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Chapter 14 is under way, here's the halfway mark! This looks like it's gonna be a looooong story...14 isn't even close to the ending. So this is probably the first quarter...I dunno.

Again, the obligatory underage warning...if you're under 18, get outta here and wait until you're safe, or take your chances at your own risk.

Chapter 7 -- Emergence

Cynder woke up feeling a lot better than she'd been when she'd fallen asleep. Her soreness and pain had almost completely left her. She stretched and yawned, and opened her eyes to see Spyro's smiling face over her.

"Good morning, sleepy," he said quietly.

"Well, you're in a better mood," she said, returning his smile.

"Did some thinking last night," he said, helping her up. "Come one, let's go get some food. Can you walk?"

She trotted in place for a bit, rolling her limbs around briefly.

"I think so," she said triumphantly, and followed him into the woods. Solar watched them with a half-opened eye as he lay there, and he smiled to himself and rolled over, relaxing.

Spyro had Cynder close her eyes, and he carefully guided her through the forest until they reached their destination.

"Okay, you can open," he said, and when she opened her eyes she gasped. During the night a frost had set in, and in the rising sun, the fruit tree sparkled and shimmered in a thin coat of ice. Nearby a small stream trickled gently. It wasn't much, but to Cynder's eyes it was gorgeous. Spyro smiled at the look on her face and picked a frozen berry for her. "Try it," he said, and she took it and ate it. The chill made her start a bit, but it was a taste sensation she'd never felt before. She swallowed and grinned at him.

"That was good!" she said, and he flew up and got her a few more. She looked at him as he held out the berries to her. "What about you?"

"I've already eaten," he said. "I couldn't stay asleep much longer this morning so I looked around for a bit." She took the berries from him with a smile and ate them one by one, enjoying the feeling of the juices melting in her mouth. When she'd eaten enough they sat down on the frosted grass and looked at the stream going by, listening to its gentle voice, just enjoying being with each other. Eventually, however, Spyro stood up, stretching his hind legs. "We should get going," he said, and she sighed and nodded, following him back to Solar. The white dragon was waiting patiently for them and he smiled as they returned.

"Well, now that we're all rested and filled up, I say we head back to this Temple of yours. How I'd love to see it..."

"It'll take more than a day," Spyro said, but Solar shrugged, and they took off into the morning air. The chill of the frost was quickly dying to the sun's rays as they shot through the air. Spyro and Cynder kept giving each other playful glances, while behind them Solar again admired the scenery. Something about that battle had made them sronger, for as night fell Spyro could just barely see the highest parts of the Dragon Temple.

"Wow! We're almost there already!" he said, and looked over at Cynder. She nodded but he saw a weary look on her face. Behind them Solar was gliding, his long wings outstretched as he rested his muscles. "Come on, let's get some rest," Spyro said, and slowed himself down along with Cynder. Solar flew over them, gently gliding and slowing down as he spiraled over them. Spyro landed first and caught Cynder as she came down, setting her on the ground. She smiled at him and he went off to find some wood. Solar landed nearby and stretched.

"Ooooohhhh yeah...I haven't done gliding like that in a long time..." he said. "Feels so good just to relax like that..."

Cynder yawned and put her head down--she was exhausted. Just as she was drifting off she heard sticks and wood fall nearby and opened her eyes to see Spyro arranging the firewood. Solar came back carrying fruits, and was again walking on his hind legs.

"That just seems so weird," Spyro said as Solar set the food down.

"What does?"

"I dunno, you don't often see dragons walking like that."

"Well, it takes a lot of skill and balance to walk like that...I mean, dragons aren't built for it. True, we can stand up, but continually walking is a whole other matter."

"How long did it take you to learn?" Cynder asked, sitting up as Spyro lit the fire.

"A while...but I was usually forced to, in the middle of battle." He stood up again and motioned with his paws. "Standing like this gives me use of my claws and fists in fighting," he pretended to back away from a blow, "but to inexperienced dragons it leaves them open, throwing off their balance. The enemies I faced were tall and their weak points were higher than I could reach normally so I had to train myself to stand and walk while fighting." He fell back onto all fours and sat down. "It's come in very handy...it lets me block their weapons when they swing at me."

After they'd eaten they settled down for the night. Cynder sat down next to Spyro and put her head on his shoulder, and he reclined his head against hers, putting his tail over hers. She sighed happily and closed her eyes. Solar just looked on and smiled, the sight bringing back happy flashbacks of his times with Flare...A tear fell from his eye and he looked up at the cloud-covered moon, and with a heavy sigh he put his head down and slowly fell asleep.

