December 23th
One Day Before Hearth’s Warming Eve
NEA/Griffon Lines
Cpl. Spearhead
Corporal Spearhead
13th Equestrian Battalion
Pony/Griffon Lines
It has been a few months since my last operation. Tomorrow is Hearth’s Warming Eve. I will be experiencing my first holiday from home. I hope mom and dad will be okay, especially with them knowing I’m fighting one the Front. This winter so far has been the worst ever. Trench life is equally bad. I look at the night sky while on patrol, wondering if the war will ever end. I can only hope.
A blanket of snow laid across No-Creature Land as winter began to settle in. For both sides of the trenches, this winter was to be a horrible one. From cold rain storms to cold slippery floors, no matter whose side they’d fought for, it just seemed like each day, it would just be a little bit worse. For Spearhead and his friends, this meant some of the worst patrol duties they’d ever done. Even Boltaction, his close friend, and his jokes couldn’t give them enough morale. The snow in the trench was so deep, some of the soldiers had to wear special boots just to walk around the trench. The food supply was evenly bad as most had been lost in rain storms. Spearhead took of his dogtags as the metal was getting cold. He read the tags over and over, trying to get through the patrol. A griffon patrol walked by. The two patrols looked at each other, then nodded and moved on. They both didn’t want any casualties, especially at a time like this. Tomorrow would be the start of the holidays, and no creature wanted to be at war. The patrol circled back and forth, minutes turning to hours. The group walked back to the trenches, just barely surviving. Spearhead and Boltaction went to settle down for some chow and cigarettes. Boltaction looked at him, “gosh, are you that hungry?”
Spearhead was so hungry that he hadn’t even released he was chewing on his cigarette. He quickly spit it out. “Thanks for the heads up.” laughed watching Spearhead discarding his cigarettes. Spearhead looked at the sky, “everypony back home will be celebrating Hearthwarming.”
“I know, and we’ll be here making sure they enjoy it in peace.”
Spearhead looked over the trench, to see lines of lights. At first, they thought they were planning an attack, but then they heard an ethereal sound drifting across No-Creatures Land,
Blue Moon, oh süßer Blue Moon, lass dein Licht über uns scheinen. Blue Moon, oh großer Blue Moon, lass dein Licht uns zum Sieg führen.
They looked at Gallus. “What are they sayin’?” Boltaction asked.
Gallus smiled, “they’re singing an old Blue Moon carol, it goes, Blue Moon, oh sweet Blue Moon, let your light shine over us. Blue Moon, oh great Blue Moon, let your light lead us to victory.” He closed his eyes and smiled as the carol continued.
The NEA soldiers looked at each other. They didn’t understand Blue Moon. Shining walked up. He looked at his soldiers, “let’s see how good they are.”
The soldiers nodded, then they started singing their own tune.
Hearths Warming, is the holiday that brings us close together, it’s the day that we celebrate, the founding of Equestria! The Founders brought us together to live in harmony!
The two sides went back and forth, trying to out-sing each other, but eventually they merged into a mixture of both songs. After they finished, some of the soldiers started yelling holiday greeting at each other.
“Happy Blue Moon griffons!”
“Hope you’re having a great Blue Moon!”
“Enjoy yourselves!”
The griffons seemed to had heard as they started yelling greeting too.
“Happy Hearth’s Warming ponies!”
“Marry Hearth’s Warming!”
“Have a happy Hearth’s Warming!”
The NEA soldiers laughed as they were joking around with the griffons, however, it just seemed weird. They were always fighting each other, but now? Now they were yelling holiday greeting to each other in the middle of a Combat Zone. It just felt… odd. They stood there for a few seconds, then a griffon yelled over to them, “ponies! Tomorrow if you don’t shoot, we won’t shoot!”
The soldiers looked at Shining, who nodded. Then they looked at Gallus, who nodded and spoke, “alright! It’s agreed!”
The sun started to set, meaning it was time to sleep… well, at least for the ones who didn’t have nighttime patrol. The soldiers who had the patrol groaned and got up. As they picked up the lamps they were supposed to bring, one of them, a hippogriff, noticed something. “Lieutenant,” she said.
Another hippogriff looked over, “yes?” She said.
“The griffons aren’t sending out their patrols.”
True to her words, the others looked over to see no lights other than the lit candles they’d placed on their parapets. Shining stared in confusion, then to the Lieutenant, “whadda you think, Silverstream?”
She looked back at him, “if they trust us that much, I don’t see why we should be any different.”
