High Moon Ch. 4:

Adapting

“Come on Quill, stay focus.” The sun started to set as the two hunters were still out on Quill’s first lesson. Over the past five hours, burrow after burrow, Quill has failed to catch a single rabbit, and she was starting to lose her patience. She would either miss her opportunity to catch the speedy animal or some miscalculation in her plan would send her into a tree.

To help lead by example, Wolf started to hunt the rabbits alongside her, but even still she continued to make simple mistakes that would either cost her a rabbit or the both of them. After another few tries the dragoness started to feel useless for the rest of the pack.

Spike was the only one of them that knew how to actually cook, she wasn’t good with house-work like him either, nor was she a sharp-minded. All Quill had on her brother was her more athletic body and wings, but that only got her so far.

Quill started to have thoughts about giving up on the seamlessly impossible task but Wolf wouldn’t allow her to do such a thing and continued to push her onwards to the next herd of rabbits. “Now I want you to look at the one near those bushes, wait, breath, and then strike as if you life depend on it.” Wolf’s instructions were simple when they were told to her but in application is where she failed.

As the two stalked the rabbits from the bushes, Quill could feel the long day of--failed--hunting taking its toll on her body, and one look was enough to tell the story. Her normally bright purple scales had dark-spots along her arms and legs where the scales were damage from the repeated beatings. Bits and pieces of her tank-top were shattered and even torn off to use as a makeshift bandage when her scales weren’t tough enough to provide damage. The top of her spines were slightly chipped from her last failed attempt that landed her head-first into a tree.

All in all, it’s been a rough day.

But she kept pushing onwards, she needed to get used to the tough blows anyways. Wolf had already told her that rabbits are the easiest thing to hunt in the forest, so if she couldn't catch a single rabbit, how could she be trusted with catching larger game? So she moved on, even when it looked bad she will just keep pushing until she did, but the day was running short and so was her chances.

“Quill you ready,” Wolf asked, not breaking his lock on the male rabbit on the far side of the clearing nearest to a tree. After the last time Quill ran head-first into a tree, he learned that it was best if he steered her away from solid objects.

“Yeah.” No I’m not.

“Than on my count, one…” Quill lowered her body towards the ground to give her legs the maximum amount of lavage. “Two…” She then slowed her breathing to match Wolf’s as best she could. The air around her started to feel empty and hollow and an intense feeling of anticipation started to break her concentration. “Three.” Quill pushed her legs off the ground, leaping straight for her target prey, and lashing down at it with her claws.

The two’s sudden ambush kicked up a large amount of dust in the air, scaring the rabbits into their burrows to hide from their unknown attackers, but soon the dust started to settle leaving the two hunters standing over their prey.

Wolf let out a slight breath to calm himself down as he looked upon the large male rabbit, still primed with fat. He looked towards where Quill should have been--hopefully--with a dead rabbit in her hands and a proud smile on her face. However that wasn’t the case as the dragoness held the struggling rabbit in her hands, her claws around its neck, but she couldn’t bring herself to end the innocent rabbit’s life.

Tears started to emerge from the dragoness’s eyes as she watch the poor animal squirm in fear. She wanted to be able to do it, to end the rabbit’s life to use it for the pack’s, but years of being raised by Twilight and from knowing Fluttershy; she couldn’t do it.

Her grip around the rabbit’s neck started to tighten from the storm of conflicting thoughts and the sounds of the rabbit’s pleas grew louder. Wolf immediately recognized the conflicted look as one he used to have when he was a mere pup. The days where he was forced to hunt with his father and pack of brothers to bring back as much food as they could started to flash through his head. Along with the memories, an idea of how Quill could get over her internal struggles came to him.

“Quill,” He started, walking towards the dragoness, and stopping behind her. “What’s the matter? You finally have your goal in your hands, after a day of being kicked around by this forest, and now you at last have what you’ve been striving for.” Quill didn’t respond to Wolf praising words, only the struggling animal in her hands had her attention as it helplessly scratch at the scales on her hands in hopes of somehow hurting the dragoness so it could run away. “So what are you waiting for? Do it. That rabbit is going to die one day or another, or be eaten by some other predator it might as well be you.”

Quill’s grip on the rabbit started to tighten, Wolf noticed a slight change in the color of her scales, but he put that aside for later. “You no longer living in Ponyville any more, there is no alicorn princess to protect you out here. It’s just you and yourself. You want to start acting like a real dragon? You want to know what it really means to be apart of one the most powerful species on the planet? Then do it.”

