Chapter 10
Edelweiss woke up one night, and felt terrible. Her head hurt, her throat burned, and her limbs felt too heavy to move. She suddenly coughed painfully, and it lasted several minuets. She turned over onto her side. Her four dragon friends were sound asleep, and she was laying in the middle of their tight huddle. Edelweiss faced Black Widow, and carefully roused her. Black Widow woke up when she felt how hot Edelweiss's skin was. She sat up looking worried.
"Edel, what's wrong my love?" She whispered.
"I don't feel good," Edelweiss moaned.
"You want me to go get your mother?" Black Widow asked. Edelweiss nodded, as it hurt to much to speak. Black Widow got to her feet and went over to the near by tent. Edelweiss tried to make herself comfortable between Avalon and Apollo. She suddenly felt colder with Black Widow gone. She coughed again and burst into tears when it made her throat sting. This was enough to wake the other three dragons. They instantly grew concerned. Edelweiss curled up into a ball, shivering. Avalon put a wing around her.
"How bad do you feel?" the Princess asked.
"Every thing hurts," Edelweiss croaked. "Black Widow went to get my mother."
"Then you'll be okay," said Eider. "She'll know what to do."
"Yes," said Edelweiss.
"Do you think you can go back to sleep?" Avalon asked. "We'll stay right here." Edelweiss closed her eyes and snuggled close to her dragons. She felt warmer with Avalon's wing over her, and soon fell asleep again.
The next morning, Edelweiss was still fast asleep. Her friends stayed next to her. Serenity told them that she had a very, very high fever. This worried them, especially Black Widow.
"Will she be okay?" She asked.
"Eventually yes," said Serenity. "But I don't know how long it will take. I'm going to see if I can get her moved indoors somewhere, and get her out of the elements." She got to her feet and mounted Tenor.
They asked around for a place for Edelweiss to stay while she recovered. Unfortunately most of the riders didn't want her in their huts, incase it got them sick too. In addition, none of them had a lot of room for all four of her dragon friends. Serenity gave up after everyone said no. Both Hiccup and Astrid saw that she was really distressed. They found her in the arena with Tenor. Serenity looked very sad.
"Hey Serenity, how's Edelweiss doing?" Hiccup asked.
"I haven't been back to check on her," Serenity said quietly. "I'm still having trouble finding an indoor place to put her." She put her hand over her face and rubbed her eyes.
"No one is willing to have her in their hut?" Astrid asked. Serenity shook her head.
"They don't want to catch whatever she has," said Tenor. "They also don't want her friends crowding their huts." Hiccup and Astrid exchanged a glance.
"How about the clubhouse," Astrid suggested. "No one lives there, and it has plenty of room for all her friends." Serenity took a deep breath.
"I can get a cot set up for her," said Hiccup. "In the meantime she can spend the night on the ground floor of my hut. But her dragons will have to sleep outside." Serenity looked at him.
"You're not worried about getting sick?" She asked.
"I can risk it for one night," Hiccup said. Serenity smiled gratefully.
"Thank you Hiccup," she said. She rode Tenor out of the arena.
She checked on Edelweiss. She was awake, but hadn't moved. The four young dragons were watching her, looking worried. They looked up when Serenity approached them and dismounted.
"Edel, Hiccup is going to let you sleep in his hut for the night," she said. Edelweiss just nodded, feeling too miserable to speak.
"You guys will have to stay outside though," said Tenor. "Hiccup doesn't have room in his hut for all four of you, plus Toothless." The young dragons didn't like this at all.
"She'll be all alone in there," said Avalon. Tenor narrowed his eyes.
"I think she'll be just fine," he said firmly. "It's only for one night, then you'll all move to the clubhouse." This quieted them down a bit.
Serenity got Edelweiss onto her feet, with the help from the other dragons. They got her onto Tenor's saddle. They then headed up to Hiccup's hut. He was ready for them. He'd moved his bed to the ground floor, saying he'd spend the night on a shark pelt next to Toothless's sleeping stone. Edelweiss was laid down on the bed. While Serenity worked to bring down her fever, Hiccup shooed the young dragons out of the hut. They looked insulted, but did not protest. They flew up to the roof and landed on top of it. They just sat there in silence, watching the vikings and dragons wander around the outpost. Avalon spotted her father, in his volcano suit, flying up to the top of the volcano. Having nothing else to do, she got up and took off after him. The others were so bored, they didn't really care.
Avalon found Re on the rim of the volcano. She flew down and landed next to him. Re was staring right into the mouth of the volcano, which had no visible bottom. He looked up when Avalon approached him.
"How's Edel doing?" He asked, his voice echoing inside his volcano helmet.
"I don't know, Hiccup won't let us inside his hut," Avalon said gloomily. "She was really sick last I saw her." Re sighed.
"She'll be okay," he said, trying to sound assuring.
"I know she will," said Avalon. "But I hate having to wait outside like a dam animal." She glared down into the volcano, not really seeing it. Re snorted at her attitude.
"I'm sure Hiccup doesn't mean to offend you," he said. "He doesn't want you guys crowding the house."
"And what if she wakes up in the middle of the night and gets lonely?" Avalon wondered aloud.
"You guys will be right outside," said Re. "And Toothless will be right upstairs, there's no reason to worry." Avalon took a deep breath, and the strong smell of sulphur hit her nostrils. She gaged and put her wings over her nose.
"Ewww volcano breath," she said. Re snickered. "How do you stand it?"
"I've been around volcanos enough that I've gotten used to it," Re said. He looked down into the volcano.
"You're not going down there are you?" Avalon asked.
"I sure am," Re said, excitedly. "I want to see if the magma's rising."
"But it's got be over 1,000 degrees down there," said Avalon.
"I'm not staying down there all day," Re said. "I'll come back up when it gets too hot." He looked at Avalon. "You going to be okay up here?"
"Yes," said Avalon. "I'll be fine." Re nodded, then took off and spiraled down into the volcano. When she couldn't see him anymore, she turned around and flew back to the outpost.
