For the first time in over a thousand years Celestia and Luna were together, on the ground, in the ancient Everfree. This is where it all began, and where it all ended on that fateful day a millenia ago. All of those memories, good, bad and awful, were both washing over the two sisters as they trudged through the dense underbrush and they could both tell. It’s hard to hide every bit of emotion from your face even after thousands of years of practice when the emotions were so strong.

Their time in the Everfree was almost like a time machine to the sisters, names and events they had both thought they had forgotten came flooding back and added to the growing sense of grief in their hearts. The only thing that was different was their impromptu point man, the broad form of the human surprisingly light footed and agile as they pushed through brambles and over the uneven terrain the ancient forest had to offer, large twisted roots occasionally pushing through the black soil.

The way the human moved was much different than the two sisters, and not only because he was bipedal while they were quadrupedal, it was different because he was practiced. His movements were smooth and confident while theirs were unsure and sometimes stumbly. While Luna and Celestia both had experience that far eclipsed Hank’s own, he was fresh, while they were not. A thousand years on the moon and a thousand years of peace seemed to be enough to get you out of the groove, even for a pair of demigods.

Hank’s smoothness translated to speed as well, and the sisters found themselves falling behind as the man pushed ever forward, only gaining ground when he would stop for just a second to really scan his surroundings only to be left further back when he inevitably started moving again.

“Hank.” Luna finally called out in a low tone, feeling they were getting too much space between them and their lead, stopping the human as he slowly lowered to a knee, raised his shotgun, and scanned their surroundings intently. Only after he had completed that turning to face the pair of ponies that were closing in on him, tripping, stumbling, and making noise all the while.

“Yes?” The human half asked, annoyed to be stopped.

“You’re moving much too fast for us.” Luna admitted, somewhat ashamedly, as she and Celestia stopped, finally catching up to the man.

“Well then speed up.” Hank shrugged as he turned, intending to get moving again.

“Hank…” Celestia said this time, placing her hoof on his shoulder before he could fully get out of reach, the human responding by giving a small huff and returning to his kneel.

“We haven’t done anything like this in hundreds of years, there is no way we can keep up with you, if you want us here you’re going to need to slow down.”

A flare of anger popping in his head for an instant Hank instantly beat it down. This could work well, he was getting paranoid with Celestia behind him all this time, and they were both right, if they sped up they’d be making so much noise everything would know where they were, if he let them take point he could watch over them, and let them both move at a pace they were most confident and quietest at. They weren’t on a strict deadline anyhow.

Nodding a few times Hank motioned with his head in the direction they were heading, “Alright, you both take point and move at your best pace, I’ll follow closely behind…. And for the love of god keep it down, it sounded like a trainwreck behind me the whole time.”

Moving past Hank both of the sister’s faces went flat, “We have four legs as opposed to your two you know.” Luna piped up.

“Yes, we do indeed have more to deal with moving through all this foliage.” Celestia agreed as they started to move again, Hank close in tow.

Shaking his head Hank gave a small laugh, “Yeah, means if you get one of your legs caught up you have three more chances to catch yourself, I get one of mine caught up I fuckin’ fall down. I don’t want to hear any excuses about extra stability.”

“There’s just no winning with you is there?” Celestia rhetorically asked, giving the man a glance as they started moving deeper into the forest, a small smile being the only thing he returned.

The foliage, while dense, just like the underbrush let plenty of natural light filter through the canopy, so much so it was tempting to feel calm in the Everfree, the only thing keeping the trio from doing so was the knowledge of where they were and the caliber of the threats that most certainly resided within the forest.

The Everfree was not a hospitable region regardless of your place on the food chain especially if you weren’t either a top predator or really really good at running and hiding, and nothing could run or hide from the Shucks. The black coated dogs were a cancer on the already violent ecosystem of the Everfree, an invasive species that displaced the already horrific creatures that usually resided in the deeper more feral parts of the massive ocean sized forest, driving them to the shallows as they ran from the tide of invaders and right into civilization.

If a solution to this tidal wave on ravenous beasts was not found, and found soon, there would be a clash with more than just the Shucks, but also the species they were driving to extinction as they tried to stay alive. Like locusts the Shucks don’t stop killing and eating until nothing is left to kill or eat. That very much extended to ponies all too much as Celestia and Luna remembered passing a graveyard of dead gray wolves, the pack of capable predators reduced to rotting corpses by the wave of black fur and teeth. An entire generation gone, from the alpha to the pups, and everything in between, wiped off the face of Equis.

