Spyro:BAW Chapter 14 pt. A

Chapter 14: Trial and Error

Rain slowly ran off Zach and dripped to the floor as he slowly made his way inside the temple, turning back down the hall towards the room he had been given.  The hallways were dark again from the storm outside and the late hour of the day.  Hopefully he wouldn't get lost looking for it this time.  Zach glanced over his shoulder to see Cynder walking behind him looking as disgruntled as ever at being soaking wet.  He couldn't help but crack a smile at her discomfort.  He had been at the sort end of the stick all day, and it was satisfying to see someone else as uncomfortable as he was.  Not that he was uncomfortable anymore, the cool rain had eased some of the pain from his sore muscles and cooled off his body.
Cynder on the other hand couldn't be any more miserable.  Her wet scales combined with the sudden drop in air temperature gave her a sudden chill and she was starting too feel it thought her body.  Another chill ran down her spine and Cynder shook her body, sending water droplets flying everywhere.
"Hey!"
Cynder looked over her shoulder to see Spyro standing in one of the adjacent always, wiping water off of his face.  He was the last person she wanted to see at the moment.
Zach turned around from where he was standing up ahead of Cynder and made his way back towards the two, grinning as he came.  Things should get interesting.
"Was that necessary?"  Spyro wiped the rest of the water off with one of his claws and flung it on the ground.
"Yes…" Cynder shivered slightly as a breeze came through the temple, sending more water droplets onto the two dragons standing beside her.
"I told you it was going to rain."  Spyro smirked as he looked at Cynder, though he only got a scowl in return.
"Well I wasn't half as wet until someone decided to throw water all over the place."  Cynder turned her hardened scowl onto Zach, causing him to raise his head and shrink back slightly.
"Hey, this isn't my fault."  Zach shot back at Cynder, trying to keep his voice steady, though Cynder's glare and Spyro's smirk made it hard to keep a strain a face.  " I wasn't the one that kept you out in the rain."
Cynder's scowl only deepened as a result.  Zach cringed and turned his back to them, starting to walk down the hall.
"Never mind, I didn't say anything."  Spyro and Cynder watched as Zach continued down the hall, turning the wrong direction at the end of the hall and bringing a slight chuckle from Spyro.
"What's so funny?"  Cynder turned her scowl onto Spyro again, causing him to laugh harder.
"Its just, Zach turned the wrong way…"
"Who cares."  Cynder's cold tone caught Spyro off guard, cutting off his laughter.
"Hey… what's bothering you?"  Spyro's sympathetic tone soothed Cynder, though I couldn't do nearly enough to calm her down.
"Nothing that you could understand."  Cynder tried to shoot back at Spyro, but her body was beginning to shake.  Shivers ran up and down her body, making her unable to stand still and causing her teeth to chatter loudly
Spyro walked up along side Cynder and draped a wing over her.  He jumped as he pulled her close to him and felt how cold her sided were.  She was still wet from standing outside in the rain and was shaking violently in an attempt to get dry and warm.  "Cynder, you're freezing… here, lets get you warmed up a little."
"I'm fine Spyro."  Cynder broke out from underneath Spyro's wing, walking briskly down the hallway towards her room.  Spyro followed quickly after her.  He could see she was still shaking from where he was following her.  Why was she still so mad at him?  He just wanted to help her, and at the moment she really needed someone to help her.
"Cynder, please…" Spyro moved quickly to move up alongside Cynder causing her to shy away slightly.  "Let me help you."  Spyro tied to drape his wing over her again, be she quickly moved out from under it.
"I told you Spyro, I don't need any help."  Cynder moved the last few feet down the hallway and turned into her room, leaving Spyro standing at the doorway.  "I can take care of myself, please just leave me alone…" Cynder's voice carried a pleading tone as her words died away before she quickly retreated into her room, leaving Spyro standing outside the curtain.
Spyro only waited a moment outside the doorway.  He was going to fix this, and he was going to fix this now, whether she wanted his help or not.  Spyro pushed his way through the curtain to see Cynder's back to him, her room shrouded in darkness.  Earlier that day, It had seemed mysterious yet comforting, now it carried a heavy air that hung around the room, the darkness threatening to swallow any light that dared enter the room.  He could barely make out Cynder's shape in the darkness.
Spyro turned towards the wall where he knew there was a fireplace, spiting a fireball that flash to life in the room before impacting against the logs.  In the dim light from the new fire, Spyro watched as Cynder whirled around to face him, frustration and confusion on her face.
"I'm not leaving you here like this Cynder.  You are going to get my help whether you want it or not."
Cynder walked up nose to nose with Spyro, her frustration stilling her shaking body.  But after a moment, her body began to shake again and she could not meet his gaze, forcing her to look at the ground.  "I told you Spyro, I don't want you help and I don't need your help."
