NOVEL NEXT Chapter 81: chapter 10
As the sun began to set on the fifth day of travel for the Berkians, they finally landed on the first island they had seen since they left the previous resting island that morning.
Kala looked at Valka as the chieftess dismounted Cloudjumper's back. "Will this place do for now?"
"Yes, I believe it will. It's easily defendable. Hidden. Alright! We'll be making base here for the time being! Go ahead and begin settling in, but only temporary housing until we know for sure that this will be a permanent home!" Valka ordered and cheers erupted from the tribe.
Kala dismounted Hiccup's back and began to remove their belongings as the tribe dispersed to set up a temporary village. As she was getting the last basket off, Valka came over to them with the other riders in tow.
"Now that we have a base of operations. I need all of you to work on finding out if we were followed by Grimmel and see what he is planning. I need some of you to go back to the old island to make sure we weren't tracked. The rest of you that don't go, just stay here for now and help with settling in and getting this place defended. Understood?" Valka asked and all of the riders nodded in understanding. "Good. See to it."
Valka then left to tend to the tribe to leave the riders to plan.
"Heather and I can head back. Windshear and Stormfly are the fastest besides you and Hiccup, but you two need to stay here. Especially you Kala." Nanna said with her hands on her hips.
Kala sighed and smiled. "I know, I know. I've been reminded of my condition plenty this past week. Not to mention, I don't think it would be safe for Hiccup and I to go back anyways. You guys okay with Nanna and Heather going?" She asked as she looked at the other riders for confirmation.
Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the twins all nodded in agreement and Kala smiled.
"Great. Then it's settled. Nanna and Heather will double back to make sure we weren't followed and the rest of us will stay here and help with settling in and protect the tribe."
~~~HTLANF~~~
When night fell, everyone had their temporary huts set up and were all fast asleep as the exhaustion from the journey caught up to them.
Especially me. While I may not have been the one flying, being awake and constantly aware of your surroundings to make sure you are safe is draining. And that's not even considering the loss of energy from flying for hours on end on Hiccup's back.
Before we ended up crashing from exhaustion from the long day of travel, Hiccup and I plowed through what we were able to salvage of Dad's notes from the wreckage that once was our home. We weren't able to get that far, though, and ended up falling asleep after about an hour.
I woke up with a start as I sensed something nearby, then when I realized what the sensation was, my eyes widened.
'The Light Fury! She was still following us after she tossed me off Hiccup's back?'
I sat up and shook Hiccup, the journal he was looking through before we fell asleep falling off his face as I did.
He woke up and looked at me with sleep filled eyes and a confused face. "Wha..?"
"The Light Fury's back.." I said quietly, not wanting to accidentally wake up anyone else in the tribe as I bounced in place on the makeshift bed.
Hiccup's eyes widened as he sat up, now wide awake. "She is..? Well then let's go find her..!"
I nodded as the both of us got up and dressed, leaving behind any armor or accessories in our rush, then Hiccup transformed just in case and we left our hut and followed where the sensation was coming from. I stayed by his side as he held his wing out slightly as a way of telling me to stay close to him as we got closer to where the Light Fury was hiding.
Hiccup and I then froze in place as she came into view and we smiled at her to show we meant no harm. She smiled back, but when she made eye contact with me, the smile faded and she growled before running off.
"Wait..!" I said as I reached out to her, then I mounted Hiccup's back and held on as he ran after her. "Why does she not like me..? Can't she tell I'm a dragon too..?"
" Maybe she just can't tell by your scent? I mean she's only ever seen you as a human, love. How would she be able to tell the difference? For all she knows, you smell like a Night Fury because you're always with me. " Hiccup reasoned as we followed the Light Fury through the forest.
"I suppose you're right..but why would that lead her to wanting to get rid of me the way she did earlier this week..? Unless.." I groaned and facepalmed as a realization came to me. "Oh I'm such an idiot..! She's trying to court you..!"
Hiccup's eyes widened as he came to a stop and looked at me. " She's trying to what?! "
"I mean think about it, Hiccup.. You're a male Fury.. She's a female..it all makes sense.."
Hiccup looked at the forest floor in shock then shook his head. " Well this is just great. How is she not able to tell you're my mate? "
"Probably the same reason she can't tell I'm a dragon.." I said with a deadpan expression.
" Fair point. Do..do you still wanna go after her? "
I nodded and fixed my grip on him. "Yes.."
