Homecoming (A "How To Train Your Dragon" Story)

Chapter 17:

Forest

The dragon is napping on a tree branch, hanging upside down like a bat.  Zephyr sits on the branch, leaning against the trunk.

ZEPHYR: You know, we should get you a name.

The dragon looks at her, annoyed.

ZEPHYR: What? I can't call you "dragon" forever.

The dragon rolls it's eyes.

ZEPHYR: (leans back against the tree trunk) Maybe Smoky?

The dragon snorts.

ZEPHYR: (sits up) Or I know! (dramatically) The Black Night!

The dragon covers it's head with it's wings.  Zephyr looks down at her book and flips through the pages.  She lands on a page near the back.  It has drawings of three nightlights, one of them looks just like the dragon.  

ZEPHYR: (reads aloud) Dart.... 

Zephyr bends over the tree branch so she's hanging like the dragon.  She points at the book and shows it to the dragon.  

ZEPHYR: Is this you?

The dragon doesn't bother to unfold it's wings.  

ZEPHYR: It says here that you're a female and that my dad named you Dart.  What do you think about that?  Dart's a pretty good-

Zephyr begins to slip off the tree branch.

ZEPHYR: Ahh!

Dart grabs Zephyr's foot before she falls to the ground.  Zephyr's head is only a few inches above the ground.

ZEPHYR: (looks up at dragon) Yeah, I think I'll call you Dart.

Dart lets go of Zephyr's foot.  She falls to the ground.

ZEPHYR: Owww....

Zephyr stands up and slams into Hiccup.

ZEPHYR: Oh!!!  Uhhh, hi... Dad....

HICCUP: Zephyr?  What are you doing out here?  I've been looking everywhere for you!

Dart's ear perks up when she hears Hiccup's voice.

ZEPHYR: Oh... yeah... I was just looking for my dagger....

Hiccup looks at the ground beside Zephyr.  Her dagger is on the ground.  (It had fallen from her belt when she fell out of the tree.)

HICCUP: Isn't that your dagger?

ZEPHYR: Oh!  Riiight......

Zephyr picks up her dagger.

ZEPHYR: Yay! I found it!  Guess you can just go home now... Dad.

Zephyr nervously looks up at Dart.

HICCUP: I wanted to talk to you Zeph.  Your mother... and I have been worried about you.

Dart looks down at Hiccup from the tree.

ZEPHYR: Worried?  About me?

HICCUP: You haven't been training lately... have you?

Dart climbs up on the tree branch, still keeping an eye on Hiccup.

ZEPHYR: Well... I've been a bit busy lately...

HICCUP: Also, Zeph, I found this in your room. (pulls out Zephyr's book)

ZEPHYR: Uhhhhh....

HICCUP: Where did you find this?

ZEPHYR: In storage....  Where did you find this?

HICCUP: When I went into your room last night—

ZEPHYR: You went into my room last night?!  What were you doing?  Snooping?

HICCUP: What?!!  No, Zephyr!

ZEPHYR: Then what were you doing?

Dart sees Hiccup's chiefly belt.

HICCUP: Zeph, I—

Dart flies down and snatches Hiccup up between her claws.

ZEPHYR: Dad!

HICCUP: Wanted to talk to you!

ZEPHYR: Dart!!!

HICCUP: What's happening?!!!!

ZEPHYR: DART!!!!

Dart looks back at her.

ZEPHYR: Bad dragon!  You stop right now!!!!

HICCUP: Dart?

Dart stops.

ZEPHYR: That's right!  Now you come down here and put my father down right now!  Gently!

Dart hesitates.

ZEPHYR: Put him down!

Dart puts Hiccup on the ground.

ZEPHYR: (points to tree) Now go over there and think about what you've done!  You've been a very bad dragon!

Dart walks over to the tree.  She pouts and sulks next to it.

ZEPHYR: Don't think pouting is gonna make it better!  You are a very bad dragon!

Zephyr kneels next to Hiccup who is on the ground.

ZEPHYR: Dad are you okay?

HICCUP: What- who was that???

ZEPHYR: Oh, yeah....  Sorry dad, I just didn't want to tell you yet because I thought, "why would a dragon come here?" because you said that dragons don't leave the Hidden World and I was going to tell you but we were getting along really nicely and if I told you, you would send it back and I didn't want you to—

HICCUP: Zeph!  Zeph! That's a dragon?

Zephyr nods.

HICCUP: You trained a dragon?

ZEPHYR: Are you mad at me?

HICCUP: Mad at you?  Zephyr, you trained a dragon!  How did you know what to do?

ZEPHYR: (shrugs) I guess I just, knew.

HICCUP: Zephyr, that is incredible!  Why didn't you tell me sooner?

ZEPHYR: (looks down sheepishly) Well, I was worried that you would take her away.  She's really nice.

Zephyr looks over at Dart.  She's slapping the tree trunk with his tail.

ZEPHYR: Well... usually.

HICCUP: Did you touch him?  Or I guess her?

ZEPHYR: Yeah, I did.

HICCUP: Did you... ride her?

ZEPHYR: I can ride her?!

HICCUP: Yeah, don't you remember?

Zephyr flashes back to when she was little.

(Young Zephyr sits on Toothless's back, in front of her dad.  They are flying in the air.  Young Zephyr raises her arms up and laughs.)

Zephyr flashes back to the present.

ZEPHYR: Oh yeah, I can.