Ravens soar over new frontiers

〰〰〰𖠳 〰〰〰

𝔽ℝ𝕀𝔻𝔸 trekked back through the dense forest toward the secluded cove where she had encountered the Night Fury before. Her steps were cautious, her senses alert for any sign of movement or sound. As she approached the edge of the clearing, she peered over her shield, scanning the area for any glimpse of the elusive dragon. Upon spotting no immediate threat, she tossed a fish onto the ground, hoping to lure the creature out. As she advanced further into the cove, her shield became wedged between two rocks. She attempted to retrieve it, but it stubbornly refused to budge, leaving her momentarily frustrated. Eyeing the fish in her hand, she continued onward, unaware that the Night Fury was silently observing her from atop a nearby rock.

As Frida moved deeper into the cove, the dragon lowered itself from its vantage point, its presence catching her by surprise. Gasping, she held out the fish tentatively, cautiously watching the dragon's reaction. However, upon noticing her knife, the dragon tensed up defensively, growling in warning. Sensing the danger, Frida slowly withdrew the knife, dropping it to the ground and kicking it away.

With the threat seemingly neutralized, the Night Fury relaxed slightly, its gaze fixated on Frida as she extended the fish once more. Gradually, the dragon approached, opening its mouth to accept the offering. As it consumed the fish with surprising swiftness, Frida couldn't help but comment, "Toothless, I could have sworn you had..." Her words trailed off abruptly as the dragon's teeth suddenly became visible, snatching the fish before her eyes "...teeth."

After devouring the fish, the Night Fury turned its attention back to Frida, its gaze lingering on her expectantly. Feeling a bit awkward, Frida held the tail of the fish uncertainly, unsure of the dragon's intentions. However, as the dragon made a gurgling sound and regurgitated the trout's tail onto her lap, Frida's expression twisted in disgust. She glanced up at the dragon, who sat back and regarded her intently. Realization dawned on Frida as she understood what the creature wanted. With a resigned sigh, she offered the tail to the Night Fury, meeting its gaze for an awkward moment before the dragon motioned to the tail and to her making her understand on what to do.

Frida's initial disgust was palpable as she reluctantly brought the fish tail to her mouth, fighting the urge to gag as she took a tentative bite. Holding it in her mouth, she forced a smile through the revulsion, her eyes betraying her discomfort. She extended the tail to return it to the dragon, but her gesture was interrupted by the creature's swallowing motion, leaving her wide-eyed and defeated.

With a resigned sigh, Frida complied, swallowing the fish tail whole, her body shivering in disgust as she fought the urge to vomit. She forced herself to keep it down, mustering a smile as she looked at the dragon. It returned her gaze momentarily before attempting to mimic her smile, a sight that left Frida in disbelief. As she reached out to touch the dragon, it growled warningly, causing her to retract her hand. The creature then took off to the other side of the lake, blowing fire onto the ground to create a warm nest for itself. Its attention was momentarily diverted by the sound of a bird, prompting it to fly away in pursuit.

Left alone by the lake, Frida sat in front of the dragon, a small smile playing on her lips. However, the creature returned, clearly annoyed by her presence. It moved its tail to cover its face, signaling its desire for solitude and sleep. Undeterred, Frida attempted to approach and touch its tail, but the dragon lifted its tail, giving her a stern look. Startled, Frida rose to her feet and walked away, leaving the dragon to seek out a new place to rest. As it moved off, Frida cast one last glance back, a mixture of curiosity evident in her expression.

As the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the landscape, the Night Fury dangled gracefully from a tree branch, its sleek form silhouetted against the fading light. Its keen eyes caught sight of Frida perched on a nearby rock, absorbed in her task of drawing in the sand with a stick.

Frida's attention was suddenly drawn to the Night Fury as it silently approached, settling down next to her to observe her drawing. The dragon's head followed the movement of the stick with a curious intensity, a low purr emanating from its throat as it watched Frida's depiction of itself take shape in the sand.

After a moment, the dragon rose and sauntered away, snapping a branch in its wake. Frida observed as the dragon began to create intricate swirls in the dirt, its movements deliberate and purposeful. As the dragon surveyed its work with a satisfied purr, Frida rose from her spot on the rock, cautiously stepping forward to get a closer look.

Her foot hovered over one of the lines etched into the ground, and she hesitated as the dragon emitted a low growl, warning her not to disturb its creation. Startled, Frida lifted her foot, holding it in the air until the dragon's expression softened. After doing so a few times, with a tentative smile, Frida carefully placed her foot back down, ensuring that it did not land on any of the lines drawn by the dragon. Each step she took was measured and deliberate, her movements mirroring the careful precision of the dragon's artwork. As she navigated her way through the maze of lines, Frida couldn't help but feel a sense of connection with the enigmatic creature beside her. With each step, she found herself growing closer to the Night Fury, forging a silent bond through their shared understanding and mutual respect. As Frida reached the end of the maze of lines, she sensed a presence behind her, a warm breath tickling the hairs on the back of her neck. Slowly, she turned around, her eyes widening in astonishment as she found herself face to face with the Night Fury. The dragon towered over her, its gaze intense and piercing.

Tentatively, Frida extended her hand towards the dragon, her fingers trembling slightly with apprehension. However, before she could make contact, the dragon emitted a low growl, a warning to keep her distance. Startled, Frida quickly withdrew her hand, her heart pounding in her chest.

For a moment, there was a tense silence between them, Frida avoiding the dragon's gaze as she wrestled with her fear and uncertainty. Yet, despite the initial growl, she found herself reaching out.