Spyro continued to hold his ground, and when Cynder forced herself to look up again, his gaze caught her.  It was firm and compelling, but not demanding.  He was telling her exactly what his intentions were, but he was not forking them upon her.  Cynder was forced to avert her gaze again and grudgingly moved towards her bed near the fire, wordlessly allowing Spyro to stay.  Had it been any other dragon, she would have had them on the ground and out the door in a heartbeat, but with Spyro…  Cynder shook her head as she felt her heat flutter.  If it had been anyone else… but it wasn't.  It was Spyro.
"Here… let me try something…" Spyro carefully made his way over next to Cynder, standing next to her bad.  Cynder kept her head turned away from him, looking into the fire.  Just because he was going to help her didn't mean she had to like it.
Cynder jerked as she felt a jet of hot air splash against her back.  Turning her head around, she could see Spyro breathing a jet of warm air directly across her back.  Cynder quickly relaxed her tensed muscled and allowed Spyro's hot breath to dry off her scales and massage her tense muscles.
Spyro slowly made his way from the base of Cynder's tail up her back, taking pains to make sure he didn't scald her and that he covered every inch of her body.  It may have been overzealous work, but the way she had been shaking a few minutes ago had worried him and it wasn't that much extra work.
As Spyro moved to the area between Cynder's shoulder blades, Cynder stretched her wings out from her body, allowing Spyro to move down each with his warm massage.  As Spyro reached her second wingtip and moved back to her shoulders, Cynder let out a low hum.  Spyro sure knew how to do this right.  
Unfortunately for her, Spyro soon stopped, leaving the two in silence.  Cynder rolled onto her side so her stomach was facing the fire, providing some warmth, though she shivered as a draft wafted though her room.  Her voice was low and quiet as she turned her head to face Spyro.  "Thank you Spyro…  I should be fine now…"
"I don't think so."  Spyro chuckled slightly as Cynder shivered again against the cool evening air.  "I said I wasn't going to leave you and I meant it.  Besides, I can have you getting sick."
"Spyro…."
"No, I am not leaving you here like this."  As if to emphasize his point, Spyro laid down next to Cynder, moving to press his warm sides against hers.  Cynder shifted uncomfortably at the contact, catching her breath as she felt Spyro drape one of his wings over her.
"You were the one who decided to stay out in that rain, now you have to deal with it."  Spyro's voice carried a matter of fact tone, causing Cynder to smile, though she carefully hid it from Spyro.
As the warmth from Spyro's breath wore off Cynder began to shiver again, though more violently as a second chill ran though her body.  Spyro noticed and tightened his embrace around Cynder, curling up around her to keep her as warm as possible.
Cynder was having trouble keeping her face from turning red.  Part of it was from the embarrassment of having to be treated like this and by Spyro none the less.  But part of it was frustration as well, she couldn't get what Spyro had said earlier out of her head and now he was treating her like this.  She just couldn't understand it, and the dragon next to her wasn't making things any easier.  
"I'm not going to leave you Cynder."  Cynder caught her breath as Spyro's whisper came to her ears, he had moved so his head was lying directly behind hers.  Was he going to say more?  Was he going to do something else?  Cynder's heart pounded in her ears as she waited next to Spyro, but all she heard was his deep breathing next to her.
After a few more tense moments, Cynder worked up the courage to open her mouth, though her voice only came out in a whisper.  "Thanks Spyro… for everything."
Cynder's words quickly faded away into the darkness leaving both dragons to the sounds of their breathing.  As her chills calmed down as well, Cynder became drowsy from the heat of the fire and of the dragon beside her.  Slowly closing her eyes, Cynder smiled inwardly at how things were, if only for a moment.
Spyro rested silently beside her, numerous thoughts running though his head.  He hadn't quite expected to end up lying next to Cynder again.  All the thoughts and feelings that had occurred to him a few nights ago at Warfang returned to him, though this time with more intensity.  Was it really right for him to be so close to her while she was sleeping.  Sure they had done it numerous times when they had traveled together, but this was different.  They were not just sleeping near each other because of necessity, they were sleeping against each other because of their choice, granted he was doing this partially to keep Cynder warm.  But it was still different, he didn't have to be here and Cynder hadn't objected to it…
Spyro smiled to himself.  She had objected to it, but she hadn't refused to allow him near her and she didn't protest when he lay next to her.  Maybe she was ok with it.
Spyro ruffled his wing to cover more of Cynder's body.  Regardless of what he was thinking she needed him right now, and not just because of the cold.  All the things she had gone though… he didn't know how she could go through each day.  He knew that she had reconciled herself with her past, but other people still hadn't.  In those brief moments he had been around other people in the last few days he had seen it.  That look of fear, the look of hatred in their eyes when they looked at her.  She needed someone to care for her, and he was going to be that person whether she wanted him to or not.
Spyro raised his head slightly to look down at Cynder's face.  Here eyes were closed peacefully in sleep and he could hear the soft sounds of her breathing.  What little light that came from the fire glinted off the jeweled marks on her forehead and ivory horns.  Spyro caught himself staring and quickly looked away, his face turning red and his heart caught in his throat.
