Here's the next chapter, ain't got much to say about it. Thanks goes out to RedDragonx for working with me on this one. Enjoy it cuz I might not get the next one out soon, lot of stuff I'm working on. R&R

Ferrous awoke a few hours later with Emmaire still lying with her head on his chest. He sighed and ran his paw across her back, smiling down on the ice dragoness. It was like he was in a dream, with her lying against him like this. He wrapped his wing around her form and pulled her a little closer, feeling her shiver at the touch. She awoke and gazed up at him, staring into his green eyes. They sparkled with love and she giggled.

"What's so funny Em?" he asked quietly.

"Your eyes are so pretty…" he blushed at the compliment.

"Not as pretty as you, though…" He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "You are the most beautiful dragoness in existence, and you're all mine."

"Always and forever, Ferrous." They sat there for a while longer until they heard something from outside the walls of the garden. The noise was a dull, throbbing sound that seemed to resonate from the ground beneath their feet. "What was that?" Emmaire asked as she stood.

Ferrous also rose and he shook his head. "I don't know. But it doesn't sound good. Stay here, I'm going to check it out."

Emmaire nodded as he flew over and perched atop the wall running around the edge of the garden. After a few moments he grew stiff and returned to her. Wide green orbs told the story as he spoke rapidly. "We have to go to the Guardians, now! There was an army out there!"

Her eyes grew in fright. "An army? What are we gonna do?"

He rested his wing upon snowy white scales and guided her back towards the entrance of the Temple swiftly. "We need to tell Ignitus right away. Come on, follow me." They ran through the temple to the center meeting room, where the Guardians were already gathered. The two dragons ran into the room and slid to a stop in front of the fire Guardian. "Ignitus!" Ferrous began. "I just saw a giant army marching towards the temple with a terrifying creature leading them. What should we do?"

"Young dragons, you need to go with Wolfe to Warfang. We shall stay with the warriors and try to hold them off." Ignitus stepped aside to show the slightly smaller black dragon behind him.

Wolfe walked forward with a serious expression. "We have to move, fast. They are moving quickly and there's more than one general with them, plus one of them is almost here. Ferrous, go and find Flame. Emmaire, Ember is in the courtyard, and I need you to get her. Meet me and Star in the garden."

They nodded and turned back out of the room. Ferrous nuzzled the ice dragoness. "Be careful Emmaire."

"I will."

They pulled apart and went separate ways, each searching for their respective targets. Ferrous ran to the fire dragon's room and found him lying on his bed with a brown book in front of him. He yawned and closed the book to look up at the earth dragon. "Hey, what's up Ferrous?"

Ferrous motioned him out of the room. "The temple is about to be attacked. We're getting out of here. Come on."

Flame nodded before jumping downwards; following Ferrous out into the garden. Once they got arrived, they found Wolfe, Star, and Ember waiting patiently for their return. Ferrous glanced around but did not see the ice dragoness he loved among the others. "Where's Emmaire?" Ember looked up at him with a sad expression. "You mean, she didn't go to you?"

Ferrous had a look of horror flash across his face. "I have to find her!" He turned and bolted out the door, dashing through the temple as quickly as he was capable of. Hot tears streamed forth from his eyes as he careened down the winding corridors. He kept his wings low to the ground; pushing the muscles within his legs to their limits. Explosions lit up the dimming sky outside the occasional window as his mind raced faster than his feet. Where is she? He whipped around a corner and into her room. "Emmaire, where are you?" he called out. She wasn't there, which disturbed him. He continued his frenzied flight through the darkening corridors to the courtyard, finding himself thinking back to the dream he had the previous day. Ancestors, please don't let that happen. He halted at the entrance to the courtyard and found himself frozen in terror. Just like his dream, there was a terrifying creature holding the limp form of the ice dragoness in its furred paw.

The creature appeared to be a wolf, but stood nine feet high and had a pair of monstrous brown feathered wings folded behind its upright form. An evil smile appeared on its lips, the razor sharp fangs flashing in the dangerous glow of multiple fires. Upon noticing Ferrous, the fangs parted in a laugh; a cruel male voice stabbing the cold dagger of fear deep within the earth dragon's heart. But as the creature tossed Emmaire behind him against the wall, Ferrous's fury began to rise, erasing all fear from his thoughts. Suddenly, a black object flew past him and a ball of bright orange fire appeared between Ferrous and the creature. Wolfe's voice rang out against the harsh noise of the approaching army.

