"I Do.... NOT!!"

Chapter 6: Trouble at the Nest

I forced myself to circle one more time, witnessing from high above several pods worth of dragons being eaten as they tried to escape with their malfunctioning wings. I pumped my wings and rose higher, then flew as fast as I could to escape the scene of death my refusal had caused. I wouldn't have a place there after this... I would soon be podless.

     Evening was coming soon. My sore muscles ached for rest as I hauled the last net of fish with my pod back to our temporary hiding place. You're off today. First you struggle in morning hunt, then you refuse the queen's order to wipe out some filthy humans who couldn't care less if our race lives or dies. What's up?  Windshear asked. I... met a dragoness. But she's not from our den. And I don't want to bring her to our den... She has human friends on Berk. They saved her life and she owes them a debt. I promised I would help her protect them. I answered.

     Hmm. I wouldn't want my mate here either. Go to her this evening after we decide what to do. I don't know if you will be able to stay with us or not. I just don't know. I can watch Hookfang's dragonets when Spike Tail returns. There is no telling what he or the others will do. I for one want you to stay. My mate would be with me now if the nest I came from hadn't obeyed their queen. She gave a similar order, my mate refused because it would put to many of our dragons in danger, but he had to go because our queen took his sister hostage and threatened to kill her if kill was not brought back. My mate and I were one of the few dragons spared alive, caught and shipped off to other humans. Windshear said. Thank you. I... Don't think any of our pod would have made it if we tried to destroy Berk. We lose to many attacking that place just to get the sheep and yaks. I told her, as my stomach churned with guilt. Of all my podmates I would have trusted her with my secret... I had a feeling she kept some of her own. But I couldn't risk them knowing I was human and dragon. Windshear nodded her head in acknowledgement and leapt from the cliff of our large sea stack. She was headed to get more food for the dragonets, and put her voice in on my fate which was currently being discussed by the rest of the pod.

     I heard faint growing and roars as the pod talked about what to do with me, I tried to block it out and play tug a war with Red Wing, Hookfang's first hatched daughter. We wrestled with her fish for a few minutes longer before I heard the angry stomping of Spike Tail outside our shelter. I quickly jumped to my feet and scurried to the entrance, squeezing past Spike Tail's withering glare. So.  You put all of us in mortal danger for some dragoness. You are to focused on your own needs and not enough on the pod's. We took you in, despite the queen's ultimatum. She said we had to kill you if you ever got out of line. Why shouldn't we? Give me one good reason. Spiketail hissed. I gulped and surveyed my surroundings. We were in a cave I couldn't blast out of, and it was clear that I would be killed if I couldn't convince Spike Tail that I should live. My other podmates stood at the entrance, spikes up and scales flaming.
    
     Stormfly wouldn't look at me, her head was low. She had probably lost family back at the den... All of my podmates could have. Windshear was the only other dragon who would look at me, great concern in her eyes. I wouldn't follow and order to send our whole nest and myself to our deaths. That's all that would have happened if we tried to attack Berk. Sheep and yaks we can carry of easy enough. But humans? They have weapons that will destroy us all. Revolting against to he queen gives us a better chance at survival than attacking Berk. I told him.

     Spike Tail roared and lunged at me, clearly not convinced by my reason. I ducked as Windshear's tail  whipped around to smack Spike Tail back, nearly off the cliff. Enough. I went through this at my old nest. My nest did follow through with the queen's orders, and nearly all of them died. Not one of us made it back. I don't know what the queen did when no one returned, but I do know we would be wise to listen to Toothless. Stop your anger. You are directing it at the wrong dragon. We have a chance to stay here safely and rescue those family members that we can from the queen. Toothless will be our greatest  asset in this, and our greatest protection in a much smaller group. If we can get and stay far enough from the queen we will have our own nest free from such cruel oppression, Windshear growled.

     Spike tail hissed in annoyance and lashed his tail, thinking carefully about Windshear's words. He looked sideways to his mate, she was shaking her wings in a sort of rhythm at him, and I guessed she was sending him a signal. Fine. I have heard this same reasoning from all of the pod members. They do agree that taking on Berk would destroy our only real chance at survival. The queen may come out from hiding and kill everyone at anytime. We just can't keep living like this. We will stay here until further options are discovered, Spike tail said. I sighed in relief, grateful for the pod members who thought through killing me more than Spike tail had. I didn't know how much more of Spike Tail's eager efforts to throw me out of the pod I could take. He thought he had a good reason this time, but I knew better. Dragons couldn't keep living under the queen. Our numbers were dwindling to fast to sustain, mostly from the lives lost raiding other islands with humans on them. Windshear came to watch the dragonets with Hook fang, and I left with the rest of the pod to survey better nesting sites and catch some extra prey.