FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 4

"Alright! I'll stay with her!" Amela jumped forward with a giggle at another delicate feeling of horns poking her lower back

She turned around, the walls of the corridor she was being pushed through flew before her eyes. She smiled at the young purple dragon ahead, waving her finger at him in a playful scolding manner.

"You're forcing me to go against my own rules darling"

Spyro stopped practically in front of her moving finger, the claw of which delicately grazed his nose.

It wasn't that gentle contact that made her hand press against her heart with an audible Awww. His eyes were the reason for that. They were huge and round, so begging and cute that they no longer resembled draconic eyes but seemed to belong to a purple eyed bunny like in some zootopian world.

Like that could be EVER possible.

"Amela please" he pleaded, voice almost heartbreaking "Just this once, this is very important"

With the unchanging kind smile she put her hands on her hips.

"Would you look at that. Not so long ago you could barely talk with me and now you're ordering me around. That's what I call progress!" she giggled

It didn't take him long to blush, in fact it didn't even last a second and he was already red as a fire dragon. She was afraid, and probably for a good reason, that if she would touch his cheek right now she would burn the fur on her hand.

"Can we..." he poked her again gently, this time on the legs"...go?"

She laughed and with a spin began walking down the hall, hands folded behind her back, each step slow and made in a crosswise fashion, each foot ahead of the last one, like in some sort of a special dance.

"You're rushing me like something happened" she said, head aimed up, swaying from side to side as she observed the ceiling above as if there was something fascinating about it

"Nothing happened!" he blurt out from behind her

"Ohhh I'm sure everything is just fine and in your deep overprotectiveness you want me to check on Cynder, just in case"

"Yes!" Spyro exclaimed excitedly, exactly in the moment when the last word left her lips, the echo of which still vibrated in the air if someone would listen closely

"This is EXACTLY what I have in mind!" he tried to sound as honest as possible, and in his opinion he did a very good job

In fact he didn't, but she already knew that.

A smile crept over her mouth, one of that youthful, playful devilry she occasionally missed.

"You know my rules after all regarding patient's rest. I'm certain you waited patiently as I asked in front of her room as to not disturb her. You're such a polite and dutiful boy after all"

The eyes of her aimed upwards face shifted to the corners of her eyelids, it was enough to spot the frame of the young purple dragon walking behind her. A frame that slowly disappeared with each made step, it was not her that sped up her walk, but it was Spyro who slowed down.

He had his gaze aimed on the floor, he was practically dragging his wings and tail behind him, the blush that covered his cheeks, which was weaker just some seconds ago, flared up once again with a fierce red color.

Shame wasn't the whole reason behind it, guilt also played its role very well.

"Amela I need...." He rubbed his leg shyly with a gulp "...to tell you something"

The healer turned around, the complete frame of the drake that pushed into the foreground of her vision. The smile disappeared from her face. He looked so beaten up that her conscience did not allow to continue her little parental game.

"I know darling, you don't have to say anything"

He looked up at her, his purple eyes seemed to calm a little, but not because the shame or guilt were gone. This duo was still here, their presence perhaps even more palpable than before. His eyes calmed because they no longer had to carry the weight of deception and secrets that just don't fit with him.

"You...do?" Spyro mumbled, his voice was hoarse as if he wouldn't be drinking anything for days

"I was joking" she scratched her earring with an ashamed wince "It tends to get the better of me sometimes, especially during the days when we successfully save all lives"

She nodded with an apologetic smile.

"So yes, I knew you wouldn't listen to me and honestly I didn't expect anything else from you"

"Oh"

She laughed "That's it? Oh? You have to be a true male if you want to be a partner to someone like Cynder"

Spyro looked at her in terror.

"Come on! Scold me for my behavior! You see me as hers mother-in- law after all, keep up with the cliché scenario!"

He cringed, looking even more miserable and ashamed than before.

"I...I don't want to..."

She giggled again "Relax Spyro, as I said I'm only joking, that, and you look absolutely adorable when embarrassed"

She spun around once more, playfully throwing her hand in the air "I can't control it, besides things can't be simple, just like you I have a protective nature" she winked

Spyro began following the healer, the moment the surface of his paw pressed against the somewhat cold tile of the hospital's floor she burst out in another laughter.

"Look at me" she spread her arms wide, making another turn, this time while still walking

He observed the cheetah with a shy smile.

"I don't remember when was the last time I was in such a good mood" she turned towards him, walking backwards she patted her chest, precisely her doctor's gown

"This is a very merciless profession darling, the last time I had to deal with wounds as serious as both our girls arrived with recently there was always at least one bed with a bloody sheet drawn across it. And now?"

Amela clapped her hands and spread them wide, her claw tips practically scratching against the walls on both sides.

"Everyone almost healthy or on a good way to recovery. Not a single fatal case! This is-"

"Watch out!" Spyro shouted suddenly, he was so focused on the cheetah that only now he realized that they were passing through an intersection.

