"Do you think it was wise to let them go off to find that beast, on their own?" Nighteye asked his chief, as they walked within the village to visit the Forge, after checking with the fishermen on how many fishes they still have.
Only five baskets full of fish were all they have, since the dragons took all of their freshly caught fishes hanging on racks at the cliff closest towards the direction of the sun.
"Also, despite that he shot down the Night Fury, you have just as much right, even more rights, than the boy does, to find and kill the dragon. Why are you allowing him such an honor to kill the Unholy Offspring?"
Toshinori looked over his people, as they continued for the Forge to discuss with Higari on the number of damage armory they have.
Many have started rebuilding homes; either their homes had been burnt to the ground, or sustain severe amount of damage that results demolishing their home to start all over. Meaning, more trees to cut down, which isn't too much of an issue. The real problem, is using metal on newly built home and not on rebuilding weapons, fixing some of their ships or making new shields. They didn't even have enough metal to help make new farming tools for their crops, and it'll be another few days until Trader Johann comes to Berk to trade and/or sell.
Some, who've went to the Healing Quarters to get treated by Chiyo and are back on their feet, tried to pull their weight to assist the rebuilding of their village. Others, however, had to be guided to their homes to rest up or, if their wounds require to be evaluated, remain in the Healing Quarters.
The chief cares for his people, just as his chief, before him, and the chief before her. All the way back to the first chief, when they first came and settled on Berk. They weren't just a tribe... They're all family.
And nothing means more to Toshinori, than family... Especially more so, after losing his wife and son.
...
..And it was all his fault, that they're gone.
"Chief?" Nighteye's voice pulled him away from the memory, turning to face his right-hand man.
The blonde-male gave Nighteye a calm, collective expression.
"While you may be right that, by my status as chief, I should be given the privilege to kill that monster. But, by rights and the way of our traditions, Katsuki shot it down and, as such, is the one to kill it." He explained, as they continue for the Forge. "And even if I wish to be the one to put an end to the Unholy Offspring, he honors me by going to cut out its heart and giving it to me, as payment for my wife and son's deaths."
Nighteye raised an eyebrow to his response, but didn't argue with the 'payment' he'll be getting from the Night Fury, as they finally made it to the Forge and see Higari and one of his pupils, Mei, already working and mending metal to become armor.
Higari, having the skull of a Gronckle over his head, lifted his head from pulling out a newly formed armor from the kiln and waved at the two Vikings.
"Ah, Chief!" He called out, as he went to place the armor into the water to instantly cool it down. "Need any repairs on your armor? We've noticed a few dents up near the chest-area, and a few rust to the shoulders.."
"Please, say yes!" Mei replied, goggles over her eyes and pulling out newly made rivets and bolts from the kiln and dumping them in another bucket of water. "I have this new armor made, just for you! Made from the materials Trader Johann sold me, two moons ago! It'll guarantee any dragons won't be able to bite through, no matter how strong their bite are!"
All two males sweatdropped at the girl's excitement and pulling out the thin armor before them, while Higari laid a hand on his Gronckle skull and shook his head.
"Pardon her, Chief." He requested, waving the girl to get back to work. "You know how wild her inventions are."
"Which one, actually, ended up aiding Katsuki Bakugō on bringing down the Night Fury." Toshinori reminded, beaming down at the two Blacksmith and his pupil.
Hearing the reminder on what happened in the raid and praise in his voice over her invention, Mei beamed widely at her teacher.
"See?! I told you that one of my babies can do it, Sir! And the chief loved it!" She exclaimed, laughing like mad as she hammered away on a piece of metal to get it to take shape of a rivet.
"Which, ended up being blasted away..." Higari muttered, before turning to the chief and his right-hand man. "Well, Chief? Did you need something? Cause, if so, we got our work cut out, I'm afraid. Even with my other pupils assisting me, it'll be three days, at best, until all armors are either repaired or replaced. And that's if we finish fixing and build the weapons before the next raid."
The news was a bit troublesome to Toshinori, but there wasn't much he can do about it and understands that Higari and his pupils are doing the best they can.
"So long as the armors and shields are at least ready for all to carry, that's better than nothing. Just do the best you can to get our weapons and armors ready, Higari." The chief replied, patting his friend on the shoulders. "And if we run low on metal, let me know and I'll have volunteers assist you and your pupils to get you more."
Higari nodded his head.
"Whatever you say, Chief. But, no promises." He replied, and then went back to focusing on the armor he just finished and went to hammer it to give it shape as chest-plated armor.
Nighteye let out a tiring sigh, a bit disappointed of the news.
