Just over three quarters of a month and a bit later
Arrow, Frostbite, Coral, Rose, Bloom, Petal and Stem had all grown to their full broad wing size. The four wounded dragons were still out but only for a bit while longer; however Frill wouldn't be coming home as soon as the other three. Halburg though was growing more understanding of his four new additions.
Arrow was certainly quite giddy around others but had a very serious attitude at times. She was nowhere near as brilliant a prankster as the Zippleback or Grapple Grounder who also belonged to the green haired Thorston. However, said Grounder and Zippleback seemed to have a knack for ticking off Arrow. The Nadder enjoyed though the company of Belle, the two both enjoyed the company of their fellow dragon obsessed with their own vanity being a trait between them.
Frostbite had changed a lot. When he was younger, the most curious and enthusiastic dragon you could meet. Now, he was serious and a true soldier. Halburg had challenged people to find a more serious and dutiful dragon, no current finds. The Woolly Howl had developed a strong relationship with Frill and Blizzard. 'Ironic that ice finds friends in fire' thought Halburg.
Coral was, next to Spines and maybe Blizzard, the true 'mother-hen' of the group. She didn't tolerate misbehaviour and was very strict. Even towards Halburg, she would put him back in place if he were to step out of line. Her former blue patterns had changed to orange over time aswell but her main purple scales and blue underbelly had remained the same. She had developed a strong friendship with Spines as a result aswell as a weird relationship with Twist, weird in the sense that order had become friends with insanity.
Rose, Bloom, Petal and Stem had a very prominent personality, each head being only slightly different or greatly than the others. Rose was the clear leader of the four and unlike their prankster two-headed evolutionary cousin, they were less jumpy. Rather, they were more centred, peaceful and together. They preferred their own time alone aswell as meditation. Petal also boasted a strong sense of sarcasm, probably inherited from Halburg, and was the most different from the other three heads. The four had also become good friends with Blizzard aswell with Frostbite, the Woolly Howl and Snaptrapper would often be seen relaxing together by the lake near Halburg's house.
Smoke and Spark though, didn't form as great a relationship as the other six did with the new four, though didn't mind much either. They already had a great bond with Blizzard who they viewed as sort of a 'sister', as did Blizzard view them as 'brothers'. Aswell, the Zippleback was a 'partner-in-crime' with Twist, the two often making pranks on other dragons and Vikings.
However, the four had become a strong part in Halburg's new life-style and while his parents and their dragons would get a shock when they came home, who knows when that is, Halburg knew they would warm, especially his dad's Scauldron, Steam, to Coral.
Anyways, back to the story at hand. Halburg had flown to school that day with Frostbite. His staff had also become a new main part of Halburg's wardrobe as Halburg seemed to have lost his War Scythe; it was still on the pirate's ship. 'Thor knows where it is' thought Halburg as he remembered it being confiscated. Smoke and Spark were both arriving later with Tuffnut for a planned race at Fortune Falls.
When the two touched down, Halburg had some time to kill before class started so took Frostbite over to the lake. Other Vikings were there but none Halburg knew or was too friendly with. Instead, he turned to Frostbite and asked "So boy, what do you want for breakfast?"
Frostbite perked up at this and looked at the lake, eyeing a potential meal. He spotted a fat looking salmon and pounced. Halburg merely watched and laughed as the Woolly Howl tried to grab the salmon in his flat jaws. Frostbite though soon came out, soaked also, so Halburg was thankful that his class was in walking distance. The Thorston boy took out an apple and began to eat it as they walked along.
"Alright then boy seems we are first here" shrugged Halburg as he entered the classroom. Sure enough, five seconds after he had reached his desk, other Vikings were entering with their own dragons in tow. Halburg rolled his eyes and placed his staff up against the table while he leaned back on his chair. Nataly Rose and Maddy Cool though, two friends of the boy, thought of a better idea while their own Devilish Dervish and Skrill waited by their desk.
Frostbite was sleeping but when the girls pulled out on Halburg's chair, causing the tall boy to fumble backwards off it, Frostbite sat up and growled. "Easy boy, just one thing I need to say" spoke Halburg. "Ouch" he then spoke in a loud tone while rubbing the back of his neck. The two girls were friends with Halburg but give them, or any other really, a chance to play a prank on a Thorston, they will take it, regardless who it was.
