Once in a Nightlight

Chapter 7

Toothless woke up against the blaze of the morning sun, bringing the hidden world to life for another day. The King stretched with a silent yawn of pleasure from his delightful slumber. Luna was still fast asleep so he decided not to wake her but gave a small lick to her forehead, and began padding outside to the lip of the den. Dragons were already flying around enjoying the early morning sun, flocks of them diving to the rivers and snatching up fish to eat and satisfy their hunger.

"Looks like it's gonna be a good day today." Toothless inhaled deeply, the cool fresh air filling his lungs and sending a shiver up his spine. He made his way down and glided safely onto the surface next to a river, crouching down he lapped up the cold fresh water with his eyes shut in content. The world around him was coming to live gradually, the illuminating lights getting brighter like flowers on a summers morning.

"Toothless!" A little voice came from the valley above him. Lifting his head, he saw a cub standing on the slope and instantly racing down towards him. It was Colt, the cub he carried on their way here.

"Hey Champ." Toothless smiled brightly as the cub waddled down the slope to him "Where's your mother? Aren't you a little too young to be out here by yourself?"

"Nope! Mother let me out so I came to find you because my siblings were playing baby games." Colt scowled softly as he came to his side to lap the cool water, letting a satisfied shiver run through his body head to tail "Mmmm this is nice and cold! How is it so fresh?!"

"Maybe this place has its own water supply." Toothless said and followed where the stream was going through the valley then back to the kid "Guess you're gonna be stuck with me all day huh?" He teased with a smirk.

"Who wouldn't wanna be stuck with me? I'm very talkative, and I'm very fun." Colt grinned cheekily and flicked his tail sassily then peered up at Toothless "Can we do something fun today? I was bored yesterday having to stick around with my sisters." Colt grumbled unpleasantly and looked to the river again "Why don't we go and follow it? To the water supply huh? That could pass some time."

"...Hm, you aren't wrong. Alright, let's go, but stick with me."

Toothless and Colt headed off down the bank of the running river, the sound of harsh thrashing echoing through the narrow tunnel that the water ran through. Colt stuck at his side and peered at the glowing water from time to time in complete awe, then up at Toothless and talking away like usual. Toothless padded carefully along the bank and down a sandy slope leading deeper into their home.

"So why did we move here? Wasn't that island back there enough to keep us alive and thriving?" Colt asked curiously, his voice echoing through the huge cave they were led into. Toothless kept his focus ahead as they were climbing along an arched bridge across a deep pool of water below them.

"Because Luna's home is here, and back then it was perfect, I'll agree with that but there wasn't enough vegetation or any natural sources to keep us alive for that long. Why, do you not like it here?"

"What? No of course not, I love it here! It's so cool and the colours and the huge rock in the middle is awesome!" Colt gleefully giggled his words while he trotted along the bridge and peered over the edge "..Say, what would happen if we fell?"

"You'd either pull up fast enough, or plunge straight down into the water." Toothless replied as he nudged him softly forward with his tail "Easy, don't want you tipping over the edge do we?"

"Nope, mother wouldn't like that would she?" Colt chuckled softly and continued padding ahead. The bridge cut off into an open area of sand while the river started to curve around and into another tunnel of the hidden world "..How long is this river?"

"Thor knows." Toothless murmured "Do you still wanna go on?"

"Heck yeah!" Colt squealed and bounced off down the hill towards the small tunnel.

"Oi! Don't run off without me!!" Toothless called as his voice echoed making the crystal pillars above their heads rattle and shake. He padded after the young cub and hurried his way towards the tunnel, having to duck to get through because it was so low. Colt was ahead already, following the illuminated stream deeper and deeper into the darkness until no light was seen anymore. Toothless struggled, his vision straining terribly against the gloomy cave they had walked into.

"Er..Colt?" His voice echoed eerily in the silence "Colt??"

No reply.

"Colt!?" Toothless's voice grew more frantic as he called and began to fast jog his way forward, still crouched rather low. Before he knew it, Toothless tipped over an edge and plunged straight down into the black abyss with a scream of terror then finally hitting the water at the bottom with a splash. The water around him thrashed over his head, it was rushing rapidly and dragging him through an unknown stream. He couldn't lift his head for breath, and when he tried he swallowed a mouthful of water and was yanked back under. Toothless's legs thrashed and squirmed violently against the thick current that pulled him along while his body wriggled around like a pinned worm. 

The river started to ease as it got further down the huge cave as he came to the mouth of it, and he managed to bring his head up for a gasp of air, choking and spluttering violently as he hoisted his soaking body onto the bank of the river and heaved fiercely to gag up any excess water he had swallowed while being pulled.

"Toothless!!" Colt's voice came from the far distance as he could make out his tiny soaked body running towards him "I was looking everywhere for you!!"

"Where did you go?" Toothless choked "What in the name of Thor happened??"

"I-I don't know! I was crawling ahead and the next thing I know I was plunging straight to my death! I did shout for you but I think I was too far ahead, and the water cut me off mid screech and I was pulled along here!" Colt panted sorely "A-And then I came looking to see if the same had happened to you."

"Well, it did, and next time stay with me, not away from me, okay?"

"Okay...I'm sorry."

"It's alright. Now come on..We should be heading back...we're way to deep into this place..--"

"But I found the end down here! It's only down here! Come on!!" Colt tugged at his tail and ran off before he could even give him his answer. Toothless had to follow after him, calling for Colt to slow down as he ran through a narrow tunnel he was struggling to get through. The opening of a huge cave was lit up with the crystal pillars hanging from the roof while the echoing sound of waterfalls filled their ears. There were four waterfalls on the walls and pouring down into a huge pool below them on the ledge.

"Wohohoahh!" Colt laughed joyfully as he stared around, the first source of light they had seen for quite some time lit up their eyes like stars in the sky. "It's so beautiful!"

"Isn't it just kid?" Toothless chuckled softly as he looked around. He flew forward and lapped at the waterfall "It's so fresh! C'mon, you try some!" Toothless flew back and picked the cub by the scruff then to the running water as he started to eagerly lap at the raw water that flowed.

"It really is!" Colt squealed happily and loudly. Toothless suddenly froze as a loud grumble echoed from above their heads. The crystals above them were shaking violently as some shattered against each other, both their eyes widened in horror.

"Uh...Oh..."