"Wha... Where am I? Who turned off the lights?"

"Rainbow? Is that you?"

"Spike? Where are you I can't see any... oomph."

"Rainbow? What's wrong?"

"I can't move! I think my hind legs are broken!"

"Can you fly?"

"I've been trying! Something's wrong with my wings! Spike, where are you?!"

"Rainbow, calm down. You'll only hurt yourself more than you already are if you keep panicking."

She took a minute to breath and stop thrashing around. The darkness around her seemed to amplify her fears as well as impair her vision. She couldn't even see her hooves as she held them in front of her. All she could hear was the sound of water dripping and her wings as she tried to fly.

"Spike are you there?"

"Yea, just hang on I'm trying to find something to light with my fire."

Rainbow could hear the sounds of his claws scraping away in the darkness. The sound of his feet on, what she guessed was stone, echoed slightly through the darkness. It wasn't until she saw a far dim green flame appear and vanish that she guessed was Spike trying to light something. It wasn't until the dim flame stayed visible that it started to move around and she decided it was best to talk once more.

"Spike, I'm over here!"

"I don't know where here is Rainbow."

"I can see the torch or whatever you made in front of me. Now you moved to my right."

"So that means, you're behind me? I'm coming."

The flame grew closer and Rainbow started to feel her fears fade away with each echoing step made by the baby dragon. That was, until it stopped and started to dim.

"Spike? Spike?!"

"I'm here. Sorry, there's a deep chasm between you and me. I don't think I can cross it."

"Where is this anyways? How did we get here?"

"I can't remember. If I knew where we are I could send a letter to Twilight but, I have no clue where this is at all."

"What do you mean you can't send a letter?! Isn't that what you're good at?!"

"I can't do it if I don't know the general distance it needs to travel!"

There was a long silence between them and the dripping of the water grew louder each second. The only other sound was of the makeshift torch crackling as it's fire grew dim. There was a flash of green light as Spike re-lit the light source and Rainbow caught sight of the chasm between them. It was more than either of them could do anything about at the moment. If her wings hadn't sustained whatever damage they had, she could have easily crossed the distance.

"How did we even get here?"

"I don't know Spike. I can't remember anything. I do remember going camping but nothing much after dinner."

"You want to what?"

"I want to take the little guy camping. Maybe getting out of the castle somewhere further out would help him somehow."

"I don't know about this Rainbow. I don't think this is such a good idea. Maybe we should just wait until he's ready to talk to us about whatever it is he's doing."

"Twilight, if we did that then he'll probably just get worse. It's bad enough he's starting to act creepy. Lately, he seems to have this really bad vibe coming from him. It's the same kind of vibe a real dragon gives off."

"He is a real dragon Rainbow."

"You know what I meant! Come on, Twilight."

"Well... I guess it can't hurt but you'll have to ask him yourself. I don't know where he is right now but he's usually back before sunset. Spike!"

"You called?" a voice from behind Rainbow answered.

"Ahhh!" The mares yelled as they were caught off guard from the baby dragon's sudden appearance.

"Sorry about that. Uh, Rainbow here has something she wants to ask you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah... I was wondering if you wanted to go camping with me. Maybe a little fresh air and time away will let relax a bit. You seem stressed about something, more than usual anyways."

"Is that so? Well, I can't really answer unless I get permission first."

"Spike, you don't need my permission to go camping with Rainbow Dash."

"But I need permission to go somewhere on vacation?"

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. I'll go Rainbow, when exactly do you plan to do this?"

"How's next week?"

Spike took a look back towards Twilight only to see her smile awkwardly at him. She motioned with her hoof to go for it and tried to look away.

"Okay. Where are we going camping?"

"Rainbow Falls is a pretty good place."

"Alright, I'll prepare some things for the trip. If you'll excuse me, I have to prepare dinner first. Are you staying to join Rainbow?"

Rainbow looked beyond Spike towards Twilight who nodded her head vigorously and held her hooves together pleading.

"Sure, I could go for some free food. Thanks, Spike."

Rainbow watched as the dragon left the room and both mares heard him descend the stairs close by. Twilight walked up next to Rainbow and once she was sure he was gone began to speak quietly.

"Thank you."

"You were pretty much begging me to join. What's the deal?"

"It's been increasingly awkward to eat with him. The food is as good as ever but, all he does is watch me eat. I don't think I've seen him try eat anything at dinner or at all for some time now. He just sits there and asks if it's good and then stays silent until I'm done."

"Alright, he definitely needs to get out more then. That is downright disturbing. Have you found out about what he does in the Everfree?"

Twilight shook her head "Nothing. I've asked Zecora to keep her eyes and ears open in case she runs into him but she hasn't run into him once."

"Fluttershy can't seem to get anything out of her animals about what he does in there. She said every time she brings up the subject they just run away."

"I'm worried Rainbow. All of this is just getting stranger by the second. Do you remember that strange chill you and the girls had last time you were all here?"

"Remember? I can't forget it. I had nightmares for a good week after that. What about it?"

"I know it's not right but, I think Spike is the reason for it. Something is changing in him and I don't think it'll be good for anyone."

A knock came from the door and Spike stood by the entrance wearing his apron with red spatter.

"Dinner is ready. I made some Tomato Soup with garlic bread and a Daisy Salad. There's red velvet for dessert if you feel up for it. Hurry before it gets cold. I don't like it when ponies ignore my hard work."

