Chapter 4

The Patrol

The town was small. Okay, that was an overstatement. Miniscule would be the better word.

There were only a handful of buildings, each one spaced close together to conserve land. There were no signs aside from ones marking the rations storage and a bar. The ponies inside the town were all watching with cold eyes as Zircon and Zecora progressed, a sense of dread covering them.

"Zecora," Zircon said, looking up at her fearfully. "Why are they looking at us like that?"

"They're just not used to outsiders," Strike said from behind them where he followed with his group of friends. "Once you've stayed awhile they'll lighten up."

Zecora nodded and examined the area. All of the ponies looked physically tired, but their eyes were sparkling and alive.

"Why is everypony so tired?" she asked, looking back at Strike and his group.

"Not having enough food takes it's toll," Dust said from the back. "We barely have enough to keep alive."

Zecora turned her head away then turned back.

"How come you don't look like them?" she asked.

"We get to eat a bit more so we can do our job," Whistle said, shaking his white mane. "Without the extra food, we'd probably die while patrolling."

Zecora nodded slightly and put her attention back onto the rest of the town. She looked at the ponies walking, and saw how their posture sent their heads drooping ever so lightly, just enough to be noticed.

"Everypony looks so sad," Zircon commented. "Why?"

"With our food shortage, it makes for hard times," Stardust said, her eyes tinted with a small layer of sadness. "It's tough on everypony."

Zircon pivoted his head around to see the wooden buildings that lined the street.

"What are we going to do?" he asked. "How long are we going to stay here?"

"I don't know," Zecora asked. "I guess until I can find a way to get you home. So, Strike, how does your patrol operate?"

"It's pretty simple," the stallion replied, stopping in his tracks. "We pace our area of the border and watch for signs of movement. If anythin' happens, we have signals to call each other for back-up."

"That sounds fun!" Zircon said. "Maybe we can go with you one day!"

Strike laughed and tussled with Zircon's mane.

"Maybe," he said with a smile. "Now, who wants to have a drink?"

Zecora shrugged and followed him to the saloon, where a few ponies sat across from each other at tables. Music was playing from a piano in the corner, and mild chatting filled the air. However, that all stopped when they noticed Zircon and Zecora. The music stopped playing, the ponies stopped talking, and an air of distrust and malice descended upon the room.

"Hey!" Strike said, stepping forward. "These are some zebras from way out who got lost in the forest. They're going to be here for a bit until they can get back home, so be nice to 'em!"

The group walked up to the counter and Whistle stepped forward.

"Hey, Tequila!" he said. "Can we get the usual for everypony?"

He waved back at his friends and Zecora and Zircon. The pony turned and poured a bottle of liquid into seven glasses. He handed them all out.

"Wait!" Zecora said before Zircon took a sip. "He's not old enough to drink!"

"The water's in low supply," Leaves said. "But the alcohol is not."

They went over to a large table where they all sat down.

"So, what's the name of the town?" Zecora asked.

"There was never an official one," Stardust said. "When town was first created, the pony in charge of running the town was shot before he could decide, and the whole thing was forgotten as the forest crept up on us. I like to think of it as 'Deathville,' because we're all sentenced to die here."

Zircon shuddered in his seat. He sipped the drink he had and laughed.

"It tastes funny!" he said, smiling.

"Who runs this place now?" Zecora asked. "Is there a leader or a mayor or what?"

"We've got a sheriff," Whistle said, pointing a hoof at the only pegasus in the saloon. "His name is Trueshot."

"Can we meet him?!" Zircon blurted out, his drink half empty. Zecora took it away.

"Okay," she said, placing it down beside herself. "I think that's enough for now."

"Sure we can meet him," Dust said, taking a long gulp of her glass. "It just depends on if he wants to be met."

"I'll take 'em," Strike said, waving a hoof at the rising group. "We don't need seven ponies crowding around him."

He stood, along with Zecora and Zircon, and walked over to the table, where the stallion sat, staring deeply into a mug of beer. His ear twitched as they approached, signaling the fact that he heard them.

"Hey," Strike said, getting close to the table. "I got a pair of zebras that wanna meet you."

He gazed upwards to look at the two, and his eyes ran over them, deducing their worth with calculating vision.

"Hello," he said, locking eyes with Zecora, who met it with similar steel.

"Hi!" Zircon said with a smile. "Is it cool to be the sheriff?"

"I wouldn't say 'cool,'" he replied, still not moving his gaze. "I'd say more of a serious monotony. Not that much happens around here. That's why I like it."

"Mon- monoto- monotony?" Zircon asked in confusion, trying to think. "What does that mean?"

"It means 'the same.' It's a life of straight-backed loyalty that I can't give up. Not like I want to give up."

"What's your name?" Zecora asked, not breaking her gaze from the sheriff.

"Trueshot," he said, staying stiffly locked with Zecora's eyes.

Zircon hopped up and said, "Nice to meet you, Trueshot!"

This made Trueshot blink and he turned his head away from Zecora, grimacing.

