Author's Note: I finally present the 5th chapter to Modern Dragons after having lost all documents like a stupid idiot. Viktor, Pudge, and Helga are my OCs I created specifically for this fiction. Initially Viktor and Pudge were just cardboard standee background characters with little to no character development. I'm working on an added chapter to fix all that so readers will like them more. Enjoy!
Mornings came very early for Renee. Hiccup was the first to rise like clock work every morning. According to him it was the chief's duty to rise before his people. Renee counted her blessings that she boarded with the chief. Were she not, she would have been late. Although that morning wasn't exactly easy. After tidying up her sleeping area, and first meal. She found herself before what she referred to as morning traffic. The vikings of Berk were already up and roaming, making due with their morning chores or conversing with neighbors. She like to never made it through the plaza. She was ricocheted around like a pinball trying to get through. The others still aggressive towards her being among them.
Seeing an opening between the buildings, she tucked herself in. She found herself stumbling and scrambling through tight narrow paths. Eventually she stumbled out of the off beaten path and looked behind her. The arena was in the distance.
As she came running up to the arena, she could see the others were already gathered and waiting. She recognized Helga. But on either side of her stood two young boys their age. The same boys she saw with Helga the other day. One boy was near the same height as Helga. He wore his brown hair in a short shave. Like her and Helga, he too was slender. Built for speed. The smaller boy on the other side of Helga was a bit portly. He looked like he couldn't move very fast with such a girth. But he probably had hidden muscle strength. Of which Renee lacked.
"Nice of you to finally join us." Hiccup spoke, seeing Renee approaching.
Heavy of breath, Renee lowered her head and forced a smile.
"Since Renee already trained a dragon, doesn't that disqualify him from training…?" Helga demanded.
"This training is beneficial for everyone. Regardless if they're training a dragon before others." Hiccup explained, motioning for Renee to get into line with the others.
Renee gulped as she hurried in front of the lineup of teens. She could feel their condescending glares on her. She tried her hardest not to make eye contact.
Suddenly the floor came up on her without warning. She hit the ground hard. Leaving her jarred.
"Oops. How clumsy of you." Helga remarked. The two boys laughed sickening chortles.
"I didn't know that joke predated the roman empire…" Renee mumbled as she picked herself up. Seeing that Helga had extended her foot out to trip her up. Renee joined at the end of the line on the other side of the pudgy youth. Seeing Hiccup staring at her with a brow cocked, she shrunk.
"Right then. Last week I promised an endurance run to practice our lurking and running skills. Unfortunately some things came up." Hiccup glanced up at the barely visible scorch mark above the arena. It was secured tight by Gronkle lava which had cooled and hardened. Making a tight seal.
"Before you stands a maze," He walks across the arena. "Your job is to make it through the maze without being caught and blow the horn on the other side. If you're caught, you're 'dead'." He stopped before the group.
The teens glance at the towering moveable walls before them. They were very old. Dusty. Some even bare claw scrapes.
"What's the point of this? We already know how to lurk and run." Helga argued.
"The point of this training is to combine them. Being able to avoid detection by your enemy is a valuable tool." Hiccup explained as he hopped onto Toothless' back.
In one bound, Toothless cleared the arena. The two stood on the bleachers above. With a hand signal from Hiccup, Toothless let out a deafening roar. To the other teens, that was the signal to start. But Renee flinched. Having covered her ears from the sudden deafening noise. She scrambled into the maze seeing she was left behind.
"This isn't so bad." She thought to herself aloud as she panted. Running down several paths. The curiosity of who was chasing them through the maze hadn't caught up with her until she found herself in a dead end.
"Kind of like hide and seek. Only it's hide or be killed." She back tracked. Looking up she could see Hiccup. He looked on at the field before him. Focussed on the progress of the other teens.
She paused, seeing the walls rattle from movement on the other side. Surely it couldn't be whoever was chasing them. It was moving too fast. It had to have been another of the teens. Being the new kid, that was the last thing she wanted to run in to.
She ducked down another path. Racing fast as she could to reach the end of the maze. But with each turn it felt like she was being lead further and further away.
Taking another path, Renee was beginning to lose hope of getting out of that maze. Thus far she had yet to run into who ever was chasing them. As she was about to count this as a good thing, she crashes into Helga. Helga lands on top of Renee in a heap. Renee groaned, only to gasp seeing Helga on top of her.
"Stay out of this." Helga declared as she rose to her feet. Glaring down at her. She too was short of breath.
"You don't belong here." She cleared Renee and ducked down another path.
Renee had flinched, expecting Helga to step on her. Feeling no pain, she watched her disappear around the corner. She then looked back the way she came. That's when she saw her.
Astrid. The very embodiment of death!
Renee clambered to her feet and tucked down another path. She pressed her back up against the wall. She could feel her throat tighten as her chest heaved viciously. Ever since she'd arrived, Astrid had wanted to spill her innards. And if Astrid was chasing them down in the maze, she most likely would get her chance. She could feel her stomach churn, threatening to purge its contents. She swallowed hard and tried to still her fear.
