Corporal Keshet, The Zebra Sniper

by Lamasioux

Rating: mature
Tags: Adventure, Profanity, Violence, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Equestria at War, Death, Alternate Universe, Original Character, Suicide / Self Harm
Length: 6062

Keshet was drafted into the Kasa military under new military reconstruction and was able to show off his marksman skills which leads him to being a sniper in the upcoming wars.

Keshet Eden was drafted into the Kasa Military a few weeks before the neighboring country of Austurland declared war on the state of Kasa. Keshet now has to fight in a war, one that most didn't expect, but weren't forced into, as most of the military at this current point is mostly volunteer. He must protect his platoon of 19 others by doing light scouting and counter-sniping in the event that enemy snipers start attacking.
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I have no desire to continue this story. The way I had the story planned to go isn't in a way I would want to write now. 11/11/22

Published 2021-01-27 05:50:00 UTC
Last updated 2021-02-04 08:28:36 UTC

The House

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.

The Conversation

Silence.

Nothing but silence.

Just dead as--

“Why’d you sign up?” Nik asked from a few feet away in the other room.

Keshet looked over at Nik briefly as his mind processed the sudden noise. “Sighed up?” It only took a few seconds for the chemicals in his brain to do the chemistry before he looked back out his windows and answered, “I didn’t.”

“Drafted?” Nik asked

“What else?” Keshet said.

“I didn’t know the drafted were already seeing combat.” Nik went back to looking back out the window he was at.

“Only those who were drafted the second the draft was put into play are seeing combat now. Like me. Unlucky... I know.” Keshet said.

“How’d you become a sniper then?”

Keshet looked at Nik for a second before answering, “Just a good shot is all. Started training two years ago with some breech-loaded rifle I bought from a gunsmith in the area. Was trying to hunt down a bugbear.”

“A bugbear? I don’t think you’d need to train much to bring down one of those.” Nik said.

“It took me about a year to find it is the problem, so I had plenty of time to refine my skills.”

“What’d it do? Just hunt it for sport?”

Keshet sat on the question for a few moments. He kept looking out the windows but wasn’t processing whatever he saw, “No. Not sport. I don’t even know if the one I killed was the one I was looking for. I mean, most likely by fact it was probably a different one but…” He paused for a second.

Nik brought up the courage to ask, “But?”

“But I hunted it down because the-- a bugbear killed my friend in front of me. Fishing on a river and it charged us. Got him and I escaped without injury. Mauled him to death. I think… I don’t know. I don’t wanna fucking know.” Keshet stared blankly down at his rifle for a few seconds before swallowing, “I ended up shooting the damn bear from over 350 meters with that gun. First shot.”

Nik didn’t say anything. Keshet didn’t look over at him either. They just both sat on what was said for a few seconds in silence. Beren doing the same as he had listened in on the conversation.

“You?” Keshet finally asked.

“Suicide.” Nik said.

There was another silence this time, but awkward, until Keshet asked, “What?”

“Suicide is the one-sentence explanation. When Áltu started doing all of her military reforms, as well as her speeches during the campaigning, I knew that we’d eventually go to war with Barrad, and I still think we will. After this Austurland stuff, I think they’ll push us into Barrad and take them out.” Nik paused for a few seconds before saying straight-faced, “And in that time, I hope I’m killed in action.”

There was now silence again. Expect it lasted a few minutes as thoughts went through Keshet’s head, as well as Beren’s. Nik not so much as he had already gone over it with himself many times before.

Keshet looked out the window, staring at the snow, not focusing or looking for anything else right now.

What Nik said was depressing and sad for Keshet. He hadn’t really learned much of the other platoon members lives yet so he didn’t really know how to proceed with the conversation anymore. What was he supposed to ask? What was he supposed to do? Nik had said it so, casually, that it just didn’t seem like it was nothing.

“Why?” Beren asked. It was hard for Keshet to hear him but he had asked it loudly enough, “Why would you want to purposefully want to die? Volunteer or not, that’s just--”

“Suicidal? It is because that’s what I am.” Nik said.

Keshet looked back at Nik and asked a bit weakly, “Are you ok Nik?”

There was another pause in the conversation for a few seconds before Nik shrugged, “Yes. No. Both. I’m not going to do anything to purposefully get myself killed. It just happens to be something I hope happens eventually.” He sighed and shook his head, “Listen up you two. Don’t tell anyzebra else this story, ok.”

