The Return of the Dragons

Part 27 Let Him Come to You - Zephyr POV

"Daddy."

"Yes sweetie?" my daddy replies.

"Aren't you going to tell me a dragon story?" I ask hopefully. I hide behind the covers giggling as I can see in the dim light my daddy come to me. He has a big smile on his face I can see through his newly grown facial hair. He kneels down at my bedside. Picking up my Toothless he makes a mock shocked expression with his face.

"Why isn't Toothless under the covers with you?" he cries. He carefully tucks Toothless in with me and gives me a big, wet kiss on the cheek.

"Daddy!" I giggle. "That tickles!"

"Oh yeah? You want tickles? Well how about this!" he says playfully tickling me all over. I am now laughing uncontrollably.

"Daddy stop it!" I manage through my incessant laughing.

"Well you were laughing." he jokes. "I thought you were enjoying it."

"It's not that kind of laughing Daddy." I insist crossing my arms.

"I know sweetie. I was just playing with you." He says smiling at me. "But can you promise me something?"

"Yes, Daddy?"

"That you won't be bothered when I kiss you?"

I pretend to think about it for a second. "I guess it's okay."

"Good!" he says "Because I love you so much I just have to kiss you!" and he plants another tender kiss on my cheek.

I see my mommy appear in the doorway. She leans against the door frame smiling as she watches us while she rubs her big round belly. I am told I will have a baby brother or sister soon and I am so excited. I can tell Mommy and Daddy are excited too and that makes me happy.

Daddy senses that Mommy is there and turning around he smiles and motions for her to join us. She comes over to us and sits down on my bedside behind Daddy. He rubs her belly and smiles at her.

"Alright my little precious, now for that dragon story."

..

My eyes blink open. Where am I? My limbs are numb with cold. My arms slump over a plank of wood. I am completely soaked as I float in the water felling very apathetic. Is this Valhalla? Lonelier than I expected it to be. And why does it look like a cavern? I can hear the roaring of a waterfall behind me and... wait! A waterfall! I look to my side and I see that I am alone now.

"Nuffink!" I shout. Looking franticly around me. I don't know if I can swim in my condition but I know he can't. I have to!

I feel the cold water encase me in their hungry depths as I plunge into them. It is murky and dark. I can't see a thing. Oh Nuffink where are you? I feel my hand brush against something and I shiver. But to my great relief I feel my brother's hand and I immediately grasp it. I swim up as hard as I can but I feel my strength is waning. I gasp for air as I come above the water. I push as hard as I can to the dry ground just ahead. One more stroke!

Oh it felt so good to be on dry ground again! I hadn't been since I stepped off New Berk days ago. But now is no time to enjoy the land; I have to tend to my brother. "Nuffink! Nuffink please be okay, oh please be okay!" I could never forgive myself if something happened to you! Oh Nuffink please wake up!"

He lies still, his wet blonde hair glued to his head and his skin pale. He seems lifeless.

"Oh Nuff!" I sob. "I'm sorry!"

He coughs and spits up water in my face. normally I would not be happy but now I can't be more overjoyed. "Oh Nuffink! You're alive! Oh Nuff I love you so much!" And I plant a big slobbery kiss on his cheek.

"Hey!" he cries wiping his cheek off. "Knock it off huh?"

"Sorry Nuff. I'm just so happy you're okay!"

"Yeah well could you think of a way to express your happiness a little less slobbery and mushy?" he says still wiping off his cheek. I roll my eyes.

After all this time my satchel is still slung over my shoulder. I open it and there is my journal... soaked. But there s something missing... Toothless! Oh my word! Where did he go? My heart melts as I realize I have lost him.

But now is no time for crying. We have got to figure out what to do. "Nuff, Are you okay?"

"Yeah I guess I'm okay, considering I just fell off a waterfall and almost drowned, but yeah, I'm okay." He replies his sarcasm as heavy as ever.

"Yeah you're okay alright!" I laugh.

My heart begins to beat faster as I look around me. We're here! We're in the hidden world! Oh I have waited for this so long but I wondered still if it would ever happen. Soon enough we should be expecting to see...

I hear a screeching sound. A couple of very large shadows appear. Finishing my thought... dragons! I see the light of flames glow hideously around the cavern walls. Around the bend appears a flaming monstrous nightmare... or two... or three! They see us and approach us.

"Uhhhh they're gonna be nice right sis?" Nuffink asks and I can tell he is terrified.

"I don't think so Nuff." I say quite worried myself. My knees are knocking together and I am completely frozen... I don't know what to do.

I now hear a much louder screeching roar. A black figure appears from above and lands between me and the dragons. The glorious alpha growls at them and they hit the road.

"Toothless?" I say very softly.

He whips around and growls at me. His majestic black wings are raised. his nose is wrinkled up as he grows at me with the thinnest pupils I could have ever imagined.

Okay I can do this. I breathe deep and close my eyes. I stretch my hand out.