Soul of a Warrior (An RTTE Fanfic - Sequel to Heart of a Dragon Whisperer)

Chapter 3 (Melia)

I stood before my bed, sorting through the basket of dragon scales Johann had given me before leaving. He had assured me that they were all shedded scales, but I wanted to make sure and the surest way of doing that was to look over every single skin. You never could trust the word of the merchants Johann bought them from. As I emptied the basket, I sorted the scales by dragon species. There were a few Monstrous Nightmare scales, a couple Scuttleclaw scales, a Deadly Nadder's scales, a Zippleback's scales, a couple dried Scauldron scales, and... I held up the last sheet of scales in surprise. I couldn't believe it. Johann has actually bought a sheet of Skrill scales. I quickly checked it over, sure enough it was shedded scales, but how did the merchant that sold it to Johann obtain it? Skrills were extremely territorial. Unless the Skrill had shed on an island it had passed through or the Skrill was on another part of the island when the merchant found it, there was no way they could've gotten it. 

"Hey, Melia. You up there?" 

"Yeah. Come on up!" I called back folding the Skrill scales and placing them among the others. I turned as Storm came up the stairs, surprised that it was already starting to get dark. "What's up?" 

"Well, Hiccup..." Storm trailed off for a moment staring at the shedded scales folded on my bed, "Did you get those from Johann?" 

"Yeah. You never know when they'll come in handy." I shrug it off, turning back to the shedded scales, stacking them into one pile before placing them inside the chest next to my desk. "Anyway, did you need something?"

"Oh, yeah! Hiccup and Fishlegs figured out a way to seal the cracks on the island permanently."

"Really?!"

"Yeah. C'mon, they're just about to test it out." 

 "Okay okay! I'm coming!" I exclaimed, running after her. We ran, more like raced all the way to the forest both of us skidding to a stop beside Snotlout, watching as Hiccup dumped the molten concoction onto the crack, sealing it closed.

"I can't believe that actually worked." Hiccup cheered.

"Let's not start slapping each other's yaks just yet. That was the last of the Deathsong amber. And even if we had more, there's no way Meatlug can make enough Gronckle iron to stabilize the island." Fishlegs cut in.

"So, we need Gronckles and Deathsong amber."

"Both easily found on islands we know well." Storm added, resting an elbow on Snotlout's shoulder.

"There is no way I'm going to Melody Island." Snotlout interjected, brushing off his sisters elbow, "The word death is in the dragon's name for a very good reason."

"Melia, Astrid, and I will get the amber." Hiccup argued.

"Good. I like that plan."

"Fishlegs, you and Storm stay behind and gather ingredients for Gronckle iron and find a place to store the liquid metal."

"Yes, sir." Storm remarked, giving Hiccup a mock salute before walking over to stand by Fishlegs and Meatlug. 

"Oh, keep talking. This is the best plan ever."

"What about us? What do we do?" Tuffnut asked, gesturing between himself and Ruffnut.

"Rounding up a group of Gronckles from Dark Deep"

"You idiots. Why did you open your big-"

"Snotlout, you're going with them. Congratulations." I snorted in laughter as Snotlout said,

"This is the worst plan I've ever heard."

"Really, cause just a few seconds ago you were saying you liked this plan." Storm teased, earning a glare from her older brother.