"They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for." - Tom Bodett

Chapter 12

The stars twinkled above us... and below us... and around us. For once, I forgot all my worries as I took in the wondrous lights. Even Bolt appeared inspired as he flew us around in different patterns trying to see everything.

"Look at that," Harald whispered from behind me.

I did not have to ask what he meant, for it caught my eye as well: a shooting star. The beautiful streak speak across the sky in glittering glory. I knew Heather would have some sort of scientific explanation for it, but I still found it mysterious and breathtaking. "Wonderful," I breathed.

"You know," said Harald, "some cultures believe, if you make a wish on a shooting star, it will come true."

A smile twitched on my face. "You don't seem like the kind of person to believe in magic or rely on luck to get something you want."

"Quite right. My accomplishments come through my own effort, but that is why I find shooting stars fun. It gives me a chance to go wild and wish for something I would never bother to actually try for because it seems impossible. I have nothing to lose."

I considered this for a moment. "That makes sense. Alright, I'll make a wish on the next star if you will."

"There's our chance."

Sure enough, another star streaked past all the others. Now, what should I wish for? I too worked hard for everything I wanted, so what was something impossible I wouldn't shoot for? Slowly, it came to me. I closed my eyes.

I wish for a spectacular love like my parents had. Someone who will fight beside me and change the world with me. A love that conquers all.

I opened my eyes. I was not a cynic on love, really. It was not that I thought love was impossible. It was just that it was not a priority for me at the moment. And real love, the kind that could withstand any trial, did not seem too common. And if it were to happen, I doubted it was something I could control. I could not go looking for that kind of love. It had to find me. So, that was my wish.

"What did you wish for?" Harald asked.

I immediately went rigid. "Th-That's none of your business." The last thing I needed was to give him another reason to tease me. "What did you wish for?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't come true."

If I didn't have to turn around to see him, I would have glared at him. "Then why did you ask me?"

He laughed. "I wanted to see your reaction, and from what I can tell, it must be a good wish."

I rolled my eyes. "Too bad you'll never find out what it is."

"I will if it's about me."

This time, I took the effort to turn my head and glare at him. I was met by his teasing smirk. "Why would it be about you?"

"Because mine was about you."

I gaped at him. "S-Stop playing around." He laughed again, and I looked away so I could not see the twinkling in his eyes. "It doesn't matter anyway. Wishes don't come true."

"True, but it's nice to dream sometimes," he whispered close to my ear.

My skin tingled upon feeling his breath, yet his words oddly put me at ease. "Yeah..."

We stayed up there a little longer, saying nothing. Finally, the cold air became too much, and I instructed Bolt to fly us back to the Edge. Thankfully, I did not see Astrid waiting to interrogate me. But I did see Hiccup.

"Nice night for a flight," he said, rubbing the neck of Toothless beside him. "I just got back myself."

"I found it quite enchanting," Harald said. He smiled at me. "Especially with such lovely company."

I flushed. "D-Don't say things like that!"

He feigned a look of surprise. "Why not? It's true."

"That's not the point!"

Hiccup chuckled. "It's good to see you two are getting along."

"We are not getting along," I said sourly.

Harald smirked. "That's what she says." He gave me a knowing look. "It's best I be off. Good night, Brennda... Hiccup."

"Good night, Harald," Hiccup said.

"Good night," I said, smiling despite myself. I frowned when I realized Hiccup was looking at me with a goofy grin. "What?"

"I was watching you two," he said. "You seemed pretty comfortable up there. It reminded me of the time I first flew with Astrid on Toothless."

I blinked. "You mean when Toothless tried to terrify her because he was jealous of her?" I glanced at the Night Fury, and he gave me an almost guilty look.

Hiccup scratched the back of his neck and chuckled nervously. "She told you that? I forgot about that part. I meant after that when Toothless finally calmed down. We slowly flew through the clouds just as the sun was setting. Astrid looked so beautiful..." He smiled dreamily. "I think that was the first time she really liked me."

I could not help but smile. That was so sweet. Wait... Why did watching Harald and me bring up that memory?! I shot him a suspicious look. "Hey! If you're suggesting I like Harald..."

"Don't you?"

It was hard to stay mad when he gave me such an innocent look. I held in a sigh. "I don't. Not like that. At least, I don't think so."

Hiccup looked at me quizzically. "Shouldn't you know?"

I frowned. "I don't have time for such silly notions."

"Love isn't silly, Brennda."

"Then why aren't you with Astrid yet?"

