Hey people. Still don't own How To Train Your Dragon! Wish I did.
Happy new year by the way! Bring on 2015!
"There's so much island to explore." Aya remarked, flying on Tempest's back over Berk.
Jay and Titan were with her and they were just enjoying the setting sun together.
"It's been so long that's it's just been us four, I'm still not used to waking up to the sounds of humans and not dragons.
Aya was wearing a headress that she had produced from somewhere and Jay liked it. It suited her greatly. He looked down at the island and could make out his home.
While he and Alfie had grown up on Berk, Iesra and Aya had come from different islands and had run from their homes to embrace life with the dragons. Jay knew that Aya had left home to travel with Tempest before she had met Iesra but both had had run ins with each other's home islands. Then Alfie had saved Iesra from being taken prisoner by Berk during the war against the dragons and Jay had followed him once night and Shadowfire had reacted by kidnapping him. It had been the most rewarding kidnapping Jay had ever had since he had met Titan then.
"How are you settling in?"
"Well." Aya said. "There are too many people in the village but all I have to do is fly off and find somewhere quiet. And everyone is really friendly. Hiccup's around nearly every day to see what we're going to be doing that day and Astrid and Alfie... It might not be official but they're pretty much a couple."
.
It was dark by the time they landed. They landed at the dragon training academy and saw Fishlegs standing by the doors. He was shifting nervously.
"Hello." he stammered.
Meatlug was by his side and pushed comfortingly against her rider.
"What's wrong?" Aya asked. "Has something happened?"
"Iesra was worried you were up in the forest." Fishlegs said.
He pulled the two in and the dragons followed.
.
Everyone else was already in the academy and, surprisingly, so was Gustav. He was telling a story about creatures in the forest and him being attacked.
"I fought them off like a hero." Gustav was telling the teenagers. I kicked the nearest one and I punched another and I..."
"Well, thank you, Gustav." Hiccup said, walking over to the boy.
He told Gustav he could go on his way and the boy ran off to tell others his tale. Hiccup turned to the teenagers.
"It's probably a waste of time but we should investigate these dragon things Gustav was talking about." Hiccup said. "He said he saw them in the forest so we should start there."
He studied the teenagers and tried to work out which groups he could make that would work well.
"Astrid, Alfie, Snotlout, can you search the East of the forest? Twins, take the West. Me and Iesra will take the South."
Titan shot Toothless a knowing look but the Night Fury rolled his eyes. Toothless moved between Iesra and Hiccup, studying the teenager. Although he liked Iesra, Hiccup kept wanting to go out on rides with Iesra and Ghost and sometimes Toothless just wanted some alone time with his rider.
"That means me, Fishlegs and Aya are going to take the North." Jay said with a smile.
They all went to their dragons.
"Remember, it's probably nothing but..." Iesra said. "It's worth investigating."
"We'll meet back here in the morning." Astrid told the group.
They climbed onto their dragons and took off into the sky.
.
"It's very dark." Fishlegs reported as he climbed off Meatlug's back.
He studied the forest around him as the others landed. Aya and Jay climbed off Tempest and Titan.
"Do you think they could be dragons? Gustav didn't mention them flying." Jay said.
Aya reminded him that not all dragons flew all the time. Changewings tended to stay on the ground and Aya could list several dragons that rarely flew.
"Maybe there's another species of giant reptiles on Berk?" Aya said sarcastically.
She looked over at Fishlegs and realised he was panicking a bit.
"You better go and talk to him." Aya said as she pulled a branch off a tree and got Tempest to turn it into a flaming torch.
She began to check the shadows nearby and Jay walked over to Fishlegs. He put his hand on the boy's shoulder. Fishlegs jumped and turned to face Jay.
"There's no need to be nervous." Jay said.
"I'm... I'm not... Nervous." Fishlegs stammered.
Jay smiled knowingly but agreed with Fishlegs. He turned to Meatlug and told him to stay close to his rider. Meatlug readily agreed and moved closer to Fishlegs.
Jay watched them and turned to Aya. She was scanning the area but both were rather intimidated by the idea that they couldn't quite see deep enough into the shadows to really look around.
"We should have waited until morning." Jay muttered. "If there is something out here then we might be really at a disadvantage. Especially because we don't know the territory."
Aya nodded but smiled. She said if they always waited until they weren't at a disadvantage then they would never get anything done.
"You're unbelievable." Jay told his friend. "In a good way."
Aya turned to her companion and grinned. Fishlegs walked up behind the two of them. He took a deep breath if he was trying to inhale some form of bravery.
