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Megan sat before the coral-core, staring at the images of her friends that drifted around her, feeling her spirits soar.

'I'm so glad to see you all. Is everyone alright?'

Galaxy spoke up;

'Everyone is fine, Megan. We're with the Kasaari, in the Dwindling Forest. Where are you?'

'At Coral City, with the Seaponies.

Danny leant over her shoulder, looking at Molly.

'Hey, Squirt. You doing okay?'

Molly scowled;

'Better than you'll be if you keep calling me 'Squirt'.

She said, before breaking into a grin.

'And it's good to see you, too.'

Megan elbowed Danny on the arm, before continuing:

'Are you safe there?'

Windwhistler nodded:

'For the moment. Greenbough's scouts have reported Dragons setting up outposts nearby, although we are not sure why.'

Megan turned to look at Tridas;

'Do you know what they are?'

' WatchNests. Varlfang will use them to consolidate his control over his new territories.'

Jake's image drifted forward;

'How many Dragons are there in these Nests?'

'Why do you want to know?'

Megan asked, before Tridas could reply, and Jake's expression hardened.

'We have three of these Nests within five miles of us. We may find ourselves under attack at any time. I'd prefer to know what we're up against.'

Tridas looked between Megan and Jake before replying:

'Each Nest usually has two Dragons to guard it and patrol the area.'

'That's it?'

Jake asked.

'That is all they need. Anything moving, they track down and...Well, I'm sure you can guess.'

'Anyway!'

Megan said sharply, cutting across the debate.

'We need to decide what we're going to do now. We might be safe for the moment, but we can't assume that will last. If Varlfang finds us, there will be little we can do. We need to find a place where he can't reach us.'

'What about Flutter Valley?'

Gingerbread asked.

'The Moochick said that the Sunstone would keep the Dragon's out. If we can get there, we should be safe.

'How far are you from Flutter Valley?'

Megan asked.

'Some significant distance.'

Windwhistler answered.

'Although we can travel through the forests, increasing our chances of remaining undetected.'

'That's all very well.' Lofty said.

'But, what if there are Dragon's Nests near Flutter Valley?'

'We'll have to deal with that when we come to it.'

Jake said.

'What about you, Megan?'

'We'll be fine. According to Seashimmer, there are underwater paths that actually travel beneath the land. We should be able to swim to Flutter Valley without the Dragons even knowing about it.'

Jake nodded:

'Okay. We'll do what Windwhistler said.'

He paused, before continuing:

'I'll fight to protect them, Megan. You have my word.'

Megan suppressed a grimace.

'I know you will, Jake. Stay safe everyone and we'll see you in a few days.'

Megan said, closing the link.

'I know you'll fight, Jake.'

She murmured to herself;

'That's what I'm worried about.'

Jake grinned to himself, as he raced out into the morning chill. He kept his pace light, feeling his muscles loosen with each stride. He heard a clatter of hooves, as Buttons, Magicstar and Whizzer caught up to him.

Buttons drew level with Jake;

'Are you up for a real challenge?'

She flashed him an insolent grin.

'You're on! First one to that big tree wins.'

Jake said, lengthening his stride, breaking into a full run. He managed to pull ahead for a couple of seconds, before Buttons caught up easily and claimed the lead. The tree was drawing ever closer, as Jake pushed himself harder, catching Buttons again. His palm slaps against the rough bark and he let out a triumphant shout, turning to Buttons with a grin on his face. However, he was dismayed to see Buttons standing next to him, with her front hooves resting against the tree.

'Who...who won?'

Jake gasped, and Buttons shook her head.

'I didn't see.'

She turned back towards Magicstar and Whizzer, who were grinning at them.

'Looked like a dead heat to me, Buttons. You've got some competition, I'd say.'

She said, and they both laughed until Buttons scowled, which only made them laugh harder.

They set off at a more sedate pace, following the trail that ran around the Kasaari settlement. In daylight, Jake found the forest was very beautiful, with vast trees growing through a sea of grass. Birdsong drifted across the air and he felt like laughing. Hearing a sound, he broke left, following a smaller trail that emerged into a clearing, where a waterfall cascaded into a clear pool.

'This is...amazing.'

Jake breathed, as Magicstar stopped beside him;

'You don't have places like this in your home, do you?'

She asked, gently.

'Not many.'

Jake admitted.

'And, we always know that the cities are close by. This feels...free.'

They settled down by the water's edge, catching their breath.

'You keep surprising me.'

Jake said, quietly.

'I mean, here you are. You're separated from your friends and on the run. But, you all seem so happy.'

Magicstar rested her head on his shoulder;

'It's how we are. Everyday must be lived, even if things are bad. Otherwise, your life will just slip away. Stay in the now, and take what you are given.'

Jake nodded;

'Before I met you, I didn't think that I could do that. Now, it seems so easy. My Master taught me not to think, just to be. I think I understand what he meant.'

Jake stood up, stretching.

