The Survival Of The Species

by Borderline Valley

Chapter 4: The First Casualty of War

Alexander Birchwood

“My Good Captain!” I exclaim, striding into the Healer’s building. “What’s this I hear about my two best magic users being out of commission?”

He’s in uniform, as always, but his expression is one of intense sustained worry I've only seen on him once before. That sight alone tells me there’s something serious going on.

“Healer Mender’s assistants tell me they were attempting to summon a creature for medicinal purposes, but they got very unlucky.”

“Unlucky!” I exclaim, How in the name of the gods did they manage to screw up this monumentally? I bite back the rest of my interruption.

“Yes. Unlucky. Apparently, accidentally summoning a sentient creature creates a… backlash. So we, of course, detained the creature without harming it. It is not at fault.”

“She.” The man next to the captain corrected him, his name is… Bill, I think, and earned a withering glare from his superior for his trouble.

I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Can it talk?”

“Not any language we know.”

“Do we know what it eats?”

“Not with certainty, Governor. It resembles… well. I’ll show you.”

I follow the Captain down the stairs, pass the wreckage of the first cell, and we stop at the third, which is being manned by half a squad of fully armed guards.

I peer inside the poorly lit cell, and someone generously raises a torch so I could see better.

The thing looked like a horse almost, but it was rather small for a horse. Its coloration was remarkable, its fur is a natural blue, but its mane and tail emulate a rainbow. That’s certainly not natural. And dyes mean civilization.

“Damn. And we kidnapped it. Her.” I turn to the Captain. “I don’t care if we starve for a few days, do whatever you have to, to get Ronin on his feet to deal with this. If anyone knows a translation spell, he might.”

The… Female in the cell began talking to us. It was… gibberish to me, but I’ll admit, it wasn't the whinnying and snorting I’d expected to hear. It was higher pitched than my voice, and my voice isn't deep, but if I didn't look right at it, I could pretend it was a human child’s voice.

I look at the Captain. “Keep it fed. If nothing else, let it out to graze or something. I don’t need it dying on us and complicating everything.”

“Governor, should we keep this a secret?”

I blink at him. “I don’t see why we would.”

He just nods. “Alright then.”

---

Vern Leonard

I walk in the center of the loose formation. As we move through the trees of the Forest of Watchful Shade, we’re spread thin, to cover as much area as we can, while staying in each other’s sight.

My tracker’s on point, I have my two soldiers flanking us, and the hunters sort of wander, eyeing tracks and trails.

Apparently the Captain’s been feeling safe, because we've had women with us the last couple of days, gathering the herbs and fruit.

With this addition, we've been finally collecting enough to create a surplus, and I've not heard the children complain of hunger in days.

I heft my torch higher. It’s still light out, but the canopy casts really deep shadows. We can use the light.

I swear, this forest is unnatural; I've walked the same route dozens of times and each time, the fruit is there again, like I hadn't just picked it the day before.

The Captain knows, but doesn't seem to think it’s important.

Sometimes I think the trees move around when we aren't watching them.

I’m feeling a mite braver than usual, so I instruct my tracker to take us farther north and west than usual.

We get a little surprise in the form of a clearing.

Seriously, I can count on one hand the number of open spaces we've found in this forest. It’s the largest I've seen, and I can’t even see a reason for it. It’s circular, and there’s just a lot of grass, bordered by the forest’s trees.

As we step into the clearing, I check the position of the sun. High noon. We've got plenty of time, might as well take a breather.

“Go ahead and spread out. Take a water break, and search the edges for berry bushes.”

The civilians are panting, happy to take a break. The guards and I are more used to the exertion, but we’re also wearing this bloody heavy armor.

We break out the water skins and pass them around.

“Damn. It’s getting hotter.” Allen, my right guard, breathes.

“I don’t think it’s spring anymore, no.” I reply.

“Does that mean we can start shooting the female ones again?” One of the civilian hunters wants to know.

“You’ll have to ask the Captain; he sets hunting policy.” Allen supplies automatically. Pitch perfect. Music to my ears.

