Amara, to her surprise, woke with Toothless on the platform in her room, a note from her father on her bedside table, saying Toothless should have one more day with her, besides Snoggletog, before his separation from the humans he saw as family. Amara smiled, though she'd just woke, and rubbed the Night Fury's head before they over to wake Roxanna for their early breakfast.
Roxanna was up for once and sat by the window, bane curled round her with his head on her knee which she has stroking absent-mindedly. Bane hissed softly when he saw Amara and toothless.
"Today's the day... Let's get something quick for breakfast and head out, ok?" She said softly once she had their attention.
"Hmm, yeah." Rox said, slowly getting up though bane seemed to pout but followed her as she headed out.
Amara was confused as they headed downstairs. "What's with Bane? He seems to be pouty." She noticed as she worked on making something quick, asking Toothless to heat a plate as she quickly made something for breakfast, with enough that her parents would have some, too, as Toothless ate a couple fish for a light breakfast himself.
"He was just enjoying himself. He'll snap out of it." Roxanna explained as she sat down.
Amara nodded, grabbing the right mix of foods for Bane, as Roxanna had told her what seemed like ages ago now, and gave it to the Deathsong as they sat down to eat. Toothless' head tilted as he watched the girls, and an hour before Hiccup was even rousing from sleep, they snuck out and, with Amara in his saddle, took off.
"Will they be mad that you left before they were up?" Roxanna asked as they flew. Bane seemed to be enjoying the brisk morning flight and was playing around as Roxanna just sat.
"They only would be if I hadn't left breakfast for them... One of the only things that makes dad angry is having to suffer through Mum's cooking." Amara said, Toothless "laughing" with a cooing, grunting soft roar. Amara then twitched her foot, opening Toothless' tail a bit more to allow the dragon a bit of competitive speed, which had Toothless give Bane a look of friendly competitive challenge before speeding up a bit.
Bane snorted in response, a large goofy grin on his face as he sped up too. "I see... they do say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach so I can imagine that would be annoying." Roxanna called back over the noise of the wind rushing by.
Amara nodded, smiling as they drew close, twitching in the tail, urging Toothless into a dive to land. Toothless grinned his gummy grin that he had when he felt safe as he and Bane landed outside the cave almost in unison, letting the girls off and following them in. The egg was audibly rocking in the nest when they arrived. "We're in time... might want to stand back a bit... dragon eggs do explode when they hatch, might be safer." She said with an audible smile.
Roxanna waited by the edge of the cave with bane, leaving this to her. Last thing she needed was another dragon following her.
Amara watched cautiously as the egg hatched, moving forward as the newly hatched Tiny Tooth Thunderdrum shook it's egg shell off it's head.
Roxanna stood in silence, listening to the tiny crack and crunch of the egg cracking and breaking open to reveal the baby within. Bane tilted his head and he hissed softly.
Amara watched as the little Thunderdrum opened it's eyes after shaking the shell remnants off it's head. She was pleased to see it offer trust when she extended her hand as well.
Roxanna daren't hardly breathe so she wouldn't draw attention to herself while they bonded.
Amara smiled. This little one had a midnight purple body, with interestingly, light blue spots, and a white underbelly. When the dragon allowed her to examine it fully, Amara smiled again. "It's a girl... she's just so adorable and sweet..." She said to Roxanna as the little dragon climbed up into Amara's lap when she sat down, the young Viking taking the bucket of fish nearby and carefully feeding the baby one.
"Sweet. She should mature quicker but have stronger instincts." Roxanna said, smiling slightly. Bane fidgeted beside her and hissed something to Roxanna, who nodded, then slowly moved closer to Amara to look at the baby.
Roxanna was proved right about the stronger instincts as the baby did what she could, expanding her body and flapping her wings, to try to defend Amara. Amara soothed her. "Easy, now... he's a friend..." She said, gently stroking a spot along the infant's spine that the little dragon apparently enjoyed.
Bane cooed and nuzzled the baby, using his tongue to clean the baby of the membrane and warming it up. "He'd make a good mum don't you think?" Roxanna chuckled, hearing bane hiss and chatter to the baby.
"Yeah, you're right." Amara said with a smile once the baby tired herself out and fell asleep on her lap. "Only question now is what to name her."
