Krystal, Fox and the queen dashed out of the outpost and were back out on the ledge within seconds. From the ledge, they could see what where the yelling had come from.

The group of Sharpclaw who had trapped the vulpines in the gas chamber were assaulting the rest of the group who had stayed outside. At least one large brute with metal armor and an ax was swinging at Kree, who had stepped in to defend the children. To his side, a few yellow grunts were lying on the ground, with claw and scorch marks on them, likely defeated by Kree. Kyte and Tricky were nowhere to be seen, probablyhad hidden nearby.

The vulpines both sprang into action, hopping off the ledge down onto the sand and running up to aid in dealing with the brute, taking by surprise and disarming him, then finishing him off with a blow to the face, courtesy of Fox's sword. The brute fell to the ground dead, and Kree sighed with relief.

"Thanks for the help." He said.

"No problem," Fox responded.

Kree was about to say something else when he suddenly noticed Saffali, who had flown down to join them. At the sight of her, his expression lit up, and he dashed away from the foxes and greeted her.

"Your highness, you're ok!" He said, dropping all formalities and greeting her with a hug.

"Brother, I cannot begin to express how happy I am to see you. It's nothing short of a miracle after everything that has happened." The queen said, dropping her royal composure briefly and greeting her brother as a sibling instead of a captain. Such moments were rare, but after what they both went through, it was warranted. " And you can drop the formalities from here. I would prefer you call me by name; you are my brother after all."

"Very well, Saffali." Kree responded as he continued embracing his sister.

After a long hug, they spoke to one another.

"I am happy to see you, but how did you find me?" Saffali asked.

"Paid off one of those mercenaries for intel. Sent my soldiers to free the other captives while I enlisted the help of a friend and her assistant." Kree stated, gesturing to his outworlder friends."

"Kree, I can't even begin to express my gratitude to you. And our friends here." Saffali said, waking to the foxes, who had opted to let them reunite and talk like family.

"Krystal, I can't begin to express my thanks for everything you have done for my tribe. Freeing my daughter, saving me. You are a true friend of the tribe, my dear." Saffali said, regaining her royal demeanor.

Krystal bowed in response. "I am honored I could be of assistance, your grace." The vixen said elegantly.

The queen than turned to Fox.

"And you, I owe my thanks as well. Forgive me, but we have not been formally introduced; I am Queen Saffali, leader of the Cloudrunners. Already, you have done my tribe a huge service. I am in your debt." Saffali said.

"My pleasure, ma'am. Buy, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I am Fox Mccloud." He introduced himself.

"Pleasure to meet you." The queen said before she changed the subject. A question burned at the back of her mind, and she could not reframe from asking any longer.

"Excuse me, but you mentioned my daughter was with you. Where is she now? Is she ok?" Saffali asked, her motherly instincts taking over.

But before a response could be spoken, a young voice sounded from nearby.

"Mom!"


Kyte could not believe her eyes.

She had just come out of her hiding spot behind a nearby rock, where Tricky was still hiding, to see if the coast was clear. When she saw her mother standing near her friends, all the worry and fear of her mother's fate that had pained her for over a week suddenly gave way to overwhelming joy. The fear she had felt for so long and horrific experiences she endured as a Sharpclaw prisoner had left her lost and alone; Scales' threats on her family worried and tormented of the young Cloudrunner had taken their toll on Kyte.

To see her mother after all the horrors she had a seen and witnessed was almost overwhelming.

"Mother!" That was all she could shout before she darted over to her mother and embraced the queen with her wings. Kyte began to cry tears of joy. All at once, much of her worry and anxiety washed away, replaced by feelings of warmth.

"Mother, I can't believe it's you." Kyte began through tears. "When I heard you were captured, I-I thought-"Kyte trailed off, unable to speak through her tears.

Her mother embraced her tightly with her wings. "Shhh, it's ok, my darling. I am here now." The mother spoke, a few tears going down her face as well. Safari, for her part, was just as relieved as Kyte to be able to embrace her daughter in her wings. The hell and anguish she had experienced this past week by the Sharpclaw had taken its toll.

Yet, when she saw her brother and eldest daughter safe and with her again, an ember of hope ignited within her. With the help of the heroes who had freed her, and aided the tribe, perhaps they could turn the tides on the Sharpclaw.

But that would have to wait; her family needed her.

After a lengthy hug, the mother and daughter let go and spoke.

"I cannot express how glad I am to see you are alright, my darling."

"I could say the same. I love you, mother."

"And I love you."

Kyte took a moment and glanced at her friends. Kree, Fox, and Krystal had let the royal family have their moment and, after they saw they were done with the embrace, went to retrieve Tricky from behind the rock, as Kree had sent them to hide there. Kyte gulped when she remembered she would have to introduce and explain the Earthwalker's presence. Hopefully, her mother would understand.

"Mother, have you met my new friends?" Kyte asked, gesturing with her wing to the rest of the group.

Saffali nodded. "Indeed I have. I met Krystal when she offered to rescue you from the galleon, as you are likely aware. Fox and she just freed me." Saffali said with a smile.

Kyte glanced nervously over to the group and could make out the shape of the prince hiding behind Fox's legs. Kree glanced nervously at the royal pair and back, likely thinking what Kyte was. He walked over and addressed the queen.

"Your grace, I am not sure how to explain this next part. But we have someone to introduce to you." He said, shooting a glance at Fox and Krystal.

At this, Tricky out from behind Fox's legs and shot a nervous glance at the queen before him.

"Umm, greetings." He said, clearly trying to make a good impression on the queen.

Saffali glanced down at the Earthwalker, a stern expression growing on her face.

"I am-"

"Prince Tricky, yes. I am aware. I recognize your mother's coloring." Saffali said in a neutral tone. She stood close to Kyte, looking over the young prince with a stern gaze.

"I was not expecting to see you with my daughter and captain. Especially not after all the things your father probably told you about me." The queen said in a more stern tone, a hint of bemusement on her face..

At this, Kyte spoke up, wanting to defend her new friend. "Mother, he's a friend. He's been helping us this whole time." Kyte began, to the bewilderment of her mother.

