Hey guys! So, I have only seen the first two episodes of Race to the Edge as of now, so please no one spoil anything! I just got so much inspiration while watching the new series and I just HAD to write this! It's not a one-shot, and I'll try to update tomorrow, but no promises. I might wait until July 1st to update (July 1st is when my hiatus ends), but probably not. It really depends on how many of you want me to continue quickly. :D So, enjoy! :D
Oh, and there will be lots of sweet Hiccstrid in this fanfiction, so be on the look out for that, too! :D Bye!
Hiccup had never felt better.
Finding the Dragon Eye was excitement enough, but then learning about the maps that the mysterious object kept hidden was even more fascinating, and he loved fascinating. More than that, though. He liked having his friends back. He liked things being the way they used to be, when it was just him and the riders and the academy and no one else.
Besides, new species of dragon were around every corner, and if that wasn't enough to excite someone, than Hiccup didn't know what was.
"Are you sure this is the right way, Hiccup?" Astrid called to him. "All I see is ocean."
"Yeah!" Ruffnut agreed. "Ocean!"
"Yeah, and all we see is the sea," Tuffnut said. "Heh heh heh."
Hiccup, although the twins were beyond obnoxious, couldn't help but smile. They hadn't changed very much. In appearance, yes, but not in stupidity.
"I'm sure, Astrid," Hiccup called back. "We need to keep going North, and we should be there in a few-"
"There!" Snotlout shouted, pointing ahead of them wildly. Hookfang dipped and nearly flung Snotlout off his back. If Snotlout noticed it, he made no move to signify that he did. "I saw it first!" Snotlout cheered. "Haaah! Snotlout wins again!"
Ruffnut scowled and rolled her eyes.
"Well, we're the first to be second to see the island, so we win!" Tuffnut shot back.
Hiccup looked; there it was. The island, looking very much like a desert. The air grew hotter as they flew on towards it, and although it wasn't extremely worrisome, it was at least enough to raise concern if they hadn't brought proper resources. "Fishlegs!" he called, flying Toothless alongside the boy and his Gronckle, "do we have the provisions I asked you to bring?"
Fishlegs nodded. "We've got water and tents," he said, "just like you told me to get."
"Thanks, Fishlegs!" Hiccup shouted back. He was glad Fishlegs hadn't forgotten, and that he could rely on Fishlegs to do exactly what he asked him to. If he asked Snotlout or the twins, they wouldn't have listened.
Toothless darted through the clouds, flying in front of the other riders. "Okay, gang!" Hiccup called to the rest of the dragon riders. "We're here to explore! If we find any new species of dragons, no one mess with them! We don't know what they're capable of!"
"Got it!" Astrid and Fishlegs shouted in unison.
"Or," Tuffnut said, "we can get near them, and use Ruffnut as a human shield!"
Ruffnut growled angrily and reached over, punching Tuffnut's shoulder so hard he almost fell off his dragon's head. "Ouch! My shoulder!" Tuffnut yowled. "Hey, that's new...I like it!"
"Okay, we're coming in to land," Hiccup said. "Watch your dragons, and easy does it!"
They landed on the desert island, the dragons' legs sinking into the sand. Hiccup and the other riders dismounted, taking in their surroundings.
Nothing but an occasional palm tree and lots of sand. There were dips in the dunes where Hiccup assumed an occasional oasis could be found, along with lots of jagged rocks and boulders.
"Well," Snotlout said, "this is boring. I don't even see any wild dragons."
He was ignored by the others, who began walking forward with their dragons by their sides. They came to one of the waterholes and peered down into it.
And there were dragons. Seven of them, to be exact. They looked odd for a desert creature; instead of being a sandy color they could use for hiding against other predators, they were a bright green with spiderwebs of purple, blue, red and yellow racing across their bodies. Their tails started out bit, and narrowed until they were whip-thin at the ends of them.
"Whoa," Tuffnut breathed. "That is sooooooo cool! I want to pet one."
"Nobody touches them until we know what they are," Hiccup said. "Fishlegs, any insight? Were these dragons mentioned at all in the book of dragons?"
"Once, actually," Fishlegs said. "They were labeled as 'Mystery Class' and 'Rare'. According to the book, they're called Black Rain."
"Whoa," Tuffnut breathed yet a second time. "Now I really want to pet one."
"I wouldn't think so actually, Tuffnut," Fishlegs warned. "They have venom that they can spit from their mouth - that's where they got their name, 'Black Rain'. Their venom is deadly, and is said to melt the flesh off your bones."
"How was this helpful information?" Astrid questioned.
"Well, it would help if we stayed away from the venom," Fishlegs said reasonably.
"Yeah, I got that," Hiccup said under his breath. "Alright, what else do we know about them?"
"Well, the females lay their eggs in the same place every time," Fishlegs said. "They don't have separate nests. They share one big one."
"But how would they know whether or not they're related and can mate?" Astrid asked.
"That's another thing their venom is helpful for," Fishlegs said. He sounded abnormally excited about the entire affair. "Here. Look, looklooklooklook! They're doing something!"
They looked downwards as an eighth Black Rain flew into the oasis. It opened its mouth and spat black venom onto a rock; another Black Rain did the same. The venom burned faster, and the dragons looked excited.
"If it burns faster," Fishlegs explained in his "let's-be-logical" voice, "then it means that they aren't related and can mate. If the venom stops burning, it means that they're related."
"Huh," Tuffnut said. "That's very...um…"
"Fascinating?" Hiccup offered.
"Um...what's the opposite of fascinating?" Tuffnut asked.
"Wait," Astrid nudged Hiccup's shoulder, "look. Another dragon's coming towards them."
Hiccup looked down at where Astrid had pointed to, and sure enough, she was right. It was a Deadly Nadder, its flying lopsided and pupils dilated. It was unnaturally scrawny and sickly and flew as if it were tripping over mere air.
"That thing looks-" Snotlout started.
"Shh," Hiccup ordered. "Watch."
The Nadder landed beside the oasis of water and collapsed instantly. It crawled forward, towards the water, and towards the Black Rains.
The Black Rains turned to the Nadder and hissed warningly, but the sickly dragon didn't back down. As soon as it refused to be moved, the Black Rains roared in fury and opened their mouths.
"Oh, please don't tell me they're gonna-" FIshlegs began. "I can't watch this!" he whimpered, covering Meatlug's eyes and closing his own. The other riders put their hands over their own dragon's eyes as well to shield them from what they knew was going to happen.
The Black Rains spat black acid, and it soared through the air like raindrops. It splashed onto the Nadder's scales, some of it on its back and some of it landing on its legs.
The reaction was instant. The Nadder roared and shrieked, jumping to its feet and stumbling about helplessly. It dove into the oasis, but it didn't get the venom off. The black splotches sank into the dragon's scales and spread through more of them, marching, fast and unstoppable, towards the dragon's heart.
"Hiccup," Astrid tried. "There has to be something we can do."
Hiccup looked sick, and he shook his head violently. "No," he whispered, bowing his head. "I...I don't...I don't think so. It's too late. Look, the venom hit its heart...oh Thor, this is..." He turned his head away and shut his eyes tightly.
Nearly five minutes passed before the Nadder collapsed.
It didn't move again, and Hiccup was at the conclusion that if they didn't get out of there quick and without being spotted by the Black Rains, they would end up like the poor Nadder.