It's me! Posting a chapter for this story! Wow! And he doesn't have an excuse?..

Sorry...

Writer's block sucks, but I recently learned a really good way to deal with it and make it so much easier. Which is why you're seeing this chapter right now!

But genuinely, thank you guys so much if you're still waiting for and reading this story. It means a lot. So many follows/favorites, makes me happy each time I see one! And reviewers you're amazing as always, for taking time out of your day to write about my story. I'm not going to make any promises (as always) about next chapter release, but I want it to be much sooner then this one was! Anyway I'll let you guys get to it. Thank you.

/

Disclaimer: Blood/gore, violence

/

Chapter 13

"Selfish/Lesson"

As the hatchling turned to leave Cynder sat in complete disbelief. Spyro nudged his mate, "We should follow him right? I-I'm sorry, I don't have the best understanding of what the pain he's in right now must be like..."

Cynder sighed, digging her claws into the ground once more. Her anger returned, not at the hatchling, or to anyone else in the room. Anger at people that had scarred her hatchling to this point, to the point that he refused their affection out of shock.

Eventually she let go of the floor, releasing a sigh and a nod, "And… I do. He won't get past this on his own, despite what he says… I've been there."

Spyro nodded, "Then let's go."

Terrador cleared his throat, catching their attention briefly. "It would seem this is something for you two to deal with… We are very sorry for everything that happened. We'll try and figure out what happened with the pool as soon as possible." Spyro and Cynder both nodded quietly, before exiting the room.

Upon reaching the outside of the room, Cynder nudged Spyro, "So where did you put Kenra and Kaali?"

Spyro hummed, "I left them in the garden, when I heard you yelling through the door. Kenra seemed weary and concerned, Kaali shrugged it off."

Whilst speaking on it, Cynder noticed a shadow on the ground. Looking up to her right and noticing Kenra perched on the large door frame. She sighed as Spyro followed her gaze, "Kenra..?"

He looked at them in intrigue, hopping down from on top and looking up at the two, "Yes?"

Spyro and Cynder shared a glance. Spyro shuffled in place uncomfortably with a smile, "Conversations with the guardians are important matters, what did you hear?"

He raised a brow, "Nothing, door is moving wall… No hearing. I heard door open earlier, came to see why. Where's Gale?"

The two breathed a sigh of relief as Cynder kneeled downward, putting on a comforting smile, "Kenra, if I tell you... please don't take action immediately, alright?"

He looked at her in scrutiny before slowly nodding, and Cynder continued wearily. "Gale's magic should be good now, he's perfectly healthy in that regard. But regaining his magic made him… remember some things, and he ran out of the room quickly. We're going to go find him now okay?"

She could see that Kenra was alarmed, and wished to rush away to help find him. Cynder nudged his muzzle with her own very gently. "We'll find him. But we can't risk anyone else getting lost, okay? Could you please stick around the garden and keep Kaali occupied? I promise Kenra, we'll find him."

Whether he had begun trusting them more, or her words sounded desperate enough. Kenra sighed and gave a small nod, "Kaali keep self interested easily. But yes, will stay and watch. Make sure she not get lost."

They both smiled at the furred hatchling gratefully, Spyro bowing his head, "Don't you worry, we'll be back with him in no time!" After another nod he turned and walked away to the garden once more. Spyro and Cynder silently continued their search.

I stormed through the ornate hallways. My mind buzzed with so many thoughts I felt like my head was exploding. Above all the things racing through my mind was an overwhelming sadness, a crushing sense of worthlessness from my long gone parents that scraped at my mind.

The second biggest thing on my mind was the anger… the madness of my parents and their actions on me in my past. What could drive somebody to do that, and why I couldn't separate myself from those thoughts and the feelings that accompanied them. After all it wasn't my fault, even Cynder… Spyro and Cynder...The fury at Spyro and Cynder for… for making me feel worth something for even just a small second even though they clearly only needed me because I'm 'special' or something…

The dragons and others I passed I could pay no mind too, they were far and few between. A few I heard idly ask me questions, but none seemed to act. That was until my face came very close to a white scaled paw, and I looked up curiously and slightly annoyed, she had white scales, a dark blue underbelly, and horns. that almost curled back inward. I averted my gaze quickly as she began to scrutinize me. I began to walk around her when she moved her paw to stop me again, "Hi little one…" she started with a confused yet caring voice. She sounded older than Cynder by a few years.

I glanced a look back up then tried to move around her again, yet she blocked me. I growled best I could and glared up at her, "What? Let me pass."

She seemed rather surprised by me, probably because of my above average level of speaking for my seeming age. She tilted her head, "Where's your momma little one?"

I stared at her emotionlessly in the eyes with annoyance, "Dead, now let me through."

She recoiled at that, lowering herself to a smaller height, "Are you here with anybody?" She asked worriedly.

I backed up a bit and sighed, putting my paw against my head, "My parents may be dead but they did teach me stranger danger early on. And I have absolutely no clue who you are…"

She stared in shock, as if I had made her brain unable to process me, I rolled my eyes, "Then if you'll excuse me…" I said as I finally made it past her due to her own shock.

My body went a bit rigid as I heard her small voice from behind me, "Sorry I made you cry…Are you okay? Do you need help?"

I turned on a dime and stared at her, her face was ridden with sadness, I lifted my paw up and felt my muzzle. There were tears dripping down, I didn't even remember starting to cry… I shook my head, and growled. "I'm not crying. Leave me alone!" I yelled, turning back around and running off.

"W-Wait!" I heard her call from behind me. She didn't chase or anything, but the sound of her tone did make me feel bad. She hadn't done anything to me to deserve that… But then again, what did I ever do to deserve what I've been through?