His eyes went wide. "I'm, uh, waiting for the perfect moment."

"The perfect moment isn't going to just show up, Hiccup. You have to create it." I left him to ponder my words as I brought Bolt to the stables.

Fishlegs met me bright and early the next morning. I had just fed Bolt his breakfast, and the two of us walked out into the warm, morning sun.

"Brennda!" Fishlegs said excitedly. "I've been thinking about the camouflage idea you and the twins came up with yesterday and wondering in what other ways we could use natural dragon defenses for our own base."

"Oh?" I smiled at him to keep him going. "You have an idea?"

"Yes! I would like to introduce you to a dragon to consider for base defense: the Catastrophic Quaken! He's this amazing Boulder class dragon that lives at Dark Deep. He has Armor 35, Jaw Strength 20, and..."

I blinked. "Slow down-"

"No, there's no way I can tell you the majesty of this dragon through my dragon stats (even though they're incredibly accurate). Let me show you in person. To the Dark Deep!"

I chuckled and shook my head. He sure could get enthusiastic when it came to dragons. "Alright, let's go." A morning flight might be just what I need to wake myself up.

The two of us took off at a steady pace. Meatlug seemed quite excited about the trip, which was understandable. I bet she had a lot of friends there. Soon, we landed on the island.

"Welcome to Dark Deep!" Fishlegs said proudly. "It's the legendary island home of the Gronckles. It's a rocky, dusty place - perfect for rock-eating dragons like the Gronckle and the Quaken! You see, many animals evolve over generations to live in their natural habitats. The Boulder Class dragons survive here better than most because their physiology has adapted to fit this environment!"

I stifled a yawn. "That's great, Fishlegs. So, where are the dragons?"

Fishlegs frowned as he looked around the area. "That's odd. The Gronckles and Catostrophic Quaken should be around here somewhere. My last few trips to this island have been really great with those dragons as company."

"Maybe they're still sleeping?"

Fishlegs shrugged. "Well, it can't be hard to find them! Let's fly around the island and look for the Quaken."

"Alright." I returned to Bolt, and we took to the air. I would have suggested we split up, but I was not exactly sure what this dragon looked like.

It turned out not to matter, for Fishlegs soon found what he was looking for. And something worse. He came across an abandoned camp... a dragon hunter camp. And there was a dragon in a cage, while another one looked on in distress!

"Oh no!" Fishlegs exclaimed as we landed. "The dragon hunters must have found this island with the Dragon Eye."

I immediately became fully alert. My expression darkened when I remembered how Viggo had tricked us out of the Dragon Eye. "At least they don't seem to be around now."

But Fishlegs was too busy panicking to hear me. "Oh no, oh no... Get a grip, Fishlegs! You can't fall apart now. Dragons are in danger!" He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

I waited until he appeared calm to speak. "Is that the Catastrophic Quaken?" I nodded at the large Boulder dragon outside the cage.

Fishlegs nodded. "That's him. The Quaken looks a little worse for wear, but it looks like his friend is trapped in the cage. That is a Prickleboggle, a brilliant Sharp class dragon. He has really unique ability to heal with his 'fireball'! On my trips to the island, I've observed that the Catastrophic Quaken and the Prickleboggle have developed a symbiotic relationship, or a connection between members of different species where they help each other out. It's just like you and Bolt, working together!"

I gave him a weak smile. "Yes, very cool."

He gasped. "Gosh, what am I rambling about? We need to help the Prickleboggle out!" He ran up to the cage to examine it. "I don't think the Quaken can break the cage without hurting the dragons inside... What do we do? Those are dragon-proof cages. Fireballs won't do a thing to harm them!" The panicked looked returned to his face. "I'm out of ideas, Brennda. I wish Hiccup was here. Maybe we can go back to Dragon's Edge and ask for Hiccup's help. I'm sure he'll know what to do!"

"Maybe-"

"Wait, I think I saw Harald's boat lagging a little bit behind us. Can you ask him if he has any solutions in mind?"

I blinked. "What? Harald's here?" Why hadn't I noticed him following us? Oh, that's right, I was too tired because Fishlegs dragged me off on an adventure before I could properly wake up!

"Yes! Go! Go!"

"Alright, I'm going." I hopped on Bolt's back. "To the beach, buddy!"

Sure enough, I spotted Harald's boat docked at the beach. It looked like he had just walked on shore. I landed in front of him and did not even bother to dismount. "Harald!"