She rejoined her friends on Hiccup's roof. They were talking amongst themselves. Avalon landed and sat next to them. They were all worried about their sick friend. They couldn't think of anything to do, and just sat there. They could hear Serenity inside taking care of Edelweiss, and it was the only sound. Avalon went to fetch her jewelry making equipment, then returned and started making gold bands to put on her horns. Black Widow looked in the direction of her rider.
"I hope she'll be okay without us," she said.
"She's been without us before," said Eider.
"But not while she's sick," said Black Widow.
"It's only for one night," said Avalon. "She'll live." Black Widow took several deep breaths and relaxed.
"We can sit outside and sing to her," said Apollo. "So she knows that we're there." Avalon smiled.
"I'm sure she'll like that," she said. "And it'll help her to feel better." She finished decorating one of her gold horn bands with jade stones. She admired it then put it on her left horn, and used her magic to adjust it. Satisfied she got started making another one.
They sat there all day. No one bothered them. When the sun went down and everyone was heading for bed, the young dragons moved from the roof to the porch. Avalon how had a matching set of gold horn bands with jade stones embedded in them. She was very pleased with them. They heard Serenity thanking Hiccup, and saying that she'll probably be in and out a few times during the night. She then left the house with Tenor at her heels. She looked tired but relieved. She and Tenor saw the young dragons as they exited.
"You guys sleeping out here tonight?" Tenor asked.
"We don't want Edel to feel lonely," said Apollo. "She's one of us."
"She's asleep now," said Serenity. "She probably won't feel too lonely for a while." Tenor nuzzled Black Widow, and she returned the gesture.
"Try not to worry about her too much," he whispered. "This will probably happen a lot more in the future."
"I know Daddy," said Black Widow. "And we want to be there for her every time." Tenor smiled proudly. Then Serenity mounted her dragon and headed back to her tent. The four dragons made themselves comfortable and dozed off.
Edelweiss woke up sometime later, she felt worse then she did this morning. She coughed for several minuets which was agonizing for her throat. Her head was hurting so bad that she couldn't get back to sleep. Her head throbbed, she shivered with fever, and she really missed her friends. She turned over, and pulled the blankets tighter around her. She scanned the dark room. There was not a soul in sight. However she could hear Toothless's steady breathing from upstairs. She felt a tiny bit better knowing that she wasn't alone in the house. But she still couldn't get to sleep. She turned over again facing the wall. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to get back to sleep. They just popped back open. She moaned in frustration. She suddenly felt her stomach turning. She turned over again and looked to see what was on her night stand. There was a china pitcher and goblet, both filled with water, there were a few clean rags, and an empty bucket. The turning got worse. Edelweiss quickly sat up, grabbed the bucket, and threw up into it. That too irritated her throat, but she couldn't stop it. She emptied the contents of her stomach and it lasted several minuets.
When finished, Edelweiss put the bucket on the floor. She then drank the water in the goblet to rinse her out her mouth. The water helped sooth her stinging throat. She drained it, then laid back down. She felt exhausted, but she still couldn't fall asleep. She just lay there, wishing her friends could be in there with her. She missed them, even though she'd see them again in the morning. But morning felt so far away. She turned over onto her other side, and tried to ignore the pain in her head. But that only got worse too. Sleep was impossible no matter how hard she tried. She turned over again, and rolled right off the bed. She hit the floor hard, and smacked her head on the night stand. She tried to sit up, but it made her head throb and spin very badly. She gave up and curled into a ball. She sobbed into her knees out of frustration.
A moment later she felt a scaly muzzle nudge her. Edelweiss sniffed and looked up, hoping it was Black Widow. It was only Toothless. He looked down at her, his green eyes concerned.
"You okay Edel?" He whispered.
"No," Edelweiss moaned. "I can't sleep." Toothless pressed his muzzle to her forehead, and it blazed.
"Can you get back up?" He asked.
"No, I've tried," said Edelweiss. "It hurts my head too much." What happened next surprised her. Toothless hoisted himself on to his hind legs. Then he scooped Edelweiss up with his front paws and cradled her against his chest. He waddled forward and gently laid her back on the bed. He grabbed the blanket with his talons and pulled over her, before dropping down all fours again.
"I didn't know you could do that," said Edelweiss, impressed. Toothless smiled modestly.
"Yes well, I used to do it for Hiccup when he was your size," he said. "He would fall out of bed after having a nightmare, or when his leg was hurting him." Edelweiss made herself more comfortable.
"Where are my friends?" She asked softly.
"They're asleep outside," Toothless assured her. "They didn't want you to be alone. You going to be okay now?"
"I think so," said Edelweiss. "But I still can't sleep." Toothless laid down on the floor and rested his big head on the bed beside her. Edelweiss petted him. Even though she was happy he was there; even sweet, goofy Toothless didn't make her miss her friends any less. Nevertheless she smiled at him gratefully, and kept petting his snout.
"Thank you," she said quietly. The Night Fury purred and nuzzled her scaly cheek.
"You feeling better?" He asked. Edelweiss nodded, and was hit with another wave of coughing. She coughed into her pillow for several long minuets, before settling back down.
"Not physically," she wheezed. "But emotionally yes."
"Well, try to get some rest," Toothless said. "You'll get better eventually." Edelweiss closed here eyes. Toothless quietly sang her special lullaby and it was enough to ease her sleep.
When she woke up again she found herself in a hammock, in the clubhouse. Sunlight streamed in through the doorways. Toothless had been replaced by Avalon and the other young dragons. Edelweiss tried to sit up, but it made her head hurt.
"Black Widow?" She said hoarsely. Black Widow woke up and smiled when she saw her friend awake. She got to her feet and rushed to the hammock.
"Edelweiss, my love. How are you feeling?" She asked.
"I still feel sick," said Edelweiss. She hugged her dragon's snout.
"Toothless said you had a rough night," said Black Widow.
"Yes," said Edelweiss. "I couldn't sleep." Black Widow nuzzled her and let out a sad moan.
"I'm so sorry Edel," she said. "We would have come in if Hiccup had let us." Edelweiss stroked her face.