Shining nodded, “alright,” then he looked at the patrol, “you guys won’t have to do patrol, be every creature stay on your guard, we don’t need any surprises. Understand?”
A wave of “hooah!” came from the NEA soldiers. They then walked to their respective barracks. While sitting in bed, Silverstream looked at Gallus, then she asked, “what’s the Blue Moon Festival like Private?”
He smiled and looked up to her, “well Lieutenant,” he started as he cleaned the snow and mud away from his MP-40, “it’s a night where we celebrate Die Nacht des Blauen Mondes, The Night of the Blue Moon.” He put his MP-40 down and grabbed his PO8 Luger and started cleaning it up too. While he did it, he started speaking again, “it’s a time when griffons get together with their families to celebrate the Blue Moon.”
“Blue Moon?” Silverstream asked.
“Yeah,” he looked at the ceiling, “once every year, the moon shines a beautiful blue light above our country for the last eight days of December.” He started smiling, “it’s as beautiful as a twilight sky with a sunset.” He walked outside, and the others followed.
The soldiers walked outside with Gallus. They found him staring at the moon. He was right about the moon, it was beautiful, almost breathtaking. “Well, you guys better get some sleep,” Silverstream said.
“Yes ma’am,” Spearhead replied. The soldiers walked over to their beds and laid down. Spearhead reached for his journal.
Today was a pretty weird day. We made an agreement to form a temporary armistice with the griffons for the next few days. Tomorrow is Hearth’s Warming Eve, so I’m not sure what to expect.
—Cpl. Spearhead
He closed the journal and laid back down. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
December 24th
Hearth’s Warming Eve
Corporal Spearhead.
Yesterday was weird; we formed a semi-truce with the griffons. We did it jokingly at first, but the griffons seemed to believe it, so we formed a temporary armistice. I wonder what will happen.
The NEA soldiers sat against the trench walls as they waited for something to happen. One of the hippogriffs looked over the trench wall.
“Careful Sheller,” one of the other hippogriffs said sarcastically, “don’t wanna get shot.”
“Eh, shut up Ocean Tides,” he replied. Spearhead got up to look too. He looked over the walls. “See anything?” the hippogriff asked.
“Noooo…….. wait!” he took out his binoculars and stared through them. He was shocked to see the griffons standing on their parapets. The other soldiers looked at the griffons.
“Are they crazy?” one soldier asked.
“Have they gone mad? asked another.
One griffon waved his talons in the air.
“What?!” The Sheller yelled. The griffons looked down into the trench. Then another griffon jumped out of the trench. He grabbed what appeared to be a rolled up magazine or something and then turned towards the NEA trench. The Spearhead and Sheller looked at each other. Then the griffon walked towards them.
“Does he wanna get shot?!” Spearhead asked to no one in particular.
Winter, one of the resistance griffons and a skilled marksman, looked through his riflescope. “nicht schießen!” the griffon yelled.
“What he say Gallus?” Sheller asked.
“He said ‘don’t shoot’,”
“Repeat it to Winter, but do it in griffish.”
“Winter, nicht schießen!”
“Alright,” Winter turned to the griffon soldier, “Okay, werden wir nicht!” he yelled, “was willst du!”
“Wir hatten einen Waffenstillstand!” he yelled back.
“It’s about the armistice!” Winter said. The griffon spoke some more. “he asked if we would like to come out and talk.”
Everypony looked at Shining, “I don’t see why not, but just stay on your guard.”
After a while, the NEA and griffon soldiers were talking to each other on the war-torn field that was No-Creatures Land. Dragons and heavy griffon gunners were comparing strength, changelings and some of the griffons were talking about their past and how they both were ruled by ruthless dictators. Ex-Wonderbolts were talking with ex-griffon performers. Amongst this, Spearhead found himself talking to Corporal Zeus of the 23rd Griffon Infantry Battalion. Zeus explained to a perplexed Spearhead that, “the army of Hades fought for freedom.”
“That’s impossible,” Spearhead replied, “WE’RE fighting for freedom.”
“I know,” Zeus replied with a depressing voice, “ever since Hades took over, everyone had started fleeing towards Equestria for protection. And it going well until Hades forced a travel ban and had soldiers patrol every part of the border. Any griffon caught trying to cross would either be killed on the spot or captured and sent to the Concentration Camps, which later turned into POW Camps.”
“I’m sorry, it… it must be rough,” Spearhead said.
“It is… I just hope my family’s okay.”
“I’m sure they’re okay.”
“I hope.”
