Book 2, Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the known characters/places of Redwall or in MLP:FIM, I do however own Shooting Star, Colonel Ashpaw the Brave, Braveheart, and Princess Rosethrone.

Shooting Star and Princess Luna were still up on their first watch duties. The two sat side-by-side with Shooting Star looking around deeply for any signs of the enemy. So far, not a single sight of any enemy. Shooting Star had a feeling that deep down this raven captain Rosethrone had was playing a dangerous war game. A war game of minds which meant one thing. Shooting Star now stared at the city with Princess Luna following his gaze "Something wrong?"

Shooting Star looks at the darkened place where the city they would be traveling in soon after they've met the first Pillar of Friendship "There just might be… Deep down something is telling me we should try to avoid that city as much as possible. Especially if that Raven captain of Princess Rosethrone's was following us, he must know that we have to pass through that city eventually."

Princess Luna caught onto it "Shall I scout ahead to see if there is any vermin running about in the city's streets?"

Shooting Star put a hoof on her back "We'll need to play this foe out, meaning we have to match brains with him. He maybe expecting us to scout ahead and lay a trap for us."

"Then what should we do?"

"We must wait till morning and have a group chat with the others. A very serious one, the more I think about this the more dangerous it is to travel within that city. If that raven has captured it in the name of Rosethrone he'll make the inhabitants eagerly turn on us the moment we arrive."

Luna knew this was true "Right."

Shooting Star now took his gaze off the city watching around the makeshift camp carefully. He still had an uneasy feeling about this too. He couldn't place his hoof on it but he felt as if Princess Rosethrone was out somewhere lurking inside this town waiting, that and it also felt as if it wasn't the true real Princess Rosethrone "We also have to be careful in this town too. It feels as if she's here, but yet not fully."

It didn't take Luna much time to realize where he was getting at "Are you saying she's sent a clone of some kind?!"

"Great minds think a like" Shooting Star said with a smile at her.

Princess Luna chuckled warmly but also quietly "It doesn't take much to think on this matter. It is quite possible Princess Rosethrone does have a cloning spell. Personally I wouldn't use it often but for a warrior Princess like Rosethrone it could benefit her a lot more than me."

Shooting Star was in a thoughtful state "If our distraction failed, she would want a part in stopping us even if it's a clone of her..."

"Sadly so"

Shooting Star scanned the area with Princess Luna following his gaze. This would continue till the shift was up. Once it was up Martin and Princess Chrysalis took over the watch. Like Shooting Star, Martin also sensed danger in the city now. He also sensed a deep darkness in this town most likely from Rosethrone somehow. Princess Chrysalis watches too not immediately sensing the danger but like Princess Luna she knew it was best to listen to the mouse warrior.

Morning rose in the town with no major developments. Just as promised, Shooting Star gathered his friends and allies all around in a circle to discuss their next move after hopefully finding Rockhoof. He waits till every creature had a light breakfast till making the discussion "Friends...I think it may do us good if we find an alternative route that will allow us to continue onward towards the Hypogriphs."

"Why?" Queen Evergreen asked.

Martin answered for Shooting Star "I don't know if Shooting Star sensed or felt it but when Princess Chrysalis and I took over for Shooting Star and Princess Luna, when I looked at the city it felt as if it was covered by darkness."

"Shooting Star sensed this too!" Princess Luna confirmed the Warrior Mouse's words.

"Does this what I think it means?" Queen Evergreen inquired.

Shooting Star shook his head yes "Sadly so ma'am. This raven Captain of Rosethrone is trying to outthink me trying to think on my next move...He possibly knew we had to cross into that city so what better off to capture this group when we have to go through the city. If we go through it like he expects us to do so...We'll be routed for sure."

"Then what should we be doing?" Princess Luna asked amazed that both Martin and Shooting Star were on the same page in understanding this now serious situation that they would soon be facing after meeting Rockhoof.

This even puzzled Princess Chrysalis "For once, Princess Luna has a point...if traveling through that city isn't a good option then what is?"

Martin answered "We have to match brains with this raven captain...We have to anticipate what he's going to try to do and counter it. Sense we know he and that second army has taken that city he'd be most likely be planning to ambush us from the inside...So going around the city would be our best option."

"Too bad we don't have moles" Shooting Star muttered "A good way to go around the city would be underground."

Star Swirl heard this "Well he may not be a mole but Rockhoof can dig, and he can dig well."

"He is an option" Shooting Star said "But still it may not be simple as fooling them from going underground...Besides I've already used that option to free Princess Luna and Princess Celestia...I'm sure Princess Rosethrone warned the raven captain of that experience."

"We Changelings could turn into anything inside that city" Queen Evergreen suggested "We should be able to make it out safe."

"We lost three Changelings to Princess Rosethrone that way mother" Princess Chrysalis reminded her "That Raven captain knows we Changelings are allied with Shooting Star and knows of our abilities."

Shooting Star thought harder crossing his hooves around his body this raven captain was indeed smart. Not one being to easily fool then he had an idea "Star Swirl, once we meet Rockhoof do you think Rockhoof could help me scout that city to see if there is an alternative way?"

"Yes, actually" Star Swirl said "And I could help too."

"Princess Luna and I could help too!" Princess Chrysalis offered "We could fly looking for an alternative root or a single place we could meet together."

"There's an idea!" Shooting Star said "You two should work together to do that. We need to be thinking of alternative plans that get us to the same place."

Princess Chrysalis raised her hoof up in a brief victory that Shooting Star seemed to phrase her. Even Queen Evergreen had to smile "Good suggestion."

