I'M BACK! So at long last I've found some time to finish the chapter I had been working on. To all of you who reviewed and encouraged me to continue than you. This is a labor of love and I just needed to make sure what I put out for your enjoyment is the best it can be. I haven't and will not place any of my stories on a permanent hiatus. I still work with them whenever I find the time but as I'm studying it's not as much as I have wanted it to be. I'm currently working on the next 3 chapters and hope to have them up soon but I couldn't wait to finally share this one.
I am also working on my very first Mortal Instruments story but will not be posting it for some time as I want to get it further ahead before posting it, perhaps even finish it.
I received a review which pointed out that my chapters are a bit longwinded. I know I realized it which is why some have been cut into parts unlike the original outline which had only 20 chapters, very long chapters. I tried cutting them down a bit but unfortunately there's too much information needed to cut them down too much, after all it is a merger of two universes so to unite them we need more info. Another question I received was if I was going to focus on Edward. My answer is that yes I am, but this is primarily Bella's story until I reunite them which yes I have already chosen how from all of your votes and wonderful reviews. The next two chapters will deal with the end of Bella's trip to Berk and her trip home. The chapter after that is strictly to catch up with our favorite angsty vampire and his family and from there on there will be other chapters or parts of chapters that will look in on him as needed as I get them to the reunion, but it will be mainly Bella's story. As a warning to you all, once Bella sets foot in Forks things will got to hell in a hand basket for her. I have to make it this way because it is a big part of the final showdown. And again for those of you who are Team Jacob or werewolf fans… stop reading now. You won't like what will happen with them, but it is what it is and what doesn't kill you will make you stronger… Oh dear I have said too much… Or have I?
Sailor FoxFire
6. Dragon Academy Pt. 1: Dragon Island
Dragon Training 101. And I was starting about two weeks later than I was supposed to. True to their word, I was mostly training at my ancestors' side instead of the academy proper which meant my training was skyrocketed, passing though the different stages and exams far quicker than anyone. The Academy, with the help of my ancestors, had created an accelerated curriculum for me, to help me catch up with my peers, and ever surpass them. After the hullabaloo of the adoption and Fury and Nightshade were released from the clinic I was finally able to attend a class at the academy. My schedule was made so that I was studying by myself instead of with the other students since I was beyond the other first timers with 4 exams passed but not quite at the level of second years, knowledge wise, the academy being a 4-year school. My classes at the academy consisted of: Herbal Sciences where I learned to prepare different remedies for dragons and people, Dragon History, where I learned the history of my people from when they first came to Berk to today and all the changes and this was served, not in the academy but at the museum, Dragon Care and Husbandry where I learned to care for my pets and also was prepared for my last trainee exam so that I could become a dragon trainer, Wilderness survival where I was taught how to survive in the forests, and lastly Dragon Anatomy and Physiology where I was taught how the bodies of my dragons worked as well as all other dragons. The academy had many more classes but I would sit through none of them as the rest of my training came directly from my ancestors. I had half days where all my mornings, while the kids were in the school themselves, were spent in class and then I spent the afternoon training with my ancestors. And I have to say that this is the first time I've ever been happy to go to school. Sure I loved to learn and read but this was the first time school was exciting to me. Especially when I was taught how to make a bomb in Herbal Class… Okay I'm kidding. But the class was still fun.
My Herbal Sciences teacher was a 100 year old vampiress named Anna Tifton. She actually wasn't related to any of the families in the island but had actually married into the family since her mate was a descendant of the family of one of my ancestors' friends. She was very eager to have a student who actually gave a damn about her class. She taught me alone in her classroom while all the other students were in the training grounds working on their dragons which meant that since this was a one-one one class so we covered far more material than we would have in a normal setting. Within the first 3 weeks I had already completed the first years' worth of Herbal Sciences, learning about the Blue Olyander and how to make the antidote for it from the venom of a Scauldron, I learned to make the antidote for eel pox among other things. Really by the time I was leaving Berk, I had already completed 3 years' worth of herbal sciences as well as an advanced class. It was the same for all my other classes at the academy. By the time I was ready to leave, or should I say was dragged back to Forks by Charlie even though I had wanted to stay in Berk, I had completed all of my textbook classes: Herbal Sciences 1-3 plus the advanced class meant for 4th years should they choose it, Dragon Care and Husbandry Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced, Dragon History 1 and 2 plus Berk History, and the textbook part of Wilderness training.
But that wasn't all I learned while there. After all, I was training with the original dragon masters. Astrid and Hiccup took me out to see pretty much the entire archipelago and see all the different dragons in their natural habitats, which enhanced my knowledge for dragon anatomy two-fold. They also took me into the different wilderness settings available in the archipelago and in Alaska and taught me how to survive with only my wits, knowledge and of course my dragons as well as without them. Now Fury and Nightshade were nowhere near ready to do any of this so Toothless was their stand in and it paid to have an experienced dragon while training since he could compensate whenever I made mistakes. But they also taught me the really good stuff: how to fly on the back of a dragon, aerial acrobatics, gliding and my personal favorite, dragon racing. Seriously, by the time I was on the boat for home I had already passed all of the trainer tests and the first of the 3 dragon master tests as well, which was unheard of to do in only about 4 months, well more like three since the round trip to and from Berk takes a month, truly my ancestral parents' child. Hell, everyone started calling me the Dragon Princess and it stuck, just as Hiccup's nicknames, Dragon Master and Dragon Conqueror had stuck though Dragon Master was what everyone called him now. I guess I finally found something I exceled at, and it's supposed to be mythological. Are you starting to get the picture? Now you probably want more details and I have plenty to share…
Late-January found me bringing Fury and Nightshade home at long, loooooonnnnnnggggggg last. I was still staying with my ancestors, though I had picked out a plot of land on the island and begun construction on a house for me here. It was going to be a big one, like my ancestors since I now had 7 children and Astrid was designing it for me. I let her have her fun with it and design it however worked best, only asking that the bedrooms all had bathrooms of their own since I figured a bunch of kids sharing one bathroom would be a nightmare even if two of them only needed them for baths. She had chosen a 25-bedroom design which to me was more of a castle than a house, much to my chagrin. I mean I even asked her about it, not planning to have that many children ever even if by some miracle Edward and I got back together and had kids together, which I admit I very much wanted. She laughed and explained that the house was more practical than it sounded. Whatever bedrooms weren't in use could be turned into anything else as needed, playrooms, home offices, whatever. She also expected the Cullens to come live here in my house eventually even though I doubted it so there were bedrooms added for them as well.
