Chapter 1
Dragon Training
The crisp, cool air of autumn rushed through the discolored trees. Large leaves of red, orange and yellow floated around the hill where nine year old Ash and her seven year old little sister played sword fight with sticks.
The two young girls were almost identical. They both had the same lightly tanned skin that was lightly sprinkled with freckles, they both had the same light brown almost blond hair (though Ash wore hers in a side braid where as her sister wore hers in pigtails), and they both had the same emerald colored eyes.
Ash hit her little sister's stick away from her and pinned her to the ground.
"No fair! You always win!" Her little sister complained.
Ash stuck out her tongue at her little sister, and then she helped the seven year old back up onto her feet.
Suddenly, there was the sound of snapping twigs and shuffling leaves. A low growl rumbled out like thunder.
"W-what was that?" Ash's little sister whimpered as she hid behind Ash.
"I'm not sure… I'm going to go check it out." Ash said and walked towards the sound.
Ash stepped carefully trying not to make a sound in the autumn leaves which heavily littered the ground. There was a loud roar off to her side but when she turned, there was nothing. Then, something swooped over head blocking out the light. Ash turned her head skyward but there was nothing there. By now, Ash was thoroughly freaked out. She turned back the way she had come and started to swiftly make her way back, no longer caring about the sound under her feet.
A scream broke through the air and a long and loud roar followed it. Ash recognized her sister's screams and knew the roar belonged to a dragon.
"SIS! Sis, are you alright?!" She yelled out.
There was no response, human or dragon. The young Viking raced toward where she had left her sister. When she arrived the seven year old was gone.
"SIS! SIS W-WHERE ARE YOU!?" Ash yelled out her voice breaking with fear as tears streamed down her face.
Just as she feared there was once again no response. The nine year old Viking turned and ran home to find help.
Ash screamed as she shot up in her bed, her messy light brown hair falling in her face. Tears fell down Ash's face as she pulled her knees up to her chest. It had been almost exactly eight years since her sister's disappearance but the memory was still clear and was forever burned into her mind.
After Ash had gone home to get her parents a search began. It lasted a week until blood was found at the base of the hill where she had last been seen along with a red/orange scale. After that, everyone came to the conclusion that Ash's sister had been eaten by a wild Monstrous Nightmare. Ash didn't believe it and continued searching. As days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and months turned to a year, she gave up looking and accepted the fact her sister was dead. She went into her room to grieve and never came out. She stopped talking to everyone so she wouldn't have to feel the same loss she had when her sister died if she lost them.
Ash got up and went over to the window. Outside, the rain pounded down on the already soaked ground and ripped the autumn leaves down from the trees.
"Welcome to Berk where it rains, snows or hails almost everyday." She murmured to herself.
Ash returned to her bed and at down on the edge of it staring into her mirror. Her hair was down and messy from her lack of caring for it. Her once beautiful emerald eyes now lacked their bright shininess. Her skin was practically white from the lack of sun for seven straight years. The once beautiful nine year old had become a rugged and dull looking seventeen year old.
Ash flopped down on her back and looked at the wooden ceiling listening to the tiny thumps as rain splattered on the roof. Ash could make out the sound of footsteps coming up the staircase to her room and someone knocking on the door.
"Ash? Ash, I need to come in, can you unlock the door?" Ash's mother Brenda asked.
Ash groaned and rolled off her bed. She got up, opened her bedroom door and walked over to the window.
"Your father and I are about to leave for Wolfbane Island. Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Brenda asked.
Ash gave Brenda her signature 'What-Do-You-Think' looks. She would never go out into that cruel world ever again.
"Alright, you don't have to come if you don't want to. But since you aren't coming you are going here." Brenda said placing a rolled up paper in her hand.
Ash looked down at it and gasped. It was an advertisement for dragon training classes! Ash couldn't believe her mom! She knew Ash was afraid of dragons and she was making her learn how to ride them?! Ash turned to look at her mother in utter horror.
