There was a steady and distant drip echoing in the darkness. Orion coughed. Groaned and tried to roll over. “The fuck happened, ugh my head.”

While he had managed to roll over he was unable to move his arms, or his legs. He was bound.

“Fuck!”

Now he remembered his ill fated meeting with the midget mutt after he had conned an idiot guard. With a sigh he realized he could feel the nullstone still wrapped securely around his horn. He struggled a little more to free his arms or at least sit up right, both of which failed miserably.

The hard stone ground was damp. Fortunately there were no bars, not that it mattered considering they had him tied up in some pretty well maintained rope.

“Shit. I’m stuck here.” He had not wanted to acknowledge that fact. He was an idiot.

He adjusted himself as best he could while mulling over his options. Which were few. The steady drip was his only company.

She watched as her charge angrily, and more than a bit worriedly, paced the floor of the drafty little cabin they were sitting in.

Orion was missing, had been for days. It was obvious why when two days earlier in the week he announced his attempt to pull the Diamond Dogs into his little scheme.

The scheme, as she was calling it, was massively impressive. The ramifications of success out here would mean the very survival of her nation. What self respecting griffon would not want to see that?

Her issue was with his deception, and the knowledge that he was eventually going to get caught in the lies he was telling. She was even angry. For not only was his efforts hidden from the crown, but her charge’s heart was being broken. Even if the young lady had not realized it yet. Gilda could see the signs.

Deep down she knew he had no interest in Screaming. At first she assumed it was just a cultural difference. But during the couple of weeks in which he seemed to almost divide his time flawlessly with what his host wanted to do with his own desires, she noticed the almost sad look whenever she would get touchy with him. He knew. Knew and used that to further his admittedly honorable goals.

She loved and hated him for his actions.

So it was with a conflicted heart that she watched as Screaming seemed about to tear her feathers out with worry over a stallion that doesn’t see her in that regard.

“My Lady.” She had to be delicate, for she knew she had no knowledge when it came to matters concerning military procedures and assessments, and with their small force this would be more than difficult.

“We can not just charge in to rescue young Master Falls. He could be being held anywhere inside the vast tunnels Diamond Dogs typically dig. He might have already been moved for all we know. What we must do right now is consider our options. I have a trio of guards cycling turns to watch the entrances as best they can. While digging is their preferred method, they will likely transfer him over land rather than go that route.”

“Oh so we have to hope they haven’t moved him yet?! So I have to worry that they….they may have just eaten him instead? Or just stand by while they may have already shuffled him off to be sold to the highest bidder!?” She was shrieking, that was to be expected. But this served them nothing.

“My Lady, as of right now, we can only watch. We do not have the forces to storm the halls and caverns that must be down there. My advice is to send our fastest flyer to the capital, to purge this festering boil in our lands. By watching the mongrels we can keep an eye on their activities and update the incoming troops on the situation. This will facilitate a response that will put the least amount of lives on the line, and keep you both safe.”

She knew Screaming hated the idea of holding off, truth be told so did she. She wanted nothing more than to put each and every dog to the blade. She also, along with several others in their troop, wanted a chance to punch Orion right in his muzzle. This was by far the stupidest thing he could have done.

“Oh I’ll be fine. If shit gets too crazy, I’ll just ‘port the hell out. It’s not like they have any mages of their own.” He was standing there with that cocky grin he always had plastered on his face.

A look that Gilda was dreaded seeing on his face. It meant that once again he was gambling with their lives, their people. Currently that smile was being used to placate Screaming as she hung on worriedly to his shirt.

“This is silly Orion. Why not just send one of my soldiers to do it?” She was doing her best to put as much contact on his body as she reasonably could. If the older guard-griffon were to be honest, she found the whole spectacle shameful. Lady Rush was practically throwing herself at him and he was still trying to be gentle in letting her down. “Coward, just tell her honestly.”

“I doubt they know what I am after, or could really even understand what it is they are asking. No offense but they are soldiers. They work well as a unit. But they are likely not trained in economics or infrastructure. Or are you hiding land surveyors in your team Corporal Ironwing?”