Spearhead walked back to trench. He noticed two enemy griffon soldiers looking at the trench. Part of him wanted to draw his hammer-action revolver he brought from home, but the other part of him wanted to just confront them without conflict. “Hey!” he said. The two soldiers looked at him like they’d just been vandalizing. “What are you two doing?”
“Looking at your trench,” one of them replied with a terrible Equestrian accident.
“Why?”
“Because we can.”
“But we ain’t looking at your trench.”
“Oh, but you are,” the other griffon replied.
True enough to his words, when Spearhead looked over, he saw some NEA soldiers looking at the griffons trench. “Okay. But don’t do anything stupid.” The two soldiers nodded. Spearhead dropped down into the trench. Silverstream walked by him, “happy Hearth’s Warming Eve, Lieutenant.”
“Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve to you two, Corporal.”
He smiled as the sun started to set over the battlefield. The soldiers returned to their respective trenches. As the NEA and griffon soldiers returned, they yelled holiday departures to each other. Shining walked towards Spearhead. “Corporal.”
“Sir.”
“You ready for Hearth’s Warming tomorrow?”
“Yes sir.”
“I know you are, we all are.”
Spearhead nodded and walked towards his bed. He grabbed his journal and started writing in it.
Today was Hearth’s Warming Eve, and tomorrow is Hearth’s Warming Day. This will be my first Hearth’s Warming away from home. I wonder how my family is doing. I hope they’re okay.
He closed his journal and laid down. He reached for his saddlebags and pulled out a picture of his family from last Hearth’s Warming. He smiled, then slipped back into his bag. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
December 25th
Hearth’s Warming Day
Corporal Spearhead
Today’s the day we’ve been waiting for; Hearth’s Warming Day. I hope my family’s going to be okay. I’ll probably send a letter to them later today. I also hope our armistice will hold.
Spearhead leaned across the wall of the trench. He watched as ponies, hippogriffs, changelings, and a few resistance griffons walked past. A few minutes went by, then he heard a bell ring. He walked over to see what the commotion was about. He saw many Officers standing up and calling names.
“Seafoam,” Silverstream called out.
“Pincers,” Thorax called out.
“Spearhead,” Shining called out.
Spearhead and the other two soldiers walked up to the stands. Shining reached for a couple of boxes, then handed them to Spearhead. “Here Corporal.”
“What’s this about, sir?”
“Celestia said your families could send gifts from home. Also, if you want, you could send a letter or gift to them.”
“Okay, thank you sir.”
He walked back to his barracks. He laid the gifts by his bed. He started writing his letter home. After a few minutes, Boltaction and Gallus walked in. Boltaction was levitating his gifts with his horn. He too laid his gifts by the bed.
“Hey Spear, what you get?”
“I really don’t know myself,” he looked over to Gallus, “what did get?”
“I didn’t… I didn’t get anything,” he said sounding sad.
“Why?” Boltaction asked.
“I don’t have a family.”
“Why, what happened?” Boltaction asked.
“I don’t know myself. Rocky is the only family I know. Well, him and another griffon named Grampa Gruff.”
“Gallus?” somepony called out. A grey pegasus with yellow eyes flew in holding three wrapped boxes, “here these came in for you.”
“Thanks?” Gallus replied.
Spearhead looked at his letter. “Here, can you deliver this to Ponyville?”
“Sure thing!” she said slipping the letter in her saddlebags. She turned away flew out of the barracks.
“Surprised they didn’t shoot her,” Gallus said.
“Why?” Spearhead asked.
“Because the griffon Generals probably don’t want this armistice to hold for any longer.”
“Guess you’re right.” Then Silverstream, Ember, Thorax, Pharynx, and Ocellus, and Shining Armor walked in the barracks, both holding gifts of their own. Spearhead looked up, “Captains, Lieutenants, Corporals.”
“Actually, Ember’s now a Captain,” Shining said, “she was promoted at the request of her father.”
“Lucky,” Boltaction said.
“Don’t worry,” Spearhead said, “we’ll get our shining moment soon.”
“Guess you’re right.” He looked down to his gifts, “well if you’ll excuse me, I have a couple of gifts to open.” He wasted no time reaching for one of the gifts.
“Bolt,” Spearhead started, “you’re such a—never mind.”
“Well, while he’s doing that, I might as well open my gifts too,” Gallus said. He reached for one of the gifts. “It’s from Rocky.” He opened it, and lifted up a red bandanna. Gallus smiled at it. The next gift for him was from a Gilda. It was an expired ticket to a Wonderbolts show. He chuckled at the sight of the tickets. The last gift was a gift from the princesses.. He slowly opened it. There was a card from Twilight, a small crystal heart necklace from Cadence, a sundial from Celestia, and a small dagger from Luna. “What’s with the package from the Führerinnen.”
