"Found my heart and broke it here... Made friends and lost them through the years... And I've not seen the roaring fields in so long... I know, I've grown... But I can't wait to go home." - Ed Sheeran – Castle on the Hill
Those Country Lanes
The snow and wind swirled around the ice nest while a battle brewed inside.
Two pairs of green eyes fiercely stared into the other without blinking. The tense moments stretched out as a pair of faint snarls echoed in the air. Both participants flinched their heads toward the other and flashed their teeth.
Then a tiny burst of fire shot down to the ground between them and exploded in a bright, harmless flash.
Valka blinked, and Was-Grounded bellowed in triumph.
"Hey! Not fair!" Valka exclaimed.
Was-Grounded laughed and pranced wildly while sticking out his tongue at her.
"Oh, no you don't!"
She was chasing after a joyously laughing Night Fury who then dropped to the ground with his tail swaying. They both dropped down into a pouncing posture as they stared at the other. His forelimbs pawed at the ground as he considered her.
"Oh, come on you little Night Fury, you wouldn't hurt a..."
She then fell as she was gently tackled onto her back. Then the Night Fury stood over his victim to celebrate the triumph when a finger found his chin and started scratching.
Two-leg paw... that feels... oh stop...
He started feeling a bit drowsy.
Valka realized her mistake immediately after her otherwise successful and desperate retaliation.
"Oh, oops."
And then Was-Grounded fully lay his head down on Valka's chest while blinking furiously to fight off the drowsiness that threatened him.
Valka was trapped and looked up at the two other adults for help.
"Well, don't just stand there..."
Green-Wings got up with a grumble and walked over to her. She paused over the trapped human as all her ears went up. A smug grin appeared on the Night Fury's face just as Valka's own expression fell in impending doom.
"Great..."
And she was dripping in slobber again.
"You know that does not wash out!"
Green-Wings laughed in her face just as Was-Grounded recovered himself and gave his victim another furious licking. Even Dawn-Singer hopped over and all around his parents while chortling wildly.
Shadowwing could only hum in pure happiness as he watched the joyous revelry from nearby.
Then they finally had enough of the play, and it came time for the real reason why they had come up here. Was-Grounded snatched up Dawn-Singer to let Green-Wings walk over to the writing box. She and Valka sat down across from the other while Shadowwing stood next to the box.
Several silent moments passed as he waited to translate for them.
"Are you going to ask anything?" Shadowwing hummed.
"I do not know what to say to a two-leg," she rumbled back.
"Anything you want to say. Remember that she is a kin in her liver."
Green-Wings hummed for a moment before speaking in what he thought was a rather sarcastic or teasing voice. It was one he had some experience with at least.
Why are you not a monster?
"I saw a dragon up close when I was much younger. It was not a bad creature, and I realized that my whole tribe's way was wrong."
So humans do not always have dragon hate?
Valka sighed.
"I wondered about that for many years. I thought that it was only how they were taught that mattered. I am not so sure about that now. Maybe some special persons are different, but it is hard for me to believe that people as a whole will ever truly change."
She paused and glanced at Shadowwing.
"Even if I hear otherwise," she muttered even as he rolled his eyes at her words.
Then he paused and sighed before he wrote the next thing Green-Wings had asked about.
I know where this is going to go.
Why are you alone here?
"I thought that no one else was like me and that only I could help the dragons."
But you have no mate and little ones
Valka stared at the words and shared another glance at Shadowwing.
"No, I do not now," she almost winced.
He took even longer to write the next short line.
Did you?
"Yes," she warily whispered.
Green-Wings clearly picked up on something and would not let the sleeping matter lie.
Was he bad to you?
"I... no. He... was not bad. He was strong, brave, proud, and a leader. He even had a soft, kind side back when I knew him," she added in a whisper.
He had to be prodded to continue with the next question.
Do you want him now?
Valka stared at the words and turned away in obvious dismay.
"I... I am sorry, I do not want to talk about it."
Green-Wings finally seemed to realize that there was something painful about the subject.
"Why is she so chilled by losing that mate?" she asked.
"Green-Wings, two-legs are different in how they take mates. They do not take mates for a season-cycle. They try to be life-mates always."
Green-Wings then glanced back Valka while giving a sad croon.
"She lost her life-mate?"
"True, she has not seen her life-mate in over twenty season-cycles."
"I did not know that two-legs took life-mates."
"They do. They are not very different from us except in body shape."
Shadowwing then had to translate again.
I think you were hatched in the wrong body
You should have been a dragon
"Hah, how would I have been able to help this nest then?" Valka laughed.
Then Green-Wings made a chuckling, off-wing remark that immediately made both Was-Grounded and Shadowwing softly gasp. He also took a while before translating.
Maybe you can be a dragon
To her credit, Valka managed a laugh at that remark, though both she and Shadowwing shared a solemn glance.
He lay alone on his ledge later after the gathering broke up.
Well, that could have been less awkward. She meant well but...
I am quite sure that what happened to me was an exception.
Would she though? Would my mom want to be a dragon for real?
It was not hard to figure out after a brief moment of thought.
Yeah, she probably would as long as she knew the nest would be fine. She basically named herself one and tries to look like one. That cannot be good for her to want to be something that she is not. It would be like trying to fly into two diff...
