A.D. 752, 5th MONTH, DAY 12

38 Years Later

The large silhouette of Mount Fría could be seen in the night sky. Along the edge of the island, enormous ocean waves raged on a mass of rocks that rose high above, and near the cliffs rested a human village peacefully during nighttime before the sound of an explosion of a shattered rock-throwing tower was heard. Black clouds spread across the sky.

Along the edge of inland at the island, a dark gray Night Fury was soaring through the sky, concealing his presence by flying in the dark sky. He could see the horned humans attacking the colony who were trying to steal the food from the structures. His nose was hinted with the slightest ting of light gray, and he began to land on the main land of the island between the wooden nests carefully constructed by the humans.

He bolted away from the attackers, who had snuck up from behind him. "Back off!" he hissed, whirling round to face them. "I don't want to fight you!" His growling only made it worse, and Flashwing regretted it.

When the warriors raised their metal claws, they charged toward him. Flashwing hovered up into the air and the humans skidded to a stop. They looked up at Flashwing. One of them tried to grab his tail, but he smacked him away with a hard slap to the face.

Flashwing flew away and landed in a safer spot between the human nests. Where could the food be? thought Flashwing. I need to find something, or else the Alpha would not take it kindly if I returned empty-handed.

All over around him, there were dragons who was trying to get away with the animals by grabbing them in their talons. Humans threw flaming rocks at them from their rock-throwing towers, as well as wooden spikes. A group of Gronckles blasted their fire at the towers, shattering them into pieces, while the warriors jumped down from the falling towers.

The Deadly Nadders grabbed animals in their strong talons and flying away from the island. A few yards from where he stood, Flashwing could see a group of Monstrous Nightmares setting themselves on fire. The humans in front of the Nightmares staggered back and exchanged worried look with each other.

As he was observing the area, loud, angry voices could be heard from a few meters behind him. Flashwing widened his eyes, before he bolted away. I'd better get something, too, he realized. Soon, he was away from the battlefield atop of a hill, where a lonely human nest rested near the forest. Flashwing tilted his head. Does someone important live here?

Curiously, and cautiously stepping toward the nest, he walked up to the mouth, opening it with a paw. Inside, he could see several objects hanging on the walls of the nest: from the right hung shorter metal claws above a block of wood; to the left was a set of wood that was raised above to the next level of the nest.

Flashwing made his way toward the set of wood and ascended the wood. Once he was on the second level of the nest, he saw a wooden block at the back of the nest. He walked over, and Flashwing gasped. Lying in the wooden block was a small human hatchling, sound asleep with a piece of wool covering its body.

A hatchling! I've never seen one that belonged to a human up close, thought Flashwing. Is it here alone? If so, where are its parents? Have they been killed in the raid?

The sound of footsteps came as he turned his head to the set of wood, where a female human stood with widened eyes. Flashwing whirled around to face her, accidentally knocking the wood block over and caused the hatchling to fall out, with it now awake and crying loudly. Panic-stricken, he went over to the hatchling.

A shout reached his ears, and Flashwing turned to face the female human and fired a blast of plasma at her, knocking her off her feet in a purple mist and with her body roll down the set of wood.

Oh no! What have I done? Flashwing widened eyes, with a terrible realization coming to him as angry, curse filled words coming from outside. Flashwing looked out of a hole and noticed a group of human warriors charging the structure with metal claws raised in the air.

Oh, dear…this doesn't look good. What do I do? If they find me here, then… His thoughts lingered to the hatchling and he looked over to it. I can't leave it here. I've got to bring it with me. Those humans are surely going to kill me.

From the set of wood, he saw a male human whose eyes were burning like a reddish hot fire. Flashwing cursed under his breath, "Damn…" He spotted the group behind the male warrior. Spreading his wings protectively in front of the hatchling, he opened his mouth, gas filled his lungs and — as the humans charged at him, he fired several shots at them, sending them off their feet and roll down the set of wood.

Flashwing turned around, grabbed the hatchling in his paw and flew out of the open hole of the wall.

