Poppy didn't know how long she had been out, rather it was hours, days, or even weeks. All she knew was that when she woke, her entire body ached and she has no idea where she was. The first thing she saw when she awoke was the bright mid afternoon sun, followed by the sounds of the ocean water. Slowly forcing herself up through the stabbing pain in her back and sides she noticed she was in a small boat, who it belonged to though she had no idea. She did notice however due to the bandages around her arms legs and waist that whoever it belonged to had tended to her aid, most likely saving her life in the progress.

"Where am I?" Poppy wondered to herself as she heard the sound of footsteps from below deck. Two seconds later Poppy came face to face with a female black troll with dark blue hair and eyes, dressed in a jungle green skirt. She was carrying a small bowl of water in her hands. The black troll noticed Poppy had gained consciousness, giving her a comforting smile she walked over to her and handed her the bowl of water.

"Drink, you've been out for nearly two whole days, I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to wake up."

"Where am I?"

"Your own my boat." The girl responded as she started unwrapping Poppy's bandages to see how her wounds were healing. "I found you floating down the sea near death. Surprised you didn't drown or get devoured by sharks."

"Why was I floating down the sea?"

"You tell me, you can also tell me why in the name of Odin you was covered in burns and had a arrow sticking out of your back. I went through all my good alcohol nursing your wounds. Thankfully though you've seemed to stop bleeding, hopefully now all you need to due is heal."

Poppy tried to force herself up to her feet, but a sudden pain in her side caused her to instantly sit back down seething in pain.

"Whoa slow down there partner, you just now woke up from nearly dying. Your wounds still needs time to heal."

"Who are you?"

"The names Raider, at your service."

"Raider?"

"Well my full name is Black Raider but everyone just calls me Raider."

"So, Raider is it just you on this ship?"

"Well just me and my Night Fury."

"Night Fury?"

"Hey Shadow come over here!" Raider called out, suddenly the blackest dragon Poppy had ever seen came racing out of the deck. The dragon ran over and sat down next to Raider, much to the shock of a very confused Poppy.

"Meet Shadow, my Night Fury and trusted companion."

"I don't believe it?"

"What that I have a pet dragon?"

"No that you have a pet night fury. I've explored every known island in these waters and have never seen one night fury. I thought they had all gone extinct."

"That's because your not going to find them on any of these islands."

"Where are they then?"

"That I cannot tell you, because I do not know you, and if I do not know you I can not completely trust you."

"Why not?"

"Because it is my job to keep these dragons safe,"

"Safe from whom."

"Before I answer any more, you need to tell me who you are."

"My name is Poppy, I'm from the Troll Tree."

"That is a two day flight from hear even with a night fury. How is a girl like you from such a far away tribe washed up on my boat?"

"Me and my team of dragon riders were fighting a group of hunters when I..."

"Whoa stop right there..." Raider interrupted "Dragon riders? You ride dragons too?"

"Yes? I thought my people were the only ones?"

"Trust me your not, from where I'm from we all ride dragons?"

"And where you from?"

"You finish your story, then if I can trust you, then I might tell you mine."

"Well as I said we were fighting a group of hunters that was after a ice giant when I got wounded and I...

"Hunters, you've went up against Dragon hunters too."

"For the past three years, you mean we weren't the only ones."

"As I said it's my job to protect these dragons. So you were fighting these hunters then what?"

"Well my boyfriend and team leader Branch was trapped by Johan, and was dangling off a cliff so I attacked Johan in order for him to climb to safety when I got shot. I then threw my ax at the explosives he was going to use on the dragon and the two of us got blown off the cliff. Branch grabbed me but there was no way he was going to get us both up that cliff so I had him release me to save himself. Last thing I remember is falling into some water at the bottom of the cave. I have no idea how I round up here.

"You said your team leader's name is Branch?"

"Yes team leader and boyfriend, don't forget that."

"I could care less about your relationship status."

"Well, how rude." Poppy thought "Why do you ask of him? We never met you before during our adventures."

"True but my partner speaks of a Branch back from where he's originally from. He speaks of how he had to leave him as a baby along with his wife in order to save these dragons. He quotes there names every day, Branch and Rosiepuff."

"Rosiepuff? Wait?..." Poppy's mouth then dropped like a anchor "You know Oaken!?"

"You do too?"

"Not personally because I was a baby too when he disappeared but our chief Rosiepuff always talks about him. We all thought he died at sea a long time ago. Oh my gods I can't believe Branch's grandfather, the husband of Chief Rosiepuff is still alive. You got to tell me where he is?"

"I can't!"

"And why not?"

"Because as I said the place is top secret."

"I thought I told you enough for you to trust me?"

"I am beginning to trust you yes, I can tell your not lying buy your posture and tone, but even though I am starting to trust you does not mean I can tell you where Oaken is or where the other night fury's are."

"And why not?"

"Because it is to dangerous. There is a man out there, one who makes Johan look tame in comparison. Johan worked for this man and was the only person he truly feared. If you thought Johan was dangerous you don't want to cross paths with this guy. He is the reason we had to build this place. To hide it off from the rest of the world. He has killed most of Oaken's men trying to find this place, it's only me and him now. And if I tell you this place it means you are one of us and he will target you too and if he captures you he will torture you in order to reveal to him the place, nobody has told him the location and has all taken the location to their graves, but these were the toughest trolls we ever knew. I can't risk you being captured and in under distress spilling the location."

"I would never do that."

"Still can't risk it not with this guy, he's to dangerous.

