Fire Base Zebra

Rest of the squad had already gotten pretty far from the factory, almost one kilometer away.

They heard a loud bang from the direction of the factory.

Everypony stopped running, and turned towards the factory.

There was smoke coming from the first floors windows. They waited for a second more.

Then they saw big flames exploding from the windows of the first and second floor. The sound came late. Then there was smaller explosions in the uppers floors too, and the whole building started to wobble.

There was thick black smoke coming from its windows, and the factory started to slowly tilt to the right.

It stopped tilting, and it looked like it would still manage to stay upright. Everypony looked at the factory with their eyes wide, waiting for something to happen.

The building started to shake violently until it's abutments gave up, and the whole thing started to fall towards the ground. When it contacted the ground, it lifted a enormous cloud of dust and smoke into he sky, followed by a loud rumble that came couple of seconds after the building hit the ground.

The dust was so thick that when it rose up to the sky, it blocked Celestia's sun's light.

"Fuck me.. Captain went out in style.." Blade said, smiling sadly.

Nopony answered, they just kept watching at the smoking ruins of the factory, that had cost them the lives of eight ponies.

The four pegasies, Charge, Grunt, Buzzcut and Rough Gunner.

It all was for nothing now, but they didn't care. Most of them were satisfied to see the factory in ruins. It had done them enough harm already.

"A tough fucker till the end," Boxsee said.

Again everypony were silent. They looked at the ruins

After a while, Healing Horn asked: "Did he have a family?"

They all thought for a moment, and then Thrill said: "I guess so.. Parent's at least."

"Yeah. I never heard him talking about any special somepony," Riff said.

"Well he had been working in the army ever since he joined. I bet he didn't have any time for any relationships,"  Crack shot pondered.

"I bet it's hard for you to even think of life like that," Blade said teasingly.

Crack seemed annoyed, and he looked at the grey pony angrily.

"Let's get moving, the changelings will be here any minute now," he said, looking at Blade angrily. Blade looked back at him, and then said:  "You're right, let's move."

With that they turned away from the smoking ruins, and started to make their way towards the camp, that was still four kilometers away. They waded in the dense canopy, but after about ten minutes, the plants started to be smaller, and soon there were none. They were now walking on a flat, rocky landscape. The ground was dry and was full of cracks. Air over the ground shimmered from the heat, making it look like there was water on the dry landscape.

The mountain where the camp was, could be seen clearly. No wonder the changelings had used the factory for a observation point. There was good visibility to the camp there.

Crack Shot was on the lead with Blade. They led the rest of the ponies towards the camp. Thrill was talking with Boxsee as they walked, and Healing Horn walked besides Riff.

Healing glanced at Riff, and he noticed it.

"What's the matter?" Riff asked.

"Your head, there's pretty bad looking cut," Healing said and pointed at Riff's head. Riff touched his head, and then winced as his hoof touched the open wound. He looked at Healing and said: "I didn't notice that, but now it started to hurt like hell."

Healing Horn looked at Riff's painful expression, and then shouted: "Crack! Could we stop for a moment!?"

Crack Shot turned his head to Healing Horn, and looked at him questioningly.

"Riff got wound in his head!" Healing shouted, and pointed at Riff, who was now holding his head.

Crack looked at Riff, and then shouted: "Okay, You and Boxsee take a look at it!"

They stopped and Riff sat on the ground, while Healing Horn and Boxsee examined the wound.

Healing Horn looked at the wound, and then turned to Boxee and asked: "What do you think?"

Boxsee scratched his chin, and then said: "I think we need to stitch it up."

They looked at Riff, who's face drooped, and he started to shook his head wildly.

"Nonono! Nopony's going to start sewing my face!" Riff said, covering the wound with his hoof. Healing Horn and Boxsee looked at each other, and then nodded.

"Of course we can glue it together, but it will need to be stitched after we get to the base," Boxsee said, and took a bottle of surgical glue from his medic's bag.

Riff looked at the bottle confusedly. He then turned to Boxsee and asked: "Glue? Really?"

"Yeah. It works as good as stitches," Healing said to Riff, who still looked at the bottle.

"Just get it done already! We don't have much time!" They heard Crack Shot shouting angrily.

The trio looked at each other, and then Healing said: "He seems pretty tensed."

"I mean, we're all are, but he's the most," Healing added.

Riff looked at Crack Shot, and then said: "He had some kind of a pond with captain."

"Yeah, a love hate relationship," Boxsee said and unscrewed the glue bottle's cap

"Okay, here we go," Boxsee said as he leaned closer to Riff, while Healing grabbed surprised Riff from the fore legs.

"Hey what the.." Riff started, but then Boxsee poured the glue to his wound, and a burning sensation ran trough his head and face. Riff yelped from the pain, but managed not to scream.

After Boxsee had poured enough glue to the wound, he started pressing the skin together.

Now Riff couldn't hold off the scream. He yelled, and tried to kick, but Healing kept him in place. Soon the pain eased, and Riff calmed down. Healing let go of him, and rose up.

"Good as new!" Boxsee said and patted Riff on the back, but he tried to hit Boxsee. Boxsee manged to dodge the punch, and laughed as he stood up.

Riff clumsily stood up too. He lifted his head, and saw Crack Shot looking at him worriedly with Blade.

"You okay?" Crack asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Riff said, and touched the wound, that now felt better now. He then looked at the duo of medic's in front of him, who were smiling sheepishly at him.

"Thank's a lot," he said sarcastically.

"No problem!" Healing Horn said, smiling a little.

"If you're done, let's get moving!" Crack said, but more calmly this time, and nopony tried to protest. They gathered their equipment, and then started to move again.

While they were walking, Crack Shot said something to Blade, who nodded. Crack Shot then started to fall behind, and soon he was walking with Riff and Healing Horn.

He looked at the two, they both were younger than him, but only for a year or two.

"What's up?" he tried.

Riff and Healing Horn looked at each other, and then they looked at Crack. Healing then said: "We're doing good. How about you?"

Crack got surprised, by the question. He wasn't waiting for that. He thought for a good response, and then said: "I'm fine."

Healing Horn looked at him. He seemed to know that Crack wasn't fine.

"You sure? You don't look too fine to me," he said, and Riff nodded.

Crack looked at the two ponies. They seemed to knew.

"I'm pretty sad about Rough," Crack said. Healing and Riff noticed how Crack used Rough Gunner's name instead of 'captain'.

"We all are," Riff said. Healing nodded, and said: "Yeah, he was our captain ever since we entered the boot camp."

Crack smiled a little, when he remembered the time in the training.

"You know what," Riff said suddenly.

"What?" Crack asked. Healing too looked at him questioningly. Riff waited a second, before he continued: "I bet we will have a holiday after this."

Healing and Crack noticed how he tried to change the subject, and they decided that it was a good idea.

"Yeah, I was thinking about that too," Healing said, and Crack nodded.

"I hope that there's a good weather in Crystal mountains," Riff said, gazing towards the horizon.

Crack threw Healing Horn a sheepish smile, and said: "I think I'm going to visit Ponyville."

Healing looked at him confusedly, and then asked: "What? Why?"

"Is it wrong to visit my best friend?" Crack said teasingly, and patted Healing on the shoulder. Healing still didn't seem to understand, and Riff then asked: "Remember what you promised us?"

Healing though for a moment, and then understanding spread across his face.

"Ooh! You're coming there to see Twilight!" he said, chuckling a little. A smile formed on his face, and he said: "Nahh, just want to spend some quality time with you!"

Riff couldn't help himself, and he said: "I didn't know you were one of those colt-cuddlers."

Healing Horn and Crack Shot looked at him angrily, and he just smiled teasingly back to them.

"I see the camp!" Blade shouted.

The others looked forward, towards the direction that blade was pointing at. They saw the familiar hill, where the camp was. Even they were still pretty far away, they could see the it's destroyed main building, trenches and bunkers.

There was a small glimpse of hope starting to form on the ponies faces, when they saw the safe zone.

"Not far anymore!" Thrill exclaimed.

"Well.. There's still at least two klicks," Blade said, and Thrill frowned. He looked at Blade annoyed and said: "Thanks for killing the mood."

Blade just chuckled, and then he said consolingly: "It won't take long to walk there. Only about half an hour."

Thrill lightened up a little.

"Let's go," Crack said, and they started to walk.

After a while of walking, Riff looked at Healing Horn, who looked back at him.

"What?" Healing asked, looking at Riff.

"If Crack Shot actually goes to visit Ponyville.." Riff started, and looked at the confused Healing Horn.

"What are you trying to say?" Healing asked quickly.

"I was just thinking that, maybe.. Maybe I could come too?" Riff asked carefully, looking at Healing with a small asking smile. Healing Horn looked at Riff, and started to laugh a little.

"Of course you can!" he said, and Riff smiled at him. He then said: "Thanks! And don't worry, I won't harass princess like Crack there."

"I heard that!" they heard Crack Shot shouting from the front, and they both laughed. After they calmed down, Riff continued: "I knew I could trust you," Riff said happily. Healing Horn smiled at him, and then said: "That's why friends are for."

Riff smiled and said: "You're a true friend."

Healing Horn turned to him and smiled, he was about to say something, but he didn't get to say even a single word, before they heard a gunshot.

Thrill jumped a little, and then dived on the ground. Everypony else followed his example, and they all laid down to the ground. They placed their backpacks in front of them for some cover and then they started to look for the enemies.

"Where the fuck are they!?" Blade shouted, and rested his machine gun onto his bag.

"I don't know! How can they even hide in this landscape!?" Crack Shot shouted back to him, and started searching for the enemy with his scope.

Couple of more shots were heard, and then Crack saw the enemies. They were lying about three hundread meters from the ponies, and the shimmering air almost made them to blend against the ground. He counted about nine more changeling's left.

"There! Um.. ten o'clock!" Crack shouted, and pointed his hoof at the direction.

"I see them!" Blade shouted, and readjusted the sights of his machine gun. He then took aim, and fired a short burst towards the changeling elite.