"Bella, you need to remember that you don't actually need your mate to get pregnant. With the venom in your body, it can happen at any time with or without him, which is why I had instructed you to keep an eye on your cycle and take frequent tests. There's no stopping it, since the venom's in your system already, there are no prophylactics that can work against venom, it will just destroy them, so it is better to be safe than sorry. You may end up needing all the extra room even if you don't think so now," she had said and that had scared the crap out of me. I mean I was basically permanently pregnant when she put it that way. I told her so and she laughed. "NO, not permanently pregnant. Merely highly receptive to the fertility inherent in venom. Transformation, at least for us vampires – not sure exactly about the other supernaturals –, is basically our form of reproduction, asexual reproduction that is, and the venom is the conduit that gets it done. It has to be this way since we only get 1 breeding season every 5,000 years or so according to what we learned from Lugalme Ninshuel and his wife Ninbaradari Zimuandagal, and the greater majority of vampire females are still sterile even during the season. Taking it on a purely biological sense, the only way for our species to thrive is by transforming humans into vampires, it's our only viable avenue to continue the species. Now because of this, when venom is introduced to a human, a creature with a much simpler and relaxed breeding schedule than ours, it tends to overcompensate, creating the little problem you have. But really, there are no guaranties. Your best option for reproduction is still with your mate which is as nature intended for both of you, but you have the possibility even without him. Which reminds me that I've meant to ask you, is there anything we don't know about your relationship with him?" I looked at her confused. "What I mean is, well I'll just put it bluntly, were you sleeping with him?"
"Well, yes, he spent the night with me nearly every night?" I hedge, knowing what she was asking.
"Cute, Bella, but you know that's not what I meant." I didn't answer her, I was trying very hard to hold myself together and not thing about anything of the sort. It hurt too much. I don't know what Astrid saw in my face but she didn't press me further on the subject, though I doubted I could get anything past her. I'd gotten good at hiding my pain, but she could see right through me in true mother fashion. Anyway, my house was already well under construction, whenever the weather was gentle enough for that, and she said that it would be ready within 5 more months which was surprising to me. I mean I'm no expert but a house like that would take years to build back home. I guess there was something to be said for Viking efficiency and also for vampire strength and stamina.
After my morning classes at the academy a week or so after I had started them, I went by the clinic and was given the good news. Fury and Nightshade were ready to come home and I could take them home that very day. I was thrilled to no end. After signing the papers and getting their medical orders since their recovery would be long, I led my best friends home to my ancestors' house. Astrid was there to greet us since I happened to have my first class with her on dragon riding that afternoon and she fussed over them like a mother hen with her eggs, pleasantly surprised that they were released that day as we had believed it would be at least another few days. "The doctor explained that, although they still have quite a ways to go and really needed a little more time at the clinic, the dragons were getting too restless to allow that. He was getting concerned that their confinement was starting to have a negative effect on their recovery so he sent them home."
Astrid nodded. "Good, they'll get better faster at home. How are their tails?"
I smiled. "All healed up. More or less. The scars have sealed up completely and there are no more signs of infection so we were able to save each of their remaining natural tail flukes. The scales are taking their sweet time regrowing though."
She nodded. "Understandable. The infections were pretty severe so I'm not surprised. They may never regrow completely in the areas where there are scars though. Toothless' never did, that's why you can still see the bite marks from his fight with a Whispering Death long before Hiccup met him."
"Would that affect their getting their prosthesis?" I wondered as I settled Fury and Nightshade on their downstairs bed and gave them some food. They were still on a modified diet to help them gain weight since Fury and Nightshade were still very underweight.
"I don't see why it should. We'll give them a couple of days to get settled at the house and then we'll fit them with their prosthesis. Hiccup's already finished them but they're still back at the shop in case they need any tweaks." I nodded. "While you won't be able to ride them yet since you're still too new at it for it to be safe. Hiccup and I will start working with them on getting them used to the prosthesis and flying with the harness. You'll work with them on that as well so the three of you'll learn to work with them together, but under supervision. However, for the time being at least, until they get their strength back since they've not flown in weeks, it would be safer for all of you if Hiccup and I handled that part of their recovery for the most part." I nodded in understanding. I'd figured it would be like that. "But I think you'll all be flying together in no time at all." I grinned, happy with the news.
"Will they be okay to leave with me for Forks when we leave?" I wondered. Charlie had been making noise about going home early but I refused. I was pretty sure that he would drag me back to Forks as soon as the date came even though I actually didn't want to go.
"Maybe, maybe not. We'll have to see how they recover for the next few months and how they get used to the prosthesis and learn to fly with them. Regaining their weight isn't the problem now, they are both doing perfectly on that front. The problem is more in getting used to their disability and learning to work with their trainer to fly. Only once they've mastered that will we be teaching them to use the solo prosthesis. From what Hiccup told me, it took him and Toothless weeks to get the hang of the prosthesis and their teamwork. Trainer and dragon have to be in sync, they almost have to be able to read each other's minds so that they can work the two separated flukes together to control their flight and that isn't so easy. It took me some time to get the hang of it and that was with Hiccup teaching me how when that became a necessity. But you'll all pick up on it soon. You, at least, have the advantage of a teacher already experienced in this part of their recovery." I nodded in understanding as I was petting my pets. Still I thought things were looking up.
The kids arrived home from school after that and immediately started climbing all over the dragons, happy to see them home at last. Mamman and I laughed as we watched my eager pets playing with the children. After a few minutes of the entertainment, everyone settled down and it was now time for lunch, which today was my invention dragon stew and of course they got their portion as well with their vitamins. They'd gotten better at taking them but this was still the easiest way. After lunch, the kids went back to school for their afternoon dragon training classes. Yes, though the academy itself was for teenagers, it was basically the high school after all. All children and adults who hadn't learned before or wanted to take refresher courses, were welcome for classes in the afternoon while the teens were in their regular academic courses. It was a lot of work, but it was fun and learning young meant a greater affinity for the teaching and the dragons which was always a bonus and something I kinda wish I hadn't missed out on, as much of a star pupil as everyone says I am. After kissing the kids goodbye, Mamman and I left for my flight and gliding class. A class that had me both excited and filled with dread…
And why was I dreading it as much as I wanted to learn you may ask? Because my ancestors believed in throwing you to the deep end and hoping you could swim. And I was praying I could swim as I looked down at the ocean far below me while I stood at the top of one of the rock formations on the south-western shore of Berk, better known as the Sea Stacks. They were tiny little mountain-like rock formations that scared me just to think that I would have to fly anywhere near them. Now don't get me wrong. This isn't the first time I've flown on a dragon. Hiccup took me up and showed me how to work the tail fluke while we were headed here, but that was in the open ocean with no obstacles in between us. And to make matters worse, this was my first solo flight on Toothless. Before, either Astrid or Hiccup sat on the saddle behind me and had even added a second pedal to take control should I make a mistake. I had outgrown that part of my training, before we'd arrived on the island and this first solo flight had only been pushed off because there were so many other things left to do. Hiccup had taken me up for a refresher course to make sure I was ready for a solo flight, but this was the place where that kind of trial really counted, or so they said. I tried to take deep breaths to calm myself as I looked at the obstacle course Astrid had marked out before class. The objective was to grab or knock down the flags situated after different obstacle, 7 in total.
