Ranger

It’s hard to believe it has only been a month since the Summer Sun celebration happened. Then again, I guess that is how things kind of flow around here. I glanced at my left shoulder, where Red sat riding in his favorite spot, as I walked the road out past the Whitetail woods. Just another routine patrol, heading out for an overnight to check on the tribes of deer there. Then we would loop back along the Ghastly Gorge to check on the Diamond Dogs and Maud.

Speaking of, I finally got to meet Maud’s boyfriend...er, coltfriend, whatever. Nice enough guy but, man, talk about the most bland dude. I swear that guy made beige look like an exciting color in comparison. Not that I hold that against him, he clearly makes Maud happy, and Pinky, from what she says. It took her time to get to like him, but she loves him to death because of how well he treats her sister.

I was thinking about the little group gathering I had noted on my way out of town. Sunburst was in town and I had heard Glimmer and Twi talking about some kind of antiquing they were going to do with him. My mom would have loved that. Nothing I could see going wrong there, so I had no worries. Cort could handle anything that came along, I was sure.

Red made a little noise and this brought me out of my thoughts, making me pivot my head to look around some. coming to a stop, I spotted four of the deer kind; two bucks, a doe, and a little fawn. Lifting my hand and giving a wave, I got smiles and hoof waves back.

Walking over to them, I tilted my head some. “Falling Log? What has you out this far?”

The largest of the bucks smiled, still having to look up at me even though they tended to be a bit larger than ponies are. His English, er, Ponish wasn’t the best, but he did pretty well. “Good to see you, Ranger, I take my family. We go to Ponyville, introduce little Half Stump, here, to ponies,” he gestured to the small fawn hiding behind the doe’s rear leg.

I squatted down just like I would with any foal or child and smiled. “Well, I bet you're excited, Half Stump” I stated. I could see him look wide eyed up at me, but he wasn’t scared. He was glancing at the Hawk on my shoulder so I continued. “This is Red, he is my friend and companion.” That earned a happy trillish noise from the bird as he fluffed out his feathers and settled his wings back in.

The little fawn said something in their native tongue, so I glanced up at the doe, who smiled looking back at the fawn, then back to me. “He says,” clearly Ponish was not her strong suit by her broken wording. “Creature befriends bird, can be trusted?” Then she looked back to him, giving a nod, and said something back to him.

This brought the fawn around with a few hesitant steps to stand beside his mother, closer in front of me than I thought he’d get.. I reached out a hand slowly, and with a smile, I gave him a little boop on the nose with one finger. The result was a funny little scrunched up muzzle, and a laugh from the two bucks and the doe.

Red leapt down onto the ground, nearly three-quarters the fawn’s size, and started to make little peep noises. To his credit, Half Stump leaned out and brushed his nose to the hawk’s beak and got a trill and a head bump back.

I couldn’t help but smile at that. “Look at that, you have a new friend. Sometimes, Red here will fly out this way and look around, you can always trust him.”

The doe gave a nod and the second buck translated, making the fawn look up at him, back to me, then back to the bird. The fawn gave a warm, soft smile only the innocent, who still see all the good in the universe, can have.

I slowly stood up and Red launched himself up, circled a few dozen yards out and came back in for a landing on my shoulder. After exchanging a few words, we parted and I continued on my patrol hike. I needed to make it to the far edge of the woods by nightfall so I could sleep in the deer village.

I planned on making a stop along the way to the village and see if I could catch a fish or two. I had my old fishing pole broken down and tucked in a hard round tube case along the side of my backpack. Speaking of backpacks, I still love this one Twilight got me, and it’s finally starting to show some wear.

About another hour in, I had just sat down on a large rock, looking out at the blacktail river. Well calling it a river might be a stretch, it was more than a stream, but still only ten feet across at most. Sliding my pack off my shoulder, I glanced up to see where Red was. I spotted him circling up catching updrafts. I figure he was hunting, so I left him to it. Tugging out the pole canister, I opened it up and started to assemble the ol’ fishing pole.

All set up, I cast out into the middle of the slow moving water and set the pole on a Y shaped stick I had dug into the ground. Then, I relaxed, planning to have a nice relaxing afternoon.

Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. I heard a noise off to my left, a stick snapping. No way it could be one of the deer tribe, they would never slip up like that. Still sitting, I eased my hand forward just a bit, closer to my holster. However, I made no attempt to turn and look, rather, I kept looking out at the river.

“You make a move monster, and you die right there” I didn’t dare look back over my shoulder, but that voice... I had heard it before, but, where? “Sit up, turn, and look at me.”

Doing as I was told, I saw two creatures there, one was a gryphon missing one eye and his beak kind of bubbled and marred. The other was a unicorn stallion I didn’t know. He had a light tan body and a dark blue mane and tail.