"It's okay Black Widow," she whispered. "Toothless knew what to do." Black Widow smiled. "Where's Mother?" Black Widow looked over at a corner. Edelweiss looked and saw her mother sleeping next to her dragon.
"She's been asleep for as long as you have," Black Widow said.
"How long was I asleep?" Edelweiss asked.
"All night, and all morning," said Black Widow. "It's afternoon." Edelweiss took a deep breath. Black Widow woke the other dragons. They got to their feet, just as happy when they saw Edelweiss awake. She hugged them one at a time. Avalon could still feel that Edel's skin still burned with fever.
"Do you feel any better today?" She asked. Edelweiss laid down.
"Only emotionally," she answered. She shivered and pulled the blanket over her. "I'm cold." The four dragons gathered tighter around her and used their wings to shield her from the chilly air.
"Thanks guys," Edelweiss said weakly. She spotted Hiccup and Astrid flying over the outpost on their dragons. "I wish we could go flying." Avalon glanced out the door.
"We will," said Apollo. "When you're feeling better." Edelweiss rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head. Avalon nuzzled her.
"If you're feeling better by tomorrow we'll take you out," she promised. "You're not going to be sick forever." Apollo glanced out up and spotted his father flying back up towards the volcano.
"Where's Dad going?" He asked.
"He's going back into the volcano," said Avalon. "To see if the magma has gotten any higher."
"Oh I hope it doesn't erupt," said Black Widow, looking down at Edelweiss. She had fallen asleep again. They laid down around the hammock and Black Widow draped a wing over her.
"I don't think it will erupt," said Avalon. "I don't see it happening." Apollo looked back outside, but Re had gone.
"I'm going to see what he knows," he said, getting to his feet.
"Don't go into that volcano," Avalon warned. Apollo nodded and left the clubhouse.
He flew up to the rim where he found Re putting on his volcano suit. Apollo landed next to him, and he looked up.
"Hello Apollo," Re said. "How's Edelweiss doing?"
"She's not very happy," Apollo said. "And she had a rough night last night."
"I heard about that," Re said. "It must be hard without you guys."
"She usually does better when she's not sick in bed," said Apollo. He looked into the volcano. "I hope she gets better before this thing goes off."
"That's what I'm going down to check," Re said. He put on his helmet.
"Can I go with you?" Apollo asked.
"No, it's to dangerous without one of these," Re said, gesturing to his volcano suit. Apollo considered. Then he reached into a pocket of his vest and pulled out two small chalk boards.
"We can communicate with these," he said. "You write something on one and it appears on the other." Re tilted his head.
"Clever," he said. "And very thoughtful. However, the volcano will melt it." Apollo sighed and put the slates away.
"Can I at least wait here?" He asked.
"Very well," Re said. "I'll be back in a little bit." He made sure his suit was secure, then dove into the volcano. Apollo sat down and waited.
Re flew deeper into the volcano. The heat grew more intense the farther he went. I was able to ignore it. He soon reached the magma and landed on a ledge that hung over it. He could defiantly tell that the magma was rising, but rising slowly. It inched closer to his ledge. Suddenly the volcano blasted lava ten feet into the air. It splashed onto Re's volcano suit. The suit kept him from getting burned. He took off and flew back to the surface.
He flew out and landed on the rim. Apollo was still there, and was surprised to see the magma dripping off Re's volcano suit.
"What happened?" He asked. Re took a minuet to catch his breath.
"Nothing I wasn't prepared for," Re said. "But the magma's defiantly rising."
"Should we get out of here?" Apollo asked, alarmed.
"No," Re said calmly. "It could take days for the magma to get all the way up here. No reason to panic yet." Apollo looked in the direction of the clubhouse. "She's fine where she is Apollo." Re took off his helmet and breathed in the fresh air.
"I bet Chris is feeling the heat too," said Apollo, changing the subject slightly.
"Yes," Re said. "That's why I'm being very careful down there. Now, I need to go cool off." Apollo nodded. Re took off and headed for the lake. Apollo headed back to the clubhouse.
Re landed in the shallow end of the lake. The water cooled his suit down, and his scales. He took off the suit and dove deeper into the water. When he resurfaced he spotted Aurora laying leisurely on a boulder, and trailing the tip of her tail through the water.
"What news of the volcano?" She asked.
"The magma's rising," said Re. "But slowly." Aurora looked at him.
"I don't foresee it erupting," she said.
"Maybe not yet," said Re. "But every volcano erupts eventually. It's their nature."
"I suppose," said Aurora. "Do you plan on going into the volcano everyday?" Re considered, glancing up at the volcano.
"Maybe not everyday," he said. "But regularly." She slid down into the water and waded over to him.
"I still remember the last eruption we went through," she said. She sat down in the water and lovingly ran her talon over the faint scar on Re's chest.
"Me too," Re said. "It was terrifying, but I'm pleased with how it all ended." Aurora got back up and stepped as close to him as she could.
"Please be careful down there," she said sadly. "I'm tired of you being brought to the brink of death." Re nuzzled her.
"I know you are," he said. "I promise to be careful." Aurora pressed her face into his chest, and could hear his strong heartbeat. Re wrapped his wings around her and held her there. He could feel his heart beat faster with pleasure.
"I want to be with you forever," said Aurora.
"You will," said Re. "I don't want to be separated from you either. I love you too much." Aurora moved her snout from his chest to his shoulder.
They stayed like that in silence for several minuets. Then Re laid down on his back in the shallow water, and Aurora laid down on top of him. She licked his face. Re relaxed and let her continue.
"Does this mean I can have you all to myself tonight?" Aurora asked sweetly.
"Of course," said Re. "I'm all yours." Aurora smiled and lowered her eyelids. Re smiled back at her.
Back at the clubhouse the four young dragons were scattered around the room, doing various things while Serenity checked on Edelweiss. Avalon was making more jewelry. She was currently making a collar for Eider. It was silver and decorated with Death Song amber. Eider was watching her, and admiring her slender figure at the same time. Avalon was well aware of this, and pretended to not notice. She finished her project.
"What do you think?" She asked holding up the collar. Eider took it and admired it.
"It's really impressive," he said. He slipped it over his head and onto his neck. It magically adjusted to fit him quite comfortably.
