The meeting

The war that had waged for years had taken it toll on the landscape as the mint green stallion walked down the road towing a cart filled with his effects, that was on the border of the once changeling territory. The border was scared much like he was. His coat fought back the nipping cold of the early winter winds that the Pegasus would have moved in. War had thrown everything out of sync and now a year later after the conflict ended with Queen Chrysalis retreating and fleeing as equestrian troops, griffon troops had stormed the city. It was terrible, he had done many things in his career in his time of service but nothing more horrible then the fall of the changeling capital.

He carried the souls of the dead on his shoulders. After the end of the conflict he was released for medical reasons. He was moving to ponyville to start anew as the only he could, a farmhand. Walking in silence the first snow began to fall. Looking up showed that there was a scar along his jaw. His white mane was dirty and long unkempt for a previous solider. He walked for the last few hours and came upon the town of Trottingham. Walking into town the citizens were as upbeat as they could be for a population who was close to the fighting. A blanket of bitter memories seemed to be wherever he went. The conflict took its toll on the whole of Equestria and Griffonia, many young mares, stallions, and griffons left for the front and never returned of if they did it was in a box with the condolences of the princesses.

He stopped in-front of an inn and walked in asking for a room. He was able to put his things in the shack located out behind the inn and walked up the stairs to his room forgoing food. he didn't even take off the coat as he collapsed onto the bed and passed out.

-4 years ago-

Standing on top of a cloud with a contingent of the 136th pegasus dive bomber squadron they looked down to see the changeling lines advancing as the earth ponies began their assault on the advancing horde. He looked to his left and nodded to his griffon counterpart who gave a quick nod back. Standing he spread his wings and double checked his claws that were outfitted for him. The pegasus all copied him as he opened his wings and shouted a battle cry as he down down from the clouds.

"FOR EQUESTRIA!" He shouted and his call was answered by a rallying cry of his ponies as they dive bombed the enemy. Magic missiles arched through the sky as the unicorns began the launch the artillery. Blues, pinks, greens, and all different kinds of colors began to bombard the enemy ranks but they pressed hard. He was first into the fray landing onto of a changeling breaking its neck with his momentum. He began to combat the enemy, he was so sure of himself  hundreds of hours fighting mock battles and training for this...combat against an aggressor. The squadron followed suit with the griffon contingent.

The first battle between the two armies was liberating and terrifying. Finally he got to taste combat but now he was in the thick of it he was mortified. Looking around at the carnage was enough to make a stallion wet himself. Fighting with all of his worth then a horn sounded and like a black tide the sky darkened with hundreds of changelings now bearing down from the air.

"TAKE TO THE SKY!" he ordered as he lifted off the ground many of his unit did to. Aerial combat was brutal. Crashing into a changeling he began his fighting by next  cutting the wing of one then kicking another, he fought like a cornered timber wolf. He turned at the call of his name.

"SHIELD" he turned  and a green blast changeling was heading straight for him.

-present day-

"AHRRR."Shield awoke startled as sweat had soaked him he rubbed his head and got himself a glass of water. Finished it he looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. He was older than he was then, not just in body but in mind. Shield paid the innkeeper for some breakfast and ate quickly so he could resume his trek to ponyville. After gathering his things and making sure nothing was missing he walked on the road.

Halfway between getting there he heard a scream making him stop and unbuckle his hitch running in the direction of the distress. he found a female changeling running from a pack of timber wolves. He saw she was protecting something as she was being chased her wings were damaged and was badly wounded. He stopped and paused for a moment. "What was a changeling doing here?" he wondered then more importantly he asked himself "Should i help." Her cry out for help made him snap into action as his body seemed to react disregarding the dilemma within his own mind.

The wolves cornered her and she was bleeding heavily as she kicked at the creatures. Quickly he maneuvered behind them and dispatched them by jumping onto them and snapped their wooden rib cages then crushing their heads for good measure. He now stood over her. The Changelings tears running down her face as she looked up at him and he down at her, there was an unsaid  knowledge passed between them she was going to die. Turning away she choked out.

"Wait.." her voice had a slight echo to it like all of them did. Turning to her she revealed what she was protecting. it was a changeling...or was it a filly he couldn't tell he had seen changeling offspring and this was not one. His heart sank as he looked upon the child. A hybrid a creature created from the paring of a changeling and a stallion.

"Her name is Butter Bun..." she said gasping for air then smiled despite herself.

"She is a hybrid?" he said hoping to be wrong. But was proven right as the female changeling nodded.

"Her Father died in the conflict.... and I was left with her. " she in hail sharply coughing up blood as she touched the face of Butter Bun.

"Please take her..." she asked her blue eyes pleading. If only she knew what he had done. he had slayed children in their cribs as ordered when they took the changeling city and here now when he was about to start a new life...this female changeling.

"I am sorry i." but his word fell on deaf ears. she had died her eyes glazed over looking into the abyss. Shield stood up and turned walking away.

The cries of a child echoed in the dark forest making him stop. He walked back slowly to the child in her dead mother's arms. Picking her up he looked now at her. her coat was black as night, her mane was not leather like changelings were if anything she resembled more a pony then a changeling. She stopped crying and looked up at him showing eyes that were a deep blue same as her mothers. Shield looked to the sky once again then to the body of the changeling.

Placing the last rock on the grave he looked down at Butter Bun. He had burned enough time here he would have to walk fast if he was going to make it to see his contact in ponyville and get situated. Butter bun now hung off of his neck as he carried the cart going toward ponyville.

"Well Butter Bun it is nice to meet you I am Dancing Shield."