The White Dragon Chronicles

by Blackshadow999

An ancient legend that fell into oblivion comes to the light once more. The dragon realm has had a fragile peace for two years after the fall of Malefor. Then A human, Saber mysteriously appears in the dragon realm. When things of history thought lost begin to be seen once more; fear grips many, none can choose how events will turn out in the end.

33. Strained Feelings

Chapter 33: Strained Feelings

All individuals have a subject if not a number of them that they wish not to talk about or discuss. Topics painful in ways others do not see nor truly understand as the one who experiences them does. And it is such subjects that can bring out the worst in individuals as the bad memories that come with the subject open old wounds. During such discussion or arguments we often say the thing we wouldn't normally and do not really mean to others. An oft-repeated lesson of hurtful words said bringing regret and remorse.

-Saber's pov-

The Narrator is getting back at me for what I did during the catfight that was Lara versus Sarana. And he has to get into this particular subject, doesn't he? I would say to you listening to ignore the philosophical Narrator as I normally would, but in this instance, as much as it pains me to admit it, he's pegged me good. You see, not too long after Lara's second mating season ended, like a week or two after it, something happened that I'm not proud of. To be honest, I'm ashamed of what occurred as I didn't react the best… well, let me just tell you what happened.

On the particular morning this event took place, I had awakened a little after sunrise as I normally did. Stretching in my bed bringing the point home of how much of a growth spurt I had in the close to a year since being a dragon became more a norm. I mean, after the battle of Warfang I had been about seven foot three in height and eight-foot six in length. Now I was at a respectable ten foot one tall and twelve-foot three long. I didn't tower over adult dragons and dragonesses yet, but I certainly have a sizable margin over most if not the vast freaking majority in my age group. Yes, everyone grew in the months that had gone by, still, none had had the same growth spurt as I did! I grew an average of three to four feet where most got a little less than a foot in height and a little more than a foot in length.

But back to where I had left off, the reason that I wake up at this time as some of you might guess is a habit from martial arts training and doing it for years. Since Martial arts have been one of the few good things I have in my life… well yeah, I don't think I need to say more on that. A lesson that encouraged this habit to become so strong that I haven't needed an alarm for many years and can be said in a phrase, the phrase is as follows, 'early to rise gets the best equipment to use'! Plus, though I didn't need more motivation really, I got one on one time with Master Kai in the early morning, I would do many things to get that. Here in the Dragon Realm, I get times where others aren't gawking at me for a number of my habits.

However, I was no longer awakening early just due to the habit developed from practicing the fighting arts. Now with the nightmares I have that are heavily influenced by the memories that aren't mine wake me up as well. Many of those nightmarish memories I see, they shake me to my very soul sometimes. Let's just say, it's bad enough having a few near-death experiences personally myself, one somewhat recently so, I could do without these new memories adding to the mix thank you. But no, I get to have nightmares where I get to not just see someone dying, oh no, I get a front-row seat by viewing and feeling the event through the first person's point of view of the dragon or dragoness that such events occurred to. It is a miracle I am still of a sound mind, or maybe I am crazy and just can't see or admit it. Hmm, I would have to say probably not crazy so as logic hasn't left me, meaning a sound mind I have still!

Anyways returning to the previous topic, if I were to say that I have gotten much good night's sleep in the last nine months, I would be lying through my teeth. To experience death is just a part of the mix and a somewhat common one with the nightmares. The majority of those memories I see are okay overall and I have little problem with the things I see and relive, but some are horrible to watch from the first person's position, which makes what I have suffered through look like very little compared to theirs.

Now then, where was I? Ah yes, I had just finished my morning routines in the fighting arts. Many would say that now that I am a dragon, I should forget such things and I would reply to them ha ha ha, how silly of them to say that. I have been doing morning martial arts along with kendo routines for twelve years religiously and haven't missed a day that I can remember. And when I say religiously, I mean to the point that I would shame a priest's religious attendance to mass every Sunday. In other words, I have been doing this for so long I don't see any reason to stop now. Martial arts have helped me keep my sanity over the years of my life and I won't slack off, especially not with what has come into my life as of late! I fear if I did, then I would really lose my mind and gaining it back may not be possible. Plus, my bad luck was enough of a reason to keep up with practicing martial arts alone. It isn't a matter of life and death most of the time, but it is not as far from the idea as one might imagine in my case.

Actually, since I have gotten to the dragon realm my bad luck has changed to an extent. It hasn't hit me as often, yet when it does strike me, it's even more efficient than it has ever been looking back. That's all the more reason to keep up the morning routine before dealing with my luck does become a matter of life and death, especially since I have a long haul to endure here! Who knows what I will face in the future?! I need to have as many ways and options to work with as possible to aid in my continual survival. To accomplish this task, the more skills, and abilities; the better chance I have of making it through what is to come.

After I had finished my morning routine, the next thing on my agenda for the mornings was a new addition to my normal daily habits that are going to the dragon temple's library. I would first like to state that I am no bookworm or one who can be called a nerd or geek. Yes, I like reading a good book or two every now and then, but I'm not fanatical like some are. Yet, I am by no means an idiot either to think there is no need to read books. I have always strived to keep a good balance between the book smarts and the street smarts. Yet that's not the reason I am at the library every morning as of late. So then, the question of why I go to the library would be asked by others. My logic of this action is this, the voices along with the images I had heard and seen at the time when I had been turned back into a dragon and those since then, they haven't stopped telling and showing information to me.

The "ancient enemy" as they are referred to is a force to be taken freaking seriously! The danger they pose was made perfectly clear from the memories and what facts I already had on the group. Should I underestimate them, there is a VERY high possibility that I won't live to have another chance against them. I want and needed to prepare the best I can to do just that, or I might as well kiss the life I have goodbye here and now. So, to increase the chances and percentile that represents the likelihood of me still breathing and living, I needed more facts and information on this group and soon! I decided to start off my attempt to find information on the ancient enemy, I would come to the temple library every morning. And that's why I now have made it a habit and a part of my routine. Hey, the more information I have on them, the better standing I will hopefully have, right? That is my theory and method and that's what I am going to do.

This idea in its entirety may be sound to a point, but my problem if you will is where theory is normally a supposition based upon principles to explain something, doesn't always translate well into the application. Method of application is usually the attempt to test one's theory, however, as many others before me in history have found out, theory based on observation and not testing isn't necessarily the best way to go the majority of the time. Me trying to acquire more information on the ancient enemy is a prime case study of this rule or law if you will allow me to proceed to elaborate my point.

My theory is if I have more information on my opponent, then I would have a high likelihood of being able to survive an encounter with them when I do meet one or more of them. That is my goal and planned proposition of reaching said goal. So the first thing to do, of course, would be to find and get more facts on the ancient enemy and what better place to get knowledge than from a library, right? I thought this was going to be a piece of simple delicious cake as finally, I would have a task I won't have to exhaust a large amount of effort completing. Okay, by now I should know better than to jinx, curse or doom myself to eat my own words and thoughts followed by me usually choking on them, yet I still do it from time to time. The task of gathering material I needed had turned out to be much more involved and difficult than I had expected when I had been in the theory and planning stage.

The biggest stumbling block I have been facing in this crusade of mine is this though I'm a dragon now, that didn't change all that many things for me. In other words and more to the truth and point of the problem, I still can't read the draconic script or whatever those scribbles or chicken scratches that dragons call writing. The complication is the same as any other language of the races of the Dragon Realm. I can't make out or understand a single gosh darn character of any of it! It all looks like gibberish to me! I have been searching for the only exception to those languages, which is that odd language that no one else can read, whatever that one is called "Ancient Script" I think Salena called it. However, I haven't found any books that are written in that language and I have been looking fervently.

So even as discouraging as my attempts are thus far, I'm not willing to give up! My life is at stake so, you better believe I will take this more seriously than almost everything else that I have in my life! I mean, you certainly can't call me a genius, but staring at pages with markings I don't comprehend for long periods, seems… I don't know, rather… no, utterly pointless to me unless I want to fry brain cells from sheer boredom. Staring at them won't help me understand what is recorded in the books. That's why I skim over books now rather than stare at these books written in languages I don't understand, in hopes of glimpsing something I can understand.

Nevertheless, it isn't like it would really help if I could read the draconic script or any of the other languages anyways. I only know this group by the label of the 'ancient enemy' and that doesn't ring any bells with the stuff I have heard from listening to others. Meaning none likely know anything about them, to which I would bet a ludicrous sum of currency that has a hand in doing. This leaves me with little idea where to start looking for any clues or facts on this ancient enemy. That leaves me, on square two with a lot to know and do before I can move forward. I grant you, that's better than being back on square one, though not by all that much.

I do have some small bits of information on this group, though it isn't much to work with as it leaves a slew of variables as unanswered mysteries. The few bits of data I do have on them were from seeing the memories in my head now, usually in the form of nightmares. This enemy, whatever they actually were was… well, evil to be sure, from the events and circumstances that they had been responsible for bringing about. And I have a feeling there are a great many things that they are to be credited for in draconic history even if the memories only tell of a few of them. The enemy was cunning and shrewd to an extreme, one could even say they are meticulously malicious to those they… either didn't like, which was as far as I could tell pretty much everyone or those they considered a threat to whatever they were working towards. I would likely fall under the latter more than the first, but I doubt that's really the issue. In fact, the more that I learned the more this group worried me! I could see signs that metaphorically screamed danger and destruction from the actions of the ancient enemy! I needed more information pronto, it was a long shot and it was very unlikely that my search would turn up anything, but I had to try something!

The headache I was having was with the memories that gave me the few and limited facts I had, those facts were very hard to confirm as either 'fact or crap' due to the view, perception and unsaid understanding of the original owners of those memories. The unsaid understanding came I assume from the 'culture' of its owner and the time they lived, which doesn't exactly help me as I have little clue what the culture was like in the dragon realm before I got here and I still have trouble with the current one.

However, just because I can't confirm something doesn't mean I should discount it. After dreaming about the memories for a time I now, more than ever believe that the memories belong to others that have already lived and passed away. The experiences are too real to be something fabricated by someone or some other force, let alone my mind! I know my mind can come up with some insane ideas given time and me letting go of the restraining leash I keep on it most of the time, but even it has limitations as to how crazy those ideas can be! I have even started to be able to recognize some of the memories of a couple of individuals as if I knew the dragon or dragoness as a friend or someone in a similar position. Many of the memories were quite informative on several subjects I have been curious about. Such things like, how some traditions that dragon kind has started and by what circumstances and why some of those traditions are still around while others are not. Or why the guardians were even put in place at all, just to name a few. There are even a couple of memories of the ancient enemy, which is how I have the facts I do.

The few facts that I have been able to glean were from some of those memories that belonged to those voices from the distant past. This group or 'the enemy' as they are referred to as, well, whoever or... whatever they were, they weren't a friendly bunch. I couldn't even get a clear picture or understanding of… what this enemy was! The point that was for lack of a better term, agreed upon when it came to the origin and what they actually were, was that they seemed to appear out of nowhere. The fact of their 'origin' being that they suddenly appeared just irks me! Things, nor beings just pop up out of or from nothing! The enemy's personality trait was clear as they were evil… period! They were malicious and pure evil is probably the more accurate way of putting it! Yet, as evil, as they were they very rarely did any of their own dirty work of killing or torturing personally. If you wish to simplify this point, they rarely do evil acts themselves… at least any more. They use to at one time, still, that was long ago and I really couldn't even estimate just how far back it was without some kind of reference, which I had none.

But the point is that they have resorted to using manipulation of others to get work and jobs of theirs done. Most of the time, not a soul will know, not the ones being killed or the ones being manipulated! Their normal methods tend to have others do the killing, torture and other things of the like on the intended targets for them. All the while they, I would assume observe the results from somewhere else to make sure the desired result is obtained. What is truly sad is for the majority of those who do the ancient enemy's work or rather those that are reduced to puppets haven't a clue that their not the ones in the driver seat anymore. The vast majority believe they are the ones in control… Wait, hold on a minute!

I had a sudden revelation strike me as I had been reasoning with this logical argument, Malefor. I remembered how Arkanis had told me of the change that Malefor had gone through and how none of his teachers could explain why he had changed the way he had. The pieces to that puzzle were becoming clear. The ancient enemy had taken the time and put forth the effort to somehow corrupt Malefor into the villain the dragon realm knew as 'the dark master'. That gives quite an unexpected perspective on this subject that I hadn't thought about! If this group can corrupt a purple dragon as strong-willed as I have been led to believe Malefor was, they were good at lying and deceiving others and had the experience to back what they did! They are clearly pros by the results they've gotten.

Nonetheless, backing up to the informational argument I was on. The tales of lies that had been woven to cover the deaths of white dragons and others along with them, those are some of the prime examples of the enemy's methodology. How they would take likely to take more time to make sure an idea went I would assume the way they wanted it to rather than use ways and means for quick success. But the thing is these kinds of events weren't limited to white dragons alone. There had been others that had suffered similar fates as many of us white dragons had. Many of them had been searching for the truth and had died for their efforts. It proved that this crowd was meticulous beyond any I have ever seen or heard about, to the point that it would shame someone with ridiculously severe Obsessive-compulsive disorder! I have seen some people with extremely severe OCD and it is scary how neat and picky one can get!

However, there had been some extremely unusual instances in the past that history never knew or you could classify them as 'foul-ups' of a kind with some of the puppets of these guys. You know, now that I think about it, draconic history is rather… oh, what's a good word for this idea… incomplete. I guess that's a way of putting it… nicely at least?

I recall well when Spyro gave me a 'telling of history'. The history lesson was simple yes, but also kind of short and left many unanswered questions, which I didn't ask at the time as I was being polite. That wasn't to say I still didn't wonder first, with the gaps and missing part of the history of the dragon realm, who then in the hell is responsible for such blatant screw-ups?! The second question I have is why hasn't anyone else seen the clearly missing pieces of history and/or why hasn't anyone brought it to light?!

As far as I can tell from what information I have gathered during my time here in the dragon realm; their history begins somewhere before three thousand years ago but less than four thousand years. So there is a millennium margin range in the estimation and there is absolutely nothing thought to have happened earlier than that. To that I say… WRONG! That in itself doesn't make sense in any way! Quite a few of the traditions that dragons have and the other races as well obviously were brought about due to events that aren't in the historical records. I can be relatively sure that the vast majority of the memories in my mind now come from farther back than that… by a horrendous amount speaking as in the length of time.

[Getting sidetracked again, Saber.]

Yes, I hear you Mr. Narrator, back to my original train of thought before I got sidetracked with the history piece. It was clear that the enemy had a knack and/or habit of making sure that events played out in the way they wanted or would benefit them. Things and circumstances that would reveal that they exist rarely happened and if they did were swiftly dealt with so that they weren't recorded for future generations to know about. The point of secrecy was more akin to an addictive obsession to them as far as I can tell.

When someone did discover their existence or a white dragon had given their puppets the slip, the ancient enemy would 'take care of' the problem themselves. Most of those said occurrences happened in the distant past, so long ago that I can't clearly understand what the memory was about other than death being the end of it. Yet, there is one episode that occurred in the more recent history that falls under the category of 'unusual instances' that had required the ancient enemy to get involved personally. I knew of this exploit from a memory that belonged to one of the dragons I was getting to know and recognize. So I could now pick him out of the sea of chaos.

The one to whom the memory belonged to had been a male white dragon by the name of Crystan. Timing is fairly hard to be absolutely certain on when these events happen as the only marker I could see was the passing of the seasons in the dragon realm. Years and the passage thereof are much harder to be sure of because of the lack of markers other than seasons. So, my best guess for the period was that he had lived somewhere between five to six thousand years ago. It was definitely before the time of Malefor and recorded history as far as I could tell and I was confident in that assumption.

Crystan had looked similar to me in figure but was slightly more muscular in his center body than I am. He was also approximately the same age as I am now, maybe a year older. Crystan, like myself, had lived during a time when a purple dragon existed though it had been a dragoness in his life instead of a dragon. Still, as I had seen the events, it is very fascinating that this contradicted the idea that Spyro told me. In which the dragon Ignitus, informed him that there had only been two purple dragons in history, Malefor, and Spyro himself. Lara's existence also disproved that so-called known fact too, but anyway back to the point. This set of memories meant that there had been other purple dragons and dragonesses have existed throughout history even if it isn't written down or told.

