Watching the "Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons"

Part 2: The Warrior

Erika bowed her head, puffs of fog appeared in the air at her every breath. "I'm not too sure of my past."
Everyone exchanged confused and concerned glances at this.
Erika sighed sadly before a trail of golden sand came into her view. She watched it carefully, before following the trail to see where it came from, and saw Sandy, who was silently encouraging her to touch it. She did so with a light tap of his finger, and a massive tiger ran around her and roared fiercely, before dissipating.
Jack, Hiccup, Merida, and Rapunzel did the same. Jack got a dolphin, which swam around him and did many tricks and summersaults. Hiccup got a massive eagle owl, which spread his wings in front of him and flew around him. Merida got a bear, which stood on his hind legs, appearing to be sniffing her before galloping around her hair. And Rapunzel got a canary, to which the girl cooed at as it sang and fluttered around her head before snuggling her.
That immediately lifted their spirits.
Erika sighed wearily and glanced at the snowy landscape outside of the cave. "When I was a little girl, I was separated from my birth family."
"Your birth family?" Hiccup echoed, his expression filled with masked surprise and curious sympathy.
The others glanced at Erika sympathetically, but she looked away from the others, hating the pity she was getting from the others.
"Yes, but I don't remember much. It was so long ago. Just a few pictures in my mind." At that, a flash of white light happened and a little girl revealed herself and gently hold an unknown man's hands. "I remember my father's hands. They were rough, like sandstone, but so gentle." At that, another flash of white light happened again and a little girl's laughter could be heard when she played with a shield. "And I remember the smell of his shield. I don't think I was supposed to play with it, but he let me anyway." Then everything went back to normal on the screen with Erika speaking to Hiccup and Toothless, she soon revealed her prized hunting horn to her new friends. "And this. He gave me this horn. I don't know if it means something, but whenever I look at it, I think of him. I just wish I knew who he was."
Erika looked down from everyone's eyes, she doesn't want anyone's pity. She felt herself stiffened in surprise when she felt Hiccup hold her hand, Jack patted her shoulder gently, Merida gently rubbed her arm, and Rapunzel gave Erika a warm embrace. She slowly felt her loneliness ebbing away from her heart.
Before Hiccup could say anything, they heard a sonic roar scream in the distance. The two kids and the Night Fury glanced at each other, looks of worried confusion and wary curiosity had went over their faces before they left the cave.
The Vikings glanced at each other, unsure what Hiccup and Erika were up to.
The scene changed yet again. So, one foot in front of another, as the afternoon wore on, they climbed the mountain. They jumped over ledges, climbed rickety fallen trees, and walked single file along narrow ridges. The hours passed quickly as they navigated the many obstacles, and by the time they reached a clearing halfway up the mountain, the day was ending. The three of them walked onto a jutting edge. The sun was low, and the sky was on fire with a blazing sunset and into a calming twilight.
"It's so beautiful," said Erika with a sigh.
"Wow." Hiccup looked up to take in the magenta and amber twilight sky, clearly wishing he could fly on Toothless through the night sky.
Sounds of awe could be heard as they admired the incoming evening sky.
"We should keep going." Erika nodded at Hiccup's suggestion.
Her wary curiosity entered her blue eyes as she quietly followed Hiccup to a wide, open cenote with multiple cliff-like slopes that lead to a deep body of water, some with mossy vines dripping from the edges of the slopes, others are big enough to be tall headlands with long arches standing above the water, drifting into stumps and stacks in the middle of it. But there are many waterfalls and springs around them. But Erika seemed surprised to see four ancient, tall Viking torch statues implying Viking civilization had explored the area.
"Yeesh, those ruins remind me of the ruins of our ancestors and legends," remarked Merida dryly.
Erika started following from a careful distance and was eyeing him with wary curiosity. But she soon spotted him in front of one of the caves, looking around with a frown. Erika wasn't too far away from him, but she heard boulders clashing overhead and it was heading towards him!
"Hiccup!" cried out many people, especially Stoick, Gobber, Erika, Jack Frost, Merida, and Rapunzel.
"Look out!" Erika pulled him out of the way and jumped into the cave just as quickly. She also jumped out of the way, but she fell down onto her side and felt completely winded as she landed roughly onto the ground.
Erika nudged Hiccup and he returned the gesture just as well. Jack Frost sighed softly as he and their friends inched closer to Hiccup and Erika.
"Thank you," he said. "Are you okay?"
Erika sat up and felt herself shaking slightly from the shock. "I'm okay. Are you alright?"
"Yes," said Hiccup. "Thanks to you I am."
"You've saved my life, and it's about time I returned the favor," Erika said as she exchanged a smile with Hiccup.