•••

Flashwing flew in the air, keeping the hatchling in his warm paw while he was below the other dragons, who had their livestock in the talons and was making their way to a large peak that was raised above the ground in its mighty spot in the distance. Its crystalized rocks stretched out of the mountain. Around the peak stretched out a shattered floating island, which was in large pieces of pile wood as it rested on the side.

Flashwing flew toward an open tunnel, making his way through the darkness, holding his breath while his heart was beating as he was edging closer to the colony nest. Once he arrived in the center of the mountain peak, he landed on the ground with a soft thump. Around him, dragons were landing near their nests and dropped their catch to the hatchlings, each one of them squealing in high, delightful sounds.

A sense of confusion and doubt struck his mind, and he looked down to the human hatchling, who had been asleep through the entire flight. He began to think back to the two horned humans, whom he had killed earlier. Why did they try to stop me? Could they have been…this hatchling's parents? His eyes was watering with a tear falling, he wiped it away with a claw. I've killed them. Now, this hatchling has no one to depend on, unless…Flashwing thought to the Alpha. It is risky, but I will see what the Alpha will do. He always knows what to do in these situations.

He flew in the air and continued making his way through the mountain. A couple of dragons had spotted the hatchling in his paw and they were beginning to whisper between themselves, but he ignored them and went through a tunnel in the first area of Dragon Mountain. When he got through the tunnel, he saw a couple of crystals shining brilliantly in the Alpha nest.

Flashwing landed on the soft, earthy ground with a light thump and looked ahead. In front of him was a nest — a plateau of flat rock where a lone, white dragon lay asleep. Flashwing's heart was beating harder at each step he took when he neared the Alpha, and he stopped, bowing his head respectfully. "I am back, Alpha," he announced.

A stir from Scales was noticable and a rumbling noise escaped him, making him open one eye to look at Flashwing. "Welcome back, my friend." Scales stood, with his white scales shining brightly in the light of the crystals. "I assume you have some food from the human settlement?"

Flashwing looked at him, then spoke, "I…I don't have any food with me this time, Alpha Scales."

"That's a shame," sighed Scales. He looked down at Flashwing with a stern glare.

Flashwing's shoulders tensed from the stare. "What is it?"

"It's about that thing in your paw," said Scales.

Flashwing looked down at the hatchling. "What about it?" he asked, glancing back at Scales.

"Why have you brought it here?" inquired Scales. "You should know that nothing like that is welcomed here, Flashwing."

Flashwing inhaled a breath, preparing for the worse. "I have brought it here, so that this hatchling could be raised by us."

"A human? Among dragons?" hissed Scales, his lips curling into a snarl. "Have you not realized something like that isn't possible?"

Flashwing held the hatchling close to his warm, gray chest, and he lowered his head shameful.

"Did you not know what danger you have brought upon us, Flashwing?" continued Scales. "You have brought death upon the colony!" He stomped down from the plateau and glared at Flashwing, his eyes burning like a furious fire that would never stop.

"I was only looking for food, but then I stumbled upon a nest and this hatchling was there, alone!" Flashwing shouted. "He would not have survived it if I haven't had taken him!"

"Then why this beast?" pressed Scales. "Would you risk yourself by raising that beast, who could very well kill us all?"

"He's not a beast!" insisted Flashwing, raising the hatchling slightly to Scales' eyes. "Look at him! He's not even a danger. Why do you think he's bad?"

Scales growled heatedly. "You should know this already, Flashwing. They killed my family!"

"And I didn't want to kill humans!" shouted Flashwing.

"But you did it, didn't you?"

Flashwing blinked, realization coming to him. The question hung in the air for a long moment. He looked down at the hatchling, noticing it having awakened by their shouting, while it stared up at Flashwing fearfully. He held the hatchling close, trying to soothingly calm him down.

"Daal daar bruniik," ordered Scales.

Flashwing shook his head. "No. I won't return him. Dii, Alpha."

"Ful, hi fen dir naal dein nii?" continued Scales. "Would you honestly risk yourself if you were to die by raising this thing?"

"No, I won't," said Flashwing, voice firm. "This hatchling might die if I don't care for it. He need me, and you know it, Alpha. I won't abandon something like this hatchling."

Scales snorted, smoke coming from his nostrils. "Do you even have any clues on how you can raise it?"

