"Italics: Dragon's speaking"
*Italics: telepathical speaking*
Italics: Thinking
Dragons and Guardians: Riders of Berk
Author's note: Hiccup rides on Toothless's back while Aniu flies using her wings. And Barf and Belch is one dragon. Nava and the other guardians also fly with their wings and Nava and Aniu don't have dragons but they're still part of the Dragon Riders. This note is here just to avoid confusion.
Right now the Dragon Trainer Group consists of: Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, Stormfly, Snotlout, Hookfang, Fishlegs, Meatlug, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Barf-Belch, Aniu and Nava. From now on, they will be called the Dragoniters.
Please read and Review!
Chapter 17: Breakneck Bog
"Everybody has lost something they thought they couldn't live without. Sometimes, to find it again you have to be willing to do anything even look fear right in the eye. Just make sure you don't blink."
Stoick, Thornado, Gobber, Sonica, Hiccup,Toothless, Aniu, Fengo and Namara were flying around Berk. Trader Johann was late and they had gone out to look for him. "Where is he? He's been late before but never this late." Stoick wondered, clutching Thornado's saddle reins tightly in his hands. "I bet he got busy telling a tribe or not some of his stories and lost track of time." Fengo chuckled. "Or perhaps the weather was rough and he needed to find a safe place?" Namara guessed.
"Are you sure Trader Johann even has it?" Gobber asked from Sonica's back. The female Thunderdrum had volunteered to become Gobber's dragon until he found his own dragon. "I'm sure. I heard from Spitelout who heard from Stevenson the Shepherd who heard from Toadstat the fisherman who saw Johann put it on his boat himself." Stoick said. "Well, it doesn't get much surer than that." Gobber replied, already having lost track of who was involved.
"So who told or heard from who again?" Aniu asked, confused. "You know, it might help if Aniu and I actually knew what we're looking for." Hiccup called from Toothless's back. "We're looking for Johann. That's all you and Aniu need to know." Stoick said curtly as they flew back to Berk.
Once they landed on the docks, Stoick dismounted Thornado with a heavy sigh. "I'm sure he's just running late, Stoick." Namara said reassuringly, folding her wings. "I'm sure the thing you want will turn up safe and sound." Fengo added. "Not to worry, old friend. I agree with Fengo. It'll arrive safely and in good time." Gobber reassured, patting Stoick on the shoulder.
As the adults went back up to Berk Village and Thornado and Sonica went for a swim, an excited gleam lit up in Aniu's emerald green eyes. "You thinking what I'm thinking, my dearest surrogate brother?" She asked slyly. Hiccup nodded and patted Toothless. "Come on, bud. You, me and Aniu are going for a little field trip." He said, his own emerald green eyes gleaming. "Just a long as we don't run or fly into any danger." Toothless said, his forest green eyes lighting up.
The next morning after breakfast, Hiccup and Aniu saddled Toothless up in the Dragon Training Academy. "Okay dokey, we'll start in the West Island s and work our back." Hiccup said, storing two salmon and a bottle of water in Toothless's saddlebags. "Back from where?" Astrid asked, flying into the arena on Stormfly. "You're not going on a adventure without us, right? I thought we made a pact." Nava said, flying in after them.
(Flashback starts)
The Dragon Trainers were relaxing in the Cove, enjoying the cool breeze with their dragons. "You know, I think we should call ourselves something else other than Dragon Trainers because it's not really accurate." Aniu piped up. "I agree." Nava sighed. "So what should we call our group, riders, guardians and dragons altogether?" Hiccup asked. "I know. The Completely Awesome and Cool Dragon Riders and the Awesome Dragons and the Cool Guardians." Snotlout suggested.
"Too long, Snotlout. We need a shorter name and one that's not a mouthful to say." Astrid said. "I've got an idea. How about the Dragoniters? Because most of what we do revolves around dragons." Nava suggested. "That's perfect!" Aniu exclaimed. "I agree. As the leaders of this group, we pronounce the name to be: the Dragoniters!" Hiccup and Aniu proclaimed. "The Dragoniters!" The others cheered, dragons included. "You know, I think we should have an oath." Astrid suggested.
"That's great idea. How about this: As a member of the Dragoniters, I solemnly swear to keep the peace between humans, dragons and guardians, to help them when they are in need. I shall support my comrades and friends through in times of danger and times of peace. I shall not swerve in my duty. This I do swear. How does that sound?" Aniu asked. "That sounds really good." Hiccup said. "You got inspiration for the oath from the Guardians of Gahoole books, didn't you?" Nava asked his girlfriend knowingly. "Yep, I did." Aniu smirked. "Then, it's official." Hiccup said and the Dragoniters said the vow.
