FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 15

Speed.

As a creature of speed he enjoyed the special thrill the sight of the sliding world around woke up within him as he ran. When you stop thinking is like watching an empty play in the theater, with the sets constantly and quickly changing on their own. Eyes barely stopping on one, unable to feel boredom from staring at one scenery because momentarily they are presented with another one. Then another after that and another.

For him slowness is new sickness.

There was only one type of creatures faster than him, birds. Dragons also had wings and in the sky were incomparably beautiful, that is why he didn't consider them in this comparison, it was disrespectful to compare such magnificent beings to anything, especially when it is done by a creature of such a low stature as him.

He envied the birds, the way their feathers fluttered in the air, perfectly cutting through every gust of wind like an oar of a boat sliding across water. He didn't tell this anybody, but it was because of the birds that he started wearing cloaks, just to let it flutter in the air as he ran. Feeling like he would have wings.

Everyone else believed that he wore cloaks for additional protection, basically they believed whatever he told them. Who would question a talented and experienced scout after all?

He laughed.

He dreamt of flying, dreamt of feeling the lashes of wind slapping against his face, yet he is a creature that walks this earth on solid legs, he knew that this dream will remain a dream. Creature like him will never have wings.

Being stuck on the ground, rushing through its every bush and toppled tree can get boring. He became so good at it that he no longer improved, the speed he achieved during his runs was the best his body was capable of.

And then the dream evolved into something far more possible and horrible at the same time. He didn't need wings growing from his back, all he needed was a mount with wings being its natural limb of sorts. A trained mount that would allow him to feel the speed.

He didn't have to look far, his mind immediately came up with an idea.

A dragon.

This is why dreams are called dreams, they make you crave the plausible, but at the same time taunting you with the scent of the unreachable. To be someone's mount, this is dishonorable and disrespectful for the dragons, he was fully aware that dragons are creatures of arrogance and pride, they were born as idols not pets. Making them serve is like asking a king to clean the floors.

There were also exceptions of course, like Spyro, a dragon that wouldn't have objections if he would only ask him. In the question however was the whole problem, it felt like cheating and he believed that asking about lending a back to fulfill a dream would be disgraceful towards his friend.

Among fascination there was also a place for honor. And he would never taint the latter, be it his or someone else's.

Another powerful gust of wind shuffled the strands of his fur like a professional gamer shuffles his deck of cards. Usually he was quite pedantic when it came to keeping his fur in good condition, like any other member of his feline race. Of course whenever it was possible, as a scout his fur got used to all kind of treatment, blood, mud, rain, all of this and more was considered as a healing touch.

Strong, blowing wind however was a new addition to his personal list of cosmetics.

He loved it.

Another laughter escaped his throat.

He just now realized that his mouth hurt, the smile spreading was so wide that it constantly stretched the corners of his mouth. Sending stinging pulses of pain as if someone would be cutting his mouth with a dagger.

He was like a cub.

He laughed once more.

When was the last time he felt like that he had no idea. It was sad actually when he thought about it, he was so consumed with work and duty that he closed the door to happiness and barred them tight and strong.

And yet that wasn't the complete truth.

The fulfillment of his dream broke through the barrier and tore the door from its hinges, it wouldn't be possible if the artificial boards weren't weakened. Only now when he focused his eye of imagination on the blockade he noticed that they were slightly cracked, something already scratched at them.

He concentrated some more, trying to remember when he tasted childish joy before. Letters appeared on the cracked boards, he immediately focused once again. Duty and work consumed him once more, the letters began to fade, work and duty didn't belong before this door.

However he had to know.

Ta-

Those were the only two letters he managed to read before the writing faded into the cracks.

What did that mean?

He gasped when the back on which he was sitting on bucked unexpectedly like an uneasy stallion.

