Rescue Riders
The Dragon Talkers
Chapter 1
Huttsgalore woke up one stormy morning. The vikings found the ground all muddy, and the ocean very choppy. The waves were almost as high as the lighthouse. It was way too risky for the dragons to be flying anywhere. So they were all relaxing inside. Edelweiss and Eclipse were up in their cave also waiting out the storm. Edel looked out at the rain.
"Maybe one of these days we should go south somewhere," she said. "Somewhere sunny and warm."
"Sure," said Eclipse. "I think I've seen everything there is to see out here. We should go explore the landmass that will one day be called America. Where dragons aren't known about yet." Edelweiss smiled.
"You know Dak, Layla, and Winger didn't really live anywhere before they found this place," she said. "Kind of a shame."
"Winger told me all about that," said Eclipse. "They stayed in the wild because the humans would capture them and probably separate them. They've never known a life without each other."
"Just like us," Edelweiss said. "My parents and I have known a life with out dragons."
"Maybe your parents could adopt those guys," said Eclipse. "Since you all have so much in common."
"That's up to them I'd suppose," said Edelweiss. She leaned back against the wall. "They seem happy here." She looked back outside, and found that the rain had stopped. They both got to their feet and walked outside. The sky and sea were both still grey, but the winds were dying down.
"Glad that's over," said Eclipse. They both looked in the direction of the village. Vikings were already coming outside. Edelweiss mounted her dragon and they headed for the Roost.
They landed in the yard as the Rescue Riders came outside. They all looked around. All the buildings were still standing and all the ships, including Elbone's, were accounted for. However lots of things were scattered around the muddy ground. The yard in front of the Roost was also a mess. All the targets were soaked and falling apart, and the food barrels had been knocked over.
"What a mess," said Aggro.
"At least is all replaceable," said Eclipse. They all got to work cleaning it up. Edelweiss, Dak, and Layla repaired the targets. In no time at all the yard was looking much better. But then Chief Duggard came up the hill.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything Rescue Riders," he said. "But our sheep pens were damaged in that storm, and all the sheep escaped. Would you round them up while we repair the fences?"
"Sure thing Chief," said Dak boldly, jumping on Winger's saddle. Layla and Edel got on their dragons and they all took off.
They flew low over the woods. Cutter kept his sharp eyes open, and Eclipse kept her ears open. Soon Eclipse heard the sheep in a panic, and the howling of wolves.
"Oh no, sounds like the wolves found the sheep first," she said.
"Where are you hearing them?" Cutter asked. Eclipse pointed in the direction of the sea cliffs. Cutter scanned that area. He spotted the flock of sheep running from a pack of wolves. "This way." He led the way towards the sheep. The sheep spotted the dragons flying at them, and scattered. The dragons split up as well. Winger, Eclipse and their riders flew after Haggis who was being chased by the biggest wolf, they were heading for the cliff.
"I've got you Haggis!" Dak shouted. And before anyone could protest; he jumped off the saddle, did a crazy flip, gabbed a low tree branch, and kicked the wolf of its feet. It whimpered and ran off, while Haggis hid behind a boulder. Winger and Eclipse hovered in the air.
"How many times has he done that?" Edel asked.
"Too many times," Winger said, rolling his eyes. "It nearly gives me a heart attack every time he does it."
"He's going to hurt himself," said Eclipse. "Have you tried to stop him?"
"Yes, but he doesn't listen to me," Winger said. Edel sighed and steered Eclipse down to the ground and they all landed next to Dak and Haggis.
"Man I love rescuing sheep," Dak said, leaning casually on Haggis's side.
"You know Dak, my dad had a habit of jumping off a flying dragon too when he was your age," Edelweiss said. "Didn't matter how many times his parents and my mother warned him not to, he wouldn't listen and kept doing it, convinced nothing bad was going to happen. Then one day he landed wrong and he hurt himself so badly he couldn't walk, or ride, for three months." Dak's cheery grin faded.
"What I can't help it," he said. "It's so fun, and nothing happened this time."
