Shadow flattened and raised her ears to her head a moment as she contemplated herself in her quarters mirror, eyes roaming over her visage with cadet review intensity, determined to attend properly as too how the mare would appear to the world abroad.
"Ugly as you ever were, huh you old cunt?"
Smirking, Shadow pulled her mane from its hanging down around her shoulder to her chest, and hummed to herself, the shanties of her ships crew echoing through her mind.
Fair thee well, ye fair clan lasses
Fair well to ye colts, you gorgeous young males
I thy dear mater, depart for the new shorelines
Fear not nor cry, for in but a year I see clanhold again
The sea rants and it roars
loud sings my dear sailors
Loud are their voices, across the salt seas
And may their dear voices reach my clan ears
And let known my love til I've in hold again
Shadow paused in her mane work, her muzzle screwing up in distaste.
"That was a shite song lads... what the way the next went..."
While in the capitals market, it was a sunny day,
I met fairest Sunbeam, was kind in every way
Thats a lie, that's a lie,
a lie, lie, lie!
This mare and I were in love
as giddy as any could be
In our eloping run
we depared across the sea!
That's a lie, its a lie,
Shadow lies, lies, lies
This mare of mine Sunbeam
as playful as kid,
she pranked the captains spyglass
she jinked the privy lid
Nah ya lie, nah you lie,
mater lies, lies, lies
The night before last was rough lads
The ship is fair too keel
With her Sires firm request'
wee Midnight was given ships wheel!
Not a lie, not a lie,
nay, no lie lie lie
Our captain stood next to her, the mens lives in her wheels next turn
Some said the captain mad, oh how the flames of hell will burn!
Wish we lied, wish we lied,
wish we lied, lied lied
But brave and bold Midnight, her balls as bright as brass
With nary a thought of doubt we cleared stone jagged pass
Glad this no, not a lie,
thank God, it no lie lie lie
Sunbeams began knotting her golden mane in her usual loose braid as her humming shifting into
Clans turn to great company
Fled burning for the sea that day
waiting away,
waiting away,
waiting away till we get our pay!
Clan hold bit with stone and pine
Ain't no gold to spend, not even for bits of twine!
waiting today,
waiting today,
waiting at the door till I get our pay!
Nothing in our galley,
nothing in the hold
All we can do is wait for our bags of gold
Wastin away,
wastin away,
get our gold, we need our pay!
Our old ship, she sprung a leak
we pray and pray as timbers creak
Waiting today
waiting today
waitin all day till we get our pay!
We made fair clip across Jade Ness
the wind was kind, she came in strong north by northwest
Waiting for mayor,
that fat old mayor
he's got the coffers open, counting out our pay!
Into the harbor, so close our town
Pump you maggots, pump or drown
Theirs old pater, good ol pater
in his hooves and at his hooves, our blood works pay!
Shadow finished her work, and sighed. Slowly her satisfied smile faded as her hoof made a now familar trip to a spot on her stomach, and her chin lowered in a way that had become all to common.
May safe and sound I foal ye Ash
and at peace till hold again lad.
Long we traveled cross the sea
And safe and sound we are Ash
All thanks to ships crew mates
bless them all, ye fair lads
Falee ralee rye doooh!
Since we've sailed from dear town
For moons ago, so long a time Ash
Was any blessed as you and I
with more braves souls then they Ash
One day soon you and I, travel cross that rolling main
And seen safe home ashore lad
Again in the surest hooves of any ship
Falee ralle ralee rye dooh
Sad we'll be to our friends we part
will be so if fair or foul of weather
Oh dear lads, you make this mare weep
One last drink together
Long we tossed across rolling main
Always seen safe ashore Ash
Forever we in debt to be, to they our dear shipmates
Falee ralee ralee rye doooh
"Lady Protector..." Shadow jumped in her seat, and turning regarded the voices source. Clearing her throat, the mare straightened and shifted her expression to its officer setting as a slate grey stallion opened the door fully too trot into the room. Smiling, the stallion gave a nod.
"If I may, that was a fair bit of warbling lass. I didn't know other clans had much to do with the old songs."
Shadow gave a slight nod, saying evenly "Aye, we have good Grim. What of the Strikers? I, alas, was never one to ask of Sire such things, but I've always..."
