The Fringe: Deadweight

All was quiet in the woods. Or what had used to be a green forest. Now all that was left was death and decay. The smell of it hung over everything. It clung to the burned, charred bark of the trees. It rose up out of the dusty, grey earth and mixed with the taste of the water.

Most knew that it was just a side-effect of all the bodies strewn across the wasteland. Burned and mangled beyond recognition, anything out in the open when the bombs fell two years ago was left to rot as the those who survived manage in the battles after.

There was peace here. The sun above struggled to push it's rays of light through the dark purple and grey clouds above. Small woodland creatures struggled to find food among the decay and ash. But the two Federation soldiers who marched through the Devastation was oblivious to all this.

As the two Furies trudged along, stepping over the fallen trunks of dead trees and kicking up ash they made there way along an old road. It was more of a well worn path through a withered forest. One of the soldiers , who was a cat spoke up to his taller, rabbit partner.

"Hey crash, do you hear that"? Asked the cat as he looks around. "Sounds like music".

The forest around them had been quiet calm and devoid of sound but now there was distant music. A faint bouncy jazz including many strange instruments could be heard floating throughout the burned trees. Crash shrugged walking ahead of the cat as they continued to march.

"No I don't now focus on what's important Colby". replied Crash "I think you had too much catnip".

They both knew that once they were through the woods and across the border that everything was serious, but until then it kept there spirits high to joke around. Crash turned and glanced at Colby who had now put his paws up to his ears to block out the increasing melody.

He was about to make another joke when his whiskers started to quiver. Crash perked up his ears and soon he too could hear the bouncy music wafting through the air that was getting ever louder.

"Ok now I hear it, it's one of them sprite-bot things from Equestria".

"Yea well if it does not shut up it will get a belly full of metal to choke on".

Said Colby as he patted the gun slung across his back.

The music suddenly stopped and the forest was quiet. Crash and Colby both stopped and crouched low. Colby pulls out his rifle and peers through the trees waiting.

"Huh...maybe it got bored of it's own music". Colby turned in a half circle before getting up grinning. "I swear that thing could understand my threat hahaha".

Before Colby could move a muscle the music starts back up again as loud as ever right behind him. He jumps up yelling out on shock as a small metal ball with wings appears behind him.

"Oh fuck"!!!

Colby spins around to face the metal thing and sprays a clip of bullets into the machine. The bullets bounce of harmlessly with a metallic ping. With a shrill whine the sprite-bot flys off into the woods and disappears.

"I fucking hate those sprite-bots....there flying radios, there not supposed to sneak up on ya"! Exclaimed Colby pointing his gun into the woods as if expecting another spritebot to appear.

"How many times do I have to tell ya those things are practically invincible". Replied crash chuckling.

"As many times as it takes until I kill one". Replied Colby curtly shouldering the rifle and facing crash.

Crash looks at him in amusement and keeps trudging on. They continue through the woods with the only sounds being the distant music of the sprite-bots and the crunching of dirt under there feet.

"You know, I wonder if Kris is ok back at the Capitol, ya know with the recent air-raids"? Asked Colby.

Crash only shrugged remembering there childhood friend kris. When they were young, Crash and Colby had been interrogated and sentenced to life in prison. She was the one who had saved them and forced them to join in the military.

"Yea she's fine, being the kings daughter and all I bet she is in some bunker under the Capitol city".

Colby scoffed at that shaking his head. "Does not seem fair when you think about it, you wonder why were actually loosing this war".

Crash stopped and look at him with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean? Are you suggesting the Monarchy is to blame for the recent defeats along the border".

"Yea you could say that. We have lost over half of our country while those Pompous Fools sit in the Capitol and do nothing". Colby thought for a moment wondering wether that was true or not.

Crash shrugs and keeps walking and Colby follows behind a few paces before speaking up again.

"Remember when you had the crazy idea of overthrowing the King, and I changed your mind to make you rebel and get us both thrown in jail"?

Crash chuckles at this and grins at Colby. The chirping of some kind of bird echoed around them. Soon a whole flock of them take off startling the two furies as they ascend into the pale sky above.

Crash walks over and stands next to crash watching the birds fly out of sight "We have gotten ourselves into some deep shit together, and not once have we doubted each other". He lightly pats Colby on the back grinning.

Colby smacks him on the back in return and keeps walking with a grin on his face "don't get all sappy with me, it's not always been fun and games". Replied the cat soldier who just smirked and walked away along the path.

"Hehe remember when we were scaling the wall in the palace and you touched the electric fence haha, you were out cold and kris had to give you mouth to mouth to wake you up".

Colby was in front of crash but he could still tell he was blushing. The forest around them had gotten quiet and crash looked around with worry. He pulled out his bow and held it to his side.

In front of him Colby had stopped and turned to him frowning. "Don't say anoth-".

The next few seconds was chaos as and explosion sounded behind them sending dirt and bark flying into the air. In a split second crash had dropped his bow and tackled Colby as another explosion went off even closer.

KA-BOOOM!!!!

More dirt rained down on the two furies as they rolled next to a downed log taking shelter from the explosions around them. Crash wiped a smudge of dirt off his face and yelled at Colby struggling to be heard above the noise.

"WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WERE THEY ARE"!!!

Colby nodded and grabbed his rifle springing up and leaping over the log in one smooth motion. The Popping sound of gunfire rang out in every direction as at least a dozen Camouflaged enemy's sprung up around them.

Colby ducked back down behind the log and reloaded his gun. "THERE ARE HUMANS IN A CIRCLE AROUND US AND CLOSING FAST"!!! Exclaimed Colby covering his head from the dirt raining down from the continuing explosions.