Hiccup had gotten up and set a torch aflame in an instant, startling Erika and calmed down just as quickly before the two of them both looked around. "Toothless! Just wait for us there!" Toothless let out a muffled roar from the other side.
Hiccup stroked Toothless, a warm smile gracing his features. Toothless is his first and only best friend before meeting Erika and Storm.
They were in a partly lit cave that has some unlit torches hanging from the cave walls. There was many carvings and paintings on the cave walls from the elders. On the ground was many pieces of humankind supplies: jugs, weapons, cloths, and much more all over the place. But Erika scowled at the sight of the Dragon Hunters' weapons and boxes filled with supplies too.
"Ugh, I still remember what happened all those years ago," said Erika. "The dragons saved my life from a dragon trap and I owe them that."
As Erika went deeper into the cave, there was towering stone pillars entwined with more wooden beams rose to support the cave's ceiling in the darkness, casting long shadows through the fiery golden-amber glow that filled the place.
Jack Frost flinched back when he saw the fire. He may be immortal, but he can still feel the pain of being burnt.
He pointed his aflame torch behind her. Erika turned around and saw a huge amount of boulders blocking the only way to get out of the cave. It'll take a powerful force to get them out of this mess, figured Erika grimly. She blinked in surprise as Hiccup gestured for her to follow him.
"It's a good thing that you two are together," commented Minden. "Who knows what could happen down there."
Erika followed him till she saw that they were both standing in front of a fireproof cage with a dragon trapped inside. She clenched her fist and her eyes seemed to be aflame with anger at the sight.
Erika despises the cruel ways of Dragon Hunters and the poor treatment that the captured dragons receives, especially what happened to her during a training assignment.
Erika heard Hiccup spoke to the dragon, "Steady, steady... There's just one more problem for us to fix. Find the combination for the lock."
Erika soon found the lock combination and quickly memorized it. She soon went back to the cage and put the combination onto the lock. Erika backed up a bit as the cage door had opened and the dragon, which turned out to be a young adult dragon, had started to walk out warily.
Erika chuckled sadly. "I remember that time." 
But the sight of the dragon was something else and both of them were amazed to the underestimate.
But the sight of the dragon was something else and the Vikings were amazed to the underestimate.
Erika gasped as she began to carefully look at the female dragon. She is a Night Fury — the second Night Fury Erika had ever seen. The Night Fury has gemlike black scales accented in deep sapphire blue that gleams in the firelight. Her body glints like buried jewels. Her eyes are bright blue, like the color of clear pools.
"A-A Night Fury?" Erika whispered in amazement.
Amazed sounds and exclamations could be heard in the theater.
"This is amazing," said Hiccup, his green eyes shining with amazed joy. "There, girl. Take it easy fella." Hiccup turned to look at Erika with a small smile. "Talk to her. Reach out your hand." Hiccup's green eyes softened as he looked at her. "Take it slow. Dragons can feel what you feel." 
The two Dragon Riders both exchanged bright smiles. Erika knew that Hiccup didn't have an image to maintain. He didn't have honor to preserve. There was nothing false about him, so failures are a part of himself that he accepted, integrated into his person, and moved on from his mistakes. That was something to admire. She had realized that there was so much in Hiccup that can be admired. Hiccup had learned the proper way of bonding and befriending dragons, which could stop the fighting and raids altogether.
Curious and wary, the dragon's pupils go round and it advances slowly. Then it spots something, rears back and growls threateningly.
Everyone sucked in a breath, except for Erika, who just snickered at them. "Guys, it's already happened. This was a couple of years ago. She just saw my knife and decided she didn't like it."
Astrid stared at her, doubtful. "The mighty Night Fury was scared of a tiny dagger?" Storm huffed and let out a weak blast, lightly scorching Astrid.
"Though honestly, that's a bit unfair," Fishlegs commented shyly, blushing when everyone turned to look at him in curiosity. "W-Well, Erika only had that knife. The Night Fury has claws, teeth, scales, superior strength, size and speed, and firepower over him. It's a bit unfair..."
"It was." nodded Erika. "But that's how I showed her I meant no harm – by letting her see I could physically do her no harm." Erika smiled and petted Storm, agreeing wholeheartedly.
Stepping back warily, Erika moves her vest to the side to reveal her dagger. The dragon obviously doesn't like it and backs away with a growl, pupils narrowed and wings half-raised to make itself look bigger. As Erika lays a hand on the knife, it growls even more fiercer, scaring her half to death.
Most Vikings were pale, and had the dragons been able to make their scales lose color, they would've. An angry Night Fury was never good news.
Still wary, Erika lifts the knife by its pommel and then drops it at an arm's length from her. Still not enough, the dragon jerks her head sidewards and the girl complies, scooping up the knife and tossed it behind her.
Everyone was stunned to silence. Erika could almost hear the scolding for doing something so reckless.
