FSE

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Allright... this chapter contains a song and if youre want to know the translated lyrics or any other pharses Markus had used till now you can go to my account on DeviantArt and to my journal there http://mkananoja.deviantart.com/journal/18080702/ for proper translations and if you want to listen the song then youtube is your friend here and link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzXGdy8Et30

but plaah... enjoy your reading!

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Chapter 22 - Stars

"I still don't believe you!" They kept running back and forth on the grassy plains where hills are becoming more and more less dominant of the landscape. Old but otherwise beautiful forest could be seen and recognised barely few miles away from East and North. Spyro followed the two runners on the field with his eyes and he smirked even if he knew she would turn on him once she was thought with Sparx. He suddenly felt movement on his back and realised ranger where finally waking up. Spyro carefully lowered himself and slid him off his back. Ranger turned on his back and murmured something Spyro could not catch up. After a while Markus heard scream nearby and his still dizzy head cleared in a instant and his eyes shot open. Spyro startled his sudden comeback and before he could even react Markus pulled himself up to sit and snagged one of his knifes and hold it up before him, ready to strike anything what might pose even the slightest threat. Ranger observed scene ahead of him and even he saw that Cynder where giving chase to Sparx and she lunged towards Sparx who barely dodged it with a another scream, his brains didn't register that at all. Finally recovered from shock Spyro swallowed small lump in his throat and opened his mouth to speak up

"Take it easy Markus." Spyro managed to say before ranger turned his head towards him swiftly and stared directly on him.

"There is nothing you should be afraid of. Markus, put that thing down" Spyro continued with soft voice. Markus hesitated first before he finally registered what was going around or more likely he was not in danger and he slowly lowered his knife before he hid it under his clothes.

"Cynder look! Your assassin is awake!" Sparx shouted to Cynder. Cynder stopped briefly to look over Spyro and saw Ranger up sitting as well. She shook her head,

"Don't change the subject!" Cynder shouted back to Sparx and tried to jump over him barely missing him again.

"Stay still!" She yelled before cat-and-mouse run started over again. Spyro smiled for amusement while Markus where totally lost what was going on.

"Don't mind them, Cynder is just having fun." Spyro said nodding his head towards two runners

"You're hurt. You should take it easy for a moment before you try anything or you might just hurt yourself" He said with more serious tune but kept his voice friendly. Markus just looked on him puzzled but before long he relaxed a bit and begun to tend his wounds once again. Spyro just sit there next to him and observed how Cynder had fun giving Sparx his run, or better put, fly of his life. Before long his mind drifted and focused only on her and forget everything else. Her past was dark indeed and she was supposed to be his sworn enemy but now she was freed from Malefor's influence and how gorgeous young dragoness she turned out to be after she gained her real body back. Her scales where pure black and yet they reflected the sunlight almost perfectly. Glimmering like small black diamonds and still they where soft and warm to touch and he loved every single scale on her. Her eyes... so... beautiful, so deep. Those emerald green eyes what he prized the most. And her smile, he would give a star from sky to only see her smile. Spyro kept staring her blindly and didn't notice she where actually walking back to him with satisfied smirk. Cynder walked all the way just front of him before Spyro came back to his senses. He saw that she was up to something and why she looked so odd? And where is...

"Ehh... Cynder, where is Sparx?" Spyro asked with slight concern. Did she actually hurt him? Spyro felt even more uneasy when she just gave even bigger smile and yet tried to keep her mouth shut. Spyro soon realised what she had and is doing.

"You didn't..." Spyro managed to say before loud murmur where heard from her mouth and that voice wasn't hers.

"Get me out of here! My wings are getting molty! Cynder!! PLEASE!!!" Sparx hysterical voice yelled out. Cynder opened her mouth and split small dragonfly out to ground between two dragons covered with her saliva. Seeing this with corner of his eyes Markus chuckled but Spyro outdid him, he literally burst into laugh. Sparx looked upon himself with disgust.

"Eww... That was horrible. Now I smell almost bad as you do." Sparx said and pointed Cynder. Cynder reached her head closer Sparx and turned her head so that only one of her eyes could see him.