"Get your own hiding place!" A sharp whisper caught her attention. She looked across the path to see Helga opposite of her.
Renee could only dig her nails into the old pine walls and tremble. Carefully she peered around the corner. Astrid was still coming their way. Leering down every path for them. Renee tucked back against the wall before Astrid turned their way. She began to panic. She looked every direction for something, anything to distract their assailant. She then caught sight of a rock no bigger than her fist. Slowly she knelt down and retrieved it. She then peered down the path and cocked her arm.
She waited patiently. Watching as Astrid turned to inspect a noise behind her. She ignored the frantic flailing from Helga on the other side as she chucked the rock down the path. It ricocheted off the walls and clattered to the ground. But it drew Astrid's attention away from them long enough for Renee to move. Before she could take a step, Helga shoved her to the ground. She skirted around Astrid like an elegant ballerina. Trying to avoid being seen.
Renee soon realized that she was in trouble the moment she stood up. She was face to face with Astrid.
"Oh God…s." She whimpered, watching the woman sneer and take a step towards her. Her ax cocked. Immediately Renee tore down another path. Astrid hot on her trail.
She could hear the angry woman right behind her. She knew that this was no longer a game. She was struggling to survive! She pumped her legs fast as she could move them. Weaving down every path she came across trying to lose Astrid.
When she thought it couldn't get any worse, she found herself near colliding with Helga. They were both running neck and neck.
"I thought I told you to stand down!" Helga barked. She looked over her shoulder. The ear splitting war cry of the shield maiden was baring down on them. Her war ax cocked as if ready to strike them down once she came into view.
"WHOA!" Helga shrieked. Quick to duck down another path. She snarled to see Renee was following her.
"Quit following me! You're the one she wants!" Helga snarled.
Renee wasn't sure what to do at this point. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, making quick thinking impossible. Only one instinct was self aware. And that was to run. She wasn't sure where to run and blindly followed Helga.
The two turned down another path. They could hear the horn sound off in succession. Announcing that the boys had already made it out of the maze.
Helga narrowed her eyes. She wasn't about to let some whimpering outsider be the cause of her failure. As they rounded another corner, Helga could see the exit. She could see Viktor and Pudge waiting for her. She looked over her shoulder. Renee was closing in. She could see the look of relief in the youth's eyes at the sight of the exit. Without warning, Helga smashed into Renee like a football player. Renee crashed up against the moveable wall with a yelp. The wall groaned under pressure.
It was enough to slow Renee down. She stumbled, jarred from the sudden attack. Before she could regain her senses, a sharp pain struck her in the side. She was sent flying into a wall, crashing into it with a sickening crack. She landed on the floor. She wasn't sure if she was dead at this point. The final sound of the horn filled the air as she looked up. Her vision blurred, dazed from the collision. Seeing Astrid standing over her, she froze. Before she could move, a foot came down on her throat. Pressure increased. She found breathing becoming difficult. She tried to speak, but no sound came out. She clawed at Astrid's foot. Trying to pry her off.
"Astrid." Hiccup called out. Seeing the woman towering over the helpless teen. Beside him, Toothless grew anxious seeing the woman ignore Hiccup. She continued to put pressure on the youth's throat.
"ASTRID!" Hiccup thundered. His voice echoed over the arena.
At long last the pressure released off her throat. Renee gasped and began to choke. She came close to being squished like a bug. Renee gurgled and rolled over to push herself up. Oxygen to her muscles had been cut off. Making movement difficult. She waited a moment, gasping for air before she could pull herself to her feet.
She clung to the frame of the wall at the exit, still coughing. Laughter caught her attention. She looked up. The others were having a good laugh at her expense. Flushing a bright strawberry pink. Renee pushed herself off and shamefully walked past them.
It went on like this the rest of the morning. The maze would shift and change shape at the end of every run. Making every run more difficult. Renee found herself Astrid's personal target at every run. She was smacked, slammed, and smashed at the end of every run. The ridicule she got from the other teens didn't light up either.
She was relieved once training was dismissed. Her body screamed in pain from being thrashed. A nap sounded good to her. As she approached the slope leading up to the plaza, she glanced up and froze. Helga was already halfway up the slope, chatting among the other teens.
She ducks into the tiny alleyway she found that morning. Narrowly avoiding the aggressive youth. She retraced her steps. Squeezing through tight spaces and crawling across narrow ledges. Then shimmying up support posts to make it to the plaza. Pulling herself free from the tight spot. She glanced back. The teens were two feet away. Gasping, she turned and ran. Ignoring the pain in her calves.
Renee felt like she won the hundred yard dash the moment she burst through the door to the Chieftain's hut. She closed it tight behind her. She braced her back against the door. Her legs trembled from the pressure she put on them. She got lucky. But sooner or later her luck would run out. As it always did.
The following morning was the same as before. After first meal she made her way down to the arena using the alley path she'd found.
Instead of having to run a maze this time. She found herself facing a target range. Four targets faced each teen. Instead of Hiccup teaching them that morning. Eret took his stead. It turned out that Eret was the one to go to for heavy artillery. Making him the weapons expert.
