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\n Chapter 20: Mine

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There was a wide variety of expressions on the faces of the gathered dragons. Not only were they shocked at what they had seen, but, some dragons also had a thought very similar to the one Cynder had moments ago. Most of the female population who had been chosen by a male wondered what it would be like to be 'mounted' per-say. Yet, most of the males felt an envy for Spyro, albeit this time not for his colouring. Although it was in public and watched by their peers, most of the males wanted to do the same thing they had just witnessed. In private, of course. None of them would be able to control themselves enough to do it in public.

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\n "Now, I had this take place as a warning to the rest of you." Cyril noticed the dragon's expressions and knew that more action needed to be taken. "I guarantee to all of you that this particular punishment will never happen again. But, if any of you are caught, outside specific instruction, like that then things will only get worse. Have I made myself clear?" The ice guardian knew that it would happen. But it was the best he could do at the time.

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\n There was a low grumble that came from the crowd, signifying that they had heard, and understood, the head guardian's instructions. But knowing the rules, and abiding by them, were two completely different things.

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\n The dragon population slowly dissipated from the main foyer and off to their regular daily activities. Nothing. So, two by two, the young dragons left the temple and found their own little place of wilderness just out of sight from the others. Not all decided to leave the temple immediately, opting to stay indoors for a while and socialise amongst themselves.

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\n "Hey, Spyro!" The purple dragon was walking by himself down one of the countless corridors within the dragon temple. He turned around slowly to find Flame running up behind him. "I need to talk to you about something."

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\n "Umm, yeah. Sure. What is it?" Spyro was heading towards Cynder's room, as that was where they had agreed to meet. Outside her door, of course, considering what they had to do from the first incident. If that was only the first level of reprimand from the head guardian, both Spyro and Cynder wanted nothing more of it.

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\n "I need to talk to you about Ember..." Flame looked back down the corridor to make sure she hadn't followed him. "I don't think I have long, but, I don't want to have to find you in private every time something happens."

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\n Spyro paused for a moment, thinking about what Flame had said. 'Every time something happens'. Is he going to tell me that he mated with Ember? Why would he do that? Does he know already? This time Spyro looked behind himself, checking for a phantom listener. "What happens?"

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\n "Last night, Ember and I were talking. And unless you talk to Cynder and try to sort things out, she would never be able to talk with you again. Ember knows that you and I -used to- spend a lot of time together when we were younger, and that I would still want to see you occasionally." Flame quickly darted his head behind him once more, seeing the tip of a dragon's tail pull itself back behind cover.

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\n "So you want me to talk to Cynder about Ember? And try to settle what's between them?" Spyro concluded.

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\n "Yes, exactly. I know Ember will take some convincing. But she acknowledges that I would want to talk to you, and sometimes we'll walk past each other with them with us."

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\n "I don't know if I'm ready to forgive Ember yet, let alone Cynder. But, I'll talk to her about it. Ember must apologise for what she did, and then we might consider forgiving her. But for the moment, all I can do is talk to Cynder about it." Spyro turned around and headed back on his way. "Find me again tomorrow to tell me if Ember will accept that she was in the wrong. But otherwise I can't do anything about it."

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\n Spyro walked off back down the corridor, the thoughts of having to forgiving Ember running through his mind. She wasn't trying to do everything on purpose... Was she? Surely she didn't want to kill Cynder... Spyro was conflicted. Yes, he wanted to forgive Ember and allow everyone's lives to go back to normal. But this was the dragon who had almost killed the one he now claims to be his mate. Wants her to be his mate. The wish to be able to talk to anyone have their be no tension between them, against the common sense of knowing that the one he was forgiving could've been called a murderer. But he too was a murderer, just in a different sense.

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\n But that was the past. Spyro had more than enough to think about at the time being. Between trying to figure out whether or not he would easily forgive Ember for what she had done to Cynder, and, remembering not to try and make any form of movement towards the thought of wanting to have hatchlings with Cynder at the time. There was more than enough on his mind to begin with, let alone needing this to be added to it. The purple saviour took a deep breath and sighed as he turned rounded the final corner on his journey to Cynder's room. Nothing would be said unless the time was right. Flame would find him tomorrow with the answer to whether or not Ember would even consider apologising over what she had done. And after that Spyro would have to convince Cynder to... No! I won't influence Cynder's answer! Spyro shook his head as his mental argument continued despite many attempts to calm his mind. It will be her choice. I won't say anything. I will follow what Cynder's answer is. I need to stick with her and not put any pressure on her decision. Spyro reached the end of the corridor and stood facing Cynder's room. It was her that received the attacks, not me. She needs all the support I can give her. And with that, Spyro silenced the thought in his mind, and reached a forepaw up to knock on her door.

