The Dragon Lord's Guardian

by Little_Draco

Trials of the Guardian

He breathed in deeply, then breathed out.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Repeat in.

Repeat out.

Repeat in.

In.

Out.

Heart slowed,

Breathing tamed.

Eyes closed.

Ready…

…

…

“Again!” Spike’s eyes snapped open with a growl and with all his focused might, ignited his palms, pointed them forward in a powerful display of power as they shot forward and struck his target.
The fire was wild and uncontrolled, like a flamethrower without a focused hose spewing out. “Concentrate! Focus on centering the flames towards the center of your palms!”
His teacher called out.
He did as instructed and used his will to condense the flames from spewing out widely outward and into a small area of flames from his palm. The flames condensed fully until it looked like a welder torch used by construction crew, only this was many times hotter and distant. “Good, now carve the ore into something into a form or shape in your mind. But don’t lose focus on your flames; they are part of your mindset as you focus on that image.”

Spike did so, his heart pounding and his breathing slowly started to pace as the effort it took to do both things weighed heavy. He tried to carve something simple like a pony shape or an egg or something easier. Yet as he carved more and more, the vision he mentally projected began to blur and the ore he was using was slowly starting to carve without form, making him growl with agitation and he allowed the flames to drop. After moments, the ore was a molten mess of hot liquid without form.

He dropped to one knee panting, as the energy it took to control the flames had taken more out of him then he realized, even making him feel a cold in his body come forward.
“Good now Spike, you have done well for yourself. Progress has been made,” The cheerful form of Blacktip came from behind, giving the young drake much encouragement. His instructor and teacher, was very much a positive addition to his life within a few months of instructions.

Turning to the bigger, green dragon, Spike shook his head at the loss. “I-I couldn’t hold it for too long, Blacktip.”
The older drake crossed his arms. “No one here expects you to learn everything in one day. The sheer fact you can focus it just as fast as you did now, shows how much progress you’ve made. It took me years to focus it into a flame like that. You’ve learned and advanced it in months after you awakening. You have me beat.”

Spike felt the confidence boost from him and slowly rose back up. As he did, his two mothers were nearby and they came to see the progress. “As he said Spike, it will take time, yet we are happy that you are advancing at pace,” Elyinsa proudly stated. “It took me just as long to master my own firebreaking where I could use it for flight to increase my speed. You will no doubt surpass our time when it comes down to it.”

Half a smile formed as he sighed, feeling content but looking at them still unconvinced of his progress. He half looked at the molten ore of melted slab before looking at them all. “And if I don’t?”
“Then we have failed you,” Blacktip apologetically, as if he had the thought warranted sympathy.
“And we would be terrible teachers for it,” His mother added.
“But we will not stop trying, as long as you keep pushing forward with us.” His momma finished. “We will rise and fall with you, but so long as you put forth all your effort, we will remain by your side.”

The moral was lifted once more and having their strength in it, he felt his heart quicken, ready for more. He snorted a burst of flames and flared his wings. “Okay, I’m ready! Let’s try again!”

The giant of a tail came slamming down hard over him, but he moved faster than he has ever in his life. Palms ignited and wings open, Spike flew around the tail and quickly flew around and above. 
“Good! Your speed is improving!” His momma Zynthia barked, but just as she said that, she leaped forward and took a swipe at him, trying not to give him a moment to enjoy the compliment. 
Knowing how his mother now worked and how others would, Spike rolled out the way from his mother’s grasp, feeling the air of her claws miss him, as he took a steep dive to her face and… threw a rock at one of her eyes. Now, he wasn’t trying to hurt but, this was a much easier option for him because the idea of actually physically hurting her in any way didn’t sit well with him, no matter how much she was insistent on it.

