Hey folks! Thanks for clicking on my fic. This story will be a PREQUEL to the HTTYD movies, and is set back many, many years before movie events as it begins. This fic is rated T for some language, and depictions of death, however, please know I will not EVER kill off canon characters. My goal is to fit this prequel fic as close to canon material as possible so that it does not mess with the original HTTYD storyline, but adds to it.
Enjoy!
Chapter 1: Of Dragons and Hunters
The scream.
It wasn't an ordinary scream. Not the ones that emit from a humans breath, but that of a dragons. The sound had a roaring pound to it, such as that of a powerful, towering beast that had finally been brought to its knees. The huntress, Kelda, saw its eyes behind the chains; its wings, and large body, hunkered and tied down onto the mud with no hope of lifting into the heavens to see a flight of freedom again, and yet whose will to escape, and live, kept it from remaining still.
A large group of hunters surrounded the creature; a Rumblehorn whose scales managed to pick up what sunlight broke through the cloudy, misty skies, sent a reflection into their vision, giving off a green hue. Kelda's arm held up her weapon, the bow and arrow aimed at the dragon, and her guild mates followed suit, each ready to land the strike if they were called to do it.
"Finally. I thought he'd never run into our trap," one of the younger boys out of the group of hunters spoke up, emitting a tone of relief and excitement. "I'll take this one out."
"No… Kelda was the one who set the trap and tracked the dragon. She should be the one to end it here." An older man, whose beard had grown long onto his chest, and had turned completely grey, responded. "Know your place, boy," he said.
Kelda's grip on her bow tightened, a quake of anxiety flowing through her arm's muscles, wobbling her arrows straight potential path for a brief second. She had a feeling the elder hunter, Ulf, would say that. He had been encouraging her for so long now to take the last kill in their hunts, not necessarily because of her contribution like he made it out to be, but due to her rising status in the guild. For now, she stayed silent, contemplating the suggestion.
As she peered down the arrow, past the carved and sturdy wood, and the sharp metal at its edge, the dragon looked up at her, panting. It would be easy, she thought. A quick and painless death. She knew the dragon's anatomy—after all, she had studied all the known species for years. Each dragon had a point of least resistance, and that would be the place she'd aim. But despite her knowledge and ability, she couldn't let go of the arrow.
It was always like this. She had killed a dragon before, many times throughout her twenty-one years. But as she aged, her disdain for the kill etched its way deeper into her mind, like that of a stake being struck further and further into the crack of a stone. It was when her gaze met that of the dragons, its eyes staring through her, and into her spirit, did she lower the bow.
"No," Kelda reiterated, the pit of her stomach turning, yet outwardly she held herself sturdy and tall, her dark eyes lowering to the ground. "Let the boy do it if he wishes. He's worked hard for a moment such as this." She felt her teeth clench as the last word left her lips. Her excuses—lies—whatever you may call them, came out so fluently that no one would have known the wiser. After all, she was Kelda, a rising hunter in her guild, known relatively well throughout the world of hunters. Her words were starting to become just as meaningful as Ulf's.
The boy lit up like a torch flame, his crossbow aiming at the creature first and foremost. Ulf would sigh, but he seemed to listen to Kelda's words carefully and without hesitation. "Let it be so then," Ulf said. "Go ahead, Sune. Take the kill."
Kelda wanted to turn around and walk away, but duty chained her down, much like the dragon before her. This was what dragon hunters did. They killed dragons. She had known nothing else but this kind of death, over and over again, day in and day out, like a book whose pages turned and yet would tell the same story. Her eyes looked up, just as the young boy pulled the trigger. It wouldn't happen fast like Kelda would have hoped. It was a messy, unclean kill, but it managed to do the job. She could hear the Rumblehorn exhale again, but instead of a terrified scream, it was a quiet breath. Stillness then encompassed the valley like a cold embrace, and Kelda held her tongue, and her feelings like she always did. There was no trace of emotion on her expression. This was just how it was, she thought to herself. Like it always was, and always will be.
. . . . . . . . . .
"You know you didn't have to do that." Ulf spoke up to Kelda, who was contemplating a pitcher of ale. The environment of a busy hunter's hub was vastly different than the hunt in the wilderness. It was like the world shifted when you left the great valleys, seas, and mountains and back into the world of mankind. Even the wildness of Vikings couldn't compare to the natural world.
"Sune needed the chance to kill a dragon. He's been working hard, and you could see he wanted to do it," Kelda responded, her tone matter-of-fact in nature. "After all, he's at that age. It was time."
"I understand that," Ulf said, "But you are a valuable asset to our guild. A lot of us won't be able to make those trips for much longer. I'm growing old, and I need other members of this guild to take the reins soon. I see you being a valuable asset to the perseverance of our members in the future, so you should begin to take those status kills yourself."
"Don't be so sentimental, Ulf," Kelda chuckled halfheartedly. "I've had my share of killing dragons. I wouldn't be in a guild if I wasn't preparing to share the prey."
"You are always a woman of modesty, Kelda." Ulf nodded, then said, "For now let us enjoy ourselves, as I have important news to share with the others." The old man sat up, taking his large hammer that hung on his hip, and landed it hard on the table. The stirring Vikings around the hub quieted down subtly at first, but then managed to be still once they saw Ulf had taken a stand to gain their attention. Kelda kept her head low, but extended her ear, as he was right next to her. "Listen you lot, I have something to ask of you!" Ulf yelled.
