FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 5

He kept looking around as he followed the big red tail, the scary looking dark trees seemed to part before his Mentor. In this cover of darkness he could hear them screeching and rustling as they returned to their former positions behind him as he made his way after the red dragon. The trees seemed to observe him, looming above him like an executioner, they long branches prepared to make the final swing to sever his head from the rest of his body. Even the tiniest rustle and the most delicate whizz of the wind made his blood freeze, he could swear he can hear the branches of the trees snapping all around him, as they slithered just beyond his eyesight reading themselves for the quick and unmerciful lunge to end his young life.

Wanting to learn more about his heritage excited him, his natural burning curiosity encouraged him to press forward into the unknown, he is the dragon from the Prophecy, destined to do great things then why he has to go through all of this ordeal when in the end he will still fulfill what was written who knows how long ago?! Why he can't just rest and fool around with his brother and wait, wait for the right time when he has to act, he will win anyway so what's the point of walking in places that give him the creeps? Destiny cannot be changed right?...Right?

Even if he has to prepare himself for the future-fine, training session practically all day and night, practicing on dummies, flying, elemental powers session, he can cope with all that effort but he never signed up for this! If he is meant to fight all those bad guys one day then why does he have to venture into such a dreadful forest? He just wanted to get out of here, even if he knew that his Mentor has a different plan for him, sometimes he didn't understand the red dragon, or perhaps he just couldn't with these trees all around him, waiting for him to stray just a little so they cold snap his neck. He shivered but at least he wasn't alone, his heart pounded at his chest and he could barely control his breathing but he knew that nothing will happen to him with the Guardian around. He might not understand his Mentor sometimes but that doesn't mean he can't trust him.

He kept looking around " Ignitus what are we-" he was cut off by a sudden snap, he quickly spun around and hunkered down shivering uncontrollably. Nothing came, however the red tail never stopped moving, he dashed after it and followed the tip, bent down and constantly looking around like a terrified dog " What are we doing here?" his voice wavered

" Are you scared Spyro?" The Fire Guardian asked, as if he couldn't tell from the sound of his voice. Ignitus tone was calm and imperious, no wonder the trees obeyed him

" No!" the young drake blurt out, he tried to sound confident but the stifled scream torn from his throat by some sudden snap moments later resolved any doubts " Yes" he confessed

The Guardian remained silent as he always became during training sessions. The strict and harsh mask of his Mentor wasn't Spyro's favorite but he knew that Ignitus took even the smallest practice very seriously so when it comes to training there is no room for slack. That would make many other students hate the old dragon but he wasn't one of them, Spyro knew also Ignitus' other side. The one that he demonstrated when they had a day off, and Spyro enjoyed that part of the Guardian's personality beyond every imagination, a personality he somewhat missed when he found out that Flash and Nina aren't his biological parents, he missed the touch of a draconic father. Both parts of Ignitus' personality were like two sides of a coin, put together formed a caring yet disciplined warrior he was now.

" Where are we going?" Spyro asked after a moment of silence, worry and fear still controlling his body as he followed the red tail on bent paws

" Somewhere where you will unlock another possibility to make your Destiny fear you" Ignitus replied in the same tone of voice as before

Not only The Guardian gave him an unclear answer, he also remained perfectly calm. Spyro couldn't understand how he does it while being surrounded by this thick darkness that seems to want to devour them. If this is a trick of his Destiny then he have no idea how he can possibly make it fear him when it already scared him to death as it is

" Aren't you afraid?" the young drake mumbled while constantly looking around and clinging to the tip of the Guardian's red tail " This forest is scary"

" No, I'm not"

Great, when Spyro confessed that he was terrified he thought that his Mentor felt fright as well, he hoped for even the most teeny-tiny feeling of fear but Ignitu's response extinguished that tiny spark of hope momentarily. Now he not only feels stupid but also embarrassed, he swallowed, what can his Mentor possibly think of him? The red dragon confidently walks into the darkness while he clutches to his tail like a newborn hatchling, time to change this.

With the last gulp Spyro straightened up, holding his head high and narrowing his amethyst eyes as if trying to penetrate the darkness, as if challenging it for a duel. He no longer was interested in the tail in front of him, instead he focused either on the back of his Mentor or the darkness around him. The forest wants him to be tough, he will be tough. Spyro began to walk confidently, slowly at first but soon he was following the red dragon at a normal pace.

He was surprised himself to tell the truth, no rustle nor even the thrilling murmurs scared him. "_Take that forest! Who is scary now?!" the young dragon taunted the woods in his mind. He is the winner here and no stupid tree will tell him otherwise "_ Purple Dragons for the win, hell yeah_!" Spyro's voiced cried within his head._

His illusion of domination was dispersed before he knew it, just like the forest heard his thoughts and wanted to retaliate for his taunts. Suddenly a powerful wind sprang up, not only it created the most scary noise he ever heard but also rustled wildly every possible bush, leaf and branch. Spyro despite his brace face shivered, he might be able to cope with the noise at some point but the moving shadows were beyond his league. He could swear that something was moving there, rippling the thick darkness just at the border of his eyesight.

Spyro remained silent despite the odds since the waving red tail in front of him still retained the same confident sways. Either he was imagining things or the Guardian ignored the threat completely. Whatever the case may be, the young purple dragon was scared to death

" I am" Spyro finally voiced his feeling once more time after a while, he didn't have to really do it since his quick shallow breaths and wavering voice clearly indicated in what state he is in

Ignitus as previously remained silent

This was enough proof for Spyro to tell that his Mentor had turned off all of his fatherly feelings for him, this means only one thing- he is in trouble.

" Ignitus let's get out of here" Spyro muttered, he knew that it is a fool's hope to believe that the Guardian will listen to him but that didn't prevent him from trying

" Such outcome is not currently possible" the red dragon replied without even the slightest hint of emotion just like a robot

" Please" the young dragon prolonged this one single word pleadingly

" War doesn't know mercy nor forgiveness"

Of course it doesn't...why should it? It's not like Spyro wanted things to be a little easier after all. There were times when he hated the prophecy and everything related to it, this was currently one such time. He wished he could quit, just like that and return to his home in the Swamps, he should never leave his home in the first place. He hated this whole prophecy thing, he hated destiny and more importantly he heated that Cynder who started it all.

She ruined his life and most likely many others, only thinking about her made him angry. She has no right to destroy so many lives! Whenever he thought about that villain and the things she had done quenched his resignation and fueled him with renewed determination. She is a dragoness who is fighting not only the other races but also her own kind.

How can someone kill people so willingly? What happened to conscience and remorse? Thinking about so many lost innocent lives made Spyro impatient to say the least. Even if she is his own kind he doesn't want to have anything to do with her. He met dragonflies who didn't show respect back in the Swamps just like her, and even years later those dragonflies were still mean to him.

People like that don't change, only a blind fool would fall for that trick. Spyro wished that his training would finally be over so he can get out there and save all those people from the vile dragoness' wrath. They did nothing to deserve such fate

" How long are we going to stay here?" Spyro asked with impatient determination. He was still clinging to the red tail in fear but that didn't prevent him from reminding himself of his cause

" Until you reach your next level of advancement" the Guardian responded in his usual manner

Another cryptic answer, Spyro knew what it meant. Firstly- Ignitus won't answer any further questions regarding this situation until he himself will see fit when the right time came to unveil the mystery. Secondly- a training session he won't forget for his entire life is being prepared, the lesson which will soon begin

Spyro followed the red dragon farther into the forest without speaking any word, he became silent but the wood didn't return the same courtesy. The scary sounds which accompanied them from the very beginning were still with them. Spyro couldn't see where he was going, he was glad that his Mentor is here with him, he can't even begin to imagine how he would feel when he would be left here all by himself.