"Friends with the prince of the Eartherwalkers?" The queen muttered. It was a lot for her to take in. Their tribes had hated each other for decades. She was certain Tricky's father would have said plenty of nasty things about the Cloudrunners to his son, yet here he was, with her daughter.

Kyte than saw Krystal step forward. "Your highness, it is a long story. Perhaps we should discuss it a bit further, later." Krystal said. "It is important we discuss the Cloudrunner Fortress."

Saffali nodded. "Indeed." She glanced at the prince again, though. "If my daughter considers you a friend, then that is enough for me. But I expect not to have to put up with any of your father's prejudice from you." She said.

"Of course." Tricky responded.


"Let's get away from the outpost—no use in lingering here. "Kree spoke up.

"Yes, but what of the crown? I believe it to be nearby." The queen said.

Fox spoke up. "No offense, but don't we have d bigger fish to fry?"

"It's a family heirloom," Kyte interjected.

Fox shrugged and figured he should check the outpost for it. He explained there might be a storeroom inside and took Krystal to go back into the Orr is it locked wooden door they issued earlier, hoping to find it in there. After a few minutes, they had located the crown code and some blue robes and returned to their allies.

Kree and Kyte helped the queen back into her royal garb; then the group began walking across the bridge again. Fox led while Tricky remained by his and Krystal's sides, with Kyte riding on his back. The adult Cloudrunners staying behind.

After a bit of walking, the group came to a halt at the sight of the Bribeclaw from earlier.

Everyone got on the alert, with the foxes drawing their weapons at the sight of him. He remained steady but was clearly nervous at the sight of the vixen from earlier.

"Hey, you're that idiot from earlier. How was the swim?" Fox asked sarcastically. "Come to think of it, where were you when we razed that outpost of yours?"

The Bribeclaw frowned. "Wasn't my problem. Look, I know when I am beaten. Just get lost," He said, stepping aside and letting the group threw. Each member glared at him as they passed, especially the queen. The Bribeclaw shrunk in fear under her gaze.

Krystal read the guard's mind again and ensured that he had no immediate means of contacting his superiors at the fortress.

Pacing onward, the group briefly turned their attention back to the Hightop, who seemed to have found something within the cape. Saffali stopped, a thought sparking in her mind.

"What's wrong?" Kree asked his sister, seeing her stop walking.

"Seeing a Hightop here... what purpose does he have being here," Saffali muttered to herself.

The vulpines took notice of this.

"What is so important about this Hightop?" Krystal asked, confused.

"His tribe makes their home at Discovery falls. While both my tribe and the Earthwalkers have led claim to the temples, the Hightops still aid us in the preservation of the knowledge we uncovered there. One would not show up without purpose. Give me a moment." Saffali said, taking flight and going to address the long-necked dinosaur, who was beginning to walk away through the cape water.

Saffali flew to the front of him, trying to gain his attention. The Hightop heard her flapping. He craned his neck as he spotted the regal Cloudrunner flying before him.

"Pardon me, miss, but are you Queen Saffali?" He said, noting the Cloudunner's crown and robes.

"Indeed, I am."

"Your highness, what are you doing here?"

"Never mind why I am here now; I must ask the same of you." Saffali pressed, eyeing the golden object in his mouth.

"I was retrieving a piece of treasure I hid when the Sharpclaw tried to attack Discovery Falls. The Earthwalkers fended them off, but we worry they may return. " He finished.

"I see. I will have to look into the matter later. Thank you." Saffali said before flying back to her family and allies."

When she got back to the bridge, Kyte spoke up. "Mother, what did he say?"

"He was just retrieving some treasure he hid. He mentioned a Sharpclaw attack on Discovery Falls, but the Earthwalkers fended in off. I believe a force should look into that further after we retake the fortress." She said before gesturing for the group to carry on. Whatever was going on at the falls would have to wait for later.

As the group got to the other side of the beach, Fox scoped out an area large enough to transmit the Arwing and made a note of it. Before he did that, he would have to speak to the queen about her tribe.

By this point, everyone was beginning to think about the task at hand. The Queen Cloudrunner stepped forward towards Fox while her brother and daughter remained behind her. Krystal and Tricky stood patrol to them, wanting to see what the queen would have to say.

"Now, I believe we have no more time to waste. On behalf of my tribe, I must request your aid." Queen Saffali said, not wasting any time.

Fox spoke up. "Of course, we will help you. Just tell me what I need to know."

"Scales ambushed my troops and me using some kind of flying metal craft, but we managed to send the Spellstone back to Cloudrunner Fortress. But I have no doubt the Sharpclaw have made it there by now and have overrun the fortress. I left a contingent of soldiers to protect it, but I have no doubt it's been overrun by now, given how easily they caught us off guard. What's worse is they threatened to kill the rest of my captive soldiers and me if I left a force field around it. The way I see it, we are going in blind." Saffali stared, wanting to get to the point.

"Sounds par for the course for this mission," Fox said before getting serious. "Don't worry, you can count on us; we will see your people free from those monsters. It's about time they were taken down a peg!"

A collective "YEAH!" Sounded from all the other members of the group, besides Fox and Saffali. Fox then looked at Tricky, wondering if he would sit this one out. Before he could ask, the prince spoke up.

"Your um, highness." He began, addressing Saffali and trying to compose himself, dispute the awkwardness of his request. "If I may, please let me come to your fortress. I can help, and I want to try to make things right between our tribes… if that's ok, of course." He stammered, trying to circumvent the nasty things his father spoon-fed him about the queen. Letting an insult out now would sink any alliance between the two tribes.

Everyone stared at the little Earthwalker then back to the queen. Saffali seemed caught off guard by request but composed herself and spoke firmly. "That is quite a request, young prince. My tribe would look down upon you the moment you set foot. I don't know if I can allow that."

Kyte then spoke up.

"Wait, mother, he is a friend; he has been super helpful this whole adventure. I am sure if he helped us, you would see that." The princess said, trying to convince her mother.