"Let's hope what few weapons we have that's still functional, will be enough for the next raid." He grumbled, as the two left the Forge.
"Even if we must resort to using rocks or tree branches as weapons, anything is better than nothing." Toshinori replied, sounding confident.
Sir Nighteye, while a bit relieved by the reassurance of his chief that they'll be all right, didn't feel certain that they will help them.
"In that case, we might as well bake the dragons a cake, to celebrate their great success at finally taking killing us all when they learn we don't have much weapons to take them down." He suggested, being sarcastic and a bit of his joking-self.
The chief gave him a deadpan look.
"...You just love to make this conversation depressing and point out how right you are of our situation, don't you?"
Nighteye's response is a raised eyebrow.
"Who said they'd be getting a cake, that won't have anything that a dragon would hate?" He answered, lifting one-side of his lip to a smirk.
Toshinori, getting what he meant, let out a chuckle.
"And there's the Nighteye I know and love," he commented. "If we're going to give them a cake, we'd best find some 'ingredients' to make them dragons a cake. Perhaps, we should make a bunch of them, for all to get the chance to try our cakes, before they leave Berk."
Both men laughed, feeling a bit better than they did, earlier, as they proceed to the Healer's Hut to see Chiyo to check up on their injured warriors and if she needs help on gathering herbs.
Just as they did, though...
"Chief! Chief!"
Both men turned to the sound of the scream and sees Mineta, running as fast as he could, over. Looking panicked, with some blood leaking from underneath his black-hair*.
Non-surprisingly, neither were concern from the blood, since its normal to see him injured when dragons aren't involved. Meaning, he touched one of the girls, again, and paid for it.
Toshinori fears he'll never become a proper viking and join them in Valhalla, let alone find a girl that'll put a stop to his perverted antics.
"Mineta. What seems to be the problem?" Nighteye asked, though gave him a stern, raised eyebrow. "The Chief is very busy, right now. If it isn't an emergency, please take the issue with your teachers or wait until he's done with his evaluat-"
"It's the dragon! The Night Fury! We saw it!" The boy cut him off, drawing their attention and the attention of some of the nearby vikings all around them.
Toshinori patted Nighteye on his shoulder, then came to be in front of the teen and kneeled to be close to eye-level with him as possible.
"So, Katsuki had killed the monster, and are here to inform us that's bringing its heart to me?" He predicted, beaming down at the boy. "Thank you for telling us this, Mineta. We shall send some of our men to get the body and prepare to skin it, so Katsuki can use its hide and scales to be used for his choice of new clothing."
...The fifteen year-old sweat-dropped, a bit scared on what'll happen to what he's about to say.
"...Uh... A-Actually Chief... He didn't."
The smile on the chief's face fell off, replaced with confusion... With a hint of anger, and disbelief.
"...Excuse me?"
Mineta gulped, paling at the change of his chief's voice and seeing the anger being revealed.
Sir Nighteye folded his arms over his chest.
"Explain, Mineta." He demanded, just as stunned by the news.
"W-W-Well, you see. I got knocked out by Mina, because of a missunder-"
"You groped her, again." Nighteye interrupted, glaring disapproval and disgust at the short teen.
"Y...Yeah," he admitted. "So, when I woke up, I almost blacked out when I saw them dragging the beast, bound in ropes and under Bakugō's control."
"'Control'? The boy controlled the Night Fury?" Nighteye replied, not believing what the boy is saying.
The Vikings nearby were just as surprised by the news and whispers began to travel.
The teen quickly corrected himself.
"Sort of? More like contained it." He clarified, before turning back to the chief. "But, look, Chief. Katsuki sent me on ahead, and wants everyone to gather around the Death Arena. It's really important."
Toshinori raised an eyebrow to the teen's message.
"...He's bringing the Night Fury, here? Into the village?" He asked, which earned him a quick nod from the teen.
"Believe me, Chief. I'm just as stunned and really, really, terrified by the thought. But, he has something that's keeping it from blasting us to smithereens! And, you're not going to believe it, when you see it!"
Seeing him begging him to listen and the awe and shock written on his face, told Toshinori that this was something very serious. So serious, that even Mineta, the slacker of Dragon Training, can see that this must be seen and heard.
He let out a big sigh, slowly stood up to his feet, and turned to some of his people.
"Everyone! Gather all, and head for the Death Arena!" He announced, pointing a finger towers the direction of the arena that they keep some dragons they use for training... And kill.
A bit taken back by the news, but just as curious to see what they'll see, many heed their chief's command, either immediately heading for the Death Arena or heading home to get their loved ones to head for the arena.