Then the shooting really started.

Changelings shot at the ponies with everything they got. The ground around the squad of ponies ripped from the bullets, and the ponies returned fire.

"They're pepper potting!" Boxsee shouted, when he saw the couple of changelings running towards them, and diving back to ground after about ten meters of running. Then the changelings behind them did the same, and they repeated the maneuver.

"Shoot at the standing ones!" Crack shouted. He shot twice at one of the running changelings, who fell down.

"They're getting closer!" Boxsee shouted. He and Healing Horn were lying side by side. They had shared their last magazines, and they had their last single ammo's in a small pile between them.

"Boxsee!" Healing shouted. He had a worried look on his face, and he pointed towards Thrill. Boxsee turned his head towards Thrill, and he too saw it.

Thrill was laying on his back, resting his head against his backpack. He held his side, and the two medics saw that there was blood coming from under his hoof. Boxsee turned to Healing Horn, and said: "You go, I'll cover."

Healing nodded, and then started to crawl towards wounded Thrill. While Healing Horn crawled, Boxsee gave him covering fire. He fired accurate single shots towards the changelings.

Healing reached Thrill, even the changeling bullets flew past him.  Thrill turned to see Healing.

"Somepony get the launchers," he said, offering one of the launchers to Healing, who quickly said: "You won't die!"

Thrill looked annoyed.

"I didn't say anything like that! I just can't use them myself now!" he said to Healing, who looked at Thrill embarrassed.

"Oh, Well.." he muttered, and took the launcher to his hooves. He then turned around and shouted: "Riff!"

Riff turned his head towards Healing Horn, who called him. He saw the medic holding a rocket launcher in his hooves.

"What!?" Riff shouted, while shooting at one of the closest changelings, that were only about ninety meters away.

"Take this!" Healing shouted, and threw the launcher towards him. It landed just next to Riff, who took it to his hooves.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Riff asked, turning the launcher in his hooves.

"I don't know, maybe USE IT!?" he heard Thrill shouting, while Healing Horn patched his side.

Riff looked at the launcher, and then at Crack Shot, who was lying couple of meters behind him. Crack looked at him, and then nodded.

"Okay! How do I use this!?" Riff shouted to Thrill, who squirmed in pain as Healing Horn bandaged him.

"First, open the pin on the back of it!" Thrill shouted.

Riff did as Thrill advised, and shouted: "Okay! What next!?"

"Pull the back of the launcher so it opens!" Thrill shouted, gesturing with his hooves.

Riff did that, and the launcher locked to the extended position.

"Now it's ready to be fired! You need to rose to a kneeling position, and then just aim and press the button on top of it!" Thrill shouted.

Riff looked at Crack Shot, who looked back at him.

They nodded to each other, and then Crack shouted: "Covering fire!"

All the other ponies, except Healing Horn and Thrill started to fire towards the enemies, that were about hundred meters away from them.

Riff then rose to a sitting position, and lifted the launcher to his shoulder.

"And watch out for the backblast!" Thrill warned them.

Riff aimed at the closest two changelings, who were almost side to side. It was perfect. He lifted the launcher's muzzle just a bit, and then he pressed the button on top of it.

There was a loud bang, that almost made Riff deaf. The rocket let out a loud swoosh, and it then hit the ground just before the changeling soldiers in their blue armor. The explosion was big, and the changelings got ripped to pieces by the shards.

The shooting stopped for a moment, and the ponies looked at the smoke pillar, that rose from the ground where the rocket had hit it. Then The changeling's started to shoot again, and the ponies  joined them.

Riff hit the ground, and threw the smoking launcher from his hooves. He leaned against his backpack, and looked at Crack Shot.

"That was a clear shot!" Crack Shot laughed at him. Riff then took his rifle to his hooves again, and checked how much ammunation he had. He took of the magazine, and saw that there was only half a mag left.

"I'm almost out of ammo!" he shouted to Crack Shot, who answered: "I'm almost out too!"

Blade stopped shooting suddenly. He then shouted: "I'm out!"

"I'm on my last clip!" Boxsee shouted, while shooting at the changelings.

"I don't have much ammo, and Thrill's wounded!" Healing Horn shouted, while the bullets from the changeling weapons rippled around them.

Crack knew that they needed to pull back. He looked at Thrill and Healing Horn.

"Can Thrill run?" he asked from Healing Horn.

"I can walk just fine!" Thrill shouted, but then he yelped from pain.

Crack looked at Healing, who shook his head and said: "He can barely stand up!"

Crack thought for a good course of action, and then looked at the approaching changelings.

"We need to carry him then!" Crack shouted, and started to dig his bag for something. He pulled two smoke grenades from the bag.

"After I throw the smokes, Get you're things and somepony carry Thrill!" Crack shouted, and pulled the pins from the smoke grenades. They started to hiss, and white smoke started to push from them.

Crack threw the grenades as far as he could between the ponies and the changeling elite, and soon the air was filled with thick black smoke. The changelings stopped firing for a moment, but soon they continued it. This time the firing was much more inaccurate.

