Night Light Brigade - {Sequel to "Until They Can Return in Peace"}

Chapter 7 - Zephyr

The skies were a shade darker than the previous days on New Berk. I had flown routinely with Eclipse, but there was a certain despair that began to loom over the Archipelago.

I felt uneasy upon visiting Dragons Edge considering the things I've seen.

"Zeph, you alright?", my mother asks, snapping me out of my depressing trance.

"Yeah, I just..."

"OH MY THOR!", I hear my dad scream. Toothless roars out of being spooked.

I turned towards where he was looking... the sky became a hazy cloud that was denying lungs of full breaths.

The ash began to roll past us as we dove down towards what was remaining of the Edge.

Dragon screeches and bellowing roars were heard as flames climbed higher and higher.

The wooden decks that connected each hut ceased to exist.

What remained of my parents temporary childhood homes were scraps of metal and broken belongings.

"Oh my gods...", my mother said from her saddle with a cracking voice. Stormfly had the same broken expression in her aging Nadder eyes. Dusty clung to her tightly to try to comfort his mother.

Toothless gurgled mournfully as we glided.

I swear I see a single tear slip from my father's eye.

Nuffink looks at me completely exasperated and almost angry at what we see.

"Guys! Make sure all students are out of there! Then get to Hobblegrunt Island. They'll be more docile than the ones who did this destruction", my dad commands and we obey.

I can't believe this. I could have prevented this, but yet I have waited to release the Night Light Brigade.

Why did I wait so long?!

Who cares if we were ready or not, we could have learned on the way.

"Eclipse, scan the island", I say to my boy as he nods.

We fly close to the ground as possible, trying to see through the dense smoke.

I begin to cough uncontrollably and my eyes were burning worse than the wound that caused the scar under my eye.

Eclipse gives me a concerned groan, then pulls upward.

"No boy... we have... to find the students", I barely make out between coughs.

He growls at me with an intensity I've never heard from him.

"Eclipse? This isn't like you come on...", I wince as I continue to cough to the point I can't breathe or open my eyes.

My head starts to feel light... my grip on my saddle loosens.

I feel myself slip off as I feel claws clench around my arms.

My dragon roars in alert as try to hang on to his large nails cling to me for dear life.

__

I finally gain composure of my consciousness that I was going in and out of as Eclipse carried me away from the edge.

I am dropped down by a stream and the sound of rushing water pulls at my parched throat.

I result to animal-like behavior and lazily drop my face in the brisk water, cooling my face and gulping down the precious liquid for my life.

I sit up after a few moments and slouch down.

I look over at my angry Night Light.

"What is that look for?", I ask him.

He rolls his blue eyes and turns away from my gaze.

"Fine... sassy, I am sorry okay...", I say standing to my feet.

He blabs his large dragon chops as if to mock me.

"Oh... I see how it is. You're upset that I almost got us killed?", I snap.

He shoots around and bats me on the head with his large paw and growls playfully.

"Ah!! Ha-ha okay, I almost got MYSELF killed?", I put my hands on my hips.

He then stands on his hind-legs and wraps his arms around me, leaning his multi-ton weight on me in a giant hug.

"Owwww, alright you big baby, I'm sorry. I'll be more careful", I take his head and look at him in those deep blue eyes.

"Whoa! Sorry there! Didn't mean to ruin your moment!", I hear a familiar voice from across the meadow.

"Gunnar? What are you doing here?", I ask the tall Viking and his green-eyed Night Light that reminded me so much of Toothless.

"The question is, what are YOU doing here?", he asks.

Dusk comes over to me and nudges my arm and I greet him with a few pats. Then he goes over to say hello to his brother and they begin to play.

"Whoa. Who is that dragon?!", I ask my friend, amazed at how docile Dusk has become since we first trained him.

"I know, he's turned into a brave and kind creature", he smiles at his companion.

I smile proudly at my dragon as well.

"Gunnar, where am I?", I ask going back to the question at hand.

"Why, you're on Berserker Island! Welcome back!", he says holding his arms widely.

"Oh Thor... how did I get over here?"

"What do you mean Zeph?"

"Well... the family was visiting Dragon's Edge, but when we arrived... it was drowning in flames...", I say slowly and his eyes grow wide. "Eclipse got me out of there".

"Oh no... mom and dad will be crushed...", he says.

"Mine especially... they watched it happen...", I say taking a place on a smooth rock.

I'm not used to all this emotion within me. I thought I had all of this figured out. The chieftess plans were in motion, but now something more demanding has fallen into my lap.

I don't know if I could bare it.

"It's all my fault... if I would have started the Brigade earlier..."

"Zephyr, this is NOT your fault. The dragons have been starting these fires since their return, and you didn't think we were ready", he says joining me and laying a friendly hand on my shoulder.

"I know... I just feel terrible for our parents losing a piece of their lives..", I say trying to hold back tears.

"The dragons... were supposed to be a wonderful and happy thing to return to the Archipelago...", I finish my wiping my eyes.

"Then let's prove it. I believe that we can put a stop to the destruction of the Archipelago and make sure that we all live in harmony once and for all", Gunnar says and I am taken aback.

His inner prince is coming out as I giggle at my thoughts.

He's right, it's up to us to make sure peace remains on these islands.

A wave of courage hits me as I remember why I even came up with this team in the first place.

"Let's do it. Let's get Nuffink and get out there!", I say grabbing his hand and running towards our dragons.