A/N: I'm proud of how this turned out. This was intended to be no more than one, maybe two typed pages, but I went with the flow and this came up. Might be slightly AU, as I have no idea about what happened in the Battle of Meridell except that Meridell eventually won. The two featured here are lupes, names aren't important here.

Last Battle

How could she have known that when he set off for war, he would not return?

He left because of the draft, which was called because the soldiers out there were getting slaughtered by Kass's (that foul beast) armies. All able men were sent into the Meridell army so that they could fight, so that the tiny nation might have a chance against Darigan and Kass.

But not even the draft could save them. The more soldiers that left, the more armies Kass sent out. They fought bravely, but it was not enough. Troops moved to the capital.

When Kass and his armies arrived at the castle, they told the king to surrender or they would unleash hell on them. Skarl (that old hag) refused to back down, and Kass launched his main attack. He was greeted with a small, ragtag army made up mostly of fathers, husbands, brothers. Girls had been forbidden to enlist.

But it didn't matter if they were young or old, male or female, large or small. Kass would overpower them; they all knew it.

Surprisingly they won. It was an odd victory, in which Kass just retreated, taking his troops with him. The kingdom rejoiced, peace was restored, and they all lived happily ever after…

Not.

A month passed and he did not return. She knew of their victory and knew he should be home. All her friends and neighbors had their men back, why didn't she? Confused, she set out on the old, brown Uni mare to the castle. Perhaps he had remained behind to talk with Skarl, or maybe… she didn't want to think of other outcomes.

The journey was fairly short, over smooth farmland and grassy plains. She stopped to rest once, but set off soon after. After a few days, she reached the castle. She passed the guards, left her mare at the front gate, and walked up to the enormous castle

Hoping for the best, she asked for an audience with Skarl. "The king is busy today," the Draik guard said. "He will see you when he is ready." She was shown to a room and left for the night.

She awoke next morning full of hope. She washed up, combing her brown hair and the yellow fur that covered her canine body. Not long after she dressed, the Draik from before knocked on her door. "His Majesty may see you know." He said, and led her down winding corridors and narrow halls. They reached a grand wooden door, and she entered the throne room.

The fat old king was sitting on his throne, looking quite bored as he chewed on a leg of lamb (that poor creature). A Blumaroo wearing a tasseled hat danced halfheartedly in front of him, occasionally spitting out a joke that was in no way funny. As the door creaked open, the king looked up and the jester skittered off to the side.

She remembered his booming voice- "Who dares disturb me?"- And the way he straightened up and tossed the bone to the side. She remembered the Draik's nervous voice saying "It is the maiden who wished to speak with you." She remembered walking down the carpet, head bowed low, and stopping in front of him.

"Please," she said, voice trembling. "Your Majesty, Skarl, sir, I must ask you one question." She dropped to her knees, as was common law when speaking to royalty.

"Well then, get on with it." His gruff reply came and he snapped his fingers. A gelert rushed up to him with a tray of tarts. He took one and popped it in his mouth.

"Please, kind sir. I must know." She said in a small voice. "As you know, the armies were sent back home a month ago. My husband did not return. Perchance, do you know where he is?"

Skarl frowned. "No, I'm afraid not. All soldiers were sent home after Kass retreated. If your husband has not returned, I don't know where he is."

She raised her head tentatively, and then lowered it again. "T-Thank you for your time, Your Majesty." She choked out, and stood. She allowed the Draik to escort her back outside, where her mare was waiting.

She left immediately, taking a different route once she got over the drawbridge. Starting at a trot, she quickly sped into a gallop, fighting back tears as wind whipped her face. His words echoed in her mind. I don't know where he is… all soldiers were sent home… I'm afraid not.

Her mare tired, and she slowed, taking time to look around (who knew where she was by now?). She gasped. The dead grass was stained red, and the air held a lingering, metallic odor. And not far ahead, she could see corpses… a battlefield.

She dismounted her mare and slowly walked past many bodies. The whole thing seemed surreal… like this was a dream. But dreams were good, filled with sunshine and rainbows and love, happiness. This was a nightmare.

A glint of something shiny, silver, caught her eye. She headed toward it, ignoring prickly burrs and sharp rocks cutting her bare paws. Once she got a look at it, and its wearer, she gasped and fell to the ground.

The silver something was a watch. Not just any watch, but his watch, the one she had given him for their anniversary. The one with his initials on it. And there was no doubt; the scarred and blood-caked figure she bent over now was him. She stroked his bloodstained blue fur, sobbing.

How long she stayed like that, she didn't know. Hours, maybe, or perhaps days. She never tired, never hungered for anything but his love. Finally, she stood, ignoring her stiff legs, and walked out of the field. On her wrist was the watch.

The mare was out of the clearing, nibbling on a patch of fresh grass. She whinnied as her owner approached. She said nothing, but got on and commanded her Uni into a gallop. They raced over hills and across plains until they finally reached the village and the small pang of homesickness left her.

Villagers greeted her as she headed to her farm, but she said nothing. She arrived at the farm and put the Uni in the stable, then went into her house. Silently, she headed up the stairs to her (at one time their) attic bedroom. Ignoring her protesting stomach, she collapsed on the bed and fell asleep.

The next day as she shopped in the market for what food she couldn't grow on the farm or find in the woods, the look on her face was proof enough for the other residents of the town. Gossip and rumors formed, and soon, she was talk of the village. She ignored their foul comments, for she knew one day, she would be with her husband again.

A year passed and the day before the anniversary of her discovery, she set out again, this time on her new colt. The mare had died of pneumonia the winter after, and she bought Nightmare (so named for her ordeal on the battlefield) from a traveling group of merchants.

Again the journey was made, and again she reached the battleground. She quickly found his body, which had started to rot but she ignored the foul odor. She pulled something out of her pack. The watch, which glinted in the dying sunlight. It was his, it should have remained his in the first place. She slipped it onto his wrist again, and wept.

She remembered the day he set out, on their Uni stallion. He smiled at her as she watched from the doorway, and gave her one last hug before mounting and riding off to the Castle, where he would join the hundreds of other men training to fight.

And the last words she'd heard him say were "Don't worry, I'll come back. I promise." (What a shame, the good ones die young.)