The thick darkness seemed to encase them and with each step they made Spyro could swear that the darkness was drawing closer as if preparing itself to swallow them. His mentor was unmoved, the old dragon had a goal, a destination to reach and no trivial darkness will stop him from reaching it. As they kept progressing onwards Spyro felt more and more confused, he could barely see anything and the forms that he actually manage to spot didn't really differ from one another, Ignitus might as well lead him in circles and he wouldn't even tell the difference.

The red dragon however still strolled through the black maze just like the darkness didn't exist for him. How Ignitus could see anything was beyond Spyro's understanding, but since his Mentor was still retaining the same pace then he must know where he was going.

Countless time has passed but eventually they march came to an end, Spyro kept looking around that he didn't notice the Guardian's abrupt stop. Spyro only realized what is happening the moment he bumped into the red dragon's tail. Ignitus turned around and focused his intelligent eyes on the young dragon

" What are we Spyro?" he asked completely unconcerned by this little collision

The question caught the purple dragon by surprise, his pupil was watching him with big, confused and scared amethyst eyes " Dragons?" Spyro muttered bashfully after a moment

" And what are dragons?"

Ignitus never made it simple for him, besides the common physical work out, he also constantly put his mind to the test. Being able to fight properly was important, but the ability to think was even more so. Just like in combat you sometimes face opponents who are stronger than you, so in intellectual confrontations you are given questions that you don't know an answer for, but that doesn't prevent you from trying to find a solution.

Of course sometimes you are unable to find the key on your own, in such cases yielding is not a shame. It's the teacher's sacred duty to pass the necessary knowledge to their pupils, to help them to find a solution for their problems.

" I don't know" Spyro admitted defeated after a time of an intellectual struggle

" Beasts Spyro, we are beasts" Ignitus replied, the tone of a strict teacher, yet a dose of comfort and pride could be recognized in his voice

" Dragons are animals, similar to the animals we eat" the Guardian continued

Spyro cocked his head " How? A deer isn't a sentient creature, at least not in the same way we are. A deer cannot think like we do, it doesn't have the feelings we do, it even doesn't know how to speak"

" True, very true. We dragons have the ability to learn and that is the reason we are more advanced as a specie. However if a newborn hatchling would be left unattended by its parents, the young dragon would succumb to its feral side that is extremely palpable in the first stages of its life"

That revelation was somewhat unnerving for the purple dragon " If luck wouldn't smile at me when I was an egg and my parents wouldn't find me then you want to tell me that I would become like one of those wild animals if I hatched far away from civilization?"

Ignitus nodded " Precisely. We are predators, beats of nature and magic, hunting is in our blood" he took a breath and looked around " Some dragons decide to quench our nature, I prefer to nourish it. There are situations when your very survival or survival of those close of you will depend on your predatory instincts. To pass this test you will have to connect with your feral side"

Spyro observed his Mentor with a mix of nervousness and excitement " How do I do it?"

" You have to divest yourself from everything you've been taught as a hatchling, block your emotions, let your predatory instincts take control. We are dragons, the mightiest and most dangerous creatures the world has ever known. You are the hunter, everything else is prey, rely solely on your smell, hearing, sight and you will perceive things like you never did before"

The young dragon kept bobbing his had slightly " Ok...ok sounds simple enough"

The Guardian took a deep breath, a sign Spyro was very familiar with- a training session is about to begin " Cynder's forces are advancing through the countryside, you decided to make your way through the forest at the cover of the moon. With Lighbane's army surrounding you, your goal is to reach the village as fast as possible which is just beyond the forest and warn them of the incoming danger without compromising your position to the enemy. I'll be waiting for you at the forest's border, you have time till sunset" with that Ignitus turned around and began moving towards the darkness

" What are you doing?!" Spyro exclaimed horrified

The red dragon stopped and looked behind his shoulder " Take advantage of your predatory instincts, smell, hearing and sight will allow you to discover tracks which will point you in the right direction and warn you if you'll be heading in the wrong way. Pay attention to what nature's trying to tell you, you are a predator, a great hunter always listens to his patron"

The red dragon's words had no effect on the young dragon, the fear of being left in the woods completely alone effectively blocked any other point of focus " You can't leave me here!" he exclaimed once again

" Nature is a predator's true and only companion, to learn to listen to its call you have to be able to concentrate and solitude opens possibilities for such focus. Good luck" he began walking once more

Spyro dashed after his Mentor, grabbed and slightly yanked his tail " Ignitus no!" he yelled terrified

The red dragon stopped, Spyro could feel him shiver for a brief moment just like an electric pulse would ran through his body " This test Spyro, you will have to pass on your own" he said strictly, yet a barely noticeable hint of care could be heard in his voice

The young dragon kept yanking the Guardian's red tail " Ignitus I'm scared! Stay with me!"

" I know, that's why is vital that you learn to block all the emotions that hold you back. You are the hunter Spyro, not the prey"

The purple dragon kept pulling the red tail as a child would pull the skirt of their mother to get her attention " Please!" he exclaimed pleadingly

There was a hint of fatherly feelings of concern in the old dragons eyes as he turned to face his pupil, but they were gone with a single blink " Spyro this is not a request" he admonished the young dragon " This is not some trivial work you can skip if you don't want to do it, this is serious. One day this training might once decide who will live and who will die. Imagine that the village you have to warn really exist, if you won't make it Cynder's army will slaughter every living soul there. Is that what you want?"

Spyro frowned and let go off his Mentor's tail, he doesn't want anyone to get hurt because he chickened out, yet there was that voice inside his head telling him that he won't make it " But-"

" There is no room for buts when life is at stake. You either do it or you don't" Ignitus cut off the purple drake

" But...but I don't know what to do!"

" You are the purple dragon Spyro, you will face situations which seem futile, frightening and incomprehensible, yet people will follow you because they know you will lead them down the right path. I won't be here always to guide you, one day you will have to manage on your own, you'll have to overcome fear and face what's in store for you because only that way you will learn that life is harsh and mostly without mercy"

Spyro lowered his head, Ignitus was right, like he always was, if he is meant for greatness what could people think if he got scared by a simple forest? Yet even that thought didn't disperse the fear, he tried to hide it but he was terrified of this thick darkness " O...ok I'll...do it"

The Guardian nodded in approval " Good, remember that you are not doing it for yourself but for the people. Follow the tracks, listen to the nature's call, it will show you the way" with that the red dragon renewed his walk yet before he disappeared into the darkness the dragon looked behind his shoulder " Do not follow me, I will soon take to the air and the trail will run cold. Till sunset remember that and good luck. One more thing before I go, you have a brain, make a use of it " with those words the Guardian was gone

Spyro kept staring at the direction where his Mentor vanished, he didn't even feel when his butt was dragged to the ground forcing him to sit. Probably he couldn't believe what is happening, the turmoil inside his head took all of his concentration, he lost control of his body. He just stared in the same direction, the shock freezing him in place, he was here where he never wanted to be and he was in the position he was scared to be- completely alone. It was so easier when he lived in the Swamps, why did he leave it behind?'

