FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 27

There was something special about watching the sun get up, the carpet of light it stretched out over the world put a really deep, meaningful order of things. On people as well as on Nature, where everything bends the rules when it is dark, during the day a certain sense of serenity envelops the world.

It is no wonder that people came up with all these superstitions about light and darkness, all you had to do was to be present for dusk and dawn and be a little spirited, sensitive, have a soul of an artist, at least a spark of it.

Nature reacted to the presence of sun, while it was still snowing and the wind still glided across the air, the strength of this two forces visibly shrunk, in respect for the day. It would be a wonderful sight if not for the blood splatters and the visible bumps across the snowy ground, remnants of last night's fighting.

He craned his neck past the safety of the cave, snow began gathering on top of his purple nose momentarily, grasping it as if his snout was a long time friend who finally returned home. He looked from left to right, assessing the situation.

No sign of those creature.

No sign of Danox.

A hand landed on his shoulder, its furry touch a welcoming shuffle on his scales.

"The weather gave us a boon of forgiveness" Hunter intoned reverently, blue eyes shining under the strengthening light of the sun "Awaiting your command to resume our journey"

He pulled his nose back, rubbing the snow off of his nose "I hoped Danox would get back, I don't know what that guy is doing, but it's really unnerving to leave him out there by himself"

The cheetah looked out into the distance, ears flattening on his furry head. While he would prefer to have the group together, his duties in the wilderness taught him one thing, predators and prey know how to conceal themselves. Until there is no corpse, or remains in the excrement nothing can be said for certain.

A dragon in the wilderness succumbing to its feral instincts is the greatest predator of all, they will find him only when Danox will want it. Either he is going to reveal himself, or they will find his carcass, Nature knows how to honor beings like him, not letting such influence go to waste.

"I will keep my eyes and ears sharp, with luck we will locate our companion" a furry thumb caressed his symbolic medallion "Hope is with us, still I have a feeling that Danox will keep to his promise and find us first" he gave the purple shoulder a motivating squeeze "I would not worry my friend, control what you still can affect, it is a great privilege in the lands of Nature, one that is not given away freely"

Spyro nodded.

Hunter was right, there was no sense in worrying about Danox, he's a black dragon with extreme and mainly still unknown power and despite what Cynder might sometimes say, there is an independency drive in dragons of this color scale.

Black dragons know how to take care of themselves.

What is important right now for him as a leader of this mission is to keep his companions safe and happy. Guide their combined force to the end of this journey, with luck without any more blood spilled.

Scraping of claws and soft moans filled the cave.

He turned around, seeing Flare sitting up with a prolonged yawn, sharp teeth flashing under the fire he was emanating, one paw lazily scratching away the itch on his right shoulder.

His eyes darted to Cynder after that when she let out a delicate whine, heart skipping a beat as he looked at her, he could still hear the echoes of his fantasy in his head where she howled in pleasure.

She woke up on her underbelly, in this position she outstretched her forelegs as far as they would go, toes opening up widely, gentle pops of bone clicking in the air. Black wings opened up with shaking, jerking motions as if breaking invisible chains wrapping them. Her sweet mouth opened as last, presenting a long, red tongue resting inside the maw, razor sharp teeth reflecting a ray of the sun that managed to slip inside.

The increasing tone of her squeaking yawn made him gulp, his claws raking across the stony floor, even if there was nothing but rock below him his mind managed to project the shreds of feeling the surface of her soft, imagined, curvy butt to his draconic palms he remembered gripping in his dream.

Cynder leaned forward, shifting her weight to her forelegs that smacked onto the ground, her chest pressing against them. The change of balance allowed her to raise her rump in the air, tail flicked upwards, the position allowing her to lean a little bit more, pushing her into a good, morning stretch.

The position he was in allowed him to observe his mate from a slight angle, even if she was looking straight ahead he could take a glimpse of her flank. Her scales shone brilliantly under the rays of the soon, the gentle caress of light reminding him of Iris' paws exploring her body in his fantasy.

His tail made a nervous bounce when his eyes landed on her exposed thigh, flexed during the stretch the flesh exposed feminine, alluring muscles to him, so much more greatly emphasized by the sun. Her leg was trembling, the flesh on her leg thrown into a sexy flow.

Just as if she would be approaching climax.

Tongue pushed out of his mouth, merely the tip, the drop of saliva however that slipped down onto the ground seemed to be the size of a draconic tear.

Another feminine groan echoed in between all of this exciting dance.

His attention momentarily snapped in the according direction, only a part of it however, half of it remained on observing Cynder, seeing his mate in her entire glory. It was like one of his eyes remained stuck in place while the other shifted over to examine the source of the wonderful sound that his mind already knew the reason for.

Iris woke up.

She swiftly rose from her belly to a siting position, her maw stretched also into a yawn, yet presenting no teeth, she covered her mouth behind her paw. She titled her head from side to side, cracking noises from her neck echoed in the cavern.

She rose further up, putting her weight onto her haunches, front paws rose directly up, paws pressing against the shelf above her. Wrinkles filled her snout, as if the protrusion from the cave was ready to fall down and she was the only one keeping it aloft. In this position she would be a perfect muse for some artist to make a statue out of her, the shelf a vault of the sky, her paws the columns that hold it from crashing down.

The artist wouldn't have to use imagination, most of the work Nature did herself.

Iris' body was already a work of art.

He exhaled a deep breath as he trailed her exposed body, the temperature of the air he let our burning the tip of his nose. She was perfect in every detail, scales glistened under the sunlight alluringly, the rays catching every curve and thickness of her presented underbelly and legs.

He lost the strength in his paws, luckily, he managed to lean against the wall before he collapsed, the rocks feeling numbingly tender just like Iris' body.

When he thought this couldn't get any better Iris threw her head back, stretching and presenting her neck to him. The medallion wrapped over it glistened under the sunlight, making the white and blue scales glisten as if beads of sweat would dot her neckline.

In the back of his head he could hear Cynder slurping out Iris' taste.

Dear Ancestors his ribcage started to burn.

In the meantime Cynder opened her eyes, beautiful emeralds gazed back at him.

The paw that Iris used to cover her yawning mouth moved, claws touching the exposed neck. They moved down, raking their way down her stretched body.

