Progress is slow as I trudge forward. I am tired. I feel numb. My vision is blurry and not altogether there. The fog around me (or is it mist? I cannot tell) does nothing to improve my journey. I can't even tell where I am going, yet my instincts tell me I'm going the right way. Good, that is good. I am grateful that the ground is level beneath me, one of the blessings of this otherwise accursed place. If it were not, my toil would be almost unbearable.
Each step I take feels as if my limbs are shackled to great weights. My body tells me to stop while my mind tells me to give up my trek. Traitors, both of them. I will not stop, not until I've completed my journey, not until I make it home, not until I see my beloved Glindyl again. My fatigue will not overcome my determination. I will overcome my fatigue. I will make my mind and body subservient to my will. And I will be reunited with my dearest wife.
Glindyl, I'm coming home.
※ ※ ※
Two mares walked down the road, keeping an eye out for any signs of trouble. The journey from Misty Glades to Vanhoofer was normally an uneventful one, but with troubles at an all-time high in this part of Equestria, they knew it was better to be careful nonetheless. The fact that one of them was pulling a cart of much needed supplies made their situation all the more precarious.
“How much farther is it?” the pegasus asked, eyeing the unfamiliar terrain.
“Hmm”, the earth pony next to her pondered. “I figure about seven more miles.”
“Huh”, the pegasus grunted uneasily. “I wish there were more trees around. I don't like being this far from town, and with so little cover. The land around here is too...flat.”
“I know what you mean. But we can't let that get the best of us. The Guard needs these supplies for their efforts, and we need to stay vigilant”, the earth pony responded with a slight sternness in her voice. She glanced over to see her friend nodding a little. The pegasus carried herself with a gait of determination, but her eyes betrayed more than a hint of uncertainty. She felt sorry for her friend. The pegasus, easily ten years her junior, may have a medical degree with six years of field experience, but she never had to contend with turmoil on this scale before. The earth pony sighed.
“Hey Dusty”, she said with a slightly comforting tone of voice. When Dusty turned to look at her, she moved in and nuzzled the pegasus' cheek. “Don't worry, okay? We'll be fine.” She chuckled. “Besides, with your eyesight and our combined strength, those feather-brains won't stand a chance against us.”
Dusty smiled and nodded as she turned her attention back to the road. Her cheeks were becoming flushed as the weight over her heart lifted a little. She was usually nervous whenever somepony complimented her, even if it was a friend, but she was always grateful whenever somepony encouraged and supported her, especially if it was a friend. She sighed as she leaned over and returned the nuzzle.
“Thanks Jasmine”, Dusty said. “I really appreciate...”
Jasmine looked over in confusion as Dusty's voice trailed off. Dusty was looking beyond, and not at, her. Jasmine looked in the same direction as her friend, but she couldn't see anything.
“Dusty? What's wrong?” she said, coming to a stop. The pegasus, however, was still walking, continuing to look off into the distance. Jasmine raised her voice. “Dusty!”
The sharpness in her voice caused Dusty to jump slightly, but it was enough to catch her attention. She looked back at Jasmine for a moment, then back off to whatever had sidetracked her. The look in her eyes told Jasmine that something must be wrong. She moved forward to catch up with her friend.
Once back by her side, Jasmine looked at Dusty, then in the direction the pegasus was looking. She still couldn't see anything. Dusty's eyesight was so keen she could easily spot and identify, with incredible clarity, any living being a long ways away. She turned her attention back to Dusty and whispered.
“What is it? What's wrong?” A brief moment passed before the pegasus answered.
“I...I need some altitude to get a better view”, she said, a slight hint of dread rising in her voice. She spread her wings, but before she could launch herself into the air, she felt Jasmine's hoof on her withers, firmly holding her in place.
“Dusty”, Jasmine said with concern in her voice. “Are we in trouble?” Her friend only shrugged with uncertainty. After pondering for a moment, she released her hold. “Alright, but be careful. Fly straight up, but not too high. It's cloudy up there, and I don't want to lose sight of you.” She accentuated her last sentence with a stroke to Dusty's charcoal colored fur.
Dusty nodded, spread her wings again, and took off.
※ ※ ※
How I long to be anywhere but here. It's bad enough that I'm behind enemy lines. My weary body and blurred vision make it worse, and the reason for my predicament makes it worse still. Those traitorous fools. Curse them all to Tartarus. Damn them all for abandoning me when the mission went bad, for leaving me to fight off the enemy by myself. I swear by King Grover, when I get back, I'll see them deprived of their wings and sent off to the Howling Isle for the rest of their lives for their cowardice.
