Spyro and Cynder continued to fly as the night went on. The full moon began to descend westward in the sky, but still hung high in the sky, the temple having disappeared from sight a long time ago. The mountain pass and jagged rocks below them were not very stimulating sights, so to pass the time, Cynder suggested they play a game.
Flapping her wings hard, Cynder was able to outrun Spyro for quite a ways but he quickly caught up to her. A grin on his face, Spyro was so close he could just reach out and nip at her tail if he wanted to. She couldn't outrun him forever.
"Tag you're it!" Spyro called playfully as he rushed by Cynder, the tip of his tail just touching her paw as he chuckled, turning around to face her in mid-flight as he playfully stuck his tongue out, saying "Can't catch me, Cynder." Before quickly turning right side up and flying off into the night.
"Hey! Come back here Spyro!" Cynder called back to Spyro, beating her wings against the breeze as she chased after him.
"And what if I don't?" He called back playfully, giggling as he flew passed the jagged rocks.
"Oh, I'm gonna get you Spyro!" she called playfully to the purple dragon, starting to catch up with the other dragon pretty quickly.
"Not if I can help it Cynder." Spyro said as he beat his wings as fast as he could. He knew it wouldn't be long until she would catch up with him, and he'd be 'it'. He suddenly slowed down as he heard the sound of water running downstream below them.
"Cynder, do you hear that?" Spyro said as he looked down, gazing at the iconic waterfall of Twilight Falls. "Wow, Twilight Falls…. doesn't that bring you back, huh Cynder?" He said as he looked back over his shoulder at her, a grin on his face.
Seeing that Spyro was slowing down Cynder tried to slow herself down quickly, but only ended up letting out a loud cry of surprise as she went tumbling in the air. "W-Whoa!" she cried out, barely crashing into Spyro.
"Owwww..." Spyro said as he rubbed the back of his head with his paw. "Yeah...yeah were here Cynder." He said as he chuckled a bit in a smidge of discomforting pain.
Cynder rubbed her head with her paw and shook the daze from her senses. "Spyro, why'd you stop?" she asked, lightly growling at him before she heard the stream below them. Twilight Falls. The sheer beauty of the forest that bordered the barren mountain range they had flown over was...simply breathtaking. Cynder remembered back when she and Spyro emerged from the catacombs, and first saw this forest; and she felt the same sense of inner peace as when she saw this place for the first time.
"Spyro...we're here. Twilight Falls..." Cynder muttered more out-loud than anything. She hovered ahead of Spyro, and let out a slow and deep sigh as her eyes took in the beautiful sights of the forest in front of her. The trees, the streams, and the waterfall...they way they reflected the light of the moon was so otherworldly...
"Twilight Falls." Spyro said as he remembered the first time he entered these caves with Cynder at his side. Back then there really wasn't much of a choice as they were bound together by the shackles of Malefor's magic. But here, being with Cynder, of his own choice now rather than of forced cooperation...made this occasion seem a bit more special now that he had time to actual take in the beautiful sights and sounds of the forest.
"I never realized how beautiful this place was. Last time we were here, we was a bit...preoccupied with Malefor's minions. We never really got to enjoy how beautiful this place actually is and now that the Dark Master is gone this place looks a lot more peaceful compared to last time."
Cynder looked over at the purple dragon and smiled at him, sighing softly as she gently flapped her wings to keep herself airborne. "Spyro...being here with you now...is so much more than I could ask for right now..." she said softly as she got close enough to Spyro without their wings hitting each other. Her eyes stayed on Spyro for quite some time as a blush appeared on her cheeks. Although she knew she was staring, she couldn't take her eyes off him as she found herself completely unable to at this moment...
"Yeah...I, ugh...I know what you mean Cynder." Spyro said as he looked over at her, noticing how she was staring at him. "Something wrong Cynder?" He asked knowing the question would embarrass her as he lightly flapped his wings to stay aloft in the sky, the moonlight casting a beautiful silver glaze of light on his scales as he moved through the air.
Cynder snapped out of her trance by his question and shook her head, her flush getting deeper and burning on her face. "Yeah, sorry Spyro. I'm just fine." she said in a soft voice, looking down at the calm waters below them. "Well...want to head down there for a bit before moving on to the Valley of Avalar?" she asked with a small smile. She found herself staring at Spyro again as she was quickly mesmerized by the way his purple scales reflected the light of the night sky that way. It made Spyro look very, well...stunning; perfect for a purple dragon as magnificent as Spyro.
