Keeper of Life - NaPoWrMo Entry

“So... why exactly are we out here on not on leave like I'm supposed to be?” Thunder asked.

“Orders,” Top replied.

“Buck orders,” Thunder retorted, “I'm supposed to be drinking and getting with the ladies.”

“Riiight,” Pander said rolling his eyes. Like the time ya' got backhooved at the bar, or when Crimson dumped yer ale on you, or when-”

“Okay, okay I get it, but damn at least I try!” Thunder exclaimed.

“Try and fail,” Top jibed from the side.

“Why I hang out with you guys,” Lightening said, and they all laughed as they continued patrol.

The light made cut-out doodles on the grassy floor through the leaves. Thunder looked up and watched a soft breeze echo in the branches. He always did like this area, it was peaceful and besides one could fall asleep in here and not get caught. The thought brought a grin to his face.

They relaxed around the stone marker engraved with a small, brass plaque. The little ring of trees allowed for a larger plot of grass and still give shade. When on duty together it wasn't uncommon for them to slack off here, though this time they were legitimately waiting.

“What'da you so cheerful about Mr. I-don't-get-leave?” Pander asked.

“Aand happy feelings gone, thanks Mr. I-gotta-remind-everyone-why-their-life-sucks.”

Pander just shrugged. “Makes my life seem better,” he said with a grin.

“Ass,” Thunder jibed back.

Top perked up. “Oh hey it's the other shift, sweet,” he said.

“A' last!” Pander said getting to his hooves.

“I dunno, I was fine relaxing here, I've gotta clean the mess hall now,” Thunder scoffed.

“Wow, dey really did shaft ya eh?” Pander said a mild chuckle in his voice.

“Eyup,” Thunder replied finally getting up.

“Well I'm starving, I don't know 'bout you guys but damn, shift, then inspection. I mean, that sucks. I had duties, sleep for 'bout an hour, then this patrol. Something is def' up, but I don't care, I just want foood,” Top complained.

“Hey hey, if it isn't my favorite group of slackers,” a voice said entering the ring. They stopped leaning against the trees and bounced up.

“Master Corporal Fire,” Top said. “You're taking our shift?”

She chuckled. “Chill boys, I'm a grunt today too apparently, hu-rah eh?” They smiled and loosened up. “Besides I got these two with me, the slacker in them will balance our team out. Isn't that right Private Rock?” she said shoving him with a hoof.

“All that power is going to your head Master Corporal,” Rock said.

“Well yeah, you get to be a jerk when you get this little leaf,” she joked pointing to the rank on her shoulder. “Get outta here boys, get some rest you deserve it.”

“Well I still got stuff to do after thi-”

“Hey who are they?” Rock said getting their attention. They all paused and looked into the trees.

“Hey!” Fire called out, no reply. She nudged one of her companions over. “Go and see who that is Dye, we should be the only shift out here.” As she set out Fire shook her head. “Fua, the shifts have been so mangled since yesterday. They'll be the third I've sent back to sha-” She paused when she saw the three bolt off into the woods. Dye disappeared chasing them.

“You three fan out to our flanks, catch them if they strafe,” she ordered, now suddenly serious. “Rock with me, standard four pace spacing.” They set off with an even canter, a sense of urgency without being frantic.

It wasn't long until they were standing where Dye had been. “Where the buck did that lass go?” she said to herself. “Dye?” she called. “Corporal Dye!” Nothing. “Fan-bucking-tastic, why always me, always bucking me.” She cursed more under her breath as she ordered them again. “Someone is going to be on mess duty for a bucking eternity if this is a joke...”

“Hey Top, yer too far!” She heard Pander call. Now an alarm went off in her head.

“Close your formation, standard treeline patrol drills!” she yelled. 'Yeah and how often do we do these drills?' she asked herself. 'I miss the old days when we did exercises and were prepared for crap like this.' With continued vigilance she scanned the treeline and motioned them forward.

A voice called down, and Rock relayed it to her, “Top buggered off somewhere.”

Fire shook her head. “Keep an eye out,” she called.

It bothered Rock. “Yes,” he said.

“Where are they, they're too far,” she said with gritted teeth. “I said close formation!” she yelled.

Pander came trotting back and she raised a hoof as if asking why he wasn't doing what he was told. “Top's gone,” he said.

“I know,” she replied frustrated. “Hey Thunder see anything?” she called over. Silence. 'He was there two seconds ago,' she thought and ran a string of curses under her breath.

“Stay close,” she ordered and they closed in. “Rock, fly outta here and find Sergeant Lock.” He nodded and ascended.

“Slow and steady,” she said to Pander who was now obviously unnerved. “Watch each others back, stay calm.”

“Yes Master-Corporal,” he replied with a voice that sounded like it had been flattened with a rock.

Her eyes flicked to every tree, every fallen branch and every noise. The soft wind played a melody through the branches and she cursed it. They had nearly been in contact the entire time, but she kept checking over he shoulder to see if Pander was still there. “We're almost out,” she said to him.

She noticed movement in the corner of her eye, turned and bellowed. “Hey you!”

“Master Corporal,” Top called but in the wrong direction. She twisted to see Top trotting toward her. “Sorry I got separated and, hey, where are they?” he asked.

She turned and Pander was gone. Where he used to be was a light trail and at the end of that- She darted toward the image disappearing into the words then realized her folly. Hooves ground in and she twisted meeting the black fury of fangs head on. They toppled and spun. Her hooves dug into his side and she managed to right herself. He wouldn't- it wouldn't get away.

