Freedom Unleashed (Many, See Inside)

[JetAlmeara]

Freedom Unleashed
This is a plot specific joint RP between She-ra of Etheria and myself.

The Good Guys


The Bad Guys


The Subject

 

[JetAlmeara]

"I still do not understand why you had to bring Mud along" Pirata groused as they traveled, her many faceted eyes squinting against the bright light of early morning. They had been traveling for a day now, leaving behind the security of her mountain so that she might visit a potential partner, an ally perhaps...or a future subject depending on how things went. It was always hard to tell for sure until she met them face to face. Oh they might sound quite perfect when described and flaunted by the little beasts they sent to offer terms of such a partnership...but all to often, upon meeting them, Pirata found that they were lacking. Suitable perhaps as spider food and little else. More then one such possible ally had ended up with such a fate.

None the less she had decided to meet this one face to face...and she had great hopes for him, her area of control had grown quite large, large enough that the lands would soon be hard to hold without an alliance or more minions to help keep an eyes on the boarders - if only reliable members of both those things were not so very hard to find. To pass the time and rid her mind of such bothersome thoughts PIrata turned her attention back to her companions, fixing her son with a ghastly stare before cooing at him in a fasly sweet voice"...Unless of course you desire to trade her off? Perhaps offer her as a gift...traveling food for my spiders?" She taunted the stallion, picking at him like a wolf picked at a bone.


Agave shifted uncomfortably under his mothers scrutiny though he attempted to keep from showing it as he paced along. "No mother..I have already told you why I brought her, she is by far the most placid of your slaves...and would it not enhance your image to be seen in control of such obedient slaves? Besides she is skilled in healing, if there is fighting you will be glad to have her.." The stallion repeated, not for the first time on this trip.

It was not a trip he had even wanted to make, indeed he would have been far more happy to remain back at the Mountain. But his mother had been watching him closely as of late, demanding his presence, nit picking every decision he made. Agave wasn't sure if she sensed his loyalty wavering - or if it was merely his status now as an adult which had her so defensive. In any case it was imperative that he continue acting the loyal son, doing as she wished, when she wish and how she wished...most especially when She-ra was present. He did not even look in her direction, the pale mare would be the death of him if she even suspected his heart to be wavering,

To ensure that neither of them suspected anything Agave gave a savage jerk on the line which connected him to Supreme "Move it Mud" He snarled at her, rounding to n** her shoulder smartly "Or you will become the spider food my mother suggests" He snapped before whirling around and jerking her forward once more. Surely his vicious actions would be enough to satisfy both of his companions.

Pirata sniffed, though inwardly pleased by the sight of such slavery she wasn't about to show her it outwardly, rather she turned her many eyes upon She-ra and stated in a bland and cruel tone "If he had such thoughts for my image..he might have washed the ugly creature."  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

Much like Pirata She-Ra did not see a reason to bring along the slave. Oh sure Agave's arguments made sense, their potential partner needed to see them as a strong force and bringing a slave that did whatever she was told no matter what as a good sign of their command over the land and it's inhabitants. Still there were others who would have also fit into the role of obedient slave. "We could have brought along Intas or Calini for that same purpose." She stated, though it wasn't directed at either of them. "They are both of the obedient nature." That and they were far more useful than Agave's mare was. Supreme could use herbs to heal use but slaves needed to do grunt work too and this mare did not have what it took for that, yet somehow she had managed to survive all this time. Likely thanks to Agave claiming her as his personal healer and slave. She would be keeping a closer eye on the slave and her student as well.

Her gaze turned back to look at Agave as he pulled the mare along. "I don't see her being needed as a healer today Agave, we do not save the lives of our enemies, we merely end them." If the partnership didn't work out today then blood would be shed but She-Ra did not see any of it being her own. She would take on an entire army if it meant seeing Pirata's reign over the land strengthen even more. "There is a half dried up lake not far from here, we can wash her there...or let her drown." She-Ra told Pirata with a crooked smile. "No, it's best to have the slave a bit dirty. We don't want them thinking we treat our slaves as well as we do our warriors."



This was by far her toughest assignment in a long time. With all the guards near the mountain and even well beyond it's border Camaria had to apply a great number of tactics to get close enough to gather the information Ironforge and the group would need. Soon she would need to return to them, tell them everything she had found so they could launch their rescue. It would not be an easy feat, this land was hard, to many eyes were about and things could go bad quickly if even one thing didn't go right. So she had remained here for much longer than she had originally planned. If she somehow missed a detail in her rush to get back then the whole plan would be blown.

It seemed like forever before she had enough information to go give her report. The mare, Supreme, was on the move accompanied by three others. Those three would need to be pushed back if the mare was to be rescued. Camaria waited for a long time before moving from her hiding spot. Because of the lighter color of her fur and the darker terrain she was it she had needed to cover herself in mud from head to hoof in order to better blend it. But it had worked as no one had come to stop her...yet. Carefully Camaria peeled herself away from her hiding spot. After a long walk, making sure to remain as hidden as possible she took to the sky, she would need to be careful where she flew for if the group saw her, or any of the guards it would not be good. Of course in the back of her mind she knew they had seen her and either simply believed her to be one of their many captives or were waiting to strike. Only time would tell. She would need to remain vigilant on the way back to Ironforge.  

[JetAlmeara]

Supreme was not a stupid mare - if she was then there was no way she would have survived as long as she had in her present company. Indeed she thanked every morning for her decision to take advantage of the unknown opportunity Pirata had given her in leaving her to raise Agave. If she had not worked so very hard to undermine the brainwashing done to the young colt by his superiors then she was certain she would have been tossed over one of the mountains cliffs long ago.

When Agave rounded on her she was not surprised - the green colt had expressed to her that he was worried, that he was under scrutiny of his mother and she knew that meant the stallion could ill afford to be seen being merciful or kind. She cowered like she was supposed to when he yelled, stumbled when he jerked on her line and did not entirely have to fake the cry of pain that escaped her mouth with his cruel n**. It stung and hurt...but it was better then being killed. Scurrying forward as though successfully bullied into moving faster she was smart enough to keep her mouth shut and her eyes down. Slaves in Pirata's regime did not speak unless spoken to first.

"Drowning would be my choice, but alas Agave does make a small point - for once his rather dull mind has managed to grasp onto a useful concept." Pirata told She-ra with a long suffering sigh and a small amount of amusement in her voice. It was no secret that Pirata considered her son to be a rather stupid creature. His only redeeming quality was his strength and that she intended to use until it failed. "But you are correct, a clean slave is a lazy one" She proclaimed with a slight nod of her head.

Huffing slightly but somewhat mollified by the mares increase in pace Pirata none the less picked up the pace some more until they were trotting rather then walking, let the slave stumble along, she was far weaker then the three of her superiors, having limited access to food and water in order to keep her docile. One had to amuse oneself somehow on dull trip's did they not?