Ah, we've heard the news, oh Strikers
off to war our lass and lads
One more day
We're enemy bound in armor clad
One day more me ponies, one more lass and lads
Grab me helm and spear in hoof, sad this peace is over
Equestria cries out for its Strikers, one more day
Listen to old long tooth growling, one more day
And young pups they are a howling, one more day
Only one more day, oh Strikers
One more day
Oh my dear mare, don't be scowling
Its today, we go today.
Keep safe and fed our foals lest they be howling
Our war today, we kill today
In the hold, we mares be cursing
All the day, one long day
We hear thee victory flag unfurling
colts home today, home today
No gales or weather to keep us part
one more day, one more day
so glad again we made home safe, we alive for one more day
One more day
Shadow smiled slightly, and gave a couple of hoof stamps in appreciation.
"I am of good heart to hear my clan half still had enough in them to hope for more."
Shadow stood and stretched one wing, then the other, and keep it aloft, began preen.
"Grim... do you... do you remember your days in our clan? I remember so much of my Kickers and all our good and bad times, but the Strikers... It wasn't all bad, but a lot of pain. I have but one clear memory, and... Do you them brother?"
At the word brother, the two knew the pact was placed. The Strikers were cruel, vicious, and forged not in love love but the coldness of hatred, but even there, there were deeds precious, and unbreakable. To call another brother, or sister, was to know without doubt you were in complete confidence. Day in and out, and in the night, foals conditioned to withstand torture learned the value of the act, and from there, knew that if no one else was to be trusted, your family, the one you chose, could. On Wrath and Honor you are sworn... and were to hold true.
"Sister mine... I remember every instant from the first second I was able to do so. I remember being trained by my mother, the one my foalbear was wed. I remember wearing real blades to her wooden ones. I remember her beating me, then forcing some drink on me, and my body in agony as bones knitted and bruises faded. I remember her anger every day. but never when I struck her is the ring. I began to quicken, I went faster, landed blows... but I barely scratched her. One swat, and my jaw was shattered. One wing manuever, my hoof angled. A glance of a wing shattered wings, a hoof stomp for a shattered forepaw. And her taking another vile and more agony and it stopping and being whole... and BEING LAUGHED AT. I remember a neighbor mare friend with a colt, I remember him yowling at my feet, I remember her hoof across a cheek... I remember standing over her with a dented hammer hoof over a hoof, the colt there shaking her and begging, and I let the hoove fall through the floor.
I remember walking home. I remember one of their lady friends grabbing... well, what us stallions have and vomiting then waking up. I remember them letting bring my tray. My mothers did that sometimes. I remember wearing a collar and chain. I remember having to beg for food. I remember making big eyes and whimpering and hating myself... And she'd laugh and drop the tray, and I'd eat. When I finished, the tray was away, and when their friends left, I could get out and attend to our home. No asking, stealing when the cramps got to much to bear, being careful to not be caught. Being caught, and them sitting on my bed. Then waking up on my floor beatean and them over me. I remember. I remember my sire telling me how much I was like him... And how what a bother a colt was. I remember curling up to stand and being told to strip. I remember refusing my foalbear. I remember her teeth on my vest... I remember her getting a backhand and big spreading wings. I remember her pushed easily down by an eagle claw. I remember five for their friends stopped with a glare again
I heard of this. she is lifting a soul. I remember both of them screeching and pointing hooves, and how was like that stallion who they said sired me. I remember helped up and on a stretcher. I remember shaking claws, his voice a snarl... and blunt... and how pleasant it was. I remember his hugging me a wing, and how my mothers used to. Before I began to look so much like my foalbear. I remember wondering if he knew. I remember telling him I had wings, but couldn't fly. He tossed his tits and raved, but when I said I was never taught, he sighs and lays down. He says it as a derogatory to say I was crippled and I aged now, but to give it time. And flew Twilight... we flew and landed after a time, at a big palace with lots of windows.
