Willing The Heavens

Luna stood rigid; the eyes of the creatures locked on her.

The dragon's eyes broke away from her. Luna realized what was happening too late.

"Watch out!"

The dragon swiped its claws at the nearest bat ponies. Three of them dodged the attack, but the fourth was grazed by one of the claws. The bat pony cried out in pain, beginning to fall.

The dragon spread its wings and began beating them. It wasn't enough to take off, but it caused a wind strong enough to throw the bat ponies back towards the wall. Luna held on for dear life as the wind tried to carry her off.

When the dragon paused it's flapping, the bat ponies took to the sky. They shot past Luna, leaving her to stare after them. They quickly disappeared around the mountain. Luna let her gaze drift back to the dragon. She immediately felt her heart drop into her stomach.

The injured bat pony had been left behind. And the dragon was approaching it.

Luna didn't think as she jumped from the wall, speeding toward the bat pony. She landed in front of it, spreading her wings out to block the dragon.

"YOU WILL COME NO CLOSER BEAST!!"

Her Canterlot Voice echoed against the rocks. The dragon reared back, caught off guard by the volume of the pony in front of him.

"Great Vulcan! How can you be that loud?"

Luna glared up at the dragon.

"YOU WOULD DARE ATTACK A DEFENSELESS PONY?"

The dragon covered his head.

"Would you be quiet?! I can hear you just fine if you speak at a normal volume!"

"Yes, please. Some of us are rather sensitive to sound."

Luna looked at the bat pony. He was covering his ears. She blushed, embarrassed at the discomfort she'd caused.

"I...I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..."

The dragon blew a plume of smoke.

"Why are you here pony? This is not your concern."

Luna looked back at the dragon defiantly.

"It is my concern! I am a Princess of Equestria!"

The bat pony slowly stood up.

"Equestria? Is that what they've started calling it? I think I preferred when it didn't have a name."

The dragon nodded.

"That we can agree on."

Luna scowled at both of them.

"Well I didn't choose the name! I'm just a Princess!"

The bat pony shook his head.

"Well I didn't vote for you."

"You don't- Never mind that. Why were all of you fighting just now?"

The bat pony pointed up at the dragon.

"He started it. We came looking for some new caves and he has the nerve to say they're all his!"

The dragon growled.

"Not just mine! They belong to all the dragons that live in these mountains."

Luna looked up at the dragon.

"How many are you?"

"Twelve."

"And how many caves are there?"

"That's hardly the point."

"How many?"

"....Twenty. Twenty-five. Possibly thirty."

"In all?"

The bat pony interjected.

"That's just the eastern half of the range."

Luna shook her head at the dragon.

"Then why can't you share some of them with the bat ponies?"

"Because this is our side of the mountains!"

The bat pony stepped around Luna, glaring at the dragon.

"We only have ten caves on the western side! And they're getting crowded as it is!"

"You bat ponies multiply like rabbits. Have you no self-control? We only have young once every decade."

The bat pony tried to lift off, but his right wing refused to support him with the injury it bore.

"If I wasn't injured, I'd make sure you'd never sire an egg again!"

The dragon growled again, smoke beginning to emanate from his mouth.

Luna jumped between the two of them.

"Will you just STOP!!"

The last word echoed, making both creatures pause. The bat pony flicked his ears.

"I thought you were done yelling."

Luna turned to him.

"Not if you're going to start fighting again! Now stand back!"

"This isn't your fight kid. Let me by."

"Kid?! Don't mistake my looks for youth. I'm an alicorn."

"Well I'm a bat pony and that's a dragon. And our two races hate each other."

The dragon nodded.

"Agreed."

Luna looked between the two for a moment, trying to think. What would Celestia do now? She was already trying to be as diplomatic as she could be, but it didn't seem to be getting anywhere.

"Look...you can't just...we have to..."

She looked at the bat pony. He was nursing the wound on his wing. It clicked in Luna's head that his wound was partially her fault. She let out a sigh and looked up at the dragon.

"I have no quarrel with you, but he's injured. Will you allow us to leave so I can take him home?"

The dragon stared at her for a few seconds before nodding.

"Fine. But I don't want to see them back over here again."

Luna shook her head.

"I won't make that promise for them. And when I return, I expect to have a talk with both races in the same cave."

Dragon sneered at her.

"Why would I agree to that?"

Luna flew up and landed on the dragon's nose.

"Let me be clear. You will meet with me and the bat ponies. If you refuse, I will make sure these mountains come crumbling down."

The dragon glared at her. And Luna glared right back. After several intense seconds, she saw his eyes flicker.

"Very well. Now leave."

Luna smiled and glided back down to the bat pony.

"Come on. You're in no shape to fly on your own."

The bat pony stared at her.

"Why would you help me?"

"Because that's what you do for somepony who can't help themselves."

He chuckled.

"You've never met bat ponies before. Didn't you see how they took off without me?"

She nodded.

"I did. And I don't understand why they wouldn't help you."

"Because I'm dead weight. With this injury I won't be able to fly for at least a month. I can't very well expect anypony to take care of me."

Luna frowned.

"Why not? Don't you take care of the sick and elderly in your caves?"

"Well little things, yeah. But something like this? I'm as good as dead to them. I won't be able to contribute to the colony."

Luna's frown deepened.

"Well that's not going to do at all. Come on..."

Her frown disappeared.

"I'm so sorry. I never got your name."

The bat pony smiled.

"It's Fang."

Luna smiled back.

"Okay Fang. I'm taking you home."

She helped brace him for takeoff and looked over her shoulder. The dragon was still standing there. Luna flashed her smile.

"I look forward to meeting you again...."

"Grawn."

"Grawn. I hope our next meeting can be under better circumstances."

Grawn slowly nodded as the two ponies took to the air. Luna wobbled as she did her best to support Fang and herself. They worked in tandem, making their way to the western half of the mountains. Fang nodded up towards the summit of Foal Mountain.

"Our caves are closer to the top. I hope you're ready for a climb."

Luna nodded and they began to climb higher through the air.

It wasn't long before Luna spotted the caves. They were grouped together near the summit, snow decorating the edges of each entrance. Luna felt her smile grow as the anticipation built for meeting the rest of the bat ponies.