How to Find Your Fire

(Httyd) Chapter 33: Attacks

By Puffnut

I race through the forest as fast as a baby Speed Stinger, feeling my breath come out in short gasps. Panic is slowly rising in my stomach as I desperately try to stay on my feet while running to the Riders and my dragon.

Oh, please hope I'm not too late.

I am almost out of breath when I hear the whine that only came from a NightFury. My eyes look up hopefully as a black shape barrels into me, covering me with saliva. I giggle, but stop abruptly apon seeing the dragons behind Cloudracer. "Cloudracer, watch out.." I whisper. Cloudracer growls and spreads her wings, effectively protecting me. Remembering the other Riders, I quickly whisper, "We have no time for this, we have to get to the others. Cloudracer, you have to fly us out." Cloudracer responds with a warble and a plasma blast at the two dragons. Then, before her shot had even hit them, Cloudracer grabs me, and I feel myself being thrown onto her back.

We race towards the beach much faster than I could've ran, and I feel the pressure ooze from my shoulders. Until I hear the faint sound of loud voices and then the roar of a Zippleback, followed by growling from the big, new dragons. Exasperated, I sigh. "The twins... What have they done now?"
Cloudracer huffed in agreement and increased her pace. With the new burst of speed, I am able to see the Riders in almost seconds. To my horror, they are surrounded by a mass of big dragons. Some were pitch black with small colorings under their wings or eyes while the others look like large ChangeWings with vivid color-changing scales.

The Riders are outnumbered ten to one!

"Hurry, girl. They need our help!" I exclaim. I hold on to Cloudracer as she climbs into the sky away from the noice of the fight below. When I feel my head grow dizzy from lack of air, she tucks in her wings and I surpress a yell of joy as we dive towards the ground at speeds beyond what I could imagine. I hear the air whistle around us and, despite the situation, I feel my mouth stretch into a grin. Then, with a roar, Cloudracer shoots another plasma blast out of her mouth right at one of the black dragons. Suddenly, I feel the world crash back down around me as the sounds of fighting once more fills my ears. I look around me and suddenly notice Astrid falling off of a furiously squawking Stormfly. "Astrid!" I cry out, and Cloudracer jumps into action, diving under Astrid and catching her on her back.

We land to let Astrid rejoin Stormfly. They immediately join the battle and I pat Cloudracer to join them; however, she seems to be thinking, for she doesn't respond to me for a few minutes. Then, she suddenly turns her head around and gives me a toothless smile before shaking me off of her back.

What's going on?

Cloudracer nuzzles my cheek and dips her head in thanks. My eyes widen in realization, and I open my mouth to protest.
Before I can say anything, Cloudracer takes to the air and flies high above me and out of my line of sight. I watch from below, trying to find her and squinting through the blinding sunlight. Then, slowly, I notice a black dot steadily approaching from the sky. I can hear a faint whine from her wings, and instinct suddenly tells me to run for cover. I am not the only one staring at Cloudracer now. All dragons, viking's and wild alike, stare as Cloudracer soars from the heavens. Even as she twists in a barrel roll, shooting plasma blasts at the other dragons. Even as they roar in outrage at the spectacular attack. Even when she soars into the forest away to be chased by the now angry dragons. I blink back tears of beauty and suddenly realize how much danger she could be in.

"CLOUDRACER, NO!" I scream, racing out from the cover if trees. I try to follow her, only to feel claws grasp my arms and bring me into the air. I scream, trying to escape Barf and Belch as they bring me towards the other Riders and their dragons. "LET GO OF ME! CLOUDRACER IS ALONE! I NEED TO HELP HER!" I am practically crying by the time Barf and Belch release me.

She just saved us...

I feel despair leak into my joyful mind, clogging up my reason and thinking. A few of the black dragons had stayed behind, and the tired dragons from Berk could hardly keep up with their attacks. Then, from the gloom of the forest, two dragons leapt out. One is like the other black dragons, but for the stars under her slightly larger wings and the purple tipped spines along her back. The other is the most bizar dragon I have ever seen with a scorpian like tail, one leg missing, web-like feet, clouded eyes, and bright, color changing scales. The black one turns to growl at the attacking black dragons, who seem to laugh at said dragon. The purple-black dragon growls again and breathes a torrent of fire on them. Without pausing, he/she leaps to attack, slashing and breathing fire at whoever got in his/her way. The strange dragon is busy protecting us from any straggling attackers, using some sort of venom, her claws, and her teeth. Both manage to drive off the attackers and I feel partly relieved and partly scared for Cloudracer.

She'll be alright; she has to be.

I worry for the next couple of minutes and totally miss the conversation the strange dragon seems to be having with the Riders after overcoming my initial surprise at her very loud ability to talk to us. That is, until she asks, "So, what's your plan?"

Tuffnut immediately replies, "You see, we need a really big boulder..."

"And rope," adds Ruffnut.

"Right. Lots and lots of rope," agrees Tuffnut.

"Actually..." I start, only to be interrupted by Hiccup.

"Guys, we already went over this. We are not going to lasso the Red Death and drop a boulder on its head!"

"Fine, we'll go to Plan B..." begins Tuffnut.

"If you guys would listen for a moment," I try.

"We also won't try to drown the Red Death in quicksand," interjects Astrid.

Before I or the twins can speak, Fishlegs adds, "Or try to drown it in water or lava or dirt."

"Or hit it on the head with a giant cactus," supplies Snotlout.

The Riders continue to argue, and I become increasingly annoyed. The black dragon is clearly as frustrated with the conversation as I am for it suddenly roars at us.

Finally! Some quiet!

As it turns to speak to the strange dragon, who is apparently called Diamond, I blurt out, "I have a plan!"

The Riders turn to look at me, and Snotlout says, "Well, don't leave us hanging!"

I adamantly begin to describe my plan, telling how we could use Dragon Root to disorient the Red Death long enough to attack and recruit its 'followers', which would leave the Red Death vulnerable to attack and give us more firepower. At Diamond's confused look at what Dragon Root was, I explain how it only grows in sunlight and how it makes the Berk dragons dizzy as well as how it looks and smells.

As Diamond turns to the black dragon, the twins congratulate me.

"How did you figure that out?"

"How did you even know that much about Dragon Root?"

"You're a true Nut!"

"That'll show Hiccup!" This last comment is met by a glare by Hiccup, who also came over to praise my idea.

"Not bad. Needs some work, but overall, it's pretty impressive." I beam at his comment.

Cloudracer...

I immediately shrink. "Cloudracer.." I stutter. "She left.. we need to help her..." Hiccup nods in understanding.

"HEY DIAMOND!" he yells out. She turns to him. "Can you help us find the dragon similar to Toothless?" She nods her head.

"I think I saw her as we came in," her high voice booms.

"Great!" Hiccup responds. Everyone gets on their dragons, and I suddenly feel left out. Diamond quickly speaks to the black dragon, and it huffs before flopping on the ground so I could climb on her back. Smiling, I try to climb up the slippery scales and ultimately fail until the black dragon sighs and pushes me up with its paw. I hold on as tight as I dare as we lift off into the sky.

Cloudracer, here I come...