The warmth of the sun has awakened me from my tranquil slumber. I can't help but hisssssss a little as I feel my energy return to me after a long hibernation. "I wonder how long I wasss asssleep for this time?" I pondered as I slowly get up on my hooves my old bones popping just ever so slightly as I stand. I may not know how long I was asleep but I do know that it was long enough that my old body requires a large amount of sustenance and I'm sure that all the little delicious morsels should be out and about by now.
Due to the amount of dirt between me and the sun I have to dig my way out which took more out of me then I would have liked so I have to spend some time basking in the sun for me to get my energy back. I opened my hood to catch as much sun as possible. Ahh, too bright!
After readjusting my eyes to the brightness of the sun, I got out of the hibernation hole that I put myself in, walk down the woods to locate a perfect spot to sit down and officially initiated my sun basking.
"Hmm, Thisssss feelssss nissse." I exclaimed with a celebratory hisss as I sat down on the grass plain while basking under the sun's warm and radiant light for some time as I opened my hood got warm. I noticed the winds did change I don't know when the winds changed but they did and I picked up the aromatic scent of a defenseless bunny as I let my scales absorb in the sunlight.
"Ssssmellssss clossssse." I don't have to go far to see a white rabbit having if the scent is anything to go by. I seemed to have caught a break as I was about to move, I see the morsel run in front of my seeming unaware of my existence... yet. I carefully followed it as I try and stay downwind of my meal. If I was lucky it would lead me to a lot of food.
Good thing I am very patient because I lose the rabbit after about half a cycle, but it is where I lose it at is what puzzled me for I have been down this side of my territory a couple of times just before my hibernation slumber.
This patch of land where there were once tall trees, wild grass and an assortment of slightly edible mushrooms were now sitting some sort of plant that I have never seen before, the plants are tall with what looked like rabbit ear shaped yellow things sticking all around the plant and there are a lot of them like at least ten of them. Being the curious creature that I am, I decided to venture this unfamiliar field of abnormal plants and maybe I can find something to eat while I'm looking.
"My, oh my thingssss sssure have changed around here," I observed when I come across some rather plump white birds inside some sort of barrier of which I had a thought of poisoning all the birds with my breath but instead I choose to grab one from over the barrier, kill it and swallowed it whole. No need to waste all that food after all.
"Thank you for your ssssacrifissse, for without it I may have perisssshed." I bowed to the remaining birds and I go on my merry way, the birds make a lot of noise as I do so.
Leaving the rather noisy surviving birds, I attempted to find my way back to the woods and away from this strange place. Unfortunately, I get lost as the day turns to night and I am forced to lay next to some sort of trail as it is too dark to see anything and it doesn't help that I can not see most colors having lost that some time ago during a territorial dispute with a young male that was too big for his hairy scales.
Awakening the next morning is not something I would call pleasant as I heard annoying noises around me. Observing my surroundings from my resting place, I notice a small group of four tiny ponies. While I had not had a pony in a while, I just ate and should be good for about seven cycles. But as I said earlier I am a curious creature with an unsatiable palate... to my interests so I did like I did with the rabbit and stalked the tiny ponies making sure to stay downwind as best I could to avoid having my presence being noticed and alerting the tiny ponies' armored warriors.
I hate meals that keep their delicious parts inside tight shells.
Eventually, I came across weird looking huts that seem to give the weird plants a run for there meal not to mention the ponies that are everywhere. I was so much shock that I almost blew my cover to the young ones. However, I just got lucky when a bird flew overhead to distract their feeble attention spans.
I took a quick glance at the strange huts while I continued my stalking on my prey. They appeared to take the form of cubes with a pyramid instead of the circular ones. They seemed to be built with stronger material as it was unaffected by the strong breeze that was facing my way.
