• Published 19th Feb 2013
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The Lion and the Lamb - CrazyChickenLady



After following a baby griffon into a dangerous situation, Fluttershy finds herself rescued by a kind-hearted dragon and ends up befriending him.

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Chapter Twenty-One: Childish Shenanigans

Chapter Twenty-One: Childish Shenanigans

Another dim winter morning fell upon Equestria, its sun taking a slivering peek over the horizon with an almost cheeky deliberation. The interior of the Everfree Forest was as pitch black as the night due to the low quantity of sunlight, but the creatures knew it was time to get up. As the small flock of doves hung back in their open cages, Ross took it upon himself to wake up the dragon sprawled out on the space next to Fluttershy and Chenoa--as he always did. He started by tiptoeing up to his nose, then turned around to tickle it with his cottony tail.

Scrunching up the bridge of his snout with a resounding high-pitched giggle, Smokey pulled his head away and rolled over…

Right off of the mattress.

The feeling of his scaly weight meeting the cold, hard stone floor jostled him out of his slumber. The draconic being couldn’t see much considering the dying cinders crackling in the blackened firewood was the only source of light. In fact, there was hardly any illumination at all. If only he had dug out the charred logs and put in new ones before going to bed… But he did not want to disturb anyone. That, and he didn’t like making fires… The broken window and the wide cracks in the propped up doors didn’t exactly help contain heat. It was a good thing a smoldering fireplace still provided warmth.

Crawling out from underneath the blanket he and his guests shared after his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he went into the kitchen and fumbled through one of the drawers for matches so he could light a few of candles set in different areas of the space. He also needed them since he was not a practiced fire-breather.

As Smokey had left, Fluttershy felt her and Chenoa’s major source of heat next to them removed. Whimpering lightly, she reached out with a free hoof to search for him--and though she did not find him, she did feel where he had kept his spot on the mattress warm. With a small smile, she scooted herself and the chick in her other foreleg over and settled into the sheets with an audible, almost blissful sigh. She could still smell his scent, and took comfort from that. She didn’t notice that the area had become cooler over the night thanks to the damage to the window and doors.

A healthy breakfast containing sweet fruits and a helping of protein was the dragon’s decision--but before even starting that, he would feed his animals. After finding the matches, he searched for the candles and lit them quickly as if he wanted to get the task over and done with as soon as possible. As usual, the crinkling bags stole the attention of the rabbit and doves and they darted to the table to wait for their food to be delivered. Assorted seeds were given to the five white doves while Ross was bestowed with a small bowl of pellets, some mixed vegetables, and even an inch wide slice of gala apple.

Smokey tried his best to keep the noise at a minimum, but even the rolling creak of opening and closing drawers and the metallic scrape of skillets and pans raked his ear holes as he withdrew one from the middle of a stack in one of the cabinets of stored kitchenware. The sounds pulled the pegasus from her slumber. Stretching out with a yawn, she sat up, letting go of Chenoa as she did so. Blinking and rubbing her eyes, she took a deep breath.

She was already beginning to feel significantly better. Her head wasn’t pounding so hard, and did not feel as congested as she had yesterday. She wasn’t sure what type of medicine she had been taking, but it was certainly doing the trick.

The mare shivered suddenly, now coming to the realization it was quite cold. Flopping back down onto the mattress, she grasped a hoof-full of blanket and wrapped it around herself, snuggling against Chenoa, her motherly instincts compelling her to continue to keep her warm.

The chick voiced a brief and quiet hum in her rest, facial features distinguishing that she was having an enjoyable sleep. She pressed in closer to the yellow-coated mare, body drawn to her warmth.

The large reptile was about to turn on the burners when he realized the firewood in the stove had burned out. Sighing with mild irritation directed towards himself, he went into the living room to retrieve a small soot-covered shovel and bucket blackened on the inside that sat next to the fireplace to scoop up the remnants. As he approached the objects, he noticed Fluttershy had risen from her slumber.

“Good morning, bright eyes. Did you sleep well?” he asked in a hushed voice as he passed her.

Fluttershy lightly jumped at his voice, though she turned to smile at him as he walked past. Thanks to the gentle glow from the candles in the kitchen, she was able to at least make out a little bit of her surroundings and the illuminated outline of the dragon.

“Yes. I slept fine,” she responded, her voice sounding a bit clearer and less congested as it had been, but she still appeared peaked.

“Good! Good. I am glad to hear that,” he said as his face lit up. Snagging the bucket and miniature shovel, he positioned himself between the mattress and fireplace. He figured he might as well clear out this fire pit before doing the same with the stove. Pail set down in front of him and shovel firmly clasped in the dragon’s strong hands, he sank the blade into the pile of charred and smoldering remains.

