Chapter 4:
Cyle:
Plans Overheard

"Ungh…" I moaned, gaining consciousness. I heard indistinct voices, and I focused on listening harder to them. It was Kintor and Ironclaw!

"I don't see why you even keep the over-grown dog in the first place…" I heard Ironclaw state, irritably.

"Because nothing attracts your enemies better than live bait!" Barked Kintor. "We need to get that blasted fox to find us, so we can destroy her!"

"Why didn't you just kill them both when you had the chance? If the fox really is the Guardian of the Emeralds couldn't she become too powerful?"

"I need her to be as strong as possible when I defeat her!" Roared Kintor "There is no honor in destroying an unrecognized Guardian. If I kill a fully-realized Guardian of the Chaos Emeralds, then all of Mobius will once more fear me!"

Guardian? I thought, confused. Chaos Emeralds? Fox? That sounds familiar…

"But aren't you forgetting what happened the last time you fought against a Guardian of the Emeralds?" Questioned Ironclaw. Since there was a pause, he continued. "It doesn't seem so long ago, but it was. You ruled over all of what is now known as the Floating Island, and I was your Second-in-command. No one ever questioned us. Until a group of Echidnas, led by the Guardian of the Emeralds, in a last-ditch effort for freedom, used the Master Emerald to lock us away, in a state of hibernation."

"Yes…" Replied Kintor, strangely calm. "And they took the ancient 'Book of Destiny' severed it, and hid the pieces all over the planet. But then a fool unleashed us, thinking he could control us. We took care of him, and took over his horde. Then his old Seer predicted the coming of the next Great Guardian of the Emeralds. I had to find out who it was. Imagine my surprise when I found out this 'all-powerful' being was nothing more than a fox cub. I took her friend captive, knowing she would one day come for him, and at full strength too. If I defeat her when she is supposed to be invincible, all of Mobius will fear me once again!"

NO! I thought. They're talking about Apple!

A new voice now spoke. "Sire, our patrol has returned, they need to speak to y—"

"I WILL DECIDE WHAT MUST BE DONE AROUND HERE!" Kintor was back in his normal, angry, mood. "Ironclaw, go see what they have to report."

"Yes, sir," Ironclaw replied quickly. And with that there was nothing left to hear.