Author's Notes: alright, first things first, let's chek out the reviews for the previous chapter!
Author-san 9001: Yes, I do take some inspiration from D&D regarding the story's magic system though I'll be making some tweaks. Magic might be overpowered but it is quite demanding to use too. As for Baos, well, resurrected is such a big word. Let's just say that the Elder likes to "experiment".
Guest: whoa, thank you for thinking that! I don't know if you are referring to some fic in particular, but either way, I'm honoured to hear it.
So anyway, this chapter took far more time than necessary, with me going back to rewrite and sometimes remove whole sections, and with RL taking its toll. But hey, we've got to reach this arc climax somehow, right? Hope you're gonna like it, and if you do, don't forget to leave a comment, those always help.
Chapter 7: Chief
"Tell me, Hunter. Does your tribe always show such courtesy to their guests?" Zara inquired.
He shrugged, arms folded on his chest as he frowned. "I don't know. Cos, do we always do this for every visitor we come across?"
The cheetah warrior rolled his hazelnut eyes as he leaned back against the village's barred gate; they glinted with amusement.
"No, we don't. Though usually guests do not assault our warriors."
"He was trying to take away my spear," Zara said.
"You nearly broke his arm."
The fennec glared at him without saying another word, arms crossed over her chest. Cos sighed before turning back to Hunter.
"I'm not enjoying this any more than you are and I'm ready to apologize when this is over, but the chief's orders on the matter stand. I'll personally hand you back your weapons but, as I mentioned, the situation is delicate." His eyes shifted glanced over Hunter's shoulder.
"And the fact that you showed up with them doesn't help."
Hunter frowned but chose to remain silent. Behind him, Spyro tried his best to hide his nervousness, especially to the ring of twenty cheetah warriors surrounding them. He bit his lower lip; the Purple Dragon was confident that some of them were staring at him with enough intensity to drill a hole in the back of his head.
They were tense, that much was certain. Those nearest Cynder had not removed their paws from their blades for a while now. As for her, the dragoness's expression bore the same immutability of a cliff face. Her emerald eyes were hard as steel, and she seemed to be making a conscious effort to ignore the number of stares she was receiving.
"You're nervous."
It took Spyro's mind a few painfully long seconds to register that she was talking to him. Even more time was necessary to formulate a response to that statement.
"Ah . . . How . . ."
"You've been tapping your left claw for a while now," she muttered. "I thought you should know."
Spyro glanced down and quickly became conscious of it. With some embarrassment, he stopped it, then took a few moments to force himself to relax.
"Right . . . right . . ." Spyro said, more to himself than to anybody else. "Thanks for the heads-up."
Cynder acknowledged him with a small nod, yet otherwise remained still. A piercing whistle cut through the air. The village doors groaned as they were slowly dragged open.
"Young dragon," Hunter said, shifting to Spyro's side. "Once we are inside, stay close to me and let me do the talking."
"Of course," Spyro said, nodding. "This is your home after all."
A frown made itself known on Hunter's face, then disappeared with the next eyeblink. The cheetah gave a small nod of his own.
"They are a bit tense now, but I should be able to resolve this without any violence."
Sparx peeked from behind one of Spyro's golden horns. "Right, but if they really want to do it though? Violence, I mean. Just pointing this one out, you know."
"In that case, we're probably dead," Hunter stated matter-of-factly. His lips twitched into a very thin grin. "Just pointing this one out."
The dragonfly rolled his eyes, trying to mask his unease. "Well, ain't that some cheerful thought for the day."
Cos gestured them to follow him inside, and the large group marched past the gates and into the street of the village proper. Spyro blinked as a cacophony of sounds and colours slammed into him. Noises came from everywhere and all at once.
The hustle and bustle was overwhelming; blacksmiths and carpenters worked on their materials openly, together with weavers, tanners, and many more artisans, all gathered beneath large, multi-coloured awnings stretching between long wooden houses. Spyro's nose caught a faint whiff of meat as they moved past a group of cheetahs busying themselves with the setting up of a stall for the smoking of fish.
Music echoed amidst all the chaos; strings hummed, followed by rhythmic percussion. The group came to a halt only once, when a group of giggling pups run past them, before resuming their march.
They quickly caught the attention of the inhabitants, and it wasn't long before Spyro felt many pairs of eyes following them around; cheetahs would point at then, whispering among each other, their voices too faint for Spyro to make out. Still, it wasn't hard to guess the subject of their conversations.
"Hunter, do you think they are talking about us?"
The cheetah glanced at him. "No. Not us. They are talking about you."
Spyro swallowed, then nodded.
'Right. A purple dragon is probably not something they see every day.'
The street opened up into a marketplace. There were a few stands, manned by non-cheetah traders watching over their goods. They were of secondary importance compared to the large wooden house stretching across much of the empty space. Floral motifs covered the plain wood with their vibrant colours.
"Stay here. I'll announce your presence to the chief," Cos said before pushing the door open and disappearing inside. The twenty cheetah warriors didn't leave; they simply arrayed themselves back around them and waited.
"Your people have some weird concept of hospitality, Hunter," Zara said after a while. The fennec's ears twitched. "We usually greet with a feast our tribe-kin when they return after a long journey."