He hacked a breath, he was sure it was his last one in fact, no more air was coming from his lungs, he was sure they collapsed.

Iris' paw was taking the exact same path along her body that Cynder's tongue did in his fantasy.

With a sharp jerk the blue snout returned to its normal position, supporting herself on one paw only by pressing it against the shelf, Iris gazed at him. Piercing, white eyes sparkling with majestic, cold force.

Two beautiful girls, both ominous in their own way, how exactly someone like him can function properly without stopping once in a while to admire what was in front of him? They were like muses that just climbed from an expensive painting, perfect and graceful in every detail.

A true sight for sore eyes if there was any.

His head vibrated, thumping as if there was a chisel working against his brain, sculpting the wonderful image on his consciousness. It was a fantastic sight he will definitely never forget, how could he? How his heart can ignore this sight of brilliance before him? If Evolution wanted to show off, shove down everyone's throat the idea that it is capable of wonders, it would present these two girls to the world.

Perfect in every aspect, not to be mimicked, one of a kind.

If they loved each other just like in his dream... oh boy. He could already see him catching them experimenting, better yet, he could already imagine them experimenting while he was there. It was unlikely that Cynder would ever let him touch Iris, he doubted his own heart would ever allow him to, but that didn't mean he couldn't touch Cynder while she is fondling Iris.

That...

He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.

That would be something.

The girls frowned, noticing Spyro's paralyzed stare, they instinctively felt that it has something to do with them. Blue and black head turned, green and white eyes met, exchanging some silent, brief taunts that only psyche of a female could sense before they examined each other from top to bottom, curious, yet in truth trying to find something embarrassing on each other's body.

They found nothing that would warrant such invasive observation Spyro was giving them.

Exchanging last, lost glances the girls threw their heads up, aiming their eyes at the purple boy who was giving them the look of a psychotic, oversensitive guy who likes to believe that he is a sensible artist instead of a creep.

"What?" both girls voiced their bewilderment in the same time

Spyro jerked, feeling like he just got punched in the guts by a golem, the world slowed down, eyes began to enlarge themselves while his mouth kept dropping down. Realization creeping in, he was staring at them, thinking about them and they were girls. Girls with instinct.

Holy shit!

What if they sensed his dirty thoughts?

Sensed his awestruck interest in their bodies, intensity of which bordered at the edge of sexual offense?

What if...

He forgot to breathe?

The thought crushed on his consciousness like a rock dropping to the bottom of the sea. He remembered his lungs, how they sucked in a breath, how they never let it out again.

He held his breath for all this time.

He was choking.

Of course he was choking, what else he could be doing?

Spyro gasped loudly, his hoarse inhale sounding like the one of someone who just resurfaced from the depths of the ocean at the last moment to get a breath of air before dying.

"N-Nothing" he rasped, momentarily coughing , choking on his own words, paw slamming against the snout, the blow making it turn far more quickly than a natural twist of neck was capable of doing

Cynder yipped, balking at the sharp, audible smack, Spyro really punched himself.

He winced, deeply, cheek burning, he was unable to tell if that it was due to the hit, or the blush that he could easily feel changing the color of his scales.

Iris dropped on all fours, getting irritated by the stupidity of the situation she took a look over of herself, it's not like Tat knows what it means to be perfect with all those white doodles all over her body that in her idiotic world make her probably more interesting.

Fucking moron.

Benches in schools are scrawled exactly like her, the only difference being that at least the brats there put some effort to it and made the best they could at their age.

The scribbles on Tat's body only prove how much retarded she is.

Diamonds eyes scanned the body, seeing everything to be in perfect order, from ass to shoulder she was as majestic as ever. The tail was also good. She then checked out her bracelets, the gold rings emphasizing her uniqueness fantastically, the medallion was in place as well.

She unfurled her wings as last, embracing herself with her angelic feathers. Eyes first landed on the right one, commanding her joint to stir the feathers there she made her special wing membrane to bristle gently, the ocean of colorful feathers standing at attention as loyal soldiers.

Her eyes ran over the wing from top to bottom.

Groomed perfection, worthy of her.

Sight jumped to the other wing, repeating the commanding process, examination beginning anew.

Hole.

Her eyes widened, two small red veins of anger pulsing in her sclera.

"The fuck is this?!" Iris roared furiously

The unexpected blare made both Cynder and Flare jump, both cringing momentarily and hissing in pain, paws slapping on the top of the heads which made a forceful hit against the shelf above.

Hunter ears perked up at attention, a pained snarl twisting his mouth, unexpected, loud noise wasn't one of his favorites, his sensitive ears always hurting when they absorbed the sudden boom of tones.

The blare scared off Spyro's cough and discomfort, shoving it back into a corner, he momentarily jerked his head up, startled gaze landing on the blue dragoness, a veil of gratefulness flashing across his orbs.

The spell was broken.

The almost palpable spite had a way of writhing away every pleasure and embarrassment.

Iris threw her healthy wing back while jerking the one she stared at closer to her snout, joint shyly stinging after the sharp move. She ran her paw over the feathery membrane, one, single white toe running over a bump, dropping down and raising back up like a ship on the waves.

Hole.

A fucking hole.

She flexed all of her muscles, deep veins appearing on her body, pulsing and red with fury.

"What the fuck happened to my feathers!?" she roared again, blue mist of her hateful magic wafting from the nostrils

"Goldie you motherfucker!" Spyro balked as she glared at him, he could feel the strength of her spite squeezing his brain "What did you do?!"

Spyro stared at her back in silence, shocked, not by the accusation, but by his own doubts.

Was this really the same sweet girl that not so long ago whispered a begging prayer to him?

The same girl who had one of the most bleeding souls he ever felt?

"I asked you a fucking question!"

He blinked after the commanding, sharp order.

This was Iris.

Surprise and doubt slowly began to shift into annoyance, this was the girl who hated the world and tried to kill his friend, yelling at him for no reason, like almost always. Sometimes his own patience surprised him.

"Why are you looking at me? I didn't do anything" he yelped back defensively

"And who had his stinky ass on my left side? You! You dumb shit! If you can't keep your grapplers from wiggling than do us all a favor and amputate them you worthless piece of shit!"

