The dragons shot over the ground like missiles. They had flown all day and throughout the night. Spyro, Cynder, Tremor and Flame helped carry their friends when they needed to rest or sleep which slowed their pace. But Tremor and Flame's determination pressed them onward.
"Tremor, take it easy." Flame called. The earth dragon had pushed on ahead, carrying his twin on his back. Flame carried Ember and Cynder carried Candice while Spyro was left with Stella.
"We need to get home Flame!" The earth dragon called back. "Our home is in danger and we need to get there as quickly as possible!"
"I know that." Flame hollered over the wind. "But we need to be able to fight when we get there. We're already running on fumes right now."
"You're both right." Spyro jumped in before Tremor could come up with a rebuttal. "But let's focus on getting there first and finding out the situation."
Flame and Tremor both stared at each other before nodding in agreement.
Two hours later the sun began to rise. Flame yawned as he began to fall back from the other dragons.
"Flame, keep up!" Tremor called.
"I'm coming!" The guardian jerked himself awake and fluttered his wings. The movement woke Ember and she yawned greatly.
"Morning sunshine." Flame smiled back at her.
"Good morning hot stuff." Ember giggled and licked his cheek. It was then that she looked up ahead and her expression darkened. "Oh no." Flame turned back to the horizon and his smile disappeared.
Off in the distance they could see large plumes of smoke rising into the early morning sky. Spyro's eyes narrowed as they drew closer. By now their sleeping companions were awake and flying on their own, allowing their carriers to increase their speed.
"Are we too late?" Cynder called.
"I don't know yet." Tremor called back. The glare is interfering with my vision.
"Everyone follow me!" Spyro called. He climbed higher into the air and turned to his brother who was just waking up on his shoulder. "Sparx, we need you to fly on ahead and give a quick assessment of the situation. If there's danger signal three times. If not then just twice."
"You can count on it." The dragonfly pushed off and zipped on ahead.
"What's your plan Spyro?" Cynder asked as she rose up next to him. The group of dragons hovered in the air, eagerly searching for Sparx's signal.
"Listen up!" Spyro called Without turning around. "I want Candice up front with me. Cynder and Stella you two take the wing formation. Flame and Ember, you will lead wave two. Tremor and Gaia, you bring up the rear."
"Right!" The dragons all chimed in unison.
"Let's go!" Spyro shouted and dove towards the flames ahead. As the formation drew closer Spyro spotted Sparx flying back towards them. He was flashing signals wildly as a swarm of ravens were in hot pursuit. "Sparx!" Spyro cried and beat his wings faster. Candice and the others pushed to keep up.
The dragonfly ducked as a raven's beak snapped at the air where he had been only a split second before. Another one of the birds squawked loudly as it rushed in with its beak wide open. Sparx flinched as he prepared to meet his end. Just before the bird could deliver it's killing bite a bolt of electricity shot past Sparx and the raven exploded. Sparx opened his eyes as several more bolts shot past him and struck their intended targets.
"Gotcha!" Spyro gasped as he snatched his broth up in his claws safely.
"Cutting it a little closer than I like there Spyro." The dragonfly breathed a sigh of relief.
"It could have been worse." Spyro smiled down at him before turning to the candidates. "Get ready!" He led the formation into a dive as they neared the flames. They could see clearer now that the sun was finally up.
"Dear god." Candice gasped almost unheard by the others. Charging across the ground were hundreds of wolves. The beasts rushed forward on their hind legs wielding crudely constructed weapons and unleashing maelstroms or ice and electrical energy from their fur and mouths.
The entrance to the city was dug into the ground. Smoke billowed up from the destroyed main gate and into the morning sky. The wolves pushed forward, being careful to staying clear of any stray shots coming at them from the dragons beyond the smoke.
Spyro's formation soared over the ground, barely so much as beating their wings every hundred yards. When they were close enough Spyro unleashed a blast of ice and Candice followed his lead almost at the same moment. The wolves taking cover to the rear were instantly covered in ice and frozen in place.
As Spyro and Candice continued with a steady stream of ice, Cynder and Stella opened their mouths as wide as they could. Stella hissed and several chains of lightning sprayed across the barbaric forces surrounding them. Cynder's eyes flashed red and she unleashed a scream. The frozen wolves shattered in to dust while the other members of the pack howled in pain and clutched at their bleeding ears.
Flame and Ember followed up with a combination of Ember's sparkler-fireballs and Flame's explosive blasts of fire breath. The invaders that Stella had stunned were either burned where they stood or left scrambling across the ground trying to put their blazing fur out.
Finally, as Tremor and Gaia brought up the rear, they spat earth bullets from their mouths. The orbs of energy spattered across the ground not hitting many of their intended targets. As the two earth dragons flew by the ground erupted in explosions of dirt and rock, sending wolves weapons and body parts flying. The wave of earth followed the formation and died down as they reached the entrance to the city.
Spyro barely had time to dodge a bolt of electricity as the dragons entered into the cloud of smoke.
"Watch yourselves!" He coughed. The smoke was think and smelled of burning wood and flesh. The dragons rushed forward with greater speed, trying to get clear of the suffocating vapor without getting hit by the random elements flying at them.
After what seemed like an eternity they broke through the cloud of smoke and into the underground city.
"Cynder!" Spyro gagged. "Do something about this smoke."
"Just leave it to me." The black dragoness nodded. She turned back towards the immense wall of smoke billowing up from the cave floor.
"Candice, Tremor and Gaia." The three candidates all formed up on him trying to keep from gagging too much. "We're going to put out the fires anywhere we see them. And Flame..." Spyro turned to the fire breather. "You take Ember and Stella and find your grandfather or whomever is in charge."
