The 'Dragon Master'

Hatching New Friendships

While my partners fly around letting everyone inside know the hunters are gone and that the people coming inside with me are guests - as well as opening up the place again - I lead them all inside. "I recognise this place," Heather says, looking around. "This is where you and Windshear broke in last time," I explain. "Oh," is her reply.

A rawk causes me to look down a little and I see Coldwater looking up to me guiltily. "It's okay, Coldwater," I say to him, knowing what's wrong. "I don't blame you for what you did out there. You were trying to defend us."

He rawks sadly, nuzzling onto my offered hand. "It's alright," I coax him gently. "You meant no harm."

"Is that the Speed Stinger that froze you?" Hiccup asked. "Yes, but it's no problem," I reply. "I'm just glad that everyone is safe."

"What did you drink that got you moving so fast?" "It's chamomile tea," I explain. "When Speed Stingers catch you, their stingers freeze up your joints. That's how you stop moving. The tea relaxes your joints, which counteracts the venom."

"That's incredible!" Fishlegs states. "I have to add this to the book! This could help protect us from a Speed Stinger attack!"

"How did you work it out?" Astrid asked. "An associate did," I tell her, referring to Valka. "They then told me about it. I still can't tell you who they are, though. It's not my secret to tell."

"Of course," Hiccup agreed. "But What is it that you wanted to show us?"

"You guys can go see the eggs along with Nightshade," I reply, causing his eyes to widen. "And I'll take your partners to see someone else. No harm will come to them, I can assure you."

"What do you say, bud?" Hiccup looked to Toothless, who roared in slightly reluctant agreement. The other dragons all followed suit, curious.

I look to Coldwater. "Take them to the hatchery and make sure the hatchlings aren't hurt," I tell him. He rawks and starts walking off, the others following him with a few final glances at their partners. The dragons all look to me expectantly.

"Come with me," I smile to them all, leading them off.

We head down deeper into the lower levels of the sanctuary. The dragons all start to act anxious about not being so close to their riders. "Your riders have gone to see a few very special eggs," I tell them. "They're Night Fury eggs. Potentially the last."

They all seem shocked by that, which is understandable. "There's another Night Fury here," I explain. "His name is Nightshade. He'll probably try to play with you later on, but he's harmless enough."

We stop outside the nest. The dragons can all sense what I'm about to show them and start ranking softly to each other, though they quieten down once I lead them inside.

Alpine starts to rise from his slumber. The dragons all back away very slightly, but otherwise just stand there in awe. Meatlug is the first to bow in respect to Alpine's power, apart from myself. Then Windshear and Stormfly bow, followed by Barf and Belch, who do so in unison. Even Hookfang retreats his head. Toothless copies his friends.

"Alpine, these are the dragon partners of the riders I mentioned," I say, my tone holding the utmost respect. Alpine nods to me and looks over all the dragons, sniffing them curiously, before letting out a huff that sprays them all with frost.

I chuckle at them all, but stop when I see Alpine looking to me. Knowing what he's about to do, I prepare to cover myself, but I'm not fast enough. I get coated with even more snow than the others, causing them to snicker.

"Alpine is the Alpha here," I explain to the guests, brushing away the snow. "He is one of the many reasons why I cannot have this place found. If he was discovered and anything happened to him, the pack would lose their Alpha. It would be such a blow to us all."

The dragons all seemed to understand this and nodded. I simply pet Alpine's snout, causing a rumble of approval to ripple down his enormous body. I don't know why, but I've always felt some connection to Alpine, not just the connection between dragon and rider. I don't know why, but I'm not complaining.

"RAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWK!"

We all turn in time to see Coldwater rushing in, the Speed Stinger coming straight over to me. He coils his tail around my wrist, careful not to jab me, and lightly tugs. "What happened?" I question, worried. He rawks again and runs in a circle to signal the urgency, but he's... smiling?

I relax slightly, but now I'm even more confused. I start running towards the hatchery. The moment I get there I see the guests have all crowded into the cavern with the Night Fury eggs, watching them all in amazement.

"What is happening? Why did Coldwater come to-" I cut myself off when I see that they're all watching one of the eggs, which is starting to shake and crack.

I quickly push my way past them all and take the egg in my hands, hurrying to the hatching pool. The moment it's submerged it starts to glow. Nightshade hurries over excitedly while the riders' dragon partners arrive and watch, though everyone keeps a respectful distance aside from Toothless.

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

...

BOOM!

A small black shadow zips through the water of the hatching pool, agile and swift. It darts upwards to the surface and I gently pull it out. Two big, sapphire blue eyes blink at me and a little pink tongue emerges from the creature's mouth. A Night Fury hatchling.

"A female," I breathe. "She's a female. Possibly the last female of her kind... though hopefully not for long."

Nightshade roars quietly, greeting the little hatchling. She squirms in my arms a little so I place her down, but she simply scurries up my arm and onto my shoulder, cowering from the others. She's shy. We'll have to fix that.

But for now I'm more than content to pet her gently, enthralled that one other egg has finally hatched and we have a New Night Fury among us, much less a female. A female I have the perfect name for already...