"By the Ancestors! Stop howling already!" Cynder snarled, clenching her forehead, she couldn't tell if the headache was the result of hitting herself or all this screaming

Through squinted eyes she examined the feathery wing, it was as special as ever.

"I don't see anything. It's as good as always. About what exactly you are so hysterical?"

"Yeah" Flare approached the dragoness, giving the wing an intense stare, he seemed to already shrug off the pain of the head strike "It's as pretty as you are"

Iris snorted in disdain.

"Like I care about the opinion of someone whose scales are as dark as the void under her skull and an clown who can't tell the difference between an elbow and a shoulder"

"I can tell the difference!"

Cynder frowned, keeping her irritation at bay, in moments like these she was glad that people gave her a hard time, at least it made her immune to reckless snapping at the slightest display of provocation.

"The whole idea of keeping your head up your ass like you do is to make yourself look better than others. If we tell you, dammit, that you look exactly the same then what is the problem? Are you sure that all of your cogs up there" she tapped her temple "are turning correctly?"

Iris grazed her wing once more, wincing as she ran over the bump again.

"Worms like you can't tell what true magnificence looks like. Of course I'm perfect to you, you worthless bugs are nothing compared to me. Only someone like me can see the cracks that you blind idiots can't spot. Art requires a touch of brilliance and I'm a fucking masterpiece and I intend to keep it that way"

Cynder rolled her eyes, how Iris didn't burst yet from feeding herself on all that ego was beyond her. There's still a chance for it to happen though.

A delicate smirk crossed her mouth.

Claws crossed.

Iris began working on her wing, licking and grooming the feathers in a way that only she could understand since the rest of the group couldn't tell what is wrong. Even if Spyro knew that she lost two of her feathers, he still couldn't see where exactly the empty space is.

The heavy silence that started to hang in the air was strangling.

Spyro gazed over his two companions, Flare didn't seem to be troubled at all, observing her with the same intensity as always, oblivious to the awkwardness, even when he is the one to blame for it. Cynder was in the same boat as him however, sensing his indecision she aimed her irritated eyes at him.

They said more about Iris than words.

"Let her go, she's a waste of time" they seemed to say

His mate shook her head tiredly.

Sometimes he wondered if he can approach this weird relationship rationally, Cynder always seemed to be acting with irritation, or at least indifference towards Iris, a healthy approach all in all after everything that the blue dragoness did and regularly does. Cynder was the type to fight fire with fire, not looking for any redeeming qualities, but just taking Iris for what she presents with herself, the indifference keeping her away from hypocrisy of rash judgment.

Moments like those made him think that he is the problem, giving Iris too much benefit of the doubt than she deserves. Then again, Cynder didn't know the things he did, he had no idea if they would influence her however, they surely did him.

In the end however he is just a boy and no matter how developed one's intelligence might be, if you're healthy, there is no fooling biology.

Spyro rubbed his forehead, there is too much of this drama, he can't take it any longer. It's time to move, the atmosphere got too thick in this cave for his liking.

"How much time do you need Iris? We have to get moving"

"Don't rush me you treacherous fuck" Iris hissed, glaring at him from underneath her feathers, white eyes sparkling with freezing urge of murder "Be lucky that I didn't feed you your own eyeballs"

He instinctively looked at Flare, hoping that he will add his own opinion and admit that it was him who actually took Iris' feathers for tinder. The fire drake had to sense his thoughts because he turned and there was a slight hint of nervousness in his yellow eyes.

He's going to admit it.

He is going to take the blame for himself, as a team player, as a honorable member of this group.

"Danox is not here" Flare stated

Or maybe he won't.

This gauche way had nothing to do with guilt, never, not even for a second he crossed Flare's mind.

It goes without saying how a wonderful, appreciative feeling that was.

"He will find us, we're going on without him for now, get ready" Spyro turned towards the exit, leaning against the wall he let out a tired sigh

It was nice though to find some kind of escape from all of this in Hunter's warm smile.

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown my friend, yet your legs are as strong as ever. In my eyes you're carrying a treasure chest, all your draconic friends here are gems and I must say that there is no other dragon that collects and polishes gems as you do" Hunter pulled on his hood, claws scratching one of the covered ears shyly "Treasure, no matter how valuable, is as heavy as mundane rocks"

"Yeah, treasure" Spyro smiled, there was truth ringing in Hunter's voice, the beginning of this adventure proved it all too well. All these individuals are special in some way, unpredictable in others.

Just like treasure you find, you expect it to be valuable but you don't know the true price until you won't try selling it. If stories are to be believed however, there is one more thing that treasure sometimes becomes.

A trap.

"Let's just hope it isn't cursed" he repaid the smile, slipping a little humor despite the rather weird events of last night

He couldn't believe just how wonderful it felt to relieve himself of some of this strangling tension.

Cynder observed her mate with a concerned look, it was quite clear that he was really trying to keep this group together and Iris wasn't making it easy for him. This gold heart of his trying to make everyone happy, deciding that all of the troubles and burdens would be carried on his shoulders.

A purple dragon after all is capable of anything.

She felt rather miserable with this perspective, while the bulk of the pressure usually falls on his shoulders, this time he is not alone in this struggle. She's more than a sidekick to him now, she's his mate and it's her job to keep her lover satisfied and relaxed, in far more ways than just sexual ones.

Lately she didn't have much chance to do that, this secret relationship of theirs is a really difficult obstacle to overcome. While she was almost certain that there wouldn't be any serious consequences if they revealed their feelings to this group right here and now, she sensed that they knew about them anyway in one way or the other, there was also the perspective of the future and what these guys could do with knowledge like that when our of danger zone.

Hunter and Danox mostly nothing, Hunter for sure would keep their secret, Danox would as well most likely, but the problem with the black dragon was that he's irresponsible and arrogant, he might sow some seeds of jealously and threat just for the fun of it.

There was also Iris, who she suspected that wouldn't really give a damn about them, either already knowing that they were together, or simply don't caring at all. She was sure though that all of this would change the moment Iris would learn that they tried to keep their relationship a secret from the rest of the world. In her spite she would definitely use that against them, spreading the news at best case. The most terrifying thing was that she couldn't fathom what exactly is the worst when it comes to Iris.

