I woke up with my front hoofs cuffed to a bed framed so i struggle for a short time then i said “Oh fuck me…no wait don’t.”

I looked around the room and it did not look like a prison cell or a raider’s personal sex dungeon; it looked way too clean to be anything like that.

I tried to use my magic but got magical feedback on my horn that can only mean I got an anti-magic ring on my horn just like the ones we use for unicorn raiders we sometimes take alive.

All I could do was lay there till whoever put me here checked on me, giving me time to try to figure out what to do when I managed to get away from the raiders.

I took a bit more time to look at where I was. It seemed that some pony had guns hanging on the wall, Leather armor on stands and vintage whisky on a nightstand.

The door opened as Armor and Graymane walked in, oh for love of Celestia i am about to be railed by both of them.

“Let us talk,” Graymane said before Armor pulled up a chair for Graymane to sit on.

I looked at him, focusing on him. not like i had anything better to do so i said “ok lets why am i here?”

Graymane gave a jester to Armor and Armor removed a hoof cuff freeing one of my hoofs before setting a tray with food on it.

What Armor gave me was a meaty stew with some vegetables. I looked at it concerned about what was in it.

It must have been clear I was concerned about the food because Graymane then said “it is safe to eat, we did not put pony meat in it after all we do not waste Hunter’s good meat on ARA ponies.”

I started to eat as Graymane started to talk “You know you held your own out in the arena. So i got an offer for you to join us raiders and you can join Night Haven or not then i will let you leave here before sunrise.”

I finished eating and i already know what to say “Thanks but i'd rather return to ARA but i assume this isn’t free is it?”

Graymane smiled then said “Maybe we can have peace after all attacking a fortress would be costly and if my people can see you ARA ponies can be fair to us maybe just maybe we will avoid a blood bath no pony wants to see.”

I smiled and nodded to the arrangement before Graymane gave a jester to Armor again to remove my last cuff and the anti-magic ring from my horn.

“Before you go I am going to send you with Night Haven to help keep any raider patrols off your flanks,” Graymane said before he left the room with Armor.

I got out of bed leaving the tray on the bed before walking out the room into the hallway with Night Haven sitting there.

When Night Haven noticed me and got up to ask me “Did you save me?”

“Well ya i could not let you die you help me even if it was because your raider laws and rules told you to,” I said to her before looking around then asking “So where did Armor and Graymane go?”

Night Haven wave for me to follow then said “Follow me I was told I will be escorting you back to the fortress so might as well start by getting you to Graymane.”

As we walked the halls it was very clear that this place is not up to code only built for being a temporary place to stay but that's not important. I wish they would have found a way to keep the smell of the encampment from getting in.

We walked to the exit of the makeshift house to meet with Graymane and Armor who were waiting for us with supply bags.

I walked up and opened one of the supply bags and it was no trick. It had a handgun with replacement clips for reloading and an assault rifle with few magazines to reload it with. As well as food and water for the trip.

It really seems Graymane was not lying to me, he really wanted to try to get some type of peaceful end to all this.

“Sorry,” I said before holstering the handgun and rifle to my side then putting the supply bag on my other side.

Graymane chuckled then said “no need to worry i would have done the same if roles were reversed.”

Night Haven and I walked off from the encampment making our way to the mountain after traveling a bit of a distance away from the encampment. I heard a gunshot ring out but ignored it considering Night Haven did not seem bugged by it. So I guess I will ignore it as well.

“So are random shootings normal around here?” I asked.

Night Haven walked by my side and say “Yup that's life in raider territory ever you're shooting something or some pony else is shooting something.”

Well I guess that makes sense because gun safety isn’t one of those things they would worry about at all.

“So how long have you been a raider for?” I ask, attempting to keep us from awkwardly traveling in silence.

“Since I was a filly born in a slave cage,” Night Haven said as she walked by my side.

I was a bit shocked about that fact and then said “I am sorry to hear that.”

“No need my father was a raider so I was given a chance to grow up to be a raider,” Night Haven said before she asked “what about you how long you've been in ARA?”

I try avoid the question by saying “Well it boring but i am sure you got some interesting stories about life of being a raider along the side of Graymane he seem to be very popular.”

Night Haven looked at me for a moment but she looked like she was not annoyed about me avoiding the question and said “I get it sometimes, ponies stories are not good ones and want to be avoided.”

I do not want to remember at all what happened because I am part of ARA to make up for what happened all those years ago.

We made it to the base of the mountain with a large raider group blocking the path up to Icy Peak Fortress.

