Author's Note

I've finally done it.
P.S. IT'S OVER NINE THOUSAND!!!!
(Sorry, couldn't hold myself)

Chapter 11. Storm (Part 2)

"I'm sorry, Rarity," Spike apologized.

"Spike, I said, I appreciate that you are sorry for the deeds, you've done, but now I need you to dig," Rarity sighed, after hearing Spike's apologizes for she-didn't-count how many times. "Now, there is some gems to the left."

Spike bend down and clang his claws into cold ground. After a moment, he raised up with some emeralds in his claws. He threw them into the truck and started to warm up his claws.

It was the beginning of October, and the temperature started to cool down. For cold-blooded dragon, cold temperatures aren't pleasant.

He was rubbing his scarf, when Rarity put some of the gems she dug up herself. She put her shovel into the ground.

"Spike, haven't you frozen up here?" Rarity asked him. Before Spike was able to answer, from somewhere behind the grumbles came. Turning around, she saw three tough looking figures, jumping out of the ground. They looked really tough, yet a bit poor. Their gear looked too rough and Rarity immediately noted all the flaws in the armors and weapons.

Then, without any words they attacked her. Hah. What an ugliness of a fight, she thought, as she dodged their attacks by simply stepping aside. Then, she saw the distant figure of three of them instead of charging her started to prepare his gun. It was rusty as if it has been in the damp cellar for years, but Rarity didn't want to check if it's able to shoot or not.

The creature howled as the knife go directly into his eye. The other one tried to attack her from behind but got only a punctured shoulder, as Rarity swung her pickaxe in the telekinetical grip. The last of their trio got a hit in the head. Instead of a crackled skull, he got stunned, since there was a bucket-like helmet. The following strike get the helmet off of his head, revealing the dog's head.

"This is the lesson for you. Hope, you learned it rather well?" She asked, as they started to retreat. Then, out of sudden they dug up into the ground. "Huh... That's unexpected. Spike, are you fine there?.. Spike?"

She looked around only to see... Nothing and no one. There wasn't truck but most importantly there wasn't Spike. Instead, there was a big hole in the ground.

"Spike?.. Oh, no... Oh, no!" She screamed. Then, without a word she ran to Ponyville.

Ponies were rather anxious about Rarity's hurry. They've seen, how recently she and Spike were heading to the ridge at the east. The scene of Rarity running like wind and without Spike beside her wasn't something everypony expected.

"Twilight! Twilight! We have a lot of troubles! Devastating troubles, that must be solved as soon as possible!" She shouted, as she banged the door of the library. She stopped only when she found that she was hitting air.

"Well, miss Rarity, I believe you forgot that it's a library, a public place, so the door is open in the day," Solar Lance said, as he opened the door. "What's the urgency?" He asked, when the white blur whizzed its way near him.

"I need Twilight! Actually, I need all my friends... And I believe, your guys too," She said, as she was eyeing the whole library.

"Us?" Soul Flames asked, as he put his eyes from the book on his knees to the white unicorn. After a confirming nod, he opened his mouth in a surprised way, "Whoa, what a fuss it must be so you need our help?"

"Yeah, I wonder the same," the voice Rarity so needed to hear come from behind. "What you need me to talk about?"

"They!.. They took Spike! And, my gems!" Rarity wailed, as she take Twilight by her hands and shake her. "Those ruffians."

"Ruffians? Who?.. And where?" She asked, as she looked at her.

"There... There on that ridge were the dogs... Diamond Dogs," she told her.

"Diamond Dogs? What did they forget in our lands?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, what have you meant by that?" The Soul Flames asked. "Their clans in the Badlands lived without any troubles. There is no way they will be this far to the north-west."

"But it is. I've seen them with my own eyes. I-I even fought with them. You see, I don't have a knife here," she said, as she pointed to her belts where the knives resides. In one of the two lines, the knife's spot was empty.

"Ha-hah, where did you lose it?" He chuckled. "I already imagine that: you two sitting beside the tree, then you scribble that Rarity plus Spike equals love and then you two... Ouch."

"We can't state anything like this before we have facts, Soul Flames," Solar Lance said, as Soul Flames rubbed the back of his head.

"But this is clear without facts," he said.

"What is clear without facts?" Twilight asked him, making him go silent. "Captain, we will go and gather up the girls."

"Fine. Do what you must. If there is really Diamond Dogs out there, then we are really endangered... " Captain said.

"Oh, Captain, do you really believe her?" Soul Flames complained.

"Right now, it's better to be too cautious rather than too reckless, Soul," captain told them. "Now, you two are free to go."

"Yes, sir," Twilight told him. Then, she headed to the door that's already was opened by Rarity. When they were outside, Twilight asked about details, "Now, I wish to hear what happened there... And, what actually you two were doing there?"

"Oh, Spike have done something he had... Regretted in the future. If to be correct, then he hadn't keep himself and ate all the gems in my stash. There back on that ridge, we were gathering up some more gems instead of those that's gone. Then, those ruffians jumped out of the ground. We were taken aback but recovered quickly. Thereafter, those jerks lashed out on us, but I fought them off. Yet, I must admit that the whole thing was just a trick, a gimmick. They made me to keep my eyes on those three, while the other snatched up Spike and our collected gems somewhere underground," she told Twilight what happened.

"They took away, Spike?" Twilight asked. After Rarity nodded, she said, "That's... Too bad. We must save him. Go get the AJ and Rainbow. I'll grab Fluttershy and Pinkie. We will met up on the eastern road."

"Fine," Rarity answered and ran away to Applejack's farm. Then, when they were on the town border, and Rarity told them what they were supposed to do, Solar Lance in full gear have walks after them.

