FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 4

"Why did you do this?!" Terrador roared as he slammed his powerful paw on the wooden table.

The walls of the City Hall echoed with the noise of scattering papers and creaking wood.

"I did what I was asked of" Cyril responded calmly, the rage of his earth friend didn't change his usual cold demeanor in the slightest

"You are a Guardian! It's your duty to protect your people!"

"I warned them, but they didn't want to listen. What else do you want me to do?"

"You openly agreed for a bloodshed! In our city!"

The Ice Guardian rolled his eyes irritated "Terrador please, these people are too weak to hurt a fly"

The Earth Guardian slammed his clenched paw on the table again.

"This changes nothing!" he roared at the top of his lungs, his voice reverberated in every crack of the building.

It was especially audible in the corridor that was reveled when the door to the Quarters were opened and Volteer with Flare appeared in the doorstep.

Both the Earth and ice Guardian looked at the amber dragon meaningfully. The quick gazes the dragons were throwing the little fire drake didn't escape Volteer's attention.

Flare observed both huge dragons curiously, one of them, the green one, sprang up from the table, his massive tail almost toppled it over and with a couple of strides began to stare through the window on the side of the building. The Ice dragon started to pick up the papers that were strewn around the room, he did it very, very slowly.

The dragons were pitiful actors, their little awkward play spoke volumes. Everyone would understand that this is not the time for interruptions and they are politely, even despite the anger, trying to show that you should be really somewhere else right now and leave them to their business. Everyone would understand that.

The young fire drake didn't.

"Flare"

The red dragon jerked his head up, aiming his yellowish eyes up at the head of the amber dragon from who's lips came his name.

Volteer looked down and smiled impulsively when he met the dragon's innocent gaze. For a moment he felt like a father staring in the eyes of his tiny, confused son.

"You...must be...hungry. Why...don't...you go...get some...food?"

Cyril snorted banteringly, inadvertently spitting on the papers he was holding.

"I'm starving!" Flare blurt out happily and licked his mouth, as if already tasting the meat on his lips "Your coming too?"

"Later...need...something to...do...first"

"Okay!" the fire drake exclaimed impatiently and quickly made his way to the corridor leading to the one place he could stay in forever

"What...is...this?" Cyril mimicked the amber dragon's strange way of speaking and burst out laughing later on

Volteer smiled, not even bothered by his friend's mockery.

"Your travesty Cyril is unobtrusive to faculty of my premeditated and subliminal adaptive mental activity undifferentiated to sensation of superciliousness" his voice was cheerful and full of held back relief

The dragon licked his lips, the words surged at the back of his mind and tongue for the past few days. Now he finally got the time to let them all out, his rusty tongue once more drinking from the deep well of erudition.

And it felt great.

Flare pressed himself to the wall of the corridor and covered his mouth so they wouldn't see and hear him laughing. Volteer's funny speech always made him laugh.

Cyril grinned "And the fancy words coming from your mouth right now prove that your pride is untouched. You won't fool me friend"

"This is a denigration by oral asseveration" the Electric Guardian smiled provokingly

"I hope you're enjoying yourselves!" Terrador growled furiously

Flare's laughter died somewhere within his throat, he gulped and straightened up like a board at the sound of the audible and commanding baritone voice echoing through the hall that almost sounded like the snarl of a monster crawling somewhere deep within some dark tunnel.

His eyes momentarily turned towards the torch lit corridor, with the eyes of his imagination he could see the walls turning more rough and stony, the fire from the torches dying as a black shape of a deadly monster scraped the rocks and groveled ominously towards him.

The young drake stifled down a pitiful whine. This was the last time he insisted that Volteer reads him some horror book.

No more books when your imagination is working at full speed. It makes a mess out of things.

"Terrador" Volteer addressed the Earth Guardian with his typical friendly and cheerful voice "You must propitiate yourself to a particularized mode requiring extrication through expatriation of distress"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" the green dragon blew up at the amber drake "This is not the time to be calm" he growled "I have no idea how Ignitus could stand you two and keep you in line!"

Cyril finally gave up on his pretense of a kindly caretaker and released the pages from his claws, not even caring where they land and turned towards the yelling dragon, throwing him a challenging and proud look.

"Perhaps you are the problem Terrador. Perhaps the task to be the head of Warfang is beyond you"

The Earth Guardian snarled and clenched his paw tightly, the claws piercing his scales were the only thing that prevented him from throwing himself at the ice drake in fit of anger.

"What? You think you would do better? You? Who so beautifully gave permission for open slaughter in our city? This is your idea of taking care of your people?"

