226. The Battle of Five-ish Armies, Part 11 [Bonny]

Team Canine Crushers (Bonny)

We survey the Centaurian Outriders from above as they prepare to make their next move. Six Third Tiers, and two high-Rankers... Things are taking a turn for the worse. They have more than enough monster-power to sway this battle in favor of either side. Have they truly thrown in their lot with the Canines? No, that doesn't quite make sense; the wolves aren't acting like they have any idea of what's happening.

"It seems some entrepreneurial opportunists found out about the war going on. This could be troublesome," Gabby frowns and adjusts her spectacles. 

"T-t-troublesome?!? Aren't we in for a seriously bad time?" I'm struggling not to have a panic attack as our situation becomes more desperate by the second. The others are not faring well in our absence.

Moka looks from the Centaurians to Gabby to me and back, her head tilting askew as she questions, "Are they strong?"

As if in answer, all six equine monsters launch forward into a gallop.

"Alright girls, Rainbow Bridge Cavalry formation! Charge!" their leader, the Unicorn, shouts with domineering confidence as her companions fall in line. 

The Outriders skirt around the duel between Suka and the Wolf Lord without issue. Actually, Moonbow takes a potshot at the duelists, but a phantasmal wolf snatches the arrow from the air at the border of the arena. That proves to everyone that interference in Pack business won't be tolerated. Instead, these Equines are aiming for the Harpy/Broomstick/Wolf melee! 

"Why not wait for the fights to finish before attacking?" Moka wonders aloud. 

Gabby twiddles her wand in contemplation before replying, "Look at their Minions. They want to capture as many of us alive as possible. That's why they supported the wolves; they'll prevent one side from attaining victory while getting us to weaken each other before swooping in to seize control for themselves. Still, they're lacking in numbers to dominate a small regional war such as this. Where does their confidence come from?"

"For Centauria! For Queen Solaris!!!" the Unicorn calls at the top of her lungs while Dark Magic gathers in her palms. Is that a quill and parchment I see her holding? I blink, and a blinding light descends from the sky. 

A rainbow, an honest to God Beast rainbow, touches down behind the charging equines like a lightning strike. Its bright! Too bright to look at directly. I can't see a thing!

When my vision returns, the rainbow is gone. In its place, moving in two rows of six, are twelve terrifying monsters. 

Book of Monsters Entry – Centaurian Cataphract: Equine monster. 3rd Tier, Superior Rank, Rank-Promoted. The heavy cavalry of a powerful Equine monster. Originally an imposing Centaur Warrior, this Equine has been inducted into the sisterhood of an advanced monster society. Selected for their Talent specialty and outfitted by their allies, a unit of Cataphracts becomes incredibly dangerous by covering for each other’s weaknesses and fortifying their comrades’ strengths. Mono-sex species, hermaphroditic. Their equipment loadout is variable and deadly.

""FOR CENTAURIA! FOR QUEEN SOLARIS!!!"" a thunder of voices answers the Unicorn's call.

Then eighteen Third Tier equine monsters charge onto the battlefield, and I think I might've peed myself a little. There's a glimmer of hope, though. Six of the Cataphracts and the original six Outriders split off almost immediately. It seems they're heading for Alex's side of the war. Actually, I guess that's bad for our allies, isn't it?

Along the way, the Outriders fire their arrows into the different melees. I fear this is the end for my friends, but these arrows are aimed at the damn wolves this time! "They really are trying to whittle down both sides," I mumble to myself.

First is the scene of the Alpha Bitch about to overpower and crush our Mer friends. The enormous canine monster towers over Ariella's subordinates as they crawl on the ground like worms without their bubble of seawater. Kani is flipped on her back, and only the shark monster girl can even stand. Lunging jaws clash against a bronze shaft as the brave Triton drags herself to the fore and defends her group. 

Then several arrows sprout on the Alpha Bitch's rump, causing her to yelp in pain. What!?! Aren't the promoted Wolves supposed to be super tough? Ah, but these aren't mere splinters of wood carved by human hand. Each arrow was summoned by a Third Tier monster's ability; Gabby previously explained to me that, even if they aren't made of a special material, their substance is still essentially solidified magic. It's enough for partial penetration of the Wolves' Toughness. The Bitch then rears back from the spilled Mermaid quintet while looking about for the source of her pain.

Ariella takes this opportunity to jab her trident into the Bitch's throat. She coils her piscine lower body on the dry ground, wincing at the uncomfortable friction, and springs upward. Her aim is true, though her penetration is worse than the arrows. The Trident is designed to anchor itself in the flesh of the enemy, though, and it gives her a solid grip to hold off the Bitch as the big wolf turns back to snap at her again.

Behind the Lady of the Cove, her shark companion pushes at the crab's bulk in an attempt to flip the crustacean upright. The clam and squid girls are hard at work gathering liquid to restock their water bubble.

More arrows sprinkle across the Beta, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, and Night Howler's backs, giving the others on our side some reprieve from the canine onslaught. 

Meanwhile, the six remaining Cataphracts close in on the Harpy/Broomstick/Wolf battle. Each Centaurian warrior is clad in a dress of scale mail armor over an underlayer of body-hugging chain mail. Helmets cover their faces, gauntlets protect their hands, and they each wield a heavy shield in their off-hand. They ride side-to-side so close their shields are equally protecting their neighbor, almost interlocking in a unified front. 