Through her tears, Quill looked the helpless rabbit in the eyes; absolute everlasting fear for its life was the only thing she saw, but something inside of her said that she shouldn’t care about the animal’s feelings. It was small, she almost couldn’t hear it, but it was there a small voice in the back of her head telling her that the small rabbit has no further use in this world. That she only needs to think about was her new family, Wolf’s pack, and her twin brother; the closest thing she can call a blood-relative.

“Remember what I’ve said Quill, you and Spike will have to eat meat at some point, and I can’t provide it for you forever.” Along with the small voice, a overwhelming feeling started to ignite like a small flame growing larger and more powerful with each passing second. “You want to protect him don’t you? You said it yourselves, it was Spike that brunt that library down not you, but her both of you are in Everfree. Well apart of protecting him is being able to hunt meat. So do it, protect you own, and prove that you’re a real dragon.”

He’s right you know. The voice in Quill’s head spoke with her voice but in a more darker tone yet she wasn’t fearful of it; why fear your own voice? All you ever wanted to do was protect him, that’s you’d argue with him about that bitch Rarity. Memories of Quill’s last argument over Rarity flooded her head, all the mean and hateful things she said about the mare, and the things she called Spike for letting her use him. Also the faint memory of the same voice encouraging her on.

Do it, there’s nothing left in this world for this little insignificant rabbit, and you wanted to know what’s it’s like for a real dragon? Well now’s your chance, don’t blow it. Quill let out a small sigh, clouds of looming conflict started to disappear in the dragon’s head, and only leaving a calm serenity peace.

For a moment, Quill’s grip around the rabbit’s neck loosen, and Wolf thought she was going to let the thing go, but suddenly her hands tighten around the animal’s neck and gave it a twist. The brief sickening sound of the bones of the rabbit’s spine snapping frighten Quill a little but as soon as the animal was dead in her hands the fearful feeling was long gone.

She continued to stare at the dead mammal with a blank unreadable look on her face. A part of Quill could hear Twilight or one of the others yelling at her for killing the animal. Another telling her that she did the right thing.

Wolf looked down towards Quill, the dragoness’s blank stares reminded him of his own during his cubhood, and the dark thoughts that followed afterwards. Some of the sicking thoughts told him to go out and kill another animal just for the exciting thrill. There were times even today where the thoughts would come clawing in his head.

“Quill,” He started, placing his hand on the dragoness’s shoulder, and breaking her out of the twisted thoughts. She slowly turned towards the flat look on Wolf’s face, and for a moment she thought he was disappointed with her, but he again began to speak. “I’m proud of you.” Quill smiled brightly from Wolf’s words. After the long day of failures, the dog’s praising words lifted her dying spirits. “Come on, let’s bag those two, and head back. I don’t want you out here during nighttime just yet.” Quill nodded towards Wolf and started to follow the instructions he gave her about ‘bagging’ an animal. Which in itself was a simple yet ingenious way of carrying the dead prey.

Wolf walked over to a tree, using his claws to climb higher up, and picking several large leaves. Quill opened her wings to fly higher than the dog to pick the larger leaves that grow closer to the top. When both of them were back down on the ground, she shot Wolf a smug smile at how easier it was for her to grab the leaves than him while Wolf just rolled his eyes in response.

They processed towards the dead rabbits and started to wrap their limp bodies in the massive leaves until they were mostly covered. “Alright, that’s enough for today,” Wolf said walking towards the small pile of other rabbits they--rather he--had collected during the long day. Quill closely followed Wolf out of the clearing and onto the faint dirt path leading back to the temple ruins.

During the trip back to the temple, Quill couldn’t stop smiling a the small mile-stone she made today, but she knew now’s not the time for her to get in over her head as she had much more to learn about Everfree. But for now she allowed the victorious smile to dance across her face, which had Wolf chuckling when he saw the over-joyful smile on the young dragon’s face.

As the temple came in sight, Wolf abruptly stopped, and almost making Quill trip. The dragoness looked towards her teacher as he closed his eyes to carefully listen to the sounds of the forest around them. “Wolf what’s-”

“Shh, stay quite Quill.” The dragoness quickly shut her mouth to let Wolf continue scanning the forest with his ears. Winds rustling the trees, distant sounds of birds chirping in the trees above, and yet Wolf still heard something that didn’t belong with the stillness of the forest at sunset. Another rustling sound, this time from behind them, immediately grabbed Wolf full attention as he pushed Quill into the nearby bush.

