Hello dear Readers! This is my first HTTYD Fanfiction. I hope you enjoy the first chapter! And remember, please review!
This is Pyrria. Everyone on this island is always afraid. There's usually not one happy feeling. Why is that? The only word I can offer is sacrifices.
See, when our town was young, a dragon invaded our lands, showering everything with fire. Each time it attacked, it would drag away a human to its death. Things changed after out leader, Amos The Brave, proposed to do sacrifices. At first, none thought the dragon would listen, but it turned out it did.
Each month a human from our town would be laid out on a pole for the dragon's delight. Each month grief would haunt or dreams. My world is a harsh one, but I have learned to live with it.
I am Alkina.
This is my life, my story.
With a troubled yawn, I blinked open my drowsy eyes. The first thing that came into view was the face hovering over me. With start, I gripped the dagger always pressed securely by my waist. I always slept with it.
"Alkina, tell me a story!" Channary begged.
I heaved her off, blinking the exhaustion from my eyes. All I could do was stare at her in either anger or surprise.
Raising a hand, I rubbed my eyes before winking them several times. "What time is it?" I yawned, staring at my little sister.
"About midnight," she stated contentedly, as if it were a huge deal.
I glared at her. "And you woke me up to tell you a story?"
Channary shrugged, looking at me with those pools of emerald-green.
"Go back to sleep," I commanded, slumping back on my bed.
"Please Alkina!" she beseeched. "About that dragon that goes around munching everyone!"
I froze, returning to the state of staring at her. "Its nothing to go about gibbering on about," I scoffed.
"Just one story about it!" Channary implored, her eyes widening again.
"Fine. Once upon a time, he devoured a human, the end." I let out a sigh, resting my head once again on the feathered pillow.
"That's not fair!" she whined and for the first time I caught a glimmer of water near her eye.
"Is that a tear?" I inquired, sitting up on my elbows now.
Channary sniffled. "I can't sleep. Does the dragon really eat people?"
I hesitated, and at that moment it occurred to me, two days from tomorrow was the beginning of a new month. I winced, wondering who was the unlucky offering.
"I don't want you to get eaten," Channary wailed, coughing back sobs.
An icy chill seeped up my spine. "Me?" I asked, looking down at the now crying Channary.
"Yes you!" she gasped, trembling. "Mama and Dada didn't want you to know. I overheard-" she broke off, tears streaming down her face like fountains.
I was speechless. How would you feel if you had just found out you were going to be devoured by a dragon?
I clenched my hands, looking away from her sorrowful face.
"I don't want you to die," she cried, looking devastated. She was only five and this had to be happening to her.
"It… It will be alright," she managed, chocking back her own fear.
"No it won't!" Her gaze met mine in a blur of terror. I was the first to look away, my gaze trailing over to the door.
"Promise you won't tell Ma or Da?" I questioned, glancing back at her tearful face. Channary's eyes twinkled with horror, but nonetheless she nodded.
"I don't want them worrying more," I sighed, noticing that my right hand was clenching my left arm so hard it had turned white.
"Go back to sleep," I told her, sweeping off my blankets and ushering her to the bed beside mine.
She sniffed, wiping her nose with her sleeve.
"Promise me something," she whispered as I began to tuck her in.
"Hmm?" I asked, feeling my hands trembling as I swept the sheets over her.
"Outwit the beast," she said, grasping my hand in hers. "Please, I can't bear to lose you as well."
With a pang, the memory rushed down on me. My brother… I shook my head, trying with great difficulty to shake the freshly imprinted memory out of my mind, yet it hung tight.
"You know I can't promise such thing," I sighed, feeling the tremor throughout my body.
"Promise me," she begged.
I winced. "I promise," I murmured and felt her hand slip from mine. Her breathing eased and she was asleep.
For me, sleep wasn't easy to come. In fact, I didn't fall into a slumber from then on. I just looked up at the roof of the small hut, my thoughts swirling to horrible memories of the past, and thinking's of the future. Some of which, brought tears to my eyes. But I was tough, and I brushed them away, feeling a knot form in my throat. It was impossible to swallow. My eyes blurred and I felt them sting.
The following morning sent a ray of fresh sunlight into the outskirts of the room. The hue of the sunrise made me shiver at the thought of never seeing one again. I ignored the memory nagging at my head. I hoped that it had just been a dream, my eyes trailing over to where Channary lay in a bundle in bed.