Yeah, I knew the griffon for sure, one of the escaped convicts. The stallion, from his colorations, I had to guess, was Oak Pike, the missing guard. The Gryphon was holding a crossbow trained on me. The unicorn’s horn was lit up, but it didn’t look stable, then again he didn’t look much better. His eyes were drawn, sunken in, and his eyelids were puffy. As I had previously noted, his magic’s glow was flickering and overall the guy looked strung out, perhaps in the middle of withdraws from Rutt.

I was fast, but nowhere near fast enough to stop that bolt from getting me before I could gun them both down. So, I had to bide my time and see where this was going.

The unicorn spoke up, his tone shaky and stressed. “We should just kill him Gris” earning a grunt from the catbird.

“Nah, we are going to have us some fun, and then I am going to get myself my first good meal in a while.”

I didn’t like that grin he had, not one bit.

“Let's just kill him now, what if somepony else is around? I don’t like this, Gris.”

A snarl escaped the beak of the Gryphon “Shut the hell up Pike, we are doing thi- AAAAAAH!”

Things happened, and happened fast. The gryphon was suddenly screaming at the top of his lungs. Something brown and white had dropped down off the tree above him and landed on his back. My hand was already moving for the gun as the crossbow went off; the bolt sailing into the water behind me.

As the Peacemaker cleared leather, I was coming up to my knees. My thumb bringing the hammer back just as I saw a streak of brownish red dive out of the sky and crash into the unicorn’s face. He, too, started to scream as Red’s claws sunk deep into the flesh, scratching deep rends with each pass.

Whatever was on the gryphon’s back suddenly got bucked forward, flying a few feet and landing with a meaty thud. I didn’t have time to look, the big iron in my hand spoke. Smoke billowed out and a .45 caliber lead projectile smashed into Gris’s chest, ending him there and then.

Red screeched and I saw him flung into the trunk of the very tree the brown and white thing had come from. I will give Pike this, even strung out, he was good. His face was torn up, one eye was gone, but the other was filled with hate as his horn lit up.

Again, the Colt spoke, its voice a loud thundercrash of black powder. Smoke and flame spewing out of the barrel to join the previous cloud. The round smashing into the unicorn’s neck. Not so much as a gurgle came out of his mouth as he went down...dead.

Two more lives were on my list of sins, two more lives I would have weigh my heart down when I went to stand before Jesus. However, there would be time for that later.

My head turned looking at the brown and white lump that just groaned, and I realized it had hooves, a mane, a tail, and a cutie mark in the form of a Rangers star, and a golden horseshoe…. Pip?!

I was up on my feet in an instant, eyes glancing to the woodline to make sure there were no other uninvited guests. Holstering the iron back in leather, I ran over to him.

”Pip? PIP! Talk to me, boy.” I said, urgently.

He groaned and opened his eyes, looking half up at me. “My leg hurts, really bad.”

I could see it was twisted, broken was my guess. “Lay there, don’t move around... what in the hell are you doing out here?” I asked him, perhaps a bit too harshly.

I was looking over to where Red had been thrown. The bird had recovered quickly and was fluttering to me. He let out a concerned noise when he saw Pip.

“I wanted to learn to be a Ranger so… I followed you, but I saw the gryphon and unicorn... and I climbed up the tree behind them quietly, and they said they were going to hurt you... and then I used my knife...”

I put my hand on the boy’s head. “Shh, we can talk about that later, just lay there.” I turned my head to Red. “Go, fast as you can. Find Lighting, then get them going this way.” He gave a nod and a little wing salute, then shot off into the air, pumping his wings for all he was worth. “I am going to find some sticks to make a splint ok? Don’t move around.” I told him, patting him on the side, lightly.

I got up and walked over to the two cooling bodies. The gryphon had something poking up out of his back. I saw it was the knife Rich and I had given the little paint last year, I bent down and slid it out, noting it was inches from the guy’s spine. I knew from study I had done that Pegasus and gryphons have huge blood vessels in the area. It was my guess he would have bled out within a couple minutes, had my shot not ended him sooner.

A glance at the unicorn said he was in a better place, his ribs were showing through his coat and I could see hints of his hip bones. He hadn’t long for the world. Was this what rutt did to ponies? I had seen Meth and Crackheads in my years as a Texas ranger; this was worse, in almost every way.

Picking up two sticks, I walked back and set the bloody knife near my pack. Pulling out a few handkerchiefs and my old camp ax, I started to clean the sticks of knots and bumps as I walked back to the colt.

“A-am I in trouble?” He asked, clearly in pain.

“For sneaking off and following me, yes. For doing your duty… no,” I said, setting my hand on his side, lightly.

