Greetings, my friends. Happy Friday!

My dearest, darlingest reviewers:

Harkonnen28

QuiteARandomFan (It's like Shadeception ;) And all very good suspicions, eventually you'll see what really happens)

Colinou

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thesnakecharmer18

NightsAnger (Thanks for the advice. I know it's a lot of characters, but the truth is that with all the overlapping storylines, there are bound to be a lot of people [and dragons] to keep track of. It wouldn't be realistic for there to be only seven characters. I'm sorry that you find it overwhelming, and I appreciate that you still read and review.)

Vvarden

ScarletRaven3

ShiNe

Ciara11 (I love your enthusiasm. And as for my health, I'm still doing rather poorly, but writing for you guys helps a great deal with that whole miserable situation. Thank you so very much for asking!)

The Lightning Phoenix (Ah! Name puns!)

Spartan10007

K9defend19 (Why thank you! I'm so glad you like it!)

Well, you asked for it, so I kicked my butt to get it done. I hope you enjoy it. Without further ado... Sahko.

Sahko followed Shade away from the humans' Hall. It made him slightly uneasy to leave James behind, but the Skrill trusted the girl just enough to keep his rider safe. Besides, he had himself to worry about. Shade wasn't really trying to make conversation; Sahko suspected that the black dragon was perceptive enough to recognize that he wasn't exactly social. Far from it.

He let out a soft snort, never once letting his guard down. There were many dragons here. Very many. Sahko had not once interacted with one of his own kind since before he had met James, and the last week had been trying at best for him. He counted on his species' reputation as fierce and solitary to intimidate other dragons into leaving him be. It had worked on the last island, which had plenty of wild dragons roaming it. But he wasn't convinced that the dragons of Berk would be swayed by reputation alone. For one, they were used to being around other dragons, and not having to fend for their lives on a regular basis. But more importantly, the black dragon that had accompanied the Chief earlier practically radiated power. What kind of power that was remained to be seen. Shade didn't seem to possess the same aura of authority, but Sahko didn't think for a second that meant the blue-eyed dragon was any weaker. He'd seen Shade in action more than once. His fire blasts, whatever they were, seemed quite… potent. And his loyalty to his human was unshakeable. Much like Sahko's loyalty to James. But the Skrill had to acknowledge that Shade and the girl had been through a bit more together than he and his own rider.

The Nest Queen. Sahko had been afraid before, granted, not very often, but it had happened. But seeing the Queen in all her rage and power had shaken him up, and his life wasn't even in danger then. And Shade and the girl faced her down like they were fighting a Terrible Terror. That was courage. That was a deep, lifelong bond. Sahko couldn't say he was fond of any humans besides his own, but he respected the girl a great deal. And James seemed drawn to her. Not in the way that mating dragons were drawn to each other, but something similar to that.

Sahko was perfectly aware that James's half-assed "plan" could fall apart at any moment, and therefore was perfectly aware that nothing between his human and Shade's would likely ever come to fruition. But Sahko couldn't deny his rider happiness. James was a deeply unhappy human. If the girl kept the darkness at bay, even if only for a short while, well, Sahko would owe her a debt of gratitude. The Skrill wasn't the most cheerful specimen either, but he was content to be with James, and go wherever the winds carried them. James was not content. Sahko knew that it had nothing to do with him, and that there was nothing he could do except prolong his rider's survival. But there was no point in survival if your life was empty. Which wasn't something he liked to contemplate often. After all, he had James. Life was not empty. But James had been betrayed by his own kind more than once. James had lost everything, once, and had been forced to slowly rebuild his life. James had violated his own morals, on more than one occasion, in order to survive. He had a lot on his conscience. And he was lonely. Heartbreakingly lonely. This loneliness was enough to prove to Sahko that James was not a lost cause. But his human was also kind, humorous, intelligent, and resourceful. All admirable qualities. If only James could recognize them in himself.

His musings were cut short as Shade led him to an enormous bowl of fish. There were a number of chattering dragons of all shapes and sizes gathered around it. Many looked at him curiously, but did not approach. Probably because of Shade. The others simply made room for the two of them. The black dragon glanced at Sahko out of the corner of his eye and said, "Dig in." So they did. Sahko hadn't realized how hungry he was, and voraciously consumed his fill. When he looked up, he noticed that a lot of the dragons had fallen silent and were watching him eat with mixed expressions. His scowl deepened ever so slightly and he hissed, just loudly enough to be heard. The other dragons quickly averted their gazes and left him alone. Shade just gave him a long, indecipherable look, but didn't say anything. He wasn't intimidated.