He then turned to Nighteye.
"Find all of our Shield-Brothers and Shield-Sisters, get them to the Death Arena, and have them bring their weapons." He ordered.
Then, he felt a tugging from his bear-skin cape.
"Uh, Chief? What do you want me to do?" He asked, still scared of the Night Fury coming to the village.
Toshinori gave him a calm look.
"First off, Mineta, thank you for coming to me and informing me stay Katsuki wanted you to tell me, even if It's something that would make me upset." He commented, making the teen abit more at ease. "If you wish to help, find the rest of your classmates and Sekijirō's class and bring them to the Death Arena, in case they didn't hear the news."
Hearing his assignment, Mineta nodded his head and took off running for the multiple destinations his class and the second class of Dragon Training would be at.
The chief let out a deep sigh, feeling a bunch of emotions going through his mind and body.
Disbelief. Anger. Confusion. Determination... Hope.
Nighteye laid a hand on his shoulder, bringing him back.
"You sure we should do this?" He asked, a bit hesitant by what they're doing. "The Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death, itself, coming into our village? Alive?"
Toshinori looked just as uncertain as his right-hand man.
"I'm not as on board about this as you are, Nighteye." He answered, bring honest. "...But, if he found something about the Night Fury that's important for us to see, even if it must be brought here, alive... Then, by Freya's Flame, we must see this."
*Knock! Knock! Knock!*
Shōta slowly opened his eyes, annoyed that somebody woke him up from his sleep.
He pulled the sheep wool quilt over his head.
"Go away..." He grumbled.
"Shō! I know you hear me and I'm not going to leave, until you get up and open up! Or, do you want me to get Mom?!"
One of his eyes snapped opened, knowing Hitomi will get their battle-axe of a mom and have both Shōya and Shōma drag him out of bed if he doesn't get up.
And with both his father, grandfather and big brother, Makkuro, still out to sea to catch some fish and make some trades with the nearby islands, all know better than to test Sumire's authority. And with an additional three daughter-in-laws, one son-in-law and eight grandsons on her side, none can defy her power in the household.
He let out a growl, as he forced himself to sit up from his wooden bed. Even with hay and wool as the cushions, Shōta finds sleeping on grass to be more comfortable than his own bed.
"...Fine... I'm up." He moaned, stretching to pop some of his bones from his spine and shoulders. "I regret ever having my home built close by to home."
"I heard that, young man. Now, get out of bed. We'd made brunch."
'Which means, you helped yourselves to whatever I was able to catch, hunt or scavenge... Great...'
He shouldn't complain; his mother makes great meal, even if it was a handful of nuts and beets she had to make for soap.
Still, with the shortage of food going on within the village, Shōta was planning on rationing whatever food he finds and stores to last him at least a moon cycle.
And with the ice beginning to set in, now was the time to save up all he has to get through another tough Winter.
Letting out a deep sigh, he swung his feet to the side of his bed and, with his socks still on because of the cold, put his black-boots on and got out of bed. Not even bothering to make it, since he plans to go back to get some more sleep before he goes off to check on his traps with some of the other gatherers for the village.
He drags his feet to the door, grabbing his black-wolf vest to put over his black-tunic and his chain weapon along the way.
*Knock! knock! knock!*
The second set of knocking for an irritated growl to leave his throat.
"I'm coming already, Hitomi." He hissed, reaching for the handle.
...
...Only for the door to open from the other side, nearly getting his hand and foot in the process, revealing a very stunned and awestruck Hizashi.
From his gasping for breathe and sweating, he ran the whole way here... That, and he looked as though he'd seen a ghost.
...Or, a dragon.
"Shō! Come quick!" The blonde-viking yelled, grabbing for the now stunned Aizawa's arm. "We need to head for the Death Arena, like yesterday!"
Before the raven-haired man could say anything, he found himself being pulled out of his room and running down the stairs, straight for the entrance and running down the hill.
"Damn it, Hizashi! Slow down!" Aizawa yelled, slamming both feet into the ground to anchor him in place. "I just woke up from both my mom and sister threatening to get my triplet brothers to drag me out of bed, I didn't get to eat any food and, to top it all off, I need to go forage for more food before I go with the other foragers and hunters to gather whatever vegetation and games we can find for the village! What is it that's so important to drag me away from my ho-"
"It's the Night Fury! Katsuki brought the Night Fury to the village!"
Hizashi's answer immediately shut Shōta's brain off.
"...He what?"
The blonde-viking nodded his head, frantically.