"Just because you have that dragon, doesn't mean you shouldn't learn to shoot a longbow." He began.
He taught them the finer points in caring for their long bows. Because Renee was left handed, she was given a specially made longbow for lefties.
As Renee drew back her bow for the first time, she was startled by how quiet it was. She was half expecting a creak of the wood. The arrow as she loosed it was equally silent. It turned out HollyWood was making things up to make it dramatic.
Over the first thirty minuets Renee had learned proper longbow care. To keep her longbow in top working condition, she had to wax it.
One couldn't draw back on the string too long. Pudge learned this the hard way. Being his first time with any weapon, he held the draw a little too long and lost control. The string snapped from his fingers and loosed the arrow. The arrow collided into the arena wall, snapping the tip of the arrow off on impact.
One couldn't keep the longbow stringed for a long period of time. Otherwise it would put wear on the wood. Making it weak and likely to snap under pressure.
One did not have the luxury of crosshairs. You would look at your target and aim accordingly before drawing back.
By the time Renee had loosed her fifth arrow. She had learned that it was tiring work. She was grateful to be wearing bracers. Otherwise the snap of the string against her arm would have hurt. Glancing at the others, she could see they were all hitting in or around the red target. But Renee was nowhere near the target. Heaving a tired sigh, she knelt down to retrieve another arrow. She could feel her knees beginning to weaken. But she couldn't walk off. She was in a place she couldn't easily quit on something because she was discouraged. This time she had to force herself through.
Helga glanced beside her to the outsider. It seemed to her that the youth was not going to give up so easily. She then noticed the teen growing tired. A smirk began to curl in the corner of her lips. Having loosed her arrow, Helga knelt down as if to retrieve an arrow. She watched, waiting for Eret to pass behind her. Once his back was turned, she lashed out at Renee. Smacking her longbow against the back of her knees.
Renee drew her nocked arrow back. The sudden pain behind her knees was enough to knock her off her feet. She hit the ground hard. Her elbow was the first to hit the ground, loosing her arrow. Everyone grew quiet, watching the arrow arc back towards the village.
Moments later they had their answer to where it landed. The sound of Spitelout cursing could be heard from the arena. To Snotlout, the twins, and the teens this was hilarious. But to Renee, she grew concerned. A stray arrow like that could have hurt someone. Renee sighed as she lay on her back. Enjoying the cold floor against her aching sweating body as she listened to the laughter. The disappointed scowls she received from both Eret and Hiccup went unnoticed.
"She's not a dragon you can tame with time. She will never be one of us." Spitelout barked.
Renee listened to Spitelout speak down to Hiccup as if he were a child after target practice. She looked at the unstrung longbow she grasped in her hand. She had learned that the stray arrow had ricocheted off Spitelout's helmet. Lodging into the ground before him. She was grateful no one got hurt. But at the same time she felt guilty. She glanced back towards the entrance of the arena. Feeling sorry that Hiccup had to deal with her bad luck.
"See to it this doesn't happen again." Spitelout sneered. Snapping the arrow in half before tossing the bits to the floor.
Renee gulped, seeing the irate man crossing the bridge. She hurried across to get out of his way. She shrunk seeing him glare at her as he passed. She lowered her head. Watching as his shadow passed by.
"You're never going to please my uncle if you're constantly in his way." Helga stated, watching Renee shrink before her uncle.
Renee looked up at Helga, baffled. Helga was the one that knocked her off her feet as she drew her arrow back. Granted she should have expected this being beside the aggressive teen. But still. She was a victim of coincidence. She remained quiet.
"What are you even suppose to be? You dress like a girl. But you wear your hair short like a boy." Helga remarked, grabbing Renee by the neck of her shirt and yanking her up to where she could see eye to eye.
"I—I'm a girl." Renee stammered. Fearful as she cowered in the other's grasp.
"You sure don't act it." Helga huffed. This close up, Helga could see a smattering of bruising from where Astrid stepped on her the previous day. She felt a brief wave of pity. But that pity quickly washed away as she cocked her fist.
"Helga!" Spitelout's voice carried over the slope, reaching the two teens. Renee had flinched, seeing Helga's cocked fist. Ready to strike.
"Looks like today is your lucky day." Helga patted her jaw threateningly before dropping her.
Renee gulped, watching as Helga followed after Spitelout. At what point did she ever have a lucky day, she wondered. If anything luck was never on her side. As if she were cursed at birth.
She glanced back towards the arena to see a concerned Hiccup looking her way. Quickly she grabbed her longbow and scurried up the slope.
It seemed to Renee that she was in the viking version of high school. It had courses that made you cry from stress. Teachers looking forward to seeing you fail every chance they got. And the popular girl with her clique. Instead of teaching courses like biology and arithmetic. They taught you how to survive enemy fire. It wasn't a traditional high school but it was close enough.
On the third day of training, she found herself alone with the other teens. Hiccup, nor his friends were in sight that morning. The arena was vacant of life. Seeing this, Renee tried to put as much distance between herself and the others as much as she could. Which didn't work.
She found herself against the rock wall of the arena as the teens approached her.
