HTTYD: Dragon Girl

Chapter 21: Coming Back Around

Mood Music: A Close Friend

I see the tall spires, covered with dragons of all shapes and sizes and colors. I see them bow to the black dragon, with his white mate and fledglings the black and white of the night sky and stars.

I hear his voice, the man I saw, though try as I might I can't find his face. Just from his voice, though, I know he is smiling.

"I'll meet you here, Zeph," he says to me. "Here, with the dragons.

"I'm waiting for you.

"I love you."

Mood Music: Where's Hiccup?

My eyes open to the familiar sensation of a wet muzzle against my cheek. Unlike last time, however, it is gentler, less urgent, and my head does not ache as much.

"Hey, Brightwing," I whisper, reaching up feebly to stroke her spines. She moans excitedly and jumps over and around me.

"Someone's excited to see me," I say amused. I sit up a little, laughing quietly as she finally comes to rest. Then I notice where I am.

"I'm... in my house," I say, looking around at the familiar wood carvings before my eyes land back at Brightwing... sitting on my bed. "You're in my house!"

Brightwing almost seems to grin as she gets up and bounds around my room.

"Does Unferth know you're here?" I say, watching anxiously as my dragon hops around energetically. Brightwing, of course, does not reply.

"Brightwing!" I say desperately as she perches in the rafters, her swinging tail knocking over bookshelves and other things just lying around in the hut. "Oh, gods..."

I lean forward to get out of bed and control my dragon, but stop as I feel something on the end of my left foot. I slowly peek under the blankets and stare.

Brightwing seems to notice the revelation I'm having and hops nimbly down from the rafters, watching me quietly. She mewls softly, and I glance at her, my stomach twisting. Then I pull the blankets off my legs.

My right foot lands with little noise on the wooden planks. But there is a muted clunk as the three metal toes on the end of my left foot hit the floor.

I take deep breaths as my head starts to spin. This is so familiar, but I can't remember why...

Brightwing, sensing my uneasiness, approaches me and lays her head on my knee comfortingly. I look at her and purse my lips anxiously.

But I have to go out. I have to see what damage I have caused, how many people were lost to the Green Death.

I stand unsteadily on my right leg, the metal digits on my other foot feeling foreign, uncomfortable, wrong. I glance at Brightwing, then, mustering my courage, step forward and shift my weight to my left leg.

My head throbs in the same instant that the stubs on the end of my foot protest to the unnatural additions to my body. My knees buckle, and I collapse on Brightwing, who moves to catch me before I can hit the ground.