Author Note: I just want to state one quick thing about the future of this story. The actual idea for this entire thing came about when I was watching 'Race to the Edge, Season 2; episode 28: Maces and Talons II". Ryker said to throw Heather in the Whispering Death tunnels but surely if they were hunters they would kill those dragons or sell them. Then, I saw the Typhommerangs being used and got thinking, often a dangerous pastime, about what if the dragons we see and don't see that aren't being sold are used as experiments on the Dragon Hunter's weapons. For these reasons, I believe a dragon, trained at that, like Quake will fall into their cruel hands.
One more thing, this is actually where the real story starts, hashtag overused cliché.
"What?" shouted Halburg. The boy had wide-eyes and looked on incredibly startled aswell as serious. Aswell, Smoke and Spark and Belle had both almost choked on their food and stuck their snouts in at Quake's name. "Easy Halburg, Heather what do you mean" asked Ruffnut, after whipping her face clean, putting an arm on Halburg's shoulder.
"Well, it is a hunch more or less" said Heather "However, I do remember Ryker once talking about their prized Whispering Death who they would put in cage fights against their own men, other dragons or wild animals. They used it as a 'test-subject' on their dragon killing methods. From Ryker's description, he matches Quake's appearance and if I am correct, he is located at their base". Halburg ran to the shed and called all his dragons to saddle up. Ruffnut grabbed his shoulder again and made him look at her "Where are you going?"
"To save my dragon that I failed before, not going to fail him again" stated Halburg. "We will fly out tomorrow but it is too late to go out now. Aswell, we don't have a plan" said Fishlegs. "We go in, dragons blazing and staff hitting, what more of a plan do we need?" Halburg growled. "Easy cous', Viggo is smart and probably would be ten steps ahead even though he doesn't know we are coming" Tuffnut said. "But you always tell me to shot first, questions later if at all" Halburg stated.
"Yes I do say that, however I don't say that when it comes to Viggo. Ok, I will not risk your life or the lives of your dragons" Tuffnut added. "But we can't leave Quake there if he is still alive. Aswell, if he is dead, I want to give him a proper send-off back on Berk" Halburg shouted. "We will get him back, if it is him, however we will do it with a plan" Tuffnut ordered "Now you get some rest, it is late". Tuffnut, Ruffnut, Fishlegs and the others and their dragons left Halburg to get some sleep.
Halburg had put his dragons into their stables but Belle always slept in the house with Halburg, sort of like Toothless with Hiccup. Belle curled up in her bed, which was just a slab of rock in Halburg's room with some soft straw on it, but Halburg looked at a book he pulled out from his shelf. In it were drawings of all his dragons, with the sixth page being of Quake. Halburg smiled as he thought of the noble dragon which was once known as the 'Thorston forth', due to him being the third dragon but Smoke and Spark are counted as individuals.
The next morning, Halburg woke up bright and early, before the Terrors had a chance to start singing. He smiled and was awake to find his dragons already at their feeding troughs, well, Belle and the Zippleback at least. Frostbite, Arrow, Coral and the Snaptrapper were all yawning with Bloom having remained asleep on her back while Petal and Stem controlled the four, Rose though was nudging Bloom.
Halburg knew the four dragons were unaware of the other two dragon's excitement but knew they would love Quake, Coral in particular. In the stables with the other Thorston dragons, Twist also was confused by Blizzard, Frill and Spines' excitement that, when having heard the news from Tuffnut talking to Fishlegs while he escorted Deathride into the stable, all were eagerly waiting for their trainer, even though Frill still was lame.
Ruffnut meanwhile was up at the Haddok household, talking with Hiccup and Astrid while Barf and Belch played with Toothless and Stormfly outside.
"No Ruffnut" said Hiccup after hearing the story and plan. "What, come on Hiccup, we aren't going to engage the enemy, just get a boy reunited with his Whispering Death. That sounded sweeter in my head" spoke Ruffnut. "How do you know he is even alive?" questioned Astrid. "We don't. However, we will bring back what we find and if he is dead, we will give Quake a proper send-off" Ruffnut said confidently.
"What if you, the other Vikings and dragons get captured? Viggo won't exactly be pleased to find you on his island and will probably kill you all" Hiccup said before adding "Besides, your wedding day is three days' time".
Ruffnut kept up her argument but Hiccup was clearly not backing down so left him to tell Halburg. Barf and Belch spotted their owner and followed her, while Toothless and Stormfly were left with confused faces and sorrow for Ruffnut, though they weren't sure why.
Halburg meanwhile was with his ten dragons in their stable. Twist, Blizzard and Spines had already fully healed but were only just waking up. Frill was still downed and probably for another two weeks. He could walk and move, just was too weak to fly or breathe fire. Frill though looked on and smiled at the thought of having Quake home.
Ruffnut was just outside the stable entrance but couldn't bring herself to enter when she saw the joy in her cousin's face aswell as the noble dragons that were all pumped up, even if half of them didn't know the reason being.
Halburg later was walking into the forge when he felt a hand clasp around his wrist and drag him backwards. "Ouch, ouch, circulation to my hand is being cut off" cried the boy. "Sorry Halburg" smiled Aniu Ravenwolf. Halburg rubbed his wrist and smiled as Aniu watched her Hobblegrunt play with Arrow.
Aniu, probably along with Jyrphy and Haddok Girl to name a few, was one of Halburg's better friends, not that that is a long list. She and Halburg were first introduced when Halburg was assisting her in a fight to rescue her Nightfury. Halburg had spotted the danger while flying Smoke and Spark. After the battle, the two were still not friends as such, but after Halburg kept following Aniu around with a constant notebook and charcoal pen while asking questions on the dragon in question, she and he became friends.
