Mornings and Memory (Edited)
My name is Dragon Fire I was originally from the land of Equestria. I am writing this journal so that I can remember what drove me to become what I am. I am known to many ponies by many titles. Traitor, Hero, Enemy, Friend, Outcast. But that’s another story for another time. I’m here to tell you about how I became known by these names. I’m here to tell you about a time before I came to The Emerald Hills . Before the fall to Madness.
It was a normal and quiet Saturday morning most of the Adults and all of the foals were asleep, but some of the shops were opening, getting ready for the morning rush. I passed Brandy’s Bar and decided to poke my head in “Hey Brandy I’m heading to the rock farm for my practice need me to pick up some more salt for you?”
The Middle aged bar pony looked up from the glass that he was polishing and grinned. “Hey Dragon Fire it would be great if you pick some up for me.” The ginger stallion with his orange mane looked to me and waved his hoof at a bar stool putting some glasses on the counter. I sat and he poured some cider into each. I was only eighteen so not the legal drinking age but one hard cider wouldn't kill me.
Almost a year ago Brandy moved into our small village. After he did his bar soon grew incredibly popular. I had gone in to see what all the popularity was about and was caught by Brandy. But he didn't kick me out, he sat me down at the bar pored me a small drink and asked who I was. After a time of the two of us talking I asked how he made the drinks he served so good that everypony liked them so much, so he told me. the secret was one-hundred percent pure rock salt. It made the drinks less bitter and not as intoxicating he told me. I asked him how he had enough salt for all the drinks. He told me that he had come to town with two cartloads of the stuff but ran out rather quick so he had to start buying from the rock farm outside of town.
But because of an accident he suffered some time ago he was unable to make the trip. So I decided to tell him about my trips up there to practice every morning and that I could pick up the salt for him and he happily agreed. Soon we had a trade going, I got the salt and he paid me ten bits for each bag I brought him.
“So how are your mom and little brother doing? Are they alright?” He asked sipping his drink. They were more bitter than normal because he was saving the last of his salt for the morning rush.
“There doing well. My brother is trying to build more machines. I swear someday he is going to blow up the house.”
The bar pony chuckled at that and finished his drink.
“Son your brother would be lucky if he didn't blow up the entire village.” I chuckled as well.
“Your right but I got to go. See you later.” I finished my drink and a sudden thought came to mind. “Hey Brandy do you have any of that low alcohol juice still in stock?” The pony in front of me grinned wider and pulled out a bottle with a dark red juice in it.
“So who is the bottle for? I bet its Rain Dance.” He exclaimed.
I felt my skin heat up but he had every reason to believe what he did. I had been talking to Brandy about her for some were near two months. My own mother was kind of hard to talk to about love advice so I turned to the oldest Stallion I knew, and that had been Brandy.
“Yes it’s for her. I’m going to ask her to be my date to the Hearts Warming Eve celebration tomorrow.”
The old Stallion put on a full smile and put a hoof on my shoulder. “Well it’s about time! You’ve been eying her for months and Hearts Warming Eve is as good a time as any to make your play.”
I nodded and reached in to my bag to pay for the bottle but Brandy stopped me. “It’s on the house as a good luck token.”
I slipped the bottle into my bag and got up “Thanks for everything Brandy I’ll be back later.” So I walked out the door and in to the sun.
The air was crisp but cold against my white coat and the winter winds were blowing through my brown mane and around my horn. As the gravel crunched under my hooves I trotted down the main road. More and more ponies were waking up to the refreshing morning and going to the shops and stands to buy food, and spices, to prepare their holiday suppers for tomorrow. As I neared the edge of town I could see the rock farm. It was small but I could see the fields full of large boulders and small stones that provided most of the towns’ salt and iron. I trotted up to the house and knocked and was answered by misses Dust “Hello Dragon Fire good to see you again. Here for mister Brandy’s salt are you?”
She smiled and I replied “Yes ma’ am. Also to apologize for that fence post I accidentally broke the other day. I fixed it for you.”
“Why thank you dear here’s the salt for Brandy.” I took the salt and put in my bags next to the bottle of drink. Miss Dust must have noticed. “So young man who is the bottle of drink for?” I winced as I closed the bag and cursed myself for not putting the salt in my other pouch.
“It’s for me and Rain Dance I’m finally going to ask her out on a date today.” The old woman smiled and gave me a hug.
“That’s so good to hear I hope it goes well” A slight giggle came from behind Miss Dust. She turned around and standing there was a little filly no older than my little brother her pink mane and pink coat making her look much more joyful as she sat there giggling and started singing.
