Generations: Broken Prophesy Story

Chapter 15

Chaser awakens screaming Nyota’s name, looking about, he finds himself curled protectively around the once sleeping form of his partner.  Earliest rays of sunlight set the hidden patterns of purple iridescence in her scales alight.  Extending one of his wings, he shields his mate from the growing sunlight, giving her a few more minutes of rest.  He watches her chest move in a slow gentle rhythm, as she wakes.  A cold chill grows in his heart as flashes of his night terror fills his thoughts.

“Is everything alright, love?”  She murmurs quietly.  “I can hear your heart pounding from here.  What woke you so?”  Standing she stretches, giving him a look of concern.

“It was a nightmare…  Just a bad dream.”  He nuzzles her, drinking in her scent, reassuring him she is fine and unhurt.  “I failed you…  Failed to protect you…” tears trailing down his face as he breaks down into uncontrolled sobs.

“Shhh…  It’s alright.  I’m fine…  We aren’t in any danger here.”  she coos, finally getting him to calm down.

With a deep sigh, Chaser looks around at the large sea stack that they had made their last rest stop before approaching Berk.  Glancing at the clear blue sky, he hears Nyota ask him a question.  “I’m sorry, what?”

“I asked, if you thought we might see the Sky Ribbon you've told me about?  The sky isn’t as overcast as it has been the last couple of nights.”

Nodding, he hums in agreement.  “We…  We don’t have to continue.  We can go back.  I know you haven’t had good dealings with two-legs before…”

Nyota is taken aback by her mate's sudden change of heart.  “What is this about?  The last few nights you have done nothing but tell me about the wonders I’ll get to see.  The food and weather, and meeting your friends and family…”  She looks deeply into his sapphire eyes, seeing the near panic hiding in those blue depths.  “What did you see, love?  This isn’t like you at all.”

“It was just a dream…  Nothing to worry about.”

“Hmm…  I’ve learned that sometimes dreams are more than just dreams.”  She presses her head against his, giving him some measure of calm.

Slipping his pack back onto his back, Chaser makes sure his cargo is secured before aiding Nyota in settling hers into place.  Silently Chaser takes to the skies, unable to fully push aside the feeling of dread filling him, with Nyota following in close behind.  “Alright…  Let’s go.”  He says as the pair begin the final leg of their journey.  

Nyota watches her mate closely, as his behavior begins turning almost panicked and paranoid.  His eyes dart across the horizon, as though he expects to be set upon by some unseen force.

“That’s not right…” she hears him mutter as they pass giant stone figures.  From his stories, they should house flames in their mouths, but here and now they lie extinguished.  “Higher!”  He calls out, before he begins climbing into the sparse and fluffy clouds.  Following him, she sees him shiver.  “No!  This too?”

She casts her sight to the island below them.  Several of the brightly colored wooden caves that dot the cliffside and top look abandoned or outright destroyed.  The debris from the worst of the damaged structures and uprooted trees all seem to be scattered inland.  “Was there a storm?  Something to cause all this destruction?”

“A storm…  Right…”  Chaser answers, more distracted by the thoughts running through his head.  “Deeper.  We are going deeper inland, toward the north side of the island.”  Faster Chaser flies, a fresh determination on his face.  From her vantage point, Nyota sees a break in the tree line, a large circular depression that rings a deep cove with high protective walls and a small lake at its heart.

Chaser makes one flight around the cove before landing lightly along the gravel beach.  “Mom?!!  Dad?!!”  Nyota watches as he darts through the thick brush covering what she can only imagine hides his parents' den.  A few moments later he bolts out, “They aren’t here…  The whole cave smells unused.  The scents are at least a month or two old, meaning they’ve been gone almost as long as we were.”

“Well…  I was beginning to wonder how many more times I’d have to turn back time before you'd find me.  Playing with time takes a lot of power boy, and I’m loath to waste it on your lot, but for some reason Odin, Freja, Frigia, and Thor all seem to have an interest in your clan.”

Chaser looks up at the large boulder he and his sisters used to learn how to fly, sitting jauntily is a face he had hoped to never see again.  Flaming golden-red hair, held back in a golden circlet, frames his scarred visage.  Impossibly grey eyes stare down at him with a mirthless grin.  “Loki!!!”