Previous Chapters Next
Close
My name is...1,025 words
What can you remember?3,067 words
Waya's not a wolf Dashie!3,074 words
Vivat Nocte3,697 words
Friends3,488 words
Princess Luna4,702 words
The New Lunar Republic3,395 words
Of Rumps and Rebellions2,811 words
Lesson to Learn1,213 words
History Lessons5,287 words
The Good and the Bad2,739 words
Iron Pony3,424 words
Heavyweight Challenge4,859 words
Assembling the Pieces4,779 words
Getting Dizzy4,396 words
A Wall Torn Down1,701 words
Healing Wounds1,425 words

Lesson to Learn

So, this chapter is a bit short, but there are good reasons for it. It'll give you some major food for thought as I start work on the next chapter.

As always I love the reviews and comments folks!

I was running through a dark forest, my best friend, Nuda Asgina(Crazy Ghost), was at my side. The unmistakable sounds of a small skirmish were all around us, yet I saw none of my guards or attackers through the heavy brush on the border of the Everfree and Den Forests. We had been so close to crossing into neutral territory, and as such, so close to preventing something like this from happening.

“Elawei my friend, what are they doing? This was supposed to be a diplomatic mission! We flew the flags! These Griffon bastards have no honor!” Crazy Ghost yelled as we ran. As much as the pair of us wanted to stand and fight, we had our orders, straight from the top. If anything like this happened, our men were to sacrifice themselves so that we may move on with the mission. We had to get to Canterlot. We were the only hope of anything being settled diplomatically. I knew we were just a ruse, even if Ghost had not been told, and it almost killed me not to tell him.

There would be no diplomatic solution. We were to stall for time while Blood Warrior convinced the rest of the Lupine Nations rise up and marshal their full might. Most of them were already fighting, but a few of the tribes had remained aloof of the conflict. This was mainly because they had not lost any ancestral lands during the aftermath of the Lupine Rebellion. My tribe had been the hardest hit. The Lunar Tribe, typically the birthplace of Chieftains, had been harshly punished for its role in inciting the rebellions.

Lost in thought is not a good place to be in the middle of a fight, and that was proven when I was tackled hard from above. My attacker and I went tumbling right into a tree, and I was lucky enough to land in a position that allowed me to throw the Griffon off. The foolish Griffon was now on my territory, and I would rip his wings off, unless of course he surrendered. I was about to attack the grounded Griffon when I realized this wasn’t the typical male warrior. It was a she-Griffon. They weren’t extremely uncommon in battle, but they were fairly rare. She also wore marks of rank. She wasn’t any plain officer.

This was the Griffon Empress-to-be, Talia. Among the Lupine however, she had another name. She was called Deadly Shadow. She was quiet, efficient, and most of all deadly, and the Lupine had granted her this name out of respect for her prowess. She would take prisoners from time to time, but most Lupine would rather fight to the death than to have the dishonor of surrender. That said, this one knew what she was doing.

“Surrender now Quiet Wolf. Your wolves are outnumbered and will be annihilated otherwise. We have proof that says your diplomatic mission is nothing more than a trick to buy you time. We will not stand for this, and you shall accompany us back to Gray Feather Keep where you will be used as a bargaining chip to end the war.” Her voice was surprisingly melodic, even with the harsh tones and terms. Sadly she was right. Since it was a ruse, I could not, in good conscience, admit it wasn’t.

“You’re right. Blood Warrior never meant for a peace. He won’t care that you have me either. His war will be waged, and no reason, logic, or prisoner can change that. The only way this war will end is with his death or that of your father.” I hoped that, unlike my father, Talia would listen to reason. I did not want to hurt her, and I sure as hell didn’t want to keep fighting this war. I was tired of watching countless souls die for nothing. I understood the need for war, but there was no need for this one. I knew that I’d be treated with dignity as a prisoner, but I couldn’t say the same for her, “I will not surrender. It is not the Lupine way Talia. Neither will I take you prisoner, for I know the horrors that will await you at Chief Blood Warrior’s paws. Go now, and for my sake and yours, never get caught by my forces or those of the other Nations.” I hoped she took the warning to heart, because if she was caught, there was no way for me to stop what would happen to her.

I turned from her at that moment to find Crazy Ghost. I couldn’t leave without him. He was my second-in-command, and the only true friend that had stuck by my side ever since we were pups. As I looked around, I noticed something wrong. There were no more sounds of the struggle between my guards and the ambush force. I started to run, and I realized that there weren’t any signs of the battle at all. It was as if it had never happened. Suddenly, as I contemplated the loss of my men and my best friend, I was blindsided for the second time that night. Once again it was the Crown Princess of the Griffon Empire that was the offending party.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY GRIFFONS?” She screeched as she held me down with her talons. I just looked at her and shook my head softly before I spoke.

“Look around. Then tell me that your Griffons are the only ones missing. Where are my Wolves? They are not here either. Something is amiss, and to find out what, we’ll need to work together.” I let my logic sink in for a few moments before removing her talons from my hide. She didn’t resist, so she had obviously seen the truth behind my statement. I looked around the forest we were in. I was unfamiliar with this forest, which meant that we were not in the Everfree Forest or the Den Forest.

I turned back to Talia, and before I finished my turn, I noticed a warm sensation on my fur. It was as if a warm patch of sunlight suddenly made its way through the canopy of the forest to rest on my gray fur. I ignored it after a few seconds and looked to her.

“What is this sorcery Lupine?” Talia asked me in a panic-stricken voice as she was lifted from the ground. She was surrounded in a fine light-gold magical aura, and she was being lifted into the air by it. After a few seconds I noticed that I too was surrounded in the aura, and only a few moments later I rose into the air alongside her. A voice, seemingly coming from the heavens, spoke to us.

“You must learn. It is the only way.” The magic around us surged brightly, and with blinding pain, I passed out.¬

So, what did you think? Tell me in the comments!

1,627 views