(Flashback ends)
After that, Hiccup, Toothless, Aniu, Nava, Astrid and Stormfly made a pact that they would stick together until the end. "Just a quick spin around the island." Hiccup said. "Uh-huh. Quick spin, huh?" Astrid asked, dismounting Stormfly. "With enough fish to fill Snotlout's belly?" Nava asked, taking the two fish out of the saddlebag.
"Did I hear my name?" Snotlout asked, dismounting Hookfang after the Monstrous Nightmare landed in the arena. "Ooh, is that a salmon I see?" He took one of the fish out of Nava's hand and took a bite out of the salmon. "All right, if you must know." Hiccup said, scratching his head. "And we must?" Astrid asked as Snotlout munched loudly on the fish, not caring that it was raw and uncooked.
"We're going to do something for Stoick." Aniu said. Astrid, Nava and Snotlout stared at her. "Trader Johann is bringing something for him. Something important. And he should be here by now." Hiccup said. "You're not trading him this fish, are you? Cause it's delicious." Snotlout said, speaking with his mouth full. Hookfang snatched the remains of the fish from Snotlout's hand and ate it.
"Hey!" Snotlout yelped and snapped his fingers, asking for the fish back. Hookfang regurgitated the fish back into his rider's hand. Snotlout shook it off and took another bite out of it, not caring that it was covered in dragon saliva.
"When do we leave?" Astrid and Nava asked brightly. "We need to go alone." Aniu said. "If we all disappear then my dad will get suspicious." Hiccup said. "Go alone? You two without us? (laughs) Like you two could handle if we weren't there to bail you out." Snotlout said before choking on a piece of fish. One reason why one should never talk with its mouth full. That and it's disgusting manners.
Astrid punched Snotlout in the guts and the piece of fish flew out of Snotlout's mouth. "Oh, all right, fine. You three can come but that's it. Heed my warning. I am serious." Hiccup relented.
A while later, Aniu giggled as she saw Hiccup's deadpan expression. Snotlout had gone off and told Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut and so they and their dragons came along for the trip. "Hey, Hiccup. Snotlout told us there would be salmon and I love lots of them." Tuffnut said from Belch, his half of the Hideous Zippleback he and his twin sister Ruffnut shared.
"I'm pretty sure Aniu and I said 'don't tell the others'"." Hiccup told Snotlout. "I'm pretty sure I didn't listen to you and her." Snotlout replied. "Typical Snotlout." Aniu said, making Nava laugh. "Hiccup, aren't you always it's better when we work as a team?" Fishlegs asked. "Next time I say that just slap me in the face." Hiccup said.
"I'll do it right now." Ruffnut said. "She will. And she slaps like a guy. It's awesome. Watch." Tuffnut said. Ruffnut gave her brother a hard slap across the face. "Yeah." Tuffnut mumbled woozily. "Hey, look!" Astrid yelled, pointing at the ocean. "I can't see anything through the tears." Tuffnut said, the pain from his sister's slap causing tears to leak from his eyes.
Everyone saw a large piece of driftwood floating in the ocean with a familiar man lying unconscious on it. "Is that Johann?" Nava asked. "I thought he had a much bigger boat than that." Snotlout joked. "Come on, guys. Let's check it out." Hiccup said, steering Toothless into a dive. The others followed and Toothless picked Johann up in his claws.
"There's a sea stack big enough for all of us just up ahead." Aniu said. The Dragoniters flew to the sea stack and landed. Toothless gently lay Johann down and Aniu woke the trader up. "The fog...the fog." Johann kept whispering to himself, looking traumatised. "Johann, where's your ship?" Hiccup asked. "I have no idea. All I know is one minute I was sailing in a perfectly calm sea, the wind at my back. And the next thing I know, my entire ship is pulled out from under me and I'm shark bait!" Johann exclaimed, looking frazzled.
"I don't understand." Aniu said, handing Johann some cooked fish to ease his hunger. "I do! I was three days late and trying to make up time and I got too close." Johann said, taking a bite out of the fish. "Too close to what?" Nava asked. "Too close to... Breakneck Bog." Johann said, sounding horrified.
"Breakneck Bog." The Viking teens repeated. "Many a ship has sailed into its waters, few have returned." Fishlegs said, shuddering in fright. "My grandfather told me it's pirates." Astrid put in. "That's ridiculous. Everyone knows it's haunted by a Fog Monster." Snotlout said. "Fog Monster?" Fishlegs asked fearfully.
