Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own MLP: FIM or Redwall. I do own Shooting Star or Princess Rosethrone, and Colonel Ashpaw the Brave.

It seemed like ages for Shooting Star and his army. Colonel Ashpaw, Martin, Shooting Star and Snow the haremaid proceeded to keep their armies attention on the Timber Wolves. While this was happening, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and Star Swirl were making sure the fire didn't go out. Once morning finally came, Shooting Star saw Rosethrone's spell on the Timber Wolves vanish and that their eyes became back to normal yellow color. The Timber Wolves whimpered in confusion on why they were here and looking at armed warriors. The new Timber Wolf leader now decides to head back deep into the Everfree Forest. Shooting Star relaxes turning to everybeast in his army and everypony "I think the Timber Wolf invasion is over. We can now relax."

Cheers were heard coming from the defenders inside the castle as well as from the Princesses and Star Swirl himself. They had prevailed their latest all nighter. Shooting Star stands at the gates turning to Colonel Ashpaw "Colonel, you can dismiss everybeast, then with Log-A-Log Grenn and Ruro's help post some beasts as sentries while the rest of us can finally get some much needed rest. Then I'd like to talk to Snow with you being present."

"Right on old champ!" Colonel Ashpaw saluted then turned to his army "Alright now all of you are dismissed except for at least five of you! Gotta keep sentries up just in case Rosethingy attempts another attack, Doncha know. Oh and Snow, Shooting Star wants to have a word with you before you go to rest."

Princess Luna heard the nickname the Hare gave Rosethrone chuckling as the snow white haremaid strolls up to meet Shooting Star with the Colonel coming with her. Shooting Star walked deeper into the castle with the two Princesses and Star Swirl watching.

"What do you think he's up to with the haremaid?" Princess Celestia asked.

"Not sure" Princess Luna said "Couldn't be scolding she obeyed every order he or the Colonel gave her."

Star Swirl knew "Princesses, think closely, this is how a military truly goes on with it's life. It's not scolding that's for sure but I've been watching that haremaid Snow, she fought incredibly fierce."

"Then what do you think Shooting Star's talking to her about?" Princess Luna asked.

Martin answered for Star Swirl "Promotion."

The Princesses turned to the mouse warrior and Martin explained "You see in an army you are given ranks, and for doing well at your current rank or impressing your superiors, one is entitled to a promotion. The Colonel is the second-in-command of the army but Shooting Star knows we may need other higher ranked officers in this army and from what I can tell, Snow's proven herself worthy of a higher rank...I believe she's currently a corporal so I believe the Long Patrol at least this army we have will have a sergeant. Although usually this would be Brocktree's decision to promote anybeast as he's the head of the Long Patrol or Patrol General Dotti, but Shooting Star is Brocktree's adopted son so there is that exception."

"Oh" Celestia said "Why would he want to promote Snow in private?"

Star Swirl answered "Most military promotions are like that. Most likely to prevent other beasts or other ponies getting slightly jealous."

Princess Luna trots further inside with Celestia trying to stop her but Martin held her back "Let your sister go inside. She wants too see how Shooting Star interacts with his soldiers. She's very interested in him so you shouldn't try to pull her apart from him. Let things play out the way they are going to."

Princess Celestia smiled liking Martin's explanation "Right, I will."

Princess Luna entered the room really interested in Shooting Star. She had never met a warrior pony before and truly wanted to see how he interacted with his soldiers. Plus she wanted to feel like a true leader, Shooting Star was the adopted son of Lord Brocktree so she felt as if she should get to know Shooting Star more. Besides she had a feeling Shooting Star himself didn't truly know of his Pegasus pony heritage of using weather against his opponents. She saw Shooting Star with the two hares and Shooting Star saw her "Princess Luna? What's wrong?"

"Hope you don't mind me hearing this, but I want to see this plus I myself wants to ask you something once you've done what you want to Corporal Snow here" the Princess of the Night said.

Shooting Star allowed her "Then come forward my Princess."

Princess Luna spread her wings and flew towards them.

"Am I in trouble Shooting Star sah?" Snow asked.

"Quite the opposite Snow" Shooting Star answered her "In fact you've fought so well last night despite tripping over that log and even in the distraction against Princess Rosethrone's army earlier that day. Your actions helped Martin to lead a successful distraction allowing me to free the Princesses, then you also helped to hold back the Timber Wolves from gaining entree until we decided to use fire on them. Plus it has been quite a while since you were promoted to Corporal right?
The haremaid nods "That's correct sah!"

