Finally, this is the last chapter. Enjoy

Several months later...

It was a crisp morning outside the Temple. Spyro was just waking up as he put paws on the window to look outside, taking in a big breath of the morning air. Yawning he stretched his body out on ligament at a time, as he looked back down to see Cynder gently resting beneath, as he smiled. He gently nuzzled her cheek.

"Oh Cyndeerrr..." He said in his usual soft sing-song voice he used every morning.

The black dragoness that lay beside him stirred at the sound of his voice. A few short moments passed before she woke up, yawning softly and stretching out her own legs. She had slept soundly through the night before with her new mate, like she did every night. She leaned her head back and looked at Spyro, smiling softly before she gave his cheek a nice, soft lick.

"Morning, Spyro..." she cooed softly, a light sigh coming out of the female.

"Morning Cyn." Spyro said as he couldn't help but smile widely at such a good morning.

"You want to go check out the egg?" Spyro asked, a glint of happiness shined in his eyes.

Cynder smiled brightly and leaned in to nuzzle him, pressing her head against his neck. "I'd love to Spyro..." she whispered softly.

Cynder still remembered the day she found out she was carrying Spyro's egg...no, their egg, months ago...after they shared that night of passion together. It was the happiest day of her life when she finally birthed it...

Cynder put a paw on the ivory of Spyro's necklace. After all this time they never took them off. The necklaces were like a part of themselves, just as they were part of each other.

Spyro chuckled. "I knew you would." He said as he hopped of the bed, landing on the floor with the grace of a cheetah. He extended his paw to her to help her up out of bed.

Cynder put her paw into his, grasping it gently as she climbed out of the bed, her tail swaying to and fro behind her. "Thank you, Spyro..." she said softly, looking into his eyes for several moments in the early morning silence of the Dragon Temple.

"You're welcome hun." Spyro said as he took a walk towards the door towards the training room, only leaning towards the right this time, expectantly waiting for his love to follow.

The expectations of the purple dragon would not go disappointed. Cynder followed right behind him, and gave his flank a gentle nip before going up beside him, Cynder's smile not disappearing from her face.

"Spyro...do you think the Guardians would be...disappointed in us for doing this?" she asked, her smile turning in a concerned frown as she spoke. "We're still kind of young..."

Spyro jumped a bit at the playful nip. "Ohoho you.." He said as he nuzzled her before he spoke again. "Well, I think we're ready Cynder...even if they don't. I'm ready to share my happiness with you...with someone else. Yeah, we are young. But I think the Guardians will understand. I mean, we saved the planet. How hard could parenthood be?" Spyro asked.

Cynder nodded softly and let out a soft sigh as the wooden door that lead to the training room slid open for them.

"Well, I hope they understand Spyro..." She knew they would understand. In the back of her mind she wondered how Ignitus would react to the news if he was still alive. Something told her he knew, and was smiling down on them, still guarding them after all this time. "I don't know, Spyro...it shouldn't be, it's only a hatchling after all." She said.

"Well if you want to get technical Cynder, it's not a hatchling yet." He said smiling softly at her a bit as he walked through the room.

"Besides what do they know about raising hatchlings?" Spyro asked. He never saw them with hatchlings or talk about kids at all since the time he'd known them. He thought it was a bit hypocritical for them to judge.

Cynder rolled her eyes a little as as they passed through the training room, lightly slapping Spyro's side with her wing.

"Oh, well excuse me Spyro." she jeered, the dragoness giggling. She took a deep breath before she glanced up at the statue of Malefor, as he was before he turned into the Dark Master, displayed as proudly as ever in the center of the chamber. She didn't stop looking at it until they left the room. If she had been a weaker dragoness as she was in the past, that statue would have given her nightmares, as it did once before years back.

"It's okay Cynder. It always will be...I promise he won't hurt you anymore." Spyro said softly as he wrapped his tail around hers before finally moving on to where they were really going.

Cynder sighed softly pressed up against him, her head on the side of his warm, soft neck. "I know Spyro, I know...Thanks." she responded softly. Even though she wasn't afraid of Malefor anymore she still got a weird feeling from that statue.

Cynder dropped the thought from her mind as she continued to walk with Spyro through the curved halls of the Dragon Temple.

Spyro sighed softly. "I'm sure we'll figure this out Cynder. How tough can one hatchling be?"

"Well, neither of us know Spyro. If the Guardians can't help, then we're on our own, we'll just have to see won't we?" " she responded softly.

They kept their egg in the very room where their eggs were kept, on the night of the raid on the Temple. Before putting their egg in the chamber to keep it safe, neither laid their eyes upon the room which brought back many painful memories, even though they were still in their eggs at the time...

"Is it weird I can't wait to see sooner?" Spyro asked as he looked at her before, returning the gentle sincere smile in kind.

Cynder shook her head softly as they finally reached the egg chamber, the doorway barren; the door was destroyed on the night of the raid and many splintered fragments lay scattered across the cold stone floor.

