Author's Note

this takes place in the universe of Equestria at War mod for Hearts of Iron 4

Beren = Berengeur

also there will be more chapters, i just finished this one.

The House

February 8th, 1009.

The neighboring country of Austurland has declared war on the country of Kása and Altu Kexa has just finishing up her final reforms for the military and has finally put them all into motion, which has nearly doubled the military’s size and war economy, so after a few months of the deer throwing themselves at the meat slaughter of that being the Aebbercurning River, the Kása military now pushes into Austurland mountains with the entire army, sending everyone who had been reserve forces for the first months of the war. They had guarded the Kása-Barrad Border and major cities outside of Aebbercurning but now are being thrown into their first fight, the kind that they haven’t seen since escaping the hoofs and claws of slavers. One of them, a zebra sniper, who learned that they had a skill for shooting long distances nearly one year ago after avenging their friend’s death by killing the possible bugbear that had killed him. Keshet Eden.

“Got one. Five hundred out. Left to right on the hill, near the ridgeline. L-shaped boulder right below him.” The griffon said robotically.

“Five-hundred? No guarantee I’ll hit them.” Keshet stated.

“They stopped, looks like they’re peering out at the forest with their scope. See ‘em?”

“I see.”

“Dumb buck’s antlers about to get himself killed.”

“And his own stupidity…”

Keshet had his scope lined up on the deer, doing a few quick measurements in his head before raising the middle of the scope reticle just above the deer’s head, with the up/down line just to the right of him and firing.

BANG

One second and nothing happened.

Half a second more and the deer suddenly dropped.

“Hit.” Berengeur said. He was Keshet’s spotter when he had the chance. Normally he was a rifleman with the rest of the platoon, but right now they were hunting a few snipers who were up the mountain, sending precise shots at the rest of the platoon.

“Hundred meters to the right, another sniper. Dead bush next to the pine-”

BANG

After another second and a half, Berengeur said, “Two inches right, hit the tree on level with his head.”

The deer’s own gun flashed and one and a half seconds later a bullet landed near them. It went over them and hit somewhere behind them. Berengeur moved behind the tree Keshet was prone next to, scanning another section of the ridge from the safer location. The sound of the deer's gun finally reached them, only to be interrupted.

BANG

One and a half seconds of silence again before, “Hit.” Keshet said before letting out a deep breath and breathing again. “Damn dear got a shot off at us.”

“You saw the reflection of the sunlight off his scope?” Berengeur asked while scanning.

“Mhmm. He just finished reloading when the bullet hit his head. Saw him just slump over after that. But that should be the last one though. Tell me if you see any more deer. I’m checking as well.” Keshet said.

About two minutes of silence followed as the two searched the ridge for any hidden deer that had been missed. Nothing but the sounds of trees moving. There was an inch of snow on the ground.

“I’m calling it. Let’s get back to the rest of everyone.” said Keshet.

“No deer left, hopefully.” said Berengeur.

The two went back to the dry creek bed as quickly as they could, Berengeur staying with Keshet despite being able to fly, the rest of the platoon had been hiding in for cover against the enemy snipers

“All enemy deer were killed. Five total it seemed.” Keshet reported to Lieutenant Arnoud , “How’s Wekesa?”

“Hit in the stomach. Medics stopped the bleeding but the bullet’s still inside. Snipers were too far for the bullet to go through.” The lieutenant said, “With her not able to move now, we’ll be down at least three soldiers, two to carry Wekesa on a makeshift stretcher and a medic to constantly be checking her to make sure she’s stable.” He sighed and shook his head, looking around at the other platoon members, “Twenty just isn’t enough…” He muttered before yelling out, “Antigone and Enda! You two are carrying Wekesa back to medical tents. Wilburh! Kyrillos! Jethro! Alim! Palle! Abraam! Gopal! You’re all going with them as well to escort! Be back in one hour! Everyone else is staying here until then! Radio in if something happens!”

With that, all those who were called, put on their packs, got up and got ready to move out. Antigone and Enda picked up Wekesa, who was already on her stretcher, and started following Alim. He was a sergeant, so he’d be leading that team back. Everyone else followed behind in a column.

Arnoud looked back at Keshet and Berengeur and asked, “Are either of you hurt? We heard some return fire.”

“Both are good sir. Just a deer who got a lucky shot off near us before I got him. Missed first round, second got him.” Keshet answered.

The Lt. nodded at Keshet before saying, “I’m going to send you two back out with Nik to scout. Come back if you see any movement from any enemy. Got it?”

Keshet and Berengeur both answered, “Got it!”

The Lt. yelled out, “Nik! Get over here!”

After a few seconds, another zebra came over, “Sir!”

“You’ll be joining Keshet and Beren on a scouting run. You’ll be their extra gun. Got it?”

Nik answered the same as Keshet and Beren did, “Got it!”

The Lt. said, “Alright then. You three are good to move out now. There should be a house behind the hill” he points to the south east, “that direction. Hundred meters or so. That’s what the map said. If it’s there, clear it and use it.” He then nodded at us and said, “Dismissed.”

The three saluted the Lt. briefly before heading south down the dried creek.

