Chapter 3 (Steamy)
Spyro wakes up confused and disoriented, slowly uncurling and sitting up on all fours. Carefully he turns his head around the room trying to figure out where he was, as he had never been in the infirmary before. Seeing the white walls and curtains made his spine shiver from the cold layout of the room. The room had many windows and only one exit with a long white carpet in the middle of the room. He was concerned as peaked outside and noticed it was dark with only the stars as light, the moonlight was weak barely giving any light.
It seemed like everyone else was asleep... as Spyro tried to stand up he felt an immense pressure of pain convulsing from his chest. He could barely see why he was hurting, having vague memories of getting slashed by Cynder, he carefully starts walking toward the large mirror in the room where he noticed a bloody bandage running across his chest running diagonally from right shoulder to left paw.
The bandage was soaked in dried blood and needed changing, Spyro starts unwhirling the bandage to reveal a large scar running across his chest. The sight of the scar triggered some memories of the event return. The scar was slightly red from the dried blood, also a bit charred from his attempt to seal the wound. As he thought about the events of that day, he grew more and more concerned about what had happened to Cynder, if she was awake yet, if she was alright.
Spyro being lost in thought suddenly noticed snoring in his vicinity, it was Spark, who had fallen asleep on the bed next to his. He felt relaxed seeing someone else than himself in the cold white infirmary. Before reapplying the bandages Spyro decides to shower as all the sweat, blood and grime of that day was still on his scales and claws.
Making his way to the steam shower he passes the rooms of the guardians hearing snoring from all but one of the rooms. Spyro walking along the long teal colored carpet finally arriving to the end of the hallway, where the shower room was located. The shower room covered in white tiles all around with a single valve on the wall to release the steam.
He turns the valve clockwise as he can hear the hissing of the boiler signifying the emptiness of its tank, he turns the valve back disappointed. As he was walking out back to the boiler room to reignite the coal. His eye is struck by a glimmer of light. A small barred window with shimmering weak light catching his attention his curiosity taking over and walks up to investigate closer, glancing through the window he discovers the still unconscious body of Cynder. Her wounds still giving a light trickle of blood, Spyro working up his mind, "They didn't even try to heal her?!" Spyro blurted. Spyro being injured himself feeling sorry for the young dragoness.
Seeing Cynder hadn't been washed off either, a thought of compassion enters his mind... "I could bring her to the showers with me... I wouldn't want to be seen like that when if i was a prisoner". Spyro reassured to himself. Spyro walks carefully down the hallway towards the basement trying to not wake up the other guardians as he passes their quarters. The door to the basement standing wide open, signifying someone was still down there... Making his way down the stairs to the dungeons he hears someone turning pages lower down. Once at the bottom of the stairs he meets Cyril who was reading an older scroll.
"So, you're awake now? Good. You have missed about 2 days during your sleep, the days of autumn are closing in, we hope you will be in fighting shape soon, how's the wound? I can see you have unraveled the bandage..." Cyril says while giving a judgmental gaze. "It aches, the bandages where dirty so I was thinking I would hit the showers before reapplying it." Spyro trying to explain himself "Then why are you down here... don't tell me..." Another judgmental gaze from Cyril while turning a page.
"No… no I wasn't going to break her out, she's still unconscious anyway... I was thinking I would take her with me to the steam showers. and then bandage her up as well before returning her to her cell." Spyro sneered embarrassed "Well I'm glad Ignitus thought of this situation..." Cyril mumbled. "You can take her there, but only on one condition" Cyril grinning as he Clamps a shackle to Spyros unrestrained left front leg "Come with me" He sighs as he drops his scroll to guide Spyro to the cell at the end of long rocky tunnel. Upon opening the cell, he carefully takes Cynder out of her cell with his claw and clamps a shackle to her right front leg. "There, now go do what your compassion forces you to... " Cyril teasing. Spyro giving a confused look.
Cyril puts Cynder on Spyros back like a used old rag her feet hanging off either side. Spyro trying to seem strong by not making a sound as the young dragoness is placed on his back, but internally his scar starts aching again almost feeling like its ripping apart. Making it up the first stair he almost loses his balance and would probably have lost it if not for Cyril who nudged him with his snout to help him regain balance, without a word between them Spyro continues carefully walking up the stairs. "I'll go start the boiler. " Cyril blurts quietly.