"Aren't you enjoying yourself too much up there?" a hypnotizing, dark swooned steady voice reached his ears, a perfectly hearable voice that surfed on the currents of the wind like on big water waves

"You'r hands can compete with the paws of the most sexually fluent dragoness I spent the night with. No male has ever touched me like that"

He frowned, completely confused about the words that he just heard, yet his eyes, stirred by his mind, understood even the tiniest imperceptible tone that even his feline ears couldn't catch. His sight landed on his hands, ears stiffened like boards, experiencing every touch of the roaring wind to the fullest before rolling back and flattening in shame against his skull.

His hands withdrew from the natural cavities of the draconic body that served as the most unpleasant handle. The caught his hands softly massaging the dragon's sides, as if wanting to feel every curve and muscle his body was made of.

With a startled gasp he hectically grabbed the ridged, protruding, scaly handles, his panicked, ashamed mind completely ignored the pulsing pain from his pierced hand. In this very moment the overwhelming joy evaporated from him entirely, he looked around, especially down at the earth below, for the very first time sad that the ground was so far away.

"Pleasure is a greatest incentive to vice" Danox said, slowing his flight so he would be heard, words coming from his mouth slowly and loudly, as if he would be reciting words that he read a million times already

"Shame is a burden, better let your soul intoxicate itself on the dreams than let it be restricted. Impulsive emotions are hindering"

"I apologize" Hunter muttered

A single black eye looked at him. He saw nothing in it but his own reflection.

"I said there is no reason to beg for forgiveness. Do whatever you need to do if it makes you feel better. My comment was only the consequence of the force of a habit, some things just stay with you forever no matter how hard you try to release yourself from them"

He simply nodded without a word.

The black head turned away. Wings pushed down, forcing the draconic body into another airborne slide.

"Tell me of your joy"

Hunter cocked his head.

"Excuse me?"

"It was a simple request. Tell me how joy feels like"

"It's not like I didn't understand the question, the oddity of it is what surprised me. Have you never been happy? I presume it feels alike"

"We all have our own stories to tell, in mine you would find the reason behind my questions. There are moments in life that would make you happy, I wish to be reminded how it felt like, I want to be prepared. I'm whimsical that way"

Hunter respectfully didn't pry, dragons in all their majesty have the tendency to force their will upon you. Even through the politeness you sometimes can feel the authoritative, subtle reminder that shows you your place in the line. He got used to that.

"When you feel truly happy" he said, looking around the shifting ground below, impulsively freeing his one hand from Danox' back and stretched it to the side, palm aimed down as if wanting to feel heat wafting from the earth

"Your all other senses become numb, every worry or thought that's not related with joy fades away" Hunter pulled back his hand, rubbing the corners of his stretching into a smile lips with his thumbs

His mouth stung.

"The only downside of happiness is that your mouth starts to hurt if you remain in its embrace long enough" he chuckled softly

"Numb?" the black dragon repeated curiously "Then perhaps I am happy"

"There is no chance here, there has to be a reason behind the joy, reason which you must be aware of"

"Maybe I found the reason" Damox' paw raised up, claw pointing ahead "Is that the city we are looking for?"

Hunter perched up on the black back, past the draconic horns he spotted the features of a familiar city coming into view.

"Yes, that's Warfang" his ears flickered, as if they would be struck by a whip. His voice was unexpectedly gloomy

An image of his own reflection deflecting from a completely dark eye flashed before his eyes.

Danox scanned the area from left to right.

"Youth has its charms. Come Hunter, let's go home"

The dragon pushed forward, without showing any kind of excitement as always.

He on the other hand felt like he was boiling, he didn't feel so nervous even when his life was threatened in Dante's Freezer. Again he leads a stranger into the city and again he feels like he would be a traitor that helps dig the enemy below the walls.

He arched his back, his exhausted shoulder blades snapped softly. The heat that so suddenly started to be intolerable threatened to scorch him. He looked up, having a strange feeling that he was right below the sun.

It was closer than ever, in fact the burning, blinding ball seemed to be like an eye to him, staring at them like they were an annoying fly. Part of his imagination saw their own shadow on the surface of the burning sun, a single black dot on the eye of nature.