"No child of mine is going to spend the rest of her life sitting around moping. I signed you up at the academy yesterday and your first class is today. My friend Nibjorg has a son named Josurr who has been attending classes there. I asked her to make sure that you go to class. Your first class is in an hour, don't be late." Brenda said. Then she kissed Ash's forehead. "Goodbye, good luck, be safe." She murmured before leaving Ash's room.
Ash leaned against the wall staring at the paper in her hands. She couldn't do this could she? No, all dragons were murderous. But she really didn't have much of a choice.
"Just stay away from the Monstrous Nightmares." She whispered to herself as she gazed out the window where her mom and dad were walking away towards the docks.
The minuets quickly ticked by as Ash brushed her hair and braided it in a loose side braid that allowed her bangs to swoop down and cover her left eye. She put on a green top with a dark brown axe and shield holder crossing over the front and back. Where the two straps intersect in the front there was a small scull. She put on a dark brown armored skirt over a pair of lighter brown leggings. Then she slipped on brown boots that were lined with fur around the top. She pulled her necklace out from under her shirt and gazed down at it. It was a ten pointed star with her family crest in the center. Ash never took it off because her sister had one identical to it so it made her feel like she was still connected to her lost sister.
By the time Ash was ready to go, her mother's friend, Nibjord, was knocking on the door. Ash walked down stairs and opened the front door to find a young woman with black hair that was up in a messy bun standing there. Her son stood behind her fixing his shaggy black hair so you could see his bright blue eyes.
"Hello Ash, ready for dragon training?" Nibjord ask cheerfully.
Ash shrugged slightly and looked away in discomfort.
"Still not talking? You can't spend the rest of your life acting like a mute. She's been gone for eight years; you need to go on with life." Nibjord said.
Ash clenched her jaw to try to stop the tears. "Can we just go?" She asked softly through her tightened jaw.
Nibjord nodded and she led the two teens down the wet path to the academy. Josurr kept trying to talk to Ash but she mostly ignored him and watched the raindrops splatter down in puddles.
"So what type of dragon do you want? I think I would like a Timber Jack or a Typhoomerange or maybe a Monstrous Nightmare." Josurr said as the group neared the academy.
Ash whimpered slightly as memories of the dragon's roar and the red/orange scale played in my mind.
"Josurr!" Nibjord hissed pulling him up beside her.
"What?" He asked in confusion.
"Her little sister was eaten by a Monstrous Nightmare; she is terrified by even the thought of them. Don't talk about them in front of her." Nibjord whispered to her son.
"Oh… Sorry Ash, I didn't know. Don't worry, that is off my list of dragons now." He said.
Ash smiled slightly and looked ahead at the arena.
When they arrived Nibjord waved goodbye as the two teenage Vikings entered the training ring. Inside there were five other kids, three girls and two boys. Josurr went to go talk to them but turned to face Ash when he realized she wasn't following him.
"Aren't you coming to talk to the others?" He asked.
She rubbed her arm nervously, she didn't know anyone here.
"Come on, I'll introduce you." Josurr said dragging her towards the others.
"Hey Josurr, who's your friend?" A brown haired boy asked.
"Nikulas, this is Ash. Ash this is Chief Hiccup's son, Nikulas, the protector of the group, Kylan, the brains, Kadlin, the quiet one, and the twins Bruni and Birna." Josurr introduced.
Nikulas was a rather muscular boy with short brown hair and leaf green eyes. Kaylan was tall girl with black hair that was up in a bun but the very tips fell down out of the center and her eyes were the color of jade. Kadlin looked to be the youngest in the group; she had a side braid that went half way through her white blond hair before turning into a ponytail. Her left eye was green and her right eye was blue. Bruni was tall and thin, his red hair was down to his shoulder with multiple small braids littering it and his eyes were a light brown. His sister Birna was the exact replica except her body was slightly more slender.
Ash dipped her head to the five teens as a sign of respect.
"I don't remember seeing you around, where did you come from." Kaylan asked.