Quill was sent tumbling to her face in the nearby bush and onto the ground below. Okay, ow. She forced an eye open after she landed on the hard dirt ground. After the long day of running into trees, sharp thorn bushes, and the ground itself, Quill slowly was able to shake off the pain rolling through her body, and stand feet. “Hey, what was that...for?”

Her voice was caught in her throat at the sight of a massive timberwolf’s mouth deadly close to Wolf’s face as he struggled to hold the beast back. “Quill stay there.” Wolf bend over to the side, taking the timberwolf down with him, and using his height advantage to keep the savage animal’s jagged teeth at bay. Quill quickly hide behind a nearby tree, remembering the last time she and Spike came across a timberwolf, and fearing what the creature could do.

Wolf’s body thrashed around, trying to keep the wooden wolf’s teeth from tearing through his body. Lucky Wolf managed to get the timberwolf’s maw to clamp down on itself and he took the wolf’s head to smash it against a tree. Quill covered her ears from the pain filled whales from the wolf’s cries. However Wolf himself was unfazed by the pain in the timberwolf’s howls as he again took its head, forcing it to it’s side on the ground, and stomping on the side of it’s head.

Green blood stained the ground from the force of Wolf’s stomp as the creature’s body started to become limp from the draining blood from it’s head. With one more stomp for good measure, Wolf backed away from the bleeding timberwolf, and took several breaths of air. “Quill get over here,” He called out to Quill, who was still hiding behind the tree. A moment passed before Quill started to come out from behind the tree to be faced with the gruesome sight of the still bleeding timberwolf. “Burn it.”

Quill whipped her head towards the dog, who continued to stare at the--undoubtedly--dead timberwolf. “What,” She shouted at Wolf, not believing that he wanted her to set fire to something that was already dead, but the cold stone look on his face told her that he was serious.

“Burn it Quill, send a message to the rest of them that nothing will harm our pack.” Quill was confused by what Wolf meant by ‘them’ until she looked into the bushes leading down the path they were walking on. Glowing green eyes could be seen through the thick cover of forage. Without a doubt in her mind, Quill knew that the eyes must have belonged to the dead wolf’s pack, and the only reason that haven’t rushed the two of them was because how easy Would dealt with the first timberwolf.

It was one thing to kill a small rabbit that she was going to use a food later on but to burn a dead body; disrespecting the memory of the wolf’s life, was a crime that Quill didn’t think she could bare. Do it, The dark voice from earlier returned with a newfound propose in it’s tone. Burn this monster’s body, and let the other wolves know not to mess with you or your new family. It’s your job so do it.

Quill gritted her teeth, both the dark voice, and Wolf was right. She couldn’t allow the timberwolves to be this close to the temple or city ruins, such a thought was unfathomable to her after today, and she was going to insure that her pack--family--remains safe by any means necessary.

She looked down to the dead green eyes of the carcass, black smoke started to seep from her nose when she thought about how the creature attack Wolf, and how she coward behind a tree; like she always does. Every time she and Spike was out with the elements of harmony on some unwarranted misadventure where--by some unknown means--one of them learns some new ‘valuable’ lesson on friendship that would be completely obvious to any other, when things got dangerous or tough, she and Spike would hide away and coward in fear.

But that was her old life, one where she has no intentions of returning to by any means, and with this act she knew that there will no turning back. No more running, no more depending on others to do things for her, and no more holding back.

Quill reed her head back, trying in a deep breath, and letting forth a massive blazing wall of pure purple fire upon the timberwolf’s dead body. Not only the carcass was engulfed in an inferno of dancing purple and black flames but also the ground itself was scored from the searing heat. Where grass and plants once laid, vanished in a gust of ash and dust, and even the bases of nearby trees were scored by Quill’s onslaught of flames.

After the rush from breathing the biggest amount of fire in her entire life ended, Quill collapsed backwards into Wolf’s arms as he continued to watch in awe at the young dragon’s ability. Wolf wasn’t the only one who was impressed by her skill as the rest of the long gone timberwolf’s pack had already fled the scene even before their fallen was completely gone.

Wolf stood and watched the flames continue to dance across the forest floor, the oddest thing about them--besides the dark feeling from them--was the fact that they only burn the things that it touched, and refused to spread onwards. He looked back down towards Quill, who had one of her eyes finally opened to the bright flames, and a small soft smile on her face.