"So, why'd you want to meet me?" he asked.

"I didn't," Zecora said. "But Zircon here did. I'm sure he has questions."

"What kind of questions?" he asked, bracing himself for the tidal wave.

"Were you born here?" Zircon asked, catching the sheriff off guard.

"Oh, well, no," Trueshot replied. "I was actually born in Cloudsdale."

"Where's that?" the colt asked, cocking his head.

"It's a long ways out," the sheriff said with a sigh. "I would go back, but these ponies here appreciate my help, and I can't just leave them to die."

"Why don't you visit home?" Zircon asked. "You can go for a little bit and then come back!"

"Something could happen while I'm gone," Trueshot rubbed his brown and near-black mane. "And I don't want anypony I know here to meet some terrible end."

"Why are you here?' Zecora asked. Learning that he was from Cloudsdale had peaked her interest. "Why would you come here from Cloudsdale?"

"I needed to retire," Trueshot said, scowling. "And I saw this place while flying over, looking for a good place to go. It looked so peaceful, and peaceful was what I wanted after my time as a guard. I was only here a week before there was an attack from the forest. I helped fight, and the townsponies named me sheriff. I grew attached to them, and now I'm stuck here to die with them."

"Do you go on the patrols?" Zircon asked. "You look like you could fight!"

"I do patrol," he said, standing. "And it seems as though there may be one coming up. I'll have to get ready. Maybe you'd like to come?"

The last statement was just a joke, judging from the small amount of sarcasm and mirth in his voice, but Zircon's eyes grew wide.

"I'd love to come!" he said.

Trueshot stopped in place and looked at the colt.

"That may not be too wise," he said.

"Aw!" Zircon pouted. "I want to go!"

Trueshot watched the colt's eyes grow bigger and start to fill with tears.

"Alright," he said, looking away from the gaze. "You can come. But, we're not going to let you get too close to the border."

~

The air was hot and still as the group of three walked out of town. The three were Trueshot, Zecora, and Zircon, off to patrol the western border of the forest. The former was weighted down with a wooden bow strapped across his back, and a few quivers slung on his shoulders.

Trueshot's burnt yellow fur was slightly rippled by a small breeze, and he narrowed his eyes at the hazy tree line in the distance.

"I pray that this day is quiet," he whispered, glancing at the two zebras behind him.

When they arrived, Trueshot stopped and stared into the forest, peering into every corner he could. After he was satisfied that there was nothing, he started to walk along the edge.

"Stay back a few feet," he told Zecora and Zircon. "I can't have any accidents, especially with newcomers."

The zebras followed Trueshot down the line, with Zircon watching the trees with a form of hesitant fear.

"Why do you use a bow?" Zecora asked, looking at the weapon on the sheriff's back. "From what I saw, most of the ponies use blades."

"Maybe my cutie mark will tell you," Trueshot replied, not tearing his eyes from the forest.

Zecora glanced at his flank. An arrow was on it, soaring in flight with wind trails streaming off of it. The tip of the arrow was steel, and it seemed to be almost real.

"I see," she said.

"I have a question for you," he said, taking a look at Zecora. "How did you end up here?"

"It was me," Zircon said. "She was banished and I wanted to know why, so I followed her into the forest to ask her. But we got lost and now we're here."

He hung his head in shame.

"Banished?" Trueshot asked, stopping his walk and turning to look at Zecora. "Why were you banished?"

"A certain unicorn was telling the tribe lies about me," she replied. "Well, mostly lies."

"Things like what?"

"I can't tell you some, but a lot was about me abusing the trust of the zebras to kill them with a potion of mine."

"Potions?" Trueshot asked in genuine interest. "You are a potions master?"

"Yes," Zecora said. "I heal others with my brews."

"We could use a healer around here," the sheriff said, continuing his walk. "Lots of ponies always getting sick. We don't have any unicorns around here with their healing magic."

"I would help, but I'd need the supplies to craft the medicine, and I don't have the time. I do have to get Zircon home."

Trueshot stopped as a rustle came from the forest. He grabbed his bow and expertly notched an arrow. He stared into the darkness, a bead of sweat forming on his brow. A rabbit hopped out from the undergrowth, and he let his aim fall.

"Now," he said, turning around to cover the area he had not scouted yet. "Where are you from?"

"We're from Zebrica," Zecora said.

He nodded in slight surprise, but it was quickly done.

"That's a long ways out," he said. "I can imagine why you'd want to get him home."

Crack.

The sound of thunder clapped through the sky, and Trueshot looked up to see gray clouds forming overhead.

"You may want to get back to town and find shelter," he said, looking at the two zebras. "I'll finish my patrol."

Zecora nodded and grabbed Zircon's hoof.

"C'mon," she said. "Let's go back to town."

Another thunder clap filled the air, and Trueshot shuddered.

"Another one of those big ones," he said, turning back to the forest. "We're in for a long night."

Author's Note

Thanks to dartmaul15 for letting me use his OC Trueshot.