"I think we should... We should go on." Fishlegs said slowly.
.
They had been walking for what seemed like ages. Their dragons were walking behind them, offering protection from behind.
Fishlegs was jumping every time he heard, a twig snap. A large snap sounded from behind them.
"What was that?" Fishlegs hissed.
Jay turned to him for the fifth time that night while Aya tried not to laugh.
"It was Meatlug, once again." Jay growled.
He was at the end of his fuse and annoyed that he had to deal with Fishlegs when he needed sleep. Aya turned to Jay and told him that he needed to stay calm.
Then Fishlegs heard another noise coming ahead. All of the dragons were behind him so it couldn't have been them. Aya and Jay had actually stopped and were talking to each other in hushed voices.
There was another noise from ahead. It was the rustling of leaves. Fishlegs paled.
"There's something there." Fishlegs gulped.
Aya and Jay stopped. They looked at Fishlegs and frowned.
"What?" Jay growled.
"Calm down." Aya said, slapping Jay on the arm.
Jay glared at her but looked towards Fishlegs when there was movement in the direction Fishlegs was studying.
"Maybe it's just the others. It's probably Snotlout or the twins or..."
"Okay... Come out Snotlout. Tuff, Ruff." Jay said, stepping forwards.
Tempest suddenly bounded forwards and shot a burst of lightening into one of the trees nearest to Jay. The teenagers caught snatches of a large black creature in the tree with large wings held at its side and large sharp claws dug into the branch.
"What is that?" Fishlegs shouted.
"Clearly not the others!" Aya called as the teenagers decided to run.
.
Alfie and Astrid were making their way through the forest. They had reached a very dense patch of trees so Shadowfire and Stormfly had to fly above the forest. The two teenagers didn't like going there. It was too dark to see anything.
"Maybe we should search in the morning." Astrid said. "It's not like we're going to find anything except for trouble."
Alfie smirked. He turned to Astrid.
"You can hold my hand if you're scared." he smiled.
Astrid pulled away and walked further forwards. Alfie sighed and continued after her. Then there heard something ahead of them. There was something moving through the undergrowth.
"Run!" Alfie ordered, holding out his hand.
Astrid snatched it as a reaction. They ran back the way they had come. They stumbled over roots but kept together.
Then they bounded over a rock and stayed hidden. Alfie, panting to himself, shifted up and looked over the rock.
Their pursuer crashed into view. Alfie gasped.
Then he laughed.
"Astrid, you can let go of my hand." Alfie said.
Astrid stood up and pulled her hand back. Alfie smiled.
"Did we just run from a sheep?" Astrid moaned.
"We should never speak of this again." Alfie said, walking forwards and picking up the sheep.
.
"Hiccup, where's Toothless?" Iesra asked, looking around the darkness.
Hiccup looked back at his friend and frowned.
"Where's Ghost?" he asked in retaliation at the idea he had lost his dragon.
He didn't know where Toothless had gone but he was sure his dragon was nearby. Iesra walked up to Hiccup and then nodded. Hiccup's legs were swept out from under him by a camouflaged tail.
"There's Ghost. He trusts you as much as I do."
"Which is lots?"
Iesra smiled she shook her head. She helped Hiccup up. Hiccup sighed. He decided that he needed to find Toothless. He realised that he could get Toothless to come to him.
"Hey, Iesra. I think that, to make sure we can't get separated, we should hold hands."
Hiccup held out his hand. Iesra looked at him confused but went to hold out her hand. A growl from behind her stopped her hand.
"I've found Toothless." Hiccup said and the two, with their dragons, pressed on.
.
Aya turned to Jay. They were both panting. Their dragons had been lost in the trees and they were pretty sure they had lost Fishlegs too.
"We need to find him." Jay said, turning to face the trees.
Aya stared at him with a frown. She told him he could stop.
"Stop what?" Jay asked.
"Pretending you're fearless." Aya snapped. "It's what you always do and it's stupid."
She looked down at the grassy floor and frowned. Jay looked at her. He was aching to go and search for Fishlegs but he wasn't brave enough to search for him alone.
"I'm just tired." Aya lied.
Her hands twisted and pulled her hair and Jay knew she was lying. He glared at her but walked closer. He told her he wanted the truth. Aya stared at him then nodded.
"I'm terrified. For all we know, that creature has got our friends and our dragons and..." Aya sighed. "Can you just tell me that you're scared so I don't feel so stupid?"
Jay studied his friend and then nodded slowly. He told her that he was scared and that she wasn't stupid. Aya managed a slightly smile.
"So we need to find Fishlegs, before that creature finds him." Jay said.
