“Hunter please put down your weapon,” The princess of Equestria kindly said but I didn’t lower down my rifle. Why was she here, I remember from what the ponies have always been whispering that she stays in Canterlot sorting out bills, making rules, and keeping the peace between her kingdom and other kingdoms, but she’s here at the front step of my home being held gunpoint by me. Cynder was both confused and surprised, she didn’t expect me to point a weapon at royalty. She doesn’t know me. Wyndbain was concern about the fact that we have one of the princesses come here to the Griffon Empire with guards by her, he didn’t like the fact that they were on our property.

We came back home after delivering the wolf pelts and Minor ursa hides to the griffin. Cynder learned how to shoot my revolver which was a good thing, I actually planned on buying a flintlock pistol before asking a favor from a dog. She proved that even when she’s hurt that she can still fight, but there are some flaws that could have gotten her killed if I wasn’t there by her side watching her back and bandaging her up. Still, I can say that the dragoness needs to learn how to be an actual hunter than a dragon that she is. However, the princess of Equestria was here.

First, it was the princess of the moon capturing me and having me interrogated by her batponies, but now it was the princess of the sun who has decided to take care of me rather than let her sister finish what she started. I thought she wouldn’t waste her time trying to find me, however, I was wrong here she was standing right in front of me with her guards all glaring at me for aiming my rifle at her head a simple pull of the trigger and she would be dead. Though, I can’t do that.

“Not until you step away from the door,” I said keeping the center of the crosshairs, in the scope, dead center on her head. Normally I would just walk away from this not caring about royalty or any type of ruler, but this was our home, not hers and she doesn’t belong here in the Griffon Empire.

The princess of the sun lowered her head and sighed, shaking her head a bit before looking up at me. Instead of making one of her guards do something she stepped to the side and held out her hoof to the other guards. They all looked at her as if she wasn’t in the right state of mind but they didn’t disobey whatever the princess had told them to do, they stepped aside away from the door making a clear path to the door for us.

Being respectful, but also cautious, I lowered my rifle. From the corner of my right eye I saw Wyndbain look up at me, he wasn’t sure if this was a way to make us lower our guard or they were actually serious. Out of the corner of my other eye, Cynder was staring at the ponies, her eyes were narrowed and her teeth were showing. Cynder didn’t do that when she woke up with bat foals looking at her, but I can easily guess that it wasn’t for the guards it was for the princess. There was something that Cynder mustn’t like about the princess something that would need to be forgotten and let go rather than still holding on.

With a cautious step, I walked towards my door. The guards around glared at me as I walked past them to the front door, they were the same as the other ponies in Equestria hating me thinking me as if I was a monster that just enjoys killing. The princess watches me as I pulled out the key to the house from one of my inner pockets before unlocking the door. Cynder stood by my side and tapped my shoulder.

“Cazador, why is the princess of the sun here?” Her voice had venom in it, I could already tell that she doesn’t like the princess of the sun more than I do. Before I even have a chance to answer the dragoness’ question the princess spoke.

“Cazador, so that’s your name. I always knew that Hunter was what my subjects named you.” I heard Cynder growl at the princess. She didn’t do anything else but growl because of the guards around and that the princess was royalty, but it was good to know that Cynder stayed at my side right now.

“Cazador is Hunter in another language, but I don’t you are interested with my name other than seeing me dead in your prison.” I looked over my shoulder to see the princess looking down, I was still a monster in her eyes that deserves to die. “However you can’t, can you? Without causing an argument between the Griffin King and yourself. Just because I hunted criminals in your land, criminals that don’t deserve a second chance after what they committed. So princess of the sun, why are you here?”

The princess opened her mouth about to say something, but she didn’t say anything. Could she be having problems trying to find something to say or does she have a dry mouth that prevents her from speaking? Hearing the princess speak again would just cause an argument between her and Cynder, it was best if she never spoke again.

Turning my attention back to the door I pushed it open and stepped inside. Cynder and Wyndbain rushed themselves through the door, but when Cynder was the last one to rush in she quickly closed the door behind her and locked it. I can’t understand why Cynder hates the princess, why she doesn’t like her. However, I didn’t much care as the princess isn’t worth the time to speak with because how her sister made it obvious that they would capture me themselves than rather send their ponies to do it.

This day has been a surprise of disappointment for me. First Cynder was dumb enough to try and fight me, the second was how the tailor couldn’t make a simple cloth clothing instead needing animal hides to make the clothes out of, and third was the princess of the sun herself with her golden guards by her side. I wouldn’t be surprised if Wyndbain’s royalty crush dog would dig up a tunnel from the Undergrounds to here in our house.

Before anyone could settle in the fact that we now have a princess on the property the sound of someone knocking on the door echo out through the house like a cave. I already knew who was the creature that was knocking on the front door. I turned around and unlocked the door and opened it to a small crack that I was able to see the princess of the sun staring back at me.

“Cazador, may I have a word with you?” I shook my head and shut the door. I didn’t want to talk with the princess whatever she wanted to talk about she can just leave and never return.

