After a quick hot shower, I looked into my mirror, a huge one with a golden frame. Of course I looked marvelous, but it was best to make sure, you know, with a date coming up. That little pegasus was still on my mind, and nothing clears my head better than a hot shower. I reached out for my scale polishing stone, bathed it in a little flame for a few seconds and ironed over my scales once more.

Keeping my claws occupied in this way, my thoughts returned to Fluffy. The desire to sink my head in her warm chest fluff quickly returned.

Urg, I had to distract myself better by paying more attention to the polishing.

The secret is, you need to iron against the natural lines the scales form on the body, this is really important, only then your scales get the proper reflective sheen. I was very picky about it at that moment.

What? It was not only for my vanity, it was hygienic too. You know this little pegasus would be dessert, right? Come on, I had made that much obvious at least, hadn’t I? Though, with the amount of influence she had on me, I was unsure what type of dessert she would become. Both seemed possible, gems do taste good, but not everyday…

Anyway, with another look in the mirror, I felt I was ready. This was going to be interesting, that much was clear.

***

I waited for them near the entrance to my lair. A medium sized cave entrance, not to far from the treeline near the top of Mount Tail Tip. I didn’t know who had named it that, but if you looked at it, it vaguely resembled a tail indeed. Mostly due to how the snowy upper end was a bit crooked.

It was cold out here, it was one of the reasons I kept the entrance so small. The other being to prevent my bigger relatives from claiming the cave for themselves. Sure, I am strong, but that’s not of much use if your opponent is the size of a barn.

I moved around a bit and looked into the distance every now and then, watching for any sign of that pegasus and the griffon. Yes, my reputation implied that I would have been lurking inside the cave, waiting to scare them to death and all that fun stuff. But for some reason, I wasn’t in the mood and I felt I could use some fresh air.

By looking in the distance my mind began to formulate some questions about my date.

I still wondered how such a fluffy creature found itself out here? And how had she survived not only the town, but from what I overheard in their conversation, was able to best traps, guards, and the like to steal a magical artifact? It simply didn’t fit. I didn’t see any natural weapons on her. I mean hooves, hooves! Never had heard of a monster getting killed by hooves of all things.

But, she was still alive. That raised a lot of questions in my head.

I brought my tail before my chest and looked at the ‘collar’ of fire. So many questions. My mother always told me my curiosity would be my death one day, that it was a weakness. Who knows, maybe she was right, it killed a lot of adventurers who came to my cave to plunder it, that was for sure.

I smiled, some of these adventurers had brought pretty nice stuff along with them. They tried to empty my cave but ended up filling it even more.

Before I lost myself too much in good old memories, a little dot appeared between the clouds in the distance. Shortly after that, a few more appeared. Strange, I had expected it to be only the two of them.

I moved back into the shadow of my cave, waiting to find out how this would turn out. I highly doubted that the griffon, the pegasus or the townguard would have gathered a group to fight me.

Still, nothing wrong with being careful.

When I could finally make out who was in the group it was clear that they weren’t a threat. Only four griffons with the pegasus in the center.

Seems I had left quite the impression on that griffon. He took his duty to bring her here seriously. He and another griffin had taken the lead with the other two griffons flanking them and the pegasus. I chuckled when I saw that the griffon flying next to the griffon I had threatened had Fluffy on a leash.

I admit, I rather liked the sight, you know, a leash around her neck. I could think of a few things that would be useful for…later.

Besides the leash, she wore a light red dress. It didn’t quite fit to her frame but it looked easy enough to rip… I mean undress her from.

I approved, mostly due to the fact it was short enough to not be a hindrance to my view of most of her body. It stopped at her knees while leaving her belly and chest fluff visible. All in all, it looked quite appropriate for a date.

The griffon had done good, I should reward that.

No, not a quick death, what are you thinking.

With the minutes passing while they approached, I thought about what I should do next. Should I go out and take the pegasus from them, or would it be better to stay here and let them come inside first? I had something against allowing creatures into my lair in general, a dragon habit, but on the other claw…

I stepped back deeper into the shadows, merging with them. Being black has its benefits.