Out of all them she was the unsure the most about Flare, while the rest of the guys could do something to harm them in bigger or lesser degree, it was Flare alone who would almost for certain remove the plural form from the equation. It would be only Spyro for him, knowing his condition who that Volteer concluded as monstrous and remembering Amela's evaluation of Flare's psyche, she was scared that the news of their relationship would paint a cross on Spyro's back.

This worry wasn't calmed even when she considered Flare's improved relationship with Spyro and the fact that he was present when Danox announced that she will start a family with her current mate. Flare was bad when it came to connecting facts, just as bad as it came to controlling his temper.

Damn secrets.

She couldn't spend time with the boy she loves, offer him a shoulder on which he could rest his head on. Since this adventure started she couldn't show any sign of affection. This is not how a cooperation should look like, things should have to be clear. Trust can't be built by force and secrecy.

"Sugar"

Her eyes widened at the unexpected, hollow boom of a voice, he squeezed her mouth shut into a thin line and dug her claws into the stony floor, anything to quench the scared yelp that wanted to burst from the throat, morphing it into a soft squeak.

Creep manifested in front of the her, rising from the pool of shadow like a brush after a dip inside a paint bucket. Darkness swirling down from him like water until the black tentacles enveloped him like snakes chasing their own tails until they faded and molded into the purple form she was so familiar with.

Seeing Creep filled her with an exact amount of distress and comfort.

"I didn't call you" Cynder cleared her throat, speaking the words between the fake coughs into her closed paw

Her eyes darted around the cave to see if someone caught this sudden change in her behavior, luckily no one was interested in her, everyone busy with their own thoughts.

"Cannot wait. Urgent. I like you Sugar" brown eyes Creep's eyes aimed themselves at her, as empty as her voice, dark aura around his tattered wings swiveling like tendrils of a burning out fire

"This is not the best time for a talk like this" she hissed through clenched teeth, muffled voice ringing with the nervousness her constantly scanning eyes projected

"Do you grant permission for us to become one?"

She frowned, focus returning to her gaze as she presented her wrinkled in thought nose to Creep.

"What?"

"Do you allow to repeat the mistake?" Creep opened his wounded wings, her eyes momentarily catching the holes in them as if this was his way of emphasizing his point

Mistake.

What kind of mistake?

"I don't understand what you want"

"My voice must be heard by all"

She scratched her choker, claws making thoughtful, quiet screeching sounds as her brain worked, connecting all the dots.

Repeating a mistake.

So it happened before.

Voice.

She blinked, enlightenment striking her.

Speak to all like in Boven.

"You want to turn me into a torch again?"

Creep looked down at his paws, using one to catch the swimming tendrils of smoke, they curled around his wounded body like soft silk.

"Necessary outcome"

Cynder bit her leap, eyes turning towards the group cautiously as she leaned closer, as if Creep would be a real creature made of flesh and bone.

"This is a bad idea. You didn't want to show yourself to Spyro and now you want everyone to gawk?" she whispered, the teeth on the lips making scrubbing, uneasy movements

He looked up, burying his gaze into her black cheek.

She turned her head slowly, feeling a strange itch on her cheek as if a feather would be grazing her scales.

She met eye to eye with Creep, a centimeter of space between their noses. Unnatural sense of perversion and guilt filled her soul, she jumped back with a quenched yelp, blushing in embarrassment as she looked to the side, clearing her throat roughly once more to mask her weird reaction.

As her sight shifted to the ground she noticed a needle sized tentacle of black smoke coiling and waving in the air next to Creep's snout.

Outstretched exactly the distance where her cheek was just a moment ago.

"Mistake was already made Sugar. No more risk present. Only opportunity"

The otherworldly voice made her shiver, paw impulsively scratched the itching cheek, far more roughly than it was needed, making gentle dents in the scales.

"Opportunity for gossip you mean, I don't want people to know that I'm possessed by some dark creature. It would be catastrophic"

"Not possessed. One"

"Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean"

"Group of misfits. Not popular. Only two with strength, both like you Sugar. World ruled by fear, we are Fear, the rest misfits are Fear. People do not like Fear. No risk"

If she understood him right than Creep had a point. Besides Spyro and Hunter there was no one here who people would consider truly good. Everyone else walked on the benefit of the doubt and even that in case of Danox was a merciful stretch. People would never believe them if they shared stories about a demon, more likely they would draw attention to themselves and create far more aggression when all these religious people would connect this with Corruption.

Something that they surely would.

Seeing as Flare was already considered as her pet and Iris isn't liked even by the birds in this world, this would mean a sentence on both of them.

And people don't like fear, especially formed like Corruption itself.

Still, she didn't see the appeal of showing Creep to the rest of the group, that would be putting too much uncertainty between them, she had no idea how they would react to this and what consequences such revelation would bring.

"Why now? What do you want to accomplish by this? Why I can't tell whatever you want myself. Whisper in my head like I whisper to you now and we're good"

"Impact. Not everyone likes you Sugar" Creep turned his head, emotionless brown eyes landing on both Flare and Iris

Cynder noticed that her dark companion's wounds began to open, dark mist slipping through the cracks. Instead however of fading like on the balcony when they first met, the artificial blood flown down towards the black claws, empowering the black aura there, to the point where the claws became as thick as obsidians.

Looking at them made her feel like life would be sucked away from her, as if she was being pulled into the black shroud.

Into oblivion.

Into nothingness.

She was glad that Iris and Flare didn't see this, deep down she felt that they would be unable to resist the pull.

"No belief. No intelligence. Misshapen. Unstable. Dangerous. Simple. They must hear, Abomination ignored otherwise. Bad idea. Must become one, almost like we Sugar. Trust cannot be built by force and secrecy"

The last words hit her like a bell hammer, eyes widening to the point of discomfort, eyeballs started to sting, the flesh around her eyes threatening to start bleeding from the stress.

He quoted her. Without being here.

"What did you just say?" she hissed, words boiling like heated water

Creep's head snapped back into place so quickly that first his dark aura formed a pillow in the air before his physical snout landed there. The wounds that opened enlarged even farther, the waves of smoke flowing from them dispersing into the air.

