Gone caravanning

Tiberius stared darkly at the ghoul as it fell, he didn't care for how it died, so long as it died. "You have my thanks." He simply stated, directing it towards Happy Days and her miniguns, meanwhile he had heard the call for anypony needing something to fix them.

"I shall not be subtle about it, but I think I may be in the greatest need of something to fix me." He said, indicating towards the radiation burns and gash left by the horn. "You should be fine for a time, hyena. Your wounds are not too severe and one of those potions can be saved for a time of greater need." He then looked towards Happy Days once more. "May I use a couple of those potions?"

Sanctity stood up, his back covered in dirt and his cloak ruffled and crumpled. He groaned and rubbed his head slightly, a gesture which looked a little clumsy. He didn't feel too good after fighting those... Things. Whatever they were throwing around felt like it was going to kill him by draining him of energy more than anything else.

He declined to take a potion, instead opting to take the tab of PTM's he'd bought from Happy. Hopefully that'd keep him on top of his game until the effects of the glowy stuff wore off, the sense enhancing would help him track, as well. Dash would've worked too, but, Dash was special. He needed to save it for fighting.

Happy would end up hoofing over two of the potions to Tiberius while the third would be saved for later. The zebra greedily drank down the two potions, the healing effects working almost instantaneously as the gash began to close and some of the radiation burns started to fade. He wasn't fully healed but he was a damn site better then he was before.

Tune up was staying separate from the group. He was in the process of warping a zombie inflicted cut in bandages when swift sat down next to him. He took the pistol in his hooves and had a very curious look on his face. It was just jammed, anypony with a brain could clear a jam, well this was a diamond dog he was dealing with. In one swift motion he pulled back the slide, ejecting the offending bullet and dropped the near empty magazine from it, taking the liberty to load a fresh one figuring the dog would even have trouble with that. With out a word he set the gun down in front of swift and stood up, signaling to bone head that he was ready to move.

Once the rest of the group was ready they moved out, fallowing the trail that sanctity's PTM enhanced mind could pick out of landscape. Tracking the slaver caravan was foals play to the former raider. After hours of tracking, they finally found their prey. The sun was beginning to set and the group could see the fires of caravans camp for the night. Tune up glanced through his scope at the slavers before shaking his head at bones. The griffin understood. "Too wide open? I'll scout ahead to see if we have any other option. you stay here." The raid leader ordered before taking flight towards the slaver camp.

(OOC note: DO NOT TRY TO ENGAGE. you will insta-die. instead use this opportunity to socialize.)

Friendlies:
Swift: 167/201 HP
Tiberius: 210/235 HP
Bone head: 295/295 HP
Happy days: 200/200
Dogg: 215/235 HP
Sanctity: 177/204 HP (Is addicted to PTM's.)
Tune up: 200/205

Sanctity lay down as they reached their stop, taking the opportunity to rest his aching hooves. It'd also make him harder to spot, especially with his cloak blending his sillhouete into the ground, but he wasn't thinking about that. He didn't really feel tired tired, like he did after he took Dash. He just felt... worn, mentally. As if the brainpower he'd loaned from his body was being taken back now. He sighed softly, but otherwise stayed silent. As far as he was concerned, the less he spoke about this, the better.

Swift let out a low growl of pain as they started walking. During the entire trip she was walking at the end of the group feeling a bit wounded and sore from that recent fight. She felt her shoulder throbbing the entire time due to the new wound there and an old one from a caravan job a few weeks ago. Swift knew worse pain both physically and emotionally and when they got to the destination she say down with a sigh beside Dog and brought out a gecko steak for both of them and offered it to him.

Tiberius sat and looked at the rest of the group, the only ones who seemed up for talking would be the raiders, as the scout-pony was suffering some sort of tiredness and the dog was grumpy and eating.

"So, raiders... Why stoop below your already star-cursed races' standards and class yourselves as raiders? Clearly you have the firepower and a moderate enough discipline to be a mercenary group instead, yet you decide to be delinquents and devils of the modern society. I just don't see the point in it, of course being raiders means you more or less are at liberty to do what you want, but that means everything and it's mother want you dead for what you are." He promptly spoke, it wasn't as if he was trying to appeal to them, he was more trying to make them see that they've been stupid. And he had a tiny bit more to say.

"I see little tact in being known as raiders, as everywhere in equestria, they are things everypony is happy to murder without regret. Mercenaries works just as well, but with a lot less of a social stigma." He finished, now giving a questioning look to Tune, Happy and.... paritally at Dogg too.

