Well. It's been a long time hasn't it my friends?

I do my author's notes at the end of chapters now, so for now just enjoy the long awaited chapter 18, and the "official" start of Arc 2 of the story. It's going to be a wild ride! Hopefully there isn't too many spelling errors, lol.

Chapter 18

"Retinue"

I gazed around at the assortment of passing dragons, most who were looking either worriedly or simply confused at Cynder who had just unpacked her lunch into the flora. I hummed and gazed back at her, "So… Momma, what's the plan?" I asked curiously as Cynder began collecting herself.

She sighed deeply, "I… I'm not sure I've never done something like this alone. Spyro will be greeting the northern dragons…" She said with an obvious nervousness about her.

Kaali rubbed against her leg, I sympathetically met her gaze, "You don't have to be alone."

She nervously looked around at the annoyingly nosey dragons in the surroundings. Cynder grumbled to herself about them then leaned down to grab both Kaali and I in her muzzle. We walked for a couple of minutes and into a nearby park. Finding a nearby tree, and with no nearby onlookers, Cynder practically collapsed back down onto her stomach depositing us in the grass before her. "It's nothing you need to worry about little ones. Momma's just stressed." she said, putting a paw against her face. "How would you guys like to spend the night at Serria's hmm?"

Kaali Squealed in excitement, "I love Ferra and Serria! Yay!" She said, beginning to twirl and dance around in the grass without a care in the world. I giggled a bit at her enthusiasm, but when I looked back at mom I could tell she was masking her emotions.

I nudged her paw gently, "I know I'm supposed to be tiny and cute and all… But I can still tell when someone's upset momma."

For a moment she really smiled and giggled, pulling me towards herself with a paw. She licked the top of my head, "I know, you're too smart for your own good."

I huffed, "Then tell me what's wrong. Other than the nervous thing." I looked back, and Kaali was now playing with a butterfly absentmindedly.

Cynder must've noticed as well because she sighed and lowered her head to the ground, "If Spyro is there I can do it, but without him…" She groaned, "Gale, some people in this world… They hate me. They still do, they never stopped hating me." Her voice shuddered and I whimpered as I gently rubbed her muzzle. "When I'm alone others look at me like I'm a monster. Somebody who at any moment is just going to become a murderer again… Not all of them! But there's always a few, and they just… I can't say anything to defend myself. Because they're right." She shakily sighed.

"But when Spyro is there with me it's like… It's like I never did any of those awful things in my past. They don't dare insult me or glare in my direction and… I finally get to feel like someone who deserves praise. Someone that deserves love…" She said sadly as a few tears left her eyes.

I growled and huffed, "That's not true! You do deserve it momma. Every bit of it." I said hugging her.

She laughed lightly and leaned into it, licking my cheek, "You're so sweet." She told me.

I smiled, "Don't representatives get to take whoever they want? Who says you have to be by yourself? Why can't you have a retinue?"

"Reti-what now?" I heard Kaali say from farther back.

I looked at her curiously, unaware she was paying attention. "It's like an advisor or assistant to royalty or powerful people. Or, it can be someone else who is higher class as well. It's just a word anyhow." Kaali shrugged her shoulders and kept pouncing at the butterfly.

Cynder thought to herself quizzically, "I don't know… And I don't even know who I'd take…"

"Do you know anybody that you trust that much?" I asked hopefully.

She didn't say no, but she merely hummed to herself in thought. "What about Mesela or Norruth?" Said Kaali who popped up right on my side, startling me to the ground in confusion. Had she been listening to the whole conversation?

Cynder sighed and shook her head, "No… They both work at the temple, they're quite busy as is."

I put a paw to my chin, "Hmm… You need someone entertaining, courteous, and most of all; Imposing. So that they don't even think about being mean to you."

"You?" Kaali replied, bumping into me with a shoulder.

I giggled and bumped her back, "What? I was thinking more of Kenra!"

Cynder chuckled to herself, "I do know somebody entertaining. He can be respectful if given reason. Buuuuut he's not very imposing at all that's for sure."

"Why's that?" I asked.

She giggled, "He's a dragonfly."

I raised a brow in confusion but decided to let the idea slip by. "Anyone else at all?" I asked curiously.

She shuffled, finally sitting on her haunches and stretching. "I do know someone… He's not quite an entertainer, but he fits the other two traits perfectly."

"Really?" I asked excitedly.

She nodded with a smile, seemingly becoming confident in her answer, "Yep, he'll do perfectly! Now only to find him in the next three hours." She widened her eyes at how close the deadline was. "Let's go, hatchlings!" She called us to hop in the pouch. I would ask her to elaborate more but it seemed we were going to meet them, so it would nullify the purpose a bit.

