Wings of Gold

Ch. 9 - Horrific Smog

          Eventually we reached the island that we'd originally set our sights on. I lifted my head, shaking it clear of all these thoughts of the future. I'm living in the moment, right here, right now.

         Hiccup was the first to see it, a billowing tower of smoke on the other side of the island. "Gang, look!" He shouted, pointing at the swirling gray clouds puffing from the horizon. "What in the world.." Astrid began to ponder, but was cut off. Fishlegs was busy sorting through his dragon identifying cards, "Dark smoke...forested island..." He peered at his cards and Hiccup laughed. "Fishlegs, you still carry those around? We gave up finding new dragons ages ago! It's probably someone's camp." Hiccup's laughing died down as he finished his statement, realizing the weight and reality of his words.

         "Hey not to interrupt anything but should we be looking at, I don't know, the FIRE?" Snotlout leaned over Hookfang's horns, pointing at the growing intensity of the smoke clouds.

        Hiccup raised his arm, then swiftly directed it downwards. It felt good to be taking directions as a group again. We followed his signal, all swooping down to fly just above the trees in a wide upside-down 'V.' Hiccup and Toothless were at the peak with Astrid and Stormfly at their wing. Fishlegs and I were on their right, while the twins and Snotlout made up the left side.

       I peered ahead, trying to make out the scene we were closing in on. "Fishlegs..." I muttered, not sure if he even heard me by how low my voice was. "Yes, y/n?" Fishlegs replied, his voice shaking with knowledgeable fear. "What is that?"  

.    .    .

       It was horrible. The thick scent of death wafted up, transported by the choking smoke. I didn't fully understand what I saw. All I knew was that it certainly wasn't going to be good for us. There was no seeing through the blazing forest fire. Only hearing, which in itself was muffled by the scattered thundering of explosives. Men shouted, some sounded like orders. Others sounded fearful. No, not just screams of fear. Screams of such genuine terror and pain that gargled and sputtered out, leaving my heart in my throat and inclining me to shout the same blood-curdling cry.

        I snapped back to my senses, my eyes tearing up from the stinging of death-stained smoke. I heard shouting from my left, and swiveled my gaze to see Astrid coughing and signaling to Fishlegs and I to fall back. The smoke was so thick, I couldn't see Hiccup or any of the others as I retreated from the menacing clouds. 

        When we eventually regrouped I noticed my trembling hands. Even though I didn't witness anything truly horrific, my body fought the internal traumas as if I had. Something wasn't right.

         "Did anyone else feel that?" Astrid coughed out as we began flying back to the edge, for we had no other plan. "Something was off about that place, I got a bad feeling..." Hiccup said, and I noticed his hands shaking as he ran a hand through his messy hair, tainted with the thick deathly smog. "What was it?" Snotlout asked, stupidly. "Oh gee, sorry for leaving you out of that since we all definitely know what in Thor's name it  was!" I snapped at him, tensions were high in the air. We were mostly silent the rest of the flight home.

        Soon enough the Edge was in view. Though I hate to admit it, I was afraid. No, that doesn't describe it well enough. The further collapsing pit in my chest where my most wretched traumas lived? It was boiling, crashing it's waves of fear on my heart. I'm supposed to be excited for new adventures, I've never been scared. I have always been the quick thinking, well trained, impossibly strong and independent warrior that my parents had always pressured me to be. I was always the buoy in the crashing waves, always steady for those unfortunate enough to find themselves clinging to it for their dear, dear lives.