Flashwing went silent.

"Do you see now?" asked Scales, snarling, and he paced around Flashwing like a hunter waiting for a moment to strike its prey. "You have no idea what humans need, do you? Then, it is best to return it to its species."

Flashwing's lips were slowly curling into a snarl."I insist on keeping the hatchling, Alpha," he spoke. "I won't return him back to his species. There is too much at stake now that he is with us."

Scales hissed, he stopped pacing and stood in front of Flashwing, his head high as a show of his authority. When he spoke, his clear voice was firm. "There are a few conditions you must accept about it, if you insist on keeping the beast, Flashwing."

"What are they?"

"I will be making this easy for you: you and your family are to be moved to into an isolated cave in the mountain, away from the rest in the colony," started Scales. "Further more, you will only be allowed to hunt for fish as long as the human hatchling is watched by your mate."

"What about Luna?" questioned Flashwing. "Will she only have me and Penumbra without being able to see her friends at all?"

Scales nodded in affirmation. "It's for the best. This human is not going to be living with the rest of the colony around him, but only with you and your family." He cleared his throat. "Secondly, you should know that it is your own responsibility on raising this hatchling. I cannot guarantee your safety if something were to happen to one of you."

"I understand," sighed Flashwing. "Anything else I should know?"

Scales put a claw on his chin thoughtfully. "Yes. Flashwing, I know it may sound odd from me, but whatever happens, don't let tragedy fall upon your family. It wouldn't be the same if the same event that occurred thirty eight years ago happened to you as well. Promise me."

Flashwing blinked, then glanced down at the human hatchling, who yawned. He looked at Scales again. "I understand, Alpha. I shall move my family to a different cave." He turned and left Scales, spreading his wings and took flight through the Alpha tunnel.

•••

As soon as Flashwing left the Alpha cave, Scales exhaled a breath, turning his head over to someone, who had been around a crystal nearby. "Have I done the right thing?" he asked. "I'm not sure if I have done the right choice, Aquawing."

Aquawing stepped forth from the crystal, ruffling her wings as she stepped up beside him. "I believe you have made the right thing to do, Alpha." She looked up for a short moment, before she glanced at him with her left eye, commenting, "You've done something right, my friend. You made Flashwing happy, since he wanted to accept the human as his own son."

Scales scowled at the earth. "I'm no longer sure if I should have let that human be so close to the Night Fury family." He then hypothesized, "What if…the event that scarred me for life would happen again, but this time to Flashwing?"

"I know you are afraid, Alpha," said Aquawing softly. "But you shouldn't think about the past. Think about the present and where it will lead you to."

Scales looked at her, a sense of understanding shining in his eyes. "I know."

"Do you? How do you know what that means?" she asked, looking for clarification.

"Well…" he started, looking down at his paws, pondering. "I may not have been able to find the Hidden World, like my mate wanted me to, but that doesn't mean I will be giving up on my goal of finding it."

"That's good," Aquawing smiled at him. "It means you are becoming wiser than you were before." She then added, "But what about the human?"

"What about it?"

"Him," she corrected him, staring with one eye, as if scolding him. "I think you should give him a chance."

Scales snorted, smoke puffing from his nostrils in distaste. "Why should I give it a chance? Those beasts have not been given much help to us. They only brought destruction wherever they went. Why should a human hatchling be any different?"

"Because he is special," Aquawing said. "I can sense it in him. He won't harm a single dragon in his life. Give him some time, and you will see what I mean, Scales."

Scales frowned when she turned and left his side.

•••

Flashwing was flying through the connected Night Fury tunnel, which led him to a cave that rested above on the second level of Dragon Mountain, while holding the human close to his chest for warmth. He smiled after looking down at his son, but he soon frowned at the words repeating in his mind: Why do we have to move? He landed on the familiar, soft earthy ground near the mouth of the cave, spotting Penumbra inside, playing with their daughter. "I am back," he announced.

"Drem yol lok, dear," said Penumbra, greeting him by walking over and touched his head with hers. "It's good to have you back."

"And I am happy, as well," said Flashwing. "And how is my little moon?" He smiled upon seeing Luna running up to him.

