Just as a notice this chapter may not as refined as previous ones because I couldn't get some parts of the chapter to fit together
'Thinking'
"speech"
"Whisper "
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(Cinderwing POV)
I watched. A silent observer in the shadows, I witnessed the dragon riders navigate the turbulent currents of Dragons edge. Their "problems" -Gustav's chaos, the fireworms migration, the twins' island ownership, the Rumblehorn and the tsunami - unfolded before me like a series of fleeting dramas. I observed Hiccup and Fishlegs' travel to dark deep island, though I deemed it too exposed for daytime surveillance. Heather's arrival and departure, the terrifying arrival of the speed stingers, Hiccup's dragon fly inventions, all passed beneath my watchful gaze. And then the Titanwing Monstrous nightmare. That was a spectacle that I couldn't ignore. The fight was nothing of note, though now that I consider it, I suspect I might be a Titanwing Night fury myself, given my size and strength.
Weeks blended together. I tracked the subtle shifts in the pre-dawn light, noting the gradual lengthening of the days. If my calculations were correct, it was around the time Ryker the dragon hunters' capture of Stormfly and the dragon riders. It was also close to Astrid's morning flight with Stormfly.
My plan... was to get captured shortly after Stormfly, but before Astrid and the others. If they place me near Stormfly, I'll have her shoot a spine into my cages lock, allowing me to pick it and free everyone. If not, I'll either pick the lock with my claws or forcefully break free. They may have dragon proof metal, but they haven't encountered a potential Titanwing night fury capable of shooting electrified plasma beams. And after that... perhaps give Ryker a parting gesture.
Once freed, I'll have to contend with Hiccup and Fishlegs' inevitable over fascination with another Night fury. That could grow tiresome. I'll also need to get used to speaking with other dragons, something I've yet to attempt beyond the occasional roar of dominance.
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I concealed myself near the dragon stables, anticipating Astrid's and Stormfly's morning flight. I'd maintained this routine since midnight for several days, ensuring I wouldn't miss their departure. After thirty minutes, Astrid entered the stables and emerged with Stormfly, taking to the sky.
Though dawn was breaking, and the rising sun illuminated the islands, I possessed a deeper understanding of this terrain than the dragon riders. Instead of taking flight, I shadowed them from the ground, utilizing the dense forest as cover. They landed at the base of a rocky cliff, Stormfly settling onto a sun-warmed rock.
"Nothing like an early morning ride to start the day. I know we should do it more often. From now on, I promise well—" Astrid's words were cut short by the roar of a distressed monstrous nightmare.
They ascended, veering towards the sound, while I slipped away, following a different path.
I landed on a cliff overlooking the beach, where Astrid and Stormfly were concealed behind two large boulders. The dragon hunter ship, laden with caged dragons, was unmistakable. I observed as Ryker, his human sense of smell surprisingly keen, detected Stormfly's scent. As Astrid and Stormfly attempted to flee, I seized the opportunity. I slipped into the ocean, swimming silently beneath their ship. I clung to the hull, just above the waterline, ensuring I could breathe. I endured for hours, the ship eventually navigating through a violent storm. The turbulent waters battered my body, but this was my chance. I would use the storm as cover to ascend into the clouds.
I launched myself from the water, soaring into the storm-wracked sky. With most of the hunters, including Heather and Windshear, below deck, I was less concerned about being spotted. 'Alright' I thought, 'I'm high enough. Time to draw their attention.' I began to absorb the storm's lightning, the bolts striking me, the thunder echoing across the turbulent sky. I unleashed a deafening roar, ensuring my presence was known.
As expected, the hunters emerged onto the top deck, spotting me immediately. They unleashed a volley of dragon root arrows. I evaded the first few, then deliberately allowed one to strike me. The moment the arrow pierced my scales, my senses were overwhelmed. My flight became erratic, and I plummeted towards the ocean, where a chain ensnared me, pulling me onto the deck.
My senses were a blur. I struggled to stand, my legs unsteady. I vaguely registered a hunter placing his hand on my head. Instinctively, I retaliated. I lunged, clamping my jaws around his arm at the elbow, crushing bone and sinew. His screams fueled my rage, and I bit down harder. The other hunters attempted to pry my jaws open. In response, I unleashed an unstable plasma blast. Instead of a focused bolt, a wave of purple fire erupted, searing and cauterizing the arm as I tore it free. Only then did darkness claim me.
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I awoke within a cage. My plan had succeeded, though I'd rather not get hit by another one of those arrows without a way to counter it.