"The bird stated it was a three days trip did he not?" She questioned She-ra. "I do not want to be away from my Mountain any longer then I have to be" Who knew what her minions would get up to without her there to direct them. Especially as she was bringing her more capable General with her.

Agave merely snorted at the remarks made by his mother and She-ra. Of course there were other slaves they could have brought - when you kept as many of them as Pirata did there were bound to be many who could fit any role. Well almost any role and to further throw suspicion off of the reason behind bringing her he comment in a bold voice "Well perhaps I brought her along for other things, of which Calini and Intas especially do not interest me." It was a disturbing thought to think and even a more disturbing thing for him to say - but he was the brash young son of an evil tyrant..it was pretty much assumed that he kept Supreme around for more then her healing abilities, even if it wasn't true - and despite Pirata's thoughts otherwise Agave wasn't stupid enough to protest what he knew was a useful excuse for summoning the brown mare at will.

"My spiders will have to eat soon" He spoke up as they increased their pace, knowing full well that Supreme couldn't keep it up for long and latching onto the excuse the arachnids gave him. His mothers spiders had recently lain eggs and upon hatching - for some unknown reason - a couple of them had latched onto him in much the same manner as his mothers followed her. It had pleased his mother to no end and so he made sure to dote on them whenever he was in her presence...even though all the little creatures did was remind her of the horror that was his dam.

Meanwhile in the Rescuers Camp....

Ironforge had brought his small force as close to the mountain as they could get, nearly a days journey separated them from its foreboding presence and even at that distance the rising grey cliffs were an ominous backdrop and reminder of why they had come.Patiently they had remained quietly hidden on the very edge of the mutant mare's territory. Camaria had gone ahead to scout for information and Ironforge was starting to worry.

Scouting could take time he knew but the winged mare had been gone a great deal longer then he had anticipated. Kale and Mercy were growing restless, sure that something had befallen the mare and yet Ironforge made them wait, held them back while he continued to watch the skies. Back home Zhevra was likely fretting - the young stallion had wanted to come along but Ironforge needed someone to stay with the herd, they couldn't all up and leave the herd defenseless, even for something such as this.

"Come on Camaria...you've never let me down before..." The stallion murmured to himself as he stood watch.  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

She-Ra glancing over at Agave and Supreme for a moment before returning her attention to Pirata. A smile cracked her mouth slightly. "I trained him well, he may follow our orders but he does prove himself to be more than just a follower now and then." Oh it was true Agave wasn't the smartest of the soldiers in Pirata's army but he was loyal to his mother and that was all that mattered. She told him to do something and he did it, no questions asked. The only time he ever seemed to show any resistance was when it involved his slave. She-Ra shook his head, the slave may have helped raise him but he was certainly a bit too over protective of the brown mare. A fatal flaw was to get attached to anything and Agave was beginning to show that flaw.

"Two if we push Mud." She-Ra told Pirata. Yes they had been told three days but she didn't want to be away any longer than Pirata did. "So if she can't keep a good pace the lake is a good option to dump her off at." And by that she meant drowning the mare, as Pirata had shown an interest in that earlier. Agave's comment made She-Ra's head swing around suddenly and the golden haired mare glared at her old student. "Don't be so stupid Agave. She is a slave, you would dare water down your blood just because you have a need for something? You are more daft that I thought." She-Ra snorted in disgust. "You don't see me with any slaves do you? No, because I know it isn't worth the time or effort. If you want to do that kind of thing find a mare with solid genes so you can give you mother more soldiers for her cause." Males, always thinking about the wrong thing. Mention of his spiders made her sigh and then glance over at Pirata. "There's not much out here for them to eat, but we can stop up the path and maybe find something for her." If there was any reason for the group to make an unscheduled stop it would surely be over the spiders, it would be the only reason Pirata would let them.

The group walked for some time longer before She-Ra came to a stop. As luck would have it, they chanced across a half eaten deer carcass. Her eyes shifted to Agave. "Have them eat, we won't be staying here long."

Camaria knew she was late, and it wasn't like her to ever be so. But the situation as it was had called for it and she was certain Ironforge would understand once she explained what had delayed her. A scout had saw her and so she had to rely on her instincts to help her out of the situation. Clearly she couldn't lead him back to the awaiting group that would only set off alarms. So she acted as though she was merely flying over the area heading elsewhere. The scout, who was a ground type, followed her until the edge of the mutant mares territory, watched her continue to fly off and then turned and headed back. It had forced Camaria to travel a large distance in the wrong direction but it had been the only option

Now she had doubled back, being extra careful to give the area a wide berth and found Ironforge pacing at the meeting area. Setting down near the shaggy stallion Camaria took a moment to catch her breath. "You owe me big for this one Ironforge. But we can discuss my payment later, we don't have much time." So Camaria began to explain where the group was, where she believed they were heading, describing the land, the various paths, the three that accompanied the mare and just about everything else she could tell them. "You won't be able to follow them, there are too many guards even out this far. Best to come from in front of them."

Looking up she noted a smile on Kale's lips. The stallion though usually serious was almost laughing at her. Then again she was covered in mud and her wings had crunched awkwardly when she had foled them along her sides. "Laugh all you want Kale, but you will need to do this too. That rainbow hide of yours will only be an advanced warning to them. Growth is too thin up there to hide you."

Kale was more that relieved when Camaria finally returned to them. She had been gone for so long he had begun to wonder if something happened to her. What would they had done if their spy had been captured? Well the rescue still would have needed to happen but they would have been going in blind. Though he had only met Camaria on two previous occasions he still wasn't sure about the mare, though if Ironforge trusted her than so would he. Of course when she starting laying out all the information she had gathered it was no wonder why Ironforge had picked her for the job. They had everything they needed to know and more. He was impressed.

He couldn't help but smile as the mud covered mare moved awkwardly, the dry mud making her wings crack as she moved them. But his smile quickly faded when she pointed out his one major flaw. His colorful hide did prove problematic and so he would need to do something about it. "I know." He told her with a now. There was a mud puddle only a short distance away. He could get himself covered but still be close enough to hear Ironforge's plan and give his input. Knowing they would need to move soon Kale shifted over to the mud and laid down, starting to cover his enormous bulk with the dark brown substance.  

[JetAlmeara]

"Well then push her we shall" Pirata stated with a vicious look on her face and a glare to her son, listening with some amusement as She-ra berated him for his poor decisions. Male's. They could never be counted on to think before they act - especially in matters concerning the opposite gender.