"Yeah, I think we'd both like to enjoy the scenery a bit before going over to see how Hunter and his clan is doing." Spyro replied as he slowly made his descent down to earth, hovering a bit before landing on his paws. They near the middle of the forest now close by the old cliff he helped tackle along with Cynder. Now of course, they could just fly up on top, but due to restraints of the collars they were wearing at the time they couldn't. The few old mossy holds from where Spyro and Cynder climbed it before were still there, jutting out from the surface.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Spyro asked.
Cynder couldn't forget that cliff; it had been such a laborious task to get up there. It was amazing how Hunter was able to leap these tall cliffs and deep chasms in a single bound, yet it took the joint effort of the two dragons just to scale the very cliff they were looking at. Without those collars to keep them restrained they could easily fly up there. Cynder sat down beside Spyro and looked over at him, her lips curling up in a slight smile.
"Well...that depends on what you're thinking, Spyro." she responded with a slight smirk.
Spyro looked over at Cynder and softly, before spreading his wings and taking to the air, easily reaching the top of the cliff. He landed as softly as a feather and he looked down at Cynder, patting the spot next to her as if to ask her to join right beside him as looked up the stars. "This is definitely one beautiful night. It's time like these you just want to sit back and enjoy them, with someone you really care about." He said looking at the moon.
"I guess it's kind of silly to stargaze...but...well. It's been so long since I've looked at the stars. Ancestors, it feels like ages." He said sighing in content.
Happily obliging Cynder flew up and landed on the soft grass beside him, fidgeting in her spot beside Spyro. She felt a little nervous about something, but shrugged it off. She was with Spyro, what was there to be nervous about?
"Spyro...this is the most beautiful place I've ever seen..." she spoke softly, just absorbing the cool wind that blew against her dark scales. She closed her eyes for a second to take in the sounds of the chirping crickets, the blowing of the breeze around them, and even her own heart beating steadily in her chest.
Cynder looked up at the stars, the starlight reflecting in her eyes the same way her scales reflected the soft moonlight. "I've never been stargazing before, Spyro...I've never had the time...or been able to...see how beautiful they are." Cynder's tail slowly swayed against the ground and touched Spyro's for a second before moving away. Right now, nothing could ruin the moment she shared with Spyro.
"I know...we've always been in battle. Never resting, always fighting the good fight for those of us who couldn't or can't. And now...now we can finally enjoy it, like it was truly meant to be." Spyro smiled softly, a sort of twinkle in his eye that wasn't there before his fight against the Dark Master. His tail recoiled softly a bit before he blushed softly, as he felt her tail touch his slightly. Going ever so slowly, he shyly tried scooting a bit closer, and his tail slowly reached out for hers, the tip of his tail wrapping around the base of her tailblade.
"Yeah...nothing beats how beautiful this moment is..." He added.
Cynder blushed deeply and looked back to see his tail wrapping around the tip of hers. The dragoness smiled and wrapped her tail tip around his in return, looking up at Spyro and winking at him. "That feels nice, Spyro..." she said with a soft purr radiating from her throat, scooting a bit closer to him. She looked down at his paw for a few moments before she gently put her own down on top of it, lightly rubbing the top of his paw.
"Nothing, Spyro...nothing..." her voice died down to a soft whisper, her eyes facing down while she continued to stroke, her paw very soft.
"See that star...that big bright blue one that stands out among the background...bigger then the other stars. You see it Cynder? I think that's Ignitus, looking down on us now." He said, blushing.
Cynder looked up at the star and couldn't help but giggle, leaning against Spyro's side. "I'd like to think that, Spyro...and I think you're right..." Cynder looked up at the star in the sky, and suddenly felt as though Ignitus was actually there with them, encasing their smaller bodies with his large, warm wingspan, the same way he protected them from the flames in the Burned Lands...Ignitus was their guardian now. She had heard tales of wishing upon a star, but never actually had anything she wanted to wish for but she decided now was the time, if any...to wish upon a star. She knew now the one thing she wanted and silently, and solemnly looked up at Ignitus's star, a gleaming bit of hope in her eye.
"All my life I've been seen as this...wicked...evil terrible dragoness for the sins of my past. I just wish I could live in a world where I don't have to worry about others judging me for what I've done, but rather...who I am now." She thought as the bright star hung above them.
She closed her eyes, making the wish with all her might.
Spyro murred a bit as he leaned into Cynder, feeling the same warmth she was, welling up within him. His eyes gazed at the star as if a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment had happened all at once, and now that he was all alone with Cynder. With nothing but the sounds of the close by running stream calming him down, nothing could have made him happier.