My pace has slackened. I must focus my attention and my strength on my goal. I will not allow myself to be caught; not here, not by my enemy. I struggle to resume my normal pace. My efforts must have affected my already hazy vision, for alongside the mist (or fog? Dammit, I still can't tell) there now appear black spots before me. They are small at first and move about this way and that, but soon they grow larger and almost...closer? One seems to move about left and right, while another glides around me. What are they?
No, I must keep my focus. I must not let them distract me from my goal. I'm going to make it out of here. I'm going to make it home. I will see my Glindyl again. She is all that matters to me now, and she is my sole reason for pressing forward (the black spots, and my so-called “brothers-in arms” be damned).
Glindyl, I'm coming home.
※ ※ ※
“Dusty! Where are you going?!” Jasmine called out. Not half a minute had passed before the pegasus started flying in the direction of...whatever it was she saw at a hesitant pace. If Dusty had heard her friend calling, she gave no indication. The look in her eyes, however, told Jasmine that something was definitely wrong. Dusty's face had gone pale, her eyes as wide as saucers.
'Confound it, girl, what are you doing?' she thought. She called out a second time, but once more Dusty didn't seem to hear her. Cursing under her breath, she pulled against the cart and chased after her friend. “Dusty! Wait for me!” Whatever the pegasus was doing, Jasmine was going to give her a strong reprimand for leaving her behind. The Guard needed the supplies the two were transporting, and this was not the time for losing sight of the mission.
As Jasmine galloped down the road, she could barely see Dusty off in the distance, approaching something the earth pony couldn't discern. She watched as Dusty slowed her pace and floated down. 'Good', she thought. 'At least she stopped'. Her brief moment of relief was interrupted, however, when she saw her friend suddenly back away from whatever it was, followed by a terrified scream.
“Dusty?!” Jasmine called out, quickening her pace. The pegasus collapsed onto the ground, still screaming. “Dusty!!” Without slowing down, she reached down, undid the straps to the cart, and took off at full speed. When she was within a hundred yards, she turned her attention to whatever it was that scared her friend. She saw it. By Celestia, she saw it! She skidded to a stop next to, and just behind, a now quiet Dusty. Her eyes widened in shock at what she was seeing.
It was a griffin. A griffin was right there in front of them, a bucking griffin!! It was a big one too, easily standing two heads taller than both of them. Its body had dark gray, almost black, fur, complimented by silver feathers adorning its head and neck. Glancing at his profile (yes, it was definitely a “he”), she could see the orange eye looking straight ahead as he moved with a slow, staggered gait. It almost looked like he was limping. What made the sight more unusual was the fact that he didn't seem to acknowledge either of them. She was about to wonder what he was doing here when Dusty unexpectedly backed into her.
“J...Jasmine?” Dusty said, her voice trembling.
“I'm right here, Dust”, she responded, resting a foreleg on Dusty's withers.
“The...other side”, the pegasus squeaked out. Jasmine looked down at her. “L...look at his...other side.” Jasmine glanced at the slow-moving griffin, down at Dusty, then back at the griffin. She wasn't sure what to make of it. Seeing a griffin on Equestrian soil was troublesome enough, what with the conflict going on. But seeing Dusty reacting like this to a seemingly comatose, albeit moving, griffin was even more unsettling. Whatever had caused her to act like this must be serious. With a deep breath, Jasmine moved around him to see what had scared Dusty so much. Her jaw dropped at the sight.
It was like looking at an entirely different creature. The first side of the griffin she saw seemed perfectly natural. This side, however, looked like it had been through a meat grinder. The skin and feathers on his face looked like they had been ripped off, leaving behind a visceral mess that barely covered his exposed skull. His eye was gone, the socket filled with the gore that had seeped its way inside.
She looked down and saw why the griffin was limping. His lower right foreleg was gone. Jagged bone protruded from the wound a couple of inches and looked like the limb had been bent the wrong way, snapped, and then violently ripped off.
The rest of him fared no better. His right wing was also gone, and it appeared to have been torn off in a manner similar to his leg. The rest of his body, down to his hind quarters, was an absolute mess. Feathers and fur were missing in many places. His flesh was shredded with strips of it hanging limply from his side, exposing muscle and bone. Blood and gore nearly covered all the right side of his body, congealed and viscous..
'What is this?' Jasmine wondered. 'He shouldn't be moving around like this. Buck, he shouldn't even be alive at this point.' A moment of realization hit her. She looked where the griffin had come from, the path he was taking, and at his current progress. 'He...he's not bleeding.'
Her train of thought was broken by the sounds of whimpering and shuffling nearby. She turned and saw Dusty scooting away from the griffin in fear. Jasmine rushed towards her friend, giving the still-moving griffin a wide berth. As she approached, she heard Dusty's whimperings turn into dry heaves. Knowing what was about to happen, she quickly closed the distance. She grabbed Dusty, pulled her to her hooves, and guided her to the ditch, where the pegasus proceeded to vomit.
