Deep into the ocean, hundreds of miles away from the Troll Tree, a dragon hunting ship was sailing back towards their home. The trip had been successful as they had captured more than a dozen different types of dragons, most of them being rare and threatened species that would make thousands on the black market.
"How long till we make it back to shore?" One crew member asked the captain.
"We should be arriving within the next sunrise."
"Good, I can't wait to get back on land, with the catch we have, we should get paid enough to last each of us through winter."
"Considering the chief isn't being cheap that is." The captain responded, "You know he sometimes likes to cheat us out of as much as possible."
"True, the little tightwad, but hopefully this time he will be more generous."
Up in the sky hiding within the clouds Branch was riding on top of Melody spying on the ship along with his team of dragon riders. It had been nine years since their battle with Blood and the now adult riders had long pushed most of the hunters out of business. There was still some hunters though who refused to go away despite the number of blows the riders sent their way. This one group in particular seemed especially stubborn. They had been fighting them for a year now and despite blowing up what must have been over a hundred of their ships they just kept coming back with even bigger fleets.
"Is it Grim's fleet?" Poppy asked flying up to her now husband, whom she married seven years prior.
"It's them all right," Branch said folding up his telescope and putting it in his fanny pack. "I recognize those cross scythes emblem on their sails anywhere." Branch then took out his helmet made out of molded dragon scales and placed it over his head.
Over the years the riders had been creating new and better armor to protect them in battle, the most recent being molded dragon scales. Two years back Branch discovered that when a dragon shed it's scales that the scales harden and become like stone, using that knowledge he crafted full body suits and helmets for the crew made entirely out of molded scales. The result was near total protection against hand held weapons, making raiding hunting ships so much easier for them, as well as a nightmare for the dragon hunters.
"Let's move riders, and let's make this quick, Peppy is watching Scarlett tonight and he get's cranky if we return after her bed time."
"Is that all you are worried about?" Creek replied "Your daughter's bedtime?
"You wouldn't understand Creek, your not a parent."
"And I don't want to be kids are nothing but smelly, whiny spoiled brats."
"Than you and a kid would get along just fine."
"Um, hello dragon hunting ship down below!" Reby interrupted.
"Right, move out team!"
Everybody put on their helmets and flew down to where the ship was sailing. They did not go unnoticed however, for a hunter spotted them through his telescope and quickly scrambled to warn the others.
"Riders incoming!" Several archers fired arrows at the riders directions, only to watch as they bounced off Poppy's suit and into the water.
"Ugh, don't these hunters ever learn?" Poppy had Starfire fire a blast that hit the ship's stern. A giant hole appeared in the stern and instantly started filling the ship with water.
"Reby, you take Cooper, Smidge, Suki, Guy Diamond, and Fuzzbert and free the trapped dragons, the rest of you take out the hunters."
"You don't have to tell us twice!" The twins laughed as they flew towards a group of hunters, having their dragon shoot fire they're way. The panic stricken hunters jumped off the ship and into the waters below.
Reby was the first rider to land on the ship, taking out her crossbow shooting a arrow at one hunter and hitting him in the shoulder. She then walked up to the wounded hunter who was laying on the ground and slammed the back end of her crossbow against his head knocking him out as she walked to one of the cages holding several dragons.
"Don't worry I'm going to get you all out of here."
She didn't see one of the hunters coming behind her with a mace until she heard a scream come from behind her. Turning around she saw Guy Diamond standing over the hunters body having planted a mace of his own into the hunters skull.
"Don't just stand there, help me with these cages."
"Your welcome!" Guy Diamond replied sarcastically.
Branch was still flying in the sky as most of the riders had boarded the ship. One hunter shot a flaming catapult his way and it took everything Branch had to steer Melody away from it's path. Branch responded by taking out his fire sword and shot a wave of fire at the hunters direction, blowing up the catapult and catching the hunter in the explosion as well. This time Branch did land and as the hunter coughed and noticed the burns on his chest and arms, he watched in horror as both Branch and Melody walked through the flames they caused. The Hunter tried to reach for his sword but Melody put her paw on the hunters chest and put her mouth just inches from his throat, growling at him. Branch then picked up the hunters sword and tossed it in the ocean, then watched as the riders freed the rest of the dragons.
As Suki freed the final set of dragons Branch signaled for them to make their way back towards Dragons edge. As Branch mounted himself on Melody the hunter he trapped called out towards him.
"Wait you can't just leave us here to die."
"I won't kill you, but I won't save you either. You have killed innocent dragons for both money and for fun, let nature be your judge." With that Branch and Melody flew off leaving the hunters defend for themselves as the boat burned and sank to the ocean.
