It was a long couple of hours patrolling over the island. I felt a bit silly, but I felt an awkwardness around Hiccup when Astrid was there. For good reason, I guess. I had never really seen them do things together, other than a kiss on the cheek if even that.. But that doesn't mean they are together. She doesn't have a claim on him. But neither do I, for that matter. But I did feel the growing rivalry between the Blonde Viking and I.
It was getting colder, the wind was crisp and it bit at my skin as Comet soared easily, trailing shortly behind Toothless and Hiccup. Astrid and her Dragon were beside him.
I admired the shine of Stormfly's scales. I always found the Nadders to be beautiful. Stormfly was one of the fastest I had seen in my time as well, she was a good dragon.
Finally, we dropped down into a remote area in the forest, not too far from the island.
"This is where Mulch said he heard the Dragon speak to him." Hiccup said as he jumped down from Toothless.
The Forest was dense with tall trees, distant sounds of birds and other animals set the ambiance as I looked around, seeing no strange dragon prints. There was a pine smell in the air – if I were here on different circumstances I would be enjoying a picnic with Comet by now..
"What exactly did he hear?" Astrid asked skeptically. Hiccup looked to her and sighed "He said he could hear Bucket laugh at him for falling over a tree stump.. but Bucket wasn't with him at the time."
"So he didn't actually see the dragon?" She asked. Hiccup shook his head and she blinked, disdainfully so. "So we have nothing to really go on?"
"It's a start.."
I stopped listening to them as I looked around the small clearing we currently were in. Comet stood by my side, sitting straight with his ears strained to hear. I saw a rather large tree stump, and an indent in the ground, which is where I guessed Mulch had fallen so the Copy-Cat Dragon should be in the area.
Walking over some dried leaves I tried to peer through trees and saw the sky beyond. I guessed that the whole forest was basically just a small island that Mulch had decided to try to fish off of or something...
I stuck close enough that I could see the skyline through the trees but wandered farther into the forest, Hiccup and Astrid's voices slipping away. Comet trailed behind, though he seemed hesitant.
The trees began to clear off and it looked as if I had reached the end of the island. It felt ominous, though I knew that I had only simply reached a side of it. Through thick clouds of gray fog I could barely make out another island in the distance. "Wonder what's out there.." I murmured more or less to myself.
Comet stuck closer to me, pressing his body against mine protectively, his eyes narrowed dangerously with a low hiss. He nudged me away with his thick head.
"Comet – What is it?" I protested, looking over my shoulder. Suddenly everything was quiet. No longer did I hear the sounds of the forest, or the gentle breeze through the leaves.
"Little Shadow.." I heard a hiss and it send a sickening chill down my spine.
"Oh no.." I moaned, pressing my back to a tree. Comet's ears lifted at this and he tried to nudge me away again but to no avail. He churred and sat down beside me, sensing my distress.
"We know who you are!" The hiss grew louder. "We are your diminishing light!"
"Leave me alone.." I groaned, pressing my palms over my ears, my heart beginning to pound, my skin felt clammy and sweaty.
"Don't worry, Little Shadow. Soon you will be just another Outcast...."
I slid down the tree and brought my knees up to my chest. Comet nudged me again and churred lowly, concerned. Suddenly his ears pricked up and he tensed.
It happened all in one moment, Comet was knocked away by some invisible force and tossed into the tree next to me.
"No!" I cried, reaching out for him. Another hiss and a sharp pain was sent through my arm. My eyes widen and I pulled it back, now seeing three long gashes, fresh and bleeding profusely.
"W-What?"
Comet shook his head, dazed. I could see claw marks along his side, bleeding though with his tough skin, not nearly as bad. He growled, ferociously and spread his wings, shooting plasma in what looked like random directions.
"Fable!" Hiccup and Astrid ran into view. I breathed quickly, not even feeling the pain in my arm.
"Toothless! Use your Sonar!" I watched as Toothless opened his mouth and his purple plasma seemed to scan over the area.
"Hiccup! Look!" Astrid called, pointing at a shadow cast by a large tree. A silhouette of a slender serpentine looking beast reared up and let out a hiss as it brought down it's camouflage.
It looked like a an overgrown snake with fangs protruding from it's maw, dripping with a foggy spit. It had arachnid eyes with no limbs, but a set of wings nearly as big as a Nadder's. It's body was colored in glorious shades of jades and bronze.
