"Ok, Mia, we shouldn't have to go very far for you're Nader. Lets start off in the forest on The Edge. There are plenty of wild Nadders so it should be easy. But remember, be careful". Astrid says the last part with a stern look. "Of course" Mia answers, smiling. "Lets go, we're here". We land and we start walking around. "Shh, I hear something". We stop, and I see a couple of tail spikes on the ground. "It's a Nadder" Holly whispers, seeing the dragon appear. "He's beutiful" Mia says, admiring the pistachio green dragon. "You like him?" "Absolutely". "Then what are we waiting for?"
"Ok, Mia, approach his from the front and try and find the blind spot. When you do rub it's snout with dragon nip". "Ok". Mia approaches it. "Move with its head. It'll help find the blind spot". Mia does what Astrid says and soon the Nadder loses sight of her. "Perfect, now!" Mia rubs the dragon nip on the Nadders nose. The Nadder instantly falls to the ground. "Nice job". "Thanks". "It really was. And Astrid must be impressed because compliments from her a rare". Mia smiles and rubs under the Nadders chin. It stirs. "Get ready". The Nadder squawks and stands up. "Reach out your hand and look in the opposite direction. Ince it touches your hand with its nose you've earned it's trust" Astrid calls out from behind a tree. Mia reaches out her hand and waits. The Nadder looks at her hand curiously and puts it's nose up against Mia's hand. She squeals. "You're very handsome, arnt you?" He croons. "What are you gonna call him?" "Hmmm, how about Sybous? You like that?" Sybous croons and rubs his head against Mia. "Sybous it is". "Can I pet him?" Holly asks, walking over. "If it's ok with Sybous. Is it ok if Holly pats you boy?" Sybous nods and reaches out waiting for Holly to pet him. "Ok, you can pet him". Holly walks over and pets him on the nose. He croons and rubs his head against her. "I think he likes you" I say, reaching out and waiting for permission so I can let him. Sybous puts his nose up against my hand, giving me permission to pet him. "I like you to". I walk around him and relise the dark green patches randomly placed on his body. "Hey Mia, come look at this". She walks around and spots the patches. "Wow, they're beutiful". Sybous croons at the compliment. "Well, are you ready for your first flight together?" "Sure are". "Umm Mia", Holly speaks up while scratching the three Nadders, "can I go with you?" "Sure". I think for a minute about how this is going to work. "Astrid, if it's ok with you do you think we could put the saddle I made you on Sybous seeing as Mia and Holly arnt used to riding bareback?" "Yeah ok, but don't break it". Astrid agrees and I start switching over the saddle. Sybous moves around a bit but soon gets used to it. "So what are we gonna do with Stormfly?" "Lets just keep her around, you kniw, just in case". I nod. "Perfect. Lets go".
"Ok, so Jessie wanted a Typhoomerang and you guys still have no idea what you want?" "Yeah" Claire says, still clearly unable to choose. "Well we'll find something. There's an island over there where we can camp" I say pointing to an island with snowcapped mountains. "Lets set up camp right here, it's perfect" Astrid says, undoing the saddle bags from Shadow's saddle and then removing her saddle completely. After giving Astrid an affectionate nuzzle Shadoe bound into the lake. "I can't stop you, can I?" I say, and she laughs at me. "Trust me, while you were gone she went swimming with Toothless constantly". "Aww that's sweet" I say, as I undrees into my underclothing. Everyone stares at me. "Umm, not meaning to be rude but I wasn't expecting you to start stripping off" Jessie says, averting her eyes. "Well I'm going to go swimming and I don't know about you but I don't normally go swimming in my clothes". Astrid gives me an interesting look. "Really? Because when we went swimming the other day you seemed very keen to keep your clothes on" she says, smirking. "Oh, I'm so going to get you for that". Before I can do anything the others stip off as well and jump in along with the dragons. As soon as Astrid enters the water she immediately starts splashing me. "Ok, ok you win". "Thought so". "Well then I might just have to tell everyone how you and Hiccup are already married" I snigger. "OH MY GOD!" I laugh at my friends reactions. "Indi, you are so dead" she says, starting to wrestle me. "Hey, guys, a little help here". Immediately all my friends start to help me and Astrid gives up. "Ugh you win" she says, giving up. "Don't underestimate us" Holly smirks triumphantly. "Come on, we need to set up" I call, exiting the water and drying off. "Coming" they answer, exiting the water as well.
