SGM. Clare, First platoon, the Everfree valley:

We set down a defensive perimeter and I motioned for every-pony in my platoon to move out. We were to stay close to Captain Shining Armor for most of the mission while he commanded the others with the radio set.

“Alright, third platoon. Move out” Shining called out and the group known as third platoon got up and hastily went to secure a position by the treeline. “Sir we should have second platoon stay back with us and secure a landing zone” I told Shining and he nodded. “Good idea, second platoon round up” Shining called out and the group known as second platoon regrouped.

“I want a secure landing zone for the next group of helicopters, they’ll be here in two hours so let’s get dug in” Shining ordered and they nodded. “Three platoons in hostile territory waiting for the next helicopters to show up with reinforcements” I muttered and Shining chuckled. “Yeah, sixty stallions and mares that pretty much are exposing their throats for the zebras to slit open” he muttered back.

Sergeant Caramel, Third platoon, treeline:

I trotted with the rest of the platoon then we saw a zebra get up and point at us as screamed something in native tongue. “Shit, chase him. He’s probably a scout” Lieutenant Cracks yelled.

Cracks began to run foolishly after the young and spiteful zebra. “Wait, lieutenant!” I yelled as we all followed the lieutenant after the zebra teen.

Our packs all rattled as we chased down the zebra. Despite the zebras having a head start on Cracks, he managed to catch up to the zebra and tackle him to the ground. Cracks slammed the zebra to the ground and clacked him in the head with the stock of his rifle.

“Alright you little shit, where’s the other zebras?” Cracks asked and he started talking in zebra tongue. “James, what’s he saying?” Cracks asked. Corporal James walked up and listened to the zebra sputtering out the words.

“He says that this entire place is crawling with zebras sir. Says we’re as good as chopped liver” James informed Cracks who motioned for the radio operator to come over.

He grabbed the headset and radioed Shining. “Sir? It’s First Lieutenant Cracks, third platoon. I got this hostage sir, what should I do with” Cracks began but suddenly a lone shot whizzed through the air and blew a hole right through his skull.

“Contact!” Master Sergeant Walkers yelled. We all got down as the air was filled with the sound of gunshots. Bullets whizzed over our head. “Radio, get me a radio!” Walkers yelled. The radio operator scurried to his hooves but soon a volley of shots riddled his body and he fell to the ground.

Walkers lept up but no sooner had he gotten to his hooves, than a volley of rounds slammed into his lower gut. He fell to the ground. “Every-pony stay down, STAY DOWN!” I yelled.

I crawled over to the body of Master Sergeant Walkers who was coughing up blood. “Sergeant… Walkers” I gasped, knowing his time was short. Gunshots still rang through the air and some of the platoon members fired back. “Tell… tell my wife… I love her” he whispered then soon the life faded from his eyes and he stared blankly into the sky.

“Fuck” I muttered as I crawled through the tall grass and over to the radio. I quickly dialed it in for the artillery boys. “This is Bravo Company, third platoon. I need fire support on… Whiskey Alpha 9-0-9-0-1-5, over” I said into the headset. “Copy that, firing” the radio pony on the other side replied.

Soon the ground shook as massive explosions from 105mm cannon shells erupted through the enemy lines. “Shit, the lieutenant’s dead… he’s dead” screamed one of the platoon members.

“Alright, get a defensive perimeter set up, we’ll get out of here I promise” I promised the platoon members.

SGM. Clare, First Platoon, landing zone:

Just as the next group of helicopters landed, all hell seemed to break loose. The treeline lit up with muzzle flares. Bullets whizzed through the air and pinged off the helicopters.

The troops aboard the helicopters quickly unloaded. “Wounded?” the pilot asked and I shook my head. “None yet that I know of” I yelled back and he nodded as the helicopters took off.

A radio operator galloped up to us as we all rushed up to the new platoons that just landed. “Sir, third platoon is in a pickle right now. Their officer is dead and they’re cut off” the radio operator informed us.

“Fuck” Shining Armor swore as he fired his M16 at the treeline. I charged up to an officer. “Who’s in command of fourth and fifth platoon?” I asked over the chattering of gunfire.

Two lieutenants rushed up to me. “We are sir” the said in perfect synchronization. “Alright, take your platoons and go rescue third platoon. They’re cut off right here” I said as I pointed to a spot on the map.

“Fourth and fifth platoon, let’s move” one of the lieutenants yelled and about forty stallions and mares followed the two lieutenants into the deeper brush off to the side of the battlefield.

“First and second platoon fall back!” I yelled and Shining Armor looked to me with a puzzled face. “Trust me” I said and we fell back.

“Radio” I yelled and the radio operator rushed over. I dialed in the air force. “This is Bravo Company. I need a napalm strike on… Bravo Foxtrot niner-1-4, over” I yelled into the radio set. “Copy, napalm strike inbound” the radio operator on the other side replied.