Looking at each other, the bright sun filtering through the trees contrasting strongly to the sight of the blown apart bodies and the awful smell that filled the air, the two sisters realized that they, and Equestria, were most certainly in trouble, not even five kilohooves into the forest and they were seeing grand gravesites of various animals strewn about in ways only a shuck would do. Such waste.

Blanching at the smell, gagging as she tried to speak, Luna was forced to clear her throat just to attempt to talk, “They are pushing close to the edge sister, I’m surprised we have not received more reports from the hills in the south regarding attacks since they seem to be… so wide spread.”

Nodding along as her sister spoke, Celestia purposefully kept looking straight forward as they passed a very far gone cadaver, the organic sludge just too much to bear head on, “I don’t think this is like last time. From the time the first report came in the North, villages in the South, the East, everywhere, were disappearing only two days after. This seems so much more pinpoint.”

“It’s just the tip of the spear.” Hank said, his first vocalization in nearly half an hour.

Jumping a little at the rough voice just behind her, Celestia turned to see that Hank was still right behind them, she had honestly forgotten he was there at all with how little noise he made as he followed her and her sister mixed with the stress from the circumstances.

“Let’s stop if we are going to talk,” The human quickly added, “If we’re passin’ sites like that…” He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder behind him, “ We’re in their territory for real now, they have control on this area if that’s goin’ on, and if we’re gonna talk we need to stop so we can keep a lookout. Can’t talk, walk, and look all at once.”

As they stopped their cumbersome forward advance into the ever darkening forest the sisters looked to each other and nodded in unison before turning around to face their rear guard.

“I could take a short rest.” Celestia chimed in agreement with the man, Luna sharing the sentiment.

Giving one last scan around Hank squatted down on his heels as the two princesses sat down, resting their legs.

“Those four legs weighing you down or something?” Hank said with a small smile.

Shaking her head at the quip knowing it was directed at her Celestia blew the human off with a roll of the eyes.

“Well it's not your front legs that are the problem really… just the rear.” The man shrugged while Luna gave a quick snort at her sister’s expense.

“Getting well acquainted while you were walking behind us were you?” The solar pony raised an eyebrow.

“I certainly wasn’t unentertained.” Hank offered back with a wide smile making Celestia shake her head again at his antics while Luna slightly leant forward.

“We didn’t realize you had already developed a taste for mares, some species never find other species attractive.”

“Don’t know if you noticed Luna, but I’m dating a zebra so I think it's obvious I’m not opposed.”

Hank replied to the dumb statement with a laugh while Luna smiled, “We’re glad you found somepony.”

“Yeah yeah.” Hank dismissed while taking in their surroundings, “Helps I’m at the point I basically wanna stick my dick in damn near anything with a heart beat.”

Looking back at the two sisters as they stared back at him wide eyed and rosy in the cheeks Hank shook his head, “What?”

Pulling themselves away from his gaze the sisters looked around instead, “Nothing, nothing at all.” Luna forced out looking at an especially interesting tree.

“Does that… extend to animals….orrrr” Celestia chimed in hoping to get a rise out of the human.

“What? No.” Hank immediately replied with a disgusted look on his face.

Gotcha. Celestia thought, a smile creeping across her face.

“Just cause I’m part Scottish doesn’t mean I instantly wanna fuck animals Double Wide.” Hank clarified further, getting a weird look from Luna and Celestia.

“...Double wide?” They both asked at the same time, not understanding the possible slang term.

“Yeah. Double Wide,” Hank nodded, gesturing towards the solar princess making her squint her eyes a little and shake her head, still not understanding the implication, “ Cause you’re twice as wide as Luna.”

Snorting at the comment Celestia gave a quick look to her sister whose face had a dumb smile spreading across it before looking back to Hank, “I am not twice as wide as my sister!”

“I was walking behind you two for over two miles, I had plenty of time to examine and compare and… yeah, you are.” Hank nodded as Luna did as well, very enthusiastically.

