The Dragon Girl 3

~Hiccup POV~
I was glad when we finally reached an island far to the south of Berk.
Namely because,……well the twins were starting to complain about being bored. And then Snotlout had fallen asleep. Fishlegs actually kept himself occupied by either reading whatever books he had brought with him.
Only Astrid and myself had remained focused on the mission today.
So when we soon saw the first island of the day, we landed on the ridge at the top of a waterfall.
“Ugh. Finally!” Tuffnut said as he and his sister just flopped off their dragon. “I can’t feel my butt again!”
Hookfang then growled and flung his rider off into a tree, who immediately woke up and started screaming until he landed in a tree.
“NOT! FUNNY!” the Jorgenson boy screamed back at his dragon as he clung to the branches.
Beside me, I heard Astrid snicker.
Yeah I couldn’t help but smirk a bit at my cousins’ misfortune.
But I quickly hid the smirk when Snotlout then fell out of the tree in a heap.
“Okay so…..now that Snotlout is out of the tree.” I smirked as I got off Toothless and stretched my legs a bit.
“Oh shut up Hiccup.” my cousin said as he got up and stormed over to his dragon.
“Let’s spread out and search the island for dragons.” I instructed the others. “Meet back here if you find something.”
“Right.” The twins said as they got up and started walking, Barf and Belch following after them.
Snotlout and Fishlegs did that same, going in other directions and also with their dragons behind them.
“I’m sticking with you.” Astrid said as she came up to me. “Make sure you stay out of trouble.”
I laughed a bit at that. “Usually its trouble that finds me.”
“And that’s why I’m staying with you.” She smirked as she went over to Stormfly and got her favorite axe.
I smiled at her a bit and got my shield off Toothless, slinging over my shoulder. “Let’s go bud.”
Toothless nodded and the four of us followed a path that led to the forest below the waterfall.
The forest was dense, the pool below the waterfall looked about the same size as the back in the cove on Berk.
We went to the water first, mostly so our dragons could get a drink.
But then Astrid spotted something on the shore and ran over to it.
“What is it Astrid?” I asked as I followed her.
“Tracks.” She said as she kneeled down.
I came to her said and saw what she meant.
The dirty had been disturbed, a set of footprints going into the water and another set come out.
But what struck me as odd was that these were human foot prints.
“They were here only a few minutes ago.” Astrid said as she traced her fingers along the edge of a print. “The dirt is still wet. They went in calmly but came out in a hurry.”
I nodded. “Whoever it was must have seen us coming and ran off to hide.”
Astrid nodded and looked like she was about to say something else before we both looked up in alarm.
We both heard a loud roaring in distance.
And in response, Toothless roared back and came over to protect me.
“What was that?” Astrid asked as she held her axe at the ready.
“I don’t know.” I said as I gripped the strap to my shield. “But it sounded close.”
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~Valkari~
“You saw dragons?! With riders?!” Striker said as he watched me frantically putting my coat and quiver on. “And one of them was a Nightfury?!”
“Yes Striker.” I said as I quickly got the coat on and then strapped on the quiver. “And the Nightfury was leading them.”
“You don’t think it’s this Dragon Conqueror boy that’s been heard of among both dragons and humans?” The Skrill asked as he looked at me in concern.
“Don’t know and I don’t want to risk knowing.” I said as I soon had the straps tightened and shouldered the bow. “We just got out of one Viking stronghold! I will not lose our freedom so quickly! Not for Tiana’s sake.”
Of whom, the little Nightfury was at Striker’s taloned feet, looking scared.
“No want trapped again.” She whimpered up at me. “No want be without mammy.”
“I know Tiana.” I said as I then went up to her and picked her up, holding her close to me. “We won’t be separated ever again. I’ll fight the Great Dragon himself to keep you with me.”
Tiana purred and nuzzled me.
I smiled and hugged her. “Never again will I let savages separate us.” I said as I kissed her on her cute little head and then reached out to Striker.
The Skrill responded and nuzzled his nose into my hand.
“We are all that’s left of our nest.” I said as I stayed like this, bonding with my baby and my greatest friend. “We have to stick together to survive. Redscale and Pinecone told us to stay together when those humans invaded the nest. And I don’t want to lose any more family.”
Tiana purred and snuggled close to me. Striker came up and pressed his cheek against mine in comfort.
“I owe you my life Valkari.” The Skrill warbled. “You need me. Tiana needs me. And there are dragons out there imprisoned by humans that need you as well. Even if they don’t know you. We have to stay strong to do what you think is right.”
I smiled and hugged his head with one arm as the other held Tiana. “Thank you Striker.”
Striker purred and nuzzled me a bit before stepping back.
After helping Tiana onto Striker’s back, I grabbed my bag and came up to Striker’s side.
After he kneeled down for me, I hooked the bag onto the saddle and took out a dagger and sheath that I could strap to my ankle.
The second I had it strapped on, Striker became tense and his tail flicked nervously.
“I smell them!” He snarled as he became defensive. “Four scents. Two humans and two dragons. Possibly that Nightfury you saw, and another dragon. Nadder maybe. But the Nadder has a hint of chicken in….in her scent.”
I nodded as I then un-shouldered my bow and pulled out a few arrows. “Whoever they are, they will not have us.”
Striker nodded and then got charged up, lightning arching over his body.
As I notched an arrow to prepare for an assault, Striker roared loudly as a way to intimidate the four that were in the forest.
The Vikings that captured us had surprised us at our camp. I wasn’t going to let them get me and Tiana again.
“We should find some higher ground.” Striker growled as he backed up. “That way, we can get the drop on them.”
I nodded as I kept my eyes out on the forest before me. “You take the higher ground then. I’ll stay here. Find a place for Tiana to hide so she isn’t spotted.”
The Skrill nodded and took flight to somewhere above the cave.
After I couldn’t hear his wing beats, I back stepped into the cave and hid in the shadows.
I was not going to be captured again and separated from Tiana.