Next chapter Christmas Special. Note this takes place in an alternate timeline during the first COLTS.
Big Mac, Autumn, Deadeye, Blitz, and Shadow sat for a quick cup of hot cocoa in the middle of the frozen night. It was Hearths Warming Eve and almost everypony was at home celebrating the peaceful holiday but the COLTS were on patrol with a battalion of soldiers on a freezing battlefield against a group of griffons who were reported to have been in the area. For the security of those they loved they stay awake in the cold on guard. It was the epitome of unpleasant as if the very breath of the evil windigos blew right onto the cold ponies. They say the more hatred and anger there was the colder the winter could get. No surprise during this war that this was the coldest winter Equestria had ever had.
"Sucks we gotta be out here tonight huh?" Autumn said sipping his cocoa.
"Eeyup!" Big Mac said as a chilling breeze blew into the area.
"Think the grifs are gonna attack?" Shadow asked.
"I don't think so, Hearths Warming Eve is a griffon holiday of peace as well." Deadeye said. "Still stay on guard."
"Hey do you guys hear something?" Blitz said drawing his sword as he and the other COLTS picked up a sound.
Moi intera sant oprit! (Hail the spirit of peace)
Calla mang dan jeprit! (and the heart of love)
"Am I hearing things?" Blitz asked as the sounds continued. The ponies could not figure out what the noise was.
Anais preho, Goulda fraze! (Live in us, Destroy the heartless cold!)
Joi hiso wera bloi unt vaze! (Grant unto us hearts of love and gold!)
"CORPORAL!" Deadeye shouted to a unicorn soldier nearby.
"Yes sir!" The soldier replied.
"What is that noise?" Deadeye asked.
"Singing sir." The soldier responded.
"Singing?" The COLTS all said.
"The translator said it was an old griffon peace song for the holiday, they are singing it in ancient griffon." The soldier explained. The ponies were all confused, but it was a time of peace so they thought nontheless.
"The fire of friendship lives in our hearts, as long as it burns we cannot drift apart!" Shadow began to sing until all the COLTS found themselves singing under their breaths. None of them could explain it but something told them to start singing. Some of the other ponies noticed this and began to join in.
"Though quarrels arise their numbers are few! Laughter and singing will see us through!" The ponies sung.
"Rande! Rande! Salla man ti gret quawl si boge, Goi tano zetrya mozeya!" (Rejoice! Rejoice! The love of peace shall reign, hate will be no more!") The griffons responded.
"We are a circle of pony friends! A circle of friends we'll be to the very eeeeeeeennndd!"
" Ta poir od oprit fals neive udun, ta poir od bloi sill knio ne finnnnnnn!" (The power of peace shall never be undone, the power of love will know no ennnndddd!") The air had gotten warmer and the chilling winds had died down tremendously but it was still a freezing wasteland nontheless. For ten minutes, the night sky was silent, no cannon fire or cries of battle could be heard.
"SIR! GRIF!" Autumn said as the COLTS aimed their crossbows at an incoming griffon. Something was off though, the griffons appeared to be unarmed. Instead of its weapon it held a white flag and a wreath full of bells. Without thinking Big Mac jumped out and began to walk towards the griffon. The red stallion holstered his crossbow on his back as he approached the enemy.
"0-2! GET BACK HERE!" Deadeye yelled Big Mac's codename but Macintosh ignored him. Big Mac came up to the small griffon in front of him. The griffon had no fear in his eyes.
"There will be no fighting tonight, may we have a peace?" The griffon asked as it offered Big Mac the wreath. The ponies all had their weapons aimed at the griffon in the event it did something hostile but no actions of hostility came. Upon seeing the griffon give Macintosh the wreath, Big Mac took off his helmet and looked the griffon square in the eye.
"Eeyup." Big Mac said with a smile. The griffons smiled back as both ponies and griffons entered the battlefield. Neither side was believing what had just transpired. Only hours ago they were trying to kill each other and now they were talking and singing with each other! The two sides were uneasy at first which was completely understandable seeing as they were clawing at each others throats earlier. Blitz went up to a griffon who backed off slightly at the sight of the supersoldier. Biitz reached for his back and began to tug on something. The griffons all looked thinking Blitz was pulling out his crossbow. The griffon waited for death but instead the pony held out a chocolate bar to him.
"My gift to you, Happy Hearths Warming Eve." Blitz said giving the griffon the chocolate. Soon other ponies and griffons began exchanging gifts such as chocolates, small snacks, canteens and whatever else they could afford to spare. The griffons began to make a fire as Autumn pulled out a barrel of cider from the pony trench. The ponies and griffons began laughing as they talked of family and home. Big Mac was sitting down looking at a picture of his family when a voice came out of nowhere.
"That your family?" Big Mac turned around to see a Steel Talon coming to sit with him. Macintosh felt uncomfortable but he sucked it up.
"Eeyup, mah two sisters." Big Mac said.
"I have a little sister named Ceres. She is quite a handful ill tell you that much!" The griffon said chuckling.
"You haven't met mah sister, she's always runnin around lookin fer her cutie mark!" Big Mac said. Big Mac and the ST sat and talked for a while but neither revealed their names to each other.
"Your a good pony, perhaps if only had we met under different circumstances." The ST said. Big Mac couldn't believe this! He was actually friends with this creature who was called the enemy. It was amazing how you were trained to kill them without hesitation but one you saw they were no different than you and that they too had a family at home who was waiting for them.
"Alright boys! CIDERS UP!" Autumn said as he began to distribute the cider to griffon and pony alike. They two races danced and sang throughout the night as the the winds finally died down completely and the snow went from a blizzard to a gentle snowfall. The windigos in the sky began to shrivel and disappear from the love that had replaced the hate. Celestia's sun had begun to peak over the horizon and the two sides realized the holiday was over.
"You have earned our friendship Captain of the COLTS. There will be no war today." The griffon commander said as he shook Deadeye's hoof. And there was not a sound of battle that day.
Or the day after.
Or the day after that.
Or even the day after that.
The fires of friendship had prevailed that cold winters night in the trenches.
Merry Christmas everypony! Second Adam from above has come to reinstate us in Thy love!(Sorry im a die hard catholic!) Guess what famous real event this chapter was based on.
"My name is Francis Tolliver. In Liverpool I dwell.
Each Christmas come since World War One I've learned it's lessons well.
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame
and on each end of the rifle we're the same."
- John
McCutcheon "Christmas in the trenches"