Baxter
Diamond Dogs
High Templar Winter Wolf
"Wars are not won by the weak-willed."
Posts: 238
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Post by Baxter on Dec 2, 2012 14:19:47 GMT -5
Baxter continued his painfully slow trek through Everfree. He was in such poor condition that he would need to stop repeatedly just to keep his legs from giving out. But he had made it this far, and there was no turning back now. Especially not back to Fillydelphia, where he had already been labeled as a deserter. At least they still thought he was hanging from a tree.
The wolf was determined to find his friend, Ice Fang, who just the previous day had told him to stay behind, to strongly consider dropping out of the invasion while he still could. Baxter wasn't even entirely sure what it meant, but now he wanted to find out. And if Ice Fang wanted Baxter to leave, there was no excuse for why Ice Fang shouldn't either. If Sharp's invasion was really just a charade, and that all of their efforts really meant nothing, then it was time for them to leave. Both of them.
He was sitting against another tree, taking another of his innumerable rests so his legs could build their strength back up. After what felt like long enough, the wolf picked himself up and continued on his way. He had no idea how close he was to Ice Fang, but he wasn't going to stop until he'd found them.
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Post by Red Charge on Dec 2, 2012 15:22:51 GMT -5
Suddenly Baxter felt his leg get yanked under him, not one moment later he was once more hanging upside down from a tree, with a dozen or so well armed Diamond Dogs beneath him. Ice Fang's men.
"He's a dog," Said one of them, signalling to another to let him down.
"No wait, could be a changeling." Said another, the dogs paused.
"The changelings are on our side you idiot." The first said, smacking the other's helmet and cutting Baxter's line, allowing him to fall unceremoniously to the ground. "Get him back to camp, you look like you've been beaten with an ugly stick... more than once." The elite dog said, signaling the others to help Baxter up.
"You got a message for General Ice Fang?"
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Baxter
Diamond Dogs
High Templar Winter Wolf
"Wars are not won by the weak-willed."
Posts: 238
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Post by Baxter on Dec 2, 2012 15:30:20 GMT -5
Before Baxter knew it, he was hanging from a tree (again) with several armed diamond dogs below him. At least he had found the right place. The wolf was silent, not needing to say anything, until he was dropped back onto the forest floor. The fall hadn't been kind to his already aching body, but at least the dogs had helped him up. "Yes, I need to speak with him. It's urgent," he answered.
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Post by Red Charge on Dec 2, 2012 15:36:16 GMT -5
"Urgent he says." said one of the dogs with a scoff, "Whitey thinks it's URGENT, see. What could possibly be so urgent? We just left Fillydelphia." The squad leader smacked him across the helmet as well.
"Will you stop being a jerk. He obviously had quite the journey here, look at him he's barely walking. Give the dog some respect for crying out loud."
"Ey, stop with the smacking, sheesh, no need to get violent." Said the first dog, readjusting his helmet.
They were soon back at their camp, which was tiny. Must have been several camps scattered around in wait to ambush any pony forces trying to travel through the area. They plopped Baxter down on a soft pile of rags and told him to wait.
"Wake the runner, tell him to get the General." The dog told one of the others, who ducked into a tent. After several seconds of silence a loud yelp was heard and a thin greyhound stepped outside, "Get General? I go! I go!" He called, darting off into the darkness of the trees in the blink of an eye.
"What's so URGENT anyway?" Asked the heckling dog from before.
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Baxter
Diamond Dogs
High Templar Winter Wolf
"Wars are not won by the weak-willed."
Posts: 238
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Post by Baxter on Dec 2, 2012 15:55:21 GMT -5
There was a brief feeling of hopelessness when Baxter heard the dog mock him, and he was afraid the group wasn't going to let him see Ice Fang after all. But luckily the squad leader shut the other one up, and they were soon on their way. The group had soon arrived at the camp, and a runner had been sent to go find Ice Fang. Baxter watched as the small dog went dashing off into the woods.
"What's so URGENT anyway?"
The hopeless feeling he had had a few minutes ago instantly returned. Crud. Now he needed to come up with something, and he got the feeling 'it's for the general only' wouldn't have worked. Why the heck hadn't he gotten his story straight on the way here. Fortunately, an idea came to him.
"Some ponies broke out of Fillydelphia early this afternoon, headed this way. I was told to make the general aware as soon as possible. Don't know if they've already been by here but those were my orders." Baxter looked carefully at the heckling dog before continuing. "Believe me, I'm not happy about making the trip over something so seemingly trivial."
