Same Heart, Different Days

Chapters

Chapter 2 — Welcome to The Griffon Medical Unit
Chapter 1 — Promotion
Chapter 3 — The Olive Leaf Woods [Part 1]
Chapter 4 — The Olive Leaf Woods [Part 2]
Chapter 5 — The Olive Leaf Woods [Part 3]
Chapter 6 — Just To Talk

Chapter 2 — Welcome to The Griffon Medical Unit

Just as the sun came through the windows of the barracks, a loud horn blared and roused every soldier in the camp.

Rain opened his eyes and stared at the tall metal ceiling. As he got his wits about him, a twinge of sadness grew in his chest. This would be the last he’d be seeing of this ceiling for quite a while.

“Alright, soldiers! Time to wake up.” The familiar sound of the captain of the barrack was all the ponies needed to spring to action. Most were immediately able to slip out of bed and get to their hooves, while others needed a few moments to wake up. Within a minute, everyone was standing at the foot of their beds. The captain let out a satisfied hum, then nodded. “I want everyone up and ready in 15, alright?”

With a groggy “yessir”, the captain left the soldiers to their routine. Making their bed, freshening up, and a quick trip to the showers were all commonplace for the mornings. Though Rain had a bit of trouble, considering most of his things were all packed away in a small saddle bag.

After those 15 minutes passed, Rain returned to his bedside. Normally, he would report to Drill Sergeant Grills, but now he was to report to his normal scheduled unit. Since the decision was so sudden, there was a bit of a hiccup. Thanks to that, he spent one final day among the ponies of the barracks. But, as he stuffed his toothbrush, rag, and towel back into his bag, he was ready to leave it all behind.

“Officer Rain.” At the call of his name, his ears perked up and he turned around. Standing there was the captain, a complex look on his face. “I heard about your promotion. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, sir.” Rain stood at attention, showing the senior pony respect. They hadn’t had many opportunities to interact with each other, but he seemed friendly enough. He approached Rain, putting a hoof on his shoulder.

“Today’s your last day with us, right?” he asked. “Commander’s throwing you to the wolves? Well, there’ll always be a spot in my hall for ya.” He patted him a few times, then laughed. “If you come back in one piece, that is.” Rain narrowed his eyes.

“I appreciate that, sir.” He looked down at the duffel bag, then back at the captain. “I’m supposed to report to my new quarters soon, so if you’ll excuse me…”

“Oh, right.” He pulled back and turned around. “Keep yourself safe out there!” With another laugh, he was gone, leaving Rain and a few other soldiers alone in the building. Rain picked up his bag and slung it over his back. After adjusting to the weight, he followed after the captain and broke out into the open air.

The barracks were a huge part of the camp. Lots of rows of large, metal box buildings, positioned on each side of a large clearing near the north. One side was for ponies, and the other for griffons. Plenty of both were making their way down into the camp to report for duty. Instead, Rain made his way over to the opposite side.

“Barracks 13…” Rain recited. The instructions delivered to him the day before mentioned his new living quarters. Unfortunately, the numbering at the top of the buildings had long since faded away. “Guess I better ask some—”

“Hey.” Rain flinched. He hadn’t even noticed their approach until they were close enough to grab him. He whipped around and spotted the speaker. It was a griffon he’d never seen before, with rosy-red hair and feathers. Her colors started to fade as they reached her paws and wingtips, turning to a calm peachy pink. She raised her claw and Rain turned his attention back to her striking red eyes. “You lost?”

“Y-Yes, actually.” Rain chuckled, then pointed at the barracks next to them. “I’m trying to find Barracks 13, but the numbers are all gone. Any chance you know which one that is?” Instead of answering, the griffon stared back at him with a blank stare. After a long pause of silence, she pointed at him.

“You’re Grace’s guy, ain’t ya?” Rain blinked.

“Y-Yes, Grace is my mare friend,” he answered. “Do you know her?” Immediately her face darkened. Rain flinched from her intensity, but recovered as her face returned to normal. She took a deep breath, then completely changed her expression. Now, she was smirking as she thrust her talon behind her.

“It’s the one near the end, third to last.” She opened her wings, then took off without another word. Rain watched her fly off, speechless at the interaction. There was a lot to take in, but he didn’t have much time to dilly-dally. He made a mental note to thank that griffon if he ever saw her again, then went toward his goal. Silently, he hoped that the next griffon he came across was a bit less odd.

Now that he knew where to go, finding the right building was a cinch. Without wasting another moment, he made his way there, stopping at the front. After taking a deep breath, he stepped through the walkway and entered the building.

“Ah. You’re here. Finally.” Before he could take two steps, almost every eye left inside the barracks was on him. Some were at his side, about to leave for training. Others were deeper in, near their beds, and rearranging their things. The one that called to him was part of the former group, waiting with a scowl on his face. “You’re Rain, right?”

“Yes, sir,” called Rain, fixing his posture. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said nonchalantly. He walked around Rain and to the door. “Follow me, I’ll show you where you’ll be resting your head.” Though confused, he didn’t say anything and followed the order.

Back outside, the griffon led them further north up the camp. They were fast approaching the back wall when he finally saw it. His eyes went wide as he noticed why the captain had taken them outside.

“Here it is.” Near the rear wall of the camp was a small personal tent. Rain was familiar with them, as they’d sometimes have to pitch them on long marches. Through the flap, he could see a bedroll lying on the ground. “Thought you’d need something to hold your stuff, but it looks like you’ve got that all covered.”

“W-Why am I out here?” asked Rain. “Shouldn’t I be assigned a bed like the rest?” The captain snorted.

“Sorry, but we don’t have the space.” The captain jabbed his talon behind him, at the barracks. “And none of the other ones have space either, so don’t bother them about it.” He turned away with a smirk. “Take it as a learning experience.” Without another word, the griffon returned to the building. Rain wanted to call out and argue, but he knew it’d be useless. It wasn’t a mystery why he’d been placed here. Instead of wasting energy thinking about it, he turned and headed inside.

It was just as barebones as he’d thought from the small glance. A bedroll, stool, and small, portable magic lamp were all he’d been provided. At least it was relatively spacey for a single soldier. He looked over at his new home and sighed. As disappointed as he was, he couldn’t dwell on it for much longer. He had a new station to report to as well.

After wrapping the saddlebags around the stool (about as much security as he was going to get), he took off. His destination was one he’d passed plenty of times on his way to work for Crimson Cross: the griffon hospital. It was a large set of connected tents filled with medical supplies, beds, and anything else they'd need.

As Rain landed in front of them, he heard a deep voice muffled by the tent coming from the other side. With a few calming thoughts, he found the courage to part the tent’s entryway.

On the other side was a small group of griffons facing him, lined up and standing at attention. Between Rain and them was a single griffon that stood out from the rest. He turned to face Rain as he entered, giving him a full view of his features.

He was an older griffon with a pitch-black coat and beige head feathers like the color of wheat. One eye shone bright silver, like moonlight, while the other was a faded white. Rain guessed the cause was the scar running from his cheek up to his forehead. His gaze shot through Rain like a magic bolt. He stepped forward, freezing Rain in place with his presence.

“I assume that you are Rain Remedy.” Rain blinked, regaining his wits in an instant. He stood at attention, like the rest.

“Y-Yes sir.” Rain stumbled over his words trying to keep his composure intact. “Rain Remedy, reporting for duty, sir!” The griffon watched him in silence with a blank expression. After a few more excruciating moments of silence, he finally opened his beak.

“I am Gideon,” he said. “And you are late.”

“My apologies, sir.” He answered quickly. “I got lost finding my new quarters.” Gideon narrowed his eyes.

“Listen well, Rain Remedy. I am unsure of how you’ve carried yourself before now, but here, it will be different." He looked behind him, at the other griffons. "This is a group for elites. Not halfhearted whelps. I have no use for those who aren’t willing to become the best.” He returned his gaze to Rain. “I have no clue what the commander is playing at by sending me his problem children. But, there will be no tomfoolery here, understood?”

“Yes, sir…”

“Good.” He turned back to the crowd and pointed. “Join the group. I have an announcement you need to hear.”

“Yes, sir.” With a nod, Rain scampered to the back of the group, falling in line with the last row of griffons. Once he’d reached the back and stood like the others, Gideon spoke up again.

“As I was saying… Tomorrow will be the start of the camp’s Forest MilSim. As the camp’s only griffon medical unit, our attendance is mandatory.” Rain’s ears perked up. He’d heard of the military game in the past but assumed that it would have happened already. “This will be held over the course of two weeks, in which we will march to and from the site every day. Be prepared for those trips. That is all.”

As soon as those words left his mouth, the griffons turned around and began making their way into the tent. They moved like machines, never wavering from their goal or pausing in their actions. They mesmerized Rain until he felt a heavy claw on his shoulder. Turning to it, he met Gideon’s glare.

“Here is my first order for you.” Rain was still a little startled by his voice, but he forced himself to get used to it. “Today, you will observe. I cannot have the team’s rhythm thrown off by an inexperienced troublemaker.”

“Yes sir, but…” Rain regained his confidence and spoke clearly. “What if there’s a wing injury? Shouldn’t I take care of them?” His face darkened, then took his claw off of his shoulder.

“You have your orders. Follow them.” He grunted. “Let’s see if following them proves too difficult for you.”

Without another word, he made his way to the back of the tent, exiting to a part further in. Rain watched him go in silence, an unsatisfied feeling building up in his chest. He dispelled those thoughts with a shake of his head.

“I already knew this wouldn’t be easy,” he said with a sigh. “So… let’s take this on the chin.” With a new pep in his step, Rain walked further into the tent, searching for a place he could follow his orders.

Though he was skeptical, Rain found himself learning a lot about the griffon medical unit.

In the beginning, it was nearly identical to pony medical proceedings. Someone would enter and be handled by a doctor tasked with that procedure. Several griffons came in for checkups, or to receive medical attention or advice. Everything moved smoothly.

The first thing he learned was how scarily efficient they were. Griffons were spending very small amounts of time here before returning to duty. The confidence behind their actions was no joke, either. It wasn’t like the ponies were lazy, but compared to these griffons, their work ethic seemed lacking. Rain couldn’t help but be impressed.

It took quite a while for a freshly wounded soldier to hit one of their beds. Dozens of scratches and cuts as a result of a hasty, sloppy landing. One of the griffons began working immediately, preparing bandages for the wounds. Rain watched as he was wrapped up quickly, with a firm tug on the bandages to keep them in place. His eyes went wide.

“Shouldn’t you disinfect it first?” He blurted it out without thinking and grabbed the attention of the pair. Too late to turn back, he continued. “And tying the bandages too tight can restrict his airflow, no?” The two stared at him without a word for quite a while. The doctor was the first to break eye contact, getting back to her work.

“There. If the pain gets worse, come back.” She replaced her gauze and then immediately returned to her prep work. The griffon slinked off of the bed with a wince, then turned to Rain.

“I’m no pansy, pony.” He turned away with a grunt. “Keep your beak in your own business.” With his tirade coming to an end, he made his way to the next tent, eventually leaving them completely. Rain watched him as he went, noticing his limp and small flinching with each step. He turned back to the doctor in time to catch a side eye before she returned to work.

The second thing he learned about these griffons was their stubbornness.

As he had during his entire stay here, he took the experience into himself and kept calm. It wasn’t like he could blame them for being cautious around him. He hadn’t done anything to prove that he was any different from the ponies they’d come to know.

Rain retreated to the small space he’d made for himself. Like the other griffons, Rain hovered around a medical cart alongside a bed. These seemed a little barebones compared to the ones he was used to working with. With only a few basic medical supplies, it was a miracle that these griffons were as well practiced as they were.

As he set off to organize his cart for the twelfth time that day, he heard a loud swoosh of the tent flapping behind him. He paid it no mind since a griffon passing by was a common occurrence. What he did pay attention to was a few taps on his shoulder. Turning around, there was a new griffon there. A griffoness with a bright expression.

“Hello.” The griffoness greeted him with a bright smile that caught Rain off guard. Even a normal greeting was enough to take him by surprise, it seemed. He cleared his throat and responded.

“Yes, hello?” he asked. “Erm… can I help you?”

“You’re Grace’s guy, right?” Being asked that by two different griffons in one day was odd for Rain. Ponies normally pointed and stared, or paid him no mind. “Um… Robin?”

“I’m Rain Remedy, yes,” he said, smiling back. “Can I help you?” His eyes flicked off to the side for a bit before returning.

“Sarge says I gotta get a checkup,” she said with a chuckle. “And I heard that you were gonna be here, so I thought I might as well, hehe.” Her eyes went wide, and she put her claw up to her face. “Oh, I’m Gianna, by the way. All my friends call me Gigi, though!” Rain blinked again. She was like a storm. He regained his composure, then cleared his throat.

“Um… nice to meet you, Gianna.” Rain put up his hoof as a meager defense. “But sorry. I’m not the person to go to for checkups. If you head in a bit more, you’ll find—”

“Aw, come on! Can’t you do a little checkup?” Gianna pushed through his sentence and approached him. There was little he could do to stop her from climbing on top of the bed next to him and stretching out. “It’s just me and you in here. Nobody’s gonna know.” As Rain checked behind him, he realized the other doctor had left. He turned his attention back to Gianna and nervously chuckled.

“I guess I can do a quick checkup if you’d like.” Rain hummed as the words left his mouth. Somehow, he knew that fighting her wouldn’t be very fruitful. The best thing he could do was quickly get this over with. Besides, he couldn't deny that he was getting a bit sad to be of no use. “But you still have to check in with your normal doctor after this. There’s a procedure for this kind of stuff.”

“Fine by me.” She grinned, then sat still atop the bed. Rain picked up a stethoscope.

“I’ll start by checking your heart rate for any irregularities.” As he spoke, he lifted the metal up to her chest, feeling around for the strongest heartbeat reaction. “Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary when you’re training? Any chest pain or unnatural spikes in heart rate?”

“Uh, no? Don’t think so.” She chuckled. “Can I ask you a question, doc?” Rain perked up. It was nice to be called a doctor after so long.

“Sure. Go ahead.” She chuckled again, then narrowed her eyes.

“How big are you?” Rain froze in place. Looking up, he noticed her eyes were shining with excitement. “They say that griffons have better stamina, but you ponies are huge!” Rain paused.

“Um…” His brain started moving slower than normal. “I… I don’t understand?” Gianna mimicked his confusion as if she didn’t understand what he was confused about.

“I’m talking about your dick, obviously.” Again, Gianna chuckled, sending a shiver right down his back. “So what is it? 12 inches? 13!? That’d be crazy!”

“I don’t think this is… appropriate.” Rain pulled the stethoscope from her chest and placed it on the cart again. Giana looked down at him with a pout.

“It’s a medical question!” she whined. “Alright, how about this? How do you ponies jerk off?” She raised her claws and showed them off. “Us griffons make do with what we got, but it’s not exactly the best. You’ve got no clue how many times I’ve poked myself on accident trying to get a little relief—”

“This checkup is over.” Rain turned to the cart and began organizing it again. “Please report to your proper doctor, please.”

“Aw, c’mon!” she whined again. “It was a joke! I won’t do it again!”

“Please, I need to get back to this.” He could hear her growl behind him, but he ignored it. What he didn’t hear was Gianna budging an inch. “Listen, if Gideon sees you here, we’ll both be—”

Suddenly, there was a sharp, thin feeling near his flank. It slink behind his tail and down to his crotch before he reacted out of instinct. His hind hoof reared up and bucked, making a loud clattering noise as his hoof collided with the bed.

Gianna let out a yelp but managed to catch herself before crashing to the floor. But, before he could turn to check on the state of things, the curtain flipped open. First came the griffon doctor who’d left earlier. After her was Gideon who didn't look too pleased. Rain froze in place as their eyes met.

As he scanned the scene, Gianna landed on the ground. A quick glance at her revealed that Gideon’s harsh glare intimidated her as well. After a few moments, he closed his eyes and sighed.

“You know… I believed that you were at least capable of at least doing nothing.” He opened his eyes. “But it seems that following simple directions really isn’t a part of your skillset, hm?”

“A-Apologies, sir.” Rain’s ears drooped, and he bowed his head. Excuses wouldn’t take him far here. He had to show his sincerity as best as he could. “I… overreacted and lashed out in surprise. This is my fault.” Gideon didn't respond. Instead, he turned his attention to Gianna, who was standing behind Rain.

“A doctor has been waiting to see you for your checkup,” said Gideon. “Do not keep them waiting.” Gianna’s eyes went wide.

“Y-Yeah, I-I mean, yes sir! Sorry about that!” Immediately, she sprung into action, heading toward the curtain Gideon just left. Once she was gone, he once again focused his glare on Rain.

“You. Follow me.” He turned on his paw and headed through a curtain. Rain scrambled to follow behind him.

They walked for a bit, passing by griffon doctors and patients in a hurry. A few even spared them glances. Soon, they reached an isolated section of the hospital far from the hustle and bustle of the main rooms. An office, complete with a desk and inkwell with paperwork stacked high. Gideon took his spoke on one side and sat down on the cushion there.

“Sit.”

Rain did as he was told, taking a spot across from the desk. There wasn't much else to focus on. The desk and a magic lamp were all the furniture around. As he looked around, Gideon stared at him with ferocity. Rain could feel the sweat dripping down his forehead as the silence dragged on. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Gideon spoke up.

"Your orders." He tapped the desk in a rhythm. "What were they?"

"To observe, sir."

"Why did you disobey them?" Rain gulped.

"I have no excuse for—"

"Give me one." Gideon's tapping picked up speed. "Anything." Rain blinked in surprise, then gathered himself.

"I wanted to be useful," he answered. "I want to show that ponies and griffons don't need separation. That I can be just as effective as a griffon medic." Rain looked up and met Gideon's gaze. "Sir." Gideon's tapping stopped.

"A personal conviction, yes?" he asked. Before Rain could answer, he followed up with another sentence. "Is this the same conviction you had that day, Rain Remedy?"

"Huh?" Gideon grumbled.

“If I’m not mistaken… I have you to thank for patching up one of our own in the last full-scale battle.” Rain’s eyes widened.

“That was me, yes.” Rain spoke slowly, careful not to say something to dig his hole deeper. "And... yes. I believed that Grace being a griffon didn't matter if she needed help." Gideon hummed at his answer.

“As you could probably guess... I was also present that day.” He lowered his gaze, and his tone shifted. “Hearing of Gael’s death sent my team into disarray. There was no one who could deal with that griffon’s injury with any degree of confidence.”

Rain pursed his lips as Gideon spoke. This was the first time he’d heard the deceased medic’s name. Though it wasn’t much, Rain felt compelled to bow his head in respect.

“When she suggested that she’d seek help from the ponies, I was against it, but had no way of stopping her." Gideon looked up again. "Thankfully, she met someone willing to help.”

“O-Of course I’d help!” he responded. “She’d be crippled if I did nothing.” Gideon put up his claw again, stopping his words.

“I’ve heard the story many times. For that, I am grateful,” he explained. After a short pause, he narrowed his eyes. “But… you disobeyed direct orders with your actions.”

“Yes, that’s true, but—”

“Let me finish.” Rain quieted down and Gideon continued. “The outcome this time was good. But allowing someone who breaks rules like you did invites disaster. This time, it was a minor infraction, and you happened to save a life. Next time, it may be major, and you could endanger lives instead.”

He looked down at his desk once more with a complex expression on his face. Rain wasn’t sure, but thought he could see his scarred eye twitch.

“The rules are there to protect. They are there to guide. Should you show no respect for them... there will be nothing but death in your future.” Gideon tapped the desk again, regaining his composure. “I cannot... will not allow a rule breaker to run rampant in my unit.” Rain pursed his lips and furrowed his brow. “Am I under—”

“But… what if the rules are wrong?” He shook his head and collected his thoughts. “I know my actions have consequences for those around me. But… It's my belief that everyone deserves a chance to be saved. No matter if they’re griffon, pony, or anything else.” Gideon looked up at him, his gaze piercing Rain’s own. Rain kept firm, and continued. "The current rules do not allow this."

“You'd break the rules to push your own personal convictions?” Gideon gripped his claws together. “Nothing but foolishness.” Rain bit his lip.

"If being a fool is necessary to bring about equality, then I will be that fool." Rain's eyes burned with conviction. Gideon's glare seemed scary, but backing down here frightened him much more.

For a long while, the two sat in without exchanging a word. Yet… something was different now. The way Gideon stared at him wasn’t in annoyance or fatigue. Behind his eyes, he could see the inner workings of the old griffon’s mind. His words were turning gears. Gideon hummed wistfully and closed his eyes shut.

“Naive optimism…” Rain almost couldn’t believe his eyes as he saw the corners of his beak turn up with a smile. “Is something I haven’t seen in a long, long time. It’s… a bit refreshing, really.” As quickly as it appeared, his smile dropped, replaced by his signature frown. “You are a fool, but… your determination isn’t something I can just ignore.” he raised his claw and waved him away. “I’ll be keeping my eye on you from now on, Rain Remedy.”

“O-Oh, yes! Yes, sir!” Rain excitedly got up from his seat. Gideon grumbled.

“Ah... One more thing before you go.” He pulled out a part of his desk and started sifting through folders. “The griffons of this unit saw Gael as a brother. Petty words and vague ideals such as yours won’t be enough to get through to them. You’ll need results.” Finding the folder he was looking for, he placed it on the table. “From now on, you’ll be in charge of everyone in this folder, got it?”

Rain’s eyes widened, and he pulled the folder off of his desk. He flipped through it quickly, spotting a few familiar faces among others. Grace! Gianna… and the pony he’d met earlier with the red feathers named Gina. Rain looked up with a sheepish grin.

“Um… is it possible to have Gianna removed from here?” He chuckled nervously. Gideon’s glare made the answer quite clear.

“Hard times breed better griffons, little pony.” He chuckled darkly. “Or at least, that’s what my father used to say. Now scram.” Rain sighed, then nodded his agreement.

He left the office in a hurry to avoid any potential wrath he might have faced. As he made his way back to his station, his mind raced a mile a minute.

Gideon was different than he expected, once they sat down and spoke. Rain could feel his words have an effect on the old griffon. In fact, it almost felt like he was telling something to someone who already knew all about it.

Once he returned to his post, he placed the folder down on the tray. Despite the awkward situations sure to arise, Rain couldn’t help but feel giddy. Now that Gideon had given him a fair shake, he was more than excited to prove himself soon.

