CH 62.3 Gilda's Stand
Gilda lay on the rooftop. She would never admit it, but the walls felt too much like a cage that might slow her down if she needed to move. Her eyes roved over the nighttime landscape. Like last time, she saw nothing, but she knew it was out there, somewhere.
Her gaze lingered on each deeper patch of darkness, each bit of cover large enough for the Head Hunter to lurk behind.
A flicker of motion grabbed her attention. There, just past that rock, a branch swayed. Her legs shifted under her, ready to spring into action. The tip of her tail lashed as her eyes maintained their razor focus. Her talon slowly reached for her bow as her heart picked up its pace.
Suddenly, the night sky burst into brilliant eye-searing light. Gilda screwed her eyes closed and looked away. By the shrieks of pain, not everygriff was quick enough.
Even before her sight fully recovered, she grabbed her bow and was in the air.
She slowly opened her eyes just a crack. The eruptions of light that stole her night vision had been replaced by the red-yellow glow of fire just beyond the horizon.
Her eyes opened more, taking in further details, the leaning of the trees and the heat distortion in the air. Whatever had just happened, that was no natural fire. All that flame and heat must have shown up in just an instant. "Magic." She whispered.
"Or dragons.” A gruff voice added beside her. A quick glance was all Gilda needed to recognise the armoured speaker as one of the few soldiers they still had left.
Seconds later, A low roaring rolled in. A mix between a crack of thunder and a muffled explosion reached them before the smoke-scented breeze ruffled their feathers.
"That’s either a bomb or a spell. " Another voice added.
"That would be one massive bomb." The soldier challenged.
"Well, do you see an Alicorn out there?"
"No, but I do see an airship." One of the hunters said.
An airship? Gilda wheeled around and followed the beak of the speaker. “That's not one of ours…” Gilda's eyes narrowed.
There was something smaller ahead of it. There was something familiar about the way it was flying. Even illuminated by the glow of the fire, that flash of colour told her everything she needed to know. There was no doubt who that must be., not with that very particular rainbow-maned pony towing it.
She was in motion before she had really made the decision.
“Gilda, where do you think you're going?” The soldier said.
“Going to say hi to the ponies.”
“Ponies?” The hunter asked.
“Yeah, they got a Wonderbolt pulling it. That's no lost ship, and after that…” She pointed at the burning horizon. “I think we’ve just been reinforced.” With a powerful flap of her wings, she hurried off to meet her friend.
As Gilda drew near, more and more details revealed themselves. The airship deck was packed with armed ponies, but none of them were the expected royal guards. Mercenaries? Gilda thought as her eyes picked out two ponies that contradicted that idea. First, there was Dash in a modified version of her flight suit. The second was a tall unicorn in fancy armour with Celestia’s mark all over the place. Militia?
“Yo, Gilda, how's it hanging?” Dash called out with her familiar smugness.
Gilda shifted to take up position on her friend’s wing. “What are you doing here?”
“Came to save your tails,” Rainbow said as she released the lines that connected her to the airship. The cables fell away, and the airship continued past and took up position over the camp. It turned broadside to the way it had come from. A flurry of activity had a dozen crossbows, and a few bigger things, hurriedly set up and readied.
A part of Gilda bristled at that. Griffons were powerful, they were prideful, and too much of her would never want to admit the truth. The rest on the other claw felt relieved to see the heavy weapons. “It's good to see you.” She extended her fist, and it bumped against solid hoof. For a moment, it was just like the good old times in flight camp.
The motion made the blade strapped to Rainbow's leg obvious. Its edge gleamed in that unnatural way only enchanted weapons could. Gilda’s glance was all the prompt Dash needed. Rainbow flicked her leg, and the blade snapped into place. “Pretty awesome, right?”
A red shine flicked over the naked blade and its keen edge felt very much like the bared fangs of a hungry predator. “I didn't think Wonderbolts got toys like that.”