"There are only few who I can truly call my people"

"Don't give me that bloodline bullshit again!"

Flare rubbed his right leg and wriggled his fiery wings nervously. He threw a quick glance at the end of the corridor, the delicate smell of food wasn't as appealing as moments ago. Nobody would consider him to be a eavesdropper, yours truly included, yet there was something peculiar about this whole thing.

His imagination awoken fully once more, pushing all the doubts away. He imagined the Guardians discussing some top secret stuff on which depends the fate of this city, or...or the whole world! The shouting, all the aggression and Volteer's incomprehensible words like some sort of a secret code. While he is an ingenious hungry dragon, who accidently hears about their problems and sets on an adventure to save the world.

The drake swallowed excitedly and pressed his head to the wall.

"Before this altercation marked by an ephemeral or indefinite span without regard for a subsidence in friendly relations magnifies" Volteer almost reverently and sorrowfully began picking up the strewn pages from across the room "We have to bestow esteem for the preeminence ofour characters"

The other two Guardians closely observed their working friend, they might not see eye to eye in many matters but they have grown up together and after so many years still stick together, despite the differences. You find friends in most unusual people, people that make you think twice before you cross a line, a line that if you overstep it will block your way back.

Cyril sighed "Face the truth Terrador, we are ruling a city of weaklings and crybabies I would never stand as their leader, they are just not worth the attention"

The Earth Guardian rubbed his forehead, his fighter spirit was raging inside, yet he held it back, for the sake of friendship.

"I don't understand what you want to accomplish"

"Natural selection" Volteer announced and placed the gathered papers back on the table

"You want to kill off your own people?!" Terrador blurt out shocked "Are you out of your mind?!"

"Cheetahs and moles aren't our people!" the Ice Guardian snapped annoyed "This is a dragon city, OUR city and there isn't enough of us to fill all the houses! It's like we're guests in our own home. Look through the window Terrador and tell me how many dragons you see, not too many I guess"

"In every battle, in every war WE were on the front lines suffering great losses. Even now with Spyro around we still suffer those losses, if not greater. We need the War Dragons back"

"Ignitus led the War Dragons and they were still wiped out. I don't see your point"

"Yes but back then we were bested by our own! Malefor and Cynder showed us our place, proved what it's like to be a true dragon, corrupt or not"

Terrador shook his head in disbelief "I don't believe what I'm hearing"

"Survival of the fittest! This is the unfortunate truth, cheetahs and moles look up on us to stand against our enemies. Allies seek help among their betters, how can we meet these expectations when from a huge group that went to Boven only a handful returned? The last proud dragons, with true draconic spirit died under Cynder's claws, those that somehow survived are too old to make a difference"

Flare perked up at hearing his friend's name being mentioned.

"I want my people to live! Not die because they can't control their emotions, I want them to toughen their hearts!"

"In your pursuance for loftiness you repudiate to employ your mind rationally and objectively in evaluating an perceivable probabilityof making Spyro and Cynder unwelcome here. In a placein which their domestic affections are centered"

Cyril snorted "Spyro and Cynder can take care of themselves, those two carry a spark that no dragon has. They'll make it, especially in the place they call home, if not" he shrugged "then there's no hope for us"

"I'm against this!" Terrador protested "It's cruel, after everything they've done..." he shook his head "it's sick"

The Guardian let out an annoyed mist of ice from his nose "I don't like this either, but this is the only way to save our people. You heard that young girl...what was her name...Iris! You heard Iris, what she said about our kind, how they ended up being wiped out by those...humans or whatever. If we won't act the same fate awaits us"

"One-half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it" Volteer recited in his typical fast speaking manner one of the many quotes his literary mind so swiftly internalizes

The amber dragon shook his head sadly "Your act of adumbrating this for mutual espousal is in violation of substratal guiding sense of the requirements and obligations of judicature and evenness. Unsatisfactory"

"The time for justice ended the moment that damn mole crossed the portal to our world" Cyril hissed toxically

"Volteer has my support" Terrador commented "If we are considering carrying on with this horrible plan then we won't turn our backs on our allies. Law is in effect in Warfang, both written and unwritten, the latter was created by our friend Ignitus. We can't disappoint his memory by neglecting his pupil and his friend, they both live in our city, so they are under our protection. No matter what we'll stand behind them, we owe them that much"

The amber dragon nodded somewhat sadly "Procuring the power to actuate, arbitrate, or otherwise settle the prearrangement of which determines a matter or altercate of a person who has sovereignty over others is an unsparingly severe fate. I don't want to espouse between a friendly consanguinity and imperturbable necessity"

"None of us would want to make such a choice" Terrador comforted his friend pitifully as he turned towards the window and observed the city beyond it. He always based on the instinct of a seasoned warrior, instinct which taught him that hard decisions have to be made for the sake of others.

