//------------------------------// // Part 4. Returning home // Story: Cradle of Dreams // by SV_Dragon //------------------------------// A fire from the fireplace illuminated the room and warmed the guests. Twilight was lying on the carpet in the center of the room and hugging the dragon. Spike was dozing serenely under her hoof. She peacefully watched the charming creature and listened to his measured breathing. The unicorn had not shown as much attention to the scaly kid as he deserved for several years. It gave her a pang of guilt. She clearly remembered the visions in the mists, they clearly made it clear that the valley posed no threat to the guests if they were attentive and honest to each other's feelings. Twilight was waiting for Spike to wake up. She knew what she was going to say. She should have said that a long time ago. She was a manipulator and set priorities incorrectly, this became the main mistake, from which several others were formed. The unicorn wanted to talk to him. While the dragon was snoring sweetly, she didn't want to disturb his sleep. It was night, and the moonlight gave the room a mystical beauty. Twilight managed to check the whole house in the middle of the endless steppe. It was empty. The owner seemed to have left him a year ago. However, there were few supplies in it. They would be enough for a couple of weeks for two inhabitants. However, the unicorn was not going to eat someone else's food. Spike moved slightly. This immediately attracted the attention of the sorceress. After a few seconds, he stretched and woke up completely. "How did you sleep?" "I had a nightmare. We got lost in the steppe," the dragon looked around, "did this really happen?" She nodded. "Spike, we need to talk." The dragon replayed the latest events in his head, recalling the visions in the fog. "It's okay if you're okay. Don't worry about me." He replied. Twilight wasn't clear what caused it anymore.: an old hope to reawaken her old feelings so that she would consider herself his mother again, or just a desire to please her so that she would not be angry with him. "Spike, please don't say anything and just listen," the sorceress lifted him into her hooves and fixed her gaze on the fireplace. The dragon lay limply on her paws and looked out the window at the clear moon and a scattering of stars. "I let you down, I should have been your mom with all responsibility when you needed me the most," Twilight paused, not daring to look the dragon in the eye. "When the school load began to increase, I began to forget about what is really important. I ruined everything myself to please my desires. I didn't know how to fix it. I started taking you for granted, I... forgot who I should always be. And now I blame myself for that. I'm sorry I didn't realize this sooner. I'll have to learn it all over again." Twilight exhaled noisily, the first tears began to flow down her cheeks. She hugged the dragon tighter, hugging him to her. "New worries in Ponyville have fallen on old problems, and I've started to forget what's really important again. " "I'm your mom, Spike. You became the best and most special to me as soon as you were born, and it is solely thanks to you that I have become who I am now. You were destined to become a part of my family and take over my heart." Sobbing intermittently, she continued. It became more difficult to keep the steadfastness in his voice. She still didn't dare look at Spike. And she couldn't notice his slight tremor. Her paws pressed the dragon closer to her warm fluffy body. "You made my every day better. I learned the most important responsibility when I raised you; even now I have a lot to learn. My goal was to be the best for you." "I'm sorry that one day I forgot about the most important thing. Forgive me for taking you for granted. Forgive me for giving up after a short struggle when I realized I was manipulating you." The unicorn's voice trembled, the steadfastness receded, the sobs came louder and more often. "I love you, Spike. I love you more than anyone in the world. Forgive me for betraying you. Forgive me for showing you less love than I should have. You deserve so much more love, you've always deserved more. You have always shown me eternal devotion and care. You shouldn't have tried to be the best for me, but I should have always been the best for you. I had to always back up my words of love with something so that you would not doubt it and feel it with all your heart. I know it's hard for you to believe right now, but I'm willing to do anything for your faith and feelings. Even if it somehow affects our friends, I'm ready for it. Finally, Twilight looked at Spike. He pressed his muzzle to her chest. It did little to stifle his sobs. He was trying to hold back somehow. The dragon tore himself away from her and looked into her slightly tear-stained eyes. Seeing the gentle gaze of the sorceress, the Spike felt a little better. It gave him a little confidence to believe in her intentions, but there were still some doubts. They gradually melted away under the encouraging gaze of the lavender unicorn. To speed up this process, Twilight touched her nose to the dragon's forehead, slowly lowering it, leaving light kisses. "Come on, Spike. Say all the things you've been dreaming about for so long. Don't hold back," she said, reaching his nose. "I... love you... mommy," the dragon sobbed with a little apprehension. This could not be hidden from the astute mind of the sorceress. "Mom loves you, and she will always love you no matter what," she said affectionately, starting to run her nose over scaly cheeks, leaving light kisses. Sometimes Twilight gently touched the dragon's eyelids with her lips, as if she wanted to stop the continuous flow of tears as soon as possible. She noticed a change of mood in Spike. Traces of fear, doubt, and anxiety left the dragon's sobs. Hope, faith and love came to replace them in the tearful waterfall with a soft tread. They were gradually entrenched in the depths of the dragon's soul and consciousness. Already from a new flow of joy, Spike grabbed his mother by the fur and pressed his face against her neck, hugging her tightly. The minutes of hugging passed unnoticed. The guests, without looking up from each other, lay down on the floor. Soon they fell asleep. At dawn, the happy family left the house after breakfast. Twilight was walking slowly towards the hills. Spike sat on her back, slowly stroking the unicorn's neck and watching the saddlebags stuffed with samples of herbs and flowers. As the travelers crossed the hilly ridge, misty rivers gushed out of the depths of the steppe behind them again, closing the passage. At parting, the valley sent a warm breeze to the back of the departing family. She was ready to welcome new guests again. Twilight turned around and noticed a wall of fog running along the hills to the horizon. "I thought I would never understand this place. It lives according to its own laws, beyond the control of nature. But I am grateful that it helps to reveal the secrets of the soul." Spike didn't say anything. He continued to massage the unicorn's neck. He definitely liked it. Twilight turned around again and continued on her way. Once at home and magically removing the dragon from her back, Twilight immediately began unloading Spike's saddlebags and backpack. Do you know what I'm thinking, Spike? The dragon looked at the sorceress with mild interest. "Why don't you make a list of what you would like to do with me?" The dragon immediately ran enthusiastically upstairs, already collecting ideas in his mind. The sorceress, after cataloging the samples, went up to the bedroom, trying to silently get close to her son. He was sitting on her bed and enthusiastically looking through the list, the length of which was comparable to his height. "And what comes first?" asked Twilight with interest. "Pat on the head," the dragon replied with a slight lust and joy, shifting his gaze to his mother. The unicorn sat down on the bed, hugged Spike from behind and began stroking the scales at the base of the horn plates, reading the list with interest.