Rainbow’s smirk held an edge of sadness. “I’m not a Wonderbolt any more.”
“What!?”
Any sorrow vanished under fierce determination. “I’m Twilight’s First Knight.”
“Twilight… the bookworm dweeb… has Knights?” Gilda could not hide the disbelief in her voice as her eyes found the blazing horizon.
“Yeah… she's a bit... more aggressive than last time you met her.”
Gilda pointed at the distant inferno. “That’s her doing?”
“Yep.” Rainbow joined her in, staring at the fire.
“So, you being her Knight, is that why you painted your feathers?”
Any hint of smugness vanished from Dash's face. ”They're not painted,” she mumbled. Something complex hid behind her strange expression.
Thwack. One of the bigger weapons on the airship launched something into the distance.
“Talk later. Time to show these chumps who’s the best flyer in Equestria.” With a surge of power that left lightning crackling over her feathers, Dash brought her wings down with one powerful stroke.
The shockwave hit before Gilda even noticed Dash was gone. “Woo.” Gilda squawked as her wings flailed about to regain her balance. She shook her head as the static tingle of being too near a thunderhead made her fur stand on end. She ignored it and did her best to track Dash’s explosive flight.
The straight-line path guided her gaze to something that made her heart skip a beat even as her blood sang for the chance for battle. Hundreds, no thousands of Dark shapes swarmed out of the burning forest. Some took wing. Others just rushed out on paw, hoof or whatever limbs they had as they almost trampled each other in their mad charge.
“Ponyfeathers,” Gilda said as her talon reached out and rested on her quiver, almost as if it was a good luck charm.
The monsters stampeded mindlessly towards them. A thousand wailing throats mixed with a tide of endless feet pounding the ground. The sound was almost more horrendous than the sight. Gilda did not even have time to openly say anything else before the old soldier started bellowing orders down below. “To arms.”
With Twilight’s display, everygriff was already awake. So, in less than a minute, dozens of bow-armed griffons took positions in the air. Gilda did a quick mental count, they did not have enough griffons. They did not even have arrows for even a tenth of them.
“This is all those ponies' fault.” One griffon grumbled.
“What are we going to eat now? They set our hunting ground on fire.” Another growled.
“A hoard like that, and all you can think of is your next meal?” Gilda almost could not believe them. “Shut up and get ready.” She roared at them.
Both of them glared at her, challenge and hate in their eyes. Gilda matched their glares with her own harder one. “Fight, survive, then we can find out what the buck the ponies thought they were doing.”
Their expressions shifted to a bitter acceptance and pushed their anger aside for now.
An explosion of rainbow light filled the sky. Gilda could not help but smirk as others gawked as her friend’s signature move exploded in the middle of a flock of monsters.
A rainbow trail, flanked by two streams of lightning, darted from one dark shape to another as the prismatic rings expanded, where multiple smaller shapes fell away from each merging.
“Since when does Dash have the stomach to use a blade like that?”
A flair of unnatural colour dragged her attention downwards. A pink fire traced a large ring on the ground. From within it, a group of armoured earth ponies rose from the grass already in formation. A tall, dark, unarmoured unicorn stood imperiously just behind them.
Pegasi took position hovering or perched on the airship. Another that Gilda almost mistook for a large bird circled above, with oversized wings and tail feathers, clearly was giving some sort of orders.
It irked as much as it stung her pride that the pacifist ponies were doing this whole military shtick better than the griffons were. She could only imagine how much it must gall the real soldiers.
Gilda focused, readied her bow and took aim. Half a dozen shots were loosed before her’s, and most of them went well wide of their targets. Mentally, she cursed. They should know shooting on the wing was harder than from the paw. She picked her moment when breath and wing beat were in perfect sync. Her arrow lept from her bow. She did not miss. One down… far too many to go.
Retrieve arrow, nock, draw, Gilda’s body went through the motions automatically as her keen eyes surveyed the battlefield.