The most painful thing about this is using kids, especially one who he treats almost like a nephew, as bait. He comforted himself that at least they will be the ones to hold the rod to which the bait is attached to.

"But Cyril is right, if we won't respond we face extinction. However..." he narrowed his eyes on the Ice Guardian "...your act of recklessness won't be tolerated. From now on we are the ones in control, if you once again bait these poor people against our friends, you'll lose your position as Guardian and join the mundane folk. Are we clear on that?"

The ice dragon looked at Terrador challengingly "Don't threat me, I can-"

"Are. We. Clear?" the Earth Guardian cut off the ice drake commandingly

A puff of ice wafted from Cyril's nostrils, he was fully aware that his friend knew how to play on his strings to make him furious, yet this awareness didn't protect his pride from being hurt. He was holding back his fury with great effort.

In younger days he would throw himself at Terrador, like he did countless times when they were young. However today...today he will get away with this mockery.

"Fine" Cyril hissed, admitting his defeat with great difficulty "Your plan of spreading protective wings above Spyro's and Cynder's heads will slow things down, I still believe we should not interfere and focus on solely hardening our people" he sighed, calming the boiling fury within him "Since that's not an option anymore then I'll support you. I rather be on this side than the other. We'll show them what true draconic pride and strength looks like"

Volteer began to sort through the papers thoughtfully and without any goal, desperately reaching for the only straw that gave him some peace of mind.

"I would opt for concentering on an enemy conforming to actual reality"

"And what true enemy is that Volteer?" Cyril snapped, irritated by the constant doubts of heart that only prolong what is necessary "We only got portals showing up around the world, not knowing who is on the other side. There might be a million of options, for now we got those walking rocks, some wicked purple dragons if we're believing Flare, and mankind. Do any of them fall under the category of real enemy? Even if one of them does, good luck convincing people to fight an invisible foe"

He rubbed his forehead, this stupid argument is giving him a headache "Cynder will do for now, if they will have a point of aggression in front of them they will try to reach it. it will make them stronger and with Spyro around they will never cross the line, no matter how long Brill waggles his fucking tongue" a growl rumbled within his throat

Terrador observed the Ice Guardian closely "Sometimes I have the feeling that you are only looking for an excuse to tear Brill's heart out"

The ice drake's eyes glimmered murderously "Believe me, I would gladly tear him in half, he's the one behind all of this, but..." he shook his head longingly "...we need our people on our side"

Volteer shuffled through the papers, all this disgusting conspiracy, because this is a conspiracy, no matter what your intentions are if you put your friends on the line you are scheming. He hated this, he hated his role as a Guardian, some are meant to become leaders, he wasn't one of them.

Suddenly he felt extremely old, too old for any of this.

Yet it was quite different with the young fire dragon hiding behind the wall and listening to their conversation. He didn't understand everything but what he did understand was enough to make the blood in his veins boil. If the Guardians weren't busy with their dispute one of them would surely notice the intense fiery illumination his wings and every other burning part of his body were making.

There was only one thing he hated the most-manipulation, especially when his only friend is going to be abused, like he was for all of his life. He didn't care about their motives, the safety of his friend was everything that mattered to him, no one can protect her better than him.

I have all the burning power of the world at my disposal.

Those who lead such abuse will burn, all the slithering worms that that surround her will be eradicated, furry or scaly, purple or brown.

All will burn.

Like I almost burned.

I will not fail again.

If I find you, beware and be on your guard at all times.

Since I'll be coming for you.

When some time later a cheetah girl passed through the corridor she couldn't understand from where those deep scorch marks came from.

*

When they were running he pushed all the worrying thoughts away, as a scout he was quite sensitive to danger, he could smell and feel it from afar. That small group of dragons that returned to Warfang was nothing more than danger, he was sure that when he returns the city won't be the same again.

Hopefully they will be there back then.

He wished that they would be running again, the pace he set up for them allowed them to gain some time advantage. During their wild chase she insisted that they get there before midnight, so it was his duty to take her there in time.

And so he did.

When he announced that they will be there soon enough she demanded that they stop for a break. The break wasn't because of the fact that she was tired, they both were to some point, maybe the dragoness was in a worse condition, yet she put on a mask that didn't betray even the tiniest emotion or note of fatigue.