How he had found out her rank and last name she had yet to figure out. But the bigger surprise was that he never said her full rank and name in a derisive manner. Though he was holding a smile at the moment.

“No Orion I am not hiding any economists or engineers in my current platoon. I will let you know if I am made aware of any.” She looked back to her soldiers but they were all laughing. They had come to watch her Lady debase herself again.

She hid the scowl on her face when she turned back around, the drakes grumbled as they went back to their duties.

“Well then I guess this will all have to be up to me then.” He chuckled. “Don’t worry your pretty little head Scream, if it gets out of hand I will simply teleport out.”

Something had gone wrong. Something that the young stallion did not think could happen, happened.

Gilda had floated the idea that he was being kept unconscious. That a scuffle had broken out and in the confusion the fool was hit in the head, and now they were keeping him prisoner.

Sergeant Ghostbill had a suggestion that she was now fearing more likely. That Orion had fallen victim to a nullstone ring.

The idea was at first preposterous to her. But the more she thought about it, the more she began to think it made more sense. How the filthy mutts had gotten a hold of one was beyond her.

Equestria was the only place known currently that had the rare mineral to be found. Exclusively controlled by the Crown itself. The purpose of which is to create a way to imprison unicorn convicts without the massive wards that would be needed in order to bind them.

None of this helped. Other than watching there was nothing that they could do. In fact she had to reason with her Ladyship every other hour to not mount a rescue with the paltry forces they had at hand.

Gilda was interrupted from her thoughts.

“Fine, who do we have that is the fastest?” It seemed she had finally seen reason. “ What else can we do?” She bit her claw with worry.

“Specialist Redplume would likely be the fastest that we currently have. He says he can make the trip in a day with no stops. He will have to go armorless, but it means he can stay in the air for far longer.” She paused, “We can also double up on the patrol around the tunnels. Two for each shift. This will give us more coverage and give them less of a chance to make a move we won’t know about.”

Lady Grace Screaming Rush hesitated. Then nodded to herself. “Do it.”

“There’s two up there now boss. Just circlin’ ‘bout. They watching us good that's for sure.”

Barney was pacing back and forth angrily. To the diminutive leader this was getting more complicated than just a quick cash grab.

When that pompous jackass of a pony had walked right into their home, he was pissed. The fool mutt Rover just had to bring trouble into his already failing pack. When he saw the unicorn, he realized they could make some actual money selling him to a more profitable outfit. So he had his personal guard go after him.

He was rather surprised at how long it took Aspen to bring him down. Normally she would easily subdue any opponent she was put up against. The feisty stallion lasted a whole five minutes before she finally got him.

The nullstone ring they had stolen all those years ago, finally had a use. He didn’t have to worry about the little shit escaping. The idea that he could actually help his people get food in their bellies and medicine for their wounds was becoming more of a reality to him. He had smiled at the idea of saving the lives of his pack.

At least it was. Not a day after they had snagged their meal ticket, did those fucking griffons start circling the area. He could only assume they were looking for their captive as they had nothing else of real value.

“Fuckin’ griffons.” He turned to look at Strudel, she had been on tunnel guard this morning. “They found the escape entrance too?” The nod he got redoubled his anger. “FUCK! We can’t exactly ransom this stallion off with these buzzards flappin’ about.”

The need to get rid of this pony was growing all the larger after just two days. He had idly thought of just pushing the bastard out the tunnel entrance hoping they would just take him and go.

His sister threw a wrench into that thought process. It would mean they had no bargaining chip to negotiate with if things got worse. With their luck, it was definitely going to get worse.

Scratching furiously at his collar, the fleas were getting worse, he groaned with frustration.

Then there was his loyal bitch, Aspen. She had somehow taken a shine to the stallion. It was everything he could do to keep her from him. She was under the impression that he was her prize as she managed to beat him, and he had managed to stay away from her for so long.

