FSE

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Chapter 15

"I must admit that I'm surprised" Cynder stated as she flapped with her black wings which carried her across the Realms, high above ground, under the fading gaze of the sun, as it illuminated the sky with an orange glow from its withdrawing for a rest rays

"All this time and you still haven't asked. Aren't you even a bit curious?"

Spyro who was flying next to his long-time friend looked in her direction and on the object her words were referring to.

A bag was hanging from her slim neck, a rather thick red string, that most likely was some sort of a thinner variation of a rope, was preventing the bag from falling.. Judging from how the bag was deformed and its rather rough edges he could guess that there was some kind of casket tucked inside.

What is in that casket is the right question here. He had no answer for it, sometimes he heard the occasional clank of glass, he suspected that there are some flasks inside. The casket and whatever flasks inside must be very tightly sealed since absolutely no trace of any smell wafted from the bag.

"Of course I am" Spyro replied "But since you didn't really hint that you are waiting for my questions I didn't want to pry. You'll tell me when you'll want to"

"Oh my" a pretty smile spread her lips "Looky here, a submissive boy for me to play with. Me like"

He chuckled with a shrug.

"There was some truth to it after all"

Cynder cocked her head, shook out of her playful teasing by the seemingly nonsensical statement.

"What are you getting at?"

"What Sparx said about me. That I'm...uh...really gullible when it comes to boy-girl stuff"

"He said you're whipped didn't he?"

Spyro bit his lip, lowering his gaze, throwing shy glances at his partner.

"Something like that"

Her expression remained unchanged.

"Do you feel like I'm influencing you in any way?"

He looked down on the sliding earth below. Pupils in his eyes were jumping from left to right as he concentrated. Brain shutting off communication with all the unnecessary body parts for this process.

The break lasted only three seconds.

"I told Sparx that I was always the same, but I think I made a mistake" he looked into the shining, green eyes "You are influencing me, the sensation wasn't as strong when you were away, but now, with you being so close I feel like I would do everything to make you happy and safe, prove to you that I'm worth your attention"

He snickered.

"I mean, I'm no expert on all this love stuff, but this is the way I feel. Despite what Sparx says I think this is natural, we can argue and all that, in the end however it is the boy that will try to make things right, even if he doesn't see it. Bottom line, yeah, you are some influence on me, I don't mind it however"

Cynder smiled, he could easily feel the warmth radiating from it, yet the soothing feeling wasn't as strong as the surprising traces of sadness.

"It's very sweet that you think so"

Spyro frowned, the spiritual bond that they established a very long time ago sometimes sent unconscious pulses that allowed them to, for a brief second, read the other's mind.

This was one such moment.

"I feel a but coming"

She grinned with a nod.

"But...do you remember our argument? The one where I told you that I don't want to be your whole life, but just a part of it?"

"Umm-"

"I want you to feel the same way" she continued, not waiting for his reply "You know how I value independence, I was so long under someone else's control that if I would steal your freedom I would hate myself. I did terrible things for Malefor, I would hate to see you doing something against your conscience in my name"

"When it comes to you I don't think a move that is against my conscience exists"

Cynder nodded.

"It might seem that way right now, simply a heads-up you know?" she pressed a paw to her neckline "Let's face it Spyro, I'm not the nicest girl you could have chosen for a partner. I'm rude, spiteful and churlish, especially when pissed. Stop me when I get out of line, don't hold back, I might seem furious when you'll do that, don't worry however, deep down I'm grateful"

Spyro chuckled.

"I'll remember that"

"I'm serious Spyro. Make me work, make me show you that I deserve you, deserve the goodness you bestow me and everybody with. Hit me if you have to"

"What?"

"I mean it. If I get insufferable hit me"

He jerked his head back, nose wrinkled as if it would sense something rotten.

"I will never do such a thing. I will never hurt you"

Cynder squinted one of her eyes skeptically.

"When I was big and meaner you didn't have problems with wrecking and knocking me out good"

Spyro winced, letting out a soft gasp as he quickly jerked his head to the side, rubbing his left leg nervously.

"That was different" he mumbled inconclusively

"Nah it wasn't. Back then you didn't back from your intentions, you had a world to save and you made sure that some insane, bloodthirsty chick won't stand in your way"

"I-I had no choice. Believe me when I say that I still regret it"

Cynder smiled.

"Damn, you must have had some really hard crush on me. Was I really that hot?"