The line of wolves that notices the oncoming wall of moving metal nearly shits themselves. They've never encountered the like on a battlefield before, and it's severely impacting their morale. While the Centaurs aren't any larger than the horse-sized Dire Wolves, all that armor and momentum have transformed the charge into an unstoppable force, and the canines know it. 

A dozen wolves scatter, hoping to circle around for a more advantageous angle. These canine monsters have already been peppered with arrows and are in no shape to take the charge head-on. However, this leaves the next row of wolves completely unprepared. 

Six Centaurian Cataphracts hit the melee like a plow tilling the soil. Dire Wolves are thrown bodily into the air with a plethora of broken bones along with Broomstick soldiers reduced to splinters as the Centaurs penetrate the center of the battle. Once there, the Cataphracts break ranks and lay into the surrounding monsters with maces. One of their number stays in the center of the formation and draws a leather flogger instead.

This central Centaur begins whipping the fallen Harpies with an intense fervor. I have no idea what her deal is until the first Harpy transforms. He shrinks by a third while leather creeps across his body, forming straps that dangle from his torso like insectoid feelers as a hood covers his face. This Hooded Falcon Harpy soon rises into the air with the arrow removed from his wing and his wounds bound up tight. 

A second and third follow the first Falcon in rapid succession.

Other Cataphracts switch to floggers even as I watch. The wolves at their hooves are weak from combat or outright broken and ripe for the taking. It seems these canine monsters can't resist the foreign magic of the floggers at all, as it takes no more than one or two strikes to effect the change. 

Chained Wolves rise at the beck and call of their new equine Mistresses. They each sport spiked leather collars anchoring long, metallic chains that act like prehensile tentacles. Their mouths are caged with muzzles that let them snap and snarl, but not bite.

These new canine and avian subordinates turn instantly on their brothers and sisters, aiming to capture, bind, and hold their former allies for the Cataphracts to come and convert them. It's like watching an infection spread. I'm quivering to my core as the battlefield transforms before our eyes. Our forces are about to be overwhelmed by a wave of subjugated monsters! 

Gabby gives an angry click of her tongue. "I doubt that magic would work as well on fresh monsters with their Leader in sight. They waited until we took the Wolf Lord out of the fight to strike, and our best combatants are scattered. This isn't good."

I have a personal perspective on the subordinate bond, as that describes my relationship with Mistress Gabby. It's not 'mind control,' I'm certain. However, it is a powerful connection that feels stronger than the familial ties that bind me to the Warren. I know my loyalty lies with the burgeoning Coven, not Matron Lois, or even Mistress Cottontail—though a lesser connection ties me to the leader of the Warren as well. My powers and development are tied to Gabby. The... intimacy we shared in creating the Bond, the tug in my gut that leads me to where she is, and the blossoming desire in me to find more monsters to add to the Coven are strong motivators. The Dire Wolves and Harpies are only lesser members of primitive monster communities; it shouldn't be surprising that they'd change sides so easily when presented with the opportunity to join the ranks of an advanced monster society. Just looking at the Cataphracts tells the story of their impressive background and benefactress. How can I shame them for wanting to be on the winning side in a game of life and death?

As my Witchy Mistress ponders where we can strike to best affect the outcome of the war, we're taken by surprise. A Hooded Falcon Harpy stoops down on us from above. Her sharp talons scrabble at the Fairy Bubble spell, startling us. At the same time, a number of arrows strike the shield from our blindside. 

The Bubble shatters like glass, and Gabby twists to conjure a blast of defensive Air Magic that throws the next few arrows off course. That leaves Moka and me scrambling to protect ourselves from the Falcon as those talons land on the orbiting gravel of a Persistent Earth Magic spell. My Dust Bunny companion throws out a cloud of obscuring powder to no avail; the hooded enemy is already blind, and we're too close for me to detonate an explosion. 

Instead, I copy my Mistress, projecting a lower-Tier gust of Air Magic to blow away the feathery Falcon. I manage to disperse the dust cloud, revealing that the enemy Harpy is nowhere to be seen! Looking about, I notice too late as leather straps wrap around Moka and yank her off the flying broomstick—the Falcon circled behind us when we lost track of her. This is bad!

"Nice going, Kiki! Now, bring her here—it looks like I'm finally getting a new belly rider!" It's the white-haired Pegasus from before. She must've seen us and split off from the other Outriders. 

"Damn it," Gabby curses as she steers us away from the airborne threat.

"Wait, we're not going after Moka?" I ask as a sinking feeling settles in my stomach. 

The Witch shakes her head with steel in her eyes, "Our best chance to retake control of this battle is to finish off the Alpha Bitch while she's on the back foot. We're on the clock with the Cataphracts on the verge of converting two armies to their side."

My mind races. While my loyalty is to the Coven, now, Moka is a Rodent kin like me. We're not from the same Warren, but I can't in good conscience leave her to whatever horrible fate the Centaurians have in store for a little bunny. "W-what will Suka say when she finds out you let her mate get captured?" 

"..." Grumbling, Gabby turns the broomstick around, aiming it for the Pegasus, Falcon Harpy, and their prisoner.