From my position, I watched as they landed. First the griffon I met in the tavern, then the two that had taken up the flank. Finally, the griffon holding Fluffy’s leash landed. He… no, she was kind of orange, like a tiger. This close, I saw it was a female griffon.

Overly careful this griffon, He might have thought I would get angry at seeing another male with my date on a leash. He worried too much, but remembering the reputation I had cultivated for myself, maybe not.

On second thought, bringing another female to my lair could be misinterpreted as an invitation to take both… I smirked.

“Quickly now,” the leader griffon ordered, “we don’t have much time left.” His voice was a strange mix of authority, paired with fear.

“I’ll stay here, you can’t pay me enough to actually go in there,” one of the flanking griffons said.

His other comrade nodded. “No way I’m going in there either.”

“Cowards! What do I pay you for?” the leader griffon shouted angry.

“Get the pegasus-pony here, that was the deal. Nothing more, nothing less,” the griffon who spoke first, a gray one, pointed at the pegasus, “and here she is.”

This was the first time I actually heard her species name, despite me telling you this story as I address her as a pegasus. My old self didn’t know to differ between pegasus-ponies as part of a tribe and ponies in general though.

“We will be late.” This came from the female griffon. She had taken the initiative and interrupted the upcoming arguing before it really started. Pulling at the leash she added, “better keep moving. I don’t want to deal with an angry dragon.”

This one had guts, my thoughts about taking them both had grown more serious.

With a nervous glance at my cave, the leader agreed. “Fine! You two stay here, while we deliver miss Do. Don’t you dare try to leave without us!”

He walked over to Danger. “You have cost me a lot of money, miss Do, better you get that collar back. Otherwise, it won’t matter if he kills you or not.” He moved his talon over his throat, “if you know what I mean.”

I suppressed a growl. He was wrong if he thought he could play those types of games with my newest toy!

The griffon removed the jute strap tied around Fluffy’s snout. I hadn’t noticed it earlier since it had blended into her coat.

“You nasty, greedy, little… “ she started but got silenced by a slap from her female guard.

“Shut up,” the female griffon added.

“Are you crazy!” now the leader griffon panicked. “Don’t scratch her! He will kill us all!”

This time I quietly chuckled in my hiding spot. I didn’t mind two females fighting actually, it can be nice to watch.

“Sorry boss,” the female griffon said.

“Urg, Lucia, you will be our death one day!” He rubbed over his face, “just get her into the cave already.”

“You will regret this Ludewig!” the pony said while she was dragged forward.

“I doubt that,” he replied and unfastened his saddlebags, only to throw them on Fluffy’s back. “Don’t forget the food,” he said before he followed them.

Lucia and Ludewig, seems these griffons where from Lustrous Palace. I always thought it was funny that griffon starts their names with the same letter of the town they come from.

Anyhow, now that things were starting to get into motion it was best to get prepared.

I moved closer to the wall, rolling my tail around me as I crouched. As long as I didn’t move, they shouldn’t be able to see me.

I waited like this in preparation for them to actually enter my cave. There was just one problem.

“Can’t see much in there.” Lucia said and stopped before the entrance. She rolled up the leash around her paw, forcing Danger to stay closer to her. “I don’t like that”

“Why don’t you let me go and fly away then?” Danger said and tried to pull at the leash to get more space. “No need to risk your life here.”

“Nice try, Sweety.” Lucia said and grabbed Dangers jaw with her claw. “You’re going in there and getting the boss’s collar back. Besides,” she let go of Dangers jaw and patted her on the chin, “nothing to fear here at all, I just don’t like to going places where I can’t see my own beak.”

“I wonder where you get that courage from?” Ludewig asked stopping next to them. “Not that I’m complaining.”

“That has nothing to do with courage boss, dragons just have their own rules, we are perfectly safe at the moment,” she said.

“Why do you think so?” Ludewig asked, his gaze hanging on my lair.

I could feel his fear from over here.

“Pacta sunt servanda, boss.” Lucia just said, thinking that would be explanation enough. When she saw the confused look on Ludewigs face, she shrugged. “Its a dragon saying, it means you must fulfil your part of a deal, or something along those lines.”

