Until I Found You [2]

[12] Quella's Redemption...?

[TOOTHLESS's POV]
I was so close...
DAMNIT!
Toothless angrily shoots a blast at a tree, making him instantly remember Stormfly.
If I... if I had just taken control a second earlier the Skrill would've been able to...
Toothless roars very loudly, then starts to black out again.
TOOTHLESS: "Fuck y-"

...

[SKRILL's POV]

Me and Luna woke up early to continue my training in the forest nearby. Changewing went out to hunt for food. As me and Luna approach the forest, we start talking.
LUNA: "You need to get better at dodging."
SKRILL: "Hey I'm fast!"
LUNA: "Fast in speed, not fast in reaction."
She motions for me to stop as she walks in front of me.
LUNA: "I'm going to try and scratch you, starting slow. I want you to just move away from my attacks."
I nod confidently.
She starts off slow, moving like a snail which I easily avoid. But as she gets faster, I start to struggle.
LUNA: "You need to react faster!"
I try, but eventually she's able to scratch my face.
SKRILL: "Ow!"
She sighs.
LUNA: "Too slow."
SKRILL: "It's my first day ever going over this!"
LUNA: "Toothless could attack any moment. You have to be ready, be prepared."
I roll my eyes.
LUNA: "Let's go again."
We continue practicing my reaction speed for a good while, multiple scratches on my face. But on our last one she suddenly rushes at me, trying to tackle me. Despite being unprepared I react fast enough and roll out of the way. She falls and then gets up, smiling.
LUNA: "Good, that was today's final test. Each day we'll have a practiced then a secret final test. If you fail one, you have to restart the whole practice with a new final test for said practice."
I sigh but nod.
LUNA: "Good. Stay here and practice your fireballs while I go meet with Changewing."

She walks away, and I move to a tree to resume practicing.

...

[CHANGEWING's POV]

It's nearly impossible to find good food that isn't fish, so I'm stuck by the river trying to get some. ...I miss you, Razorwhip. I stop fishing and look up towards the sky. I wish she was still here. She was my best friend, we'd known each other since our childhood and we spent nearly everyday together. I wish I spent more time with her even though I saw her everyday. I wish I knew when she'd pass, so I could be with her during her final breaths. But the last thing she saw... was Toothless. Hate and anger fuels my mind as I roar towards the sky.

...

[LUNA's POV]

I approach the river, since that's the best place to go for food. I see Changewing, seemingly grieving.
Poor change...
I slowly sit beside her as I wrap my wing around her, just as Toothless used to wrap his wing around me.
LUNA: "It's going to be okay, Change."
She turns to me, tears running down her face.
CHANGEWING: "I miss her..."
LUNA: "I know, I miss her too."

...

After siting in silence for a while, Changewing gets up and resumes fishing.
CHANGEWING: "Thanks Luna, but I believe I had a job to do."
I decide to join in and help her fish. After we gather quite a lot of fish, she takes it all and flies to our hideout whilst I go back to find the Skrill.

...

LUNA: "Skrill, where are you?!"
I shout around, but I don't get any response. I decide to smell the ground trying to pick up a scent but I get nothing.
Toothless was always the ground sniffer.
I laugh a bit to myself, then I see a burnt bush. I walk to it, then see the Skrill with Quella.
LUNA: "Skrill get away from her!"
I immediately rush into action, charging at her as I shoot a plasma blast. Quella gets hit and falls, growling in pain. I quickly get in between her and the Skrill but then the Skrill stops me.
SKRILL: "Luna stop! She's switching sides!"
What?
QUELLA: "Sister, I've never liked you, but I've come to realize what that beast truly plans to do with the power he's attained."
LUNA: "And how do you POSSIBLY expect us to trust you?"
QUELLA: "Because I have information for you."
SKRILL: "You should really hear her out."
I stare at Quella, looking for that discrete smile she always has when she lies, but I can't see a thing.
LUNA: "...Talk."
QUELLA: "First, your King isn't Toothless."
LUNA: "What are you talking about?"
QUELLA: "Toothless is being controlled by our father."
What?!
LUNA: "Impossible, he's dead."
QUELLA: "I thought the same. But I saw him, and he was able to sway me into joining his side. Didn't you ever think everything that Toothless was doing seemed very unlike him? It's because he got controlled by Appius. Appius had him kill Stormfly, come at you, and now we're here. Toothless has tried resisting and been close to breaking free,"
She hesitates, as if she doesn't wanna say more about it.
QUELLA: "Point is, he's lost the battle, and Appius has full control over his mind and power."
I don't know what to say about any of this, or if it's even true. But... I know Toothless wouldn't have done any of this, he would never.
QUELLA: "So..."
LUNA: "...Okay, you can come back with us BUT,"
I turn to the Skrill.
LUNA: "You, keep an eye on her."
The Skrill nods smiling.
LUNA: "Follow me."
I bring her and the Skrill back to our hideout, meeting Changewing there.
Changewing immediately growls and gets into a defensive stance.
CHANGEWING: "What's SHE doing here?"
LUNA: "Shes switching sides. She has a lot of information, and I have reason to trust her. Besides we can have the Skrill watch over here."
She stays silent for a while but then talks.
CHANGEWING: "Fine."
Although she looks at Quella suspiciously, we're able to all get inside and cover up the entrance. Quella explains what she explained to me and the Skrill.
CHANGEWING: "I don't know much about Toothless before, Y'know, this, so if you think we should believe her then I trust your word for it."
QUELLA: "Also, the way that beast gains power  is through murder. Each kill it gets generates some sort of power. It's sensible when you're near him, very sensible, but I don't know exactly how he gets it."
LUNA: "Thank you for this information, we'll have to look around for survivors asap. I'll find a use for you here, but for now we should all get good sleep for tomorrow."
We all lay down, and the night closes to an end as I shut my eyes.