Chapter 19, wow, can't believe only two chaps till it's over. Thanks again for all the support
Ch. 19: An Odd Conversation
Windchaser continued to fly. She suddenly saw Toothless flying toward her. Shelen watched anxiously and then gasped in horror as Hiccup was hit by Cromaticar's tail. He fell from Toothless' saddle and down into the flames below. Toothless, though, wasn't going to let his rider die.
He dove and both dissapeared. Shelen steered Windchaser to follow but the dragoness shook her head and they veered away from the still lively flames. Shelen begged her dragon to turn around but Windchaser only flew on.
They finally landed and Shelen jumped down. She searched for Hiccup and Toothless. They finally found them and Shelen rushed over. Windchaser followed.
Shelen searched for the body of her riding partner but all that was seen was Toothless, motionless and tangled in his own tailfin rope. It reminded Shelen of when she had first seen the male Night Fury.
Windchaser walked over to Toothless and sniffed his wings. She purred to her friend and nuzzled him. Toothless finally opened his eyes and looked at the female. They exchanged a long look that told the other everything. Windchaser then lay down behind Toothless and rested her head gently onto his. Shelen knelt beside them and felt tears coming to her eyes. She held them back and clenched her hands in fists to keep from breaking down.
Suddenly they heard a voice. Shelen looked up and saw the silluette of Stoik the Vast through the gloom. He saw them and hurried over. He looked from Shelen to Toothless with Windchaser. He sank to his knees and for the first time since his wife's death, the man said to have a heart of stone, cried.
He wept and whispered how sorry he was. Toothless stirred again and looked at the man. Windchaser lifted her head and moved away as Toothless lifted his left wing then uncurled his right, to reveal the limp form of Hiccup Horrendous Haddoc III safely in the Night Fury's arms.
Stoik took the boy and took off his helmet then held the boy's body up to his ear. He heard the faint thudding of Hiccup's heart and his tears turned to ones of joy.
"He's alive! He's alive!" Stoik announced. The villagers cheered and the dragons roared. Shelen was so happy she hugged Windchaser for support. The dragoness offered her the same gesture then they all turned to Toothless.
"Thank ye for bringing him back alive." Stoik said. He then turned to Shelen and Windchaser, "And thank ye for saving us, all of us."
"We didn't do it alone, Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the Thorston twins helped us too." Shelen protested the thanks trying to give credit to all.
"Just once try to be less humble." Windchaser said with a sigh. Shelen turned to the dragoness with a smile.
"Well most of 'im was saved..." Gobber said standing next to them. Shelen looked down and saw what Gobber meant. She frowned and Windchaser's head lowered in sorrow. Toothless looked at them saddly as he lay still.
After all had settled down the injured Vikings were sent back to Berk with the teenagers on dragon back to get them taken care of soon. The teens would ask to send more ships.
The rest waited for the ships and mourned their dead. Shelen cut Toothless out of the tangled rope and the male Night Fury lay where he was a while with Hiccup held in his front paws, wrapped in Stoik's fur cape.
Shelen sat with Windchaser, resting against the dragoness' side. She felt akward with Stoik so near. Usually the chief was busy with adults and had no time for children. He had been best friends with her father before becoming chief but had never once aknowlaged her when she was old enough to remember.
"So...How long have ye been keepin' this secret?" Stoik asked.
"A few weeks I think..." Shelen replied quietly.
"Ye really helped my son a lot back there." Stoik continued.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Ye helped him to learn who he was. Yer father's told me how different ye are from the rest of us."
"Oh...Well I guess..." She muttered.
"And ye both tamed these devils? That shows how different ye both are. It makes ye special."
Was Stoik actually giving Shelen a compliment? He had never been much of an emmotional or caring man. Always using his muscles instead of his words.
"Thanks." She said quietly as Windchaser gave a large yawn, revealing all of her sharp teeth.
"They really are beautiful," Stoik said with a distant look in his eyes as he looked at the Night Furies, "Yur father sometimes would mention the beauty of dragons, but I never aknowlaged it. Always bashing in their heads." He chuckled, "But I can now see why these beasts are so mysterious. They are right for the name 'Night Fury'."
Shelen smiled and placed a hand on Windchaser's scaley black neck. The dragoness looked up at her with a smile and then drifted off again.
The boats finally arrived and the chief boarded. Shelen helped Toothless carry Hiccup and Windchaser gave the other Vikings a smug look at their terror. The ship then set sail for home again.
2 more chapter and we're done! Yay!