Author'snote: Hi everyone, Valiant here with a new chapter of my Legend of Spyro fan-fiction. I was veryproud of my last chapter as it was my first time writting down a worthy action scene for the two dragons, even pairing them against an unlikely enemy fromthe new land they now find themselves in, I hope I get to bring you more chapters like that in the future. As you know it may take a little while longer to get the next part of the story out, I'll be taking some time for myself to relax and organize the new chapters, but I do promisse I'll be back with more story beats, there is a little more worldbuilding to be done and it will be worth the wait. For now, enjoy the reading and remain awesome.
Chapter V: Exchanges
As the sun began to rise over the horizon, Cynder opened her eyes to take a good look at the environment outside the cave, the glim of the sun didn't feel too harsh over her eyes but she still wanted to sleep for a little while longer. Cynder turned herself over the nest and directed her head to the left and she saw that Spyro was not in his usual spot, sleeping next to her and that caused the dragoness to rise up hastily with an audible gasp in her throat.
After Cynder got herself up from her nest, she looked around frantically to try and detect any traces of him but her search didn't take too long to prove itself fruitful as she saw him just outside roaming through the ground in search of something. Cynder found that rather odd and decided to investigate it a little further, she exited the cave and walked slowly in his direction but that didn't go unnoticed, Spyro turned over as he heard her steps casually approaching him and greeted her for the day:
- Oh. Good morning, Cynder. Did you sleep well?
Cynder was just about to answer that question but she felt a sharp dose of pain on her paw as she stepped over a loose gravel on the floor, she winced and raised her paw as she only just remembered about her injury, she closed her eyes and inhaled sharply through her mouth before opening her eyes once more and taking notice of the bandage wrapped around her right paw. Spyro dropped what he was doing and walked to her side as he noticed that she was in pain due to her injured paw, he positioned himself right in front of her and asked:
- Are you… feeling okay?
Cynder looked at her paw for an extended amount of time, she then looked at Spyro and launched her answer with a low volume to her voice:
- It's… I'm just trying to come to terms with what happened last night. That was so crazy.
Spyro nodded affirmatively to that and placed his right paw over Cynder's left shoulder, he signaled her to follow him back to the cave and she silently complied. They reentered the cave and Spyro asked to see if there was anything more he could do to treat for Cynder, she politely declined and said that she would be alright if she just remembered to not put a lot of weight on her right paw. Cynder returned to lay down with her head resting near the front edge of her nest, Spyro laid next to her with his head held high and he decided to ask with some concern in his voice:
- Those creatures we fought last night were something else. Were you hurt in any other way besides your paw?
Cynder didn't raise her head from its resting spot over the nest, she turned over and answered him:
- I didn't get wounded aside from my paw, I'm just a little sore. I do hope we won't have to worry about those monsters any time soon. They may not have been good fighters but their weapons were very dangerous. We may have to prepare to fight off an entirely different type of enemy in this new land.
Spyro could understand the point that Cynder was making very clearly, his sight turned to the far wall of the cave where she had placed the magical weapon that the leader of the creatures wielded during the fight. The imposing staff was stashed and poorly leaned against a small pile of other supplies that they had gathered from the island itself, some firewood, a few rocks and a small stack of different crystals that were scavenged from nearby patches of land. Spyro turned his head forward once more and lowered his shoulders to try relaxing a little more, he was awake for quite some time since he decided to get a leg up on the day and methodically scout the terrain around the cave and make sure that there would be no more violent creatures seeking to do harm to him or Cynder. The dragoness leaned her body in his direction and asked of him:
- What were you doing out there? Were you looking for something?
Spyro looked at Cynder and found the way she was looking at him that morning very welcome, the little glint that the sun light left over her face and her beautiful eyes felt like an amazing sight that he had to witness. Spyro deviated his eyes away from Cynder and back to a spot just outside the cave to avoid staring at her for far too long, he raised his right paw and pointed a claw to a few of the trees just outside as he answered her:
- I was looking for any signs of tracks just outside, making sure that there were no more signs of any creatures. I was also looking for any other pests that might find their way into the cave, I think there is a colony of ants making a trail into our cave. I noticed that a few days ago, used to think that was the highest level of "invasion" we would have to contend with while in this cave.
Cynder appreciated Spyro's attempt at humor, she let out a giggle and turned her body over the nest once more before getting enough leverage on her elbows to support herself and rise slightly up. She looked at Spyro and spoke up:
- Spyro, I have worries. I worry about so many different things. Once we settled in this cave I thought it would all be easier, turns out it all just got a lot harder.
The dragon directed his eyes at her and listened carefully to her words. While Spyro became silent, Cynder continued:
- Magic works in such a different and intrinsic way here, much more complicated than anywhere we have ever seen before. There are vicious monsters, magic regulations, advanced weapons and I would wager that is only scratching the surface. That monster, Groth, said that there are more of his kind, they wished to spread chaos and plunder this land…
Cynder paused her speech before lowering her head and finishing:
- And I just threw us both into a conflict without even thinking of the consequences. I am not even sure what to do next and all of this is just… just…
Spyro decided to scootch himself a little closer to Cynder, he extended his right wing over her as an act to bring her some comfort, he leaned his head and said:
- You were protecting us. I was really worried when I opened my eyes and couldn't find you and even more so when I heard the sounds of a loud struggle coming from the forest, but I was the one who chose to fight alongside you and I do not regret that. Moreover, I was so glad to find you and see you fighting those creatures and even more glad that I could dive in and help you.
Cynder didn't feel very confident with those words, she released a retort shortly after Spyro stopped speaking to take a breath:
- I didn't want you getting involved. You could have been badly hurt and you just got back on your feet.
Spyro placed his face very closely to her as he made his point heard:
- I chose to get involved and help you and I am just fine with that. I saw you fighting those things to a standstill on your own and you were amazing.
Cynder's face retreated after she heard those words, she could feel a strange feeling that bubbled around within her chest and she did not know how to react to that. Spyro raised a little more from his nest to look over her as he continued:
- After I found you and saw that you were fighting alone I just jumped in without thinking because I could not stand to simply watch and do nothing. I too believed that things might have been a little easier after we defeated Malefor but it would seem that fighting is still an integral part of our lives in this new kingdom.
Cynder released a little sigh and said:
- Maybe that is a part of my problem.
Spyro continued looking over her, giving her a chance to speak what was in her mind. Cynder took some air through her nose before saying:
- Since I can recall, I have been fighting something, either for myself or for someone else. It is basically the purpose of why I have been born, the one thing that I have ever known, fighting. Maybe it all has reached a point where this feeling, the thrill of the fight, is how I can find my true pleasure and passion for life. Maybe it is all I will ever know, maybe it is all that I am.
- That's not true. Cynder, you are so much more.
