Nobody said life on the frontier was easy, but when trouble comes rearing it's ugly head in. It's up to an unlikely band of heroes to save the day. With banditry on the loose and no one else to turn to. It's up to Arizona and friends to save the day.
Arizona and her family, after a long journey, have made it to Appleloosa. But this young cowgirl isn't satisfied settling down with ranch life. Meeting the local Braeburn, along with Sheriff Silverstar and Little Strongheart. These four are keen on stopping a rough-and-tumble gang in a recent string of train robberies.
This story is part of the Travelers Tales side story collection and canon to The Equestria Chronicles. But you DO NOT have to read those stories to enjoy this one.
The endless blue sky spanned hundreds of miles ahead as the desert sun scorched their hides as a dry gust of wind brushed against the herd. It had been a week into their journey to Appleloosa now. Arizona was growing impatient and tired.
Perhaps it was the gnawing feeling on her hooves paired with the blistering sun. Or perhaps she was longing for her home back at Dodge Junction. She was never described as sentimental or whiney, but even this rough n tumble calf couldn't help but long for the old days.
Arizona found herself constantly reminding herself that this hardship and stress had a purpose outside of irritating her. Texas, her father, said Appleloosa offered them an opportunity of a lifetime. There was a demand for milk and help. Both of which the herd could happily provide.
Unlike her cousins and kin in Ponyville, the herd could never settle for the…pampered lifestyle her kinfolk indulged in. A simple life of grazing and milking wasn't on the minds of her or the herd.
Texas had constantly reminded her of their ancient bovine ancestors and their distant cousins, the buffalo. Engraving a sense of familial and ancestral pride. Growing to despise the prospect of a cushy lifestyle. Seeing it has beneath the honorable semi-nomadic lifestyle her herd indulged in. Whether it be ranching or bartering for milk, there prized milk.
In the winding lanes of the cattle drive, standing at the very front of the wagon train was Texas. A massive bull with horns fit for a creature of his stature and authority. The Leader of his humble tribe. Pulling his family's wagon without faltering for a moment. His gaze locked on the orange-dry dirt roads ahead of them.
"Just a few more miles, y'all!" echoed Texas.
"You said that the last five miles!" barked Arizona.
Texas chuckled, "Well, nobody said this was going to be easy, Arizona. Just keep your head up."
Arizona took a long deep breath as her mother peaked her head from the wagon.
"Your pa is right; we can't be too far." chimed Minnesota.
"Why couldn't we move to somewhere cooler? I heard Ponyville was nice this time of year." huffed Arizona.
"Heh! You'd hate it there; our cousins live that…pampered and…soft kind of livin'." chuckled Texas.
"Can't be worse than walking in the middle of the desert just to live in another part of the desert," grumbled Arizona. Minnesota scoffed, "Have a Lil optimism Arizona; Appleloosa is supposed to be an oasis in the desert. A real cultural center!"
"Mama, I think you've been readin' too many of them travel brochures." retorted the calf.
Texas perked his head up, seeing the village just beyond the horizon, "Oop! There it is! HEY EVERYBODY, WE'RE CLOSE TO APPLELOOSA…FOR REAL THIS TIME!"
A resounding moo rumbled through the badlands as the cows quickly thundered their hooves in excitement.
"Oh! And Arizona, remember-"
“To be polite to the ponyfolk, yeh, yeh…I ain't stupid." she huffed.
Texas smirked, shoving Arizona playfully, "That's my girl!"
The bustling little town of Appleloosa was aware of their arrival, ponies poking their heads out of windows at the rumbling sound of the herd approaching them. As they grew nearer, they could even see the groves of apple trees, their fruit bright red and ready for harvest.
A sunshine yellow stallion trotted out from one of the saloons, jumping up at the sight of the crowd. He ran to the edge of town, ready to greet the newcomers.
"Well, howdy!" The stallion took off his hat, revealing a two-toned blond mane. "The name's Braeburn; welcome to Appleloosa!" His voice was cheery as could be, trotting up to Texas and offering a hoof. "Been awhile since we've had a herd come through here; for a moment there, I thought you were buffalo!"`
Texas took the pony's hoof, practically lifting him in the air as he gingerly shook it, "Buffalo!? I'm honored! Bawahah!"
Arizona smirked as he bit her lip, stifling a laugh as Braeburn flailed in the air.
The large bull presented his herd, "The name's Texas, this my daughter Arizona and my beautiful wife Minnesota is inside my wagon. We were honored when Sheriff Silverstar accepted our little community into your town."
"Now that's a hoofshake!" Braeburn stumbled, a goofy grin on his face. "Nice to meet y'all!"
Minnesota carefully climbed from the back of the wagon as she trotted forward, presenting a fresh milk bottle with a red ribbon neatly wrapped atop the bottle's neck.
"Please accept this here token of gratitude, Mr. Braeburn." smiled the cow.
Still recuperating from the mighty hoofshake, Braeburn gently took the bottle with a smile.
"Ooh, why thank you, Mrs. Minnesota, very kindly! Well, you're sure welcome to our town, and we have plenty of food to help you along the way. I'm a greeter of sorts, so I can help you set up camp nearby! If y'all need anything, just come to me!"
"Ah, don't you worry about a thing, Mr. Braeburn; we'll steer clear from causing trouble; you just tell Silverstar that we're here," Texas said with a firm pat on Braeburn's back.
"Tomorrow, we'll discuss tending to that orchard, and my wife can talk about all things milk related, y'know, settle all the intricate details!" chuckled the bull.
"Well, of course, I will!" Braeburn let out a small oof, trying not to stumble over at the force of the pat.
"Lemme just go and tell him, and we can both help you on your way! We can settle business tomorrow. I understand y'all need your rest."
Gesturing toward the town, Braeburn trotted forward. "We've cleared out a nice spot for you and your kin and prepared some food for your arrival! I hope you like apples!"
"Oh! Thank you kindly, dear they even cleared a spot for us!" smiled Minnesota.
"Lead the way! EVERYONE MOVE OUT!" thundered Texas.
Braeburn led the herd to a nice cleared spot of land next to town. Several ponies had been waiting there, preparing for their arrival, with food and a fire already set up. Braeburn trotted over to a table of pies, taking in the sweet aroma.
"Whoo-wee! I'm getting hungry myself! Welp, let's get you all settled, then we can eat." Braeburn stomped his hooves before kicking into the air. "This'll be just like raisin' a barn!"
After directing the wagons to certain areas, ponies and cows alike began to set up tents, setting down boxes and crates, talking amongst each other cheerfully.
Arizona examined the banquet table, taking all the apple-based desserts and fixings. She'd been told that the ponyfolk in Appleloosa were part of some greater family that bartered, sold, and grew apples.
But, she didn't think they ate anything but apples; that'd be like a cow consuming nothing but its milk because that's what cows made. She shook off that nagging thought as she grabbed an apple and a few empty bottles sitting in a trash can before galloping away from the festivities.