Ferra tried desperately to keep up with Kenra's fleeing form, quickly growing tired as he was much faster and nimble than she would have assumed. Eventually she tripped on a raised part of the floor and rolled to the floor with a grunt. Summer came running just up behind, "Ferra!? What's wrong? What happened with Kenra?" She asked very worriedly as she helped her friend to her feet.

Ferra turned, "He got scared and just ran… Apparently that northern dragon is his father."

Summer tilted her head with a sad expression, "Why would he run from his father? Do you think we should go tell him his son is missing?"

"No!" Ferra shouted a bit more harshly and faster than she had wanted. Summer's innocence was endearing, but also blinded her a lot of the time. She recoiled and Ferra sighed, "Sorry… I mean… No, he's obviously afraid of his father for a reason."

"Oh," Summer replied, looking downcast. "Then we should do the next best thing and cheer Kenra up!" She said hopefully.

Ferra hummed with unsureness. She didn't know whether to leave him to himself for a while. Or to chase him and talk. Ferra eventually released a quick sigh, "Then we better go now, he's fast." A quick nod from Summer is all she got before they turned and ran.

The only thing they were going off of was the occasional glimpses of a black tail dissapearing around a corner. They chased and chased until they were well past on the other side of the temple. They rounded another corner, only to see a push door slowly going back and forth, and they approached it assuming it was where he retreated to. Ferra had her paw on the door when Summer spoke up in a nervous voice, "Um, Ferra… That's the boy's restroom…" she said with a squeak and as she covered her embarrassed face.

Ferra rolled her eyes lightly, "Everyone's at the ceremony, I do not care." And with that she pushed open the door lightly and treaded inside. Summer released a small whine and looked in every direction before slowly following her inside.

Once inside Ferra called out, "Kenra? Come on Ken come out, don't hide in here it's dirty." She noticed the one and only stall door that was closed and approached it, lowering her head to the ground and seeing a furry black tail that was draping onto the floor, she sighed, "Fluff ball I see you." The tail she saw was quickly pulled up to wherever he was hiding and she shook her head in mild annoyance.

Summer watched from nearby, wearily looking between the door and her friend, "Kenra we can talk, we're friends! Just not in here." She added at the end nervously.

Ferra sat down in front of the stall, "Listen, we don't know what's going on exactly, but we want to help… Kenra please open the stall and come out."

A long bout of silence was all she got, as she knocked on the door, "You can hide forever, and I know you're probably… used to it." She said with a small sigh, "But you don't have to be, we're here for you Kenra, we're your friends. And chased you all the way here because we care about you. We just want to know if you're safe, and I… would be so upset with myself if you were to get hurt, or even hurt yourself… So please…" She put her head against the stall door sadly.

Summer walked up on her side and gently rested a wing over Ferra's shoulder. When they finally heard the clearly terrified and sobbing voice of their friend, "I cannot let find me. He take me back and… I-I don't want go back."

Ferra noticed his return to sloppy language, he always did it when he was really upset, he was thinking about his speech a lot less. When he knew others wouldn't judge him for it. "We won't let him take you back, Kenra. So please, come out and talk to us."

There was another long bout of silence, and she thought he had shelled himself up again. But suddenly she heard a thud, and slowly the stall door cracked open. When Ferra looked up a the crack in the door and saw Kenra's distraught face with tears running down it, her first instinct was to nuzzle him. So that's exactly what she did.

She walked forward and nudged the door open more, then nuzzled Kenra's face, before bringing both of her wings around to wrap him in a hug as his head rested under her muzzle, "That's better." She muttered with a small smile.

Summer awed at their embrace, and slowly but awkwardly walked over staring at them and then putting her wings around both of them. "Friendship hug," she said quietly, which caused the other two to release a sharp bout of laughter.

I gazed down at the ground as it rushed by, and the large wall disappeared in the distance. I would never get used to the feeling, or I thought I wouldn't, even though I knew that was silly and one day I would be flying high up in the sky without a care. The thought made me smile and I slowly closed my eyes as I felt the wind rush by. That was until Kaali abruptly poked my cheek, making me recoil and look over in annoyance, she giggled, "Your face gets all scrunchy and weird when we fly."

Cynder giggled from above us, "That's because he's enjoying being in his element honey. I admit I feel the same sometimes while flying. You'll understand too one day when you figure out your own."

Kaali's face bunched up in thought and she hummed, "What will my element be Momma?"

Cynder hummed, "I'm afraid I have no clue dear, me and your father share all eight elements together so it could be anything."

Kaali chirped happily, "Maybe that means I will have every single element!" She proclaimed suddenly, as she furrowed her brow deterministically, "I'm coming for you bad guys, I'm gonna be the biggest most powerfulest dragoness in the whole world!"