"No crazy stunt is worth your life," said Eclipse. Dak got back on Winger's saddle.
"All right, I'll try to not jump off unless it's an emergency," he said.
"Good," said Winger. "Now lets get this sheep home." The two dragons took off, Eclipse grasped Haggis in her talons, and they headed back to the village.
They met up with the rest of the group, who were all holding sheep. They headed for the sheep pens just as the Vikings were finishing up the repairs. The dragons set the sheep down in the pens then landed next to Chief Duggard. He was holding a huge basket of fish.
"Thank you Rescue Riders," he said. "I've left a few baskets of fish at your Roost, as a little reward."
"Thanks Chief," said Layla. They took off again and headed for the Roost.
Sure enough when they got there, they found five baskets of fish in their yard. The dragons landed and dug in. Layla, Dak, and Edel grabbed a few for themselves as Eclipse lit the campfire. Aggro grabbed a big pike from the pile, but whimpered then dropped it when she felt a sharp pain in her mouth.
"Ow!" She exclaimed. The others looked up.
"What's wrong Aggro?" Layla asked.
"My tooth hurts," said the fire dragon, feeling around her mouth with her tongue. She flinched when she felt the pain again.
"I'll look at it," said Edel. She went over to Eclipse and pulled out her medical bag. She sat on a nearby stool. Aggro was hesitant.
"Is this going to hurt?" She asked.
"A little," said Edelweiss. "But not for very long. I'm much more gentle then some other dragon dentists I've met. I'll give you something that'll make it less painful." Aggro went over to her and cautiously opened her mouth. Edel pulled out a small black wedge and propped the dragon's mouth open. Then she pulled out her dental tools and looked at each of Aggro's teeth.
"You've fixed dragon teeth before?" Layla asked, interested.
"I check my dragons' teeth back home," Edelweiss said. "And fix what I can. I always have to use special gloves for Black Widow and Eclipse since their teeth are poisonous." She felt around in Aggro's mouth, and noticed when the dragon flinched. "I think I found the problem. There's an abscess on her upper jaw."
"What's that?" Eclipse asked.
"It's sort of like a blister," said Edelweiss. "They're very painful. But I can fix it." She pulled out a metal and glass syringe and a small vile of thick fluid. "This is the venom of a Speed Stinger dragon."
"Oh, I've heard of those," said Layla, flipping through her diary. "They have paralyzing venom in their tails."
"Yes, and with the right amount of it I can numb Aggro's mouth so she won't be in any pain as I treat that toothache," Edelweiss explained. She filled the syringe and put the vile in her bag. "This'll sting a bit, but try to keep still." Aggro went ridged as Edelweiss injected the Speed Stinger venom into her gum line near the bad tooth. Aggro soon felt a dead feeling in her mouth and the ache went away. "After this I'll check the other dragons' teeth, check for anything that could cause problems later."
"So where'd you learn to fix dragon teeth?" Winger asked.
"From my mother," said Edelweiss as she got to work fixing Aggro's tooth. "She's the world's best dragon healer. She knows everything about dragon anatomy and has saved many dragons' lives, and some humans too."
"What's anatomy?" Burple asked.
"It's your insides," Layla explained. "Your bones, your muscles, and your organs like your heart and stomachs."
"Oh, cool," said Burple. He went back to munching fish.
While Edelweiss fixed Aggro's toothache, she told her friends about her mother and all the dragons and humans she'd helped. It helped pass the time, and soon Edelweiss was all done. Eclipse brought over a bucket of fresh water as Edelweiss removed the wedge. Aggro rinsed out her mouth and she felt much better.
"Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome," Edelweiss said as she put her tools away. "You'll get the feeling back in your mouth in about an hour." Aggro went over to the pile of fish and was able to eat without pain. Dak finished up his fish and got to his feet.
"How about we go joy flying Winger," he said enthusiastically. Winger swallowed a big salmon before answering.
"I'm down," he said, going into a playful crouch. Dak jumped onto his saddle, and they took off. Layla decided to stay behind and work on her Dragon Diary, and Edelweiss checked on the other dragons' teeth.