The Equestrian Ranger Corps

Chrysalis stood at the entrance of the primitive dwelling she had set up in the Everfree Forest. The moderately sized hut was nothing but vines, bark and logs thrown together with a thatching of dead grass to keep it waterproof. It was a long way down from her time in the pampered rooms of Canterlot Castle, but she couldn’t afford to indulge in creature comforts, she could only focus on surviving and making sure her children survived. Without the next generation of changelings strong and healthy, her hive would become extinct in just a few short years.

She scowled and hissed out at the distant pinpricks of lights that were Canterlot city visible through the forest clearing that had been made to accommodate her hive in the forest. Several whimpers came from a large nest she had created from the softest grass she could find and she was instantly by her children’s side nuzzling through them through the blanket.“Shhhhhh... Don’t worry my little ones,” Chrysalis cooed at the fitfully sleeping little drones. “Soon, we shall have all the food you can possibly want.”

She once more looked out to the lights of Canterlot. “One way or another, our suffering will end.” A sudden burst of bright green fire, heralded the arrival of one of her scouting parties. Growling softly, she left her young ones and stepped out her crude dwelling. “You three better have a good reason for coming back early! Or I swear-” Her yelling stopped at the sight of a bound unconscious unicorn held captive by her drones. “Well well well. I see the scouting trips have finally paid off. The three of you can take the rest of the night off while I entertain our new guest.”

The three drones each gave their a queen bow before once again bursting into green flames as they teleported away. Chrysalis glared down at her prisoner. His coat was covered in some kind of illusion spell that mottled his fur color with different shades of greens and grays that perfectly matched the tones and ambiance of the Everfree Forest. The Ranger gave a pained groan and his eyelids fluttered open, his gaze narrowing at the sight of the Changeling Queen. “Where’s my partner!?” he demanded with a dark growl.

“You were the only one bought to me, Ranger.” Chrysalis’s horn glowed and she picked her prisoner up with her magic. “I’m curious as to what happened out there on your patrol that led you to be captured? You Rangers have never been so careless.” She grinned revealing her small fangs and malicing glint in her eyes. “But I’m not complaining. You shall be of great assistance to me and my drones. One way or another you shall tell us how to get past the Ranger’s Operating Base on the outskirts of Ponyville.”

To his credit the Ranger didn’t even try to struggle free from his captive’s magical grasp. He was no doubt saving his strength and wits for a more opportune moment to escape. Chrysalis resolved to keep a very close eye on her new conquest.

“If you think I’m going to betray my comrades...”

“I have no interest in interrogating you, Ranger.” She grinned a bit wider. “At least not right away...” She stepped back into her crude shelter, placing her prisoner in one of the corners before nestling done with her young. The tiny drones all moved closer to their mother and snuggled against her cooing with contentment. The Ranger watched on silently. “Besides, any information I could coerce from you would be useless to me right now without any significant military strength.” She narrowed her slitted eyes at the Ranger. “I have finally come to realize that I will have to resort to different methods in order to get what I want.”

“What the hell are you going to do me?!” The Ranger yelled as the Queen’s magic enveloped his body and he was dragged without ceremony into a dark tunnel in the middle of the room...

<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>

Tashi remained perfectly still and silent in his hiding place crouched against the base of a large gnarled tree. His green mottled coat kept him almost invisible from the enemies trying to find him. He wanted nothing more than to go back and attempt a rescue for his partner, but he had barely escaped capture himself. Now, he needed to get back to the Ranger’s base back in Ponyville and report the discovery of a Changeling Hive hidden deep within the Everfree Forest. And he couldn’t do that if he was captured. He gritted his teeth and cleared his mind of all distractions, focusing instead on getting past the changeling patrols. He was about to move out of cover, but stopped.

A nearby drone, merely three feet away from Tashi was scanning the surrounding area looking for the Ranger. More than once the drone’s gaze drifted over his hiding placing but no matter what his instincts told him to do, he remained completely frozen. The camouflage illusion was only effective if he kept still and didn’t break the pattern the drone had first seen. The only problem was the awkward positon he was in was causing his legs to cramp, and he was fairly certain the tickling sensation on his back was a large spider crawling over him. He didn’t move an inch. There was simply too much at stake to risk being caught by the changelings.

Seemingly satisfied that his prey wasn’t anywhere nearby, the drone began walking away. Tashi still didn’t move. Sometimes, if the scouts were experienced enough, they would walk away for a few steps and suddenly turn around hoping to catch their targets off guard as they tried to move away. He counted two minutes and moved from his cover. But he didn’t suddenly dash away, he moved slowly and methodically. Each step he took was carefully felt out to make sure he didn’t step on a leaf or twig and alert the scouting drones to his position. It was slow, hard work, but ultimately it was key to his survival.

“I see something!” a drone called out only ten feet away.

Tashi instinctively froze, becoming as still and silent as a statue.

“Never mind,” the same voice called out. “It was just a wild cat.”

“That’s the third false alarm this week!”

“Bite me!”

Tashi smirked to himself and continued his slow journey back to his base. With the changeling scouts arguing and bickering among themselves it was easy for him to avoid them, it also made it so he could move a bit faster as their arguing voices drowned out the sound of any twigs or leafs he stood on. with his faster pace, the lights of Ponyville and his base was soon in sight just few hundred meters and he would be...

“Stop right there.” The ominous sound of a .45 being cocked accompanied the drones command.

Tashi closed his eyes and mentally cursed himself for his lack of discipline that had now gotten him caught. Moving very slowly so as not to appear threatening, he turned around to face the changeling holding the gun in its green magical aura.
“Now drop your weapon,” the drone pressed the revolver against Tashi’s head.

“Easy, there” Tashi said softly trying to keep the drone calm. “I’m going to pull out my weapon out and drop it now. No need to...” Suddenly he moved while the drone was expecting him to finish his sentence. He moved his head to the side out of the line of fire. His magic pulled the 9mil from the holster at his side and whipped it across the drone’s head, knocking him out cold.

“Over there!” Another scout yelled running towards the commotion. Tashi cursed, holstered his gun, and took off at a gallop through the forest with the entire changeling scouting party chasing after him. A life time of miliary training, and years of being in the Ranger Corps had toned his muscles into thick strong, steel-like cords that coiled beneath his skin with every running step he took. He was almost safe now. Only a hundred meters until he left the forest, and another two hundred meters across the field that separated the Everfree from Ponyville.

A changeling teleported in front of him with a burst of green flames. The drone was only carrying a large hunting knife in its magical grasp. Tashi didn’t draw his gun, not wanting to use deadly force to subdue such an insignificant threat. Instead he picked up a large stick and used it as a quarter staff to bat the knife away before clubbing the drone over the head and leaping over its unconscious body. He finally burst out the darkness of the forest and came into the light of a full moon shining down.

“RANGERS! TAKE YOUR STATIONS!” he yelled as soon as the Ranger’s base came into view. Yelling and orders being shouted filled the night as the base came alive and the rangers began pouring out of the fort with various firearms and weapons. Snipers took positions behind large embankments of dug up earth, and even a few M60 guns were placed on the battlements of the fort. Tashi soon burst through the ranks picking up an falling AK47, turning to face the Everfree waiting for the first of the changelings to come out.

All was silent.

The rangers all began murmuring and shifting with uncertainty. “What is it, Commander?” one of the Rangers nearby asked softly. Tashi remained silent as he scanned the Everfree making sure that the changelings weren’t preparing some kind of ambush.

“Get back inside the base!” Tashi commanded. “We have to warn the princesses the changelings have returned.”