Happy looked between her two companions, Tune up was occupied with keeping his scope trained on the slaver camp and dogg had a muzzle full of gecko meat. The earth pony mare decided to reply to the zebra. "You do have a point about raider tending to get shot at more often. But that usually just results in us getting more gear as the wasteland "heroes" always underestimate us." The Mare held a hoof up to her chin. "I've been pushing bone head to get our own title but he won't even consider it. At least not until he's done collec- " Happy was cut off when tune up shoved a hoof in her mouth and shook his head at her. "Oh yeah plans, can't tell you." She said once the pegasus removed his hoof.

Happy days trotted up to sanctity and sat down next to him. "So sanc, what made you come back? Did you get tired of that boring old civilian life? *Gasp* It will be just like old times, wait until razor finds out." The earth pony smiled and began to hug the unicorn a little too tightly.

Giving a sigh of... either pity or annoyance as he heard the explanation, moreso at the secret being kept. "So your leader is blindly debasing himself and others just because he's trying to collect something? Whilst I do not mean to offend you all, you are following a bird with a foalish drive. You could all group together and do whatever you wish, yet you allow him to lead you and wear such a title. Even killing ponies who just want to improve the world or die trying." Frowning with disapproval and standing up, Tiberius paused, thinking.

"No matter how I think about it, I am appalled by your unwillingness to follow your own desires in favour of following this griffon and his want to "collect" something." He concluded, looking off towards nothing specifically. "At least the legion shares their ideals. Even if the ways seem to be outdated by most things nowadays." Then muttering, Tiberius moved off to the side, sitting and watching towards the light of the slaver camp's fires.

Sanctity sighed, sounding almost sad as he looked at the exuberant earth pony. "Still staying a civillian, Happy. I just want to have a normal life." he said, looking over towards Bone Head for a moment "Only reason I'm here is to get him off my back.". He looked back at the floor and smiled a little "I'd ask you to come live with me, but I know you wouldn't want to live somewhere so-" his voice was cut off as she hugged him a little tighter "Can't-... Breathe-..." he warned, before gasping air in as she let go.

He looked over at the Zebra, who was attempting to understand why raiders did what they did. "Tib', don't know if you've ever tried to be a merc, but unless your a Talon, your guns ain't worth shit. Your gonna be spending more on ammo than your bringing in most days."

There was a pause then, as he looked at Happy, then down at the floor for a second, composing his thoughts. "And the reason they don't just scurry about on their own is because, well, to them, they're familly" he winced a little at that. "These ponies grew up around Raiders, hell, they were probably pulled from near death by them. And I don't know about you, but if someone who saved my life asked me to do something, I'd like to think I'd do it. S'called honor" His voice was calm, but carried a sombre tone to it. As the words left his mouth, he realised how much of a terrible pony he was. How could he have abandoned his family? The ponies who'd raised him? His eyes teared up for a second and he closed them.

"Uh, sorry, just the mintals. Never was good coming off these things." he said, trying to explain why his emotions were being thrown all over the place.

Tiberius listened to Sanctity as he explained his idea on why the raiders stayed as raiders instead of finding something better. And then he gave the excuse of them basically being family.

"Family? Honouring your family, I can understand. But when one foalish pony from your family ends up getting your family killed, are you supposed to continue honouring them?" He responded. "I have laid down my life for the Legate of the Remnants as well as the Fallen Caesar's will. But I can see how you would see one another as family. I have sacrificed everything I used to have for what you would refer to as "family" before. And now, for my sacrifice, I am cursed by the stars much like you ponies are."

As Sanctity apologized for his explanation and blamed it on the Mintals, Tiberius gave a meagre shrug. "You explained it in a more understandable manner than anypony else did. But do not go trusting the lives you may have saved without a pinch of wary suspicion. Betrayal leaves a sour taste in everything."

"But I simply lack any willingness to try and accept new ideas in the world, I am but a jaded old buck to say it simply."

Happy released sanctity when he found the task of obtaining oxygen difficult. "Sorry." She said before she stopped to listen to her old lay and the zebra converse. Finally after finishing the gecko swift supplied him with, dogg spoke up. "Zebra want know why dogg fallow bones. Bones alpha, bones father. Dogg gladly give life if it please hims." Before any confusion could be drawn from what the diamond dog said happy interjected. "Dogg was the runt in his pack and abandoned at a very early age. Bone head found him and raised him into the weapon he is now. It's what he does, he finds those that would have died on their own and molds us into something greater." The earth pony mare paused for a second before continuing. "If it wasn't for him i'd be dead right now. Hell everypony at the bone yard would be. And we're so much stronger now ask sanc." she turned to the unicorn. "You remember how rag tag our old group was, right. Just look at me now." She struck a pose to show off her mini guns and bone yard raider barding. Both of witch being new to the unicorn.