The sun was still out as the day came to a close for the medical unit. Gideon called every griffon on duty up to the front for a closing talk, before sending them on their way. As intimidating as he was, Rain could feel the connection he felt to his team, and the trust he placed in each member. Rain stuck out like a sore thumb but silently vowed to do his best to fit in soon.

Now, he was making his way back to his quarters. Thankfully, summer nights didn’t get too hot. Sleeping underneath the stars would be difficult, otherwise. For now, he was just off to retrieve his toiletries to shower and close out his day.

Heading past all the barracks, he realized just how isolated he was from the others. Out here, he could barely hear the buzz of movement and conversation in the barracks. It felt a little lonely, but the quiet was also comforting, somewhat.

As he closed in on his tent, a small rustling sound stopped him in place. His first thought was that an animal had somehow gotten into the tent. Yet, the figure's shadow revealed that it was much bigger than that. Rain cleared his throat, then called out to it.

“Anyone there?” he asked. The silhouette stopped in its tracks. Rain gulped, then called out again. “Erm… Sorry, but this isn’t an open tent. It’s where I’m meant to sleep.” The figure reached for the tent’s entrance and parted it. As soon as Rain spotted the golden feathers poking out from the entrance, his unease faded. “Oh! Grace?”

“So it’s true.” She leaned out enough to show her face and looked at Rain with a frown. “They really kicked you out of the barracks.” Rain chuckled nervously.

“Y-Yeah. They said that they didn’t have room for me, so there wasn’t much I could do.” Grace looked at the ground with an annoyed glare. Rain approached the tent, ducking inside to have a seat next to her. “At least there’s plenty of privacy here, right?”

“Hmph.” Despite her dissatisfied expression, Rain couldn’t help but smile as he sat across from her. The two of them could barely fit on the bedroll, but, sitting across from Grace gave him a fuzzy feeling. “How was your first day?” Rain hummed.

"Odd... I guess that's the best way to put it," said Rain. "Let me tell you about it."

As the sun continued to fall, Rain recounted the details of his day. The more he spoke, the more invested Grace seemed. He would have never guessed that having a conversation could feel this refreshing.

“—but he told me not to do anything. Just to watch.” Rain raised his hoof. “And I did for a while, but I knew that I should at least get somewhat familiar with the job if I was going to be there for a while.” Rain rubbed his chin. “But as I was getting myself set up, a griffon decided to come to me for a checkup for some reason.” Grace raised an eyebrow and spoke up.

“A checkup?” As soon as he heard her concern, the events came back to him like a cold wave. He pursed his lips and froze up, something Grace didn’t miss. She narrowed her eyes. “Who was this?”

“A griffon named Gianna,” answered Rain. “But she wasn’t hostile or anything? She was just… a bit weird.” Despite insisting on it, Grace still didn’t seem convinced. Her gaze narrowed even more.

“What happened during the checkup?” Rain hummed.

“She asked me some… inappropriate questions,” he answered. “Like how uh… big I was and how I masturbate.” He shook his head. “After I refused to answer she tried to… feel me up a bit.” Rain’s eyes widened as he realized Grace was clawing at the dirt.

“That bitch,” she growled. “I’ll fucking kill—”

“Wait, wait, it’s okay!” Rain put his hooves on her shoulders, grabbing her attention. “T-There’s no need to go that far. I’m okay, and I’ll be more vigilant! I'll make sure that nothing happens from now on.” His words seemed to have some effect on Grace, whose expression softened again. Her face returned to normal with a sigh.

“Okay. I trust you.” She nodded her head. “But tell me immediately if anything like that happens again, okay?” Rain smiled, which seemed to put her at ease once again.

“Of course. You’ll be the first to know.” He pulled his hooves back from her shoulders. In the next moment, a thought crossed his mind. Without thinking about it, he opened his mouth. “Um… Grace?”

“Yeah?” Rain gulped. He couldn’t really turn back now.

“Those questions were inappropriate, but they did make me realize something. Do you… hmm… how do I ask this…?” He felt the heat rising in his cheeks as he raised his hoof. “ Erm… does it hurt to masturbate?” Grace’s eyes widened and he could feel the embarrassment creep along his body. "A-As a medical question, of course!"

Rain felt a little lame using the same excuse Gianna did, but it helped to justify asking. Instead of responding, Grace leaned back as far as she could, until her back hit the walls of the tent. Steadily, she opened her legs, giving Rain a full closeup of her pussy. With her talon, she pressed against her clit, then took a sharp breath.

“If I sharpen my claws, I might, but… I only do this sparingly anyways.” She rubbed herself along the length of her lips, then returned to work on her clit. As he watched with bated breath, Rain could see her begin to shake. “Come on, now. I don’t want to be the only one exposed.”

“O-Oh, right.” Rain hurried to get into position before exposing himself. He was at half chub just from watching her and after a few strokes of his hoof, he was standing as straight as an arrow. The pleasure began to build, and he took a deep breath. Grace giggled as he reached full mast.

“How big are you?” she asked. She ran along the line of her lips one more time before pushing past them with a small moan. “To think something like that even fits inside that sheath, let alone me.” Rain laughed nervously, then began stroking.

“Well, I haven’t measured it in a while, but… I think it’s about 15 inches?” He took a deep breath. “I’m not sure if that’s big or not… I don’t have anyone to compare to.”

“It’s more than big enough for me.” Grace slipped another talon in, letting out a sweet, low hum. “Do you know how much you stretch me out when you put it in? It drives me crazy.” Rain can feel goosebumps form along his coat and his dick twitched.

“S-Sorry,” murmured Rain. Grace giggled again and picked up her pace. A thin stream began to leak out of her.

“Don’t apologize. I love it.” Rain twitched as a jolt of pleasure traveled up his back. He quickened his strokes, just as Grace had. She let out a long, flighty moan, and craned her head back. “Mmm, Rain…”

“Huh?” he called. Grace looked at him in silence for a few moments, a faint blush blooming on her face.

“Kiss me.” Rain’s eyes went wide, while Grace’s narrowed. “Like ponies do… I want to try it.” Rain gulped, then nodded his head in agreement.

He leaned in until he hovered only an inch away from Grace. Rain looked deep into her eyes, finding an overwhelming feeling of passion behind them. She closed them as he approached, patiently waiting for him to make his move.

Rain pressed his muzzle to her beak, then pecked it with a kiss. His heartbeat rocketed as he pulled back and Grace opened her eyes. Judging by the redness of her face, her heart was in a similar place.

“W-Wait.” She blinked a few times. “One more time. I was too nervous…” Rain nodded, then went in again. He kissed her a bit further up her beak, then withdrew once more. This time, her spare foreleg wrapped around his back and kept him in place. “One more time… for good measure?”

Before long, the two started to lose themselves. Grace pulled him in, wrapping around him with her entire body. Her talons down below hadn’t stopped going for a second. Rain’s erection was stuck between his stomach and Grace’s warm, soft chest feathers. He moved his hips a little bit, mimicking the stroking he’d normally do with his hoof.

But neither paid themselves as much attention as they did the other. Rain delivered kiss after kiss on Grace’s beak, eventually moving to the rest of her face and neck. He nuzzled into her, savoring her warmth and size with his entire being. Only after he felt a familiar heat bubbling up in his lower half did he pull away.

“G-Grace,” he called, panting. “It's coming...” With a small grunt, a thin jet of cum shot past them both, landing on the ground between the bedroll and the tent. Rain pulled away to get as little of it on Grace as possible, but the damage had already been done. “Uh, s-sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.”

“It’s okay,” she said with a small moan. She pulled her talons out of her pussy, stained with wet, sticky juices. She brought them up to her face, then looked at Rain. “Got something to clean up with?”

“Ah, yeah.”

Rain left Grace's embrace, then dove into his saddle bag. He’d completely forgotten that he meant to only stop by for a bit to grab his stuff. Now that lights-out was creeping closer, he’d have to do it tomorrow. Grabbing his bath towel, he handed it over to Grace, who began to clean herself.

“Hey, Grace?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you taking part in the MilSim?” Grace looked up at him.

“Yeah,” she answered. “You’ll be there too, right?”

“Yup. Medical units are required to attend these kinds of things.” He paused for a moment, then looked up at Grace with a curious glance. “It’s going to get pretty hectic, so we might not be able to see each other much for a bit.” Grace handed him back the towel and grinned.

“I’ll make some time. No matter what.” Standing up, she flicked her tail back and forth, then waved a claw goodbye. “I look forward to seeing you out there…” Rain watched her leave with a wistful smile.

Silence returned to his tent, alongside a small wave of loneliness. The buzz of the barracks had dimmed significantly. Soon, the lights-out horn would blow, and all soldiers would need to go to report to their beds. Rain held up the towel Grace used, and held it to his chest. This way, he felt slightly less alone.

He laid down on his bedroll and closed his eyes. The exhaustion from the day came crashing down on him all at once. With little effort, he willed himself to sleep with thoughts of Grace taking over his dreams.

Chapter 1 — Promotion

“Soldiers! Ten-hut!”

Rain’s ears perked up as the sergeant barked the order. He looked around at the other soldiers, finding a similar sense of relief painted on their faces. He shakily got to his worn hooves, then began to fiddle with his helmet. Once he got it off and his light blue hair flowed down his neck, he trotted toward the voice who’d summoned them.

Despite summer coming in full swing, the day was cool. A nice breeze swept through his armor and brushed along his coat. As everyone lined up in rows, that breeze blew the fatigue they’d built up away. Rain took a deep breath, then turned his attention to the sergeant.

For a few moments, he stood in front of them without a word. He looked back and forth, meeting eyes with each soldier before he even opened his mouth.

“As many of you may know… today marks the end of your basic training.” The soldiers around him couldn’t help but let out an excited hoot or holler. but Rain kept quiet. “As such… today also marks the day you’ve become fully fledged soldiers. Your blood and sweat got you where you are now. It is my honor to have taught the Equestrian Allied Force's newest talent.”

Again, there was a small celebration. That sergeant had put them all through hell. The look of pride beneath their fatigue was genuine and earned. Even Rain held his chin a bit higher. With a loud clear of his throat, the sergeant once again got everyone’s attention.

“You leave here as soldiers, which means that you must uphold certain responsibilities.” He scanned the crowd with a stern look. “Failure to carry yourself in a manner befitting the force's finest will land you right back here.” Finally, he finished peering through the crowd. Rain did his best to look straight ahead, but the sergeant’s piercing gaze was impossible to ignore. “And you’ll find that I will not be as forgiving of mistakes on the second… or third go through. Do I make myself clear?”

“Sir, yes sir!” Rain joined the other soldiers in their confirmation chant. With a nod, the sergeant acknowledged their shout.

“Good,” he said. “Officer Rain, stay back. I have something to discuss with you. Everyone else, dismissed!”

A familiar sense of dread washed over Rain’s body. He tried his best to keep it from showing up on his face, but he was sure that at least some of it slipped through the cracks. A few soldiers around him looked on with pity or confusion, but none spoke up. Instead, they filed out of the fields to enjoy their freedom. As the door closed behind the last soldier, Rain felt the grip of the snake he was fighting tighten around his neck. With a deep breath, he approached the sergeant as ordered.

“Officer Rain, reporting.” The sergeant’s gaze was enough to break his spirit when he first arrived here. His training had made him somewhat resistant. Yet, instead of his usual intimidating aura, he greeted Rain with a rare smile.

“You seem quite tense, soldier. Why don’t you take the edge off?” He chuckled. “Don’t worry. You’re going to like what I’m going to say.”

“I-I see.” Of course, his words alone weren’t enough to put him at ease. Regardless, he tried to keep himself from seeming too tense. “What do you want to say?” The sergeant smiled again.

“The higher-ups wanted to see you.” Immediately, the tension returned, and the sergeant spotted it. He put his hoof up, then continued. “Relax, soldier. They've told me that they'd only like to reward you for your work.” Rain raised an eyebrow. On the day he was set to return from his punishment, he was to meet with the same people who’d punished him in the first place. There was no way anything they could offer him could be a reward.

“W-With all due respect, sir… what have I done to receive something?” The sergeant hummed as if he didn't know himself.

“It seems as if your former superior officer had a chat with the commander.” Rain’s eyes went wide. Being removed from the medical team meant he hadn’t seen Crimson Cross for months. “As I understand it, Cross wants to apologize. So, you will be offered a reward.” He raised his hoof again, this time pointing behind Rain. “You’ll find them in the central meeting room.”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

With a grunt and a wave of his hoof, the sergeant dismissed him. Without a second thought, he turned away and trotted toward the gate. After opening it and stepping into the camp proper, a new sense of relief washed over him. Though the grip around him was still tight, he could at least spread his wings a bit further, now.

“Oh. There you are.” Surprised, Rain turned to the side of the gate, finding a familiar face there. Behind a set of piercing yellow eyes, he spotted a twinge of worry. “I saw everyone else leave a bit ago. Thought they might have been keeping you there for some dumb reason.”

“Hey, Grace.” The worry from before fizzled out, replaced by a comforting warmth. She approached him, rubbing her body against his. Even her tail draped over his back. “Sorry about the armor…”

“I don’t mind.” She lifted her claw and placed it over his hoof. “I haven’t seen you all day. I want to indulge in you a little bit.”

“Hahah. Fair enough.” Rain leaned into her embrace. Her toned body gave him a sense of comfort and security he rarely felt elsewhere. Even a few moments with her was enough to make any worries fly away.

“How was your last day?” asked Grace. The question reminded Rain of his summons. He sighed, then shook his head.

“I’m glad that it’s finally over. No muscle pains for a while will be a godsend.” He pulled away from Grace enough to look her in the eye. “But it doesn't look like I’m free yet.”

“What do you mean?” The worry returned to her eyes. Rain chuckled, then placed a hoof on his chest.

“The commander asked me to meet him after my drills.” Immediately, he could feel her tense up. “It’s nothing bad, or so they say. I'm being offered a reward as an apology for Cross' poor treatment of me.” As he expected, Grace raised an eyebrow.

“They don’t seem like the type to apologize,” she grumbled. Her claws dug at the dirt underneath them. “Why won’t they leave you alone?” Rain moved his hoof from his own chest and placed it on Grace’s. Just this small gesture seemed to calm her down.

“It’s alright. It doesn’t matter what they say or do.” The worry behind her eyes wavered a bit, but it was still very noticeable. It took Rain’s best smile to put her at ease. “If it’s for you, I’d go through training twenty more times!” He chuckled nervously. “L-Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, though…”

“I’m coming with you.” Grace backed away from him, her worry replaced by determination. “I’m not letting those guys do whatever they want.” Just as her hug did moments ago, her words gave him a sense of comfort. He smiled again.

“I’d be glad to have you there,” he responded. With a hoof, he pointed in the direction of the locker room. “Let me get out of this armor first, though.”

With a nod, Grace fell in line with Rain’s stride, and the two made their way to the locker room.

As they walked through the camp, Rain felt the wayward glances of the ponies and griffons they passed. He wasn’t sure if he was attentive, or if those around him just did a poor job of hiding it. Some looked with disdain, an emotion Rain had gotten very used to as of late. Most glanced as they walked by, before returning to whatever they were doing. But, there was also a different kind of glare. One he had no explanation for.

“Rain.” He looked up to Grace at the call of his name. “Have you been… approached by any griffons recently?” He shook his head.

“No…” he answered skeptically. “Approached how?” Grace hummed.

“If you don’t know what I mean, don’t worry about it.” She turned to those they passed, no doubt showing them her most intimidating glare. “Just… be careful around other griffons, okay?”

“Alright…” he hummed his agreement. Curiosity threatened to get the better of him, but he decided to keep his questions to himself for now. Thankfully, they reached the locker room before any awkward silence could fester.

Rain walked in alone, and quickly made his way to the clerk’s desk. As he approached, he had already begun removing his armor. He was almost finished by the time he reached the counter. He pulled the helmet he had hanging from his side up and onto the table, then slipped out of the rest of the armor.

As quickly as he’d entered, he was back outside, feeling much less constricted than before. He took a deep breath and waved his tail back and forth. Grace looked him up and down, a curious hum escaping her lips.

“You look stronger.” Grace pressed her claw to his back and glided over it, feeling his newly defined muscles. “I should take you as my new sparring partner.” Rain’s eyes went wide.

“I don’t think I’m your equal yet…” He chuckled nervously. Grace’s eyes narrowed, and she leaned in closer.

“We can start slow by testing your stamina.” Rain felt the heat build up in his cheeks. The feeling behind Grace’s eyes was unmistakable. Her passion made his heart flutter a bit quicker. “Let’s leave that for later, though.”

“Y-Yeah,” he agreed. “Don’t want to leave the commander waiting… he’s already not very happy with me.”

The walk to the central command center was just as short as the first one. This time, though, Grace kept her attention on Rain. She walked so close to him, he could feel the heat coming off of her feathers. Her tail flicked back and forth, brushing up against his back and flank. The words from before echoed in his mind. It looked like he was in for quite the wild ride tonight…

But eventually, his focus returned to his surroundings. Standing in front of the command center, he took a deep breath. After a brief sideward glance at Grace, he pushed open the doors to the building and walked in.

Not much had changed since he’d last been here. The front entrance was an open area with several doors leading to different areas. Near the back wall was the front desk, attended by a secretary pony muzzle-deep in paperwork. Behind him were two giant doors on either side leading to the auditorium for meetings. Rain took another deep breath, then approached the desk. The secretary briefly looked up to see the two, before returning to his work.

“Hi, we’re here to see the commander?” Almost before he finished speaking, the secretary raised a hoof, pointing to the right. A long hallway with several doors on both sides.

“Down there, second-to-last door on the right.” Rain nodded his thanks, before following her instruction. As they neared the appropriate door, he took another deep breath to calm his nerves. Grace put her claw on his back again, helping a bit.

The two stopped in front of the commander’s room. A large wooden door with an ornate golden plaque with his name on it. After clearing his throat, Rain raised his hoof to the door and rapped against it. There was silence for a while before a muffled voice called from behind the door.

“Come in.” Rain pushed the door in, stepping into the cool air of the office. Like the entrance, against the back wall was a desk stacked high with papers and supplies with a pony behind it. He looked up as Rain stepped inside. “Ah, Rain Remedy. You took our time.”

Wildfire Brigade, commander of the camp. Rain had seen him in passing a few times. He even came face to face with him before. Yet, this was the first time he'd gotten a proper look at him. The older officers say that he was once a perfect soldier, racking up accolades left and right. As of late, he’d gotten cozy with his laid-back lifestyle. His toned and lithe body was now pudgy and wide. Still, his eyes and hair burned red and orange as his namesake implied, with a bit of gray mixed in.

“Apologies, sir.” Rain stood at attention, attempting to keep himself as proper as possible.

“The commander doesn’t have all the time in the world, you know?” Rain turned to the speaker, finding a smug grin belonging to an old acquaintance. Crimson Cross had propped himself near the edge of the desk and joined the commander where he stood. “Don’t you think you’ve… wait.”

“Grace, reporting.” Grace took her place beside Rain, a blank expression on her face. Cross furrowed his brow.

“Only you were summoned, Officer Rain,” grumbled Cross. Though he kept it hidden well, Rain could still see the anger rising on his face. “Is... this why you were late?”

“Well, let’s not get too hung up on the unimportant details.” The commander cleared his throat after speaking, then eyed the two down. “This might turn out for the better, actually. Having a griffon here might make this easier.” Cross looked as if he wanted to object, but decided against it at the last moment.

“Understood.”

“Good. Now then, let’s talk.” He approached Rain. “Do you know why you’re here, Officer Rain?”

“I was told to expect a reward, sir.”

“Ah, then you’re well informed.” He smirked. “After talking it over with Cross, we’ve decided that your current position… isn’t exactly right for you. We believe that you deserve a promotion.” Rain’s eyes widened and his focus faltered.

“A p-promotion?” he asked. “S-Sir.”

“Yes, a promotion... I've been told that the search for a griffon wing specialist hasn't gone well since the last one was KIA.” He turned to his side. “Cross has briefed me on your actions during that battle. Overlooking your blatant rule-breaking, he was… inspired by your skill.” Rain’s eyes widened. He could already see where this was going. “And so, until further notice, you will serve as the griffon medical team wing specialist.”

All types of emotions ran through his head all at once. Surprise, at the commander’s praise, excitement at the new opportunity before him. Fear, at how easily he’d been promoted. What could the catch be? He instinctively looked over to Grace, who turned to look at him. He blinked a few times before returning to attention.

“T-Thank you for this opportunity!” He called. The commander hummed, a hoof scratching his graying beard.

“As a member of the griffon’s medical team, you’ll need to be relocated.” He hummed again, then continued. “Your quarters need to be empty before Noon tomorrow, understand?”

“Yes, sir, but… where will I be going?” Cross chuckled.

“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked. “If you’ll be working with the griffons, you’ll have to sleep with them, too.” Rain wasn’t sure, but he swore he could see Cross’ eyes flicker over to Grace for a brief moment.

“New sleeping quarters have been arranged for you,” said the commander. “If it’s up to par… I cannot say.” He cleared his throat again, then looked back at the pair. “In any case… I hope that you use this opportunity accordingly. Improve your knowledge. Perhaps you'll truly experience the relationship between ponies and griffons here.” With a chuckle, he walked behind his desk. “You may even learn a thing or two about them.”

“Yes, sir.” The commander hummed, then tapped his hoof against the desk.

“Alright, then. You’re dismissed.” With a nod of acknowledgment, Rain turned and made for the door. Behind him, he heard Cross’ dark chuckle but continued through without looking back. After he heard it close behind Grace, he finally took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

“That was suspicious.” Grace was the first one to speak up. Rain turned to her, finding a troubled expression on her face. “They wouldn’t just give you a promotion out of the blue. They’re planning something.”

“Agreed.” Rain nodded his head, then raised a hoof to his chin in thought. “This is definitely a trap, but... I can’t help but feel a little excited.”

“Why?” asked Grace. He smiled, then began walking toward the door, with Grace right behind him.

“I don’t have to come up with any excuse to see my mare friend anymore.” Grace’s eyes widened, and a small blush flooded her cheeks. Rain chuckled as he saw her flustered expression. “Besides, I already told you. They can send me through hell and back and I’d gladly do it if it was for you.”

“You’re a natural little flirt, aren't you?” grumbled Grace. She raised her claw, wrapped her foreleg around his neck, then pulled him in close. After hugging him tight, she sighed. “Just… be careful, alright? I don’t want to hear you’ve ended up like the last wing specialist.”

Rain hummed a somber tune. Being with Grace was almost enough to distract him from the reality of war all around him. It was nice to feel safe in her embrace, but it was important to remember how fleeting life could be. He raised a hoof and hugged her back.