When Rarity asked him why he walks after them, he said, "Well, you know that I was a fighter before. This stallion here just needs to remember how it was. You wouldn't mind the old stallion such as me?"

"Well, we wouldn't, but doesn't that mean that Ponyville is left without guards?" Twilight asked.

"Of course not. Calm Fight will look after village in my absence," he replied.

"Oh, Calm Fight? That fella is good. She isn't a nasty doer like Flames," Applejack said.

"Yeah, I've never understand it why he is like that," he said. "Though, I must admit that Soul Flames isn't a nasty doer. I would rather call him a nasty sayer."

When they were on the dusty wasteland that stood beside the ridge, Applejack asked, "So, what are we lookin' out for here?"

"A mine, probably?" Pinkie suggested.

"Mine? Haven't heard of it," Applejack said.

"But I did," Rarity said. When everyone's attention was on her, she continued, "They were trying to find anything out here. Not only gems, but also iron, coal, gold, silver, copper and so on... But, they were too unlucky. The little amounts of gems were nothing, if compared to what the rock farms brought out, so the mine was abandoned. Me, I just knew what I was looking for... And, you know, at first I haven't think that here was anything, but then my horn show me that boulder. When, it was broken in half, there I find so many jewels."

"Well, that's quite a story," Lance said. "But, can you show us where the entrance to that mine?"

"Well... If I remember it correctly, then it must be... Actually, it's right over here," She replied, while pointing at the closest point of the cliff side. There, in the little gap between two boulders, a dark emptiness could be seen.

"Huh... Miss Twilight, can you help me a bit?" Lance asked, while taking one of the boulders in his telekinetical grip.

"Of course," Twilight answered, while taking the other boulder. With some efforts the dimly-lit path, that leads downstairs, was opened.

"Hey, Ah thought over here... Those dogs can be anywhere right now. Are we sure, that those fellas in the mines below?" Applejack shared her thoughts, while looking in the darkness before her.

"There is one way to find that out," captain said, as he took his greatsword by its blade. "And, if thinking logically... The dogs attacked from the ground, and by the looks of it dragged the hostage and stolen gems under the ground. That means, that somewhere there their tunnels are located. Yes?"

"Yeah, ya're right..." She agreed with him. "Interesting way to hold the sword by the way."

"Hah, yes it is. Some gryphon taught me, how to fight like that. They called it the 'mordhau' style, since it come from the place called the Mordhau Valleys," He said to her. "When we met those scoundrels, I'll show you how it's done."

They walked through the caverns, as the echo brings captain's words deeper into the darkness. They weren't walking in utter darkness though. Twilight created the little wisps of light. But, soon they come to a... Room. At least, it was wider than the cavern they've been walking through. When the Twilight's orbs lit the room, they saw the miner's gear. Pickaxes and shovels, ropes and miner's helmets. Everything is old and either covered in rust or completely out of use.

"You know, girls... I believe we should take some of these, since... Well, anything may happen," captain said, as he swung with one of the pickaxes. He then heard something in the back. Before he was able to turn around, a hoarse voice barked at them.

"Halt," the voice thundered. "Ponies! I see no payment. You see no hostage. You understand?"

Turning around, he saw a bulky figure in the crude armor plates. They didn't cover the figure completely, so everyone could see a dirty black fur, that hadn't been under required treatment at all by the looks of it. In the gap of helmet, the dog's face had been exposed.

"Oh, fella, let me tell ya something. We come here for a friend. F-r-i-e-n-d. If you don't understand it, then Ah'll tell ya in a more understandable way," Applejack said. She walked forward with her weapon at ready. Lance come after her and stopped her.

"Don't worry, Applejack. I'll deal here," he murmured to her. When she didn't move an inch back, he continued to murmur, "you'd better go to girls and back them up. Dogs may attack from anywhere."

She already had a thought of objecting, but the look in captain's eyes made her quickly retire. Soon, she was standing among girls, constantly looking back or at the ground. Captain at the same time was waiting for the dog for any action. When none come, he decided to make him to make some.

He throw him a taunting glance. The one, that says 'show me, what you worth'. It was enough.

The dog lowly growled. Then, he charged at him. Captain in the same time did the same... And, when they were close, he sidesteped and kicked with his hoof. The dog stumbled upon it and fell. He tried to rise, but captain prevent all the attempts by hitting him in the head with elbow. Then, the other dog appeared behind him.

The sword of the dog was high in the air, which was a mistake. Captain made only a half of the turn, but it was enough for his sword to reach the farthest point of his body and in one slight motion make a crimson line on it.

His body immediately curved in pain. Captain haven't seen that, since he blocked the blow of another dog. Like previous one, the other dog attacked while rising the blade up. It met not the chainmail or plates on it, but a wide guard of captain's blade. The strong push and the dog's blade is high in the air. The captain's sword in the same cut the dog's shoulder. Then, he bucked him to the ground and headed to the girls.

There was at least the dozen of hairy brutes. But as captain was quickly observing the battlefield, he become more and more about the success of their task. Half of the brutes was lying either senseless or dead.

Out of all living dogs, he chose the closest. The dog shouted as captain hacked on his shoulder blade, but to no avail. All of his lads were dealt with.

"You've done it great," he said, as he approached them. "The question is, what's next?"

"What's next? Of course, we go and save Spike. Isn't that obvious?" Twilight replied.

"It is, but... We don't where to go. It will eternity to find the way in those caverns, and the same eternity to find the way out," Lance said.

"But he does," Rarity said, as she aimed with her shovel at the neck of the dog below her. "Don't try to fool us, barbarian. I know you're just pretending to be unconscious."