Back to the topic of this logical argument, Crystan had died during the young adulthood time frame of his life, not much older than I am now were I to give a guess. He had known that he was being hunted by someone or something, not specifically who, but well it hadn't matter really in this. In the experience the memory was about, Crystan had gone to a place he thought he would be safe for a little while, unfortunately, he had been wrong. The memory after the point where another came in was sort of confusing, I think because I had missed what happened to Crystan before this event. So there was missing information that may have explained some things that don't make much sense though I can't be sure.

Well, from what I had witnessed, some dragon that Crystan had known had come to see him. However, this close 'friend' shouldn't have known about the place Crystan was or that he had gone at all. That fact alone raised red flags to me, but as this isn't my memory after this friend showed up, the memory gets foggy. Something happened, I don't understand what precisely though it hadn't been used of an element, I could tell that much. I would guess due to some kind of a foul play on the enemy's part. But this 'friend' who was the "Ancient Enemy" in disguise and they were there, of course, to kill Crystan. The fight that had ensued had been gruesome and in some ways tactically speaking, staged and in the end, Crystan had died.

It isn't the nicest way to learn the facts I have, it's really sad in fact to learn the way I did. Seeing Crystan's death was horrible, but it had brought a few interesting ideas to light. The first interesting fact to note to me and the reason for his name was that Crystan was able to manipulate crystals much like I had used light when I was younger. Yet another element that dragons today don't think exists. The second point of interest is that this ancient enemy normally doesn't do their own dirty work, nevertheless, that didn't mean they weren't willing to do such things if the need arose in their view. The third point, which worried me greatly, the ancient enemy could change their appearance into anyone or assumedly any creature or thing they wanted. They could look exactly like someone close to us and do it so flawlessly that it was nigh impossible to tell the difference between the fake and the original!

That fact alone is alarming to me still, even in that, a grain of truth and insight came. With the admittedly amazing acting skills they had, it implied that the enemy took the time to study the one they intend to kill before they see the action through along with those around the target. Another quality to add to the list that this ancient enemy had deception and trickery at levels that professional actors would be jealous of, meaning they were masters at it!

Back to the main point of bringing up Crystan's story, the ancient enemy's methodology in those they deem a threat. The basic concept from what I have observed is as follows: if one is a threat eliminate them. First, the puppets are sent to do the task, should they prove unable to in two attempts or less, then one that can be easily considered an assassin is sent out for the job. The assassin takes time to study the target to have higher chances of success. Time is important to the ancient enemy, but sure success is for more a priority. No matter how many attempts are needed to have the job completed to an unquestionable standard, it doesn't matter as long as the target is eliminated. The harder the target is to kill and after each attempt, the more time is taken to study the target so that there is less of a chance of failure for the next attack.

In Crystan's case, he had been able to avoid them for years and the attempts that were being made on him by the manipulated ones and he had escaped both passes on him. So the one that was sent for the matter of killing him had taken a great deal of time to study him and the things he did. I say this because the assassin only needed one try to complete the job they were assigned. By appearing as a close friend to Crystan blatantly shows they had been watching him, so…

However, returning to the main topic of the argument of logic that brought this story up. The majority of the time, like at least nine times out of ten, if not more. This enemy used and manipulated others much like a puppeteer does their marionettes; to control the flow of events so they were rarely if ever directly involved. The amount of draconic history I have learned and heard is a testimony to how skilled the ancient enemy was in this. I'm not saying that draconic history is what you would call dark or evil, but it could be a lot better! This only goes to show how skilled at manipulation this group was. They were patient and had the time to wait and use to make sure events went the way they wanted. Plus, no one has ever suspected their involvement or even known of their existence! That's horrifying to know that they have never been caught by anyone… well, at least anyone that has lived long enough to tell about them that is!

I get the terrible nagging feeling that the ancient enemy has a grand scheme of some kind even if I haven't the faintest clue what it is. Their plan whatever it was, they were taking the time and the effort to make sure their plan would come to pass. Like the points I have learned says… no, scream that this group is evil beyond what most call villainy! The grand design is very unlikely to be good for anyone but them. I get the strong impression that at the very least, I won't like or want that plan to come to fruition. I don't know where this impression comes from completely, but I agree with it one hundred percent!

Even with all of these facts in mind, it wasn't enough material on this enemy to even slightly sway my fears about them. If this ancient enemy is as cunning, malicious and most of all, evil as I surmise they are, then the information I do have are nowhere near enough to be able to stand up against them, not by a longshot! If I were to meet them anytime soon, then I'll be dead before the encounter with them is over. Even my bad luck would have difficulty saving me from this group and I never thought I would say that about anyone!

This is the mindset I have when I come to the temple library, and should my search in the temple library turn up nothing, then… so freaking what?! It isn't like I'm a stranger to failure or setbacks, my bad luck saw to that on almost a daily basis for goodness sakes for most of my life. Yet, I wasn't willing to give up on this search, I am too determined and stubborn to give up. It was like the situation I was in when I had to find Lara when I needed to apologize for the thing with Spyro. With the right motivation, I'll go distances that would have people asking if I'm just plain crazy or if I'm a nut case that escaped from the mental institute. My reply to such a thing is why yes, I can be certifiably nuts, thank you for freaking noticing you idiot!

Nonetheless, there was something about the ancient enemy that didn't sit right or even settle uncomfortably with me. I can be called paranoid sometimes… okay, a good deal of the time and I am to a degree, but I am for very good reason. I couldn't really put this uneasy feeling I got with this subject into words, still, this feeling wouldn't leave me. I felt a strong sense of foreboding when I think about them, along with something like a duty that felt kind of instinctual. I know it sounds weird and crazy, but it is the best way I can put this emotion. I have never been very eloquent with words… unless it is being used in sarcasm, then I'm your guy as I'm amazing with sarcasm!

So, as I was saying earlier, I was in the library trying to find info to help me with future issues. I was skimming through book after book, thankfully, there is no one else here in the morning, so none would bother me or complain about the mess I was making. If there were anyone, then I have the hunch that I would be thrown out for the mess I made while I am searching for information. I clean up before I leave, as such none find out I am coming here every morning while everyone is sleeping.

As I was pouring over a book intently, I didn't hear anyone enter the library not actively listening as I should. I'm embarrassed to say that I was so unaware that I let someone sneak up behind me. Oh, Master Kai FORGIVE ME for my lapse in attention to the world around me, I'm so ashamed of myself right now! I wouldn't be able to face Master Kai for such an amateurish mistake for a long while! It was only when I felt a paw on my shoulder that I realized I wasn't alone in the library. I jumped in surprise, so bad you would think I was connected to springs that were wound tight. To put it simply, papers went flying into the air and ink went all over the table from the bottles being knocked over. I made quite a mess in the area I had made for my searching for information.

I spun around to see Seth and Spectra and I was breathing hard from the surprise I felt from the paw touching my shoulder. "Seth," I exclaimed, "Do not do that! I thought I was going to have a heart attack." I slowed my breathing, "What is it you need anyway?"

Truthfully, I haven't had my heart jerk that hard for a while, only Master Kai has been able to shock me in this way. And don't ask me how the old man can sneak around and not be discovered until he wants to be, I don't know how he does it. Plus, I've tried to figure out how master does what he does, can any understand how neat it would be to be able to appear and disappear from notice at will? With how Master Kai can somehow just appear, I swear by the ancestors it's like magic or something like that. Seth jumped back a bit from me as I had apparently scared him pretty well, "Sorry Saber, I just was surprised to see you are here at the library once again."

I forced myself to calm down to come to my normal everyday self since it wasn't Seth's fault I overreacted to his touch. Once I had, I waved a paw to dismiss the apology, "Don't worry about it, my fault for overreacting," I said then focused on the matter at paw, "So, what brings you and Spectra to the library this morning?"

Spectra was the one to give me an answer, "I noticed the library doors were slightly open. I am surprised you are here this morning, what are you studying so heavily?"

I forgot to close the doors today… oh well, too late to do anything about that now. It wasn't like I wasn't allowed in the library or anything like that. It was just that I like my time of peace and quiet when I am studying or searching for info in books. I thought for a moment about how to answer Spectra, as I haven't told the guardians anything about what I knew about draconic history that they didn't, now that I think about it. As I stated before, by my understanding draconic history starts between three and four thousand years ago. There is much more history than that, the Guardians don't seem to know this and I don't need to give them more reasons to have issues with me. I wonder if Arkanis would listen to my thoughts, I would have to ask Arkanis the next time I see him if he knew more history.

Now, why do I feel telling the Guardians about what I do when they aren't watching me? Well, I'm kind of a trouble maker and trouble magnet by nature, certainly not by choice. And I've found over the years that those like me are not liked or popular with those in authority or running things. It's no different in the Dragon Realm other than the level of tolerance is higher than with humans. So, there are enough issues between me and them without adding another facet to it to complicate things for me. Then, I don't know exactly what to call or refer to the subject as either, so I am in quite the predicament currently. And I don't think just saying, 'I'm searching for information on a group known as the ancient enemy, you wouldn't know anything about such things, would you?' would go over well with the Guardians. One of the reasons I say nothing is they would want to know how I came to know the information and where I learned of it. After all the guardians are supposed to be the wisest dragons, it would make them look bad if I knew a lot more than they did. As I said, I think it would be very stupid of me to tell them the full truth right now.

With that in mind, I think it is understandable for myself, that I don't want to get into the ideas that contribute to the subject of my search. I really, REALLY don't want to get into how I hear voices in my head of others or the memories of those voices that now are in my head as well. It doesn't take a genius to have a rather educated guess on the reaction I would get from the guardians. Honestly, the response I've gotten from those that I've mentioned the point with is nice than many would give. In other words, either not believe me or ridicule me in some way, shape or form.

I trust Seth, Spyro and the others and they had earned my trust by sticking with me and around me, where most don't even give me the time of day. And to tell the truth, I still don't trust the guardians much at all and I trust the male guardians less than the females among them all. My well, I don't really think to call it just a relationship, but I can't think of a better term for it… wait, contractual standing! Yes, my contractual standing with Terrador was fragile at best and as the other male guardians tend to listen to him most of the time… we don't get along all that well, that's to say we more tolerate one another. Don't get me wrong, I like and respect Spectra and the other female guardians to an extent, at least I respect them far more than the other four since at least they will hear me out. I cleared my throat, "Oh um, well, I am searching for some information," I said.

"Oh how goes your search," Spectra asked in an upbeat tone.

I glance away from Spectra as I don't want to outright lie since I'm against flat out unnecessary dishonesty. Now stretching the truth or not saying the complete story is a different matter entirely and I'm totally cool with those kinds of actions. The issue is I don't think Spectra will accept silence and the other option is to lie, which I am against. I was contemplating how to answer when Seth spoke up, "Hold on Saber, I thought you said that you could not read draconic writing," he remarked.

Ah-ha, a wonderful loophole in this for me that is called a subject change. I would have to thank Seth later for the save he just extended me. I turned and faced Seth, "Oh, I can assure you I still cannot read a single character of draconic writing or any other races written language. It all looks like random scratched lines to me no offense intended. That has not changed except for what you call "the Ancient Script", yet I have not found any books written in that language though I have tried to find books written in that language here."

Spectra stared at me for a couple of moments before speaking likely processing what I had just said. I felt my eye ridges rise as I turned to look at her, "You are saying that you can read the ancient script," she exclaimed.

I continued to stare at Spectra before smiling and nodding, "You know Salena pretty much had the same reaction as you Spectra. Yes, I can read the ancient script, and I still have no clue how or why. I have a bit of an educated guess as to the how more than the why, but I will keep it to myself," I paused, then gave my justification that would likely not do much to help me, "no offense intended."

Spectra gave me a stern look for a moment which is not unexpected as I had just said in a way to back off and not take insult. My smile dimmed a bit as I kept getting the look from Spectra, "It seems as usual for yourself, you intend to keep secrets from others," she replied.

I returned her gaze as my expression morphed into a look of cold indifference for I back down to no one unless I chose to do so! Granted, Spectra had been bigger than me previously, yet the difference in our size wasn't so vast now that I was a dragon and one who is bigger than the average of my age grouping. She can't intimidate me so easily anymore, not that she could before either, but still. "Yeah I do and I would ask you neither take my action personally nor what it implies as I do not mean to be insulting. I think you and the guardians do a decent job at running things here, but I still do not trust you Guardians fully. I mean no offense by saying that but it is my honest opinion so take it as you like. If it is any consolation to you, then I would say you female guardians do a better job than the male guardians do. Still, I do not think you could comprehend nor I would assume believe me if I were to tell you anything about what I am searching for or why."

Spectra had a blank look on her face in response to my statement before she shook her head slightly. "You make a lot of assumptions," she began.

Where Spectra does bring up a truthful point, she makes it sound like I use random guesswork. I don't do random or guesswork very often and then only as needed, "Based upon fact and observation, Spectra," I defended. "Do not mistake my actions for being secretive," I said and sighed, "It is an ingrained habit I am working on improving, years of development to undo the habits I have learned, it is not as easy to throw that away. Yes, I admit, I have some trust issues, and have for a long while which if you know why, you would not blame me. Some have earned my trust now however, you and the other guardians are not within that group."

Spectra stared at me likely studying me before looking over at Seth, "And Seth is in that group you trust," she posed.

Well, he is and I won't lie and say he isn't, Seth has earned the trust he has from me as he has accepted me for how I am. Seth looked down at the floor for a couple of seconds probably making a decision before he looked back up, an expression of loyalty set on his face, "Yes sister, I am."

I looked between Spectra and Seth, beginning to worry a bit at what I may be causing. It looked like there may be a disagreement starting here and it could turn into a fight. I don't want to be the cause of a fight between siblings here, I would feel just awful about it. I would rather just be a spectator in most relationships, much less guilt involved in that position I've found. I was about to interject and act the peacemaker, which is a part I rarely play or am good at but I'm willing to try.

At that moment, the tension was broken by the interruption of the door to the library opening. All three of us turned our heads to find Salena standing in the doorway. I was kind of surprised to see her again and here in Warfang of all places no less. I mean the last place I had seen her was back at Hyrule before I was hauled off by Exis and her ape grunts. "My, my, I was not expecting so many to be up at this early hour, good morning everyone," she greeted.

"Good morning Salena," replied Spectra

Seth and I just dipped our heads in a polite but silent greeting instead of saying anything. I was trying to think of a viable reason for Salena to be here when Seth spoke up, "Morning Salena, I had forgotten you were here in Warfang, sorry."

This is the first I knew of her being here, I must have missed the memo on that one if there was a memo at all. I was keeping my peace for the time being and chose to just watch as this event played out. Salena smiled at Seth, "It is alright Seth," she said.

Salena then looked over at me and adopted a puzzled expression which I've kind of been getting used to receiving from others, but was still different. Now why Salena is looking at me she like she's never seen me before I can't say. I mean yes, she hasn't seen me as a white dragon, but I expected Cyril to have told her about my change in appearance since the Guardians know of the idea. I could only think to smile back, be it halfheartedly and still said nothing. Salena suddenly had a look of comprehension appear on her face, "Ah, you must be the unusual dragon I heard about from Cyril," she commented.

Oh boy, I am the subject of idle chatter among the guardians and others, whoopty freaking doo for me. Hold on then, so she did hear about me from Cyril, then why does Salena act like I'm a complete stranger? Unless Cyril forgot to mention that I was human and now am a dragon, it must have slipped his mind. Perhaps, the effect of old age that we younger people get to look forward to. I was trying to think of a way to explain my current form, when Salena began speaking again, "By the way Spectra, you haven't seen the" Salena paused, "what did he call himself," she paused again, "Well, the one named Saber, have you?"

At least I am still memorable enough that most don't forget my name, one of the things that are common even if she can't remember what I was. Then again I am rather memorable to most for… a couple of reasons. However, to be called unusual, that's not so nice though I know with dragons such a term doesn't have the same ugly connotation as it would be with humans. Hmm, I wonder how Salena will react when she finds out that I'm not only right here, but also the 'unusual dragon' as well, let's find out! I cleared my throat, "The term you are looking for Salena is human and as for where to find me, you already have for I am right here," I stated.