Cynder turned to look at Spyro as he launched his protest against her harsh words to herself:
- I cannot say that I know how you feel but I can say that I know who you are and you are more than just a creature of violence. You are not a mindless instrument for fighting.
- Then tell me, Spyro. Who am I?
Spyro sat up with his back as straight as he could make it, his wings extended themselves outward and he answered:
- You're a protector, you're someone who I can trust with my life and my safety, you are a confident being gifted with strength of body, mind and soul. You're an exemplary dragon and last night you've proven with your own words that you are proud of it.
Cynder felt like she was shrinking from inside as she was being hit with so much praise, the dragoness laid her head once more over the nest and spoke with a bashful tone of voice which was somewhat unusual for her:
- I… Just blurted that all out in the heat of the moment. I didn't know you thought so highly of me.
Spyro tuckered his wings and his tail swooshed over the floor behind him as he softly placed his right paw over Cynder's shoulder and said:
- Of course I think highly of you. You're great.
Cynder tuckered herself in the nest a little more and hoped that Spyro wouldn't see how much she was smiling, she didn't feel confident with all of those praises but she was very glad to hear those words from Spyro. The young dragon raised from his nest and looked around the cave interior for a few seconds, he leaned his head down, closer to Cynder, and asked of her:
- Are you hungry?
Cynder didn't untuck herself from her position as she answered to him:
- Yes.
Spyro walked on his way more into the cave and said:
- I think we still have some fresh fish stored over, we should probably eat it before it starts to stink. I'll get the meat and skewer it, can you prepare the wood so we can start a fire.
Cynder raised her head and answered with a stoic voice that still had a touch of gratefulness and appreciation for her friend:
- Sure thing.
The two dragons set out on their respective tasks and got themselves ready to have some tasty food for the start of their days. Cynder piled up some pieces of wood right after using her wind powers to clear off the ashes that were left from the fire of the night before. Spyro prepared two pair of fishes in wooden skewers that were to be set by the fire, he returned to the cave's entrance and found that Cynder was already done setting the firewood. After easily lighting the fire up, the two sat together to await until their meal was ready for consumption. Cynder sat herself still in one place but Spyro was very anxious that morning for some reason, he walked slowly and could not decide if he should just sit down or do something else, he finally decided to slow his pace once he heard Cynder say to him:
- Spyro, come sit down with me.
The purple dragon accepted that offer and came close to sit down alongside her. The two of them remained in silence, Spyro placed himself by Cynder's right side as they patiently waited with the crackling of the fire and the peaceful flow of the wind as the only sounds to be heard. Cynder directed her eyes at Spyro and saw that he seemed very excited, she liked seeing him like that, she tapped her tail on the hard ground and spoke up:
- Listen, I just remembered that I didn't even thanked you for helping me last night. So… thank you.
Spyro smiled and said:
- You're welcome. You would've probably dispatched of those monsters without my assistance but I couldn't bring myself to just wait around on the side lines.
Cynder turned her attention to the firewood blazing right in front of them as it slowly cooked their meal, she shrugged her wings and scooched a little over the ground as she searched for a more comfortable position. Spyro noticed that but it didn't bother him at all, his thoughts kept wondering back and forth as he imagined what else he could be doing to make their stay at the crescent moon cave more bearable and convenient. Cynder called to his attention by making a subtle sound like she was clearing her throat and then she called to him with a moderate volume to her voice:
- Spyro.
- Yes?
The dragon hastily turned his head around to face her and Cynder spoke about one last thing that was lingering in her mind from the battle that they had won:
- The threat that the leader of the monsters threw against us was very clear when he said that his kind was far more numerous than just those three little minions he brought with him. Do you think there is a chance they might come back?
Spyro though for a little while as he looked to the ground beneath him before he launched an answer:
- There is a high possibility that we may find ourselves in danger on a near future against other threats, but I'm not too worried about it. This land operates with rules much different than what we are used to but we are still able to fight and defend ourselves, we may have to keep on learning and tripping up along the way, but I know we will figure it out together.
Cynder smiled and launched a fair bit of praise at her friend as thanks for comforting her and lifting her spirits on that morning:
- You know? You are really pulling off this "wise dragon vibe" that you are having right now.
Spyro laughed awkwardly while showing off a side smile on his lips as he spoke:
- Well… I do have my moments.
Cynder released a hearty laughter and the two of them returned to a quaint time of peace as the smell of the fish meat being smoke by the fire began to take a hold of the air around them. Even as the two dragons decided to relax and lower their guard for a time that felt very much welcome for the two of them, their rest was short lived as a sudden rustle began to emanate from the bushes on the far left of the woodland area surrounding the cave. Cynder turned her head to her left followed by Spyro, the purple dragon raised from his resting spot and prepared himself to confront the presence approaching the clearing, he raised his wings and lowered his head as he spoke up, demanding an answer:
- Who goes there?!
There was a great deal of movement among the trees, there were the sounds of sticks being crushed and gravel being set aside as set of steps followed by a large object on wheels moved in their direction. Cynder raised from her resting spot right after Spyro but she did not assume a battle stance as the sound coming nearer was fairly familiar to her. Sure enough, from the bushes and amidst the trees emerged a large caravan being pulled and guided by an old fox, a biped with great strength, simple clothes and a smile on his muzzle. Spyro raised his head and Cynder stepped forth to cumpriment the resurging friend that appeared from the forest:
- Zachariah! Is that you?
The fox parked his caravan, releasing the two shafts on the front and clamping them firmly against the ground, he raised his body with a noticeable degree of effort and waved his right paw to cumpriment the two dragons:
- Salutations. It is good to see the two of you once more. I was going along the northern road after returning from my most recent commercial expedition and thought of dropping by for a quick visit.
The fox turned to his caravan and retrieved his walking stick before moving slowly towards the two dragons, Spyro and Cynder walked closer to him and the purple dragon immediately rolled out the pleasantries at him:
- It is really good to see you too. I was hoping you would come by and visit us again.
Zachariah placed himself down in one knee as he quickly examined the young dragon and the way he was moving around, it would seem that he was now fully healed and able. Cynder walked nearby and sat herself over a small patch of grassy ground as he looked over her friend and the fox. Zachariah raised his right arm and said:
- You seem to be much better compared to the last time I visited you. How are you feeling? Are you two living well and safe on crescent moon island?
Cynder leaned her head to the side and averted her eyes for a short second as she searched for the right words to say at that time, Zachariah watched as the dragoness tucked her wings in a subtle motion and spoke up:
- We have had a few… challenges while adapting to this new land. We had to build a little wall to prevent rain water from entering the cave and we even had a beetle invading our sleeping space.
Spyro raised his finger as he interjected in that conversation:
- It feels like we were the ones doing the 'invasion' of his living space, actually.