“I-I’ve never...I’ve never noticed how beautiful my flames are,” She whispered before closing her eyes. As Wolf continued to look down towards the young dragon, a flash of Blaze in his arms instead of her told him that Quill is going to need much more help than he could give her, and he knew a certain mare that would be more than happy to give that help.

Wolf lifted Quill on his shoulder and grabbed as much of the rabbit meat that wasn’t engulfed in the dragoness’s fire. Things are going to be very interesting around here with these two around. He started to make his way back to the temple, knowing that things were going to be more busier than usual in his little valley territory.

“They should have been back by now,” Blaze said, sitting on her worktable with her arms crossed under her breasts while Lily softly rub the top of Spike’s head as she slept. Blaze knew that Wolf would never try to hunt after sunset, waiting for his return was starting to put her nerves on edge, and with each passing second she became more worried for her canine lover and dragon student. “That’s it I’m going out to look for them,” She said, hopping off the table, and getting a few defensive potions just in case she runs into something out there.

Lily shook her head, sometimes she couldn’t believe how smart, yet how rash Blaze would be at times. “Blaze, wait. They should be here any-” The door to the outside of the temple started to slide open to a tried looking Wolf along with a passed out Quill. Blaze quickly ran to the dog’s side, helping Quill off his shoulders, and onto the cleared work table. “Wolf what happened,” Lily asked, keeping her voice down so she doesn’t wake Spike up.

“Timberwolves that’s what,” Wolf said, turning his back to the sleeping dragon, and sliding down the table to sit on the floor. “Before either of you say anything, yes we’re fine, and no I didn’t make Quill fight any of them--or rather it--since only the alpha dare to challenge my right as owner of this territory.” Blaze kneeled down and wrapped her arms tightly around Wolf, her shaking was enough to tell her that she was more than just worried about her. “Blaze we’re fine, the alpha was pretty wimpy, and you should have seens Quill’s fire-breath. For a moment I thought she was you.”

“That doesn’t change anything,” Blaze said, pressing herself closer to the dog. “Both of you could have gotten hurt or worse. Wolf I was worried about you.” Wolf nuzzled the side of his head on top of Blaze’s to get the mare to calm down. After a few more moments of her tightly holding him, Blaze did calm down to where she placed her head on his shoulder. “And what do you mean Quill looked like me?”

“Okay,” Wolf stared with a chuckle. “Looked may have not been the right word, more like she sounded like you,” He said, correcting his previous claims. “After she let out that wall of just pure...fire, she collapsed in my arms, but right before she was completely out of it, Quill whispered ‘I’ve never noticed how beautiful my flames are.’ Then she went to sleep afterwards.” Blaze and Lily looked towards each other with a knowing gaze that confused Wolf. “What, did I miss something?”

“Wolf, earlier today we learned that neither of them knew about the other element that they carried,” Blazed informed the dog, catching him by surprise at the new bit of information of the twins lack of knowledge about dragons.

“What, how much were those ponies hiding from them,” He asked, wondering why anyone would withhold any basic knowledge about dragons from the young two. “How could they expect to properly raise them if they hide everything from them?” Both Blaze and Lily shrugged their shoulders as they shook their heads. Unknown to the three, their conversation was overheard by Quill as she started to question all the stories Twilight has told her and Spike over the many years, and also questioning Celestia after the numerous times she told her that there wasn’t any knowledge about dragons in Equestria.

“I don’t know.” Quill heard Lily say with a low tone, most likely still thinking that she is asleep. “But we’ve got to do something and fast, they’ll be hitting their first growth spurt soon, and there minds are not ready for that kind of change.”

Growth spurt, what does she mean we’re not ready? Nothing Quill could think of answered her question, nothing besides her and Spike’s last birthday where they went through a ‘greed-growth,’ and the mere thought of being put through that uncontrollable feeling again scared her. That’s not what’s going to happen is it? Wait they’re still talking…

“...Then it is decided, Blaze will tech Quill everything she knows about fire-magic, and you’ll help Spike with his water-element.” The dragoness heard Wolf finish going over a plan for them. “We’ll also have to see Zecora about a few things, to see what she knows as well, but until then don’t let either one out of the valley until they know how to properly control their magic. Sounds good?”

“The best plan I can think of,” Lily said, knowing that it would be too dangerous for either one of the dragons to be on their own without the appropriate knowledge of their dragon-magic. “Also I think that it's best that Spike don’t go out hunting.” Quill had to stop herself from jumping off the table to yell at the mare but she somehow managed to allow her to continue. “He doesn’t seem to have the same drive as Quill does and water-element is a bit harder to use for hunting.” Quill knew that Spike was--in a nice way--weaker than she was and that she was usually more aggressive than him. Maybe it’s for the best, I had a hard time just catching a rabbit, and not to mention that I had a harder time just killing it. How can I expect Spike to do the same?