It was too late. Two surprised grunts filled the hall, one belonged to Amela who fell on the ground on her side. Someone bumped into her from the opposite corridor. Spyro's whole attention was centered on the cheetah, his mind only barely recorded the features of their unexpected guest. All he could tell for now that the other victim is of draconic origin, malachite scales told him that.

Luckily the impact wasn't strong, Amela hit the ground with a painful groan of course, but before she collapsed she put both of her hands on the ground, dampening the impact.

"Are you hurt?" Spyro exclaimed, jumping towards the fallen cheetah

"I'm so very sorry" a low, guilty voice filled the hall, the body to which it belong to preceded him in assisting the healer

He made an impulsive step back, not wanting to be a nuisance, two in this situation already is a crowd. The stepping back had a perk however, he could accurately determine what kind of creature is the willing and guilty assistant.

A dragon. Just as he thought.

It was no wonder that Amela couldn't remain on her legs when he bumped into her, the dragon was massive. His age had nothing to do with it however, from the looks of it he was still fairly in his adulthood, that period of life makes him at least two times smaller than a fully grown dragon in his prime during adult age.

This particular dragon seemed to genetically rub off the well-worn paths of draconic evolution. Only the practiced eye of a fighter and his life unfortunately granted him that sight, could see that the dragon purposely advanced that process on his own. Such dedication required no doubt great determination and sacrifice. One could only wonder just what kind of goal the drake set before himself to develop his body in such a way.

Spyro caught himself admiring the dragon's well-formed muscles, not because of sexual attraction of course, but because of a deep rooted feral impulse of male rivalry, instinctively knowing that physical superiority grants the most attention.

The same instinct forced him to quickly evaluate his own physical condition, and as in every such inward examination the result was far from acceptable. In that brief moment everything that Sparx said about him, that he is girly looking and fat started to make sense.

Such revelations leave no room for objectivity.

Objectivity that would tell that minds of people, be it dragon, mole or cheetah, work in a strange way. Always pursuing something that is popular and by society considered beautiful, striving to be exactly like somebody else.

Failing to realize one simple and truly beautiful truth.

We are not the same.

"I don't know what I was thinking" the dragon lowered his head, letting the old cheetah drag her arm across his neck

Spyro kept staring at the drake, all those thoughts from earlier didn't matter no longer, this time his silent observation was motivated by something entirely different. He was certain that he saw the dragon somewhere, he seemed familiar, perhaps they met on the streets once or twice.

The longer he observed the dragon the more certain he became that this feeling of familiarity had nothing to do with eye contact weeks or months ago. There are many green scaled earth dragons. This familiarity was of different nature, he had no idea of what kind exactly, but he was sure he dealt with someone like that before already.

He wasn't certain if he liked that feeling.

"This is all my fault" Amela hissed through clenched teeth, supporting herself on the dragon's powerful neck as she rose on her legs

"Can you stand miss?" the helpful dragon asked worryingly

She giggled "Of course, I'm old but have enough strength to walk, yet" with a smile she removed her hand from the drake's neck and bowed gratefully

"Thank you for your help" she straightened up and when that happened an audible snap of bones could be heard

Amela hissed with a laugh as she pressed her hand to the back of her neck.

"Damn old bones, even the tiniest of cracks make my body feel like it was going through an earthquake"

She pointed her finger at the malachite dragon and then at Spyro.

"Remember to stay young as long as possible" she rubbed her neck for a while and then giggled once again "And if by any chance you'll figure out how to do that don't forget to call me"

Both males impulsively looked at each other. The earth dragon smiled friendly.

The smile was pleasant to look at, the grey eyes of the dragon were also sincere and sympathetic.

And yet, in that moment Spyro felt great dislike for the dragon.

Suddenly he remembered that he saw him flirting with Cynder once.

This was not the reason for the dislike however.

What was then?

Spyro returned the smile. At least as long as the dragon looked at him, when those grey eyes turned their attention off him the smile vanished from his snout.

"Are these yours?" Amela asked, crouching down

"Allow me!" The dragon interjected, placing his big paw between the cheetah and the object of interest on the ground

Spyro's eyes went down, noticing a bouquet of flowers on the floor, some lost a petal or two during the accident

"You suffered enough on my behalf already" the dragon said with a smile, clenching his paw on the flowers

The cheetah returned the smile "Who would have thought that my day will get even more better. I had one sweet boy around me and now I have two"

The malachite dragon smiled, flashing his pearl whites in such a way that it was hard to get eyes off his mouth, only by looking at his snout for a couple of seconds was enough for your own face to be influenced by it.

Exactly that thing happened to Amela. Both of them were smiling and chuckling. A typical, friendly, cute atmosphere.

Spyro couldn't bare it any longer.

Which was odd considering the fact that he is typical, friendly and even cute for some.

He couldn't help it. This atmosphere strangely made him sick.