Salena's gaze was fixed on me, an expression of astonishment plastered on her face. This kind of reaction will never get old for me, I love priceless expressions! Spectra just sighed at my actions, the guardians have been forced to learn that I will be difficult to deal with. There was no amount of effort they can put forth that will be able to change that and it isn't for a lack of them trying to change me. They finally gave up trying to 'educate' me on how I should act thank goodness as they were getting annoying. It had taken a couple of solid months for them to understand that I won't change unless I see a reason to.

Seth was shaking his head in response to my action. As with all of my friends, Seth knows I have… quirks that I am working on, some more than others, which lead me to be what some dragons would classify as rude and overbearing. Seth out of the three was the first to speak, "Why do you always like to do things like that?"

I turned to Seth and gave him an innocent smile that said, 'who me?' He expects me to resist the tempting amusement I have by surprising others as I do! I decided to be honest on my answer, "Well, I got to admit it is pretty fun and I do get some very amusing reactions from others who have met me before I changed to my current appearance."

I held in the chuckles I was having when I saw Seth glaring at me and I glanced away from my friend. I know that some of the things I do can be considered… a tad mean, and definitely unnecessary most of the time. Nevertheless, life is to be lived and I intend to live my life to the fullest as I see fit thank you kindly and I will do so with the least amount of regret. If opportunity… should present some chances to have some innocent fun and amusement along the way, then I see nothing wrong with taking advantage of those said opportunities. I am who I am and I don't really see a reason or need to change that now or soon. "Oh come on Seth, I am not being that rude or mean now am I?" I paused and thought about what I had just said, "Actually, do not answer that question, it would be to my detriment. You should really try seeing the interest in an activity before dismissing it, granted, there are exceptions to that but I do not do those."

Seth now began to scowl while still glaring at me. Jeeze, tough crowds here I tell ya! Almost no dragon or dragoness can get and take a joke. I expect this kind of thing from Spectra, not Seth, yet you can't call them siblings for nothing. I sighed, rolled my eyes and adopted the tone of being forced by an adult to apologize for something though it was as if I was just going through the motions of it without completely meaning what I was saying. And that would be fairly accurate to say of me, "Okay, I am sorry for doing that. It was rude and wrong of me, please forgive me, everyone," I said this all in a flat tone that made it clear I was say it and didn't so much mean it.

"You say you are sorry, yet it sounds like you are not in the least," Spectra remarked.

Ah, now that is what I was counting on from Spectra, and this is poetic justice near its best. I try to not cause a fight and I end up pitting both Seth and Spectra against me instead. I'm getting the hunch that my bad luck is somehow responsible for this situation, at least partially. I know who to blame for the rest of this that my bad luck isn't responsible for. All right you two, I know that I haven't provided a large scale entertainment show for you two for a while, but having one of my best friends teaming up with his sister! Then taking into account that said sister has already had a run-in with me, doesn't help my situation. If this is your way of saying get on with the show, then SHUT UP! Man upstairs, I'm not your source of amusement or entertainment, so back off will you! You down below I'm not some kind of sport show you would see on ESPN or some other sports network, stop seeing me and my life as such! I'm sick and tired of being used for the amusement of others dang it!

"Yeah, so what is your point Spectra," I asked. Oh, did I get a dirty look for that reply and it was well-earned with the tone of someone confirming something obvious? Yet another bad habit of mine was getting me into trouble and admittedly I was enjoying this a bit. I cleared my throat and spoke once more, "Well, what I meant to say is I do regret the reaction I received from you and Seth. But I am not sorry about my own actions whatsoever if that is what you are asking," I said this blatantly rude reply with a smile.

Spectra was about to reply to my… statement with more than a dirty look which I earned. I was about to take a bow to make things even more interesting when Salena began to laugh quietly and both Spectra and I turned our heads to see Salena laughing. Um, laughter isn't the reaction I was thought I was going to get for my forced apology, in fact, it was one of the last. However, I won't grumble about it if this works out for me.

Spectra was the one to comment to Salena, "Salena why are you laughing?! Saber is being very rude and you should not be laughing at his actions!"

Touché Spectra! Coming in with the prim and proper attitude to use against me, I would expect no less from one of the ones in charge. But she better not think I won't defend myself and my actions as I wasn't going to just sit and take that. I couldn't keep from adding my two cents to this since it's for my defense if nothing else, "Is it possible? A dragoness that cannot just get a joke, but can also take one and find it funny," I questioned. Then I smiled, "At last, someone that can see how things that dragons do are funny!"

I held down my laughter to an extent, but I couldn't contain them completely. Seth sighed before turning back to Salena, "Ignore him for the moment Salena, he is being," Seth hesitated, then continued, "difficult."

Now Seth, was such a comment against me really necessary? "Seth, come on that hurts. I was just attempting to lighten the mood a little," I began to fake a sniffle.

I would have kept going, but Seth cleared his throat before he continued, "Salena, this may be an odd question, still what do you find funny in this?"

I ceased the fake sniffling and paid closer attention to Salena after what Seth had asked as I was curious what Salena found amusing. It took a few minutes for Salena to regain her composure, "I now understand what Cyril meant by what he said."

I was taken aback at that answer as it implied that Cyril had said something about me that was unlikely to say I was doing something wrong. I don't know if I should be flattered or worried by Salena's reaction since I can go either way with what Cyril says about me. However my curiosity got the better of me and I had to inquire, "Salena, what did Cyril exactly say about me," I asked.

"He said you tend to be rude and insulting," began Salena, which I wouldn't deny, yet she continued, "However, you have a good heart in spite of that. You also are very good at using sharp logic."

Again, I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted for being pegged like that. I know that I can come off as Salena just said rude and insulting, but I tend to say things like I see it, period. I mean, to simplify what Cyril had apparently claimed about me, I'm sarcastic, yet kind and honest and that I had one heck of a wit. All the qualities that Cyril asserts I have are true and I won't deny it. All I would need to make this anymore ironic would be some sort of peanut gallery. So, I might as well reply to this, "Well Salena, I don't normally intend to come off as rude, unless I am given a good valid reason to be so. However, as the idiom goes, 'I say it as I see it' that is to say, I am very blunt and yes the fact that I tend to be so, and it does bite me in my rear end from time to time. Overall though I would say I am a rather nice individual, especially with my upbringing or lack thereof in mind. As to my good use of, as Cyril put it 'sharp logic', I would reply, 'and proud of it'!"

After the wonderful chat with Salena, Spectra and even Seth, which somehow occurred instead of me getting into trouble, I was exiting the temple with Seth beside me. I won't complain about the outcome I got out of the library situation, it had gotten far better than I had expected. The less trouble for me to have to deal with the better, I say. By the time the conversation was over and done with, it was time for breakfast. Hence, the reason that Seth and I were on our way to the meal hall for breakfast. On the way to the meal hall, I asked about Spyro and the others about joining us. After all, I hadn't seen Spyro… or Cynder for that matter either for more than glimpses as of late. Seth just said something about Cyra saying she already had plans but didn't mention Spyro or Cynder.

"Well, what about Spyro and Cynder," I asked, "Surely they are up by now."

Seth frowned slightly, "Uh, I would guess they will not be up yet after," he said trailing off.

Memories of the sounds I had to listen to, a few nights ago came back to my mind. Thoughts of revulsion firmly asserted themselves in me at the knowledge of what activities were the likely cause of such sounds. That meant that Spyro and Cynder had gone at it again last night and I had been immersed in the nightmares enough that I didn't notice. Can they not give it a rest for a few nights?! For the sake of others, namely me as their room just happens to be right above mine. "Seth, you do not need to finish that sentence, I got the idea though I wish I did not," I replied tiredly. 'I should have known that would be the case. After all, they have been going at all night every night for the past week so, why would they not last night? Curse Cynder going into heat! The nightmares deprive me of the sleep I can spare and then some, so I do not need other things taking more."

"What, you did not hear it," questioned Seth, "Is your room not above theirs?"

"Yes Seth, my room is unfortunately right above their room," I admitted, "I have been reminded of that off and on for the majority of this week. But there are other things that I deal with too and those have been demanding my attention more lately," I explained but couldn't get the images that came with what Spyro and Cynder had been doing at night. That reminded me of the standing issue I deal with when it came to Lara. I sighed, "Oh fiddlesticks! Now I am having trouble getting those images out of my mind and those pictures and images are just wrong!" I paused for a moment collecting my thoughts, "Okay, so Spyro and Cynder are busy and so are currently unavailable, got it."

"What about your friends from Carona," Seth asked.

I took a second to think about the inquiry as that was a situation I had been getting a break from for a bit. You see, Lara, Tarra, and Fredrick had gone back to Carona about a week ago and were supposed to return sometime today. Now that shouldn't be a problem or cause for me to worry about and normally it wouldn't. But with how events had played out, I didn't have that luxury of relaxing about it. I shuddered slightly at the memory of the day they left to go to Carona. Lara at that time had been clingy, not as bad as when she was in heat, but still much more than I liked.

To say that it has become increasingly difficult to tolerate Lara's actions and antics would be putting it nicely. She hadn't been all that happy about the fact I wasn't going to Carona with them and that was saying it mildly. I saw no reason to go with them at the time… fine, to be honest, I wanted a break from Lara even if it was a short one of a week. Lara had been getting more emotional lately and I was NOT good at dealing with that kind of thing. I have the emotional control I do so that I don't blow up or deal with the baggage that comes with it and it is as firm as steel. Emotional crap has and does grate on my nerves badly and with Lara, it had been starting to have an effect on my mental control I pride myself for. I don't know what it is about Lara that can do that since no one up till her has been able to sway me in much if anyway.

I still have no idea why she had been getting all hysterical and not in a good way recently around me. And honestly, I don't like cleaning up after such things and I never have so I avoid what causes that kind of crap! A good example would be when Lara had thrown a tantrum like a child when she found out I wasn't going back to Carona. And guess who had to clean up and do the job of damage control when she had actually gone?

[sound of a bell]

…thanks, Narrator, could have done without that sound effect but it will do, yep, it was me that cleaned things up. Deep down, I'll admit that I had been tempted to pretend that I didn't know her and just walk away, it had been that bad for goodness sakes. So, I thought with the help of my boon companion calm logic that Lara and I needed a little space. Hence why I'm here at Warfang and I have had a nice quiet week without dragonesses making my life complicated. I still see Lara as a friend even if she is having a hard time right now. Yet the way she had been acting lately is really beginning to wear on me, "Um," I started, "they haven't gotten back yet."

Seth stared at me for a moment, "Having troubles?"

I laughed in a flat tone at the question, "Seth my friend, that is the story of my life for as long as I can remember," I stated. "If by the trouble you are meaning to ask, am I having issues with Lara, then the answer is yes." Seth was silent, but his body language was saying he was paying attention to me. Well, if he was going to offer to listen to my tale of woe, then that's his choice. I sighed before I continued where I left off, "Well, Lara has," I hesitated, "been acting oddly recently and she has become difficult lately."

"Oh, how," Seth questioned.

I paused for a moment, "She has been getting really emotional around me and I have no clue why she is?"

"So she is becoming emotional around you? It sounds like she is interested in having you," Seth remarked but trailed off.

"Oh yes, I know that she wants me as her mate," I replied tiredly, "I would have to be blind and mentally impaired not to see that message that she is broadcasting."

Seth looked at me confused, which was the explanation look in a way, so I sighed, "Let me rephrase what I just said, I would have to be extremely dumb, more so than an ignorant child not to know Lara wants me as a mate. The thing is I am not," my voice caught for a moment, "really ready for that kind of thing."

Seth cocked his head to the side, "Then you do not like her?"

Now, I may imply that I dislike Lara, but I don't dislike her. It is just, I don't like dealing with or being around her when she is acting like a child. I shook my head, unable to say anything as I was worried what would come out of my mouth should I open it and speak. To which Seth continued, "So then you do like her?"

I took a deep breath and exhaled and attempted putting my thoughts into words, "Well, I," my voice stopped for a moment, "I do not know. I like Lara in the way that you like the company of a friend I guess, but she wants more than that." I took a could of breaths, "I am so conflicted. I have never been around anyone who wanted to be more than someone they know or even friends with me. I do not know how to react to such things."

"Um I have not had anyone who wanted to be more than friends either, so I do not know what to tell you," Seth answered.

I just sighed again, "Thanks for at least listening to my issues I have right now."

By that time Seth and I reached the mess hall and we had breakfast. It was good food too, a good way to start the day in my opinion. As we exited the mess hall I gaze up and saw the sun was higher in the sky now. Well, the sun was shining, I had a full stomach and no dragonesses glued to me or making my life more hellish than usual. The day was off to a fairly good start so far as Seth and I were going to the lower tier when we bumped into Spyro and Cynder. They were… well, in human terms, acting lovey-dovey with one another and I really have no idea what dragons would call it. Seth was the first to speak out of the two of us, "Morning Spyro, Cynder nice to see you this morning."

Spyro turned his head to look at us, "Oh, Seth, Saber, what a surprise to see you here."

"Well Spyro, some of us do wake up at a somewhat decent hour of the morning. Yet I get that you two are still," I paused thinking about how it is put here, "in the new mates stage? I think… that is the way to put it?" My gaze flicked over to Seth for confirmation and he nodded. "Ah yes, that is right anyway, try to remember we, your friends like to see you on occasion, and so do not go at it all night and forget to sleep. A simpler way of saying it would be, 'all things in moderation', indeed that is the best way of putting it."

Cynder gave me a confused expression, "Mod-air-eh-shun," she questioned.

I sighed as once again draconic language is proving so frustratingly simple and yet so annoyingly lacking in meaningful delivery. Oh human English language and all that you include, I miss you so! "It is a fancy way of saying to show some self-restraint," I explained. "In other words, do not mate with each other all night, every night. I understand Cynder is heat, but still, I do not want to be forced to listen thank you very much."

Spyro got a crimson blush to my 'explanation and advice' which is a tad surprising and amusing as he is naïve. What was funny was his scales couldn't hide his blush well if at all. Cynder giggled, "Oh, did what you heard interest you? Or did you hear something to make you jealous of Spyro," she posed.

I glared back at Cynder with an expression of annoyance, "Hmm, let me think about that," I started, "Um, hmm, uh NOOO! I have no interest in that kind of thing right now. And why by the honor of the Warriors of Mathesis, would I ever be jealous of Spyro," I snapped then took a moment to calm down, "I am just saying to take it easy and realize others can hear you go at each other."

Now everyone was giving me confused looks to which I thought about what had just come out of my mouth. I had said or rather shouted things without reviewing what I was saying, so I took a second to mentally rewind to realize what I had just said. Oh dear, I just spouted something from the memories without realizing it. I smiled sheepishly and chuckled nervously, "Haha, if you could ignore the reference I just said a moment ago, I would appreciate it," I said.

Spyro was the first to regain his wits, "Who or what are the Warriors of Mathesis?"

Where do I start in this conundrum of an explanation, even I don't know why some things happen to me."Well, something from the memories I get to see at night, not all of them are bad, thank goodness," I admitted.

There was an awkward silence between all of us there and I was about to break it when we heard a familiar voice, "Hey everyone, what is high today?"

I glance to my right to see Cyra trotting along humming a cheerful tune as she walked over. I don't know whether I should expect help or harm from her at this point. Everyone looked at Cyra with differing expressions most were wondering what Cyra was saying. Whereas I was trying to not do a pratfall at how she messed up a simple greeting she had obviously picked up from me. Instead, I did a facepalm or the draconic equivalent of it. After a moment I shook my head in shame, "Cyra, the phrase is not 'what is high today' it is 'what is up'."

Cyra tilted her head, "What is the difference," she asked.

Oh man, again I ask how does the dragon race not have good use of slang? I exhaled heavily, "There is a huge difference Cyra. Normally the words, high and up would mean the same, but in the context that the phrase 'What is up' uses up differently as it is used to ask what is going on or for anything of note." Everyone around the circle just stared at me with blank expressions meaning they didn't understand what I was telling them. It is at times like this I wonder is it worth explaining what terms mean in slang. "You know what, never mind," I said deciding that it was not worth explaining, "It is not worth the time to explain the human subject of slang."