Now it was on me to raise an eyebrow, where in tarnation did this griffon hear that? More importantly, how did she know what it meant?

“You said he told you we should bring the pony to his cave and he would let us go safe and sound. Therefor, if we just do that,” she paused and pulled at the leash once more because Danger had started to step back again, “he can’t harm us. Dragon rules forbid it.”

Turning around to her, Ludewig asked, “Where did you hear such stuff?”

“This is not the only dragon in the world, boss, they had one living near Blueberry Springs, the town my aunt is from. The dragon told the townsfolk that, it was a golden dragon though.”

“A real dragon expert.” Danger mumbled sarcastically.

“Oh shut up!” Ludewig scolded Danger, while he unsure stepped from one paw on another.

For those who don’t know, it may appear like he was still concerned about entering my lair, but I knew what was on his mind that moment. Should he tell Lucia the truth?

Oh, she was absolutely right about our little pacta sunt servanda rule, but, I never promised to let any creature go afterwards. If it wouldn’t have spoiled my position, I would have laughed. Such delightful intrigue! I love it.

“Alright,” Ludewig had made a decision and stopped, “let’s get in then. I guess we will be able to see enough once our eyes adjust to the darkness.”

Well, well, he put his interests over the life of his loyal companion. He surely wouldn’t mind if I keep her then. I mean, a female griffon with a tendency to dominate, a fluffy pegasus on the leash, I can think of a few things they could do together for my entertainment…

Don’t think I prefered Lucia over Danger here, Fluffy still had most of my attention, but seriously, this griffon girl could spice things up.

Still in my thoughts, I watched them proceed further into my den. Ludewig and Lucia took the lead while Danger followed, not that she had much of a choice though.

As I had planned, both griffons passed me, not even noticing I was there. They had gotten so close I need only stretch out a claw and I would be able to touch them.

Fluffy was a different case though.

When she got near me, I noticed her gaze suddenly land on me, more accurately below me, on my tail to be exact.

I was confident she couldn’t actually see me, there was no way here eyes had adjusted to the darkness already. She had stopped and was keeping her gaze on my tail though, only to get pulled forward by the leash shortly after.

“Oh come on! You can’t chicken out yet!” Lucia taunted her and pulled a bit harder.

“Stop pulling me stupid.” Fluffy said, her gaze still on my tail, though, now it wandered slowly up till our gazes met. Or more accurately, I looked into her eyes while hers still adjusted to the darkness.

She moved closer, inch by inch, her face coming closer to my own. It was so close I could smell her, a mixture of hay and, well, it was autumnal if I had to make a guess.

The moment she realized that she was actually looking at me she flinched back and whinnied. Her wings springing open as she raised her forehooves, not in an attempt to flee but in preparation for a fight!

I moved away from the wall, unfurling my wings, rising to my full height, and, in my own time, stepping right between them and the only way out.

The two griffons quickly stepped back, dragging Fluffy with them.

“My, my, what a pleasant surprise,” I started, moving into a more aggressive position. I lowered my head and stretched my wings to the side, giving a good display of the spikes at their ends. I knew, standing right in the light from outside, I would be very easy to see.

“I asked you to bring my date here,” I threw a possessive glance at Fluffy, “and,” now I let it wander to Lucia, ”you bring me another female.” Eventually my gaze stopped at Ludewig, “how thoughtful of you.”

“Another one?” It was Lucia herself who found the braveness to speak first. “This must be an mistake, I am just here to bring Danger Do to you!” Hecticly she looked to Ludewig, “boss?”

He gulped, “Ri...right, just your date, mi… miss Do, as we agreed.”

“I don’t think so,” I smiled displaying my sharpened teeth, “I think I’ll be taking both.” I stepped forward and they stepped back.

“That is not right! You promised to let everyone else go if we bring you her,” Lucia said and pointed at Fluffy. “There she is!” With those words she unwrapped the end of the leash from her paw and threw it over to me.

Or better she tried since my date had other plans and pulled the leash when the end was halfway in the air, causing it to fly to her instead of me.

