FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 19

Waiting for Spyro to come back with his plate was probably one of the longest ten, fifteen minutes in both their lives. They spent this time sitting in complete silence, making their paws busy to somehow fool the other that they are the most busy paws in the world and simply the brain is using all of its energy to keep them moving.

Cynder was in better position, she still had some meat left on her plate. Her paws and the claws attached to them were busy slicing it into constantly smaller pieces, over and over again. They didn't even stop moving when the venison turned basically into a pulp she could suck in through a straw if she wanted to.

All this time however she was thinking about the look on Flare's snout when he looked up at Spyro. She didn't like it, obviously Flare noticed her displeasure since momentarily he averted his gaze with a nervous chuckle when their eyes met.

He looked troubled to say the least, she didn't really know what he meant with his last words, it was however undoubtedly important for him judging by his nervous reaction. So she waited anxiously for him to continue, not trying to be nosy as every friend shouldn't be.

During this uneasy vigil she silently prayed for Spyro to come back and break the ice.

Flare had no intention of elaborating on the matter, he treated this silence as an uncomfortable luck. Under the table he was nervously scratching one leg then the other, making him look like he would be sidestepping between one hot coal filled spot and the other. He was terrified to utter another word, afraid that revealing more would push her away from him. Especially when she made it quite clear what she thinks about hurting people.

She wouldn't understand that killing is a sad necessity, like smelling some really foul stench in a place you currently call home. You wouldn't want to do it, but if you have to, then you get used to it. Thinking about this kind of stuff might drive you mad.

They both weren't aware that Spyro was watching them for a while.

Flare was the first one to notice the purple drake approaching their table. His yellow eyes followed the young drake, a faint trail of hopeful smile stretched his lips.

The plate clicked on the table, next to Cynder's, the dragoness looked up at her partner.

"Ok guys you're acting really weird" Spyro said, sitting himself down, his eyes jumped between his two companions

The smile disappeared from Flare's snout.

"Something happened, didn't it? I could feel it from the angry and scared looks people were giving me. Did you have any serious problems?"

"I don't want to hear it was not a big deal type of answer" he leaned towards Cynder, making sure that she understands what he means "I'm serious" he continued with a stern worry in his tone

He didn't realize that with this combination of emotions he was as intimidating as a kid that prepared to stand against a bully but lost his glasses somewhere.

"It's not about that" Cynder replied softly

"About what then?"

"About me" Flare added

Spyro looked at the fire drake, expecting that he will elaborate on the matter, minutes passed and his shuffling nervously black slits betrayed that no more words were coming.

He then looked at Cynder, her head was locked in one position, worried and caring green eyes aimed at the red snout on the opposite side of the table. She wasn't paying him any attention.

His purple eyes kept on jumping between the two during this silent moment, expecting that soon one of them will open his or hers mouth.

Nothing.

"I need more than that" Spyro reminded them

Flare was the first that stirred at the sound of his voice.

"Cynder won't like me anymore" he whined

She slammed the table with her paw, the flames surrounding the fire drake cringed together with his body.

"I've told you that's not true!"

"I don't want to be alone"

"You won't be alone!"

"I don't want to lose my friend"

"Flare!" she growled irritated, making the dragon look even more miserable "Listen to me! I will always be your friend!"

"You need to like me" he mumbled

"I like you!"

The flames surrounding his burning body sprang to life with a bright glow, his head went up fiercely with a snapping sound.

"Spyro!"

The squeaky, unexpected shout made him jerk back, he had to prop himself on his purple tail as to not fall on his back.

"Will you be my friend?!"

"Ummm..." he swallowed out of surprise "I'm purple..."

Something sharp nipped his butt, he straightened up instantly, pressing his lips tightly together to hold back a squeaky yelp.

"I mean..." he muttered, forcing a smile. With a corner of his eye he noticed a black tail retreating from behind him "of course I will be your friend!"

"Yeah!" Flare blurt out triumphantly, his body roared out victorious, happy flames "Now there is no way you won't like me!"