Then he sighed heavily and slumped down on the ledge as he realized the painful truth he was speaking. They were in exactly the same position, except that they were on opposite sides of the issue. One felt in a way trapped as a human and the other as a dragon.
A faint growl directed at himself followed.
Why can I not let this go? I know that I cannot go back.
Sigh.
What is wrong with me?
"I think it is great idea. Definitely a tradition that we should start."
The menu will be rather limited to fish
Haddock, salmon, and mostly cod
"What do you think I have been eating for the last twenty years?"
They both laughed.
"Though some ale would be nice."
His eye-ridges lifted in amusement.
Really mom, I never figured you for a drinker
Her eyes betrayed her mirth.
"For someone with my frame, I could put them away back in the day. I still remember the Great Hall at the first Blott shortly after your father and I were married. He drank far more of course, we lost count around eight for him, but I got down four tankards for the first time. He was so proud of me. We danced the night away, at least I think it looked like dancing."
Then she looked away and stared at the wall.
"That was back before being Chief was too much for him. Before the worst of the raids. Back when he still laughed and smiled."
"Good memories," she whispered.
A moment of solemn silence passed between them both.
I will go tell them about the plan
He left a moment later, feeling quite like being alone for a moment. Valka watched him go and then turned aside to wipe away the tear from her cheek.
The six of them were gathered together down on the ground level where a fire had been lit. Shadowwing stood guard over the growing pile of fish that Was-Grounded, Green-Wings, and Valka brought. Cloudjumper also stood nearby while warily watching the growing pile of fish and waiting for a moment to strike. Dawn-Singer was blissfully asleep in Valka's arms.
"This must be the best idea two-legs ever had," Green-Wings hummed.
"You should have seen the food-eating ceremonies that our old nest had," Was-Grounded answered her.
"What were they like?" she asked.
"Think about every type of four-leg prey that you have ever had. Think about all of them together in one large den, but they are fat because the two-legs were feeding them much. And then you get to eat all you want while a hot fire warms your scales."
The three Fury adults glanced around at the cold ice and rocks, the pile of fish, and the small fire.
"This is not as big as those food-eating ceremonies, but it is our ceremony. We should be warmed by it," Shadowwing declared.
Valka, wearing her heavy winter coat, speared a couple of the fish for herself and began to roast them over the fire. Then she was seized with a clever thought as she watched Dawn-Singer toothlessly gnawing on a fish that was far too large for him.
"Who would think of naming a great and mighty Night Fury something as silly as Toothless?"
Shadowwing somehow managed to look amused, embarrassed, and annoyed with one expression.
Really mom?
She laughed.
"Must be the peace loving part of you. You got that from me."
What about the brains?
"I am not sure about that part. Certainly neither of us."
How about the looks and the strength?
"In the past, I would have said me from what you said about yourself, but now... I think you can beat anyone in an arm wrestling competition."
He laughed at that.
"What are you laughing about, you silly kin?" Was-Grounded interrupted.
"We were fouling the other's flights."
"What about?"
"About how twisted a two-leg we both knew was in the past. And whether that two-leg took more after his sire or his dam."
Was-Grounded hummed in thought, clearly understanding what was unsaid.
"The dam, I think."
Then his ears lifted.
"Brother, you can ask an important question for us."
"A question?"
"Yes, it is much important. Green-Wings and I cannot get the idea in our heads."
"What is the question?"
"Is it true that two-leg females do not lay eggs? If so, what happens? When does a two-leg female sing to her young?"
Shadowwing groaned and glanced over at Valka. She was eagerly awaiting insight into whatever was happening in the discussion.
The gods hate me... this is going to be a long talk...
With everyone gathered together inside the nest and sharing warmth, food, and stories, the winter passed very quickly inside the nest. There were almost no incidents at all involving trappers during the entire winter.
Spring arrived quite quickly.
The grass started pushing up through the melting snow as the trees started blooming. The nest gradually came alive with more activity. Dragons began flying forth from the nest again. Pairs with hatchlings started roaming on the ground with their little ones. The King was busier than ever with hunting for the massive schools of fish that sustained the nest.
Throughout the winter, both Was-Grounded and Green-Wings had quickly found and asserted their place in the nest's hierarchy, immediately below the King alongside Shadowwing, Valka, and Cloudjumper. Both of them had also taken fondly to talking to Valka with Shadowwing translating as usual. Was-Grounded in particular learned more of her spoken words, this being the first time that he was spoken to by a human for many consecutive suns with the help of someone who could translate.
Dawn-Singer had grown impressively over the winter and could frequently be seen stretching his wings or even perched on a ledge while looking up at the flying dragons in clear longing. More amazingly though was that he was not at all afraid of Valka and let her hold and stroke him. He took to the grooming very quickly and especially loved being petted and tickled, occasionally even falling asleep at her side or on her lap. Neither of his parents worried at all about him while he was with her.
Shadowwing seemed to be the only one who was at all disturbed in any way. Nowhere was this more evident to him than on his solitary sojourns out among the nearby islands to find and destroy the trapper's snares. He found himself thinking far more of Berk, of the deep forest, of the special and peaceful cove, of Mount Thor, and of the village and almost everyone in it. And every time he thought of home he could not help but especially think about Astrid.
Far up on a high ledge where he frequently came to think on his own, he gave a sigh.
