Another Nightmare book 2: To rescue a nightmare

Chapter 5

'...I need your help...'

Hiccup could barely make out what Stormfly was thinking. Toothless turned to settle next to the Nadder. There was something very wrong with her, besides being barely able to fly.

'Stormfly, what happened to you? Where is Shortclaw?'

'We... they attacked us... don't know... how.' Stormfly suddenly tilted to the side. Toothless moved out of the way before Hiccup could even react. The Nadder dropped several meters closer to the sea below before she was able to straighten herself.

Hiccup looked around them. The island he and Toothless had rested on earlier was already well behind them. It was somewhat closer than the island the rest of their flock was on.... Then again, it would be easier to help Stormfly with Fishlegs present, and at least they had already found fresh water on the farther island. It would be better than trying to turn Stormfly around.

'Stormfly! Keep flying forward. Don't worry about anything else. Bud, don't let her fall.'

'How? She's not exactly as light as you are.'

'Just, do your best to help her if she's about to fall again.' Hiccup placed his hand on Toothless' neck.

'I don't think that was because of her injuries. Except for the leg, they don't seem that serious. There is something else wrong with her.'

'I know. Take care of our flying while I look into it.' Hiccup closed his eyes, focusing completely on the blue dragon next to them. He could easily reach and enter Stormfly's mind with his thoughts. Before there was always a tiny resistance from Stormfly as she tried to keep her mind untouched, even when a piece of Hiccup's was mixed with it. Now nothing stood in his way.

What he found was dizzying. It literally made him feel ill. Stormfly's thoughts were clouded and the dragon was in pain. For a moment, Hiccup thought about the grass that they once crashed on, and how it had affected Toothless, but this was different. Hiccup couldn't sense the uncontrollable happiness Toothless' had experienced. There was only pain and the dragon's barely-existent focus on moving. Hiccup concentrated on supporting her, just as Toothless had supported him after his mental battle with the Queen. Of course, Hiccup and Toothless were much more tightly bonded.

'Hold on Stormfly. You can rest soon.'

The flight felt like it lasted forever. Hiccup lost his sense of time, focusing solely on Stormfly. He trusted navigating to Toothless.

'We are almost there, brother.'

'Good. I don't think Stormfly could fly much furth... Watch out!' Hiccup had lost focus and Stormfly forgot to flap her wings. She started diving. Hiccup flipped his foot and Toothless dived after Stormfly. They were directly above her. Toothless' claws reached out on both sides of her wings. There was a yank, and Toothless spread his wings as far as he could.

They were still falling, but much more slowly. Toothless' wings were straining painfully, but they were large enough to buy time for the two dragons and human. Little consolation when the ocean was still approaching and Stormfly's head was a worse mess than before. Hiccup tried to help her again, but it was hard to reach the dragon, to find the right parts of her mind to support.

'Stormfly!' There was no other way. Hiccup didn't even know how far he could go, but he pushed deeper with his thoughts, past any conscious thought. Stormfly's body winced in Toothless' grip.

'Brother?'

'I know,' Hiccup answered, and then ordered: 'Fly Stormfly, fly!' There was no answer, but Stormfly's wings spread out. Their fall evened out. 'You have to guide us bud. I... I don't know how to. It's hard...' Hiccup even had difficulties talking to Toothless. He was barely in his own body anymore. With Toothless' guidance they approached the island. The opening they left Fishlegs on was right ahead.