How to Train Your Dragon: The Next Chapter

[WesteriaVale]

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Valka always seemed as if the ground couldn't hold her. People said it was because of her time with the dragons, and perhaps they were right. She did dance where other people walked. Of course her favorite mode of transportation was flying. Cloudjumper however was at the Dragon Academy with Fishlegs. That too was her destination this morning. She had just finished talking to her son, Hiccup, and was going to be the last to arrive.

The Berk Academy as the school was truly named, predominately trained the children of Berk to befriend and ride dragons. In it's inception it was used to help the entire populace of Berk. Though even with just the children, it barely limited the number of people in the Academy. As it was, they had to separate the students by both age and skill level. Sometime they did mix the younger with the older. Such times were used as teaching lessons for all the students.

Today was one of those days. Of course this group today was made up of outsiders and Native Berkians. Those not truly from Berk. There was a young girl from down south. Yui was shy and quiet but she had greatness in her. Not just from the fact that she claimed to be nobility. Another was Menasa who was left behind by the death of his parents. Though he had found a new home in Berk. The last non-Berkian was Aleesha, a most curious child who thrived in Berk. Though Valka knew that one day she'd leave the island and never return. But it was nothing to be sad about, it was merely the way of things. However Aleesha didn't attend and couldn't be counted among them, yet.

The students from Berk were just as diverse. There was Alexi who somehow got attached to a Skrill. Hila, who was practically a female version of Fishlegs. Of course there were the Twins. The village had moaned when they were born, images of Ruffnut and Tuffnut coursing through their brains. Luckily for Berk they turned out quite different. Then there was Wrakar who finally decided to accept something from Berk. The seven of them would be grouped together today in hopes of letting the children bond with each other, from the youngest to the oldest they needed someone to call 'friend'.

Soon the stadium for the Academy came into view. Valka could hear voices coming from inside. One of those was from Fishlegs, happily chatting about some dragon. The mother of Hiccup smiled. She was sure half of them were faking interest and the other half was openly bored to death from the undoubtedly heard before lesson. Fishlegs did tend to go on and on sometimes.

Valka alighted inside the Academy and looked over the students and their dragons. Her smile grew large and she raised her staff over her head, Cloudjumper wasted no time coming to her side.

"Students." Valka greeted them, looking each in the eye as they looked at her. "Fishlegs."

The other Academy teacher inclined his head. He let her take over this lesson, for indeed this was her area of expertise. Fishlegs truly enjoyed teaching the new students all about the dragons and their habits. He also liked learning about the new dragons, which was why he was here even though he didn't have to be until later.

"Today we're taking our lesson outside." She twirled her staff and Cloudjumper tilted his head before he dipped a shoulder. Valka didn't even look as she sidestepped onto her dragon.

"If you would all follow me." Couldjumper took off without a visible signal from his rider and flew upwards and out of the Academy.

 

[Maddeline]

Aleesha was with her dragon, by the ocean line.
"No just...get! Some! Fishhhhh! Lazyyyyy" she said, gently beating on her dragon's tail.
Cobas grunted. He didn't feel like it.
"I haven't eaten in nearly a day Cobas, come on! You're gonna get fat just sitting there!"

Suddenly, Cobas sprang together with new life and jumped into the ocean and disappeared under the waves. But that was the end of the excitement. This part was boring enough to usually last for an hour or so. She grabbed a stick and rolled it around on the rocks she was still sitting on.
"I have a giant dragon and I can't hunt or anything on my own. The irony." she said, before tossing the stick in front of her, and begining to search for others to stack to hopefully make a fire pit for some food.

 

[GoodEveningClarice]

"Skreeeeeeep."


"Arrow stop."


"Skrrrreeeeeepppppp."


"Arrow seriously, stop,"


"SKRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEPP!"


Alexi jerked around from his place on the floor and punched the Skrill straight in the nose, earning a louder screech than before from the ornery dragon. The young Viking could feel the disapproving looks from the teachers present and hurriedly leaned in close to Arrow, who was thrashing his tail (consequently knocking over or impaling anything in reach) and wrapped his arms around the beast's neck in more of a chokehold fashion than an embrace. He found the dragon's ear slit and leaned in closer still.


"You promised you'd behave today. You swore it on sheep, if I remember correctly. You ate an hour ago, you will not starve to death sitting in the academy and if you get me in trouble I will absolutely deny you anything but flaccid fish for the rest of the week."


The skrill rumbled deep in its throat but stopped its trashing and whining, for the moment, instead deciding to use Alexi's arm as a chew toy. The young Viking said nothing and allowed the gnawing, glad the thick fur he wore prevented most penetration…most.


Fishlegs' wealth of knowledge was evident to the young man, but his style was absolutely dreadful in terms of entertainment. Honestly, he could have just read the text book if he wanted such a droning line of information. He scribbled on his notepad with his free hand, illustrating a detailed picture of a bloated Arrow trying to eat another sheep despite his bulging belly.


