Tempest woke up the next morning, her belly filled with butterflies and excitement. She couldn't wait to see the others again!
Tempest grabbed a fish from a basket and gently nudged Ash on the head until his eyes opened sleepily, "sorry to wake you up boy, but we've got someone to beat in a race!" Tempest smirked and Ash rumbled in agreement, gulping down the fish when Tempest tossed it into her mouth.
Tempest quickly grabbed herself some food, brushed her hair before saddling up Ash.
"Let's go!"
- Back on Berk -
"Do you think she'll turn up?" Astrid asked loudly, as they all waited in the arena.
"Yeah! She'll want to see me again won't she?" Snoutlout boasted, flexing. Everyone else groaned and rolled their eyes. "Tempest will turn up, she isn't the type to make empty promises," Ruffnut says. Last night, she had been questioned thoroughly about where she had been and Tempest, since Hiccup wanted to know she was safe to let her around their dragons.
"She must of travelled far since Grapple-grounder's nesting grounds are far away from here and there aren't that many there anyway," Hiccup mused thoughtfully, while Fishlegs was doing what he does best; telling dragon facts.
"Oh! Oh! Did you know that Grapple-grounders are one of the strongest dragons there are, and can use their serpent-like bodies to move through the air and tree easily. Jawpower: 7. Strength: 9. Firepower: 7 and-"
"I don't care about that, how fast are Grapple-grounders?" Snoutlout interrupted impatiently.
"Getting nervous already Snoutlout?" A voice taunted.
Tempest flew in on Ash, before waving at everyone cheerfully. "Yo, Temp!" Ruffnut greeted, walking up and punching Tempest on the leg, which Tempest returned, grinning. "Sorry, am I late?"
"Nope, just in time to lose!" Snoutlout smirked, before winking at Tempest, "but I'll go easy on you babe."
Tempest narrowed her eyes before smirking back, "that's a pity babe," Tempest replied sarcastically, "because I won't go easy on you."
- At the top of a cliff -
"Alright, to finish and win the race, you must race from here to that other cliff and around it and back here, whoever gets here first is the winner."
Tempest nodded. Simple enough. Well, it would be if there wasn't dozens of massive sharp rocks and other smaller cliffs in the race path.
Tempest patted Ash on the side of the neck encouragingly, I know we can do this!
Snoutlout and Hookfang were lined up next to them, but Tempest was too focused looking ahead to notice the little glances Snotlout kept giving her.
Hiccup raised his hand in the air, "on your marks...get set...go!"
Tempest immediately squeezed Ash with her legs, and Ash leapt off the cliff eagerly, his massive wings pumping up and down as they soared forward. With their deep bond, Ash trusted Tempest to give him the right signals and Tempest knew Ash could do this. They quickly flew in and around the sharp rocks ahead of them, dipping and swerving. Tempest grinned in triumphant as they zoomed around the other cliff, signalling to Ash to fly back to the others to the finish line.
As Ash and Tempest flew forward, Tempest risked a glance back to see where Snoutlout was, and frowned when she couldn't see him. But then a huge shadow loomed onto her from above, and Tempest let out a yelp of shock as Hookfang let out a massive screech. Hookfang flew down infront of them, cutting up Ash and slowing them down. "What are you doing?!" Tempest screamed at Snoutlout furiously, and Snoutlout grinned back at her, "Winning!"
Tempest scowled and her eyes narrowed. So that was how they wanted to play, hm?
"Ash, fire!" Tempest bellowed, and Ash let out a plasma blast at Hookfang, but they managed to dodge it and it slammed into a cliff instead. "That all you got babe?" Snoutlout shouted to them, and Tempest scowled. They were approaching the finish line and Tempest realised that they had to do something, and fast.
"Ash, just like we practised, okay boy? Wing spin!" Tempest yelled, and Ash shot forward, drawing his wings closer while spinning in mid-flight. Ash drew up next to Hookfang and then Ash opened his wings with force, and his wing slammed down onto Hookfangs, knocking him and Snoutlout downwards and out of control. "Good boy Ash!" Tempest cheered, as they took the lead again and crossed the finish line first!
Tempest leapt off Ash and flung her arms around his neck, hugging her dragon. "Well done you two," Astrid complimented them, and Tuffnut added "can you teach me a move like that so I can do it on Ruffnut?" Tempest grinned, until a loud shout was heard.
"No fair! I should of won! She cheated!" Snoutlout complained as he flew back up on Hookfang. Hiccup shrugged, "you did cheat first Snoutlout, so I don't see how it's unfair."
Tempest strode up to Snoutlout, smirking. "Nice try Snoutlout,"
Snoutlout scowled at her and opened his mouth to say something when Astrid and Hiccup pushed him aside, who looked like they had something important to tell me.
"Tempest, I've been talking to my father, Stoick, who is the chief, and he has agreed to let you stay in our village. So, what do you say?" Hiccup asked me.