The South side of the Lake was much like the West (where I came from). A long line of freshly excavated and piled mud and dirt revealed the extent of where the trench was. Several large swathes of over turned earth revealed the store rooms and barracks that would keep everything and everypony out of the rain. Currently, the Ponies were digging several pits, some of which had the bare frames of trebuchet's starting to rise from them. Piles of rocks, ranging from Pony sized to hoof sized were already being stockpiled nearby.

Boulders for against Pegasopolis itself, and small stones for use as grapeshot against the swarms of Pegasi.

I walked past a group of Ponies easing a cart down a ramp made of what appeared to be clay bricks, briefly hardened by several campfires that Ponies took the opportunity to dry themselves where ever they could. Below the ramp, I could see a large opening in the earth, where I could make out the shapes of several other carts already stowed underground.

I approached where the center of Pony activity seemed to be.

Captain Bright Shine, a Unicorn mare, was holding her military court around a freshly hewn stump.

"We're having problems with several of the trebuchet's. Looks like water got into their ropes and now there's mold. It's going to be a few hours before we can test their strength and check them over." An Earth Pony stallion I didn't recognize informed.

"Blast... Save what you can. We'll have to see if any of the other sections have extras. Try to get a rotation of dry rope going. We're just going to have to work around that for the time being." Bright Shine ordered.

"Yes'm." the stallion nodded.

Oh! A pause!

"Captain, may I have a word?" I interjected.

Bright Shine looked up from her stump, where she had crudely drawn symbols with charcoal in the exposed wood, and piled stones alongside them.

Had she been keeping track of what she needed to do?

She may be a Pony I could trust while under Pegasopolis...

"General." she nodded. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I heard from Captain Comet that Pegasi prisoners were in your care. May I have the opportunity to speak with them?"

If I had been given wrong information, then I could subtlety let Bright know she couldn't trust Comet either by mentioning his name.

"You heard correctly." Bright nodded. "24 of them to be precise. Knocked unconscious during the fight and left behind.

I was being overly paranoid then.

"Are they awake yet?" I asked.

"A few." Bright Shine confirmed. "Dandelion, could you take the Genearl to the prisoners?"

"Of course Bright." An Earth Pony mare chimed.

"Thank you Dandelion." Bright nodded, turning towards another Pony and asking them a question.

Before I could hear what she was saying, the Pony I now knew as Dandelion spoke up.

"General? If you would follow me?"

"Right. Of course. Lead the way." I nodded.

"Of course! This way please!" Dandelion chirped, her voice squeaking as she lead away from Bright's stump.

Aw... She was cute...

No! You are not doing this again! It's bad enough you think of Clover that way!

"So um..." I began.

Why. Why make this any more awkward than this has to be?!

"H-how are things over here?" I asked.

"We're progressing well!" Dandelion reported. "Store rooms are almost done! The barracks have been completed for about an hour now, so we're all looking forward to taking a break!"

"You haven't had a break since the fight yesterday?" I asked.

The balance between digging in and proper rest was a delicate one. I didn't want my soldiers tired, especially when the Pegasi could attack again at any moment. But I knew at the same time all of our odds would be greatly improved when it was done.

Delicate indeed.

"Bright Shine has had us on rest breaks every hour! Don't want to get caught off guard!" Dandelion grinned.

Yes. I think I'll put more reliance on Bright Shine, for the time being at least. But I wasn't sure what to think about Bright Shine's and Dandelion's familiarity with each other. Dandelion at the very least considered Bright close enough to call her by her first name.

Something to be aware of if it ever became relevant.

"That's good to hear." I nodded, as Dandelion opened another cellar door underground. "Down here."

The mare went down the stone steps.

I followed and closed the door behind me.

It took my eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness.

The trench was much like the one I woke up in. Perhaps dug slightly differently, but still functionally the same.

"This way General." Dandelion gestured, the floor creaking under her weight.

She lead me to an open door, where four guards stood, two within the room, and two without.

"Here you are General." Dandelion curtsied.

"Thank you Dandelion. That'll be all for now." I nodded. Dandelion curtsied again and left down the trench. I then turned to the Ponies outside the room. An Earth Pony and a Unicorn. "Hello sirs, I trust everything is calm?" I greeted.

"Marm." The Earth Pony Stallion nodded. "They're still trussed up and quiet as can be."

"Are they awake?"

"A few of 'em are still out. But most are awake." one of the Ponies inside the door replied.

"Would it be possible for me to talk to them?" I asked.

"I ain't gonna stop ya" The Earth Pony confirmed. The Unicorn merely nodded his head.

"Thank you. I won't be long." I thanked them, passing through the open door.

Inside, there was another pair of Unicorn and Earth Pony on either side of the door. Beyond them, deeper in the room, was a crowd of Pegasi, huddled on the dirt floor. Their wings tied to their sides, and their hooves shackled together in sequence.

Unless one could somehow lift and swing their comrade closest to them with chains barely long enough to take foals steps, they were going nowhere, and attacking nopony.

"Hello gentle sirs." I greeted, approaching them. "I'd like to ask you all a question." I stopped just out of reach, looking over the lot of them. I looked them in the eye, but my true purpose was to see how well they were being fed in Pegasopolis.

I wasn't sure if it was because of their lifestyle spent on the wing or if they were being fed just barely enough, but they were lean. Not grotesquely so, but still notable if you looked. Perhaps a few missed meals away from showing ribs.

Excellent.

"We'll never tell you anything horn head! Pegasopolis will prevail!" A stallion exclaimed.

"Hm." I hummed noncommittedly, noting that the stallion who spoke seemed to be more filled out than the rest. "And what do you think I'll ask about?" I asked.

Keep him off balance.

"Wh- What- Bu-" he stammered, clearly expecting a different question. "You're supposed to ask about our strategy! About our leaders and how many we number!"

"Interesting." I said aloofly. "Why do you think I would want those answers?"

I was curious of course, but that information was ultimately secondary, and perhaps unnecessary compared to knowledge of their stores. All I had to do was withstand Pegasopolis' fury until they starved or surrendered. And in that regard the hardest part was already over. While the rest wouldn't be, in no uncertain terms, easy, by digging in and fortifying for the long haul, we ensured it would be harder for Pegasopolis to wipe us all out. Which had been made even harder, since I had apparently damaged some of the machinery that Pegasopolis relied on to make itself into an active storm.

Again, all I had to do was keep this army alive, and don't let the city escape. And on that front, the Commanders in Pegasopolis probably assumed they could still win, even despite the setbacks. And their honor wouldn't allow them to run while they still thought they could win.

Time was on my side for the moment.

The stallion sputtered some more.

"W-What kind of General are you?! What sort of Pony doesn't care about their enemies?!"

"What kind indeed." I commented. "And what would your name be sir?"

"Buwha-" The stallion's jaw opened and closed. "Uh... Wet Sleet. Captain Wet Sleet."

Figured. He was better fed than the others.

"Thank you Captain." I nodded. "I believe I got all the information I needed." I turned and left the holding area.

Even the guards watched me as if I had lost my mind.

"See if you can get a door for this room. They may be chained together, but I don't want them to sneak away if you're all called away. And make sure they get standard rations. I want them well taken care of." I told the guards as I passed by. "Now, would any of you stallions know where Gold Note is? I have an important appointment I don't intend to miss."

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