The dragon's behavior changes instantly. It sits up, pupils completely round, and looks at him with an open, friendly and interested gaze. The offspring of death and lightning or not, it's clear the Night Fury is at the very top of the list when it comes to cute dragons. No way anything could beat that.
Erika smiled as rubbed her hand against the dragon's scales and leaned against Storm, appreciating their texture, while many dragons went 'aww' at the sight. A few others did as well, but most just chuckled.
Stoick almost choked on his laughter. "All of the storms and none of the fury, I see!" Storm grumbled at that.
As the music reaches its climax, the girl stops as she feels the dragon's breath in front of her. She stares at the dragon with a mix of fear and wonder, mystified.
Erika smiled at the fond memory. Even if she'd never said that aloud, that was one of the happiest moments in her entire life. It had still been the moment she knew she'd made her very first dragon friend. She felt a little guilty knowing she treasured that memory more than most memories of her father. Her friend was just that awesome, and she wouldn't change her for the world.
Storm was happy as well. Meeting Erika had been wonderful. Easily the best day of her life. Despite remembering her early years as a hatchling with parents, those memories were far away and faded in time. Then the Berserkers had come and taken her parents from her. She'd only escaped because she'd been exploring a small crevice not far from her family's nest at the time. She'd gone back to find no one waiting for him. Years later, other dragons had explained it to him. In her blind grief and rage, she admitted she'd taken it out on all Viking villages. Then she'd met Erika.
Erika. At a first glance, just a feisty, wary, skinny Viking hatchling who stands alone. And to her eternal shame, at first she too had been fooled by her appearance. Despite being stunned and touched by her mercy, Storm hadn't thought of looking any further until that very moment, when the girl had chosen to trust her. She knew that if she were to say it out loud, it wouldn't have the desired effect, but it was in that moment she'd seen just how great Erika's heart was – and her heart was what made her so wonderful. It was what was inside her, not how he looked.
Erika had a golden heart, she was brave, merciful, generous and calm. She was incredibly smart and playful, but also responsible, mature and determined. And most of all, she was trusting. In her heart, there was no evil bone of any kind. And Storm could honestly say she'd never seen someone like Erika before.
Erika turns around, coming face-to-face with the Night Fury, that's observing her with interest. Amazed, she reaches out with a hand.
However, once again, the dragon doesn't seem to appreciate and snarled, narrowing its eyes.
Confused but not giving up, Erika thinks for a second before turning away and closing her eyes, trusting the dragon not to kill her. Then she reaches out once again, and this time the beast doesn't growl.
However, she does not touch it. Her hand stops a few inches away from the dragon's snout, not going any further. In a way, she's acknowledging the dragon's intelligence and letting it choose for itself if it wants the contact or not. In her mind, the dragon turned from creature to intelligent being. Apparently, it's the right thing to do as the dragon's eyes widen again and it sniffs at her hand, curious. It hesitates only for a second.
Then it closes its eyes and presses its snout against Erika's hand.
Startled, Erika slumps in relief and then dares to sneak a glance at the proud creature, who pulls back and sniffs her hand curiously.
She was too busy staring at her hand in amazement, still feeling the smooth, warm scales under her touch.
For a few seconds, no one spoke in the theater. That had been an important moment – maybe the most important moment of all the Dragon-Viking war.
"You are amazing," murmured Erika to the curious Night Fury. Erika hesitated a bit before she smiled at the dragon warmly. "Can I call you Storm?" The Night Fury rumbled softly and started nuzzling Erika, making Erika laughed and the two of them both smiled at each other. It had confirmed to her that the Night Fury wants to be called Storm from now on.
Everyone was stunned to silence by this sight. Hiccup smiled as he petted Toothless, while Erika leaned against Storm's side.
Unnoticed by them, Hiccup was watching this with an amazed expression as the girl and dragon both starting to form a fast bond between them. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched them with a warm, proud smile. Erika and Stormstrike both looked at Hiccup curiously as he said, "I'm sorry for interrupting, but we have to get out of here."
She stared at the rock-covered cave determinedly. Understanding what he's saying.
"Get Storm blast the rocks," said Hiccup firmly. "It's our only way out of here."
Erika nodded and looked at her new dragon friend uncertainly as she said, "Storm, mind helping us out?"
Storm rumbled softly and her mouth glowed fiery purple as she gotten ready to fire at the rocks. The Night Fury blasted at the massive boulders with her fire, the sight of it startled the two young Vikings.
Everyone jumped back from the sight. Erika smiled as rubbed her hand against the dragon's scales and leaned against Storm, appreciating their texture, while many dragons all cooed at the sight. A few others did as well, but most just chuckled.
The massive explosion had sent the boulders flying out of the cave. Sunlight has flooded into the cave and the appearing night sky can be seen outside of the cave.