Well, long conversation later we all headed down to the square on the lower tier by the gate of Warfang. When we got there I just happen to catch a scent faintly that I knew far too well even if I haven't smelled it in a week. I sighed in pained acceptance that the time that I have been dragoness-free would very soon come to an end.

[You knew she would return eventually Saber, you won't be rid of her that easily.]

Narrator, don't take on the role of captain obvious please, doesn't suit you. As I was about to state, it has been nice to not worry about a dragoness invading my personal space while it lasted. My gaze flicked up and I scanned the skies for the one I knew would be there somewhere. In seconds, I found the spec of purple that was growing in size as it got rapidly closer. And the day was off to such a nice start… oh well, it is just one of those kinds of days again. "Um," I began, "say, everyone, I would uh, recommend that you put some space, er between you and me like now." I paused and then admitted what was about to happen, "I have the hunch I am about to feel an impact, so anywhere other than behind me would be wise."

All my friends heard my serious tone and didn't question my statement, but did what I said. Less than a minute later, I felt Lara plow into me ending her dive-bombed with me being her target. As she hit me I fell backward, which is weird as a dragon let me assure you. So, I found myself spread-eagled with my wings fully spread out, flat out on the ground with Lara on top of me embracing me tightly. I expected her to cry something out, but what happened was she tightened her hug on me slightly and rubbed her head against my left cheek, "Saber I am back!"

Ah! That's what I was expecting, just delayed by Lara wanting to feel me first. I rolled my eyes at Lara's declaration since her dive-bombing into me made it plainly obvious that she was here. "Like that is not evident with you tackling me," I replied. "You know would it hurt for you to land in front of me and say hello instead of dive-bombing into me?"

"But that would not be as fun or show how much I care," Lara answered in a way that said that should have been obvious to me.

Hmm, so dive-bombing me is a way to show affection here is it? That leads me to wonder several things including what the view of "rough" is in the Dragon Realm, as I feel it is not the same as humans see it. I doubt Lara meant to harm me, she isn't like that I've found, but I don't exactly agree with the intentions she is claiming. So, I sighed at her answer, "I see, well then, perhaps you could not tackle me and just say things would work better, but maybe that is just me." Tarra and Fredrick landed a couple of feet from where Lara was still pinning me down not having listened to my suggestion. "Hi Tarra, Hi Fredrick, how was the trip," I asked to get attention off what Lara was doing to me.

Tarra was the one to answer, "Nice, how about you," she replied.

Now, Lara was till 'hugging' me and I was about to answer, yet I winced as Lara's hold increased in strength once more and it was starting to hurt now. She was making it rather hard to breathe so, I gasped before I replied, "Other than Lara tryinnnnnng," I began with a word being strung out as Lara was squeezing me hard. I managed to continue though, "to squeeze the life out of me, I am okay for the moment." I focused on Lara as her 'showing of affection' was causing me pain right now, "Lara eeeeeease up, will ya!"

Lara loosened her hold slightly which was helpful but didn't let go of me which I didn't like. At least it was now somewhat easier to breathe now though Lara was currently caressing my jawline with her cheek rather than my cheek after she loosened her hold. I still can't figure out what is causing her to act so gosh darn clingy! It is like she is in heat though that can't be right as her mating cycle isn't due to start for at least another two more months by my calculations. Oh boy, this is going to be a long day, I can feel it and I'm not looking forward to the torture!

When you know things are going to be harsh, you find it's different than when you suffer through things. I was reeducated on that point over the following hour of Lara clinging to me, invading my personal space and not leaving me alone. Not too long after that agonizingly slow hour had passed, I was on my last nerve of tolerance at this point in time and it is very close to snapping! I hope I've made it clear I'm not what many would call a people person or like being around others frequently.

[If needed I'll vouch for that point of Saber's personality for it is true.]

For one of those few times Mr. Narrator, thank you for chiming in, now those of you listening can understand I'm not the most social, only really if forced to be much of the time. So, it wasn't official just yet, but Lara wasn't too far from driving me over the edge of sanity for me. She has been invading my personal space for an hour now and it is more than just unwelcome to me! I guard my personal space area with zeal as I know what it is to not have it and it is horrible!

The conundrum I'm in was really putting my mental discipline to the test and I don't like that at all. I'm sure I made it clear that I have problems with others touching me and invading my personal space most of the time outside of fights. However, Lara was doing both of those and I didn't like it, not at all even if I've said nothing out loud yet. I have been sorely tempted to open the lid I was holding forcefully down on my emotions and let them lose on Lara. I know it may be a bit selfish of me to demand my needs of having personal space nevertheless I need it. So call me selfish if you want, I would reply, 'congratulations you win the booby prize for pegging me as selfish about some things'!

Said dragoness, on the other paw I was guessing by the expression I have been seeing on her face, couldn't be happier at the present situation. She was in close to intimate contact with me embracing me snuggly to be more precise. And from what she's said thus far, she wants to be with me the most for the rest of her life as her mate and no less. She was going to great lengths to make sure I knew how she felt even when I don't want to know. I have told her I'm not what the majority of others would call the most social guy or good with other people per se, in fact, I tend to be the opposite to most around me. I had said that to be covert to tell her I wasn't interested right now in that kind of relationship. For the reason to be nice and polite and refuse gracefully and move on yet she was really pushing me in a direction I wasn't ready to go just yet in my life.

I'm trying to improve in the area of being open and comfortable around others, without resorting to the coping mechanisms I've depended on for so long. That's not an easy or simple task for me, I'm going against years of trained reflex and habits that have saved my rear and the rest of my body from trouble and harm. Those reflexes and habits are so ingrained that most activate on their own accord to do the job they were created for and they do it well! So is my standing dilemma at this time.

Normally I am tolerant and patient… let me rephrase that for the sake of accuracy, I tend to ignore others who are bothering me for their benefit and own good. Well, I should say that I ignore others that I don't interact well with, which is the vast majority of people. It's sad I know, but that is how my coping mechanisms were developed most of the time. I mean, I was ignored and made an outcast by many so I just returned the same actions a good portion of the time. I ignore and neglect attention, until either the party who is vying for my attention loses interest in me and goes away leaving me alone pretty much from then on. Or else until my bad luck made their lives enough of living hell to drive them away from me running and screaming… many times like little girls. I have had some who have reacted like that or rather to my bad luck in that fashion.

It hurts to see it happen though it is in a meaningful way rather comical to see some people… usually male run away while screaming like a little school-aged girl! It's the biggest reason that I am usually alone. I am not helping my mood with this tangent of thought, am I?

[Good of you admit it to yourself.]

…Don't go too far Narrator. So, back to my splitting headache, I was in the process of experiencing Lara being the cause. Her actions though unlikely meant to grind down my resistance by the way she was presenting her feelings towards me were doing exactly to that intended outcome. I wasn't happy about her doing such things to me since I'm not someone who likes to be forced into anything, either begrudgingly into something or dragged kicking and screaming! I'm even less so on stuff I have never done before as I would rather choose to do whatever the event is. That said, I was starting to consider the kicking and screaming scenario as a good looking option for me in this.

With Lara's administrations, I was having difficulty concentrating like I normally can in tough times. Lara was forcefully driving me out of my comfort zone without having the courteously asking me if I was fine with this AND was dragging me away while I was for the moment figuratively kicking and screaming, that's my dilemma in a proverbial nutshell. I won't stand for this as I like everyone else have limitations to how long I can endure something. When I hit mine… well, let's just say it can make 'hell breaking loose' look like not such a big deal on occasion! Even the devil shakes at some of the times I have completely lost it. Hey, you down below, START QUAKING PUNK, TROUBLE'S ABOUT TO START COMING!

Our group, being made up of my friends and I had been walking towards the temple. As I had come to my decision I stopped and I was going to put my foot… uh, paw down! This ridiculous situation ends right here, right now as I was done taking this kind of crap! I swung my head to face Lara's face with my own face twisted with barely contained anger, "Lara enough is enough! Let go of me and give me some space now," I snapped.

Lara was surprised enough that she did exactly what I told her to do while Spyro and the others stopped looking at me worriedly. I wasn't able to stop myself as I was using all the mental control I had to keep my emotions from exploding out. So, I continued with my frustrated tirade, "Lara, I think I have been very nice about this for the last few weeks before you went back to Carona for a week, but this has gone on for too long now!"

Lara looked at me confused, "What are you talking about?"

Really?! What am I ! #% talking ! #% %^%$# $#^#$

[Saber, watch your language if you please, bleeping and blurring things costs you know.]

Narrator, you can go *%$& the #% #$ off for all I *$$ #$ care right now! I'm !#! $ mad and so, there's no # Q! $% #$ # filters for my #$ %# language, so ! # %#& deal with it! ! $#!%... What I meant to say is &$%^#... Narrator… what the ! #! $ #!$#! Fine, send me the bill for the censoring you're doing ! #$ #! right now. I feel the real #*# #$ need to ! $#! #%#$ vent so let the ! ^$# potty language begin!

So as I was !#! $ saying to you all ! &$##$ listening to my tale, Lara doesn't appear to have a ! $#% #$^ idea what she's been ! #$! doing to me! And it's bugging the ! ^$##$ hell out of me I tell you ! #$^ !$!$ it! What by the ! #! nine ^%*%& circles of HELL has been going through the &#$%'s head up till now?! Actually, I really don't want to ! #$# know any more! …Hey Narrator, what's my tab up to with the censoring you've been ! % # doing?

[Let's see, with the curse I just bleeped, that comes out to $155 thus far.]

…Wait, I've cursed… I'm being charged $5 a curse?!

[That's what it comes to between the bleeping and blurring.]

!# ##% you Narrator!

[$160]

I took a deep breath to calm myself a little before I kept going where I had left off, "What am I talking about? For the love of," I managed to hold back the curse as I'm being charged for them right now. "You, hanging over and on me, most of the day, invading my personal space, restricting my breathing area and nearly suffocating me! Is any of this ringing any bells whatsoever for you Lara?," I all but snarled.

I was breathing with laboring difficulty as I somehow kept the lid over my feelings in place. And ! #$$# you, you ! %$ Narrator!

[$170 so far Saber, you may want to stop before the tab climbs too high.]

…anyway, Lara just gave me a blank expression to my attempt to help her see the issue and I stared at her incredulously. I put forth the remains of my mental discipline to rein in my flare of anger, fury, and rage that was quickly escalating at Lara's reaction to my own. I took slow deep calming breaths as I would for meditation and kept the curses down. Within a little less than a minute, I regain a modicum of my previous composure, though the rage and fury boiled within me still. I sighed before I continued, "Apparently not at all. I am aware that you have an interest in me as a potential mate. You have made that perfectly clear multiple times Lara. Yet, what you do not seem to understand, though I have told you so many times that I lost count of just how many times quite a while ago. And my answer to that is I am not ready for such a relationship like that. So am not interested in going further at this time with it," I iterated.

Don't get me wrong, I was still frustrated at Lara, but wonderful logical sense had asserted itself by now and was saving my sanity from the precipice that it had been hanging from. Lara had shown she cared about me and I can respect that even if I don't prefer her method. The dragoness just didn't comprehend that there is such a thing as showing too much affection and she had been doing that to me a lot lately. There are a time and a place for things of that nature and she hasn't shown any of it in any of those places yet. She is merely ignorant of this subject as she has likely not had much if any experience in it, probably any more than I've had. Thank you, oh ever-reliable logic, you are ever the lifesaver I've come to depend on at hard times.

I noticed that Lara's expression became a little desperate to which a paid little attention, instead of focusing in on simmering down my fury and rage. Someone needs to keep a cool head and it normally falls to me for whatever reason, so I can't go losing it. "Saber, I know you still are learning what it means to be a dragon, but," Lara started.

The process of calming down I was doing had a serious hiccup at hearing that from Lara. My frustration crashed into me again and it took effort from snapping at the purple dragoness. I had to question what Lara was getting at and why she was insisting to frustrate me so. What does my being a dragon has to do with this at all? Whether I'm a dragon or human this subject would be the same, Lara had been going beyond encroaching my personal space and I wouldn't have that continue regularly. My emotions were heading toward a boiling point and that wouldn't end well for either of us, so I had to take some deep breaths before anything else was done. And after calming down a bit I refocused on Lara, "The fact that I am a dragon does not have any effect on this. When will you get the point that your upbringing and mine have been vastly different? How we see and do things are worlds apart," I reasoned with a bit of difficulty.

My logical sense was trying its utmost to calm me back down to a level that I wouldn't be in danger of having what is akin to a meltdown for me. I haven't had one of those occur for years and the last one hadn't been pretty in the slightest, so avoid them the best I can. That in mind, I took the mindset that I have when I meditate and took deep calming breaths again over and over to reclaim calm within myself and without. The lesson of things said in anger is hurtful and end in regret was one I've been self-taught several times and I don't want to do again right now.

I met Lara's gaze again and saw her face had changed… a lot in fact, when I studied it. Whereas I had taken the time to calm myself down, Lara had gotten angry and now looked more than just ticked about something. Now where did this come from, I haven't the faintest clue. Although, me ticking off others isn't uncommon exactly, but I normally can figure out what I did to bring something on. In this, I want to know is what brought this about, because I can think of nothing thus far that would result in this. Nothing I said should have resulted like this yet, "Yes, you may be right in that, but you would not understand," Lara snapped

I blinked trying to figure out what in the hell Lara was talking about as I was becoming lost in the direction and subject matter of the conversation. Her reply didn't make sense to me or any of my mind's processing it was doing right now and my mind was just sending back a whole lot of nothing to me from the input I got from Lara. Are we still even on the same subject matter or have we moved on to something else and I missed the transition? The more I thought the more I felt I was missing something because it seemed that we were speaking about two different ideas. Then if Lara's mad at me about something, then I can't think of anything I have said or done for her to be this mad about. I took a deep breath and took a few seconds to regain the rest of my calm, logical mindset once more. "What would I not understand Lara," I asked in a calm tone that I didn't entirely feel.

There came the nagging feeling I would very soon shortly regret asking what she was talking about after I had asked my question. This conversation was going south, and when I say south, I mean as FAR south as things can go. As if to confirm my thoughts, Lara's face further twisted in anger as she replied to my question, "You always act as if nothing is wrong. Like nothing is going bad for you," she snarled.

Act as if nothing is wrong? What is she going on about… oh, I think she means one of my most used coping methods. That being an extremely optimistic viewpoint to the extent that I can be considered a real lunatic or that I'm off my rocker! Uh, where do I start in this explanation, a question I'm finding I ask myself a great deal lately. This doesn't bode well as I think I can see the direction this is going and it isn't something that should be discussed in public places. Yeah, definitely not in public as an audience would make this scene much worse than it already is. I swallowed, "Um Lara, not that I am against having this discussion about this subject, yet I think it would be better to talk about this kind of thing in a more private setting rather than here where a crowd would watch from the sidelines."

The best course of action to take right now is to get her calm enough so that we can go somewhere we don't get an audience and resume this conversation there. It would end much better for both of us if we didn't do this with a peanut gallery as we would have here. And for a brief moment, I thought I would be able to calm the dragoness down so that we could go elsewhere, but no, it didn't work out that way. "There you go again, delaying," Lara snapped.

Delaying she says? I'm the one keeping calm and she's the one that is snapping here. I've never been a good deal with those that are emotional, myself included sad as it may be, it's the truth. Trying to calm down Lara is going down the blasted toilet faster than just flushing it and that wasn't helping at all. I looked around at the others and the place about us, to take stock of the situation and what met my gaze didn't encourage me in the slightest!

Oh, had been concerned with being in public with this issue, but I was becoming extremely worried as I saw the crowd gathering into an audience that I wouldn't doubt will be a very unfriendly peanut gallery. Granted, Seth along with Spyro, Cynder, and Fredrick was trying to control the observers which were increasing in number. They did a good job of their credit at first at least, but as the minutes passed my friends had an increasingly difficult time controlling the crowd. Cyra and Tarra were staring at us with worried expressions to which I couldn't blame them. Tarra was even starting to tremble slightly, maybe this is scaring her? I can't say for sure if that is the case.

