The lake was peacefully quiet as the orange-colored sun lingered high above upon a darkening canvas. Smolder let herself drift on the waters calmly as her slender purple-tipped tail hugged her calf. This was the type of downtime she yearned for during these rather hectic times, with school and favors to be done far from home. The fact she could simply close her eyes was a true treat, one she happily shared.
"I needed time out of the library from Twilight." Spike floated lazily across the water with a sheepish grin.
"Thought you could, I mean you work harder than most buffaloes!" Smolder giggled as her claw swiped swiftly into the lake.
A slithering slimy water snake plucked from the cool liquid below. It hissed defensively as it tried to escape the clawed grasp of its predator, giving the dragoness a swift bite only to break a fang upon her shimmering scales.
"Want a bite?" Smolder offered the snake to the purple dragon who nearly jumped out of his scales before plunging underwater.
She would explode with laughter before her fangs chomped down onto the head of the snake as it tensed up before going limp. "Why are you scared? They can't hurt you?" Smolder chewed on the savory meat of her catch slowly.
"I just don't like snakes," Spike growled as he poked his head out of the water, a mossy lilypad plopped atop his head dripping.
"Don't see why? They're really delicious! " Smolder gave a loud slurp as the tail of her snack suddenly vanished behind her orange lips.
"I can't bring myself to eat another living creature. " Spike looked away as his friend rolled over onto her belly in a lackadaisical manner.
"Right, you were raised by equines." She snickered playfully with a taunting grin.
He would roll his gem-colored eyes from the teasing of this slender dragoness. "I enjoy a good daisy sandwich and a bucket of muddy gems." Spike retorted with confidence.
"Muddy gems!?" Smolder raised a thin brow towards the drake in surprise.
"Hehe, yeah Rarity sets me up with all I can eat." Spike winked before returning to his position of comfort atop the water's surface.
Smolder pouted jealous of easy access to such a yummy dessert. Thoughts of herself having to dig into mud pits for hours, for only a clawful of gems danced in her mind.
"Okay, so being half pony can have benefits." Smolder grinned, giving her companion this one for the moment at least.
"Why did you invite me here anyway?" Spike let his gaze linger on the dragoness who let her slender shoulders lift dismissively.
"Because you're a dork I guess." She popped her lips matter-of-factly, Spike quickly scrunched his snout in dismay at such a reply.
"Wow…" He remarked with a scoff.
"It's not that bad." Smolder rolled onto her back giggling up a storm, both claws holding to her sides.
"Being a dork isn't supposed to be hateful, how!?" Spike lifted his head as a look of growing anger scoured his face.
Smolder let her gaze drift towards the now darkened sky, watching as stars twinkled into existence from the abyss. Feeling herself transported back to simplistic times of her youth, listening to her brother recite poetry in the middle of the night or helping her learn to ignite her first fiery breath.
"You are a dork, like my brother. " She gave a calm and collected reply.
Spike didn't say a word. His eyes lifted towards the heavens above, the glittering of the stars sending his spirit into a haze of tranquility. The dragoness gently bit down on her lower lip, as the feelings seemed to trickle outward.
"He taught me everything I know, I miss his quirky actions. " She let her gaze fall onto her friend.
"And even if he acted tough, he had a good heart." Smolder cracked a smile thinking back to how he had taught her, most of what she taught Spike.
"I guess you remind me of my bro. You remind me of home…"
The echo of frogs croaking played an enchanting melody of nature around both dragons. Fireflies began to litter the air around them, as the scent of the woodlands trapped them both in another world of peace.
It was these moments that both seemed to cherish. A sharing of playful secrets and humble memories, the freedom of no judgment when expressing oneself. Spike took a breath in deep thought, waiting for the words to come to his lips.
"Sometimes, I feel like I'm missing something that makes me a true dragon." Spike mused aloud as his heart quivered within his chest nervously.
"I don't hunt, I never built a real hoard, or even tried to make a lair. " Spike thought of milestones that most of his kind shared, and his lack of them made his soul dip lower.
"Yeah, but none of that makes a dragon." Smolder cracked a smile again, as she splashed her friend with water using her tail.
"Then what does!? Flying, fire…." His voice cracked nervously.
"None, what binds us all are the passions within our hearts! " Smolder glanced at her nervous purple friend in amusement.
"But…" Spike swallowed a growing lump.
"Are you happy making friends?"
"Yeah."
"Are you happy being one Tartarus of an assistant!?" She flashed a fang-filled grin.
"Of course!" He spoke with lifted spirits.
"As long as the fire here burns!" She pointed a delicate claw towards his chest as silence slowly filled the air.
"Then you are a dragon, never forget that." Smolder finished off with a long stretch upon the aquatic surface.
Spike beamed ear to ear in satisfaction at such an answer. His tail gently splashed water towards his friend who just snorted joyously.
"Thank you for inviting this dork," He let the warmth in his heart be known in this private moment between them both.
"No problem, Brother." She replied with a genuine smile as the night filled with peace.