“Aah!” She grunted, but not in pain. Again, with his lack of actual attacks, the hit was more annoying but his resolve was still the same. “Good!” She barked, but still had a good eye, which she locked onto him. With the distraction, he then threw the rest of her rocks at her, showering her with gravel. Closing her eyes, she allowed the rocks to bounce harmlessly off her. “That is a waste of your attacks son!”
When she reopened her eyes, she saw him gone. Her head immediately searched around for him but found him nowhere, only to feel a tapping by her neck. “It’s not a waste if it's a distraction.” He then gently booped her weakness on the neck like he had done so a year ago.

Zynthia snorted, pulling back and seeing her son with the biggest grin on his snout. “So, does that mean I win?”
Her head lowered and gave his hovering stance a small raised brow before relenting. “For now you won the distraction, but… you still need to learn the fight head on.”
He slumped in the air. “I-I can’t momma, you know I can’t,”
Cooing, she pressed her snout to his smaller form.
“As much as I, your family or friends love your passive non-violent approach son, I need you to understand that the world does not take heed to your pacifistic nature. While that is a great quality, you are well aware that your enemies may not share your sentiment.”
He looked up at her, seeing all the damage that covered her face, including the recent scars from when Eliyinsa lost control. That was her own mate and in that moment, forgot about it in her rage that added to her wounds.

Placing a claw on her snout, he pressed close. “But… isn’t it worth trying to reason before you attack?”
“It is,” She agreed wholeheartedly, “but if our pasts tell us anything, it is that we will encounter those that will ignore it or… take advantage of that and use that as a weakness.” She lifted her large claw and held it underneath him, where he gently landed on it. She then lowered her giant form until she was laying on all fours and rested. “The Storm Creatures attacked because they were following orders. Most of them had nothing else in their minds beyond that and that is why they did so. Yes, eventually you got through to them, but had you not had the natural armor of your body, that spear would have killed you or you may have lost a loved one.”

Spike rubbed the area of where the crack scales had once been. He had pulled the piece out and new ones had formed over time but whenever she trained him in active and defensive combat, she reminded him of that near fatal possibility. The one etched by the Bloodstone Scepter remained however. “That should be a reminder that not all of them will see eye to eye. Hence, why we train to make sure that even if you don’t wish to harm them, they may not give you the choice if the ones you love are in danger. Fight not to be the aggressor but to be the defendor. Against those who wish to harm those around you, as you will need to harm others in order to save yourselves and the ones closests to your heart."

It was somber to hear and even a bit dejected to hear, especially when you were being told that the world may not be all sunshine and rainbows, but it was a reality they lived in and one that he would have to face one day. 
While he felt slowed by the lesson, he knew it was one of many that would come as his progression to becoming a Dragon Guardian continued.

She gave him a lick over his smaller form before standing up once more and moving backwards, taking on an aggressive stance once more. “Now… again!”

“And with that came the fall of not only the Wyverns of the Eastern Fields, but also the Wyrms of the Dead Seas.”

Torch finished his history lesson. He looked down and saw that while Spike was wide eyed and even in awe at the story, rather unfortunately, his mate, daughter, and a few others who came to learn more about history, had fallen asleep. Anytime an elder spoke of the past, it was a story time shared with others wishing to hear it, so he spoke out loud to the general public. Most teens and whelps tended to come in to hear such a grand tale, which included about three dozen or so. They were just hoping to hear a new tale this time, though they stayed awake during Saphira’s segment of the stories.
Ember had fallen asleep soundly against her mother who had slumped off against the side while others who had joined, just grew bored and nodded off.
“Woah,” His voice was astounded by the stories of two species wiping each other out. “So… to this day, there are no more Wyverns or Wyrms anywhere in the world?”

While annoyed that the others had fallen asleep, including his family, Torch was happy that Spike remained active and even attended passively to the tale.

