The trek back to the village took more time than either Ember or Frankie had anticipated, sending them well into the late morning hours. It was a beautiful day out, yet Frankie was becoming more and more frustrated by the minute.
"Beryl! Stop rolling in the mud, this is the third time I've had to wipe you off!" Grabbing the Terror by his tail, she lifted him onto her shoulder. "Now you stay there."
"You ok Fran?" Ember's mouth snapped shut as Frankie shot an angry glare back at her. ("I'll take that as a no.")
"Do I look ok? I'm dirty, I'm cold, I'm tired, AND I have to put up with his shenanigans." Pointing to Beryl, Frankie sighed. "Plus I have to wait up for you and your hand."
"Hold on a second, I was in front of you until you needed to be pushed up the hill back there because you were "tired"." Holding her hand out for Frankie to see, Ember scowled. "I had to push you up the hill with ONE HAND!"
"Oh I'm not that heavy." Frankie scoffed while rolling her eyes.
"Uh, yeah you are." Ember scoffed back. "You try pushing someone up a nearly vertical slope with one hand."
"Are you calling me fat?" Frankie was in Ember's face ready to blow.
"I'm calling you heavy!" Both Ember and Frankie were facing one another with fists curled (in Embers case only one fist). Noticing the lightly evil planning look on Frankie's face, Ember took a step back with a lighter attitude. "Um…why are you looking at me like that?"
"You're becoming a nuisance." A look of wild excitement passed over Frankie's face as she cracked her knuckles with a smile. "You know what I do to the people who annoy me?"
"Fran…what are you planning?" Feeling her instinct nearly ready to kick in, Ember backed away slowly. "Fran?"
Without warning Frankie lunged at Ember.
Thinking fast, Ember turned and slipped away just as Frankie landed in the place she had been standing. "Stop this right now!" running as fast as she could to get away, Ember leaped and ducked under branches and logs lining the forest floor. "Fran!"
-Not so far away…
The entire group had been searching since dawn for both Frankie and Ember. After Frankie's horse turned up with no rider it had caused some concern that perhaps some ill fate had befallen her, and the fact that Ember had run off looking for Marble didn't make things any easier.
Both Astrid and Hiccup had led search parties consisting of Ruffnut and Tuffnut, Fishlegs and Snotlout, and even Marble and Alyssa. The entire team met near the sea cliffs to discuss their findings, which, at the moment, mounted up to nothing.
"Where could they be?" Astrid sat in the saddle of her Nadderhead looking over at Hiccup and the others.
"I don't know, but it's not safe for Ember to be out here with that serpent on the loose. Fran should be fine if she knows what she's doing." Catching the look of concern on Marbles face out of the corner of his eye Hiccup continued. "I'm sure she's fine, but we should keep trying to find her."
At that moment there came an inaudible scream from the forest, and he dragons in the group perked up with intent ears.
For a moment there was no more noise, but soon there came a distant rustling among the bushes. As it came closer the dragons became restless and each positioned it's self in defense of its rider.
"Fran! Don't you touch me!" Eyes closed and with Frankie hot on her heals, Ember rushed blindly through the trees and out into the open.
Everyone including Marble looked on in disbelief as both Ember and Frankie sped past them toward the sea cliffs.
Seeing that both Frankie and Ember would soon find themselves running off the edge, Hiccup looked to the fastest member of the group. "Toothless, don't just stand there!"
Getting the hint, Toothless dashed after the two girls followed immediately by Marble.
Catching up, Frankie almost had Ember by the pony tail before something caught her by the back of the shirt and yanked her back. "Hey! No fair, I almost had her!"
Hearing Frankie's voice getting further behind her, Ember got the message that she had stopped a little too late. ("What the…?") Opening her eyes and looking just ahead she could see the ledge fast approaching, and instinctively put on the breaks. Soon however, she found her feet slipping right over the edge, but to her surprise he didn't fall. "Oh Opicempu… Opicempu…"
With all four feet planted firmly on the cliff top, Marble lifted Ember back toward him with ease. Once he had her safely away from the cliff's edge, her prodded her everywhere he could think of trying to check for any injuries. Upon nudging her wrist, he drew back as she let out a yelp.