The calf laid out her bottles as she fetched her lasso resting on a large stone before quickly snagging one of the bottles with her rope.
Braeburn chatted with Texas a bit more before turning, noticing someone was missing from the crowd. He trotted away, giving the bull a nod, following his gut as he wandered along. Finally catching sight of Arizona in the distance, Braeburn slowly trotted up, not wanting to startle her.
"Well, hey there, whatcha doin' all the way out here? Not hungry?" the stallion gave her a soft smile, "Or just not a party po– er, creature?"
Arizona turned back to face the stallion, quickly snagging another bottle before she entirely focused on the pony, "Er, not what you call an…er…." she'd scratched her head, looking for the word "Social-lite."
"I understand, I enjoy a good party, but it might be exhausting after such a long journey," Braeburn nodded, scratching a hoof into the dirt, "I hope I'm not bothering you; I'll go if you don't want the company. I just wanted to offer you a cold cider from the tap." He pulled out a bottle of fresh cider, offering it to her.
Arizona slowly trotted over, seeming somewhat unsure about this pony. But the offer for cider was just too enticing; she'd quickly snatch the bottle before popping the cap off the side of her horn.
"This 'er the strong stuff?" she said before taking a swig.
"Ah well…" He bit his lip; he hadn't considered that or her age, "It might be, yes. Just uh… don't tell yer' dad? I wasn't really thinking about it…." He didn't want to incur the wrath of a bull his size.
She smirked, taking a long swig of the cider, "Don't worry about a thing; I can take care of myself. 'Sides, pa lets me have a bit of cider sometimes."
She was lying, or at least a half-truth. Pa let her have cider but most certainly not hard cider. She mostly did this to put her pony host at ease and, of course, nurse this newfound contraband in her hooves.
"So what's the deal with all the…apples."
Braeburn let out a small sigh of relief before perking up, "Ah well, it's in the name, isn't it? Appaloosa was founded by the Apple family, of which I am a part of. It's in the blood!" He held a hoof to his chest with pride, grinning widely.
"Ya probably heard of my cousin Applejack, the Element of Honesty? She's saved Equestria a buncha times!"
"Nope." Arizona said bluntly, "Never heard of no honest apple-element- no how."
"Now, what in the hay?! You musta been far off not to hear about Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis, and Lord Tirek! Although that might've been for the best, don't want y'all caught up in trouble."
Braeburn took off his hat and rubbed the back of his head, "Applejack and her friends have saved Equestria from all those villains n' more! You'd love to meet her, I'm sure."
Arizona shrugged, "I never did pay no attention to the news or pony business, to be fair. I'll take yer word about your cousin, though."
"But enough about me, how about you?" Braeburn trotted over, sitting down on a rock. "That is if you're comfortable."
She shrugged, "Ain't much to me, really. I'm the daughter of the herd leader. I enjoy ranching, roping, and a good tussling." she chuckled.
"This place ain't too different from Dodge Junction, just as boring." huffed Arizona, "You don't have any bandits or ne'er do wells, right?"
"Well, we do have some trouble with the trains; sometimes bandits will steal some cargo, but not enough to be a real issue. But if you're interested in helpin' around town, I'd ask the sheriff. He'd know what's going on and who needs a good talkin' to."
Braeburn gave her a simple shrug and a smile, "You got your eye on becomin' a deputy?"
The cogs in the calf's mind began to turn as the prospect of catching bandits entrapped her thoughts.
"Deputy….say where do these bandits tend to strike; got any uh…references?" blabbed Arizona.
"Well, they usually steal a few barrels of oats and wheat, some rye, and some supplies for making cider. We got a feelin' somepony's tryin' to cut in on our business, or perhaps they're moonshinin'. It's nothing we can't cover, but it's becoming expensive over time. Usually, during the evening, trains coming in and out of Appleloosa." Braeburn sighed, "It's a might annoying, I'll admit."
"You can't just let folks take from yah! Why don't you round up a posse and stamp em' out?" bucked Arizona as she frantically trotted in place.
"Well, we ain't see who it was doin' it, so it's hard to wrangle up a group to go and stop 'em. We only assume they've been takin' it from the train since it's accounted for when it's loaded on, but we can't find it when we unload it. It's a bit of a pickle." Braeburn sighed, plopping his hat back onto his head. "If you could help, that'd be real kind."
"Well, it beats wrangling critters every day or hauling milk around; I might as well do something around here," Arizona said as she attached her lasso to a notch on her belt.
"Where should I start? The Sheriff? Maybe I should hitch a ride on the train, or better yet, maybe we should form a posse!"
"Hold on now; it's best to talk to the sheriff before you plan to do anything else. I don't think he'd take kindly to you startin' a posse without askin' him first, 'specially if we don't know who's doing it."
Braeburn waved a hoof before standing up, "C'mon, I'll go and introduce you!"
"Oh okay, let me go tell my pa." she'd thunder loudly, "PA, I'M GONNA GO INTO TOWN WITH BRAEBURN!"
Texas roared back from the campsite, "OKAY, SUGAR BOOGER, JUST DON'T STAY OUT TOO LATE AND BOTHER HIM TOO MUCH!"
"STAY OUT OF TROUBLE, HONEY!" shouted Minnesota.
Arizona turned to Braeburn expectantly, "Lead the way."
Braeburn blinked, surprised at the sheer volume the cows could throw their voices. Shaking his head and rubbing one of his ringing ears, the stallion nodded and led the way through town. As they made their way through, Braeburn would stop for a moment and wave towards other townsfolk, giving them all a friendly, cheery smile.
"Awright, we're here!" Braeburn announced as they approached the local jail. "He might be takin' a nap, so let's try not startlin' him, eh?" Walking up the stairs, Braeburn knocked on the door before creaking it open. "Sherriff, you home?"
As the door creaked open, the small office of the sheriff was revealed to be empty. Untouched from any foreign elements, with his paperwork resting on his desk and his small living and bed neatly tended to.
Arizona put a hoof to her chin, "It must be a kidnapping; they're getting bolder, it seems….we need to take the law in our own hooves!"
Braeburn chuckled, "Naw, he's probably doin' rounds or at his house– he doesn't actually live here; he only sleeps overnight if there's somepony in the lock-up. That's usually Shot Glass; he just can't take his cider or his saltlick." He shook his head, letting out a low whistle.
"Might just wanna leave him a note, or we can wait until he comes back. I'm in no hurry." Braeburn shrugged.
"Howdy Braeburn, who's the calf?" echoed Silverstar from behind.
The old sheriff greeted the two as he raised his brow at the sight of Arizona, "Ah, you must be the new herd of cattle. Welcome to Appleloosa; I'm Sheriff Silverstar, and I run these parts. It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am." he'd tip his hat.
"Though, I'm a bit surprised," he'd turn to Braeburn, "I thought we agreed you'd handle all the formalities and such. Is something wrong?"
"Ah, she just wanted to meetcha; apparently, she's got her sights on that little train problem we've been dealin' with." Braeburn nodded, giving him a relaxed grin. "I figured it would be nice of her to meet you and maybe discuss it a Lil more since you got all the details."
