A Twinkle of Hope

A Twinkle of Hope - Chapter 13

"So the Princess carried you all night, all bloody and injured like that?" Rainbow Dash had stars in her eyes, mesmerized by the valiant tale.

"Mhm. I owe her my life. She keeps saying I don't need to honor my debt, but I ignore her." Laughing, the warpony returned to his story. "Anyway, she plopped me on a bed, and begged the doctors to treat me..."

A doctor looked at Cloudrunner grimly, knowing all too well the state he was in.

"Oh doctor, surely you can save him! His injuries are not life-threatening!" Princess Luna had come too far to let her General die now.

Dr. Mend sighed, turning his head towards the alicorn. "If we act quickly, he'll survive."

Luna's face lit up, but immediately switched back to worry at what the doctor had to say next.

"Unfortunately, his wing is clearly showing signs of infection. The infection will spread, likely killing you, General, unless we..."

"...Unless you what, Doc?" Cloudrunner was now well awake, eager to know what the "butchers" had to do to him.

"Unless we amputate. It is so gnarled and twisted, I see at least three clear open fractures, and pockets of dirt and mud. Princess, your charms only could do so much. You at least stopped any advanced hemorrhaging. He won't need a transfusion."

"Damn it! Well what are you waiting for? Get out the bone saws!"

"Right! Nurse get some pain killers, I recommend..."

"NO!..No...what do the other ponies in this tent have wrong with them?"

"Um...well a few have mild burns, advanced trauma, lodged bullets. Some even need skin grafts. I'm not sure how successful they would be, given our..." Dr. Mend felt he needed to be thorough to his CO.

"Save the drugs for those that need it. Now go on! Do it!"

"Are you su..."

"Yes! Do it!"

Princess Luna could not bare to see Cloudrunner suffer and protested, on the verge of tears.

"It'll be ok, Luna. It'll be quick." The General reached into his coat and pulled out a silver flask. He downed the whole thing, and told the surgeon to do his work.

Dr. Mend did his best to saw as fast as possible. His stainless steel bone saw could cut through femur in 28 seconds. A wing bone was foal's play. But those 14 seconds were pure agony for the charcoal pegasus on the table. He cursed the alcohol, and Luna, and heaven and hell. He yelled so many profanities that he caught the attention of all the nurses and physicians, horrified at conscious to-be amputee.

Finally the terrible wing fell to the ground. Blood flowed out of the wound. Nearly hyperventilating the General called for a hot blade. He wasn't going deal with any "stitches". Gauze were applied, and then removed when a red-hot knife was levitated by the doctor, and placed onto the nub. The sizzle, combined with the General's screams, nearly made Princess Luna pass out. But finally the ordeal was over.

Cloudrunner checked his eye. It had stopped bleeding a while ago. He began to get up, but the hoof of Mend prevented his leaving.

"Hold up, sir. We have to do something about that bullet in your flank."

"..What? Fuu...fine. Make it quick!"

Dr. Mend lifted up the General's coat off from his thigh. His usually obscured cutie mark was visible, an arrow styled to look light a lightning blot. The bullet went straight through it, staining the image red. The doctor used his magic to pull the projectile from the pegasus' thigh, and proceeded to cauterize again, though the pain wasn't as severe.

"There, General. You'll live. I’m sorry we couldn't save your wing, or eye. The flank will heal, but improperly, I'm afraid. I simply don't have the tools for any kind of reconstructive surgery like that."

All of Cloudrunner's adrenaline had run out. The gravity of the situation had now just hit him. He...could no longer fly, or even run, as he discovered when he had to limp out of the tent. "Thank you...doctor. You did what you could. Thank you for saving my live. And thank you, Princess. Come with me, let's get you to some place safe."

"But Cloudrunner! We must remain here! to lead our ponies!"

"Believe me, I wish you could. But we have no idea if we're being followed, and it's much too dangerous to let you be noticeable. As far as the enemy knows, we perished at Canterlot." He said as they left the medical tent.

"And thou? Would it be not as risky to leave thyself visible?"

"I am not as well known. They have no idea what the 'Night Phantom' looks like, but they all know what the Princess of the Night looks like. Please? Trust me."

The regal pony was hesitant, but as the neared a bunker-type structure, she finally agreed. The two proceeded down the stairs.

"Stay here. I'll bring some flashlights for you, and a bed."

"...do as thou must." Luna wasn't thrilled to be down here, but she did trust the General unquestionably, a quality she learned from her sister.