"Well, she is yours. Any ideas?" Roxanna asked while bane fussed over the baby.
"Not really... I mean... Thunderdrums are known for being strong, and even more territorial than even Typhoomerangs or Monstrous Nightmares... on par with Night Furies and Deathsongs in how territorial and loyal they are, actually." She said softly. "Something to show she's female, and something strong..." She said, considering and thinking deeply.
"Tsunami? It's a word from a land further away than mine, that means big wave... not just big but catastrophic. But those people find all aspects of nature beautiful. Even a Tsunami." She said after some hissing from bane.
She blinked. "Like the waves that are so large they can wipe out whole villages? Here, we just call them 'Tidal Waves'. It would fit, though... because it'd also hint at her dragon class... Thunderdrums are Tidal Class dragons." She laid her head on the baby's head until she looked at her. At saying the word Roxanna had suggested, the little dragon let out a soft roar, of the kind that would eventually become a Sonic Blast, her whole body wiggling excitedly. "I think she likes it, Rox. Tsunami it is."
Roxanna shrugged with a charming smirk on her face that was fitting of her grandfather, she'd be a lot more popular with the males especially if she smiled more in general as it naturally looked flirty. "What can I say? I seem to have a way with names." She said, leaning back against the wall smugly.
Tsunami yawned, curling back up as Toothless nosed in, cooing gently at her. Amara smiled softly as Toothless grabbed another, empty bucket from the corner and went down to the cove, coming back with water, making Amara giggle softly. "Dad said Toothless was like that fun, lovable uncle that would do anything to make you smile and keep you healthy when I was a baby... guess Dad was right." She said, noticing Toothless gently splash some water from the bucket onto Tsunami when her skin started to get too dry.
Bane was now starting to spit small blobs of amber and moulding it with his nose and tail, making a waterproof nest that would hold water with space for the baby to crawl onto if it wanted to get out of the water.
Toothless cooed, fetching and emptying water into the "pool' area, so Tsunami would be able to fully submerge to rehydrate her skin, once Bane had finished making it, working with the Deathsong to ensure Tsunami would be comfortable.
"Now she's hatched, what do you want to do?" Roxanna broke the silence as the dragons worked.
"Well, until she's big enough for a saddle, and strong enough to fly with me, we have to keep her hidden... but food could still be an issue... what we managed to get before should last her until Toothless has to go and get used to being away from humans... but it's after that I'm worried about. Has Bane ever 'dove' for fish or other food before, to catch his own?" She asked curiously.
"... No, I don't think so. He eats mostly vegetation so he's never had to." She said thoughtfully. "But I think he could probably learn from watching others."
"I was thinking that if he had, he could help Tsunami learn to hunt for her own food once she's bigger. It'd take some of the pressure off of the food she'd need while keeping her hidden."
"I'm sure he could learn before toothless goes." She mused.
"Maybe ask my Gran if she'd have Cloudjumper teach him? He's the best fishing dragon we have at present... well, most skilled at diving for fish and the like." Amara said with a smile.
"Yeah, that sounds like a plan." She agreed.
Amara fed Tsunami again when she woke, as the baby dragon's little tummy audibly growled, and then after Tsunami ate, she went into her "pool". Amara smiled, Explaining so that the Thunderdrum heard her that she had to go out for a while, and Tsunami was to stay there and stay quiet. Toothless helped as well, telling the baby Thunderdrum that there were dangers outside, and until she was strong enough to fend for herself, she had to stay safe. Once they were sure the baby would stay put, they headed out to get their lunch.
Roxanna and bane followed behind. Rox's mind was on the 'threat'. She knew it wasn't exactly her problem and that she could always 'run' away from them. But the question was 'what about the villagers?'. "Amara? You remember Heather saying that those guys were probably interested in Beau Bane. What exactly are they like?" She asked.
"The Dragon Hunters? The worst that Viking kind has... the type I am sure other lands tell of when speaking of our culture. Savage, ruthless, would slit their own mother's throat if they thought it would benefit them... they trap and sell dragons, dead or alive. The most supple Dragon Skin boots come from them... they fatten up and massage oil into the skin of Zipplebacks before killing them... there are many others they enslave or kill... either to sell as exotics, or as false medicine... anything to put gold in their pockets." She said, Toothless letting out a soft roar, snapping his teeth angrily, his back spikes audibly spreading as he got upset. Amara did her best to soothe the Night Fury.