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Post by Red Charge on Dec 2, 2012 15:58:25 GMT -5
"No ponies escaped Fillydelphia." The squad leader said confidently. "Considering the fact that through the whole time we saw you, you walked slower than a turtle with a flue, you wouldn't have made here before they did anyway. Now you're starting to sound suspicious. So I'll ask it this time. What do you need from the General?"
All of the other Diamond Dogs were looking at Baxter now, he was caught dead on the spot with his lie. Though they did not seem aggressive, or keen on having to arrest one of their own, they did seem disgruntled over the fact he was trying to mislead them.
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Baxter
Diamond Dogs
High Templar Winter Wolf
"Wars are not won by the weak-willed."
Posts: 238
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Post by Baxter on Dec 2, 2012 16:08:09 GMT -5
"Alright," Baxter said, giving up the act. At this point he thought it was going to be better to give the dogs the truth (or at least part of it) rather than continuing an already broken lie. "I was supposed to accompany you with the general yesterday, but he told me to stay behind without any real reason. I came anyway because I wasn't satisfied twiddling my thumbs in Fillydelphia. I'm here to either stay or get a good reason why I shouldn't. That's the honest truth."
What Baxter had said was true. He had withheld some key details, like that Ice Fang had suggested he desert, that he wanted to know why Ice Fang wasn't keen on doing the same, and that Swift and her gang were the reason for his current condition. But that was none of their business, and nothing that they needed to know.
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Post by Red Charge on Dec 2, 2012 16:11:22 GMT -5
One of the dogs whispered to the others so Baxter couldn't hear. The squad leader shrugged, "Fine you can stay here until the General comes. But you better not get caught snooping around or doing anything you shouldn't, or we'll have to kill you." The leader warned, and so, with the exception of a couple of guards, the rest of the dogs went about their business, leaving Baxter waiting until Ice Fang came with the runner.
It didn't take long until the runner came back, announcing that Ice Fang was just around the corner. Then the wolf finally stepped into camp looking frustrated as he saw Baxter.
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Baxter
Diamond Dogs
High Templar Winter Wolf
"Wars are not won by the weak-willed."
Posts: 238
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Post by Baxter on Dec 2, 2012 16:23:06 GMT -5
Baxter nodded in agreement, lowering his head in exhaustion after the majority of the group had left. He didn't raise it up again until Ice Fang had appeared, and the look on his face caused Baxter's stomach to plummet. He kept his expression the same, though, not wanting to give away his nervousness. "General," he addressed. "I never got a good reason to stay in Fillydelphia. I suppose curiosity got the better of me." The last bit was a blatant lie, which would be especially obvious to Ice Fang.
Baxter wasn't going to get the answers or ask the questions he wanted with the other dogs around. But at the same time, Ice Fang couldn't give him a good excuse unless they were in private either. He could only hope the other wolf would pull him aside or something.
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Post by Red Charge on Dec 2, 2012 16:29:38 GMT -5
And pull him aside he did, grabbing Baxter by his throat, the larger wolf pulled him away from the others forcefully, pushing him into a group of brushes and then to the ground. "What are you doing here. Was I not clear when I told you NOT to follow me?" He asked with a snarl, "Look at you, you look pathetic. You went and got yourself in trouble again, you just can't stop being a pain in everyone's neck for five minutes, can you?" He exploded.
"I stuck my neck out for you, you repay me by deserting Fillydelphia? You know what this means? This means that anyone outside my forces will want you dead. It means there's no place in Equestria, except right here, where you will be safe. I'll go even further than that and say, here is NOT safe." He towered over the now laying Winter Wolf. "Look at what they did to you, you look like you fell down a thousand steps. What in the world could make you defy a direct order from me?"
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Baxter
Diamond Dogs
High Templar Winter Wolf
"Wars are not won by the weak-willed."
Posts: 238
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Post by Baxter on Dec 2, 2012 16:47:53 GMT -5
Baxter suddenly found Ice Fang's hand around his throat, forcefully dragging him away behind some bushes. Well, he'd gotten what he wanted. He let out a painful cough when the wolf finally let go, looking up at Ice Fang as he chided him. He listened to what the wolf said, but he was expecting it. And he was going to say what he needed to.
"I didn't desert Fillydelphia. Deserting would have been leaving for the barrens, like you suggested. The rat from the dragon council ended up talking to me, but didn't reveal himself until he left. Swift decided that meant I was deserting, and her thugs beat me up and left me to die hanging from a tree right before I could set off to find you. So I was screwed from the beginning."
