Broken Prophecy: How to Train Your Dragon

THE BROKEN PROPHECY Chapter 12

This is a fanfic and I make no money from this. Original copyrights belong to Dreamworks and Cresedia Cowell

Chapter 12

The first thing Kari notices is the cold, or more specifically the smell of a cold winter's morning. Which makes no sense as it is the middle of summer. She groans, as she tries to open her eyes, but the swelling makes that impossible. The strange Nordic voice calls out, "Ach, she's up." Her voice isn't muffled now, instead clear and concerned. "Oh, ya poor thing. Who could have done this to any living creature?" A cold, damp cloth wipes away at her eyes, but to no avail.

Kari slowly, and stiffly reaches out with her left paw, feeling the soft earth underneath, she uses a single claw to scratch into the dirt.

The cloth slowly stops moving across her head, as Kari imagines her actions draw the strangers attention. "Chief", the voice says out loud. "The Chief did this?"

The woman gasps when Kari slowly nods in affirmation.

"By Odin! Can ye understand what I'm sayin?" Another nod from the dragon gives her an excited chill. "In all my years o' livin' with dragons, I never met one that could understan' what I'm sayin', never mind writin' in runes..." Soft hands gently cup the sides of Kari's head, "I 'ave so many questions I wan' to be askin', but let's get ya settled in."

Kari rests her head as this strange woman once more begins washing her face and head. A fresh breeze brings the scent of dragons, hundreds of dragons, and fresh fish to her nose. "Friend Kari?" a squeaky voice calls, "Is Kari awake? Swift brought fish!"

"I'm awake Swift."

"Ohh my. Here ya go lil' one. Let me help ya wit tha." The human's tone is kind and obviously she is trying to be helpful, but Swift lets lose a jet of flame, making her jump back in surprise.

"Back! Big bully... My fish, my friend!" the little dragon growls.

"It's alright Swift, she is just offering to help you." Kari tells her little protector.

"Oh... Okay, then." Kari hears a wet 'sploit' before the familiar sensation of four tiny feet climb up to perch on top of her head. "This nest is huge. Swift likes it here! So many dragons, so much food. Alpha Coldtusk is nothing like mean Queen." The little dragon rambles on and on like a hyperactive toddler, letting Kari know everything he's done and seen since they arrived, leaving her head spinning.

"Looks like you've got yurself a fine protector. Is it a'right to help with tha' fish now?"

Kari relays the question to her small companion, then nods when Swift agrees. The scent of cod is unmistakable, and had quickly become Kari's favorite fish. Checking it with her tongue, she is shocked by what she finds, the fish placed in front of her feels huge. Easily longer than the little Wyrmling himself. The subtle scent of Tannlaus clings to the fish, but not wanting to insult her little friend's ability to catch fish, she swallows it whole. After nearly a week without eating anything, she finds just the one fish leaves her feeling bloated and full.

Settling her head down to rest again, she finds the human once more tending to her injuries. Unable to see, Kari can only imagine how bad she must look. The strange woman works her hands along the dragon's sides, checking for broken ribs, or any hidden injuries

"Ye might 'ave gotten off easy there. I'm not feelin' any broken bones, but you are not but skin an bones yurself." Once more a cold compress is carefully rubbed into the swelling around her eyes. Feeling sleep trying to overtake her again, Kari relaxes into the odd woman's ministrations as she listens to her quietly hum a strangely familiar tune. The song is familiar, but wrong at the same time. Her addled mind finally fixates on what's wrong. A human voice can't make the same tones and combinations of sounds, individually let alone in proper concert, so the familiar song sounds flat and empty.