“I’ll get you more medicine and start breakfast after I clean the fireplaces,” the winged reptile informed, scooping the inky black pieces out of the pit, his ear frills pinning slightly at the scraping sounds. He never really liked those types of noises. There was just something about them that struck a nerve.

She nodded, offering a small smile. “Um… I’m… feeling better. Is it all right if I can get up and move around?”

The feathered pony shook herself to dispel any traces of somnolence. Slipping the blanket from her body, she draped it over the white-pelted chick before getting to her hooves, making sure to keep the injured one raised. While she wanted to be a little more active, getting tired of just laying down in one place, she wasn’t entirely sure whether or not she would be able to keep her balance due to her cold. She didn’t even trust herself to fly in her current condition.

If nothing else, she felt positively filthy. A bath or shower would be nice…

Smokey paused in mid-scoop, twisting his neck to gaze back at her with a look of concern.

“Are you sure? If… you are feeling better… I suppose moving around a little won’t hurt you any.” Smile spreading across his scaly maw, he gave a nod. “Alright. You may move around, if you want.”

Fluttershy stretched out her wings, flapping them once before folding them back to her sides… then a call she had not answered in some time struck her.

“Um… Smokey? … Where’s the bathroom?” she queried, suddenly feeling the urge she needed to go… NOW. While she had seen the draconic being leave for the bathroom when he had retrieved bandages for her, but the hall had always blocked her view and prevented from seeing which door lead to that particular room.

“Down the hall, first door on the left,” Smokey answered hurriedly, having noted the tone of urgency in her voice before returning to his task. Tried as he might to keep the level of volume low, there were some noises that he just couldn’t control, such as the repetitive echoing clunk bits of charred log on metal when he deposited them into the bucket. He was met with guilty remorse as he noticed out of the corner of his eye the disturbed movements his child made.

The mare hobbled off and disappeared into the hall, shivering upon finding that the stone floor was quite cold. A desire to hop back on the mattress and burrow underneath the blanket passed through her, but she didn’t want Smokey to have to clean up another disgusting--and larger--mess. Slipping into the bathroom, she shut the door and went about her business.

A few minutes later, she found herself much more relieved as she cast her gaze to the large bathtub right next to her. Smiling lightly, she decided a shower was a good idea, and climbed in to start the water. She sighed heavily as the hot water from the shower head rained down on her. Already she felt better, the spray washing through her mane and down her sweat-addled coat…

New bottles of strawberry and cream scented shampoo and feather conditioner were aligned next to a half empty bottle of spring breeze shampoo--since body wash wasn’t really available among the furry populace--along the rim of the tub. Considering the fact that both full bottles and conditioner had an image of a mare printed on them gave away that they were intended for Fluttershy’s use. Truthfully, Smokey had no idea what kinds of scents appealed to females the most, but the strawberry and cream was quite sweet and intoxicating when he had smelled them before purchasing.

Fluttershy sat there, allowing the warm water and hot steam help clear her sinuses. Feeling a little more revitalized, she opened her eyes and spotted the shampoo and conditioner. Mindful of her throbbing hoof, she utilized her wing as an extra appendage to open the shampoo and applied it to her disheveled mane. And with the help of a loofa on a stick she spied hanging from the shower head, she was able to scrub the rest of her body.

Thirty-two minutes later, now smelling and feeling notably better, the pegasus stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel off a pile sitting on a rack above the toilet to dry off. Taking a deep breath through her nose--now no longer stuffed--she hung the towel over the curtain bar and opened up the cabinet door below the sink, intent on finding some fresh bandages to replace the wet one on her injured hoof.

Several more minutes passed, and Fluttershy shambled out of the bathroom. She had wrapped her hoof up in a new, dry, tight brace and had even used spare linen to fashion a temporary sling for her foreleg to ensure she wouldn’t put pressure on it. She had gotten more used to walking on three legs, though she spread her wings out parallel to the floor for balance.

“It smells really good in here. What are you making?”

“Omelets and fruit salad,” Smokey replied, beating the eggs down and mixing them into the melted butter and milk, then half-turned to meet Fluttershy’s eyes with a warm smile. “Will that appeal to you, my dear?”

“Oh, yes. Very much. I like fruit salad, and I haven’t had an omelet in a while!”

Turning away from the kitchen, she strode over to the mattress to climb on top of it again. She crawled over onto her stomach to Chenoa’s side, stretching out her neck and very gently nudging her with her nose before kissing her downy head.

He was very pleased with Fluttershy’s response. Reaching for the salt and pepper shakers, he sprinkled in some of its contents and stirred it into the eggs.

