Httyd_raven_ch006

Valka followed Cloud Jumper up a series of stone terraces and through a few new tunnels to a warmer area of the ice haven. Like before, he helped her over rough patches, and before long they arrived at a long large ledge that provided access to a matrix of hive-like nests. They were not much more than small caves set into the side of the wall facing the large cavern. She briefly wondered why they had not simply flown up, but considering her guide, she presumed he was showing her they way so that she would be able to get to and from the cave without his help. As they passed a few, Valka noticed how homey they were. Families lay nestled in piles of wings and scales. Some nests, especially the Nadders who had an affinity for soft things, had bedded their nests with pillage goods like blankets and furs.

Warmth rolled in waves from the nesting caves and sleep called to the travel warn woman, dragging down her eye lids. She had had a huge day, and it was taking its toll. The sun had long since gone down and the only light came from the moon and stars refracting though the blue ice above. It was so peaceful, the only sounds being that of trickling water, a low rumble of the King's deep breathes from the main cavern below, and lighter snores drifting from the nests. Just as she thought she couldn't walk another step and she would fall asleep on the ledge if she had to, Cloud Jumper disappeared into the mouth of a cave.

Valka followed the Storm Cutter half expecting to see a similar pile of dragon limbs as she had in the other nests, but this particular cave was empty save her, Raven, and the blue and red dragon before her. He too had a few relics of the outside world, consisting of a few singed blankets and an odd assortment of metal bobbles in the corner.

"Don't you have family too?" Valka asked cautiously, unsure if it was a touchy subject. Cloud Jumper merely shook his head casually. Since their conversation with the King had ended, Cloud Jumper could not speak directly to Valka, which led to having to resort to simpler forms of communication until Valka learned dragonese. The large dragon circled around the center of his little stone cave, spraying a light fire across the cold floor. He looked at Valka with wide citrine eyes before motioning her over with a coo. "Oh, am I staying here too then?" She asked, touched that he would share his living space with her. Cloud Jumper snorted and nodded as if to say of course, where else?

Valka felt no uncertainty as she stepped up to the dragon and sat where he motioned, on the edge of the heated patch near the pile of blankets. Perhaps she was simply too tired to protest the living situation, or perhaps she really didn't mind living with a dragon, but when she felt the heavy presence curl up behind her and a dark wing drop over her blocking out what little light trickled into the cave, she knew then that this was where she belonged and nowhere else.

They shuffled a bit and Cloud Jumper curled completely around her. She rested her head against his neck and tucked Raven between her chest and his head in the folds of a blackened blanket. Valka chuckled and swiped the dark soot from it. Cloud Jumper gave an apologetic look, but the woman reassured him with a thin hand resting on his snout.

"Thank you," she smiled and received a draconic smile in return. She settled down for what would turn out to be the best night of sleep of her life.

…

On the other side of the archipelago, a small black form drifted in the choppy waves near a small rocky island bay. A small but steady current pulled in towards the dark shores. It bumped against the pebbled beach with a soft ssshhhh, and rocked slightly as waves rolled in and out.

"Whas' that?" A sharp whisper penetrated the night.

"What's what?" Came an equally sharp reply, a series of jittery whispers followed and a few small shadows moved along the thin tree line of the rocky island.

"That."

"I don't- oh, wait, there eet is! What is eet?"

"I don't know. That's why I asked you."

"How would you expect me to know if I hadn't even seen eet yet?"

"I was just pointing eet ou- OI, IT MOVED!" Tiny screeches pierced the air and there was a skittering shuffle.

The harsh shrieks hurt his head and coupled with the cold lapping at his scales and the burning under them, it was safe to say he was very uncomfortable to say the least. He tried to move again and only gained a white hot pain ripping through his wing and shoulder. He groaned and went limp.

"Ees it a dragon?" The whispers started up again, closer this time.

"It don't look like any dragon I've ever seen?"

"It's little…think eet's a hatchling?"

There was a hesitant pause and the shuffles got closer. The little black dragon, unsure of where he was or why he hurt so much, welcomed the voices, if only as proof that he was still among the land of the living. He tried calling out but only managed an empty croak. He slowly lifted his head and turned towards the little voices.

"Eeek!" A little bumpy shadow scuttled behind another one.

"Kakakaka! Ya' bloody coward! It's just a hatchling!" The cackling laugh sent another bolt of pain through his skull and he winced. "Oi, I think 'es hurt. Hey 'fraidy Terror, get over here."

"Ya' know what, Sharpshot, I think I'm good right here," the little shadow backed up farther while the one in front simply huffed and turned his attention back to the black dragon. "Hey, chico. Can you hear me?" He managed a weak grunt of affirmation. "Man, you's beat up pretty bad, kid. Can you move?" A sad whimper. "Alright, that's ok. Hey, you ain't gonna' eat me if I try to help, right?" He didn't get a response, the black dragon was too tired to move an eyelid let alone try to make a meal of the squeaky little shadow. "Just checking… Iggy, grow a pair and get over here now. Kid needs help…Don't worry kid, we gotchya."

The little black dragon felt relief wash over him as he felt a little nuzzle against his side. He winced when he felt another and they slipped under her battered wings, but didn't protest as he was dragged carefully from the icy water. His mind was fuzzy and refused to form coherent thoughts. Confusion was the predominant emotion, aside from the searing pain that tore at every inch of his being. Bits and pieces of images shifted across his vision. Fire, lots of it, but overwhelming darkness… and a word…

"North," he croaked, startling the two Terrors at his side.

"What was that? North? Is… that like your name or something? Or…" The Terror on his right trailed off, looking expectantly at the dark dragon hatchling, but received only a shake of the head.

"I don't know," he whimpered miserably. "I just remember… north… I gotta go north." He winced again and they stopped their walking for a moment.

"Take it easy kid, don't worry about that right now. We'll getchya taken care of," they started walking again. "Then we can worry about getting you north."

The black dragon silently thanked his saviors, but felt like he was missing something. Something important that floated just beyond his mind's grasp. Why did he have to go north? Was he flying towards something, or away? Or both? The torrent of questions crippled his mind for a moment and it was all he could do to keep stumbling forward with the help of the two Terrors… Sharpshot and Iggy, he recalled just barely. Confusion and a surprising amount of sadness weighed down his heart as he realized he didn't know his own name. Perhaps he never had one, it didn't feel like he did.

More scuttling drew his attention back to the thin looming shadows they were approaching. Whispers much like the ones that had woken him before, shuffled through the tall branching shadows. A particularly painful step brought him to his knees and what little vision he had wavered dangerously. He vaguely heard concerned voices chattering at him but couldn't focus on them, the pain clouding his thoughts and actions. Just before darkness consumed him, a little head popped up right in front of him, yellow and green with tiny spiraling horns jutting up, and bulging yellow eyes gazed unwavering at him. The shadows fell and darkness became his world yet again.

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Hello all, i am back. Wonderful vacation in the Carolinas. Saw some dolphins, mom got spooked by what she thought was a shark (*cough* Dolphin *cough*). We had a blast.

Thank you for the few fantastic reviews i've got. In response to guest MMM's question, i will not answer. Sorry. I don't want to reveal the plot. I will answer any questions anyone has about clarification of the story so far, but i dont want to give away the story. Although i think its safe to say that any father would do anything for his family. Not saying Stoick will, but he would if he could. I've said to fun chasing your imagination down now.

I like to make clarifications within the story as well, so likely as not, if you are questioning something, so is a character and ive done it for a reason, and you will find out when they do.

Thanks all,

Queer Nomad