"I have no problem with the fact that this sounded like a request to become your mate" Spyro mumbled under his breath

"Flare, for the last time" Cynder took a calm breath "I like you and I will continue to like you. I'm your friend"

The fiery drake nodded, a grin spreading across his muzzle "Now you have no choice! I'm Spyro's friend, you wouldn't want to ruin something you wanted to happen!"

"I can't believe it" she mumbled, leaning back, stunned "You're blackmailing me!"

"I'm not blackmailing you. This is...is..." he looked to the side, frowning thoughtfully "What was the word?"

Spyro and Cynder looked at each other confused.

Flare snorted "I don't remember" he looked up at the purple drake "You remember when we were inside that big volcano?"

"Big volcano?" Spyro mumbled, at first his mind was completely blank but after a while an idea popped inside his brain

"You mean Munitions Forge?"

Flare shrugged "I dunno. That's where we fought with the little bugs?"

"Yeah"

"Really?!" he exclaimed excited, throwing his upper body onto the table with a slap and a show of shooting flames. Both young dragons on the opposite side had to lean back away from the heat.

"Ok, ok! So in Mun...Muti....Mulition..."

"Munitions Forge" Spyro corrected gently

"Yeah! So in Muntitions Forge was that platform that moved after I pulled that special stick"

"Platform?" his brow raised up in bewilderment, looking for some help in Cynder, but she also had no idea what the fire drake was talking about

"That big thing that all of us got into. It moved only up and down"

"Ohhh" Spyro huffed in realization "You mean a lift"

"Does a lift has that special stick that makes it move?"

"Usually. It's called a lever"

"Leverage!" Flare exclaimed, pointing a claw at Cynder that almost toppled on her back out of sheer instinct of avoiding sharp objects being lodged in her eyes

"I've got leverage!" he laughed triumphantly

Their wide eyes were aimed at the laughing fiery drake, only after a while they managed to break free and once more look into each other's dumbfounded ocean of purple or green.

Cynder snickered after a short pause

"You sure did take quite a way around the matter. Funny to see you forgetting a word when not so long ago you described me with words of an inspiring poet"

"A lever is a stupid, dull object. You are an awesome, beautiful girl that is impossible to forget and describe with boring words"

She had her mouth opened, ready to offer another remark, the air was already venting out of her mouth when Flare started talking. Yet when he finished the air didn't form into words, instead it felt like somebody would grab all that air, meld it into a ball of considerable size and shoved it back down her throat until it reached the stomach and burst with additional mass, making her want to implode.

She wasn't prepared for such an answer, truthfully she wasn't prepared for anything and perhaps what she didn't expect the most was such obvious truth radiating from a voice, as if Flare would be stating something that is seen plain as day. It wasn't the first compliment he told her today, but this one was special in some way.

Mostly due to the fact perhaps that Flare doesn't even realize the impact of such words, for him it was as normal as talking about the weather. The other reason why she felt so awestruck by the comment was her guilt, she did not expect someone like Flare, especially now when he acts no better than a hatchling, to suddenly jump out with such a serious and confident tone.

Whatever her expectations were or were not, it led to the same destination.

To a bashful snort and a paw pressed against the top of her nose, covering the flushing line there and somewhat shrouding the heating cheeks.

Spyro observed her cringed form with amused jealously.

"Just in case I want to remind you that I'm your partner" he whispered, wiggling as if he would be rearranging his sitting position. He leaned far enough for her to clearly hear him

He heard her gasping faintly, eyes widened in guilt, paw that was covering the nose slid down onto the mouth, revealing the flush mixed with horror in all its awkward glory.

Her terrified expression was saying only one thing.

I'm sorry.

A piece of his heart cracked at the sight of her pain riddled snout. Only now realizing how badly timed his joke was, in her shocked state she simply didn't understand the humor.

"And now that I've got leverage" Flare continued, oblivious to everything that was happening around him "You have to do what I tell you or you're gonna regret it!"

Both dragons on the opposite side of the table frowned, the flush disappearing from the black snout, replaced by wounded wrinkle of independence.