“Oh did I?” I gave her my best innocent but lurking smile.

“You did!” she yelled.

“No, he didn’t,” now it was miss Do who spoke in a serious and low voice. Now that she was no longer bound to Lucia she wasn't forced to move back any further and could now stand her ground. “Ludewig lied to you, Lucia.”

“You did what?” panic crawled into Lucia’s voice when she turned her attention to Ludewig.

Seems all her pluckiness just came from blind faith in a lie. How disappointing.

“I…” he started but I cut him off.

“I,” I shouted, “appreciate the gift.” I stepped a bit to the side. “You may leave now, Ludewig, your presence is no longer needed.” Now I put a little growl to it, “or welcome.”

“A… as y...you wish,” he stuttered and headed for the exit real quickly.

“Ludewig!” Lucia yelled, “you can’t leave me behind!”

“Sorry, Lucia!” he screamed, already running past me.

I stepped back in the middle of the way, “Well, Lucia, seems like you will be joining me and Fluffy tonight, don’t you think?”

“No!” she shook her head, “no, I don’t want to!”

“Well, that's unfortunate, since you have to.” I smiled and moved towards her, “but don’t you worry, it will be my, I mean our, pleasure.”

My tone didn’t leave much room for interpretation about what I meant.

Falling back, she protested, “But I have a husband, I am married!”

That was the statement that saved her. Oh not that I really cared, but Fluffy did. No matter what these griffons did to her before, she wouldn’t let me have some fun with Lucia if she had something to say about this.

So when I stepped forward to grab Lucia, I heard a crack and something hit my side.

I turned my head and guess what I saw, this brave little pegasus had used its leash to whip me!

She still stood there swinging the leash in the air, ready for another strike.

I was baffled. Had she really…? I mean this little cuddly piece of fluff really had…

Another strike of the leash cracked right next to me on the ground. “Leave her alone!”

I wish I had a photo of my face that moment, priceless.

“Get out,” I said to Lucia and pointed behind me, not spending much attention on her anymore.

It was not that I had suddenly lost my interest in some good naughty action with two females, but after what Fluffy had done, I wasn’t willing to share, my pegasus with anyone else anymore. I was aroused.

I growled, more lustful than aggressive, though, her pony ears weren’t able to differentiate obviously, since she cracked the improvised whip once more.

Or maybe she was able to tell the difference and had cracked the whip therefore?

Who knows?

With a playful roar at her, I started the hunt and stormed forward.

Her eyes widened when she realised what she had just provoked, before turning on the spot and flying as fast as she could down the tunnel. I was right on her fluffy tail.

She had a bit of an advantage with her small size, still able to fly while I had to run, though, she hadn’t been able to put any distance between us.

If anything, I was getting closer.

Luckily for her there were a few clever placed holes in the ceiling that allowed some sunlight to reach the deeper portion of my lair, otherwise she would have crashed into one of the walls already, considering how fast she took the turnes.

Oh such gracefulness in her movement whenever she took one. I never had thought that feathered wings would allow her to be so maneuverable.

I speeded up a bit.

I was well aware that she couldn’t escape, but the view she was giving me as she flew was quite enticing.I was considering snapping at that playful wagging tail of hers.

She may have called what she was doing escaping, I called it foreplay.

The chase proceeded this way for several minutes. Eventually she reached the center of my Lair and stopped mid air for a second, befuddled by what she was seeing.

I knew how much of a surprise the view of my inner sanctum was, but that was for later, right now I had a pegasus to catch.

The short moment she hesitated was already enough for me to reach her and grab onto her tail with my right claw.

She instantly tried to struggle free, of course without success. Her wings flapped like a hummingbird and she bucked at me with her rear-legs.

I really had to be careful to not harm her by accident. With all her sweet kicking and adorable efforts to get free, it was a tricky thing to hold on, but I had to make sure she didn’t hurt herself on my claws at the same time.

I purred and pulled her closer to get a grip on her belly. Though, she was not willing to submit yet.

Boy, she was good at playing the unwilling victim!