He wanted to be so much more than a friend to her.  He wanted to always be there for her, no matter what other people were saying.  And he knew what he was feeling… he knew why he was feeling like this.  He knew why every time he came close to her he couldn't help but stare at her.  He knew why being so close to her could mean so much more than just keeping someone else warm.  He wanted to be with her.
Spyro raised his head, once again looking at Cynder's peaceful face.  If only he could gain the courage to say it to her.  He had fought through countless enemies, fought a deranged all-powerful dragon, and pulled together a word that was falling to pieces, but he couldn't tell her.  Spyro let out a heavy sigh, allowing his head to rest on the bed next to Cynder's, his voice coming out in a less than audible whisper.  "I would do anything for you Cynder."

"You must have known that this would happen eventually, you could see it in their eyes the moment they were back together."  Cyril spoke softly to the other guardians standing outside of Cynder room, all three looking back on the two dragons inside.
"Yes, I know Cyril, but it doesn't make the situation any easier."  Terrador kept his voice low ass well trying not to disturb Spyro and Cynder.  "We will have to talk to them about this sometime soon.:
"Terador, you know the probability of talking to them changing their minds is about as good as…"
"Yes Volteer I know," Terrador quickly cut into the conversation to keep Volteer's voice from raising.  "And its not that I want them to change their minds, but perhaps…  well I don't know.  I don't suppose there is much we can do about this anyway."
"Can't do much about what?"  All three guardians turned to see Zach walking down the hallway towards them, still dripping wet.
"Ah Zach, there you are, we have been looking for you."  Cyril spoke up first, walking towards Zach.
"Yeah about that…  I was actually just looking for my room, I was hoping to get some sleep."  Zach carefully made his way towards the guardians, looking through Volteer and Terrador to she what they were looking at, laughing as soon as he realized what he was looking at.
"And what do you think is so funny young dragon?"  Terrador's deep voice cut into Zach's laughter, stifling it but not cutting it off completely.
"I wouldn't worry about them too much right now.  I don't think they even know what their doing right now."  Zach continued laughing to himself until Terrador stepped directly in front of him, his imposing figure cutting off his laughter completely.
"We'll see about that.  Cyril, please take this young dragon back to his room, he has much to do tomorrow."
Zach only groaned as Cyril led him off down the hallway.

Zach pounded away against the wooden dummy coming at him.  Each blow the dummy thew at him harmlessly bounced off of Zach's arms and tail if they weren't sidestepped completely.  Zach ducked and wove thought the tangled mass of the wooden dummies limbs with relative ease.  It was attacking in a set pattern making predicting its movements easy.  All he needed to do was counter or dodge correctly.  Terrador had given him the task nearly an hour ago and he was still at it, but it didn't bother him.  All the time he had to himself gave him time to think and he had no need to focus on the attacks of the dummy.
Zach smiled slightly at the thought.  He figured Terrador must have had that in mind when he sent him out to train.  If he could react without thinking, it would be one more thing he would have to worry about during an actual fight.
Zach felt a chill run down his spine and was forced to turn his focus back to the dummy as it landed an exceptionally hard blow against Zach due to a bad block.  If he kept getting careless he would have huge bruises to deal with later, not that he didn't have bruises already.  Many speckled his arms, legs, and stomach turning his normally white scales ugly shades of gray.  Besides the obvious discomfort they caused him, his bruises worried him as well.  Even in the short time he had been able to use what little power he had he had gotten used to it and since his injuries were not healing over it gave him the sense that something was wrong.  Yet with how tired he was waking up each morning, it might simply be because of his lack of energy.
Zach grunted as he parried the wooden dummy with his tail blade, his frustration adding to his strength.  He had been at the temple a full week since the first day of his training.  Each time he mentioned something to the guardians about leaving they simply said, "not yet" or "we'll see."  It was beginning to get on his nerves.  And it wasn't even that Spyro wasn't ready either.  He had been up around the temple like what Zach could only assume to be his normal self after two days.
Zach tried to ignore Spyro.  Its not that he didn't like him, but his behavior always confused him and he had the sneaking suspicion that Spyro still didn't trust him.  each time Zach walked into the room he could see Spyro tense slightly and often he would leave the room as soon as Zach entered.
The guardians weren't much of a help either.  When they weren't running him ragged with their fast track "training" they were talking with each other or trying to talk to Zach about some history thing or "how they were like at his age…" he just tried to ignore them whenever possible.
The one person he could stand was Cynder.  He knew she didn't trust him fully yet, but she was straightforward instead of trying to hide it like everyone else.  But even with their loose bond of trust, Zach found he could enjoy himself around her.  She seemed to understand him more than anyone else, and Zach couldn't help but feel that it was because of what they had done… what he had done.
Zach growled in pain as the dummy cuffed him along the side of his head with one of its limbs.  He was getting distracted again, and the now throbbing pain in the side of his head was making things worse. Zach tried to jump back to give himself more room from his opponent but the dummy swept under his legs, knocking him to the ground.  Frustrated, Zach rolled to the side before springing to his feet and swinging his tail around to parry a blow with a loud crack.