"The legend says the Fog Monster makes this really creepy moan. Then he surrounds you and scrapes the skin off your bones! (Fishlegs shrieked in fright) And then he scrapes the bones off whatever's under bones." Tuffnut said. "And then it drops the bones from the sky." Ruffnut added. "Yes, yes, it's true. What he says. It surrounded me. " Johann whimpered.
"See? Fog Monster. Not pirates. Haha, stupid grandfather." Snotlout chuckled, earning a jab to the gut from an offended Astrid. "Johann, we have to find your ship. There's something on for my father." Hiccup said. "Yes, yes, there was. But it wasn't for your father. It was for you." Johann told him. "For me? From who?" Hiccup asked.
"It was from your mother." Johann said. "My mother?" Hiccup asked. "That's impossible." Astrid said. "Hiccup's mother was taken by a dragon when he was just a baby." Nava said carefully, not wanting to sound insensitive. "What is it?" Hiccup questioned. "I have no idea, lad. It was in a chest with the Berk crest on it." Trader Johann said.
"I have to find it. Take us back there." Hiccup said. "You show us where you were when you lost your ship." Aniu said. "No! I won't! You can't make me! I have a knife in my boot!" Trader Johann shrieked. "I don't have a knife in my boot. But no more fog, please." He said meekly upon seeing the expressions on everyone's faces. "Johann, I know you're scared but we need to find your boat." Aniu said gently.
"All right, just tell us how we can find Breakneck Bog." Hiccup said. "Head due east. There's a group of islands in the shape of a human's hand. Breakneck Bog is the thumb." Trader Johann told the teens. "Snotlout, you and the twins take Johann back to Berk. " Hiccup ordered. "Take Johann back to Berk? With this clown and those clowns?" Snotlout asked in dismay. "Would you look at him, we don't have any choice. And if anything happens, you'll be glad you have them with you." Nava said.
"Question: what are the rest of us doing?" Fishlegs asked nervously. "We're going to Breakneck Bog." Aniu said.
Before long, Hiccup, Toothless, Aniu, Nava, Astrid, Stormfly, Fishlegs and Meatlug were on their way east to the cluster of islands Johann had told them about. Fishlegs came up with proposition for Hiccup to get out of the mission and flew Meatlug closer to Toothless. "What if I gave you something from my mother? Or I could give you my mother. You'll love her crab cakes." Fishlegs bargained.
Aniu and Stormfly flew closer to Fishlegs and Meatlug on both sides of them. "The fog...the fog." Astrid and Aniu whispered in spooky voices, grinning mischievously. Fishlegs yelped in fright and Astrid and Aniu laughed. "Tears, Astrid and Aniu? Is that what you want to see?" Fishlegs asked. "Sorry, Fish. We had to play a prank on you. The opportunity was too good to pass up" Aniu giggled.
"Look, there it is! Breakneck Bog." Nava said, pointing up ahead. They flew to the island that Johann said was the thumb.
Meanwhile, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Barf-Belch were still on the sea stack. Johann was clinging onto Hookfang's neck behind Snotlout, muttering in fright. "Still waiting for salmon." Tuffnut said, getting impatient. "I want salmon too." Belch agreed with his rider. "You always want salmon." Barf told his brother-head. "Yeah, so do you." Belch retorted.
"This job is lame and so are you. Stop crying." Snotlout said to Johann. Then Ruffnut came up with an idea and lowered Barf down so she could tap Snotlout on the shoulder and whisper her into his ear. Snotlout smirked and Hookfang and Barf-Belch flapped their wings and flew off the sea stack.
The other Dragoniters had arrived at Breakneck Bog and scouted around the area but found nothing. "I don't get it. We flew all around the island. No boat." Hiccup said. "Not even the remains of a boat." Astrid added. "We must not have been searching in the right place." Aniu said. "Or maybe we missed something." Nava added. "You know what would take a boat? A Fog Monster." Fishlegs piped up.
Then the dragons, Aniu and Nava heard a rustle and a strange sound. Toothless, Stormfly and Meatlug snarled and flared their wings. Aniu had a small ball of fire appear in her hand while Nava prepared to throw an ice blast. "I'm sensing something nearby." Meatlug growled. "Me too and it doesn't sound or smell friendly." Stormfly hissed. "Me as well. If Fishlegs's theory is correct it could be the Fog Monster." Toothless muttered.