Cynder laughed at her, but didn't shut her down, I assume she didn't have the heart to tell her that it was unlikely. Surprisingly I didn't either as I nudged her, "That means you'll protect me right? I'm just a helpless one element dwagon." I said jokingly.

She giggled, "I'll do all the protecting on everyone! I'll introduce my brother to everyone as the two weak boys that Momma adopted."

I raised my brow, "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."

She looked at me like I was insane for saying that, "The two weak and stupid boys Momma brought home." she clarified.

Cynder giggled, "Alright Kaali, that was a bit rude, tone it down."

She tilted her head, then nuzzled the top of my head, "I'm just kidding Momma, you know I love my little hatchling brother." She began to lick me.

I recoiled away, pushing her back, "You are not older than me!"

"Am too."

"Totally not!"

"Big sister~!" she teased more as she leaned down and blew a raspberry on my stomach.

I burst out laughing, "St-Stop!"

She was about to take that begging as a sign of submission and go all in. But Cynder quickly interrupted the fight, "We're here little ones."

Both of us couldn't fight our curiosity as we stood and looked over the bag's edge down at the ground, what I saw made me gape in awe, and Kaali got excited cause she must've known where we were. We were in a valley, and bordering the large stream was a large mostly wooden encampment. There were little huts, and small scout towers, and many banners around that were red and had a black pawprint adorning them. There were a few fires raging, and many occupants roaming about doing daily work and activities. Some were fishing, others carrying baskets on their heads full of fish or herbs.

The most interesting thing about the occupants, is that they were cheetah-like and bipedal. Just like Rena was similar to a snow leopard. A few of the cheetahs looked up and waved happily with large smiles on their faces. Cynder swooped around the top of the village a few times, making absolutely sure there was nobody she would accidentally drop on, or anything she'd destroy. The villagers had made a wide circle around where they expected her to land, and when she did land with a thud. She gazed around happily at the villagers, "Hello my friends!" She called out to them.

They all either waved or called out their greetings as Cynder sat on her haunches, a couple even bowed in respect to her. It was nice to see mom getting the recognition she deserved from somewhere, even if it sadly wasn't by her own people all the time. A few cheetahs walked forward to greet her, they all wore large baggy dress like wear, with bands tied around their waist. It was vaguely kimono-esque from what I saw. The one who approached had a large pink flower above her ear, and was bright orange with cream colored spots, "Cynder! How great to see you it is."

Cynder leaned down, "It's great to see you as well Elea!" Mom did her best to be formal as she slowly took her satchel off that Kaali and I were in and lowered it to the ground. Slowly we hopped out, and mom put the satchel back on again.

Elea smiled as she looked down at us then back up, "What can we help you with dear? I assume you're here to speak to someone, or otherwise?"

Cynder smiled and laid down to better look at Elea in the face, "I need to speak to Hunter. Would you happen to know where he is?"

Elea nodded, "Oh yes, he just got back from a small trip with Cheif Prowlus! I'll go get him right away." She said running off.

The cheetahs around us continued about their daily activities, smiling or bowing as they passed by Cynder, who looked quite happy to see the cheetahs again. I nudged her paw and looked up as she looked down curiously, "Momma, who's Hunter? Is that who we're here for?"

Kaali pranced around in the village dirt, "Oh yeah! For your uh… etinoo or whatever!"

Cynder giggled, "Yes, Hunter is who I had in mind. Once upon a time when me and your father were saving the world, Hunter was one of our most valuable allies. I'd say he was almost as important as Spyro and me even!"

I raised my brows in surprise, "Wow, that's pretty big praise."

She nodded, "Well, he was along for a good part of our journey. He saved us from an earth golem, kept us in contact with the guardians, helped the rest of the cheetahs see us as allies, and even helped in the battle for Warfang."

"Now are you giving me more credit than I deserve again, my friend?" We all looked up to see a cheetah coming our way. He was yellow with black spots, and white paws. He wore leather garments, a red cloak with a hood and gloves, with an intricately carved bow draped on his back with his arrows, a small knife on his hip. He looked fit for small skirmishes and fighting with his speed. His bright blue eyes showed a kind soul, and a wisdom behind it.

"It's not extra if it's true!" Cynder answered.

He chuckled, "Great to see you again."

Right next to him was a much bulkier cheetah, one the was a darker orange, he had not much in the way of spots. And his front fur was all white, including the longer fur that looked like a beard. He was wearing much bulkier leather that looked fit for fighting, which complimented the sword on his hip. He too had a red cloak on his shoulders, but it was shorter than Hunter's and had no hood. His eyes were gray and he looked at Cynder with appreciation and curiosity. "What gives us the pleasure to welcome one of our saviors today?" He said, glancing down at me and Kaali curiously.

