Rainbow Dash flapped placidly through a sky stained orange with the setting sun, her every wing flap stirring up slight eddies of dust from the ground that slowly died as she passed them. Around her, the jungle foliage rustled slightly in the breeze. Behind her lay an abandoned temple, now missing the priceless artifact it once guarded, which was safely out of the reach of Dr. Caballeron and in the hooves of famous explorer Daring Do. In front of her was a long walk of Celestia-knew how many miles back to civilization.

She sighed. If Twilight were here, she could do some fancy egghead math and figure out exactly how long it was going to take them to get back to Manehattan based on the curvature of the planet and the average airspeed speed of an unladen pegasus, or something. But, Twilight wasn't here. Instead, an earth pony stallion with an orangish-tinted sandstone coat and a mane and tail that were monochrome mirrors to her own trotted below her. She sighed again. If she were alone, she could have already covered 10 times this distance in half the time. It was a fleeting thought, though. Rainbow knew perfectly well that she'd never abandon a friend out here by himself - even a new friend like Quibble Pants.

Friend. She glanced down at him again and found herself smiling. He'd been so uptight about things when they'd first met, to that point that his fierce dislike for all the Daring Do books after the initial trilogy had brought him into conflict with her own unabashed love for everything Daring Do. Learning that Daring was a real pony, and her books true accounts of her adventures, plus living through a life-or-death adventure of his own with the intrepid hero and her number one fan, had softened his views a little. Not enough to change his mind about what he liked, but enough that he was willing to appreciate their shared fondness for the books, even if they liked different things about them. She was glad to call him a friend.

For now, Quibble was yammering on about - something or other. Honestly, he'd lost her a while ago when he was talking about how the whole Daring Do franchise could have been dramatically improved with a little bit of his own input, and she hadn't been paying much attention since then. She smiled down at him indulgently, knowing full well that he couldn't see it. She got the feeling that he appreciated having somepony to listen to him, and she had plenty of practice with not-really-paying-attention-but-still-listening courtesy of the endless stream-of-consciousness known as Pinkie Pie.

"Hey, Rainbow Dash?" she heard him call up to her. She looked down, blinking as refocused.

"Yeah, what’s up?"

"I was just wondering how much further it would be before we reached the road. Can you see it from up there?"

She scanned the horizon, but saw nothing but the endless sea of trees. "Nope," she replied, "but that's okay. We've gotta be pretty close by now."

He gave her a weak smile but she could tell that he was still nervous. She didn't blame him. Even though they were probably closer to Manehattan than they were to the temple now, there was still a lot of wilderness to travel through. They had no map, no supplies, and no weapons save for hooves, wings, and mouths. "Do you think maybe we should stop for the night?" He glanced at the sun, now all but kissing the horizon. "It's getting dark and I don’t want to be trotting through this jungle if I can’t see. I might fall in a hole, or get bitten by a snake, or something like that. It just doesn’t make any sense to do that because it’s more dangerous and -"

"I get it!" Rainbow snapped, cutting off his litany. She thought for a second, then nodded in agreement. She was safe enough in the air, but once the light was gone it would be much easier for him to stumble into something dangerous. "That's probably a good idea. I'll fly ahead and look for a safe place to stop, then come back and get you. Okay?"

"Sure thing," he replied with a grateful grin. Rainbow saluted and took off and was gone in an instant. He stared after her, watching the blue-and-rainbow blur as it disappeared over the treetops.

Quibble Pants wasn't sure how he felt about Rainbow Dash. She was nice enough, and had proven to be a better friend than he could have ever hoped for, but she was so . . . intense. She seemed to have a boundless supply of energy, and her enthusiasm was infectious, but sometimes it just made him feel like he was slowing her down. She'd saved his life more than once, but he had nothing really to offer her in return. What could he give her that she couldn't get more easily, or better, from anypony else? He was just a bookish stallion and she was a Wonderbolt, a world-class athlete, and a Bearer of an Element of Harmony. If she knew how he was starting to feel about her . . .

Suddenly, the tall grass off to the side rustled and, a second later, Rainbow came into view. "I found a good spot to set up camp," she said, grinning at him and waving a wing in invitation. "C'mon!" She turned and trotted back the way she came and he followed as best he could.