Silverstar chuckled, "Starry-eyed, are we? Looking for glory or bits?"
"I just wan' to help, besides I can whip some bandits into shape. I'm no pushover." huffed Arizona.
Silverstar rubbed his temple, lifting his hat from his eyes as he examined Arizona's gaze, "Welp, if you're interested in the law business, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to at least inform you of the details. Braeburn you want to join us?"
Braeburn sighed, "Welp, I suppose I got her into this by mentionin' it. I should see it through, for safety." He glanced over at her with a soft smile, "Not that I think you're incapable, but I'd rather not tell yer Paw that I let you get hurt and I wasn't there to help."
"Come inside then," beckoned Silverstar.
The stallion quickly presented his work on a stray table near a tack board, "Well, we've been getting bushwacked for about a few months. At first, we thought it was just a few numerical errors from our loaders and suppliers."
"Then it went from a few barrels of rye and wheat to a few dozen. A few hundred bits in losses to a few a thousand very quickly. But it was an in and out gig, no scuffle or witnesses… that was until last week when one of the engineers saw a herd of ponies and a few buffalo openly steal from there."
"Up until now, we just thought it was rumors or ponies from Dodge Junction stealing from us or miscounting. But now it's just plain ole' banditry." sighed Silverstar.
"Well… why don't you posse up and fight 'em?" prodded Arizona.
"Well, I only have about… three ponies, sometimes four if Braeburn helps, and they tend to the responsibilities of Appleloosa. Braeburn runs the local Orchard, I handle the ongoings and legal finagling, while my boys ensure peace and civility in Appleloosa."
"We just don't have the numbers to put it plainly." shrugged Silverstar.
"Er, what about Braeburn's cousin?" retorted Arizona.
"Ha! Applejack? She's got way more important business than tending to some bandits. After all, she's the element of Honesty; it's kinda a big deal." sighed Silverstar.
"I wish my cousin could come and visit. Maybe I could send her a letter." Braeburn offered.
"Sorry, Braeburn, she's on some sort of pilgrimage or something, can't take a letter right now."
"Figures," Braeburn grumbled.
Arizona sighed, "Then I'll just do it myself; make me a deputy, and I'll nip this problem in the rear!"
"Well, hold on there now, we're civilized folk ain't we? We're not gonna just wrangle up a group and go stormin' in. We should at least talk first and make sure we're gettin' the right ones. If we ain't careful, we might accidentally accuse someone who's innocent." Braeburn spoke up, trying to make sure no one ran off without a plan.
"Do we have any names or faces?"
Silverstar shook his head, "Nope, the only thing we know for sure is that some buffalo helped in the robbery, but it was too dark out to see anypony's face."
"Well, then perhaps we should interview the Buffalo and see if anyone saw or heard anything to do with it." Braeburn nodded, turning to Arizona, "You'll be a great help too. Ooh, maybe I could introduce you to a friend of mine; y'all might get along! Her name's Lil Strongheart."
"So we're opening an investigation? Let's get to the bottom of this and bring these thieves to justice!" stamped Arizona.
Silverstar slowly glanced at a clock on the wall, reading it was 9 PM, "... Can't it wait til morning?"
Arizona sighed, "....you ponyfolk are strange to me."
"You'll learn," Braeburn chuckled, "Now, let's get you back to camp."
The morning sun crept over the horizon as the cattle drive rose with it to get ready for the day. But Arizona wasn’t preparing for her usual tasks of herding or toating milk. No, she was getting ready for her first day as a lawcow.
She’d fetch her saddle, lasso, and bandana. Freshening in up, as her mama put it. As she climbed out of her wagon, Texas lumbered over.
“Darlin’, what are you doing dressed like that?” pried Texas.
“Pa, I’ve got a new job.” beamed Arizona.
“A new job? Is it helping Braeburn with the orchard?”
“No, pa, I’m helping Sheriff Silverstar put some train robbers away!”
Minnesota peered from the other side of the wagon, “Oh my, well, you be safe y’hear? And don’t stay out too late!”
“Ma, we can’t just let Lil Arizona go run off and put herself at risk with a bunch of criminals!” huffed Texas.
“Oh, pa, leave her be. I remember a certain bull who wanted to indulge in some wanderlust,” smirked Minnesota.
“But–”
“She’ll be fine; I’m sure the Sheriff won’t put her in serious danger. Go have fun, sugar.” fawned the cow.
“Thanks, ma! I’ll be safe; see you at suppertime!” galloped Arizona.
Texas sighed, “... I worry, y’know, she’s growing up so fast….”
Minnesota rested against the larger bull, “I know you do honey bun, but you should’ve seen it comin’; she is YOUR daughter after all.”
Meanwhile, above the jailhouse, the newly formed posse discussed their plan…
Silverstar stroked his mustache, “Okay, Braeburn. I’ll get the deputies to talk to the engineers while you talk to the Buffalo.”
Arizona stormed through the door, “Did I miss anything!? I’m not late, am I!?”
Silverstar tumbled over as he fell behind his desk, groaning. “... Good morning Arizona… I’m glad to see you’re still on board with joining the law business….”
“Naw, you came just in time!” Braeburn gave her a cheery grin, tipping his hat to the heifer. “Glad to see you wide awake and bushy-tailed! We were just discussin’ who’s gonna go where. I’m gonna go speak with the Buffalo, and I’d be happy to have the help if you’re willin’.”
The stallion sipped a cup of what appeared to be black coffee, smacking his lips. “Oh, and I’d like to introduce you to Strongheart! I imagine you’ll get along well.”
Arizona trotted over, “She another pony?”
Silverstar peeled himself off the floor as he adjusted his hat, “Nope, she’s the daughter of the buffalo, Chief Thunderhooves.”
“You think it might be the Buffalo themselves causin’ this ruckus? Didn’t you say it were Buffalo who helped them ponies?”
Silverstar chuckled, “You think there’s only one buffalo tribe? No, ma’am, we can’t go around swinging our weight around. We learned our lesson last time. ‘Sides, we’re on good terms; we had a Pow-wow or two with em.’”
Silverstar continued, “Nope, it could be a rival tribe, or some bad apples helping other bad apples seems more like it.”
Arizona huffed, “But what if it IS them?”
“Then we gotta organize a communion, I suppose, see what’s the problem.” shrugged Silverstar.
Arizona groaned, “What about fightin’?”
“You don’t fight yer family, do yah?”
Arizona grew quiet.
Silverstar raised a brow, “Hm… well, it ain’t the pony way, right Braeburn?”
Braeburn grimaced, looking a little awkward at the Sheriff’s wording. “Well, I’d like to avoid a fight and just help out rather than instigate anything. Let’s just do what we can to find out who’s doin’ it and take it from there?”
The stallion adjusted the hat on his head, taking another noisy sip of his coffee. “We should probably move while the sun’s still up. It’s going to take a nice trot to get to the Buffalo territory. Let’s load up on canteens and some snacks before we go. We need to stay hydrated after all!”
