The Warhorse Way

BOOM!!!!
A pile of dirt launched into the air after being struck by lightning. The grunt, Strongheart, was near the blast when it happened. Dust and dirt covered his body as he smashed into a pile of soldiers.

"Are you alright?" one huge warhorse asked. Strongheart shuddered a bit and shakily answered.

"Y-yes s-sir!"

The warhorse was towering over him with a look of rage on his dirt covered face.
Strongheart looked up to see dark coated Peguseses holding enchanted rocks while they flew overhead. They dropped the rocks near the frontline of the royal guard.

"INCOMING!!!!!!!" somepony shouted.

Right as the huge rocks made contact with the ground, the magic surrounding each one erupted into a fiery explosion. Strongheart flinched and looked away from the red spray that followed the explosions. The sounds of death pounded on his eardrums as he heard stallions screaming in pain and for help. The warhorse looked at Strongheart. His eyes seemed to hold sadness. The great stallion then stood tall as 5 dark coated stallions with bat-like wings landed behind Strongheart. Immediately, Strongheart was pushed to the ground and the warehouse that was in front of him was now behind him fighting.

"RETREAT!!!!!" Strongheart heard him say.

He quickly got to his hooves and frantically started running away. Strongheart looked back behind him as he watched in horror as the enemy pinned the warhorse down and began to beat him to death. The last thing that came from his mouth was a long cry that was heard in the area.

"FOR EQUESTRIA!!!!!!!!"

The enemy then snapped his neck ending his life. Sadness began to consume Strongheart's chest. But suddenly, simailar shouts were being heard all over the battlefield.

"FOR EQUESTRIA!!!!!!!!"

Strongheart felt a sudden burst of courage as he watched his fellow stallions yell out their battle cry. He saw a one-winged peguses charge towards the enemies frontline. Strongheart was engulfed in a mix of emotions consisting of courage, rage, and a sense of righteous fury. He too shouted a battlecry and charged the enemy, particularly the ones that killed the warhorse. Strongheart's fellow soldiers took notice of him and joined alongside him. The group of dark peguses turned and faced them as they galloped full speed towards them. The enemy expected for them to stop charging so they could use their back legs to kick them, it was then that they would be vulnerable and strike the royal guards down. To their surprise, Strongheart did not stop and went straight on towards them, smashing head first into the closest one.The dark peguses tumbled backwards and smashed his head against a rock, his body becoming motionless and a dark crimson liquid oozed from his head.

Strongheart felt his heart sink. He had just killed somepony. When he was little he wanted to kill evil ponies. Be a hero. Now, he felt like a murderer. He turned his head to the others that joined his charge. They had taken out the rest of them, but the same look of sadness that the warhorse had was now on their faces. He fiqured the expression on his face looked the same way.Strongheart heard the sound of the enemy yelling for retreat. The dark ponies, unicorns, and peguses, turned and ran away .Strongheart looked around him. The smell of death was heavy. His fellow soldiers were unrecognizable. Limbs missing, heads decapitated, innards strewn from bodies. Strongheart and the others that followed him walked back to their camp. They did not utter a word all the way back.

They walked into a small tent and sat down. They all looked at eachother then back down, except for one. A young colt sat beside Strongheart with tears falling from his eyes. There was a long silence. Finally one of the soldiers spoke up.

"Name's Ironhoof," he said
(in an Austrialian accent if you need to know) looking towards Strongheart. Strongheart looked back at him and answered the unspoken question.

"Strongheart," he said hoarsely.

He looked at Ironhoof. He was a very built pegases much bigger than Strongheart. His dark green body was covered in dirt and dried blood. His dark blue mane and tail looked no different. Strongheart looked at his own body. His once dark red hair and dirty blonde mane was covered in dirt....and that peguses's blood stained his mind. Killing was involved in war, he knew that, but, he suddenly didn't want to. The colt next to him was shivering. He looked just old enough to join the ranks. Strongheart noticed the colt's lip was quivering. The other soldiers left leaving Strongheart, Ironhoof, and the shaken colt.

"Whats your name little colt?" Strongheat asked. The colt looked up at him and answered,

"m..my n..n..name is Forge."

Forge was a small grey unicorn with a brown mane and tail. Strongheart watched as Forge's expression relaxed after he answered his question. Ironhoof spoke up in a gentle tone.

"What are you doing here? This is no place for a colt your size or age."

Forge cringed at Ironhoof's comment. His lip began to quiver again. Strongheart felt his heart melting. He pulled Forge into a warm embrace. Forge let out a soft wimper that eventually turned into a cry. Strongheart looked up at Ironhoof. His eyes were watering but no tear fell. Strongheart looked back down at Forge. He kept crying as he stayed latched to Strongheart's side. Finally his tears subsided. When they did, Ironhoof told Forge to head to the medical tent to see if he was wounded. Strongheart watched in silence as Forge left their tent and disapeared from sight. He then looked at Ironhoof who ,as well, looked back at Strongheart.

''How long have you been in the Royal Guards?'' asked Ironhoof as he got up and walked out the tent. Strongheart followed behind him.

''Five years. I joined after the attack on Foalstead. My family and i got separated.'' Ironhoof stopped in his tracks and looked back at Strongheart slowly catching up to him.

''Foalstead huh? Im surprised you are alive. I heard not many made it.''

Ironhoof just realized what he said. His remark had hit Strongheart hard. He quickly changed the subject.

"I've been here for 4 years. I joined when I was old enough.''

Ironhoof looked like he regretted what he had just said. They continued down to the medical tents. They tried their best to ignore the sounds of their wounded comrades in agony, but to no avail. Strongheart noticed one unicorn with his horn missing and blood flowing rapidly out of the gaping wound. The doctors and surgeons desperately tried to stop the bleeding as the wounded unicorn screamed in pain. He was no longer in Strongheart's sight but his screams flooded his ears. Suddenly, Strongheart could hear the screams no more. He looked behind him and saw the doctors sillouette. His head hung low and shook from side to side. Strongheart heard the shouts from another soldier in the same tent.

''NOOOOOO!!!!!!! YOU CANT DIE JACK!!!! YOU JUST CAN'T DIE!!!!!''

Ironhoof stopped and looked back towards the commotion. They both watched as a unicorn was being dragged out of the tent in tears. He was struggling to get back to the tent but was held back by two stallions. Strongheart continued to walk away with Ironhoof. He felt his pace beginning to slow down. Ironhoof looked at him and put a hoof on his shoulder.

''C'mon mate. Let's get outa here.''

Strongheart nodded and continued to walk. Suddenly, he saw a grey object running towards him. It was Forge.

'' Strongheart!!!''

Strongheart put on the best smile he could for him. Forge stopped infront of them to catch his breath.

''Strongheart, the nurse says Im fine and ready for battle!''

Ironhoof and Strongheart looked at eachother. They were both thinking the same thing. ''He is too young.'' But Strongheart smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

''Thats great Forge!'' Forge smiled big and stood beside inbetween Ironhoof and Strongheart.

''Hey can I walk with y'all?'' pleaded Forge. Ironhoof put a leg around him and pulled him close using his other hoof to give Forge a noogie.

''Ah sure you can ya little blighta!''

Forge smiled grew even bigger. It was obvious he was alone before he met them. Strongheart and Ironhoof looked at Forge and his new sense that everything was going to be ok. They felt the exact opposite.