When he didn't move an inch in any way, Rarity poked lightly at his neck with her shovel, marking the place where the next strike will fall onto. The dog immediately tried to shook Rarity away, but she stepped away. When he stood up, everypony around him were on guard with weapons at ready.

"You. Show us where yours," captain commanded him, but he shook only with his head. Then, Twilight horn ignited with purple flames. The dog only whined a little, yet in the same time his legs quiver like a pinched sheet of paper in stream of wild wind.

"Now, you would," she said. The dog turned away the same moment and they followed him.

"What have you done?"Captain asked her. "Also, mark the way out of here. Don't wish to be straying in those caverns."

"You'd better don't know, captain," she answered, not completely trusting him on such a theme. He only smirked at that.

They were walking for a ten or so minutes. Ponies started to think that the dog was leading them to nowhere, but after some time, they entered something that looked like a room. The dog howl at the entrance, but Rarity slammed with flat part of her shovel.

The room turned Tartarus in mere moments. The darkness in the other end of the room lit up with a dim light, revealing a true size of the room. It was mostly empty except several cages. In one of them, Spike was contained.

"Spike!" Twilight and Rarity screamed. But if Rarity stayed in one place, Twilight had run toward the cage. She stopped only when she saw the amount of dogs on her way. She stopped and yanked under the axe, that was on the way to her neck. She attacked the attacker with a spell and was luckier than him.

Everyone followed Twilight. They backed Twilight up as an army of dogs tried to oppress and destroy every intruder in their home. Dogs were unskillful fighters, but the number provides an additional pressure on ponies.

Since everyone was fighting and were concentrated on it, no one noticed how Rarity instead of fighting was sneaking up to Spike's cage, while throwing daggers at the occasional dogs, that notice her. Spike was literally trembling in the shackles the dogs put him in. When, Rarity was near the cage he called for him.

"Spike, don't worry. We're he to save you," she assured the frightened dragon. When he rose his head and tried to say something, but Rarity shooed him. When she inspected the lock and find no way to open it, she use the telekinesis and aimed the pickaxe at the lock.

No strike followed, since something interrupted Rarity's spell. The voice followed in the same moment, "pesky pony do not wish to fight. She wishes to take the captive and buzz off, now does not she?"

Rarity turned around and saw three dogs. The gigantic one who was massive even for dog's standard, the little one whose eyes were on the level of Rarity's chest and a normal dog, who kept Rarity's pickaxe. She wasn't even able to say anything, when the middle dog bumped with the butt of the pickaxe in the middle of Rarity's chest. She stumbled and fell on the solid stone and a dull pain shot through her flanks.

The dog was ready to strike one another time, this time more powerful... When the lightning stroke him. It didn't kill him but it had distracted him and made him to drop the pickaxe. Rarity used the moment to take pickaxe and broke the lock. The little one tried to mess the things up but when he jumped, ready to point his two daggers into the white unicorn, but the only thing he did was kiss to the shovel.

Now, she and Spike were running for their lives from the very angry mass of muscles, who was storming after them. Rarity yanked under the club that was flying into her face. The mass knocked the clubber down and followed the unicorn. She hopped the stack of bodies. He threw them around and go after her. He stopped only when Twilight cast the frightening spell on him, when they left.

When they were on the surface, no one followed them. Even after some minutes no dogs were crushing through the entrance into the caves.

"Twilight, go get the lieutenant Sky Spire and his guys. They'll do more than Calm Fight and Soul Flames would do. Also, sent a letter to Celestia," Lance commanded, and Twilight disappeared with an audible snap of the air.

The week had past. The case of dogs was solved. They wouldn't be bothering Ponyville and its residents. At least, that's what Rover, the leader of 'Diamond Dogs' , says.

As Twilight guessed, the dogs were the outcasts from the clans in the Badlands. They found the safe spot in the caves under Ponyville, and after some time of getting around they started a criminal activities... Only to fail at the first affair. It was funny to see the faces of dogs when the Celestia's guards have attacked the caves. Rover and his fellows were made to pay for everything, they've done.

Now, Twilight's mind was on the other matter. She was spending all of her time either with friend or books. She hadn't paid any attention to guards, Celestia had hooked to them. She hadn't noticed that there is a little shortage of them. The little meant three out of fifteen or after a little calculation eighty percent of them.

She asked captain about it, but his answer was, "they are on the important task." That wasn't enough for her to satisfy her curiosity, but she didn't continue with questions.

She was ready to leave for the business of hers. The investigation of the Everfree, actually. Venom circled around her hand like a circlet. Twilight didn't complain about it much. Dusk already sitting at the branch near the exit and Valour was waiting for them in the Everfree.

The door wasn't opened by her, when she was about to leave. The Fluttershy run in the library and everyone of their friends followed her.

"Twilight, there is a trouble," she said. "We need your help to solve it."

"Now, keep calm and tell me for what you need my help exactly," Twilight replied. Instead of answering, Fluttershy pointed at something behind her. Turning around, Twilight saw Soul, who exited the kitchen with a bowl of fresh hay. So, you do have a stash over there, Soul.

He didn't pay any attention to them. He often sees them crowding the entrance of the library. At first, he found it a bit suspicious, but now he didn't care.

"Oh, fine. I'll come with you, but before this, I... Oh, Spike, I needed you. Look over the library while I help the girls," She said to Spike, who was walking down the stairs.

"Fine. Be careful over there," he said and Twilight after those words followed the girls, who exited the library.

"So, what's up?" Twilight asked.

"Look over here," Fluttershy said, as she pass to her the green arrow. Twilight remembered those from the times, when she was helping Fluttershy with the 'Three Circles'. But, the one Fluttershy passed to her had the black spiral on it.

"The black spiral? What it means?" Twilight noted and asked about it.

