Chapter 7

Feelings and Wisdom

The four Dragons and Sparx arrived at Tall Plains. High and large grassy plateaus stand above the cloudy mists. There are some that have forests, mountains, grottos, and waterfalls. Spyro, Cragen, Zephyrav, and Groverge are on a small plateau. A rope bridge is connected from it to a mountain, where they would start looking for the Ice Dragon, Cyril. Sparx gazes around the place. He believes there is going to be more than a number of Apes he had seen at Dante's Freezer.

"Right," Sparx moans. "It's never easy, is it?"

Spyro chuckles, "Nothing worthwhile ever is."

Sparx looks at him running on the bridge. "So now you're sprouting wisdom, hero boy?" he calls.

"C'mon, Sparx," says Cragen, following Spyro.

Sparx catches up to Spyro's side and matches his pace. Spyro looks down at the mist below. There is no telling how far down is it. When they reached the mountain, they see something frightening in the air. A giant-sized half-ram, half-vampire bat creature with an Ape holding a spear riding on its back flies overhead screeching. It disappears behind the mountain not noticing the Dragons.

"What was that?" asks Spyro.

"A Dreadwing," Cragen replies. "Apes use them for flying. We may need to stay on the plateaus and keep our eyes peeled."

The Dragons and Sparx have gone into a tunnel through the mountain. Sparx's glowing body lights up the dark cavern. The Dragons are proud to have someone like him. Drawings of figures on the walls come into sight. Spyro thinks these must be based on the history of the Atlawa. He wanted to look at more of them but reminded himself to get back on track. They found the end of the underground trail and Zephyrav sniffs the air.

"We got company up ahead," she says.

"How would you know?" Spyro asks.

"Wind Dragons can pick up a scent clinging in the air no matter where they are," Zephyrav explains. "We use the power of Wind by breathing and using the air currents around us. They're faithful companions to us. They look out for us, telling us when there is danger somewhere. I think of them as kindred spirits."

"Wow," says Spyro fascinated. "That's amazing."

"Yeah, it is," Zephyrav replies with a smile.

"So what's out there?" asks Cragen.

She closes her eyes and inhales the air through her nostrils again. "There are a few Ape guards out there," she tells her friends and then squints. "Honestly, they do smell. And…I think there are also Atlawa prisoners."

The Dragons and Sparx look outside to see for themselves. Platforms with grass are connected with rope bridges. Ape soldiers are everywhere armed with weapons. Ape archers from watchtowers are on the lookout. They are guarding five wooden cages that have fluffy, bipedal, llama-like creatures with dark-gray fur with light-gray shadings inside. Each is wearing fabric belts with blue buckles. The Purple Dragon presumes they could be the Atlawa. Four Dreadwings appear in the sky. One swoops in and snatches a cage from its spot with its feet. The others get their own cage and follow the first one out of sight. The last cage remains on the platform to the heroes' right.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," Spyro states, looking at the cage.

"Does that mean what I think it does?" Sparx asks Cragen.

"It sure does." Cragen nods.

Sparx slaps his own face,"Oh, brother. This is never easy."

"Anybody have any ideas to save him?" Spyro asks.

"Allow me," Groverge growls, taking a couple steps forward from the Dragons.

Groverge digs his claws in the grass. The grass moves around like fingers. Around each watchtower, the grass grows much longer. Spyro is very amazed Groverge can do this. The growing grass has reached the towers' height and they wrap around them to crush them with the Ape archers screeching in fear.

The Ape soldiers on a bridge are exchanging glances with each other wondering what is going on. Zephyrav flies in and takes a deep breath to blow them off with her beak. The Apes screech in horror it echoed in the air while they fall in the cloudy mists. Zephyrav then flies to an Ape soldier and picks him off the ground to throw him off the cliff.

Cragen sees some more archers on a mountain ridge aiming their arrows at Zephyrav. He flies up to the wall and Cragen's head bashes against the wall horns first. The ledge the Ape archers are standing on crumbles and they fall to the ground.