Shooting Star addresses the haremaid with a smile "Then unless Colonel Ashpaw says otherwise...Allow me to promote you. From this day on Corporal Snow, you are no longer a Corporal...You are now Sergeant Snow."

The haremaid's ears which had been pointed downward thinking she was going to be scolded now shoot upright in excitement "Really?"

Shooting Star smiled at the excited haremaid, then turned to Colonel Ashpaw "Sure! Unless Ashpaw here says otherwise your promotion is well rewarded."

Colonel Ashpaw looked at Corporal Snow whom looked at him eagerly "Come on Colonel sah! Please say yes!"

"Now, now Corporal" Colonel Ashpaw said in his same in control voice when leading the Long Patrol "Calm down! I have the final say in this!"

The Haremaid stopped moving while looking at her Colonel. Her excitement was building up and she longed to be a long time member of the Long Patrol herself. Sergeant Snow sounded like a good rank to her ears. Colonel Ashpaw thought about it for only a few minutes "I can't see why I shouldn't say no to Shooting Star's claims. You fight with honor, you have even lead when it was needed like last night when five hares wanted to take a little snooze but you bopped them on the head to keep them awake, and even I realize that even though we have Log-A-Log Grenn, the squirrel chieftain Ruro and Skittles all helping to lead their tribes, we could use an extra officer to help maintain order. So...I agree, Corporal Snow, you are no longer a Corporal, from this day on, you are now Sergeant Snow! Keep up the good work!"

"YES!" Snow shouted happily excited, usually only Patrol General Dotti was the only haremaid to be a strong commander in the Long Patrol, now she could safely say she too was an officer of the Long Patrol, still it was way beneath the rank of Captain or Major but it was a safe new start for her. From this point on it would be a lot harder for her to advance in rank, but as far as she was concerned she was happy to have the promotion.

The excited haremaid stops but bows to Shooting Star and Colonel Ashpaw "Thank you sahs's. Now can I be dismissed?"

"That you can Sergeant Snow" Shooting Star answered he turned to Colonel Ashpaw "You can go too Colonel."

"Certainly sa'h!"

Once the two hares had left, Princess Luna walked towards Shooting Star "You made Snow's day."

Shooting Star nodded "Almost anybeast or anypony in the army would love to be promoted to a higher rank. In this case though Snow deserved every bit of her promotion. This army needs officers like her and Colonel Ashpaw to keep order."

Princess Luna smiled allowing herself to remember this moment. She now knew how most promotions worked like at least under Shooting Star, she had a feeling Princess Rosethrone was nearly similar but at the same time was a lot harder to work under. Shooting Star turned to Princess Luna "So...What do you want to speak to me about?"

Princess Luna looks at him "Do you know anything about your Pegasus heritage?"

"If you're asking if I know I can fly, then yes I know about that"

Princess Luna giggled "You can do more than just fly Shooting Star...What if I told you that as a Pegasus you could control the weather."

Shooting Star took his time "Well, at first I'd be like you got to be kidding me! Makes no since! Weather can't be controlled where I've came from..." he pauses looking at her "However...Deep down in my heart, with you bringing it up Princess, there's something in my heart that says your right...But I'm still puzzled how that can be."

Luna did look a bit shocked at first that Shooting Star would deny his heritage as a Pegasus Pony by saying the first part of his answer, but looking back to where Shooting Star was raised it made sense to her after all Star Swirl had admitted that magic wasn't much of a thing in Mossflower Country where Salmandestron was apart of. Still she listened to the last part of Shooting Star's answer and now saw he wasn't totally trying to disbelieve her words, at least he had an opened mind to have some part of it to believe it. She walks over to him "Oh, you can control the weather Shooting Star. If you want..." she pauses looking for words as this was the first she'd try to do this with anypony hiding back a red blush "I can teach you..."

Shooting Star puts a hoof to his chin thinking on Luna's proposal "If it could give me an edge over Rosethrone then I guess I could learn it."

Luna looks at him excited "You mean it?"

Shooting Star smiled "Yes, but...Once I get some sleep."

Princess Luna smiled sweetly back as she left him for some much needed rest "Of course. Later on tonight?"

Shooting Star took her up on her offer "Sure thing."

