"Morning, Whisper," Sonto walked in, snapping me back to reality, "Happy Birthday."
"My leg and my wing are broken, I have no idea when I'm getting this stupid cast off, and I can't fly. I'm sorry, but I missed the happy part of this day."
"Lighten up."
"So why are you here?"
"I'm putting my foot down, Whisper. You're twenty and haven't bonded to a dragon, let alone mated. Mom was fifteen when she had me."
"I don't want a mate. I don't want to bond."
"But why?"
"Let me ask you this. Have – had you ever noticed how mom seemed just as happy when dad died?"
"Yeah, but that was because she had us. We were her greatest joy."
"But for a while I would hear her crying at night. She would be in so much pain…. I don't want to end up like that."
"There's something else you're not telling me. What is it?"
"Freedom."
"What about it?"
"I'll lose it if I mate. Freedom, I mean."
"You just need to find the right dragon."
"Why should I when I don't intend to mate with anyone."
"I know I've said that you'll never bond with anyone, but now you will." I snorted at this.
"Whisper, let's make a deal."
"I'm listening."
"I'll find 10 males for you, and you have to evaluate each one after spending a day with them. Tell me what you like and dislike about the first nine and why and I promise you that you'll have a real keeper on the tenth. You'll fall for him.
"Since this plan is doomed to fail, it's a deal."
Sonto's POV
I already knew what I had to do. I knew it would hurt her to tell her it would be time to put my plan into action when that cast on her leg and brace on her wing came off, but it had to be done. I knew my sister inside and out, and all I really had to do was pair her up with nine dragons who were her total opposite and have her befriend the tenth. I set the time for finding her a mate to start once she was up and running again. I was sure I knew which dragon she needed, but I wanted to make further observations.
Whisper's POV
I had to admit what I already knew was true. I was forming a friendship with Bennta. She would feed me, pet me, clean me, and she even told me stories. She would tell me about where she and the other humans and dragons disappeared off to most of the day. Apparently, they're expanding the village for new settlers and trade.
I also learned more about her. I was right when I said she was a runt. She's actually older than Maricela was when I lost her. Bennta is actually seventeen. I didn't know we were so close in age. That's if you don't count that mature for her species is 18 while mine is 15.
She told me all about the humans I usually see with Toothless, Stormfly, Meatlug, Barf and Belch, and Hookfang. She said their names were Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and Snotlout. And get this, humans here actually ride dragons, and the dragons actually enjoy it.
Just as Toothless asked me of my background story, I asked for his. Questions like: where was he from, what did he like most about this island called Berk, what was his name before being called Toothless. He told me he was from Hell Hein's Gate, he loved obstacles for flying, and his name used to be Torukshanto. He said it was some extinct ancient language and that it meant, "Terror of Night," but he, like all other dragons, had dropped their previous name.
"Do you live up to your old name?" I couldn't resist egging him on.
"Of course I do," he said, seeing at what I was getting at. "Why?"
"I just wasn't sure you could really terrify me is all."
"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
"Fine, I'll spare you and call off the challenge."
"I can promise you that I'll figure out how to scare you. I'll give you a whole new meaning to the word terror. Are you as good a flyer as you've said?"
"Not right now, but once I'm back in tip top condition, I can outfly you before you have time to blink."
"How about a race?"
"Tell me where and I'll do it. Starting around the docks and ending at the village square. My running against your flying."
"That hardly seems fair."
"I'll go easy on you."
"I meant flying versus running. Seems like an unfair advantage."
"I've been running for years now because I can't fly by myself. I'm the fastest thing on four legs here."
"It's just as well no riders are involved. I don't have one."
"What about Bennta? Ya'll seem pretty close. I thought, if anyone, she would've been your rider."
"I don't let humans ride me. Anymore," I mumbled the last part under my breath while looking down. "And you would've needed a rider to fly." He mulled this over a bit.
"On a day I'm not with Hiccup, we'll race."
"You're on," I was beyond pumped for this race, and Toothless chuckled at my excitement, watching energy seem to surge through me as I suddenly found it hard to stay still.
"There you are," the human known as Acke said, tying a rope around my neck. I groaned. I could adjust to humans, but never in any lifetime would I ever enjoy having something tied around my neck. She led me away to the hut full of damaged and bandaged dragons. None of the dragons were the same ones I'd seen two months ago since coming to Berk and being led through this same building. I hopped up on to a table. I watched warily as she picked up a hammer and chisel and relaxed the moment she started to chip away the clay of my cast. I was bristling with anticipation. I flexed my leg and noticed a few scales missing. It must be about time for shedding season to start. No doubt some terrible terror would swipe some of my scales for their shininess. I hated shedding. I was vulnerable and visibly lost an inch of the bulk that was my body, showing my cream colored skin and it tell-tale scars that were it not for my scales would be hidden.
A tug on my wing yanked me from my thoughts. My wing felt stiff but light as air once the metal brace was off. I stretched, popping my bones into place. How was it dragons here showed humans gratitude and happiness again? Oh! Now I remember. I licked Acke from chin to hairline while she gave light noise of surprise and a giggle.