Silverstar nodded, “Well, since Arizona is here, why don’t you two go chat with the Buffalo? Maybe they’ll treat Arizona like kinfolk since… y’know. I think I’ll get through the paperwork of this here newly founded investigation.”
“But feel free to use some of my material and borrow some funds to get yerself some munitions. I’ll write it off as official police business. Heh.” smirked Silverstar.
“Ain’t that stealing?” questioned Arizona.
“No, darlin’, that’s what we adults call, “a tax write-off.”
Arizona passed a look to Braeburn.
Braeburn simply gave her an uncertain smile and a shrug of the shoulders before grabbing a few bits. “Just enough to get us some canteens, I’ll pay for the food myself.”
“Welp, let’s get a move on while the sun’s up! I don’t wanna come back after dark.” The stallion was still critically aware of her father, and he didn’t want to bring her back at night. And it was just the gentlecolt-like thing to do.
Opening the door, Braeburn held it for Arizona to exit, looking out at the bright sunny day. “Quite a nice day too, I’ll say!”
Arizona trotted out the door; it was growing ever apparent that there was a giant chip on this youngin’s shoulder as the calf appeared uneasy and hungry for an adventure.
After a quick trip to the shop, Arizona carried the supplies on the long walk to the Buffalo territories.
“So what exactly are these Buffalo like? Pa always said they’re noble creatures that our herd strives to be like. But I think he’s full of it. We don’t wear feathers or stampede across the plains. We just tug wagons around and do jobs you ponyfolk are too frail to do… or lazy… no offense.”
Braeburn cocked a brow, shifting his jaw. “Er, none taken, I suppose. We try to pull our weight, but sometimes we just need an extra helpin’ hoof.”
“Now the Buffalo? We had a bit of an issue with them in the past over territory and their ritual stampeding grounds, but we’ve cleared that up. They’re real kind creatures when you get to know em’, and I’d say they’re pretty noble. You’ll see what I mean when we get there.” He gave her a wink, trotting forward.
It was another hour or so before they spotted the Buffalo camp in the distance, their tipi tents sticking out in the desert. Braeburn stopped for a brief moment to catch his breath and take a deep drink of his canteen, wiping the sweat off his brow with the back of his hoof.
“Finally! For a bit, I was worried we were going in the wrong direction, heh!” He chuckled, “Let’s hope the Chief isn’t busy.”
“Oh, he’s not.” replied a voice.
Jumping up, Braeburn turned around to face a smaller buffalo, a female, obviously. She hadn’t had her growth spurt yet, but her size gave her the advantage of being quick and nearly silent. Braeburn let out a sigh of relief, chuckling.
“Jeez Strongheart, gimme some warnin’! Nearly gave me a heart attack.” He held a hoof to his chest, grinning.
“You should expect it by now,” The Buffalo grinned before turning to his companion, “And who’s this?”
Arizona passed a suspicious glance at the buffalo calf, “The names Arizona. I’m the daughter of my pa Texas, leader of the local herd ’round these parts. We’ve heard that some buffalo have been involved in some train robberies.”
Strongheart blinked while Braeburn grimaced, cringing internally. The stallion opened his eyes hesitantly, waiting for her response.
“Now, where did you hear of this?” Strongheart replied coolly, crossing her front legs as she gave the cow an unreadable stare.
“Now, she didn’t mean anything by it!” Braeburn felt a bead of sweat go down his brow, “We have been havin’ some… troubles, and some eyewitnesses saw some buffalo AND ponies robbing our train's supplies. We ain’t accusing nobody yet, but we’d like some help.”
Arizona looked between the two, unable to read their expressions.
She’d slowly continue, “I’m sure there’s a legal definition or somethin’, but we’d like to just ask a few things. Like, do you know of any er… bad apples who would wanna participate in such thievery?”
Little Strongheart shifted, “Well, of course, we have troublemakers, and plenty of them have experience in train robbing.”
She chuckled a little at the memory of stealing a TREE from a train. “So yes, I could point to a few that could be the possible criminal. But I’m not aware of anyone leaving the camp past ten for the past few days.”
“Well, all of our cargo is being stolen around the early morning and late at night, so let’s hope it ain’t someone sneakin’ out.” Braeburn nodded. “Don’t suppose we can talk to yer dad?”
“Of course, c’mon.” Strongheart smiled and nodded, gesturing the two to follow.
Thunderhooves sat in his tent as he chanted an incantation. An ancient tradition passed down since the dawn of the first buffalo tribes. Carefully waving around burning incense in his tent as he slowly exhaled.
Despite his massive size, the buffalo chief was careful and thoughtful in every action he took. Carefully placing the incense in special wood craved holders as he began to pray.
His ritual would be disrupted by the foreign sound of pottery and dishes crashing outside.
Thunderhooves snorted as he stamped from his tent, “What is going on out here!?”
The chief would see the small group cleaning up a freshly made mess of broken pottery.
Arizona slowly turned to face the chief, “Uh… tripped?” she said lamely.
The buffalo chief towered over them, he was bigger than Texas, and for once, Arizona’s inner fire subsided as a wave of terror crashed over her like a roaring wave.
Thunderhooves sighed, “Little Strongheart, would you like to speak for our friends here?”
Little Strongheart trotted up, “Don’t worry about it, Dad, they’re just visiting. Braeburn says that some train robbers are stealing Appleloosa’s supplies. He just wanted to see if any of our tribe was involved, but I doubt it. We take headcount every night, don’t want to be lost out in the cold of night.”
“Of course, we don’t mean anything by it!” Braeburn lifted a hoof; as good standing as they were now, he still didn’t want to anger the fellow. “And it wasn’t just Buffalo; like I said, apparently, there were ponies too. We just wanna see if anyone here saw anything, that’s all.”
Thunderhooves huffed, “I understand the formalities and such, Braeburn, we take no offense… but we have renounced any hostility towards Appleloosa long ago. But I fear this may be another tribe’s doing, or perhaps just some Buffalo acting on their own accord…”
“So yer sayin’ that it’s either some other tribe or a handful of buffalo feelin’ a bit opportunistic?” chimed Arizona.
Thunderhooves mused for a long moment before answering, “... yes.”
“Dang it! Well, this was a waste of time.” sighed Arizona.
“Not necessarily; I can still help you ask around.” Little Strongheart nodded, “I’ve already attended to all of my duties anyways, and it would be nice to stretch my legs.”
Thunderhooves sighed, “Alright, Little Strongheart, but be warned. Do NOT agitate the other tribes about this.”
“Yes, dad…” Strongheart rolled her eyes, sighing.
“That’d be a great help, thank you!” Braeburn grinned, “Since you know the way, why don’t you lead us?”
“Alright, just try and watch your hooves this time.” Strongheart threw Arizona a small smirk.
Arizona rolled her eyes, “How do you even walk around here? There’s fragile pottery around every corner!”