"This is highly unusual, yes. Even for Chief Prowlus," Hunter admitted, beckoning towards the barren door. A deep frown crossed his features. "Even worse, they put the totem out of the village's hall. This is not a good sign."
Only then Spyro noticed the five different wooden poles arrayed by the hall's entrance. Symbols had been carefully etched across their surface, and then dressed up with warding talismans, bracelets, bundle of herbs and flowers, feathers, and old bones.
"The Owl Eyes. The Crazy Wings. The Blue Claws. The Cloved Feet. And of course, the Twisted Branches, my own." Hunter pointed to each totem in turn. "The tribes of Avalar are conveying right now. The second time in my lifetime it has happened."
"Do you think it has something to do with what happened with, you know, Greenvale?"
Hunter nodded. "The village was for Avalar both a trade post and a neutral ground. Something dangerous is afoot."
"Speaking of danger, we have one right now," Cynder hissed under her breath. "Someone is following us."
Hunter and Spyro shot the dragoness an astonished look. Zara let out a soft chuckle instead.
"You noticed that too? Good. I thought it was just me being paranoid. An agent of the Dark Master then?"
"If they are, they're lousy at their job," Cynder said. "A dark cloak just makes you stand out."
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Spyro cut in. The revelation had turned his mouth dry.
"Behind you. Second house to the left, near the cloth stand. Do not look beh-"
It was too late. Spyro glanced over his shoulder. Exactly where Cynder had told him, tucked between a lynx selling her wares and a trio of cheetahs chatting around a spent fireplace, Spyro saw a shadowy figure, peering at them from behind the longhouse's corner.
The moment lasted an eyeblink. As soon as their gazes met, the figure leaped back into hiding. Spyro couldn't say what or who it was, as the dark robes shrouded their face in darkness.
He heard Cynder sighing. "There. Now you've scared them. It'll make flushing them out more difficult."
"Oh," Spyro breathed out, the realization dawning on him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"Actually, I think it's going to be more fun that way," Zara said, licking her lips in anticipation.
Hunter crossed his arms on his chest, frowning. "When exactly did you plan on telling me that?" Zara rolled her eyes.
"I thought you had spotted them already. It's not like you to miss something that obvious, Hunter." There was the faintest hint of amusement in her tone.
"Yes, forgive me for not expecting this to happen in my village," he deadpanned, before shaking his head. "A Dark Master's spy, here. If Chief Prowlus hears about this, I half-expect him to blame it on me."
"Oh, there's no need to worry," Zara said. "I'll handle it. Discreetly. You just go meet your chief and keep him busy for a while."
"You are about to meet him with me in a few minutes," Hunter pointed out. "How do you plan on doing any of that?"
The fennec said absolutely nothing. The corners of her lips curled up though.
The door of the hall swung open, and Cos stepped back outside. He had discarded his travelling cloak in the meantime; his brown-red tunic stood out against his almost golden fur.
"Give her back her weapon," Cos said. After some hesitation, one of the cheetahs stepped forward and delivered the spear back to Zara.
"You may all return to whatever business you need to attend to," Cos told the rest of the gathered warriors. "I will take it over from here."
Their escort nodded and quickly dispersed, although Spyro couldn't help but notice that those closest to Cynder lingered a moment or two before finally leaving.
"As for you three . . ." Cos stopped, noticing Sparx for apparently the first time.
"My mistake, I meant four. As for you four, Chief Prowlus is ready to receive you."
"Zara isn't coming with us?" Hunter asked.
Cos shrugged. "She is Mojiz's daughter. Chief Prowlus respects him, but he feels this is a private matter within the tribe. She is free to visit the village though, as long as she follows the rules of hospitality."
Zara nodded, then grinned to Hunter. "It seems there are upsides too when your chief and my dad are not on speaking terms. Don't worry though, I'll find something to do in the meantime. You just make sure to say hello to Prowlus for me."
Spyro was about to ask her what she was referring to, only to then remember their earlier conversation. He forced himself to not look back to where he had last seen their mysterious stalker.
"How is Prowlus's mood?" Hunter asked, only for Cos to shrug.
"Normal."
"That bad, uh?"
"I . . . well, I did have a word with him while he was in, so hopefully he doesn't do anything drastic." Cos flicked his eyes to the side and at Cynder.
"Just try not to mention who she is," the cheetah muttered under his breath.
'Bloody ashes above and beneath, that was too close!'
Her back pressed against the longhouse wooden wall, Bianca fought to keep her racing heart from outright exploding in her chest. Her fingers tightened on the dark overcoat.
Had the Purple Dragon seen her? He must have. There was no way he hadn't, he had looked exactly her way. And how? She had been extra careful in keeping herself out of view.
Someone had once mentioned her that the Purple Dragon could detect the thoughts of those around him. She couldn't remember for the life of her who had said it; someone back at the academy probably. She remembered laughing it off as a rumour though.
After several moments and even more calming breaths, she mustered enough courage to peek her head back out. The Purple Dragon was still there, now conversing with the others. She saw the fennec, the desert warrior, say something and then leave, disappearing amidst the market stalls as Bianca struggled to keep track of her. When she looked back, she caught a glimpse of the two dragons and cheetahs disappearing inside the village hall.
She bit her tongue just in time from spatting a curse.
'Alright, this is it. It's now or never.'
