Reversing Hearts

By TheMyth and FlimFlamBros.

The morning light shone dimly over the horizon of the Dragon Badlands and through the cracks of the dragon’s cave. There, lying in the receding shadows was a large, dark, and intimidating being. The dragon mother, Cyndra, the High Dragoness of her kind, let out a mighty yawn as she slowly adjusted herself away from the oncoming sunlight, her darkish-red scales illuminating from the glare.

Again she rolled over, it was a losing battle against the light and one she could never win. However, the rumbling in her stomach was the calling bell for her to get up. And not just her, but someone else as well.

“Wake up, my little angel,” she whispered, unwrapping her tail to reveal a small purple creature. “The sun has risen and the day’s begun.”

The purple being, her one and only hatchling, twitched as the cool morning air assaulted him. The stinging air forced him to curl up into a ball, doing his best to stave off the cold and keep the heat in.

Cyndra smiled, it was always adorable to see her son waking up. She did eventually nudge him a little, trying to prompt him up and onto his feet and claws. He was incredibly small, but then again, he was only a baby dragon.

He opened his eyes slowly and gave a long yawn as he was waking up. He slowly looked up to the caring eyes of his mother, and slowly got up to his feet. “Good morning, Mommy,” he greeted her as he became fully awake and ready for the new day.

Cyndra smiled tenderly and looked at her son with demure, craning her neck downwards to give a gentle nuzzle to the baby dragon, “And a good morning to you too my baby,” she greeted him back as she lifted her head and made her way outside of the cave. She looked out to the risen sun and to the valley below her, seeing all the wonders of nature at work. From the mountains being bathed in sunlight, to the creeks joining in unison with the rivers as the waters were thriving with life, to the activities of the wildlife in the forest. All was well in the valley that served as her home.

Her son soon joined her and stood by her side, seeing nature at its best. “So, what do we do today mother?” He asked her curiously, hoping to see more of the world aside from the cave that they slept in.

Cyndra simply nuzzled her son again, “For now, I must go hunt for our food. You be a good child and stay here where it is safe. When I return, I will give you flying lessons,” she told her son as she looked into his small pupils for an answer.

He immediately smiled and made his way to the cave’s entrance, putting his rump firmly to the ground where he stood. “Okay! I’ll stay right here for you!” He answered her in merriment, looking forward to the food she was going to bring back and to the lesson he would receive afterwards.

The little dragon watched as his mother spread her wings and took flight. The way that she moved with the wind as she descended down the mountainside filled him with excitement and awe. He envied her, but was excited that soon he’d be able to fly like his mother.

Within moments his mother disappeared into the shadows of the rocks and trees below, off to prey on some unlucky deer or goat or other form of food. He hummed to himself, trying to find something to do with his time. It could be a good hour or two before mother came back from hunting. ‘Hunting is skill, patience, and just the tiniest bit of luck', his mother once told him. He sometimes thought that luck had more influence than his mom let on.

Suddenly, there was a little flicker in the corner of his eye. Resting on a nearby rock was a small white butterfly, barely any bigger than a pebble.  The little dragon cocked his head a smidge, studying the insect with great curiosity. But just as he started to inspect the tiny creature, the winged bug took off in a flutter.

Another flying thing, the butterfly weaved oddly in the air. It seemed unsure of which direction it wanted to fly as it would constantly shift directions in a heartbeat and fly around in a circle. It certainly wasn’t as good as his mother, she always knew what direction she wanted to fly in, always in control. Still, it was funny to watch.

“Hey there,” the hatchling said to the butterfly. “You’re not very good at flying...”

The butterfly continued to fly around in an incoherent circle, taking no notice to the dragon’s banter.

“Someday, I’m going to be a great flier. Just like my mom!” He said happily. “Then when I can fly, she can teach me how to hunt! And then she will-- Hey!”

As the little dragon was talking, the butterfly had accidentally flown straight into his face, bumping into his nose. It quickly recovered though and continued to fly away towards the cave.

“H-hey!” frowned the dragon. “That wasn’t nice! Get back here!”

And so the dragon took haste against the butterfly, but it was rocky chase. Every time he thought he had the insect where he wanted him, it would just flutter away at the last second. Again and again it went on, each pouncing attempt ending with failure as they made their way to the back of the cave.