I have not seen her or any of them in years. I do not know if I can face my father though.
Where before he had felt anger, now he felt nothing at the thought of that fateful meeting. It was as though time had left him somewhat numb to all the feeling.
I suspect that finally meeting him in person will be far more... provoking than just thinking about meeting him.
They sat together on the outermost ledge and stared out over the ocean and surrounding islands on a crisp spring morning. A happy hum of apparent contentment filled the short space between them as they watched the flying shapes all around in the sky.
"What do you think about this nest... Toothless?" Shadowwing grinned.
"Toothless? Who is that name-twisted kin?" Was-Grounded answered with a very toothy smile.
"Brother, even if you change your name to Waste-Pile you will always be Toothless in my liver."
Was-Grounded rolled his eyes in an acquired expression.
"I bend my wings to your new name great Night Fury with wings of shadow, and you should do the same for mine. Except on very special winds..." he groaned.
Shadowwing dipped his head in acknowledgment and humor.
"This is a good nest with a good Alpha. I never thought that a big kin could have good in its liver. But I have seen his eyes and his life-fire. We could nest here for many season-cycles," Was-Grounded continued.
"I like that. I could live here for many season-cycles also. How is Dawn-Singer learning his words?"
"He is still learning. It will be into the hot-season before a little one gets their words. The talking is more only growling now."
"And his flying?" Shadowwing happily hummed.
That question got both their tails eagerly swaying.
"He will be ready for his first flight on his own wings soon. Do you know how that happens for a Night Fury on their first flight?" Was-Grounded excitedly asked.
"No," Shadowwing answered.
"The sire and dam take their hatchling high into the sky."
"Hmm, that sounds good."
Was-Grounded nodded.
"Then they drop the hatchling."
"What! What if the little one does not know how to fly?" Shadowwing exclaimed in horror.
"One of the pair can catch their hatchling if they need to. That does not happen though. The hatchling's wings always know how to catch the wind."
Shadowwing's ears then lifted as he chuckled to himself.
Gobber would approve. Talk about learning on the job...
"Better than my first flying?"
"He will be much better than you were. He will not foul his own flight with twisted thinking."
Shadowwing hummed in thought.
"He is a true Night Fury in his liver. Flying is more in his liver than it was for me."
Was-Grounded turned to face him with a curious and amused expression.
"I am not so sure about that... Hiccup."
It was Shadowwing's turn to roll his eyes and grumble before he answered.
"I have gotten much better at flying in the last two season-cycles. I think I am faster than you now."
"What!" Was-Grounded flew to his feet.
Shadowwing ruffled his wings as well and got up while grinning widely.
"Yes, you are bigger, but I cut through the sky faster."
"No, I am faster!" Was-Grounded bellowed.
"You are not!"
"Yes, I am!"
"No, I am!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No!"
"No?"
"Yes?"
"Yes?"
"Wait, what?" Was-Grounded bellowed in confusion.
Then he snarled and looked out over the ocean toward the nearest island.
"That mountain-top. Tag it and then land here on this island! The slower of us, you, will bring a fish every sun for a moon-cycle!"
"Yes, you will," Shadowwing grinned.
They both spread their wings and crouched on the cliff. They glared at the other, stuck out their tongues, leapt, and flew with all haste. They beat their wings furiously and became nothing more than a pair of black specks shooting across the waters.
And when they finally flew back in a sprint and crashed down breathless on the shore neither could tell who had arrived back first.
So they both claimed victory.
"I won!" "I won!"
Then they glared at each other and grumbled.
"We both won," Shadowwing eventually relented.
"I would have easily won if you were not flying in my wing-wind shadow until the end!" Was-Grounded grumbled.
"And I would have easily won if my wings were as big as yours!" Shadowwing retorted.
"You might have grown as big as me if you had eaten more fish when you were a hatchling!"
"Talk for yourself, you big belly kin," Shadowwing laughed as he turned and flew toward the ice nest.
"You can shove your tail..." Was-Grounded's defiant voice was lost in the wind.
Was-Grounded bounded over to his mate and nipped at her neck to get her attention. She turned to him with an amused hum.
"We should fly him now."
"Are you sure? Is he ready?" she hummed her worry.
He had spent the last pawful of suns with Dawn-Singer down in some of the smaller tide-pools instructing him in the use of his wings. It was the safest way for him to stretch and work his wing's muscles without the threat of falling.
"No, how could we know that his wings are ready to hold him? But he will fledge in time, and it is better to be there for him if he does fall," he answered.
They hummed their agreement, and he grabbed Dawn-Singer. They left the ice nest behind and went into the sky together. The little one did not know what to make of being grabbed and carried aloft and warbled his confusion while eagerly looking around.
We should do this more. One of the twisting parts of having hatchlings is that they eat up much time. We can get Shadowwing to watch him more for us.
They leveled off into a smooth glide into the wind. The little one clutched against his breast thrummed happily as he looked out at the clouds and felt the rushing wind.
"Dawn-Singer, fly now!"
He glanced down to make sure that Green-Wings was in position gliding below and attentively watching just in case. Then he let go of his little one.
Dawn-Singer screamed in alarm at first and tumbled uncontrollably with his wings and tail flailing about uselessly.
Come on, you can do it, little one!