“Buffalo are bigger than you, yet we can still avoid crushing everything.” Strongheart chuckled, trotting ahead, “You don’t wanna make the bull in the china shop trope real, do you?”
Arizona huffed, “Why don’t you trade in the fragile clay pots for some metal ones and just avoid all the heartache about it!”
“Does it look like we have an excess of metal out here? We make do with what we can and what the land provides.” Strongheart rolled her eyes at the calf's ignorance.
“Now now, let’s just keep focus on the task at hoof.” Braeburn cut in, trying to soothe any growing tensions. “So, where should we start first?”
The small Buffalo snorted, “Well, we can start with some of the teenagers. Eagleclaw and Turned Stone are always getting their noses into trouble. C’mon, it’s this way.” She gestured with a hoof, leading the way.
As the Buffalo led the way, the group encountered the teenagers in question. They were bigger than Strongheart but nowhere near as bulky as her father, and they were much straggly in comparison. The ruffians appeared to be practicing their trampling.
“Trampling? Looks like a warm-up for another scheme by the looks of it.” sneered Arizona.
Little Strongheart turned to the cow, “It’s a ritual of our tribe to stamp down and mark out territory… and it’s just in good fun.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen ’em do it before.” Braeburn nodded, “C’mon now, Arizona, don’t need to be suspicious of everyone.” He gave her a wink.
“It’s an investigation; we’re supposed to be suspicious of things!” huffed Arizona.
Trotting up to the Buffalo, Little Strongheart introduced them. “Hey, Eagle, Stone.” She held out a hoof for them to bump, giving them a relaxed grin. “How’s it going?”
The young bulls quickly turned their heads and returned a small hoofbump, “Lil Strongheart, why do you bring these foreigners here?” hmpfed, Eagleclaw.
“Yeah, Strongheart, they’ll just cramp on our style!” scoffed Turned Stone.
Little Strongheart pshed, “Oh, you know Braeburn, he’s just here on business. Apparently, this one, though, is here to help him. I suppose you could call her our cousin. Her name’s Arizona.” She threw the heifer a smirk.
“Well, apparently someone’s been robbin’ trains again, and we were wonderin’ if you knew anything about it. Not accusin’ you of nothing, just wondering if you heard of anything.” Braeburn smiled softly, a little nervous but trying to cut through any resentment that might be rising.
“We might know somethin’, but that’s buffalo business!” insisted Eagleclaw.
“If you know somethin’, then spill it!” snapped Arizona.
“Oooohhhh, I like this one; she’s actually got a bit of fight in her, unlike the last herd of cows!” chuckled Turned Stone.
“I’ll show yah just how different I am compared to those namby-pamby cows!’ snorted Arizona.
The two teens looked to one another, “... Alright, we can make this bovine business then, under two conditions! One, the pony stays out, and two, we challenge you to a trampling!”
“Oh boy, now you started it.” Little Strongheart sighed, rolling her eyes. “Fine! But I’m helpin’ her out. She’s gonna need it.” She cast and grinned at the bovine.
“Uh… there’s not gonna be any fightin’ involved, is there?” He could only imagine the look on Texas’ face if his daughter came home with a bruise, especially under his supervision.
Turned Stone and Eagleclaw gave one another a look before smirking, “That’s none of your business, pony. This is official bovine business.” chuckled Eagleclaw
“Yeah, beat it equine! This is bovine business!” chimed Turned Stone.
Braeburn bit his lip and took a step back while he shook his head and regained his confidence. “I ain’t movin’ if anyone’s gettin’ hurt.”
Little Strongheart trotted over and laid a hoof on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I won’t let her get hurt and besides, I think she can handle herself.” Braeburn sighed and reluctantly nodded, taking a few steps back.
“Alright, let’s get to it.” The smaller Buffalo grinned.
“Soooo, what do we do? Kick up dust?” Arizona cocked a brow.
The bulls laughed, “It’s a trampling; you run in a straight line and don’t stop for nothing!” exclaimed Eagleclaw.
“Yeah! Doesn’t matter if it’s a stone, cacti, or another buffalo. You don’t stop til you drop!” seconded Turned Stone.
“What if y’all run off a cliff?”
The two scoffed, “Don’t be ridiculous; we’re buffalo; we know the land.” Eagleclaw answered.
Arizona sighed, “Fine, so, like, are there teams?”
“Duh, unless you want a free-for-all.” Turned Stone said with an eye roll.
“Don’t belittle me because I don’t know yer crazy traditions!” huffed Arizona, “Now let’s get going, I don’t have all day.”
The Buffalo and Arizona would get into position, standing shoulder to shoulder as they faced the endless Equestrian badlands.
“Three… two… go!” The teens quickly galloped forward.
“THAT’S CHEATIN’!” roared Arizona as she raced after them.
Little Strongheart, with her petite frame and long legs, blasted past Arizona and the two other, bulkier Buffalo. Nothing seemed to stop her either, jumping over large boulders and breaking through cacti. She never stopped her unrelenting charge.
Braeburn watched from a distance, biting his hooves as he worried over the two. He hadn’t considered Little Strongheart getting hurt, and if that happened… he wasn’t sure who he was more frightened of, Texas or Thunderhooves.
The two bulls allowed Strongheart to pass, which was unusual for their competitive nature. As Strongheart raced by, Arizona felt the two bulls close in on her.
“A little personal space?” she asked before getting shoved, “Hey!”
The two bulls would shove Arizona into one another, laughing as the much smaller calf was bounced between the much larger Buffalo.
Little Strongheart looked back, her eyes widening at the sight before turning around, racing back towards her fellow Buffalo with her head held down, ready to bulldoze the older, heavier Buffalo or get trampled herself.
“You stop that!” She shouted, gritting her teeth as she prepared for the impact, “She ain’t buffalo, but that doesn’t matter!”
“Aw, come on, Strongheart, let us have our fun!” laughed Eagle Claw.
“Yeah! Don’t be a party pooper– Woah!” The two Buffalo were practically launched in the air as Arizona stamped her hooves into the earth beneath her, shattering the dry, rocky surface.
“Get out of my way; I’m tramplin’ over ‘ere!” snorted Arizona, “Watch out Strongheart! Mess with this cow; you get the horns!”
Strongheart managed to skid to a halt, avoiding the two flying buffalo before moving out of Arizona’s way, allowing the cow to pass. A small smile crept onto her face as she raced after her, quickly gaining speed and joining her.
“That was impressive; you got magic or something?” Little Strongheart asked, her brow raised as she kept up the pace.
“Magic!? Naw! My pa taught me how to stomp! It’s one of my favorite things, right next to kicking!” grinned Arizona.
The bulls quickly got on their hooves as they caught up to the two calves, “Not bad for a dairy cow!” grinned Eagleclaw.
“Heck, could you teach me? I’d love to learn.” The smaller Buffalo asked.
“Yeah! You hit pretty hard, hehe.” parroted Turned Stone.
“Alright, let’s talk bovine business,” Eagleclaw said as the group screeched to a halt.