Night Haven walked up ahead to the raider stallion in charge of the group as he got off the radio.

“We are here t-” Night Haven said before getting cut off by the raider stallion.

Raider stallion wave for his raiders to get around us from all sides before saying “Think you can shoot Graymane and get passed us?”

Night Haven looked shocked then shouted “I am a loyal raider to Graymane i would never!”

I looked around us and noticed the raiders around us had melee weapons at the ready and a crossbow. They must be a forward guard or something to alert the encampment if ARA tries to push them.

“Oh real funny i just got off the radio your friend there shot Graymane and escaped with you by his side,” The raider stallion said as he prepared his own crossbow.

Night Haven attempted to step up on him but an arrow was shot into her hoof and when i turned to shoot the one with the crossbow one hit me in the back of a hoof with a bat and shoved me over.

“Boss boss let us play with them before we give them to Graymane,” one of them said.

The raider stallion looked at us with a smile and said “I will take Night Haven, you beat the ARA pony till he pisses blood.”

A gunshot rang out and the raider stallion's head exploded in a gory mess of bone, blood, teeth and so on.

Other raiders looked around trying to figure out where the shot came from as a familiar pony...no a zebra in heavy armor moved and shot at them.

I grabbed my hand gun with my magic and shot two raiders in the back of the head then shouted “Night Haven we need to fight or die can you fight?!”

Two raiders charged at her as Night Haven managed to snap the arrow shaft with her mouth and dodge their attacks then headbut one and punch the other one in the necks allowing me to shoot both of them in the heads.

One was starting to run away but before I could aim a shot a raider charged at me from my blind spot. Lucky for me our savior shot him and saved me.

The raider’s blood covered my face and eyes, making me miss my shot letting one of them escape from us.

Afterwards I wiped the blood off my face. I pray to Celestia that I did not get a virus from that blood splatter.

“Good to see you are still alive as well and who is your friend?” a familiar voice said.

I smiled and said “Thank Celestia that you are still alive Zonk oh and this is Night Haven she is a friend.”

Zonk’s visor looks new but the armor seems damaged. Have they been out and about this entire time since the avalanche?

“The Fortress is under siege right now, at least on this side of the mountain. I should know I spent all day yesterday trying to get back,” Zonk said as he looted raiders.

Night Haven joined in checking raider bodies for anything useful then said “Something is wrong, maybe ARA can help us solve what happened back at the encampment.”

Zonk turned to look at them in silence then looked at me. I could not see their face but I can sense they will want more info on Night Haven before we get back to the fortress.

“Before you say anything Zonk she is on our side they were ordered to target her like us,” I said but Zonk stayed silent.

Zonk finished looting and said “I could care less right now, we need to find a way to get back to command.”

I nodded but looked at Night Haven as she bandaged her arrow injury and she said “I am told to keep you safe till we make it to the fortress as Graymane ordered me to. So I will keep doing so.”

“I have a possible way back to the fortress,” Zonk said as he started walking away from us.

Me and Night Haven started following as Night Haven asked “why did you not use it yet?”

As soon as she asked he replied to her with “Because I tried all closer paths before to save time. But sadly all of them were destroyed or are being guarded by heavy raider patrols.”

So now it's three of us: Me, Zonk and Night Haven walking along the bottom path of the mountain. I am not going to lie, I feel some hostility between Zonk and Night Haven right now.

During the walk I noticed that Night Haven was staying close to me…bit more than before even putting one of her bat wings on my back so I stepped a bit away from her but it was no use. She just keeps getting close and putting her wing on me while being locked on to Zonk.

We traveled so long that the sun was going down and we were out in the open so I had to speak up because knowing Zonk we would walk till morning so I said “We should find shelter for the night.”

Zonk said “No it will be a waste of time and i.” but they stopped and staggered a bit then said “Maybe you correct i need sleep and to eat.”

I ask Night Haven “Can you air scout for a place for us to hunker down till tomorrow?”

Night Haven looked at Zonk then to me “Sure but remember your my to keep safe got it ARA?”

“You can call me Rook,” I replied before she nodded and took flight.

Me and Zonk sat in the snow for a bit and caught up on what happened after we got swept away by the snow.

Zonk asks me first and I explain everything from the arena to my talks with Graymane as well how I met Night Haven.

Zonk then started to explain what happened to them saying “I dug myself out of the snow in time to see you being taken away. I would have saved you but it was a lot of ponies, all of them well armed and well armored so I could not risk it.”

