Sorry I didn't update last week, long story short I had a lot going on. I went to a football game in another city and it got delayed halfway through the game for a hour do to lightning. Then at the zoo I was super busy having to deal with the Monarch butterfly migration coming through Oklahoma, which for you non nature experts is when the Monarch butterflies migrate from Canada to Mexico to breed. Well a lot of them has been stopping at the zoo to rest and we have been tagging them to track their journey. It's fun but time consuming.
Oh and I saw Abominable, super cute and amazing.
Oh and Reby kind of pointed this out last chapter but I have kind of taken inspiration a little from Game of Thrones with this story. Not a lot but enough to similarities.
Anyway back to it.
Branch, Reby, Scarlett and Poppy watched as Melody and Rainbow Gem circled the sky as the two of them gazed into each others eyes. The two of them had gained quite a liking for each other and it was looking more and more likely each day that the two of them would be a perfect breeding match.
"Isn't it amazing?" Reby asked "For the first time since we turned Dragon's edge into a breeding facility we could finally have a matching pair for one of the rarest dragons on Earth.
"Yeah," Branch replied getting a little misty eyed over the possibility of Melody becoming a mother in the near future. "Looks like Melody has a new male in her life."
"Oh do I sense a little bit of jealousy in your voice?" Reby teased "Afraid Melody will forget about you and fly off with her new man?"
"No!" Branch viciously denied. "It's just that before Scarlett was born Melody was basically my kid. And I guess I still kind of see her as one."
"So it Is jealousy," Poppy replied joining in the teasing.
"Is not!" Branch continued to deny.
"Jealous!" Reby teased again and soon both Reby, Poppy and even Scarlett all joined in teasing Branch over Melody, only breaking up when Heather swooped down and ran over to the group. The look of terror on her face instantly killed the playful mood of the other trolls.
"My entire tribe has been wiped out!"
"What?" Branch gasped.
"There was a attack, a army of dragon hunters. I have never seen a army this size before it was like the size of three armies meshed into one. We tried to fight them back but they were to powerful. I was the only one to get out of there alive but the rest of my tribe, their dragons, my parents, they're all…." Heather collapsed to the ground unable to bring herself to finish. Poppy wrapped a comforting arm around her friend as she grieved for her tribe.
"Do you know who led the attack?"
"I think I heard his name spoken when I was hiding, Grim I think."
"Oh gods," Branch gasped hearing his name spoken figuring out the meaning of the attack.
"You know this troll?"
"Me and my team have been fighting his hunters for a year now. We have been hitting them hard but every time we think we beat them they just come back with more. He will not stop no matter what we do."
"Branch, I have seen firsthand how many ships he has. There has to be more trolls on those ships combined then your entire tribe."
"We can beat them, we always have."
"Branch, my tribe was warriors too, and they were all wiped out. You can't beat them the way we did Blood. There are to many.
"Well we can't just let them get away with murdering an entire tribe." Reby replied.
"Branch, what's the plan?" Poppy asked.
Branch sighed "I know why this attack happed, he is trying to send me a message to back off. He must have known somehow that your tribe was allies to me and eliminated it to strike fear and hope we back away from the fight. This attack, your tribe's death, it all falls on me Heather, because I started this war. I am so sorry for your loss, but I guarantee I will find a way to fix this, somehow." Branch turned to his wife. "Poppy get the other riders together, it's time for a emergency meeting."
Deep into the ocean Raider was sailing her boat deeper into and deeper into the harsh waters while Jo kept a eye out for any strange fog that would lead them to the Hidden World.
"See anything yet?" Raider asked.
"For the millionth time I will let you know if I see something, you don't have to ask every five minutes."
"Sorry, it's just the excitement of being the first to discover and document a hidden dragon world is just making me anxious to no end. This could be the biggest moment in our lives here."
"And the most dangerous," Jo replied "With all that thick fog and rocks you will be lucky if we even make it into the Hidden World, then there is the fact that these are wild dragons that have probably never seen a troll before. Who knows how they are going to react to us?"
"Well good thing you got me to bail us out if things get out of hand."
"Are you saying I can't protect myself?"
"Jo, your dragon skills are amazing but when it comes to hand combat well let's just say it's best to stay by my side."
"Hey I might not be as good with a sword as you but I guarantee I could shoot you out of the sky with Hurricane."
"Jo I spent years with only dragons and Oaken as my company fighting dragon hunters while you was a slave and you think you can out duel me on dragon back?"
"Okay, when we get back to land we settle this once and for all, loser has to call the other the Queen of Dragons for the rest of their life."
"Oh you are on, but you are so going to regret this decision when…"
"I see fog!" Jo suddenly interrupted "To your left."
Raider made a sharp turn to her left and sure enough they saw a thick fog in front of them, that got thicker the closer they got.
"Might want to get down from the crows nest Jo, if these dragons are dangerous you are a easy target to pick off." Jo instantly got down from the crows nest and joined Raider at her side, grabbing a mace for protection in case the dragons made any moves.
As they entered the fog Raider had to focus all her attention on not crashing into any of the giant rocks sticking out of the water. As they sailed pass the rocks the two Trolls definitely heard what sounded like dragons.
