Electrified

Chapter 4

     My mind feels like it's been run over by a yak stampede. The idea of Heather actually being my aunt -- and I haven't even met her yet! -- and, worst of all, Dagur -- of all people! -- being my father makes me feel . . . feel . . . angry? Disappointed? Scared? I am very tempted to let out an angry, frustrated scream, but Kendrick may figure out just how bothered I am about the discovery.
"Cut it with the murderous look, will you? It looks like you could scare everything within a mile radius." Looks like he already knew. I know that Kendrick's lighthearted tone is supposed to make me feel better, but I'm not sure anything can erase the memory.
"Sorry, I just --"
"Look!" I glance to where Kendrick is pointing, a little annoyed by his interruption.
We are over a ship graveyard, and below us is an abandoned Dragon Hunter ship that looks in fairly good condition. Storm rumbles as I spot a wailing, light brown dragon shaped much like a night fury chained to the ship, surrounded by giant eels. I see that it's right tail fin is missing. My heart stops. A woolly howl?
Lightning Storm swoops down and touches down on the deck, blasting a few eels with bursts of electricity. The rest swim away when he shocks the water, paralyzing a few more eels along the way. Kendrick hurdles off of my dragon and comes to a screeching halt beside the scarred dragon woolly. I dismount as well, patting Storm and asking him to keep a lookout.
"A woolly howl at sea?" he whispers, looking deeply into the female woolly's violet eyes. I come beside Kendrick, examining it.
"She actually could've survived if she had managed to get away." Kendrick gives me a funny look. I roll my eyes and point to the hooks on the joint of its wings. "Woolly howls thrive under the cover of blizzards, like the snow wraith. The hooks on their wings are deadly weapons, as well as a way to climb mountains if flying gets tough." Then, I gesture to the missing tail fin. "Or in this case, if it can't fly at all."
The chief heir holds out a hand to the terrified dragon. It snarls and opens its mouth, which, to my dismay, wasn't muzzled. Dumb Dragon Hunters. Too stupid to muzzle a hail-spitting dragon. But instead of scolding the Hunters out loud, I shove Kendrick aside just as a large hailstone barrels across the ship, exploding against a sea stack and cracking it.
"Kendrick!" I yell as the dragon swings its wings, splintering the wood where the heir and I were moments before. I stare at the razor sharp barbs buried in the rotting wood with wide eyes as I help Kendrick up.
"Woah," he whispers. My jaw almost drops.
"You imbecile! You're more concerned about how cool, excuse the pun, this dragon is instead of your safety? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" I yell. He stares at me with an unwavering expression. It only makes me more frustrated. "What? What are you staring at? Do I have something on my face?" I ask in an annoyed tone.
He rolls his eyes and gestures to the frightened dragon. "No. I was just thinking that I could tame this dragon --"
"Oh so now you're more worried about taming a dragon --"
"Let me speak!" The woolly roars and fires another hailstone, earning a warning boom from Storm. The hailstone narrowly misses me. "Anais, we can attach Storm to the ship and carry the dragon back to Berk, nurse it back to health, and see what happens after." He glances at its slitted eyes, then to my raised eyebrow and crossed arms. "And yes, maybe I can tame it."
I huff, but don't argue. He's right, and he knows it. Kendrick now lifts an eyebrow and I exhale sharply, rolling my eyes.
Suddenly an enormous grin cracks on his face. He sidesteps smoothly and tackles me to the ground as another hailstone is fired. I give him a weird look as he helps me up. Storm shrieks at the woolly, most likely freaking her out even more.
"Chill out, you winged lizard!" I shout at the angry skrill. He gives me a strange look and turns to the Night combo, eyes purple. He grumbles in defiance.
A little while later, we have managed to secure the ship to Storm. He takes off with me on his back, and Kendrick on the ship. It worries me, to be honest, that he insisted on being there to comfort the poor girl. I can hear him muttering woolly howl facts from up here; Strike class, camouflage easily with blizzards, chargeable hailstone blasts. I exhale heavily through my nose. What's going to happen when we return with no Tuffnut? He still hasn't been found, and the only reason we even came to the Ship Graveyard was to search for him. I lay back on Storm, folding over his flexible, metallic spines. He chirps, noticing my unease.
When we get back to Berk, the entire Hooligan tribe seems to have gathered on the docks, eagerly waiting for new news. Hiccup is with them, most likely discussing new tactics and search parties. He looks at the ship with wide eyes.
Storm lets go of the chains on either side of the ship, causing the boat to fall gracefully into the water. Hiccup immediately boards the ship, along with Toothless, and gazed at the woolly howl thoughtfully. A burly man in his sixties joins him.
Storm and I touch lightly onto the boat. I dismount and open my mouth, but Kendrick is already explaining. Hiccup and the other man exchange knowing looks when the chief heir mentions the missing tail fin, and how she won't let us get close to her. I watch Toothless purr at the crying woolly, gently comforting her. Storm is right there with him, rumbling.
     About an hour later, the chains of the woolly are broken. She tries to fly off at first, but after many, many, many failed attempts, she accepts our help and Kendrick's presence. The burly man, Gobber, fashioned a tail for her and Hiccup made a saddle much like Toothless'.
     I watch Kendrick and Astrid show the woolly howl the tail and saddle, acting very excited. The dragon tilts her head and paws at the unfamiliar things.  Valka returned a few minutes ago, and is studying the violet-eyed Strike class dragon. Hiccup walks over to me with a bundle of rubber in his arms. I recognize it as a saddle-- for a skrill.
     I hold my hands up to stop him. "I don't need a saddle." He waves his free hand in dismissal.
     "Use it when you need it." He hands it to me and walks back over to Gobber and Brennan, who stayed here to take care of the tribe.
     I inspect the saddle in my arms, seeing holes in it for places where the back spines on Storm's back can stand out. There are two flexible rubber handles on the place closer to the head. The saddle would be secured by the place where his head meets his neck, the base of his neck, and where his body and tail are together. At first I wondered why it was rubber, but then I remembered that rubber stops the flow of electricity. I flip it over, finding a metal baseplate that would sit against his scales so the flow isn't completely stopped, and finding two rubber appendages; foot holders. Hiccup also gave me two saddle bags that attach to the sides.
     It's craftsmanship is impressive, but also the thought someone put into it. Amazing.
     Later that night, Kendrick stayed in the Great Hall with Briona and Valka to nurse the woolly howl back to health while I am in his house, alone in the darkness, only comforted by the deep breaths of my skrill. And the sight of the remarkable saddle.