We go inside, and he takes off his stuff and talks. His name was Benjamin, I was my moms son, and his grandson. I was a pegasus pony, and he was a gryphon. I said I knew. And I could read but my two moms didn't know and how to sneak real good and other stuff. I remember my stomach growling, then when we were at a table. As he brought a plate back, I got down like I was taught and did what I was supposed to. He just looked at me, his ears folding back on his skull. then his eyes got scary and he asked real low and careful who said to do that. I barely got it out before he tossed the plate on a wall, and grabbed my vest. I just stared, I was scared,
"No, you know what you are boy?"
"Umm.. a pega..."
He shoved me back, and snarled "Wrong retard. You're a father fucking scary as all mother in law true to form gryphon youth, and at your age, you are called a hawk. And do you know what us fucking gryphons have never fucking done?"
"N...
"We have never fucking begged cunt! Not one fucking one of us under our worst pig fucking hawk molest wren fondling hen egg ripping in front of us have we ever once begged for one fucking this, not food, bits, time, or forgiveness or love! When we at hold and home, we gryphons ask!"
He pointed out the door to the sky.
"But you and me lovely... we're going on a wild hunt. And do you know what we do on a wild hunt?"
"No sir."
He smirked, and I was reaallly scared.
"We fucking take."
I remember learning to take how a gryphon was made too. No more then nature could spare, and if it could, no more then we could need for us and ours. I learned to sneak better, to draw packs in for him to drop on. I learned snares and the trail. And what gryphon was meant to do. And one day, I remember we came back home, and I all grown up now, I was thirteen. And I had to do something real important.
Shadow leaned forward, entralled.
"I had to go to the clan. I had to take my name Striker back."
"I remember their faces. I wasn't a pegasus like them. I didn't a pater to toss me scraps or some faggoty fucking armor. Liked the Pater's wing blades though... He didn't like I took those. Maybe cause I took a wing with them, but still. I walked the clouds awhile I did. Pegasi lived up here in clan holds, and said it made them strong. No, it was cotton padding that made you deadened to the world! I went down to the ground, I walked the bare hard earth, and it blessed me with nothing ever asked in return! I blazed through brush and tree and snow and forest older then the sisters with no more then my hooves and knowing all that was there was mine while these spoiled chicks sat in swaddle and left on Long Patrols to leave their sickened to die, to chuck their hawkes and wrens at dinner that bit back for honor! They demanded they poke the bear and take its for their sires wall and then left all else for rot! They took and took and left nothing for the farmers and then shown up the next day with a whip to take some more from their backs. They ignored God's law as they pleased and lectured all about of how so superior their ways were! These fucks lived off the teats of Royalty and never earned or took one thing on their own from nature their whole lives, and then talked about how silly bits were and how stupid houses were and how they were above needing anything."
"I had my rite as a gryphon male in full. In our world I could hunt and rutt and take and ask as I willed for all my days or anything else and I desired. But I was a pegasus too. And I had to earn my name, my stallionhood, my title. This was my Long Patrol my dear sister. And what do we ponies do when we alark of such stupid things?"
"Why we find some old monsters to slay. My mothers would do fine. And it was quick. And they just watched, these Striker stallions. I strutted in full cock check clap into their own sand box, banged their daughter on their paters bed without a kiss good bye, broke their toys and buggered their dog and the cuckolds just glared and rattled their wing blades, but not a word or move. I took two of their mares head and made them screech before i did and made them screech what I was doing to make them do that. And the fucking mares... no offense Shadow, but fuck, do you ladies really go full estrus on order, or does a rampage really leave you bothered!"
Shadow grimaced as she waved a folded fan swiftly "Violence is a turn off really. But fuck if us filly's don't know when we see a domination display and the bigger the dust up the more virile the stallion. Fuck colt, any clan mare in that continent felt that tail hitching wink maker in the same second! I wanna have your foal, and I'm already got one in me! By the notches on creation, how has been some mare before Sunbeam not been begging flare and foal in her on a nightly basis! I remember my Sire laughing his plot off when he hear, you're his fucking hero colt! Where you during the Rebellion?"
"Protecting my territory. Warlocks kept upsetting the rabbits and squirrels so I killed them. Then I drew the others apart one at a time to make it seem it was herd of earth ponies in the trees. I ran the floor, keeping them at at half mast murder boner, and then spent a time in their officers tent. A lovely mare, quite accomadating I wish I threw a better fuck into her though. She slit her belly open when the informed her she was clanless for lewd conduct with a known suspect of numerous infraction in the new kingdom. I was most furious. And what is wrong with these people..."