You can’t. Quill’s eyes shot open at the enigmatic voice speaking in her head again.You see how Spike handle things, if it wasn’t for you he’ll be locked in prison for the rest of his LONG life, but that’s not going to happen with you around now is it?

N-no, no it isn’t, but who are you, Quill questioned the voice, tired of not know exactly what it is.

Quill heard the voice starting to laugh a little to itself before answered her questions. Why, I’m you, and you are me...sort of.

What do you mean ‘sort of’ and how the hell do you know. Again Quill’s eyes widened from her own thoughts, she ever said, or thought a cause word her entire life after Twilight's ‘appropriate’ word choice lesson she forced her and Spike to sit through.

Uh-oh, someone is using foul language, The voice teased, making Quill feel even more guilty and ashamed by her vulgar use of language, and apparently the voice could feel her shame. Haha, lighten up hatchling, and live a little. Twilight isn’t here to tell you what you can and can’t say any more, and as far as Wolf is concerned, keep helping out and you get to say whatever you want.

Still, it’s not right, or at least it doesn’t feel right. Even if Twilight is--by her thought--in Ponyville locked away from the world graving over the loss of the twins. Just thinking about the sad expressions on Twilight or the other elements of harmony’s faces.

The voice in Quill’s head could feel her thoughts turned to the elements and her old life in Ponyville. Stop, It roared, startling Quill out of her rumoring thoughts, and continuing the internal shouting. They aren’t you concern right now, and-

Quill was snapped out of her link with the voice by Wolf picking her up off the table and carrying her in his arms. She quickly refocused her attention to the three adults in the room as they continued the plans for the twins. “...Fine then, Quill can stay here while Spike goes back with you,” Wolf said, holding Quill close to his body, and walking towards the door leading into the bedroom area of the temple. Great, how much did I miss?

Lily nodded her head towards the dog as Blaze activated the arcane-stone entrance to the tunnels. “Right, I’ll see to that Spike is taught in the ways of water-magic, and also see to that he’ll learn how to brew potions while you and Blaze tech Quill all she needs to know.” Before Lily ventured in the tunnels with Spike, Peewee, and Cinder, Blaze planted a kiss on the top of the sleeping drake’s head.

“Good night Spike, Lily.” The flutterpony nodded her head to the other mare while Peewee and Cinder rested on her shoulder with an irritated glare. “Oh and good night to you too Peewee and Cinder.” The fire-birds nuzzled against Blaze’s head before flying ahead of Lily to act as sources of light for her in the dark tunnels.

“Good night to you too Blaze, Wolf. I hope everything works out.” The two lovers nodded their heads towards the mare as she started to make her way through the tunnels. They watched the mare go down the tunnels towards the city ruins until the stone-slab started to move back in place.

“Come on, let’s get Quill in the guest bedroom,” Wolf said, using the fire-stones on his arm-braces to open the door to the bedrooms. Blaze turned around into a joyful skip towards Wolf as they started to make their way towards the room he had set up just incase Zecora ever stand over until it was too dark for her to make a safe trip back to her hut.

When Wolf got to the second flight of stairs, instead of making the right to his and Blaze’s bedroom, he turned to a normal wooden door to his left, and pushed it open with his shoulder. The room itself was fairly empty as only Zecora uses it when she stays the night over--which seldom happens--and all that was noteworthy of the room was the small bed on the far side of it.

Also bits and pieces of wood and other materials laid about the room as he also uses it as a workshop to make anything that the pack would need. Thanks to his canine night-vision, Wolf quickly made his way through the small mess, and to the bed where he gently placed--what he thought--was the sleeping Quill onto the hay filled mattress.

“Sorry if it isn’t the best bed in the world Quill, or if a bit too cold in here, but I’ll make sure to find a way to get some real mattress for this territory of our’s.” Mattresses wasn’t the only thing that Wolf wanted to get for his pack but at this time any more was near impossible. “One day,” He said in a low whisper while he rubbed the top of Quill’s head in thought. “Night Quill.”

Wolf walked out of the room passing Blaze with a brother look on his face and heading straight for their bedroom for the night. Blaze followed her canine lover into the bed and pushed herself close to his body. Wolf took the blanket and used it to bring the mare closer, her warm body eased the worries flying through his head, but at the same time brought their own.

