Trespassers

Upon hearing Ignitus's words, Hunter rushed over to the window, reaching over the sill to grab the eavesdropper. After a brief scuffle and plenty of colourful words, he managed to pull the trespasser into the room, who kept trying to get away from him up until he had a dragons tail blade pressed up against his neck.

"Where do you get the nerve to try and break into the council chambers?" said Cyril, carefully advancing the figure, careful not to hurt him in the process.

He kept stuttering, unable to form his answer but, as his back came up against Volteer's flank, he quickly found his voice. "Please don't hurt me, I meant no harm."

"Then tell us why you were there."

He was silent for a moment. Then, after glancing around at the dragon behind him, he sighed. "I began in a city far from here. I only came because that monster walked straight through it. When it was gone, the elders that someone should follow it and see where it went. I was picked because I was the one who had previously travelled furthest from the city."

Hunter interrupted him. "How long have you been following it?"

"I have been travelling for almost a year ago. My home is a very long way from here."

Cyril applied pressure to the feline's neck "That still doesn't explain why you were listening at the window."

"Hang on a moment." Everyone turned to face Sparx. "How did you get there in the first place? You would have been seen if you came through here and there's at least a hundred meter drop outside."

"Would you believe I flew?" he said, smiling for the first time.

Terrador shook his head. "A flight spell is very strong magic. Something like that would leave a trace and I can't detect anything."

"That's because I ported instead."

The ice guardian could not understand his statement and expressed his displeasure at this by removing his tail and instead placing his claws around his throat. "What the devil are you talking about?"

"He means that he teleported up there." said Terrador, as he calmly removed the ice dragons' claws. "This means he had to have help."

"No-one helped me, I made it here myself."

"Then how did you make it to the window? The only races that can use magic are dragons and phoenix's and you are neither."

"Then I think a demonstration might help." With that he pulled away from the dragon and vanished with a sharp crack, only to reappear on the other side of the room.

Volteer was the first to talk as Terrador was carefully trying to hold Cyril back. "While that is impressive and I would like to know how you did it, you still have not answered the question that was put before you."

"The reason I was listening at the window?" That was because I watched two creatures, of which I had never even heard of before; bring down the biggest monster I had ever seen. Even with all I've seen and heard, I still have trouble understanding exactly who or what you are."

"We can go over that later." said Sparx, flying between the two groups. "For now, what did old blue mean when he said that this fellow could help us?"

"I think he meant that I can port you to him."

The pair ran down the tunnel. They had long since given up the notion of moving unseen when they realized that something knew they were there anyway.

"Left turn ahead." cried Cynder.

"You first."

As she reached the bend, she leapt up on to the wall and ran around the corner, closely followed by Spyro. They had been running along the passage for some time now and since they knew they were close to whatever was guiding them, they were prepared for whatever would try to come after them.

"We'd better stop up ahead." said Spyro.

"Don't tell me you're tired already."

"No. But that next bend is the last one and I'd like to take it a bit slower."

They both slowed down and crept up to the corner where they both came to a stop before peering around the corner.

"There's nothing there." she said.

The chamber was big, so big that they were unable to see the top of it. On the other side, another passage was visible with the light shining from it.

"Think it's a trap?"

"Of course it's a trap. I've walked into enough of yours to know when things are too easy."

"If this is a trap, it's set in the worse possible location. There's nowhere to hide and plenty of space for us to get airborne."

"That's what worries me." He stared around the Chamber. "Whatever's out there, it has to be good to stay hidden in that place. There was an alcove back there. I suggest we go rest up."

She nodded in agreement and they both turned back the way they had come.

Terrador had sent hunter to get some food for the stranger whilst Cyril had left, wanting nothing more to do with him.

"Teleporting them from wherever they are to Warfang is a good plan and I trust Ignitus enough to trust someone I know nothing about. This mission is on of utmost urgency. However, there is still the problem of locating them."

"There's no problem. The fact that I've seen them should allow me to port within close proximity to them. My problem is that I don't know what I'm teleporting into. I'm good enough to avoid any obstacles but my knowledge of this area is nil."

"I can prepare a map if you like."

The feline shook his head. "While a map would be nice, I'd much prefer a guide. Whilst a map shows me a location, a guide would know all the shortcuts."

"I'd be willing to take that role." said Hunter, walking into the room with his food.

They young dragons had made themselves as comfortable as they could in their hidden alcove. It was large enough to easily fit the two of them while the entrance was only visible when seen from the right direction. Since whatever was guiding them was always in front of them, they felt they were safe enough.

"Spyro?"

"What is it?" came a tired reply.

"Where have you been getting all that energy from? You never did that when you were fighting me or Malefor."

There was silence for a moment, then…

"When I was young, my adoptive parents used to feed me the same things as Sparx. This was okay when I was a hatchling, the diet was surprisingly filling."

"It would be if you were forced to eat worms every day." chuckled Cynder.

"As I grew, I found that it wasn't enough. However, there was nothing else for something my size to eat in the swamp. I actually learnt how to do it the same way I learnt my other abilities."

"By accident."

Hunter was, for the first time in his life, felling nervous.

"Are you "sure this will work?"

"Definitely. I've taken people with me before. They've always come through in one piece."

"Why doesn't that make me feel any better?"

The pair had made their final preparations before moving into the courtyard. After he had had the process of teleportation explained to him, Hunter Had almost back out of the mission. However, after much coaxing from the stranger and plenty of yelling from Sparx, he had reluctantly gathered his equipment.

"I don't suppose you could tell me your name?"

"It's Cirion. Why do you ask?"

"Because if this fails and we die because of it, I want to know who to beat up on the other side."

"Don't worry." said Cirion, laughing at the cheetahs discomfort. "Porting is as simple as…"

SNAP!