Spring was here finally! Iris relished in the green surroundings and the absence of white cold snow. The grass was growing, the trees were fully leafed, and the days were warm as well as longer. She could go forge for spring treats and enjoy fresh greens finally. Dagur was less than impressed with the increase of greens on his plate but willingly ate them.

Moolinda had a beautiful heifer calf who was growing like a weed. Already a month old, she enjoyed laying on Iris' lap and getting face scratches. She had been dubbed Molly Moo which Dagur found equally hilarious. Iris knew he loved the calf though and would join her in spoiling the calf.

Molly Moo wasn't the only new baby. The four nanny goats and two ewes gave birth, the goats each having twins while the sheep each had singles. All were full of milk that their babes happily ate all day. Iris and Vivian milked everyone in the evening, a now tedious task, and used the milk to make cheese to enjoy in the winter.

There was no hide nor hair of the dragon Jon and Dagur saw. There wasn't even any tracks much to Dagur's disappointment. It was as if the dragon just disappear. Iris was bummed but also happy. She was still scared of seeing a dragon close up, even though she had a strong desire to see it, and was still scared Dagur would want to leave with the dragon if he could find a way back to his world.

She knew she was being selfish. He wasn't even supposed to be in her world. However he was and she didn't want him to go back. Each day her feelings for him grew strong and the thought of losing him tore at her heart. Still, he had his tribe waiting for him and his long lost sister. If the story went as written, they would reconnect and strengthen their weakened bond. He would become a dear friend and ally of Hiccup as well as a powerful chief. His world needed him.

However Dagur didn't speak of going back to his world. He kept himself busy on the homestead, helping Jon with tasks that needed to be done now that winter was over. In his free time he roamed the forest with Iris and taught her Norse. She was terrible at it, which he teased her relentlessly for, but could understand what he was saying to a degree.

Spring turned to summer almost all too fast. Molly Moo and the other babies grew like weeds. Soon it was time to castrate the three billy goat kids and the one ram lamb. This helped avoid inbreeding as animal did not fully care who they mated with. Dagur's face went white as a sheet as he watched Vivian do the deed. Iris didn't tease him about guarding his own precious gems as Jon did the same thing everytime.

The babes recovered quickly and went about their life without the worry of hormones. They could focus on the important things, eating, playing, and sleeping. Iris' new job now that summer was upon them was watch over the flerd, a combination of flock and herd, as they grazed the larger pasture outside the wooden perimeter fence. Sometimes Dagur accompanied her but usually he was busy.

It wasn't boring watching over them. Iris used the time to comb the wool from the sheared sheep and spin it with her drop spindle. If that got boring she'd forge for edible plants and flowers or work on any of her small hand projects. One such project was a gift for Dagur, an embroidered hankie of his tribe symbol the Skrill. He had been overly excited to draw it for her.

Currently she sat with her back leaning against a large boulder at the northern most end of the pasture. She finger knitted a scarf while two of the goat kids napped next to her. The rest enjoyed the sunshine, munching on the tall grass and sweet clover. It was peaceful.

A groan alerted her to something wrong. Iris sprang to her feet, dropping her project on the ground, and scanned the flerd. Everyone was accounted for and were staring at the nearby woodline. Moolinda stomped her foreleg and huffed. This caused Molly Moo to hide behind her. Something dangerous was nearby for the cow to react like that.

"Easy girl," Iris said as she slowly walked up to the cow. She held her rifle at the ready. "Stay here."

It was her job as their guard to investigate any danger and dispatch it if need be. Sometimes it was an overly curious animal that would bolt at the sight or smell of her. Other times it was a predator that needed a warning shot. Only once did she have to shoot a predator in self defense. It had been a mange ridden wolf that was crazed from starvation. The humane thing had been to put it out of its misery so it wouldn't suffer anymore.

Another groan alerted her to where the animal was. A large hazelnut bush sat right on the woodline. Whatever was groaning was in there. She walked forward, her palms sweating.

"You don't want to try me," she said loudly. "There's easier prey in the forest if that's your goal." The forest was silent. "Did I scare it?" A groan answered her, a painful sounding groan. "Great."

Slowly and purposely loud she walked to the bush. She shook some of the branches but nothing ran off. With a groan of her own and a curse she shoved through the bush.

What she was she didn't expect at all. It was actually several hazelnut bushes clumped together leaving a space in between them. Curled up in a shivering ball was a grey and tan creature. Not just any creature. A dragon.

"Holy shit!" It frozen, no longer shaking. "Oh god please don't eat me please don't eat me. Where's Dagur when you need him?"