Blaze looked up to the bright shining green light from Wolf’s night-vision but even with the luminescent shine, the pair of greens still hold a ping of dullness. Blaze licked the bottom of Wolf’s jaw to get his attention before moving up to look into his eyes. “Wolfie, what’s the matter?” The dog tried to look away from Blaze’s begging red eyes, unwilling to confess to his worries, and not wanting the mare to also be weighed down by them. “Come on, tell me, and don’t think that you have a chance lying to me.”

Wolf glanced into the bright eyes that he’d fell in love with, only to see that he couldn’t lie to them even if he wanted to. “Alright,” He started with a sigh, knowing that Blaze had him cornered. “It’s just that...I’m worried Blaze. Before it was just the three of us and Lily practically took care of herself. But now,” Wolf paused with another long sigh and it didn’t take Blaze much to know what was bothering him. “But now our pack--our family,” he stopped again to brush a hand over Blaze’s stomach, “is growing, and Everfree can only get us so far. It seems sooner or later we’re going to have to find some way to get all the things we need from towns.”

Blaze pulled Wolf’s head in for a kiss, her hands ran through his matted dull-blue hair, and her legs hooked around his body. She pulled back from the kiss, leaving him still surprised, and placed her head underneath his chin. “Wolf, its alright. We’re fine, I’m fine, and there’s still time. I know you’ll think of something, I just know it.” Wolf chuckled from the mare’s hopeful wishes as he too wished it was that easy.

But its not.

“Blaze, I know, but the sooner we can get stuff like that out of the way the better.” Wolf knew with each new member to his pack was a new list of things that needed to be done. Now with the knowledge that both twins don’t know how to truly control their elemental-magic, it was a new challenge that the pack must deal with before their growth spurts happen, which could occur this winter from Lily’s guess.

Along with teaching them how to control their magic, the twins must also find their places within the pack, and at the rate things were going they would barely make the short dead-line. Meat too was on the same timer as the twins’ inevitable growth spurts, Wolf alone had enough to make it comfortably through the winter, but along with both growing dragons it is looking tight this year.

And finally it was Blazes pregnancy, Wolf had nine months to make sure that everything in the valley was safe for his unborn cub, and today’s encounter with the pack of timberwolves told him that the valley was far from that.

“Wolf we’ll make it through, you’ll see.” Blaze nuzzled her head under Wolf’s chin as a sign of reassurance, which the dog gratefully welcomed. “Spike is a really smart dragon, I’m sue that Quill showed some skills out there, Lily...Lily just knows a lot of things, and I--not bragging or anything--can take care of anything that wants to do our family harm.”

Wolf chuckled at the mare’s silly--yet trueful--brand of confidence, he returned the mare’s nuzzling with his own, and even playfully grabbing onto the mare’s flanks making her squeal in surprise. “You’re right, we are pretty awesome aren’t we, be that as it may we still need to prepare for the up and coming months--if not--years to come.” Wolf placed another kiss on Blaze’s forehead before wishing her good-night and going to sleep, the mare returned the kiss on the side of his cheek before wrapping her arms around him, and following him into the sweet world of hope known as dreams.

While the couple held each other in their sleep, just across from the Quill still laid in the bed awake arguing with the voice in her head that refused to go away. What do you mean I shouldn’t care?

Like I’ve said, Twilight isn’t here to tell you right from wrong. So why should we live by the same rules? Not like we can anymore, The voice darkly joked about Quill destroying the dead timberwolf’s body in her flames. What’s the matter hatchling? Can’t take the true?

What are you talking about, Quill asked, shifting to her side, and was wishing the voice would start making some kind of sense for her to follow.

Oh please, don’t act like you don’t know. You enjoyed watching that pile of dead wood burn, watching our beautiful flames light up the night sky with their glory, and watching as that monster turned into pure ash. As much as she hated, the voice was right, and it had Quill saying in fear. Yet a small part of her did agree with the voice.

T-that’s not true, I only did what Wolf asked me to do, Quill defended, knowing that it wasn’t the truth.

Oh yeah, remember what he said from the get-go? ‘I’m only asking you to try?’ Well, looks like to me that you did more than just ‘try,’ The voice sneakered, enjoying the conflicted emotions swirling around Quill’s head, and using them to it’s advantage. Too late now to get cold-feet now hat-

Shut up, and leave me alone, Quill commanded, done with dealing with the voice smug attitude. You want me to start acting like a real dragon, you want me to keep pushing myself, well fine. I’m more than happy to do it and I can do it without you around. A long pause slowed time down for the dragoness as she waited for the voice to give some kind of response.

