This is a fanfic and I make no money from this. Original copyrights belong to Dreamworks and Cresedia Cowell
Chapter 14
Kari slowly wakes, the darkness of the cave she and Tannlaus moved into is nothing compared to the darkness she finds herself in every waking moment. Her nose snuffles around, finding his scent has gone cold, but fresh fish lies nearby. Eating a few, she realizes he is gathering more fish than she could eat in several meals.
"Kari? Are you awake, youngling?" Gypsum's familiar voice calls into the cave. The older dragon's scent is partially colored by another musky scent.
"I'm up, Gypsum. I'm glad to hear from you. It's been almost two weeks... I was afraid you had forgotten all about us." Kari teases. "Your scent is different... Are you with someone?"
"In a manner of speaking... I'm carrying a clutch of eggs." she says proudly.
"So you DID find a young male to spend some time with."
"I did. He is so clever, and sweet. I may have to keep him." She teases back, making Kari laugh. "Oh! There is a sound I was afraid I would never hear."
"If you are hungry, you can help yourself. Tannlaus is overdoing the whole fishing for the two of us, thing." Kari steps into the entryway of the cave, sunlight warm against her dark scales. Gypsum gasps when she sees the young dragon's milky white eyes.
"Kari? Oh hatchling!"
"It's alright..." Despite the smile on her face, her voice holds a hint of regret. "nothing can be done about it now. Swift has been quite helpful in getting me around the nest. He thinks we might be able to fly together. I just don't have the heart to tell him, I don't know how to fly."
The older dragon chuckles, "I think there may be a solution for that. Nearby, the western edge of the nest overlooks the ocean, and there is a powerful updraft. The dragons here use it to help train the hatchlings."
"Morning Kari!" Tannlaus calls as he lands. "Oh! Good morning to you, as well Gypsum". The larger male butts his head against the short brown Stone-biter. He pauses as he sniffs the older dragon, "Congratulations! I just ran into Azurestorm and she's expecting too."
"Volcus found a mate as well, and I've seen little Swift courting a couple of brightly colored females," she croons back. "Now, we just need to get you two settled." Her yellow eyes grow wide as she sees the pair suddenly act very sheepish. "No!" she gasps. "Yes? When?"
Kari nods silently, looking very uncomfortable suddenly. "Don't tell anyone yet. We... We made up the night after finding about Tannlaus' mother."
Tannlaus chuckles, "It looks like this nest is going to be filled with hatchlings come mid-winter."
"Mid-winter? That soon?" She turns her head towards the sound of her mates voice. Using her nose, she manages to avoid 'staring' into empty space. "Vikings take nine months, before they give birth."
Gypsum laughs, "Dragons only need about six before we lay our eggs, and then only a week or so to wait for them to hatch. I hope they have warm pools or springs around here. I really don't like the idea of getting too close to the old hatching grounds." she says with a tremble in her voice.
Kari lies down, resting her head on her paws. "Pools? Hatching grounds?"
Tannlaus nuzzles her cheek as he settles down beside her. "Dragons are very social during hatching season. For almost two weeks, you will find all sorts of breeds sharing space. The pools and springs are for the hatching eggs."
"Dragon eggs have very thick shells, and the little ones inside are quite warm. Pushing the egg into water when they show the first cracks, cools the shell and makes it brittle, helping the little one break free." Gypsum explains.
"Otherwise," Tannlaus pauses, "The hatchlings have to explode out of their shells. This could be dangerous as the shards of shell could injure other nearby hatchlings, and the little one itself could be launched by the force of the blast and be hurt."
"Your kidding... Dragon eggs explode?" The silence is telling. "The eggs explode..." A look of panic crosses her face, "I'm not sure I want to carry this egg anymore... Tannlaus, I don't want to blow up...." The warm embrace of a larger wing envelops the quickly panicking dragon, helping calm her.
"You won't explode, they only do that when they are ready to hatch. You have many months to look forward to." Her mate tries to reassure her.
A new, feminine voice echoes in from the main entrance, "Oh yes! Aching backs, sore paws, bloating and swelling, watching your belly drag along the ground. Oh, and don't forget the molting... All your pretty scales falling out and dull lackluster ones growing in their place." Azurestorm steps into the den's entryway. She bobs her head, in the friendly dance she uses as a greeting. She stops suddenly when she finds Kari's panic filled face staring blindly through her.
"Don't listen to her, hatchling. This one is always complaining about her scales." Gypsum teases.
With a huff of mock insult, "Well, it takes time to look as good as I do. Letting it all go to ruin because of a couple of eggs, doesn't seem worth it."
"That's not how it sounded when you were making the eggs." Gypsum teases.
Azurestorm dips her head, with an embarrassed glow, "Well... That part is okay I guess."