It opened its eyes, which were a brilliant red, and stared at her. It looked like the dragon Dagur and her dad described. Dagur had even made a rough sketch which, now that she was looking at it in person, did the creature no justice. It groaned before tucking its face back into its side. It was hurt.

Its left wing was bent oddly and it held it as close as it could. If it was like any normal wild animal, it was trying to guard its injury from further harm. It was possible there could be further injury on its left side. Of course she had to be the one to find it.

"Hey there," Iris said slowly. The dragon opened one eye to stare at her as she slowly set her gun down. "Easy now. I want to help." She held up her hands to show she had nothing to hurt it with. "Can I get closer to you?"

The dragon whimpered. Slowly it uncurled itself to try and stand up. It did so unsteadily. It kept its front left leg close to its chest and its left wing trembled as it refused to properly close like the other wing. Bruising could be clearly seen on its grey and tan spotted left side.

"Well you don't look good," Iris said softly. She crept closer and frozen when it hissed. "You're right. I can't help you in here. I'm pretty sure you won't follow me out though so I'll follow you."

She out stretched her hands, copying a scene drawn in her book that she stared at so many times. Nervously she looked away as she reached towards the dragon. She really hoped it wouldn't bite off her hands.

Instead she heard a soft croon and felt a warm smooth surface touch her trembling hands. Warm air surrounded them as the dragon exhaled to inhale her scent. She risked a look. The dragon had both her hands on its snout, taking in her scent. It looked at her curiously before grimacing in pain.

"Thank god you trust me," Iris said with a heavy exhale. "Come on. Let's get you in the open so I can look at you."

It seemed to understand her. Slowly it crept after her as she pushed her way out of the hazelnut bushes, her rifle strapped to her back. Her dad would kill her if she left it out here.

Moolinda balked the moment she saw the dragon and have a panicked bellar. Like any sane animal she turned tail and ran back to the homestead. The goats and sheep and Molly Moo followed her like panicked ducklings, each panicking in their own language. The dragon whined almost as if it was apologizing.

"Its okay. Now I don't have to shoo them home. Come over here, my stuff is here."

Her backpack was full of survival gear for any type of emergency, including livestock first aid as well as people. She coaxed the dragon to follow her to the boulder she had been sitting against and dug for her supplies while it gingerly sat down. Rolls of bandages and disinfectant sat outside her bag.

"What in the world happened to you?" She often talked to herself out loud when she was nervous. Was it still considered talking to herself if she was talking to a dragon though? "I wonder if cow aspirin would help. If you're bleeding internally though it might be dangerous." She sat in front of the dragon. "Let me see that leg. Um. Paw?"

Obediently the dragon stretched out its left paw, flinching at the pain. Iris scooted forward and held it in her hands. It was warm and well muscled even to her inexperienced self. There was some bruising around where she figured the ankle equivalent was. She lightly pressed and let go the moment the dragon growled. Chances were its leg was sprained. The only true way to heal that was to stay off it or wear a brace to avoid stressing it. Both didn't seem like good options but she had to try.

"Stay."

To her surprise the dragon stayed where it was as she stood up and headed to the woodline. A quick scan and she found a tree with some good branches that could be used as splints. She broke as many as she could off, leaving them as long as her own arm. She carried them back and dropped there near where she had been sitting.

Quickly but gently she took two of the sticks and measured them against the dragon's leg. She broke some extra off, she didn't plan on going all the way up its legs just a hand's width above the highest bruise, and used a roll of bandages to wrap around the leg and sticks. The dragon growled but Iris ignored it until she reached its ankle.

With a snarl the dragon knocked her down and stood over her. Its fangs were bared, long like a sabretooth's fangs. She stayed as still as possible. Her eyes felt like they were going to pop out of her head. Against her will tears began to form at the sheer terror she felt facing this apex predator. The dragon noticed and jerked back, suddenly looking remorseful at scaring her.

"Its okay," she lied. "I knew it would hurt. I should have said something." She wiped at her eyes, sniffling. "Think I can finish? It'll help you heal faster."

With a soft whine the dragon offered her its leg again. Its ears were pressed against its skull, almost disappearing into its fur. Without further incident Iris was able to finish wrapping its leg.

Carefully it stood on its left leg. The sticks were long enough that its paw didn't touch the ground completely. This surprised it since the pain wasn't as terrible. Softly it crooned, lifting and setting down its leg a few more times. It glanced at its wing before looking at her, slowly stretching it. Iris gasped at the sight.

Four gashes cut into the dragon's wing membrane. Blood was dried around the gashes and down its wing. The gashes were longer than her arms and cut completely through. Whatever injured the dragon was big. Suddenly Iris thought of something. She crouched to look at its claws and up at the gashes. They were a little bigger than its claws.