Zach took the opportunity to settle back into his mindless routine, but his anger began to flare at the back of his mind.  Why was he here anyway?  He didn't want to be here and nothing good had come of it so far.  All he had managed to do was almost get someone killed, get himself caught, then almost kill someone. Its not like he was here for a purpose, all he wanted to do was get this farce over with and go back home so he could sleep.
Home…  he wondered how his family was doing without him.  Were they looking for him?  Did time even travel at the same rate in this world as it did in his?  Heck, was this even real?  Sure, if it was a dream he would have woken up by now, but what if he was in a coma and this was his minds sick way to cope?
Zach was to engrossed in his thoughts and his combat with the dummy that he didn't see Spyro walk into the room across from him.  "Alright, the guardians sent me to tell you that you could be done for the day, apparently they have something planned."
Zach looked up at the sound of Spyro's voice only to get caught across the face by the flailing arms of the wooden dummy.  After catching himself, Zach spun around with his tail one time bringing it down diagonally across the midsection of the dummy and cutting it clean in two.
The dummy clattered to the ground before disappearing in a cloud of dust much to Zach's amusement.
"Man I really hate those things."  Zach mumbled as he wiped one of his hands across his mouth, checking for blood.
Spyro stifled a laugh before he spoke,  "yeah they can be a real pain, if you know what I mean…"
"Ha ha, very funny Spyro."  Zach walked over to the side of the room where a bucket of water was waiting, taking long draughts before turning back around to face Spyro.
"You're up early, usually I don't see you around until well after the sun comes up."  Zach motioned over his shoulder out a window where the first rays of sun were appearing over the horizon.  The guardian's routine had him waking up well before dawn, something that Zach still hadn't quite coped with.
"Yeah, well apparently they are all going out for something and the need us to tag along."  Spyro opened his mouth with a loud yawn before wiping his face to get rid of the obvious signs of sleep.
"Sounds like fun…" Zach stared absent mindedly out the window until Spyro spoke up again.
"so how is your training going?  I've seen you practicing combat almost every day but I haven't seen what you can do with your element yet.  So tell me, what can you do?"
Zach laughed in spite of himself,  "I think you know all that I can do.  As of today all I know of my powers is that I can hide myself from sight for a short while and I can mend minor injuries, but other than that, I've got nothing."
Spyro raised an eyebrow.  "That's it?  I saw you use way more that that when we… well you know… can you use any of that."
Zach shook his head, thankful that Spyro had tried to avoid the subject.  It was something that neither of them brought up though Zach suspected it was for different reasons.  "I barely remember anything from that time Spyro, and what I do remember isn't pleasant, but I do think I know what you're talking about.  Unfortunately I haven't been able to replicate it, I think it was an affect the collar had on me."  Zach ran a talon along the base of his neck reassuring himself that it wasn't there.
Spyro nodded, "it wouldn't surprise me, dark magic has strange affects, and they usually aren't pleasant."  Spyro moved around to Zach side.  "so you haven't developed anything new?"
"Nope, the guardians pretty much gave up on me developing anything new so they've devoted all of my time to combat."
"Speaking of combat, you looked a little out of it there at the end, you have something on your mind?"
Zach shook himself out of his daze, "Nah, just got a little lost in though, thinking about home…" Zach cringed as soon as he realized what he had said.  Spyro had been trying to find out things about Zach for the past week, subtly sneaking the questions into normal conversations trying to catch Zach off guard.  It wasn't that Zach didn't want to answer Spyro, but he didn't quite know how to answer.  What was he supposed to say?  That he came from a completely different world and that he wasn't a dragon but was in fact a creature that Spyro had probably never heard of? If he had gained any trust by now telling them would completely ruin it, though he knew holding it from them would be more harmful in the long run if they ever found out.  He was hoping that he would be back home before that ever happened.
"Home huh…" Spyro looked at Zach, though his expression carried a wistful expression.  "You really want to get back don't you?"
"Yeah, the only problem is that I don't quite know how…" Zach was digging himself a deeper hole, but he figured it would be worse if he didn't answer Spyro at all.  "That's kind of why I need your help, otherwise I really wouldn't be here."
"How do you not know how to get back home?  Can't you just follow the way you took to get here?"  Zach could hear the rising irritation in Spyro's voice.  "And why do you need my help?  Why is it that you're still here?  What could be so important that you and the guardians need me for but I can't know about?"
"Spyro, believe me, if I could tell you I would, but…"
"But what?  'Its not your place to tell me', or 'it will all make sense in time' or 'some things are never certain'.  I am tired of being used, I am tired or other people telling me what I am supposed to do.  My whole life up to this point has been one thing after another.  I finally get a break and it last less than a day until you show up and ruin everything."  Spyro's voice rose until it became a low growl.
"Hey, don't blame this on me."  Zach shouted back at Spyro, his weary body lowering into a defensive stance.  "I already told you, as soon as I figure out how to get home, I am out of here.  But unfortunately I cant do that without you whether I like it or not."  Zach chose not to bring up the events of the past, even though Spyro was tearing at his emotional wounds, pushing him further wasn't something Zach wanted to do.
