"Don't you have anyone, who looks after you?" The short purple dragon asked with concern growing deep within his emerald colored eyes.
"Not really. Unless I count you..." I felt my voice cracking softly, my body trembling with a haze of uncertainty.
Everything I was taught in my life, at this moment, was being questioned.
"Which I don't!" I snapped back into reality, casting my emotions aside.
As I was taught to do.
Nay commanded to do.
"Because we were only helping each other get through the tunnel." I crossed my arms across my chest in a slight fluster, eyes darting about if only slightly.
"And now we're through the tunnel. Soo...that's it!" I took a small steady breath, regaining my composure, why was such a small dragon, bringing such a large flood of emotions over me.
"Wait. What do you mean?" Spike gazed up to my brilliant red hues, locking with them. A small shiver running up my backside.
"Well. There's only one winner! One scepter!!- And one Dragon Lord!!!" My voice began to rise in a slight annoyance, towards this oddity of a dragon.
"So I guess...it's every dragon for themselves." I snapped towards him with all the anger building within my heart, yet couldn't help but pull back suddenly, claws softly placed upon my hips.
"Oh. So we...aren't really friends?" The dragon slumped down before me defeated, his eyes filled with a type of misery, I've grown accustomed to over the years.
The mere sight of this filling my heart with anger and mind with dreadful memories.
"Maybe if we were in Ponyland!" I lifted up my claws in disgust, voice filled with spite but heart overflowing with sadness.
I needed to end this now.
And as quick as possible.
"But like I said. Dragons don't do friendship." I sighed aloud turning my back to the warmth of his heart, my own far too cold to be able to defrost with simple words.
I extended my wings proudly before swiftly lifting myself into the air, within seconds I dashed across the cavern, vanishing out of view.
Once again alone.
How every dragon should be.
The memories of the past, creeping back into my mind.
And shattering my heart.
*****
(Years Ago.)
"Dad?" I spoke up from my father's side, he stamped ahead in the front of "The Great Dragon Movement.". It would be the largest migration of dragons in the last few centuries, with none other than my dad at the helm.
He promised a easier life for our kind, lands untouched by the ponies of this world. A new start for all dragons who followed, we would be alone, in charge and at long last in complete control.
"Dad!?" I allowed my voice to rise in pitch, swiftly gliding across the air as I flew in front of my father's stubborn face.
His only reply a simple huff and eye roll. Pushing ahead with ease, his mighty footsteps shaking the earth with each and every step.
"Grrr. Dragon Lord Torch." I bit my lower lip, hiding away my anger. My father turning his head to face me, those dark orange eyes never showing any emotion.
"What is it Ember?" He asked coming to a complete stop, the many dragons behind us slowly catching up. Be it by air or land, I could tell they were all exhausted by hours of non-stop traveling.
"Look at your subjects! They can barely walk!" I spoke up as I flew closer to my father's face, gazing deeply into his eyes with a glare of my own.
"Perhaps they should fly then?" His voice boomed.
"Those who can fly, have been cast close to the ground, their strength spent!" I snapped as loud as I could, my voice nowhere near the booming thunder of my father.
"A dragon is strong! If he grows tired, he pushes ahead!- If he is thirsty, he faces the heat of the sun!!" Torch huffed a stream of smoke flowing across my body, as I quickly used my wings to blow it adrift.
"To be a dragon. It takes more than just valor." I spoke up with a air of determination in my voice.
"A dragon with no valor, is better left to rot." My father replied coldly as he spun around, ready to push ahead once more.
"Dad!!" I tried to raise my voice once again.
"ENOUGH! I SAID WE CONTINUE FORWARD!!" Torch spun around, his fiery breath escaping his wicked jaws. His voice as loud as thunder and strong as an earthquake, shook the large cliffs of the Badlands we were traversing.
Many a dragon came to a complete halt in fear, some jumping behind nearby sand dunes for cover. The large towering walls of stone shook and began to crumble, swift debris plummeting to the ground below. Some would rush ahead, others did their best to step away from the falling skies.