"We're training to be Chief Hiccup's next auxiliary team. So why exactly are you here?" The strapping youth had asked, approaching her.
"He's not one of us, maybe he's here to learn our secrets? Pass them off to our enemies?" The short one, Pudge offered. He seemed a bit paranoid. Perhaps even a conspiracy theorist.
"Relax guys. SHE's not going to be here long anyways." Helga approached, pushing past the boys.
"She?" Pudge blinked in confusion. His nose wrinkled.
"She doesn't look female…" The other boy objected.
"Yeah. How do you expect to attract someone with short hair?" Pudge asked, observing her short brunette hair.
"Uh… That uh… That was never the intention." Renee stammered. Confused.
"Then you ARE a SPY!" Pudge shouted in fear. Ducking behind the taller boy.
"Relax Pudge. Not everyone is against you." Helga condescended. Once again Helga stood over Renee. She stood a solid foot and a half above her. Leaving Renee to look up at Helga.
"What I want to know is. How come you got a dragon before any of us. I was promised the first dragon. Not some know-nothing from some village I've never heard of!" Helga snarled, grabbing Renee by the neck of her shirt again. She hoisted Renee up and slammed her hard against the rock wall.
"How was I suppose to know?" Renee whimpered.
"I'm going to make you wish you never came here." Helga promised, cocking her fist back. Renee whined. She flinched. Bracing for impact.
"That's enough, Helga!" A familiar voice echoed the arena. Helga lowered her arm, looking up to see Hiccup landing. Her brows furrowed and fist lowered. But she kept her grip on Renee.
"That aggressive behavior of yours is why I chose today's course. I have hidden three clues around Berk. These clues will lead you to a flag that I've hidden." Hiccup explained.
"What does it symbolize this time?" Pudge asked curiously. Noting that most of his trainings have symbolized getting out of danger in the field.
"No symbolism. It's a teamwork building exercise. Whether you find the flag or don't does not mean you fail. You four are to meet back here with your partner." Hiccup approached the teens.
"Viktor, Pudge, you two may begin." He nodded towards the two boys. They hurried out of the arena, not wasting time.
Helga sneered, hearing the two boys were teamed up.
"You can't be serious. Me? Her?" Helga demanded, dropping Renee to face Hiccup. Renee landed in a heap.
"You need to learn to get along with her. Your uncle made it perfectly clear yesterday." Hiccup explained.
"But she won't be here long enough to be on our auxiliary team!" Helga argued.
"There's a very real possibility we may never find her clan. You need to go easy on her. You were in her position once." Hiccup spoke softly.
Renee felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach hearing Hiccup. She froze. She could feel her throat and chest tighten. Near cutting air off. The dread of being stuck in the past was all too real. Her heart thundered in her ears, drowning out her surroundings. She found it harder and harder to swallow. As if her throat had dried out.
"Just try to get along. And Helga. You're to make it back here WITH your partner. With, or without the flag." Hiccup reprimanded her.
Helga frowned. Not liking the idea at all. She glared down at her partner. Her upper lip lifted in a sneer to see that she was frozen in fear. Not even Toothless could draw her attention.
"Come on Twig…" Helga growled. She grabbed Renee by her shoulder and pulled her up to her feet. She skirted Renee and began pushing her out of the arena.
It was the stinging sensation that first drew her back to reality. The sudden pain of the second slap got her attention. She focussed her blurred vision on the snapping fingers in her face. She fluttered her eyes, trying to regain focus.
"Finally. For a second I thought I was going to have to send you off to Valhalla." Helga spoke.
Renee looked up at her before looking at her surroundings. They were no longer in the arena.
"Why do you do that?" Helga asked, watching as Renee tilted her head towards her in confusion.
"That… It creeps me out." Helga snarled.
"It's called a panic attack…" Renee spoke. Her voice cracked.
"Well, as long as you're with me, don't do that. Come on." Helga demanded and began her ascent up the slope.
Renee sighed as she rose to her feet. Steadying herself. Her legs still trembled from the after math of her panic attack. She didn't have the spine to tell Helga that she couldn't stop herself. If it happened, it happened. She'd been having panic attacks all her life. She was not in control of herself.
"Anything…?" Renee looked up. She had propped Helga up on her shoulders.
Ever since they started looking for the clues Hiccup hid, Helga put her to work. Treating her like her own personal slave. They already had their first clue. An arrow lodged in the roof of the forge. Of course Renee had to shimmy up to the roof on her own to retrieve it.
"Nothing." Helga stood on Renee's shoulders at the middle point of Berk. Thinking she could get a better view from the roof of a hut to find their final clues.
"Then ya mind getting off my shoulders? You're… Killing… Me." Renee complained. Her knees buckled under Helga's weight.
"Believe me if I was killing you, you'd know it." Helga snapped. Not finding anything, Helga hopped off Renee's shoulders.
"Maybe we should give up? Head back? Hiccup said that we didn't have to have the flag. Pudge and Viktor probably already have the flag by now." Renee offered. Feeling like they had been looking all morning. It was well into the noon hour.
"That's CHIEF Hiccup to you. We Jorgensons never give up." Helga snarled, smacking Renee upside the back of her head.
