Chapter 4: The Book Of Dragons

I race out of the training ring and without looking back run into the village. Running, something to get my brain off of well...everything. Snotlout's words sting, but I've been hit with worse. I'm used to it.

As I tear through the streets, the villagers don't even give me a glance. Had it been anyone else running through the streets in a sprint they would've pulled them to the side, asked what's wrong then sent them on their way. Vikings aren't very...affectionate but we're a close group; at least on Berk. Or, they are.

I, I am a outcast.

I sigh through my nose and break away from the street running into the woods. I rush through the trees and take in a few deep breaths as I pick my way through the forest. I hate Berk. I'm never good enough for anyone and I never will be. I grit my teeth and clench my fists before slowly letting out a breath letting my insides settle.

After wandering for a while I reach the clearing that I first met the dragon. The icicles trailing down from the branches are still standing strong. Uneasiness settles in my stomach. What if someone had found it? I got lucky, one time. I doubt it will continue.

I release a slow breath and kneel down running my hand over the ice covering it. The ice fades to snowflakes following after my hand as it does. My eyebrows meet in confusion. It...hasn't acted like this before. Usually I can touch it without anything withering away. Is my curse fading?

Or growing stronger?

I bite my lip heavily at the latter of the two and watch my hands for a moment spreading my clenched fist out. The snowflakes immediately return to their previous state. Stronger. I can't be getting stronger! It's hard to keep hidden now, it'll be impossible if it gets any stronger. It can't!

I clench my teeth together and force my haunted gaze to turn to the frozen bola. Iyn, you're here for the dragon, not to freak out about the curse; remember?

Right.

I shake my head forcing my thoughts to turn to the Night Fury and to return the ice later; I grab the rock to the bola and stare at it like the rock holds all the answers I'm seeking. 'A dragon will always, always go for the kill.' Gobber's voice echoes in my head. The Night Fury didn't. Why?

The saying had always been so true; why is it so...wrong?

I look down at the the rock in my hand again, "So why didn't you?" I ask. Not like the rock or the dragon is going to answer. If it did...that would be unsettling.

I put the rock down.

Get it together, breathe, Iyn, breathe.

I take in a few deep breaths before rising to my feet again. I stare down st the bola. I am going to find that Night Fury. If...its still on the island.

I shake my head to clear my buzzing thoughts and move forward, ignoring the ice behind me. I dont know what to do about it, ice melts but for some reason it hasn't. Great.

This is pretty deep into Raven Point, hopefully I'm the only one stupid enough to wander this far out.

Fingers crossed.

After around half an hour of wandering through a seemingly endless forest I reach an opening. It's familiar for some reason, I've been over every single part of Berk and know most of the forest akin to my gloves.

I move forward through the opening and duck underneath a branch and stare at the cove around me. There's sunlight fluttering down into the vegetated area cheerily. Around the center is a large pond and I grit my teeth at the sight.

The dragon, focus on the dragon. I squint, scanning around myself for several seconds trying to spot a black blob amount the forest. Tree, rock, water-its not here! What a surprise.

I let out a breath of annoyance,"Well this was stupid." I mutter and look down at my feet spotting small black dots over the ground What is that? I pick up the solid black pebble-like object and run a gloved hand along it. Dragon scales? Maybe. Unless the ground caught a horrible case of Eel Pox.

A shadow leaps over me and I dive backwards my heart racing, energy pumping through me. My eyes lock upwards as the shadow falls and glides over the lake, crashing on the opposite end.

My breath catches.

The Night Fury.

I jump to my feet and scan around myself, I need somewhere to watch it. Maybe get some of the answers to the questions that have been rattling through my brain. To steep, narrow-there! I put a hand on the wall and jump forward onto the large rock-like ledge. My feet skid over the edge of the rock and I barely manage to pull myself back onto it.

The Night Fury leaps forward taking air, its wings pumping furiously before it crashes down several seconds later. This is amazing. I pull my notebook from my vest pocket and flip it open to a empty page doing a quick sketch of the dragon. Sloppy, but you can tell what it is. Not my best work, I'll have to darken it later add some shading... I look up again to make sure my sloppy drawing matches. Huh, no left tailfin. I scrub it out with the back of my left glove.

The dragon meets the ground again and gives an angerd roar letting out a small blast a few feet in front of it.