A few moments later, he stumbled out of the bushes, his coat covered with burrs, to find Rainbow standing next to a small stream, just off to the side of a shallow cave. "Pretty good, huh?" she asked, giving him an expectant look.

"Well, it’s passable, I suppose. It’s technically shelter and there’s water, but it might be contaminated and -" he began, before snapping his jaw shut as he noticed the frown growing on her face. "Uh, I mean, it’s great!" Rainbow rolled her eyes at him. He trotted closer to the stream and then looked down at himself. His fur was matted to his skin, stained with sweat, and full of dust and dirt. "Hey, do you mind if I go ahead and rinse myself off real quick? I feel kind of gross."

"Knock yourself out," she said with a chuckle. "I'll go gather some wood for a fire. I'll be back soon." She gave him a cheeky grin, then leaped into the air and flew off.

Quibble stared after her for a second, then shrugged and turned to the small, placid stream. He waded in, shivering a bit as the cool water flowed around his legs. Quickly, he kneeled and scooped up a hoofful of water, pouring it over his head and letting out a sigh of relief. By his own admission, he was hardly an athletic pony and he'd found himself desperately trying to hide how tired all this walking made him, lest Rainbow think less of him. But now, he was free to relax.

The water felt good against his skin. It was a hot, humid summer day and even the evening breeze hadn't done much to cool things down. As he washed the sweat away, the chill water cooled his skin underneath and made him shiver with pleasure. The water was deep enough that he could dunk himself in it, but not so deep that it could soak him completely even if he laid down. Still, he felt his sweat-stained clothes cling to his body as the stream soaked them through. This was as close to a proper washing as his authentically reproduced Daring Do vest was going to get today.

He'd been soaking for a few minutes, kneeling down in the shallow water and feeling it rush around his body, when he heard the flapping of wings. He turned to find Rainbow Dash landing on the bank nearby, with a large armful of sticks. She dropped them into a pile, then walked over to the water and sat down. She was above eye level with him, since he was still kneeling down in the water, and she grinned down at him. "Getting yourself all cleaned up for me?" she asked with a chuckle.

He blushed and sat up quickly. "I - uh, I guess so," he stammered, "I mean, I smelled pretty bad, so I thought I'd -"

She cut him off with another laugh. "I'm just teasing you, Quibble. No need to get all nervous." She leaned forward and gave him a playful nudge. "I was just thinking we could probably both use a bath. In fact . . ." she grinned at him again, then jumped into the air and careened into him, knocking them both back into the water. He spluttered, coughing and spitting out a mouthful of water as he sat up. Rainbow was lying on her stomach next to him, chuckling and looking extremely pleased with herself. He gave her a sour look and she laughed harder.

"Okay, okay, I deserved that," he said, joining in with her laughter. He stood up and shook himself off, then looked at her with a smirk of his. "So, is this your way of telling me that I still smell bad?" Rainbow gave him a playful shove, which knocked him back off balance, sending him careening into the river again. "Hey!" he shouted, laughing and coughing as he spat out another mouthful of water.

Suddenly, Rainbow was practically on top of him, burying her face in his neck and taking a deep breath. "Nope, you smell fine to me!" she said, grinning. "Although, I gotta say, you do look better soaked. Much less sweaty."

He glanced down and saw that his vest had become all but transparent, clinging to his chest and stomach and exposing every line and curve of his body to the fading light. His blush returned full force and he crossed his forelegs across his chest to cover himself. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and gave him an exasperated look. "Oh, don't be such a foal," she said, pushing him back into the water. "It's not like I can see anything I haven't seen before."

He lay on his back in the water, staring up at her and trying to look annoyed, but failing. He couldn't remember the last time somepony had treated him so casually, so easily, like they'd known him forever. And the truth was, he liked it.

"Come on," she said, pulling him back up onto his hooves. "Let's go dry off and get the fire started. It'll be dark soon." She leaped up onto the bank, shaking the water off her wings, then turned to look at him, holding out a hoof to help him out.

He hesitated, suddenly very conscious of his wet, clinging clothes. His physique, as unimpressive as it was, was plainly visible with his sodden fur clinging tightly to his body. It made a sharp contrast with the toned muscles and sleek lines that defined Rainbow's aerodynamic form. She cocked her head at him. "Well?"