Anyway, making my way into the not so small tribe settlement once the young ponies moved on I immediately see that some things never change and the prey will scatter at the sight of a predator as there wasn't a lot for me to hide with on my way into the tribe, unfortunately. I pay them no mind and let them run around like idiots. That's how I often caught ponies they would injure themselves running and make for an easy meal otherwise they are too fast and too much effort for not enough reward, especially for one at my age.
I sniffed around to see if I can find some clean water in this weird and strange place, more ponies run as soon as they see me the ones with wings seem to be keeping an eye on me from the sky. I follow the sent of water to a small lake which seems to be behind another barrier only this one is too tall for me to go over, taking a little bit to look for a way for me to enter I come to the conclusion that I can't. Sad really I wanted to have a drink since the water looked so clear.
As I go to leave one of the flying ponies decided to try and dive bomb me. I rattle my tail as a warning to stop but they do not stop and I feel a rather nasty hit on my head and at that, I am forced to retaliate I rear back on my hind legs and I open my hood. The effect is immediate as all the ponies who look at my hood are now paralyzed and unfortunately for the flying ones they are no longer flying, the breaking of bones can be heard as they land.
I walk up to the one that was attacking me and I grab them by the neck and with a great amount of strength on my part I toss it into the lake behind the barrier. I give off a low hiss as I have had enough of this place. "Now how do I get out of here thissss plassse Confusssesss me." I ponder as I try and retrace my steps.
I followed my nose to try and find any familiar scents but due to the number of ponies, it makes that rather difficult even if they are all hiding at the moment. I don't know how long I wondered but it was definitely before the cycle ended when I caught the familiar scent of wild berries and I followed it with no hesitation. I follow the scent to a weird hut that had all sorts of familiar smells which I found odd as this was not where I was just last cycle. I can't help but just give up and lay down this place is so difficult to navigate and not to mention the lack of water for me to access.
I must have fallen asleep because I am woken up by something poking my hip rather painfully I might add. "Can I help you?" I said without even opening my eyes.
I can hear murmuring amoung I assume the ponies about something before one speaks. "Mam, may I ask why you attacked this town?" A stallion's voice asked with a vigilant tone as I open my eyes to find a small group of white and grey armored ones.
Great, some reliable assistance but I think there may be some misunderstandings with that statement of hs.
"I did not attack thisss tribe, stallion warrior. I just got lossst and I can't ssseem to find my way home," I reply as I stand up my old bones popping once more. "I did defend myssself when one of the flying ones tried attacking me when I jusst wanted ssssome water," I informed them. I noticed one looking in something before whispering to the others.
"I see, well, why don't you come with us and we can get you home okay?" I assume the leader requested my cooperation while he stared me in the eyes without looking away. From all the warriors I encountered in the past, he seems pretty bold.
"While that is nissse, I fail to sssee why I ssshould I have lissseen to what your kind hasss done to mine jussst before my hibernation," I told them.
My statement seems to cause some confusion before the one who was looking in the weird thing speaks up. "I think I've read your kind in ancient scrolls... but if what you said is true, then that was almost three hundred years ago?!" or more accurately exclaimed as if I have a poor sense of hearing.
"Yearsssss?" I questioned, confused by that term. How many cycles is that exactly?
Which goes ignored as the one in the back continues. "Captain Steel Mettle, we have to get her to Canterlot! We very well are looking at one of the oldest and biggest Basilponies to ever live." He loudly informed the group who all seemed shocked. The leader seems to disagree with that the pony.
What is going on? I just want to return to my woods to gather some sustenance and sleep some more. Maybe I should search for the rest of my tribe since I'm already awake. I do miss conversing with them but not that much when it comes to hunting prey and territory.
Nevermind that, I should just look for the way back for myself if these little ponies are not going to assist me.
"Forget it, I'm not going anywhere but home," I say as I rattle my tail who unlike the flying one from earlier these ones take a step or two back. "Now buzz off I'm to go and try and get sssssome water before I die of thirsssst." I start to walk away leaving the armored ones to do whatever they want, I have run out of patients for ponies of all kinds. I don't get far without noticing I'm being followed. Ponies have no idea how to hide downwind, but that makes sense since upwind will alert them to any danger.