Crossing the small marketplace was the quickest way,but also the easiest to draw unwanted attention on her. So, Bianca chose the longer but less conspicuous way around. The rabbit fingers moved beneath her dark robe, directing and shaping the weaves of magic just as she muttered words of power under her breath, completing the spell's verbal component.
When she stepped back into the street, the rabbit was gone. Bianca was now a cheetah, or at least an approximation of one. As long as none looked too closely, she would be fine. Thankfully, none of the inhabitants seemed to notice the rather short cheetah wearing dusty robes walking through the village street.
She made her way around the market without incidents, quickening her pace only once she spotted a familiar opening in the palisade wall.
'Perfect! Nobody thought about fixing that yet.'
Bianca squeezed her way through where a sturdy wooden beam was supposed to be and, with a snap of her fingers, the spell dissipated. After that, it was a simple matter of walking along the palisade up to her destination. The hall laid at the village's very edge, towards the river, with its back to the palisade itself. There, another conveniently placed opening awaited her, even if smaller than before.
Bianca lowered herself as much as she could before crawling through. She hissed at the cold mud against her fur, and then again as her robe got stuck on a rusty nail jutting out from the wooden beam.
"Oh, come on!Of all the times, you decide now to get stuck?"
She reached back with a paw and pulled hard. The robe came loose, accompanied by the sound of ripping cloth. Bianca scrambled back to her feet, noticing the newly added hole on her robe's side.
"Fantastic," she groaned. "Just what I needed."
Shaking her head, she decided she had better things to do than worry about her attire. Her attention snapped back to the village hall, the rabbit quickly covering the distance in between. She had done that enough times to know exactly where the secondary entrance was.
Bianca skidded to halt right beside it and shot one last glance around. She grinned. Not a soul in sight. She rolled up her sleeves, readying herself to cast the spell. The motions of her paws came natural to her. Soon enough magic gathered and weaved around them, following her commands.
She exhaled, opened her mouth . . . and then stopped, frowning. The magic coiling around her fingers halted, then dissipated the next moment.
"Dammit, how did the spell go again?"
Bianca bit her lower lip, trying to recollect the exact words but to no avail. Eventually, she shook her head in defeat and reached inside her robes for her spellbook.
"You'd think it gets easier with practise," she muttered angrily, mostly to herself. She flipped through once-white pages, now wrinkled and worn through constant use, each filled to the brim by pencil-made notes, some almost illegible. The leather on the front-cover and along the spine frayed at the touch.
Her eyes stopped at the exact page she was looking for. She read the spell once, then twice, and then a third time to be sure.
"Alright girl, you've got this. You can do this."
Bianca snapped the book close and slipped it back into her robes. She inhaled deeply, forcing herself to relax as she raised both arms and prepared to cast her spell.
'That's it. In and out, just like the Magister said. Clear your mind and the rest will come naturally. Don't let anyone or anything disturb you. It's just you and the magic.'
She smiled as the familiar feeling of gathering magic returned, the words of power echoing clearly into her mind.
A leave crunched softly behind.
It happened fast. A blur smashed into her chest and Bianca gasped, breathless. The next moment her legs no longer touched the ground and pain exploded into the side of her head. It took her some painful seconds to realize that she was laying face-down on the ground, the cold mud pressed against her cheek.
Panic mounting, Bianca tried to scramble back on her feet, only for something hard to land on her back and drive her down with a painful grunt, her vision swinging. She opened her mouth to scream, and that was when she felt cold steel touching her throat.
"Don't. Not a word," a harsh voice hissed in her ears. "You speak something that feels like a spell to me, I open a second mouth across your throat. You understand?"
Bianca froze. She tried to swallow, despite the cold steel a few inches below her chin. Slowly, she nodded.
"Good. Now, let's have a chat."
The morning light streamed through the open roof-windows above and into the hall. It was a place Hunter was intimately familiar with. As a kid, he would often spend hours there, watching as merchants and travellers from outside Avalar stopped to petition his chief. They always brought news and rumours with them; sometimes the occasional band of traveling minstrels would stop for the night and play.
The hall had changed now. Music and laughter were gone, in their place the rasping of whetstones on steel, as dozens of warriors loitered inside and prepared. The air was tense as a loaded spring, ready to burst any moment.
Cos led them silently inside, the hardened earth beneath their paws giving way to smooth stone. Everywhere he looked, Hunter saw scores of cheetah warriors readying spears, blades, bows, and many other weapons. Some were busy dying their furs, dripping brushes tracing overlapping patterns across their bodies to form warding symbols.
Hunter frowned. Many of them did not belong to his own tribe. He recognized the warriors from the Blue Claws tribe, their iconic hook-shaped blades by their sides; the Owl Eyes were there too, together with their dreaded and powerful longbows. Hunter was confident he had caught a glimpse of a Crazy Wings warlock amidst the mass of warriors.
Many turned his way as Cos led them through. They knew him, by sight if not by reputation, and nodded their greetings. Hunter was quick to reply in kind to each. Whether or not they recognized the two dragons by his side, Hunter couldn't tell.
In the hall's far end, the tribes' chiefs sat around a smouldering fireplace, chatting. A series of multi-coloured draperies hung over their heads, rustling as a light breeze blew through them.