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\n The black dragoness was lazily hanging off the edge of her bed. Cynder was laying on her back, her head and shoulders resting on her bed while the rest of her body hung limp towards the centre of the room. Her tail idly flicking from side to side, her legs stretched out to either side, allowing her to breathe deeper and relax all the more. She was staring at the ceiling just watching the world go by. She had told Spyro to get her from her room after she'd run off ahead of him after the 'display', Cynder only spoke a few words while she ran ahead. Only just quiet enough for herself to hear it. So she knew Spyro wouldn't have any idea what she said. Which was exactly what she wanted.

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\n It wasn't the nicest thing she could've done for him, but it seemed to work as the black dragoness had some time to relax and feel nothing for the time being. There was no rush to see what was happening with who. There was no pressure to have to abide by so many rules at once. Well, maybe that one not so much... She thought to herself, wondering what exactly she still could do with Spyro. But there wasn't much else she could do with Spyro anyway. He had made it clear that they wouldn't want to move their relationship any further until they both agreed that it was the right thing to do. Or if we just wanted to... Cynder added to her thoughts again. But there wasn't much else she could do. She didn't want to say anything about it because Spyro would undoubtedly comply to her request no matter how insane it may seem. He would do anything for her if she just asked. I really am lucky to have him... Cynder thought to herself. It was still a little surreal to her that the purple dragon was her future mate. But that was the problem. Spyro was her future mate, therefore making him available to anyone who could change his- No! Spyro loves me. He wouldn't do that.

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\n There were three taps on the female's door. "Spyro?" She questioned towards the noise.

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\n "Cynder, are you coming out?" The unmistakable voice of the purple dragon forced its way through the door.

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\n The black dragoness rolled onto her side, hiding herself from the world once more, and walked slowly towards the door, opening it the moment it was within reach. "Of course I am..." Cynder walked out past Spyro, running the flat side of her tail down his body as she passed. "What took you so long?"

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\n "Uh, nothing." Spyro covered. As it was still a liable excuse. Cynder only giggled back at him.

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\n The two dragons stood facing each other for a moment until Spyro shut Cynder's door. "C'mon. We'll go to that cave you dug out. Surely none of the other dragons found it."

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\n "I certainly hope not." Spyro answered as the two started back down the corridor. "It took me forever to-"

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\n "I know Spyro, you told me."

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\n "Hey! Flame! Is it true? Did it happen?" The crimson dragon turned around to find three separate dragonesses bound towards him. One was brilliant emerald along her head and back with a lighter green chest, the second one was ice blue with a white chest, and the final one was a bright orange with gold under-scales.

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\n  How do they know that I... Cyril told them! Or someone else knows and told others... Oh crap, this can't get out... "W- what happened?" He stammered trying to act oblivious.

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\n "You were just talking to Spyro weren't you?" The ice-blue one questioned. "Did anything... Interesting, come out while you two talked?"

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\n "Uhh, no..." Flame started to turn back around. "I'm sorry, but I'm in a hurry right now, can yo-"

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\n "Someone's hiding something from us..." The orange dragoness commented. But Flame continued to turn around and ignore it. "Your idea didn't work Safri. So I'll do it my way."

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\n The orange dragoness leapt over Flame and landed directly before him. "I really have to go-" Flame protested.

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\n "I'll only be a minute, now tell me. Is Spyro truly with Cynder or not?"

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\n Flame took a step back and sighed inwardly. Word hadn't gotten out about Ember and himself. "Is that all you wanted to know?" He questioned, making sure his previous thought was a correct one. The orange dragoness only nodded giving a quick wink to the other two female's. "No, Spyro and Cynder haven't mated yet. Or at least he hasn't told me anyway."

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\n "So, you'd say that Spyro is... Available?" She tried to confirm.