Holding onto Dusty to keep her still, Jasmine turned her attention to the griffin. He was still moving. In fact, it looked like he still hadn't noticed them. How was that possible? she wondered. She had crossed his path twice to get a proper look at him, and she remembered seeing Dusty hovering face to face with him. How is he moving? How is he even alive? Jasmine had more medical experience than Dusty, but even she couldn't figure it out.
When Dusty's heavings began to lessen, she turned her attention to her friend. If the griffin had noticed, he showed no signs. He simply continued on his way past the mares.
※ ※ ※
Curse those black spots. It felt as if they were trying to stop me on my journey. If I wasn't so tired, I would've reached out and ripped them apart with my own talons. I'm going to make it home, to my Glindyl, and not even these spots are going to stop me. They must have sensed it, and chosen not to interfere, for they moved off to the side and out of my way. Good, that is good.
Again, my pace has slackened. Dammit. I must stay focused. I mustn't let myself get so distracted. It only serves to prolong my course, and I am so tired. I will myself to resume my pace. I force myself to stay focused on the path ahead of me. My mind and body still fight me non-stop, trying to get me to cease, to give up. Fools, both of them. I fought off the enemy when the mission went bad, tearing many of them to shreds. I staved off the attack alone while my “brothers-in-arms” fled like the cowards they were. And I came out on top, despite the injuries I took in the process. What makes my mind and body think that they have a chance?
Oh, Glindyl. My sweet, beloved Glindyl. How I long to be with you again. How I yearn to feel the warmth of your embrace. I miss you so much. I miss the days we would spend flying together, daring and hazing each other with some half-baked maneuver or a treacherous flight pattern. I miss the nights we spent sitting on the clouds, staring off into the night sky, trying to find patterns in the stars; it was always more fun when we made a competition out of it. I miss the days when we would simply lie in bed, nuzzling and preening each other. I loved the feel of you straightening my feathers; it always felt so good, so invigorating, whenever you did it. I miss the...
My thoughts are interrupted when I realize something. My pace, it has improved. No, I don't mean it's back to what it was. I mean it's...faster. Sure, it's not really fast, but the difference is definitely noticeable. I even feel a little more...invigorated. But how did...? Wait.... Yes. Yes, of course! It's Glindyl! My thoughts of Glindyl are giving me the strength I need to press on. They're giving me the motivation and drive to continue in spite of the difficulties of this trip. As long as I keep her in mind, I know I will make it home.
With renewed vigor and determination (fatigue be damned), I press forward, knowing I will be reunited with my beloved. Glindyl, I'm coming home.
※ ※ ※
“Are you alright?” Jasmine asked, her foreleg around her friend's withers. Dusty had been sitting still for about a minute now, her head lowered and her eyes closed. Not that she could blame her. The sight of the griffin's injuries had tested even her internal fortitude. She had always known that war was terrible, and had seen some of the most hideous war wounds ever taken into account, but what she had seen a moment ago was definitely among the worst.
“Yeah, I think so”, Dusty replied weakly. “That was...horrible.”
“Can you stand?” Dusty nodded. “Come on. Let's move over a bit.” Dusty slowly got up and allowed Jasmine to move her away from the spot where she had vomited, keeping her eyes closed.
“Where is he now?” she asked, sitting down again. Jasmine stole a glance over her shoulder.
“Behind us and to the right. Don't worry. We're on his... better looking side”, she chuckled. Dusty nodded again.
“What happened to him, Jazz? I've never seen wounds that serious before.”
“I don't know”, Jasmine replied. “There have been reports of a few skirmishes around here, but he could've been in any one of them.”
The two of them sat in silence for a while. Dusty focused on steadying her breathing, while Jasmine pondered what conflict the griffin could've been in to have produced wounds like that. She glanced over her shoulder again. Her eyes fell on the cart she had been pulling. It had crashed into a nearby cairn, marking the crossroads it sat next to. One of the wheels had hit the cairn and broke. She cursed under her breath. Now they were essentially stranded here until help could come and fix it.
“What is it, Jazz?” Dusty asked.
Jasmine sighed. “It's the stupid c...” Her voice trailed off before she could finish. Something was different.
“Jazz?” When Jasmine didn't answer, Dusty opened her eyes and looked at her friend, who was looking away. “Jasmine, what wrong?”
“It's...it's the griffin”, Jasmine replied.
“What about him?”
“He's moving...faster.”
Dusty looked past Jasmine towards the griffin and, sure enough, he was walking at a slightly faster pace. She could also see his head was lifted higher than before. If she didn't know better, Dusty would've thought that he seemed to be walking with a purpose now. She was at a loss. What was he doing? Where was he going? What made him change his pace and posture? Before she could ponder anything else, Jasmine stood up and started walking towards him.
