I am baaaack! Did you miss me? Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Dart has been crying long enough. It's time to get this story moving a little, I think... Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter two
Dart's POV

After a few hours, I realized Dagur wasn't coming back. I was tired of sitting in the dirt next to a smelly dragon carcass.

"Ooohhhh!" I moaned and sighed as I stretched myself and stood up. I know he told me not to move, but this is ridiculous, I thought. I'm leaving!

But as I began to leave, I heard the unmistakable sound of a twig snapping, and then the rustling of leaves. I wasn't alone.

"Who's there?" I cried out, suddenly very afraid. "Dagur? Is that you?" I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe. I could only stand there, screaming on the inside. Please be a sheep, please be a sheep...

"Rrrraaaaawwwwrrrrrr!" Three miniature Deadly Nadders leapt out of the bushes and I screamed out loud.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" The dragons screamed back, spines bristling and wings flaring. I ran for my life, screaming all the way.

Then, horror of horrors, I tripped on a root.

"Oof!" I grunted, and picked myself up. "Stupid tree." I was breathing heavily, and sweating too. I felt disgusting. That's one of the downsides to being a Viking: If you get dirty, you stay dirty until bath day. I realized I was going to have to wait for three days before my next real bath. Oh, well.

I knew I wasn't being followed anymore... If I had been at all. So I took a moment to take in my surroundings.

I have no idea where I am, I thought dejectedly. I was deep in the woods, I knew that. I also saw a large stone wall peeking through the branches of the tall trees.

Moving forward, I decided that the wall might provide some sort of shelter for the night- a cave or outcropping, or something. Anything would be better than sleeping out in the open.

I reached the wall, and realized I was standing at the foot of the Red Mountain. This surprised me, because the Red Mountain is in the exact center of our home, Uglithug Island. At least I know where I am now, I thought.

I walked along the side of the mountain, until I saw what looked like a flare go off partway up the mountain.

"What was that? Maybe it was a distress signal?" I wondered out loud. My imagination got the best of me. "Maybe it's Dagur! He could have gotten lost just as easily as I did!" I frantically began to climb. "Dagur! Hey, Dagur, it's me- Dart! I'm coming!"

I finally made it to where the flare went off, and found myself standing at the mouth of a cave.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice echoing through the tunnel. "Dagur? Are you there?" I entered, certain that at any moment he'd jump out and yell at me for leaving the dead Nadder.

The thing is, he didn't. The deeper I traveled into the cave, the more convinced I became that Dagur wasn't there. And there probably weren't any other people in this gods-forsaken cave, either. I had never felt so alone.

Several hours of wandering in the dark had gotten me nowhere, when suddenly-

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" I fell and began sliding down a natural slide. I was bumped and thrown by the irregular surface of the rocky tunnel, and slid faster and faster. I saw a bright light, and then I was flying through the air!

I felt a sharp pain, and my vision blurred... After just a moment of confusion, I plunged into darkness.

When I opened my eyes I found myself laying in the mouth of a cave. Sunlight streamed into the entrance, and I quickly moved toward it, savoring the warmth it gave me.

However, just as I was about to run out into the open, I saw the huge dragon laying on the rocky ground just beyond the entrance.

I froze in my tracks, realized I was in danger, spun around, and ran back into the cave... And was greeted by another dragon, growling and hissing as it stood in the opening.

"HOLY HAMMER OF THOR!" I cursed as well as an eight (okay, seven) year old could, and fell back onto my butt. I scrambled back, gasping for breath. The dragon seemed to shrink back as well, deeper into the cave. I couldn't get a good enough look at it to tell what kind of dragon it even was. Then it stopped growling, and directed it's piercing gaze at my arm... So, of course, I had to look and see what it was staring at.

My arm was dripping blood from the shoulder, which had a nasty gash in it. It was funny, moments before I hadn't felt the slightest bit of pain; now it was excruciating.

"Aahhhhh!" I hissed, clutching my wounded arm. I curled up into a ball, and prepared myself for the worst...

Which turned out to promptly be ignored by the dragon, who turned around and limped away.

Wait... It limped. I guess I'm not the only one who's hurt, I thought.

Now I wasn't sure what to do. I mean, I could try to get away now. I knew where I was. Maybe I could figure out a way home from here. But at the same time...

I didn't know for sure why I even thought about this. But the fact is that I did. Here it is: That dragon was as scared and hurt as I was. And I felt like maybe I should try to help it. There, I said it. Some Viking I turned out to be.

Well, I said it, so... I might as well follow through. Here I go.

And so I followed the dragon into the cave. Maybe that was stupid. Maybe that was reckless.

Maybe I am a Viking after all.

There we go! A mystery dragon. Ooh. What could it be? I guess you'll have to wait and see. I'm open to ideas, but I'm pretty sure I know what kind of dragon I want this to be. Anyway.

Reviewwww, please! And stay tuned for more of Darts and Daggers!