As her enemy made to escape she pounced, coming down on him hard. The feeling of yielding bones under her hooves pleased her and she raised up for the final blow but stars burst before her, the world spun and before she knew it the trees were where the ground should have been. Fang marks marred her lower leg. She wouldn't have known if she didn't see them. Her entire leg was numb, no, it was dead. A bellow exited from her lungs as she forced herself up and evaded quickly. Three legs but she wouldn't go down that easy.

She lowered herself, one to the right, injured, the one in front of her, she readied herself. He lunged toward her and she twisted -they didn't make her hoof to hoof combat instructor for nothing- and jabbed out. He crumpled and before the other could pounce she ducked sending him crashing into the other.

With rage in her eyes she advanced on them again but voices behind caught her off guard.

“There she is!” Rock called.

They swarmed around the three of them. Twelve guards at the ready, Sergeant Lock leading. He took steady and determined steps toward her. “Capture them all, don't kill them, the commander would love to see this.” His sideways glances at her sent chills up Fire's spine.

“Sergeant, thank The Tree you're here, I could on-”

“Save it demon!” he bellowed. “Detain it,” he ordered.

“Sergeant it's me!” she called as they advanced toward her. “It's me! Your birthday was one week ago, your daughter's name is Alice,” she blurted out.

The sergeant twisted to Rock. “I was almost tricked too Sergeant, she almost had me, I...” he shook his head and pointed to a large wound on his side. “See what it did.”. Awareness lit up in her eyes.

“It's him!” she pointed to Rock. He backed away slightly.

“Don't believe her, she's-”

“What's Rock's next duty?” she asked.

He stammered and they turned, ready to pounce. “I, uh, it's at the mess hall,” he said.

“Wrong, you're on duty with me, all day,” she said.

Before the sergeant opened his mouth the other two sprang up. The sergeant crashed to the ground, guards piling on top. The other intercepted the pegasus speeding toward the fake Rock.

“Brother, go!” Grave yelled. “She needs you!”

A blue burst of fire sent Fang wordlessly flying before he crashed against a tree. He lumbered to his feet, armor clad warriors advancing on him. Magic darts filled the air, he blocked his face, piercing blades ripping up his scales. With legs that begged to fall he made ready, his form now broken.

The lead guard spun, fangs sinking into the one to his left. The guard to his right twisting in a mesh of black and white. The two changelings stood their ground, their backs to Brother Fang.

“We can't win, Lady Coal needs you,” he said, concern in his voice.

“Go Fang,” Fury said, “before it's too late.”

“I'll honor your sacrifice's,” he said as guards were already on them.

“We know you will, now get out of here!” he bellowed as bodies twisted around him. Fang ran as quickly as his legs could carry him as the sounds of battle died behind.

Fire sped toward the ensuing battle but those two were either more skilled then she estimated or the guards were horribly incompetent, she guessed the latter. Even with two legs she jumped over the crowd and landed on one of them. More cracking bones under her hooves, good. She landed another in his leg as he pulled it before his face. It twisted back making a sound even the guards heard.

“Get out of my way, after the other one!” she bellowed. Three guards took flight and she squared off. Four other guards flanked her. “Stand down, you'll only get killed like the rest,” she said advancing on the limping black creature before her.

“Here you die,” she said and pounced. He dodged but she was ready for it and slammed her head into his. He staggered back but recovered and dove toward her fangs bared. 'Didn't work last time,' she thought dipping low. As he flew above her she brought every ounce of muscle into her legs and sent him flying. “Won't work this time,” she said with a smile. Without waiting for him to land she closed the distance. As he bounced against the ground she pounced and sent a hoof tearing down. It slammed against his skull with vicious ease. When she pulled it up trails of tar came with it meshing with the other black blood that covered her.

A guard landed beside her. “Master-Corporal, we lost it,” he said. Her namesake suddenly became known as her eyes lit up.

“How the buck did you lose it!” she roared. “It can barley walk, it probably can't shapeshift, and you can bucking fly!” Hot breath and spit flew from her clenched teeth. “Why don't you try kickstarting that crap between your skull, put two and two together and bucking find him.” A shocked look only filled his eyes, and dumbfound amazement. “What, is this all too much for you? Bucking go, now! Like right now, bucking find him or I'll personally rip out every one of your bucking feathers!” she screamed. He turned and sped off without a word.

As she looked around her rage only built. Guards stood around clueless while their friends bodies lay on the ground. “Are you all daft? Get your untrained asses in gear and help them!” She went to put her hooves to her face and only then realized she couldn't move one. “Bucking fan-bucking-tastic,” she cursed as somebody else landed beside her.

“Master-Corporal Fire,” he said.

“What?” she asked back. The newcomers attendant gave her a sharp look. “You think I give a flying buck about rank right now, buck off,” she said as the captain did indeed back off.

The commander took her aside, out of earshot of the other troops. By now the sergeant, who was less of an idiot as the rest of them, took command behind her. “It's alive!” someone called. The captain nodded and departed.

“I think you're due for a promotion and-”

“You had better well bucking get to the point, sir,” she said.

“You're promoted to warrant because I trust you can handle this situation here. I want no word getting out and, let me finish Master-Corporal,” he sound with renewed authority, “you're too oversee these men here. I'm assigning them to you. Now, I have something very important I'm planning, I need names of soldiers who can actually fight.”

“Sir I-”

“I know you want to, but in your condition you'll be more harm then good. All I need are names, then silence, am I understood?” he said sternly.

“Yes sir,” she replied.

“Good.”