"It means something really bad. I need you to go with me to Whitetail forest," Fluttershy replied. After that, she turned around not even giving time for Twilight to say anything.

"Bad? Like how bad?" Twilight asked, while quickly catching up her. Soon, everyone was following her.

"Like... Well, that could be everything. The only thing I know, that I must be there..." Fluttershy said. "And be there with everypony, I could reach to."

Hmm, what a treat it could possibly be in the first place? She asked herself, already thinking of the matter. "Hmm, Dusk, you've heard that? Fly over there and tell me of the situation..."

She sent another note, this time to Valour, saying to her that she needs to wander a bit at the edge of the Whitetail forest, just in case. As she was sending the note, she looked at the skies spotting the black blot of the Dusk. He soar through the air high in the sky toward the green trees of the Whitetail.

They were entering the forest now. As expected, no one was meeting them, since it is something really rare to meet one of the members of the gang so close to the edge of the forest. But now...

Fluttershy keep says that something feels too odd. She didn't like the feeling at all, and that tensions in the air put everyone of their team on the edge. Then, Dusk's voice rumbled in Twilight's head.

"Some ponies before you. Wait... Six ponies... From the gang. High circle," he said.

"Thank you, Dusk. I'll tell the girls," she replied, but wasn't able to say the info to the girls. The bushes before them had shaken and two mares had jumped from them.

If one of the mares looked like one from that crowd, girls saw many months ago, the other... She looked rather cool. The blade so deadly looking and so masterfully made resides in its sheath and a curved bow was held in her hands. It doesn't mean that Celestia's guard have parts of equipment, worse than this ones. Actually, Twilight believed that nothing could be compared to those masterpieces, but these ones that the mare bears were something to notice. As for the armor, that mare used the mail with a tough looking surcoat, which had the 'Three Circles' insignia and insignia of the lesser circle. The face hidden behind the battle-mask.

"Oh, it's you. That's great!" That mare shouted. "Glide, you were right. It's them. Now, we must go to Oak, so..."

She wasn't able to complete the sentence, since Fluttershy interrupted her, "what's happened?"

"We have no..." she was interrupted again. This time, it was her companion's holler. When everyone looked at her, the crossbow's bolt was sticking out of the middle of her chest. The limp body fall the same moment, and several arrows and bolts pierced the air.

No targets were founded though. Everyone got down quite fast, and now everypony was fighting back.

Fluttershy admitted the mastery of the mare. The first kill was done by her. She also remembered something. Not the name of the mare since she hadn't meet her before, but... The armor on that mare. These are the armor of the elites. Only the most trusted ones own those on the lifelong basis. The trusted ones receive them when there is an exigency in it. Fluttershy remembered when Oak give her one of those but she refused.

As these memories passed, Fluttershy noticed the arrow in the ground near her. It was green which caused her to have a grim thoughts. Another arrow flew over her head. An arrow of her was an answer, and if judging by the scream, she got... her.

Soon, it have ended. The arrow of purple energy charged and hit the hiding pony. When everyone exited the bushes they were in and got in the bushes where their enemies were hiding, they found bodies. When they dragged them out of the greenery, everyone saw the insignias of the 'Three Circles' and the high circle.

"What does that mean?" Twilight asked, as the bodies were looked through. Nothing that could give a clue about the situation , but some bits were sent into the pockets of Twilight's friends.

"I... I can't say much. You'd better ask Oak about it," She said. After some time she added, "One thing though. Don't trust anyone. Especially, the members of the high circle..."

"Hmm, let's go then," Twilight said. Before they even made a step towards their destination, the mare stopped them and point at the body of her companion. Applejack throw her on the shoulder and followed the mare.

The mare, whose name was Steel Will, led them through the forest and soon they were at the little campsite, somewhere deep in the forest. When they were walking through it, a rather depressing ambiance could be felt around. Everyone held weapon at ready, waiting for something to happen. Many was in the elite armor.

The body of Air Glide was taken at the very entrance in the campsite. When they got to the middle of the campsite, no one was meeting them. Steel Will immediately go in the tent before them, and soon she stick out the head and the hand, showing them they could enter.

"Greetings to all of you, my friends," they heard a familiar voice. There before them stood one of the leaders. Oak hadn't change a bit. That determined glance of her brown eyes. "I am glad you've manage to come here. What troubles you've come across on the way here?"

"There was guys from the high circle," Rainbow replied. "I wonder why."

"No need to wonder," The mare that stood by the side said. The crimson ornament of her armor and two blades that looks like butcher's knives, give some clue of whom was that mare. Yet, the voice which couldn't be forgotten give out the Blood Tree. "Those are the traitors. Let the death be their destiny."

"Traitors? But who needed to betray you?" Rainbow asked.

"Many... Way more than we thought," Oak said. "They strike all of sudden and we hadn't have time to regroup and strike back... But, their plans went south, cause Celestia's guards strike even more suddenly."

"Oh... So, ye're between hammer and anvil?" Applejack asked.

"Yes," Blood Tree replied. "But you're here, so we have more chances to melt the anvil and break the hammer!"

"Don't be so sure," with one sentence, Oak ceased Blood's moment of exultation. "The hammer will be broken no matter what... But, the anvil is of a metal, we have no chance to melt. I'm not even sure if we are going to heat it up."

"Hah, a lot of our enemies have fallen and many will fall. Those pesky guards wouldn't be an exception." Blood replied.

"They knew when to strike, Blood," Oak dropped the words, quickly reminding Blood of the fact that made everypony in the gang mad. "None of us is sure what to expect of them."

"Argh... Fine. Let's just get back to the task over here," Blood Tree said and headed to the exit.