Blush flared up his cheeks when his head jerked even lower with the snicker of a shy boy who noticed his first girl's nipple.

"Well...yeah"

She laughed lovingly.

"That's cute, slightly sick since I was your mortal enemy, but cute"

"Give me a break Cynder" Spyro whined pleadingly, rubbing his leg more vigorously, like impulsive child scratching a mosquito bite "I know how it sounds and I know that it's weird, nothing I can do about it. Fighting you was one of the most scariest things I have ever done and definitely the most painful. I felt pain for both me and you in that fight"

She hissed as if she burned herself.

"Shit, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have teased you like that. This is why I gave you permission to whack my moronic head, get it back on the right track"

"I will never hurt you again Cynder, never" he said with stern confidence, the lack of even the tiniest hint of a smile proved just how serious he was

She used her wings to get closer to her partner. Smile that was plastered on her snout beamed with charm.

"This conversation went up the serious valley to quickly for my liking. I appreciate your dedication and trust you, but right now I want to see you smile and I have a solution for that I think"

She moved above him, tenderly rubbing both his shoulders with her forelegs. Black wings taking most of the force to support both draconic bodies in the air.

"Forget about the past, focus on today and now. Now I'm here with you in this beautiful evening and no one is around. You have me all for yourself"

Spyro succumbed to her plea, rows of white teeth appeared from underneath his stretched into a smile lips.

"I must say that this is not a bad perspective"

"Whew" Cynder huffed, sliding a paw across her forehead "That's good to hear, because this is all I've got"

He chuckled.

"I must admit that I would miss out one of our planned meetings this evening, I was supposed to spend the whole day with Sparx, minus a training session here and there"

She bit her lower lip.

"Sorry, you're not mad at me that I chased him away?"

He gently wriggled to the left, black, feminine paw that was resting on his right shoulder slipped from his scales. He tenderly grabbed it and after that, planted a soft kiss on top of the black paw.

Her toes curled slightly in excitement.

"I'm still a little surprised to tell the truth"

"I just wanted for us to be alone"

"I figured that out, it was subtle, but when you involved Coriza I knew it is serious"

Cynder caressed the tucked in the bag casket as if it would be her favorite, fluffy cat.

"V-very serious" her voice unexpectedly wavered, she sounded as if her mouth would be full of food or water

Purple orbs shifted to the top of his eyeballs.

"Cynder? What's going on? Should I be worried?"

She blinked, swallowing the imagined bulge of water. She pushed away with an unexpected snicker.

"Hopefully not"

Spyro frowned, looking at his partner with confusion in his eyes.

"I would lie if I said I understand what you mean by that"

Cynder waved her paw dismissively.

"Don't bother yourself with it, everything will become clear soon enough" she paused, taking a breath "So how was your day with Sparx? It's been some time I guess when you got the chance to hang out alone, only the two of you"

He shrugged.

"Pretty normal to be honest. Some jokes, some fun, some nonsense and some complete idiocy"

She grinned.

"What did he do this time?"

"I knew he meant something by what he said, but I couldn't figure what it was. Anyway he proposed that I find myself some guy to be mate with"

Cynder giggled.

"I hope you don't plan to change your sexual orientation anytime soon"

"Of course not!" Spyro blurt out in irritation "I like girls!"

"Relax, I'm just checking, safety reasons you know? I would be pretty disappointed if all the years I put into seducing you, using all of my romantic, laughable and pathetic attempts for attention would go to waste. This is some victory for me see? I managed to get you on my side finally, it would be utterly hilarious and depressing if I would turn you gay. I would probably hang myself after that since you are the only guy, with knowledge about my past, who will ever look at me"

Spyro shook his head.

"Let's forget about this and talk about something more pleasant. How was your day with Coriza?"

"Pretty normal, just like yours I imagine. We hanged out together and in the meantime I got the chance to visit my mo-" Cynder coughed into her paw, brain realizing just in time that thoughts were crossing a barrier into uncharted and dangerous territory, even if so damn alluring

"-I mean, Amela" she smiled nervously "Yes, I got the chance to visit Amela"

"Really?" Spyro looked at his partner intently "Your day was normal?"

"Yeah, didn't you listen?"

"Why are you lying? You're trying to hide something from me don't you?"

Cynder frowned, tail wagged in defensive irritation.

"Excuse me?"