"No, not at all Spyro...because I do too..." she responded as she entered the room. Spyro murred softly as he followed her into the room.

"There it is..." Spyro said beaming with the joy only a father could have looking at his own son. While true, it was only an egg.

As they stepped inside the ruined chamber that had been left untouched by the sands of time, Cynder smiled. There the egg laid just where they always left it, in the center of the chamber on a small pedestal. Cynder's heart warmed every time she lay her eyes on their egg. She never expected that she would be a mother, and even though it actually happened to her, it was still hard to believe.

The egg's shell was a soft grey color, indicating the hatchling would have nice, grey scales. Gently, Cynder leaned forward very slowly and pressed the tip of her nose against the warm egg. The mother-to-be closed her eyes and thought only of the egg and the purple dragon that was her mate in the room with her.

"Any day now Spyro..." she said in a near-whisper, her soft eyes on the egg in a loving gaze. Her eyes fell closed again and she took in a slow, deep breath, sitting down in front of the pedestal.

"Hehe I'm sure whatever the hatching turns out to be..we'll be ready." Spyro replied, as he placed his paw on the egg gently, rubbing it like one would a precious jewel.

Cynder sighed happily and dreamily as she placed her own paw on the egg, put simply kept it resting on their precious little jewel. "I'm sure we will too, Spyro...I know we will..."

"I'm sure we will too. Heh...I can't wait to see who they resemble more, me or you?" Spyro asked softly as he rubbed his paw back and on the egg gently.

"Come on, I'm sure Sparx will want to know how the egg is doing." Spyro said.

Spyro turned around to leave. "Well let's not keep him waiting, he didn't even know I was back until the day after..." Spyro blushed at the thought. "I still feel bad for that." He said looking down.

Cynder smiled and leaned in, gently kissing the delicate egg-shell with all the love a new mother could have. "If we have a boy...I hope he resembles his handsome father..."

As she turned around to follow him out of the dim, silent chamber, she looked behind her shoulder to get one more look at their egg. Even though it would be save in this chamber, she still feared something would happen to it...

"Come on Spyro, don't feel bad...I'm sure he'll be happy to see us." she smiled, lightly patting and rubbing her mate's back with an outstretched wing.

"Yeah, you're right Cynder. He did happily hug me when we visited him at my old parents." He said as he murred at his mate's encouraging and gentle rub to calm him. As he took the few steps out of the doorway...Spyro heard something. The egg had moved...his head raised up in complete alert as he heard it again. "C-Cynder..."

Spyo ran over as quick as he could watching the egg with rapt attention, and after several minutes, heard a cracking sound.

"Oh my goodness, Cynder, it's breaking through." Spyro said as about excited as Volteer was when he would find out anything new about ancient lore.

Cynder just couldn't believe it; after all this time of waiting eagerly and patiently, their little egg was finally breaking free! She watched the egg, her pulse raising and her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

"Spyro...I can't believe it's finally happening..." Cynder leaned in, and started to whisper. "Come on, come on little one..." she whispered softly as a few cracks began to appear in the shell. "You can do it..."

"Come on...come to papa." He cooed softly as he looked at the egg expectantly. With every crack and splinter he could see more and more grey scale, the light coming in through the shell to help them see what the hatchling was starting to look like. With ever second the tension cut into the room until finally Cynder and Spyro could see a little grey beak. A small tiny screech could be heard coming from the hatchling as his first breath. More and more of the shell broke away with each tiny movement of his head until finally..the little hatchling had done it.

"Awwww..." Spyro couldn't help but gently put his muzzle up to the grey hatchling. The hatchlings scales were the color of freshly burned ash, and on his stomach was a small round doubt that would later in life become bigger as he matured. But for now, the small black spot stood out as its eyes opened for the first time.

Cynder felt like he would burst into tears. The more she saw the faster her heart beat, and when the little hatchling was completely free of his shell, his mother was in tears.

"Hello, little one..." Cynder whispered softly as she pressed her snout on the baby dragon's tiny body right next to Spyro's, a small smile on her face. "Mama's here..." she sniffed back her tears, looking over at Spyro. "It's a boy, Spyro...and he's...perfect..." she said in a soft, semi-choked voice. Here lay their new hatchling, rolled over on his side and facing his parents, his small tail wagging in the broken fragments of egg-shell. Retaining her smile of pure happiness, Cynder extended her wing once again and put it over Spyro's back to pull her mate close.

"I love you Spyro..."

"I love you too..." He said as he nuzzled into her. "We should get the guardians in here." Spyro said, beaming with pride at his first-born son.

Cynder nuzzled herself into him, pressing her body as close to him as she possibly could. "Not yet Spyro...let's just enjoy this moment together..." she said, nuzzling and licking at his neck affectionately. "Our little one needs a name, Spyro..."

"I know he does..." He said as looked back at the hatchling who had just made his life with Cynder feel that much more complete. "Well...his eyes remind me of yours a bit. But...that'd be a bad idea." Spyro said as he gently grabbed the hatchling and starting cleaning him up, looking him over for any defining features. "How about Ignitus?...No...that's a bad idea. As much as I'd want to, it just wouldn't be right to burden him with such a title. Hmmm...besides we can honor Ignitus by doing what he told us to do...following our hearts. What do you think his name should be Cynder?"