I sat there silent, taking a moment to say “Well I cannot blame you if one of us was captured, the best idea would not run in and do something stupid.”

Zonk nodded in approval then returned to their story “I spent the entire day trying to get back to the fortress but raiders took control fast. Number of the raiders isn’t a group, team or a horde, it is a legion but I guess you already figured that by now hu?”

I nodded and said “as well, more coming from what I can tell they are rallying splinter groups of raiders and slavers to rebuild what they call Paradise.”

Zonk went silent. I could feel they were worried about something before saying “It us vs them Night Haven is a possible risk we will have to be removed but if we are lucky she will leave us.”

I stood up and said to Zonk “She loyal to Graymane yes. But she will return and she is on the raider’s kill list right now; she has no reason to abandon us or to attack us.”

Zonk got up and looked me in the…eyes? I have no clue but for sure face to visor and said “What if Graymane orders her to backstab us hu? Have you ever thought of that?”

I never did and I sat down right before Night Haven returned covered in blood and said “There is a small house full of or was full of raiders in it but I cleared it out. I really needed to let out some major anger from being backstabbed by these traitors but I am good now.”

All three of us started heading to the small house as Night Haven staying close to me and keeping a wing on me for some reason.

As the three of us walked with Zonk in front of Me and Night Haven I noticed Zonk walk was off so I whispered to Night Haven “Does Zonk walk look off to you right now?”

Night Haven looked at how Zonk was walking then whispered back to me “it seems they might have dislocated their back left hoof I will have to look at it at the house well if they let me.”

Once we reached the house I quickly noticed four graves made in the snow as we made our way inside. All i could assume that Night Haven gave them a place to rest after she killed them even after they tried to backstab her.

We all settled in as Zonk started to give orders. “Rook go find us some firewood for fuel i saw some old pieces of wood outside get them. Night Haven, go check for any leftover traps and I will ready something for us all to eat. I got some leftover rations.”

Night Haven opened her bag and tossed a hunk of meat then said “There are no traps. I will help Rook find firewood and use that meat…it is not a pony.”

“No, you're going to double check for traps,” Zonk said, making their way to Night Haven.

“I do not take orders from you ARA pony!” Night Haven shot back as she got in Zonk’s face.

I got between them and said “Zonk just cook. this place that was owned by raiders and Night Haven knows raiders. I am sure she did a good sweep of this place.”

Night Haven was smiling smugly but her smug smile dropped as I turned to her and said “We have to work together so you two need at least act like friends,” all Night Haven did to reply was nod and head outside.

I look at Zonk as they start prepping to cook before I step outside with Night Haven.

The sunset looks majestic, clear skies that the Light Bringer gave us really does give me a hopeful reminder that Equestria can be healed.

I started gathering wood with Night haven using my magic elevated any pieces we found as we started to talk.

Night haven ripped a piece of wood off a raider fortification and said “So the ARA work program you told me about before. Can you ensure I am able to work off my debt and go free? I am asking because you know if we do get peace I would like to open up a clinic to treat ponies.”

I felt a smile on my face as I said “I am sure and I might get the work requirements knocked down a few years without any problems.”

Night Haven only said “Thanks,” as she kept trying to avoid looking at graves.

“You know them,” I asked as I grabbed another piece off the ground collecting as we chatted.

Night Haven refused to speak at first but soon enough she said “the four graves were my family. They tried to sell me out. My own blood thought I would hurt Graymane. My Father and my three brothers.”

I said to her “I am sorry. I wish I could help you.”

Night Haven went silent and headed inside so I followed looking back as the sun setted and the moon rose.

When we got in we tossed a bit of wood on the fire as Zonk took their food into a room to eat alone. Leaving me and Night Haven alone with the meat cooking over the fire so we cut off pieces for ourselves and started to talk.

“One you called Zonk he does not seem that friendly…still want me to check their leg? ”Night Haven said.

I nodded as they got up and headed to talk to Zonk, leaving me alone as I ate. something moved by the window so I grabbed my handgun and slowly made my way to the door and sneaked out.

At least that was the idea before a pony hit me with the stock of their sniper rifle, sending me back and aiming a gun at my head.

“Rook?” A familiar voice said.

Once my vision settled I saw it was Frosty, her uniform damaged with her crosshairs cutie mark exposed and rifle missing its magazine.

Night Haven tackled Frost to the ground and was about to jam a spiked hoof into her head before I shouted “Friendly friendly!”

“You're joking? she was about to blow your head off!?” Night Haven shouted.

“Because she likely saw raider fortifications and smelled the food,” Zonk said, limping into the room shortly after.