"A mothers pride can only last for so long it seems" She commented darkly after the exchange - it was only moments ago that she had been praising his point of view and now here he had gone and shoved his hoof in his mouth. Stupid colt. "There had better not be any sort of that talk once we get to the meetings" Pirata warned her son in a cold tone "You are merely here to look menacing and brutish...which as we know are your strong points, don't ruin its effect by opening your mouth and proving yourself the fool"

"Of course not mother..I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing" Agave assured his mother, he knew his place in her regime and he also knew better then to question it. If she wanted him to do the minion equivalent of 'stand here and look pretty' then he was willing to do so.

She-ra's comments however would have to be dealt with - she was his superior it was true but Agave also knew that if he did not stand up for himself at least once in a while he would be in even worse straights. He was supposed to be a thug after all and thugs did not let people needlessly push them around. "Foals are an easy thing to get rid of" Agave told the golden mare in a cruel tone. "A good kick at the right time and there won't be anything to worry about" It was a sickening thing to say - Agave gut even twisted at the though of it and yet he uttered it with depraved conviction because it wasn't just his life that rode on the lie.

It was a hard tightrope to walk, on one hand he had to give them a plausible reason why he wanted to keep her around - something that did not denote actually caring for her and yet he couldn't let them believe she was a potential liability to his future. The entire ordeal often made his head pound, but he couldn't simply let his mother and She-ra kill Supreme..what would Aquitaine think if he did that.

Aquitaine..he shouldn't be thinking of her right now. It was to dangerous to let his mind get distracted like that.

"Well you've certainly taught him to be cruel enough" Pirata commented in a pleased tone after listening to her son - there were not many out there willing to kill off their own foals. In any case as long as the wretched spawn were never allowed to come into being then she wasn't going to stop things. If nothing else the mare gave her something to work with...threaten the mare..keep her son in line. It was a good deal as far as she was concerned. Surely he would find another pretty young mare to give his attentions to soon enough and then she could do away with Mud.

As they came up to the carcass Pirata cooed lovingly at both her spiders and her sons. "Go and eat my sweets, fill your bellies while you have the chance!" She told them sweetly. "Take care of your spiders my son and they will take care of you" She told Agave in a purring voice as the creatures descended to eat.

Supreme's stomach churned as they stopped - bad enough the line of conversation that had been taken up lately, but to follow that with the sound of the spiders feeding on a rotten carcass? It was enough to make her want to wretch.

At least she could solace in the fact that Agave's comments were all lies - she knew that - even if they were difficult to hear, even if a part of her was disgusted by him for saying it. That had always been the case though hadn't it? As much as she was glad to have Agave's protective presence she could not say that, he did not, in many ways sicken her. It was a strange way to feel about someone, and perhaps inside herself she was a little bit sickened by herself for using him as she had, she had grasped onto him when given the chance, taking a small foal and tainting him slowly - oh it could be argued that she had only shown him what all foals should have - but it certainly couldn't be said that she had made his life easier. No in getting her revenge upon Pirata and She-ra, in finding a way to keep herself alive...she had put his life in danger.

Lowering her head in a weariness that was not completely faked Supreme took advantage of the stop to rest.


*****************************************************************************************

Ironforge was relieved when Camaria made her appearance, although he had been assuring Kale and Mercy that she was the best of her ilk and would be fine he had none the less been worried about her. "I know, you will be well compensated...to the best of my ability to do so" Ironforge promised the mare. It was a dangerous task he had set before her and the information she lay out to them all was beyond value...but he would certainly attempt to get her whatever she wanted for her help.

"If we are to get in front of them we will need to travel fast" Ironforge remarked, mentally considering the terrain information that Camaria had provided them with. "Following the old stream bed might be our best bet..it will get us close and keep us out of sight for the most part" He finally decided "One we are ahead of them we will need to scout out a location for our ambush..you mentioned a rock formation...perhaps that will work" He decided with a decisive nod of his head while Kale covered himself with the same muck as Camaria had on her.

"I am sorry to ask you Camaria..you've certainly done enough to earn your fee already..but if you could, I would appreciate your continued help. Three on three leaves us short of someone to spirit away the mare in the chaos" He would decide who would take on who once he saw the enemy in person, Camaria's descriptions were good but Ironforge always liked to make that sort of decision once he saw the enemy face to face.

Mercy was a strange mixture of excited and nervous, she had healed completely from her run in with the Kalona mare some time ago and after that experiences put a great deal more effort into her training. Enough it seemed that she had been brought along on this mission. A rescue mission - the likes of which Knights were supposed to do all the time. It would be her first taste of a true mission and she was determined to prove herself to both of her mentors.

Despite her nerves and her excitement however Mercy couldn't help but comment on Kale as he rolled around in the mud "Gee Master Kale..isn't cleanliness one of the Knight tenant's your supposed to follow?" She asked him with a wide insipid look on her face. Thank everything that her own pale brown coat matched fairly well with the dull tones of the landscape they were following. Sure her pink stood out a bit but it couldn't be enough to need covering now could it? Nah..she'd be fine.  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

She-Ra ignored the remained of the conversation regarding Agave's other activities with his slave. Males always let females distract them from things, and it was a weakness she would need to get out of him if he was to truly serve his mother. Agave was young and so while he nonchalantly explained that he would easily kill any foals that may result from the tryst she wanted to get him past this as quickly as possible. Any time he wasted with the mud colored mare was taking away from the time and things he needed to do to keep and expand his mothers empire. It would be something she would need to deal with after this trip, for right now the important thing was meeting with this potential partner and either working out terms with him or starting a new fight.

Standing guard as the group stopped to rest She-Ra remained vigilant. They may still be within Pirata's territory but that was no reason to let ones guard down. She knew some guards weren't as reliable as others, so she was looking out for any wayward intruders or guards slacking off in their duties. She was Pirata's General and the guards needed to know who was in charge, if She-Ra found one not doing what he was supposed to be then there would be hell to pay. She glanced over to watch Pirata's spiders dutifully crawl over to the carcass and begin to feast. She knew the group wouldn't move again until Pirata was satisfied that all the spiders had fed well, and with Agave's being so young they may be here longer than she had hoped for in order to see them get their fill.

------

Camaria cast Ironforge a small smile. "I know you will." Of all her previous employers she trusted Ironforge to pay up when the job was more than they had expected and she had never been let down in that yet. She watched with slight amusement as the rainbow stallion got busy covering himself in the mud. It was an unpleasant thing and she really looked forward to getting it off. It smelled terrible, hinting at something rotting within the mud, but then again this whole area held a similar smell. Giving her head a shake she ignored those thoughts to concentrate on the conversation at hand.

"That rock formation is your best bet. No other place along the trail that has enough cover to hide all three of you. As long as the wind doesn't shift you should be able to hold the element of surprise." Ironforge's next words made her smile fade slightly. "I had a feeling you'd ask me that. Tack on some hazard pay to my payment and we have a deal. I'll hang back near the climb of brush just down the trail from the rock formation. Once you three have the guards fully distracted I'll come get the mare. If I show myself too soon I might be unable to get to her without fighting as well." She would fight if need be, but this assignment was already more than she would normally agree to so she wanted to keep things as smooth as possible.