"Yeah, Strikers like the Rutt to hurt at times. Or did... always room in my clan colt. In fact, as mater, welcome Grim. As you've shown such character as to make me weep, I grant thee title of clan idiot. I shall have your head fitted for their vestment trousers in time."
"Hey, first day being clan noble mongler. And a promotion at that! To think I'd make it so far in life, and better yet, though I don't taste of spirits, I can now wave my envy invoking todger in our good Queens no doubt soon to be quite impressed face during the Hearthz Warming play."
Shadow gave a shrug of her wing, smirking slightly.
"Nah, she gets that from Sunbeam on new years."
"Wait... mare, right? Last I checked anyway... How would she..."
Shadow nipped a few feathers into place a moment before simply replying "Spells."
"And she would need such a thing because..."
"Mares asked her to do so. Honestly, where do these questions come from Grim..."
Giving a face, Grim made a few ick get it off gestures with hooves.
"Well a hundred pardons if its never occured to my pure self that the fairer would find the thought of stallions maids a thing one day aspire."
"Well fair Grim, I am colored guilty! Its hot, and I happen to been there to witness Sunbeams faces as we partook."
A soft knock echoed through Shadow's and with the mares assent, opened, Midnight aura levitating a tea in its grasp as steam poured out. Trotting up to the pegasus desk, Midnight laid it down, looked up to her gently smiling kinda mom, and said evenly "Do you have naught but feelings loath mare? What have I visited on you in our travels?"
Oh dear... Grim , Just let this play out..."
"Lady as I love as my own, I am a mere filly. I am of a tender age in a time of emotional wracking at even in times bountiful is all good things. Our is a dark a terrible age my dearest, and I know you have seen to my cries in the night from my terrors lived, and embraced me in my shivering. My life is but a mask in lifes dance, so I shall be plain as I can... Why do you, with me next door and in face of all I've been in misery with, deem to let known your wanton seeking of my mothers wanton and eagerly employed anatomical mockery of her intermittent rutt stick of Midnights continued soul lashing."
"Midnight, really now.... I meant..."
Before Shadow could finish, Midnight lurched forward in a bound and pressed her hooves on both of the mares sides as she screeches at the mares stomach "CHILD, I BESEECH THEE. GROW NOT ELSE IN THERE ANYTHING, FOR THAT WAS BUT A SIP OF THESE WICKED CREATURES WRETCHED CHALICE AND MY MINDS RIPPING IN ITS TASTING! I KNOW YOU HEAR, HAVE YOU NO WANT OR WISHES WELL ON YOUR LOVING MIDNIGHT!"
"Yes child, I'm sure my not there yet foal of course in life wrought with misery knowing his sister suffers with knowing I like to fuck her fine as silk mother in ways unique and pleasing."
"TIS BUT A TASTE IN MOCKER ASH, FOR WE BUT LAMBS TO THEIR MENTAL AND SOUL SLAUGHTER! AND THEN MADE TO ATTEND THEIR SONG AND DANCE DINNER SHOW OF THEIR WANTON DEGRADATION OF THOSE LAMBS MOTHERS!"
Shadow ears drew down in weary annoyance as her brow furrowen over her muzzle, and slowly a mares hoof ran through the filly's blue toned mane.
"Ah my lovely... to think is but an all to short time, you're good soul attend with us the wonders of mares green spring.
"SHADOW, I MUST ONE DAY ENDURE YOU'RE YOUNGEST CHILD, I AM TO BE MADE AWAY, BUT WORRY LITTLE, FOR YOU ARE OF TIME! But I descend to my misery, FOR NOW I KNOW I WANT TO ONE DAY TO FUCK OTHERS! IT COMES UP AS A SNEAK KNIFE IN THE NIGHT, AND ALL COME FULL CIRCLE! I BECOME MY MOTHER!"
"Yes yes my poor stricken dear. What burden untold you are afflicted in your one day healthy want for the embrace of others in beauty made in bliss of carnal. What a horrid thing literally everyone does all the time."