He looked at her, seeing only her warm grin and sparkling eyes with no trace of judgment. Cheeks burning, he took her hoof in his and let her pull him up.

They walked over to the fire, where Rainbow set about arranging the sticks while Quibble wrung his tail out. He laid his vest out on the ground to dry and sat down next to it, trying to get as much of his fur in the fading sunlight as possible. The sun was setting, but they still had a little time left before nightfall. He peered critically at the stack of wood and kindly Rainbow had deposited near the entrance to the cave. "Are you sure that wood is the best choice? In ‘Daring Do and the Marked Thief of Marapore’ she specifically listed four species of wood common to jungle environments that are either hard to light, burn too quickly, make or make too much smoke. Did you–"

"Quibble." Rainbow said, glancing over at him meaningfully.

"Err, sorry," he said, folding his ears in embarrassment. "I’m sure you know what you’re doing."

Sighing slightly, she finished arranging the wood and sat back to admire her efforts. Finding it satisfactory, she smirked at Quibble and said, "Watch this!" She leaned in, extending one wing until the tip of the longest primary feather brushed against the wood. For a few seconds, nothing seemed to happen. Then, Quibble realized that her feathers were actually faintly vibrating, almost seeming to hum, and he caught a whiff of the distinctive scent of ozone. A heartbeat or two later, a lash of scintillating light leaped from her primary feather to impact the sticks; where it struck, the wood quickly smoldered and burst into flame.

Rainbow grinned at him and settled down next to him, close enough that her wing pressed against his side. "Pretty cool, huh?" she asked.

"Wow," he replied, unable to stop a grin from spreading across his face. "That was amazing! I've never seen anything like it."

She smirked. "Yeah, that was pretty awesome." She leaned back on her haunches and stared into the fire, letting the heat warm her belly.

He watched the fire for a few seconds, then turned to her again. "That's a really neat trick. How did you learn to do that?"

Rainbow shrugged. "Wonderbolts survival training. It's super useful for starting fires in the wilderness. You can't always rely on rubbing sticks together, so, you know, this is a lot faster."

Quibble nodded appreciatively. "Very cool."

She smiled at him. "Hey, you're pretty cool yourself, you know. You pulled off a pretty sweet move, jumping over that monster, back in the temple. Plus, you even figured out the puzzle before Daring Do!" She leaned in and gave him a playful nudge with her shoulder.

He blushed slightly and shook his head. "It was nothing, really. I just got lucky, is all."

She shook her head. "You should have a little more confidence in yourself, Quibble. You're way more awesome than you give yourself credit for."

He felt his heart leap into his throat at the praise. He swallowed hard, feeling his blush spread from his face down to his chest. "I . . . well, thanks," he said.

Rainbow smirked and rolled her eyes. "Hey, don't mention it. It's the truth." She grinned, then scooted back away from the fire a bit before laying down on her back next to him. She folded her forelegs behind her head and closed her eyes, letting the heat from the fire wash over her.

Quibble looked down at her and felt his breath catch. The firelight highlighted the lines of her body, casting her in stark relief. His gaze followed her slender neck, the curve of her shoulder, the line of her collarbone, down to the swell of her breasts, pressed together between her forelegs. He saw the way her chest rose and fell as she breathed, the way her sides expanded as she inhaled. Her stomach was flat and toned, her legs long and muscular. She'd spread her wings out wide on either side of her, stretching them out as much as she could and letting them bask in the warmth. He could see the muscles in her back and shoulders shifting and moving as she adjusted herself, getting comfortable. A part of him wondered how it would feel to run a hoof along those muscles, to stroke them gently, to caress her body, to feel her squirm under his touch.

He felt the blush on his face intensify and he was glad that Rainbow's eyes were still closed. His cock was stiffening and knew that it would be all too obvious. He glanced down at her again, his gaze running the length of her body once more, then forced himself to look away. Gingerly, he leaned back against a large rock, staring at the fire and trying to ignore the feelings stirring in his chest even as he squeezed his legs together.

As Quibble pushed his gaze away, Rainbow cracked her own cerise eyes open and glanced over at him, curious. He had his back turned to her, leaning against a rock, and the light of the fire flickered across his coat. She watched him for a second, noticing the way the shadows moved across his body as the fire crackled and spat. She watched him for a few seconds, then quietly asked, "Hey, you okay?"