“I see basic did its job well.”

John, my left guard, snorts. “Big surprise the-”

*SNARL*

He’s cut off by a loud snarl, from the forest on the other side of the clearing.

“Form up!” The words are out of my mouth before I get a chance to think.

My guards are immediately at my side, while the civilians are still recovering from shock and starting to run to us.

From the forest on the other side of this clearing emerges a wolf. Or, at least, it resembles a wolf. It looks like it’s been constructed entirely out of wood. It’s eye sockets glow an ominous green light.

It eyes us warily as it steps out from behind its cover.

Perhaps it will leave us alone?

An arrow whizzes by from somewhere to my left, and embeds itself in the beast’s eye-socket.

I could strangle that civilian…

But I don’t get the chance, as the beast charges him first.

John moves to intercept, his shield and spear moving fluidly into position. His plan is clear to me, given a second more to prepare, John would finish setting his spear, and that wolf would impale itself in its foolish direct assault. He didn't have that extra second. Instead, John took the charge on his shield, his spear skittering off the side of the wolf, and he was thrown to the ground.

I drop my torch and heft my axe as we charge to his aid. Why an axe? The better to chop wood with.

The beast claws at Johns shield, and I see its claws find purchase on the polished surface, digging out gouges of metal.

Clearly the beast is made of a special type of wood.

So it was with no restraint that I finished my charge by burying my axe in the thing's head as hard as I could. I could see Allen sink his own spear into the side of the thing, right where a real wolf would have had its heart.

The wolf just falls to pieces, literally. The parts just… stop being held together, and it disintegrates into a pile of inanimate sticks.

Almost immediately, we hear the howls. They sound far off, but I know that will change.

John’s shield arm is broken, but we have no time to set it.

“We need to get going, back to the castle, NOW.”

The civilians were still too shocked to do much, but I got them moving with threats of leaving them behind to the wolves.

Allen had the presence of mind to grab a piece of wood from the corpse and then we got moving.

*AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*

I was right, the howls were getting closer.

---

Samuel Weathers

It took all night for the howls to cease. All. Night.

I didn't sleep, few of the guard did. Only those I ordered to slept.

The hunting party that kicked the bees nest, so to speak, hobbled back into camp one man down, and with an injured guard.

Thankfully the women were uninjured, and the man lost was a civilian.

I had asked Sergeant Vern how the civilian had died. “He broke his ankle, and couldn't walk. The wolves were close behind us, and by the time we saw him, they were closer to him than we were.”

I didn't press him for details.

If they hadn't been howling constantly, we’d have never known they were there. They never showed hide, nor tail of themselves.

Rodin’s brat wanted to help guard the entrance, but I sent her away. Rodin was battle hardened enough, but his daughter was not. I couldn't let her face death without her father’s permission.

She wasn't happy about that.

Now I sit in the barracks, on a bed that someone had taken the time to alter so we’d fit on it. The lights were working. Rodin had said all he had to do to turn them on was enter the building. After that, they seemed to activate whenever you moved around too much.

My room was dark, but I wasn't getting any sleep; I could tell it was still daytime.

“Captain!”

The light in my room flickers on as an annoyingly rested Sergeant Bill practically sprints in.

“Are we under attack?”

I’m already on my feet, slipping into my clothes and armor.

“No sir. It is a domestic issue, sir.”

I glare at him through my chainmail shirt as I pause in my dressing. “Explain.”

“We have opened communications with the prisoner, and the Governor appointed you to handle it, Sir.”

“What prisoner?”

“The… non-human one, sir?”

“Oh. Her.”

---

Rainbow Dash

“So you can understand me?” I ask the strange little foal leaning against the bars.

“Yep!”

“Can they?” I ask, irritated at the prospect.

“I dunno. Hey, can you tell what she’s saying?” The foal reaches up a hoof and shakes the armored one next to her.

It responds, in that low gravelly voice.

“He says no.”

I snort in frustration. “So can you get me out of here?”

