Predator: FracturedHearts

The forest was talking as Fractured walked along the Pie River, listening to Nurse Redheart's voice guide her to where she landed. The radio continued to buzz as everypony continued to chat back and fourth, Fractured focused on the medics voice drowning out the rest. The river was flowing fast and rough, its like the river was hyper after a sugar rush. This would make sense because it was named after Pinkie Pie, one of the most hyper ponies of her time. That was a long time ago, the time where ponies grew strong enough to actually claim the forest as land despite the dangers that lurked inside it. The more the large mare walked along the bank the more her hooves picked up mud and the more she wished she was getting close because mud can slow a running pony down to a stop which is bad when in combat.

"Alright, once you get to the bend I will be waiting for you there" Redheart said softly with a hint of fear in her tone of voice. "I don't want to be alone any longer than I have too Fractured so if you could hurry up a bit, that would be much appreciated!" Fractured pressed down on her talk button and nodded to it as she spoke, the mud on her hooves getting all over the buttons.

"Alright! alright! Hold your horses and I'll be there" Fractured said slightly annoyed with the medic, she never enjoyed working with newbies. It made her uncomfortable, at least this one didn't have a gun or somepony might end up dead from a misfire. During this time Fracutured took to make her way too Redheart, Iron will was working on pulling his drop box out of the river as quick as possible to get his weapon. As he finally managed to pull the box out of the water he ripped the top off with a smile seeing his weapon laying inside. As he did the water grabbed the box ripping it away and taking it down the river but he didn't mind. He had his weapon now. The radio buzzed and it was Cranky on the line, he sounded unhappy as always.

"Hurry up and get your flanks to the bend! I thought you were professionals" Cranky started to cough hard in the mic of his radio from being old and sick. "This isn't professional, you got beat by a medic! She is here! Why aren't you ladies!?" the donkey continued to cough before handing the radio over to the nurse. Iron Will listened carefully as the mare spoke softly into the radio. Her voice was calming and appealing, she knew how to speak to the group and build their confidence.

"Its okay everypony, just make it here as fast as you can. I know you can do it, he is just cranky today" Redheart spoke as she was packing her things into her bags and organizing her medical equipment for the trip. She placed all the important things in satchels to be easily accessed in case of an emergency. "Just don't get lost and Cranky also wants you all too keep an eye out for Roseluck. She went dark after drop!" Fractured stopped listening to the talk on the radio as she approached the bend where Redheart and Cranky stood. Pulling her gun over her shoulder the mare smiled and waved to the medic and quickly saluted to Cranky. The Donkey chuckled and nodded pleased to see the earthpony arrive at the bend. He figured she would be the first out of the troops to arrive.

"I see your as quick as they say, perhaps the stories are true about you and the battle of the Crystal front? I guess I will see when the battle begins today" Cranky had a large rifle on his back, he also had a lit cigar in his mouth. Fractured nodded with a stern look on her face when talking to the Captain.

"Yes sir! I will be here on your side through thick and thin! Ooora to ashes sir" Fractured smiled and looked to the medic now that her talk was over, Cranky turned away with the same frase escaping his lips. Fractured knelt down in the mud of the river bank next to the white mare, Redheart. She began to help the medic gather and sort her things, she may be a hard ass but she had a big heart and would help others with anything before doing things for herself. She gained her bad attitude and skills at the Battle of Crystal Front. The battle took place exactly seven years ago when the Crystal Empires ruler went corrupt much like the old lord King Sombra. The Empire decided to make a desperate decisions to concur land and they almost succeeded until the battle at there homeland began. A secret mission that Fractured was a part of that would later be called the Battle of the Crystal Front. The battle was bloody and Fractured was one of the few that completed the mission when the ruler was taken down inside the castle, the mare to this day could remember the fight. She lost her sister in the fight, Fractured's heart was never the same after her sisters death. Still nopony knows why the leader of the empire went mad or why she decided to start a war but what happened could not be undone but that would never stop Fractured from wanting her sister back.

"Well, Well, Well,  Look who finally decided to show up! Iron Will, good to see you soldier" Cranky said watching the large Minotaur walk up to the group, he was muddy up to his knees and his uniform soaked from retrieving his weapon from the water. Cranky took a puff from his cigar and coughed again before continuing his talk, "So all that is left is that sorry Roseluck! Figures that a Weyland would take its time! I giver her by nightfall to show up before we leave her behind, Iron Will, lets go over the plan again shall we" Cranky turned away pulling out a map and he waited for Iron Will to join him.

