(1/5) A Muzonian Dragon Hunter

The First Training

As they walked out, Ann spoke with the brothers. "But I've never fought before. I don't know anything, not even how to choose my weapon!" "Don't worry." Ryker said to ease her. "Luckily we do. We can help you choosing it." "And teach you every skill you have to know." Viggo continued. "You will get special training. Different from what every crewmember has learned. We will train you ourselves and you will have private training. There will be, however, someone you can train with. Is there any person you prefer?" He asked and turned to her. 

Ann thought for a while, but gave an answer. "I think I do, even though I don't pretty much know him yet." She said. "And who is that?" Viggo asked. "Havòk!" "Why him?" Ryker asked. "It looks like I can trust him most among the crew. He didn't look at me with greedy eyes in the cave. In fact, it was like he was worried about me." Ann replied.

They got outside and Viggo gave the order to assemble every kind of weapon they had. From crossbows to swords and from maces to axes. "Do you see anything what you might like?" Viggo asked. "It seems like I will not even be able to even lift most things. Though, I am pretty good in arching." Ann said while thinking hard. Viggo gave a small signal to a worker to hand over bow and arrow. 

"Okay..." Ann said when she received the weapon. "...give me a target!" Both Viggo and Ryker were looking for a target she could shoot at. "Do you see that loose rope in the top of the mast? Shoot it off!" Viggo said. Ann took aim at the rope, pulled the arrow back and waited a little. 

As she was ready to shoot the arrow, she turned away from that target to the left and shot it off in what seemed empty sky. "Hahahaha, what were you doing?! You completely missed!!" Ryker laughed hard, but Ann told him to be patient. "Wait for it...!" She said. Both brothers were confused as the arrow kept hanging in the air. Suddenly, a dragon appeared from its camouflage. "CHANGEWING!!" Both brothers screamed. 

"Take it down!" Ryker ordered, but Ann got her hunting instincts up. She shot multiple arrows into the air, hitting more and more changewings. "Where there's one, there's more!" She said proud when she had her quiver empty. "Get them all on board!" Ryker shouted. Both him and Viggo turned to Ann. "That was impressive! How did you know that changewing was behind me?" Viggo asked in complete astonishment. "I heard it growling." She said with a big smile. "Impossible!" Ryker denied. "Says the guy who can sniff up dragons and other animals..." Viggo teased Ryker with a grin on his face. Ryker growled a bit. 

"But how did you hear it?" Viggo repeated the question. "I'm a Muzonian. We have an increased sense of hearing. Quite useful for finding an instrument which is out of tune." She said with an even bigger smile on her face. "Instruments?" Ryker was surprised. "Yes, what word do you hear in the name 'Muzona'?" She said. "Music! Your island was all about music? That makes sense about the singing." Viggo answered to her putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. 

"We had songs for like every kind of mood. Happy, sad, angry and so on! Music was indeed a very important thing for us. It was our way of living. You could hear so many songs, hums and instruments in the streets." Ann said with a smile as she was thinking back to those times at home. She missed her home, her friends and family, the music... Viggo noticed Ann's face to get sad again. "Let's go back to training, shall we?" Viggo asked.

They continued the training, but Ann couldn't find a weapon what fitted her best. "Try holding these!" Ryker said as he grabbed both his swords and handed them over. "How does that feel?" "It feels good to have something in both hands, but I think such large swords are not meant for me. I might be clumsy with them." She said when she gave the swords back. "At least you know a bit what you want, hehehe." Ryker laughed a bit. "So we might start looking for something smaller..." Viggo was thinking loud. "...something like daggers?" He said. "We can try!" Ann said in agreement. 

Viggo gave a small nod to a member of the crew to hand her two daggers. Ann tried them and she felt it was right. "This feels good, but maybe I can get them a little longer than this? I think I have found my type weapon, but I might need matching ones and a little longer as I just said. So  maybe i have to look for something like short-swords?" She said with a smile. "Okay, that is settled! We'll get you some weapons that fit you next time we have to go to the Northern Markets again. Right now, you need to get back in training. Let's continue with close combat practice without weapons. Go practice with Havòk, I bet he will be gentle in your training." Viggo said to her. 

"When will we go back to the Markets?" She asked him. "We have to go there regularly. It won't be longer than two weeks." Ryker answered before Viggo could say something. "Thank you, brother... I could've answered that myself." Viggo said being annoyed. Ann decided to get out of that conversation as things were about to get heated up. The two brothers eventually separated, both being incredibly mad. Ann and Havòk looked at each other, being shocked a bit, but didn't say a word as they started their training together. Havòk taught her quite a few things and tricks. They practiced until they got back to Hunter Island.

Back on Hunter Island, Ann wanted to get away from Viggo as far as possible. Viggo took Havòk apart for a moment. "How's her training going? And why is she avoiding me?" He asked him. "You missed everything. She hoped you would watch how she was doing in her training. She is doing a great job and picks things up really fast. Besides, she got a bit scared of your fight with Ryker. You know that she can't handle those conflicts pretty well?" Havòk asked Viggo who started thinking. "No, I didn't. She really got scared of that? Then I need to go and talk to her..." He sighed as he wanted to walk away. 

Havòk stopped him and told him that she didn't want to talk to anyone for a moment and be alone. Viggo felt guilty towards his girlfriend and asked if Havòk knew where she was. "No sir, but I think it is better to leave her alone for a while." "I wasn't going to look for her now, but if she does not return by evening I will!" Viggo said with a concerned voice. "Are you okay, sir?" Havòk asked as he saw that Viggo was worried. "I don't know... I think I need to be alone as well..." Viggo said and went back to his tent. What is going on with me? Why do I feel guilty? How could I be so stupid to start a fight with my brother in front of my girlfriend? I hope she is alright...

Viggo got back to work, but he couldn't concentrate as the night started to fall. He couldn't control his worries anymore and started to look for her. He searched the whole campsite, but didn't find her. Where can she be?! Viggo got worried more and more by the second. 

After two hours of searching, he thought to himself. Okay Viggo, you have been looking through the whole camp now, but you didn't find her. Focus! Where can she be? What does she like to do on her own? He thought as he looked at the clear star sky. "Of course!" He said and started to run. He headed to the beach where he finally found her. 

As he was out of breath, he slowly walked to her hoping she would allow him being with her. "Hey, are you alright, my love?" He carefully asked. "What do you think? Why would I be alone for the whole day?" She answered with a mad voice. Viggo sighed deep, he knew it was because of him and his brother. 

"Ann... It wasn't meant for you. You know that, right? I never meant to scare or hurt you. I love you!" He sat down next to her, got an arm around her, pulled her closer and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Ann laid her head on his chest and cuddled him. "I love you too." She whispered. "Let's go back to my tent. There we will be alone." Viggo said with a smile. 

They went back, told Ryker they did not wanted to be disturbed anymore because 'Ann needed time to relax'. They got inside the tent and got in bed. Ann indeed needed time to relax, but with Viggo next to her. They cuddled and kissed before they went to sleep.