Torch ignored them all and focused on Spike. “Unfortunately, there hasn’t been sight of them for almost five centuries but I am sure that there are a few still lingering around here and that. Saphira would know, right?!” He suddenly barked out loud, waking her and Ember but leaving the rest of the captive crowd to slowly stir.
“Hmm! Oh,” She stumbled awake as well as Ember who stood attentively to her father but still mentally bored. “Sorry love, uh… yes. The defeat of Tiamat abridged and yours… what was it? The uh…”

Torch gave a soft glare at her, earning a sheepish blush with her stutter. Ember gave a grunt and walked over to her mate. Whispering low as her parents were seemingly about to bicker, she leaned close to Spike. “How did you stay awake through all that?” She asked.

Spike gave her a look of somewhat perplexed annoyance. “How can you not? That is a great story!” Ember groaned and rubbed her face but Torch heard it and barked with a ‘ha!’ towards his mate, causing her to shrink a little. 
“As I said! My stories are not boring and they are worthy of being shared by all!” The bark of his voice woke the others up and they began to try and stay awake for the Elder.
"Yeah!" Spike agreed wholeheartedly. "I mean the fact that two species almost wiped each other out due to miniscule things! It almost sounds ridiculous!"

"It was!" Torch all but agreed, though Saphira seemed skeptical but remained quiet with her mate's argument and lesson on history. "And so was their history, too! Not much is left about their cultures and their stories to remember them by. Even their most studious and intellectual members couldn’t keep their history intact. They are scattered to the winds with only whispers and scant remains of their history to be found here and there."
"Then what happened?" Spike asked, still fully invested into Torch's story. 
"Spike don't-" Ember tried to stop him but was too late.

"Oh, then came the darkest days for them but an enlightenment for us!" Torch continued with glee and high enthusiasm. Saphira stifled a groan and the few that shared her dismay, tried to stealthily sneak away. Ember held back her own groan as she listened to her father rumble about how 'dragons then earned their glory by driving those dirty vermin away!' and what not. Spike immediately lost himself in the story once more, forcing Ember to relive an likable trait of her father. But for the sake of Spike, she would have to endure. History is not the easiest but without it, those who don’t learn will be doomed to repeat it.

“-One great dragon, who was seen as the ender of their remaining kind, was named ‘Death’ himself, known as… Smaug the Desolate One!”

Spike closed his eyes and focused, trying to keep his mind clear and his thoughts pure. His mother sat across from him, also with her own eyes closed.
Both dragons had flown away to a secluded island not far from the main shore but enough distance from distraction of others. Ember hung by the edge of the island just so her mental squabble wouldn't interfere with Eliyinsa's meditation and mental projections. It was just him and her.

"Now my son," Her voice is calm, soothing and almost zen-like to him. "I want you to form an image or an idea in your mind. Whatever it is, whatever you can think of, focus on creating it." He did so, he thought about Ember, the love of his life. "Now when you think of it, only focus on it and that alone. If you are to learn about fortifying your mind, you need to create a wall. Use her as the wall to your mind and that nothing else will break through to it."

He focused on Ember, really he did. The beautiful scales, those wonderful eyes, the way his heartbeat at her presence… but he couldn't forget about Smolder. He loved her too, though she wasn't currently with them right now she was in Equestria by herself…
"Aah!" A sharp pang in his mind came to him as his mother breached through his mind.
"You lost focus again." She stated. He opened his eyes and looked up to her, yet her eyes remained closed. "Again."
He sighed and refocused on Ember again, trying not to think about anything else but her. She was his wall to his mind, his shield, his armor, his power to remain strong. Ember would protect him and he would protect her. Their love would remain strong for one another.

… 'Good my son,' His mother gently pried into his mind. 'Remain focused, but now, add others to your mind to increase your wall. Just think of others as adding to your resistance but nothing else.'

