The Forbidden Rider

Chapter 1

Opal trudged her father's shiny axe. It shone. The reflection that passed from the axe to another Viking. They shielded their eyes and trotted away.

Opal whistled, looking another direction. The Viking didn't bother to look back. He knew who that mistake was. The chief's mistake on having this daughter.

"Opal? Is my axe ready? I need to finally kill that Skrill." A low voice growled from behind Opal.

Opal turned around. She tripped over a small rock and almost crashed into her father. "Yes, dad."

Opal handed her father the sharp axe. He brushed the blades with his giant hands. "The Skrill needs to die. It's been looting our village for years."

Opal nodded. "Can't we ask Berk to help us?" She asked.

The chief glared at his daughter. "Berk loves dragons. If we asked them to help us, they would just relocate the Skrill." He growled. "I want the Skrill dead."

The chief escorted himself away from Opal. Taking his sharp axe with him.

Opal sighed. She knew her father would stop at nothing to get the Skrills head as a trophy on his wall. Like the Hideous Zippleback, Monstrous Nightmare, Deadly Nadder, Gronkle and the worst one.

Which had gone extinct; the Night Fury. There were sightings that there was one last Night Fury but no one ever saw it with their own eyes.

Opal's father would kill to have the Skrills head. The chief's daughter never liked the sport her tribe had chosen. Killing dragons was not a sport to Opal. She felt a different way about dragons.

Opal's black eyes looked like black diamonds in the sunlight. Her dark brown hair levitated in the wind. Her skin was like the sun, always bright.

Opal stared above. Sunset was coming. The sky turned a bright orange. The sun peeked over the hills as if it was afraid of the Skrill.

Even Opal was afraid. Last time the Skrill attacked it killed a loyal Viking that was a warrior for over his entire life.

Opal could lose her life to a dragon.

I need to prepare. She thought, furiously.

***

Opal yet again failed to hit the target with her bow. Several arrows were sticking out of the target. Each arrow was sleek until it hit the target by Opal's shaky hands.

"Oh come on!" Opal yelled.

Opal shot multiple arrows and she was almost on her last one. The 2nd last arrow almost hit a Viking. The 3rd last arrow almost hit Opal.

The last arrow was left in the bag that Opal carried.

The archer teacher beside Opal looked at her strangely. He lifted one eyebrow and marked the scroll he had it his hands.

Opal inhaled the warm air. Then exhaled the air. She reached from behind her back and snatched the last arrow. She pulled the sleek arrow behind, closed one eye, aimed for the target then she let go. The arrow broke the winds speed. It hit the middle of the target.

Opal looked stunned. She grabbed an arrow from the close by target and shot it at a target farther away. It landed in the middle.

Opal tempted to try and shoot the farthest one. She shut her left eye and aimed for the target. It slipped slowly through her grasp and landed perfectly on the target.

Opal smiled, wide. The archer teacher blinked twice. He marked the scroll for a long time. "You know." He started, pointing the ink stick at Opal. "We could use someone like you on the hunting team. The last archer failed to shoot the Skrill. And the chief didn't like it"

Opal felt appreciated. She felt strong. The pride felt incredible. "I'll have to think about it." She replied.

Opal walked slowly away from the archer training grounds, grinning and waiting for an answer from the teacher, but nothing.

Opal sighed. She wanted him to say "wait" or "wait up".

Opal went back to the question she was asked, she had to think about it. Opal wanted to have the pride she had wanted 2 years ago.

2 years ago, Opal was constructed on how to be the chief's daughter. But she failed every test. Some teachers mentioned to the chief that he needed a new acting chief.

Opal was too deep in thought to notice that night approached faster than she thought.

The sun kissed the end of the sky. Shadows appeared then they disappeared. Soon darkness swept the archipelago.

Lightning strikes was heard from above. The clouds grew darker. Opal could hear her father shouting orders.

"The Skrill. It's here!" Opal remarked, after she saw a lighting strike the island.

Without thinking Opal grabbed her bow and arrow bag.

Father will be ecstatic when he finds out HIS daughter killed the Skrill! Opal thought.

The chief's daughter set off towards the storm. No hesitation. No regrets. Only one thought. One mission. Kill the Skrill then you'll be appreciated, no longer underestimated.