Author's Note: No, I was not in a coma, prison, or a foreign country and I obviously wasn't dead.

Disclaimer: I don't own Spyro the Dragon, or the series assorted characters.

Chapter 4

The Date… Or Not

Cynder wasn't too fond of the wizard's so called magic. She knew quite a bit about the Dark Master's magic and she didn't think that incense, or dream catchers were going to work and her room was starting to smell funny.

Their mysterious patient had recovered quite well, but hadn't regained consciousness yet. Medrin had said that the creature unconsciously hissed and growled while it slept and Cynder, who felt somewhat responsible for it, was beginning to wonder if it was even sentient.

Five days after she had found the creature, she was out for a walk to get away from her room and the strong smell of the incense. She wished there was some better way to occupy her time then to just wonder around. Perhaps she could offer to help the Guardians with war strategies or something? After all she knew everything there was to know about the Dark Master's army.

The black dragoness decided she'd do that the next chance she got to talk to Ignitus.

"Hey, Cynder!" she turned and saw Spyro walking towards her, breaking away from Crystalis and Sparx.

"Hi, Spyro," Cynder greeted.

The purple dragon took a moment to shout a good-bye over his shoulder at Sparx and Crystalis and then turned back to Cynder. "So… um. Uh, I caught a sheep yesterday… and do you want to go for like a picnic or something?"

Cynder blinked at him. She nervously kneaded the ground with her front paws. Spyro blushing in embarrassment. "Okay," Cynder replied nervously. "So I guess I'll meet you at the south entrance to the temple tomorrow?"

"Yeah, at 2:00?" Spyro replied. "So… is everything okay with you?"

Cynder turned and continued on her walk, Spyro trotting at her side. "Yeah, everything is fine…"

Spyro glanced over at her sympathetically. "I know that most of the other dragons aren't exactly very friendly toward you. They treat Crystalis the same way because of what his dad tried to do."

The two walked on in silence for a few minutes before Cynder said. "Well, you could always tell them to treat me better, or you won't save them all."

Spyro chuckled.

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"So what'd she say?" Sparx asked as Spyro entered their room. Crystalis looked up interestedly.

"What'd who say about what?" Spyro asked walking over to his bed and laying down on it.

"You know who," Sparx said. "Cyyynder."

"Yeah, she did," Spyro said, barely able to hide his excitement, or his nervousness. "I hope I don't mess up."

"You took on the Dark Master's general," Crystalis said. "And you're afraid of going on a date?"

"It's not really a date," Spyro said. "I'm just taking her on a picnic."

"Which is French for date," Sparx put in.

Spyro growled and clamped his jaws down on his pillow. He swung his head around, letting go and sending it flying into the hovering dragonfly. Spyro couldn't help but laugh as the dragonfly was slammed against the wall.

"Was that really necessary?" Crystalis asked, before a pillow slammed into his face.

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Cynder was practically glowing the next day. The prospect of the picnic with Spyro had her excited obviously, but also the fact that she hadn't had any Dark Master-related dreams for days.

Finally, it was almost two o'clock and Cynder had decided to get ready. She wasn't going to get all girly with makeup and the like, cause she wasn't like that and had just settled on wearing a white collar with a black gem set in the front.

She turned around once in the mirror before heading out the door. Cynder headed for the south entrance, her tail flicking back and forth happily.

Her light-heartedness lasted all of two seconds, as she spotted the shadowy caped figure standing at the end of the hall. Cynder's eyes widened in fright before she barred her teeth at the demon, glaring at him. A dragon emerged from a separate room and walked right by the specter without evening looking at it.

Cynder turned and strode down a side corridor, before stopping and staring in fright as the Dark Master was now standing only a tail length away from her. She immediately whirled around to face another hall, but once again the shadow was standing in her way, smirking evilly.

Trying not to scream in fear, or curl up on the floor shivering in fear. Cynder took a step back, getting ready to whirl around and make a run for it. The Dark Master smirked as Cynder blinked, the shadow vanishing in the time it took for her to open and close her eyes.

Cynder spun around, already knowing where the Dark Master had vanished to. Sure, enough he was standing right behind her, but she only saw him for a few seconds before her vision went black and she was sucked into the dark void of unconsciousness.