"Me fine, Pa!" Luna yipped delightfully when he nuzzled her.

Flashwing chuckled. "That's good to hear."

"Flashwing, dear?" asked Penumbra, gaining his attention by pointing at the human in his paw. "What is that?"

Flashwing grunted to himself, before he glanced down at Luna. "Luna, your mother and I need to talk privately. Could you wait over there?" He pointed with a claw to the grassy nest she had previously been when he arrived.

Luna nodded, turning tail and left them.

Flashwing finally turned to look at Penumbra, who was staring at him with patience. "This is our son, my dear. His name is Bright."

Penumbra was looking surprised, blinking at the human hatchling. "May I ask why you brought him here?"

"I had no choice."

"What do you mean by that?" Penumbra glared at him. "You sound like you committed a crime, Flashwing."

Flashwing exhaled a breath. "Penumbra, this human was left alone on the island I was at during our raid. I couldn't just leave him there."

Penumbra looked at him suspiciously, as if she knew he was lying. "Tell me the truth."

I knew you were gonna say that, Flashwing thought. He held the human hatchling up slightly. "When I arrived at the human settlement, I looked around for any food. I did not find any, except for this hatchling who was alone in one of those human nests. When I discovered him, Bright was left there — or so I thought until —"

"What makes you say that?" interrupted Penumbra.

"I came by an accident to kill Bright's parents," Flashwing admitted, lowering his head shamefully.

A moment of silence hung over Penumbra. "What!" she gasped in horror, a paw over her muzzle. "Why did you kill them?"

"It was in self-defence!" he said quickly. "They were going to kill me, so I didn't have a choice."

Penumbra glared at him, before her eyes softened. "At least you had a purpose for doing it," she muttered, but he heard it. "So, Bright is now alone?"

"Not unless there's someone to be there for him," Flashwing noted. "Two Night Furies who could be good parents to a human would make a difference to our kind."

Penumbra blinked. "Do you mean…us?" She pointed at him, then at herself, realizing his words.

"Indeed." He nodded. "Think about it, Penumbra. If we raise him, then Bright won't think about killing any dragons — instead, he'd save them."

She stared at him, then glanced down at the awakened Bright, who stretched his short arms and stared at her. Penumbra looked back at Flashwing, while he was looking at her. "You have another explanation on your mind."

"How'd you know?" he asked in surprise.

"I've noticed it on your expression," she said. "You were thoughtful about something. Tell me about it."

Flashwing inhaled a breath. "Alright, Penumbra. You win. I've been talking with the Alpha about keeping Bright, but there was a catch."

"Oh?"

"You see…" Flashwing's tail flicked, thinking carefully of his next words, "he told me to move our home to a different cave if we were to raise Bright as our own."

"What? You've got to be joking, Flashwing. Why do we need to move?" she demanded.

Oh, great. I knew she'd ask that. "It was an order from the Alpha. He couldn't guarantee our safety if anything happens to us."

"But that doesn't seem fair!" Penumbra complained. "What about Luna? Does she need to be left alone all her life without any of her friends being close to her?"

"I did ask him about that," said Flashwing. "Look, Penumbra. All I need right now is for you to trust me. It's for the best. We're going to be making sure all can be resolved as long as we keep Bright away from the other dragons while he grows up."

She looked at him for a long moment of silence. Finally, she spoke. "Are you absolutely sure you can keep your promise to the Alpha?"

"Yes, and I hope I can make up for it once Bright is all grown up," continued Flashwing. "Do you promise me, Penumbra, that you will look after him…as his mother?"

She was silent. Then, she let a smile on her muzzle. "Only if you promise me to be more careful in the future, my dear."

Flashwing chuckled, rubbing his head with her cheek. "I will. Thank you, Penumbra." He looked over to the nest where Luna was patiently waiting. "Luna, come on over and meet your new brother."

The hatchling came over and cautiously approached Bright, sniffing him. "His scent not good, Pa," she said, sticking her tongue out in disgust. "He need bath."

Flashwing laughed. "Don't worry, Luna. I will give him a bath once he's ready." He looked at Penumbra, who nodded before she walked up to Luna and lowered down to her level, and Luna got up on her back.