"Yeah! He brought the Night Fury to the village, at the Death Arena! But, guess what? It wasn't by itself, and you're not going to believe what it was that's with it!" He yelled, pointing a finger towards the direction of the Death Arena and tugging his friend's arm. "But, right now, we need to go join the village and be at attendance with the chief! You'll see what it is that the kids brought with them, with the Night Fury! Your family will meet us there, after they clean up the small mess they made in your place!"
Because he knows about his Shield-Brother has a scattered mind when he's frantic and talking loud, Shōta wasn't going to get any more answers from him. And, the only way he was going to get anything, is to follow him to the Death Arena.
And so, with a deep sigh, he pulled his arm out of Hizashi's hold and the two friends continued to head for the Death Arena.
There, they see all of Berk standing around the metal-cage. Talking amongst with one another.
"Can you believe it? He, actually, brought the Night Fury, here?"
"Finally, we're going to see the devil of a beast, before it dies!"
"First, he shoots down the Unholy Offspring. And now, he brings it here?! This boy is going to be a legend, for sure!"
"I don't know. Honestly, I thought he missed, since it blasted at our second watchtower before the sun had risen? Could this just be another dragon that rarely comes to Berk? Maybe, even a dragon with a similar fire attack?"
They ignored their curiosities and opinions, heading straight for the stone-throne with the rest of the teachers, Sorahiko Torino, Chiyo and Nighteye.
The Shield-Brother and right-hand man of the chief raised an eyebrow at the two Shield-Brothers. More specifically, at his black-dyed Jorvik boots that showed to be a bit muddy.
"What happened to your boots? Did he dragged you right out from your home to get you here?" Mirai asked, smirking at the irritated look on the younger-male's face.
"...You sent him to get me, rather than send a raven to my home?" He replied, sounding very threatening but clearly too tired to do anything but sound cranky.
"Well, you did leave the Mess Hall, before our chief finished his announcement on whether or not to look for the nest, again, before the ice begins to set. Plus, Hizashi said you wanted him to tell you how the meeting went after your nap. And, since this is an emergency meeting and our meeting at the Mess Hall had ended, this should be good enough reason to wake you up and drag your sorry, lazy, whiny ass over."
"Hey, you youngins'! Hush up!" Torino from the other side of the throne yelled, waving his cane in the air and stomping the end against the ground. To his left, Chiyo stood by his side, smiling cheerfully and looking down where the metal-gates are at. "Its bad enough that we have to deal with that hothead of a child for making such a Loki-minded idea, but to have the two of you bickering when there's more pressing matters at hand is enough to make me come over there and toss you both into the arena, to let that dragon have at the both of ya!"
His threat and words were enough to shut both Shōta and Mirai from their argument, making them see that they're bickering like children when they're adults.
"Now, if you two are done fighting, straighten your backs, keep your weapons ready and stand in attention! Toshinori is about to make his appearance!" The older-viking informed, looking out in front and glaring daggers to where his wife is looking at.
...Where, no doubt, Katsuki and some of his friends are waiting... Along with the Night Fury.
To their left, the villagers parted to allow their chief to walk through, heading straight for his stone-throne. But, he didn't take his seat.
Instead, he stood tall and proud, looking rather serious and stoic.
Seeing him before them, all went quiet. Even the few children knew better than to try and talk, when their chief is here.
The blonde let out a deep sigh... Then, raised his voice at a proper level for all to hear.
"My people! I assume many of you have heard on what is the meaning of coming here, to the Death Arena..." He began, looking amongst all who came as he had ordered, just as his nephew requested him to do. "While I'm just as much as in a lost as the rest of you, my nephew, Katsuki Bakugō, number one student in Dragon Training and the one to shoot down the Night Fury, has requested us to witness a certain discovery of the beast. And though I'd prefer he had kept his word and killed the beast, I'm willing to hear him out and see what it is that he wish for all of us to see! -He then raised his sword in the air with his right.- Now then, Katsuki Bakugō, the Night Killer, please come out and show us what you wish for us to bare witness!"
Given his blessing to come out, Katsuki slowly came out from the shadows of the metal-gate.
...Then, with a few ropes in his hands, stopped for a moment to tug at them to pull whatever it was to come out of the shadows with him, before continuing towards the center of the arena.
...
...
...There, many gasp of shock, fear, horror and rage left the many voices outside of the arena, as they watch a dragon slowly walk forward, bound by ropes and being led by Katsuki and two of his Shield-Brothers... The Night Fury, itself.
"Great Odin's Ghost! It's the beast!"
"Look at it! It's do menacing!"
"Mommy, I'm scared! Make the monster go away!"
Many voices traveled, mixed with boos and hisses, as the dragon slowly followed the whitish-blonde teenager to the center, wincing a bit when the rope to one of his wings agitated the sprain.