I sighed at seeing the situation that was quickly spiraling out of control. What had started out as a demanding space from me was turning out to be a far messier affair. This wasn't going to end on good terms for either Lara or myself, I could tell already and that didn't sit well with me. And what's worse is I seriously doubt there is anything I can do now that can salvage this anymore. Well, it never hurts to try at least though, I feel this was only going to produce regret for likely both of us. "I would not say I am delaying, more trying to wait until we are not in front of others to discuss this topic. I assure you that there is some subject you do not talk about in public as it does not go well at all."

I tried to explain logically why this discussion should take place in private, it was the wise thing to do really. Lara was obviously becoming hysterical and inconsolable at the current moment and it was making this become worse rapidly. I was hoping to diffuse this situation and then Lara and I can have this talk without the peanut gallery that is currently building to horrendous size. However, any chance that went off the window when I saw Lara's expression of antagonism, "You do not have any idea what it is like to be different than everyone else," she replied.

I had to assert firm self-control that went beyond my usual levels of mental discipline at that statement. It struck a nasty old chord in me that I had always had difficulty ignoring if not nigh impossible to dismiss. I may have the coping mechanisms and habits where I conformed my behavior that now that saves me a great amount of trouble and problems. However, I have never forgotten the earlier day when that wasn't the case, even though I have tried to forget those times. And so, I clenched my jaw hard enough that I began to taste blood in my mouth. I did this to keep myself from blowing up about what Lara had said. It wasn't worth the pain that would follow nor was it worth throwing away the effort I was putting forth to keep my emotions and feelings in check.

Lara doesn't understand and how could she possibly do so as I haven't said anything about my early years of life and how they were. I avoided doing that so that I wouldn't be forced to recall those memories I hated so much. I buried memories of those dark days for good reason and it never helps to dwell on them. Yet, my logical mind then came in once more to save me once again. Lara was distraught right now and so was saying things she, I would bet didn't really mean. She wasn't like this normally, so I need to be understanding and tolerant of her actions. Yes, thank you once more Logic for keeping me on the right path and keeping me from losing my temper.

Nevertheless, that didn't stop some flashes of the memories coming to my mind of those days I so detested. I kept taking deep calming breaths as if my life depended on me doing so; as pieces of those memories began to hit me hard.

"Look at him. He is so weird. He doesn't belong here."

I shoved the line back into the recesses of my mind and exercised effort to ignore it the memory fragment. It had been said by kids after they had beaten me up when I was younger and back during those times I really believe were what hell would be like. I made myself forget the majority of those times for my own good and sanity. The beating had been an almost daily occurrence and the things that had been said weren't nice. Forgetting those memories was the way I dealt with the horrible times in my life before things changed for the better before I became the person I am now. I still heard Lara giving her tirade, "When everyone else treats you differently."

My head fell slightly as my mood took a serious dive and I was forced to take deep calming breaths which were starting to be less effective on dulling the growing fury and rage that boiled within me. Lara's words made it harder to suppress the memories of my past that I didn't want to face again. The dark days that made me think many things I shouldn't ever have even let come to my mind! I had thoughts and desires I should never have had along with the influence 'Shae' had on me. I haven't had those thoughts often since then, thanks to Master Kai. My logical mind began to be drowned out by… other less logical and nice thoughts. 'She had no freaking clue what being treated differently really means, does she?!' I instantly pushed such a thought aside as they were not helping me at all right now. That would only make this worse and that is the last thing that is needed. Lines like that came from Shae and I don't want or need his input on this any more than the devil would give me.

Unfortunately, more and more pieces of those horrible experiences came out as Lara kept going. Along with those memories came the horrible feelings of blind undirected hatred and the cold inescapable loneliness of my miserable life as it had been. The fragments of memory pieced themselves together and I had to see and relive them right before my eyes.

I found myself looking up at the group of boys that had taken the last thirty minutes to use me as their punching bag. I was bruised all over and had a black eye. My clothes had been ripped by the beating I had gotten from this group. I clenched my teeth as I heard a couple of them were chuckling at my messy appearance that they had caused.

"Aww is the little freak going to cry for his mommy," sneered the leader and some of the boys laughed at this.

I stayed quiet knowing if I said anything it would only cause them to beat me up some more. It was always the same, one of the local groups of bigger boys would beat me up every other day. they seemed to have an agreed-upon schedule on whose day it was to beat me up. If I talked back it earned me an extra beating. I seethed in silent fury and hatred of these bullies and those like them! I have asked my uncle if I can take self-defense classes, but he says I don't need them since he seems to ignore my appearance lately. The boys continued to laugh at me until the leader started talking again. "Oh yeah that's right, you don't have a mommy anymore. Both she and your dad went and got killed in an accident. I bet they were tired of you and left," the leader jeered.

"Yeah, who would want to be around a freak like you," teased another.

They all started to laugh and throw taunts at me as they did so.

"Freak!"

"Weirdo!"

My body began to tremble on its own as I remembered how much of a miserable living hell my life had been. That's what I had been in before I had walked by the dojo and met Master Kai and he had changed my life. It had been a terrible prison, deep in the lowest pits of the abyssal of hell, the likes of which I couldn't escape from! I could have turned out horribly had I have not met Master Kai and I could clearly see that. And that was before I added my uncle becoming the douche bag he is now and a good portion of that from the alcohol of course.

Logical thoughts were becoming much less appealing the more I remembered for those days. The mean twisted thoughts like hat 'Shae' had started whispering to me just before the dojo were starting to get louder in my mind. Still, I had yet to hear the dark voice in my head yet and that was a mercy, but things he would have said still were creeping into my head! And so, it wasn't that much better than having Shae trying to tell me what I should do.

Returning to Lara's hissy fit that she was throwing while I was keeping myself from blowing up at her and ripping her fit apart. She says I wouldn't understand what it is like to be treated differently as an outcast specifically. To be brutally honest, I can comprehend the idea more than she ever could imagine in her worst nightmares. After all, I have had to live through being treated worse than she is recounting for years up to coming to the dragon realm. She was just avoided according to her accounting, not beaten up three to four times a week at a bare minimum and usually once a day. Granted, my life is of better average quality than it once was but, not by as much as others might think and it is due to my efforts of changing things. Local bullies don't beat me up for two reasons anymore, they know I can whoop them far worse than they can beat me, and most of them have understood I can get them back in ways they cower at.

So, I stated that Lara didn't understand what being treated differently means as I know it at all. I heard Tarra speak up trying to calm Lara down, "Lara, m-maybe you should c-calm down. Y-you should not say s-such things."

I was doing what I could to ignore the thought that was crying for me to snap at Lara, but their volume was getting louder. The problem was I didn't felt nice or calm and Lara didn't help me with keeping my temper. Honestly, controlling my emotions was becoming a real challenge now, close to a losing battle though not completely yet. However, it did seem that Lara had things to get off of her back and better now than later since she's started already I guess.

So, I raised my left forepaw to silence Tarra trying to get Lara to stop even when it was thoughtful of her. Lara was unlikely going to stop in her tantrum, so it is best to let her get it out of her system. Even if it was causing memories that I went to great lengths to forget through suppressing them. It would do her good to get this off her chest now that she had started as I have experience on how good venting is. Yes, that is the nice thing to do for her, the things… and lengths I go… for my friends. "No Tarra. If she wants to say this then she might as well say it and get it off her mind," I stated evenly.

I gazed at Lara forcing a smile, which seemed to incense her more. I then, motioned with a forepaw for her to continue and continue she did, "You were off in some other place without a care at all. Have others to care about you beyond being what you are," she went on.

I wasn't actively listening to Lara, but then I was keeping a lid on my temper that was trying to boil over and burst out of me. It isn't Lara's fault she is taking hard shots at my mood sending into a tailspin. For Lara had apparently forgotten the chat we had back in Carona and some of the things I had told her. Granted, I skipped over most of the time before the dojo however, I thought I had given enough of an impression to get across how much I hated what my life had been like. Baring the gap there was in draconic linguistics and the human counterpart, I assumed I'd accurately portrayed what my life has been like, in a simplified form, which was a miserable living Hell!

Unfortunately, Lara and my other friends don't seem to grasp even after the extensive explanations I have given them. The human race and society ISN'T kind or nice to those who are different from the accepted norm and I had been forced to learn that over and over. Joy, I get to deal with an extremely emotional female. LoGical… thoughts… can… go to FREAKING HELL! I have had enough of this reminder of the hell I had to live through when I was younger! And so, I'm embarrassed to say that I snapped at this point and lost control. In my defense, I suppress them for others and myself for many fricken frack DARN REASONS! The rage that I had been holding back exploded in me and I, for one of the few times in my life lost complete control I had over myself and especially my emotions. Lara was glaring at me not backing down when I focused back on her, "Is that all you have to say on this matter," I said in a quiet and cold tone.

I dared her to reply to me so that I could put her in her place and do so in an unquestionable manner. "I mean what I said," Lara snapped back at me.

Thank !$##!$ you for the setup, I will !#$ #$ do my utmost to put her in the proper place! ALL $$# ! RIGHTY THEN! I WILL #$ #$ GIVE YOU THE SHOWLACKING YOU WILL NEVER FORGET, YOU ^&#$%%# DUMB WANTA BE DRAGON $# $^^$ PRINCESS! I had hoped to avoid doing this to a friend, but I couldn't help it by this point as I was enraged and livid! Lara had brought out one of the worst sides of me that being when I snap and like any other, I can. For a few times, this had happened, I made the devil himself look like a saint compared to me!

[Up to $200 Saber.]

$&$ you Narrator! Like I was saying, I really, really don't like to reminisce about my past before the dojo. It's a VERY unhealthy practice for me, yet Lara was the one bringing up the subject of being treated differently. I might have been shunned a good portion of my life even with Master Kai being there for me. But in my early life was when I got well acquainted with the devil and he with me, the relationship wasn't a nice one at all! My bad luck didn't hit me back then like it does now. If it had the magnitude it does currently, then I would have died even I have to admit that as fact. My early years have been an unforgettable lesson of what it is like to be considered an outcast, to be called different, to be treated as a freak by others around you. I was trying to keep my breathing even, but I failed, a sign of how little control I had now.

"Well Lara, first allow me to say congratulations," I began with a smile, which promptly went away as I continued, "You have shown that though you look like an adult, you act like a child." Then my voice got a flat tone, "Nonetheless, I have to say, out of all the subjects you choose to claim I have no knowledge about, you choose the one subject, the one specific subject that I am far too acquainted with not to be an expert of. And one I admit, I have very unhealthy undealt issues with even to this day."

I took a deep breath before I started what would be a lecture I knew I would come to wish I never gave. However, I couldn't keep the raw emotion I was experiencing anymore, so here we go. "You think I do not understand what it is like to be treated differently," I stated. "Perhaps with dragon kind, I am still learning through experience of what that entails. However, I have seen enough to know it is far nicer than how humans treat those who are 'different' and THAT IS PUTTING IT DOWN RIGHT NICELY," I bellow at Lara.

I couldn't stop myself as I was so angry since it came from being forced to remember how alone I had been. I have issues that I haven't faced, I recognize that fact, but whenever I try to face these issues, I become like this, hence why those issues are still undealt with. I am so ashamed of myself right now as I kept going, "The Human world does not welcome those who are different. YOU, Lara talked about being avoided and I say if only that was all I had to endure, I would have welcomed it! You cannot seem to grasp the concept of what human society is like, even though I have tried to tell and explain it to you time after time! Though not all humans wish to hurt one another; there are those human beings who are rarely nice and kind to those who are different! Those people who get their kicks and boosting their own ego and pride by making others like myself completely miserable!"

I ask myself why am I doing this? It doesn't ever help and only makes things worse for me and you can shove it Mr. Narrator, no comments from you. Truthfully, I want to hide under a rock and never show my face to the light of day again for a long while. It was like my active mind was turned off and all the pent up feelings I had were flooding out. I wasn't able to keep the hatred and animosity that developed from the things that had happened to me from showing in my voice. Nevertheless, I was forced to watch as I continued not able anymore to stop until this tirade was done, "I have so many examples of that I do not want to count them! On many occasions, I would often be beaten up by other kids multiple times a week, often daily! And for no reason other than the fact that I was different half the time." My voice paused for a moment then kept going, "I was laughed at and not for doing things to be funny, but due to my misfortunes. I was often ridiculed by others and I am just getting started in how bad things were."

Have any of you listening felt so ashamed of what you do but you're so in the moment that you don't think about what you're really doing? I'm definitely having one of those moments right now and I want it to stop. I'm not fond of what has developed from my earlier life, it was unhealthy and just caused self-loathing. Plus, I could feel small tears forming as I kept going and that was rarely a good sign with me. I'm not one that normally gets what most would call emotional, comes from the self-control I have. However, I can get really emotional remembering how I was treated before I found my way to the dojo.

The collection of reasons should be obvious, I loathe those dark days when I experience horrible abuse and mistreatment. No child of any race that should be treated like I was, to be unwanted and despised. None should wish that they never existed and entertain thoughts of taking their own life. And yes, I had seriously considered suicide on the night before I met Master Kai, even had a sharp object to cut my wrists ready. Shae hadn't helped me much other than managing to dissuade me from taking my own life. That's why I say that meeting Master Kai was the "saving grace" of my life since it quite literally was. I heard my tirade continue, much to my utter shame, "However, mostly, I was treated as an outcast the majority of those around me. I was frequently called names such as; Freak, weirdo, a waste of space," my voice caught for a moment, "a mistake." I stopped again as then came the point that I don't admit, "someone that should never have been born."

I took some deep breaths though they didn't help in stopping the ranting I was doing, "I was used by others to make themselves feel better about themselves. I was shunned so badly I began to believe some of the things others said! There even came a time I wished I had never been born if what was being done to me was all my life was going to be! I was left utterly alone," I snarled, "No one cared about me AT ALL!"

Internally, I was in turmoil from talking about this just as I had been the two times I had tried facing my past before. I swore to myself that I wouldn't do this because of this type of thing to me and it never has ended well, even with Master Kai. It's why I suppress the memories, so I am not forced to recall how much a living hell I had trudged through.

Now, after taking a moment to look at this from a slightly different perspective, a point was becoming clear to me. Whenever I'm around Lara, I have difficulty with the employment of my normal methods at keeping calm and in control. I don't know what it is about Lara that causes this, but there is enough evidence to show me it isn't a fluke. It had taken time to notice this as it hadn't really happened before with anyone else that I could recall. Truthfully I haven't opened up to anyone like this except Master Kai and that took a while for him to get me to do it. So then, why am I close to spilling my closest guarded and darkest secrets to her without thinking?

I saw that Lara's expression had changed from anger to sorrow, "Saber I," she started.

A fresh wave of cold guilt washed over me and I felt even more horrible than I did before I had spouted that lecture. Not only from having to remember the past I strived to forget, but now that I have pretty much bellowed at Lara about it. It wouldn't be wrong to say I wanted to disappear from where I was and the situation I was in right now. And that thought gave rise to a type of epiphany, which was if I get away from Lara for a time, I might be able to sort things out. Unfortunately, that was much easier thought than done as I was too worked up and that put me into a rather foul mood. In the state I'm in, I become more cynical and sarcastic as a usual result which wasn't helping anyone at the moment. I heard my voice speaking again, "Thank you, Lara, you have reminded me of a fact that I cannot seem to escape no matter how hard I try. I am truly one of a kind and so completely alone in what I face and deal with. I will likely always be doomed to be alone for as long as I live."

My mind figuratively flipped back on and I was again able to get my body to listen to me for the moment. And I didn't waste the chance and so grabbed ahold of this opportunity for all it was worth. I turned on the spot and took flight leaving my friends where they stood to go and clear my head and sort things out. I pumped my wings hard, yet I really didn't think about the direction in which I was flying as I just had to get away from Lara and as fast as possible. I flew for almost an hour, which did help to calm me down and get things in a more agreeable order to sort things out with. And when I glanced around I found that I had ended out in a valley that held the cheetah village I went to for the "Hunting trips" I took at the times of Tarra's and Lara's mating cycles occurred.

