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The Discoveries of a Lifetime1,090 words
The Ancient Legacy1,113 words
The Forbidden Secret954 words

The Forbidden Secret

In a place where pony, dragon, and minotaur lands met, there was an ancient grove where no one was allowed to delve. It had been forbidden by all three races for any to dig in that location for as long as living memory could recall, though none could recall why anymore. As a result, wild plant life had flourished, though for some reason none of the more dangerous or lively of the magical flora had sprouted in the area, leaving only mundane plants to cast shade within the grove.

As a result, there was nothing to witness, let alone halt, the pack of Diamond Dogs that were violating that ancient taboo, or the deep hole they had already dug in the center.

"Boss?" one of the Dogs suddenly spoke up. "Why we dig here?"

"Because there be gems here!" the Alpha insisted firmly as he tossed more and more dirt behind him and out of the hole.

"But...we no smell gems," the vocal dog pointed out, several of the others starting to hesitate as they confirmed the lack of a scent.

The Alpha wasn't as certain as he had been either. He'd been told there was a huge mother load of gems here, just waiting for anyone who dared dig where it was forbidden, and his pack was desperate for gems as their normal digs had been turning up unnaturally empty. However, he'd managed to logic out why they wouldn't smell the mother load as they dug, and he shared that knowledge now. "Who forbid digging here?" he pressed.

"Uh...ponies?" the vocal dog offered uncertainly.

"Dragons?" another suggested nervously.

"Exactly!" the Alpha confirmed, nodding at the nervous dog. "And what do dragons eat?"

"Gems," another Dog spoke up confidently.

"But there aren't any gems in dragon lands," the vocal dog insisted. "That why they trade with ponies."

"Then why forbid digging here, if 'no gems in dragon lands'?" the Alpha pressed. Before anyone could respond, he brought his paws together. "Because there something here they want keep safe and not found! And what is only thing dragons have to protect?"

"Hoards?" the nervous dog began nervously.

"And what hoard would no dragon sit on?" the Alpha continued.

"One for all dragons," the vocal one deduced calmly...only for his eyes to widen. "Food surplus for lean times!"

"Exactly!" the Alpha declared firmly. "Which is why there is no scent, because they don't want anyone finding it!"

"So we keep digging, we find gem hoard!" the vocal dog called out excitedly.

"But...won't dragons be mad we take from hoard?" the nervous dog asked worriedly.

"Bah!" the Alpha dismissed. "Food Surplus for all dragons must be huge! You know how much just one dragon can eat, and there are hundreds at least. They not miss a bucketful each if we only take small ones, and that more than enough for us for a year at least!" As all the dogs began nodding eagerly, he gestured imperiously. "So keep digging!"

The Diamond Dogs immediately returned to digging with renewed vigor, driving deep into the soil and tearing rocks apart as they got in their way. As the hole got deep enough, one of the dogs noticed some of the rock was especially resistant to breaking. "Boss! Strong rock!" He gestured to where the rock was much harder than the type of rock would normally allow. "Look like sandstone, but much too hard!"

"Must be vault!" the Alpha declared eagerly. "Dig around, find the opening!"

The Dogs set to with a will, the scent of wealth in their minds if not their noses. Eventually, they managed to uncover a barred hole in the rock. Before they could think too hard about that, they tore the bars from their moorings and began digging around the edges to widen it enough to get inside.

"Careful!" the Alpha called out. "Don't lose bars and rock! Must close back up when leave so dragons not know we dug-"

An unearthly shrieking hiss erupted from the hole, followed by a morass of vines that lashed out to seize the Dogs and toss them about like rag dolls as it forced its way out through the small hole. Eventually, it settled on the surface before taking on a massive, bipedal shape. The mass of vines eventually seemed to solidify as eyes became visible, two tendrils colored red hanging down like an incredibly long mustache. "Aiiiiir!" it hissed in pleasure. "Freeeeee! Find otherssss!" With that it stalked off, passing through the undergrowth without issue as it headed into pony lands.

After a time, the Dogs managed to gather their wits. One of them stuck his head into the hole, sniffing around. "Boss? No gems in here..."

The Alpha smacked him on the back of the head. "Course there no gems!" he snapped. "That thing has Gems! Must be guardian or something! After it!"

"Uh...which way did it go?" another dog asked, as none of the dogs had enough wits to see which way when they were all knocked silly.

The Alpha sniffed around, but could find no trace. "Well, stupid to chase into dragon lands...and dragons no like ponies, so guardian wouldn't go that way...hunt in minotaur lands!" With that declaration, the entire pack climbed out of the hole and went charging off in the wrong direction based on logic.

Hidden in the brush, a figure watched them. "Idiots," the figure declared dismissively. "Still, this works to my advantage. Soon, Tendril will free D'Compose. Of course, the ponies will be able to drive them off...and then the beasts will lead me to their master, and with his power all will fall before me." A wicked cackle faded as a burst of flames heralded the figure's departure.

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