While the Apes are busy with the older Dragons, Spyro flies to the Atlawa. Three Dreadwings appear in the sky and spot him. They descend to the plateau towards him.

Groverge glances at the flying beasts and digs his front claws in the grass again. A handful of grass grows longer and grasps a Dreadwing's leg. Groverge controls the grass to smash the Dreadwing and its rider around.

Zephyrav flies in and blows an Ape off the other Dreadwing. The rider lands next to the cage holding the Atlawa, feet first. Zephyrav gashes her talons on the evil flying creature's back. The Dreadwings screeches loud, losing control of its flying, and falls into the mist.

As Spyro's heart quickens, he holds his breath and breathes again to fire Electricity at the last Dreadwing. The Electricity struck the Dreadwing's heart and it falls. He goes to the last cage holding the Atlawa. The last Ape stands in his way armed with a sword and Spyro headbutts him. The Ape is flown backwards and he broke the wooden cage bars. The Atlawa is free. Spyro claws the Ape's face to finish him off.

"Watch it, will ya?" the Atlawa shouts in anger.

"I was just trying to help," Spyro explains in honesty while the other Dragons and Sparx join at his side. "We're ALL trying to help."

"Well," the Atlawa scoffs. "The Atlawa and I, Kane, chief of the tribe, need no help!"

"Oh, you were just about to spring into action, huh?" says Spyro, disappointed with Kane's ungratefulness.

"Forget this guy, Spyro," Sparx says. "Come on."

Spyro ignores his brother and asks Kane, "What were the Apes doing to you, anyway? And where are they taking the other Atlawa?"

"It's none of your business!" Kane spat. "Now, move out of my way! I've got a tribe to save."

And that is what he does, Kane dashes away out of site to where his people can be.

"Oh, you're welcome!" Sparx sarcastically calls after him.

"I wish he would have been more appreciative," Spyro says.

"Well, it's a thing when you have matters to deal with," Zephyrav states. "Let's move on."


Meanwhile, on a plateau with a big forest where a shrine lies on a hill, Cyril, the Dragon Guardian of Ice is lying on the stone floor tied up in chain. His body is scarred and bruised. Cynder, the loyal servant of Malefor, is there as well with her new Ape general now wearing heavy armor with spikes and Ape guards. A blue glowing glass orb is floating in the air. Blue energy comes out of Cyril's body and flows inside it.

"That's it," Cynder murmurs, staring at the orb, "a little more."

"Are you certain this will work, milady?" the Ape general asks.

"Of course, it will!" the black Dragoness spats. "Your King, Gaul, said so himself. I remember everything he told me what I must do. Once I have all five elemental energies from the Guardians, our victory will be assured."

"You…" Cyril speaks to Cynder, struggling in the chain, "…you will never fulfill your purpose. You will be stopped."

"Is that so?" asks Cynder grinning with an arched eyebrow. She places her foot on his head and strokes her metal claws across his cheek. Cyril flinches from the sharp tips. "I will succeed, no matter what."

"No!" Cyril growls. "You will not!"

"Shut up, you old worm!" the Ape general shouts. "No one's going to save you out here."

With the sound of a screech, Cynder and the general turn around to see an Ape soldier flying his Dreadwing to the plateau. When it landed, he jumps off it running to the two leaders.

"General! Cynder!" the soldier pants. "Dragons! We got Dragons!"

Cynder's white eyes flash in surprise.

Cyril grunts with a curt nod. "Now there's someone coming to rescue me," he says.

Cynder chuckles creepily, "About time too." She turns to her general. "Let's see if they can't survive this one. Release the Death Hounds."

"Yes, Cynder." the general bows.


Meanwhile, Spyro, Sparx, Groverge, Zephyrav, and Cragen run around Tall Plains hoping to find Cyril quickly. They come up to another high plateau after crossing a ladder bridge. An arrow comes in and strikes the ground in front of them. The Dragons glance to the left to see Ape archers on a watchtower aiming their bows and arrows at them. They fire more arrows and Spyro jumps ahead of the group to burn them all with his Fire breath. A breeze blows at Zephyrav and she makes a powerful wave of Wind with her feathered wings to knock the tower down. More Apes charge at them with spears pointing. Cragen runs at them and turns into a ball. All the Apes got knocked down to the ground.

