For His Future Sovereign

Eviscerator, Subcommander of the Dire Claws, walked triumphantly down the corridor that had been at the heart of her problems for several hours. She made her way around the pools of blood and didn't even look down as she stepped over the body of Flash Sentry.

She stood in front of the door that these ponies had defended so vehemently. She knocked loudly on it, bringing a response from inside.

"Is that you, Flash?"

She allowed herself a small smile to form and told those inside that all of their guards were dead. This brought a period of near-silence where only Flurry Heart's cries could be heard.

"I am prepared to make a deal with you ponies. If you hand over the princess now, without any further trouble, and I may let you live."

This was met with more silence. Making the griffon roll her eyes in irritation, "Oh, come on now. It's a fair deal. The princess or you will join the dead out here."

"You First!"

Eviscerator never knew what hit her. She was blindsided by a blast of blue magic which slammed into and through the outer wall of the palace. This didn't kill her but left Eviscerator badly concussed. Rending her helpless as she fell to the cold stone paving far below.

Recovering from the initial shock, her grunts faced their new adversaries. Princess Cadence & her husband Shining Armour. Standing in the broken doorway. Thier faces ablaze with anger.

The griffons reacted in the only manner they knew how. Raising their crossbows and opening fire but to their dismay, Shining Armour cast a shield spell and the bolts were deflected.

With perfect timing, The shield was lowered and Cadence fired again. Catching one of the three and catapulting him outside.

The resolve of the others broke and they fleed out of the hole. Only to be met by pegasi of the royal guard.

Cadence now responded to the cries of her daughter and raced to the barricaded door. Shining Armour, however, made his way much slower. Stopping to check the fallen ponies for any sign of life but finding none. When he checked Flash Sentry for a pulse, he couldn't help but whisper, "Still Warm."

The sound of hastily moved furniture and Cadence impatient hoof-steps door as the barricades were being removed .brought his attention back to the moment.

Glancing through the hole to the outside. He could just make out the remaining griffons being subdued by the company of royal guard they had brought back with them. The're the lucky ones.

He then joined his wife at the door, as it was slowly brought opened.

At that time, a caravan of griffons made their way across northern wastes. Heading to the border under the shadow of a mountain. Their progress was slow. Having been burdened with ill-gotten loot.

This was not helped by their leader, Falchion. Flamboyant, overambitious, and sporting a large gut. He insisted on being called "Lord" like the kings of old.

"Come on you lazy gits," He bellowed. Shaking his clenched talons in the air and rattling his many trinkets. "Let's get this booty home."

He chuckled to himself. With all this treasure and the news of this raid, It won't take much persuasion to get the Kingdom's chieftains to fall in line.

Then the thought of proclaiming himself king of the Griffon Kingdoms ran through his mind. It drew a grin that stretched from ear to ear. And if Eviscerator would hurry up and bring me that tiny princess, then I could even....

The column he was in then came to an abrupt halt. Breaking his daydream, "Oi!! Why have you all stopped?"

When no explanation was forthcoming, his irritation quickly focused in on the griffon right at the head of the group, "I said, why have you stopped!!!"

He didn't answer just stared wide-eyed at the hillside to the south. To which many of the griffons behind him had now turned their attention. When Falchion turned his eyes to the hillside, his blood went cold.

Somehow they had unto now, failed to notice that an army of royal guard was standing in battle formation above them.

Earth ponies made up the units at the front and center. Lined up in ranks with their spears brandished and ready. Behind them were the unicorns and on the flanks were the pegasi, who were already moving to cut off the griffons retreat. They outnumbered them three to one

At the heart of this army was its commanders. The royal sisters themselves. Standing together in a chariot. Their armor glistening in the afternoon sun.

Falchion stopped gawping and began barking orders to his grunts. Quickly forming a battle line of their own. Blades were unsheathed and crossbows loaded.

"Griffons of the Dire Claws!!!" Declared Princess Luna in her deepest regal tone. "You stand no chance. Surrender!"

This was met by a wave of jeers and insults from the griffon line. Some even loosed their crossbows at ponies. None of which hit anything.

Luna sighed, for this was their only chance they were giving them. After checking with her sister gave the order. The unicorns before them stepped up and each in turn down the line loosed a volley of magical blasts.

This multicoloured volley struck high up the mountainside behind the griffons with a tremendous display of power.

"Hah!! Was that meant to scare us, ponies?" Falchion bellowed insecurely. Pulling out his gem-encrusted sword. "We Dire Claws are worth more than any pony!"

It was only then that he noticed a growing vibration in the ground. It quickly grew in intensity as Falchion panned around trying to see its source of them. When finally looked up it was just in time to see his doom.

An avalanche slammed into the Dire Claws and completely buried them. A few more alert of their number tried to fly away from it but ran straight into a protective shield put up by unicorns and royal sisters, and they were swallowed up as well.

The snow finally settled and a dead quiet descended upon the valley. The army stood with stone faces. Waiting for orders or the enemy to emerge. The latter never happened.

"Sister, I'll stay with the rest and recover what has been stolen," Celestia said. Her eyes fixed forward. "Take your guard and link up with Cadence and Shining Armour. Tell them that the deed is done. "