As time steadily passed, and the day began to grow yet darker, the cold and the rain had begun to take its toll on the three travelers flying high in the stormy sky. With water dripping down her face and cold wind whipping at her eyes and fur, not to mention the fatigue that was hanging on her eyelids, Krystal began to wish for a warm shelter and a soft bed.

"How close are we?" She called to her flying companion.

"Not long!" The CloudRunner responded. "Krazoa Palace should be very close!"

Krystal leaned to the side to get a look at the child in the cage. The poor thing was shivering with her wings wrapped around her body and her head hanging low. She seemed to be attempting to sleep despite the whistling storm, not willing to try speaking to either of them. Krystal didn't even need to sense her emotions to know how fatigued and miserable she was.

"I'm afraid for the princess!" Krystal called. "I don't think she can survive much longer in this weather!"

"I know." The CloudRunner said sadly. "But there's nothing we can do. The land around the palace is rocky and barren for many leagues. There is nowhere else to land."

Krystal frowned in concern. "And how are you feeling?"

He smiled weakly. "I am very weary, outworlder, but that's of no concern. My duty is to protect the child, and fulfill my end of our agreement."

"Well, even still, you should rest when we arrive. You've done enough today."

"I should say the same to you. You must be weary as well."

Krystal shook her head. "I can't. I need to search the palace and find whoever sent the distress call."

"And what use will you be to them if you can barely keep your eyes open?"

"I'm not tired." She lied.

"Of course you aren't." He said with a chuckle. "Will you at least agree to having a quick meal when we arrive? I brought food for the princess and I, and I'm sure you're hungry as well."

Krystal wanted to argue, but she realized that his words were true; it had been quite a while since she had eaten last. With a sigh, she agreed to his offer. "I suppose so. But we must hurry; I don't want it to be too late."

"We CloudRunners take pride in being the fastest creatures in the sky." He said with a smile. "You needn't worry. We'll get there soon."

And sure enough, only a short while later, Krystal caught sight of a massive, looming shadow that was partially hidden by the clouds of the storm. Rising up like a mountain into the sky, Krazoa Palace was an incredible sight to behold. With its magnificent towers and its stalwart stone walls, it emanated a feeling of might and mysticism that awed all who looked upon it.

And Krystal was no exception. Gazing up at the palace, she could practically feel the mystical energy emanating from its depths, and it moved her to the core. This truly was a place of great power.

"It's beautiful." She said, unable to take her eyes off of it.

"Indeed." The CloudRunner said with a smile. "It is our planet's most sacred place, and for good reason. It is said this was the dwelling of the great Krazoa God, before he ascended into the world of the divine."

"Krazoa God?"

He smiled. "I can tell you the legends, but not now. Let us find a place to land first, and attend to the princess."

Krystal nodded, keeping her eyes on the massive temple as it drew closer and closer. She didn't know what it was about the massive structure that was so mesmerizing. Of course, it was certainly beautiful and impressive by sheer size alone, and yet, there was something else about the palace that gave Krystal a serene, comfortable feeling. Something familiar.

In time, they caught sight of a small platform sticking out of the side of the palace walls. The CloudRunner made for this platform and, after setting the cage down as gently as he could, he landed softly on the wet stone, folding his wings and allowing Krystal to jump off his back.

The second her sandaled feet touched the ground, the blue vixen dashed to the fallen cage to free the young princess. The door was thankfully locked only by a simple latch, though one that would have been difficult to operate for the handless CloudRunners. Krystal easily unlocked the gate and swung the door open.

"Come on." She said tenderly. "Let's get you out."

Reaching in, she picked the shivering child up and gently carried her out of her prison, while the CloudRunner looked on with concern evident on his face.

"Th-thank you f-for s-s-saving me..." The child said quietly, shaking in Krystal's arms.

"It was nothing." Krystal said with a smile. "You should be thanking your friend here."

"I'm so glad to see you're unhurt, Princess Kyte." He said.