"What you expect us to do?" Fluttershy asked, as Blood Tree and another pony whose face was hidden behind the mask exited the tent.

"I'm going to have a speech. It will help everyone to be in the right mood and increase morale. After that, we'll have time to get you into the whole thing."

The speech was very brief. Though, after a speech the fire in everyone's eyes lit even stronger. The betrayal had gotten everyone too sudden and many had fallen to the hands of the traitors. No one had told anything of the guards though, so everyone didn't know what to do about them.

"So, how did you end up in something like that?" Fluttershy asked. After the speech had ended, Oak Branch go to them, so they could ask her the questions. After like five minutes, Blood Tree had joined them. When everyone in the camp was ready to leave and strike the traitors' positions, an incident happened.

"Miss Oak, everyone's ready. What's the orders," the mare, who had come to them spoken. Surprisingly, the voice was familiar to Twilight... And, not only for her.

"Bright?" A stallion, who was following Blood said. Even more surprisingly was the fact, that Twilight knew this stallion.

Bright Mind immediately take the sword from its sheath. She wasn't able to use it, since Blazing Spear bucked Bright. She dropped the sword and hugged herself, trying to stop the pain, but an uppercut from stallion made her to fall to the ground.

After some moments, the mare in question was risen from the ground. She wasn't even able to grunt, before a stallion put the axe's blade to her neck. After a moment, he put away the mare's mask.

"So, Bright. What did you forget over here?" Stallion asked, while glancing in the eyes of the mare. As he expected, a consuming fear was in them.

"I wonder the same about you, Blazing Spear," Twilight said, remembering the owner of the voice.

"Well, I wouldn't leave you wondering, Twilight," Spear said in reply. "I come here cuz Blood Tree asked me."

"Well, if so... Then, what is she doing here?" Twilight asked, while looking down at Bright.

"Well... I would like to know myself," he replied. "Will you tell us?"

The question went directly to Bright, but she wavered even stronger. After a moment, he forced her to stand. Blood Tree asked one of her henchponies and she quickly emptied the bag, Bright Mind hold. The documents in there got everyone's eyes on her, and a particular pony to get the sword out its sheath.

"It's your fault!" Blood Tree shouted. "Celestia's dogs are here because you've given up all of us!"

"N-no! It... I-it's not o-only me..." She mumbled. "T-there was s-six of us."

"Who else?" Blood Tree asked, still angry at the mare before her.

"I d-don't know... They h-hadn't tell their names..." She said. "But we h-had... k-kinda split up... I haven't s-seen anyone in the c-camp..."

"Hmm... But we have you," Blood Tree said with a devious smile. Spear stopped her with a hand, though.

"Don't do that, Blood," he said. "I know Bright. She wouldn't do something like that even she wished so... That means that someone forced her."

"Even so she needs to be punished," she narrowed her gaze. Spear sighed but continued to argue nonetheless.

"Look at how she trembles. Don't you see? She is a coward," he said.

"You know what is done to cowards, so it's a bad argument," she replied. "Though, I think, I can show some pity."

In a one swift motion, she stood in front of Bright Mind, and with another motion she forced Bright to hold the flask of something. Then, she said her to drink. She lingered so Blood barked on her. She was about to drink whatever Blood had given to her, but in the last moment something struck her.

"Wait! Spear, I-I... There i-is something I-I need to show you," she screeched and gave the potion back to Blood. She fell on the pile of the paperwork, that fell from her sack. After a moment, she rise up with a sheet of paper. "Here, I found something interesting."

The document found itself in the hand of Spear, while Bright returned to Blood and in one motion guzzled the content of the flask. She found out the thing as something so flavorless, that even water was tastier. She was about to ask a question, when there was nothing, after she drank the stuff, but she wasn't able to do so. The blackness consumed the mind and without a hold the body fell to the ground. After some moments, an unconscious mare started to mumbled under her breath. Blood Tree in the same time had come closer and looked in her face.

"Afraid of the darkness? How trivial, but that's okay," she said. Then, the lifeless eyes opened while the mare shouted. The moment didn't last long, since in the same moment Bright fell into the bliss of unconsciousness again. It looked like she died, but that wasn't so. The chest was still rising as the unconscious mare was breathing.

Then, the body of the mare started to jerk. Blood immediately told the nearest mobsters to take Bright away. It took them sometime, since the mare's jerk were uncontrollable. One time, she even bucked one of them, but the stallion was a tough one and didn't even flinch. He only grabbed her more convenient, so she wasn't able to hit him.

"Well, that's done. Hey, Spear, what's up with document?" Blood Tree said, as her gaze followed the pair of ponies carrying the body of the mare. Hands in the same moments were putting away the empty flask.

"Nothing good..." He uttered. "Well, I have been thinking that something wasn't right about Lost Word, but... This! W-who knew that captain was such a bastard."

"What's up with the guy and the document?" Rainbow asked, while grabbing the paper from him.

"He sold us... All the four platoons..." He said, through his teeth. After some moments, his angered face turned into a calm one and after receiving the parchment, he opened his mouth, "Well, the past is the past and nothing could be done about it... Though, as far as I remember, Lost Word is still alive, so I believe I could make a visit to the former captain."

"Well, it's interesting, but the heck happened to you, guys? The traitors, the guards, all of that stuff," Rainbow said, pointing at everything around.

"Um, Rainbow... I think everyone have understood what has happened to the gang. I'd better ask how much of the gang is still in contact?.. And, how we can help?"

"Well... The state of the gang is rather lamentable," Oak sighed. "We have like... quarter of our former power, so we need all the help that is available. You, um... You can't help my mates right now, since we got everything covered... Though, you could participate in our operation."

