(Httyd Oc AU Fanfiction) Rivalry Of The Century: Book 2 Of AU

Another Chance

                     Ail groaned as he began to wake up in a soft bed in the center of a healers hut. The room was filled with healing herbs and liquids, with the desks and tables clearly moved right next to Ail's bed to have as much to work with as possible. His eyes shot open for him to see the wooden celling. He looked around and saw where he was and sighed, his head still spinning. Once the spinning went down a little he sat up, but had a massive head rush and had to use his arms to brace his spinning mind.

                       To see the damage he pulled the blanket off his legs and let it fall to the floor. He went to pull up his pant legs, but as he bent his legs to do so at shot of pain that felt like a hundred bees stung him at once. So he became paralyzed to stop the pain and braced himself again. The pain lasted for a minute or so before it faded enough for Ail to take a breath. He looked back to the ceiling huffing and puffing, but his mind still wanting to know how bad it was. So, with out bending his legs he leaned forward and rolled up his paints just above his ankles.

                         Despite the low lighting in the room Ail could still see his leg was black and blue and he assumed the other was the same. Ail's face turned to worry, shame and concern in a spilt second. Then upon starring at his almost black legs his expression turned to anger. He put his hands on his face as he wanted to scream.

                           "Its not impossible to come back from, just not likely." Geode said coming out of the shadows that covered the corner of the room. Ail's head jerked up and looked to his mother with a broken spirit and lost hope. Geode looked to her son wanting to run up to him and wrap him in her arms but stopped and said. "If you're going to come back from this I want you to do it without me." He looked away with confusion and regret and wondered why she was doing this, so he looked back to her with his emotions shown on his face.

                            I've, I've been to soft on you, you need to do this alone, so you wont go soft. Her eyes started to tear up, but she wipped them away believing this was the right thing to do. If I keep helping you, you wont grow to be the man I wanted you to be. She turned away and began to walk to the door, trying not to look back. Ail still didnt understand so he threw his legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand.

                            His legs failed him and he collapsed on the floor hitting his shoulder on the table next to his bed. Now on his hands and knees he braced himself the best he could to keep as much weight off his legs by leaning forwards. Geode turned around and her mother instinct all most over took her to go help. She reached her hand towards him but took it back feeling her heart break. Still believing in her choice.

                       She walked out of the house before she could help him. Putting her hand over heart she breathed out then bit her lip.

                       Ail climbed back in the bed and laid back down. "Did that really just happen?" He thought. He then thought about what it actually meant for him, to be alone? He didnt understand, but wanted to find a way to get her to be proud of him again.

                          "The Toxic Strike, that dragon took my honor." He thought with anger in his mind. But as he continued to think, he wondered how he was still alive, why isnt he dead? They both would jump at the opportunity to kill each other, so why didnt it? Ail shook his head to erase the thought and focused on how he was going to kill that dragon and become the best dragon hunter ever.

                           As he was thinking the old man who was the healer walked in and interrupted his thought. "How long until i can walk?" Ail asked. The healer was surprised by the question but answered with. "A few days at the least, your legs might not have broke but they were badly bruised." Ail nodded and laid back down, wanting to heal as fast as possible.

                            A day or two later, Ail being a little impatient he went out earlier then recommended, he hobbled out on crunches. The entire town's eyes were on him as he walked through the town. Ail knew this so he kept head down to avoid the judging eyes. He knew all he had to do was bring down the Toxic Strike to show he was a great warrior like his mother. And speaking of which he hadn't seen for the entire healing processe. 

                            Anyway he hobbled using his better leg for a brace and avoiding any kind of obstacles. It made the walk longer, but less difficult. Along the way he saw Axel walking towards him and he looked like it was on purpose. He knew he wasn't getting out of it so he stood still for him to ask what he wanted.

                           "Morning Ail, just thought you like to know your friend is still wandering around on Cascade and were going after it. Since it seems like it can't fly." He explained stopping in front of him. Ail thought for a moment before he asked, "When?" Looking up at Axel Ail hoped he didn't know what he was up to. " as soon as possible, we're meeting tomorrow about getting a  hunting group together. " he crossed his arms.

                            Ok. He stepped around him using his crutches to move as fast as he could. Axel looked at him as he walked past, but stopped him by putting his hand on his shoulder. He kept his eyes toward as he said, "Ail, your going to get yourself killed if you go after it." He took his hand off and waited for his response , or one at all. "Don't worry, I'm not going after it." He said completely chill while rolling his eyes making contact with his. Axel smiles and nodded then walked past him back on his way to the chiefs house to try some native food. Ail smiled and kept walking, but as he did he looked determined and said, "I'm waiting for it to come to me."

                            Not but a few hours later Ail was sitting behind a few bushes with his bow In hand. He had put the crutches down and covered them in leaves to hide them. Peeking over the bushes he saw a beautiful waterfall, the very waterfall that Cascade was named after. To no ones surprised it was a cascade, water flowing inbetween small rocks and parting at certain points. It fed a river, that ran right through the island and it was the deepest here. Making the best place to drink from, so Ail knew the Toxic Strike would have to come here. Even though water could be called a weakness of the Toxic Strike, all things need water.

                               After a few hours of some false alarms by a deer, a few Boars and a squirrel or two, basically everything but what Ail wanted, he began to tire. He had sat back against a tree with his bow lying next to him. His hands feeling the bark of the tree being put behind his head. Sighing almost becoming bored he thought of hunting with father. The rush of getting your first deer, he loved it. But he didn't do much hunting after he began to battle the Toxic Strike, it was a whole new level of hunting really. Ail just loved the adrenaline rush, in fact he loved it anyway, but it was special when it was that dragon. He couldn't describe it, but it just was. He was always good with a bow, but he was always at his best if he was firing at it.

                             Ail deeply missed his father, but since he was never really told what happened to him, he still held on hope. The true passion that man had for hunting, or really what ever was just, amazing. Ail picked up alot of who he is from his father, which made the fact that he wasn't here even harder, but no matter what Ail did to ask, he could tell it was to much for his mother. So he just stopped asking.

                              Snap! A small cracking sound reached Ail's ear and snapped him out of thought and back to this world. Grabbing his bow he crept back to the Bush and peeked over. Then stood the Toxic Strike who was looking at it's surroundings. It looked like It could walk fine now but it's left wing looked, unnatural, and very uncomfortable. Most likely it was broken, but other than that it looked fine. It stepped to the water and licked it up with its long tongue. It was glancing around as it drank, making sure it was safe. But it's eyes crossed its own, in the reflection of the water. It starred at it self with disappointment and regret, but it also looked lost. Ail saw a little of himself in the face of the dragon.

                                He shook off the feeling and as quickly and quietly as possible pulled back the arrow, this was is chance and he wasn't going to miss it.

Ah, don't you just love cliffhangers? I dont, but I won't leave you hanging for long.