Like the beginnings of an cataract.

Danox kept on flying while Hunter intently observed the growing features of their home.

Their home?

They got closer to the city, close enough in fact to be spotted by anyone on guard duty. The guards didn't wait long, in seconds four draconic silhouettes raised into the air and made their way towards them. Flying like birds in a V formation.

"A greeting committee?" Danox said "I'm flattered"

"A second black dragon when only one is known to exist is a sign for additional care" Hunter replied, observing the approaching guards, impulsively pressing his forearms together, ready to be shackled

"The City Guard usually doesn't react this way, there are some special notes in the protocol that display how to act when something unusual and probably dangerous happens"

"You think I'm dangerous?"

"Isn't every dragon dangerous?" Hunter replied, surprising even himself with his wit and just how natural it all sounded even when original thoughts were deep embedded in his mind

The black drake smiled "Congratulations, you gained a new level in diplomacy. You certainly increased the standards of the Guard"

"I don't belong to the Guard"

"No?" he noticed Danox' head slightly tilting to the side "Even younger than I believed. This is going to be special"

The Warfang dragons pushed closer, Hunter could easily discern the color of their scales from here.

"Everything turns around past and future" Danox continued in his dark, seductive tone "One leads to the other, there is no turning back"

"You did time travel Danox, this theory isn't exactly accurate" the cheetah replied, not knowing where this conversation is going

"Chance favors the prepared mind" the drake recited

Hunter caught himself nodding in respect, there was power in proverbs that even if you don't agree with some you still value the wisdom they want to share. And the dragon that he was currently riding was like a living book full of proverbs.

The dragon fascinated Hunter even more than before. It was no longer about the color of his scales, the powerful body or the intimidating aura. It was about knowledge, and the drake undoubtedly possessed much of it.

There was a brief spark of anxiety, for a moment he was terrified of knowledgeable dragons.

Then he remembered Volteer and everything was good once more.

"A prepared mind knows" the draconic dark voice continued "that four things come not back. The spoken word, the sped arrow, the past life and the neglected opportunity"

Powerful black wings went down, the draconic body jerked forward like an old machine, engine of which cough back to life after years of being dead.

"Let's speed the inevitable, yes?"

"Stop!" one of the guards roared as they neared the strange dragon

To the surprise of the four peacekeepers the odd dragon did exactly as he was told.

"I have no intention to offend the authority" Danox replied politely, lips curling into a smile

"Wipe that stupid smile!" a second guard roared, his paws were twitching nervously "You're not coming in you black freak!"

"Relax rookie!" a green scaled dragon admonished the younger colleague commandingly, undoubtedly wielding the mantle of leadership

"Don't be too harsh on him" Danox cut in, his dark, alluring voice reverberating with unchanging tone

"He's afraid, all of you are in fact, fear wafts from you like heat from a fire. I can feel it"

"Listen here smartass!" the leader of the guards growled "I fought in more battles than there are trees on this earth. I stood against all the horrors that plagued us and I'm not going to let another one walk the streets of this city"

Black empty eyes directed themselves at the green dragon.

"You're just dust on the chessboard toy soldier. Move out of the way, you're incapable of altering destiny"

The leader of the guard narrowed his eyes on the stranger.

"Threats you arrogant dick won't get you far"

"What if this guy is another pet of the black whore?" the third guard added

Danox paid him no interest, they were all irrelevant fools, only their commander unfortunately forced his attention. Even if it was as meager as a thriving fruit.

"This is getting out of control" a cheetah figure raised from the black dragon's back, arms extended into the air, almost resembling an alien popping out from people's insides

Like someone could ever take seriously such comparison.

"Hunter?" the fourth peacekeeper finally blurted out his first words

"You allowed yourself to be mounted?" the commander snarled, abhorrence practically palpable in his voice "Have you no dignity?"