"Cynder, for the first time in your whole life you had the opportunity to spend time with someone else than me. For the first time in your life you have a friend that is not related with me, not to mention that Coriza is a girl, your very first female friend that is our age. Considering all of those things I mentioned, you really want to tell me your day was normal?"

Her frown deepened, mouth opened to voice an angry protest, no sound came out however. Seconds later her mouth closed with an audible clap.

"You clever bastard' she hissed through clenched teeth

Spyro winked.

"I'll take that as a compliment"

Cynder shrugged.

"Take it however you want, I'm still not telling you"

"Hey! That's not fair! I've told you what I did!"

"Don't get overexcited, it was girl's stuff, you wouldn't understand"

He snorted.

"That's a stupid excuse. Somehow I tell you all about boy's stuff and you understand everything"

She smirked, patting his head from above.

"That's because my purple love you males are simple creatures. It's impossible for you to wrap your head around something so complex like we girls"

Spyro shook away from her touch as if she would be the sickest dragon in the entire universe.

"Fine" he hissed "Don't tell me. I don't want to know anyway"

Cynder sighed.

"Listen Spyro, I'll show you later ok? I wanted it to be a surprise, but it's not worth it if you get mad at me"

"You still didn't tell me anything Cynder, it's still going to be a surprise since I have no idea what you're talking about"

She winced when his verbal, blunt punches hit every weak spot in her already lousy line of defense.

"But now you're going to expect it, it is enough to ruin everything if you start thinking about it"

"You're overcomplicating things. I'm a simple creature remember?"

Cynder growled.

"I teased you for fun, but since you're going to be a dick about it, here, you wanna know why I'm not telling you? Because I'm afraid, if I told you what we were up to you would start making comparisons and comparisons would make me look bad. The surprise which I'm going to screw up, it's more than certain, is saved only by you, your ignorance is my only lifebelt, otherwise I fear that all of it will go to waste"

"I look bad when put against all other girls, all of them know how to impress the ones they care about. I don't and I missed the opportunity to learn. You gave me more than I ever dreamed of, I want to give my best to you to show my gratitude. I'm sorry that I acted how I acted, but we both know how my best looks like regarding social standards"

Spyro looked down, guilt devouring every fiber of his being. He scratched his cheek in resignation.

"Now I really feel like a dick, utterly stupid one at that"

"Nah, you're not either of those" she smiled charmingly "However I wouldn't be mad if you still planned something to make it up to me, just in case. Until I unpack my surprise"

"Let's change things a little. Last time it was me who came up with an idea how to spend our free time, how about that you think of something now? Is there something you want to do?"

Cynder giggled unexpectedly, biting at one of her claws with a shy smile and shifted attention from her partner. Other leg rubbed the bag hanging from her neck.

"A thing or two"

"Please don't go cryptic again" Spyro whined pleadingly "I don't want to argue. Name one thing and only one. It can be anything"

She pushed away, with several strong flaps of wings, she straightened herself and hovered in the air vertically. Long pulls of wings holding her in the air, her emerald eyes examined the purple figure ahead of her.

Claws on the left paw were tapping a muffled melody on the dangling bag.

"I'd like to try that ice sliding again"

"Ha!" he exclaimed triumphantly, every limb stretching to its own corner, he looked like a draconic version of a floating puppet clown "I knew you'd like it! It was well worth bearing through all your taunts and shouts"

"Thanks" she commented with a half-hearted nod "I never say no to a little motivation"

"Come on!" Spyro blurt out, making a backward roll in the air before diving towards the ground "We're going to have fun!"

"Ancestors I hope so" with that mumble under her breath she followed her friend and partner

*

"There" Amela said, clapping her fury hands together as she made two steps back to examine her work "Now you look like a pirate and I mean it. You even smell like one"

"Insult me again..." Iris slurred, she was sitting on a small medical deck, she could barely feel her own body let alone the swirling world all around

"...whore and I'll rip your throat out"

"I knew how thankful you would be for my help so I already prepared myself. Don't tell anybody, but I think my hand might have got a cramp and I squeezed more drugs into you than I originally planned. Oops" she faked a gasp, covering her mouth "It's not fun getting old"

The dragoness groaned, touching her itching eye, or at least she believed she did that, she couldn't feel her legs, nor did she feel her left eye. All she knew it was itching like fuck and she had no idea where to scratch herself. It all would be simpler if the left side of her sight wouldn't be complete darkness.

