private Far from home. 1x1 with Nightmare Season

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

OOC: https://mlpforums.com/topic/186721-far-from-home-1x1-ooc/

It was a sunny late morning above the Everfree forest. There had been some rain during the night, so the forest floor was still a bit wet, but that didn't bother the ocean blue female dragon who climbed out of a small cave she had been sleeping in. She had arrived to the forest the previous day after a long flight from her homelands, and had been too exhausted to continue any longer, so she had taken over the first empty cave she could find and gone to sleep.

Blue yawned and stretched, breathing in the humid forest air, taking mental notes of the scents of animals that came with it, it was time to hunt. It didn't take long until she had caught a rabbit, but it wasn't even near enough to satisfy her after a long travel, so she went after the scent of a deer next. The deer was some distance away, and when Blue finally saw it, the deer unfortunately saw her too and took off running.

Not wanting to lose her meal, Blue ran after the deer, usually she would have flown after it, but she didn't know this forest well enough for that to do any good. She was staring to catch up to the deer when it suddenly made a sharp turn, and it was soon clear to Blue why, as she found herself falling downwards, she had ran off a cliff, though it didn't worry her, because though it was too small for her to stop the fall with her wings, she could just land on her legs unharmed.

Blue did exactly that, landing smoothly on the ground, but before she could do anything else, she felt something hit her right wing and back leg, locking them against the ground, followed by intense pain that made her cry out loudly, she hadn't realized she had broken off part of the cliff from above, and now that part had trapped her to the ground. She tried to lift the rocks and get herself free, but all that did was make the pain worse, so all she could do was to take the least painful position and wait, and though she had been taught for her whole life against it, she couldn't help but whimper

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

In the deepest part of the Everfree forest, Nightmare Season woke up with a great yawn. Inside of the cave, light from his mane and tail lit up the small room he had converted into a small bedroom. He could smell the scent of rain from the previous night. Thank goodness he was not caught out in it last night. He rolled off off the stone slab that acted as his makeshift bed and walked down a short tunnel.

It soon opened up into a large cavern. A crack in the ceiling that allowed the light to creep in. Three other paths exited this spacious room and at it's center, a large strange looking tree. At its base several splotches where somepony had dug a hole then reburied. He stopped to look at the tree. Close to its base, the bark almost looked like it was moving. Waves of color was moving into the ground from the trunk.

He then used his horn a magically placed his rough and beat up saddle bags onto his back and headed down another tunnel. This one leading him to a wall of ivy vines blocking the entrance to his cave. With his horn he pulled open the green curtain and blinked as the morning sun hit his eyes. There he found himself in a small clearing in the forest. A small stream flowing through the middle. Of to the side by the cliff, a small garden he had planted and tended with a few vegetables. On the three sides of the clearing. Large brambles grew thick up along the edge of the tree line. A natural barrier that kept most eyes from ever seeing his little paradise.

He headed to a section of the bramble and moved it aside with his magic and stepped through. Then he replaced it so nothing could pass though it. He headed out into the dense deep forest. No location in particular.

After a good distance, he saw a deer come bounding through the forest. It ran right past him and off into the forest. "Timberwolves probably." He muttered to himself. Though he was not worried. After a few weeks when he found this forest, those wolves learned early on not to mess with him. Especially not to mess with the pony that had fire for mane and tail. So now they stayed far away from him.

He saw a section up ahead that looked like it had a small clearing. A patch of sun shinning through the thick canopy. He turned to head in a different direction when he heard what sounded like whimpering. It was definitely not the timberwolves. He walked toward the sounds to see what it was. There he found at his hooves a small little cliff stretched out before him. A small canyon cutting through the Everfree forest. As he looked down, he saw what was causing the commotion. Some blue creature that seemed to be pinned down by large rocks.

He looked for a path down and soon spotted one. He started to do small jumps down from ledge to ledge along the rock face till he found himself at the bottom. He then proceeded to walk over to where the creature was. As he got closer he saw it. A small dragon. He stopped in his tracks and looked at her. He had heard about dragons before, and how crule they could be. Though he had traveled very far from his homelands, he had never seen one before.

