Drops of Fire

Chapter 9- Beautiful Agony

"Tide Breaker!" NO!"

Skywatcher bunched her muscles in preparation to fly after the pony she had begun to care about so much. Heat boiled her eyes and a wave of tears blurred her vision. Phoenix Feather pounced on her like she was a piece of prey, and gripped her tight. "No- Skywatcher, don't..."

"Phoenix, Stop!" Skywatcher screeched. She wreathed and fought as the rest of her friends helped to pull her down to the ground. "I have to get to him! He's needs me!"

No! He can't be gone! He just can't!

Finally, Skywatcher gave in and slumped into the dirt, sobs racking her shoulders. Her heart seemed to shatter as she thought of the way Tide Breaker's eyes had sliced into hers just before he plummeted into the sinkhole's starving depths. Grief sharper than birth pangs stabbed Skywatcher stronger than the force of a lion's jaws.

Thunder Paw silently wrapped her grey hoof around Skywatcher's neck in comfort and murmured something quietly. Skywatcher buried her muzzle into the grey mare's shoulder. "This is all my fault!" she groaned. "I should have been there!"

"Skywatcher," Pheniox's voice was like a gentle stream in the rain. "Me, Graphite and Cloud Chaser will try to find him. You stay up here with Storm and Thunder Paw, ok?"

Skywatcher nodded, to exhausted to argue.

Faint whooshing sounds announced that the three friends had flown down into the sinkhole to search for Tide Breaker. But its probably gonna do no good, Skywatcher thought numbly. Celestia only knows how deep that hole is. He could be dead for all I know! The thought sent her mind whirling with grief. He probably is......

Moons seemed to pass as the ponies waited in silence for the return of their friends. Skywatcher's heart twisted even more in her chest as the sun slowly moved in the sky, until it reached it's top peak. Fiery beams of heat beat down on her back, but she ignored the growing discomfort of sweat beading around her muzzle.

"Do you think they got lost?" Storm asked after a while. The brown
pegasus wiped a hoof through her thick black and grey hair. "What if they don't come back?"

As if it to answer, the faint sound of grunting echoed from below. Skywatcher looked up, feeling hope egnyte like a tiny flame in her heart. Phoenix's yellow head then popped over the edge, followed by Cloud Chaser's and finally Graphite's. Her heart lurched as she caught a glimpse of Tide Breaker's sleek blue hair.

Thank Celestia! They found him!

Her joy faded as the three mares hauled the rest of his body out. His eyes were closed, and his hoof fell limply to the ground. A small gash opened up on his forehead, sending a small trickle of blood down his face. Skywarcher's heart cracked.

"Oh! He's dead!" she wailed, rushing towards her friends as if a whole pack of ravenous wolves were on her tail.

They laid Tide Breaker's body gently on the ground and dusted the gleaming sweat from their heads. Skywatcher looked away, unable to gaze at Tide Breaker any longer. The tears came again, and she made no effort to stop them.

This is all my fault! There's nothing we can do. We've lost the seventh flame....

Suddenly, a faint groan came from Tide Breaker and he lolled his head to the side. Skywatcher nearly crumpled with relief as his eyes flickered open with a brilliant flash of blue. "Wha- happened?"

"Tide Breaker!" Skywatcher leaped towards the weak stallion and wrapped her hooves around him. His ears immediately flicked up in shock and Skywatcher pulled away, face flooding with foreboding. "I thought you were dead!'