Ponies threw their bag onto their backs, and strapped their rifles onto their backs too. Riff and Crack Shot alread ystarted to move towards the base.

Healing Horn and Boxsee helped Thrill up. Just as Healing had said, Thrill had problems to even stand, and he leaned against Boxsee. Thrill panted slowly and looked at them.

"I'm sorry guys," he said.

"Can you carry him?" Healing asked from Boxsee, who looked back at him worriedly.

"I don't know if I can," Boxsee said. They looked at each other, trying to come up with a solution.

"Goddamn ladies!" Blade shouted, and lifted Thrill onto his back. He then started running after Crack Shot and Riff, with Thrill hanging on his back. Thrill seemed to be in pain, and grinned a little.

"Thanks Blade!" Healing said, when he galloped next to the black pony. He didn't answer, and just kept running.

Crack Shot and Riff were running on the lead.

Crack Shot looked behind himself, and saw Blade carrying Thrill, while Healing Horn and Boxsee were behind him. They had gained a good distance between themselves and the changelings. Crack could see them emerging from behind the smoke, but there was now about two hundred meters to them. It would be hard for the changelings to hit them at this distance.

They ran for couple of minutes, and the changelings kept firing at them, but the bullets missed them far.

They were now running in a gently sloping hill. The base was still about one and a half kilometers away. If they would get behind the hill, they would easily make it.

Crack Shot noticed that their pace was getting slower. They were now jogging, and they all were winded. The bullets still fizzed around them, but nopony was concerned about it.

"We.. are almost.. there!" Riff said, panting wildly. Crack looked at him, and a small smile started to form on his face.

"Remember.. when Rough... made us run.. for four hours?" he asked, smiling stupidly.

Riff remembered. Thinking about it made him smile. The two ponies looked at each other, and then started to laugh.

"What are you guys.. laughing at?" they hear panting Healing Horn ask from behind them.

Crack turned around, and saw Healing smiling at them questioningly. Crack still laughed, but managed to say: "Just remembering.. the time when.. Rough.. made us run for four hours straight!"

Healing too started to laugh. He remembered it too. He had watched Crack Shot and Riff running past the aid station.

"Well.. That taught you.. not to mess with the roy.. " Healing Horn started, but his sentence stopped to a loud 'gack'.

Crack Shot's eyes went wide, and he shouted: "No!"

Riff turned around too. He saw Healing Horn falling to his stomach, with blood spurting from his torn chest. Healing first fell to his front knees, and then  he rolled to his side, gasping for air.

Everypony stopped running, and turned towards the quivering Healing Horn. Even Thrill looked terrified at the wounded grey zebra colored pony, who whimpered when blood started to run from his mouth.

Boxsee was first to react. He threw his backpack on the ground, and ducked over Healing Horn.

"Somepony take off his backpack!" Boxsee shouted, and Riff quickly did that. He knelt next to Healing Horn, who looked at him. His face was twisted in a expression of pain and fear. He looked at Riff, who struggled with Healing's backpack.

Riff managed to take off the backpack, and then he looked at Healing, who stared at him. Riff was terrified, Healing looked really bad, and he started to shake violently.

Crack Shot looked at Healing Horn, who was shaking badly. Boxsee and Riff tried to stem the bloodflow.

Crack heard a small thud, and a small cloud of dust exploded near them. Crack looked at the changelings, who had picked up the pace. They were galloping as fast as they could towards the ponies. They were only about hundred and fifty meters away.

Crack trotted in front of Healing Horn, Boxsee and Riff, to give them some cover from the bullets. He crouched to a half sitting position, and took his rifle from its holster. He pulled the charging handle, that let out a small click.

He lifted the rifle, and held it tightly against his shoulder. He then shouted: "Keep the changeling's away from us!"

The crosshair of his four time magnifying aimpoint scope hovered over the closest changelings body. He fired, but the bullet dropped too low, and it hit the ground in front of the changeling. Crack lifted the rifle a little, and fired. This time the bullet hit the changeling's chest armor, but the changeling only winced a little. Crack frowned from frustration.

He shot two more times, and this time the changeling fell to the ground, and started to quiver.

Now the changelings dived to the ground. They soon started to return fire.

Crack noticed that Blade had laid Thrill on the ground. Thrill gave him his own carbine, because Blade didn't have any ammo, and Thrill himself wasn't in a shape to shoot.

Blade too sat on into a half sitting position, and started to fire accurate single shots towards the enemy. They were so low on bullets, that every shot had to count.

Meanwhile Riff and Boxsee tried to treat Healing Horn as good as they could. Boxsee's face was focused, but Riff could see some concern in his eyes. He turned his head back to Healing, who was shaking and gagging blood.

Riff was trying hard to look as calm as he could, but there was small tears forming in his eyes. Healing was getting paler.

Crack Shot and Blade kept shooting, but Riff knew they couldn't hold the changelings away from them for long.

