I Have a Dragon

Viggo Grimborn - 12

"Careful what you wish for!" ~ Astrid, HTTYD 2

Rayne was fading in and out of consciousness. She didn't know how much time had passed, or whether it was night or day. All she knew that her life was being drained, bit by bit, and she couldn't do anything to stop it. The Dunshau, like a human savoring a meal, never actually took enough blood to kill Rayne. It just got enough to dull it's hunger, then finished up with something else. Apparently, Rayne was a delicacy to be treasured. 

However, delicacy or not, she was dying. Nobody could survive losing that much blood everyday. Red cells didn't reproduce that fast. 

Rayne wasn't thinking that through, though. She was in a world of haze, in which something warm came and laid next to her everyday, but somehow she knew it was not there to help her. 

She didn't know how much time had passed since her capture that something finally roused her slightly. There was shrieking and screaming outside the cave, mingled with sounds of a battle. Somebody seemed to be leaning over her, talking. She just turned her head away. She wished they would leave, let her sleep. She just wanted to die.

The next thing she knew, she was moving. Where was Calico?

She tried to open her eyes, but her body didn't obey. There was a noise like somebody talking underwater, and then nothing.

*~*~*~*~*

When Rayne's eyes opened again, she was feeling slightly better. She was still too weak to move much, but she could look around. She was in a bunk that had an edge, presumably to keep the occupant from rolling out. The room was small, and neat. A man was sleeping on the floor, rolled up in a blanket. 

Rayne studied him, her mind still slightly foggy. He rolled over, muttering something. Suddenly his eyes snapped open, and he looked at Rayne. The astonishment on his face almost made her smile. He pushed aside the blanket and got to his feet. He had a trim beard, and light brown hair.

"So, you finally awake?" His voice sounded like he wanted to smile. Rayne hesitated. Something was missing here.

"Finally?" She vaguely asked, her mind searching for what had happened. The man smiled.

"Yes, a couple days. I'm Viggo. And you are...?"

Rayne remembered what happened, and knew what was missing, at the same moment she realized another fact. "Where's Calico? Am I on a ship? What did you do with my dragon?" A bolt of fear shot through her as her memory flashed vivid images from right before the shipwreck. With rising panic, she tried to sit up. Viggo gently pushed her back.

"Take it easy, lil' Dragonfly. You lost a lot of blood, and you're still recovering. Your dragon, er, Calico? is nearby, also recovering."

"What happened?" Rayne further panicked. "Why am I on a ship! Who are you!"

Viggo pulled up a chair and sat down. He calmly sat there, waiting. Gradually, Rayne's fear subsided enough for her to think logically. Noting this, Viggo began answering her questions.

"I told you who I am. Viggo Grimborn. You got caught by a Dunshau, and my men found you and your dragon. I couldn't live at that island where we found you until you woke up, and I found no evidence of you living there anyway, so we moved on. Naturally, you came with us. Do you have anymore questions?"

Rayne was silent, pondering everything as she remembered. "May I see Calico?"

Viggo frowned. "Unfortunately, no. You aren't allowed out of bed, and I can't bring her into my room. I can assure you she has been recovering well, though."