”~Fire and Rain Sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g.~” Her mother stared at her in fury but I ignored her.
“Hi Pinkie what are you doing you little silly filly.” She laughed and ran up to hug me “Ok pinkie you don’t want to suffocate me.”
With a heartfelt sigh she let go and bounced in the same spot “Ok Fire just be careful or Rain will put you out.”
I looked at Miss Dust she was still glaring at Pinkie over her childishness “It’s ok Miss Dust she’s just being a kid and I don’t mind.”
She looked at me and her expression softened and she smiled once again “I know. I’m sorry Dragon Fire. See you tomorrow.”
I looked at the old house mare “Well if all goes right I’m only coming up here for Brandy’s tripped salt order tomorrow.” I nodded to the both of them and trotted off.
They waved as I left and Pinkie jumped up and shouted “Good luck with Rain Dance!”
My trip to the forest was a short one it only being a five minuet trot from the farm. I entered and started following my normal path stopping at a hollowed out tree to extract something. The tree its self was a grand oak with a hollow trunk that was raised off the ground. Its roots acted like an entrance to the small hole in the bottom of the tree. When I was young, no older than my brother, I was exploring with Pinkies older sister Inky through the forest and we stumbled across the tree and decided to look inside the hollow trunk. After a while we started meeting there and it became our little club house that only we knew about. So when we grew up I started to store some things I didn't want my brother getting a hold of in the tree.
I slinked under the roots and poked my head through the hole. There lying among the old drawings and toys that still littered the inside of the club house was my sword. It was a long sword given to me by my mother at a young age. She told me that it had belonged to my father and that he had carried the sword into battle many times and had slain many foes with it. My first thought was that a sword was an odd weapon for a pony to use in battle. Most of the royal army used magic or in the case of the Pegasus soldiers they used their wings in combination with saddle mounted crossbows.
Not many earth ponies were in the army and if they were they were scouts or message carriers. She gave me the sword and told me how it was possible for my father to wield the sword in battle. She told me that my father used his magic for defense rather than offence unlike most unicorn soldiers. He used his magic to heal, shield, and protect himself and his fellow soldiers. After hearing all of this I took the sword and stored it in the tree to keep it safe and practice with it every day.
I levitated the sword out of the tree and strapped the scabbard to my back and fastened the strap that rested on my shoulder. After securing the sword to my back I trotted on down the path to the clearing I practiced in. The clearing was small and green surrounded by tall trees whose branches hang over the clearing shading most of it. Were the branches opened to let the sunlight in a small beam of light shown on a large stump with a hole in the center. I levitated one of the thick round logs lying in the pile I had collected in the woods. I placed the log securely in the stumps hole.
I gave it a tap with my hoof to make sure it was in there securely. When the log didn’t budge a centimeter I stepped back and prepared for my first swing. I reared up on my back hooves and reached my fore hooves to my back to grab the sword. I felt the tingle in my hooves as the magic in the weapon started to work. It latched to my hooves and I drew it out bringing the entire mass of the weapon over my head and on to the log.
The sword cut straight through the log and continued until it split the log in two. I brought the sword back up and returned it to its scabbard in one swift move. The entire swing lasted about half a second as I landed back on all fours. I found another log and replaced the one I destroyed. Before I could turn from the pile of logs something caught my eye, there was some one standing there her red mane and brown coat standing out in the dark forest.
I almost lost my composure and fell to my knees. I was looking right at Rain Dance and she was looking right at me. As I moved my hoof forward to approach she turned and fled. “WAIT!” I called after her running in to the woods. I continued calling the whole time “RAIN DANCE WAIT I CAN EXPLAIN!” But it was no use she was too fast for me and I lost her. “Dammit” I muttered under my breath. “Way to go Dragon Fire you scared off the mare you were going to ask out. Fantastic!”
Author's Note
I'M BACK MY PEOPLE!!!
I edited the chapter of some grammatical and continuity errors. The other chapters will soon follow and you can expect another chapter buy the end of Saturday if not earlier. I have my place to myself and plenty of time to work so I WILL NOT DISAPPOINT AGAIN!!!!!
I decided to leave practice alone and just walk in the forest for the next couple of hours. I was walking along my normal running path through the woods and letting my mind wander, but after a time my thoughts kept falling on Rain Dance. I remembered when her family moved in three years ago. The first time I saw her I nearly fell on my face, she was stunning to say the least.
Her long flowing red mane, her coffee brown coat, and her wings look amazing, especially the way every feather seemed to glisten in the sunlight. Each movement she made was precise and graceful. Like me she was out of place, she being from the only pegasus family in town and me being from the only unicorn family in town. She rarely was around in public manly staying to the outskirts of town like the forest or her home outside of town.