"You told me to leave while I still could. You think something's up, and if there is, you've got no reason to stay either. So you're either coming with me to the barrens or your reason isn't good enough for me to leave." Baxter looked at the other wolf, waiting for his response. Ice Fang wasn't going to make him regret his decision, not after all he'd been through.
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Post by Red Charge on Dec 2, 2012 17:04:54 GMT -5
"That's right, I told you to LEAVE. I didn't tell you to listen to the High Justiciar of the Dragon Council. I told you to stay away from him. You shouldn't have left Fillydelphia after you were seen talking to him. Have some common sense for once! For once, just once, use that tiny little brain you have in that head of yours!" Ice Fang said, closing his hands around Baxter's face and squeezing hard. "I told you to get out of here so you won't get killed. If you get killed, all I've done to protect you means nothing. I find that unacceptable. This is a war, look at you, in the last three days you've been taken apart so many times! Now you have Swift hunting you? You know what she'd do to you if she found out you were alive?"
He released Baxter's face and strode away, "Get out of here, go back to the barrens, say you did what you were supposed to and the armor and bow are your payment. But they did not want your services further. Do that, and stop trying to get yourself killed! Look at what they did to you Baxter, how can you even not crash inside after being so throughly degraded?"
Ice Fang growled in frustration.
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Baxter
Diamond Dogs
High Templar Winter Wolf
"Wars are not won by the weak-willed."
Posts: 238
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Post by Baxter on Dec 2, 2012 17:28:16 GMT -5
Ice Fang's words made Baxter feel cruddier and cruddier, but less about himself and more because he wasn't even getting a chance to justify his actions. Or if he did, Ice Fang would twist it into some other reason to attack him. He had left after seeing the emissary because he had wanted to talk to Ice Fang as soon as he could. He wasn't going to wait around for several days until he might be dead. Besides, would a few days even make a difference? Wouldn't Swift just interpret it as Baxter spending the time to make up his mind?
And he didn't care that the others in the pack saw he had come back with payment or not, and he hated how Ice Fang thought he did. He didn't care if he went back empty handed and naked. If the justiciar was right, then it wasn't fleeing. Baxter's life or death, his presence or absence, wouldn't matter at all to Sharp. And the same applied to Ice Fang. There was no reason for either of them to stay.
But what frustrated him most was that Ice Fang kept ignoring what he was asking. He still hadn't given a good reason why Baxter should go and he should stay. At least... he hoped he hadn't...
"Is that it?" he asked, pulling himself up. "You think I can't handle myself? You think I'm just going to get myself killed, like I can't even last in a battle for two freaking seconds?!" Baxter could feel his throat beginning to close on itself, but he kept talking. "If that's your excuse then I'm not going. Either give me the real reason, why I have to go and you can't, or I'm staying."
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Post by Red Charge on Dec 2, 2012 17:35:16 GMT -5
"You don't get it do you?" Ice Fang asked, staring straight into Baxter's eyes now, "It's not about how good you are at fighting, or how long you can survive in a battle. It's about whether or not you leave alive, or dead. The ponies will not keep quiet for long and when they do strike back, it's not going to be pretty. I don't know if you've ever seen angry ponies back in the barrens, because I have. Ever seen a pony shoot a fireball that could incinerate an entire forest? Ever seen a pony crack a lightning storm that zapped every one in sight? Don't you get it? When the ponies strike back and I do say when and not if, they'll put everything they have and I do NOT want you to be here for it. Haven't you been through enough? You can barely walk, you look like you had the worst day of your life. Just please, for my own peace of mind, as my friend, go back so I don't have to worry about you getting killed all the time!" Ice Fang pleaded.
"I can't leave, but you can, you can go home and be a hero, finally get a nice spot in the pack, start making something of yourself. Stop impeding yourself. There's nothing for you here, you came here with me, you got your reward, now go home and rest. Please."
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Baxter
Diamond Dogs
High Templar Winter Wolf
"Wars are not won by the weak-willed."
Posts: 238
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Post by Baxter on Dec 2, 2012 17:50:04 GMT -5
Baxter blinked after Ice Fang had finished, analyzing what he had said. It was hard to decide exactly how to interpret his words. In a way it still sounded like it was about how good Baxter was at fighting and how long he could survive in battle. Ice Fang didn't want him here once the heavy attacks started coming in, that he'd easily be killed. But did Ice Fang think the same of himself, or did he believe he was capable of withstanding the attacks?
"You think you can survive their attacks and I can't? Or is this a time-bomb for you too?" By now the wolf had given up on staying, but if Ice Fang was in danger, he was determined to bring him back with him. "Why can't you leave? What's so important that's keeping you here?" "It'd better not be that stupid sword," he thought to himself.
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