Krystal and Fox then spoke up." We can vouch for him; his guidance has been useful. And I am sure this would go over well with the rest of his tribe. You would have even better standing for an alliance."

"It's true. His mother is already open to one. Just ask your brother." Fox added.

The queen looked at Kree and was met with a nervous shrug." I will explain more when time permits. "he replied simply.

The queen sighed and shrugged. "Very well, if you claim he could be of assistance, then what point is there to deny him entry. And we will discuss this alliance at length in a bit." She said, looking to Kree again.

"Now, we have little time to lose. I will open a gateway to the fortress. We can take you out, workers there." The queen offered.

Fox declined. "No thanks, we have a craft of our own. We will meet you there." He responded

"Very well. We will see you there." She said, before turning to start opening a portal. At this point, Kyte flew over to her friends.

"If it's ok, I will stay with my family." She said simply. The two foxes and Earthwalker understood this: why would she want to be stuck in a cramped cargo hold instead of being with her mother again?

"Of course. No need to request permission, right guys?" Krystal asked.

All three nodded, and Kyte smiled. "Thank you, see you there."

At this, Saffali had opened a portal, and all three Cloudrunnrers began to take off. Kree turned and looked at his companions one last tube before he did.

"Thank you, all of you. We will see you at the fortress." And with that, he took off behind his sister and niece. After a few moments, all three flyers were through the portal, and it closed behind them.

With that, Fox contacted his team on the comms.

"Fox to Slippy, you there?" He said, calling the toad. After a moment, he got a response.

"Yeah, I read you. What can I do, did you?" Slippy's voice sounded on the other end.

"We just freed the queen Cloudrunner. Going to be freeing Cloudrunner Fortress; send my modified Arwing to these coordinates." He said, punching in the coordinate ahead of him.

"Will do. Give me a minute. By the way, your guest, Randorn, is doing well. He isn't in need of any serious treatment, and we administered a stim pack. He and Peppy have been talking over tea for a few hours now."

Fox rolled his eyes and smiled. "Good to hear. Fox out." Fox hung up and looked at the vixen.

"Did they mention my father by chance?" Krystal asked

Fox nodded. "Yes. In brief, he is stable. No major treatments were needed, and a stim pack we gave him took care of the rest. My mentor, Peppy, has treated him to tea and they've been talking fit hours."

Krystal smiled and laughed. "He has been one to share his stories when given a chance. I am sure he and Peppy will be at it until nightfall, knowing my dad." She joked

"Probably. Peppy will kill to have another old man to share his endless stories with. My team mostly just gets bored during them. Regardless, I think they will be good friends." Fox finished. After this, the Arwing appeared before then soon after. They preceded to start getting in, but not before a final word to Tricky, who looked conflicted.

Fox knelt down and patted him on the head. "You made the right division. This will be for the good if you're for your and Kyte's tribes."

Tricky looked unsure." I don't know; I thought the same thing, but I am nervous. What if everyone just mocks and pecks at me? I am starting to think this was a bad idea." The prince stated.

Krystal then spoke." You are there to show them a bridge can be formed between your tribes. Fox, Kyte, and I will be there to support you. And besides, maybe you can see majestic friends amongst the other kids there."

Tricky perked you." Yeah, yeah. Sounds good." With that, he finished getting into the cargo hold. The two fixes soon got into the cockpit. Before Fox stated the lift-off, Krystal put her hand on his shoulder and gave him a nervous look.

"We must be careful. We have no idea what the Sharpclaw could truly be capable of. If Scales has more ships like the queen mentioned, there could be even more forces at work here than we realize."

Fox nodded. "I am aware, but we will have to look into the source of their new weapons later. Those Cloudrunners need us. Badly. Now hang on." The vulpine finished before starting the tahr off sequence and making way toward Cloudrunner Fortress.


(A bit earlier, at the fortress)

Revallos paced through the Cloudrunner Fortress, watching as the Sharpclaw set up their weapons caches and rounded up any remaining Cloudrunner soldiers or civilians. He had arrived at the fortress via transport only a few minutes ago. He had been informed that the attack on the fortress was carried out without much trouble. The force left behind to protect the fortress had surrendered after a brief skirmish. They were woefully unprepared to handle the Sharpclaw's new weapons. The new ships, combined with the drones, caught the Cloudrunners off guard. Sure, their flame breath could pose a problem to ships and machines, but the swarm of sentry drones proved to be a menace to the Cloudrunners. After a half-hour of fighting, the officer in charge surrendered, knowing they were fighting a losing battle and the Sharpclaw would slaughter the many non-combatants in the fortress. Scales allowed them to be spared but took the soldiers and other Cloudrunners who survived as prisoners. Scales always seemed to prefer enslaving tribes as opposed to destroying them. Likely to use as slave labor or for other purposes.

The rogue wore a neutral expression as he paced through the fortress. It had suffered damage during the attack, though it could be rebuilt. The rogue was unsure how to feel about seeing his home in ruins. Sure, he would now be in charge, but it was still weird to be attacking where he had grown up and intended to rule.

As he got walked into the courtyard, he saw a few of his people being herded off to a dungeon. One of them was a familiar soldier. The Cloudrunner soldier gave the rogue a death glare before yelling "traitor!" at the top of his lungs. The Sharpclaw herding him away told the soldier to shut it, and kept him walking.

"Such harsh words. That's no way to treat your new king." Revallos thought smugly. He ignored the comment, being used to it by now, and paced through the courtyard. He was mostly just clearing his head, trying to shake off any feelings of regret he had at the sight of his home in the state that it was. He knew at least a small part of him was sentimental for this place, outside of his desire to rule it.

Yet, as he paced continued to pace, he could not stop himself from thinking back to all the memories he had of when he had last seen this place. The spot he found himself in particular was a blast from the past.

He gazed at the center of the central courtyard, where the tribe would often hold tribe meetings or major events. It was wide open and had vivid architecture and tribe crests adorning the walls on each side. In the center, there was a platform surrounded by lush grass, with a statue of a Cloudrunner in the middle. It was something of a main hub for the tribe. And the perfect place to make an example of a traitor.