There was a knock on Princess Rosethrone's door. Princess Rosethrone heard the knock and was still a bit strained from controlling all of the timber wolves to nearly care. She opens one eye and turned towards the door as the knocking got worse until it stopped. Two voices could be heard, one was from Ripfang and the other was from Braveheart himself. The rat captain asks "What's the problem matey?"

"The Princess hasn't responded to me knocking on the door captain sir and I don't want to wake her up to get her into a bad mood."

"Point taken mate but the Princess should've answered by now with you banging on her door like that! This can only be one thing...Ether she's be abducted or she's injured badly to the point of death could occure! Regardless we must blow down that door! Slopjaw! Get me and Braveheart here a battering ram!"

A weasle's voice could be heard making a whining complaint "Captain my name isn't Slopjaw! It's a nickname everybeast gave me!"

"Don't complain matey! Your new name is Slopjaw! THE PRINCESS COULD BE IN DANGER AND YET YOU NOT ONLY IGNORE THAT FACT SHE COULD BE DYING AND THEN COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR NEW NAME?! GET ME A BATTERING RAM OR I'LL GUT YOU AND FEED YOU TO THE FISHES"

"Yes Captian Ripfang sir!"

"Uh Captain" Braveheart's voice sounded "I don't think the Princess would appreciate you bashing down he chamber doors."

"YEAH WELL? SHE MAYBE IN DANGER OR DYING! BEST TO CHECK IN ON HER!"

Princess Rosethrone decided it was best to open her doors with what little magic she had recovered during the night. Braveheart was right she wasn't going to be happy with her doors busted down but she admired Ripfang's concern, like a true second-in-command Captain should be. Still she wasn't going to let her doors be blown down. She could hear Ripfang and Slopjaw's footpaws beating to the door then exactly at the last second Rosethrone opens the doors and her Rat Captain with a weasle with a half broken jaw rush in holding a battering ram and nearly ran out her chamber's windows. Neither Ripfang or Slopjaw noticed until they stood in the air. Then like a scene in the old Wile E Coyote and Roadrunner cartoons it was Slopjaw that noticed they were standing in the air outside the window. He tapped Ripfang's shoulder and the Rat glanced at him. Then the weasel pointed downward. Both looked down to see the ground below. They looked at each other as if someone pulled a clever prank on them, then just as they were about to fall they reached for the window frame their screams of horror was music to Rosethrone's ears as they dropped the log and held onto the window's frame for dear life with both shouting "Braveheart mate! Pull us up before we fall to our deaths!"

Braveheart entered and obeyed.

"I guess Captain Ripfang sir, the Princess is fine" Slopjaw muttered as he and the rat captain gasped for breathe his reward was the Rat Captain punching him in the eye "Shut it Slopjaw! I don't want to hear any more wise cracks coming from you."

Princess Rosethrone rolled her eyes at the stupidity of her forces at times. She then rose weakly "WELL? CAPTAIN WHY MUST YOU TRY TO BUST DOWN MY DOORS?!"

Captain Ripfang answered saluting the Princess "Princess! We were worried about you! You didn't answer Braveheart when he was sent up here, the poor colt was heard banging on your door throughout the night! I sent him up here to apologize to you for not alerting the guards when Shooting Star freed our captives."

"Can't blame him for that error" Rosethrone said "He did the next right thing that he thought was right getting me. Still I do like that train of thought."

Braveheart noticed how strained the Princess looked "Are you okay Princess? You look..."

He fought to gain the courage to say the words tired without her going to kill him for it but Slopjaw was the one that done it "Tired and strained?"

"Yeah" Braveheart admitted.

Ripfang notices this too "Now that they mention it your highness you don't look well...Are you really okay?"

"I will be in a couple of hours" Rosethrone said to them "Thanks for the swift action you took Captain to make sure I was okay. As you can all see I'm fine minus the fact I am in strain. I took matter into my own hooves last night to deal with Shooting Star controlling those Timber Wolves. Don't know the results yet...But I'll be fine in a couple of hours. What do you three have to make on your report?"

Slopjaw answered "My Princess we done what you asked us in trying to see where the tunnels lead to but it was clear as day that Shooting Star destroyed the tunnels after he saved the Princesses...We couldn't even figure out where the tunnels lead they were that destroyed."

"The best thing we could come up with is that he had moles helping him Princess" Ripfang reported "Only those creatures can dig holes and destroy them quickly like that."