Dawn-Singer righted himself, threw out his wings, and started to glide wildly. It was not an easy or practiced motion as he cautiously beat his wings and swayed from side to side. But he had arrested his fall and was now apparently surprised with himself. Several more successful beats followed, and he gained height in the sky.
Was-Grounded roared aloud his delight from above his free flying fledgling. Dawn-Singer echoed the call with his much smaller voice and his youthful joy, his life-fire burning all the hotter for his first flight in the sky on his own wings. Green-Wings also ascended from below her little one and let her tongue hang from her mouth in pleasure.
He closed his eyes as the three of them flew in peace with Dawn-Singer singing his flight-joy.
This is how it should be for a first free flight. Not what I had to do, my little one. Your life-winds will be much warmer than mine were.
That is what every sire and dam wishes for their little ones, but you will have it.
They eventually turned back for the ice nest all together and landed on their den-ledge. Dawn-Singer's landing was a bit rough as it was his first such landing, but he had so much youthful life-fire that he hopped back up and started dashing around the den-ledge. He was not at all tired yet.
Was-Grounded hopped around their den-ledge with Dawn-Singer eagerly chasing after his tail. His own dashing was just fast enough that his fledgling could not catch his tail but slow enough that his little one did not get his liver chilled by failure. And then, just when Dawn-Singer's strength started to dim, he intentionally slowed down and let his fledgling catch the tail. Dawn-Singer pounced and growled his victory past the tail in his mouth as he toothlessly gnawed.
Green-Wings sat there watching as he tended to their nestling, now their fledgling. To her first fledgling. Their little one still slept safe at her side under her wing every night and would do so for at least another season-cycle, but he was spending more of his waking time with his sire. She knew that it was normal for a nestling, especially for a male, to eagerly want to learn hunting, flight, and rougher play from its sire. The little one learned far more words from her though, both now and starting back when he was still in his egg. He was already chirping his first clumsy attempts at words.
Watching them at play and how firm but gentle her mate was with their fledgling filled her liver with burning warmth. He was an excellent sire. The seasons since she had been frightened by finding a strange male in her old den were the best seasons in her memory. She ate better, did not have to listen to the rain and wind alone, and learned strange things about another's life-story. He did many twisted things, certainly because of his time among the liver-twisting two-legs. But despite all his twistedness, he was strong, brave, clever, knew how to provide both food and learning, and had a hot life-fire. A life-fire that burned for their little one and for her.
She closed her eyes and hummed as she settled on her life-choice without any shadow of twisting doubt. There would be no other for her.
She got up and approached them with a call to their fledgling. Dawn-Singer dropped the tail from his mouth and eagerly ran up to her.
"Ddaamm!" he hummed.
"Sleep now, my little one."
While he was somewhat tired from his long play and flight, he did not seem interested at the prospect of resting, so she grabbed him despite his protests and gently stroked under his chin. Dawn-Singer's protesting growls subsided as he suddenly became very drowsy. She carried him a short distance and lay him down to rest where the three of them slept together.
Then she spun away from her prone fledgling and strode over to her mate.
"He has so much life-fire, he would not..." he began.
He froze as she stepped out of the shade. Her eyes were narrowed at him in a way he had only seen once before despite the many nights they had spent together. She had a hungry look in her eyes, and to his eyes her wings seemed to sparkle with green fire.
No words were necessary beyond that moment.
She growled and launched herself over him into the air, making her way out of the nest and up toward the clouds. He raced after her as fast as his wings would carry him and caught up to her after they both reached the nearest flying clouds. They spun into a tight circle as they hungrily stared at each other. Then he roared aloud, hurled himself toward her as she did the same, and caught her.
They fell from the heights, joined in bliss as they tumbled through the clouds.
Shadowwing had noticed that they both flew from the nest very quickly without bringing Dawn-Singer with them.
That is odd of them.
He roused himself from his ruminating about what to do with his life, hopped to the outer ledge, and looked around for them.
What is going on? You never leave him alone.
A couple minutes passed as he alternatively looked for them and thought about the home that he had left behind. There was little else that occupied his thoughts at the moment.
He saw a black and green mass tumbling from the sky high above the ice nest. He was terrified for one instant that something horrible had happened to them both.
Then he realized what was actually happening and turned away with his eyes very wide in shock.
Oh... Yes...
I just saw that... great...
He closed his eyes and shook his head.
I could have gone a whole life not seeing that... I am never going to not see that now...
Groan.
I guess I did not actually see much from down here since they are... quite together...
There is that at least...
Sigh.
Might as well look out for Dawn-Singer while they are... busy...
He dashed down the passageway and winged down to their ledge. He crawled up alongside the dozing fledgling, lay down next to him, and draped a wing over him. That familiar warmth that he always felt when holding or sheltering Dawn-Singer at his side returned as usual as he gave the little one a contented hum.
I guess this means they are married now. At least, I think that is what it means. Not really like they had any other choices though. That is good for them.
He did not need to wait very long before they both returned to the ledge.
Do not think about it... it is normal...
"There you are," he called to them.
"What are you doing here, Shadowwing?" Green-Wings hummed.
"I saw him sleeping here alone and thought I should put a wing over him. We never know if a Monster or rotted-liver-kin might come here."
"In this nest? Not until a two-leg grows wings will I be chilled by that thought," Was-Grounded answered.
About that... oh, nevermind...