"You vengeful slut" Iris mumbled, fighting with dizziness and lack of any true focus except her hate "Twat still hurts after I reminded you of the truth Puss? Good, eat your withered heart out for all I care"

Old ears flattened on an old skull, the cheetah leaned over a chair, letting the object take all the blunt of the sup[port force her body was suddenly lacking. It was her own, personal and temporary cane for the time being, without it she felt like she would topple over.

She panted slightly.

"I admit your words hurt me, you opened up wounds that should stay closed and I might have given to the pressure of the forgotten past. I opened a casket and rekindled a very toxic flame that luckily for both of us lost it's potential while in containment for so long. Otherwise you'll be dead due to a drug overdose and I possibly would die as a result of a broken heart. Ancestors however watch over both of us and you ended with a slight discomfort that should pass soon and I only got another small scar on my conscience"

"Which is quite advantageous I must say, now I can properly depict the horrible situation you found yourself in without feeling your claws ripping my throat open. Insults are the only thing I need to bare through, luckily I'm old, mind doesn't work as well as it used to, I forget more things than I get the chance to remember. Your taunts will be like a wind to me, getting through one ear and floating out through the next one in seconds"

Iris curled her claws on the medical desk, trying to get a grip on reality.

The spinning world however had other plans.

She retched, gagging like a hoarse harpy, if her stomach wasn't empty she was certain that she would be swimming in her own vomit right now.

Amela winced, despite the exhaustion making her way to the table next to her where pots and medical herbs were aplenty. Just as she started to prepare a mixture, recipe for which was deeply embedded in her touched by medical knowledge mind, she heard another retch coming from the young dragoness.

Despite the age and years of being put through constant work, her fingers worked nimbly and automatically. They were like fish thrown on the shore, dying and weak, but the moment they get swiped back into the sea they became young and alive again.

Medicine was her sea and the will to help others her air.

"You're...going...to..die...b-" Iris mumbled, but then another gag forced its way through her throat

"I know that" the cheetah responded calmly, finishing mixing the green herbal medicine within a small mug with a spoon

"When the time comes we will are going to travel that road. In the meantime..." she turned around offering the mug to the girl "...drink this. You still have a long journey ahead of you until you reach that final crossroad, you don't want to walk for so long with a dry throat" she smiled pleasantly

Iris raised her head, blurry, spinning and teary sight barely making out the figures in front of her nose.

"Already gave up? You're... pathetic and weak"

"For your own sake Iris I hope that one day you will learn that letting go is a strength not a weakness. Preferably sooner than later"

She extended her coated in white robe hand, the cup she was holding hung right below the draconic nose.

Nostrils automatically flared, absorbing the aroma that caressed them, judging from the wrinkles of disgust that appeared on the blue nose, it was obvious where the nerves responsible for discerning smell categorized this particular aroma.

Iris retched again, more ferociously this time, her whole body jerked forward, almost slapping the cup out of the furry hand. Paw pressed itself to her mouth with an audible slap. She felt like she was about to throw up her entire lungs and the only thing holding them back in her body is the paw against her mouth.

"Drink up sweetie" Amela cooed and offered the cup again

Iris' cheeks swelled as if her mouth was full of food. She jerked her head away momentarily, letting out another gag when in safe distance from the stinky cup.

"Fuck you" she rasped

"This can only end in one way Iris and that is with the medicine landing in your stomach. I'm going to do my job, you have the opportunity to decide how exactly I'm going to do it. Either you drink it willingly, or I shove you on that desk and pour it in your mouth, with how weak you are it would require a delicate push with a finger and you would topple over"

She rubbed the warm cup in between her hands.

"You will get better, this is the only way how this can end, it's up to how you want to reach that destination. Be quick about it though, the medicine works best when it's hot"

Weak diamond eyes narrowed themselves, not exactly on the healer, since for them there was like twenty of Amela's in this room. Luck wanted that the eyes didn't focus on the real one.

The dragoness extended her opened paw.

Real Amela shook her head.

"No darling, unfortunately for you I wasn't born yesterday, giving the cup to you increases the chances of the contents landing on the floor, or more likely on my face. This is not how it's going to work"

Iris tried to growl, but the noise that came out of her mouth was a combination of a gag and a hiccup.

"Even if you intentions are no doubt vile I appreciate that you went with the first option. It shows there is still hope for you"

"Give that stuff, listening to you makes me even more sick"

Amela smiled, approaching the dragoness, with a single finger risen in the air.