Kirishima and Sero kept firm gross on their ropes, keeping them as tight as possible, as they followed beside the beast.
When they made it to the middle, Katsuki and his friends got down on one knee and bowed down to their chief.
The dragon looked up to what it was that the three teens are bowing to, only to pull up part of his muzzle and snarl up at the chief, showing off some of his fangs at the large man.
Yet, remained where he stood. Knowing he can't do anything in his condition, let alone risk danger coming to his human hatchling.
The chief glared back at the dragon, but he brushed off the monster's deadly glare to focus on the teen, who he and his friends got back on their feet.
The oldest key put a deep sigh, then began to speak.
"Chief Toshinori. My companions and I have brought before you, the Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death, itself. The Night Fury."
To the declaration, almost all of Berk cheered, wildly.
Their screams and cheers did cause the dragon to wince, yelping in shock and flattening his ears closer to his skull. All around him, he growls lowly at all who cheers at his capture for subduing him.
Vikings, who've killed thousands of his kind for many generations... To the point, to being murderers of their own... Most of which, being runts they called, 'Hiccups'.
...
...
...Like his two human hatchlings are born as Hiccups.
When Katsuki held up a hand in the air, signaling all to go silent, all the cheering went quiet. He then turned back to his uncle, the chief.
"But, Chief, when three of my Shield-Brothers and Shield-Sister aided me on finding the Night Fury, we discovered something rather unexpected." He continued, as he used the same hand to beckon forward from the metal-gate. "And what we found, is something you must see for yourself."
From the shadows, Kaminari and Ashido came out, both holding ropes and guiding something else to follow... And when the figure came into the light, being the girl with the black-hooded cape, bound by the ropes of the bola and keeping her head down, many gasps of shock echoed all around.
"Is that a girl?"
"What is she wearing?!"
"I never seen her, before. Is she even part of Berk?"
"She was found with the Night Fury?! Why was she even with the Night Fury?!"
Toshinori looked just as stunned at the girl, who growled lowly at them and hissed at them. And when Denki and Mina both got down and bowed, both pulling at their ropes to make her go down, she stomped her feet and pulled back. Refusing to bow to him.
Nighteye, finding her actions to be rude, despite that he'd never seen her at all in the village, stomped his hewing-spear against the stoned-ground.
"Insolent child," he scolded. "You will show respect to our chief, and bow!"
...His response, was a snarl of a roar from the girl, completely taking him back.
"Haarrr!" She hissed, and began to pull back at the ropes.
...Which, in their neglect to think about taking away her clawed-gloves, were stunned when the ropes broke and she sprung forward towards Bakugō... Running on all-fours, like a wolf, or a mountain lion... Or, perhaps, a dragon.
Kaminari and Ashido were so stunned, that their brains couldn't process to do anything but watch the feral girl charge for their Shield-Brother.
...However, Kirishima, being the closest to the girl, let go of his ropes in order to dive down on her and pin her to the ground by wrapping his arms around her.
The crowd gasped in shock, as the girl tried to get back on her hands and feet and try to buck the red-hair boy off of her, hissing and snapping her teeth.
"Hey! Quit it!" Kirishima yelled, surprised that he was having some trouble keeping her steady from how much she was wiggling. "Somebody, get over here and help me bind her!"
The Night Fury, finding his wings are free from their bindings and watching the others coming towards his hatchling, both holding a few strips of ropes to use to stop her from escaping, flapped his wings to push his body up, ignoring the pain in his right-wing, and roared.
Katsuki struggled to keep a firm grip on his reigns of rope, while Sero, unfortunately, got whacked by the injured wing and let go of his ends of ropes.
And when his tail was freed, the dragon shot it straight for the whitish-blonde teen and sent him straight for the stone-wall.
And with nothing holding his binds, the dragon turned to the three teens and lunged straight towards them.
Above them, many of the vikings screamed and yelled.
"Its going to kill them!"
"Quickly, we need to stop it!"
In response, Hizashi, Aizawa and Mirai all went into action to going through the gasps of the metal-bars to enter the arena quicker to save the teens, as a few other Vikings from within the crowd began to do the same.
Just as Toshinori ran to do the same to rescue his nephew and his friends... He saw something, unexpected.
The Night Fury came down and grabbed for the girl by her cape, after Kirishima pulled back to avoid the beast's attack. And after grabbing the girl, he ran to the metal-cage and, after letting go of her hood, charged up his attack and blasted a hole through the gate. Cutting and burning the ropes off his face.
...And... Is coursing the girl to go through, and escape?