Jay took Aya's hand and lead the way into the forest.
"Watch from behind."
.
Fishlegs could hear several creatures moving around. They were leaping from tree to tree, circling the boy. His eyes were dancing from tree to tree and he was whispering to himself that everything was going to be alright. One of the creatures leapt down from the tree. It landed in front of Fishlegs and studied him with bright, evil green eyes. Fishlegs stumbled back, landing on his back. The creature came towards him.
Suddenly sparks of orange and yellow appeared in the creature's eyes. Fishlegs glanced back and saw Jay and Aya standing there. Jay was holding the flaming torch while Aya was moving to help Fishlegs to his feet.
"Whoa." Jay breathed, using the flaming torch as a weapon to keep the creature at bay.
"It's a Wolf Fang!" Aya hissed, recognising the creature.
She could remember Wolf Fangs. Once Aya and Iesra had been attacked on an island by a pack of Wolf Fangs. They had both escaped in one piece but... It had been close
With effort, Aya pulled Fishlegs to his feet. She turned and was pulling Fishlegs away before he knew what was happening.
"We need to evacuate the village!" Aya told them all as they tried to hide in the shadows.
The creatures continued to leap about in the trees and the one on the ground stalked forwards. Aya and Jay ran, pulling Fishlegs behind them.
.
They leapt into the cover of some roots that were sticking out and hid in the shadows. For a few tense moments, they listened to the sound of their panting, thinking it was too loud. They could hear something in the tree above them, moving. Jay slowly moved a figure to his lips, an sign to be quiet that wasn't needed.
Then the movement from the tree stopped. The creature had gone. None of them shifted from their hiding place. Jay turned to Aya.
"What's a Wolf Fang?" he murmured a fraction louder than a breath.
Aya paused and took a deep breath so she was able to whisper.
"Wolf Fangs live to hunt. They hunt in packs, live in woods and have excellent night vision." Aya told them.
Fishlegs began to panic again. Jay looked at him with slight irritation in his eyes. He looked back at Aya.
"Why haven't they attacked the village yet?" Jay asked.
Aya told Jay that the Wolf Fangs wouldn't attack the village until they were sure they could hunt there.
"But now they've got a scent, they've got our scent. They'll go to the village if we go back." Fishlegs murmured.
"What weaknesses do they have?" Jay asked.
"None that me and Iesra could find last time we fought them. They don't like to fly and that's how me and Iesra escaped but we can't manage a massive evacuation of the village if we can't go there."
Aya and Jay nodded. Then Jay had an idea.
"I've got an idea but we'll need the dragons." he said.
Aya looked at him with a frown.
"And we'll need a boat. It'll take the dragons to lift the boat but..."
Jay bit his lip. He looked from Fishlegs to Aya and then down.
"Someone will have to act as bait."
.
Aya was the best choice. She knew it. Jay knew it. Even Fishlegs knew it.
They had escaped from the roots and moved out into the woods and were hunting for their dragons.
Aya knew that Titan and Meatlug would be better at moving the boat and, at night, it was also best to keep a Skrill away from large bodies of water.
They were all jumpy as they made their way through the forest. Jay was looking back, Fishlegs forwards and Aya to the sides.
"You know I'm your best chance at pulling off your plan." Aya said. "I could lead the Wolf Fangs there with Tempest with me and..."
"Your not doing it, Aya. If these dragons are as bad as you think, then you are going to be in great danger." Jay told her.
He stopped and looked at Aya. She frowned and then said that they didn't have any other options. Jay nodded and grumbled to himself. He sighed and told Aya that he hated it when she was right.
.
They had found the dragons and Aya was now running through the forest with Tempest by her side. She was being hunted by the Wolf Fangs. She could hear them tearing after her. She was sprinting, getting torn at by branches and twigs.
"Tempest, stay close!" Aya shouted.
The Wolf Fangs were getting closer, snapping after them. Aya stumbled but managed to stay balanced. She guessed the whole pack was following her. She hoped the whole pack was following her.
She caught sight of the boat and went towards it. Somehow Jay and Fishlegs had borrowed a boat that they had managed to fly into a clearing into the woods. They were going to lift the boat as soon as it had the Wolf Fangs on, lower it into the ocean and drag it to a safe island.
That was the theory. Putting it into action was harder.
Aya got Tempest to lift her onto the boat. She looked up at Jay. He was on the back of Titan, flying in the air and holding onto a rope. He looked down at Aya.
"Aya! Get off the ship!" Jay shouted down.
