The Unicorn Wars: Griffania

by Constellation

Chapter 7:Ambush

The Mallhearen plains stretched out for as far as I could see, the flatness made me miss the hilly forest covered landscape of my home. No water could be seen, and it was hotter then ever as we marched on, and to make matters worse, every three hours a griffon flew over, they knew we were coming.

Since we made it to this gods forsaken place we were joined by two more columns, we must have made a pretty big target, two and a half columns marching, gleaming in the sun like fresh snow, and clanking like a kitchen.

But, we marched on, not even attempting to hide from scouts, we marched in broad daylight and marched under torchlight by night.

We had been marching without stopping for two days, and it wasn't slow marching, we were fast marching, every pony in the army was beaten, solders began fainting from heat stroke and exhaustion, but there was no slowing of pace.

"Wherever we're going must be important."I said.

"Yup, but if we don't slow down, no pony will make it there."Maximus exclaimed.

"Can't the Captains see that this pace will kill us all?"Fire Ball asked.

"They've probably been ordered to get there by a certain time."The Sarge said.

"Well, we ain't going to make it no four hundred more miles without a break."Corporal Iron Hide stated.

"Damn!"I Heard Ice Heart exclaim."My canteens empty."

"Here,"The Sarge said passing her his canteen."you drink it to fast, slow down."

"Ice Heart's melting."Fire Ball said then laughed at his own joke.

Ice Heart rolled her eyes then replied."Shut up Fire Ball."

"At this point I'm thinking about faking fainting."Swift Steel said.

"Look!"Corporal Iron Hide said, pointing to the sky, I turned my head to see what he was looking at, and there just on the horizon was the most beautiful sight I had seen since we got to the plains. Clouds. Rain clouds.

"Gods be praised."Ice Heart said.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Two Hours Later

Finally the great clouds were over us, blocking the sun, there was a nice breeze on the air and the long fast marching got a little easier, but, even with the weather the way it was, the troops were beyond tired.

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHH"

"Did you hear that?" Maximus asked me."That was thunder, and that means rain."

"Maximus,"I started."every pony heard it."

"I know, I was ju-"But Maximus was cut off by some pony farther up the line yelling.

"AMBUSH!"

"BANG"

Musket fire suddenly rained down from the sky, I looked up and saw hundreds of griffons pouring out of the clouds and heading toward us.

Instantly I lifted my musket and aimed for the griffons waiting for the order to fire, but it wasn't coming, I began looking around for the captain, and when I saw him the reason for no orders was obvious.

Not knowing what else to do, I fired my shot, which hit a griffon sending him to the ground faster then his friends, my firing must have caused others to think the order had been given, because a second after all the muskets around fired at the descending griffons.

I was about to start loading my musket with another shot, but I didn't have enough time as griffons started swooping down at me and anypony that wasn't paying attention.

I dropped the powder horn from my magical grasp and lifted the musket into the air, catching a griffon in the chest with the deadly sharp bayonet at its end.

The bayonet however broke off inside the griffon, so I dropped the now useless musket and drew the powerful griffon blade I had adopted, then swung it at a blade that was on its way to my head.

The griffon that had attacked me gave the blade a furious look, then looked at me with killer intent.

"You will die Unicorn!"He shouted as he jumped at me, then swung his blade down with all his might.

At the last second I rolled to the left and his sword missed me by a hair, as soon as I stopped I jumped at him, but he had no time to move as my blade cut through his neck.

"Every pony dies, but I won't die here."I said to his dead body.

I looked up from his fallen body and saw the battle field, we were taking heavy loses, and I couldn't find my squad, then it began raining, in a second I couldn't see nine hooves in front of me.

I stabbed a griffon through the back then turned back toward where my squad was last, finally I found them, standing in a circle swords drawn and holding off ten griffons.

I ran in behind the griffons and slashed one through the back of his neck, then stabbed another before the rest realized I was there, but they soon did and I found myself in the circle with my squad.

"Good of you to join us."Sarge said.

"Well,"I started, but I had to block a griffon and push him back, then I swung at him, just cutting his shoulder, then I continued."I knew you all would need my help."

Cutting down the griffon I had just injured, I stepped toward the next, only to find that I could not move my hind legs, I looked back and saw that they were now half way sunk into the mud, which now had them held in its suction.

"Oh shit."I yelled trying to pull myself free, but only sinking deeper.

I looked back to the griffons and saw that some of them were also stuck, but most were still flying, then I felt myself stop sinking, but my stomach was already half under the mud, I felt something solid under my hooves.

"A rock,"I thought to myself."I'm on a rock."

My heart jumped for joy, but then sank immediately, I turned my head and saw only the heads of my squad as they continued to sink.

Instantly I dropped my sword and began pulling them with my magic toward the rock I was on, finally I got them there, safe and sound, but then my head started spinning, I used to much magic.

I fell into Maximus's side, my head now screaming in pain, and shapes and colors started to blend together.

"Hang in there."Maximus said, then fired a ball of magic at a griffon that was still flying.

Then the world went dark.