"So, whatcha up to" she asked. "Preparing for a trip to rescue somebody. Where is Silver Fang may I ask?" Halburg said. "He is in the stables, who are you going after?" she persisted, leaning on her upside down sword like a cane almost. "Uh, a dragon" stuttered Halburg, not exactly wanting her to hear the true reason and possibly come along which could be worse for the mission due to Silver Fang being a very prized dragon, like all Nightfuries.
"What's this about a dragon I hear" asked Jhrpiy who had arrived with her Snow Wraith, Snowflake, at this point. "Ok, I think this is a solo task for me and my dragons only, still deciding on three to take or take them all, except for Frill obviously" Halburg said, out-loud thoughts.
"What dragon is this? Screaming Death?" Aniu asked. "Close, sort of, same species just the other version" Halburg said, after realising the two would not leave without a decent answer given to them. "A Whispering Death; why would that be of interest to you?" the two girls asked before it hit them like a herd of Thunderclaws.
"Halburg, is this Whispering Death, ummm, Quake by any chance" Jhrpiy asked. "Yes and I don't care what either of you two say, I am not letting my own be possibly dead" growled Halburg. The two girls exchanged worried looks. Arrow walked away from the other two dragons and nudged Halburg with her snout.
"Halburg, this is Quake we are talking about. The same dragon that disappeared four years ago, even I think that it is a little risky of a chance to take" Jhrpiy said, remembering a year ago to when herself and Halburg had explored multiple islands all across the archipelago in searching for her family history.
"I KNOW THAT" snapped an all of a sudden angry Halburg. The two girls were taken aback. They had never encountered such an emotion on him and he was not the kind to get angry easily or lose his cool. "I have to get going, see you guys later" Halburg said quickly and quite rudely before walking off, Arrow in pursuit.
"Remind me again why we are friends with him?" asked Jhrpiy. "His sarcasm and humour aswell as brain make him nice to be with. This Quake issue is probably getting to him" Aniu stated and Jhrpiy agreed. The two girls said their goodbyes and went off to do their own thing, both worried for their green haired friend.
Halburg however, arrived back at the forge to find Hiccup leaning against the wall, Toothless by his side. "Oh, hi Chief, how are you today?" Halburg spoke after he had slightly cooled down but still had a bit of a sharp tongue on him. "No need for formalities Halburg. Listen, I've heard about your Whispering Death expedition" Hiccup said while Halburg picked up his staff from the work top.
"Ok, so what else" Halburg said. "Listen, I know about Quake. I understand your motives to do this but I can't allow it. I will not risk your life, your friends and families lives and your dragons to a mere hunch" Hiccup said. "So if this were Toothless, Thornshade or Sharpshot, you wouldn't jump at the chance" snapped Halburg, suddenly very angry with Hiccup.
"I didn't say that. However, I want the decision to be full proof and not a guessing game. That is my final word" Hiccup said and walked off calmly, Toothless in tow.
Halburg growled and threw his staff across the ground angrily. Arrow picked up the staff and laid it at his feet. Halburg ignored her and his staff. At this point, Ruffnut was walking to the forge just in time to see Halburg full on punch the wooden wall, splintering it and his hand all bloody, in pure and utter rage, sorrow and irritation. While Halburg held his now lame right hand with his left, he turned around to face Ruffnut. The taller cousin of his pulled him into a hug while the boy let a single tear roll down his face.
Halburg was having his arm wrapped up in Ruffnut and Fishleg's new home. The building was given to them before the wedding and had an under and over ground stable. Meatlug, Iggy, Butt, Spikeback, Trancemare and Scauldy had all made home there, with a spare stable for Barf and Belch when they visit. Heather and Tuffnut had taken the twins original house into their possession. A large enough lake was at the back of the house for Scauldy. The head sculpture above the door of the house was a Gronckle with a head of a Hideous Zippleback at either side of it.
Halburg was scratching Iggy's head while Ruffnut prepared lunch after finishing with his hand. She set down some bowls of some type of soup, appeasing to a Thorston. "So, want to tell me why you decided to hit a wall?" asked Ruffnut. "I received a visit from a certain Chief Haddok who pretty much ruined any chance of Quake coming home" Halburg said expressionlessly. "Ya, he told me, I was going to tell you" Ruffnut said.
"It's fine. Besides, now we can focus on the big day" smiled Halburg slightly. "Hay, we will find him, ok. Now, I want you to remember that. Because we will find Quake and we will bring him home. I can promise you that" Ruffnut said, hand on his shoulder.
"Well, I will hold out. Listen, I'm going to head off home. Blizzard, Twist, Spines and the others will be there. I think that Frill is being kept company by Torch anyway" smiled Halburg. Iggy grumbled as his hand left his head. "See ya cous'. With the wedding in only a short time, we need you to be there" smiled Ruffnut.
Arrow was outside with Trancemare. The two vain dragons were clearly mocking the more down to earth Spikeback (no pun intended). Scauldy was in the background, snoozing.
"Come on girl, let's head home" called Halburg who hopped onto Arrow's saddle. The Nadder squawked goodbye to her friends and the two flew home. Halburg was still thinking about Quake. He hopped off Arrow and leaned on his staff while all the dragons looked at their trainer. Halburg smiled and after they had eaten, as had he, he said "Come on guys".