Both Sorahiko and Chiyo were just as awestruck by the sight, watching as the dragon forced the girl through the hole.
Obviously, as the girl was nudged through the hole, she let out a few wobbling sounds and whimpers. Refusing to leave the dragon behind.
But, after a few wobbling roars and barks, the Night Fury turned back to the Vikings coming for him, holding both wings up and flashing his fangs at them, snarling loudly and eyes slit.
Knowing this was her only chance to escape and get help, the girl took off running on all-fours, heading for the village towards the woods.
Seeing that the girl was free and proceed to run, Katsuki pointed a finger at her.
"Stop her! Don't let her get away!" He ordered, looking a bit frantic at her running away. "She's the only leverage we have to keep that monster under control!"
For that reason, Toshinori, having his axe out, turned his head to the left towards Aizawa.
"Shōta, you and your brothers go after her!" He ordered, as some of the vikings advanced to attack the dragon.
To his command, Shōta placed two fingers to his mouth and let out a few whistling sounds, sending a message to Shōya and Shōma to help him stop the girl. And, with the dragon distracted and forced to jump away from the metal-gate, the thirty-one Winter-old man launched himself through the hole and took off running for the girl.
At Berk...
She bit her tongue, tasting blood, angry that she has to leave her Dragon-Father behind to head for the woods. To find their Flock, and head back to Caldera Cay for help.
From the very start, she knew it was a terrible idea to come here. A village, that's basically on its last leg, before they die off from hunger, frantic and scared dragons getting more serious on killing them for food, or the people decide to grow wise and abandon their home for another island.
But, the few dragons that came to Caldera Cay, hungry, terrified and injured from being attacked by their own flock, by orders of their Queen, the Red Death, begged for their help to free them and put an end to the never-ending raids at Berk.
Of course, her brother was immediately on board... While she, however, was hesitant.
...Considering that the island that's being raided is their birth home... Where Hiccups are cast out to sea, and die from either drowning or the cold environment. And, as their Human-Mother, her brother's birth mother, had told them, Berk won't hesitate to take them hostage and will execute them, as soon as they even set foot on their island.
However, they're Dragon Hatchlings. They don't abandon their own to die from the claws of their cruel, abusive Queen, to be killed by the hands of Vikings or being eaten by the Red Death for not bringing enough food to barely satisfy her ever-growing hunger to consume all.
And so, after informing their Human-Alphas on what they're going to do, which they made promises to come back and/or send help in case they're in danger and/or informed them of the situation of the Nest of the Red Death, the two siblings and their Dragon Flock took off for Berk.
And now, after barely a moon away from Caldera Cay and taking out their watchtowers and catapults, she and their Dragon-Father had been shot down by a hidden bola launcher, bound and captured by viking-hatchlings and taken to their caged arena that reeks of blood and death.
'Head for trees and woods,' she thought. 'Find Dragon-Mother, Dragon-Kins and Brother. Find help. Escape!'
As she continues to run, she can hear the sound of running feet coming towards her, warning her that she's being chased.
"Hey! Stop right there!" One of them yelled.
She grunted a snort.
'Like I'll listen.'
She doesn't listen to order, and pushes forward into the woods.
"Wait!"
The shadows from the trees and rocks completely made her hard to see, especially with her hooded-cape covering her and blending within the shadows.
'Almost to cove! Almost to Flock!' She thought, making a hard turn when she sees the large-rocks and slip between the gap to hide behind them.
She slightly gasp for breath, but covered her mouth with her clawed-glove to make herself even more quiet when she hears them stop where the rocks are.
"Damn it! Where'd she go?!" One yelled, stomping around.
"Do you think she went for Badmist Mountains? Or, maybe, back to Raven's Point?" The other asked, sounding a bit out of breath.
"I don't know, Shōma! Why you asking me, when I don't have a fucking clue where she ran off to?!"
Clearly, from the way they talk, the first voice has a serious temper problem. And, in his anger, took off running away from the rocks she's hiding behind and away from the direction of the cove.
"...You don't have to yell," the second voice whispered, as he follows after his kin.
She remains still within her hiding spot for a minute, in case they hear back to retrace their steps and double-check if she comes out of hiding.
And when she heard no sign of them coming back, she crawls out from the gap of the rocks and pushes her body into a full sprint on all-fours to the opposite direction.
...
...Only for a bola to come down from above her and coil her arms to her side, stopping her in her tracks.
The girl let out a frustrating snarl, realizing her mistake for not being able to smell, let alone had, a third person had followed her, due to her bleeding neck-wound clouding her sense of smell with the scent of copper and life.