 

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Nightmare Season
Blue could see a creature coming down the cliff and kept an eye in it as much as he could, not that really was any use, it wasn't like she could do much even if it was threat. As the creature came close enough for Blue to see what it was, she instinctively tried to back away, but of course couldn't, she had never seen a creature like this before, and was that fire on its head and back-end?

When the creature got close enough, Blue started growling and letting out smoke from her nostrils as she stared at the creature, she also threw in few threats, but she didn't expect the creature to understand. But though her reaction was what it was, anyone who knew anything about emotions could tell from her expression and body language that she was terrified, and she constantly tried to get away, regardless of knowing she couldn't go anywhere.

 

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

Nightmare Season stood there, watching the blue dragon. He saw clear she was terrified of him, the same as most creatures that saw his kind. It was nothing new to him. He was use to it. It was also clear to see she was pinned under large rocks that kept her pinned to the ground.

She growled at him and he could not be sure if she was saying something or it was just more growling. Though the reaction was clear. She feared him, wanting to get away, and probably breath fire if he tried anything. He was debating rather to take a chance of freeing her from her plight, or would it be bad if a battle of lives would issue if he did. 

Before he could make up his mind however, a familiar howl on the wind echoed though the canyon and forest. His ears immediately went straight up to listen. He knew those howls. He also knew the whimpering of this wounded dragon attracted more than just him.

He turned and looked up the canyon. There he saw them, slowly making their way to their location. Though they knew to avoid him, they also knew an easy meal was before them if they could chase away the pony with fire.

Almost immediately after seeing them creep closer, he took up a more defensive posture. His mane and tail erupted into more of a raging flame, and a strong heat was now able to be felt from him. This caused the Timberwolves to freeze for just a few seconds to rethink their decision. Should they leave from the pony they lost to several times before? Or should they risk it for an easy prey before them.

Their choice was soon made. They leapt forward, their hunger overcoming their reasoning. The fight between the flaming pony and the wolves of wood began.

Nightmare Season quickly used his magic to create a flaming spear and launched it at the main group of wolves, striking one square in the face. Others separated and attempted to surround him. One tried to leap past and headed straight for the dragon. Nightmare quickly kicked one wolf away and saw the one headed to the dragon. He turned and delivered another blast of fire at it, sending it flying into the cliff face next to the one under the stones.

This allowed the other a chance, it dashed forward and dug its fangs into the pony’s hind leg. He screamed and kicked it off with his free leg. This sent it flying down the canyon a ways. The one that flew into the cliff started to get back up. The pony jumped over another wolf and smashed his front hooves down on its head, causing it to shatter into pieces. 

With a quick spin he sent yet another fire spear into a wolf that tried to leap up on his back. A few more kicks and blasts. The remaining wolves soon turned tail and fled. His leg now bleeding, he once again looked down to the blue dragon to figure out which choice he should make. 

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Nightmare Season
Blue's senses sharpened when she heard a growl, and it didn't take long until she could see the source of that growl. She didn't know what the predators that had appeared were, because back in her homelands, her kind had wiped out all other predators long before she was born, but she knew they were predators and knew exactly why they were here, but she wasn't really worried, because these creatures were made of wood, so she assumed she could just burn them, and even if she couldn't, she didn't believe their wooden teeth were strong enough to go through her scales.

But before she could see if any of that was true, the other creature started taking out the predators seemingly with ease, she of course prepared in case any of the wooden predators got close to her, but other than that she could only watch. After it was over, Blue was no longer growling, no, instead she had gotten as low as possible and was looking up at the burning creature, now shaking from fear and repeating something that based on how she repeated it was begging of some sort.

She was begging him to spare her life, because having lived her life in a world where only the strongest survives, she had no reason to believe it worked any differently here, and thinking this creature was fireproof based on he being on fire, she didn't see any way how she wouldn't lose to him, especially with her being stuck.

