Fading Echoes - The Echoes, Book 2 - HTTYD Fanfiction

Chapter 8: Dragons

   Loutnut was on a dragon.

   A huge, fire-breathing dragon that had massive wings and colossal claws.

   And he was ok with it.

   Torch growled in amusement as Acc knocked  Loutnut off of his neck.

   WHAT IN THE WORLD.

   "Careful, Lout', or you'll lose a dragon."  Acc teased.  "Ugh!"  Loutnut grunted.  "Where's your dragon, Acc?"  Loutnut shot back.  "I don't see one!"

   Acc raised an eyebrow.  "Hold my book."  She said, walking into the forest.  As she passed Loutnut she shoved a book to his chest, making him stumble back.  Torch roared, amusement twinkling in his eyes.  "Careful!  You might knock him out!"

   Whip hid a giggle, earning himself an appreciative glance from the fire-breather.

   "Wait, that's the Book of Dragons!"  Nuffink said.  "I'll take that, thank you very much,"  Zephyr said, snatching the book.  She flipped through the pages before finally landing somewhere.  "He's a Typhoomerang.  The first Typhoomerang they knew existed."  She looked up at Torch, her eyes twinkling as he purred.  "That's right."

   "Easy girl, easy..."  Acc backed out of the bushes, her hand on a red nose.  Huge nostrils flared beside her hand, and a horn arched between two yellow eyes.  Two leafy tendrils branched back toward the dragon's folded bat wing.  

   "Woah..."  Gasps rippled around them.  "A Changewing!"  Zephyr gasped, looking down at the book in her hands.  "Can change colors to blend in with their surroundings, spit acid, never get between one and its egg."

   Acc glanced back at Loutnut, her eyes twinkling mischievously as her long, jet-black hair rolled down her back.  "Who says I don't have a dragon anymore?"  Suddenly the Changewing's head shot up at the sound of a boom.  "What is it?"  Acc asked.  

   "Dart."  He narrowed his eyes.  "Those Night Lights are always getting into trouble."  "What's a Night Light?"  Whip asked.  "The dragons Nuffink and I were looking for!"  Zephyr raced toward the boom, but when they found the two Night Lights they were shooting at a pack of boars, scattering them then herding them back together again.

   "Whiteout!"  Zephyr cried, racing forward.  "Shadow!"  Nuffink laughed.  The boars raced away, squealing, as the Night Lights' heads shot toward their old friends.  Recognition sparked in their eyes as they purred and rubbed against their friends.  

   "We all have united with our dragons now."  Acc breathed, rubbing her dragons' nose.  "What's his name?"  To Whip's surprise, she looked at him.  "Uh...What's your name?"  He asked the dragon.  "Robbie."  He replied, blinking.  "Robbie."  Whip translated for her.  "Thanks!"  Acc said.  "It's so cool that you can talk to dragons.  I wish I could.  I'd ask them all about their favorite foods and species and what the old Berk was like and -"

   "Why don't we go there now?  We have to learn to ride our dragons somehow, right?"  Zephyr suggested.  "Why not by going there?"  "Because you've run off way too much already."  I heard my mother's voice roar.  I tensely turned around.  "What do you think you're doing?"  Hiccup asked.

   "Hey, Dad..."  Zephyr chuckled nervously.  "Look!  We found Whiteout and Shadow!"  "Yes, I see that."  Hiccup said.  His gaze flitted to Whip, and then he glanced back at his mother as she turned back to herself.  "We need everybody gathered in the Great Hall."  Suddenly his voice was more grave.

   As everyone was walking, Hiccup kept glancing at Mom, Dad, and I, then sighing and shaking his head.  Astrid put a hand on his shoulder.  "It's ok, Hiccup.  There was nothing you could do.  They'll understand."  "But what if they don't?"  Hiccup asked.  "What if, they - take it out on us - and leave?  I mean, that wouldn't be hard to do know that the dragons are -"

   "Babe, breathe,"  Astrid said, standing in front of him and putting a hand on his chest.  He sighed.  "Yeah, you're right.  They need to know."  "And nothing bad will happen because of it,"  Astrid added.  Hiccup sighed.

   Whip's thoughts swam.  What could they be talking about?  Suddenly, a cold bolt of fear froze him in place.  Aphira.

   I'm sorry, Whip, I haven't been able to feel her since last night.  She must be gone.

   Why didn't you tell me earlier!?

   Would it have helped when you were asleep!?

   No, I guess not.

   Exactly.

   That night, nobody got any sleep.  Whip had managed to push Whiplash out again, so he was able to stop Kiara from throwing chairs around the house.  "I'm sorry, Kiara."  Whiplash burbled, holding her up.  She fell on his head, seemingly giving up on standing any longer.  "Why did she go?"  Kiara whispered.

   Whiplash stilled.  He had felt the unsureness from Aphira - her fear and urge to stop the dragons, but he wasn't sure if he should tell Kiara.  But she was riding a dragon.  So why does she not like them?  Whiplash needed to find his own answers first.  And those answers started with getting Whip in the air and on a dragon.