Their platoon was currently defending a small sector that reportedly had no enemies at the moment, or well, any divisions. The reports were obviously false as they just took out Austerland snipers. The main fighting was more up north about 10 kilometers so they were currently just tasked with reporting any enemies that showed up. The snipers were reported in when the first shots came in, but they were taken care of by Keshet. Only three snipers and two spotters.

They had followed the creek for about 200 meters, slowly checking and scanning the surrounding forest for any movement. There was none, before they caught sight of the house they were expecting.

Keshet peaked out from the creek with his sniper and looked at the house, checking for any movement while Beren and Nik watched in other directions with their normal rifles.

“The outside is clear. It’s about 50 meters away.” Keshet said.

“What’s the plan then?” Nik asked

“I think we should just all run up and hit the wall closest to us for cover before we head in. Beren, you can fly up there when we move and hold the blind corner. Don’t round it, just make sure that if somedeer comes around you shoot ‘em. Nik, you can get the corner closest to us, the one that rounds to the side we currently see. When you’re set, I’ll get Beren and we’ll push Nik’s corner, there’s a door on that side of the house. We then clear the whole place. If it’s clear of any soldiers we’ll set up. If there’s any civilians then we deal with it if that happens. If it’s soldiers, run out while giving return fire if they saw us, or sneak out if they didn’t. If they see us, we’ll try and toss a grenade inside before leaving. Then we pop some smokes and run back to the creek. If none of us are dead in that case, I’ll run back for the rest of the group, you two will do your best to not die. Got it?”

“Far corner, got it.” Beren said.

“Should we get bayonets ready?” Nik asked.

“Bayonets ready.” Keshet said.

With that, all three took out their bayonets and fitted them onto the ends of their guns, wiggling and tugging at them a little to check their sturdiness.

“Ok, y’all ready?”

The other two answered at the same time, “Ready.” They had already left their previous positions and got ready to hope up the creek and charge for the house.

Keshet looked at the bobber that was tied to the front of his rifle. It was the same bobber that belonged to Wornesh. He brought it with him when he was drafted, and with him when he was called to the front lines. It was white so it blended in with the snowy forest. He used it to calm himself when going into situations like this that could be dangerous.

“Ok…” He whispered, “GO!”

With that, all three hopped up from the creek (it was like a trench with it being dried up) and rushed for the house. Beren flew ahead like instructed, getting there first and covering his direction. The other two came in after ten seconds of fast galloping, watching the windows, door and corner that rounded onto a wall of the house they couldn’t see.

The house was two stories, from the looks of it. Maybe a cramped attic above the 2nd floor. The side of the house they were running towards had a window on the right side, two windows above on the 2nd floor. They were closed with no curtains in the way, nor was anyone seen behind them. The side of the house that Nik was covering had one big window near the middle, no windows were above for the 2nd floor.

Nik was in position, parallel to the back of the house while on the corner, gun at the ready. Anyone inside couldn’t see him if they were looking out of the window.

Keshet put a hoof against Beren’s back to get his attention, at which he turned around and followed Keshet. As they joined behind Nik, Keshet slung his rifle around himself and pulled out his side arm, all snipers had a pistol. He then whispered so both could hear, “Ready.”

With that, Nik pushed down the wall, leaving the corner, going towards the door. He stayed below the window in case anything inside saw them. Keshet followed second with Beren behind, he watched behind them. They all avoided the window.

They then got to the door of the house and got in position. Nik got in position in front of the door, aiming at it, waiting for Keshet to open it. They all kept crouched down. Keshet then nodded his head at Nik before opening the door and swinging it open inwards. At that, Nik rushed in and Keshet followed while whispering so Beren could hear, “Beren!” Who then also quickly came in.

The current layout of the house was └ shaped. Nik was facing the right, Keshet was going between the right and front and Beren was facing forward.

“I got nothing.” Nik whispered before moving towards the staircase that was in his direction. It looked more like a storage/mini hallway in the direction Nik went.

“Nothing either.” Beren said. He went forwards, checking his area, which looked like a living room. It had a couch and a few chairs facing a fireplace that was made of stone, which wasn’t lit either. Paintings and a few pictures were scattered around the room and there were a few bookcases filled with books. A few drawers that had who-knows-what in them and then there was the opening that led to another room. Everything so far was clear.

“Nik. On that corner and face those stairs.” Keshet said as he moved with Beren.

Beren was aiming into the doorway that led into the other room, slowly sweeping it while avoiding the chair and couch, before moving towards the doorway corner. Keshet joined behind him.

“Good?” Beren whispered.

“Go.” Keshet said.

With that, Beren rounded the corner, sweeping the whole room before aiming to the right as he went in, Keshet coming in close behind but going forward with his pistol.

They were quick with clearing this new room as it was practically empty and open. It was the kitchen. The cupboards and counters lined an entire wall, extending onto the other walls as well but on the far wall, there was a stove and a sink. The dining table was set up near the wall that Keshet went towards, which was only setup to have three seats. One of the corners of the table was pushed against the wall. There was another door in this room that went outside, in the corner behind the dining table. It went to the side of the house that none of them saw.