Years ago, the queen had dragged him out here before the rest of the tribe, including the royal guard. She and Kree had publicly outed him as the murderer of King Regis. Revallos had been stripped of his royal armor, beaten by his former guards, and publicly shamed. Most of the tribe called for his death, but the queen felt it better to shame him and cast him into exile. His name would live on in infamy amongst the tribe and the rest of Sauria; the scorn and threats he faced everywhere he went was nothing short of torture to endure. He could not show his face anywhere. A fitting punishment, perhaps.

Regardless, the rogue seethed in anger at the memory. The disgrace he faced still plagued him.

"Should have killed me when you had the chance, Saffali."

He stormed out of the central courtyard, wanting to shake off the memory. Despite his moments of doubt, he knew his path was for the betterment of the tribe. In time, he would be king, and, through his strength, he would show the tribe what a true ruler could give a tribe.

He continued on, passing by Sharpclaw going about their business, setting up stations, and infecting the Fortress' airlifts. Revallos eventually came out onto one of the sky decks. He stopped for a moment, another rush of memories taking hold of him as he recalled this spot's relevance. This had been where he had taken Kyte for flying lessons all those years back. Back then, he was not the hated traitor he is now, but a respected and beloved royal guard captain.

There was a time when King Regis and Queen Saffali would not think twice to trust their young daughter to him for lessons. He recalled how she had trouble flying when she was little, despite having been taught by her parents, and he had offered them to let him help Kyte refine her ability.

On this deck, he had helped her learn to ride the air currents and hone her techniques. Revallos remembered the small bit of pride he felt when he saw the princess's technique improve and honed her abilities. He had taken her out flying around the fortress for the rest of that afternoon, returning to her parents to demonstrate her new skills. The pleased looks he received from his brother and his mate, combined with the joy the young princess had at her new abilities, actually managed to warm the former captain, cold heart, however briefly.

Revallos basked in the nostalgia for a few moments before he refocused on reality.

"Those days are done, and I made my choices. There is no going back." He reminded himself. "If it's of any consolation, brother, I will ensure your daughter makes a fine heir." Once they were found, the rogue thought to himself, remembering his intentions for Kyte and her siblings.

He brushed off the thought for now. He had wasted enough time with this little walk of his. For now, he would need to report to the Sharpclaw officers and aid in the search for the Spellstone. With that, he flew off.


(A bit before Fox arrived.)

The royal family had arrived at the fortress a bit ago, and perched on one of the balconies overlooking the pond. They were out of sight of any Sharpclaw nearby. The outworlders had not yet arrived. Since they had a moment, Kyte figured she should tell her mother about her adventure and Tricky.

"Mother, I haven't told you about my adventure yet, have I?"

The queen shook her head. "No darling, you have not. I believe we have a moment. I would love to hear about it." Saffali said, giving her daughter a smile. She was eager to here what transpired on Kyte's adventure

So for the next few minutes, Kyte gave a brief summary of what had happened during her adventure. Saffali listened intently. By the end of the explanation, she was a bit unnerved. Sure, she was happy to hear that they had struck a few blows against the Sharpclaw, even more so that a Spellstone had been returned along with two Krazoa Spirits. She was even glad to see that Kyte was getting acquainted with other tribes and saw the world. But a part of her was still concerned for her safety during many of these events. Though she found Kyte's youthful enthusiasm for the adventure endearing, she could not overlook the dangers.

"I must say you had quite the adventure, dear. You and your friends have done the planet a great service. But..." She turned her gaze to Kree, who understood what she was about to say. The captain gulped, knowing he was in for it.

"Nearly eaten by a plant, then a Klannadack, and then a few run-ins with the Sharpclaw." Saffali listed a nervous tone, as Kree's cringed at the thought. "Kree, I trust you were unaware most of this would happen," Saffali spoke in a tone indicating irritation. Kree held up his wings in defense.

"Sister, I assure you I did not. I had a little option at the time but to leave her in Krystal's care. But look, she is safe and sound right here; and had the protection of two mighty warriors. It's not like you can shield her from danger forever." Kree pointed out.

Kyte chimed in. "Yeah, and it's not like Krystal and Fox had any control over those situations. But they were doing their best. And look at all we accomplished." The child pointed out.

As the queen thought this over, she realized her daughter and brother raised valid points. Though she still had her reservations, she sighed and gave in.

"Fair enough. Let me just make one thing clear, though: I am very proud of everything you and your friends have accomplished. And I,m happy you are getting to see the world. But, as a mother, I still worry for you. Though I trust Krystal and Fox can keep you safe." Saffali finished.

Kyte perked up at this, as did Kree.

"Thank you, mother."

Saffali smiled and then spoke on.

"I must admit, I am also proud of the kindness you showed in helping prince Tricky and Queen Thera. Such kindness shows maturity within you, Kyte; important virtue for a future queen to have." Saffali complemented.

"After thinking of what you say, maybe this prince is so bad. I will withhold my judgment of him until we see how he fairs with the rest of the tribe." The queen finished.

Kyte leaped for joy. "Thank you, mother. I assure you, though he might be a bit annoying at times, his heart is in the right place. He and his mother have been kind to me after we worked out our differences." Kyte responded.

Saffali nodded, pleased to hear this. Something else, a bit more humorous, crossed her mind, though. She turned towards her brother, with a bit of mischief in her eyes.

"Oh, and Kree, what was that about knocking Kyte out of a tree?" She said, spurring her daughter to laugh a bit. Kree gave a nervous laugh as well. Saffali normally would have been a bit mad at this, but it was blatantly clear to her Kyte was ok.

"Yeah, it was not my brightest move." He chuckled. Saffali rolled her eyes with a smile. With this, they continued to wait for the rest of their allies to arrive, with the queen formulating a plan in her mind. For now, though, they had to stay out of sight of the Sharp claws.


After a few minutes of flight, Fox came upon his intended target, the Cloudrunner Fortress. The beauty of the fortress amazed him; its vast expanse, mesmerizing structures decorated by vivid colors, and beautiful flowers trees were a sight to behold. It was easy to see why this place was considered a jewel of Sauria.