They both finished up. Shade opened his mouth to speak when a chorus of squawks and roars rose up around them. Immediately Sahko went on high alert, crouching and scanning his surroundings. But Shade seemed perfectly at ease, just lifting his enormous ear flaps up, as though telling Sahko to pay attention. So he did, relaxing out of his crouch, but sticking close to Shade. None of the dragons were saying or doing anything threatening. Instead, they were happily chattering away, gazes trained in the opposite direction. Sahko couldn't see what they were looking at, so he listened.

One word was very clearly being repeated. Alpha.

His nerves intensified. Alpha? There was an Alpha on Berk? Sahko tried to shake off his unease. He'd never actually met an Alpha dragon but he'd heard rumors of enormous creatures, even larger than Nest Queens and infinitely more powerful. But weren't they supposed to be sea dwellers?

The crowd of dragons parted, revealing... A black dragon. Specifically, the human Chief's companion. He had a friendly expression on his face, but when his gaze met Sahko's, the Skrill could very clearly see a quiet confidence in his vivid green eyes, and a fierce intelligence. Sahko was reminded of the aura of authority he had sensed earlier. Was it possible that this relatively small dragon was the...

"The Alpha." Shade said in a low voice, confirming Sahko's suspicion. The Skrill was still maintaining uneasy eye contact with the green-eyed dragon, who began to approach them. A thrill of nerves raced down his spine. His attention was momentarily caught by yet another black dragon, smaller and with blue eyes identical to Shade's, who walked at the Alpha's side. She was watching him curiously, while greeting other dragons with a genuine smile.

Sahko's own curiosity was piqued. Normally he didn't care much for details, but he considered himself intelligent enough to figure most situations out without much effort. This was not one of those situations. There was too much he didn't know. Perhaps it should have made him nervous, but the complete lack of hostility in the environment instead allowed his curiosity to blossom.

Without meaning to, he relaxed his scowl as he met the female's gaze. Her eyes glinted with good humor, and she came over to where he and Shade stood.

"Welcome to Berk," she said simply, returning his nod of greeting. "I trust Shade is taking good care of you?"

"Uh, yes, he is," Sahko responded cautiously, glancing at Shade. The other male's face was relaxed, and he was smiling warmly at the female.

"I knew I raised you well," she beamed back at him, and with a start Sahko realized that this was Shade's mother. Made sense, he supposed, given their matching blue eyes. But that most likely meant...

He sensed the Alpha's presence without looking in his direction. Curiosity shrank slightly, back into unease, as Sahko turned to face Shade's father. Remember, he told himself. Be careful what you say. James is counting on you to keep his cover.

"Hello," the Alpha said. For a moment Sahko just stared at him. The Alpha's voice was not as deep as Shade's, nor did he appear as large or stoic as his son. So why did Sahko feel so threatened?

"Hello," he replied, doing his best to disguise his insecurity. Seemingly picking up on Sahko's tension, Shade spoke up.

"Dad, this is Sahko. Sahko, this is my father. Toothless."

For a second, Sahko didn't get it. Then he frowned. But before he could ask the obvious question, the Alpha gave him a very toothy smile. All of a sudden his teeth vanished, then reappeared in his jaws.

The Skrill gaped.

"It's a Night Fury thing," Shade offered in explanation, leading Sahko to assume that was what the black dragons were called. "This is my mother, Lightning."

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance," she said cheerfully, thankfully refraining from retracting her teeth.

"Likewise," he said slowly. "I never encountered a Night Fury before Shade. Are there many of you?"

"Not really," Toothless responded. "There's a colony southwest of here, but it's not exactly teeming with dragons. At least, not anymore. Though our numbers are recovering. That's where Lightning is from."

"Your family is here, on Berk? Why not with the others?"

"Well, I'm from Berk. Technically speaking. I don't actually know where I came from, but it wasn't the colony. Which could lead to all sorts of speculation that I will save for another day. Anyways, I am where my human is. Hiccup. The human Chief. Lightning ended up here, and not long after, due to a series of unfortunate events, another arrived here as well. Cinder, my second-in-command. Then his sister, Ash. Currently there are ten Night Furies living on Berk. Only myself and my hatchlings have bonded with humans. The colony Furies come and go, there are a handful here now as well."

Interesting. Vaguely Sahko wondered if there were any Skrills on Berk, then immediately dismissed the thought. Skrills were not sociable or friendly dragons. The only other dragons they generally tolerated were other Skrills, and even then only for mating purposes.

"Mom! Dad!" A shriek caught all of their attention, and while it alarmed Sahko, the Alpha and his mate only looked vaguely exasperated. Two smaller black forms appeared in the space between them, and Sahko realized that they were probably Shade's siblings.