“Jasmine, what are you doing?” Dusty asked incredulously. Jasmine simply pressed on. “Jazz!” she called out in a raised voice. Without stopping, Jasmine looked back, motioned with her head that Dusty should follow her, and focused back towards the griffin. With a frustrated sigh, Dusty got up and followed her, wishing she had seniority.
“Hey, you there!” Jasmine called out. She had hoped, with the change in pace and posture, that maybe the griffin had some degree of consciousness. No such luck. “Wait a minute!” Still nothing. She picked up her own pace to overtake him. She soon heard a set of approaching wing flaps, realizing that Dusty was catching up to her.
In no time, Jasmine caught up to the griffin and positioned herself in front of him on his bad side; she decided to make things a little easy for Dusty. The pegasus soon followed, landing next to him on his good side. They kept pace with for some time, noting the change in his countenance. Before, it looked like he was staring completely off into space. Now, there was a slight look of determination in his eyes.
“What do you make of it, Jasmine?” Dusty asked, looking to her friend. “Could he be in shock?” The earth pony pondered this awhile before answering with a shrug.
“Maybe. But look at his expression.” Dusty focused on the griffin's eye. “Just a minute ago, he had the look of the thousand yard stare. This new facial expression no longer suggests it.” She pondered some more before speaking again. “I'm going to try something.” She positioned herself in front of the griffin while walking backwards.
“Hey. Do you hear me?” she asked, waving a hoof in front of his face. No response. She paused briefly enough to be able to touch him before resuming her pace. “Griffin! Can...you...hear...me?” she asked, placing a hoof on his shoulder. This brought about a change. The griffin began to tremble slightly, and his good eye opened wider as in surprise or terror. His pace began to slow. This took both mares by surprise.
“Did you see that?” Dusty exclaimed. “What does it mean?” Jasmine was at a loss herself. She didn't know what to expect, but not that. Was he afraid? Was it a sign that he might still be conscious and aware? Her training had not addressed a situation quite like this.
“I...I don't know”, Jasmine replied. She pondered her next move for some time while keeping pace with the others. Confound it, why didn't her training cover scenarios like this? Cursing her training, she came up with an idea.
“Dusty”, she said with a serious tone in her voice.
“Yeah?”
“Monitor his expression. I'm about to try something.” Without waiting for Dusty's response, Jasmine reared up and placed her front hooves on the griffin's shoulders.
※ ※ ※
No, they're back. Those horrid black spots are back and bigger than before. They are swarming over my field of vision, threatening to envelop me. I feel them on either side of me, probably hoping to keep me from my goal. I have to keep going. I won't let them stop me. I'm going to make it home, to my Glindyl.
One of them is even bigger now, or is it right in front of me? I can't tell. Suddenly, a feeling of great cold bursts into my shoulders and begins to spread throughout my body. My vision is getting worse. I feel my strength ebbing. No. No, I can't stop now. I must press on. My fatigue will not overcome me. I will overcome my fatigue. I will win, and I will make it home if it takes every ounce of-
It...touches...me. I...I can't...move. My strength...fades. I...feel myself...trembling. No. I can't...I...must...not. Glindyl...I...I...I.........
※ ※ ※
A group of ponies stood by the small pyre as it went up in flames. Luckily, Jasmine and Dusty weren't stranded for too long before a contingent of Royal Guard happened by. A couple of the unicorns set about fixing the cart's broken wheel, while most of the others set about building the fire. The officer had taken the testimonies of the nurses and assured them that the Guard would escort them the rest of the way to Vanhoofer. Despite their questions, he was unable to explain where the griffin had come from.
The mares stood next to each other with mixed feelings in their hearts and ponderous looks in their eyes. It was strange. A moment after Jasmine placed her hooves on the griffin's shoulders, his trembling increased tenfold and his good eye rolled up into his head. He opened his beak to speak, but only one word was uttered before he crumbled to the ground. A quick check confirmed what they both already knew; he was dead.
“Sir”, said one of the unicorn guards. “The cart has been repaired and is ready for transport, sir.”
“Alright everypony”, the officer called out. “Form up, and let's move out!” The Guard scrambled into position in front of, and behind, the cart. Jasmine hitched herself back up to it and resumed pulling it. Dusty fell in next to her. Both of them had fallen into an uncomfortable silence ever since answering the officer's questions.
Walking past the pyre, giving it one final look, Dusty turned to Jasmine and broke the silence.
“Jasmine?” she asked.
“Hmm?”
“What's a...Glindyl?”
Jasmine shook her head with a sigh, but she said nothing. Figuring she wouldn't get an answer, Dusty turned her attention to the road ahead of them.