"Ok then Zach, why don't we get this over with.  What is it that you need me to do?  What is keeping you around the temple and in my life?  What can I do to get you out of here?"  Spyro slowly approached Zach, moving so his face was only inches from Zach's.
"If it were that simple I would tell you, but right now I can't.  The guardians have told me to keep to myself until they think you are ready to hear it.  And even then, you would have to believe what I said as well, something I'm not sure you would do at the moment."  Zach matched Spyro's gaze, not breaking it until both of them head footsteps coming down one of the adjoining hallways.  Both dragons turned to see Cynder walk into the room, a concerned look on her face when she saw the two dragons facing off.
Spyro quickly settled down and walked over to Cynder, Zach a few paces behind careful to keep his distance.  Spyro made a mental note to bring it up with Zach again later.
Cynder spoke to both of the approaching male dragons, her voice low and controlled as she looked at both dragons in concern.  "Terador sent me to make sure you two made it to the balcony on time, they want to leave soon, as in right now."
Spyro nodded in thanks and continues past Cynder, tension in every step he took.  Zach let out a deep breath as he passed Cynder, thanking her as well.
Cynder turned and followed both dragons back up the hallway, her heart sinking in her chest.  She had come hoping to catch some alone time with Spyro.  She had wanted to apologize, for the way she had treated him a few days ago, but every time she could get close to him, someone else would always show up in the room or send one of them off on an errand, making talking to Spyro personally impossible.  She desperately wanted to talk to him, having him warped around her that night was something she couldn't get out of her head.  Regardless of what he said, she had to talk to him… about a lot of things.
Cynder looked up ahead at the purple dragon in front of her, he seemed to have calmed down and was now walking with his head bowed towards the floor.  Cynder quickened her pace and passed Zach to walk along side him.  From what she had heard the guardians talking about, this might be the last chance she could get to talk with him alone for a while.  Well alone except for Zach, but he wasn't paying attention, his gaze riveted on the stone beneath his feet.
"Spyro…" Cynder voice was low, barely audible to Spyro who was standing a few feet away from her.  He didn't acknowledge Cynder in any way, but Cynder worked up the courage to continue.  "Spyro I'm sorry about what happened….  It's just…  I don't want to leave the temple Spyro…"
Spyro's head snapped up and turned to Cynder.  "Who said that you had to leave the temple?"  Concern and anger rimed his voice.
Cynder turned her head away from Spyro so he couldn't see her expression.  "A few days ago… you said that I didn't have to stay here, that there were other places I could go…"
Spyro cut around in front of Cynder, stopping her and forcing her to look him in the eyes.  "Cynder I didn't mean it like that…  I just didn't want you to feel like you were being forced to stay here…" Spyro turned his head away as blood rushed to his cheeks, his voice coming out softer as he kept his head turned away from Cynder.  "I wish you would stay here…"
Cynder smiled slightly as she felt her cheeks warm as well.  Pushing her head underneath Spyro's she hummed slightly before answering, "I would be more than happy to Spyro."
Spyro smiled and rubbed his chin against the top of Cynder's head.  All the anxiousness around Cynder for the past week seemed to melt away.  She would stay with them… with him for a while longer.  And he was beginning to be sure of the reason why.
Spyro nuzzled Cynder one more time before removing himself from her embrace and walking down the hall whispering for her to follow.  "Come on Cynder, I'm sure the guardians are getting impatient."
Cynder quickly followed, putting herself closer to Spyro's side then she had ever dared before nearly letting their sides touch.  She could feel the heat radiating off of his body and it made it tempting not to push up against his body, but she felt the too familiar felling of worry wash over her again.  Their quick conversation had been reassuring but she needed to be absolutely sure, she needed to talk to him again when they were completely alone and had the time to do it.
Zach, who had watched the entire episode after almost running into Cynder, smiled to himself as well.  It was about time those two made progress, he was beginning to wonder if they were going to spend the rest of their lives awkwardly avoiding each other.  Hopefully this would distract Spyro long enough to get home without any more questioning or confrontation.
Zach squinted as he walked out onto the balcony where the guardians were waiting.  The rising sun was just over the horizon and was shinning directly in Zach eyes as he walked out onto the platform making it hard for him to see.  He quickly made his way over to the side of the balcony so he wasn't looking directly into the sun.  Spyro and Cynder sat in front of him siting unusually close to each other, Spyro's tail wrapped ever so slightly around Cynder, though she probably didn't notice.
The guardians were siting opposite them, once again all talking to each other in their own private conversation forcing the three younger dragons to wait patiently for them to finish.  After the sun was a good distance over the horizon, the guardians turned and faced Zach, Spyro and Cynder, each with a sly grin on their faces.
Terador was the first to speak.  "Alright you three, the time has come to gather the candidates for the next fire guardians."
Zach shook himself out of his stupor and Spyro bolted upright while Cynder's mouth hung slightly open.  They had heard the guardians talking about it before but they didn't think that the trials would come for a few more months at the least.