"Who is he?"

"His name is Blood," Raider told Poppy as he finished checking on Poppy's wounds and placed new bandages to help them heal more "And his goal is to capture and control every dragon on the planet, and he will kill anyone who stands in his way."

Poppy was speechless she couldn't believe anyone could be that cruel and evil against such magnificent creatures.

"Which is why I'm out here in these seas," Raider continued "If I can find his ships I can sink them before they ever make landfall. If I can eliminate his fleet, he will be a sitting duck, and once I force one of those scums to spill his location, I can finally end his business once and for all."

"Then I'm helping." Poppy insisted.

"No offense Poppy, but you don't have a dragon with you to fight."

"I don't need my dragon. Before I was a dragon rider I was a master with the ax. When those hunters captured my dragon once, I boarded their ship and struck dozens of them down with my ax in a attempt to find her. I am not just reliant on my dragon. You board me on one of those ships and I can show you just how much of a warrior I am."

Raider was impressed, maybe she did have some use for Poppy after all.

"Fine then, but once your on the ground your own your own. I will be fighting from the sky."

"Fair enough," Poppy agreed "Now then, I told you my story, what about yours?"

"What do you mean?"

"How did you end up working for Oaken?"

Raider lowered her head and let out a depressed sigh, Poppy could sense that the story behind her alliance wasn't exactly a pretty one. "Do you recall hearing about the invasion in the jungle tribe five years ago?"

"I do remember." Poppy replied "Rosiepuff sent some of her best warriors to come to your aid, but very few made it back."

"That's because it was a slaughter. It started out as just a average day. I was a teenager at the time, just thirteen, I was playing with one of my friends when suddenly we heard the sounds of swords clashing in the distance. We both turned around and the mountain tribe invaded us. My father ran out the house and started trying to hold the invaders off while my mother grabbed me and ran. She pitched me on Shadow and told me to flee. I didn't want to leave them, I wanted to stay and fight, but I was only thirteen at the time, I didn't know how to fend off a army at the time. Through teary eyes my mom told me it was going to be okay and with a hug I told her I loved her and I flew away.

"As I flew I watched helplessly as my father got struck down and my mother and friend were both captured by the mountain tribe. My plan was at the time to fly to get some help then fly back and rescue my home, but then I met him."

"Oaken?"

"As I was flying through the sky I heard fighting from below me. I saw Oaken trying to fend off Blood from killing a critically endangered mountain ghost dragon. I saw Blood stab him in the abdomen and about to slaughter the mountain ghost were it laid.

"Unable to stand back and do nothing I flew down and Shadow fired a blast at Blood, striking him in the chest. It extremely wounded him, but due to the armor he was wearing it didn't kill him. He fled though, telling me that he would remember what I did to him that day."

"I then turned my attention to Oaken who was laying on the ground and quickly bleeding out. He told me where his pod was and I flew him down there as fast as Shadow could fly. There I worked anxiously to save his life. He miraculously survived, and he asked me to join his crew. I originally wasn't going to, still stuck on trying to save my people. But he promised me that if I could help him save these dragons from Blood, then he would in turn help me save my people from the mountain tribe. I agreed, and we've been a team ever since."

"That was five years ago and you still are staying with him? What about your people?"

"I want nothing more then to free my family, but Oaken needs me more, that island is filled with the most endangered species of dragons in the world. If Blood finds it, they will all parish."

"I will help you save those dragons, but you said it's only you and him now, I've never faced Blood myself but what it sounds like Oaken had a whole team and they couldn't stop him. You two will never stand a chance on your own. You went out that day to find help for your people. I will be that help. I will help you free your people, then your people will help us defeat Blood."

"I can't turn my back on Oaken, he needs me."

"And with me by your side, this mission will not take long."

"You don't know the mountain tribe,"

"And they don't know me."

"You serious about this, you and I just met."

"You saved my life, now let me save your home. I owe you at least that. Besides you and Oaken need more help to stop Blood."

Raider smiled, "Well then, what are we waiting for? To the jungle tribe."

Cloud Guy was high in the sky meditating, as far away from any noises as possible. Reby had came to him and told him about what Branch had done and ever since then he had been meditating trying to find a vision to discover what he was up too. So there he had sat completely still and silent for twelve hours as he meditated. Suddenly his eyes shot wide open, he did see a vision, but not of Branch.

"Poppy? She's alive? She's alive!" Cloud Guy quickly flew down from the clouds and into his home, where he gazed into his crystal ball, to gaze for himself if Poppy was indeed alive. There he saw Poppy, on a boat with this strange looking black troll that was obviously not part of their tribe.

"I don't believe it, she's alive! Wait? Was I wrong on something? I'm never wrong on anything! I've got to see how this happened." Cloud Guy turned to investigate when he suddenly paused, he just saw another vision, this one was indeed of Branch. Cloud Guy turned to his crystal ball again and he saw Branch flying toward the direction of a certain island. But it wasn't just any island, it was a island Cloud Guy was familiar with as the dragon utopia. The last safe haven for the worlds most endangered dragons, it was also the current location of Branch's grandfather Oaken.

Cloud Guy let out a small chuckle."It is time for the next chapter in your legacy kid."

How do you like what I'm doing with your character Black Raider? I know it's not quite like we originally discussed but as I sat down to write this chapter I noticed I didn't have your character quite as fleshed out as I liked so I decided to give you a more tragic back story and add in a additional subplot to help flesh your character out more. Hope you liked it.