A sudden loud rustle in the brush drawn him back to reality, with a startled yelp he was on all fours in seconds, claws digging deep into the soil. Spyro kept chaotically looking around. What caused that sound? Where it was coming from? Who's there? That and many other questions rushed through his mind as his terrified eyes scanned for the culprit. Another swish, the young dragon began to shiver when his head immediately turned into the direction from which the sound came.

A loud snap came from behind him, Spyro jumped into the air as he spun around, dragging bits of dirt with him when he lifted his burrowed claws from the ground. He landed on shaking paws, not to mention that his eyes wanted to jump out of his sockets, they were so wide. The young dragon started to shake uncontrollably while whimpering like a horrified dog, the darkness was scary already but now when he is here all by himself it was even more so.

Another rustle, another snap, another whizz, all those sounds were coming right ahead of him. Spyro kept shaking, the noise, the horrifying noise like the growls of the most evil of monsters echoed throughout the woods. It didn't want to stop, it came coming and coming without a single break, the young dragon impulsively started retreating while his eyes were fixed on the darkness ahead. With each step he made backwards the sound seemed to intensify, it even obscured the pounding of his heart and the strenuous work out of his lungs. He kept retreating while the noise kept getting louder, he could barely stand it and when he thought it couldn't get any worse it happened. The most terrifying howl of wind rustled the trees, just like a roar of the most deadliest of creatures. It was enough for the young purple dragon.

Spyro screamed and ran, ran like he never did before, his scared mind created things for him that never existed. As he made his way through the woods he kept looking behind his shoulder while emitting terrified whimpers. There was something in that darkness, something vile and deadly and it was chasing him. Pant after pant he made his way through the nature's maze, no bush was thick enough, no log was big enough to stop him, his legs carried him forward while the creature behind him yanked the trees to every side like they weight nothing just to make space for its monstrous form.

The constant looks Spyro threw behind his shoulder effectively let his focus drift away from the path ahead of him. After one such look he didn't notice a small branch which was protruding quite far from the ground, the moment he looked ahead his eyes shot wide open accompanied by a startled gasp. He tripped over the log and before he knew it he hit the ground snout first, that part of the ground was slightly steeper than the rest, resembling a delicate hill.

The moment his snout hit the dirt he immediately started to roll down the elevation, between his grunts as his tail kept appearing and disappearing from his sight he could hear the many loud snaps when small twigs gave up under his weight and broke. The elevation ended with a delicate ramp, however he wasn't rolling down with enough speed to shoot from it, instead the young dragon simply fell from it.

Bits of grass, dirt, leafs and twigs were thrown into the air when Spyro hit the ground with a grunt. He coughed after the impact and laid there flat on his belly, waiting for his sense to slowly return to him. His short moment of respire however was abruptly ended by the incoming roar of the terrifying beast that was chasing him. Spyro quickly found himself on all fours, he started to run forward but only seconds later he stopped, he tried that already and it didn't work, the monster was still after him.

Spyro started to scan the surroundings for an alternate solution for his problem, it was hard to discern any form thanks to the thick darkness. Eventually his eyes concentrated on the area he came from and it was then when he spotted it. The ramp he fell from looked like some kind of roof from the position he was standing right now, under it there was a cavity in the earth in form of a cave. It wasn't big nor wide, its far walls were formed from the roots of some big tree.

It wasn't the best hiding place that's for sure, yet Spyro in his desperation couldn't think of anything better, it's either run where you are pretty conspicuous or try to stay in a pitiful hiding place and wish the creature won't find you. Spyro decided to try the latter option. The young dragon dashed and momentarily found himself under the ramp, he instantly made his way to the far end wall of the small cave.

He hugged himself to the thick roots and dropped to the ground, his amethyst eyes fixed on the terrain ahead. The sound coming from the darkness was unbearable, sometimes it was far away just to come right above it. Spyro couldn't take it, the fear overwhelmed him completely, he shook uncontrollably as he observed the scenery in front of him, the trees and bushes danced just like something tried to get past them and pounce at him seconds later. The young dragon's head dropped onto his forelegs and he closed his eyes, whatever is coming for him ,he doesn't want to see it, he won't give the monster the satisfaction.

The noise came and went away yet he still kept his eyes closed, he had no idea how long he laid in that position but he never had the courage to open his eyes. Spyro thought that whatever was after him will eventually find him yet he was still lying there hugged to the thick roots, still in one piece. Time has passed, minutes or hours he couldn't tell, the young dragon was entirely focused on the sound that echoed throughout the woods, sometimes it was intense, some other time it completely died down. Another flow of time and he was still alive, something nudged Spyro that maybe the monster left, maybe he should check where it went, or at least figure out what's going on.

Spyro laid there for a longer while, with the motion of opening his eyes nudging at his brain. This was it he's going to do it but first he started to listen intently, no sound could be heard that might be coming from that monster, yet he could feel on his snout a delicate gust of warm wind. Spyro swallowed and opened his eyes in one fast move of his eyelids, the moment he did that a snout of a tiny fox appeared in front of him. Spyro screamed at the top of his lungs, the animal bent on its paws and darted into the woods whimpering in fear.

Spyro's scream died down after a while to be just replaced by quick shallow breaths, the pounding of his heart was almost deafening. How did the fox get pass the monster? That thing was just right behind him. That animal stared at him, from the quick glance he could make at it Spyro noticed that it was calm even despite the horrible creature outside. Then he realized that the fox was scared by his scream, that he scared the animal and nothing else, the young dragon remembered his Mentor's words " You are the hunter Spyro, not the prey_" they echoed inside his head pounding at his skull. If the fox was more terrified by him then maybe whatever is outside isn't that bad?_

Driven by curiosity and his new found courage Spyro got up, step after step he made his way slowly out of the safety of the roof. He stopped just at the edge, one more step and he will leave his cover, the purple dragon took a deep breath and moved forward. Nothing, nothing happened, he felt like a tremendous weight has been lifted from his shoulder.

" Nothing!" Spyro emitted a stifled scream of joy as he scanned the surroundings, whatever was chasing him wasn't here, or it got scared by him just like the fox " Who's the predator now?!" he yelled, his voice ringing with pride and confidence like never before

As if listening to him another noise of rustling trees was starting to wake up but this time Spyro didn't budge, one quick stern look was enough to silence its roar, the rustle still could be heard but it was somewhat gentler. As he observed the surroundings he could notice delicate forms of animals moving in the darkness, the once scary monsters where nothing else than the wild life inhabiting this forest and all of them were afraid of him, he could smell their fear.

A wicked smirk appeared on Spyro's snout, he calls the shots now and nobody else. A growl was rousing within his throat, but a growl was nothing compared to the thing he was about to do, something awakened within him, something feral that wanted to demonstrate its domination. Spyro let it loose, the young dragon roared, roared like he never did before in his life, the sound of his feral side even seemed to shake the ground. Life in the forest seemed to freeze for a little while and the moment his roar died down a havoc broke. Rustling of trees and bushes, snaps of little branches and twigs, whimpers and terrified caws of the many animals echoed throughout the forest. Everything was running for their lives and he was the reason why!

Spyro laughed, a mischievous and evil laugh that was but he couldn't help it, he was the monster now, it was time to give them a taste of their own medicine. The young dragon darted into the forest, didn't care where he just ran straight ahead roaring as he did so. As he made his way through the forest he could see animals running from him, he kept chasing them roaring and laughing as he did so. Spyro kept doing it until his feral side was satisfied, the growing hunger to show who's boss here eventually died down and the moment it did he stopped.

