So, after many and varied adventures, I'm back. The short version is that I was returning to school from Montana. The long version can be found below. As always, I can claim nothing but the monsters in the snow and the plot-line who's ending is far from decided.
She was, to put it lightly, furious. Beaten at her own game, forced to watch her meal get better, only her common sense held her back from rushing whole-heartedly into the cavern again to pick a personal fight. But even with that, there was the not insignificant chance that she wouldn't win. The Lord of the Night was known as that title, and many others, for a good reason. The night was inherently dangerous, as all sensible creatures knew and to be lord of such a thing was both boast and proof at once. So she would wait a little longer, be a little more patient, form another plan. More would be coming soon, that was sure. More importantly was the fact that they wouldn't be 'him'. Other dragons she could and would kill with little effort. She would draw 'him' out into the open day, and then crush him for good.
Yes, it was shaping up to be a good plan, wound another, make him play hero, and turn the tables. Then she would finally-
Her thought process stopped completely, and reaction took over as something came out of the night, lunging towards her. Her earlier thoughts had been truer than she could remember, and rolling clear of the shadow falling towards her, wings snapped open and took to the frigid night air. Another few seconds of frantic flight passed before the realization that she was abandoning her entire plan to the whims of the larger predator. While she was no queen of the night, her honor had been insulted, and her dinner- now breakfast- threatened.
Roaring a challenge, she wheeled around and dived, her challenge answered by her much larger foe. This would be fun.
Inside the cave, the events occurring out in the storm did not pass unnoticed. Toothless- still on guard at the cave mouth followed the roars and occasional bright flashes as they swept back and forth across the snowswept sky. The Nightfury wasn't sure who was attacking whom out there, and in the state he was in, he had no intentions of finding out any time soon. 'She' was one of them, that was for sure, the color and briefness of the bolt attested to that. The other, well it scared him a little, deep down inside. It was the same type of flame as the queen that they had brought down not so long ago. If it was another, than they were all in more trouble than his boy could ever dream.
Glancing back into the cave briefly, Toothless saw that Hiccup was still awake and very much aware of the chaos occurring not so far away. He rumbled softly, trying to look at his boy and away from the fire at the same time. Night vision would be key in any battle fought tonight and he didn't want to lose his completely until he was sure that the fighting was over and they were safe.
"I know Toothless. Let's play quiet. Nobody home." Well, his boy had some common sense. Nodding slightly, the dragon turned back to the driving snow and resumed peering out into it for the brief flashes that would indicate fighting. It was turning out to be a very long night indeed.
Sitting there, unable to move due to the girl asleep on his shoulder, Hiccup felt his emotions warring inside of him. The battle outside meant that two very powerful- and assumedly not friendly beings were fighting over who got to eat them. This he filed under 'Very bad and nerve-wracking'. Then there was the incredibly injured girl he had his arm around, and who's head was on his shoulder. It got filed under, 'Somewhat nervous and possibly elements of that warm fuzzy feeling that she was alright'. Third most important on the list of many emotions was the sheer relief that things weren't any worse. Provided that dragon wasn't another giant, they could probably get out of this alive. Maybe. Continuing on, there was that buried emotion that was tunneling its way to the top more and more frequently. Also having to do with the girl by his side, it definitely did not start with a capital 'L' and end in 'e'. No Odin, not at all. And, if perhaps that was the right word, it would have to wait until everyone was safe, home, and not deathly ill.
A particularly loud and bright flash across the sky caught his attention, and- was that a scream? At this distance he really couldn't tell, and Toothless wasn't giving any clues. Watching the sky for a long time, searching for another flash, movement, anything at all that would indicate a fight was still going on. The windblown snow gave away none of its secrets and adding injury to insult the wind direction changed again, blowing directly into the mouth of the cave. The fire flickered, and flared up which made Hiccup wonder about the visibility of the flame briefly. Then he remembered it was blizzarding outside and with the wind blowing as it was any smoke was blowing inwards, not outwards.
And the renewed flame was certainly welcome, the windblown snow began exploring the cavern and only their close proximity to the fire spared him and Astrid from getting the majority of it. Grateful as he was, Hiccup knew that Toothless was getting the brunt of the wind and snow. His dragon seemed to be scenting the wind, and the boy wondered just what he could tell from the wind currents and smells. Smells aside, the dragon was dealing with most of the snow, and all of the wind, which was probably bad for his endurance and general well-being.
"Toothless, you can probably move back a little and take advantage of the fire. If it can find us in this, I'll be very impressed." Toothless gave another soft rumble as a reply, which the boy translated as, 'Me to' before relaxing ever so slightly and moving back towards the warmth. It was only as the dragon did so that Hiccup became aware of something that would grow to near painful levels over the night. His shoulder was asleep. Very, very asleep. And it had started to tingle. It was going to be, a long night.
Out on the snow blown plains, two creatures went their separate ways. One drug a bloody, mangled wing through the snow, the other nursed several large gashes and a torn-up wingsail. They would call it a draw, but neither had to like it.
Right, so the long version was that I got hit with a one two three punch of moving across five states to school, volunteering to Stage Manage a show, and homework. The first two are done, and it's not November and novel writing time yet, so you'll get a few more updates out of me. Lull in the actual visible action this chapter. It'll return, but not for a while. Maybe. That said, overdue review responses:
Omar: I'm not dead yet. (Ok, it's a horrible cheesy line, I'll admit it.)
CG: Thanks and sorry for the wait!
Voldyne: Better you than me. I'd be putting as many walls, doors, and continents between me and them as was physically possible. That said, it's far to much fun to write the Ice Huntress. Is that a bad thing?
Until next time all!