Rōnin

Rainbow Dash, once a member of the esteemed wonderbolts, now an Equestrian ranger and traitor to the Equestrians. She acted as a scout and hunter for the Equestrians, and always smuggled the same information to the Bat Clans as well as Equestrian troop details.

Rainbow dash wore minimal clothing to allow for swiftness and flexibility. She had what was essentially a leather sports bra and light shorts held up with a belt. At her waist was a pair of daggers to be used in close combat. She wore a pair of soft leather boots and her main held back with a simple cord. Slung across her back was a quiver of arrows and a longbow.

She was overlooking a large forest on the front, searching for Bat Clan troops and possible advantages. She Moved throught the forest speedily and stealthily. After a while she stopped near a hillside cave, and rested for a short while. He said to meet him there in a months time.

She turned after hearing silent movement behind her, and found him standing there. She stood and smiled as she turned to face him. “Swift Arrow, it’s been almost a month.”

“It has indeed Rainbow.” He says pulling his hood down.

Swift Arrow was a batpony ranger, and Rainbow’s contact. She and him always met somewhere every month to exchange information, it started because Twilight had asked Rainbow to do this. Rainbow trusted Twilight, and went into this with some degree of reluctance, but eventually she grew used to it and was rather glad for it.

Swift Arrow was dressed quite unlike her. He wore a dark green hooded cloak over a simple leather jerkin and dark green woolen pants tucked into leather boots. At his hip and back he had a short sword and dagger. On his back was a quiver of arrows fletched with owl feathers and a longbow. His dark purple wings were allowed out by small cuts in the back of his jerkin and cloak.

Rainbow approached him and pulled him into a hug. “I trust you have been well.”

“I have been.” He says in response. “Have you been well?”

“I have. The war seems to be going well. The Equestrians are almost out of morale, there has been much talk of defections or desertion. They don’t like being in a war they’re loosing.”

“And I thought you were on the Equestrian side.” He teases.

“You know what I am Swift.” She says sternly. “I thought that our cause was just in the beginning. Then my eyes were opened and my allegiance changed.”

“I know.” He says. “Am I not aloud to joke?”

“No, not at all.” She says rolling her eyes.

Thunder sounded above making them look up. “Come on, lets stay in the cave toninght.”

Swift followed Rainbow into the hillside cave and they set up their bedrolls. He pulled a small portion of a fallen tree into the cave for them to sit on. They got a fire going and began to cook their rations.

“The war has escalated.” Rainbow says. “Training has been intensified, new troops are being brought in every month and the field hospitals have been increasing in size. They may have you outnumbered by a good margin but they have been taking heavy losses.”

“It’s not too different on our end either.” Swift says. “We’ve been taking some serious casualties and their numbers are daunting. Our injured are sent back to the cities for care and more soldiers are always needed. But their has been word of a stranger, carrying strange weapons and wearing strange armor who has been brought to the capital. He is a fierce warrior and won us a seemingly hopeless battle. His skill is... astounding.”

“Have you met this warrior?” She inquired.

“No, but I have seen him training with Princess Luna. I doubt he will go down easily.” He says pulling his piece of salted pork off the fire and biting into it.

Rainbow dash never understood how these batponies could stomach eating meat, but she didn’t really question it. She pulled her small pot of vegetable soup off the fire and began to put it in a bowl. She began to eat it slowly, trying to imagine what such a warrior would look like.

“Can you describe him?” She asks.

“I only saw him once, but I think so.” He put a finger to his chin trying to remember. “Ah, yes. His chest plate is actually very similar to the armor used by our legionaries. It’s made of bands of what appeared to be hardened and treated leather wrapped around his chest and held on by plated shoulder straps. For his shoulder guards, they are rectangular plates made of hardened leather strips that hug his arm. His bracers and greaves are steel and cover his forearms and calves completely. His helmet looks to be a cap of steel with three steel bands that skirt the back and sides of the head. On it are two antlers that make him look larger than he really is. But the scariest part is the mask. A steel mask that covered his nose, cheeks and chin carved to look like a hideous monstrosity.”

Rainbow tried to picture it. “I think I have an idea as to what you’re talking about.”

“His weapons are just curved swords, each one bigger than the rest. The biggest one is almost as tall as he is.”

“That could do some serious damage.” Rainbow said to him.

The two finished their food and began to prepare for bed. Swift Arrow took his cloak off and set it against the top of his bedroll as a pillow. He removed his jerkin and boots then moved to lie down, only to stop at the sight of Rainbow. She had removed everythig, and stood bare for him to behold. He tried to avert his eye, and it was rather clear that’s what he was doing.

“Aww, is this your first time seeing a mare naked?” She teases getting closer to him, making sure he wouldn’t look away. “It’s time we had ‘the talk’ pal. These things are called boobies!” She exclaimed rather enthusiastically while giving them a squeeze.

And that was how Rainbow ended up bent over the log they had in the cave for half the night.