“Good, now tell us what you know. You weren’t involved, were you?” Little Strongheart squinted at the pair with suspicious eyes.
“Nah, we aren’t about that anymore, Little Strongheart, honest!” insisted Turned Stone.
“However, there are a few buffalo from neighboring tribes who are indeed about that.” Eagleclaw grimaced.
“... About what?” questioned Arizona.
“Some buffalo aren’t happy that Appleloosa exists; even after the Apple War, there are those who want to see Appleloosa destroyed,” explained Eagleclaw.
“Yeah! Some guy was rounding up a bunch of disgruntled Buffalo to work with some pony outlaws. We don’t like those ponies very much but isn’t it kinda weird you’re willing to work with ponies to hurt other ponies?” pondered Turned Stone.
“Back to the point, if you want to find those bandits, you’ll have to head north until you find The Shabuff.”
“Sha-what now?” question Arizona.
“The Shabuff, he’s a spiritual leader cousin. Of the buffalo way of life,” smirked Turned Stone.
“Uh… huh… I guess we’ll inform the Sheriff and Thunderhooves then.” sighed Arizona.
“Hey! You didn’t hear that from us! The Shabuff got eyes and ears everywhere; I heard he’ll use the spirits to CURSE you!” warned Turned Stone.
“Just keep us out of this; we don’t want trouble with the chief or the Shabuff.” sighed Eagleclaw.
“Yeah yeah, alright, just keep your noses out of trouble!” Little Strongheart nodded, “And thanks for the information. C’mon Arizona, let’s go tell Braeburn. He’d want to know this.”
After finding the yellow stallion sitting, nervously waiting for the pair, Little Strongheart relayed everything they had just learned to him.
“Shabuff, huh? Well, that’ll be mighty interesting… Thanks, Strongheart; we couldn’t have done it without ya.” Braeburn smiled cheerfully and with some relief to see neither of them got hurt.
“Naaah, this one can handle her own.” Little Strongheart bumped Arizona on the shoulder, “Wanna head over there now and talk to him? We still got light, but it’ll take quite a walk.”
The stallion grimaced, “I’m not sure we have the supplies for that; plus, we need to let the Sheriff and your fathers know what's goin’ on.”
Arizona sighed, “You got as much bite as a wet rag. Fine, let’s go tell Strongheart’s pa and head back to regroup!”
It was nearing sunset when they finally arrived back at the town, the sun sending golden rays through the sky. After settling down in the jail for a moment to rehydrate and speak, Braeburn and the Sheriff agreed it was best not to move til the next day or so, just to prepare a group to go and meet this Sha-buff.
“It’s for the best; we’ll need to rest up and recuperate from that journey earlier anyhow,” Braeburn replied, taking a nice long gulp of water from a canteen. Turning to Arizona, he remarked, “We should also go and tell your Pa; he’d like to know where you’re gonna be runnin’ off to.”
Offering Arizona the canteen, he continued, “We should also consider that these folk might not be the ones causing our issues, so let’s not run in head first with assumptions.”
Arizona scoffed, “What do you mean assume? Those two buffalo told me, and Strongheart that the Sha-buff is looking for a bunch of bulls are workin’ for some bandits! It’s pretty obvious, and why aren’t we leaving now? We got the information now, so we can at least go see if these boys are bad news.”
“Because we just went on a journey to the Buffalo tribes. Do you have any idea how far the journey to the Sha-buff is?” Braeburn replied softly, “And we can’t be jumping to conclusions either. Let’s get some rest, and in the morning, maybe we can round up a few helpin’ hooves and make our way down there. Lil’ Strongheart offered to show us the way.”
“He said north; why do we need a guide!?” sighed Arizona, “Let’s round up the posse now and put an end to the banditry; it only makes sense!” stamped Arizona.
“Arizona, it’s turnin’ dark! We can’t just run out into the desert in the middle of the night without a guide!” Braeburn replied back, “Besides, we still haven’t spoken to your Pa! I’m not leavin’ without his permission.”
She sighed, shaking her head, “Fine, fine. I’ll go home and tell pa about the plan. You go talk to Silverstar.”
Braeburn cocked a brow, unsure how to take her sudden acceptance. Taking another swig from his canteen, he shrugged and nodded. “Alright, I suppose… but don’t you get any funny ideas, got it?”
Arizona huffed, rolling her eyes, “You ain’t gotta worry about nothing; I got it!” she’d quickly gallop toward the outskirts of town where the cattle drive was.
The young heifer relayed the future plan that Braeburn instructed to her father and mother, but a new plan was concocted in her mind’s eye. She’ll catch those bandits herself– she just needed to wait.
It was midnight, Luna’s moon high in the desert sky as the stars spanned across the infinite sea of darkness. Most creatures were deep in slumber, but tonight Arizona rose with the moon like a creature of the night.
Tonight she would have her glory, the adventure of a lifetime, and finally, prove herself to Braeburn and Silverstar. Maybe even put some pep in those lazy ponies’ steps. She had geared up, saddle, munitions, and lasso at the ready. After sneaking out of camp, she now needed to head north which didn’t require any guide, just follow the north star and don’t stop til she found something.
“Now, where do you think you’re headed off to, young lady?” A familiar voice called from the darkness. Stepping out from behind a large rock, the outline of Braeburn’s stetson was unmistakable. “Just a Lil midnight stroll?”
The stallion snickered before shaking his head and lighting a lantern by his side. “Y’all didn’t think I don’t know your type? Yer just like my cousin Applejack, too impatient, always needs to get things done herself.”
“So you’re willin’ to put in the effort to stop me but not the criminals!?” groaned Arizona, “I’m going to put those bandits to justice!”
Arizona sighed, “You’re not stoppin’ me from this!”
“I’m willin’ to put in the effort to make sure you don’t get hurt and I don’t get trampled to death.” Braeburn shot back before snickering. “And I ain’t fixin’ to stop you; I’m here to help. If you’re really this insistent, I don’t suppose I could stop ya, even if I wanted to. But I can’t just let ya go off on yer’ own, now can I?”
“Wait… so you’re not stopping me?” Arizona paused, slowly scratching the back of her head as she sighed, “Well then, let’s just keep walkin’ til we find something.”
“Oh, don’t worry ’bout that; I got help.” He snickered, winking. Out from the same rock trotted Little Strongheart, the young buffalo giving the cow a cocky smile.
“Tryin’ to sneak off, huh? Well, I can’t blame you. Now c’mon, better get moving before it gets too cold.” Little Strongheart smirked.
Arizona narrowed her eyes before huffing, “This is gettin’ out of handle; who else is here!?”
Sheriff Silverstar slowly peered from the other side of the rock.
Arizona sighed, “Let’s go!”
After a long trek through the moonlit night, they could smell burning tinder from a fire. The air was thick with a smoky haze. Silverstar quickly hopped onto his belly as he sifted through the dirt like a snake, following the smell until he reached a fire pit.