"Relax, Bells. It's not as hard as it looks," Astrid said as she rubbed my leather-clad shoulder. I was wearing my glide suit to be ready for the next part of today's lesson, learning to glide. And really I wished I knew how so that I could bail if needed. "I know it looks scary but all you have to do is follow the trail. For the first obstacle you merely need to bank to the right until you round the stack and can grab the flag, the next one is going through a series of loops to grab it from its place. Next is climbing up to the highest stack to grab the flag after which you'll dive down to the water to take the flag from the boat anchored below the stack. After that you'll bank to the left and go through the loop for the next flag, then hold a straight flight for a minute until you reach the arches and then fly up and then down each until you reach the flag. Finally, you'll fly zigzag through the menorah pillars and take the last one. I know it sounds complicated but you've played catch the flag before and done the exact same routine with us throughout all of your flight classes. You've even done them at high speeds. This time though, you'll fly slow and leisurely which will give you plenty of time to correct yourself if you make a mistake or stop if you need to. All you have to do is follow the path set up and take the flags, I'll be flying beside you on this Snow Wraith, which I've already trained for obstacle flying for the Academy students. The only difference is that now you have obstacles to conquer. Which you need to be able to do in order to fly most places. Even in the open ocean you could suddenly find obstacles or, most likely, while you're inland you'll find more obstacles than open spaces and need to be able to compensate. Toothless has done this my times before and can correct you should he need to, or stop if needed. So relax and let's begin."
I nodded, when she put it like that, it did sound easy enough. Though the visions of me splattered on the side of a stack wouldn't leave my head. I'd taken the habit of checking all the parts of the harness and tail fluke to make sure they were properly connected since I was still learning to dress a dragon in his prosthesis. It was Hiccup's idea, at least until I got the hang of it and could do it all without thinking about it, which would only happen with practice. Toothless rubbed his great head against my side and I giggled as I pet him. His purr sounded like he was saying, 'Don't worry, I'll take care of you.'
"He's right Bella," Astrid said suddenly.
"Huh?"
Astrid laughed. "Toothless said 'Don't worry, I'll take care of you.' Remember, dragons can mimic human speech to an extent with their vocal cords. And he's right, you may be a newbie trainer, but Toothless has centuries of experience. It's the main reason why you're learning with him. There are other dragons with similar injuries here that you could have easily learned on and it wouldn't have made that much of a difference with your pets, especially if they had the same tail structure as a Night Fury. But you know that we felt it best that you learn this on a dragon that has more experience so he's able to compensate for any mistake or problems that arise. So relax and enjoy the flight." I nodded. After double checking everything, I climbed up on Toothless, settling on the saddle and putting my feet on the pedal. This particular saddle and harness combo was actually Fury's set. My ancestors thought that getting familiar with my particular equipment would be best now that it was ready and I had been working with it for a while, while doing the refresher course. It was the same design as Toothless' equipment but fitted for my use, though it was still his own tail prosthesis. With one last deep breath, we dove off the stack. Astrid led me through a series of warm-up moves so I could settle in the flight and dial up my use of the tail fin. Once that was done, and for once with no mistakes, it was time to tackle the stacks.
The first obstacle was in deed easy. We rounded the corner and I saw the flag on a small ledge and grabbed it as I passed. Now Astrid did say I could stop, but she meant if I made a mistake not while doing the course. That was a rule I learned early on. That way I would get used to a smooth flight pattern instead of the stop and go of newbie car drivers which is bad for both the dragon and also for the harness. Once I had the flag Toothless and I turned to our right and started on the loops. There were 15 in total and the flag was in the middle one. Most of the loops were in a straight line but for some we had to go up or down. I did make a mistake here, crashing into one of the loops when I didn't fly far enough up. Toothless and I were both fine, just annoyed.
"It's okay Bella, that's why you're learning. And really, ask Toothless how many times he and Hiccup crashed into obstacles before getting the hang of it. At least you did it slowly, theirs had way more speed," she laughed and I giggled, reassured.
I decided to start on the loops again and this time managed the whole course without problems and took the flag. Our next obstacle, the high climb was also very easy and Toothless and I were working together well. It was the next one that was a test in nerves, the dive bomb to the boat. Once we'd taken the flag, Toothless and I climbed higher up to clear the stack and then dove down and that is where the problem started. We were going far too fast and picking up speed, but during the climb we had veered off course so the boat was in the wrong position to take the flag and I couldn't stop. To make matters worse we were racing towards an arched stack and would surely smash into it. I was petrified and forgot for a moment how to do anything and the stack was coming in fast. Then, I don't know what happened but I just suddenly woke up and started controlling the flight. And just in time. Whatever instinct took over, I was able to steer us down and under the stacked arch making a right to take the boat flag then on to the next obstacles. We banked to the left and went through the loop to get the next flag then flew straight to the arches going up and then down each one, even adding a loop-de-loop underneath the last arch to take the flag. I wasn't able to grab it as we passed but we did knock it down which also counted and then we zigzagged though the menorah pillars which was a line of 15 thin pillars stacked nearly in a straight line and took the last flag. All at high speeds and without even thinking about how I was moving my foot just as I was supposed to. Toothless' idea of a celebration was flying through burst of his flame, which kinda scared me but I went along with it and it was so cool.
I was laughing the whole way back to the starting line and landed beside Astrid and, surprisingly, Hiccup. "I thought you were at the hospital," I said as I threw myself in his arms.
"What and miss your first flight? No way, besides there's nothing to do there," he answered hugging me tight. "I'm so proud of you. Looks like history repeated itself here today."
"What?" I asked grinning.
He grinned at me. "Toothless and I did the same thing on our first flight. Same mistakes and everything. I was using a cheat sheet which showed all the tail positions, the same one I had you study and memorize but don't let you use in flight. When we climbed up the wind knocked the sheet out of its holder and I nearly lost it. Problem was I accidentally had Toothless stop while we were still climbing up and gravity caught us, pulling us down and apart. I lost my seat but managed to get back on, but by then we were going to crash and couldn't pull up or slow down. I tried looking at the sheet but it wasted valuable time so we just went with it. It was instinct and I managed to position us so we could fly around and through all of the obstacles until we were out in open water, just as you did. Only difference being that you stayed in your seat."
"I did the same?" I asked amazed.
"Yep, and all on instinct which has to be how you control your flight. Did you notice how fast you were going?"
"No, we slowed down after pulling out of the—" I stopped after I saw him shake his head.
"No you did not. You sped up. In fact you sped up so much that when you pulled out of the dive and turned you made a sonic boom and again while going through the loops." I looked at him wide-eyed. I hadn't noticed. He laughed at the look on my face. "Yes, way faster than you've ever flown, as it should be. Night Furies are fast. That's something you have to get used to. But more importantly, your little adventure won you something."