“I promise.” Grace let out a satisfied purr, then let him go. “I’ll stay determined, not reckless.”

“Good.” She smiled at his answer. Her cute expressions never failed to make his heart skip a beat. “Now, I think a celebration is in order, no?”

“Hm?” Grace poked his chest with the back of her claw.

“You just got a promotion, even if it is shady.” She pulled her claw back, then jabbed one at her own chest. “Dinner’s on me tonight. Then after that…” She chuckled, lowered her voice, and narrowed her eyes. “I’m gonna rock your little world.”

“I-I see…” Rain chuckled nervously, feeling heat returning to his cheeks. He noticed the door in front of them and quickly trotted up to open it. After the two finally broke into the open air again, Rain finally responded. “I’ll have to pack my things soon, then. It shouldn’t take that long.”

“I have to report to afternoon training, so I guess we’re both busy.” Grace flapped her wings, then hovered off of the ground. She turned back to Rain, giving him another warm smile. “I’ll see you later, Rain.” She paused, then looked down at the ground. “Love you.”

“I love you too.” Rain returned the smile with full force. The warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest returned, stronger than before. With a final wave of her claw, she turned away and took off towards the training fields. Rain watched in silence as she melted in with the others heading in that direction.

He took a deep breath, then spread his wings as well. After taking off in a new direction, his mind began to catch up with the events of the day. A surprise promotion, a promise with his loved one, a celebration with his name on it. Even one of these was enough to make the pegasus’ day great.

But all the while, that nagging feeling returned. A cobra wrapped around his body, gripping his neck. Everything wasn’t as it seemed. It couldn’t be.

Rain shook his head, clearing his mind of those thoughts. He focused only on his route as he made his way in silence to the barracks near the top end of the camp.

“You’re looking pretty chipper, aren’t you?”

As soon as she heard the voice at her side, Grace’s smile dropped to a frown. She turned to it and glared, finding the smuggest grin imaginable staring back at her. She looked away, ignoring her friend’s clear provocations.

“Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cheese like that.” Georgina hummed in thought. “Rain must be one lucky griff… er, pony.” She chuckled. “Sorry, I'm still getting used to that.”

“Hmph.” Grace turned away from Georgina and continued walking. The warm colors of the evening sun began to wash over the camp. A cool summer breeze ruffled through Grace’s feathers. Around now, plenty of soldiers just like her were being allowed a bit of free time to themselves. Grace remembered the times when all she did was eat, shower, and look forward to tomorrow’s training. Now, as she made her way to the camp’s canteen, she enjoyed every moment of the summer afternoon.

“There, you’re smiling again!” Grace grumbled and returned her expression back to neutral. Grace raised her claw, balling it up into a fist.

“Shut up, or I’ll punch you.” Georgina raised a claw of her own in defense.

“I-I didn’t mean anything bad by it! Really!” She chuckled. “You look so nice when you smile!” Grace leered at her for a bit longer before dropping her fist. Georgina sighed in relief. “How’s it been going, by the way? Between you two, I mean.”

“It’s fine,” she answered. To avoid any more taunting, she looked at the ground, careful not to show her face. “I… like it. Having someone I can relax around, other than you.” Georgina huffed with triumph and grinned from ear to ear. “Hey, Georgina?”

“Hm?” Grace took a moment to form her question.

“I don’t pay attention to the gossip, so I wouldn’t know…” She paused to turn toward her friend. “But what have people been saying about us? About… Rain?” Georgina’s smile began to fall, replaced with a worried glance.

“Well… the normal ridicule and such,” she sighed. “You already know this, but your relationship is bound to rub some griffons the wrong way.”

‘Hmm.” Grace turned away and continued walking without a word. What others believed about her didn’t matter. What worried her were the glances she’d noticed pointed at Rain. Specifically... who was doing the glaring. She shook her head, then grumbled under her breath.

Before long, the canteen came into view. Soldiers flocked to the wide entrance from all over, all hoping to get a bite to eat before lights out. Thankfully, that wouldn’t be for another few hours.

As they got closer, Grace noticed a pair of ponies nearby the entrance. A pegasus with light blue hair flapping in the wind was speaking to a large stallion. He had a cream-colored coat and short, dark red hair.

"That's Rain, right?" asked Georgina from behind. "Know who he's talking to?" Grace nodded.

"A friend of his," she answered. Georgina furrowed her brow. "What's wrong?"

"Ah, nothing! I just thought it'd be the three of us." She hummed in thought. "You know I get a bit... cautious around ponies I don't know anything about."

"Hmm..." Grace nodded. "He seemed fine when I met him. I'm sure it'll be alright." Georgina changed her expression, replacing it with a friendly smile.

"Probably," she responded.

As they were speaking, they'd gotten close enough to hear their conversation. Neither seemed to recognize that they'd approached yet.

“—not sure, but I think it’ll be okay.” Rain was the first one they heard. He nodded with a smile. “I’m taking this chance to learn more about them.”

“That makes sense, I guess.” The other stallion reached up and scratched his chin. “Just be careful, alright? You’re a little too trusting of everyone.” Rain chuckled.

“You know, Grace kinda said the same… oh!” Rain’s eyes met Grace’s, and he descended to the ground. After landing, he stepped forward and grinned. “Speak of the devil.”

“Hey.” Grace returned with a smile of her own. “What were you two talking about?” Rain looked back at Front Line, who joined him at his side.

“The rumor mill has been working overtime,” he said with a sigh. “The news about my promotion and relocation has already spread through the camp.”

“I mean, I knew something was up when you were packing up all your stuff,” said Front Line with a chuckle. “Either you got canned or you were moving out.”

"Really glad it was the latter in this case..." he chuckled. His gaze wandered to her side, and his eyes widened. "Oh, hello! You must be Georgina, right?"

“Yep, that's me. Grace's friend.” She looked between the two ponies quickly, then nodded her head.

“Nice to meet you, Georgina.” Rain extended his hoof. She glanced at it for a few seconds before she carefully took in her claw. After a shake, Rain looked to his side. “I’m Rain, and this is Front Line.”

“Nice to meet another third wheel to these two lovebirds.” Front Line extended his hoof, and Georgina shook it as well. “It’s good you guys showed up when you did. I was starting to get hungry.”

“Food is always the number one thing on your mind, huh?” asked Rain, chuckling. “Well, since we’re all here, why don’t we head on inside?” All three gave some kind of confirmation before the group headed for the entrance.

After entering, Grace scanned the hall. There were tables laid out in a huge area, large enough to fit all the camp’s soldiers at once. A line had formed near the back where the kitchens and serving station were. To her left, there were griffons. Her right, ponies. There were a few that sat with the opposite group, but for the most part, the separation was clear.

The four got in line and waited. Though it was a long line, it never stood still. The staff behind the counters were getting people out in record time. Once they arrived, Rain got a deluxe salad and a muffin as his meal of choice. Though Grace tried to get him to splurge a little more, he insisted that was all he wanted.

After everyone had gotten their meal, they searched for a table. The edges of the cafeteria were packed, while the middle was much less sparse. They made their way to one, then put their trays down. Grace took her place right next to Rain while Georgina and Front Line took spots across from them.

“Hmm… this looks delicious.” Grace looked from her own plate to Rain’s. She could almost see the hunger radiating off of him. He turned to her and smiled. “Thanks, Grace.”

“It’s the least I can do,” she said, with a smile. “I never repaid you for fixing my wing, after all.” He hummed happily, then turned to his meal. He dug into the leaves, chewing with an elated expression. “Now that I think about it, they docked your pay, right? Have you been eating well?”

“Well, they couldn’t take that pay away from me, no matter how much they despised me.” He swallowed down what he chewed, then continued. “They were nicking a bit off the top each time, though. Said it was a reserve fund I’d get after I finished basic training. But I doubt they even remember that they gave me that excuse.”

“You... seem to attract a lot of attention, huh?” asked Georgina, slipping a strip of meat down her beak. “For the past few months, all griffons have been talking about is you and Grace.”

“I wish they’d mind their business,” grumbled Grace. Rain laughed.

“I’ve definitely noticed the stares,” he responded. “But it’s fine. I choose to believe that people are curious.”

“To be fair, there’s a lot to be curious about if you ask me.” Front Line, who’d been stuffing his face in silence until now spoke up. He wiped his mouth with his hoof. “I mean, do you two kiss? Since griffons have weird mouths and all.” Georgina's brow furrowed, which Front Line noticed. He pursed his lips. "Uh, sorry."

It’s fine…” Georgina cleared her throat. “Griffons don’t really show affection that way. We’re a lot more, uh… physical than sensual, like you ponies are.” Grace looked over to Rain, catching the beginning of a blush on his face. He cleared his throat.

“S-Should we really be talking about this at the table?” he asked. “Speaking of curiosity, though. Georgina, have you heard about my situation?”

“Not until earlier, no.” Rain calmed down as the subject changed. Something about the previous conversation stuck with Grace, though.

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll be working with the griffon medical team.” He frowned a bit, then looked down at his food. “It’s weird, but the commander also had me relocated to the griffon’s barracks, so I’ll be spending a lot of time there, as well.” Georgina raised an eyebrow.

“You’re with Gideon, then?” Georgina hummed, a clearly worried expression on her face. “He’s a tough cookie. Not exactly the nicest guy, even to other griffons.”

“I’ve had my fair share of those. I’m sure I can handle it.” Rain returned his attention to his plate, enjoying another mouthful of greens. “I know the commander’s got it out for me, but I think this is a pretty good opportunity to show that we don’t have to be at odds.” After swallowing, he put on a more serious expression. “Basically... this could be the start of a better relationship between us.”

The four fell into silence. Grace focused on her meal, mulling over his words in her head. It was a lofty goal, but looking at the fierce determination behind his eyes, Grace couldn’t help but believe it.

“Someone’s been reading a bit too much Power Ponies.” Rain flashed an exaggerated frown in Front Line’s direction, who laughed. “What, are you gonna try to change the world?”

“I think it’s nice,” said Grace. “At the very least, it’s a good mindset to have.” She raised her claw and placed it on Rain’s back. He looked at her, flashing a smile twice as bright as her own. Just that made her heart skip a beat. He returned to his food, savoring another big bite of leaves. Grace chuckled, then followed suit.

Just then, her nagging feelings and worries faded away into nothing.

Chapter 3 — The Olive Leaf Woods [Part 1]

The next morning was hectic. The sun crept over the horizon on the first day of the Camp’s War Game excursion. The rustling of gear echoed all around Rain as he fell in line with the soldiers participating in the event.

He’d read the briefing so many times, he could recite it from memory while half-asleep. The exercise would occur deep in the heart of the Olive Leaf Woods nearby. Well, nearby really meant 2 and a half miles out, taking them around an hour in total. Of course, Griffons and Pegasi could fly, but conserving strength was the name of the game here. So Rain, like every other pegasus, kept their wings closed for now.

He looked up from his hooves and surveyed his surroundings once more. All around him were the griffon doctors of the medical unit, with Gideon taking his position in the front. Surrounding them was a company of roughly 100 soldiers, all dressed in that shiny metal armor. Rain silently thanked Celestia that he didn’t have to lug around so much equipment. He was only responsible for a few medical supplies.

Next, he turned his attention away from the soldiers and off into the distance. They were treading through the dirt and grass of an open field. The dirt path leading down the hill from the camp was well-used. Carriages carried supplies from the capital using this road often. It was also how many battalions traveled when heading to the front lines. Today, they were taking a different path.

“Hey, it’s the doc!” Rain flinched as the familiar voice reached his ears. Once he met the bright-eyed smirk of a particularly rambunctious griffon, Rain grimaced. “Wow, what a face! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you don’t want to see me.”

“H-Hello, Officer Gianna.” She nodded at the call of her name and fell in line with Rain’s stride. “Is there something I can do for you? Unless you need medical attention, we’re not supposed to talk.” Gianna chuckled again, but her tone was a bit different. She looked down as she walked, a worried expression replacing her usual cheer.

“I heard you got yelled at by Gideon.” She looked ahead at Gideon’s back as she spoke. “That was… my bad. Sorry about that.” Rain’s eyes widened. His expression must have been something odd since Gianna frowned when she saw it. “Hey, I’m trying to be genuine here.”

“Y-Yeah,” murmured Rain. He shook his head. “I didn’t expect you to apologize. I’m more used to threats and curses, I guess.”

“Well, it was my fault, after all.” Her chipper expression returned as if it had never left. “All the griffons in my barracks told me that you were some kind of griffonphile. So I tried to shoot my shot, y’know?”

“Wait... huh?” asked Rain, eyebrows raised. “Why would they think that? Because I’m dating Grace?” Gianna lifted her talon and twirled it around.

“Gina’s the one who led the charge. I think it’s ‘cause you two are like, the first ones to ever do this.” The name rang a bell. It was starting to make sense why she noticed him the first time they met. “Anyway, I’m sorry. I’ll keep myself out of your hair. In fact, I’ll be rooting for you two!” She extended her claw out. Rain froze up at first, but relaxed once he realized her intent. “So… friends?” Rain looked at her claw for a bit in silence before shaking it.

“As long as you don’t ask any more inappropriate questions… sure.” Gianna smirked.

“Come on…” she said, nudging him a bit. “One or two won’t hurt.” Rain returned a smirk of his own.

“Grace was ready to take your head off after she heard what you did.” Gianna’s face twisted in shock, and she let out a nervous chuckle. “Unrelated question, how fast can you fly?”

“N-Not fast enough…” Gianna fell out of stride, falling back toward the soldiers behind them. “Better get back to my squad. See ya around, doc!” With a smile and a wave from his hoof, Rain returned to the fold of medical griffons. With the way they were glancing at him, some of them must have overheard his conversation.

The march continued without many more distractions. Soon, the trees of the forest came into view. Everyone perked up, eager to finally be able to rest under the shadowy canopies. The path continued and they reached their destination after a short walk.

“Soldiers! Attention!” A loud call came from the front of the pack, stopping everyone in their tracks. The call came after the last soldier stepped into a wide clearing in the forest. It was big enough to fit a group double their size. “Medical units, you have your orders! Everyone else, to your formations!”

“Let’s go.” Rain didn’t notice Gideon come up beside him, but acknowledged his order with a nod. With a flap of his wings, he broke free of the hectic mass of soldiers and made his way to a side path through the trees. A short glide later, the trees opened up again to a much smaller clearing than the last. As quickly as Rain’s hooves touched the dirt, a griffon had already gotten to work. On their back was a long tarp rolled up and secured with straps. Rain had seen something like it many times. “I want this tent up ASAP, understand? Then we’re to rejoin the soldiers for their briefing.”

“Yes, sir!” Rain still wasn’t accustomed to the solidarity of the unit, and was startled by their sudden shout. He almost followed after them late but settled for a nod instead. Without a word, he joined the effort to set up the tent.

It wasn’t a complicated design. Portability was the focus, so setting it up and taking it down was easy. As a pair of griffons lifted it into the air, Rain rushed to the side that wasn’t attended. The griffons watched him but said nothing. With a strong thrust, he stabbed the stake through the dirt and grounded the tent. A few taps with his hoof and it was secure. Once the tent was up, Rain set off to furnish the inside with the tools and equipment they’d brought.

The team was back in the middle clearing after five minutes. At that time, the company had already split. Rain noticed the one leading the charge, one of Commander Brigade’s lieutenants. They may not agree on much of anything, but Rain couldn’t deny her military ability.

“There will be ten squads of approximately five soldiers each per army. A predetermined leader will lead each squad. If you read your mission briefing, you know who you are.” They’d arrived in the middle of her speech and took a passive position near the trees. She acknowledged their arrival with a glance and a nod. “Each ‘general’ will have one week to build their army’s strength and teamwork. The following week, you’ll be battling against each other.” She narrowed her eyes and scanned both sides. “Take this seriously. Poor performance here reflects just as badly on you as it does on your army. Act as if the other side is changeling filth. Within reason, of course.”

As she spoke, Rain’s gaze wandered again. Now that she’d called them out, the twenty squads were easy to spot. A group of four led by a single soldier standing in front. All the teams were mixed, but the “generals” were ponies—one unicorn and the other an earth pony.

His eyes landed on a particular griffon. Stunning, even in armor, was Grace, standing in front of a group of four as a leader. Her group was balanced, with two ponies and two griffons. Rain tilted his head in thought. It hadn’t clicked in his mind how large she was in comparison to others. Even to the griffons on her team, her body was almost as big as a horse.

“Finally, there are medical teams on either end of this clearing. To the west are griffons, and to the east, ponies.” Rain returned his attention to the lieutenant commander as she addressed them. Across the way, the pony medical team was just coming through from their clearing. “If you're hurt, report to them immediately. They will also be patrolling from above in case you're rendered unable to move.” She raised a hoof and saluted the sky. “That will be all. Good luck, everyone!”

“Yes, ma’am!” The resounding shouts from the soldiers shook the forest. Unsurprisingly, the medical griffons kept quiet. Gideon turned away from the dispersing soldiers.

“Alright, everyone, let’s get ready.” He grunted. “Who knows how fast we’ll see an injury… Keep alert and everything should be fine.”

“Yes, sir!” Gideon turned to his side, finding Rain standing at attention. It was small, but Rain saw him smirk a bit before walking past. He watched his back for a bit before returning to the soldiers. Grace had already gone off with her general to run whatever drills they had planned for her. He wished her the best.

Next, he followed the griffons toward the tent, focusing on what was before him. This was the perfect time to show the others in the squad his worth. With a gleam in his eye and a grin on his face, he trotted toward the tent to begin his work for the day.

“Alright, soldiers, eyes forward. Although it’s temporary… I am your general. I will have you address me as sir.”

Grace kept her expression blank and her head straight as an arrow. It wasn’t hard. She’d listened to droning speeches from superiors before, but this was a bit different. A soldier with the same rank as her going on and on about his new authority only made Grace zone out more than usual.

Her eyes were much more active than the rest of her. After the lieutenant commander’s address, they’d retreated to a new part of the forest. Lined up like before, Grace could see almost everyone from all the squads. Georgina was lucky enough to dodge taking part in the MilSim, so Grace didn’t expect to see any friendly faces.

But, as she scanned the crowd, she found one. The big stallion that hung out with Rain often Front Line. He stood behind a much smaller unicorn leading his team. The scene was a bit funny, but Grace kept her amusement to herself.

“And so, to ensure the best chances of success, we’ll be doing this from the ground up. To be thorough and so I know exactly what I’m working with here.” The pony raised his hoof in a vague motion toward everyone. “Let’s start with weapons training. First, with your squadmates, then squad versus squad.” He turned away. “30 minutes, then we reconvene. Dismissed.”

“Yes, sir.” The call was more of a groan than a proper rally. With a glance, Grace could see how much this displeased the general. An annoyed grunt and a snappy turn later, he left the squads to themselves. He took cover underneath the shade of a tree to watch the action from afar.

Taking that as a signal to start, Grace turned around, facing her team. She reached for her side, withdrawing a gladius. A sword with a short, broad blade. She gripped the worn hilt fondly before turning to the rest of her team.

“I guess I’m supposed to lead you all.” She peered at the sides of each soldier. “Unsheath your weapons. We’ll do a little bit of warmup.”

Griffons usually had finer motor skills than the ponies. This meant they preferred more conventional weapons. One griffon wielded a sword like Grace's. The other wrapped their claw around the hilt of a flail, then reached for a small shield hooked on his back.

The ponies were a little more complex. The earth pony had an odd fixture on the side of his armor. A metal protrusion shaped like a ram’s horn. Earth ponies, with their superior strength, seemed to like these kinds of weapons. His metal horseshoes were certain to finish off any enemy not killed by his first attack.

“I have no clue what I’m doing here.” The one type of pony to have a better understanding of the sword than a griffon was a unicorn. This proved true when the final member of the team chimed up. With her magic, she unsheathed her sword, a thinner basket-hilt blade. She pointed it forward, the tip only a few inches away from Grace’s chest plate. She narrowed her eyes at her, and the pony responded with a smug grin. “How am I meant to improve here? Fighting those worse than me does nothing.” Grace raised her sword, pushing her blade away from herself.

“It looks like you have something to prove.” Grace looked at the other pony and griffons. Her gaze was all she needed to get the message across. They spread out, giving the two enough space to work. Grace took her stance, bent at her knees, then called her forward with a wave of her sword. “Come.”

With a grunt, the pony moved swiftly. She threw a quick swipe left that Grace backstepped. The follow-up was another quick stab of the blade. It brushed against Grace’s armor as she dodged, entering the pony's blind spot. Predicting a panicked swipe in her direction, she slipped behind her. She raised her sword into the air.

"Hmph!" To Grace's surprise, she showed patience and turned her body. She managed to deflect her downward swing. Grace retreated expecting a counterswing but found no follow-up. The weight of her strike almost made the pony's blade slip out of her magic grip. She retreated with a backstep, then stabilized her weapon.

“You’re not all talk, huh?” Grace readied her weapon again and the pony grumbled. Grace stepped forward, then shot forward with a wide diagonal cleave. The pony hesitated, fearing the same result if she tried to parry it. Her attempt to dodge would have worked if the strike wasn’t a feint to start. Using the force from her swing, Grace twisted her body and planted her back paw in her chest, kicking her back. With a loud clatter, she hit the ground. Grace jumped into the air, the tip of her sword pointing downward

“W-Wait!” The pony cried out, but it was too late. Grace came down on top of her with a loud clunk. She looked at the side of her head, where Grace’s sword stabbed deep into the earth. She pulled away from her, pulling her blade out with her. She slid it back into its sheath and looked down at the pony’s fallen body.

“You aren’t bad, but that pride will be your downfall.” She shakily got to her hooves, then looked down at her sword. “Soldiers like you train for years to die in seconds.” She glared at Grace without speaking but looked down in defeat after a few seconds. Grace examined the other soldiers in her squad one by one. “So… who’s next up?”

Despite the previous example she’d given them, they all stepped up to the plate as the unicorn did. Grace studied each of them as they crossed their blades.

The sworded griffon was very disciplined and cautious. It felt as if he was weighing every option during battle. It was impressive to see what he came up with. Unfortunately, that made him slow when opportunities arose. Grace was able to overwhelm him with feints and fast attacks.

The pony with the shoulder ram surprised Grace with his speed. Like her, he moved in a way that betrayed his frame and his weapon. His precision with the ram was good, but misses were fatal. More often than not, he'd strike only to almost fall over stabilizing himself. The extra weight had led to balancing issues.