He got up from his place with Dawn-Singer and stepped away while they both took their regular place and started nuzzling each other somewhat more tenderly than usual. It was perfectly understandable under the circumstances. Despite himself, his heart was especially touched by how they had both wrapped their tails around the other and how his brother was resting his head on her neck.
"You will be warmed to learn this, brother, but Green-Wings and I are life-mates now," Was-Grounded proudly announced in his excitement.
"Life-mates, that means you and her only as mates now?"
"Yes, we fell from the sky together," she hummed.
"I saw you both up there," Shadowwing groaned.
"You did? Good, now you know to stop trying to impress me away from him," she teased.
"But... I... I did not... I would not do... that..." he stumbled.
They both laughed at his discomfort until he joined in after remembering how they liked teasing him. Then he had an idea of something he could do for them even if dragons did not seem to have such a tradition. It felt right to do.
"I will fly back to you both soon."
Then he glided down to the inner shore and waited for the King's arrival. The other dragons parted around him and let him take the position at the head of the gathering. The King arrived after a short delay and deposited a harvest of fish. He snagged the biggest, fattest one he could find before winging back up to where the other Furies were gathered.
"That is a big fish..." Was-Grounded observed upon his return.
He nodded, bit it in half, and gave one half to each of them.
"What?" she wondered.
"It is a fish-gift," he explained.
"Why?" she was confused.
"Is this a two-leg thing to do, to give a gift to new life-mates?" Was-Grounded interjected.
"Yes, it is," Shadowwing happily answered.
"But we are not two-legs," Green-Wings spoke up.
"No! What let you learn that? Our wings, tails, claws, scales, or teeth?" Shadowwing teased.
They all laughed again until even Dawn-Singer woke up and started chuckling along with them without knowing why. Then he started hiccuping in his excitement.
Was-Grounded turned to Shadowwing with a devious look in his eyes.
"Should we change his name to little-cougher, to hiccup?"
"No, that would be a twisted, much bad name. Who would do that to one of their own nest?" Green-Wings vehemently objected.
Shadowwing and Was-Grounded stared each other down for a moment before breaking out in another fit of chuckling.
"What is funny?" she demanded.
They both shook their heads and refused to say anything.
"Egg-mates..." she sighed.
"So, you two do not want the fish?" Shadowwing eventually asked.
Both halves of the fish vanished an instant later.
"I thought so. True kin..." Shadowwing mumbled as he turned tail and took flight with much amusement in his heart.
They stood together on the small island and stared at the obvious trap with its poised jaws. Was-Grounded snarled at it with his teeth bared.
"Do you remember what to do?" Shadowwing asked.
"I think so. I want to flame it though."
"Try to kill it how I showed you."
Was-Grounded crept closer to the trap while snarling and looked at the long chain. And he looked at the many weaving pieces of metal and all the small teeth. Then he glanced at his own paws and his short digits.
This is so twisted. I have no idea how to take its bones apart. This takes too much time.
Then his ears went up with a clever idea.
Yes! I know what to do.
He spun away from the trap and quickly found what he was looking for, specifically a rock smaller than his own head. He grabbed the rock, heavily beat his flight back to the trap, and then dropped the rock when he was in position.
Then he dove down next to Shadowwing, and they both stared at the result.
"Brother, you might have the liver and head of a two-leg," Shadowwing hummed.
"What! Grr... Why do you say that liver-twisting thing?"
They both glanced down at the flattened trap under the rock.
"You see a problem. You hit the problem. Problem gone. Two-leg thinking."
Was-Grounded rolled his eyes and groaned.
"The trap is dead and will not bite any kin now."
Then he turned tail and took to the sky to return to the ice nest.
Shadowwing took one more glance at the trap and chuckled to himself in amusement.
You would. I guess that it is mission accomplished. Still gotta learn how to use those claws though. Useless dragon...
Try as he might, Shadowwing could not stop thinking about Berk even as the spring slowly began to warm toward summer. With no mission to find his brother and no pressing need to go out among the human tribes, he was gradually starting to feel lost here in the ice nest despite the good that he could do here by foiling the trappers. Further, with his brother now able to help contribute to that cause there was less for him to do. And that left more time for thinking, which gradually led to an inevitable realization.
It had been a long time coming, but he was now sure of it and approached Valka to tell her as much.
Remember how you asked if we should see Berk?
"Yes," she whispered.
I think we should go
"Really?"
I miss many of them
I want to see it again
She slowly got up and walked over to all of her old and worn equipment.
"Over twenty years... I never once went back there. Are you sure that you are... ready?"
His paw hovered over the dirt as he considered his answer.
As ready as I can be
"Ok then, I will get my things together."
I will let them know that we will be gone for a while
He turned for the ledge and scanned the nest for the other Furies. Then he spied them down by the water, patiently awaiting the King's bounty of fish. He dove, landed, and was immediately attacked by Dawn-Singer. He collapsed to the ground as the now fledgling pounced on his back, ran up his neck, and clamped down on his ears. At least, the fledgling knew to only gnaw and not bite in his wild play.
"You have too much life-fire..." he grumbled.
"Little one, do not eat your kin," Green-Wings admonished her fledgling.
Dawn-Singer obediently let go and did something that made all adults hum. He hopped down to the ground, snuggled up against Shadowwing's chest, and yawned widely while purring.