A mask that glued itself to her snout and didn't want to let go, or perhaps she got used to it that she takes it for her face.

A pity, his fascination craved to find what hides behind it.

She couldn't keep up with him, draconic legs were quick but not quick enough to catch up with the natural runners like cheetahs. Eventually she put her feathery wings to action, but they were unable to catch up with him either, maybe due to the fact that they were mostly covered in dirt and stuck together like wet tissues.

His modesty and humbleness didn't allow him to accept the fact that he got better during the recent years.

So they made a provisional camp, she wanted it to be close to a river. He immediately knew why, she wanted to clean herself which warned his instinct that she believes to meet someone out there where she was found. He wasn't sure if she expects to find an ally or an enemy, many people would say that there is no chance she's looking for a friend, nobody would care about such a toxic girl like her.

Perhaps it was the truth, whoever is out there might think just the same. Whoever that was it was important for her that she presents herself to that person in her prime. It has to be an ally.

Yet, strangely he had an irrefragable feeling that this wasn't quite the whole truth.

All of this was unimportant however for the time being, this break only forced him to think chaotically on the situation in Warfang. As he whittling a piece of the wood with his dagger while leaning against a tree trunk with his loyal falcon sitting above on a branch different scenarios were being played inside his mind.

The first one, and it was the strongest was the most selfish one. He just wanted to be moving again, focus on work entirely than to contemplate on the recent events. All of the others were strictly connected with his young friends.

"Kit"

All of them were bad ones.

The most troublesome was the sight of the whole city turning against them, her at first to be more exact. People getting more bold that they even ignore Spyro's presence and the protective cocoon he wrapped around his friend.

"Kit"

Some other was about the two of them leaving the city and its people forever. This one perhaps was another slight inclination towards his selflessness. He loved everything draconic, if those two would be gone, their kind would lose that special, magical touch.

"Kit"

Another one was about Spyro finally losing control, the world finally making that one unjust move against Cynder that forces Spyro's paw. In his sorrow he does some tragic things that nobody would believe he was capable of which lead to an unending bloodbath. The one responsible for the portals sees this and takes advantage of it, plunging the world into chaos.

"Kit"

One more was about-

"KIT!"

His ears perked up and he straightened like a board at the sound of the feminine shout. The falcon above cried out and dashed towards the direction from which the yell came from.

The grunting, screaming of his bird and hissing drew his still shaken attention towards the commotion. His eyes widened at the sight of the falcon flying around the ice dragoness, the bird was flapping with its wings hectically, as if in some sort of vengeful prank while the girl was snarling at it, almost at the brink of letting out her whole boiling fury at the avian creature.

Hunter whistled.

With one last cry the falcon pushed away from the young female and landed on the cheetah's shoulder.

The feline looked at the dragoness apologetically, taking a mental note that she was back to her cold, beautiful self once more. Water was dripping from her still gleaming moist body and wings, the water erotically emphasizing every curve of her sleek, feminine, draconic silhouette.

She almost looked like an angel hurled from heaven that just clambered out of the river she fell into.

Almost.

If not for the mask.

"Keep that bird away from me or you'll be picking its feathers from between my teeth" Iris snapped, her peculiar accent filling each word with threatening venom

The bird cried out again, as if laughing.

Hunter dropped the piece of wood he was unconsciously working on, sheathed his danger and reached into a nearby bag dancing on his belt. He grabbed a handful of his birds favorite treat and offered it to the falcon on his opened palm. It began to peck at the food hungrily.

"Forgive me my lady, my mind was elsewhere" Hunter replied apologetically

She narrowed her eyes on the cat, in one quick annoyed move "I expect the best of you Kit until this is over"

"I'm afraid that it won't be possible. I'm still not used to the name you gave me and sometimes have troubles understanding its meaning"

Iris eyes shifted to the eating bird to stop at the feline once more "How long till we get there?"

Hunter looked into the distance, towards the spreading rainforest of Tall Plains "Fifteen minutes of normal pace"

The dragonesses eyes went up, towards the darkening sky that was barely visible through the thick leafy veil of the trees.

"You have five minutes to get ready"

The cheetah threw a quick glance at his shoulder, the falcon had its eyes already set on him. The moment their gazes met the bird threw his head up, let out one of his characteristic shrill screams and leapt into the air.

Hunter clapped his hands together several times, tiny crumbs of the bird's treat were falling from between his moving hands like shavings from the recently whittled piece of wood.

"We're ready right now"

"Good" she nodded towards the rainforest "Then let's go Kitten"

The cheetah immediately pushed from the tree and took the lead, after some steps a delicate smile crept over his lips.