Night Haven got off of Frosty as well helping her up.

“So Frosty this is Night Haven i hope this doesn’t leave a bad taste in your mouth about her.” I said while returning to my food.

Frosty shook her head and said “No, I can assume that with Zonk here and Night Haven here is still alive, she has been a friend to be trusted.”

I nodded yes but Zonk nodded no.

I took time filling Frosty on everything that happened with Me and Zonk. Then she told me that she tried to get back like Zonk tried to do but she tried flying up to the fortress only to be almost blown out of the sky by anti-air magic weapons.

Night Haven was checking out Zonk's leg as we spoke then said “Ya Anti-air magic was Stormwalker's idea of fun. I have seen her cook so many ponies with it that the fortress is not going to get any help from the skies.”

Night Haven then popped Zonk’s leg back in place with a loud snap followed by Zonk Holding back a scream.

“Suck it up Zonk,” Frosty said between bits of food…from my portion followed by her saying “Night Haven you got some good medical skills.”

Night Haven smiled then said “Thanks but this isn’t a perfect fix but should be enough to get all of us to the fortress,” as she started putting Zonk's leg in a splint to help leg heal and help with limp till we could get back to the fortress.

“The path we all need to take is risky. tomorrow and if something happens to me you all need to know ahead of time,” Zonk said before pulling out a map.

The map was of the local area but had some new details drawn into it clearly by Zonk themselves.

Zonk gave the map to me and I laid it out on the floor as Night Haven finished treating Zonk's leg.

“First we need to go across Frozen Crystal lake. It was a wonderful natural wonder you know before the war. Then we will reach Crystal lake town. It is in ruins but no raiders should be there yet considering how risky crossing over the lake is.” Zonk said as they pointed them out on the map.

I held my hoof up and asked “Why not just go around the lake if it is risky?”

Zonk looked at me then said “because if we go around we cannot guarantee the raider patrols are not watching the safe roots around it…also it will discourage them from chasing us with their trucks if they do see us.”

I look at the map and I figure they were correct but still risky as it can be like we have no clue if the ice is safe for ponies to cross ever.

“After that we will be on the other side of the mountain, meaning we can go through the settlement at the bottom of the mountain and be escorted up to the fortress by ARA ponies,” Zonk said.

We all nodded this was the best idea we could have right now then Zonk said “Who's going to keep watch as three of us sleep?”

Frosty got up and said “I keep an eye out, I've been sleeping in caves so I can.”

I was expecting Night Haven to object then Zonk and her argue but nothing was said as Zonk head off to sleep in one room by themselves.

Me and Night haven found a room to sleep in. I started setting my own spot to sleep as Night Haven started removing her raider armor and spiked hoofs.

I was off guard by her but got to finally see her cutie mark. It was of a Blood Bag used in I.V. transfusions.

My face must be a bit clear that her removing her armor caught me off guard because she said “If you want we can have sex if you like?”

I shaked my head and said “N…no i we…we basically meat like yesterday and making lov-” she cut me off with her hoof.

“I said sex not love,” She said.

I shaked my head no and looked away most because I felt part of me getting a bit hard and I rather not risk sending mixed messages here.

“Well it's your loss. Maybe next time big boy,” She said with a wink and lifting her tail high as she flashed me.

She set up her spot and fell asleep as for me i had to do something personal before i head to sleep.

I sneaked out of the room to avoid what i was about to do from waking Night Haven i walk passed Zonk’s room noticing a sound of a unfamiliar voice saying “odds are to low to happen.”

Opening the door slowly I saw a Zebra mare sleeping and talking in her sleep.

Zonk was asleep in the corner of the room away from the mare.

I slowly entered the room and I slowly started to sneak to Zonk to wake them then the mare said “No they will die if so.”

I will choose to ignore her talking for now because she has to be a raider who managed to sneak in here in a drunk or drugged up state.

I took notice of the Zebra mare. She had gray and white stripes but her stripes twisted in spirals along her body.

Once I managed to get to Zonk I reached to wake them then I was knocked out.

I was semi conscious as I felt myself being dragged somewhere and sat up.

I could barely see as pleasure grew around my crotch. I could not fully comprehend what was happening but I felt all my stress let go as an unfamiliar mare said “Hopefully that will make him think it was some type of dream,” last thing i heard was her spitting something out and before I knew it i passed out till morning.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading the next chapter likely going be higher quality. I got a friend helping me now with proof reading so chapters be better and possible faster depending on my inspiration.

Anyway thanks for reading.