Howling Echoes - A How to Train Your Dragon Story, The Echoes, Book 1

10: Best in Show

   Frostflake and I waited for Heather and Astrid to approach each other, ready to jump, run and ride.  
   We were ready, too.

   Heather and Astrid leaped to one another's dragons.  Frostflake blasted a thin beam of frost right underneath them.  They landed on their own dragons and we swooped where we had blasted.  We flew into the air and waited for Ruff and Tuff's Viking explosion.  When Fishlegs flew into one of the eyes we spiraled through the other, laughing.

   Frostflake roared happily as Hookfang lit the bonfire.  "Our turn!"  I cheered.  Heather had fit us into Hiccup's routine, which I was very happy about.  The two of us flew at one another.  Toothless blasted three plasmablasts in rapid succession and we did the same, resulting in a chill being swept over the Vikings of Berk.  The two of us flew higher into the air, the dragon's claws interlocking with one another's.  Then we backflipped and smoothly swept by Toothless.  Hiccup and Toothless suddenly went off routine, but we didn't.

   We spun and dove at the bonfire.  We blasted ice at it and then pulled up at the last second, slicing the ice with Frostflake's sharp silver tail blades.  Everyone got in a circle above the bonfire and blasted fire at it, while we flew by and froze the area around it.

   I was exhausted by the time the show was over, but I was overwhelmed with questions and new Vikings...some of whom were slightly hostile-looking such as Gobber and Spitelout.

   "Ey?  Who 're you?"  Gobber challenged.

   "Gobber, it's ok."  Hiccup landed next to me, clearly able to tell that I was nervous.  "This is Kiara."  "When did you find her?"  Stoic asked.

   "They didn't find me,"  I retorted under my breathe.  

   "...Eeeer that's a long story."  Hiccup said.

   "We both got captured by the Defenders of the Wing and he offered to let me escape with them,"  I said directly after.  

   Hiccup yawned, noticing more Vikings crowd around us.  "Well, it's probably time to sleep, let's -"  Hiccup started.

   I got onto Frostflake.  "I'm going to take a midnight flight.  Probably back to the Edge."  I lied.  Hiccup nodded, clearly not catching on.  Good.  "Ok.  We'll see you there in the morning."

    I nodded back and leaped into the air.  "So, what are we actually doing?"  Frostflake asked me.  Yes, I can speak Dragon, did I mention that?  Long story, short time.

   I leaped off of her and transformed into a Flame Wraith.  The flames flickering off my crimson red wings cut through with gold veins, lit up the clouds.

   "Looking for the Hews,"  I growled.  "Why did you tell them you've never encountered humans before?"  Frostflake asked.  "I don't know most things about humans.  I know Dagur and Krogan, that's about it, minus the Hews."

   "And both of them are horrible."  Frostflake agreed.  I nodded back, flames growing hot in my throat as I spotted a small ship.  I growled and flew down, Frostflake right behind me.  I shook the boat, shaking myself and transforming back into a human with a flash.

   I heard nervous murmurs below deck and open the trapdoor, allowing Frostflake to jump in, knock out whoever was in there and drag up unconscious Hiccup.

   "Good girl."  I patted Frostflake's head.  I knew they would come and try to take Hiccup away as soon as night fell.

   I got on Frostflake, unsure as to if Hiccup would wake up or not.  Frostflake and I dropped Hiccup back off and patrolled around his house for the rest of the night.

   Frostflake was abruptly kicked out of the house in the morning when Stoic came to wake up Hiccup.  I laughed, and she snorted unappreciatively at me.

   "Hiccup was kidnapped in the middle of the night, so we rescued him and stood guard,"  I explained when Stoic came out.  "You really need better nightti -"  Toothless growled at me, and I rolled my eyes in return.

   "I have an idea."  I continued, mounting Frostflake.  "Let's go to Ryker, the back of the poster says where he is, and kick his dragon hunting butt."

   "Yeah, let's pummel his dragon-hunting tail!"  Snotlout agreed.  I turned to see him lightly punch his fist into his open palm.  "We will personally volunteer to blast him off a tree."  Tuffnut grinned.

   "I coming with you."  Stoic declared, mounting Skullcrusher.  I smiled cheekily.  Frostflake and I exchanged glances.  

    I was given the task of leading the way.  When we saw Ryker down below, right next to a high up waterfall, Hiccup held his hand up.

   "Let us take care of this."  I grinned and leaned down, rubbing Frostflake's face.  "Y'ready, girl?"

   Frostflake burbled in response and dove for Ryker.  Suddenly a bunch of arrows shot at us from behind.  "Frostflake!"  I shrieked as Frostflake lost control.  A net swamped over us, and I couldn't move.

   I could hear Hiccup yelling.  "Kiara!"