"As a matter of fact I don't" Danox replied, his calm and somewhat mysterious way of carrying himself undoubtedly pushed all the right buttons in the commander's nervous system

"This is Danox" Hunter climbed a little higher up the neck of the hovering dragon, the black neck seemed to bend exactly in the right direction, making the small climb so much easier

"I've met him on my mission in Dante's Freezer. He arrived through a Veil located there"

"Another one?!" a guard next to the leader exclaimed loudly, his body jerking in the air so fiercely that one could think he was hit by a strong gust of wind

"More the reason to send him back whichever way he came!" the commander growled angrily, a note of impuissance could be heard in his voice "Those portal things brought us nothing but trouble!"

Two of the draconic guards were clearly distraught by their officer's words yet out of sheer respect for the function they remained silent.

"Not to mention his scales!" the green drake continued "They are black for Ancestors holy horns! What were you thinking by bringing him here Hunter?"

"Your accusation is misplaced and completely irrelevant" Danox added "I would find my way here anyway with or without his assistance"

"I don't remember asking you for your opinion!" the officer growled, pointing a claw threateningly at the dark dragon

"Danox is correct" Hunter said, resting on the black dragon's neck "I was totally on his mercy, he didn't have to take my unimportant existence into consideration. He made sure that I understood that favor is not what he sought"

"A black dragon with a caring heart?" a guard snorted wryly "What else? Apes will come and apologize for everything?" drake chuckled at his own joke

"One black dragon walking our streets is enough and now you want to bring another one?" the leader of the guard practically whined "You don't belong to the Guard, you don't have to listen to complaints every single day, demands that a murder should be brought to justice. Keeping people away from Cynder is hard enough already, bring a dragon almost the same size as our past nemesis and you will snap the thin line that keeps people in the onlooker zone instead of putting them actively on the race for her head"

"I would let him in" someone from the group of peacekeepers mumbled

"We don't even know why he is so determined to get inside Warfang" the youngest of the guards asked

The officer nodded approvingly before narrowing his gaze on the black arrival.

"State your business"

"First of all" Danox replied, voice unchanging and breathy, alluring even for a male "Hunter is in need of medical help"

"We can take him away from you. That's no problem"

The black dragon nodded "My reason is simple. I came here because time and opportunity aren't in anyone's sleeve"

All four dragons stared at the black drake after his last sentence for quite a while, expecting him to elaborate further. Only when seconds in complete silence kept on drawing on their eyes started to widen in confusion.

"That's it?" a drake blurt out

"Do you find this situation funny freak?" the officer growled

Danox patted his mouth.

"I don't feel a smile"

"Mockery won't improve your chances" one of the more experienced guard's aptly noticed

"You confuse mockery with honesty"

"You won't be coming into Warfang!" the officer rumbled "I won't be a witness to the destruction of this city!"

Hunter understood the guards reluctance, the black dragon seemed to be way too interested in getting inside a city he never heard about. It's not like he approved of their biased look on the situation, narrow-mindedness is a dangerous as a sword and as unfair as a premature death, yet there was a shred of logic hiding behind, even if it was so hard to see.

Big black scaled dragon, he doesn't have to be a female to resemble Shadow. The color of his natural draconic armor spoke volumes. It's not his fault that blackness is considered to be the color of evil, it's not his fault that Fate actually played on a cord of bluntness and made black exactly what first impulse makes it look like.

It's the trendy of society, popular belief is the most believable one, enough for simple minds to follow in its wake.

Simple minds that the world is mostly made of unfortunately.

They fail to realize that black has also positive traits. It's mysterious, seductive, includes also protection, comfort and sophistication.

Sophistication not many tolerate.

On the other hand however he supported the guards, their suspicion awakened his own, which reached even further down the memory lane than he believed was possible. He remembered the dragon's peculiar behavior, even the moments when he heard his voice as he talked with the apes.

