I Have a Dragon

The Village - 5

New! I'm gonna try to put a quote from HTTYD in every chapter. It could be from anywhere, movies or any of the TV/Netflix series. Keep a lookout! Comment where you find it ;) I won't make it easy. Hint for the 1st one: it is from Riders of Berk

The only noise to touch Rayne's ears was wind, whispering as it parted to allow a smallish, tri-colored dragon through. The dragon was relaxed, eyes drooping as she gave minimum attention to staying in the air. Her red-brown haired rider was half asleep on her back, lulled by the warm sun that appeared in intermittent bursts according to the clouds. She was laid back, one hand over her eyes, the other resting on her dragon. Below them, the ocean slid by in endless waves. Calico flapped every now and then, but other than that, it was just peaceful silence.

Until a desperate shriek broke it.

Calico jumped, her wings catapulting her upward. Rayne instinctively snatched for a handhold, managing to grab the thick rope around Calico's neck. They ascended until Calico deemed it safe, then stopped. Looking down, neither saw the source of the cry. They hovered there on high alert. Both flinched when the same wail echoed across the ocean.

Suspicious, but extremely curious, the two dropped down a little ways away. Calico abruptly cooed, seeing something Rayne couldn't. She began going down in slow circles, at the same time taking them closer to the source of the noise. Then Rayne saw it.

A small ship, idly floating where the current willed. The mast was snapped and lay across the deck in a tangle of sheets and ropes. Seated on top of the cabin was a person. Once again, they raised their voice in a mournful cry. Rayne touched Calico's shoulder.

"Let's go down." She encouraged. Calico argued for a moment, then relented. They dropped down until they were even with the level of the ship, but a safe distance from it. Calico spread her wings completely and began slowly gliding circles around the wounded craft. Rayne knew when they were spotted; the cries stopped. Moving in closer, she could see that the person was turning circles to keep watching them. After a few minutes of cautious waiting and looking, Rayne decided it was safe. Calico disagreed. However, Rayne won, and Calico shifted her course to carry them to the front of the ship. Her wings fluttered gently in the wind as she glided to a soft landing on the bow. She perched on the decorative front, examining the person before her. In slow, deliberate motion, she hopped down from her post. She wasn't scared. The only person she had met was Rayne, who treated her well. She had no reason to assume anyone else would be different, but she was wary of anything new.

Rayne slid off. This was the first person she'd seen since the shipwreck, four months ago. It was a slender, young woman. She looked to be in her early twenties. Her waist-length hair rippled in a golden cascade, and her long, pale green dress was too fancy to belong on a drifting ship.

"Hey." She ventured carefully.

The woman's eyes widened. Rayne patiently waited for a moment. The woman pointed soundlessly at Calico with a shaking hand. Rayne half turned. Calico was on her right side, in her blind spot. The dragon was yawning at the moment, portraying a mouthful of very sharp teeth. Rayne elbowed her. Calico's mouth snapped shut. Her pupils rounded and she apologetically dropped her head. Rayne turned back to the woman.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Y-you have a dragon?" The lady stuttered. Rayne faintly smiled. Five months ago, she hadn't known what a dragon was. She wasn't too surprised by this stranger's actions. She scratched behind Calico's ears, and she started purring.

"Yes, and she won't hurt you one bit. Er... do you need help? What are you doing.." She vaguely gestured around, "..here?"

The lady got a sad look. "We were sailing, and another ship overtook us. My husband forced me below deck to hide. There were sounds like fighting. When I finally got the courage to come back up, there were only three people. After that, there was a storm, and two washed overboard trying to batten down the ship. The last one took the dory and left in the night, taking all the supplies."