Renee yipped, and rubbed her head. All while muttering things under her breath she didn't have the courage to say aloud. Helga glared at her suspiciously.
As Renee lowered her gaze, she spotted it. A rope coiled neatly around a large boulder. She approached the boulder, inspecting it. As she pulled the rope off the boulder, she found out it was tucked tight beneath the weight.
"A clue!" Helga snapped, seeing Renee inspect the out of place element. She rushed over and shoved Renee out of her way. She tugged with all her might but the end of the rope was tightly packed beneath the boulder.
"Maybe we need to get a dragon to help." Renee righted herself. Watching Helga tug at the rope with no result.
"We don't need no dragon. Jorgensons are strong! I'll get it myself." Helga declared, failing time and time again to get the rope free.
"Seems to me Jorgensons have their heads shoved up their…" Renee mumbled beneath her breath. Watching the young teen tug at the rope.
"What was that?" Helga snapped back at her in a menacing tone, brow cocked. Cutting off Renee's mumbling.
"What?" Renee asked, acting like nothing happened. She sighed with relief when Helga turned her attention back to the rope.
If she let Helga have it her way, they would be there all day. Helga clearly wasn't as strong as her cousin or uncle. Renee glanced around the base of the boulder, noticing some rubble. She gathered up the rocks and trudged off. Helga stopped long enough to notice. Renee was absent for a few moments. Only to re-emerge leading a Gronkle to the boulder. She would place the rubble she collected two steps behind the first. Luring the Gronkle closer to the boulder.
"I told you we don't need to use a dragon." Helga argued. Infuriated that she went against her wishes. Much to her grief, the Gronkle had hiked up the boulder in its mouth and carried it off. Looking very pleased with its new chew toy as it shuffled off.
"We got the rope didn't we?" Renee replied, hoisting the rope up. Helga snatched it out of her hands and shoved her to the ground before trudging off. Infuriated that she had to have help.
Both teens sat on the highest slope overlooking Berk. Mulling over what their clues could mean.
"Arrow… and rope." Helga thought aloud. Their two clues laid out before them.
"I think the boulder was also a clue." Renee spoke up. Only to get whopped on the back of the head by Helga. Renee huffed, rubbing the sting away.
Helga was a very confusing, and vexing youth. She was as bullheaded as her uncle, making it difficult to work with her. She seemed to get aggressive when Renee suggested help of any kind. As if she was afraid of asking for help or admitting she needed it. It left her confused and conflicted with how to deal with her.
Renee thought to herself on a different level. Observing the clues before her. Rope. Arrow. Boulder. Then it dawned on her.
"I've got it!" Renee yipped with joy. She scooped the two clues up and rushed into the Haddock house behind them.
Helga watched, dubious by what Renee was up to. Renee re-emerged with her longbow and rushed further up the slope. Perplexed. Helga got up and followed after her.
Renee looked off to the northern border of the Isle. Before them a sea-stack rose high out of the ocean. And on a cliff of the sea-stack, a red flag billowed violently in the wind. Renee made quick work to string her longbow. She soon caught sight of Helga coming over the ridge of the slope, a smile crossed her lips.
"Look, on the face of that cliff!" Renee pointed out to the sea-stack.
"The flag! But… how?" Helga asked. Baffled by how fast Renee figured the clues out.
"Easy. The boulder represents land. IE, the sea-stack. The arrow represents air. And this rope." She paused, tying it tight to the arrow. She then nocked, drew back, and loosed the arrow. It soared through the air where it impacted the soft rock on the other side. Renee took the rope and tugged, making sure it was secure before tying it to a tree nearby.
"A way to cross." She gestured to the secured rope.
"You expect me to walk across rope…? Are you insane?" Helga barked.
"N-no! We zip line across!" Renee pulled her tunic off her back and strung it over the rope. She then extended her tunic to Helga.
"Ladies first!" Helga huffed, shoving Renee off the cliff.
Renee struggled to stop her. Her heels dug into what ground she could. It was too late. She was already being pulled across the rope by gravity. Renee shrieked for dear life at first. Terrified by being so high up. She gasped as she looked down. Watching the waves violently crash against the island. Gulls and dragons rode the drafts. Feeling the cold wind bracing against her face. And whipping through her short brunette hair. She began to find herself enjoying the thrill. She let out a whoop of excitement as she clung on tight to her tunic.
Before long she came to an abrupt stop as she hit the cliff. Gasping, Renee hopped down to the ledge below the rope. She yelped when part of the path gave way beneath her feet. She braced her back up against the cliff wall. She began to repeat over in her head that she wasn't afraid. She slowly edged her way towards the ledge. She got down on her hands and knees and crawled the rest of the way. Hugging the path, she inched over to the ledge. She could see the flag within reach. Part of the path began to give way again beneath her weight as she pulled back. Terrified. She looked up. Viktor and Pudge were just now coming up over the slope to see that she was already at the flag. She gulped. Her throat was beginning to dry.
