Journey: Part II

Snotlout

All right, I admit it. I screamed like a girl.

But that dragon was huge. And really scary. I mean, Whispering Death's are bad enough, but flaming eyes? That's just overkill. Either that, or it's just really really mad. Both suck.

The tail suddenly lashes out, faster than my eyes can follow. I involuntarily flinch as a huge crack breaks the air. I slowly raise my eyelids, just in time to hear Stormfly cry out in pain. I gasp as I see her wing, broken and dangling useless by her side. Her eyelids droop and she starts to fall. Hookfang growls below me, and I realize what I should do. Stormfly. Broken wing. Need to rescue. Duh.

"Stupid," I mutter to myself, whacking myself on the helmet for good measure. Hey—wait a sec. That dragon had a rider. A very aggravatingly violent rider. Astrid! Where is she?!

Hookfang is already diving, wings folded, talons outstretched, headed straight for Stormfly. I try pulling up, to try to spot Astrid, but the Whispering Death suddenly snarls and lunges, straight for my head. Sorry Astrid!

"HOOKFANG!"

I could feel Hookfang accelerating below me, swooping below the larger dragon's whipping tail, and making a perfect snatch on Stormfly's left leg. He staggers a bit, but he rights himself and beats his wings harder, taking both—well, all three of us—out of danger.

I look back after we land on a sea stack about 100 meters away. I squint my eyes, trying to find Astrid in the middle of the heated battle. I would never admit it, but I'm a little worried about her.

Stormfly caws feebly, and I turn around. Hookfang walks over, and nuzzles her broken wing gently, trying to ease the pain. Why is he always gentle with other dragons, but hates me? I'll never understand dragons.

FISHLEGS

"OH THOR! OH THOR OH THOR OH THOR!"

I scream as Meatlug slaloms wildly as flaming Death spines slice through the air around us. Oh yeah, the flaming part? It can actually set its spines and eyes on fire. It's really fascinating, the way the combustion can be sustained even at high altitudes and—OH THOR! MEATLUG WATCH OUT!

HICCUP

Oh. Great. Thor. What is that thing?

My first thought is a Whispering Death. It certainly looks like one. But it's a little different—the head is more triangular, like a snake, and the spines and body are longer. The fangs are angled slightly into the mouth, and those look like venom glands…and of course, the eyes are flaming.

**C-R-A-C-K**

I flinch as a horrible bang fills my ears. I whip around, and a nightmare shows up right before my eyes.

Stormfly's wing is hanging useless, and her eyes are closed. I can tell that she is barely conscious, and she's already beginning to fall. Her rider is…gone?

Astrid.

I hear Fishlegs scream off in the distance. As if in slow motion, Hookfang dives and grabs Stormfly, distracting the huge monster in front of me.

My brain fills with sorrow, then rage, then calm again in an instant.

Without even needing to tell him, Toothless starts to tuck his wings in, narrowing his eyes, legs folding, and he dives—faster and faster until he's just a dark blur on the sky.

We have never moved this fast, but I can't enjoy it like I normally would. I can only think about one thing: "A chief protects his own."

Don't worry Astrid. I'm coming for you. I can't lose you too.

TUFFNUT

"WOOHOOO! That thing is AWESOME!"

I haven't felt this happy since I met Chicken! Chicken. Hmmm. I wonder how she's doing. And Chicklet. Haven't seen them in a while…AHAHHH!"

The totally awesome but scary at the same time dragon in front of me shoots a spine at my sister's head.

She dodges, sadly. It would have been pretty cool if it hit.

Ruffnut glares at me, like she could sense my thoughts. She probably can, since we're twins. It happens a lot.

The Whispering Death whips around. Suddenly, I'm less excited. I look around me. Fishlegs is gone. Snotlout is kneeling next to Stormfly with Hookfang. Astrid is…who knows? And Hiccup—I see him. He's flying pretty fast…oh, now he's gone. See what I mean by fast?

My sister blurts it out before I can. "We're on our own! Let's get out of here!"

She starts to turn Barf around, but before I could blink, the dragon lunges, eyes flaming, teeth set in unnatural positions. I could already see a blue glow in the back of it's throat. It covers the 300 meters separating us in…well, in the blink of an eye. Or less.

I keep my eyes closed, waiting for the inevitable. I only wish I knew what Dad meant by the Keeper's Vow…

Well, the inevitable is sure taking it's time. I don't feel anything—except for my own dragon. I open my eyes warily—then immediately close them again.

Hovering, 3 feet from my face, the Whispering Death's eyes flicker eerily. That blue glow in his throat is gone.

Whispering Death's have no pupils, but I swear this one looks almost…sad? Happy? I need to work on my dragon facial reading.

The dragon snuffles and moves a little closer. Ruffnut and our Zippleback are standing stock-still, too afraid to move.

Without even realizing it, my hand slowly reaches out, and my eyes close. My brain is fighting my own muscles, screaming RUNAWAYYOUIDIOTTHATTHINGISFIFTYTIMESYOURSIZE over and over again, but still my arm extends, drawn to that lonely, sad yet incredibly deadly dragon...

Nothing for a long moment.

Slowly I open my eyes, and my hand touches his forehead. Oh my Thor…

"Sweet…" is all I can say before I fall back on my saddle in a dead faint.