She wanted pups, and she was not satisfied with the current stock of studs. With that in mind she saw this stallion as the perfect replacement. Barney didn’t know whether to lock her away for awhile, or just let her have at it and get it out of her system.

The heat season was not terrible this year but it still lingered. No Dog bothered to breed, being unable to feed the new pups weighed heavily enough on all of them that they didn’t want to risk one starving to death. Meat was already low, and their attempts to catch fish was laughable.

Finding meat on the pony was a major oddity to the leader. Which prompted questions. Questions that were answered with a very rough examination.

He himself was still in shock to find out that this, Orion, was a meat eater. That had set all the tongues wagging in the den. Judging by the teeth and the jerky that was on him, looking chewed on, it was easily apparent to every mutt of what he was. They just couldn’t figure out how.

They had stripped him of almost everything, except that leather band on his wrist, and the golden bands around his biceps. They had tried everything to get them off. Not wanting to damage the goods he ordered a stop on it. Obviously they were magically bound to him. They would just have to wait till that binding failed.

“Any peep out of da fucking pony?”

“No boss, he awake, but no talkin’. Think he scared of Aspen. Almost got pants off last night.” The guards in the room chuckled at that.

Barney just groaned. If she had not failed to muzzle him, she would likely have been pumped full of pups last night. Even with all the screaming and shouting, they almost didn’t make it in time. She had been in the process of trying to get him hard with his pants around his ankles. He wanted to laugh at the sight.

That pony was babbling something about being ‘too young for the birds and the bees’ while the guards struggled with their own laughter and pulling Aspen off. She had bitten three of them before they finally muzzled her. Maybe the heat was a little worse for her this year. Though it should have ended for her by now.

His sister was with her now, keeping the massive Diamond Dog restrained with words alone. Never could figure out how she did that.

“Ugh, I’m gonna head down and get some answers. There has to be a reason why those feather brains are all over us.” He grabbed his staff, the Cane of Clan Barker, and paced down the tunnel, lost in what he planned to demand of the pony that brought all this trouble down on him.

Orion had not slept since the attack of last night.

The crazy dog was just as bad as the horde of mares that had chased him throughout the city. The difference was, his ‘cell’ had no bars to protect him from Her. The realization that the Diamond Dog that had clubbed him upside the head was female came when she started groping him his first morning there.

The second time he had woken up to tugging on the rope around his legs. He instantly came awake at a tearing sound that had indicated his pants were being torn apart.

He is not proud of it, but he screamed like a little girl. A little girl that had lost all hope in the world.

Fortunately for him the screams had gotten the attention of every dog in the area to come running. He was saved.

Well humiliated more like it, they had come in when she had buried her nose under his sack. The laughter and the cold ass nose just made his embarrassment all the worse.

To add insult to injury he was half mast by the time they got her off him.

Thus he vowed to stay awake for as long as possible.

The sound of paws slapping wet stone pulled him from his panicked thoughts.

“Oh what the hell do you want Fido?” He fairly growled that last bit at the small leader. “I ain’t got a stick for you to play fetch with.”

“No you don’t, well not for me at least, Aspen may like your stick.” The impish smile coming from the chihuahua made him want to bite something. But he couldn’t suppress a shudder at the thought of that big bitch getting more time with him.

“Why is it always me that gets chased by the crazy bitches.”

“What. Do. You. Want.” He did nothing to hide the anger in his voice and eyes. He wanted to punt this yapping beanie baby into a wall.

“Well, since you’re suddenly in a talkin’ mood I figured we could start with why griffons are hovering all over my SUN BLASTED DEN!” The little dog had suddenly gotten very heated and shouted that last.

“What griffons?” He smiled. Orion knew that he should just keep his attitude in check, but seeing the prick angry brought him so much joy given his circumstances.

“The griffons that showed up after you lost the fight. The ones who have suddenly doubled their number in the air to watch our entrance, and or emergency exit. How do they know about that by the way?”

Lost the fight? There was no fight, only an ambush.