The child, Kyte evidently, nodded weakly. "I-I knew mother would s-send someone..."

"Come on. Let's get you out of the rain." And with that, Krystal, holding the child in her arms, began to follow the path to the palace, while the CloudRunner waddled behind.

In time, they found a small alcove sheltered from the rain that was filled with old, wooden barrels and crates, all stacked on top of one another. Here, Krystal gently set Princess Kyte down, allowing her to shake some of the water from her wet body and wings.

It was here that Krystal got a brief moment to observe the young CloudRunner. It was clear she was the same species as Krystal's full-grown companion, though obviously smaller and younger. Her scaly skin was a dark, apricot orange, while her wings and face were of a lighter, sunny yellow. Her beak was a bit shorter and less pointed than the older CloudRunner's, and the pointed crest on the back of her head was similarly shorter. The only attire she had on was a simple though pretty bead necklace strapped around her thin neck with a single, violet crystal hanging on the center of it near her chest.

Krystal also noticed that despite finally getting out of the rain, it was clear that the child was still very wet and very cold.

"We should make a fire." Krystal said with a sigh, wiping some water from her own face and hair.

"Indeed." The CloudRunner responded. "We can use the wood from these containers. Stay here and try to keep the princess warm."

With that, he turned around and made for the wooden boxes, while Krystal knelt down and tenderly picked up the princess, bringing the child close to her chest in an effort to use her own body heat to keep the young CloudRunner warm. However, even though the princess seemed to appreciate the warmth, and she was likely too fatigued to submit to any form of shyness, Krystal could still sense a brief twinge of apprehension from the child at the close contact.

I should try to make her a bit more comfortable, Krystal thought.

"So..." She said, striking up a conversation. "Your name is Kyte?"

Kyte's eyes turned to Krystal, and though she didn't say anything, she did nod slightly.

"Well, that's a lovely name."

"Thank you." She said, her eyes darting down in meekness, her voice now completely devoid of the stutter that had been present in the cold rain. "What's your name?"

"Krystal."

"Oh. That's a beautiful name."

Krystal smiled. "Thank you, Kyte. That's very kind."

"Are... are you from another world?"

Krystal nodded. "I am."

"Why are you here?"

"I'm..." She paused for a moment. Perhaps she overestimated what shyness the child had, if any. "Well, I'm just traveling. I'm trying to find some answers for something that happened."

"What?"

"It's just... something very dear to me was taken, and I want to know why."

"What was it?"

Krystal didn't feel like explaining herself right now. "It's nothing. You don't have to worry about it."

"Well, I hope you find it again."

Krystal felt her heart sink at the child's innocent comment. "Yes..." She mumbled, biting her lip as her eyes drifted away. If only I could...

Their talk was interrupted by the return of the CloudRunner, who was carrying a small stack of wooden planks in his wings. Krystal couldn't help but smile at how awkwardly he carried the burden; the wings of the CloudRunners obviously weren't meant for manipulation.

"Here." He said, clumsily piling the wood down in front of Krystal and Kyte. "This should be enough."

Krystal once again kicked herself for losing her staff. "I'm sorry, I don't have a way to light it."

"Don't worry." Kyte said suddenly. "Tekamus can breathe fire!"

"What?" The vixen looked down at the child in surprise. Not only did she not expect to hear that her companion boasted such a fantastic ability, but she also realized that she had only now learned his name. A part of her was embarrassed that she hadn't asked him it earlier.

The CloudRunner, Tekamus as the child had called him, smiled and nodded. "Indeed I can. Give me a moment."

He bent down and organized the planks into an orderly stack with the thin digits on the ends of his wings. He then inhaled deeply, put his beak next to the base of the stack, and when he exhaled, a thin stream of flame came from his throat, lighting the dry wood into a shimmering blaze.

"Well then." Krystal said with a grin, watching as the flames began to spread along the assembled planks. "Very impressive."

