Burning Flame

Chapter Fourteen

Weeks had passed and Blaze kept getting stronger and stronger each day.
Almost every day when his parents would leave he would run towards the entrance and wait eagerly to hear the clip clop of Serenity's hooves. Almost every day, the sound would come, and Serenity would appear before him as bright as ever.

Then one day, she didn't show up right away.
Blaze waited by the entrance for a while. Each passing moment made him more and more anxious until he couldn't take it anymore.
He took a step out of the cave. Then another. Then another. He took a few more steps until his entire body was out of the cave.
He realized how dangerous this was, especially since he couldn't fly or use his size to protect himself.
His claws and teeth could only do so much, since they were only his younger set of teeth and his claws were still growing out.

He looked across the horizon to see Serenity galloping towards him at a frenzied pace. When she reached him she shoved him back into the cave with her snout.
He cried out in surprise and she whinnied, her eyes wide.
"Please be quiet, Blaze!" she whispered.
He shut his mouth and watched her with a puzzled expression.
She trotted to the back of the cave and he followed after her, his claws clicking against the stone floor.
She huddled under one of the ledges. He crouched down next to her and put his wing around her gently. She leaned into him, grateful to have someone there with her.
"Blaze," she murmured, "I just saw someone die."
He looked over at her with wide eyes.
"What!? Who?!"
A tear slid down her cheek and she looked away.
"I-I-I couldn't do anything. When I started to gallop to the cave I heard a noise. I tried to stay as quiet as possible and a few soldiers, pegasus soldiers, surrounded a dragon. I think he was a soldier, and they killed him with their magic right on the spot. Once they were gone I ran here as fast as I could. I don't think I was followed, but that's why I told you to stay quiet."
He blinked at her in complete shock. Then he turned to the entrance, thinking that he heard the flapping of wings... dragon wings.
He placed himself in front of Serenity and she shivered fearfully behind him. He turned his head to look at her.
"It's going to be okay. Do you still have that magic that hides you?"
She nodded and he let out a small sigh of relief.

Suddenly a shadow loomed in the entrance, a long, slender shadow that Blaze thought he recognized. He heard claws click against the stone and he prepared for a confrontation. He reared up and flared his wings. Then he let out a mighty screech that made Serenity flinch behind him.
The dragon stopped and turned its head.
"Blaze?"
He could see the dragon's features now; a sleek, purple-scaled body with a gold strip of scales running down the length of her body on both sides.
Her eyes were a bright green that scrutinized him carefully as she came closer and closer.
"Who are you?" he whispered.
"You don't remember me?"
She sat back on her haunches and waited patiently as Blaze racked his head for an answer.
"No, I don't," he growled.
She smiled gently.
"Perhaps my name will sound familiar. I am Solaris, your mother's protector."
His eyes widened.
"Solaris?! Why couldn't I remember you?"
"You were very young when you saw me last... barely a few days old. I've stayed away so that no one gets drawn to the cave."
She came forward and put a wing around him. He felt Serenity press up even further against the wall to avoid touching her wing.
"I came to make sure that you were safe. Your parents would kill me if anything had happened to you."
She laughed lightly at this, almost as if it were a joke.
Blaze blinked up at her, uncomfortable and confused.
"Would they actually kill you?"
She looked down at him and she immediately realized what she had said.
"Oh, well, I don't think they would kill me, necessarily... I mean not over something small, at least. I guess if you died on my watch, then probably... But you won't, so it's not likely."
Blaze blinked again and she sighed.
"I'm not used to being around hatchlings, okay? I just came here to make sure you were safe. A soldier was killed not too far from here and your parents wanted to make sure you weren't discovered."
Blaze nodded and wiggled out from under her wing.
"Well, it was nice meeting you," he said politely.
She grinned,
"It was nice meeting you, too. Just try to stay safe, Blaze. Remember, my life depends on it."
She laughed and walked back to the entrance of the cave.
He heard her take off and he immediately turned back to Serenity.
"That was close," he whispered.
She was staring at him with wide eyes.
"What did I say?"
She shook her head.
"Nothing. You just didn't mention that your mom had a Protector."
He opened his mouth to say something, but then he stopped. She saw his hesitation and spoke up.
"Your mom's the dragon Queen, isn't she?"
He nodded slowly and she grinned. His eyes widened at her reaction.
"You aren't scared?"
"Of course I'm scared, but I'm also happy because it means that we'll both be King and Queen one day."
His jaw dropped.
"You mean... your mom is Queen, too?"
She nodded.
"Yes, my mom's the pegasus Queen."
He smiled and she smiled back at him. He put a scaly wing around her and she put a delicate feathery wing around him until they were in a friendly, ecstatic hug.
"We're going to be King and Queen one day," Blaze murmured.
"And maybe, just maybe, we can end this war... together."