Sapphire was riding on Snowflake with Skystorm and Smoke and Fire by her side. They were flying over New Canterlot, but they noticed something strange. "Hmm.. Snowflake, take me down." Snowflake swooped down followed by the other dragons. They landed on an empty street. There were no sign of ponies anywhere. "This is dejavu. Where is everybody?" This is just like how New Ponyville was when her raptors came into town, but the ponies accepted her raptors. So it couldn't be them.

The three dragons scoured the area. Sapphire searched the houses, parks and stores, but found nothing. They all met back in the center of New Canterlot. "Got anything, girls?" Sapphire asked.

The dragons shook their heads. Then a bright flash of light hit Sapphire in the eyes. "Ow, what the-?" Sapphire looked up and saw the light was coming from... the palace? "Weird. Let's go girls." Sapphire and the dragons flew to the palace entrance. She knocked on the door and Lightning opened it. He looked very nervous and surprisingly scared. "Get in quick." he hissed. Sapphire and the dragons came in to the hallway and Lightning closed the door. "Lightning what's going on? Why is New Canterlot a ghost capital?"

"We'll explain in the throne room."

"We?"

Lightning lead Sapphire and the dragons to the throne room. He opened the door and to her surprise, all of the villagers and civilians of New Canterlot and her friends were present, including Mykan. They all looked really shaken up. Sapphire noticed some of the villagers were frozen in place with screaming expressions. "Oh thank goodness, you okay." Fluttershy cried as she came and hugged her. "Thanks Fluttershy." Sapphire replied. "So would someone explain what are you all doing here?"

"We're hiding ." Rainbow whispered in fear, which was shocking for Sapphire. Seeing her frightening like this was uncommon.

"Hiding? From what?" Sapphire asked.

"These small, green, little things came out of nowhere. They moved faster than us. And their sting, paralyzing sting!" Pinkie cried.

"We have no idea what they are or where they came from. They came out last night and nearly stung everybody in New Canterlot. Luckily, we managed to rescue them all." Mykan added. Their majesties came forth. "Please tell us you have some idea as to what these creatures are, Sapphire?" Grand Ruler asked.

"Paralyzing sting?" Sapphire had an idea on what creature they were talking about, but she needed to be sure. "Does anyone have a picture of these 'creatures'?" A pony came up to her. "I took this snapshot of it." she said.

Sapphire took the photo and took a look at the dragon. It had a very similar shape to her Velociraptors. It was aqua colored with sail-like appendages on its head, back and legs, the Speed Stinger does have wings, though these are very small and vestigial. Its name is derived from the barbed stinger at the tip of its tail that resembles a stingray's. All of them have red stingers and red eyes. They had small pupils and muscular back legs with two claws in the front, one in the back. "Just as feared."

"What? What are they, Sapphire?" Celestia asked.

"... Speed Stingers."

"Speed Stingers?" Everybody repeated.

"Yeah. Nasty little dragons. They can't fly but they really fast and they had a paralyzing sting that can freeze it's prey in an instant. " She showed the ponies a picture of the Speed Stingers chief.

The chief himself is slightly bigger than the rest of the pack. He has a red crest and red wings instead of a green one like his followers. While his followers are plain green, the Lead Stinger has dark red stripes on his body, limbs, and tail.

"Their leader drives them like a war chief."

"So how do we get rid of them?" Artie asked.

"I've encountered them before, they seem to always follow their chief. Wherever he goes, they go." Sapphire explained.

"So all we have to do is find them, capture their chief and move the pack far away. It's perfect." Rainbow said with newfound confidence. Sapphire sighed and shook her head. "Sapphire, what's wrong?" Grand Ruler asked.

"Finding them won't be easy. Speed Stingers are nocturnal, so they hide during the day. Also, there packs are known to be in the twenties or thirties." That shocked everyone. That meant they would be up against many, many Speed Stingers. "So what do we do?" Buddy questioned.

"Yeah, I do not want to paralyzed by one of those things!" Dyno exclaimed.

"Me too, brother. Me too." Myte added.

"We'll have to strike at dusk, then." Lightning insisted.

"But how are we going to find them? They only come out at night, remember?" Fluttershy reminded.