“Oh those griffons, well that's easy, I told them where I was going and the basic structure of your tunnels. I managed to scan the surface and found the other entrance that way, as to why they are up there? Come on genius even your pea brain should be able to figure it out.”

The little bastard hit him with the stick he was holding. “You fucker! I can’t even send my people out to forage for food while they are up and about.” He was seething now.

Orion’s horn flared to life but nothing came for the dog, though he still recoiled. “I don’t know why you keep trying. Nothing is getting around that ring you fuckin’ idiot.”

True, while he could still pull magic to him, he couldn’t affect anything. Somehow it even managed to block his hands from emitting any magic at all. It was maddening to know he could hold magic but unable to lash out at his captors.

“Listen. Asshole. If you don’t let me go, this is only going to get so much worse for you. In Avery right now is a troop of twenty soldiers. They are watching now yes, but if you think they haven’t sent a flyer back to the capital you are deluding yourself. Eventually you will have an entire division if not more breathing down your neck. Let. Me. Go.”

With every word the intensity of his horn’s glow got brighter and brighter. A hum began to fill the cavern.

“What makes you think you're in any position to demand anything from me!” The midget was getting just as he heated. “And why in the tartarus would they be concerned over you!?” The stick smacked him again.

“Because it just might be the fact that the twelfth in line of the Griffonia throne came with me to Avery.” He grinned. The hum in the room changed pitch and went higher. One of the guard dogs shook his head as if he had a fly in it. “She likes me. Which means she will go send for her dear uncle, you know, the KING?”

He was letting his mouth run. Trying to impress on them the dire nature of their situation.

Barney just stared at him. Incredulity plastered on his face. Ears wiggling. That’s when Orion noticed the sound, it was coming from him.
“My horn is like a fucking dog whistle. They can’t handle the frequency.”

Many of the guard dogs were now wiggling their heads trying to get rid of a sound that was steadily increasing pitch and decibels. That was interesting.

Lost in his musings on the impact of high frequency sound he was generating he did not see the massive fist that was incoming.

“Fuck, finally.”

The noise coming from the stallion had hurt his ears, and judging by the state of his guards, some of which were holding their own heads with a paw, they had all been affected.

“He knows the king…..oh I have fucked up bad.”

He should never have thought to turn a profit with this fucking pony. Should have gone with the original thought to shuffle his flanks out of his den right then and there. Should have just listened to his sister.

That thought pained him. She had been right. Back in Equestria, just past a place called Ghastly Gorge , they found that massive gem deposit in their tunnels, he should have listened to her then to keep quiet about it.

But no, he had to brag. To tell every passing dog traveler about the wealth they had come into. That, had of course, attracted the attention of another pack.

Pack Sharp Fang immediately moved in and killed many of his able bodied dogs. It was a massacre, they barely got out with the numbers they had. It was a nightmare.

They resolved to travel north instead, but that only invited the wrath of that hateful Princess. They were all nearly arrested but some quick thinking from his sister took them through the badlands.

While they had lost more there, the pack survived.

Sneaking into the kingdom of Griffonia had been an easy affair. He wanted to stop in the foothills of the mountains southwest of the capital, again, his sister advised going further.

Thus they ended up north of a town called Avery.

The original plan called for them to dig up gold and diamonds and trade the meager wealth to the hippogriffs in Neighbon. That didn’t work. Mostly because the location they had chosen to set up to live and work in had nothing but iron in the rock.

That led to another problem as they finally found a vein of gold, they dug for it in all haste. The tunnel collapsed on them. Trapping many of the dogs that were still healthy enough for regular work.

In a desperate move Barney had sent Rover and several others to the town to ask for help. That was a disaster. The griffons had chased them out. By the time they dug out the tunnel again, it was too late. They buried their dead and mourned them.

Now he had led them into another disaster.

His paws had carried him to his sister’s quarters before he had realized it. Opening the decaying leather flap he stepped in, his guards flanking the entrance and waiting.

“Sister.”

Where Barney was tan colored all over and short in comparison with many others, His sister was black all over, and tall. Easily doubling his height. It often surprised him that she was from the same litter as he was.