"Hi, Wisp!" Bennta greeted me outside the hut, surprised but happy to see me. I licked her too, just about happy to see everyone now. She dropped whatever she was holding as I continued to lick her face while she laughed.
"Bennta we don't have time to mess around," Hiccup and Toothless approached us. I tackled Toothless and licked him too, much to his surprise, and I repeated the process with Hiccup. There was no one else around to lick and spend all my newfound energy on, so I began to bound in circles as I had done when I was a mere hatchling after I discovered the joys of flying. Jumping and back flipping and purring. Toothless looked on in amusement while Hiccup and Bennta began to gather up their things. I flapped my wings, causing giant gusts of wind, minus the flapping sound wings normally make.
"Let's go, Toothless," Hiccup said, but Toothless had his eyes glued to me. I stretched and tried to make myself look attractive, not for Toothless but for me. It was nice to feel I had my sleek, slender, curved figure back now that the hulking weight of my cast and brace were gone. Now I felt… pretty, cute even and powerful. Yes, definitely powerful, and curious now that I could explore the island. I would see if Berk was worth staying in, though I was hesitant for another big move considering what had happened last time.
"Come on, Toothless," Hiccup tugged on his saddle and began to lead him away, Bennta in tow. Toothless tore his eyes from me to follow Hiccup, glancing back every now and then. I followed that curiosity sticking to me.
"Come on, Toothless," Hiccup tugged on his saddle and began to lead him away, Bennta in tow. Toothless tore his eyes from me to follow Hiccup, glancing back every now and then. I followed them, curiosity leading to me.
The newer parts of the village were more spaced out than the others on account of lack of population. I watched smaller dragons heat fires for welding, smithing, and bonfires and watched the larger dragons haul heavy loads of stone, metal, and wood. I never imagined ever seeing anything like this, dragons and humans working together. Dragons in Terra Muerte would keel over if they saw this. Lord knows I almost did.
We walked into a building filled with the sound of clanking metal and the smell of burning coals, hot metal, soot, and sweat. Bennta pulled out bowls of that same red stuff we left paw/hand prints on my wall, but this time it wasn't just red but several colors. Several, spinning colors. The loud sound of crashing metal from shields someone had dropped temporarily dizzied me and I stumbled a bit while walking and Toothless stumbled into me making us a mound of tangled dragon limbs. Bennta laughed and Hiccup chuckled as we stumbled over ourselves, untangled from each other but tripping clumsily over our own four feet. Who were they to laugh? They only had two feet to trip over and managed to do it quite often. Trip, I mean.
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY YYY!" Oh my gosh! It had to be one of the most horrific and annoying sounds I'd ever heard. I almost fell again. I looked towards the curtained doorway and saw a small figure. She was small in height as well as in weight with long fiery, straight red hair that tumbled over her shoulders and cascaded down her back with a piece of silken cloth holding the hair out of her face. Her eyes were ice blue and she had freckles that ran from one cheek across her nose to the other cheek. She didn't seem happy – if the way she stomped over to one of the many burly me in the smithing shop with her pale pink, bottom lip jutting out and her eyes big and doe-like were any indication. Behind her walked in Nell. She seemed to be looking for something. She pranced towards Toothless, her obvious goal, puffing out her chest a little and sucking in her already curvy stomach. Vanity thy name is Nell. She flaunted a little bit, unaware of Toothless's unimpressed demeanor and my amused demeanor at his reaction. How far was she going to go to get to Toothless? Maybe now was the time for payback for her attitude the day we met. Karma thy name is Whisper, as is vengeance. I sauntered over to Toothless and into Nell's line of vision.
"Are you buying this?" I asked low enough for only him to hear and received the reaction I was hoping for. He chuckled.
"Not really," he replied.
"How long has she been after you?"
"A while," he grimaced and I laughed lightly, the sound coming out delicately. I guess I could understand Nell's determination. Toothless was quite handsome.
"You," Nell said pointedly, not hiding her disappointment to see me.
"Yes, me," I was, oddly enough, having fun. She wouldn't hide her attitude, I wouldn't hide my amusement.
"What do you want? Shouldn't you be with your brother, foreigner?"
"I've heard your species only recently appeared on this island." She wasn't that much newer than I.
"We don't need more dragons to settle here." Tension hung thickly in the air.
"Whisper?" Toothless asked, breaking my star/glare off with Nell.
"Hmm?"
"You pinned me to the ground and licked me earlier. What was that about?"
"Oh, I was happy. My leg and wing are better now. Now we can get to that race. Not that there'll be much competition."
"There might be because I decided to go easy on you."
"Me?! I could kick your butt in my sleep!" A stare/smirk off had begun, much to Nell's annoyance. I continued to look in Toothless's green eyes and noticed a tiny ring of amber around his pupils.
"Nell!" The whiny, red haired, female human called, "Let's go." Nell walked off muttering something about man stealing.