My Little Pony: The Griffon Revolution
Chapter 1: 1870 (The Ambush at Kings Run)
I look into the eyes of these soldiers. These brave griffons whom are more than willing to lay down their lives for their land, for their families, and for the promise of freedom from the oppressing hoof of Equestria. These griffons were once workers, shopkeepers, farmers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. They are all united under one banner.
To think that a single whisper turned into a battle cry which made over twenty-thousand griffons take up arms against Equestria. Such a thing is astounding even for me. Those decadent ponies say we griffons are stupid, greedy, and lazy. I see none of those attributes in these regulars. They wear their uniforms and carry their Wanzl rifles with pride.
At my side is a M1870 Gasser revolver, and a Swiss pattern 1867 infantry sword. As I inspected my troops, I see the price of war. Some of these soldiers have lost loved ones to Equestrian guns and fight in their name. I stopped, and put my hand on one soldier whom lost his eye to shrapnel, "Do not worry, I'm a better shot with my other eye," he said,
"Even with one eye, you are a capable soldier," I replied,
He saluted, and I saluted back, "Carry on," I said, and moved onto to the others. Our uniform is designed to be different. A soldier wears a black peaked cap made of wool and stiffened leather with a black chinstrap, and a silver double-headed eagle front and center. Officers like me wear the same cap, but ours have a laurel wreath around the crown.
Regulars wear a grey coat with brass buttons, and a brown leather belt to hold a pouch for ammunition and a sheath for a spike bayonet. When you earn the rank of captain, then you wear the black coat and belt, and earn the very sword that have at my side and the gold stripes on the sleeves. And the ponies dare call us a 'motley band of rabble'?
Too long have the griffons been deemed inferior by the pony-folk. Too long have we been restricted from speaking our native German and Dutch. Now is our time to make a statement, and say to Princess Celestia that we are not going to take it anymore. Now we march. Our one-thousand troops march to the fields near a creek called Kings Run.
"See anything?" asked my second-in-command Gabriella,
"It's not difficult to see a line of pony soldiers," I joked seeing the blue uniforms of the ponies coming up north to quash our rebellion. They can try. I estimated around two-thousand troops were on the march. To think that my second-in-command was once a mail-delivery griffon before the war. Now she rose through the ranks, and is my captain.
Around the run is an incline with many boulders which make great hiding places, and a natural fort in a way. This way a soldier can shoot, hide, and reload with relative ease. I instructed my troops to use the rocks to their advantage the day before. The time had come in the silence of the nearby woods. Gretchen was to fire the shot to start the battle.
The ponies were forty-six meters from our positions and marching in a two-line rank and file. There is a pony camp a few kilometers from here. These must be relief troops. Gretchen got the nod from me, and slowly crept out from behind a rock, cocked the hammer, aimed and fired at the head of the Pony troops. He fell muzzle-first into the creek.
"Make ready!" ordered the commander's second-in-command,
I shot him with 11mm bullet from my revolver square in the temple. Officers like me love the Gasser revolver for it's stopping power. The ponies shot back only hitting the rocks we hid behind. If we make our shots count, we could cut down these troops in two shots. As they were reloaded, we shot back cutting down ponies with ease with our bullets.
What was proving to be their undoing was the ponies were still using muzzleloading rifled muskets. The poor devils. The screams of the dead and dying filled the spring breeze. Once they were down into their hundreds, I gave the orders, "Bayonets!" I called out as our gunfire ceased. The unsheathing of a thousand bayonets were fixed on their rifles.
I unsheathed my sword, and pointed it to the enemy defiantly as I made myself known, "Attacke!" I yelled, and led the charge of my troops down the hill and into the valley against the ponies. A few stayed to fight, but were slain. Most of the ponies galloped as fast they could to the camp. We had won our first battled without losing a single soldier.
"Victory!" cheered Gabriella, and the soldiers cheered with raised rifles.
Such lopsided battles are rare, but the ponies will be getting a little less of a relief than they might have hoped for. I helped the troops dig a shallow pit, and helped dispose of the bodies in a mass grave. That night I had supper with the troops, and the troops rested well that night. The next morning, I was the first to wake up, and went up to a cliff.
The Griffons are looking for a leader, something our kind have not had for hundreds of years. The hoof that oppresses my kind shall be swiftly cut down by rifle and blade. Our troops have proven themselves in battle, and now the ponies lick their wounds. I have but one thing to say to you Princess Celestia. From the cannon's roar, and our battle cry.
I am Ghislaine De Falkeland. Hear this, Celestia: THE GRAVE BEFORE THE CHAINS!
(I ask that you read and review kindly all you Bronies and Pegasisters out there ^^)