He jerked upright in surprise, then nodded. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine." He gave her a weak smile. "Just tired, I guess."

She narrowed her eyes at him, but returned his smile anyway. "Okay. Just checking." She looked away, turning back to the fire. Quibble was a strange pony, she thought. He'd spent the whole day following her around, seemingly happy to be around her, but he also seemed like he was nervous about something. And, now that she thought about it, he'd been blushing after looking at her an awful lot today. He'd done a pretty good job of hiding it, but she had keen eyes and she'd seen him more than once. She'd caught him looking at her when she'd pulled him up from the stream, too. And he was still blushing.

She glanced over at him again, watching as he tried to surreptitiously adjust himself; as he did so, she caught a glimpse of something sold and erect between his legs that he quickly concealed.

Oh. Ohhhh. That's what he's so nervous about.He likes me, Rainbow suddenly realized with a start of clarity. It was kind of a strange realization. Sure, she liked him too - as a friend. The question was, did she like him that way? She let her eyes roam over his body, taking in his soft sandstone coat. He wasn't exactly her type; he was kind of plain and, well, a bit out-of-shape if she was being honest. She was usually more attracted to stallions with a bit more muscle on them, like Soarin'. Quibble was softer, with a bit of padding and a round stomach. She thought he might be cute, but he certainly wasn't her idea of a hot stud. On the other hoof, she genuinely liked being around him, even if he complained a lot. She simply felt at ease in his company - especially now that they had made peace with their disagreement over how good the later Daring Do books were. Not to mention, he had shown that he was tough back in the temple, and he had risen to the challenges just fine. Hay, they had made a great team!

So, maybe he is my type, she thought, smirking to herself. Maybe I should give him a chance.

Rainbow stood up and stretched, letting her muscles flex and strain as she yawned. She noticed that Quibble was trying not to stare. She sat down next to him, close enough that their flanks pressed together, and wrapped her right wing around him.

"Uh - what are you doing?" he asked, clearly trying to sound casual and failing miserably.

"Getting cozy," she replied with a smirk. "It's a bit chilly tonight." It was a blatant lie - the night was warm, and they were both sitting next to a fire. He didn't call her on it. She adjusted herself against him, letting her body rub against his, and she smiled to herself as she felt him tremble slightly.

"I - uh, you're right, it is pretty chilly," he stammered, "so I guess it would make sense to share a little warmth. Yeah. That's totally a thing that ponies do. "

He was staring at the fire, clearly trying not to look at her. She leaned in and nuzzled him gently, letting her nose brush against the soft fur and skin of his neck. "Hey, Quibble?" she said quietly.

"Y - yeah?"

She pulled away from him and looked him in the eye. "Do you like me?"

The question seemed to take him completely off-guard. "Uh, yeah, I mean . . ." He looked away from her, blushing even harder than before. "You're a great friend."

Rainbow gave him a soft smile. "That's not what I meant." She paused for a second, then asked, "Do you wanna be more than just a friend?"

He stared at her, clearly shocked. "What are you talking about?"

"You know, when a mare and a stallion love each other very much . . ." Rainbow began.

"No, no, I know what you mean," he cut in, "but I don't get it. Why would you -"

She smirked at him, letting her eyes run down the length of his body again. "'Cause I like you, dummy. I think you're cute." She nuzzled him once more, letting her lips brush against his neck, then planted a kiss on his jawline. "I like hanging out with you."

He froze. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't even breathe. She pulled away from him and looked at him expectantly. He met her gaze, his brain slowly starting to reboot itself, and she rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I can see this is going to be a slow process," she muttered, grinning at him. She leaned in again, brushing her cheek against his, and let her lips hover next to his ear. "How about we try something a little easier?" Her hoof found his and she took it in her grip. With her other hoof, she gently lifted his chin and turned his head so that his eyes met hers. He was staring at her, wide-eyed and nervous, and she gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry," she breathed. "Just trust me."

And then she kissed him.