"Chief Prowlus," Cos said as they all came to a halt. "I've followed your command and brought you the newcomers. Hunter is with them."
The discussion ceased. Several pair of eyes whipped their way as one. Hunter kept a neutral expression, careful not to let any emotion filter through. A quick glance to the side revealed that his dragon companions couldn't do the same. Spyro looked as the definition of uncomfortable as the attention seemed to focus solely on them. Cynder had better luck; her face was still a mask of stone, yet she couldn't stop her tail from twitching slightly behind.
As for Sparx, the dragonfly had wisely decided that staying put on Spyro's head was a very good way to avoid attention.
"Hunter! You're back!"
Hunter staggered on his feet as a cheetah slammed into him and seized him in a tight embrace. His old injury flared up, yet Hunter bit his tongue just in time. Her robes were different shades of blue, and she wore a set of bracelets on her wrists, coupled with pair of rings dangling from her ears.
He heard chuckling as another cheetah got up from the fireplace, grinning.
"Why don't you give him a moment to catch his breath, Kina?" he said, moving by the cheetah's side before gently pulling her away from the embrace. Only then Hunter noted the bulge around her belly.
"Besides, you know what the midwife said. Too much stress harms the child."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, please! I would become a hermit if I were to follow everything she says."
"She did help you deliver the first one though," he pointed out. "And the second." The cheetah crossed her arms, pouting at him.
"Chief Kina. Alios," Hunter said, nodding to each in turn. "I'm glad to find you both in good health."
The chiefs of the other three tribes were there as well. Though he couldn't recall their names, Hunter bowed his head in respect to each. Then, his attention shifted back to the last one.
"Chief Prowlus."
"Hunter."
It was just a single word, yet Hunter could feel the icy edge behind it. Prowlus rose from his sitting spot by the fireplace and to his full height. His fur was a fiery crimson, matched by the red cloak wrapped around his shoulder. The leather armour over his usual tunic, however, was a recent addition. Hunter felt the hard blue eyes settling on him, then moving on Spyro and Cynder, respectively.
The cheetah frowned, deeply. As his paws rested on his belt, Hunter became aware of the sword on it. By his side, Spyro stiffened.
"With your permission, I believe we should resume this meeting later," Prowlus said slowly to the other chiefs. "There are now other matters that require my attention."
There was no complaint. The other three tribe chiefs nodded, got back to their feet and excused themselves before leaving. Only Chief Kina lingered for one moment; she smiled warmly at Hunter and gave his arm one last squeeze before allowing Alios to accompany her outside.
"You too, Cos," he added.
The cheetah bowed his head. He shot Hunter one last sympathetic glance before turning and following the chief's order. Soon enough, there was only them; the hustle around had receded to a mere background noise.
"I did not expect you to show up in the valley," Prowlus began. "Though perhaps I should have. After all, you trail just behind troubles."
Hunter remained silent. It was a jab; he had known the Chief long enough to expect that kind of greeting.
"Yet this time you have also decided to bring trouble with you as well," Prowlus hissed, his eyes focusing on Spyro and Cynder. "Bringing the Dark Armies inside Avalar was not enough, Hunter? Do you want the Dark Master to come here personally for the Purple Dragon and raze our village, just like Greenvale?"
"I'm not responsible for what happened to Greenvale," Hunter finally said.
"Are you now?" Chief Prowlus stepped forward, until they were face to face. He bared his teeth.
"You willingly ignored my advice and sided with the dragons of Warfang. Did you ever stop to think what your affiliation with them would mean for the rest of the valley? Did you perhaps expect the Dark Master's supporters to respect our neutrality after seeing a cheetah from Avalar working with their enemies? Your stupidity brought the war here!"
"The war was always going to come here," Hunter replied, eyes narrowed. "You merely chose to ignore my warnings until it was too late, so don't blame me for your shortsightedness."
"Is that what killed our people in Greenvale then? Cheetahs died, Hunter! Our tribe-kin died there! And-"
Prowlus halted the moment he realized his voice was growing hoarse with anger. He grinded his teeth.
"You know what? You are right. It is my fault," he resumed with newly found calm. "I've allowed you to get away with too much, and these are the consequences. But that ends now. Ancestors as my witness, you will answer for everything, Hunter."
Prowlus's eyes were hard as steel as he spoke. "I know why you are here. You want permission for passage in the valley, so that you may deliver your precious Purple Dragon to Warfang. I see you follow our traditions only when they suit you, so I will do the same. We have a crisis at hand so I invoke my prerogative as Chief of the Twisted Branches; any petition will have to wait until the emergency has passed."
"Chief . . ."
"No," Prowlus cut him off. "I will not make exceptions. Go ahead and test me if you want. We both know what the sentence is."
Hunter opened his mouth, yet a mere glance to Prowlus was enough to make him forget whatever he was about to say. He and the chief had never seen it eye-to-eye; that was something he had come to expect. Yet, this was different. Prowlus was not just angry; only then Hunter noticed the bags under his eyes. The chief looked like he had not slept in a long time.
"That's not fair!" Spyro spoke up by his side, ripping him away from his thoughts.
"Hunter has done nothing wrong," the young dragon explained. "In fact, he saved the three of us, and if it had not been for his help, we would still be trapped in that rat-infested place! That has to amount to something, right?"
Prowlus shot a single glance his way, then scoffed.