"Where we going, Pa?" she asked, her face written in wonder and confusion.

"We're going to move, Luna," said Flashwing. "You will understand when you're older."

After the sun rose in the morning, Flashwing was able to have Luna and Penumbra settle down in their new nest once they had been done moving from their previous location in the mountain into an isolated cave that was far from reach to the other dragons.

Flashwing looked down at the human hatchling, who was sleeping by his warm chest while he had a wing draped over him.

"Do you think we will ever be able to talk with the other dragons again?" asked Penumbra, who came over to him after having put Luna to sleep in her grass filled nest near Bright's own almost completed nest. Bright's nest was mostly of branches, with some grass for comfort.

"I'd say we would," said Flashwing, glancing up. Uncertainty filled his next words, "However, I think it will be harder for Luna to interact with her friends in the Mountain. I have to think about this to arrange something with the Alpha to let her play with them, but it will not be easy to inquiry with him about our son."

"So, why did you agree to the Alpha's request?"

"I agreed with his request because it was the right course of action," Flashwing said. "But I think it's because keeping a human would make the other dragons not so nervous around Bright."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Penumbra.

"I am sure of it."

Penumbra looked up for a moment.

Flashwing looked down at the sleeping Bright, who was snuggled up to his belly. There was a brief silence in the air until Penumbra spoke once more. "How should we raise him?" she wondered.

He blinked when a sense of realization came to him. "I…do not know."

"Do we even know what humans need?" she pressed on. "We can't feed him fish yet, can we?"

"No," he admitted with honesty in his voice. "He cannot eat fish…yet—"

"So, why did you take Bright from his settlement, when you know we have no idea on how to raise a human?" Penumbra continued, pressing the subject.

"Are you pressing the matter in part for arguing with me on my idea of having Bright as a son?" he countered.

"I might be."

Flashwing grunted in disbelief. When he found his next words, he spoke once more, "If you did agree to raise him alongside me, then why hasn't he given any sign of eating the food?" He gestured with a claw to the fish close by that he had caught before earlier. It was still whole, no sign of any of the meat bitten into.

"Maybe because it is raw?" suggested Penumbra with a shrug. "I have no clue as to why, dear."

Flashwing mumbled something inaudible to himself. He heard some growling sound. It was loud enough that it echoed throughout the cave. Flashwing bared his teeth, carefully standing from his curled position around Bright and took a defensive stance, claws unsheathed.

"What is it?" asked Penumbra, worried.

"Didn't you hear that?" he asked. "It sounded like something is close by."

The sound of growl came even louder this time.

Penumbra blinked, looking around.

Flashwing was glancing around as well, eyeing the walls of the cave with focus. However, the source of the growls was close, so where did it come from?

Then, realization came upon him, when Flashwing turned his head to Bright, whose stomach was making the noises. "Son?" His soft voice spoke, lowering his head down to nuzzle the human's small head. "Are you all right?"

He received a moan of pain in return.

"He is hungry," said Flashwing, having recognized the reason to the belly sounds.

Penumbra rolled her eyes. "Well, of course he is hungry. Hatchlings need the food if they are to live and have less pain."

"Pa?" came the voice of Luna, whose head was raised from her paw, and she looked at him in worry. "What wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong with me, dear," Flashwing told her in haste. "It's…" Should I tell her? The thought was in his mind for a short moment when the growling of Bright's stomach grew louder.

Luna stood on her paws, as if knowing what's wrong.

Flashwing watched her walk over to Bright and nuzzle him. He began to cry shortly.

"Bright, dear, please," said Penumbra. "Don't cry." She leaned down to him.

A grunt caught their attention, and Flashwing looked over to find Scales at the cave's entrance, staring at him with a look of anticipation. Damn. Of all the moments he could've appeared, he chose the worst of them.

"Oh, Alpha!" Penumbra gasped, seeing him walk up to them. "I didn't see you there! What are you doing here in our cave?"

"I heard you are having trouble with a certain someone?" asked Scales. He looked down at the human hatchling with an incomprehensible expression. The sound of the growling continued. "And you have realized something very important, Flashwing: that humans need food," he stated to him.