She pushes her legs to get up, only to be grabbed by the back of her neck by her capture, who kneels to her level.
The one who carries metal rope-like weapon that she sees blacksmiths use to lift the metal-bowl over the fire. Who stood beside the blonde-Alpha of the island.
"Nice try, Kid." He said, panting a bit. "If not for your injury, you would've, actually, had gotten away from me and my brothers."
He then pulls the both of them to their feet, keeping his hand around her throat. Ignoring the slight seeping of blood flowing between and underneath his fingers.
"Come on, back to Berk." He gestured, forcing her to follow him back towards the direction to the village.
She grunted and hissed at his gripping, then send him a dirty, angry glare.
...
...Her gaze made Aizawa froze in his steps.
Her eyes are a peircing green, with a mixture of gray blending within the iris.
...
...They were so similar to his late wife's green-eyes.
And, at a closer look, pass the weaves of feathers and dragon scales in her hair, the curls are just like Cindy's, but appear more wavy and more of a very dark-brown/black hair-color than her brownish/dark-red.
Her skin, to his surprise, is tan. Almost to a dark-tan. As if she's been sun bathing within the sun's light every day, or next to a volcano.
Other than those differences, Shōta is positive that this girl can pass as the spitting image of his late wife.
Before he can ponder any further of the girl's heritage and figure out where her parents could be, Shōya and Shōma came running back, both gasping for air.
"Nice going, Shō. You caught the little fox." Shōya praised, glaring down at the girl. "Can't believe she almost gave us the slip."
Shōma, after catching his breath, came closer to examine the growling child. It was there, he noticed the blood covering his brother's hand.
"She's injured?" He asked, turning to his older-triplet brother. "You didn't have to hurt her that hard, Shō! She's a child! A Hiccup at that!"
Aizawa glared back at his younger-triplet brother.
"I didn't cause her neck-wound, Ōma." He stated. "She already had this injury, since I followed the trail of her blood to her hiding spot and waited for her to come out to catch her. Unlike you two, who ran off, without any trace of her trail."
The oldest-triplet brother glared at his brother.
"You just love to hear how great of a tracker you are, don't you?" He taunted, stomping over and poking a finger to his brother's chest. "Just like how you like to show off on how you're one of the Chief's Shield-Brothers, and appointed as the top teacher of Dragon Training."
The third brother came between the two brothers, giving the first triplet a serious glare.
"Ōya, don't start that, again." He begged, clearly not wanting his brothers to fight, again.
The girl gave all three of them a disappointed gaze, as she tries to pull out of Shōta's grip around her neck.
His response was to tighten his grip, but kept glaring at his older-brother.
"And I told you, I didn't asked to be selected to be that fool's Shield-Brothers. And I sure as hell didn't enjoy what my 'privilege' resulted of me to do. Which led me to leave my wife and unborn child, unprotected, and to die from the raids." He countered, jabbing a finger back at Shōya. "Which you, our brothers and sister swore to protect and care for, until my return."
His words did more impact than he intended of causing, seeing the two winced from the reminder of their failure to protect one of their own, fourteen Winters ago.
Of breaking their promise to their broker, while he and a selected few other Vikings left to attack and kill Outcast Island, with their Chief.
Back when they were still at war with a tribe that betrayed Berk. With the one who killed Nana, during a raid, without knowing the Outcasts tresspassed onto their island.
A viking known as, All for One.
Whom Toshinori had the greatest pleasure at cutting off his right-arm, and leaving to die in the fire.
Unfortunately, very few Berkians who joined him, survived the war, given that Outcast Island was full of dragons and traps.
Shōta, was one of the few to survive, but eas barely clinging on to life and ended up have his vision damaged from hitting his head after falling off a cliff.
...And when they returned to Berk, a few weeks later than expected, was the day both fathers lost their wives and children.
To this day, Shōta held a grudge against the chief, and never let his family forget on how they didn't keep their promise to care and protect Cindy and their unborn child.
He never gotten the chance to know if his child was a boy, or a girl. To know what their name would be, as a small, unmarked grave sits next to his wife's. A reminder of his failure as a husband.
His failure as a father.
They were so lost to their argument, none of them were prepared for the girl to let out a howl of a roar.
"Haaaarruuuuuu!"
Her cry was so loud, the ravens in the trees flew out from their nests and let out warning caws in the air.
The three brothers, actually, jumped from her howling roar, as she continues to raise her head to the sky let out another hoarse, howling roar.
"Haaaaaaaaruuuuuu!"
...
*Rustle!* *Rustle!* *Rustle!*
Snap!
