Don't you dare look at me like that. Don't you dare stand there and pity me! I made my own choices damnit! I didn't do what I did so you'd stand there and pity me!
...
You've got a job to do damnit...
...
Let me move on Boss... I'm finished...
The echoes of that conversation slowly faded to be replaced by a soft gently humming. A gentle soothing voice, humming a soft, peaceful tune. He felt a damp cloth mop the side of his face. Dumbly he was curious as to why he wasn't in searing pain, or, why he was awake at all. He remembered the attack dimly, though he didn't dwell on the thought much. His brain felt like a thick, gloopy soup and processing anything except that soothing tune was difficult for him.
There was a pause in the tune and Battle became aware of voices exchanging words that to his brain felt alien. One voice belonged to the person who had been humming moments before; the other, totally foreign to him. Something moved beside him, and he became aware that there had been a pressure on his right shin since he'd been awake. The sudden absence of it was disconcerting for a moment.
The voices became clearer but for a moment Battle couldn't understand. His mouth felt dry as he tried to speak.
"Úbi sum?" Battle slurred, shifting slightly where he lay. The voices stopped speaking and he heard them shift closer. He became aware of someone leaning over him, a light blocked out by someone or something.
"I'm afraid you do not make sense," said an unfamiliar, accented voice. "But understandable in your predicament."
Battle's mind was slow but it began processing the information as fast as he was able. First of all the speaker was a mare and her accent was Zebrikan that much was definite. He was however unable to pinpoint a region purely based on that. The rhyming tongue was a good indicator but his brain was too sluggish to remember in his current predicament. He couldn't remember however ever meeting a Zebra in Ponyville before, and there was no chance that one would live out in the Everfree forest. Then again he had met Zebra's living in more dangerous places and conditions. With the weapons and skills to handle the rough conditions. And kill anyone stupid enough to come blundering into their homestead uninvited.
They could make a brilliant coffee however.
Battle decided it was time to open his eyes instead of just relying on vague inputs from his sluggish brain. He was greeted with the pale blue eyes of, as Battle had guessed, a zebra mare, so adorned with golden hoops and rings he thought she was the living embodiment of the expression: 'feel like a million bits.' Her mane had been styled in a tall mohawk to reveal the white and black fur of her head beneath. There were tribal markings etched into the golden rings around her neck, identifying her as some sort of healer or potion brewer. She blinked in surprised when she realised Battle was looking back at her, then she smiled softly and pushed some of Battle's mane back from his forehead, like a mother would do for a sickly foal.
"I am glad to see you are awake," she said soothingly. "We feared you had met with a terrible fate."
There was a scuffling sound as someone tried to move closer but the Zebra looked up and shook her head. There was a sound of protest but the zebra shooed whoever wanted to come closer away. There was the sound of footsteps and the zebra returned her attention to Battle.
"I shall not mince words with pointless prattle," she said slowly. "So can you tell me how you're feeling Battle?"
Battle screwed his eyes up slowly and began to push himself into a sitting position. The zebra placed a hand delicately on his chest. The gesture was light but the effect was intense as Battle hissed in pain as the slight pressure was enough to send lances of pain from his broken ribs. He fell back instantly, a thin film of sweat already forming on his forehead. The pressure on his chest was gone, but there was another pain. A sharp, familiar throb coming from inside his chest. The zebra's expression was touched with sudden concern at Battle's emission of pain.
"It was not my intention to agitate your wounds," she reassured. "But be assured the pain shall subside soon."
Battle nodded to indicate that he understood. His mind was now operating at what he would consider at very slightly hungover functionality, and was therefore now better suited to take stock of his current wellbeing. His ribs had certainly seen better days that was for certain, but whatever the healer had done to him in his sleep had clearly done some serious overtime. They were still cracked he knew for sure and debate was still out on if any of them were still broken of course, but they were in a lot better condition now. He could feel some sort of soothing ointment on his upper body that was marvelous for his torn muscles. He was now fully aware of a lump on the back of his head from where it had bounced off of the tree but it was only throbbing with mild discomfort. All in all he was simply glad he was okay.
