Tale Of Rebels: Mark Of The Viper

by Sherman

Big Brother

On a long road trip home from West Alren I gazed into the window of my train car and past the sleeping mare next to me. I was looking at my reflection one of a pale yellow skin toned for his fur and a dirty blond-maned stallion named Riley Davis, or me. The young 21-year-old medic next to me was Rose a short gray furred black and vibrant red mane dead asleep. I went from looking at my reflection then to her lying there in her black hoodie and dark green jeep cap and a vector held up by the shoulder strap as well as her combat vest, I smiled and looked around all I saw was a train car with other militants. I sank into my seat and took off my hat, a brown rancher's hat my father's, I gave myself a quick chuckle and thought to myself “It’s what you fight for, and why they call you cowboy Riley.” I then settled in and fell asleep for the long ride back to base.

What only felt like a few minutes of being on a train then suddenly our train car is sitting in a lake with half of it submerged. I shook Rose awake “What is it Riley?” She says rubbing her eyes

“The Train was attacked,” I said grabbing my M60 and supplies

“Wait what?!?” She shouted “W-What should we do?”

“Grab your things we need to follow the train tracks back,” I said getting up. We both got moving quickly following the train tracks backward hoping to find any form of friendlies down the way. It turned out we were leg deep into N.R territory.

We had walked for about three hours and nothing, it was the dead of night and raining. I was scanning the area as we walked, to our luck, a small town appeared on a crossroad.

We went down the road into the town, trying our best not to be seen if anything was there, but it looked like nothing was. I worked my way to a house trying the backdoor, to our luck it was unlocked. We walked inside, the place was a wreck the tables and chairs look like they had been turned into fortifications. “Someone has been here” I groaned

“Then we will just have to keep watch overnight,” Rose says behind me

“I guess you’re right” I reply “If we even sleep tonight”

“You rest first Riley,” She says putting her stuff down

“Alright,” I reply flipping a couch so it’s sitting upright. I laid down to fall asleep after a few minutes.

When morning came I wasn't surprised to see and know she fell asleep as well. We were quickly completely awoken by an explosion. We quickly grabbed our weapons. Outside our window was a Tiger 1 tank and down the road a Militia field gun and an anti-tank team I watched as N.R infantry seized the gun and watched as the AT team were slaughtered by the stormtroopers and riflemen.

Rose and I quickly devised a plain. We ran out the back door towards the gun. We got there quick. I whispered to her “three stormtroopers auto rifles, four riflemen, two snipers, and two semi-auto rifles. Take the snipers and after I help with the rest.” she nods and finds her way around.

I watched the snipers go down and they grouped up, I jumped out of cover and started unloading my M60’s clip into the backs of the infantry. We quickly regrouped and started for the field gun, when it blew up. “The damn tank how can we forget about the tank?” I thought

“Riley the AT rifles!” Rose says quickly

“Right,” I say running up and grabbing one

“I’ll try and look for ammo,” She says starting to scamper off

“Don’t die Fi..we don’t wanna lose another four?” I said to her

“I won’t,” she says running off. I used a body in front of me as cover. The AT rifle was held up by a bipod and when I took the shot it came off “son of bitch” I grumbled. I loaded the next shot using a body as a new bipod. I took a deep breath aimed down the sight aiming at the tank's turret I saw where it was aiming, and I saw Rose I needed to kill it I heard MG fire then two things rang in my ears the loud crack of the AT gun and the booming thunder of the tanks 88mm gun then a louder explosion shook the ground, the tank was dead.

I ran to a Rose on the ground bleeding a lot. I took off everything she had on and started to treat her wounds the best I could, I finished quickly I gave her my flask and she started drinking. “Can you walk?” I asked

“I’d rather not try” she groaned

“Can you shoot?” I asked again

“Yeah...I think” She says through a drink from the flask. I hand her my 1911 and she grasped it, “here goes nothing..” I say as I lift her onto my back lifting her is the easy part moving with a mare on you back is the hard part, luckily she’s very light.

I had picked up a map from one of our fallen soldiers and started running to the nearest outpost. Running out of the city was no easy task because the little squad we ran into wasn’t the only, it was a whole raiding party, so I was running through plenty of rifles, MG, and sniper fire, special ops training came into good use here. Even as we left the town and into the woods, I didn’t stop.

We saw the outpost, but it was wrong on the map it wasn’t an outpost it was an entire trench line. I ran we started to get shot at I screamed as loud as I could “Friendly I’m friendly, I have wounded I have wounded!” I was heard about nineteen yards from the trench. We made it.

Night fell upon us quick, I had decided to give Rose most of my rations, she ate slow, the infantry boys had many questions about us the mares kept away and many of them tried to flirt with Rose but I stopped them, she was tired, sick, and hurt, but she still would have hurt them.

Three hours past it was four o'clock exactly when we all heard the “howling death” which meant Stuka dive bombers. All bombs hit and I hear the groan of Rose, I run to her and pick her up again and I start running with her on my back. “What about the infantry?” she asks quietly

“They can handle themselves,” I say through breaths ignoring my injuries as much as possible

“I guess you're right,” she mumbles. I ran for what felt like hours, but when I slow down I feel the cold of Rose’s blood on my back “Am I gonna die?” I hear Rose murmur “Not on my watch,” I say starting to run again. I felt the urge to just give in, “so what if she dies? We will just get a new four” is what crossed my brain at first then I realized, “she's just a kid she has so much ready for her”, that thought seemed to have just given me the speed and stamina I needed to find help.

I ran for what felt like an eternity, but we found a convoy they let us on and Rose was taken in a medical jeep back to base. I arrived the following day, I was approached by a nurse at the base “Riley Davis?” she said firmly

“That’s me,” I replied

“I would like to tell you that you have saved her,” She said like I knew who she was talking about which I did

“Really?” I said quietly

“With her wounds, if she was left there she would have bled out,” she says

“You may see her if you would like” I smiled and said,

“of course.” She led me to her room, where I pulled up a chair and sat next to her. “Firay?” I said quietly shaking her shoulder “Riley,” she said getting up and hugging me

“How ya feeling baby girl?” I said messing up her mane

“I could be better,” she says “but thank you..”

“I know you would have done the same for me,” I said. We continued to chat for a long while. Eventually, meet up with the rest of the team, and some other friends for a few drinks, everyone wanted to know how we didn’t die, and no matter how many times Rose said I saved her, I always knew we saved each other. I took Rose back to her room where she had proceeded to hug me for what seemed like the one-hundredth time that night alone. “What a wild past two days huh?” I asked

“Yeah.” she giggled “Hey Riley?”

“Yeah?” I had replied

“Do you see everyone as a team or as a family?” she asked

“The Viper Squadron?” I said, “I see us as a family.”

“Heh...good because I see you as the big brother then...and I say that because you act like one because you are a joking dick sometimes, but most of the time you care and help everyone...mostly us” she exclaimed

“Then I guess that makes you the little sister then.” I said messing up her mane and laughing a bit “now sleep baby girl.” I walked out turning off her light and walking to my room.

later that night I wrote to my family at home

Dear, Vanessa

This war has seen many faces lost. Almost mine, I saved a life today. I know ma didn’t want me doing all this “hero work” but this is something that the princesses nor the elements can’t stop, so sister, when you give this to mom, tell her to stop thinking that the people in the Royal Lands are gonna save us all and that I’ll be home for holiday.

Love,

Riley

The End

Author's Note:

This is the most recent story that I have written at this time (time of 10/13/17). I honestly think this is my best story yet
Time In War
6 years into the war