Spyro was the first one to speak.  "Terador, I thought you said that you were not going to start the trials for a few more months…"
Cyril spoke up from behind Terador…  "Well a few things influenced our decision actually.  We cannot wit too long to chose another guardians for it leaves a hole in our ranks and at this point in time we have the three of you to help with the trials."
"Wait.  What?"  Zach became immensely interested at Cyril last reason.
"Well we can't run the trials by ourselves you know, and we always need someone to spar against the candidates that we can use as a base line."
Zach grounded and ran a hand over his face while Spyro and Cynder shared a grin.
Volteer spoke up to address Cyril,  "aren't you forgetting about the recent troubles in the land, we may need the next guardians to help fight…"
"That's enough Cyril thank you…" Terador glanced back over his shoulder at the three young dragons as he silenced Cyril.  Spyro gave him a concerned look but said nothing.  Satisfied Terador continued.  "As I said, the time has come for the trials.  We guardians are going out to collect the six candidates.  Cyril and Volteer will go get three of the candidates from the surrounding villages while you three will go with me and collect the other three from Warfang."
Zach was now the one who broke into the conversation.  "Why not send one of us with each of you instead of taking us all to Warfang?"
Cyril turned to address Zach,  "we don't want to cause to much commotion with this, very few people know of the location of this temple and we would like to keep it that way.  Any of you three in a small village would arouse attention that we don't need while an old dragon that no one recognizes will not draw attention at all.  And besides, we can't just leave you all here can we?"  Cyril looked directly at Spyro and Cynder as he finished.
Terador spoke up again, irritation in his voice.  "You are less likely to be noticed in Warfang, though Spyro's achievements are now know well throughout the city and that may cause a problem.  We must keep a low profile either way."  Terador looked over the three younger dragons.  "It should be good for you to get out of the temple anyway.  We can't have you cooped up at the temple all the time."
"So a trip to Warfang it is then."  Zach stood and stretched himself out.  His wings already seeming to hurt from anticipation of the long flight.
"Yes, well we all should be off before it gets too late in the day."  Cyril stood to his feet and turned towards the outside of the platform
"I agree Cyril, we all have a long flight ahead of us."  Volteer stood up as well, facing a different direction.
"Well then, I suppose I will see you all later, good luck, and may the ancestors watch over you."  Terador watched as Cyril and Volteer launched off the platform, each taking a different direction.
Terador watched them go for a moment before turning back to face Spyro and Cynder.  "Well then, there is no time like the present.  Are you ready to go?"
Spyro and Cynder both nodded and stood to their feet.  Zach only groaned and walked over to join the other dragons.  "I'm as ready as I will ever be."
"Alright then, lets go."  Without another word Terador launched himself off the platform, turning and heading towards the city of Warfang.  Spyro and Cynder followed quickly after, Spyro bumping Cynder with his tail as he took off earning him an irritated look.  Zach took a moment before launching himself after them, the abruptness of their departure had taken him by surprise but it looked like they knew what they were doing.
"Its not like I have anything better to do…" Zach muttered to himself as he pounded his wings in an attempt to catch up to Spyro and the others.  The endurance flights the guardians had forced him through for the past week hopefully prepared him to make the journey again, he wasn't sure how he had made it there the first time.
Zach quickly caught up to the others dropping in alongside Cynder as they flew through the air.  Zach quickly found that he could coast behind Terador without losing any altitude.  Keeping his wings spread to their fullest extent, Zach banked his body slightly so his wingtip brushed against Cynder's, catching her attention.  As Cynder glanced in his direction Zach shot her a quizzical look.
"What?"  Cynder shouted over the rushing wind and the powerful beats of Terador's wings
"Why is this so…  I don't know… easy?"  Zach shouted back.
Cynder gave him a confused look before a look of recognition crossed her face.  "Oh, you haven't ever flown in a group have you?  Terador breaks through the air in front of us and creates a slight updraft, making it considerably easier for us to fly behind him.  Since he's considerably older and this is only a short trip he will probably stay up front the whole time."  Cynder finished with a nod, pumping her wings a few times to catch up to Spyro who was in front of her.
Zach hung back and let his mind drift.  If this wasn't a long flight he wonder what a long flight was.

Spyro was jostled out of his thoughts by a gust of wind, forcing him to pay attention long enough to right himself.  They were probably halfway though their flight to Warfang by now, each of them secluded with their own thoughts.  He had tried to talk to Cynder during the first part of their flight, but the roaring wing and the constant shouting made conversation nearly impossible so they had given it up after a few sentences.
Spyro now found himself flying directly behind Cynder and his thoughts were now completely consumed by her.  He couldn't help but notice how graceful she was in flight, each beat of her wings gently changing the contours of her body.  The brief conversation he had with her before they left still burned in his mind.  It had calmed many of his anxieties, but it had raised so many more.  He wanted nothing more at the moment than to talk to her.  There were so many things he needed answers to.
