Wayfinding Berk

7. Learning To Read

7. Learning To Read

"So when does she get to pick a dragon?" Maui asked Fishlegs as they were eating dinner.

"Tomorrow after breakfast." Fishlegs replied. "You're all gonna need a good night's rest for what we're doing tomorrow."

"Where are we going?" Moana asked.

"To different islands where we can find the perfect dragon for you." Eret replied. "What sort of dragon do you want?"

"I don't even know what kind of dragons there are." Moana admitted. "But I'd like to know what species there are and learn about them."

"Well we have a book you can read from." Hiccup offered. "It has everything on every dragon with some room to add any new information."

"What's a book?" Moana asked.

"You don't know what a book is?" Fishlegs asked in surprise.

"And she probably doesn't know how to read either." Ruffnut deadpanned.

"I can too read! Just not the way you all do!" Moana protested, banging her fist on the table. "I can read the stars way better an anyone else, aside from Maui."

"Guess we'll have to teach you both how to read then." Fishlegs said with a shrug.

"Well what's the point of learning that if we don't have 'books' where we come from?" Maui asked.

"Well to read messages from people who are far off, to learn of something that happened in the past and to read maps." Eret explained.

"We know how to read maps." Moana said with a shrug.

"Can you read this?" Eret asked pulling a map out of his pocket and spread it flat on the table.

Moana squinted at the writing and shook her head.

"I can't read that."

"Then how can you read a map?"

"We draw pictures on dried palm tree leaves and use pieces of charcoal." Maui explained. "Moana's idea of course."

"Okay how about we get some rest and teach you how to read later?" Astrid suggested with a yawn. "It's late and we need to get up early tomorrow."

"She can stay at my place." Snotlout offered and gave Moana a 'handsome' smile, to which she made a face at.

"They can stay with me, I got plenty of room." Eret suggested.

"Fine by me." Maui said with a shrug. "You okay with that curly?"

"Sure, just as long as you don't snore as bad as Maui." Moana said getting off the bench and tossing Skull Crusher the rest of her chicken.

"I don't snore!" Maui protested.

"You sound like an erupting volcano!" Moana laughed.

The duo followed Eret out of the Great Hall to a large Viking hut that was located just a little outside of the village.

"It's not much but I'm working on it to look nice." Eret said opening the door.

Moana stepped inside to see a simple and unlit hearth in the middle of the room with a table set to one side with four chairs. The whole room felt rather drafty, causing Moana to shiver uncomfortably.

"I don't think I'm going to fit through the door." Maui said looking at the somewhat narrow doorframe.

"Turn sideways." Eret suggested as he stepped into the house after Moana.

Maui did as he suggested and was able to get in. Eret walked over to the table and picked up a strange object off of it.

"This here is as book, we'll be trying to teach you how to read from.it if you like." He said opening the 'book' to the middle. "Oh I just opened up to the Tidal Class dragons."

"Water dragons?" Moana asked walking to the table with Maui behind her.

"Yep, from Scauldrons to Tide Gliders to Bewilderbeasts." Eret said turning the papers of the book.

"Can you read this to me?" Moana asked pointing to a page.

"'Scauldron, this Tidal class dragon is a rather unpredictable creature that's also agressive towards humans. Sprays boiling water that can melt the flesh off a humans bones.'" Eret read aloud and shuddered. "I got sprayed by a baby one in the leg and it hurt like hell. Apparently only one Viking has successfully trained one of these dragons."

"Who was it?" Moana asked touching the drawing of the dragon.

"Ruffnut, the girl twin who fawns over me from time to time." Eret said and was about to turn the page.

"What else does it say on the leaf?" Moana asked putting her finger on the paper again.

"That's called a page. It says the stats of the dragons and where to find them." Eret explained. Moana moved her hand off the page and let him turn it to another dragon. "Oh I think you'll like this one."

"I'm kind of tired, can we look at this later?" Maui asked with a yawn.

"But I want to see the stingray dragons in this book." Moana said taking the book from Eret and showing the picture to Maui.

The picture was of a large dragon that took the form of a stingray dancing through the water. Though Maui couldn't read the tiny scribbles on the page, he knew instantly why his friend was so interested in that certain dragon.

"That's a Sea Shocker." Eret said looking at the page. "I've seen them around my old fort a few times, they're pod animals."

"My grandmother sometimes comes back to me as an animal that looks like this." Moana said touching the picture gingerly. "Whenever I see one out while voyaging I always know she's watching over me."

"The dead often come back as animals that represent them. Whatever animal you have tattooed on you is what you'll be when you die." Maui explained.

Eret glanced at Moana's bare arms and shoulders to see just simple lines drawn over them. Like some looked like a bracelet wrapped around her left wrist and an armband wrapped around her right arm.

"What will you come back as?" He asked her, taking the book and closing it.

"Maybe...a dolphin?" Moana suggested. "Still not sure, but I sure hope I don't come back as a fish."

"Yeah cuz I might accidentally eat you." Maui joked.

"If I come back as a puffer fish that's gonna hurt." Moana replied, rolling her eyes.

"Well off to bed now, we'll read more of this in the morning." Said Eret as he placed the book on the table. "Now we know what sort of dragon to look for you now."

"And let's hope we have no trouble finding it." Maui yawned.