Facing Fiendish Forces

The sheriff had scouted around the railroad a bit and determined that the bandit group Ebony Knives had fled into the northeast side of the orchard. I don't know how he did it, there were no hoofprints to go according to a group of appleloosans that showed up to help search.

A little while after the sunset our ragtag group of cowponies started making our way through the orchard. Though the sheriff advised us to split into groups of three. I was with two stallions, each looking pretty identical to the other, maybe they are twins.

We were told if we spotted any encampments to report it immediately to the sheriff. With all the information given to the groups, we set off in search of the bandits. Our group deviated from most of the groups that seemed to head towards the center of the northeast part of the orchard, we decided to try and monitor the border of the orchard in case the bandits left. Then again, maybe they already left, I don't know.

I decided the break the silence that had been between me and my group for some time.

"So...this is pretty crazy, right?"

"pfft...ya kiddin' me, this happens every week."

"Don't mind my rat brained brother he spends more time jokin' then thinkin'. I'm Jona, and that idiot over there's is Golds."

Soon after my question, which didn't get answered, both of the twins barraged each other with childish insults, guess good conversation went out the window. They bickered for a good thirty minutes, enough time for the environment to darken. It's been a while and no site of bandit activity on the border of the woods, maybe we should head back.

"Hey fellas, should we head back? There doesn't seem to be much activity here."

"What, are ya scared of the dark or somethin'?"

"I'm not scar-"

"scaredy-cat."

I hate this pony. I hate this pony a lot. The conversation, if you could call it that, continued for some time before becoming rather loud. Golds and I argued over leaving the area for a few minutes before I caught a glimpse of something out of my peripheral vision.

A tree with an odd shadow, Golds must have noticed as well as he turned towards the tree too.

"Hey Jona, ya got the lantern, go check it out."

"I thought ya were brave golds."

With that said, Jona walked over to the tree. Once he got to the tree he looked around for a bit then spotted something within the shadow of the tree. He gestured for us to come over, his shocked expression only increased my worry as I walked over.

A corpse. I could feel pressure in my chest when I saw it. Where'd it come from, who is it, was it murder? There were a lot of questions that needed answers. Jona and goldy handled about as much as I did, except for Jona who stared barfing in some bushes.

Looks to be a stallion from one of the search groups, from his injuries I could at least tell he was stabbed which means this must have been intentional. With that morbid realization, I realized we had to report this to the sheriff immediately. He said he would southwest of our current location, which was east of the northeast part of the orchard.

"We have to report this to the sheriff."

"I-I agree."

Golds didn't say anything, he just nodded his head. We decided that heading through the forest was faster than heading around it as we did on the way here. We jogged through the forest trying to keep our composure from the earlier experience, it was difficult, to say the least.

Just a few minutes after we started jogging I spotted a light within the darkness of the surrounding orchard. I turned to the twins and pointed at the orange light. It was was most likely from a lantern if I had to guess. Maneuvering as swiftly as a man without a shirt could I arrived at the source of light.

It was the sheriff and his group though they seemed to be in a confrontation of sorts. The sheriff and his group of ponies were staring down a rather large pony who was holding a knife to a familiar mare's neck. I imagine the large pony was the leader of the bandit group, though he was only backed by two ponies. I quietly grabbed the lantern from Jona's hoof and turned off the light inside. I could hear some whispers from the conversation.

"Bowie, you flea riddin' scum sucker, do ya know what you're doin'!?"

"Better watch your mouth sheriff, somethin' might happen to the mare."

I crept through the woods watching every step and paying close attention to my breathing, as soon as I was near I put my back to the closest tree and an ear to the confrontation, time to do some stealthy eavesdropping. At least I'm getting better at It.

"Not only will ya die if ya don't hand her up, but yer ponies are gonna get scorched!"

"Haha, nice one sheriff, real funny, but I don't believe ya."

This conversation was getting nowhere fast. I'm not a fighter and trust me if I ever fought someone it would show. However, I had a lantern, the perfect weapon to use on unsuspecting ponies.

"Lantern attack!"

I jumped out from behind the tree and slammed the lantern's iron frame against the bandit's head, a resounding thud echoed through the orchard. He was out like a light or a lantern one of the two. The mare he was holding seemed fine, now the only problem I had were the two bandits that just saw me lantern a pony.

The large pony being knocked out was enough of a distraction for the sheriff and his group of cowponies to tackle the other two bandits, the group ignoring the large daggers the bandits had been holding. Now that everything, to an extent, had been settled I took a look at the mare.

It was the lime mare who had previously entered Alice's shop. I've noticed that she didn't seem to be the talkative type. With my observation of the mare done I turned to the group of ponies and pondered the situation.

It's probably a bad time to be missing my shirt.

Author's Note

Man, shirts are awesome.

Thank you for reading.

If you see any errors please notify me.