"I've got the wood ready for the fire" Claire says, dumping the last of the wood into the fire pit. "Thanks" I answer from the saddle bags. I pull out some dehydrated chicken and get Arrow and Stormfly to light the fire. "Here" I say, handing out chicken to everyone. "Don't forget the dragons" Astrid points out. "I would never" I say, as if Astrid is accusing me of something. I throw everyone some chicken and Stormfly croons affectionately. "You like that?" She croons again. I walk back over to the saddle bags and pull out blankets. "Catch". "Thanks". I can't help but stare up at the cloudless sky. It's absolutely beautiful. "You're so lucky to exist in this world Astrid". She smiles at me. "I know". "Hey Indi, do you hear that?" Claire calls from where she was laying with Arrow. A dragon roar, non that I've ever heard of before, echoes down from the snowy mountains. "Lets go check ot out. Astrid, jump on Stormfly just in case. Everyone mount". Everyone obeys and we start flying towards the mysterious dragon call.
"It's definitely coming from in there" Jessie says. "Definitely. Lets go in and see what it is". We silently fly into the huge cave. The tunnel seems endless untill we enter a cavern filled with a species of dradon I've never seen before. "I've never heard of this dragon before. How about you Astrid?" "Never seen anything like this except... in the dragon eye. It looks like...". "A Woolly Howl" I finish, amazed. "It's beutiful". Claire speaks up, admiring a particular sleeping dragon. "I think this is perfect" I whisper. "What are you thinking?" Astrid questions. "Well this is the dragon Claire is going to train". Astrid looks at me, bewildered. "You're kidding right? You've read how hostile these drado s can be. Not to mention that the shoot hail" Astrid scalds me. "Astrid, look at all the different species of dragons you guys have trained, let Indi and Claire give it a go" Holly says, making an excellent point. "Fine, but don't come crying to be when you almost die". I nod and give a hand signal for Arrow to land. "Here's some dragon nip. Be careful, these dragons are extremely intelligent, they are in the strikclass after all". Claire quietly walks up to the dragon that's peacefully sleeping on a rock. "What do I do?" "Rub it gently on her snout and make sure to get it on the snout, not above". She rubs the dragon nip on the right spot and the dragon wakes up from the smell but doesn't mive. "That's good. Now reach out your hand and wait for it to touch your hand". Claire reaches out her hand and stays absolutely still. The dragon looks at it curiously before closing it's eyes and putting it's snout against her hand. "Hey" she whispers, careful not to wake up the others. "So what do you have in mind for a name?" Astrid asks, impressed. "Well hoe about Tiamat?" The Woolly Howl nods and starts jumping around her. "Haha, you're very energetic, arnt you?" "Tiamat nods and laughs. "Hang on a sec, if these dragons were sleeping, what was that riar we heard?" As if in answer another roar echoes through from a tunnel and the tunnel starts to collapse. "You guys go, I'll see what that was!" I yell as I start flying through the tunnel. I hear Astrid ordering everyone out of the cave before I enter another cavern. As I look around I hear another roar, this one more desperate and spot the source. A young dragon, about 15, stuck under a slab of ice. "Hang on there little guy, I'll get you out.
"Come on Shadow, we need to free him". She shoots and her final shot just manages to free the dragon. "Come on, this cavern in going to collapse. The dragon, being extremely intelligent, follows me through the falling slabs of ice. Shadow uses her echo location to navigate out of the collapsing cavern and we make it out if the maze of tunnels. I can't see anyone so my guess is that Astrid got everyone safely back to camp. "Come on little guy. Lets get you back to camp so I can paych you up". He nods and flys after me, although I can see his left wing might have a small break but easy to fix. As we land everyone rushes over to make sure we're ok. Then Mia notices my new friend. "Who's this?" "This is who was roaring earlier. Poor fella was stuck under an ice slab. He looks like he bight have a small break in his left wing but nothing I can't fix. Anyway, how was your first flight on Tiamat?" She gives Tiamat a scratch as she answers, "it was amazing. She's really fast and agile". Claire smiles and gives her dragon a hug. "Anyway, I better get to work on this guy and you guys can go back to bed". I start to putt out the bandages and cream as Astrid comes over. "I'll help". "But don't younwant to...". "I want to help. I'll help any dragon in need". I smile, admiring her enthusiasm. "Lets get started".
We finish cleaning his wounds and banging his wing. "There we go". He croons, and lyes down. I do the same and snuggke up to Shadow. "Goodnight Astrid". "Goodnight Indi".