No emotions wafted from him, but she knew that he was terrified.

"I like-

"Shut up" she growled, stomping her paw against the floor to muffle the aggression "You read my thoughts, without me knowing. You know who does something like that? Cheaters, liars, dicks and Corruption" she counted the names on her claws

"No, no, no, no" Creep shook his head, the aura of darkness painting the air around his snout thickly enough to obscure his snout partially "Not Corruption. I said long ago. Not Corruption"

"You also said that you will stay away from my life and here you are, poking inside my head with a spoon so thin that I don't feel it, like my brain would be a bowl of soup"

"Do not watch me, do not stalk me, do not follow me. I obeyed. I obeyed Sugar" he cried out, his hollow voice intertwined with the notes of her own voice, so rough that it sounded like every word would roll over a sand paper

"Stay away from my life" she rubbed her clenched teeth together, echo of her moving jaw filled her earholes "Forgot about that little detail? Or was it too much to ask?"

"Not one before, did not understand. Sugar is special, alive, full of life, my own knot to unravel. I learn from being one, orders uncertain otherwise, words ambiguous. Jokes, yes, sarcasm yes, no clear meaning. Impossible to understand without liking Sugar, without being one with Sugar"

She was still angry at Creep, yet not hysterical to ignore his words, there was no point of arguing with a creature that is essentially her to some degree when all that she could give was blame. She tried to explain her own fate many times, people didn't want to listen about her plight, it was the action that mattered.

Quick judgment.

This is not her way, it can't be after everything that happened.

Her claws found their way to the choker again.

"So, if I get this right, you sit in my head to understand my true intention and meanings behind the words and comparisons I use? Like the torch thing?

The wounds stopped to seep the dark smoke, the relief was clear.

"Yes"

Cynder grabbed a pinch of her scales on her forehead between her scales, sighing heavily. This relationship was so complicated.

"That doesn't solve anything Creep. I want my privacy, my life, I don't want you inside my head. I had one guy organizing a playground there, I wasn't invited even if it was on my yard. Never again. My thoughts are my thoughts alone"

"But I-"

She rose her paw to silence him, it took her a moment of looking at her own extended upwards toes to realize that nobody else sees Creep but her. With a wince she jerked the paw back, running it over her head, smoothening a mane she didn't have.

"I know you like me, I like you too in my own way I guess. This is why I'm not cutting you off completely. Stay in my head if it helps you understand me, but only when I can see you, and only when I call you or when you appear like now with something important. Understand? Do not manipulate me by my own thoughts ever again, remember the time when you made me dream about Spyro? I didn't like that very much, what you did now is similar to that. I didn't went furious because just like you are learning me I'm learning you, but there's a limit to everything. Are we clear on that?"

Creep's wounds sealed immediately, he looked at her with eyes that seemed to see her as a book with tiny, hard to decipher letters, so attentive like never before. His mouth kept twitching, shifting from abhorrence to zest, like an actor changing masks during a play. It was a familiar tick seen in normal people, mostly the shy ones, when they try to smile, but don't want to be seen doing so.

The difference was that Creep didn't know what shyness is, he simply didn't remember how to do it.

"The knot is being unraveled" her dark companion announced, his voice rumbling like an echo of a temple's bell announcing a sermon

She wasn't a big fan of this specific metaphor.

"Wonderful, I always had a knack for knitting" she sat down, stretching out her wings, intently observing her supernatural companion while pretending to fall into another morning routine

"I think it is about time you tell me what this is all about"

Creep mimicked her posture, sitting right in front of her small empty space between them the size of a small table little girls use when they organize their tea parties.

A small smile crept onto her mouth, this whole mimicking stuff was adorable in a way , in a way because there was no denying the fact that an aura of darkness surrounded Creep, mists of smoke like he would be burning, it was also hard to miss his black like tar claws and ruined wings.

It was like sitting with a monster from your nightmares.

She chuckled before Creep could reply finding this whole situation rather funny. After all she didn't have to dream about monsters when she was a living nightmare herself back in the days.

Her dark companion was looking at her intently, even if his eyes were emotionless, there was some kind of hoping, loving, creepy interest radiating from him. Adoration perhaps?

"Abomination. A chance to win. Everyone alive, happy, danger must be known to all, pressure on Spyro perhaps. We become one Sugar, no threat to existence" his otherworldly voice was softer than usual, conspiratorial, pleading

"You want to talk about Danox?" Cynder cocked her head, there was a weird defensive mechanism building inside her, intertwined with a craving for knowledge, curiosity

She wanted to know more about the black dragon, yet at the same time for some weird reason didn't want to hear bad things about him.

Despite everything it was rather profitable to be aware of Creep's view on this situation, he was after all a creature of origins that reach, far, far into the past. He might not know the future, but as Spyro said, there's a chance to learn much from Creep and a creature like this, a creature that predates probably every Ancestor, has to have opinions with more merit than them.

Creep as an avatar of the Dark element had been on this world from day one, who can know more about the rules and dangers of the worlds if not magic that is part of its creation?

She knew the answer to her question even before Creep replied.

"Yes" came the hollow voice

She still thought that this was a bad idea, yet here was Creep that in his own way protected her, now he comes up with an initiative to reveal himself, in the more tolerable form, to the group. He would never do something like this if he knew that it would be tragic in the end. Iris and Flare are the past, his specialty, those are the threads he had to know how to strain.

He considered the breaking of secrecy far less dangerous than Danox.

That alone was enough of a reason to try.

"Fine, but gentler this time" she pointed a threatening claw at the dark creature "I don't want to feel like a crate of dynamite exploded in my stomach again"

The tendrils of dark smoke reached towards her extended paw, brushing against her claw, the touch as pleasant as sheets of a warm bed after a hard day.

"I will never hurt you Sugar" with those words Creep's body began to dissolve into a dark fog. The dark arms of his aura reached even farther down her extended leg, coiling around it. Second by second the darkness around her leg became thicker, wrapping around her paw like a bandage, Creep kept disappearing steadily, turning into the aura himself as if the single tentacle that touched her leg was a strand of cloth that was being pulled, ripping Creep into nothingness with each jerk, line by line.

