Let Loose the Dogs of War

Trebass awoke, the sun was just rising over the hill. Braeburn was still laying down next to Deviree. The fire that burned last night was now turned to black ash. The cool desert breeze rustled the palm tree leaves. The white unicorn stood up and stretched. The pain in his back leg had began to ease. He remembered that Braeburn had removed the debris and wrapped a bandage around his leg last night. The pain eased enough for Trebass to walk around with all four of his legs.

He glanced back at the sleeping couple. The fact that they were both sleeping under his own vest bothered Trebass, but not very much. He decided to exercise his leg, to get used to the feeling. He walked over to a bush that was about fifteen (15) metres away from the palm tree. The cool morning air refreshed him in a strange way.

Trebass was about to touch the bush, but he stopped. He heard hoofsteps, quiet ones. His hearing had been restored enough to realize that he wasn't alone. He looked all around him. The only possible hiding places he could see were behind the broken boulders from the day before and the tank that was now reduced to scrap metal.

He pulled out his revolver from it's holster and pulled back the hammer. He extended it from his face so that he could look down the sights. He walked slowly towards the broken boulders. He pressed his back against the largest one. He slowly looked around the corner. He saw nothing. He continued around the corner, then suddenly.

*THUD*

Trebass felt a large blunt object on the back of his head. He fell to the ground and caught a glimpse of a mysteriously hooded character. Based on the hooves and tail that were sticking out of it's cloak, it was obvious that it was pony. Trebass quickly aimed his revolver at the hooded figure. But the figure used his back leg to kick the gun out of his hooves.

Trebass tried to get up, but the figure kicked him down.

"You'll wish you never crossed my path." The mysterious figure said, as he pulled out a knife from his cloak.

Trebass rolled off to the side, as the figure thrusted the knife into the ground where he was originally laying. Trebass got up quickly but his leg was still sore, but it wasn't anything that could stop him. He glanced to the side where his gun was laying. The figure was approaching him slowly, the knife still in his hooves. Trebass dove for his gun, and aimed it at the figure. He pulled the trigger.

*BANG*

The gunshot echoed throughout the barren wastelands, past the tanks, and to the snoring Braeburn who was still lying next to Deviree.

The bullet had just missed the figure.

"Seriously?" Trebass thought to himself, as he stood up to back away from the figure.

"You're really bad at aiming huh? I'll make this quick." The figure spoke with a familiar voice.

Trebass couldn't quite put his hoof on it, but he felt like he knew this pony's name. His eyes widened, but he needed to confirm his suspicions.  He threw himself at the hooded figure.

Trebass ripped the hood off of his enemy. The sight shocked him. The pony had a greyish black coat, with a blue and silver mane. It was Thunderlane.

"Why?" Was all that Trebass could ask.

"Because the Diamond Dogs want you dead, thats why!" Thunderlane shouted.

"You're being very vague. There's more to this story isn't there?" Trebass knew something was amiss, but decided to let Thunderlane explain it himself.

"They've got my marefriend and her sister. If I don't kill the corporal, they'll die..." Thunderlane sighed with a saddened look on his face.

"But why Braeburn?" Trebass asked.

"Braeburn has nothing to do with this! It's you they're after." Thunderlane said, with a strange look on his face.

"W-What?!" Trebass was even more confused than ever.

For one thing, he wasn't a corporal. Second of all, why would the Diamond Dogs even know him? After all, he wasn't from this time or place.

"They never gave me your name, but they described you as a white unicorn with a black mane. They only referred to you as The Corporal. I assumed you were part of the army, even thought I've never seen you around her before." Thunderlane added.

"Wait... Fleur De Lis knew who I was, even thought she had never seen me before! Maybe these two events are connected..." Trebass thought to himself.

But while he was lost in thought, Trebass had been pinned down Thunderlane.

"I'm sorry, but I have to finish the job." Thunderlane raised his knife.

"So has it come to this? I will perish, without finding out who Bable is? Without finding true love? Without besting my rival in the game of love?" Trebass closed his eyes, ready to accept his fate.