The Night Sky

Chapter 2

Perfect song for flying, for me anyway. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

The smell of sea water overwhelmed the air around them. The fresh sea breeze ruffled Aidens hair softly. He urged his dragon to ascend higher into the clouds above them. Aiden let his hands skim the clouds around him and he sucked in as much fresh air as his lung could possibly take in. They stopped ascending and stayed stationary, whirling more clouds around them via the beasts strong wing beats. He gripped onto the mane of his winged beast, tighter and breathed down to the beasts ear.
"Okay, this is high enough. Lets do this, I'm ready" the dragon gave a low grumble as it began to dive down into toward the water, quickly. Aiden held his breath, grinning, as the wind began to attack his face. The sound and the smell of the sea waves drew nearer as they descended. He felt the glacial water fold over him and his clothing became heavy, dragging them slightlty. Aiden opened his eyes slowly allowing the salt water to prick at his eyes. He looked round at the almost deserted ocean, 'the hunt should be easier today, less sea dragons' Aiden thought. Aiden kept his body close to his dragon, to allow her to be more stream line, as they moved swiftly through the ocean. Aiden shifted slightly in the water, feeling uncomfortable. He felt as if he was being watched

The more they fished, the more hyperthermia clawed at the young vikings body and his lungs wanted to explode. He tried pulling the beast away and up to the surface but she growled in return, causing bubbles to develop around them. They continued on even longer, Aiden began clutching to Firestorm's body even more trying not to pass out from the lack of oxygen. As he began to struggle more, he (for some reason) turned behind him as he felt a surge of sea water go across his lower back. He turned his head slowly and was met with dull mustard eyes of a sea serpent. His eyes widened as a much larger, angrier dragon was hunting them from behind. What a sailor or Viking might say; a creature of the deep, kraken or the most correct species term; a Leviathan was hunting in the waters.

Aiden forced his winged beast to turn it's armoured head to see it, her eyes widened and she shot up. The Leviathan's eye glinted with pleasure as it's prey began to move. The adrenaline began to run through both rider and dragon at an unbelievable rate. The leviathan turned sharply and chased the two and it began to gain quickly. Aiden spurred on the dragon more, but he remebered his clothing dragging in the water, they were almost at the surface but the Leviathan was also close to it too. Aiden had to think quickly as he felt it move closer to them, he could feel it in the water behind them. He quickly fingered at his jacket, his fingers numb from the water, as he tore it of they suddenly gained a burst of speed as they burst out the water and into the warm spring sun, it beaming on both the dragons scales and Aiden wet clothing. They were followed by a large war cry from the water serpent behind them. Aiden gripped at Firestorms mane and watch the beast flap its fin like wings gaining and extra boost in the air. They ascended higher as Aiden spurred on his friend, he could still feel and smell the breath of the leviathan that was behind them. As they climbed higher and higher getting close into the thin clouds above the serpent out of exhaustion and lack of the water it survived on, it gave up but in a last attempt to catch the intruders it collided its large acient jaws together hoping to clasp Firestorm's tail in them before cascading down into the water again. It caused a large whirlpool like wave of water to follow  after it's heavy decented dive.

They slowly glided back to their small island of Cellenia, Firestorm somehow had the energy to continue flying even with wet wings, extra weight and the sudden rush of excitement from the Leviathan chase. She and Aiden stayed quiet throughout the ride, if he tried to get Firestorms attention, she'd turn her armoured head and like a human she would snapped at him in her foreign dragon tongue.

They landed with a soft thud and the dust rose, it getting clampped on their skin and Aidens wet clothes. He slipped of her back and waddled to his dragons head, gripping on to her mane. He murmered into her shoulder, his body going almost limp in the company of semi warmth. "We'll go through the town square, it's quicker than going round" a low throaty groan bellowed from the beasts throat. "I'll take that your agreeing with me" Firestorm pulled herself forward bringing her companion with her. They plodded along slowly, their tiredness seeping into their bones.
As they got nearer to the busy square, Firestorm could hold it in any longer, she let out a loud echoing yawn which seemed to make the distance houses shudder. The square became deathly quiet and the two looked at one another with fear playing in thier eyes. Aiden jumped onto his dragons back and they quickly bounded out into the ghost square. Firestorm blaintly stood tall as she looked round, ignoring the hard kicks that where being pushed into her flank. She growled at the stall that contained the skins and furs. Her throat enflamed with heat and cooled down, just a quick as it heated up, as a molten ball of flames escaped her mouth and engulfed the stall in flames. The roar of outrage came from the people and chased of the  two, wielding weapons and fire of thier own.
Aiden screamed into Firestorms mane, screaming prothanities and curses at her through her mane. The beast grunted in ignorance to her riders speech within her mane, the only throught that went through her mind was how she was going to have to spend ages preening and cleaning it and how much of a bother it will be.