"Young Dragon Trainer.." It greeted, speaking in a voice not it's own. It's mouth did not move, it was if it was a disembodied voice, coming from no where but in all directions. "Word of your triumph against the Great Dragon spread quickly. But you're work will never be over. Dragons are not meant to be.. Pets," It stressed with another high pitched hiss.
"What is it that you want?" Hiccup asked it, Toothless glaring at it hotly by his side.
"Only the truth. You must always search the Shadows, young vikings." It hissed. "You never know what kind of treacherous little things you'll find.."
It began to faze away, but only enough to where we could see it's silhouette. In a flash it was around Hiccup, whispering something only he could hear. And then, the Dragon slinked passed and into the waters below, to the island hidden in the fog.
Hiccup sat frozen, with a look as if he had been hit with a cold bucket of water.
"Fable!" Astrid ran to my side, kneeling down to check my arm. "Are you okay?"
As soon as that blasted dragon was gone it felt like some sort of wave was lifted, the warmth entered back into me and I could feel everything rush back – including the pain.
"I – I'm okay," I assured her, Comet limped over, whimpering. "It scared you too, didn't it?" I asked him in a soft voice, comforting him the best I could. He licked at my wound and I bit my tongue to keep from crying out.
Astrid helped me to my feet and I thanked her, cradling my arm to my chest. "Astrid," I began nodding to the island across the way. "What is that place?"
"Outcast Island." Astrid answered me with a scowl. "It's where Alvin and his Men stay – or stayed. We haven't seen anything of them in close to two years.. Good riddance if you ask me."
It sent a shock of lightning through me "Could he be back?" I asked more to myself.
She looked at me, "I guess it's possible. Do you think the Copy-Cat Dragon could be working for them some how?"
My mind raced. It could be a possibility. I thought of all the notes my father had intrusted to me, ways to subdue dragons, and yes, even control them if that matter ever came up – but it was always a bad idea. Nothing ever good came out of it.
"Come on, we need to get you back to the village and patched up. Hiccup?" Astrid called to him. He seemed as if he was still stuck, "Hiccup!" She called again, louder this time. He jumped, blinking back into existence.
"You can fly with me," Astrid said. "Comet, are you okay?" Comet looked to her and only gave a nod, shaking his skin as if to get rid of any stinging.
The next few hours blurred by, no longer able to keep myself completely conscious from the pain in my arm.
–
"I don't want to hear none of that! Now let me see her!" I blinked awake and shook my head, remnants of some dream slipping away. I looked around seeing that I was in the guest room of Hiccup's house and Comet was snoozing on his stone bed. I lifted my arm up, seeing it bandaged tightly. My fist closed "Alvin.." I whispered.
"Not exactly!"
"Ah! – Gobber!" I gasped, sitting up a bit too quickly. "Ouch.." I muttered, holding a hand to my head.
"Heard ya' had quite the bad experience, so I'd thought I'd spend my favorite blacksmith to be a visit!" Gobber smiled with his regular friendliness. Temper was around his shoulders and she churred, climbing down and settled on my lap, sniffing at my bandage.
"Well, I don't know about that," I grinned lightly.
"Well one can always hope! I wouldn't mind having a trainee." He winked good naturally and squeezed himself in and sat on a stool next to my bed. "Awful cramp in here, ain't it?"
I shrugged glancing around at the smaller room and nodded once, Comet stirred and opened his eyes with a yawn. He sat up when he saw Temper and churred excitedly. "It is a bit small," I admitted, seeing just how little room Comet got to sleep. "But it's better than nothing and Hiccup and Stoick have both been very generous to me."
Gobber 'hmmmed' to himself and nodded. He poured water from a jug into a cup and handed it to me which I was grateful for. "Gave us quite the scare, ya know. Passin' out an' all that. Ah well, it's good to see ya alright."
I nodded to him with a small smile, feeling touched.
"Hiccup and Astrid already told Stoick about what had happened, who woulda' guessed such a dragon could exist?" He asked, shaking his head.
"Where is Hiccup?" I asked, suddenly remembering his stricken face.
Gobber grinned and I felt my cheeks red with a blush. "Not to worry your little head, your Lovebird is quite alright, in fact I believe he is with the other dragon trainers right now." Gobber said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"L-Lovebird?" I asked trying to keep my voice steady.