I trotted along in silence listening to the sounds of the forest and stringing these thoughts along in my head. I couldn't get my mind straight so I decided to head home and rest until my noon job at the bar started. I walked back toward the hollow tree to put away my sword and head home. I stopped short of the clearing. I could hear something. Neither the normal sounds of the wood nor the snarl of a wolf. I could hear music. Soft sweat music with a distinct sadness to it.
I looked into the clearing and at the tree perched on top was. Rain Dance! The first thing that passed through my mind was if she would be scared or mad at me for what she saw. I found myself listening to the music she was playing. The sound was wonderful almost mystifying. Hypnotic even. I sat there and listened to her song the sadness behind it almost making me tearful. I wanted so desperately to say something to apologize for earlier but I found myself just listening to the music. After a while the song ended and I almost wanted to ask her to play more but I stopped before I could and chose for a different approach. “That was beautiful Rain Dance.”
She stopped and looked at me a confused almost scared look on her face. She sunk back almost terrified of me. I looked at her “Listen I’m sorry for what you saw if that’s what scared you.” She looked up her expression lightening just a bit but she still tried to hide herself from me.
“Can I come up there?” she looked around and then back to me and shook her head yes.
“But how can you?” Her voice, the voice of an angel, sounded no less majestic and sweat under a frightful squeak. I looked up at her and grinned focusing all my concentration into this one spell. I had tried this spell once before but it still taxed me to my limits to complete the spell. I heard a loud POP and a gut wrenching feeling of sickness as I cast it.
After I blinked the stars out of my eyes and my head stopped hurting from the over taxing of my power I noticed I was sitting in a tree shoulder to shoulder with Rain Dance. “Wow it worked I wasn't expecting it to work.” I looked at her. Her head was down and she was trying to look away from me. I ended up doing the same. “Look I’m sorry for what you saw back there, that was just my practice session. I’m sorry it scared you.”
I looked at her tenderly and smiled she looked up but still not at me “It wasn’t the sword training that scared me it w-was your eyes.” I brought out my sword slowly as not to scare the mare next to me and looked at my reflection in the blade. My face stared back at me, my eyes with split and elongated pupils like that of a dragon. I normally hid them by wearing my dark shaded goggles but I had left them at home that day.
Brandy, Miss Dust, and Pinkie hadn't said anything because they have seen me like this before. Miss Dust Had said they looked different but kind and Pinkie had asked hundreds of questions almost all of which I didn't have answers to and Brandy had just shrugged and said ‘It isn't the strangest thing I've seen. Trust me’.
I looked at her than back at the blade. I sheathed the blade and looked at her “Sorry if you are scared I can get some goggles if you want.” She looked up and shook her head.
“No there's no reason to I'm not scared now it was just frightening to see you with them at first.” I blushed and looked at my hooves.
“Ok. Thank you.” I looked back up staring into the forest. Deciding it was best to change the subject I decided to bring up the first thing to come to mind. “So what was that you were playing?” She blushed and set her violin in her lap.
“Just something I wrote. It’s not very good.”
“It was wonderful Rain Dance.”
“Thank you.” She said blushing.
“I know we've talked before and all but I would like to make your earlier fright up to you.” I said lifting the bottle of drink out of my bag with my magic and holding It in front of us. “It’s pomegranate I hope you like pomegranate.”
“I love pomegranate Dragon Fire thank you.”
I opened the bottle and slipped some glasses out of my bags giving one to her. Opening the bottle I could smell the sweat juice inside and I poured some into each glass and placed the bottle back in my bags. I sipped my drink and looked at the trees.
“How did you find me?” Her words snapped me back to reality I looked at her.
“What do you mean?” She looked at me with a confused look on her face.
“How did you find me? I got lost and found this clearing and stopped to rest on this tree. So how did you find me out here?”
I looked at her and laughed. She stared, her expression turning from one of confusion to anger “Don’t do that!” I stopped and looked at her with a massive grin still on my face
“I’m sorry I laughed but the funny thing is you think you’re lost but I come up here every day. This tree is my hiding place.”
“What?”
“The tree is hollow with a hole in the bottom. It’s hidden by the roots. When I was young while I was exploring the forest I stumbled across this tree and soon it became my place to escape. I found the clearing near here and when I got my sword I started using this place as a training ground. I can show you the hole and the inside of the tree if you don’t believe me.” I jumped from the tree and Rain Dance yelped in surprise.