"Is that really it, Hunter? A barely adult dragon with purple scales?" He shook his head. "Quite the great saviour you've got." Then, he focused his full attention back to Spyro, the young dragon flinching back under his cold gaze.
"As for you, Purple Dragon, you speak about help, yet where were you when the Dark Master returned? What were you doing when columns of zealots marched out of Bautar and eastward? Where was your great power when Augusta burned, or at the Battle of the Trident for that matter?" He frowned. "I can go on if you want. The refuges traveling through our valley for the Dragon Coast didn't spare the details of what they saw."
Spyro said nothing, his eyes going downcast.
"Chief," Hunter cut in. "I must know. What happened to Greenvale?"
The cheetah raised an eyebrow before shaking his head. He exhaled, slowly.
"About one week ago, a motley collection of Grublins, mercenaries, and other ruffians showed up in front of the village, demanding to be allowed to enter the valley. As they were around three thousand-strong, Artys stalled for time and asked for our help."
"As per tradition, the tribes conveyed together, and I was chosen as war chief to face this emergency. Unfortunately, we were not careful enough and the intruders noticed the mustering of our warriors. Two days ago, they stormed Greenvale during the night and sacked it. They have occupied the northwestern pass, where they remain holed up for now."
Hunter raised an eyebrow. "Why there? Aside from the old temple, there is nothing."
"I don't know nor care. What matters is that they are in the valley, and that the tribes must cast them out as soon as possible." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Or at least that's what we ought to do if we could agree on a course of action. The intruders have informed us that they have hostages, and that they will be killed if we intervene."
"You don't trust them?" Prowlus shook his head.
"They are stalling for time and it's working. The tribes are checking their numbers, seeing if anyone is missing. Even if there were indeed hostages, the best course of action is still to attack as soon as possible. Whether we rescue them or not, leaving servants of the Dark Master inside Avalar is too dangerous."
Hunter nodded. "Chief, allow me to help. I can send a falcon to Warfang and ask the Guardians for help. Even a modest team of fliers would be more than able to-"
"Help?!" Prowlus snapped his way, teeth flared. "We are in this situation because of the dragons and their war! The Dark Master is a dragon too, and now hundreds of thousands lay dead because their internecine war has spiralled out of control!"
The cheetah's eyes moved to Cynder, narrowing to slits as a growl began to build in the back of his throat. "And if that wasn't enough, you brought her here."
The dragoness said nothing, matching the chief's stare with one of her own. A heavy silence fell; for the first time, Hunter felt a single drop of sweat run along his back. The sight reminded him of two predators sizing each other up.
Then, Prowlus shook his head. "Enough of this. All of you, get out of my sight. I'll deal with you later. I have a valley to defend now."
Hunter said nothing. He merely bowed his head and turned around, retracing his steps back outside. He was only dimly aware of Spyro and Cynder trying to keep up with him. Only once he felt the fresh air against his fur Hunter did allow himself to breath, slowly.
"I take it went bad."
Hunter glanced to the side. Cos was there, the cheetah leaning by the doorframe. As per agreement, he wasted no time handing him back his bow and quiver. Eventually, Hunter nodded.
"Figures." Cos shook his head. "Look, just give him some time, okay? He's under a lot of pressure. He'll come around eventually."
"I hope so," Hunter said, then sighed. "Cos, do you know where we can find some accommodations for the night? It seems like we'll remain here for a while."
The cheetah warrior raised an eyebrow. "I thought your friend had already found some. In fact, she came here but a minute ago and asked me to pass you the message."
"You mean Zara?" Hunter blinked in confusion. "Where? How?"
Cos shrugged. "Not sure. She mentioned something about dealing with the dark cloak following you around or some stuff like that. It was a bit confusing honestly. Any idea what she was referring to?"
It took all of Hunter's self-control to not groan right there.
"He said what?!"
The outburst was sudden, and the rabbit flinched. Her paws fumbled with the teapot, struggling to keep the hot liquid inside. After a moment of intense panic, she sighed in relief. She wasted no time and shot one ugly glare to the one responsible.
Zara paid no mind to her. The fennec sat cross-legged on a chair, the short spear resting on her lap. Her attention had been glued on Hunter as he finished recalling his earlier meeting.
"That damned mule! No wonder dad can't stand him at all," the fennec hissed.
"He's still my chief, you know," Hunter said. Elbows resting on the table, the cheetah massaged his temples.
"And yet he's still a stubborn mule," Zara muttered. "Back home, no chief would dare to speak that way to their own tribe-kin."
Spyro's attention drifted away from their discussion and turned on the pair of steaming hot cups of tea before him. He reached out tentatively with a claw for one, only to receive a nudge in the side, courtesy of Cynder.
"Don't. Not yet," the dragoness whispered. "Wait for her to drink first."
Spyro shot her an amused glance. "What, you don't think she poisoned it or something, right?"
The dragoness said nothing, her emerald eyes focusing on the rabbit with enough intensity to set charcoal on fire. Eventually, their impromptu host lowered the teapot and grabbed a cup for herself, sipping slowly. Spyro swiftly mirrored her after some hesitation.
"That's quite good," Spyro said, licking his lips. "I'm not a fan of tea, but it tastes good. Thank you, miss . . . uh . . ."
