With a crushing look, a look of deep despair that Crescent had never seen before (dragons never stayed so close), the dragon slowed to a halt. “Stop yourselves, children.” The dragon turned to Crescent, her voice more a growl. “And so the mighty were felled.”
“A night guard!” shouted Ashy, hiding behind a rock. The other ponies looked around, confused by their lucky circumstance. “Thank Luna, thank you, kind ma'am! We could have been torn asunder if it weren't for you.”
The mother hovered above her lair, and sneered. “This 'epic' will be the subject of your newest song, no doubt.”
Crescent laid the brooch on the floor, as the shield would stay strong until it was tapped twice in quick succession. “If it was,” she said, “the song would be booed. Never was an easier task ever sung of, and a threatless tale holds no value.”
The mother turned to Crescent, dropping to the floor in front of her. “Then we can agree on something.”
“The night guard, and Luna herself, will be alerted by the brooch's siren. I would suggest you try nothing to harm your prisoners when we leave, or you will face an alicorn's wrath.”
“As you command,” the dragon said, staring at her. Crescent was surprised by the words. She seemed weary.
~~
A short while passed. The ponies on top of the lair had come to their senses, and were soon talking amongst themselves. All the mother dragon's children were hiding in darkness as they had before, making tiny roars as they wondered the cave. A strange group of creatures, Crescent thought, almost cute. She did not say as much, though, as the mother dragon might see through her weakness.
Their mother spoke again. She still stared at Crescent, unblinking. “They call me Xenitha, mother of dragons, a perilous foe that has hardly been fallen before. I have a question... what do they call you?”
“None of your business, I'm sure,” Crescent replied. “This isn't the time for asking questions.” She didn't feel she had the time to speak to a dragon who'd almost hurt somepony.
Xenitha eyed Crescent dangerously, but stood her ground. “Fool. If you wish to be called mare, so be it. That was not the question I wanted to ask, but I will continue, as it is of most importance.
”It is a simple thing to ask, with simple reason. I am the mother of children, and caring to the children is my priority, the thing that gives me worth. Likewise, my children I have spawned do listen to me at every turn, and they obey me without a question. You may have seen it. You may not know it, mare, but there is love here in this dark, crimson cave.”
”It is hard to see love over your wicked fangs and talons, dragon,” Crescent stated.
Xenitha smiled grimly. ”I suppose it would make sense if you didn't. Through your eyes, we are horrible beings capable of horrible things, killing your kin... well, trying to.
”And thusly comes the question. We eat meat, you know, and a meal of pony comes once in a lifetime in this time of peace. Now there is none, and my children will no doubt starve without it.
”So I ask you this mare, as you have caused the rest. Would you rather me leave my children to starve, and myself, in the darkness that you leave us in? Or, would you have me guide them into your shields, so that, while untimely, they will not suffer near so many horrors? I know, I know, what choices I give you! But ultimately, we, the monsters, will die. Nothing bad will come of it.”
”Nothing bad?” Crescent shouted. ”Your children would be gone either way, and your legacy with it, forgotten forever. You do not win either way, dragon.”
Xenitha smiled again. ”This is true, but I do not hold the cards. You do, mare, and I must ask: What would entertain you more?”
~~
Crescent was in no place to let up on them after the dragon's attack, but the question still surprised her. ”You have a strange taste for entertainment, if you think I would enjoy any part in either.”
Xenitha seemed to think on that for a few seconds. Finally, she responded. ”Of course, of course, my apologies. Ponykind are a cultured kind, built on better foundations than cruel sport. You have made all yourselves follow a rule of no wrong-doing, as you have clearly shown through your brooch.” The dragon seemed irritated just talking about the piece of jewellery.
”Rather, your approach is subtle, sneaky. Protect your own, and nothing worse can come of it, correct? Protect the ponies, horses, cows, rabbits, and so on. And what of the creatures who must eat creatures to survive? They will protect themselves. And when your magic stops the last drake...
”Well, I must admit, I do not care for you, mare. Your end is of no concern to me; you may fly, you may die... it is no matter, you see. For my days of flying are done, and the days of my death have long begun.”