"Oh really now, want me to fix that?" Cynder said and gave devilish smile. Sparx went pale in an instant and crawled away from her as fast he could towards Spyro, who now where laughing more than ever, however Cynder didn't n into laugh since she had something else in her mind, Markus noticed this but Spyro where totally obvious to notice this.. It took few good minutes before he managed to calm down and once he did Cynder spoke out.

"It's good that you have fun since now it's your turn to be punished." Cynder said with low voice what yet had small tint of excitement in it. Spyro barely had time to turn his attention on her before she already leapt on him and her talons already tickling him from where she knew they would do their worst; just under his forelegs, the armpits. Spyro unable to support himself with she on top of him and all the tickling, He collapsed on ground on his side what only made things worse, he was totally exposed now to her quick pawns and she didn't hesitate to take the advance she now had. Spyro laughed hysterically and kept kicking the air instinctively in futile attempt to free himself from the torture.

"HehahaHAHA!! Please!! HAHAhehe! Wha-- HAHA! What I ever did to you?! HAHAHAHA!" Spyro managed to yelp between all the laugher and without breath. Markus hesitated should he interfere anyhow but came into conclusion from this one he should stay out, besides they seem to have great time... or at least one of them.

"Nothing much, just laughed at me when I needed some help that's all. I just enjoy this too much." Cynder said with wide smirk while she continued her vengeful act.

"Cy-- HahahaHEheha!! Please!! HAHAHAhaHA! I-- I can't breath! HEHEhaHAHA!" Spyro kicked Cynder to her abdomen by accident with such strength that she lost her breath and where forced to take few steps backward. She gasped for air but where unable to breath out. She stared blindly at ground front of her chocked and her mouth slightly open. Spyro where alerted to situation but not before Markus has already got up and ran behind her. He placed her between his legs and wrapped his arms around her just under her forelegs and squeezed, forcing the bad air out. Cynder fought against his grip subconsciously by trying inhale instead but ranger kept his grip firmly and squeezed harder despite his scarred arm kept complaining by aching badly.

"What you're doing!? Stop that!" Spyro shouted and where about to push him away but Markus shot serious glance over him, telling him that he should let him do what he's doing. Spyro hesitated, his very nature irrationally demanded to protect her at all cost and yet he didn't know what to do. After a brief second Markus relaxed his arms and allowed her to inhale before he pressed on his grip again and this time pushing bad air out was easier. Second time his hands relaxed and third time he squeezed again before completely letting her to breathe on her own. He released her and stepped off her. Cynder breathed hard and deep still in in some level of chock and Spyro rushed next to her.

"Cynder! Are you okay?" Spyro asked filled by concern and lowered one of his wings over her to comfort her.

"I... I think I am...." Cynder said after she had calmed down a bit.

"Sorry Cynder. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please forgive me." Spyro said feeling deep guilt that he had kicked her in the first place.

"hm... olkaa varovaisempia seuraavalla kerralla..." Ranger said with his normal, semi-emotionless voice. Cynder quickly picked up what exactly had happened and remembered that it was him, not Spyro who actually helped her. Unable to comprehend this she dashed to other side of Spyro and used him as a shield of sort to cover herself from his small eyes.

"Get him away from me..." She whispered. She felt a bit violated being touched by someone she didn't exactly trust. This creature has almost killed Spyro twice before her very eyes and those images still haunted her. Spyro sighed and covered her again with his wing and walked with her a bit further away, looking back to Markus and showing that he was grateful for his help. They walked few meters before they sat down and Cynder lowered her had on Spyro's shoulder.

"You're okay?" Spyro finally said, breaking the silence. Cynder nodded against his shoulder.

"You shouldn't be so hostile towards him, he actually helped you when I could not. If there is someone you wish to blame that would be me Since it was me who kicked you."

"Spyro... I've seen you near death twice because of him and both times I thought you where gone. Why you're so calm and why you're so friendly to him?" Cynder inquired. Spyro remained quiet for a moment.

"Well... The dreams or visions or whatever they where told that he is important."

"Dreams is hardly a reason for anything Spyro. Up till now he hasn't been nothing else but a problem to us."

"Maybe so but he didn't abandon us when we needed help did he? He can't be that bad." Spyro said. They both heard loud snap behind them and they looked behind to see that Markus has cut down young tree and where now cutting smaller branches off it with his knife while Sparx observed his doings kept pestering him with some random comments.