‘Cazador is that the smartest thing to do to someone that is royalty and a being that can use magic?’ Wyndbain asked unsure that my action of shutting the door in front of the princess as my answer to her question. I shrug in response not sure for myself, but I can say that it didn’t turn bad because how the princess didn’t use her magic to send the door flying. My friend just sighs and shakes his head as he looks up at Cynder. I looked at her as well but only to see that her markings on her body were a red than what the color they used to be.

Now I’m not sure of what the signs are to tell how a dragon is feeling, but the sign of red is something that should always be known as either hate or bloodlust. With a sigh I walked over to Cynder, who seemed to not notice me at the time, I looked over at the markings on her body. Each marking was red instead of white like they used to be.

“Cynder,” I snapped my fingers as I called out her name. At first, she didn’t seem to acknowledge me, but after the first few snaps, she finally looked at me which caused her red markings to lose their color and return back to white. For a few seconds, she seemed fine other than looking tired and having a bandaged wing, but fine nonetheless.

When she tried to speak all that came out was a cough and chuckle before she collapsed. Before she even hit the ground I managed to catch her. The dragoness’ body felt like fire itself as if she managed to catch a fever but I don’t know how she could have when she seemed fine and well when she was learning how to hunt from me. Looking over her back I couldn’t see what was wrong with her other than feeling that she’s burning up. Do dragons get the fever? I couldn’t be fully sure because how we’re different species with a different kind of illness and anatomy, but this was clearly a fever no doubt if Cynder was human, however, she was not.

Lifting her over my shoulder I made my way upstairs, but as I made it halfway up a knock came from the door. Silently I groaned out of annoyance and processed to carry up the stairs while Wyndbain pokes his through the curtains to tell me what the princess was doing. As I reached the top Wyndbain told me that the princess was talking to her guards while she stares down at him. Not much interesting other than that unless you count the way he describes how much he hates being looked like that by the princess.

I walked down the halls to Cynder’s room, opening the door wasn’t difficult as I only needed one hand to twist the knob while using the rest of my body to carry the dragoness, again do not attempt to carry a dragon because they weigh more than they look. I carried Cynder in her room to her bed. I was glad that I’ve made it here sooner than later or else Cynder would have baked me alive with her body temperature.

As I lay her down I saw how heavy she was breathing. Quickly I searched over her body to see if she was cut by something during the hunt that caused her to be having these problems. Sadly I couldn’t see anything that looks like a cut or felt anything out of place meaning it was just a common sickness that she just caught.

‘Is she going to be alright?’ I heard Wyndbain ask. I answered him with a simple yes and made my way downstairs. The only creature that knows what’s wrong with Cynder was the princess herself, she knows more about dragons than I do and she might know what’s wrong with her. Thinking about asking that horse is something that I don’t want to do but for the sake of Cynder’s life, I have no choice but to do so before her fever worsens.

‘Wyndbain, stay by my side.’

Celestia POV

“Princess why can we not barge through the door and charge in, the Hunter is here and we have a chance to bring him into justice,” I listened as my guards try to talk reason to me, but I don’t want to bring him to Caterlot’s dungeon and lock him there. No, I needed his help. Equestria needs his help or else we’ll be nothing more than prey to the Frost Wolves.

Shaking my head I looked at the window where I can see the dog or rather the fur timberwolf that most ponies would call it. It stares back at me watching me. Cazador must not have been a shapeshifter, meaning that the sightings of him in whatever form he was minutes ago and the dog looking at me. They were just making my Subjects, my sister, and I think that Cazador was a shapeshifter that could take many forms, but he’s just another being that can’t do that. I was wrong to believe that Cazador would just listen to me as my subjects do, he doesn’t even like royalty or won’t even listen to a pony.

The dragoness he has doesn’t like me, but I don’t know why she doesn’t I can only make a guess why. It makes me wonder now how he managed to befriend a dragon is something I want to ask him about as well. Rarely dragons would become friends with any creature unless they’re a relative of their kin. Was Cazador a relative of the dragoness? No, he wasn’t because how he lacks the appearance of a dragon and the attitude they have.

‘I failed sister, I failed to have Cazador help us. Our soldiers will not have the help from him, they would suffer more casualties than they should. The wolves in the north will push through our ponies and reach the Crystal guards. Equestria’s soldiers and guards would be seen as some laughing joke.’ I hung my head down knowing that my subjects will love more of their loved ones in the war than they should. As I turned around I suddenly heard the door unlocked. Stopping right there I looked back and saw the door open showing Cazador and the dog staring at me.

The guards around were all glaring at him, expecting something to happen that they would have a reason to fight him, but he did something that I didn't believe he would do.

“Princess of the sun, I would like your assistance to help my friend.” I smiled, not because of helping Cazador’s friend, but because now I can finally have a chance to speak with him and a way to convince him to help us. As I started to turn around he pointed at the guards around me. “But they need to stay out.”

