The Alpha Night Fury

Sorrow

I flew back to Dragon Island as fast as I could. I was determined to get the dragons and go back for NightShade. I caught up with the dragons as we neared the island. "We need to go back for NightShade, he's been hit!" I practically shouted. "First we feed the queen. If we get a chance we can sneak away" a dragon told me. I growled in frustration, but I knew he was right. I grabbed a wild boar and flew into the volcano, dropped it into the pit and landed on my platform. "I have a task for you" the queen announced. "I need you all to go to the Shadowed Reef and bring back as many sea creatures as you can" the queen ordered. I felt my chest tighten with pain as I realised this meant that I wouldn't be able to go back for NightShade. "When do we need to leave?" NightSong asked. "Tonight" the queen replied. I almost growled. "Now everyone get ready apart from IceGlow, I want to talk to you" the queen said.

Everyone left until it was just the two of us. "It is clear that you are not pleased about having to go, but I need that food" the queen said sternly. "Why?" I asked. "Because I'm going to have a hatchling. And as I'm sure you know hatchlings can only eat seafood for the first part of their life" the queen told me. "You're having a hatchling?" I asked in shock. She nodded proudly. "When?" I asked. "I laid it this evening, but it will take a little while to hatch" she told me. "Congratulations" I said, trying to make it sound happy and meaningful. But nothing had meaning without my soulmate. The queen nodded in thanks. "Where is NightShade?" The queen asked. I shut by eyes at the pain of his name being mentioned. "He... he was hit doing the raid. I was the only one that found him. I had no shots left and I had to leave. But the time I found the rest of the dragons we were back here" I said with my chest closing up from the painful memory. "That's too bad, but you understand how this is so much more important" the queen said. I wanted to scream at her and rip out her eyes, but instead I simply nodded. She let me go and I gathered the dragons and lead them to the Shadowed Reef.

After two days of flying we finally reached the Shadowed Reef. I let the dragons get some rest and the next day I put them all to work. The dragons all set to work catching large sea creatures, clams, eels, crabs, fish, sharks, stingrays, squids and whatever else we could find. However I just sat and watched them. I was too broken to catch fish. I wondered what was happening to NightShade. I wondered how he was and if he was even still alive. I shut my eyes tight. I wanted it to all be a dream. I wanted to wake up and see NightShade by my side. This wasn't fair. I had just found my soulmate, I couldn't have lost him so soon. I couldn't take the pain anymore. I screamed as loud as I could and shot several blasts high into the sky. The other dragons all looked at me and lowered their heads, they all knew how much pain I was in. You only get one chance at finding love as a dragon. Once you find your soulmate, that's your partner for life.... and I had lost mine. "Why's she so upset anyway?" I heard a dragon muttered. "She lost NightShade, her soulmate" another dragon explained. "Oh that's not so bad, I'm actually glad he's gone. Why did she like him in the first place?" The first dragon said. I felt something snap inside of me. I leapt at the dragon, pinning him done to the ground. "How dare you!" I yelled as I prepared a killing shot. Someone hit me in the side, knocking me so the shot didn't hit the dragon beneath me. I started clawing at the dragon instead until I felt someone dragging me away. "Get back to work!" I heard NightSong yell, he was the one dragging me then. All the dragon murmured amongst themselves then got back to work with collecting seafood.

NightSong turned me around so we were facing. "Ice, I'm so sorry for what happened with NightShade" he said softly. I sighed and shut my eyes. "Everyone knows what you're going through and everyone is saying they want to help, but they don't know how..." my brother continued. "I didn't mean to attack him like that" I said quietly. "I know, everyone knows. We are all supporting you" he told me. "It just hurts. I can't believe he's actually gone. I wish I could have saved him. I was just... helpless" I said. "I know, but this is not your fault. None of this is your fault!" He said trying to change my mind and I admit, it almost worked. "Hey, look at me" he said lifting my head with his tail. "You're going to get through this, you're going to be okay. You have to be strong for him. Celebrate every moment you had with him, that's what he would want" NightSong told me. I nodded and smiled faint for the first time since Berk.

Later I gathered all the dragons and apologised. Just like NightSong said, they all understood and were very supportive. We all ate and went to sleep on a few rocks near the reef.

I lay down and quickly slid into my dreams.

I'm standing by the waterfall and NightShade is in front of me. "NightShade? Is that you?" I ask. "Yes, of course it's me" he says. We run towards each other and rub heads. "Are you okay?" I ask. "Yes, I'm fine and I'll be alright" he tells me. "It's so hard without you, it hurts so much" I whimper softly to him. "I know, it hurts for me too. But you must be strong and you'll be alright, I promise" he says as he presses his nose against mine. We purr softly and gaze into each other's eyes.

I woke up and looked up at the stars in the night sky. "Goodbye NightShade. I'll be strong just like you asked. All the best of luck to you, my soulmate" I say with a smile as I gaze up at the brightest star I can find.