"Well perhaps you're right... I... I just don't trust him. I don't know why but I just don't."

"If you don't trust him then trust me. I'm sure that he is a good guy." Spyro tried to reassure her. Cynder just sighed.

"I wish it could be that easy Spyro but it isn't"

"I'm not asking you to change this instant but give him a change, He helped you after all."

"Okay... In one condition." Smile crept on her face.

"Ok... what that would be?" Spyro asked inquisitively.

"I can continue where I left off!" Cynder shouted and pushed him over, this time making sure his leg weren't directed towards her. Spyro didn't have time to get up again not alone to run away from her before she had her pawns all over him already.

Markus raised his head to see that black dragoness felt better and in fact she where having fun again. Faint smile escaped his face before he turned his attention back on his thick stick he where now carving and removing branches while he did.

"Pff... Evil she-dragon is so on to it again... Does she ever grow up? No wait... I've seen her big already... hrrr..." Sparx shuttered. One of the wooden swarf that kept building up under Ranger's work hit Sparx to his back.

"Ow! Careful! What you're doing anyway huh?" Sparx shouted sharp but Markus paid no attention on him and actually sliced shiftily again causing another chip to fly and hit him.

"Ok... you're turning dangerous and you dont want to become hostile towards me because... because... I have this!" Sparx picked up one small branch and mimicked ranger's style when he wielded a sword. Poking and swinging his wooden stick towards him and shouting loud HA! and TAKE THAT! here and there but Markus still didn't paid any attention on him. Becoming frustrated he became more daring and came even closer to Markus and making even faster moves.

"You know... I could become quite good swords-dragonfly!" He said proudly to himself and kept making attacks his imaginary enemy front of him. He then spun around and lunged his stick, driving it through his invisible opponent but he actually hit Markus to his arm by accident and as almost for reply Markus stood up, holing his 'slightly' larger stick of his own and smiled for his own work. Sparx on another hand took this that he was turned upon him and he dropped his pathetic branch and flew away from him, covering his head as he fled.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Sparx yelled in panic. What ranger have actually done wasn't a stick but rather a staff to help himself so he could walk on his wounded leg. Of course he could walk without it but with this he didn't have to stumble so much. Cynder joyful moment got interrupted when yellow dragonfly hit her to her side and dropped on ground flat. Surprised by this she forgot to tickle her victim and Spyro took the moment of change given to him and jumped up and took few quick steps before he stumbled on his own feet and fell on ground again still chuckling a bit. Cynder just quickly glanced over Sparx, Spyro and Sparx again.

"Sparx?" She said.

"Help me! That hairless assassin has turned upon me! " Spark said at took cover behind her. Cynder turned her head to see this assassin of his and saw Ranger walking slowly back and forth with his new staff and he looked generally happy.

"Ooh... he looks scary." Cynder said ironically while turning her head towards small dragonfly. Sparx just folded his arms unamused.

"Who looks scary?" Spyro said getting up and walking next to her carefully, still being uncertain if he where still in 'danger' and left few good feets between him and her in case coast wasn't clear just yet

"The one with large stick not far enough! I swear he where about to hit me with that stick!" Spark pointed towards Markus who where now watching back at them with faint smile.

"Why he would try and hit you?" Spyro asked inquisitively

"Because... I hit him..." Sparx finally admitted.

"You hit him?" Cynder asked surprised and chuckled and Spyro quickly followed her example.

"That's right... laugh for now. He is going to punch me with that thing eventually." Sparx sighed

"hehe... perhaps, perhaps not... ahem.... Now that it looks like he can walk on his own we should keep going. Come on Cynder." Spyro said and nodded towards the ranger who patiently waited where he stood and began to walk to him. Sparx crossed his arm again and frowned.

"I'm not going anywhere near him. Who knows what devious plans he have planned for my head."

"You better do or I'll use my plans to get you beg you would face him instead of me." Cynder smirked behind him.

"Oh and what pla--GWAH!" Sparx startled and backed away when Cynder hold her mouth open and snap her teeth together just mere inch away from him.

"ok. fine geez. If he does something to me I come and haunt you." Sparx argued. Cynder took step closer and snapped her jaws together again. Sparx spun around and flew to Spyro for cover. Cynder sniggered before she took a pace and caught up with them.