He was silent as he watched me, then shut his eyes “D-did I…”

I put my hand on his muzzle. “No, we will talk about it later, you just lay there. This is going to hurt, but it will help, ok?” I said as I made to set the break.

He shut his eyes. “Would Applejack say you were lying?”

I didn’t answer the boy as I pulled his leg back into alignment.

I let out a long exhale of air. Currently I was standing, looking out at the river and pondering how things had gone down.

Behind me, there must be thirty or so ponies and a couple of gryphons, along with two princesses.

Pip was on his way to ponyville hospital via a guard chariot with two corpsponies. That was one of many things I was pondering as I heard someone step up next to me and I glanced out from under my hat to see who, and I gave a nod.

“Going by the looks of them, they had been on the run and living rough for a while. I would venture to guess that if we look around, we’ll find their camp.”

Celesita was quiet for a moment, then said, “Scouts from the Second Division found it a few minutes ago. No food to speak of, bedrolls were found. Their camp was in a small cave north of here. By the looks of it, they were using the Blacktail River as their water source.” She grew quiet again then looked over at me. “Does the colt know?”

I shook my head. “I lied to him, but, yes, I think he realizes.” Shaking my head gently. “Stupid colt, too brave and too head strong for his own good.”

Celestia frowned and again gave a nod of her head, looking back out at the water. “He is a friend of Luna’s. I will ask my sister to watch his dreams.”

At that I glanced over at her. “We cool?”

She turned her head to face me and her eyes grew soft and caring. “Shane, by now you know the only issue I have is the pain you still carry in your heart. I wish to the powers that be, I could take that pain away.”

I gave a nod, reached up, set my hand on her neck and patted a few times. I heard some guard give a frustrated grunt. “Damn it! I stepped in somepony’s puke!”

I started to chuckle. “I think one of your guards found Dust’s reaction to seeing the bodies,” I said as Celestia rolled her eyes.

“I should get moving, I promised the boy I would visit him." I paused, then glanced back out at the water. "I ain't looking forward to his questions."

She was silent for a few moments before she looked at me. Her wing gently turned my head so she could look into my eyes. "I say this as blunt as I can for a reason. You know that colt sees you as far more than a--”

I cut her off by bringing my hand up and nose booping her snout. Yep, I just bopped the most powerful creature on this planet. "I will figure out a way to deal with that, too"

She gave me a nod just as we both glanced back, hearing Twilight in the background. “No! Not there, over there. If you walk there, you’ll trample possible evidence.”

I chuckled as I continued. “And... Purple Book Horse has control of the situation. What good am I gonna here?”

Celestia pondered that as she glanced back over her shoulder, and then at me again. “You will talk with…” I cut her off with my hand.

“Yes, I will. I gave my word and I meant it.” I paused for a moment. “Celestia, that makes four souls I’ve sent to the next world. Are you still so convinced my way is the path to go?”

She exhaled. “Yes, Shane. I regret what your path and teachings bring with it, but what is the alternative? How many innocent ponies would suffer if we left the villains to their own devices and hoped they would obey the laws?”

I gave a nod. “I could tell you stories of whole cities in my world that thought being soft on crime would make things better, and the real outcome of it.”

She gestured with a wing. “Continue, Ranger. I will make sure Captain Crossed Swords gets the report as soon as it is done.”

I got to the ponyville hospital after a brisk 2 hour walk. The guard with Celestia had offered to take me, but I wanted the time to think.

As I walked in I found Cort ,talking to Love Tap and Jackie in the lobby. All three looked over, but it was AJ that half jumped to my side and put a hoof on my thigh. Looking up at me, I saw worry in her pretty green eyes.

"I am ok," I said, forcing a smile as I leaned down to kiss her.

She frowned at me. "Liars don't get kisses," She scolded me, even as she gave me a soft peck, anyways.

I walked over with her to the others and gave Cort a nod, Tap got a polite tip of my hat. "How's the boy?"

Tap spoke up. "He’s out of surgery, his front right leg was broken in 2 places, but he will be fine. What happened out there. I want to know why one of my cases is laying in a hospital bed, crying!"

I glanced at Cort, who looked like he was about to say something to the angry mare from Foal Protection Services. Giving him a shake of my head to stop him, I put my hand on Jackie’s neck to make sure she didn't jump into Taps face.

I exhaled and looked at the mocha colored mare. "I need to go in there, Tap. You need to get Emerald here." I could see she was gearing up to lay into me again. I squatted down slowly and took my hat off, looking her dead in the eyes. "Tap.. .the colt acted in self defence." I saw her eyes start to understand and horror fill them. "He took a life, and he knows."

