The 'Dragon Master'

Explanations

I'm met with two looks of curiosity and reply to them with one of confusion. "I've already treated her, she was badly poisoned but she should be fine," I tell Heather. "Hiccup, they're the so-called 'special help' you went out to get?! This is ridiculous!" She continues.

"Heather, what's wrong?" Astrid asked worriedly. "I know them," Heather spat bluntly. My eyes widen slightly and I start to panic. How much does she know?

"They have an island somewhere, I don't know exactly where it is but it's out there. There was a huge secret room, they were there. And then there were these eyes... they were the last thing I really remember of it all before I was on some other island running away from a pack of strange wild dragons."

All eyes turn to me and I realise what she means. "Oh, I remember now. That Razorwhip of yours figured out the way into my sanctuary. Had to erase your memory in case you came back or told anyone about it. I can't risk the safety of my partners."

"You dumped me and Windshear on an island filled with feral dragons!"

"In my defence I didn't ask for you to be left on Slitherwing Island specifically," I reply. It's true; all I did was tell Stylive to leave her and Windshear on an island nearby. I'd tell her to leave her farther away but they wouldn't expect to be dropped off so close by.

"Well who did you ask to drop me off?" Heather demanded. "One of the dragons were happy to comply," I explain vaguely, not caring to go into too much detail. Clipping my sentences is key for me to hide as much information as possible.

"Who do you even think you are?!"

"Around here people seem to enjoy calling me the 'Dragon Master', though I'm far from it," I answer. "Though I prefer to respond to Artemis."

"Wait, you're really the Dragon Master? It's not a myth?" She only seems to be shocked now. "Apparently so, I'm pretty concerned about just how much information on me seems to be public knowledge, to be honest," I shrug.

"They can tame an entire pack of Slitherwings just by looking to one of them!" Fishlegs gushed to Heather. "And they can tame Death Songs and all the dragons seem to love them! I still don't know why it seems to be our dragons especially, though."

Toothless rawked to Windshear quietly, earning a weak reply and a small tail wag. "Windshear won't take as much of an instant liking to me as the other five dragons," I say. "Why's that?" Fishlegs asked, curious. "If I told you, I'd have to leave you with even less memory than Heather left my island with," I tell him.

He gives me a questioning look, as though hoping it would change my mind, but says nothing more. "Artemis, I'm not trying to convince you to show us your island or anything like that, but I can promise you that you can trust us around your dragons," Hiccup tells me. "I know this well," I reply. "Though I'm not going to tell you anything I wouldn't tell a complete stranger. It's always better to be safe than sorry."

Hiccup nods. "Fair enough. Oh, by the way, Snotlout's behind you and trying to steal your mask again."

My hand covers my mouth to keep the cloth planted firmly over it just as Snotlout attempts to tear it from my face. "Oh come on!" He complains. I click my tongue and in an instant his grip vanishes. I readjust my mask and turn. "Thank you, girl," I tell Flashwing, who is holding Snotlout in her tail, which is wrapped around him in a vice-like grip.

I step over to Snotlout calmly, glaring daggers at him. He shrieks his head off, causing me to smirk. Once I'm right in his face, I speak up.

"Still think you can reveal my secrets to the world, hm? I must admit, you are very determined. But I can break that down little by little if I must. I can always ask my companion here to squeeze just a little harder and you will be nothing more than a slight stump, lifeless and even more pathetically weak than you have always been. If you have half a brain in that pretty little head of yours, you'll realise that this is a very simple choice. Leave my mask alone, or die."

My face is blank but my voice is laced with tiny pearls of venom that drip out onto the threaded silk of my very serious threat. I've been compared to a snake before; sly and foreboding yet graceful and elegant.

Let's just say I gladly live up to the analogy.

I look to Flashwing, who shoots me a questioning look. "Release him," I confirm and she does so after hissing in his face. He looks ready to wet himself. I smirk. Good. Let him.

"Your Razorwhip is beautiful," Heather remarks, looking to Flashwing, who purrs approvingly. She gives me a sideways glance, as if to say 'I like this one'.

Heather takes a few steps closer to Flashwing, who watches the human cautiously but doesn't move otherwise. Slowly Heather runs her fingers along Flashwing's sleek body. "I've never seen one so..." she struggles to find the right word. "So calm. Even Windshear can never stay still for more than a minute."

"To be honest she's one of the more playful ones," I admit. "Though they all put up a tougher front when out in the open. Even the hatchlings know the risks perfectly well."

"What risks?" Astrid asks. "The risks of being caught by hunters," I answer. "Anywhere away from our island could be littered with the monsters. It's essential that they don't touch us and that we remain at least one step ahead of them."

"Hm... Artemis, is it alright if you help me with something?" Fishlegs asked. I look to him curiously. "It depends on what you're asking," I reply