"What is it, Soturi?" Toothless asked calmly as the younger dragon paced in front of him. The smallest one sat at her mother's side, watching the scene with amusement in her wide blue eyes.

"Dad. Storm won't stop teasing me about Alyka and Rorik. She says that they're going to get married and then she'll never have time for me anymore." The two adults exchanged glances.

"Well, first off, Alyka is thirteen. So she won't be getting married any time soon. Secondly, I don't think your girl has even entertained the thought of Rorik as anything other than a friend yet-"

"But she will! And then what?! Storm says—"

"Will you listen to me?"

Though distressed, Soturi sat obediently before her father and nodded.

"Thank you. Now, think about this. Do you think some male dragon could come between you and Alyka?"

"No! Males are icky. Not you, though, Shade," she amended as she glanced back at her brother.

"See? Alyka probably feels the same way about human boys right now. And eventually, if that changes, do you think she would ever leave you behind? Of course not. She will include you, because you're a package deal."

"But Storm says—"

"Don't listen to Storm. She's just put out because Erik is spending so much time with that refugee girl—"

Another voice joined the fray.

"Am not." A third female appeared, this one apparently fully grown, or close to it. On her shoulders rode a small Night Fury hatchling with a fish clamped in his jaws.

"All right, Storm, that's enough. Can't you see you're upsetting your sister?" Lightning spoke up.

"My bad."

"We'll finish talking about this later, Soturi. Go get something to eat. You too, Skali. Take your brother with you." The hatchling hopped to the ground, giving Sahko one last curious glance before following his sisters. Toothless watched them go with a half smile. It vanished when he turned back to his oldest daughter. "You know that's a sensitive subject, Storm."

"I know, I was bored and she was being a pest. I would like to state for the record that she started it."

"You're practically an adult now, Storm. Don't channel your inner hatchling just because you're bored," her mother said.

"Sorry." Effectively ending the conversation, she turned to look Sahko up and down with a bored expression. "Who's this?"

"His name is Sahko. He arrived today with his human." Shade introduced him. "Sahko, this is my next-youngest sister, Storm. Sorry you had to witness the family drama."

"No, it's quite alright…" Sahko met Storm's gaze.

"So you're a Skrill?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Has my dad shared the story about his first encounter with one of your kind?"

"I felt it best to save that one for another time, Storm," the Alpha said with a frown. "Are you just in a troublemaking mood or are you deliberately trying to scare off our guest?"

"No, it's alright. I don't mind. I haven't really seen many dragons over the past few years." Or any at all. "But politeness has never been a requirement for interacting with me. It would be hard to shake my curiosity at this point, anyways. Your… arrangement with the humans here is very, very different from anything I have ever encountered before."

The Alpha nodded, understanding, but Storm narrowed her eyes. "It's not an arrangement. That makes it seem so… impersonal. What we have with our humans is special. It goes beyond partnership. Believe me if I said that my life would be devoid of meaning if something happened to Erik. I would think you'd understand that, but maybe I'm wrong."

"Storm, please," Lightning sounded slightly pained. Sahko noticed that while her parents were trying to get her to behave, Shade was oddly silent. Then he realized. Shade was watching him, gauging his reactions. The Night Fury had already figured out that he wouldn't learn much by directly speaking to him, but by observing his interactions with others… Storm's accusation was a loaded one. He'd have to answer carefully.

"Believe me when I say I understand perfectly." Sahko suddenly realized that he wasn't just saying that. He genuinely understood what she was saying. He had never before admitted to himself that James was important to him. It just didn't seem necessary. But now it somehow felt vital. He had devoted his life to the man, whether or not he'd realized it at the time. "My human… he means the world to me."

James's safety was a priority. But more importantly, James's happiness mattered to Sahko. He felt concern for his human. He felt attachment. It was more than just respect. It was more than just partnership. Maybe it had started out as an arrangement, a mutual agreement to watch each other's backs, but now…

"I suppose I've never spent much time thinking about it. I'm not one for emotions. But…" Was this… love? The concept was entirely alien to him. Sahko couldn't say he'd ever been loved, or loved anyone. He'd probably never uttered the word aloud. But, logically speaking, there was no other satisfactory word to describe the way he cared for James. It wasn't dramatic or mushy or any of the other insipid adjectives he'd come to associate the emotion with. It was strong. It was determined. It was unwavering and encompassing and now that he'd figured it out, he felt strangely at ease. As if he had been waiting for himself to acknowledge the reality.

Storm was still watching him, approval apparent in her eyes. Sahko supposed she had provoked a response she liked to see in him. And he wasn't even mad about it. Pinning her with his gaze, he said simply, "I don't know what I'd do without him."

