Until I Found You [2]

[13] Preparation

[SKRILL's POV]
I've been assigned to continue my training but now with Quella as my mentor. She's a bit ruder and aggressive than Luna was, a definitely more egoistical, but surprisingly I'm learning stuff from her. I'm learning how to quickly grab dirt and throw it into someone's eyes, and other stuff involving the environment around me. Luna decided that she would be the one to go and find survivors. It's impossible to get anywhere near the scale we had, but maybe she'll find enough dragons that we can save before Toothless-
I stop, then fix myself.
Before APPIUS kills them.
It's good knowing that it wasn't the King. I never really thought or talked about it much, but I always looked up to him when I was younger. Toothless seemed like the perfect ruler for all of us. Maybe... maybe we can get him back somehow.
Changewing also left, but her operation is more of to gather supply for the dragons that Luna will bring home.

Me and Quella eventually leave the hideout and move to our regular training quarters.
QUELLA: "You ready?"
SKRILL: "Y-"
She immediately throws dirt into my eyes. I roar as I become blind temporarily, but I remember what Quella taught me. I first channel lightening in front of me, which I hear makes Quella step back as I fly straight up, letting the air help get the dirt out of my eyes. I finally get to see again, and I finish my move by diving down while shooting multiple fireballs. Quella dodges all.. besides the last one which hits her.
QUELLA: "Lucky, I'm not satisfied!"
When are you?

We resume training, going over multiple of different scenarios where different pieces of the environment can be used against me and used for me. The one thing I do like about Quella's teaching is the usefulness of it. If I'm able to use nearly any environment to my advantage, then Appius will never have the upper hand on me no matter what terrain we are in. If I'm even able to stand up to him...
QUELLA: "Hey, why are you stopping? We aren't even near to being finished yet!"
SKRILL: "What if..."
QUELLA: "I don't have all day."
SKRILL: "What if I'm unable to beat Appius?"
She goes silent, which only makes me more worried. She slowly approaches me and sits down.
QUELLA: "Listen, you got what it takes, you just need to be confident and trust yourself. Trust me and my sister to teach you what you need to know, believe in yourself, and you'll defeat him with no problem."
I'm caught off guard by her words. She's never been kind to me, always been rude and patronizing, but now she's actually trying to make me feel better.
I give look up at her and give her a smile.
SKRILL: "Thank you."
QUELLA: "Now get up, before you waste even more of my time."
Now, her harsh words don't hurt anymore.

...

[LUNA's POV]

I've been searching around, finding separate surviving dragons. I'm able to find just 7 before having to return back to the hideout. I introduce the dragons to the place and assign them roles. I have most of them on guard duty, while the rest will be a search party to help me in my mission. We continue throughout the day. Me, a deadly Nadder, monstrous nightmare, and a grunckle.
LUNA: "We haven't searched over by that cave yet, let's head there."
We all walk to a nearby cave that we had yet explored. We start making our way inside it.
GRUNCKLE: "Bigger cave than I thought it'd be."
LUNA: "Hopefully there's more dragons here."
As we fire a fireball to help light the cave up, we see multiple dead dragons all over the place.
DEADLY NADDER: "...8."
LUNA: "...Toothless must've found them."
MONSTROUS NIGHTMARE: "If he was able to find these dragons what makes us any different...?"
I shake the thought away.
LUNA: "Stay focused, maybe there's a survivor in here."
We continue onward despite the corpses around us until we reach the end. We see just the skeleton of a dragon with bloody text written above it: Where are you?~.
GRUNCKLE: "Let's uh..."
LUNA: "...I agree, let's get the fuck out of here."
We all turn around and begin to leave, but then we see a Screaming Death.
SCREAMING DEATH: "Interesting."
This is one of the most feared dragons, huge as well.
DEADLY NADDER: "Uh Queen?!"
I protectively move in front of my group.
LUNA: "We don't want any trouble."
SCREAMING DEATH: "A bit late for that. You come in here, murder the innocents I held, and expect Mercy?"
He flies up to the top of the cave and watches us.
LUNA: "This wasn't us."
SCREAMING DEATH: "Funny."
GRUNCKLE: "We aren't lying!"
LUNA: "We just arrived looking for survivors, we're gathering the remains of my Kingdom. The one who did this is Toothless, a Nightfury."
The Screaming Death doesn't say anything, just continues to watch us.
MONSTROUS NIGHTMARE: "You NEED to believe us, we all have a common enemy."
SCREAMING DEATH: "So you're really the Queen of The Hidden World?"
I nod.
SCREAMING DEATH: "Quite the downgrade you've had."
LUNA: "It isn't easy being betrayed by your King."
The Screaming Death moves out of the way, remaining quiet again.
He could be very useful against Toothless, I need to at least TRY.
LUNA: "If you want to get vengeance for the innocents here, come with us. We're returning to our outpost and there's room for you."
He seems to hesitate but shakes his head.
SCREAMING DEATH: "Not any of my business."
I nod.
LUNA: "Stay safe, may we meet again."
We walk by, but then the Deadly Nadder turns around and shouts angrily at the Screaming Death.
DEADLY NADDER: "You know what you are? A fucking coward."
Then he turns around and leaves the cave, going ahead of us. The Screaming Death says nothing and does nothing as we all leave the cave and return to our hideout.
GRUNCKLE: "We're back!"
The dragons meet up and talk as I see Quella and the Skrill walk in.
LUNA: "How was training?"
QUELLA: "Mediocre at best, he needs to work on his lightening asap."
LUNA: "That's what we'll target next time then."
SKRILL: "Hey, I've noticed everyone here has names so, what about me? Do I get a name?"
QUELLA: "Shitstain?"
We laugh, it's been a while since i got to.
LUNA: "Well if it's a name you want, how about..."
LUNA: "Allay?"
QUELLA: "Weird name."
LUNA:  "Let him be the judge of that."
ALLAY: "I'll take it!"
We join the other dragons, and relax.
It's been so long since I've got to do this as well.