"Go away," I said as I flared my hood as I walk. It seems to have worked for now but the more pressing issue is how am I going to leave. In my search, I do find some water thankfully so I don't have to worry about that for now at least. " Looksss like the ssssycle is ending. I better Find a plasssse to ressst for the night." I find a nice warm rock to ease the pain in my bones from the stress of the last couple cycles.
When I wake up I find myself in some sort of pony contraption being taken somewhere. "What issss the meaning of thissss?" I ask as to try and stand up only to find that I can't really move.
"We are taking you to Canterlot Mountain for it is not safe for you to inhabit in your old home." I heard the annoying one from the last cycle spoke. His name escapes me at the moment, so I shall dub him as the annoying one to spare my memories from remembering. "We can make sure you are looked at by a doctor and maybe we can get something for your acks and pains." He says with a smile on his face I just growl at him.
"I wassss there for a reasssson you idiotssss." I growled out as I started to fill my belly with poisonous gas.
"What was that reason, if I may politely ask?" The annoying one speaks up its flappy mouth again.
"My lassst clutch of eggsss are over there." After a sudden jerk (which hurt a bit), the idiotic ponies started scrambling what to do about my information. After some rather amusing slaps from the leader to the others, we turned around and it takes a while to reach what I assume is my territory. With the poison in my belly nearly filled to the brim All I have to do now is wait for the right opportunity to strike.
When they got out of the contraption, they start to free me as well and once I am free I strike by bellowing as much of the gas out of my stomach as I possibly can before making my escape. Their cough can be heard behind me as I put as much distance between me and them as I can before they can either recover or go get more armored ponies.
With practiced ease, I make my way through the trees and grass and I soon come across the den I woke up in not to long ago. I struggled to catch my breath as I searched for my eggs and thankfully while I was out, no egg thieves got to them. Feeling especially tired from all the stress from the last couple of cycles I decided to take a nap with my eggs. Yes, a nap sounds right.
(Steel Mettle P.O.V)
"I swear, you are all idiots," I bluntly stated as we marched through the woods looking for the basilisk pony. "And you, Bookworm. Where do you have it to undermine my authority to try and remove her from her habitat," I yelled, causing the squad to flinched from the volume and intensity of my emotions.
"Sir, my name isn't Bookworm its." He began
"I know full well what your name is private. Just answer my Celestia forsaken question!" I shouted at him with such rage that it felt like I was snarling.
"I thought that she would like to live somewhere nicer than the woods." I glare at him as he flinches.
"How many years did you spend pissing on the toilet seat before somepony told you to put it up," I ask completely serious, but before I could get a reply from him a pegasus squad member comes back with some news. "What is it Private Wingblade."
"We found her, Captain Steel Mettle." We then follow him. I make sure to keep Bookworm in my sights as we follow Wingblade After about a five-minute hike we come across what looks like an oversized snake den. "She's inside but I warn you its a sad sight Captain.
"Thank you. Now go take the rest of the day off," I informed her and she salutes before taking to the sky. I take the lead as we head inside the den with lanterns lite. The private was not wrong about the sight there was a dead Basilisk pony wrapped around a pile of eggs that might be rocks I can't tell with the current lighting. Bookworm was in shock about the whole deal. "You wanted her in Canterlot well you're moving her by yourself if you want that to happen didn't you."
"Yes, sir." He gives me a half flank salute before going to move the body. As he goes to move the body I have another soldier move the eggs as so they aren't damaged or dead if they are three hundred years old, then it's very likely the eggs are dead. We get everything loaded up in the cart and we head back to base. It's a long drive and as we approach the base I start to hear some cracking.
Author's Note
for some size comparison, Dally is nine feet long, four of which is her neck two is ner body and three is her tail, her height at her shoulder is only about two feet, she is also on the older side for those who might not have picked up on that. While Steel Mettle is three foot long and four foot high at the shoulder