"Ouch!"


Arrow grunted in satisfaction, having chewed through yet another fur to add a scrape to Alexi's ever growing collection of superficial injuries. The dragon did remove its mouth, leaving a sopping wet spot on Alexi's garment and several clumps of fur in the skrill's teeth. Alexi leaned back on the beast's belly and attempted to follow the lecture one more. Arrow looked around lazily, noting the strange collection of other dragons in the room with a bored expression. He loved picking fights, but the idea of fish for a week did not sound entirely pleasing.


Just as the lecture was becoming nearly doze worthy, Valka burst into the room like a winter wind, a smile on her wind chapped face and a liveliness to her step that Alexi both envied and admired. He related to the woman on some degree just as he did with her son. Neither of them had especially good social skills, like himself, but proved themselves through action and skill, something Alexi desired for himself as well.


Valka's instructions put a wry smile on Alexi's face and earned a ' skreep' of joy from the Skrill, who began butting his head impatiently against the boy's legs while he shed out of his furs to reveal his riding armor underneath. He swung a leg over Arrow's neck without hesitation, the two burst from the room with a jolt of speed after Valka, eager to leave the lecture behind. Something told Alexi that this next activity would involve some sort of bonding between the riders (yuck) but he supposed anything was better than a lecture.

 

[Shadicmaster]

With crisp, cool air to welcome him to the world of the waking, Menasa let his dull brown eyes be opened to take in his surroundings. Of course, the boy had told Gardesh and Celida, his foster parents, where he was going many days ago, when he had left the house. He was holding true to the traditions of his home land, participating in what little sections of the rite of passage that he could. Traditions here on Berk were very different than his home, his home that bore no name, as his people didnt even know that they were amiss a world filled with other land masses with people to fit them. When a child came to the appropriate age to own a dragon, they would be taken out into the wilderness on the back of a Feather-Hide, their mount and their ensured safety. While deep in the wilderness for a week's time, the child must survive of his own abilities, and find a dragon to take as their own, though if they fail to tame a dragon, they would be shown mercy and given the Feather-Hide that had taken them out to their tests. A sigh escaped the boy's lips as he thought back upon the world he had lost and the one he was thrust into, how he tirelessly tried to merge the two. It couldn't be done, no matter how hard he tried, but at least he had the determination to keep on trying, at least for his own Sanity.

Pushing himself up on his hands so he could sit, the boy, tanned from the sun and from his native appearances, let his mind clear enough to comprehend what all had happened the night before. He caught three fish, one for himself, and two for his dragon, he moved for at least four hours east and two north. He nodded slightly, confirming with a small map of the island he had packed with him, marking about where he was. Then what? Rain, yes, it was quite the storm last night, and that ended him up here in the forest, sleeping in a tree. Now that he thought of it, he was still pretty wet from the night of rainfall. At least he knew where to find a spare pair of clothes.

Shaking out his hands slightly, he jumped down from the tree and gave off a small sort of bird call, a call, not of this land, but of one many many days across the ocean. Within a mere matter of moments, a dragon was beside him, having made no noise through the brush. It's thick, midnight blue scales glimmered with small hints of water, and the feathers that protruded from sensitive areas such as just under the wings and along its back legs were damp, but the water hadnt penetrated the oily coating on them. Menasa was glad he had the sense to use the fish oils to coat the dragon's scales before they took cover. With a faint smile, he lightly stroked the great beast's head and dug into a pack that was resting on the side of the dragon's saddle, containing a very plain set of sheep-skin clothing, a small amount of wool being sewn to the inside for warmth. He changed into the clothes that he had made of his own devices and checked his mount's saddle, doing it all in the silence of the dawn before finally sitting atop the dragon that shifted slightly to adjust to his weight.
"Are you ready to go home, Khozo..?" The boy spoke softly, as if nothing more than the wind brushing past the leaves of a tree. A faint huff from the dragon was all the reply he got, but it was enough, he lightly tapping the dragon's neck and setting off at a slow sort of trot before bursting into the air as soon as they were clear of the thicker trees.

It took very little time for the pair to come back over the lovely village that had become their home in the loss of their old one. Flying over gave a faint downward tug to Menasa's smile, however, as every time he flew over the city like this, he was fed the memories of only four years prior, the horrible death his parents had to suffer, only a small ways off of the shore. He shook his head, knowing now wasnt the time for childish longings, and came down to the place in which he would be training with others who were bonded to dragons, just as he was to Khozo. While in the large open space of the old arena, Menasa did nothing but sit atop his dragon, picking bits of debris out of the dragon's feathers, and plucking any that were becoming too loose so as to hurt his dragon, gathering the feathers up and holding them as he combed his fingers through his hair and pulled two small strips of cloth from his saddle bag, braiding his hair into two braids and tying them with two feathers at the end of each braid, the activity taking his mind off of the pointless ramblings of their instructor. Only a short while afterwards, a sound that wasnt Fishlegs passed over his ears, a voice that was more light, feminine, and full of tones seeming adventure. Valka. It didnt take much time to recognize her talking at all. The woman reminded him of his mother really, he viewing her as such, much more so than his foster mother. She had a bond to the dragons that even he envied, and, without a second thought, he was up in the sky once more with her and his fellow trainees, constantly aware of his world around him, and yet, all at once, letting it just fade away as he flew, trusting his life to his dragon, just as he thought it should always be.