She inched over to the edge again. She was already there! She couldn't give up. She thrust her arm down, grasping for the flag. Missing several times before finally grabbing it between her fingers. With a mighty yank, she pulled it free of its anchor. She leaped back as the ledge gave way. Her chest was heaving violently. Seeing how close to death she came. She then looked down at the flag in her hands. Feeling a great sense of accomplishment, she held the flag up for all of Berk to see. She let out a shrill banshee cry, whooping in victory.
Now came the daunting task of returning. Renee didn't like it. But it was the only way. She bit down tight on the flag. Putting her tunic back on over her back, she yanked the arrow free and began to tie the rope around her waist and thighs. Slowly she inched to the crumbling ledge. She could feel the bitter summer winds buffet her body. Taking a deep breath, and closing her eyes, Renee let gravity consume her.
Seeing Renee falling off the cliff, the teens ran over to the rope and began to pull her up. Helga watched on in anticipation as she pulled the rope. Renee's arm crest the ledge, reaching for anything to grab. Helga broke away and ran over. She grabbed Renee by the shoulder and hoisted her onto solid ground.
"Did everyone see that? Because I will NOT be doing that again." Renee panted. Sprawled on her back. Relieved to be on solid ground once more.
"You really are insane." Helga looked down at Renee.
Renee stared at the flag in her hands. The excitement of zipping across the open ocean still fresh in her mind. She figured that must be what it felt like to ride on the back of a dragon.
She had the evening to herself. Which suited her fine. After the last few days she didn't think her body could hold up to Snotlout's strength training. Or sword fighting with Eret. Instead she spent the evening with Thunderhead. Letting the dragon out of his pen for the evening.
She watched him. Amazed that even though she was staring at an extinct animal from her world. It was remarkable how he behaved like animals of her time.
She began to understand what Jet meant when he talked about knocking an enemy off their mount. At first she thought he was talking about horses. Which made sense at the time.
Watching as Thunderhead nimbly clawed at an itch. Renee couldn't help but to smile. Seeing her. Thunderhead approached Renee. His head tilting as though to better see her as he neared. She backed up nervously as he approached. He was right on top of her.
Renee felt her chest tighten as she saw a massive snout nearing her. She watched his nostrils flare while inspecting her. She wasn't sure what came over her. But she found her trembling hand reaching out. She could see the dagger like teeth jutting from his lower jaw. To Renee's amazement, Thunderhead bridges the gap. Pressing his hard beak against her palm. She found her fingers delicately dancing across the dragon's snout. Absorbing the texture as she ran her finger over every bump that covered his snout.
Renee found her fears had washed away as she bonded with Thunderhead. It seemed to her that the dragon trusted her well enough to let her touch him. Even as he lowered his head, brushing his hardened horn into her hand. She felt a new feeling building within.
"What do you say? Will today be the day?" She asked him, smiling as she rubbed his horn.
She listened as he gurgled under her touch. Taking it as a sign, she skirted Thunderhead and climbed into the saddle. For a moment it seemed like he was going to accept her on his back. She felt a high like no other. Then it began.
Thunderhead tore off. Bounding through the arena, trying to buck her off his back. Renee wailed as she clung on tight to the saddle bars. Thunderhead slammed his body up against the wall several times trying to knock her off his back. But she was stubborn. Although jarred, she clung tight to the saddle.
With a powerful snap of his wings, Thunderhead launched himself into the sky. He began a treacherous ninety degree aerial climb. Renee screams. Every beat of his powerful wings bucks the saddle. Renee is launched from her saddle. She can barely get her fingers around the bars anymore. She free falls for a brief moment before clinging onto a loop on the back of her saddle. She looked down. Berk was but a small dot. The air was getting thin.
Thunderhead glanced back, seeing her still clinging onto his back. He began to free fall. Dropping out of the sky. Renee could feel the Zero-Gs tearing through her body. In a flurry of aerial acrobatics Thunderhead righted himself. He began to fly through the village.
Villagers leaped out of the way to avoid being bowled over by the wild dragon. Renee looked behind her. She didn't have time to apologize as Thunderhead took her for the ride of her life.
He flew between several houses, narrowly avoiding other incoming dragons. He stirred up a clutch of hatchlings as he flew overhead. Renee began to climb back to her seat as Thunderhead flew level. She reached out for the handlebars. The turbulence of his flying held her back. Thunderhead pushed himself off of a dividing wall, hoping to buck Renee off. It was enough force to get her back into her saddle once more. She plants her feet firmly in the stirrups. Then tucks herself tight against Thunderhead.
"Oh please… No." Renee whimpered, seeing him heading right for the Meade Hall.
"Turn! Turn!" Renee begged. She wails as Thunderhead snaps into another ninety degree climb. Narrowly missing the mountain and scaring vikings in his wake. She looks back, wincing upon seeing angry glares and hearing shouts.
Thunderhead whips past Gothi's hut and begins to arc over backwards. Flying UPSIDE DOWN. Renee cried as she tried to keep her grip on the saddle. With a defiant snort, Thunderhead began to roll. Renee screams as she looses her grip. She's knocked away with a loud whack. Thunderhead rights himself before heading back to the arena. Renee plummets to the island below.