She turned upside down in the air and forcefully threw her saddlebags at me.

Oh the joy of good foreplay!

I shook the saddlebags off my head and ignored the few hits she landed on my snout and throat with her legs. Of course, she was staying in character, therefore her heavy bucks did hurt a bit, sure, but I was far too horny to care.

Finally getting a claw around her belly, I let go of her tail and reached out for her wings, stopping her from buzzing them. It was easy for me to get the base of both her wings between my claw, I just had to be careful not damage her dress.

“Keep your claws at yourself!” She shouted, pretending to be angry.

I only purred louder. The softness of her belly and this velvety feeling of her wings… incredible!

“Let me go!” She demanded, and with a quick and skilled move swung the ‘whip’ around my hind legs, pulling as hard as she could.

With her already struggling in my claws the sudden pull on my legs caused me to waver. Not enough to fall but I had to use my wings to keep steady.

“You tricky little pegasus,” I playfully scolded her.

“You call that tricky?” she asked. “Then watch out!”

She curled herself up, only to forcefully buck at my snout with both hooves simultany.

Ouch! That did hurt! I turned my head to the side and removed my claw from her soft belly to place it on my hurting snout.

That was all she needed.

She swung her legs over her belly and used the momentum to roll from my claw. She was lucky that I had loosened my grip with the claw that had been holding her and had also moved it as she escaped. Otherwise, she would have spiked herself on them with that action.

“See you later!” she yelled as she started to fly off.

Not so fast, I thought, and stomped on the leash that still was before my feet. “You’re staying here!”

Like a yoyo, she bounced back when she had reached the end of the leash. Landing rough before me.

This time, I didn’t waste time and jumped on her back when she spun around to get up. Pinning her down that way as I placed my teeth around her neck.

Of course she struggle to get free, but when I increased the pressure on her neck just a tiny bit and loudly growled, she stopped.

See, I can play a role too.

With her laying still I dared to remove my teeth and licked along her neck once.

The taste of cinnamon flooded over my tongue.

This was going to be so much…

“Pacta sunt servanda!” She suddenly shouted.

Huh? I stopped my caress for a second, wondering what she meant. I had never agreed to not take her. I continued to rub my snout along her soft and good smelling fur.

“Pacta sunt servanda!” she repeated. “We have agreed to have a date!”

I had reached her wing joints with my snout and very, very softly nibbled on them. “Oh sure, we’re having it right now,” I confirmed.

I was such an idiot, blindly stepping into her trap!

“That means food first! A date means we have to eat first!” she proclaimed.

“Such a non… “ I stopped playing with her wings and lifted my snout. Thinking of it, she was right.

Damn!

I unhappily whipped my tail on the ground, launching several small stoned into the air while I growled deeply.

“We had a deal!” she supported her standpoint.

I roared in disappointment and stepped back from her. “Yes, we did,” I grumbled, feeling betrayed that she had decided to end our fun here. I had been so close to fully enjoying the softness her body promised.

Quickly she stood up and placed some distance between us.

I didn’t follow her, I just kept my position. Still, I did follow her with my eyes. As far as I could see, her red dress had gotten a bit dirty, but her fur was as beauty as ever.

I really would prefer playing with it right now, I didn’t care for the food at the moment.

“So,” she said after a moment, when her heartbeat had calmed down a bit, “dragons do keep their pacts.”

I simple snorted, releasing a small cloud of steam.

“That mean you have to behave like a good host.” Suddenly it sounded like she was luring me into a trap. I didn’t like where this was going. “You must act like a real gentlecolt.”

I growled, “Don’t overdo it!”

She just smiled… I was so screwed! Darn little ball of sweet fluff she was!

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, calming my nerves. After a moment I reopened my eyes and scratched a long mark into the floor with my claw, releasing some steam.

Maybe it was a cultural thing and ponies prefered a proper order to how a date proceed? I sighed, alright, she played the escaping prey for me, I’ll play the good host for her.

For the moment that is.

“Very well then, miss Do,” I said, picking up her saddlebag with my tail, “let me escort you to the table.”

“I will find the way,” she denied.