The kiss was gentle and chaste, her lips meeting his with the slightest of pressure. Her mouth was soft and warm against his, and his mind went blank. She broke the kiss a heartbeat later and pulled away from him, letting her hoof drop from his chin. Pausing, she watched him carefully, gauging his reaction, and grinned as he slowly opened his eyes and stared at her, a grin spreading across his muzzle. Chuckling softly, she gave him a gentle nuzzle. "Was that so bad?" she whispered.

Quibble shook his head, his whole body trembling. "That was -" He stopped, unable to find the words. For once, he had no inclination to complain about anything.

She grinned and leaned in again, pressing her lips to his once more. This time, she didn't pull away, but instead let her lips linger against his for a second or two before gently pushing forward, urging him to respond.

It only took him a moment to figure it out, and then his lips were moving against hers. Encouraged, Dash shifted her position to press herself against his front, effectively straddling him. As her wings folded around him, she deepened the kiss, coaxing his mouth open with her tongue. He gasped against her and she seized the opportunity to slip her tongue into his mouth. She felt him stiffen and pull back, but she followed him, forcing her tongue further into his mouth, exploring him. His body began to relax, slowly, as she continued to kiss him, and she felt him start to kiss her back.

It was awkward, and a little sloppy, but it was perfect. She felt him wrap his forelegs around her, holding her close against him, and she responded by grinding her hips against his. He whimpered softly into her mouth and she smiled against his lips, then broke the kiss and pulled away from him. He was panting slightly, his eyes half-lidded, and he was staring at her like he'd never seen her before. She smiled at him again and leaned in to give him another, shorter kiss. He responded much more eagerly this time, and she was pleased to feel his tongue slip into her mouth.

She let him kiss her for a few moments, then pulled away and grinned at him. "See? You've got nothing to worry about with me."

Quibble swallowed hard, and his eyes shifted away from hers. "I didn't mean to be so weird. I thought you wouldn't be interested in me, since I'm not as awesome as you. That you'd think I was lame and laugh at me if you knew I was starting to like you."

Rainbow stared at him in disbelief. "Dude, are you kidding me?" She shook her head. "You're not lame. You're smart, you're funny, and you're a total Daring Do fan- which is obviously a plus." She paused for a second, then asked, "What made you think I’d laugh at you?"

He looked away from her, blushing again, and muttered something that she didn't catch.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What was that?"

"You're just so pretty and awesome," he mumbled, "and I'm so . . . not. You're a Wonderbolt and a Bearer of an Element of Harmony. I'm just an out-of-shape fancolt." He hung his head and closed his eyes, expecting her to mock him.

Instead, he felt her hoof under his chin, gently urging him to look at her again. "Hey. I like you for who you are, Quibble. You don't need to be just like me for me to like you." She grinned. "Hay, you should meet my friends back in Ponyville! They're all way different from me, but we all get along great."

"I - really?" he asked.

Rainbow nodded. "Really." She leaned in and kissed him again. "And, just for the record, I think you're pretty cute. I know your whole thing is complaining and finding the flaws in stuff, but maybe try not aiming that at yourself, huh?"

His blush returned full force, and he turned his head to the side, embarrassed. She laughed softly and nuzzled his cheek. "Now, are you going to keep worrying about what I think or are you going to kiss me again?"

He turned to look at her and grinned. "Well, if you insist." He leaned in and kissed her and she smiled against his lips.

They kissed for a while, letting their tongues slide together and enjoying the taste of each other's mouths. The fire crackled merrily in the background, and the heat of it washed over them. After a few minutes, Rainbow pulled away from Quibble and gave him a wicked grin. She slid off his lap and stood in front of him, spreading her legs slightly and leaning forward until her face was level with his crotch. "So," she said, licking her lips, "do you want me to show you how much I like you?"

Quibble's eyes went wide. "Uh, I mean, if you want to, then I guess that would be okay." He sounded nervous, but his voice was also filled with eagerness.

"Oh, I definitely want to," Rainbow purred. She leaned in, pressing her nose against his sheath and taking a long, deep breath. She could smell his arousal, musky, and masculine, and it made her marehood tingle with anticipation. Exhaling, she let her warm breath wash over his sensitive flesh, and he shuddered. "Just relax," she breathed, smirking at him. "I'm going to make you feel amazing."

