Prospect of Fire

Phoenix heaved on the bellows and sent a fresh wave of heat scorching across the stuffy and smoky atmosphere that was the workshop. Phoenix heaved again and his sweat rolled over his eyebrow and dripped onto his cheek. He reached up and brushed away the little droplet and left behind a coating of soot and ash. Phoenix continued his labor and got the forge to the proper heat, almost unbearable.

Flash burn, Phoenix's father, reached inside the forge with a pair of metal tongs, drawing out the glowing white piece of steel they had been shaping for the past three hours. Flash burn didn't hesitate to place the piece of steel on the cast iron anvil and start hammering it into the desired shape. Phoenix would have watched his father go through the motions of shaping a piece of steel, but today was the day he got to help. He had never been allowed to help before.

Phoenix quickly took the barrel of water that was near the forge and positioned it beside his father. He then went over to the dark corner of the workshop and dug out more wood for the forge, almost getting bit by a Centipede for his troubles. Phoenix quickly returned to the forge and dumped the logs of wood into the fire, sending up a shower of sparks into the air.

"Careful..."

Phoenix silently scolded himself for rushing around and forgetting to slowly place the wood in so that the fuel wouldn't burn out as fast. Phoenix turned his head to apologize to his father for his mistake but Flash burn had never broken his gaze away from his work. Phoenix allowed himself a break to watch as his father sprinkled ash and soot onto the metal and continued to hammer away at it. He still didn't understand what the purpose for that was.

Flash burn quickly dunked the piece of metal into the barrel of water sending steam spewing around his blackened and scarred face. Flash burn then placed the metal onto the grate in the forge and moved to the other set of bellows on the other side of Phoenix. Together they heaved on the bellows and brought the forge back up to heat. At his father's signal, Phoenix stood back from his bellows and went to get more wood for the fire.

This time, Phoenix dropped each log in carefully and more evenly, spreading the heat around so the metal was properly fired. They only had a few minutes for break until they had to go back to work, Phoenix took this time to ask questions.

"Hey pops? Why do you put ash and soot onto the metal while you hammer it?"

Phoenix had to raise his voice slightly because of the roaring coming from the forge.

"Well, it makes it stronger."

Phoenix could tell he wasn't going to get anymore answers out of his father so he let it drop for another time.

Phoenix stretched his soar limbs and stepped out into the night air, it felt like eight in the afternoon. Phoenix's father was still in the workshop, adding finishing touches to the metal. Phoenix had been dismissed to go inside the house and wash up before heading to bed. He had school tomorrow.

Phoenix groaned as he thought about the torment of a new hear in school. At least his teacher seemed nice. In school, Phoenix wasn't as popular as he could be, A lot of people tried to make friends with him because his dad was famous and wanted the attention. The only problem was, that Phoenix had noticed a group of Ponies that split off from the main crowd of Ponies and kept to themselves. On the first day of school Phoenix had made two new friends, real friends, and had lost all the attention that had been offered to him. A win, win in his books.

However, this was a new year, that meant that he may not be able to see his friends as often for one reason or another. Phoenix brushed the dark thought off  as he approached the front door into the house. The Burn family had been given a lot of property because they had been recruited as one of the leading Blacksmiths for the royal guard. So the Work shop had been built away from the house and made from stone, to prevent it from burning down. The house on the other hoof, was built out of wood and stone combined. The house was old but it was as durable as any of the metal his father crafted. It wasn't too big either, the Burn family had been known as the ponies made of Iron with hearts of Gold, Phoenix prided himself with knowing that he wasn't spoiled as he could have been, instead his parents gave money away to research and places that needed food and such.

Phoenix opened the door into the house and smelt the wonderful smell of something baking in the oven.

"I'm back mom!" He called

Phoenix dusted himself off as best he could but only managed to make himself even dustier. Phoenix raised his head as he heard hoof steps coming from the kitchen and heard the familiar chirp of his mother.

"Hello! Did you have fun? Was it exciting?" Phoenix couldn't see his mom due to the wall blocking his view.

"It was great! I got really dirty though, I'm gonna go take a shower and go to bed." Phoenix answered

"Wow! You are heading to bed on your own? Dad must have tired you out more than I thought he would." Came his Mother's sarcastic yet happy reply.

Phoenix just rolled his eyes and head up the stairs to shower and get some sleep.

He stepped into his bathroom and turned the nobs on the shower to start up the hot water. Phoenix didn't think he would ever take a cold shower, even after a days work in the sweltering heat of the workshop. Phoenix walked over to the mirror that hung over his sink and stared at his sooty face. The blackish soot was smeared over the left half of his face where he had drew his hoof over it.

Underneath the soot was his deep red coat that seemed to absorb the black from the soot. Phoenix moved his eyes up towards the top of his head where he saw the sweaty tangle that had once been his mane, the black locks were most certainly in knots now. He sighed and leaned towards the mirror, looking himself in the eye. Phoenix was fascinated by his eye color and always had been, they were a light blue that contrasted the rest of his colors, they didn't even match his mother's or his father's. Shrugging, Phoenix turned back towards the shower and tested the water to make sure it was right. It was.

Phoenix stepped into the water and felt it slide across his sweat caked pelt, washing away the grime. Phoenix closed his eyes and smiled, he liked showers for some reason, it gave him time to think. Phoenix's mind wandered as it always did but it stopped a troubling subject of his. He hadn't gotten his Cutie mark yet. Phoenix knew that for his age that was perfectly fine, but he still felt as if he was pressured to be good at what his family had always been good at.

Phoenix shut off the water and dried himself off with a towel before stepping out of the tub and entering his room again. He glanced around before he yawned and flopped down on his bed and rested his aching muscles, tomorrow was going to be fun either way.