It seemed that whatever Ryker had called the hunters under his command for was for a very important assignment indeed. At least five hundred men including Farran had been rounded up. Enough to sail a small fleet. All of them waiting in front of one of the biggest ships docked in the entire port. Being one of the latest to the party, Farran was forced to wait and hear the details from behind the large group of fellow hunters. Not that it mattered. He should still be able to hear the details of what this gathering was all about.
Thankfully the constant chattering died down as several figures stepped into view on top of the large ship. The first being to no ones surprise Ryker. The second being Heather, though where her pet was Farran did not know. Usually the thing never left her side. The third and final figure to Farrans surprise was the crazed man he had had the misfortune of meeting back on the Thors Pride. Why he was here the young hunter had no idea but decided to wait for Ryker to speak hoping that his purpose would soon be explained.
"Hunters!" He yelled over the crowd, loud and sudden enough those unlucky enough to not pay attention off-guard. "You're all wondering why I've called so many of you here before me I'm sure. So I'll be make this brief and simple for you all! Many of you have been hearing rumours about an operation underway to claim the dragon eye back from the dragon riders! These rumours are true!" Ryker let the crowd absorb that information before soon silencing them once again. "Now! The reason you few are being told this is because you're all going to be playing a vital part in this operation! You will be the second step of this operation! For those wondering what the first step is, don't! All you need to know is that it's already underway! Step two will take effect tonight! I realise that this may be sudden for some of you! Well suck it up and get prepared! We need every hand on deck for this attack! Now that you're all aware, I expect you to take this time to get ready in the remaining free hours you have! You will all eventually receive further instructions on which ship to man and your role in the invasion! Dismissed"!
All hunters slowly lumbered from the large ship talking amongst themselves as they returned to what they were doing before. All of them sharing their own opinions on the upcoming operation. Some positive, other negative. Farran took something of an optimistic approach on the news just given. His concerns turned towards his arm. Though it wasn't as raw and painful since the healers had worked their magic on it, it still gave the odd sting whenever he moved it too fast. Then again whoever organised the role of each hunter, most likely Ryker would have taken into account this injury meaning that they either wouldn't have given him a role if he couldn't handle it. Or perhaps he would just be stuck maintaining whichever ship he was put on. Simple manual labour. While the young hunter had proven himself capable of helping run ships in the past he felt himself more useful charging into the fray against whatever dragons the riders would send their way. Still whatever the decision he was powerless to argue against it. Not unless he wanted to end up suffering repercussions.
For the next few hours Farran did nothing other than clean his dagger which had still remained coated in blood since the dragons duel. The ships would have supplied his basic weaponry and special equipment needed too so for the time being all he could do was merely sit and wait. At one point he headed back over to the end of the pier where he had cleaned his armour beforehand. After checking that nothing was watching him from below this time he happily remained sat down until he received word to board.
A hunter in blue strictly gathered and led him to one of the many ships taking part in the invasion. It looked similar to the Thors Pride in size, however the arsenal on board was nothing to scoff at. Hook lines, net and bola launchers, even a couple of mobile catapults littered both sides of the ship. Seemed they weren't messing around. They really wanted the dragon eye back. Even if it meant burning the dragon riders base to the ground.
By the time that the operation, or rather the second stage of it had officially begun, ten ships had been filled from bow to stern with battle ready warriors, ready to dish out as much damage as they could against the rider menace. Night had begun to fall and some hunters sensing that the journey would be long and tiresome took the opportunity to rest up so that they were fresh and ready for when the first. Farran on the other hand preferred to spend his time out on the main deck.
"Shouldn't you be resting?"
Farran turned his head enough to find himself staring at the one being that always seemed to be but a stones throw away since first meeting, Heather. Her dragon standing right in the middle of the ship. How Farran hadn't heard it landing he didn't know but it made him all the more uncomfortable keeping his back to it, even if Heather kept it in check. To the hunter there was nothing more deadly than a silent stealthy dragon.
"I have no need to rest." He replied bluntly.
"Even after everything you've recently been through? I'd have thought that fighting a speed stinger would have been enough to tire you out."
"Or strengthen my resolve."
Heather mumbled something under her own breath before she ended up next to Farran. Both of them looking out to the sea. The silence lasted for minutes before the hunter spoke up.
"May I ask you something, miss Heather?"
The spy let loose a small chuckle, much to the confusion of Farran. "Only if you drop the miss."
"Very well then. I think I can agree to that."
"So. What weighs so heavy on your mind that you actually have to ask me a question, instead of it being the other way round for once?"
Farran couldn't help but allow a small grin on his face for a couple of seconds before it returned to its usual blank state.
"You're the only spy, and more importantly the only flyer on our side aren't you?"
"That I am." She spoke confidently.
"And you're proud of it?"