“How is our guest?” Her amber eyes were warm as they peered back at him, she idly petted Aspen, who had taken up sleeping on the pillows with her, head in her lap.

“An asshole. He didn’t give me much, but I think I fucked us. Again.” He hung his head in defeat. His rule of Clan Barker had been a disaster since his father died. If not for the laws of the pack he would have turned over authority to his sister long ago.

Chuckling she replied, “well that much is apparent dear brother. How badly?” She had a gallows sense of humor. One she had developed over the course of years playing second to her brother.

“Like, oh the army of Griffonia coming down on our heads.” That got her attention. Gone was the warm look, replaced by shock and more than a little fear.

“How?! Why?”

“The how is simple. Apparently this bastard is attached to the King himself. The twelfth in line for the throne has taken an interest in him. Thus the why is even easier. She will want him rescued. If we let him go, then we have no bargaining chip. If we hold onto him, it just might save us from being slaughtered. Tilly, we are so fucked either way.”

He flopped on the pillows with the pair and stared off into space.

“If we bargain for our safety we will still have to leave, how many more will we lose this time? If we let him go….we are dead to a dog. I….I’ve fucked us.” He wept.

The room was filled with the quiet sobs as his sister did her best to sooth her brother’s heart.

The guards outside her door hung their own heads, tears quietly leaking down their muzzles.

Why was fate so cruel to them was a thought that had flashed through everyone of their thoughts in some form or other.

Grim Redplume’s wings burned like fire. He had set a fast pace that he was now regretting.

At first light on the third day Orion had been missing he took to the skies with a water bag, jerky, his short sword, and a tunic and trousers. Clad in nothing else allowed him to soar high with little exertion. But not sleeping and only landing to do nothing much else but shit and piss was taking its toll on his body.

He had wanted to leave yesterday. But Corporal Ironwing had advised waiting till he was well rested. So he left in the morning.

He blamed himself for his own haste. He wanted to get to the capital as fast as possible. He liked the fledgeling. Funny with a snarky sense of humor, Orion had stayed up on occasion to trade jokes and stories with the Specialist.

While many in the company disparage the pony at first, they had quickly come to appreciate the uncommon wisdom he held. More importantly, they came to respect him despite the lies he had laid.

He was attempting to help their people. The very thought brought tears to their eyes, though they were soldiers, thus they hid it as best they could.

Talking with Orion had also helped the Grim decide on what he wanted to do in the future. So he began taking notes of farm layouts. He had already found numerous ways to improve the rough irrigation system that they had put into place.

The pony had actually praised him for that. Taking notes on his own ideas. This had caused the drake to swell with pride.

Now he was desperate to get back as soon as possible.

Looking about to see where he could stop, he slowed and paused in the air.

Coming toward him were a pair of scouts. The red lacquered armor gave them away as the King’s own personal guards. What were they doing way out here?

The rank that he could see from that distance spoke of a captain and a lieutenant. Shaking away the myriad of questions flooding into his brain he descended to the ground and waiting.

The pair of griffons landed with a hasty slam.

Not hesitating he saluted, clawed fist over heart. “Specialist Redplume, one-oh-third scout division, current attachment Lady Grace Screaming Rush.”

The captain saluted back hastily. “At ease Specialist. I’m Captain Goldwing, this is Second Lieutenant Eggo. Currently attached to his Majesty’s Royal Guard. What are you doing this far out soldier?”

“I knew we should have chased those damn dogs out when we first found out.” Redplume stood at the ready, watching as Captain Goldwing fumed about the news.

After telling them the situation, he had stood by waiting for instructions.

“Right. Specialist. You are to return to your platoon immediately. Inform her Ladyship that the King himself is on the way, shouldn’t be more than two days' time before he arrives in Avery.”

The King himself was coming? He wondered as to what prompted his majesty to leave the capital and travel to the tiny town himself. But he didn’t dwell on the thought.