"I know where they like to nest during the day." Sapphire reassured. "I'll just go there, get the cheif and lead the pack away from here."That lifted everyone's spirits a little, but Lightning and the others were concerned. "You'll do all that... by yourself?" Mykan asked. Sapphire nodded.

"No way, Sapphire!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"Guys, I have to. I'm the only who knows the Speed Stingers well. So I should be the one to drive them away." The team wouldn't hear any of it. "Not a chance!" Mykan exclaimed. "You are not going to face those needle butts alone."

"Yeah, you said it yourself, their packs can range from twenty to thirty. If you're going to face them, you're gonna need backup." Starla added. Sapphire sighed and smiled at her friends. Their majesties came up to the ponies. "Good luck, our brave ponies and humans." The team nodded and turned to Sapphire.

"Well, Sapphire, where do we start?" Lightning asked.

---

Dusk began to fall on United Equestria and Sapphire and the team were flying near the palace mountain. "So do you really think the Speed Stingers nest is here?" Rainbow asked.

"I'm positive." Sapphire said. Snowflake spotted something and dove towards the mountain. There in the side was a cave. Lightning and the others landed. "Something tells me they're in there." Lightning added.

"Oh... they're in here. Look." The team looked in side and saw the Speed Stinger pack sleeping on the ground or hanging in some rock spires. "There's the chief." Sapphire whispered. The chief was laying in the middle of the pack. "Get the cage, ready." Lightning ordered. The girls nodded.

Sapphire carefully used her magic to levitate the Speed Stinger chief up and over the pack, without them waking up. "Good." she levitated him into the cage and the girls shut it. "Alright!" Rainbow yelled. "Sssshhhh." the team hissed. "Do you want to wake the pack up?!" Mykan snapped.

ROAR.

"Umm.. I think she already did." Spike whimpered as the pack gathered at the mouth of the cave. Their roars woke up the chief, who called for them. "Now what?" Applejack asked. The Speed Stingers circled the team. They were so fast the team could barely see them. "Someone get the-" Lightning was cut off when one of the Speed Stingers stung him, paralyzing him. "Lightning! No!" Starla cried before she was paralyzed too. "Oh, Great!" Rainbow exclaimed. "We're doomed."

Sapphire looked at Snowflake and they nodded. Snowflake took to the air, grabbed the cage and flew away. "Sapphire, what are you doing?!" Buddy cried.

"Get Lightning and Starla to safety. I'll take care of the Speed Stingers." Sapphire and Snowflake flew away with the cage and the pack was right on their heels. The pack kept leaping up, trying to sting Snowflake, hoping she would drop the cage and get their chief back. "That's it Snowflake, keep going." Now they were over New Everfree Forest. "This should be a good home for them."

Just then, one of the Stingers actually leaped onto a tree branches all the way to the top. It leaped into the air and stung Snowflake in the tail. She roared in pain "Uh-oh." and the two were in a nose dive towards the ground. "Brace yourself Snowflake." The two crashed and skidded across the ground. Sapphire was thrown off Snowflake. The cage slammed into the ground, breaking it and freeing the chief.

Snowflake and Sapphire were a little dazed. "Uggggh." Sapphire rubbed her aching head. "Snowflake, are you okay?"

Snowflake growled. The Stinger chief roared and the pack came to it's sides. They all had their stingers ready. Sapphire didn't like the chances she and Snowflake had right now. "This doesn't look so good." she whimpered and gulped nervously.

---

Back at the palace, Lightning and Starla were beginning to feel their bodies again. "I'm starting to feel a lot better." Starla said. The team was relived but Mykan was still worried about Sapphire. Pinkie sensed his anxiety and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she's fine, Mykan."

Mykan sighed. That's when Skystorm, Smoke and Fire came into the room. They were both pacing in circles and looking worried. "What's up with those two?" Artie asked. Skystrom and Smoke and Fire went into the hallway where the team saw them nodding towards the door. "Is what they want out there?" Dyno asked.

"I think so but, what?" Myte asked. A piece of paper appeared in front of Mykan. "What's this?" He opened it as the team came around.

It read:

Snowflake paralyzed, surrounded by Speed Stingers.

Help.

Sapphire

"Ay' Curumba!" the twins cried. Mykan groaned irritably. "I knew we should have followed her."

"Well what are we standing here for, let's go save her!" Rainbow exclaimed, before opening the door and flying outside, followed by Skystorm and Smoke and Fire.