Spike did so, this time he did include Smolder but not of her absence but as if she was right here with them. Then, he added Amy, then… he added his mothers, both of them. Then he added Celestia, then Twilight, then the others. The list went on with Torch, Saphira, his pony parents and then he added others from Equestria and…

… pain. Of not seeing them for a while and that it’s been months since he had seen any of them. Then another villain would suddenly pop up and he wasn’t there to help them. He wasn’t there to help! He wasn’t-

His walls crumbled and the sharp pain hit his mind, causing him to cry out. "OW! Son of ah-"

Eliyinsa sighed and opened her eyes, seeing her son rub his temples as a small headache formed. She gave a quick response to Ember down the shore that he was fine, feeling part of his small blight but making no effort to come yet.
He groaned and looked up to his mother, sympathy playing across her face. At this point he expected her to say something but she didn't because she already knew what's wrong. 
Spike rubbed his head until the pain faded and just sat there. Eliyinsa remained quiet and rose up; instead of saying anything, she motioned for him to follow and he did so.

Both walked a short distance to a nearby cliff where it expanded to the endless horizon of ocean and sky. There, she laid down with only her head up. He took his cue and sat in between her front legs, choosing to say nothing. 

This was another mental exercise that she started with him. No words, no emotions, just relax and allow the world to speak to you. They sat staring at the horizon with the sun overhead and bringing its warmth to them, the sea crashing against the cliffside below and the wind singing to their ears.

They remained passive, unheeded to anything else but that. He tried to say or think of anything but he couldn't as he wasn't sure what to say. His mental lessons had just begun and out of everything else from becoming a Dragon Guardian, the mental one was the hardest.
His mind was erratic and spontaneous with thoughts. Smolder, Twilight, his friends, and family in Equestria.

It's been months since he had seen them. Twilight and the others were continuing their own lives without him. Smolder was with Twilight and stationed at the new school that Twilight had created to start teaching friendship. It was hard, but the fact that she sent letters almost every other day helped.
While he, Ember and Amy were happy for her, they did miss her a lot. And he missed seeing them too. As time went on with the lessons of the Dragon Guardian Role, he felt conflicted between wanting to learn as much as he could but also wanting to go back.

The few things that were helping was his family here. With the peace between the lands, it made it easier now to travel with the trade routes established, but that didn't mean that his friends could come and visit often. Their lives still belonged to them and his life was… busy. Same with his Hoard.
Ember over sought the trade routes and made sure dragons were treating travelers with less… aggressive behavior. She also was training in her own way as Dragon Lord to become more insightful to the woes of others. This also made the lessons from her parents more wholesome as now more than ever, she got to spend time with them both and enjoyed it.
Amy somewhat had taken a role of entertainer for the young ones that have hatched or who were less than a decade old. She was… ‘teaching’, if that was the right word to them, about being friends with other creatures like ponies, changedlings and so on. What few things she could teach them was what goods she got from the trades and books that could make it into the fire lands. They would only do so well if they were magically casted with fire resistance.

He was happy they were all contributing and helping spreading Friendship and Harmony in their own ways. Just like his friends and family would want back in Equestria. 

But then came the worry of what they could be experiencing without him, without his help and-
"You must learn to push down your worries son." His mother said calmly and collectively. "Your thoughts run amok that cause distractions and deviations from your focus."

A sigh left him. "How can I not?" He asked out loud. "I'm thinking about my friends and family in Equestria. I'm hundreds of miles away from them, never knowing that they might need me or what other villain of the week may come out and attack them."

"And there is absolutely nothing that can be done about that." The statement alone had him slump harder at the statement but, after a moment of why she said it, caused him to squeeze his eyes shut. He wanted to deny her, though it ended swiftly as she leaned down to him. "There will always be trouble for those around you that you will not be able to handle or deal with. You being there may or may not be helped but just like there are hundreds of millions of things that are causing disasters around the world in a moment's notice, you can not do anything about."
"I know," Feeling annoyed that he had to deal with this conversation many times before. "I'm supposed to focus on myself, my kin here. As is the role and designation of a Guardian."

"It's more than just that, my son. It's your lack of self-preservation and your selflessness that is holding you back."
An incredulous look covered his face as if she had said something ridiculous. "And that is a bad thing?"

She shook her head. "Your selfless nature no, but your lack of self preservation is a dangerous mindset."
He frowned and stood up to match her eye level. "I'm not afraid to die if it's to protect the ones I love!"