"How do you know what leverage is Flare?" Spyro asked

"I've read about it!" he looked down, rubbing the back of his neck "I mean...Volteer did and I listened. The book was about two thieves that stole some really important documents, with threatening to reveal them every major king or some other noble guy did whatever they were told"

"Books are just fantasy tales, they aren't real. Not everything is as simple as in books. You get that right?"

Flare grinned "Really? Then why Cynder has to like me no matter what? Because I can break our friendship that gives her hope for redemption! Typical leverage! Like in the book!"

"How's that not blackmailing?" she chimed in with a shrug

The fire drake shrugged "They called it leverage in the book"

"Wait a minute" Spyro interjected, his snout carrying an slightly disappointed and offended frown "So I was used like some sort of bargaining chip in this..." he opened his paw, waving it between the two other dragons occupying the table "...this...this...whatever this is?"

Flare cocked his head in confusion "A bargaining what?"

"Feelings mean nothing to you? You asked me to become your friend because you wanted to use it for whatever reason against Cynder?"

The fire drake shook his head confidently "No. You saved Iris, I owed you"

"So we're friends out of gratitude" he faked a happy smile "I feel better already!"

"You're welcome!" Flare replied honestly

"All right" Cynder mumbled defeated

The tone of her voice caught Spyro's interest. Her head was hanging low, muscles seemed to be devoid of any strength, she looked like prey chased against the wall by predators with nowhere to run to, finally accepting her sad fate.

"You have me where you want it with that leverage"

A triumphant grin appeared on Flare's snout, tail wagged happily.

"Now nothing stops you from telling us what is that you are so afraid of" she sighed "You won"

"Oh no!" Flare whined, pulling back

Cynder shivered at the sound of his voice, it reminded Spyro of a thief who is about to slip in by enchanting her way with smooth talk, but said a one word too many.

He caught up on the ruse.

"You're so sad! I don't want you to be sad!" Flare continued to whine

"She's not sad" Spyro interjected with a chuckle

Cynder tilted her head, eying him with a thoughtful frown.

"She's only pretending" the purple drake continued, winking inconspicuously at his partner "She's a fighter at heart, she knows you outsmarted her so now she tries to trick you so in the end she would be victorious"

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" she straightened up, pointing her claw indignantly at him "Don't spoil my plans!"

Flare visibly perked up, the more intense fiery light he now emanated was a clear signal just how pleased he is about the fact that every trace of sadness disappeared from his friend's black snout.

Spyro shrugged with an innocent smile.

"Sometimes I just like to tease you. It's a friend thing"

Flare laughed "You wanted to outwit me Cynder? You nearly did it! If not for Spyro I would fall for your trick!"

She smiled kindly "I always fight to the end. I just wanted to make sure that you wouldn't think that things are going too easy"

"I've told you that you're smart!"

"We're friends Flare. You were right about me and believe me when I say that I am right about you when I tell you that I will like you no matter what. Leverage or no"

Flare looked down, the flames he radiated dimmed, they didn't have to experts on reading body signals to understand that no trace remained of the joy that flew through him just seconds ago.

Claw once again tapped at the empty plate, exactly in the same spot where he drew the indivisible image of a cage.

"Would you like me if I told you that I could kill people?" Flare muttered

Cynder frowned, surprised by the odd question.

"I...would, you're not the only one that did such bad things"

"Would you like me if I killed Spyro?"

Cynder jerked her head back, looking startled at Spyro who was giving her the same kind of glance through his swelled cheeks, filled with undigested food he just put inside his mouth.

"Why would you want to kill him? You would lose your leverage and hurt me" Cynder replied shyly "You want to protect your friends right?"

"It's not about what I want. It can happen"

"Killing people can't just happen"

He acted as if he didn't hear her, constantly tapping at the plate, wings pulsing more intensely with each clicking sound.

"Would you like me if I told you that I would wake another day after the kill and ask how's your day?"

"Stop Flare" Cynder demanded "Enough of this. Why you say things like that? You can recognize good from wrong, you told me that yourself. Besides you know what empathy is, just look how you care about Iris"

"I care about all my friends"

"See? Now that Spyro is your friend too, you can't kill him just like that"

Flare's claw started to scratch against the plate, besides the screeching sound nothing else could be heard. The fire drake went unexpectedly silent.