Farran kept his eyes on the sea, therefore missing Heathers face twist into an uncertain glance.
"As proud as I can be." She spoke after a moments hesitation which went unnoticed. "Is that what you wanted to ask?"
Farran shook his head. "No. My question is does your dragon feel proud of it?"
Heather turned to face him. Again the hunter did not meet her gaze but instead continued to train his eye on the distant horizon as though expecting to see something emerge from the darkness. To the spy, the question had caught her off guard for a second time. Something she realised and mentally scolded herself for. Yes, a couple of times a hunter would end up asking her if she felt like she was in the right line of work, much like she tried with Farran time to time but no one asked about her dragon. For once she felt unprepared to answer. Not right away at least.
"What do you mean?" She asked, unsure what the hunter was getting at.
"I can understand why a Viking would join the hunters, including yourself. But I can't with your dragon. Being commanded to hunt down other creatures similar to itself, including its own specific kind. It would be like if we were made to hunt other Vikings. The thought of it is uncomfortable at the least."
Farran turned to face the spy, curious to see her reaction. Indeed the question looked to make her squirm a little inside. The question may have been blunt but it at least had the desired effect. While Farran was interested to hear her answer, he also felt a sense of personal satisfaction making her feel uncomfortable for a chance rather than the other way around. A small victory in his own mind. He looked over to the razorwhip to find that the shiny beast was paying no interest to their conversation and was instead curled up and appeared to be sleeping.
"I suppose to fully understand you'd need to first understand the bond between me and Windshear as well as everything we've been through."
"A bond between a viking and a dragon." Farran bitterly shared. "They'd be more likely to bite your hand off than respond to any form of kindness."
Expecting a blunt rebuttal from the spy, Farran raised a brow as he ended up seeing a smile from heather as she looked back to the horizon.
"That's kind of how it started for us actually. Quite close to hitting the mark there." She laughed in amusement. "Bet you weren't expecting that at all were you?"
Farran decided not to say anything. He could tell that there was more to say on the matter. Much more. Knowing well that he was about to be told all about what he would call a foolish impossible friendship, he couldn't bring himself able to interrupt or refuse. But instead found himself intrigued.
"You see before I had met Windshear, I spent years on my own after my parents were taken from me. It was a very tough time for me back then."
Farran nodded. His facial features softened. "I'm sorry to hear about your parents. Dragon attack?"
Heather shook her head. "Viking attack. A tribe called the Berserkers invaded my hometown taking everything of value and putting an end to anyone who got in their way."
Farran mentally sighed. Usually he was the kind of person who focused more on the sins of dragons compared to that of humans. With some dangerous Vikings out there it was hard to tell which of the two were the true monsters. Heather quickly pointed this out.
"In spite of all you claim dragons to be, can you say that Vikings aren't all that different?"
"I don't claim all Vikings to be peaceful. I know well enough that some can be foul and despicable. But the majority? Those who spend their lives as farmers healers and fishermen? At least with most Vikings we try to live peaceful lives. A dragon would sooner burn down your hut and steal your food than strive for peace. ALL dragons would. Yours is the only dragon I've seen that wouldn't attack a Viking on sight."
"And humans can be just as barbaric and brutal. Once they had taken everything from food to villagers own personal valuables, they left. Slowly the village healed. I did not. No matter how kind friendly or sympathetic the villagers were, it wasn't enough to make me forget what I had lost."
"Gone but never forgotten. Many people don't seem to appreciate the saying until it's too late. What of your dragon though?"
"When I found Windshear long after losing my village, she was injured and scared. It took me days before I could convince her that I only wanted to help. Longer before she would let me do so." Heather looked back at her dragon who kept on resting. She looked to be... happy. "I guess after losing so much it was nice to finally gain something else for a change. And for me that something was Windshear."
"And eventually it trusted you?"
"She did."
"Huh. You must have been taught well if it went from wanting to kill you to what it's like now. Who showed you such a... practice?"
"It's a long story. Let's just say I had some good friends who showed me what I needed to know."
Farran nodded in understanding. The answer wasn't as satisfying as he had hoped but it was all he was going to get.
"I see. Thank you for sharing your tale. Carrying such weight in your heart can not be easy."
"No. I guess it isn't. But you know that too don't you?"
"Indeed. Perhaps you would be interested in listening to it?"
The raven haired spy looked at the hunter in surprise.
"What? Wait I thought you-"
"Wanted to keep it personal? You would be right to say so. However I feel it wrong not to after you sharing your own past. To not do so would be selfish, or so I've been taught."
"Are you sure? I... didn't exactly go into detail about it. Besides, didn't you tell me it already back on the Dragons Bane?"
"Only the most basic points yes. Still I believe you're entitled to know more. And I think you are interested to know anyway, aren't you?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Heather reluctantly nodded.
