Broken Prophecy: How to Train Your Dragon

THE BROKEN PROPHECY Chapter 15

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

Chapter 15

"Cloudjumper! Any sign?" Tannlaus rushes forward, nearly trampling a bright red wyrmling in his haste. "You've been gone for a week..." He stops himself as Ryder dismounts from her companions back. The group return to Tannlaus cave. With a huff, he lights a torch on the wall for Ryders benefit.

The larger dragon tips his head, "There is word, but you won't like it." Moving to a large patch of moss, the Stormcutter sits down, dwarfing the black dragon before him. "We traveled south... To the island where I found Ryder, so long ago. It had been all but razed. The small structures the two-legs live in were still burning when we got there. The smell of burned human was sickening."

"The Queen would send out dragons to steal food from the island, I used my skills to blast weapons and keep the other dragons safe, but she never pushed to openly attack. It doesn't make any sense." Tannlaus paces in front of his friend.

"I haven't gotten to the worst part... A lot of the damage was caused by Shadewing fire." The owl-like dragon turns his great head to watch the smaller dragons reaction. "I've seen those blast marks before, I've smelled the scent of Shadewing fire before... There is no doubt, a Shadewing led the attack." A flurry of movement behind the great dragon catches Tannlaus attention. On unsteady legs a familiar blond Viking slips from her perch and eased to a sitting position by Ryder.

Tannlaus steps up, bright green eyes watching the young female. She turns with a start, giving him a good look at the swatch of cloth she has tied to cover one of her eyes. "It's alright Astrid. This is Tannlaus." Ryder pats the black dragons head.

"Tannlaus?" she asks.

"Oh, Aye. His mate told me."

"His mate? The Night Fury from the arena? She told you?" The young blond shakes her head. "Odin please let me be wrong... She wrote... Didn't she."

"Aye. Never in my years had I ever met a dragon that could write in runes." Ryder begins removing her blue-green armor.

"Where is... She?"

With a deep sigh, Ryder pauses. "We were talkin'... It was just o'er a week ago. She seemed ta' get upset 'bout something, and fled from the nest."

With a sense of dread, Astrid asks, "What were you talking about?"

"We were talkin' 'bout me wee bairn, Hiccup."

Astrid falls back, sitting heavily against Cloudjumpers foot. "Oh Odin! That Night Fury IS Hiccup."

Ryder stands disbelieving, "What do ya' mean, 'That Night Fury is Hiccup'? That does na' make any sense." Seeing the young Hofferson girl looking so shaken, Valka can't help but wonder at her.

"The night she esc... er, was rescued... I had visited after Gobber and the Chief had paid her a visit. I was feeling guilty... She was being so hurt, but never fought back... I just felt like I needed to do something. So, I went to get Gothi. I was in such a hurry I never noticed... Oh, Thor! She wrote on the floor of her pen... I only saw it after..."

"Wha' did it say Lass?"

"Two words... Hiccup and me. I originally thought she, or he," she points to the male Night Fury, "killed Hiccup. We found bloody clothes, and damaged trees." She rubs the cloth covering her left eye, wincing at the contact. "It explains so much. Why she never fought back... But if HE is here..." she again gestures to Tannlaus. "Why is she attacking Berk."

"I dinna' know... The last I saw, she was headin' West. Mosta' the dragons here avoid that way. Maybe they know sumthin' we dinna'."

Cliffjumper and Tannlaus turn to leave Ryder to take care of Astrid, "You are right, I don't like the idea of Kari leading raids against the lwo-legs, but I have no reason to doubt you."

"You lived under the Queen for years. How was it you were not under her influence?"

Tannlaus gives a humorless laugh, "She tried... She twisted my thoughts, made me feel small and useless without her. She had me steal food, just like the rest, but she decided that when I protected the flight, more dragons returning meant more food. She still would try to push her way into my mind, but never for very long and never very hard."

The bigger dragon grunts, "If your mate was distressed, her defenses would be weaker, she would be an easy target. 'Small and Useless', those words I've heard your mate use to describe herself on more than one occasion."

With a deep sigh, "These two-legs did a lot of damage to her self esteem. I was hoping, being here... healing and raising our young, she would find herself. She was right, everything has happened too fast."

Cloudjummper gives his wings a flap, to stretch. "Does she know what being your mate entails? What it means to you both?" The larger dragon turns a critical eye to Tannlaus, "It seemed she was afraid... Afraid you might eventually tire of her and leave her, that she was... What was it she said? She was afraid you saw her as a 'broodmare'. Wasn't it?"

"But she knew..."

"Did she? Did you tell her? Your friends, they are short lived wyrms... Well except the Stone-biter, but she is old enough to have had several hatchlings, so tends to be more 'open'." Cloudjumper pauses before the Shadewing, "She seemed to become agitated by how casual the others were acting, mating and laying a clutch seemed so mechanical."

A look of realization comes to Tannlaus, "You think she didn't know I took her as a lifemate?!" Stalking around the cave opening, "How could I be so stupid not to see it! You are right, she didn't know. I never told her so. I just assumed she understood... I need to find her! I need to bring her home, Cloudjummper!"

The Skycutter looks to the sky, "Daylight will last a few more hours. If she repeats the pattern, she will lead another strike tonight." A look of determination meets his gaze, "Very well... I'll show you the way. I only hope for all our sakes, you can talk some sense into her."

A deep, gruff voice calls from just outside the cave, "If you are going after her, you will take us as well." Tannlaus looks from the dark opening, Volcus, Azurestorm, Gypsum and the Twin-soul all stand outside. Volcus calls out, "I know a number of others that would be willing to aid you Shadewing." A roar of approval from another four Firetonges and half-a-dozen Thorntails greet the pair.

"What' are 'ya all doin'?" Ryder asks, as she follows Couldjummper and Tannlaus from the cave. Astrid following closely. She sees the agitated state in the ebon dragon. "Yu'r goin' to bring her home!" Jumping up with ease she climbs onto Cloudjummper's back. "Not withou' me!" Astrid stares at the strange sight, a nest of dragons mounting a counterattack seems so alien. She takes a step back as Tannlaus approaches. Holding her ground, she waits to see what the beast plans, and is taken aback when he extends a wing, just as Cloudjummper did for Valka. "I thin' he wants you to come."

"Why? Hiccup is out there because of me. If I hadn't found the trail, the cove, any of it... They would have left in peace. It was because of me, Hiccup was hurt."

"Maybe, Astrid... Bu' right now Kari needs our help."

Tannlaus grows impatient and gives the blonde woman a subtle growl. Climbing up onto his back, she leans down and whispers into his ears, "I'm sorry."

Tannlaus launches himself into the air, the tiny two-leg on his back barely any hindrance to his flight. Climbing higher and higher, he looks back to see a flight of nearly twenty dragons following. 'Not enough to stop a raid, but maybe enough to make Kari see reason. I know you are out there, somewhere.'