"Don't think you can fool me, lass." Gobber smiled "I've seen the looks you guys have for each other."
"I – I don't know about that, Gobber." I sighed, "Besides, He has Astrid."
Gobber was silent. So I looked at him to see him with an unamused expression, his arms crossed "So?"
"So? So, I don't think there's really anything for me and him there."
"Then that's where you have to make him jealous!" Gobber offered, gesturing with his hand.
"Make him jealous?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Aye! You make him jealous. Then see if he still spends so much time with Astrid. And if he does, then you can just come to my smith and I'll help you make a nice hammer that you can smash his face in with!"
I stared at him for a long few seconds before erupting in a fit of giggles that seemed to disturb Temper because she fluttered over to Comet who greeted her with a happy nuzzle. I kept laughing, it felt nice. My stomach hurt, but I didn't care. I reached over and hugged Gobber, surprising him. "Thanks." Was all I could say, but I believe it was more than enough. He let out a small chuckle and squeezed me back with his good hand.
"Well, I don't know about you!" Gobber said a few moments after "But I could go for a round of drinks and some food. Care to join me?"
I smiled and nodded.
–
After eating with Gobber I joined the other Dragon Riders. "Fable, you're okay!" Tuffnut greeted, "Not that I was worried or anything. Well, I mean, it's not cuz I wouldn't worry about you. I think you can take care of yourself but this time you got hurt and-"
"Just give it up, Tuffnut." Ruffnut snickered. Tuffnut shrugged, crossing his arms, with a pink glow on his cheeks. "Whatever."
"I am Okay, thank you for asking, Tuffnut." I said softly, smiling to him.
Hiccup looked over watching and cleared his throat "It's good to have you with us again, Fable." He said. "We will be patrolling the Island Daily until we are sure the Copy-Cat dragon can cause no harm.. And to make sure Alvin isn't somehow controlling it."
Snow flurries fell into the arena, which meant flying would be a pain. If Alvin had the means to control the Dragons left behind then things could get bad. I would be surprised, Jorn could hardly decipher the codes left behind in the journals and instructions. Could it be this Dragon is purposely working with them for some reason?
"Fable?"
I was broken from my thoughts and looked to Hiccup. "Are you okay to fly?" He asked. I simply nodded, though my arm was stinging.
Comet was at my side as he always was, though he still had a bit of a limp he refused to show it. "Good, Come with me for a moment, please."
I rose my eyebrow and nodded, telling Comet to sit next to Toothless I followed him into an empty pin.
"I made this for you." He said and turned holding in his arms a purely black leather saddle. "I know you like ebony, so I thought I would make it the same color.."
I smiled and took the saddle, it was light, surprisingly but I was sure Comet would love it too. "Thank you, Hiccup."
He looked at me very seriously though, seeming to be lost in thought.
"What's wrong?" I asked him, suddenly very scared of the answer.
He shook his head a moment later and forced a smile, "Let's go try it on, shall we."
I nodded slowly and followed him outside, clutching the saddle with my good arm. "Comet, Look what Hiccup made!" I announced, kneeling down next to him.
Comet sniffed at the saddle and gurgled something in his dragon language, looking apprehensive to put it on. Toothless replied with something else and Comet's tail waved. He sat up straight quickly, eager to try it on. I looked to Toothless and smiled, He returned it to me in his dragonish way and Hiccup showed me how to saddle Comet up correctly.
"Comfy?" I asked Comet. He looked down at the straps and tried to look over at his back to see it, spinning himself in circles.
I giggled softly and stood up straight. Hiccup was looking off in the distance and I recalled him staring from before. What did that Dragon say to him?
I shivered at the ideas and pulled my cloak around me tighter, Gobber had insisted I wore it, and I was kinda glad I did. It was getting way too cold. My arm began to sting again, and I did my best to ignore it.
The first to patrol would be Fishlegs and Snotlout. The rest of us stayed in the Arena to train. Though fear pricked at my conscious I knew that someday I would have to face against Alvin and Jorn. No matter what Hiccup or anyone else thinks of me.
(A/N:) Check out my profile for Poll. Hope you all enjoy and such :) So psyched for the next movie to come out! Anyway, Messages and Reviews are Welcomed and Loved 3 :P