Fury (A How to Train Your Dragon Fanfiction)

Prologue

The village of Hermaōr was well known throughout the world of the Norsemen. Although Vikings rarely passed between one another's villages, stories did. The Vikings of Hermaōr were true to their village's name; meaning warrior. They were a clan known for their power and prowess in battle. Strangely enough, these people were not the biggest or the strongest alive. Nay, they were warriors because of their minds and their use of old magic. Weapons were made to last millennia. They couldn't be broken nor simply replaced, unlike the weapons of the brutish Vikings living far from them. They were fearsome opponents, strong in mind and tough as dragon skin.

What I don't understand is how, if they were rumoured to be so powerful, they could be destroyed as easily as they were. They went up in the flames of the enemy, screams and roars echoing in the ash-filled sky as the life that I knew disappeared.

Magic? No, I never saw it used. True, they were fantastic when it came to battle strategies and the "never give up" attitude, yet their lives ended all the same. I saw it happen. I saw everything.

My name is Thora. I am the daughter of Thord and Sigrid, the last remaining legacy of the Hermaōr tribe.

Unfortunately for my ancestors, I am completely and utterly unexciting.

----------

A biting wind blows, rustling the trees and making my cloak billow around my legs. I pull the fur tighter against my thin eleven-year-old frame, stopping to catch my breath. A yawn breaks through my body, reminding me of my fatigue. I move into the shelter of the dark trees, hoping that it'll be warmer there.

A low growl sounds nearby as I make my way into the shelter of the towering plants. I spin around, one hand resting on the hilt of my small knife. Out of the shadows, two bright blue orbs of colour stare back at me, pupils slitted and menacing. I drop my hand from my weapon, my fear gone and curiosity replacing it. I've always been curious.

The creature moves out of the trees, allowing me to see the dragon in her entirety. She's as black as the night with large leathery wings on her back. Her ear plates twitch a little as she watches me with those intelligent blue eyes and her pearly white teeth can be seen through her snarl.

I freeze up. Everything I was raised on comes back to me, but I don't react. I'm a strong fighter, true, like every Viking should be, but dragons...they're not what everyone thinks they are. I believe that the creatures are intelligent and amazing in their own way. This strange dragon is no different.

Come on, Thora. Think. What dragon is she? I think. Night Demon? No...Star Scaler? That's not it...

She growls at me again, her claws digging into the soft earth below, but I stay still. I reach slowly for my knife, pulling it from its sheathe. The dragon roars at me, causing me to jump and drop the tiny weapon to ground. Instantly, her face softens and becomes more curious than scared.

Fury... I remember.

I watch her, and I see myself for a flicker of a second. She is curious, like me. Yet, when I look around, I can also see that she is just as alone as I am.

I smile lightly, not daring to take a step forwards. She makes a bored noise and stomps away through the trees, her large tail sweeping the sparse brush aside. I follow after her, hoping that she'll show me to food or some kind of shelter.

Another biting wind whips through the shelter that the trees somewhat create, making me squeak and wrap my arms around myself.

The beautiful dragon stops suddenly next to a cave of sorts, a small concave in the side of a boulder. She crawls into the space, which is just big enough for her to curl up comfortably. She burns the ground around her with white hot plasma blasts, making a warm pile of ash to sleep on. I creep closer and she notices me in an instant. Seeing that my weapon is still gone, she pays no attention to me.

The cave she's in has a little bit of room near the corner where I could be sheltered without bothering her. I move forwards stealthily, feeling the dragon's eyes on me as I go. Still, she makes no movement to stop me. I settle down at the edge of the cave, asking for permission with the best pleading gaze I can muster. She snorts, nodding her head once.

I smile and lay down, pulling my cloak around me. The dragon watches the sky through the clearing of trees, the stars reflecting in her bright blue eyes. She smiles a goofy dragon grin, her teeth having retracted into her gums.

Retracting teeth, I note mentally.

She lets out a tiny yawn as she ducks her head down to sleep. I look out at the nighttime forest, then back at the dragon that has so quickly decided to trust a scared little girl like me. Her and I are not so different, and perhaps that is why I feel so drawn to her.

Nightstar, I decide. That's what I'll name you.