//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: A Dragon's Nest 
// by Phantom Wolf 
//------------------------------//

Spike woke to Owlowiscious soft hooting and a brush of feathers. Spike cracked open an eye before blinking and sitting up.

"Thanks Owlowiscious. Sleep tight."

Said owl clicked his beak before flying over to his perch for the day. Spike uncurled himself and stretched much like a cat. Arching his back, Spike yawned before climbing out of his bed. It wasn't the same basket he had slept in two years ago when he was smaller. Spike now slept on a large sofa cushion. At first, when Spike had started to grow, everyone panicked. Afraid it was greed growth, they had contacted Princess Celestia. She reassured them that it was not greed growth, but normal development. When Spike's first growth spurt stopped, he was almost as tall as Celestia herself. It was because of his new height that made it impossible for him to walk upright.

Spike shook his head, spines coming to rest against his neck. He trotted down the stairs, pass a still sleeping Twilight. Heading into the kitchen, Spike started to prepare breakfast for himself and his adoptive sister. Two bowls of cinnamon apple oatmeal, one with gem powder on top, soon sat on the table.

"Twilight! Breakfast!"

A short shout and a loud thump informed Spike that Twilight was up and out of bed. She soon came down, mane sticking up oddly. She yawned and sat down at the table. Taking a bite of the oatmeal, she paused. Spike lowered his head.

"Is it not good?"

Twilight looked up at him and smiled.

"No, actually, it's really good. Where did you learn to get the cinnamon baked into the apple slices?"

Spike snorted.

"Applejack taught me, but Pinkie Pie showed me how to get the flavor even through the oatmeal."

Twilight laughed slightly before taking another bite. Spike sat down across the table and started to eat his gem sprinkled oatmeal. The oatmeal was good, but the gem powder made it so much better. Twilight turned to the adolescent dragon.

"So, what are you planning on doing today?"

"I was thinking about going digging for gems, or maybe go help Rarity at the boutique. I'll probably also-"

Spike was interrupted as the front door burst open. Rainbow Dash tumbled in, head over hooves. She rolled thrice before skidding to a stop on her stomach. Twilight and Spike rushed over to her and helped her to her hooves.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but Fluttershy's not! She need all of us to meet her at the edge of the Everfree Forest!"

Twilight shared a look of worry with Spike. The three of them rushed towards the Everfree Forest.





"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear."

Fluttershy was flying back and forth nervously when they got there. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack were trying to calm her down. Twilight cantered over to them.

"Fluttershy, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Twilight! I'm so glad you are all here! It so terrible! So horrible!"

Spike gently bumped the shy pegasus with his muzzle.

"Tell us what happened, Fluttershy."

"Oh, okay. Well, I was gathering some herbs this morning in the Everfree. I needed them for Mr. Beaver Beaverton, you see he has a cold-"

"Sugar cube, please jus' skip ahead to tha problem."

"A dragon! There's a dragon! He's just laying in the forest, and he looks really bad."

Fluttershy wiped her face, clearing her tears.

"I- I think he may be d-dead."

Pinkie Pie gasped and grabbed Spike, nearly crushing him in a bear hug.

"Oh no!"

Rarity looked like she was about to faint. Twilight shuffled her hooves before nodding.

"Alright, everypony. That dragon needs our help! Fluttershy, take us to where he is. Rainbow Dash, go get the first aid kit from Fluttershy's cottage. Catch up to us, and keep an eye out. Applejack, do you have any rope, just in case?"

Applejack started no shake her head no, but Pinkie Pie pulled a rope out of a tree nearby.

"Here you go AJ. I have these stashed all over town in case of a rope emergency."

Applejack took the rope with a raised eyebrow, but didn't question the pink mare. It was just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie. Twilight rolled her eyes before nodding.

"Alright, lets go!"

Rainbow Dash flew off at neck breaking speed towards Fluttershy's cottage. Everypony else turned towards the forest. Rarity stopped and turned towards Spike.

"Spike. . . maybe you should stay here."

Spike snorted, smoke quickly dissipating in the air.

"I'm coming."

His voice held no room for discussion. Rarity chewed on her bottom lip, but didn't say anything. Spike was a dragon. It was more his right to try to help another dragon than theirs. Five minutes into the forest, and Rainbow Dash caught up. Fluttershy's saddlebag was slung over her back, stuffed full of first aid supplies.

"Hey, Shy. Do you really think that the dragon is dead?"

Fluttershy pawed nervously at the ground.

"I'm not sure, but. . . it looked pretty bad."

They walked through some thick brush and into a clearing. Rarity fainted. Fluttershy was crying, hiding her face in her hooves. Applejack and Twilight stared, jaws dropped. Rainbow Dash shuddered and looked away. Pinkie's mane was a little less fluffy. Spike let out a low rumble deep in his chest. Rarity awoke and turned around, unable to see such a thing.

The dragon was about 15 feet tall and 30 feet long, almost three times as large as Spike. It had dark blue scales with a bright red underbelly and wings. His spines were pitch black.

Spike felt sick to his stomach. The dragon's neck was bent at an odd angle, obviously broken. The right wing was almost completely torn off while the left was crumpled in. Blood was seeping from his nose and mouth. Around the dragon, there were a bunch of broken trees. A pathway through the broken tree proved what Spike thought. The dragon had crashed. Stepping forward, Spike tasted the air. The dragon was dead, but had been for only a little while. Twilight walked forward, past Spike, to the dead beast. She looked him over before turning towards the group.

"Dead. Poor guy must have bled to death."