Group of four travelled slowly towards east and leaving the sun that crept in sky slowly to opposite direction behind them. Grass begun to grow shorter again as they approached the ancient forest that seemed to spread further than they could actually see and wind breezed lazily over them Spyro glanced behind him few times to see if they are followed but other than few wild animals he couldn't see anything, expect for the hills they have now left behind far behind and those many snow tipped mountains up north of the hills. None of the four had broken the silence in few hours as all of them felt there wasn't much to say anyway but despite the silence hours seemed to pass without them noticing it at all and they found themselves from edge of the forest. Up close it seemed very old. Evergreen trees rose high above the sky and their moss-covered trunks where thicker than none of them has ever seen before, several feet in diameter. Forest cast thick shadows under their roots and ground where covered with moist moss and the very air felt heavy. Unlike from far away up close forest seemed less inviting, almost repulsive and group felt they where being watched.

Dragons decided to call off for the day and both of them flew away to find something them to eat and after an hour or two they returned with rabbit and few pigeons and after trying to convince Markus that they had already ate he thanked in his own odd language and begun to eat what they had brought. Spyro was first uncertain what they should do with the watch but he nor Cynder didn't have to think long as ranger spoke something and pointed himself and then own eyes with two fingers and finally pointed the landscape they had left behind. Spyro tried to change his mind by mimicking his sings and taking first watch but ranger where firm and kept telling he will guard the restingplace and with that the stumbled up with support of his staff and walked good distance away and sat upon rock, hidden behind few pushes. Spyro turned his head towards Cynder and asked for advice but she just shrugged back and said that if ranger really wanted to take first watch then there was little they can do about it. Cynder laid herself on ground and Spyro took his place next to her so they could keep eachother warm over the night. After sharing goodnight kisses and listening Sparx gagging while they did, they curled around eachother and drifted to sleep. Sky begun slowly turning to orange, red then purple and finally black and stars begun to fill up the sky after another and soon it where filled by countless of them. Night animals begun to woke up and curiously observed the invaders that had now appeared to edge of the forest but they leaved the dragons to sleep peacefully.

"Hey wake up!" Someone whispered to Spyro's ear. He just grunted in his sleep and took more comfortable position.

"Come on you purple freak, wake up!" Came the voice again and Spyro felt someone pulling him from his horn. He took deep yawn before he lazily opened his eyes to see his glowing brother looking directly into his eyes.

"Sparx? Nmhhm... What is it Sparx?" Spyro said before he took another yawn.

"Good, you're awake. I thought it would take an army of screeching apes to wake you up. Come on, you should see this!" Sparx said

"See what? And Whatabout Cynder?" Spyro said regretting already he had to wake up in the first place.

"Well do whatever you want with her but--"

"Too late, I'm awake already" Cynder interrupted and opened her eyes slowly.

"Great... well... you should see this quickly! Come on! Hop hop!" Sparx tried to get them to move. Spyro stretched his limbs and Cynder did likewise and they followed Sparx as he lead them back to grassland. They didn't travel long before Sparx stopped and hold his hand up.

"What is going on Sparx? What we should see?" Spyro said rather unexcited

"This better to be good or I'll have dragonflies for breakfast.." Cynder said irritated

"Shhh! Listen." Sparx said sharply. Dragons rose their heads higher to hear anything unusual but other than crickets and lone owl they didn't hear anything and all.

"I can't hear an..." Spyro got quiet again when he heard faint humming not too far away. He looked Cynder who looked back at him same time and he saw that he wasn't the only one who have heard that. They carefully crept closer the voice and pushed the vegetation apart to see Ranger sitting and leaning to his staff and he kept gazing the stars on clear horizon. And he hummed quietly and begun to sing with whispering voice but slowly more brave. His voice got rasping when he tried to sing at higher pinch and he lost his voice few times as well but he sung anyway. He sung from his hearth and is voice where gloomy and even if they didn't understand a word he sung the song touched them. Dragons felt the sadness that swept thought them and all three felt sorrow that ranger was in. Cynder walked up next to Spyro and sat down and Spyro saw that she had tear in on her cheek. He nuzzled the tear away and both listened his song.

_Täällä Pohjantähden alla, korkeimmalla kukkulalla

Katson kauas kaukaisuuteen, tulet uniin uudestaan.