Rainbow was by far the most eye-catching. She was everywhere, with her prismatic trail as bold as her personality. Jagged arcs of lighting ripped from her wings. She was a one-mare army, not allowing a single flyer to get past her. Unfortunately for the ground-bound, only a few of the blighted had wings.
Below, the armoured Earthponies stood ready, still and calm despite what rushed towards them. They could have been standing on a mustering ground and not outnumbered a hundred to one.
Gilda shook her head and took aim at another of the charging things. Dozens of shots were loosed before she fired her second. So few of her kin’s arrows were fired with the steady patience of a hunter and not the frantic impatience of amateurs.
“Leave the arrows for those that can aim.” One of the soldiers bellowed and was utterly ignored as dozens more arrows were wasted.
The rhythmic thwacks of the airship's twin heavy crossbows hammered small logs into the approaching horde with metronome precision. Wherever they hit, there was no explosion, not a flash of light. The ground simply cratered like an invisible giant hoof had just crushed everything flat.
Despite the holes torn into it, the horde did not even slow. Gilda picked her targets one after the other. No matter how many she felled, there was always more. Her talon closed on nothing, her eyes flicked to her now empty quiver. A growl built in her chest as her eyes flicked to all the wasted arrows that littered the ground. Next time somegriff refused to do archery practice because they weren't paid for it, she would smash their beak into the ground.
In her anger, she almost missed it. Some of the arrows were glowing. A moment later, they lifted in the air as that pegasus with freakily large wings swooped by to grab them.
As the hoard drew nearer, the ponies’ crossbows loosed. Each bolt howled over the distance. With bright magenta flashes, each exploded into a literal storm of projectiles. It was as if not a dozen crossbows were fired, but more like hundreds or maybe thousands.
Gilda’s beak hung open, and she doubted she was the only one. All of a sudden, the ponies' lack of fear made a lot more sense. The volley felled many of the beasts, and tripped many more as they stumbled on the bodies of their fallen.
The ponies methodically started to reload, displaying the disadvantage of their short-ranged crossbows compared to the potent griffon bow, not that it mattered with enchanted bolts like that.
That big winged pegasus flew past, and there was a flash of motion. Gilda’s talons spread, ready to defend herself before her eyes snapped to the projectile. It was a bundle of arrows bound by a fading white glow.
Gilda snatched the gift out of the air. A quick glance told her that none of the arrows were perfect anymore. Not that it really mattered against a horde. She quickly secured them in her quiver.
The pony flew past and headed towards the next hunter, dodging by one griffon that shook his fisted talon at her. You would only waste them. Gilda thought as she took aim again. The muscles in her chest and back strained with the combined effort of flight and pulling back the string. I’m definitely going to be feeling this in the morning. She thought wryly, amused at herself at the assumption she would be around to see the next sunrise.
The ponies’ next volley simply exploded, and the one after formed huge cart-sized chunks of ice around the bolts just before they slammed into them, crashing into the ground and tumbling. The boulders of ice rolled and ploughed its way through the mass of the horde.
The ponies on the ground stowed their crossbows and readied for melee. The big winged pony settled next to the airship. “Flame Dancer, now!” They bellowed.
Flames flicked into existence above the horn of the Celestia worshipping mare. The roiling mass of fire shifted and took on an almost liquid-like quality before it launched free in a torrent.
Light blazed from the mare’s horn far brighter than the flames. The liquid fire danced and flowed, washing over the horde. They screamed and wailed as their flesh charred and boiled off their bones. The line of ponies flinched, their ears flattened against their heads, but they did not fall back.
The mere smell of cooked meat brought drool to Gilda’s beak. Despite having a full ration today, her body still wanted more.
The flames rolled back, and rose up into a pair of walls protecting the flanks of the ponies.
“Get back up here, you feather brains.” One of the soldiers called as a pair of gaunt griffons dove towards the oncoming melee.
Contempt brought a sneer to Gilda’s face as she sighted on her next target. Even a chick knows not to get between a hunter and their prey. And those ponies have their prey just where they want them.
