Broken Prophecy: How to Train Your Dragon

THE BROKEN PROPHECY Chapter 2

     'Did those rocks just move?' Hiccup wonders as he stealthily closes the distance between them. His attempt is foiled when he steps on a branch, snapping it loudly. The black dragon he mistook for a pile of rocks, visibly tenses.

     "Go on then, two-legs! End it!" The voice is smooth and warm, but carries with it a deep sadness, the sound of hopeless defeat. "Is this is how you want it?! I can't move, I can't fight! Come and end my life already!"

     "Wait! Did you just talk?" Hiccup edges closer, stopping within an arm's reach of the immobilized dragon. A rope from his snare has entangled wings and legs, pinning them to the beasts sides. A second has wrapped itself tightly around the black dragon's neck and muzzle, preventing it from moving lest causing its own strangulation. With the last wrapped tightly around the dragon's tail, cutting painfully into its tailfin. Even without closer inspection, Hiccup recognizes the immobilized beast as a larger reflection of himself, albeit with a few differences. This dragon has larger ear-fringe, longer sharper claws, and a ridge of triangular spikes starting from the top of its head and stretching all the way down his spine to the base of its tail.

     "A dragon?" The larger creature calls. "I can't believe I was found by another dragon?" The beast's voice holds a note of elation. "Come around, I can't see you." As Hiccup steps around the larger dragon's head, the Night Fury's eyes grow huge. Emerald green eyes shine in surprise before narrowing into feline-like slits, "A Shadewing?" The larger beast surges in surprise, getting choked by the rope wrapped around his neck for his troubles.

     "Shadewing? You mean Night Fury?"

      "I recognize THAT name, the two-legs shout it when they hear my warning shriek. But no! We are Shadewings." The larger dragon tries to shift, making the line around his neck tighten again, earning him another brief choke for his excitement. "I know I am the ONLY Shadewing in the nest. Where are you from? Are there any more?" he manages to gasp out, his voice once more falling into a grim whisper.

     Staring into the jade green eyes, Hiccup sees a familiar echo of desperate loneliness, he sees  within those eyes he sees a lifetime of pain, an ache stemming from being surrounded by others but being an outsider, within the ebon beast he sees himself.  In just one moment they share a glimmer of lost hope, kindled by the sight of another like himself. A pang of guilt tugs at Hiccup's heart. 'I did this!'  He looks at the damage he has caused, and the despair in the other dragons voice. 'But I can make it right'. "Okay, we need to get you free. That rope is tearing at your tail, badly... Hold still, let me try to free that first, so it doesn't get any worse."

     "I trust you, little sister. But please... Are there any more?" The sound of desperation is almost heartbreaking to the young Viking. "I am so tired of being alone..."

     Wait, WHAT?  Hiccup stops short, then shaking his head concentrates on the immediate problem. Carefully selecting one of the smaller ropes, Hiccup leans in tugging it gently with a sharpened claw. Despite the effort, the rope only moves and shifts under the sawing action of his talon. Instead he ponders, then carefully catches the rope in his mouth and cleanly bites through, releasing the tension on the tailfin. The rope wrapped around the dragon's tail is caked with blood, matting the rope into the torn membranes. "Okay... I'm going to leave that wrapped around your tail for the moment. If I rush to remove it, I could do even more damage."

      The larger dragon visibly relaxes, "I understand... Please, my question?" The dragon's voice sounds desperate.

     "I'm sorry, I've never seen another dragon like you before today. Now, hold still." This time Hiccup goes for the rope threatening to choke the larger dragon. His teeth lightly brush against the larger dragon's throat, making him shiver as he feels teeth scraping along smooth scales before catching the taut rope. With a quick snap of his jaws, Hiccup makes short work of that line too. Then another bite and the final rope is cleanly cut free of the dragon's wings. Stepping back, "I think you can move enough to free your legs. Let me see to your tail."