The two looked at each other before nodding and watching the drake disappear once more.

"Let's go eat Rainbow. I kind of don't want to let it get cold."

"Yeah. I mean, Spike worked hard on it and all. It'd be rude for us to just let it sit there."

As they left the room and walked down the steps towards the kitchen they heard sounds of a knife hitting something strange. Before they could see what it was Spike came out and directed them to their seats. They ate and talked about their day thus far and asked Spike the usual questions of how his day was spent. He refused to answer and simply sat and watched them eat. The act made them silent for the rest of the meal and left them looking back to one another in hopes of not engaging with the drake again.

The morning hike was silent as Rainbow kept flying ahead in efforts to get rid of her restlessness. Spike followed behind her on the trail with his overly packed bag. In her efforts to try and connect with her assistant once more Twilight had helped him pack for the trip only to have said assistant ignore everything and ready a second bag himself. Knowing what kind of pony Rainbow was, Spike had packed for more than just himself and denied Rainbow coming near the pack due to her lack of common sense.

The path was filled with the sounds of nature and the breeze was gentle. They walked and rested at intervals and night had descended relatively early. Settling at a clearing they divided the work of setting up camp between them. With Spike being the only one that could cook he stayed behind while Rainbow went to collect firewood.

"This is so stupid. We aren't talking at all and that was the whole point of taking him out here," she said, collecting more branches and adding them to a basket provided by Spike. "He said to bring enough for two nights so I guess that means to fill the basket. Still... it sure is kind of creepy out here"

Surrounded in woods that hid the warm comfort of the moon and let only the bare minimum of it's light shine through the treetops. The wind blowing through caused a chill to go down her spine.

"I better hurry up. I don't want to be..." She stopped at the sound of leaves rustling above her. She looked up and saw a brief shadow lunging from one tree to the next. "Wha..." Rainbow started to back away towards camp only to step on several of the branches that littered the area. The noise was loud enough that whatever was in the tree stirred once more.

Rainbow looked at the tree in question once more to catch blood red eyes staring at her. She stood still as they seemed to captivate her somehow. It wasn't until she made out the sound of twigs crunching that she looked away. Looking around she saw nothing around her. The sound of the twigs became louder but nowhere she looked could she see anyone or anything possible of making the noise.

A resounding sickening thump came from the tree in front of her and she turned to look at the source. "Ahhhhh!" She screamed and flew away towards camp as she saw the corpse of a fox land half eaten. The sound of the twigs was nothing more than the bones of the fox being destroyed in whatever was hiding in the tree.

She weaved through the trees and heard more rustling coming from behind. The creature was after and could keep up with her speed. Fear took over and she started to get disoriented as the trees began to look the same. She didn't know whether she was going in circles or a straight for the camp anymore. She just wanted to get away as fast as possible.

She looked back once more and before getting a look as to whether or not it was still following crashed into a tree. She came to as a claw was reaching for her and screamed. Flailing around she hit something and crawled away only to stop as a moan came from behind.

"Spike?!"

"Yea... Who did you think it was?"

"Sorry, I didn't know. I just... there was something out there in the woods chasing me."

The drake tried to adjust his jaw as the knock to it seemed to cause it pain. "Really? Fuck that hurts." He collected himself and stood up before walking over to his attacker and offering to help her up. "Did you see what it was?"

"No, and I'm sure if I did I'd be dead by now. That thing was eating a fox before it came after me." as she accepted his help and shook the dust off her.

"You're welcome..."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. I take it that it left you alone since I found you here just fine."

"I guess... Where are we?"

Spike pointed behind him and Rainbow saw the fire he had made along with several cooking utensils and a tent.

"Camp? How... but I was sure that I got lost along the way."

"Guess not. Anyways, you're fine and that's what matters. Now come on. I collected some of the branches and leaves nearby so just leave it at that. Let's eat and get some sleep since we still have tomorrow to reach the falls."

"Yeah... but what about the thing that was chasing me?"

"If you're that worried we can take shifts sleeping. I'll take first watch and wake you after a couple hours. Is that fine?"

"Thanks, Spike."

"Yea, no problem." Spike said as Rainbow went towards the pot cooking on the fire. "Anything for you."

"Did you say something Spike?"

"I said, Let's eat. I made a potato and carrot stew along with some grape juice I brought from the castle. I also brought the left over red velvet if you want more."

"Sounds great!"

The meal was once again in silence as Rainbow looked around the area with each new sound coming from the forest. Spike stood by and filled her bowl as she finished and asked for seconds. Strangely enough, Rainbow didn't notice him eating or the fact that the pot only had exactly enough for her to eat. She was too preoccupied with the possible danger stalking the two of them. As the night deepened she turned in for the day and slept with relative ease knowing Spike would inform her if anything happened. Spike sat on a log he dragged from the forest as a makeshift bench. He watched the fire crackle and stoked the embers to keep it alive and well. The pot still hanging on the makeshift stand and the plates still dirty from dinner. The work was once again left to him to take care of instead of anyone offering to help out. It was the same as always and whether it was at the castle or out for a vacation nothing changed.

"Nothing ever changes..."

Author's Note

This is unexpectedly harder to come out with than I thought. It's an incredibly new area for me to tackle but I will nevertheless continue to pump these out. Look forward to them.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read my story. Please leave a comment or critique as any critique helps me grow as a writer. Have a great day!