“I fear I must insist.” I walked over to her, slowly, for some reason she seemed to be usure if she should let me get near her. I extended my claw. “Miss Do?”

Hesitantly, she placed her hoof in my claw.

I carefully pulled her hoof to my snout, placing a soft kiss on her pastern.

“Welcome to my lair, miss Do.”

Now she was unsure how to act. This sudden show of good manners seems to have surprised her.

She tilted her head, looking for any sign of what I was actually planning.

So suspiciously, maybe there was a reason she was still alive.

“Let me take this from you,” I said and reached out for her neck.

“I’ll keep my dress on!” she shouted snubbed. “I know you have something unbefitting of a gentlecolt on your mind!” With these words she tried to pull her hoof out of my claw.

“In no way, miss Do,” I said in an faked hurted tone. “You only see the bad in dragons, how racist I must say.”

Now it was on her to look insulted. “Racist, me? I tell you s…”

She stopped when my claw reached her neck and in a swift move broke the clasp of her collar, freeing her from the leash.

First she looked at the collar which had fallen to the ground, then rubbed over her neck.

“Hmm,” she made derogatory. “Seems I have to thank you for that,” she raised her hoof, “don’t think I’ll forget what you just tried to do though.”

“I hope you don’t,” now I brought my face close to hers. “I hope to continue just where we left off later tonight.” I gave her a bright smile, “don’t worry, we can find a rope or something else to substitute for your leash, if needed.”

Now her eyes widened and she ruffled her snout. A bit of this cute red colour rushed over her cheeks too.

I purred, but before she could say something to ruin the moment, I started to move forward, forcing her to come with me.

If we were going to play this ‘date’ thing out, I thought, it would perhaps a good idea to start a proper conversation.

“I am curious, how did you noticed my presence at the entrance? I could have sworn that I wasn’t visible.”

Obviously happy and surprised that my thoughts were no longer on bedding her, she quickly answered, “The collar. The collar of fire on your tail reflected some of the sunlight from outside.”

Well, my thoughts were on the the idea of playing with her soft fur, fondling her feathers, or nibbling on her neck… but I played it cool.

“Ahh, I see,” I commented neutrality, internally scolding myself for not remembering the collar. “Still you were the only one who noticed.”

“A lifetime experience as a treasure hunter,” she said proudly.

“You mean tomb raider?” I teased her.

“Archaeologist!” she corrected me, “if you want to know my profession. It’s kind of a family business.”

“I see.”

We felt silent for a while, walking down the path from the tunnel to the bottom of the giant cave I called my home. When we passed the little waterfall I had created so painstakingly, which blocked the view from the entrance to the small valley behind, she couldn’t hold back her curiosity about what she saw.

“What is this place?” she pointed down at the small valley on our left. “I wouldn’t had expected such, such… such a display of life and beauty down here, especially with how dilapidated and dirty the entrance was.

“That was unnecessary.”

She opened her lips, maybe to apologize, but then closed it, waiting for an answer.

Ponies seemed to have a very odd idea of how a date works..

“It’s my home.”

“Your home? Since when do dragons live in a lovely place like this?” She shook her head. “Don’t you guys prefer blunt rocks, lava and a huge ‘stay out’ sign at the entrance?”

“Maybe,” I lifted her hoof and cuddled along her pastern with my snout, “your lucky though that I make exceptions.”

“And why is that?” She tried to pull her hoof back.

I took another breath of her smell and let her hoof fall into its previous position. “Because, otherwise I would have sliced you in pieces in that tavern.”

I returned my gaze forward, letting her deal with the knowledge she got.

“I should tell you the main reason I didn’t though was because I am seriously interested in your body,” I confessed. “If you would let me, we could spend the whole night exploring it together.”

She blushed and I smiled when I noticed.

“Don… Don’t you dare!” she shyly mumbled.

It was always a pleasant surprise, to see the difference between how she acted in dangerous situation, when she kept a cool head and remained mostly calm, and how squeamish she would become when naughtier themes presented themselves.

One reason more to adore her.

“We will see.” I said and gave her a nice smirk.