"One swig darling, open your mouth and swallow all of it. No doses"

Cold eyes locked themselves on the cheetah, from so close the illusion and shades of the feline melded into one, true image.

Iris opened her mouth, white eyes never stopping their stare directly into the cat's orbs.

For a brief second Amela hesitated, the girl wasn't her first difficult patient, she was however the most unpredictable one. The gaze, if it was possible, would kill her on spot, death threats, even if silent, weren't the things that made her quiver, it was the uncertainty.

Since she started her career as a healer there was never a case she considered lost, even the most mortal wounds she tried to heal, even if she knew the chance of survival was slim. The chance was always there, world sometimes is full of magic and wonders nobody ever believed existed. Every case had chance.

Except this one.

That girl was severed from Chance, freezing eyes were tauntingly confirming this. It was plain as day, the girl will never be healed, what was destroyed cannot be reconstructed, perhaps it can be mended, for a time, like putting two pieces of destroyed furniture with a glue. The material that holds the parts together might be strong, but with time it loses its properties and what once was strong and considered to be indestructible loses its power and falls apart.

Amela put a thumb on the girl's lip, avoiding the teeth, pushing the lower side of her jaw to open a little bit wider. She stopped looking into the with eyes, focusing solely on the task at hand.

She poured the liquid into the draconic mouth, thumb that rested on the lower lip moved away, joining with all the other fingers on a hand that now pressed itself against the upper part of the jaw and gently pushed it down.

Brown eyes met with white ones.

"Safety measures" Amela whispered while her hand moved down together with the closing mouth

Hand remained in place even when draconic lips joined together, covering completely the blue dragoness' mouth. She moved her hand away only when she noticed a gulp moving down the girl's throat. She treated many children in her life to tell what swallow was fake and what not.

This one wasn't.

The cheetah smiled lovingly, stepping back from the dragoness.

"There, wasn't so bad was it?"

Iris quenched down a gag.

"You've...done what you...came here for...we're done. Fuck off"

"There is still the matter of your unrestrained habit of maiming yourself"

"No there isn't. There is nothing else for us to talk about. Get lost, I've tolerated your filth long enough"

Amela folded her arms, letting out a breath of calm patience.

"Listen darling, I'm not doing this to anger you, I'm here to make you feel better. Right now you are far from being called healthy. There is still the topic of your difficult situation that needs to be discussed"

Iris' claws curled on the desk, she could feel the wood cracking under their pressure.

"Get out"

"Iris, please, just liste-"

White yes narrowed on the healer, mist of ice steamed from her orbs, looking like a fading fog.

"You listen, you stupid, daft fur rag. This can only end one way and that is with your wrinkled body out of this room. You showed mercy and mercy is a weakness, I'm regaining my strength back which means you lost whatever pitiful advantage you had over me you withering scarecrow"

"You have a choice here, either you leave willingly or after a minute or two I get up and dismember you and throw you out of the room limb by limb. it's up to how you want to reach that destination. Be quick about it though, the medicine works best when it's hot"

She lost an already lost case.

Even despite that grim thought a smile stretched Amela's lips, as a healer she listened to many taunts and curses that she could create her own personal, favorite list. Sassy, intelligent remarks based on her own words were on top of that list.

Just like a spark of light brightening the darkest of tunnels.

Iris cocked her head, an irritated growl rumbling in her throat.

"Why are you smiling you stupid bitch? Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"I did hear you, I listened, just like you listened"

The dragoness opened her mouth, words however were interrupted by the cheetah's voice.

"One more thing before I go, feel the back of your head"

She didn't want to do that, she was tired of the cat and wanted her gone and yet there was something in her eyes that made her paw automatically move.

It was obviously the fading control of the drugs that was responsible for this.

Iris frowned.

Amela nodded.

"Yes, that's a lump that you feel, big isn't it?"

The dragoness dropped her leg back on the desk with a snarl.

"So what? I had worse, I must have tripped or something. I don't even remember hitting my head so it is unimportant, just like you"

"Lumps that big don't appear after an accidental fall, this is a very serious wound, at the brink of causing a hemorrhage, not even your regenerative magic can save you from an injury like that. Such lumps are received in only two ways. One, somebody hit you in the head and kept beating you until he got tired, scared or ran out of time. Two, you did it to yourself. Any idea which scenario is more probable?"

