Wanderlust

by DwarvishPony

4. Serendipitous Serpent

"Help!" Spike called out in terror as the river he had fallen into threatened to pull him under. He wasn't sure who he was calling to, only that he needed somepony, anypony, to hear his pleas. The storm seemed to swallow his cries for help though.

Spike bobbed up and down, the river thrashing him about so easily that direction lost all meaning to him. He was a victim of the waters now, and nopony seemed to be out in the storm. Fear held the dragon tightly in it's grip. Each time Spike slipped beneath the surface of the water, a small part of him wondered if he would bob back up to the surface this time.

Then, as if the world had decided Spike had suffered in the river long enough, he was out of the water. Spike wasn't sure how, as the world refused to stop spinning, but he definitely didn't feel the currents forcing him to follow them. He flopped down on his stomach, grateful that he had gotten a break. He was also vaguely aware that by some miracle he had maintained his grip on his precious belongings.

"Oh goodness. Aren't you a lucky little guy?" A rather loud voice kept Spike from falling asleep where he lay. "You okay there?"

"I think so." Spike told the voice. His eyes widened in shock as the world lurched around him. For a brief moment he thought he was falling back into the river.

"Easy, fella. I'm just trying to get a better look at you." The voice said reassuringly. Spike was no coherent enough to realize that he was in a large creature's hands.

"Don't eat me!" Spike called as he tried, unsuccessfully, to stand up. "I taste terrible!"

"Eat you? Goodness gracious, no." Spike was now close enough to the voices face to make out the elongated (and surprisingly attractive) face of a purple sea serpent. River serpent? Spike was too tired to care. "I just saw you in the river and thought you needed help."

"Thanks." He replied. Relief flooded the diminutive dragon. "I thought I was a goner for a second."

"Don't mention it. Its not the first time I've pulled someone from the river. It won't be the last." The serpent waved a clawed hand dismissively. "What were you doing in the river anyway?"

"Well..." Spike answered. "Its a long story."

~~~

Spike's long story only took about ten minutes to tell. After explaining the story to the serpent, who introduced himself as Steven Magnet, Steven offered to take Spike back up the river.

"Thanks again for doing this for me." Spike called down from the majestic hair of the river serpent.

"No problem. If there's one thing I learned, its that everyone needs to go on their own adventures. I used to do some adventuring myself, you know. I traveled with a donkey named Cranky."

"Matilda's Cranky?" Spike asked in shock.

"Oh you've met him then! Such a small world! How's Cranky doing?"

"Great. He and Matilda seem really happy together."

"Oh I'm so glad. We searched all over Equestria to find her. I'm so happy Cranky and Matilda got a happy ending. Like a story book."

Spike resisted the urge to gag at the analogy. Luckily, the mushy conversation didn't need to continue, as he and Steven arrived back at the destroyed bridge.

"You be careful, little guy. Adventures are great, but not if you get hurt." Steven warned as he set Spike on the shore. Thankfully the side with the building on it.

"Yeah. I'll be a lot more careful from now on. Thanks again for saving my scales." Spike waved from the shore.

Steven Magnet gave one last wave before heading back down the river. Spike couldn't help but feel the slightest twinge of jealousy that the serpent didn't need to worry about the currents. Still, he could continue his journey and that was the important thing. Spike turned on his heel and walked straight up to the mystery building.

Half-Shoe Inn the sign in front of the building read, complete with a picture of a broken horseshoe. Spike wasted no time in walking to the door and knocking hard. He hoped somepony would be awake at this hour. The dragon's good luck held as the door swung open to reveal the shivering Spike to the owner of the inn.

Author's Note:

Current Location: Half-Shoe Inn, about halfway to Whitetail Woods