Täällä Pohjantähden alla, taivas täyttyy purppuralla

siitä suojakseni peiton minä itselleni saan.

Ja alla Pohjantähden minä tulen, minä lähden

Ja vain Pohjantähden nähden itken vuokses kyyneleen.

Täällä Pohjantähden alla, murheita on laulajalla,

täällä kuu kumoittava on myös alakuloinen.

Täällä Pohjantähden alla, hiipii sieluun asti halla,

ja tunteet tappamalla, rikki repii sydämen.

Ja alla Pohjantähden minä tulen, minä lähden

Ja vain Pohjantähden nähden itken vuokses kyyneleen.

Täällä Pohjantähden alla, korkeimmalla kukkulalla

Katson kauas kaukaisuuteen, tulet uniin uudestaan.

Täällä Pohjantähden alla, taivas täyttyy purppuralla

siitä suojakseni peiton minä itselleni saan.

Ja alla Pohjantähden minä tulen, minä lähden

Ja vain Pohjantähden nähden itken vuokses kyyneleen.

Ja alla Pohjantähden minä tulen, minä lähden

Ja vain Pohjantähden nähden itken vuokses kyyneleen._

Markus lowered his head down and begun humming again. Feeling strong urge to comfort him Cynder got up slowly and walk to him and sat next to him while Spyro took place next to her. Ranger turned his head to see his companions while still humming the melody of the previous song and both dragons saw his face; even through darkness of the night you could see that his face has turned red and it was wet; he have been crying. Continuing humming and without bothering to sweep his tears away he slowly nodded to two dragons. Spyro and Cynder replied to his nod with their own before Markus gazed upon the stars again. Cynder buried her head on her chosen one's shoulder and purple dragon covered her with wing, lowered his head over hers and held her close to him and both closed their eyes. They heard faint song starting over again and young dragoness covered purple dragon like he have her and couple held eachother even closer. They felt sadness what his song radiated as their own and felt like they have lost something, something important, something dear, something they loved from their hearth. Tears slowly fled from their eyes and ran along their nuzzles.

Song finally ended and he remained silent. He whispered something to emptiness and slowly stood up and cleaned tears from his face and turned around back to their resting place and begun to walk towards it, leaving the dragons to comfort eachother. Spyro opened his eye and rose his head a bit.

"Cynder, you feel okay?" He whispered She sniffed.

"Yeah I'm fine. You?" She whispered backstabber

"I'll manage. You should go get some sleep. I take from here."

"Not yet Spyro... not just yet..." She said quietly, pulling him closer.

"Not just yet." He answered and laid his head down on his black dragoness'. They stayed there for several minutes before Cynder felt strong enough to break the embrace.

"Good night my emerald." Spyro said softly and they shared long deep kiss.

"Good night my purple hero. See you at tomorrow. I love you." She said and gave quick peak to him before she went back to rest.

"I love you too." Spyro said after her. Spyro stretched again and sat down. He heard familiar buzz coming closer. Spyro turned his head towards the familiar noise and he saw what he didn't exactly expected to see. He was wiping away some tears of his own.

"Sparx, have you been crying?" Spyro inquired

"Me? No, of course not... I just... just..." Sparx tried to control himself but new tear came to his eye and he lost it. He took off and darted to him and hugged Spyro from his neck.

"It's so sad!" Sparx cried out loud. Being a bit surprised first he hugged his smaller brother carefully with his pawn with faint smile.

"There now Sparx, It's okay. Its okay." Spyro said and raised his head to gaze the sleeping nature that opened before his eyes. His mind drifted to rangers and to his song of his. 'Why he singed? He have lost something no doubt but what? What is his story? Why he is here?' His mind where occupied with these thoughts until he remembered Sparx again. He looked down to his pawn and saw that he had fallen to sleep against his chest. He gingerly lowered his pawn and he curled his tail and laid him middle of it. Sparx mumbled something but he didn't catch what he said but it made him smile nevertheless. He turned his head back to horizon. 'It would be helpful If there would be any real way to talk with him. At least that way we might finally get know him and learn about his past. The sooner he learns, the better.'

"It's up to us to teach him our language." Spyro whispered to himself as he kept his watch and listened His brother's faint snore.