"It goes so well with your eyes," said Avalon.
"Thank you," Eider said.
"You're welcome," said Avalon. She got to work making things for the rest of her friends.
Meanwhile, Black Widow was laying beside Edelweiss's hammock. She watched Serenity work silently. Edelweiss stayed asleep the whole time.
"Will she be well enough to go flying tonight?" Black Widow asked.
"I don't know, we'll see," said Serenity. "She'll defiantly be up and about by the time we're ready to head for home." Black Widow sighed with relief. Serenity finished her work. She got up and said that she was heating to lunch. She left with Tenor. Black Widow laid her head down on Edelweiss's chest. Edelweiss opened her eyes half way and stroked Black Widow's face.
"Don't worry my love," Edelweiss whispered. "I'll be okay." Black Widow smiled and nuzzled her neck. Edelweiss hugged her. "Just don't go anywhere."
"We won't," said Black Widow. "We're staying right here." Edelweiss relaxed and went back to sleep.
While Eider and Apollo went out to get food, Avalon sat on the porch of the clubhouse and made more jewelry in silence. Black Widow was still watching Edelweiss. Avalon was making a necklace out of her last few pieces of Death Song amber. She hummed while she worked and watched the other dragons down below. Just then Toothless came around the corner.
"Hi Toothless," said Avalon, without looking up.
"Hello Princess," Toothless said. "How's Edel doing?" Avalon looked into the clubhouse. Edelweiss was still fast asleep.
"She's still sick," she said sadly. "And probably will be for a few days." She turned back to her task. "She'll pull through though."
"What are you making?" Toothless asked.
"I'm using the last of my Death Song amber to make a necklace," said Avalon. "I'll need to fly back to Melody Island and get more. What brings you up here?"
"Hiccup has asked to be left alone," Toothless said solemnly. "It's the anniversary of his father's death." Avalon looked at him with soft eyes.
"I thought he forgave you for that," she said.
"He did, but he still grieves around this time every year," Toothless said.
"I see," said Avalon. "I wish we had met Stoic."
"Aye, he would have liked you," Toothless said. "Course he probably would have given you guys a harder time for chasing sheep around the village then Hiccup did." Avalon lifted a small amber beed and looked at it. She didn't speak for a few minuets.
"I'm not going to lead my friends into trouble again," she said. "It hurts them and it hurts me."
"Good," said Toothless. "You've been doing a great job so far." He sat next to her. Avalon smiled warmly. "So I bet you're excited about being queen."
"Yes," said Avalon.
"It's not as easy as it looks," Toothless said.
"If I was ruling the country alone I'd probably be more nervous," said Avalon. "But I have my friends to help me, and Grandfather to guide us." She picked up another piece of amber. "Ruling alone is not my style at all." She added the piece of amber to the necklace.
"Well, that does make things easier," Toothless said. "But you'll still have to make all the final decisions, and some pretty tough ones too. You may have to decide to leave Edelweiss or one of your other friends behind." Avalon narrowed her eyes.
"No one on my team is getting left behind," she said. "No ones sleeps alone. That's my new motto."
"Well hopefully it won't come to that," Toothless said. "I know you're all very close." Avalon finished making the necklace and set it aside. She crossed her front legs and laid her head down.
"What about you?" She asked. "Have you ever had to leave a friend behind?" Toothless thought for a moment.
"Well, no," he admitted. "And I've never had to make any of those tough decisions. But I've seen Hiccup have to make a few." Avalon took a deep breath. Toothless looked into the clubhouse. Black Widow had dozed off with her head resting on the edge of the hammock. "Why don't we go for a walk, so Edelweiss can rest without so much noise."
"We're not being that loud," said Avalon.
"Being sick amps up the hearing a bit," Toothless said. "And it makes a headache feel worse."
"All right," said Avalon. She got to her feet and stretched. "Black Widow, I'm going to go stretch my legs. Apollo and Eider are on their way back."
"Take all the time you need Avalon," said Black Widow without opening her eyes. "Don't worry about us." Toothless got up and Avalon followed him away from the clubhouse.
They walked through the outpost. Hiccup's hut was shut tight, and no one bothered him. The other riders and dragons were out flying. Avalon and Toothless walked along the coast.
"Did you like living out here?" Avalon asked.
"Yes," said Toothless. "It was really nice to get away from crowded Berk. It was also nice to defend helpless dragons from hunters. Hiccup was talking about finding more dragon hunters and rescuing the dragons they've captured."
"Fun," said Avalon. "Can we help?"
"Well, maybe," said Toothless. "I know you and your friends are restless. But I think Hiccup wants to update his friend's riding outfits first."
"What does he plan to do with all the dragons he rescues?" Avalon asked.
"I'm not sure," said Toothless. "Bring them home to Berk I reckon, since I'm the alpha." Avalon raised her eyebrows.
"I hope he doesn't plan on hoarding them," she said. "It won't be good for the dragons, or the vikings."
"No, I'm sure he won't hoard them," said Toothless. "They'll be able to fly away if they want."
"Okay," said Avalon, letting it slide. "They can always come to Draconia. We have the room." Toothless smiled at her
"Of course," he said. "You said you gave Apollo the title of Rescuer."
"I did," said Avalon. "I have a system all figured out. If we find trapped dragons; Apollo and Eider will land on the decks of the ships, Eider will fight the hunters while Apollo releases the trapped dragons. Black Widow and I will cover them from the air, so they can all get off the ships. Then Black Widow can navigate us back home, and Edelweiss can patch up anyone who gets injured."
"That's a pretty good system," said Toothless. "But you'll have to deal with arial defenses and possible hostile dragons that are bigger and meaner than you."
"Yes," said Avalon. "Well I've haven't really put it to the test."
"Also you may have to think outside of the box at times," Toothless said. "These dragon hunters are not fools."
"I'll take any advice you have," said Avalon. "I want to keep my friends out of bondage, I also want to be a good queen."
"I already know you're going to be a good queen," said Toothless. "You're kind of where I was when I was your age. The leader of a small band of dragons that would die for me, and I them. And that was before I even knew I was going to be alpha." Avalon smiled at him, then sighed.