"Ooh, sweet," Sparx says, smiling.

Five Dreadwings descend from the sky. The Apes riding them carry hand-bombs in a pouch attach to their belts. They throw one at the Dragons.

"Get out of the way!" Cragen hollers.

The Dragons spread out away from the bomb explosions. Spyro sees another bomb with a longer fuse coming down on him. The bomb landed on the grass, the fuse still sparkling. The fliers swing back for another attack and Spyro picks up the bomb with his mouth to throw it at the fliers. The live bomb went flying to one of the fliers and it goes into one his pouch lighting all the bombs' fuse with its long fuse. The Ape raises an eyebrow once he hears a hissing noise. He checks his pouch and his eyes are wide open.

"Oh, sh…!" he began to exclaim then the bombs explode.

The rest of the Dreadwings explode in a chain reaction.

"Boom, baby! Boom!" Sparx yells triumphantly and Zephyrav whoops loud.

"Good throw, Spyro!" Cragen cheered.

Spyro shrugs. "I wasn't expecting that to happen but thanks."

More Apes charge at the Dragons with their weapons aiming at them. Cragen spins around fast swinging his spiked ball tail around. It hits every Ape that stands in his way. Groverge breathes fire from an ember stalk and sets the Apes' fur on fire. The Apes screech in pain and runaway.

The Dragons and Sparx keep on moving. They enter an Atlawa village with rows of grains align next to a line of water destroyed. On the other side is another ladder bridge to another plateau with a forest. Two Ape soldiers jump in and block the Dragons way with their spears.

"Oh, please!" Zephyrav scoffs, rolling her eyes.

She blows cool wind at the two Apes and they are blown off the cliff. Three Dreadwings appear in the air, descending to the Dragons on the bridge. Apes aim their bows at them and release the arrows. Zephyrav flaps her blue feathered wings causing the arrows to fly in another direction. Spyro fires Electricity at two Dreadwings and they fall into the cloudy mists below. Then, Cragen releases a green energy laser from his mouth to hit the last one. That is another amazing discovery Spyro had seen from an Earth Dragon. They all reached the plateau and go deep in the forest. As they go further, there seem to be no more enemies to get in their way. Spyro thinks that is peculiar. The Dragons and Sparx found a clearing with a steep hill between rocky structures. They spotted two different ways.

"Where do we go?" Spyro asks.

Groverge spreads his toes apart on the soft grass and closes his eyes. He glances swiftly at the tunnel to their left.

"Cyril is that way," he says. "I can feel him on the grass on a different plateau." Groverge glances to a pathway to the right. "That way is where we'll find more Apes."

"Good work, Groverge," Spyro says, giving him a curt nod. "Let's get going."

When they were about to leave the clearing, Sparx becomes aware of Groverge going in the opposite direction.

"Oi, Groverge," Sparx calls and everyone stops. He points at the left direction where they are supposed to go. "Isn't the way to the Ice Dragon over there?"

"I'm not coming with you, guys," Groverge says facing the pathway.

"What? What are you talking about?" Spyro asks.

"I'm going where there are more Apes," Groverge pauses and then continues, "so there will be nothing in your way. Go on ahead. It…"

"Groverge," Zephyrav says, interrupting. "Cragen and I know what you're thinking."

Spyro sees a sadden look on Zephyrav's face. He glances back at the young Forest Dragon standing very still with his head down. Groverge is being very quiet as if he is turned to stone. Spyro has got a feeling that the Forest Dragon is going to tell him what had happened to him.

"Come on, Groverge!" Cragen tells him in frustration. "You're better than this!"

Groverge turns around to face his friends and says coolly, "I have to do this."

"Do what?" asks Spyro being gently.

Groverge looks at Spyro. His eyes begin to water and his claws dig through the grass. Sparx hovers in close to listen.

