Ponywatching

by ThunderTempest


Prompt #417-Fighting Fire With Fire

The heavy beat of leathery wings filled Twilight’s ears as she stood on the ground, neck craned uncomfortably upwards. Every now and again, a wave of heat would wash over the alicorn, causing her to break out into reflexive sweat, but she dare not move. At this distance, she could only just make out which of the two combatants was her adopted sibling and best assistant ever. For all the preparation that Spike had done for this, Equestria’s one and only chance to avoid full war, a war which they were woefully unsuited for, Twilight wasn’t sure that Spike could pull this off. He was still only a young dragon, and his opponent was both many times his size and age.

A blast of flame, red-hot and bright green, scoured the ground less than a ponylength away from Twilight. The others had long since retreated to a much safer distance, but Twilight had remained. She needed Spike to know that she trusted him. That even though she had her doubts, she had placed her faith in him. She had known it was risky, pushing Spike into this so soon after him growing out of his baby drake stage, but both she and Princess Luna had agreed it was the only way. Twilight hated this, hated making other ponies, or dragons for that matter fight Equestria’s battles for her. But dragons were highly magically resistant, and even an experienced spellweaver such as Twilight was would have a hard time pushing even a basic spell through a fully grown dragon’s hide.

She watched from the ground as one dragon raked their claws alongside the other’s underside, digging deep, and drawing a distant cry of pain. She prayed it wasn’t Spike as the two dragons separated. Blasts of fire ripped through the air as the dragons fought, diving and twirling around one another with serpentine grace. Another cry of pain pierced the air, and Twilight suppressed a wince. She watched as the smaller dragon darted around to the back of the larger one, and aimed a claw swipe at the larger dragon’s wings. The larger dragon began to fall, plummeting from the air and landing with a heavy crash that shook the earth under Twilight’s hooves. A second heavy thud signalled Spike’s own landing. Still, Twilight did not move. It may not be over yet.

She could feel heavy footfalls approaching her, and Twilight soon made out her assistant’s signature just short of transparent green spines, as well as his purple scales, once so clean and shiny, now stained and blackened. Twilight couldn’t hold it in any more, and left her spot, dashing to her lifelong companion.

“I knew you could do it, Spike! Oh, I knew it, I knew it!” Twilight nuzzled up against Spike’s forelimb. The air thrummed and pulsated as hundreds of dragons took wing, and began to scatter to the four winds once again

“When have I ever let you down?” wheezed Spike, laying down on the ground, “I could really do with a nap right...now...”

****Time****

Spike laid his scaled head down on his forelimbs, and closed his eyes. Twilight lay herself next to him. Spike’s breathing slowed as the two fell asleep, curled up together like many a night in Ponyville, and then his chest stopped heaving, and the long gashes that the elder dragon had carved into his underside stopped bleeding at last.