Welcome back, we have a special treat for you today. Here is the next part of The Stars are Calling. Ain't got much to say, so Enjoy! R&R!

Heartbroken

Spyro awoke with a start after his dream, feeling his ice powers flowing through him once more. He glanced out of their small shelter and noticed the sun rising just over the horizon, shooting radiant colors off into the morning sky. The purple dragon smiles at the sight and gently nudges Cynder, waking her with a few soft words.

"Cynder, wake up. Look at this." The black dragoness groaned once and lifted her head, gazing out at the beautiful spectacle of nature laid out before them.

"It's so pretty…." Cynder smiled as well, resting her head against Spyro's chest just underneath his chin. She sighs and closes her eyes, listening to her love's heartbeat.

Another groan sounded from beside them and Lucresi stood to her paws, stretching out her stiff muscles. She cast a glare at the two dragons, rolling her shoulders and arching her back to rid them of tension. Spyro glanced sideways and caught her glare, confusion trickling in through his happiness. But as soon as he had merely glimpsed the stare, it vanished, Lucresi's expression turning neutral again. She strode out of the hollowed out tree and turned back to them.

"We should keep going; we need to cover as much ground as possible." She spread her wings for emphasis.

Spyro nodded and Cynder moved out from beside him, both unfurling their wings and bringing them down in a cloud of dust. Lucresi followed them and they were once again flying over the wilderness, the two younger dragons enjoying the total freedom of their flight.

As they flew, Lucresi's thoughts turned to Drifton. Why did he save me if he is in love with Cynder? It doesn't make sense to me. The only way is if… she shook her head. No…he isn't. I'm sure.

Spyro flew over to her when he saw her distant stare and asked her, "Is everything alright, Lucresi?"

The earth dragoness chased her thoughts away and forced a smile, trying to fool the purple dragon. "I'm fine, Spyro, thanks for asking!" she kept her strange smile plastered over her features and Spyro looked at her oddly.

"Whatever you say Lucresi…" He veered back to converse with Cynder.

Lucresi sighed, turning back to face in front of her. The trees rushed past beneath her and she summoned her earth powers to see if she couldn't sense anything hidden in the dense foliage. But nothing other than the occasional woodland critter came into her spectrum of sense. She continued this surveillance for many hours, trying to locate a place that could possibly hold the lightning dragon they were searching for, but to no avail. There was nothing to be found within her range, and as they moved onwards, still nothing came to her attention.

Hours flew by and they found nothing out of the ordinary, coming across a small village inhabited by moles, but nothing out of place for their location.

As the sun kissed the far off horizon, Cynder felt her limbs grow heavy and she began to lose altitude in her weariness. Spyro dropped to her side and placed his wing under her, holding her up as they glided down to the forest floor. Lucresi joined them against a tall tree and they fell asleep gathered around each other.

From within the shadows of the ancient forest, a pair of dark emerald eyes settled upon the trio, a smile coming to their owner's face.

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Drifton sat on the cold stone floor, the familiar dull ache of old pain lying within his limbs. He had been left alone for quite some time now, Spyro having not shown his face in the dark yellow dragon's cell for quite some time now. Drifton slid to his belly, trying to find a comfortable position after he was so rudely awakened from his rest by a pair of apes wielding their strange metal weapons, leaving him with a fresh set of gashes and cuts. But no comfort came, only a fresh wave of hurt from the snapped bone in his front leg. A grimace overcame his features and he closed his eyes, trying to block out the feeling. Whispers came to his ears, the sounds of his thoughts taking a physical form in his misery. A particularly dark voice broke through the muddle.

It's never going to stop, Drifton. No one's coming for you, they have abandoned you.

The malevolent voice sent fear lancing down Drifton's spine, chilling his nerves with the cold sense of fear. He withdrew his thoughts and let the other whispers drown out the evil sound. His eyelids clenched tighter against themselves as he heard the door to his cell open, and a chill wind breezed in, heavy with the familiar scent of dragon. But his mind grew confused. It was different, altered from that of Spyro's the many times that the purple dragon had entered in that very manner. But this was changed, somewhat…. enticing, to the lightning dragon.

He wrenched his eyes open to a sight that brought his entire body statue still. Standing in the doorway, was none other than the dragoness he found his mind drifting towards during his few glorious moments without pain.

He exhaled in shock, a single word leaving his parted lips with the breath. "Cynder…?" He gazed at the black dragoness with his eyes wide in disbelief.

She strode forward, her tail swaying back and forth with her scythe blade flashing in the miniscule light provided by two small flames burning in ceramic pots on either side of the door. No apes were to bee seen.

Drifton's heart leapt. Had she come here to rescue him? Had she finally realized that he loved her? He hobbled forward until the chains prevented him from moving any farther. "Cynder I knew-" his words were cut off by her tail blade swiping across his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood from the shallow wound. A tear sprang to his eye with the sting of the blow going beyond that of physical pain, driving the icy dagger of desertion deep into his heart.

Cynder's once beautiful features twisted into a sadistic sneer, making Drifton's heart all but stop in fear. She brought the weapon up under his chin, lifting it with the blunt edge. "Look at you… pathetic. Not even worth the title of 'dragon.'" She spun, bringing razor sharp claws across his side and rending the scales open. "Still thinking that you might be saved? Who would come? No one cares about you, and there's no hope for you left." She brought the sharp edge of her blade against his throat. "I could just kill you right here…" The black dragoness placed a tiny amount of pressure on the edge, just enough to draw blood from the dragon. "But then I couldn't have my fun."

Drifton broke down, the pain being nothing compared to the hurt emanating from his broken heart. "Why are you doing this?"

A malicious cackle sounded from the dark dragoness. "Why? Because I can!" She lunged toward him again, her claws outstretched and her eyes gleaming with a sadistic bloodlust. His body lifted up in the air under her strong claws and he flew through the air until he came to the end of his restraints and he swung down to crash painfully against the ground. He felt one of his ribs crack under the intense pressure, and he grimaced, letting out a scream that just made Cynder smile.

Ouch, that has to hurt...

Laters!