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OY!!! so sorry guys, with all the crap going on and then the submission page not loading here on YS, this is LOOOOOOONG overdue. But, better late than never, they say.

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CHAPTER 17

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Hours later, Spyro felt Caligin returning, and called the guardians into the dojo. Caligin peeked around the door and sighed a bit nervously, then reappeared, followed by a now very shy Craga. The guardians looked confused, and Caligin cleared his throat. "Ummm...this is Craga, my girlfriend...from very long ago. Craga, these are the new guardians; Ignitus, Cyril, Volteer, and Terrador."

"It's...nice to meet you," she whispered, looking at the floor.

"Likewise," Ignitus said, still eyeing her oddly. "Malefor...how long ago is she from?"

"It's Caligin now...she refreshed my memory when she woke up. Craga...is the reason I fell into darkness."

"What did she do?" Terrador asked.

"Nothing, actually, nothing intentional...she passed out one day and I thought she was dead... In my panic I didn't fully check to see if she was alive, so I crystallized her as a Chronos Crystal and searched desperately for some way to bring her back. That...kinda spiralled out of control and I fell into the Shadow's hands..."

The guardians chatted quietly with each other but Ignitus still gazed at the two as they sat there. "Now things are making sense..."

"That's not all..." Craga said, sideglancing at Caligin, and he sighed.

"She's right. Ignitus, Spyro, everyone, we want to thank you for helping us so much...but we can't stay here."

"Why not?" Cynder asked.

"It's too crowded here...and Craga needs some time and peace to adjust to everything. We're gonna try to find a new place to settle down like we used to want to do." He looked at the stained-glass ceiling and sighed again. "That and I can't stand being here...so many bad memories now...I need time to calm down after all this."

Ignitus smiled a bit. "I understand, Caligin. Cynder too needed time to adapt. If you feel it's best to leave and find somewhere else, you don't need to stay here. Just keep in mind that if you need help, you both are welcome here. So long as you don't return to darkness."

Caligin grinned nervously and rubbed his neck. "Yeah...Cynder had a hard time because I kept calling to her, but I think I was her only influence. The Shadow...I haven't felt its grip at all since I was freed...no telling if I just can't feel it now though, I know he gets in through the tiniest cracks."

"When're you leaving?" Flare asked.

"Tomorrow, preferably," Craga said, finally looking up at them. "But Cal says the weather's turning awfully fast."

"Yeah, it feels like rain's gonna barrage us tomorrow."

"Huh?" Spyro asked, feeling the air. "Is that the strange feeling I've been getting?"

Cal laughed. "Yes, Spyro, it's the pressure change. You've still got a lot to learn about your skills. I'll hafta teach you more later on when things are quieter."

"That'd be great."

Caligin looked around with a sigh. "So many memories...Craga wants to look around here again, may we?"

Ignitus nodded and the two headed to the Visions room and disappeared behind the door. Solar sighed and Flare nudged him. "Hey, something wrong?"

"I've been thinking...Craga is back, but...Ignitus, do you know if anyone else survived Cynder's scourge? Were there other dragons?"

Ignitus sighed, staring at the ceiling. "I wish I could know for sure. I feel that the Shadow isn't done with us yet, though...if other dragons do come out of hiding, we'd better be careful."

The night drew on slowly, but around midnight Spyro felt something...weird. He felt like he was being called to, but heard and saw nothing except his night-scaled Cynder sleeping right against him, her head tucked under his chin. He smiled and wrapped his legs around her, feeling a content murr resonate in her throat. "You're so cute, Cynder," he whispered. In the other room he heard Kira making little noises in her squeaky voice as she slept, and he couldn't help but smile; it was cute. He rolled his eyes with a humored snort as he heard Solar and Flare sharing a kiss in the Pool room. His thoughts wandered to Alex and Christine...where had they gone? Were they going to return, or had their battle with the Shadow taken them somewhere else?

About time you thought of us!

Spyro froze. "Alex?!"

Shh, don't wake Cynder up. Yes it's me, I've been trying to contact you all day dude!

"Where are you?"

We're still fighting him, but for some reason he's not retaliating. In fact he seems to have gone into a hibernative vigilance. He's watching your world, Spyro, be careful.

"Alex...that 'demon' or whatever it is in you...what happened to it?"