I landed at the bottom on all fours perfectly unharmed even with the twenty foot drop that the tree was. I slinked under the roots of the tree and left Rain Dance at the top with her mouth hanging open. I crawled to the hole and climbed in. The tree house was wide enough to hold at least two full grown ponies if they were standing side by side. I had done some custom work to the tree. I had constructed a small stair case leading to the top of the tree. The stair case was old but sturdy enough to hold my weight. At the top I had created a hatch that had covered with sticks and leaves over the years, but it was still easy enough to open.
The hatch opened up right behind the branch that Rain Dance was sitting on. She turned at the sound of the hatch opening. “Hi. Come in wont you.”
“What? How? Where did you go?”
“Into the tree like I told you” I held out my hoof “Do you want to come in or sit out in the cold?” She looked at my outstretched hoof then at me then gingerly she took the hoof and I pulled her into the hatch. “Watch your step the stairs are kind of small.” As she stepped onto the stairs behind me I pulled the hatch shut. “Welcome to my home away from home” I gave a wave to the inside of the tree. Hanging from the top were two hammocks that I sometimes slept in if it started storming before I got home, the walls and floor were still covered in the drawings me and Inky did as kids. In some places I had hung ropes with lanterns at the ends. Though the lanterns had long run out of oil I still had a way to light them. “Don’t freak out. Ok?”
When she nodded I started to focus. My horn glowed and the lamps and my horn were enveloped in the black aura of my magic. I thought about what I was trying to conjure and one word followed “Bál.” The lamps lit with a deep orange flame that sprung to life as if to embrace the spoken word. I dropped my magic hold on the lamps and let them hang with the new flames at their wicks. I looked at Rain Dance. Her mouth was agape and she was staring at me “You should shut your mouth or you might catch flies in there.”
She closed her mouth and looked at me strangely “What was that?”
“A word of power. They originate from dragons that used them to cast spells. The words themselves are used by a number of spell casting beings other than dragons, like zebras or unicorns. They are powerful and allow us to do things with magic we can’t do normally.”
After Rain Dance shook off her initial bewilderment she looked at me with a questioning look. “How did you know that word and cast that spell?”
I looked back at her and replied with the slightest smirk on my face. “I’m not just an adapt sword fighter I also spend most of my time studying magic, mostly defensive spells with some attack and conjuration spells. But after my studies took my deeper into the ways of magic, I sought to make the spells I cast stronger, soon my search led me to the collected works of Star Swirl the Bearded. He had done an extended research into the ancient dragon magi that once ruled over all of Equestria. They disappeared long before recorded history but left there magic behind and Star Swirl was intent on mastering the use of it. I found his full research notes on the language as well as a translation guide.”
She looked at me and swallowed. “That sounds like dangerous and unknown territory to mess around with.”
“Not at all, Star Swirl died before completing a master spell using the words of power that could change destiny it’s self but he did leave substantial knowledge on how to control the spells.”
“I spell that can change destiny?”
“Yes but unfortunately the spell was lost upon his death and was never found.”
She looked at me with curiosity shining in her eyes “So what was that word you just used?”
I looked to her and smiled glad to know she was not only keeping up but that she was excepting this. I was afraid she would have thought it strange. “The word is ‘Bál’ meaning ‘fire’ to use the word you must visualize that witch is being cast.” I looked away from her. “Let me show you what I mean.” My magic flared to life once again, my mind wondered to thoughts of chilly nights and the cold of the snow that I ran through in the winter months. “Svell!” The climate in the tree became that of a freezer and Rain Dance shivered. “It’s ok come here.” I rapped a foreleg around her and she stopped shivering.
“H-How?”
“The power affects what is around me but not what I am in contact with.”
She stared at the inside of the tree, frost was already starting to form on the walls. I saw what she was doing and gave her a shake. “Don’t worry I've enchanted the tree its resistant to fire, ice, and the like so the frost will melt soon.
She breathed a sigh of relief already it was starting to warm up again. “So what about your sword? How were you able to do that with your hooves?”
“Oh that, well you see, the sword belonged to my father. He was able to wield it because it has a special enchantment on it that allows a pony to wield it in there hooves, without having to levitate it or grip it in their mouths, the magic works on contact. A long time ago my father when he was still adventuring met a zebra shaman that gave the sword to him.”
She gave me a nod to show that she was listening. “The shaman told my father that a spirit came and told him my father was coming and to build him the sword. The shaman told my dad that only ponies of his bloodline could use the sword. So when I turned thirteen my mother gave it to me and told me about my father. I have been training with the sword ever since.”
“And where is your father now?”
“Gone, my mother told me that he died in the griffon war when I was too young to remember. So training with the sword is the only way I can feel close to him.”