As I knew the area well enough now from the visits, I went to a ridge that juts out into the center of one end of the valley. I went to it and after landing I laid down on the edge of the ridge and stared over the valley though I wasn't really looking at anything in particular. I didn't move much after laying down, just stayed there cursing myself about what had just happened. And honestly, not only was I sorting things out, but I was also wallowing in regret and self-loathing a bit and I knew it. I have no real idea how long I laid on the stone slab, but the sun had moved to be directly above me saying it was midday by the time I looked around and took in the world around me. My stomach was what brought me out of my thoughts as it gave a clearly audible growl, so I began thinking about looking for something to eat. I was thinking about what I could do for food when I caught a scent I recognized. I exhaled heavily knowing who was there, "What do you want Pathren," I asked in greeting.

The response I got to my greeting was the foliage behind me rustling and when I turned my head I saw a Cheetah emerging into the open. The cheetah's name was Pathren and he was one of the more reasonable and agreeable cheetahs I've met. He had off white fur with black spots, actually, he kind of reminds me of a snow leopard I'd seen once in a zoo more than anything. His eyes were an icy blue color and had catlike slit pupils. He is quiet most of the time I was around him, yet I have seen him when he is serious and I was impressed. The one other fact to note about him is that he is also the chief of the village in this valley as well. He is a much better chief than Chief Prowless in my opinion, at least he listens to what I say.

Pathren came up to be on my right and looked down at me and gave a soft smile or the cheetah equivalent. "You are here earlier than expected and it is unusual for you to just appear from what I have observed. With your previous timing and the things you have said, you were not expected for another few months at least," Pathren remarked, "So, what brings you here early?"

[Quite the loaded questions you get asked sometimes Saber, no?]

Not helping Mr. Narrator, kindly stay silent while I'm telling my tale. Back to the present before the Narrator interrupted with his opinion, I exhaled heavily in response. I'm not one that likes to talk about my problems with others often, tends to make things worse for me more often than not. However, I do know that I need to sort things out and a sounding board would not be a bad thing I suppose. Plus, I had been wallowing in regret and self-loathing for so long I couldn't stay silent about the crap. "What brings me around here early, me being a complete idiot which brought on by my usual female troubles," I answered.

Pathren's smile gained a mix of pity, "I see, came on earlier than expect then," he posed to which I nodded. Then Pathren continued, "Well, you are always welcome to stay in the village, the cubs always do enjoy your visits."

That invitation helped clear a great deal of the negativity that was weighing me down currently. A change of pace and scene would help me and as Pathren is inviting me, why not right? Those in his village are nice to me and don't see me as a weirdo or freak and I wouldn't say no to that. Plus, the cheetah cubs were adorable and I'm popular with them when I come around and that feeling is neat. So, I found myself smiling back at the invitation from my cheetah friend as he just seemed to know what to say at the right time. There was just something about Pathren that put me at ease, much like if you were in the company of an old friend you haven't seen in a while. I then took a moment to change into my human form, "Thank you kindly Pathren, I accept your invitation. I need a change of company and so it is much appreciated."

Pathren and I traveled the short distance from where I had been looking over the valley to the Cheetah Village. And when I walked in, the welcome I got was so different than what I'm used to receiving regularly. I was quickly surrounded by the cheetah cubs asking me about the things I had been doing and to play with them. The smile on my face just seemed to be fixed when I'm around this place and I felt… surprisingly happy in this village. Perhaps is it that I'm so used to being viewed as an outcast that the craving of belonging goes ignored normally. But to feel included and welcomed was great and the dojo was the last place I had felt this kind of emotion.

The time I had around the Cheetah Village did wonders for my mood and mind, definitely needed the time. I'd had lunch at the village and played with the cheetah cubs for a time before I decided to head back to Warfang. I did thank the Cheetahs for their hospitality and changed back to my draconic form. When I glanced up to determine how long I'd been away, it was afternoon by what I could see. So, I took flight and started back in the direction of Warfang and the flight was quiet as I had expected it to be. The sun was a small bit over two hours from setting by my estimation when Warfang came into my view. With the time to deliberate, I had been able to really assess my actions with Lara and knew that I would need to find her and apologize. We would need to also discuss thing going forward as I don't what a spat or fight like this one had been again soon.

-Tarra's pov-

The fight that had happened between Lara and Saber had been unexpected when it came. Honestly, I did not know that Saber had disliked what Lara had been doing around him for he had said nothing before. The fight had quickly escalated with Lara and Saber saying mean things to one another. Lara had at first been confused at what Saber was having an issue with when he had told her to give him some space. Saber's reaction did say that he had noticed that Lara was showing her interest in him as a mate, which Saber doesn't say or give a lot of signs to say he acknowledges others' actions directed at him.

Saber had tried to explain things to Lara and he had calmed down a bit as he had. And yet, Lara hadn't understood what Saber had been saying, though some of the things he had said were odd and confusing. When the volume of both Saber's and Lara's voices had increased, I had started to panic. And things had gone worse when Lara had started talking about her issues of being seen different than others. She always is in a bad mood when she gets into that subject and she normally does not talk about it.

Saber's other friends tried to get things to calm down, Cyra even attempted to help me not panic. When Lara had started with her telling of her younger years, Saber had said nothing just looked like he usually did and that made Lara even madder. Saber had then tried to say to Lara that they could talk in private and I had hoped that she would agree, but she did not. In fact, as Lara had gone on, the expressions that had gone across Saber's face had scared me. I had made one attempt to calm down Lara, but Saber had stopped me saying that Lara should finish. What followed that was horrible in so many ways for both Lara and Saber. Why Lara was so mad I do not know, but I thought she went a bit too far, but none of that point matter now. The things that Saber said hurt to hear as much as what they said about him and what he endured as the tone he said them in. It was the first time that I had seen Saber 'mad' and I did not like what I had seen.

The things that Saber according to his words he was put through was worse than anything I could imagine. That he was abuse and ignored was terrible and that humans would harm another to make themselves feel better is horrible. And that he had even once wished that he had not hatched, what has to happen for any to have thoughts like that?! But what had shocked me was the sight of tears that had been coming from Saber's eyes as I had not ever seen Saber shed tears before. For him to be alone for so long enduring, none should be forced to live like that, and then for Saber to end out the way he is, I cannot figure out how he did it.

When Saber's tirade stopped, Lara had been in quiet shock before he had flown off somewhere. Lara just stood there staring after Saber with a look of shock that was slowly turning into horror. I walked up to Lara and put a paw on her back, "Lara, a-are you o-okay," I had asked in a shaky voice as I was still scared with what I had seen.

Lara had not answered me right away but had begun shaking in obvious fear at the development that had come. However, after a bit, Lara did speak, "What," she had uttered in a whisper, "what have I done?"

Lara's tone of voice had worried me a lot since she sounded like she had lost something precious. But then Saber had flown off to parts unknown and none could say if he would even come back. I really hoped that he would return after some time, I know I would miss him more than words could say. I admit that I love him, though I haven't been able to tell Saber that directly yet.

Fredrick had been the one to answer Lara, "I am sorry to say it, Lara, you drove Saber away for the time being. You said a lot of mean things to him though he said a lot of things he should not have as well."

Lara did not seem to hear Fredrick's second half of his second sentence as she went into a panic. "No, no, no, no, no, he must hate me now," she said to herself, "What do I do now that he hates me?!"

I had tried to help Lara know that she was not bad, and that Saber probably just needed some time to calm down. Lara is my best friend and so, I didn't want her to hate herself for one fight that happened between her and Saber. "Lara calm down, I do not think Saber hates you," I had told her. "I would not doubt he is kind of mad at you right now, but I would not think he hates you."

Unfortunately, Lara hadn't said anything and had just wandered off looking sort of lost which worried me. I had wanted to follow her but I had been stopped by others being told to give Lara some space even when she was hurting. I had shortly after being told, gone after Lara to make sure she was okay and did not do anything foolish. I had started my search after lunch and my worry about Lara grew with the time that passed and me not finding her. I believe that I search most if not all of Warfang and still had not found Lara and I was really starting to panic.

I had gone back down to the lower part of Warfang still fretting that I hadn't found Lara when I spotted something white. When I focused and looked closer at what the white I had seen, I discovered that it was Saber himself. I quickly closed the distance between where I was and Saber was coming into land. If anyone knows what to do, it would be him, he had found Lara before when none of the rest of us could. He landed in the square by the time I reached the area near him. I could not stop myself, I lept at Saber and hugged him hoping that he could something and find Lara. And though I am not normally loud, I could not stop the shriek that came from me as I hugged Saber, "SABER! PRAISE THE ANCESTORS YOU ARE BACK AND SAFE," I shrieked. "THERE IS REAL TROUBLE AND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO!"

I then move my paw to be one Saber's shoulder and began shaking him as I continued with a little less volume. "Lara has disappeared after the fight you two had and I cannot find her! I do not know if she is even around Warfang and I am so worried about her right now! Please, you have to help me find Lara before something bad could happen to her. I do not want to lose my best friend," I exclaimed to Saber.

Saber did not say anything when I stopped shaking him but shook his head before shoving a paw over my mouth silencing me. He was breathing a bit hard and had a grimace on his face, "For the Ancestor's sake Tarra, are you trying to rupture my eardrums," Saber demanded. "How do you expect me to understand what you are trying to tell me when all I hear is you shrieking incoherently into my ears?!"

I know that Saber is right in not understanding me, but I was having trouble keeping myself together right now. My best friend was hurting and could be in trouble and I can do nothing to help her. Saber pulled back his paw allowing me to speak again, "I am sorry Saber, it is just," I got out but then my voice break and I could not help sniffling as the tears started coming.

Saber stared at me and a frown came to his face as he kept looking at me, "Um, Tarra what is wrong," he asked.

I swallowed trying to calm down enough to tell Saber what was going on since I felt I needed his help. He was the one I turned to for help at a time like this as I could think of no one else that could help me find Lara. I took a breath, "Lara she," I choked a bit and had to breathe in and out for a moment, "she has disappeared."

That was all I could get out before my emotions overwhelmed me and I hugged Saber sobbing. I did not want to lose Lara, she had befriended me when others had avoided me. She helped me through some of the hardest experiences I have ever gone through. And yet, when she needed a friend to be there for her, I had not stepped forward and done what I know I should have. And now Lara could be anywhere and in trouble, I just cannot stop worrying about her. Still, somehow, I found some comfort hugging Saber, he put me at ease for some reason that I could not explain. Saber didn't say anything to what I had told him, I was guessing that he was thinking about what to do about Lara, at least I hope that he could help in this.

"Listen, Tarra, you need to calm down," Saber stated firmly.

I tried to stop the sobbing and sniffling but I couldn't with all the emotions that I was feeling. However, I did manage to lessen the volume of my sobbing yet I stilled stayed against Saber.

[It is not a bad thing to have a shoulder to cry on Tarra.]

I suppose you have a point Mr. Narrator, but I do not want to be a burden, especially not to Saber. I like him so much and he is so nice to me, so I do not know what to do around him.

[It is not my business to say, but I assure you, Tarra, you are not a burden to Saber.]

If you say so Mr. Narrator. So, as I hugged Saber, he did not push me away so I took that as he was not rejecting me taking some comfort with him. I shortly felt a paw on my shoulder patting me, which paw I realized belonged to Saber. "Um, it will be okay Tarra," Saber assured. "I do not know how things will work out in this, but they will trust me on this. Now take a deep breath and calm down," he suggested.

I did as Saber suggested and I felt the overwhelming sorrow and worry die down somewhat, though it did not leave me. I pulled back a bit and looked at Saber's face and saw that he was smiling at me. His smile made my heart skip a beat and speed up, but also I felt so warm when I am around him. After a minute, I was able to calm down enough to tell Saber what had happened after he had left. His reaction to what I told him said it did not sit well with him that Lara had vanished. Saber did ask when the last time was that I saw Lara and I told him that she had wandered off not too long after he had flown off and that was the last time I saw her.

Saber's head lowered as I finished telling him what had occurred and he began muttering, "What a world-class idiot I am," he said softly. "Like I have not beaten myself up enough about this, now I get to do it all over again."

It was clear that Saber regretted the fight that had happened between himself and Lara as he sounded like he was blaming himself. But calling himself an idiot was not right, he is not a fool or an idiot. Saber is smart and thinks of things others do not and avoids trouble and helps others do the same. He has what he called bad luck which seems very similar to my series of misfortunes and manages to endure it. So, I gained a serious expression on my face, "You are not an idiot, Saber," I insisted and I fully believe what I was saying.

Saber blinked and stared at me for a moment, then he moved forward and hugged me gently which surprised me. Saber had never been the one to initiate gestures like this, it had always been me or Lara. I am not saying that Saber hugging did not feel wonderful, I was happy that he was doing this with me. In fact, I could not help the happy squeal that came out of me, "S-saber, w-w-what are y-y-you doing," I stuttered.

My heart was hammering in my chest, and if not for Lara having disappeared, I could not be happier with being like this with Saber. I cannot think of a time that I have felt happier other than being with my parents and Lara telling me she wanted to be my friend. None usually got close to me, with what the apes had done to me when I was younger, most gave me sorry looks or did not look at me directly. Saber was the first dragon that has been this close since my father, and I admit I like this feeling. And yet, I was also embarrassed as it is so rare for another to be so close, and it is kind of my fault too. I am skittish around others I do not know, it was because after the apes had hurt me, I was teased about my scars.

"I am sorry for scaring you Tarra, I never meant to do that," Saber told me. "Feelings that I have buried long ago came out and I lost my normally firm control on my emotions I have. I apologize that you had to see me like that." Saber paused for a moment, "I am not good with even talking about my past with others, so many issues I have not come to terms with."

I could not form words for a bit, I was so nervous and yet, so happy with being in the position I was with Saber right now. And then, my body was heating up with how embarrassed and joyful I was, even as I tried to calm down enough to say words. And after some time, I did get out words even if I stuttered, "It i-i-is okay Saber, w-we a-all have our p-p-problems."

Saber released me from the hug and my cheeks felt like they were on fire right now and I could not look at Saber in the eyes. The glimpses I did get of his face showed me that he was smiling at me which did not help me in my efforts to calm down. I could only sit on my haunches and cover my face with my forepaws not wanting Saber to see me as I was right now. I was not paying attention to the passage of time, but I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard Saber sigh. "Tarra you have nothing to worry about," he said, which got me to lower my forepaws as he continued, "I will go and find Lara and bring her back, I promise."

I blinked at what he said since I had been looking for Lara for hours and had not found any sign of her. And I know that Saber has proven that he can do what he says, but what could he do that I had not already? "B-but no o-one knows where s-she went and I have been looking for her for hours," I questioned.

Saber laughed at my question, "Tarra, I remind you that I found Lara before when no one thought I could and that was when I was human," he stated. "Now that I am a dragon, there is nowhere she can hide that I will not be able to find her," Saber said before chuckled. "I have found and been humbled by the abilities of draconic sense of smell and with my draconic nose on the job, I will hunt down where she went be it around Warfang or without the city," Saber returned before he let out a loud laugh.

Well, Saber certainly sounds confident about looking for Lara and I cannot think of what more I can do. So I giggled a bit at his attitude and confidence he had, "Well, okay then good luck I guess," I replied hoping and praying to the Ancestors that Saber would succeed where I had not.

-Saber's pov-

First, to you Mr. Narrator, shut your mouth, stay out of my business and don't tell others about things I don't tell them! Next, what a situation I find myself in or rather what a hole I have dug myself with losing my temper this time. I knew things would be bad when I got back from the time away, but I hadn't thought they would have progressed this far already. According to Tarra Lara hadn't taken what I had said well and had vanished after I had shot off. This day will be a long one I feel and I don't like those as it usually is long because I'm enduring and surviving rather than living.