I looked around my cage, it was surprisingly spacious though that probably meant they were going to use me to train their hunters. I was conveniently positioned in front of Stormfly's cage. She regarded me with undisguised surprise. "You're a night fury! Oh! Do you know if there's any other night fury's around!" She asked, her enthusiasm remarkable given the circumstances. I looked at her blankly, I hesitated, my vocal cords unused. "I-in order, y-yes I-I'm a night f-fury a-and no as far as I k-know your night fury frie-nd is the only other one a-round." My voice was raspy, stained. "You know Toothless? But I've never seen you around dragons edge before." She said, her eyes held a curious glint. "No. I don't k-know him p-personally, only watched from afar. And I've never wanted to be seen." I said, my speech improving with each word.
Hours passed. Stormfly was subjected to training exercises, her spines harvested. Meatlug was forced to make a special metal, and Barf and Belch were fattened and greased so they could make zippleback leather.
I noticed Ryker, Heather and Dagur bringing the captured riders to our section of the ship, where the dragons were held. I watched them with narrowed eyes. "Meatlug!" Fishlegs cried, as he attempted to reach for her, only for Ryker to hold out his arm and push him back. "This gronckle is being very helpful." Ryker said, with a sardonic tone. "Her name is Meatlug." Fishlegs retorted. "I don't care. All I care is that it makes me metal, all day and all night." Ryker said, as he began to lead the riders toward the next caged dragon, Stormfly.
"Mm, perfect. Razor sharp tips for our spears and ballistas." He said as he caught a spine that Stormfly shot at him. "You can't do that to her." Astrid said, her voice filled with worry and anger for her dragon. "Oh, I can. And I will." Ryker said, as he used the spine and pointed it at Astrid's neck, who grunted in response.
Ryker led them towards my cell, the dragon riders eyes becoming wide with shock the moment they saw me. "And this," Ryker announced, "is a night fury, like your friend's. He resisted the dragon root, and tore off the arm of one of my men. A living night fury will be a valuable weapon for capturing other dragons. Or sell for a great price to those that will pay enough." Ryker said. Dagur laughed maniacally. "Oh! It was awesome,brutal! Yet also terrifying. It just shows how soft Hiccup and his dragon are." He exclaimed, with a mixture of insane excitement and a calm tone.
"A night fury! It looks bigger than Toothless, maybe older." Fishlegs exclaimed, his excitement that contrasting with their predicament. Ryker then moved them towards Barf and Belch. "Poor Barf and Belch. What torture are they enduring?" Ruffnut said, with a worried tone. "I can't look. Because... my hands are over my eyes." Tuffnut said. Slightly uncovering his eyes as he talked. "Well, this is more like it. Someone recognizes quality." Tuffnut said. "He likes the fish." Said the guard who was rubbing grease all over the zippleback. "Hey rub me down with some of that grease. I'm feeling dry." Ruffnut said with her natural mischievousness, before Astrid pulled her back.
"This hide'll fetch top prices in the northern markets." Ryker said. "Sure. It's soft and supple, the color... oh, the col— wait. What?" Tuffnut replied, before noticing what Ryker meant. "Ooh, zippleback boots. I always wanted a pair." Dagur said, coming up in between both Ryker and Tuffnut. "This is what faces all your dragons." Ryker said as he grabbed the cup of grease from the cage. "Of course, they could get better treatment."
"Don't just leave me hanging. How?" Ruffnut asked. Ryker threw the cup at the floor, the cup bouncing passed the dragon riders. "Start giving me some real answers! Tell me what you know about the Dragon eye. Exactly how many riders guard your base." Ryker said, as he grabbed Fishlegs face, who started whimpering, before he pushed him back. "...Very well. Keep fattening this one up. More to sell." He said to the hunters in the cage. "Please! Please, don't hurt our dragon. I'll do anything." Ruffnut pleaded as she fell onto a guard. Though what went unnoticed to everyone was that she actually stole the keys to the cages. "-Then tell me what I want to know." Ryker said. "-Come on." Ruffnut pleaded some more. "Ruff. Stop. Thorstons don't beg. Except for food... or money, or housing. Or any other thing that we need. This isn't a good argument." Tuffnut said. "You want to save your dragon? Then give me some information." Ryker said. Ruffnut who was now at the feet of the guard got up. "No, never!" She said, as she walked back towards the other riders. The guard now utterly confused. "Sorry. Lost my head there for a second." She said. "Interesting. Something you and your dragon may soon have in common." Ryker said. "Get them out of my sight." He commanded. The hunters returning them to their cell.