"Dogg owe bones everything." The giant k-9 said as he pulled a hatchet from his belt tossed it up a few times, catching it as it descended. Then without warning he chucked it at Tiberius, the blade embedding in the dirt just inched from the zebra's forehooves. Dogg chuckled a bit. "You can keep that since knife broke." He said before laying his head against a particularly comfy looking rock and closing his eyes.

Sanctity smiled briefly as Happy posed with her guns, before looking away. He didn't respond to her, half pretending not to have heard, half simply pretending not to understand what she was talking about. He didn't want anypony here figuring it out. That'd meet with worse results than Bone's simply leaking it out. He stayed silent as he waited for the conversation to die. He wanted to finish the job and go home. Nothing more.

Tiberius' attention went towards Dogg, he'd not exactly paid attention to this creature whilst they'd been on the move, no need to if the dog was destined to die at the beck and call of the griffon. He could have made a better soldier or body guard if he were a bit more intelligent.

But despite the good point being made, Tiberius still had a low opinion of the raiders. But he'd accept the hatchet, even if all he needed was his hooves if he wanted to bring somepony down. The joys of the Fallen Caesar style, immobilizing your opponent and then killing them, allowing them a moment of unseen panic as they realise they are doomed. Somewhat sadistic, yes, but otherwise it was a fierce style that could be used to keep several enemies at bay if needed.

Picking up the hatchet and balancing it on his hoof as if he was holding it with it, he gave a few testing twirls and swings with it. "It should be a sufficent replacement."

As conversation finally died in the group, the members where left with just their thoughts. The silence was only interrupted by the occasional snore that came from dogg. After a few more moments tune up stood from his snipers perch and whistled. Drawing everyone's attention to his leader's return.

Bone head flew high to the others before landing in almost the dead center of group, his wings kicking up some dust as he buffeted the air. "Alright everypony, I got good news and bad news." The griffin stated. "Bad news is the slavers have dipped into the weapon shipment to bolster their arms. A straight up assault on them will result in casualties. The good news is we have another option." Bone head reached down and picked up a stick and began to draw out a rough plan in the dirt. He drew an X that represented the slaver camp just off in the distance and then another X on the other side of some rocks that he laid out. "Alright this is the caravan." He said pointing to the first X. "And this is their destination." He pointed to the second X. "As you can see we have some hills separating the two. If they're as pressed for time as I think they are then they'll try to cut through the hills. We can set up an ambush and catch them off guard when they move out in the morning." He looked to swift and the now awake dogg. "You two can tunnel under the path and be a pair of living land mines, strike from below." Bone head then looked to tune up and sanctity. "Your a good shot killer, you and tune can snipe from the surrounding hills." He finally looked to Tiberius. "Me and you will be on punching duty. Half the weapons their using are useless in close quarters, Happy can take care of the other half." With his plan laid out the griffin dropped the stick and looked to the others. "Any questions."

Sanctity nodded and brought his gun off from where it laid on his barding. He didn't really understand the plan, but he got the gist. Ambush them. He slowly looked over the gun, almost thoughtfully, as he checked it for wear over their journey. He didn't want the Celestia damned thing jamming on him, as it was prone to.

He spoke quietly, not raising his eyes up to look at the griffon he was talking to as he did so. "When you thinking we want to hit them?" he asked.

Swift was shocked out of her painful memories at the shrill whistle of the pegasus. She looked over as she saw Bones fly back and land in the middle of them all. She gave a small smile hearing the plan pulling out her pistol, "I love digging." She was rather happy her memories were bringing out the side of her that would show no mercy and that might eat the poor suckers she killed.

Bone head turned to the dark unicorn. "I'd imagine they will move out at first light so we'll need the ambush ready before then." The griffin looked to the moon as it hung low in the sky still on its upward climb. "That leaves us a few hours to rest and set up camp. But not here, too exposed. We'll set up in the hills."

With a plan set, the group marched off into the hills where they found a dip in the hills near the path the slavers would be destine to travel. Here they could set up a small fire and camp without fear of discovery.