Cynder squinted her eyes as she heard the tone that Spyro used to say that, feeling that it was either a bad joke or the given chance that he took to act like an annoying know-it-all. She turned her head to face him as she retorted:
- Whatever, that thing was big and gross.
Spyro smiled and stepped in her direction as he said:
- Cynder, it was just a little bug.
- *Little*?! That thing was bigger than my paw! That is not 'little'.
Zachariah could not hold back a guffaw that made its way out of his throat as he heard the two dragons bickering like they had been sharing a living space for far more than a few weeks, it was more than evident that the bond of friendship they shared was strong and they had quite the degree of ingenuity to make the cave a better place to live using only their grit and the few resources they had around. The fox rose up and walked about until he saw the small wall that Cynder had mentioned and judged it to be very well constructed, he felt a little spark within his chest as he saw that simple construction that looked like the smallest but fairly efficient example of draconic engineering.
Zachariah could not help himself but raise his eyes and check the interior of the cave, he felt a few familiar scents making their way out of the cave, his canine's nose whiffed the air around him and he could feel the ashen smell of the food that they was cooking by the fire along with the sweet smell of picked fruit. The fox turned his face and spotted the two dragons moving closer to him as he decided to say:
- It would seem as if I arrived in the nick of time. That is the distinct smell of morroca bass. You must have found a pristine fishing spot.
Cynder smiled and gestured with her left paw as to not call attention to her injury and answered to that:
- I fished those myself, didn't take me too long. Would you like to join us?
Zachariah was filled with energy with the prospects of eating such a great meal with no cost, the fox pointed to his caravan as he offered to make his own contribution to the meal:
- I would love to join you. I have a racket of spices in my caravan that can give the meal a real… kick.
Zachariah's eyes turned to another spot inside of the cave, he saw a few familiar looking boxes that had been repurposed to hold out other items and, leaned against their wooden frame, there was a staff with an animal skull at the tip, a weapon with magical properties, of that he had no doubts. Zachariah fully entered the cave, he elevated his feet over the miniscule wall right by the entrance and clacked his cane against the ground with each step as he approached the item to better study it, he pointed a finger at the staff and turned his head around to face the two dragons as he asked with a tone of voice that demanded a definitive answer:
- Where did you two find this?!
Spyro and Cynder exchanged a look of worry, Spyro believed that it would be best to tell Zachariah what happened on the night before and Cynder was the one that decided to start talking about that. The dragoness stepped forward and gestured with both her front paws as she began to talk:
- That… is actually related to an… adversity that we encountered last night.
As Cynder showed the palms of her paws, Zachariah took notice of the wrapped up piece of bandage that she had. He pointed a claw at the rag and asked with plenty of concern in his voice:
- And what happened to your paw?!
Immediately after hearing that alarmed question, Cynder tried to hide her injured paw from sight by covering most of her body with her left wing, Spyro walked up front, placing himself between Cynder and Zachariah, before he explained:
- Cynder discovered that we were being observed by a pack of violent creatures intending to attack the cave and making it their hideout to plunder other villages nearby. Cynder spotted them and heard all of it herself. She took action and battled the goblins as best as she could. They retreated, we took that weapon away from a big goblin named Groth, he called himself a high sorcerer of his tribe.
Zachariah heard every detail of that as Spyro delivered every major point of information like a disciplined soldier presenting a report, the fox's mind wandered back and forth as he quickly assimilated the information and he breathed deeply as Spyro finished talking. The fox looked over the weapon once more and reached out for it in order to try and identify its origins, he felt a strange reverb from within the staff but he also figured that there was something more important to take care of. Zachariah got down on his knees and let his cane rest on the ground as he asked to see Cynder's paw, the dragoness reluctantly agreed and slowly extended her paw in his direction. As he looked for a way to unravel the bandage so he could examine her paw, Zachariah asked of them:
- How many of the creatures were there?
Spyro gave one step to the side so that he could stand net to Cynder and help out however he could, he leaned his head forward and answered:
- There were four of them, including the sorcerer wielding the staff.
Zachariah placed both of his hands over Cynder's paw and his eyes didn't deviate as he spoke a hard fact:
- There are no sorcerers among goblins.
Cynder and Spyro looked at each other, fearing that something must have been wrong with that information. Cynder turned back to the fox and said:
- Surely you are mistaken. The big monster lead the pack and he was wielding devastating magical attacks against the both of us. He must have been a magic caster of some kind, he said so himself… 'Ouch'!
Cynder made her arm retreat and her face winced in pain in the middle of her rant as she felt Zachariah slightly pressing over her paw, the fox apologized for that and began to explain as he took Cynder's paw in his hand and started to unwrap the bandage:
- Goblins are notorious liars that seek every opportunity to confuse and destroy any foe in their path. Was the monster who wielded the staff speaking in a discernible tongue?
Spyro confirmed that with a simple nod of his head, Zachariah saw that and returned his eyes to the task in front of him as he continued to explain:
- He was a high-goblin without a doubt. Goblins are not born with magical attributes but they can learn to manipulate magical weapons and tools as well as speak other tongues as they grow older, stronger, smarter and more ambitious. The monster may have had hold of the weapon but the true magic was coming from the tool itself not from him.
Cynder heard that attentively and figured that it made a lot of sense since the monster did not attack or made any attempts to retrieve his weapon with other types of magic once it had been taken away from him. Zachariah finished unwrapping the bandage and asked of her:
- Do you feel numb in any way? Do you feel any sort of burning sensation from the wound?
Cynder shook her head from side to side and that made the fox release a sigh of relief, he asked of Cynder to keep her paw steady as he grabbed his canteen of water and explained to her as he washed the wound:
- Goblins are well known for pouring poison over their weapons. It is a good thing that you weren't poisoned in any way or your paw could have turned gangrenous in a matter of days.
Cynder expressed her gratitude for having the fox aiding her once more but she didn't express concern about the poison, he magical attributes made her immune to all sorts of toxins after all. Zachariah took all the time he needed to replace Cynder's bandages with new ones as soon as her paw was clean, he grabbed the old piece of gauze off the ground and analyzed it closely as he stared at the red stain smudging the rag. Zachariah squinted his eyes and then he turned to Spyro, the fox shoved the dirty bandage in the young dragon's face and spoke decisively:
- Master Spyro, burn this!
Spyro was very surprised to see the dirty rag shoved in the direction of his face like that, the dragon retreated a single step before he asked:
- What?! Why?!
Zachariah was quick to gesture with the paw that was clutching the used bandage and explain:
- This is smeared in dragon's blood, a forbidden substance that cannot fall into the wrong hands. This small sample can wreak havoc in the local ecosystem, an experienced alchemist might even use it to manufacture an elixir of immortality.
Spyro and Cynder had no idea what to make of that. The dragoness leaned a little closer without moving the paw extended in front of her and said:
- Dragon's blood doesn't give immortality.