"I don't care" Iris snarled

"No darling" Amela shook her head "You don't know and you don't know, because in your case both scenarios are highly probable"

"Out. Of. My. Room" the dragoness pronounced slowly, temperature dropping after each spoken word

The cheetah backed towards the door, eyes locked on the dragoness.

"You know what moments like that mean? Cease of any control, for someone who likes dictating just how fast the world has to turn you are being defenseless way too often"

"You don't know anything about me" Iris rasped, diamond eyes sharp and deadly as edges of a rough spike, the corners of the desk underneath her paw covered a layer of frost

Amela grabbed the handle.

"Perhaps I don't, perhaps I jump to false conclusions, instinct, even if experienced, can be wrong sometimes. However, there is something I know a thing or two about and that is revenge"

The handle of the door clicked under the pressure of her hands, sad eyes for the last time focused on the piercing, draconic white ones.

"If you spend your time hoping someone will suffer the consequences for what they did to your heart, then you're allowing them to hurt you a second time in your mind"

With those words she slipped out of the room.

"Is she going to be alright?" a worried low, male shout resounded from behind her

Amela stared at the bottom of the closed door for a while in complete silence. After a moment she took a deep breath and turned around, motherly smile plastered on her face.

"She's recovering fantastically"

The massive dragon in front of her let out a relived sigh, his muscular body shivered when he released all that boiled tension.

"That is very good to hear, I was really afraid when I found her in..." he gulped "...that state. The sight of her eye will give me nightmares for nights to come that's for certain"

"Injuries unfortunately aren't pretty. If they would, people wouldn't be so afraid of hospitals" she winked

"I still can't believe she will be fine" the dragon dropped on his haunches, shaking his head in disbelief "She was a total wreck when I found her"

Amela placed a hand on the dragon's powerful shoulder, raising her arm way beyond its comfort zone.

"She got you to thank, usually it's the citizens reactions that matter in life or death situations"

The dragon modesty shook his head.

"I did nothing exceptional, I simply acted like everyone with a heart and sensitivity for other's hurt would. You are the one to thank Amela, you made sure I know to who to turn to in case of emergency"

The cheetah's eyes widened in unexplained dread, she took a step back from a dragon and looked him straight in the eyes. Hand curled in a fist right below her jaw"

"I'm sorry if I'm rude, but did we met?"

The green dragon smiled kindly, rubbing the back of his head shyly.

"We had one of the most unfortunate meetings one day, we bumped into each other while walking down the corridors of this very hospital"

Amela's brown eyes sparkled, burning out all the fear out of her.

"That's right, I remember now!" she laughed "I apologize, I have hard times remembering some things, age you see" she shook her head in disbelief "I can't believe I forgot such a sweet boy like you, would you be so kind as to tell me your name? I'm ashamed to admit, but I'm afraid it slipped my mind also"

The drake's smiled beamed with kindness.

"You didn't forget, I didn't have the chance to introduce myself" the dragon pressed a paw to his chest, bowing deeply "I'm Capro"

The cheetah returned the gesture.

"Very nice to meet you Capro. Why did you come to me however? There are many healers around here"

"When we met you told me that if I ever need something I should ask for you" he waved his paw, with one gentle swipe pointing at himself from top to bottom "So here I am"

"You used the given favor on a complete stranger? Very admirable"

"Important cases require important people"

"Oh please darling" Amela waved her hand dismissively "I'm hardly someone important, just an old healer doing her job"

Capro's pleasant smile widened.

"That's not what the people say"

The cheetah smiled warmly.

"Gratefulness can be sometimes blinding"

"Gratefulness cannot be blamed, there are too many people, even those that never required medical attention, that respect you. They want your attention I believe, desire has many forms after all. They call you a friend, expert, sister..."

He licked his lips.

"...mother"

"Oh my" Amela gasped faintly, pressing a hand to her chest "I wasn't aware of the faith that people put in me, you are the first one telling me that. Am I really that important?"

"You have no idea"

*

"I RULE!" an overjoyed feminine roar echoed in the valley,

The power of the blare intensified by the howling wind which ruffled the crowns of the surrounding trees and scared away whatever bird nestling within.

Laugh of similar happy power followed soon after.

"I ROCK!" another enthusiastic roar was carried by the wind

Spyro stood at the edge of the ice lake, lips stretched by a proud and overjoyed smile. Amethyst orbs locked on the black, dancing on ice, figure ahead.

"Well, looky here looky here Ah what do we have?"