Satisfied that his entire bulk was covered in the smelly, sticky mud Kale got to his feel, feeling the mud clung awkwardly to his frame as he moved. With a slight snort Kale looked over at Mercy. "Only when the situation calls for it. Even Knight's tenants must be bent or broken at times and this was one of them." He knew she was teasing him, but the seriousness of the situation made he not joke back. Plus she had to kow that even though they insisted that she follow the rules at every turn there were times when one had to step outside their restriction to get the job done, especially if it meant saving someones life.

"Let's get moving." He said, knowing that Ironforge wouldn't want to waste any time either. If they spent too much time planning the group would make it past the ambush point before they even got there and then what would they do. "Remember Mercy," he said before they got moving, "let Ironforge and myself take the lead. And if anything gets out of control call out for help. Being a hero is often times a group effort."  

[JetAlmeara]

With She-ra standing guard Pirata circled the carcass, whispering endearments and encouragement to the spiders as they fed - especially Agave's young hatchlings. When she noted that her son was ignoring the spiders she stamped her hoof and gave him a foul look "Neglect leads to ill control...keep ignoring the beasts and they might well decide to sink their fangs into you next" She chastised him.

While Pirata was not one to condone attachments often - it was worthwhile when the attachment gave something back - like the spider's venom, it had changed her..had clearly passed on into her son and it was useful tool when used to force cooperation...almost all of Pirata's troops had felt the bite when they mis-behaved. Even She-ra, as a foal, had gotten her fair share. "Or..perhaps it will be your lovely Mud they choose to devour..." She added, turning her head to gaze at the slave with a soft cackle.

Satisfied that her spiders were fine for the moment she made her way to She-ra's side. The mare was always vigilant and yet "Do you sense something amiss?"

Agave sighed as his mother became irritated with him yet again - it seemed that no matter which way he turned lately he was doing nothing but earning her ire. Pirata and She-ra both. It could only continue for so long he knew before the situation came to a head, then he would either have to submit to whatever punishment they choose to dole out or fight to defend himself. Agave wasn't entirely sure which outcome his mother wanted more - on one hand it was clear she wanted a malleable minion and thug, on the other some small part of him couldn't help but hope that she would want him to fight and prove himself worth more then a simple brute. Did not every parent want such things from their children? Honestly..he didn't know.

"They listen just fine, they are being fed, that is all they desire at the moment" Agave told his mother. Really he saw no need to dote on the arachnids like she did - as long as they were fed and taken care of the creatures seemed perfectly willing to listen to him...it was only his mother who seemed to think they liked being suffocated with her endearments.He even, with a bit of effort, managed to ignore her cut towards Surpeme. Any sort of reaction he knew would only instigate her further.

Supreme on the other hand couldn't help the icy cold shiver of fear that jolted down her spine at the mention of being bitten by the spiders - she had seen countless slaves punished in such a manner, the bite's were always painful, swelling and smelling, with an angry discharge for many days. Some of the slaves had even had hallucinations, some had fallen to fits and died.

She herself had only been bitten once - but that had been enough to keep her from wanting to repeat the experience. Still she knew better then to protest or beg...to do so would only make Pirata desire to do it more.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Done" Ironforge agreed to Camaria's request knowing full well that it would likely mean a great deal of work to get her what she wanted. No matter - there was a life at stake and Ironforge was willing to pay in order to save that life. A small part of him however did grieve the loss of his previous abilities to offer near limitless payments on a whim. It was certainly harder now..but at least he knew that his efforts were being made for the right reasons and he supposed that in the end that made the extra work worthwhile.

Turning away from the spy as Kale finished camouflaging himself, Ironforge looked over his small force - Kale and Mercy were the only two fighters he had and Mercy, while she had certainly made great strides in the last little while, was still in training. This was not going to be an easy task. "Take heart in knowing we don't have to assault the mountain itself" He told them with a wry look "But also in the fact that we are working on the side of good and despite how it may appear...the light will always beat back the dark in the end"

Trotting towards the head of the group Ironforge glanced at Mercy as he passed "Listen to your Master's advice" He warned her before picking up the pace. Moving through the trees and into the small stream bed they would use as cover to take over their enemies at a good clip. They would need to travel swiftly if they were going to catch them while there was still daylight - and while night might promise them a bit more cover, Ironforge did not want to be fighting in this strange land after dark unless he had to.

Mercy nodded slightly, her previous excitement somewhat subdued when Kale did not joke back - although she had found him almost insufferable at first she had grown to respect both him and Ironforge a great deal after her incident with the halfbreed Kalona. Kale had saved her and Ironforge had assured her that there truly had been nothing she could have done to help the mare.

Both of them had made sure she healed well and properly, slowly increasing her training and activity until she had come back stronger then she was at the start. Training had become more then an annoyance to Mercy, but something that actually meant a great deal to her. If she wanted to help others then she had to be capable enough to do so...she couldn't rely on Kale and Ironforge to come to her rescue all the time forever. "Yes Master" She assured Kale with a dip of her head, adding an agreeable nod to Ironforge as he passed by before taking up her place in line behind Kale as they started off.  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

With her attention on the area around them She-Ra waited for the spiders to finish eating. The beats, while annoying at times, were extremely important. They were tools of torment, authority and just plain creepy to most others. She had lost track of the number of times the arachnids had bit her over the time she had been with Pirata, certainly those bites had decreased with time but they had been unpleasant in the beginning. It had taught her important lessons though, ones she would never forget and so she put up with the beats and their delays. As Pirata came up to her side the golden haired mare pulled her attention away from surveying the lands. "It's quiet." She told her mentor. Oh there was little activity in this area, so some quiet was to be expected, but this quiet was different. Was there a guard sleeping instead of patrolling? She would damned well find out.

Pushing that thought aside, She-Ra glanced back at the carcass. It seemed the spiders had finished, some were crawling back towards Pirata while others went to Agave. "Let's move." She told the group, Pirata may be the leader but She-Ra was second in command and unlike Agave she did not just follow, she led as well. "We have a lot of ground to cover before nightfall." She began at a quick pace, they had rested longer than she had wanted to due to the younger spiders and so they had time to make up. The trail was relatively smooth in this area so the slave should be able to keep up without much trouble. And if she began to fall behind, well then She-Ra would take care of her and they would go on without their token slave in tow. Honestly their prospective partner didn't need to see an obedient slave, especially if it meant them arriving late.

---------

Camaria waited for the final bits of the plan to be figured out and for Kale to cover himself with mud. As Ironforge set them into motion Camaria felt to the back of the pack. She would keep a watchout from here until they reached the spot where she would hide and wait. The pace was quick but they needed to hurry, as the group she had been watching earlier had been keeping up a steady pace as well. They would likely just have enough time to get into their hiding spots before the group came to the rock formation. The dry mud on her hide itched like crazy but Camaria knew well how to ignore distractions while on a job, once they were out though her first priority would be finding some water and washing this stuff off.