"What?"
He smiled. "Congratulations Bella. You've passed Trainer exams 1, 2 and 3, Completed high-speed flight track, Controlled High-Speed flight and Evasive maneuvers. Now you only have 12 trainer exams left." If my eyes got any wider they would fall out.
"Really, so they're this easy?" I wondered amazed. I hadn't even taken my last trainee exam, dragon care and husbandry and already passed trainer exams?
"They're not supposed to be," Astrid said. "Most trainers have to be taught in steps how to do exactly as you did. It's even harder when you have the addition of teaching said trainer to react instinctively and in sync with their dragon to control a tail prosthesis. It's why newbie trainers don't train with disabled dragons, only experienced ones handle those dragons, unless of course the dragon has been with the trainer before the injury happened. In fact, most trainers, crash their dragons into the rocks on the training course and make too many mistakes their dragons can't compensate for until they get each lesson right. And that's with fully abled dragons. It's why we train dragons to work with academy students instead of letting them ride their own during lessons. That way, the dragon is better able to compensate for the student's mistakes and still they can crash. In all honesty, you're breezing through dragon training as if you'd been born on the back of a dragon and ridden them in the womb or something. Or maybe you really are just Daddy's Little Girl."
Hiccup's face was in danger of cracking with the smile it had. Daddy's little girl indeed. Still I was shocked at what I'd done. We'd flown so fast and completed a very dangerous course at high speed. SO COOL. I was in danger of channeling Alice and bouncing all over the place in excitement but seeing Hiccup pulling something out from a bag I had no idea he was carrying snapped me out of it. "What's that?" I asked curious.
Hiccup grinned. "A present. Sort of."
I immediately began to protest. "Oh but you guys have given me so—" Astrid wrapped her hand around my mouth to shut me up.
"If we want to give our daughter presents then she will accept them graciously and not nag. We love spoiling our kids, all of them. Besides this isn't a present so much as something you earned."
Now I was confused. From the bag, Hiccup pulled out two large boxes, one flat that kinda looked like a large pizza box and another square one that I had no idea what it was. He handed me the large box first. "Yesterday we had the quarterly meeting of the dragon counsel, which as you learned in class at the academy, is comprised of the heads of all the families in Berk. You also know that as soon as you complete your dragon training you'll also be eligible for a seat at the council since you are head of your own family now." I nodded, following him so far. "You know as well that one of the things we decide on is the ranking and the passing or failing of dragon trainees, trainer and even the masters since this is not so much an academic curriculum as a form of life, a life's purpose." I nodded again. And he grinned. "Now neither Astrid nor I are allowed to vote in your case since you are both our child and also our student, so don't go thinking that we arranged things for you as we saw fit, we might share the seat of the head of the council but we are refrained from voting on our direct students so as not to taint the vote." I nodded again. "Open the box, Bells." I did as asked and inside the box I found an ornate metal shield. I gasped, knowing what it was. Hiccup and Astrid both grinned. "Of course we did have this made for you when you arrived on Berk, but it couldn't be given to you until you passed the 5 trainee exams. As you know, the Gronckle iron shield is given only to those trainers who successfully conquer all 5 trainee exams as a sign that they are now dragon riders—"
"But I haven't taken the 5th exam yet," I said bewildered.
"That was discussed yesterday at the council. Your training is different that the training all other riders receive. It mirrors more a cross between what Toothless and I did while learning to fly and the one Astrid and our other friends received from me after the battle with the Red Death, which at the time we were all learning together instead of my teaching them everything, instead of the more academic study and structured study the other riders go though. Also, both of your dragons have special needs, hell you're handling two adults and sooner or later will be handling a bunch of hatchlings since your dragons came with eggs. But not only do your dragons have special needs they've been ill this whole time. The dragon care and husbandry exam is designed to show that you can in fact handle whatever situation your dragon may put you through in its lifetime, whether it is illness, injury, care for any future offspring as well as their every-day needs. Dragons, as you well know, are a high maintenance pet, a far bigger responsibility than a cat or dog, or any common pet. Hell, they're an even bigger responsibility than even exotic pets since you also have the added bonus of having to keep them a secret. But you've fallen into that role, like you've been doing it all along. Throughout these last weeks since we found them, you've done everything you need to, to care for them as they need. Therefore the council decided that you would be given the pass on the last exam since you have in fact covered every part of it and then some, therefore the shield is now yours."
"You're kidding me," I said in disbelief. Seriously, could things get any easier?
He shook his head. "Nope. While you still do need to learn how to use it since the shield is not merely ornamental, but it in fact has several weapons. Weapons that, by the way, you can use in a fight against a vampire because Gronckle iron can and will harm a vampire, it is yours."
I grinned now full-on bouncing around. Astrid took over as she handed me the other box. I opened it and found a golden ornate sword handle, with no blade. Odd. "It's a fire sword. Hiccup himself made it for you, though it is more ornate than any of his or mine. When you press the button on the hilt, out pops a Gronckle iron blade micro-sharpened to the finest and deadliest edge it can have. It sharpens every time it moves in and out. Press the second button on the hilt and it catches fire." Astrid said as she showed me how it worked. Each button was a different color so you couldn't confuse them: silver for the blade, orange for the fire blade, a green and a yellow button which I imagined were the flamethrower feature. "As you know this also shoots streams of Hideous Zippleback gas which when sparked turns into a stream of flame. The green button is for the gas and the yellow to spark it. Conquering the 1st trainer exam earns you the blade and also entrance into the class to learn how to use it and fight with it, same as the shield. We've already signed you up for it. As you can see it has space for 15 small jewels. Astrid pulled a bag out of the box and handed it to me. "The bag contains precious and semi-precious stones that go there, but it's like when you take martial arts. You earn the right to have each jewel when you pass the exams they represent and not sooner." I nodded in understanding. She opened the bag and pulled out three jewels, a turquoise stone, a garnet, and a pink topaz. "You earn the sword with the first exam as well as its jewel to mark it which is the turquoise and you can put it anywhere you like." I took the stone she handed me and placed it on the little whole at the bottom near the opening for the flamethrower which was carved in the shape of a traditional Zippleback head. "The pink topaz stone is in honor of the second test." I placed next hole in the hilt deciding on for mine a spiral pattern. "And finally the garnet is in honor of the 3rd test." I placed it in the next whole. She then took out a small box and opened it to reveal silvery oval inserts in the same cut as the jewels. "These are platinum inserts for the other holes. As you can see there are far more than 15 openings so you can decide on your own pattern. The inserts make the hilt more comfortable to hold. All of the jewels and inserts are cut to fit the exact shape of the hole and they come with a glue backing that I removed so you could place them, between that and the cut of the holes they'll never fall of once they are set, though they aren't so easy to remove to change them." I nodded as they helped me place all of the inserts in place. "You still have plenty of things to do of course, but this is the beginning. You know that this weekend we're going out for the wilderness survival camping trip. You're going with the entire wilderness class and Hiccup will be leading it while I stay here to watch the kids." I nodded. "It's the perfect opportunity for you to take the next exams, specifically training a dragon for someone else. Many of the trainees attending don't have a dragon of their own, preferring to get one during these moments. If you can train them for the other students, you already know how to train a dragon, it's simply a matter of adding the other students to the mix, then you'll pass."