"I wish there was something we could do for you," she said.
"Well I think there'll be plenty of time when you'll get to do something for me," Toothless said. "You guys can fly, I can't. I might ask you to go rescue Hiccup and get him to safety if I'm ever captured. Or Edelweiss might have to ride me if Hiccup get's captured." Avalon eased up and relaxed.
They spent the rest of the afternoon walking up and down the cliffs. Soon Eider and Apollo returned from hunting, with two huge sheep they'd caught. The sun was starting to set and the adult Draconians returned from their various activities. Toothless walked Avalon back to the clubhouse. Serenity was checking on Edelweiss. She was still asleep, but Serenity woke her up to give her water and medicine. The other dragons were watching silently.
"Is she doing any better?" Avalon asked.
"Not really," said Serenity. "But she hasn't gotten any worse either."
"What's wrong with her?" Black Widow asked.
"It's a bad case of Dragon Flu," said Serenity. "Being half dragon makes her able to get it, and makes it harder for her to fight it."
"Will she die?" Black Widow asked, scared.
"No," said Serenity calmly, as she checked the medicine bottle. "I said it would be harder, but not impossible. She'll get through it. I need to get more herbs, I'm almost out of medicine." Edelweiss opened her eyes.
"Please do go away again Mama," she whispered, gripping her mother's hand. Serenity smiled at her.
"It'll be okay my flower," she said gently. "I'll be back before you wake up again, I promise." Edelweiss took a deep breath. "You're friends are here if you need anything." Black Widow laid back down beside the hammock.
"Can she get out of bed tomorrow?" She asked.
"Maybe," said Serenity. "But don't try to rush anything, I won't make her better any faster." Black Widow nodded. Serenity got to her feet and picked up her bag. "I'll be back in the morning." She left the clubhouse, mounted Tenor, and took off. Avalon looked over at Toothless.
"You can stay in here with us if you want," she said. "Since Hiccup asked to be left alone." Toothless smiled.
"I'll stay for a while," he said. "But I plan to wait outside his door until he's ready to come out. Just so he knows I'm always there for him, especially at a time like this."
"Awww, you are so sweet," Avalon cooed. "It must have been horrible to loose his father like that."
"It was," Toothless said.
"And I know exactly how he feels," said Eider. "Hiccup's really lucky to have his mother still."
"Agreed," said Toothless. He laid down on the other side of the hammock. Edelweiss rolled over in her sleep. Black Widow nuzzled her. Toothless looked at them. They reminded him of how he used to be with Hiccup when he was sick. Avalon must have seen this in his head.
"You'd stay by his side until he got better?" She asked.
"Unless Gothi had Stoic shoo me out so she could examine him," said Toothless.
"Why is Gothi so mean?" Apollo asked, thrashing his tail angrily.
"She's not mean," said Toothless. "I used to think so at the time. But she's actually really nice, she just needs her own space when she works." Apollo relaxed. "Perhaps she can come give Serenity a hand."
"But Gothi hates Edelweiss," said Black Widow. "Due to her being Dragonborn."
"She'd probably be nicer to you guys if you stop calling her a witch," Toothless pointed out. "That's part of the reason she doesn't like you. She doesn't hate Edelweiss enough to kill her however." The dragonets settled down. Black Widow nuzzled her rider again. Edelweiss stayed asleep.
"Serenity doesn't need any help anyway," said Avalon. "She's the best dragon healer ever, and this is an illness she's fixed plenty of times."
"Very well," said Toothless. "I've had Dragon Flu myself, and recovered from it many times." He got to his feet. "Well, I'm off to bed. I'll see you guys tomorrow." He turned and left the clubhouse. The dragonets ate the two sheep, then huddled up around the hammock. Edelweiss rolled onto her other side without waking up. Black Widow nuzzled her scaly cheek.
"I hope she feels better tomorrow," she said.
"We all do," said Eider. Black Widow laid her head down on her front paws and went to sleep.
The next morning Avalon set out for Melody Island for more Death Song amber. The other young dragons stayed around Edelweiss's hammock. She woke up when her friends did, but she still felt sick. She rolled onto her side and saw her friends getting to their feet.
"Morning guys," she sighed. "Where's Mother?"
"She's coming," said Black Widow. "I can hear Daddy's wingbeats." A moment later Tenor landed outside and Serenity dismounted. She came in and set her things on the big table.
"Hi Mama," said Edelweiss weakly.
"You feeling any better?" Serenity asked. Edelweiss was about to answer but was stopped by a fit of harsh coughing. Serenity sat on her stool beside the hammock. She felt Edelweiss's forehead, it still felt hot.
"My throat still stings too," Edelweiss croaked, when she was done coughing. Serenity filled the goblet up with water and handed it to Edelweiss, who drank it.
"It that better?" Serenity asked.
"Yes," said Edelweiss. She handed back the goblet and Serenity refilled it. While Edelweiss drank the water, Serenity went back over to her bag. She pulled out the herbs she'd collected and began making more medicine. Black Widow laid her head on Edelweiss's stomach.
"You think you'll be able to get out of bed?" Black Widow asked. Edelweiss sighed and placed the empty goblet on the night stand.
"I don't know," she said. She made and effort to sit up, but it made her head pound and her stomach turn. She quickly grabbed the bucked by the night stand and threw up into it. Serenity looked up from her work, and the dragons looked over at her. Edelweiss finished a few minuets later and shakily set the bucket on the floor again, and coughed again. Serenity set her herbs down and went back to the hammock.
"You okay?" She asked.
"I think so," said Edelweiss, when she could breathe again. "That really hurts."
"Yeah I bet," said Serenity. She refilled the goblet and handed it to Edelweiss. Then she went back to making medicine. Edelweiss drank the water and it washed the bad taste out of her mouth. Just then Re and Aurora landed outside, followed by Chris and Windwalker.
"How's the volcano today?" Apollo asked.
"The magma's way higher then it was last time I was down there," said Re, looking concerned. "Where's Avalon?"
"She went to Melody Island to get more amber," said Eider. "She'll be back later."