"Give me the adrenaline shot," Boxsee said sternly, and Riff dug the shot from Healing's bag. He gave it to Boxsee, who took of the plastic cover from the needle, and struck it into Healing's chest. Healing winced a little.

Boxsee threw the empty needle away, and started to place new bandages over the old ones.

Riif's and Boxsee's eyes met. They looked at each other for a moment, and then Boxsee shook his head slightly.

Riff's face drooped, and he swept his face with his hooves. He then looked at Healing Horn, who looked back at him with his eyes, that were full of tiredness and fear.

"R.. Riff..." he said with a shaky voice. Riff moved closer to him and said: "I'm here.."

Healing Horn blinked couple of times, and then said: "I.. I c.. can't see you.."

Riff couldn't hold off the tears anymore. Tears flow down his cheeks, and he took Healing's hoof into his own.

"I'm right here," Riff assured.

Healing shook even harder. He squeezed Riff's hoof between his own hooves. Riff looked at Boxsee, who was still trying to bandage Healing's wound.

Crack Shot shot at one of the changelings, but the shot missed just a inch. The changeling shot back, but he too missed. Crack Shot took aim, and then shot again. This time he hit the target, and the changeling fell, but rose up again. The shot had probably hit the changeling in the armor.

Crack was starting to get nervous. The changelings were getting closer. They had only gotten two of them, and they all were running on their last clips.

Crack shot again, and then his weapon clicked. Crack Shot turned to Riff, and said: "Riff, throw me a cl.."

Crack stopped, when he saw Riff crying, while he held Healing's hoof.

Crack quickly sat next to him, and looked at Healing Horn, who had stopped shaking, but now his eyes were wide, and he looked at both of them, or actually something behind them.

"Riff.. where's Crack?" Healing asked, with a slurring voice. They looked at each other, and then Crack said: "I'm here Healing."

Healing seemed to relax a little, but he still squeezed Riff's hoof pretty tight.

"I.. I.." Healing started, but couched blood. Crack swept the blood from his face, and then Healing continued: "I'm.. going to die.. aren't I?"

Riff and Crack Shot looked at each other. Healing's green uniform was soaked in blood, and his grey coat around his mouth was red. They knew it was true, but they didn't know what to say to their dying friend. They heard Blade shooting, but they didn't care about it. Crack Shot nodded to Riff, who sniffed and said: "Yeah.."

Healing's expression changed to a little bit more scared. He tightened his grip around Riff's hoof.

"You guys.. tell my.. my mother.." Healing slurred. He started to fade away. He squeezed Riff's hooves even harder. His eyes widened, and his back tensed into a arch. His mouth opened and he let out a small growl.

Then Healing's body relaxed, and his grip around Riff's hoof softened.

Riff and Crack Shot looked at Healing's body. Riff then lifted Healing Horn's limp body, and hugged him tightly, while weeping into his shoulder. Boxsee looked at the two ponies, he also had small tears in his eyes.

Crack Shot held hoof on Riff's shoulder, and then turned to Blade, who shot at the changelings.

"Let's move," he said to him, and Blade nodded. He shot one more time, and then threw the rifle back to Thrill, who strapped it onto his back. Blade then lifted Thrill to his back.

Boxsee took his backpack, and threw it onto his back. He was ready. Crack looked at Riff, who was still holding Healing's body. He leaned closer to Riff, and said: "We need to move now."

Riff looked at him. His eyes were red from crying.

"We can't leave him here," he said to Crack,  who nodded and said: "Of course not. Can you carry him?"

Riff looked at his dead friend. He nodded slowly and said: "Yes."

Crack rose up, and helped Riff to lift Healing's body onto his back. When they were ready, they started to run towards the hilltop.

Crack looked behind them. He saw that the Changelings were already at the base of the hill, but they seemed to be winded too, and their pace was getting slower.

Crack looked at Riff, who was carrying Healing's limp body. His white coat was getting red around his neck, and his blonde mane was getting red too. His face had a determined, but aslo sad expression.

Crack saw that Blade was doing good, even he was carrying wounded Thrill on his back. Boxsee was running with them.

He then turned his head towards the hilltop. It was only about thirty metes away. If they reached the top, they would be safe from the changeling fire, and they would reach the base, where they would be safe.

Crack started to run faster. He was focused on getting to the hilltop, that was getting closer to them fast.

He thought that they could still make it.

Then Crack heard a terrifying sound behind them. It was rapid gunfire. He turned around, and saw that there was a muzzle flash fluttering in the base of the hill. It was a light machine gun.

The tracers flew towards the ponies, but the bullets flew too low, and hit the ground behind ponies. Crack knew that they had to make it to the top before the machine gun fired again.

"Move!" he shouted, and the ponies started to sprint towards the hilltop. They almost made it to the top, when the machine gun fired again.

This time the tracers were going right towards the ponies. Most of the ponies managed to get behind the hilltop, where the bullets couldn't reach them. Riff who carried Healing's limp body, wasn't fast enough

The bullets hit him in the hind legs, ripping them into a bloody mess. Riff felt how bone in his left leg snapped in half like a match. He let out a yelp, and fell down. Healing's body fell on him and knocked air out from his lungs, but he didn't even notice it. His legs hurt so much that he almost passed out.