Cynder looked at her partner, her eyes meaningfully asking for any sort of explanation or advice.

Spyro shrugged, impulsively aiming his gaze at the moving claw.

As he listened to the somewhat hypnotic shrieking noise he began to put all the scraps of hectic information and juvenile behavior of his new friend together. Eventually coming to one revelation, Flare simply lacks the knowledge and wisdom to properly explain what is troubling him.

Like a child trying to depict to the adults its time of being abused by using snippets of sentences that only its young, hurt mind could understand.

A child sees the world differently, its unable to explain something when the brain is stuck in fantasy world , created by the tirelessly working imagination. Such minds have tendency to give away information only in their own special ways, mostly its pictures, where imagination is limitless.

In Flare's case however imagination found its infinite well of ideas not in crayons, but in letters. Books have as much power as images, both are capable of stretching the limits of impossible.

Spyro wasn't really sure what made him think about all of this things, maybe because he was a child too once and by some impulsive notion he remembered, even if not perfectly, the struggle of his parents or Ignitus.

He wasn't aware of the fact that deep down his parental instincts were awakened. Even when he wasn't actively thinking about what the strange black dragon said the idea of fatherhood already rooted itself deep within his being, little twigs of this peculiar awareness started to scratch gently in all the right places.

He wasn't aware that in this moment his heart tuned itself to the scratching, delicately reminding him that he would do everything, try as best as he could to understand his child. No matter how complicated riddles his offspring would be unconsciously throwing at him.

It was because of that undetectable sensation he never turned away from the scratching claw. It was because of that seemingly non-existent feeling he noticed a pattern in the moving claw. It was because of that impossible to scratch itching he realized that the claw was writing a single word over and over again.

W-O-R-

It was a four lettered word, with the last one being nothing more then random scratches. It was up to the parent to bend the incomprehensible silhouette into readable form. Make it through the riddle of a troubled, childish mind.

Those scribbles were like a drawing of a not fully developed imagination which by some magical mean felt that more was needed to tell, but was unable to properly create the picture due to the fact that it simply couldn't put a proper name on it.

He impulsively focused on that unprepared letter, driven by unspoken command that locked his eyes. In a moment that lasted couple of milliseconds he became aware of the parental influence scratching against the walls of his quickly beating heart.

This moment, that he will never remember again, was enough to solve the riddle. It was almost like reaching down a tight hole where an earring or something else similarly valuable fell into. Paw scratched against the rough surface of the earth, mind automatically slowing its descent, making sure that it feels every rough touch. Mind that made sure that its host was thinking about nothing else but the hole.

Only when the claws clicked on the sought object the paw became aware of its surroundings, mind reaching a moment of clarity incomparable to anything.

This moment of clarity made him put the chaotic silhouette into an comprehensible form.

M.

He blinked, slightly because of intuitive shock after noticing something so obvious and slightly because of self-admonishment that scolded him for letting something so simple elude him. It was like reading into a joke that you didn't get at first time.

W-O-R-M

This was the word the claw was scratching.

W-O-R-M

Over and over again.

"You know what Flare?" Spyro said, eyes following every move of the claw "How about you come with me to see Volteer?"

The claw stopped moving.

"What for?" the fiery drake asked, discouraged

Cynder cocked her head, one eyebrow raised curiously as she looked at her partner.

"He knows a lot of stuff about many things...ummm..." he looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully "...like..." he extended one claw "...history, animals, magic..." he counted each word by extending claws one after the other, only after the last one the paw froze in the air and eyes lowered themselves on the red dragon

"...fire...worms..."

Flare's claw clicked against the plate, like a spoon falling on dishes, wings pulsed with fiery light when they impulsively flicked.

Cynder's eyes widened, her green pupils were jumping between Spyro and Flare.