“Not unless they let me.”

“Can you get me an apple?” They had been feeding me, but it wasn't much.

She relays the query, and one of the armored ones leave.

“So,” I start, wary of this strange-looking foal, “why can you hear me when they can’t?”

She purses her lip, which looks really odd on the face of a… that.

“I don’t know. You think it’s cause I know magic?”

I catch the armored ones exchanging looks, but I can’t read their strange expressions.

“Maybe. I don’t know. Can you ask why I’m locked up?”

She relays the question, and the armored one arrives back with an apple. They toss it through this small hole in the door, like with the rest of the food she’s been given.

“They won’t say, but I think it has something to do with daddy’s accident.”

One of the armored ones scowls, and says something.

“I am not!”

A new voice is heard, along with lots of footsteps.

Another one wearing armor shows up, and speaks at length to the others. The foal looks smug.

I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’ll say this. “You guys had better let me go before my friends get here.” I am sick of this place! It’s been two days! There’s not even anything to read in here!

“Oooh, what are your friends like?”

I can’t just sit still, I begin pacing. “My friends are great! They’re the best friends ever, and they’ll come find me, wherever I am!”

“Oh.” She stops, listening to the new armored one speak for a while. “Uh, he wants me to tell you something.”

The armored one then leads her, speaking a sentence, letting her repeat it, and saying another sentence.

“We’re sorry. Our mage cast a spell… And it grabbed you on accident… which broke the spell and hurt the mage!” She glances at me, “That’s my daddy.” I nod, wanting her to continue.

Finally, some progress!

“The spell could have grabbed you from anywhere… so we don’t know how far you came from… and didn't want you getting lost… because the forest is dangerous.”

Wait, what? A dangerous forest?

“What’s the name of this forest! Is it the Everfree?”

The foal looked up. “She wants to know the name of the forest.” Her response is less than I’d hoped. “They called it The Forest of Watching Shade.”

I slumped. “Horsefeathers.”

I could be anywhere.

“Can I at least be let out of this cell?”

It turned out the answer was a resounding YES, because they opened the door.

I wasn't too keen on trusting them, but this was likely going to be my only chance to get outside.

“So, what are you miss?”

The foal was following me as we trotted down the hall. “I’m a Pegasus pony. You can call me Rainbow Dash.”

“Ok, Rainbow Dash! My name is Sophia Everblaze!” apparently something about that was funny, because several of the armored ones snickered.

They better not be laughing at me. I could- I could leave them in the dust any day! “Tell them not to laugh at me; I’m the fastest flyer in all of Equestria!” I glared at them for good measure.

“You can fly?” she asked, totally missing the point. I don’t need be her species to see the sheer wonderment on her face though, so I roll with it.

“You bet, these wings aren't just for show, you know.”

We reach the top of the stairwell, and make our way outside in short order. Finally!

I flare my wings and break for the cloudless sky!

I haven’t stretched these wings in days! Flying! Feels! So! Good!

I do a few tricks, and scan the Forest; it looks sort of like the Everfree, it’s also nothing but endless trees, as far as I can see. Disappointed, I land next to the foal that I can understand.

“That felt good. I haven’t stretched in days!”

“That was awesome!” shouts my newest fan. Sophia is ecstatic. I would be too, if I saw me perform.

“Yea, I am pretty awesome.” I look around. This place looks sort of familiar, but I can’t put my hoof on it.

There are more of her species everywhere. Almost none of them wear the armor, so I guess that means the armored ones are special, like the royal guard. I wonder who their princess is… “Hey, what species are you girls anyway?”

“Oh, we’re humans silly!”

Wait, what?

“No way!” I exclaim, taking to the air and hovering by instinct, “Humans are a myth!” Now that I see it, I can’t believe I didn't connect the dots earlier. “Sweet Celestia, I found humans! You’re supposed to have died out ages ago!”

Suddenly I freeze, dropping to all four hooves.

If humans died out thousands of years ago… Couldn't their spell… I swallowed. “Hey. What year is it?” I ask.