"Stop being overly dramatic" said Nataly. "Oh no, I see the light, Valhalla" said Halburg while falling back down to the ground dramatically in a way that even made the 'more-serious-than-Stoick-was' Frostbite laugh.
At this moment, a silver Razorwhip flew in and so the three took their seats. Windshear landed and followed Heather up to her desk. "Mourning class" spoke Heather. "Mourning" they all said but in their own ways, some more excited than others. Windshear lay down behind Heather at the front of the class. "Ok now, let's begin with a new topic, streamlining" smiled Heather causing all Vikings with more than one brain cell, which really was only about three quarters of the entire class, to get excited at the idea of going faster.
The class went on like normal but Heather took one representative of each dragon species. Frostbite, Windshear and a Skrill, Devilish Dervish, Deadly Nadder, Monstrous Nightmare, Hideous Zippleback, Whispering Death, Snow Wraith, Sand Wraith and a Sliquifier.
After the class, Halburg went outside but the Whispering Death flew past him quickly with its rider laughing, followed by a Monstrous Nightmare and Hideous Zippleback in tow. Frostbite looked at his once giddy rider that now boasting a look of sorrow and almost failure as the boy remembered a mournful thought. "Come on boy, we have a race with Aniu Ravenwolf starting in a while" he smiled slightly.
Heather had noticed this action from the Thorston. While she knew Halburg had had some traumatic incidents in the past, she didn't know of a Whispering Death related one, or one that may involve a Nightmare or Zippleback but she doubted it was those two. Tuffnut at this point had arrived with Head perched on his shoulder after he had given Smoke and Spark to the passing Halburg and Frostbite. Heather could see Torch outside along with Deathride. "Hay Heather, you coming to watch Halburg race?" asked Tuffnut.
"Can we talk instead, about Halburg for a second?" she asked. Tuffnut nodded in slight confusion. Tuffnut got them a mug each of mead and they sat in the classroom while Head sat on the table and the three other dragons played outside. Torch had thankfully helped Windshear get over her fear of Typhommerangs. Torch and Scauldy had both come to Berk about a year ago and now lived in a stable near the water and were cared for by both Ruffnut and Tuffnut. They shared their stable with Deathride, Trancemare, Barf and Belch aswell as sometimes Butt and Head.
"So what is it you want to talk about my little cousin" smiled Tuffnut. "Does he have any fears of any particular dragons?" she asked. "No fear, though he does sometimes get a weird feeling in his gut when he sees a Death Song eating a dragon" thought Tuffnut, remembering once when they had spotted a Slithersong feasting on a dead Gronckle. "What about Whispering Deaths" Heather quizzed. "Whispering Deaths? Well, he likes Deathride and those of his friends" shrugged Tuffnut. "Ok then, I saw him give a sort of sorrowful look at one today" said Heather thinking their conversation would end there.
"Sorrowful!?"Asked Tuffnut, who suddenly looked more serious. "Why is sorrowful a bad thing, or even something for him" asked Heather. "Alright, I think it's time I told you. You see, this was during Halburg's early years as a dragon trainer, before you came to teach here" spoke Tuffnut.
"He was happy out but only had Blizzard and Smoke and Spark for dragons and had had them since he was eight years old. One day however, everything changed. Hiccup had been in the Whispering Death tunnels and discovered about twenty boxes of unhatched Whispering Death eggs. He, the others and I gave an egg each to the riders of the school, Halburg being one of them at eleven years old. The Whispering Death he had was yellowish-green with pink head spikes and a blueish-greenish-yellow underbelly. Quake was his name and he was a nervous wreck but Halburg loved him. Blizzard, Smoke and Spark comforted him and when Spines, Frill and Belle all came along, Quake became more confident" smiled Tuffnut.
"What's bad about that, Halburg sounds like he loved this dragon" questioned Heather. "He did, but I haven't finished it" spoke Tuffnut who continued.
"One day, Halburg and all his dragons' aswell as every other rider in the school were sent on a quest to defeat incoming dragon hunter ships; this was about two years ago. Viggo and Ryker were both there, ready for them. Halburg and Belle had been shot down by a bola launcher. The Flightmare growled but got captured. Quake then launched at the ship and began to attack. Viggo was on the ship and ordered his men to capture him. Quake freed Belle and Halburg but as they tried to fly away, a net launcher got Quake. Halburg and the other five dragons tried to free Quake but the dragon hunters set wild dragons on them. When Halburg looked again, the ship was gone as was Quake. Every day after that, Halburg tried to find him but to no avail. When he got Twist, he needed help as the boulder class Grounder reminded him of Quake. That is why Halburg can't look at a Whispering Death without feeling regret and failure. That is why he has only one boulder class dragon. The day Halburg lost Quake was probably the worst day of that boy's life. Well, second worst after, the other incident" finished Tuffnut.
