If Only, If Only - Unicorn Wars Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Superior

((Ay yo, what's Obama's last name again-))

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At the point of getting the bears who needed it medical attention- Caricias had no choice but to play the waiting game. They had been back at the camp for at least 10 hours. This time was spent doing paperwork by he medical building's door. This paperwork consisted of several things. Including placing a location down for the bodies of the other 6 deceased on Troupe Lone Owl.

It was only through half of his paperwork- that Sargento Caricias realized something crucial.

Which would be the fact that... there were 12 soldiers in the group based on the paperwork. However... only 11 of the soldiers were recovered- dead or alive. Along with the now-deceased sergeant.

There was 1 missing.

The bigger bear with the pear-shaped head seemed to be as frustrated as he was puzzled. Glancing over all of the pictures, names and general information was about as useful as having no info at all. If he wasn't mistaken- though- the missing Soldier was a tall silver and white bear named Cecil.

Everything lead to more questions than answers. Every step forward was another two or three back- and it made him feel like there was nothing of use done at all. Obituaries and traumatized soldiers who very well might as well have been content with being dead by now. Instability and insecurity on top of the grim realization that the mission they were all sent out on was a suicide mission from the get-go.

There were whispering's around the camp of the head generals and the disappointment of them seeing as their initial plans fell through. After all, you can't have free-minded soldiers and Sergeants running around the camp with their own opinions. That was dangerous when there was an intent of control over the land and it's already military-based and inspired governmental statuses.

After all, you can't sacrifice all of your men to the military and have them be able to assist in government at all- unless they were of a higher status. Then again, didn't all things work that way in life? The more power you had, the more you influenced overs and the more you influenced others, the easier it was to accomplish your goals. It took drive and determination. It also took hidden or dodged lawsuits, illegal activity and manipulation if you were crafty enough.

The very thought of it made Caricias bring his fingers up to his head to rub his right temple with a scowl finding itself carved into his sneering lips. He hated them with all his being, but he had no ability to counter them.

However, he was one man, and despite having several soldiers under his own wing, he wouldn't be able to make a difference. If he even so much as stepped wrong, the mother he had back home very well may be a notification of death he got on his room door the next day.

Because Otto and his lackeys always had ways to 'prove their point'.

Mistakes were often made that way, and the consequences were almost always too much for those who were stuck being served the plates they were dealt for disobedience, recklessness and and attempts to make a change.

Caricias knew it first hand. Because when he was a new sergeant to this military camp- he chased the words of faith. Often preaching to the same book that Padre did. It was ironic that way- because back then.. Padre wasn't an avid believer in the god he preached now. It was almost as if life swapped them around. Not for a lesson to be learned, but just to show how drastically things could change.

Sargento Caricias looked through a lot of papers on his clipboard, and shifted somewhere to the middle of it- where he found a picture of his first ever group of troops that he was given as a novice sergeant and trainer of the incoming recruits.

He chased the faith, and once his belief in the faith was lost with the lives of two of his soldiers during an what could be considered a tragedy- he knew damn well the Generals were at fault.

Because faith was something the generals were permissive about in this camp. They promoted the bloodied book of whatever got they praised- despite the fact they did not believe in it at all. Not because it was them caring about what others cared about- but because faith gave soldiers the will and drive to work harder. To be better and do better.

It could be considered rejuvenating- in a way.

For Caricias- the only thing the faith did was prove to him that not everything was black and white. Because two of his soldiers back when he only had the troupe of four were peacemakers. They were forced into the war, and they did not want to fight.

The unicorns they encountered that day in the forest... they were NEVER the reason that those two soldiers perished. No.. those two soldiers were shot and killed by the fellow soldiers in Caricias' troupe of four. Back then- those were the two that believed the most in the faith that Padre now chased and preached.

Those soldiers took fate into their own hands, utilizing the name of the god they preached as a scapegoat- and shot their own troupe-brethren in the name of 'cleansing the team of intruders'.

Fate wasn't something that just happened... fate was something that paves a path, and the path is chosen by those who walk it. There are no hand-railings or walls keeping you on that path. There is an entire open field to walk- but those who chase fate stay on the path they believe they are destined. It's not because they always think it is easy. It is because they chase what they have convinced themselves is right.

The odd-toothed sergeant lost several things his day.

Most of his open-softness around his soldiers, his faith in the gods he had believed in all his life, and four soldiers. Two to death, two who found themselves new troupes that they believed would be more suitable to them.

The yellow eyed bear looked away from the picture, and glanced over at Padre, who was standing next to the church with that stupid book and eyed pendant that they would give out to the soldiers of the Military Camp. Padre turned his face, revealing the long scar that Caricias had left there when he had flipped out at the beginning of the mission.

Caricias felt guilt for what he had done- even though it was too far away from the event to apologize. With a small exhale, the bigger bear leans on the wall of the medical building again, looking in through the open window. Several of the soldiers either in a hospital bed or next to one- mainly at his behest.

"You seem troubled, Caricias." a voice came from behind the sergeant, and the pear-faced brown bear narrowed his eyes at his paper, before looking over at a familiar gray-furred bear in a dark uniform. This bear carrying a snobby sneer across his features.

"General Otto."

((To Be Continued))