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\n "No... Well, in the way you put it, I guess so. But no, it's not going to happen." Flame didn't really think about it. He knew that Spyro loved Cynder and nothing could get in the way of them. But all he wanted at the moment was to get back to Ember. "Now if you don't mind..." Flame motioned to move past the dragoness.

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\n "Not at all..." She replied, side-stepping to allow the fire dragon through. "Thank you Flame!" She called back re-joining her friends and walking off in the opposite direction.

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\n The crimson dragon continued along his way towards the main foyer which was where he had arranged to meet Ember. Mainly for the same reason everyone else was outside. To avoid Cyril's ever present watch and his outlandish idea of what punishment involved.

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\n But nonetheless, it worked. And the guardians couldn't be happier that everything they were worried about had been prevented. Which was the best thing any of them could've hoped for. The young dragons were happy, because they were able to remain in contact with each other all day, any day. While the guardians enjoyed the fact that they'd prevented what would've undoubtedly been the epidemic that was parenthood. And although no signs were present yet, Ember still hadn't proved that she was, or wasn't, bearing hatchlings. It was possible for a dragon to become a parent out of season. Granted it was an unlikely scenario and rare even amongst the couples who tried, it wasn't unheard of.

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\n "Ember..." The ice guardian spoke, seeing the pink dragoness laying against a wall in the main foyer. "I trust that you are waiting for Flame." He commented as he scanned the area for any onlookers.

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\n "I told him to meet me here after he was done. He said that he had something to do..." She spoke clearly, eventually working her way up to a vertical base.

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\n "How long have you been waiting here?"

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\n "Not long."

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\n "Did he say what he was going to do?"

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\n "No"

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\n Cyril continued to close the distance between Ember and himself, unsure of how to asses her condition. "Ember, I need to talk to you about what happened between you and Flame." Sometimes the best approach was the most direct one.

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\n "Huh? What? What are you talking about?" Ember took a step back, running into the wall in the process.

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\n "Ember, I know that you and Flame mated the night before." Cyril was surprised that Flame hadn't told her that he knew. Although it wasn't exactly the best thing for her to know given the circumstance.

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\n "B-but... How? Who told you? Who else knows? Does that mean you'll make us-"

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\n "Ember, calm down." The ice guardian lowered his head down to her level. "Flame told me the night it happened. No I won't make you do anything because I'm the only guardian that knows about it. I have told all those who do know to not say anything about it."

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\n "Then who? Who else knows?" Ember took a step forward towards the head guardian. "And how do they know in the first place?"

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\n Cyril sighed heavily and returned to his normal height. "I will tell you everything when Flame is here, and even then I don't like having this conversation here anyway." Cyril scanned the area once more. "Come to my quarters when Flame arrives. This needs to be settled now before something comes up that we can't fix."

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\n "What do you mean 'fix'?" Ember questioned as the Ice guardian had turned around and headed off towards his chamber.

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\n "I'll explain later. Just... Ember, we either settle this now, or I will get Volteer and Terrador in on it."

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\n Ember recoiled, understanding the situation. There was nothing she could do about it. "I- I'll be up shortly..."

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\n "Then you have nothing to worry about."

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\n "Oh Spyro..." A voice called out from behind the Spyro and Cynder, causing him to turn around and cease any further movement. Cynder growled back at the voice, knowing instantly what was about to happen. Spyro lifted his nose and sniffed the air.

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\n "Mmmm, Cynder... Do you smell that?" He spoke softly, sitting down and enjoying the many scents that tickled his senses.

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\n "No... Why should I?" She fairly angrily answered back. But she received no answer. After a few moments she turned around and understood why. Spyro just sat there, sniffing the air. Cynder knew exactly what was happening. It was common knowledge that some males became completely incapacitated by the scent of a female either in heat, or at a certain level of arousal. Unless of course they had been claimed as a mate by another. It seemed that the act of mating dulled the sense of a dragon's lust for others. As they had already found the one whom they'd remain with until the end of their days.

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\n Spyro lay down in the middle of the corridor and continued to sniff the air, his dragonhood slowly finding itself exposed to the world. Cynder shook her head slightly, but there was nothing she could do about it. He was 'unclaimed' in the entire sense of the word. But he did belong to her if she had anything to say about it. The black dragoness walked down the corridor, leaving Spyro to himself. She knew that nothing bad could happen to him because everyone else was outside. Cynder only thought that it was clear that Spyro had chosen her. But some just never learn.