"Is the volcano going to erupt?" Black Widow asked.
"It might," said Aurora. "But I don't see it happening." Black Widow relaxed and placed her head back down.
"I'll keep checking on it though," said Re. "If I think it's about to erupt, we'll leave this place early."
"Edelweiss can't ride though," said Apollo. "She can't even get out of bed."
"I know," said Re gently. "That's why we're waiting."
"Has Hiccup come out of his house?" Eider asked.
"Yes," said Aurora. "He plans to have everyone meet here later tonight, and discuss the volcano." Black Widow looked at Edelweiss, who was falling asleep again. "Don't worry Black Widow, nothing bad's going to happen to her." Black Widow nodded. Serenity finished making her medicine and put into the empty bottles. She went back and sat beside the hammock. She poured the medicine into her ivory shot glass.
"Here, drink this," she said. Edelweiss took the shot glass and drank the medicine without complaint. Then drank another goblet full of water.
"Thanks Mama," Edelweiss whispered sleepily.
"You can go back to sleep now," said Serenity. Edelweiss closed her eyes at once.
"Don't go anywhere Mama," she said, grasping her mother's hand.
"I won't," said Serenity. "I'm staying here." Edelweiss went back to sleep. Serenity put the medicine bottle onto the night stand. She got to her feet and went back over to the table. She cleaned up the rest of her herbs and put them into her bag.
"What does that medicine actually do?" Apollo asked.
"It helps her sleep," said Serenity. "So her body can fight the illness better."
"How long will she stay asleep?" Eider asked.
"A few hours," said Serenity. She put her bag on the floor near the hammock.
Later that day Avalon returned with four huge baskets of Death Song amber. She landed next to the arena and set her burden down. She took a few minuets to catch her breath while she admired her work. Then she picked it back up and flew to the clubhouse. She set the baskets down on the porch. Her friends were wide awake, including Edelweiss. She walked in, smiling.
"Hi Avalon," said Apollo happily. "That's a lot of Death Song amber."
"Garf insisted I take all these scraps," said Avalon. She laid down beside her brother. "How are you feeling Edelweiss?"
"Ok I think," said Edelweiss. "I'm deciding weather or not to get out of bed."
"You sure?" Avalon asked. They all watched as Edelweiss slowly sat up, grimacing. She swung her legs over the side of the hammock and placed her feet on the floor. The dragons got to their feet, ready to catch her if she fell. Edelweiss looked down at her bare feet for a long time, the white scales on her calves glittered in the daylight. Then she pushed herself up, leaning on Black Widow for support. She stood on her feet for a few seconds. She looked really unstable and dizzy. Suddenly her knees gave way and Black Widow quickly caught her before she hit the ground.
"You okay?" Black Widow asked.
"No," Edelweiss panted. The other dragons came over and helped her sit back down on the edge of the hammock. A cold wind blew through the clubhouse and made her shiver. She laid back down and pulled the blanket over her. Avalon used her magic to close the doors.
"Is that better?" She asked.
"Yes, thank you," said Edelweiss, calming down.
"Hey you stood on your feet," said Eider cheerfully. "That's progress." Edelweiss smiled at him.
"I'll try again later," she said. Avalon laid back down beside the baskets of amber, the others followed suit. Edelweiss dozed off, with Black Widow watching her.
"Have you told your parents that you plan to mate with her?" Avalon asked.
"I told my dad," said Black Widow. "He was the easiest one tell."
"My conditions still stand," said Avalon. "If you want to mate with here, you have to tell your parents."
"What if they take her away from me?" Black Widow asked.
"They won't," said Avalon.
"Can you foresee what their reactions will be?" Black Widow asked her. Avalon stared into space for a moment.
"They will be surprised," she said. "They will accept it, but they will not get super excited about it." Black Widow nodded.
"Thanks," she said. She laid her head down on Edelweiss's chest. "They're having a meeting in here about the volcano later."
"Yes I know," said Avalon.
"Do you think we'll be going home?" Apollo asked.
"I don't think so," said Eider. "Edelweiss can't ride. Why do you want to go home?" Apollo considered.
"I am starting to miss home," he admitted. "But I can endure it until Edelweiss is better." He smiled warmly. Suddenly he felt the ground shake subtly. He tensed and clutched the ground with his talons. "Did you feel that?" The dragons froze. The ground shook again.
"The ground's shaking," said Black Widow. "But why?" Avalon got up and stuck her head out of the closest door. She saw a thin trail of smoke coming out of the volcano.
"They volcano's waking up," she said. "It's getting restless." Edelweiss woke up again.
"Oh, please don't erupt," she moaned. Avalon closed the doors and sat back down. The ground shook again, Edelweiss felt her hammock swaying back and forth. It made her nervous.
"Should we go find our folks?" Apollo asked.
"No, they'll come here," said Avalon. "We're right where we need to be." The ground shook again, a bit more violently. Edelweiss whimpered and clutched the sides of the hammock as it rocked back and forth. The movement made her stomach turn again. Luckily there was nothing left for her to throw up. Black Widow clamped the hammock in her jaws and held it still. The ground stopped shaking and things quieted down.
"We're okay," said Avalon, sounding reassuring. Edelweiss laid back down and closed her eyes.
"I hope we don't have to abandon her when that thing goes off," said Eider.
"No, we'll carry her if we have to," said Avalon. Black Widow nuzzled Edelweiss's face.
"Toothless picked me up in his front paws that first night," Edelweiss said. "It was really cool."
"I heard that," said Avalon. "Pretty impressive. I'm sure Windwalker can do it too." She glanced in the direction of the volcano. "If this thing makes us bail, we'll have one of them carry you out of here." They settled down and waited for the others to come.
As the sun set in the west the riders and dragons gathered at the clubhouse. The ground kept shaking on and off. They entered the clubhouse. Edelweiss and the dragonets looked up when they entered. Edelweiss was trembling slightly, looking very afraid. Re was the last one to arrive, still in his volcano suit.
"Is the volcano erupting?" Apollo asked.
"Not yet," said Re. "But It's getting close."