Rosethrone listened to this processing it, Shooting Star knew that if he left the tunnels stand then Rosethrone would be able use that against him. He was playing smart. Still she had the upper hoof "And the window I asked you to take care off too Ripfang?"

"Gone your highness! Braveheart smashed it into pieces and we removed it all together" Ripfang reported "And then we filled it back up with cement."

"Good" Rosethrone said then she had a feeling the Timber Wolves might've failed "New orders for you Braveheart."

Braveheart gulped as both Ripfang and Slopjaw pushed him forward so the young colt could look into Rosethorne's evil red eyes "Yes, Princess? What can I do for you?"

Rosethrone used her magic to bring him closer to her so she made eye contact with him "Listen closely Braveheart, because this is your personal mission...Fail me, and I can certainly tell you that you and your sisters will pay with your lives. Nod if you understand the penalty of failing me."

Braveheart gulped quite scared but he shook his head yes tears of fear ran down his eyes as Rosethorne looked into his own eyes. Rosethrone now spoke "Good...I want you to be my scout and somewhat of a spy. You are to go inside the Everfree Forest."

"Why there Princess?" Ripfang asked.

Rosethorne turned to her captain "Call it a hunch Captain...Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna have a castle somewhere deep inside Everfree Forest...They used it for quite a while before moving to Canterlot here. I never took the time to study where that castle is knowing that once I took Canterlot over I had Equestria, but I know it's name is Castle of the Two Sisters..." she looks at Braveheart "I want you to go inside Everfree Forest alone. There you will search good and hard till you find the Castle of the Two Sisters or Shooting Star himself. If you found Shooting Star follow him to see where the Castle of the Two Sisters is then report to me!"

Braveheart nodded "Y-Y-Y-Y-Yes, Princess Rosethrone anything for you!"

Rosethrone released him "Then start! Don't waste any more time I want that castle found quickly! I won't let Princess Celestia and Luna elude me for long!"

Braveheart ran as fast as his hooves could carry him. Once he was gone Rosethorne turned to her rat Captain and weasel "In the meantime gentlemen...I have new orders for you two."

"We're listening Princess!" Ripfang reported.

"Good" Rosethrone said she looked at Ripfang "Ripfang! Until Braveheart returns with the Intel on where the Castle of the Two Sisters is I want you to drill the troops and prepare them for battle in taking the Castle of the Two Sisters!"

"It shall be done my Princess" Ripfang said.

"Make sure they know that this invasion on that castle will most likely be bloody and lives will be lost."

"Copy that Princess!"

Princess Rosethrone turned to Slopjaw "And you Slopjaw will be my new captain of my guards! I want you to train the pony guards we still have around to know their place here. I will start killing them more if they continue to be like the guards Celestia and Luna had around. I want my guards to be perfect!"

"Thank you your highness!" Slopjaw said bowing to her "I'll get right to it!"

Rosethrone looked at the two "We need to be ready for our attack on the Castle of the Two Sisters. Once we take that we'll end the opposition once and for all. I'll be down in two or four hours Captain Ripfang to oversee the pony army to make them into the army as well."

"Of course" Ripfang said as he and Slopjaw exited Rosethrone's chambers.

Rosethrone watches her two new captains leave...Okay Slopjaw was her Royal Guard captain but he was still a Captain in her ranks. Once the two leave her she closes her doors and lays on her bed to regain her strength. As she is lying on her bed she looks out at the sun "Mark my words Celestia and Luna...Your days are numbered soon...Enjoy freedom for now because I'll be coming for you and what's left of the army that saved you yesterday."

With this said she lays on her bed regaining her strength. All she could do now was wait to see if Braveheart would be successful, oh she knew he would...The mention of what would happen to him and his sisters if he failed her on this was promise that he would succeed. As she was resting an evil smile crept on her face, oh the plans she had in mind to take Shooting Star's forces out and of course reclaiming Princess Celestia and Princess Luna as captives. There was no use hiding from Rosethrone and the evil Princess was going to make them realize that. It would only be a matter of time before Rosethrone's forces could lay a siege to the Castle of the Two Sisters.

end of chapter

Looks like the stage has been set for the oncoming chapters! How fast will Shooting Star learn to control the weather with Luna teaching him? Will Braveheart succeed in his mission? And if so what evil plans does Rosethrone have for our heroes? Next chapter is Chapter 12.