"I Do.... NOT!!"

Chapter 24: Trader Trouble

....Meanwhile, near Berserker Island...

Windshear was scared. She hated being sperated from her friend. But she knew the humans on this island were very important to Heather. Zev and Mya were pleasant company, their human friends were quite funny. Windshear tried to stay focused on them and her task at hand, getting the supplies to the Island. Her wings were sore from the fast hauling, she could tell the zippleback was tired as well. She had hauled the boat out of the harbor at top speed while Zev and Mya caused a distraction in the village. Then sometime later they joined her along with ruff and tuff, and helped pull the boat faster. The sails were out and the wind was strong, so it helped some with the task.

"Tally ho!! Land ahead!" Yelled the female twin, sighting it through her strange little looking device. Windshear growled in relief and redoubled her efforts to haul the boat. The tired crew soon reached a seastack anywhere that afforded a good place to ferry from, so the twins anchored the boat and began loading up the dragons. They completed 3 large, heavy trips successfully, emptying close to half the boat, and then took a break. Windshear flopped on the small Viking ship and whined tiredly. Don't worry. We'll get this done in enough time to save Heather. She's with her own people. Surely they'll keep her safe, Zev and Mya tried to comfort, also flopped along side her. I hope so... Windshear rumbled. Then she dragged her tired body up and rumbled at the twins to load her up again. They grumbled about aching backs, to which Windshear snorted. It was the dragons who had done alot of the heavy lifting!

Nevertheless, the twins worked fast and soon the crew was headed back to Berserker Island, filled to the hilt with supplies. After an exhausting flight to the island, they dumped supplies and headed back again. By now Windshear's lungs were burning. If these weren't Heather's people she would not be breaking her back like this. The team rested again and decided to sail a little closer. Windshear pulled along with Zev and Mya, feeling like the small island in the distance was to many wingbeats away. She groaned and hissed with her wings burning to much to continue, they were seizing up on her! Windshear roared and took a drive straight into the sea, her wings twitching and flopping uselessly. She had been doing the equivalent of human sprinting for too many miles.

Zev and Mya shrieked in alarm and grabbed onto Windshear's shoulders after dropping the ropes they had been hauling with. The twins yelled and clung to their dragon for dear life as everyone struggled back into the boat. "Y'know, I can't believe we didn't think of this sooner, but we should kidnap a Berserker, put them on this boat, and tell them to sail it home themselves." Tuff moaned, rubbing his aching back. Ruff thought about his proposal for a moment and then grinned.

"Ooo kidnapping!! A Thorston specialty! I'll take windshear out to kidnap the lucky guy when she's up to it," Ruff decided. "Hey! I wanna come to! No one kidnaps without me!" Her brother whined. Windshear moaned and flopped her head to the side, to weak to contribute anything more. Zev and Mya weren't doing much better, so they took a rest for what felt like hours. Eventually Windshear's wings calmed down enough for her to move them in sync a few times. After a good stretch, Tuff reluctantly decided to stay behind with Zev and Mya while Ruff took Windshear back to the skies. It was good they had changed tactics, because Berserkers were out amongst the supplies crying in relief and shrieking with excitement.

Windshear circled high above until an unsuspecting, skinny teenager came into view, further from the main group of Berserkers. He was eating an apple with gusto, clearly starving. Windshear dove and landed in front of the human, which sent him screaming and scrambling back from her. "Whoa young fella! We're the ones who dropped all those supplies. Now our dragons are tired. The ship with the rest of supplies isn't far from here. How would you like to be the hero of the island? Bring back all the other supplies? This beautiful, trusty dragon shall take us there." Ruff said. Windshear warbled, pleased to be complimented. The young human stopped panicking and watched us for a few moments before retrieving his apple from the sand and walking forward.