Not even for a second he seemed to be overwhelmed by the situation he was in, he was mysterious and comforting, like the embodiment of black. Even now when he thinks about it the question Danox asked him were unusual for a dragon that just experienced the shift of time-zones, zones that separated thousands of years than mere hours.

If this wasn't impossible he would say that all of this was intended.

By what or who? He wasn't sure anymore.

He was certain of one thing however, opposition or not Danox will get inside Warfang. That would happen even without him serving as a guide.

As much as he disliked the idea he was also glad for it, if there are vile forces at work here then there is no better place for them to fail than in a city housing the supersonic power of good, radiating from the souls of two young dragons.

"Shout and scream all you want" Danox replied, addressing the guards with the typical dark-swoon ringing in his breathy voice "believe that the toy story you want to create has any impact at all and perhaps you will have enough strength to make some of the pawns cough. That is all however soldier" black eyes looked over every draconic guards "Soldiers. Return to the place where your actions influence the fate of others, here, in this piece of sky, you are facing something out of your league"

"Aren't you a one pompous motherfucker" a guard, judging by age being the second in command, commented wryly

"Listen to me very carefully boy" the leader snarled "It would be better for you if you stopped living in your delusional world of grandeur. You're just a black dragon, we stopped one such like you already. We can do it again"

The black drake smiled politely, yet there was something in his razor sharp and perfectly white smile that made the youngest of the peacekeepers shiver

If Hunter wouldn't know better he would say that the young guard looked straight into the maw of a Death Hound.

"I assure you tiny guard that you never met a creature like me. I'm also sure that you didn't play even the smallest role in stopping the one you so eagerly compare me to"

"Let's just call the Guardians here" Hunter chimed in, seeing that the banter between all these magnificent creatures will lead to an never-ending argument

"Let them decide the best course of action"

"As much as I value the Guardians opinion this isn't the best of ideas. Tensions are rising between the two powers that I'm sure you are aware of" the green dragon explained "People have noticed your approach, they are watching us even now. If we, the Guard, won't solve the problem and will have to rely on the intervention of the authority, spiritual or not, it will shake the foundations of the city. It's the little things that matter"

"Even when you decide to bring Danox in you will still need to escort him to the Guardians. It's your duty"

"Yes, but that would be the decision that came out as the consequence of the duty of our job, with no one whispering their ideas to our ears. Those are the details that common folk doesn't see, details with which the Guard strives everyday. Trust me, it makes a huge difference"

The officer narrowed his gaze on the stranger.

"But luckily I will never let him in"

"I understand your mistrust" Hunter respectfully added "We all share it. However we can't simply ignore the matter. Danox is a black dragon after all, by throwing him out we gain nothing. We're going to have a black dragon roaming the outskirts of town, with his motives and actions unknown to us, giving us nothing, but days filled with anxiety. People see us already, they will want to know what happened, we might lie that it was a stray Dreadwing or something similar, but eventually they , find out the truth, which will make the days of anxiety be combined with feeling of complete and uncontrollable danger"

"If we let him in" he raised his forefinger in the air "we still won't know his motives, but we gain the opportunity to keep an eye on him. Anxiety will be there, but at least it won't evolve into a sensation of doom. With guards, mole inventions and heroes in the city not even the most powerful being, when it's alone, stands a chance"

"Weren't you listening when I explained the consequences of having two black dragons in the city?" the leader snapped angrily

"No matter what decision you make it will still rouse intolerance. It's all about picking the lesser evil here"

Hunter, fueled by energy of the debate spread his arms to the sides and bent them in the elbows, opened palms aimed up. With such posture he looked like a breathing, weighing machine.

The cheetah slightly bobbed his left hand up and down slightly "Here we have anxiety, danger and unknown" left hand stopped, right repeated the same moves "Here we have anxiety, danger and overwatch" his right hand stopped moving "Both are bad, one needs to be picked, what do you choose? Decide which of the two is the lesser evil"

The green dragon's eyes shifted from one furry hand, to the bandaged and bleeding other one, a feral impulse crossed his mind to tear off both of them and be done with. All problems would be solved.