Alex sighed. It's still there but...with Christine's help it hasn't been able to really influence me. And I know you're gonna ask it soon...Christine and I want to come back, we miss you guys, but at the same time we really need to get back to our homeworld. It's already past midnight of the day we were whisked away, any later than this and there's gonna be hell explaining to others where we've been.

"Well, be careful and get back home then. Will you be able to return if the Shadow attacks?"

I hope so. Just send me a thought and we'll be on our way, although we may appear a bit late so call us BEFORE something happens, got it?

"Yeah I got it."

How're the kids? And what happened to Malefor?

"Kids are crawling now, they're really playful. Malefor...he's made a good recovery and even found his old girlfriend."

The crystal statue?

"Yeah. Turns out he froze her as a time crystal after she passed out one day. Apparently that's what caused him to spin out of control; he went mad trying to find a way to revive her from her coma."

Heh...typcial scheme of evil, use a tragedy to weaken a great mind...Well, hope you and Cynder do well. Chrissy and I are gonna...head home.

"You paused. Something wrong?"

I-it's...nothing.

"Oh. Okay..." Spyro thought he heard Alex mumble "...get the baby to safety" but wasn't too sure of what he heard because Alex's voice was so low. "You two gonna...what was it...'marry'?"

Yeah, we're gonna try to get that squared away as soon as possible.

Alex's voice disappeared and Spyro sighed, hoping they were okay. They'd done so much for everyone here... He jumped as something cold and wet hit his nose, thunder rolling in the distance. He headed inside as the rain began to fall, enjoying its feel on his scales, and he shook himself off when he entered the dojo. Pulling his claws up a bit he padded over to the little beds along the wall, chuckling with a wide, happy grin as he gazed at the little dragons sleeping soundly. "I should really have Cynder bring them to mom and dad..." he whispered to himself, gently running his claw down Flash's back. Flash turned over and stretched, then yawned and relaxed. "Aawww..."

Something moved behind him and he turned around to see someone enter the room; at first he thought it was Cynder, but as she walked into the moonlight the green glimmer of her scales showed it to be Craga slowly walking through the dojo, staring up at the huge statue. She sighed and suddenly noticed Spyro. "Oh...uhhh...Spyro, right?"

"Yeah, something wrong? You look upset."

She walked over to the kids, eyeing them sadly. "There's so much to take in now...I just can't believe Cal...went dark because of me..."

"He's recovered though, and he brought you back," Spyro said reassuringly. "You can finally start the family you've always wanted!"

She giggled with a depressed tone as she stared at Kira. "I know...but...we can't go anywhere. It feels too crowded here for me, but this is the only safe place."

"For who?"

"Cal. Everyone out there is gonna murder him for what he's done...we have nowhere else to go."

Spyro sighed. "I don't know what to suggest, but you two could try the Floating Isles for now. No one's up there anymore."

Craga sighed. "I guess...I'd better go get some sleep."

"Yeah, you should, you've had a rough day." He watched her head back to the tunnels, then headed back into his room and slid under the blanket next to Cynder. He ran his paw along her cheek, admiring her pretty face as she dozed peacefully.

"Wheeeeeeee!!!!" Cynder shouted, and held tightly to her laughing children as she swooped through the air over the temple and came down for a landing, gently setting them down. "Okay guys, naptime," she said as they yawned, and she slowly walked up to the dojo doorway, ushering them with praise and proud cooing as they crawled up the rampway after her. By the time they got to the dojo they were worn out, and Cynder picked them up and tucked them into their beds, watching with a grin as they fell asleep almost instantly. She gave each of them a quick peck on the cheek and then headed out to see if she could find Spyro. Standing up by the railing she looked around at the mushroom forest below, scanning for him; he'd said he'd be down there if he was anywhere. "C'mon big guy, where are you?" she asked the wind. She just really wanted to cuddle with him... "Oh?" Something purple flashed through the woods, heading into the swamp. Glancing back quickly and seeing that Ignitus was watching the little ones sleep, she followed the purple flash, gliding and keeping her wingbeats to a minimum so he wouldn't hear her. Spyro sometimes stopped and picked something up, but she couldn't see what it was. Soon they were deep in the swamp, and Cynder recognized the area; it was the cave she and Spyro had "reunited" in over two years ago after her bout of depression. Spyro wandered into the small cave, which was now curtained with mossy vines bearing dark red flowers, and disappeared behind the green curtain. Cynder crept along the ground quietly until she was by the cave mouth. She carefully peeked inside, but the lack of lighting in the cave prevented her from seeing anything other than Spyro's back. Something made a tinkling sound and there was a small blue flash, like a piece of glass falling, and Spyro picked it up and did something with it which Cynder couldn't see. Finally he sighed and turned to leave. Cynder darted back and hid behind a nearby bush, watching as Spyro went down to the water. He paused, smelling the air.