The smoking logs and dying embers were all that remained; the sheriff quickly hopped up on his hooves, “This here fire’s been just put out; there are critters nearby.”
“No, really?” Little Strongheart cocked a brow, drawing out the sarcastic quip. “Well, whoever they were, they ran off quick… must have heard us coming. Although it doesn’t look like a buffalo camp, I don’t see a tipi.”
Braeburn trotted around the firepit, looking for any clues in the sand. “Looks like they left their dinner behind.” He poked what looked like a bowl of soup of some sort.
Silverstar rolled his eyes at the buffalo before trotting over to the bowl, quickly stiffing and sampling the dish, “Mhm… mhm… this here is pony food, yup. This is definitely NOT a buffalo camp.”
Arizona lifted her lantern as she examined the few scattered hoofprints that survived the many gusts of wind, “The tracks point northbound.”
“Wonder why they would just drop all their gear though…” mused Silverstar as he rubbed his temple, “You think the Sha-bull is havin’ a meeting?”
Braeburn nodded, “Perhaps, or they were frightened off thinkin’ we were bandits. I wouldn’t blame ’em; it’s a bit odd to go trottin’ through the desert at night. I just hope they don’t get lost.”
“I think they’ll be fine.” Little Strongheart replied, rubbing her chin as she mused. “Well, either way, we’ll catch up to them if we keep up the pace.”
“Well, let’s not stray behind then!” reared Arizona before she galloped after the tracks.
Silverstar sighed as he grumbled, “Kids….”
After a long march deeper into the desert, the posse could see a large canyon in the distance with several fires glowing brightly and a cloud of smog hanging high in the sky.
“Well, if this ain’t a meet-up, you can call me a zonkey’s uncle!” chuckled Silverstar.
“Looks about right.” Little Strongheart craned her neck to look down, recognizing several traditional tipis, some in different colors signifying different tribes, amongst the typical pony tents. “And there sure is Buffalo down there.”
“I reckon this is where the Sha-buff is.” Braeburn cracked a smile, looking around the canyon to find an entrance. “But how in the heck are we gonna get down there without breakin’ our necks?”
“No time for caution, hup!” Arizona quickly hopped over the edge, slamming her hooves on the side of the canyon as she slid down toward a nearby ledge. Looking upward at the posse and gesturing them to follow.
Silverstar sighed, “Let’s try to do that a bit more carefully… Let’s tie our lasso together, Braeburn, and I’ll lower you and Strongheart while I go on the lookout.”
The young buffalo lowered her head and dragged a hoof through the sand. “I ain’t bein’ showin’ up; you two find your own way down!”
Mimicking the bovine, Little Strongheart skidded her way down, trying not to show how frightened she was by the action. Her hooves may have been made for more challenging terrain, but not this.
Reaching the bottom, Strongheart stumbled just barely before landing, wiping her brow triumphantly.
Braeburn traded a look with Silverstar before sighing, “Alright, just… lower me down, and we’ll meet up soon.”
“Strongheart, you’re in charge of Arizona til Braeburn gets down there!” shouted Silverstar.
The older stallion sighed as he sat on the ground, “Alright… let’s tie knots…” he sighed, “Kids… can you believe those two?”
Braeburn chuckled softly, “Ah, I remember what it was like to be that young, full of vigor, needin’ to prove yourself. They’ll mellow out.” Braeburn began to expertly tie knots, pulling out a lasso, readying himself for a plunge.
Little Strongheart gave the bovine a grin before shrugging. “Well, you heard him; I’m in charge. Let’s go and see what we can learn while we wait for Braeburn to get down here.”
“Don’t let your head get full of air because of what that old coot said.” huffed the heifer.
As they crept down the canyon, they could faintly hear the sounds of creatures talking, their voices echoing off the walls of the canyon.
“Oh, noblest of warriors! Rise! Rise for a new dawn, an era of buffalo freedom! For tonight we will go down in history as saviors!” thundered a gruff voice.
“For too long, many of our brothers and sisters have grown content with the pony settlers who occupy our stomping grounds! For too long, they and those who propose co-existence have mocked our ancient traditions and culture!”
“But fear not, my humble flock of ye faithful and true, we will make sure that these settler ponies, these Appleloosans, will be gone, and we will convert and nudge our brother and sister tribes toward the true way of the buffalo!”
Arizona looked over to Strongheart, “He uh… speaking truth to power to yah or something?”
Little Strongheart wrinkled her nose, her ears pinned down to her skull as the words absorbed into her mind. “What… no! I wanted to co-exist all along with the townsfolk, it was just a disagreement, but we got over it! We can go through our traditional stomping grounds now, and in exchange, we get supplies like produce from the orchard. We aren’t mocking tradition, and neither are the ponies!”
At least, to her knowledge.
Arizona quickly muffled Strongheart by covering her mouth with a hoof, “Keep your head on your shoulders! We’re tryin’ to be quiet, now let’s keep listenin’; maybe they’ll talk about robbin’ folks.”
They’d quickly shuffle closer to the voice.
“The Spirits have guided me to you all, demanding that their land be liberated from the clutches of the ponies who reside there, and with the help of our undesirables for allies, we will spark a war.”
“By blowing up the train, my children, do you see? Unlike our pony allies who seek nothing more than tribute, we seek purity and the restoration of the old ways. Where buffalo roam the vast plains unopposed by the machinations of pony technology and pony authority.”
Another voice cut through the esoteric chant, “Hey, could you not call us’ undesirables’? We did get yer dynamite, after all. So will we be gettin’ the loot in the cars once we replace them with explosives, right?”
“Yes! And after that, you will leave our lands and never return!”
“Hey, I don’t give a hoot about no buffalo lands no how; all yer lands are dry as a bone.”
The first voice sighed at the second voice.
“Well, that answers our question.” Little Strongheart tore Arizona’s hoof from her mouth, giving her a dirty look. “So, what do you plan on doing? Yer’ not gonna jump up there and start a fight, are you? ‘Cus we’re kinda surrounded.”
“It’d be best if we just meet up with Braeburn and the Sheriff and tell ’em what we overheard.” The young buffalo whispered.
Arizona pressed her hooves to the sides of her head as she crafted another plan, “We… light the explosives, get Braeburn and the sheriff, then we high-tail it out of here.”
“That way, we get rid of the dynamite and these crazy creatures.”
Little Strongheart’s eyes widened, “Are you crazy? That could kill someone! We’re not gonna endanger lives because they wanna blow up a train! We take the dynamite and high-tail it outta here. Or… or we just leave, have Braeburn send a message to Canterlot!” The young buffalo tried to keep her voice down, attempting to avoid drawing attention.
“I’m no expert in buffalo culture or anything, but it sounds like that guy wants to start a war! We’ll save the lives of every Appleloosan and the neighboring towns if we just get rid of these criminals! Who cares if we blow ’em up!” The heifer fired back.
“And how do you expect us to sneak up to their stash and light it up? Neither of us got any matches, and I doubt they’re leaving it unguarded!” Strongheart hissed, feeling her hackles rise. “Don’t be so bull-headed!”