Everything was clear after that.

They arrived at their destination in exactly fifteen minutes, just like Hunter said they would. Moments before they peeked from their greenish cover he signaled Iris to stop, feeling her anxiousness and irritation the moment he raised his clenched fist in the air.

Her impatient disapproval didn't matter to him right now, he remembered clearly that when he got here with Kane and the rest of the lamas this place was filled with scavengers. This goblin like creatures are called Murils if he remembers correctly, they feed on corpses, at least that's what the lamas told him and seemed pretty harmless besides that.

Yet he didn't want to take any risk, if a fight can be avoided then he will do everything in his power to make that happen. He remembered clearly that the creatures were quite skittish, especially when facing a loud noise.

Kane used a horn to scare them off, Hunter was certain that also a draconic roar would do the trick but he didn't want to use Iris to the dirty work, already familiar with her prideful way of being. Luckily for him he had another screamer in his team, that not only could scare the creatures off but also remain a safe distance from them.

The falcon dived through the leafy veil and began to cry at the top of its avian lungs. Hunter's ears immediately perked up underneath his hood, listening for even the tiniest sign of movement. His sensitive hearing picked up nothing, besides Iris' irritated growling at hearing the falcon's crying.

Satisfied that they are safe, Hunter whistled another specific tune and the bird darted straight up, pushing through the curtain of leafs like a hyperactive actor walking on scene.

The cheetah lowered his risen fist and pushed forward, slowly moving on bent knees, ready to crunch and unstrap his bow with the hand that was pressed to his back.

If he wouldn't be here earlier he would never guess that this particular spot was once drenched with blood. His scout's senses weren't picking anything that would tell him that a massacre happened him some time ago. As he looked around the place he silently admired the nature's work, it perfectly cleaned the stain on its greenish cloth, most likely using both flora and fauna as the perfect maids.

Seeing the nature work is one of the perks of being a scout.

He quietly pressed forward, more boldly this time, towards the tree from which he found Iris hanging upside down, with a spear jutting from her chest and blood dripping from the wound. He looked up, not even the slightest trace remained of her presence there, just like the tree cast out the bad experience of a dragoness at the brink of death dangling from its branches.

"We're here" Hunter announced cautiously

In fact he didn't have to tell her that, even if her mind didn't remember her body surely did, one quick glance at the female was enough to draw such assumption. She surely did see him looking up, she surely did read the unintentional signal, but she never moved, never examined the spot where she almost lost her life.

He sensed her anxiousness as he turned to watch her, but she still retained her cold demeanor.

"What now my lady?"

His bluish eyes widened for a second when he noticed her reaching for the tarnished amulet on her neck. The moment she clenched her paw around it delicately something very strange happened, the mask leaned back slightly and for that very brief moment Hunter saw Iris for what she truly is.

He saw a sad, broken girl, completely lost in an unfamiliar world, not certain of what to do next, filled with overwhelming fear and pain. Desperately needing protection, strength and hope.

"My lady?" his lips moved, he was surprised to hear a glum tone in his voice

She gasped faintly and her paw dropped to the ground, the mask moved to is natural place once more. She glared at him in such a way that he blushed slightly, it was like she was blaming him for his presence here, almost as if he would catch her undress.

"We wait" she snapped at him

And waited they did, in complete silence. It didn't bother Hunter at all, his time as a scout taught him what loneliness is and the way to fight it. Just for his own piece of mind he was making small rounds around their position, luckily finding nothing that could be of any danger to them.

Every now and then he threw quick glances at the dragoness who was standing completely still in one spot. She was clearly waiting for something to happen. Her whole body was tense, frozen in quiescent vigil.

Hunter knew the posture, she was waiting for some kind of signal, some characteristic sound or smell. She couldn't match him when comparing the sense of hearing, feline ears are way more sensitive than draconic earholes.

However his nose was no match for her sense of smell, if there would be someone out there she'll locate that person faster than he ever could.

Something about her behavior struck him as weird however, he couldn't really put his claw on it, but out of nowhere the bow on his back began to feel more heavy than usual.

"You've been a good servant Kit"

Her words surprised him, not the actual meaning behind them, but the fact that she spoke at all, it was enough to gain his attention fully.

Hunter bowed respectfully "I'm honored to hear that I've met your expectations"

He raised his gaze, the quiver on his back began to itch his fur as he met her cold, piercing eyes. They were stripped of all emotions, even of anger and hate, two feelings that are as inseparable from her as rain from dark clouds.