Cynder liked the idea of naming him after their guardian, but Spyro was right...she didn't want their son growing up with the weight of trying to live up to the expectations that he would be just as great a dragon as Ignitus himself. She looked over the little dragon again, lightly nudging the dragon with her snout which elicited a few small, happy sounds from him that made Cynder smile.

"Hey Cynder, speaking of Ignitus, I think we should involve the other Guardians. This moment is just too special not to share it with the ones we care about." Spyro replied.

Cynder didn't take her eyes off the little infant, lightly licking at his forehead affectionately. "That would be a good idea Spyro...I think they would be happy to see our little hatchling..."

Spyro chuckled a bit, before handing off the little guy over to Cynder. "I'll be right back."

Cynder watched Spyro go before turning back to the baby dragon. She stood back on her hind legs and slid her forepaws around him and pulled him close to her. A sense of pride welled up inside of her; a pride she never felt before, one that could only come with becoming a parent. Cynder closed her eyes and breathed soft, warm air over the small body of the little newborn to keep him warm and comforted by her presence and closeness.

"Mama's here hunny..." Cynder whispered softly, finishing the job of cleaning him off. "I'll keep you warm..."

The hatchling looked at Cynder curiously, trying to figure out who it was that held him. Looking around the room the whole world looked rather new to the hatchling.

"You're in the Dragon Temple, little one..." Cynder said softly, lightly nuzzling his belly with her warm snout. That wouldn't mean much to a dragon who'd only been in the world for a few minutes; she at least hoped he would know she was his mother. "This is your home...and...I'm your mother..." Uttering those words made her happy.

The hatchling looked in wonder at his surroundings.

"Looks like we got a new addition to the gang...congratulations Cynder." Terrador said as he entered the room followed by Cyril and Volteer, then quickly Spyro.

"Hey hey, there you are." Spyro said as he nuzzled her with great affection. "What did I miss?"

Cynder smiled, her tail wagging now that the Guardians were there to share the moment with them. "Thanks Terrador..." she said before nuzzling Spyro back with that same affection and happiness. "You did miss anything Spyro...but I'm glad the Guardians are here with us now."

"What do you think his name should be Cynder?"

"His scales are...really ashy colored..." she looked over the hatchling, then at Spyro. "Maybe...we could name him...Ash?"

"Or perhaps Eridor?" Volteer suggested. Spyro gave him a weird look. "Or Grey." Spyro replied.

"How about Smoke?" Terrador suggested.

Cynder gently rolled the infant on his back and stroked his belly gingerly, thinking over the names in her head. They were all nice names. "It's a pretty hard choice..." she said.

Cyril wondered what they were going to name the hatchling, he bent his head down and sniffed the little hatchling. "I dare say he has Cynder's eyes."

"You know what Cynder, how about we let him choose. We'll ask him which name he likes best." Spyro replied, looking to the newborn hatchling. "Do you like Grey buddy, how does that sound?" He asked.

The newborn didn't give much a response to it, only continuing to lick his mom's muzzle.

"Or Eridor. You know it's the name of a very special..."

The hatchling didn't very well respond to the words of the electric guardians.

"How about Smoke, little guy?" Terrador asked as he looked down at the hatchling.

The hatchling wasn't very responsive to this one either.

"How about Ash?" Cnyder asked as she cradled the new-born in her paws. He gave a pretty nice squeak and a lick at his mom's nose, for however close it was.

"Ash? Why what a peculiar name. I think he loves it." Volteer said.

Cynder blushed and smiled happily at his response, lightly nuzzling her snout against his licks. "I think we've got our answer Spyro. Ash it is then." Cynder closed her eyes and exhaled happily, gently nudging her son comfortingly. It was obvious by looking at her that she was very, very happy.

"May I hold him Cynder?" Spyro asked, gently looking down at their own son. This made him beam with pride.

Cynder nodded and said "Of course Spyro." smiling as she handed off to Spyro.

"Isn't that cute?" Cyril asked Terrador.

"Yeah...yeah it is. Nothing warms an old dragon's heart like seeing the birth of a new family." Terrador said as he looked at the new hatchling.

"It's decided then. We shall call our cute little bundle of joy..." Spyro says as he looks down at Ash, cradling him in his paw. "Ash..." Spyro smiled as Ash looked up at him...for an awkward amount of time the stare session between father and son continued, before Ash finally broke the tension with a sneeze. Spyro chuckled "Oh Cynder...this is far better than I ever could have hoped to dream."

Cynder giggled loudly at the loud, cute sneeze, then looked over at Spyro. She leaned in slowly and placed a soft, gentle kiss on the side of his muzzle, smiling softly and playfully at the purple dragon that was her lover and mate.

"Not even in your dreams, Spyro."

So that's it. The story is done.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

-Yami.