t make a sound. I only got a chance if I take him by surprise. Be ready. The ledge starts to widen out. Wider. Wider. I’m turnin the corner. Now. I move fast. My bow at the ready. I take it in at a glance. I’m on a wide ledge on the side of the Hoodoo. Pinch is sittin on a rock, restin his leg. He looks up, startled. He reaches fer his bolt shooter after his horn sparks yet fails to lift the shooter. I let fly with my arrow. It glances offa his hoof. He yells out but keeps goin fer the shooter. No time to reload my bow. I dive at him. Knock him offa the rock. Somehow he’s managed to git hold of his shooter. He tries to jam it unner my chin. We struggle an I knock it outta his mouth. He gits his hoof unner my chin. Pushes up into the soft bit. I cain’t breathe. He’s pressin on my windpipe. I grab his hoof with both of mine. Try to pull it away. I kick an squirm. But he’s stronger’n I ever imagined. The rank stink of his breath, his sweat, fills my nostrils. "No escape this time," he hisses in my ear. I beat at his robes. Then I hit his burnt face. He shrieks an rolls offa me. I dive at my bow. I dropped my quiver when I jumped Pinch an my arrows is scattered all over. I start to lift one with my magic. But Pinch is on his hooves. Holdin his bolt shooter in his mouth. Aimin it right at me. I scuttle as far away from him as I can. Press myself aginst the rock. Pinch comes towards me. His face bleedin where I hit him. He’s a terrible mess. Blood an burnt flesh. Somethin sharp’s cuttin into my hoof. I’m holdin somethin in my hoof. A little bit of mirror from Pinch’s robe. I must of ripped it off. Suddenly the sun catches it. It throws out a sharp shard of light. Pinch flings up his hoof. Covers his eyes. A chance. I got a chance. I flash the mirror at him agin. Then I move. Quickly. Silently. He aims the shooter where he thinks I am. I move. Flash the mirror agin. Move. He waves the shooter around. "Stay still!" he yells. I flash the mirror. Move. He shoots. I duck. The shot goes wild. Ricochets offa the rock, sendin red dust flyin everywhere. As the echo dies down, as the dust clears, I see Pinch. He’s standin a few paces from the edge of the ledge. He looks surprised. There’s blood gushin outta his neck. The bolt’s ripped through it. He touches his neck. Looks at his wet red hoof like he cain’t believe what he sees. Then he presses his hoof to the wound. "But... But I’m the King," he says. "You ain’t no King," I says. "They said you were the Angel of Death," he says. He takes a step towards me, blood gushin out from under his hoof. "I didn’t believe them." Suddenly Nero dives at him, squawkin an flappin. Pinch’s forelegs fly up. He staggers. Steps back into thin air. Screams. I rush to the edge. He’s on his back. His forelegs an hind legs flung out. His eyes wide open. Speared on the sharp point of the Hoodoo below. He twitches, coughs up blood, then stops moving. Nero flutters down to land on my back. By rights, I should feel somethin. Joy or relief or triumph or … somethin. But I don’t. I don’t feel nuthin. The wind moans among the red teeth of the Hoodoos. The sound of birds above me. I look up at the sky. The vultures is already startin to circle. "Let’s git outta here," I says. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As I trot back to the battlefield, they’re clearin up. I spot Sun. He’s sittin on the ground a little ways off, lookin exhausted. When he sees me, he raises a hoof in greeting. Arrow an Ash is helpin out with a few injured Hawks. Luckily, it don’t look like nuthin too bad. But we lost two Hawks an one of the raiders. They’re bein placed in a cart somepony brought, to go back to Darktrees where they’ll be set on a funeral pyre. Penny has just returned from the ridge, an goes runnin over to Sun an throws herself into his outstretched hooves. Everypony else is movin around, gatherin weapons an anythin else that might come in useful. Pike’s bendin over a dead Tonton, checkin to see what he’s got on him. Blade’s standin beside, watchin him. A movement catches my eye. A Tonton. Lyin on the ground not far from Pike an Blade. He’s raised hisself up. He lifts his bolt shooter. Aims it. "Pike!" I scream. He straightens. He turns. I yank my crossbow around. Snatch a arrow. Load. Fire. It all happens at once. It all happens too fast. The Tonton shoots, jest as Blade throws hisself at Pike. They both go down. My arrow hits the Tonton. "Pike!" I scream. "Blade!" I gallop over. I’m there the same time as Arrow. Blade’s lyin on top of Pike. I haul him into my forelegs. He lays there, limp. His eyes is closed. "No!" I sob, shakin him. "No, Blade!" With a shudder, he comes to. His beautiful brown eyes stare up at me, dazed. I hug him to me, hold him tight to my chest. Arrow’s rolled Pike over. He kneels beside him, feelin his neck. "Dammit, Pike," he says softly. He looks at me an I know. "Pike?" says Blade. "Where’s Pike? I want Pike!" I hold him even tighter as he tries to struggle free of me. I don’t want him to see. I don’t want him to know. I feel it the moment he spots Pike. His body stills. I let him go. He stands. He walks over to Pike, sits on the ground beside him an takes his hoof. "No," he says. "Don’t leave me, Pike. Not you too." Great tears start to roll down his face. He rocks back an forth, pressin Pike’s hoof to his heart. Sayin it over an over an over agin. "Don’t leave me, don’t leave me, don’t leave me." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We build a pyre in the middle of the battlefield. A fine one, fit fer a warrior. We lay Pike on it. Arrow says a few words. Good words. About friendship. Other things too, but mainly friendship. Then him an me an Ash set the pyre alight. We stand in silence. All of us an all of the Free Hawks an all of the raiders from the western road. We watch while the flames lick up the wood, catch on his clothes an start to burn. Blade’s by hisself, a little ways off. He won’t let nobody touch him. Won’t be comforted. Sun puts his foreleg around Penny. She cries. Fearless, kind, funny Pike. With his big laugh an big heart. I think of Holly Vine, the most glorious creature that ever drew breath. She’ll still be waitin fer him. He wanted her to meet Blade. He had a notion he might turn out to be a good family man. An I cry too. As we send Ike back to the stars. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I shake his hoof. Creed. Skinny, wild-haired, tattooed. Barehoofed leader of the raiders from the western road. Feath’s new friends an allies. "Thanks," I says. "We couldn’t of done it without you." He sweeps me a deep bow an kisses my hoof. "It was fun," he says. He gives me a big, white-toothed grin. "Lemme know the next time you wanna rumble," he says. He then gives a holler an him an his raiders go tearin off across the plain. "Sure you won’t come with us?" Feath says. "We always got room fer one more." "I’m sure," I says. "It’s good of you to take the kid", she says. She looks over to where Blade’s helpin Sun git ready to go. "Arrow says Pike would of wanted it that way. An he’ll be good company fer Penny Rose. Listen Feath," I says, "I dunno how to thank you. None of us ’ud still be here if it warn’t fer you." "I should of listened to Arrow," she says. "Come with you in the first place. But, like I said, better late than never." She jumps into the air, hoverin, an nods at Nero. He’s perched on Penny's outstretched wing, where she’s givin him a good beak rub. "You should thank that bird of yours," she says. :He’s quite somethin. If you ever git tired of him, I’d be happy to take him offa yer hooves." "I don’t think I will," I says. I turn to Ash. She smiles. I feel tears prick at my eyes. "Ash," I says. I pull her into a hug an we hold each other tight. "Thank you," I says. She don’t say nuthin. We stand there fer a moment. Then she steps away. "Stay outta trouble," she says. "I’ll do my best." Sun gives her a nod an a smile then looks up to Feath. He holds up his hoof. Feath takes it. "Thanks," he says. "Fer this an … fer helpin Moon and Penny Rose. Maybe we’ll see you agin sometime." "You never know", says Feath. They look at each other. "My hoof," she says. He’s still got hold of it. He lets it go slowly an steps back. "G’bye," says Ash. "See you around," says Feath. She wheels about an flies away to join the Free Hawks waitin fer her on the ridge, Ash galloping after her. When they git to the top they pause to look down. Then Feath does a loop in farewell an they’re gone. Sun’s still starin after them. "She’s quite the mare," I says. "Don’t you think? Sun?" "Huh?" "Feath," I says. "Quite the mare." "Oh," he says. Y"eah. She seems nice." He sets about gittin the saddlebags and supplies the Hawks left us ready to go. "Feath, nice?" I mutter. "Nice." "So," says Sun, "where’re we headed?" "What about Crosscreek?" I says. "It’s so beautiful, Sun, you wouldn’t believe it." "No way." Sun shakes his head. "That’s goin backwards. Far’s I’m concerned, that’s in the past. We had enough of livin in the past with Pa. We gotta move on, right?" "Right," I says with a nod. "I say we head out west," he says. "To the Big Water. There’s rich land there. They say the air smells like honey." "Who told you that?" I says. He shrugs. "I cain’t remember." "I jest want us to be together," I says. "Somewhere far away from here. Somewhere safe. The Big Water. I like the sound of that. Whaddya think, Pen?" "Sounds good to me too," she says. "Blade?" I says. He nods. "Then west it is," says Sun. "No point in waitin. We got everythin we need. Let’s head out." "Wait," I says, lookin around, "where’s Arrow got to? Anypony seen him?" Blade points a hoof. "There!" he says. Arrow’s canterin away. Across the plain, headed east. Anger rips through me. Panic. Heats my blood. "Oh no, you don’t," I says. I take off like the wind, gallopin after him. Nero streaks along above me. "Moon!" Penny shouts. "Tell him to come with us!