"Settle down, guys." Hiccup said, laying a hand on his Night Fury's head. "It's okay, Meatlug." Fishlegs assured his Gronckle. "What was that?" Astrid asked, grabbing two of Stormfly's horns. "Only one way to find out." Hiccup said, leading his friends further into the woods. "Wait a minute. You don't go towards the weird, scary sound." Fishlegs said. "Yeah, we do. We always do." Astrid said. "It's an occupational hazard." Nava said. "I hate that about us." Fishlegs groaned.
Time passed and they were still walking through the forest. The riders had decided to dismount their dragons and walk on foot. Fishlegs froze when he felt something crack under his feet. "Bones. That's just perfect." He muttered, seeing the pile of bones scattered across the ground. "It may just be the remains of some carnivorous animal's dinner." Aniu said. "And they didn't bother to clean up after themselves." Nava added.
They continued walking in silence until Stormfly heard something and grabbed Astrid, barely getting her out of the way of a falling ship's anchor in time. Astrid, still reeling in shock from nearly getting hit by a falling anchor, looked up and saw a large ship stuck at the top of a very high tree. "Wow. Trader Johann's ship." She gasped.
"He really got off course." Hiccup remarked. "No kidding." Aniu agreed. "How did the boat get up there?" Nava asked in disbelief. "Fog Monster." Fishlegs gulped. Everyone gave him deadpan looks. Hiccup, Astrid and Fishlegs got on their dragons before Toothless, Stormfly, Meatlug, Aniu and Nava flew up to the ship. But when the three dragons and two guardians were about to land, they backed off.
"Stormfly." Astrid yelped. "They're afraid and they're dragons and guardians, so we should ask ourselves: what are we doing?" Fishlegs gulped nervously. "The boat's too unstable." Aniu said. "It won't hold all of us." Nava added. "That's boat's not going to hold them. We have to jump down and send the dragons below." Hiccup said. "Great. That's just perfect." Fishlegs muttered. The three riders jumped off their dragons and landed (well, Fishlegs crash-landed) on the deck. Aniu and Nava dropped down and landed, tucking their wings in.
Hiccup turned to his Night Fury who was hovering patiently beside the boat with Stormfly and Meatlug. "Toothless, ground." He instructed. "Okay, come on, girls." Toothless said, flying back down to the ground with the Deadly Nadder and Gronckle following. "Stay where you can hear Daddy." Fishlegs called down to his beloved dragon.
"Okay, let's just find this thing and get out of here. We're looking for a chest with the Berk crest on it." Hiccup said before a bone landed with a clatter on the deck. "Care to explain that?" Fishlegs asked nervously before it started raining bones. "Below deck!" Astrid exclaimed. The five teens ran down a bunch of stairs and listened to the clatter of bones hitting the deck. After a few minutes, it stopped. "Maybe that Fog Monster isn't so crazy after all." Aniu said.
"Ah, it was just a little bone shower and it passed." Hiccup said. "Bone shower. Am I the only one who thinks that's weird?" Fishlegs asked. "You're not the only one." Nava said. "Okay, it's a little weird." Hiccup agreed. "So is that." Fishlegs squeaked upon hearing a scraping sound. "If I was a superstitious person, I would believe this ship was haunted by ghosts." Aniu said. "And not the Harry Potter kind of ghosts." Nava added, remembering the ghosts he had read about in the book series.
"Okay, let's just start looking for the chest and quickly, that really doesn't sound like friendly scraping." Hiccup said. As the five teens went around the ship, looking for the chest, the scraping continued. "What do you think your mother wanted to give you?" Aniu asked curiously. "I have no idea but I...Yes!" Hiccup whooped when he spotted a small chest with the Berk crest on it. Aniu giggled when she saw him hug it protectively to his chest.
Just then, Fishlegs ran up to them screaming. "Fishlegs, I found it." Hiccup told him. "Oh, thank Thor. There was hand with all the skin scraped off." Fishlegs managed to say before heavy, thudding footsteps were heard on the deck. "It's coming after us!" Astrid yelled. "Did you get the chest?" Nava asked. "Yeah, I did. Hide in there." Hiccup said frantically, spotting a closet against a wall.
Once they were inside, Hiccup closed the doors. "Nobody, breathe." He whispered. "Or move a muscle." Aniu added in a whisper. Then the doors jiggled as someone tried to open them. "I just want you to know, I love you guys." Fishlegs whimpered. "Yeah, we care about you too, Fishlegs." Aniu whispered before the doors were pulled open, causing them to scream until they saw who it was.
"Hey, guys. Need a hand?" Tuffnut snickered, holding a skeletal hand in his hand. Snotlout was wearing a golden necklace and he and Ruffnut were smirking. "Aarrgh." Astrid yelled in anger, tackled Tuffnut to the floor, pinned him down, grabbed the skeletal hand and repeatedly wacked Tuffnut over the head with it.
