Chapter Nine: A Hard Clue
The slow creaking of trees overhead woke the slumbering dragon. He cracked open an eye and observed the world set out before him. Grass, bent in the breeze, moving like waves on the ocean. A bug or two scurried along, trying their best to survive the day. A red leaf fell to the ground in front of Spyro's face, reminding him of something... Flame.
He lifted his head up with his strong neck, and looked behind him. There lay the content red male, not a care in the world. Frantically, Spyro searched Flame's body, scanning it for any sign of what happened last night. Then he checked his own. Nothing, "Just a dream?"
"Mmpf... Spyro..." Flame mumbled. He lay on his side, so his paws hit only air as he batted at something imaginary.
"He's so cute... What am I thinking? Just stop Spyro... Stop..." He massaged his temples with the tips of his wings, as if 'that' would help. After getting to his feet, the purple dragon surveyed his surroundings for something magical. It might be something powerful enough to sway his sexuality in a different direction.
He checked the rocks around him; he checked the willow trees; hell, he even checked Flame! Not a single bit of magical aura. What if Spyro was gay the whole time, and only needed this small push to realize it? He padded over to his sleeping friend, and watched his chest rise and fall with every breath. Something about the red male was just... Arousing to him. He quickly found himself nosing Flame awake, "Hello..." He muttered, blinking.
"Good morning." Spyro spoke in such a way that it sounded almost lovingly. He hated himself for it.
Flame got up and smiled at his purple friend, "Listen, what happened last night... Well, thank you. How did you know?"
Spyro cocked his head sideways, "How did I know what?"
Flame blushed, "That I'm... You know... Different."
"Oh, that." Spyro walked closer to Flame and pushed his nose up against his, "Maybe... It was instinct?"
The red dragon was so embarrassed, he moved for a kiss, and then separated with lust in his eyes, "Don't you already have a mate though?"
Spyro chuckled, the image of Cynder entering his mind, "Yeah... Strange..." His wings fluttered, water dripping onto them. He looked up. A storm cloud was generating overhead, "We should get going before it's too late."
Flame nodded in agreement, "Right, well where to next?"
The purple dragon unwrapped the leather around the item inside, and witnessed a stone fall to the ground. It had something engraved on it. Spyro turned it over with his paw and smiled, "Somewhere warm."
Flame smiled, "I like warm!"
"How much do you like llamas?"
The red dragon looked confused, "What are llamas?"
Spyro chuckled, "You'll find out soon enough." He then spread his wings and took to the sky.
The smell of rust and rot filled her lungs with every breath; unbearable, "Why do you hold me here? Just kill me and get it over with!" A dark purple dragoness stood with her snout poking through the bars of a makeshift prison cell. It was probably made quickly, and of the worst material possible. She was confused; grublins don't usually lock up their captives. They either pit them against massive monsters, or just kill them.
The room that held her cell was small. It was only large enough to contain her, the bars, a tiny bed of straw, and a window on the side across from her. Light got in, but only a little. To the right of her cage was a staircase, and from it she could hear sounds of footsteps. Creak after long creak emitted from the boards making up the walls. Each time one could be heard, Cynder felt the ground shift beneath her. Perhaps they kept her inside something that moved?
An ape stumbled down the nearby staircase, "Shut up you stupid bitch! If you keep hollering like that, I 'will' kill you! Be glad that we have orders to keep you alive." It slammed a club against the bars near her snout, making her flinch. He snickered and stomped back up the stairs. Cynder's hope for rescue was just on the brink of dying. Four months of this can do that to some one. She crumpled into a ball in the corner and started crying.
"What?" Terrador roared, slamming his tail against the ground angrily.
The scared messenger mole took a step back and repeated his message, "Spyro has slain Slithe, and gotten the clue from Cynder's old tower."
"That is not possible! How?" He lowered his massive bulk from his throne and stomped over to the mole, "Tell me and I 'might' not eat you."
The creature gulped, shivering in fear, "He... Has help."
Terrador showed his teeth, "What kind of help?"
"A red dragon by the name of Flame." In a flash, the mole was gone and the green guardian was licking his lips. He sat back on his throne and placed his chin on one of his fore-paws in deep thought.
Spyro and Flame landed side-by-side on a rocky ledge. Beneath them, clouds blew past. They were at the top of an extremely tall mountain. This flat area was well known as the Tall Plains, as it 'is' very high up. Well tended crops, were occupied by strange looking bipedal llama-like creatures called Atlawa. Spyro remembered something his long dead tutor Ignitus had said way back when he was just a youngling, "Tall Plains was once home to a proud ancient tribe called the Atlawa. The Atlawa were a people in tune with the rhythms of the seasons, focused on their relationship with crops, their surroundings, their gods. They've all been driven underground by Cynder and her forces, who've taken over the tribe's Shrine. I sense that's where Cynder is keeping Cyril, trying to power another crystal. You must find him before she succeeds." Now, thanks to his intervening, the Atlawa could spend their days without a care in the world.
"Wow, those things sure are weird looking..." Commented Flame, who regarded the strange little creatures with a sort of disgust.
Spyro chuckled, "Weird, but very polite." He strolled right up to one and asked, "Do you know where the chief is?"
It nodded and pointed in the direction of the shrine, "Chief Kane is busy praying. You can wait outside if you wish." It then went back to work.
"See? Not to bad when you get to know them." Spyro walked on, but Flame took great care in keeping at least a tail's distance from the Atlawa.
When they finally reached the shrine, Flame had gotten used to the 'ugly' creatures. He was just walking normally behind Spyro as the purple dragon greeted his old friend Kane with a polite bow, "Ah, Spyro. Good to see you again. So what brings you here?"
Spyro raised his head and asked, "Can you show me to where this might come from?" He held out the rune that had formally been wrapped in leather.
Kane took it from Spyro, and examined it carefully, "Yes, but may I ask why?"
"It'd probably be better if you didn't know."
The Atlawa chief understood. Turning around, he walked into the shrine, "Follow me." Both dragons carefully trailed the two legged llama creature, keeping their eyes on the eager guards. They didn't want to start a fight with an ally. Once inside the huge earthy structure, Kane led the two dragons over to a wall. This wall was covered in many runes, one of them was missing. In it's place, was another clue wrapped in leather. Spyro thanked his old friend and removed the clue from it's perch.
Flame watched over his friend's shoulder as the purple dragon unwrapped a stick. This stick wasn't your ordinary stick though; it had three golden rings spaced evenly along it, "What the-?"
Spyro sighed, "I 'thought' this would happen eventually." He placed the stick on his back along with the lighting rod, "Figures, with all the easy clues they've been giving me, that I'd eventually come across a difficult one." He exited the shrine, thanking his Atlawan friend one last time before taking flight with Flame.
"Where do we go now?" Asked the red dragon, coming up beside Spyro.
"Where else would we be able to find answers? Warfang's library."
End Chapter Nine: A Hard Clue
Author's note: Shit... Once again I've become bored of writing a story... What's wrong with me? Am I losing my ability to write? Are all my story ideas really THAT bad? I don't know... Just as a warning, this story might suddenly and mysteriously 'disappear' out of nowhere. *sigh* What if I'm just getting bored of writing all-together? Well, on with the next chapter.