Since he’d been a hatchling Growler had heard tales in my Equestria dreamscape. He’d heard that ponies were weak, timid, cowardly, and lacked the conviction to fight for what was there’s.
 
He was now of the opinion that he’d been mistaken to believe those stories.
 
 
The three mares glaring down at his bound form did not look weak, timid, or cowardly, and appeared to be quite capable of fighting.
 
 
The griffins had helped bind him up but now they had wandered off leaving the drake in the tender care of the mares. The unicorn in this team of 3 had put a collar encrusted with gems and runes around his neck and had made it very clear that if he attempted to use his flame he would very much regret it. Growler didn’t feel like testing the mare’s statement.
 
 
They stood silently in front of him. The unicorn’s Bunsen burner blue eyes peered out from the deep shadows of her wide brim of her deep rust red hat. Her eyes seemed to burn with their own inner flame. Slowly she rolled some kind of candy on stick back and forth in her mouth making a loud clack a clack sound the whole time. The odd smell of the candy filled the air around her.
 
 
Standing behind the unicorn were two other mares. On her right was the feral violet pegasus mare that had laid him low. She glared at him with rage-filled eyes.
 
 
The other mare was from what Growler had heard was either called the earth or dirt pony tribe. Her coat was covered with large white and brown splotches. Like the unicorn she wore a broad brim hat. The mare appeared to be utterly bored with the whole affair as she chewed on a piece of grass.
 
 
For what appeared to be an eternity the mares said nothing. Finally the unicorn spoke. “I’m gonna assume ya figgered out that yer in a heap trouble? We’ve got a whole passel of question fer ya, and I’d recommend ya answer them. Unless ya wanna git in more hot water.
 
 
Pegasus spoke up. “He kin give us trouble if he wants!” She tapped her vest and for the first time Growler noticed she had several dragon scales of different colors sewn to her leather vest. “I’ve bin itching ta add some of his scales ta my vest!”
 
 
She gave the drake a predatory grin. “Go ahead ya worthless lizard! Give me a reason to do it!”
 
 
The earth pony spat the grass out. “She ain’t bluffing mister. She can get rather blood-thirsty when she’s in a bad mood. Which she is. So why don’t you be cooperative and do us a favor at the same time and answer our questions.”
 
 
The unicorn shrugged her shoulder causing the red-rust mantle covering her body to sway and the various weapons adorning her body to rattle and clink. She tilted her head side to side cracking her neck. “He kin be cooperate if he wants, or kin put up a fight if he wants. I kin care less. One way or another we’re gonna git the answer we want. One will be just be messier than the other.”
 
 
The young drakes didn’t realize that the 3 mares were prepping him for questioning. Squall usually played bad pony. Long Shot was the good pony, and Half-cock was the indifferent pony that needed swaying.
 
 
The unicorn lowered her head and looked the drake in the eyes. “Okay. That there collar around yer neck won’t let ya make flames, but ya kin talk just fine. So let’s start with something real simple like. What’s yer name?”
 
 
For the rest of the day the Mares-in-Waiting took turns questioning the drake. As the day progressed they were able extract his story and reasons for infiltrating the griffin territory. They grilled him about the attacked campsite, but eventually Half-cock and her teammates along with the griffins and the intel ponies were convinced that he’d played no part in the murder of the two griffins. They also determined that Growler had been on this foolish quest alone. Finally they withdrew leaving the drake still tied up under the shade of the tree as they had a meeting. This went on for a few hours as the intel ponies along with the griffins compared their notes with Half-cock’s team. Then the intel ponies sent some magically sent a few messages via magic to Canterlot and waited for replies.
 
 
As the sun began to set Half-cock and her team came sauntering up to the still restrained drake. Once again they stood there and looked at the drake. Finally after several seconds Half-cock spoke.
 
 
“Alright then Growler. We’re pretty sure that they ya weren’t responsible fer the attack or the death of these here griffins.”
 
 
The drake started to brighten up. Half-cock continued. “Don’t git all happy there son! Ya are still in a heap of trouble fer being on clan lands, but we’re not gonna be taking ya back ta Canterlot fer further questioning.”
 
 
Half-cock looked over at the griffins. “Now…what the griffin decide ta do with ya is their business since this has happened on their lands and they git ta have the final say. Hope ya realize that yer foolish little stunt has dun gone an violated a treaty between Equestria, griffin clans, and the High Council of Dragons. So ya better hope yer folks are keen ta git ya back.”
 
 
The mares could almost see the color drain from the drakes scales at the mention of the High Council. The unicorn grinned. “Well what ya know. Yer smarter than ya look. I’ll give ya one piece of free of advice. If ya survive all this I’d recommend ya remember that yer actions kin effect folks far beyond ya. A raging inferno often starts from the tiniest of embers.”
 
The drake slowly nodded his head.
 
 
To be continued.