"Oh, hi Marble, I was looking for you." Remembering the task she had first set out o complete, Ember smiled embarrassed. "Well I guess I've found you, but what's with all the poking me with our snout?"
"Its how a dragon checks for any damage done to their rider or "companion"." Alyssa stood with her arms crossed as the others behind her did the same (even the dragons looked cross).
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
"Well it's definitely broken." Astrid held Ember's wrist with both hands examining it. "You did quite a number on it. Even I can't help you with this."
That wasn't what Ember wanted to hear at all. "Can't someone help me?" Retracting her hand, she sighed. "It's actually starting to kinda hurt…"
Seeing the look of pain on Ember's face and observing the swollen nature of her wrist, Marble let out few concerning croons as his ears fell back.
Hearing the small noises coming from beside her, Ember looked over as Marbles big loving eyes looked up at her. She had never felt like this before. Unlike the people back in her village, someone actually seemed to notice her pain and show real concern.
It was hard for her to resist reaching out and hugging the large dragon with his big round eyes. The idea of being Marbles rider both excited and concerned her. Not paying attention, she was surprised to find Marble sniffing at her wrist with a low croon. "Hey, don't worry about it. I've had bites that hurt worse than this." A smile drifted across her face and she chuckled. "So don't be too worried about something so small ok?"
Seeming to understand what had been said, Ember sat with ears at attention. However, I didn't take long before he began to scold her. He didn't appreciate the grief she had put him through the night prior, and he wasn't about to let it go by un-noticed.
"I get it, I get it!" holding both hands in the air, a chuckle escaped without Ember's consent and she immediately held her good hand over her mouth. "I understand." Unable to keep to herself, she finally broke down and wrapped her arms around his snout. "You're just like my brother, and I think that's what I like most about you."
Though no one could tell, Marble didn't quite know what this was. A hug was something entirely new to him, or at least, he didn't remember ever receiving one in the past. Attempting to give the same affection back, he pushed his head underneath Embers arm, and nuzzled against her side with a purr.
"Aww, Marble's trying to hug back." Frankie had gone from psycho to sane after returning to the village and getting something to eat.
Affection was new to Ember as well. Being a huntress was not an easy job, and often she was on her own for days at a time. When there were people around, she was either being paid for a private hunting job, or being scolded by the elder members of the tribe for being so unruly. Not even family had the time to show affection. "Well Marble, it looks like I'm going to have to go find the medical expert in this village.
At hearing this, Marble took his place at Embers side. There was absolutely no way he would be letting her out of his sight from now on.
A frustrated sigh escaped as Alyssa marched up to her. "You really should be more careful." Grabbing Embers shirt sleeve, Alyssa led her out the door followed by Marble, and Beryl. "I'll help you once, but only this once. Anything after this, and you're going to owe me through the you know what."
After the door had shut, the entire group began to talk.
"I have a few announcements to make!" Frankie smiled slamming her hand down on the table. I've found the serpents den, and it's the perfect place to set up my trap."
"I've made the chain and the arrows according to yours and Embers instructions, but they were still too heavy to shoot with a normal bow, so I had to make something capable of shooting them long distances." Hiccup sat playing with his mug and chicken leg in front of him. He didn't eat much, which is why Toothless usually had to sit and wait for him to finish. Knowing this, Hiccup found himself having to hide food under the plate or in his mug (which didn't work half the time). Either that or he would have to eat everything in front of him and then exercise more to keep the weight off. After all, he didn't want to end up looking the part of a Viking.
"Well as long as we can aim them, and we get them to stay in place, we should be fine." Fran sat down and laid out a map of the island.
The plan would soon be put into motion.