I nodded. "What other tests could I pass there, and where are we going? Into the woods here?"
"No, the academic class as it were, is taught in the woods here. It poses no real challenge to survive in a place you've already been. You're far more advanced than most of the students going on this trip, though you don't have as much practice. For it to be a true test it has to be in an environment you're not familiar with. We've chosen Dragon Island as the place. It's perfect really. Harsh, but with all the necessities if you know where to find them, which is the main part of the test. It's also one of the best places to get wild dragons as pretty much all species are represented there at one time or another, even those not commonly found there so you'll be able to train many kinds of dragons for the exam. Hiccup will lead the group but you'll all separate into teams of 5, four trainee riders and one trainer in training that's going for the wilderness survival challenge to lead and Hiccup will coordinate the teams. You're allowed to take books on plant life of the island since you're not expected to memorize every single one, unless you're a full vampire of course, as well as supplies such as water, a knife or two for cooking, and of course your fire sword and shield for protection and a tent for protection from the elements but that's it. All of the groups will split up in a 5-mile radius and Hiccup will be watching out for you at the main camp along with the other teachers and volunteers going in case of an emergency, but you'll all be basically on your own."
"Isn't it too cold to camp?" I wondered.
"Not here it isn't. Remember our winter last most of the year. As long as the weather remains calm, there's no problems, that's part of the test. I nodded. "We'll discuss the rest later but for now that's where we're at. Well that and we still have another part of the class."
I nodded, yes I still had to learn to glide. For that part we moved to the south beach at Puffin Point which had complete open water and sky with no rock formations in the way and deep water as well. This time both Hiccup and Astrid shared in the training, each handling a different part. First Hiccup showed me how to open the wings of the flight suit while on the ground and when I had that down he flew up on Toothless to demonstrate how to jump of and glide. Then Astrid took me up on her dragon and, after tendering us together, we jumped off and glided on the air, kind of like learning to skydive where I would be tendered to my teacher until I learned the basics. They showed me how to move my body so I could steer while in flight, how to gain more altitude or speed, as much as I could on an unassisted flight anyway, and then how to slow down. In between that I was taught how to get back on my dragon and bail out repeatedly. It wasn't until about 2 hours later when we had repeated the exercise for the 10th time that I noticed Astrid and I were no longer connected as I got back on the dragon for the final time that day. My eyes bugged wide open in fear and Astrid and Hiccup laughed. "Took you long enough to see it," Hiccup laughed.
"What?" I asked, bewildered.
"Astrid released you after the third trial. You've been doing it alone since then. Kind of like teaching a kid to ride a bike, you hold on to them for a while, but eventually let them go so they can work on it alone. Relax, we were both close enough to grab you as were both dragons should you have any problems and we chose this time of the day specifically so that there would be plenty of updrafts to keep you aloft longer but few harsh gusts since the mountain breaks a good deal of them up. This is after all how you learn to fly. You get booted out of the nest."
"You could have told me," I said indignant.
"If we had you would have been too scared, only focusing on the fact that you don't have a safety blanket in place. When you didn't know you were able to stay focused on the exercise and practice the moves correctly. Yes you made mistakes, but nothing major that you couldn't compensate for and all simply because you thought Astrid was still there to pick up the slack if you failed. Which we were, but we were giving you space to work it out on your own."
"It's like when you teach a kid to swim, Bells. You teach them how to move and stay afloat in the water while been close enough to grab them if they have trouble. Then slowly widen the distance they can swim on their own until they swim the whole pool," Astrid added. "That's what we did. We taught you how to move and respond to the air, then once you had the hang of that gave you room to practice while still being in arms reach to grab you should you have a problem." I sighed and nodded as we landed. They were right. This was how everyone learned, even if it was scary. "Slowly we'll open up the circle and let you have more room to practice until you can go up on your own. But we'll work on that over time," Astrid said as we packed up and started towards home. "Eventually you'll be out on your own with only your dragon for company in the sky."
"Or playing in sky dances with your dragons," Hiccup finished.
"Sky dance?"
He grinned. "It was something the younger generations came up with. They and their dragons go up and glide around, pirouetting and doing acrobatic moves with each other to the rhythm of music. It's really fun actually. And it really does look like the dragons and trainers are dancing in the air. Actually, there's a party tonight in honor of the birth of my father. You can see it then, if you're up for it?" I nodded. I was indeed curious. Hell, I loved the adrenaline even when I got scared as I was learning. It made me feel human and alive and lately that was hard to come by. As we walked back to the house I wondered what Edward would say if he could see what I was doing now and laughed as I imagined the pure look of fear on his face as he watched me dive off a dragon. He really was too overprotective to do either of us any good…
The week flew by faster than the blink of the eye and before I knew it, the weekend had arrived and it was time to leave for Dragon Island. Hiccup had been right, I had loved the dragon dance at the festival and wanted to learn it as soon as possible. In fact they had to rein me in in my flight and gliding classes for the rest of the week. Or rein me in as much as they could as I had proven I had inherited the rather sizable stubborn streak of the Hooligan tribe. As attested by the fact that two days after learning to glide for the first time, I had passed my 4th and 5th trainer exams: Controlled Glide (Obsidian gem) and Maneuvered flight (lapis lazuli). Now they had expected the first but not the second and had begun to joke that maybe I was the reincarnation of another trainer and that that was why I seemed a natural at this. Whatever the case though I was thrilled, though shocked with my progress. Now Mamman and I were packing my backpack for the trip to the wilderness. Fury and Nightshade were staying home as they weren't yet strong enough for the trip and were seriously unhappy about it. They'd thrown a rather sizable tantrum the night before and it was only by snuggling up with them throughout the night that I was able to calm them. It was the first time I had slept through the night in some time without a single nightmare and I had begun to realize that, maybe that was what I needed, a snuggle bunny. I'd look into it more later. I grabbed three pairs of thick jeans for the cold and packed them in my bag as Astrid came out of my closet. "Here Bella. You'll need these," she said, handing me her bundle.
They were three new glide suits. "But I only had one?" I wondered.
She grinned. "I had a few more made for you. Honestly Bella, do you really think trainers only have the one suit. I had told you to have a few more made." I nodded as I packed them. "Given that you've already passed your glide exams, you can use them in the forest as both protection from the weather and also for flight." I nodded and picked up the edible plant books as well as the book on medicinal herbs and my trainer manual and packed them up as well. Astrid handed me the shirts and jackets and my toiletries bag that I packed up next. With that I closed the bag but felt like there was more I should take.