The feeling of my newly rejuvenated body was staggeringly empowering. Though my body remained injured, it was as if I had been removed of an illness that gnawed at my aching body. I watched myself in the reflection of the polished ornate flooring, it looked like me, yeah, but it still shocked me how drastically my colors had changed. I shook my head, the only thing that mattered is that I wasn't losing my magic now. Who cares why I look like, nothing will make me more desirable to people. Not looks, actions, or even my personality, it drove everyone away except. Well, other than Kenra.

Kenra… he was probably worried for me now. I was actually quite surprised he hadn't met me at the door, did Spyro even take them with himself? If Spyro and Cynder were just trying to keep me controlled to use me for whatever they were going to do… what would they do to Kenra? The thought of him being hurt made a knot form in my stomach, and my head dizzy. They had better not mess with him, he's just as lost as I am…

To shield myself from the ever increasing gaze of the people around me, now that I was stumbling from dizziness, I noticed a door on my right that was slightly open. Deciding to take my chance I quickly squeezed past the small crack in the door, finding myself in a classroom. It reminded me a lot of a college class, it had a skylight and multiple windows on the highest parts of the walls, with tiered seating going downwards, though much shorter, and with pillows for each seat. At the bottom was a rather clean ornate desk, made of wood. With a small lamp that was currently on.

It took me more than a minute to notice that there was a dragon sitting at it, about the same size as the guardians. He had a whitish grey color to his scales, and a dark blue underbelly. He had two large yellowish-white horns that curled backwards into a spiral. The dragon was currently sitting with one paw on his desk resting on his maw, staring intently at a book that he absentmindedly flipped through with his other paw. He had what appeared to be glasses resting on the edge of his muzzle, which was surprising to me.

Realizing I had just invaded someone's class, though thankfully without any students, I resolved that I wouldn't be able to return to the hallway. So I quietly walked my way to a pillow at the top of the class and gently laid myself upon it.

For quite a while all was silent, and I was left to my thoughts, to mull over all that I had learned. Not that it was anything new, but I kept replaying everything, unfortunately my memories continued to replay as well. It began to rain outside, gently enough to start pulling me asleep. I shoved my muzzle into the pillow in annoyance, begging to just disappear, or stop thinking. Of course it was futile, but I held back my emotions in respect for the dragon down there reading.

"My classes aren't in session for today. But if you were hoping to sign up at that age, I may make an exception." His voice echoed in the empty hall, an older dragon, not very old but enough to have a weight to his words.

I thought perhaps he was speaking to someone who had walked in, though I hadn't heard the door, "Though if you were looking for something else and became lost, I may be of assistance."

My ears perked up from where I was laying, my curiosity got the best of me, so I raised my head. Peaking over the desk I noticed the dragon looking directly in my direction with a raised brow, I almost immediately froze, an embarrassed and sheepish look on me. Finally he sighed and looked back to his book, "Or I could perhaps call the temple guards, and see if they could help you better? They are quite nice-"

"No, sorry Sir. I'll be on my way." I stood and bowed my head, making for the door.

"Back to your parents then?" He asked, I could almost hear him smirk.

I froze again mid-step, shaking my head, "Who cares." He was just some random dragon professor anyhow.

A sudden gust of wind whipped in front of me, gently shutting the door which I had no way of opening myself. I looked all around in confusion, looking back at the professor. His head tipped up with a hum, "Oh? Must be a draft in here. Sorry about that."

I groaned, looking back at the door, then back at him, a very long moment of awkward silence passed, he laughed finally, "I don't bite little one. I can help you as soon as I'm done with these papers."

He looked up, moving a few things on his desk, including a pillow, "Would you like a seat?"

I didn't get this guy, but he somehow felt trustworthy. And he was the only way to leave the room now unless he called the guards. I did not want that. So after a moment I obliged, walking over to him, where he gently used his tail to lift me up and onto his desk. I made myself comfortable on the pillow.

I laid my head on my paws, watching the dragon quickly and quietly read over what I assumed was his student's papers and write on or grade them. I watched his pen and paw effortlessly write, suddenly intrigued by seeing a dragon actually write with a paw. Another skill I would have to re-learn… I don't know what compelled me, but I broke his silence with a question,

"What's your name?"

"Professor Solte."

"…What do you teach?"

He didn't miss a beat, continuing his work, "Oh, I'm just an old science teacher. That's all." He said with a small chuckle.

I looked around the room more, lots of maps with markings, the only type of science I could think of that would use general maps with this lower level of technology, and markings I recognized… "Are you a meteorologist teacher?"

That did make him stop for a moment, and he raised his head a bit, "Hmm, you could say." Another moment passed, "Are you sure you aren't here to sign up for classes?" He smirked.

I slightly laughed at that, "No, I just used to be interested in weather and stuff when I was younger, so I guessed what you were."

He raised a brow, "Younger?" He asked, I realized my mistake, he had no clue who I was, thankfully he laughed it off, "Funny, 'when I was younger' nowadays is reserved for my later school days… For you it's a week or two." I laughed with him.

He fell back into grading as the storm got heavier outside, and I fell back into silently watching him. Though as I was, I noticed him make a small error with a line he drew on his map. "That's not right... If the weather from the east is moving up north with that wind speed and elevation. Especially with those hotter winds from over here. Then it would move like this-." I said drawing a line where I thought it should go and pointing towards what looked to be the hotter part of this new world I was in.

He stared in disbelief at his paper and nodded. For a moment I felt I may have offended him but he hummed, "Maybe I should give myself more rest… since I'm being schooled by a hatchling." He laughed, "You're right, completely right. Great job."