Panting Spyro scanned the surroundings, he could see the hazy forms of the animals darting into the darkness, yet he didn't chase them. Conscience waked up in him, the animals had to be terrified just like he was not so long ago and he knows that it wasn't the best of feelings. Besides it's not like they planned to scare him, this is the way the wild life works, the animals cannot be blamed for it. Spyro left them alone, it was wrong to harass them, besides he has a job to do.

" Oh no! The test!" his own voice screamed inside his skull. Ignitus set a task before him and he completely forgot about it. His Mentor mentioned something about tracks, trails or whatever, signs of nature that will point him in the right direction. First things first, it was time to find some familiar ground, from there he can plan his next move, since he was running in a straight line it won't be hard to retrace his steps and find the table turning ramp.

Spyro's deduction was correct, after a while he arrived at the familiar cave. The young dragon scanned the surroundings and wondered where to go next, he then looked up and spotted the ramp from which he fell. His feral instinct flared up within him, if something was chasing him, something big it had to leave a visible trail behind it, not to mention that it's scent should be hanging in the air. He sniffed, between his own sweat and the typical animals scent nothing else could be felt, if there was a huge monster chasing him then why he can't smell it?

Spyro climbed up the small hill and examined the surrounding area, his nose was right after all, there was nothing else here besides his own tracks. Just to make sure he examined them more closely, he was right, it was impossible that a huge creature would leave a trail as small as this one. Yes these were definitely tracks left by him and him alone, he ran his paw across a small log, some scratches could be visible on its woody surface, this was the branch he tripped over.

The purple dragon looked ahead, exactly from which the supposed monster was chasing him and sniffed once more, just like previously he didn't feel anything. Spyro made his way up the small elevation, the only things he could discern were his own tracks. Torn grass, scratched logs and snapped branches which only a creature his size would break in such a way. Even if that wouldn't convince him, the clearly visible paw prints surely did. It goes without saying that all of them belonged to him.

Yet Spyro was still pushing forward, and as always only his prints were visible. Even when he reached those trees that the monster seemed to flail like a pair of weathercocks remained intact. No broken roots, no torn out grass, not even a cracked trunk could be seen, everything was in perfect condition. The purple dragon frowned, how it was possible that a creature that big didn't damage anything. A single thought was nudging at his mind, that perhaps the monster didn't exist in the first place, that it was simply a product of his terrified imagination.

Spyro however didn't want to accept the truth, at least not until he was completely sure. He kept going and going, retracing his steps and the farther he went he slowly began to convince himself that he made up the monster. He became certain that it was only an illusion the moment he reached the place where it all started, the place where he parted ways with his Mentor. The young dragon didn't encounter any trail on his way that would suggest that a monster was chasing him. With his predatory instinct and the gnawing curiosity sated it was time to focus on the task.

It sounded simpler than it really was, Spyro didn't know what to do, his enhanced senses didn't find anything worth mentioning besides the trail left by the Guardian. He knew that Ignitus forbade him from fallowing him, yet he had no choice, even if that it was a certain dead end it was always a start. Spyro followed into his Mentor's footsteps, it's not like he has anything to lose anyway.

To the young dragon's surprise the trail didn't run cold as Ignitus mentioned, in fact it was still quite discernable. A large paw print here, a scratched and broken log there, those were the signs that an adult dragon was passing through here. Spyro followed the trail for a bit longer but it just didn't want to end. " Why is that_?" he wondered, Ignitus clearly said that the tracks will end since he would be taking to the sky soon. The young dragon looked up and his brows furrowed, if Ignitus would be lying just like he claimed he would then why the green crowns up there are untouched? It was impossible that the trees didn't feel the ascension of such a dragon._

" You have a brain, make a use of it_" Ignitus' words echoed within his skull, it was then when realization struck Spyro, his Mentor fooled him! If the red dragon did really take to the sky there would be leafs everywhere and some light would illuminate the dark forest. Nothing like that could be seen, however the trail that supposed to lead to nowhere continued. Spyro with renewed determination followed it._

After a long walk he realized that he made the right call, the trail kept going on, not to mention that the scent of the draconic scales intensified. Spyro increased his pace, he had a feeling he was on the right path, his senses warmed him up with their intensity, he could feel his Mentor out there somewhere. If he wouldn't trust his instincts then the sun rays piercing the crowns of the trees should serve as enough proof that the forest was about to end. Spyro started to run, he was running out of time if he hadn't already, even if Ignitus clearly stated that the test will be completed only when he finds him before sunset Spyro kept ignoring the rays. Soon after the forest ended and the first thing the young dragon noticed as he dashed from the woods was the silhouette of his Mentor.

" You are late" Ignitus said without any hint of emotion while still remaining in his sitting position " Everyone had been slaughtered"

" I'm sorry" Spyro panted " I've tried"

" I know you did" the Guardian's intelligent eyes focused on his pupil " I see you've learnt something"

Spyro smiled proudly " I did! You won't believe the things I could notice. Next time I'm going to pass this test for sure!" he kept exclaiming

The old dragon nodded " Very well, you will have your next chance on another dusk. Instinct and focus, this is everything you need to find the right path. Remember that"

Instinct and focus, after that harsh lesson he never forgot about them, he has still much to learn when it comes to tracking, he is not as good at it as cheetahs for example but at least he can find his way around a forest now, even if it takes him awhile. Spyro's companions kept asking him questions if he actually knows where he is leading them, or if he's sure that they aren't lost, he always gave them a short answer, a confirmation to comfort them. The memory, the past harsh experience led him and that was all that took his concentration.

After a quite long while Spyro started encountering signs that only showed that this part of the forest was never or at least wasn't traveled through for quite some time. It was difficult to discern his groups tracks from the tracks of the animals or Boven's inhabitants at first, he hasn't been tracking for a while, that break made him quite rusty. After walking in circles he eventually found the path which only wild animals used and led his companions that way. The tracking took them here, to the point where the crowns of the trees started to become thinner, allowing the moonlight to illuminate the ground, flowing water could be heard in the distance. It was a perfect spot to rest for the night

" We are here" Spyro announced

Sparx darted forward, examining the path ahead closely with his hand on his chin, then he dashed to every side and repeated the same thing before returning to his brother " An exit! How did you do that?" the dragonfly asked amazed

" Well... first you have to connect with your feral side, that will allow you to see, smell and hear things differently. It's quite simple from there now, whenever you begin tracking you have to-"

" Stop!" Sparx exclaimed cutting his brother off " I've asked of politeness I don't really want to know" he began rubbing his forehead " Damn my head hurts already"

Spyro sighed sadly

" But I do" Cynder said while she approached the purple dragon with a smile " Tell me how you did that it was great"

Spyro clearly brightened up when he heard her genuine interest, with a smile he began explaining to her the things which Ignitus passed on him.

After a slight turmoil, preparing some berries and such for a snack the group was preparing to retire for the night. While the three friends were confident in their moves, their new companion was confused. While the rest of the group was enjoying their simple sweet treat Flare was staring at the fruits in bewilderment, they were so odd looking and so squishy. He would lie to himself if he said that they didn't rouse his curiosity, there was so much to learn about this forest, he sought counsel regarding the trees, this discovery he decided to explore all by himself. The red dragon lowered his head to take a sniff at the fruits

" Flare" a female voice calling his name caught his attention, he left the fruit alone for the moment and clearly perked when he noticed who was addressing him

" I've been wondering..." Cynder continued as she saw that the dragon was looking at her "...that thing that tried to strangle you. What kind of golem was it?"

