A rabbit sat up on its haunches. A willow twig was beginning to bud and offered a perfect meal for the hungry critter. It nibbled on the green bark before freezing. Slowly it tipped forward, an arrow ending its life immediately. A large shadow was on it in an instant.

"Enigma no!" Iris shouted as the white and grey dragon grabbed the dead rabbit. "You are NOT eating another one of my arrows! Drop it!"

The dragon growled playfully before bounding off. Iris groaned just as another dragon shot by her. It tackled Enigma, who snarled in irritation, and grabbed the rabbit she had dropped to snarl.

"Here my love," Dagur chuckled as Jager dropped a spit laden rabbit at her feet. "One rabbit as you ordered."

"I'd rather it not be covered in spit," she teased. With a coo she scratched Jager's chin. "But thank you sweetie. Who's a good boy? Yes you are, yes you are! Here." She pulled her arrow out. "Enjoy." Enigma whined. "YOU took it and ran! You don't deserve a treat. Naughty girl."

"I think she's getting a little lazy," Dagur said as Iris mounted Enigma. "Doesn't want to hunt for herself anymore."

"That'll change once the weather gets warmer," Iris drawled. "Race you home!"

Enigma bounded forward before launching herself into the air with a chorkle. Dagur cursed as Jager quickly gulped down the last of his meal to follow after them. Iris laughed as the wind whipped at the few strands of her hair that escaped her hat. Spring was in the air yet again.

Winter had passed by idly. Dagur celebrated his first Christmas and New Year's with them. Seeing his face as he opened his gifts Christmas morning made it her favorite Christmas to date. Even better was seeing his excitement at them opening their gifts he made them.

Iris had gotten him a hunting knife for Christmas. The handle was made from part of the antler of the deer he had shot last fall and the blade was one she had scavenged in the junk bin. Its original handle had broke leaving only a perfectly good blade to sit. She had also made a sheath for it that could be put on his belt.

He had made her a ring, out of what exactly he refused to say. She loved it regardless and wore the silver ring on her middle finger. She had thought her dad was going to pass out when she opened it. Vivian made fun of him for days after that.

They hadn't even been intimate yet let alone even thought about what made Jon almost have a heart attack; marriage. The thought scared her to be honest. They hadn't even been officially together for a year yet at the time. It was way too soon to even be thinking such thoughts.

After the shock and alarm, her parents gave them their gifts. Iris had gotten a leather vest with detachable shoulder guards to add to her riding equipment and a new bow and set of homemade arrows. Dagur also got a bow and arrows along with leather things called greaves to go over his shins. Jon joked by the time everything was done both would be fully equipped Vikings. That motivated Dagur.

With Christmas and New Year's behind them, down time was plentiful. Iris spent most of it working on small projects again while Dagur started his own this year. He spent some time with Vivian going over patterns for vests. His goal was, apparently, to make the rest of his own armor.

Iris focused on making something more practical, a woolen hanging for the wall of their loft. She was taking on the challenge of weaving an image, a Skrill. Dagur had drawn her another one for a guide, not that he knew it was a guide. All he thought was that she wanted to see the symbol of his tribe. It was going to be a surprise for him.

Living in the loft didn't change much in their daily life. They still ate with her parents, did work around the homestead, spent free time in the living room or where ever and such. Most of the time they only went to the loft for bed, to relax, or to be alone with one another without her parents' hovering.

With a cheer Iris and Enigma landed in the muddy yard first. The cheer quickly turned into a shriek as Jager landed heavily a puddle to splash her and Enigma. Her dragon was quick on her feet and avoided most of the mud being splashed at them.

"Cheater," Dagur growled.

"Slow poke," she taunted.

"I'll win next time!"

She just stuck her tongue out at him and hopped off of Enigma. The dragon purred and nudged her stall door open with her nose. She quickly went in to wait for Enigma so she could unsaddle her. Now it was Enigma's free time aka time to hunt. The dragon purred again, rubbing her nose against Iris' chest, and left her stall. Jager, who came in after with Dagur after them, followed the female eagerly.

"Got you," Dagur growled. He grabbed her by her waist and lifted her up, throwing her over his shoulder. "Now what are you going to do?"

"This!" Ruthlessly she reached up his coat to tickle his bare skin. He laughed franticly and put her down before he dropped her.