A tear made its way into my eye. “I’m sorry to hear that dragon fire you must miss him.”
I wiped the tear from my eye “I do.”
We sat down on the floor to rest, until I remembered something. “So enough sob stories and reminiscing.”
Author's Note
Chapter two edited. I changed to the dragon language to a live language that I will not disclose. The person that finds out what it is will get a shout out in the next chapter. Hint:Its not in a normal translator.
Old pains and unexpected confessions(Edited)
Many thanks to Darth Quadro for his help with the chapter. You should go check him out.
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The morning had been perfect so far. I had went through town gotten all the things I needed to finished and now I was sitting at the edge of white fall forest with the mare I had been trying to ask out forever, how could this day get any better.
It had been almost three hours since my chance meeting with Rain Dance. We were sitting inside the tree and I had just returned with some food and drinks. As we ate we began to talk and soon we were going back and forth telling stories and laughing.
wa
“So you told me how you got your sword and what happened to your father, but what about the rest of your family? What are they like?”
Rain Dance’s question gave me pause. I looked up and grinned as I thought about trying to explain my family. “Well, what do you want to know?”
She looked at me with questioning eyes. “Do you have any brothers or sisters, and what about your mom where is she?”
“I do have a brother, and my mother lives in the village.” My grin spread wider as I thought about my brother. “My brother’s name is Boomthalamuel.” Rain Dances look changed from questioning to confused and then back to questioning.
“Boomthalamuel?”
“Yes I know it’s a strange name but it is his name and he is anything but normal.” I let out a sigh and continued. “He has an unusual talent. He is a unicorn but he doesn’t know much about magic other than basic levitation, his talent springs not from his magic but what he does with it. He uses his magic to create and power machines, granted most of them explode in his face, but what experiments that don’t explode are fantastic.”
Rain Dance looked both surprised and intrigued by what I was telling her. “What kinds of things does your brother build?”
“All sorts of things. Once he created a device that when activated would allow unicorns to channel their magic inward instead of outward like usual. I had to field test it. While it worked eventually I did get blown up four times in the process.”
` “That’s amazing! I didn’t even know that was possible.”
“Yes it was, Boom is currently working on something different. He wants to use my power word spells and incorporate them into his inventions to increase my spell power ten-fold.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“No not at all, it's rather interesting mixing technology and magic when you think about it, but I digress. Let move on shall we.”
Rain dace took a bite of the sandwich that was between her hooves and looked back at me, motioning to move on.
“My mother’s name is River Melody. She is a musician much like you but she doesn’t play an instrument, but she instead bends the elements to make her music. The birds become her singers, the winds and spiders her strings, the beavers and bears her drummers, the rivers and grasses are her beat and flow. Her music was mesmerizing and saddening but also gave the listener an insight into the power of nature and what it can do given the right nudge.”
“It sounds wonderful. Does she still play?”
“Sadly no. She stopped some years ago but when she did play she could make even the toughest stallions cry and the most talented musicians envy her ability. She doesn’t use her ability any more but she dose still play a number of different instruments, mostly piano and violin, she even taught me and my brother to play but I use my magic to control the instrument and I stick to playing guitar and violin. My brother on the other hand plays mostly piano and for some reason uses his hooves to play.”
“Odd.”
“I know but what can you do.” I shrugged that one off. “I’ve told you about my family so how’s about you tell me about yours.”
She looked down to the floor with a downtrodden look on her face. “I live with my aunt and uncle, both my parents died when I was young and they took me in. I don’t have anyone but them.” She finished her sentence with a small almost unnoticeable sob.
I looked to her and she brought her head up, a saddened look on her face.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
She wiped away a tear that had begun to form and cracked a small smile.
“No it’s alright. They’ve been dead for some time but it just still hurts to talk about.”
“It’s alright I understand.” I reached over and put a hoof on her shoulder. “If you don’t want to talk about it I won’t pry.”
“Ok. Say I’ve been meaning to ask but how did you get you cutie mark?”
At her words I froze, unsure of what to do.
'I can't tell her'
“I got it in a fight about five years ago.”
She looked to my flank to get a good look at my mark. The shape was almost like that of a shield but it was a deep blue, hollow in the middle, there were also two sharp lines at both ends of the top crest of the center symbol as well as two coming from the very top.
“Well it’s actually an ancient symbol, one that was used by the ancient wolf packs of the east. It represents Strength in both body and mind.”
Rain dance looked at my cutie mark for a minute like she was studying it. I cleared my throat and she looked up with a slight blush coming on from the fact that she was staring at my flank.
“So how did you get it and what does it mean your special talent is?”
