CHAPTER TEN – as the flame goes out

"You've got the right idea, but try to conjure the fire more inside of your heart, true power comes from their child." Mu Qing had awoken Drayko early in the morning to start his fire breathing training. Drayko had created a small amount but nothing close to anything he'd see other dragons perform.

Drayko nodded and tried again. He closed his eyes and tried to find a warm place in the back of his metaphysical heart. It appeared to him as a string, a string of yarn that was on fire. He tried calling to it, coaxing it to come closer. As he did so, the fire around the string grew, and became a dark shade of blue and violet. This strange fire swirled inside him invisibly before he felt real fire build within his core.

He took an intake of breath and opened his jaws as a smallish ball of blue flame hit a stalagmite to the right of Mu Qing. She smiled. "You're getting very good. A few more days of practice on your own and you'll be as good as any dragon; maybe better, however I notice that you take a breath in before you fire. You don't need to do that. Dragons, unlike humans, create oxygen within their bodies, how else would our heart string remain on fire without being inside of our lungs? It would be smothered. Remember that, this is also why we can hold our breath a lot longer than normal creatures, and that is why we can live deep inside caves where the daylight never touches. Go on try again." Mu Qing explained.

Drayko closed his eyes again, but this time a sound caught his ears. They flicked to the entrance to the ice cave. A large group of men were climbing their way up. He glanced at Mu Qing, who was staring at the entrance like she could see them clearly, which she couldn't because Drayko could tell they were quite a few feet down.

She turned to him with a worried look in her massive eyes. "You must go." She nudged him toward the edge of the cave. He turned and forced her to stop and look at him. "Why can't you come with me?" he demanded.

She smiled a sad smile. "I have lived long enough, and you've given me the one thing I've longed for."

"You're the only family I have-"

"You will find someone to love." Interjected Mu Qing. She looked back to the entrance to the cave. "I believe now is the time to tell you what my name means, but perhaps you already know?" She looked down to him. Drayko closed his eyes, trying not to picture losing another family. He nodded and looked up at her. "Mother." He whispered. She smiled genuinely and brushed the side of her face against his. He felt something warm trickle down the side of her face.

She quickly got up and began to head toward the dragon slayers. "Leave now." She said with a tone of finality. He opened his wings grudgingly and leaped off the edge of the cliff, catching a slim glance of the slayers, as well as a wooden contraption with a large arrow type harpoon. It started to snow rapidly.

His eyes widened as he watched the burly men fire at him, shooting right through his left arm. He let out a shriek, but kept flying. He chanced one look back before he was completely swallowed up by the sudden snow storm.

He felt his heart stop as he took in what he saw.

Mu Qing was already on the ground, pinned down by the huge men. There were various weapons sticking out of her body, a large dark pool not unlike the one that appeared around Gareth started to drip over the edge of the cave. She started at him with milky eyes. No, she wasn't there anymore; it started at him with milky eyes.

He turned and shrieked with every fibre of his being, mourning over the loss of yet another piece of him, completely ignoring the throbbing in his arm.

He flew for what seemed like hours until he landed on top of a far mountain. He lay down on the snow, turning bits of it red as his foot touched the ground. He started to lick his wound by instinct. He barely even noticed that he was crying. He didn't know dragons could cry. Maybe it was just him and Mu Qing who could cry. She was after all, a one of a kind.

He forced himself to not think about her. He knew he'd have to some time, but it was much too soon, if he thought about her now it would destroy him. He forced himself to stand, then spread his wings and lift himself off the ground and into the air again. This time he felt heavy, like there was another invisible dragon sitting on top of him.

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He flew as fast and as far as his wings could carry him, until he had to give into his needs and land to drink water. He spotted a peaceful looking spot and decided to land there. As he landed he listened for any movements or sounds, not that he cared much anymore. It's not like he could burn anyone.

He leaned over the water and drank sulkily. He whipped his head up when a loud snap broke the silence. He scanned the forest for movement. When he couldn't see anything he decided that it must be a hunter of some sort. He knew he hadn't imagined that sound, not even in his depressed state of mind. And if an animal, which he would've seen with his enhanced senses, didn't make the sound, it must've been a human. Not every village had adopted dragons as pets and companions. Most still hunted them like violent animals.

He searched the forest line again and again, nothing. He sighed. Drayko knew there was someone there, but they weren't moving. He pretended to take another drink, in hopes that the person would chance movement. They did, but not in the place Drayko had expected.

A boy jumped on his back, simultaneously tying a rope around his mouth and wings. Drayko flopped to the ground in a second of confusion and rage. He whipped his tail around wildly, when he caught sight of the boy; he hit him with his tail, causing the child to rebound a few feet away.