He cleared his throat, the sound that emitted from his throat cut off the giggles and happy chatter like the fiercest riposte. Four eyes turned towards him, seemingly indifferent to his interruption, but in truth very well concealed under the layer of politeness. No wonder since the meaningful tone of his delicate cough was even for the deaf to hear.

Amela clapped her hands, the ears that flopped after his interruption straightened up again.

"It was a nice chat," she smiled at the malachite dragon with a gentle bow "but there is a matter that requires our attention"

"But of course!" the malachite drake threw his paw up defensively "Don't let me keep you"

The healer pressed her hand to her chest "Seeing politeness developed so beautifully in such a young soul always warms this old heart"

Spyro inconspicuously poked the cheetah with his claw, all the time wearing the mask, a very cracked one, of shared sympathy.

Luckily Amela took his hint, she started to walk, even if slower than he wished.

"You're not that old miss"

She laughed "Not old you say? And yet you call me miss"

With a barely audible grunt of irritation Spyro once more gently poked the cheetah. Their walk again returned to the unbearable slow pace.

The cheetah waved at the dragon without turning around.

"If you'll ever need me look for Amela"

"I will. It was nice to meet you Amela and you too our Savior"

Spyro for unknown reasons shivered, he did know why but he felt like a caught thief who wanted to sneak his way out of harm's way.

"Like-"

He ended abruptly, the mouth that was forming the words was left hanging open, tongue rolled down his lower lip, eyes that wanted to focus on the malachite dragon shifted their attention elsewhere, past the dragon.

He spotted some new visitors.

Moles. A pair of them.

He had no idea why these two particular moles were more interesting than the other people walking the halls of the hospital, but for some unknown reason he couldn't get his eyes off them.

They were walking...

"Wow Spyro! They're walking! Sue them!" he heard his own voice inwardly mocking him

...walking down the corridor the big dragon currently occupied.

Everything seemed to be weird about these two moles. For starters they were walking the same corridor as the dragon, their walk alone seemed to be weird. It was like some invisible paw would be pushing them forward, making them shuffle forward, practically dragging their legs across the floor instead of raising them to make a step. As if they were blind.

"Those are moles Spyro! Moles! They are practically blind! And due to this state they decided to travel through the corridor the dragon actually walked. Like...like...many people before them!"

Their helmets were also weird, too big for their heads, almost blocking their eyes.

"Like you are a fashion expert! You paid so muuuuch attention to how the moles dress in the past after all!"

Goggles were weird too, this ones seemed to be too small in fact, erratically dragged across their snouts, as if the eyes weren't located in the middle of the skull at both sides, but rather in random direction, like a genetically shaped into the skull strabismus.

"Moles are miners! Workers! They do not care about outside appearance, technology and hard work is all that matters. These two look like they had just left a construction site!"

The two rodents started to move past him, their noses aimed in the same direction, they didn't even care about his purple eyes following them constantly.

"You're staring at normal people like some kind of murderer! They should be the ones bothered by your looks!"

He couldn't take it any longer, he had to gain their attention. He might have done that if not for the malachite dragon appearing in front of his vision, removing the little rodents from his sight. He craned his neck from left to right, from up to down but the big draconic body seemed to follow his every move. Slowly and deliberately.

"People have their own lives! It is you who stand and stare like an idiot when you should be walking! Goodbyes were already said!"

The malachite dragon eventually moved out of his line of sight. The moles were no longer there.

He turned his head hectically from side to side, spotting the rodents walking farther ahead, traveling the corridor as they were since he first spotted them. Their path was unchanged and straight as an arrow, not even the tiniest sway in their motions could be seen, as if they would be pulled by an invisible string or hypnotized to walk as emotionless machines.

"Look whose talking! Like you are an example of normality!"

"Spyro? Darling?"

He woke up from his trance with a fierce shake of his head, all of his attention was momentarily dragged in the direction of the incoming, familiar feminine voice.

Amela. And she was quite the distance away from him.

The cheetah smiled at him "Did you forget that you were making sure I reach Cynder? Quickly I might add?"

"No..." he uttered "...I..." he turned around once more, scanning the intertwining corridors once again

Besides some random people and a big green tail of a dragon disappearing behind the corner the pair of moles was nowhere to be seen.

"...didn't" he turned his body again, head cocked slightly, eyes frowning thoughtfully

The hand that was playing with the earring dropped to her side, concern took control of her expression.

"What's the matter?"

Spyro looked behind his shoulder once more, eyes aimed on the wall ahead where shadows of people passing by floated across the stone like clouds on the sky, rippled only by the dancing flames of torches.

Only one shadow, the size of him, didn't follow in the wake of all the others, its gloomy features were wobbling on the wall, it was remaining there idly, just like he was.

It was his shadow.

It was fascinating to look at it, not because he didn't see it earlier, but because of the nagging uncertainty if he is really looking at the dark reflection of himself. That thought was only intensified by the fact that another shadow, a tendril, sprouted from the original shadow's chest and dragged itself across the wall, pointing down the corridor as some ominous finger.