The two then went back to the living room and joined up with Nik. He was still watching the stairs still, gun pointed up at them. The stairs went up in the direction he looked at them, solid under them, though there was a door on it.

“Ready?” Keshet whispered to Nik.

“Ready.” Nik answered as he crept slowly to the stairs, aiming up at them, seeing nothing. He got to the stairs and started to make his way up, aiming up to the left, the top part of the stairs in front was clearly empty of anyone, just a wall.

Keshet aimed his pistol up behind them as they moved up, in case something was waiting somewhere upstairs directly behind the railing that was above the hole in the floor for the stairs.

Beren stayed downstairs, holding the door that was under the staircase.

Each step everyone took cracked the wood flooring. It was eerie. No lights were on, or candles and the silence of everything was… scary.

Nik got to the top and looked down the hall to where a corner was. Keshet beside him and nudged him with a hoof, at which Nik went to the corner of the wall they were against that turned into an unknown hallway. From Nik's position on the corner, he could see a doorway now on the opposite wall that was closed.

Keshet was right behind Nik again but nothing was said as Nik went around the corner, aiming. He walked a few feet before stopped and turned back towards Keshet. The hallway was clear, a window at the end with two doors in the hallway. The one Nik saw before going around the corner and one near the window.

Nik pointed at the door Keshet was near and moved in position, he was next to the door handle with Keshet on the opposite side now. The two nodded to each other before Nik opened the door inwards and Keshet rushed in taking the right side of the room and Nik followed, checking the front before checking to the left and around the door. It was clear.

It was a bedroom, two beds on opposite sides, pushed against the wall and four dressers.

Keshet let out a quiet sight as he knew they only had one more room on the floor. The two stayed quiet and went back into the hallway and down the hall to where the other door was, it was also closed.

The two setup on the door, Keshet on the door handle and Nik beside him, pointing his rifle at the door. Keshet opened the door and Nik rushed inside with Keshet following once again.

They cleared the room the same as the last this time, but the room this time was a single bedroom with it right in the middle. The two looked at each other with relaxed stances now that they knew it was clear. There was no entrance to a attic anywhere.

The two then made their way back downstairs where they met Beren again, who was still holding the door that was under the stairs. Keshet whispered to the two, “I think it’s a basement. I and Nik can get flashlights ready in case it’s dark.”

“Go for it.” Beren whispered back.

Keshet and Nik quickly took off their packs to fetch the flashlights they had before they were ready. They turned them on just to be extra ready before Keshet whispered, “Ok.” to Beren.

Beren then went towards the door and stacked up on it. Keshet was behind Beren but Nik was going in front of the door again, aiming at it before nodding towards Beren, at which he opened the door. It opened inwards and with that Nik went in first, immediately going to the right, which went down. Beren followed next with Keshet last.

Nik was shining his light forward/down the stairs where they met the floor, making his way down. Beren was aiming out in the darkness as there was no wall, just a few support beams for the stairs, with one acting as a railing so you couldn’t fall between the wood pillars. It was hard to aim though with how tight it was. Keshet followed and shined his light into the openness of the basement, which showed to be empty of anything besides a few boxes too small to hold anydeer in.

Once Nik was at the bottom, he looked forward and to the right of where the wall was, shining his light at whatever was there, which was also empty of anything. Beren went right immediately once getting off the stairs, but looked around relaxed, his weapon not at the ready. Keshet shined his light at the stairs, which didn’t have any risers so he could see behind them. Nothing was hidden behind them.

Once the three realized that they had finally cleared the building, they all collectively relaxed, letting out some sighs and breathing in deeply as if they hadn’t breathed the entire time.

“Fuck me. That was stressful to clear with only three. Fuckin’ wish the lieutenant sent another with us.” Said Beren.

“Damn right was it stressful, damn entire buildings clear, but I thought there’d be a deer or at least a civilian behind every door. That wasn’t fun.” Said Keshet.

“You had me use use a flashlight while coming down here, not easy to handle it with a rifle you know. I was terrified. Was ready to die the moment I started walking down…” Nik said.

“Sorry, couldn’t just clear it with a grenade though.” Keshet said.

“Yeah…” Nik replied.

After their short conversation and catching their quick few second breath, they went back upstairs.

“Ok, so I say we just hold the first floor, We get two entrances on the first floor in case we need to scatter.” Keshet said.

“Sounds like a good plan. I’ll watch the entrance we came in.” Beren said. He went over to one of the chairs in the living room and moved it so it was in position where he could keep watch on the door and the two windows that were near it.

“I’ve got the kitchen; it has two windows and the back door.” Said Keshet. He moved the kitchen table and a few chairs to a better spot so he could keep watch out of the window on the wall with the door, it was near where the table originally was, and it pointed in the direction that went further into the enemy's territory.

“I’ll watch out this one.” Nik said, pointing to the window that was in the living room, behind Beren. He moved a chair as well, same kind as Beren, into a position that was best for him and looked out the window, resting his rifle on the back of the chair, pointing outside in case he needed it.

With that, the three setup inside the house as a forward scouting/defensive position. Hopefully with only three of them, they could keep the position safe. And hopefully not have any enemies come up on them.