Princess Luna held a sigh "If Shooting Star thinks that's a good idea then I'll see that I work alongside her."

"Try to keep out of sight" Shooting Star warned the two "Like use clouds as coverage so that we may try to fool this raven captain. We can't let him know of our intentions in going around the city just so he can figure out a plan to capture us off guard."

"Right" Princess Luna and Princess Chrysalis said.

Shooting Star turned to Ruff "If there's any rivers bypassing it you should look for the alternative way in it."

"You got it!" the otter admitted.

Shooting Star "Alright, that'll be our game plan looking for alternative roots after we've met Rockhoof."

Martin agreed with him "So let's meet this Roofhoof."

"Very well!" Star Swirl stated.

The unicorn took the group to meet a huge blue stallion. He seemed very musclar and had a shovel with him "Well, well, well if it isn't my friend Rockhoof!"

The blue stallion heard his name being called and turned towards Star Swirl "Star Swirl! Where have you been?"

Star Swirl answered "Oh, you can say trying to save Equestria from Princess Rosethrone!"

"So, that Alicorn Princess...Showed her true colors."

"Sadly so" Star Swirl said "And she's stronger than any of the two Princesses that's for sure" he stepped aside to allow Shooting Star to step up to meet him "However, we have hope here. This is Shooting Star, Warrior Pegasus from Salmandestron."

"The one that will defeat Princess Rosethrone as the prophecy says?"

"Yep"

Rockhoof stretched his hoof out to Shooting Star "It's a pleasure to meet somepony that was raised outside of Equestria. Especially a Warrior Pony, we don't get that here in Equestria too often."

"The pleasure of meeting you is all mine!" Shooting Star told him in return.

The two shook hooves with Rockhoof asking "So what brings you through this town?"

"The journey I must take to defeat Princess Rosethrone uniting the Equestrian tribes" Shooting Star answered him.

"Oh! How's it going so far?"

"He has the Changelings at least" Princess Luna answered.

"That's a good start!"

"Yeah but now we have a new problem" Shooting Star told him then he pointed to the city.

Rockhoof's cheerful face now turned into a frown "You have right to be wary about that city, I myself would never go inside it. I've seen ponies from this town walk into it, but I've seen very few return."

Princess Luna hid a gulp "Could they be ether ponynapped for random or enslaved?"

"It's a high possibility" Rockhoof answered.

Princess Luna gave Shooting Star a look of worry knowing that Princess Celestia would want ponies to be free. Shooting Star saw her look and grunted "The original plan was to bypass that city...However the knowledge there could be ponies captured and enslaved...Makes that decision to bypass it harder."

Martin agreed "As Warriors we are trusted to do what's right and liberate the slaves."

"Can we do that with these numbers?" Princess Luna inquired.

"I'm sure we could manage" Martin admitted "Good thing for us, cities aren't like castles."

Shooting Star had the idea "I got an idea mate! There's one way we're gonna do to save slaves and any kidnapped ponies."

"How?" Princess Luna inquired "That would require us to into that city?"

Shooting Star had the answer "We use our alternative routs to get into that city. With so many passage ways we can attack from it would be hard for the raven captain to adjust his forces accordingly."

"Perfect idea!" Martin admitted.

Shooting Star agreed with the mouse warrior "Indeed." he turned to Rockhoof "Martin and I can use your digging skills Rockhoof."

Rockhoof smiled "I like the way you think warrior, there should be no slaves in Equestria or ponynapped victims."

Shooting Star adjusted his bow and polished his hoof blades turning to Evergreen "Queen Evergreen ma'am tell the hive to prepare for battle. We'll leave shortly.

Shooting Star, Martin the Warrior and Rockhoof walked up with Shooting Star explaining the situation to Rockhoof "Our original plan was to bypass that city and get to the Hypogriphs...But we must save anypony that's kidnapped or enslaved so we're going to stick with that part of the plan but this time use it as a way to get into the city and start saving those that are kidnapped or enslaved...Is there any way you know inside of it?"

"Borrowing underground is the key" Rockhoof admitted "But who else is scouting?"

"We are" Princess Chrysalis said with Luna at her side "We're going to scout from the sky, looking for ways inside the city."

"And I'll be looking for a river that can allow me swift access into it" Ruff told Rockhoof.

"Good plan" Rockhoof said.

The group stood looking at the city. Princess Rosethone's clone heard everything and even though she was just inches away from capturing Rockhoof a single thought came into her mind. Sure the clones of Princess Rosethrone weren't that smart compared to the real one but even they could come up with a plan especially when combined with Darkwing. Instead of capturing Rockhoof she decided to head towards the city. Once in the city she met up with Darkwing whom immediately knew this was a clone of his Princess. The Princess's clone spoke "did you capture this city?"

"Indeed" Darkwing said bowing to the Princess's clone knowing this information was going to be delivered to the real one as well "We have captured the city in the dead of the night last night with little to no resistance."

"Good" Princess Rosethrone's clone spoke "I was just close in capturing Rockhoof in that village not too far from here, but I overheard Shooting Star wanting to bypass the city, only to want to free any pony ponynapped or enslaved here. So they are going to come right through here."

"Just as I thought they would have to" Darkwing admitted.

"But they are going to look for alternative roots Captain. Tell your forces to hide and wait."

"Of course" Darkwing said.

"I shall capture both Shooting Star, Princess Luna, Star Swirl and Rockhoof alive" The clone vowed.

Darkwing and the clone of Princess Rosethrone wait for the eventual attack.

end of chapter, looks like a rescue mission is about to go underway, can our heroes burst out any enslaved ponies or kidnapped ones? Things are heating up!