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

29: Bottled Answers

   "We'll head to the Northern Markets first!  I know a shifty little guy that might have some info on Dad."  Dagur called back to Heather and me.  I nodded, and Whiplash chirped.

   I still had the second egg on the backpack thing on my back, and every once in a while I felt it shake, and excitement rose inside of me.  Would it hatch?

   "We're here,"  Heather reported.  I halted.  "Um...I think we may have a problem."  "What's that?"  Dagur asked.  "Dragon Hunters!"  I pointed just as a boulder was flung at Shattermaster's wing.  "It's only one ship, we can handle it!"  Heather declared.  "Um...sorry to keep bringing down the sky, but...that's not exactly the case."  I pointed at the six other ships trailing along behind the ship that had attacked us.

   "We can take them!  Come on, big boy!"  Dagur howled as he charged into one of the boats.  "Ah, Dagur!"  I growled.  "Alright, fine, let's kick some butt."  Frostflake dove toward the ships, and the sound of Heather's battle cry followed.

   Frostflake and I dove under arrows and weaved between nets, boulders, and chains.  Frostflake froze the catapults while Heather and Windshear sliced the masts of the ships in half.  Shattermaster and Dagur blasted the archers and charged right through the boats.  Soon enough, we were flying away.  

   At this point, the night was setting in, and we needed shelter for it.  "Dagur, Heather!  It's getting late."  I pointed out.  Dagur and Heather nodded and we dove towards the island we were flying towards.  "Hey, guys?"  I said as we landed.  "What's this?"

   We approached a bottle on the white, sandy beach.  A book was inside of it, and it had the Berserker's symbol on it.  I tilted my head at it.  "Careful, Windshear,"  Heather said.  The Razorwhip's tail sliced the bottle in half, and Heather carefully took out the book.

   When she opened it, her face lit up.  "This is Oswald's Diary!"  She declared.  "Who knew we'd get somewhere so soon?"  I mused.  She flipped through the pages, and Dagur and I peered over her shoulders to see.

   "Look!"  Heather pointed at an island in the book.  "Berserker Island!"  Dagur's voice was filled with warm pride.  "So I think I know where we're going in the morning,"  I told Frostflake.  She laughed and yawned, then curled up and fell asleep.  

   "Let's get some sleep."  Heather yawned, laying down next to Windshear.  Dagur laid down beside Shattermaster.  

   The next morning, Heather had already brought back fish, and Shattermaster had helped to cook it.  "Finally awake, huh?"  Heather laughed.  "Yeah, sorry,"  I said.  "I'm not as much of an earlier riser as I used to be."

   Frostflake yawned and stretched, then immediately snatched up a fish.  I grabbed a fish of my own.  "Off to Berserker Island?"  I guessed as Dagur and Heather mounted Shattermaster and Windshear.  "Yup!"  Dagur then started laughing.  

   Frostflake and I both hated it.  Whiplash let out a shrill cry to mute it.

   We flew for three more days before finally arriving on the island.  I was surprised at how beautiful the landscape was.  "Ah, Berserker Island, how I've missed you,"  Dagur said.  Suddenly, Frostflake started thrashing around, alongside Windshear and Shattermaster.  

   "Woah, easy girl, what's wrong?"  I asked.  "Ah!  Windshear!"  Heather cried.  "Easy big boy, oh!  Oh!"  Dagur said.  "Ugh!"  I pulled Frostflake up, and she calmed down.  "Are you ok, girl?"  I asked.  "Yeah, fine.  I just...don't know what happened."  Frostflake admitted.  

   "Hm.  Whiplash didn't get freaked out."  I noticed, scratching the baby Singetail underneath his chin.  He burbled happily.  We landed on a cliff far over the island, and I looked at the forests below.  "Wow...this is amazing."  I breathed.  "Agreed."  Heather sighed.

   "So...question.  Are we going to look for Oswald or start to settle in here?  Because I'd think that looking for Oswald then settling in would be more logical."  I asked.  "We're looking for our father."  Heather declared before Dagur could reply, opening the book again. 

   "Look, there's an island here.  And a cave!  Maybe there's another clue there, or maybe that's where he stays."  Heather said, pointing to the book.  "What are we waiting for?  Let's go!"  Heather jumped onto Windshear and took off before either of us could object.

   "Berserkers."  I sighed, shaking my head.  "Let's go!"  I got onto Frostflake and followed her.