Cynder smiled, and looked down at us, "Yes Chief Prowlus I do have something to speak about, but first, these are two of my hatchlings. Introduce yourself, little ones." She nudged us forward.

I stepped forward and bowed respectfully, "Hello Chief Prowlus Sir, my name is Gale. It's good to meet friends of my mom."

"And I'm Kaali! But you knew that." Kaali said, nearly pushing me over as she bounded up and sat pridefully.

Both cheetahs laughed, as Hunter continued, "Yes little Kaali, you were much smaller but we do indeed remember."

"And you," Chief Prowlus said, gazing at me with intrigue as I looked up wearily, "Such a well mannered hatchling. Your mother and father must be proud."

I blushed wildly as I bowed again, "Yes, thank you sir."

Hunter chuckled, "Very much like your father. You don't need to be so formal with us little one, we're all good friends here." I looked up and nodded with a smile. As Hunter met Cynder's gaze, "How many hatchlings do you and Spyro have now? I noticed you implied you had more?"

Cynder hummed and smiled, "Gale is adopted, along with another older hatchling named Kenra, a northern dragon. We saved them both from a wolf attack up in the Ridgefrost Mountains." She explained, omitting certain details.

Both cheetahs eyes widened as they processed that information, Chief Prowlus was first to speak, "Just like the saviors, always something interesting happening with you two. I'm glad your new little ones are safe."

Cynder laughed, "You're not wrong…"

Hunter leaned down and gently ruffled the hair on top of my head, "Northern dragons, can't say I've heard much other than rumors about them, odd culture it seems."

I laughed, "They're weird. But my big brother is the best big brother I could've asked for."

Cynder rolled her eyes disdainfully at the mention of their culture, "Probably best that way, their culture up there is disgusting and primitive. They threw out Kenra because he wouldn't faithfully jump off a cliff at their orders. I'm glad he and Gale found each other." She said licking me gently.

"Mom…" I whined, "Remember what you're here for." I reminded her.

She shook her head with a short laugh, "Yes. Well, onto my reasoning for the visit, I wish it was just for fun but regretfully it's not."

"Come." Chief Prowlus said as he gestured for us to follow, "We will speak in a better spot." We all followed Prowlus to a large building, definitely the largest in the village, that had an intricately designed knitted cover for the doorway. The outside and even inside reminded me of native tribes from earth, the inside was clearly made for having dragon guests, and any other potential guests. A large wooden table sat in the middle of the room with a world map, and there were many chairs and large pillows for dragons to relax.

Me and Kaali gazed around in wonder at all the things in the room. Maps, plans, trophies adorning the wall. Hunter smiled down at us, "This is our embassy room. We previously used it to discuss war plans, but now it is simply for accommodating our friends of other races.

Everyone made themselves comfortable, Prowlus even put two smaller pillows on the table for me and Kaali, which definitely went to her head but thankfully she wasn't rude about it. Cynder settled herself on a large pillow, and Prowlus on a large chair, Hunter chose to stand. "So, What brings you? I hope it isn't something too troublesome."

Cynder shook her head, "Only troublesome for me, really. Today is the annual dragon festival, and it's being hosted in Warfang this year. Which means the ambassadors of every dragon race are going to be there today."

Prowlus noded, "Yes, I've heard of it. The Iraxians and Rokanis come here then?"

Cynder nodded, "Not just them, but the North is joining today as well." That made their eyes widen, but she continued, "So… The council of Warfang asked me and Spyro to be Auluran ambassadors this year. Usually we send Spyro or a guardian to represent us in the other continents, so this is the first time I've been given a position like this."

"Well done Cynder!" Hunter encouraged her.

She sighed sadly, and the two cheetahs looked at each other before looking back in confusion, Prowlus hummed, "Is this a bad thing, dear?"

Cynder hummed sadly, "I won't have Spyro with me. The male ambassadors will all be at the temple today, so I will be alone with the others. And… when I'm alone, I'm afraid of what they might say or even do… I'm not exactly everyone's favorite person."

The two cheetahs looked at her in sympathy, and Hunter walked around to put a paw on her shoulder, "You think they would do something like that?"

Cynder huffed with a scoff, "The people of Warfang still look at me like a monster sometimes, the other races who barely know me will probably spit in my direction… When Spyro is with me they wouldn't dare but…"

Prowlus placed his hands on the table, "I understand… I assume you wish to have someone with you that has enough power to be respected, who can defend you and make sure the other races don't disrespect you. Am I correct?"

She stuttered, "W-Well yes… I…"

I cleared my throat, "I told her that the other ambassadors will likely have a retinue of others they trust, and that she could have one as well. But she didn't know who else to turn to. She just needs someone diplomatic and respectful, that can entertain guests while keeping them from potentially speaking ill of her."