"I vote we get out of here," said Snotlout. "We can clear out in about a second."
"We may have to," said Re. "This volcano can get really violent."
"Edelweiss can't ride," said Avalon. "She can barely stand." They all looked at Edelweiss. She had pulled the blanket over her head again. Serenity sat next to the hammock. Edelweiss coughed.
"Wait it hasn't even done anything yet," said Hiccup. "And we've fought this volcano before. We can do it again."
"And what about the dragons who live here," said Fishelgs. "They'll be defenseless if we leave."
"Dragons have been facing volcanic eruptions far longer than humans have," said Aurora. "They're not as vulnerable as you think Fishlegs."
"Volcanoes are dragons too," said Apollo.
"Anyway, if this thing goes off, we'll do what we can to keep it away from the outpost," said Hiccup. "If we have to, we'll leave and Edelweiss can double up with one of us." Black Widow nuzzled Edelweiss again.
"We should get some rest," said Re. "We'll need all the energy we can get if you plan to fight this volcano."
"I could use some peace and quiet," said Edelweiss from under the blanket.
"What are the chances of the volcano erupting tonight?" Astrid asked.
"Hard to say," said Re. "About fifty fifty. Which is way you should get some shut eye while you can." They all nodded in agreement. Then they left the clubhouse, except for Edelweiss and the four young dragons. They gathered around the hammock and went to sleep.
They were woken up by loud rumbles coming from under the ground. They sat up quickly. Avalon and Apollo ran outside. Huge clouds of smoke rose out of the volcano. The rumbling grew louder and louder.
"It's going to blow!" Apollo cried. No sooner had he said that, then the ground shook violently. Edelweiss screamed as the hammock was tossed about about. The ropes snapped and the hammock thudded to the ground. Black Widow curled around her. All around the riders and dragons ran out of their huts, stumbling as the ground shook again. Rocks rooked down the hill, but didn't hit anything. Everyone minus Edelweiss and Black Widow gathered in the arena.
"Okay we've done this before, we need as much Death Song amber and Gronkle Iron as we can get," said Hiccup.
"Avalon came back with a huge supply of Death Song amber," said Apollo. Avalon took a deep breath.
"You think we can use your supply Avalon?" Hiccup asked. "We'll get more for you."
"All right," said Avalon. "It's in the clubhouse."
"I'll go get it," said Hiccup. "The rest of you help Fishlegs with the Gronkle Iron." He got on Toothless. They all took off and split up.
Hiccup flew Toothless back up to the clubhouse. They landed and quickly found the baskets of Death Song amber. Hiccup spotted Black Widow still curled around Edelweiss, who was still on the floor.
"Black Widow we could really use your help," Hiccup said. Black Widow sat up, looking nervous.
"I can't leave her," she said, looking at her rider.
"You can fly her down to the lake, she'll be safer there," said Hiccup. "Then com back and help." Black Widow hesitated. Hiccup attached the baskets of amber to Toothless's saddle.
"Come on we're running out of time," Toothless said. The ground shook again. Black Widow wrapped all four legs around Edelweiss then followed Hiccup and Toothless out of the clubhouse.
Black Widow turned and headed for the lake. She landed next to the shore and set Edelweiss down, propping her against a fallen tree. Edelweiss woke up as she turned to go.
"Black Widow, where are you going?" She cried. "Don't leave me here." Black Widow turned and nuzzled her.
"We will come back for you," she said. "I promise." She stepped back, spread her wings, and took off. Edelweiss called after her, begging her to come back. But Black Widow kept flying until she was out of sight. Edelweiss laid down on the grass and sobbed into her knees.
Black Widow met up with the others at the Twins' old boar pit. She felt horrible for leaving her rider there. But the other riders and dragons needed her help and she didn't want to waste time stalling. She hurried over to the boar pit as her friends arrived with wild Gronkles and large boulders. The others had gathered large cauldrons to carry the Gronkle Iron-Death Song amber mix to the volcanic vents. By now the lava was spilling out of the volcano and sliding down the hill. Ash started to fall heavily.
"Did you guys find the right rocks for Gronkle Iron?" Fishlegs urgently asked the young dragons.
"All I could was bauxite," said Apollo nervously, holding up the pile of rocks he'd brought back.
"Bauxite!" Fishlegs screamed angrily. "There is no bauxite in Gronkle Iron! You're as big a muttonhead as the Twins." Apollo looked hurt and dropped the rocks.
"Don't yell at him Fishlegs," Avalon snarled. "This is our first time fighting an erupting volcano." Ruff and Tuff both put an arm around Apollo.
"Welcome to the muttonhead club Apollo," said Tuffnut encouragingly, giving Apollo an affectionate punch on the shoulder.
"We get called muttonheads all the time," said Ruffnut with a sneer. "You'll get used to it after a while."
"Guys lets socialize later," said Hiccup. They quickly got to work filling the boar pit with Death Song amber and Gronkle Iron. Apollo stay well away from Fishlegs.
When the mixture was ready, the fill up with cauldrons with it. Then they took off and headed over the island. The found the smaller volcanic vents that were spewing out lava. They dumped the mixture over the vents, blocking the lava flow. Every time they ran out they went back to the boar pit and refilled. It went very smoothly, despite the heavy ash fall. The dragons' lungs were built to filter out the ash and toxic fumes that came from the volcano, but the riders were starting to choke on it.
"Why don't we get you guys out of the ash fall," Re said, loudly to be heard of the volcano. "We can come back and finish this off."
"I can see a sea stack that's well out of the way," said Aurora.
"We're almost done," said Hiccup. "There's about three of these left, then we'll all go to the sea stack." They didn't argue and refocused of the vents.
Soon all the vents were blocked. The lava flow slowed, but the ash was still coming down heavy. The riders all gathered back in the arena. The riders were coughing on the ash.
"Are we all here?" Hiccup asked.
"Edelweiss is still by the lake," said Avalon.
"We'll get her," said Chris. He flew Windwalker out of the arena and over to the lake.
They found Edelweiss laying under an overhanging boulder. She was coughing so much the she couldn't fall asleep. Windwalker landed and Chris dismounted. He went over and knelt beside Edelweiss. He felt her forehead, and it still felt very hot.