I may have my issues with Lara currently, but it wasn't such a good idea for her to be unaccounted for. If Lara is outside Warfang that had more issues than if she was within and it is not a great deal of time before the sun actually sets. Ape activity had been on the rise, so Warfang and Carona are okay as they are safe and defended. Outside of that, only the cheetah tribe villages would be the few places that the apes really wouldn't strike as the apes would pay in high numbers for attempting such foolishness. Let me tell you, I've watched the idea and Cheetahs can really whoop some ape butts and it is awesome to see! Hyrule and other outlying settlements had been evacuated and the inhabitance had come to either Warfang or Carona for the time being since the Guardians' suggestion.

And for one of those few times, I had to say they were being smart in their actions as things are unstable lately. The apes had been rather quiet or rather haven't done anything big for a while and that made me suspicious of them planning something and I doubt that I'm the only one that thinks that way. I don't doubt they haven't forgotten the loss they suffered from the battle of Warfang, that magnitude of a loss is hard to live down.

So, in my absence, while I was cooling down, Lara's whereabouts and safety is being handed to me and came down to two choices as I see it. I could either leave Lara to her own devices or I could go out and find her putting myself at risk along with her in the process. The first choice was the pure logical decision with how things turned out after our fight. Lara had gotten herself into this current dilemma/mess, so she can and should get herself out of it. That's the usual consequence of most of life's decisions even if people don't like to accept that. It's a truth I've been forced to learn during my life over and over, whether I wanted to know it or not.

However, if I'm honest with myself, logic had been rather unhelpful to me today with how things had come to what they were right now. Or rather, I really hadn't listened to logic and that got me to this point even when I don't want to admit that. So, were I to choose option number one, it would be very mean of me and the unfriendly thing to do. Lara was and is my friend despite our recent behavior we have had to tolerate one another. I still want Lara as my friend since there aren't a great many that tolerate me being my normal and unsocial self. She also accepts me as I am and doesn't just tolerate me with the pain in the ! $!# I can really be at times, whether intentionally or me being me.

If I'm frank in this, there is really only one choice for me to go with as choice number one is an unacceptable action to me. That being said, I would be going and search for Lara wherever she is and deal with the risks it comes with. And I tell you in no uncertain terms that I will be putting myself at risk if Lara does turn out to be outside of Warfang. I am extremely likely by this point to be at the top spot of the apes' hit list with what I've done to them. Hell, I would be seriously shocked if I wasn't in the top ten if not the top five bare minimum! However, as I have stated before I will do almost anything to help a friend in need. No weather, be it whatever it is, no matter who I might have to go around or through, regardless of the distance or time it takes, when a friend is in trouble, they can count on me.

Calming down Tarra had taken time and had me out of my comfort zone as I'm no ladies' man and don't intend to be one ever. She had explained things to me and I got the general idea of what I would be fixing as seem to be becoming common as of late. Of course, when she had broken down, she was just so %^&#$ cute that I couldn't say no to help even when I wouldn't have.

…Narrator, why do you see the need to continue to #$! # censor the profanity I'm saying? You've made your point that you have the power to say things and prevent me from doing some things. Congrats about that for you, but can we ^% # move on and you let me *$%^$# cuss and ! #$ # swear in the way I want and let those listening to hear the tale in its original blunt form? This is getting # $ ^ annoying and ridiculous and I say let the &*^$^% profanity fly and be heard.

[That decision is mine to make Saber as you should know, and right now I'm not feeling inclined to stop. Your tab is up to $245 by the way.]

Really Narrator, then let's make it an even #%^$# two-fifty shall we?! Back to my tale, Tarra was being too darn cute for her own good not that I think she knew that. I had told her that I would go looking for Lara and as I had said to her, I had a draconic sense of smell, that will seriously help. There is no way that I can forget Lara's scent with how close she's been sticking since we met again. I was about to head off but then Tarra did something completely out of the blue that took me by surprise, that being licking my snout. I told her that we were good and apologized for scaring her again. So, I proceeded on getting right down to business and began hunting for the purple dragoness, time was of the essence after all.

It didn't take long for me to determine that Lara wasn't around the city as he scent led me outside quickly. Lara's wandering as Tarra had put it had been pretty much gone out of Warfang though not by the front gate she had flown out. When I got outside of Warfang, I took a moment to breathe deep to find the direction she went next. As I breathed in deep breaths I hovered around, searching for the smell and within a minute I caught the direction. Lara, as it turns out, had flown to the northwest from Warfang. I didn't waste any more time and just flew after the trial that was Lara's scent as I wanted to find her as soon as possible.

I don't want the apes to have the opportunity to take me down that I hadn't earned or instigated. Plus, Lara could be mistaken for Spyro and even if she wasn't she wouldn't popular with the apes either with having purple scales alone. She is nowhere near as unpopular as I am with the apes, but I don't think anyone can attain the kind of infamy I can bring myself. I mean, perhaps Spyro could if he were to team up with me, yet then I would just become even more infamous. This is so not helping solve the current problem at paw now and I have enough issues on my plate.

[Right you are Saber.]

…Anyway, I started to fly southwest following Lara's scent and set a fair pace as being slow was asking for trouble right now. I had to exert a lot of effort to ignore that her scent smelled very good and was extremely pleasant to my nose. I swear, it was sweeter than any #$ # candy I have ever had or smelled! I can't even describe why it smells so ^*%^ good nor can I compare it to anything else.

To help myself, I would shake my head regularly to stay focused on the task at hand instead of just how amazing Lara's scent was. The sun was beginning to get lower in the sky which meant that I had less than an hour if I'm lucky to find Lara. And I would hope I don't have to iterate to those listening how luck and I get along but this point. Also, it was just insane stupidity to fly at night for any, much worse for an individual like me! You might as well paint a target on you're # !% and in my case with a sign that says "I'm right here, hit me ya # $%^!$ #^#" then letting the apes take potshots at me. And so since I'm not inclined to let them do that without making things much more miserable for them, better to avoid the situation in the first place. It is basically the same idea either way with me, you just don't need the paint really, my scales do just as good at making me visible.

The longer I searched for Lara, the more I was impressed at how far she had gone from Warfang to assumedly get away from me! If that doesn't say how much a stubborn idiotic ape-like guy I have been as of late, I don't know what does. And look at me, I was once again beating myself up which doesn't help me find the dragoness I was hunting currently. Yet I was brought out of my thoughts when I got hit by a heavy amount of Lara's scent and I mean a HUGE amount more than I had been following. I stopped dead and flapped my wings to keep airborne and I inhaled and got another large dose of her scent slamming into my nose. Heck, it was hitting me so much that I got slightly dizzy and became very hard to think clearly.

I looked down at the ground below me since with the amounts of Lara's scent I was inhaling she had to be rather close. The amount alone was doing things to my brain that weren't good for me and was making my situation worse as time went on.

[Saber, we need to have a word right now.]

What the?! What the #$ $ do you want Narrator? Can't you see I'm busy telling my story to those listening?

[Uh, Saber, these police officers that just came in told me that you were wavering badly as you were flying. You care to explain to me why that might be, have you been drinking? I thought we discussed the problems that come with that.]

Wait, hold on Narrator, I wasn't straying and wavering as I was flying… much.

{Mr. Boolock, answer the question, have you or have you been consuming dangerous or questionable substances?}

No officer I swear I haven't been drinking! If anything, then I can be accused of not getting enough sleep to be fully aware!

{Well then, you wouldn't have an issue with taking a sobriety test.}

[Do as the officer says, Saber.]

Er sure, whatever you want to prove to you that I haven't been drinking crap I avoid.

{This line on the ground, you are to walk along it and do not deviate from it.}

What, you want me to walk along that line on the ground? Okay, that should be simple enough. I ask for a moment of your patience listeners, I'll get back to my tale momentarily once I satisfy this law enforcement officer. What the, hey officer, the line you want me to walk is rather squiggly you know.

{No it is not, it is a straight line.}

What the heck do you mean it's straight? No offense officer, but you should get your eyes checked if that's what you see.

[Saber, is there something you should say that you haven't?]

Well… okay, officer, I was inhaling on an amazing scent and it may have messed with my brain! I will neither confirm or deny how much I've been inhaling, are you satisfied officer?

{Yes, you are to be more careful going forward and you will have a $100 fine as well. Narrator, that will be all, thank you for your cooperation.}

[Of course officer. Now Saber, back you go to your tale and be aware how much of Lara's scent you breathe in, understand? And you are still going to pay the tab along with the fine, which tab is up to $285.]

…Yes sir, I'll watch myself from now on. So, back to my story then, sorry that you had to listen to that event.

I saw a body of water below that was too small to be a lake but too large to be a pond. Maybe you could call it a spring since I couldn't see anything feeding the body of water, so it was likely fed by groundwater of some sort. There were mountains within walking distance of the water and those mountains look to have caves in them. Now, if my eyes hadn't been deceiving me, I think I had gotten a glimpse of what had looked like the very same lake I had come to before getting to Warfang the first time. Anyway, my gaze halted on the cliff like ridge that jutted out of the mountains as on it was the dragoness I was searching for.

Would you look at that, I finally found her and my work and determination have paid off. It only took me pretty much the daylight hours I had left to work with when I set out on this. Well, looking at the bright side of things in this tense situation, I found her before it was fully dark at least. I banked and flew down before flaring my wings so that I would land quiet and unnoticed by the dragoness. My wish was that I didn't spook Lara, after all, I really need to apologize to her for the things that I had said or rather snapped at her. I wouldn't be able to move on if I didn't make my apologies even if she didn't forgive me. As I approached Lara she sighed, "I told you to leave me alone Tarra. I do not want to talk to you right now," she said in a tired and hurt voice.

Okay, I figure that she wouldn't believe I would come out even if I had shown that I would chase her down when I had a reason. I was silent at that statement thinking of how to broach this and have things go well. Heck, Lara didn't even turn around to look at her company when she had dismissed me. Lara's reply and tone of voice she had given it in said the purple dragoness was miserable. That being said, it would make talking to her harder than I had originally imagined it would be. You would think by her tone that someone had died recently for goodness sake! Well, perhaps the best way to do this is to snap her out of her 'pity party for one', the sooner, the better. "You done wallowing in your own misery and self-loathing, or will you be continuing your pity party for one," I asked flatly.

My voice got Lara to spin around and she gazed at my face, her eyes widening in horror at the sight of me. The odds of me doing well in this keep mounting against me and I'm not trying to have it that way. My biggest question is how much more will I hate myself for what happened before it's enough? "S-s-saber, what are you doing here," she stuttered with the tone of fear evident.

Oh, whoopty do, she is terrified of me right now which I was hoping wouldn't be the case but knew could be. This will be more of a challenge to straighten things out between the two of us than I had surmised. I rolled my eyes in response to that question, "Hmm," I began, "let me see, looking for you sounds about right. Why else would I come out all this way?" I shrugged then continued, "The view is nice and all, but it is a tad far to go for just that."

Lara wasn't reacting well to my attempts to talk to her and get her to listen to me, and I needed her to listen to me. And if Lara's eyes got any bigger, then they would be larger than any dinner plates I have ever seen and I have seen some pretty big ones. Either that or her eyes will pop out of their sockets, neither idea is all that appealing or relevant to this situation. "Why would you look for me," Lara asked shakily. drawing away from me a little.

Does she have to cower from me while she says that, it isn't helping either of us settle what we need to settle? This isn't going like I had envisioned, more like a crapshoot in reality and I don't like it and it needs to change. I could only let out a frustrated sigh at how this was turning out as ridiculous as this was becoming to me. The point of the matter is that we needed closure on our disagreement and the longer we put it off the harder it would be. And truthfully, with that closure, I didn't want Lara to fear me in the end, I have enough avoiding me already. So I just began getting out my thoughts, "Because you are my friend and you should not be out alone with how the Dragon Realm is lately. Can I be any more plain and obvious about this, I would hope I do not have to be," I replied as if it should be obvious and from my perspective and it should be.

And yet, I'm coming off as an unfeeling sarcastic douche, aren't I? Wait, I guess I have kind of been one the last time Lara was around me so I'm not helping my position. Can I just get martyred or whatever and get it over and done with now, please?! This guilt and regret I'm feeling are doing real damage to me on the inside!

[Afraid that things like apologize don't work that way Saber. You have to take your medicine in this.]

Great, thanks for the encouragement Narrator, you really know how to make someone feel good about themselves. Lara in response to my explanation looked away from me and she was now in tears as she spoke, "Why are you still calling me a friend? You have to hate me now," she said, managing to hold back the sob, but only just.

I should've foreseen this would come up from the things Tarra told me, but I don't consider an emotional contribution. With what happened after I flew off, this was the predictable response even when I had hoped it wouldn't be. The tears though add a whole new blow to me that I hadn't prepared myself for and boy did it stab me in the heart. I've felt like a jerk before now, but usually, I don't care enough for it to hurt or the one that is receiving the jerk attitude deserves it. So again, I'm still learning what it is to have others care about me, years of experience has trained me to what it is to be ignored regularly.

Nevertheless, I think I should be the one saying the line she just did as I had been far more the jerkface than she had been when I lost my temper. I was the one who acted the world-class douche of an idiot and I won't deny it. I need to say my piece before this escalates, "Hey now," I started.

But Lara cut over me and acted like she hadn't heard me at all and kept going, "I acted so terribly," cried Lara louder than the last line she had said.

She isn't helping herself and her not listening to me is making this harder to deal with and settle. As the phrase goes, if once you don't succeed, then try try again I suppose. It is one that I do agree with to an extent and had proven right to me in the past. Plus, her sobbing was beginning to get worse as she went on and the deterioration needed to stop. I took a deep breath, "Excuse me, but," I interjected.

Yet, I was interrupted again by Lara, "I-I-I said such awful things to you," she screeched.

This is getting to be annoying the longer it goes on and I was trying to not be irked and be nice.

I've asked it before and I'll ask it again, why are we our own worst critics? We always do more harm than good, so why do we do this to ourselves? I asked that with myself in mind too, I've been beating myself up since cooling off and still have been doing so off and on. Her continued sobs didn't help with either side of this either and I wanted this to be done. So then, the third time the charm I guess, hopefully, "Now hold it," I said.

"You must hate me now," Lara cut me off and the tones in her voice spoke of despair.

This dragoness really isn't listening to me and I need to get out what is on my mind or I will keep beating myself up. If she can hear me at all that is and with her now outright balling, then I can't be sure if she can hear what I say. "Lara," I called a little louder to get her attention.

Lara just kept going where she had left off as if I wasn't even saying anything to her, "And if you hate me I do not know how I can live with myself," she howled with despair.

I don't like being ignored or talked over as I doubt any appreciate having done to them. Granted, I said that I'm accustomed to being ignored but I normally want that to be the case so that I can do things the way I want. But in this, I need this dragoness not to be the only one doing the talking, my side will be heard. Also, I have had enough of this crap, "LARA, LISTEN TO ME," I bellowed.

Lara went quiet when I bellowed at her and finally heard my voice and didn't just keep talking. Don't get me wrong, she still had tears streaming down her face as she looked at me, but she was paying attention now. I didn't like that she was sad and in the mood, she was in, nor could I explain why I disliked the point that Lara was feeling the way she was. Still, I finally had her undivided attention and that's what I needed right now. I took a moment to slow my breathing and then went on, "Listen, Lara, whether or not I hate you is first and foremost my decision and mine alone. And do not make assumptions as to what I think or feel, you would be surprised how different my views can be. Second, I do not think I could ever hate you Lara, be frustrated and annoyed by what you do at times, yes, but hate you, no." I paused then muttered my thoughts, "I hate myself far more right now."

Lara stared at me in shock at what I said to her, "You," she began, "do not hate me?"

She asked that question as if she was being offered a way out of hell and I say that knowing what that is like personally. I wonder if she even heard my last sentence of me saying that I hate myself right now. "I believe I just said I do not hate you," I returned.

The dragoness in front of me didn't look like she believed me when I confirmed her assumption as she echoed, "But I said those horrible things about you," she said. "How can you forgive me so easily," Lara questioned as tears started coming again at her statement.

Okay, can someone tell me in a way that I can understand that girls see the need to have a specific and sometimes detailed explanation to answer the 'why' for everything? Isn't me just saying that I forgive her, doing so just for the heck of it enough of a reason?

[A subject that you'll unlikely get an answer to Saber.]