His face brightened when he saw me. "Hey there! I'm getting a feel for the waters around your Dragon's Edge. I was navigating the shortest path here with the currents, but I appreciate you slowing down on the flight over to give me a sporting chance to keep up."

I stared at him. "Right..." No way was I going to tell him I had not even noticed him. That was a huge slip on my part!

"I know you could have blazed on over here on your fast Skrill. These creatures are pretty convenient."

Maybe I could have, but it was Meatlug we slowed down for. Gronckles were not known for their speed. Not that they didn't have many other amazing qualities. I pushed the thoughts away to focus on what I came here for. "Yes, well, I need your help. There were dragon hunters here, and one of them captured a dragon in a cage! We're not sure how to free him."

Harald's expression turned serious. "A dragon is stuck in a dragon hunter cage? Say no more, friend. I've picked up a few useful skills on the seven seas. I can get the dragon out of that little jam!"

I smiled in relief. "Great. It's in the middle of the island, so flying will be quickest." I offered him my hand. He hesitated for only a second before grabbing my hand and allowing me to help him up on Bolt behind me.

In no time at all, we arrived at the dragon hunter camp, where Fishlegs paced in a frantic circle. Harald jumped to the ground and jogged over to the cage.

"Hello, dragon!" he said. "Don't claw my eyes out, you hear? Harald's going to get you out of that sticky little situation." He knelt down and somehow managed to open the cage. The Prickleboggle leapt out and immediately fired at the injured Quaken.

"You see?" said Fishlegs. "The Prickleboggle heals the Catastrophic Quaken when it gets hurt, and the Quaken defends the Prickleboggle from any predators. It's a relationship where both species benefit in unique ways. Oh, thank you for your help, Harald."

"Nothing to it, mate," said Harald.

"No, he's right," I said, grinning at him. "That was brilliant! You're awesome!" Still hyped up on the excitement of the day, I bounded forward and hugged him. When I felt his surprise, I snapped out of it and pulled back. "Oh, sorry."

But Harald grinned mischievously. "Don't be." He grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him.

I managed to get my arms up in time, and my hands rested on his chest while he wrapped his arms around my waist. "H-Harald!"

"Is something wrong?"

I did not dare look up at him in fear that I was blushing like mad. "Fishlegs is watching!"

"Oh? If we were alone, you wouldn't mind this?" I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"N-No!" I slapped my hands against his chest. He laughed and finally let me go. I took a moment to compose myself and calm my breathing. I spared Fishlegs a quick glance. He looked as awkward as I felt. "S-Sorry, Fishlegs."

"It's fine, Brennda," Fishlegs said, giving me a tentative smile.

"We'll finish this later," Harald said in a low voice.

I glared at him. "No, we won't!" I turned back to Fishlegs. "We're done, really. Are the dragons okay?"

Fishlegs nodded. "I think our Quaken friend is going to be just fine. We should clear the island of these nasty weapons and traps that the dragon hunters left behind. Can you grab them all?"

"No problem!" I was grateful for the task to keep me occupied. I picked up the tools and weapons and placed them in a pile. "That should be all of them."

"Good," Fishlegs said with a pleased smile. "The dragon hunters bit off more than they could chew with Dark Deep. You think you can trap the Catastrophic Quaken so easily? I wish I could have watched them slink away from the island, tails between their legs!" An unusually menacing look crossed his face.

"Calm down there, buddy," I said. "The danger is passed."

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I get a little bit steamed when I think about dragons being mistreated. As much as I'm happy Quakey chased the dragon hunters away, they must have captured the Gronckles that lived here. We need to tell Hiccup. Let's go back to Dragon's Edge and give him these disgusting tools we confiscated."

"Good plan." I started packing the items I collected into the saddle bags attached to Bolt's saddle.

"We'll meet you back at Dragon's Edge, Harald," Fishlegs said. "Thanks again for your help! I don't know what we would have done without you."

Harald nodded at him and then turned to me. "Do you mind giving me a ride back to my boat?"

"Actually, I do mind," I said, climbing onto Bolt. "I'm in a hurry, and it looks like you could use the exercise. See you later!" I took off before he could protest. I tired not to feel bad. I just did not know if I could handle being so close to him again so soon.

My mind cleared by the time we returned to the Edge. I told Hiccup everything that happened and handed over the dragon hunters' weapons to him.

"That could be a big problem," he said after accepting the weapons. "Dark Deep is far away from the Dragon Hunters bases... are they expanding their territory? Good job gathering those tools. I'll put them away where they can't be used to harm any dragon."

