As I continued along the road the trees started getting more and more common. Soon I found myself in a forest of the tall trees. No pony had passed me since I began my journey. Whenever I grew hungry I stopped to rest in the shade of the trees and ate some of the grass and apples I had bought back in Saddle Arabia.
While taking a break next to a particularly leafy tree, I heard a loud roar followed by heavy footsteps close by. I stood, and I heard another roar. I walked in the direction of the noise.
I came to the edge of a small clearing in front of a large cave. I took shelter in some bushes so I could view what was making the noise without being seen. I peered through the branches and my heart stopped. Standing in front of the cave was a dragon. It raised it's head to the sky and let out a tremendous roar. It was a creature of true beauty.
It's eyes were a bright emerald, piercing and wise. It's scales were deep crimson with a tint of blue. As the light seeped through the treetops and settled on the clearing it shined off the dragon's perfect scales, making them sparkle. I stared breathless.
The dragon turned it's head around to look back into the cave. After a few seconds I saw what she was waiting for. A baby dragon, resembling it's mother, walked out cautiously, looking around as if it might get jumped by predators at any second.
After a few moments of the mother's beckoning, the baby decided it was safe to come out. It wobbled over to the mother for comfort, and the mother returned the love my wrapping it's wings around the baby and reassuring it's safety in the outside world.
Seeing the sight brought a tear to my eye. It reminded me of my childhood. The memories came flooding back like a bad dream.
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"I got it!" I yelled as I ran to retrieve the ball. The sun was almost over the horizon, creating a glorious sunset. Very soon Luna would take over and cover Equestria in darkness. But I didn't want to go inside quite yet. I was having so much fun, and I never wanted it to end. My sister and I were playing a very competitive yet friendly game of soccer in my backyard. She wanted to go inside before nightfall, but the score was tied at four to four, and neither of us wanted to leave it at that. My sister got the ball and was about to kick it into my goal for the win, however, she overpowered her kick and it sailed right over the goal and even the top of the house. I stood in awe for a moment because I had never seen a kick so tremendous, although she did have my father's strength. I offered to go retrieve it from the front of the house.
I started to make my way around the house, but then I stopped. I could hear familiar snickering coming from the front yard. I started again, and when I rounded the corner, I spotted Golden and two of his minions. They wore huge grins as they all stared at me. My ball rested under the hoof of Golden.
"Well well well, If it isn't Fang," Golden said with a face of complete smugness.
Golden looked down at the ball and gasped, "Oh, I'm sorry, is this your ball?"
"Yes," I replied, trying to sound tough. "Give it back."
"Well," Golden said, "It's not yours anymore. This is a pretty neat ball, I think I'll keep it."
"Yeah, so get lost," one of Golden's minion's said.
"I said, give it back." Anger was starting to well up inside me.
"Make me, blank flank!" Golden yelled. "That's all you'll ever be, a stupid blank flank!"
I glared at them as I tried to contain my anger.
"What's wrong? You're so stupid you can't talk now?" Golden sneered. "Why don't you go cry to your sister about it!"
Enough was enough. I launched myself at him, which caught him off guard. We both fell to the ground in a heap as we wrestled. Golden got away from my grasp and stood up. I started to rise, but before I could, one of Golden's minions kicked me in the stomach, causing me to fall back to the ground. Golden and the other pony came on me as well, each of them taking turns kicking me. I felt pain all over as they repeatedly kicked me over and over again, cursing me and using words many would consider more than just rude.
I started to cry and call for help, which eventually came. My sister came around the front to see what was taking me so long. As soon as she saw what was happening, she was filled with rage and gave each pony a good kick in the ribs. Seeing he was overpowered, Golden and the other two ponies hurriedly ran from the scene.
"Letting a girl save you again, huh, Fang?" Golden called back. "That's just what I'd expect from a crybaby like you!"
My sister lunged at them and they ran away in fear. I lay curled on the ground crying with my eyes shut. My sister knelt down by my side and asked if I was okay.