"Cynder? What're you doing here?"

"Crap..." She sheepishly came out of her hiding place. "I was...just curious, I saw you fly this way..."

He briefly looked her over as she came up beside him. "I know I was gone longer than usual but you didn't need to track me down." He waded into the water and sat down, scrubbing his paws. Without warning the ground under Cynder shifted and she shrieked as it dumped her into the water. Spyro laughed and pulled her closer. "I think someone could use a nice warm bath here..."

She stared at him in surprise and finally smiled and shrugged. "Well, I'm yours..." She swam over to the bank and got comfortable on her back, her body up to her neck submerged in the warm river water. She closed her eyes and murred as Spyro swam over to her and lightly kissed her, pulling her up by her tail gently so she was floating. He started slowly caressing her shoulders as he stood over her, making his way down her front very slowly, lowering himself until he was staring right at her perfect slit as his paws worked their way around her tail-base. He drew his tongue slowly between her netherlips, grinning as she murred encouragingly. He murred back and slowly pushed his tongue in deeper, holding her back with his forelegs so her lower body stayed at the water's surface, feeling the warm water flow against his dragonhood as it erected from his sheath. After a few minutes of teasing her with his tongue Spyro slowly drew his tongue up her front, pushing her lower body back into the water as he drew closer to her mouth. She grinned and closed her eyes as his mouth met hers and he paddled forward a bit, his member tickling her sensitive netherlips. "Just do it already," she pleaded, grabbing hold of his shoulders. He stepped on the slope of the bank and slowly pushed his rock-hard meat into her eager tunnel, both of them moaning as pleasure flowed through them. Spyro locked his lips to hers and she moaned, poison energy flowing into his mouth from hers as he slowly started mating her. Spyro groaned and his wings twitched and stretched as her vagina squeezed his meat. "Mmmm...oh that's nice," she murred. Spyro started thrusting harder while keeping up a slow pace, loving the way her pussy tightened around him every time he pushed into her like that. Every time he pulled out he felt her fluids wash off his cock as the warm water passed over them, tickling their scales and enhancing their pleasure.

"Oooohhhh...Cynder you're still so tight...oh, feels good..."

"You feel like you're getting bigger..." she moaned back, and suddenly screamed repeatedly as her orgasm hit her. Spyro let out a low roar as her climax pushed him over his edge and he thrust into her rapidly as his dragonhood exploded, filling her tunnel with his warm cum. Eventually they subsided and Spyro pulled out of her, unravelling his tongue from hers and licking her nose with a grin as she panted against the river bank. She giggled as he moved his hips against her. "What're you doing?"

"Continuing your bath," he said with a smirk as he rubbed his member against her scales. After a few minute of sensually rubbing her down he kissed her passionately with a whisper of "I love you," and they lay there cuddling with each other in the water for a while. Finally, though, Cynder's original idea came to mind and she pulled away from him with a questioning glance.

"Spyro...what were you doing out here? What's in the cave?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Nothing much, just my...hobby, I guess it is."

"Hmm?"

"You don't need to worry about it," he said, hugging her, and she smiled and rested her head against his shoulder.

"All the same Spyro...I find it odd that you know all my likes, yet I don't know any of yours."

Spyro sighed, then grinned at her. "You really wanna see it?"

"Yes!"

"It's not finished yet...I'll show you when it is."

"Aw come on Spyro!"

"Nope. Gotta wait." He licked her on the nose and she giggled as it tickled. "C'mon, let's get back to the temple, Caligin and Craga wanted to leave today." They climbed out of the water and shook themselves off, then flew into the air and coasted in the sunlight as it dried them off. Off to the north, more clouds were gathering.

"Is that another storm?"

"From Ignitus's view I think that's the first snow of the year. We'll have to keep the kids warm inside."

"Yes but don't spoil them, Spyro; we need to get them accustomed to hardships early on in case something happens later."