"I can't," Groverge sighs. "It's too painful to say."

Zephyrav walks to him and stands next to him. "I'm here," she whispers.

Cragen joins in, supporting his friend, as well. Groverge takes a few deep breathes and faces the Purple Dragon who is prepared to hear what is to come.

"It's about the time when the Apes raided the Dragon Temple on the Year of the Dragon," the Forest Dragon begins. "You remember Ignitus saying you were one of the eggs?"

Spyro nods and Groverge tells his story.

"When I was your age, all my life, I cared for the plants in the world as they cared about me. I use the power of Forest by using what I have in common with the plants; feelings. My parents taught me to use my feelings to communicate with them and that they're friends for life, besides other friends that is." A smile appears on Groverge and it surprises Spyro as he talks. "And whenever they decay, I can bring them back to life. I really enjoyed it. And then, as I got older, my heart had focused on something besides the plants. That was the eggs in the Temple.

"They're like seeds soon to be growing up so beautiful. Every day, I visited the Nesting Chamber to see the eggs thinking what they, including you, would be like when they do so. I was hoping someday I would take another Forest Dragon or Dragoness as my own apprentice and care for it like a parent." He pauses, his smile fading away once again, and continues, "Then, there came the devastation of the Apes.

"I was so afraid what would happen to the little ones if they fell into their hands. I joined with my friends and the Guardians, Volteer, Cyril, and Terrador, in the Nesting Chamber to protect the eggs with my life while Whisperav kept the Dark Armies away as she could and Ignitus took you to the Silver River. At first, in my belief, the little ones would be safe but I was wrong. The Apes knocked everyone out when they started fighting. I was the only one standing. I fought and fought and then they pinned me down. They took every single egg from the baskets and crushed them all. There was nothing I could do but lay there hopelessly and watch the massacre until an Ape knocked me out. I woke to see broken egg shells on the floor and baskets destroyed. The little ones were all gone. We've failed them. I for one failed them the most. There was nothing in my power to bring them back."

A tear rolls down from Groverge's eye when he blinks. Tears also began to come out of Spyro's eyes.

"I love the plants." Groverge breathes shuddering. "Those eggs, however, were more precious to me. They were the ones I hold most dear. Ignitus may have saved you, Spyro, but I…I saved none of them. I can't help anyone now. All I want to do is kill every Ape I can find."

"What," Sparx exclaims, "you can't help all because of your failure? Come on, you can still help! Look at you! You're such a tough guy! You can breathe fire! You can make those grass tentacle thingies!"

Spyro nods in agreement, "Yeah, you can't run out on us. We need you. Everybody needs you."

Groverge lowers his head not looking at the Purple Dragon or anyone.

"I doubt I can be strong this time. I feel angry all the time when I fight those Apes I call heartless murderers." He wipes the tears off his face. "I wish the eggs never died. I wish the war never happened."

"I wish that too," Zephyrav says softly nuzzling him, "more than anything."

"As do I," Cragen steps in. "The eggs were our last hope but everything will be all right now that Spyro's here. He'll lead us to victory and following that, we will have peace."

"If you stand and fight with us," Spyro adds boldly, "and let go of the pain, you will be strong and heal yourself. I felt the same way when Ignitus told me the young ones died and Cynder had destroyed our forestland. But I'm not going to let that get in my way and neither are you. What matters most is to move on and know what is best. Those little Dragons you swore to protect with your life now live in your heart. Your love for them makes you even stronger. Heck, it makes the plants stronger."

Groverge now lifts his head up slowly to look at the Purple Dragon, being speechless again. Spyro thinks he got through to him and Groverge was taking it in.

"Spyro, I think you bucked him up. You should keep this wisdom stuff." Sparx whispers in his ear.

Then, catching them by surprise, the Dragons and Sparx hear a howling sound. It echoes around them.

"What was that?" Sparx says, glancing in every direction. "Was that…? No, it sounds like something I've never heard before."

"We have." Cragen says.

Three big muscular half-wolf, half-rat creatures appear out of the forest growth and growl menacing-like at them.