"Thanks," I said.

After he left, Fishlegs approached me. "We were sort of busy when we were at Dark Deep, so I didn't get to show you what I took you there to see. You see, the Catastrophic Quaken relies on two things to protect himself. The first is his thick, armoring hide. He can shrug off blows that would stop most dragons and keep going. Second, his nest is protected by sheer rocks on all sides so that he is protected when he is most vulnerable. It leapt to my mind when Hiccup mentioned the idea of dragon defenses. We can do the same at Dragon's Edge. Let's gather some boulders around the island. If you can find five suitable boulders and I do the same, we might have enough to get something going here!"

I smiled. "Alright, let's do this!"

So, we spent the next several hours gathering boulders and building a wall. When it was finished, Fishlegs wanted the Catastrophic Quaken to test it. I returned to Dark Deep and convinced the Prickleboggle to let me ride him. Fortunately, the Catastrophic Quaken followed us back to Dragon's Edge.

The Quaken rolled into a ball and slammed into the wall. The wall stood strong! Fishlegs and I exchanged grins. Our defenses were looking good!

The following day, Hiccup asked me to return to the school and update Heather on the situation at Dragon's Edge. To be honest, I was happy about the trip. I had not been home in nearly a week, and it would be good to grab a few of my things and also check up on the dragons I trained.

Heather greeted me enthusiastically. We spent a few hours catching up and enjoying each other's company. She promised to think of ways to add to our defense at the Edge. She also said she would try to head over there sometime. She seemed somewhat guilty for being away, but I told her not to worry about it. I understood why she wanted to focus on her work at the school instead.

I almost told her about Harald but ultimately decided against it. She would either scold me like Astrid or encourage me like Hiccup. I did not know which I feared more.

A storm brewed in the distance when I got ready to leave that afternoon. "Are you sure you'll be alright flying in that?" Heather said, looking worried at the sky.

I strode to Bolt's side and rummaged through one of my bags. "I'll be fine. Skrills are great in storms. Besides, I've got this." I pulled out a suit made for flying and smiled proudly.

Heather's eyes went wide. "Is that made of rubber?"

I grinned and nodded. "I finally got enough from Johann. I had to do a lot of work for Snotlout to get enough Monstrous Nightmare gel to trade for it, but it was worth it. This would help me out in the storm." I slipped the suit over my normal clothes. Just right.

Heather smiled at me. "It looks like you've got everything figured out. Good luck, and tell everyone I said hello."

"Will do." I mounted Bolt, and we flew off towards the storm.

By the time I neared Dragon's Edge, the rain poured and lightning occasionally struck. The weather seemed to put Bolt in a good mood, and I did not mind it either. Coming up to the base, I saw Hiccup and Harald waiting for me - both of them drenched. I landed in front of them.

"Hey, guys," I said brightly. "What's going on?"

"We were worried about you being out in this storm," Hiccup said. "I mean, I knew you would be fine, but-"

"I wanted to make sure you arrived safely," Harald said.

I smiled. "Thanks, but you needn't have worried. Bolt and I love storms." I gestured towards myself. "I've got this suit made of rubber, which is an excellent insulator of electricity."

"Lightning is kind of their their thing," Hiccup said.

Harald looked at Bolt in interest. "Really? Does the storm increase his power?"

I grinned. "Yep! Let me show you."

At my word, Bolt excitedly flew into the storm. I made sure we were a safe distance from the Edge, and then we began. Bolt flew around, shooting bolts of electricity in various directions. Lightning mingled with his shots and lit up the sky, illuminating us both. We had done this many times in the past. It was good practice, but it was mostly a lot of fun. The way we moved together felt like a dance.

When we had enough, we returned to our audience. They both appeared impressed, but it was Harald who gazed at me in admiration. "That was spectacular, Brennda and Bolt," he said. "You two make a mighty good team."

I grinned. "Thank you." The rush of the activity caused me to stumble off Bolt, but Harald caught me and held me steady. "Whoops. Thanks."

"It's quite alright," said Harald. He looked me over, and his lips twisted into a smirk. "You may like electricity, but electricity doesn't like you. Your hair is a frizzy mess."

I laughed. "If I stay in the rain long enough, it'll go completely flat."

"And if we stay out in the rain much longer, we'll all get sick," Hiccup said.

"He's right," said Harald. "Let's go warm up."

"Sounds good to me." The four of us started for the clubhouse. I cast one last glance at the storm. Winter as coming to an end. I wondered what good things awaited me in the spring.