“Fat.” Luna simply said giving her sister a poke in the neck which Celestia tried to bat away as Luna kept poking at her.

“S Stop that!” Celestia huffed scooting away from her giggling sister, “Very mature sister.”

Very content with herself Luna put her nose up in the air and gave Celestia the side eye while still smiling coyly.

“That’s two against one, the consensus is clear Celestia, I’m sorry but-”

“My flank is NOT even that big. It’s because I’M large. It’s proportional.” Celestia defended.

“Pppppfffftttttt, Luna is proportional. Your ass is so large I can’t even see-”

“Can you stop talking about my rear end now?!” Celestia snapped in a very unamused tone staring daggers at the man.

Raising his hands, his shotgun laying in his lap, Hank surrendered the point, “I'll stop talkin’ about it right now… but I’m gonna keep talkin’ about it.”

“Fine.” Celestia snapped again before taking a deep breath and looking away to calm herself.

“Um, as you were saying Hank? Tip of the spear?” Luna interjected feeling a little bad for prodding her sister so much, just wanting to change the subject.

Nodding Hank changed tracks in his mind, his jovial expression washing away in an instant, “Yeah, I think that they’re pushing right up the forest using waterways as guides into the less dense areas. I bet there are a whole lot more of these things in the deep woods, and kinds that we haven't seen yet.” The human explained looking between the pair of princesses.

“Look, I know I’m not an academic or whatever, but I have a knack when it comes to stuff like this and to be honest,” Hank paused to look around and gave a short laugh while shaking his head, “Can’t believe I’m about to say this but I think this invasion of wolves is just that, an invasion, meaning this operation, if you can call it that, is led by someone, or more likely something.”

Their eyes widening a little, the two sisters looked from the man to each other at the dots he was connecting. What he didn’t know is that he may be more onto something than he even knew himself, the two sisters both hoped with all their being he was wrong though, but his reasoning was unfortunately sound.

“What are you insinuating Hank?” Celestia eventually spoke after her and Luna had finished with their entirely nonverbal discussion, their expressions doing all the talking for them.

“Zecora explained this good and evil thing in this forest, a large moose like thing being the side of good, and on the side of bad what sounded to me to be a huge black werewol-”

“Do not speak of it!” Luna said just before Celestia could, immediately shooting onto all fours from her relaxed position and scanning their surroundings, her sword half unsheathed.

Immediately shutting his mouth Hank followed suit and started scanning around as well, his shotgun in his shoulder at low ready as he looked from tree to tree, looking for any shape, any shadow that wasn’t there before.

Everything the same Hank lowered the shotgun fully and slowly lowered himself back down as Luna did as well, her sword giving a dull thump as it was fully re-inserted into its sheath.

“I do apologize for my outburst, Hank,” Luna explained, regretful of her raised tone, “but you do not understand, when you mention it, or even worse speak its name it…”

“Let me guess. Attracts it? Brings it power?” Hank said with a slightly raised brow.

“How did you know? How could you know!?” Celestia inserted herself, amazed at how much he seemingly knew despite not even being from their world. He knew things even ponies didn’t, anymore at least.

Giving a short laugh Hank looked to the sky through the trees and sighed, “I grew up in the woods with an Indian for a best friend, and a lot of their culture around. They tell you not to utter something’s name in the woods, to not mention its existence… I suppose I just wasn’t taking any chances.”

Many questions about what he had just said running through their minds like: What is an Indian? And what are these things on his world that were not to be named? Many things they wanted to ask but forced to the back of their minds to keep with the task at hoof.

“ I didn’t take you for a…um. A…”

“Man.” Hank said simply, knowing what Celestia was hung up on.

“Yes. I didn’t take you for a man of superstition Hank. I figured you didn’t care much for the speculative.”

“Well that’s where you’d be wrong double wide,” Hank started as Celestia huffed in annoyance at his continued use of the nickname, “I’ve witnessed my world end, killed, for simplicity’s sake, hundreds of “zombies”, then I ended up on a world of taking horses and other mythical creatures full of magic where I now have a zebra for a girlfriend. Who am I to say what does and doesn’t exist? After all, “zombies” didn’t exist until all of the sudden they did.” Hank gave a small chuckle.