Even as she took aim and loosed another arrow, a part of her half tracked the ‘feather brain’s’ descent. Are you incompetent, or are you aiming for a pony? Gilda hesitated, an arrow nocked on the string. Am I going to have to clip your wings myself?
A silver-white glow enveloped the pair as they slammed to a stop, almost as if they hit a wall. That big winged freak of a pony glared at them, her form silhouetted by her glowing wings.
Gilda released a breath she did not know she was holding and tried to focus back on picking a deserving target. Those two are so going to get a thrashing later.
The hoard drove itself into the Equestrian line like the tide against the cliffs. Flesh slammed into unmoving metal. Gilda winced. “That’s gotta hurt.” Even over the din of battle, the sound of bones breaking could be heard.
One of the griffon soldiers moved to flank, a small flock of spear-wielding griffons trailing after them.
In an explosion of gore, tendrils and jagged bone spears burst from the shattered forms of the blighted. Most of the Earthponies held their ground, but most is not all, and that's all the opportunity the living blenders needed. With brutal suddenness, one and then another pony was yanked into the eager maws of the hoard.
The glowing winged mare dove down, but despite her impression of Rainbow Dash, a forest of blades and spikes warded her off.
Volleys of green bolts and spears of blazing flames rained down as the remaining Earthponies fought all the harder. Even with a griffon’s keen eyes, it was almost impossible to keep track of the details of the mess the melee had become. Then a flock of long spear-wielding griffons joined in, and Gilda gave up even trying.
Gilda lifted her gaze and swept the rest of the battlefield. The last thing they needed was one of the Blighted getting smart or the Head Hunter turning up.
Rainbow had less than a talon of flyers to deal with. The now visible forest fire rolled ever closer. A few of the blighted broke off and tried to flee, but they did not get far.
What seemed like it was going to be an utter defeat had shifted into a grim chore.
The weight of a full quiver of perfect arrows brought a peace to her heart, probably like how ponies felt with a stuffed toy or a safety blanket. Each of the masterwork creations she could trust to fly true and find its mark.
Gilda flexed her talon, the light gleamed on the metal gauntlet she now wore. She shook her head and worked the tarry goop onto it. The too reflective surface dulled to something a respectable hunter might consider wearing.
She took a deep breath, doing her best to ignore the ashen scent that still clogged the air. It only took a glance to see the still smouldering plane of glass and ash the ponies had left in their wake. She snorted in amusement. At least nothing is sneaking up on us now.
Even now, she still could not believe who was responsible for everything. Half an hour after all the fighting had died down, Twilight Sparkle had calmly trotted in as if nothing had happened, a slight smile on her muzzle. Backlit by the largest forest fire in history, some sort of Tartarus spawned demon, and she led off with ‘Good evening, Gilda’. Ponies. She thought with a shake of the head. At least now, all the dire warnings about never invading Equestria made sense.
“Just look at what they did to our hunting grounds.” One griff growled as their talon flung out.
Gilda sighed and did her best to focus on making her new armour functional. “The ponies swoop in and save the day, drop off crates of food and you still complain.”
“They didn’t save us. They just did this to make us dependent. Those damned hooved grass munchers.”
“So, let me get this right.” Gilda slowly raised her eyes to meet his. “A Princess stopped what they were doing, flew out here, fought in a life or death struggle… just to make us buy more food from them?”
“Well, why else would they do it?”
Gilda just stared at them, the slightly confused tilt to their head, mixed with the certainty in their eyes. He's not kidding…it was an honest to the winds question. If it was not for the still drying goop on her armour, she would have faced taloned there and then. “Money grubbing clanless.” She grumbled and held up her talon, almost shoving her new armour in his face. “And how do you explain this?”