"Even so..."
"Fair is fair. Besides I doubt you'll stop asking if I don't tell you at some point like the nosy spy you are."
Heather smiled. "Was that a joke? I didn't think you had that in you."
"Who said I was joking?"
Heather laughed at the surprisingly playful attitude coming from someone who not so long ago she disliked. In return the hunter smiled before sharing his own sensitive history.
"Anyway. As you knew, my village was originally destroyed by dragons which eventually led to me being here in the dragon hunters ranks. One thing I didn't mention however was that that village wasn't exactly-"
"Spy! Ryker sends a message!" A hunter so suddenly, and conveniently interrupted. The pair looked to find the hunter holding a scroll in one hand, a terrible terror by the neck in the other. Heather wasted no time in taking the scroll and opened it up. It didn't take long before she shared it with both Farran and the hunter.
"Huh. Well that's unexpected."
"What is?" Farran questioned.
"One of the ships in this fleet are late and have been unable to rondeau with the fleet. Ryker's ordering me to go out and search for it." She sighed in irritation tossing the scroll down on the wooden deck. The spy brought her fingers to her mouth and let out a sharp whistle. Almost immediately the dragon had gone from lazing around to battle ready, dipping slightly to let Heather climb on top of it.
"So much for sharing stories then. Seems we'll have to wait until your return." Farran shrugged. On the inside he couldn't deny that he felt a small sense of relief from keeping his mouth shut for now. However he found himself paying the price for not doing so sooner as an idea sprung to Heathers mind.
"Or you could tell it to me now." She replied with an amused grin.
"What do you mean?" Farran asked suspiciously, confused by the unexpected response. From the sound of the scroll she had no time to hang around and listen to much of anything.
"I'm sure Ryker wouldn't mind if I took one spare hunter with me. You know, for back-up."
Farrans eyes widened slightly as what she was asking clicked. "You want me to come with you?"
"Why not?"
"Well considering that I'm just one hunter my efforts would be nothing compared to your own and your dragon. Not to mention any extra weight would slow the dragon down making it-"
"Farran?"
"Yes?"
"Get on the dragon."
"Yes ma'am. I'll need to grab a weapon from the armory first before-"
"You! Hunter!" Heather snapped towards the other hunter who had passed the scroll to Heather.
"Yes spy?"
"Give Farran your weapon."
The hunter nodded and didn't hesitate to hand over the sword attached to his belt. Farran took and inspected the weapon. A gronckle iron blade attached to a bronze hilt. It seemed sufficient enough in case they ran into trouble, gods forbid.
Farran thanked the hunter and looked towards the silver dragon which had now bended down enough for him to now climb on. The soldier found himself unable to do so. Heather could see and understand why.
"She's not going to bite. Well not unless I tell her to." She teased.
"Good to know." Farran replied in a robotic tone. "Still, this isn't something I was expecting to do today. Or ever really..."
Heather sighed. They couldn't afford to waste too much time over this petty issue. She needed to hurry and find a solution to get him on. Only one idea sprang to mind.
"Farran?"
"Yes?"
"You trust me, don't you?"
Farran blinked at the question. Did he trust Heather? When they first met anyone could tell that the two were unsteady towards each other. Though eventually after each chat they had, tensions quickly melted away. Hel, a few minutes ago he was about to tell her a story from his past! Personal feelings aside she was a trusted spy in service of Ryker. So far she had given no reason to make him feel the opposite. He quickly formed his answer.
"Yes. I do."
"Then trust me when I say Windshear will not bring any harm to you. Trust her and you'll be fine. If not her, then do it for me." She held out her hand. "What do you say?"
Farran took a moment to look from Heathers face and to her hand, then back up to her face again. He nodded and confidently grabbed it, using both Heathers strength and his own to hoist himself on top of the dragon, just behind Heather. Unsurprisingly the experience of being on top of a large fire breathing beast made him uneasy, but after everything else he had dealt with, this should be a piece of cake. At least that's what he hoped. He held the riders shoulders and waited for the inevitable.
"Thank you." Heather spoke, barely turning her head to look at him. Even so Farran could still see her smiling.
"Anytime."
Heather shouted a command to her dragon and in a matter of seconds Farran soon found himself from the deck of the ship he had just been standing on to now over a hundred feet in the air and still climbing rapidly, travelling at a speed he had never experienced before. Almost right away his grip on Heather tightened and he yelled out in a panic. He was going so fast he was surprised that the rushing resisting wind hadn't lifted him up out of his seat and sent him back down into the sea. He had never felt so fearful and even helpless over such a situation. What was worse was that it had only been twelve seconds of this. This trip wasn't going to be over anytime soon and he knew it. He just hoped that he could hold in the contents of his stomach for however long it would take to reach their destination.