The Shattered Dawn

Chapter 3: The Journey Home

Cynder was exhausted. She and Hunter had been carrying Spyro for hours. After she had told Hunter what happened he had immediately said "Come, we must get you two to Warfang." They had taken turns carrying Spyros limp body ever since.

Dusk was approaching. Cynder was just about to ask Hunter if they could stop look for a place to rest for the night when suddenly Hunter stopped.

"Shh quiet, I heard something." Hunter then carefully set down Spyro and removed his bow, knocking an arrow in preparation. "Be careful Cynder, I believe there are foes heading this way, stay here and guard Spyro."

Cynder was about to object when Hunter leapt up into the trees and out of sight. Cynder cursed to herself. She was exhausted from the battle with Malefor and traveling all day.

She waited, and waited, and waited. Just as she was thinking of leaving in search of hunter she heard a cry of pain that was all too familiar to her. A grublin had cried out in surprise and pain. She tensed in anticipation, Hunter was an excellent marksman. But grublins tended to traveled in large groups, and even the best marksman can't fell that many enemies. She heard a rustling ahead and prepared herself for the worst.

4 grublins emerged on the path ahead of her. She arched her neck and let out a draconic hiss.

The grublins immediately took notice of her but instead of fleeing as she had hoped they charged at her, grateful that they had a foe they could see.

Cynder immediately took to the air. Ignitus had trained her well and had taught her and Spyro many tricks to use when fighting. After she had gained a little altitude she flew down at the lead grublin. She collided with a devastating charge, knocking the grublin back into another and shattering his chest the first grublins chest and injuring the other. Seeing their companions fall the other two grublins quickly struck. She rolled to avoid a grublins descending blade, and quickly spun around, impaling the grublin with her tail blade, killing it instantly. She turned to find that the second grublin swinging its crude spear at her chest. Their was not time to react. She couldn't block the spear.

Suddenly a hiss tore through the air and the grublin was knocked to the ground, an arrow in its side. Cynder gave a sigh of relief and looked up at the trees "Thank you Hunter"

Hunter leapt from the upper branches of a tree and landed gracefully on the ground, "Anytime Cynder, I'm sorry I couldn't keep them all away from you. I managed to kill 18 of them before I ran out of arrows, the other 4 managed to get away while I was retrieving a few arrows." He looked around and saw only 3 dead grublins "Cynder did you see a fourth… Augh!"

The fourth grublin had run into the woods after its companion had been thrown at it. It hid until it saw Hunter. It had become enraged at the sight of the one who killed all of its companions. The grublin rushed out and swung its blade at Hunter scoring a long gash on his arm and earning a yowl of pain from the unsuspecting warrior.

Cynder saw the grublin attack Hunter and felt a surge of anger, she quickly searched inside herself and found a corrosive power. She opened her mouth and spat a blob of strong acid at the grublin. The attack hit it head on and in seconds all that was left of the grublin was a puddle.

Hunter looked at Cynder and then the puddle that was once a grublin. "Thank you Cynder, have I ever told you I'm glad you're not my enemy?"

Cynder grinned and replied, "Anytime Hunter, how's your arm?"

Hunter looked at his arm and grimaced "I'll live, but I won't be able to fight or carry Spyro."

"What!" Cynder looked aghast "Hunter it's almost night, I haven't rested sense we defeated Malefor, and using my poison breath drained me of almost all my strength, how am I supposed to carry Spyro?."

Hunter looked at Cynder with a small smile on his face, "From the top of this trail you can see Warfang." Cynders eyes brightened at this "but you can also see the remainder of the Dark Masters army." The light in Cynders eye's immediately vanished.

"Do not fear Cynder, the Dark Masters forces were nearly destroyed when Spyro brought the planet back together. There are not many left, but the few that remain seem intent and harassing travelers coming to or leaving Warfang."

Cynder looked at Hunter with a sense of desperation, "Hunter, How are we supposed to defeat them and protect Spyro?"

Hunter looked at Cynder with a hint of sadness in his eyes "Cynder you must fly ahead with Spyro, it is the only way for you and him to get into the city safely; I will watch and make sure you get to the city. Once you do I will head back to my village, I could never fight my way through that many, even if they are scattered throughout the edge of the forest. Besides, there is still much work to be done in my village and the others may begin worrying for my safety."

Cynder looked at Hunter with a look of shock and anger, "Hunter after all this you're just going too…" She then saw the sense in Hunter plan and gave a sigh. "I guess it is the only way. I wish we could stay together for a little longer."

Hunter gave a content sigh. He was worried that he would need to argue with Cynder before she managed to see the sense in his plan and accept it. "I know Cynder, I wish I could stay too, but now is not the time. We each have our duties, you to Spyro and the Guardians, me to my tribe and village. If I can I will visit to see how Spyro is doing. But for now you must go!"

Cynder looked over at Spyro, then Hunter and said "You're right Hunter, I need to get going. I hope to see you soon." She turned around and had Hunter help her get Spyro on top of her. She ran to the top of the hill turned around and said, "Goodbye Hunter" and took of into the air.

Hunter watched her struggle to gain altitude and said "Good luck Cynder, May the ancestors watch over you."

Cynder was struggling. Spyro wasn't fat like Sparx seemed to think but he wasn't exactly light as feather either. She grunted as she passed the tree line, "Halfway there, come on Cynder do it for Spyro." She flapped her wings and gained a little speed and altitude.

When she was about the three fourths of the way there she heard a twang from behind her and felt a searing pain in her back left leg, she turned and saw what she feared, there was an arrow was imbedded in her leg. She grit her teeth and kept going, she was nearly there. She gave a small sigh of relief when she saw that she was almost to the wall. She heard a shout of alarm from below her and saw an arrow fly just to her left.

Cynder looked below and saw three more moles aiming at her, "Why are the doing this?" She looked at the city and saw that it was covered in shadows, the sun had set. Against the black backdrop of the sky the moles couldn't see who she was. To them she was another enemy trying to sneak up on them during the night.

She swerved franticly as she heard the bowstrings released. She managed to dodge one but the other two hit her chest and wing. The arrow that hit her chest hurt but it was just a shallow wound, it had hit a rib and fallen away. The one that hit her wing caused considerably more damage, the arrow had a wide tip and had torn a chunk out of the back of her wing and was causing tremendous agony.

She struggled to maintain altitude as she fell to the wall. Her wing was barely supporting her. She was almost to the wall but she knew that she would never land safely in the city behind the wall so she quickly came up with a new plan. She turned and flew right at the moles that had shot at her.

The moles yelled and dived out of the way as Cynder crashed onto the wall. As they got up and raised their weapons at her she cried out "Get the guardians, Spyro needs help!" She saw looks of confusion, recognition, and lastly fear. A mole rushed to deliver her message.

When she saw that the mole had run of to deliver her message she gave a satisfied sigh and blacked out.

A.N.

Yes, the first few chapters were rather short. But rest assured they get longer. I am pleased with my first action sequence, it was a small fight but it is good to know I can write one! My only doubt is the number of grublins I used. Feel free to post your thoughts on the number. As always please leave a review and feel free to PM me if you have and questions or comments. I will to my very best to answer any questions. Until next time.

-May the storm guide you and give you strength, Wings of the Storm