Tyrants Path

Spike watched as Chomper slept in his old bed, his chest rising and falling as he slept. Spike rested his hand into one of his hands, watching the hatchling as he slept. He looked back at the paper he was writing, quill discarded for the moment as he thought about what he was going to say. His claws tapped away at the desk, Chomper not even waking from his rest, seemingly not minding the sound.

The door opened a crack, then opened wider, Twilight poking her head in to see the young drake and his hatchling sitting at his desk. Chomper lazily opened an eye, before going back to sleep, adjusting in the bed to get more comfortable. Twilight trotted in, giving a soft noise as she sat down next to Spike.

"Trouble writing to the Princess?" Twilight finally asked, making Spike nod in reply. She wrapped a wing around him and smiled a bit, Spike lifting a hand up and resting it on her wing. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Well...since we have no clue if this plan will work, we will probably need guards to help us out." Spike explained, before picking his quill up and humming softly, before putting it back down. "I just can't word it right."

Twilight thought for a moment, before looking at Chomper, snoring in his sleep, giving out cute squeaks. She smiled, then looked back at Spike, giving a teasing smile, "You could start it off by calling her mom."

Spike turned white, then gave her a glare, the young drake hissing out, "You swore you wouldn't tell anyone."

"Just joking, Spike." Twilight said, giving a nervous smile at Spikes glare, then rested her hoof on her chin. "Perhaps you should be up front and direct? Dancing around the subject won't help us."

"I know." Spike said, before stretching out a bit, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "I just can't word this in a way I like."

"You'll figure it out, you always do." Twilight spoke, before squeezing Spike in a tighter hug. He smiled at her, then looked back at the empty scroll. "Though, I will have to proofread. I really don't think you want to let it slip you had a son before you got married to Fluttershy."

Spike rumbled a bit and gave her a side eye, then said, "I'm not into Fluttershy like that. I mean, yeah, she's beautiful and smart and...has a nice smile. And she always makes me feel warm and - oh my Celestia, do I have a thing for Fluttershy?" Spike rested its forehead in his hands, giving a soft groan. "I really should not even humoring that thought."

Twilight giggled, before resting her head on Spikes shoulder, making him peer back at the paper, studying it for a moment. Twilight took this moment to study his face, silently missing his young, boyish face, and although he was now quite handsome and he had grown well, she silently wished for the days where he would peer up at her in wonder, and she could just pinch his cute little cheeks and tell him how adorable he was. She missed the days where he would fall asleep on her back, or would get so excited over a new comic or a gem he could eat.

She smiled, before patting his face with a hoof, giving a hum, "You gotta stop growing up. What happened to my little drake who wanted to snack on gems and nap all day?"

"Got his heart broken and grew up."

Twilight smiled sadly, before rubbing his back, careful not to injure him and his wings, her own wings pressing against her. He cleared his throat a bit and sat up straight, starting to write down the plans, before Twilight gave a smile.

"You should talk to Celestia and Luna more often." Twilight said, making Spike hum softly.

"I'm a single father, I don't have time for that." Spike joked, Chomper giving a squeaky yawn, stretching a bit. The youngster shook a bit as he stretched, before shaking his head, looking at Twilight and Spike. "Speaking of, hey Chomp, ready for bed time?"

Chomper stretched out a bit, before giving a sleepy chirp. "Guess that's a yes." Twilight answered for Chomper, who stood up and gave a soft chirp, walking over and nuzzling into his aunt, loving her soft fur. Twilight smiled and used her wing to cover the youngster, hearing it rumble happily as it nuzzled into her warm body. "I remember when you used to do this."

Spike took this moment to scratch behind the little Tarbosaurus' head, making him rumble even louder. Spike pulled his hand away, then lifted the scroll, trying it up and stamping it. He started to breathe a hot flame across it, the smoke swirling out of the window and away.

"Now we wait." Spike said, before turning and slowly pulling the reluctant hatchling away from his "aunt", the youngster curling up in Spikes arms. "In the meantime, this little one needs to go to bed."

Twilight slowly left the room, seeing Spike open the blanket and let his little one clamber in. He started to slowly climb in, adjusting so he and the young Tyrannosaur would have enough space. Twilight smiled at the sight, before slowly closing the door behind her. As they settled into bed, Spike looked at the Everfree forest, his slitted pupils searching the treeline. Tomorrow was the day.

Tomorrow, they would capture the Tyrant.

The sun just starting to appear in the horizon, and yet, the Apple Farm was as busy as it ever was. Spike and Fluttershy watched the hatchling as he chased butterflies around, snapping at them a bit. Spikes eyes darted towards Fluttershy, admiring her beauty a bit, before her head would shift, forcing him to look anywhere else instead of her. She noticed him looking, but said nothing, only blushing a bit and smiling when she caught the end of his eyes moving.

"Are you sure you have all the stink bombs we'll need, Zecora? I don't want to use them all and the thing won't budge." Rainbow Dash asked, making Zecora smile at the rainbow haired mare.

"Do not worry, my rainbow friend, this day will not see your end." The zebra mare rhymed to her, before looking around a bit, her eyes scanning the group. "Has anyone seen Spike? I do not wish to harm his little tyke."

"Playing wit Shy and the youngin." Applejack said, walking with a barrel on her back. She shifted it downwards, wrinkling her nose as it slid off her back and landed next to the trio. "Woo doggy, these smell worse than the time Granny tried to use an 'alternative' soap."

Zecora and Rainbow Dash peered in, giving a disgusted look at the dead fish inside the barrel, Spike humming as he slowly stood up, clicking his tongue, Chomper snuggling into Fluttershy's legs as he looked into the hole, seeing Twilight inspecting it.

"So, what else do we need?" Spike asked, making Twilight hum softly, the Alicorns wings shuffling a bit as she thought.