Fine. Sudden a bearing weight fell over Quill making her roll around on the bed in pain. It felt like there was a boulder sitting on top of her body as the bruises she received started to burn on her body. The sudden burning pain was enough to bring Quill to tears as it started to move down towards the rest of her body. You think you’re tough enough to handle Everfree without me protecting you, fine, but don’t come crying back to me when the pain is too much to bare.

Quill’s eyes closed as all feeling of the voice vanished from her body and she started to fall into an unconscious asleep that had no peaceful dreams to ease the still shearing pain.

Lily walked down the faintly lighted path towards the mansion ruins with Spike still sound asleep in her arms. As Peewee and Cinder insured that the path was illuminated for her to walk down without the risk of her tripping on something, Lily mind was wandering about the full day she and Blaze spent with the drake.

Ever since she found both him and his sister in that clearance, she noticed him fighting through some kind of depression that had to been linked to the events that happened in Canterlot, but Quill would always be around to answer any questions she or the others had about it.

Now she was alone with the drake, the only problem was that he had been asleep for the last few hours, and from the sounds of his snoring he wasn’t going to wake up anytime soon. So she was simply left to wander about the drake’s protected old life amongst the ponies of Ponyville. No telling how his sheltered life inhibit his and Quill’s growth, by their sizes, and ages she could tell that the two of them lived similar lives yet still different.

Lily remembered from several ancient tomes that dragons grow to fit their environment and lifestyle, which was similar to any other creature aside that both factors directly influenced by their lives, where with other creatures only their ages directly affected their growth.

By their ages now, the twins should have already went through their first growth-spurt, and should have been working on their next on this winter. However thanks to their old lives, trapped inside of a library for unreasonable amounts of time, this first step into maturity was interfere with slightly.

Through they were showing signs of a somewhat active lifestyle. As on schedule, Quill’s wings did seem to have grown the time that they were due, and by the slenderness of the membranes she used them primarily for speed rather than power. Also their bodies did show some growing muscle tone, though Quill’s was more evident even if they were slender in build, but Spike too had some muscle growth giving him a more lean body-build.

Wolf was right to start teaching Quill to be a hunter, her slender body, along with her wings made her a more perfect apex-predator than Spike. By a little judging, it seemed that Spike was deemed to be on the ground anyways. From his lean body-build and slight muscle growth along with the fact that he didn’t have a pair of wings on his back like his twin sister, Spike must have been a bread of dragons known as Salamanders.

Powerful, ingenuitive, undoubtedly loyal, fast--at least on the ground--land-bound dragons; the Salamander race was, and a perfect match for his elemental-magic. Lily was sure that her hypothesis was correct by what she seen from the drake so far but only their first real growth-spurt will tell whether or not if she is right.

Either way the chips fell, Lily was going to insure the safe and healthy growth of both twins, and she knew that the others felt the same way. Finally she reached the doors to the mansion ruins and carefully pushed them opened with her shoulder while the phoenix pair flew through two open cracks in the front wall.

Lily used her back to close the door as the pair of fire-birds took nest in a corner above the ground. The mare wished the birds a good-night before taking Spike to her room for the night. As she held the drake in her arms while they laid on their sides, Lily couldn’t help but softly smile at faint memories of being in her mother’s arms when she was the dragons’ ages.

Don’t worry Spike, we’ll make sure that you and your sister stay safe, and when the day comes I know you’ll do the same. Lily soon closed her eyes to join the rest of her pack in the peaceful world of dreams.

Soft sunlight started to irritate Lily’s vision as the sweet siren’s call of sleep was washed away by the thin line of light. She started to open her eye as her senses slowly returned to her, that’s when she felt something touching her breasts, even massaging them through her dress-top.

The pleasurable feeling was almost enough for her to simply go back to sleep, however the memories of the plans she made with Wolf and Blaze last night along with the sleeping arrangements that followed afterwards reminded her that she wasn’t alone like she usually is.

“Spike,” The mare shouted, looking down towards the young drake as he still laid fully asleep, yet somehow still groping her. “Spike, Spike wake up!” Nothing she tried to do would get the drakes attention as he continued to grope Lily’s soft breasts. Sorry for this Spike. Lily spared open her wings towards the source of sunlight in the room, making them sparkle in a prismic colored glow as she started to rapidly beat them.