Saluting he took to the air, his wings screaming at him to stop. Once he got to altitude he soared back to the north, finding the air current agreeable. That eased the pressure off his wings. Twenty minutes later he was hit by a thought.

He had not informed the captain of the situation with the town itself. What was going on.

“Oh fuck….”

Bloodbeak soared through the air with his troops. He was not so lazy as to make them haul his feathered ass across the sky for his vanity. No. He would always fly with the griffons under him. He never asked them for anything he would not do himself. Such was the way of his entire bloodline.

He had, however, set a pace he knew would leave many in his troops exhausted by the time they got to their destination. No matter. It was more of a formality that they come with, they would likely have no real use.

A commotion at the front of the spear tip formation drew his attention. Giving his wings a hard flap he surged ahead to find out what was going on. Behind him, two elite troops followed closely behind their liege.

He found Captain Goldwing altering course to fly beside him. The captain gave a quick salute.

“Your Majesty. A situation has occurred.” They way he said that, got his feathers to bristle. Those words in that tone, never a good sign.

“He was kidnapped by WHAT!?” His voice boomed out across the formation, catching the attention of his soldiers.

Listening, he carefully schooled his face to a stern mask once again.

“This stallion had a lot to answer for.”

Gilda Ironwing was startled out of her half sleep from the sounds of shouting.

The light sleep she had managed to get was not enough. Her worry for Orion had dominated her thoughts. In all honesty she liked the presumptuous stallion. He would run his mouth, which got him into more trouble then she could believe. But he had a heart that showed through when he was working.

Crawling out of her bed she glanced at the dirty mirror in her room. She was a mess. Her feathers were in a desperate need to be preened, her eyes looked like they hadn’t seen sleep in a week.

Running her claws through her feathers quickly, she stepped out of her private cabin to find Specialist Redplume swiftly approaching her. Straightening her uniform the best she could she called out to the young drake.

“Specialist I seem to remember giving you orders to the capital. What are you doing here?”

As he explained, relief visibly shook her frame.

The King was coming to Avery. She didn’t care for the reason. Only that this situation would be solved that much sooner.

“Thank you Grim, go get some rest, I need to report this to her Ladyship.”

He nodded, and with purpose now complete, the strength he had held failed him. He stumbled back to the barracks. Clearly he had worn himself out immensely in his flight.

Squaring her shoulders with an energy she hadn’t felt in days she quickly walked to Screaming’s cabin.

A hush had fallen over the assembled villagers. The small army that had landed in the fields outside of their town had already begun erecting tents and defensive fortifications. Grendal had not yet seen the King, but knowing he was there was making her nervous.

She, and the council with her, had acted without the King’s knowledge in letting a foreign agent help in the development of her town. What had once been a sleepy little hamlet had transformed in just a little over two weeks into something different.

Already the fields had been plowed and the channels dug for irrigation. Before he had gone to do whatever he had planned with the filthy mutts, Orion had casted a strange spell that seemed to accelerate the growth of the crops. Projections from the farmers said that the potatoes and beans would be ready within the month at current growth rates.

That had stirred an excitement in her breast that she had not had in years.

Now, her monarch was here. With two full companies sitting on her doorstep. She would have to hope to appeal to his Majesty’s renown caring nature. She only hoped that he would see the benefit of working with the pony.

It seemed impossible, but the crowd at the edge of the village somehow had gotten even quieter.

There was the King. His stern gaze glanced over them all. As one the people bowed to their ruler.

Grendal could feel the sweat drip off her feathers. She could only hope she did the right thing.

When the town first came into view, Bloodbeak could not understand at first what he was seeing.

Huge fields spread out before him, dotting the areas between the fields were sheds, a strange circular short tower, and channels of water. The fields looked freshly planted, but crops were growing as if they had been there for a month.

What had happened in the tiny town of Avery? Were they attempting something new? What had the beigermeister come up with to set up farmland in such a bizarre way.

Typical tracts of farmland were small. Occupied by several families tilling the same soil. Producing just enough to feed them, and maybe sell to market if they were lucky.

Here it was entirely different.