"Where do we sign up?" Rainbow asked, making Oak to smirk. She pointed at Blood, who've made a gesture to follow her. Soon, no one was standing at the little clearing.

With a thud, the body of betrayer had fallen to the ground. The mare next to him hadn't even peeped, but when she realized what happened she found out that she wasn't able to peep at all. The air from the lungs flew right out of the slice on her neck. The bodies were dragged into the nearest bushes.

"That's the last," Fluttershy said, as she looked into the gap between the trees, where a bit of a camp could be seen. "Whoa, it's been a long time since I've been into something like that... Well, shall we get together with the rest of the team?"

"Of course. Just gimme a sec," the one of her companion replied, as he goes through the pockets of the dead. The other was silently watching. Soon, after the pockets have been emptied completely, they went to others.

"So, everything's ready? We can go to the camp of the deceitful scumbags?" Blood Tree complained. When Fluttershy joined them, the mood of Blood Tree had rocketed.

"Everything is ready. Our not-so-faithful friends are now blind as the kittens," she said. Oak only nodded and went straight in the direction of the camp. When she was looking at it, her face twisted.

"Look! Their protect the whole perimeter, so my idea of double strike is more fitting, that just surrounding the encampment," Oak said.

"That's not important, Oak. Just follow me, we are gonna have some fun!" She screamed and rushed the enemies. The other followed. After that, Oak sighed and sheathed the green horn. When a signal to attack was given, she and Fluttershy followed Blood Tree and others.

When they got into the battle, the campground was turning into a place of great bloodshed. Power of each side was equal, but Oak had attacked suddenly. Many was unprepared for the battle.

The arrows were everywhere. The gang never had enough archers to create an all covering barrage of death, but they actually never need any. One must use all the benefits of the territory, so in the forest, where tree's leaves covers the skies and the trees themselves stood as an insuperable barrier, one should hide and strike when enemy don't see. This time, the strategy worked, though the time of the waiting was rather long.

With a holler, two stallions fell to the ground as two arrows stuck in their necks, blocking the way for the air. Blood Tree growled as her prey was taken away from her, so all the anger was directed at closest enemy. She wasn't even able to do anything, as her head was gone.

Soon, an angered stallion stood in front of them. To her amusement, Blood found in him one of the inheritors. He charged her, but she blocked the hit, though the stallion's maul had caused a lot of pressure, and her crossed blades were at the verge of broking. The next strike was dodged and the blade cut his flank.

Then, he swing his maul... And another time and another. He was swinging non-stop but at each swing, she was just stepping back, so the maul wasn't able to hit her. He was doing that for some time, but then he stopped out of sudden. That surprised her, but the next move was even more surprising.

He bashed her in the stomach with his head. It was a mistake, since a thought of ending the fight quickly crossed Blood Tree's mind. He wasn't even able to get from the strike, when Blood hit him with both swords. Both in the stomach. Then she got both of the swords, from his body and scissored the head off.

Then, the pain of the strike got her, since the level of the adrenaline was decreasing. She didn't do anything about, since she blocked an attack of two handed blade.

She remembered the mare, who attacked her. That was the other inheritor. Blood Tree hadn't any energy to fight the mare.

"You will face that slug, Snow Tree, right now!" She screamed and rushed her. The mare's glance turned from angered one into a surprised one, as the point of an arrow was sticking out of her chest. The body of the mare fell before Blood.

Blood hadn't said anything. Fluttershy had come closer to her. She hadn't reached her, as Blood darted off from her place, took her by the shoulder and made her to duck. The arrow flew over them. Fluttershy hadn't a moment lost and sent an arrow to unlucky archer.

"You'd better watch your surroundings," Blood said. Fluttershy only nodded. Soon, they were going in the middle of camp, but they stopped in the middle of their way. Fluttershy had noticed a very prominent figure. That moment, the figure was pulling out his halberd from the body of a stallion.

"Hans! I'm so glad, you are still alive and well," Fluttershy hollered. The white griffon only nodded.

"I have no time to talk, Flutter," he replied, as he knocked over a mare who rushed at him. The following stallion only got himself dead as the blade of the halberd stood on his way. Then, after getting the halberd out of stallion's body, he dropped it on the mare's spine. Then, another mare fell before him, "Oh, no... No, Unyielding Task!.. You will pay for that!"

"Who?.. There is no one," Fluttershy said. Hans immediately started to look for anyone to get his anger at. Finding none, he understood that the only way was to calm himself on his own. It was hard but he has done it. After that, he saw the everyone heading toward the center. He then grabbed the mare's body and the crushed mask. When he looked at her face, he admitted that actually if it wasn't for that narrow trail of blood, the mare could be assumed to be alive. But when he took off the hood, the delusion vanished. The blood was flowing from the crack on top of her head. He gritted his beak, but stayed calm.

Soon, Fluttershy and Hans were standing before Oak. Actually, many of the gang was standing here, and Twilight with others were here too. That made Oak slightly irritated. "Gather the bodies, guys! I don't wish to leave anyone out here."

After those words, everypony had scattered around. Soon, the mess was cleaned, though the bodies of the traitors were left as they were. Several hours have passed as the bodies were buried. After that, everyone returned to Oak.

"Hmm, a good job. When, we would be on the other side, at least we will be looking in their eyes without worry," she said, as she overlooked everyone before her. "Well, I'm not sure what to say, but... What if we say, that the gang is no more."

As she expected, a lot of outraged bawls were the answer. An outstanding figure of the Hans had come closer to Oak. "What does this means, Oak?"