Surges of magic in the air started to gather around the mare’s wings as she used the build-up to blast Spike off of her body. The drake was sent flying towards the far wall near the door, impacting the thick stone with a loud thud before slumping to the ground. Lily opened one of her eyes to see the large crack in the wall where Spike’s body impacted and then down to the drake on the ground rolling in pain.

“Oh no.” Lily fluttered off the bed to Spike’s side as he held his back in pain. “Spike are you alright, I’m so sorry, but you were...touching me.” Spike stopped his rolling to look up to the bright blush on Lily’s tan fur and started to blush as well but his was one of shame rather than embarrassment. “Spike are you alright? I’ve read that drakes act in that matter when they’re not...’sexually’ satisfied.”

“Y-yeah I-I’m fine,” Spike said, getting up from the ground with a blush across his face. “I’m sorry, this had be starting ever since my last birthday, but Twilight said that it’ll pass over just like a phase.” Lily looked down towards the dragon in surprise, the blush long gone, and only leaving a confused look on her face.

“Spike, you said that your previous caretaker didn’t know much about dragons right?” The drake casted a curious gaze towards Lily, he turned away blushing again, but still nodded his head. “Than how would she know something about that,” She questioned, knowing that the answer would reveal more about the twins lives under the ponies, and give a good look at how much they ‘know.’

Spike thought back to the day right after his birthday and the greed-growth both he and Quill went through. How he started to inappropriately touch Quill in their sleep and the only way for her to get him to stop was to kick him out of the large basket. After getting Quill to calm down, Twilight sat Spike aside, and told him about what maturing dragons do when they reach a certain age. “Well she just...knew...it,” Spike trailed off, remembering how easily Twilight told Spike the information without having to do the slightest bit of research, and how easily she dropped the subject right afterwards.

Lily looked at the confusion on the drake’s face as he started to connect the dots and not liking what they were saying. She placed a hand on Spike’s shoulder, tearing him out of the shocking revaluating thoughts. “Spike are you sure she didn’t ‘just knew it?’” The drake casted a downward shadow towards the ground at the weighting thoughts. “Or did she know more and just didn’t tell you?”

“N-no!” Spike swatted Lily’s hand off his shoulder and turned away from her. “Y-you’re wrong, Twilight wouldn’t do that she...she wouldn’t lie to us like that. She would have told us more if she knew,” He shouted on the verge of tears. Spike could take it if Twilight or even Celestia didn’t know something about dragons that Lily or the two lovers knew, he could even take it if everything he actually knew about dragons were wrong, but what he couldn’t take was the thought that Twilight lied about not knowing any more than she told him.

The mare had help raise them since she hatched their eggs, even if Celestia was the one to raise them, Spike had always looked towards Twilight as more than a older sister, and like the mother he thought she was. But to even think that she would lie to them to their faces, it was too much.

Lily saw Spike shaking from the rush of conflicting emotions, she knew it must have been hard for him to be told that he and Quill may have been lied to their entire lives, and that it must be especially hard after just being away from home only after a short period of time. Lily kneeled down and wrapped her arms around Spike’s body, holding him tight so he’ll end his shaking, and clam down.

“Spike,” She started, rubbing the top of his head-spines in effort to further calm his nerves. “I know it’s hard, but at this point we can’t afford overlook any possibilities. You understand don’t you,” The mare asked with a sweet soothing voice; the same her mother had.

Spike started to rub the tears from his eyes, still sniffling a little, but for the most part in a better mood. “Y-yeah, just...can we just not think it like that. I really respect Twilight and the others.” No matter how little they turned to actually know, the elements and Celestia will always hold a spot in Spike’s heart, but just a different one now.

Lily turned Spike around to look him in his emerald green eyes and again wrapped her arms around him for a quick hug. Spike returned the hug, imaging that it was Celestia the one giving the hug; something that hadn’t happen in a while. “I understand Spike,” She said nuzzling into Spike’s smooth scales and unwrapping her arms from his body. As soon as the long slender arms were off of him, Spike missed the soothing warmth. “Come on let’s head to the archives, and find some books on water-magic to start you training.”

Lily started to walk out of the room, leaving Spike slightly confused by what she said when the conversation about dragon’s magic re-entered his head. “Oh right, my element.” Spike started after Lily, who was already down the hall, and making for the biggest expansion of ancient knowledge that lay hidden from Equestria for decades.