"You did not answer to how you feel," the zebra said. "But do you think you could stand a meal?"
Battle licked his lips absentmindedly before his lips tweaked into a small smile before he managed to croak out a hoarse whisper: "Well, if you're offering."
The zebra gave a small chuckle at this and moved away. She was however quickly replaced by someone Battle hadn't expected to see. He smiled up at her in his battered state and managed to wriggle out the tip of his tongue in what might have been considered antagonistic.
"'Ello Princess."
Twilight Sparkle looked down at Battle with a mixture of disapproval and concern. She looked as if she hadn't been sleeping well, with deep shadows and heavy bags under her eyes. She wasn't wearing her signature glasses Battle noted dully and her hair which he'd usually seen tied up in a tight bun, was tied in a very loose and messy ponytail. Her wings were folded neatly at her back to conserve space, and she was wearing very informal clothing. All in all she looked a bit untidy Battle thought, before smirking as he realised she was probably thinking the same thing.
"You look terrible," Twilight said simply and Battle barked a laugh, which caused him to wince shortly after.
"Well, can't look any worse than I feel," he managed to wheeze. "How was Zebrika?"
"Fascinating," she said curtly. "How's my library?"
"I perfect working condition m'lady," Battle joked. "And strictly speaking it's my library until such a time as the Mayor kicks me out, at which time I will promptly crash on your brother's couch for the next seven months."
"You will do no such thing, he has a kingdom of his own to run thank you," Twilight snapped. Battle smirked.
"I know."
Twilight narrowed her eyes at this.
"How does Veteran put up with you?" she asked simply.
"My charming wit?" Battle suggested. "Which I might add goes completely above your head."
Twilight threw her eyes up in frustration and turned away, stepping through a beader curtain hung in the only doorway. Battle watched her go before finally began to take stock of his surroundings as Twilight began talking to the Zebra and someone else in the other room. It wasn't like most pony homes, but Battle had been hosted by Zebra's before so he'd expected this. The whole structure had a warm earthy, wooden smell about it and he saw that the room he was in had walls of compacted dry earth, clay and sticks. The ceiling also shared the motif of earth and clay, though small tree roots poked through the ceiling. Understandable Battle thought as certain zebra tribes made their homes inside and beneath hollowed out trees. No windows down here obviously, the only light source being a small hanging jar filled with fireflies. A real fire would be too dangerous even down here.
It was clear Battle wa sin zome sort of spare room as his bed was a rather firm cot with a half dozen furs haphazardly thrown on top of him. He saw his shirt, coat and weapons had been laid out on a table on the other side of the room. As he mentally took inventory of his equipment the beaded curtain was pushed back and the zebra stepped through, carrying a small wooden stool and a wooden bowl full of a steaming liquid Battle assumed to be soup, a wooden spoon sat in the bowl.
"Surprised you're helping me if you're friends with the Princess," Battle said. "She can not have given me a good character reference."
The zebra shook her head as if to agree. "It is true she spoke of you with a terrible wrath," she said as someone else pushed their way through the beader curtain and Battle felt his face split into a wide smile. "Fortunately a friend of ours spoke on your behalf."
Fluttershy stepped up behind the zebra and hung over her shoulder, wringing her hands in distress. The zebra took notice of this, smiled and walked away without saying anything. Fluttershy smiled back at her friend before picking up the bowl and sitting on the stool, scooching it closer to the bed with the bowl in her lap. Battle smiled at her warmly.
"Please tell me you're not going to eat that in front of me," he joked and Fluttershy hid her blush behind her mane. She took the spoon and stirred it around the bowl a few times before lifting it and blowing on it gently. Battle cocked an eyebrow at this and Fluttershy blushed again as she lifted the spoon to Battle's mouth, which he graciously accepted and swallowed promptly.