Flare's eyes flicked at the purple dragon for a second just to return to the black dragoness for a moment " You mean you don't know?"

" No I don't. Why? Should I recognize it?"

" I thought you knew since you are traveling with..." and then the red dragon's voice trailed off. He reminded himself that it was not exactly his time since he jumped through that...portal or whatever it was. Now these two are ruled by the dragonfly and maybe he wants to keep some secrets, it wouldn't be wise to anger the Puppeteer by betraying them. " That was a Keeper" he finally stated

Spyro and Cynder exchanged puzzled glances between themselves " A Keeper?" the dragoness repeated the name surprised and confused

" Yep. Artificial slaves with only two tasks. Keep the prisoners in line and terminate them if they cause trouble. Oh yeah, and they are indestructible"

Cynder smirked " Somebody lied to you, we turned that thing to ruble"

Flare jerked back stunned " You destroyed it? How and why?"

" Why? We had no other choice, it attacked us, didn't you see how we fought it?"

The red dragon shook his head " No, the Keeper knocked me out" he focused on the dragoness once more" But when I saw that it was no longer active I've thought that you disabled it"

Both friends exchanged the same glances once again " We could disable it?" Cynder finally asked " How?"

Flare shrugged " I dunno, I've always thought that it was possible since everyone said they were controlled but you say that it did attack you." He shook his head sadly " I don't know what's true or not anymore. It's all messed up"

" Dude, stick around and you'll see things you never thought existed" Sparx commented with somewhat resigned tone

Flare picked one of the berries and looked at it, he didn't understand how he could stick himself but it was not important, the other half of the sentence bothered him " I can believe that" he muttered

" The unknown isn't that scary, you just need to explore, better to find out if something is bad on your own than not trying at all and being left in the dark. Discover new things and maybe they will be something you never expected them to be" Cynder comforted their new companions, while gently encouraging him at the same time since she his confused stare at the fruits didn't escape her notice

Flare sighed " Knowing my luck I'm not going to like those new things" he closed his eyes and after exhaling a short breath he threw the berry into his mouth. Wincing as if expecting something horrible to happen he squashed the fruit with his razor teeth. The moment he did that his eyes snapped wide open as the sweet juice caressed his palate

" These things are great!" he exclaimed amazed and with a lick of his mouth munched another sweet fruit

Cynder smiled " See Flare? It ain't that bad" there was no response, the young dragon was entirely focused on devouring the berries. She turned to her two other companions " One thing is bugging me though, why Flare? You spit that name like it meant something. So what's the story?"

Spyro smiled " It's nothing special, when-"

" Bro don't bother" Sparx cut off the young dragon with a pat on his purple head " To fully understand this show of brilliance Cyn you need a home, friends and family"

Cynder narrowed her green eyes on the dragonfly threateningly " And to fully understand life you need arms, lungs and a head. Keep pushing me and you are very close to losing one of those things"

Sparx turned to his brother while pointing at the dragoness with his open palm " See what I have to go through every day? With her around I always need to sleep with one eye opened"

Spyro sighed and shook his head, ignoring this pointless dispute " When we were kids Sparx made up a dragonfly named Flare who could do things nobody else could, basically he was special just like our new friend here"

Cynder watched the purple dragon with envy glistening in her emerald eyes. She was once again reminded of the void sucking at her from within. Hearing Spyro talk about his childhood memory filled her with sadness, she was happy of course that he had a good life, yet the loss of her own childhood hurt her.

Cynder smiled, she had a very hard time maintaining it " Nice idea" she whispered painfully

Spyro knew her long enough to recognize when something's bothering her, he also knew that whenever someone mentioned childhood she always lost the beaming smile he adored so much

" Cynder I'm sorry" he apologized sincerely

She waved her paw with a stifled giggle " Oh come on, some of us grow up among friends while others learn how to kill from the beginning. Hey it ain't that bad when you think of it, at least I know how to defend myself. Weaker sex my tail, besides you know how good I'm with people" she lowered her head, sniffed and winced " Damn I stink, I need a bath, be right back" with a troubled smile she made her way towards the path from which the sound of flowing water was coming from. As she walked she touched the pouch hanging from her neck to Flare's fiery wing and disappeared into the forest soon after

Spyro watched her go with eyes filled with pity...and something else. It was just like he watched her go when she left the Dragon Temple after he saved her all those years ago, minus the fainting. It was strange but he recognized the other feeling, it was yearning. She was leaving him only for a while yet Spyro didn't want to see her go, a part of him wanted to grab her black tail, pull her back and never let go. The other part wanted to follow her, yet both sides had one thing in common- the wanted the black dragoness close.

" Bro you alright?" Sparx asked worried

" I miss her" Spyro emitted a barely hearable whisper, it happened impulsively, just like his own heart would be speaking through his mouth

" What?" the dragonfly leaned closer and raised his voice to get a more clear answer from the dragon since he didn't quite make out the words previously

Spyro at the sound of his brother's raised voice was dragged back to reality, with a shake of his head snapped out from his moment of trance " Yeah...yeah...I'm fine" he mumbled, his eyes constantly focused in the direction she went

Cynder kept heading in the direction of the sound of flowing water, in truth she just wanted to get out of there, she didn't want to let Spyro see her in this slightly depressed state, he would feel guilty and that was the last thing she wanted. The dragoness wished for something great and unexpected to happen that would cheer her up, but since you usually don't get what you want she will at least relax.

A moment of invigoration for her tired mind and sore muscles, not to mention that she actually did stink, being hurled into every possible object and a strenuous trek through the forest had to take their toll. After a short walk she had finally reached the stream, it was quite a sight in fact. Clear water was flowing downwards from a small hill which resembled a tiny waterfall. The water fell down into a pond, the liquid was perfectly clean, it reflected the moon in all its glory. No tree crown blocked the sky just like nature wanted to let moonlight shine in this particular place on purpose.

And shined it did, it was the brightest place between the thick darkness, just like an oasis in a vast empty desert. The silvery light illuminating the pond pushed all the blackness away. When Cynder gazed into the water she could see the reflection of her own tired and dirty snout. The water itself was inviting, like it wanted to embrace her draconic feminine figure.

Not even a delicate hint of protest crossed her mind, she accepted the invitation gladly. Cynder nervously wiggled the warm pouch Amela gave her, soon she will find out if it works but for now it was time to relax. Cynder removed the pouch from around her neck and placed it on the rocky ground just next to the water. She dipped her paw into the water and splashed the cool fluid on her snout. She emitted a moan of pleasure as the drips refreshed her tired snout while also moistening her dry lips and sore throat.

Cynder repeated the same a couple more times before she decided that it was the right time to enter the pond. Firstly she dipped her right foreleg, her second followed soon after. Being bent like that she kicked with her hind legs pushing her body forward while spreading her wings wide to both sides. The moment the pleasantly chilly water embraced her figure it tore a blissful moan from her throat.

She saw for a little while before diving, Cynder pushed with her legs rippling the perfectly clean underwater scenery with her moves. She went lower in a straight line to at the bottom with one strong push direct her body in such a way that she headed directly upwards, two strong moves were enough to reach the surface. The moment Cynder resurfaced she emitted a pleasant gasp of air, water was dripping from her feminine body in streams, her moistened black scales glistened in the silvery light of the moon.