"Oh I definitely believe this is the hidden world," Jo replied.
"What gave you that idea the unwelcoming entrance or the sound of a million dragons squawking?"
"Maybe a little of both."
After about five minutes of battling the fog and giant rocks they finally entered the hidden world were million of dragons flew above their heads.
"Wow," they both gasped in unison.
"There are dragon species I didn't even know existed living in here." Jo replied
"They must have never ventured out of this world before."
The two trolls saw the beautiful green grass and tall hills. Trees with every type of fruit you could think of, and water so clear you could see the fish swimming underneath it.
"This place would be amazing to settle down, just think a world untouched by troll hands."
Jo suddenly spoke up, her voice cracking out of fear. "And I think the dragons would like for it to stay that way."
Suddenly a swarm of a dozen dragons suddenly surrounded the boat, all of them growling in anger as they stared down at the two invaders.
"Raider get us out of here pronto."
Raider quickly turned the ship around as one of the dragons fired a blast. Jo quickly grabbed a shield and blocked the dragon's blast as Raider worked on getting them out of the hidden world.
"Raider hurry!"
"I'm going as fast as I can, this thing isn't exactly built for speed!"
"Why didn't we bring our dragons?"
"I didn't think it would be necessary!"
"Well you thought wrong!"
"Just shut up and let me focus!"
Several fireballs narrowly missed the ship, causing waves that almost tipped the boat over and knock it into rocks in the process. One blast hit the crows nest setting it on fire, in a attempt to prevent the fire from spreading Raider tipped the ship over enough to slam the crows nest into the rocks knocking it off the ship. After a close call, and Jo having to block several more blast with her shield they finally made it out of the Hidden world, very thankful none of the dragons decided to follow.
After taking a moment to catch their breaths Jo spoke up. "I don't think that Branch will be able to move his tribe to the hidden world."
It was dark when Branch and Poppy returned home after a long meeting with the riders. After a several hour meeting their was still no full agreement on how to handle Grim or his army. The only thing they all agreed on was that Grim had to be stopped.
Scarlett had fallen asleep on Melody's back by the time they had returned home and Poppy carefully lifted her up and carried her in her arms so not to wake her as Branch got the keys to open his pod door.
After lighting a candle to see inside the dark house him and Poppy gasped to see a strange troll sitting in Branch's chair.
"Hello Branch, I've been eager to meet you."
"Who are you?" Branch growled grabbing his fire sword and lighting it, ready to use it if he needed to. "How did you get in my house?"
"Put the sword down Branch I'm not here to hurt you, if I was…" The troll snapped his fingers and two more trolls walked up behind Branch and Poppy pointing crowbars at their backs causing Poppy to cradle Scarlett close for protection "You and your wife would be dead by now."
"You didn't answer my question, who are you and how did you get in here?"
"Your back door was unlocked and I think both of you know who I am?"
"Grim?" Branch realized
"Why are you here?" Poppy finally spoke up.
"As much as it may surprise you two I am not here looking for a fight."
"Well you sure have a funny way of showing it," Branch growled.
"Now Branch do you have to be so hostile, surely we can settle our differences like adults now can we?"
"You murdered an entire tribe, a tribe that was close allies to us, and you dare expect me to not be hostile?"
"Well it was to send you a message about the of power I possess."
"Well message received."
"Branch let me make something clear to you, I don't want a war, I don't think you do either. A war will only end in bloodshed and you already have enough blood on your hands over the years do you really want any more?"
"Then stop hunting those dragons."
"Branch, I believe you have misjudged me. I am not a poacher, neither are the two trolls behind you. We are all chiefs of our own tribes, chiefs of tribes of hunters. See Branch, dragon hunting is a proud sport in our tribes, dating back to generations, we don't go out illegally killing dragons for money like you think we are and are probably use to dealing with, the practice is legal in our country and all we want is for you to not go into our waters and mess with our business. We respect that your tribe don't hunt dragons and we don't invade your waters looking for dragons, we only stick to our on waters. So let me make you this one offer right now, this war can be over, and no more bloodshed will happen if you agree not to interfere with our perfectly legal business. We won't enter your waters, we won't hunt your dragons, we never have to cross paths again. I don't want a war Branch, but your actions is means for it, which is why I am offering this one truce. I suggest you think long and hard about your next move. You don't want your daughter over there to grow up without a father do you?"
Branch growled at Grim for daring to use his daughter as leverage.
"I'll see myself out," Grim replied as he got up and headed for the door. "I suggest you think about my offer, it's the only one I'm making. My allies outnumbers yours, so does my army. A war will only end poorly for you."
Grim ordered the two other tribe leaders to lower their weapons and the three of them walked away, leaving Branch and Poppy to think hard about their next move.
"What now?"
"We need the whole team together on this decision, I don't want a war either, we saw what happened to Heathers tribe, the last thing I want is for that to happen to the Troll Tree. But I fear what will happen if I let him get his way."
"One of the hardest things about being Chief is making hard decisions, the right decision is never always the easiest."
"I know, I just never dreamed it would be this hard."