"You heard her, let's move!" Lightning snapped. The team flew out the door. "Please be okay, Sapphire. Please be okay."

---

Sapphire managed to carry her dragon friend and now were hiding in a cave. Unfortunately, the Speed Stingers were right outside the cave and Sapphire knew they would be staying there all night. Snowflake's paralysis wore off, but they weren't going anywhere with the Speed Stingers outside the cave. "Looks like we're gonna be here for a while, girl." Snowflake nodded in agreement

*GROWL*

Sapphire's and Snowflake's stomachs gurgled and she placed a hand on it, while Snowflake growled in hunger. "It's gonna be a long night." she sighed. "At least it can't get any worse." However, she was proven wrong again when she heard another roar in the cave. Sapphire froze and turned.

There in the back of the cave was a Monstrous Nightmare. It as yellow and pink. Sapphire realized, this was the same Monstrous Nightmare who put her in the hospital a while ago!

This dragon was growling aggressively at Sapphire. "Easy, easy, girl. I'm won't hurt you." The dragon stopped growling at her and just stared with hostility at her. Sapphire carefully approached it and reached her hand out to it, while Snowflake watched with concern and worry, knowing what happened the last time Sapphire encountered her.

The Monstrous Nightmare sensed she wouldn't cause her any harm and she let her touch her nose. "There we go." she said. The Speed Stingers chief roared at Snowflake and she roared back. Sapphire smirked at the Monstrous Nightmare. "Wanna help us out, girl?" she asked.

---

Meanwhile, the team was following Skystorm and Smoke and Fire. "Uh, someone tell me why we're following these two again?" Rainbow asked.

"They may know where Snowflake and Sapphire are,
Let us hope there no too far." Rhymey explained.

Skystorm and Smoke and Fire stopped above New Everfree Forest. They roared below. "What is it?" Rarity asked.

"Look!" Lightning pointed and the team saw the Speed Stinger pack and the leader outside a cave. "Why are they outside a cave?" Starla asked. The answer came when they saw a plasma blast hit one of the Stingers. "Snowflake and Sapphire. They must have cornered them." Mykan said.

"Oh, poor things." Fluttershy cooed.

"We've got to get them out of there." Applejack replied.

"But how?" Lightning asked. Suddenly, they all heard a different roar from the cave. "What was that?" Buddy snapped.

Below, the team could see a large blast of fire and the Speed Stingers back away. The Monstrous Nightmare appeared out of the came with Sapphire on it's back. "Good girl, Flameclaw." The team just stared wide-eyed at the scene. "Okay, how many dragons is she going to befriend?!" Rainbow snapped, feeling annoyed that Sapphire gets all the dragons.

The Monstrous Nightmare continued to blast the pack with it's fire. The Speed Stinger Chief roared in retreat and he and the pack disappeared into the forest. "She drove them away!" Lightning cheered. He and the team went down to Sapphire. Mykan was relieved to see Sapphire alright. "Sapphire, are you alright?" he wondered.

Sapphire dismounted Flameclaw. "I'm okay, Mykan."

"We're so glad you're safe." Fluttershy added. The Monstrous Nightmare growled softly. "So what's with this new dragon?" Dyno inquired.

"This is Flameclaw, my Monstrous Nightmare Dragon." Sapphire introduced.

"Well, Flameclaw, welcome to the family." Lightning greeted. "Now let's get you two home."

*GROWL*

Sapphire and Snowflake's stomachs growled again. "And get you two something to eat." Sapphire smiled sheepishly. "Great idea." Sapphire mounted Snowflake and they all flew home for the night.

---

The next morning, Sapphire and the team happily reported the Speed Stingers were gone for good. The civilians and villagers were very relieved to hear that and returned to their homes. "Great work, team." Celestia said.

"Indeed, very well done." Grand Ruler added.

"Actually you should thank Sapphire, she's the one who actually lead the Speed Stingers away from New Canterlot." Pinkie suggested. Sapphire blushed at her suggestion. "Yes, very well done, Sapphire. You've once again saved the day." Grand Ruler praised.

"Hehehe. Just doing my job."

The team smiled at her and gave her a group hug.

Next Chapter: Episode 17: Never Judge a Insecto by it's kind Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 24 Minutes