"You deserve some kind of reward"

The cheetah pushed one of his arms forward defensively and shook his head "There's no need for that"

"Know my generosity!" Iris snarled "This is not some pitiful gift you can throw away!"

Hunter's ears flattened on his skull in a display of meek repentance as he pressed his extended hand to his chest and bowed apologetically, his eyes obediently aiming at the green ground below.

"Of course my lady. What is my reward?"

"Swift and painless death"

His right ear perked up in surprise, his head impulsively tiled slightly upwards, so he could aim his dumbfounded blue eyes on the female.

"Pardon?"

The dragoness ran her claws along the grass, as if sharpening them on its greenish strands.

"Whatever will happen here has to remain a secret. It's nothing personal"

One of his hands practically invisibly ran underneath his cape, reaching his belt where his claws delicately danced on the handle of the dagger that was sheathed there.

"I ask you to reconsider your offer my lady. I am not your enemy, your secrets are of no interest to me or anyone else. Let's part ways without bloodshed, whatever horrors haunt you remained on the other side of the portal. I assure you"

"I can't take any chances"

"My lady p-"

"Enough!" iris growled irritated "Do you accept the offer or not?"

Hunter blinked and shook his head sadly "I cannot do that"

A puff of ice wafted from the dragonesses nostrils, she was clearly offended by the fact that the cat had the nerve to decline her generous offer. She impulsively bent on her paws.

"Agony awaits you then"

The cheetah shrugged without a word.

This gesture made her furious, the female instantly channeled her Ice element and parted her mouth, icy mist swirled within her opened mouth. Yet before she could unleash this cold, devastating power she noticed something pointy and sharp glistening in the air. It was a dagger, the cheetah hurled the blade at her with one swift motion of his hand.

With a gasp Iris dodged the incoming blade, ending the accumulation of her freezing power. The cheetah taking advantage of her deconcentration sprang up and sprinted towards the trees. She didn't really have the time to wonder if he missed or just didn't want to hurt her.

Iris leapt into the air, straight up, pushed her feathered wings backwards as far as they would go and then with one sharp motion flapped them forward. A huge mist of ice, almost the size of a small blizzard was sent at the trees ahead.

The air suddenly got really cold, Hunter peeked behind his shoulder and his eyes widened in shock instantly. A big icy fog was quickly heading his way, even from here he could feel it's cold, invisible daggers piercing his flesh through his fur. Luckily he was fast enough to reach one of the nearby trees and press his back to its huge brownish trunk.

The moment the blizzard reached the forest his ears were invaded by the peculiar cracking sound of ice pushing everything that lives and thrives into its cold and deadly embrace. He began to shiver, his teeth began to rattle and the only thing he wished from was to grab his cloak and wrap himself with it as tightly as possible, but he remained still, he couldn't give away his position that easily.

He was freezing here.

He felt like somebody would throw him naked into a tub filled with ice and no matter how he thrashed they would keep him underwater.

Momentarily everything in front of him was covered in a thick layer of frost, the leafs and branches stopped swaying in the air, even the delicate sounds of animals went silent. If he wouldn't know better he would say that a very severe winter just attacked.

However the trees that were in the front line met a more drastic fate. The trunk that he was hiding behind turned into ice completely, it no longer resembled a tree but some wicked huge icicle. Part of his cloak turned to ice as well and became part of the frozen tree without him even realizing it, the rest of his garment and fur were covered by freezing layers of frost.

He reached for his bow, the fingers on his hand cracked and snapped like the fingers of an awakening skeleton. The moment he curled his numb fingers on his cold bow a painful shiver ran through him. He didn't even get the time to hiss when suddenly he felt another wave of magical energy being accumulated, his instinct kicked in instantly, warning him of the incoming deadly danger.

Hunter unstrapped the bow and a single arrow with two painful, quick motions and jumped to the side, tearing his cape in half, part of it remained glued to the tree. A tree that exploded when a bolt of ice ran through the stuck cape, that would pierce him through if he would remain standing there.

The part through which the bolt flew through exploded, sending sharp shard flying in every direction, he grunted in anguish when some of those shard cut and got impaled in his still flying feline body. The upper part of the frozen trunk lacking any fundament fell down, straight into the remaining bottom side of the frozen tree. The impact was enough to turn the frozen trunk into bits, the crown of the tree and its turned to ice branches were pushed to the side after the impact. The whole crown tilted and hit the ground, breaking like some kind of jar pushed accidently from a table.

During this chaotic flinging of icy shards Hunter nocked the single arrow he retrieved from his quiver and aimed his bow at the dragoness. Seconds before his body hit the ground he sent the projectile flying at the female, aiming at her right angelic, flapping wing.

