The sniper of WW1

Iron lung sat on the back of the cargo truck with his rifle in his lap, enjoying the sun as it warmed his face and arms. He smiled a little as he overheard the new recruits in the truck chatting about the Germanic earth-pony that struck fear into even the toughest stallions in the H.O.O.F with his deadly accuracy and his ability to remain hidden in even the most crowded battlegrounds so far.

"I'm telling you dude, I have seen him drop a squad of black manes like he was swatting flies with a zapper." A fresh recruit said as he adjusted his helmet so that it didn't cover his eyes. I smirked as I heard their foalish tall tales to try and seem like the bigger stallion among their squad mates.

"Yeah, and I met the man." Another one said before the rest started laughing and jeering at the new recruit who now pulled his helmet down to hide the embarrassment that was visible, I sighed as I got up shakily and walked over to the group of stallions and got their attention.

"He's right about that though. I've been in a battle with him before.....he's damn near the best one that has walked the earth." Iron lung said while deciding to help out the new recruit. "I've seen him drop a group of Black Manes in less than five minutes......all of them died except one.....their sniper who was the best at the academy before the war started. He reached a stale-mate with the legend when they both kept taking shots off at each other till nightfall hit. After that........he woke up and found that tags were taken off of his comrades and that the sniper was gone." Iron said while his face turned dark and sullen.

"What happened to those that faced off against him?" One of the stallions said as they eyed Iron closely.
"I'm still here aren't I?" Iron said as he pulled on his tags to show the elite black ones next to his standard issued ones, letting them look at it as their jaws dropped open and some of them looked away.
"S-so he is real?" The one that was making fun of the recruit said weakly. "I wish he wasn't.......otherwise I wouldn't be out here hunting him down." Iron said as he sat down next to the recruit who finally worked up enough nerve to put his helmet on properly and offer his hand for a handshake.

"I-I'm E-eagle E-eye sir." He said weakly as I took his hand and shook it with a firm grip. "I'm Iron Lung." I replied and let go of his shaking hand as I looked back out to the desert as the setting sun was slowly setting over a sand dune as our truck pulled into a town that half demolished from mortar fire and constant bombing from planes overhead. Tonight......tonight on the other hand was a day to rest and enjoy everyponys company since it was hearth warming eve.