"He's also very good at helping out through things that scare us" the purple drake continued, observing with interest Flare's muscles and burning body parts as they second by second betrayed more and more of devouring them curiosity

"I had a mentor when I was younger. His name was Ignitus. He-" his voice suddenly was wrecked by an uncontrollable emotional sob

Cynder's eyes glimmered with care, she desperately fought back the urge to jump at him and kiss him into happiness. The notion was so much harder to quell because she couldn't even show how much she supports him by squeezing his paw tightly, all because of the many people looking their way.

Spyro cleared his throat "He helped me through my fear problems and he was successful because he consulted with Volteer and listened to his advices"

"You were afraid of something?" Flare asked, or begged more likely, the plea in his voice was almost palpable

He chuckled "I was afraid of many things...of some I still am and always will be" his amethyst eyes shifted away from the red dragon "but I'm also excited"

Cynder's whole body jerked as if electrocuted, paw instantly flew to her mouth to quench the gasp that burst from her throat. Amethyst eyes aimed themselves directly at her and in that glance was so much unspeakable affection and certainty.

And she immediately knew what was behind that certainty.

It was her.

It was not the glimmer that said that she is the most important wonder to him that sucked the air out of her lungs. It sped up her heart, it felt great, even when she was quite familiar with it already she doubted it will ever lose its magic.

It was the other shade of that same spark, a shimmer she never saw before. It was assurance, a silent oath of faithfulness pledging its life to her that nearly stole all the air from her lungs.

It was the sight of their lives, futures tight up together with chains neither of them will ever break apart.

She was certain of it even now.

I'm loved.

I'm loved.

I'm loved.

"But you are a purple dragon" Flare replied dumbfounded

Spyro chuckled "The color of my scales doesn't make me any more brave. I was really afraid of my power, of the pressure that was put on me with saving the world and all that. I always wanted to help people, but I didn't want them to suffer because I've tried too hard"

"And Volteer and that other guy helped you?" Flare blurt out, the flames he emanated betrayed his excitement

He winced, purple paw rubbed his chest exactly where his heart stung. The casual and somewhat ignorant way of referring to his foster draconic father filled him with a dose of irritation.

"Ignitus" his voice was hollow, trying to prevent himself from sounding bitter he accidentally stripped it of all emotion

It was Cynder's unexpected and very fake sneeze that made him aware of the limits of his tone.

He coughed softly.

"They both showed me the way, but it was solely mine decision to want to help myself. And with all honesty that was one of the best decisions I've ever made"

Flare looked down at the plate, Spyro could easily guess at what they were looking at. He frowned, for the first time the red dragon had an audience of two that could with all confidence confirm that he was actually lost in deep focus.

"When?" his voice cracked like twigs in flames

"I'll organize everything today" Spyro replied automatically, acting with the reflex of an experienced fishermen when he feels that a fish just caught the bait

"How about tomorrow morning?"

"Ok. I still need to do something today"

Spyro smiled, feeling strangely proud.

"Great! Then we're set up for tomorrow! We'll meet at the training grounds"

The expression of deep concentration vanished from the red snout.

"Wait!" Flare exclaimed, accidentally slamming his paw into the edge of the plate making it spin around in the air and fall on the table with a shrieking, ringing sound

The noise made the heads of the two accompanying him young dragons tilt backwards while making all the rest turn in their direction.

"Your morning or my morning?" Flare whined as if the question would be the last one he ever asks

"Huh?"

"When I wake up the sun is already high in the sky and people are so lively and doing all sorts of things"

"Flare is a deep sleeper" Cynder added with a kind smile

Spyro shook his head, dispersing the cloud of confusion that clouded his mind.

"Oh yeah! Come whenever you are ready, I'll be waiting"

"It will be so late then! I don't want to try too hard!" Flare kept tapping his claws against the table as he was looking for a solution

"I know!" paw rumbled against the wooden top, flames from his burning body shot with perfect accordance with spit fired from his throat

"Maybe when I go to bed earlier I'll wake up quicker! Yes!" his tail wagged happily "I'll just need to start now!" he jumped on all fours, making the table rattle as he hit its legs accidentally when he got up

"Thanks Spyro! Stay awesome Cynder! See you guys!"