I looked at her and then to the floor of the tree and them back to her remembering the day I had earned the mark on my flank.
“I don’t really want to talk about it. Its’ kind of a painful memory.”
“Oh ok. Say do you want to listen to some music I've been working on?”
I went to the side of the tree to lie down and looked to her. “I would love to hear it Rain Dance.” She nodded and pulled out her violin. I laid back and closed my eyes and lost myself in her music.
)===={}====(
As I lost my self in my memories I found myself coming back to the day I got my cutie mark again and again.
That day was four years ago.
It started like any other day, I awoke and made my way to the farm as per usual. Before brandy moved to town my trips to the farm were mainly for training but today was different, I was going to be taking my friend Inky on a picnic. I arrived at the farm and Inky was standing at the door of the farm house, waiting for me.
“Hey Inky, you ready to go?”
“Yes just about, I do need some help with the basket and table cloth though. Do you think you can help?”
“Ok, be there in a second.” After giving my answer I reached over my shoulder to the saddle bags I had brought, and checked on the package I was carrying. Seeing that my charge was still safe in its wrapping I went inside to help Inky. As I walked through the back door to the kitchen I saw Inky struggling to pack all the food and a cooking pot into a basket. Seeing this I gave a soft chuckle and grabbed the food and pot in my magic and started placing them inside the basket. Inky, relived of her task, set off to prepare the other things she needed.
As I packed the basket I thought to why we were going on this picnic in the first place. It was Inky’s birthday today. I had decided that I would bring her on this and cook her some lunch and we could spend some time together.
After a time Inky returned and I had already finished packing the pot and ingredients. “Hey Inky I’m ready to go, how about you?”
“Yes I’m ready to go.”
……………
We had walked from the farm to my training grounds. Only stopping at our tree for me to grab my sword. I didn’t think I would actually need it other than for me to prepare the grounds for our meal, but you never know.
“So where are we eating and where are you going to cook?”
I set the basket down and gestured to the large clearing before us with a hoof. “I’m going to make us a place.”
Levitating a log from up in the trees. I had selected the log the day prior and had cut it fresh from the tree. It was wide enough for a table and long enough that I could make some makeshift benches out of it. I had stored it in a tree to keep insects from infesting it.
As I pulled it down and set it up I looked over the size of it and thought. The tree that I cut down to get this log was a pain. I didn’t want to dull my sword with cutting it so I went to Miss Dust and explained my situation. Hearing what I had in mind she lent me their wood cutting axe and I used it to cut the tree down. Now though the wood was weaker and would cut easily.
Placing the wood on its side in the grass I started to cut. I separated two small disks that would provide us with seats. I then cut a larger piece to serve as a table, the rest I chopped into fire wood for the cooking.
As l wrapped everything in the dark aura of my magic I also got to work with cooking. Lighting the fire using my sword and some flint I like to carry around for just such an occasion, I set the pot on top of the make shift fire pit.
……………………….
Now I’m not the best cook, not by a long shot but you can’t really screw up potato soup. After we ate and had some juice to
drink we sat atop our tree looking out upon the forest. When we were younger we would look out upon this same view from this same tree and think that we were on top of the world. We were pirates, the tree our ship, and the forest our ocean. Over the years I grew and my brother came around and suddenly the responsibility fell on me to support my family. I took odd jobs to get meager coin; I worked the fields for both the rock and wheat farmers. Inky and her family the Pies they helped me and gave me decent pay and food on occasion and have been helping me keep my family afloat for years. Over that time I have come to know Inky, her Mom, Dad, and sisters very well. They were the only people in town that were willing to help us and I am forever grateful for that.
Over that time however Inky has yet to lose that sense of childhood wonder and that’s one of my favorite things about her. She never seems to lose her heart or her sense of adventure. I would be lying if I didn't say that I came to admire her for that.
After a time of us sitting there without speaking I decided to strike up some sort of conversation.
“So Inky how’s your sisters doing?”
She looked away from the tree line to address me. “Oh there doing fine. Maudie is still trying to get the farms taxes fixed and she still can’t get her mind off of the troubles were in. Pinkie finally got her cutie mark too."
“That’s good, by the way I have something for you.” And with that I reached into my bag and extracted my gift for her to see. Inside was a pendant shaped like a crescent moon inlay-ed with a perfectly cut moon stone. Inky absent noticed neither my movement or the gift she was still starring of into the woods. "Inky?"
"Yes Fire?" She turned to me and saw what I was holding and her eyes sparkled.
"Happy birthd- !"