Zebras rushed out into the field and advanced but as they did jet planes flew overhead and dropped mighty canister bombs filled with napalm onto the fields and the treelines. The napalm explosion filled the air with fiery death, zebras screamed in pain as their fur and skin were burnt to a crisp. Their skin began to peel off as the intense heat scolded their bodies.

The radio operator looked like he was about to lose his lunch as he held back his puke. The smell luckily couldn’t reach our noses. “Alright, I want a defensive perimeter set up along this small entrenchment. We can’t afford to lose this LZ or we’re screwed” Shining yelled and the two platoons under his command obliged his orders.

The fires of the napalm started to die down but it kept the zebras back for the moment. I let out a sigh and motioned for the ponies to spread out more. The zebras were forced to stay back from the far side of the field but they soon started to advance out the sides of the field. “Over there, gun them down!” Shining ordered and zebras began to fire wildly.

Third person, Fourth and Fifth platoon:

Fourth and fifth platoon raced up through the forest but as they reached the peak of small hill several zebras ambushed them and fired upon the platoons. Ponies were caught by the barrage of 7.62x39mm rounds and fell to the ground, some dead others wounded.

“Radio operator” one of the lieutenants yelled out. Their radio operator rushed over and he quickly dialed in the radio. “Captain, we hit a bit of a snag in the path. We’re pinned down by enemy zebras with AKs and light machineguns and we’re unable to get to third platoon, over” he said into the headset.

“Copy, hold your position and eliminate hostiles before moving on, out” the radio operator by Shining Armor replied. The lieutenant nodded then fired upon advancing zebras who were only a few feet away. The zebras screamed in pain as 5.56mm rounds tore through their bodies and they fell to the ground. “Get that M60 right here!” lieutenant Gorbets yelled.

Two mares rushed up and set up the M60 machinegun and began to fire it ruthlessly. Zebras caught in its fire were knocked off their hooves and were sent tumbling to the ground. “Keep the fire on them!” Gorbets yelled but the zebras seemed to just pour out of nowhere like fire ants or something.

Deeper in the forest, third platoon held off a group of advancing zebras. “Aim your shots, conserve ammunition!” Caramel yelled. Ponies flicked their M16s to semiautomatic and began to fire upon the zebras as they attacked them.

One of the zebras went kamikaze and charged at them with a belt of lit dynamite. “FUCK!” screamed one of the platoon members. The dynamite erupted and killed several platoon members in the process.

Jayson, one of the platoon members, had suffered heavy burns from the explosion and cried out in agonizing pain. “Get some water on his burn” Caramel yelled and one of the other platoon members opened his canteen and quickly put out the still burning wounds.

The radio operator rushed over to Caramel. “Hello?” she asked, “Sergeant, fourth and fifth platoon have hit a snag and they can’t reach you at the moment. Conserve ammo and water and they’ll be with you soon” Captain Shining Armor told her then the line hung up.

“Ma’am?” the radio pony asked. “Conserve ammo!” Caramel yelled out. The others did their best to conserve their ammunition but some had switched back to three round burst to try and better hold off the swarms of zebras that now advanced upon them. Caramel grabbed the radio set and once again radioed the artillery groups.

“I need heavy artillery fire on Whiskey Alpha 9-0-9-0-1-5, over” Caramel yelled and the radio pony on the other side acknowledged her request. “Roger, artillery strike inbound, over” the other radio pony replied. Soon eruptions filled the air and drowned out the sound of gunshots. Massive explosions blew apart trees and zebras alike. “Cease fire, cease fire. Conserve your ammo” Caramel ordered. The platoon members stopped firing and began to tend to their wounded. The evening sky had begun to darken and soon it would be night time.

Back at the LZ Sergeant Major Clare and Captain Shining Armor greeted the next flight of helicopters. “Alright, we got two more platoons and some supplies, this will be one of the last flights of the day Captain, any wounded you need evaced?” the helicopter pilot asked over the sound of the rotors.

Shining nodded as ponies rushed wounded soldiers over. Several ponies were loaded onto the choppers and they were evacuated as the helicopters departed. “Alright, sixth platoon” Clare yelled and several ponies rushed over. “Alright, you’re the new second platoon. The last second platoon is being folded in with first platoon. Seventh platoon, you’re the new six. Alright we gotta hold this position. Six: I want you to go set up defensive positions on that ridge over there” Clare ordered and the two platoons did what he said.

The evening sun soon began to set and the fighting seemed to calm down a little, every few minutes a random gunshot or automatic chatter would ring out but it was silent for the most part.

“Well, this day was a pretty bad mess” Shining Armor muttered as he hunkered down beside Clare. Clare nodded, “Enjoy it while it lasts. I have a feeling that tomorrow is gonna be worse”.