Hiccup nodded then ran after the Light Fury again, following her path by the scent she left behind. When we finally caught up to her, we saw that she came to a small beach that was hidden away. Hiccup glided down the hill and landed lightly on the sand and I dismounted his back.
As my feet made contact with the sand, the Light Fury growled at us and got into a defensive position.
" What is the human doing here?! Why must you always bring her along?! " She screeched.
Hiccup wrapped his tail around my waist and growled at her as he pulled me closer. " Because she's my mate! That's why! "
The Light Fury huffed as she sat on her haunches. " She's a human. Dragons and humans cannot become mates. You're not the brightest are you, Night Fury? "
"Umm..actually..I'm a Night Fury, too." I said timidly, some of my hair shadowing my face as I lowered my head slightly.
" That's impossible. Night Furies don't have the ability to transform into humans. "
" Oh, you think so, huh? " Hiccup said as he uncurled his tail from my waist and transformed. "This proof enough for you?" He asked as he gestured to himself then crossed his arms.
The Light Fury's eyes widened in shock as she took in my mate's human appearance. " How in Akatosh's name..? "
"Night Furies are able to transform into humans. Helps us blend in with them easily and is a way to keep us safe from hunters. Are Light Furies not able to do that?" Hiccup asked, both of us rather curious now.
" We are able to..I just did not know other Fury species had the same capability. " She breathed out, then she looked at me in confusion. " And I am curious. Is she able to understand me? I assumed she was just trying to get me to trust her the first time. "
I smiled sheepishly and nodded. "Yes, I can understand you."
She sat there in utter shock, then she looked between the both of us and her eyes widened. " Wait a minute. Those bite marks on your necks. You two really are mates, aren't you? "
Hiccup and I subconsciously covered our marks as we looked at each other, then we looked back at her and nodded.
"We are. Did you really think we would lie about something like that?" Hiccup asked with a raised brow.
" W-well I just assumed that she was purely human. Which begs the question, why have you not transformed into your dragon form? " She asked as she looked at me with her head tilted to the side in curiosity.
"Uh…well you see…a-about that…" I fumbled as I rubbed the back of my neck.
The Light Fury then came closer to us and sniffed at me. Hiccup growled at her as a warning and she backed away with her head lowered. She sniffed me again from further away so as to not upset Hiccup any further and her eyes widened.
" You're with child! Oh that makes so much more sense now! You don't want to risk losing the hatchling, do you? " She asked, seeming to be excited by the revelation.
Hiccup and I relaxed and I smiled softly.
"Yes, that is why I haven't transformed at all. It was quite the surprise, honestly. We weren't trying to start a family just yet, but it seems the gods had other plans." I explained as I rested a hand on my stomach without even thinking.
" Sometimes, the surprises are a sign that it is time to move on from something in your past. Perhaps Akatosh and the other gods have decided it is time for the two of you to move forward. " The Light Fury said thoughtfully.
My smile then faded into a sad one as memories of Dad flooded my mind. Hiccup must have noticed this, because I snapped out of it when I felt him wrap his arms around my waist.
"Yeah, you're probably right." He said as he kissed my head, then looked at the Light Fury. "My name is Hiccup, by the way. And this lovely lady is Kala."
I purred contently as Hiccup introduced us and leaned into his embrace. The Light Fury crooned and transformed into her human form. She looked quite nice in her flowy attire that consisted of a tunic-like shirt, a flowing skirt, and accessories made of rocks and crystals that shimmered like stars. Her hair was as white as fresh snow and rested just above her lower back with flowers, rocks and crystals tied into it in intricate ways. She also had scales covering her like Hiccup and I, but unlike we do, she had more of them decorating her face, arms, and legs.
"My name is Lunaris, but you may call me Luna. I..apologize for my actions this past week. If I had known you were already mated to another Fury, I would not have pursued you. I do hope you can forgive me." She apologized with her head bowed.
I looked at Hiccup as he took a deep breath and smiled.
"It's alright. You're forgiven. It was just a misunderstanding, no one got hurt, so we're all good. Friends?"
Luna looked up and smiled kindly. "Yes, friends."
She then looked to the sky and sighed as she transformed again and took to the sky, but before she disappeared, she looked back at us and smiled.
" Maybe I could show the two of you the Hidden World someday. "
Then she was gone.
~~~HTLANF~~~