The two cheetahs stared at me for a long while in surprise, and finally Cynder laughed a bit, "It was all his idea actually, he's my little genius hatchling."

That brightened up the room a bit as the two cheetahs chuckled, Chief Prowlus nodded, "Yes, yes… I have to say that is a predicament, and a good solution, young hatchling. Well done."

Hunter rubbed Cynder's shoulder soothingly, "Chief Prowlus has been teaching me everything about becoming the next Chief. I'm sure he can make time as I hold down the village, no?"

"Well actually…" Cynder began, "I was actually hoping you would be the one to accompany me."

Hunter recoiled in shock and looked at her in bewilderment. Chief Prowlus laughed from nearby, "What a great idea. I'm getting old, don't know if I can keep up with all of that. But you Hunter, you have what it takes."

"Me?" He was still baffled.

Prowlus stood up and walked over to him, putting a hand on each of his shoulders, "Yes, you my boy. If you're going to be the next Chief of this village this is an excellent assignment! You have the potential to make some great friends in high places right in front of you!"

"W-Well, you're not… wrong…"

Cynder chimed in, "Also when it comes to entertainment, you definitely know how to turn anything into a show."

Chief Prowlus nodded, "Also, you and Cynder are great friends and have been through much together. That certainly makes for great stories."

"I don't know Chief Prowlus… I want to help Cynder but… Do you really think I can do it?"

"I know you can do it." Chief Prowlus said in a very fatherly way towards the younger cheetah.

That seemed to finally convince him as Hunter smiled and nodded, "Okay, you're right I can do it. I accept your offer, Cynder." He said, turning to meet her eyes.

Cynder nodded happily, and held out a paw which Hunter gladly took, "Glad to hear it, let's make those stuck up ambassadors wish the festival was a multiple day act."

Hunter growled excitedly, "Oh I know they will."

Carefully the trio of dragonlings led themselves out of the bathroom, than out of the hallways and into the courtyard. Luckily there wasn't a soul around, they were all to enamored by their guest in the main entrance. Once outside Ferra led Kenra to a bench, and they hopped up into it. The two looked at Summer oddly as she glanced back, "I'm um, I'll go back to the others. I'll make something up about where we went. I don't want them freaking out and getting a search party called on us or something."

Kenra's fur bristled at the thought and Ferra nodded, "Would you? Thanks Summer, you rock."

She waved her paw, "Oh stop. I'll leave you two to yourselves…" Summer blushed, "Alone…" She looked between the two who were raising their brows as her blush got brighter and she turned and ran off, "Okay goodbye!"

Ferra sighed with a small eye roll, and she turned to Kenra, lightly thumping him on the chest with her paw, "Okay, spill it. Tell me everything."

Kenra seemed unsure, "Everything? But… that's…"

Ferra huffed, "Kenra, forget your people's stupid rules about not explaining things about their culture. They've never done right by you, they don't deserve the secrecy."

Kenra shook his head, "No it's not… that. I just hate… remembering." He whined slightly.

Ferra softened her gaze and nuzzled him, "It's okay, just start with why you dislike your father."

Kenra sighed, then slowly nodded before locking eyes with her, "So I guess I'll start by saying I originally had eleven siblings…" Ferra's eyes widened as he continued.

"In my village, if you hadn't finished your rite of passage, you were babysitting all your younger siblings." He began.

"I was my parent's sixth child, and I took care of my five young siblings. All day and all night, it was tradition, but our parents would not raise them. Mother would give me a certain amount of milk to use every day, and I just had to make it work as I cared for all five."

"Father, well, he was barely anything resembling one. But I always told myself it was because he was tribe leader, not that he didn't care for us…"

"My five older siblings, my oldest sister, was already my father's right hand. She was the best fighter, she often injured my other older siblings to the point of near death. Mother didn't care, she wasn't allowed to care about her children. She didn't even want any of us in the first place and she made that fact known more than not, I assume my father and her were a forced mating pair…"

"Rite of passage came when you were able to best your next oldest sibling in battle a single time. I never fought honestly, I didn't want to go through the rite of passage, I didn't want to leave my young siblings to fend for themselves."

"It was only one day when my oldest sibling, my father's right hand, was bullying my younger siblings. She had never cared for any of us below her, would often bully all of us into submission, and it was when she swatted my youngest siblings across the floor… She walked over and was about to kill her and... I snapped."

Ferra was listening intently with wide horrified eyes at the story, Kenra took in a deep shaky breath, and a few tears escaped him.