Kelda looked outward onto the small group of guild mates surrounding her, compromising of no more than twenty or so individuals. There were many of those turning grey, with only a handful of them strong enough to continue hunting. The remaining few were children—boys no younger than 8 years, and no older than 14. To be honest, it didn't surprise Kelda that they were struggling. Competition had grown tough in the lives of hunters, only the most skilled and seasoned in the trade having claim to the best jobs. On top of that, the dragons were becoming more elusive, scattering themselves about the contentment to avoid humans. And yet, not one here alive, let alone Ulf's guild, were about to give up on their profession. A Vikings best quality could be said to be stubbornness, but these weren't just Vikings, they were hunters, and hunters were both stubborn, and patient.
"I have a need—no—we have a need for a vote to be cast! I have received a lead of a potential hunt!" Ulf called out. The small guild erupted into a hustled cheer, but silenced themselves after a brief moment. "However, as much as I would wish for all of us to go, many of us cannot make the trip, and with quests scarce as they have become, I sadly must recommend we do not put all our eggs in one basket. We need those who can go out on hunts do so alone, as we don't know how thin we can stretch ourselves to catch potential bounties."
The crowed seemed to understand, as reluctant as they wished to not believe it. It was for the best to spread out hunters to leads, as to keep some there just in case another job arose while the other was out.
"This hunt will be against a Skrill dragon. They are known to be quick and dangerous creatures, so I suggest one of our more fluent and physically able hunters take the leap."
"I say Frode!" someone in the back yelled.
"No, Trygve is capable, and needs the opportunity! Send him!" another argued.
Kelda kept to herself in the scramble. She didn't care to participate in the constant bickering, not necessarily because it was of annoyance, but once she started going off, who knew when she'd stop. It was best to just listen. If she were to have her way anyway, it would be Ulf himself. He was the strongest and wisest in the guild, but due to his self-induced status as leader of this particular sect, so to speak, he'd be needed here with the others.
"Nay, I suggest we send Kelda," a frail, and aging hunter in the front said, standing up and looking toward the young woman sitting next to Ulf. A sort of hushed agreement seemed to ripple over the other hunters, and Ulf himself would grin widely, and proudly, taking one of his large hands and swatting it on Kelda's back in one quick whip. Kelda felt the air fly out of her lungs as her eyes widened, both from shock of the strike and from hearing her name suggested.
"YES!" Ulf yelled, "I agree! Kelda is capable, and is our finest tracker. The Skrill are as smart as they are strong, so she is the perfect hunter to be sent on the guilds behalf!"
"Oh, I couldn't possibly…" Kelda said, but the group had already been stirred, and the excitement had already set in. She suddenly found the hand that had landed flat on her back had grabbed the back collar of her armor, and lifted her to her feet, which only caused the already massive wave of cheers to get even louder. For a moment she stood there on her own, not being able to speak. After all, there really wasn't a whole lot she could do to disagree in front of the entirety of the guild, but she did consider sitting down after this was all said and done to perhaps convince Ulf to reconsider.
"Kelda shall collect the bounty for the Skrill dragon!" Ulf claimed loudly, sending celebration outward to the rest of the guild. Applause engulfed the small section of the hunter's port, for a brief moment ridding its rigidity and staleness with that of actual human cheer.
"Oh Gods…" Kelda whispered to herself quietly. There was a lot that was just placed on her shoulders. "Umm, Ulf, can I speak to you a minute… alone?" She could feel her heart sinking deeper into her chest cavity as if a massive whirlpool had somehow gotten in there.
"Sure thing, lass!" Ulf exclaimed happily, and turned toward the guild one more time. "I must excuse myself and Kelda. We have important business to speak of!" He took his large hand and hit her back again, but this time Kelda didn't seem upset, since her back was already numb from the last hit. The two would make their way past the boundaries of the hunter's hub and towards the docks, where the ocean water rolled gently, and sparkled with the moonlight, and the hint of embers from flames among the torches nearby created warmth among them.
"Look, Ulf…" Kelda turned toward the aging hunter. "I know you have a lot of trust in me, and believe me to be good at what I do, but it's been… well, a while since I've actually been on a hunt alone." She wasn't lying, of course. Unlike other hunters, the guild was very tightknit and spent all their hunts in groups. The unspoken motto between the lot of them was that the best predators worked together.
"Oh Kelda, Kelda." Ulf smiled, and said, "I swear you are too modest for your own good. You do realize that you are great at what you do, right? I wouldn't trust you as much as I do if I didn't believe in your capabilities."
"It's not that I'm not sure of myself. I know I can do this."
"Then why do you act so hesitant? If I were to send someone like Sune, he'd be ecstatic for the opportunity! But here you are, a great huntress, and yet you do not seem happy about proving yourself?"
Kelda let her head fall slightly, her eyes turning toward the ground. By all means, this opportunity was wonderful for her. She could finally go off on her own without the help of her team, and potentially build a solo career for herself. She might not be renowned in the trade as of yet, but she could be.
"You have greatness in you, Kelda, you must accept this bounty." Ulf would chuckle heartily, but then grow a bit serious as a new thought seemed to pass his mind. "After all, you have no choice! What do you think the other members would think? When I raised you like you were my own daughter, I didn't put in the effort to watch you grow into a cunning, capable young woman who hesitates due to modesty."
"I know." Kelda tried to muster a smile. "I will try to do what is right by the guild."
"You will set out by dawn then. It should take you about a day's trip by ship to reach the village. Be prepared for anything."
Kelda nodded. Of course she was prepared for everything, so a warning of doing so was the least of her concerns. It was perhaps, more frankly, that she felt she knew exactly what would happen that made her the most uncomfortable. But despite this, she continued to hide her discomfort well. In the end, what kind of hunter was she if she couldn't kill again? If she was ever going to become anything of worth in the trade, she'd have to do what the trade commanded of her: to do her job, and to do it right, and without hesitation.