Spyro and Cynder were having a lot of fun as they played together in the forest close to the temple. They were in the deeper part of the forest where the trees grew thicker and taller playing tag.
At the moment Spyro was chasing Cynder and was right on her tail. "You better run faster if you don't want to get caught." Spyro exclaimed.
"You want me to go faster do you?" Cynder giggled picking up speed and getting farther away from Spyro.
"Still not fast enough." Spyro laughed charging and tackling Cynder. They rolled on the ground until Spyro ended up on top of Cynder. He gazed deeply into her eyes and remembered how she had told him that she loved him and how he still hadn't had the courage to say it back. He knew he loved her with all of his heart but he always became too nervous to say it whenever he tried.
"You win Tiger." Cynder cooed kissing Spyro on the cheek making him blush deeply. "Someone's shy." She teased.
Suddenly there was a loud crack. Spyro looked up and saw one of the trees falling straight for them. Quickly he grabbed Cynder's neck cuff with his teeth. He then used all the energy he could force into him and threw her out of the way of the tree. Or so he thought.
Just then the position of the tree shifted and it fell right on top of Cynder with a sickening crunch. Branches and twigs completely covered Spyro but he hardly seemed to notice. "Cynder." He gasped. "Cynder!" He started using his earth and fire powers to get through the branches.
When he reached the trunk of the tree he saw Cynder's upper body; the rest of her, wings and all, were under the tree. She was unconscious and she had a deep gash in her head with blood quickly oozing from it.
"Oh no, Cynder!" Spyro exclaimed. He pressed his shoulder against the tree and pushed as hard as he possibly could. It was difficult but soon he had it completely off her but the sight body almost caused him to vomit. There was blood everywhere and her wings were completely crushed; her hind legs were in extremely odd positions and her tail was bent backwards with the tip broken off and stabbing into the small of her back.
"This is not good." Spyro coughed. I need to get help. He thought. But what if she bleeds to death while I'm gone?
After a minute of deliberation he decided to carry her back to the temple where he could get someone to help her. "Just hang on Cynder; we'll have you all better in no time." Spyro assured as he carefully slid her onto his back. The feeling of her blood running down his body made Spyro feel faint, but there was no way that he was going to happen when the dragoness he loved needed him most.
Spyro walked as fast as he could, without dropping Cynder, back to the temple. Even then it took longer than he'd ever have wanted anything to take.
The moment he burst through the temple doors he started yelling. "Terrador, Volteer, Cyril, help!"
All three guardians came running. "Sweet ancestors, what happened?" Terrador asked upon seeing Cynder's mangled body.
"We were playing in the forest when a tree fell; I tried to get Cynder out of the way but that only made things worse." Spyro said tears streaming down his face. "You have to save her; it's all my fault."
"Cyril, Volteer, take Cynder and do whatever you can to help her." Terrador ordered. The two instantly obeyed, Cyril taking Cynder from Spyro and Volteer leading the way. "Now Spyro explain to me what happened."
Several hours later Cyril and Volteer were still working on Cynder. Terrador had tended to Spyro's cuts and then went to help them. Now Spyro was alone pacing around the temple to worried about Cynder to do anything else. "Please be okay, please." He kept mumbling.
Just then Terrador walked out of the room Cynder was in, his head was down and tears were forming in his eyes.
"How is she?" Spyro asked.
"I'm sorry Spyro, but there's little chance she'll survive." Terrador sighed.
"No…." Spyro gasped.
"I'm truly am sorry, but even if she were, for some miracle, to live her wings have been totally crushed, and her tail blade stabbed right through her spine paralyzing her hind legs, so she'll never be able to walk or fly again." Terrador said turning away from Spyro and walking away.
Spyro stepped into the room and Saw Volteer sitting next to Cynder, who was lying on a pile of hay, and Cyril was mixing something in the corner of the room. The both looked up at Spyro as he entered the room but then he quickly looked away.
Spyro walked over to Cynder and saw that she looked so peaceful like nothing was wrong. Spyro would've believed that too if he scales weren't a dull gray instead of their usual deep black. "How much longer does she have?" He asked his voice breaking.
"That depends on how long she can hold on." Cyril said.
"Then please leave us alone." Spyro said lying next to Cynder. Without argument the two got up and left. "I'm so sorry Cynder." Spyro said laying his head on Cynder's chest and letting his tears pour out of him.
"For what?" Asked a scratchy voice. Spyro looked up and saw that Cynder was awake and staring at him. "Why are you crying?"
"Oh Cynder this is all my fault!" Spyro cried.
Suddenly Cynder slapped Spyro across the face. "Don't you ever say that." She growled weakly sending herself into a fit of coughing. "This is not at all your fault." She wheezed.
"Yes it is." Spyro sobbed. "If I didn't throw you we'd both be safe right now."
"And if the tree had fallen on you instead I'd think it was my fault you got crushed." Cynder wheezed. "But it's no ones fault; the tree just fell and we were in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"But Cynder-"
"No buts." Cynder coughed spitting blood out her mouth. "Swear to me hat you won't blame yourself."
"But I-"
"Swear it."
"Alright I swear I won't blame myself." Spyro cried burying his face in Cynder's chest like a child does with their mother when they're sad.
"Good, I love you." Cynder sighed. Spyro listened quietly as Cynder's heart slowly came to a stop.
"Don't worry Cynder, we'll be together again." Spyro promised. "And then I'll tell you how I truly feel."
"Spyro wake up." Spyro heard Cynder say. He looked at her and saw she didn't move. "Please wake up; I can't loose you." Her voice cried.
"Cynder where are you?" Spyro asked.
"Just open your eyes, please." Cynder begged.
"They are open!" Spyro exclaimed not able to understand why Cynder couldn't hear him. Suddenly he felt something press against his chest and something else press against his lips.
Spyro opened his eyes to see Cynder an inch from his face. "Oh Spyro you're okay!" She exclaimed.
"Cynder, you're alive?" Spyro gasped. "You're alive!" He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Of course I'm alive." Cynder said small tears rolling down her face. "I'm not the one who got hit by a tree."
"But I thought you did get hit by the tree." Spyro said.
"No you threw me out of the way but you weren't fast enough to get away. When the tree fell on you I tried to get it off but I wasn't strong enough, so I had to come back here and get Terrador to help." Cynder explained. "When we got back here he looked you over and found that you only broke your hind leg; he said you're extremely lucky that you were on soft ground or else that could've been a lot worse."
"I'm just glad you're safe." Spyro sighed.
"Only thanks to your quick thinking." Cynder said.
"Cynder?" Spyro asked.
"Yeah
Sp-" Cynder was stopped by Spyro pressing his lips to hers in a
long slow kiss.
"I love you Cynder, so don't ever leave me."
Spyro whispered.
"I love you too Spyro, and don't worry I'll always stay with you." Cynder sighed.
