TAW Tales: How to Train Your Shifters (#1)

~Chapter 31~

"So, what's the plan again?" Everest whispered to me. We were all (minus Winter) crouched behind the biggest buildings in Berk, watching Astrid and Snotlout as they talked with Gobber and Stoick about something or other.

And, before you say anything, we were NOT spying. We were simply observing.

"We wait until Winter gets back," I said in answer to Everest's question, "And then you, Luna and Moon say that Wavebreaker broke loose and is lost in the woods and we're finding him."

Wavebreaker whined and nosed me reproachfully.

"I know, buddy," I said, stroking his nose, "But you're the only wild dragon here, and it would make more sense to say that you ran off instead of the others."

"And we'll be training with Astrid while you guys try to prevent the battle we're training for?" Luna hissed to me. "Spoil-sports much."

I silently laughed. Yeah, I possess the ability to do that, despite being about fourteen years old, and should therefor scientifically burst out into high-pitched giggles.

"Hey, look, is that her?" Night breathed, touching my arm and pointing to where a tiny white spec was growing steadily closer.

I squinted and sheilded my eyes. "Yep, that's her. Over here!" I whispered as loudly as I dared and waved an arm.

Winter must've seen us, because she flapped down and landed heavily on my elbow. Her beak was open in a heavy pant, and her tongue was sticking out, her wings and feathers drooping with exhaustion.

They're... they're over by... the arena... she gasped, raising a shaky wing in the direction of the Training Arena. I've been... flying over it... for about half... an hour...

"We know, we've been waiting for you," Zero said flatly.

Winter drew herself up. When you go flying around for so long that your wings threaten to fall of, you can talk.

"I'll never do that, because I'll never fly, now will I?" Zero smirked.

"Zero," Night warned, "I will back-hand you in the head if you don't shut it."

Zero made a perfect cat face (that looks something like this; :3) and shrank back into the shadows.

"Right, so there's no chance of them coming out?" I pressed Winter.

She coughed. No.

"Good. Night, Zero, get on and follow me. Good job, Winter," I added as everyone mounted their dragons.

Yeah, yeah, whatever, Winter muttered, morphing and mounting Cloudsky. "But don't you ever expect me to do that again."

I shrugged, grinning, and turned to face Luna, Moon and Everest.

"Will you guys be okay?" I asked worriedly.

"Will we be okay?! Dude!" Luna threw her arms out in a gesture of disbelief. "You're the ones going into enemy territory! We should be asking if you'll be okay!"

"Alright then, next time I'll just take off and not bother to say goodbye," I said sarcastically.

Luna glared at me.

"We'll be fine," Everest went on. "Will you lot be right?"

"We'll probably live," I said, shrugging. "And if not, we'll just haunt you till you die."

"Okay!" Everest grinned and Sleuther rolled his eyes.

We waited until Astrid, Snotlout, Stoick and Gobber were safely inside the saddle-building shop before we nudged out dragon's sides and rose into the sky.

"Good luck!" Everest, Luna and Moon called as we rose higher and higher.

"You too!" I shouted back. Then Wavebreaker and the others shot off, and my friends' faces disappeared over the tops of the buildings in the Village of Berk.