As Reby and most of the riders went to deliver the dragons to Dragon's edge, Branch and Poppy flew to Peppy's house, who was left baby sitting their five year old daughter Scarlett.
"It's your daughter, Poppy!" Poppy replied knocking on the door, Peppy opened the door letting them in but to their surprise Peppy didn't support the happy face they thought he would.
"What's wrong?" Branch asked "Did Scarlett behave herself?"
"Daddy!" Scarlett ran downstairs at the sound of her father's voice and wrapped herself around Branch's leg making him unable to move.
"Oh Scarlett was a little angel, it's you to I am more worried about."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Scarlett why don't you pack up while I talk to your parents in private?"
"Okay Grampa Peppy." Scarlett ran back upstairs as Peppy turned to face his daughter and son in law.
"Well the mission was a success," Branch replied nervously as he saw the firm look on his father in law's face. "We freed all the dragons and sank another hunter ship."
"Oh I know the mission was a success otherwise you wouldn't be standing here right now. And that my chief is the problem."
"What are you getting at?"
"At least once a week I am having to watch your daughter while you two go play a game of cat and mouse with a bunch of heavily armed, and extremely dangerous dragon hunters. Do I need you to remember what happened to your grandmother?"
"Every day I think about what happened to her, but if I just stop pursuing these hunters then thousands of dragons will die."
"These are different times now though," Peppy replied firmly, raising his voice to get his point across. "You didn't always have a child at home waiting for you. And if you and Poppy continue to risk your lives out there, one day one if not both of you might not make it back. Remember your parents?"
"Then what in Valhalla's name do you suggest I do?"
"Hand over the riders to Reby or another rider, and just settle on being Chief and a father to your daughter. Before she is left without one."
"As Chief it is my responsibility to protect my tribe, and I can't do that if I'm not leading them against every threat that faces the Troll tree."
"But this is not a threat to the Troll Tree, it's a threat to the dragons."
"These dragon's are just as much my mission as my tribe and family."
"But you can't protect them forever Branch, the sooner you learn that the better."
Scarlett walked back down the stairs carrying her things, and for the first time in years Branch was glad to end a conversation with Peppy. Peppy was wrong, he couldn't stop fighting yet, not until the hunters were permanently eliminated.
"Don't be to mad at him Branch," Poppy replied noticing how upset Branch was. "He means well."
"He can't keep lecturing me like I was that dumb kid I once was. I am chief now, I make the decisions not him."
"Even a chief needs guidance every now and then."
"That's what I got you for."
As Branch boarded Melody Scarlett tugged at his feet. "Daddy, can we take a joy flight before we go home.
Branch smiled as he lifted Scarlett up and put her on Melody beside him, a joy flight did sound good right about now. "Sure Sweety."
With Poppy following behind them Branch had Melody fly him and Scarlett down the very path that he took Poppy on when she first rode Melody. Flying up to the clouds Scarlett ran her fingers through the clouds giggling as she felt the water from the clouds tickle her fingers. Branch then lifted Scarlett in his hands and tossed her into the clouds, Scarlett giggled as she fell right back into her father's hands.
Thirty minutes later the three riders and their dragons landed on a hill and watched as the sun began to set. As Branch held Scarlett in his arms and watched the sunset he did realize that he couldn't continue to fight these hunters forever, and he figured it would be near impossible to permanently wipe them all out. He then remembered a story his grandmother told him once.
"Look out there at the sunset Scarlett," Branch told Scarlett "Somewhere out there far away from the Troll Tree is the birthplace of dragons, a hidden world where dragons fly free from any hunters or threats. Someday I hope I can take all of us there, our entire tribe, along with all the driagons, we can seal it off from the rest of the world and dragons will finally be free from the danger that threatens to destroy them."
"But daddy, wouldn't we have to leave our home? The same home you said our family has lived in for hundreds of years?"
"My dear, home can be wherever you make it."
"Even a deserted island in the middle of the ocean?"
"I don't know why you would want to live on one but yes. Yes it could be"
Branch looked out at the sunset again, as Scarlett started rubbing her eyes, showing she was getting tired. He knew the only way for them and the dragons to be safe was for them to find that hidden world. He just prayed to the gods he could find it before it was to late for the dragons."
Even though this is going to be different from the actual Hidden World movie (Not to mention darker) I have to keep the plotline of a actual Hidden world in here since it played a huge role in the actual movie, and before you ask yes Melody will have a boyfriend, although it will be done way differently then it was in the movie, though I think you will still like it.