Before they both could truly understand the situation Flare was already gone, leaving only dying sparks of his tail tip on the edge of the table.

"What just happened?" Cynder asked stunned, eyes still aimed at the spot her fiery friend just occupied

The only sound that she heard in response was that of teeth clenching themselves down on meat.

"What did you do?" she blurt out, voice ringing with increasing, sweet tone of joy

Spyro only smiled, with fake ignorance cutting himself another piece of meat and putting it inside his mouth.

"Talk to me!" she smacked his shoulder with a giggle "How did you knew how to talk to him?"

"What?" he chuckled

"I'm serious Spyro, what you did there was so sweet and cool. It was your heart again, I know it. I can't listen to it with all these people around so you have to tell me what it told you to do!"

He looked around the room, noticing heads turning around as he made brief contact with nagging stares. His romance with Cynder, the official one, is still fresh, they didn't have to keep it secret for long and yet it was already getting irritating and tiresome.

She is happy, they are happy and they can't enjoy it.

This is so unfair, especially when neither of them asked for any kind of reward after saving the world.

He frowned.

"I'll tell you, but first you gotta do something for me"

"Ooohhh" she huffed endearingly placing a clenched into a fist paw on the table on which she dropped her chin, narrowing her eyes on him roguishly "We're getting cocky now?"

He raised his paw defensively.

"You just need to say yes"

"I hope you're not going the way I think you are"

"Get away with me"

The sly expression was gone from her snout, replaced by regret.

"What?"

"Get away with me"

And devastating sadness.

"Spyro we've been through this already. You know we can't"

"I don't mean forever" he leaned closer, almost dropping his chin on the table, eyes glowing pleadingly like huge orbs of a kitty "Just until next dawn. I'll set up everything with Volteer and we simply get away for the rest of the day"

"Spyro..." she muttered lovingly, offering every bit of affection a girl can offer with her eyes

"I just want you for myself, away from everyone and everything. Since we defeated Malefor I feel like this is a completely new story for us, a story where we received only a few chapters truly dedicated only to ourselves. Maybe it's for a reason, maybe some force out there is really writing the road for our lives, maybe even there is some cheering or otherwise crowd out there"

"I don't care. I always believed I tread my own path and now I want your paws tramping the grass with me. Instead of waiting for some force to gratefully give us a moment of respite after it solves all of its other problems let's just steal this moment for ourselves"

"Let's get out there, fly around, somewhere far from this place preferably, sit on rocks, lie on grass. I don't know, anything. Rest or fool around"

He reached forward, placing his paw on top of hers below the table.

She moaned, her whole body shivered.

"I want to be alone with you, I want to talk to you freely, I want to touch you, laugh with you, kiss you, love you, be with you"

"Spyro..." she mumbled with a wavering sob, eyes glistened with tears "What's gotten into you?" she let out a whimpering, emotional, loving giggle

"I don't know" he replied sincerely, rubbing her paw fondly, her toes and the claws attached to them twitched around, craving to intertwine and grab his purple ones, but they pulled away

"I feel...I mean...we're going to be family one day and I just want to spend time with my...my..."

"Mate?"

He bit his lower lip, a blush turned his cheeks red.

Cynder smiled, paw rose from the ground with the intention to touch his snout but stopped before it truly lifted itself from the floor. She looked to the side, only to face the stare of a silently grunting with hate and blame eyes.

Chains rattled somewhere in the distance and she heard their ringing in her very soul.

It made her furious.

"Yes"

Spyro's eyes widened, his heart stopped moving, expression frozen in total shock and bewilderment. With that confirmation hearing a reply for a question he now realized was his dream for nearly all his life. An answer for a question far more important than the one he asked.

"I will get away with you"

She looked back at him and with a faint gasp jerked her head back when noticing his expression. A beautiful smile stretched her lips after a soft chuckle.

"I've said that I will get away with you not that I agree to be your mate. Not yet at least" she said softly

"No, no, no!" he exclaimed in panic, pulling himself back so fiercely that he wobbled on his legs and nearly toppled the table over "I-I didn't even think about it!"

"It looks to me that you've been giving much thought about us having children"

"No I didn't!"

