Let Loose the Dogs of War

A red flare created a small puff of smoke below the plane crash. Four (4) ponies in forest camouflage were standing below Trebass and Braeburn.

"Hello up there!" The pony holding flare called out to Trebass.

The white unicorn waved back to his ally on the ground. Braeburn and Trebass began to descend through the plane's passenger seatings. They finally reached the cockpit, which had broken windows which they could use to escape what was left of the Equestrian Cloud. They approached the four (4) ponies they greeted earlier.

"Well I'll be! It's corporal Braeburn!" One of the ponies, a colt, saluted and the ponies behind him imitated the action.

"At ease soldier. What's your status?" Braeburn asked.

"We ejected from the plane before it landed. We're.... The only ones left, sir."  The colt took his helmet off, which revealed a black coat with a blue and silver mane.

"I see... What's your name soldier?" Braeburn noticed the depressed look on the colt's face.

"Thunderlane sir! Third (3rd) platoon of the Equestrian Army sir!" The black pony introduced himself with another salute.

Braeburn glanced up at the sky, the sun showed that it was just about noon. The sky was blue and clear of clouds.

"So what should we do now?" Trebass asked Braeburn, who was still staring into the sky.

"Well, we should get you to the civilian shelter now. But with your gun skills, I don't think your just a civilian. Are you?"

"Yup, just your usual civilian. But I've certainly shot a gun before... For self defence." Trebass replied.

Braeburn gave Trebass an unsure look, and then looked east of the plane crash.

"The civilian shelter is just east of here. We should tell the families of the deceased..." Braeburn sighed depressingly.

The four (4) soldiers, plus Trebass and Braeburn, began the trek towards the civilian shelter. Hours passed as nopony spoke at all, only the howling desert wind disrupted the awkward silence. They passed dead bushes and skeletons as the tall buildings of Los Pegasus grew smaller and smaller as they walked away from the plane crash.

Trebass was covered in sweat, he was so used to the rainy weather in Ponyville. He felt the heat of the sun on the back of his head. Braeburn remained unfazed by the hot desert rays, while Thunderlane began to pant heavily. Suddenly, Braeburn stopped in his tracks, so did the others. He walked towards a cactus, Trebass thought this was quite strange. Braeburn pulled one of the needles on the cactus down.

A loud clanging drowned out the vicious desert gusts blowing in the background. The sands began rise up from the ground, then fell back down again. Two metal plates separated and revealed a large staircase leading into a dark corridor. More ponies with rifles emerged from the staircase.

Trebass, Braeburn, Thunderlane, and the other soldiers raise their hooves in the air.

"We're not hostile! We're soldiers!" Thunderlane exclaimed.

The soldiers lowered their guns, and one of them spoke up. "Sorry about that sirs. Welcome to the civilian shelters. Come inside, quickly!"

Everypony entered the secret passage. The lights came on. Ponies with ragged and tattered clothing quivered in fear at the sight of these new soldiers. The shelter was about the size of a small library. Broken wooden tables and chairs were set up around one side of the room. A large vault door was in another corner of the room with the words "Food Storage, Authorized Personell Only" engraved on the it.

"Braeburn!" A mare in the corner called out to him.

Braeburn turned around, "Deviree! how have you been since I left?"

"So that's Deviree?" Trebass thought to himself. The mare was a pegasus with a minty green coat, and a mane that was black as the night. She wore a light brown coat that had multiple holes in it.

"I missed you so mu-" Deviree stopped in mid sentence when she saw Trebass standing behind Braeburn.

Trebass raised his brow in confusion, as Deviree stared at the ground kicking her hooves.

"I must apologize Trebass, Deviree is a bit.... Shy. At times." Braeburn walked over to the Food Storage vault.

Deviree looked over her shoulder at Trebass, smiled, then she followed Braeburn to the vault.

"What a strange mare, don't you think Thunderlane?" Trebass looked around him, but Thunderlane was no where to be found.

"What's going on around here?" Trebass thought to himself. Then walked over to Braeburn and Deviree.

Braeburn was talking to one of the guards when Trebass arrived, "Corporal Braeburn here, I'd like to take three rations out. One for me, and two for the ponies behind me."

One of the guards nodded and unlocked the door then went in. He came out after a few minutes later with a tray that had three plates on it. The potatoes, Fish, and bottles of wine made Trebass' mouth water.

"This looks like something that would be served at the Gala!" Trebass exclaimed.

"Since I'm a corporal, I have higher privileges for my family and friends." Braeburn explained, carrying the tray to a table.

Trebass thought it was a bit unfair to the civilians might have needed it more. He looked around, most of the civilians looked hungrier than he did. But he didn't want to upset his hosts, so he sat down at the table with Braeburn and Deviree.

Just before Trebass could take a bite out of his food, another soldier came up to Braeburn and whispered something into his ear. Braeburn nodded, then stood up. "I'm sorry you two, but I must attend this meeting."

Braeburn walked off into another room. An awkward silence stood between Trebass and Deviree.

"Would you like some wine?" Trebass asked.

Deviree didn't say anything, she simply nodded. Trebass poured the wine bottle into her glass, then into his own. The two ate silently for about five (5) minutes. Then, Trebass felt a tug on his vest.

A small foal looked up at him, "Excuse me mister... Can I have some food please? I'm really hungry..."

Trebass could hear the foal's stomach growling. He looked over to Deviree, then back over to the foal.

He took a potato and handed it to the foal.

"Thank you mister! Bless you!" The foal said, running off to his mother. The mother looked to Trebass with a thankful smile.

"You must have a kind soul." A voice came from across the table, it was Deviree.

"I didn't know you had a voice." Trebass chuckled.

Deviree giggled, then spoke up again, "The fact that you would give up your only ration for the day for a foal, it makes me happy."

Her eyes gleamed from the ray of the light bulbs that lined the ceiling. Trebass didn't realize how beautiful Deviree was when Braeburn described her. But now that he saw her with his own eyes, he forgot all about the war that was going on as they ate.