Spyro feels Cynders every breath as he is walking up the stairs, they're weak but consistent. As their chains rustle every step of the stairs. Finally making it up the stairs he starts feeling small pulsations of pressure on his back Thump… Thump… "Is this...?" Thump… Thump… Spyro getting a whole new sensation as feels Cynders heartbeat. He couldn't take his mind of it, slowing down his pace to turn his head to listen to her heartbeat Thump… Thump… Spyros muscles loosening up as he listens Thump… Thump… Feeling satisfied with his experience, he picks up the pace again as the shower room was closing in.
He drops the dragoness carefully on the floor in the shower room placing her on her side. He makes his way toward the valve as a sudden tug and rustle reminds him of the shackles around his leg, he carefully pulls her closer to reach the valve. He starts turning the valve again hoping Cyril had already got the boiler reignited. Shhhh… He lets out a sigh of reliefas the steam fills the shower room, he feels all his scales loosening up from the blood that had been keeping them together like glue. He could feel his skin tremble and shiver from the relief of all gunk that had been covering it from breathing. Scraping the insides of his hollow claws filled with dried blood intermittently. He sits down in the shower dwelling on the things that had happened, glancing over to the dragoness from time to time. Admiring the beauty next to him. Observing her beautiful black scales with her ruby red underbelly, six ivory white horns with a gem in the middle of her forehead, four metallic bracelets on each of her lower limbs. "Could she really still be evil? I saw her evil dissipate when I defeated her didn't I? Could the grip of Malefor still be that strong?" Trying to reassure himself of his remorse.
Cynder spasms suddenly unfurling her curled position that he put her in, exposing her vulnerable ruby underbelly laying on her back. Spyro thinks nothing of it figuring it was just Cynder dreaming. He keeps glancing at Cynder from time to time, pondering on how he would get her free... as he turns off the steam valve, glancing back over to Cynder as the steam dissipates, he notices a sliver of pink velvety flesh between two of her belly scales as he approaches her, her lower underbelly normally covered by her tail was now exposed. Him being unexperienced with female dragons and their anatomy had no idea of what it was, he blushes as he turns her back on her side, then pressing his snout under her, scrawling forward carefully to get her on his back, their shackles rustling all the way through the process.
Once she was on his back again snuggly, he turns his head again listening for... Thump… Thump… Thump… He couldn't get enough of hearing and feeling her pulsating heartbeat, he takes a long time to get to the infirmary just to keep listening to the rhythm, walking at a slow pace.
He lays the young dragoness on her side on the clean white sheathed bed, examining her wounds. He is surprised her wounds are mostly shallow, he remembers clawing deeper during the fight than the wounds seen on her body now. She had three larger wounds: One on her back, the second one on her hind leg and the third one on her neck just below her choker. A sudden gust of wind enters the room, filling Spyros nostrils with a sweet musky scent as he was examining her wounds. "What is this scent?" His mind going wild, putting images and thoughts about Cynder in his mind. "This scent! Where is it coming from?" He glances slightly to the right and starts blushing again. "Oh ancestors". He quickly finishes bandaging Cynders wounds ignoring his own to hurry her back to her cell.
He couldn't listen for the heartbeat anymore as his own was racing along with his mind. The walk from the infirmary to the cell felt shorter as he no longer listened for the heartbeat of the female on his back as carefully. Cyril met up with him at the entrance to the dungeon escorting them both to the cell where he then took of the shackles. "So, did it all go well?" Cyril asked curiously "Yeah! All patched up!" Spyro answered hastily as he was backing up like he wanted to hide something "Okay then, could you ..." Cyril shocked as Spyro had ran off while he turned to lock the cell. Though happy they found a way for him to take her out of her cell, he wasn't happy being shackled and presumed Cynder wouldn't like the idea either of continuing being shackled to someone. As he returned to the infirmary he finishes bandaging himself. The images of Cynder kept entering his mind, keeping him awake for a while but then slowly falling to a slumber.
End of Chapter 3
III
Rewrote some things in chapter 1-3, should be overall better now.