“We will not stay out because you say so, we are the Dawnbreakers that would die for the Princess an-”

“I can agree with that Cazador,” I said without hesitation. The Dawnbreaker that was speaking looked up at me in shocked, the others were surprised as well but didn’t have the same expression as this one. He was having trouble to think of something to say, but I didn’t give him a chance.

Entering the building Cazador shut the door behind us and led me upstairs. I was surprised at how well the house looked on the inside than on the outside, everything was brush cleaned, no sign of wood decay, and everything well kept. How could Cazador clean an old house in the forest surrounding the town all by himself in a short amount of time? He may not be what my subjects and I imagine to be, however, he must have some ability that he must have than what we thought.

A being like Cazador himself is a mysterious one as I’ve never seen his kind before I just believed he must be a relative to the minotaur race, but looking at him closely I can say he lacks more of the appearance of a minotaur. The clothing he wears entirely covers his entire body except for his eyes, has he ever taken off all his clothing like how most beings that wear clothes do or does he wear them for life?

Cazador led me to one door that was slightly cracked open. This must be where Cazador left his friend at, but for what reason would he need my assistance to help his friend. Whatever his friend need I could help, but this was the perfect chance to have a word with Cazador and see if he’s able to help us with this war against the wolves in the frozen north. Helping his friend would give me a chance to have Cazador’s favor which I could use.

I watched as Cazador opens the door to reveal the dragoness in bed curled into a ball. There was obviously something was wrong with her, but I couldn’t tell what was the reason why she’s curled up. Entering the room I walked over to the dragoness to see what was wrong with her.

“Cazador could you tell me what do you need my assistance for?” I asked him wanting to know now why he wants my help than just doing it himself.

“I don’t know anything about dragons, I only know the stories about them nothing more. When we went inside she instantly had a fever which is something I don’t know if it’s common to her race.” That’s why he wanted my help, he doesn’t have a clue about what kind of illness that a dragon could have. He was clueless about what to do.

Looking over the dragoness’ body I couldn’t see anything that could make her sick or a cut on her. I used a simple medical spell to see what was wrong with her to see what I was dealing with. When the spell was cast I noticed something that made me concerned about Cazador’s safety now, something that he should not know at the moment but should know not to be around the dragoness. I looked to my left to see him staring at me, his cold gaze that would send a shiver down a demon’s spine. I know telling him of the situation would make him ask more questions than bargain for, however, the war in the north is something I need Cazador’s help.

“She’s having a fever that’s dangerous for other beings to be around, the dragon race and a few others would lock those that have this fever in a room and only give her the proper treatments to help her with this fever. Fortune must have been watching over you Cazador as she only showing the first stage of the fever, and that I was here to help her.” I looked down at the dragoness to see her slightly shivering from whatever cold breeze that blew through the house. Cazador doesn’t know what is truly wrong with her which I will use as an advantage to gain his help.

“How do I treat her fever, do I treat it as an ordinary fever?” Hearing Cazador ask me that just helped me found a way to make him help us.

“No, her fever is something that would require magic and medical care. It’s highly contagious and could have a chance of spreading from one creature to another if not careful.” I quickly pushed Cazador to the door with me, his four-legged companion walked alongside us as we exited out of the room. This was the chance that I had to take, a chance that Cazador could help us finally than talking and negotiating over. This was the chance to finally have the Hunter help us.

“Then what do I have to do? If what you say is true, then how do I help Cynder?” This was it the chance to have Cazador’s help.

“I have one pony in Equestria that knows about dragons, she even has one as her little brother. She has a way to help Cynder, but her cost of hiring her help would cost more than what you have now, and being in the Griffon Empire would double the cost meaning before you even have a chance at getting the money Cynder would already be on the final stage of her fever.” I saw Cazador’s fist shook, something that I wanted to see. I know this wasn’t the way I wanted to ask him, but it has a better chance than what I’ve planned on earlier. “But I can help only if you do me a favor.”

His eyes stared directly at mine, they held something that I can’t understand for some reason. He looked at the door to our right before looking down at his companion. The dog itself looked up at Cazador as well, both were just staring at each other having a silent conversation among themselves. Both Cazador and the dog were done looking at each other, they both looked at me, but Cazador was the only one to talk.

“And what favor is that princess?”

“I need your help to fight a threat in the cold north, a threat that is slowly pushing its way through the Equestria’s soldiers. If they manage to take over the Crystal Empire all is lost for my subjects.” This favor one that no one would ever take unless they want money for, but Cazador doesn’t have a choice or else he would think Cynder will die if he declines the favor.

“I’ll do it…” I smiled knowing that he’ll do it, but soon my smile fell as he continues to speak. “But not until you agree on five conditions.”

Author's Note

Hey, everyone, another chapter is published, but this one I had trouble planning out. However, since the tag of the mane six was on when I first started writing this I planned on making sure that tag is true rather than just having a small glimpse of the mane six on the first three (or was it four?) chapters of the story. Meaning that the story would soon have a better understanding of Cynder than Cazador and Wyndbain.

Also, I'll be working on the first three chapters to rewrite because having those are making me feel like I should slap my past self for that. And I'm changing the description of the story.