He then briefly looked over his sidekicks, looking for any kind of advice. The idiots however were staring right back at him with their huge, moronic eyes, as if begging that he sets them up on a date at the end of which they will lose their virginity.

He turned his gaze away from the cretins in seconds, just in time in fact to save his boiling brain from exploding due to alarmingly increasing levels of fury.

His eyes landed then on the black freak, the sight of him momentarily reminded him of all the pleas and threats he listened to during his whole career. The terrible stories, the gruesome images, everything came back at him.

The black dragon not only angered him, but also scared. It was no longer about the scales, or the impact his arrival can have on people. He wasn't prejudiced himself, if some people were too sensitive it was their own problem. He would let the drake in, maybe after some little squabble, but he would let him in, in perfect accordance with his conscience.

If it wasn't for his fucking black eyes.

Seeing his own reflection in those obsidian gem-like eyes filled every strand of his body with fear.

His eyes then landed on the cheetah, in open hands he was holding his dripping with blood heads. The right one was frozen in a peaceful expression, the left was grimaced by signs of torture. Both of them didn't make him feel better.

Both of them led to death.

"You will have blood on your hands Hunter just like I will on my paws. Remember that" with a defeated sigh he turned around and directed his body towards the city

"Follow us. Don't stray away and keep close, if I see anything fishy going on I'll shove your tail blade up your ass" the drake blurted out an order

"Well done" Danox said approvingly, praising his feline rider who immediately adopted the proper posture even before he pushed his black body into a flight

"I apologize for my words" Hunter mumbled, his ears flattened against his skull, pain reawakened in his wounded hand "I was shameless, it was inappropriate of someone like me to speak such words about you"

"Do I sound offended?"

"You always sound the same to me"

Black head turned to look at him "Is that so?"

Hunter nodded sheepishly.

"How exactly do I sound like?"

The cheetah averted his gaze.

"I would rather not say"

"Quit with the modesty, you won't wound my draconic pride. You're bluntness from earlier impressed me, I rarely met people that spoke honestly when being around me. Usually my conversations looked like the one we recently shared with our guards"

"So tell me Hunter. How exactly do I sound like?"

The cheetah sighed, aiming his blue gaze at the lazily shifting earth below.

"You sound like a young, popular prince of an exotic nation who has dozens of dozens of admirers that can't stop listening to your seductive voice. As a prince you invite them to your mansion, telling fascinating and mysterious stories about your home, what unforgettable time awaits anyone that wishes to join you. You spread your charm even further when the celebrations start, you start inviting guest after guest into your private quarters, seductively whispering words like a devil which they simply can't resist. Once you are inside with your partner you charm him or her, promising a magical time if only they close their eyes and say yes. All of them do and when they open their eyes they find that they are in your room no longer, but in a dungeon with their flesh stretched by hooks and chains with crows eating at every piece of flesh that sticks out from their skin while you sit and observe, still whispering false promises and mysterious stories until your victim finally screams his or her life away"

Danox smiled, drawing Hunter's eyes immediately. There was an intimidating touch to it, yet it was not what was important, not even the obvious charm radiating from it mattered. His smile beamed with sincere kindness, in his smile he found what couldn't be found in the dragon's eyes.

Traces of soul. Beautiful, friendly and so, so very familiar.

Perfect.

"I won't lie, with the way your description was going I thought you're going to make me a rough torturer of a sex dungeon"

Hunter smiled back.

"It crossed my mind" he replied playfully as if he would be teasing an old friend

The dragon laughed, turning his head around. His explosion of joy caught the attention of the guards who angrily glared at him.

"Fair enough" the drake commented with a soft shrug "You have a way with words, remaining as an errand boy for your entire life is below you"

"I am honor bound. Serving the Guardians is a privilege"

"There are more ways to serve than constantly crawling through mud and bush"

Hunter's ears perked up in interest, for the very first time the dragon shows him some true interest. It was strange but at the same time very exciting. A dragon is talking with him like they are equals, his pride had troubles keeping itself in check, it was always at the risk of erupting.

