Burning Eye was old and slow. His words were like a snowfall, ideas slowly piling up. It could take an entire week for him to finish a sentence and that if he was feeling motivated. He usually wasn´t, preferring to count the slow dripping for the estalactites. So when the little dragon came into the cave, searching for refugee, he said nothing. Back in the days, when the volcanoes were blossoming, he would have fought him but he was so old and tired that he welcomed the company.

The little dragon had plenty of stories to share. It figures, being a dragon raised by ponies. Burning Eye let him be, listening to his tales. If he kept quiet for too long the little one would yell at him, terrified of being alone. He dreaded the slumber. For Burning Eye the slumber meant nothing, it was gone in the blink of an eye but the young dragon wasn´t still ready for his first hundred years of sleep so Burning Eye let him go.

"What is that thing you keep playing with?" Burning Eye asked him, during one of the occasional moments of silence when the young one called Spike will stop his stories to play with a small object.

"This is my most precious possession!" he proudly announced and showed it to Burning Eye. The ancient dragon had to tilt his head so his remaining eye could get a look.

"A small emerald? Thats is the extent of your treasure?"

"Hey, it´s bigger than any of your hoard!" he pouted, his silly expression being reflected on the giant ruby that took the place of Burning Eye´s right eye.

The elder dragon laughed, his thunderous voice echoing through the cave. "I collected my treasure centuries ago, back when that treacherous draconequus was being chased out of the Everfree by my siblings. How can you said that diminutive rock is more worthy that my thousands of precious gems?"

"It´s not about the size, dude. This gem was giving to me by the most precious creature in all of Equestria, my beloved Rarity. She gave to me one day we went searching for gems in the mountains. Did I told you that story already? The one about the Diamond Dogs?"

He had and Burning Eye was more interested in the gem that another tale of him rescuing the ponies from certain death.

"And why haven´t you eat the gem yet?"

"I would never do that! This gem is a gift from the pony I love the most. I still remember her face the day I had to leave Ponyville. She was so old but still beautiful. As beautiful as in her wedding day..."

"She married?"

"Yes, to that Fancypants guy. He wasn´t so bad, once I get to know him. I know he treated her well and she really did love him."

"Your loved one chose another mate and yet you still cling to her gift?"

"Of course! I will never stop loving her! She was always so nice and generous. Even the last thing she said to me was to find a nice dragon and be happy with her. Wish I could find a dragon just as nice as her. Hey, are dragon chicks nice? I haven´t met one yet."

"I can´t tell you, little one. I never mated in my life. Back when I was young, mating was only for those strong enough. And I´m ashamed to say I was weak."

"I have to fight the other guys?" Spike asked, visibly not thrilled with the idea.

"You had to fight the females."

Now Spike was even less thrilled.

"Wish I had knew that feeling you spoke off. That feeling that makes you cling to a tiny rock even after so long."

"You never knew love, uh? No wonder this cave is so cold..."

"Cold?" Burning eye asked, his nostrils sprouting hot steam.

"Yes. It´s so cold and big. Luckily I have this to cuddle, otherwise I´ll be freezing." he let go a yawn, the slumber approaching. "You know, that whole fighting chicks reminded me of Scootaloo. We used to argue a lot. Rainbow said it was because she had a crush on me but I don´t think so. We were just friends. Probably because we both couldn´t fly. I wonder if there any other dragon that can´t fl..." and with that incomplete idea Spike fell into sleep.

Burning Eye watched him sleep, even still he seemed to be shaking at a high speed. But now that he was finally quiet the cave does seem too big and too cold. Burning Eye looked at his treasure, still glowing after all those centuries. He tried to remember the story of each gem to no avail, they were all the same, all meaningless.

Spike was right. His tiny treasure was bigger than his. Burning Eye closed his eye and waited. He decide to wait until his young companion wake up so he can learn more about this love he never knew.