Flashwing looked at him with a shake of his head. "He is just a little hungry, that's all. That can be quickly taking care of."

"Oh, really?" Scales raised a scaly ridge. "And how exactly would you plan on doing this — do you plan by feeding him with raw fish each time?" He pointed with a claw at the fish lying nearby.

"What are you saying, Alpha?" asked Penumbra. "Is there something I need to know that Flashwing hasn't told me?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," said Scales with a nod.

Flashwing's shoulders tensed, when Scales glared at him. He glanced between him and Bright, then to Penumbra and Luna.

"Take this hatchling away," ordered Scales.

"What?" Flashwing stared at him, wide eyed. "Why?"

"Flashwing, dear, is there something you haven't told me?" Penumbra asked.

"I did," said Flashwing. "I told you everything, I swear." He looked at Luna, who nodded without needed to be told they needed privacy and turned tail before walking away from the adults.

"Yet, you haven't told her exactly every detail I had spoken to you about, am I not correct?" continued Scales.

The question hung in the air for a short, silent moment. "I did tell her about the agreement, Alpha. That we would move from the other dragons and —"

"And, what?" interrupted Penumbra. "Don't leave me hanging, Flashwing. What is it that you agreed on?"

"It was for the best that you were moved," stated Scales, clearing his throat, "because then, there would be no other dragons who would be harmed if you raised the human. Isn't that right, Flashwing? Or have you said it wrong to her?"

"I…" started Flashwing, his heart beating in his chest, as they stared at him expectedly.

Penumbra glared at Flashwing angrily, but he knew she was also troubled by the Alpha's statement.

Flashwing took an deep breath before speaking. "I shall take Bright away," he said voluntarily.

Scales smiled. "Good. That would be enough."

Penumbra's expression turned into surprise as she gasped. "What? Flashwing, do not play games with me. Why do you need to take our son away?" Her voice was low enough so Luna, who was by her nest, so she did not hear it,.

"It's for the best of both your family and the colony," said Scales, speaking for Flashwing. He looked at Flashwing. "You can proceed, my friend."

"But it's not fair…" whispered Penumbra sadly. "I would have liked to raise him as my…" She sobbed, tears coming to her eyes, something Flashwing regretted.

Flashwing watched, as Scales turned to leave. "I will take Bright back to his settlement."

"Good." Scales gave him an approval smile. "Make sure he gets there unharmed and safe. We wouldn't want any more trouble with the horned humans."

Flashwing turned to Bright, and was about to take him up in his paw, when Penumbra stopped him. "Penumbra, please. It's for our own good," he spoke. His voice was pleading with her.

"But we haven't had him for more than a night!" she told him, whispering. "Would you honestly have him be given back to his people, Flashwing? What if they attack you? I wouldn't know what to do if they did that to you. I can't raise Luna on my own. What if…"

"Please Penumbra, you must understand it's for the best," said Flashwing with a sigh. He held Bright gently in his paw. He turned around toward the entrance.

"At least think of your choice," continued Penumbra, begging.

"I will think about it. I promise you that," replied Flashwing before he spread his wings and took flight out of the cave.

•••

Flashwing was finally able to fly outside of Dragon Mountain without making the other dragons suspicious of him with Bright in his paw, and he felt the brilliantly shining sun above the sky touch his dark scales with its warmth. He looked down at Bright, who snuggled up to his chest. He gave a regretful groan, but continued flying forward across the calm ocean, to his destination of the human settlement.

"I had hoped to keep you a little longer, son," whispered Flashwing to the sleeping Bright. "It was nice knowing you for the short moment we had together."

Drem yol lok, dovah. A voice suddenly spoke to his mind. Si ocuir wux tepoha jacion mrith wux.

Flashwing stopped in midair and hovered, glancing around to try and locate the source of the voice. "Who's there?" he demanded aloud.

Bo wah zu'u, dovah. The voice was speaking again.

"Where?" Flashwing looked up and down.

Zu'u los nau aan clos golt naal.