Zachariah turned to face his more recent patient as he asked with a shocking tone of confusion:
- It… doesn't?
- No, dragon's blood is just… blood. No magic can come out of it once it leaves our body.
Zachariah brought the bandage closer to his eyes as he was mildly disillusioned for the fact that the legend he had heard about the often sought secret of immortality was just a tale. The fox turned his eyes back to Spyro and showed him the rag once more before saying:
- It… would still be the best if you disposed of it properly.
- Very well.
Spyro said so with a little smile on his mouth as he took the bandage and set it aside inside the cave so that he could dispose of it later. Zachariah returned his undivided attention to the task in front of him as he wrapped Cynder's paw with a brand new piece of bandage, being careful and meticulous as he placed a small metallic pin over his finished patch job to make sure the bandage would not unwrap itself and to make certain that Cynder could still move around without being bothered by her wound. After he was done, Zachariah asked of her:
- How does it feel?
Cynder mover her paw up and down before placing it on the ground and answering:
- It fees alright. Thanks.
Zachariah showed a satisfied smile as he grabbed his cane and raised his body back into a straight position, the fox turned over to Spyro and said:
- You did an admirable job taking care of her, master Spyro. It is of my assumption that you two must have been through a monumental ordeal. Must have been a fight to behold.
Spyro scooched himself closer to Cynder, the two dragons remained seated near to the entrance of the cave and close to the right side wall as /Zachariah wandered ever so close to the magical artifact leaned over the boxes. Cynder continued to slowly tap her rebandaged paw on the floor to make sure she could still move properly while waiting for it to heal while Spyro answered to Zachariah by speaking up:
- It was a great fight alright but it wasn't our first and I wager it will not be our last. I was only present during the last moments of it all, Cynder held her ground remarkably against those things.
Zachariah directed a glance at the two dragons, just in time to see Cynder avert her eyes and try to hide a face of flattery. The fox smiled and placed himself in a stance of attention in front of the two dragons, he held his cane tightly on his right hand, directed his sight at the sky momentarily and spoke up:
- I wish I could have seen it. I am very glad that you are alive and well. However I am also a bit unnerved with the fact that you two were placed in such danger, it would seem like the world has become an even more perilous than before. News have been circling about of sorcerers embarking on violent crusades in search of powerful artifacts, monsters organizing and becoming more bold with their attacks on small villages, adventurers and local militia have been stretched a bit thin with all of this, it has everyone a bit on edge. Citizens from all around are concerned.
Zachariah only then realized that he may have been rambling for a bit, he took a few breaths and let his shoulders lose as he got the main point of his words across:
- These are worrisome times. Being at the wrong place, at the wrong time may be costly.
Cynder and Spyro got all of that. The dragoness released an annoyed sigh through her nostrils as she spoke up her mind, her tone made it sound like it was intended as a joke but it was actually an indispensable truth:
- Unfortunately, being at the wrong place at the wrong time is one of the things that comes naturally for the two of us.
Zachariah released a short burst of laughter and Spyro turned a little smile at his friend. Zachariah kept passing his eyes around the cave, he could just sense the energy that was well presence in that environment, the energy of two beings that clearly cared for one another and that had been through a lot together, two fighters that could jest and confine to one another without any issues. Spyro turned around as he went to check on the fish skewers by the fire, he reckoned that after a few more minutes it should be ready to eat, Cynder remained still as Zachariah extended a paw to the staff and asked of the dragoness:
- Would you mind if I took a closer look?
Cynder directed a glance at the weapon and decided that it would be better if handled by someone who knew more about its properties and that could be trusted, she nodded her head and let Zachariah know that he should feel free to study the weapon for himself. Zachariah grabbed the staff by its handle and left his cane resting in its previous spot, he brought the weapon closer to his eyes and that is when he heard Spyro express his concerns:
- Careful. That thing is dangerous.
Zachariah looked over in the direction of the young dragon and answered:
- Worry not, master Spyro. I have it well in hand.
Zachariah passed his hands over the handle frame, he felt the reverberation of magical energy stronger than before, the old fox passed his eyes over the item until they landed over the hollowed stare of the skull placed at the very tip and he believed to see a very curious glint of color as he turned the cane around to examine it better. Zachariah immediately got the gist of what the artifact actually was and decided to question the two dragons further just to make sure that his guest was right on the money. He spoke out without taking his eyes off the weapon and asked:
- You said that the biggest of the creatures you fought last night wielded this weapon, correct?
Cynder spoke up as a simple answer:
- That's right.
Zachariah proceeded with his next question as he walked a single step closer to the dragons and directed his eyes at them before he asked:
- Was the creature in question using this in a crudely manner? Were his attacks used in quick, wild bursts of magic? Did you see him using any magical signs or manifest any sort of incantation glyph while holding this weapon?
Cynder searched her mind as she recalled the way that Groth went about using his magical attacks. Now that she took the time to think about it, Zachariah had a good point. All of the attacks that the goblin threw at her were nothing more than quick bursts of energy, the magic power was there at one moment and then gone the next. Cynder turned her eyes over at Zachariah and finally answered him:
- Now that you mentioned it, he was using the staff more like a club. I was far too distracted with fighting his smaller followers or getting pushed around by some of his attacks, but I did notice how he was swinging the weapon wildly during most of the fight.
Zachariah raised his brows as he said:
- I thought as much. Let me show you two something.
Zachariah reached onto the skull at the tip of the weapon with his right hand and gave it a gentle twist, the skull turned out to be nothing more than an attachable adornment placed to conceal the item's true nature. Under the skull there was a spinning chamber with six slots that operated in accord with the dial by the weapon's handle, three of the slots were occupied with colorful gems, the source of the weapon's offensive capabilities. After making sure that the two dragons could clearly see the inner workings of the item, Zachariah spoke up to explain:
- This is a Flagger-urok, also known as an apprentice staff. A staff made for amateur spell casters so that they can get a better handle at managing and controlling elemental spells. The goblin must have stollen this from a caravan of adventurers and made it look like he had magical abilities of his own.
Spyro raised his head and leaned himself forward as he took a closer look at the revolving chamber that lied previously hidden from sight, Cynder admired the weapon from afar as she thought how ingenious of a design idea that truly was. The two dragons watched as Zachariah spun the dial on the handle and the chamber spun over in the same direction, the fox pointed a finger back over to the chamber as he explained it further:
- Right beneath the chamber there is a hammering pin attached to a crystal that works as a firing mechanism for the staff. Young adventurers in training use it to understand how the energy of the crystals work and they can chose which type of crystals they will outfit into the slots.
Zachariah took another look inside the chamber and identified the nature of the crystals placed inside, there was a bright orange one, a dark green one and the last crystal of the line-up was colored in a dark purple. He spoke up without turning his eyes away from the gems:
- It would seem like the goblin slotted crystals for fire, wind and gravity spells. If I would venture a guess, I would say he was looking to add more to this arsenal.