Edited July 7, 2019 by Catpone Cerberus
spelling error

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

Nightmare looked down at the dragon, now looking more terrified than ever. He then realized he was still raging. He took a calming breath and allowed the raging inferno of his mane and tail to lower and smooth out like it was before. The remains of the timberwolf he had shattered started to reform itself. As it came to, it noticed the others had fled. So it decided it too had best get away.

After the pony saw it leave the canyon, he turned back the the poor terrified creature. With a sigh, he lit up his horn and started to magically move the large boulders off of the dragon. All the wile blood was trickling down his hind leg. The bite that snuck past his defense will be needing to be taken care of after he had freed the dragon. "It is all right, I will get you out." He said to the dragon as he lifted up the last rock pinning her down.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Nightmare Season
Blue was too focused on the creature in front of her to notice the timberwolfs reforming themselves, and when his horn started to glow, she turned her head away and closed her eyes, clearly waiting for him to do something to her, but when the weight on her started to disappear instead, she opened her eyes confused. She looked at the floating boulders and then at the creature, and when he spoke, she looked even more confused, she of course didn't understand what he had said, but she could tell from the tone that he wasn't being hostile, and that was something unheard of to her, because even her own mother had been hostile towards her.

When the last rock lifted, Blue grew the distance between the two right away, not too much, but a notable distance, usually she would have just ran away, but the lack of hostility was too weird to ignore. Her injuries were pretty clear, her wing's position being such that there was no doubt something was broken there, and though her leg seemed to be fine from outside, just few broken scales, she clearly avoided stepping on it, indicating that there was some damage too.

Blue just stared at the creature that had just helped her out, her expression signaling confusion more than fear, but it was clear she was still wary of him.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

He looked at the dragon as she quickly retreated back into a corner. He could see clearly that she was injured badly. He could not just leave her alone here. Those timberwolves would surly try and come back for her if he just left now. He turned away and started to limp away. After a few steps he turned back and motioned his head for her to fallow. Then he turned back and started to limp his way back to his little cave. Always making sure she was fallowing.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Nightmare Season
Blue hesitated, but eventually she started following the non-hostile creature, though she still kept a good distance between them, and constantly checked their surroundings with all of her senses to make sure she wasn't walking in a trap of some sort, because she couldn't know what he was planning, maybe creatures around here liked to play with their victims/prey first or something, but at the same time, she was too curious and out of options to not follow him.

 

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

Nightmare led the dragon through the thick trees that made up the deepest part of the Everfree forest. Twists and turns. This area had no trail or even easy paths to follow. Finally the two of them came to a wall of thorny vines. With his magic, he lifted the wall up and out of the way revealing rays of sun shine filtering through the clearing. He was back at his little clearing that had a cliff face on the other side of the stream that passed through the center. This section was the first place that did not feel like eyes watching your every movement through the forest.

He stood on the other side and looked back to the dragon. "You will be safe in here till you can heal up little one." He told her, but she did not seem to understand. Then he motioned her to enter and pointed to the stream. Hoping she would understand him that way.

 

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Nightmare Season
Blue was on guard the whole time she followed the pony, she didn't trust him, but at the same time, she trusted him enough to see following him be safer than staying behind, because she knew that with broken wing she had no chance if anything bigger than those wood-creatures decided to have a taste of her. She lowered herself a bit again when Nightmare's horn started glowing again, and even after the words she didn't understand and gesturing, she was bit hesitant to enter the clearing, but after some seconds, her curiosity took over and she walked in, avoiding getting close to Nightmare as much as was possible, and keeping her eyes on him while she moved towards the stream, even if it would have required her to walk backwards.

(got tired of using "creature" for Nightmare)

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

Nightmare Season watched as the dragon entered by backing up keeping her gaze upon him. With a heavy sigh, he let the brambles down and went to the cliff face. Its not the first time, nor would it be the last, that creatures feared him and did not trust him. However, he did not blame them. He knew his own kind better than any other creature out there, and they were right to fear the nightmare ponies.

He walked into his cave through the vines hanging down. He needed to get his bandages from his storage room. After coming upon the cavern with his tree, he went into the middle tunnel this time. A few paces in he came to a small cavern filled with old wooden crates and what looked like old treasure chests from a time long forgotten. He walked over to one he stored a few items for medicine and bandages.

