The Missing Pieces to a Night Fury's Heart

Chapter 4

Toothless jolted awake, jerking his head up in a violent motion. He shifted his cranium to get a better look at the room. Nothing. The black dragon could have sworn he had heard something.

The moon’s light crept inside the room, casting an eerie glow on his scales. His eyes –dappled by the luminous gleam- stared around area, trying to locate the source of the sound he had heard. Even with his acute hearing, nothing could be heard.

A thought crossed his mind. Maybe I had imagined it. He shuffled his paws, preparing to return to his slumber, but there it was again. It was the acoustics of a roaring dragon.

With as much silence as he could muster, he staggered to his paws. He slunk over to the entrance room, quickly avoiding awakening his sleeping rider, whom was safely tucked under his blankets.

Toothless nodded, assuring himself that his human would remain in place before bounding down the stairs.

The mass of another dragon came to view as he leaped down the remaining length of the way.

Cloudjumper lay motionless in a heap, the gentle heave of his chest signaling his sleep.

Toothless cringed at this, not wanting to disturb his peaceful rest, though knowing he had too.

“Cloudjumper?” he murmured as softly as he could.

Immediately his optics opened, giving the impression he hadn’t actually been sleeping. But as he had learned, the Stormcutter’s had a special reflex to noises like most dragons, including himself.

“Yes, Toothless?”

He decided not to comment about him using his actual name in case Cloudjumper would forget and return to calling him that bothersome title.

“Thanks for taking charge today.”

His eyes narrowed curiously at this. “I doubt you have woken me to speak of your gratitude. What troubles you?”

“I’m going to investigate something outside… If I’m not back at sun-hight…-“

“…To send a search party after you?” Cloudjumper guessed.

Toothless ducked his head into a small bow. “I would appreciate that.”

“You have my word.” He returned the bow. “Just stay safe, Toothless.”

The Night Fury grinned slightly at this before gingerly coaxing the doorknob open with his gums.

Click.

He squeezed his muzzle through the small opening, the door swinging open with a minute creak.

He glanced back, ready to pull the door closed again, but Cloudjumper was already softly pushing it with his wing-talon. “Stay safe,” he whispered again, then with a soft heave the door shut behind the black dragon.

Toothless hunched his shoulders and began his trek down the hill.

The cricket’s music filled his ears as they hid among the lush grass. They were much too distracting to his ears. He tried in vain to clear it, though it was utterly useless.

His head cocked as he tried again to detect the roaring. He extended his voluminous wings sending a gust through the grass. Green objects swirled in his wind’s wake and several of the cricket’s chirping abruptly stopped.

He snorted in irritation and returned to discovering the noise. Once again, nothing was to be heard.

“Gah, for Odin’s sake,” he muttered, knowing with his entire heart he had heard a bellow.