"I know...but I remember my first few winters, I didn't like the cold very much."

"All the same, we need to get them used to it. Not too quickly, of course, if we overdo it they'll get sick."

They landed on the balcony just as Caligin and Craga walked out. "Oh...hey..." Cal said nervously.

"You two leaving already?" Cynder asked a bit sadly.

Craga sighed. "Yeah...we need a new place to stay. Cal says we'll return soon though. I just need to get outta here."

"Well, good luck wherever you go," Spyro said with a grin. The two dragons flew off and Spyro and Cynder watched them with mixed feelings.

"Kinda hard to believe we beat him three times already and he's still going..."

"Well next time he's beaten will probably be his last, like me," Spyro said, staring into the distance. "He was still alive and going because of his connection to the darkness...which is eternal it seems. But now that that bond is broken..."

Cynder nuzzled him. "Don't you start considering the darkness. Maybe as a breath attack, but don't go evil like he did."

"Why would I? I've got you, the kids, Solar, Flare...everyone." He hugged her with his wing and she sighed happily, closing her eyes as she leaned against him. He shifted uncomfortably after a bit.

"Something wrong?"

"My legs have been killing me lately...I'm gonna go for a fly, see if that helps any."

"'Kay. Be back soon, I hear Flare's planning on making fried goose for dinner."

"Mmmm...yeah, I'll definitely be back." His eyes widened when he saw her glance. "Hey you hardly make meals, how'm I not supposed to be excited?"

She laughed. "Okay, I'll make something tomorrow." With that Spyro flew off, but Cynder quickly followed him when she saw him swoop into the forest. She spotted him by an outcrop of crystals, hunkering lower so he couldn't see her. Spyro closely examined the crystals, then carefully broke one off by lacing his claw with earth energy and cutting clean through the rock. He picked it up in his mouth and wuickly flew off, back to their little streamside cave. Cynder was puzzled...did Spyro like collecting rocks? If so, she'd finally found out what he liked! She was excited, but quickly flew back to the temple when she heard something move behind her.

Craga sighed as they sat on the floating piece of building, and Cal nudged her with his muzzle. "Hey...something wrong?"

"I feel...alone...even with you here. I don't get it."

"Is it because we're not in familiar territory?"

"No...I think it's because...remember how we could find dragons and others just about anywhere we went, even up here?"

"Yeah...oh..."

"Yeah. We haven't seen anyone for a week now."

They watched the moons rise and Caligin wrapped his wing over her back when she shivered. "Craga...I'm pretty sure...not all dragons were killed."

"Cal, stop it. I already told you I don't blame you for it."

"I wasn't talking about myself...but I think if Ignitus was able to survive Cynder's scourge, others were able to as well." He kissed her on the cheek and she reclined against him. "I guess we just need to find them and bring them back out into the world."

"Or bring more into the world," she whispered with a sly grin, and he shook her playfully and murred to her.

"So you've decided?"

"Maybe when I'm in heat next."

She grinned as he nuzzled her with a hinting purr. "I think you already are..." He gently pushed her over and stepped over her, getting an aroused yet content murr from her as she twirled her tail around his. "What, no foreplay?"

"Nah, not this time," she whispered as he pressed his nose against hers. "I think you've waited long enough for mating." They lay there on the floating platform, indulging in a passionate kiss, their paws running over the other's body more and more fervently as their excitement grew.

"So you wanna be my mate huh?" he asked teasingly.

"I've wanted to be your mate for seven years, Cal. Or...however long it's been plus seven."

"Well then, guess I'll have to make you mine." With that he drew his hips back, running his member between her desire-swollen lips, and after some sensual tickling by twitching his hips back and forth to make his dragonhood tickle her vagina, he slowly, gently pushed in. Caligin's whole body shook with pleasure at the feeling of her velvet heat enveloping his rock-solid cock after so many years of solitude. She was still so tight and soft...memories flooded into his head again and Craga gasped with pleasure as his meat seemed to heat up and grow a bit larger than normal from the added stimulation from his memories. She lay her head back with a content sigh at having her vagina full of his warm dragonhood again...Caligin reached up with one paw and roughly rubbed her chest, remembering how much she enjoyed that, and he moaned with pleasure as she squealed and her walls tightened around his maleness as he held it up to the hilt inside her. Her heat quickly grew in intensity, fueling her lust and her need to mate; Caligin felt it as her pussy started throbbing slightly with anticipation and her breath sped up as the pain of intense desire welled up in her. He grinned and nibbled on her neck, eliciting deep pleading moans of pleasure from her. "Looks like I'll have to take you nice and slow," he said, and pulled out to begin their rythym, Craga's juices already dripping off of him.