"Really?" she giggled, loving smile never disappearing from her mouth "Then why do you look like you seem to be planning exactly how you are going to make them?"

"Nooo..." he whimpered, blush nearly making him look like a fire dragon, a condition he unconsciously felt since he started rubbing his snout and winced, feeling the heat wafting from his cheeks

His eyes rolled from bottom to top, reaching the ceiling eventually, he tried to look indifferent, but she caught the moment where his moving pupils slowed down. She spotted his eyes scanning her entire figure with a hungry and shocked glimmer.

He wasn't doing it earlier, behaving like the polite usual self, it was her teasing that caused this reaction.

From the spark that flared up in his amethyst orbs she could tell he liked what he was seeing. Very, very much.

It made her ashamed, but also filled her with feminine pride, screaming into her head that she is beautiful.

"I...I..."

"Relax" Cynder giggled lovingly, silencing his nervous muttering by taking pity on him "I was just teasing you. There is nothing wrong with you thinking about our future, stirring up the parental instincts"

She smiled wryly "Of course it's typical for a guy to have maternity instincts instead of a female"

Spyro frowned, scolding his partner with his gaze radiating the pain of his scratched male ego.

"You really can't help yourself when you get the chance do you?"

"Ooohhh" she leaned forward with a playful wiggle of her snout "I know you love me" she pronounced with an endearing squeak

Spyro pouted his lips, being the scapegoat of this relationship is a combination of tricky and fun, he doesn't have anything against that, he knew what to expect from a friend he knew for years and now is in romantic relationship with. Teasing was her strong side and a weapon, the chances he gets to strike back are pitiful in comparison and not his style to be honest.

For all her strengths she has one weakness which he knows how to exploit and get literally sweet payback.

His nose pulled itself back, wrinkles appeared on top of it, eyes squinted and wings began to shake. His body was prepared for a sneeze, even if it was a fake one.

He sneezed, head lunging forward like that of a attacking snake, both wings followed suit, hiding his head behind the membranes, a barrier impenetrable for anyone that was too interested in their lives. His mouth parted open, showing fangs exactly like a snake that was about to bite, yet instead of sinking them into flesh he hid them behind his lips, lips that for a second met contact with Cynder's soft ones.

Bestowing them with a brief, full of assurance kiss.

A gentle startled gasp was all she managed to offer.

"Spyro!" she stifled down a shout, covering her lips with her paw and turning swiftly towards her plate, a red line of embarrassment crossed the top of her nose diagonally

"People!" she squeaked from behind her paw, cringing as she did so, pupils darting back and forth in her eyeballs

He folded his wings, smiling at her with a dose of triumph.

"Yep. I love you"

Cynder cringed even further.

"And maybe you were right about the instinct" his tone became more serious, seeing her embarrassed and hearing her bashfully squeaking and giggling was one of the best sounds and sights he ever experienced.

Yet there was that deaf voice of the golden organ Cynder adored so much beating inside his chest that prevented him from pursuing the selfish desire. Warning him that a thing that makes one happy doesn't necessarily mean it will make another one joyful

"Flare is like a child and after hearing all that stuff about our future, meeting with that little girl that gave me the flower, I guess it made me think about stuff and I just...I don't know...acted on my hunch I think"

"It's simply you" Cynder added proudly "I don't really need any more than that. Helping people is just your thing. I never understand how you reach all these people"

"I don't. I just guide them to look into themselves" he frowned, lost suddenly in deep thought, words popped into his head out of nowhere, just as if he would be remembering one of Ignitus' many lessons

"We are each our own devil and we make this world our hell" he recited

"Whoa" Cynder huffed in sincere awe "Those are some really nice words. Who said that?"

Spyro blinked, head immediately emptied itself of every unexpected thought. Smile appeared on his snout.

"I just did. Don't you recognize my voice?"

She laughed.