"Ferrous! Grab Emmaire and let's go!"

The earth dragon dashed forward to lift Emmaire onto his back, steadying her with his wings. "Don't worry Em," he whispered. "I've got you now." He ran back to the entrance and yelled to Wolfe. "Come on! I have her!"

Wolfe nodded and jumped backwards, throwing a vicious maelstrom of wind from his wings. The creature roared in anger as it sailed through the air, colliding with the stone wall moments later. It quickly got up as Wolfe turned away and called out, "Star, go for it!"

Ferrous turned his head away from the courtyard as a blinding flash of light erupted in the air around the creature's head. The young dragons took advantage of the opportunity to escape down the winding halls. They made their way back to the garden and Wolfe slid to a stop in front of Flame, waving Ferrous over.

The black dragon stood up on his hind legs and picked Emmaire off of Ferrous's back. "I'm stronger than you, and you can't carry her on your back when you're flying. I'll take her to Warfang." He flashed the earth dragon a quick grin. "I'll be extra careful with her, don't worry." Ferrous gave him a silent nod and all five young dragons took to the sky; Wolfe carrying Emmaire in his forearms.

It took all night but they finally reached the city of Warfang. The night air was frigid in the mid autumn weather and the horizon was glowing with vague hints of the impending dawn. They touched down on the cold cobblestone street; Wolfe immediately departing with Emmaire towards a nearby inn with the others following closely behind. The receptionist recognized him and smiled. "Welcome, Wolfe. Your rooms are upstairs, just as you left them. Have a nice stay!" It was obvious that she wasn't aware of the battle raging at the temple. Wolfe gave a soft grunt of acknowledgement and continued up the stairs and to the end of the hallway. Star nudged open a door for him and he stepped inside to lay Emmaire on the bed within. Flame and Ember took the room across the hallway, while Wolf departed for his own resting place quietly. Just before leaving Ferrous alone with the ice dragoness, she nuzzled him in comfort. "She'll be fine, Ferrous. I promise." With that, she closed the door behind her, leaving him in total silence. He crawled onto the bed beside his love and sat over her, gazing into her closed eyes and finding the smallest bit of peace in watching her. Words once again leapt unbidden to his lips and he began to speak, tears forming in his eyes and falling freely onto her chest.

"Everything is fading

Depression setting in

Darkness is surrounding me

I am left with nothing.

But even in this place

Desperate and alone

I can feel her presence rising

Curing my sick soul.

I lift my head and wonder

What this feeling could be

This sense of hope and peace

That's welling up in me.

'Don't you cry' I hear her voice

'Don't give it all up now

My love will always be with you

It doesn't matter how.'

I rise back to my feet

My tears are flowing still

And though my sadness hasn't changed

My thoughts and feelings will.

Now my heart is still in shambles

My situation stays the same

But with a memory of her light

I can live again."

His words faded into the silence, leaving a half-hearted smile upon his features. He lay down beside her, resting his head on her neck. He could hear her heart beating beneath her frosty white scales and the sound soothed his sorrow, allowing him to breathe easier. Ferrous covered her with his wing before running his paw across her side lovingly. He felt a slight shiver from her, and then a small cough. He jolted upright to see her eyes open and a soft smile on her face. His tears began anew and he collapsed against her, sobbing gently into her shoulder. "I thought I had lost you."

She felt water well up in her own eyes and stroked the back of his head tenderly. "I would never leave you like that," she cooed to him, trying to calm him before she lost control as well. She lifted his muzzle with her wing, still trying to stop his tears. An idea flitted through her mind and she brought her lips to his; her heart simply melting as they touched. The sensation of them pressed together was beyond comparison to anything she had ever felt before. Ferrous's eyes grew at first but then he squeezed them shut, the tears disappearing instantly from the green orbs.

After a few moments holding the kiss, he pulled away with a soft growl of approval. "Em…I love you so much. I'm sorry I was like that before. I just don't know what I'd do without you."