"Edel?" he said. Edelweiss looked up at him.
"Daddy," she said, relieved.
"Would you like to get out of here?" Chris asked. Edelweiss nodded. Chris helped her to her feet. She leaned very heavily on him. Windwalker went up to them and laid down. Chris helped Edelweiss onto her saddle, then got on in front of her. Windwalker took off and flew away from the volcano. Edelweiss laid her aching head on Chris's shoulder and closed her eyes. She dozed off as they cleared the ash fall.
They soon landed on the large sea stack where everyone was gathered. Chris dismounted and Edelweiss laid down on Windwalker's back. Serenity came over, carrying her bag.
"How is she?" She asked.
"She's really hot still," Chris said, sounding concerned. Serenity felt her daughter's forehead.
"Hi Mama," Edelweiss said softly.
"How are you feeling?" Serenity asked in her honey sweet voice.
"So tired," said Edelweiss. "And a bit cold. It was warmer near the volcano."
"Volcanoes are very warm," Serenity agreed. "You think you can get down?" Edelweiss considered. She pushed herself up, grimacing when her head hurt. She then slid down from Windwalker's saddle and hit the ground. She leaned on Windwalker's shoulder.
"Thanks for coming back for me," she said.
"You're welcome," said Windwalker. "We weren't going to leave you to the mercy of the volcano." Edelweiss coughed.
"Can I lay down?" She asked. Windwalker and Serenity guided her over to her friends and laid her down. Black Widow nuzzled her.
"Careful Black Widow," said Windwalker.
"I'm sorry I had to leave you there Edel," said Black Widow. "I didn't want to, but I had to help stop the lava flow." Edelweiss hugged her snout.
"It's okay Black Widow," she said. "I'm no use like this anyway."
While Serenity attended to Edelweiss, the others gathered around a campfire that Aurora lit. They watched the volcano in the distance. They could hear it erupting even from where they were.
"Thanks for your help guys," Hiccup said.
"You're welcome," said Aurora. "I'm glad no one got hurt."
"And I'm glad it was only a lava flow and not a pyroclastic flow," said Re. "Those are way worse."
"What's that?" Fishlegs asked.
"It's a huge wall of hot volcanic ash and gases," Re said. "They move faster than most dragons, they can be more devastating then a lava flow."
"You've seen one?" Hiccup asked.
"Thankfully no," said Re. "But I've seen illustrations of them."
"What's so dangerous about them?" Astrid asked. "It's just ash." Re narrowed his eyes.
"Volcanic ash is not like the ash from a campfire," he said. "It's made up of small particles of rock. If you breathe it in, it mixes with the water in your system and makes a thick sludge. It suffocates you. Not to mention it's very hot and moves very fast. If a pyroclastic flow ever hit a town the size of Berk, it would be ripped to pieces." They all swallowed nervously. Re smiled. "I won't worry though. You guys will probably never see a pyroclastic flow in your life. They only with really big eruptions, way bigger then that." He gestured towards the Edge. Hiccup looked back at the volcano.
"You think it will be finished by morning?" He asked.
"Probably," said Re. "Depends on how much magma it has in its system." He yawned. "I guess we'll find out in the morning." He laid his head down and closed his eyes. The riders settled down next to their respective dragons and fell asleep as well. The volcano raged on.
They woke up the next morning. The volcano had quieted down and the ash cloud had thinned out. The riders and dragons got to their feet and stretched. Serenity checked on Edelweiss again, and was pleased to discover that her fever had finally gone down.
"You feeling better?" Serenity asked.
"Yes, much better," said Edelweiss happily. "I think I can eat something now." Serenity went over to Tenor and pulled out strips of yak jerky. She handed it to Edelweiss, how ate it. She sat up and watched the other riders saddle up their dragons. Fishlegs turned to Re.
"So volcanic eruptions can get bigger than that?" He asked.
"Way bigger," said Re.
"What would the biggest eruption ever look like?" Fishlegs asked. Re thought a moment.
"It's what's known as a super eruption," he said. "They are very rare, but effect the whole world when they happen. Comparing last night's eruption to a super eruption would be like comparing a Terrible Terror to a Red Death."
"Could that volcano cause such an eruption?" Fishlegs asked. Re snorted skeptically.
"That tiny little thing?" He said. "It doesn't have the guts to to launch a super eruption. They can only be launched by a super volcano. Most volcanoes are just one mountain, super volcanoes are a ring of mountains several miles across. You could walk right into one and not even know it." Fishlegs looked really nervous. "I wouldn't worry Fishlegs. Like I said they're very rare, probably the rarest of any volcanic eruption."
"How do you know all this?" Astrid asked.
"I've read lost of books on volcanoes," Re said. "Spent a life time studying them. It gave me nightmares when I first read about super eruptions, they were far scarier then any ghost story."
"Well lets go see what this volcano has done," said Hiccup, mounting Toothless. The riders all go onto their dragons, Edelweiss got on Tenor behind her mother, since she still didn't feel well enough to ride on her own. They took off and headed back to the island.
They flew over it assessing the damage. Most of the lava had cooled and hardened. The volcano itself still had a trail of smoke rising out of it. The magma still filled the crater, but it wasn't high enough to spill over. A few of the trees had burned, but the out post was undamaged. The dragons landed in the clubhouse and the riders dismounted. Aurora used her magic to repair the hammock. Edelweiss got off Tenor, and he helped her over to the hammock and laid down in it.
"Thank you," she said.
"I'm glad you're feeling better," he said. He stepped aside so the younger dragons could lay down around the hammock.
As the riders fed themselves breakfast, Fishlegs looked over at Apollo. The red dragonet was looking a bit guilty.
"Hey, I'm sorry I yelled at you Apollo," Fishlegs said, tossing Apollo a fish.
"It's okay Fishlegs," said Apollo quietly. "I'm sorry I messed up." He ate the fish. He then laid his head down on his front talons. Edelweiss made herself comfortable in her hammock, happy that she was feeling better and that all her friends and family were safe.