Keshet responded back with a nod. Beren did the same before Nik looked back at both of them momentarily before looking back forward out his window and starting his story.

“In Colthage, before I escaped here to Kasa, I was a slave. Me, my bro and parents were slaves for this horrible slaver, worked a damn farm for years. The thing was though that my parents were worked to death one day for a mishap from the day prior, dropped bag of fuckin’ seeds. Just worked until they couldn’t no more, expect when they couldn’t work no more, they were forced to work still. No clue how they did it. Well, I guess I know how they did it, used every damn cell in their bodies until it killed them was how. But from there, it was just a downfall for me and my brother. More work and more punishments over something our parents did.

You know, I’m surprised to think about it now, but I have no clue how they got away with it. The exertion and horrible working conditions we were put through. They must’ve made tons of money off of our labor to pay off inspectors or, whoever the fuck was in charge of that whole damn fuckin’ mess.

But anyways, full downfall. We both got depressed and our work got a bit sloppy so they’d punish us both, starved a few days, some days we were even forced to eat until we were throwing it all back up while being told the whole time that it meant we wouldn’t ever be able to not be slaves because that’s how everyzebra else ate. Insane I survived their punishments.

Then one day my brother just tells me one day while working that he’s going to throw himself under one of the farm tractors when one comes by. I regret not saying or asking him anything else because a few minutes later, when one of the tractors came by, he did it. Just under the wheel. Ran over and dead.

Reason I regret not saying anything is because I wish I had asked if I could’ve joined him. I wish more that he would’ve asked me instead if I’d join…

Life was horrible there. I still feel like I live at that place. I don’t feel safe anywhere I go, always expecting that they’ll find me. I just don’t want to worry about it anymore.”

Nik went silent. He lost his focus on looking out the window, staring at some spot on the wall now. It looked like he was just reliving his whole life now. Keshet was still looking out a window but his thoughts raced on the whole story.

Keshet’s thoughts were interrupted when Nik added, “Only thing I have left of my family is this half of a photo.” He pulled out a ripped photo from his vest and looked at it. He didn’t try to show Keshet or Beren it, but they could see it from afar. It was ripped in half, torn across the middle. There were no faces on it, just the hoofs of some zebra lined the bottom, bunched up it looked like. “Two guards found it one night while me and the other zebras were sleeping. Came in searching for a ‘missing’ tool that no one ended up having. But they searched my stuff too well this time and found the photo, I kept them from taking it, tried, and they ended up tearing it in half. Got into a fight with the guards, caused a commotion where some other zebras joined in and decided I’d leave. Took off with another zebra who joined in. Just had the photo. I was lucky. They ended up shooting at us, but guns at the time weren’t as they are today so they couldn't get shots off quick enough. For me at least, the other zebra who ran with me got hit, but he went on for about an hour before I left him behind. No clue what happened to him.

Ever since I’ve been passively suicidal, if that’s what you call it. Hoping something happens that gives me a chance to die. And as I said before, war seemed like the easiest way for that to happen.”

“Only thing I have with me right now to remind myself of my friend is this bobber.” Keshet motioned towards the bobber at the end of his rifle, “It was the one my bud was using the day he was killed.”

Nik sighed and then put away the photo he had taken out looked over at me and said, “Keep it with you then. I know how important things like that are to zebras.”

“You sure you’ll be ok?” Beren asked.

Nik looked over at him and nodded, “No comment, just, don’t worry about me. Best thing to do. Imagine the conversation never happened.” That was all Nik said before he shook his head lightly and looked back out the window.

No one said anything else and the three went back to silence. It was truly an award silence as Keshet and Beren were separated by Nik and neither dared to try and start a conversation with each other if they wanted while he was between them.

BANG BANG BANG

The tension instantly rose as Keshet quickly took out his pistol and aimed it at the back door. Nik got low and didn’t move but he aimed his gun out of the window closet to him and Beren slowly made his way into the kitchen or tried to before Nik whispered, “SHHH!” Beren stopped before he could get into the room, still behind a wall so he couldn’t see Keshet or the door.

BANG BANG

Two more knocks happened on the door. Keshet and Beren could feel the adrenaline running through them, their hearts beating fast. No one inside the house had seen anything in the past hour that they’d been sitting there but somehow Keshet and Nik missed the random creature that walked right up to the back door and knocked on it. They probably didn’t have much time before whoever it was came in.