Even more to unpack for the solar princess about Hank’s past she again, for the hundredth time, traced up his arms looking at the scars that covered his skin, she wanted to call him a liar but the look on his face and the state of his body told her all she needed to know no matter how unbelievable it was.

“But,” Hank leaned forward a little, “Those two are real?”

She took a second to answer but eventually Celestia confirmed the existence of the two beasts of myth, “They are,” She stated simply as Luna nodded.

Nodding more to himself than anything as his mind came to a conclusion, Hank steeled his features, “Then I believe it is safe to say we know what is the cause, or at least at the helm, of this bullshit situation we have found ourselves in.”

“What makes you so sure?” Luna asked, deep in her chest hoping that he was wrong in his conclusion, even if she knew he wasn’t. The dots were all there, the emerging patterns recognizable from the last time they had fought the scourge over a millenia ago.

“A few reasons. For one there are different kinds of these things that didn’t all emerge at the same time, now I’m not trying to say I’m too important here but… I kinda am, I’m the roadblock this thing keeps hitting.” Hank explained as the princesses listened closely, “First it was the standard wolves, and they were doing good until they ran into me and got their shit pushed in. Then this thing realized it needed me gone so it sent something stronger to try and overpower the roadblock in the form of the Breakers, with an accompaniment of regulars. But I destroyed all of them as well that day North East of the town. Then when it realized through multiple failed attempts at killing me that those two weren’t doing it, this head honcho sent these quick, smart, and silent ambushists.”

Taking a breath and looking around for a second Hank cracked his knuckles before continuing, “Now unless all of that was planned why weren’t these three sub types of wolves present from the very start? And since you’ve confirmed this thing absolutely exists, it makes sense to me that all of this wasn’t just a series of unfortunate events.”

As the human finished his explanation Celestia was stuck staring off into space as she remembered the last time they had to deal with this natural force of evil and the carnage that ensued. The age of strife as it had been so aptly named was one that had been almost entirely forgotten by the rest of Equestria, but not by her. No, not by her, it could never be forgotten. Those scars in her mind ran deep and long.

“Sister? Sister are you alright?” The voice of Luna finally made its way into Celestia’s brain, breaking her out of the trance.

“O-oh. Yes, I’m fine, I’m fine, just thinking is all. My apologies.” Celestia said as she tried to play it off with a small smile directed at her sister and then to Hank who looked straight back at her with a knowing look on his face before he slowly stood.

“I think it’s time to get moving again, we still need to find the source of this water contamination.” Hank said strongly as walked between the two sisters, giving Celestia’s shoulder a soft pat as he walked by and turning his head to give her a quick look before moving up the slight hill and into denser and darker woods.

With each step the terrain became more of a challenge, scrub brush got thicker and more thorn filled, tree roots grew more gnarled, pushing through the soil like an ocean of snakes writhing over each other, and the foliage over head blocked out more and more light causing the long shadows to look concerningly like a black wolf waiting to ambush out of the corner of human and pony eyes alike.

The one thing that stayed constant though was the ever worsening smell of rot in the stream they were following just a hundred yards off its side. They had to be getting close with how amplified the horrid smell of decomposing corpses was. The realization was not a comforting one however, neither alicorn nor human knew what to expect when they eventually reached their destination and the tight and uneven terrain only added to the collective unease.

If there was one good thing that had come out of the stressful nature walk the three found themselves on was that they all seemed to be on the same wavelength when it came to patrolling. Some people just didn’t mix well on patrol, either looking for the exact same things leaving a lapse in coverage or looking in such different things that the members of the patrol could never “get in the grove”.

Luna, Celestia, and Hank however meshed together perfectly. Regardless of what position they were in, be that file or wedge they always had overlapping lines of sight and a surprisingly good non verbal communication system figured out.

Hank’s hand signals were easy enough to figure out for the experienced princesses and the small tap on the side of the hoof as they walked followed by a gesture of the head either of the two sisters used to point out items of interest was a pattern picked up very quickly by the man. Before long the three were in sync like a well timed machine, operating almost robotically as they forced their way deeper behind enemy lines.

To the sister’s Hank felt like a “pony” they had been with for years despite only knowing him for a few months in Luna’s case and maybe a week in Celestia’s and at the same time, for Hank it felt like he was back on Earth during his short time with the National Guard post that had somehow held out in the outskirts of that Godforsaken little “City” a hundred miles or so away from his hometown. It almost felt…. Good…. Almost felt…. right, to all three of the party members. It was just about enough to make them all feel a little weird about how well they were getting along.