“Führerinnen?” Shining asked.
“Leader, or in your case, princesses.”
“Oh, well, apparently the princesses are sending us packages for Hearth’s Warming,” Shining replied.
Boltaction was next, his gifts were: a pair of hoof mittens from his mom, and a packet of premium cigarettes and shotgun shells from his dad, and the princesses package.
“Kinda shells are those?” Spearhead asked.
“Dragon’s breath,” he replied showing him the shell with an orange in the middle of the shell.
Spearhead nodded.
Then it Shining. He smiled at the parachute and silk scarf his mom sent, the old bed story his dad sent, a strategy book Twilight sent, his wedding ring Cadence sent, and a custom necklace Flurry sent him. He also got the princess package, but Cadence and Twilight's gifts was removed for obvious reasons.
Then Ember opened her two gifts, one from her dad, her armor, and a gift from a dragon in BT, Spike, and he sent the Bloodstone Scepter. She seemed to smile, a bit. Then she reached for the package.
Then Thorax opened his gifts, one from Spike which was a small electric lantern, then one from Ocellus, which was small necklace. Finally Pharynx sent him a pack of chocolates, “Really Pharynx?” he said reaching for the princess package.
Pharynx chuckled as he reached for a gift sent from a Starlight Glimmer. It was a book about being a pacifist. He rolled his eyes, then reached for Ocellus’s gift, which was a hoof-held shovel. It was no secret that Pharynx liked melee weapons. Then Thorax’s gift, which was a small double bladed tac-knife a pack of ten blades, which could shoot out one of the very sharp blades from its hilt. And the package. Now he had two daggers thanks to the princess pack
“Two polar opposites,” Spearhead commented.
“Here take mine,” Thorax said passing him the pack dagger.
“Nah, you keep it. I already have two.”
“Alright.”
Ocellus opened her gifts. Her family sent Hearth’s Warming cards, Thorax’s gift was a box of chocolates, and Pharynx’s gift was a small hammer. “I’m not sure what’s worse, the fact you gave me hammer as a melee weapon, it the fact you gave me a melee weapon in general.”
“Oh is that what you thought it was? I was kinda hoping you could build things like fortifications with it but if that’s what you want to use it for, be my guest.”
“That’s—never mind.” She lazily reached for the pack.
Silverstream reached for the gifts she received, the first gift was from her mother. It was a pack of kelp fritters. Then her father’s gift, which was a pair of old goggles. Then one from Queen Novo, which was a scepter with a red orb on it. She chuckled, then reach for her brother, Terramar’s gift, which was a trident horn. Then Skystars gift, which was one of her “friends” Sheldon, which was a clam with googly eyes pasted on it. She chuckled, again. Then it was General-turned-Captain Seaspray’s gift, which was an old S&W Model 10. “I thought I wasn’t allowed to hold this,” she said chuckling.
Now it was Spearhead’s turn to open gifts. He reached for one of the gifts, which had an odd shape. He opened it and found it was a hatchet sent by his father. He smirked at the sight of the hatchet. He twirled it in his hoof. The next one was from his mom. It was a small locket with a picture of him and his family. Then there was one from his sister, Javelinspike, who lived in Manehattan. She sent a small ring, a scarf, and a card to him. He smiled remembering the fun times he had with his sister as a foal. He opened the card and read it to him
Dear Spearhead,
I hope you’re okay. I heard you were shipped out a few months ago. I’m sorry I wasn’t there when the boat left for the griffon country. I can’t wait to see you again
Love, Javelinspike.
A small tear left his eye. He folded the card and slipped it into his armor.
“Are you, crying?” Boltaction asked.
“No,” he replied slipping the scarf on.
“Okay tough guy.” He turned to the four officers, “are we gonna, y’know? Socialize with the griffons.”
“Probably,” Ember said slipping on her breastplate.
The group talked for a bit, then Winter walked in. “The griffons are outside.”
“Alright, we’re coming,” Pharynx said.
The group walked out of the barracks. A griffon Officer was standing on the parapet. He looked at Gallus, “is our armistice still in effect?”
“Of course,” Shining said.
“Alright, I’ll let mein soldiers know.”
“We ready?” Spearhead asked. Everyone nodded, “alright, let’s move out.”