"When the time is right, You will lead us to victory. I'll come down here every night and tell you what's going on."

As the morning turned to day, Cloudrunner surveyed the fort. Most of the officers had known of his presence, and the most senior ones knew about Luna. A unicorn mare ran up to him, ready to ready the report.

"Sir! Staff Sergeant Steno! I have a report on our current situation." She saluted intently.

"At ease. Read on, Sergeant."

"Around 700 military ponies made it safely within the walls of the fort. An estimated 100 civilians made it as well. We have twenty trucks, and enough rations to feed us all for about a month. No heavy weapons or ammunition. Orders?"

"Tell the civilians to either join up or we have to let them go. Assign some units to raiding duty. We need more supplies. Training will not stop. We need to prepare for the counter-offensive." During his speech, Cloudrunner winced in pain at his new disfigurations, still far from healed.

"How long should I tell the officers we will be here?"

The General looked at the woods, mentally going past the trees, imagining the vast army coming this way.

"As long as we can."

"So we've been here for the past six months, getting ready for what will take place tomorrow."

"Wow, uh sir, I'm very sorry to hear about your...surgery. But wow you still went on anyway! I respect that dude...SIR!"

The General couldn't help but smile at his admirer. "When it's just us, I'm your peer. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Sharing a laugh, Rainbow found herself hugging the old stallion. When she realized what she was doing, Dash quickly leapt back, embarrassed.

"I'm...excuse me about that...I got a little carried away. 'Cause well this whole time you've been there for me and uh I kinda feel like you're well..."

"Like I’m a father to you?" On the inside the pony was elated.

"Ye...yeah. Ya see my dad left before I was born and I uh never..." Rainbow seldom discussed her past, and felt a tear streaming from her cheek.

"Well for your information you've grown on me like...like a daughter. Fate didn't give me a foal of my own, so you're the closest thing I've got." He placed his hoof around her shoulder.

"What do you mean?" She asked, wiping her eyes.

"I'll tell you another time. Now let's cut the sappy stuff, it's time to get some rest! Tomorrow you gotta make your 'pops' proud, eh?"

"You bet! But I think I'll stay out here a little longer." Rainbow figured she'd stay awake and contemplate what had just happened; the story, the sharing of paternal bonds, just life.

"Suit yourself. I'm off. Good night, Captain."

"Good night, Sir."

The General walked off, audibly yawning. Whe he was gone, Rainbow muttered quietly under her breath; "Good night, dad."

"Isn't that sweet. It always makes me happy to see such a beautiful father-daughter moment." An all-too familiar voice came from behind the blue pegasus.

"Hu...what?...Who's there?"

"Relax, Captain. It is only I, Princess Luna." The alicorn revealed herself, took a seat next to Rainbow.

"How long have you been there?" asked the loyal pony, hoping her softer side remained unknown to the diarch.

"Oh just from your hug on." She chuckled, much to Rainbow Dash's annoyance.

"You saw that, huh? Don't tell anypony, ok, uh your highness."

"Your secret is safe with me. If anypony were to be a father to you, you picked a good one in Cloudrunner. So strong...brave...handsome...oh sister I am so jealous..." Luna was talking to herself at this point, closing her eyes.

"...excuse me?"

"Oh oh nothing! Just uh thinking out loud! Yes!"

"Wait, were the General and...Princess Celestia an...an item?"

"Indeed. Ever since his wife left him, they got very close. I discovered the extent of this 'closeness' one night when I was walking past Celestia's..."

"Woah! Too much information! Why did his wife leave him? Who was she?"

"I do not know her name, but she was a unicorn. They were madly in love, so my sister says. But he could not conceive, and she became frustrated. When she left, he stuck to his work, and rose to the rank of General. He caught then attention of my sister, with his flawless record, not to mention his..."

"That's not right! Just because they couldn't have foal doesn't mean..."

"It is in the past now. Cloudrunner has moved on. Please, Element of Loyalty, don't mention to him that I told you. And while we're at it don't ever call him a 'half-breed'..." Her and her big mouth. She immediately covered it with a hoof.

"Uhhh I'll be sure not to. Half-breed?"

"Oh look at the time! I really must be going now!" She flew off, knowing she revealed far too much for the General's comfort. "Good night, Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow could do nothing but wave back. "Goodnight Princess."

Finally the captain decided too that it was bedtime. Jetting to her tent, she brushed her teeth, undressed, and jumped into bed. Her nerves were called, and tonight would bring pleasant dreams.