"Thank you." Tekamus said with a bow of his head. "Come, warm yourselves."

Both Krystal and Kyte eagerly obeyed, inching forward until they were in the range of the fire's pleasant radiation. Kyte sighed happily, spreading her wings and basking in the fire's warm glow. From the mixture of relief and joy that Krystal could sense in her, it had clearly been awhile since she had felt even the slightest bit of warmth.

"Here." Tekamus said, stretching his head to the side and clasping a small pouch tied to his waist in his beak. "Take this."

Krystal reached out and took the pouch from his beak. She opened the simplistic, loose knot and looked inside. Resting inside the pouch were four, bean-shaped fruits, a bit bigger than Krystal's fist, and that emanated a wonderfully sweet aroma.

"What are these?" Krystal asked, reaching in and slipping one out of the pouch.

Kyte's eyes grew wide with joy as they caught sight of the fruits.

"Dumbledang Pods!" She cried happily.

Tekamus smiled. "Indeed. I knew you would be hungry Princess. So, I took the liberty of bringing your favorite snack. And I hope you enjoy them as well." He said with an appreciative nod to Krystal.

"Thank you." She said gratefully. After handing one of the fruits to Kyte, who began to devour it hungrily, Krystal took another one in her hand and looked at it.

Dumbledang Pod, she thought. What a strange name.

After prying the soft shell apart with her fingers, she brought the tender flesh inside to her mouth, and slowly took a bite of it. The taste was pleasant, very sweet and juicy with a tender texture. It was far from the best fruit she had ever eaten, even so, it fulfilled its purpose, and Krystal felt her hunger satisfied once the fruit was finished.

Soon, all three of them had finished their small meal. The young princess was given the privilege of having two of the four fruits, because of how frugally the SharpClaws had given her meals while she was imprisoned. When the last bite passed her beak, she sighed contentedly and settled down on the ground, enjoying the fire's warm, comfortable glow.

"I'm glad to see you happy." Krystal said. "You must have had a hard few days."

Kyte nodded. "Yeah... But now that I have you to protect me, I know I'll be safe."

"Yes." Tekamus affirmed. "And by this time tomorrow, you will be safely back in the wings of your mother."

He turned to Krystal. "What about you? What do you plan to do?"

"Well," She said, looking up at the walls of the palace. "I suppose I'll find an entrance to this place and try to find whoever sent the message."

"What message?" Kyte asked with an idle curiosity.

"Someone sent a cry for help, and we believe it came from this place. That is why I'm here: To help whoever is in danger."

Kyte looked up at the palace for a moment before looking back down at the ground. Krystal raised an eyebrow at the girl, as she sensed that the child seemed to have an idea suddenly blossoming on her mind.

"Yes." Tekamus said, interrupting Krystal's thoughts. "And you should likely start your search soon, Miss Krystal. Now that we're all fed and warm, I believe it's time to part ways."

"You're leaving?" Krystal asked.

He nodded. "I have... other duties I need to attend to. Not to mention the princess has been away from home for too long. She needs to return as soon as possible."

"Actually," Kyte said suddenly. "I think I'll stay here with Krystal."

"What?" Krystal asked, turning to the young CloudRunner in surprise.

"Princess." Tekamus said firmly, though Krystal realized she didn't sense any similar surprise in his mind. "Definitely not. I was told to return you back to your mother, and nothing more. I will certainly not allow you to go on another one of your adventures."

"It's not another adventure!" Kyte argued. "Krystal says that people might be in danger, and I think I can help her help them!"

"Hold on-" Krystal tried to say, but Tekamus cut her off.

"Princess, it's not your responsibility to help strangers."

"It's not Krystal's responsibility either, but she's still doing it! Besides, she's never been inside the palace before, while Mother has brought me here many times. I could guide her through the traps!"

"Traps?" Krystal asked with a sudden pang of worry, though she was once again ignored by Tekamus.