After setting the are wing down on a stone balcony overlooking a pond, connected to a walkway with a gate at the end, he and Krystal climbed out of the cockpit. Tricky exited from the lower deck at the bottom. Soon after they arrived, they saw the royal family fly towards them and preach nearby.

"Welcome to Cloudrunner Fortress." Queen Saffali announced. "The Sharpclaw think they can take over our home. Well, we will prove them wrong." She then turned to Kyte and Kree. "Kyte, my darling, you stay with Fox and Krystal. I don't want anything to happen to you."

She said, then she turned to Kree.

"Kree, I need you to fly to the lower levels and see about locating any of the prisoners or other tribe members who evaded capture. Try to round up any remaining soldiers and find out what we are up against." Kree nodded.

Saffali than spoke to the foxes again.

As for me, I will fly towards the main courtyard and see if it's safe. Once the coast is clear, I will speak with you all again. We will have to find the rest of my children as well; I left contingency orders to their guards to hide them if the situation came to this. I just hope they are alright." She said, a solemn look briefly apparent on her face.

Kyte looked concerned for a moment, but her mother noticed this and then nuzzled her daughter again.

"Don't worry, dear. They will be ok. As will you."

Kyte returned the gesture. "I love you; mother, just-just promise me you will be alright. I don't want to lose you again." Kyte said, a tear briefly evident on her face.

Saffali smiled.

" Of course I will. Be safe, my dear."

"You too, mother," Kyte responded before flying back down to her friends. Kree and Saffali then flew off to their respective routes. Krystal allowed Kyte to perch on her as she and her group made their way up through the path, and towards the main fortress. The path ahead of them was stone, with a few arches for decoration and plants growing along its sides.

As they approached the main gate, the Fox was alerted to the sound of a metallic buzzing and signaled for his group to stop. Glancing ahead, he was surprised to see several sentry drones flying around, each one round and nondescript, having a small round body and a searchlight signaling where they were viewing. In the room they saw a spiral ramp, which the drones were patrolling around.

"What are those?" Kyte asked from atop the vixen's shoulder, not sure what the drones were.

"We call them sentry drones. If they see us, they will likely electrocute us." Fox explained.

Kyte was wondering how it worked but saved her questions. It was likely little different to her than any of the other pieces of technology that she had encountered earlier. The group spoke past the drones, not wanting to alert the Sharpclaw by destroying them. They managed to avoid the searchlights and ascend the spiral ramp before coming onto what was an entrance to the main courtyard of this section of the fortress.

"Ok, so what is our plan from here? How are we going to deal with all these drones?" Krystal asked, looking to Fox.

"When we free the others, we go ballistic on those things. They aren't way too durable." Fox said.

"Brillant plan, why didn't I think of that?" Krystal joked.

"I have my moments," Fox said, sarcastically, "But, with you at my back, I am sure we can make this hair-brained scheme work," Fox said, to which he was met with a playful glare from the vixen. Both of them knew they had the abilities and weapons to wipe out the drones with ease; they were merely playing with the other.

From behind them, the two children exchanged a glance. It was evident to them that the two foxes were becoming quite close to one another. Though she assumed it to be more of a friendship, some of their more intimate interactions made her wonder. Such as their shared hugs back at Moon Mountain Pass.

Her train of thought was interrupted when they heard a yell from the central courtyard. At this, they ran forward and ducked under a collapsed archway. From their vantage point, they could see what was causing the contention.

Surrounded by many of his soldiers and sentry drones, General Scales stood over the queen Cloudrunner. Saffali was lying on the ground, wounded. It seemed as though some of the sentry drones had gotten to her, and the Sharpclaw had dragged her to the courtyard.

"Look at you, the oh so mighty queen of one of the ruling tribes of Sauria, beaten and withering on the ground. For so long, you thought your tribe was safe from me, up here in your fancy fortress, sitting on top of your hoard of gold. Your tribe thrived while mine rotted away in those wastelands, denied any chance at a better life. Well, that will no longer be the case." The group could hear Scales begin to rant.

"You thought yourself untouchable, yet look at your now. I must say: the defense you left here was pathetic; they crumbled at the might of my tribe's new weapons. They could barely muster any form of defense before we squashed them like insects. It took less than an hour before many of your guards lay bleeding on the floor, and those remaining knelt on the ground, begging for mercy." Scales went on. Saffali coughed on the ground in pain. Scales ignored her pain and continued on with his dramatic speech. "I could have slaughtered your whole tribe, Saffali. Yet, I found it within me to show mercy to them. They are alive, but for how long depends on their cooperation."

"You're a monster!" Saffali spat at the tyrant, but he again ignored the insult.

"But it did not have to be this way, queen. Surely you knew of what happened when the Earthwalkers tried to defy me; and that the same fate would inevitably befall you as well. Had you surrendered, as I warned you, your daughter would have been returned, and this bloodshed could have been avoided. But, like your husband before you, your pride would not allow you to take such a path."

At this, Saffali was enraged. "How dare you speak of him! Your offer of peace was nothing more than a lie, a fabrication to justify your tyrannical ways! It's by your hand my husband is dead! " Safari spat through pained breaths.

Kyte could barely stand to watch this. She tried nudging Krystal. "We have got to do something." The vixen could only shoot her a hesitant glance, however.

"If we storm in there, he could kill her. And the rest of us. We just need an opening." The vixen replied. She hated standing by and doing nothing, but they had to time this perfectly f they would have any chance of saving her. The sound of the conversation in the courtyard going forward drew the attention of the group again.

" A fabrication, you say? All I wanted was a better life for my tribe. We have endured many hardships and famines over the past centuries. Your tribe and others have not known the pains we went through. Every day, for generations, my tribe has withered and been tormented by the harsh environments and creatures of this world. We took to raiding because it was the only way we could survive." Scales rambled on. " The other tribes lived lives of peace and comfort; your tribe especially. You have this magnanimous palace at the top of the world, wanting for nothing: plentiful food, comfort, and shelter. Yet you, and the other tribes, would never share any of it to aid us through our strife. You forced me to take such drastic means to ensure a better life for my tribe." Scales said, as he paced around more. "As for you husband, well, his death was necessary to ensure my plans. It was nothing personal.