He was gone completely without a sound, becoming one with the magical bandage, the twisting, coiling motion stopped eventually and then, silently and delicately sank into her scales.

There was no rush of adrenaline, no sudden thump, no breathtaking choke, it was nothing like before. All she could feel was the growing, burning sensation originating from her stretched out leg, spreading throughout her whole body.

As the burn passed it left a numbing, itching sensation behind as if a healer would apply a sedative mixture on her body.

She flipped her tail in front of her front paws, looking at the tail tip and the characteristic hole in the blade and the shadow that it cast on the ground.

A ball of burning darkness filled the opening after a second.

After another one the shadow from underneath the tail moved, her natural reflection coming to life.

She sighed deeply.

"Listen" the hollow, now extremely loud voice of Creep filled the cave, shaking the stones like a small earthquake

Spyro balked, tail taking the job of his non existing ears and standing on end, followed by the fins on his back. He was in the middle of swallowing yet the moment his neck strained the bulge of saliva got lodged inside his throat. It took him a moment of constant pushing to force the bulge finally down, it dropped heavily into his stomach, nearly making his underbelly hit the ground.

Hunter bent into a defensive position swiftly making a graceful spin on his legs, changing position before the sound of the fluttering cloak finished its play. With one quick move notching an arrow, bow strained, muscles flexed and ready to finish the move and set the arrow loose. Blue eyes glowing from underneath the hood, eyes shifting into slits as they looked for the enemy, tail freezing in place.

Iris lowered her wing, looking past her feathery bone, busy with licks tongue froze, gluing itself to the wing in the middle of the move. Her eyes kept widening steadily, looking at the black dragoness ahead, taking into account the impossibility of this scene. The burning horns, the burning tail and especially the shadow on the wall that was thicker and more masculine than Cynder and not even on the wall she was sitting near as if there should be another guy there, yet it was empty.

The sudden noise didn't bother Flare in the slightest, used to loud noises many like those forced him out of his sleep back in the days, he casually turned his direction from which the noise seemed to come from. He noticed Cynder's change of appearance with a smile, it was cool to see her adopting his own physical appearance, her fire might be dark, sure, but what really mattered was the fact that she was burning, he didn't know she could do that.

"Wow Cynder! I didn't know you could burn like me!" Flare exclaimed excitedly, with dancing step approaching his friend

She directed her sight at him and couldn't help herself but to smile when she noticed his examining, fervent look and quickly wagging tail. He was like a pet waiting for a treat, knowing that he did good and soon he will be busy munching.

"You must listen" Creep's voiced rumbled once more throughout the cave

"Hey!" the fire drake blurted out happily, jumping back in excitement "You even talk funny! Like me!"

Cynder shook her head sweetly.

"That's not me"

Hunter relaxed his stance, fingers however did not, gripping the wood of the bow so strongly that it started to creak gently. He couldn't point the tip of his arrow at Cynder, honor didn't allow it.

"What is happening my friend?" he hissed, observing the black dragoness with an attention of a trapper that sees his prey stepping into the well laid ambush

"Something I don't like very much" the sigh that Spyro let out could crush walls with the force of its depression

The dragon turned around, blinking away the pain that stung his eyes and adopting a look of defiance that suited a leader when a spy of the enemy during war entered the negotiations.

Purple eyes glowed when they met Creep's shadow.

Cynder immediately reacted, head dragged towards her mate, one glance enough to wipe away the smile from her mouth. No matter how many times Creep appeared, Spyro didn't seem to get used to him, quite the contrary in fact, every next meeting intensifying the bitterness.

She felt so horrible about it, she didn't blame him though, it must ne very hard to see another boy or whatever you call Creep so close to her, a part of her in fact. There are boundaries and unfortunately Creep breaks them, whether he is aware of it or not, merely by presence alone.

"What is that thing?" Iris intoned cautiously, strands of feathers dangled at the corners of her tongue

To everyone's surprise there was no response from the strange creature, it seemed to be as surprised as them when Flare's lively laughter thudded inside the cavern.

"It's nothing special Iris! It's a fire, just like mine, but black!" he thrust his paw forward, slapping the burning orbs above the horns from side to side, paw sliding through them like it was just a mist

"See? Magic, black fire!" he grinned at the blue dragoness, paw never stopping darting through the magical orbs

Cynder shifted her orbs upwards, the swaying from side to side hand nearly hypnotic as she followed it. Corner of the mouth twitching into a small smile, naivety and innocence was such a wonderful thing in this ugly world.

"I am the one that draws attention"

The hollow voice was not as surprising as the fact that his paw was gripped by one of the magic orbs, the unexpected stop sending a strong burn across his shoulder, bone squeaking in protest. His eyes shot towards his paw, focused however wasn't drawn to the prison, but the massive shadow on the wall right next to Cynder.

It was big and looked nothing like her, it had one of its paw risen in the air, clenched into a fist. His eyes shot wide open when realization struck him that this creature is alive and it was it that was talking all this time.

"Aaahh!" Flare yelled, throwing his body back fiercely to break free from the grasp yet the moment he created pressure, the shadowy being opened its paw and let him go. Without meeting any resistance to counter it, the strong pull ruined his balance, making him fall into his back with a loud smack.

The extended paw remained where it was, one toe curling to point a claw at the shadow on the wall.

"T-T-T-T-There i-i-i-is a t-t-t-t-thing o-o-on the w-w-w-w-w-w-wall!"

"We all know that you fucking moron!" Iris blared out Impatiently, wafting icy mists from her nostrils "I want to know what the fuck is that thing!"

"I call him Creep" Cynder announced her companion gloomily "He's...ummm...how to say it..."

"An inconvenience" Spyro cut her off sternly, striding towards the shadow confidently "What do you want?"

She noticed one of his eyes making a quick shift, a hint of disappointment gleamed in that orb. It made her heart bleed.