As bone and happy begin unpacking various supplies, dogg turned to swift and asked "Want help dig flame pits?" The supplies being unpack included a set of cooking pots and utensils, Gecko meat and pre-war packaged food, Three sleeping bags and a large tarp. Once the fire was built tune up would begin to cook the raw meat upon it.

Swift pulled her head out of her bag with a piece of gecko meat in her mouth. She snapped it up quickly and offered some to Dogg again "Sure, it should be fun to set the traps." She stood up looking over her gear was with her. "Let's go."

Sanctity watched as the griffon unpacked cooking utensils. He wouldn't have pegged Bone for the kind of guy who ate cooked... Well, anything. Seemed more like the 'My leftovers are over there, screaming in a pool of their own blood' kind of guy.

"So... Who's cooking?" he asked, knowing full well that Happy would volunteer him off the bat. He was the only one in their group who had learnt to cook things other than Dash, so he'd become quite good at it. Even if most of his recipes incorporated booze, with it either in the dish, or him drinking it. Sometimes both.

"I have a suggestion that would add to this plan." Tiberius started, waiting for attention. "This is mostly on the part of the dogs we have here, but perhaps if you can, try and dig so that if somepony is stepping on an area where you've been digging, their hooves will fall through. Granted, it will make mine and Bone Head's job a little trickier, but surely we should be fine if all our targets are distracted from trying not to fall in either."

Finishing his suggestion, Tiberius joined in the making of the camp, sitting himself down and calmly looking around. Sanctity's question reaching him, but receiving a meager shrug. "I would cook, but you'd be more likely to get a dress out of me than a good meal."

Tune up struck the flint against the metal bar and a small fire began to burn in the center of the groups camp. Just as sanctity suspected as soon as he asked who would be cooking happy smiled at him before tossing the bag of raw meat over to hims and saying, "Thanks for volunteering sweetie."

At Tiberius's suggestion bone would look to the zebra and add. "Well it will make your job tricky." He said as he flapped his wings to show his immunity to the potential problem. "Still it's a good idea. Dogg add it to your trap list." The griffin said to the diamond dog as he and swift made their way out of the camp.

Once The two dogs had made it to the path that the slavers would be traversing in the the morning dogg bent over and began to dig a pot hole before dropping a small orange disk into it and covering it up with the displaced dirt. "Dogg got this side. Can she dog set fire pits up on dat side?" He asked as he tossed her a pack filled with frag mines.

Swift smiled wide seeing how they planned to kill the little runts. She took the frag mines gently running over to the other side of the path and set about digging spots in about a star pattern moving along it gently placing the mine in and covering ti loosely. When it was all done she called over to Dogg "I'm done. Is it time to dig holes for ponies." Her tail was wagging fast at the thought of ponies falling into the holes to be killed later. She pulled another piece of smoked gecko out of her bag to munch on it slowly then looked down at the mines. She got an evil idea.

Swift ran around the mine field to go to the path up before the mines. She looked a the ground around it and put X's every so often in the ground with a smile. After making about five on each side she sat in the middle waiting for Dogg "I have an idea to enjoy pony meat Dogg."

Sanctity smiled and set about making a little fire for him to cook with, using a few of the less dirty implements to prepare what he hadn't. It wouldn't be much and given the proximity to the slaver camp, he had to make sure it didn't smell of much. So, he cooked a little stew, made with hundred year old stock and irradiated meats. By the standards of the wasteland, it was almost healthy, even if it didn't look like much.

He'd always found cooking to be a little therapeutic. Stirring something methodically whilst staring into the fire had always calmed him, even if he'd had to forget what he was cooking. Even here it helped take the edge off of his nerves, even if the lingering effects of PTM use made everything else razor sharp.

(Survival 59 to cook?)

Dogg's ears perked up at the mention of pony meat and the large diamond dog looked over to swift with a smile. "Ohh tell dogg, dogg want know."

As sanctity passed out bowls of wasteland stew to the others, tune up would take his bowl and fly up to an elevated position. Taking the job of first watch for the night. Bone and happy did not complain about the state in witch the food looked, raiders tend to eat whatever is available, no matter what negative effects it might have on them later. With the food dished out, happy would stare into the fire for a moment before asking. "Anypony know any good ghost stories?"

The Zebra's job would be tricky as it is, with ponies firing down onto the enemies he was going to throw himself into. But he had a simple solution to that, he was going to watch and memorize the placement of the traps.

And upon getting food, he would do as such, stood on his hind-hooves holding the bowl and occasionally tipping it to consume some of it's contents as he'd watch the mutts get to work with their traps.