"I fought her… It was ugly, brutal, and a lot of blood was shed… I tried to stop fighting but she wasn't going to quit… In the end I had won, but I had killed her in the process. I was absolutely disgusted, horrified and panicked about what I had done."

"My father found us. I was hanging onto life by a thread but I had won. I looked up wearily and I expected him to be furious, to finish me off for her, to make me pay… My father didn't do any of that, he… he praised me. He told me that I was clearly fit to be the next leader, that I was the strongest…"

Ferra was horrified, but managed to wrap a single wing around him still.

"I barely recovered, crystals worked well, and within a week I was to have my rite of passage. But as I was standing on that cliff, my legs shook, my breath was shaky, I wasn't strong like father had said, I was a trapped animal in a corner that had only barely managed to scrape by with his life. So… I stepped down from the cliff."

"For some reason, after I stepped down, I turned to my father and I told him that strength would never be the fear you strike in others."

"Father was furious that I humiliated him in front of the whole tribe. He had talked big about me before rite of passage, but I had failed. And when you fail a rite of passage, you get treated as worthless. I do not want to speak about what you are supposed to be after you fail your rite."

Ferra looked at him wearily, and she shakily asked, "Why's that? What do they do to you, Kenra?" she nearly pleaded. Kenra averted his eyes and grimaced as he grit his teeth.

"First, you get locked in a cage. They feed you garbage, and they muzzle you so you can't cry out. Our one and only purpose, male or female, is to be used as relief for our siblings'... urges…"

Ferra felt her stomach turn and she locked eyes with him, "Please tell me that doesn't mean what I think it does…" A slow nod was all she got before she gagged, then she wrapped both wings around him, "Kenra… I'm… I can't believe…"

"It's true." He squeaked out, "I'd seen it happen, heard about it… You're not allowed to mate until my father pairs you together with someone. And even then he does it while making the best warriors in mind… In their minds, this was the only way that those who had failed could be of any use to their siblings. We weren't fit for sparring or the other things they did, but we were fit for…well…"

Ferra gawked in disbelief, and she felt a fire of rage burning within her as she growled. But slowly she asked, "How did you escape?"

"I was lucky. None of my siblings used me… like that… A week passed, and my next oldest brother who was still quite kind… He opened my cage, and told me to run. I made him promise me he'd look after my youngest siblings, he did. So I had no choice but to run…"

Ferra hummed sadly, and a long silence fell between the two. Finally Ferra muttered, "I understand. He is a monster."

Kenra, happy to move on from the previous topic, nodded, "And I can't imagine why else my father would be here other than to find me."

Ferra shook her head, and grabbed his two front paws, "That monster is not your father Kenra. Spyro is, and he won't let them take you back."

"Then what do I do?" Kenra asked as he began crying, "I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me. I don't want to leave my new family…my friends… I…" His breath was too shaky to continue.

Fera pulled him towards her crest, and rested her head on top of his, "You're not alone anymore Kenra, you have a little brother and sister, a loving mom and dad… You need their help too."

"But I'm scared to tell them…"

Ferra nudged him, "You told me."

He sighed, "It's different… you're my best friend Ferra."

She sighed and shook her head, "Kenra…" she paused for a moment, "Tell you what, I'll help keep you disguised and hidden, but only if you promise me that you'll tell Spyro and Cynder everything."

Kenra looked at her with worry and was clearly still scared, but after a slow few moments he nodded, "But how? I look so different from everyone else…"

Ferra hummed, "Have I ever told you what my mom does?"

"No..?" Kenra tilted his head curiously as Ferra began to rummage in her school pack.

"She runs a shop in the market, she makes potions."

"Potions?" Kenra asked curiously. "Like what kind?"

Ferra looked around again before whispering, "Any kind you can think of. Potions can do a lot of things that the elements can't, it's all magic all the same though. And I may have stolen this from her workshop." Ferra said pulling out a curious looking liquid in a vial that was a mix of blue and yellow.

"What's that?" Kenra asked with wide eyes.

"Well what she made it for, is so that high ranking dragon officials can travel discreetly disguised as someone else. She get's these requests directly from the guardians and the council sometimes." Ferra explained, throwing it between both paws haphazardly.

"Why do you have it?" Kenra asked with a raised brow.

She widened her eyes and looked sheepish, "It's uhm… look…" She shook her head, "Tell my mom and I kill you, got it?"

"Okay okay, jeez." Kenra said as she handed it over to him and he took it wearily, "Still curious why though."

She ignored him as he sniffed it, "Okay, so the effect is supposed to last twenty four hours, a whole day." She began to talk rapidly, "I can't promise it'll last that long, since it is still not finished, but don't worry about it." She said giving a nervous smile.

"What was that last part?" Kenra said, looking back up in confusion.

"Nothing, trust me and take it." She said nudging him.