"Ruffnut, do something!" Tuffnut yelped in pain as the skeletal hand hit him repeatedly on the head. Instead of helping her brother, Ruffnut decided to have a go, grabbed the skeletal hand and began hitting her brother. "All right, break it up, you guys." Hiccup said, rolling his eyes. "You can hit him later." Nava said.
"So, let me get this straight, this was all you. The bones, the scraping..." Hiccup said. "That's right. And this was all you. Ooh, aah, eek!" Snotlout said. "Actually, most of that was me." Fishlegs piped up. "Okay. Why would you do that? What were you thinking?" Hiccup asked his cousin angrily. "That I was going to make you pay for sticking me with Trader Johann." Snotlout retorted. "Where is he?" Nava asked. "Don't worry about him, he's fine." Snotlout waved it off."Did you leave him on a sea stack?" Aniu asked, glaring at the Jorgenson. "Maybe, maybe not." Snotlout shrugged.
Meanwhile...I am going to make those three nitwits eat limpets for lunch. Trader Johann thought angrily as he sat on an isolated sea stack in the middle of the ocean.
"Just so you know, I'm not going to forget this. And what's with that stupid necklace?" Astrid hissed, hitting Snotlout in the gut with the skeletal hand. "Do you like it? It's just a little something I found on deck. I can grab one for you if you want one." Snotlout said suavely. Then...the ship slipped from the branches. Toothless, Stormfly, Meatlug, Hookfang and Barf-Belch shrieked in alarm and back away. Everyone on board screamed as the ship fell to the ground.
The teens groaned as they pulled themselves together. "Everyone okay?" Hiccup asked, looking around at his friends. "Right as rain." Nava groaned. "Everyone here and accounted for?" Aniu asked. "Affirmative." Nava said, checking his wings. "Uh, guys?" Astrid asked, noticing fog seeping into the ship.
"Run!" Hiccup yelled but they couldn't go anywhere as fog billowed into the lower deck. "Okay, starting to come around on the Fog Monster theory." Hiccup said before they all screamed. Eventually, the fog went away and the teens were able to regain their bearings. "We're alive, right?" Ruffnut asked before Tuffnut poked her shoulder and she slugged him in the gut.
"Can we please just get out of here?" Astrid asked desperately. "Wait! The chest, it's gone. I just had it!" Hiccup panicked, finding out the chest was longer in his arms. "Too bad, so sad. See you back on Berk." Tuffnut said, running up the stairs with his sister, Snotlout and Fishlegs following close behind.
Toothless, Stormfly, Hookfang, Meatlug and Barf-Belch were waiting for their riders and the Monstrous Nightmare, Gronckle and Hideous Zippleback crooned happily as their riders leapt off the broken ship and mounted them. "Oh, I missed you, Meatlug. Don't worry, we're going home." Fishlegs told his dragon.
"You guys go on. I have to find that chest." Hiccup said. "Do what you gotta do. See you when we see you." Snotlout said. "Oh, come on. Have a heart, guys." Aniu said. "I'm not a girl." Snotlout retorted. "Hold on, you guys. That chest is from his mother." Astrid said. "Yeah, touching story. Gotta go." Tuffnut said. "put yourself in his shoes." Astrid implored. "Shoe." Ruffnut corrected her. "Ugh. What if it was your mother?" Nava asked. Well, that stopped them in their tracks.
Sighing, Fishlegs, the twins and Snotlout got off their dragons and stood in front of Hiccup, Astrid, Aniu and Nava. The only sound that could be heard was crickets chirping "I hate you and this does not mean we're really friends." Snotlout said."Thank you, guys. I mean it." Hiccup said sincerely, ignoring what Snotlout had said."Now, let's go find that Fog Monster."
Pretty soon, the Dragoniters were flying over the trees. Through the foggy environment, Astrid saw a much foggier patch of fog which seemed to have a mind of its own and was constantly changing direction while moving at high speed. "There it is!" She yelled, pointing. "Is it just me or does fog not move like that at all?" Hiccup wondered out loud. "Not just you." Nava told him before the mass of fog split in two and went in different directions.
"There's two of them!"Snotlout shouted. "It must know it's being followed." Aniu said. "Astrid!" Hiccup yelled. "On it!" Astrid yelled back as she, Stormfly and Aniu chased after the fog. The fog lead the Dragoniters into a rocky valley.