With care and efficiency, Zachariah removed each one of the crystals and held them in the palm of his right hand, Cynder looked over at the small scintillating stones and was very intrigued to learn that such raw destructive power resided within each one of those small rocks. Zachariah raised from himself once more and shook the crystals on the palm of his hand as he carefully analyzed their weight and quality, the fox smelled opportunity for profit placed right in front of him, he was a merchant after all, he looked at Spyro and asked of him:
- Is there any chance I could purchase these crystals from you?
Spyro raised his brows as he asked:
- Purchase?
Zachariah showed him a positive nod with his head and continued:
- Sure. I could find a utility for these crystals and any others you may have found, same could be said for the staff. I am willing to pay you full prize for each of them. What would you say about twenty silver pieces, I can even deal thirty for the gravity crystal. It is quite the rare element to be found nowadays.
Spyro had his eyes placed over Zachariah and his haggling face, the fox was very much interested in paying for the crystals but Spyro had no idea how money worked in this new land so he was unsure to even consider the offer, not because it sounded shady or dishonest but because he had no knowledge about commerce as a subject. Cynder looked to the two individuals placed in front of one another and noticed how her partner looked fairly hesitant in accepting that offer as she saw his eyes unsure of which direction to focus and his tucked wings bobbing up and down. Cynder walked closer to Spyro and leaned to the side so she could converse with him and subtly voice her opinions with a whisper:
- I think we could get a little more for the gravity crystal. See if you can bump the prize up a little bit.
Spyro turned his face to look at Cynder and his mind was flaring with the concept that the adding of her opinion only made him even more unsure of what to do next. The dragon placed his left paw over Cynder's shoulder to convince her to have a private conversation with him before any major decisions were made, he also turned over to Zachariah and spoke up to further convey his signal to Cynder:
- Could you excuse us while we talk about this?
The fox understood what was going on and decided to leave the two dragons to talk this over. Taking advantage of that chance, Spyro walked a few steps further away from Zachariah and signaled with his wing so that Cynder would follow him, the dragoness didn't have need of that signal seeing as she was already noticing how Spyro was pressing his teeth together and making a face that showed how much he was unsure about all of that. Spyro stopped his walk and turned his entire body to face Cynder as he asked:
- Why do you think we need money? We have no use for these crystals, why don't we just give them away so Zachariah can use them?
Cynder released a little puff of air from her mouth before answering:
- Because, Spyro, this land has different rules and different takes on things we have learned from before. If we are going to continue learning new things about how to function here, owning our own share of currency to be stored and maybe used can be a good way to start.
Spyro looked back on the fox as he patiently waited to hear if his offer had been accepted by the two dragons. Spyro and Cynder exchanged another look before the dragoness aired her point before Spyro had the chance to formulate an answer:
- Let me do some negotiating. You can watch and learn.
Her overconfident air knocked the wind off of Spyro for a short second, the dragon just watched as his friend walked and stopped her movements right in front of Zachariah before saying like she had all of the information she needed on the subject and was using all of that combined data to prompt her chances of succeeding up:
- I spent whole weeks wandering through this forest and collecting other magical crystals, I avoided and even went very far to acquire all of those. I would be willing to part with all of these if you bump your prize up.
Zachariah placed a finger under his chin and gave a little scratch as he was intrigued with Cynder's words, the fox raised a brow and leaned closer to her as he looked in her unchanged stare, her eyes filled with a comforting blue glint but also casting a surprising amount of shade over him, she was intimidating in her own right. After taking her time to think it over and get a quick breath, Cynder spoke her own terms for the transaction:
- I believe that I can part with twenty-five silver pieces for each of the crystals and a full forty for the gravity crystal.
Zachariah smiled and thought it over as well, it didn't take too long for him to say 'yes' to that offer, it wasn't that much out of his own prize range. He went ahead and walked in the direction of his caravan in order to retrieve his coin purse and pay the monetary sum of the crystals that he was interested in. Cynder was left very satisfied with her first try in the haggling department and was very excited to get her paws on what could be the first amount of currency that she and Spyro would've come to own for themselves, Spyro, however, had a different idea on how to proceed:
- Actually…
The purple dragon spoke up to call out to the attention of the others, Cynder and Zachariah turned their attention at him as Spyro showed his right pointing claw and made his idea heard:
- I have a much better idea on how we can utilize the crystals in a commerce related endeavor.
Zachariah's ears lowered as he got the sense that the young dragon was up to something that would weight much less on him than actual money. Cynder looked over her left shoulder and watched as Spyro moved closer and presented his point:
- Instead of just trading the crystals for money, what if we used them as stablished capital to buy items from you that we may need? Lanterns to keep our cave lit at night, sheets, maybe some cushions…
Cynder poked Spyro's side and asked of him with a whisper that sounded off towards him with a slight tone of frustration:
- What are you doing?
Spyro showed a little smile as he reassured Cynder by saying:
- I'm seeking a better opportunity, just like you.
The dragoness was unsure of what he meant by that but she was certain that Spyro's mind was focused on the bigger picture. Spyro continued shortly:
- How about we stablish a trading of sorts by using the crystals as pricing? We can get things that we need for ourselves and you may leave with the items that are of more use to you.
Zachariah accepted the young dragon's offer without hesitation as it sounded like a wonderful opportunity for everyone involved. The fox nodded afirmitavily and said:
- That will work wonders. I shall prepare the products in my caravan for exchanging and procure a sheet for recording.
Spyro asked Cynder to head into the cave and bring out any other crystals that she may have collected throughout her excursions and that could be used for trading, she did so swiftly as she returned to the area outside while carrying a small slew of colorful rocks in her arms, the dragoness didn't complain about Spyro's arrangement with Zachariah as it did sound like a way to exponentially make the transaction process much more efficient. Spyro turned over to Zachariah as the fox adjusted some ropes and covers on his caravan, this was Spyro's first time actually seeing the caravan and he was rightly impressed with the fact that Zachariah had no problem hauling such a massive load around with him wherever he traveled. Spyro placed himself behind Zachariah and waited for Cynder to come closer with the crystals she was carrying, he saw as she placed the rocks on the ground and asked of her:
- Is that everything?
Cynder pointed a claw over her right shoulder at the cave and answered:
- There are still a few others back there. Just a few gravity crystals that are too heavy to carry.
Zachariah's right ear twitched after catching that last bit of information and he spoke up in order to give the two dragons an important point of information about the nature of the crystals:
- If the gravity crystals you collected are too heavy it may be an indication that they were used improperly and recently casted away by other adventurers. When a crystal cracks due to overuse it loses a bit of his potency for spells, magic seeps out of them essentially making them unusable with time but a certain process can encapsulate the wasted magic and make it usable again, although, it is fairly costly. Throwing magical crystals away is actually quite an irresponsible thing to do. Other creatures might get hurt because of it.