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I catch up with him jest after the Hoodoos. He turns when he hears me comin. Stops. Jumps up on to a tall rock where he'll be out of my reach. He waits. I pull up in front of him, cuttin off his path. The blood’s rushin in my ears, my breath’s comin short. My heart pounds in my chest. "Git down," I says, glarin up at him. "Not if yer gonna kill me," he says. "I said … git down!" "All right, all right," he says, jumpin down offa the rock. "There … I’m down." Nero caws as he settles on a nearby bush. "I see you brought backup," says Arrow. "Whaddya think yer doin?" I says. "Runnin off like that. Sneakin off like a … like a … no g’bye, no see you later, no nuthin. Jest … gone." He frowns." I’m comin back," he says. I go still. I stare at him. "What?" I says. "I’m comin back," he says. "But I got some business to take care of first." "Business," I says. "What kinda business? I thought you was a thief." "Oh! Charmin! I never said that. There’s … a couple of things I gotta do. An Pike’s got somebody waitin fer him. She’s bin waitin a long time. She needs to know what happened." "You mean Holly," I says. "You know about her." "Pike told me." "But after I see her, I’ll be comin back. That’s the plan." "Because … because I saved yer life," I says. "Three … no, two times. From the fire an then from the hellwurm. An yer the one that said it, when you save somebody’s life two times—" "It’s called the rule of three," he says, "not the rule of two. I should know, I made it up." "I knew it!" "Look," he says. Two times, three times … this ain’t about obligation. That ain’t why I’m comin back." "It ain’t?" "No. It’s about you. You." He takes a couple of steps towards me, we're jest a step apart now. "Yer in my blood, Moon," he says. "Yer in my head. Yer in my breath, yer in my bones … gawd help me, yer everywhere. You have bin since the first moment I set eyes on you." My heart turns over. I don’t dare breathe. The heartstone’s burnin into my skin. "I seem to remember," he says, "that first time we met, you said … what was it you said to me?" "I said that … you ain’t my type," I says. "Would that still be … yer opinion?" I look at Arrow. At his strange silver eyes that go from moonlight to granite in a instant, at his light brown muzzle. An I says, "That would … not … still be my … opinion." He gives me his lopsided smile. "C’mere," he says. "No," I says. "You c’mere." He steps in close. He smells of sage, summer skies an somethin that’s jest him. Jest Arrow. "Now what?" he says. "Now," I says, "you kiss me." He wraps his hooves around me an hauls me up tight aginst him. He kisses my lips, my eyes, my face, my lips. An I kiss him. I breathe him in like he’s air. Drink him in like he’s water. I don't want this moment to end. At last he pulls away, but still holds me close. "I gotta go," he says. "You could go later," I says." We could go together when—" "No," he says. "I gotta go now." He starts to walk backwards while he talks. He’s lookin at me all the time. "But how’ll you find me?" I says. "We won’t be here. You don’t even know where we’re goin." "Yer headed out west," he says, "to the Big Water. They say the air smells like honey." He swings his saddlebags back over his back, tightening them with his magic. I hadn't even noticed that he'd taken them off. "Wait. Take this". I run over to him, fumblin fer the heartstone. He leans down. I put it over his head, around his neck. "It … it’ll help you to find me," I says. "I don’t need no stone to find you," he says. "I’d find you anywhere." He kisses me agin. Till I’m dizzy. Till my legs go weak. Then, "Until we meet again, my sweet Angel," he says. He wheels around an trots away. As he goes, he starts to sing. 'Oh I’ve roved an I’ve rambled all o’er the wide world And kisses a-plenty I’ve tasted But it’s her wine-sweet lips that I’m still dreaming of O hard-hearted Orchid, cruel Orchid my love.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Moon!" It’s Sun’s shout. Him an Penny and Blade trot to meet me. "Are y’okay?" says Sun. I nod. "Didn’t you ask him to stay?" says Penny. "He had somewhere he needed to be," I says. I take my saddlebags from Sun and strap them onto my back. Nero flaps over to ride on my them. "Are we ever gonna see him agin?" says Penny. "One day," I says. "One day soon," says Blade. "I hope so," I says. We turn our heads to the west. "Oh! I nearly fergot!" Penny pulls Sun’s slingshot from her pocket an gives it to him. "I bin keepin it fer you," she says. He reaches over an ruffs her mane. "Thanks. I’ll teach you how to use it." "You don’t need to," I says. "She’s a good shot." "Well, whaddya know?" says Sun. "Guess I’ll hafta find somethin else to teach you, Pen." "Or maybe I’ll teach you somethin," says Penny. "You dunno everythin. You jest think you do." Sun shakes his head. "I definitely bin away too long," he says. "I can see you need takin in hoof, Penny. Talkin to yer elders an betters that way…" I drop back a bit. I listen while they chatter on an Sun makes us laugh. He always does. We’re together agin. Sun goes first, always first, an I follow on behind. An that’s fine. That’s right. That’s how it’s meant to be. Sun turns around. Smiles. "Hey," he says, "what’re you doin back there? I ain’t got a clue where we’re goin. Git on up here an lead the way." So I do.