“Well, I guess that's what you get for sleeping with a …”
Gilda did not even bother to restrain herself. It only took a moment, and then she looked at the griffon rolling on the ground holding his cracked beak. She flexed her talon, amazed she managed to keep it closed for the strike. “One of them died for us, another lost limbs, and you're going to mock them? To throw everything they've done for us down a ravine?”
“They’re only ponies.” Another voice said, and Gilda’s world reddened, and a feral shark threatened to boil out of her.
She turned on then, and recognition seeped in through her anger. It's your fault they died. She wanted to roar at them, but her snarl did not let her get the words out.
“Am I right, or am I right?” The fool that pulled Twilight’s Captain out of position to save their own mangy hide said. Even as he tossed another piece of the spiced jerky, that the ponies had given them, down his gullet.
So very few of the gathered griffons looked like they might even raise an objection to his words, and far too many smirked or grinned in agreement. A detached part of Gilda’s mind noted that her gauntlets did not even creak despite her talons repented flexing and clenching. Gilda’s contempt only grew. For a moment, only a moment, she loathed being a griffon. Her mind pushed that aside with one simple thought. None of you deserve to call yourselves true griffons.
“Buck it, and buck all of you useless vultures!” Gilda spat and stomped off before grabbing her things.
A few hunters slipped from the crowd. Her rage cooled a bit, and pride stirred when she saw they were grabbing their things.
“What do you think you're doing?” The larger of the two soldiers demanded of her as he stalked forward.
Gilda tensed, her body ready for a contest. “I’m…” Gilda started before a bag was forcefully slammed into her chest.
It took a moment to get her breath back. Gilda used the time to check over the bag. Rations, water, fire starters. She was glad she could not blush like the ponies could. What had she been thinking? She was about to head out with only what she would take on a day-long hunt.
“Go and see to our debt. We have to keep these… those that rename safe.” The soldier said as he swept his gaze over the other seven.
With a closed talon over her heart, Gilda bowed her head.
“Now, make sure you return with your tales of glory. I want to at least have something to look forward to as I try to stop these…” The soldier smirked. “Vultures from getting themselves killed.”
She and her new wingmates took to the sky. Her chest and flight muscles loudly complained, but she ignored them. She had an airship to catch and a nation to save.
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Beautiful.
nice
well Griffons are stupid in this story I guess...or just really Racist ...
Gilda has joined the party
Rip and tear, until it is done.
@
Nightsclaw
i found some things! :P
no dragons around, what's a hoard doing there?
kinky but okay O.o
grammar broke somewhere in there i think
boiling a shark out of a griffon, i don't think even twilight could do magic like that
what are her talons repenting for?
what do those rename?
great chapter
Gilda showing what a true griffon is. I am betting she ends up part of Twilight's retinue before long.
11276267
Canon they are generally are stupid and racists. Glida is slightly better
Several times here you’ve mixed up “hoard” and “horde.”
A hoard is a treasure vast and guarded, like with what a dragon likes to play.
A horde is the army you’ll need to haul that treasure away.
11276267
i would say combo of both and pride being hurt that a bunch of HERBAVORES outdid a bunch of PREATORS killing a bunch of monsters
11276380
I can see Twilight finding out what a Chosen griffon is. What Pony magic type would she put in a griffon?
Would they turn into a Hippogriff?
What would an alicorn Griffon be like?
Hippogriff's exist, so I would think they could...
God, the frequency of these updates has certainly made my week/month
Also, yeah, Gilda ally obtained. I can't wait for her to be absolutely floored by Twilight (and co.) total shift in personality in comparison to when she last saw them
11276267
doesn't help that their society is still at the bottom of the barrel due to the broken bonds from the idol of boreas loss.
11276267
Honestly, Gilda should just kill every single one of them. Or at least taken the food away and tell them to get down on their knees, begging, while praising Equestria or else they get no food. See how long they last. And every one who was Selfish and got a pony or worse killed, executed on the spot.
Change doesn't happen by being nice. Change happens when you step in and beat the fucking shit out of people, and set an example by showing what will or will not have you executed.