Spyro and Cynder shared a look as they got the general message that maybe handing off the crystals to someone with a better idea on how to deal with them may just be the best course of action. Spyro gave one step ahead before sitting down on the ground with his wings tucked over his back and waiting for Zachariah to find whatever it was he was looking for inside the caravan. Curious about how easily and efficiently he could acquire any of the resources that he mentioned before, Spyro leaned in a little closer while remaining seated and asked:
- Zachariah, how many different wares can you provide us?
The fox placed his back straight and answered:
- That depends, young dragon.
Spyro wondered what he meant by that but Zachariah's answer was not made complete just yet. The elderly fox reached for a lever just outside the caravan and the unexpected happened as the wheeled carrier buckled and spun into a whole different shape, Spyro raised his posterior from the ground and stepped back hastily to watch from a safe distance as Zachariah remained still and his caravan suddenly assumed the form of a three piece merchant stand with organized selections and shelves with price tags that contained an immense variety of items. After the caravan was done transforming and Spyro was left with a stupefied look on his face, Zachariah stepped forth and assumed his undivided role of shopkeeper while completing his original thought by asking:
- What is it that you really need?
Cynder came back just in time to see the fully transformed caravan and ask with much concern where did the fully equipped kiosk parked in front of the cave came from. Two minutes later the transaction was on in full swing as Zachariah grabbed a paper and quill for himself and started to calculate the monetary value of every single crystal that Cynder had brought over, there weren't many of them but each rock had a great deal of magic stored within as he detected with an array of special instruments before recording it in the papers placed in front of him. Spyro and Cynder began to move left and right as each checked a different part of the stand, Spyro had his eyes hovering over an impressive selection of magical tools and what he assumed were weapons manufactured by skilled blacksmiths while Cynder prodded about items that looked far more interesting to her.
The dragoness' curiosity was peaked as she opened a medium sized cabinet located at the lower half of the left most part of the stand, Cynder was marveled as she saw a big collection of woolen sheets and sequined cushions and she gasped as her paws reached into the cabinet to pull one of the items out, she glossed the textile frame over her scales and realized how soft they truly were. Cynder pulled a folded sheet and placed on the side of her face, her right cheek nestled over the fabric and she released a melodious hum as she did so. After making certain that the sheet was precisely what she was looking for, Cynder walked up to Zachariah and ask:
- Are these for sale? I would like to get a pillow as well.
Zachariah signaled to her with a positive nod of his head and showed with a paw gesture that there were plenty more of the requested product, before Cynder there was a long and colorful selection of sheets and stuffed cushions and Zachariah was generous enough to let her take her pick of whichever she wanted. Cynder was very satisfied and wasted little time bringing two large sheets and at least four pillows inside of the cave. As she returned she found Spyro still hanging over the same spot that he was looking at before, she left him to it and continued on her search but Zachariah decided to approach the young dragon and make sure of what he was actually looking for. Zachariah's merchant instincts talked a little louder than his usual cordial nature as he pushed conversation and asked:
- Seeing something you like over there?
Spyro directed his eyes at Zachariah as soon as he heard that question, he returned his eyes to the items right in front of him as he answered:
- Just… admiring some of these weapons and armor pieces. They have great mark for detail.
Zachariah reached for the bundle of weapons and started to list a few of the more important points of the merchandise:
- Well, yes. Many of these marvelous weapons have never been used, collector's items of the sort.
The fox pulled out a curved dagger from the stand and slowly passed his right paw over the blunt edge of the blade as he showed it off and spoke up:
- This dagger was a gift, metal strong enough to pierce the heart of a golem. Not a lot of adventurers respect the craft that goes into short sized blades, they mostly go for the largest and heaviest weapon they can find, thinking that having a big heavy weapon will make up for their lack of skill.
Zachariah placed the dagger back in its original spot and pulled out a metal pauldron from a different part of the stand, he placed the piece of armor over his left shoulder and spoke up:
- Armor is such a commodity, especially one that can protect from magical effects. This pauldron was forged with the dust of an earth crystal mixed into the metal, it could take the business end of a halberd and still keep you protected. Sadly, adventurers are always on the hunt for better armor and talismans that can protect them from other types of spell or even enhance their own magical abilities, this leaves the equipment that they used prior up for trading and I can resell it for far cheaper than any smithy or apothecary around.
Spyro thought hard about those words and concluded that it was quite the ingenious commercial strategy, taking into inventory weapons and other items that were no longer needed by seasoned adventurers but that could still be used and bought by younger and inexperienced warriors wanting to advanced quicker with shorter monetary budgets. Cynder returned from the cave and continued to look for more things to buy, this time giving a harder focus on more practical items like cups, dishes and minor tools, Spyro called to Zachariah's attention and asked for a specific thing that he definitely wanted to inquire about:
- Actually, Zachariah, I wanted to ask you if we could get something to light up the cave's interior safely and practically, it gets very dark and hard to navigate around and we have been going through a lot of firewood, not to mention my own attempts to light the cave up without the right tools were… less than optimal.
The fox raised his brow and pitched the answer that the young dragon was looking for:
- What you need, my friend, is a few self-lighting torches. They have adjustable light settings and last for a long time. I think I have a bundle of those somewhere in here.
Zachariah reached for a cabinet higher up on the middle section of the kiosk and retrieved a wrapped set of three lantern like items that were small in size but that were placed in prime condition and ready for use. Zachariah handed the items to Spyro and the young dragon fumbled around as he tried to determine for himself the best way to hold on to the new load he was carrying, Zachariah approached him and said:
- These beauties are light and are fairly easy to attach to any surface, they have a small trigger mechanism inside that sends a charge to the crystal inside the main chambers, it will light up quickly and the luminosity can be regulated using the little dial on the left. You can have these around the cave and make sure that it will have just enough light for the two of you.
Spyro's face lit up and he was half-tempted to take the lanterns apart to see how they worked, he resisted that temptation and simply thanked the merchant for the items. Cynder approached Spyro and took the lanterns, offering to bring them into the cave and safely store them away for when they really needed it. As soon as Cynder disappeared into the cave, Spyro turned over back to Zachariah and asked of him:
- If is not too much trouble to ask, would you happen to have some material I could use to write? Any form of paper and ink will do just fine.
Zachariah looked at the young dragon and asked without expecting too much of an answer but already well aware of what he wanted to do:
- Seeking something to record your thoughts, are you not?
Spyro showed a little smile and answered vaguely:
- Something like that.
Zachariah turned his eyes back at the kiosk and didn't have to search around too hard for what Spyro was looking for. Seconds later, the fox showed off a large book with a brown hard cover and the pages cobbled together by a set of hardened threaded rings, he flipped through the pages and spoke up:
- This old notebook was salvaged from the sudden siege of a library about two years ago. The hard cover is intact and there are more than two-hundred blank pages with a wide spacing to write on.