With a squeal she bolted to the door. He almost got her as she yanked the door open and stumbled inside laughing. Like kids they ran through the living room and into the kitchen. Quickly Iris stopped laughing and covered her mouth to avoid any escaping giggles. Jon was on the CB radio with his headset on and mic in hand.

"Dan you need to lay off that shine," he was saying. Iris uncovered her mouth to a put a finger to her lips to let Dagur know to be quiet. "There is no way you saw a giant flying lizard. Next you'll be telling me you saw Sasquatch. You did. Of course you did. No. No. Yes. No. I understand. Uh huh. Okay. Okay. Yep. Over and out Dan."

With a groan he took off his headset and set it on top of the radio base. He clipped the handheld mouth piece on its holder before rubbing his face with both hands. He looked tired.

"You two need to talk to those dragons again," he sighed. "Dan saw Jager flying by his shack a few days ago. He's been on the radio since telling everyone who'd listen. Thankfully he likes his moonshine a little too much to be taken seriously."

"Sorry Dad," Iris said softly.

"I'll talk to him Jon," Dagur sighed. He scratched at his head. "He knows better. Why is that fool dragon going near other people?"

"When you find out tell us," Vivian said. She placed steaming cups of coffee in front of each of them. "Warm yourselves up. How was your flight?"

"Fun," Iris said eagerly. "I got a rabbit with my new bow! Didn't even know we were there. Of course Enigma decided to steal it but Jager got it back and gave it to me. It was pretty slimy so I let him have it once I pulled the arrow out."

"And then you took that chance to cheat on the race back," Dagur drawled. He stuck his tongue out at her as she stuck out hers. "The vest works amazing though. I'm glad I made one, really cuts down on the wind chill."

"I told you," Vivian sniffed. "Never doubt the expert."

"First thing you learn when you get married," Jon chuckled. "Never doubt the wife unless you want her to prove you wrong. Which isn't always a bad thing."

"You shush, they don't need that kind of advice," Vivian scolded.

Iris blushed, focusing on her coffee. Dagur was also blushing and avoiding eye contact while the two adults just snickered at them. This was so embarrassing. She finished her coffee, made a face at her mom, and left the kitchen with Dagur right behind her.

"Why do you think those two are going near settlements?" Iris asked once they were in the loft.

"I don't know," he said slowly. "But they're moving in a pattern from west to east in the land north of the homestead. Each pass they go more north given the sightings."

It wasn't just drunken Dan that saw the dragon. Other homesteaders had seen them, only a handful but it was enough to cause concern. If anyone else found out that dragons were real, theirs would be the first to be taken. Iris knew both would die fighting to protect her and Dagur. If someone used that to their advantage, they could force Jager and Enigma to surrender to protect her or Dagur's lives. This had to stop.

"This has never happened before," she muttered. "Otherwise we would have heard about it long before we found these two. Something has to be driving them. But what?"

Enigma cooed as she entered the stable. Speak of the devil. Iris slide down the ladder and hurried over to the dragon, who looked smug with herself. Jager entered the stable as well and seemed extremely proud of himself with his chest puffed out.

"What in the world are you two doing?" Iris scolded. "People have seen you! You both know better!"

"You got spotted again Jager," Dagur growled. "I told you last time to keep low and avoid people. Just why are you-What?"

Both dragons ignored them. Enigma had crawled in Jager's stall during Dagur's lecture and pulled something off his back. Without a care she dropped it in front of him. It was a shield?

Dagur picked up up and turned it over. His eyes widened at whatever he saw. Iris walked over to peek over his shoulder. Her own eyes wanted to pop out.

It was a shield. With a Skrill.

"A Berserker shield," Dagur breathed. "Where did you two find it?"

Enigma chirped and bounced into her stall. Iris followed her from the outside to watch the dragon scratch at the wooden floor. She made mountains and a circle with sticks flying from it and what must be dragons along with a small circle. With a coo she tapped it repeatedly, bobbing her head.

"Dagur?" Iris asked nervously. "I think you need to see this. If my charades are any good, they found a cave." Enigma nodded her head. "That is, magic?" Another nod. "Dragons come out?" Enigma growled. "Go in?" Another growl. "Both?" Nod. "Didn't you say there weren't anymore Night Furys in your world?"

"Yeah.

"I think these two know how they came here. And they can go through it." Enigma crowed as did Jager. "Shit."