years of malice
The discussion took hours to end, mostly because of the more obvious dangers of having a dragon be around, and also due to the rude comments Metamorph always had. It was hard to believe that he wasn't already plotting Pyrite’s death right in that room, he was practically killing him with the cold stare he would have whenever he spoke, and Nightshade was more than a little pleased to finally be done with it. As everyone began to leave the main hall she insisted on helping Pyrite find a place to sleep and settled on a cave that leads beneath the castle. But since Metamorph still didn't like him, he changed himself into a bird; so he could follow them and make sure that she was safe. Nightshade lead Pyrite out to the Canterlot gardens since it was open enough to give Pyrite some room to take off, and the both made their way halfway around the mountain. It was a tiring flight for Metamorph; not having the love for a while and changing his size so much was putting a toll on his body, and he was more than happy to stop when they finally landed.
“okay, this is it, buddy, it's a really deep cave and I'm sure you'll be happy to find many old gemstones the further down you go,”
Nightshade said with a giggle, and he just examined the mouth of the cave,
“I can't thank you enough for this but, you didn't have to give me a place to live, I can always fly here from the dragon lands,”
She just shook her head and walked up to him.
“that much flying would get harder to do after a while, anyways, I don't think your fellow dragons will just forgive you for freeing me,”
She rested a hoof on one of his talons,
“besides, us runts got to stick together,”
He smiled and picked her up to hug her, and she happily returned the gesture. Once he put her down he was more than ready to walk into the cave,
“oh wait, you must be hungry right?”
Nightshade teleported a glowing emerald into her hoof, and walked over to him, moving just out of Metamorph’s line of sight and he flew down to get a better look at what was going on. Pyrite took the glowing gem and rose a scaly eyebrow as he looked down at her,
“why is it glowing like this? It's not enchanted is it?”
Nightshade just laughed and shook her head,
“no, of course not, it's gem magic and it'll help you feel more satisfied than a gem without magic. Just take it easy on your first night okay?”
He nodded and turned to walk further into the dark cave, and Nightshade turned around and began the long flight to the castle. Metamorph stared into the cave as Pyrite’s silhouette disappeared into the sparkling yet dim lights the gemstones gave off, and he flew away after a while, not wanting Nightshade to worry about him. When he had gotten back to the castle and made his way to their room Nightshade was already there, playing with Sapphire and telling her about Pyrite.
“you wouldn't believe it, but he's a runt like me, I don't even think he's a teenage dragon either, isn't that cool?”
Sapphire gasped and stood up on her hind legs with her two front claws on her mother's shoulders,
“can I meet him? I bet he's never seen a sea dragon before,”
Before Nightshade could answer Metamorph walked in.
“absolutely not, those dragons are dangerous and not to be trusted,”
Sapphire immediately began to pout, and looked up at Nightshade with pleading eyes,
“what is your issue with dragons? Sapphire is a dragon and you like her,”
Nightshade said as she put a reassuring hoof on Sapphire’s back.
“those fire breathing sacks of rude are the ones responsible for our dropping numbers, they eat us, changelings, after we've eaten enough to taste sweet to them,”
Sapphire hugged Nightshade with fear, and Nightshade held her close and stroked her head frill,
“Pyrite is not like that, he talked to me when the other dragons wouldn't, he tried to negotiate a safe and harmless option, he freed me against the wishes of his kind. And the only one acting dangerously is you,”
In a moment of rage, Metamorph turned himself into a small dragon almost exactly like Pyrite.
“so if I just looked like this and ate your kind because they tasted sweet you wouldn't get upset!”
He loomed over them, extending his wings to make himself look more threatening, and Nightshade didn't hesitate to smack the side of his now scaly muzzle,
“that is the one thing that we're not supposed to do: we don't judge others based on one thing that they may have done, maybe if you put your differences aside and actually talk to him like an adult, he wouldn't seem so bad to you,”
Sapphire buried her face in Nightshade's dark fur when his expression changed to one of more rage, and Nightshade just stood up, still holding Sapphire close.
“I wanted to come back for you, but if you can't handle knowing that I was saved by a dragon, then maybe you need some more time alone,”
She turned away from him and put Sapphire down beside her, before they both began to walk out, leaving him alone in their room.