A quick flash of enlightenment flew across his head.

The moles went that way.

"Did my company tire you?"

The sound of the hurt voice made him blink, when he opened his eyes anew the shadow ahead was back to its normal self.

Just like it always have been.

That is his shadow after all.

The tendril he saw had to be a simple illusion, perhaps someone dragged something across the torchlight.

If that is the case then where was the shadow of that person?

"Of course not Amela!" he blurt out sincerely, almost deliberately forgetting about all this creepy encounter and imagined shadows

Almost.

If not for the nagging feeling that he has seen all of this once before.

And it was not a joyful thought.

Her ears flattened on her skull, she nervously started picking at her earring "And yet you're still standing in place"

He opened his mouth, ready to voice another apologetic excuse, but nothing came out of his throat. Instead his eyes went down, towards his paws, claws of which were curled into hooks, as if they wanted to dig through the floor and anchor him to the ground.

It was clear as day that where the old healer is going is not his current destination.

He aimed his determined gaze at the cheetah.

"You'll find your way to Cynder's room?"

She flinched at the question, at first he had no idea what caused her to react like that, but after a couple of seconds he heard the echo of his own voice vibrating inside his head. The rough, unpleasant tone of it.

Commanding even.

Spyro cleared his throat "I mean..." he looked at her pleadingly "...please Amela? Can you go to Cynder's room? No detours? I have something I need to do"

The cheetah folded her arms behind her back and nodded, the sadness in the motion was practically palpable.

"As you wish"

"Thank you!" he exclaimed gratefully and immediately turned around, only when he was about to round the nearby corner he stopped

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you Amela, it has nothing to do with you I swear! I just...need to check something. I'll be back in a minute!"

The cheetah commented his words with a simple smile before turning around and continuing on her way. The way she walked really resembled him of the moles.

Lifeless.

He rounded the corner, quickly walking down the corridor the moles went. He didn't see the rodents, nor did he see any strange shadows on the walls.

Just like he didn't see a malachite dragon returning to the place of the accident, he didn't see the drake throwing the bouquet out of the window, nor did he see the dragon heading exactly along the same path Amela went.

*

Four delicate knocks on the door forced her eyes open.

Pulling back from her half-asleep state she raised her head from her crossed on the bed front paws and looked at the door. It was an impulse, lately when she fell asleep strange things happened, she instinctively wanted to know that she didn't imagine the sound,

Another two gentle knocks.

"Come in!" Cynder exclaimed happily, even before the door opened fully she already knew who is on the other side

With a smile that she so greatly adored Amela entered the room.

She began pulling herself up from the bed.

"No" the cheetah said firmly as she raised her hand, palm opened in a clear signal of stop "Don't get up"

The dragoness obliged without a word of protest.

The smile returned to the healer's face.

"How are you feeling Sweetheart?"

"Better now"

With a nod Amela closed the door.

Cynder's eyes widened as she looked past the cheetah and at the door like they were some kind of portal to another dimension. She noticed a shadow filling the crack underneath the door some seconds later, as if someone was on the other side and soon will open the door and enter the room.

The shadow was still there and yet the door remained closed.

Seems like it's not a person that causes this change of light after all.

She aimed her surprised gaze at the cheetah.

"Spyro isn't with you?"

The feline's arms slumped down in front of her chest, one hand landed on top another, rubbing it bashfully.

The kind smile she usually wore like favorite jewelry wavered, stretching and shrinking simultaneously as if someone would be playing with a string.

"I might have overstepped my bounds"

Cynder's brow raised in reaction to Amela's revelation.

"What do you mean?"

The healer chuckled, in shame turning her head to the side.

"Seems like my good mood is toxic"

"That's not true! You always cheer me up, when you're happy it's like you're a different person, even better than your usual nice self. Like...like..."

Amela cackled.

"Like I would be young again?"

Cynder let out an amused sigh as she gently narrowed her emerald eyes on the feline.

"That's not what I meant. You aren't old Amela"

The ears on her head, bent like a pair of withered flowers straightened back again.

"I realize now my mistake"

The cheetah approached the window, looking at the terrain outside, her shoulders raised and lowered in accordance with her deep sigh.

"I made a stupid false assumption that I have the same influence on both of you. Even if I noticed that I intimidate Spyro slightly I still allowed my self-control to take a hike as you youngsters say. Even if you were right that he looks adorable when embarrassed I believe I crossed the line"

Cynder giggled "Really? You tested it?"

"I think I did and I scared him off"

She snorted in amusement "Yeah, that sounds like Spyro. Don't worry, he'll come around"

Amela tapped her claw on the glass.