"We lost it." Hiccup said angrily. "So did we." Astrid replied. "Uh, it didn't lose us." Tuffnut said, pointing at a incoming patch of fog. Very quickly, the fog surrounded them, causing the dragons to growl in discomfort before they flapped their wings and hovered above the ground, using their wings to send gusts of wind to blow the fog away. "What are they doing?" Ruffnut asked. "They're leaving us." Tuffnut whined. "I don't know about Firesnow, Ignitis and Infernia but I knew Hookfang never liked me." Snotlout whimpered, referring to his Monstrous Nightmare's mate, son and daughter.
"I don't think they're deserting us." Aniu said. "They're not going anywhere. Look." Hiccup said, realizing what the dragons were doing. The fog cover was blown away, revealing dozens of smoke gray dragons barely bigger than Terrible Terrors. They had a large head, no visible neck, big wings, crooked spines and very long tails with spines on the sides. Smoke gushed out of their mouths as they glared with bright yellow eyes at the Dragoniters.
"They're dragons." Astrid gasped. "That's quite a relief actually." Nava said. "I hope they'll listen to us if we try to talk to them." Aniu said. "They look pretty angry." Snotlout pointed out. "I heard many dragons that travel in packs are more dangerous than when they are alone." Nava said. "These guys are probably more dangerous than Terrible Terrors." Aniu remarked. "And I hope I didn't jinx that."
"Oh, look on the bright side, Fishlegs. No Fog Monster." Hiccup said, hoping to calm his friend down. "I feel so much better now." Fishlegs squeaked. "What are those things?" Ruffnut asked. "They're like smoky, dragon pirates without eye patches." Tuffnut said. "Not all pirates have eye patches, Tuff." Aniu said. "And not all of them have hook-hands either." Nava added.
"Smothering Smokebreath dragons." Fishlegs gasped, realizing what the dragons were. "You knew about these things?" Snotlout asked. "Well, I read about them. I didn't believe they actually existed." Fishlegs defended himself. "So, you went with Fog Monster instead?" Astrid asked. "Guys, can we please talk about this later? What else did they book say?" Hiccup asked.
"They hide themselves in a veil of smoke, they're very territorial and...I forget the third thing." Fishlegs said timidly. "The third or last thing is usually the most important piece of information." Aniu groaned. The Smothering Smokebreaths flew in to attack and the Dragoniters tried their very best to fend them off. "There's too many of them! Let's fall back!" Hiccup yelled.
"Fall back where?" Tuffnut inquired. "Give us a fire line!" Aniu ordered. "Don't have to ask us twice." Tuffnut grinned as Barf let loose a cloud of gas and Belch sparked it, causing an explosion, forcing the Smokebreath dragons to retreat. The Dragoniters flew away to a safe place. "What are we doing? Why are we still here?" Fishlegs inquired. "I can't leave without that chest." Hiccup told him firmly.
"You don't even know if they have it!" Snotlout snapped. "Well, they do have Trader Johann's ship now." Aniu said, pointing at the ship being carried by a whole bunch of Smothering Smokebreaths. "Please don't get mad at me for saying this now, but I think Smothering Smokebreaths are Mystery Class dragons. They have many qualities of that classification." Nava said.
The ship was taken into a cave with a large entrance. "I have a good idea. Let's get a closer look." Hiccup said. When the Dragoniters got a bit closer to the cave, they saw Smothering Smokebreaths fly into it. "Fishlegs, anything more you will like to share?" Aniu asked. "Unfortunately, yes. The third thing is that Smothering Smokebreaths build their nests out of metallic objects." Fishlegs recalled what he had read, looking troubled.
"That doesn't sound so cosy or does it?" Tuffnut remarked. "It's not supposed to be. They do it to protect their younglings and defend against attacks by predators." Fishlegs said. The chest had quite a bit of metal on it. No wonder they took it." Aniu remarked. "I wish I could see in there." Hiccup said. The darkness of the cave made it very difficult to see the inside. "Yeah, you do." Tuffnut snickered, holding a spyglass.
"Where did you get that spyglass?" Nava asked, wings shifting in agitation. "Duh, from the ship or whatever that was in the tree." Tuffnut answered. Hiccup snatched the spyglass from him and peered through it. Inside the cave, he saw Smothering Smokebreaths breathing fire on numerous metal objects, causing them to glow red-hot. "They're melding them altogether." Hiccup said then he saw what he was looking for. "The chest! It's in there."
"We need to draw them away from the pile of loot." Aniu said. "Maybe we can lure them away." Astrid told her friend. "With what?" Nava asked. A whistle caught their attention and they saw Snotlout polishing the golden necklace he was wearing. "Shiny." He remarked before seeing his friends staring at him. "What?" He asked. Hiccup, Astrid, Aniu and Nava exchanged looks and grinned. "You have got to be kidding me." Snotlout groaned, realizing what they wanted.