"Princess, I did not fly for leagues on end to rescue you, just to put you in the care of a stranger!"

"But she's not a stranger! She helped to rescue me, and now she's going to save someone she's never even met! She's a friend to our tribe! Our whole world!"

"But I cannot guarantee she can protect you."

"I can." Krystal said suddenly. Both CloudRunners turned to her, Kyte's face glowing with excitement, while Tekamus' with a clear exasperation.

"Please, outworlder. Don't let the princess convince you. She's too adventurous for her own good."

"Maybe." Krystal said. "But she has a point. I have never been inside this place before. If I went alone, I might never find the messengers. But if I were to have a guide, we might be able to traverse the halls more easily."

"But you have no idea what is in there. It could be something more dangerous than you realize. I will not be responsible for any harm that could come to the princess."

"Then don't be. If I take her inside, I bear the responsibility."

"That doesn't change the fact that she could still get hurt."

"Yes it does." Krystal said firmly. "I will look after her, and will protect her with my life. I swear."

"But..." Tekamus sighed and shook his head. "I can't allow this."

"Yes you can." Kyte said bluntly. "In fact, as princess of the CloudRunner tribe, I order you to allow this."

Tekamus glared at the princess for a minute, but eventually sighed and chuckled. "Very well, Princess. If this is what you wish, I can't change your mind."

"Great!" Kyte said enthusiastically.

Krystal smiled. "Don't worry, Tekamus. I swear on everything I hold dear that I will protect her."

The CloudRunner sighed. "Very well. I suppose you have proven your bravery already. I place the child into your wings... err, um..."

"Hands." Krystal said with a grin.

"Yes, hands." He sighed again. "I pray to the spirits that I won't regret this."

"You won't!" Kyte said cheerily.

She turned to Krystal. "How about it? Are we a team?"

Krystal laughed. "Yes Kyte, I suppose we are."

The CloudRunner princess was clearly ecstatic. "This is going to be amazing!"

Tekamus sighed. "Come, we should get you two prepared. I have more food that you can take into the palace."

Soon, the newly formed duo of Krystal and Princess Kyte were standing with two more small pouches of berries and Dumbledang Pods tied to their waists. Tekamus had guided them to the nearest entrance to the massive palace, and it was here that he said his goodbyes.

"Well outworlder." He said. "I thank you for all you have done for me and the princess."

Krystal smiled. "It was nothing. I'm glad to have helped."

"Don't worry Tekamus." Kyte said. "We'll be alright."

"I hope so Princess." He said. Then, he bent down low on his feet and wrapped his wings around the young princess, the embrace being gladly returned by the child.

"I will tell your mother you have been saved." He said when they broke apart. "Though, I don't know how to explain everything else to her."

"I think she'll understand." Krystal said with a smile.

"Maybe." He bowed respectfully. "Until our next meeting, outworlder. Take care Princess. May the Krazoa gift you strength and will."

"Ah, that reminds me." Krystal said, placing a hand on her hip. "You said you'd tell me the legends of the 'Krazoa God'?"

"Ah yes, so I did." Tekamus chuckled. "Perhaps another time, when time is not so scarce. Farewell, friends."

And with that, he turned around and began to flap his wings, flying away from the duo and back into the swirling storm, quickly fading far out of sight.

"Goodbye!" Kyte called after him.

Don't worry, Krystal thought. I'll protect her.

"So," She said, turning to the princess. "Shall we start?"

"Yeah! Let's go!"

And with that, they turned around and made for the stone doorway into the palace. Krystal gently put a hand on it and pushed it inwards, before silently peeking inside. The interior was lit by a series of mounted torches, but she could see nothing but a long hallway stretching out into nothingness.

"Come on." She said to Kyte, opening the doorway wider. "Let's get started."

Kyte nodded excitedly, and then jumped up and flew onto Krystal's shoulder, before the two of them slipped into the halls of the massive Krazoa Palace.