Spyro glanced down at the scenery below them.  Trees still covered the ground while a river weaved in and out through large clearings on the ground below.
A grin crossed Spyro's face as a plan formed in his mind.  It had been a while since he had been out flying and his wings were becoming restless.  Without thinking twice Spyro shot forward through the air quickly positioning himself overtop of Cynder.  Cynder only had time to turn her head towards Spyro before he dropped down on top of her pinning her wings to her sides.
Cynder squealed as she dropped out of the sky, unable to control her decent with Spyro on her back.  "Spyro what are you doing!"
Spyro let out a full-hearted laugh as he angled them deeper into a dive.
"Spyro!"  Cynder watched as the ground came closer, though she felt no worry as Spyro kept his arms wrapped around her, his laughter carrying over to her.
Spyro just ignored her, flaring his wings to angle his decent towards the river that was running below them.  Flaring his wings out to their full extent, Spyro leveled out only feet above the river gliding along the path of the river still holding Cynder close to his chest.
Cynder finally stopped struggling against Spyro's grip and let herself relax, enjoying the feeling of Spyro pressed against her back.
Spyro continued his glide along the path of the river, using his speed to keep himself in the air without beating his wings or jostling Cynder.  She had stopped struggling against him and was now pressing herself further up into his chest.  Spyro leaned down and nuzzled Cynder's neck, earning him a contented sigh.  Spyro turned his head slightly so he could talk to Cynder.  "Are you ready?" a smile slowly spread across his face.
"Ready for what?"  Cynder turned her head around and rubbed her head underneath Spyro's chin.
Spyro's grin spread further across his mouth.  "You might want to hold your breath."  Before Cynder had a chance to answer Spyro rolled onto his back and pulled in his wings plunging into the cold water below them dragging Cynder with him.
As soon they hit the water, Spyro let go of Cynder, feeling her turn around and push of his body in an attempt to get to the surface.  Spyro stayed under for a few moments, using his wings to propel himself under the water away from Cynder.  He wouldn't want to be next to her when she came up.
Spyro broke the surface of the water a few feet from Cynder, a smile plastered on his face.  Cynder on the other hand, was not happy with her sudden bath and was glaring at Spyro.  When Spyro caught Cynder's glare he only smiled wider and paddled away from her.
"Spyro!"  Cynder chased after Spyro, moving as quickly as she could while keeping her head above the water.  Spyro was going to get it if she had anything to say about it.  Spyro backed away from Cynder as she advanced towards him, a smile on his face the whole time.
"Spyro, I'm going to wipe that Smile from your face!"  Cynder lunged, splashing up water as she grabbed for Spyro, only to end up empty handed in the Space he was moments before.  Wiping the water from her eyes, Cynder looked around for Spyro, yet she couldn't find a trace of him in the moving water.  Cynder let out a low groan, "come on Spyro, you can't hide underwater forever."
"Who said anything about hiding?"  Cynder squealed again as she felt Spyro wrap his arms around her from behind again, quickly pulling her back under the water.
Cynder let herself be pulled underwater, squirming to turn herself around in Spyro's grip.  She was met with Spyro's bright grin while he quickly moved his head forward, pressing his forehead against hers.  Cynder shared a grin of her own, though hers was more mischievous than Spyro's.  Quickly warping her arms around Spyro she unfurled her wings and pushed hard, propelling them quickly to the surface.  Both dragons gasped for air as they broke the surface of the water, though they remained locked together keeping their arms wrapped around each other.  Cynder was the first one to catch her breath, her demeanor quickly changing to irritation as she let out a low growl.  "Spyro, you are one dead dragon."
Spyro laughed and leaned in closer to Cynder so their noses were almost touching, "you'll have to catch me first."
Cynder only laughed in return, "I think I already did that."  Cynder subtly pulled Spyro closer to her so their stomachs were touching.  Both dragons remained quiet for a moment, relying on each other to remain above the water as they held each other.  Cynder slowly moved her head to rest against Spyro's chest pushing him slightly onto his back and allowing him to keep her afloat.
Spyro was the one who broke the silence, a grin once again spreading its way across his face.
"What's so funny Spyro?"  Cynder asked as she moved her head back to look at Spyro.
"I thought I was supposed to be one dead dragon…"
Cynder smiled again, showing her teeth to Spyro while pressing into his back with one of her talons, "who said you aren't?"
Spyro laughed again, earning a confused look from Cynder.  "I told you… you have to catch me first."  Without another word, Spyro slipped out underneath Cynder, disappearing into the water below leaving Cynder holding nothing but air.
Cynder scanned the water again, looking for where the purple dragon would surface again only to see Spyro launch himself from the water a few feet from where she was, showing her with water.  After clearing her eyes, Cynder looked to see Spyro hovering in front her a few feet in the air.
"I told you, you have to catch me first!"  Spyro laughed again as he hovered in front of her.
"Spyro!"  Cynder yelled before quickly diving to the bottom of the river which was only a few feet below her.  Pushing off the river bottom and pulsing with her wings, Cynder shot out of the water and into the air, heading straight for Spyro.