He sighed as his eyes looked away and towards Cynder. "As much as I'd love to spend the rest of the night stargazing with you Cynder...I think we have a certain feline friend of ours we owe a visit to."
Cynder blushed at the sound of his murring, nuzzling her head against his side. "I think Hunter would be happy to see us too..." she said, smiling and pulling away from him. "Do you think he's still up?" she asked as she went up to the ledge of the small cliff and flapping her wings a few times, making sure to stretch the muscles in them. "Ugh...my wings still feel a little stiff..." she groaned softly in slight discomfort.
"I think it'll just get better as time goes on." Spyro said as he was right beside her, stretching his wings much the same. "You ready?" He asked.
Cynder nodded and smiled, sighing softly in sweet relief as she managed to get the muscles in her wings to relax. "Mmmm, yeah Spyro. I'm ready..." she smiled, standing at the very edge of the cliff and looking back at him.
Spyro jumped off ledge, flapping his wings as he flew into the night, towards Avalar, where Hunter and all the good folk of Avalar awaited. Cynder leapt off the cliff and followed after Spyro, and the village soon came into view below them.
Cynder could see the smoke rising from the small enclosed village. They weren't too far away from where the small tribe of cheetah lived, and by the looks of it, they were in the process of rebuilding the homes that were destroyed in the attack that convinced the chief to trust them, and even Hunter.
"Hey Spyro...I think everyone's asleep." she said after noticing that the lack of active villagers.
"I think you may be right Cynder. Let's go find out." Spyro said, seeing the smoke in the distance, and as the village kept getting closer and closer...he could see the orange glow of the aftermath produced by the many small fires from the previous outing. It looked like all the villagers there had went in to sleep for the night, except for the guard standing outside the gate, but they paid them no mind as they were busy looking for threats coming from the nearby river or from the forest.
Cynder flew over the village and landed softly on the dirt, looking around the village. For the most part it looked completely unchanged, just the way they left it so many months ago. The destroyed homes were almost completely rebuilt; it was nice to see they were making a lot of progress restoring the village to its original glory.
"It's really quiet here tonight..." The black dragoness said softly, not wanting to wake anyone up by talking too loudly. "Yeah, it looks like everyone's sleeping."
Spyro landed softly beside her as he looked around, noting their progress. "Wow, they sure have been busy since we've been...gone." Spyro said in a soft but awestruck tone as well. His eyes looked around the village in wonder as his feet kept moving slowly, as if he was a bit amazed at the progress they had done in their absence.
"We've really been out for a long time...haven't we?" He asked.
Cynder followed behind him, inhaling and exhaling softly as she came up next to him, looking at Spyro for a minute before continuing to look around, really amazed by how much work had been done.
"That we have, Spyro...that we have." she said as she felt the warm earth beneath her paws, digging her claws in to get a better feel at the dirt upon which the village was constructed. "Spyro, do you wonder if...anyone thinks we're dead?" she asked, looking at him. The thought worried her a bit, but she couldn't blame anyone for thinking they perished in the battle.
"I don't know Cynder..." Spyro said as he paw hit something hard. "Huh..." Spyro looked down to see some flowers and an odd wooden block with their figures carved in them, Spyro on the left, and Cynder on the right, their tail enclosing each other to make themselves the border of the words in the middle. Cynder blinked several times at the sight of the carving. Was that supposed to be them? She looked more closely at it, and there was no denying it; that certainly was a carving of her and Spyro. The details carved into the wood were remarkable. With the two of them gone at the time the cheetahs had to pull their appearance and features from memory, which made it even more amazing.
"Hello...what's this? Cynder do you...do you remember this being here?" Spyro said as he looked down at it, wondering what it said.
"No, no I don't Spyro..." she said as she walked up beside him, looking down at the words carved into the wood. "What does it say, Spyro?"
"Here lies the very spot where two dragons entered not only into our village, but into the hearts of all who live in the Valley of Avalar. This is to the two dragons named Spyro and Cynder, both of whom without their help our way of life would have all but been a distant memory in the wake of the attack on our village. They saved not only our humble village, but the world at large. We are eternally thankful for all they've done for us and we will always remember their valiant sacrifice was not in vain. Thank you, and may the Ancestors watch over you both...wherever you are."
Spyro choked up a bit as he read the words. "Wow...I...I had no idea." Spyro said, wiping away a tear from his eye.
