//------------------------------// // Captives // Story: I Am Fire, I Am... Death // by Raven Shadow //------------------------------// Smaug landed with a thud in his cave, the grand gemstone was his and his alone. Yet this wasn't his only trophy from his small quest. With smooth and caculated movements his jaws opened and forced his captive out, he was tempted to just eat her on the flight back for a snack. Yet that wouldn't do much good for his appetite for long. "Twilight when I see you I'm going to thank you for teaching me that clean air spell..." Cadence muttered, her coat matted by saliva but alive. She tried to recall the events that lead to this precarious situation: Smaug attacked, threatened Shining Armor's life, and nearly ate her. Now here she was, a prisoner of Smaug. "Where are we?! Tell me dragon!" "Such fire, care to put that to the test?" Smaug goaded the small Alicorn, his fangs bared in his sinister grin. "By all means." "Why have you brought me here?" Cadence asked the massive reptilian, his grin stretched further. "Quit smiling like that, it's creepy." "Oh my dear, you need not worry about that. You may have uses I may see fit to use, you are nothing more than a barging chip. Or worst case scenario... a snack. Do be a dear and do not try to flee because I have your scent and I will track you down like the prey you are and I will slaughter everything that gets in my path. Understood?" Smaug stepped closer to his catch, his foul breath turning her a shade of green. Her vigorous nods were her only answer for the grand dragon. "Good, lest you wish to test my patience child." The reptile stomped past his captive who no doubt was planning her escape, yet having seen what this dragon would be willing to do to steal back what he claimed... Cadence sat still. Her eyes focused on the gems and bits gathered in the largest room with the dreadful king of fire atop, his glowing orbs fixated upon her. The malice radiating from them could be felt like a furnace. She sighed as her legs moved her to the entrance of the cave where he ruled, his eyes no doubt watching her with anger and greed. "You can run, but I promised death should you flee." His voice rumbled across the stone. Cadence turned to look at him, his dark grin promising nothing less than misery. Still she marched to the opening. "Gods above what have you done?!" Her eyes scanned the burned soil for miles away. She could see Ponyvile off in the distance, this had been Everfree once. "What does it look like? I have claimed my territory. I have a town just a quick glide from here to keep my hunger sated, this is only the beginning my dear. Soon the entire world will learn to fear me." The dragon's voice made the Alicorn's heart freeze, he intended to hunt innocent ponies for food. She needed to warn them as soon as possible, but how to escape him? That was the only question that mattered to her. "Well it seems I am a prisoner yet again." "Who was it that took you captive before me?" Smaug asked as his curiosity peaked, his bulk slithered closer to the tiny Alicorn. "It was the changeling queen, Chrysalis. She stole me away from my own wedding in order to take over Equestria, her plan was nearly flawless except she forgot I use to foal sit. Twilight saw through her ruse and thwarted her plot before any real progress could be made." Cadence muttered to the dragon, she shivered at the memories of being captive. "And now it seems I am to relive that feeling again... only with the promise of destruction and death." "Very observant of you. And this mare that foiled the plot was purple in color, wasn't she?" "How do you know?!" "I have met that one only an hour before I crippled the dark blue one with both wings and a horn, she shook in terror at the sight of my wrath." Smaug chuckled darkly. "She has five others that cling to her like a safety net as well. Cowards, they fled and hid from my magnificence. Much like when that husband did when he thought I ate you." Smaug began to laugh at the memories of prey shaking at his might. Things couldn't have been better for the great wyrm, that is until he saw his captive smiling. "What are you smiling about prey?" "Just how funny it will be to watch when you're beaten by those six." Cadence couldn't hold her smile back, soon it grew into a grin that threatened to split her face in twine. "I've heard they went against dragons and gods, each time they came out with a stronger friendship in the end. So by all means play the big bad guy while you can because when they come they'll knock you down quite a few pegs." Cadence had no clue about this drake's temper and how dangerous it was when goaded enough, she had her eyes closed as she rolled around with laughter and unable the effect of her words. With a roar of rage Smaug smashed his hand just right so he wouldn't kill his prey, the enormous talons buried deeply in the stone. He pressed down on his hand to apply pressure on the princess, her laughing came to a stop once the weight of the dragon threatened to push down. Her eyes caught his, a deep rage and sinister gleam no longer hidden truly noticeable. "Should those cowards come then I will be waiting for them, and I only needs seconds to break them. Hear my words well prey for I will not repeat myself; I will devour any hope you or they have." Smaug's breath felt like an inferno waiting to be let loose upon her. Without another word Smaug dug out the stone with Cadence was trapped upon and threw it deeper into the cave, his temper flaring dangerously to rend her flesh and bone... yet he needed her still so that would wait until the perfect moment. "Flee and remember what I have said, I care not where you go but you'll end there." Just as he laid upon his treasure a rock pelted his scales, Smaug knew whom had thrown the pebble and his patience thinned by this act. Taking all the self control of his age to reign in his anger and not just set her aflame, yet as another rock hit his hide that patience ended. His roar silenced her actions, his eyes alight with the threatening glow promising much pain and suffering upon her. "Do not mistake this small act of mercy as a reward child. Should you dare any more acts of bravery and I will feast upon your flesh!" Smaug promised in his deep growl. "You threw me as I was stuck to a rock!" "That matters to me?" "You... you... you fiend! Celestia damn you! I will not stand for this brutish treatment you overgrown lizard!" Cadence shouted to the king of fire, her words not having the desiring effect on the drake. She increased his flaring rage more. "I am a princess! Not a plaything for you!" "YOU ARE NOTHING TO ME! YOUR ORDERS TO BE FREE HAVE NO EFFECT ON ME... you will do well to remember who's domain you now belong in. I can kill you within a moment's notice, I can see you tremble with fear because you have never before encountered a true dragon! Your race is as worthless as the race of men and dwarves and elves, you are nothing more than an abomination of nature ill equipped to lead much less than graze upon the grass." Smaug hissed to Cadence in a deadly tone, she visibly deflated by his words as they stung deeply. "So high and mighty, brought low by a dragon's truth. Do yourself a favor and remember what you are prey, but should you try to command me again... I will burn down anywhere you run to. I will stalk your dreams and I will consume your every thought." Without another word Smaug dug into his hoard in order to make a suitable pile to lay his magnificence upon.