Other ponies turned around, when they heard Riff screaming.

Crack quickly ran to him, and rolled Healing's body from top of him. Riff and Crack looked at Riff's legs. They were ripped into a big mess of meat, and his left leg was hanging weirdly. Riff's eyes were wide, and his jaw dropped. He looked at his destroyed legs. His lower lip quivered, and then he started screaming.

"Boxsee!" Crack Shouted, and the medic ran to them. He looked at Riff's legs for a moment, trying to think what to do with them.

"Do something!" Crack shouted, and Boxsee crouched over yelling Riff. He laid hi medic's bag next to him, and took a brace from it. It was metallic stick, with two straps.

"Hold him!" Boxsee said to Crack Shot, who instantly pressed Riff to the ground. He tried to resist, while screaming loudly. Boxsee took a hold from Riff's broken leg, and started to move it back to it's normal place.

Riff shouted even louder, and then his eyes rolled over, and he passed out. Crack looked at him terrified. He thought that Riff was dead.

"Boxsee!" he shouted, and the blue unicorn looked at Riff. He then turned back to place the brace into the broken leg, and said: "He just passed out!"

That made Crack calm down a bit. He didn't want to lose third friend in a same day. He saw how Boxsee took a injection needle from his bag, and he stuck it into Riff's leg. Boxsee then started to bandage the wounds.

"They're getting closer!" Blade, who was looking down the hill shouted. Crack too peeked down the hill.

The changelings were running towards them. It wouldn't take long when they would reach the ponies, and then they would be dead. They didn't have ammo, and they only had three ponies, who were capable to fight.

"What do we do?" Blade asked, looking worried.

Crack thought. He looked at Riff and Thrill.

Thrill was still somewhat okay, but he couldn't walk. He maybe could shoot, but it wouldn't make any difference against the changeling elite. Crack looked at Riff, who's legs Boxsee was now bandaging. They didn't look too bad now, but of course he couldn't move himself, and somepony had to carry him. That would slow them down.

They could make it, if they left one of them there. Crack knew that it wasn't an option.

"We could fight," he said, looking at rest of the ponies. They looked back at him. Everypony was thinking the same, they wouldn't last a minute against them. Blade looked worried, and Boxsee seemed to be against the idea, but he didn't say anything. Crack didn't know what else they could do without leaving their friends behind.

Crack's thinking got interrupted, when he heard Thrill saying: "I don't mind dying here.."

Everypony turned to him. He had his pistol in his hoof. They looked at him for a moment.

"I mean.. I can stay here," Thrill said.

They all looked at him. Then Boxsee sighed and turned to Crack Shot. He looked at him and said: "I don't want to leave him."

Blade too turned to Crack Shot. He took a pistol from its holster and pulled the slide back. He then said: "I'll stay right here."

Crack Shot nodded, and he too took his pistol, and clicked the safety off.

"Ahh fuck!" they heard somepony saying. They noticed how Riff lifted himself up, and leaned to his front hooves. He looked at Crack Shot with a painful expression.

"How are you feeling?" Crack asked worriedly, and knelt down in front of Riff, who looked at him, and then back at his legs. He then said: "They don't feel that bad now, I guess they weren't so bad as I thought."

"They were. I just gave you a sedative," Boxsee said, looking at him sheepishly.

Riff drooped his ears, and asked: "How long will it last?"

Boxsee just shrugged, and Riff sighed. He then looked at Crack, and asked: "What now?"

Crack looked at him, and said seriously: "We will fight."

That made Riff froze for a second. He quickly looked around himself, and saw that everypony had their sidearms in their hooves. He then looked at Crack Shot with a confused look on his face. Crack looked at him with a calm expression.

Riff looked at him for a second, and then just shook his head, and said: "I knew I never should have joined the army."

He then took out his pistol, and rolled to his back. He placed his backpack behind his back, so he was in a half laying position, where he could shoot better.

"Okay! Well shoot them when they come from behind the edge!" Crack Shot shouted, and crouched. He aimed his pistol towards the edge of the hilltop. They were only ten meters from it. They already heard the approaching changelings.

Thrill and Blade glanced at each other. Thrill was lying on the ground, while Blade was crouched next to him. Thrill looked at Blade nervously, but Blade was calm. Blade reached his hoof towards Thrill, who pumped it with his own. Then they turned their guns towards the edge.

Crack Shot looked at Boxsee, who was laying next to crouched Crack Shot.

"We will die," Boxsee said. Crack didn't answer first, but then he answered: "Probably, but we will die fighting."

"That doesn't make it any easier," Boxsee said, and checked his pistol.

Crack chuckled, and said: "Yeah, not really."

Riff held his pistol with his both hooves. He looked quickly towards Healing Horn's body, that was laying near him. He felt tears coming back to his eyes, but he quickly swept them away, and said to nopony in special: "I'll fucking kill them. Kill them all.."