Bane looked at his dragon friend curiously. Surely he wasn't afraid of a few humans was he? Humans are soft, squishy things with no wings that can't swim and are just as bad at flying too without a wooden stick thing. "I see... well, they'll do well to steer clear of us, right boy?" She asked bane who roared happily.
Toothless grumbled and growled, telling Bane of cages that not even Gronkle lava could melt, dragon proof cages, and knives and swords that could pierce even the hide of the Red Death...of arrows that made a dragon as flightless as a human. Yes, he feared them, for these humans would kill others of their own kind if said human sided with dragons.
Bane smirked and explained, in a soft hiss, that his precious was more than capable of defeating anybody who threatened them. He would have to wait and see. Her powers extended far beyond speaking the language of reptiles.
Toothless grumbled, sighing. He hoped Bane was right, because he didn't like to think of what would happen to Amara if she lost her only human friend, though he kept this to himself as they went inside for lunch.
Roxanna sat in her usual seat. Bane was feeling restless with all the talk of a fight. He lay down behind Roxanna's chair and occasionally nudged at her elbow though she batted his snout away as having steam blown on your arm isn't exactly pleasant.
Toothless laid behind Amara grumbling softly. Amara turned to her grandmother and spoke softly to her, explaining that while Roxanna's Deathsong mostly ate vegetation, he could use some help learning to dive for his own fish when he needed them. "Could you have Cloudjumper teach him to do so? It'd be a real help." She said, wearing a hopeful smile as she looked at her gran.
Bane grumbled more. The feeling of unease was growing and, while he still felt confident in her strength, he was worried they'd be found out. His nightmares were plagued with stories Jo had been told as a child, of witch burning and general hatred, fear and hurt towards her kind. He worried about how both sides of Vikings would react towards her secret. Naturally, he'd protect her but he was but one dragon and, should they get on the wrong side of the berkians, one dragon could not fend off the herd of dragons that the villagers had at their disposal. He whimpered and nudged Roxanna's hand. She brushed her fingers across his head. She knew. She'd always assumed since they landed on berk, that this was a very real possibility.
Valka smiled softly at them. "I'm sure Cloudjumper would love to teach Bane how to dive for fish." She turned to Roxanna. "When were you thinking we have them go out for the lessons?" Valka asked Roxanna.
"Bane'll happily go wherever you're ready. Right boy?" She asked him. Bane pouted but growled an agreement.
Cloudjumper understood the reason for the Deathsong's pout. 'Come, Bane. The sooner you learn, the sooner you can protect your human. They think themselves invincible, though they can't fly or breath fire or amber to defend themselves like us... humans need their dragons... always will." He reassured the Deathsong as he lead the way out to see for the fish diving lessons.
'My precious is as close to invincible as they come but I worry... she is letting her heart rule her head of late and becoming reckless.' He hissed.
Cloudjumper nodded. 'Yes, she is gifted... much like Gothi is. Gothi's staff holds her 'gift stick' concealed within. Even the gifted need us, though. It is natural to worry... Do as you must to make her happy and keep her safe.' Cloudjumper replied, slowing to a hover over the ocean, beginning the instruction on diving for fish, starting with finding your target. After that, it was a simple matter of combining flying and swimming with using your mouth to grab your food, or the food you were bringing back. He demonstrated a few times, quite proud when the Deathsong picked it up so fast. By sunset, they were returning, Cloudjumper able to happily graduate his 'student'. Amara had spent the afternoon working on the wool again, and Gobber had even stopped over with a helmet for Roxanna.
"It was a sweet gesture but I don't really understand what I need it for." Roxanna was saying to Amara once Gobber had gone, as she showed her the helmet."And it seems to be a bit big too..." she added, putting it on her head, accidentally backwards.
Amara smiled as she took it off and turned it around. "It was on backwards. It's tradition... everyone, of all ages, ends up waking to a helmet full of small gifts in the morning on Snoggletog. It doesn't have to be one you'd wear." She said softly. "From what you've told me of what you know... the helmets for us are like your tradition's 'Christmas stockings' and you said you don't wear those."