"Why don't you just fly away?" I whisper. The dragon tries again to take of but crashes landing next to the pond. Is it my fault? What if I've done something to it? Maybe...I don't understand.

I sigh and my hand drops onto the rock. Ice forms under my fingers and I rip my hand away in horror. No! No! The gloves are supposed to keep it in! Why isn't it working!?

The ice spreads down under my feet and down the cove wall. I wince and curl my hand around the pencil trying to breathe. Stop panicking, you're making it worse! I can't! I can't! I can't!

My senses peak and I look up, meeting eyes with the Night Fury. The dragon is staring at me with slight interest and curiosity.

My eyes widen and I can't will myself to look away. My grip subconsciously tightens around the pencil and sketchbook clutched to my chest.

I tilt my head slightly and the Night Fury mimics me. A heavy ripple of thunder stops the small staring contest as I rip my gaze up towards the sky.

I groan inwardly and toss my bangs from my face. Its going to rain.

Terrific.

I grit my teeth and get to my feet my legs feeling slightly numb. I shove my sketchbook and pencil into my vest pocket before moving forward. I jump from my ledge to the higher one my hands moving outwards as I steady myself. I offer one more glance towards the Night Fury but can't spot it. Elusive.

Thunder ripples reminding me why I'm leaving in the first place and I quickly scramble up the ledge; through the passage that had brought me into the Night Fury's cove and into the forest.

I run through the woods and reach the village rather quickly. Thunder crackles and before I even reach the steps to the Great Hall rain pours down on me. I stifle a groan of annoyance. Usually, I dont go to the Great Hall to eat...I hate the stares but Gobber wanted to meet for training.

I slowly pick out an icicle from my hair. I hate rain, whenever it falls since my body temperature is that of snow-probably less- rain freezes on me. Its very irritating and hard to explain, if anyone bothers to ask. Which is rarely, but I have received the title "icicle collecter" more than once.

I push open the door to the Great Hall and push my bangs away from my eyes. Gobbers gaze briefly flickers to me before he stares at me in surprise at all of the ice hanging off of me. Yes, this is going to be hard to explain. Seeming to be unable to tear his gaze away from me Gobber says,"And where did Asher go wrong in the ring today?"

Asher sighs,"I mistimed my summersault and didn't see my...Teammate." He says. I look at the blond before I grab a plate of chicken off of their table. Snotlout scoots over preventing me from sitting next to them. Like I would have anyway. They are all idiots.

Ruffnut lets out a breath of disbelief, "Yeah, we noticed." She says her voice thick with sarcasm.

"No, no you we're great that was so, "Asher."" Snotlout says, trying to flirt and doing it terribly. She's had an obvious crush on Asher since we were thirteen. Her attempts to get him to like her haven't worked very well, or at all. I sit at an empty table and look back at the other table an odd longing: Acceptance. It would be nice, for once to be accepted for who I am. But that's not happening any time soon. I'm a monster, I'm dangerous. A "fragile little thing" as everyone insists.

Asher slams his cup onto the table, breaking my moody thoughts. "You think it's so "Asher" to get tripped over." He demands angrily. His eyebrows are narrowed dangerously and he looks close to diving across the table and giving her a good ol' one-two.

Snotlout huffs, "Uh, no." She says quickly, "That's stupid." She adds trying to cover up her mistake. Asher's expression, however, doesn't change.

I look at the chicken in front of me and poke at it slightly. I am not hungry. I peel my sightline away from the food back to the group.

Gobber, looking at the group with almost amusement written across his features asks, "Right, so where did Haedryin go wrong in the ring today?" He asks. I sigh and place my head in my gloved hands. Thank you Gobber for the unwanted attention. You may have it back now.

I bite my lip and inwardly brace myself.

"Uh, she showed up." Ruffnut says.

"She didn't get eaten?" Tuffnut offers.

"She's never where she should be." Asher concludes. I lift my head up and shoot Asher a dirty look. He isn't generally nasty, just never interferes when I am bullied or teased. Sort of ignores my existence which isn't much better.

"Thank you, Asher. " Gobber says sarcastically. I huff. Speak for yourself. Gobber grabs a book from who-knows-where and tosses it onto their table. "The Book of Dragons. Everything we know about every dragon we know of." Gobber says, aggressively poking the top as he does. Thunder booms outside and Gobber stares at the two large doors, then at me and sighs, "No attacks tonight, study up." He commands and walks off.

