Roar of the Unigriff

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

'Roar of the Unigriff'

Chapter 2: Dark and Red (The Battle of San Caballero)

Weeks had passed since my meeting with Princess Celestia, and it did not take long for the Equestrian Army to ready troops for war. I looked to see the scout I sent out report to me, "The Equestrians...they are on the march...2000 strong, they have cannons and machine guns too," said my scout, catching her breath, "will we fight, commander?"

I nodded, and signaled for my soldiers to get in position. I was in command of 1500 soldiers and officers. An Aquilan soldier wears a peaked cap and a jacket with a brown waist belt. We wear khaki green as our battle color. The Equestrians set up their positions on a tall ridge near the small village of San Caballero. This war had finally begun.

I looked through my binoculars as the battle unfolded. The infantry were advancing, "Stay forward!" said a commanding officer. Cannons began to rain down shells, and inflict causalities. The Equestrian Bren Guns laughed at our attempts to take the ridge with words of hot lead. We answered back with MG-39 Rh machine guns, and heavy losses.

The infantry were pinned down. I had my pistol loaded as did the soldiers with their rifles, "Ataque!" I roared as I led my soldiers to flank their position and save the infantry from getting slaughtered. Unfortunately, it seemed the Equestrians were already prepared for us, and turned their machine guns and artillery toward us, but still we charged.

Shrapnel filled the sky as we swooped in to attack. A shell flew right passed me. A soldier screamed the shell came right at her face, and she was silenced instantly and decapitated. A splash of blood hit the face of the soldier next to her. I pointed my pistol at my side as we flew in low and increased our flying speed, but I was stopped short.

A shell hit my side, and I was thrown to the ground by the shock. My pistol was thrown from my talons as I rolled on the ground. I had my back against a rock for cover, and I could see death all over the field. I saw a soldier trying to get his wounded comrade off the field, but an Enfield rifle found it's target, and shot the wounded soldier in the head.

The artillery fire was constant and murderous leaving soldiers limbless and headless. There was even a soldier crying out, and gathering her intestines in her talons. The cries of agony filled the smoke-filled air. I had to do something. I tried to reach for a rifle, but two bullets from an Equestrian Enfield rifle almost hit me. I got my talons on a rifle.

I cocked back the toggle action. A shell hit in front of my position and landed a direct hit on a soldier. A mix of feathers, small bits of flesh and earth rained down. She was completely vaporized. I turned, and started shooting at the gunner since some our machine-gunners are dead. Kill after kill, I was making each kill and each bullet count.

I hit the machine-gunner between the eyes, and watched him fall on his back. I saw another soldier try to take his place at the helm, but I would not let him as I killed him too. When I did all that I could, I heard the battlecry of an officer with a pistol and the infantry charged forward with bayonets fixed, and the flag of Aquila waving proudly.

The Equestrian lines broke into panic and their leader, Flash Sentry, was forced to withdraw from the field seeing the second wave of infantry swoop in and shooting down any pony trying to make a gallop for safety. Our soldiers cheered, and raised their rifles to the sky. We achieved victory, but it came with a price. This battle saw over 600 killed.

Soldiers were bandaged up with head wounds. Some were missing limbs, and some had to be amputated to avoid infection. I could hear the screams of soldiers pleading to the doctor not to take their legs. I looked at the field. The dead from both sides littered the ground. Their white eyes looked up at the sun while some seemed to be sleeping.

There were disembodied arms and legs, and some of the dead had their entire halves of their bodies blown off by cannons. I looked in the eyes of the dead. I saw no fear in them. If they died, then they knew they died for their country and for their land. They all died sending a message to Princess Celestia. We will all fight to the very last gryphon.

As a strolled the field, I looked upon a dead soldier. She was shot in the head, but her liver and intestines were in her talons. It seems our enemy will give no mercy to the suffering. Since we are not ponies, the princess will do everything she can to wipe us off the face of Equestria and into extinction. If that is the case. I will go down fighting.

I even found my pistol on the field, covered in dirt and blood. I cleaned off the handle, and put the sword back in my sheathe. My second-in-command, Elena De Amaya, came up to me, "I felt you could use some food, commander," she said kindly. The camp cook made Fabada to gladden the hearts of our brave soldiers. How very kind of him.

"Thank you," I said with a light smile and a nod to her. I sat down with the soldiers. They cheered as I came to join them for a meal. When I finished my meal, I decided to give a word to those I command, "Brave brothers...brave sisters...the Equestrians showed us is their intention, they wish to exterminate us, wipe us off the face of Equestria,"

"Then I say with pride in my heart, and no fear in my eyes, let them come, let them come with the full fury of their armies!" I said to encourage my tired and weary soldiers, "we will stand and fight, we will resist the Armies of Hell if we have to, because this...this is Aquila, this is our land, this is your land, and we will not give it up without a fight!"