"Plead for freedom, chance to end it all. Safety"

"Fantastic" Iris rolled her eyes "Illiterate idiot, that's what we need, another moron. Stupidity runs strong in this team, people were right when they said that pets take the attributes of their masters. Tat's circus of clowns spreads, matron of fucking lunacy. Do all of us a favor and die already will you?" she dropped onto her haunches in boredom, covering herself once more behind her wing

"Your corpse would do well for a mobile toilet" like nothing happened she returned to caressing her wing once again

"I want just to remind you princess" Cynder spat the title with visible abhorrence "That this matron and her idiotic pet were the ones that made you to throw up her guts" she glared at the blue dragoness

Iris stopped licking her wing, meeting the stare of the girl ahead from behind her feathery wing, revelation lessening the ignorance she felt towards this situation.

"We still know the recipe for that, it would be utterly disastrous if we slipped and accidently scratch you. Who knows where the nearest healer house might be. We would absolutely hate worrying about you like that" she shrugged innocently

"I would advise about putting aside our differences for the time being and focus on our new guest" Hunter said cautiously, hand with open palm rising in the air in gesture of good will "I personally would ask to postpone explanations until we resolve a crucial matter in this situation. Can our new guest be trusted?" his grip around the wood intensified, a natural reflex when all sorts of tension are present in face of danger

Spyro gazed towards Cynder, she in turn gazed back at him. Trust was put into perspective, both looked for an answer in each other's eyes. Instead however of exchanging arguments about Creep, they both were struck by a sense of awkwardness that made them both look away at the same time.

Their souls weren't discussing Creep as a creature, but what he represented, they were both ashamed to admit that it was their bone of contention, the only thing that would make them truly argue.

Maybe even break up.

Cynder didn't believe for something like this to happen, but the thought alone made her heart stop. If such a tragic outcome would come to pass, she doubted that her heart would start up ever again.

"Creep means us no harm" she threw her up, her voice confident and urgent, she felt as if she was withering from the inside "We don't know what his goal in the long run is, but for the time being we're good"

Spyro looked up at her, it wasn't the answer he hoped to hear, she could see that clearly, but he was obviously glad that she took his worries under consideration. Remembered them, this was what mattered to him the most, knowing what he feels about Corruption.

He smiled at her weakly.

Heart jumped, pounding against the ribcage, unable to contain the joy.

Life had meaning once more.

"Very well" Hunter nodded, acknowledging Cynder's words, even if his instinct told him something entirely different, he sheathed his weaponry and relaxed completely

"Creep here is what we believe to be Cynder's element, embodiment of it of sorts" Spyro explained as calmly as he could, the burning affection in his mate's eyes serving as the only motivation he needed, his attention turning towards the cheetah "When dragons go through their elemental regime, it is quite common for the magical energy to take hold of them, driving their actions and emotions. Happened to me all the time when I was learning all that stuff, I switched between being excited to utterly stoic, it's normal, with time you beat the magic's influence and become your true self, retaining some part of the element though. That's why fire dragons are more temperamental and ice dragons more callous for example, exceptions of course exist"

Hunter acknowledged the wisdom with a sagely nod.

"Believe?" Iris snorted "Intelligent people would ask, that thing speaks you deaf fool"

"We did" he replied calmly, the insult not making any impact on him, interest drawn to Creep, it was just a draconic shadow on the wall, featureless, yet he sensed that Creep was looking at him.

"Creep doesn't make much sense, it's hard to understand what he says, the case that he is an embodiment of Dark is very probable, not that he's going to admit it easily though, he has a different perspective than we mortal creatures. The thing is that we have no idea why he manifested now, it never happened before that the element took a physical form, but we know so little about Dark that everything's possible I guess" he shrugged

"This Creep of yours stinks like a traitor to me" Iris narrowed her eyes on the shadow "That thing sits inside Tat, knows everything about you, us, while we don't know anything about it. It can play you like idiots all it wants on the stupid excuse that it's an illiterate fool. I knew already that you're not the brightest sort Goldie, but I would never suspect that you're so naïve. Legendary dragon my ass, it's a wonder you are still alive"

"I like Sugar, never will I hurt her. False accusation"

Blue brow raised in surprise.

"Sugar? Seriously?" Iris rose up, flexing her muscles "Now I'm sure that thing is a betrayer, sweet coating is always for profit. I've been around such sleazy worms, they use you and nothing else. I won't be getting stabbed in the back, we must slaughter Tat together with her pet monster"

Every head snapped in the blue dragoness direction, Spyro and Hunter bent their legs, adopting fighting stances. Cynder glared at Iris, the dark aura surrounding her pulsed, spitting out tendrils of smoke like a recently fed fire.

Even Creep who remained idle all this time changed position, sinking below his mistress' paws, a pool of void bulged underneath the draconic feet.

Only Flare showed no signs of aggression, wrapping his head around everything that was happening he observed the scene with wide, confused eyes.

Iris looked around the group casually, their aggressive stances not making any impression on her. She rose her paw, examining her polished, silver claws, treating everyone around as air.

"I didn't say now, don't shit yourselves" her gaze ran over the group defiantly

The group exchanged suspicious glances, uncertain if to believe the dragoness.

Hunter was the first one to nod.

"Forgive our brash reaction my lady" the cheetah bowed courteously "You are known for your willfulness"

"But not for simplicity" she puffed her chest out, giving her claws a proud lick

"Of course!" Cynder exclaimed, slapping her forehead, darkness around her calming down "You going hysterical about two feathers was just a dream"

White eyes snapped towards the black dragoness, glowing with murder.

"Beast!" Flare howled suddenly, making everyone jump or at least widen their eyes

"Flare?" Spyro mumbled, eyeing the burning dragon with a bewildered stare

He scrambled from the ground, twisting his paws so fervently and getting up so quickly that the most talented acrobat would envy his skills.

He dashed towards the wall behind Cynder, thrusting his claw forward, the loud click that echoed in the cave after the touch made everyone else think that he just broke his claw. Claw that was pressing against Creep, shadow of who returned to the wall after Cynder dropped her fighting stance.

"He's a Beast" two more clicks echoed, emphasizing the point

The shadow slunk away shyly from the touch, moving towards the floor. Creep acting like a pet irritated by too much loving stroking.

"What's a Beast?" Spyro and Cynder inquired in unison, the word stirring unusual fascination in them for some unexplainable reason

"It's this thing that takes over your head!" Flare tapped his temple "I have a Beast, Iris has a Beast and now you have one too!"