As they followed the riverbed Camaria kept her eyes open for any guards looping around behind them. She had had a close call earlier and didn't want the group exposed before they needed to be. But luck was on their side and they made it to where she could hide without trouble. "Good luck." She told the trio and then settled into the scraggly brush to hide and wait for their distraction to take place. Once she was certain it was time to move she would rush to the mare, and escort her out as quickly as possible. When all was said and done they would all meet up where they had previously discussed, then Camaria could work out just what Ironforge owed her for this extra special assignment.

"You'll do fine." He said in a quiet but confident tone to Mercy. Even since the attack from that half Kalona mare Mercy had put a lot more effort into her training. It had been slow going while she was still recovering from her injuries but he had definitely seen a change in the young mare, and so had Ironforge. Their disappointment in her had turned to something positive. While she still had a long way to go in training Kale could now see that Mercy may very well have what it takes to become a knight. Like Ironforge had said before, Mercy had strength of heart and while she may not be a knight like they would she would be a knight in her own way. Kale could only hope that her improvement continued and that there we no set backs because of this mission. If she were to be injured again then her training would be delayed once more. Kale would need to keep an eye on her in case she were to get in over her head.

Kale nodded to Camaria as the mare broke off from the ground to wait in her designated spot. As the trio neared the rock formation Kale slowed down to walk beside Mercy for a moment. "Calm and careful. Think before acting." He whispered to her. If she kept her head about her then things should be fine. Once at the rock formation they worked quickly to find the best hiding spots. Mercy was easy to hide as her small frame was easily covered by some jutting out rocks. Kale, with his massive bulky frame, had to stand awkwardly in order to remain hidden, though he felt confident that the mud covering his hide helped him to blend in. Now all they had to do was wait. Though the are here was fairly rocky enough dirt was about to tell Kale by a quick glance that they had made it here on time. There were no hoof prints headed along the path.

Ears perked as he began to hear the first sounds of the group approaching. Kale kept his breath steady, looking over at where Mercy was hiding for just a moment before turning his gaze back to the trail and their incoming foes.  

[JetAlmeara]

Pirata's ears flicked as the mare mentioned the quiet, her many eyes glinting as she looked around for any signs of trouble - but like the golden mare she could see nothing obviously amiss and 'quiet' was not quite enough to make her worry. Who would be foolish enough to attack her with the escorts she had with her? As far as she knew there was no one within a two days march capable of worrying her - oh there had been some nebulous reports of a 'Knight' a few days run from her Mountain but Pirata was not going to fret over unsubstantiated reports.

Turning back to her spiders as they crawled back to their various perches she nuzzled them each in greeting, cooing while they drummed their spidery legs on her muzzle in response. In order to torment Agave and perhaps push him just a little bit more Pirata snatched up Mud's rope before he had the chance, viciously jerking her head sideways as she yanked her into line. "Come along Mud..if Agave cares so little for his pets then I doubt he'll care for you either....but I will" She finished in a silky sweet voice, reaching out as though to nuzzle the mare, only to snap teeth in her face instead before dragging her along at a swift pace to catch up to She-ra who had already started moving.


Supreme was caught off guard when Pirata snatched up her rope before agave could and for a brief moment she was nearly paralyzed with fear. Had the blue mare decided that she had had enough of letting Agave get what what he wanted...but no although she cowered back from the snapping teeth and stumbled at the jerk Supreme was more then glad to see that Pirata was - as normal - just trying to rile the stallion up. Still this did not bode well for her and she had to truly concentrate on keeping up as Pirata pulled her forward. To trip and fall now - and Pirata was doing everything she could to see that happen as she periodically jerked on the rope - would mean that the spider mare would almost certainly call She-ra to do away with her.


Agave too was caught off guard as his mother decided to snatch up Supreme's rope, his opened his mouth as though to protest but quickly snapped it shut again. To argue or protest would just prove to her that he cared about the mare's welfare - and that wouldn't do any of them any good.

No. It was better if he just ignored it.

And so rather then say anything or even acknowledge that he had noticed the change Agave simply started off after the group, taking his place as rear guard and letting his eyes busy themselves with watching the surrounding landscapes. As they passed by a bush he slowed slightly, peering into the scrawny trees...had he seen something? No..nothing moved and with the group getting ahead he certainly didn't have time to go and check it out. Turning his attention back to the group he put on a quick burst of speed to catch up.

The pace Ironforge set for the group was grueling but thankfully Mercy had put enough effort into her training lately that she was in decent shape and as such had little trouble keeping up. It wasn't until they neared the rock formation that her heart started to pound within her chest and that she knew was more from nerves then from being out of shape. As though seeming to sense her growing unease Kale dropped back to speak with her and she gave the mud covered stallion a grateful look. "I know Master Kale, Don't worry..I won't let you down" She promised the stallion.

There wasn't much time between their arrival and the suspected arrival of the enemy and as such little time for any more conversation. Ironforge and Kale had both discussed and agreed upon her hiding spot quickly, settling her in well before heading off to their own locations. A quick glance at Kale proved him hard to make out..and a little uncomfortable look as well..of Ironforge there was no sign although Mercy was sure that the stallion was somewhere. Likely somewhere high. Where he could get a good look at the approaching enemy. Silently she waited along with the other's, each anxious breath sounding like thunder to her ears.


Mercy would have been right in her assessment of Ironforge's location, the stallion had indeed worked his way up the rock formation to a place where the shadows and his grey pelt blended well and offered him a good view of the surrounding land. It wasn't to much longer before he had seen what he had been hoping to see. Carefully he backed through the shadows and worked his way back down the back of the formation.

"Three of them and the slave - as Camaria said, the blue mare holding the slave seems to be the leader but she does not move with a fighters stride..Mercy you will take her, Kale the large green brute..I shall take the armored mare. Let them pass through and we will take them behind." He whispered to his comrades before moving back into the shadows without waiting for them to agree. He already knew that they would, both of them would trust his assessment of the approaching party.

He stilled as the voices approached.. eyes focused on the shadows of the approaching group as they lengthened before them. The scuffs of their quickly traveling hooves sounded louder then they truly were in the silence as Ironforge and the group waited. Before long the party was directly in front of them..now they just had to wait...and let them pass through. Ironforge held his breath, willing the alert armored mare to continue onward. While the blue mare was the leader in status it was obvious that it was the armored mare who was choosing the path.  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

In a rare moment of relaxation She-Ra looked over at Pirata witha half smile on. "I do believe you are getting soft Pirata, reclaiming a broken slave because of your sons inability to take care of it." The comment was more to jab Agave than poke fun at Pirata, which she was certain the spider mare would pick up on. She-Ra wasn't one to joke around often, and when she did there was always an undertone to her jokes, making it clear that while the words seemed lighthearted they were anything but. And to prove that point she added. "Or have you taken up my offer to drown her before we reach the end?" There was a hopeful lilt in the mares voice in that question. She saw little use in slaves, yes they had their advantages but She-Ra preferred to do things for herself because she was damned well certain any slave would mess things up if left to a task.