One moment, Snotlout was wearing a golden necklace fit for a king and the next moment, he was using it as bait for the Smothering Smokebreaths. "Here, dragons! I got something for you, come and get it!" The Jorgenson boy called anxiously. The Smothering Smokebreaths saw the necklace and approached Snotlout in a swarm of fog. "I'm going to make Hiccup eat that chest." He muttered angrily. Once this was all over, he was going to have a few words with his cousin.
"Quickly, those things could be done with Snotlout any second now." Hiccup said, sneaking into the cave with Toothless, Aniu, Astrid, Stormfly and Nava. "No need to tell us twice." Aniu huffed. "Uh, nice dragons. Ow! Hey, watch it! Ouch!" Snotlout yelped as the Smokebreaths attacked him. "Um, guys. They're coming." Astrid warned her friends, noticing patches of fog seeping into the cave, signalling the Smokebreath dragons return.
"Hiccup, look out!" Nava yelled as Hiccup grabbed the chest and began climbing back down the pile of metal but was forced back by some Smothering Smokebreaths. "Toothless!" He called. The Night Fury roared and used his wings to blow the dragons back. Hiccup got onto his dragon's back and made a break for the exit with Aniu following. "Hiccup, Aniu, don't leave me!" Snotlout screamed, being pinned down by Smokebreaths who were trying to get his necklace.
"Great. Toothless, plasma blast!" Hiccup ordered. Toothless fired a bright blue plasma blast at the Smokebreaths holding Snotlout down, scaring them away. "Oh, yeah!" Snotlout whooped, getting on to Toothless's back behind his cousin. Everyone flew away from the cave but the Smothering Smokebreaths followed.
"Snotlout, would you leave the necklace?" Aniu asked as a Smokebreath tried to grab it. "No, it's my shiny!" Snotlout snapped. "Well, it's you or your shiny." Aniu told him. Snotlout sighed, took the necklace off and threw it to the Smokebreath who flew back home with it. "Hookfang!" Snotlout screamed. His Monstrous nightmare grabbed him and Snotlout clambered back into his saddle.
But the Dragoniters were still being pursued by the Smothering Smokebreaths. "I think we better talk to them if we want them to leave us be." Aniu said. "Be our guests!" Hiccup called as she and Nava hovered in place before the Smothering Smokebreaths who stopped. "We would like to speak to your leader." Aniu requested.
A Smothering Smokebreath came forward. "What do you want and why did you invade our territory?" It asked. "My comrades were sent out to find a seafaring man who had gone missing. He had something on his ship that we really needed and so we came here to find it. But your fellow dragons took it and we want you to let us leave your home unpursued with the object which we have. I believe the object has no importance to you besides the metal on it that you need for your nest. The object was gift from a deceased relative of one of my friends. We will leave you alone and in peace unless we need your help with something if you let us go." Aniu said. The Smokebreath leader thought it out and said. "Very well. We will let you leave in peace and unscathed if you promise not to bother us again unless you need something from us."
"We promise." Nava said. "Okay, then. Come on, Smokebreaths. Let's go back home." The leaser called, leading his fellows back to their cave. "Aniu, that was brilliant." Hiccup said once she and Nava rejoined the group. "Yeah, I surprised myself. Let's get back to Berk." Aniu said. "Agreed." Hiccup said, leading the Dragoniters back to Berk.
"All right, that's it. A little to the left." Stoick said as the Dragoniter dragons put Trader Johann's ship down on a beach. 'We're going to have clear the forest to fix that ship." Gobber joked. "I'll find material for the new sail." Namara said. "I better tell the ship-builders to get ready for a big repair." Fengo remarked.
"We're glad you're safe, Johann. Is there anything else we can do for you?" Stoick asked the trader who stood at his side. "Yes, just give me five minutes alone with the three who dropped me back in the ocean." Johann said angrily, glaring at Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut who exchanged nervous looks.
That night in the Haddock House, Stoick and Toothless were waiting for Hiccup to open the chest. "Go ahead, son." Stoick said gently. Hiccup slowly opened the chest and took out the object inside it. It was a small, stuffed dragon with his name stitched on one side. "I remember this." He said softly. "Aye, you should. Your mother made that for you when you were just a baby. It scared you to death after she was taken. You didn't sleep for a week." Stoick told him softly.
