//------------------------------// // On the lone prairie // Story: The Fighting Dragon // by Phantom-Dragon //------------------------------// The Next Morning "AAA-AAAA-AAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" A rooster crowed, signaling the start of the day. Inside the home of the Prairie's Champion, Arizona was the first to wake up, stretching her legs out, before she got out of her bed, with a stomp, startling Spike awake. "Good mornin', Spike," Arizona greeted. "Rise and shine." Spike rubbed his eyes, before he stretched his arms out, "Can't I have a few more minutes of sleep?" He asked, with a yawn. "I had a very rough night, being chased by hungry wolves, and fell out of a tree with a snake." "No time for that, Spike," Arizona replied, as she made her way out of the room. "Come on! It's the start of a new day! So let's hurry and get washed up!" Unable to argue with that, Spike got up, and followed the calf as they both got themselves cleaned up, before they headed back to their room, where Spike picked up the book, and Arizona dons up her red bandana, and they went downstairs to have a quick breakfast with the cattle family. Spike looked at his dish to see that it mainly consisted of hays, corns, and a glass of milk. "I hope ya like your corn well done, Spike," Arizona said. "Sorry if we don't have any of these apple fritters, or pancakes, you've had every mornin', back in Ponyville. Or any gems for that matter." "It's fine," Spike waved, before he picked up the corn. "I'm okay with corns, just as much as I'm okay with apples, " With that, he dines into the vegetable, before moving onto his hays, which he fried extra crispy with his fires, and gulps down his glass milk. "Oh yeah," Spike sighed. "That hit the spot," Looking up, he was met with shock expressions from Arizona and her folks. "What?" He asked. Shaking out of her shock, Arizona quickly apologized, "Sorry, Spike. It's just, we never thought we'd see a predator enjoy a meal like that. Let alone a baby dragon." "Hey, like I said," Spike reminded. "I've lived with ponies my whole life. I got used to their way of living, or two." "Is that so?" Minnesota asked, before she and Texas exchanged looks of bewilderment, while Arizona looked fascinated. After they've had their meal, the two left the house, taking the first steps on their long journey. "Be careful!" Minnesota called out. "I will ma!" Arizona replied. "Got your ropes?" Texas asked. "Got 'em, pa!" "Got the map?" "Right here!" "Packed enough foods and milk?" "Lots of 'em, ma!" "See ya, Mr. Texas and Mrs. Minnesotta!" Spike shouted, as he carries the book on his back, with the aid of some ropes strapped to him. Furthermore, the young dragon was wearing a green bandana around his neck to match his eyes, while wearing a dark brown five gallon hat to hide his face. "Thanks for everything!" "C'mon Spike," Arizona exclaimed enthusiastically to the little dragon. "This is the part where we shout, yee-haw!" With a burst of excitement, the calf galloped off. "Yee-Haw!" Spike shouted, as he too ran after her. Minnesota and Texas were left, standing on the porch, watching the two leave, "My little calf is growing up," Texas sighed. "And off to save the world, with a little dragon," The strong bulky bull let out a small tear, with his wife patting him lightly on the shoulder. Somewhere in the Prairie The sun was shining down on the dark coats of Oleander, who knelt down to the ground, running her hoof over the tracks of the little dragon. "Now, what kind of intruder would we be dealing with?" Oleander asked, in which the book levitated itself over to examine the tracks. "Well well well," the book said in amusement. "Looks like my suspicions were correct. One of those sneaky little predators got through. And if I'm not mistaken, it's a dragon!" "A dragon?!" Oleander exclaimed. "There hasn't been a dragon in Fœnum for centuries!" "Give or take, and yet we still have the longmas," Fred replied, before he noticed Spike's tracks crossing paths with Arizona's. "Oh, don't look now. But it would seem our little unwelcome visitor has already found his lunch. And he's hunting her down as it is." In reply, Oleander's horn pulsed with dark magics, and her eyes glowed an eerie aura, "Then it's our turn to be the hunters," She snarled, with Fred chuckling in a dark tone. "You go girl." Spike and Arizona were walking through the Prairie, passing by some cattle along the way. And not just cattle, but there are some horses as well, along with donkeys and goats, all who were hard at work, tending the land. While many of the local