"I'm not sure about that, I think he's a little mad at me"

The dragoness eyed the cheetah curiously, as she stood there, in the morning light, Cynder with the eye of her imagination could see every wave of emotion wafting from the feline, as some sort of aura. Amela seemed somber and she felt every strand of that sensation, as if every feeling coursing through Amela was of the same importance and size as hers. As the emotions thudded through the air she felt every rumble those emotions created when they eventually reached her, pushing her into the same somber mood.

As the two of them were the first and last of a series of swinging spheres of a very special cradle.

"Spyro can't be mad at you" Cynder replied warmly "He adores you"

"Maybe I'm really exaggerating?" she shrugged "When he ran off with I need to check something excuse I thought I hurt him. And pain is something that I swore I will never again sow. I became a healer for a reason"

"It all makes sense now, I can assure you that Spyro's reaction had nothing to do with you" Cynder gently scratched the sheets "It's my fault, I asked him to take a look at something for me and you can guess how crazy he gets when he tries to help me"

Amela nodded with her eyes closed, the loving, kind smile appeared on her face

"You can't blame him. He loves you dearly"

She impulsively reached down her magenta chest where she felt the beat of her heart, so suddenly warm, slightly nervous perhaps but at the same time proud and unafraid.

"You know?" she asked, even if deep down she already knew the answer, it became clear the last time they talked

The healer laughed, fondling the earring as she slowly made her way to the bed.

"Spyro told me it was supposed to be your secret, but..." she shrugged with a smile as she sat on the edge of the bed, right next to the two black paws

Cynder instinctively crawled forward, lining her snout with the cheetah's face.

"...he can't hide it. No matter how hard he tries" she tapped her claw against her face twice, just below the right eye

"We girls can see things like that. Don't blame him"

She chuckled, for a moment aiming her shimmering, emerald gaze on the bed, mildly abashed by the situation.

"I don't. I'm kinda glad you know. I hate having secrets from people close to me" she looked up, straight in the feline's kind eyes

"And I consider you one of the closest I have"

"Really? You flatter me"

"Oh? Then wait till I finish" Cynder found the feline's hand on the bed and clenched her paw gently against it

The furry hand remained in place.

"Know that if you run away you'll break my heart and will cause a great deal of pain. Remember what you said about pain"

"Using my own weapon to kill me are we?" Amela commented with an amused snicker before placing her other hand on top of the soft, scaly black paw. Nothing remained of the ironic grin as she looked into the dragonesses emerald eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere Sweetheart"

The young draconic girl smiled and in that moment Amela realized that this was the most beautiful and grateful smile she has ever seen in her life.

The scar above her right eye started to burn suddenly when she ran her finger along one of the draconic silver claws. The old wound was practically screaming at her, demanding to know what she was doing, cursing her for her actions. Amela with great difficulty fought the urge to scratch the itching scar and grant it the attention it wanted.

She ignored it instead, like many other things in the past, fearing that if she would touch it she will remember how it was to be the person she used to be. She didn't sacrifice her identity to walk that path again, she was no longer the cheetah she used to be.

She changed, like the sweet girl in front of her changed.

She realized that a long time ago, now she only became more certain of it. She felt a peculiar pull and attachment to this young girl, for her, of all creatures walking this world.

The cheetah she once was is no more and there is no possibility of a comeback.

Not after this.

And she was thrilled about it.

"You're like a mother to me" Cynder said, she averted her gaze the moment the confession came out, for a moment losing all of her natural confidence. She wasn't the type that holds back her tongue, she always speaks what's on her mind

With an exception or two.

That thought build her courage back up, she suffered enough because of unspoken feelings, she won't repeat the same mistake. However her confidence didn't return to the same natural level, she impulsively bit on her lower lip as to prevent her bravery from shrinking again and looked at the cheetah with scared, huge eyes. Expecting the healer to sprint across the room any second now, not towards the door, but the window.

Amela remained in place. For now. Perhaps processing the information in her own way, or most likely mumbling a silent prayer for all of this being only a nightmare from which she soon wakes up.

The furry hand slid from the top of her paw. Followed by the other one from the bottom.

Here it comes.

The cheetah's body moved ever so gently, for Cynder however it seemed like an eternity. Her eyes only grew in terror with every delicate shake of fur and material. She could see even the smallest waves of vibration in the air the clothes and fur created. This is most likely how Spyro feels when using his Time powers.

She hated it.

Amela leaned forward cupping her black head in both hands.

The moment the hands touched her cheeks a one very crazy thought flew across her head.

"Headbutt! She's going to headbutt me!"

The world swirled in front of her eyes for a moment, but not because of a smack to the head, but a kiss. Soft and so deeply caring.

"I love you too" Amela whispered as she gently let go off the dragonesses head and looked into her eyes

The green, draconic orbs were shaking and glowing like a pair of genuine emeralds. The shimmer, beautiful to look at, was getting more intense by the second. She knew that it was not the natural sparkle of eyes that created a gleaming effect like that, such glow could only be achieved through tears.

And many of them were filling Cynder's eyes.