"Whoa," Sparx exclaims, "big doggies, big doggies!"

"Death Hounds!" Groverge shouts.

The Death Hounds pounce. Cragen jumps up and tail whips his spiked ball tail to hit one of the Death Hound's chest. The Hound then hits the ground with its head. Its eyes stare at nothing. The other Death Hound attacks Spyro. Spyro takes off in the air and hovers below the Death Hound. The Death Hound jumps up trying to catch him with its mouth, barking deeply. Sparx flies in behind the Hound.

"Hold on, buddy. I'll save ya!" he hollers to Spyro.

Sparx pulls on the Death Hound's tale. The Hound squirms and pivots around to bite Sparx but Sparx keeps holding onto the tale.

"Bad doggy," Sparx exclaims, "bad doggy! Sit! Heel! Whoa!"

The Hound keeps spinning around to get Sparx like it was chasing its own tale and the Hound accidentally falls into a pit. Sparx let's go and returns on the surface.

"Thanks Sp-" Spyro begins but then shouts in panic. "Look out!"

The last Death Hound is running at Sparx. Sparx flies off in a direction and the Death Hound chases him around. Spyro bites down the Hound's hind leg to bring it down to the ground. Zephyrav stabs the beast with her claws.

Spyro exhales in relief, "Wow. That was easy. Was there just three?"

"Nope," Zephyrav answered, staring at the steep hill.

The Dragons and Sparx turn around and see more Death Hounds on the steep hill eyes glaring, teeth bearing, and drool oozing out of their mouths. One pounces and Zephyrav blows him back to the others. Groverge uses the grass beneath him to grasp a Hound's legs and burns it alive with his fire breath. Cragen stabs one's head with his horns and bites down another one's snout. Spyro spins around to whack his tale at a Death Hound.

"There's too many of them!" Cragen shouts.

"Do we run?" Sparx asks.

"Well," the Earth Dragon says shrugging, "like Ignitus said, 'you have to stand up to danger.' But, if there are a lot of enemies, then yes, you run. Run!"

The Dragons and Sparx turn and run to the tunnel to the left and the Death Hounds chase after them barking with tongues lolling out of their jaws. The Dragons use all their strength to run as fast as they can. Groverge looks back to see the Death Hounds are catching up. He and the others will not be able to make it out of this. Then, a scent clings to his nostrils. He takes a deep inhale while running and interprets where the scent is coming from. A river, he smells a rushing river. Groverge and his friends are heading to a waterfall. An idea comes to him.

"Guys," he calls and the Dragons and Sparx look at him. "I know where we're heading! I can smell it! When we reach the outside, get out of the way!"

Spyro, Zephyrav, Cragen, and Sparx nod in response to Groverge and kept running. Light appears before them as they get close. The Dragons rush out of the tunnel and see the rushing river below, leading to a waterfall.

"Now!" Groverge hollers.

Everyone takes a side and the Hounds burst out of the tunnel. They fell off the edge and splash into the water. Their ferocious barking is replaced with squirms of fear. The river takes the beasts to the waterfall where they fall in the misty fog below. The Dragons and Sparx roar in triumph.

"Groverge," Spyro says, glancing at the Forest Dragon in astonishment. "You did it! You saved our lives."

Groverge looks at the river where the Hounds had fell going in deep thought. A smile appeared on him.

"Yeah, I did," he tells the Purple Dragon. "Thanks to you, I see the way now. I'm never going to let you or my friends die for nothing. Like you said, what matters most is to move on and know what is best."

Excitement chills Spyro. He has brought wisdom to his friend.

"All right," Sparx cries, punching the air. He gives Groverge a hug on one of the horns on his head. Groverge chuckles and pats him on the back carefully.

Cragen slaps front foot on Groverge's back hard. "Good to see you having faith again, bud!" he shouts.

"Cragen, do you have to hit me so hard?" Groverge grunts in pain.

