i am not worthy
"Members of the Foothills, brothers in sisters as we are, hear my words!"

Her head rose, long strands of grass hanging from a slowly crunching jaw. The sticky dew was refreshing and cool to her grayed lips, yet she could not enjoy the sweet taste. No, someone was calling, and she knew the voice well enough to recognize that it belonged to Apollo. The painted stag was gathering the herd, but why, the mare could not say. Swallowing her mouthful, she began to trot toward the voice, her pace hastened yet not rushed, for she was but a short distance away. His shape quickly came into view, lit by lamplight which tinted his ebony pelt with a strange orange aura. She smiled faintly, but said nothing as she slipped from the shadows. She bowed simply, her head lowering respectively toward the shorter unicorn.

One by one, shadows emerged and silently awaited the words of their leader. The pale faced mare quietly wondered why familiar faces were missing; Ktulu and Archibald were nowhere to be seen, and the realization sent a strange pang of anxiety into her gut. The last she had seen of the white maned leader was actually of her bear. Ktulu herself had been quite illusive, though Artemis had put it down to herself. No one seemed eager to approach the crimson faced titan, be it due to her size, quiet demeanor or some other unknown factor. Alas, Apollo's words described a very different scenario; the Constrictor was not avoiding her family, but had left completely.

She wasn't sure how to feel about the situation. She did not know the members well, so their vanishing act did nothing to affect her personally, and she trusted Apollo enough to be a wise and kind leader. But what of their contracts? Just as the thought occurred to her, he said words she had longed to hear; no more contracts, allegiances formed with those we trust. Memories of Laila's face sprang to mind; her bloodied body wounded needlessly. Her heart soared in knowing never again woul her strength be used to hurt the innocent, but to fight for justice and to protect her family. She almost whinnied, but resisted, instead keeping her solemn gaze focused on the maw of Apollo.

With Archibald gone, the spot of General has opened. Please, if any of you are willing to put your body and soul in such a precarious position, speak up." She hesitated, but her head raised and ears pricked at the concept. As far as she knew, she was one of the only ones to have been successful in the recent invasion, and she knew she was strong. She glanced around, watching the faces of those around her. A pegasus offered himself for the position, and likely he would suit the position well. He was probably lived here much longer than she had, yet she felt compelled to speak.

She took a step forward, ears lowering slightly. She was nervous talking in front of crowds, being used to simply not speaking at all, but she took a deep breath and ignored the shadowed bodies of her comrades. Her eyes found Apollo's muzzle yet again. Eye contact was not something Artemis found easy, and so she couldn't quite meet his gaze. Beside, she felt afraid that they would judge her badly; look down upon her simply because she was the newest addition. No matter. She arched her neck, feigning pride and trying to force some semblance of confidence. "Apollo. It may not be my place to speak, but I am loyal to the Foothills; to you. I would be honored to apply for the position as general." She took a deep breathe and glanced to her side, toward the others. "I know I have not been here long, but I am an experienced warrior. I hope to prove my worth to you all, if I may." She gave a slight, nervous dip of the skull and retreated back into the shadows that kept her safe. Her eyes found the ground before her, uncertainty pulling at her heart strings.

"Speech goes here"