The changeling's were getting close, they could tell that. Just couple of seconds more, and they would start to appear over the edge. Everypony lifted their guns towards the edge. They heard the clanking sound that the armor the changelings were wearing. They held breath, and were ready.

Then the first changeling's head appeared from behind the edge, and then the second.

Everypony opened fire with their pistols, and the first changeling got hit in the head couple of times. He fell down dead, but the other one ducked before they could shoot at him.

Crack knew that they all could be dead next second, when the changelings would all push towards them at once. Crack Shot shook his head to clear it. He then pointed his gun at the edge again, and got ready for the next wave.

The changelings started to push towards them, and the ponies opened fire. Their guns blazed, and the ground was soon full of shells. They emptied their clips at the advancing enemies. Crack fired at one of them in front of him. The changeling got hit first in the chest armor. Then he lifted the pistol upwards, and shot again. The changeling got hit in the face, and it fell down in the ground.

Blade and Thrill shot at one changeling in front of them, but they didn't manage to take him down.

Riff noticed that they didn't have any weapons in their hooves, not even pistols. He quickly forget that, when one of them tried to dash towards him. Riff emptied his pistol at the running changeling, and he hit the changeling just under the chest armor. The changeling fell to ground, and curled up to held his stomach.

Their guns clicked, and everypony lowered their weapons. They looked at the changelings in front of them. There was only one dead changeling, and other one was wounded. There was five changelings standing in front of them, in their blue armor. Their armor was full of dents made by the bullet's from ponies bullets.

One of them had a red helmet. Crack thought that he was the leader of the group. He had to be.

Blade tried to quickly rose up and reload his pistol, but one of the changelings hit him in the face with his hoof. Blade grunted, and there was blood bleeding from his muzzle. He fell to his back, and held his muzzle.

The changeling's started to pull their sidearms from their holsters, and the ponies started to get nervous.

"Nopony move!" the changeling with the red helmet shouted. His sound was high pitched, and sounded evil.

The changeling started to walk towards Boxsee, who still held his empty pistol in his hoof. The changeling punched Boxsee in the face, and the pistol dropped from his hoof.

"Stop!" Crack Shot shouted to the changeling, who was about to hit Boxsee again. The changeling stopped and looked at Crack Shot, who stood up.

Changeling looked at him, and nodded to his soldiers.

Two changelings kicked Crack in the knees of his hind legs, and Crack dropped to his haunches.

The changeling picked up Boxsee's pistol, and dropped the empty clip from it. He took another one from his own combat vest, and put it into the pistol. He released the slide back, and started to walk towards Crack Shot.

"No!" Riff shouted, but one of the changelings kicked him in the wounded leg. Riff shouted in pain, and the changeling with red helmet started to walk towards Crack again.

He stopped just before Crack, and leaned closer to him.

"Are you the commander of this squad?" the changeling asked slowly, looking at Crack's green eyes. Crack looked back at him, with his eyes full of anger.

"You killed him at the factory," He hissed. The changeling chuckled and said: "Oh. He was your commander?"

The changeling that Riff had shot, was lying on a pool of blue blood. He whimpered loudly, and the other changelings glanced at him nervously. He kept whimpering, and Crack saw that the changeling with the red helmet started to get annoyed.

"Shut him up!" he shouted to his soldiers, who looked at him confusedly. One of them stepped forward, and said: "His wounded sir! He can't walk."

The leader changeling rolled his eyes, and then said: "Why is he still alive then?"

"Excuse me?" the changeling soldier said, and looked at the leader with confused look. The changeling leader looked at him and explained: "If he can't walk, he slows us down."

"But sir.." the changeling started, but then the changeling with the red helmet lifted Boxsee's pistol, and shot at the wounded changeling three times. He winced when the bullets hit him in the back, just under the armor. He then stopped moving.

Everypony looked at the scene in front of them, and even the changelings looked shocked. Riff stopped his whimpering, even his legs hurt like hell. He decided that now was a good time to be quiet. Blade looked at Crack Shot, who was held up by two changelings. The leader was in front of him, and the last two changelings guarded the rest of the ponies.

The changeling leader looked around himself, and then sighed.

"Take the live ones, and shoot the wounded. We can't drag them around with us," the leader said, and Crack Shot's eyes went wide. He looked at Riff and shouted: "No!"

"Shut up!" the changeling shouted, and hit Crack with the pistol handle. Crack dropped to the ground, holding his face.

Meanwhile the two changelings moved closer to Thrill and Riff, who tried to back away. The changeling kicked Thrill in the side where the wound was. Thrill yelped, and fell to his other side. Then the changeling pressed him against the ground, and pressed the gun to side of Thrill's head.

"No! Thrill!" lade shouted and tried to rose up from the ground, but then one of the changelings kicked him in the face. He fell down to the ground. He saw Thrill looking at him, with scared and sad expression.

Then the changeling squeezed the trigger, and the gun fired.

Thrill's head nudged, and blood sprayed from side of his head. Thrill's face went expressionless and his body jerked couple of times.

"No! No!" Blade kept shouting.

The changeling with red helmet smiled a evil smile, and then said: "Now the crippled."