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\n Eventually reaching the opened door, Cynder found three dragonesses sitting amongst each other. One had all four of her limbs tied to four different objects in the room and her lower body was drenched in a pool of its own liquids. She had been tied in such a way that she was exposed to the world, while one of the remaining two tended to the helpless one, and the third stood at the door cooing out Spyro's name or for him to come to the voice.

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\n "Just what do you think you're doing?" Cynder growled towards the two upright dragons. Cynder figured that the tied up female was less than capable of standing up, let alone causing any problem.

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\n "We're taking back what was rightfully ours to begin with. You don't mean anything to him! See how easy it was for us to reduce him to that?" The orange dragoness was standing at the door, she looked out and pointed towards Spyro in the process. "And might I say, he'll feel just right inside me..."

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\n Cynder whipped around quickly and held her blade against the dragoness' throat, just cutting into her scales enough to draw blood. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't end your life right now!"

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\n "Because if you did... Spyro would never know what it's like to be with a real queen." Cynder growled harshly towards the orange dragoness. "Well? What are you going to do Cynder?" The black dragoness released the tension she held against the orange dragoness' neck. "I knew it. You were never meant to be with Spyro. You won't even stand up for him when­-"

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\n Cynder shot her forelegs forward, slashing into the other dragoness' chest, leaving three deep gashes in her hide. Cynder dashed forward into the room holding her tail out to one side, slicing into the orange dragoness' foreleg and cutting a straight line all the way down her side until the tip of her tail. The perfect cut immediately started to ooze blood, and the extreme shock of the blow causing the target to collapse onto the ground. Knocked out from the pain. Cynder stood facing the emerald green dragoness who stood before the tied-up ice blue dragoness.

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\n Cynder glanced towards the orange leader who was dead still on the floor, then back towards the emerald dragoness. "You have two choices." Cynder spoke coldly. "You can either fight me, and end up like your friend there, or, you can help her and quite possibly save her life." The emerald dragoness visibly gulped. "Either way, I'll be leaving with Spyro at my side."

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\n The Emerald dragoness changed into a defensive stance. "You know that he doesn't want you. See how easy it was for us to reduce him to that?" She motioned outside, Cynder knowing exactly what she meant.

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\n "Anyone could do that if they wanted to, if you weren't wasting your time I could've done it if I wanted to... But the bottom line is that he's mine, and nothing is going to change that."

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\n "So be it. Go see Spyro and try and move him. It won't be as simple as you think." The emerald dragoness stood up, and turned around to un-tie her friend, slicing through the ropes faster than it took to tie them.

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\n Cynder cautiously turned around and headed towards the door, stepping around the pool of blood that was rapidly spreading out over the hard stone floor. The black dragoness took one step outside before she was tackled into the corridor by the emerald dragoness, her claws dug deeply into Cynder's shoulders.

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\n They both roared at each other as they scrambled for the better position, clawing and biting into each other at an even pace. Cynder rolled onto her front and pushed off against the ground, giving her height as she quickly flew towards the still distracted Spyro, turning around and landing facing her attacker.

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\n "I should've dropped you where you stood." She growled, assessing the damage done to her shoulders. "But now you've sealed your own fate."

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\n "You can't change the facts Cynder. Spyro will be mine before the day's end."

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\n Cynder roared towards the emerald dragoness who side-stepped the attack and tried to land one of her own, only swinging at nothing and catching air. Cynder landed and turned around only to find her emerald enemy flying towards her. Cynder ducked underneath and held up her tail catching the other dragoness' right legs. The emerald dragoness yelped in pain and crashed onto the hard stone, sliding several feet before coming to a stop. She tried to stand back up, only to have her right side give out.

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\n Cynder walked towards the defeated dragoness, but kept out of swiping range. "I am going to say this once, and once only. Spyro is mine. He always was mine. And he always will be, mine. If you ever try to take him from me again the only thing you'll see is my blade, in-between your eyes." Cynder held out her tail blade and pointed it towards her face. "Got it?"

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\n ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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\n THIS STORY HAS BEEN RECONTINUED!!

\n if that is such a word.....

\n meh

\n you'll live....