"Oh no Sweetheart" Amela huffed lovingly, delicately grabbing the girl's head and pressing it to her breast

"Don't cry" she whispered, gently rocking back and forth

"Too late" Cynder tried to chuckle but her attempt resembled a snort like sob

"Shhh" Amela cradled the dragoness firmer, petting the back of her head gently. A burning, familiar sensation was filling her closed eyes

"Careful or I'll start crying too" a salty tear slid from her closed right eyelid and made its way down her dry, wrinkled face

"Quickly" the dragoness let out another overjoyed, shaky sob "Let's change topic b-before I'll l-lose control"

"Very wise" Amela pulled back from the embrace with a sniffle, one hand swiftly ran across her moist, feline eyes.

"Let's c-check your w-wounds" she sniffled again as she bounced on the bed slightly farther to line herself with the dragonesses wounded body. Only her calves and feet dangled from the edge of the mattress

"Yes. Ok" Cynder blurt out with a shaky voice while rubbing her eyes, straightening her body and looking away, aiming her gaze anywhere but not at the cheetah

The moment the healer touched the black bandaged body a strong shiver ran along the draconic silhouette only to end with the dragoness covering her mouth, holding back a sob.

"You're fine" Amela announced with an emotional, barely audible voice while fiercely pulling away as if the body ahead electrocuted her

"H-how's..." Cynder mumbled throwing her head up, tears were soaking her snout, flowing from underneath her tightly closed eyelids like blood from a recent cut "...Iris d-doing?" she licked her wavering lips, feeling the salty taste of tears on them

The cheetah put her hands together, with claws pointing upwards she pressed them to her nose.

"S-she can't eat n-normal food" she said quietly as if she wouldn't be talking but praying "Vomits e-every time. Body a-accepts only liquids. S-she will l-live"

"G-good" Cynder whimpered

Both females went silent after that, at least when it came to talking, since all the other weeping and sobbing sounds seemed to get worse.

"A-Amela?" the dragoness finally mumbled with a squeaky tone, her chin now shook beyond any control "It d-didn't help"

The cheetah chuckled, or at least tried to, a weeping, happy snort was all that her throat managed to emit.

"I k-know"

Cynder finally turned towards the healer, meeting her tear filled gaze with her own.

The cheetah sniffed once more and spread her arms wide open.

"Come here"

She didn't have to tell her twice, in a moment's notice Cynder curled herself into the feline's warm body, only to be locked within a loving embrace soon after.

Both females began to cry. Sincerely and affectionately.

Everything was how it was meant to be, be it the relation between the two of them or the fact that the light greeted the bond they created with all its glory.

Even through the crack underneath the door.

*

Two moles.

I'm chasing after two moles!

With each click his claws made when his paws touched the floor one after the other, he still couldn't believe what he was doing.

And yet he never slowed down.

He couldn't rely on his nose, it didn't stink in the hospital, but the peculiar and rather heavy smell of medicine mixed with sweat, detergents and who knows what else, made it quite difficult to pinpoint the right direction by smell.

However deep down he knew where he was going. Not because of intuition whispering silent words of directions like the most quiet of guides. Something else led him, the flickering shadows on the seemed to be always ahead of him, their forms rippled and unsolid, constantly shifting as if unable to decide whose reflection to depict.

These corridors were like a part of a deliberately constructed maze, he had been here already a couple of times, but it seemed like now he is finally learning the construction idea of this building. He never believed the hospital was SO big.

The thought was both relaxing and frightening.

Warfang seems to have enough healing staff to take care of lots of patients. That the city actually needed so many beds and healers was the scary part.

He couldn't shake off the feeling that no matter if he catches up with the moles or not, healers will get more work to do anyway. He sensed that his actions will have more impact on the beds, will help deciding which to use.

The ones heading to the operation table or the catacombs.

He finally caught up with the two rodents, completely ignoring that he was slightly panting, or that people were giving him weird looks. Seeing a purple dragon running through the halls like crazy wasn't a common sight after all.

Did I really ran?

Solving that mystery was unimportant right now, his whole focus was concentrated on the pair of moles who were standing in front of a door, a resting room like Cynder's. They looked like they were trying to remember how to operate the handle.

Good work detective.

It seems they are visiting someone and are most likely thinking about what to say. Preparing a surprise perhaps, going against Amela's rules had a special, intimidating charm to it.

His eyes focused on the door, a curious frown appeared on his snout. His head turned from side to side, examining one side of the hall than the other.

He had been here already, not so long go in fact. It all looked so very familiar.

Didn't they bring Iris here?

The sound of opening door brought him back to his senses, he recognized that noise instantly. It was definitely where they brought Iris. He never believed he would remember such a detail, especially during the circumstances that occurred when he was here before. Back then he was too busy running after the healers that were transporting Cynder when he dragged her here from the training grounds.

For some reason it came back to him and he wasn't the type that usually questions his intuition, especially now when he got here following....