"Do I have everything?" I wondered.
Astrid nodded. "Yep. Those are your personal effects which is all you need to take. You'll be looking for your own food and water with some things supplied at the main camp. At the main camp you'll also be given your tent and sleeping bag if they are needed. There are 5 areas where you'll be setting up camp, in one there's a cave you can use for shelter, which would negate the need for a tent, another area is reserved for those that will be building survival shelters, but those are reserved for only the more advanced wilderness survival students which isn't where you'll be going. For the last three areas you'll need a tent. Each area has supplies assigned that you'll get at the main camp." I nodded and picked up my bag. It was just after sunrise so the kids were still sleeping. I'd said my goodbyes to them before tucking them in for the night. Now Cameron and Cailyn were pure vampires so they didn't sleep but they enjoyed resting their minds with the mental technique my ancestors had learned from the ancients that trained them. It was the closest to sleep a vampire could get and I knew it's benefits were well worth it since it allowed their over-developed minds a rest and helped to prevent petrification as weird as that sounded considering it was a condition brought on by sedentary life and sleeping was sedentary, but hey. I made a mental note to go by the book store and pick up some books on the stuff my ancestors knew for the Cullens if I ever found them again. Carlisle would just about die with all the knowledge that is still hidden from him. I grinned and, noticing, Astrid broke into my thoughts. "What's that grin about Bells?"
I sighed. "I was just thinking about the Cullens. Specifically Carlisle's reaction to finding out all that you guys know. I was thinking about picking up some books on the subjects."
Astrid nodded. I knew what she was thinking: if I could think about them then maybe I was making progress. She was sorta right. I could think about them, but it still hurt badly. It was him, however, that I couldn't think about or I'd break down. Maybe one day, far, far in the future but not now. I shook off my thought as another question came to mind. "Mamman, when will you guys be teaching me more about vampires?" I wondered.
Astrid looked startled. "You're right. In all of the hullabaloo, we'd forgotten that." She nodded. "Yes, we'll correct that after you come back from Dragon Island," she said. I nodded and we went out the door.
Astrid and I walked in silence the rest of the way to the academy where we were meeting up with the group. When we arrived, most everyone was there already. Hiccup met us at the door and gave me a warm hug then kissed his wife goodbye. With that we walked over to the group. Once everyone had arrived, Hiccup showed us the map of the area we were visiting. It encompassed a good portion of the south of the island and it was the flattest area in the whole island, which wasn't saying much. Hiccup and the teachers were going to set up camp at the cave where the Red Death used to have her nest while the 5 groups along with our 2 adult volunteers were going to hike away from the main camp in 2 main directions around the beach then split off to our own camps 5 miles away from the beach and into the forests surrounding the large mountain that was the nest. Next Hiccup had the 4 team leaders of the newer trainees, myself included, come up to the bowl and picked out the map for our own campsites so that it would be fair to all. I lucked out in getting the cave campsite and my team eagerly came to stand beside me. Some of the other kids tried to get changed to my group but Hiccup quickly settled things back down, afterwards he handed the more advanced group their map. With that we all mounted the Typhoomerangs that were taking us to the island. I was surprised but Hiccup explained that it was the fastest way otherwise we wouldn't have enough time to hike and set up our camps today. I didn't ride with the other kids, instead I rode on the back of Toothless with my ancestor and he and I spent the time talking about the rest of my training and what we'd find on the island.
Dragon Island was barren. That's the only way I could think of to describe it. We landed about an hour after sunrise at the beach and all I could see was rock and more rock. Honestly if the rest of the island was like this, then no wonder this was a survival test. By noon we had finished helping to set up the main camp. Now it's true that the vampires with us, my ancestor as well as 5 others, could have set it up in a matter of minutes, but the reason we were made to set it up was to prove that we could, that we knew how, before setting off. Part of the test. Once that was done, each of us was handed a colored backpack with the supplies appropriate to each of our camps. My team and I received the blue backpacks which contained what we needed for the weekend. There were no tents since we had the cave, but we did have sleeping bags, extra blankets for the cold, Ferro rods for starting a fire, pots for boiling water and cooking, plastic utensils, a water canteen, a first aid kit and an emergency radio for in case we ran into trouble which were handed to one of our adult volunteers. Each team also had 2 assigned adult chaperones to handle emergencies and also give us our exams, but it was up to me as team leader to hand out assignments. We didn't, however, get any food or water. I looked at the map before we set off and saw that there was a large stream where we could get water and even fish from so it would be fine. Actually from what I saw, no other group was getting food, water yes if there were no nearby sources, but we were expected to find our own food. Before leaving, Hiccup handed each team leader a folder of papers with the team assignments for the afternoon activities. Once that was done, we took off with down the beach until we found the path that led out and over the mountain. We stopped after about an hour in the clearing the adults led us to rest and get our bearings. Once there it was up to me to lead the way. While drinking my water, I looked over the map. We were supposed to find 4 other landmarks, the clearing being the 5th to lead us to the cave where we would set up camp: a large black rock that looked kind of like a square, once we got there we were supposed to see a large mountain in the shape of an eagle's head and head to the left of it, then we were supposed to find a huge tree who's bark was had been scratched out by the vampires to mark the trail while we were setting up the main camp, and the last being a large mountain with a lot of ice on its west end which is where the cave was located. It sounded simple enough.
I took out the compass and oriented myself in the direction the map indicated and found the trail. There were a lot of raised tree roots which I was worried about given that my balance was barely adequate on a flat surface, but what could you do. I double checked the path with the adult volunteers and then gathered my team up. "Okay guys, listen up, there's some things we need to do on the way to the camp," I told them, calling the group to attention. I handed out the assignments marked trail to everyone. "According to this list we have to find 4 markers on the map that will lead us to the cave, a large black rock that looked kind of like a square, once we get there we were supposed to see a large mountain in the shape of an eagle's head and head to the left of it, then we were supposed to find a huge tree who's bark was had been scratched out by the vampires to mark the trail while we were setting up the main camp, and the last being a large mountain with a lot of ice on its west end which is where the cave was located. We're also supposed to mark the trail we took by tying ribbons to a tree every few feet, but we decide how far apart. This is for two purposes, the first being finding our way back to the main camp easier and also because at the end of the day we'll be checked on and judged on our trail. We're also supposed to see if we can find food while on the trail, without straying too far out of the path."
"You should also try to see if you can identify plants, even if they aren't edible, you never know when you might need some herb or where you might run across it," the volunteer, Jenna, interjected. We all nodded in agreement.
"Since we're supposed to find food, does anyone have any suggestions?" I asked.
"Well where we're going, there's a river so we could fish," one of the girls, Anna Marten, said as she looked at them map over my shoulder.
