What Next?

Into the World of Comet

How long ago was it that Freya had died? A week, I think.

Think.

I have nothing to think about. Only her death. She's gone. How could it be? I was devastated when she stopped breathing with the green scale in hand.

Was the poison from the dragon in the scale? Couldn't be, Gothi would've told us. If only she was hear now, but we forgot when we got back. Gothi goes to pray to the gods once a month for her voice back and forth her powers to be renewed.

Thor knows when she'll be back.

Of course she's gone when we need her the most. Now Freya is just sitting in the hospital with Stormcloud resting her muzzle on her stomach. She won't let anyone touch her, not even her parents. The poor dragon doesn't want to admit she's dead.

Men have tried to take Freya's body to the graveyard, but it won't work. Stormcloud's gone as far as firing at them. Everyday Bottonlout, Scythe, and I have gone to feed her and make sure she's okay.
Suddenly there was a knock from downstairs.

"Comet! Can you get that?" I heard my mother shout to me.

I sighed and rolled out of bed and walked to the door, even though me legs felt like lead.

"Hurry up, we have to go to the hospital." Bottonlout said. Bottonlout has stopped calling me names and all three of us has stopped fighting.

We trudged along the dirt rode with our dragons following behind. As we passed by villagers, they were slumped over or just dead - eyed. Berk has officially become the saddest place on Earth. Dagger has realized this is and sense her death, we've had three attacks by dragons in armor. We've lost so many vikings.

Lit has dissapeared once again. We honestly didn't even bring her back. Our minds went blank once we saw Freya close her eyes.

"Hello boys. Stormcloud's food is in the back." The nurse greeted us with a smile, although her eyes were just as dead as the others.

"Thanks." We responded and made our way to the back. This was all just routine.

Scythe got the old basket of fish and threw it out while Bottonlout and I got the basket and took it to Stormcloud.
I liked to get this job done quickly. I hated to see Freya.

Bottonlout and I set the bag up beside Stormcloud who still rested beside her. She hasn't moved all week, not to mention eat. Dragons are reptiles, which means they can go long periods of time without eating, but not forever. Not even the Nurse's dragon, Belle, can make us happy.

"Come on Stormcloud you have to eat." Scythe said and reached out a hand to pet her. Stormcloud let out a low warning growl and returned her eyes to Freya.
I could see the green scale she kept between her head and leg, and I felt the sting of tears. I looked up when a heard a sniff from Scythe and looked on in amazment.

"Are you crying?" I asked him.

"No!" He denyed. "I'm a viking, and the son of one of the most ruthless men known to Berk. But I still feel like I've been stabbed in the chest." He said and fell against the wall. Bottonlout was looking out the window behind the bed Freya lied in and I could tell he was on the verge of tears as well. I for one had them streaming down my face, and I didn't even realize at first.

Through my tears I saw Stormcloud's ear twitch at least once every second before she lifted up her head and looked at us.

"Guys, some thing's bugging Stormcloud." I said. The two wiped away their tears and looked to the dark gray dragon.

"Yea, her rider's ... " Scythe paused. "Gone."

"No, look. Her ear flaps are twitching." I said. Now they noticed it.

"Is it just me, or does Freya look like she's sleeping?" Bottonlout asked.

Scythe looked up. "What?"

"No I mean, she looks. Normal. It's been a week since she's died, but she looks as healthy as ever." Bottonlout explained.
I've never noticed it before, but he was right. I haven't looked at Freya at all in fear that I might break down, but she does look likes she's sleeping.

I put my hand on her chest and after a second I fell back in shock. I couldn't even speak, how could it be even possible?

Following my lead Bottonlout and Scythe placed their hands on Freya's chest and jumped back.

"Impossible!" Scythe gasped.

"She's alive!" Bottonlout almost shouted.

"Stormcloud, may I see that scale?" I asked her. She looked quizzically before lifting her head and revealed the green scale. I picked it up and looked it over carefully. Everything seems normal until I flipped it around.

In small black writing there were letters that I've only seen in the old books.

"There's a curse on this scale!" I threw it to the others to see the truth who were looking at me like u was crazy.

"We put a curse on this girl?" Scythe gasped.

"Heaven's Miner my ass, that thing's an Acursed Lippen!" Bottonlout growled.

"Besides the name that's quickly growing on me, I refuse to beleive that dragon was born with a curse on the scale that was meant to heal. None of us would've done it, but who could've and with what?" I began to question.

"Well there's Lit, but there no way she could've the scale and she doesn't have magic." Bottonlout pointed out.

"She may not have magic, but she could've gotten the scale. We were in such a chaos she could've easily taken it and placed a curse on it, but how?" Scythe said.

"The only way we'll get answers is through Lit, and the only way we'll do that is if we find her." I quieted them down. "Spike's in Tracker Class. He can find her."

Spike croaked from outside and the three of us ran to our dragons followed, surprisingly, by Stormcloud.

Bottonlout nearly made a domino effect by stopped dead infront of the nurse.

"Oh, I almost forgot," He said, "don't touch Freya, we may be able to save her." He said before we all fled and were on our way to see the parents of the girl who may still be alive.

We were almost there, except just a few yards away, we heard a high-pitched screech of the Deadly Nadder.