Cynder sang, quickly and without even a pause to catch a breath.

"Another pretty thing ready to dance Little do they know That she is a swan in goose clothing"

She was moving across the ice in hectic accordance with her singing. Paws, wings and tail flailing and kicking in every direction, followed by hardly elegant twirl of body. She was dancing to the song of her own creation.

"This cannot be, ah, this cannot be But it is true This is Cynder, ah this is Cynder And what does she do?"

She stopped her dance, dragging all of her legs as close to her body as possible as if she was preparing herself to raise on the tips of her claws.

"She's sliding on ice!" with a roar Cynder threw herself into another hectic dance on ice

"She's sliding, sliding on ice!" she screamed, jerking her body into a spin, throwing her tail high and opening up her wings

"Sliding on ice! Sliding on ice!" she skidded to a halt, her paws tapping at the slippery ground in all possible directions, doing their best to keep the body stable through the vertigo the owner put it through

"SLIIIIIIIIDDDDIIIIIIINNNNNGGG....!" She howled, her squeaky tone getting higher and higher with each lost second of breath "...OOOOOONNNNNN ICE!"

She squealed, a piercing, eye popping shriek filled the air, so very familiar to her Siren Scream. During the screech she leapt into the air, making a turn above the ground before landing again on the slippery surface.

The moment her paws touched the ground a thin crack appeared on the icy surface with an audible snap.

Her eyes landed on the slippery floor, staring at the defect in total bewilderment.

On the shore Spyro burst out laughing.

Cynder joined him soon after, realizing with great clarity that if the world could give signs that you are meant not to do something then this is how it would do it.

Nature was clearly telling her that the career of a singer is beyond her reach.

With being already familiar with overwhelming joy today she was the first that calmed her laughter, the male one was still ringing however.

A nearly painful, wide smile stretched her lips when her eyes landed on the laughing form of her partner, listening and watching him laugh was beautiful beyond imagination.

"She has you to thank" Cynder sang softly, sliding towards her friend

Spyro, still chuckling looked at her.

"Let no one tell you differently She has you to thank Only you Only you to thank"

She stopped right in front of his nose, looking him straight in the eyes, smiling widely.

Spyro cleared his throat faintly, gazing into her shining with gratitude eyes was intimidating.

"I did nothing, it w-AH!" he yelped, not able to finish his sentence since his partner, that was in front of him just a second ago, literally threw herself at him

The sudden weight that struck him was enough for his unprepared legs, they gave up under the increased pressure. The breathing, black projectile toppled him over, making him fall on his back.

He landed on the grass, loosely swinging tail smacked into the icy shore, breaking through the slippery surface and throwing freezing droplets of water in the air.

Cynder was pressing her chilled by ice body hard to his own, wrapping her paws behind his back and neck, burying her snout into his shoulder. Embracing him into a tight, eye popping hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you" she pronounced each word through emotional giggles, wavering, warm breath caressing his neck scales

Spyro rested his paws on her soft back, squeezing her, pressing her belly into him even more harder.

"It's your determination that mattered in the end"

"Bullshit" she chuckled, soft sob gripped her throat "You are my best friend, through all those years we've been traveling together, more than half of that time you dedicated entirely to me. Look at me now, I know how to play on ice, I know the thing every other normal guy or girl knows. I never thought I will be reminded what normal means. Now I feel like I can do anything"

Amethyst eyes shifted at the horn filled, black head lying next to his left cheek, a playful smirk stretched the purple mouth.

"Maybe except singing"

Cynder laughed, slipping her paw from behind her friend's back, just to gently punch the purple shoulder her head clenched to.

"Maybe except singing" she repeated with a chuckle

She pressed her front paws on the ground, using them for support as she propped herself on them and looked down at her friend.

"You're special Spyro and I'm honored to have you as my friend"

He touched her cheek, rubbing it tenderly, she rubbed her soft scales against his paw.

Spyro smiled warmly.

"You don't have to tell me things like that Cynder"

"I must, you must understand that you cannot change, never. It's not about me, you're in my heart for all time. It's about the world, it's about everyone else, there was too much darkness, you cannot forget how to fight against it. There's too much happiness to lose if you do"

She lowered her head down, rubbing her nose against his, dreamily closing her eyes and even if her sight was coated by the blackness of her shut tightly eyelids she could see a glowing, gold light glowing through the blockade.

"You are our shining star"