"Archers! Fire at will!"
Aphira never thought she'd be so happy to hear those words. She quickly re-mounted Blackout as Whiplash gave a roar, clearly realizing what was going on.
Blackout soared down toward the ships, landing with a grunt of surprise. "Thank goodness." Aphira gasped. "Blackout was out of plasma," Ryker growled, his eyes narrowing as Whiplash's scales were pierced by an arrow.
Whiplash glanced around, roaring with his eyes glazed with panic as he fell into the crisp water. "Bring him on!" Ryker shouted. "You!" He whirled toward Aphira, pointing. "Sky! Now!" Aphira narrowed her emerald eyes, hesitating.
"What are you waiting for!?" Ryker snapped. "Blackout's hurt. She can't fight right now. I need to fix her tail and -" Aphira started, but was cut off by Ryker's furious retort. "If she needs healing, what good is that beast!" Anger flared in Aphira's chest.
"She's plenty good!" Aphira growled. "Not if she can't let us keep our ranks!" Ryker snapped back. "Like your Hunters do any better?" Aphira retorted. Ryker snarled, then turned away with a grunt. "Shoot 'em down!"
"Don't worry, girl," Aphira said, scratching her dragon's chin, making her purr. "We won't let him get to us, won't we?" Blackout purred, and nudged Aphira, then nudged her harder as her purr turned into a burble of agreement, knocking the young teenager over. Aphira laughed as she rose to her feet. "Right."
"Come on, Shadow!" A grunt came from Zephyr, and Aphira whirled around to see her riding Shadow, and Nuffink on Whiteout. The two Lunawatchers blasted the decks of the ship that Whiplash was being loaded onto, which was also the boat in the lead.
"Alright, Blackout, let's drive these guys off!" Aphira reached for her bow and carefully aimed it. She'd been practicing for the last few months and had become fairly good at it. She aimed at Shadow, and, after figuring out where'd he fly next, fired.
Shadow screeched in immense pain as the arrow pierced his scales. "Nuffink's down!" Zephyr yelled, snatching Shadow up by the tail with Whiteout, who crooned worriedly. "Retreat!"
"But...about Whip and Whiplash?" Ac asked. "We'll get them back, Ac. I promise." Zephyr said, then turned and fled.
Ryker turned to Aphira. "Perhaps you can be useful without your dragon after all." His gaze flickered to Blackout, and Aphira had a sudden feeling that her dragon was no longer entirely safe.
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Fading Echoes - The Echoes, Book 2 - HTTYD Fanfiction
FanfictionAphira had met the dragons when she was very young with her Mother and her brother, Whip. However, she didn't remember it, and not even the stories that her Mother told in vivid detail stirred her memory. But when one day, suddenly several beasts...
