The high afternoon sun burns Shining Armor's scalp. All of his body feels like it is on fire and sweat soaks him, fusing his worn clothes to his aching body. He has to grab a rock and gasp for air, trying not to taste the salt that trickles down his face, and he brings his attention to Spike, envying the drake for not having sweat glands. Though, he does look as tired as Shining Armor. Then he looks at the two earth ponies of his party, and envy is replaced with annoyance.

Braeburn and Applejack are both winded, but they are not a sweaty mess like him, which when it comes to Applejack baffles Shining Armor since she is wearing a full suit of armor on top of her other gear. Minus the helmet, but she has it clipped to her pack, so it still counts in a way. To make matters worse, Braeburn is calmly standing on the crest of the hill, crossbow aimed down and eyes scanning an ever expanding field with large rocks sprouting from the ground. If Shining Armor did not have the burden of fatigue on him he would be screaming right now.

“How are you two not tired?” wheezes Shining Armor.

“Its an earth pony thing,” says Braeburn.

“Well, give me some of it.”

“Eh... No.”

Applejack walks next to Shining Armor and offers him her canteen. He gladly accepts and after wiping the lip off he takes a big gulp, wipes it off again and returns it to Applejack.

“How are you not tired?” asks Shining Armor after giving her a look over.

“Earth pony thing,” replies Applejack.

Shining Armor throws his hand up with a scoff and turns his focus to Braeburn.

“Do you see anything?” says Shining Armor.

Braeburn squints his eyes. “I don't see much. Just some smoke. It has to be coming from a big burn pile.”

Shining Armor forces himself away from the comfortable walk and staggers to Braeburn's side. He has to use the earth pony for support and squint his eyes to see the pale stream of smoke rising in the sky.

“Raid?” suggests Shining Armor.

“Maybe,” says Braeburn. “The Free Plains are heavily contested between the Loyalists and Davenports. No telling whose done what or what we'll find.”

“Great~”

“Do you guys hear that?” asks Spike.

Shining Armor and Braeburn fall silent and listen. It only takes a few seconds for Shining Armor to recognize the sound, and with wide eyes he motions the group into the cover of the rocks he was just next to.

“Riders! Take cover!” says Shining Armor.

Spike and Braeburn scramble to the rocks, and Shining Armor nearly shoves Applejack on top of Braeburn when he nudges her in the hideout. He then squeezes himself inside and presses his back against the rock.

Several seconds later the ground shakes from the thunder of dozens of sets of hoofs, and a blur of various shades of brown, black, and gray passes Shining Armor's group. They clutch their weapons tight and tensely watches the horses gallop by. The armor clanks and banners of a pair of reeling horses flanking a heart flutter in the wind. When the last horse passes, Shining Armor takes one look at his group, then departs, despite the hushed protests. When he is out in the open his horn glows and his sore throat regains its strength plus some.

“Riders of Everfree!” calls Shining Armor. “What news of your land!?”

The lead rider holds up a spear and directs the riders in a large circle that leads back to Shining Armor, and while the riders make their way back up, Spike, Applejack and Braeburn exit their hiding spot to stand by his side. After Shining Armor has his companions with them, he and his friends are blocked in by a circle of the Riders and they all put their hands up when diamond shaped spearheads are aimed towards them.

The horses are covered in dark green armor with gold trim, and clipped to the saddles of each one is a shield, full packs of rations, plus white boxes and small axes and short swords. The Rangers that ride them are protected by brown brigandines with discolored metal plates sewn into them, beneath their armor are dark brown gabesons, and their forearms and shins are protected by metal pads, and covering their backs are thick cloaks that have seen many years of mud and tear.

The leader of the group is given just enough space to pass, and the only significant difference between him and the others is a flaming sword pendant on his chest. That, and the black stallion with a light brown mane appears to be larger in build and have a face of a drake. Plus two different eyes. One purple, and the other gray and reptilian, which is the most unsettling feature of the strange hybrid.

“What business does a unicorn, a drake and two earth ponies have in the Free Plains? Speak quickly!” says the dracony.

“Hey, you're part drake! Why are you hostile?” asks Spike.

The dracony looks at Spike, and with a disappointed sigh he motions the spears up.

“Do you have any idea how long I have been wanting to say something like that?” asks the dracony.

Spike shakes his head.

“A very long time. We don't get many travelers in these parts. Only raiders, demons and the occasional hobo, and frankly they don't let you speak, so you start practicing what you're going to say when you do get a chance and yadda yadda yadda. As you can see, I still need some practice.”

Applejack and Braeburn exchange looks while Spike nods in understanding, and Shining Armor, being the mature pony that he is, looks at the dracony's horse instead of staring at the hybrid.