The almost automated push came to an abrupt stop as Hank suddenly held up his left hand in a balled fist, signaling that they were stopping, and stopping for good reason.

In front of the three was a choice: With the trees opening up a little bit the trio could see all the way down the incline they had been walking on for so long to the widening stream and the slight red tint in the water that was just barely visible at the range they were at, the smell on the breeze however, was impossible to miss.

“I’d say we ought to head up this incline to our left rather than take the lowland by the stream.” Hank said in a hushed tone. “Also. Don’t know if you can hear that but I don’t think all those sounds are water rushing over those rocks.”

Nodding in agreement, both princesses could hear the sounds coming over the steep ridge over the rushing water, and it didn't sound peaceful to say the least.

“Stay in file and go slow, I really don’t want to figure out just what is over this ridge by having it bite my throat out. And one of you, watch the rear exclusively. We can’t afford to get flanked going up an incline like this with a sheer drop to our right.” Turning without another word the human tightened the sling on the shotgun, letting it rest across his chest as he pulled the knife from his waist.

Starting up the hill with no hesitation, with no fear, Celestia and Luna watched as Hank started the ascent, pushing up the steep rocky face with slow and confident moves, pushing the thick brambles out of his way as he went.

“Do you want to take rear guard or us sister?” Luna asked Celestia who looked away from Hank as he slowly climbed and to the lunar princess in one jerky movement.

“What’s that sister?” Celestia asked sheepishly, having not heard what Luna had asked.

Raising a brow, Luna looked back at her elder sister, “...Do you want to be the rear guard? Or shall we?”

“I…. think you should, dear sister, I’m sure you’ll be more confident on this incline than I will.”

Nodding with some hesitation Luna agreed letting Celestia pass, “Art thou alright?”

Taking a deep breath, forcing down the shameful anxiety in her stomach, Celestia hoped her voice wouldn’t show the fear she had inside at the idea of getting in a fight with the wolves again, “I’m fine Luna… just out of practice.” She smiled and quickly turned, allowing her face to fall before shakily starting up the rock and dirt incline.

As she watched her sister every so slowly follow up the path Hank’s broad form had opened in the brush that covered the ridge Luna knew there was something wrong with her sister. This was not the confident, hot headed, pony she had known a thousand years ago. While she didn’t plan on saying anything to her sister it almost seemed the last thousand years had tamed the alicorn to some degree.

After allowing for some space to be created herself and her sister Luna then ceased her thoughts once enough room was created and started up the same incline, making sure their rear was clear all the while.

With Hank already nearing the top, now stopped and watching back down on the other two, it was clear that Celestia’s excuse of being out of practice was most certainly not a lie. The large white pony ever so slowly bumbled her way up the hill, much to the dismay of her younger sister who was stuck standing still much of the climb waiting for her sister to get out of the way.

“You should have been rear guard.” Luna said with a deadpan expression, watching her sister catch herself from slipping for what must have been the hundredth time.

“I am sorry sister,” Celestia grunted, regaining her balance, “Haven’t done anything like this in a long time.”

Taking a small step forward Luna’s face stayed flat, “We can tell.”

A small chuckle coming from the top of the slope Luna and Celestia stopped and looked up to see Hank shaking his head and smiling at their antics.

Rolling her eyes, Luna smiled as well before looking up to her sister and catching what looked like the smallest amount of blush on her white cheeks which was to Luna far more concerning than her sister’s possible combat ineffectiveness. This little blossoming crush her sister seemed to have would need to be discussed later.

Finally forming back up on the human near the crest of the hill the man looked to each sister, “I’ve already peaked over this crest and on top of this ridge is a large area that's just trees, no brambles at all. Whatever it is we’re hearing would be able to see us if we silhouette ourselves on the edge of this plateau. Stay low and behind any cover you can, Celestia, hang back a bit, your white coat will stand out like a beacon, both of you only move up when or if I motion. Ready?”

A little annoyed at being told to hang back Celestia conceded either way and nodded along with Luna.