'Come on. Race you back.'

Heart-Throb moved through the resting Ponies, heading for where Jake sat against a tree. Unlike the others, he was still awake, staring at the sword in his lap.

She sat down next to him, and he gave her a small grin.

'Hey, Heart-Throb.'

' Hi, Jake. You should really be getting some rest.'

'Yeah, I know. It's just...I can't stop thinking about my Grandfather. I wish I knew where he is and why he left me this sword.'

'Actually, I've found something that might interest you.'

Jake looked up, eagerly:

'What did you find?'

'There's an old legend that actually refers to Varlfang, or so it seems. The story says that a terrible Dragon arrived in Dream Valley, destroying and burning in deadly fury. His rampage was challenged by a champion with a sword that no Dragon could stand against. The battle was fierce, and the Dragon was vanquished. However, no trace of the champion or his sword was ever found. But, over the years, many claim to have seen him walking across the Plains where he fought the Dragon. His name was never known, but the sword came to be called the Dream Valley Blade.'

Jake was silent for a second:

'Are you saying...that this man was my Grandfather? And that he fought against Varlfang before?'

Heart-Throb shrugged;

'I don't know, Jake. But, it's too similar to dismiss it entirely. Your Grandfather could still be here, in Dream Valley. When we get to Flutter Valley, you can ask the Moochick what he knows. He might just have heard something.'

Jake patted her on the neck.

'Thanks, Heart-Throb. I'm just gonna shut me eyes for a few minutes.'

'Yeah. Sleep well, sugah.'

She whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.

Jake crouched in the shadow of the trees with Truly and Cupcake. Despite the gloom, he could see the Dragon's Nest. As they watched, a winged shape emerged and vanished into the night.

Jake turned back to the others.

'Well, that's that. We won't get far. Not with them patrolling so regularly.

'I don't see what other choice we have, Jake. Following the woods any further will only take us further away from Flutter Valley.'

Jake sighed;

'I know. If we're going to have any chance, that Nest has to be taken out.'

Cupcakes head whipped round.

'How are we going to do that?'

'We're not. I'll take care of it!'

'Jake, you can't!'

Truly exclaimed.

'I have to. If I go alone, there's a chance that I can make it without being spotted.'

Jake stood up, resting his hand on his sword hilt.

'I can cover that distance in about half an hour, so call it an hour for safety. Truly, if I'm not back in two hours, even if something happens to the Nest, get everyone out of here.'

'You'll need someone to watch your back.'

Cupcake said, moving to block his path.

'I can't let you go alone, either.'

Surprise added.

'And I'm not being left out.'

Gusty said

Jake held up his hands.

'Alright, alright. You know what to do. If you see any opportunity, don't hesitate. We'll catch you up if we can.'

They made their way to the Nest safely, although twice they had to seek cover when a Dragon passed overhead. The Nest was a domed structure made of stone, with a rectangular opening.

Sharing a glance with the others, he slipped inside, drawing his sword. Green crystals set into the walls provided some faint illumination, guiding them into a circular chamber. A ledge ran round the circumference, dropping down to form a bowl. At the bottom was a Dragon. It was asleep.'

'Okay. There's not much more to this place.'

Jake whispered.

'This must be the only Dragon here. Let's see if there's a way round the back, where we can hide, and watch for a while.'

They set off again, moving carefully towards the second exit. Things were going well, until Surprise's hoof struck a loose stone, sending it skittering towards the sleeping Dragon. Jake held his breath, as it struck its nose, drawing a faint snort and the Dragon's eyes snapped open.

'Move!'

Jake yelled, jumping down from the ledge, raising his sword. Before he could react, the Dragon opened its mouth, unleashing a blast of fire. A second before it struck, the sword hummed in his hand, the blade glowing silver and the flame parted around it as though sliced in two. Even though the heat was intense, Jake was unharmed. As though guided by the sword, he stepped forward, raising his arm and a bolt of energy lanced out. The Dragon roared as sparks of energy cascaded along its body, before it slumped to the ground.

'Is it...dead?'

Surprise asked, after a moment, and Jake shook his head.

'No. It's still breathing'

Jake sprang to his feet.

'Come on. We need to get out of here.'

Moving quickly, they retraced their steps to the entrance and Jake waved the others on. Cupcake darted out, followed by Gusty, and Jake turned to Surprise.

'Go on. Go! I'll...'

Jake's sentence was cut off by a deafening roar and he was knocked backwards by Surprise as a stream of fire engulfed the entrance.

Beyond the fire, Jake saw Cupcake turn back, and he yelled;

'Get out of here, now. You can't help us. '

She hesitated for a second, before turning and disappearing into the dark, Gusty racing after her. There was a rush of air and the Dragon landed outside the cavern, blocking the exit.

'We're in trouble.'

Jake said quietly, tightening his grip on his sword, as Surprise moved to stand next to him.

Thanks for reading. Reviews, comments and constructive criticisms are very welcome.