//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Hearth's Warming Eve // by uyoiou //------------------------------// The sun was rising up, it was still early though, but as always, there were ponies out already doing their daily chores, the snow was still falling, constantly covering the ground even though the earth ponies tried to plow the mounds away. The fillies were also out, helping around in whatever they need to do, plowing the snow, herding animals and such. There were two young ponies plowing in the far sides of the west fields, a little ways out of anypony else's view, trying to clear the buildup of snow on the ground. “...my stomach hurts...” a boy filly with a small frame was pushing a plow along side with his sister behind him. “Do you think the others might share with us?” he asked, nothing, just the sound of metal scraping ice and snow away. Then a thud. The filly turned around. “Hannah?” He unstrapped the leather bindings that held him in the small plow, and went over to his sister who fell out of hers. “Hannah?... C'mon, we gotta keep working, Papa will be very sore with us if we stop now...” Nothing. “Hannah...” Hours passed through the day and the food tribute was stacked onto a large wooden stage, with the large grey maned stallion standing with other earth pony officials of the village. A dark spot appeared in front of the sun and began to grow larger, a convoy of Pegasi, escorting an enormous cart half filled with more food from the neighboring villages. They swooped down with the cart, at least twenty of them surrounding it, dressed in ebony and silver edged armor, a spear on each one, all looking battle ready, the kind of thing you would come to expect from a savage, warmongering race. A Pegasus broke from the front of the group and descended in front of the large stallion, he met the other face to face on eye level, he was as tall, but thinner and less muscular. The Pegasus stood straight, as if trying to be able to look down upon the stallion in front of him, his mane was a deep dark blue, cut into a short mohawk like style, , his coat, hiding behind his black armor, was a silver, that had countless amount of scars all over it, his armor was just like that of an average wing soldier, but had a small red cape draped over a shoulder. One of the farmer officials passed a scroll to the large one, who took it with his mouth and passed it to the pegasus, the pegasus took the scroll and placed it on the ground, spreading it open with his hooves. Without saying a word, he waved his hoof to the other pegasi, gesturing them over to the pile of food. They began to pile it on to the cart and soon were out of the village and into the blizzarding sky with a cart full of food. ----------------------------------- The Pegasi convoy was on its way to their home base, it started to get darker as the trips to each mud pony village to collect the tribute did take a considerable amount of time, the sky was dark blue, but was pale from all of the white snow that the Pegasi were flying through. The air was filled with the flapping of wings from each of the flyers, and were all flying in a box shape, around the cart full of food being carried by four ponies on each end, *cough**cough* The trip was halfway finished and the flyers could soon go and rest for a day of easy collection, this month proved better than last, no need to quell any mud pony rebellions today. Wings kept beating, all in almost perfect unison, but soon a louder sound rose over the flapping, the sound of... heavier wings broke in between the Pegasi, much slower. A loud roar echoed in the cold night air, and the convoy began to lose control as the Pegasi started tilting out of line in the air out of fear. Before the line regained form, a large ball of fire tore the convoy in half, Pegasi lost balance and spun in the air soon becoming lost in the blizzard, and others were barely keeping the line together, the smell of singed hair would have been in everyone’s nose if it weren't for them flying away so fast that the freezing air stung their faces. It was A dragon, the large reptilian body broke threw a large cloud and began chasing the convoy, roaring all the way. The side of what remained of the convoy broke off, going around left and right to take the dragon from the side, they approached the dragon, spears at the ready, the dragon swung his head around them, snatching at the air while the Pegasi flew out of his reach. They began throwing the spears at the creature, it bellowed in pain and rage, soon after just minutes of battle, the dragon was already covered in metal rods sticking out of him, the creature gave up the chase, and the battalion returned to the remnants of the convoy. Barely half of the food made it back to the city, and even less Pegasi who were sent out came back. “What is this!” A Pegasus stood in front of the convoy, who were all panting on the cloud floor, and severely injured. “You call yourselves soldiers, those who can’t even do the simple task of carrying supplies back home!” The blue maned Pegasus bowed down to the other. A large Pegasus with golden gilded armor and a plumed helm, authority seemed to resonate off of him, and his voice seemed to shake the cloud floor in its deep and harsh tone. “Commander Hurricane S-sir! W-we were attacked by a dragon in the sky and...” “I could have taken down that dragon in mere seconds, that is no excuse for you and your men lieutenant.” The Pegasus was too afraid to speak. “And now we have almost nothing left for this month's supply, you had single hoofedly doomed this city to starvation.” “Please Commander, f-forgive me, i can fix this.” “How do you suppose you do that, lieutenant” The Pegasus looked around in thought, hesitation and anxiety growing in his face. “We could demand a second collection, what could those earth ponies do against us!” “Against somepony like you, i’d bet on the mud pony, fine, heal your soldiers and leave for the collection tomorrow, or you’ll be locked up for life, without court.” The group headed the injured to the hospital, and rested up for next days collection.