The flail griffon was tricky, with no clear gaps in offense or defense. He was quick to respond to her attacks with his shield and almost disarmed her with his flail chain. His biggest issue was his stamina. He could barely swing his flail after only half a minute of work. Grace looked over him, and the other fallen soldiers as well.

“A good foundation, I guess.” She slipped her sword back into its sheath. “You'll make fine soldiers. If you keep working at it, that is.”

“Yes’m!” The sudden shout came from the earth pony, who quickly became the center of attention. His expression shifted to one of embarrassment immediately. “Uh, sorry… Ya just sounded like the sergeant, is all.”

“Mhm,” Grace hummed. She turned around to look around the rest of the clearing. “Call me what you want. This is all temporary, anyway.”

The other teams were beginning to wrap up as well. Some looked like they’d run a marathon in the desert. Others look like they didn't do much at all.

But while she gazed, her eyes locked with a particular griffon. Rosy-red coat and blood-red eyes. A familiar look that Grace couldn’t put a talon on. They stared at each other for a long while from across the clearing. Despite the distance, Grace kept her guard up. She didn’t even try to hide a bit of her hostility.

“Alright, squads, that’s enough!” The call of the general took Grace’s attention for a second. When she looked back, the griffon had already begun walking away. Once she left her vision, she returned her attention to the general. “Next, we’ll practice your teamwork.”

As the general spoke, the squads lined up like they’d done before. The general tapped his hoof against the terrain a few times, then looked along the line. With no rhyme or reason, he jabbed his hooves at two random teams, then beckoned them forward. With a bit of setup, the two teams stood across from each other with a significant distance between them. One team had three griffons and two ponies, one of which was the leader. The other had a griffon leader with four ponies.

“This is a spar, understood? I don’t want any lasting injuries. We’ll have to fight on the same side later, after all.” He cleared his throat. Lifting his hoof into the air, he looked between both sides.

The griffons pulled out their swords, though one wielded an axe. Some ponies had odder weapons, but they still looked plenty effective. The general’s hoof swiped down. “Go!”

Almost before the signal, the group of four ponies sprung into action. With two pegasi, an earth pony and a unicorn, they had varied attack timings. The pegasi reached first. One wielded a spear, while the other had a claw-like attachment strapped to their wrists. A griffon with a great shield stepped up to intercept them while the rest of his team took to the air.

Though the pegasi's attack got interrupted, it was far from over. They cut off the griffons in the air while their earth pony teammate charged into the fray. On their shoulder was a similar ram to the one Grace’s squad member used. He crashed into the wood with a thud, pinning the griffon in place with his strength.

The final pony on the team of four charged forward with a longsword. He was looking to cleave right through the pinned great shield wielder. In response, he pulled back, catching the earth pony off guard. Next, he slammed into the stunned pony, sending him crashing into the unicorn.

“Hmm…” Grace watched each team member individually. They were all skilled, but… there was a disconnect. On the battlefield, this would lead to chaos and confusion. Neither team leader seemed interested in leading a team full of the other race. Instead of a team fight, this came off more like a messy brawl.

“Alright, that’s enough!” The general's voice broke through the fight and grabbed their attention. After a short pause, the team returned their weapons to their sheaths and got back in their squads. Neither side looked too satisfied with the outcome. “Remember, this is only to get used to your team. They’ll be your comrades for the next two weeks, after all.” The general pointed at the spectating squads. The fighting soldiers returned to their ranks. “Alright, next!”

And so it continued for the next few hours. Each team had their time to shine for a bit before being called off. After a while, the general began to reuse squads. This was to make sure that everyone got a chance to fight everyone else.

Of course, that meant that Grace’s squad eventually met up with Front Line’s. He was part of a griffon-dominated team, but his size made him seem almost like one of them. He and his team fought well, but Grace’s aerial mobility gave her superior control over the skies. With no way to contest her and her team’s advantage, he was soon worn down and taken out.

More interesting than that, though, was the aftermath. Once they’d finished their scramble, Grace and her team made their way back to the line, as the other teams had. But, with a bellowing command from the general, they were ordered to stay put.

“I want to put you up against another team.” He scrolled through his options before landing on a particular squad. He raised his hooves and beckoned them forward. “Squad 5, come forward!”

By now, the squads had been assigned numbers for easy organization. Grace had memorized the teams by now thanks to it. And after hearing that number, she was immediately on edge. Stepping forward as a part of the fifth squad, was that red griffon from before. As they met face to face, Grace confirmed that the intensity of her glare hadn’t wavered in the slightest.

“Like before, we’ll control the skies. We have more air-ready soldiers than they do.” Grace withdrew her sword and the general raised his hoof. “Leave the red one to me.”

“Roger.” The hum of agreement came from behind her. Even the stubborn unicorn had come around. Grace gripped the hilt of her sword. Her claws dug deep into the earth.

As the general's hoof came down, Grace’s wings spread out, and she took off like a rocket. Despite her speed, at the apex of her jump, there was a spear-wielding pegasus waiting for her. He was one of the only two that could fly on their team. The red griffon joined them in the sky last. Grace wanted to focus on her, but the other soldier had another plan.

“Hmph!” With a grunt, the pegasus thrust forward with the spear. Though Grace deflected it, she couldn’t capitalize once he zipped out of her range. He thrust forward another two times, annoying Grace with peppered attacks. On the last thrust, she swerved to the side, then grabbed hold of the wooden staff. She yanked the weapon away from him, then charged at him with a tackle. Being knocked off balance made him an easy target. She spanked his helmet with the flat of her blade, rattling him and sending him crashing into the dirt.

“You really are good at this, huh?” Grace returned her attention to the speaker. The griffon, who didn’t raise a claw to assist her teammate, watched on. “Guess all those hours of training really helped you out.”

“And you are?” Grace tossed the spear to the side, then gripped the hilt of her sword. “You’ve been watching me all day.”

“A lot more talkative this time around, aren’t you?” Her face warped with a grin. “Guess it makes sense you don’t remember me, though. Miss Prizewinner can’t remember every small fry, right?” The odd nickname made her pause. Her eyes widened slightly as the realization came over her.

“Oh. You’re that griffon.” A vague memory returned to her. One when she was still injured. A pair of griffons approached her after she got awarded that medal. To the griffon's surprise, Grace smirked. “Gina, right? How’s your beak? Did you like the taste of metal from when you smooched that locker?” Gina's grin fell, replaced with a blank stare. She pulled out her sword, a gladius like Grace's, then readied herself.

“No,” she said plainly. “But you might. Let’s see if you do when I put my sword through that whore mouth of yours.” Grace grinned, then got ready as well. After a short pause, Grace shot forward, ready to cleave the griffon in half.

Gina dodged the horizontal slash, but not the follow-up head kick. She stumbled back but got her guard up in time to deflect Grace’s downward swipe. She retaliated with an upward slash aimed at Grace’s beak, but she sidestepped. Gina followed her movement with a sweep, but Grace stopped it before it could gain any momentum. She pushed her weight into the sword, forcing the griffon to defend.

“Doesn’t look like you’ve gotten much better,” taunted Grace. She pushed further, watching Gina struggle to refute her strength. “Is this your best?"

“F-Fuck off...” she groaned. She took a few deep breaths, then pushed Grace back. “H-hey… I heard your new boy toy is with the griffon medics now.” Immediately Grace’s playful expression dropped.

“What are you implying?”

“If you hurt me, who knows…” She grinned beneath her helmet. “I might take a few other… ‘injured’ soldiers and pay him a little visit.” Grace’s eyes narrowed to pinpricks.

“One talon on him, and you’re—”

The force behind her sword was suddenly lifted. Gina had slipped out of the way of the slash and gotten in her blind spot. Grace overshot her swing, and couldn’t recover fast enough to block. Gina raised the sword above her head and brought it down, aiming right at her helmet.

“That’s enough!” The sword paused in midair, but Grace didn’t stop herself. With a powerful cleave, she smacked the blade away and out of Gina's claws. It flew through the air and clattered to the ground. Grace took a few deep breaths, her eyes piercing through the griffon’s smug smirk. “Gina! Grace! Down from there!”

In silence, Grace descended to the ground. Her eyes never left the red griffon who went to retrieve her sword and rejoin her team. Her gaze was so intimidating that even her other teammates had looks of worry on their faces.

“That’ll be the end of combat training for today. Squads 1 and 5, please retake your positions.” Though she was hesitant, Grace made her way back to the line where the other squads were watching. Until she was out of view, Grace kept her focus on Gina. Her pleased expression annoyed Grace to no end. “Next, we’ll be training for the terrain. I want everyone to be familiar with this forest before the battle, understand?”

The general’s words turned into a blur. Her mind buzzed with so much energy, she couldn’t think straight. Her claws restlessly tapped and clawed at the dirt beneath them. She growled like a timberwolf under her breath. Thoughts and feelings whizzed by, smashing together in a mess. A concerning one came forward in front of all the rest.

She was threatening Rain.

Her heart started to beat quicker. Cold sweat rolled down her neck. Her chest tightened after every heartbeat. It had been a while, but she knew this feeling well. It was the first time she felt it for someone other than herself.

It was fear. If something happened to Rain...

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to calm herself down. Getting hot-headed wouldn’t help anybody. She needed a clear mind to make smart decisions. Another deep breath. If she kept tabs on Gina, there was little chance she could catch her off guard. Another breath…

She opened her eyes. The general was finishing up his next speech. Soon she’d have to get back to work. She clawed at the soil one last time, then hummed under her breath. Even after calming down, a single, prevailing thought rose above all the rest.

Gina was dead.

“Any pain when I do this?”

With a gentle touch of his hoof on the griffon’s firm back, he noticed their wince. He pulled back and began sorting through his supplies. Once he returned with a small white tube and applied the paste to his hoof, the griffon shirked away from him.

“No. I don’t need any of that stuff, either.” Rain hummed, then recapped the tube. He approached the griffon, who raised his claw in defense. Immediately, he winced again, though he tried not to show it. Rain began to apply the cool paste to the inflamed area. “Hey, listen to me! I said I didn’t need it.”

“It’s alright. It’s not gonna hurt you.” Rain finished his work, then rubbed the excess off on a towel. “Hey, you know Officer Gavin? The one who had that nasty crash the other day and was walking with a limp?” The griffon raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, what about him?”

“Ask him who patched him up.” Rain wrapped the griffon up with gauze, then smirked. “His injury was a lot worse than yours, but I bet he’s doing great work out there.”

“Hmph,” the griffon grunted. He laid back in bed and took a deep breath. “Whatever.” Rain chuckled.

“Get some rest. You’ll feel better after you do.” He grumbled but didn’t say anything more. Rain turned to reorganize his tray and scribble down the griffon’s medical details.

This is how it had been for the last few days. A few griffons made an appearance on the first day of training, but it wasn't too bad. Of course, everyone in the unit knew this was the calm before the storm. They’d all been out on real battlefields before, after all. Things could get hectic in a heartbeat.

The second day brought an intense heatwave. Many griffons showed up suffering from heatstroke and fatigue. Most cases were mild, though. The doctors provided a few tips on keeping water levels high, and many were just fine.

The third took place right in the middle of a summer rainstorm. Not even the camp’s weather pegasi were able to run counter to this storm. With slippery footholds and muddy terrain, there were more than a few bumps and bruises. Still, there was nothing too awful. Rain enjoyed days like these.

And now, on the fourth day, the sun was back out and shining bright. The medical tent saw a medium amount of business, but nothing the team couldn’t handle. Most of Rain's patients were reckless soldiers too eager to fight during practice.

After finishing up the griffon’s record, Rain closed his folder with a sigh. He looked behind him at the injured griffon and hummed in thought. His work may have been minor compared to that of the griffons, but he was still proud to work with them. Even if they weren’t the happiest to find out that a pony would be patching them up.

“Working hard, I see.” Rain’s ears perked up as he turned to meet Gideon. The old griffon had an unreadable expression almost every time he saw him, but he was getting used to it. Rain raised his hoof in a salute.

“Sir.” Gideon raised his claw slightly, a gesture Rain came to recognize as “at ease”. He lowered his hoof and watched as Gideon looked over his station. After a few moments, Gideon returned his gaze to Rain.

“How many patients have you seen today?”

“This griffon on my bed is the fifth today, sir.” He looked over at the griffon, who’d started paying attention to their conversation. “But only for very minor injuries...”

“Mhm…” Gideon hummed. He looked up from Rain and behind him. “What say you, young griffon? How did you find his work?”

“M-Me?” The injured griffon stumbled on his words. He looked between Rain and Gideon before answering. “I mean… it’s alright? I’d rather get patched up by a pony than no one at all, I guess.” Gideon hummed again, parsing his answer. He turned to Rain with a smirk.

“Looks like you still have your work cut out for you, little pony.” He chuckled, then began to dig into his saddlebag. “Don’t worry, though. There will be plenty of time to prove yourself. In fact…” After a bit of searching, he retrieved an envelope and handed it to Rain. “You’ll build up a bit of goodwill by delivering this for me.”

“A delivery?” Rain took the envelope and looked it over. “Uh… what’s this?”

“Doctor’s notes. They relieve injured soldiers of their duty.” He tapped a talon to the paper. “If they’re out more than two days, they’ll need one of these to avoid an absence of duty punishments.” He dropped his claw, then nodded. “Make sure those get to Lieutenant Blossom.”

“Yes, sir.” Rain nodded, then slipped the envelope into his saddlebags. “I’ll be back soon.” With a wave of his claw, Gideon dismissed him. Rain turned on his hoof and began to leave the tent. He spared a quick glance at the injured griffon before slipping out into the humid forest air once again.

Still wet from the day before, Rain trekked through the muddy path leading to the main clearing. He’d fly, but even a pony as lean as him would have trouble spreading their wings here. He bore with it until he reached the open sky, then took off toward his destination. Thankfully, he knew exactly where he had to go.

Even though her only job was to supervise, the lieutenant made her presence well known. The start and end of each march had a speech tacked on. Like Gideon, she did closing remarks as the day dwindled down. She could always be found overlooking something, making sure things were in line. The mare couldn’t keep her hooves still.

He found her standing in front of her personal tent positioned in the middle of the battlefield. When he landed, her eyes were still glued to the soldiers practicing in the distance. Rain followed her gaze, but couldn’t find anything of interest. After a short clear of his throat, she turned to meet him.

“Can I help you?” Rain reached into his saddlebag and withdrew the envelope. She took it in her magic and peeled it open. “Ah… medical notes. I assume these are pardon requests for injured soldiers?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Rain kept his expression neutral. He’d never personally met the lieutenant until now, but her reputation precedes her. Floe Blossom is a coldhearted strategist and excellent swordsmare. Her hate for changelings is unrivaled. Many soldiers believe her to be the obvious candidate for the next commander. Once Wildfire Brigade finally retires, that is.

“Thank you, officer.” She closed up the envelope, then slipped it into her saddlebags.

“Just doing my job, ma’am,” said Rain with a nod. Blossom hummed.

“You’re… Officer Rain, correct?” He raised his eyebrow in surprise.

‘Y-Yes, that’s me,” he said. She hummed again.

“Have you gotten used to your new position yet?” Her question startled him, but it made sense. As one of the commander’s right-hoof mares, she was bound to know about his situation. Still, her cold, emotionless stare still made him feel a bit on edge.

“Yes… I’m starting to get the hang of things.” Her hum this time sounded more satisfied. She nodded her head, then turned to the soldiers once again. Rain followed her gaze, but this time found something worth looking at for himself.

Near the edge of the forest, far away from him, he spotted Grace. Even from that distance, he couldn’t miss her golden feathers. She was standing by, watching her team members spar amongst each other. She even seemed to be giving them pointers judging by the way she walked around and interacted with them. Rain smiled, but couldn’t ignore the growing pain in his chest.

It had been quite a while since they’d last spoken. Grace, being the amazing soldier she was, never shirked away from the challenges she faced. She hadn’t gotten injured, which relieved Rain, but it also meant that she was busy beyond belief. He could only imagine how much work it was running a squad, even if it was only four people. As he watched her, he sighed. They’d have their time together. He knew it.

“Do you have no station to report to, officer?” Rain jumped as the lieutenant’s voice caught him off guard. "If not, I will gladly put you to work." With a nervous chuckle, he bowed his head and flattened his ears.

“S-Sorry ma’am! I’ll be going now, ma’am!” He bowed again, then spread his wings to make his way back in a hurry. Shaking his head knocked away his unnecessary thoughts. Just like Grace, he had a job to do. And he intended to do it to the best of his ability.

He landed at the start of the path and began walking. He made his way through the thicket of trees to report his progress. But, before he could make it there, the sound of shuffling leaves and bushes caught his attention.

“Hey.” If the noise hadn’t done it, the voice coming from behind a tree definitely would have. He stopped in his tracks as a griffon in armor slowly emerged from the foliage and stepped onto the path. From underneath her armor, he recognized her signature red feathers. “Rain, right?”

“Yes. You’re… Gina?” She seemed taken aback by him saying her name. “I’ve been meaning to meet you again.”

“And why’s that?” Rain could feel the tension building in the air immediately.

“I wanted to thank you,” he answered. “Remember back at the camp? You told me how to get to the barracks.” Rain chuckled. “Though I never got to use them… I'd still be lost if it hadn’t been for your directions.” Her eyes widened.

“O-Oh.” She cleared her throat. “Well, you’re welcome, I guess.” Rain smiled at her. She was odd, but he had no room to talk. She looked around before returning to Rain. “Say… if you want to repay the favor, there’s something you can do for me.” Rain raised an eyebrow.

“Nothing illegal, I hope,” he said with a laugh. “You’re looking around like you expect a ghost to pop out at you.”

“More like a demon…” She shook her head. “Nevermind that. I haven’t been feeling great lately. You’re a doctor, right?” She placed a claw on her chest, over her armor. Rain perked up, then started walking.

“Sure am. If you’re not feeling well, let’s go to the tent. I’ve got your files already, so there should be no—” Rain stopped in his tracks with a yelp. Goosebumps traveled down his back as Gina grabbed hold of his tail and yanked him toward her. When he jumped backward, she let go.

“No, I, uh… can’t go in there,” she explained with another frantic scan. “Listen, it's… embarrassing to talk about this around others. Can we go somewhere else?” Down the path, Rain could see the entrance flaps of the medical unit’s tent.

“Well, I can’t just leave my post unattended.” Rain turned back with another friendly smile. “But don’t worry. Anything you tell me is confidential.” Gina’s face darkened.

“Just… follow me.” Without listening to another word, she reached out to him again. Grabbing hold of his hoof, she all but dragged him into the foliage.

“H-Hey, hold on!” Rain’s complaints fell on deaf ears as the pair disappeared into the forest.

She led them through the dense tree coverage and rough pathing. Wayward branches scraped against his body as he shimmied past. The hustle and bustle of the forest dimmed to a distant buzz. The quiet wasn't bad, though. The thought of an undisturbed forest soothed him somewhat.

Gina came to an abrupt stop just inside a small part of the trees. Scattered leaves and branches covered the forest floor here. She let go of his hoof and walked into the middle of the area.

“We’re pretty far from everyone else…” said Rain with a nervous chuckle. “No chance of anyone overhearing you now.” She looked around one final time, confirming his words. “So what’s the problem?”

Gina didn’t respond. Instead, she reached up for her helmet and pulled it off, sending it to the ground. Just as quickly, she unraveled the seams of her armor and pulled it from her body. With the fresh set now laying in the grass, she turned to face him, a complex expression on her face. There was something dark hiding behind her blank stare.

“Sorry, but I haven’t really been honest.” Gina stepped forward, and his instinct made Rain step back. Though he kept the distance now, there wouldn’t be much space to do it again. “I’m surprised you even agreed to follow me out here.”

"It’s not like I ‘agreed’ to anything. You kinda just dragged me along and—” Rain felt his flank bump against a tree trunk. He tried his best to keep his nervousness from showing on his face. “Look… I don’t know what issue you have with me, but attacking me isn’t going to do anything.”

Gina stopped just a breath’s length away from Rain, her deep red eyes scanning his. She raised a claw to his face, to which Rain winced in anticipation. But, instead of sharp talons across his muzzle, Gina held his chin in her grip.

“Relax, I’m not going to hurt you.” A smile spread across her beak. Her intentions leaked out of her expression, sending a shiver down Rain’s spine. “I’m going to use you to hurt someone else.”

“W-What?” With a burst of strength, Gina tossed him to the ground behind her. The fall took the air out of his lungs. As he gasped for breath, Gina stood over him. He tried to get back to his hooves, but her claws pressed down on him. “What the hell are you doing!?”

“Getting even with your little hen, Grace.” Her talons painfully dug into Rain’s coat. “That bitch embarrassed me in front of everyone. She’s the reason no one respects me anymore. They all think I’m some second-rate griffon who’s all bark and no bite.” She chuckled and leaned in until her beak pressed against Rain’s muzzle. “Well… now I’m biting.”

“Can't you just... talk it out? There's no need for this." Gina stopped like she was thinking about his words. But her grin after a few seconds passed revealed she didn't have a change of heart.

“Talk? With that beast? Don't make me laugh.” The grip around his hooves got tighter, and he winced. "She doesn't regret a thing! So... I'm gonna make her regret."

Keeping the pressure on his forehooves, she sat down. In her position, she was sitting directly behind his sheath. His eyes widened as he realized her true goal.

"W-What the hell are you doing!?" shouted Rain. Gina purred, then smiled.

"I'm taking you from that bitch," she said. “You’re lucky you’re cute. If you weren’t, Grace might not have recognized you when you saw her next.” Rain struggled against her grip. "Don't worry. I'll feel a million times better than that beast ever will."

“W-What is this going to accomplish?” yelped Rain. Even with his recent training, there was no way he was besting a griffon in a strength contest. Gina laughed at his struggle, then applied more pressure.

“What would hurt her more?” asked Gina. “Seeing her precious pony hurt… or seeing that same pony choose me over her?” As she spoke, she began to move her hips, grinding up against Rain. To his dismay, his body started to react.

“I’m not with Grace for the sex!” shouted Rain. He began to struggle more, but it was useless. “I love her, and you forcing me to do this won’t change that.”

“You're not the first guy to think like that.” His sheath wiggled and expanded as his cock began to grow out from it. Gina laughed, then raised her hips off of him, pressing her pussy to the tip. “Sit back and relax, baby. In a few minutes, you’ll be all mine—”

With the small leeway she gave him, Rain was able to coil his forelegs back into his chest. He pressed his hind hooves into her stomach and bucked up as hard as he could. Gina’s body shot back, and her grip loosened. That moment of freedom was all Rain needed. He spun around and got to his hooves, then spread his wings and shot up into the air.