“I dunno. Hey guard. What year is it?” Sophia asks, tugging on the guards uniform.

The guard looks confused, and walks off to ask someone, I think.

Eventually the guard comes back, and speaks to the foal.

Sophia looks at me and proudly says, “It’s Year One.”

I panic.

---

Nick Forge

I sit next to my brother at the council. It is dusk, we have worked long and hard at the forges, so I am taking the time to enjoy this moment of peace.

It seems I will not be having many more of them.

“These wolves have spilt our blood! Now it is our turn! If they will not attack our defenses, let us strike at theirs! Bring fire and axe to their homes!” This received many shouts of praise and encouragement. There were not many voices against this sentiment, as the last two hours had shown.

Yet there were a few. The eldest Mender’s son sat on the council this night, as his father was still incapacitated, and he stood to speak. “I agree! The wolves have earned our wrath! But we must not be hasty! Our only battle mage, and our greatest healer are not able to join us! Without them, who will rain fire from the heavens? Who will bind the wounds our brothers when they fall? Attacking now is folly. We are not prepared for war now. The wolves must pay, yes! But we must bide our time, or risk losing everything!” The youngster’s words were met with cheers, but they were not as enthusiastic.

Every family on the council had to speak their piece. This was law. I surrendered the right to Terry for this meeting, but I still had the right to observe.

What I observed was many orders for arms and armor on the horizon.

Terry had spoken already. The only one left was… the Governor? Wow. This council had gone rather quickly.

The Governor rose, and strode to the center of the circle. “Well, my friends, it is almost time to vote. I can understand the desire for blood, especially on the part of the Fletch Family due to their loss. Certainly this loss cannot go unanswered. I ask that you consider this new perspective before we vote. Here we have arrived in this world, with no history, a fresh slate. Upon it, we may draw whatever we wish. In this place, we may become whatever our choices make us. We may become conquerors, we may become slaves,” he pauses as we laugh.

We will never become slaves.

“Or we might simply… die out. What will determine this, is how we choose to live in this new world. Who we fight. When we kill. Whatever we do, this will be our first real act in this world. I only ask that you choose wisely. So, my friends, it is time to vote.”

Those who represented their family that night rose, carrying a stone painted a bright red.

Fifty two men approach the bonfire in a line, one by one tossing their stones into the growing piles.

We watch as the Governor counts the piles. It is redundant. It is clear which pile is largest.

He stands in front of the bonfire, ready to announce what we all know. “The wolves will fall before us like wheat!” A loud cheer interrupts him, “And when they do, Rodin Everblaze will lead us into the fray!”

---

Comments

[StarKeeper]

Fairly nice idea, and a unique way to actually cause interaction between them and the ponies, what with trying to summon a 4-legged herbivore.

Looking forward to seeing just what happens.

“It’s Year One.”

I panic.

[The Serpent Mage]

You know, I don't understand why RD doesn't just fly off. Oh well.

Oh, and the magic sounds A LOT like Patryn Runic Magic from The Death Gate series. Although they know how it works, mostly.

[MicroUltraMad]

“It’s Year One.”

Bahaha

[Half-a-Yolk]

There doesn't seem to be any point in putting it into first person perspective if people have the same manner of dictation. I'm not very good at picking up details, but I do know that Rainbow Dash doesn't seem very in character when she describes what's happening. Oh and when noises happen, like a growl or an explosion, there's no need for asterisks. In the words of another author who did the same thing, "I'm writing as story, not role-playing in IRC!" Also I feel the "SNARL" bit didn't need to be included, could have just had "He’s cut off by a loud snarl" to show what happened.
Apart from that I am enjoying this. The world building with things like how their magic works is nice. Is it inspired by anything? Reminds me of Doodle God.

[Draco Dei]

Dash is not the most intellectual Pony, which makes her a good choice for not realizing that the Humans might use a different calendar... As for location that actually makes sense since she wouldn't realize that they were recent arrivals.

I suspect her summoning can't be tracked or somepony would have come for her by now.