It made contact the moment the wing was fully extended, displaying its beauty in all its deadly glory.

A feminine yelp of pain echoed in the air when the arrow ran right through the soft wing, blood splattered as it pierced the feathered wing like somebody would hurl and smash a tomato on a wall. The short scream of pain filled Hunter's heart with so much pain that it completely silenced the burning ache from the cuts on his own body.

For a brief second a thought of giving up and end this fight right now crossed his mind. Better to die than to main such magnificent creatures, creatures which numbers dwindle day by day.

When the side of his head accidently bumped into a small rock his survival instinct kicked in once more. His feline eyes narrowed on the wavering dragoness in the air, struggling to remain in the sky after the unexpected strike. He had time to get away from this vulnerable position and charge her, she was low enough.

He might be a distance fighter, but so is she to some degree and who knows what else she has in her arsenal of magical strikes. He will die either way so at least he will go down swinging and give her some challenge. Hopefully he will use his speed and somehow change her mind about this whole thing.

As he pushed from the grass and began his sprint towards the dragoness he rubbed the yin-yang symbol reverently.

"Stay with me"

Iris' eyes widened for a second when she spotted the cat running in her direction, during which he threw his bow on his back. She prepared another magical attack but then the cheetah jumped, a gasp of surprise escaped her throat when she felt a strong tug on her tail that pushed her down and onto the ground. Her wounded wing unable to keep her hanging in the air without its strength at least partially recovered.

Such disgrace made her furious, she pushed her elemental energy towards her tail tip, it began to glow with bluish light. The cheetah had to feel the power circling through her tail since he quickly let it go and jump back, just in time to avoid a freezing pulse of energy shooting from her tail tip resembling a sharp ice spike that would stop his heart in a second and turn him into a snowcat.

He withdrew a dagger out of nowhere and rapidly slashed at her extended tail, draconic blood splattered on the grass from the stinging cut. Iris growled and turned towards the cat, slashing with her claws, there was a shrill cling when one of her claws met with the dagger's steel, a claw that if it wouldn't have been reflected would slice one of the main veins on the feline's hand.

He slashed at her once more but she managed to jump back and the moment the blade swung out of her eyes the dragoness craned her neck forward, clamping her razor sharp teeth on the cheetah's arm. However they didn't go far, she tasted his blood on her tongue but the armband he was wearing was thick and solid, it held back her teeth from fully and properly sinking into his flesh.

With the arm holding the dagger trapped in the female's maw the cheetah used his natural claws on his other hand to retaliate. He slashed and punched at her nose, deliberately not aiming at her eye. She snarled at him and put more strength into her clamping jaws, a powerful bolt of pain shot through his arm that almost made him drop on his knees, but she still couldn't get a proper grip on his arm so he kept on attacking.

His claws momentarily got disgustingly bloody as he slashed at the same spot over and over again, while occasionally punching her nose with all the strength he could muster. The strikes made her eyes water and blood began to push through her nose, eventually she realized that the pain wasn't worth the effort and released his arm.

When that happened the female used her tail to topple him down, he read her intentions and rolled forward, the icy tail swung below his legs. He felt her leaping at him from behind and this time he couldn't hold back the instinct that demanded that he fight till his opponent lies dead. With his back turned towards her in his crouching position Hunter gripped the handle of his dagger more tightly and with a growl extended his arm in a wide arc as he spun around.

Iris pushed her head back just in time to avoid the tip of the sharp blade, she could feel the delicate gust of wind it created on her neck scales. The cheetah pushed forward once more, creating some distance between them as she recovered from the dodge.

She growled and wanted to pounce on him once more but the image her eyes sighted behind the feline stopped her in her tracks.

Hunter eyes her cautiously, in the heat of battle not seeing the surprise grimacing her bloody snout as he was slowly making some steps backwards. One of those steps changed everything.

He tripped over something big, that wasn't here when he looked here first, with a grunt he fell on his back, the impact uncurled his fingers and the dagger slipped from his paw. As he looked at it he noticed something big slithering away with the corner of his eyes. Feeling something watching him Hunter looked up, just in time to see a big reddish paw heading his way.

The gasp that was escaping his throat ended abruptly when the big paw dropped on his chest, kicking the breath out of his lungs and trapping his head between massive, silvery claws. When he finally opened his shocked eyes, a scarred draconic head greeted him.