Above him was a mess of branches and leaves, but he didn’t care. Barrelling right through them, he made it past the thick canopy with a few scratches and bumps. As fast and hard as his wings could beat, Rain flew in the direction of the main clearing. He didn’t spare even a moment to look back.

Once he saw the tip of the medical tent, he swerved downward. He hit the ground hard, almost crashing into the dirt. He stumbled forward and leaned against a tree to catch his breath. Sweat dripped down his face and coat as he shoveled air into his lungs. His eyes shut tight, and he fell to his flank.

To say his mind raced would be an understatement. Thoughts bounced around his head so violently, he could hear them thumping. What just happened? What would have happened if he didn’t escape? Would she be back again? Could he stop her if she did…?

“Rain?”

"Ah!" His eyes shot open at the call of his name. For a split second, he heard Gina's voice in his ear. Once he turned to the speaker, he realized he couldn't be further from the truth.

Her voice was unmistakable, but the cadence was different. It was higher paced. She was… worried. Rain looked into her soft, inviting yellow eyes, hoping that everything would be okay if he did. Instead, his body became heavy and his heart beat even faster.

“Rain… you’re hurt.”

“I’m…” What? What did he want to say? He wasn’t fine. He couldn’t be farther from it. But if he saw even a second more of her worry-stricken face, his heart couldn’t handle it. He got to his hooves, then took a shaky breath. “I’m fine. Just… hit a few trees on my way here, so I—”

“Rain!” The shout made him jump out of his skin. He spun on his hoof but found no one there. The voice had come from inside the tent. “Where is he? A simple delivery shouldn’t take this long.” Rain opened his mouth to answer, but the firm grip of a claw wrapped around his hoof.

“Wait.” Grace held him in place with a firm grip. Goosebumps traveled down his body. “You can tell me what happened. I won’t—”

Claws... A cold wave washed over him. His eyes narrowed to pinpricks. Though he knew that Grace stood in front of him, his body couldn’t tell the difference.

Rain yanked his hoof away.

As soon as he did, the color drained from his face. He froze in place. Should he say something? Should he reach back out to her? Should he… what should he do…?

“Ah, Rain. There you are.” Not even Gideon’s call could make him turn away. As he approached, he noticed the tension hanging in the air. The old griffon looked between the two, gauging the situation for himself. After a long bout of silence, he cleared his throat. “I don’t know what is going on here, but… there will be time for this later. For now, report back to your station.”

“Y-Yes, sir…” Rain’s voice was weak and hoarse. He looked at Grace and opened his mouth. A thousand words wanted to spill out at that moment, but he could only manage a few. “I”m sorry. We’ll… we’ll talk later. I’m sorry…” Grace didn’t respond. She seemed just as lost as he was.

It took everything he had to pull himself away from her. Tears began to well up in his eyes, despite his wishes. He wiped them away with his hoof, but they never stopped falling. Gideon, who walked alongside him, let out a concerned hum but left him alone with his thoughts.

The two made their way back to the tent, leaving Grace where she stood. With each step against the muddy ground, he wanted to turn back. But at this point, it was too late. The further he got from her, the more he could feel his heart tear. Bit by bit.

Until it finally ripped itself apart.

Chapter 4 — The Olive Leaf Woods [Part 2]

Cloudy weather greeted the soldiers on the final day of the week.

Even as midday rolled around, a dark, gloomy gray blanketed the forest. The weather didn’t stop the soldiers from fighting, of course. So as he had been for the past few days, Rain was working on a patient.

It was a common injury. Bruising along the sides and underbelly. Armor protected against most cuts and stabs, but the impact of blows wasn’t so easily avoided. The best he could do was offer them painkillers and icy paste. After they were patched up and wrapped in gauze for swelling, Rain would send them on their way. Then, he’d wait for the next patient to stumble in.

Were days… always this bleak?

No… the other days, he had something to look forward to. Now, the only thing he could think of was that one, crucial moment. Questions bombarded him ever since the incident and they hadn’t stopped once. Why couldn’t he say anything? Just one word to let her know what he did was an accident?

“Rain!” The shout froze him in place and brought him back down to Earth. He pulled his hoof away from the patient, realizing his mistake far too late. “Pay attention! That stuff doesn’t grow on trees!”

“Sorry, sir.” Rain swiped the excess icy paste from the griffon’s bruise and began wrapping it with gauze.

“I have no use for a ‘sorry’, officer.” Rain flinched with each scalding word out of Gideon’s beak. “Concentrate. We’re suffering from enough shortages as is.”

“Yes, sir.” he finished the bandaging, then placed the gauze on the tray beside him. “I’ve finished your bandaging. If the pain persists, come back later.”

“Uh... yeah." The griffon gave Rain a look of pity before slipping out of bed. He shuffled to the entrance of the tent, then disappeared behind it. Rain could barely hide his pained expression as he watched him go. With a deep sigh, he turned to his tray and began organizing for the next patient.

“Mistakes like that will only take you further from your goal,” said Gideon. Rain looked down at his hooves in shame.

“I know…” He couldn’t say much back. As disappointed as Gideon was in him, he was doubly so in himself.

Like a bright-eyed child during Hearth’s Warming, he was so excited to reach that goal. Yet, with just a single incident, his resolve had shaken. Gideon looked down at him in silence. Rain was certain he was gearing up to call out his pitiful appearance.

“Outside. With me.” Rain met his gaze with a confused expression.

“Y-Yes sir?” Gideon had already begun walking by the time Rain realized he was serious. He trailed behind him a bit before stepping outside into the warm forest air. The sounds of shouting and clashing metal sounded from all around him. The distant rumbling of thunder echoed above. The unique smell of petrichor drifted on the breeze. He did not doubt that rain was coming.

The griffon from before had gone. For now, it was just the two of them. Gideon had stopped a bit off the path leading out. He took a seat in the grass and looked at Rain to follow suit. He did as he suggested, taking a seat on the dry earth. Yet, even after he sat, Gideon said nothing. His expression was just stony as ever, so that didn’t give him any clues. Without much else to do, he watched the skies.

“Something happened.” Gideon’s voice startled him. “Between you and your griffon mate, right?” Rain felt a sharp stab in his chest, and looked to the ground at his hooves.

“Permission to speak freely?”

“Granted.” Rain sighed.

“I fucked up. Bad.” He raised his hoof slightly and looked at it. “I was afraid. My heart was racing. Without thinking I… pulled away from the one griffon… one anything I trust the most.” He returned his hoof to the dirt and hung his head. “I’m sure that Grace knows something is wrong. She knows I didn’t want to pull away from her, but… I can’t talk to her. Not while we both have jobs to do”

“Funny how love always seems to get in the way of duty, hm?” Rain looked at him with a confused look. Gideon just scratched at his chin feathers. “It’s eerie how much you remind me of myself.”

“P-Pardon, sir?” Gideon looked into Rain’s eyes, then tapped his talon underneath his bad eye, along the scar.

“This was because of love,” he answered. “And because that love was stronger than my sense of… hey.” He frowned. “Wipe that shocked look off your face.”

“S-Sorry!” Rain quickly picked his jaw up off the floor. “It’s just hard to imagine, I suppose.” His expression switched to one of caution. “Who were you in love with?” Gideon’s silence nearly made him withdraw his question. But, after a long pause, he finally opened his beak.

“Something I should not have fallen for.” Rain’s confusion returned, and Gideon noticed it. He looked at the sky and the bleak clouds above him. After a roll of thunder cracked the sky, he spoke again. “Do you believe you and your griffon mate were the first to cross that boundary?”

“Huh?” The realization came over Rain like a wave. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped again. “You were with… a pony?” Gideon narrowed his eyes and sighed deeply.

“I wish it were a pony that gave me this scar.” Before his curiosity reared up again, Gideon shook his head and continued. “In any case, I can’t help you with romance. I’m far too old for that. But, if you want to move forward with your goals, you’ll need to be rid of those distractions.”

“I get it, but…” Rain looked down at his hoof, remembering that day once again. The desire to bring everyone together still burned bright in his chest, but the fire was fading. The biggest reason he even wanted that in the first place was Grace. And if she wasn’t by his side… what was even the point?

“Make way! Get him on the bed as fast as possible!” Rain’s thoughts were cut in half by the shouting going on above him. Seconds later, near the entrance of the tent came a set of thunderous stomps. Three griffons touched down next to them, carrying another on a tarp between them. Pain warped the griffon’s expression and his screams echoed through the trees. Rain’s eyes went wide as he saw his injury.

“Prepare some ice! A lot of it!” Gideon had already gotten to his paws. He all but sprinted toward the tent, leaving a scrambling Rain to follow close behind. As soon as they entered, they realized the chaos he’d brought with him. Doctors were scrambling every which way to prepare treatments. All the while, Rain never took his eyes off of the injury.

A torn wing. Almost completely ripped off from the griffon’s back. Had pressure not been placed on it, it surely would have come off at the seams.

For a moment, his mind wandered. To all those days ago, on that battlefield. A single fallen griffon with a cut across her wing.

“Someone get me some—” Rain took a step in front of Gideon. His head was lit ablaze with thoughts. His hooves shook with energy. This wasn’t the time to be idle. He had to act. Fast.

“I need some Chronoleaf extract, ASAP!” Rain’s voice boomed through the tent. Every eye in the place was on him. Without missing a beat, he zipped through the crowd of griffons and to the side of the injured soldier. “We need to keep the wound as cold as possible. Where’s that ice!?”

“T-There’s some under the desk, but—” Before the doctor could finish her sentence, Rain had already dove down for it. As she said, there was a jar of light blue liquid nearby. Rain swiped it up and grabbed a needle. “There’s nowhere near enough.” Rain grumbled.

“It’s not perfect, but there should be some Chronoleaf patches nearby. Someone grab a hoof full and mash it into a paste!” After barking his orders, a griffon came to his side with several bags full of ice. Rain reached into his saddlebags and popped open a bottle of pills. “Listen, we’re gonna get you through this, okay? Sit tight and hold on!” Rain fed the pills to the griffon, who swallowed them down hard.

Rain worked like a stallion possessed. His hooves shot every which way, grabbing tools and working to minimize the damage. With the amount of blood he’d spilled over the sheets alone, he wasn’t going to make it much longer without help. The Chronoleaf extract did its job, paralyzing his wing and slowing the blood flow, but it wouldn’t be enough.

Thankfully, the efficient griffon medics obtained the leaves in less than five minutes. Mashing it into a paste wasn't the most efficient, but they were against the clock here. The anesthesia pill left the patient thoroughly sedated. He became groggy just as Rain started to clean and stitch the wound. His methodical pace made it short work.

Once he laid the last stitch, he took a deep breath. Blood and sweat coated his body, so he was in no position to try dressing the wound. He grabbed a clean towel and began wiping away the blood from his hooves.

“He may have broken or dislocated some bones, so we’ll need to be extra cautious when dressing this.” He tossed the bloody rag to the side, then returned to the wound. “But we’ve avoided the worst-case scenario.”

“M-My wing…” the injured griffon croaked. Through half-lidded eyes, he looked around at the doctors surrounding him. “I… I can’t feel my wings… Is it…? Oh god…” Rain narrowed his eyes, then rested his hoof on the back of the griffon’s claw.

“The worst of it is over,” said Rain. “A little bit of physical therapy, and you’ll be alright.” He pulled his hoof away, then reached for his wing. There was still work to be done, after all.

“Thank you.” Rain froze. He must have misheard. Yet, as he glanced down at the griffon’s expression, he saw tears rolling down his face. His claw twitched like he wanted to move, but the anesthesia was still in effect. “Thank you. Thank you…”

“Y-Yeah, of course,” Rain stuttered. After a shake of his head, he returned his focus to the wound. The thumping of his heartbeat in his ears was impossible to ignore. Despite knowing better, Rain couldn’t stop his smile from coming out. “T-The job’s not done yet. Let’s finish this and then talk about thanks, okay?”

Before he could finish his sentence, the griffon succumbed to his fatigue. His eyes closed shut, and he drifted off to sleep. Rain smiled as he watched him, a comfortable pride building up in his chest. He returned to his work with a newfound purpose in his movements. Getting this griffon back to his best was all that was on his mind.

Off to the side sat Gideon, a small smirk on his face. He turned away from the commotion without a word and headed back to his own duties.

“Uh, captain? You doing alright?”

Grace looked to her side and found the earth pony member of her squad standing there. He was wearing his helmet, but his worried expression was as clear as day. Grace turned away from him with a grunt.

“You’re still trying that? I think it’s pretty clear she doesn’t want to talk about it.” The second voice came from the unicorn. Grace spared her a peek as well before returning to business.

“I know that, but I still thought I’d ask.” He looked back at Grace. “Momma always told me to be mindful of other pony’s problems, after all.”

“Maybe I’m misremembering, but I thought I told you both to do independent sparring.” Grace's voice was enough to freeze both ponies in place. She gripped the hilt of her sword and pulled it from the boulder she was striking. Its surface had been beset with long gashes and cuts from her fierce swings. She turned her head just enough to see them and gripped her sword harder. “Or maybe you’d really like to spar with me?”

“N-No ma’am, that’s alright!” The earth pony nervously laughed and took a few steps back. Even the arrogant unicorn seemed to know that this wasn’t a fight she was likely to win. “We’ll get r-right on that. C’mon!” The two scuttled away from her, joining the two griffons further out in the clearing. Grace watched them go with a dark expression, then turned away.

Next to the battered boulder, Grace took a seat, leaning her head against it. The dark clouds above them threatened to pour down, but as hours passed, they never did. Before, the weather was nothing more than an obstacle or a hindrance. But now, as she stared at the gray sky, she felt an inexplicable sharp pain in her chest.

She was overtaken by a sudden large fatigue as if she’d just walked a mile in the desert. But no matter what, she didn’t want to close her eyes. Every night, she’d see that same image going through her head. The fear on Rain's face that struck his core. The fear she'd put there. It was enough to make her strong heart crumple in an instant.

Then, just as she felt at her worst, an image would flash into her mind. A glimpse of a smug grin painted on the beak of a despicable griffon. Red feathers and red eyes. Rage would build, using her sorrow as fuel. She grabbed her sword and hopped to her paws. With a mighty grunt, she slammed her sword into the rock as she’d done many times before. But now, in a clean cut, her blade snapped in two. The tip clattered to the ground while the broken hilt stayed firmly in her grip. She took a few deep breaths before bringing it to her face and examining the chipped metal. She’d put that sword through a lot.

“C-Captain? Sorry to bother you again…” The earth pony stammered as he returned. Grace’s glare still seemed to make him squirm. “The um… general, ma’am? He’s calling for you.”

“Mmh.” Grace let the hilt slip through her claw and hit the ground. Without a word, she walked past him and into the open field, leaving her sword in the grass.

The field was as active as it was on the first day. Everyone was scrambling around, doing last-minute practice drills or scouting the forest. Grace had her fill of both already. She just wanted all this to be over.

The general was easy to spot. It was no secret that the pony liked bossing people around. Though that would normally annoy her, Grace had other things to worry about. Once she approached, the general perked up and skipped out to meet her.

“Ah, there she is! My number one soldier.” Grace stopped a ways away from him, but the general trotted even closer. She and her squad’s performances over the past few days had a positive effect on the general. Now, if anything needed doing, Grace would be the first one called. A non-hostile pony was nice, but his enthusiasm was ill-placed. Had she been an average soldier, she wondered how he’d view her. “How’s your training been going?”

“What do you…” Grace caught herself. It wouldn’t do her any good to be antagonistic here. She sighed, then rephrased. “What do you need?” The general raised a hoof, pointing behind him. A familiar face stepped forward.

“This pony’s squad is falling behind. Can you help them out?” The general turned around with a stern look. “Says he’s not feeling confident for tomorrow, but I need everyone at their best.”

“Yup. I could use the help.” Front Line scratched his dark red stubble. The general grunted and shook his head.

“If you could get them up to speed, I’d appreciate it.” Grace glared at the general, then at Front Line. It wasn’t exactly ideal, but at least she’d be doing something. Having nothing to do invited those thoughts from earlier.

“Fine.” She sighed, then stepped forward. “Let’s go.”

“Alright then. Thanks, general.” Front Line turned on his hoof. “Come on, there’s this way.”

“Mhm.” Grace hummed and fell into Front Line’s stride.

The two began their walk in complete silence. To make matters worse, Front Line’s pace was slow. Without knowing where he was taking her, she couldn’t even speed up and head for the destination. So, in the absence of conversation, the thoughts from before made their return. She looked up at the skies once more, hoping to find comfort in them like she had before.

“Hey, so…” She jumped in surprise as he spoke up. Front Line had stopped a little away from a treeline, at the edge of the clearing. He turned around to face her with a worried expression on his face. “Have you met Rain recently?” Her eyes widened, and unease crawled up her back.

“No…” she answered. She looked up with expectant eyes. “...Have you?” His expression became troubled, and he rubbed his stubble again.

“Well, I’ve seen him. He isn't looking great.” He shook his head. “He looks like a zombie. I thought he was just overworked, but it feels like there’s something else wrong.” Grace narrowed her eyes and looked down at the ground. She could feel her heart sink deeper with every word. “That’s why I wanted to ask you.”

“I see…” The uncertainty felt worse than any injury she ever had. Somewhere deep inside of her, she knew that Rain would come to her if he had a problem. But the face he made… she couldn’t get it out of her mind. “I’ve been… busy. I haven’t talked to him either.”

“That sucks...” Front Line sighed, then shook his head. “He’s not the kinda guy to just leave his friends in the dark like this. Something bad must have happened.” A cold sweat rolled down Grace’s forehead. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“I… scared him. I can’t be sure but… I think that’s why he’s like that.” She opened her eyes and peered at her claws. “I reached out to him and he pulled away. He looked afraid of my claws. Like… I’d hurt him.”

“Scared him, huh?” Front Line hummed, thinking it over. “Nah, I don’t think that’s it.” Grace’s eyes widened, and she whipped her head to look up at him.

“What do you mean?”

“You ever hear what Rain was like before he met you?” The question took Grace off guard. She blinked a few times before shaking her head. “He was way different. He barely spoke up, kept himself in check, and always followed orders.” He scratched his stubble as he walked. “I don’t know why, but it was almost like he was afraid of breaking a rule or something. Even the small ones.”

“But he healed me…” Grace mumbled. Front Line pointed at her.

“But he healed you, directly against orders!” He laughed. “I really thought he went crazy when I heard the news. But after I saw him, and how he cared for you… it didn’t seem that far-fetched.” Front Line stopped in place and shook his head. “There’s no way the guy that had the courage to do that got scared. Not without a good reason, anyway.” He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “You didn’t threaten his life or anything, right?”

“N-No, of course not!” snapped Grace. Front Line put a hoof up in defense.

“Just kidding,” he said with a smile. “Well, let’s go talk to him right now!” Grace froze up as soon as he suggested it. “We'll clear the confusion right now.”

“I-I, um…” Grace clawed at the dirt. As much as she wanted to move, she couldn’t. It felt awful to guess what might have hurt Rain. The thought of confirming it made her feel much worse. As much as she told herself it couldn’t be the case… If she went there and he pulled away again…

“Grace? Are you okay?” Front Line’s voice barely reached her. Every heartbeat felt like it took everything she had to pump it out. Her beak was clenched so hard, she thought it might break. “Celestia, you ‘re paler than a ghost.”

“Oh? Is there a little party going on over here?” Grace’s eyes narrowed to pinpricks. She whipped around to face the voice and found the one griffon she really didn’t want to see. Those red feathers, those red eyes. Heat boiled up in her core just by looking at them. “Jeez, what’s up with her? Bad night’s sleep?”

“What do you guys want?” said Front Line, stepping up. Slowly, other griffons started flocking to her side. Four in total. Grace reached for her sword but found her sheath empty. She sucked her teeth and kept her eyes on Gina. And she, in turn, never took her eyes off of Grace. “We’re having a private conversation here.”

“You.” Shaking with her building rage, she stepped forward. “What did you do?’

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, shaking her head. “You’re gonna need to be more specific.”

“Rain… what did you do to him?” A smirk spread across her beak. Her patience could only keep a lid on her temper for so long. “Answer me. Now.”

“Mmm. That's a nice expression," murmured Gina. "That’s no way to ask someone something, right? Not that I’m surprised. Manners don’t fit a barbarian like you.” Grace took another step forward, but Gina wasn’t deterred. “Oh? Do you want to fight? Even an idiot like you should know when you’re outmatched. Or did you never learn how to count as well?”

“Did you do something to Rain or not?” Front Line chimed in. Gina looked at him with disgust but changed her tune quickly. Her smug grin returned as she tapped her cheek with a talon.

“Rain, Rain… Oh! I do remember that one. The medical pony, right?” The fur on Grace’s body stood on edge. Gina giggled. “How could I forget? After he had a taste of me, he was ready to fuck all day long—”

With a speed betraying her size, Grace lunged forward, claws out. Judging by how fast they moved, the other griffons must have been anticipating her. Two grabbed onto her forelegs and one went for her hindlegs. They pulled her down to the ground and stopped her momentum in its tracks. Gina looked on with that same smug grin that infuriated Grace so much.

"Even after telling you it was a bad idea, you still did it. Way to impress me." Gina approached, popping Grace in the beak with her claw. "How does it feel, Grace? To be powerless in front of someone like me?" Grace struggled against their hold, making Gina smirk. "Maybe now you'll feel even a bit of the shame you gave to me that day, you bitch."

Grace grunted in a struggle again. Even with a numbers advantage, pinning her down wouldn't be easy. The griffons shifted around often, trying to get her to stay still underneath them. Once one gave her the tiniest bit of leeway, she knew she had her.

She ripped her claws from their grasp and reached forward. With a burst of strength, she lunged once more, three griffons in tow. Like a viper lashing out, she grabbed hold of Gina's neck and clamped down.

“D-Damnit!” called one of the griffons. She put her weight down on Grace, trying to pull her away, but to no avail. Gina fell down, letting Grace pile on top of her. She lifted her other claw, ready to take Gina’s eye out. Panic quickly spread along her features.

“What are y-you guys doing?” she choked, clawing at Grace’s iron grip. “You're all so u-useless!” She launched her claw toward Gina’s face, but the griffon holding her right side switched to the other. Now two of them were struggling to keep her from sending her fist into Gina's face. She fought against them, but they finally managed to keep her from pushing forward.