"Then you fit in on Berk perfectly," she replied with a slight smile. The words resonated in his mind. Fit in. He was a Skrill. There wasn't a place for Skrills in most dragon hierarchies. They were loners, self-serving nomads. His bond with James already made him a failure as a Skrill. That caused him to snort softly. As if he cared what anyone else thought. Besides James. He cared about his opinions. But other dragons? They could all go choke on eels.

"I suppose I'm not the average Skrill, then. We don't usually fit in."

Her brow lifted. "Maybe it's about time one of you cared enough to try."

Sahko found himself revising his assertion. Maybe this dragon didn't need to die in such a humiliating fashion. Her green eyes were alight with intelligence, and he got the strangest feeling that she could see his thoughts. He didn't break eye contact, though. Her boldness was… enchanting. Which was an odd word to use. But she wasn't a complete waste of space, as he viewed most other dragons. He was starting to think that Night Furies in general were forces to be reckoned with. He had a great deal of respect for Shade. He was suitably intimidated by the Alpha. Now that he saw her parenting in action, Lightning seemed to be an incredibly valuable influence on her children. Far more so than Sahko's own mother had ever been. But Storm… he got the feeling that she was as smart and capable as the rest of them, despite her relative youth. He rather liked her dismissal of whatever propriety was the norm here.

So he raised a brow in return. "Maybe. Or maybe I'll turn out to be just like the rest of them."

"That would be disappointing."

He felt like she actually would be disappointed if he didn't end up being different than other Skrills. What a ridiculous expectation. He should laugh in her face. He should tell her to get lost.

But he couldn't. Not because he was worried about how her family would react. But maybe because it seemed important that someone held him accountable.

"I'll do my best not to let you down, then." Her expression didn't change. She showed not the slightest hint of surprise. But somehow he knew that he had made an impression.

"Alright. We're going to take a tour. You all can get back to the business at hand, which should be devouring the mountain of fish over there. See you later," Shade gestured with his head to Sahko, indicating that he should follow.

The Skrill inclined his head in farewell in an unusual gesture of respect. The Alpha returned it, perhaps not as deeply, but that was to be expected. Lightning gave him a genuine smile. "Nice to meet you, Sahko."

"Likewise." He glanced at Storm, but she didn't say anything. She was just watching him. So he turned away from them and followed Shade's retreating form.

"I can't apologize on my sister's behalf," the Night Fury said, once they were farther away.

"You don't need to."

"That's the impression I got." Sahko saw one blue eye glance at him.

"It really was fine," he insisted.

"She's eighteen."

"I gathered she was young."

"Pretty much an adult, though. She's headstrong. Willful. But she has a tendency to see things we don't always see in ourselves."

"'That's the impression I got'," Sahko said with uncharacteristic cheekiness. For some reason he felt revitalized by his encounter with Storm, and the realization that not only was he capable of something as special as love, but that he actually loved his human.

Shade didn't respond. Instead, he spread his wings as they approached what appeared to be a cliff. Together they took off, and Sahko followed as they circled back towards a large structure jutting from the cliffside. Inside, there were a number of dragons and humans wandering about on the different levels of the large space.

"These are the stables. Most of the dragons live in these caves, some of which eventually lead to the opposite shore of Berk, if you care enough to follow them. They were originally dug out by a Whispering Death infestation, which took place before my time."

"Those tunnels look a bit larger than the average Whispering Death," Sahko noted.

"That's because the dragon that's responsible for them was a bit larger than the average Whispering Death. Much, much, much larger."

"Fair enough. So, what's the story here?"

"About the Whispering Deaths?"

"No, although I'm sure it's an interesting one. The peace. How did it happen?"

"Ah, yes. The most important story. Where to begin? Perhaps the beginning. Just over twenty-five years ago…"

As Shade spoke, they followed a large spiral staircase back up to the village, then walked the streets by the light of the setting sun. By the time they ended up back at the base of the stairs leading to the Great Hall, it was night. They sat off to the side, out of the way of the steady stream of humans returning to their homes.

"So that's the story of how peace came to be between dragons and humans."

"I'm not impressed by many things, but that story managed to do so," Sahko said, his imagination sparked.

"As it should."

"Your father was only fifteen at the time?"

"Yes."

"So, not the Alpha, then."

"No, not yet."

"How did that happen?"

"That's a story for another time. But it took place only five years later."

"Really?"

"Really. Here, let me show you something." Shade led him up the stairs and pushed through the doors of the Hall. For a moment Sahko was distracted by the smells of food and the various humans still gathered, then he noticed the tusk.