The NEA soldiers rose from the trenches and walked out to No-Creatures Land. They met the griffons they met yesterday. Spearhead walked around until he bumped into Zeus. “Hey Zeus.”
“Hallo Spearhead.”
“How was Blue Moon Festival?”
“Pretty good, what about Hearth’s Warming?”
“Good,” he replied, “what did you get?”
“Cigars from my dad, letter from my mom, a Walther P38 from my brother, who serves in the 22nd Eisenklauen Battalion, and a picture from my sister. What about you?”
“A hatchet from my dad, a locket from my mom, and a ring and a letter from my sister. Oh! And the princesses sent all of their soldiers packages.”
“You guys are so lucky.”
“How?”
“Your Führerinnen— I mean leaders sent you all gifts, ours didn’t.”
“I’m… I’m sorry,” Spearhead said. Then he reached into his armor, “here.” Zeus looked over to Spearhead to see him holding an M1911. “Take it, it's the least I can do.”
“Thanks,” Zeus replied taking the pistol.
“And take some mags.”
“Thanks again.”
“I’d better get back before my Officer sees me with you.”
“Alright, see ya later Zeus.”
“Alright, Tschüss.”
Spearhead didn’t need Gallus to know that meant ‘bye.’ He walked over to the trench, there he saw Shining talking with a griffon Officer.
Shining walked with the Officer named Apollo. “Hey, can I give you something?” the Officer asked.
“Sure, what?”
“This,” he reached into his uniform pocket and pulled out a Victoria Cross, a packet of letters, and an Enfield No.2 Revolver . “I heard one of your Officers died in our trench during one of the raids, maybe you could give these to his family?”
“I don’t know what to say,” Shining said taking the items, “I’ll have them delivered tonight, here,” he removed his scarf and gave to the Apollo.
Touched, Apollo gave Shining a Po8 Luger. The two smiled.
A whistle blew and everyone looked in the direction. Two griffons held a ball in the air, “anyone up for a game of kickball?” A few soldiers nodded. The griffons explained the rules. The goal was to kick the ball into the goal. First to six point wins. The NEA team consisted of Spearhead, Boltaction, Silverstream, Ocellus and Gallus. The referee blew the whistle and the soldiers ran after the ball, running in between shell holes and fallen trees. The griffons scored the first point, then the Silverstream scored one, the Gallus scored one, then the griffons scored three in a row. Gallus blocked a ball heading towards him, then Spearhead and Boltaction scored a point together. The the griffons scored two points and won the game. The soldiers laughed as they played a few more games.
They had so much fun the day went by really fast. The soldiers walked around and talked until a whistle blew. Everyone looked in that direction. They saw Shining and Apollo standing across from each other. “Everyone come here,” Apollo said. Everyone gathered the two Captains.
“Unfortunately, the griffon Generals want them to attack us and there’s nothing we can do. So we need you all to remember this truce. Can we get a photographer from both sides here?”
A pony and griffon stepped out holding cameras. The two Captains shook hoof/talons and the photographers snapped pictures. Shining raised his M1917 Revolver and Apollo raised his Po8 Luger and fired them in the air. The soldiers said their last goodbyes to each other and walked back to their trenches.
The soldiers sat back against the wall of the trench. Just then a whistle blew from the griffons trench, meaning they were attacking, but both something was off. The soldiers looked to see the griffons walking towards them...
...Unarmed. Apollo stepped up, “please, we don’t want to serve Hades.”
“Wait really?” Shining asked.
“Yes, we beg of you. Most of the other soldiers left, please let us join you.” The NEA soldiers looked skeptical, “please, for my soldiers, for fellow creatures.”
“Shining looked down. “Sure.”
“R- really?”
“Of course, I can’t stand by and let others soldiers get hurt.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem, I’ll send a letter to the princesses, for now you can stay here.”
The soldiers cheered as their new friends, no, brothers were here to stay.
Spearhead looked for Zeus. “Sorry son. Zeus left with Captain Trapper and the other griffons,” Apollo said.
“Oh.”
“Don’t worry, if I know him, you’ll see him again. For now enjoy this victory.”
Spearhead nodded as he looked up to the starry sky. He knew this truce would be unique. This truce proved that they were better than the bonfire they’d built for themselves.
Author's Note
This story was based on the 1914 truce between German and British troops. In an glorious moment in history, two sides laid down arms and broke the wall that separated them. I can’t go into all the details, but just know this truce unique and showed that humanity was better than the bonfire it built for itself.
Here’s a video from Simple History that describes it: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk-LjY16zdM