"Ooooh Caaaaalllll...deeper, please go deeper!" Craga pleaded as he started slowly humping her. Caligin grinned and pushed himself up to his sheath into her, making her shudder with pleasure as the tip of his member pushed into her womb. "Ooooh you've gotten longer...that feels so gooood..."

"Just for you," he whispered to her, and set to nibbling on her neck as his paws pressed roughly against her chest. She suddenly squealed and thrashed under him as her body convulsed, her walls kneading his member desperately as she climaxed. "Oooohhh that's good," he moaned against her scales as her velvet tunnel squeezed his length. He reached down and flicked her clit, making her scream and dig her claws into his shoulders as her juices sprayed all over his sheath and coated their tails.

"Harder, pleeeease!!!" she squealed.

"Oh not yet," Caligin whispered in her ear, running his tongue along her cheek. "I'm gonna send you from one moon to the other and back again." She grabbed his head and planted her lips on his. For half an hour, Cal made slow, passionate love to his mate. Craga lay on the stone under him, squealing and moaning uncontrollably as her whole body shook and glowed with extreme pleasure as he began to speed up and pound himself harder into her, until finally they both roared, spewing elemental breath as Caligin finally ejaculated in her. He humped her with each spurt of his member, filling her womb with his hot dragon cum so much that quite a bit leaked from her tight seal around him. Finally he fell atop her and hugged her as they fell into a slow, loving kiss.

"That...was the best...we've ever had..." Craga whispered, and hugged him tight, wrapping her hind legs around him. "Thank you Cal..."

He nuzzled her softly and licked her neck. "What else could I do for the one I treasure above all else?"

Craga ran her paw along her belly with a murr, loving the warm full feeling. "I sure hope you got me...after seeing Cynder's and Flare's babies, I really wanna start a family with you Cal."

He smiled back at her, touching his wingtips to hers. "And who better to bear my children than you?" Craga sighed happily and lay her head back, holding Caligin close as he rested on top of her, his dragonhood still in her soft lower embrace.

Back at the temple, Cynder sighed and cuddled against Spyro on their bed, and he rolled over and hugged her tight, getting a happy murr from her. "You okay?"

"Yeah...just suddenly felt...lonely. It was weird..."

He pulled the blanket tighter over them and she nuzzled her face against his gold chest. "Heh, you're cute when you're cuddly."

"Thought you said I'm always cute."

"True." They fell silent and listened to the low murmur of Ignitus's voice in the guardians' room. "It's so funny how they listen to his stories...they hardly ever blink."

"I'm glad he's gotten over his whole thing he had about children in the temple."

"I think it's because he wants to make up for not protecting us that night."

She suddenly held tight to him. "There it is again...it's a lot stronger..."

"Wanna go for a walk or a flight?"

"Sure, I need something to tire me." She looked up with a sly smirk at his grin. "We did that earlier today doofus."

"I know, I'm teasing you." They slipped off the bed and walked out onto the balcony, and quickly jumped into the air and spread their wings. As they flew, Spyro suddenly heard something and Cynder stopped as he hovered.

"What is it?"

"Something...something's coming closer...sounds like a voice...c'mon, it's coming from the the shoreline." They flew quickly to the edge of the island, and Spyro tried to listen again. "Someone's...in pain...I hear crying." Cynder felt distress coming from him and followed him as he tracked whatever was approaching. In the darkness they saw something flapping its wings, and Cynder too could hear the sound of crying. Spyro yelled and suddenly became a living blur as the oncoming figure simply fell from the air with a pained, frightened yell, and Cynder swooped after him. He came back up and Cynder's eyes instantly watered over; he was holding a little dragoness.

"Mommyyyyy..." she whined, and broke out into a fit of tears.

"Back to the temple," Spyro said, and Cynder nodded and rushed ahead to warn the others. Spyro flew slowly, cradling the little one against his chest for support. She was scared and terribly upset, and after her fit she simply fell asleep, exhausted.