“Ah, shaddup. Let me think!” She tapped her hooves to her head before smashing a nearby stone with her head, “I got it; these guys are like zealots, right?”
“I guess?” Little Strongheart shrugged, “This is the first time I’m hearing any of this stuff, but it sure sounds like that.”
“Alright, tie me up and say yer one of them and then find the dynamite, and before you say you don’t have a match…” she’d quickly strike her horns against the canyon wall, quickly sending sparks off the wall.
“Eh? Eh? Then we high tail it out of there once you light the dynamite.”
Little Strongheart considered the plan for a second before shaking her head, “Are you insane? I’m the daughter of a Chieftan; I can’t be recognized here! It could bring danger to my tribe! Can’t we just go back and tell the sheriff before we get spotted, or do you have a death wish?!” She seemed appalled that this outsider was so gung-ho to cause mayhem, especially since it could cause injury or even death.
“You do realize they haven’t HURT anyone yet, right? They might be talking about blowing up the train, but they haven’t said anything about killing ponies!”
Arizona groaned, “Read between the lines, Strongheart. How are you gonna get rid of an entire village? Askin’ nicely? They’re obviously gonna blow them up or crush them in a war. I ain’t lettin’ that happen. Besides, I want them to recognize you; if they realize who you are, they’ll trust you more and let us get close to the explosives.”
“I don’t want another war, and I don’t want to bring any more attention to my tribe than we already have by being here!” Strongheart hissed, “Now, they might be planning something, but this gives us the advantage to build up a solid defense! If we go in heads first, we might just get caught, and the town gets destroyed! What will that leave us then?!”
“I guess you’ll just have to wait and find out.” Chuckled a stranger, a pony with a long dark duster coat and thin-brimmed hat trotted over, having overheard their conversation. “Howdy ladies, would you two be real kind and come with me, please?”
Little Strongheart gritted her teeth and traded a look with the bovine before turning around and bucking at the pony, knocking him down before she began to flee through the crowd, not looking back. With her tiny body and long legs, she weaved through the large buffalo and herds of ponies effortlessly.
The pony tumbled over, hissing in pain, “WE GOT AN INTRUDER! C’MON, FELLAS, WE CAN’T HAVE LOOSE ENDS.”
Arizona quickly lassoed the bandit as she swung him around, smashing the pony into buffalo and pony alike, “GET BRAEBURN STRONGHEART, I’LL COVER YAH!”
The calf quickly bucked a pony coming up from behind her, “RUN STRONGHEART, RUN!”
“YOU DON’T NEED TO TELL ME TWICE!” The young buffalo hollered back, putting her head down as she ran past a few dozen tents before being confronted with a roadblock of buffalo in her way. Gritting her teeth, she readied herself as she galloped faster before choosing the right moment to jump.
She soared over the group, leaving them slack-jawed at her speed before she hit the ground and kept running. Nothing could stop her now.
Silverstar could see the mob of torches and overhear the shouting as he slowly lowered Braeburn, gripping the lasso between his teeth. He’d quickly yank Braeburn back, slinging the stallion back atop the canyon.
“Braeburn, I think they were spotted; you gotta slide down the canyon and make sure those girls are okay; I’ll head to town and get reinforcements!”
The stallion groaned, rubbing his head and stomach from the sudden jerk, shaking his head as he regained himself. “Are you crazy? Couldn’tcha just have lowered me down and then go warn the town?”
Braeburn sighed as the sheriff ran off without him, rolling his eyes. Looked like it was up to him. Looking at the canyon, and with what little light he was given by the bonfire and torches, he could see several cliffs he could jump onto to get down. Readying himself and taking a gulp of air, he jumped down on the first with his eyes clenched shut… good so far.
After a few more leaps of faith, the stallion finally landed on the solid earth before, sighing in relief. Now he just needed to find Arizona.
A pony would fly past Braeburn before colliding into a nearby stone, “Ohhhh….”
Arizona was bucking and charging into dozens of ponies like a wild bull, throwing her weight around before snagging a pony with her lasso.
“I’M AT THE END,” she’d quickly smashed the stallion into the ground from left to right, “OF MY,” she dragged the pony across the dry dirt beneath her, quickly knocking the group of thieves to the ground.
“ROPE!” She’d finally slam the bound pony into the dirt burying his upper body into the ground as he helplessly kicked his back legs into the air.
Arizona panted heavily, “Alright… who’s next!?”
Braeburn trotted up, lifting his hooves to not trip over the unconscious bodies of Arizona’s victims. Approaching the young heifer, he gave her a smile.
“Well, you’re pretty good with that, aren’t ya? Seems we got somethin’ in common.” Pulling out his own lasso, he gave it a twirl, making it go faster and faster before wrapping the rope around another pony charging their way, flicking him quickly away.
Arizona smirked as she covered Braeburn’s flank, “Let’s see who can rope knock out the most bandits; the winner gets free breakfast!”
The ground shook beneath them as the thundering hooves of over a dozen buffalo rocked the canyon. Standing ahead of this mass of fur and muscle was a massive bull with a headband full of hawk feathers with the skull of a bull resting on his head.
“Your crusade ends here, outsiders, but do not despair; you have fought well. Surrender now or perish.” threatened the bull.
“The Sha-Bull…” muttered Arizona.
Braeburn gulped, feeling a bead of sweat going down his brow. He couldn’t help but feel the fear weaken his hooves, but he shook his head and regained his resolve, narrowing his brow.
“Arizona, you git to runnin’. I’ll keep ’em distracted for ya.” He turned to look at her, all seriousness in his eyes. His tone was not one to argue with, contrasting with his usually easy-going personality. “If I don’t die here, your Pa certainly will kill me if you get hurt.”
Arizona paused, seeming to process the seriousness of the situation; the cogs in her head began turning as he pupils shrunk. But despite the fear that overtook her for a brief moment, she couldn’t help but smile.
“Nah… pa will kill me if he finds out I snuck off without tellin’ him anyhow, might as well help the Sheriff and Strongheart escape.” sighed Arizona.
“Sorry, Braeburn, looks like you’re stuck with me,” smirked Arizona. She turned to the horde of buffalo, “I guess we’re fightin!”
“Very well, I can respect that you chose death over dishonor…BUFFALO, CHARGE!” roared the Sha-Bull as his buffalo began stampeding toward the two.
The calf quickly turned to Braeburn, “I got an idea.”
Braeburn sighed, shaking his head at the hard-headed calf. “Alright, but it better be good. Otherwise, we’re both gonna be toast.” His voice cracked at the end, his ears flattening down to his head as he stared at his inevitable death.
“Run for it!” The heifer quickly galloped in the opposite direction, screaming loudly.
Braeburn let out a long sigh before taking in a long breath and running in the same direction, screaming his lungs out. He galloped beside her, resorting to keeping his hat between his teeth to avoid losing it in the chase. The two kicked up sand in their wake, leaving the charge in the dust.