Aya shook her head. If she got off the ship there was always a chance that the Wolf Fangs would jump off. She stood there and watched as the Wolf Fangs moved closer.
She listened to the sound of their claws on the wooden deck and noted that it was almost as loud as her thundering heart. She looked over to Tempest. She frowned.
"Tempest, go." she said, looking at her dragon.
Tempest wanted to stay. He took off when Aya shouted for him to go.
Fishlegs told Jay they needed to raise the boat. He didn't want to. He had lost Aya in the swarm of Wolf Fangs. Knowing there was nothing he could do, he got Titan to take off.
.
Jay leapt onto the deck as soon as they reached an island. He got Titan to land beside him and scare off any Wolf Fang attacks. He searched the wreck that had once been a wooden flooring. He couldn't see any signs of Aya, alive or... Otherwise.
"Aya!" he shouted.
Titan bellowed out in his own search. Tempest landed beside Jay.
"Any sign of her?" Fishlegs called down from where he was on Meatlug, panicking. "Because Wolf Fangs are very dangerous and the stories say that they eat everything from a victim."
"Then there should be blood." Jay hoped.
He heard something from below. He frowned. Fishlegs told him to stay on the deck. Jay didn't listen. He was driven by a massive urge to find Aya. He didn't care if there was a pack of Wolf Fangs down there. He was going to find Aya no matter what it took. He told the two dragons to stay on deck and then slipped below.
.
Jay could hear Fishlegs shouting down at him that they needed to go but he wasn't leaving without Aya. He wasn't leaving going anywhere until he had either found her or her body. He didn't have any source of light and he knew how stupid he was being. He should have torn the ship apart for his search but there was a risk he would hurt Aya.
And he refused to let that happen.
He heard movement again.
"Aya, if that's you, please let me know."
There was no reply. Jay's hope evaporated. He looked down at the ground and groaned. A tear ran down his cheek and he bit his lip. Aya was gone and it was all his stupid plan.
He could hear the movements getting closer so he moved his hand towards his dagger. He didn't care about not killing dragons. One of those creatures had killed his friend and... Aya was more than just a friend.
The movement stopped right in front of him.
"Is Tempest okay?" the movement inquired.
Before he even knew what he was doing, Jay had wrapped his arms around Aya. He was so happy she was alive. He wanted to kiss her. But he didn't because he guessed she wouldn't kiss back.
Then Aya squirmed out of his grip.
"Don't you ever do that again." Jay said, using the darkness to hide his tears. "I thought you were dead."
Aya frowned and moved closer to Jay. She lifted a hand and touched his damp cheek.
"Can't get rid of me that easily." she managed.
Suddenly the door to the deck opened and Fishlegs leant in.
"Are you two done down there?" he asked.
Jay and Aya shot apart but Fishlegs gave the impression that he knew what had been going on. Aya made her way onto deck to see Tempest and Jay watched her go, smiling at her thoughts darkness.
Fishlegs smiled.
"Tell anyone and I'll let Titan sit on you." Jay told Fishlegs in a calm tone as he made his way onto deck.
.
They had returned and told the others about what had happened and how they had solved it. The rest had gone to sleep but Jay and Aya still wanted to talk and admire the stars. The streets were empty around them and even the shadows between the houses were asleep. Above them hung an endless carpet of black yet tiny sparks of light glowed and danced and swirled.
"So do you like Berk?" Jay asked as he walked through the village, looking up at the night sky and the shining lanterns that winked down at them.
"It's a great place. One of the better places." Aya admitted. "I feel at home here and that hasn't happened for along time."
They stopped and looked at each other. Jay smiled slightly and Aya found herself smiling as well. They looked up at the stars to avoid the intensity behind each other's gaze.
"One day, I'm going to take my kids and Titan's kids and we're going to fly all night when the skies are like this." Jay remarked. "Do you want to join me?"
Aya scoffed at the idea but the longer she looked at the stars and the more she remembered what had happened that day, she changed her mind.
"That would be nice."
Jay and Aya began to walk away towards Aya's house. They didn't notice when Toothless shifted and Ghost shifted his camouflage off and came out of the shadows.
"So you really think Aya and Jay would make a good couple?" Hiccup asked.
Iesra smirked and nodded. She looked at the boy beside her.
"They'd make a great couple." Iesra said. "I wonder what we should call them?"
"We'll call them what we always call them." Hiccup said with a false moan in his voice.
"But I'm sure they'll like to be called Jaya."
"We're not calling Jaya Jaya." the boy said.
He realised his mistake and frowned. Iesra smirked once again and then got Ghost to take off.
There you go, chapter number 3! Enjoy!