Riff looked at the Changeling soldier in front of him, and then at the lifeless body of Thrill. There was still blood spraying from his head. Riff started to back away, but his legs didn't move. He lifted his hooves to protect himself from the changeling, who pointed his pistol towards him.

"Riff!" Crack shouted, and reached his hooves towards the white pony in front of him.

The leader changeling looked at them, and then said: "Do it now."

The changeling in front of Riff looked at him, and Riff noticed that the he looked at Riff with a apologetic expression. He lifted his gun towards Riff's head, and he closed his eyes. He waited for the shot, that would end his life.

He heard the shot, but didn't feel anything, except the burning in his legs. Something was wrong here, and Riff opened his eyes.  He saw the changeling in front of him wobbling on his hooves. He had a gunshot wound under his chest armor, and it was bleeding badly.

Everypony looked at the changeling in confusion.

Then it fell down to the ground, and the pistol dropped right next to Riff. Then there was another gunshot, and the bullet hit one of the changelings in the helmet, but it didn't go trough.

Now the changelings started to react, and so did the ponies.

Crack grabbed Boxsees gun from the hoof of the leader of the changelings. Boxsee rushed and tackled one of the changelings, while Blade kicked one in the legs, so that it fell to the ground. Riff grabbed the gun that the changeling had dropped when he died. Crack hit the leader of the changelings right to the middle of his face with the handle of the pistol, making him back up a little. Crack then pointed the pistol at his face and shouted: "For Rough!"

Then Crack shot the surprised changeling right between the eyes. He wobbled for a second, and then fell to his back.

Blade was struggling with the changeling he had tripped over. The changeling was on top of him, holding his hooves around Blade's throat. Riff pointed his gun towards it, and Blade pushed the changeling upwards. Riff shot twice, and the bullets hit the changeling between the armor and helmet. Blade pushed the changeling away from him, and looked at Riff, who was still pointing at the changeling.

"Thanks!" Blade shouted. Riff shot at the dead changeling twice more.

"What was that for!?" Blade shouted at Riff, who answered: "That fucker kicked me in the leg!"

Blade chuckled, but then they noticed Boxsee being in trouble. The two changelings left were kicking him, while he was on the ground. The other one took his pistol into his hoof, and pulled the slide back. Just before he managed to point the gun at Boxsee, they heard gunfire. The changeling's body was ripped by the bullet's that came from somewhere behind the ponies.

The changeling fell down to the ground, and the other one stopped kicking Boxsee, and looked surprised. He looked at something behind the ponies. He dropped his pistol on the ground, and just stood there.

Ponies looked behind them, and their eyes widened from surprise. Their faces lit up as they recognized what they were looking at. There was a group of five ponies standing there, or couple of them were crouching, with their weapons pointed at the last changeling.

They started to move closer to the squad, and the changeling dropped to his knees.

"Are you alright!?" one of them shouted, and walked closer to Crack Shot.

"Never been better!" Riff shouted, but he then yelped from pain, as his legs started to hurt again.

"They need medical attention!" Crack Shouted.

"Where's captain Rough Gunner?" the pony they recognized as the commanding officer of the camp said.

"His dead!" Crack said, holding the side of his face where the changeling had hit him.

The officer was silent for a moment, but then said: "What's the situation?"

"What the fuck does it look like!?" Blade shouted, and clumsily rose up. he then started to walk towards the body of Thrill. The officer was silenced by Blade's straight language, but he  soon managed to say: "I mean.. How many casualties?"

Crack Shot sighed, and then looked at the bodies of Healing Horn and Thrill.

"Ten," he said, and looked at the officer, who seemed surprised, but he then turned towards the changeling and said: "Private Stamp! Send a letter to the base! We need medivac ASAP!"

"Yes sir!" a dark green unicorn said, and started to write a message.

Crack looked at the ponies. They were putting hoofcuffs to the changeling, who looked scared. Crack Shot didn't feel sorry for him. He saw Blade dragging the body of Thrill, while Healing Horn's body was on his bag. The sight tugged him from the chest. Two of his friends, dead and torn.

Crack Shot snapped from his thought's when he heard Riff saying: "Crack.."

He looked at Riff, who was again in lot of pain. Crack knelt down in front of him. Riff took a good grip from his uniform, and looked him into eyes.

He smiled painfully, and said: "I think I'm going to pass out again.."

"You better not," Crack said, chuckling little. He lifted Riff a little from his shoulders, and placed his backpack behind his back. Riff was still looking really disoriented, and Crack realized that he wasn't joking around. He looked at Riff's legs, that were bleeding badly. He gasped, and then shouted: "Boxsee!"

Riff looked at Crack, and he noticed that Boxsee was running towards him. He felt light headed, and his legs were on fire. His head started to droop, and Riff's eyelids felt like they were made from lead. It was impossible to held them open. He looked at Crack Shot, who was shouting something to him, but it sounded lie they were underwater, and Riff couldn't understand what he was trying to say. The world started to spin around him, and he felt like dropping trough the ground, into darkness.

He passed out.