Ash shifted slightly as she lightly tapped Josurr.
"She hasn't talked much for seven years nor has she left her house. She lives on Berk in the house beside mine. She is daughter of Brenda and Calder Beake." Josurr said.
"Wait they actually have children? I thought their children were made up to scare kids into not wandering off." Birna said.
"Oh, I knew they once had children but I thought one was eaten by a dragon then the other died of a broken heart." Burni said.
"Well obviously she's not. Yes her sister died but she never died. I remember my dad setting up search parties to try to find her sister." Nikulas said.
"Ash, you are a living ledged! You are the girl who gave up speaking to mourn her sister." Kaylan said in amazement.
"Guys… Don't you think your being a little rude? She probably isn't proud of her past…" Kadlin said in a soft whisper like voice.
Ash was already hiding behind Josurr. She didn't like being the center of attention and she definitely didn't like having to remember her sister's death any more then she had to.
Kaylan squeaked. "Sorry I didn't realize you might still be grieving."
"You need to tell us more about your sister!" Bruni said.
"Yeah tell us!" Birna said.
Nikulas pushed the twins away. "Don't listen to those two, they are idiots. We'll let you have a clean slate here and we'll try to help you in any way we can."
Ash smiled slightly and looked down at her feet as a small blush of embarrassment crossed her face. "Thanks, I really appreciate it." She said in a quiet voice that the others could hardly hear.
"Hello students. Today you are getting your dragons. You must remember… Oh… You must be our new student Ash. Your mother signed you up yesterday but I didn't actually think she would convince you to come… No matter we have plenty of dragons and I'll help you." The blond teacher said.
Ash recognized her as Astrid, Hiccup's wife and Nikulas's mother.
Astrid opened the cages and released seven different dragons which she could easily identify: a Monstrous Nightmare, a Gronckle, a Deadly Nadder, a Rumblehorn, a Razorwhip, a Thunderdrum, and a Changewing. Everyone whispered about their favorites.
"Ash, since you are the new student why don't you go first?" Astrid suggested.
"N-no thank you…" Ash whispered fearfully as she backed up.
"Come on I'll be right beside you." Astrid said leading her up.
She took Ash to the first dragon, the Monstrous Nightmare. Ash gasped sharply as memories of her sister's s disappearance flashed through her mind as she got closer to the large dragon. Ash screamed and ran away. This spooked the magenta colored beast. It began charging Ash who was sitting by the wall rocking back and forth as she hugged her knees to her chest.
The Deadly Nadder growled and cut off the Monstrous Nightmare before it reached the young Viking. It spiked up its tail and growled at the Monstrous Nightmare who then backed away though still growling.
Astrid calmed the large dragon then walked over to where Ash and the Deadly Nadder were.
"What were you thinking freaking out like that? You could have been killed." Astrid said.
"Mom, according to Josurr she is still afraid of Monstrous Nightmares because of the incident eight years ago." Nikulas said.
Astrid looked upon Ash for a moment before speaking. "Sorry, I should have realized you wouldn't be comfortable riding one of those. But it seems this Deadly Nadder chose you. Want to make sure?" She asked helping Ash up.
Ash nodded and allowed Astrid to put her hand on the dragon's blue beak like snout. The dragon let out a slight squawking sound.
The dragon was mainly sky blue but had white spikes and wing skin. She reminded Ash of the sky on a sunny day.
"I'm going to call you Cloud Chaser." Ash whispered then turned back to the others her new dragon following her.
Everyone took their dragons. Josurr went next and got the green Rumblehorn and named her Leaf Shredder. Nickulas took the metallic gray Razorwhip and named him Shadowbane. Kadlin took the blue Gronckle and named her Shieldmangler. Kylan took the Magenta colored Monstrous Nightmare and named him Flameheart. Burni took the red Changewing and her Illusion. Then finally Birna took the blue Thunderdrum and named him Wave Rider.
Ash scratched Cloud Chaser's chin. Perhaps this class wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.