Kari begins pacing and acting fidgety before she asks, "Is that all it is, just an act?!... Isn't there any emotional attachment?! I mean this is hard enough for me... I was a viking, a male Viking, just last month!" Her tail lashes behind her, nearly striking Tannlaus in the face. "I doubt I'd go back to being human, if I were ever given the chance. But now here I am, a dragon... A female dragon... A pregnant, female dragon. I'm not even a useful dragon." Her voice cracks, "As a human, I was small and weak. USELESS... 'Hiccup the Useless' they would say! Now I'm useless as a dragon. I can't fly, can barely breathe fire, and now I'm blind!!" She lashes out with her tail, making a resounding 'crack' that would make any Thorntail proud. "What good am I?"
The young male bounds forward trying to restrain her by draping his wing over her, "You aren't useless. Never that!"
"No?!" she snaps, "I suppose for you I have a role. That of a broodmare, an egg factory!"
"You are my friend." he says quietly. Even in her disturbed state, the young dragon can hear how much her words hurt him. She stills, letting his wing wrap around her in the dragon form of a hug. "You are my friend, my best friend. You could never be useless to me."
The older Stone-biter nudges the young female, "You aren't useless to anyone. All of us arena dragons owe you a debt... If it weren't for you, Tannlaus here would never have mounted the rescue that freed us." The older dragon looks her adopted daughter over, "Are you better?"
"No... But I am calmer... This has all just been happening too fast. I haven't had a chance to get used to being a new species, let alone a new gender..." She leans into Tannlaus, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Yes you did. You meant to hurt me, but I know you don't truly believe what you said."
"I need to do something... Anything! I've been in here for most of a week, and I'm feeling trapped." Kari explains.
"Mornin'" The cheery voice of Ryder calls from outside the cave. Stepping inside the ever more crowded cave she exclaims, "Ach, I see yur havin' company so I won't be stayin' long". She places her hand on the youngest dragon, "What's goin' on, then? I've not seen ya this tense before."
Tannlaus nudges her gently, and hanging her head a moment, Kari scratches in the dirt, Pregnant.
The excited squeal Ryder emits makes all the dragons cringe in discomfort. With a cough, she clears her throat. "Sorry! I'm just 'cited. The nest hadna' ad any Night Fury babes, in well... Ever." Kari scratches in the dirt. "Scared?" Ryder reads aloud. "Aye... That's perfectly natural. I remember when I was carrying my own wee bairn." She laughs at the open mouthed shock on the young dragon's face. "Oh, aye. I have wee one..." Ryder grows quiet and thoughtful.
Kari once more scratches in the dirt.
"Where?" Ryder gives a deep sigh. "That's a long story... I lived and was happily married in the same place we found you. The island is called Berk. It's small and wet, but it was my home, fer a good many year. After years of tryin', my husband an I finally became pregnant. It wa' nerve wracking. Stoick wouldn'a let me out of his sight. An Gobber... Tha' man became a second shadow. My brother, Spitelout, was a wee bit more calm, but no' by much."
Kari begins to feel light headed. Stoick?! Gobber?! Spitelout?!
Ryder continues, unaware of the young dragon on the verge of hyperventilating. Her own face takes on a wistful gaze, "My lil' one... He came early into the world. So frail, so small. I was afraid he wouldna' make it. But not Stoick. He said he would be the strongest of us all, my little Hiccup."
Kari begins shaking her head in shock and disbelief. "No! No, no no!"
Tannlaus looks at his mate with growing concern. Even Ryder notices the young dragon's reaction. "What is it? What's wrong?" she asks.
With shaking claw, the conflicted dragon scribbles in the dirt.
"Valka..." Ryder's face pales. "Where did ya' hear tha' name?" The dragon scribbles once more. "Hiccup!" Valka staggers back, "Do ya know my son?!"
Kari lashes out, knocking Tannlaus aside, then following her nose bolts for the cave entrance. Slamming shoulder first into Azurestorm and almost trampling Gypsum in her haste to escape. The sun warms her face as she storms from her cave, the near perpetual darkness becomes an all encompassing grey. Turning her head, back and forth, she finds she can't see shapes, or even colors but she can tell some differences in light. Pointing her nose towards the brightest, she runs. The thunder of her breathing fills her ears, blocking out the cries of her friends to stop. Running as hard as her legs will allow, her going gets harder and harder as the ground in front, seems to be all up hill. Without a guide, her paws catch roots and outcroppings, sending her sprawling more than once. Then something fall upon her back, latching hold and refusing to be shaken off in her frenzied bounding, just before the world falls out from below her feet. In the next terrible moment, she realizes she is in freefall.
A voice, quiet and scared, barely heard over the roar of the wind rushing past, cries out. "Kari? Friend Kari!!! Open your wings!!!" The sudden voice filled with fear, snaps her from her daze. Roaring with effort, and the pain of barely used membranes filling with air, she feels her plumet slow then a lurch as she catches an updraft. Her sightless eyes focus on the glare of a distant light, and the warmth on her face. "Friend Kari is FLYING!!!" the shrill but familiar voice cries out. In the distraction, she folds her wings making her drop suddenly making Swift screech in alarm. Re-extending her wings she levels off once more.