ungulates of the prairies waved and greeted Arizona, in a friendly way, they looked more distrustful when their eyes settled on the stranger she was being accompanied, still concealed by his hat, and the book he was carrying. "Um, Arizona," Spike whispered. "They're watching us." "Try not to make too much eye contact, Spike," Arizona advised. "Just give 'em a tip of yer hat, and say 'howdy partner.'" Doing as he was advised, Spike tipped his hat, "Howdy partner!" He greeted to a bull, who only snorted in response. "Good talk!" Spike replied, before he quickly caught up to Arizona, running by her side. Spike took the chance to look around, taking in the layout of the land he and Arizona were passing through. The prairie was very busy with every busy ungulates performing all sorts of everyday tasks, from plowing the fields, harvesting their crops of corns, grains, and all sorts of vegetables, while some of the little ones were running and playing in the fields. Some young bulls playfully butted their heads together, leaving them both in a dizzy state. Spike couldn't help but smile, as it reminded him of Appaloosa, back in Equestria. Then, in the blink of an eye, the whole scenery changed into the nightmare horror show Spike had experienced last night. The wolves were still snarling hungrily as they closed in on him. "AAAH!!" Spike screamed, as he fell on his back, and held his hands out. "Please don't eat me!" "Spike?" Arizona shook the young dragon back to reality. "What is it? What's wrong?" She asked, looking at him with concerns. Looking around him, to see the wolves were gone, and that a few of the bovines were looking at him uneasily, Spike answered, "Nothing. Just lost in my thoughts, I guess." Getting back up and dusting himself, Spike and Arizona were on their way, "Howdy partner," Spike greeted to cow who was looking at him funny. But all the same, Spike couldn't help but think about the nightmare he had, with the predators. Deciding to strike up conversation, Spike asked, "Hey Arizona, can I ask you something?" Arizona gave a quick nod, confirming her approval. "About the predators. Didn't you say before, they're still trapped in between dimensions?" "Yup, trapped like a fly to a spider's web," Arizona replied. "And yet, we still see them how?" Spike asked uneasily. "Well, trapped or not, the predators still have a way of getting into our world," Arizona explained. "And from what pa has told me, they're nothing but ghosts at the moment. But they're getting more solid and hungrier with each passing days. So we better watch ourselves. Even in broad daylights, they're still waiting for us to come their way and pounce." Spooked, Spike looked around him, and felt his scales standing on end at the thought of a huge hungry wolf sneaking up from behind. With a frightened yelp, Spike ran up to Arizona and clings to her side, protectively, "The sooner I get home, the better!" Looking back up at the young calf, Spike asked, "Any ideas?" "Well, I don't know much about magics," Arizona began. "But I do remember some magic stuff some of my fellow bovines once told me." Taking out the map she was given from her parents, Arizona pointed to some of the lands, "Some of my cattle friends have told me about the Woodlands, home to the unicorns who called themselves the Order of the Horn. If there's anyone here who's gonna open up some kind of magical doorway and send ya home, then our best bets are on them." 'Great! There's unicorns here!' Spike mentally cheered to himself. 'I'm saved.' However, he quickly ceased his cheer when he anxiously asked, "How close is it?" "It's kinda far from here," Arizona replied. "To get there, we'd have to cross through the icy, cold, wintery lands of the Tundras to get there." "Brrr," Spike shivered. "But that shouldn't be a problem for ya," Arizona tried to lighten up the mood. "You're a dragon aren't ya? Ya can just breath fire, warm yourself up, and melt the snow. Can't ya?" Before Spike can answer, Arizona's ears perked up and she quickly puts a hoof to Spike's mouth. "Shh!" She shushed. "Something's coming." Spike looked around him, seeing both he and Arizona had walked further away from the rest of cattlekinds and were out alone in the wide open prairie. Spike kept his ears opened for any sign of disturbance, but all he could hear was the strong wind blowing across the plain, swaying the grasses back and forth. Then, he heard it. Something was move up the dirts on the grounds, as it creeps slowly and carefully through the grass, moving them slightly to the sides by their bases. What could it be? "SPIKE LOOK OUT!!"