Cynder stared down at the words for several silent moments before she closed her eyes. The wood statue was a memorial to them, paying respect to their memory. She had never expected this; such honor given to them by the tribe, and how close they were held to the hearts of their friends. Cynder's heart was beating rapidly against her chest and she couldn't stop the tears from trickling down her face.
"They...they never forgot us..." Cynder's voice was shaky. She sniffed back her tears and pierced the dirt with her claws again to help control her emotions. "Spyro...I...I-I can't even..." she managed to get out, unable to find the words to describe how much this wrenched at her heart.
She couldn't believe it; her wish had actually come true.
"I know..." Spyro said as tears trickled down his muzzle as well as his tail came up to greet Cynder's cheek. Spyro to felt a tug at his heart at just how touching this was. He had no idea he meant so much to his friends. It was a lot to take in and digest, but overall, Spyro had a smile on his face."I honestly don't know what to say..." Spyro said, looking at the memorial to them in simple awe.
Cynder blushed at the feel of his tail on her cheek and smiled at Spyro, wiping her paw across her face and sniffing once more. She never pictured this happening in her life. but she finally did it. It was the most touching thing she ever saw. Her life had always been filled with darkness, forever to serve the Dark Master and the sick, terrible vision he had for the world, but thanks to Spyro all that was gone. Not only that, but this testament to their greatness...finally proved that her wish had come true. She no longer had to worry for fear of being looked upon at the terror of the skies or being seen as some great evil. She was finally seen...as a hero. Not just to Spyro. But to everyone else too. For once in her life she had friends that she cared for and that cared for her greatly. She looked at the carved words and set her paw on it, feeling the grooves made in the wood to create these touching words.
"We need to repay them...somehow..." she said softly as her tail rubbed up against Spyro's.
"I think we should. I think they deserve to know...that we aren't exactly dead yet." Spyro said smiling, as he placed his paw on the structure and closed his eyes. "Follow my lead..." He tried to concentrate.
Cynder agreed wholeheartedly, and, following his lead, she placed her paw right next to his and closed her eyes.
"What are we doing, Spyro?" she asked. Despite not knowing what he wanted to do, something inside to her to concentrate. She did so, focusing on the wooden statue. She didn't know how, but something told her she knew what Spyro was going to do.
"We are going to light up their world...and give them hope." He said as he reached deep into himself, and found the power he had used first to stop Cynder when she was corrupted by Malefor. That same power that had even fueled Malefor and his evil reign, the same blood that gave him the ability to stop time. The power of the purple dragon...only came once ever so many generations. They would know...and starting from his paw, the lines in the memorial started to glow, like a river it trickling down to every last crevice in the wood until all the monument glowed with a bright purple sheen.
Cynder knew now. She knew what Spyro wanted. Calling up the elements that she controlled, the black-scaled dragoness pressed her paw hard on the wood as she focused her power on the statue. Her own power, once coming from Dark Master himself, used to be sign of his control over her. The darkness within her used to influence her, change her in ways that made her seem not like herself. She shuddered at the thought of remembering of how she was when she first met Spyro she was nothing but a pawn. Now that very same power didn't frighten her anymore. The same power of darkness that used to cause her so much pain, was now all but her to command. It was a sign of her own will and power, rather then Malefor's. She did not possess such power that Spyro had, but she was just as strong as the purple dragon. Her paw quivered in place as dark black lines - the color of shadow - slithered up into the lines of the wood just like Spyro's. Her side of the memorial, the carving of Cynder herself, the once-dull wooden monument now radiated a soft, blackish grey, greatly complimenting Spyro's purple side.
"Yeah...it's beautiful isn't it?" Spyro said as he stepped back, admiring their work. He had to admit it to himself, he didn't think it would work at first, but looking at it...it was a sight to behold. Spyro noticed the moon was hiding behind the clouds, further and further away from them.
"It's...it's magnificent, Spyro..." Cynder smiled, sitting back as she gazed up at the statue. She wondered if Spyro knew what he was doing or if it would work, but she just smiled.
Spyro smiled softly as he looked back at Cynder "I think we should visit Warfang next.. afterall, last I remember it was the hardest hit during the war against the Dark Master..." Spyro said.
"Good idea, Spyro...I hope Warfang's gotten better over the months..." she said softly as she looked up at the moon. "It looks like it'll be morning soon, so we should get going Spyro..."
Once everything was said and done Spyro and Cynder lifted themselves into the air and flew away from the peaceful village. Their next stop: The Dragon City, Warfang.
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