“What kind of demons do you have running around here?” says Shining Armor, still keeping his attention on the horse.

“Tell me your names and I will answer your question,” says the leader.

“I'm Shining Armor Sparkle, son of Night Light Sparkle, and these are my companions, Spike Eggchild, my assistant, and-” Shining Armor pauses for a moment, realizing who he is pointing to “-Jane and John Dough. My personal bakers.”

Applejack raises a brow, and Braeburn sighs and pinches his brow. The dracony, however, quietly studies each of the earth ponies, and after several seconds he dismounts his horse and gives it a gentle pat on its neck as he looks at Shining Armor.

“You did not have to lie. I know who they are,” says dracony. “I am Stone Edge, son of Sliver Streak, heir to House Edge and Marshall of the Free Plains. It is an honor and a relief to see yet another Apple free from the Davenports wrath. We have been worried for you ever since the Davenport Treason.”

In an instant, Applejack's unimpressed look breaks into a disgusted scowl, and her hands ball into tight fists.

“Worried?” says Applejack heavily.

“Yes. House Edge has always been on your side, Princess Applejack,” says Stone.

“Don't call me that! If y'all have always been on our side where were you when they cut off my pa's head, or raped my ma to death or burned my brother alive!?”

The Riders avert their eyes in shame, including Stone, and some of the horses shake their heads, snorting.

“You have to understand, Edge is a weak House and is near allies of the Davenports, who are much stronger, better funded and better trained than we are” says Stone, barely looking at Applejack. “Despite this, many would have gladly joined the Loyalists -including my soldiers- but my grandfather signed the pact between us and the Davenports without a family meeting. But the pact has not stopped those loyal to your family from helping the Loyalists in secret, and now my father runs the House and I promise you the tide is turning. We will remove the traitors in our House and you will have your throne, milady.”

“But I don't want the throne or anything to do with this country! There ain't nothing here worth saving!” says Applejack.

Braeburn puts his hand on Applejack's shoulder. “Applejack, calm down.”

Applejack roughly shrugs him off and would have been pacing if given the space, but all she can do is rotate in a tight circle, covering her mouth with her gloved hand and squeezing her teary eyes shut. The stallions and Spike watch her in silence, and with a depressed sigh Shining Armor glances at Stone, who has once again averted his eyes from her.

“Excuse her outburst. She has been through a lot, recently,” says Shining Armor.

Stone holds up his hand. “I understand her outburst. We all do.”

“I appreciate that, but I need to know something and I'm hoping you can help. We're tracking a war party from the Lulamoon Sanctuary. They captured some of our friends and were taking them back to Trixie. Have you seen them?” asks Shining Armor.

Stone hesitates. “We did encounter a Sanctuary party, but we killed everypony and burned their bodies during the night.”

Shining Armor pales. “Everypony?”

Stone nods and Spike butts his way to Shining Armor's side, nearly knocking him off of his feet.

“Did you see two foalings and a white unicorn mare?” asks Spike frantically.”I mean, you couldn't have missed them! They were completely different from the soldiers!”

“The foalings would look like children in your eyes,” says Shining Armor, desperation in his voice and his hand shaking when he emphasizes their height. “They were a little pegasus and unicorn.”

Stone shakes his head. “I'm sorry, it was a slaughter.” He climbs on his horse and nods to the smoke in the distance. “You can search the pile, but you won't like it what you'll find.”

Stone then snaps his fingers and orders his soldiers to give up their spare rations, and very quickly is Shining Armor's Fellowship gifted with extra water, food and medicine. Shining Armor hastily puts away the supplies, the shaking of his hands and breathing worsening.

“If you need me I will be at Edge Manor, or in the general area. Stay safe and watch for demons!” says Stone.

Shining Armor nods, and the Riders gallop away. Once they are over the hill and the stampede faded from their ears, Shining Armor adjusts the straps on his pack and takes a deep breath.

“Well, let's get to it,” he says.

The sun is now dipping over the mountains in the distance. The mountains are pitch black against the dimming orb, and the sky is painted as burnt orange with pockets of white in the darkened clouds. Even with the falling light the shock of Shining Armor's Fellowship can be seen and felt in the dropping temperature.

In front of them, a massive pile of smoldering, mangled bodies sits in front of a thick forest of dark, twisting trees with thick leafs. Limbs are twisted, flesh and bone are blackened and cracking, armor and weapons have melted and warped, and impaled on a pike is head whose eyes are wide and mouth is open with terror. The stench of burnt flesh and cooked materials is almost unbearable, and while the males tough it out, Applejack covers her nose and looks away, shuddering.

“Spike, light up some torches,” orders Shining Armor.

