Howling Echoes - A How to Train Your Dragon Story, The Echoes, Book 1

26: Living on the Edge, Part Two

   "Wow, you have TERRIBLE luck with family."  Snotlout commented.  "We chased 'em off."

   I let out a dry laugh.  "Unfourtianitly I'm the only one that appreciates dragons."  Ruffnut frowned at me.  Tuffnut laughed.  "You have a terrible bloodline."

   "Really?  I haven't noticed."  I yawned.  "Thanks.  What brings you all out here anyways?"  I asked although I knew the answer.  "We didn't see you at the Edge, so we came looking for you."  Hiccup said.  Stormfly let out a rawk of delight.  "Yeah, Stormfly helped track you."  Fishlegs chimed in.

   "We also saw the eggs were missing, and we got worried,"  Astrid added.  I exhaled.  "Where are the eggs, anyway?"  Heather asked.  Frostflake's eyes widened and she whirled around.  She raced for the cave with me on her tail.

   When we arrived at the cave to find the eggs alright, we relaxed.  Until we saw a crack split across the red-orange one.  Fishlegs gasped behind us.  "It's hatching!"  "Really, Fishface?  We haven't noticed."  Snotlout replied.

   I gasped and rushed over, happiness lighting my gaze.  Frostflake nuzzled me excitedly.  "I wonder what kind of dragon it will be?  It might be a whole new species that we've never seen before oooooooooooooh!"  Fishlegs proceeded to...fanguy?  

   "Ssh!"  I scolded, too excited to listen to him.  The top of the egg suddenly sprouted a cracking flower.  The cracks ran down the sides of the egg until finally it shattered and exploded.  Frostflake leaped on me and guarded me with her wing.

   When she pulled back, I could see the eggshells everywhere.  Small bits of flame glinted against the sunlight that made its way into the cave before Frostflake covered them with frost, making the light reflect off of it.

   In the middle of the cave was a small, dark red, four-winged baby dragon.  Its eyes were dark red and it had a tiny, circular black pupil that was flickering around, taking in the new and wondrous world it lived in.  

   "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww."  Fishlegs and I chorused.  "Look at it!  It's so cute,"  Heather said, her softer side shining through.  

   The little dragon's tail was thin at the end, and it had a black tip like there was muted fire there.  It had a wide-body and even darker red markings.  Its legs were short and wide as were it's feet, which had tiny, lighter red claws.

   It chirped happily and let out a little roar.  "Oh, Hookfang, did you hear that?"  Snotlout asked.  "It's a little baby dragon roar!"  Snotlout proceeded to make a little dragon roar sound himself, somewhat familiar to a baby fireworm's sound.  Ruffnut and Tuffnut were attempting to get closer to it, but Frostflake let out a fierce and protective growl and they quickly backed off to try sneaking around another way.

   "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!"  I freaked out, locking my hands together and resting them on my chest so that my chin could rest on them.  I then shook my fists around in excitement.  

   The little baby looked around and blinked at me, tilting its tiny but broad head.  Then, it's tail lit on fire and he blasted the cave wall.  "Singetail!  Ga - reat."  Snotlout's enchanted expression quickly deepened into a scornful scowl.  "I am NOT babysitting that thing!"  He announced, pointing at it.

   The little Singetail growled at him, and I quickly scooped him up.  "I think that means he's glad,"  I announced.  He chirped happily and ran around the cave before finally settling down in my lap.  I laughed.

   "Kiara, what are you doing out here, all on your own?"  Hiccup asked once I had petted him to sleep.  I felt a jab of guilt, and my spine prickled as all of the Riders' attention was focused on me and that question.  

   I sighed, then yawned.  My eyelids were getting heavy, and I started to nod off.  I glanced outside and noticed it was nighttime.  Next thing I knew, I was in a fuzzy blanket known to most as sleep.