Tuffnut stops trying to get a knife to stand perfectly straight up and it clatters on the table."Wait. Read?" He asks, his expression nothing sort of horrified.

"Well we're still alive?" Ruffnut adds, her tone equal to her brother's. I sigh and stand walking over to their table. The twins, like all Vikings know how to read they just think its a waste of time. I read because books are my escape.

"Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell stuff you about?" Snotlout demands and slams her fist onto the table. Every object on it bounces and Tuffnut chuckles. I reach the end of their table and fold my arms across my chest.

"To know how to kill it, genius." I say jerking my head so my bangs fall in front of my eyes.

Snotlout looks at me, "Yeah, that's something you wouldn't know, Dainty." She says. I clench my jaw tightly and fold my fingers grip tightens. Yeah, unlike you, I dont kill things for sport.

Fishlegs perks up, "Oh! OH! I've read it like, seventy times! There's-There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water in your face. And-and there's this other one that buries itself for a week-" Tuffnut holds up a hand and closes it in a 'be quiet' gesture Fishlegs immediately snaps her jaw shut.

"Yeah, that sounds great, there was a chance I was going to read that…" Tuffnut says, Ruffnut finishes his sentence:

"But now?"

Snotlout stands,"You guys read, I'll go kill." She says and walks off the twins scramble to their feet and chase after the girl, Fishlegs quickly following. I watch af Asher through my bangs and look at the book.

"So I guess we'll share?" I ask. Asher shoots me a half glare and leaps to his feet shoving the book to me.

"Read it." He snaps and saunters from the table. My head drops slightly. I bite my lip. I didn't expect him to say yes anyway.

"Oh." I say and gyrate grabbing the book. I turn my back from him and hear the Great Hall's doors slam. He ran from me.

What is wrong with me?

I put the book down at the table I was sitting at a few minutes ago and flip open the cover. I've already read it several times but I need something, anything to get my mind off today. The dragon is building a never ending list of questions pounding through my skull.

I look down at the page, pushing the chicken leg to the side. I'm not hungry. My appetite was lost several years ago and I have yet to work up the energy and track it down. Strike class, Mystery class, Fear class.

Thunderdrum, this reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tidepools. When startled the the Thuderdrum produces a concussive sound that can kill a man at close range. Extremely dangerous. Kill on sight. Well that sounds cheery. I flip the page.

Timberjack, this gigantic creature has razor sharp wings that can slice through full grown trees, extremely dangerous. Kill on sight.

Lighting flashes and I jump, looking back out at the doors. You're fine, Iyn. Breathe.

Scauldron, sprays scalding water at it's vitom, Extremely dangerous.

I flip through several more pages;

Changewing, even newly hatched dragons can spray acid. Kill on sight. Gronckle, Zippleback, The Skrill, Boneknapper, Whispering Death.

I stop and stare at the long snakelike dragon with a large spiked tail and no legs. Hopefully, I'll never run into those. I start whipping through the pages. Burns its victims, chokes it's victims,turns it's victims inside out, extremely dangerous, extremely dangerous, kill on sight, kill on sight.

I turn to the next page, my eyes widening.

Night Fury. Speed: Unknown. Size: Unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance, hide and pray it does not find you. If this dragon is so lethal, why am I still breathing?

My sketchbook suddenly feels heavy in my pocket and I bite my lip looking up. The Vikings are still talking cheerily, unaware of my silent confliction. I close the book and stand, I'm not sure where Gobber puts it so I'll just leave it there for him to collect later.

My thoughts spin in my head as I exit the Great Hall and start to trek towards my house. The storm is over and there's a few parts of the sky where the clouds are sparse. Stars twinkle down on the isle happily and I watch them longinly.

How free they must feel in the air. I can run all I want but I'll never be free.

I reach my house a few minutes later and open the door to it. If I wasn't cursed, the cold probably would have been unbearable, I dont feel anything. I stumble up the stairs purposefully skipping the seventh step. It creaks like a dying cat everytime anyone steps on it. No matter how lightly its pressed.

I reach my room and grab my sketchbook and toss it onto my desk before pulling off my vest. I turn to grab my brush from off the piece of furniture to start extracting the ice from my hair but freeze.

My sketchbook is laying open, as if mockingly, on the pages with the Night Fury.