My sentience was cut short as Inky rapped her forelegs around me in a tight hug. I was so startled by her sudden action that I nearly lost my concentration and dropped her gift but I manage to set it on the tree just in time.
We remained like that for several minutes, just sitting there embracing each other until after what seemed like hours I heard a faint sobbing by my side. I also felt tears soaking into my coat. I pulled Inky away and looked into her eyes, they were downcast and lines of wet tears were pouring down her face.
“Inky what’s wrong?”
She didn't answer me.
“Inky.”
Still she gave no response.
“Inky answer me!”
At this she lifted her eyes to meet mine and in them was a look of sadness. For what I don’t know but at that moment I didn't care. Inky my greatest friend in this world was crying, and I would not let her sorrows go without giving her someone to tell them to.
I pulled her into another hug and let her sob into my shoulder. After what felt like hours her crying faded to sobs and sniffles. I pulled her back up and looked her in the eyes and tried again. “Inky what’s wrong?”
She gave no response but instead she reached for the pendant sitting in-between us. Once she had the pendant she held it out to me and spoke. “W-why?”
“Why what? Inky your starting to scare me I've never seen you like this, Are you ok?”
Her hooves started to shake and a single tear fell from her face and onto the stone set into the pendant.
"Why would you give me this?"
And now it was my turn to look crestfallen. "I`m sorry you don't like it, I just thought that you love the stars and the moon so much that you would like it."
She shook her head and gripped the pendant to her chest.
"No it- it's not that, I think it's beautiful. It's just.... how could you afford it, you barely make enough money to keep your family warm and with food."
The question was one I had seen coming but not one I was looking forward to answering. "I spent the last six months working nonstop on the farms to earn enough to afford that gem alone."
At this she looked even worse. "But it was all worth it to give you a gift good enough for you." After I finished my little speech I gave her a soft smile. I nearly fell of the tree when instead of Inky giving me a kind word or a hug, she kissed me. My thoughts ran almost as fast as my heart and when they both calmed down I found myself returning the kiss. The kiss seemed to last days even if it was only a few seconds but after we parted Inky granted hold of me and buried her head in my shoulder.
"I don't need an amazing present so long as I have you Dragon Fire. I love you and it took your kindness to make me admit it."
I just sat there shocked and confused but as my nerves calmed I realized that I felt something else, happiness, I felt happy that Inky loved me and I embraced the fact that deep down I loved her too. I just needed to let it out. I looked down at the mare next to me and as she looked up at me I couldn't help a smile forming on my face.
"I love you too Inky."
............
For hours we remained there in silence just enjoying each other’s presence, but soon the sun began to set and it was time for us to go.
We walked to the edge of the forest without talking. Only the occasional nod or soft smile, letting me know that Inky was still there. As we neared the edge of the forest I could see the farm and Inky’s house. I was about to say goodbye and lever her to go home when a low growling stopped me.
As I looked behind me the first thing my mind registered was the two pairs of glowing green eyes staring back at me. My blood ran cold and I backed up until I bumped into Inky. She had turned around trying to find what was wrong and I heard a gasp escape her as she saw the eyes. My mind worked on overdrive trying to keep up with my heart and the two reached a decision. “Inky on the count of three run to the house.”
“One.” The growling grows louder.
"Two.” My heart slows and my mind clears.
“Three!!” We broke out running for the edge of the forest Inky’s fear making her keep pace with me. When we neared the edge two more beasts burst from the wood and from there green eyes bark like skin and leaf covered heads I could tell we were being hunted by Timber-wolves. We both ground to a halt and looked for a way out. The two from earlier had circled us and pined us in the only way out was, deeper into the forest.
"Run Inky!” We dived into the forest and down our path. The only reason the Timber-wolves haven’t caught us yet is because they were toying with us. We emerged into the clearing with our tree far ahead of the wolves. My mind cleared and I quickly thought of a plan to keep the wolves away from Inky. “Inky I need you to go inside the tree and stay there, don’t come out unless I come and get you.”
Inky was on the verge of total panic and when she looked at me and heard what I said she had tears in her eyes. “But…. What about you?”
“I’ll be fine, I just need you to trust me. You do trust me right?”
“Of course!”
“Good, then you need to listen, if I don’t come for you within ten minutes go into my hammock, inside is a small glass orb if I don’t come back toss it in the air above the tree and help will come.”
She gave me a nod and one last look before she climbed into the tree. After she was safe I turned to the woods. “COME AND GET ME YOU WOODEN SHITS!!!”
……
When I said to come and get me they were more than happy to oblige and I barely kept ahead of them. I leapt into the clearing and turned to face the woods.