Crash smiled and inserted a yellow and black arrow tip onto a shaft and pulled back the string. He aimed it directly up and fired into the trees above. Colby knew exactly what was about to happen.

"GET READY TO DUCK"!

Both of the furies ducked down at the last second as the arrow came back down. In a scream of wind the arrow plunged into the earth and detonated sending a ring of fire and smoke out in all directions. The effect was devastating as the screams of human soldiers were silenced by the fire. Soon all was silent.

Crash and Colby wearily crawled out from under the log and looked around. The area around them was black and charred in a complete circle with the bones of the human soldiers sticking out of the ashes, completely devoid of flesh. The two celebrated and fist bumped.

"YEA!!! TAKE THAT"!!!

Colby fist pumped the air and walked over to the closest human remains. He raised his weapon and aimed at the skull sending a few rounds into it.

"How's it feel now you bloody BASTARDS"!!!!

Crash folded his bow up putting it into his quiver. He walks over to Colby and pats him on the shoulder grinning.

"This ones personal".

"You can say that again"!

"Let's head back to the ship and report in Colby , we make the final approach tomorrow".

"Sure thing".

Colby shoulders his rifle and goes over and picks up his bag slinging over his shoulder. Crash bounds over and picks up his bag. The two soldiers make there way through the trees towards a rocky area. They kick up dust while they walk.

Walking down a small hill Colby jumps down the edge of a cliff and onto a dry river bed. Behind him crash stands on the cliff and perks his ears up. The distant rumblings of a storm could be heard over the usual sounds of the wasteland. Crash jumps down and with speed bounds over to Colby stopping next to him his eyes full of alarm.

"There is a MAJOR storm coming Colby we need to high tail it to the ship now".

Colby nods in agreement. "I can't agree with you more let's go"! He grips his gun more tightly grinning.

They both set off running down the dark, pebbly path of the river bed as the sounds of the storm get closer. Crash bounds ahead of Colby with his long legs as they make there way around a bend. The forest begins to clear and a giant rocky outcropping splits the river in two.

"Were not gonna make it before the storm breaks"!!!

"We will trust me"!

"Forget that there's an old cave nearby".

"Come on Colby it's just up ahead"!

They sprint towards the rocks and a cave could be seen were two large grey stones had toppled over creating an opening. The wind was fierce now and small pebbles from the river bed fly around in the air. Actually, the air was thick with dust and small pebbles.

Crash reached the crack in the rocks first bounding into the shadows. Colby stumbled outside after him as the storm began to grow in power. Thunder boomed closer now and the first specks of rain began to fall. He was just about to make it before a pebble about the size of a golfball, sailed through the air and connected with his jaw.

"SON OF A BI"! Cried Colby as he fell to the ground with a thud.

Crash watched from the mouth of the cave as Colby went down hard. Cursing under his breath he bounded out to him ignoring the stinging pain of the wind and the rain. Colby was sprawled on his back with his eyes closed, a dribble of blood foamed from the corner of his mouth pooling on the ground.

"Stay with me buddy!! I'll get you out of here".

With a grunt of pain, Crash hoisted the limp body of his partner on to his shoulder and bounded into the cave. Not a moment too soon just as the full downpour of rain came down, weeping for what it has done to the two companions. Crash struggled to Cary Colby into a large alcove beneath the rocks.

"Dammit Colby, your stronger then this". Exclaimed crash as he set Colby down further in the cave.

Looking around, Crash put his supplies down and his quiver and set to tending to his friends injuries. A groan of pain came from Colby and he opened his eyes weakly.

"There we go, the big bad storm put you on your ass again"?

Colby nodded painfully before leaning over coughing up drops of blood. He leaned back looking up at crash with a grin.

"Ugh..you know me...too well buddy".

"Yeah unfortunately I'm stuck with you".

They both chuckled at that as the storm raged outside. The wind howled but inside, the two furies felt safe under the rocks. Crash got up brushing the dust from his fur.

"I'm gonna get a fire started, you rest up that pretty face of yours".

"Why how bad is it".

"Trust me you don't want to know".

Colby smirked and rubbed his jaw. "It feels like it's swelling".

"You look like a drunk Minotaur...good thing you were not pretty before, not much has changed".

"You just wait crash".

Crash grinned and moved back to his supplies. Shuffling through the bag he pulled out a small box of matches. Looking around he saw plenty of useful pieces of wood, as if others have used this cave as a camp or home.

He gathered up a handful putting them into an old fire-pit in the center of the cave. Lighting a match, he threw it into the wood setting them ablaze and in a few minutes a warm fire blazed sending shadows across the walls if the cave. Crash sighed in relief and leaned against the wall of the cave in the warmth of the fire.

"Ahhhh, much better...we should be able to get back to the ship once the storm stops".

"Yeah I hope...this damn storm does not tear it to shreds".

"I'm not worried, if it does Colby you can just put it back together like usual".

Colby grinned at the mention of his passion. He always had a knack for machines and other stuff of the sorts. Ever since the Humans had landed in Equestria, there technology has been learned and improved upon. But there are still many mysteries beyond engines and guns. He actually used human firearms after learning and understanding how all the components went together.

"It's getting late crash, we should get some sleep and set out to the ship in the morning"

"I could not agree with you more. How ya feeling"?

"My face feels like one of those Human spicy peppers".

Crash snickered imagining that in his head. "Ouch that has got to suck".

"Yeah it does".

"Well you get comfortable...this cave is a hidden secret...no need to keep a watch".

"You sure Crash"?

"Yeah...positive".

Colby lays down on the ground across the fire from crash. Yawning, crash himself lays down using his large ears as pillows. In a few minutes the two tired furies are asleep peacefully and the only sounds are the crackling of dying embers in the fire and Colby's soft snores.