"Bianca," she said.
"Right, Bianca. Sorry, it . . . it kinda slipped my mind for a moment," the young dragon let out a nervous chuckle. "It's, uh, it's very good though," he quickly added.
She said nothing, limiting herself to an arched eyebrow. After a few moments of awkward silence, Spyro cleared his throat.
"H-Hey Sparx, do you want to take a sip? You should really try it."
"I think I'll pass," the dragonfly said. "Not a tea guy."
Spyro shrugged and took another loud gulp. Only then he noticed Bianca observing him with the faintest hint of amusement. The rabbit still donned her dark-purple overcoat, though it was open now, revealing the orange short-sleeved dress underneath. She also wore a pair of worn leather boots.
"What's the matter? Is there something on my face?"
Bianca shook her head, leaning back in her chair. "It's just . . . well, you aren't exactly how I was picturing you."
"Really? What did you think I looked like then?" Spyro asked.
"Bigger, I guess. Maybe older too." It was her turn to shrug. "I mean no offence, of course. You know how legends go."
"Well, I'm technically older than I was three years ago. Though I guess I could do some exercise once in a while," Spyro replied with a smirk. She chuckled in response.
"Aren't you going to pour us some tea as well?" Zara's voice cut in. Bianca snapped her head to the fennec, grimacing. Her earlier good mood had evaporated.
"Alright, first of all," the rabbit began, blue eyes narrowing, "you pulled a knife on me not even thirty minutes ago."
"Yes, and I've apologized already."
"Second of all, and I can't believe I need to say this," Bianca continued, lifting two fingers for further emphasis, "would you please sit down properly?"
Zara raised an eyebrow. "I don't follow."
"You're cross-legged on a chair," Bianca deadpanned.
"It's comfortable."
The rabbit's eyes twitched. "Fine. I hope you'll feel comfortable on filling your own cup then."
Zara's response was an indifferent eyeroll.
"As interesting as this whole conversation is, we have more important things to talk about. For instance, I would like to know why you were following us," Cynder said, setting her own cup down. Bianca shot her an uneasy glance.
"Uh? Oh yeah, that. I forgot about it," Spyro added. "What was that all about? You're not one of the Dark Master's spies, right?"
Bianca blinked in genuine confusion. "What? No. No! I'm not a spy, why would you think that?"
"I mean, you've got to admit," Sparx cut in. "The whole thing with the dark cloak? Doesn't exactly make you come out as friendly."
Bianca shook her head. "It's not like I have much choice on my wardrobe. Still, I wasn't following you specifically, I was just . . . well," she paused, hesitating. "Look, I was doing my own things and I just came across you all. That's it."
Cynder's eyes narrowed. "I hope you'll forgive me if I don't find this story neither reassuring nor believable." Then, turning away. "Hunter, this is your village and tribe. Do you know her?"
A pause. Across from her, Hunter looked up, blinking.
"No. The robes she's wearing are familiar to me though. They are worn out, yet I still recognize what remains on the crest on her shoulder patch."
He sighed. "The Academy of Riràny, wasn't it?"
Bianca said nothing. She didn't need to. Her entire body flinched back, as if the sentence alone was a gut punch for her. Long, endless seconds dragged on as Bianca bit her lower lip, the cup shaking faintly in her hands.
"What's Riràny?" Spyro decided to ask.
"Nothing," Bianca hissed, cutting the cheetah off before he could open his muzzle. She wiped her nose on her robes' sleeve, setting the teacup down.
"Riràny is nothing now. I left that place behind time ago and with those that still could."
Spyro nodded. Clearly, whatever that may be, it was not something she was willing to talk about. Still, he was smart enough to suspect something ugly had happened, and that at least Hunter was aware of it. A sickening feeling settled in his stomach.
'Ancestors, Malefor did something there too, didn't he? And all because I wasn't there to stop him.'
Across from him, Bianca grinded her teeth together. Only after a few moments she felt confident enough to speak without her voice faltering.
"You want to know what I was doing at the hall? Fine. I was listening on Chief Prowlus. I've been listening on him and the other chiefs for the last two days, hoping against my better judgment that they would finally take action and rescue Meadow and all the others from the Dark Master's minions!"
Hunter's eyes widened at the revelation. "They took Meadow?"
By his side, Zara raised an eyebrow. "Meadow?"
"The village's healer," the cheetah begun, then shook his head. "Actually, not just of the village. Aside from his vast knowledge, I know he has a certain expertise with magic as well. The chiefs sometimes call upon him for one reason or the other."
He focused his attention back on her. "How do you know him?"
Bianca allowed herself a weak tired smile. "He took me in when I first arrived here two years ago. The cheetah was the only one with an affinity with magic, so at least we had that in common."
She waved her paw around. "This is his house, by the way. He said that he didn't use it much, going back and forth in the valley and all that, so he agreed to let me stay here as long as I kept it clean while he was away."
"Doesn't look like you've been doing a great job so far," Sparx cut in.
"Sparx!" Spyro hissed through clenched teeth.
"He was in Greenvale when it happened," Bianca said, her voice surprisingly even. "He had left in the morning, saying he had ingredients to collect and some friends to visit. He . . . he didn't . . ." she paused, faltering for a moment before pushing through.