With a short nod of acknowledgement Hank turned his head and slowly pushed over the crest and onto the flat before quickly darting behind a tree and turning back around while loosening the sling on his shotgun.

Checking his surroundings Hank motioned for Luna to move up behind a tree on his right and then for Celestia to move to one on his left once Luna was in place. Doing what he called “leapfrogging” Hank moved himself and the other two up in series. The practice was mostly one to make sure if the moving member of the element became engaged the other members were already in positions of cover, or at least concealment, to return fire from. While that was less of an issue in a world where Hank owned the only firearms it was also a practice that minimized the visual exposure of the entire element by only moving a single member at a time over a small amount of space in an equally small amount of time. So the idea was still mostly sound.

Continuing to use the tactic all the way across the easily football field sized plateau Hank motioned for Celestia to stay put about twenty feet back from the edge to conceal her glistening white coat from any eyes that may look in their direction before motioning for Luna to push to the edge along with him.

Not at all happy about being ordered around, Celestia watched with a small scowl as the human and her younger sister slowly crept to the edge of the flat topped hill, dragging their stomachs across the leaf covered ground to stay as low as possible. Celestia had no idea why she let Hank boss her around like he did, he had no right to tell her to do anything but there was this part of her that for some reason seemed to always go along with it. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't afraid of her, wasn’t afraid to talk to her like she was a normal pony; wasn’t even afraid to throw her around or knock her out in his case. He didn’t care that she was a princess, if anything it made him like her less. It wasn’t that Celestia liked being treated poorly, but…. It was nice to have someone not treat her like a princess, even if it was a little violent sometimes. The human reminded her of simpler, past times, when things weren’t so clean and peaceful. If Hank had arrived fifteen hundred years ago, he’d probably already be on his way to building an empire. She could see the trait in the man, he was a leader even if he would say he isn’t, and with how volatile things were back then a strong… man like him to rally behind would’ve been exactly what everyone was looking for.

It reminded her of how her sister and she came into power. It wasn’t through teachings of peace but through shows of force and extreme violence when anything dared to challenge their claim.

Quickly though, Celestia was pulled from her trip to the past when the wind carried the heavy and sweet smell of rot to her nose bringing her back into the present. Blinking a few times to get her bearings Celestia quickly looked over to where Hank and Luna were seeing her sister covering her nose again at the awful smell while looking back, her eyes wide.

Looking at whatever there was to see a little longer Hank then turned around and gave a thumbs down, the only thing showing through his stone face being his clenched jaw and tight lips. Slowly Luna and Hank made their way back to Celestia with extra caution. When they finally reached their third member of the party Celestia already knew something was wrong but she wanted details and was just about to ask before Hank opened his mouth.

“Shits all fucked.” He said calmly, “We need to get out of here.”

“What?” Celestia balked at the odd response, “What is it?”

Noticeably less calm Luna spoke up, happy to give clarification, “There are at least four hundred of them in that river basin. The pile is massive, and right in the water, acting as a kind of dam.”

“I’d say we found their main force, or at least a forward most offshoot of the main force. There are adolescents and pups down there from the looks of it, I’ve never seen that before.” Hank chimed in while looking around, “Either way this is most certainly enough proof that things are ramping up.”

Staying quiet Celestia’s heart sank while she took in the information. The carnage that would result from this impending fight would be immense. The disorder would provide ample opportunity for subversion from foreign nations that were trying to siphon power from Equestria. She had been fighting that war for power secretly and silently for years all by herself except for Raven and now her sister.

Those bucking griffins. She thought about their neighbor and the constant turmoil they seemed to like to cause, always trying to take since they can’t do it themselves.

A snarl making its way through her princesses’ mask Celestia calmed herself before her thoughts got too dark. Either way though Equestria would be lucky to survive the impending clash be it through complete annihilation, invasion from a foreign power, political subversion, or even the fracturing of the empire into multiple nation states.

Her image was already tarnished in her own empire, other empires were questioning her ability to rule daily. And now this of all things: A swarm of wolves like locusts. Ponyville will need to be completely evacuated, the trains won’t be able to run, there goes trade from the coast. It was the perfect storm of ruination and it was all her fault. Celestia felt her temper flare up at the thought but she knew it was true. She wasn’t the only thing that had gotten soft, Equestria had lost her teeth and she alone was responsible. The one saving grace was perhaps the minotaurs. Sturkur was just like his many times great grandfather she had known so long ago, he was a truly good bull and a strong leader, perhaps they would be willing to come to Equestria’s aid.