Wiping the remnants of the water from her snout Cynder slowly swam in the direction where she left the pouch. While still in the water she turned around and leaned her back against the stony wall with her wings spread wide open for support and protection from drowning. She closed her eyes listening intently to the sound of the flowing water, she was breathing deeply allowing her mind to drift away to some unknown place, far away from the turmoil of everyday life.

After a while of such relaxing time Cynder opened her eyes and reached for the pouch, from there she removed the warm familiar flask with the herbs within. She examined it closely for a while.

" Here goes" with that Cynder uncorked the flask and sniffed " Whoa" she mumbled when the strong aroma wrinkled her nose bringing tears to her eyes, the scent instantly attacked her mind leaving her dizzy, it was a bad idea to sniff it from up close.

Regaining her senses after blinking a few times she placed the flask next to her head and with an exhale of anticipation relaxed once more. Her emerald gaze was fixed on the somewhat noisy mini waterfall, yet the sound was slowly dying. It looked like the herbs were doing their magic, at least one of them did, she could only smell one plant. When the aroma wafted in her direction it wasn't as strong as before.

Her nose gladly accepted the now gentle scent. The smell that reached her was very pleasant, the enjoyable flowery aroma caressed her nostrils softly. Surprisingly that was everything she could smell, besides the rosemary Cynder couldn't discern any other herb. It mattered not, she just wanted to relax, be it two flowers or one she didn't care, she just wished they worked.

Cynder kept watching the flowing water, the streams that flew down were completely silent, it looked like that not even nature in all its glory wanted to disturb her rest. The whole world seemed to forget about her, leaving the dragoness to her refreshing solitude. The moment she closed her eyes, Cynder felt like she was the only creature in the whole Realms, at least she had a moment solely for herself.

" You are enjoying yourself I see"

Her emerald eyes snapped open after hearing the unexpected yet familiar voice. She turned her head just to see a purple dragon standing next to her head. Even in this shrouded by darkness forest she could see her friend clearly, thanks to the silvery light

" Spyro" Cynder blurt out surprised " What are you doing here? I've told you that I will be right back"

" I know, it's just that I've felt guilty when I've mentioned my happy childhood while you had it rough from the very start" he took a breath " It's good to finally get this out of my chest

The thing she feared was just happening, she can't allow him to feel guilt, it isn't his fault " No harm done, I'm fine" Cynder offered a slight comfort

Spyro smiled, there was something unnerving in the way how he did it yet she decided to ignore it " Besides, I really wanted to see you"

The dragoness chuckled, she decided to turn his words into a joke, he couldn't mean it after all " Yeah, it's not like we see each other every day. Just imagine how boring it would be"

He didn't even giggle " I love your company" he answered bluntly

The tone of his voice and the emphasis he put on _love_quelled her giggle instantly " You...you are serious? Umm...thanks I suppose" she replied dumbfounded

With the same somewhat creepy smile he raised the flask with the herbs and examined it " What are those?"

Cynder bit her lip, she didn't want to him to know the truth, telling him about the nightmares wasn't a really good idea " You...remember when I've went to the hospital? I've wanted something to help me relax and fall into a blissful sleep. After all we've been through I deserve a bit of innocent rest right?" she sighed " But here I am with my eyes opened and talking to you, I think you can guess how good those herbs actually are"

Spyro put the flask down and looked into the pond " How's the water?"

" Great to be honest, I've put all my faith into the medicine but the water is doing just fine"

He threw her a cold glance " Will you let me in?" he asked with a strange excitement ringing in his voice

Her head jerked back, what kind of question was that? It's not like the pond is her property " Sure...hop in"

Spyro's eyes twinkled for a very brief moment, the dragon jumped into the pond right after she finished her sentence. An odd electric pulse ran through her body the moment he splashed into the water, also the stone wall she was leaning against started to pluck at her back. She had to rearrange her body since the wall felt so uncomfortable all of a sudden.

" It feels...glorious" the purple dragon huffed blissfully

Cynder furrowed a brow " Glorious?" she rearranged her body with a wince " Oh I guess it's one way to put it" she tried to find a more comfortable position but nothing helped " Damn what's wrong with this wall"

" I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time"

" Yeah?" she punched the wall with her shoulder out of pure menace and glared at it " Happens when you are dirty" she hissed irritated

" All this time...it was worth the wait, however sometimes I could barely stand it" he huffed once again with this blissful and cold tone of his " And you know what kept me going? Patience, a difficult trial but I knew I would be rewarded one day, I knew this time would come eventually"

She wasn't really paying attention, the irritating wall took almost all of her attention " Some of us are less patient than the others" with that she punched the wall once more with a growl. To her surprise it worked, she wiggled her shoulders and leaned against the stone once more " Finally!" Cynder exclaimed in relief and began to turn her head " As for your problem Spyro listen-"

She yelped the moment her eyes looked ahead, the purple snout of her friend appeared silently just mere inches from her snout " Dear Ancestors, Spyro!" she screamed and giggled soon after " I didn't even hear you swim, don't scare me like that!"

" Do you believe in destiny Cynder?" Spyro asked while observing her with a cold and hungry stare

The odd questions caught her by surprise" Umm...I should after everything I saw I suppose, but..."

" Because I do, and the last events reassured me of that even more"

The gaze he was giving her made her uncomfortable " That's great Spyro but..." she started wiggling in the water as if trying to lean away from his sight " Don't get it the wrong way but could you not look at me like that?" she rippled the water nervously with her wings, she felt trapped " It makes me uneasy"

His amethyst eyes followed her nervous snout " I can't help it, you are so beautiful" he replied bluntly

" I've told you to not get it the-" her shout trailed off as she finally realized what he just said " Wait, what?"

" You've heard me"

" You think I'm..." she blushed and started to scratch her choker nervously "...beautiful?" she eventually spelled the word after some nervous gulps

A corner of Spyro's mouth twitched into a smile " I've noticed how you've been looking at me, this was the only way to make sure if I was right"

Cynder cackled uneasily " Yeah you see...I...it's not like..." she blushed even harder and averted her gaze " Whoa it's getting hot in here don't you think?" she laughed nervously " Time to go" she arched her body forward preparing to leave

He placed a paw on her belly, gently holding her in place, the moment he did that her eyes shot wide open " It's alright, I feel the same way about you"

His words brought tears to her eyes, she wished for something great to happen but never expected something like this. He said the words she desired to hear for so long, she just couldn't believe it " Y-y-y-you do?" Cynder stammered

" We are destined to be together Cynder, you and I. We are one and nothing can change that"

Her heart pounded at her chest, its longing, its craving will finally be sated. However there was one more side fighting within the dragoness, her mind screamed, it sent alarm signals that something isn't right, that it's too good to be true. There she was, torn apart by two forces wanting to dominate her emotions, the struggle only brewed uncertainty within her " I really wanted to hear you saying that you feel the same way about me, you can't imagine how it hurts to wait, but to tell you the truth, now when we are in this situation I'm not so sure about this. Spyro you are acting strange, since when you are so bold?"