I nodded, "It's not much, thanks though."

He shook his head, "Are you sure you don't want to sign up now? I'd be asking your parents about it once you age a bit."

I huffed and turned away, putting my head back on my paws whilst looking away. "I'll think about it." I said putting emphasis on the I. He fell back into writing.

A minute or so passed, "So that's what brings you here." I ignored him for now, as he continued to pry a minute later, "I bet they're worried-"

"No they're not!" I yelled standing up and glaring at him. Then realizing my immaturity and turning away.

He sighed, "Considering how smart you are for your age, I bet you they are."

I growled slowly to myself, "I don't have parents, and they are not worried."

He hummed, "And who is this 'they'? You say you have no parents, but they won't worry?" He said looking at me in curiosity.

I shook my head, "I don't. They found me, I'm not their son. And clearly they've been lying about how they care about me at all, so everything works itself out."

"Everything works itself out? I have a highly intelligent young hatchling on my desk with nowhere to go because he ran from his foster parents."

Seeing his logic but disliking it anyway I huffed and turned away again. He sighed, "Well? You can't be on the run forever. What happened between you and them?"

I took a long minute to begin answering, "They used this stupid pool of visions thing to look through my memories."

He hummed, "Well did you tell them not to?"

I shifted my body, "Well I was unconscious. They said it was an accident and that the pool acted on it's own… But… They always do things like that, then say they didn't mean to. Like the time I got kidnapped, they didn't protect me like they said they would, I woke up muzzled and tied to a chair."

The older dragon looked unfazed, yet also concerned by my words. He pushed his book and papers to the side and glanced at me, "You have lived quite an exciting young life so far." He shifted his gaze to the wraps around my tail, arms, and legs.

I noticed his stare, "Those are from when I got mauled by a pack of wolves,"

"I see." He replied.

"So these… dragon, watching over you. Did they cause both attacks?" He asked.

I shook my head, "Well… No, when I got mauled is the night they found me. She wouldn't let me out of her sight afterwards. And when I got kidnapped we were all asleep, but after I was taken she came crashing through where I was being held captive. She was really scary that time."

He smiled, "And they don't care about you, you say?"

I groaned, "You wouldn't understand. They don't even understand."

"Then they're looking for you I presume?"

I shrugged, a feeling of sadness washing over me, "I wouldn't look for me if I were them. I'm a waste of time, but they have a hard time agreeing every time I tell them that."

He shook his head, "Everyone needs some space to think every once in a while. But if you ran away..? I'm sure they are worried sick, and looking for you regardless of how you or they may feel."

I growled and hit my paws on the desk, not in anger but in confusion, the professor was unfazed, "I don't trust them anymore. Nothing they say or do ever works out in my favor. They already have a daughter, why would they need me anyway?"

He sighed, "I won't pretend like I know half of what happened, but I will tell you this: sometimes being a parent is just as hard if not harder than being a child with as many trials as you have faced. We all make mistakes, we all are imperfect in our own way. But to suggest that they don't need you? Did you ever think about whether they want you, not need you? Essentially, I'm asking: Do they love you?"

I stared at him, not knowing how to answer. Than slowly opened my mouth, "They've said they do… but-"

"Ah Ah!" He interrupted me, "There is no "but" to that answer. They saved you multiple times, and tell you that they love you. To me, it sounds like they are trying their best to help you."

I stayed silent for a long while, staring at the large desk under my paws. I wanted to believe everything he said, I wanted to go back and be normal. But sadly there was more to it than just what I wanted. "I miss Kenra…" I said quietly to myself.

"A friend? Or a sibling?" He asked.

I growled, "Not your business…" he nodded and went back to grading papers, a regretful minute or so passed before I sighed, "He's like a big brother to me. He's always been there."

"And you've gone and made him worry along with everyone else you ran from. Isn't that somewhat… selfish?" He said questioningly, seemingly not trying to upset me with the insult.

"Yeah, it is selfish."

He cleared his throat, "Than-.."

"Yes I see your point!" I yelled out, growling and turning my head away. "I'm stupid and selfish, and trying to blame my problems on other people who want to help me. I get it!"

He stared back at me in surprise, "Now just wait a minute, little one-.."

"And they keep telling me they love me over and over, but that word scares me because my abusive parents twisted that word into something evil! Even though I know that they don't mean it in the same harming way." I took a large breath.

"Hold on hatchling-.." he tried.

"And they want to make me part of their family I think. But look none of it matters alright? I keep causing so much pain and terrible things to happen. One of these times the effect will be permanent, and then what are they going to do? How could they dare forgive a stupid adopted child who got someone killed or injured?" My breathing quickened.

Finally the professor grabbed me with one paw and shoved my face into the pillow, and immediately afterward I felt myself become much more relaxed as he started scratching a spot on my back. A few moments later he released me, but my body didn't really feel like shaking him off, my breathing became easier, so I just turned my head to the side and eyed him oddly.

His face was still rather unfazed, but he seemed rather overwhelmed, but I could tell there was still a hint of kindness in that. After all, he was keeping me from having a panic attack. "Sorry for that." He began, "But you really needed a breather."

"Can you just… hurry up and let me out of the room already?" I said, turning my back to him and laying down with a huff.

"I could, but as a responsible elder I can not leave you without someone to look after you. It'll be just a few minutes. If I don't do my work now I will most likely forget." He sighed.

He hummed as if he didn't know if he should say more. But slowly the silence returned, the silent grading of his pen against paper. The clock ticked on the wall behind me, and the rain splattered on the windows on both sides of the room. It was a very peaceful while, and pulled me into a calmed state.

