My Little Pony: Sleeping Giant

Chapter 8: Never Forget

I returned back to Singvogel, knowing that Princess Luna is in good hooves with the Empress. I came back to the aftermath of a battle, there were wounded being tended to by Nurse-Griffons. Some closed the eyes for the dead. Tears were shed by mothers, and loved ones. I soon saw Grayling. He smiled warmly as I gave him a hug, nuzzle, and a kiss.

"The Ponies tried to catch us napping, but we pushed them back," he explained to me, his voice tired from battle. I felt like I should have been in action. Grayling could see the shame in my brown eyes as he touched my cheek with a gentle taloned paw, "do not feel that way, you completed your mission, we completed ours...as for losses, it is just war"

"I know, I know war, you have to live with the fact that not everypony's coming home alive" I replied, understanding my husband's words, he nodded, and I helped tend to the wounded. A griffon had been shot in the wing, and was being held down. He was screaming for the pain to end. I helped hold down his wing "easy now, easy!" I pleaded to him.

"Alright, Keen Eye, be ready with the bandage when I count to three, one...two...three-!" said the Nurse-Griffon as she used tweezers to pluck out the .30-06 bullet, and I was ready with the bandage as a bit of blood spurted in my muzzle, and another Nurse-Griffon came with the alcohol-wipe to help clean the wound. The wounded soldier-griff relaxed

I was handed a wet towel to wipe off the blood, "Danke," I said to the Nurse-Griffon. The wounded soldier smiled warmly, and thankfully to me with a nod. I smiled in the same manner, and nodded back. I know that in this war that I have allies around me, not just my husband, who would do the same for me. Out in the Fountain Square, I saw a civilian

It was a female griffon, dressed in a white bonnet and a long skirted black Dirndl with a light blue apron. She was crying over the body of a loved one, most likely her husband. A soldier-griff went up to her, and put a gentle paw on her wing, "Miss, it is time, we need to take him," said the soldier, the griffon looked at him, and back to her dead husband

"Not without me," she said, and took the pistol that was on the ground, and immediately shot herself in the head. I lightly gasped as I saw a red splash against the cobblestone streets, and the dead wife laying over her husband. Her yellow beak was slightly agape, and her eyes were open. The soldier-griffon took off his helmet in respect to her decision

"Are you alright?" asked Grayling quietly

"It's just...," I started, but couldn't finish

My eyes welled with tears seeing what I just saw unfold. The soldier put back on his helmet, and called for two stretchers. The soldier was helped first. When the wife was put on a stretcher, I saw her deadpan eyes look at me with a trickle of blood from the side of her beak. That look on her face seemed to say: 'don't judge me'. I wouldn't dare judge her

I cried harder than I ever had since I was a filly. I felt my flanks wiggled as I hugged him, and I buried my face into Grayling. He put his taloned paws around me as he seemed to understand what happened. I sniffled, and used a handkerchief that Grayling offered to me to wipe my tears, "Is there anything I can do to help you?" he asked quietly to me.

I shook my head lightly, and looked back up to him, "Just hold me," I said quietly with a stutter. That night, we did not make love. Grayling hugged me from behind as we both laid on our sides. Even though Grayling was doing his best to comfort me, I couldn't sleep. It was the look in the wife's eyes that was haunting me. The light of a new day arrived

Grayling looked to me with concern in his eyes, "I'll be fine," I half-truthed, I feel like what I saw that night may stick with me until the end of the war, whenever that will come. Grayling's paw stroked off my flanks as I got up, and looked out at the window at a new day in the Griffon Kingdom. In the shower, Grayling embraced me in the soothing waters

As he and I dried off and put on our uniforms and gear, I heard the sound of marching hooves and the creaking sound of tank tracks. Yet they were not Equestrian Ponies, these were Pony-Soldiers of the Imperial Army of Uma. The Griffons were battered, but not broken, "The Empress sends her regards," said the one-eyed friend of mine, Sakura Breeze

"As does our Queen," said another friend of mine from Chefal, Wilhelmina De Faucon. I was back in my uniform as I saluted them both, and they saluted back. She brought her reinforcements as well which included tanks. We stared at each other. Neither of us could hold back our joy, and laughter even as soldiers as I embraced them as sisters-in-arms

"We are proud to call you our allies, and proud to fight alongside you," said Sakura Breeze, those Griffon-Soldiers still fit to fight and some of the wounded went out to meet and greet their allies, "you should thank Princess Ghislaine and your husband, they helped to organize these reinforcements," she said, I looked to see the princess, and my Grayling.

I got a smile, and wink from my husband. Princess Ghislaine smiled warmly, and nodded. The soldiers all chuckled as I pounced on my husband, and peppered his face and beak with kisses. I can't help it. Then again, it's the love of a 'War Wife'. The soldiers were all settling in, and the tanks were running patrols. Hear this Celestia: 'You will not break us'