Kenra slowly undid the cork at the top and stared down at it nervously, his paws shook but thoughts of his father finally finding him and forcing him back… Only to do ancestors know what in the village. After a large shudder he steeled his gaze and tilted the liquid flask into his mouth. It tasted sort of sweet, but it had an odd bubbly feeling, and after finishing it the effects were near instant. He felt his body tense up, and cramp in a few places, he fell to the ground and Ferra widened her eyes, "K-Kenra?! Are you okay?"

He groaned as the effect slowly took place, starting from the tip of his tail and washing upwards on his body with a white flash. Ferra stared in awe as a perfectly normal non-furred looking dark blue dragon with a yellow underbelly sat below her. His eyes and horns remained the same, but he even had a whole set of wings on his back. "Whoa." Ferra expressed.

Kenra shuddered and went to stand up, looking down at his paws, "Did it work?"

Ferra circled him in curiosity, "I'll say… How does it feel having wings now?"

Kenra's eyes widened and he turned to look back at them, "I… what? I don't feel anything new…"

Ferra put a paw to her muzzle, then slowly outstretched it to touch his wings. When she touched it her paws went right through it, like an illusion it flashed white then filled the hole her paw just made. "Okay, that's crazy…" She said in awe.

Kenra was watching the whole thing, and was just as impressed, "Ferra, this might actually work." He said locking eyes with her.

She giggled and looked into his eyes as well, "I think you might be right."

A loud chime like sound rang, and soon the hallways became flooded with dragonlings, Kenra and Ferra shared a look before their attention was caught, "Hey Ferra!" Summer called as they turned their heads as she approached.

"Who's the-"

"Kenra." Ferra interrupted her.

Summer's eyes widened and she got really close as she inspected his face, "Whoa! So you used the-"

"Yes, I used it. We'll do our plan another time." Ferra said, still trying to cover her tracks. "Anyway, what happened with the others?"

Summer hummed, "Well, they weren't very suspicious, and didn't really notice you guys leave at all. I told them Kenra got sick and went home."

"Perfect." Ferra said as she brought her paws together.

"Well it's time for more classes, good luck Kenra." Summer said with a wink as she bounded off.

Ferra nodded and sighed, "Me too. Keep your head down, and try to be inconspicuous." She said whilst walking off.

Kenra nearly panicked, "W-Wait! What if they call my name or… or someone notices?"

"Sorry fluffy, this is as far as I can help you." Ferra said, but she hesitated as she walked back over and nuzzled his face, "Try not to get kidnapped. Please?"

Kenra saw the worry in her look and nuzzled her back, "I'll do my best." She nodded and disappeared behind a wall with a wave as he was left alone in his thoughts, and his new body.

Spyro looked at the dark gray and black northern dragon that stood before him, he seemed rather older and like he'd been around for as long as the guardians. It was truly a wonder to him that nobody of the other races had seen him before. Terrador bowed in respect, and the Northern dragon did so in kind, "How great to finally meet you, to what honor do I call you?" Terrador inquired.

He squinted his eyes a bit, in scrutiny or not Spyro couldn't say. He hummed in a deep rumbling voice, than he spoke with a small growl, "You may call me Dvarun,"

Spyro smile that adorned his face was quickly replaced with a grimace, he was quick to replace the smile on his face, even as he inwardly felt his blood run cold and his heart stop. 'Dvarun…' Spyro thought with a sneer, if this was the same one he thought it was…

He didn't know how, but he had ended up spending some time with Kenra, something he didn't often get to do. The two were relaxing in the study at home, when Spyro plopped down beside him with his own book. Kenra raised a brow curiously, "H-Hi…" He said shyly.

Spyro hummed, "How are you doing Kenra?"

"Okay…" Kenra muttered, it had been a week or two since the two hatchlings began living with them, and Spyro felt guilty that he spent time with Gale. It always seemed to him the Kenra had no interest in having a relationship with the purple dragon, Cynder had told him how he accepted her as a mother and they'd grown close, and Spyro had to admit he felt more than a little jealous at how well she handled dragonlings.

"Good," Spyro began, "And what're you reading about? Out of curiosity."

"Just some dragon society books… Yours is so different and odd…" Kenra said with a huff.

Spyro was always curious about his life beforehand, but Kenra kept that part of his life under lock and key, it was often he would completely shut you out if you even began questioning him about it. He rarely got angry, but Spyro knew that if he prodded him enough it'd cause tension, and he didn't want that. Spyro chuckled, "I admit, it's even odd to me sometimes. But still, it has to be better than yours was?" Spyro said, hoping he'd agree instead of shut him down.

Kenra huffed a bit angrily, "That doesn't even come close to how to describe it…" Kenra thought with an eye roll.