Flare and Cynder stayed by the bed, waiting for the little dragoness to wake up. She'd been crying in her sleep most of the night and they were worried about her. Flare reached up and ran a finger along the little one's cheek and she stirred, batting Flare's paw away. She suddenly jumped up with a yell, looking around wildly. "Mommy?! Daddy?!"

"Sshhh, you're okay," Cynder said softly. "You're safe here."

"I want mommy," she whined, still looking around. She sat down on the bed and started crying again. Cynder jumped lightly onto the bed and hugged her.

"Your mommy's not here; we're looking for her but we need you to settle down to help us, okay? Shhh, you're okay...it'll be okay..."

Flare walked over to them and gently ran her paw along the little one's back. "What's your name, sweety? Can you tell us your name?"

She sniffled. "A-Anya.."

"Oooo, what a pretty name," Cynder whispered, holding her close and gently rocking her. Anya slowly calmed down and Cynder looked down at her with a soft smile. "Anya, are you hungry? You want something to eat?" Anya nodded and wiped her eyes with her little paws, still heaving a bit. "Here, you stay with Flare, I'll go get you some food okay?"

"Kay..." Anya turned to Flare as Cynder gently handed her over. Cynder walked into the dojo, and looking to the side she noticed Spyro staring into the Pool of Visions. She walked over but he gave no response as his tail steadily swayed slowly back and forth.

"Spyro?" she whispered, and he jumped a bit and shook his head with a frustrated snort.

"Sorry...I thought I saw something this morning but I can't get it to happen again...how is she?"

"Anya's okay so far as we can tell, but she's really upset and wants her parents. I'm gonna go get her some food, Flare's taking care of her at the moment." Spyro nodded and watched her leave, his eyes tracing the way her hips and tail swayed as she walked. He shook his head with another snort.

"Gah...what's going on with me, I can't get her out of my head..." He headed into their room and quietly walked over to Flare as she cuddled Anya. "Is she okay?"

"Daddy?" Anya asked, turning to look. She paused when she saw Spyro and her eyes went wide. "Purple!"

Cynder returned to find Spyro rocking Anya quietly while Flare tended to their kids. "Flare?"

Flare giggled and motioned for Cynder to be quiet. "Spyro's her new dad for now...apparently he looks and sounds and feels just like her daddy."

"Poor little thing..." Cynder replied sadly. "I hope her parents aren't too far behind."

"Ignitus wants to talk to you."

"Oh?" Cynder went to the garden to find Ignitus sitting by a tree, staring into its branches. "Ignitus?"

The old fire dragon sighed. "Cynder...I don't mean to surprise you, but Anya's sudden appearance here..." He looked off to the east. "War is breaking out. And I'm afraid it's finally found the others."

"The...others?"

"During your scourge, dragons fled and established a hidden base for survival...away from us, in the event that if we were captured, we would not know their whereabouts. However...the temple itself is also a secure area, and in times of need the children would be sent to the temple for sheltering."

"Not very secure if my apes could get in..."

"That was our fault...we were careless. However, thanks to you and Spyro, Terrador and Cyril have been able to revive the defensive mechanisms that make this temple almost invincible. It has only been completed in the last week though."

"Why us?"

"Your resolve to have a family amid the hardship...it has motivated us. But...Anya isn't the first to be sent here. I've seen more approaching by boat and air. It seems the Piratians have somehow been moved to attack the dragon stronghold, wherever it is, in addition to the mages, shadows and apes. Reports are scattered, and the attacks are brief yet concise. The children are being sent here, and the surviving adults will follow them to this island. We must be ready for them." He glanced up at her. "Something the matter, Cynder?"

Cynder looked over herself with a fearful expression of dread. "Ignitus...do I still look like...like I used to? Please tell me I've changed!"

"You're becoming more of a dragoness than the black snake of Malefor...why do you ask?"

She hid in her wings. "If others see me..."

"I see. In that case I ask that you refrain from unnecessary trips from the temple, and remain here to watch the children."

"That reminds me, I need to get Anya her food. She said she was hungry."

"Go do that. She needs as much care as she can get now that she's alone." Cynder nodded and hurried off to her room, bringing a mushroom cap of berries and a few cooked fish. Anya sniffled and turned to Cynder when she heard her enter the room.

"Is she your mate?" Anya whispered curiously, and Spyro nodded with a smile.