“I got you now...” grinned the purple drake as he finally managed to corner the butterfly. “Hunting is skill, patience, and the tiniest bit of luck...”

His ears perked upwards as he heard movement from behind him, he turned around slowly to be faced with a towering figure before him. This figure was not his mother, nor any dragon for that matter. It was a tall, somewhat muscular stallion with long messy electric-blue hair. He looked down on him with malicious eyes, as he was coming closer to the baby dragon before him. “C-can I help you?” The dragon asked the stallion, afraid of what might happen to him.

The stallion drew its sword from its side, and with a mighty thrust, he struck down on the helpless dragon. The dragon however dodged his attack, leaving the sword to clang uselessly against the rock wall of the cave.

The baby dragon gave out a shriek that echoed throughout the cave and to the outside, “Help me,” he pleaded, hoping his mother would hear him in time before this stallion had his way with him.

The stallion readied for another attack, trying to slaughter the dragon before him. He nearly had him, but missed again when the dragon sprinted down the cave’s passage. The stallion followed suit, holding his sword ready to deliver what would be a fatal blow.

The poor baby dragon was cornered in the back of the cave, looking frantically for anyway out. He turned around in haste to see his attacker coming from behind and raising his sword. His eyes widened as the sword came down upon him in a swift slash. All he could feel was an everlasting coldness covering his body, as he released a call that would fit well for a requiem. The baby dragon fell to the ground in a pool of his own blood, with his vision becoming darker and the last image he imaged was that of his mother’s caring face.

“Mother...”

The stallion sheathed his sword, and approached the baby dragon with a stagger. He reached out, looking to tear the dragon’s heart from its body. He began to rip open the rib cage and grabbed the dragon’s heart from within. The heart however was not beating like any other heart would. It was glowing. As the stallion ripped the heat out completely, the glow dimmed until it went out completely. He held the heart up, which resembled a rounded crystal, triumphantly in the air as he smiled wickedly at his prize. He let out a gruesome laugh as he tucked it into his pocket, looking out of the cave with a sly smile.

“Success...”

_____________________________________________________________________________

Hunting is skill, patience, and the tiniest bit of luck.

She had smelled the scent of the white-tailed deer and trailed it to the creek. It had been smart, hiding in the trees and bushes where it would be difficult for her to get at, but that’s where the second part came in. Cyndra knew the deer would have to go to the stream to drink water and would be exposed as it drank. Staying out of its sight, she flew from rock to rock, watching silently as the deer made it’s way to the creek.

The deer’s ears twitched and its head shot up. Cyndra held her breath as the prey curiously  checked the surroundings. It must have seemed safe, seemed being the key word. The hunger in her belly increased as the deer took it’s first step into the open. She could already taste the blood dripping down her teeth as she contemplated how to take down the mammal.

“Mother...”

A strange sensation chilled her spine. Her heart stopped for a moment as the voice of her son whispered in the wind. She took to the air, startling the deer and sending it rushing into the forest again. It didn’t matter anymore, all that mattered was the safety of her child.

Past the mountains and through the trees she flew at blinding speeds, her wings could cause hurricanes. No force in this world could stop her now as she approached her cave, landing close to the edge of the entrance.

“Baby?” The mother called out, looking around the cave entrance. “Honey, where are you?” There was a strange scent of blood to the cave. Not a good sign. “Baby... where are you my son?” Cyndra’s heart was laced with lead she descended into the cave. And then she saw him... dead in a puddle of his own crimson blood.

“N-no...” she cried, nudging her son’s limp body with her snout. His body was cold, mushy, and wet where she noticed the gaping hole in his chest. It couldn’t be true but it was.

Something or someone had slayed her son. And she had an idea who did it. For with one deep inhale she could smell the lingering odors of the foul murderer. Mixed in the blood of her slain son was the scent of soap and flowers, a scent uncommon for any mountain dragon or savage beast. This was the doing of a different kind of evil, a monster to shadow the devil himself.

A pony.

Cyndra walked away from her child. She walked out of the cave and stared past the horizon. Beyond the valley of the badlands laid another land that dragons tended not to frequent. The land of Equestria, the land of ponies.

“You took my child from me!” She roared. “If you can hear this pony, then heed my warning! Hell know’s no fury like a mother’s rage! I will find you, and as you took my son from me, I’ll take worse from you!”