Kenra glared at the large door to the guardians, a dark untrusting scowl on his features. How come his adoptive brother ran away? And what was with him anyway? 'Maybe he wants to die, with all that he gets himself into…' Kenra thought to himself in his native tongue. An exasperated face on his features. He covered his ears, and turned with a groan.

"Just today of all days? With my new friend Kenra? It's like the sky just hates me! Can you believe it?" Kaali rambled on in the background, yelling fruitlessly into the skies with little more than a squeak of protest.

"Can you stop loudness already?" Kenra said, rolling his eyes.

She looked back at him, a smile forming. "I would, but it's so boring just sitting here waiting for momma and daddy. I wanted to play…"

Kenra shook his head, and stared down the vacant hallways, "And they take long, not good." His expression shifted to boredom as well, before a thought came to him.

"Uh… Kaali." He began, which she tilted her head at, "We play… uh hide and seek? That name of it?"

She nearly jumped in excitement as she shoved her muzzle in his face, "Ooh! That sounds fun." She said spinning around.

Kenra couldn't help a small smile and giggle escape him, but he quickly leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "Gale hiding too, who find him win. But if find me, we both seek Gale."

She nodded multiple times eagerly, then turned around, "Okay okay! We start now. I count to ten!"

Kenra smiled at his plan working, as the hatchling began to count Kenra looked around. Seeing a curtain against a window that almost came to the floor but not quite. It was also brightly colored and would stand out on his fur. He quickly hid behind it.

"Nine… Ten!.." she shouted, "Ready or not here I-.. Hey!" She said with a giggle.

The curtain was pulled away from Kenra quickly, and Kenra mocked surprise, "Oh! Bad spot!" He said with a small shrug.

Kaali laughed, "Kenra! You should've gone farther. Now you have to help me find Gale!" She said, beginning to walk down the hallway.

Kenra fake sighed, "Oh alright, I'll help look…" he smiled behind her back, snickering at his plan working.

They walked down the halls of the temple, it was more vacant than expected, but mostly because the classes were in session. Kaali hummed quietly, but it turned into an echo in the large hallways. Kenra shushed her, "He hear us, quiet."

She nodded, and looked around with a determined face. And began checking all the spots that definitely would not have the hider they were seeking. Under carpets, behind vases, under the classroom doors. Kenra would've been annoyed by the absurdity, but she checked them with such efficiency and agility that he had no complaints. She was scarily good at it.

Growing disheartened by how long it was taking them to find him, she approached Kenra again. Walking alongside him whilst glancing his way every few moments. He returned his own sideways glance, but the younger hatchling was unaware, "Kenra?" She began.

He hummed, than Kaali gave a small sigh, "Why did you leave your home? Was it just because of Gale?"

Kenra stayed silent for a long while, long enough that Kaali assumed he was either ignoring her, or that it was a sensitive topic. But finally Kenra spoke out of the blue with a low voice, "I tell Gale I left mountain to protect him. But not just Gale." She looked at him in intrigue.

"My father… very not nice, not good. But grandfather was great, last that care for me. Before Gale anyway. Grandfather told stories, tell about world off the mountain. Away from old traditions. Most of clan hate grandfather, he not like elders following tradition from birth." He stopped for a bit, thinking of how to talk as he was still not used to the language. Kaali, though a hyper young hatchling, was listening attentively.

"He told me, world worth seeing, worth more than clan tradition. And after grandfather… died, all I left with is terrible dragons. They want me gone, so I leave. Than not long after find Gale, for first time in while since grandfather pass, feel like I worth something. Gale need me as much as I need feel worth something…" he paused solemnly, "Gale feel same pain I feel, I can see. I want to protect Gale from anything."

Kaali suddenly stopped walking, and Kenra turned around in question to see that she was looking at the floor, a few tears in her eyes. Then she looked back up with a smile, "That's a lot of things to happen to you, and you're still so nice. You're a good big brother Kenra."

Kenra blushed wildly, turning his head away from her, "I… I guess Gale might think me like that. Thank you Kaali." He began walking ahead of her, and she quickly caught up by his side.

"You know," she started, still looking around everywhere with her eyes, "He really looks up to you. He likes you more than momma and daddy I think."

Kenra turned his head away to hide his blush, "Because… He know me longer. I think he like Spyro and Cynder when he let them help him more. Though don't know if should let them."

She hummed, "I think both of you should trust them more. I know they're kind of all over the place and stuff, but they really do care! Momma won't even let me in the yard without watching me."

Kenra sighed and turned his head away, "Trust earned, not given." He sped up his pace walking away from the curious hatchling.

"Kenra," she started, much to his annoyance. He gave no response, "Gale is missing right now and you're scared right?"

He turned and scowled at her, "What?"

She nodded, a worried smile on her face, "That's why they didn't pick us up already right? They're looking for Gale, and you don't think they will look for him better than you can. You don't trust them… Isn't that going to make things worse?"

Kenra stomped a bit closer and snarled in her face, but she didn't seem fazed by it, "If you here to mock, than mock. But distract make me angry."

She shook her head, "I'm not mocking you… But what if they already found him? Now they're looking for us!-"

"Then go back!" Kenra shouted, "Not force you to follow! We're at school place, there no threat anyway." He said, rolling his eyes.

Kaali noticed a white dragoness with a dark blue underbelly open a door, approaching them curiously from behind him, "Kenra,"

"Not all us have parents spoil us since hatchling!" Kenra continued yelling.

