Hoof and Claw

The sun beamed in through the curved archways of the dusty masonry of Canterlot castle, highlighting rouge dust motes that floated by as they were stirred up by a flustered ambassador. The unicorn ambassador was hurrying to catch the Moon Princess before she retired for the day. As he approached the door, two pegasus guards threw out their wings and stopped him in his tracks.

“I have - an urgent message - for the Princess!” He managed to gasp out before he tumbled forward into the guards’ outstretched wings. The two pegasii let down their guard and let him pass. These were peaceful times and security around the castle was lax. Discord had been defeated a long time ago, passing into myth, leaving only a stone statue in the garden to remember the time of horror by.

The unicorn entered the tower with a creak of a hinge and a whisper of thanks to the guards.

-----

“Spike! Wake up! Wake up! It’s Winter Wrap-Up Day!"

Spike awoke and opened his sleepy reptile eyes.

“Uh, Mummy?”

“Winter Wrap Up!”

“You’re not mummy.”

Spike heard her mumbling about cleaning up winter as he tried to close his eyes.

“Clean up winter?  Don’t they just use magic like we do in Canterlot?” Spike heard her mumbling excitably again as he contemplated his dream. It had seemed so real… so real...

“That’s ridiculous.” He muttered to himself as he went back to sleep. “I’m not back in Canterlot…”

-----

“Mentor Luna? Are you in here?”  The purple unicorn trotted into the Princess’ private bedchambers.

“Spiked Feather! Has thou- I mean- Have you gotten back already?” Princess Luna rounded the four poster bed and looked at the unicorn in surprise. “The griffin provinces are three days away!”

“Princess Celestia sent Flash Dash instead. He’s quicker, and that treaty needs to be sent immediately. How is your –“Here the purple pony dropped his volume a tad or hundred “– secret project coming along?”

“Everything is going just fine, thank you, Feather.”

“Good to hear, Princess. When are you submitting the bill to Princess Celestia?”

“This afternoon, at lunch. She’ll be in a better mood then, the apple tart makes her agree on anything.”

“You want me to support you?”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from my faithful student. It’s important you learn real politics sometimes, not sending memos to other politicians. Anyway, I don’t want Tia to get angry at me. She does that when I keep secrets from her, and having you there might ‘soften’ her up a bit. You and her are good friends, right Feather? ”

“As you wish, my Princess.”

“Let us forget formalities for the moment.” Luna stepped gracefully over and nuzzled her student with her long, graceful neck. “I have not seen you for a while. You said in your letters that you having been studying dragonlore?”

“I was amongst the dragons for a time, yes. They taught me a great many things that I could add to your private library, your highness. Such as-“

“Hush, I don’t need to hear. Just write some notes and have them filed away. I can read them in my own time.” The Princess of the Night checked the large clock hanging on the wall.

“We have been here far too long. Lunch will already have started. We’ll have to be quick if we want the chefs to serve the apple tart my sister is so partial too.” Luna winked at Feather, and then ruffled his bright green mane. “Come, faithful student!”

-----

Spike was asleep on something cold, hard and slippery.

“Urghhaaaaahhh!”

The baby dragon’s scales slid on the blue ice, leaving a large scrape down the tiny piece of frozen water.

“Twilight… help me!!”

He saw a purple unicorn on the bank rushing toward him just as he slipped under the freezing water.  Spike couldn’t swim, so he went straight under. Just as he thought that this was the end of him, and prayed to the dragon gods, Celestia and Luna to protect him, a purple aura surrounded his short tail and lifted him straight out.

“Oh Spike! Come on; let’s get you home into a nice warm bath.”

Spike rolled his eyes and let Twilight carry him home.