At this, the queen was enraged. "YOU HYPOCRITICAL BASTARD! You and your tribe have been committing atrocities against my tribe and the others for centuries. While we cast you out on first contact, your tribe never once made any attempt to reconcile or reach out for aid. Your tribe has been raiding other's homes and slaughtering innocents on a whim, then taking whatever you wanted and leaving the ruin in your wake." Saffali spat. She was coughing like mad but was by no means done.

"You, Scales, are little more than a depraved monster. I know of the misery you inflict onto your own men and women. You force those weaker amongst you into slavery-like you do with any other dinosaur tribe you spare. You treat your own kind like tools to be used and ensure their lives, and the lives of others, are miserable through the horrific conditions you inflict onto them. You claim to want a better life for your kind, yet every action you have taken and the atrocities you have committed since you came to power contradict your supposed goal. " Saffali retorted, venom evident in her rasping voice.

"All this is just justification for your actions. You are little more than a hypocrite and monster seeking to gain more power. If you truly cared about the well-being of your people, you would not force them through such abuse under your command." The queen finished.

"You are starting to try my patience, Saffali." Scales began, nearing his rage-breaking point. He began shifting the focus of the interrogation, brushing off the queen's accusations. " You have done much to impend my campaign's progress. With some help, recently." He began. "I know all about that little servant of yours; Krystal, was it? She has been quite the nuisance to me, freeing your precious daughter and going around slaughtering my forces. But it hasn't stopped there. My reports have it that she found herself a new boyfriend, and they have been working together to liberate my territories. She and that new boyfriend of hers have proven troublesome." Scales sneered.

"Their antics have cost me the mines and caused no shortage of headaches. And I already know they were the ones to free you. "Scales said.

Fox and Krystal glanced at each other, then looked back at the tyrant, as he spoke more.

"Now tell me, where can I find these two foxes?" Scales said, as he

"I don't know anything about them. They could be anywhere in the world by now." Saffali lied in a desperate bid to protect her daughter and her friends.

At this, Scales lost his temper. He shoved through a few drones, as well as a few of his men to get to the queen, who he grabbed by the neck. "LIAR! YOU WILL TELL ME: where can I find them?!"

"I will never tell you anything. You're just a fool." Saffali said through pained grunts.

At this, Scales clawed her chest, ripping her robes and drawing blood, though it was only a shallow wound, Saffali shrieked in agony. Scales then relased his grip on her and dropped her to the ground.

"Last chance queen. Surrender and tell me what I want, and I will spare you." The tyrant said, at the end of his patience.

Saffali was defiant. "Never!" She knew this would be her end, but she refused to put the planet at further risk. Scales' eyes narrowed.

"Very well then. If you don't answer me, I have no further use of you." Scales said, raising his metal claw to kill the queen. She closed her eyes, her thoughts drifting to her family and mate.

"I'm sorry, my darlings."

"MOTHER, NOOOOO!" Kyte yelled, fluttering out from her hiding spot and dashing towards the general. This drew Scales and his men's attention away from the queen for a moment. Kyte fluttered to the general, attempting to claw at the generals' face. She managed to scratch at his face with her talons and was met with a grunt of anger from the Sharpclaw. Barely flinching, however, Scales quickly yanked the princess out of the air and grasped her harshly, his red eyes ablaze with anger.

"Kyte… no!" Saffali could barely muster the strength to speak. She looked at her daughter in horror.

"Well, well, would you look who it is. Your precious daughter has returned." He said in a mocking tone, watching the princess struggle in his grasp. Though he had intended to kill the queen mere moments ago, another idea popped into his head after he caught hold of the princess. If she was here, then her friends would no doubt be close by. Perhaps he could use her as leverage to extract the information he wanted.

"Perhaps you will be of some use after all." He thought.

"Kyte, no!" Krystal said, forgetting stealth and dashing out. At this, Fox drew his pistol and followed. He knew they had lost their chance at stealth, but perhaps they could still engage the Sharpclaw directly. Tricky had been watching the whole thing unfold in horror but knew he could do little to nothing. Regardless, he stepped out with Fox, hiding behind his legs. He hoped he could find an opportunity to assist, somehow.

"Let the princess and her mother go, you monster!" Krystal roared, pointing her staff at general. Fox flanked her shortly after. Without warning, he opened fire on a few of the drones floating around the tyrant in the hopes of taking away Scale's advantage. With precision, his shots found their marks, and the drones were destroyed. He then turned his blaster pistol towards the tyrant but lowered it when Scales held Kyte in the line of fire. He could not risk hitting the young girl.

"Its over, Scales. Release the Cloudrunners and drop your weapons." Fox demanded, not willing to give up. He was met with a mocking laugh in response. The Sharpclaw soldiers in the area formed a defensive perimeter around their dictator.

"Oh, I think you grossly misunderstand your positions here. Observe!" And with that, Scales ordered his men to activate their new weapons. The Sharpclaw before them activated what Fox recognized as energy shields, which powered up from a handle the Sharpclaw's kept sheathed on their hips. Two brutes began to cover the general while two smaller grunts closed in on the Foxes.

"Get ready, Krystal." He said, then quickly addressing the prince. "Tricky, get to cover once we make an opening," Fox ordered. But before they could do anything, a low humming sound rang in their ears. Turning around, they noticed a hoard of drones had been flying their way, shrouding them.

Fox and Krystal sprang into action, opening fire on the drones with blaster fire and fire blasts. While they managed to down a few of them, there were too many drones to deal with. Eventually, one of their stun blasts got lucky and hit Fox, who was overwhelmed and fell to the ground, unconscious. Before Krystal could even react, a blow to the back of her head knocked her out cold.

The Sharpclaw stood over their victim triumphantly. She had been so distracted by the drones that she had not noticed the soldiers approaching.

"Should we kill 'em, boss?" One brute asked.

