Hiccup and Astrid sent out search party after search party, employing every tracking dragon on the island, day and night for weeks and weeks until-
"They're really gone." Hiccup said with some disbelief after Eret and Skullcrusher returned one night, both breathing hard.
Toothless wasn't faring much better. His son and Aeri had left without telling anyone where they were going or if they were even going to be back. Lightning tried to comfort him, but his anger simmered. Of all the irresponsible…
Shade's siblings didn't know what to make of it. Soturi and Skali were deeply saddened, while Storm was almost as angry as her father. What could have possessed their brother to run away like that? Only one dragon suspected the real reason Shade might have wanted to get away, but she couldn't bring herself to tell anyone about it. Ash blamed herself for being too harsh with Shade, but there was nothing she could do about it now. If she was honest with herself, she missed her best friend, and wished desperately that things could go back to the way they had been.
But he was the one who had changed things! It wasn't her fault… right?
Aeri's siblings were left reeling as well. Erik missed his older sister, but knew the implications of her disappearance. If she didn't come back… he hated to think about it. He had never wanted to be Chief. It just wasn't in his nature to be a leader. Was he more of a follower? Not exactly. He did his own thing, and preferred to be left alone, unless he was with Storm. Alyka was frustrated, angered that her sister would leave them and upset their parents so deeply. Wren didn't quite understand what was going on, but she missed her sister, and she knew Skali was sad that her brother was gone, so Wren was sad, too.
Valka was upset in her own way. She understood why her beloved granddaughter had chosen to leave, but she also knew that disappearing was just as hard on the ones who had vanished as the ones who were left behind.
"I just hope that someday they'll return," she murmured to Cloudjumper, pressing her forehead against his. "I hope they will remember that Berk is, and always will be, their home."
As time passed, the village- both humans and dragons- went from feeling hopeful that the pair would return, to mournful that they had lost their leaders' heirs, to numb. A point passed at which no one could think about it anymore, so upsetting was the loss.
But life goes on. Hiccup could not afford to show weakness, even to his allies. Something changed in Astrid, though, at the loss of her daughter. She was still the wife, mother, daughter, and friend that she had been before, but… something was missing. As if when her child left, she took with her a piece of her mother's spirit. It was the same for Lightning. Grief took its toll on them all, hardening their hearts and burdening their souls even as they went about their lives as though nothing had changed.
Three years passed this way, until change found them once again.
Just so you all know, this story will focus equally on human and dragon characters, so don't get put out if I go in depth one way or another for a while. It will all balance out, so have patience with my people. :)
Review! And remember to keep up with OtN: Silver. It's gonna be good!