He gathered up what he needed for the two of them and levitated them out. Passing passed the tree once more, he removed his beat up saddle bags and left them by the tree then left to head out into the open area outside. There he met the dragon staring in fear once again when she saw him moving the vines away. Then backing up again. He showed her the medicine and bandages.

Seeing as she did not understand he took one of the wraps and wrapped it around his hind leg where he had been bleeding from the wolf bite. Then he looked back to her and nodded.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Nightmare Season
When Nightmare disappeared from view, Blue turned towards the stream and started drinking the water, also trying to see if there was any fish in there since she was still hungry, though even if there was, she wasn't comfortable enough with Nightmare being nearby to eat. She could hear him coming towards the exit of the cave, and when she did, she turned back towards the cave to keep an eye in him again.

Blue had no idea what the things floating with help of Nightmare's horn were, and even after seeing the pony wrap his leg, it took a moment for her to understand what he was trying to say. She tilted her head looking at the leg and then the floating things, until realization visited her face and she pointed at Nightmare, then at the supplies and finally at her own injures, before tilting her head again.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

He watched her reaction till she motioned with her claw. He almost smiled, finally a small chance to ease her fears. He nodded gently toward her and got to work. He used a straight stick close by and splinted her wing. Then her other wound. He took great care in not hurting her farther with his first aid treatment.

When he was done, he stepped back to give the dragon some room. Hopefully now she knew he meant her no harm.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Nightmare Season
Blue was still clearly wary of Nightmare, but let him do his thing, even if she had no idea what he was actually doing, since first aid wasn't a thing she knew about. After Nightmare backed up, Blue looked at the things attached to her, curiosity showing on her face, and when she tried to move her wing, surprise lit up in her eyes, she didn't get why stick attached to her wing made it hurt less.

She turned back towards Nightmare, tilting her head from side to side, looking thoughtful. 

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

Nightmare stood back and watched the dragon test the splint on her wing. Though she did not say anything, she looked at him. "What is she thinking?" He thought to himself.

"You should be fine in a few weeks." He told her, "But try and not use your wing."

He knew after the reaction she gave him that she did not understand what he was trying to say. "Where did she come from?" He thought to himself again.

He decided what to do next. He did not like the thought of doing it, but it would at least help them communicate somewhat. But he would have to wait till she was asleep. He turned away and went back inside the cave, this time he motioned for her to come along with him. He just had to wait and see if she would or not.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Nightmare Season
Though Nightmare was correct that Blue had no idea what he was trying to say, it wasn't the reason for her thoughtful reaction, she was actually trying to decide what to think about him, it was clear he was friendly at least for now, after all, he had made her wing hurt less, but at the same time, what she had learned through experience couldn't be just ignored, and unfortunately that experience said that there were only prey and those who kill the prey, but which one of them was the prey?

When Nightmare motioned Blue to follow her, she seemed to think about it for a second, before looking at the stream, then at where they had come form, and finally holding her stomach with one of her legs as she turned back towards Nightmare. She wasn't sure why she asked him instead of just hunting something, but she figured she could try it. .

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

He stood their in the entrance looking at her. With her grabbing her stomach he started to think, “Is she hungry, also what do dragons eat?” 

He backed up out of the vines and looked around. He walked over to his garden and looked at what he had growing. Will she eat any of these he wondered. But with her reaction, it did not seem like she eats anything here. 

He came up with an idea, maybe it will work. He used a stick and started to draw in the dirt. He drew vegetables and then he started to draw something else, but he stopped himself. First off how do you draw that which he eats, and second, best not let the dragon know about THAT part of his diet.

He pointed to the images then to his mouth and started pretending he was eating, then he passed the stick to her. Maybe she could draw what dragons eat?

