-?-

"Well, that went well, Crawlacker."

"You are a guardian. You should act like it, not be pulled into childish pranks."

"Heh. Before the war, we were teachers, and children rarely learn without fun. If you must lead without it showing, subtlety is the key."

"You wish to try?"

"Unless you feel like shutting up the riddles of doom and opening the door, do I have a choice?"

"Very well, if you must."

I flicked the tip of my tail scythe at him decisively. "Watch. You lack a ness's touch." My lithe neck turned as I shot a glare. "Or a mother's. Did you even ask what was wrong?"

"Do you believe it is something beyond Spyro's capture?"

"Cyn's tough. It would take more than that," I said grimly.


-Spyro-

"Well, that didn't work."

"No, really?" I grumbled tiredly. "How many times have you tried that?"

"Forty-two."

"Wow, bugman. I had no idea you could count that high."

"I did get this, though!" He proffered a roll of white something, grinning from cheek-to-cheek.

"...And this helps why?"

"No idea! But I heard some ape needed it really bad, so I stole it. It must be important."

"...Sparx. I realize you lived in a swamp and don't know much about bipeds, but do you really not know of the existence of toilet paper?"

"Is it some kind of weapon?" the bug asked hopefully.

My head met the floor. "Yes, sure, sparkles. I'm sure toilet paper will solve alllll our problems."

"Really?"

"No."


-Cynder-

"Vell, hello there, shleeping beauty."

Just the voice I wanted to wake up to to in the morning. That was before I realized I was pressed up against a rather spiked chest. With a rumbling growl, I snapped both wingblades up and in until they pierced scale and I was dropped. Catching the air with stiff wings, I whirled to face Travix. "The hell, bloodboy?"

"Vhat did you vant from me, neshie? I vould be happy to let you drown nexsht time."

I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment. Bigger problems. Like Spyro; I couldn't lose him. Not like I'd lost Sparx.

"If I ever meet you in better circumstances, you will die," I muttered tiredly. "Where are we?"

"I can go no further, princessh. Continue that vay and you'll reach Sir High-and-Mighty'sh island. Now, I trushted you to bring you here; hear me out before you leave."

I was too exhausted to comment that his stuttering wingbeats lent credence to his claim. He looked like he wouldn't make it much farther, and hovering while carrying me beneath him would have been more difficult than flying with the wind that lent fleetness to our path.

"Fine," I muttered.

"You shee, I vas not alwaysh alone. My family vas caught and exshecuted in a city long ago, and they had an egg vith them. I vould very much like to know vhat happened to it. It did not burn with them, as I shaw the pyre. The foolsh broke and burnt the city, killing ush monshters, but if any should know of the little one'sh fate, the Chronicler should.

"You spent ancestors knows how long in that place fighting to find them? What about if the people you killed had brothers or sisters too?" I growled, irritation clawing past the numbness freezing my chest.

The older dragon merely shrugged. "The vorld has done little for me. I will regret my meansh vhen they start to worry over me, and not an inshtant sooner."

"How 'bout this. I'll do what I can to find out what happened to that egg, and you don't kill anyone that's not Dark Army? There's no shortage of food there," I said, though my stomach twisted at the thought. Even ignoring their sentience, the thought of eating the apes with their ranced fur was repulsive.

"Haven't I done enough for you, hero girl?" he asked with dark eyes. "I keep my promishes, and that ish not one I vish to keep. The Dark Army may be your enemy, and I care little for them, but neither has the alliance ever been my friendsh. Your alliance, nesshie, not the Dark Army, burned my parents and my home. My parents vould no more kill them for it than you vould. They healed who they could, and died shneaking within the infirmary to heal thoshe who clearly desherved no help. I am to dragonsh as I imagine the Dark Army'sh apes are to you."

"You don't have to go out of your way for it, though. Leave those who don't attack you alone. That is the bargain, Travix." I realized grimly that it was most likely the first time I'd used his name. "You are protecting no one and in no war. Leave well enough alone, or you'll just feed the hate that killed your parents."

A snarl interupted me. "Nesshie, hate ish not my enemy! The dragonsh and the catsh and anything elshe who decide ve are to be killed jusht for being born are."

"I am sorry for that, but I'm no one to speak for my race—I barely know them. I was raised with a family who would have no clue who and what you are, just like I didn't. They weren't perfect either. But I..." I whipped my head to look away from him, fighting my tears tooth and claw. "Many of them hated me for how much I eat, and that I could snap them in half by accident. Still, I hate the idea of coming home and telling them Sparx is gone. I cannot—will not—see other families shatter like that. Perhaps this little dragon you seek, should it still live, would be better off without someone like you. I will only take that risk if you promise me this."

His eyes hardened to steel. "Fine. If that ish vhat it musht be, then that ish vhat it vill be. I exshpect shome sort of sign from old-bones or his asshistant. Should that not come to passh, you've no deal. Goodbye, nesshie."

With force I didn't think he still had, he whipped around and sped into the wind. My eyes stung as I looked into the wind after him.

At least, I think it was the wind.