She had heard Agave fall behind, what was the bloody brute doing. By the time she swung her head around she could see him hurrying to catch up. He must have been distracted by a thought, spirits know the stallion couldn't walk and think at the same time without tripped over himself. A solid soldier he may be but in any other situation Agave was practically useless.

She-Ra came to an abrupt stop, head snapping up, eyes scanning, nostrils flared. Something was amiss. She was certain of it now. The earlier quiet had been the precursor to whatever they were approaching now. Her gaze traveled along the length of the path ahead of them, scanning the sides. At the moment she couldn't see anything other than the dark brown and grey mess that was the land they lived on, but she could feel it in her soul that something was off. "Agave." She said in a quiet but stern voice and then motioned with her head to swing wide to the left. Her gaze turned to Pirata. "Keep tight hold on that leash." Surely the spider mare would listen, though she may not like the mud colored slave she also wasn't about to let her run off at any time. With a nod she began to walk slowly forward, coming into the shadows created by a large rock outcropped. Slowly they emerged from the other end of it but She-Ra was still alert, not willing to ignore her feeling that something wasn't quite right here. Now, it just seemed far too quiet.

Camaria watched as the trio made their way down further along the small path to where the rock formation would provide them with the shelter they needed to set a trap. This was certainly not part of her normal job description, she went in, she spied, she got out and delivered her information, that's where it ended. But Ironforge was a friend and a long time employer of her skills and that was the only reason she had agreed to this dangerous part of an assignment.

When the green monstrosity that accompanied the brown mare stopped and looked towards he bush she was hiding in Camaria snapped her eyes shut. She couldn't take the change of him seeing her peering out from the thin foliage. Holding her breath Camaria listened for any signs that the stallion might be approaching as her heart did it's best to try to explore in her chest. The pounding heartbeat nearly made her deaf as the seconds ticked by. But then she heard the stallion run off. A bit hesitantly she opened her eyes to see the green beast hurry after the others who had gotten ahead of him. Thank goodness he hadn't seen her or the whole rescue would have been blown to bits and they would have had to resort to plan B and Ironforge hadn't discussed that plan. She remained still as she watched the group make progress towards the rock formation but there was one small problem, it seemed the golden haired mare sensed something as she stopped and then slowly continued forward.

Ironforge returned to tell them his quick assessment of the situation. Kale nodded as the shaggy stallion told him of his target: green brute. Though he would certainly keep his eyes and ears open for the blue mare that Mercy would be taking on. Kale controlled his breathing to remain calm and quiet as they waited for the group to get into ambush position. It was not easy with the way he had to stand to hide his bulk, but a Knight mist do whatever was necessary to save the day and so he would suffer the twist in his back as the waited.

He heard them closer now, but then their hooves came to a stop. Had they been spotted? A voice drifted to him but he couldn't quite make out the words, they were too quiet but one thing was for certain the voice belonged to one of the females. After several long agonizing seconds he heard them moving again. His eyes ticked to Mercy's hiding spot for just a second before concentrating back on the path before him. It felt like an eternity waiting for the group to make it's way through the tunnel like rock formation. The golden haired mare came into view first, Ironforge's target, she was clearly on alert, her movements steady but she was not relaxed in the slightest. Next came the blue mare with the brown mare in tow. Mercy's target and the one they needed to rescue. First things first, she would need to let go of that rope before Camaria could come in. He watched the three mares slowly move past him and his hidden companions. But a sickening realization sunk in. The green stallion was no where to be seen. Kale ears twisted trying to listen for the stallions approach, he wanted to have the jump on the stallion but if he moved too soon their cover would be blown before Ironforge and Mercy could make their move and single out their targets. Damn.  

[JetAlmeara]

"I think I will have you drown her" Pirata responded to She-ra "If Agave cannot take care of his pets then he should not have them - and I certainly don't have the time to watch after yet another slave" She told the other mare in a tone of voice which mimicked that of a tolerant parent laying down the law..although they both knew that such a tone was certainly a lie. Pirata was never tolerant...not unless it served some purpose.

She made sure to issue the comment when Agave had caught back up to them and by the look she gave him well..there wouldn't be any arguing with her about it either. Yes..Pirata truly did intend to drown the mare.

When She-ra came to an abrupt halt Pirata tense, her many eyes swinging over the landscape, she could see nothing amiss but then she wasn't the battle hardened warrior that She-ra was either. Pirata was the brains of the operation, not one of it's fighters. If She-ra was worried enough to stop and proceed with caution then Pirata was going to let her do her job. Snarling she took a closer hold of the brown mare - she might be wanting to drown her but she wasn't about to let her escape her fate. Where would the fun be in that? Keeping the line tight Pirata forced the brown mare to follow after She-ra in a slow walk under the rocks. When they made it to the other side without incident the blue mare relaxed just a little bit.

Agave caught up with the others in time to hear Pirata little remark - before he could formulate a comment that might change her mind or give Supreme a fighting chance..or even decide exactly what he was going to do about it all, She-ra was calling his name and motioning for him to swing wide around the formation.

Eased by something that he was at least good at, Agave put the problem of Supreme out of his mind - he could deal with that later. Right now he could loose himself in the militaristic maneuvers that were nearly second nature to him. Rather then pass under the rocks with the others, Agave swung left, working his way slowly around the formation to spot any ambushes that might be waiting for them.

Supreme began to breath heavily as she realized that Pirata had at long last decided to do away with her - there was no doubting the tone in the mare's voices, that look in her eyes. She meant to kill her, to drown her in some muddy lake where she might never be found....

She tried to wist her head and find Agave, to plead with him to save her somehow with her gaze, but before she had the chance something happened and she only found herself jerk closer to the blue mare, held tight and forced along. Her breathing grew raspy in panic and anxiety though she forced herself to try and control it. She wouldn't be able to try and make an escape if Pirata took note of her panic..likely the blue mare would simply have her killed on the spot instead. Pirata would never willingly give up the chance to cause suffering.

Ironforge watched as the party passed underneath him, the armored mare had stopped briefly, clearly she was suspicious about something. But she continued through regardless...not before sending the green stallion around to the side however. Ironforge cursed under his breath - Kale and Mercy would not know where he had gone and moving to soon or too late could undo the entire plan. Carefully he peeled himself away from the shadows and watched the green stallion below him as he made his way around...if he continued on this path he would run almost straight into Mercy on the other side.