His mother's bright violet eyes looked deep into his own and a powerful wave of sadness mixed with guilt and pain flooded him. "Have you asked your bonded mates that?"

Spike blinked and realization struck him, almost painfully inflicting him to flinch. She continued to unleash that wave onto him. "You, Ember, Amethyst and even when Smolder returns, are all connected, share everything. Including pain. That is why the Scepter reached out to you, as you proved yourself worthy of sharing its power." A pause and then the air grew painfully and almost unnaturally still around them as she spoke these next words. "If you are to sacrifice yourself for one life, you are giving up four in the process. You will end the lives of those you love because you refuse to let go in the most dire of situations and it will cost you greatly."

The air and reality seemed to return as she hugged him, pressing her head and wrapping her arm around him. He was frozen with guilt and it showed greatly. Even as the wave slowed, she still continued, "You refuse to fight is a great blessing but it will come at a high price if you do not protect yourself or throw yourself into a fray of selfless endeavors."

A sniff left her and tears fell from her, causing him to look up at her, wondering why she was crying. Their minds merged and it spoke louder than verbal words.
'Your nightmares are growing frequently. Your mates are being affected by them and are so vivid and strong that I can sense them from home, Spike. You are in so much pain for wanting to be there for your family but this selfless attitude and fear to preserve them with your life is not showing you the true picture of what you will really lose. The visions of you being encased in stone, the failure to save your mother, and the loss of Twilight continue to plague you. You must know of this and how it‘s tearing at you!'

'Then what am I supposed to do!?' He begged out loud in his mind to her. 

She closed her eyes. 'Let go.' A mind breaking notion, one he couldn't ever do. 'Let go and live your life with your mates. If you love them, let go of your fear for your pony family and let them live their own lives without you in it. Many things can happen and you can only do so much, but don’t make your life focused on them alone. Do so, let them grow outside of your view… before it costs you your own life and there's.'

Visions and images of Ember, Amy and Smolder flooded his head, seeing their happy lives with him and the world. With him at the center and introducing them to everything, living it up to its fullest. However, all it would take is one moment for him to fall and they too would fall.

Tears fell from his own eyes and he hugged his mother back tightly, trying to ignore that aspect of himself but knowing full well that if he did die, so would the ones closest to his heart. Now that they were a part of his life beyond a simple bond, he had to think of Ember’s, Amy’s, and even Smolder’s. With the continuing revelations that they were tied to him, now… and forever, he was being forced to think of himself for their sake and it hurt. 

While he wasn't aware of it, part of her duty was to help break him down of any weaknesses that his enemies may use against him. While that seemed far fetched, it was closer to the truth that she hoped would never come to happen.

It was also why the last Dragon Guardian established that should a new one ever arise again, that they be trained to only think about themselves and their hoard. To never let them lose sight of those that share his heart on a much bigger level then those that don't.

That was how the previous Dragon Guardian lost their mate and part of their soul… 

That night, he arrived at his cave and flew to Ember and Amethyst in a grand embrace. They hugged each other tightly, comforting one another and trying not to dwell too much on how much they missed their fourth member as well as how busy their lives had gotten.

"We got a letter from her today," Ember softly stated, as she pulled away and showed them both the scroll. "She says that her new friends, including that changedling Ocellus, is the reason why she is so happy there. She is friends with a hippogriff, who is related to Queen Novo, a griffin, yak and pony. They have been together the last couple of weeks now, share classes and are forming a cheerleading squad… whatever that is, soon! They will also be getting their first week-long break soon, so she’ll be coming home."

"Awe!" Amy sniffed and rubbed her eyes of a tear showing. "Our little 'ness' is growing up and making friends!"
Spike was proud of her and just as happy. “That’s good to hear. She’ll get to come back home and tell us all about it!”

