Left Behind (Closed)

[Red Charge]

"I gave Sharp my word. I can't leave." Ice Fang said, "And it's irrelevant. I was hired for a job and I have not finished it." Ice Fang protested, "You were not. You came here as my escort. I will not allow you to stay here, even if it means I have to send a couple of my men to drag you back to the barrens."

The Winter Wolf General sighed, releasing pent up frustration, "Don't be so stubborn. I got a job to do here, you don't. If I die, I die, it's the risk in contract work. You have no reason to die anyway."

[Baxter]

"Don't say that," Baxter said. "I can't just go back to the barrens knowing I left you here to get killed. How the heck am I supposed to live with myself if you don't make it? I'd spend every second regretting that I didn't bring you back with me."

Desperation was beginning to show in Baxter's voice, and he knew he was losing this battle. "Your word isn't worth your life, and there's no point dying in a hollow war anyway. Whether or not you stay has no effect on Sharp's plans. Your death wouldn't just be meaningless to you, it'd be meaningless to everyone. There's no reason for you to stay." The wolf let out a gulp before continuing. "Please, Ice Fang."

[Red Charge]

"My word is worth my life, I'm a Winter Wolf! So are you! We die in hollow wars all thje time, it's what we do! Do you even realize how much Winter's Breath is worth? It's one of the most powerful weapons Winter Wolves ever had! You say there's no reason for me to stay? I have all the reasons to stay. Leaving now, after the contract has been sealed is taboo and you know it.I could never return to the pack if I did, nor can I look myself in the mirror."

"You may not agree with this way of life, but it is our way of life. I AM willing to die for a chance to get Winter's Breath, that is who I am, that is what I do. I will not go back on it."

[Baxter]

Baxter had nothing left to say. The words weren't unfamiliar, but they were especially harsh coming from Ice Fang. It was what he got for daring to question the Winter Wolf way of life. If they had been spoken by his other pack-mates, he probably would have shrugged them off, answering with silent defiance. But from Ice Fang, the words made him feel guilty and unwanted. He hated hearing Ice Fang talk to him this way.

"Just be careful," he responded, his voice now very puny. The archer lowered his eyes, avoiding eye contact with the other wolf. "Sorry to have wasted your time. And to have put you through so much trouble."

[Red Charge]

"Don't be like that, Bax." Ice Fang said, rubbing his temples, "I don't mean to put you down, but you need to understand, it hurts me to see you get hurt. We're buddies, you gotta realize that whatever you feel about this stupid war and how redundant it will be to die in it, I feel the same way. But if I fight here, I'll get a reward not measurable by coins. You won't." He crouched down near where Baxter was sitting on the ground.

"Look Bax, if I die, I die. I don't fear it, I fear failure. Sharp may be up to no good, but that doesn't mean I'll get dragged down for it. I have a contracted job, Once I'm done training the troops here, once we ambush the forces going for Hoofington, I'll be free to go and get my reward. But until that moment, I'm bound by my word. Unless you want me to run away with you and be cast outs?"

[Baxter]

"Not like I'd be that much better off in the pack anyway," Baxter said bitterly. It was true. At least on his own he wouldn't have to put up with the others in the pack. The only reason he hadn't considered leaving before was because he wouldn't survive on his own. With Ice Fang though...

The archer thought carefully for several seconds before looking back up at his friend. "You'd be the one giving everything up. That sword, your place in the pack..." But his eyes were giving him away, silently pleading with the other wolf to consider the idea. They'd never be able to return to their pack, and they'd be unwelcome among the diamond dogs, but... maybe that was what Baxter wanted? To not live binded by contracts, fighting for the highest bidder. To abandon the status quo he hated so much.

"...would you actually do it?"

[Red Charge]

"I'm getting that sword, one way or the other. As long as I have the sword, I don't think the pack would give a Dang about whether or not I honored Sharp's agreement. It's all about the rewards after all..." Ice Fang was not the kind to break his word, but still.

"It's a moral grey area, but if you're going to end up getting killed because of this stupid war. I'd rather just take the sword and leave." The Winter Wolf general shrugged. "But we're taking Sam and Maxime with us." He raised a threatening claw in the air. "Don't want to leave them out here to just die. They don't deserve it."

[Baxter]

Baxter was surprised how quickly Ice Fang had agreed to it. Heck, he was surprised the other wolf had agreed at all. If he thought he could still get back into the pack with Winter's Breath then fine, whatever. Baxter just wanted him out of the fighting before Sharp left him to his death.

Baxter didn't even care about returning to the pack now, as long as Ice Fang was coming back with him. He was going to speak once Ice Fang had mentioned Sammie and Maxime, but his claw had silenced him. "That's fine," he finally said once Ice Fang had finished. It was hardly a concession considering how far out of the way Ice Fang was going for him.

[Red Charge]

"Good. Now let me tell you what's my plan to get Winter's Breath..." Ice Fang said, explaining what he was going to do. Ice Fang's plan was hard, would definitely not be an easy trick to pull. Getting the sword from Sharp meant risking both their deaths. But in the end, it was still safer than being in a war. At least somewhat so. Ice Fang and Baxter debated about the sword for a while, with Ice Fang doing all of the talking of course and Baxter doing all of the work. Needless to say it was a mouthful.