Keshet made the sudden decision for them, by putting his pistol away and quickly pushing the table he’d been using as a rest for his gun, against the door and into the corner. It made a lot of noise, but as he did so, he said, “OTHER DOOR! WE LEAVE NOW!” After doing that, whoever was on the other side of the door he had just blocked tried to open it, not having an easy time, but they succeeded enough that the door could be cracked open a little and peered into. Not that whoever would see inside would see much now as Keshet had rushed the other two to the other door on the other side of the house already.

“What the FUCK.” Beren whispered in a tense tone.

“FUCKING I DON”T KNOW!” Keshet said through his teeth clenched, “Just clear the back!”

“Whatever it was, they heard us.” Nik said. Whatever it was, could be heard from where they were trying to barge in, but Beren had opened the back door and already rushed out.

“NIK!” Keshet muttered as he followed behind Beren, “Shit, hold the dam--”

A figure quickly came around the corner that the three had rushed to when they came to the house, which quickly resulted in a loud gunshot coming from Beren as he shot whatever it was, hitting it. It was a quick reaction and it didn’t give any of them time to think.

Keshet also aimed at the figure, which was now obviously a deer, and fired half a second after Beren did, hitting the deer as well as it was in mid collapse to the ground. Both of them were now cycling their bolts and loading new bullets as they awaited whatever fate would give them after rounding the corner.

The two were now ready, Nik was behind the two, aiming at the same corner as well, all of them awaiting the next deer.

It didn’t happen.

The tension lasted only a few seconds once Beren was aimed at the corner, even though it felt like an eternity before they all collected their thoughts and realized what had happened.

The deer they shot wasn’t in a Austurland military uniform, nor did they have any weapon on them from the looks of it.

“Wai--” Beren said before stopping himself and saying, “I’m going forward.” He slowly started walking forward, not aiming at the deer but at the corner.

“S--” Keshet was about to say something before he cut himself off as well and just joined behind Beren. They both made their way forward. Nik didn’t know what to do himself at the moment so he just looked out into the open woods that they were exposed to while against the wall of the house and scanned it.

Beren rounded the corner first, making a wide round, Keshet just turning the corner while stepping over the deer after noticing they weren’t moving at all. Neither of them crossed each other's line of fire as they aimed down the other side of the house which had nothing.

“Front.” Beren whispered to Keshet. They moved their way to the other end of the wall and rounded the corner to the side of the house with the door Keshet had blocked. Once again, nothing.

“Last side.” Beren said as he picked up his pace and made his way to the corner at the other end, Keshet was still following, and they rounded the corner to the last side of the house that they hadn’t seen yet, which was void of any creature.

“NIK! Coming from the corner!” Keshet said as they made their way around the last corner, which brought them back to the side of the house that they had come out on.

Nik was at the corner of the house, kneeled down inspecting the deer that was just shot. Keshet and Beren were still on high alert, Nik was as well, just not as much.

“Not military.” Nik said, standing back up, “One of you shot him in the heart. They’re confirmed dead.” He said as he looked back at Keshet and Beren, who were relaxing slowly as the whole situation set in.

Keshet looked down at the deer, there was blood soaking into the snow around their chest. Their face was covered in snow as it had been pushed into the snow enough when they fell.

“W-- They’re civilian?” Keshet asked, confused.

“Yeah…” Nik said in a melancholy tone.

“I-” Keshet was about to talk before being interrupted.

“We can’t stay here now. The rest of the platoon has heard our gunshots and who knows what else. We CAN’T stay here.” Beren said stressfully.

“Yeah.” Nik responded as he scanned the forest.

“Why were they knocking on the door?” Keshet asked again.

“Listen! Kes! We can’t stay here now. We have to at least go tell everyone else that it’s not the enemy, then we determine what to do then.” Beren argued.

Keshet couldn’t take his eyes off of the deer, his thoughts were racing on them just shooting an unarmed deer, who was probably civilian. He at least thought that.

“Fuck.” Beren muttered as he grabbed Keshet with a claw and gave him a jerking pull and said, “Fuckin’ let’s go. Now.” He was already making off back towards the dried creek they had come from.

Keshet’s attention was brought away from the corpse now, lagging behind the other two as they were already making their way quickly to the creek. He gave one last look at the deer’s corpse before taking a deep breath and galloping away with the other two.

They were under strict orders to not directly kill any civilians.