"Yes she is."

Cynder ran her paw along Anya's back. "Hey Anya..."

"Cynder..."

Cynder's paw snapped back in surprise, but Spyro shook his head. "It's fine, Cynder."

"You're a lot beautifuler than daddy told me," Anya whispered. Cynder blushed.

"Th-thanks I think..." Spyro set Anya down and she wiped her eyes with her little paws again. Cynder gently pushed the mushroom cap to her. "Here sweetie, you had a long flight here."

"Daddy was wrong, you're really nice," Anya said shyly, edging to the mushroom. Spyro lifted her up and put her on the edge of the cap and he and Cynder watched as she ate.

"She hurt her paw before flying here. I healed her while you were out but she's still bruised."

"Flare's tending to the kids...Spyro, did Ignitus talk to you yet?"

"No. We can discuss that later though, someone needs to be here for Anya."

"Spyro...it's actually kinda urgent." She lowered her voice to a mere whisper. "Anya's a refugee...war is breaking out. More are coming...Ignitus saw them in the Pool."

Spyro's eyes widened. "Anya, do you want to stay here with Cynder?"

"Okay," the little one replied, wiping a drop of berry juice off her cheek. Cynder sat by her as Spyro dashed out of the room to seek out Ignitus. He didn't come back until Anya had fallen asleep in the afternoon, curled up under Cynder's wing. The black dragoness looked up at Spyro as he walked up to her and stood up by the bed.

"Hey...something wrong?"

"Solar and I are heading out to locate Caligin and Craga, and warn them of the danger."

"What danger?"

"There's a vicious storm coming, brewed from magic." Spyro sighed and went over to the window...Cynder noticed his wings and tail sagging as he walked.

"Spyro...what's wrong?"

"Nothing...at least...not yet..." He stared at the clouds gathering. "Cynder...I'm gonna need to talk with the Chronicler, something's really bugging me."

"Spyro, isn't there some way you can remotely contact him?"

"I've tried. I need a Spirit Crystal, but strangely I can't find any nearby." Spyro lay his head on the windowsill with a depressed sigh. "He can't go," Spyro whispered to himself, "he just can't..." Cynder watched him curiously, wondering what he could be so upset about. Eventually he left with Solar to locate Caligin and possibly find Anya's parents if they were on their way. Anya woke up with a night terror, crying for her parents and unable to be consoled until Flare rocked her to sleep for almost half an hour in the setting sun's light on the balcony. The next day was pretty dismal as the clouds continued to grow, crackling with lightning of various colors. Spyro and Solar hadn't returned from their outing...Cynder and Flare hoped they'd found Caligin and Craga safely. As the kids went down for their naps Cynder found Ignitus at the Pool again, watching something rather intently.

"Ignitus?"

"Yes Cynder?"

"Why was Spyro so upset yesterday?"

"What do you mean?"

"He kept saying something about "'He can't go'."

Ignitus's eyes went wide and he quickly looked back at the Pool. "I can't discuss that."

"Ignitus, I'm not gonna deal with this. What's the big secret that had Spyro all bent out of shape?"

"I can't discuss it, Cynder, because I myself don't fully understand it. But you shouldn't concern yourself with that right now; get food and start storing it, I'm seeing something coming closer to the Temple and I can't tell what it is."

Cynder sighed and hurried off, stopping briefly to look over her children. Kira yawned with a cute squeak, getting Cynder to giggle and run her paw along the little ice baby's soft belly. "So cute..." Cynder said to herself, smiling when she saw a little grin creep onto Kira's muzzle. Flash stretched and rolled over, his tail flicking when Cynder tickled it. "Poor little guy, he really worked himself out today..." Finally she turned to Aleron and ran her paw gently along his head. "Geez Aler, you look so much like your daddy..." she whispered with a grin, briefly studying his face. She looked them over again and sighed happily. "I still can't believe this...I used to merely dream about having a family...now I have the cutest kids in the world." With that she rushed off to gather food in case of danger, not seeing Spyro come back to the Temple. He shook himself and stretched with a huge yawn before heading into the Temple to locate Ignitus. He passed the kids and smiled to himself, running his paw over each of them silently before heading to the visions room where Ignitus was still staring into the Pool.

"Anything?"

"Nothing yet, Spyro, nothing yet...something's coming closer so I sent Cynder to get food before whatever it is arrives."