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Nightmare Season
 

Blue understood what Nightmare was asking, and pointed at his drawing and shook her head, she then took the stick but put it aside right away, instead drawing with one of her claws. She drew unnecessarily detailed pictures of a rabbit, a deer and a fish, after which she pointed at them in order, the deer, the rabbit and the fish. She was glad they had finally found a way to communicate better than trying to guess gestures.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

Nightmare watched as she took the stick then drew using her claw. He rolled his eyes a bit at his own failed insight that of course she could use a claw. After she was done he looked at them. He thought “Well this is going to be interesting.”

He had never come across anything that he could actually speak to and they ate other creatures. All the others were just simple minded predators. It would be a first anyway. But as he thought back, the deer that ran past him must have been running away from her.

He knew of a small pound downstream that had some fish in it. The ones found where they were currently were all small minnows. He pointed to the fish then pointed downstream. 

He then proceeded to walk that way and lifted of the brambles that acted as his wall around his clearing. Waiting to see if she would come or not.

 

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Nightmare Season
Blue hesitated a bit less than the last time before deciding to follow Nightmare, fish was honestly her least favorite food, but she knew she didn't really have options, because catching anything else without running or flying was almost impossible. She still kept some distance to Nightmare as she followed him, but she didn't seem otherwise careful anymore, though that didn't mean she didn't keep an eye on him, it just meant she wasn't showing it as much.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

Nightmare Season led the blue dragon through the forest along the stream. Eventually it lead to a small pond surrounded by thick woods. The surface of the water was still and calm. Crystal clear water allowed one to view the bottom.

After they stopped and looked into the water, they both could see fish swimming around. Nightmare found a rock close by and decided to lay down. He was curious to see this young dragon catch her food.

At the same time he dug out a strange looking root from his bags and started to chew on it. The reaction of his face could show anypony that it tasted really bad.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

 

@Nightmare Season

Blue quietly followed Nightmare, keeping her senses sharp for possible threats, but besides scents of different creatures, there didn't seem to be anything interesting. 

She looked into the water and was positively surprised by the clean water, it made catching the fish lot easier. She observed as Nightmare made his way on a rock and started eating something he clearly didn't enjoy, she gave him a curious blink but left it to that and walked about knee deep into the water and raised her front leg just above it, after which she just stayed like that for a while. 

After some time of staying perfectly still, she hit the raised leg into the water and pulled out a fish. She ate the fish whole and repeated the process several times. 

[Nightmare Season 617]

@Catpone Cerberus

He watched her stand perfectly still for some time. He was curious to see a predator hunt for a meal. He being a pony, it only consisted of vegetables. Those don't run away. Being a nightmare pony however, he really shouldn't be eating vegetables but something else. However, he discovered a mean to supplement that food requirement. The outcome means he had to also eat regular food now.

Seeing as how long it took the dragon a long time just to simply catch one fish, he thought up a good idea. When she was preoccupied with her fish, He snuck off back to his cave. There he collected a large wooden crate that had been there before he found the location. Using mud he filled in all the gaps and holes. Using his fire he baked it to give it a watertight seal as he made his way back to the pond.

Sure enough, with his years of practice, he was able to leave and return with no sound what so ever so the dragon did not seem to have noticed his absent. He filled up the crate with water. Then using his magic, he caught several fish all at once and placed them in the crate. This should help his unexpected guess out latter. He went back to watch the dragon finish her meals.

When she had finished and seemed satisfied, he nodded his head in the direction of the box full of live fish.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,426]

@Nightmare Season

Blue didn't need to hear Nightmare to be able to know that he left and came back, she could sense him other ways too, but besides looking towards the rock after Nightmare left, Blue didn't do anything about it, because she figured he would either come back or didn't want her around any longer. 

During Nightmare's absence, Blue got fed up with catching fish one by one, and heated up the water with her fire breath until some of the fish died, and then she just picked up the dead fish and ate them. She was still picking them up and eating when Nightmare returned, so from his point of view it probably didn't look any different to her earlier way of hunting, just bit faster. 

Blue streched when she got out of the water, it felt good to not be hungry. She looked into the box, and though she understood that Nightmare had bought it, she wasn't sure if she was supposed to do something else than look at it, so she tilted her head.