Scales thought for a moment. "No, lock them away for now. I believe they have some valuable information we could extract." He then glanced further ahead and noticed the young prince gasping in horror at his fallen friends, unmoving. Signaling with his metallic claw hand, another soldier ran over to the prince, who was too shocked to move and grasped the little Earthwalker by the tail. He was then brought before Scales, kicking and screaming.

"Fancy finding you here, young prince. I thought you hated Cloudrunners? How convenient it is that I find four high-value targets of mine all in the same place. I didn't even have to bother searching for you." Scales mused. "Must be my lucky day." He said, sarcastically.

"I am not afraid of you, scale face." Tricky spat back. The general merely laughed.

"Oh, I think you should be after you see what we do to those who defy us." Scales retorted, with a sadistic smile growing on his face. "Maybe I will have my men beat you into submission; it worked so well on your father." Scales began rambling, to which Tricky's expression changed to one of horror. Scales noted this and continued. "Or maybe I will have you served as fresh meat for my men; royal meat is such a delicacy, you know." Scales mused to the horror and shock of the young Earthwalker. Any bravado Tricky had faded as he cowered in fear at the tyrant's endless depravity.

"Oh, but don't worry. We will be sure to send your skull and rib cage back to your parents; at least they will have something left of you to bury." Scales sneered. The brute holding Tricky laughed at the sadistic suggestions of his boss. Tricky could not believe the depths of the petty cruelty these Sharpclaw displayed. The prospective gruesome fates that awaited him only exacerbated his fear.

"You will be lucky if you are still intact by the next morning. Now take him away, guard." Scales said, gesturing for the guard to take the Earthwalker away, followed by the two vulpines. This left the general and a few other Sharpclaw with the queen and princess. The queen was barely able to look up, being horribly weakened and wounded. Kyte continued to struggle, but it made little difference.

"Don't think I forgot about you, princess." Scales said, gesturing for his soldiers to bring him something. "Why, I have a surprise for you." He said, in a mocking tone, grabbing something from his soldier. Kyte caught sight of it for one second before her heart sank even further.

"Look, Princess: it's your old friend, the sack." Scales mocked as he shoved the young girl into the bag for what he knew to be the third time in the past week.

"Let me out!" Kyte said, squirming like mad.

"No," Scales said before tossing the bag to a grunt. "Throw her in the dungeon somewhere, then take the queen to her new cage."

"Got it, boss."

He then turned to the queen, who was on the ground, gasping in horror at the general. Scales noted this and spoke. "Don't think I've forgotten about you, my dear.

By this point, Saffali had lost any kind of bravado or confidence she had against the Sharpclaw. She had just been freed, but already Scales had overpowered her new allies and captured them all. The only vague hope left was Kree. But something in the back of the queen's mind told her it might not work. All she could do now is plead for her children's' and her tribes' lives."


(A bit later, after the queen was dragged away)

Krystal awoke in a cell, somewhere in the dungeons of the fortress. She could not believe how quickly things had gone south. She had little time to ponder it as she heard footsteps nearby and noticed Scales had arrived in the room.

"Quite the merry little adventure you have had here, eh Krystal?" He said in a faux polite tone, which only enraged the vixen. "It's only been near a week, and yet you have done so much, it seems. My reports have been quite thorough; freeing a princess and prince, saving a few queens, defeating a Klannadack. To say nothing of the Spell Stone you returned." Scales said in a mocking fashion. His mocking tone did little to belie the true contempt and venom the oozed out of every word he spoke. "And what's more, you even found yourself a new boyfriend. Quite the adventure, I must say." He said, his tone switching to a more condescending one.

The pettiness of this tyrant was baffling to Krystal. He was a fierce warrior and a monster, yet he could still indulge in the antics of a common thug or even a bully.

"But, enough messing around." Scales went on, changing from a mocking tone to one of dead seriousness. "I tire of you and your boyfriend's antics; I will not have my plans foiled by a pair of outworlders. Know that I spare you not out of stupidity or pettiness but because I know you are good for information." He spat, to Krystal's concern. What could this brute possibly want from her other than revenge for his defeat at the galleon?

"I know you are from Cerinia, and of your people's history with the Krazoa. That staff you wield has an uncanny power, one I wish to understand." Scales began. "I will make this simple: tell me more of the Krazoa and of you staff's power. And how I might harness it."

Krystal was shocked. How could a tyrant in a primitive world on the edge of Lylat know about this? He may have gotten ahold of advanced weapons and knew of the Krazoa, but this knowledge of Cerinia was a major shock. Who could have told him of this? She tried to read Scales' mind to search for answers, yet she could not detect anything. Almost like something was blocking her telepathy. After this failed, she opted to retort his request instead.

"I will never tell you, you bastard!" Krystal spat at the tyrant. He took it in stride, however.

"I expected that much from you, ever the defiant hero. Rest assured, I know how to make you talk." He began. "I know you won't cave to physical torture; your type never betrays your friends at a threat to you personally." Scales went on as if he had done this little routine before. "But, there is always a tried and true method of extracting information…" Scales said as a smile formed on his face at the prospect of what came next. It was clear the torment of others was almost like a pass time of his.

Krystal's heart sank when she realized what he would be resorting to.

"The pain of others is what normally gets individuals to talk. Allow me to be blunt: tell me what I want to know, or we gut your boyfriend and those two runts who you drag around. And if that doesn't work, so be it. I am sure we have enough prisoners here to make this little game last for a while." He said, ensuring his threats were understood

Krystal gasped in horror. It did not surprise her this monster would sink to such depths of depravity, but the prospect of her friends and so many innocents dying just to spite her was horrific. Yet, if she revealed any relevant information to Scales', the consequences could be even more catastrophic.

"I will give you one hour to think about it. Just know, we will not make any of their deaths quick nor painless. Their blood will be on your hands." Scales spat before walking off, leaving the vixen to reel in horror. She glanced around like made, looking for any kind of escape route, but the prison was devoid of any. The guards were posted all around her, watching her every move. If she tried anything funny, Scales might order her friends or her killed.

"What do I do?