Zach continued watching where Spyro and Cynder had disappeared to from his place behind Terador.  He was beginning to wonder what they were doing, but then again, maybe he didn't want to know.  Zach looked ahead at Terrador, he didn't seem interested and since they hadn't caught up to Spyro yet Zach really didn't see a problem anyway.
As if to calm his anxiety further, Zach saw Spyro appear over the tree line laughing, Cynder chasing after him obviously upset about something.  Zach laughed as they raced beneath him, giving him an idea of just how fast they could fly.  Cynder was yelling at Spyro for something, but he couldn't quite make out the words.
Terador dropped back to fly close to Zach laughing to himself about Spyro and Cynder's antics.  "Why don't you go join them Zach?  We aren't in any hurry."
Zach shrugged,  "its not my place, they could use some time alone, besides, I'm not that great of a flyboy."
"Then that's even more reason for you to follow them," Terador motioned to the duo as they raced underneath them, Spyro now chasing Cynder.  "Practice makes perfect.  Besides I want you to keep an eye on them…"
No sooner had Terador finished than Cynder raced up past them, Spyro in hot pursuit.  As they passed, Spyro reached out with a claw and slapped it across Zach's leg.  Zach could vaguely hear Spyro yell, "you're it" before he banked back towards the ground to follow Cynder.
Zach looked over at Terador who only smiled and nodded towards Spyro and Cynder.  Zach shrugged before rolling onto his back and pulling in his wings, braking off from Terador and racing towards the ground.
The second Zach broke from behind Terador he was struck with a rush of adrenaline.  The wind rushing past his face and the feeling of weightlessness as his body plummeted towards the ground reminded him exactly why he loved flying.  Zach pulled his wings as close to his body as he could and stuck his head straight out in front of him as he angled his body towards Spyro and Cynder directly below him.
Spyro looked over his shoulder to see Zach rocketing down towards him and quickly dove into the gap of trees created by the river, Cynder quickly banking down as well ending up in front of Spyro.
Zach flared out his wings, leveling out as he rocketed down along the river closely following Spyro and Cynder.  Zach felt the adrenaline rush through his veins as he watched the trees rush by him in a blur out of the corner of his eyes.  Every twist and turn of the river forced Zach into a banked turn that threatened to throw him out of control yet each strain against his wings sent a new rush through his body.  He could hardly tell how fast he was going as he raced along the river line in an attempt to catch up to Spyro, but even if he wanted to stop slow down he knew he couldn't.  At the speeds he was going, flaring his wings would threaten to rip his wings off his body.  It did have its advantages though, while Spyro and Cynder had to keep pumping their wings to keep aloft, all he had to do was angle his wings and use the speed from his dive to keep himself airborne.
Zach looked ahead at Spyro and Cynder, both of them coming closer by the second.  Occasionally one of them would check over their shoulder to look at Zach but each of them had a smile on their face.  Zach could understand exactly why, the sheer exhilaration of flight was enough to put him in a giddy mood.
Cynder turned around once more, Zach could see her lips move as she pointed out something to Spyro before they both banked hard in that direction.
Zach, unable to slow down or effectively control his flight, shot past where they had turned and banked up into the sky instead.  As he felt the speed from his dive bleed off as he climbed into the air Zach took a deep breath to clear his lungs before beginning to pant heavily.  His lungs cried out for air and he could now feel the strain on his wings but his body still tingled as adrenaline still rushed through his body and he could feel his body begin to be pulled towards the ground again.
Looking over his shoulder, he could see Terador faintly in the distance coming towards him.  They had flown a great deal farther ahead of Terador and it would probably take him five or ten minutes to catch up.  
Zach waved once with his wing and received the same salute from Terador before Zach let himself drop towards the ground again to search for where Spyro and Cynder had gone.

Cynder wove through a tight cluster of trees with Spyro in hot pursuit. Hopefully Zach wouldn't be able to follow them through the thick trees.  He wasn't that good.  Its not that she wanted to get rid of him, she just wanted some alone time with Spyro more, she still needed to teach that dragon a lesson anyway.
Cynder broke through the last of the tress and landed running on the grassy knoll in the clearing.  Turning around, Cynder waited for Spyro only to see him come barreling though the trees before crashing straight into her.
Spyro grabbed onto Cynder as he ran into her, sending them both tumbling head over heals to the center of the clearing where they finally rolled to a stop.  Spyro breathed heavily as he lay on top of Cynder, slowly raising himself off of her and looking down at her face, grinning.
"And just what do you think you're doing?"  Cynder leaned up towards Spyro, putting her face inches from his.
"Well someone told me I was going to be a dead dragon, so I figured I might as well enjoy the time I had left."  Spyro leaned down and bumped his nose against Cynder's, causing her to turn away and blush.
"Well I hope you enjoyed your last moments…" Cynder smiled before kicking Spyro off her, sending him rolling across the clearing and into the bushes on the other side.  Cynder rolled to her feet and crouched, preparing to jump after him.  "…Because you're mine now."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that."