She could swear that she saw his eyes shimmer with admiration, but just as well she could have imagined it since the twinkle, if it even was there in the first place, was gone momentarily " There is only one way to resolve this doubt" he answered and moved his head closer towards her lips

Cynder jerked her head back before their lips met " Wha...what are you doing?" she mumbled in shock

Spyro looked her straight into the eyes " Trying to determine if you are ready for this. A simple test, if it'll be too fast and you won't like it I'll back off. Promise"

" Spyro I-" her voice was cut off when he kissed her unexpectedly and since her mouth was hanging open he was able to caress her lower lip only. Blood shot to her brain, her mind was screaming that she should stop it, that this is wrong. However her heart had an entirely different opinion, it felt like it was about to jump right from her chest, it cried that this is the right thing to do. Spyro's kiss was something more, something way beyond her imagination, he was gently caressing her lower lip while she was doing completely nothing, the feeling made her numb and froze her in place, it felt like her whole body died besides her lower lip. And just like that he retreated, breaking the kiss and leaving her opened mouth the way it was before, as she regained her senses she realized that the kiss felt like a tease, a foretaste for something much greater if she decides to go down that road

" I...I...I..." Cynder mumbled, due to the shock she couldn't form a proper sentence

" I see that you are still uncertain, let's see what we can do about that" he moved his paw upwards along her magenta scales, she shuddered under his touch " If you won't like it tell me to stop" with that he moved his paw down and kissed her neck

That was enough, with that he silenced her screaming mind. Cynder arched her head upwards the moment he pressed his lips to her neck. The kiss tore a blissful uncontrollable moan from her throat, her eyes closed momentarily as she could feel her snout turning red from pleasure and embarrassment. Her red cheeks and the red dash above her nose felt like they were radiating heat, if anyone would touch her he would surely burn himself. Not that it bothered her, the only thing she could feel was his paw caressing her defenseless body and his lips fondling her neck. It was like he knew what to tear moans from her, Spyro's paw never remained in the same place, he was caressing her underbelly and chest while also pushing his paw forward to cuddle her sides, and every time he explored an untouched part of her body she shivered.

His lips were also active, he started by kissing the front end of her neck, making her head arch upwards farther and farther while he fondled the magenta scales right below her chin. Whenever he was about to reach her snout he backed down, her head automatically followed him. The moment he returned to the starting point he pushed his body closer while at the same time moving his head forward to caress the yet unexplored spots of her feminine neck. The longer it lasted the harder it was for Cynder to control her reactions, the constant moans and quick breaths were a clear sign that she is completely under his spell. His lips kept kissing the side of her neck until they couldn't go any farther, it was then when he started backing down with his lips still glued to her neck. The moment he reached the middle part on the side of her neck he sank delicately his sharp into the fragile part of her body. The sting and uncontrollable shiver his razor teeth sent through her body tore a stifled squeal of feral bliss from her throat. The moment her gentle cry ended he withdrew his teeth and caressed the punctures on her neck with lips, the kiss tore another pleasurable moan from her throat. He backed down the same way, when he reached the front end of her neck he went upwards once again but this time when he was about to reach her snout he broke the kissing.

Spyro withdrew his head and looked at her " We are one" he whispered with a menacing tone the moment she opened her blurry eyes and leaned towards her lips

Cynder didn't care much about how he just sounded, his lips pressing against her own was all that mattered for her now fully in control longing heart. Her eyes momentarily shut down, at first she didn't do nothing, she was just savoring the moment, the thing she wished for was just happening, the time for waiting was over, he had finally chose her. It was then when she slowly parted her lips allowing him more room to caress while she herself started to return the kiss. Cynder had never done this, yet there was that feeling telling her what to do, telling her that she is doing alright.

She let passion guide her, the moment was even better than she had ever imagined it, her lips became tumid and extremely sensitive to touch. As his lips gently worked on her own Cynder felt like the world ceased to exist, the two of them and the growing heat gnawing at her only remained. Cynder started to bashfully sip from the blissful source his lips offered, the moment she started to explore more fervently the sensation their kiss offered by tilting her head to try different angles blood started to pump through her veins at extremely increased rate. Cynder felt just like alcohol would hit her head, yet it wasn't bad, she loved the state of tipsiness their kiss roused and the slight vertigo that came with it pulled her to unexplored boundaries of bliss.

She was right, that unexpected kiss he gave her was actually a foretaste, the passionate kiss they were sharing currently was the reward. A simple endearment but it brought with it an unexplained feeling of delight she never thought were reachable to her. Cynder melted in the kiss entirely, she was caressing him in her own shy way, he seemed to be more experienced than her, occasionally he delicately touched her exposed lip with the tip of his tongue, by fondling her sensitive part in that way Spyro lifted her to higher levels of pleasure. Cynder never tried it herself, she was following his more basic moves, but who cares about technique? Pleasure and intimacy is all that mattered, to which Cynder was completely lost, the kiss was her only concern, she didn't care about anything else.

If she did the dragoness would realize why her defeated mind was screaming in alarm, she would notice that the once clear azure water began to turn black slowly around both of them. Yet she didn't, her yearning heart effectively deafened every notion of warning. Cynder wanted this moment to last, she waited for it so long that nothing else mattered. After who knows how long he finally broke the kiss and withdrew his head leaving her black snout with closed eyes hanging in the air as if in anticipation for something else. Countless time has passed and yet nothing came, it was then when she decided to open her eyes.

The moment she did that Cynder yelped, it was no longer Spyro in front of her, the dragon had his build but the browns eyes and the green wings with mottled grey membranes proved that he was not the dragon she loved.

" We are one" he said and pressed his lips to her once more before she could utter a word

Cynder's eyes shot wide open, she tried to scream her protest but she was muffled by his fierce and undesired kiss, the only thing that she emitted was a loud terrified hum. Her emerald orbs were traveling chaotically across the pond while she kept screaming inside the dragon's mouth in fear. The dragoness began to thrash splashing the black liquid everywhere by the uncontrollable kicks of her paws and flaps of her wings. She just couldn't break free, his kiss was like a lock that held her in place, however the darkness didn't have such limitations, it kept advancing towards her unhindered.

She looked at the dragon that held her, the sight horrified her even more, the dragon that was kissing her had his brown eyes locked on her. The stare sent a shiver down her spine, Cynder screamed even louder than before, she just had to get out of here. Her survival instinct took control, she placed her paws on the dragons chest and pushed with all the strength she could muster.

Then something unexpected happened, there was a crack and her paws fell inwards while being covered by something thick gross to the touch, just like she would crack a rotten barrel with some decayed fruits or something similar in it. She withdrew her paws and her eyes widened in horror the moment she looked at them, her paws were trickling with blood, not even the dark water seemed to be able to wash it off. Soon the contents of the thing she cracked resurfaced, bits of torn scales, entrails, flesh and muscles resurfaced, the blood gory mess tossing in the water in front of her made her scream in terror even louder.

Cynder had to break the lock somehow, she pushed the dragon in panic, but instead of yanking herself free her paws slid down his shoulders peeling off his scales as they did so. Blood started to flow from the now exposed cracked flesh, but that was just the beginning. Soon parts of the dragon's head started to fall off, the membranes began to peel off, the wings started to break with loud snaps. However as disgusting as it looked like, that wasn't the worst thing that happened. The dragon's mouth began to deteriorate while it still held her in a fierce kiss, Cynder kept emitting the muffled scream while parts of the drake's body began to fill her mouth.