Erika gently stroked Storm's dark scales, making the dragon purred and Erika said, "Thanks Storm." The Night Fury purred softly and inched closer to Erika.
The Big Five and the Dragon Riders all smiled at the two Vikings and their dragons as they snuggled with each other.
But before Hiccup could reply, the three of them looked up in surprise as she saw a black dragon flying towards their direction from the setting sun. Erika narrowed her eyes against the rising sunlight and widened when she saw it was a Night Fury flying towards them.
As the Night Fury came to view, Erika could see that the male dragon has jet-black scales and his eyes are bright emerald green. But Erika caught sight of an advanced-looking, leather saddle and a red-painted left tail-fin with a black dragon symbol on it.
"It's Toothless!" exclaimed Rapunzel.
Hiccup smiled at the memory. Even if he'd never said that aloud, that was one of the amazing moments in his entire life. True, Toothless had walked off pretty soon, but it had still been the moment he knew he'd made his very first friend. He felt a little guilty knowing he treasured that memory more than most memories of his father. And now that he thought of it, even his puppy crush on Astrid had taken a lot of steps back once he'd met Toothless. His bud was just that awesome, and he wouldn't change him for the world.
Toothless was happy as well. Meeting Hiccup had been wonderful. Easily the best day of his life. Despite remembering his early years as a hatchling with parents, those memories were far away and faded in time. Then the Night Fury Slayer had come and taken his parents from him. He'd only escaped because he'd been exploring a small crevice not far from his family's nest at the time. He'd gone back to find no one waiting for him. Years later, other dragons had explained it to him. In his blind grief and rage, he admitted he'd taken it out on all Viking villages. Then he'd met Hiccup.
Hiccup. At a first glance, just a puny, weak, skinny Viking hatchling who could've been killed by a Terrible Terror. And to his eternal shame, at first he too had been fooled by his appearance. Despite being stunned and touched by his mercy, Toothless hadn't thought of looking any further until that very moment, when the boy had chosen to trust him. He knew that if he were to say it out loud, it wouldn't have the desired effect, but it was in that moment he'd seen just how great Hiccup's heart was – and his heart was what made him so wonderful. It was what was inside him, not how he looked.
He had a golden heart, he was nice, merciful, generous and patient. He was incredibly smart, and playful, but also responsible, mature and determined. And most of all, he was trusting. In his heart there was no evil bone of any kind. And Toothless could honestly say he'd never seen someone like Hiccup before.
Toothless smiled as well. Despite his initial somewhat annoying persistence, he adored Hiccup's presence. It was just so different, so much more alive, than the other dragons'. Hiccup talked and played with him, and he was sure the boy could somewhat understand him as well. He'd told him everything about how the village had treated him and how he had always wished to have a friend, just one single friend to chase away the misery and the loneliness and the self-loathing, and how happy he'd been when he'd found one. His smile turned into a frown as he remembered what he'd told him about the village. Those conversations had made him feel proud for destroying a village that treated his brother so badly.
Most others glanced between the two non-blood brothers. Given their expressions, it was an important moment.
Toothless warbled excitedly and jumped on top of the young boy, making Hiccup complain and tried to push the dragon away from him as Toothless has started to licking Hiccup with his slobber.
"Toothless!" Erika and Storm watched on with amusement at the funny antics of the famous duo. "You know that doesn't wash out." The Night Fury chortled at Hiccup's complaint.
"You kinda of earned that for making him worry," admitted Erika with an amused smirk and earned a dry look from Hiccup, which made her grinned cheekily back at him.
"You kinda of earned that for making him worry," admitted Erika with an amused smirk and earned a dry look from Hiccup, which made her grinned cheekily back at him.
"I just said that!" Erika exclaimed, startled. 
"Ha, ha, very funny." Despite Hiccup's sarcastic remark, he gave her a playful smirk and she returned it too. But he became serious as Toothless stood behind him and Hiccup leaned against Toothless. "We have to leave before anyone finds us."
Hiccup and Erika both smiled at each other, they both came from a long way and they both became partners in crime together.
Astrid urgently wanted to replace Erika as the one girl who helped Hiccup turn himself around. She had come to terms with the fact that the one boy her age, who admired and truly respected her, left his tribe because he couldn't handle killing a dragon. Then she learned that the dragons didn't have a choice. Now that she saw Hiccup and Erika becoming partners in crime, those daggers of steel ran right through her heart. Why do girls like her only appreciate what they have when it's no longer theirs?
"Are you saying...?" Erika looked at Hiccup in both amazement and hope, he smiled at her and nodded.
"You and your dragon can come with us," confirmed Hiccup with a smile.
"Greatest day of my life," said Erika with a smile and petted Storm's dark scales. The two kids smiled at each other, both of them adopting each other as siblings.