She leaned in and licked the length of his shaft, from the base all the way to the tip. He gasped and twitched slightly, and she felt his cock stiffen under her tongue. She did it again, and again, and again, slowly and deliberately. His breathing became more ragged, and she heard him moan softly as his cock hardened and throbbed. She pulled away slightly and looked at him, smirking. "What, no complaints?"

"N-no," he stammered, "it feels incredible."

"Good," she replied with a wink. She leaned back in and wrapped her lips around his tip, swirling her tongue around his head. He gasped and whimpered, and she felt him thrash slightly under her tender ministrations. She let her lips slide down his length until they met the base of his shaft, then pulled up again, dragging her tongue along his underside as she went.

She pulled back until just the tip of his cock was still in her mouth, then began to bob her head up and down, sucking lightly as she went. He was rock hard now, and she felt his cock pulsing against her tongue as she moved. She heard him moan again, louder this time, and she felt his hooves grab her head. His grip was firm, but not too tight, and his hooves trembled slightly as he held her. She felt him trying to push her head down, deeper onto his cock, and she obliged him. Willingly, she relaxed her throat and took him into her gullet, swallowing around him and making him gasp.

She started to move faster, bobbing up and down on his shaft with greater speed. His hips began to buck in time with her movements, and she felt his cock start to twitch in her throat. She knew he was close, and she redoubled her efforts, sucking harder and moving even faster. Suddenly, his grip tightened and he thrust his cock deep into her throat, pushing her nose into his belly. She felt his cock spasm as he came, shooting his seed directly into her stomach. He moaned loudly, and his hooves trembled as he held her head against him, keeping her from pulling away.

Finally, he let go of her and collapsed backward onto the ground, panting heavily. She pulled off of his cock and licked her lips, giving him a satisfied smile. His cock spasmed and quivered before her with the aftershocks of his climax, small spurts of his cum leaking out. Eagerly, Rainbow wrapped her hooves around his shaft and began pumping it gently, milking the last of his seed out. She leaned in and began lapping at it, cleaning every drop from his softening member.

Quibble lay on his back, panting and trembling and staring up at the night sky as he tried to catch his breath. He felt Rainbow shift her position to lie beside him, curling up next to him and nuzzling his neck affectionately.

"So, how was that?" she asked, her voice low and husky.

"Amazing," he replied, turning his head to look at her. "I didn't know anypony could make me feel that good."

She grinned and kissed him gently. "Glad to hear it." Rainbow paused for a second, then added, "Now, about my turn . . ." She gave him a wicked grin, then moved over so that she was pressed against him. She took his hoof in hers again and, without resistance, guided it down between her legs. His hoof brushed against the soft fur of her marehood, and she shivered slightly. "Go on," she murmured, "touch me."

He swallowed hard and nodded, slowly rubbing her swollen lips. She moaned softly and leaned into him, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes. He continued to stroke her, letting his hoof slide up and down her slit. The flesh was warm and wet beneath his touch, and he could feel her muscles twitch and flex as he moved his hoof.

After a few minutes, she took his hoof in hers again and pushed it down until it rested on her clit. "Right there," she breathed. "Rub it just like that." He started to rub her clit, moving his hoof in slow, circular motions. She moaned louder and bucked her hips, pushing herself against his hoof. She began to breathe harder, her chest rising and falling as her arousal grew. He rubbed her faster, and she moaned again, louder this time. She looked up at him and smiled, her eyes half-lidded and glazed with lust. "Keep going," she whispered, "you're doing great."

Quibble continued to tease her, eyes wide and pulse roaring in his ears as he savored Rainbow's every tiny moan, gasp, and sigh. The sight of the confident, strong, fierce mare he'd come to know melting so eagerly into his touch stirred something primal deep within him. The trust she put in him to make herself vulnerable like this was fuel on the bonfire of his arousal and he could feel his cock hard and throbbing again even as he focused on making her feel good.

He sped up a little bit, increasing the pressure slightly as he rubbed her clit. She moaned louder and bucked her hips, pushing her marehood against his hoof. She was soaking wet now, her juices flowing freely as she ground herself against him. Her eyes fluttered, gazing into his own while she whimpered needily, and the sound of it sent a shiver of excitement up his spine.

"Don't stop," she moaned, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please don't stop."

