Rainbow Dash rubbed soot out of her mane, her three standing legs quivering under her weight without the full support of her four limbs. Her Rainbow mane and tail, as well as her cyan fur were covered in a layer of thick black coal dust, the consequences of being forced to work in a coal mine.

Dash had never been one for manual labour, she'd watched Applejack do it in the past and it always seemed so... Energy consuming. The way the orange mare went about, day to day from sunrise to sunset working away had made Dash watching from a cloud yawn, she'd never imagined she would actually have to do it some day... Stupid her for getting captured.

"Work, cunt!" was followed by a harsh lash from a whip up Dash's back, leaving a nasty gash alongside all of the others she'd earned from disobeying her slavers.

Dash cried out but managed to stay on her feet, gritting her black teeth "Fuck you" She spat. If it wasnt for the chains on her hooves connected to a ring in the ground she would've shown the griffon who was the cunt. She flinched and yelled as another gash was torn up her chest, weaving its way around her neck.

"Valiant. But do you really think you're special?" He grinned, wrapping his claw through Dash's mane and forcing her head to look up at him, towering over the pegasus "You'd be just another body in a ditch if I decided thats what I want" He glared down at her, before spitting in her eye and throwing her to the ground "Congratulations, slut. Your quota's just doubled. Better get mining" He laughed, strutting off down the line of depressed and dying pegasi in the poorly lit mine shaft.

She watched him go, before picking up her pickaxe. She'd been here a week now and she'd already had enough of it. She knew of she didn't do anything quickly, she'd end up starved or killed in the camp. She aimed her hits at her chains, driving the pick into the ring holding the chains on her legs to the ground.

If any of the other Pegasi noticed, they didn't pay attention. The griffons were very graphic when it came to what would happen to ponies that tried to escape. It was better to keep their head down and fill their quota and hope for a hot meal tonight.

Hit after hit struck the chain, cracking and eventually breaking the metal. Dash looked left, then right. It was only her and a two other Pegasi in the dimly lit tunnel. Rainbow crouched low, sneaking through the tunnel and hugging the wall. For once she was thankful for the soot and darkness of her workplace, giving her cover and making her near invisible to the untrained eye. She forced the stinging pain in her cuts out of her mind, the thought of it getting infected eating away at her sanity, she knew the soot and bacteria in the camp would eventually get her if she didn't do anything, the amount of Pegasi that had already died in their 'beds' around her was phenomenal, and she'd only been there a week.

The Pegasi she snuck past only gave her one look - one of sorrow, a long, broken stare, their white eyes the only thing that stood out from their dark black fur. They'd seen this all before. A bold pony thought they could escape, only to be stopped and brutally beaten to death - if they were lucky.

Dash ignored them, dragging her small pickaxe behind her as she limped down the tunnels. Before long she'd caught up to her guard, the big griffon tormenting a mare, the bound Pegasi helpless to his invasive touch and claws wandering over her most personal areas. She squealed and squirmed, tears flowing from her eyes, only making his grin widen "Oh shut up, whore"

There was something about the whole scene that made Dash angrier than before. She'd seen the griffons tear her comrades apart, they'd beaten her and thrown her in this hell hole, as well as countless other Pegasi to hit coal until their imminent deaths. But the sight of a mare being handled so roughly and having her decency, her pride and personal areas so rashly taken ignited a spark inside her. She didnt hesitate, picking up speed until she was practically running at the griffon, driving the end of her pick into the top of his skull, sending him into a pile across the floor, skull splattered and in pieces up the walls and covering the floor.

"Are you ok?" Dash asked sympathetically to the mare, helping her back to all four hooves, holding her shoulders to stop her shaking "You're safe now, kinda..." She looked around the mine, not so sure herself.

"T-t-thank you..." She tilted her head to the side as Dash brushed some blood off of her cheek, finally lowering her tail "Y-you shouldn't have done that though"

Dash looked down at the headless corpse "He'll be fine. They'll stick him in the infirmary for a week and then he'll be back to full fitness" She smiled softly "Keep your head down, I'm getting out of here then bringing the whole god damn army back, ok?"

She nodded slowly, wandering aimlessly off down the mine.

Dash watched her go. It was obvious she was in shock, and as sorry as she felt for the mare, she didn't have the time to set up her therapy office and give her a session. She snuck her way further towards the entrance, taking out guards as she went. It would have been nice to get some of the other Pegasi to mount an uprising, but they all seemed to look away and shrink whenever they made eye contact. She didn't care, at least she could be more stealthy this way.

Arriving at a small access mouth of the mine she crept lower, counting four guards at the opening. This was the easiest way out, but four guards was pushing it, even for Dash... But what other option did she have? She took a deep breath, sliding out of the mine and swinging her pickaxe at the head of the first guard, killing him instantly. This alerted the other three, who quickly had their swords at the ready.

"Stop right there, mare!" One shouted, the three beginning to circle the small Pegasi.

Dash slowly looked around the three, it seemed they were alone... Three on one was much better than the whole guard arriving to take her down at least. She span, swinging her pick with all of her strength, of which she had little left after the week of hard labour and starvation.

The griffons grinned and began to close in, chuckling "Would you look at that... The little mare got lost... Lets give her a claw. Come here, filly. Let the nice griffons take you home"

She gritted her teeth, her legs shaking. Her cuts were burning with pain and she didnt know for how much longer she could stand, let alone fight. She desperately swung her pickaxe, glancing one griffon as the other two pounced on her, pinning her down and cuffing her.

He sighed "Why do they always try to escape? Guess I'll take her back..."

Another grinned. "Nah... We'll take her to the bone doctor. But after we have a little fun" He grinned, lightly lifting her tail.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading!