- >Anon awoke for another glorious day
- >He was getting bored, thirsting for a battle to go off to
- >But there was none, Celestia was still keeping him locked up in Ponyville
- >But now, he had a purpose
- >Pipsqueak came over early in the morning, followed by two other, older ponies
- >They were his parents
- >They both looked at each other, at their son, and at Anon
- "Anon... We don't really like you training our son, but we can't stop him. If this is his life, then so be it. You're a... good warrior... So please teach him to be the very best."
- >The mother cried and the father helped her along as they walked away
- >Anon looked at Pipsqueak
- "What was that about?" He asked the young p0ny
- "Mom and Dad were scared about letting you teach me, they thought you were too dangerous and scary. But I convinced them."
- "Really?"
- "Yes, I told them how you're still alive, so you must be a great warrior!"
- >Anon nodded, that made pretty good sense
- >At any rate, it was time to train again
- >Anon threw Pipsqueak a wooden sword and they got to basic sparring again
- >This is how they would start off every day
- >Around an hour of sword play to begin
- >Later, Anon and Pipsqueak went on a short hike to boost their conditioning
- "Anon!" Pipsqueak said, panting
- "What?" Anon replied, not even winded
- "Why are we running! Warriors don't run!"
- "You're right. We chase!"
- >And with that, Anon smiled and ran into a sprint, forcing the young pony to double his efforts and run faster to avoid being left behind
- >Once they returned, they had a short lunch
- >Anon gave Pipsqueak some vegetables, as well as apples and berries
- >Pipsqueak looked appalled when Anon took out a piece of jerky and started to snap into it
- "Deal with it, Pipsqueak. You'll need to get used to it."
- >Pipsqueak ate in silence, trying to avoid looking at Anon tear into the meat
- >After they were both done, Anon got up and motioned for Pipsqueak to follow
- >Anon grabbed a bow and quiver from his cottage and started off into the woods
- "You'll need to conquer your squeamishness quickly. Let's do it today."
- >Pipsqueak gulped and hesitantly followed Anon into the woods
- >As they walked, Anon whispered almost constantly
- >In some ways, he was very giddy
- >Pipsqueak was his first student
- >Pipsqueak tried his best to listen to Anon go off about tracking and 'looking out for anything'
- >He just tried his best to keep up
- >Suddenly, they heard something move and Anon dropped down to his knees
- >Pipsqueak ducked down silently
- >All was quiet
- >As they sat in silence, a deer walked into view
- >It was a normal doe, looking around stupidly before grazing
- >Where was the rest of her family?
- >They came soon as well, but they were a bit farther off and between the trees
- >Anon very, very slowly reached back into the quiver and produced an arrow
- >He soundlessly notched the arrow and drew it back
- >His bow was ready and primed
- >He aimed
- >He exhaled
- >And let go
- >There was a soft twang as the arrow flew
- >The deer was struck in the chest, and fell over
- >The other deer ran away
- >Anon stood up and calmly walked over to the deer
- >Pipsqueak was a bit stunned, this display of senseless violence shook him.
- >Anon called him over, and he snapped out of it
- >Trotting up to the fallen deer, he noticed it was alive
- >It was looking around, frantically
- >Anon placed a foot on its chest so it couldn't get up
- >He then drew out a knife from his belt
- >He handed it to Pipsqueak
- "Slit its throat."
- >Pipsqueak stood, unmoving
- >He was so frozen, he couldn't hardly think
- >After a few seconds Anon shouted
- "Kill it! Finish it off! We are warriors, understand? We kill, but we do not let our prey suffer! Take its life, end its suffering."
- >Pipsqueak choked but got closer
- >He fumbled with the blade, hooves will do that
- >He managed to press it against the deer's neck
- >It made a soft noise
- >Pipsqueak was crying now
- >He couldn't do it
- "Do it."
- >He sliced the blade down and threw, cutting open the deer's neck
- >He watched as the deer died, its body quickly becoming limp
- >It was the most horrible thing he ever saw
- >Anon waited until it was dead and then bent down, and picked it up
- >He carried it over his shoulder and walked back to the cottage
- >Pipsqueak stood to the side, making sure not to look
- >Once they got to camp, Anon told Pipsqueak to go wash his face and clean up
- >Pipsqueak thought that was awfully nice of him
- >Anon did it to get the p0ny out of his hair for a while
- >He placed his catch on the table, quickly skinning and prepping the meat
- >Soon, he began to cook up the meat
- >The wonderful smell filled his nostrils
- >He put the pieces on a split-roast, turning them over the hot fire
- >Pipsqueak walked back up to the fire, smelled the smell, and then saw the meat turning
- >He turned around and vomited
- >Anon laughed at the p0ny's reaction
- "Be glad you have tons of food to eat, my friend! Back where I come from, you'd have to be the richest clan to not go hungry in the winter!"
- >Pipsqueak got a hold of himself and settled his stomach
- >Anon ate his hearty dinner
- >Pipsqueak waited
- >Once he was done, he invited the colt over
- >Pipsqueak was dubious but came
- "You'll need to eat something eventually, you are only as strong as your body."
- >He offered the young p0ny some food but it was rejected
- "I lost my appetite."
- >As the fire burned, Anon began a part of the warrior training that was just as important as the fighting and physical aspects
- >He began to speak about his tribe
- >For the first time since he got to Equestria, he was telling another about his history and past
- >It filled him with glee
- "...Really? That's where the first of the Ancestor came from? A frost spirit... mating with a bear?"
- "Well, it is just a story of course, but that's the way we feel in spirit!"
- >Pipsqueak and Anon laughed, their brotherly bonds growing
- >After they had laughed, Pipsqueak got quiet and spoke softly
- "Anon, what's with... the necklace."
- >Anon got serious as well, and coughed
- "We don't... talk about the necklace."
- "Why not?"
- >Anon shot the young p0ny a look, but he was not detoured
- "It's the most sacred heirloom of the clan. It is the link to our oldest fathers, it is our greatest possession."
- "What's so special about it?"
- "Each warrior only wears it once, when they become a man and when they die. It is said that when they die, their spirit joins their ancestors and brothers; and they lay in wait to help and guide the young of our clan."
- >Pipsqueak seemed confused still, but satisfied enough
- "That's enough talking for today." Anon said, getting up and dousing the flames of the fire.
- "Come back tomorrow, Pipsqueak, we'll start your training for real then."
- >Pipsqueak felt his battered bones and legs, and groaned but slowly walked out of the camp
- >Anon smiled, a little sadistically. He didn't really want to push the p0ny that much, but that's what they made him do, so he didn't want to let Pipsqueak off that easy.
- ==================
- >Anonymous of the Ancestor tribe had not been this happy in a long time
- >He had an apprentice now; his clan would live on
- >Maybe not by blood; but by heritage and tradition.
- >He eagerly awaited for Pipsqueak to come over to his cottage
- >In the meantime; he prepared a few things for his new trainee
- >By the time Pipsqueak came up the path, he was already waiting on a stump, grinning ear to ear
- >Pipsqueak saw him and smiled; even though his face had swelled up from yesterday
- "Hi Anon!"
- >He than ran towards his teacher, not watching where he was going
- >Suddenly, he felt his leg touch a string that had been stretched along where he was running; hidden by the grass
- >He felt the string rap around his lower leg and then pull him up in the air
- >A counterweight of rocks fell down to keep him up
- >Anon smiled and got up, and walked over to Pipsqueak
- "Ready for more combat training?" Anon said; drawing his stick with a sadistic smile
- >Pipsqueak looked at him, confused
- "Well if you put me down then we could-"
- >He was cut off as Anonymous smacked him across the side with the stick
- "Oww!"
- >Anonymous kept smacking with his wooden sword; though not nearly as hard as he could have
- >Eventually he let the blows get even weaker as he smacked the pony-pinata, barely putting any force into the strikes
- >He screamed for Pipsqueak to fight, to free himself, but with his clumsy hooves and short, squat body he could not get himself free
- >He could hardly even defend himself from the blows
- >Anonymous just got more and more frustrated before finally dropping the wooden weapon
- >He walked over and got his real sword
- >He strut back to Pipsqueak, who saw him coming with the metal blade
- >He suddenly panicked, desperately trying to get himself free
- >He actually started making some progress by the time Anon got there
- >Anon raised the blade and cut the rope holding him, having Pipsqueak fall to the ground with a painful thud.
- >Anon helped him up, and Pipsqueak moaned in pain, he had a whole new batch of bruises to consider, plus all of yesterdays!
- >Anonymous just muttered under his breath, obviously displeased and walked off
- >Pipsqueak followed, feeling ashamed.
- >They soon reached Anon's forge and outdoor workshop
- >Anon showed Pipsqueak how the forge worked, and how to heat and strike metal
- >Then, he thrust some tongs in Pipsqueak's awkward hooves and commanded him to make a knife
- "Are you kidding me?!"
- "A Warrior is only as strong as his blade."
- >Pipsqueak gulped
- >Pipsqueak looked down at the forge with his clumsy hooves
- >He had to make a knife? Really?
- >He looked up at Anonymous expecting help or guidance
- >Anon just pointed his head at the forge and told him to get going
- >Pipsqueak sweat profusely as he worked
- >He had heated the metal and struck it while it was hot
- >He had to bend his head each time he used the hammer, making the whole thing very tiring and painful
- >After a while though, the blade began to take shape
- >Then, after a few more strong hits, he dropped the blade in water and heard the sizzle
- >Soon, he used the tongs and brought out the metal, and kept going
- >Eventually, he stepped back from the sharpening stone with a sigh, the knife was finally complete.
- >It looked shitty, but it was definitely a knife
- >Anonymous walked over to examine his student's work
- >Anonymous took the knife gingerly from Pipsqueak's hooves
- >He stuck out a finger and tried to balance the blade from the handle to hilt
- >It wouldn't stay up
- "...It's unbalanced."
- >Pipsqueak blushed in embarrassment, he wasn't even thinking about that when he forged the blade
- >Then Anon tested the blade's sharpness, and found it to be uneven along its edge and tip.
- >Finally, he gripped the handle hard and out of nowhere stabbed a rock as hard as he could
- >The blade shattered into several pieces
- >Anonymous collected the pieces and threw them into a barrel full of metal for later forging
- "You will make another later. It is now getting late, so go home and rest."
- >Pipsqueak nodded his head sadly and left
- >As he walked, he began to reconsider his earlier choice about becoming a warrior
- >But he quickly shoved those thoughts from his mind; he realized he would never be a warrior if that was his mentality!
- >So he held his head high and strut on home, just happy to be a miserable failure of a warrior who will one day hopefully become a half-decent one.
- --------------------
- End Chapter 6