"Did you fight with another dragon?" she asked. It whimpered, gently nudging her. "I'll take that as a yes? I can't fix this. I don't have the tools." She hesitated before continuing. "If you do understand me and trust me, come with me. My mom can help. She knows how to fix these wounds." The dragon whimpered again. "I'll stay with you the whole time. I promise."

She reached forward and pressed both hands on the dragon's chin. She scratched like she would scratch the dogs' chins. This made the dragon croon softly and close its eyes in pleasure. She couldn't help put smile as she felt what could only be described as a purr vibrate from the dragon.

"Come on. Let's get you fixed up so you can go kick this other dragon's butt."

Gathering up all her stuff and shoving it back in her backpack, Iris coaxed the dragon to follow her. It was slow going as it was nervous and moving slowly thanks to its injuries. However it followed her.

They were almost to the homestead when a shout caught her attention. Dagur was running towards her. She waved her hands at him to stop, which he didn't. This caused the dragon to growl.

"STOP RUNNING YOU IDIOT!" That made Dagur stop for a few seconds before he started quickly walking towards her. "He means well. I think."

"You found another dragon?" he asked. His eyes were huge as he stared at the still growling dragon. "We knew something happened when the animals came back in a panic without you. How did you?"

"Its hurt," Iris said. "I don't know why but it trusts me. I was able to treat its leg but its wing is hurt bad. We need Mom."

"I'll go get her," he promised. "Wait here."

"Guess he doesn't recognize you," she said to the dragon as he ran back to the homestead yelling. "You do look a lot different than what he described. I could only tell by your mane and eyes. The colors are completely off." It looked at her curiously, tilting its head to listen.

A few minutes later Vivian came out with Jon and Dagur. Her dad carried his rifle at the ready causing the dragon to growl. It was scared.

"Dad you're scaring it!"

"You're telling me," he snapped. "Get away from that thing!"

"No! Its hurt and it trusts me! For some reason. Just put your rifle away!"

"Iris I think you should listen to your father," Vivian said nervously. "I don't-"

"Mom its hurt. It needs help. Look! It let me splint its leg! Your the only thing we have that's close to a doctor. Please Mom."

"If you won't do it I will," Dagur said. "I've stitched up injuries my men have gotten before. They won't be pretty but I'll do it."

"Its going to attack both of you," Vivian argued.

"No it won't! He-" It growled. "She?" It gave a croon. "She won't hurt you. See? She understands us. Please Mom. I'll do anything you want with minimal complaint. I'll even cook all the meals for a month! Just please, help?"

"You are going to get me killed," Vivian grumbled. "Fine. Tell that thing not to bite me and stretch out its wing."

The dragon growled at Vivian but did as the woman asked. She stared at the dragon for a few moments, both having their eyes narrowed, and finally went to inspect the injuries. Iris stayed near the dragon, placing her hand on her snout.

"Its gonna hurt," Iris said bluntly. "If you were knocked out it wouldn't but you're awake so you're going to feel it."

"Its not as thick as I imagined it would be," Vivian remarked. "Its soft and warm. Almost like there are little hairs all over the wings." The dragon purred at her remarks. "I'm going to start."

"Where did you find it?" Dagur asked her as she scratched under the dragon's chin. The dragon flinched with every needle stab.

"By the pasture on the northern end," Iris explained. Her dad went over to help her mom. "In a patch of hazelnut bushes. She was right in the middle of it whimpering. Dagur. I think she was fighting with another dragon."

"Those do look like dragon claw injuries," he said.

"I think its the same one you saw this winter too."

"That one was white and grey though."

"Yeah but look. She's grey where she should be white and tan where she should be grey. Maybe she changes color like rabbits and partridge for winter and summer. This could be her summer color. She's got the red eyes and the mane like you described."

He moved closer to the dragon. Slowly he reached out and touched the mane. His fingers sank into it as if its were a pile of wool. Surprise filled his face as he turned to look at Iris.

"Its soft. Like hair. I didn't expect that."

"I don't blame you. She's got scales." He must have started scratching her under her mane cause she began to purr, her eyes partly closed in pleasure. "Keep that up. She likes it."

"I know someone else who likes it when I play with her hair." She blushed at his words.

"I didn't need to know that," Jon grumbled. He still wasn't happy at their relationship. "I don't want to know anything else like that."

"You like it when I scratch my fingers through your hair," Vivian snickered. Iris groaned. "Oh quit that. I got one done. Did I hear you right when you said you think another dragon did this? As in there are more out there?"

"Um, yeah?"

"Well that's just great."