“Mind if I cut in?” The griffon barely had time to react before a huge hoof came swinging at her beak. She yelped out and braced for impact, but it didn’t do her much good. With his whole body weight, Front Line shoved a griffon off of Grace. She went flying into a nearby tree with a huge thud. The next griffon only had a second to react to his hind hoof before he bucked into her head. She snapped back and she lost consciousness immediately.

“You bastard!” called the final griffon. She tried to climb up to Grace’s claw but was easily dispatched by a kick.

“Hey! Everyone stop!” Finally unhindered, Grace pulled back a fist. She squeezed down on her neck tight as she reached the apex. “Grace, stop!”

Her punch landed just underneath Gina’s right eye. She could feel the resistance of her skull bouncing off of the ground as she struck. She pulled back and launched another one, closer to her beak this time. Blood stained her claw as it connected.

As she readied her third swing, she was tackled to the ground. This time, it was a pony, followed by a bunch of others. She flew off to the side and was dogpiled immediately. She saw the furious look of the general, but it didn’t matter to her. She wasn’t done with Gina. She clawed at the dirt underneath all the pressure, trying to get even a single extra punch in.

“Grace, c-calm down!” Not even Front Line’s pleading was enough to keep her still. The weight of several ponies and griffons on her back meant nothing. She still managed to crawl forward. Nearly there, almost within range of her claws, Grace reached out. “Grace! How are you going to meet Rain again if you're discharged!?”

As soon as she heard those words she froze. Strength rapidly left her body until she was completely drained. She pulled back her claw and let it rest in the dirt. She’d been defeated.

“K-Keep those two apart. Far apart.” The general pointed a hoof at one of the ponies at his side. He quickly collected the fallen Gina and moved her further away. With no hope of catching up, Grace finally gave up. “Celestia, this is a mess. Let her up.”

“W-won’t she go wild again?” The general looked at Grace with an uncertain look. The intensity behind her eyes waned. He pursed his lips, then shook his head.

“She’s fine. Must’ve been a… small fight.” The dogpile shared a worried glance but followed his orders. Once Grace felt the weight lifted off of her, she got to her paws. Everyone around her studied her like she’d jump out at them. Instead, she turned to Front Line.

“Thanks.” He blinked a few times in confusion but offered her a friendly smile. Next, she turned to the general, who didn’t have the nicest of expressions on. “I’m reporting to the commander.”

“W-What for?” Grace tapped the sheath at her side.

“Need a new sword,” she said. With that short explanation, she turned away from him and headed off into the forest.

The conversation she had earlier played in her mind again and again. It alone wasn't enough to ease her completely, but she felt much better now. In her chest, she could feel a small fuzzy warmth growing. She pressed a claw to her chest, hoping that it would last just a bit longer.

For the first time that day, she smirked. She made her way to the main forest clearing in silence.

Chapter 5 — The Olive Leaf Woods [Part 3]

“Well, well. You’ve slipped right in amongst the griffons, haven’t you?”

A question like that was likely to be met with apprehension from Rain. Many ponies had seen him and felt fit to levy ridicule at him for his new position. Ignoring such bad actors was for the best. But, as he turned to the speaker, he flashed a warm smile. It was a griffon who’d called out to him. One he was beginning to get quite friendly with, despite their rocky start.

“I think I’ve got a long way to go, actually,” answered Rain. The feather pen he held in his hoof fell to the table along with the documents he was tending to. He was nearly finished anyway. A small break wouldn’t hurt. “It’s more like… they tolerate me being around, I guess?”

“That’s more respect than you think for a griffon.”

“Hmm…” Rain hummed with clear dissatisfaction, but Gideon only laughed. His gaze shifted to the discarded pen and paper Rain left behind before reaching out for them. Scooping them up in his claw, he scanned through his writings.

“Getting prepped for the games tomorrow, huh?” Rain nodded in response.

“We’re bound to be swamped when the whole thing gets into full swing.” Gideon handed him the file, which he took with his hoof. “They’re bound to go at each other’s throats out there. Better to be over than underprepared, right?” The old griffon agreed with a nod of his head.

“Correct. Keep at it.”

With that and a small nod, Gideon left his side and walked past him. Not far, just to the next station, continuing his inspection of the equipment. Another step to being more prepared. Rain turned away from him and back to his work. He’d gone through dozens of soldiers by now, and he still wasn’t done.

The work was tedious, but for somepony whose life was as hectic as Rain’s was, he welcomed the stability. Besides, it was important to remember everyone’s specific conditions. It would make any emergency work faster if everything was in place.

Once the files thinned out, relief washed over his body. He preemptively put his pen down after scribbling in the last bit of information for the page he was on. The next file would be his last. And as he’d made sure was the case, it would also be his favorite. Narrowing his eyes and noting his hastening heart rate, Rain flipped the page over.

Grace’s file never failed to get a chuckle out of Rain. If she saw the photo they had on her, she’d call it unflattering. Rain, ever the pony pleaser, would be the first to tell her how beautiful she looked, despite her scowl. He liked to think she’d believe him.

There was a spike of pain in Rain’s chest. He’d expected this. Where he used to find comfort in the depths of Grace’s gaze, he only found unease. His relationship with Grace was still uncertain. Despite his talk with Gideon, he hadn’t found the courage to face her, and it would be a long while before his next chance. Tomorrow would be the first official day of the war game. They’d be busier than ever.

“I suppose just telling you to focus wouldn’t be enough, would it?” Startled by the sudden voice, Rain nearly dropped the entire envelope. Gideon had seated himself across the hospital bed for who knows how long. He watched with a cautious eye as Rain got his bearings and cleared his throat.

“What do you mean, Sir?” Though Rain flashed him a friendly smile, Gideon’s stony expression stayed the same.

“You’ve been staring at those medical records without making an edit for minutes now.” Rain’s embarrassment flared up and his cheeks flushed red. “This isn’t going to be a problem tomorrow, right?”

“O-Of course not, Sir!” Rain exclaimed. His newfound energy was enough to convince the old griffon to back down for now. He scanned Grace’s file and then closed the folder. A deep breath and a shake of his head convinced him that everything would be fine. There was no need to panic.

Just as he got his bearings, the signature sound of the tent’s flaps caught his ear. Work had slowed down since the day was ending, so there weren’t many injuries for him and the team to work on. Still, there was always that one rowdy soldier that got hurt last. Rain just hoped that it wasn’t anything serious. Turning to the noise, he preemptively opened his mouth to address them.

“Welcome. What seems to be…” A firm grip took hold of Rain’s chest, squeezing his heart and lungs into nothing. In only a few moments, catching his breath became a chore. His pupils narrowed to pinpricks. Fear crawled down his back in an agonizingly slow fashion.

“If looks could kill…” The sound of Gina’s laugh only made Rain recoil. Instinct urged him to back away, but the only thing behind him was his equipment. After bumping into it, he realized how little space he had to maneuver. The only way out would be to go right through her. Sweat rolled down his forehead as he tried to meet her gaze. Every bone in his body refused to do so. “Seriously, would it kill you to smile? So overdramatic.”

“Seems like I should be the one to deal with this.” Gideon’s voice broke the spell hanging over Rain’s head. He turned to the old griffon and found his stern gaze affixed to Gina. Though he was so hesitant before, he looked at her as she stood in the door. His eyes widened as he focused on her condition. “Rain. hand me this one’s records.”

“I… It’s okay, Sir.” Rain pressed his hoof on the folder he was holding close not long ago and began flipping through the pages. A photo of Gina’s deadpan expression showed up before long. He took a shaky breath, then looked up at her again. A huge dark imprint lay around a swollen eye. It looked freshly made, as well. “This is m-my job. I can handle this much, at least. Please, go ahead.”

Gideon looked ready to protest but said nothing. A thoughtful hum followed by an annoyed grunt, and he began to turn away from the situation. He returned to his work in one of the corners of the room. Rain returned his attention to Gina, who waited at the front with a curious expression. His hoof tapped the top of the bed frame, and he slipped her record out from the rest.

“Have a seat.” Rain spoke with caution like he was shepherding a tiger. Said tiger flashed her teeth with glee. A friendly gesture that took on a much different meaning now.

“Looks like you actually are going to see me, then.” Gina did as Rain suggested and clambered on top of the bed. Laying on her back, she closed her one good eye and relaxed with a sigh. “I thought you’d get a little more uppity with me.”

Rain didn’t respond. Instead, he threw himself into his work. A black eye wasn’t a very complicated injury. All it would need is some ice and time. Maybe something for the pain. He began his preparations as if he were working with a medical doll. Unfortunately, the doll was perfectly capable of chiming up and distracting him.

“Maybe it’s because you’ve come around. What do you say, huh?” Rain scooped a few cubes of ice into a cloth sac and sealed it. Turning to the bed, he pressed it to Gina’s face, just underneath her eye. He let go of it, letting it lean on the bed while pressing against her face. In the meantime, he prepared the medicine. “How about I take you behind this dingy tent and rock your little world?”

“Was it Grace who gave you this wound?” To his surprise, it was Gina’s turn to be taken aback. Her brow wrinkled and her smug grin fell into a frown. Rain hummed in thought. “If that’s true, then… Why do you insist on antagonizing me?” Gina’s good eye went wide.

“Oh, I get it now. You sicked your little dog on me because of that little prank?” Rain flinched.

“Saying it was a prank is a bit much, don’t you think?” He looked into her eyes with a frown.

“Calling her a beast wasn’t too far off, then.” Gina ignored his question and laughed. “You’re like her tamer. You dangle a little bit of meat in her face and she goes wherever you tell her to.” Her smug grin returned in full force. “You’re a coward who needs to get a shorter leash for his favorite pet.”

Rain paused for a moment and simply looked at Gina. Her good eye glared at him wildly. When he looked behind it, he could feel the flickering fire of her rage. Looking away, Rain only managed a sigh of defeat before he returned to his work.

“The satisfaction you’ll get from your petty revenge plot will be short-lived.” After evaluating her, Rain felt more confidence seep into his words. His hooves were no longer jittery with fear. “As I told you before, I love Grace, and… she loves me. We won’t be broken up by those weak motivations.” Gina’s good eye widened and she bit down hard on her beak. The fury behind her eyes began to flare.

“Weak motivations?” she repeated. Her claws gripped at the sheets, but Rain kept his ground.

“Gina… just let this go.” He paused to pen something into her records. In about two weeks, he’d have to check on her again. Hopefully, by then, this whole thing would have blown over. “I don’t know what Grace did to you that made you so hellbent on revenge. But wouldn’t it be best for you two to just… reconcile?” As he spoke, Gina’s face twisted as it had before. She glared daggers at him like she expected her fierceness to slay him on the spot.

“You don’t understand, pony,” spat Gina. Rain noticed her body begin to shake with rage. “You don’t know what it’s like to be an outcast in griffon society.” Rain’s eyes widened.

“Tell me, then.” By now, the hostile feelings he felt towards Gina had left him. In front of him, he saw someone who needed his help. And so, he turned his attention to her. “If I don’t understand, then tell me about it so I do.”

“What, you wanna start a pity party now?” Gina growled. She yanked away from him and slipped off the bed. “I don’t need or want our pity. You and that bitch Grace will get what’s coming to you.” Without another word, she retreated in a hurry. The flaps of the tent rippled as she barrelled through them, and once more when she took off into the sky. He watched her go with a stony expression until he couldn’t hear the beating of her wings any longer. At his side, Gideon approached with a similarly expressionless face.

“What mess have you managed to stumble into this time?” Gideon shook his head in disbelief. In contrast, Rain couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I really am a magnet for it, apparently,” he admitted. The jovial mood didn’t last for long, as Rain shortly dropped his friendly smile. A worried glance quickly filled the spot it left. “If you don’t mind me asking… what does it mean to be an outcast to a griffon?” A low hum left the old griffon’s beak. He scratched his chin feathers with his talon, then explained.

“Honor is much more important to a griffon than it is to a pony. To spit on one’s honor is tantamount to disrespecting a griffon’s family line.” His narrowed eyes kept Rain on edge. “It’s likely that her family would view her with less respect than they would their prey.” Finally, he closed his eyes and sighed. “The only way to regain that honor is to accomplish something in battle. Or… to take it from the one who took it from you.”

“And there’s no way to settle this peacefully?” A shake of Gideon’s head dashed the slight hope that had grown in Rain’s chest.

“It would surprise me if this didn’t end in some kind of conflict.” As he spoke, Gideon turned his back to Rain and returned to his work. “Remember this, Rain. You are a member of this unit now. And so, I’ll offer you what little warning I can for now.” The feeling behind his eyes after he turned to Rain put him on edge once again. “Be cautious.”

“Y-Yes sir.” His hoof pressed against his forehead and he pursed his lips. The gesture seemed to be enough to make the old griffon return to normal. He cleared his throat and picked up the materials he was working with.

“Be ready to go soon. The closing ceremony will be in 15 minutes.” As quickly as Gina had, Gideon left, heading deeper into the medical tent. Behind it, the sounds of many griffons moving around, preparing for the day’s end could be heard. With a deep breath, Rain joined them, focusing on his current job.

Yet, as his hooves moved with purpose, his mind began to wander. The thoughts and feelings of Gina and Griffons in general. He still had quite a lot to learn.

The thought was as motivating as it was daunting.

The clang of metal clashing as blades and armor met. The rumbling of steps along the forest floor as soldiers trudged through it. The heat and hazy aura of the battlefield. Being surrounded by these things was familiar to Grace.

The creaking of wood underneath her claws was something she’d gotten used to recently, though. As she pulled the branch of a tree off of its trunk, it snapped at its base. After tossing the discarded twig to the ground, she motioned for her team to follow her through.

Despite the distracting noises all around, Grace kept her senses razor-sharp. They’d been the subject of several ambushes over the past few days. But, thanks to her tireless scouting, they hadn’t lost a single member of their team in four days. Unfortunately, the side effects of this were beginning to show themselves in a bad way.

“Stop.” Grace’s command was immediately followed. The four soldiers came to an abrupt stop, catching their breaths by the gulp. Grace watched their faces, observing the fatigue on each, and came to a quick decision. “We’ll stop here for a break. 15 minutes only. Then we’ll catch up with the general.”

“Yes, ma’am!” The soldier’s bellows followed up the heavy thunk of their armor hitting the woodland floor. They immediately reached for their canteens, filling up on water as fast as they could.

Grace couldn’t blame them. The sting of the Sun’s heat and the weight of their fatigue would wear down anyone. Yanking the cool metal flask from her side, she took a seat in front of a tree. A quick swig brought a cool burst of fresh water down her throat. She shook her head and focused again.

“Hey, man.” Grace glanced towards the voice, finding the earth pony laid out underneath a tree. She’d only recently learned that his name was Rye Seed. Next to him, the one he was calling to, was Gus, the griffon who wielded a sword. He opened his eyes just enough to peer at Rye.

“What’s up?”

“Know any magic?” he asked. His hoof poked at his chestplate where a flag was affixed. Everyone here had them on. “Think ya can disarm this thing so I can take this armor off?”

“Why would I know any magic?” he asked, shaking his head. “Ask Stella.”

“Well, I would, but she told me if I ask her again, she’ll shove her sword through my chest.” Rye laughed despite the grim sentence. The unicorn in question peered at them from under a different tree. Her gaze certainly gave credit to his words. “So I was just covering my bases.” To Grace’s surprise, Gus chuckled along with him.

“Guess I can’t fault you for that.” he pointed his talon at the flag as it glowed with magical power. “Tried prying it off?”

“Don’t.” This time, Grace got involved. The two immediately froze up. Apparently, neither had noticed that she was listening. She sighed, then continued. “Take those off and you’re considered dead. Dead soldiers get to spend the rest of the day training with Commander Blossom.” She narrowed her eyes on the two. “You want that?”

“C-Course not, ma’am!” stuttered Rye. The leaves below him shuffled as he hurried to assume a more professional position. “Speaking of, captain, what do you make of this whole thing?”

“You mean the war game?” His frantic nodding confirmed her question. Instead of answering right away, she took another quick swig of her water flask. After wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her claw, she finally answered. “I think it’s gonna be pretty tough to win. Especially since the generals tend to turtle up when they’re—”

A thunderous crackle of magic followed a bright flash of light in the sky. Several green beams shot from the forest to the plains outside. All five soldiers donned a grim frown as they watched. That color of light marked the end of a friendly squad member. That probably meant that a full squad had been wiped out by the enemy. That marked three on their side for the day to only two for the enemy. Just as the lights disappeared, the flags on their armor began to glow with steady light.

“All units retreat! I repeat, all units retreat!” The general’s voice appeared in their minds as he barked at the order. The light on the flags dimmed until they were back to their natural state.

“Speak of the devil,” Grace mumbled as she slowly got up again. The rest of the team seemed to understand without her command. “We've lost a lot today. Let’s meet up with the…”

The order Grace was about to deliver was never completed. With her eyes on the sky, something impossible caught her eye. She must have been mistaken, but as clear as day, there it was.

“Captain?” Despite being called, Grace’s eyes never left the figures in the sky. Rye’s gaze followed her and he spotted the duo flying through the sky. “Ain’t that the medical team? Is there something wrong with ‘em?”

“Make your way back without me.” Grace’s order was swift and firm. The grip on her sword was just as tight once she made her way in the direction of the floating pair. “I’ll catch up, just… go.” If the rest of her squad had a problem, no one voiced it.

“Come on guys. Let’s go.” Stella was the first to speak up as well as the first to follow her order. Slowly, Grace heard the steps of her squad members fade out behind her. By the time they left earshot, they had already left her mind.

Her path through the dense forest was much less cautious as she tailed the two airborne soldiers. Her body made moving tough, but she didn't care. The countless scratches and cuts they left behind on her meant nothing. She was hellbent on moving forward.

Of course, she was. After all, it had been the first time she’d seen Rain since the day he pulled away from her.

His silver coat and blue hair were unmistakable, even as they faded in and out of view through the leaves. He was wearing a medical vest meant for the griffons, so it hung a little loose on his smaller build. She couldn’t quite see his expression, but it didn’t matter for now.

What was more important was his company. It only took her a moment to recognize her as one of Gina’s goons. The injury she sustained from Grace and Front Line’s attack was a giveaway. The wicked look on her face as they flew by was even more damning.

There would be no reason for these two to be flying together. Unless Gina had done something he couldn’t refuse. Just the thought was enough to make her shake with rage.

Suddenly, the pair stopped in midair. Rain stopped in his tracks, and the griffon leading him turned to him. She had no chance of hearing what they were saying, but their body language gave her some sign. Rain seemed to be hesitant to follow, despite the griffon’s insistence. It made sense, after all. They were far away from either general. What would they need him for so far away from everyone else? She clenched down on her beak and quickened her pace.

Despite the altercation, the pair continued through the air for a short while longer. Eventually, they dipped under the canopies of the trees and left Grace’s sight. Undeterred, she made her way through the unused parts of the forest to their last known location. After slowing down, Grace let the natural sounds of the forest mask her steps. As if she were on a real mission, she stalked her prey with the hush of a mouse.

Soon, the sounds of voices sprang up some distance from her. Careful to avoid even the twigs underneath her, she slinked through the trees. She spotted a wide clearing up ahead. She sensed several bodies and, as she finally got a clear look of the scene in front of her, spotted Rain. Her eyes narrowed to catlike pinpricks. Standing defiant, surrounded by several griffons bigger than him, was her beloved Rain.

“I had my suspicions, but… I can’t believe this.” His voice felt like a warm, calming blanket over Grace’s body. Even with the scenario happening around them, Grace’s heart couldn’t help but beat in reaction to him. The defiance behind his eyes gave her a confidence she could never foster alone. She smirked and clutched the hilt of her blade.

She was ready.

“You really outdid yourself this time, Gina.”

The sound of rustling leaves around him caught Rain's attention. Once his hooves hit the dirt floor, several griffons moved into position around him. Some snarled at him with a nasty glare, while others grinned at him like excited predators. Either way, Rain stood his ground with a firm look at the ringleader.

“I told you, didn’t I?” Light peeked through the dense forest leaves and revealed Gina’s expression. To Rain’s surprise, she didn’t share the same expression as her peers. Her head feathers were frazzled, and her eyes were heavy with fatigue. Her pitiable expression resembled someone who was more relieved than vindictive. “You’ll get what’s coming to you. And there’s no running away this time.” Rain watched her for a few moments in silence, then looked down at the paper in his hoof.

“You know… for an outcast, you sure do have a lot of friends.” The paper was high quality and came wrapped in an envelope sealed with a red stamp. Almost every soldier recognized the symbol and what it meant. “Friends in high places, it looks like. If you can falsify documents like these and have an entourage like this, it must not be that lonely.” One of the griffons snorted with a nasty grin.

“‘Friends’ is pushing it,” she corrected. Looking at the rest of the group, it seemed like that sentiment was shared. “She pays well. Long as I’m getting a paycheck, I’m down for whatever.” She spit at the dirt and glared at Gina, who stayed silent. “Honor don’t put food on the table, after all.”

“You all look a bit wounded.” Rain changed the subject, focusing on the shaky stances and gait of the group. Some were even bandaged, though Rain didn’t recognize any of them from the medical tent. “I’m guessing Grace did a number on you all as well?” Immediately, the mood around him dropped. The griffon who spat before glared at him with daggers in her eyes. She reached for the sword at her hip and took a step forward.

“This motherfucker’s got a death wish,” she growled. Rain flinched as she approached, but took a deep breath to stabilize himself.

“Trust me, Gina. This isn’t going to solve anything!” His sudden raised voice caught even the approaching griffon off guard. He stared forward at Gina with a firm glare. “Call off your squad. I promise to at least have Grace hear you out.” He pointed his hoof toward her, offering her a shake. “Let’s talk about this.”

To his surprise, the mood stalled. Confused glances among the griffons kept them occupied while Rain looked straight on. The one who approached him stopped in her tracks, claw still hovering over her sword’s hilt. The forest became eerily silent once all eyes fell on Gina. She looked among the griffons, at Rain, at his hoof, and back again. A slow breeze blew through the forest, leaving her feathers flapping through the air. She took a deep breath, then another. With her eyes set on his, she opened her beak.

“Fuck. You. I don't need to negotiate shit.” She pointed a sharp talon towards him and narrowed her eyes. “Fuck him up.”

The order was simple, yet effective. Rain bit down on his lip and rescinded his hoof. The daunting expressions of the griffons returned, all focused on Rain. He tensed up and spread his wings. He wouldn’t be getting out of this unscathed, but he damn sure could try. The griffon nearest to him lunged forward in an attempt to pin him down. Just as he attempted to take off, the loud rustling to his side caught his attention.