I nodded. "True, but that can't be our only option, especially if we're to feed the dragons we might be taking back with us." They all nodded. "Does anyone know how to trap or hunt?" I asked, knowing those were not my specialties.
One of the two guys, Connor Buren, raised his hand. "My dad and I are trappers; I know how to set up snares and other traps to catch food and I did bring the materials with me in my personal effects figuring I might need them, we could also get more from the main camp." I nodded, that was a good plan.
Anna spoke up. "I know how to trap too, but I'm better at hunting I could help out."
"I'm pretty good at herbal sciences and IDeing plants, plus I brought a book on edible plants and medicinal herbs to help out with that," I put in.
Abigail, the girl with blond hair spoke up. "I'm pretty good at fishing and making fish traps," she put in.
"And I know how to fish manually plus I'm also pretty good at identifying plants as well," Derek, the other boy, put in.
I nodded. "So we have a plan then. Between the lot of us we should be able to come up with pretty decent meals given all our strengths." They nodded.
"But won't be getting food from the main camp?" Anna asked.
"No," Damian, the other volunteer put in. "We might be getting some things to supplement as needed, but the whole point of the exercise is for you to survive in the wild no matter the situation. Finding food is part of it. Of course myself and Jenna are here to help you and the camp is as well but we're more of a safety net in case of emergency. We can of course help out with the hunting and the fishing but the point is for you to work on your own."
We nodded. "When will we be trapping the dragons?" Anna wondered.
I had to suppress a glare. "We're not trapping them, first of all. You don't train dragons with cruelty, you'll never win their trust that way and they will never accept you if you do." I took a deep breath. "Dragons respond to kindness and patience. If you really want one of your own then I suggest you get those ideas out of your head right now. As for when we will search for them, that's for tomorrow. Of course if we happen to see some while heading for the cave we'll note their location on the map so we can find them later. Today's all about setting up our campsite."
"So we'll be training them tomorrow?" Derek wondered.
"Either tomorrow or the next day. I wasn't given any specific orders on that but I do imagine it will be tomorrow."
"But none of you will be training them," Damian put in.
"How so? How can we get a dragon if we don't train them?" Abigail wondered.
"It's simple really. Your team leader is a trainee dragon trainer. Each team is made up of 4 dragon rider trainees and one dragon trainer trainee as team leader. When we find the dragons it is up to your team leader to approach them and rain them in then she will show you how to train them, but none of you are allowed to approach a dragon without your team leader or at least one of us. It's too risky. Dragons back on Berk won't hurt you but these are all wild dragons. They don't mean any harm but they will defend themselves if they feel threatened. All of you are used to dragons, but the dragons you're used to are all trained or at the very least very used to people. These dragons are wild and so they are not. Bella, here has already completed all five of her rider exams and 3 of the trainer exams plus she got her dragons from the wild so she's the best candidate for leading the teams. The other team leaders all have the same passed exams but Bella's the only one who has tamed and trained a wild dragon before. If and when we find the wild ones she will approach them first, tame them and then bring you in as she sees fit. It's possible the dragon won't be accepting of any of you but they might accept another trainer so we will take them back with us regardless. Now I think it's time that we move on we want to arrive at the cave with plenty of time to set up camp and find something to eat," Damian side. We all nodded, packed up and continued walking.
It was a very long walk taking up the better part of the day, but we finally made it to the camp site. We wouldn't know for sure until the evening how well we did when the vampires tell us how good our trail was. I mean I thought it was pretty good, but we could have taken a longer route and not known it. Damian stopped us all at the mouth of the cave with the order to stay put. It wasn't safe to enter the cave until we knew for sure it was empty of all wildlife. Once he had ascertained it was safe we headed in. It was a big cave with plenty of room and very interesting rock formations. Now because it was winter we could not stay near the mouth of the cave as the wind would be too cold so we headed a ways in and set up our camp once we'd rounded the corner towards the back of the cave so we could use the corner to block wind. Once there we entered a huge bowl-shaped antechamber covered in crystals that reflected the light of the torches we had made to enter the cave. They would give us great illumination with little wood burning. Up on the roof there was a small opening that allowed a small view of the sky.
"Won't that make things too cold?" I asked Damian pointing to the opening.
He studied it for a bit before answering. "Only of we have a bad snow storm. It's actually a good feature since it allows for a good air exchange. However it is good you picked up on that. While we're supposed to have mild weather this weekend, things can change unexpectedly in this part of the world so we need to be aware of that." I nodded and started setting up my own camp. Now yes we were all one group and the fire was to be set up for all of us but because of the size of the cave we'd agreed that we'd each have our own spaces with a small fire to keep us warm as we sleep, reason being we'd need that space for the dragons. Now my dragons weren't here but the others were sure to get theirs so we needed to have space made for them. Since I didn't have my dragons with me my camp would be small so I chose a small nook with an outcropping of rock that made a small shelter underneath the skylight, the outcropping making a roof for my camp. Ironically I still had room for my two dragons though it would be a bit tight, but since we like to snuggle that's fine. I laughed once I finished setting up my sleeping bag and my fire, all I really needed. I guess I unconsciously prepared an area where Fury and Nightshade could be even though they were home with my Mamman and the kids.
By late afternoon, all of our camps were set, both the smaller trainer camps where they would sleep and keep their future dragons and also a larger gathering area with a larger fire where our kitchen stuff was. We were a bit late setting up but it was okay, we still had plenty of daylight to get food. Once ready I divided the groups, Connor and Anna went out to hunt and trap some meat while Abigail and Derek went to the river to fish. Meanwhile I went back to the trail with Jenna to gather edible plants and also herbs for taking care of wounds and find dragon nip, all of which were in our assignments. We were in luck, not too far from the river there was an open field where there were plenty of edible roots and leafy greens as well as a large patch of dragon nip which we would need come morning. Now I was surprised by all of this. It was the middle of winter and there was snow on the ground but still we had here an open field filled with greens. Jenna explained that because of the volcanic activity, ground temperature was higher than air so it never freezes also dragons helped maintain these areas by melting the snow or digging around in search of food which allowed plants to grow, plus all of what grows naturally in the Barbarian Archipelago has evolved to bloom even in the harshest winter. "It's only for plants like rice or sugar that we need to have very specialized places to grow them because they would never survive here. It's why our ancestors didn't know of them and didn't allow them on the island until fairly recently, about 200 years ago or so to grow them when the methods that would allow them to survive were established. Earlier they were imported, but importing is pricey so it made little sense to bring a lot in until we could grow it ourselves," she explained. I nodded and set about gathering as much as I could to bring back.