Spyro and Sparx laugh. Zephyrav moves close to the Forest Dragon and gives him a long smooth lick on the cheek. Groverge stares at her, disbelieving what she did. He breathes heavily and begins blushing. The others were, too, surprised what just happened. Something then caught Sparx's eye that moment.

"Hey, there's Kane!" he says pointing up.

The Dragons see Kane on top of another waterfall connected to the river above. Kane is surrounded by three Death Hounds. One Death Hound close to him snaps its mouth, trying to bite the chief of the Atlawa and he has fallen to the waterfall.

"Kane!" Spyro exclaims.

Kane falls down, splashing into the river. He resurfaces with his eyes closed. The river carries him to the other waterfall. The Death Hounds dash off out of sight.

"I know the guy's an ingrate," Sparx tells Spyro, "but you gotta do something and fast!"

As Spyro thinks of some ideas, his left lung starts feeling cold and then…he releases a winter breeze from his mouth. The breeze touches the river and turned it to ice. Kane is saved. Zephyrav, Cragen, Groverge, and Sparx gasp in shock.

"Buddy, you're getting weirder and weirder by the second," Sparx comments.

Spyro nods in agreement.

"Another element has come to you," the Wind Dragoness says in awe. "If we find Cyril, he'll teach you about Ice."

"Hmmm," says Spyro, cocking an eyebrow. "I wonder how I'm learning these things on my own."

"Let's get down there. We need to talk to Kane." Cragen says and jumps off the ledge. Spyro and Sparx follow him. Groverge stays where he is.

"Zeph, wait," he tells the Wind Dragoness just about to glide off the ledge.

"What?" she asks.

"Umm," he clears his throat. "Well, I just want to say that…"

Zephyrav places her talons on his lips. "Not now," she says, "after this mission."

She jumps off as Groverge watches her. He is growing very hot, as if his own fire power is getting out of control from inside, to think what is becoming between him and her. He shakes that thought away and jumps down to meet up with the Dragons.

Kane regained his consciousness but is still stuck in the ice. Cragen gently smashes his tail on the ice and the cracks shoot out across from the impact point. Kane gets himself out, the little ice pieces fall off his fur coat.

"Are you alright, Kane?" Spyro asks.

Kane glances to the group and says in frustration, "You again? Why don't you all get outta here and leave me in peace! I'm the boss here, nobody else!"

Sparx scoffs, "Boss of what?"

"Sparx, don't!" Spyro tells him, his front foot raised up in front of Sparx. He turns to Kane again. "You're all alone?"

"Only until I kick these bums out," he replies. "This reminds me, I can't stand here chatting with Dragons and a mosquito!"

"Hey, whoa, whoa," Sparx shouts angrily. "Who are you calling a mosquito? I'm a Glowing Dragonfly!"

"Besides, it's not safe for all of you here." Kane states ignoring Sparx.

"Oh, concern about our welfare now?" Sparx asks, hands on his hip.

"No need to worry." Zephyrav tells Kane. "We can take care of ourselves. Anyway, we need to get to the Shrine."

Kane shakes his head and says, "You'll never make it."

"Really," Zephyrav insists, "we can take care of ourselves. We have a friend of ours there. He needs our help."

"I know who you're looking for." Kane nods in response. "What I mean is that our Stone Sentinel, God of the Shrine, is in rage with us for not giving it tribute. He has been appeased since Cynder's forces came. He is now, unknowingly, Cynder's bodyguard."

"That's terrible." Groverge says.

"So, is anybody fun around here?" asks Sparx. Spyro shakes his head in frustration.

The chief of the Atlawa tribe walks to a path leading out of the area. "You can't possibly face the God of the Shrine alone," he says without looking back.

"We're all not loners, Kane." Groverge says. "I'm not going alone, not this time."

"Darn right you're not, Groverge." Cragen says.

The Dragons and the Glowing Dragonfly follow Kane out of the area to the Shrine.

Spyro matches Kane's pace and says, "Maybe someday you'll learn that more people are better than one, even if they are pin heads."

"Yeah," Sparx nods. He swiftly turns to Spyro, realizing something. "Wait, what?"