Thanks for chiming in Narrator, not needed but thanks anyway. I exhaled, "Geeze, and here I was trying to figure out how to apologize for what I said and for blowing up at you." I grumbled, "Still, here we are with you begging me for forgiveness when it is I that should be doing so. I am the one who should be begging for forgiveness out of the kindness of your heart along with your understanding for the tantrum I had earlier."

Lara sniffled as she gazed at me in surprise at what I said to her and I just kept my mouth shut waiting for her reply. Yet, seeing as this conversation is most likely going to be a long one if Lara and her waterworks had any influence on this it would be, I say might as well get comfortable. Without further hesitation, I plopped down to my haunches and settled into a more comfortable position for long term unmoving time. It's surprisingly easy to settle into a "sitting position" as a dragon and not have pain come from muscle cramping. Who would have thought that would be the case?

I took a moment to think about how to word what needed to be said between us to have things end the best possible. Thankfully, during the time I used to settle down on my haunches, Lara was able to calm down enough to stop sobbing. With us more ready to have a proper conversation, I began, "Lara look, I think we both said things that," I hesitated, "we regret, some more than others. Our," I hesitated again, "shouting match had us saying things while we were blinded by anger and rage."

I stopped and looked down at the ground and frowned as I continued, "Those feelings came from times that neither of us wishes to recall if we do not have to, I know for at least me that is true. We did not think about what we were saying would do to the other later or the pain and sorrow it would produce."

I had taken the wisdom that I had been learning from Master Kai to heart and internalizing it so that it would serve me well later on. He may be old, but I've found that his "lines or wisdom" were actually really good advice normally in most things I deal with. In this instance, it is best, to be honest, and say what you think and try to help the listener understand things as you see them. "So, I want to say that," I paused for a moment, "I am sorry for what I said Lara. It was wrong of me to say that your past is nothing to have a problem with since I do not know what you had to go through. I was stupid and foolish, forgive me," I entreated. "I lost control over my emotions and," I hesitated and then kept going, "was really stupid. It happens when I get emotional, and I try to not let that occur often. But having to look back on the earlier years of my life brings back memories that," I stopped trying to come up with the words to get across what I wanted to convey, "Produce really dark and negative feelings for me."

-Lara's pov-

I had left Warfang as I need time to think among other reasons. I mean, Saber had flown off somewhere because I had snapped at him. Learning about his past was something I had wanted to do, but now that he had said more I wish I had not found out. Instead of staying around the city and other bothering me, I had just flown off and after a few hours, I had found this spring that was hidden away. I had shed tears at thinking that I had repelled Saber as that was the last thing I wanted to do. I loved him with all my heart, but Fredrick had been right when he said that I had said many mean things to Saber. I know I should have told him about what I had to endure after he and Koren vanished, but I had not gotten around to it yet.

Being a purple dragon or for me, a dragoness had not made things easy as many claimed it did. I had worked hard to prepare for what I was told would be expected of me when I was older. "To fight the Dark Master and their minions and save the realm" that was what was repeated over and over to me by most. That line had gotten tiresome quickly and I had grown to curse it silently as it was just a reminder that I did not get to choose what my life would be like. So much expectation and yet when I asked questions of those that were teaching me, I rarely got answers. Few if any understood that the "honor" I was shown was a form of freedom being kept from me in my view.

Then there was being treated differently than everyone else around me and that had come with other problems. Inclusion was something that did not happen to me often with my peers, I only got to watch as they played together. It got to the point that I would just approach and the games would stop and those my age would move elsewhere and continue playing. Really, Tarra was one of the very select few friends I had when I was younger since most would whisper about me far more than talk to me.

If being a purple dragoness wasn't enough to set me apart from those around me, my family made sure of that. Mom had once been well-respected and considered equal to the elders at one time. She was also one of the few that would normally answer questions I had even if not in the way I wanted. But then, my dad had "gone off" by what I was told and mom was never the same after that. She was okay at first as I remember, but after a year went by and dad had not returned, she had begun changing. It had been hard to watch mom lose herself and become as she had, quiet and distant. I can't remember much about my dad, he had gone when I was still young and before I had met Saber and Koren. From what others had said he was an explorer and a protector, but little else than that. Arkanis had said to me once that my dad had gone off looking for a means to defeat the Dark Master, but no even he could say if my dad had success.

I had been annoyed that Saber had not been responding to my interest I had been showing. I was trying to be patient as he has said that he has issues he is working on, but he did not appear to be moving forward. How could I have known that the way he acts had developed because he had suffered as he had? Being alone is bad enough, but to be seen as an outcast is worse. He and Koren had always been seen as different, but they had understood each other and later on me, so that had worked. To have been deprived of anything like that for years, I cannot imagine what that is like. And it had been clear that Saber had not come through what he had unharmed even if he had not said so specifically. However, what had I believe had hurt the most was when Saber had said that he had at one time wished he had not hatched. If Saber was not alive… I would be so lost right now and I do not know what I would do.

Of course, Saber had flown off and I was left knowing that I had hurt him and driven him away. And that is what brought me to where I was now, trying to figure out what I could possibly do to get Saber to forgive me if there was anything I could do. Yet, it was close to sundown when I sensed another landing behind me. I figured it was Tarra as she had been so worried about me that she would search for me until she found me. So, I sighed, "I told you to leave me alone Tarra," I said tiredly, "I do not want to talk to you right now."

I was in no mood to have someone attempting to tell me that things would work out and that I was not to blame. However, the voice I heard was the last one that I had thought I would hear, "You done wallowing in your own misery and self-loathing, or will you be continuing your pity party for one," Saber's voice asked flatly.

At hearing Saber, I spun around and found that I had not been hearing things as Saber was standing a short distance from me. But why is he here? I had said horrible things to him and he had run from me. "S-s-saber, what are you doing here," I stuttered with fear showing in my voice.

I was so scared that he would reject me and he would not give me a chance to be his mate at all. That would torture in a way I could not fathom right now and I never wanted to know what that would be like! And yet, with what I said, why would he want to be around a dragoness like me? With that thought in mind, the sorrow that had been weighing on me came back down on me. But Saber spoke again in response to my question, "Hmm," he began, "let me see, looking for you sounds about right. Why else would I come out all this way?" Saber shrugged then continued, "The view is nice and all, but it is a tad far to go for just that."

Did he come all the way out this way just to look for me? But that made no sense with what happened between us this morning. And Saber does not seem the kind to rub in things to hurt another, he is not like that, I know that. So, I cannot understand why Saber would travel out here searching for me. "Why would you look for me," I asked shakily before I drew away from Saber a little not wanting him to hate me.

Saber spoke again, "Because you are my friend and you should not be out alone with how the Dragon Realm is lately. Can I be any more plain and obvious about this, I would hope I do not have to be," he replied as if it should be obvious.

The words and tones did not match each other with what Saber said and that made me wonder if he was just saying things and not meaning them. It was similar to other times he said things that could be seen as mean before now. Yet, his facial expressions changed and he frowned but said nothing right away. Honestly, I cannot see Saber still seeing me as a friend after the fight we had. And tears began flowing at thinking how our friendship could be over, "Why are you still calling me a friend? You have to hate me now," I commented managing to hold back a sob, but it was hard.

And it did not take long before I could not keep the pain and sorrow inside myself anymore. Saber sounded like he was saying something, but I started sobbing, "I acted so terribly," I cried my voice gaining volume.

This is so horrible, the dragon I wanted so much to be my mate hates me now. He was one of my first friends and now because of my actions all that is ruined! Saber kept saying something but I could not stop, "I-I-I said such awful things to you," I screeched.

My world was over, Saber hating me made the world a cold and dark place and I could not stop my thoughts coming out. "You must hate me now," I sobbed in despair. "And if you hate me I do not know how I can live with myself," I howled.

What would I do now? "LARA, LISTEN TO ME," Saber bellowed.

My head snapped back to looking at Saber and I had flinched with him yelling as he had. There were still tears streaming down my face, yet I could not speak at the moment. Saber instead began talking after taking a deep breath, "Listen Lara, whether or not I hate you is first and foremost my decision and mine alone. And do not make assumptions as to what I think or feel, you would be surprised how different my views can be. Second, I do not think I could ever hate you Lara, be frustrated and annoyed by what you do at times, yes, but hate you, no." Saber paused then muttered some more, "I hate myself far more right now."

Saber did not hate me? Had I just been hearing things and letting my hopes be restored to be broken again? I wanted to believe Saber had said he did not hate me, words could not accurately say how much I wanted to be true. Nonetheless, I had to know if he had said that or if my mind was just playing tricks on me. "You," I started, "do not hate me?"

I waited for Saber's reply, praying to the Ancestors that I had not been hearing things a moment ago. "I believe I just said I do not hate you," Saber returned calmly.

He said it again, so that means that I was not hearing things and Saber really does not hate me? But how can he forgive me for what I said to him so easily? I had been so mean saying he did not understand what I had experienced when he had endured worse. "But I said those horrible things about you," I reasoned. "How can you forgive me so easily?"

The tears started coming again as thoughts that Saber could not forgive me so easily sunk in.

Saber's exhale came to my ears, "Geeze, and here I was trying to figure out how to apologize for what I said and for blowing up at you." he grumbled, "Still, here we are with you begging me for forgiveness when it is I that should be doing so. I am the one who should be begging for forgiveness out of the kindness of your heart along with your understanding for the tantrum I had."

I sniffled as I gazed at Saber in surprise at what he said, he did not say anymore appearing to be waiting for me. I did not know what to say really since Saber had been blaming himself for the fight between us and what had resulted. Yet, Saber took the time to sit on his haunches and shift his weight getting comfortable. I was thinking about what I could say to Saber to say how sorry I was for what I said to him. I managed to stop the tears and the sobs as I believed Saber when he said he did not hate me. However Saber spoke before I could, "Lara look, I think we both said things that," he hesitated, "we regret, some more than others. Our," Saber hesitated again, "shouting match had us saying things while we were blinded by anger and rage." Saber's gaze fell to the ground and he frowned, "Those feelings came from times that neither of us wishes to recall if we do not have to, I know for at least me that is true. We did not think about what we were saying would do to the other later or the pain and sorrow it would produce."

My voice was not doing what I wanted it to right now. I wanted to hug Saber and comfort him as this was clearly a difficult subject for him. "So, I want to say that," Saber paused for a moment, "I am sorry for what I said Lara. It was wrong of me to say that your past is nothing to have a problem with since I do not know what you had to go through. I was stupid and foolish, forgive me," he entreated. "I lost control over my emotions and," he hesitated and then kept going, "was really stupid. It happens when I get emotional, and I try to not let that occur often. But having to look back on the earlier years of my life brings back memories that," Saber stopped again but shortly continued, "Produce really dark and negative feelings for me."

He is not alone with the past holding hurtful feelings, it is much the same for me too. And it was a moment later my voice started working again, "Wha," I uttered. "No, I should be the one saying I am sorry." Voicing my thoughts was harder around Saber than it normally was right now, "I have not been thinking about how you feel lately and have been pushing you to make a decision when I should not have." I looked away from Saber, "I said things about how you did not understand things that you clearly do." I stopped then got out what was scaring me the most right now, "I-I just do not want to lose you!"

Saber did not say anything for a moment but then spoke, "Thanks, I think. You know what let us just forget what was said to each other earlier today and go on from there," he said.

My head snapped back to look at him, not believing I heard him right. With what had happened between us, how could we just pretend nothing happened?! My maw fell open and I could not say anything for half a moment. Then I began sputtering, "B-b-but forgetting what was said just like that is," I got out.

Yet, Saber put one his forepaws over my maw silencing me, "As easy as just forgetting what happened. Listen to me Lara," Saber stated firm tones, "It did NOT happen, got it?!"

I slowly nodded as Saber smiled with me agreeing with him before he glanced up at the sky. I looked up too and saw it was essentially dark by this time, "Well, it looks like we will be here for the night since there is not enough light to get back to Warfang before dark," Saber remarked.

I looked back at Saber, glad that he did not hate me and that he forgave me for the fight we had. So I moved and embraced him, not passively, but in thanks, as I was relieved that we were still friends. "Thank you for forgiving me and not hating me," I muttered to him.

Saber froze at my hug and what I said to him before he looked back at me. I was genuinely smiling glad that Saber would not leave me and never want to see me again. I even leaned forward and nuzzled his cheek with mind softly, and Saber did not stop me.

The two of us went over to the mountains and found ourselves a cave to sleep in for the night. Saber examined the cave while I went looking for food for us to have for dinner tonight. My hunt did not turn anything up immediately for I saw nothing that was safe to eat. But after some time, I found some trees that I had heard about from others. The trees bore fair-sized dark-orange fruit on its branches. I had been told that the fruit was good, though I had never tried them myself. Yet, as they were the only food I had found on my hunt, they would due for a meal. So, I gathered a number of them and carried them with my wings and walked back towards the cave that Saber and I had chosen.

When I got back to the cave and entered, I found that Saber had a fire going and was waiting for me. I placed the food on the ground for Saber to see, to which he stared at the fruit but said nothing for a moment. He looked to be studying the fruit, which I could not say why he was looking at them suspiciously. Saber after a bit turned to me with a questioning look, "Um Lara, please do not take this the wrong way, but have you ever tried these… things," Saber asked.

"I mean do we know if they are even edible?"

I nodded, "I have heard about these from an acquaintance of mine and they are supposed to be good," I replied wondering why Saber was asking.

Saber glanced back at the fruit still looking at them with suspicion in his eyes. "Still, you have not actually tried them, correct," he asked.

Well, I cannot say that I have eaten this fruit before as this was the first time I had seen them. They had only been described to me before now, but the way they had been described was not bad. So, I nodded before answering, "Well, no, I have not tried these fruits myself, but they have been described to me a few times and they were what I could find. Why do you ask?"

Saber appeared to be thinking before he spoke, "Oh well, I had a past incident of eating something like this and I ended out vomiting. It was horrible," Saber stated before he clamped a paw over his mouth.

That is the first I have heard of an experience like that, I wonder when that happened to Saber. Perhaps it happened when he was a human, and they do not have as good a stomach as dragons do? I then mentioned that possibility, "Maybe human stomachs cannot handle food here?"

Saber did not speak for a moment, "Well, I guess that is possible. Maybe we should test them on something first." he suggested.

Test the fruit? That should not be much of an issue, and since Saber is the one that suggested the idea, he can test them. I took one of the fruit and just as Saber was facing me I pushed the fruit into his mouth. Saber coughed a bit but swallowed some of the fruit and spit out the rest of it. He took a few breaths and then glared at me to which I smiled, "Lara, why did you just nearly suffocate me with one of these fruits? I would expect this kind of thing from the light bulb with wings, not you. So tell me, why would you do such a thing," he said in a falsely sweet voice.

I kept smiling at him, having some fun poking him, "Well you said we should test them, right," she answered.

Saber continued to glare at me, "I did not mean on either of us and you should know that," he just about growled at me.

Well, he was the one that suggested we test them, so I asked the point that we wanted to find out. "So how did they taste," I posed.

Saber blinked and then moved his jaw around, "Um, they do not taste bad, if that is what you are asking, yet they do not taste that good," he commented off-handedly.

I took another fruit and gently shoved another fruit at Saber, but he put up a paw stopping me from feeding him. "Hey, I can feed myself thank you, so there is no need to stuff my face. So please do not do it," he said in reproach.

I giggled as I picked up one of the fruits and began eating agreeing with Saber that the fruit did not taste great nor did it taste bad. Still, the fruit was edible and we needed dinner for tonight before sleeping and headed back to Warfang tomorrow. We ate the fruit I had gathered before making some casual conversation with each other which I enjoyed. I wish that we could spend more time like this just the two of us, but I know that it will not always end out like this. Saber was the first to lay down on the floor and go to sleep. I quickly grew tired as well so I went over next to Saber and laid down as well and dropped off to sleep.

Chapter End

A/n

I'll leave off there. So, as you might notice, that I'm adding different points of view into the story than just Saber's and I think it adds to the story itself. As for the censoring language joke, found it funny and decided to put it in. Hope you are enjoying the story thus far, write a review and tell me what you think or ask questions about this story.