I tried to answer her between gasps but I starting sobbing again. She put her arms around me and gave me a tight squeeze.
"There there," She assured, "everything will be alright, I'm here now."
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My eyes were glassy and multiple tears rolled down my face and off my chin. Seeing the mother dragon protect it's baby reminded me of my sister and how she used to protect me. But she wasn't here to protect me anymore. I have to fend for myself now. Just like the baby will when it's mother leaves.
Then I realized how strange it was for the mother to take care of it's baby with such tender love. I had never seen a real dragon, but I had read in several articles about how the parent dragons were filled with greed and never cared for their young. But this mother dragon seemed so devoted to it's baby like it was more precious than any gems or jewels she could possibly posses. And there didn't appear to be a father either. Maybe these dragons were outcasts just like me...
I pulled away from the bushes and wandered back to the road. After finding it I started walking further into the endless sea of trees. A few moments later I felt huge gusts of wind as the mother dragon flew overhead, her baby hanging onto her back. I continued, hoping I might run into the dragons again and see their magnificence.
A few hours later the sun started to set. As it got dimmer, however, I was surprised to hear a high pitched shriek echo throughout the woods. I stopped walking to listen. The whimpering was getting louder. Then the baby dragon burst through the brush, running through the forest, though it was more like wobbly hopping than running. It ran in front of me a distance away, and It was then I saw why it was hopping so fast. It was being pursued by three timber wolves, and they were gaining on the baby dragon at an alarming rate. The timber wolves were made of branches, twigs, and an evil magic, and it looked like the baby dragon was their next prey.
I started to sprint trying to catch up. When I finally found them I was frightened to see the baby dragon clawing at a large boulder blocking it's path. The timber wolves, seeing their prey was trapped, were closing in slowly, grinning maniacally.
How did this happen? Where in the world was the mother?
I didn't have time to wait around and find out, the timber wolves were out to kill. I sprang from the shadows and charged them. One timber wolf turned around just in time to see my hoof come down on the center of it's back. It yelped as most of it's branches came loose and fell apart in a pile. The other two turned to look at their fallen comrade, and I jumped on top of one to dissemble it's twigs. Just as I was about to take on the last wolf, the first one's branches and twigs flew back into place, reassembling it's wolf-like form. The second one did the same, and they grinned once again, knowing they could not be harmed.
I backed up next to the baby dragon, the timber wolves closing in on us. I thought I was done for, when I noticed something odd. The baby dragon's clawing of the boulder was making small sparks fly off. I looked closer at the rock. I recognized what looked like flint in the stone. Then I got an idea.
I raised my hoof and brought it down on some flint at just the right angle. Sparks shot off and down to the ground. I made more sparks right above a branch, and it started on fire. I grabbed one end of the branch and waved it at the timber wolves. They were pawing at us and didn't seem concerned by the fire I had created. Of course, not until one's paw got too close, and it too started on fire. The timber wolf yelped in pain as it danced around. It was soon reduced to ashes. The other two, noticing for the first time how dangerous fire was to their kind, decided to find some less dangerous prey. They ran off into the brush.
I snuffed out the fire and turned my attention to the baby dragon. It was cowering by the boulder, shaking fiercely. It must have gotten separated from it's mother somehow. I was deciding what I should do when I heard loud footsteps coming in our direction. The mother burst through the foliage, obviously frustrated. The baby dragon ran over to the mother, making strange noises I had never heard before. The mother dragon made similar noises, seemingly talking in some type of tribal language. It looked at me and walked closer. I thought about running for my life but thought against it, deciding the humongous dragon could probably outrun me.
I was surprised, however, when instead of eating me the mother lowered her head and nudged mine as if it were some sign of gratitude. Then the mother called to the baby. The baby crawled up the mother's back and the mother, with a mighty swoop of her wings, took off for the skies. I watched them disappear into the distance until they were a small dot on the horizon.
I had risked my life to help the baby survive. But I had succeeded. For once in my life, I had done good. And it almost felt nice.
But just almost.
Anyone can do good, regardless of their past.