Cort muttered ‘fuck’. It was the first time I heard him slip in public. Jackie grabbed my arm and I felt her face shove into my side as she started to tremble. Poor Tap, tears welled up in her eyes and she whispered out loud "Celestia, no."

I gave a soft nod, even as I pulled my orange love around and hugged her as I squated there looking at the other mare in the room. "I need to get in there, any problem with that, Tap?"

She shook her head as Cort stepped over to comfort her. Hiding his own reaction for now. "N-no… no, go. I-I will clear you for temporary custody and custodianship."

I held the shaking apple mare and pressed my face into her neck as I kneeled there. I heard her say in a soft tone, "Shane ah need to go, be back ah swear. Trust me on this." AJ having looked up with tear streaks along the fur under her eyes. Looking me in the eyes with her green cores.

I didn't know what she needed to do, and I kind of wanted her at my side, but…

"Go on, be back as soon as you can, okay?"

Slowly, I stood as I watched Cort shoot me a look, even as he guided Tap to a chair. I nodded and slid my hat back on. Turning and starting down the hall, I saw one of the corpsponies standing at a door. She shot me the same look Cort had; one that said she didn't envy me for what was coming.

Even before the door fully opened, I could hear a gut wrenching sobbing from the colt. Once more reminded I lived among a mostly herd prey species. The value of life was held quite high here.

Gently closing the door, I walked over and put my hand on his side. He was facing the window. I felt him hitching, so I sat on the edge of the bed and just kept my hand on him.

Finally, after almost twenty minutes, I heard a very broken voice say, "I… I didn't mean to, I…"

I made a soft shushing noise. "Shhh, everyone... everypony, knows. You are a good bo… colt, Pip. I know how much this hurts. It hurts because you have a kind heart."

He grew quiet again. I figured he had slipped off to sleep and was about to pull the sheet up over his shoulder and the cast it was covered in. However, he spoke up again. A tiny voice, soft, filled with hurt. "Does it ever stop hurting?"

I exhaled hard and rubbed his side and ribs through the blanket. Do I lie to him or tell him the truth? "No… but it becomes less sharp. It stays there and reminds you to always do your best to avoid having to do it again."

I heard him sniffle before asking, "Does... it still hurt you?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat. I couldn't tell him I see every face in my mind when I close my eyes, that would break the kid. However, I had not lied yet. "Yes, it does Pip. I hope it never stops hurting, because if it does, what does that say about me?"

He pursed his lips. "Can I have some water?"

Patting his side gently, I said, "Sure kid."

After getting him a sip of water I sat with him as he slipped off to sleep again. I quietly slid a chair over and sat, leaned back, and tugged my hat over my eyes. Putting my hand on him Itook a nap myself, after saying a private prayer to God in my head that the boy would make peace with this.

A few hours passed and I was woken by a soft knock on the door. I glanced to see a pair of green eyes looking at me. She said nothing, but nudged the door to show a pink filly with puffy eyes standing under her. Diamond scrambled and I reached down, grunting as I lifted her up and got a trembling hug from her.

In a tiny voice she whispered, "Is… is he okay?"

I nodded. "He will be, now that you are here I suspect." I gently stood holding her then lay her down with Pip. The colt whimpered and started to cry again, as that little filly let him cling to her as he has for her in her worst moments.

Jackie gestured for me to follow her, so I stepped out into the hall. She led me to another room and closed the door. I was surprised to find Tap, Granny, and Mac in the room.

"Whats up?" I asked, looking around at the gathered ponies.

It was the oldest, the faded green mare who looked up at me and set her jaw. "The boy needs a stable home." She poked my belly with her hoof lightly.

I looked at her, then up to Mac, and finally to AJ who gave me a nod and mouthed "don't you be a stubborn rock." Something she said to me… a lot.

Turning back to granny, I then glanced over to Tap. "So, we are talking about a foster home?"

Tap gave a nod as Mac spoke, something that was rare enough that I listened. "Ain't time to think of ourselves, colt needs a home, especially now"

I glanced at Jackie. "You sure? This is going to be rough on us all."

She gave a nod. "It's the right thing to do, sugarcube. For him," she looked up at my eyes, "and us."

I had to think for only a moment. This was not only a big step for the Apple family, but for Jackie and I. A lot of baggage was still there on my part, not to mention what Pip brought with him.

Was this really a good idea? A tiny voice inside my head asked what Shauna would say. What would Cassidy think? All questions I had no way to answer other than my own internal voices. With an exhale, I gave a nod of my head.

"Long as the boy agrees, then I am on board."

Granny touched her hoof to my leg and said looking around, “We do this.” then she looked up at me, and I swear to you, she knows things before I do sometimes. “As a family.”