There where no voices once they met the woods near Aidens home.
Aiden felt uneasy once his feet felt the forest grass, the air was thicker than usually and the forest was deathly silent. His hand went to his side, feeling around to find his pocket knife he kept with him constantly. The two slowly trodded through the woods towards his home as they got nearer to thier home, Firestorm shifted uneasy pulling her rider with her as she picked up Aiden's step fathers voice.
He petted her cheek whilst cooing to her as they came to his window. "Its going to be okay, we're leaving tonight." They moved by the back of the house by his bedroom window. He climbed onto her back and stepped lightly onto her head, whispering an apology to her. "Give us a boost baby" she rose onto her back legs and leaned her front paws onto the building, lifting her head to reach Aidens window.
He slid in, the boards creaking quietly under his weight. All he needed was his kukri type blade, the seathe and a bag with clothing in. The latter was the easier task of the three so Aiden got that one done first. As he pulled items from places his mind wondered to where his kukri might be... most likely downstairs next to his step fathers chair where he slept in half the time. He was the reason he had to leave, he would harm his mother and his dragon if he stayed any longer. He was most likely kill him after he took Firestorms head. Knowing his step-father he'd kill them both with his own kukri to be ironic about their deaths.

He stood at the top of the stairs taking as many deep breathes as possible, if his step-father was down there he would have to converse with him. That normally didn't go well for Aiden. He always needed to breathe before trying anything with him, he was puny and un-viking like to his step-father.
Aiden rolled his head back and round before he took his first steps down the stairs. He sat on the fith step from the bottom to peek into the open living room. His Kukri glinted against the flickering fire, its sheath to the side of it. He slipped down the last few steps on his butt, thinking it will make the least amount of noise. He even crawled to the opening to avoid his boots from clinking on the wood floor. It killed hos knees to crawl like he was but it was worth it. The old geezer was dozing in his chair, where his kukri leaned against. All he had to do was lean in and grab his weapon and fly off the Island. Well something along those lines.

He held his breath as he leaned in over the line between the hallway and the living room, and gripped the hilt of his weapon and pulled himself quickly out the room. His gaze went up at the sound of the chair creaking, Aidens brain went into a silent panic attack as his Step-fathers eyes met his own.
"What are you doing son?" He squinted at him, his breath smelling of the meal he missed out on, it was nice not to smell alcohol on his breath for once. Aiden grabbed his sheath and scrabbled to his feet as quick as he could. He began to take many steps to escape before he was grabbed by him.
"Leaving, finally, Huh? Why now?" He glared as his hands moved to grip Aiden by his shoulders. Aiden eyes widened in terror, he was at this mans shoulders but he still scared him out of his pants. It was the fire of determination in his eyes. A deep breath came into his lungs, before he spoke out.
"You are getting what you wanted Askel, A wife wanting to bear your children and no step- son to mess things up for you. Isn't that what you want?" Aiden glared but softened as the grip from his shoulders left, he took his chance and sprinted out the door to his waiting dragon. He mounted her quickly, securing his bag and weapon to her homemade saddle.
With a urgeant tap to Firestorms haunches, she took off. The trees and grass around her swayed in her strong gust of wind she created. Aiden held onto her mane for dear life, he felt her heartbeat going a mile an hour. His Step-father watched as the two ascended into the developing dusk, the side of his lips tugged upward; he would never get bored of watching the two fly together. He cupped his hands and bellowed out to the small shadows. "MAY ODIN BE ON YOUR SIDE AIDEN, KEEP EACH OTHER SAFE" he loved the boy really but he couldn't shout that into the thick of dusk, he would be seen as weak. He ran that boy out of the island for his own good.
Aiden hid his face into the mane of his companion, tears pricked at his eyes. His step-fathers words tugged at his heart, he'd never said anything like that to him before. A gust of sea air pushed at him, making him bring himself closer to the body of his companion. He hugged her and kissed her mane.
"Take us some place safe, for both of us" he said sleepily, Firestorm grummbled in the quiet of the night. Her body temperture rose as she flew across the sea causing Aiden to drift off to sleep.