Heather looked shocked at the story. She had always wondered why Halburg had no Whispering Death given everybody else had one. "So, what now?" asked Heather. "Well, I know Halburg wants to believe Quake is alive" spoke Tuffnut. "However it is a very slim chance if there is any at all" sighed Heather.
Heather was engaged to Tuffnut, after some seriously weird incidents that occurred, and so became a further part of the entire family of Thorston's life. "Come, on, Halburg will be wondering where we are" said Tuffnut. As such, Windshear, Torch, Deathride and Head flew to the training centre.
However, as they flew to the training grounds, Heather couldn't help thinking of a Whispering Death that had the same colour match as Quake's description though she couldn't put her finger on it.
They arrived at the race course of Fortune Falls and Heather, momentarily, forgot her troubles. They saw Halburg was on Smoke and Spark while Aniu Ravenwolf was on her Deadly Nadder. There was also a Monstrous Nightmare and Gronckle. The race had begun and Aniu had the lead. Halburg though was smiling as they approached the tunnel section. Smoke and Spark shot in front of the Gronckle and Nightmare and Smoke let out a ball of gas which the Gronckle ran into and knocked the Monstrous Nightmare out of the competition aswell.
The Hideous Zippleback then got the inside line and overtook the Deadly Nadder with slight difficulty, Smoke and Spark wearing a very foreign determined face, or rather faces.
Aniu though growled as the whip like tails of Smoke and Spark made it difficult to get past, with them going all over the place, both of them. Aniu growled and flew underneath them and took the lead again. The final lap had begun and Halburg knew he had to win, for Thorston honour of course.
"Go on Halburg, win this" shouted Ruffnut and Tuffnut while Fishlegs and Heather also cheered him on. Frostbite, Meatlug, Barf, Belch, Deathride, Torch, Windshear, Iggy, Spikeback, Butt, Head, Scauldy and Trancemare were all cheering the Zippleback on aswell.
"Come on boys, let's try out that new move" smiled Halburg who then used his staff to balance out on their long necks and stood on each of their heads, ready to jump. When they were close enough, Halburg jumped onto the Nadder's tail base and ran along the body saying "Hi Aniu, bye Aniu". He chuckled as she looked on gob-smacked as he jumped off onto Smoke and Spark who had gone passed the slowed down, distracted Nadder. Halburg had finally over taken but instead of being in the saddle, Smoke and Spark held him to their chest. When they approached the small arch near the finish line, they curled up and formed their flaming wheel which they used crossing the finish line and into the shallow water, Halburg protected by their wings, after Smoke pulled the black Sheep from its stand before the land and tucking it with Halburg.
"Halburg crosses first and collected the black sheep, he takes the game" announced Hiccup. Halburg rose up from the water, while Smoke plucked the black sheep from the water, to see Aniu smiling at him and waving. Smoke and Spark let off a blast of fire in victory. This seemed to make Halburg forget his previous flashback.
At the Thorston Household, Halburg's house, about an hour later
Tuffnut, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Heather and Gobber were all up at Halburg's house along with all their dragons to celebrate a victory for Halburg, Smoke and Spark. "I can't believe it, they broke their own record" said Fishlegs for the fifteenth time. "We get it, Smoke and Spark are fast" grumbled Tuffnut. "They are not fast, they are fastest and have kept that title, fastest Zippleback in the archipelago" laughed Halburg.
"Ok, less talks, more food" called Gobber. Tuffnut nodded and came back out of the house about five times with their food of non-poultry dishes. Tuffnut's chicken sat on the table, probably being eyed by Arrow.
They ate their dinner outside while the dragons were stuffing their faces with all the food they could get into their jaws at once, except for Grump who was sleeping, little surprise to anybody. Heather though was thinking of when she was with the dragon hunters, trying to remember something. It then hit her like a herd of Thunderclaws.
"Heather, you ok" asked Tuffnut. "Ya, but I think I might know where Quake is, just thought of it there" she blurted out. Everybody went silent, Halburg though shouted out "What", after spitting out his mead in his surprise, unintentionally at Ruffnut.