"I enjoy cooperating with nature"

"As you should, but why limit yourself? You can enjoy working with nature while also bring change, perhaps even to this city"

"I am much too unimportant to be able to influence a draconic city"

Danox shook his head "Some minutes ago you just convinced four dragons to escort a black drake such as me into the city walls. Worthless creature wouldn't be capable of doing that"

Hunter looked at the flying guards ahead.

"You have their respect" the black drake continued, feeling the cheetah tensing on his back "They listen to you because you undoubtedly showed them the same amount of respect. You built foundations for something extraordinary, it's only up to you if you decide to construct further on that"

The feline looked at his wounded hand, remembering every drop of blood he bled for Warfang and dragons. He regretted none of it, to assist the dragons and help them the best way he can was his duty and he valued it greatly.

The best way he can.

What if it isn't the best way? Maybe he can do so much more?

He closed his wounded hand and his eyes momentarily blinked when they noticed the black scales below. He could hear his own voice screaming inside his head, warning him not to close his eyes or he will wake up chained.

"You really are the prince" Hunter said, perfectly masking the honest fear behind a dose of playful humor

The back below his rump shivered and jerked slightly, like a gear adjusting itself to a new speed.

"I respect a good trade. You managed to convince our escort to let me in, an advice is the least I can do. I still owe you, I hate having debts"

"You protected me from the apes and helped me get out from Dante's Freezer. I think we're even"

"You want to say that the deal on the island was not a single transaction but a combined bargain?" Danox huffed thoughtfully "I can accept that"

"You are a talented diplomat Hunter, all you need is a badge of authority and you will have crowds listening to you. With your fighting skills and wit you'll become a figure of respect. Possibly more influential than some dragons"

Danox pointed down, Hunter followed his claw and his eyes widened momentarily. He was so lost in conversation that he didn't even notice when they flew over the city walls. Down below people were running through the streets, gliding just above the roofs of the buildings, or doing all sorts of other things.

All of them however had their heads tilted up, extended upwards hands with claws pointing at them. People were tracking them like that, looking like nestlings following the beak of mama bird that held a wiggling worm.

"There will be a day" sounded the seductive voice "when all these people will be looking at you instead at a black freakish dragon. And they won't be afraid and prejudiced, but happy and curious"

Hunter's eyes traveled from one curious figure below to the other.

"Forgive me my impertinence, but you sound very sure of yourself. Future is like a blind date, we all go on it, but only a handful find a true beauty"

"Blind dates are of no importance to me. I bend the shadows, I see more than anyone else"

"Listen here stranger" rumbled the voice of the commander suddenly "Here's how it's going to look like. We are nearing the City Hall, you see all these people, we're going to spare them any further stress and lead you straight into the building"

The green head turned around, eyes angrily narrowed on the black drake "Simple order that you're going to follow. Don't do anything stupid, don't talk, don't stray, don't stop, fuck don't even breath until I tell you so"

Danox smiled "It is amusing how the little ones always want to show in their fleeting and worthless moments of power their delusional sparks of importance"

"I regret my decision already. However it is never too late to make things right" the meaning behind the words was understandable even by the deaf

"We land!" the second in command dragon rumbled

*

After the training session they all went out into the streets to relax. It was kinda awkward in the beginning, no one was really to blame for that. Spyro, Cynder and Flare, no one of them had any experience when it came to the simple hanging around type of time consumption.

That and they did never spend any free time together in just the three of them.

Eventually after grabbing some snacks, and chitchatting about important and unimportant issues they landed in the library of the City Hall where Flare really wanted to show Cynder and perhaps even Spyro to some degree what progress he made.

Impulsively craving honest and friendly interest, especially after what happened to him in the hospital.