The pale mare was doing well in her training but Ironforge knew she would be no match for the spiked green beast below him. There was only one thing to do then...give the creature something to chase. Plans had to be adaptable, Ironforge knew this, had learned it the hard way many years before...and it was time for this plan to adapt.

Working his way along the rocks Ironforge got ahead of the cautious green stallion and then with a mighty leap shoved himself off the rock to land a good distance in front of the green stallion, without waiting he took off, a shaggy white rabbit to lure the green stallion past Mercy and straight to Kale. The armored mare would be in that direction too..Ironforge would just have to trust that Kale could get the green's attention off of him so that he wouldn't wind up fighting two at once. Although it wouldn't be the first time for that either.

Rounding the corner he gave a bellowing war cry to let warn Kale, his hooves kicked rocks in Mercy's direction as he flew past and the shaggy stallion hoped that would be enough to keep her down for a few moments more, the last thing he needed was her popping out between him and the green stallion.

Knowing that his war cry would also have alerted the armored mare Ironforge let his gaze sweep over the area, spotting her almost instantly and adjusting his charge in her direction.

Agave was startled when the white shaggy stallion suddenly landed nearly right in front of him. before he could gather himself to attack however the beast was off - and running straight towards She-ra and his mother. "Incoming!" The green stallion bellowed to warn his comrades even as he gave chase, unaware that the fleeing beast before him was merely drawing him in.

Something was wrong, she knew it, she could feel it...something wasn't right, she could tell as she watched Kale twist his ears and nervously she held her breath on the verge of leaping up...and then a shout rang out to the side of her and moments later Ironforge's shaggy pelt flew past, he was in trouble! Right behind him she thought she saw the form of another - the missing green stallion, it had to be!

The rocks showering her hiding place from Ironforge's flight however kept her in place for a few minutes longer and by that time the green stallion had flashed past her as well. Jumping to her feet Mercy nimbly dashed out of her hiding spot, searching for the blue mare she was supposed to be taking care of.

There! Without further waiting the pale mare lowered her horn and charged.  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

The uneasy feeling was still there, yet nothing had popped out to explain it. Damn she hated when things were like this. She-Ra was used to being in control, and walking blindly into...something was far from being in control. Still she wasn't about to stand here and wait to see what happened, they still had a destination to reach. And who knows, it could just be a patrol having gone awol that was giving her this funny feeling. She often knew when patrols slacked off, then she would have to hunt them down and beat them into submission once more. While they were far from the mountain patrols did regularly come around this area. Though judging by the quiet that had been the first unsettling sign She-Ra knew there were no patrols anywhere near them.

It all went to hell instantly. The war cry and Agave's announcement of intruders. The patrol should have caught that! Now she knew for a fact that a patrol had slacked off but now was not the time to hunt down the wayward guard. They were under attack in their own turf and she was not able to stand by idly and let it happen. It took only a few short seconds to assess the situation. Agave was chasing a shaggy stallion that seemed to be leading him right towards the group. Then another stallion covered in mud made his appearance from within the rock formation. "Agave kill him!" She shouted the command at her underling and expected him to listen even though he was currently chasing down another target. She-Ra raced forward, aiming right for the shaggy beast that had spoiled their trip. Her own war cry matched his earlier one as she came towards him, fire in his eyes. How dare they come into this territory! How dare they attack Pirata! She skidded and reared up as she came upon the shaggy stallion golden hooves flashing in the sun as she kicked out at the stallions side, neck arching, teeth aimed to take hold of his neck. In the corner of her eyes she saw a third attacker coming towards Pirata, but she could not make a move to protect her mentor, her focus was on the grey stallion and Pirata would just need to hold her own until she could get back over there.

The war cry pierced through the air and then she heard the call of intruders. From her vantage point she couldn't see if the ambush had gone off as planned or not. But now was the time to move. Peeling herself away from the brush Camaria raced down towards the path that would lead them to the two groups. She would need to make sure all combatants were fully engaged before completely rushing in. She ran along the top of the rock formation, following the sounds of a starting fight. Her eyes swept over the scene. It was just beginning, she couldn't run into the fray yet, but she began to move closer, wanting to be in a prime position to swoop in and get the mare out when the opportunity presented itself.

Damn. Kale was cursing mentally that things were not working out. The green stallion wasn't with the mares. Still he continued to remain where he was listening, watching and waiting. He could hear another set of hooves move, was it the stallion. He slowly craned his neck but his hiding spot blocked most of his view from the surrounding area. All he knew is that those hoof beats did not belong to the mares. Then he heard Ironforge's war cry. Their cover was blown, though at least it had been somewhat on their terms. The word intruder cut through the air and Kale wasted no time getting out of his hiding spot. No sense in remaining hidden when the mares would know that someone was around.

As he came out he saw the three mares in a group, the golden haired mare was turning around. In that moment he saw Ironforge race out towards her, the green stallion hot in pursuit. Kale let out his own battle cry and angled towards the green stallion, his muscled hind legs powering him forward in great ground eating strides. Ironforge needed the stallion off of him to take on the leader mare and that was Kale's top priority. He saw Mercy move as well, aiming for the blue mare. If he could position himself and the green stallion just right he would be able to keep an eye on his student.

Coming around from the side Kale surged forward, his narrowed eyes trained on the green beast. His head lowered Kale rammed into the green stallion, taking care to avoid that spiked back as much as possible. This would certainly get the beasts attention and hopefully turn it toward Kale. Though a quick mental assessment of his enemy told him this would be no ordinary fight. The spikes on the stallions back as well as legs meant a lot of his normal attack options were out unless he wanted to risk extra and unnecessary injury. He would do what he could, the important thing was getting the mare out and then retreating with as little injury to their group as possible. But he could not and would not hold back. Teeth bared Kale aimed for the back of the stallions neck as he crashed into the green brute.  

[JetAlmeara]

When the strangers appeared and the fighting erupted all around them Supreme saw a brief moment of opportunity. Screaming in feigned terror - as any lowly slave would surely do when faced with such a situation - Supreme reared back, jerking her head from side to side in an attempt to make Pirata release her.

The mare had as good as labeled her with the death penalty and she certainly wasn't about to stand meekly by and loose this chance. What was the worse that could happen? She could die? No longer much of a hinderance now was it?

"Stupid Slave!" Pirata snarled as Mud took the chance the chaos gave to thrash about in a panic. Digging in her heels Pirata attempted to hang on to the mare, at least in her weakened state the brown mare did not offer too much in the way of brute strength and she was able to withstand the thrashing jerks fairly well.

Until she noted out of the corner of her eye a pale form, a pale form with a razor sharp horn headed straight towards her. Pirata was keen to keep hold of the slave but she was not keen on being stabbed and so thinking quickly she jerked the slave forward and then darted behind her like a fleshy shield. "Kill the slave for me then trespasser, blood your horn with innocence and watch your heart grow black like mine" She taunted the pale mare, half hoping that the alicorn would indeed kill Mud, how delicious would that be?