"What..." Fluttershy began, and battle cocked an ear to listen and she went silent. She lifted another spoonful to Battle's mouth, without blowing on it this time. A few more mouthfuls of soup were transferred to Battle before she spoke again.
"What happened to you?" Fluttershy asked at last. Battle swallowed his mouthful and looked up at the ceiling.
"I got my ass kicked," Battle said simply. "Stuck my nose into business it shouldn't have been in, looking for answers to questions I apparently shouldn't have been asking and got a clobbering for it."
"What answers were you looking for in the middle of the Everfree forest?" Fluttershy asked, pausing with the spoon still in the bowl. Battle looked at her out of the corner of his eye.
"Why somepony attacked Princess Luna," Battle said simply. Fluttershy looked at him sharply.
"But... but... why do you even need to know?" Fluttershy whispered. "I mean, they got one of the ponies who did it. And the other one hasn't been seen since that night."
"The other one's dead."
Fluttershy blinked at the coldness of Battle's words, staring with eyes wide at his face.
"Did... did you...?" Fluttershy whispered, unable to articulate herself properly. Battle smiled warmly at her.
"Would that upset you?" he said quietly. She looked down at her hands and hid behind her mane.
"I... I don't know," she whispered. "Have... have you ever...?"
Battle sighed and looked directly at the roof.
"Way too many times 'Shy," he said at last. "That's just something that comes with being a soldier, doubly so for a soldier from Warhorse. Sure we try and find other ways to solve problems but at the end of the day there's always going to be times when diplomacy fails." Fluttershy was staring at him Battle knew but he didn't want to look at her. "Truth of the matter is 'Shy the world's not as sunny and breezy as it is in Equestria. There are a lot of bad people out there, and the unfortunate thing is the worst of them are in a position of power." He closed his eyes here and let out a deep breath through his nose. "Believe me... there is nothing I wish for more than a day when I can say we don't need soldiers anymore but right now, they're needed."
Silence met his words few a few moments. Then Fluttershy spoke again.
"Would you have killed Gilda?" she asked and Battle snorted.
"Gilda was a punk. A jumped up little shit yeah but I wouldn't have killed her. She needed to be scared not beaten to a red stain." He suddenly remembered who he was talking too and looked apologetically at Fluttershy. "Sorry... probably a bit too graphic."
"It's okay," she said quietly. Another pause as she began to lift the spoon out of the bowl. She bit her lip and looked down. "Do you enjoy it?"
If Battle were surprised by the question he gave no indication of it. He sighed and closed his eyes.
"Not an easy question to answer 'Shy," he muttered to himself. Fluttershy watched him for a few moments and as she was about to open her mouth to apologise he continued. "I don't enjoy killing if that's the question. I accept that sometimes it's the necessity of war and it is expected of me to take a life as willingly as I ready to surrender my own." He sighed. "In battle I don't think about it though. I don't recognise who I've killed from who I've wounded." He opened his eyes and looked beyond the ceiling, as trying to gaze at the heavens. "Death brings me nothing but revulsion at myself." A small, cold and malicious smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I won't deny though that the act of combat is what I live for." He looked at Fluttershy and gave her a pleading look. "It's my destiny... fighting is to me what looking after animals is to you. It's why I'm such a good soldier. Why I know how to fight. Why I felt like I had to find out who tried to attack Princess Luna and bring them to justice." He grunted and began to push himself into a sitting position, despite Fluttershy making numerous frantic gasps and squeeks to try and force him to lie down again. Battle ignored these protests and reached over for the wooden bowl, wincing with every movement and tipping the contents of the bowl down his throat, gulping huge mouthfuls of the hot broth.
"You should not get up so soon," said a voice as Battle set the bowl in his lap. He looked up to see the Zebra standing there in what was the doorway to the rest of her home. "You will only agitate your wounds."
"Ah what else is new?" Battle asked throwing back the various furs and swinging his legs out of bed. "My body's fucked up enough already what's a little more permanent scarring?"