Something massive burst through the treeline and tackled a griffon to the ground. Disoriented, her blade shot from its sheath and landed somewhere between the bushes. Before Rain could blink, the griffon yelled out in pain as a loud thunk rang out amongst the group.

For the griffons, there was a wave of cold panic settling down over them. As for Rain, he never felt more warm.

“I guess this is my fault for thinking you’d only need one lesson.” It felt cliche to call her a superhero, but that’s the only word that came to mind when he saw Grace. With her back paw firmly on the neck of the attacking griffon, she almost glowed in the sunlight. Though her back was to him, Rain could see her firm expression pointed at Gina and the rest. She met Rain’s eye for just a moment before turning back to the griffons. Her blade slipped out of its sheath and its point threatened the group. “I’ll make damn sure you get the point this time around.”

“H-How did you…” A horrified expression replaced Gina’s tired one. She shakily stepped back from Grace’s blade, letting the others stand in front of her. Though even they didn’t seem to be enthusiastic about the idea. “T-Take out her flag! That’ll put her too far away to do anything!”

Rain looked at the flag they were talking about. Unlike the rest of them, Grace wore a teleportation flag. His nerves spiked, but Grace’s composure made him feel silly for doing so. She grinned, then waved her blade in the air, beckoning them closer.

As hesitant as they were, with a proper goal in mind, they made their move. Two griffons rushed her at once, but their movement was sloppy and basic. Grace barely had to move to dispatch the first, while the second received a hefty slap from the flat of her blade. Her beak made a sickening crack before she hit the ground. Grace offered the other the same treatment, rattling the side of her head with the cold steel.

One particularly tricky griffon flanked around her side. Her aim couldn’t be more clear as she swung for Grace’s back. Before Grace had the chance, another figure burst from the treeline and shoved her into a tree. The wind left her chest and she collapsed, heaving air into her lungs.

“I think I got the same one. What a coincidence.” Rain’s eyes widened. The familiar voice was unexpected, but once he saw his winning smile, Rain couldn’t help but smile with him. “Hey, buddy. Heard you could use some help?”

“How did you find me?” Front Line pointed up at the sky with his hoof.

“Saw you and one of the griffons we fought flying through the sky. Got curious and followed you here.” He turned to Grace who offered him a quick glance before returning her focus to Gina. “But I guess you didn’t need my help, did you?”

“You said she wouldn’t be here, Gina!” The shout came from one of the last standing griffons. With a grunt, she took off into the air, looking down at the clearing with a snarl. “Keep your bits! I’m out of here!”

“Wait!” Gina’s curses fell on deaf ears. One by one, the griffons departed the scene until the four of them were the only ones left. Her own retreat was blocked by a thick tree to her back. With Grace watching her every move just in front of her, she had very few options. Still, that didn’t stop her from trying. She spread her wings and tried to take off, but was pinned underneath Grace’s sharp claws around her neck. She struggled, but she couldn't muster up enough strength. “Fuck…”

“So one black eye kept you at bay for four days.” She flared the talons on her other claw. Even from a distance, Rain could tell they were wicked sharp. “I wonder how long you’ll keep away if I take it out instead?”

“Wait.” Rain's interjection surprised even him. Grace looked at him, curiosity hidden behind her sharp glare. “Don’t attack her.”

“Why not?” Though she questioned him, she began to lower her claws. A relieved sigh escaped Rain’s lips. “She’s the one who attacked you before, right?”

“Yes. But if you hurt her again, this cycle of violence won’t ever end.” Grace watched him without a word, silently contemplating his words. Before long, her claws dug into the earth, and she resigned her attack. Still, she didn’t release her claw from Gina’s neck. Rain decided to take what he could get.

“So what should we do?” asked Front Line. He looked down at the disheartened griffon. Though she was struggling moments ago, she had become quiet as a church mouse. “Hand her over to some higher officers?”

“That’s not going to work.” Grace shook her head as she explained. “Hand her over to the griffon commander and she’ll get a slap on the wrist. Hand her over to Blossom… it would be better to kill her here.” Judging by the new wave of horror on Gina’s face, she didn’t find the thought too alluring either. Grace pressed down harder, keeping her dormant. “But… I have a better idea. You. Come here.”

Front Line’s eyes widened as Grace motioned for him to approach. He did as he was told, ending up near Gina’s flank. He looked confused until he saw Grace prop her up with her free claw. With her face still down in the dirt, and her ass up in the air, what came next was clear.

“It’s your lucky day, Gina. You’ll be getting exactly what you asked for.” Grace’s grin turned sinister, and only made the confusion Gina felt much worse. “If you want to sleep with a stallion so bad… go ahead.” Grace glanced at Front Line. “You’re not seeing anyone, are you?”

“You know… I never expected to be asked a question like that at a time like this.” He chuckled, then looked down at Gina. “Well, no. I’m riding solo for now.”

“Are you really okay with this, Line?” Concern flashed across Rain’s face, but Front Line only chuckled in response.

“Not really. I don’t tend to get super chummy with mares that try to assault my best friend.” His words sparked a twinge of pride in Rain’s chest, despite the circumstances. “But if I can’t buck her in the side of the head, this is a nice close second.”

“You can’t b-be serious…” A little slow on the uptake, Gina finally spoke up. Front Line placed a hoof on her butt, savoring its little jiggle. She mumbled with dissatisfaction as he spread her cheeks, revealing her moist privates.

“You ever had a stallion back here?” questioned Front Line. He watched her asshole wink at him and licked his lips. “Guess I’ll find out soon.”

“W-What are you talking ab—” Gina’s sentence dissolved into a yelp as Front Line’s tongue tapped against her. He ran a circle around it, savoring her small twitchy reactions. Eventually, he broke past, letting his tongue caress her ass like a worm. He dug deep, pressing his muzzle as far as it would go to eat her ass. Once he got his fill, he pulled away and spread her again.

“Think you can help me out here?”

“Hmm…” Grace looked down at the talons on her free hand, then shrugged. “Sure, why not.”

She reached down her back and slid over her ass to reach her anus. She got one talon past the hole, but two were proving to be an issue. A little bit of persuasion was all she needed to do the trick. Once they finally poked past, Gina yelped in surprise.

Front Line wasn’t exaggerating. She had to fight for every inch she went in. Being cautious not to injure her, Grace managed to stuff her as far as she would go. Once she got there, she slowly spread her open, giving her room to breathe. Though she tried her hardest to muffle it, Grace noticed Gina’s moaning underneath her. She smirked, then slipped her talons from her ass.

‘That should be good.” Grace gave Gina’s gape a good look before leaning back and giving Front Line his space. A shiver ran down her back once he returned to his position behind her.

“W-Wait…” He mounted her with ease and leaned forward until his lower half hovered around her ass. She could feel his sheath twitch once it slid between her hind legs. The sheer size of it was enough to make her body hot. Her wings shot open in surprise once she felt his enlarged tip press against her rump. “That’s not going to—!”

With a firm grunt, Front Line managed to slip himself inside. She shrieked with surprise and pawed at the dirt beneath her claws. Half of his shaft was in before she clenched up hard enough to stop him. The rest of his dive went slow and steady. Finally, once his tip sat nice and snug deep inside of her, Front Line took a break.

“Damn! You’ve definitely never taken it back here before.” He took a quick breath before pulling back. “Don’t know how long I can—” He yanked himself back, pulling his medial ring from her tight grip. Gina let out a loud moan and her body shook hard. A misty spray of her cum jetted from her pussy following it. She took a few heavy breaths before pressing her forehead into the dirt again. “Ooh, wow. A squirter? This is gonna be fun.”

“Y-You grimy f-f...” Gina couldn’t even manage her usual defiance through her fatigue. Her paws clenched and released a few times before she fell to her stomach. That motion caused the rest of Front Line’s cock to slip out. Her tight little anus was replaced with a wide, twitching gape over triple its old size. After a bit, Front Line repositioned himself above her again. Like before, her body began to react to him. She let out a low groan and her hindleg twitched. “D-Don’t…”

“It wouldn’t be much of a punishment if I let you off now.” He pressed forward again, slower this time. Instead of a shocked scream, Gina let out a small moan. Her hindleg kicked up again, and she squeezed him for every inch. “I’m pretty horny now, thanks to you. You’ll show me a good time, right?”

Without waiting for an answer, he returned to his work. Contrary to her outward anger, her moans were becoming more pronounced. Front Line couldn’t see them, but Rain, who watched from the sidelines, could tell. The rage on her face began to fade, replaced with an unfocused glare. She was starting to leak even more than before, and her panicked clawing came to a halt. Front Line continued, oblivious to all of this, hitting her hard every time he nestled inside.

As they went on, Rain found himself watching without a word. He wasn’t sure what he should say. His best friend was going to town on the same griffon who’d threatened him less than ten minutes ago. The entire situation was more than a little odd. Still, for as confused as he was, his body was quite clear with its feelings.

“So… you are getting aroused by other griffons.” Rain’s heart sank as he heard those words. He spun around to face Grace only to find her smirking mischievously. She covered her eyes with the back of her claw and frowned. “I guess you don’t want me anymore… boo hoo.”

“N-No, that’s not it!” Though she was likely playing around, the uncertain feelings from before came back. He pursed his lips, then put a hoof on his chest. “It’s just… I wonder how it is. Anal, I mean.” Slowly, Grace removed her claw. Behind her sharp yellow eyes, Rain felt a familiar warmth.

“Want to try it?” Rain blinked a few times. The question caught him off guard. He looked toward Gina and Front Line, then back at Grace.

“Y-Yeah,” he responded. To his surprise, her expression turned sad.

“It’ll have to wait until we’re out of this forest.” Grace sighed. “The armor would get in the way. I’d hate to be having fun before getting teleported in front of a hundred soldiers…” As she spoke, Rain was reminded of something important.

“Hold on a moment.” He immediately dove into his bag and rummaged around. Past all the medical records, tools, and medicine, there was a device that glowed with yellow light. He retrieved it and brought it to Grace’s side. After pressing it to her side for a few seconds, the light from the flag underneath it dissipated and dulled. He pulled the device away and looked up. “This usually helps doctors move a patient without worrying about them teleporting. But it should work in this—”

Grace lifted her claw off of Gina, giving her much more leeway. In the next second, the armor covering Grace’s body was all but ripped off of her. The large hunks of metal hit the forest floor with a loud thump, and her sword wasn’t far behind. Now that she was bare, she looked down at Rain, barely able to contain her excitement.

The two stared at each other in silence. For those few, long moments, the world around them dulled to nothing. Without a word between them, they felt the other’s passion radiating off of them.

Rain made his way behind Grace without another thought. Her tail flicked back and forth, trying to seduce him closer. But if she saw his throbbing cock underneath her belly, she wouldn't have needed anything else. Once Rain got into position, he saw just how wet she’d gotten for him.

Yet, his attention shifted elsewhere. Like Front Line, Rain began nipping at her ass, poking it with his muzzle before licking at it with his tongue. She winked and trembled in reaction to his teasing, but Rain showed no sign of slowing down.

He pressed into her, planting a few kisses on her asshole before breaking past it with his tongue. A low moan from Grace followed her hot, tight passage coiling around his tongue. She pawed at the ground and flicked her tail again.

His tongue crawled deeper inside, and he relished in every moan he pulled out of her. The flat of his hoof traveled up to her soft, wet pussy, and pet its drooling lips. It wasn’t long before drops of her cum pittered against the dry leaves and branches below like rain. He continued until she craned downward, submitting herself to him.

He pulled away from her ass and the small gape he left behind rapidly shut. The saliva he left behind dribbled down, joining her dripping juices down below. Rain licked his lips, then put his hoof on Grace’s back. In a single motion, he mounted her. His length hung between her legs, thrumming in anticipation.

“Grace, I-I…” Rain could barely keep himself calm. When Grace turned to face him and their eyes met, Rain had to force back the joy bursting from his chest. He bit his lip to stop the tears from coming down. “I missed you… so much.”

“Don’t tell me that,” she murmured. Like a bunny, she wiggled her butt to and fro. Fire burned in Rain's eyes and more importantly, in his loins. And Grace knew it. “Show me how much you missed me…”

He swallowed hard. With a few beats of his wings, he was hovering in the air, lining himself up to Grace’s juicy asshole. He pressed into it with as much gentleness as he could, but it was clear it wouldn’t work. With a little determination and a bit of strength, he broke past the entrance and delved inside of her.

The air in Rain’s lungs burst out of him once he pushed forward. It was so much different from her pussy. While that was tight, this was something beyond that. Her muscles gripped him like a machine and wouldn't let go. After a few deep breaths, he pushed in further, getting to the medial ring.

Rain grabbed hold of her body and huffed. He jutted his hips forward with just enough force to slip it in but ended up stuffing his entire length in at once. Even Grace, who'd stuck it out with small breaths until now had to fold. Unlike her rugged appearance, Grace's moans were flighty, like a dainty mare half her size. Rain enjoyed being the only one to hear them.

“Different than you thought, huh?” Rain looked over at Front Line, who watched him with a smug smirk. He reminded him that they weren't the only two out here.

Front Line was taking a short break. He hovered over her, gently steering his hips to slip in and out of Gina. Though she was now free, she didn’t even try to escape Front Line’s grasp. In fact, judging by her expression, she seemed to like it. Despite his size, he gently caressed her back with his hooves and rubbed her deep inside.

All the while, Gina looked conflicted. Her face was redder than her feathers, and she was moaning softly. She’d given up trying to muffle herself, but she still hadn’t let loose yet. She glared at Grace who was leaning down in front of her, but didn’t seem angry.

Meanwhile, Grace was coming down from her high. With each deep breath, she squeezed Rain tight, threatening to take the whole thing off if he wasn’t careful. He took a few breaths of his own before hauling himself out. But now that he was in, Grace didn’t seem too happy to let him go. Pinching down with each inch he pulled out, it was an incredible journey just to get half of himself free. Yet, once he did, he wasted no time plunging back in.

Once she began to loosen up, her ass took the shape of his cock. That made moving around much easier. He pressed in deep with each pump of his hip, but he made sure to keep from hurting her.

“What’s the matter?” asked Grace. Both griffons had their heads near the ground, and both were taking it from behind. The only difference was Gina’s soured expression. “Isn’t this what you, hmm… wanted?”

“No!” she growled. “This isn’t… anything like what I wanted!”

“But you’re enjoying yourself, right?” Gina opened her mouth to retort, but a guttural moan left her beak instead of words. Grace chuckled, then looked up. “Your tail is going crazy.” Gina looked back like she couldn’t believe it. But, as Grace said, she was flicking her tail back and forth with excitement.

Finally, Front Line got his second wind. And it was clear that he didn’t want to keep taking it nice and slow. As soon as he was able, he held firm on Gina’s sides and thrust in. His balls slapped against her pussy, splashing her arousal all over them. But, instead of a yelp or a moan, Gina purred like a cat and pawed the ground. As soon as she realized it, she covered her beak with a claw and widened her eyes.

"Oh, you’re really enjoying it…" Grace chuckled, then let out a soft purr of her own. She reached forward, grabbing Gina’s claw and pulling it from her beak. Wrapping them together, Gina gave Grace a strong squeeze. “Come on, you two. Give the griffons what they want.”

Rain looked up at Front Line, who met his gaze. Without a word exchanged between them, they knew what they’d have to do.

Both were off to the races. Once he'd gotten his rhythm, Rain moved in and out of Grace like a pro. His balls slapped against her ass, rippling her thick muscular flank with each swing. She threatened to buckle under each of his thrusts, but she wouldn't let herself fall.

Front Line kept Gina’s body honest. With each thrust, her pussy drooled more and more. Her softer flank had a louder smack when he slammed into her. Her breathing got more and more ragged, and her body began to shake. Even Grace could tell she was close.

Rain leaned down until he could reach around Grace’s body and his hooves could meet underneath her. His wings beat quicker, lifting him up just so he could slam down with as much power as he could. His balls were sticky with a mix of precum and pussy juice.

For a moment, in a forgotten corner of the forest, the four reached the height of passion. Nothing else mattered.

Front Line was the first to cave. With a guttural grunt and a thrust louder than thunder, cum sprang out of him like a faucet. He dumped thick globs of cum deep inside of her, quickly filling up her tight little hole. Gina arched her back, heaving breaths as the warm, sticky cum began to build up in her stomach. She grasped Grace’s claw tight, looking for whatever little relief she could. Front Line groaned with each thick pump, relishing in his cumdump's tight asshole.

Rain wasn’t far behind. Once his balls clenched up, he knew he couldn't hold on for much longer. Fiercely, he pumped volley after volley of ropes from his tip. Grace was more reserved than Gina, but she still couldn’t keep herself quiet. She moaned with each blast she sucked out of him.

Her spare claw found its way over Rain’s hoof, holding her belly as his cum pooled up inside of her. Once the very last drop of cum dripped out of Rain’s tip, he began to flap his wings again. Using the upward momentum, he pulled himself out. Coated white like fresh snow, his cock slipped out with a loud slurp.

After removing himself, he fell backward onto his flank. In front of him was Grace’s well-used asshole, dripping hot, sticky spunk down her pussy and legs. The sight alone was almost enough to make him hard again.

“Woof! What a workout.” Front Line was the first to speak up. He was laid out just like Rain. After wiping the sweat from his forehead, he looked down at Gina. She was drooling cum like Grace. But, while she could still stand on her legs, Gina seemed like she’d need some help. Front Line rubbed Gina’s ass, pulling a little whine out of her. “Thanks, Gina. Forgot how fun it is to let loose.”

“Ugh…” Gina let go of Grace’s claw and pushed herself upward. She looked down at herself, blushing at the sticky hot mess her ass had become. She looked up at Front Line with a light scowl. “Do all you ponies… shoot so much? Look at this mess…” Front Line chuckled.

“I was pretty pent up. Haven’t had a fling in a while.” Front Line got to his hooves. He stretched and groaned, then shook himself to get focused again. “But now I’m pretty spent. Think it’s about time we head back?”

“The general’s probably wondering where you two are…” Rain spoke up, looking between Grace. His tone was somber, and they both knew it. “I don’t want to get you two in trouble for saving me.”

“Actually, I think it’s alright.” Front Line pointed his hoof at a nearby tree, where Grace’s armor was discarded. “Since Grace is out of her armor, I could tell the general that you got eliminated. Nobody would be the wiser.” Both Grace and Rain looked at him, then at each other. Front Line laughed. He hadn’t seen them interact for very long, but he could tell when they were on the same wavelength. Even without words.

“Thanks, Line…” Surprise crossed his face, but it didn’t stay for very long. He flashed a wide grin and nodded.

“No problem, buddy.” He turned to the fallen Gina, who looked confused as to what was happening. He extended his hoof to her, but her attention was locked on the couple.

“I trust you to handle that one,” said Grace, looking at Gina for a split moment. In the next, she had returned her gaze to Rain. She fell to the ground and rolled over onto her back. She spread her paws, revealing the mess Rain had left on her. She was still leaking, and her unused pussy called to him. He quickly returned to full mast just watching her. “Come here, you little stud.”

“Y-You guys are really going again?” Gina’s question fell on deaf ears. Rain and Grace had already fallen into their own little world. He pressed his tip against her pussy, enjoying its soft, springy juiciness with his flared tip. Even his little teasing was enough to arouse her, pulling soft moans from her beak.

“We should probably go. Unless you want to get tangled up in that.” Gina turned to face Front Line as he spoke. He shook his hoof at her, asking her to take it. After a few seconds of waiting, she swatted his hoof away.

“Don’t pity me. I don’t need your help,” she spat. Though it was shaky, Gina steadily got to her paws. Her entire back half being sore didn’t help things much. She glared at Front Line with pride, proving that she didn’t need him. But, as soon as she took a step, she nearly stumbled forward and landed in the dirt. The only thing stopping her was Front Line’s hoof, holding her up by the chest.

“It’s not gonna kill you to get some help here,” said Front Line with a chuckle. He led her foreleg over his back, supporting her. Looking back over at her, he could tell just how unhappy she was with this. But for now, she didn’t resist. Front Line laughed again. “Let’s head out. We can split after we hit the edge of the forest.” Gina sighed, clearly defeated, and began to walk with Front Line. After a bit, she discreetly looked over at him and mumbled under her breath.

“I’m gonna need to walk after that…” Thankfully, Front Line didn’t seem to catch it.

And with that, they were gone. The last two in the clearing didn’t pay much mind to their departure. It seems like the moment of passion had consumed their attention.

Rain pressed into Grace’s pussy with a grunt, enjoying every moment of it. Though it wasn’t as tight, the soft, wet oven-like feeling never got old. Grace showed her excitement with a purr and a squeeze of Rain’s hoof.

They didn’t need any words between them. Rain began pumping like a well-oiled machine. The fatigue he felt before began to fly away. Grace’s pussy sucked and slurped his cock, holding him with its soft, wet grip. She reached up to his back and pulled him close. With his belly against hers, Rain could feel his cock throb with each pump deep inside of her.

At this point, Rain had explored every bit of Grace’s body in detail. He knew exactly where to go to make her run wild. Every few bucks of his hips, he would angle himself upward, scraping along the soft ridges along the top of Grace’s pussy. Fucking her there never failed to make her shiver. She squeezed his hoof again. A gesture that he knew meant that she wanted more.

Grace closed her eyes shut. After a bit of thought, Rain leaned down, planting a small kiss on her cheek. She subtly turned toward it, landing the next one on her beak. She opened her eyes just as the third one reached her forehead.

“Again…” she hummed. “Kiss me more.” Rain slowed down, and focused on his kisses. A few on her face and beak, then down to her neck. Sensually, he caressed her body, slowly digging her pussy out down below. Her moans were long and dainty. Rain couldn’t get enough of them.

Of course, Grace knew Rain just as well. When Rain twitched and sputtered inside of her, she knew exactly what to expect. She’d gotten used to the feeling of his balls clenching up, begging to coat her in white. Every feather on her body stood at its edge. She flared up, and hugged him tighter, bracing for the impact.

With a loud groan, Rain cracked. His balls lurched upward, pumping hot spunk right into Grace’s awaiting pussy. She hummed with pleasure as he quickly filled her to the brim. Even as she spilled over, he continued to bless her with more. The pressure pushed the cum from her ass out onto the ground as well, forming a sizable puddle. Rain heaved air through his moans, and cool relief washed over him like a wave.