The boy was big, but small for a Viking. His hair was messy and black. He had wire rimmed glasses and a patch on his cheek. His clothes were all animal skin, and covered in dirt. The boy looked like he got into fights regularly. He got up and smiled, scratching the back of his head. His teeth were big and made him look much younger than he probably was.

"You really whacked me there dragon." The boy said. Drayko growled and whipped his tail again. The boy's smile faltered and he took a nervous step back. This made Drayko smile. He looked around and took a brave step forward. Drayko growled again, but the boy didn't move back, he kept walking forward until he stood just out of reach of the white night fury. "We don't usually get your kind here, they usually live more north. I guess that makes you rare." He did a little dance of victory. "Man, if Eira isn't impressed by this I don't know what I'll do." He laughed.

Drayko growled. "You caught me to impress a girl?" he screamed at the boy. The boy frowned. "You understand me huh?" he said. "Yes I understand you, you idiot." Drayko hissed. The boy kneeled near Drayko's face, still out of tails reach. "To bad I have no idea what you're saying." He laughed again. "Something tells me you aren't very happy with me."

Drayko felt intense need to attack the boy. How could the dragons of Berk live like this? Not being able to communicate. He guessed that their rider eventually could read their body language, but still. And Drayko most certainly did not want a rider.

"My name's Folki, well, my full names Folkvarthr, but that doesn't sound very good." He stood and looked down at Drayko. "I guess I'll have to give you a name . . ." Drayko growled at being given a name. He had a name, too bad the human was to deaf to hear what it was. The boy shrugged. "It's not like I can learn your actual name, if you even have one. How about . . . snow flake?"

Drayko attempted to charge the boy. The black haired child merely took a step back. "Okay, okay, not snow flake. You seem kind of dominant and leader-like so . . . how about Pendragon?" the boy asked. Drayko sighed; at least it wasn't something ridiculous. It was actually a lot better than what Drayko would've hoped for. It was certainly much better than snow flake.

He nodded sullenly to the boy, who smiled. He put a hand on Drayko's nose. "I'll think we'll be great friend-"

Drayko growled and tried shifted the boy's hand off of him. "Friends? Are you kidding me? You just attacked me!" Drayko screeched. He would never be friends with this stupid boy.

There was another sound in the forest as a larger boy came out. He was also wearing animal skin clothes, though his weren't as dirty. The two boys looked like polar opposites. The big one was cleaner and more afraid-looking, whereas Folki was small, dirty, and adventurous.

The large boy's eyes widened as he came within seeing distance of Drayko. "Folki! How on earth did you catch this monster?"

"MONSTER?" Drayko actually managed to leap at the large boy, who ran all the way back to the forest. Folki laughed. "His name is Pendragon," no it's not, thought Drayko, "and it wasn't that hard, although he almost saw me a couple times. I don't think he likes being called a monster, Vali."

Vali and Folki, thought Drayko, what wonderful names for boys. He almost could have laughed.

Vali slowly and cautiously walked back into the small clearing to stand beside the black haired idiot. "How're we going to get it back home?" he asked. Folki slapped the large boy on the back harshly enough that he flinched. "That's why you're here Vali! You're the only one in the village strong enough to help me drag him back!" Drayko growled in warning again. The boys ignored it. If that little brat thinks I'll go along with this peacefully he's got another thing coming, thought Drayko.

Folki brought out a large bag from the edge of the forest, pulling from the bag . . . more rope. The two boys quickly tied down Drayko's tail, double knotted his legs, and tied one long rope around him for the boys to pull him along with. Essentially, they hog tied him, but not without some very violent protests from the white dragon.

When they finished tying him they stepped back to examine they're work. "I think that'll do." Said Folki as he picked up the long rope and gestured to his friend to do the same.

With a strained grunt the two boys began to drag the disgruntled and currently harmless dragon along the ground toward their village.

-HEY LOOK CHAPTER ELEVEN IS DONE, AND HERE BE SOME COMMENTS-

*JUMPS UP FROM BEHIND ROCK* blaaaaaah! Thought i died huh? NO. I DIDN'T. But the chapter was surprisingly hard to write!...that and school is EATING ME ALIVE.

Anyway, YAY MORE RANDOM CHARACTERS THAT HAVE NEXT TO NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. I know what you're thinking. "He said he'd never be this guys friend, wow Imaji, its so incredibly obvious that eventually he WILL. DUH." Hahaha! It seems like you've seen right through me! NO ACTUALLY YOU HAVENT. Do not underestimate the stubbornness of a teenage dragon! :D

Dont worry i haven't forgotten about Tofa and them...people...that...have names uh ANYHOO so i hope you enjoyed the late-ass chapter!

And dont forget to review! REEEEEVEEEEEIIIIIWWWW *gives you evil eyes*