Wings of Honor: Meeting The Enemy

Chapter 17: Consolidation

The battles wouldn't let up. Couldn't let up.
We must have walked for hours in that blizzard, not even sure where the hell we were going. We had compass bearings, but no landmarks to find our position. We were everything but lost.
"I'm... I'm getting c-c-cold." Anthony said.
I stopped. Undoing my jacket. I then draped it around him while he sat up on the sled.
"B-b-but... you'll free-eze."
"It's... alright. I'm working—pulling—, keeps me warm. You just keep the flanks clear."
I dug in hard into the snow. It was a floury substance, and extremely fluffy. Great for a sled, not when you're the guy pulling it. I sunk halfway to my knees, having to high step every time. I wasn't about to trip on no snow.
We kept going. Heading west.
We were pushing through.
But then the sun began to set again, after a long day of walking. My feet burned, and were soaked to the bone. The tape I used to seal my pants to my boots had worked loose, allowing the damn snow to find my comfy warm socks.
"Fuck. I'm gonna have athlete's foot after this."
That drew a chuckle from Anthony.
"How's your foot?" I called over my sholdure.
"I don't know which is worse. Mine or yours."
I just rolled my eyes and smiled. Carrying on into the gilded powder.
Oh man, if I had managed a way to preserve it like this. Put it in a jar so I could display it, put it up on a shelf. Oh man, that would be great. Picture this: golden snow. Perfectly preserved. Pristine specimen from the great Ardens Forest.
But no. Snow would melt, the light would move on. I have to move on. Like the old poem went: nothing gold can stay.
And like the gold, it slowly turned back to lead. Tarnish. A grey evening cast onto the land, only a half moon to barely prevent us from walking into trees.
"Eyes up." I awoke Anthony when I spotted those familiar pair of standing, golden dots amongst the brush.
I transitioned the rope so I could guide it with my injured right, and leave my good left hand free.
I knew deep down that the wolves would be coming. I knew. It was a blessing and a curse. So I had my 1911 ready. Waiting to fend them off.

"My fucking God."
McManis shook his head again, trying to wrap his head around that it was in fact me, and he was in fact not hallucinating, and the fact that, throuought the whole world, we just so happened to intersect at the same exact place at the same exact time.
"Fucking Christ." He mumbled into my jacket.
"I missed you too McManis." I tapped out.
We parted, with him still shaking his head. Eyes foggy, still in utter disbelief.
"Finally found you." Travers came in.
McManis now turned to Travers, pulling him into a hug. Minds just light up with colors and wholesome emotions.
I just witnessed for a moment, letting my men reunite after fighting a full campaign separated. Closing my eyes, and taking a deep breath. Part of my mission... complete.
When I opened my eyes once more, I noticed McManis looking around. Then he looked at me.
"Marvin. Where's Grace?"
Me and Travers met eachother. We both signaled to move on at the same time. I motioned to Lord Faqua, and before I could even get my hand up, he was already waving us off.
"Okay. Follow me." Travers took point.
I hung back with McManis as we begun to traverse our way through town.
Suddenly, an impact on my left hip, unprotected by my unbuttoned jacket for an instant, made me stumble back a bit, leaving a temporarily stinging bruise.
"What the fuck!" I cursed. Looking up.
I saw McManis shaking his right hand from punching me. "That's what you get for going on the most stupidest mission in the history of warfare."
I knew instantly what he was referring to. I simply rubbed the sting away.
"That's my fault McManis. I'm sorry."
Then he put his hands on my shoulders, leading me as I stood slightly hunched over, nursing to my wounds.
However, now we rounded the corner to the edge of town where we garrisoned Grace. As soon as she came within mindreading range though, It was like the whole world lit up with sparkles. Literally... spots ran across my eyes.
"MCMANIS!" She gleefully exclaimed.
But as soon as we cleared the town, I looked around.
"Strange." Travers said. "I though Grace was he-"
Suddenly, we were all knocked back by a huge flash of bright pink and streaks of gold. The Earth rumbled, nearly shaking us off our feet as well, as I stumbled to find Grace smothering McManis in a massive bear/dragon-hug.
I let them be for a moment, before I had to go rescue him.
"Alright." I walked up.
"Oh." Grace snapped back to her senses.
The next instant, she had McManis upright, brushing dirt off him, positioning his boonie hat, and making sure his uniform was unwrinkled.
"Um." A now baby blue and spotted purple Grace sat up. "Are you okay, McManis?" She leaned down to check on him.
McManis just stood there, frozen like a mannequin almost in an A pose, slightly hunched over, as if he had something down his back. His eyes were wide open, breathing ragged.
I just approached him, shrugging and giving him the amused side-eye. "So this is Grace. She's one of ours."
"I'm so-sorry." Grace started. "I wasn't sure if- Are you alright McManis?"
McManis stuttered. "I-uh-I-I-I..."
I chuckled, coming up and throwing my arm around his shoulder.
"It's alright. She missed you McManis."
"We all missed you." Travers added.
I looked back at the growing crowd quickly gathering from all the comotion.
"Come on. Let's go find a place we can catch up."