“Hey are you alright there?” Hank asked, finally resorting to lightly hitting Celestia upside the head in order to get her out of her trance-like state just staring at the leaves on the ground in front of her.

The light strike working to bring her out of it Celestia suddenly looked up and around. Not even acknowledging her had been hit, “Yes. I’m fine, just thinking.”

“Uh yeah, no shit.” the human let out a small laugh, “Thinking pretty damn hard but the looks of it. Hell I could smell the gears burnin’ up there.” Laughing a little more, Celestia couldn’t help but give a small smile as well, her poor mood lifting ever so slightly.

Quickly though her smile fell again, “I want to see.” With a flick of her head the alicorn motioned towards the drop off.

“There’s no point, Luna has seen and can relay any of that information to you. No need to risk exposure.” Hank shot down while Luna nodded along.

Temper flaring up again Celestia’s jaw clenched, “I don’t remember asking you for permission. This is my empire and I will see what threatens my empire with my own eyes.”

Staring back at the obviously irritated alicorn, his face flat as always a small smile started to split Hank’s lips, “Alright. Stay low.”

Rolling over onto his stomach first Celestia followed suit and stayed behind the human as they made it to the edge of the plateau. As they reached the edge Luna quickly made her way up as well and stopped on the other side of the man.

“Alright big C, move those thistles carefully now.”

Throwing a very unamused look at the human at the other name he had now made up for her, Celestia looked away from the smirking man who was obviously very content with himself and did just that.

Once the thistles were moved Celestia couldn’t help but let her eyes go wide at what she was seeing. It was a pack of ridiculous proportions, it truly was at least 400 of the beasts, all milling about adding to the massive damn of gore and rot, the sight added with the smell almost made Celestia sick and forced her to look away from the display lest she empty her stomach.

Scanning the other movement while slowing her breathing and calming her stomach, Hank was right, there were pups down there… A lot of them.

“It’s a forward observations base at least and the HQ at most.” Hank chimed in, looking down at the spectacle as well, causing Celestia to turn and look at the human, much like Luna on the other side of him.

“I’m thinking the… pile is a dam on purpose. Provides food and a way to keep water through the dryer seasons while also keeping a large enough pool to support the population on any given day.” As he finished explaining his theory, one which Celestia found herself agreeing with. He gave an exasperated sigh, “Sucks I don’t have access to any artillery. We get a grid made up, range this bitch, and get me behind an M triple seven, and I could have this shit turned into a crater in five shells ten miles back.” Hank waved his hand in the direction they came.

Looking at the man confused, Luna shook her head, “What is a M triple seven?”

“It’s a 155mm towed howitzer. Big mean bitch. Thing can accurately throw hundred pound high explosive shells thirteen miles accurately. And I mean within thirty feet of whatever it is you want turned to vapor. You shoulda seen what that thing would do to a high rise filled with infected. Or a big swarm of em on the four lane…. Shit was like chili.”

Laughing and shaking his head quietly, Luna and Celestia looked over the man’s back and at each other just to make sure they weren’t each having a stroke; because everything the man had just said sounded like absolute gibberish to the two mares.

Disregarding other worldly weaponry Celestia turned from her sister and back down to the black carpet of wolves, the sense of foreboding growing stronger with every second as they looked down upon them.

Things were going to change, drastically, and soon. Celestia wasn’t ready for those changes, that added pressure. But again, she could only blame herself.

“Well, are you two ready?” Hank asked looking from Luna then to Celestia with a small smile on his scarred face before his expression suddenly dropped and his left hand flew to the left pants pocket, a small vibration making itself known, coming from the phone he had left in his pants.

Holding pressure on the small device while the two ponies looked at him strangely, his fears were confirmed, his phone was vibrating.

Hollo. Long time no see. I've been extremely busy and also been losing the will the keep doing this shit. This is maybe one fifth of what I have written but I figure I should break it apart instead of dropping 98 pages out of nowhere.

Also if I get just a few more messages about this story being dead I will cancel it. Don't fucking test me.