He had no intention of stopping. The sight of her transfixed him, writhing in pleasure as he teased her, her face contorted with ecstasy. He felt her muscles clench as she bucked her hips again, her body trembling as her orgasm approached. He rubbed her steadily and insistently, moving his hoof in quick, firm strokes. She cried out, her whole body tensing as the first wave of her climax hit.

"Yes!" she cried. "Yes! Oh, yes!" She threw her head back, her eyes rolling into her skull as she shuddered. He continued to rub her, feeling her muscles contract beneath his hoof. She moaned again, her voice ragged and breathless, her body shaking. He held her tight as she came, his hoof still working her clit. She grunted and shuddered, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she rode out her climax.

Finally, her breathing slowed and her body relaxed. Momentarily spent, she lay there, panting and smiling, her eyes closed. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then turned to look at him. She gave him a lazy, sated grin and said, "Thank you, Quibble. That was sooobuckingawesome."

He couldn't help but blush at the praise. "No problem," he said with a smile. "I'm glad I could make you feel good."

Rainbow smiled and nuzzled him gently, then stood up and stretched. "I know how to make us both feel good," she said, wiggling her rump shamelessly, flicking her tail aside to reveal her glistening marehood to his sight. "So, what do you think?"

His eyes went wide. "Really?" he asked, incredulous.

She nodded. "Really." She grinned at him. "So, are you ready?"

"I - yeah," he said, nodding eagerly.

"Good," she replied. "Now, just sit back and relax." Slowly, she lowered herself onto his cock, impaling herself on his member. She moaned softly as his shaft slid into her, filling her with a delicious warmth. Her marehood clenched around his cock, squeezing it tightly as she took him deeper.

She began to move, slowly at first, grinding her hips against his as she rode him. She felt his cock throb inside her, and she moaned again, louder this time. Her eyes fluttered shut as she lost herself in the pleasure. Quibble likewise was soon overcome by the velvety warmth of her inner walls folding around his stallionhood, hugging it tightly. He could feel every twitch and clench of her marehood as she moved on top of him, and he couldn't help but moan as well.

She began to move faster, thrusting her hips harder against his. "Mmmph, I hope you don't cum too soon. I wanna enjoy this," she panted. He nodded, but it was hard to focus. She was so warm, so wet, so tight. He felt like he was going to burst just from the sensation of being inside her.

She started to move harder, her pace increasing as she rode him faster. Her muscles squeezed around his shaft, milking him as she mounted him. His cock throbbed and twitched inside her, and he knew he was close to orgasm. He tried to hold on, to stave off his climax, but he couldn't. He felt his cock swell inside her, and then he was cumming. Lost in the swell of ecstasy, he cried out as he came, his body tensing as he spurted his seed deep into her. She moaned loudly, her muscles contracting and her wings flaring wide as she came again, her body shaking as she shuddered in ecstasy.

Quibble's entire body was awash with bliss, a tingling, electric heat that surged through his body. He felt like he was floating, and a distant part of him wondered if this was what pegasi felt when they defied gravity and soared through the sky. His heart pounded in his chest and he felt himself grinning like an idiot. Rainbow was still on top of him, her weight pressed against him and her breath hot and panting. Slowly, she slipped off his member and collapsed on top of him, boneless, and she lay there for a long moment before she stirred. She looked up at him, her eyes twinkling. "You're really good at this. Did you read a book about how to fuck mares and write an essay about everything wrong with it?"

He laughed, a deep belly laugh that seemed to bubble out of him. "Nope! Just had a really good partner to help me figure it out." He nuzzled her neck affectionately, eliciting a happy giggle from Rainbow. She snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat. They lay like that for a while, the only sound their breathing.

Eventually, the leaden lethargy started to get to them and they reluctantly separated and got up. "I think it's time for us to hit the hay," Rainbow said, gesturing toward the small cave nearby.

"Sounds good to me," Quibble said. "I'm exhausted."

They went into the cave and settled down on the ground, nestling against each other. Rainbow rested her head on his shoulder, her wings wrapped around him. "Goodnight, Quibble," she murmured sleepily. "Sleep tight."

"Goodnight, Rainbow," he whispered back. He closed his eyes, and was asleep within minutes.