He gave the tome to Spyro and the young dragon took a few seconds to appreciate the feeling of the object in his paws. Zachariah called to his attention once more as he retrieved a pair of writing utensils and spoke up:
- These are Corminian sphere-o-graphic pens, they can store a great deal of ink. Just remember to put the capping on so it won't get dried out and try not to blotch it around too much, the paint does not come off easy.
Spyro reached for the items and clutched them carefully in his right paw, he smiled openly and released an audible puff of air from his mouth before he poke excitingly:
- Thank you! This is great!
Zachariah left Spyro to make his rushed way back inside the cave so he could store away his newly purchased belongings, Cynder returned and walked slowly back to a spot near the stand to say that she was very satisfied with the purchases that were made that day, Zachariah showed her a gracious bow and started to pick up all of his scattered belongings before leaving. Cynder returned to the cave with a gleeful pep in her step as she was silently excited to try out all of the things that she and Spyro had bought, Spyro exited the cave and crossed paths with Cynder as he walked near Zachariah in order to thank him personally:
- Zachariah.
Spyro called him out and the fox turned over with a jovial smile as he was giving the finishing touches to the securing of his remaining goods. Spyro sat on the ground right in front of the merchant and spoke up:
- Once again you have given us quite the helping hand. It may never be enough to say it, but… thank you, Zachariah.
Flattered by the dragon's sweet words but not wanting to toot his own horn too hard, Zachariah grabbed his cane from the side of the caravan and clanked it subtly against the gravel on the ground before saying:
- I'm a merchant of great charisma and renown, master Spyro. What you two have experienced from me was nothing more than a cordial demonstration of my services. With all of the crystals and the products you had need in exchange, I can depart to replenish my stocks and trade with other merchants on the road.
Spyro leaned over and asked with a lower volume to his voice:
- Have you told anyone about… me and Cynder yet?
Zachariah clamped the cane's handle on his right grasp and gestured dismissively with his left hand as he answered:
- The tale of our meeting has yet to be unraveled for anyone else, but I do suppose that if any more enthralling adventures like the encounter you two had the other night were to come your way, there may be a few legends born of you two in to time at all.
Spyro showed a toothy grin as he chuckled in face of the fox's commentary. The dragon placed himself straight as he responded:
- Me? A legend? I don't think so. Maybe… someday.
Zachariah figured that it was about time that he returned to the trail but he still had one last thing to do before leaving for good. He reached for his side pouch and retrieved a small sack that fit without any issue in the palm of his left hand and that had its entry tied with a single piece of threat, he shook the item and revealed without the need to open it that there were small metal trinkets within it, he leaned closer to Spyro and showed the object in clear view of the dragon in order to openly offer it to him. Spyro was not certain about what that was for so he decided to ask:
- What is this?
Zachariah shook the sack once more with a subtle rise of his wrist and said:
- The remainder of your finances.
Spyro raised both brows and directed his eyes upwards to look at Zachariah, the fox had an immutable smile on his face as he explained:
- I did the math and it turns out that after subtracting all of the things you decided to buy from the combined amount of all the crystals you collected leaves you with money to spare. In this little sack there are twenty silver pieces, excluded expenses from my own trips of course. A courtesy as to celebrate our first official business transaction together.
Spyro extended his right arm forward and showed the palm of his right paw, Zachariah dropped the sack of coins over the dragon's paw and proceeded to reach for the guiding shafts of his caravans as he began to leave. Spyro watched the merchant give a few steps off in the direction of a clearing that would lead him out of the forest and on to the main roads but, before he was completely out of sight, Spyro called out to him to ask:
- Will we see you again?
Zachariah turned his head to the right and projected his voice with enough volume so that the dragon could hear it:
- Count on it. I will have a brand new stash of wares for sale, from cups and trinkets to armor and weapons. If you two find any more items of value that can be exchanged then have it all safeguarded, we shall do this again soon. Take care, young dragon.
Spyro waved avidly with his left arm held high as his right paw still held tightly to the coin pouch he had received from Zachariah. After the fox had disappeared into the forest, Spyro raised from the ground, turned himself around and headed into the cave to check on Cynder and see how she was handling all of the stuff they had acquired. Spyro found his friend nestled between the cushions and sheets she had purchased and having a wide smile on her face as she satisfied all of her cravings for comfort in a single sitting, the cave didn't even look like the same place now that there were so many more commodity items stored in it and maybe that would be a good thing.
Spyro walked closer to Cynder and stood tall over her until she finally realized that he was standing right over there, Cynder took a few seconds to open her eyes and speak to the dragon:
- Spyro, you just got to try this. These pillow are amazing and really cozy.
Spyro directed his eyes away from Cynder and over to the cave's deeper area before saying:
- I'll do just that, right after I finish installing the self-lighting torches that we bought. There is a set of spikes on the handles that we can use to anchor them to the wall. I'm thinking about having one of the on the very back end of the cave while the other two can be set near the entrance.
Cynder kept looking over at Spyro while having her body placed in the same position laid over the cushions, she shot a glance over at the dragon and spoke up in a low volume while having a lazy set of eyes over he muzzle:
- I'm literally too cozy to pay you any mind but I'm sure that whatever you just said was not as important as the comfort I'm feeling right now.
Spyro released a humorous puff of air through his nose and decided to leave Cynder as she was to go check the rest of the cave and organize the things he had purchased for his own use. Spyro began to walk past Cynder's resting spot and into the cave with the bag of coins held in his front left paw, every time his left side stepped over the hard floor a little metallic clink was heard and that really called to Cynder's attention as she raised her head slightly and looked around to try and see where that sound was coming from. Not being able to immediately identify the origin of the sound, Cynder looked over at Spyro as he was already quite a distance away from her and asked while projecting her voice at him:
- Spyro, what is that sound? Sounds like metal tilting around.
Spyro turned his face to the left as he heard Cynder calling out to him and he soon turned his entire body around to hold the small bag with two of his claws and show it to her:
- This is what was left from our buying spree. Zachariah gave it to me and said that there are twenty silver pieces inside this little sack. I'm not sure where to put it though.
Cynder finally decided to raise from the cushions, leaving her recently built comfort zone behind, and walk closer to Spyro. The dragoness extended her right paw and asked without the need for words to take a closer look at the bag of coins, Spyro handed it to her and she shook the item in the air to make a mental note of its weight, it wasn't heavy at all but the general feel of the metal through the cloth told her that the coin used for currency in that kingdom had a small circumference and it could easily be lost. Cynder looked at Spyro and shot out an answer to his previous conundrum as she said:
- I think I know just where to put it.