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The base was bustling with Griffins, they were moving weapons around the base and reinforcing walls and guns. However one griffin stood out among the rest and his name was Gallants. He was a big griffin much like the rest that walked around the base, he had an AK47 strapped against his side  as he sat along the edge of the base. His wings were opened to allow the little breeze to cool him off, today was hot like most days in the forest and he didn't want the heat to get the best of him like yesterday. Gallants looked over to a fellow griffin as she approached, she was pure white with blue eyes and perfect beak and talons. Gallants adjusted his stance for her and smiled as she spoke.

"Can you believe it Gallants? Today's scouts didn't come back again. Found them strung up like big game in the trees next to the Pie River" she reached him taping his shoulder with one talon. She fluffed up her feathers and Gallants looked angry to hear that once again scouts were dead. "Skinned alive~! Their feathers and skin just gone to who knows where" Gallants lowered his head as she continued, if he had been there he would have sacrificed his life for them to live if he could. However he wasn't there, he was here at the walls as griffins go missing everyday around the base as if they were being warned to stay out of the woods. Griffins who were hung were sometimes headless or their beaks were used to dig out their eyes. An eyeless griffin in the old days meant whoever was there owned that land and that they didn't want intruders. However nopony or griffin used this method of communication anymore so Gallants and the rest thought it could be a sign of war.

"Are we finally going to stop sending scouts out, Sapph?" Gallants closed his wings as his concern began to grow for Sapphire. She was too pretty to be a part of war, he had feelings for her but didn't know how to express them. Sapphire rubbed a talon on his shoulder briefly before finally moving it away.

"I don't know to be honest, Gall. I have a feeling more griffins will die due to my fathers orders staying the same. I have no control over these things" Sapphires father was in charge of this whole movement, this war tactic. That was the biggest reason Gallants feeling remained hidden as they were. "I wish I could do something, I really do....I am afraid your brother will have to go out one day soon despite the deaths" Gallant narrowed his eyes not liking the news that had been pushed out.

"Your kidding, how many more have to..." He stopped not wanting to loose his rank or respect in the group and once again kept to himself. Sapphire tilted her head and quickly moved away heading back over to help more griffins with the movement of the weapons. Gallants lowered his head once again, whatever was out there doing this. He knew it would have to be taken care of and when the time came he was sure the pony or griffin behind it, would die. As Gallants continued with his thoughts a griffin at a radio quickly got up and ran to the control tower with news that was interesting.

"Commander commander!! A helicopter! An Equestrian....." a large set of talons slammed down around the messengers beak. Being pushed down to his knees a very large griffin in fancy uniform growls holding him down. Whimpering the griffin looks up to the commander in fear of death.

"Equestrian you say, hmmmm, interesting you choose to tell me now don't you think" The messenger nods and closes his eyes tightly no longer looking at commander, "I love how the ponies think we don't have a pair of working eyes, like we can't see a helicopter over a forest! However you shouldn't have told me when I am in a meeting....for that....get out of my sight before I rid of you life" All Griffins were mean but these griffins were worse. There was barely anything they would not threaten each other with or about, death was just a common word to escape their beaks. It was everyday that it would be said, the commander grunted and walked to a window and stared off into the trees looking at the branches now the thought of a pony threat lingered in the back of his head, however, little did they all know it was much worse than that.

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Iron will watches as the barrel of his gun rotates cycling barrels, the night had been quiet and there was little movement. It was peaceful at the little campsite the group had made in the woods, tonight it was time to rest and plan, tomorrow it would be time to take action and do some scouting and spying on the Griffin base. Roseluck was still gone, nowhere to be seen. Fractured looked into her book and began to write down some of todays events. When she was bored she always wrote down her current situations and events of the day, she was focused into her book. Redheart looked around at the dark forest as the sun was completely gone at this point. The forest was always scary at night but it felt worse knowing there was blood thirsty griffins walking around the forest. Everypony had the same thought in their heads. What would tomorrow bring? As they all started getting ready to rest, something up in the trees stared down at them. It was kneeling down on a branch starring down at them as it was tyeing  ropes to the branch before disappearing.