My hands clapped together as I cantered out the room, meeting up with my Mother.
"Good morning dear," she told me with a warm smile. Although her voice was raspy, it contained all the comfort one could want.
I scanned her expression for any signs of agitation yet saw none.
A good sign, I told myself, as she beckoned with a hand.
"Your father has lost a calf to the wilderness, would you mind fetching it for him? He has lots of crops to tend to today."
At that note, I hesitated. Father had never lost sheep. Maybe this was just a coincidence.
"Alright," I promised her with a slightly inclination of my head. I disappeared back into my room, groping for my cloak.
"Good morning," Channary said with a gaping yawn. "Where are you going?"
"To fetch a calf," I responded, slipping on the velvety soft cloth. The sleeves hung loosely around my wrists.
"Oh… Can I come with you?" I peered at her, going to the door.
"No," I answered, turning the knob.
"Aww please!"
I shook my head firmly. "Who knows? I might trespass into dragon territory." Channary did not find this amusing and crossed her arms. Despair was creeping back into those eyes.
It hadn't been a dream, I decided, my heart sinking. I ignored my speculation, again opening the door.
My mother passed me a pouch of dried and crushed berries.
"Stay safe!" she called after me as I bounded through the door. "Make sure to eat your breakfast!"
I turned around, now walking backwards. I waved, showing her I heard before returning to my usual jog. I stopped by my father who dipped his head in acknowledgment.
"Going to fetch that stray lamb, aren't you?" he inquired. He was brown with hazel green eyes. His face was wrinkled and cracked by working in the heat the entire day, but mostly it was because he liked to smile.
"Yeah," I said, letting a grin touch my cheeks.
He patted my shoulder, pointing south. "That lamb sure isn't smart to be wandering off without its mother," he conceded, slapping back a hand on my shoulder.
"Now you be safe out there, you hear?"
"Yes, sir," I told him, walking on where he had pointed. He winked at me and went back to plowing the dirt.
The sun was overhead as I reached the summit of the large hill. Beyond there was a thick forest. I narrowed my eyes. This wasn't just a forest; it was the forest of The Forgotten Ones.
There were legends of people going insane just by getting adrift into it.
I shuddered in realization, looking around for any tracks of the baby sheep. Nothing. I took an intake of breath. No need to go getting lost in a forest haunted with ghosts and unknown monsters.
I whirled around to leave, when my foot stumbled into something. I glanced down, spotting a branch. Strange, that hadn't been there when I had passed…
I knelt down with one knee, taking a closer look. Prints. It looked impossible to miss, but there they were. My gaze strayed back toward the pass in the woods. My wrists flexed, making my obsidian bracelets cling. I touched the amulet wrapped against my neck and made forward, following the small steps imprinted on the ground.
A wind howled as my foot touched the shadowy start of the woodland. The thickets expanse was vast, but nothing stirred.
The canopy's leaves rustled in the wind, casting eerie shadows into the dark. The trees were colossal figures, blotting out any source of light that tried to penetrate into ground below.
I wished I had brought something warmer, but trudged on. My feet echoed against the ground, and I paused again. Was another pair of feet following me? I listened. Nothing.
I continued, this time more silently and cautiously. I wavered to a halt, turning to auscultate. Something had defiantly paused at the sound of my footsteps ebbing to nothing.
My heart thudded. Were the Angry Ones after me? I clenched my jaw, picking at my sleeve. I drew out the glinting dagger, the puny thing standing out from the darkness.
"Whose there?" I called, hoisting my dagger in front of me. I threatening pointed it at every corner. I flexed my wrists-an idiosyncrasy when I was agitated.
Nothing replied, only the occasionally icy chills that went up my spine as I felt the wind.
Was it just the wind playing tricks on me?
"I… I don't want any trouble," I stammered, picking at my other sleeve. I drew out an oil bottle. I had forgotten to lie out an offering. I shivered, thinking of myself as a sacrifice in a couple of days.
I pulled back my hand and tossed the bottle, immediately the wind stopped. I smiled, pulling back. Abruptly, there came a growl from the bush. Again I froze.
"H-hello?" I called out again.
I clenched at my minute knife in my palms, feeling it slipping from my grasp.
I wished I hadn't spoken, for at that moment a thing three times the size of me barreled out into the open.
With a snap of its wings, it sent a gusting chill, making myself topple over. The brown dragon was on top of me, poising his maw toward my throat…