Lost and Found

Chapter 1: Stealing From Trappers

The cold air whips past me. In the silence of the night all I could hear is the heavy beating of Atlas's wings. Through the soles of my boots I can feel her strong, steady heart beat. With ease, I keep my balance on the back of my dragon as she twists and dives through the clouds. The fur lining the edges of my armor tickles my cheek as the wind blows. I hardly feel the cold against the soaring of my heart and the thought of freedom.

For twenty years I've lived among the graceful beasts, and Valka became my mentor figure of sorts. While deep down I know she'll never fully replace what I lost all those years ago, I respect her and admire her love for dragons. As we grew closer we told our stories. She loved the tales I would tell of my village and the harmony we achieved.

She wasn't so lucky. Like many viking tribes, her village of Berk harbored the strong hatred for dragons. Berk was no exception to the rule "kill or be killed." While I could see it pained Valka to stay away from the family she left behind, she flourished here. As did I.

For years we've been tracking down dragon trappers and freeing the beasts. The small nest Atlas brought me too years ago has grown tenfold. Nearly every kind of dragon lives within the sanctuary. It hasn't always been easy. We've had to move many times to avoid people like Drago, who are relentless in their pursuit. But we've made it work.

I shift my weight so as to not fall as Atlas dives back down through the clouds. In the distance I can see the glow of fires and hear the roars of trapped dragons. That's our destination. A dragon trapper base.

As Atlas dives lower, out of sight of the men at the base, we hear the beating of a second pair of wings. I glance to my right, noticing Valka at my side. She makes a gesture with her staff and Cloudjumper, her stormcutter, dashes forward.

Atlas is quick to follow Cloudjumper's lead, weaving through the large stone pillars and tall trees laden with copper leaves. Valka and I split up as we approach the trappers' base: easier to avoid detection if we're not in a group.

I make a mental count of all the dragons caught in cages and nets down below: five nadders, two windstrikers, a zippleback, three raincutters, and a plethora of other dragon species. After a second sweep, I join Valka on a nearby stone pillar.

"Well?" She asks softly as Atlas lands beside Cloudjumper.

"Ten cages. Should be easy enough to get open quick. Roughly 15-20 dragons. Guards are posted on a rotating shift. I'll be in and out in a pinch." I explain and put up my mask.

Valka nods. "Be careful."

"I will, but you know I've gotta be a little bit reckless too." I say with a smirk and Atlas jumps from the pillar taking us into the air. We stick to the heavier shadowed areas and places with less guards. I slide off Atlas's back and land silently on the ground. Atlas flies away quickly before she can be seen.

Drawing my sword, I sneak around the shadows as two trappers pass by deep in their own conversation. I dash toward the closest cage and the two nadders inside grumble at me in interest. With one hand out in a calming motion, I reach for the lock on the cage door with the other. The latch slides open with a soft clang.

Both deadly nadders look at me with curiosity before stepping out of the cage and taking to the sky. I quickly move on to the next cage, another nadder. This time the latch makes a louder clang that rings like an alarm through the otherwise silent camp.

"Hey!" A voice shouts and the shadows are driven away by a torch.

I put my hands up as if to surrender with my back facing the approaching trappers. Slowly the men approach me.