"He thinks you are part of his nest," Green-Wings hummed.
"I am in a way. I fly in his life-winds."
He bent down and breathed on Dawn-Singer's head, gently ruffling his little frills.
"Go on, Dawn-Singer, go to your dam."
She received her little one and bent down to nuzzle Dawn-Singer again.
Shadowwing then bounded over to Was-Grounded, who had stood patiently observing the whole exchange while humming happily.
"I will fly now with Kin-liver and Cloud-Jumper to our home-nest-island. Do you want to fly with us?"
"No, my place is here with Green-Wings and Dawn-Singer."
Shadowwing inclined his head in respect. He had figured that this would be his brother's answer.
"I understand. You have your own kin, your own family now. It is good for you to be with them."
"How many suns will you be away?"
"The flight is maybe two suns, but we do not know how long we will stay there. It might be a moon-cycle or more."
"You will come back here though..."
"Yes, this is her home-nest in her liver, and she knows that she does good for the kin here. And my own nest-kin are here."
Was-Grounded stepped forward and briefly nuzzled his neck in a rare display of such affection.
"Winds guide you."
Shadowwing then took to the sky and flew slow circles over the nest until Cloudjumper emerged. Valka had clothed herself again in her wild riding suit fashioned from hundreds of shed scales. They set their course for the south-west.
He took a deep breath as he settled into the routine of flight.
I know this place. We are almost there.
It was one of the same islands he had flown over in his charting of the northern islands on a fateful week years ago.
Cloudjumper was getting very exhausted, and Valka urged him to the ground to rest on the beach as dusk approached.
We will be there tomorrow
She nodded, set aside her flying suit, and climbed under Cloudjumper's wing.
Shadowwing curled up himself on the ground when he felt a huff of fishy breath on his head.
What is it?
Cloudjumper glanced from him to the other wing held slightly aloft to make room for him.
Really? How sweet of you. I notice that you didn't give me the same side as her though. Jealous dragon.
He was not going to pass up the added warmth on what would still be a somewhat chill night. As the great Stormcutter's breathing echoed next to him, he looked out over the cloudless sky toward the horizon.
Toward Berk.
Toward what had been home.
He was not sure if he was more excited or nervous about what the next day would bring.
Mount Thor came into relief on the horizon. And then the great and familiar sea-stacks and cliffs followed as seabirds flew all around.
They both flew up and through the same arch that he remembered flying with Toothless on their very first flight when he had thrown away his cheat sheet and trusted instinct to guide him.
They rose up above the cliff and continued on over the forest. It was all familiar and dear to him.
Looking out from on Toothless's back. Feeling that freedom and liberation of flight.
He glanced over his shoulder at Valka and saw that she was completely engrossed in the view before her.
But something seemed strange about it to him. It took a moment before he figured out what was wrong.
Where are the dragons? There should be at least some of them in the air.
They flew past the mountain and looked down the slope toward Berk proper. He pulled up mid-air and hovered in place, completely frozen in shock and horror.
.
Berk was gone.
.
Cloudjumper pulled up next to him, and Valka looked over at him with a mix of horror and confusion.
Shadowwing growled and sprinted for the village with haste. Or rather, toward what was left of it.
Burned beams and walls were all that remained of many homes. All the homes and stables, if not leveled, looked like they had been broken into and ransacked. Like a knife to his heart, he saw that the Great Hall, in which there had been so many good memories and festivals through the years, had been reduced to ash long since blown away on the wind.
Cloudjumper winged past him and landed at what had been the head of the village. Valka dismounted and stared up the slight ridge. Shadowwing landed next to her and joined her in staring at it with his heart twisted into knots.
The house.
Their house.
It was quite surprisingly untouched on the outside. They both found themselves walking to it, almost as if in a dream as they ascended the faint slope and entered through the broken door. He just barely fit through the entrance.
The furs that had hung on the wall were missing or slashed apart, the chairs were in pieces, and the windows were all broken. The elements had also done a lot of damage. He dashed down the hall and squeezed into his room. Whoever had been here had left the room mostly untouched, probably because they didn't see anything in it worth taking.
And he saw it in a corner of the room. Tightly bound in leather and clearly roughly handled but still in one piece. His paw shook as he carefully picked up the old journal and clutched it against his breast.
Then he backed out of his room and followed Valka outside. They both sat down on the ridge and looked out over the desolation in silence.
Trees and bushes were growing in the middle of what had been the village square.
Nothing was moving.
The only sounds were the whistling of the wind and their own breaths.
Nature was reclaiming Berk.
"What happened here?" her voice trembled as she eventually spoke.
I have no idea.
He only shook his head.
"There are no bodies at least. I don't think that anyone died here, whatever happened," she added.
He tapped her shoulder to get her attention and had her stow the journal in her pack. Then he fanned his wings and glanced to the forest. He led her and Cloudjumper on a short flight over the treetops until he saw the place. The one place that still seemed likely to hold comfort on this apparently empty island.
They dove and landed in the cove.
It was all so immediately present to him again. Properly meeting Toothless, learning to fly twice under very different circumstances, talking with Astrid for hours, and being comforted by Astrid.
"I remember this place," Valka whispered.
He turned on her in amazement despite the situation.
"I used to play here when I was a girl. It was so peaceful and a little paradise away from the boys and village."