Summoning her courage once more, Frida reached out her hand again, this time with a steadier resolve and not facing the creature. To her surprise, the dragon remained still, watching her with a curious expression. As her hand drew closer, the dragon's eyes widened in wonder, its breath hitching with anticipation.

With bated breath, Frida finally made contact with the dragon's snout, her fingertips brushing against its rough scales. The dragon closed its eyes in response, a soft rumble emanating from deep within its chest. It leaned into her touch, pressing its nose gently against her hand in a gesture of trust. Feeling a surge of emotion welling up inside her, Frida turned to face the dragon fully, meeting its gaze with a mixture of awe and wonder. In that fleeting moment, a silent understanding passed between them, bridging the gap between human and dragon.

However, the moment was interrupted as the dragon suddenly drew back, its eyes widening in alarm before it let out a sudden sneeze. With a powerful beat of its wings, the NightFury took to side of the lake leaving Frida standing alone, her hand still outstretched in wonder at the brief but profound connection they had shared.

↟↟

As darkness settled over Berk, the group gathered in the tower, illuminated by the warm glow of torchlight. Gobber regaled them with a tale of his encounters with dragons, his voice animated as he recounted the loss of his limb. "And with one twist, he took my hand and swallowed it whole! I saw the look on his face... I was delicious. He must have passed the word, because it wasn't a month before another one of them took my leg."

The group listened in rapt attention, their expressions a mixture of awe and horror, hanging on every word of Gobber's story. But while their eyes were fixed on the storyteller, Frida's gaze remained distant, her attention focused on the stick she held, absentmindedly poking at the fish cooking over the fire. Fishlegs, ever the thinker, interjected with a ponderous question, "Isn't it weird to think your hand was inside a dragon? Like if your mind was still in control of it, you could have killed the dragon from inside by crushing his heart."

Astor shot him a bemused look, Tuffnut rolled his eyes in boredom, and Snotlout, always one for dramatics, declared his intent for vengeance. "I swear, I'm so angry. I'll avenge your beautiful hand and your beautiful foot. I'll chop off the legs of every dragon I fight, with my face."

Gobber, unfazed by the dramatics, continued to dismantle the cooked chicken, imparting his wisdom. "It's the wings and the tails you really want. If it can't fly, it can't get away. A downed dragon is a dead dragon." Amidst the chatter and banter, Frida's thoughts seemed to wander elsewhere. As Gobber bid them goodnight and headed off to bed, mentioning their upcoming encounter with the Monstrous Nightmare, the excitement in the group grew palpable. But as they eagerly discussed who might win the honor of slaying the beast, Astor noticed Frida's absence.

Turning his gaze towards the stairs, he spotted her descending quietly. Concerned, he watched her for a moment before rejoining the group, where Tuffnut was busy claiming his tattoo was a birthmark, prompting a playful retort from Ruffnut.

As Frida stepped into her workshop, the air was thick with the scent of metal and the sound of hammering echoed off the walls. With purposeful strides, she made her way to her workbench, where her notebook lay open to the detailed sketch of the Night Fury, its missing wing on the tail stark against the page. With a determined expression, Frida picked up her tools and set to work. The coals in the forge glowed a fiery red as she stoked the flames, heating the metal until it glowed with a molten brilliance. With careful precision, she hammered and molded the metal, shaping it into the intricate components needed to construct the wing with cloth.

Nails clinked and clattered as she fastened the pieces together, each strike of the hammer bringing her closer to her goal. The workshop was alive with the rhythmic sound of her work, the steady beat of metal against metal a testament to her skill and determination.

As hours passed, Frida's focus remained unwavering. She poured her heart and soul into the project, every stroke of the hammer a labor of love for the dragon she had come to admire. Finally, as hours went by, Frida stepped back to admire her handiwork.

Before her lay the completed wing, crafted with care and precision. It gleamed in the soft light of the forge, a testament to her craftsmanship and dedication. With a satisfied smile, Frida knew that she had accomplished something truly remarkable.

↟↟

As the first light of morning broke over the horizon, Frida returned to the spot where she had last encountered Toothless. With a basket full of fish slung over her arm and the handmade wing clutched in her hand, she called out, "Hey, Toothless." Approaching the dragon cautiously, she placed the basket on the ground before him. "I brought breakfast. I hope... I hope you're hungry," she said softly, a hint of nervousness in her voice. Carefully, she lowered the basket, revealing the assortment of fish inside. "Okay, that's disgusting," Frida remarked as Toothless sniffed at the eel.

"We've got some salmon, some nice Icelandic cod... and a whole smoked eel," she continued, her tone hopeful. But as Toothless growled at the eel, Frida quickly tossed it away, admitting, "Yeah, I don't really like eel much, either."

With Toothless finally focused on the other fish, Frida moved closer, intending to attach the handmade wing to his tail. However, Toothless seemed wary, shifting away from her each time she approached. Undeterred, Frida gently held his tail down and began securing the wing in place. Toothless tensed momentarily as Frida worked, but soon relaxed as he felt the wing being fastened securely. Slowly, he opened his wings, testing their newfound addition. Meanwhile, Frida marveled at her handiwork, murmuring under her breath, "Okay. That's not too bad. It works."

Suddenly, Toothless took off into the sky, catching Frida off guard. Clinging desperately to his tail, she cried out, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" But as they approached a wall, she realized the wing was indeed working. With a mixture of panic and exhilaration, Frida cheered as Toothless soared through the air.

However, her triumph was short-lived as Toothless abruptly flung her off his tail, sending her tumbling into the water below. As she surfaced, sputtering and laughing, she watched Toothless splash down beside her.

"Yeah!" Frida exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across her face as she celebrated their brief but exhilarating flight.

〰〰〰𖠳 〰〰〰

By: SilverMist707

Please leave a vote and comment