The Return of the Dragons

Part 44 Truly Brave - Zephyr POV

My entire being is enveloped in warmth as I hug the scaly creature that was my Daddy's dragon. My arms wrap around his graceful neck and my cheek is pressed to the side of his face. His cold scales ar a comforting feeling and I feel rather warm. "Goodbye Toothless." I whisper tearfully, "We'll meet again, I promise." I let go and begin to head toward Eclipse who is waiting for me. We are about to ride out and continue our mission. We really do have to hurry. Daddy and Mommy will be worried about us and it was not my intention to completely upset them. Eclipse gurgles as I come nearer. I smile as I look into his blue eyes. I feel such warmth as I think of a legacy that has been passed on a generation to me. I turn back and run to Toothless for one last hug before I go. "I love you so much!" I whisper. "Thank you Toothless! Thank you for keeping my Daddy safe all those years. I don't know what I'd do without him. Come to think of it... I wouldn't even exist without him!" I smile as I think of how happy my daddy will be to have his best bud back... but thinking of that I really have to go. I have been off the mission for far too long. "Goodbye Toothless." I whisper again. Suddenly compelled I give the dragon a kiss on the snout. He gurgles happily and licks my face. I know that won't wash out, but... I don't want it to. I head off to Eclipse and Mount. We're ready to roll.

..

"You doing okay back there Nuff?" I call to my brother who is behind me on his own dragon.

"Yeah! I'm okay!" he shouts back.

This surprises me quite a bit. I mean, it's his first solo flight. I figured he'd be well... terrified to put it bluntly, but there he is not making a peep and when I ask him how he's doing back there he's "okay?"

'Really?" I ask, "I mean, I kind of expected you to freak out."

"Well what do you think I am, a chicken?"

"Well if you were, Uncle Tuffnut would really be fond of you!" I joke.

"Very funny." he says. Then he goes quiet.

"Nuff?" I call.

"Yeah?"

"Is there something wrong?" I ask.

"Well....." He says , then pauses for a significantly long time afterward.

"Well what?"

"I just don't want Daddy to think I'm a coward!" he blurts out. Well way to speak your mind bro!

'What makes you think he'll think that?" I ask humoring him. I know exactly what he is talking about. I've seen the way he acts around Daddy all tough and brave... well, really doing stupid stuff trying to look brave like climbing on the roof. "What makes you think he'll think that?"

"Because I am one." he says. I can tell his voice is breaking. "I'm terrified Zephyr!" he cries.

"Look, Nuff-"

"I don't want to talk about it!" he snips.

Poor Nuff! If only he knew how much Daddy really thinks of him. I see the look in Daddy's eyes when Nuffink does something that really is brave like that one time when he left school early despite what his friends would think because Mommy, (who was still pregnant with Sieglinde) needed something. That really was brave and I could tell, Daddy was very proud of him. I just wish he could see that.