Flashwing looked to the right, then the left and spotted something of a two-legged figure on an island. He flew down totouch the soft, earthy ground of the island and landed. He looked at the creature and inspected it closely, holding Bright close with his occupied paw.

It wore a piece of wool all over its body, with its head covered by the wool. When the hidden face rose to meet his eyes, the creature raised its hands and removed the piece of wool over its face.

Flashwing took a step back, holding Bright close to his chest. "Who are you?" he growled.

"My name is Arne, Night Fury," the man spoke. "I've been looking forward to meet you."

"You — you speak perfect Dragonese!" gasped Flashwing, mouth opened.

Arne nodded. "Indeed I can, Night Fury." He looked at him with a kind smile, adding: "And I can see you have the Chosen Child with you."

Flashwing stepped back, holding Bright close to him. "Are you intending to take him away from me?" he growled on alert.

"No. I do not. I can see how much you care for the boy." Arne's face did not seem to be surprised in the slightest. "However, I would like for you to keep your tone in a friendly, conversational manner, Night Fury. I am simply here to assist you."

Flashwing stared at him. "How should I know you're not lying?" he asked, suspicion in his voice.

"Because I am not. You have my honesty." Arne gave him a friendly smile, which Flashwing took notice of.

Flashwing looked down at his human hatchling, who was awakened and stared confused at the other human before glancing up at Flashwing. He gave a look of uncertainty before he was able to find his voice. "Do you promise me that you will not harm either me or my son?"

"Of course," said Arne with a nod. "I do not intend to harm either of you, nor do I have any malicious thoughts. I want to help you, if you can promise me one thing."

"What is it?"

"If I am to assist you in raising this child — who you may have realized is quite different from any ordinary human children — then my request is that you keep our meetings a secret from your colony," said Arne.

"Why?" asked Flashwing, confused. "Why is it that you can't come with me? Wouldn't it be easier if you were allowed by my Alpha to be in the nest?"

"Because there is a certain someone in your colony who hates humans, am I not correct?" Arne asked.

"Yes. My Alpha. How'd you know that?"asked Flashwing with a hint of surprise in his words.

"Because I can read the hesitation within your mind," began Arne. "I am able to utilize Magic to read other people's minds, but I am only doing it for good intentions and not to manipulate."

Magic, Flashwing realized. Arne knows magic? How? "May I ask how you are able to do it?"

"Do what?" asked Arne in return.

"How are you able to read my mind?" repeated Flashwing, more clarifying. "I thought that nobody was able to learn how to do it. So, how can you?"

"I've known to be able to do it for quite some time," answered Arne. "I'm going to tell this to you, and only because you are intrigued by it. I have learned Light Magic to be able to read minds, levitate objects, and use certain words for their true meaning. For the reason as to why I have it is —"

"What is Light Magic?" interrupted Flashwing. "I have no idea what you're talking about, as you should know."

"It is the art of knowing the true meaning behind objects and items in Norse," Arne explained. "There are only a few of others like me in the entire Barbaric Archipelago who can understand the true meaning behind the words of those possessions, among others."

Flashwing looked down and pondered, before realizing Bright's growling stomach that reached his ears. He looked down at his son, before staring at Arne again "What do humans need?" he asked.

"We need milk from mammals, because we are also mammals," Arne replied, as if happy to have a new subject between them. "If you can bring an ewe here, then you will be able to quell your child's hunger."

Flashwing hesitated, glancing at him and down at Bright.

"Don't worry, I won't take him away from you," said Arne with a reassuring smile. "You have my word, Night Fury."

Flashwing's shoulders relaxed slightly from their nervous posture, handing Arne his son, before spreading his wings and took flight — not before looking down to make sure Arne remained on the piece of land on the island, then he flew off to find an ewe.

•••

Flashwing returned with an ewe in his claws as he landed on the island, noticing Arne was sitting with Bright in his arms, and Arne looked at him with a nod. "Welcome back," he greeted Flashwing when he landed on the island.

Arne came over to the ewe with Bright in his arms, before lowering the hatchling to the belly of the ewe, which flinched for a moment when Bright began to drink the milk until it relaxed at the touch.

Flashwing smiled as soon Bright was drinking the ewe's milk. He looked at Arne with a grateful expression. "Thank you for telling me about the ewe."