Iris snorted, returning to her wing with a roll of the eyes, they are really going to listen to blabbering of a guy who has the mentality of a retarded brat. She is above such a waste of time.

"Time is of the essence" the thunder of Creep's voice rumbled inside the cavern, the dark orbs that now were a part of Cynder's body grew bigger, cracks appeared on the surface of the shadow

It didn't escape Spyro's attention, whatever Flare was talking about, whether this Beast is real or not didn't really matter, it's only probably a way of view for the red dragon where you lose control of your actions. Iris' mental problems, Flare's temperament problems and now Cynder's...

Precisely.

Cynder's what?

While it was satisfying to watch this creature losing its stoic demeanor, there was this nagging, scary feeling of unknown, both those Beast's owners could be described one way or the other. Cynder on the other paw was a big mystery.

He didn't like the fact of a creepy creature violating his mate to be considered as mystery.

"Can you tell us more about this Beast Flare?" he asked, eyes drilling into the wavering shadow

It split in half, shrinking into two tendrils that made a circle on the wall before reforming back into the shape of the dragon. The edges of it blurry as if burning, Creep acted like a boy who is interrogated by his love's father and doesn't know what to do with his paws.

The sight forced a triumphant grin onto the purple mouth.

The fire drake scratched the back of his head, fiery mane spitting sparks with each stroke.

"I dunno really, every Beast is different, but there is one thing they all have in common, especially when ignored. From what I've seen, the Beasts always took over"

Even from here Spyro could hear Cynder gulping.

The revelation wiped the grin from his snout instantly. It no longer mattered to him what Flare exactly means by it, all of his attention was drawn to the single sentence about the Beast taking over. One thing worked in the same way, something he feared the most.

"Not Corruption!" the howl that rumbled in the cave shook the stones from the ceiling, some crashed on top of Hunter's head

Creep moved under Cynder's paws, stretching out like her natural shadow would, body shrinking to match her size, judging from the waves at the edges of the dark silhouette it seemed like keeping this unnatural form required some effort from Creep.

It looked like his own way of pleading.

"Poison! Fear! Shadow!" he chanted, his shadow cracking in random places after each word

Hunter groaned, fangs pushing past lips in a hiss of pain, he stuck the small fingers into his ears to muffle the deafening noise.

"I like you Sugar!"

Iris stopped her grooming session, frowning behind her wing, while the hollow blaring was practically devoid of emotion she could still sense something there she never expected to hear.

Begging.

This is this famous Beast?

With a gentle nod she returned back to the grooming.

Seems like Tat knows what is good taste after all.

"I prove it" Creep announced, his shadow floating towards the cave entrance, stretching on the ground like a carpet for kings and queens.

The orbs around Cynder's horns and tail gently tugged her in the same direction.

Just listen and run. Take everyone and leave this world. Right now, when Abomination is not looking. Spyro master of the energy of creation, only him. Run and leave this world, leave Abomination here. Fight for life. Leave Danox"

Spyro and Cynder frowned, not of surprise though, but irritation, the idea bothering them as if they would be hearing whispers of someone plotting behind their backs.

Hunter's ears flattened on his skull, sharp stings irritating his recently hurt ear membranes.

"You want us to abandon our companion?" honor tugged at his soul, sole idea of doing something like this sent a chill down his spine, making his fur stand on end.

Creep's shadow reached the cheetah's paws, circling around them, wrestling away his natural shadow, pulling him into an supernatural embrace of sorts.

"Not companion, not one of us. Abomination. No knot, no knot"

"You want us to leave him stranded in the past?" Spyro's eyes widened "This is the most evil thing anyone ever asked of me, he didn't do anything wrong"

Creep dashed through the floor, his shadow fiercely colliding with Spyro's.

The purple drake wavered on his legs slightly.

"He cannot do wrong. He is Wrong"

"Look, we all are perfectly aware that Danox is not telling us everything, that doesn't change the fact though that he helped us until now, repaying that with cruelty is just...bad"

"No, no, no!" Creep howled, his shadowing exploding into many small blobs of blackness, swirling all around the cavern walls "Illusion. Unreal. Master of torment. Many things break mind. Unseen sadism as well. Danox, the Abomination, mastered the art of sadism. Too dangerous, still too dangerous"

Spyro followed the twirling balls of magic with a deep frown.

"So what? All these talk about portals is just bullshit? I mean look, he showed us Boven, it was exactly as it is. He had no personal interest in that and how we're after a star reading dragon what will help us pinpoint the localization of Veils. Even if Danox benefits somewhat from all of this, we still need that help"

"I would propose our dark friend that perhaps you will explain why you are so afraid of Danox in the first place, before trying to convince us to sacrifice his life" Hunter spoke up, a note of frustration clearly audible in his tone

Creep darted towards Cynder, embracing the floor below her in his shadowy cloak.

"No knot. Destroyed. No life. No point. Defeat"

He shrunk, if it would be possible they would all say that Creep was trying to hug Cynder, meekly folding into her embrace like a pup to its mother's warm fur.

"He's afraid to die" Flare pointed out callously, the focus and misery burning in the yellow eyes spoke volumes

No doubt, certainty that can only be reached through experience.

And who knew better about surviving than a former slave who saw too many deaths in his life.

Without any warning the dark aura surrounding Cynder dispersed, her shadow momentarily pushed into reality, mimicking her posture proudly.

She felt an uneasy sense of emptiness.

"Creep?" Cynder rose her tail, the blade was clean and sharp like usual, no trace of magic visible

Creep was gone.

"I don't think he's coming back" depression rang like chimes within her voice

Iris snorted mockingly.

"I think you offended him Dynamite. Retarded monster just like its mistress, move on, nothing to see here" she got up, provocatively and proudly shaking her hips she left the cavern of losers to breathe some fresh air that didn't stink like failure

"This wasn't an insult" Spyro mumbled, cogs in his head turning, processing what just occurred

"It was a reminder" Hunter noted

Purple head nodded.

Flare struck a sensitive nerve, such strike obviously bemused Creep who bases his existence on riddles. There was nothing to be ashamed of though, in the end every living creature fights for survival.

Danox and Creep.

The question was who should they choose to ensure their own.