“That’s good to hear! How do you like your omelet? Would you like some cheese in it?” The dragon then made a mental note to not give too much cheese to his guests, as he did not want to cause any more… issues. “I have mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, mozzarella, and pepper jack.”

“Oh… Um… Mild cheddar is fine.”

“Alright then!” Setting the wooden spoon aside upon the counter, Smokey pulled open the drawer to his left to retrieve a spatula. Breaking the edges away from the surface of the iron skillet and working it underneath the cooked half of the omelet, he flipped it over in one quick and practiced maneuver. Backpedaling, he turned around to gaze over the far counter at Fluttershy and Chenoa. The familiar glowing warmth bloomed in his chest at the image of them.

The pegasus smiled amiably into the kitchen and at the dragon for a fleeting moment. Slipping her uninjured foreleg around the child, she cuddled her closely and nuzzled her. She could have sworn she felt her heart turn as the young griffon subconsciously shuffled closer, drawn to her body heat and soft fur.

“Are you sleeping well?” she whispered, her breath stirring the fluffy down on the baby’s cranium. “I can only wonder what sweet dreams you’re having…”

Three minutes elapsed when the griffon’s eyes fluttered open. With a squeaky yawn, she rubbed her tired eyes against her adopted mother’s leg and lifted her head to meet her teal orbs. With a greeting chirp, she rose to her feet refreshed and energized. A wide beam graced her tiny black beak as she pressed her head into Fluttershy’s neck, nuzzling her adoringly. She instinctively ran her beak through the hairs over the delicate hairs in another preening attempt, incomprehensible baby babbles spouting from it throughout. Her high pitched voice warmed the hearts of both pony and dragon further, sparking the maternal and paternal urge to cuddle her. Smokey, himself, yielded the task to Fluttershy for now, knowing he would get plenty of opportunities in the future. Besides, the first omelet was almost done.

“Good morning, little one. Did you sleep well last night?” she giggled as the chick dragged the point of her beak over the tiny section of her coat.

“Aaahhh…” came the tiny creature’s reply, shortly following it with a “Aboo-boo-bah” and a squeal at the end.

“You are sorely tempting me to come in there and lavish my attention on you, darling, regardless if breakfast burns,” Smokey stated in a voice amplified enough so his charges could hear him.

Reluctantly tearing his attention away from them, he went back to the omelet, scraping it onto a plate. Taking out a block of mild cheddar, he grated some onto one half of the omelet. Folding the other half over onto the cheese to trap the heat inside, the pocket of steam melting it. Obtaining a bowl, he scooped up a good amount of the medley of freshly sliced fruit into it then took them into the living room. There was enough fruit salad for Fluttershy and Chenoa to share, some of the chunks were small and soft so the baby would be able to easily consume them.

Cleaning up after breakfast went smoothly until it was time to clean up a certain white-pelted griffon. Smokey intended on giving her a good bath after all the dishes had been washed since her down and fur was covered with fruit juice and a little bit of egg, but she had other ideas…

Such as leading a chase throughout the house, her bountiful, youthful energy and belly full of food fueling her fleeting body. After trapping her multiple times at the end of the hall and in corners, she would only make an escape by evading his hands when he made a grab for her, or deftly slipping underneath him. For a baby, she certainly was a crafty scamp. Ross and the quintet of doves didn’t even bother aiding their draconian caretaker; this was a darn good show! It was one that would be mentally entertaining them for a long while. Fluttershy had--bless her heart--attempted to assist the winged reptile in pursuing the baby. However, due to still being sick and the fact her injury prevented mobility and speed--since she didn’t dare to try to fly--, she only tried to give chase once or twice before giving up and just go back to resting. It was quite amusing--and though Fluttershy felt bad for him, she did admire his tenacity and patience.

When Smokey finally did catch her, she made a mess in the vicinity of the sink by flailing her little legs and wings at every opportunity. As tolerant as the dragon was, this behavior was beginning to grate at his nerves, but he retained the image of a loving and caring parent. Drying her off was another difficult task. Chenoa just would not hold still. But once she was dry enough to appease her father’s standards, he was challenged with putting a diaper on her for the first time, but he had to remember the baby was too young to understand unacceptable behavior. At least… that’s what he had assumed. He would consult the parenting book when he acquired the time to read it.

Once it was on securely, he put the little one down on the floor and got to work wiping up the puddles of water she created with the towel he used to dry her. Chenoa didn’t like the diaper. It restricted her ability to move about and found it uncomfortable. As Smokey was busy, she wandered into the living room and rolled onto her back, curling up into a ball to paw at the itchy abomination.

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