"Swift?" Her voice shaky. "Where did you come from?"
"Swift saw Kari running. Jumped on just before the cliff." The little dragon takes his place atop her head, "Flap. Flap your wings." His voice is filled with excitement and fear.
Pumping her wings, it takes a few tries before she learns to keep them in time with each other. Pumping her wings against the air as hard as she can, Kari arches her back and begins a steep climb. Harder and harder she goes, higher and higher. The little dragon on her head squeals in excitement as they break through the clouds. Every inch of her lean body is covered in dew, the sun feels almost hot compared to the chill of the clouds. Swift tugs hard on her fringe sending her into a spin. Corkscrewing through the air, she feels the rush of speed as she slips into a near vertical fall. Tucking her wings and legs close to her body, her spin becomes faster, then with another tug, she straightens out and pulls out of her dive. The crests of waves lap at her belly before she flaps her mighty wings and once more gains altitude. All the while the tiny dragon atop her head screams with excitement. "Swift! This is awesome!" she shouts back. Time loses all meaning to the newly airborne dragon. The rhythmic beating of her wings, in time with her breathing eventually brings to the young Night Fury the ache of fatigue and over use.
"Friend Kari?" Swift takes a moment to ask, as they once more climb through a layer of clouds. "Where are we going?"
The question makes her pause, gliding on the currents she follows the dim but warm glow before her. "I... I don't know, Swift... I guess, just away."
"Why away?"
"I don't know Swift... I'm broken, and useless to everyone, even myself."
"Tannlaus doesn't think you are broken... Swift doesn't think you are useless. Gypsum, Azurestorm and Ryder like you."
The mention of Ryder, makes the larger dragon huff. "Ryder... Valka... Valka Haddock... Wife of Stoick Haddock." Unable to keep the anger from creeping into her voice, "Stoick Haddock is the human that did this to me. Ryder, or Valka, is his mate... and my mother."
The little dragon sounds confused, "You are Ryder's hatchling?"
"Do you know how crazy that sounds?! She's been gone for years, now I find her and she has been here living with dragons for years, like some crazy feral dragon-lady!"
"At least Ryder isn't boring".
The little dragon's sincerity is enough to make her laugh, "No, she isn't boring. What am I going to do, Swift? I need to feel like I make a difference. I need to DO something."
"Kari is flying, that is something."
"Yes Swift, that is something." Kari doesn't have the heart to explain to her companion that wasn't what she meant, when suddenly the little dragon takes a firmer grip of her fringe.
"Kari? Swift is scared. Something's not right."
Before she can ask him what he means, a strange buzzing reaches her ears. The sound reminds her of late autumn nights. Nights filled with the ever present chirp of crickets and insects. "Swift do you see any place to land? It's getting dark and my wings are about to fall off." Her breath sounds heavy and labored to her ears, the tang of copper fills her mouth, and muscles she didn't know she had all scream for rest.
The little dragon is silent for a long time before squeaking, "Sea Stacks and stone pillars are nearby, but too small to land. Fog everywhere, too." Swift's voice barely carries over the grating sound of insects. Even plastering her ears to the back of her head does nothing to lessen the skull-vibrating noise.
'Fog? There shouldn't be fog this far out to sea, should it, and not this early...' Kari wonders to herself. The faintest scent of Sulphur carries on the wind, and a gentle breeze of rotten eggs and warm air blows into her face. 'Warm air, Sulphur, fog, sea stacks...', Kari beats her wings against the rising warm air, her attempt to hover, no matter however successful still lacks all grace and balance. "Swift! I think I know where we are! Helheim's Gate. Is the 'fog' everywhere or just in one place?"
"All Swift sees is water, and fog. But fog is mostly in front of us." The buzzing grows louder, making the Kari shake her great black head.
"Okay, guide us in. Keep a lookout for a place to land." The burning in her wings grows with each flap, the buzzing in her ears begins to drown out her diminutive pilot.
"Come," The sound echoes in her head, so quietly at first she isn't sure if she is imagining it. An image, blurred and distorted like viewing an image through a swiftly flowing river fills Karis mind. A dark winged shape below her, a Shadewing beating its wings with an effort she sympathizes with. "Tannlaus?!" she calls.
"No, child of the night. Come to me. Meet with me. Let my children guide you" The 'voice' is clearer, made from the sounds of insects in her ears and other images in her head. The image of the Shadewing becomes clearer, for a moment. A small wyrmling situated atop the smooth black skull. The image shifts 'looking' elsewhere, it shows a path through the fog, leading deeper and deeper until a high peaked mountain surrounded by smooth black stones loom before her. With an effort of will, Kari manages to land heavily, her feet digging deep gouges in the loose stones. "You did well child... Welcome to my nest."