Arne waved dismissively. "There's no need. I am always looking forward to help the Chosen Child if he ever needs it."

"Why is my son a 'Chosen Child'?" wanted Flashwing to know. "Why is he named as such?"

Arne looked at the still drinking Bright, before he glanced back at Flashwing. "It's because he has a truly special destiny ahead of him."

Flashwing made a small circle in the grassy dirt with his claw. "What kind of destiny?" he asked.

"He needs to stop the war between humans and dragons," explained Arne. "And also…to stop an ancient order from returning to the Archipelago."

Flashwing tilted his head, his ears drooping along his head, staring at him.

"You have a lot on your mind, I know," said Arne. "But all will be answered in due time, Night Fury."

Flashwing blinked. Then he felt Bright's touch on his scaly leg. He looked down with a fatherly smile. "Are you done, my son?"

A belch came from Bright in response.

"That is impolite, Bright." Flashwing burst out a laughter.

"It looks like his belly is full, which is good," observed Arne. "Before you leave, Night Fury, I have a favor to ask you."

"Sure, after all, you helped me feed my hatchling," said Flashwing.

"If you intend on returning to your home, then you must not reveal my identity to your colony," said Arne.

"Why?"

"Because the dragons in your colony hate humans."

Flashwing was silent for a moment. "Yes. Most of them are, since they lost their families because of them."

Arne nodded, then his face turned serious. "Then my request is for you not to say our about meetings. You must come to me in secret, and always look behind you in case if someone is following you. I do not wish to be exposed."

"I understand," said Flashwing. "I will agree with your request, Arne. I shall be going now." He took Bright up in his paw gently. "Thank you again for helping me and my son."

Arne's expression softened and he gave him a nod. "You're welcome, Night Fury."

"Flashwing," interrupted Flashwing. "My name is Flashwing."

"Very well, Flashwing. Be well!" Arne waved at him when he turned to leave.

Flashwing spread his wings and took off from the piece of land of the island, and he flew back to Dragon Mountain.

•••

Flashwing flew through the connected tunnels of the Mountain to the Night Fury tunnel, but as he passed through them, he made a sharp turn to the left until he was met with a shining light at the end of the tunnels. He hovered in the air as he was back in Dragon Mountain.

Flashwing made his way to his family's nest, then landed softly on the ground and cautiously walked inside, with Bright still in his paw. The human was asleep after his meal to quell his hunger. Flashwing took a deep breath and announced: "I'm back!"

Luna burst out of the shadows of the cave and hugged his free front paw. "Pa! You back!"

Flashwing chuckled humoredly. "Yes, I am, my little moon. And where is your mother? Is she here?"

"She here," said Luna, nodding.

Penumbra stepped out to greet him. She noticed Bright in his paw by the second she saw him. "You reconsidered your choice," she began, looking at Flashwing. "You chose to keep him after all."

"I did." He nodded with a smile on his muzzle. "I wanted to keep him, so I returned to the Mountain. I would be more than happy to raise him with you, my dear Penumbra."

Penumbra walked up to him and nuzzled him, as a purr escaped her. She leaned down to Bright, who was awake by her presence, and she nuzzled him.

"Is the Alpha here?" asked Flashwing, and glanced round.

"No," she replied. "He is at the Alpha nest."

"Good. I just wanted to be sure."

"Pa, I happy you back," said Luna as she let go of his paw. "Me miss you, baby brother, too."

"I did as well, dear," laughed Flashwing. "Shall we get back inside?"

He saw Luna walk back into the cave to her nest. Flashwing looked at Penumbra, who seemed surprised at something.

"How were you able to quell his hunger?" She pointed a claw at Bright. "I thought…that you…"

"I've had, uh…" He started, before he said: "I figured it out. All he needed was some milk."

Penumbra smiled. "I am just happy you are home again. Now we can be able to raise Bright as our son."

"Indeed," Flashwing agreed. He carefully walked to the nest he shared with her. He lowered Bright on the grass and curled around him, his tail curling protectively around the human's small body. He felt Penumbra lay beside him, draped a wing over his back, and they fell asleep.