The rest of the trip was mostly spent in silence. Only interrupted by a comment by her every now and then about the surroundings, which seemed to impress her to a degree.

It made me felt a little proud of myself at what I had accomplished.

We moved down into the valley, past the modest, well jungle isn’t quite right, let’s call it my overgrown garden, and headed towards the end of my lair.

There, a little tunnel lead deeper into the mountain, and at its end was an fairly large cavern with several other caves connected to it. I like to imagine it as the floor of one of the houses on the surface with the connected caves being like rooms in the house.

On the threshold to my inner lair she stopped and gasped. She let her gaze wander around, taking a tiny step forward as her jaw dropped.

I let go of her hoof and let her take her time inspecting the interior of the caverns while I took my time inspecting her.

“How did you… Who…?” she asked.

“Dragons secret.” I purred, very pleasured with the impression my home had on her.

As explained, I had a lot of time to think about what I really want down here, and, with all the treasures I had collected, it had been easy to accomplish my vision of a perfect home.

Of course it was not a empty cave with lava and rocks.

Actually, it was inspired by some noble houses I had bur… visited back in the days.

The floors were covered with fine, thick carpets. Along the walls hung some pictures and trophies, most of which was armour and weapons from those that had tried to steal from me in the past. The furniture, mostly marble, was all made with the size of a dragon in mind, huge in the eyes of a pony, and designed to impress.

A goal they had accomplished as it seems. However, what seemed to be drawing her eyes was the sheer number and variety that I had. Stools, tables, cupboards, a few bookshelves with books in them, in short, everything you would find in the mansion of a noble family.

Furthermore, there were some more modern conveniences, a oven, next to a functional sink and fridge.

And of course, the thing I loved the most , or second most after my huge bed, styled in the same manner as the beds most of the other species used, a huge, equipped, bathroom. One can’t imagine how difficult it had been to establish a functional water supply down here, and of course the necessary electricity.

I gave Fluffy a moment to let this all sink in.

“Not bad for a collection of rocks and lava, hmm?” I teased.

A little startled by my voice, she quickly turned around to look at me. “Uhm, no, not at all.” She looked around once more. “Where does that door lead to?” She pointed at the only closed door along the farest wall.

“That, miss Do, is my treasure room, or more accurately, one of them.”

“Your treasure room?” she repeated slowly.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Huh? Oh, not me, surely not me,” she replied. Her gaze hung on the door still though, fixating on the lock.

I could see the gears turning in her head.

“You wouldn’t be the first one to try,” I said stepping next to her. “Just know, that if you try, I would see my obligation to hold back vanish.”

I dropped the saddlebags and underlined that statement with a soft stroke of my tail over her flank, lifting her dress a bit.

She slapped my tail with her wing and gave me an reproachful stare.

“That’s all you ever think of, huh?”

“The dining room is over there,” I said, not stupid enough to answer that question. “The bathroom is this way,” I told her as I pointed at both rooms. “If you wish to refresh yourself first.”

I let her stand there as I picked up the saddlebags and moved to the kitchen.

Yes, I was well aware that I was taking a risk, she could get cold claws, I mean hooves and would try to flee, and I knew there was the chance she would make it. Though, if she tried and failed, well, I told her about the consequences.

I perked up my ears when I dropped the saddlebags next to the sink.

One second passed, then a second one.

I was tempted to look over my shoulder to see if she was still there, but then I heard her hooves quietly clicking on the carpet in the direction of the bathroom, followed by the sound of a closing door.

So, a date it is.

I smiled brightly. Thinking of it, I had been doing that more often in the past few hours then I had in the last month. I turned my gaze in the direction of the bathroom, unsure what I should think of this.

For a while I just stood there, clicking my claws on the marble worktop.

Mhh, I returned my thoughts to the dinner. I guess a bottle of wine wouldn’t hurt…

Author's Note

Well, you think writing this in 3 days was fast? Drache Schatten edited it in one for me, that was even faster
Many, many, thanks to him for his great help, he also is responsible that the formulations here are so fitting, he put much effort in them.

Update 18.04.2020, inchapter art by Little Tigress!