"I'll be waiting for her on the balcony if anyone needs me." With that Spyro went out onto the balcony again and stared off into the distance. Solar swooped past him into the temple, finding Flare coming back into the dojo in case the little ones woke up. She smiled and nuzzled him as he walked up with a proud grin, eyeing their children.

"How'd it go?" she asked.

"Malefor and Craga are alerted, but they seem to have something planned. Craga doesn't want to come back here so soon after leaving, so it may be a few days to a few weeks before we see them."

"But at least they're warned."

"Yes." He chuckled as Aurora yawned and rolled onto her side. "Aww she's so cute..."

"They're all adorable," Flare said softly, running her paw over Colnasis. "He's the most active of the bunch...Inigena is a sleeper."

Solar sighed, running the curve of his claw over Aurora's side gently. "Her name is what got me through three years ago."

Flare nussled him again and he leaned his head against hers with a grin. "I think she got some of your enhancements, big guy. She's awful strong. And she checks on the others if they're upset. It's so cute..."

Inigena yawned and stretched her little legs, making her parents chuckle softly at how cute she was. "She's gonna have gorgeous fire patterns," Solar whispered.

Ignitus and Volteer passed behind them and walked out to the balcony to find Spyro sitting there with his eyes closed; he was feeling the air around them. Hearing their heavy padding on the balcony tiles he opened his eyes and looked back at them. "Something wrong?"

"Guardians need fresh air once in a while," Ignitus said with a joking grin. "Nothing's showing in the Pool."

Spyro smirked and looked out over the mushroom forest, his smile flatlining. "I think whatever you were seeing earlier is already here, but what is it..."

There was a loud scream for help and Spyro immediately shot off the balcony to the mushroom forest below, the guardians following him. Spyro used his time power to speed towards the area, but when he found what was happening his shock froze time altogether. Cynder was being attacked by... "DRAGONS?!?" Spyro said to himself. Seven dragons, four males and three females, had Cynder surrounded and were hitting her. Spyro was frozen in shock and anger, but his anger won over and he roared, darted forward, and snatched Cynder away from them as his time power ran out. The dragons looked around and froze in shock when they saw Spyro landing nearby with Cynder. Spyro turned around and snarled. "How dare you gang up on a dragoness on Dragon Temple territory!"

The biggest one stepped forward and sneered at Spyro. "Not a good first impression, purple dragon, saving the bitch you should be slaying."

"First impressions?" The dragons turned around and saw Ignitus land nearby. Spyro winced; Ignitus was PISSED. "You confront a lone dragoness based on her past that she has made amends for, on Dragon Temple grounds, and then insult the dragon that saved your asses? That, right there, is hardly a first impression on your part. Apologize to Cynder right now, all of you!"

"She drove us out of our homes-"

"APOLOGIZE!!" Terrador yelled, the ground shaking. The dragons hesitantly apologized to Cynder, and Ignitus addressed her.

"Cynder, you should get back to the children. Spyro, you go with her." They both nodded and Spyro grabbed Cynder and flew her back to the temple. Cynder looked up at Spyro and he felt her head against his neck.

"I've never seen Ignitus so angry..."

"Damn good thing we haven't done anything to tick him off like that..." They both laughed but Spyro felt that Cynder was very worried. "Something wrong?"

"Spyro...if the dragons are reappearing...this means I can't be outside anymore or someone's gonna kill me!"

"Then stay inside. I know you don't like being inactive, but you really should be with the kids as much as possible." He set Cynder down on the balcony and walked beside her up to the dojo, where the kids were just starting to wake up from their naps. Flare saw Cynder and gasped, rushing over.

"What happened?!"

"We've got company," Spyro said rather shortly. "Cynder, go find Solar and ask him to heal you, I've got some things to wrap up."

"Spyro-" Cynder started, but he was already off back towards the guardians. "Don't do anything stupid..."

"Something wrong?" Flare asked, seeing Cynder's wings droop as she stared at the floor.

"It's nothing..."

Flare rubbed her friend's back comfortingly. "Hey...knowing Spyro like I do, you don't need to worry. Just stay here and be with the kids! They like being with their mommy."

"It's not that..." Cynder sighed, rubbing her forearm. "I finally found out what Spyro likes, but I lost what I found when they attacked me. It was so perfect, Flare! A black and purple crystal..."

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