He slowed down to a dribble but wasn’t quite done yet. With a few final pushes, he used his flared tip to push the cum deeper inside. Grace held him tighter as she came down from her orgasm. She moaned in delight once he slipped out of her, the warm liquid trickling down her ass and tail.

But even after he pulled out, the two stayed close to each other. Rain was determined to place a kiss everywhere he could, and Grace wanted each one. Only after another wave of smooches did Grace’s grip loosen, and Rain was allowed to back off.

“Wow…” Rain looked over his handiwork. The mess he made before had doubled. Cum leaked out of both of Grace’s holes, and the forest floor was damp with sweat and cum. The scene was straight out of his wet dreams. “A-Are you okay?”

“More than okay…” she huffed. She smiled through her labored breaths. “I feel amazing.” Pride swelled in Rain’s chest. A warm feeling.

“I feel the same,” agreed Rain. Having trouble catching his breath, he got to his hooves. The two met eyes. For a moment, it almost seemed like they would get back to it.

Unfortunately, the loud crackle of magic behind them caught them both off guard. They turned to see a green light beaming far away from them. Silence returned to the forest, and Rain furrowed his brow.

“Looks like we still have the wargame to worry about...” Grace was next to get up. She shook her paws to get used to standing on them again, then turned to Rain with a smirk.

“I can probably do something about that.” She pressed her body up to Rain’s. He wondered if she still hadn’t gotten her fill of him. Then again, he was a little disappointed to be pulled away from her.

Rain collected the items from his bag while Grace suited back up. Then, just like that, the two made their way through the forest like normal. Other than the crunch of leaves and twigs under hoof, the walk was quiet. The ambiance of the forest filled in what it could, putting them at ease.

As they walked, Rain’s mind began to wander. He left the medical tent quite some time ago. He chucked, nervously thinking of all the trouble he might’ve been causing Gideon. He was in for an earful if he didn’t hurry back.

But, if Rain was as concerned with time as he seemed, he could have taken off into the sky. His vest would have kept him safe from any attacks, so there was nothing much to worry about. But… as he walked alongside Grace through a nearly untouched forest, he kept his wings tucked.

He peaked over in Grace’s direction and found her watching the skies. She scanned them with caution as if she expected something to drop down on them. A small smile appeared on his face while he looked.

For the rest of the trip, he walked just a little bit closer to her.

Chapter 6 — Just To Talk

“Hey. Think something’s wrong with the captain?”

“Why do you always come to me with your stupid questions?”

“Well… cause you’re the closest?”

Stella’s grumbling was almost muted beneath the order’s the general was barking at them. Though Grace kept her eyes forward, their conversation had piqued her interest. Then again, Rye wasn’t exactly the quietest.

“Nah, but seriously. Did ya see what she did to that poor squad captain earlier?” asked Rye. Instead of snapping at him, Stella resigned herself to his questions with a sigh.

“Of course I did. I was there.” Grace blinked a few times and shook her tail in a slow rhythm. To her surprise, she wasn’t sure who exactly they had been talking about. She’d been in so many fights that they all blended together in a mush. “She almost tore the poor pony in half. Didn’t know swords could make that sound on armor.” The memory returned to Grace just as she finished her sentence. She hummed under her breath, clearly pleased with herself.

“And to think you were the one starting something with her from day one.” Rye chuckled, then poked Stella in the side. “You really dodged a bullet there, Stelly.”

“Never call me that again if you like walking on four hooves.” Stella’s threat didn’t seem to do much to dissuade Rye. As he laughed, Grace returned her attention to the front, where the general was speaking.

“—a maneuver I’ve been saving for a day when we have a clear advantage!” She returned just in time, as the general looked in her direction and met her gaze. “Though we have tried two-pronged attacks before, today will be different. We have the advantage of at least twenty able-bodied soldiers. A chance like this will never happen again. We have to seize the opportunity!”

The crowd around her let out a spirited cry. Grace just nodded and kept herself focused.

“With that being said…” The general lifted his hoof, pointing in Grace’s direction. Just as quickly, he jabbed his hoof towards two other squad captains. ‘Squads 1, 5, and 7! Step forward.”

Grace smirked. As instructed, she walked out from the line with her squadmates close behind. Along with her came two very familiar squads. It almost seemed like fate that she’d been called alongside Gina and Front Line. Then again, they were both good soldiers, so she understood the general’s decision. Once they stood side by side, the general looked them over.

“It’s mostly thanks to you fifteen that we’re in this spot to begin with.” His eyes glowed like jewels as he met Grace’s gaze. “Especially you, Grace! Three squads all by yourselves? I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but if you keep it up, we’ll all be out of this forest by sundown.”

“Thanks.” The general’s praises still didn’t bring her much joy or pride, but her good mood made her smile anyway. He cleared his throat, then looked around at the others.

“Alright, everyone,” he called. “This is how we’ll attack.”

Over the next few minutes, the general laid out the plan of attack. As much as Grace didn’t enjoy listening to him talk, she paid attention to his plan. For the sake of her worn-out team, if for nothing else.

The squads that the general didn’t call forward came together as a single force. Grace was left in control of the final three. The main force would use the heavy tree cover around the enemy’s base of operations to approach. Once in range, they’d spring a surprise attack to incite panic.

That panic would be the signal for Grace’s detachment to move. The smaller group would wait at a flank, waiting for a vulnerability to show itself. After they infiltrated, they’d make a beeline for the general. The rest was simple.

The detachment walked off first. They had a lot more ground to cover than the main force to reach the enemy’s flank. Most of the trek was quiet. Everyone had to keep an ear out for any separated enemy squads. Being discovered could risk the entire mission, after all.

While she was keeping her guard up, Grace could often feel a hot prick on her neck. The sharp glare of a particularly miffed griffon. However, when Grace returned the gaze, she quickly looked away. She chuckled whenever she did. The feelings of fear and anger she had before seemed childish now. Grace slowed her pace, letting others pass her by. The look of panic on Gina’s face flared when she realized that Grace was closing in on her.

“Where are you trying to run off to?” It’d be hard not to notice the fear Grace instilled in Gina with her presence. Usually, that’d be a mark of honor for Grace. Instead, it just made her sigh. “Calm down. I just wanted to talk.”

“What could you possibly want to talk about with me?”

“Your skill.” That caught Gina off guard. Her confusion was quickly answered once Grace pointed at the sword at her side. “You’re actually a decent fighter. I expect good things.”

“What are you…” Realization washed over Gina’s expression. Her familiar anger replaced it soon enough. “If you’re trying to flatter me… don’t. I hate being pitied more than anything.”

“It’s not pity or flattery. I’m being serious.” Grace looked at the rest of the squads, taking note of their conditions. “You’re one of the only few here that isn't ready to drop dead. Well… that might be because you took a day off.”

“You…” Grace hummed as she watched Gina remember yesterday. She couldn’t help but smirk in the face of her embarrassed rage. Her next words were hushed, almost grumbled. “We’re not done. Watch your back.”

“Sure. I’ll take you on whenever.” Grace shrugged. She was in an unusually devious mood. “And when you lose, I’ll make sure Front Line is around for your punishment.” As she spoke, the pony in question met her gaze. Like the two griffons, he was looking surprisingly energetic. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind indulging you. If you really wanted it, that is.”

“What!?” Gina shouted, startling the rest of the group. Taking a page from her book, Grace subtly provoked her with a smug smirk. Again, her voice plummeted to a whisper. “You’re dead. Both of you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Grace. “Let’s get this mission done first though. I’m sure you also don’t want to be in this forest for much longer.” Gina looked down, avoiding the curious glances of those around her. With a final chuckle, Grace retook the lead of the pack.

Soon after that, the pack reached the place where the general had someone mark for them. A line of trees with long thin sections of peeled bark. The problem was the sounds of fighting they’d been hearing as they approached. Realizing that they could be a little late, Grace ordered the teams to move in immediately. They couldn't miss their golden opportunity.

The enemy had taken hold of a large clearing near the north of the forest. It was hard to tell apart from their own base of operations. There were a few ponies and griffons scattered along the treeline. They had weapons in hand, but had their back turned to the group. As they crept closer, none had any idea what was about to happen to them.

“Let’s go!” With a muffled cry, Grace burst from the trees like a beast, tackling the nearest soldier to the ground. They slammed against it like a sack. The one next to him met a similar fate, as a shield bash sent him careening into a tree. Grace met eyes with the final member of her crew, Graham. His silent tendency made him easy to forget. Grace smirked at him and gave him a nod of approval. “Great. Let’s move fast and hit hard!”

The fallen soldiers were quickly dispatched. Unfortunately, the bright lights from their teleportation were bound to turn some heads. Shedding the tree coverage, Grace and the fifteen others rushed into battle. Their focus was dead set on a particular pony wearing a red flag.

“Shit, there’s more of them! Everyone, to me!” The panicked shout grabbed the attention of every straggler in the area. Grace rushed forward through the clearing. Every pony and griffon in earshot hurried to his aid. Fighting each one individually would take too long. They’d have a chance to recuperate and fight back. Gripping her sword, Grace came up with a new plan.

In front of her were a sizable chunk of bodies. She took a deep breath and hopped over the first two. Not expecting to be vaulted, all they could do was swipe at her paws. Unfortunately, she was too fast and cleared them in no time flat. They turned to surround her but the detachment behind her engaged them.

Focusing her attention forward again, she slipped through the soldiers. Ducking, jumping, weaving, and jiving, she kept herself unharmed. The general’s surprise was only matched by his growing ire. He pointed his hoof and barked more orders, but Grace continued to approach at an alarming rate. Finally, after moving through the crowd like a wraith, Grace landed on her paws a few steps away from the general.

Immediately, he was protected by another soldier. The unicorn raised her longsword and used its superior length against Grace. With a hefty grunt and a swipe of her sword, the magic surrounding the hilt was shaken. As she dropped her sword, she put up a magic barrier in an attempt to pause her aggression. Swinging her entire body in a wide arc, Grace smashed the pommel of her sword against it. The pony recoiled a bit. After a final shoulder check, the last of his defenses were removed.

“Y-You can’t be real…” murmured the general. He reached for his own weapon, but in his haste, he dropped it. He never took his eyes off Grace’s hulking form. A loud crash rang out after he tripped over his hooves and fell to the ground. “You’re a monster…” Grace’s eyes narrowed, and she hoisted her sword into the air.

“Yup,” she said calmly. “So fear me.”

Nearly an entire week of endless warfare came to an end with the swing of a sword. All eyes turned to the fallen general as his flag began to spark and fizzle. A grand flash of magic beamed him off into the distance, and he was gone. His absence left the battlefield silent.

Yet, this peace only lasted for a few moments. A loud horn blared, loud enough to be heard from anywhere in the forest. Before anyone could question it, the flags on their armor began to glow, all at once.

The harsh light from everyone caught Grace off guard. She lifted her claw to protect herself from it. Next, the air around her got hot and space seemed to constrict. She was squeezed into a small space for a single moment. It felt as if she were flying through the sky at speeds she couldn’t imagine. Once her body returned to normal, she felt the soft grass of the nearby meadow underneath her paws.

“Somehow, I knew it would be you.” Grace lowered her claw, meeting a new face. An icy glare and the presence of a royal. Floe Blossom wasn’t exactly hard to spot. “Grace, right? I’ve heard that you were quite an outstanding soldier. I suppose that this proves it.”

“Yeah…” Grace immediately turned her gaze from the pony and surveyed her surroundings. Plenty of soldiers fell to the ground, exhausted and relieved. Many others had looks of doom on their faces. Some even directed their anger at her. Grace returned her gaze to Floe. “Is everyone out of the forest?”

“Every soldier who’s still wearing their armor, yes.” Floe looked among the ponies and griffons laid out in the field. “Injured soldiers and medical personnel, as well as a few soldiers on clean-up duty will stay behind.” Grace’s expression soured immediately. Of course, the victory felt nice, but without Rain being there, it felt somewhat hollow. She put a claw to her temple and sighed.

“I really am too far gone…” Floe watched her with a curious expression but kept quiet.

“Captain, that was awesome! I ain’t never seen someone of your size move like that!” Before either could continue, a loud voice cut through their conversation. Rye all but sprinted to Grace’s side, eyes bright like diamonds. “You’re like a ninja! Or like… one of them ghost fighters or something!”

“Looks like you’ll have your hooves full with this,” said Floe, turning away. “Farewell, Grace, and company.” With that small goodbye, she began walking away back to her entourage. Grace watched her go for a few moments, then turned to the forest.

“That was seriously impressive.” Next to speak was Gus. By the looks of it, he took a few bumps in the final fight. In fact, the entire team looked worse for wear. Grace felt a little guilty as she studied them.

“How much did you train to be able to dodge like that?” Last to speak was Stella, who looked way more emotionally drained than anything. Grace guessed that handling magic for that long without a long break would be pretty tough. That and she was the one dealing with the brunt of Rye’s banter. “I’ve been training since I was a foal and I’m sure I can’t do that.”

“A lot.” Grace’s simple answer seemed to amuse her squad. Even Graham let out a chuckle. She shook her head. “You all show good potential, like I said. Train a bit more, and you’ll be just like me.”

“Somehow, I doubt it…”

The mood around the five was light, but Grace’s attention was elsewhere. Their general had emerged from the wreckage of the soldiers, looking better than ever. He stood tall and proud in front of Floe Blossom who held a medal in her magic.

“Soldiers! To Attention! You’re not free just yet!” Floe’s voice reached every soldier in the meadow. With bellyaches and groans, they followed her instructions and presented themselves properly. “The war game has officially come to a close. Team Alpha are your victors. As a reward, every soldier will receive a week of free time to recuperate.”

The award went over well with the tired soldiers. Even Grace was happy to hear the news. Immediately, she began wondering what she’d do with it. Sitting around was never her style, after all.

“As for Team Omega… they will receive nothing. I expect you to be up bright and early come Monday morning.” The groans were louder than the cheers. A single glare from Floe kept them quiet, though. “Now, will the general for Team Alpha please step forward?”

As he was called, Grace spotted the overzealous pony strut forward. His smile was full of pride. Floe lifted the medal up and draped it over the stallion’s neck. Finally, the general bowed and scampered back to his place. Grace rolled her eyes, then turned back to the trees. As the closing remarks of Floe Blossom’s speech blurred into background noise, she had a nice thought.

She had no idea what she’d do with her free time, but it was a safe bet to assume Rain would be involved. Satisfied, she hummed and tapped her beak with a talon.

Winning a battle had never felt so nice.

Summer was coming to a close.

The thought sprang into Rain’s head once he finally found a decent spot to sit under the warm sun. With fall fast approaching, the weather was nice and cool. The perfect middle ground. The breeze brushed across his coat and put him at ease.

Usually, he’d never think to spend his time here, alone. Very few griffons found themselves needing medical care after Floe gave them a week off. With so few patients, Gideon gave over half the team a break of their own. If he needed them, they’d still have to report back, but this freedom was better than none.

Rain closed his eyes. A breeze ruffled his hair in the wind, and the sun tickled his coat. Before long, his ears picked up the small sounds around him, normally masked by hustle and bustle. The chirp of a bird, the crunch of a twig under hoof. The blades of grass tickled his legs and flank. The earthy smell of soil caught his muzzle. He took a deep breath.

It had been a while since he felt this way. He’d almost forgotten what it was. A buzz near the bottom of his stomach, always moving. Churning, even when he didn’t feel it. A pleasant feeling, if only because of nostalgia. Another deep breath and the feeling grew ever so slightly. But, as he tried to push it higher, it fizzled out of his control. Suddenly, the weight returned to his shoulders. This time, he sighed, then opened his eyes.

“I’m out of practice…” The thought made him feel a bit guilty. Remembering the times when it came to him easier only made the feeling worse. He hung his head and then sighed again. “Heh. She’d be so upset.”

“You’re not the easiest pony to find.” Only after she spoke did Rain notice the wingbeats behind him. He turned just as her paws touched down in the grass. “Hey.”

“Oh, Grace,” Rain hummed. “Sorry, were you trying to find me?”

“Duh,” she said with a light chuckle. In a single step, she was at his side and took a seat in the grass. Her tail rested atop his. “What are you doing all the way out here, anyway?”

“Just thinking, I guess.” Rain looked at the view. The hill he decided to perch on was a bit away from the campgrounds. Seeing the hustling soldiers down there reminded him of ants. Just watching them soothed him, somewhat. “Um… Grace?”

“Hm?” she hummed. In only a few seconds, it seemed like the mood got to her as well. She seemed relaxed. Just that was enough to put him at ease.

“Thank you.” Grace’s eyes widened as he smiled at her. “For saving me, I mean. I don’t think I ever got the chance to say it.”

“Of course,” she responded, smiling all the same. “Why wouldn’t I come to help?” Immediately, the question made Rain feel foolish. The thought of losing hope in her so quickly made him feel ashamed. His ears drooped as his mood did.

“I-I’m not sure. That day, I thought I did something awful to you.” He hummed and shifted in place. “So I guess this is also the best time to say sorry, huh?” Grace wrapped her claw around Rain’s side and pulled him in. The warmth of her chest feathers was only rivaled by the heat rising in his cheeks. Comfort welled up inside of him.

“Let’s just put that whole thing behind us,” said Grace. She pulled away from him so she could see his face. “Instead of that… let’s just talk.” Rain raised an eyebrow.

“Talk about what?”

“Anything, I guess.” She turned to the scenery below them and took a deep breath. “I just want to talk. Is that weird?”

“Not really.” He chuckled. “It’s cute that you’re worried about that, though.”

“Hmph.” Try as she might, she couldn’t hide her smile from him. After a few more moments of silence, she turned back to him. “There is something I’ve been meaning to ask. If you’re up to answering.”

“Sure! Go ahead.”

“Your name… You got it from your great aunt, right?” After Rain nodded to confirm, she continued. “What kind of pon… zebra was she?” Rain brought his hoof up to his chin, tapping it a few times.

“Auntie was… strict is a nice way to say it.” He chuckled nervously like he expected her to be behind him. “Despite that, she was one of the kindest mares I’ve ever known. She taught me almost everything I know about… everything. I think I spent more time with her than my own parents.”

“Did you get along with your parents?” asked Grace. Rain was quick to nod.

“They were often busy, so Auntie had to take care of me. That’s how I learned to heal others and… a couple of other things as well.”

Rain closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Before long, the buzz from before returned. Keeping it under control was still an issue, but this demonstration would be enough.

“Is that you?” Though he couldn’t see it, Rain imagined the astonishment on her face. It made him smile. “What is that? I feel… tingly.” Rain took a deep breath, then opened his eyes again. For a split second, the grass around him rippled with power, and the air stood still. But, as the buzz dissipated again, everything returned to normal.

“Auntie was her tribe’s shaman before she left with my grandfather. She told me that she was the best at their unique magic.” He smiled, remembering all the times her teachings were drilled into him. “She said I had a talent for it, so she taught it to me. I haven’t really recognized the potential yet, though.”

“Zebrican shamanism…” Grace said the words like she was getting used to them. Her brow furrowed in though, and she hummed. “That’s incredible. A pegasus that can use magic is amazing.”

“I-It’s not that impressive. I mean, all I can do right now is channel it a bit.” Rain chuckled nervously. “Back when I was still practicing, I could do a little more.” After a bit, he shook his head, then looked at Grace. “Enough about me, though! What about you?” Grace raised an eyebrow.

“What about me?”

“How are your parents?” Grace’s expression slowly became neutral, and Rain noticed it. He put his hooves up and his ears drooped. “S-Sorry. Only if you want to talk about it.”

“If I’d want to talk about it with anyone, it’d be you.” Grace quickly replaced her expression with a smile, putting Rain at ease. “Well, it’s nothing special. At least, not for a griffon.”

“I’d still like to hear it.” Grace nodded, acknowledging his request. She took a deep breath, then looked out over the hill. After a slow breeze rolled through, she began.

“I guess the most interesting thing about my family is the size. I’m the third oldest of seven.” Rain’s surprise was poorly hidden, but he kept quiet about it. “We’re all military chicks, like our parents before us. They were so excited to see us fight in the same war they did, so they had us hold swords since we were young.”

“Did you… want to be a soldier?” asked Rain. Grace tilted her head, mulling over the question.

“I didn’t really think about it. I’ve been fighting a war my whole life. What happens next… I have no clue.” Narrowing his eyes, Rain's pitiful look caught Grace’s attention. “Well, it’s not like it’s all bad. I’m making mom happy and bringing honor to my dad’s name.”

“Wait… your dad’s name?” asked Rain, puzzled. “Gideon told me that honor was important to a griffon, but he told me it’s for the family.” Grace agreed with a silent nod.

“Normally, that’s how it goes.” She scratched her chin with a talon. “That’s the other special thing about my family, I guess. Me and my siblings all carry the honor of the Goldenwing General, so we’re—”

“Goldenwing General?” Rain’s eyes widened. “Like, the Goldenwing General?” His enthusiasm clearly confused Grace as she raised an eyebrow.

“You know about him?” she asked.

“Not all that much, but… I know he’s some big-shot griffon!” Realization washed over him, and he gasped slightly. “Isn’t he like royalty? Wouldn’t that make you super important?” Grace chuckled in the face of his childlike wonder.

“Some griffons back home like to call me princess to make fun of me.” She chuckled again. “But I’ve never been a fan of my father’s politics. I spent much more time with my mother, training my sword than in meetings discussing war tactics.”

“Wow…” The excitement began to wear off. He blinked a few times, then cleared his throat. “I thought you said the most interesting thing about them was the size?” Grace laughed.

“Well, you don’t normally see houses of that many griffons, do you?”

“I guess not.” He chuckled along with her, then met her eyes. “I can’t wait to meet them.” Again, Grace’s eyes widened in surprise. She looked away with an awkward smile on her face, then chuckled under her breath.

“That’s probably… not a good idea,” she said. “If mom finds out I’m dating a pony… a non-combatant pony, she’ll raise hell.” She chuckled nervously, like she was imagining the situation. “Best case scenario, she throws you through the gauntlet. And I really don’t want you to walk out of there disfigured. Or, you know. Not walk at all.”

“That doesn’t sound like a joke…” mumbled Rain. He pressed his head into Grace’s chest again and closed his eyes. “Still… I want to try.”

“You’re always oddly stubborn about these things.” Grace wrapped her claw around him again, then rested her head on his. For a few moments, they let the peace and quiet wash over them. Rain couldn’t think of anything better than these quiet days. “Well, if you really want to.”

“Hmm…” hummed Rain. He laughed under his breath. “Eventually.”