As they celebrated lightly at their horde memeber’s return, a psychic ring came to all of them.
‘Son, wonderful news! The egg is hatching!’ His mother cheerfully called out.
They all jumped into more excited cheers and Spike mentally called back. ‘Well be there soon!’
“I’ll get my camera!” Ember proclaimed as she rushed over to her little area. In this area of the cave, she had a small crevasse shaped area where she hung her pictures and held her folder of pictures she had taken.

Her camera, given to her by Discord, hung perfectly in place near the area. Once in claw, she quickly flew back with them and they all exited the cave with excitement.

The Bloodstone Scepter remained behind with a faint, pulsing glow. It was warm, it was active and it felt the excitement of its welders.

Eliyinsa and Zynthia remained huddled around the baby blue egg with a shimmering gleam that had cracks forming all around it where it had been laying near a lava pool to be kept hot.

The sound of wings were heard and both eagerly welcomed them all in quickly. The trio of young dragons quickly flew right up in front of the mother’s and the egg.

They landed right up front, just in time to see the top half of the egg break in half and showed a tiny form within. Ember began to take a few rapid pictures of the egg while the mothers cooed in encouragement for the dragon to take their first breath.

As it did, the baby blue scales came forth and slowly the egg top fell off, as did the hatchling forward. Spike quickly stopped them from falling, catching it and cradling the young dragon.
“Careful son, they can be sensitive after their hatching.” He nodded and helped them sit back down, slowly removing the piece on top of their head and revealing a short pointed snout followed by tiny horns on top with frills on the side. The eyes were pale orange and a soft white underbelly with spines running from top to bottom of the head to tail.

The beautiful dragon took its first breath in the world and stared at the many faces that surrounded it. Its eyes staring blankly at many eyes at it.
“Aroo?” Finding its voice, making all the dragons coo in adoration. “Awwwwwww, it's so cute,” Amy stated the obvious at the little dragon.
“That she is,” Eliyinsa stated, causing the younger dragons to look up at her minus her mate.
“You know it's female?” Ember asked, almost astounded by the quick assumption. 
The elder nodded. “I did. While it takes a day or so for a parent to check the gender, it’s… a little cheat that I do when I go visit the egg sites.” She then leaned in, along with her mate and gently allowed the baby dragon to be surrounded by its mothers. Much like Spike, she was instantly filled with their scents and took it in first. Spike stood gently back and allowed them to mark her first since it was their hatchling to begin with. 

As they gently marked her, Ember pulled him back further and spoke to him. “So, you're happy you're gonna be the older brother for once?”
A small chuckle left him. “Yeah, kinda. I was just surprised they wanted to adopt so soon. I mean finding an egg first must have been difficult to do, if the parents didn’t want it or were willing to give it up.”

“Oh, Spike we asked first and foremost,” His mother stated softly, as not to disrupt the exchange and harm their daughter. “I was aware of what this egg was going to be, especially when I was scanning for any potential enhanced to be born.”
“You… can you sense others as enhanced as eggs?” Ember asked, incredulously which sounded almost unbelievable. 
“I can, though I don’t like to make it sound like it is a priority, I always sought to see if we can train any new dragon born with gifts.” She then cooed as the young finally pressed itself against its mothers, accepting them as her own. “This one will grow up to be special indeed.”
“Huh,” Spike remarked, staying close but allowing them to continue their ritual. “And… the parents were okay with you taking their eggs.”

A pause and slowly Zynthia turned to the side, but remained in contact with the hatchling. “We advised them that the egg they laid was going to be gifted with amazing abilities.” A sigh left her as they heard cooing and soft mumbles from the hatchling. “They willingly gave it up quickly to us, which I fear is our fault. They had fear of what it may intel for their future.”

Somberly and regretfully, both mothers continued to rub their snouts on her, though their hearts ached at the pain they had caused the parents. Ember was also a bit annoyed at the part of them, a small ire rising in place.
“Who were they-”
“It doesn’t matter,” Eliyinsa responded quickly but softly, as to not rile or upset the young dragon. “They still have other eggs and will happily raise them with love and care. I don’t blame them for not holding onto the egg. Perhaps it’s for the best.”