When they were finally done, Ice Fang resigned to extract Sammie and Maxime from his unit, send all of his troops away from the war under guise and proceed to try and take Winter's Breath from Warlord Sharp.

[Baxter]

Baxter followed Ice Fang out of the brushes after the two had finished. The discussion had left a bad taste in Baxter's mouth, mostly because Ice Fang had dominated the decision-making. The wolf wasn't exactly happy about his friend shoving the plan down his throat.

But whatever. They were going to be rid of this stupid invasion soon. Baxter would no longer have to worry about Ice Fang getting killed, and once they had the sword they could be rid of Equestria all together. No point in staying, especially since Sharp would have them on a hit-list after they took the sword.

[Red Charge]

"Don't worry, Sharp isn't going to get away from trying to kill one of my pack members." Ice Fang reassured, giving the smaller Baxter a pat on the head. "Come on, we'll get Sammie and Maxime and get out of this crazy place." He led Baxter back into camp, calling the soldiers he had there in.

"What's going on boss?" The squad leader asked, looking slightly concerned.

"Send the runner out to the nearby camps, we're moving to the Tunnels, I want you to make sure no one and I mean no one, knows you're gone. The ponies are planning a major retaliation strike on the tunnels. We can't risk them finding out we know about it, or we'll miss a chance to ambush their main forces. So I want every camp to pack up and get back. I repeat, tell no one, don't send any runners or messages to anyone outside this unit. We can't mess this up."

The soldiers nodded, excited at the opprotunity to get back home and see their family, as well as the chance to cripple the main pony armies. The greyhound runner was about to take off before Ice Fang grabbed him by the collar. "Have Sammie and Maxime camp at the Griffon Border, to spot for any Griffon assistance the ponies might be getting. Tell them to wait for us there." The runner nodded and ran off. In the bustle and commotion of the camp packing (with little complaints despite the fact it had only just been set up) Ice Fang and Baxter silently vanished into the woods.

[Baxter]

Ice Fang's words were comforting. It was nice knowing that the other wolf really was watching out for him. Within minutes Ice Fang had the dogs packing their things, the entire unit leaving for the Tunnels without any word getting out about their sudden change in position. He made the whole thing seem so effortless. There was no comparing it to Baxter's blunder of an entrance to the campsite.

And with the soldiers now gathering their things and moving out, Baxter and Ice Fang had slipped back into the forest unnoticed. Now they just had to meet up with Maxime and Sammie. "Nice of you to send them back to the Tunnels," Baxter stated once they were a short distance away from the now-busy campsite. "Let's just hope no one finds out about this too soon."

[Red Charge]

"Don't worry, these are my soldiers. They've been trained for stealth and subterfuge, as well as to realize that enemies have ears everywhere. They won't say a thing until they're back near the tunnels and over there no one would be any wiser." Ice Fang said, he himself had no gear to carry around so he merely snatched a sack full of food and some jerkins of water and grape nectar, of course making Baxter carry them (it made the story more believable, he explained to his companion).

"With Sammie and Maxime waiting on the Griffon Borders, they'll be out of harm's way when stuff goes down. Because I recruited them personally, Sharp would probably punish them in my place." They were making their way back, surprisingly enough to Fillydelphia, or more specifically the same small encampment where the assembley took place, which is where Sharp slept. Of course, even with Baxter around, taking on Sharp would be next to impossible. Ice Fang was good, but he was no Blood Fang. Taking the sword and running would be the best option.

[Baxter]

Baxter didn't complain about carrying about the food and water. The extra weight wasn't a picnic in the condition he was in, but he was glad to put up with it. He was surprised to find they were headed straight back to Fillydelphia, though. Or more specifically, Sharp's sleeping quarters. He knew they were going to come here to get the sword, but he hadn't expected them to do so this soon. It was probably the smart thing to do, though, now that he thought about it. Better grab it now before anyone found out they'd moved Ice Fang's unit and were now missing in action.

Baxter began to feel more and more apprehensive the closer they got to their destination. "Sharp wouldn't be here now, would he?" the wolf asked quietly. In a best-case scenario, Sharp would have left the sword and they could just grab it and go. In a worst case scenario, Sharp would still be there, and... well, he hoped Ice Fang had a contingency plan.

[Red Charge]

"Sharp has a tent. No guards, no watchers, nothing. Whatever he does there, he likes to keep private. Our best bet is to hit and run. If we can grab the sword with no struggle, all the better, but when it comes down to it, I have a plan. You stay out of sight, in the surrounding area, stay ready with your bow. I'll carry one of these bright lamps inside," He gestured at one of the lamps Baxter was carrying, "So you can see our sillhouettes. When I give the signal, shoot him in the knee. I knew this guard back in the barrens, he used to be an adventurer, just like us... until he took an arrow in the knee... In any case he'll have a hard time chasing us like that. Oh, I almost forgot." He said, pulling out a small vial from his armor.

"Here, drink this, it's a stimulant, should make sure you can keep up the pace when we escape."