Shōta, Shōya and Shōma immediately turned to the sound of a twig snapping, weapons drawn and looking around frantically of what it was that came to them.
Aizawa had one of his chained-weapon uncurl partly off his arm, as he got down and had both him and the girl kneeling... Shielding her with his body, in case they get attacked.
Even if she isn't one of his students, let alone a Berkian, she's still a child. And within him, a paternal instinct tells him to protect this child.
His two brothers stood before the two, drawing out their hidden knives from underneath their sleeved tunic, eyes set towards a few bushes shaking.
...
...Finding that, when the intruder came jumping out, found that it was a rabbit that got them all spooked.
Though, the three brothers were taken back to see the rabbit, itself... A white-rabbit, to be precise.
Instantly, one thought came to mind in all three of them.
'Freya!'
The Goddess of Love, Fertility, Beauty and War. Daughter of Njord, God of Wind and Water. Sister to Freyr, God of Prosperity, Fortune, Peace, Pleasure and male virility. A Goddess that symbolizes Love and War, fruitfulness, maternity, and poetry.
Also, the Goddess of the Full Moon... Served, by hare attendants*.
Rabbits, included.
They watch as the rabbit, after scratching its ear, took notice of the tied up girl and, as if the three males weren't there, hopped over to the child.
The two stared into each others' eyes, as the rabbit placed both paws on her knees to be as close to her face as possible.
After a few sniffs... The white-rabbit leaned forward and nuzzled its nose against hers. Then, when the girl leaned her head forward, the animal rested its forehead against her own.
The triplets couldn't believe what they're witnessing. Frozen in place, not able to speak a word.
As soon as the two pulled away, the white-rabbit turned and looked up at the three brothers... Then, as soon as it appeared, it took off sprinting back into the woods.
None of them could believe what they've just witnessed, as they looked down at their hostage, who stared out to where the white-rabbit ran off.
"Was that Freya, herself?" Shōma asked, putting away his knife back within the sleeve of his tunic. "That was no ordinary rabbit, if it came to her, without any coaxing or fear towards us. It had to be Freya. Or, at the very least, one of her servants."
"If that were Freya, she would've taken the form of a falcon, or a wild boar." Shōya reminded, glaring down at the child. "But, that definitely wasn't a normal rabbit. And, because she can take the form of any animal and chose to take the form of one that represents fertility and the moon, it must've been her. But, why would Freya be interested in her?"
None could come up with a good answer, but one thing Shōta is certain: Regardless if the rabbit is Freya, herself, or not, if she came to the child, that meant she's something special and blessed by Freya.
Meaning, Berk needs her and must please Freya and the gods, by keeping her safe and not harm her in any way.
With that thought, the middle triplet got the both of them to their feet. Once on his feet, he removed his hand to pull out a cloth from his pocket and went to tie it around her throat to stop the bleeding.
Then, instead of placing his hand back around her neck, he laid a hand on her shoulder and ushered her to move forward.
He turned to his brothers.
"We need to head back to Berk, and inform the chief about this." He told them, as he looked around their surroundings, being on edge in case something else jumps out of nowhere and could end up attacking them. "If what Bakugō said is true and what we've just witness, then our very survival on stopping the raids, relies on having this girl with us."
The two brothers turned to one another, both in an agreement with their triplet-brother, before following him and their hostage back to the village.
Unknown to the Aizawa Triplets, the white-rabbit had ran back to the boy at the cove, jumping right into his arms and nuzzling against his face. Unafraid of the four dragons that accompanies him, sniffing the small-creature and letting out coos of the scent of their missing flocks it carries on its fur.
TBC
*: Some of them will use berries and/or any kind of dye-coloring to change their hair-color. Some, though, like Ashido, will have different hair-color. So, for this, Mineta has black, short-wavy hair.
*: I looked up on who associates with rabbits or symbolizes rabbits in Norse/Viking Mythology, and the internet keeps pointing out Freya. Though, it's weird that most wiki that talks about Freya, doesn't bring up rabbits/hares and the few that did, only that she has them as attendants/servants and mentioning another God/Goddess from another mythology that has a carriage pulled by rabbits. I'm not very good with much mythology, so I'm looking up all that I can and putting them into the story.
So, for those who are going to get on me that it should've been a falcon (Since that's two of her animals), since she's known to take forms/shift-shape and magic, it shouldn't really matter what animal she turns into, so long as it represents her symbolism of her power. And, in many/most, the rabbit represent fertility and she is the Goddess of Fertility. And, the Full Moon Goddess, and the rabbit is mentioned to have a connection to the moon in most mythology.
R&R