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

27: Whiplash

   Frostflake and I had flown off from the island - saying goodbye to the dragons there first, of course - as soon as Hiccup and the Riders had fallen asleep, diving into some water first.

   The baby Singetail was crawling around on my head.  Frostflake purred.  "He's got a lot of energy, doesn't he?"  I laughed, trying to catch him as he bounced around Frostflake.  "How has he not fallen off yet?"

   "You think I would let him?"  Frostflake asked, flipping the baby onto my head with her tail.  "Fair point."  I agreed.  He smacked me in the face with his tail.  "Ow!"  I grabbed him and sat him down in my lap.

   "His tail is like a whip!"  Frostflake purred.  "Whiplash!"  I cried suddenly.  "Uuuuh what?"  Frostflake asked.  "Whiplash!  For his name!"  I laughed.  "I like it!"  Frostflake agreed.

   Frostflake and I flew for the rest of the night, but as dawn broke the night sky we spotted something:  A Dragon Hunter ship.  They evidently spotted us, too, and started firing.  "Oh no!"  Frostflake jerked out of arrow range. 

   "Alright Frostflake, you take Whiplash and I'll take the egg!"  I said, jumping off of her.  "Wait, what!?"  She cried, catching Whiplash as I threw him to her.  I flashed into a Fire Wraith and dove at the ship.  Frostflake groaned and flew after me.

   It was only one ship, so it was fairly easy to take down.  I burnt the sails as Frostflake sliced the masts.  Even little Whiplash was cheering us on and spitting tiny fireballs at the ship.  I roared and landed when none of the archers were left.  The hunters faced me with axes and swords, and I easily burnt the handles so they were useless.

   I snarled, and they turned and jumped overboard.  "Stay up there, Frostflake!"  I called, ducking into the area below.  Dragons were trapped there, and I released them.  I saw a gold door and realized that Viggo must've been down below.  I wanted to bust the door down, but I decided to go back on deck.  I watched the dragons fly away with a glimmer of hope and happiness.  

   I flew back up to Frostflake and became a human again.  I landed on her back, and she looked at me with a cross expression.  "Oh, what is it?  I know, shush."  I said, patting her head.  She grumbled something inaudible and we flew off.

   After a long while of flying, we found ourselves at the Ship Graveyard.  I thought we were going somewhere else.  Frostflake jerked into the air as a giant eel lunged at her.  "What are we hoping to find, anyway?"  I heard none other than Snotlout's voice demand.

   "Anything that might tell us where Kiara has been taken."  Hiccup's voice replied.  "Who said she was taken?"  Snotlout asked.  "Snotlout!"  Astrid's voice objected.  "What?  All I'm saying is that she flew off on us once, who says she wouldn't have done it again?"  Snotlout reasoned.

   "Are you insane!?"  Astrid demanded, and I felt bad.  "Yes!  No...shut up, Astrid."  Snotlout muttered.  "Guys, guys, I'm sure she would never do that!  She's one of us, right?"  Fishlegs asked.  

   "Hey K.  How's it been?"  I heard Dagur's voice behind me.  Frostflake whipped around and snarled, just to see Dagur calmly hovering behind me.  Frostflake roared and blasted a jet of frost at him.  He calmly flew to the side.  "Calm down, Kiara, I'm not here to hurt you."  He said.

   I narrowed my hazel eyes, looking into his green ones.  He was telling the truth.  "Dagster!"  I heard Snotlout's voice cut in.  "Kiara!  Oh, look, see you guys?  She's fine.  Probably ran off somewhere."  I raised my eyebrows at him.  "Do you WANT to die?  Just tell me now so I can stop wondering why you say such mutton-headed things!"  Astrid snapped at him.

   "It's Da - gur.  No S, no T."  Dagur corrected from behind me.  "Dagur?"  Heather halted halfway there.  "Told you I'd be back."