renegades, httyd

xxiv. A New Dawn Of Dragon Riders

renegades
chapter twenty-four

    "Okay, Winglash. You know the drill; eyes-peeled for anything suspicious."

    In the mornings, Berk was usually very lively. Cold, even in the summer, it woke us all up and kept us on our toes in the early hours, prepping for a full day of work ahead. My mornings were usually spent with Winglash, my beloved Deadly Nadder━a beautiful, ochre-yellow creature with perhaps even more of a mischievous streak than I have!━scouting Berk for potential threats. We were all on our toes since Dagur escaped from Outcast prison. Even if I was staying back to hopefully keep Berk as safe as possible, the tensions were high. From the sky, Berk was beautiful in a different way. On the back of a dragon, the view was surrounded in clouds, but you could still see everyone. From the sea stacks at our shores to the wooden walks wrapping up around, to my home and the many houses around it, even all the way past Gothi's house and Dragonscale Cliff.

    But today's morning consisted of something a little different...

    I gasped, pointing when I saw it. "There, Winglash, there!"

    She squawked, bouncing in her excitement before diving right down towards the terrified sheep hiding amongst Mrs Ack's home. On her wool was an orange and green painted target━exactly what we were looking for.

    The sheep bleated in horror when Winglash's claws snatched her up and into the air. "Yes!" I cried, arms in the air with my victory. "Yes! Good girl, Winglash! Good girl!"

    She squawked and wagged her tail. No longer was my Nadder just a babe. In the year gone, she's grown into a beautiful broad wing dragon; fast, deadly, loyal and intelligent. My best friend, someone I could always rely on. Pulling her up, we shot towards the nearest watch tower, decorated in the flags of the racing event. Totems stood out all along the village of Berk, flags of every colour adorned the posts. A few things have changed in the year gone. New buildings were in construction for the dragons, hangers and stables from the old Whispering Death tunnels. Watchtowers and roosts stood up in bright colours over the even brighter thatched-house roofs. The Academy now attached with its very own racing arena, Fireball Fenzy maze, even a Dragon Tactics set up of dummies and barricades.

    In fact, the time me and my team have spent on Berk has come out quite well.

    We were really booming in the modern dragon-Viking establishments.

    A body rammed into me. Winglash only just kept hold of the sheep.

    "Hey!" I shouted, spinning her underneath to keep us going in front.