Spike nods, and each member of the group gives him a torch from their packs to light. Once each is holding a flame from Spike they carefully search the disturbing pile, using their weapons to sift through the mess that crumbles or splits with each touch.

After several minutes of tense searching, Applejack pauses, her axe caught on a piece of fabric. She gulps, puts her axe away and leans into the pile to pull out something, using her torch as a guide.

“Shining, Braeburn... look,” says Applejack.

Shining Armor stops sifting with his sword and hurries to Applejack, with Braeburn and Spike following close behind. All three become stiff when they see Applejack holding a child sized burnt cloak.

“Its one of their cloaks,” says Applejack, her eyes shimmering from tears.

Shining Armor tosses his torch on the pile, grabs the cloak and twists it in his hands, looking for any sign of it not being one of the Foaling cloaks as he hyperventilates and fights back tears. But the more he studies the fabric the more he recognizes the awful truth.

He was too late.

In a blink, Shining Armor kicks a nearby helmet and drops to his knees, screaming and burying his face in the cloak. He throws the cloak aside and slams his fists on the ground, grinding his teeth and shivering with tears flowing down his cheeks.

“Damn it!” cries Shining Armor.

Applejack kneels next to him and rubs his shoulder, and Spike looks down, sighing heavily and grinding his teeth. Braeburn also dips his head in mourning, and runs his dirty fingers through his mane.

“What do we do now?” asks Spike.

“Make a memorial for them, and then meet Rainbow's group at Ponyville,” says Shining Armor quietly. He sniffles and wipes his eyes. “That is, if Rainbow and the others don't die on the road.”

Spike nods, pulls out a knife and walks towards a tree, leaving Shining Armor to stare at the cold grass. However, as Spike walks, Braeburn's ears perk and his hand shoots out to the drake.

“Hold it! Don't move,” says Braeburn.

Spike stops in midstep, then backpedals, and Shining Armor and Applejack join Spike in staring at Braeburn as he takes a careful step forward and kneels down to pick up a cuff hidden by the trampled grass.

“One of them got out,” says Braeburn, showing the group the cuff.

Braeburn drops the cuff and scans the ground, and seconds later his ears perk and he pulls out another cuff, followed by a third one a short moment later.

“All three of them got out of their cuffs!” says Braeburn.

His eyes focus on the grass and his steps become slow and meticulous, and his torch wielding hand extended slightly and sweeping side to side like a scholar using a magnifying glass. Shining Armor jumps to his feet with excitement fueling him, but almost falls over from a dizzy feeling in his head, and after he regains his balance he and the other two rush to Braeburn's side.

“What else do you see?” asks Shining Armor.

“A lot of footprints and hoofprints,” says Braeburn. “But if my eyes ain't failing me then...” He kneels down and picks up a curling strand of indigo. “Rarity was here.”

He tilts his head and carefully steps around an area of grass that has been twisted and knotted with patches pulled out from the roots.

“There was a struggle,” says Braeburn. “I see a good amount of blood, a couple of teeth and torn fabric. It looks like it came from Rarity's white clothes.”

“Rarity busted her mouth?” asks Applejack worryingly.

“Looks like it, but I ain't certain. Whoever got hit, they got hit hard, though. Not fatal, but definitely painful.” Braeburn takes a large step and uses his torch to trace a path that only he can see. “The fight ended. Somepony crawled... then they ran.”

Braeburn stops, looks up and points to the thick, dark forest.

“They went in there,” says Braeburn.

“Well, that's just our luck,” says Spike with a frown.

Shining Armor draws his sword and marches towards the tree line.

“Okay, let's do this,” says Shining Armor.

A glowing white orb suddenly appears, and it breaks into a wispy cloud that weaves through the forest, humming in the wind. The cloud changes to a featureless figure that has strands breaking off and dissolving behind it, and when it goes behind a tree the light disappears, as does the humming, and everything becomes still and quiet.

The Fellowship stares at the forest, faces and bodies stiff, and with his face still displaying determination, Shining Armor sheathes his sword and speed walks away from the forest.

“On second thought, let's camp here for the night,” says Shining Armor. “We can use the rest.”

Applejack's eyes flick between Shining Armor and the pile of charred bodies, but says nothing, choosing instead to take a few very long steps back.

“What about our friends?” asks Spike uneasily.

“They're fine.”

“Is the badass exile scared of the ghost?” teases Braeburn.

“I don't do ghosts!” snaps Shining Armor.

“Oh, I can't wait to tell Sugar Tail about this. This is gold!”

There is a gust of wind that is sucked into the forest and the glowing orb returns, pulsating.

“Braeburn, be nice,” chides the wind in a feminine voice.

And just like that, Braeburn is standing behind Shining Armor.

“Camp actually sounds great,” says Braeburn.