"Seriously though" he continued after he fed himself to the brim with the beautiful sound of her laugh "I expected you to be going crazy with happiness after everything Danox said, but it seems that I'm the one who went nuts"

Cynder smiled "I have no doubts that my future will be tied with yours and every child we're going to have will have your admirable traits. So much happened lately, so much joy hit me day after day, wrecking my heart. I need to dose good news property or I'll flip around and the only way we're going to have any kids is if you somehow manage to impregnate my stiff corpse"

He winced, imagination already running on terrain he didn't really want it to go.

"Cynder..."

"Also" she continued "it was the new guy who said that"

"You don't trust him?"

"No, I believe that we'll make a family, but I rather accept the news with some reserve. Parties and happy family life, maybe, but I don't think it's going to be so easy considering our life style. It just... seems too believable to me"

"I'm sorry Spyro, I would want to scream my lungs out but that's the way I feel"

"It's okay, there is something weird about that guy, I just can't decide if he's good or evil. Considering the color of his scales it will make me quite the hypocrite, but I simply...I don't know...would believe in everything people said about him. Not to mention that I feel like he said things we wanted to hear"

"I know, right" Cynder nodded "That guy gives me the creeps"

Spyro nodded and surprisingly went silent, both of them did in fact. As they looked into each other's eyes during this somewhat eerie moment they could see the unexpectedly accurate disgust mixed with guilt for themselves.

"He's handsome and has a pretty name though" Cynder broke the silence, words swiftly coming out from her mouth as if Danox himself would be close and heard them talking about him behind his back

"Yeah!" Spyro agreed hurriedly, feeling the same kind of rush as his partner

"Where is he now anyway?" she asked impatiently

"They sneaked out through the back exit into the hills behind Warfang, to some cave or something that will be Danox' temporary home. Can you imagine that Iris' uncle volunteered to keep an eye on him?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, he wanted to somehow pay the debt to the Guardians for taking him and Iris in"

"At least there is someone honorable in that family"

With those words she turned around, looking at the wall of the building that if gone would open the passage to the mentioned hills, not even realizing how bitter she sounded. With the eye of her imagination she saw Danox and Ignus flying together, the fire dragon having the opportunity to spend much time with the mysterious drake.

She never felt so jealous.

"Why we weren't offered such a job?" she muttered out loud

Spyro cocked his head "You would want to go with him? Why? Didn't you say he creeps you out?"

Cynder winced "You heard that?"

"Well...yeah. You intended to keep it a secret?"

"Yes...I mean...no...it's just that...I..." she swallowed before taking a deep breath, giving the wall one last longing glance until she finally turned towards her partner, eyes begging for plea

"What do you think of Danox?"

An unexpected cold finger of dread touched his spine, it was an ordinary question and yet he felt like he was caught on doing some sort of unthinkable act.

"Like...like I said-"

"No" she cut off his uncertain response "Tell me what you REALLY think about him"

Spyro swallowed, his heart started to race in fear as if he was about to confess that he betrayed his partner.

"I don't know him"

She didn't utter a word, what he said and the tone he used to do that made absolute no sense, being sad because you don't know a stranger. You don't see such justification often, if ever.

However she could understand his depression perfectly, she felt the exact same thing.

"What is happening Spyro?" Cynder nearly whimpered "Why do we feel miserable when thinking about him?"

Her reply in plural when he was talking about himself caused no reaction. He wasn't aware of the fact that their souls communed on different level, what the mind couldn't see the heart knew, it could read between the lines.

This is what it means to be soul mates.

"I don't know Cynder" he practically sobbed

His eyes aimed themselves directly at the same wall she was looking earlier.

"All I know is that I'm scared"

She swallowed hard, nodding slightly and nearly inconspicuously, unconsciously trying to kill every noise, even the natural, whispering sound of her scales rubbing together.

She knew at what he was looking at.

She couldn't find the courage to join his eyes there.

"Me too" her voice came out with a faint exhale, lips were wavering as if she was about to start crying soon "Why?"

The question remained hanging in the air, not because they couldn't find the words to answer it as Spyro believed, but simply because they didn't have to. The answer was already carved on the links of the chain shackling their hearts together.

The last ring of which reached behind the wall, dragging them behind.

Forcing the wild and horny, perfect near fatal headlong dive.