'Good, I'm getting somewhere.' Spyro thought, 'Maybe he will open up,' Spyro vaguely felt like maybe he was using Kenra in a bad way, but all he wanted was to understand him more so he could fill the shoes of a father Kenra never had. Finally he sighed, "Kenra, I know you don't like talking about it…" He felt the dragonling already begin tensing up, "But… Was there anything about your old family you liked? Was it all horrible?"

Kenra relaxed a bit, Spyro smiled, getting him to talk about the good times was easier than the bad. Kenra began skaily than evened out, "My siblings… My little siblings were always the best part. I spent all day and night with them, they were family. And so was my grandad, but after he lost elder rank… Everything changed."

Spyro nodded intently as he listened, "I'm glad at least something brought you joy. Explains why you're such a good hatchling." He said nuzzling the top of his head.

Kenra blushed, but didn't move away from the touch, "I miss grandad, he was the best. Than my… Dvarun… took over."

"Dvarun? Was that your father?" Spyro asked curiously.

Kenra growled but slowly nodded, "He didn't act like it, and surely didn't try. But yes, I was one of his, sadly."

"I'm sorry Kenra." Spyro said sympathetically as he draped a wing over him and pulled him closer to his side.

"Not your fault." Kenra said with a sigh.

Spyro smiled. "Hey, what do you say I read this book with you?" Spyro said gesturing down to the book in front of him.

Kenra tilted his head and hummed, "Is it like some boring adult thing?"

Spyro chuckled and shook his head, showing him the cover, "It's an adventure story, about a young dragon that goes on a quest to get rid of a magical ring, there are a few places where it gets dark, just don't tell your mother okay?" Spyro explained with a wink. A quick look at the pictures and an intrigued face told Spyro all he needed to know as he flipped to page one and cleared his throat.

It had to be the same one, the same Dvarun that Kenra described that had thrown him out and treated him no better than trash. Spyro felt an unruly rage build up in his chest, he wanted to lash out at the dragon right then. Of course he knew better, but the bastard had the audacity to be diplomatic, acting like he wasn't a demon under the mask. Spyro couldn't help the glare from building on his features, before Terrador saying his name caught his attention, "And this over here is the one and only Spyro. Savior of the dragon realms."

The Northern dragon walked over and Spyro forced his scowl away as he bowed. "Honor to meet you." He forced it from his mouth as he looked back up at him.

The northern dragon was nearly studying him with the intense gaze he gave, it was not one of admiration or happiness, nor was it respect. Spyro knew this dragon cared not for him, even as he put on the act and bowed himself, "I never thought I'd get to meet you in the flesh, young savior." Spyro wanted to scoff at being called young.

When Dvarun looked back up, he held out a paw. "I know it's informal, but I just have to get a pawshake from the one and only Spyro."

Spyro scoffed inwardly as he took his paw in his, and Dvarun gripped intensely, as if testing his strength. Spyro locked eyes with him, this unholy beast was the one that had caused suffering for someone in his family. Spyro kept his rage in check even as Dvarun gripped so tight he thought he was trying to break bone. He didn't know if he could keep this up for a full day, just his presence made Spyro's spine shudder as if he knew the dragon was up to something. Finally, Spyro spoke, somewhere between a half glare and clenched teeth forming a growl.

"The pleasure is all mine, Dvarun."

.

.

END

Uh oh, the father contest has unknowingly begun...

For starters, why almost a year later am I writing this? The answer is simple honestly, I didn't want to write Fate Decides for a while, and had no clue where it was going. That's all fixed now and the story has a clear direction with an outline that all I have to do is follow. I still do think this story needs a whole Arc 1 rewrite, but... that's 120k words and I'm lazy. So instead, I've just got to work with chapter 1- 4 year ago me's writing, and make it all make sense, also it's fanfiction, and telling myself it has to be perfect is an awfully easy way to go insane.

I will still be writing Emereri, Shape Changer, and Avery's BP. Emereri is a completely different beast from this story, it's meant to be fast paced shorter and a lot darker.

I really don't have much else to say. Thanks for passing 100 follows and favs while I was on hiatus! That was awesome. All the reviews are super old now so I feel replying to them would be odd. Thanks for all of the reviews in my absence! But I will reply to any reviews about this chapter once the next comes out, this is the start of Arc 2 and I mean it. Everything is setup for what is to come... (Evil author laugh intesifies.)

I'm really hoping you guys are still here. I know a few people have been waiting a long time, but please leave a review! I don't even care if you talk about your dog or cat in it, I'm just curious to know how many people are here for the return of Fate Decides.

ANYWAY... Thanks for reading, see you hopefully within a month or maybe sooner? -Fiygon out.