Kaali got angry at that, "That's uncalled for, you know my parents care about you and Gale too,"

Kenra rolled his eyes, "I not trust them, Gale missing twice now and-"

"Excuse me," The dragoness said timidly from behind them. Both turned and looked at her in curiosity. Before she cleared her throat, "What are you little ones doing around here?"

Kenra crossed his forearms and turned away, and Kaali looked sheepish as she tried to give an explanation, "Oh sorry, our little brother is missing… We've been looking for him."

"My little brother, not ours." Kenra said bitterly. Kaali sighed in annoyance.

The dragonesses ears perked up and she leaned down curiously, "Oh, I happened to see a small little hatchling pass by earlier."

Kaali jumped in excitement, and Kenra seemed intrigued as well, "Really? What did he look like?"

The dragoness hummed, "Well, he had light grey scales… a cyan underbelly… and a dark gray mane, with tufts of fur!"

Kaali sighed sadly, "Oh… that's not him, but thanks for trying anyway…" Kenra just groaned and began walking past the dragoness, and Kaali began to follow.

"Who are your parents?" The dragoness asked from behind with worry.

For the first time Kenra spoke, with hostility and venom, as he turned and glared, "Who's asking?" Kaali seemed scared by his response as she took a few steps back.

She looked down sadly, "Sorry, my name is Mesela… I'm a nurse for the younger classes."

Kaali nodded, "Nice to meet you, I'm Kaali and this is Kenra!" Kenra growled at her for being so open, but then he turned and bowed respectfully.

"And you two are… siblings?" Mesela asked questionably, confused by the difference in dragon types. Both looked at each other and shrugged.

Kenra seemed uninterested, "I only stay with her family, not part of."

Kaali looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Why do you think they brought you Kenra? They don't just randomly grab some northern dragon on every trip."

Kenra rolled his eyes and sighed, "Here we go again…"

"Ahem…" The dragoness interrupted, catching both of their attention. "Regardless, I cannot let two hatchlings run around unsupervised. So if you'd allow me to help, maybe?.."

Kaali nodded ignoring her blooming argument with the furred dragon, "We're looking for a hatchling named Gale. Well, us and my parents Spyro and Cynder."

The two swear they could see Mesela's scales turn even whiter than her already pure white, as her eyes widened. She almost seemed as if she would faint before she collected herself slowly, "D-Do they know that you're here?" She asked.

Kenra started laughing, and Kaali shot him an annoyed look. Mesela brought a paw up to her forehead and sighed, trying to think of how to handle the situation. Before she looked up at the two hatchlings who were now in a full argument again, the bickering continued and she mumbled to herself, "Oh dear…"

Spyro dropped down from the sky, he hadn't been positive, but he had searched quite extensively around the outsides of the temple to assume he hadn't left it yet. Although the ever increasing storm did make him cut the search shorter than he'd have liked, he couldn't see more than a few feet ahead of himself. Oddly enough it caused him to shiver, the rain was ice cold. As he walked into the lobby where he told Cynder to meet with him soon enough, garnering a couple odd stares to the soaked hero. Yet most gave him a friendly smile and wave.

Not long after he caught sight of Cynder, a slightly skittish look to her. He knew then that she had yet been unsuccessful, and he sighed. Cynder spotted her mate and came over quickly, though never taking her eyes away from scanning the room. She finally turned to him with a questioning face, "No luck outside? I-I can't find him anywhere in here it's like he disappeared or… got kidnapped again.. Spyro what if he did get kidnapped-" Spyro sighed sadly and shushed her as she began scaring herself.

"That storm is brutal, I could barely fly in it and the rain was ice cold! There's no way he's left the building yet, alright? It'll be okay." He reassured her.

She sighed and breathed a few times, then nodded her head. "Of course… but I've scanned every single hallway, twice! Where could he be?" She began pacing in front of Spyro, "I called his name, I asked everyone I saw. A hatchling doesn't just disappear!"

Spyro nodded, putting a paw on her cheek, "I know, I know. We can start a search party if you think it's time."

Cynder idly nodded after a minute of thinking, "He might get angry but… I'm so worried Spyro what if he-"

"Hey," he told her, putting his head against hers, "Don't think like that. I bet he's just hiding, it'll be okay."

Just as a dragon came in from the outside, he shivered loudly and exaggeratedly. Releasing a sigh of relief as he shook the water off himself, much to the dismay of a nearby mole worker, he sighed. He looked up and was surprised to see the two, he smiled brightly, "Spyro, Cynder!" He said walking over gleefully.

Spyro and Cynder turned to the gray dragon with a yellow underbelly, who had curved back horns with ridges. Spyro seemed happy to see his friend, "Norruth! Good to see you." Cynder nodded in agreement, still scanning around.

"Yep, that storm is brutal. Feels like an ice dragon's water out there, maybe Cyril got angry." He chuckled, but noticed that neither seemed quite in the mood, and that Cynder was on edge. "Is something wrong?" He asked with genuine worry.

The couple looked at each other and sighed, before Spyro nodded. "We've been looking after a hatchling lately, can't be more than six or seven months old. But he ran off angrily earlier, we haven't found him yet."

Norruth's eyes widened, "Oh no… No trace at all of the little guy?"

Cynder got closer to him, and looked up into his eyes desperately. "His name is Gale, he's light grey, with a cyan underbelly. Have you seen my hatchling?"

Norruth looked at her sadly, then shook his head. "Afraid not Cynder, sorry dear."

Cynder was growing tired of standing around, and Norruth's answer left a couple tears in her eyes. Norruth saw this and drew her into a close hug, "Hey, hey! It's okay! We'll get some search parties going, I'll help, we'll find your little one I promise."