A thrill of fear raced through him. "What… what is that from?"

"The previous Alpha."

If he wasn't sure before, he was now very certain that Toothless was by far the most accomplished being he had ever encountered. He could see that the far end of the massive trophy was scorched and rugged. This thing hadn't come off easily, that was for certain.

"Come on, let's go back outside."

"Where are…"

"They're at a table towards the back. Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be out soon."

Once they were back in the soothing quiet of night, lounging at the base of the stairs, Shade pinned him with a look.

"Sahko."

"Shade?"

"Look. You've given me no reason to think you are anyone other than you say you are," Shade said. "So I trust you. Well, as far as one can trust someone who is hiding something."

Sahko tried to keep his expression neutral, but Shade seemed to see right through it.

"Yes, I know you're hiding something. Something important. Your story doesn't quite add up. But you've proven thus far that your intentions are benign, so I trust you. Aeri trusts Winter, probably a lot more than I do. That doesn't mean she'll complacently go along with what she's been told indefinitely. You'll have to come clean eventually."

He met the Night Fury's serious gaze. "It's not a simple situation."

"I don't doubt it."

"It's irrevocable. Once you know, that's it. And I know that yes, eventually you will have to know. So when that time comes, remember this. We knew the consequences of coming here. We know we will face judgment. But we came anyways."

"Why did you come?"

"There are several reasons. One is strictly my human's. The second might also be construed as his, but I take responsibility for my part. Our recent past is shared and so will be our fate. But the one you need to be concerned about is the last one."

"Which is?"

"You let Surmata live."

He saw the shock in Shade's expression, quickly followed by a scowl. "How do you know that?"

"We know a lot. As you made clear, we have not shared everything. That's not the issue. The issue is, that witch is still alive. And she will not for a second think of forgetting and moving on. It's not her way. She's vicious and cruel and she has every intention of capturing you and your rider and making you both suffer."

Shade growled. "That's not an option."

"Which is why James and I are here. To make sure she doesn't show up with a small army and a grudge."

"James?"

"That's his true name. He has several, but that's how I know him."

The Night Fury grunted. "That doesn't bode well for what secrets he'll be revealing."

"You're right."

"Hmm. Since you know so much more than you're letting on, mind telling me what her deal is?"

"Surmata?"

"Yeah."

"She's a pirate. A notorious pirate. But she's also a trader. In particular, she makes a handsome profit from capturing and selling dragons."

Shade let out a hiss.

"Exactly. Imagine her delight when she came across you."

"She will rue the day."

"That may be so. But I can guarantee you that she's thinking the exact same about you."

"Why, though? We beat her!"

"You beat her. You slaughtered her forces. You humiliated her. You sent her running. Translation: You've enraged her."

"So nothing will stop her."

"Barring the obvious."

"I would have killed her! I would have slowly and painfully brought her miserable existence to an end. But Aeri stopped me, for who knows what reason."

"Maybe she thought the whole devastating loss thing would be enough. And it would be for any sane human. But Surmata isn't sane. She's absolutely maniacal. Once she makes up her mind, it cannot be changed. And she's still out there, most likely plotting her revenge."

"Let her come! She wants revenge? What about the survivors from Heimme? You think they don't feel the way she does? I don't care if she brings an army of dragons next time, we will destroy them all! I would do it by myself for the anguish she's caused Aeri, but I don't think I'll have to."

If only he knew who had led Surmata to Heimme in the first place. If only he knew that he and James were to blame for the whole terrible thing. He would never forgive them. "No. James and I have our own score to settle with her. Granted, it's not quite on the same scale as the survivors', but it's enough to have brought us here in the hopes of thwarting her. We're going to do our best to make sure she doesn't show up here. Because she won't try the same tactic twice. She's clever. Whatever she's planning, it will be drastically different. And if we're not vigilant, it will likely be devastatingly effective."

Shade leveled him with his gaze. It was deadly serious. "Let her try. No matter what, if I ever see her again, I will personally see to it that she suffers accordingly before I kill her."

Oh damn. Looks like our dear Shade means business.

Well, there you have it. I had a good time writing from Sahko's point of view, so maybe we'll have some more of that later on. Maybe some time spent on Berk will be the cure for his eternal boredom and grumpiness.

As for next chapter, we will resume with James and Aeri in the Great Hall. There will be some family fun time, some story time, some forge time, and (because I couldn't resist) some Night Fury alone time! Ah, romance. And that's just what I have written thus far. I'm sure there will be more. Thank you for reading and reviewing, I know I say it every week, but no joke, reading your feedback is sometimes the only thing keeping me going. You're all wonderful people, so take care until next time :)