"Source of freshwater that reconnects to the underground streams and won't flood the hole, but right now we have a pond at the bottom that he can drink from. Bait ready?"

"Ready and stinkin." Applejack said, peering into the hole, her eyes scanning the bottom. "You sure the big guy ain't gonna notice this big hole?"

"By the time he notices, it'll be too late. Rarity and I will lift him up and into it, and hopefully place him down into it without further issues." Twilight said, before hearing the bushes rustle, giving a soft murmur, "What is that?"

Spike whistled, catching the others attention and motioned them to move. Applejack too this chance and would grab a fish from the barrel, giving a disgusted look, before throwing it near the bushes, before pushing the barrel onto its side, dumping the rest into the hole. applejack started to back up, pulling the lasso out with her teeth and getting ready. Spike grabbed Chomper, unintentionally pulling Fluttershy behind him, his wings flaring out and keeping Fluttershy and Chomper hidden.

Zecora adjusted her bag a bit, giving Twilight a look, to which she responded, "Rarity isn't here, we need her for this plan to work."

"We should back up."

"We cannot give away the plan. Twilight, you will have to do the best that you can." Zecora rhymed out, Spike flicking his tongue out a bit. He grew confused look.

"It isn't him."

Out of the bushed burst three of the little theropods, Shuvuuia. They gave loud chirps, screeching as they ran past the group, panicking loudly as they ran by. Twilight readied her horn, ready to fire magic off and protect them in case the beast came out of the treeline.

The bushes rustled again, the group on edge, Rainbow Dash giving a huff as she stared at the bushed, Applejacks grip tightening on her lasso, Spikes pupils slowly turning into slits, Twilights horn glowing even brighter, Fluttershy hugging Chomper closer. Chomper himself sniffed the air, only to give a frightened sound, pushing further into Fluttershy's body.

And out of the bushes it jumped!

A lizard.

A 12 inch long skink, to be exact.

Immediately, the groups tension released and breathed a collective sigh of relief, though the hatchling, Chomper, pushed further into Fluttershys body, giving a soft squeak of fear. The skink gave a lazily crawl, before the bushes shook again, catching them by surprise as a blur shot out.

Suddenly the skink was gone in a snap of jaws, predatory, owl like eyes scanning the group. The skink gave a pathetic hiss before a snap of bones was heard, the creature throwing its head back to eat the skink whole. Chomper hid under Fluttershy, who stared in fright at the creature before her, limbs locking up a bit.

The creature was colored dark with spots, almost like the mixture of an owl and roadrunner. Its head feathers were combed back, long hook like claws on its second toe, wings and tail fan being slightly lighter colors or brown and white. Its skull was slender, its shape was form fitting, and its eyes had a predatory look to them.

Velociraptor.

Its head feathers shot up once it spotted the group, toe claws tapping a bit on the ground. It cocked its head, the morning rays striking upon its form, pupils constricting a bit, claws on its hands being shown as it took a step towards the group, once hidden by its wings. Its beautiful blue eyes watched the group, pupils constricting a bit when landing on Spike, before moving onto Fluttershy, nostrils flaring a bit. The Velociraptor gave a throaty call, another one of its kin popping its head out of the bushes, feathers on its head alert, before combing back down as it stepped out. They ignored the fish in front of them, walking towards the group.

"Twilight?"

"Don't move. They may not be antagonistic, we just need to remain calm." Twilights horn stopped glowing as she stood tall, staring at the two predatory dromaeosaurids, her wings pressing against her sides.

This ones feathers were lighter, its frame was slightly more bulky, and its face was decorated with three long scars, and its right arm was missing some feathers. It walked forward, giving a soft chirp towards its companion, the duo watching the group of friends.

The Big One slowly circled around, footpads landing on the ground, the first one, whom we will name Blue Eyes, quietly circled around the other way. Spike felt a primal part of his brain react, and for once he listened to it; he gave a low, throaty hiss, which made the Big One pause for a moment. Her eyes locked onto his, before she gave a throaty trill, before walking past him, giving a wide berth. Her eyes locked onto movement under Fluttershy's legs, stopping for another moment and giving a soft hiss at the sight of Chompers snout. Fluttershy saw her head move down, jaws opening a bit, before something shot through her system.

She stomped her hoof in front of Chomper, interrupting The Big Ones gaze, giving a soft huff through her nostrils. She stood back up and slowly kept walking, inspecting the group. Blue Eyes gave Rainbow Dash a gaze, sniffing her once he saw her wings, to which she responded by stamping her hooves and giving the Velociraptor a glare.

"Try somethin!" She hissed out, Blue Eyes giving a hiss back, though made no movements towards her. He kept walking, clicking his jaws together, watching Applejack with a wary eye, seeing her tighten her mouths grip on the lasso. She saw her muscular legs, giving a loud huff, walking around her, before his eyes landed onto Zecora. He sniffed towards the Zebra mare, only to give a shriek of disgust when it smelt the bottles she was carrying.

It seemed that even the cork couldn't contain the smell.

Blue Eyes shook and scampered away, jumping onto a rock nearby and giving a look around, the Big One giving a throaty sound. The wind shifted, Blue Eyes sniffing loudly, before his head turned to the ground. He gave a loud, bird like call, the Big One looking at him. He then jumped off the rock, running off after the Shuvuuia, the Big One looking back at Spike, her head feathers flaring upwards, giving a throaty trill again.

Spikes eyes constricted into slits, Chomper quietly slipping out and hiding under Spike. Spike gave a throaty rumble, which Chomper matched, the Big One staring at them both, before following Blue Eyes.

After a minute they disappeared into another bush, the bushes rustling loudly as they left the group. Fluttershy finally let a breath out, then smiled to her friends, saying, "That went well."