It was a male, pair of slanted gemlike eyes of the color of a fiery ruby were narrowed on him. The dragon had a big blocky head and quite a long nose, rows of quills dotted both its sides. His scales were that of fiery red, once he had two enormous horns sprouting from the top of his head but now only a rough, round base remained of the first one while the second was chipped like somebody wanted to sever it off with an axe. Winglike bony plates project from the back of his head that resemble huge ears. A mane of similar quills sprout between his horns.

The digits on his paws were yellow, almost gold, sprouting three long, sharp, almost metallic claws. The dragon's short, yet massive and muscular legs were encircled by gold spirals, that began wrapping his limbs from the base of his legs and towards his shoulders.

He has two gigantic, ragged-looking wings running from his shoulders, in the color of deep, purple wine, with intimidating big, hooklike extensions on their thumbs.

The dragon was cladded in heavy battle armor, it was so tarnished and broken that Hunter never remembered how it looked like after this encounter. It seemed old just like the dragon who was maybe slightly younger than the Guardians.

"What are you?" the dragon's voice was deep and low like his throat was hoarse, his voice didn't share Iris' odd accent. His breath reeked of blood.

The dragon eased his grip on the cat, Hunter drew a deep breath and began to cough convulsively.

"Hunter...a cheetah...scout from...the Dragon...City"

"Just kill him already uncle!" Iris shouted from behind

The scout noticed the dragon's huge tail moving, which was protected by the same armor his body was, from the cracks in it he noticed that his tail was embraced by the same yellowish spiral his legs were. What really caught his attention was the tip of his tail, which resembled a burning sickle. He used that tail to block the satin dragonesses advance.

"Calm your spirit Iris" he responded calmly, yet sternly

The female slapped his tail away from her bleeding nose "You've said yourself that nobody can see us together!"

The dragon was unmoved by her impudent behavior "Yes, but something is out of place here" he turned towards the pinned cheetah "What Dragon City you're talking about creature?"

Hunter shifted underneath the massive leg, as if looking for a more comfortable position. The dragon ignored his efforts.

"Warfang" he said after giving up " The capitol city of the Dragon Realms...to the south west"

"Dragon Realms?"

"We're in the future!" iris shouted impatiently as if pointing out the obvious, pawing off the blood running from the side of her snout 'We're in some different shitty world!"

The dragon averted his gaze thoughtfully "Hardly believable but it explains why I couldn't recognize my surroundings. However I don't understand how we got here in the first place"

"Through some stupid portal that showed up from nowhere!" she growled seeing that her efforts to take care of her bleeding wound were pointless. She looked at the big fiery dragon, her diamond eyes were burning with blame.

"Where were you? Why did you left me hanging on that stupid tree?"

A glimmer of surprise ran through his fiery eyes as he tilted his head backwards to look at the girl "I didn't know where were you. This...portal you speak of must have threw me somewhere else. You're lucky that I can recognize your magic from afar, otherwise we would have never met. However I'm proud of you that you remembered my teachings"

"Whatever"

His eyes once more landed on the cat "Cheetah tell me, how many dragons are in that city of yours?"

Hunter looked at him suspiciously.

He recognized the gaze "That didn't come out right, forgive me. It's been mostly me and Iris, we rarely seen our own kind"

"You're a friend then? I don't recall friends pinning their allies to the ground"

The dragon smiled weakly "Well said" he removed his paw from the cheetah's chest.

Hunter gasped for air.

Iris threw herself forward "What the hell are you doing?!"

"And what does it look like?"

The cheetah scrambled from the ground.

"if you won't kill him then I will"

The drake blocked her advance with his paw and narrowed her gaze on her "Nobody is killing anybody here. We need allies Iris, and you after all this running need some peace"

The girl snarled "I can take care of myself"

The dragon looked at Hunter "My name is Ignus, it's a pleasure to meet you"

The cheetah bowed "Likewise"

"You already met my niece. You have to forgive her temper, she's been through much lately"

Iris snorted disdainfully.

Hunter nodded as he began to pick up his belongings "it's understandable"

"Perhaps Hunter we can help each other out. If you take us to Warfang and offer shelter we can share our knowledge about our world and the danger it carries"

"No!" the dragoness protested "We're not going to that shithole!"

Ignus glared at her "We're going where I say young lady"

Hunter observed the two closely, Iris' fury was understandable, she hated taking orders and being pushed around in front of some stranger really hurts her pride. However her discomfort wasn't the thing that troubled him, something about the male dragon's...he didn't know what it was exactly.

"I can always take you there, but it's not mine decision to make. You seek an audiance with the Guardians"

The dragon nodded thankfully "You won't regret this"