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Not long after the riders were returned to their cell, the hunters dispersed to rest. I was about to signal Stormfly to shoot a spine into my lock when I noticed Astrid using the stolen keys to unlock their cage. "Guard! Guard! I can't take it. I want to save my dragon. I'll tell Ryker what he wants to know." She exclaimed. A guard entered, drawn by her feigned confession. As he approached the cage, Astrid slammed the heavy door into his face, knocking him out. Another guard arrived, only to suffer the same fate. The riders moved swiftly, each going to free their dragons. Astrid reached my cage just before Stormfly's.
I began to sever the chain on my hind leg with a concentrated plasma beam, the metal yielding with surprising ease. The alarm blared, and I saw Heather blocking Astrid's path. "You're not going anywhere, Astrid," she said. "Maybe not. But I'm going really going to enjoy this." Astrid retorted, grabbing a spear. "Oh, I doubt that." Heather replied, brandishing her double-bladed axe and attempting to close the cage door. Before she could, I rammed her against the wall, forcing her to drop her weapon. As she struggled to rise, I pinned her against the wall by her neck, my claws digging into her flesh. Despite knowing her true allegiance, I couldn't risk her interference. I seized her arm, and with a sickening pop and snap, dislocated her shoulder, then tossed her aside.
Astrid tensed, unsure of my intentions. I ignored her, using my plasma beam to free Stormfly. Fishlegs and the twins were mostly likely recaptured on the top deck, as I had to help free their dragons.
As Astrid, Stormfly and the other two dragons rushed towards the upper deck, I halted them. "Wait! You'll be recaptured if you go up there. Let me go first." I said preparing to breach the gate. "What are you trying to tell me boy? Do you have a plan?" Astrid asked, trying to understand my intentions whilst being unable to understand my draconic speech. "Stormfly." I projected, "once I brake through, you Meatlug, Barf and Belch will grab the others and escape. I'll create a distraction and follow shortly after." "Are you sure you'll be alright?" She asked, her tone laced with worry. "I'll be fine."
"Okay, you clearly have some sort of plan. I just hope it works." Astrid said, putting her trust in my intentions. I charged a full powered plasma blast, mentally counting down. 'Three, two, ...one!' I unleashed the blast, shattering the gate above.
I soared through the breach, landing on the upper deck. "The night fury has escaped!" A guard shouted, grabbing a bow and arrow. Hunters surrounded me, aiming dragon root arrows. They fired and I unleashed a lightning pulse, deflecting and incinerating the projectiles. I lunged, slamming a hunter into the deck, then tail-whipped another overboard. I unleashed more plasma blasts, then spotted Ryker aiming a bola launcher. Lighting crackled along my back as I charged my plasma beam. We fired simultaneously, the bolas disintegrated within my beam, heading towards Ryker, who narrowly dodged. Seeing Stormfly and the others escaping, I fired a plasma blast at the mast, disabling pursuit. I took to the skies following the riders.
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(Time skip)
En route to dragons edge, we encountered Hiccup, Snotlout, and their dragons, clad in makeshift Screaming Death scale armor. "I can't believe it. Is that a night fury?!" Hiccup exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and delight in his voice. "Yes, he is!" Fishlegs added, his enthusiasm overflowing. Hiccup and Toothless moved to approach, but Astrid intervened. "I wouldn't get too close. Ryker said that he tore off a hunter's arm." "And you believe him?" Hiccup questioned. "Even if that's exaggerated, he dislocated Heather's shoulder, Hiccup." She retorted. "Hold on. Heather was on the ship? ...We have a lot to talk about." He said. "On another note. This is incredible! Another night fury! Imagine the research possibilities, the potential knowledge we find about night fury's. He might have different eating and sleeping habits than Toothless. And he can even use his plasma blasts as a beam like a skrill!" Fishlegs excitement was a welcome change after weeks of solitude, yet I dreaded the inevitability examination.
"Night fury, yeah, great. One question? Why are we following it towards dragons edge!" Snotlout grumbled. "What if, the reason he's flying towards dragons edge is because that's where he lives hiding in the shadows." Tuffnut suggested, with a surprisingly accurate guess as that is true. The other riders exchanged deadpan glances. "Tuff, don't you think we'd have noticed a night fury on the island by now?" Hiccup asked.
"Hey! Wanna race? I've never raced another night fury before." Toothless challenged. "Fine, but don't think I'll go easy on you." I replied, increasing my wings' cadence, surging towards dragons edge.
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That's the third chapter I hope you liked it.