The wolves were in my turf now and fighting on my terms. Two of the wolves burst from the woods and quickly made to surround me. I stood and drew my sword ready to fight but before I could strike I saw the last thing I was expecting. Inky was standing at the edge of the clearing, I had no idea what she was doing there or why she had left the tree but I didn't have time to consider it.
I yelled at Inky to run as I prepared for my strike. Just then A timber wolf leapt from behind me jaws open aiming to crush the back of my neck. I had my sword in my hoof but the angle was too awkward to bat the wolf away with it so instead I grasped one of my training logs with my magic and hurled it at the airborne creature.
Wood smashed against wood, and while the attack had the desired effect of batting the thing away long enough for me to get into a defensive stance; the timber wolf held together strong and was back up on its feet and snarling for vengeance. I snarled back.
Watching the first wolf I barely had time to notice another flanking me to the side. Thinking it had caught me off guard, it leapt at my side. I quickly performed a dodge role into the wolf’s attack twirling my blade over my head as I did so catching the timber wolf right in the open mouth with the downward angle of the attack hacking straight through the lower jaw and the right leg. I noticed as the wolf hit the ground it still managed to hold together. So as the roll completed, I sprung from the knees of my hind legs directly at the scrambling timber wolf and cut it in half at its mid-section. The Timber wolf burst.
As I looked up, two more timber wolves had entered the clearing and were eyeing me hungrily, but where did the first wolf go? Just then, what felt like enough kinetic force to knock over a house plowed into my side followed by what felt like gigantic rusty needles burrow into my left shoulder. I screamed in pain. As soon as I hit the ground the wolf proceeded to shake its head violently ripping and tearing at my flesh until a large chunk of my shoulder felt like it gave way to the wolf’s ferocious attack.
This was it. I am going to die. I fucked up, and lost track of all my targets and this was the consequence of that action. All of that training and I could only take down one timber wolf. Either I underestimated them or I overestimated myself or maybe both. It doesn't matter now all that’s left to happen now is for that timber wolf to sink its teeth into my neck and end everything.
“EEEEEK!!!” There was a shrill shriek from somewhere behind me. INKY! “NO!” I yelled at the top of my lungs but it was too late. Faster than I could blink one of the other timber wolves was on top of her and I could hear the sickening crunch as it sunk its teeth into poor Inky’s flesh.
The intruder taken care of the Timber wolf above me refocused on me and went to finish me off as well. I wasn't about to let that happen. Not now! Not here! Not today! Inky will return home safely no matter what the cost!
As the timber wolves head dove down to meet my jugular, a raised foreleg met it halfway there. The timber wolf sunk its teeth in anyways. However, I couldn't feel it. Hell, I couldn't feel anything anymore. Now propped up on one foreleg, I cocked my head back and then slammed it down onto the beast that was trying to eat my leg; crushing it’s skull and making the entire head burst into bits of wood. It’s teeth were still stuck inside me but I didn't care.
I was now back on my hooves with my sword still in hoof as well. Blood trickled from my forehead into my eyes. I was seeing red. The fourth unoccupied timber wolf noticing that I was free now leapt to finish me off. “YOU HUNGRY?!” I bellowed out as the wolf made the jump. “THEN EAT ME DAMN IT!” I forced my free hoof all the way down the wolf’s throat while simultaneously impaling the wolf in the gut. Using the momentum of the upward strike and the leverage I had with my hoof, I brought the wolf all the way around over my head and slammed it into the ground making the entire wolf burst and splinter apart in every direction. Some of the shrapnel even found lodging in my own skin.
In my eyes I saw the entire world aflame and it won’t stop burning until all four of these wolves were dead. Only one left. Time to put out the fire.
At this point the wolf focused on Inky had taken notice to the destruction of its comrades and was now snarling at me, jaws dripping with Inky’s blood with bits of her flesh and muscle tissue hanging off of it as well. “COME AT ME!” The timber wolf took the bait and leapt into the air to tear out my throat. I brought the wolf back down to earth by smashing down on it with the broad side of my sword. The timber wolf hit the ground hard but it did not break. This must be rectified. I spun the sword so that the edge was facing the wolf and proceeded to wail down on the prone timber wolf, chopping it into hundreds of small wooden pieces until I was sure it was down and was going to stay down. I was pretty damn sure now.
With the attackers dealt with my mind still hazy I dropped my sword and ran to Inky’s bleeding form and tried to lift her ignoring the pain in my shoulder and legs. I carried her all the way to her family’s home before my legs finally gave out on me and I fell into the black grip of unconsciousness.
Author's Note
Chapter three is edited now to work on the new chapter.