Cynder stifled her tears with a bit of sniffling, and Norruth released her from the hug. Spyro nodded thankfully, putting his wing around the distraught dragoness. "Hear that honey? It'll be alright." He said, rubbing her back.

"Though I have to ask," Norruth started curiously, "I never expected that you adopted. Unless I'm a terrible friend and missed the eggciting news." The joke cracked a smile on Cynder's face, and she released a short giggle. As well as Spyro.

Cynder shook her head, "No, you didn't miss anything. The story is complicated, but we're trying to add him to our family, along with his surrogate brother. They're both abandoned, and have been through quite enough."

He smiled and nodded, "Just like the two of you to be so caring. Well let's not waste any more time shall we? Let's go ask my mate for help first."

I hadn't noticed myself as I dozed off, until I was suddenly awoken by the shuffling of papers being organized, and I looked up to see the professor filing them away. After he was done he looked at me with an apologetic face, "Sorry for waking you from a much needed nap…"

I felt slightly insulted by that but allowed him to continue, as he stood up and stretched his wing muscles, legs, and tail. "Then let us find those parents shall we?"

I turned my head, "I told you I don't want to."

He sighed, "Intelligent or not, a hatchling is a hatchling. I must take you to your parents, young one."

I don't know what made me think I could get away, but at that moment I attempted to jump off the desk and make a run for it. But before my paws made contact with the ground the professor had grabbed me by the scruff with his maw. He hummed in a disappointed tone, and mumbled out the side of his mouth, "Really?"

I sighed and grumbled to myself, being held by the scruff made it virtually impossible to move. Like an instinct that kept me from moving, it relaxed me, "Yeah… really…" I said, knowing how dumb the attempt had been. A muffled chuckle came from him, and I could feel every vibration of his voice, it kind of tickled.

The wind outside was now akin to a hurricane, the weather here was brutal. Lightning and thunder like no other, a frigid feeling in my body. We ascended the stairs and carefully he opened the door so as to not run into anybody. The hallways were nearly empty, classes in session once again. "So who exactly am I looking for?" I pieced together from his mumbles.

I waited a few moments, determining my reaction, and told the truth, "Spyro and Cynder."

I felt myself get dropped from his mouth, and almost instantly caught again by his maw. I looked back and up to see that he had paled a bit. Are you scared of them?" I asked.

He placed me on the floor and stared at me wide eyed, "Ancestors! You could've told me sooner! I was just remembering a day where their daughter Kaali was lost. I've never been so terrified of the saviors in my life!"

I sheepishly laughed, "Sorry to scare you," He shook his head then picked me up again, continuing down the hallway.

The walk down the hallways was eerie, almost. The raging storm, mixed with the echoing claw taps of the large dragon carrying me. I don't know why but I could feel that the professor was tense, like he was expecting something. "Is everything alright?" I asked quietly.

He hummed, "With how smart you are… Spyro and Cynder might destroy me, trying to get you back."

I laughed a bit, "If they're looking."

He groaned, "When they find me, or me them. Whichever is first."

Spyro, Cynder, and Norruth walked through the halls, carefully scanning everywhere they could. They conversed about what had happened to bring the two into their care, excluding the alternate world stuff that even the saviors themselves struggled to understand. After a brief retelling of the story by Spyro, Norruth whistled, "That hatchling definitely needed you two, poor guy…" he sighed.

Cynder hummed in an agreeing tone, "Maybe if he wasn't so stubborn he'd let us help him. He doesn't get that we don't want anything from him, we just want to give him love…"

Norruth stayed silent a bit longer, eventually sighing, "Stubborn definitely describes it, but it makes him sound a lot like you Cynder."

She nodded solemnly as Norruth continued, "Look… Don't take this the wrong way you two, I know you already have a daughter and all and she's lovely. But me and my wife have been parents quite a bit longer, Sylvia is almost thirteen! Man the time flies…" he coughed to get himself back on track, the other two listening intently.

He sighed again, "In all those days of being a parent I found one thing that never changed, no matter which of my hatchlings or what the situation was."

They looked at him curiously, "Which is?" Spyro encouraged.

"It's never enough to assume that the hatchling understands that you love them. It's never enough to do everything you can to make them happier, hatchlings are… well hatchlings! You need to tell them exactly how you feel, exactly what you want from them, exactly how they should act… you get the idea."

Spyro and Cynder fell into silence as they thought about what he said. Norruth turned to look at them as they slowed down outside the door, "So while it may make sense to you to ask yourself, 'why doesn't he get it'. What he might just need to hear, is exactly what you feel. You love him like he's been your hatchling since you found him? Tell him that, don't assume that he knows you feel that way. Tell him you love him every day, every hour if you have to, if it'll make him understand." They all stood in silence for a long while, before Norruth released a short chuckle, "Just some personal aids that have helped me out!"

Cynder sat in her thoughts for a long while, her eyes widened in surprise as she thought about everything. Sure Gale was older than a younger hatchling, but that might make Norruth's advice even more potent. Recollecting on past times she tried to convey her love of the hatchling.

"Gale you… I want you to be safe, just like my daughter Kaali. I don't want anybody I care about to get caught up in relics from my past…"

Why hadn't she just said she loved him and wanted him to be safe? That she didn't want him to be hurt because of her?

"You keep having nightmares little one, I want to make sure I can comfort you as well."

She made it sound like an annoyance that he had been suffering. Why hadn't she said she wanted to protect him from his dreams because she loved him?

"I am your guardian until further notice, hatchling! And I'm sorry that I can't help but care. Can't you see that I love you?!"

