Spyro and Hunter sat outside the castle infirmary, waiting for the healer to enter. Hunter looked down at Spyro sitting next him, who fiddled with his forepaws. He could tell the dragon was just as uncomfortable as he was. “Are you ready for this?” he asked somewhat playfully.
“No,” Spyro said, annoyed at Hunter’s tone. He looked down at the scar on his chest, running his claw over it.
Suddenly the door opened and the Dragon Realms primary healer, Nikos entered the room. Hunter and Spyro got up immediately, Hunter a bit slower.
“Ah, there you two are,” the dragon said in a polite tone, adjusting his glasses. “Come on in Spyro, I’ll see you first. " He turned to re-enter the room.
Hunter and Spyro looked at each other unsure, Spyro turned back and spoke. “Actually we’d prefer to stay together for this,” he said calmly.
Nikos looked back at them for a second, then turned and headed inside. “Very well,” he said.“Come along.”
The second Hunter entered the room, he could feel his heart rate increase, his breathing becoming erratic. Suddenly he felt something push against his legs, he looked down to see Spyro leaning against him, giving him a soft smile. “It’ll be fine,” he mouthed.
Hunter’s breathing slowed down a little, then Nikos approached. “Hunter, why don’t you sit, I’ll be with you in a moment,” he said kindly. Hunter nodded and moved to a chair sitting down, not taking his eyes of Spyro who had hopped up on the exam table.
Nikos approached Spyro from the side, carefully remaining in the younger dragon’s view and gently pulling Spyro’s wing out examining it. “You've been practicing your gliding?" he asked, using his other hand to press where the wing met Spyro’s back.
“Oh yeah!” Spyro said energetically, “I’m holding my glides longer and longer!” He added with pride.
Hunter smiled at the dragon’s excitement. I’m glad Elora’s carelessness didn’t slow him down.
Spyro lowered his head. “Still not where I used to be though,” he said more softly.
Nikos let go of his wing and looked at him. “That’s ok Spyro, just keep practicing, you’ll be like your old self in no time,” he said with a smile. “There’s no permanent damage. All it takes is time and effort.”
“Yeah, my old self,” Spyro said quietly, keeping his head down. Hunter watched intently, concerned at Spyro’s reaction to the phrase, preparing to leap out of the chair and intervene. Slowly Spyro seemed to recover himself, bringing his head back up and giving the doctor a small smile. Hunter relaxed himself, slipping back down into the chair.
Nikos moved to Spyro’s front and examined the fading black ring around Spyro’s neck. “The salves seem to be doing their work, you should have a full set of new scales in a couple weeks.” Spyro nodded at the news, reaching up and touching the remaining blackened scales with his claw.
Hunter gripped the side of the chair tightly, Spyro’s neck was getting better, but every time he looked at it the first thing he saw was how it was that first night. It’s all my fault, why didn’t I know, I shouldn’t have let him do it.
“How’s your flame? Let me see,” Nikos said, stepping out of Spyro’s line of fire.
Spyro took a deep breath and blew a stream of fire out of his mouth. He held it for several seconds, managing a full breath, but just barely, the fire sputtered out and he coughed at the end, belching smoke “Ack!, that was actually…wow!” Spyro said, shocked at his own success.
Hunter smiled, watching Spyro hop on the table, thrilled by his success. He’s going to be alright.
“See?” Nikos said, patting Spyro on the shoulder. “You're improving all the time, now let’s get a look at that scar on your chest.”
Spyro’s excitement drained from his eyes at the mention of the scar, but kept his head up, allowing the doctor to examine him.
Nikos looked down at Spyro’s chest, examining the long deep scar running across it. Spyro’s breath hitched as the healer ran his claw over the deep groove in his thick scales. “Hmm…” he grumbled.“You’ve been applying the salve, yes?
Spyro rolled his eyes.“Yes, every morning and night, just like you told me,” he said, every scar is gone except for this one.”
The healer continued to examine the scar carefully, then stepped back. He took a deep breath, then spoke.“I’m afraid this one is not going away, Spyro, I’m sorry.”
Spyro looked at him stunned, “you mean…I’m stuck with this…forever?” Tears welled up in his eyes.
Before the first drop could fall he felt Hunter’s furry arms wrap around him in a hug. “I’m sorry buddy,” Hunter said.
Spyro sobbed “I really hoped…one day I could pretend it never happened, now I’ll always be broken.”
“Oh Spyro,” Hunter said, through his own tears.
Nikos spoke now, he bent down to speak to Spyro. “If I may interrupt,” he said respectfully, the dragon and cheetah separated. “The scar has caused no permanent damage,” he tapped against the scales on Spyro’s chest with his claw. “You’re still as tough as ever, boy.”
Spyro looked up at him, as if he was having difficulty comprehending the words. “Are you sure?” He said.
“Absolutely” Nikos said smiling, “I can even offer you something that might help the scar fade, it won’t ever fully go away, but I might be able to make it less prominent.
“No,” Spyro said quickly, “I’ve had enough treatments.” He looked down at the scar. “You’re sure I’m not weaker?” he asked again pointedly. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”
Nikos laughed, “I don’t make a habit of lying to my patient's young dragon,” he said with a smile, “I promise you, those scales will still shrug off almost anything thrown at them.”
Spyro nodded, taking in the news, Hunter could tell he was still upset but less so now.
“Alright,” Nikos said, “you’re all done Spyro, you can hop down now.
---
Spyro hopped off the table and landed on all fours, looking back at the doctor and Hunter.
“It’s your turn Hunter,” Nikos said professionally. “Please lay down on the table so I can remove the bandages.”
Spyro hopped up onto a nearby chair and sat down, watching as Hunter carefully laid flat on the table, looking away from Spyro.
Spyro watched the cheetah intently, unable to look away. He doesn’t want me to see his back , he thought but I have to, it’s all my fault.
Nikos took his claw and carefully cut through the bandages and peeled them back.
Spyro’s eyes widened at the sight of Hunter’s exposed flesh, the skin was raw, with traces of dried blood, most of his fur was just gone.
Spyro’s breathing started getting ragged, images flashed through his head, the slave driver, Hunter standing over him, the strike of the whip, the blood.
“I should have been stronger, I should have been stronger,” he repeated the phrase under his breath. For what felt like an eternity, the nightmare of that day washed over him and then he began to push back. “No, no,” he whispered, “not here, not now,” he closed his eyes, blocking out the sight of Hunter's back and slowly he began to clear the images from his mind.
He opened his eyes keeping them low to avoid looking at Hunter but no sooner did he open them, Nikos spoke.
“All done, you can get up now Hunter” the healer said with his usual professionalism.
Spyro slowly raised his eyes to find Hunter now sitting up on the table, with fresh dressings over his wounds.
“Come back in a week and we can get these off for good.” Nikos said, helping Hunter get down off the table with a firm clawed hand.
Hunter turned to Spyro, immediately giving an ashamed look to the dragon. Spyro knew the shock of seeing Hunter’s back was still on his face. He didn’t say anything, he just gave Hunter a nod. The cheetah approached and the two walked out the door of the infirmary.