"He didn't come back. I went to the chief, begged him to do anything, but Prowlus doesn't listen to me. Says there is no proof that the Dark Master's servants took prisoners, or that Meadow is with them."
"How do you know that he is?" Cynder said. Bianca glanced up, and the two locked stares.
"I went to Greenvale. I checked. He was not amongst the dead."
The dragoness said nothing. She simply nodded and took another sip from her cup. Bianca turned back to Spyro.
"And then I saw you entering the village this morning. I don't know if the legends about you are true, but I am out of options, and you are the last chance I have before Prowlus decides to do something stupid."
"I'm . . . I'm not much of a fighter, and my magic is, well, limited, b-but I can help you! I still have my spellbook with me. You're the Purple Dragon, so who else could pull this off but you?"
Spyro didn't reply immediately, hesitating. He shot Hunter a sidelong glance, but the cheetah maintained his neutral expression. Their original plan had been to head directly for Warfang. After all, that's where the Guardians were. He swallowed.
'That's where Ignitus is.'
Bianca stared at him, her paws fidgeting at her robes. Her eyes were wide enough to be dinner plates, pleading silently at him.
Something snapped deep inside him.
'No. You are done leaving others in danger. Not this time.'
"Alright then. Count me in."
By his side, Cynder broke into a violent fit of coughs. On the other hand, Bianca let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her face washed with relief.
"I'm sorry, bro. I must have misheard. Cause for a moment it seemed like, after barely escaping from one absolute mess, you had just agreed to jump right into another!" Sparx suddenly spoke up.
"And that's crazy, right? I mean, there's no way you've just agreed to that. Right?"
The dragon and dragonfly exchanged one single glance. Not a word was spoken between the two. None was needed.
Sparx sighed in defeat. "You did. Of course you did."
"You don't have to come with me on this if you don't want to," Spyro said, only for Sparx to scoff.
"Yeah, like that's ever going to happen."
"What you are proposing to do is incredibly dangerous, young dragon," Hunter said, eyebrows furrowing. "Putting aside that we would be facing a force numerous enough to penetrate the valley in the first place, it would mean thrusting yourself into pointless danger. I cannot allow it."
Spyro shook his head. "You heard her, people are in danger. I know you made a promise to Ignitus to keep me safe, and I appreciate it, really. But you can't ask me to stand aside and do nothing!"
"Our priority is getting you safely to Warfang. Once Chief Prowlus has calmed down, I'll approach him again for safe passage. Until then, we wait."
"How is that going to be any different from the first time?" Cynder spoke up. "We cannot go back due to the rats, and we can't go forward thanks to your chief. In essence, we are stuck here in Avalar. We should have avoided attention and slip past while we could."
"It would have been far more dangerous than-"
"Than what, waiting here? You heard him! It won't take long until Prowlus decides that a pair of dragons in his village are just troubles. After that, we can expect a knife in the back while we sleep."
Spyro shot her a curious look. "Cynder, isn't that a bit-"
"Or worse, he might decide to deliver us personally to the Dark Master. After all, what better way to buy some security for the valley than delivering him the two dragons he's after?" she spat venomously. "As if Malefor is ever going to keep his words for more than a few seconds!"
"Enough."
Hunter rose to his feet. Despite the calmness in his voice, his eyes were hard as stone.
"I won't hear any more baseless slander against my tribe-kin. Prowlus is Chief of the Twisted Branches. He is an honourable cheetah and, despite our differences, worthy of my thrust. I do not ask you to understand this, nor expect you to. If you are so keen on leaving, then do so on your own, but there's no need for you to put any of us in further danger."
The dragoness's eyes narrowed to slits. "I'm sure you'd love that. After all, I'm the one that still has the darkness inside of her. Isn't that right?" Her tone was ice cold.
The cheetah's body stiffened, yet his expression betrayed nothing. It took Spyro only a few moments to realize what she was referring to.
"Cynder, he didn't mean to-"
"Oh, I think he meant it." The dragoness leaned forward, forelegs pressed against the table. Her claws tightened and cut into the wooded surface. She sneered.
"I saw the way he looks at me specifically. He thinks I'm going to suddenly snap and rip you all to shreds. Cause that's what monsters do, don't they. So, why don't you just say it, Hunter? Get it off your chest. Say aloud what everybody thinks."
Spyro swallowed. He couldn't say where that sudden tension had come from, only that it was there and hung heavy in the room. Zara had shifted in her seat, as if she was getting ready to launch herself off at any moment, paws resting on her spear. As for Bianca, the rabbit was trying to become as small as possible and not get noticed for now.
"I don't."
The Purple Dragon blinked. The words had come out of his mouth on their own, yet there was no chance now to retract them. The dragoness's gaze whipped his way, emerald eyes studying him with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.
"You what?"
Spyro tried to open his mouth, but no words came out. His tongue had decided to stop working properly.
"Ah . . . w-well, I . . . I-I mean . . ." he fumbled.
There was furious knocking at the door.
"Were you waiting for somebody else?" Cynder asked, turning her attention back to Bianca and away from Spyro. Despite his surprise, he couldn't help but silently thank the Ancestors as relief washed over him.
The rabbit shook her head, setting her cups down. "Come in," she called out.
"Wait, we don't kn-" Cynder began, but it was too late. The door swung open, and a blue-robbed cheetah stumbled through, shooting a quick glance around the room.