As he marched out from his command with only his personal guards to escort him he was given another shock. There were pigs in pens there. A good many looked pregnant. Where had they gotten pigs from?

Shaking his head he approached the village elders, and their leader. If he remembered correctly her full name was Grendal Rivertail. She looked extremely nervous. Taking in the others, he noticed they all were. That raised more questions. Time for some answers.

“Rise my people, there is no reason to bow, as I have invaded your home instead of the other way around.’ He gave his own bow, one that got a few smiles from the gathered crowd. That was always good. He wanted his people not to fear him.

Looking back to the council and beigermeister he frowned. They were not smiling, in fact they looked like they were ready to run. What had happened?

He flipped through the notes Grendal had given him. She stood by quietly in the corner of her office, she had insisted he occupy her seat. If he was being honest, the seat was far more comfortable than the one in his office.

He had not said much once the truth had come out. He had not shown much on his face either. Though that had taken a herculean effort of will not to. The notes and blueprints before him painted a picture he could almost not comprehend.

The stallion had lied to him. Lied to them all. But not out of some attempt to gain wealth or power. But out of altruism. From a pony. Now he had seen everything. The notebook was packed, page after page, of different ways of keeping fish, storing food, the list went on. Techniques were written down in farming, irrigation that he had never heard of. It was too much.

Orion Falls was an absolute fountain of knowledge. He now realized why Celestia was so obsessed with him.

The pigs he had seen earlier had come in four days ago by freight through Neighbon. They were purchased, at great cost, by the pony himself. Where had he gotten the finances to bring farm animals all the way out there?

The wagons they had taken with them, were not packed full of items for his niece or him, but farm equipment. Plows, hoes, buckets, all manner of farming implements.

Unable to keep the shock from his face any longer he looked at the beigermeister. Her worried look had softened.

“He lied to you and said I approved of this. All of this.” Those weren’t questions. Statements of an unbelievable act of giving he had not seen from a pony in all his life. They never did anything without a motivation for self gain.

“Yes, your Majesty. He did. By the time we learned of the lie we had already seen evidence of the practices working. So we chose to keep going, despite knowing we should have informed you. He had become honest. Saying he was using our town to test and ‘flesh’ out the ideas he had to improve our lives. He had brought more than enough food supplies to keep us fed through the coming winter. So we figured why not?”

Bloodbeak was not often at a loss for words.

Orion had paid for everything. He completely took the responsibility of his people in this town onto himself.

This stallion had a lot to speak of. And answer for.

Tilly stepped lightly down the tunnel halls. Her thoughts on her sleeping brother.

He had cried himself asleep again tonight. This morning there were not two griffons patrolling the lands, but eight. The afternoon showed the same. The red armor made it clear. The King had come.

Her own fists had balled up in fear and pain. They had suffered so much. They had worked so hard to save their pack. Now. Now it looked like the end for the struggling Clan Barker. What was once a mighty family, now numbers only ninety-three.

She walked past small dens of families sleeping, her eyes had long adjusted to the dark she saw the little ones whimpering in their sleep. Many had no fathers anymore since the recent tunnel collapse a couple of months back.

Pain and anguish. Was that all that was left for them?

Her paws had surprisingly taken her to the lone prisoner they had. The stallion, though she suspected he was more of a colt, sat with his back to the wall. Asleep.

She had not bothered to meet him in person before this, he looked exhausted with his clothes torn, bags under his eyes. She regretted all of this.

She had been out when her brother had hatched this idiotic get rich quick scheme. Many Diamond Dog packs only held onto their captives till they couldn’t work no more. But a few, like the clan that had attacked them back in Equestria, kept their slaves till they died.

She could not imagine handing a fate like that to anyone. Least of all this poor colt.

She draped her shawl around him, truly he needed it much more than she.

After all, it is only a matter of time before she, and her brother, and they pack itself, met their end.

“At least we will finally be able to rest.”

Dawn found three hundred pissed off griffons outside their tunnel entrance. Barney swallowed thickly, despair eating away at him in large bites.