What exactly?

For a brief moment his eyes scanned the walls, but there was nothing on them, only his own dark reflection. This time he was certain of it.

The decision on how to proceed from here is on his shoulders alone.

He didn't owe Iris nothing, she deserved every bit of crap Fate has in store for her after what she has done. He stared at the slowly closing door, the gentle creaking sound they were making was like nothing he had ever heard before. He could swear they were talking, screaming even, voicing only one word over and over again.

"Hypocrite! Hypocrite! Hypocrite!"

Who gave you the right to decide who deserves saving?

The door closed.

He once again stood before the opening portal to the Dark Master's prison.

Spyro rushed forward, basically jumping at the door, pushing the handle so forcefully down that he heard metal screeching agonizingly, there was also the sound of snapping wood. When his paw released the handle the simple mechanism never returned to its original place.

The door flung open releasing a rumbling thud through the opening, so much similar to the noise of a body dropping on the floor.

When he barged into the room everything slowed down.

The two moles had their backs turned to him, one was already circling the bed, both had their right arms extended, holding something in their claws. The second moved to the side, revealing the bed fully.

The bed was a disaster, the sheets were dragged across the whole length of the crunched mattress, only to flow down from the opposite side, like somebody rolled across the bed and dragged the sheets with him.

Only the pillow remained.

And it had two small crossbow bolts sticking out of it.

Spyro's eyes widened when suddenly a bluish feathery wing rose from behind the bed on the far end. The first mole that was circling the bed had already his arm pointed down, together with the device in his hand.

It was a crossbow, a small one, special device of the moles, perfect for their frail muscled race. The bolt, with something green dripping from the tip was ready to be fired.

Without thinking Spyro channeled his Time powers and slowed down the world, exactly in the moment when the crossbow's string was set loose, filling the practically frozen world with an unending, constantly pulsing noise of a snapping rubber band.

He charged forward, shoving his flank into the first rodent, sending his body slowly flying at the nearby nightstand. As he ran past the rodent he used his tail to snatch the weapon from the attacker's claws.

The grip on the weapon was strong however, far exceeding his expectations, not to mention that he would never believe that a mole could be so strong.

The weapon didn't fall from the rodent's tight grip, however the blow was strong enough to yank the hand away from its supposed victim. It has to do for the time being.

He went for the other unbelievable assassin, ramming his body into the rodent, feeling dead weight being sluggishly raised from the ground on impact. He then focused on the weapon, jerking his body up, putting his paws together and slamming the doubled fist into the extended crossbow. He noticed the claws unclenching themselves, a visible crack appeared on the weapon, the tip of which slowly spun towards the ground.

He then focused on the mole anew, grabbing the small creature and hurling it towards the door through which he recently entered.

By that time the world started to speed up, without wasting any more valuable time he rushed towards the first fallen mole. Punching him in the face to dazzle him, Spyro could see every drop of spit shooting from the rodent's shaking face.

He tore the crossbow from the mole's hand and flickered it behind him, out of reach before he grabbed the would be murderer and flung him in the same direction as his other friend.

Everything returned to normal till then.

A couple of chaotic thuds could be heard when finally the sound caught up with everything that happened. All of those sounds were nothing compared to the noise the door made when they were torn from their hinges by the two small bodies flying through the doorstep and onto the corridor.

Spyro turned towards them, sinking down on his legs, adopting a defensive stance.

"You're not touching her" he snarled

The thrown moles were back on their feet in an instant. A throw that was strong enough to break such small creatures like them in half if they would be really unlucky didn't seem to have any impact on them. They got up like nothing happened, just like they would slip on a banana skin instead of being thrown by a dragon.

The moles advanced straight at him without hesitation.

Spyro licked his lips anxiously, seems the role of an intimidating dragon got him only so far.

"Stop" he warned the rodents, trying to sound as confident as he could manage

They did not stop, in fact they seemed to pay him no attention, their eyes were focused on the bed, or more likely on the dragoness behind it, it didn't matter that you couldn't really see her from here. Their eyes were already absent to begin with.

He definitely saw something like that before. The two of them really reminded him of one specific hermit.

"Hey!" Spyro advanced, pressing his paw against the chest of one of the moles, the other walked simply past him

"Stop" he repeated, blocking the other rodent with his tail

Physical attempt to halt their advance was also futile exactly like words of wisdom. The rodents kept on pressing on, pushing through his blockade.

Eventually they succeeded, the mole held back by his tail was the first who broke through. Spyro noticing him reaching behind his worker's outfit as he approached the end of the bed.

"Wait!" Spyro growled, jumping after the rodent

He never got the chance to reach him since suddenly the familiar sound of snapping rubber band was heard, followed by a wet crack. Spyro gasped, seeing the mole freeze on the spot, body ravaged by one final spasm. He had a small crossbow bolt sticking out of his forehead, delicate streams of some green liquid started to flow from the edges of the recently made hole.

