Clankers

by ISKV

Past Equestria : Unnamed Diamond Dog, Story

Mama was a Beta in the pack. She wasn't the best, but... well... she was my Mama! No matter what she did, she made sure to take care of me every day. Make sure my teeth were growin' right, no fleas in my fur... Made sure my nose was clear, those sorta' things.

...I miss Mama...

I still get nightmares sometimes. Those gold paws crushin' any gem underneath them like they were eggshells... Armor clankin'... The ground shook every time they took a step...

And the steam screamin' out of their sticks! Uncle Rex tried ta' go for its neck like he always said to. Didn't make it out of the gem hole...

...

Naw I don't know where in Tartarus those things came from! We were always fighting them. Since the first alpha, we've been fightin' em' for water... gems... and territory. We've been winning for a long time. Their spears were never as sharp as ours. Some didn't have spears. But ever since I was born we've been losing ground. And not just us. The other packs said the same.

...

Who'da thought? Mother Gaia made us enemies but we ended up as friends.

...

I sound jus' like a pony now. Anyhow, after Strongjaw's pack went down, we were the last. Papa and the others held them off fer a week! I wish I could'a done somethin' but mama made me an' the other pups hide in a hole she dug for us. Then BOOM! Some sorta'... sorta' explosion sent us flyin' in the air. I looked down and saw that a tunnel below us was blown apart by one of those gold monsters. Tooth fell down. He got blasted.

...I liked im'. Only friend I had.

...

I ran, just like mama was screamin' for me ta do. I don't remember much, just that I used every single shortcut that I could remember to get out. I didn't even notice the snow until I was a mile from my home. I was lost fer about a week, or so they tell me. I didn't realize it, but I was followin' hoofprints that led back to the Justice. One look later and Bow String threatened to shoot me with an arrow an' eat me-

...

Naw, he ain't a pony. He's the toughest lookin' griffon I've ever seen!

...

I owe Wet Rag my life. He bit down on Bow's tail and made his arrow miss me by a gemstone's width! I was dead tired by then, so Rag hadta' drag my corpse in. Fer' a month, he was the only one that would deal with me. Course one day Mast got drunk and asked me for a story cuz' he heard them all. So I told them bout' what happened in the tunnels. By the time I was finished, the entire crew was round' me, askin' for more. I made a lotta friends that day. Maelstrom was the next. Treated me too kindly. After a while, Bow even let me have some of his pork stash, cuz' Rag told him that I ate meat.

Can't believe he's a friend now.

Everyone on the ship has a nickname. Rag's was Soap. Bow's was Bulls-eye. Maelstrom's was Mother. Mine was Pup.

...

It's not really a nickname. I've never had a name in my life. Only dogs who prove themselves are allowed to be named. So no matter how many pirates I've fought, or how many wenches I'm with, my name will always be Pup.

And that's how I like it.

Cabin Dog Pup, Frontier Justice.