"Oh. Thought he knew something I didn't." She said with a grin at feeling silly. "But... I feel a bit awkward... I mean, I don't have anything for you guys..." she said with a frown.
"It's not the quality of the gift that matters here... it's the thought." She said softly. "Maybe you and Bane could work together on things? Dad still writes a lot, he likes using strong feathers and ink to write, but those are hard to come by here. Mum always needs whetstones for her axes and swords... you gave Toothless his gift the other day... the mud bath discovery." She explained softly.
Roxanna frowned some more, "so... a quill and ink, a sharpening stone and...? What about you?" She asked.
"Honestly? I'd be happy with anything, really... a book of some kind, charcoal and paper or something for sketching out clothing designs." She said softly. "Even Trader Johann doesn't get books that often, says it's harder to find them written in our runes these days."
"If it's so difficult, maybe you should try translating some yourself?" She suggested.
"Do you think I could? I'd possibly need a guide... maybe between our own runes and the written language of your homeland?" She said, her voice hopeful. She was clearly thinking of the book Gothi had given her before.
"Don't see why not. And once I get back home, we can keep in touch and I could help if you get stuck." She smiled.
"I'd definitely be able to send you Terror Mail if I needed help." She said, smiling.
"Sounds like a plan." Roxanna said, putting the helmet aside now.
Bane finally trotted in looking very proud with a fish half flopped out of the side of his mouth. "Well, looks like someone had a successful fishing trip." Roxanna said as bane hissed at her through the corner of his mouth opposite to where the fish was.
Cloudjumper had swooped in and now hung from the ceiling, looking very proud of his student as he proclaimed him fully graduated, and a fellow fishing master.
"So next task is to catch enough to feed and then teach the baby. Think you can handle it?" She asked bane who grinned and nodded furiously.
Amara smiled. "Thank you, Bane. We're counting on you." She said softly.
Bane hissed proudly, a silly grin on his face. "Just don't be cocky... that's how you end up in trouble." Roxanna reminded him. Bane just rolled his eyes.
"Rox is right, Bane. And don't forget about the Dragon Hunters... they wouldn't be after her... they'd be after you."
Bane just stuck his tongue out. He wasn't worried about himself but his precious. Goodness knows what they'd do if they knew. "but it's good that we can rely on at least one dragon to fish for your little one." Roxanna said.
"Yeah, it is. Thank you both for all the help. I'm gonna get started on dinner for us." She said, going out to pick out something to cook for everyone.
"Best behaviour Beau, remember? Just try to be nice." Roxanna scolded him when Amara had gone. Bane let out a hiss, like a deep sigh of slight annoyance. But he knew she was right, and he knew she'd just get angry if he didn't behave. Roxanna went downstairs, taking her new helmet with her. It wasn't anything like her hats back home so, out of curiosity, she put it on a few times and wondering, silently, how she looked in it.
Amara would tell her when she got back that she looked amazing, like she was a native Berkian. The metal was light, but very strong, in fact, it was Gronckle Iron. In addition, the 'horns' made of old bone covered with naturally shed dragon scales, brought to mind those of a deathsong.
"It's like nothing we have at home." Roxanna said, taking it off for the hundredth time and running her fingers over it.
"I think these are a unique part of our own tradition... we've had to fight other tribes for land, livestock... not to mention defend ourselves from dragons for generations before me... it's like armour is a natural part of our garb." Amara said softly, making a pot pie out of chicken and some vegetables for the humans.
"Maybe one day I'll be able to see it for myself. I bet it's incredible." She said thoughtfully.
"Maybe. One can hope." She said, smiling softly as they all settled to dinner. As the girls washed up afterwards, Amara smiled. "Now, when you go to bed, put your helmet, balanced with the opening up, beside your bed. According to our legends, Odin descends in the night to give gifts to the loyal Viking families, all those under the roof of one get their goodies. Gifts between Vikings are exchanged in the evening."
"Oh... you know I don't really believe in the Norse gods right? Or any for that matter..." she said honestly.
She smiled. "I know...but enough of us do that with you living here, it shouldn't matter." Amara said softly. "Sleep well, Rox."
"Good night." She replied, going into the guest room. She doubtful put the helmet as Amara had said. Bane cooed at her. "Yeah, I don't know either boy. But hey, as long as I don't expect anything I won't be disappointed." She said as she got into bed.
