Honor of Thieves

The Birds and the Thieves

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The next day came and Crimson slept through the morning with Rose, who was lying her head on his chest snoring softly. A soft knock came came on the door and Crimson opened an eye and slowly got out from under Rose. He groaned as he walked, his legs ached from yesterday

"Cripes I'm out of shape." He got to the door and saw Fluttershy when he opened it, "Ah, what can I do for you Fluttershy?"

"I wanted to know if you and Rose could help me with the animals?" She asked hiding behind her hair, "You don't have to if you don't want to."

Crimson rubs his eyes, "Sure I'll help, but I'm not really good with animals." He yawns and looks toward his room, "I just need to wake up Rose."

Fluttershy nodded, "Alright I'll see you two later." She started to walk away.

Crimson walks back to the room and Rose was sitting on the bed, "You're up, I thought I'd have to wake you."

She giggled and said, "You know better, I hate to be woken up, especially after we had a long night." She gets up and kisses his cheek, "You remember the last time that happened?"

"Yeah I got a vase thrown at me." He chuckles, "Then I had to make you breakfast." He smiles and kisses her cheek, "We're going to be helping Fluttershy, with animals today, If you don't mind."

"Oh not all." She says as she starts to brush her hair, "I'd like to help her. Besides we could get a pet like that Phoenix we had back in the day."

"Shouldn't he still be alive? They do live long lives." Crimson said, looking at her, "He was there when my family started stealing."

Rose shrugged and started on her tail, "If he wasn't at the home he's probably gone. He was always close to anypony who's the head of the family."

"Well I'll call him when I get the chance, I miss him." He walks to the kitchen and makes breakfast.
///

Crimson and Rose get to Fluttershy's cottage and looked at all the animals that were there.

"So what do you want us to do Fluttershy?" Rose said looking at bunnies that were hoping to Fluttershy.

The yellow Pegasus fed the bunnies and looked back to them, "Could you clean them please, then I could use some help cleaning the chicken coop."

Rose nods and Crimson looks somewhere else and sighs. He replies, "Aye, let's get started." He goes to where the animals were usually cleaned.

Rose looks at Fluttershy, "Sorry if he seems glum, he just remembered about an old bird he had as a pet."

"Ooh what kind was it, I think there are a few birds he might like." She brightens up and smiles at her

"It was a family pet it was basically one of a kind." She sighs, "He was a Phoenix, it was his family tradition for it chose the head of the family when the previous head died."

"I've only seen a Phoenix and they are marvelous. Princess Celestia has a pet Phoenix that is absolutely stunning." Her eyes sparkle as she says it, "Does he have a cage to stay in, I have a few you could have."

Rose shook her head, "He didn't stay in a cage, he could go anywhere he wanted."

Crimson whistles to Rose as he cleans a pig and says, "I hate to interrupt your conversation, but could I get some help Rose?"

Rose looks at him and calls back, "I'll be there in a moment Darling. We better start working, I'll bet he wants to see his friend."

"I'd like meet him too, if that's okay with you." She said holding in her excitement, "What was his name"

"His name was Pyre." Rose replied then started to walk to Crimson and help him.
///

After the two finish washing the animals, they were filthy from head to hoof.

"We're done here Fluttershy, where's the coop?" Crimson asked, "I kinda want to get cleaned off." He looks at his body as the mud dries on him.

Fluttershy gasped, "Oh it's right over here." She walks to the other side of her cottage

Rose looks at him and smiles saying, "I call the master bathroom first."

Crimson groans and says playfully, "You suck Rose, I wanted to be first to bathe."

She giggles and brushes his chin with her tail, "Well to bad." She followed Fluttershy

"Then I'll try to call Pyre." He sighs and goes to the coop with them

The coop was in good condition, but the interior was strewn with feathers and chicken poo. All in all it wasn't as bad as the thieves thought it would be, after an hour the three finished the coop and Crimson and Rose left to clean themselves up.

Crimson stays outside while Rose cleans herself off. He takes a deep breath and whistles loudly, even he stopped he listened as it echoed in the distance. After a half hour he sighed and turned around to wash himself off.

"Any much sweetie?" Rose asked as he got in the house.

"No." He growled as a tear rolls down his cheek.

Rose kisses his head, "I'm sorry sweetie, I know how much you liked that phoenix."

He turned to her and said, "That bird was more than a simple pet, he was family. He chose the leader of the family for almost a millennium." He sighed and went to the bathroom to wash up.

They went to bed afterwards and at midnight there was a knock at the door, Crimson got up and growled, "Who is at the bloody door at this time of night?" He got out of the bed and walked to the door.

Three ponies stood there wearing hooded cloaks, two stallions carrying carrying something and a mare. The mare walked to him and asked,"Are you the thief in the stone, the Immortal thief?"

"It depends on who's asking." He looks at her, then to the two stallions who were carrying a large object

The mare bows to him, "We are the keepers of the Phoenix." The stallions set down the object and bow as well, "We were chosen to care for the bird until your return."

"Come inside I want to know how my old friend is fairing." He says moving out of the way, "Just don't wake up my sweetheart, for your sakes that is."

"Yes sir we will bring his cage in." They say in unison and they bring the object in the house something moves inside, caw-ing.

"I'm guessing that he wants to see me?" He says, looking at the cage, "Or he hates the cage."

The mare sighs, "Yes sir he has waited for a century to be next to the leader of the family again. And another few hours to get out of the cage."

"Then let's tell the rest of the family I'm back." He smiles at them, "Send letters to every family member, the Thieves masquerade will be held for the first time in a hundred years."