I got to know Toothless here
I learned to fly here twice
Read the journal
She took it out of the pack and slowly started reading. He curled up around her and followed along with her, clearly making out the fine strokes that he had once made with a different hand.
She finished the last page and leaned on his shoulder, trying and failing to stifle tears before replacing the journal in her pack.
"Now what? Whatever it was happened long ago, probably last year. I think that everyone here probably left."
Where to?
She just shook her head, clearly having no idea. But he had at least a grasping idea of where to start.
There are other dragon friendly tribes
The Vaina, Volsung, and Outcasts
"Even the Outcasts?" she exclaimed in disbelief.
Yes, Alvin was very reasonable eventually
"Alvin... Alvin... wait, not Alvin here from Berk?"
Long story but yes, he was Outcast long ago
I think we should go to the other tribes
See if they know what happened
They had an alliance with Berk
"Four dragon friendly tribes. I would never had imagined it. You are right that we need to find out what happened here."
Cloudjumper winged back into the cove with a large, partially charred deer in his mouth. Valka pulled out her knife and got to work on it. She and Shadowwing ate their fill after Cloudjumper helped cook her portion.
The Vaina are closest
We should go now
"I agree. It hurts too much to see Berk like this."
She mounted Cloudjumper, and they were off again with Shadowwing taking the lead. He took one backward glance at the island that had been his home and felt a pain in his heart that so much had been destroyed.
So much that had been built up through the years was gone with no attempt to rebuild. That was perhaps the most disturbing of all. Nords were stubborn and certainly would have tried to rebuild for no reason other than to shake their fist at fate.
And he had no idea what could have done this.
The peaceful Vainian village, with its numerous fishing sloops, large feeding stations, and simple but comfortable pens, was completely abandoned.
The Volsung village had been reduced to ash just like Berk had been.
Outcast Island, once a buzzing, wretched hive of scum and villainy, was silent and still.
They stood on the shore of Outcast Island and stared out to the sea, lost in their melancholy thoughts at finding all the other tribes vanished.
What could have done this?
"It only seems to have attacked the tribes with dragons. There is only one power I know of that could do this. The Dragon Master," she snarled.
Dragon master, where have I heard that before?
Tell me about it
"There is not much to tell. He wants to control all the dragons in the world. He is the reason why the trappers catch dragons, to build himself a dragon army."
Does he not understand what dragons are?
"I do not think that what dragons really are matters to people like him."
He thought it over and found that the explanation did not sit well. There had to be more to it than that. There was always a reason and motivation behind what someone did.
"We tried to find them. I think we should go back home. We have already been away from the nest for far too long now."
He glumly nodded, knowing that they were going to be back a couple weeks later than he had planned. They all turned back for Berk and for the ice nest far beyond.
He spotted a flash of color around Dragon Island as they passed. A single red dragon was lazily floating on the currents over the ruined nest.
Wait, I did not think any of them lived here anymore.
The Nightmare spotted them and winged toward them. The reason why became readily apparent. There was a rider on the dragon's back.
His heart leapt with hope at the sight, and they both followed the Nightmare back to the shores of Dragon Island. They all landed, and the foreigner climbed off its dragon's back.
"Which tribe do you hail from?" the lad called out to Valka.
Then Shadowwing stepped closer, and the young man stared in recognition.
"The Night Fury... I thought I recognized you. You are from Berk!"
Shadowwing nodded back at him, vaguely recognizing the lad from before but not knowing his name.
"Which tribe is this? Where is your Chief?" Valka asked.
"We are the Vaina. Wait here. We will bring her," he answered before retreating to his dragon. The pair flew off and vanished among the rocks and slopes.
"That is the first other dragon rider I have ever seen. I never thought it would actually happen," Valka whispered.
It was not easy but they changed
I told you
"That you did..."
The two of them shared a glance as they patiently awaited news. Then a small flight of wings appeared over the rocks and spiraled down for a landing on the shore. One Nightmare in particular landed before the other dragons, and a large woman climbed off its back. The Chief took once look in their direction and confidently strode toward them.
"It is you! Hiccup!" Svana shouted.
Valka briefly shifted at hearing the declaration.
"And who are you with the Stormcutter?"
"I am... Dragonheart."
"Dragonheart, lovely title. I am Svana, Chief of the Vaina."
Valka nodded respectfully.
"What happened to the tribes?"
Svana's forced cheerful expression fell.
"How do you not know? Everyone knows."
"We have been away from these lands for a long time," Valka mumbled.
"I see... all the tribes with dragons have gone into hiding. We had to go into hiding because of the Blood-Fist and his army."
Shadowwing recoiled slightly as he recalled where he had heard that name before. That was whoever had taken all the dragons from the fighting arena in Rorikfeld.
Could the Blood-Fist and the Dragon master be the same person? How could his influence go so far?
"His army?" Valka asked, wanting confirmation of what she suspected.
"A dragon army. Hundreds of armored beasts. And there were also a few dozen ships filled with mercenaries and slaves. None of the tribes could resist against that many even if we were to fight together, so we did what we had to do. We left our homes, and we keep a lookout for the army."
"So the other tribes are alive?"
"As far as I know, yes. We contact each other every couple weeks in secret. Only the Chiefs and the messengers know where all the tribes are."
