The Runaway and Outcast (A Httyd Fanfiction)

Chapter 9: Home

(Normal pov— Unknown location)

A large Dragon Hunter ship sliced through the icy waters as it was now on its final approach to the Dragonroot Company fortress which was southwest of Dramillion island, they had built recruiting compounds to test those new to their ranks how to handle aggressive dragons and deal with every type of fire blast.

Bjarke the Bear was in his chambers while writing in the ship's cargo manifest, their ship held several caged dragons, fresh food, weapons, and more Dragon Root that they would need to take down any dragon that stood in their path. The man was once a high-ranking member of Viggo Grimborn's regime, and he had witnessed many men under his command die at the hands of the dragon rider and her Stormcutter, and it killed Bjarke slowly but surely watching his companions and friends being killed.

After the Grimborn Hunter Tribe was disbanded, Matron Maeve came out of nowhere and extended an invitation to what little survivors remained Grimborn's regime, she promised Bjarke and those men who survived the chance to exact revenge on the dragon rider and her Stormcutter, that was more than enough motivation for Bjarke to join Maeve's Dragonroot Company. Many of the men and women under Maeve's command had lost much because of the dragon rider and her Stormcutter, either loved ones, their dignity, and the means of providing for their families.

All Bjarke wanted was to see the dragon rider die an excruciating death.

"LAND HO!"

With a heavy sigh, Bjarke closed the ship's manifest and tucked it inside a pouch strapped to his side, he then rose from the seat he was sitting on made his way outside his chambers and up to the deck of the ship. Once up top, he wrapped a thick bear fur cloak around his broad shoulders to keep the night chill from creeping into his bones. He could see his companions all manning their respective stations as their ship approached the Dragonroot Company fortress, which was well fortified; it held several watchtowers to spot any hostile movement on the water or in the air, catapults, and ballistas were manned by men on the fortress walls, and the fortress itself was built to be dragon proof, as a precaution to ensure no dragon could ever escape their grasp and to make sure that infernal dragon rider could never break in to free any of the dragons they captured.

Once their ship docked at the harbor, Bjarke ordered the men under his command to unload all the supplies they had procured from neighboring isles and from the Northern Market, the large man turned to the left to see Fuld the Fiend, who was in fact Maeve's second in command. Although his physic was a wiry build, the man was more capable than those within the Company gave him credit for.

"Do you have the manifest ready for Matron Maeve?"

Bjarke nodded in confirmation, causing Fuld to grunt and the two men made their way to the fortress to meet up with their leader. The men and women under Maeve's command were all at work further strengthening their defenses, forging new weapons, crafting hundreds of arrows, and carting off dozens of caged dragons their Trapper companions caught. If there was one thing Bjarke admired about Maeve's regime was that she didn't have the patience nor time to indulge in freeloaders. The Matron had given every single person here a second chance and they all were earning their keep, as well as giving the Matron reason for keeping them around.

Once inside the fortress, both Bjarke and Fuld made their way to Maeve's chambers and found their leader concluding business with Sami Dragon Trappers, they were here on the matter of payment after delivering Maeve several Catastrophic Quaken dragons that the Matron would use for construction purposes. After receiving a handsome amount of gold, the Sami Trappers took their leave and Maeve then turned to her men and nodded at them in greetings.

"Welcome back, I trust you procured what I required?"

Fuld stepped up and nodded. "Indeed, Matron Maeve, we went to the isles that held Dragon Root, and we bought the food and weapons we need at the Northern Market," the wiry man then added, "we also made contact with the bounty hunter, Raven, she now hunts for the dragon rider and her Stormcutter." Maeve, who was writing on a parchment ceased her writing as she absorbed Fuld's words, she then continued writing.