He and his sister were peeking out the tunnel, staying in the darkness as much as possible, at the assembled force. He trembled. This was it. His last stupid plan. He had killed them all.

A figure moved among the troops. They parted to make way for an older griffon, his armor black with three large feathers on his left paldron. He had seen pictures. That was the current King of Griffonia. They were well and truly fucked.

His sister squeezed his shoulders. She never once berated him. Never once blamed him for the failures for their people. How again, even now, he wished she had been the one to lead them. How he wished he would have stopped and consulted her before making a decision.

Like his father, he had made gut decisions. Unlike his father, he had no talent to lead. His instincts were all wrong. His sister had gotten those.

He watched as the King approached alone. The confidence the old bird displayed he wished he had.

One last gamble. One last hope. Maybe with only his death, he could preserve his pack. His family.

“Mongrel beast! Leader of this filthy pack of flea bitten bile! Come out and answer the charges of kidnapping and stealing of land not your own. Answer for your crimes against the people of Griffonia, of Equestria.” The King’s voice boomed out making Barney’s teeth rattle.

“Shit, this is it. I don’t wanna die…” He looked back to his sister, fear was in her eyes, but there was an iron core of resolve in there as well. She nodded softly, again squeezing his shoulders once more, and then took position beside him. She would face this with him.

“If only she had led instead of me.”

Stepping out as one of the tunnel into the harsh morning light they slowly approached His Majesty King Bloodbeak.

He opened his mouth to speak once they got within ten paces of him, but was cut off.

“Where is he?” The growl put new fear into him. He almost soiled himself.

“I-in a makeshift cell.” He was actually surprised he could even speak properly. “B-b-before we turn him over to you. I’d like to request some concessions. Not for myself, but for my pack. My sister.”

The large drake didn’t say anything just stared hard at him.

“This was my idea, to kidnap the pony I mean. My sister, nor the rest of the pack were part of the decision to do this. All I wish is for them to have safe passage away.” He swallowed. “I-i-i, I am willing to accept the punishment you wish with no fight as long as you would allow this.”

He really couldn’t demand anything. No one was fooled by that idea.

Barney’s ears were hurting, and he was getting a headache from the stress. Wait. He could hear something, something getting louder and louder. He quickly looked to his sister and she too had a pained look on her face.

Before anyone could say anything else a hollow boom echoed into the air, and the ground heaved under their paws. Falling to his hands and knees he struggled to turn back around as the flood of people that was his pack exploded from the tunnel entrance.

The panicked expressions of mothers and fathers carrying their children as they burst forth from the caverns put a new dread into his bones that he did not think was possible. He looked to his sister finding the same fear etched into her eyes.

He then chanced a look back at the King. The drake was staring in shock into the tunnel entrance.

Turning back he gasped.

What could only be described as black and gold flames seemed to be making its way into the morning sun. Once he realized what he was seeing he just gaped.

Standing inside the miss colored flames was the pony Orion Falls. In his left hand was the neck of Aspen. She wasn’t moving but there was no blood on her. His right hand was a fist, something was in his hand.

Barney looked to the horn, and his blood chilled. The nullstone ring was gone.

Something landed at his paws. Looking down he pissed himself.

The nullstone ring, or what was left of it, was shattered into several pieces. A loud thump drew his eyes back to the scene unfolding before him. Aspen had been tossed at his sister's paws. She was shockingly still breathing.

The voice that came from the stallion was dead, as if the very life from the air had died upon hearing it.

“Hello Barney. I think you and I need to have a little talk.”

Author's Notes:

Hello hello helllloooooo!

It is I, bumbling idiot that can decide on an upload date!

I am moving upload dates to Fridays. The reason is I am better able to organize my weekly schedule this way.

A lot of it is so you guys, at least some of you, have something to look forward to the weekend for!

If you liked this chapter leave a like. Maybe a comment if you like. Or if your feeling really generous, share my....wait this is not Youtube. Shit.

Um, yeah...hey...thanks for reading!

Peace.