Valka sighed heavily at hearing this comforting news.
"Where are they?"
"I will not say. It is too dangerous to let that secret out even if you are a fellow rider. The Chiefs all swore a blood oath to each other on this," Svana answered.
"I understand," Valka granted.
"Why did you come here?" Svana asked.
"We were looking for the tribes. And..."
Valka paused and glanced at Shadowwing. He could see a strangely familiar glint in her eyes. She clearly had a crazy idea.
"And... I have an idea for you. There is something that you could do to help keep your people safe."
"What is it? Anything would be welcome."
"We," she indicated herself and the two dragons at her side, "live in a very big nest of dragons far north and east of Berk, or of what is left of Berk... There is a... Titan dragon who is the King of the nest. You cannot imagine how big he is. His tusks alone are bigger than boats. He protects the nest and provides for the dragons who cannot hunt."
"That sounds... terrifying and amazing," Svana granted.
"If you are good to your dragons, as I see you are, the King would let you live on that island or nearby under his protection. No dragon army could ever fight against him. He would not let them."
"Where is this place?"
Valka thought for a moment.
"From Berk you would sail northwest toward Odin's Shield in the stars. Sailing might take a week or more, but it is only a couple days from Berk by air."
"That is far to go," Svana seemed skeptical.
"True, but that is the safest place in all the northern waters."
Svana nodded, clearly deep in thought.
"I will think about it, and I will send a messenger to the other tribes to let them know. I think they will want that protection though after all that they have been through."
Then she turned her attention to Shadowwing.
"You will vouch for that Titan King?"
Yes, he nodded.
"I see. You have grown a lot," she grinned while he chuckled.
It has been over two years
Svana then glanced over at Valka.
"I still remember when he came here with the Dragon Whisperer from Berk. Never in all my wildest dreams did I think that a dragon could be as smart as us."
"Dragon Whisperer?"
"Astrid. That is what the tribes call her. She has a way with the creatures."
Shadowwing hummed in approval.
That makes for a couple of women I know who have a way with dragons.
Shadowwing and Valka rested on the beach with Cloudjumper fast asleep beside them. Neither of them said anything as they considered what they had learned. On the one hand, it was hopeful since all the tribes had apparently survived and were united in a common purpose. But it was also horrible that the peace was being threatened by a senseless threat from beyond.
Then he found his thoughts being tugged at by something. There was a fateful place on the other side of the island. It was a place that he had thought he would never return to.
And there was something he wanted to do with Valka, something that it felt right for her to see.
He walked over and stood next to her. Then he crouched down beside her as he had done a few times before.
"What?"
He glanced at his back again.
"Ok..."
She cautiously climbed on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. And they were off, gently gliding around the peak of Dragon Island until they arrived at the sandy beach on the other side of the island. She audibly gasped and squeezed his neck tightly when she saw what he was bringing them both to see.
The bleached, monstrous skeleton in all its shattered glory.
He landed by a particular portion of the beach and let her dismount.
"That is it. The Monster that caused all the raids..."
Yes, he nodded as he bent to the sandy part of the beach.
Toothless and I killed it
We made it crash
He paused and gave a wary hum.
I wanted you to see where I became a dragon
She gasped and nervously nodded. They walked up the beach together, her hand on his shoulder the whole way. Her awestruck gaze never left the titanic bones that still towered over the beach. Many of the smaller bones though had apparently been buried under the sands or lost to the waves.
Then they arrived at the fateful place.
They both looked down together at the crater where the rock had melted and formed small crystal veins. She knelt down and ran her fingers over the smooth surface without saying anything for a long time. Then she stood up and leaned against his side.
"It is almost beautiful in a way. Haunting but also beautiful."
He nodded in agreement while he thought over the words he had heard in the far north about what Toothless had done here. He also mulled over the question of why he himself never felt any shred of the life-will-power, of magic.
I guess that I do not have that life-will-power, that special type of life saving magic. I never did because I was changed from something else and because I never had a Night Fury father or mother. I think I would know if I had something like that magic.
I kind of wish that I had fire at least, strange as it is. He did say though that they are different, and that I should be able to flame eventually even without magic.
They eventually turned away and returned to the sandy beach. A more practical question had been on his mind ever since he heard Svana's explanation of what happened.
Why do you think the Blood Fist
Dragon Master did this?
What does he want?
"Why does it matter? He destroyed so much good in the world and would try to destroy more if we let him."
He gave her no reply as he thought about all the villages he had peacefully interacted with and all the hearts and minds that had already been changed for the better. Peace was possible even if it took a lot of work to bring about.
All this fighting and hiding
I wish there was another way
She sat down beside him and joined him in looking out over the peaceful ocean.
"Yes, but sometimes violence is certain and not fighting would be worse. Peace is not all that matters. All you can do is protect your own, those you immediately care about. That is what the Chiefs did by hiding their tribes instead of being stubborn."
He softly hummed in thought. He knew that it was on these very shores that an entire stubborn tribe of Nords had begun to change their world. A people that boasted of being set in its ways and unwilling to change had changed. Several such tribes had done exactly that.
They remained there on the shore of Dragon Island as they watched the sunset over the horizon.
Author's Note - Those who want to see a scene covering the Berkians departure from Berk should check out chapter 3 of 'To Fly The Winds Of Life.'