"It means what it means, Hans. I'm not sure how to restore the gang to what it once was. Even if I try... Even if all of us try, remember that Celestia and her sister could wipe us out like it's nothing. Remember that everything we've made could be destroyed because of those who we allowed to be close to us. There is too many ifs. I... I couldn't," she said to him. "A lot have suffered recently, many have suffered in the past... And, probably, many will suffer in the future. I don't want anything like that." After waiting some moments, she screamed to the crowd, "if anyone of you wants to leave right now, they are free. I don't keep anyone here."

No one had done a single step or a single flap of the wings. Oak was surprised but only a bit, but even more surprised she become after Fluttershy come closer to her and said, "Well, forest keeper Oak, those ponies had given everything they possess for the sake of the gang. They couldn't go anywhere without you."

"What? A forest keeper? But, I'm no..." She tried to object but everyone interrupted her. She had no words left, looking at how everyone wished her to be the leader of the gang. "But, the rules..."

"We're not the one to follow them, Oak," Fluttershy said.

"That's still wouldn't change your mind, Oak?" Blood Tree's question was ignored even though it was unexpected and audible.

"Yeah, it wouldn't," she said.

"Change your mind about what?" Fluttershy asked.

"Her mind about... Something," Blood Tree answered vaguely. Then, she said more specifically, "she's gonna give herself up to Celestia."

Her words got everyone silent. "Yeah, Blood Tree's right. That's why I told ya to go away... Don't worry about me, though. No matter how Celestia despise the outlaws, the only thing she can do to me is getting me into prison cell."

Then, Hans stood before Oak. He lowered his head, and spoke, "well, it was a pleasure to serve you, Oak. I would be looking for a meeting, when you will be out of prison."

"Oh, where are you heading to, Hans?" Fluttershy asked.

"I'm heading to Griffonstone and from there I'll go to Griffonia," he answered. "And, if you have nothing to do in the prison, you'd better go somewhere safe or somewhere you can do business. Now, am I right, Oak?"

"Yes, you are, Hans," Oak said. Then, she started to watch the ponies of the former gang. Everyone stood at their places and no one even flinched, but the time passed and first ponies started to chip from the crowd. At first, it was individuals, but then the pairs of ponies started to walk off into the forest. In mere minutes, the big crowd of several hundreds ponies become a little gathering of somewhere like half of a hundred. Hans was the last to go away, and before he was gone, he wished luck to everyone.

"Well, I believe, it's over. Wish you luck too, Oak," with those words, Fluttershy went in the direction of Ponyville. Her friends followed her.

"Yeah, Oak, Blood, all the best," Spear said, while taking dead-like Bright in his hands. Without any words, he goes to the edge of the forest.

Then, the guards, who was in the forest, saw probably the most unexpected thing. Many took it as a wonder. The white flag. Almost all the guards believed that they would kill everyone of the gang, because 'Three Circles' were always showing themselves as someone who goes till the end. No one had ever imagined the gang members to simply give up, especially to Celestia, or in that case to Luna.

Soon, a lot of gossips about it started to crawl over the lands. Not many had a truthful information.

"We heard that rumor, you've spread recently, Code Talker. The others may be fine with it, but we wouldn't mind hearing more accurate version," the pegasus mare asked, while putting the clanking sack before elder stallion. He only smirked and gulped the rest of his fifteen-years-old 'Magnifique'.

"Well, well... Firefly, you still talk of business, as I see... Does this mean that your marefriend, Night Dream, is still talking of nonsense, huh?" Code Talker said, making some of the stallions who had come with Night Dream and Firefly to snicker. Under the accusing glance of Night Dream, the snickers faded away quickly.

"We are listening, Code Talker," Night Dream said.

"Then, listen carefully... Huh, where to begin... Uh, yeah. Recently, a some ponies started to speak of 'Three Circles'. Some said that the gang is dead, the other that the gang is sent behind the bars. After that, many started to retort, since such a gang that has been doing business for fifty years now... But, then I started to dig into the matter and found something... And, it may sound unexpected, but the gang is really behind the bars. What mostly unexpected is the amount of the gang. My sources told me that there in the prison is only fifty ponies. No one knows where the other thousand and half. After that, I tried to dig up deeper, but it was fruitless," He told them, leaving everyone speechless. "Well, you know me, and when I say that my efforts are fruitless, they are definitely fruitless." Then, he stood and headed to the exit. He nodded to the waiter and left the building.

"Your bill," the waiter said, while putting the notebook before them. Seeing no one around to pay for it, Firefly took her wallet. In the same time, she thought that Talker started to become more and more impudent.

"Y'all don't like it here, now are ye?" Applejack asked everyone, as she watched the dusty land behind the glass of the window. Now, after a week since that thing in the Whitetail happened, another thing happened now in the Appleloosa. Twilight and her friends were sent there to solve it.

"We have no other choice, AJ," Twilight coughed the words. Her spell may be cooling off her fur and cloak, but the air still stays dry and hot.

"Don't know, what you two are talking about," Spike said.

"I know that it's really hot in here, but nothing could be done about it, darlings," Rarity said, as she waved the little fan in her face. Then, the train's whistle interrupted everyone's thoughts.

"We are arrivin' soon. Prepare your stuff," Applejack said to everyone, as she started to gather her stuff. Everyone followed her example and when the conductor announced the next stop at the station of Appleloosa, they were packed up and ready to exit the train. When, they exited the train, Applejack quickly looked around, "So, what do ya' think is happenin' over here?"

"Yer arrival's happening," the voice of the stallion with a southern accent come from the side. When Applejack looked there, she saw a very familiar pony.

"Well, Braeburn... Ah haven't been thinkin' y'all of all ponies will be meeting me and mah friends," She said.

"Ah haven't been thinkin' either," He replied. "Well, what are ye here for?"

