Crowns and Cradles

War Story

Sundrop scanned over the empty streets, lights in houses dampened as the people inside hid from the attacks. Gryphons soared in the skies, some so quiet with their wings she could barely tell she shared the same space with them. She looked over to Blaze whose eyes were darting back and forth looking for gryphons on rooves or for fires burning. "Where are they!" Blaze roared, Sundrop squinted her eyes under her armor. "Near the edge no doubt." Sundrop called back, he gritted his teeth as they both plowed through the clouds. Causing them to evaporate or spin out of control, Sundrop spotted a group of Gryphons fighting in a street. The screeches and clicks of their calls mixing with dragon roars and shouts for help from others.

Sundrop dived down, Blaze tight by her side. She opened her wings once she was between the buildings and with her magic grabbed a gryphon and crashed them down onto the street side, a crack and squeal being the only sound from the now gone gryphon. Blaze Grabbed another who was on a Stallion that laid on the ground, eyes wide with pain. He pulled him tight into the sky and against the rooves, tiles flying off as the gryphon screeched and hit the pavement, armor cracking at impact. Sundrop pulled out a sword as two gryphos with claws wide at her flew with intense speed, she let out a yell and pierced the first gryphon just under its beak. The second one rearing onto its back legs and slamming her from the side, gripping her helmet with sword tipped claws.

She threw her head back and slashed at the attacker, who squawked and flew into the night. Blood dripped down her gashed head and she huffed. "They've retreated!" Blaze called out flying down to the street, his horseshoes scraping against the brick. Sundrop scanned the skies, a few dark figures showing themselves in the twinkling night. "They got back up, Fly!" Sundrop responded, She jumped into the sky, and Blaze followed with intense speed. Sundrop could smell smoke in the sky, and could see trees from the city park lit with bright fires that streamed into the sky, Pegasi and feathered allys flew away from the fire as dragons continued the fight.

"We need to go put those out!" Sundrop pointed towards the fires with the tip of her sword. Blaze quickly shot over there, and Sundrop hurried to follow him. She could feel the intense heat flying up to the trees, leaves fluttering off and spiraling onto flammable areas. She charged her horn and started to freeze the fires with bright blue blasts. Blaze did the same to the edge of the park to prevent it from hurting houses, Sundrop looked over to him and could see a flock of gryphons in golden armor heading right for him. She called out, but was tackled on her left by another Gryphon. She beat her wings furiously and Wielded her sword, the gryphon grabbed at her horn and snuffed out the magic.

Her sword fell to the ground below, she bit down on the arm and the attacker let out a scream. The two of them collided into a chimney, she rolled down and hit a roof, her armor denting and scratching as she struggled to prevent herself from falling down to the pavement. Her hooves dug into the tiles. The Gryphon flew down and grabbed one of her arms with his back foot, she beat her wings wildly, "It's over Queen!" He screamed lifting up a sword of his own, He tried to strike her but she grabbed at it with her magic. Her back legs were hanging off the side of the roof, hooves scraping against the walls and the broken gutter that hung bent and misshapen. "You fight for a king who does not care about you!" Sundrop screamed.

The Gryphon licked at its beak in anger, pushing as hard as he could against her magic. She tried to focus on a spell, but the pulling of gravity and the digging of the gryphon's claws made it hard to focus. He let up a little and she slipped down further, her armor pulling on her chest making her shreak. Her magic faltered, and the gryphon swung his sword up. The lights in the window of the house they were fighting in flicked on, the gryphon's head snapped over to the sudden interruption. A window smashed and glass flew, A small mare with a cast iron pan stepped onto the roof and swung at the gryphon. He let go and beat his wings, trying to swing at the earth pony with the pan.

Sundrop used her magic to throw his sword out of his hands, and when he tried to grab it the mare hit him on the head. His helmet rang as he tried to grab at her. Sundrop pulled him by the tail and he fell to the pavement, the mare rushed over and helped Sundrop pull herself up. Sundrop looked at the small mare and smiled. "Thank you, you saved my life." Sundrop breathlessly told, the mare's lip quivered. "Please, protect my husband." She instantly blurted out, "His name is Tungsten, he's in the 5th commandment on the dragon side." She clutched her pan and shivered. Sundrop nodded her head, "I'll make sure he comes home to you safe." She turned and flew back up into the sky.

Her eyes darted around, fires were snuffed, and a pack of gryphons flew out of the city. She ran her tongue along her lips and she could taste the blood dripping down from her gash, "Blaze?" She called out, soaring over to where she saw him last. She flew towards the smoke covered park, still smoldering from the fires that, some small bushes burning still as Dragons threw buckets of water on them. She let her hooves reach the down, and she walked along the street looking at the street that was lit by the moonlight. She saw bodies of gryphons, and her own soldiers alike.

Then a glimmer from a street ally, a gilded helmet rolled from a gutter. All the wind was forced out of her lungs as she recognized her son's helmet, sparks flew from her horseshoes as she darted into the damp ally. Laying between the rows of darken houses was Blaze, the puddle below him glimmering in the moon. "Blaze, Blaze oh god my baby." She rushed over and knelt down to hold him, his eyes fluttered open. "Mom," He croaked out, "Don't speak, please," She struggled with her words. His matted hair drenched, his white coat stained, she tried to stop his wounds from bleeding but her intense emotions made holding a spell impossible.

"My wife," He uttered, Sundrop Gritted her teeth as dripples fell from her chin "you will see her, I promise." She scooped him up and held his head close to her chest. "You daughter needs a father, please stay with me Blaze." Sundrop trembled, and he let out a groan. "I don't think I have a choice," His eyes were glossy, and she rubbed his cheek. A soldier walked into the ally and froze, "Get a medic NOW!" Sundrop screamed, as she continued to rub Blaze's head