My Little Pony: Thunder in the West
Chapter 1: 'Pony-Bird'
It begins as a whisper. A quiet voice going from ear to willing ear. That whisper turns into a battle cry, and that battle cry turns into a region taking up arms against an overwhelming invader. In the region of Chefal, a different kind of species is on the rise of influence in the fertile Northwestern Lands of Equestria. This species is the hippogriff.
They are different from the hippogriffs ruled by Queen Novo. This species of hippogriff is more griffon-like in appearance, and speak a different language in the form of French. They have no manes. Instead, this subspecies of hippogriff keep the wing-shaped ears. Ruled by Princess Henriette I, she is beloved by her hippogriffs and her subjects.
A bald eagle mixed with a brown Arabian with a black tail, Princess Henriette has very ruled well over the new kingdom since it broke away from Equestria, and became the first independent constitutional monarchy. One of the princess's terms is that though they are an independent region, they will maintain ties of friendship and trade with Equestria.
"I think the meeting went rather well," said the princess to one of her commanders, one of her most trusted commanders,
That commander is Wilhelmina, a very pretty one with full and mature flanks, "I did not like that look in her eye when she shook your talons,"
"You do not think she will abide by our terms?" the princess asked as they exited the palace, and headed back to Chefal,
"I would be lying if I said 'yes', I just advise that you be careful," replied Wilhelmina, a white gyrfalcon with a dark blue-grey beak mixed with a dapple-grey appaloosa, she has coined the nickname 'Spots' because of her beautiful mixed grey dapple patterns covering the top of her head, minus her face, to her rear with a dark grey tail in the back.
They each had a Gilda-sized beak and head shape, "Alright then, you have your orders, do what you must, have our troops mobilized, and I will speak with the commanders should war be declared," she said to her best friend among her military subjects. Wilhelmina saluted to the princess, and off she flew to the army base in Southern Chefal.
The soldier of the Royal Army of Chefal is a well-trained, and well-disciplined fighter. They are all taught to fight to their last dying breath. 'No Retreat, No Surrender, For Princess and For Land' is the slogan of the army. They are well-equipped to fight as well. Starting at the very top they wear the M26 'Adrian' helmet in a shade of khaki olive green.
"Attention!" called out a captain to two lines of soldiers with shouldered rifles, "eyes...right!"
In perfect unison they right to the Colonel, "Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!" they called back to her as their battle cry,
"Eyes forward!" he ordered and unsheathed his sword at his side resting the inside edge against his shoulder, "good to see you, Colonel,"
For this occasion, the captain was armed with his M1923 Infantry Officers Sword, and had his Modele 1935 pistol holstered at his side. His name is Hugo. Like the all soldiers under his command at the base, he wears an olive green jacket with black rubber buttons and brown leather webbing to carry items on himself such as tools and ammunition.
The soldier of the Royal Army of Chefal carries a handy and reliable rifle in the K31. Designed to feed six 7.5mm rimless cartridges from a stripper clip, this straight pull rifle is a favorite for soldiers who were now possibly going into battle for the first time. The rifle was often fixed with the Model 1918 bayonet, making this a very formidable weapon.
"You too, Captain, good to see everyone looking well," said Colonel Wilhelmina, "at ease," she ordered, and the soldiers followed. She faced her troops stationed at the small base, a small base compared to the larger ones, "attention my brothers and sisters in arms, there is a possibility that our region may go to war against Equestria," she explained
The soldiers began to murmur amongst each other, "I know...I know, none of us asked for this,"
"But should an attacking force come from our neighbors to south, I ask one thing of you all," she added,
"Look at what is beneath you, what is beneath is the Land of Chefal, sacred ground!" she praised,
"No force of arms can take that from you, we will fight, we will hold our ground against the might of Equestria, I will trust you all over any army of thousands, I bid you all stand as Hippogriffs of Chefal!" she praised under her speech with the cry of a falcon. Her soldiers unsheathed their bayonets, and fixed them to their rifles, and raised them skyward.
When word got to her that Equestrian Forces were spotted in the south, her fusiliers were on the march and joined with machine gunners carrying their MAC-32 Reibel machine guns. The word got to the tank and artillery corps. They joined the infantry to fight back the invasion. The tank of choice is nicknamed 'Le Petit Diable': the ELC AMX Bis.
The artillery corps brought in new artillery pieces to the frontlines for the first time. These include the Obusier de 105mm TF50 replacing the aged, but battle-proven Canon de 75 modèle 1897. This army relies on mobility and firepower. This came together in a tank hunter the crews call 'Le Bourreau' or 'The Executioner': the AMX Canon d'assaut 105.
Camped near the border, the commander went to see Princess Celestia, "Orders, your majesty?" he asked,
Princess Celestia squinted her eyes in the direction of Chefal, "Cry havoc, let slip the Dogs of War," she stated,
Meanwhile, Wilhelmina saw the Equestrian Troops preparing to invade, "So it begins," she said quietly to herself,