Cynder gave a short leap ahead towards the back of the cave and Spyro was very surprised with that as he recoiled back and watched her walk away without giving him much of an answer. Cynder halted her movement as she reached the two shelves that were sculpted into the right side wall of the cave, over the lower one there was a stone pot with a lid made of the same material, a frivolous item bought merely to adorn the insides of the cave but now, as thought by her, made of much greater use. Cynder waited for Spyro to slowly catch up with her and, just as soon as he was positioned right next to her, she reached for the pot and removed its lid before stashing the bag of coins inside and sealing it back up again. After doing that, Cynder turned to Spyro with a proud tone in her voice and said:
- Solved.
Spyro figured that that pot was a better place than any to keep the coins they still had, his mind turned to something he had heard a long time ago and he turned it into a joke as he told Cynder:
- I wonder if that is how our hoard will get started.
The dragon released a little chuckle from his mouth but Cynder was left in the dark with that, she directed her eyes at the pot for a short second before turning over to face Spyro once more and ask of him:
- What do you mean by "hoard"?
Spyro raised his brows as Cynder as he quickly figured that he joke just flew right over her head, he gestured with a claw over his right shoulder and explained:
- Ciryl once told me that antient dragons used to keep immense piles of treasure safe from others who wanted to use said treasure for their own gains. This treasure could have been anything from cursed artifact to gold and jewels to libraries of knowledge. So… I'm left to wonder if this is how we will spend the rest of our stay here: Collecting baubles and bits of treasure inside this cave.
Cynder showed a little side smile to him but she was not to entertained with that joke, mostly for the parallel idea of remaining in the cave as it was spoken by Spyro. Cynder gestured her left paw towards the cave entrance and said:
- No offense Spyro, but no amount of treasure is going to confine me to any one place, no matter how nice or how valuable it is.
Spyro watched as Cynder moved herself back to the spot where she had left the cushions and he was not offended in any way by her words, it just highlighted the one fact about her that he knew all too well: Cynder was meant to be free and she did not wish to be held back by anything. Spyro did take some time aside to think if, by any chance, he was holding Cynder back, he was out of action for an extended amount of time and that may have been detrimental to her in some way. Spyro's mind turned away from that unpleasant trail of thought as he heard Cynder calling out to him:
- Spyro, come over here real quick.
Spyro walked towards Cynder's voice with a rushed set of steps to see what she wanted, just as soon as he arrived next to her, Cynder pressed one of the cushions she had against his face and said:
- You have to try this. These pillows are so comfy.
Spyro held on to the pillow that had been placed against his right cheek and hugged on to it as he attested personally to its softness. The dragon smiled as he said:
- It is very nice.
- Right?!
Cynder said so and Spyro could just feel the excitement on her voice. Cynder went on ahead and grabbed every sheet and pillow she could carry with the exception of the one she had already handed out to Spyro and brought them to a better resting spot near the back of the cave, she told Spyro to hurry along so they could get their stuff sorted out and the dragon merely smiled and followed along. For the next following hours until the setting of the sun, Spyro and Cynder moved about the cave conversing and consenting to how they were going to put every purchased item to use followed by how they were going to gather more crystals since it was already proven they could be used for financial means. Spyro installed two of the lanterns on the spots he had previously spoken of and left one lose to install later, Cynder dismantled the leafy nest she had made to be their bed and prepared a new one now using the cozy sheets as a better bed and just enough large leaves to make a comfy repost.
As night rolled by, Cynder laid herself over the new and improved bedding area that she had prepared for her and Spyro, she tucked her wings and furled her tail as she released a little hum of ease and laid her head over a pillow. The dragoness had placed two sheets by the left most wall of the cave as a clear divide for the two of them was stablished, she took the spot marked with a red sheet closet to the wall and left the side marked with an emerald, green sheet for Spyro. The two dragons positioned themselves and got ready to sleep but Spyro took one last look around to appreciate the new décor of the cave, he was very excited for the next day to come by.
Spyro tried to assume a comfortable position over his side of the improvised bed but he was far to fidgety to close his eyes and sleep right away. He felt very much like his old self again, he wanted to fly, to explore, to gather and do it all alongside Cynder, he tucked his wings as he turned over the sheets, facing away from Cynder to try and get on a better position to sleep. Cynder reached a paw over and poked Spyro on the back of the head, his wings twitched as he felt her abrupt touch, he turned his eyes over in her direction and heard as she called his name:
- Spyro.
He raised his head slightly to see if he could get a better look on her, she was still in the same position from earlier with her head on the pillow. Spyro asked:
- Yes, Cynder?
She asked of him with a low volume to her voice:
- Could you turn off the lights? All I want to do right now is go to sleep.
- Sure thing.
He answered her while leaning his body away from the sheets to reach for the dial on the lamp and turn it down to its lowest setting. Cynder closed her eyes but she didn't drift to sleep just yet, her body was very tired and she wished to simply let the worries she had felt previously melt away and rest up but she was called by Spyro and forced to open her eyes again as soon as she heard the dragon's voice:
- Cynder.
Cynder opened her eyes and found Spyro facing away from her, she noticed that there was still a little portion of light left from the lantern but that didn't feel oppressive by her eyes so she didn't have to force them to remain open, it was actually a very pleasant soft glow that didn't shine directly over her thanks to Spyro's body which was covering the path of the light towards her. Cynder asked of him:
- What is it, Spyro?
Spyro didn't turn around as he answered her while inquiring about something that he wished to know for himself:
- I just wanted to ask, before we went to sleep, if I could accompany you tomorrow as you leave the cave. We can explore and find more things if we work together.
Cynder felt happy to have heard that, now that Spyro was feeling much better and, as it was attested from the night before, he was in good shape to fight if there was ever the need to defend themselves. Cynder pretended not to be very interested with the prospect of having Spyro tagging along but she was actually looking forward to it, she nestled over her pillow and over her spot on the bed before she answered:
- Sure, if you think you can keep up with me. You haven't forgotten how to fly, have you?
Spyro sounded a single laugh before he answered:
- No way. You best rest up for tomorrow or I'll leave you in the dust.
- We shall see.
Spyro and Cynder had that last exchange of words between them before settling down for the night, each wished the other a pleasant sleep and they both fell into silence soon after. The wind blew from across the green plains to the north and met with a crew of miners still working late on a quarry, they were excavating for raw materials that could be used for construction but, on that particular night, they dug down further and discovered far more than what they were expecting. A solitary worker digging through the rocks with his pickaxe hit a smooth patch of rock that didn't even chip away with the hard hit of his tool, the strong looking tiger noticed the unusual sheen that the rock he just hit had and decided to investigate it further. He used his claws to remove some of the lose rocks out of the way and he found out he had just struck a major discovery:
- CHIEF! CALL THE CHIEF! I FOUND SOMETHING!
He walked out of the cave leaving behind his tool, his hard helmet and the recently discovered marking on the rock, the marking of a skull that belonged to a dragon.