"Oh nice, you're all here. That'll make things easier," she breathed out, leaning against the doorway for support. Her breath came out ragged.
Hunter recognized her at once, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
"Chief Kina? What are you doing here? Where is Alios? Why are you-"
"Hunter, does this look like the time to ask stupid questions?" Zara snarled. In a moment she had jumped from her seat and rushed to Kina's side. She took her by the arm with surprising delicacy before guiding the cheetah to her chair and making her sit down.
"Go grab a cushion somewhere," she told a dumbfounded Hunter over her shoulder. Without a moment of hesitation, the fennec moved again, this time towards a very confused Bianca. Not a single word was exchanged as Zara took the teacup away from her, emptied its content on the floor, and then refilled it.
The rabbit could only blink in bewilderment as Zara handed the cup to Kina, who accepted it with a genuine smile.
"Thank you, dear. Seems like that old crone of a midwife was right after all. Running around in my conditions was not a brilliant idea." She caressed her own belly as she spoke.
Zara nodded. "Just rest for now, Chief." Her gaze snapped back to Hunter, eyes narrowing. "Hunter, where's that cushion?"
The cheetah said nothing. He simply stood there in confusion, speechless for the first time. Kina waived a paw.
"I appreciate the thought, dear, but I can do without for now. We have urgent matters to discuss," she said, her breath much steadier now. "The gathered tribes have agreed to a course of action. Our warriors will march on the northwestern pass tomorrow at dawn."
Spyro glanced to the side, spotting quite easily the expression of pure horror dawning on Bianca's face.
"But . . . Meadow . . ." It was nothing more than a faint whisper. Tears swelled up in her eyes.
"So, Prowlus actually managed to convince you all," Hunter said, scratching his chin. "And you as well, for that matter. I always thought of you as the more hesitant to thrust your warriors into danger, Chief Kina."
The cheetah shook her head. She reached inside her robes and pulled out an envelope, the seal ripped open. Spyro couldn't help but notice the crimson stain on one corner.
Hunter took the letter out of the envelope, unfolding it. His eyes scanned the content quickly, his eyebrows furrowing with each passing moment. He looked up.
"Where did you get this?"
"One of our patrols caught a pair of messengers trying to sneak through the valley and toward the northwestern pass. One was killed, while the other managed to escape. They found the letter on them and brought it to us shortly after you left."
"What does it say?" Spyro asked. The cheetah didn't answer at once; he let out an exhausted sigh instead.
"The enemy knows you are here, Purple Dragon," Kina said suddenly. "I don't know how, sorcery in all likelihood. Even worse, the Dark Master has decided to kill two birds with one stone and take Avalar as well. More of his followers are marching toward the valley as we speak."
A chill run through Spyro's spine.
"What?! But . . . how? And why the valley?"
Cynder shrugged. "For our same reason. This is the quickest way to reach the Dragon Coast and Warfang, after all." She scowled. "The bastard can be smart when he wants to."
"The tribes don't have enough warriors to face both incursions, even when taking advantage of the bottleneck at the entrance," Hunter hissed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I see why you decided to agree with Prowlus on this one."
"Precisely. Alios has taken some of the Crazy Wings' warriors and headed for Greenvale. If all else fails, they'll slow the reinforcements there while the tribes evacuate. I . . ." Kina paused for a moment, her earlier self-assurance faltering.
". . . I am about to ask a lot from you, Hunter. You see, during the sack of Greenvale, the enemy has taken some-"
"Hostages?" Spyro cut in. "Yeah, we know that. And we are going to help them out."
"Actually, we-" Hunter began, only for Chief Kina to let out a chuckle.
"I guess I should have expected this from a legend in the flesh. I know Prowlus likes to give your kind a hard time, but I just want you to know that the Avalar tribes won't forget what you are doing. Our warriors will be at least relieved to know they don't have to worry about any innocent killed in the chaos." A pause. "Uh, also you may want to avoid mentioning this to the War-Chief. He is not aware of this."
Hunter sighed. "Kina, you can't ask me to trespass against Prowlus's authority. This goes against all our traditions."
"And you can't ask me to ignore the debt many of us have to Meadow, you included," she replied with a frown. "That too goes against our traditions, by the way. And they are far more valuable than one single chief."
"I can't just-"
"Hunter, please. I . . . I-I'll put a good word with Prowlus for your passage."
"Kina, we both know this isn't how-"
"Do this for me. For the sake of old times," she suddenly said. "Just this one, and that's it. I wouldn't have asked you this if it wasn't important. Please?"
Hunter said nothing. The cheetah chewed on his lower lip with a thoughtful expression, as the two never broke eye contact.
Whatever was happening, Spyro was confident of one thing; they knew each other. Were they old friends perhaps?
And then Hunter gave in.
"Fine," he exhaled. "Prowlus hates me anyway. I can't dig my grave any deeper than that. I'll see what we can do, but I won't promise you anything."
Before he could move, Kina reached out for his paw. Hunter raised an eyebrow yet didn't even try to wring himself free.
"Thank you, Hunter," she muttered, a grin spreading on her features. "For everything."
And for the first time, Hunter smiled back.
'Not just friends then,' Spyro thought, making sure to keep his own grin to himself.