Why, why had she yelled at him for not understanding. She was acting so selfish, like she deserved for him to love her. But that's not how it works! Just tell him you love him with all your heart next time!

"When will you understand we care about you Gale?"

Just tell him you love him!

She remembered his reaction when she had finally told him she loved him, when his transformation was over and he learned they had seen his memories, she had waited too long.

"And if my instincts are telling me to love my own hatchling then so be it!.."

'You waited far too long you stupid dragoness!' She thought to herself, 'How will you gain his trust now?'

Cynder shook with newfound tears, a terrible amount of anger towards herself built up. Which she released as a loud and audible huff. Spyro turned to his mate to see her tears, knowing exactly what she felt, and draping his wing on her. "Hey," he began.

"There's always time for improvement on our mistakes." She nodded at him, an unsatisfied look still upon her face.

Norruth knocked against the door to the nurse office for the younger wing. Curiously they heard bickering from behind the door as a very confused and annoyed Mesela answered, "Hi dear," they shared a nuzzle.

Norruth gestured behind himself, "I brought Spyro and Cynder too…"

"Oh thank the ancestors!" she started, "Their hatchlings haven't stopped bickering since I found them."

Cynder suddenly approached quickly with confusion and mild excitement evident on her face, "Did you find… Gale? What do you mean?"

Mesela stepped aside and allowed the three to enter her office, where Cynder's face fell from hope into a deep annoyed scowl. To which the bickering hatchlings froze at and cowered, "Hi momma," Kaali said quietly.

Spyro also looked disappointed as he looked towards Kenra, "Kenra…" he started with a sigh.

"Sorry…" he mumbled.

Spyro shook his head, "Why did you two go and get yourself into trouble?"

Kenra shrugged, but continued to cower, "You two not have Gale yet, not know why think I trust you…"

Cynder sighed, less angry and more disappointed in the lack of Gale present, Cynder realized it wasn't just Gale that she had practically been neglecting, "Kenra we just… we wanted you to keep Kaali safe where we asked you to. Though this may have been an even better option. But… You two could've been lost or taken, then what would we do!" She sighed, covering her face with both paws, the stress finally getting to her. Her breaths were shaky and she was nearly sobbing.

Both hatchlings looked guiltily towards her as Mesela shushed and rubbed Cynder's back, "Breathe dear," she said gently.

Kenra stepped forward, "I trick Kaali, help me find Gale. But he still lost… Sorry…"

Spyro nodded respectfully, "Very mature of you Kenra," he said with a short smile.

Cynder reached out and pulled both hatchlings into a hug, which Kenra seemed unsure of. "I'm sorry, I'm trying my hardest, Kenra. You two are like brothers, and it's my fault you're separated." She sniffled a bit, thinking of trying what she learned, "I love both of you, okay? I'm sorry for not thinking enough of how you two are feeling either. Forgive me please." She said sadly.

Kaali nodded happily, but Kenra just tilted his head and gave her an odd look. Turning in every direction to find who she was talking to, before finally pointing at himself with a paw. Cynder giggled, nodded, then nuzzled him which made his fur stand up as he stared wide eyed, "Yes Kenra, I love you too."

If Kenra hadn't had Black fur she'd see him blushing as he cleared his throat, "Can we… we find Kunmai? Gale? I worried."

Cynder released the two and nodded, and Norruth and Spyro turned to Mesela, "Have you seen a small hatchling with light grey scales and a light blue underbelly, and a dark grey mane? He was very angry last we saw him, he ran away." Spyro asked.

Mesela's eyes widened and she turned to look at Kaali with a scrutinizing look, "Kaali! I told you I saw him, and you said that wasn't him!"

Kaali sheepishly sighed, "I-I didn't think he looked like that… Are my eyes not working?"

Cynder nearly jumped in surprise, "You saw him?!"

Mesela turned and nodded quickly, "Yes! He was walking down the hallway into the dragonling wing."

"But you didn't see where exactly he went?" Cynder's voice suddenly lowered into a disappointed tone.

"Any ideas?" Spyro asked, turning to Norruth with curiosity.

Norruth hummed for a moment, "We could ask each individual student and teacher but that will take far too long." He hummed again, "My friend Solte is a rather attentive teacher, sometimes he knows someone is there without seeing them. It creeps me out sometimes!" He said with a chuckle.

Cynder turned on a dime and stared desperately at Norruth, "Where is he?"

He smiled, "He's down the hallway, if you take a right then go to room three zero four."

Before they could continue further on the matter, the heard the storm outside grow stronger, as the wind and rain swirled in an icy torrent that would resemble a hurricane. Spyro looked inquisitively out the window, "This weather is odd… I can't help but feel like something is up with-"

An echoed roar down the hallways made everyone stand on edge, Kenra's fur bristled as he felt whatever unpleasant feeling Spyro had also felt. What accompanied that was a sort of jolt of electricity in Kenra's mind, one that told him to help whatever was going on down the halls. And as the adults were quickly conversing and getting ready to check it out themselves, Kenra bolted out the cracked doorway faster than any of the adults had time to act on.

"Kenra..?" Cynder said in disbelief and worry.

Norruth turned to Spyro and Cynder, "Come on!" He said following Kenra as best as possible.

Cynder was quick behind him as Spyro turned to nuzzle his daughter, "Mesela keep her safe will you?" A quiet fearful nod was all Spyro needed before he was out the door as well.

"Why are we going so slow? We've been walking for ages." I asked Solte.

I must've broken his concentration, along with the silence. As it jarred him from his focus, "Don't worry," he mumbled. We began walking again, the professor was looking up and down the walls on both sides, as if he's never been here before. I could nearly hear his heart rate increasing, and his breathing became quicker.

