Operation Cauterize, we know the bulk of the story, the Enclave piercing their cloud cover to launch their attack, the battles at Friendship City and New Appleloosa, and of course the final battle where the Lightbringer entered the S.P.P. and brought back the sky.

This is a simpler tale, a simple story about a single Enclave, a single griffon, and the single experience they shared.

It was an early battle, when the Enclave were merely starting to come down, surprised by the resistance they were meeting.

During this, a single soldier had his wing hit by a sniper's shot, and he plummeted.

He lay there, reaving in pain, knowing this would surely be his final chapter, but then a glimmer of hope, a chance of salvation.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an approaching griffon, and called for help.

The griffon landed by the wounded enclave soldier, “So,” he said with a chuckle, looking upon the dying stallion, “Isn’t this grand? Your whole libration thing didn’t work out I assume?”

“Please,” the pegasus pleaded, “Do what you will with me, when it’s said and done, just save me, I don’t want to die here…”

“Really?” the griffon asked, “You all seemed gung ho a bit ago, what makes you so different?”

“Why do you think I’m different at all?” the pegasus replied.

“Because, looks like you’re not exactly in a situation to try anything right about now, I could just leave you to your fate, or end you now, see what I can get. I’m sure they’d like to hear of my exploit back at base.”

“Come on,” the pegasus pleaded, “We were promised everything, and now here I am reeling in pain, and my own blood yet the Enclave is nowhere to be found, I’m willing to take anything I can be given…”

“Sorry,” the griffon replied, “But I’m not falling for anything like that, “Once I try and help, you’ll just hit me with that stinger of yours.”

“THEN FLY DAMNIT!” the pegasus yelled, “I’m in no condition to fly, if I stab you in the sky, we would both die, and like I said, I want to live!”

The griffon considered this for a moment, clearly this wasn’t someone of major importance, but still his own honor wouldn’t let him simply let the pegasus die, “Fine,” he eventually said taking the wounded stallion in his talons and placing him on his back, “Be happy I’m a good griffon, I have honor.”

The griffon flew with the wounded stallion on his back for a while, until the stallion spoke, “So, who are you anyway?” he asked.

“Does it matter? I’m saving your flank aren’t I?” the griffon responded.

“Suppose so…” the stallion said back.

The griffon let out a sigh, “I’m nobody special, just an everyday merc, just doing what I’ve always been taught which is to be honorable, I’ve never taken caps for assassinations, I’ve never worked for anyone with a title, I’ve always just gladly sat back and been another nameless face… What about you?” the griffon asked back.

“More or less the same,” the stallion responded, “Always taught about how great we of the Enclave are, always taught that there was nothing better any of us could do then join their cause, always listening never questioning.”

“I suppose we’re more or less the same then, aren’t we?” the griffon asked back, “Two sides of one bit I suppose.”

“Yeah,” the stallion responded, “I never really cared for anything we were doing, I was just listening, you’ve never really cared, you were just going to the highest bidder.”

“Yep, I suppose everything is as it always has been,” just then the griffon felt a sharp jab, looking at his back he saw the enclave’s scorpion type tail jammed into his back, slowly he felt the venom fill him, he saw the hole it left and a single word left the griffons beak, “Why?”

“Sorry,” the pegasus said as they fell, “It, it was my nature…”

The two hit the wasteland ground hard, and upon landing the pegasus's helmet flew off, revealing his brown coat and in his eyes were tears.

He truly didn’t want it to end as it did, he truly wanted them to be friends, but in the end he couldn’t change his nature.

And that single act, cost both of them their lives.

Authors Notes

Sorry that this isn’t what I promised, and sorry that it’s not all that good. I know I said I was gonna do Calamity’s brothers, but honestly I didn’t think I was gonna be able to pull it off.

This is short, this is simple, this is also based on an old fable though, I mainly did this because as you all know I love this community, though I’ve never actually participated in any of the members events we’ve done, not for lack of trying I’m just easily distracted and never actually finished the stories I was doing for them.

So, I’m sorry that this isn’t an epic tale like I said, I’m sorry that it’s in all honesty kinda weak, but I hope you can all accept my apologies and enjoy the simple fable that I have brought to the wasteland.

As it is said, war never changes, and neither do natures.