Fluttershy started sobbing while Rainbow Dash patted her back.

"Come on, lets get back to Ponyville. There's nothing we can do for him."

Everypony turned to leave. Except for Spike.

"Spikey? Deary, are you coming?"

The six ponies walked back to Spike, but he paid no attention to them. There was something in the air, Spike could taste it. His eyes turned to thin slits and his tongue darted out. A sudden wave of pure panic attacked him and he roared. Birds flew out of the trees and the Elements of Harmony jumped back in surprise. Spike was unsure why he was so panicked, but he followed what his instincts were telling him. He raced forward, right at the dead dragon's exposed underbelly. Screeching, his claws dug into the flesh just above the body's stomach. Spike started to rip away at the scales, clawing and biting to get through.

"Spike! What are you doing?!"

Twilight's magic grabbed his paws, but he yanked himself out of her magic. He snarled and finally broke through the armored scales. Blood seeped over his claws, but Spike ignored it.

"Spike! Spike, stop!"

Rainbow Dash dove down and grabbed him around his neck. He shook his head hard, flinging her away. Finally, Spike reached what he was searching for. With one last slice from his claws, a sack inside the dead dragon split open. Broken egg shells and a mixture of clear and white goop slid out onto the forest floor. Spike backed up and growled. There had to have been at least seven or eight eggs, but now they had died along with their father. Spike turned to leave when he saw it. A single black egg with red spots on it sat unharmed among it's dead brethren. Fluttershy rushed forward and picked up the egg, cradling it to her.

"Oh Spike! How did you know?!"

Spike paused. How did he know?

"I'm not sure. Some feeling I had? I don't know. . . "

Twilight looked sadly a the broken eggs before turning to Spike.

"I bet it was instincts. Come on, we need to get the egg someplace safe and warm."

"No."

They all stopped and looked at Spike.

"What da' ya mean, no? You went ta all that trouble ta save the egg, an' now you're gonna leave it?"

Spike shook his head and walked forward, gently grabbing the egg from Fluttershy's grasp. He wasn't sure why, but he knew that the egg would not be able to survive or hatch out in the open. Placing the egg on the ground, he huffed at it. He knew what he had to do, but would he be able to? There was only one way to find out. Spike picked the egg up in his mouth, tipped his head back, and swallowed. All six ponies screamed, and Spike winced at the loud noise. Focusing, he felt the egg drop down and he caught it in his crop. It settled down in the crop, right next to his stomach. The crop was warm, and the egg would be incubated there until it was ready to hatch. The girls, however, did not know this, and were freaking out. Both Fluttershy and Rarity had fainted, while Pinkie Pie was frozen solid in a form of shock. Rainbow Dash rushed forward and stuck her hoof in Spikes mouth, prying it open. She looked down his throat, calling out.

"Don't worry egg! If you can hear me, hold tight! I'm comin' after you!"

Spike grabbed Dash by her tail and gently pulled her away.

"Will all of you calm down and let me explain?!"

"Explain what? Tha't ya jus' ate a unhatched baby dragon? What in tarnations were you thinkin'?"

Applejack stood over both Rarity and Fluttershy, fanning them with a large leaf.

"What?! I didn't eat it!"

"Yes you did!"

Rainbow Dash crossed her hooves and hovered in front of him.

"No, I'm incubating it."

Four confused looks was all he received. He sighed.

"A dragon egg can not hatch out in the open, even if incubated by another creature. Only a dragon can keep it warm enough. The egg is in my crop, not my stomach. It's sitting next to my fire pouch, were it'll be warm."

Pinkie Pie looked confused.

"But Spike, you a boy dragon. Not a girl dragon. You can't lay an egg."

Spike blushed heavily, ducking his head.

"I'm not going to lay the egg! I'll spit it back up! Jeez. . . "

Twilight looked at her younger brother.

"Well, why don't we go find it's mother? She can hatch the egg."

Spike shook his head no.

"Females lay the eggs and then leave. It's the males job to incubate, hatch, and care for the young. And even if we did find it's mother, she would simple leave it. Female dragons have no real ability to raise young. Their job is to breed, lay eggs, and move on to the next male."

Pinkie snort and rolled her eyes.

"Well of course, everypony knows that!"

Twilight looked at Pinkie Pie before turning back to Spike.

"I didn't know this, and how do you?"

Spike shrugged his shoulders.

"Princess Celestia sent me an old book and a couple scrolls. The rest of it's just instincts."

By now Rarity and Fluttershy had woken up, and were being caught up by Applejack.

"Oh Spikey-Wikey, you're doing such a brave thing! I'm so proud!"

Twilight smiled and nodded.

"I'm proud of you too Spike."

A chorus of agreement reached his ears. Spike shyly smiled. Applejack spoke up.

"Err, can we be proud out of the forest and not next to a dead dragon?"

Everypony nodded and turned to leave. Spike looked back at the dead dragon, and bowed his head.

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of your egg. I'm sorry I couldn't help you more."

Spike took a deep breath and shot fire at the corpse. The body caught fire and started to burn away. Spike felt something soft brush against his spine.

'Thank you, young Spike.'

Spike looked around, but nopony else was there but himself. Spike bowed once more in respect, and turned to leave. He could feel the solid form of the egg sitting in his crop. Pinkie Pie bounced around them while they left the forest and the ashes of the dragon.

"I'm so excited! I'm going to throw a 'You're Pregnant!' party for you Spike, once we get back!"

Spike blushed and glared at the pink pony.

"I'm not pregnant!!"

Everypony laughed.