Dragon Rider (httyd)

7

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"So, I hope you don't mind, but if you're here, you get to help out." I said to Astrid the next morning. We'd just finished breakfast and the others had all gone off to do their own things.

"I don't mind." She responded. "What are we doing?" I smiled.

"This'll be fun. By the time you leave, you will never see dragons the same was again."

Toothless dropped us off on a soft, sandy beach. I gestured for Astrid to follow me into the trees.

"We're going to visit some of the islanders." I told her. She nodded. "A couple of Whispering Deaths live over here."

Astrid stopped in her tracks. "What?" I said, turning to face her.

"Whispering Deaths." She whispered. I raised my eyebrows at her. "We-" she took a breath. "Back at Berk, we had a Whispering Death and it killed four people and almost destroyed the village. It was horrible."

I grabbed her shoulders and looked her straight in the face. "Astrid. I'm so sorry that happened. But it's different here. These dragons... I know these dragons. They're not dangerous. Not to us. Okay. I won't let anything hurt you. Toothless won't let anything hurt you." I said. She looked at the ground. "Just come meet them." She took a deep breath and sighed, then nodded.

I took her hand and led her through the trees. We stopped in front of a thick, tall wall of brambles. I turned and nodded to her, then, we pushed through.

Both Whispering Deaths, which were hovering about three metres above the ground, turned their massive, spike covered heads towards us. Their huge, open mouthes showed their rows on rows of spinning teeth. Astrid let out a small whimpering sound, then clenched her teeth shut, knowing her, probably embarrassed to have let the sound out.

"Boys!" I said, holding my arms in the air. Both dragons stared me down. "Beautiful teeth." I complimented. "How's it been? I know, I know, I left. I'm sorry. But I'm back now." I kept talking as I walked forward and held my hand out to the dragon on the right. He hovered lower and came closer to me. Then, as I held my hand out for him, he pressed his nose onto my palm. "Yes!" I yelled. The dragon practically jumped back then shot a blast of ringed flames into the air.

Both dragons flew around and tried to nuzzle into us. "See? They're not too bad." I said. Astrid smiled lightly.

"I guess not." She said softly. She watched as I 'danced' around the the creatures copied me. She started laughing after a couple minutes of me doing it.

"Join me!" I said, extending my hand to her. She hesitantly took it. I spun her around then pulled her into my chest.

"Oof!" She grunted when we collided. I continued to lead her in dance as the dragons mirrored us overhead.

"Adlea taught me to dance." I whispered. "I'd say I'm not too bad at it."

"Awfully cocky, aren't you?" She whispered back.

"Yeah, well. You got that or snark. And cockiness is a lot sexier." At that I spun her out again and she laughed loudly.

"Very sexy." She said. She sounded like she was joking but there might have been something under it. Or I was imagining things.