After about an hour we headed back to the cave with our food, plenty for dinner and breakfast the next day before we'd have to gather again. I made a note on the map as well as my trainer guide of where the field was so that we could return to it easily. Once we arrived at the camp, we saw that the others had also been in luck. Connor and Anna were cleaning 7 fat rabbits they hat caught, taking care to preserve the hide as they separated it while Abigail and Derek were cleaning a large catch of fish, from what I saw about 20 pounds of it, far more than we could eat but still not enough to feed the dragons. Because of the cold they would last for a while so I was glad. We had plenty of food and water to drink since Abigail had also filled plenty of water container form the river and sanitized them already from what they told me. Together we all gathered up to clean and prepare our meal. About an hour into the work we heard a commotion outside. Frowning, both I and our adult gui-des pulled out our fire swords and lit them up. "What is that?" Abigail asked.
"We don't know, but it sounds like trouble," Damian answered. "Go to the back of the cave and stay put, right now Bella, Jenna and I are the only ones that can fight and defend. Likely a dragon has chosen to use this cave for shelter tonight but you never know. Bella hang back a bit, get on the radio and inform the main camp, we may need some reinforcements." I nodded and pulled out the radio as I walked behind Damien and Jenna. Why was I allowed to go you may ask, when I wasn't that much older than the kids with us? Because I was the dragon trainer here and as such if it was a dragon I would be the one to subdue without hurting it. Still we'd need backup so I quickly informed Hiccup of the situation and he said he'd be here as soon as possible. I followed Damien and Jenna out of the cave and we looked around. There didn't seem to be anything outside. I crouched down on the sandy ground and studied the claw marks I'd found.
"Dragon?" I asked.
Jenna nodded. "Not a mark I'm familiar with but yes only a dragon would make a mar that big."
We studied the area but couldn't find where the dragon had gone. "Where did it go? Did it give up?" Damien and Jenna both shrugged. It was a bit strange. As I walked by a large hedge and heard a rustle. I whirled around to face it, fire sword held at the ready. Damian and Jenna walked up to stand beside me upon seeing me move. The rustling continued. "Come out," I called. In response the rustling increased and all three of us backed up to make room. From out of the hedges burst two black shadows. We jumped back and kept backing up for a good 10 feet. It was then I got a good look at our visitors. Two… black… Night Furies, and a very well know pair to me. "Fury? Nightshade?" Indeed it was my two pet dragons. They ran at me and proceeded to knock me over nuzzling into me. I landed on the ground with both dragons rubbing into me and making me giggle with their tickling caress. "What are you doing here?" asked as I rubbed Fury's great head. "How did you even get here?"
"Bella, are these your dragons?" Jenna asked.
I nodded as I extricated myself from them and stood up. They nuzzled into my side and purred. "Yeah, but I have no idea how they even got here. They were supposed to be home with Astrid," I said as I petted them. I couldn't help it. Heck, I probably should be mad they disobeyed me and followed but I wasn't. I'd missed them so much, besides I was so curious to know how they even got here. They weren't on the dragons with us, and they can't fly on their own. As I was petting them I took a look at my pets. They had a few minor scratches on their hides, nothing really worrisome what surprised me too see was that they were wearing a harness each. Now the harnesses were no longer they the big bulky one used in the past but more streamline models, lighter and with better, lighter materials. They had their saddles on and the prosthesis tail fluke but they couldn't have flown on their own without a rid…er. It was then I got a look at the prosthesis… the solo flukes. Those could be worn with or without the harness and they simply fly with them. About the only reason I know the difference if because the tips of it have blue point to distinguish them from the normal. Looks like they flew here on their own, but with the full harness on so I could just switch to manual and control the flight when I ride. How…?
At the very same moment I was making these conclusions, Poppa arrived with two other vampires. It was comical how his jaw hit the floor when he recognized the dragons rubbing into me. I smiled at him and shook my head.
"Of all the most stubborn…" Hiccup began then shook his head with a grin. "I told you they'd be a handful." I just shrugged and led the dragons inside. They were here, they might as well stay. Hiccup checked them up, they hadn't been ready for a trip like this, but other than a couple of scratches they were fine and eager. He sighed and sent one of the other vampires back to the camp for some more fish for their dinner. True we did catch quite the haul but not enough for one dragon let alone 2 and they obviously weren't going anywhere as they settle into my little camping nook. He sighed. "Well since we're here I can tell you all that you've done a magnificent job with this camp. Very good work. You're all on your way to success with this exam if you keep this up." He pulled an envelope from his backpack and handed it to me. "This is tomorrow's mission. You'll be going out to find your dragons. You lucked out in that this particular area has a lot of diversity. Also with Bella's stubborn pets. Watch her with them, learn how to care and handle your dragon from her. Tomorrow, you'll be replicating the same. Inside the envelope is a map of the area with all the dragon territories that surround it as well as information on the dragons that have been observed living in this area. I know all of you have your ideas as to what dragon you want, however, the one you want may not choose you, so be prepared. Dragons choose their rider, not the other way around. Since Bella here is the only trainer certified to train a wild dragon in your group she will be the one to handle the dragon then introduce you to them. Keep in mind that she will be the one to choose which of you will be the one that will approach and only that person. So even if you see the dragon you want, listen to her since if you do not follow her lead you, not her, will be the one in grave danger. The dragons will attack if they feel threatened. Whatever instructions Bella gives you are designed to keep you safe as well as the dragon and make sure everything goes correctly.
"You also need to remember that dragons are stubborn by nature. Case in point," he said gesturing to Fury and Nightshade as they were snuggled into our nook and eating the dinner brought for them from the camp. "These two were supposed to remain on Berk. They weren't ready to venture out on a trip like this, but they stubbornly came anyway. Both of Bella's dragons have a disabled tail fluke so they need prosthesis in order to fly. It just so happens that my wife chose to work with them on the solo tail fluke today and they literally threw her off of them along with the other rider working with her and flew off to find Bella. I received these news over the radio while I was checking on their health. And while even I think it is hilarious, it does illustrate how stubborn they can be. They wanted to be here with their trainer and no power on earth would sway them. They might have even swam here if they couldn't fly but without a working tail fluke they could have drowned so this is something you need to be aware of. No one will judge you of you choose not to take on the responsibility of training a dragon. They are difficult to manage and a much larger responsibility than any regular dragon. You do not need to get them at this point, you can wait as long as you like. If you choose to get your dragon today, keep in mind that you will rarely train with them in school. We train dragons specifically for the school because they are better able to compensate for your mistakes while learning. The ones you get now will be straight from the wild. Bella will tame them for you but it is your job to train them. All of you have been told what that entails and I don't need to go over that. They are your responsibility just as Fury and Nightshade are Bella's and mine is Toothless. Now after dinner, which I see you have quite the selection, good for you, some of the other groups weren't as successful, you can review the papers for tomorrow. Also give Bella your choices for dragon, only your top three and we'll see if they can be found. Keep in mind that just because they may have been seen here before doesn't mean that they are all still here to be found so make sure you are okay with that. Study your dragon manuals before bed and be ready for tomorrow at first light is when you will set off on your search. Good night to you all." Hiccup grinned and then he and the other vampires walked out of the cave leaving us alone to prepare.