Krystal's mind began to race, desperately scrambling for a solution. After about a minute, rational thought took hold of her mind again. She had been through dire situations before, and everyone was counting on her. She could not give up this easily. With renewed vigor, she began to scan the minds of the guards in the room, looking for something she could manipulate.


The queen had been dragged back into her royal chambers, where a make-shift cage had been erected. Scales must have thought of this as an ironic fate, to be imprisoned in her own chambers. Saffali had been tossed in there haphazardly and had been trying to tend to her wound for some time now. After a bit, she heard footsteps and glanced up to see General Scales walking toward her.

When the tyrant got close enough to the cage, he addressed the queen. He was flanked by two Sharpclaw captains, each with a high-tec shield and a sword on them. One held a squirming sack in his hand, which the queen realized must be Kyte

"Now then, queen, I believe we have some business to discuss." Scales said in a faux polite tone. It was evident from his expression and voice that he was reveling in the power he had over the queen,as well as the misery that he was inflicting on her tribe.

"Let's not waste any time; tell me where your soldiers hid the Spellstone." Scales began, waiting on the queen's response. He was only met with silence and glare from the queen. She was uncertain how to respond. She was panicking internally at the prospect of her daughter being killed, but she could not allow the tribe's secrets to be disclosed to a tyrant. It was her duty as queen to keep any relevant info hidden from Scales; yet her love for her family was just as strong as her commitment to her duties. Suffice to say, she was torn.

"You are testing my patience, queen. No need to make this difficult." Scales said, gesturing for the sack that held Kyte and taking it in his hands. He held his prosthetic claw to it.

" Care to answer now?" He said, noting the panic evident on the queen's face. His threat was clear to her, but the queen would put countless at risk by revealing where the soldiers would have hidden the Spellstone. The stone wast too important to the world to fall back into the hands of the Sharpclaw. The best she could hope to do is stall for time and hope her allies would arrive shortly.

After a few more tense seconds of planning her lies, she spoke. "I am not sure. They fled here after I was captured, maybe they-" But she was cut off as the tyrant stomped his foot on the ground.

"Enough with your lies! I don't think I made this clear enough: tell me what I want, or your daughter dies." Scales said, seeing through the queen's ruse. His metal claw was held even closer to the bag.

Scales would basically be able to win the war if he retrieved the last Spellstone and used it as leverage; the Cloudrunners had already fallen at this point, and the Earthwalkers were in a state of disarray. The world would have no choice but to cave to Scales' demands if he had the Spellstone in his grasp again; especially if he found a way to channel its energy to his own ends.. Saffali's panic worsened; if she revealed where the stone was, she could be putting the tribe, and the world, at even greater risk, knowing the leverage Scales' would have would be dire for any dinosaurs who remained to oppose him. But if she said nothing, her daughter would die.

Saffali pondered for just a second more before she affirmed he would likely find the Spellstone at some point anyways, even if she didn't tell him. Sharpclaw were nothing if not thorough, all she could do now is try to keep her daughter safe.

"Wait! I will tell you what you want; just leave my daughter alone." Saffali begged, to which Scales complied and handed the sack back to his captain.

"Mom, don't!" Kyte's muffled voice came from within.

Scales laughed. "If your answer is valid, I will spare her. Now tell me where it is!" He said, his voice growing irritated.

"Its... its in the treasure rooms, in the lower part of the fortress. It will be in the deepest chamber. To get through the door, you have to pull the hidden lever at the corner of my chambers." She said, gesturing to where the lever was, disguised as a decorative piece on a pillar of the room. It looked like it was meant to be operated by a Cloudrunner, as it was out of the Sharpclaw's reach.

"See, that wasn't so hard." Scales mocked before turning to the other Sharpclaw. " Go find Revallos and have him operate the lever. Or just find a ladder; it hardly matters. But toss the princess in the palace for now. We will deal with her later." Scales said as his captains walked off, and he was left alone with the queen.

"I know your other children are hiding around the fortress. Their fates will depend on your further cooperation. Rest assured, I still have used for you, for now. In the meantime, I have a business to attend to." And with that, he left the queen where she was, recoiling in horror at what might happen next.

Author's note: Holy crap, over 3000 views! (as of this time of writing) I noted this earlier, I know, but I am shocked I got another thousand views since then. As I said, I never imagined this story would get that much attention. Regardless, I am happy to see that and hope you all are enjoying it.

Sorry updates have slowed down from the initial stages. I am mid-way through a semester in college. It gets tiring to deal with all this homework, and it takes a lot of time and effort to write this story. That being said, it is still a lot of fun for me.

Regarding the story, we are pretty much at the halfway part. I have been looking forward to getting to this point. I have an ass load of epic battles, confrontations, and arc pay-offs for the next chapter.

I never thought so many arcs would tie into this part of the story. In the game, I guess it's important beyond being another main level, since its the first time Fox meets Scales. Same with Dinosaur Planet, where the queen is actually killed here.

I will note that I wanted to give this scene some more narrative weight and nearly decided to kill the queen off, but I backed out since it was heart-wrenching to watch in DP(for me at least) and I wanted to avoid bumming people out. A bit of a cop-out, I know, but I have other things to use the queen for in this story.

As for the bit with Revallos, I want to clarify: I am not excepting people to sympathize with him, I am simply trying to give him some kind of depth beyond being a power-hungry backstabber. I don't know if it is clear to everyone reading, but I am trying to show him as having a sort of repressed conscious; he is aware of what he is doing but gives in to his darker impulses and deludes himself into thinking he is on the right path. Its all the more excuse for him to revel in his actions, in his mind. ( I will note, he his based on Scar from Lion King, with a hint of Handsome Jack, in that he is delusional and think he's right to do this.)

Finally, I am trying to break the mold with this story, as I had Tricky come, despite the fact he doesn't go to Cloudrunner Fortress in the game. This part is supposed to focus more on Kyte's family, but this will tie into Tricky's arc going forward. Rest assured, I will keep it focused on the relevant arcs as best I can, but I know I stuffed a lot of characters into this scene.

Until next time