"I'm telling you the boy is a bleeding heart. He doesn't seem to understand that you can't train humans like you can dragons." Spitelout conversed. Sven followed at his side, nodding all the while.
"Now Stoick was a great leader. He knew the importance of keeping to our own. He understood how dangerous it was to let in —" Spitelout stopped mid sentence. In his spread arms, Renee had landed with a sharp exhale as the air escaped her.
"Outsiders…" Spitelout continued. Glaring at the floppy youth in his arms. He glanced up. Watching as a dragon, HER dragon, flew back to the arena. He then looked up. Seeing several dazed and disheveled vikings just now righting themselves.
"Why do I have this sinking feeling you're behind this mess?" Spitelout hoisted her up. Holding her aloft to a growing crowd of angered villagers that began to gather.
Still dazed, Renee looked up. She winced, seeing the angry crowd that had gathered. Renee cringed in Spitelout's grasp, feeling very sheepish about what she had done.
"If you're trying to get noticed. You're going about it all wrong." Viktor spoke. The group had gathered in the arena the following morning. The village was still buzzing over Renee's reckless joyride the previous afternoon.
Renee lowered her head in embarrassment. On the plus side, the others weren't trying to gut her like a fish. Maybe she was on to something. Maybe to get their respect, she had to be more reckless. The very idea of her being reckless sent cold shivers down her spine.
"With that behavior you're exhibiting you act like a Berserker." Pudge spoke in thought as the group approached.
"HEH. Maybe we should call you Renee the Reckless." Viktor chimed in. Laughing.
"Too rewarding. It should be Renee the Hiccup." Helga remarked. A smug smirk crossing her lips as she looked down on her.
Renee furrowed her brows at the very word. The same vulgar word that shadowed her like bad luck. But her anger was short lived. She'd been there only a month and even then she didn't have the guts to stand up for herself.
"Alright. We've all heard about yesterday's excitement." Hiccup interrupted as he entered the arena. In his arms he carried a crate filled with peculiar round objects. Flanking either of his sides were the twins. Their dragons followed close behind.
Renee knew from experience the moment the twins grinned, they were up to no good. And judging by their wicked smiles, she had reason to worry.
"Yesterday's exercise in team work went well. Figured I'd apply it to today's survival training." Hiccup boasted, very pleased with yesterday's results.
"Your goal today is to make it to the Mead Hall." Hiccup began as he knelt down to drop the crate.
"Pfft. I could do that blindfolded." Helga gloated, brushing off his difficult training.
"Dry. Get hit with one of these—" Hiccup stood up, pulling out a fleshy orb from his crate. He squeezed. It burst into a lob of water. "You're 'dead'. You'll be done for the day." Hiccup replied. Giving Helga a stern glare.
"There are seven of us hiding in wait for you four scattered along your path. Today working together is a must. No going off on your own this time." Hiccup explained. The twins grabbed rope from the crate and approached the teens. Tying teams of two together.
Helga looked at the rope, seeing that her end was attached once again to Renee.
"Can I trade? My partner's broken." Helga held her hand up. Involuntarily yanking Renee closer. Renee tried her best to avoid colliding into Helga. The two boys snickered.
"You four should be heading out unless you want to forfeit the run." Hiccup spoke, ignoring Helga's request.
Immediately the two teams of four teens race out of the arena. Viktor and Pudge were taking the lead, racing up the slope. Being tethered to Renee, Helga could feel the youth weighing her down. Holding her back.
"Pick up the pace! You're slowing us down!" Helga barked, yanking Renee along. Barely able to keep up with Helga who was faster.
"I'm trying!" Renee yipped, near tripping over her feet.
"Try harder!" Helga argued, yanking Renee along.
Helga yipped as a water ball went flying by her head. The familiar laughter of Snotlout filled their ears. They glanced to the side. He was already launching another water ball at them. Helga yanked Renee out of the way as the ball exploded on the ground where she once stood.
Renee looked back, panting. Relieved. She could have been hit. She was suddenly yanked along as Helga began the treacherous run. Renee looked ahead, seeing Astrid lurking on a roof. She balked. Causing Helga to near fall back.
"Not that way! If we near Astrid that's it. We're done for!" Renee panted. She looked around, scanning her surroundings. Then she saw it. The familiar opening she'd been using that entire week.
"This way!" Renee yanked Helga along for once. The two tuck between the two buildings. Narrowly avoiding water balls as they hide behind barrels.
"This isn't the path!" Helga snarled, pulling her closer.
"Chief Hiccup never said to use the off beaten path. Only that we can't separate." Renee said, holding up their tethered wrists. Helga looked at the rope, then back out the path they came. Her brows furrowed. As if she was thinking.
"I don't like it… But we've no choice if we're to get to the Meade Hall dry. Lead the way, Twig." Helga agreed to her strategy.
Renee smiled and gave an affirmed nod. She took the lead. Being familiar with the alley path. The two squeezed through tight spaces, shimmied up poles, and climbed support posts. Helga reached a bit of a rough spot climbing the support posts. Renee reached down, holding her hand out to Helga. But she batted it away. Rolling her eyes, Renee yanked Helga up against her will using the tether. The two neared the exit. They looked out. They were at the plaza. The Meade Hall was not far.