She could feel his palate cracking open and splattering on her tongue, streams of disgusting blood followed soon after. Despite her abhorrence she was forced to swallow the red liquid, but the flow was so intense that she just couldn't keep up, the remains she couldn't swallow trickled from the corners of her mouth and down her chin. Later Cynder could feel his lips dissolving, parts of those once desirable lips started to fill the inside of her mouth, followed soon by the bits and pieces of the dragon's teeth and tongue.

When the lower part of his mouth began to deteriorate Cynder was finally able to break herself free, with one fierce jerk and a terrified cry she pushed away from the dragon. The brown eyes never ceased to stare at her, the moment she looked at the dragon his jaw fell off. A moment of creepy silence has befallen on them as she gazed into those brown eyes, and then she felt the darkness encasing. Cynder only managed to emit a faint gasp when she was sharply pulled down into the depths of the dark water. As she descended she could only hear the sound of somebody calling her name, the calling seemed to intensify with each passing second...

Spyro gently shook her shoulder " Cynder, Cynder, Cynder" he kept calling her name as he did so

She finally stirred and he withdrew his paw but then something unexpected happened. The moment her sleepy eyes caught the sight of the waking sun's shy rays they momentarily snapped open. She began to scream and thrash in the pond, splashing the azure water in every direction.

" Hey, hey, hey" he repeated tenderly and grabbed her shoulder " It was just a dream" he comforted her

The moment she set her eyes on him she screamed even louder " Get away from me!" Cynder yelled and splashed the water in his direction

" It's me!" Spyro shouted back while wiping the water from his snout

" I don't believe you!" she yelled once more and began to look around the pond. That move tore another terrified scream from her throat, in an instant she jumped from the water

" Cynder relax! You were dreaming!"

She shook off the water from her body and shuddered, just like she would touch something disgusting and wanted to get rid of the feeling before she fixed her murderous eyes on the purple dragon " What do you want from me?!" she roared " Tell me now or else..."

" Nothing!" Spyro shouted cutting her off " You came here for a bath remember? I wanted to get one too so I got up early and found you here instead!"

" Liar!" the dragoness roared again

" Just look around you! It was dark when you came here but now the sun's waking up!"

Cynder wanted to emit another roar but she quelled it inside her, her eyes slowly started to scan the surroundings and in fact it was getting more sunny. She looked at the flask, the herbs looked spent and dried out, no aroma was coming from them, they looked like they were completely used. Her eyes returned to the purple dragon, she still mistrusted him but there was only one way to find out if he is real

" Spyro look at me" she ordered him

He did as he was told, he didn't want to anger her further " Ok, I'm looking, now what?" he finally asked after a moment of silent staring

" What do you see?"

Spyro started to evaluate her from horn to claw, he took his sweet time but no matter how much time has passed he still had no idea what to look for. It was dangerous to keep her waiting, he has to guess " Ummm... you are clean?" he replied with ringing uncertainty

Cynder balked, the anger in her eyes vanished momentarily. It was really him, she was sure of it, not even the best actor in the whole world could fake that obliviousness. She ran and hugged him " You have no idea how glad I am you said that!" she couldn't believe her own words, she always desired to hear him say something that would hint his affection for her but this time she was happy like a child that he didn't do it. She had enough of romance for one day.

He arched back the moment she wrapped herself around him, he had to struggle to remain steady, it was quite a feat thanks to the speed with which she threw herself at him " It's okay, it's okay" he stroked her back " It's over now" Spyro whispered comfortingly

She broke their embrace and looked at him " You wouldn't be able to imagine the things I saw in that dream. They were so creepy"

" Was is really that bad?"

Cynder wanted to reply Yes but she just couldn't pronounce it, she looked him over and just couldn't think of anything else than the kiss in her dream " It...it had its moments"

He smiled " I bet it did, a nightmare couldn't be behind your purring"

" I didn't purr!" she protested while blushing slightly

Spyro's smile grew wider, he wanted to tease her a little, to help her mind forget about the nightmare " Oh yes you did! Tell me what it was all about!"

The flush on her snout became more intense " No way!"

" Oh come on, I'm curious"

" No!"

" I won't tell anybody, promise!"

" Spyro no!"

" We are friends, you can tell me anything!"

" Spyro stop it!" she exclaimed once more but this time averted her gaze, she could feel herself blushing intensely

" Cynder promise I won't laugh or anything" he wriggled and straightened up " Come on, hit me with your best shot"

The blush was gone after he said that, she turned and looked at him, giving him a meaningful look " Watch it, I've spent some time around Flare"

Spyro gulped, he understood the meaning behind her words perfectly " Point taken"

She grinned " I've thought so" dropping her evil smile she continued " Now with that out of the way, how about we get out of here?"

" A moment, I do need a bath"

Cynder kept pacing back and forth the rocky ground near the pond sharing a cheerful conversation with her swimming friend. While they talked like this her eyes fell on the used flask of herbs, it was then that she realized that she is full of energy, like after a proper night's sleep, she hadn't felt like that for a long time. Even if the medicine didn't blocked the creepy dreams, it at least allowed her to rest. The dream, it was something difficult to explain, she could swear that it was real, she could feel every single thing, and to make it worse she can remember every single detail, but it still was just a dream and she was glad it ended with the first sun rays.

Then as she walked something wet fell on her paw, it was odd since it didn't seem like it was about to rain. Cynder looked down and noticed a single red dot on her paw, she furrowed a brow and then another drop fell and splattered on the same spot, soon followed by another and another. Her mouth became moist, something began to trickle from it, she brushed her lips with her claw and looked at it, red liquid dripped from it. Startled she ran her other claw across her lips and looked at it soon after, Cynder yelped when she realized what it was-blood, and it was dripping from her mouth.

" Cynder? Are you alright?" Spyro asked worried from the pond, her terrified yelp startled him

She didn't hear him, the dragoness was completely focused on the sudden appearance of blood in her mouth. Her fear intensified when she felt a lump appearing in her mouth out of nowhere, something got stuck in her throat. Cynder reached into her mouth, her paw was moving deeper and deeper until she found a grip of the foreign object, whatever it was it was greasy and meaty to the touch. With trembling paw she removed the foreign object, the moment it was out of her mouth she looked at it. The dragoness gagged when she noticed that it was part of a tongue, Cynder dropped the disgusting thing on the ground and ran into the nearby bushes, she couldn't hold it, she was going to throw up.

" Cynder what's going on!?" Spyro shouted after her and began to get out of the water instantly

Cynder made her way towards the nearby thick layer of bushes and vomited, when the unpleasant ordeal was finally over she looked at the spew despite her common sense. To her surprise however it didn't contain any blood or some body parts for that matter, it looked like the ordinary repulsive pool of vomit " What the hell?" only that kind of thought crossed her mind, she had no idea what is happening, it didn't really feel like she was hallucinating, or was she?

" Everything's ok?" Spyro's worried shout came from behind her

" Yeah I'm ok" Cynder coughed " Seems the berries I ate didn't like me very much" she lied, the dragoness didn't want to worry him about something she didn't understand herself

He sighed in relief " That's good..." he winced, it didn't sound right " I mean it's bad that you feel sick but I'm glad that you ate those berries. Wait that's not right! I mean-"

She giggled " I understand" Cynder interjected, ending his babble

Spyro smiled " We better get going, leaving Flare with Sparx alone might-" his voice was cut off by a terrified scream that echoed throughout the forest, it could only belong to one of their companions

" Flare!" both dragons exclaimed simultaneously and ran in the direction of the echoing shriek as fast as their legs could carry them.