Found again (HTTYD FF)

★5★

He was well outside the village, it would be a while before anyone discovered him. He tried to take advantage of it and free himself, but he just got more tangled up. He was thrashing about on the ground and soon he couldn't move. The ropes held him firmly in one painful position. He thrashed the loose part of his tail against the ground in an attempt to at least sit up. Nothing. He couldn't.

The fear in him continued to grow. Although it was no use, he tried to free himself further and further, but it only exhausted him. He didn't care. He needed to disappear at all costs. Or accept death.

Food! What are you waiting for? FOOD!

He finally passed out from exhaustion. He collapsed into darkness. He greeted it with joy. It freed him from the Queen, cleared his mind.

~~~

Astrid couldn't believe it. Not only had she managed to slip past the others to join the fight, but she'd even caught something!

No one who didn't have dragon training behind was not allowed to get more involved in fighting than putting out fires. Ever since the new cadets' ages changed, her life had changed drastically. She had spent her entire life preparing for training and then all of a sudden found out she had to wait five more years! Five more! They couldn't make her wait that long. She wanted to fight! She wanted to show everyone that she was the best, to bring glory to her family.

And in today's attack, she was lucky. Even as she walked towards her downed prey, she couldn't believe it. It must have been a dream! Training had just begun and already she had a chance to slay a dragon!

Something was thrashing on the ground just outside the village. It was too small to be a dragon. Astrid stopped in confusion. It wasn't a dragon.

She approached cautiously, her axe held firmly in her hands, ready to kill it.

She was several steps away from the creature. It had wings and a tail - classic for a dragon. But what was unusual were its human limbs and the face of a boy. Maybe her own age. It certainly wasn't a dragon, it was more like a human. With wings and a tail and strange clothes made of black scales.

Astrid stared in amazement. She'd never seen anything like this before. How could she? She didn't know such a thing could exist. No one knew.

For the first time, she wasn't sure what to do. Should she kill it? Imprison it? Bring in the chief to decide? Let it go?

Wait, kill it? She looked into his face, completely human. Then her gaze lingered on the small scales on his cheeks, on his dragon ears.

She heard footsteps approaching. "Astrid! Why are you standing there? The dragons are long gone... what is that!?" came the annoying voice of Snotlout behind her. He was the very last person she wanted here. And of course he had brought the rest of their group with him.

They all froze, unable to speak.

"Bring the chief," Astrid ordered, still in shock.

"What?"

"The chief, I say! Can't you hear me? Go!" She shouted at Tuffnut. The boy will never learn. He only listens when he feels like it.

Everyone but Fishlegs went to find Stoick. Astrid looked at him with a question in her eyes. He just shrugged and continued to stare at the creature in front of them.

"Maybe we can get him out of that rope." Astrid shot a murderous look at Fishlegs. She wasn't going to let... whatever it was she'd shot down get away. "He's not going to escape. He's obviously unconscious," he tried to convince her.

A moment later, the chief, Valka, and practically the entire village was on their heels. "It's true," he breathed as he ran up to Astrid and caught sight of the strange man with wings. "How did you find it?"

"I shot it down," Astrid replied matter-of-factly, what was the harm in not doing that? She had caught this mysterious creature. Even if she got punished, she wouldn't regret it. "What are we going to do about it?"

"We'll lock it up with the others. When he wakes up, you can kill him. After all, he's yours now that you've caught him," Stoick said. He looked more... proud than angry. He had probably completely forgotten the rule that said she shouldn't have done that in the first place. Or he decided to overlook it.

Astrid barely stammered out a thank you. It was so much better than the dream! She now had a dragon-like creature whose life was decided solely by her. She swore that when it woke up, it wouldn't be for long. She'd end its life quickly, but before that, she'd talk to it - if it could. She couldn't wait.

But now she needed to rest. It had been a busy morning and the winged boy wouldn't wake up for a few hours anyway, it would wait a while. She had the others carry him to the cell where he would reside with the dragons. Alone, she made her way into the forest. To clear her head and get some practice in, after all she would need the axe soon enough. And she wanted to be ready.

So, what do you think? Is it good so far?