Slowly, the rhythmic claw taps of his, became shadowed by an extra set of two claws. His pace quickened, and quickened, everything was looking the same. As if we were stuck in an infinite hallway, the professor began running. "What's going on?" I asked.

I gained no answer, we ran but made no serious headway, the claws followed slowly from behind us. Until eventually we came to a screeching stop, and the professor set me down underneath him, taking a protective stance and snarling back down the passageway, "Who are you? What do you want?!"

The torches hanging on the wall waned, the wind became terrifyingly aggressive on the outside. The room dimmed more and more, and the torches extinguished. The walking could be heard from in front, then behind, wherever we weren't currently looking. He growled loudly, "Show yourself!"

The walking came from behind now, and we turned, it continued to echo and get closer and closer, until a figure could be seen. It was walking terrifyingly slow, and was bipedal. The professor shielded me protectively with his stance, wrapping his tail around me. "Stay back! Let us out of this thing!" He said threateningly. The voice chuckled, slow and playfully, and a chill shot down my spine, almost as if I recognized it. I lowered myself and shivered, to which the professor became more aggravated at the figure. The professor leaned down and looked in my eyes, "Stay quiet, I think it's a-"

"No." The figure interrupted abruptly.

The figure, still cloaked in darkness, began to laugh more. He began clapping as if he had seen a good show, or heard a great joke. "Whatever thought you had is not true, I assure you."

I felt like I recognized the voice now, and my blood ran cold. As the figure finally stepped close enough to see, it was the tiger guy that kidnapped me… But there was a lot different about him, for sure. His arms were half made from some machinery now, likely due to Cynder's poison causing a need for amputation or something. One of his eyes was a different color, a deep red, but it also looked grotesque, veins were bulging around the red eye and it looked unnaturally dark. "You?" I said in disbelief.

He faked being surprised, "You haven't forgotten me, only my name then?"

He sighed, "The name is Elich, say it once, but not enough to wear it down!"

The professor tilted his head, "You know this guy?" He noticed my growing anxiety and terror, and stayed alert, "What makes you think you have business doing that around here?" He said gesturing around us at the infinite hallway.

He glared dangerously and snarled at Solte who looked a lot more confident knowing that it was a tiger and not some benevolent spirit or something. "Give me the hatchling, and all is well! I promise I'll treat him-"

"Shove it," Solte commanded back, "You creep, I know this kind of magic… There is no way in hell I'm letting you have him!"

"Wrong answer,"

I was looking up at Solte waiting for him to make his first move, but I watched his face switch from anger and determination, into a sharp sense of fear and pain. Only a few seconds later did I hear the sound of dripping, and turned to see a jagged red spike piercing the professor's paw. And not just a small one, his paw was halfway impaled, and it entered in and out the front of his leg. The spike seemingly formed out of the ground we were standing on.

Elich shrugged, "Maybe if you give a better answer next time I'll let it slide,"

I heard Solte mumble, "What sort of dark magic is this…" he grunted and pulled his face back into a look of anger again. Breaking off the spike's impaling him, leaving them in his wounds. He stood tall and growled, "I see you have tricks, but it's not quite something I haven't seen before," he smirked.

Elich shrugged nonchalantly, "It's enough. Either you hand him over, or I kill him. Your choice. Tell me, whose life do you value more?"

I felt myself quickly raised up by Solte's tail, where he placed me on his back, "An elder always fights for the new generation." I heard a metallic-ish sound ring out and a disgusting flesh rending sound as a spike impaled his tail. Solte grunted in pain, but refused to show it on his face.

"Wrong answer,"

A sudden gust of wind whipped around Solte as he stared enraged at the unfazed tiger, "Hide behind your fake dark magic. Who sent you?"

The tiger looked intrigued, suddenly. And began to throw random spikes of red out of the ground seemingly at random. But Solte dodged them all without so much as a scratch, while simultaneously weaving in and out like a pro, throwing out razor-like attacks that hit even when he made no contact. It was as if the air itself was attacking him. Sadly the tiger also managed to dodge them all, but he did manage to cut the red spikes up, which shattered in to hundreds of pieces. I had no clue how he was doing it, but it sure was impressive.

Just as Solte was advancing on him, during a look of surprise from the tiger, a wall of red spikes appeared, "Very good!" The tiger said while clapping. The professor seemed weary of what his plan was and took a defensive stance.

Solte snarled viciously, "If you keep using that dirty magic you know what will happen to you."

He shrugged, "My lord has given me a second leash on life! And I'm not about to waste it. No need to rub your hypocrisy off on me." Solte shifted uncomfortably, hypocrisy? Was Solte using some sort of dark magic as well?

"Last question, and it's a repeat one, very easy answer!" he began as Solte tensed up, "Would you give your life for a hatchling? One that is not even your own?"

Solte nodded his head with caution, a smug smirk on his face. Elich merely sighed and shook his head, putting a paw to his nose in annoyance. "That's just simply too bad," he said with a short laugh. I heard the metallic sound of the spike forming from next to us. Everything went into slow motion for me, as I saw it headed directly for me, I would die if it hit me for sure.

I felt myself get thrown back as Solte's face shifted in horror, and he positioned his body to practically tackle the spike, covering it with his own body. I heard a disgustingly loud impalement, and the dripping of blood flowed immediately. Solte made a gasping sound of breath, grunting in agony, and finally roaring in pain. Across from me I slowly shifted my gaze to Elich, he smiled and giggled like he was delighted. His smile was unnerving, and he spoke with glee.

"Wrong answer,"