Quest For Harmony

by destinedjagold

Chapter 69 - Sand

It has been four days after Nightmare Moon came back. It was a traumatic event for the unicorns that they have lost their morale to continue the war. It was also the perfect time for us to attack. But for four days, they have proven themselves to be quite powerful. Even so, we have managed to conquer the number of lands that they have controlled.

As I've said, the event was traumatic for the unicorns, but it took us four days to realize its impact on the other beings of this land. The higher ranks held a brief meeting about this concern, and it was concluded that it would be best for them to flee the land for the time being, and allow them back when the war is all over.

I was one of the pegasi that were assigned to assist the herd of cows towards the west where a large water vessel was crafted for the sole purpose of escaping the land.

It was in the San Palomino Desert. It's a very harsh environment that the other beings had chosen to work on their vessel, for the land wasn't conquered by us or the unicorns. Although we have assured them countless of times that we will not bring them any harm, they still doubted us.

It was a terrible job assisting the herd of cows going through the desert. The wind was strong yet thin and also carried dust and sand. The weather was so hot even though the sun was suspended on setting. Still, after two days we managed to safely escort the cows to their destination without any casualties...on our side at least.

The air here became cooler, which we welcomed greatly. It carried the salty feel of the vast blue ocean. Unfortunately, we were stunned to see the large number of vessels that stood on the shorelines. All of them were broken and destroyed beyond repair. Dead bodies lied everywhere, and some were already rotting. Vultures and other animals were already starting to devour the bodies that made a lot of us wanted to vomit, while some did.

What happened to this place? I wanted to find out, but we had priorities, and that is the safety of the herd we are escorting. Whatever happened to them, we don't want it to happen to us... We had no choice but to turn back.

We were all curious as to what had caused the destruction of the vessels, and after one day of venturing back, we found out. What was the cause of the destruction were large land sharks! Their dorsal fins were poking out from the sand, and there were so many of them circling the herd.

“Don't move!” One of the pegasi soldier shouted from behind me. I turned around and saw Snowflake. How he can fly with such muscle yet tiny wings is still a mystery to me, but I have bigger things to worry about. The instant his loud booming voice reached everyone's ears, the cows stood still, trembling in fear. “They sense movements on the sand! So don't move a m—!”

He was cut off when two large light-brown land sharks jumped from the sea of sand, and their jaws opened wide and aimed at Snowflake. I quickly pulled him up while the others hovered away from the land sharks.

Those things were really looking like sharks, if my memory serves me correctly. The only differences that I've noticed were their color, their size, and their snouts which were narrower.

“They can sense the air as well...” Snowflake murmured after he calmed himself down.

The land sharks probably has no idea where we were now, for their predatory circle was already broken, and they're just swimming around aimlessly. It will not look pretty when one of those sharks accidentally touches one of the cows, and the heat is not helping at all. Soon, one of us will collapse, and the sharks will sense it.

“I'll create a diversion...” I whispered to Snowflake, who only gave me a shocked expression.

I am a pegasi after all. We are built with speed. But I suppose I should ask our commanding officer...my uncle...

Long story short, we argued through low voices, but in the end, I managed to convince him of doing my plan. I hovered away from the group as quickly and as quietly as I could. I looked back, and I was quite far from the herd, which was good enough to start my plan. I flew down and landed hard, and instantly, the land sharks began swimming towards me. I gasped, but I quickly started running towards south while flapping my wings to grant me the speed that I needed to not get eaten. I can safely fly back when this is all over. And if ever they'll meet another group of land sharks, then one of the pegasi will perform my plan.

I was working a lot of sweat as I ran and flapped my wings. I never expected that it'll take a lot of effort of running on the ground. The earth ponies have earned my respect. Walking and running around isn't really that an easy task...

I have ran passed numerous rocks and cacti. Looking back, the land sharks were still hot on my tail, and they were gaining on me! It's only been a solid five minutes, and I'm already pretty worn out...

I stepped onto something that made me lose my footing and stumbled and rolled on the sand. I stopped, and my back was against the sand, and my eyes showed me three land sharks with killer jaws aimed towards my tired body. I was too stunned to move.

“Here...” Scootaloo whispered lifelessly as she put a wooden plate on the ground beside Cloud Strike, who was reading his old notebook. Scootaloo then walked back to the others, who were seated near Gold Blitz and Fluttershy, who were both lying on the ground, unconscious, and being treated by Sweetie Belle's magic assisted by Spike.

Near the camp fire, Apple Bloom took the pot of boiling water and set it on the ground near Spike. Scootaloo then glumly took a white cloth from a bag, and extends her wing towards Spike to lend the cloth.

Cloud Strike sighed as he closed his notebook and puts it back inside his bag.

“I was reading that...” whispered Xelene, who was lying on the ground, and her head was behind the glaring stallion. “Who was that dragon that saved you in the desert?”

“None of your business,” Cloud Strike spat as he grabbed an apple from the wooden plate and started eating it after turning his back on the dragon.