Rangers Lead The Way

Wilkins's POV

I woke up early in the morning after a deep dreamless sleep, my watch said it was supposedly 6:47, but I wasn't too sure about it due to the whole different world thing and all. I yawned sitting up and stretching my arms before feeling a small movement and a slight brush of something warm against my left hand. I looked down and saw that Luna was curled up next to be in a small ball snoring lightly. I smiled and gently scratched her ear which caused it to twitch slightly. I stood up grabbing my rifle from where it lay at my side slinging it over my shoulder.

I walked over to Anderson and was about to shake his shoulder to wake him when I saw him open his eyes and give me a thumbs up to which I nodded my head.

"Get up corporal we're heading out to find anything that may be nearby," I said.

"Yes, Sir!" He exclaims grabbing his M4a1 and standing.

"Perkins! Get your lazy ass up, we're going on patrol," I shout causing Perkins to shoot up grabbing his MK11.

" Got it, sir, " Perkins says.

During the commotion the rest of my squad along with Celestia and Luna woke up. Thorn and Edwards got up and went to re-igniting the fire to get some warmth circulating as it was rather cold that morning while the rest of us got ready to head out on patrol. I turned on my radio and said "Testing, Testing," I saw Thorn raise a thumbs up at me and I smiled knowing we at least have short distance radio communication available to us if we ran into any trouble with the locals or
the wildlife.

Perkins and Anderson walked over to me letting me know they were ready to head out. We started walking out of our temporary home heading west from our location, we'd decided we were going to walk about three hours in that direction and if we didn't find anything of note we'd head back to our temporary base cave.

After nearly two hours of walking we hadn't really found anything of major note, sure we found some strange blue flowers and other things, but none of them really had any functional use or sign of civilization to us.

I was very near to giving up hope of finding anything before Anderson shouted out "Captain! I see smoke in the distance, from where I am I think it's around 800 meters out!"

"Good job corporal, " I said a broad grin on my face at the fact of finally finding civilization.

"That doesn't really look a smoke trail from a campfire, Sir," Perkins said a look of worry on his face.

"Now that you say it does look rather large....Alright, let's get moving. Double time it men! " I shout rushing towards the smoke.

As we were around 200 meters away from the town we reached a large hill overlooking it which we quickly climbed to get a better vantage point. I took out my binoculars peering through them at the town and say a rather worrying sight. Multiple half bird half lion I think they're called griffins were flying around tossing flaming torches at buildings and attacking the ponies that were running terrified through the streets. There was a group of ponies around seven strong in the center of the town protecting what looked to be the town hall from the griffons as other ponies attempted to flee inside to safety.

"Hmmf....looks to be around twenty or so tangos terrorizing the town, burning buildings, and slaughtering civilians," I say a large frown plastered onto my face.

"Permission to engage then cap'n? " Perkins aid his MK11 already deployed with it's Bi-pod on a good vantage point over the town.

"Negative Perkins, first me and Anderson will see if we can get them to back down peacefully. No point in making enemies if we don't have to," I say .

" Alright Cap'n, " Perkins says as he attaches his silencer to his rifle.

I stand up with Anderson slowly making my way down to the town. "Remember the rules of engagement Anderson, do not fire unless fired upon. Understood?" I whisper to which he nods.

"Good,"

As Anderson and me stroll into the town a pair of griffins lands in-front of us spears pointed at our chests.

" Halt creatures! This is none of your concern be on your way or we will use force, " They shout causing me to raise an eyebrow.

I look around for a moment before saying "I believe it is our concern we were planning on spending the night in this town and we cannot do that if it is ashes on the ground now can we?"

The griffins look at each other for a minute before saying "This is your last warning, leave this town or we will use force!"

I pull out a cigarette and lighter lighting it and taking a deep puff purposely blowing it in their faces before saying "My name is Captain Gerald Wilkins of the United States Army Rangers, and I demand to see your leader!"

The griffins share a laugh before saying "Why should we do that creature when we can just kill you and take your possessions!"

After saying that they rush forwards weapons bearing down on us before one of them drops dead a hole in his where his left eye should have been. The second griffon upon seeing this stopped to look at his dead comrade in shock as I pull my 1911 and fire a shot into his head killing him instantly. The sound of the bullet momentary causes everyone in the town to stop fighting, burning, and pillaging to look where it came from. The ponies were even more terrified that the griffins might have had more reinforcements with strange weapons and the griffins were enraged that these creatures had dared to kill two of their own.

Five griffins start flying towards us causing Anderson to aim his M4a1 at them and fire a quick burst causing two of them to fall to the ground screeching and flailing as the bullets ripped through their chests before they dropped cold. Another of the griffins dropped dead with a bullet in his chest due to Perkins's marksmanship. By the time they got within range of my 1911 only two were left. I raised my pistol aiming at the one in the front firing off two shots one going through his chest and another in his left wing causing his to plummet to the ground shrieking in pain. The last griffin dropped with a hole in his head after Anderson fired his M4.

"Anderson go relieve the civilians of the griffins assaulting the town house while I hunt down their leader" I say gesturing to the pony militia and the griffins bombarding them with dive attacks.

"Got it, Sir!" He exclaims rushing off to help those in need.

I immediately started scanning the air and ground for where the leader might be. After a few minutes of looking I spotted him on the outskirts of the town in the air with two guards near him. At least I suspected him to be the leader due to him having the fanciest armor and bodyguards. I shrug to myself drawing my SCAR-H and aiming at his chest peering through my holographic sight. I squeezed the trigger sending a bullet into his chest and throwing him to the ground before quickly switching my aim to his guards and eliminating them as well.

The griffins quickly realized they bit off more than they could chew and flew off before they could lose anymore of their group, but not before one of them let off an arrow which found it's way to my leg sending me to a knee.

I hissed between my teeth at the pain from the arrow letting out a loud "FUCK!"

Anderson quickly rushed to me looking at the wound "Shit, alright captain I'll radio Perkins."

"No need corporal I'm already here." I quickly turned my head seeing Perkins leaning against a wall with his rifle slung over his shoulder. He quickly straightened himself and strolled over to me glancing over my wound.

"Hmmf...That's an arrow cap'n."

"No shit Perkins, It hurts like fucking hell!" I yell

Perkins knelt in-front of me snapping the back half of the arrow off before carefully removing it and bandaging my wound.

"You'll live cap'n now stop being a pussy and get up, no offence," He says staring down at me.

I sigh looking up at him "Up yours Sergeant," I say standing up on a wobbly leg and limping over to the town hall where several ponies were staring at us with complete amazement in their eyes.

"If you take a picture it'll last longer," I joke snapping them out of their haze.

One of the ponies moves to the front of the group a unicorn and if the clothing and mark of a small town most likely someone of some sort of significance. "H-hello...creatures..I-I am mayor Crystal song of the t-town of Crystal Wood...p-please don't kill us and eat our bodies!" He begs throwing himself to the ground with the most pathetic expression I've ever seen on his face.

I smile kneeling to his level so he can look in my eyes. "Sorry pal, Army Rangers don't eat ponies or burn villages. My names Captain Gerald Wilkins and I'd like to say you're embarrassing yourself,"

He looks up at me a large blush on his face clearly realizing the stupidly of what he just did and he could also probably feel the other ponies staring at him. "Y-yes sorry about that....t-things have just been difficult lately with that bandit group you see to have...m-massacred...a-anyways I'd just like to s-say welcome to Crystal Wood, "