The piles of scribbled notes and opened books really reminded them of Volteer's type of working space.

Flare was undoubtedly making progress, he even managed to stutter out a word in a newbie attempt at reading. He was overjoyed with his victory.

From all the words found in the books he could read only one.

Flower.

*

"I'm so proud of him!" Cynder squeaked when they were heading up the stairs into the main room of the City Hall, being far away from Flare's range of hearing, who remained in the library to continue his training after his recent success

"And I'm proud of you too!" she licked Spyro's cheek "You were behaving like two shy best buddies!"

He smiled "I wouldn't call us buddies yet, but I felt some chemistry there"

"Love! That's even better!" she giggled, shoving her rump playfully into his flank, making the purple drake waver slightly

She held him with her wing, making his body tilt slightly in her direction. She slid her wing up his flank, towards his neck where she applied enough pressure to force him to look at her. When his snout adjusted itself with hers, eyes locked with each other, she pressed her lips to his.

There was only a brief grunt of surprise before he completely melted into the kiss that ended far more quickly for his liking. He opened his dizzied eyes, everything was a blur.

Cynder smiled "Last one in the hall buys cookies" she patted his cheek and with a laugh darted up the stairs, giggling all the way

"Hey!" Spyro exclaimed, trying to grab her tail, but it slipped out of his grasp "That's not fair!" he shouted, dashing right after her "You confused me!"

"Loser! Loser!" she teased, letting squeaky laugh erupt from her throat

After a short while of intense climbing the door to the hall seemed to be at paw's reach in seconds, she looked behind her shoulder, spotting Spyro just a two jumps behind her. With a giggle she turned her head around just in time to shove the door wide open.

And come snout to snout with Creep.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, her whole body unnaturally jerked backwards as if an invisible chain would be wrapped around her neck that just stretched itself to its limit, forcing her back into her kennel.

"Cynder!" Spyro exclaimed worryingly, he didn't even catch his breath before her body almost impaled itself on his horns, with all the strength in his legs he prevented them from rolling down the stairs

"Creep!" she growled angrily, pushing away from the purple mass behind her "What the fuck!?" she yelled, voice ringing with dying fear

"He's here?" Spyro blurted out surprised

"Sugar-"

"What the hell are you doing here?!" she growled, cutting off the hollow voice as she began to ascend the stairs "I didn't call for you!"

"Sug-"

"Stop Sugaring me!" she shouted furiously as she reached the top of the stairs "You aren't supposed to be here! This isn't the part of our deal!"

Spyro followed slowly his partner, impressed about the determination with which she addresses a supernatural creature.

The draconic creature burst out tendrils of shadow, just like a fire that is about to get extinguished by a fierce wind.

"You almost killed me!" she pointed at the staircase behind her "If not for Spyro I would fall down those stairs and most probably break my neck!"

"Dragons-"

"What the hell do you want?!" Cynder demanded "Make it quick, you won't be ruining this for me"

"You live, both of you" Creep replied, looking somewhat meager than he did ever before

"Thanks for the info, without you we wouldn't figure that out"

"Do not rush our end"

"Hello?!" she waved at the stairs behind her "You almost rushed it yourself"

"Take Spyro, go to Flare, spend the day in the library. You two must stay away as long as you can"

"You won't tell me what to do!"

"What does he want?" Spyro inquired gently

"He wants us to stay away"

His eyebrows raised in reaction to the surprising revelation.

"Stay away? From what?"

The shadow that usually pulsed from beneath the supernatural dragon's paws slid across the floor and pointed at the exit door from the City Hall, looking like tips of four sharp swords.

"The door over there?" Cynder asked, nodding at them for Spyro to understand what she is talking about "Its just the exit"

"Is something behind those door?" Spyro asked, somehow not able to avert his gaze from the mentioned door

"Yes" Creep confirmed, his hollow voice unnaturally wavered

"Yes?" Cynder repeated after the creature "What's behind it?"

"Abomination"