The Tides Return

by StormShear57

It's been thirteen years since New Berk was attacked by the General, and Pheda and Honest have spent all that time searching for answers, not to mention those of the New Berkians who went missing during the attack. Everything changes, however, when they find a girl named Everlynh on one of the ships. Can the answers they've been searching for be within reach? Sequel to Wings of War

1. Chapter 1

Everlynh shaded her eyes against the bright sun, and stared off into the distance. That was the direction where Mother, however far away, was. Will I ever meet you? Know you as something other than a name in my family history? She sighed, and turned away, ignoring the burly sailors moving about the deck. She moved away from the bow of the Ironside, and leaned against the railing on the starboard side, staring down into the restless sea below. A few dolphins played in the ship's wake near the stern, but even they soon left, sensing what Everlynh already knew, and had known for a long time: that Ironside's maker was evil, and her purpose was dark.

One of the men on deck noticed Everlynh, and groaned, and trotted over to her. "How many times has the Captain told you to stay belowdecks, lassie? Down to the hold with you!"

Everlynh couldn't help but groan as well. "Ivar, seriously?"

"Yes, seriously!" Ivar snapped, grabbing her arm. "I mean what I say. Down to the hold with you!"

"Ugh," Everlynh sighed, and muttered something unintelligible under her breath. "Make it quick, at least."

She allowed Ivar to lead her belowdecks again, but not before she looked over her shoulder, freezing the blue sky into her memory before it was lost.

0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0.o.0

Pheda sat on the edge of a cliff on the shores of New Berk, legs dangling off the precipice. She stared off into the distance, unable to keep from searching for something that was not there, and hadn't been for several years now: Grandmother's funeral ship.

She heard footsteps approaching her, and she knew who it was without turning around. "Nothing."

Zephyr didn't turn back. She sat down beside Pheda. "You're not giving up, are you?"

Pheda looked up, surprised. "What? No. I would never."

"Despite how long it's been?"

Pheda sighed. She knew how much her mission meant to her Chieftess, but she couldn't lie. "I'll admit it has occurred to me, and at some times quitting seems more appealing than others, but I can't. They might. . . they might have my sister. She might be alive."

Zephyr was silent for a moment. "I don't blame you if you want to give up. You've already done more than enough for New Berk."

"I know," Pheda answered softly, "but I just. . . I can't."

She looked back at the horizon. "I'll figure something out. I'll see if Honest has anything to say. I won't give up on them. I refuse to."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, then Zephyr got up, and walked slowly back to the village. Pheda sat there for about ten minutes more, then stood. She knew what she had to do.