The Forbidden Rider

Chapter 2

Opal scurried through the forest. Her feet never stopped moving. Her bow was aimed ahead.

Then silence swept the forest. Opal heard loud roars from the Skrill and thunder.

Opal crept up to a bush that had a front view of the river. Her nerve was strong. She was shaking the bow. Opal then saw her tribes enemy. The dragon that was wanted dead by almost the entire island. The Skrill.

The Skrill landed softly on the ground. His wings were spiky, black and some purple scales. The Skrill looked around. Then he drank from the river. Opal aimed her bow right for the stomach of the Skrill. She held the arrow ready to let go.

Then she stopped. She stared at the arrow. "What am I doing?" She whispered to herself.

"This isn't me." Opal returned the arrow back to her arrow bag. She was about to leave when she heard rustling in the bushes. Opal crept once again up to the bush. She saw her father and warriors.

It's an ambush! Opal thought, loudly.

Wait, the Skrill!

Opal saw her father aim an axe towards the Skrill. He was ready to throw. "No." Opal whispered.

Then she reached out towards the arrow bag. She snatched an arrow aimed and was ready.

Her father held the axe back behind his head. He threw it. The blade reaching out towards the Skrill as if it waited its whole life to kill the Skrill.

Opal let go of the arrow. The arrow flew towards the axe at rapid-fire. They both collided into each other. The arrow got the axe to lower its blade and have the handle towards the Skrill.

The Skrill held his head up. He witnessed Opal's father glare into the Skrills eyes.

The Skrill growled. It looked to where Opal was hiding. Her hand was open but she still held the bow with a firm grip.

The chief followed the Skrills gaze to Opal. He looked surprised to see Opal here. Shoot the Skrill." He mouthed.

Opal shook her head. "I can't." She mouthed back.

The chief gave his daughter a confused look along with an angry look.

Then the Skrill jumped on Opal. It pinned her down. The bow escaped alone with the arrow bag.

The Skrill sniffed Opal. It glared at her with its dark ebony eyes.

"Opal!" Opal heard her father shout her name. The fear in his voice was too real.

The Skrill looked over to where the chief was. He looked back to Opal who was desperately trying to break free from the Skrill's grasp.

He growled then left the chief's daughter speechless. The Skrill, from Opal's view was about to call to his electrical element. He opened his mouth but then he released Opal.

Opal hurriedly galloped up to her feet. The Skrill looked frightened. He nudged his head towards the chief galloping his way towards his daughter. The Skrill then lifted his scaley wings into the air.

"Opal are you alright?!" The chief asked, loudly when he arrived by Opal's side.

Opal nodded still shocked.

The chiefs concern expression turned into anger. "Why didn't ya shoot it!" He yelled.

Opal looked down. She couldn't meet her fathers eyes.

The chief sighed. "Go home. We'll discuss it later."

Opal started out of the forest. She felt the watchful eyes of her father and the dragon hunter team. She had to cough several times to prevent her tears from flooding out.

I should've let the axe hit the Skrill. Opal thought, angrily.

What would've happened?

***

Opal had begun the search why the Skrill didn't kill her. She searched through many books of dragons.

The only information she found was on the Titan Wing Skrill.

Opal had her finger pinned to the final book. She read it all but nothing.

Opal yelled in frustration. "There must be something!" She pleaded.

Opal slammed her hands on the wooden table. A book fell from another bookshelf. Opal was curious and placed the book on the table.

The title read 'The Chief's kills of Dragons'

"It's dads dragon kill book!" Opal turned the front cover page to see the Deadly Nadder section. It had information of dragons that historical chiefs of Deathyard had killed.

It showed the dragons personality, description and features.

Opal turned 5 pages. The gronckle sections appeared. Opal turned each and every page. It had the Hideous Zippleback, Monstrous Nightmare, Seashocker, Scauldron, Singetail, Rumblehorn, Timberjack and lots of Buffalord pages.

Opal turned, once again, another page to reveal the Night Fury section.

Only one Night Fury was killed in Deathyard chief history. The page had big letters on it. It read 'Extinct'

Opal had to squint to see the personality, description and features.

Opal pulled the lantern from the desk and placed it gently beside the book.

"The tribe feared Night Furies before the extinction. Which then the tribe had given up their mission." Opal read.

"Black scaley bodies with dorsal fins and two tail fins that are at the tip of the tail. If lose either tail fins they won't be able to fly. Hunters use this to their advantage."

Opal turned the last page. There it was. The Skrill. But it has no description, feature or personality. It just had the title.

"He put this here because he thought he was going to kill the Skrill." Opal connected.

Opal suddenly felt guilt.

Opal rubbed it off. Opal peeked over the page. She saw tiny words. Opal squinted and read the words slowly.

"If ever encountered, you'll be dead in seconds. But the Skrill pays back. If saved by one, he'll save a life for a life."

"That's why he didn't kill me!" Opal relaxed, knowing the truth made her calm down.

Opal heard her door slam. She knew it was her father. Opal slammed the book shut and pushed it back into the bookshelf.

"Opal! We need to talk!" The chief shouted.

Opal galloped down the stairs. She met her fathers eyes and he glared at her. "Sit." He ordered at Opal, pointing to a small wooden chair.

Opal sat. Her father sat across. He sighed. "Opal, the Skrill will kill all of us if it's not destroyed." He began.

"The Skrills killed my father." Tears started raining from the chiefs face. "And your mother."

Opal sat up and hugged her father. "That doesn't mean it has to die as well." Opal replied.

The chief stared at Opal. "Yes it does! That Skrill will die even if I have to sacrifice everything."

The chief pulled away from Opal's grasp. "Would you sacrifice me as well!" She shouted back.

Opal's father stopped, his eyes ha don expression. He started for the door.

The moment was gone. Nothing Opal could cherish.

But she still didn't get an answer. Would her father sacrifice his daughter to kill a dragon?

Opal went to bed. That thought stuck with her.

Would he?