She rubbed her nose against his. "You don't need to apologize, I would have done the same…" A sly smile danced around the corners of her mouth. "Though I wouldn't have thought of the poem."

"You heard that?" He stepped back a little, allowing her to roll to her paws and pad towards him on the bed.

"I did…it was the most romantic thing anyone has ever said…if not a little depressing." His eyes dropped but she quickly kissed him again to bring a smile to his face. "It was sweet though. Thank you."

They sighed and lay down on the bed, the ice dragoness rolling over and scooting up into the crevice of Ferrous's body. He nipped playfully at her neck and curled his paws over the dragoness's form, resting them upon her stomach. He rubbed it sensuously and licked her cheek, eliciting a giggle from the dragoness lying in the curve of his frame. Ferrous felt her snuggle up closer to him and he dropped his paw to rest just below her belly, causing her to shiver before lying still against him. He sensed that she was tired, so he wrapped his wings around her and whispered, "Sleep now, my sweet love. We both need our rest. Be at peace, I am here now and I will never do anything that will make me leave your side. End of story." He rubbed his rough scaled cheek against hers, growling gently at his lover as she drifted towards sleep.

She answered with a playful murr of her own. "I love you, sleep tight."

"I will…" he murmured to himself as she clamped her paws down on his, holding them in place. He realized exactly where she had kept them resting and he laid his head down on her neck. "Good night, my love." were the last words from his mouth before he slipped into the void of slumber.

Emmaire awoke moments before her love and she still felt his paws just above her most sacred part, shivering slightly at the thought of the dragon behind her being that close. She felt him shift behind her and she smiled to herself at what she knew he would say.

Following her expectations, he lightly kneaded his paws, massaging her scales. "Mmmm…. I'm liking you more and more every morning, love." He inched his paws lower until she slapped them with a giggle.

"Not so fast, my dragon. I'm still tired," she lied.

He smirked, seeing through the lie, but deciding to play along. "Well then, what am I to do? I'm not tired anymore. If you're asleep, then I'll have no one to talk to and my mind may wander…" Emmaire shuddered when he whispered that last line quietly into her ear, his voice dripping with lust. She rolled over in his arms, drawing a groan of disappointment as his paws were removed from where they had been resting before. She smiled and pressed her body closer up against his. Her smile was soft and her eyes shined with happiness.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her chest, causing her to cry out in agony. The dragoness clasped her paw over her breast, squirming around forcefully on the bed. Startled, Ferrous leapt to his feet and growled, his eyes roving over the room for what might have possibly caused the one he loved so much hurt. Seeing nothing, he turned his gaze back to Emmaire, who had stopped writhing about and sat still on her haunches, her chest heaving with her heavy breaths. The door burst open and both Wolfe and Star rushed into the room.

"What happened? We heard her yell and we thought…" Star walked up to Emmaire and laid her tail on the dragoness's chest. The tip began to glow white and a soothing energy ran from it into Emmaire's body. "Whatever it was, it's gone now. It seemed that you suffered some internal injuries yesterday. Luckily, I was able to heal them." She smiled. "A talent I picked up after seeing Wolfe get hurt so much." The two turned their backs and strode out of the room. "It's not quite time to go out yet, try to get some more rest." Their tails intertwined as the door was closed behind them. Ferrous tried to make himself comfortable next to his dragoness, but to no avail. Emmaire noticed this and rolled back into her previous position, pulling his paws back above her precious area. This did calm him down immensely, but his mind still raced. He laid his head down against her shoulder and accidentally let a whimper escape his muzzle. She leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

"Can't you just relax? I'm right here Ferrous. I'm waiting for you." Those last four words brought him out of his depression in less than a second and he nibbled gently on her neck, making her moan softly at the feeling. "I see I found what you wanted."

"No…I found what I wanted. And she's right here in my paws." He massaged her belly and slowly moved his paws downwards. "It's gonna be a long morning, my dear dragoness. Are you ready?" She looked into his eyes and nodded.

"I love you too much not to be."

Hope you liked it, I might be including them in another story of mine that I'm beginning to work on, haven't thought of a name for it yet but it's partly Spyro… well until next chapter,

Laters!