Rainbow lay awake for a little longer, listening to the sound of his breathing and enjoying the feeling of his body pressed against hers. Eventually, she drifted off, too, the sound of the crackling fire lulling her to sleep.

The next morning, Rainbow Dash was the first to wake up. She stretched languidly, enjoying how her muscles tensed and relaxed, then glanced over at Quibble. He was still fast asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly as he breathed. She smiled to herself and leaned in to give him a gentle nuzzle. Still cute . . .

She sat up and yawned, then stood up and walked outside. Feeling remarkably content, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, savoring the crisp morning air. She glanced up at the sky and saw that it was still early - the sun was just beginning to rise, bathing the world in soft, golden light.

Rainbow looked down at her fur and frowned when she realized that she was still a mess from last night. The dried remnants of his cum and her fluids stained her fur, especially between her thighs, unpleasantly crusty after having all night to dry. She shivered in disgust and trotted over to the stream nearby. While she was nowhere as fastidious as Rarity, there were limits even for her.

She waded in, letting the cool water flow around her legsand took deep breath before she dunked her head into the water, scrubbing the dried fluids from her fur. A few minutes later, she emerged from the water, refreshed and feeling much cleaner. She shook herself dry, then trotted back over to the campfire.

Quibble was still fast asleep, snoring softly. She grinned to herself, then walked over to him and nudged him gently with a hoof. He stirred, blinking and groaning, and looked up at her. "Mmmph?"

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead," she said, grinning at him. "Time to get up."

He groaned again and rolled over, burying his face in the ground. "Five more minutes," he mumbled.

She laughed and nudged him again. "No way. We've got a lot of ground to cover today."

He grumbled but got up anyway, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Okay, okay." After a few seconds, he glanced over at her and smiled. "You know, I could get used to waking up to a pretty mare."

She grinned at him and rolled her eyes. "Ugh! Don't be so sappy."

He laughed and got up, stretching his legs. "All right, all right, I'll lay off the sweet talk. We wouldn't want to ruin your tough filly reputation" He looked down at himself, frowning slightly as he noticed that he was just as messy as she'd been. "Uh, do you mind if I go wash off real quick?" he asked, pointing his head in the direction of the river.

"No problem," she said. "I already did while you were busy snoozing."

He gave her a sheepish grin and trotted off toward the river.

Rainbow sat down next to the burned-out remains of the fire, waiting for Quibble to return. As she waited, she thought back to the night before, her muzzle breaking into a grin as she remembered how good it had felt to make love to him. He wasn't the most physically impressive stallion she'd ever seen, but he made up for it with enthusiasm and eagerness. And, unlike some of the stallions she'd been with, he actually seemed to care about making sure she enjoyed herself too. Plus, he was pretty good with his hooves. She was definitely looking forward to getting to know him better.

She heard the sound of hooves on the ground behind her and turned to see Quibble walking toward her, his fur damp from the river. He sat down next to her, giving her a shy smile. "So, uh, about last night. .." he began, trailing off and glancing away from her.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"It was really great," he said. "I'm glad we, um, did it." He glanced down at his hooves, blushing slightly. "And, I hope it wasn't just a one-time thing."

Rainbow chuckled and leaned in, kissing him gently on the cheek. "Not if you don't want it to be," she murmured. She gave him a playful nudge. "So, once we make it back to the city, are you planning on sticking around for a bit?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess so," he replied. "I was gonna leave the day after the convention ended, so I wouldn't be so rushed."

"Good," she said. She smiled at him. "Because I want to get hang out with you some more."

He smiled back at her, his blush deepening. "I'd like that," he said quietly.

"Well, in that case," she said, "why don't we get going?" She stood up and stretched, flaring her wings wide. "We've got a lot of ground to cover today."

Quibble nodded and stood up as well. "Right behind you."

"Oh, and Quibble?" she asked, grinning at him. "My hotel room was only booked up till the last day of the convention. You won't mind if I crash with you for the night, right?"

He grinned back at her. "Not at all."

"Great," she said, turning around and taking off. "Then let's get out of this stupid jungle!"

Author's Note

Starting off the year with a nice, wholesome clopfic between one of my favorite pairings - Rainbow Dash and Quibble!

I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to comment, like, (and watch if you want to catch my new stories as they are published).