Dragon Shifter

A Purpose

One month later...

I raced over the turquoise waves with my strong Night Fury wings. I dived underwater and snatched up a school of fish in my jaws. I broke the surface and raced towards the green and brown island in front of me. I reached Hole Island and admired all the different dragons that we had been rescuing. I glided over the tall lush green grass and dived into a large hole. I flew down the tunnels which were lit up by torches of fire. I turned left and entered the feeding room. It was a large cave piled with food. I dropped my fish on the pile and received a happy purr from the dragons in the cave. I leapt back into the air and glided down the tunnels once more. I spotted sunlight shining through the gap leading out to sea. I flew higher up and landed on the ledge of our cave.

I shifted into my human self and entered the cave. Eclipse pranced up to me and I gave his scales a rub. "How's he doing?" I asked as I approach Autumn who was looking after an ill Terrible Terror. "He's getting much better" Autumn told me happily. "Good job" I smiled as I laid a hand on her shoulder. I heard a thump on the ledge outside and headed over to investigate. Outside the cave stood the large Death Song who we had rescued from the hunter's base. "Hello Melody" I said and she purred in response. Kai slid down her golden wing and landed next to me with a grin. Kai had always been fond of the Death Song so when he started to miss having a dragon of his own I had suggested her. He had trained her very well and named her Melody. "Well, how did it go?" I asked. "We sunk the hunter's ship and released all the dragons. Six of them came back to the island with us" Kai told me with excitement. "That's great! Good job!" I said happily.

"Dinner is ready!" Called Gunnar. "Good, I'm hungry" Kai said as he licked his lips. We headed inside the cave and sat around a fire where chicken was being turned on two sticks. Gunnar handed out the chicken and we began eating. "We have six more dragons on the island" Kai announced. "Any new species?" Autumn asked. "Do we already have a Triple Strike on the island?" Kai asked. I shook my head. "Well now we do" Kai grinned. "Oh yay! I love new dragons! Why don't you train it as your dragon?" Autumn said happily as she looked at Gunnar. Gunnar, who had stayed silent this whole time, replied "I don't want a pet."

That evening I spotted Gunnar sitting alone on the ledge and looking towards the gap in the tunnels. He sat there every night, I had observed. I hardly noticed him during the day as he always stayed quiet unless spoken to. Kai still hated him. Autumn wanted him to pay more attention to her. And I... I had still not fully forgiven him and was started to wonder if having him on our island was a good idea. I walked over and sat down next to him. Gunnar stayed silent. "What's going on?" I asked, breaking the silence. "What do you mean?" Gunnar asked back. "I hardly notice that you exist! You do nothing all day, stay quiet as a Flightmare and then sit out here alone every night!" I told him sternly. Gunnar simply replied "I'm adjusting, that's all." "That's what you've been saying for the last month" I said with a sigh. "It's just... I don't feel like I belong here. Maybe I should go" he said. "You can't leave!" I turned around. Autumn was standing behind us. I opened my arms which Autumn ran into. I turned back to Gunnar. "She's right. Just give it a chance. Train a dragon, help us out. You can fit in, you just have to try" I said as I looked down at Autumn and smiled. Gunnar sighed, but nodded. "Come on then, let's get you to bed" I said as I carried Autumn back into the cave, leaving Gunnar alone on the ledge.

I opened my eyes as sunlight flooded into the tunnels. I looked into the cave where Kai and Autumn were sleepily feeding their dragons. I couldn't see Gunnar. I expected he was asleep on the ledge, as he had been many times before. I walked outside, but the ledge was empty. Well... almost. Laid on the ground were three necklaces made of leaves tied to woven grass. They looked similar to the bracelets Gunnar had left me and Autumn. "You two might want to see this..." I called towards the cave. I was quickly joined by Autumn and Kai. "He's gone..." Autumn whispered. "Just like that..." Kai said. "Without a trace..." I added. I gently handed out the necklaces. "I wonder where he is" Kai said with a sigh. "Shall we go and look for him?" Autumn asked. "No" I said then I sighed. "This time he chose to leave." After a second, the silence was broken. "But..." Autumn started saying. "No. Listen to me. We are a strong family now. We have our place here, with us and our dragons. Gunnar said it himself, he didn't fit in. We have each other and right now that's all we need" I said gently, but firmly. Eclipse and Melody gathered around us which made Autumn smile. I hugged my brother and my sister tightly. "I'll never lose you two or let anything happen to us" I whispered. I pulled away and was glad to see them both smiling.

"Now come on, we have work to do!" I said with a grin as I referred to rescuing and rehabilitating dragons. "Yes finally!" Kai grinned as he climbed onto Melody's back. "Let's go!" Autumn giggled as she hopped onto Eclipse. They both took off and raced down the torchlit tunnels. I shifted into a black Night Fury. But before following my family, I stopped and looked through the gap at the large ocean beyond it. "Be safe.... father. And maybe one day we'll meet again" I said softly. I shook my head and opened my wings. I leapt off the ledge and dashed down the tunnels. I quickly overtook my brother and sister and raced out of a hole. I flew higher up until I was nearing the fluffy white clouds. I finally slowed down to a gentle glide. Autumn, Eclipse, Melody and Kai caught up with me and glided by my side. Here we stayed, gliding gently through the sky, watching the golden sunrise spreading over the waves. And through the corner of my eye, I thought I caught a glimpse of a boat, maybe it belonged to Gunnar. But for the first time since... forever, I felt safe and truly happy.

The End!