"Oh, how rude. True gentlecolts never speaks like this around ladies," Rarity noted. Braeburn only raised his eyebrow on this, as if asking 'really?'. Rarity huffed, but continued to speak nevertheless, "we are here looking for a trouble happening in your city... Now, is there any?"

"No, there isn't. We are absolutely fine over..." He was interrupted.

"Oh, Braeburn! Ah've been lookin' for ya for Celestia knows how long! Come, we need to get the saloon's windows repaired and fortified by the noon, so we will have no need to be fryin' under the sun... Oh, Ah haven't seen ye there," a middle aged stallion with a peach colored coat panted, as he appeared behind the back of Braeburn. "Huh, Ah haven't seen you there, ladies. Ah... Applejack?"

"Uncle Hub!" Applejack exclaim and hugged her uncle. "Hey, girls! This here is my uncle, Apple Hub!"

"Wow... Um, it's nice to see your little family reunion, but... We have a task to perform," Rainbow said. Then, she turned to Hub, "We heard you've been dealing with some problems. Can we know what you are dealing with?"

"Problems... Uh, you know, we are dealing with... Buffalos. Their tribes are going wild and no one knows what to do about it," middle aged stallion answered.

"Buffalos?.. Fine, we will deal with them. Girls, let's go," Rainbow said, while taking off from the ground and making a gesture to follow her.

"Ah'll go with ya. Don't wish ye to mess up things," Braeburn said, while taking a step in the direction of Rainbow Dash. Everyone looked at each other and then they looked at Hub. He was slightly irritated but let him go nevertheless.

Soon, they were in the desert miles away from the city. At first, it was a simple walk, except for the fact that the sand always have been sinking under their steps. Though, after sometime it becomes harder since the buffalo warriors were walking from one place to another. It was good that the sands started to become a sandstone and rocks were sticking from the surface here and there. The cousin of Applejack, Braeburn, was walking as if he knew the way, much to the mistrust of everyone.

"Here they are," Braeburn said.

"I see," Twilight said, as she watched the little wigwams in the distance. "What's the plan?"

They've started to whisper between each other. Their hiding spot was good since many buffalos were ignoring their place. But then, the tremendous voice come from behind.

"Hey, you there!" When they looked around, the saw a the warrior of the buffalos. He stood a good head taller than Braeburn, the highest of them. "This is no place for ponies!"

"Oh...Um, the big one... We've came here because there is some... misunderstanding between us, ponies, and your tribe. We are looking for some way to solve them," Twilight explained. The buffalo huffed but spoke nevertheless.

"Come with me. You'll be allowed to speak with chief but don't expect much from it," He said and led them toward the wigwams. They were catching glances, as they walked, but as expected, no one had said anything. As Twilight believed, the buffalo before them had a lot of influence on the tribe.

"Spike, look! Is it me, or those buffalos looks a bit... skinny?" Twilight told to the little dragon near her.

"I don't know, Twilight," Spike replied.

"Chief Thunderhooves! Some ponies were skulking around. I led them here for you to revise," the warrior said, as he stood before another buffalo.

"Hmm, I see," The deep voice of the chief thundered. "What the little ponies wished to do on our ancestors' lands?"

"We... Um, want to know why you are attacking the settlement of Appleloosa?" Twilight told him.

"Why? Hmm..." He lost in thoughts a bit, before answering. "A good question. The answer is... Some ponies are attacking our turquoise miners."

"And you assumed it was Appleloosians?" Twilight said.

"And who else?" Thunderhooves said.

"Tackle and his gang, maybe?" Braeburn said, as he passed an apple to the little buffalo.

"Strongheart? What are you doing here?" He asked question to the little buffalo. But instead of an answer, the realization come. "Wait, you know each other."

"Yeah. Ah've met Strongheart, when Ah was sneakin' upon Tackle's guys," Braeburn explained.

"Well, that's answering the question of why Strongheart have more strength, than others," the chief said.

"Why is it so?" Twilight asked.

"It is so because our food supply is running low. Each year, our crops give less and less products. We have no hope in other tribes, since many of them instead of helping us would make it worse," Thunderhooves told them.

"Why not comin' to us?" Braeburn asked. Thunderhooves only raised his eyebrows, and after that he come to realization.

"Oh... Well, would you consider that when we would deal with Tackle?" Braeburn asked. Thunderhooves nodded and after finding that they have nothing to say to the chief, they left him and soon they left the settlement. On the way to the Appleloosa, Twilight wished to ask Braeburn off but she was interrupted by Spike's chompings. When she turned around, she saw him, eating some turquoises.

"Um... Braeburn. Is that really Tackle, we are looking for?" She said, while returning to her thoughts.

"Hmm... Ah think so, but Ah haven't really checked. He just appeared with a lot of money and then that fella started to spend them on saloon. Ya know, booze, games and girls... Ah've looked after his guys back then and they had some suspicious talkin' and other stuff. Would y'all help me to get more about them?" Braeburn asked them.

"Yes, we will... And, I believe, I know how," Twilight said. "But, we need to talk a bit with this Tackle."

"Well, by this time, he should be at saloon," Braeburn said. When they were there, and they saw stallion, surrounded by two precious mares, Twilight told them the plan. Though, she ended with a thing, suddenly coming in her mind.

"And, girls... The next week," She said, making them asking about the next week. "The Gala would be held the next week." At least, Cadence will be there.

Wait, really? Argh... It's so uncool, I couldn't just pass by...

Hmm, maybe... Ah could get some profit there?

Huh... Well, I wouldn't lose anything by spending sometime around nobles, am I?

Oh, the Gala is no fun... But, that's only without me.

I heard of Canterlot gardens and animals in there. I hope, no one wouldn't mind if I would visit it.