"This way, c'mon!" Helga yanked with excitement to see the Meade Hall within the distance.
Renee pulled back, preventing Helga from exiting. Before Helga stepped outside of the alley, Viktor and Pudge came rushing up the slope. Both out of breath. As they ran past the Forge, they were pelted with water balls. The twins celebrated their victory by smashing their heads together and laughing. Both Helga and Renee backed down.
"I tried to tell you…" Renee hissed under her breath.
"We still need to get past them, Chief Hiccup, Eret, and Fishlegs." Renee noted, counting on her fingers.
"Fishlegs is easy to get by. He doesn't have the aim Hiccup or Eret do. I say we run for it." Helga suggested.
Renee whimpered. The idea of going into enemy fire brought back vivid memories of trying to run away from explosions. The familiar blasts echoed her mind. She froze. Feeling as though she were back on the street. Running for her life.
"What…?" Helga noted her whimper. Only to see her freezing up. The familiar look of no life in her eyes as she stared into nothing.
"No. No. No. No! I told you not to do that around me!" Helga barked. She began to slap Renee. Trying to gain her attention. Nothing. Not even a flinch. Only soft whimpering of fear escaped her lips.
"Why me." Helga growled. She peered around the corner, sighting the remaining locations of Hiccup's crew.
Ruff and Tuff had taken up behind the Forge. Looking further up the path. She could see Toothless' prosthetic tail standing out behind a cluster of barrels. Likely Hiccup is nearby. Or it could be a decoy and Hiccup was elsewhere. She wasn't going to take her chances with that. She then sighted Eret at the base of the Meade Hall. She could tell she was going to have a difficult time getting past him. She wasn't exactly sure where Fishlegs was. For a hefty viking he hid pretty well. Creaking wood caught her attention as she backed off and looked up. Astrid was still lurking on the roofs for any sign of them.
A whimper escaped Renee, catching Astrid's attention. Helga pulled Renee back up against the building and clamped her hand down around the teen's mouth. Helga held her breath. She watched from below as Astrid peered down over the shingles. Her brows furrowed and eyes narrowed. She studied the dark alley patiently before moving away. Helga exhaled with relief. She had never seen Astrid this mad at anyone before. She looked to the fear stricken teen she held onto, wondering what she had done to upset the woman.
She peered back around the corner of the house once the roof was clear. Vikings meandered back and forth before her as they went about their daily lives. Oblivious to what was going on around them. She then remembered what her uncle had taught her. To use her surroundings when all else failed. With Renee in a state of panic, Helga had no choice. She hiked the small teen onto her shoulders. She then crouched down, watching, waiting for the right moment.
A large viking walked before her. Helga darted out, using him as a human shield to get by the twins. They tried to pelt Helga with their water filled bladder sacks. Only to wind up hitting the heavy set viking instead who shouted in anger. Helga tucked in behind another viking walking past. She weaved between vikings among the plaza. She ducked into the alley behind Toothless and peered around the corner. As she suspected, Hiccup was somewhere else. Toothless was a decoy. With Renee hoisted over her shoulder, she began to climb the rocky hill behind the huts.
Helga remained diligent. She focussed on only the back alley routes. Never did she take the straight and narrow path in the open. They would be waiting for her. She pulled herself up between two huts on the higher slope. Right outside of the Meade Hall. She looked up. Eret had it well guarded. She then glanced to the dead weight that hung over her shoulder like a burlap bag full of fish.
"Now. Or never." Helga hyped herself up. She took in a good couple of breaths before racing out. Immediately she came under fire. Hiccup was nearby on a roof, taking aim at the two youths. Helga swerved. Narrowly avoiding his attacks.
Helga ran full-tilt towards Eret. By now Renee had begun to come out of her stupor. She looked around with bleary eyes. She then saw Hiccup on the rooftop above a nearby building. She gasped. Realizing that Helga was carrying her. She pushed herself up on the teen's shoulder to look ahead of them. Helga was running in determination at Eret.
"What are you doing? We'll never make it!" Renee yelped.
"Yes we will." Helga threw Renee into the air and dropped to the ground. Renee wailed. Helga threw her leg out in a sweeping arc, sliding on loose gravel she kicked up a disorienting cloud of dust. Satisfied. Helga rose to her feet in time to catch Renee. She carried the teen bridal style as she raced up the steep stairwell to the Meade Hall.
"Never doubt a Jorgenson." Helga declared, looking at the fear stricken youth. With a disgusted grunt, she dropped the teen to the floor.
As Helga opened the door, she balked. Before her, blocking her path to the Meade Hall stood Fishlegs. A smarmy grin on his face. He carried a bucket on his shoulder.
"Always expect the unexpected." Fishlegs smirked with pride. Dunking his water bucket on the two teens.
Both Helga and Renee yipped at the bitter cold. They were soaked to the bone. The sound of laughter rose from behind them as the two turned. Hiccup and the others approached them. Irate, Helga stormed off. Unintentionally dragging a confused Renee along.