"I'm all over it!" Flame spun on a dime and took off towards the inner walls of the city with the two females trying to keep up.
Spyro and the other felt the wind pull at their backs. The four of them landed and watched as Cynder formed a tornado within the cave entrance. As the whirlwind sucked up the black smoke Spyro and the others ran forward to put out the fires. When the last Embers were put out Cynder's tornado died away. She landed on the ground and staggered forward into Spyro's chest.
"Cynder, are you okay?" He asked worriedly.
"Yeah I'm fine." The dragoness assured him. "I haven't done that in a long time so I'm a little dizzy."
"Okay, just lay down for now." Spyro helped her settle down onto the floor of the cave.
Meanwhile, Tremor moved towards the cave entrance, searching for any more of the invading pack. He spent several minutes scanning the area with his eyes and his earth senses.
"It feels like they've all fled. "Gaia said as she walked up beside him.
"Sure seems that way." Tremor nodded.
"You worried they'll come back?" Gaia studied her brother's stern stare.
"I'm just wondering how long until they come back." Tremor faced her and his eyes seemed to darken.
"I don't think we'll need to worry for at least a little while." Gaia nuzzled him. "We need our rest as it is anyways.
Spyro watched as the two earth dragons stood guard over the city's demolished main gate. It was then he turned to Cynder to find her with her eyes closed at his feet. He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. The dragoness smiled in her sleep and cooed softly.
"How are you doing?" Spyro turned towards Candice.
"Me? I'm fine." Candice jerked in surprise at being addressed and tried to hide her flushed cheeks.
"Spyro!" Flame called. He came bounding over to them with Stella followed by his grandfather Infernus and a small group of various dragons.
"Where's Ember?" Flame asked.
"She's helping care for the wounded." Flame jerked his head back towards the city. "It looks like there are quite a few."
"Young dragons it is good to see you all." Infernus bowed graciously before the guardians. "And we are forever thankful for your assistance in helping save our city." He turned to look over his shoulder. "It may not be much but it is our home after all."
"We understand." Spyro smiled. "It was Flame, Tremor and Gaia who insisted that we come so quickly."
Infernus looked down at his grandson who smiled back up at him before turning his gaze ahead towards the twins. "Well we are deeply thankful to all of you none the less." Then he looked back down at Spyro with a curious expression. "But how did you discover we were under attack. The wolves only showed up two nights ago."
"The wolves attacked the cheetah tribe's village not too long ago." Flame answered with a hint of distaste in his voice. "The refugees fled to Warfang and are taking shelter there right now."
"It wasn't until yesterday that one of their falcons returned with news of the attack on the city." Spyro interrupted. "We thought we'd get here in time to warn you." He looked around sadly. All around dragons rushed to help move debris or usher the wounded to shelter.
"But it looks like we were too late." Candice hung her head.
"Oh come now young dragons." Infernus tilted her chin up with a large claw. "If you had not shown up when you did, we would have suffered far more casualties at the hands of those barbaric beasts."
"They've been pressing constantly since their first strike." A massive earth dragon stepped forward and thrust his head towards the hole in the main splintered main gate. "Even our strongest warriors were having a tough time dealing away with them."
"Yes." Infernus agreed. "It seems that the wolves have gotten far stronger than we ever thought they could. Though we never paid them much mind to begin with since they do not care for us dragons."
"What do you mean grandpa?" Flame and Spyro exchanged glances.
"The wolf tribes are known to be strong and brutal fighters. But their true strength awakens when they emerge under the light of the full moons. They become raging, blood-lusting monsters that nearly match the power of us dragons. We have not had the opportunity to see, but judging by the ferocity they exhibited, we believe there may have been a full moon when they decided to attack."
"Wait, that can't be." Spyro shook his head. "Flame, were the moons full last night?"
Flame pressed his lips together tight as he tried to remember. "I don't think so. I'm pretty sure they weren't. Although I was pretty tired so it's hard for me to be certain."
"Well then let's get you young ones inside." Infernus began to turn back towards the underground city. "You sound like you've had a long and tiresome travel."
"That goes without saying." Sparx chuckled and patted Cynder on the rump. The dragoness jerked awake and swatted the dragonfly with the flat of her tail blade.
"Do you mind?" She snapped.
"Alright you two, come on." Spyro said trying to calm Cynder down. "We're all tired."
"Once you young ones get rested up then we will discuss what is to be done about this current problem."
"Sounds good to me." Flame yawned loudly and his grandfather swatted him upside his head with his tail. "Ow!" He yelped.
"It's rude not to cover up when you yawn." Infernus scolded slightly.
"But I'm a guardian now." Flame whimpered.
"That still doesn't mean you cannot be hit for bad manners." The fire guardian sulked and looked towards the cave entrance. His grandfather just laughed and rubbed his grandson's head with a large paw. "Come now Flameus, you may retire to your old quarters. We have kept them in pristine condition since you've left home." The old dragon turned and followed his party back through the inner walls of the city.
The dragons got up to leave when they remembered Tremor and Gaia standing together several yards away.
"Tremor! Gaia!" Stella called out to them. "Come on! We're going inside where it's safe"
"Coming!" Gaia hollered back. "Let's go Tremor." She said softly, covering her yawn with a wing. "You should rest."
"I guess." Tremor glared at the mouth of the cave. Before he turned back towards the city he slammed paw down on the ground causing several stalagmites to shoot up from the floor of the cave, making a jagged obstacle for any invaders to get across. Little did the earth dragon realize that it would prove useless to them sooner than he wanted.