“I thought we’re trying to establish that enhancements are not evil or wrong with having gifts, mother?” He felt bad for this happening but more so, that there still remained fear for those with gifts.
“We are, my son,” Zynthia stated with ease. “But removing a history's worth of hate and fear takes time and even for creatures as long lived as us, it will take years for it to die out. Hence you and perhaps eventually… your sister and Shadescale will succeed in repealing that.”
Ember squinted at the name but remained silent. Spike crossed his arms and shook his head. “I wonder who it was that screwed it up for the rest of us to make it so?”

No response from them. Deliberately so as if purposely trying to avoid any negativity in front of the newly hatched.

Quickly shifting the subject, both mothers pulled away. “Come Spike, if you wish, you can mark her too as your sister.”
This had him forget the negative moment and slowly approach her. It was a truly exciting concept and the first time he has ever done something like this. Amy and Ember stood away, taking pictures and gushing at the cute reactions.

He got to her and sat down near her, causing her eyes to go to him and seeing his eyes. His heart melted at seeing her this close as she was the cutest baby thing he had ever seen before. He would not say that in front of Cadence and Shining Armor however. 
“Hi there,” he softly whispered to her. “Welcome to the family!” She blinked lazily at him, unsure who he was. Instincts now told her the two giant forms were her mothers, so perhaps this was someone else. He briefly looked up at them. “What do I do?”
“Reach out, gently hold her in your arms, as she breathes in your scent. She’ll think you’re her father if you rub your snout on her, so just cradle her for the moment.”

Nodding, he softly reached towards her and lifted her as he cradled her while gently grasping her tiny claw.  On contact, she looked down, and saw his bigger claws compared to her own. She grasped a single digit on instinct and clamped on it. He smiled and felt warmth at her instant attachment, giving her tiny claw a small shake and for her to try and suck on it.
“Ah, that is so freakin cutttttttte!” Amy all but wanted to scream out. Ember couldn’t agree more as she continued to film with her camera at the beautiful memories being made.
Spike smiled and felt a bit of tear fall from his eyes as he held the tiny dragon whelp in arms.
“There we go, little cutie. I’m your older brother Spike!”

Those light orange eyes looked up at his emerald ones and a connection was formed. She saw a figure that would protect her, guard her, cherish her and love her with his whole being despite not sharing blood. She was surrounded by those that would do the same, having a big family that would watch over her and her future. 

She was safe.

Reaching up with her tiny claw, she tried to touch his face but was too short. He leaned in, brushing his snout with her claw, but not her face, feeling that she accepted him as her brother. Spike didn’t know how he knew, but she did so and he felt blessed.

The night was a magical moment for them all as they welcomed new life into the family, bringing joy and further love to them all. Then came the biggest question for them all.
“Did you choose a name yet?” Ember asked.
Both mothers softly nodded. “We have a few but we will wait until tomorrow to announce it. We wish to invite the other Elders for it.”
An odd request but nonetheless, they accepted it. The trio of dragons retreated back to their own cave to sleep, bidding the mothers and their newly hatched dragon ‘good night’. Zynthia and Eliyinsa surrounded their new daughter with their bodies, allowing her to sleep on both of their claws in front of them.

The dragonling was given tiny fragmented gems to munch on that would help start her journey to becoming a dragon in the future. She happily and loudly munched on them, feeling the care she was receiving from them quickly. 

The two mothers watched proudly as their daughter ate and allowed her body to become full before she inevitably felt the exhaustion of her recent hatching hit her. She crawled in a circle for a moment, trying to find the best spot before choosing the crevice of her mothers’ two claws together to sleep on.
Content, both mothers gave each a lick on another before leaning down and giving a tiny one to their daughter. The most infectious moment, would fill the dreams of the young one with such blissful dreams that even Eliyinsa would understand them.

The night ended with a growing heart for them all and a wonderful future ahead.