//------------------------------//
// Guess I’m a dad now 
// Story: Keeper of the Forest 
// by ShowShine 
//------------------------------//

“Hi Beatrice.” Spike said as he approached her nest. She let out a squawk of surprise when she saw him. She smiled and rubbed her head against his leg. He looked at her tail.

“Your tail should be better in a few weeks.” Spike said. Beatrice let out a squawk and pointed to her eggs. They had little spots on them, which weren’t there the day before. Spike read that that happened to cockatrice eggs when they were close to hatching.

“It looks like they’ll hatch any day now!” Spike exclaimed happily. Beatrice nodded her head with a smile on her face. A shadow loomed over them, making them look up. A roc flew overhead, making it’s way to a nearby cave. A loud bang rang through the forest and a spear launched across the sky, hitting the roc in the chest. Spike let out a gasp of shock. The roc started to fall, soon getting completely out of sight.

“We need to save her.” Spike said. He flew off into the direction where the roc fell. Buddy ran after him.



Spike approached a roc who was lying on her side and breathing heavily. A spear was stuck in her chest and blood poured out. He flew over to her. The roc let a a weak defensive caw.

“I’m here to help.” Spike said, pulling out a first aid kit. The roc dragged herself on the ground, desperately trying to get to the cave. Spike flew up to eye level of the roc.

“You’re bleeding out, you need to stay still.” Spike said. The roc pushed him away with her beak, causing him to stumble back. Buddy ran towards her, pressing his paws on her beak. He was trying to hold her down. She weakly lifted her head, causing Buddy to fly off of her beak and fall straight onto his back.

The roc reached her wing out before letting out a weak squawk, and it dropped to the ground. Spike felt himself crying. He hadn’t even had a connection with this bird but it felt like her known her for years. He wiped the tears from his eyes, breathing shakily. Buddy licked the tears off of his cheeks, trying to comfort him.

“Who would do this?” Spike asked. Hunting in Equestria was illegal. Ponies didn’t even eat meat, they usually just kept the animal remains for decoration. The only time it was legal to kill creatures if they were being attacked.

“I wonder why she was so desperate to get to the cave.” Spike thought out loud. He walked into the cave to see a large nest. He climbed inside it. It was actually pretty soft. Spike gasped when he saw what was in the middle of the nest. An egg about the same height as him. Buddy hopped in the nest with ease. He placed his hand on the egg. It was a little warm but getting cold.

“Try to keep the egg warm, I’ll go get blankets.” Spike said. Buddy walked over to the egg and wrapped his body around it. Spike flew out the cave. He froze when he left the cave. The roc was gone. Who could have taken a 20 foot roc without him or Buddy noticing. Only a few stray feathers laid on the ground. There was no trace of blood at all.

Spike shook his head. He had to forget about that right now. He had to work fast, timberwolves had little to no body heat at all. They only had tiny flames where there hearts should be. Spike flew into the castle of the two sisters. He zipped down the hallway and approached a room filled with beds. He pulled the fluffy blankets of of a few of the beds and left the castle. Hopefully he could make it back before the egg got too cold.



Spike flew into the cave to see Buddy still coiled around the egg. Buddy unwrapped his body from the egg. Spike wrapped the blankets around the egg.

“We need to find another roc to take in the egg before it hatches.” Spike said to Buddy. Buddy took a few steps back from the egg, that was starting to shake. Spike turned around to look at the egg with wide eyes. The egg started to crack and a small yellow beak poked out. The egg shell started to fall apart. A roc chick laid there, covered in wetness. She had no feathers and was shivering. Her eyes opened and she looked at Spike. She had yellow eyes and blue pupils. She tried to stand up, but stumbled.

Spike ran over to the to chick. She leaned her body onto him, letting out a soft chirp. Spike wrapped her around in one of the fuzzy blankets. She nuzzled into the blanket.

“Buddy, go get Beatrice.” Spike said. Buddy nodded his head and climbed out of the nest. Spike pulled a book out of his bag. He flipped to the pages rocs.

”Roc chicks are nothing like there adult counterparts. They are incredibly sweet and rarely attack. Other birds grow feathers in 6 weeks while rocs grown feathers in 3 weeks. It takes up to twenty years for rocs to grow fully.

Their diets contain of worms, berries, fish, and deer. When they are first hatched, they only eat worms and berries.” Spike read out loud. He reached in his bag and pulled out a container of berries. He put some in his hands and crushed them. The roc opened her mouth and Spike poured the berries in. Since she was just a baby, she was content on what she ate and didn’t need anymore. Buddy hopped over the nest with Beatrice on his back. Beatrice let out a soft gasp when she saw the roc chick and ran over to her.

Beatrice let her maternal instincts kick in and she checked to see if the roc was healthy. One of her wings were much smaller than the other, but other than that she was fine.

“Can you take care of her for me?” Spike asked. Beatrice looked at the roc and nodded her head. Spike let out a sigh of relief and stood up. The roc let out a chirp and tried to follow Spike.

“You can’t come with me, you have to stay here with Beatrice.” Spike said. The roc rubbed her head against Spike, trying to get him to stay. He picked up the book and tried to find a way for her to stay in the forest. His eyes widened.

“Oh no you imprinted on me.” Spike said. The roc rubbed up against his body, trying to get warmth. He wrapped a blanket around her, causing her to settle in.

“I need to find a way to bring you with me without Twilight finding out.” Spike muttered to himself. She rubbed her head against his cheek.

“I’ll name you Debbie.” Spike said. Debbie let out a soft coo and closed her eyes. Spike thought to himself for a moment. What’s a way for Debbie to come with him without anyone finding out. She couldn’t stay in the forest alone.

“I have an idea.”