The body of the mole, thrown back by the force of the impact fell numbly on its back.

The rodent was dead even before his back touched the floor.

Spyro turned his head, noticing Iris holding the recently fired crossbow in her shaky, weak paw. The weapon slipped from her claws seconds later, her diamond, piercing eyes were aimed arrogantly at him.

He turned away from her, knowing that there was no point to argue about the value of life. Her eyes were obviously showing that she didn't care about things like that.

The second mole was practically in front of his nose, hand already holding another crossbow, the rodent wasn't even shaken by the death of his friend.

Spyro deliberately threw away any chance for reasoning, instead deciding on a harsher action to save the mole's life. He charged his Electricity powers, creating a shocking orb around himself and grabbed the mole.

The rodent's body began to shake violently, the initial shock, instead of paralyzing forced the mole's limbs into a chaotic, powerful spasm. He didn't even scream when his mouth opened, in fact he didn't make any other sound.

Spyro noticed that the mole had no tongue.

The dragon hissed when the claws on the mole's other hand, flung by the shock, scratched his shoulder. The mole kept on going, only after Spyro got accidentally struck by the small assassin the mole finally stopped.

Suddenly something changed in the rodent, eyes no longer were blindly aimed at the wounded Iris, but shifted towards him, even despite the fact that the mole was constantly shocked by electric pulses the hand holding the crossbow began to rise.

Driven by instinct Spyro cut off his elemental energy and jumped to the side, gluing himself to the wall.

Somewhere during his leap a bolt was released, the deadly projectile flew across the air only to shatter on the wall in the far end of the room.

He finally got a good glimpse of the eyes. They were mad and lost at the same time.

Exactly like the eyes of the hermit.

Exactly like the spark he once noticed in Brill's gaze.

"Stop it!" Spyro yelled, seeing as the mole was preparing another projectile

"You have no enemies here!"

The rodent kept staring at him, while hands kept working on the weapon. His lips were moving, but no sound was coming out of his throat. In that moment Spyro realized that the mole has probably more things severed than just the tongue.

"Lis-"

His voice of protest was cut off suddenly by droplets of blood splashing on his snout. When he opened his eyes he noticed a bolt sticking out from the side of the mole's head, face frozen in mad expression. The weapon he was holding clattered on the ground soon followed by the rodent's lifeless body.

With his mouth hanging open Spyro looked to the side, on Iris who crawled from her hiding place, sprawled on the floor like a dying fish, holding the second crossbow of the earlier fallen mole.

Just like before the weapon didn't remain long in her paw.

"We're even" she rasped, her voice barely audible, but still carrying the same authoritative, cold tone. She was holding her head aloft with great difficulty

He stared at her for a while, completely dumbfounded, however the longer he stared into her eyes the earlier confusion was slowly replaced by raw fury.

"You didn't have to kill them!" he roared as he dashed towards her, his head pulsing, not really knowing what he wanted to do

Even despite the obvious fading strength she didn't lose eye contact.

"I wanted to and I did"

"Just like you wanted to kill Cynder?!" he roared again, practically straight in her snout

He felt his own breath colliding with her scales like waves with rocks and yet she didn't even blink.

"Yes"

Spyro clenched his paw, with last ounces of will preventing himself from hitting her he believed.

"I should have let them k-"

Once more he didn't finish his sentence, now stopped by the sight of blood behind the dragonesses body. Her bandages adopted a thick, dark red hue, the wounds had to open when she forcefully jerked her body off the bed, or during the impact with the floor. She was bleeding badly and yet she still dragged her body, leaving a trail of blood behind her, to kill that mole.

Whether she did it out of gratitude or not didn't matter now.

One thing was for certain.

It had to hurt a lot.

Spyro's expression softened.

"You're bleeding. Badly"

Not waiting for her response he gently began to circle her around, getting ready to lift her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Goldie?" she hissed at him

"Taking you to a healer. Who knows in what those bolts were dipped. That stuff is all over the place"

He clenched his paws on her shoulders.

"Don't touch me!"

"I want to and I will"

He lifted her up, making sure to slid underneath her. With the support of his wings and calculated moves of the rest of his body he flung her across his back.

She grunted something, but he didn't care, instead started to walk out of the room.

"Wait!" Iris dug her claws into his flank to gain his attention and pointed at the bed

"Go there"

"I won't-"

She drove her claws deeper.

Spyro groaned painfully.

"Now" she added

With a sigh he approached the bed, Iris tore the mattress apart, not wasting time to lift it up. After a short while she retrieved a broken, tarnished medallion.

"Go"

He rolled his eyes.

"I don't know why I willingly let myself to become your mule"

He left the room, carrying the bleeding dragoness on his back, not knowing that on his way out he passed through an invisible projection of a injured brown eyed dragon with shadows twirling from underneath his paws, who observed the dead moles with his head cocked to the side.

And tail wagging nervously.