Supreme was not surprised when Pirata retreated to use her as a shield, the spider mare was hardly the fighter her companions were. That lack of surprise however did not save her from the current predicament however and she tried in vain to get out of the alicorn's way before Pirata's taunts came true. Wouldn't it just be her luck to be killed in an ambush by a stranger instead of her tormentors? Whomever was in control of her life certainly had a strange sense of humor. Snorting she continued to try and break free but now cried out a plea to the alicorn as well "Please don't kill me!" She begged "I'm not with them!, I'm just a slave, they are going to kill me!"

Mercy's ear flattened as she charged, her eyes focused on her target even though her swiveling ears could hear the clash of bodies from the other two fights. She wanted to check on Ironforge and Kale, wanted to make sure they were doing alright..but that sort of distraction could be deadly and the blue mare, while not a fighter proved to be tricky and cunning when she changed tactics to dart behind the slave.

Digging in her heels Mercy was forced to abandon her charge for fear of hurting the very Soquili they had come to save, coming to a jerky stop just short of the brown mares shoulder. "Never" She told the mare who taunted her "I'll never be like you" She stated, the conviction in her voice running deep as she peered over the slaves shoulder at the strange mare. It was only now that she was really looking at her that Mercy noticed just how very strange she was..so many eyes and..were those spiders crawling over her? An involuntary shudder ran through her at the sight. But then the brown mare was speaking and Mercy gave her a quick reassuring look "I'm Mercy! I'm here to rescue you!" She assured the brown mare, never letting her eyes leave Pirata as she tried feinted to one side to try and draw the blue mare out

Agave's attention was focused on the fleeing form before him, he didn't see the mare hidden in the overhang until she appeared behind him and by then another stallion had made an appearance and She-ra was screaming at him to kill the newcomer. Slowing only slightly he started to turn and face the mud colored stallion but found the beast already almost upon him. With no time to fully avoid the charge Agave instead sought to reduce it's impact, lowering his head and putting his shoulder into the blow. The other stallion had the strong and sturdy legs of a draft breed - that was fine Agave had fought them before, all to often his spikes leveled the playing field in that situation, it was hard for them to use weight to their advantage unless they wanted to impale themselves in the process.

Of course that did not apply to these first charge's, those always hurt and this one was no exception, although he dug in his heels and minimized the impact as best he could the blow was still staggering and Agave stumbled as he tried to keep his balance, shoulder bruised and battered..but still working.
Training had prepared him for this sort of thing however and certainly the green stallion was no slouch, recovering quickly he countered his opponents strike at the back of his neck by slamming his head upwards towards the others gaping maw, hoping the that spikes in his hair would impale the others jaw..or failing that the impact alone would break it.

Ironforge had a moment in order to be grateful that his forced alteration to the plan had worked, he saw from the corner of his eyes Kale engaging the green stallion and while he could not see Mercy he had to assume that she would be dealing with the blue mare.

He could ill afford to turn and actually look however as the armored mare was already racing to meet him, Her initial strike was well aimed, but Ironforge had momentum on his side and rather then slow and rear as she did, the shaggy stallion nimbly moved sideways, unexpected agility gained by his cloven hooves.As he passed by he lowered his head and savagely swung his horns towards her ribs with the intention of breaking them or at the very least knocking the wind out of her. By her attacks he assumed she was used to fighting those not on par with her...well, today she would not be so lucky. It was not until he was past her that he slowed, skidding to a stop and whirling, once more calling on the agility of his cloven hooves to maneuver faster then his bulk would seemingly allow. This fight would not be an easy one - he could tell that already, the mare, though lovely to look at was muscled and confident - someone who, like him, trained extensively for combat.  

[She-Ra of Etheria]

When the shaggy stallion so nimbly avoided her initial strike with her hooves She-Ra was both angry and thankful for it. Finally she found herself up against a worthy opponent. Far too often the Soquili she engaged in combat either ran away as soon as they saw her coming or were such poor fighters she could defeat them with closed eyes and using only her front hooves. But this stallion knew how to avoid her initial attack, and that meant for once she would feel the true glory of battle. Pushing off with her hind legs She-Ra twisted her body, but the stallion had proved to be faster than she had initially expected and a grunt escaped her as his curved horns hit their mark, though thanks to her quick movements it saved her from receiving any broken ribs. Still she would certainly feel that in the morning. With the first blow landing on her She-Ra was now more determined that ever to be the victor of this fight.

In the time it took her to land and turn around the stallion had already came around on her again. His cloven hooves may give him the advantage of agility but she was on her own turf and knew every inch of it and how to use it to her advantage. She raced forward to meet him, only this time she didn't slow down. Her left leg kicked out at him chest, neck arched she swung her head around aiming to use her head piece as a weapon, her teeth were snapped out as well, aiming to take told of his neck while her head aimed for him. Of course getting hold of his flesh would prove difficult with such a shaggy coat but she was not able to let that stop her from using her teeth. She made sure that she remained moving, a moving target was harder to hit than a stationary one.

Camaria watched as the six combatants paired off into one on one battles. Her wings were poised to take off and swoop in at any moment. But there was one small problem, the blue mare still had a hold on their rescue target. If the mare didn't release her soon Camaria would need to get far more involved in this rescue than she had already agreed to. While she waited to see what would unfold Camaria kept her attention on the area around her, swinging her gaze constantly between the battle below her and the surrounding area. Who knew if the sound of fighting would attract more minions or if a patrol might happen upon them. They couldn't afford to have anyone else join in as their numbers were already stretched out as is. She would fight if she had to, but then her job of secreting away the brown mare would be in jeopardy as would the mares intended freedom.

As he came crashing into the green stallion Kale noted his enemy had time to shift his weight so most of the blow was absorbed by his shoulder. But the important thing was he had taken the green brutes attention away from Ironforge. Kale saw the slight shift in his opponents body and began to rear up, to avoid the full extent of the blow. He was quite a bit larger than the other stallion, of course Kale was huge compared to most Soquili so that had it's advantages and disadvantages when it came to fighting. His bulk was not easy for the enemy to push around, but even with all his training Kale knew he was not as fast as the smaller stallions around him. And that disadvantage was showing itself right now. Hot white pain streaked across his cheek and jaw as the spines protruding from the green stallions mane ripped into the tender flesh. At least he had avoided the full blow or he would be in far worse shape. He continued up, jerking his head away from those spikes. They would prove to be his true nemesis in this fight. Take away the spikes and they would be on equal ground.

Kale's massive hooves came out, one aimed for the shoulder he had impacted earlier in their initial crash and the other at the stallions neck and chest. His teeth came down as well, aiming for the green brutes face.