Spyro stared into the flames, trying not to let his thoughts interrupt the happy feeling that was coursing through him as he felt Cynder's gentle breathing against his side. She shivered a bit and he put his wing over her back and side. After a while he felt her head slide off his shoulder, and his arm immediately yet gently flew out and kept her head from hitting the ground as she fell asleep. She murmured and smiled as he delicately set her head down. As he looked at her he felt a strange, slightly pleasurable feeling between his legs, and that odd bulge and pressure. His pupils dilated as he realized what it meant, but using his willpower he struggled to make the feeling go away. It gradually died off and he sighed with relief. His wing still over her, he put his head down and stared into the fire, slowly falling asleep as he listened to Cynder's musical sleepy breathing.

* * * *

Solar woke early, just as the sun was beginning to rise and everything was covered in a pre-dawn deep mauve shade. He shook the dew off himself and went into the forest. In his dreams he'd continuously heard a voice much like Flare's, crying and calling out for him. She was saying something to him but her voice echoed so much that all he could tell was that she was crying.

"Oh Flare...I hope I can find you here..." He couldn't tell for sure but he had the idea that, because her voice was echoing so much, she was very far away from where he was. He'd need another dream though before he could decide anything. With a heavy sigh he looked up at the reddening clouds, and slowly ambled back to their campsite. He wasn't watching where he was going and bumped into Spyro, making the purple dragon spill the clusters of berries he was carrying. "Oh, sorry, my bad..." he said, stepping back in surprise.

"You scared me," Spyro said. "I saw you leave but I didn't think you were coming back so soon."

"Sorry," Solar said again, and helped Spyro pick up the clusters. "I'll carry them," he said, taking the ones from Spyro and walking back, once again on his hind legs. Spyro ran up alongside him and saw a distanced look on his face.

"Solar? Something wrong?"

Solar paused and Spyro waited for him. "I just miss Flare...she was so...so beautiful...so gentle and caring..." He shook his head and grunted as he tried to restrain his emotions. "Last night I dreamt she was calling to me, but..."

"Solar..."

The white dragon shook his head and sighed. "Well, better get these to Cynder. I take it you've eaten already?"

Spyro nodded and followed Solar back to the fireside. It was still a bit warm, a thin trail of smoke rising from a few glowing sticks. Cynder heard Spyro's footsteps by her head and slowly opened her eyes to find him waiting for her, a smile on his face and another cluster of berries in his paw. She smiled and sat up.

"What's with this sudden niceness all of a sudden?" she asked, but couldn't help smiling at him.

"Dunno...I guess I just want my best friend to be happy." He picked off a berry and handed it to her, and she leaned forward and took it with her mouth, sitting a bit closer to him. Solar couldn't help but smile as he watched.

As Spyro reached for the last berry, he got an idea and breathed ice energy on it. Cynder watched as frost formed on it, and he held it out to her. She took it with a warm smile and closed her eyes as the berry juice thawed on her tongue.

"Mmmm...you catch on quick to my likes," she said, and to his surprise she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. She giggled at the look on his face and went off to find some water, giving him a playful backwards glance as she disappeared into the forest. Solar laughed to himself as Spyro's paw slowly went up to where Cynder's lips had touched him.

After they'd had their fill of food and water, and had shaken the sleep from their limbs, they took of into the air. As they shot forward in the rising light, Solar eagerly watched the Dragon Temple increase in size as they came swiftly closer. The sun was just over the treetops and was evaporating the dew when Ignitus saw three specks in the sky to the south. He went inside and alerted the other elders, and they waited outside for Spyro and Cynder to land. Spyro caught sight of them, and did a barrel-roll as he went lower in his flight path and angled himself so he was headed straight for them. He was so glad to be back in familiar territory, and he caught Cynder as she came down. Solar landed behind them and waited as the old dragons welcomed the two younger ones back to the Temple.

"We found out what was going on and stopped their plans for now," Spyro said.

"Well done, you two," Ignitus replied with a smile. He then turned his head to Solar. "And who, may I ask, is your acquaintance?"

"This is Solar," Spyro said, turning his head to Solar, and the white dragon bowed his head in greeting as he came closer.

"Solar, Ice Guardian Soldier of Paralos," Solar explained.

"Paralos?" Ignitus asked, his eyes quickly darting to Spyro as he remembered the young dragon's dream. "I think this will be better explained inside. Would you care to come in with us, Solar?"

"I'd love to...I've never seen the inside of such a marvelous construction..." He followed them inside and up to the main room. When Solar had had his look around, he returned, and Spyro and Cynder recounted their journey for the elders.

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