"Ahhh!" Came a high pitched scream of a female dragon, just as the quaking cliffs came to a rumbling stop. I gazed behind us, a light yellow land walker, was pinned under a large boulder.
Her scales were bruised and back legs crippled. She winced in pain, her sharp claws tearing away at the side of the stone with no effect.
"My Lord!! Help!" She howled aloud in pain, pale blue eyes watching in slowly growing terror as she noticed not one of her brethren , had come to her aide.
The gathering dragons around the fallen one, slowly stepped aside, the ground trembling ever so softly as Torch made his way over. Eyes filled with a eerie coldness.
"I can't help you. Find the fire within yourself and lift what binds you." He replied as I shot him a worried glare.
"Dad! She is wounded and perhaps crippled..." I dashed into his view, my claws upon my sides in a stern position.
"If she can't lift her prison, then the fire shall engulf her." Torch spoke with his own sense of reason, in his mind, he thought this is what true valor was.
"You could lift the boulder, with just a fraction of your might!" I snapped, gazing down in complete shock as the yellow dragon screamed in pain, her claws digging into the side of the boulder as she failed to even budge it.
Growling in anger I swooped down to her side, with two mighty slashes I grasped the side of the stone. Claws tearing deeply into the wicked rock, every muscle in my body tensing as I tried to free the poor soul.
"Ember! Stop this instant!" Torch growled in anger.
"Help me! I can't free her alone!!" I snapped aloud to the crowd of bystanders, some wishing to step forward, yet feared to take the first step.
"Grrrr! We continue on!! Any dragon who doesn't follow, shall be left to fend for themselves against this lethal land!!!" My father rolled his eyes, stomping ahead swiftly.
The crowd around us slowly started to thin, each and every dragon thinking of themselves. Soon it would only be myself and the lost. I held back tears in my eyes, pressing my shoulder roughly into the side of the boulder.
I had to give it my all!
I had to try!!
Within my mind...
No my heart.
I knew it was the right thing to do.
What was it that made a dragon?
Strength?
Size?
Intimidation?
No! There had to be more!!
Compassion or unity?
Willpower or friendship?
Heart or conviction?
"There must be more!!" I felt the tears roll down my cheeks, burning my scales as I went limp against the cold stone.
My eyes darting up to the sky in anger, grey clouds forming wickedly, high above the dull sky, blocking out all light from guiding me. I felt alone and broken.
"Mother. Guide me. Please..." My body collapsed into the scorching sand of the Badlands, my breathing becoming slow and shallow.
His shadow began to tower above me soon, I wanted to stay behind, yet I knew he would be back, his voice taunting and never changing. My eyes gently scanning over to the side, I could see the yellow dragon limp, a pool of blood dripping slowly from her open jaws.
Her body crushed from the weight I was unable to move, Her life gone, due to my desire for compassion. It was my fault she was now deceased, my claws stained with failure.
"She's dead..." I whispered, my eyes gazing forward, never blinking.
"Aye." Torch replied his mighty claw scooping me up with ease, I could feel the world spinning, with no effort at all, I was placed upon his backside.
"My Princess. You will come to see one day..." He began to stomp ahead, tears slowly cascading down my cheeks in silence.
"It's every dragon for themselves."
*****
(Present.)
"It's every dragon for themselves." I whispered under my breath as I swooped down to the cave floor.
But did it have to be?
Spike had shown me something, I thought was only a myth.
Compassion towards his fellow dragons. He did not fear nor show shame, to him it was an honor to help his...
Friends.
Perhaps this was the light, I prayed to guide me?
If I let it pass me by, I would regret it for the rest of my days.
"Spike I'm coming!!" I screamed in a proud lifting tone, swooshing high into the sky of the caverns.
"I do believe in friendship! Grrr. Just please don't make me talk about this feeling, when I find you!" My voice echoed through the many halls, I knew my path.
Now I just had to take it.