"What? I was afraid of dragons?" Hiccup asked in shock. Toothless leaned his head closer to his rider to get a better look at the toy. "Oh, terrified. One day, we were out fishing and you threw that thing into the sea." Stoick said. "How did you find it?" Hiccup asked. "Well, it showed up in a fishing net. Trader Johann got it in a trade and contacted me." Stoick said. "I was so little when Mum...you know. I was starting to get afraid that I would forget her. But now...I love it." Hiccup said.
"Oh, Hiccup. It would make your mother very happy to hear that." Stoick said, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. That night, with Toothless and Aniu watching him, Hiccup placed the toy on his bed's headboard.
"Most people are afraid of things because they don't understand them. For me, it was dragons. Then one day, that changed and my greatest fear became my best friend."
Hiccup mounted his dragon and Aniu opened her wings. They flew out of the window and headed to the Cove where Hiccup and Toothless became friends.
(Aniu's POV:)
Once we arrived at the Cove, Hiccup and I lay on our backs on the ground and watched the stars twinkle in the night sky while Toothless curled up beside us. "Hey, Hiccup. What was your mother like?" I asked my surrogate brother out of curiosity. Hiccup frowned as he tried to remember. "From what I can remember, she was a beautiful woman. So kind, so caring, so gentle, so loving, so calm. I think she had brown hair like me and blue-green eyes. I can remember her staring at me with eyes full of love." He said softly.
"I wish I could have met her." I said. "Yeah, I wish that too. But then she was taken by a dragon in a large raid." Hiccup said miserably. "Your mother was taken by a dragon?" I asked in shock. "Yeah, Dad cried for days. And five years later, Gobber's wife and daughter were taken by a dragon as well. Gobber's wife's name was Bertha and his daughter's name was Camicazi. Camicazi, Astrid, Fishlegs and I were best friends before Cami was taken and Astrid's uncle was killed by that Flightmare."
"How was your mother taken?" I asked. I didn't want to be nosy but I have a strong sense of curiosity, as you readers probably know. "I was just a few months old when this happened. I was one of the biggest dragon raids Berk had ever experienced. It's too painful for Dad to talk about. Gobber was kind enough to give me some details after he heard what happened. While everyone was fighting outside, a large dragon broke into the house Mum, Dad and I lived in. It found me in my cradle and went right up to me. The dragon did nothing but stare. I wasn't afraid and thought of the dragon as a playmate." Hiccup said. I stared at him and he continued on.
" The dragon let me touch one of its wing claws. Mum rushed in at that point and the dragon spun around to face her but its claw accidently scratched on the chin, as you can see here (He ran a finger over a small scar on his chin. I stared at it before redirecting my focus back to his story). For a few minutes, Mum and the dragon stared at each other. Dad later told me the dragon was a Stormcutter. Then Dad ran in and threw a weapon at the Stormcutter, scaring it into breathing fire at him. Mum tried to stop them and then (Hiccup sniffled and tears welled up in his eyes, I gently put an arm of a wing around him) the Stormcutter grabbed Mum and swooped out outside, carrying her away. After that, I started fearing dragons. I miss my Mum so much." Hiccup finished his story and leaned into my embrace, his slim body shuddering with soft sobs.
"Shh, there, there. You're gonna be okay." I whispered, running my fingers through Hiccup's hair to comfort him. Toothless curled his body and tail around us. "You'll always be my family, Aniu and Toothless." Hiccup whispered. I smiled and hugged Hiccup tightly. "You'll always be my family, Hiccup and Toothless." I whispered with a smile. "You'll always be my family too, Hiccup and Aniu." Toothless said.
On an island a long distance from Berk, a woman sighed as she watched the stars. "Oh, Cloudjumper, I wish I could see my son and husband again." She said. The Stormcutter at her side crooned, nuzzled her and lay down. A Hobblegrunt, a Raincutter and a Snafflefang gave the woman reassuring nuzzles. Not one of them noticed a shooting star streak across the sky but a certain Bewilderbeast did. The Alpha dragon had a feeling that great things would happen in the near future.
I have posted Aniu and Nava's descriptions on my profile page. I might do a story with my characters information and update each chapter every time I reveal more about my characters.
Yes, I will do Dragons: Race to the Edge but I got a short story called Nava's Parents Come to Berk then I've got Defenders of Berk. After that will a story called Guardian Island, another story called Fury Island the Dawn of the Dragon Racers and finally Race to the Edge. But it will take a long while before I can publish Race to the Edge.
I have started watching a show called Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Netflix. It's pretty cool. Maybe I'll start watching Star Wars.
This chapter was twelve pages long on Microsoft Office.
Updated: 27. 01. 2016