 

[Maddeline]

After about thirty minutes, Cobas returned from the water, shark in mouth. He dropped it, and tilted his head curiously. In front of his rider was a tall stack of wood and sticks.
"I made the fire pit for once Cobas! But I figured the fire was your speciality" she said, moving backwards.
Cobas snorted and released a gout of purple flames that incinerated the wood she had stacked up.
"Place for food and a place to sleep. Thanks"
Cobas grunted and curled around the fire, starting to sleep as Aleesha began carving some food from the shark...she hadn't eaten in a day or so, and her hunger was killing her. She had to fill her belly fast.

 

[Raven]

"Malchior let's go will be late!" Machior grunted at Hilia. "I know you don't want to but we have to so come on. I'll fly you longer today and we can hunt and go to your favorite places how about that?" That got Machior's attention he finally began to let Hilia on his back for the short trip to the Dragon Academy. Hilia hoped on his back and said, "I'm good let's go." He took off and next thing Hilia knew they were at the Academy. "Good boy. You did great Machior now let's go to the spot we were told to meet. Do you remember?" As if to answer Machior put out his tail for Hilia to grab and she did then he took her to were he noticed the other dragons and their trainers. "Thanks. So I wonder what I should do now? Hu... Machior." He just nodded and sat down waiting for what Hilia would do next. 'Man I wonder what I should do. I recognize some of the others but I don't necessarily know them. Maybe they'll come over here. I can just stay with the dragons until Fishlegs or someone calls us together right.' She glanced back at Machior who just seemed to watch her carefully. "I guess I'll stay with you. Hows that sound?" Machior lifted his head approvingly because he wasn't big on letting Hilia go to far without him unless he was told which he knew meant he had to. "Good then it's settled."

 

[WesteriaVale]

The wind in Valka's hair was bliss. Under her feet she could feel Cloudjumper's powerful muscles bear her into the sky. Her smile grew wider even as she lost herself in that moment. No matter how many times she flew she always remembered the first. Then the moment was over and she watched her students take to the sky. She laughed at the joy of the moment, not at the students. The first to narrow the gap was young Alexi and his dragon. Menasa followed more sedately. Last was Hilia.

The teacher cast a look around and spotted a dragon and a person on a cliff, one of the many cliffs. Rather curious, but not enough to stop the lesson Valka waved at Fishlegs and directed him to the individual. She saw him wave back and climb on Meatlug. Satisfied she directed her own students to keep following her until she had Cloudjumper alight on one of the many stone pillars rising out of the ocean.

"Today." Valka pronounced as everyone gathered. "We are going to practice evasive maneuvers. You three will be trying to lose me." Valka practically danced as she said this. Cloudjumper just made a throaty growl. "If I touch you, you are out and have to return to the academy. Once all three of you are out you'll practice as a group. Are you ready?" She asked raising her staff in a gesture that said: Go.

Meanwhile Fishlegs had gone faithfully off in the direction Valka had pointed out. At first the man had been uncertain as to what she wanted, but it quickly came apparent.

"Do you see that girl? Someone's camping on the cliff." Fishlegs said to Meatlug as they neared the site. "Hello there!" He shouted once he was within earshot.

 

[Raven]

Once Hilia had followed Valka and the other two students pass the narrow gap. Hilia did as Valka said and followed her over to Cloudjumper who was over at one of the many pillars which Hilia saw coming into view. Once they were at Cloudjumper Valka had began to tell them what exercise they would do. Hilia thought 'So it's like tag but with our dragons? Okay got it. Man why tag I've always hated tag. I hope Machoir doesn't.' She looked at Machoir and said "Do you like the sound of tag? There is one difference though we have to maneuver away from her." Hilia pointed at Valka. "She's the tagger. And obviously we'll be in the air. Okay so how does that sound?" Machior answered her by waving his tail back and forth as though he was really excited and ready. She smiled and got back on him. Once Valka asked ready she just nodded. Once Hilia noticed her motion Go she and Machior took off.

 

[Nue]

~Wrakar & Starfall~

Wrakar was bored out of his mind.
He stared intently at a stone knife he made, balancing the tip of it upon his index finger as he waited. "Man these classes are boring...Especially since they haven't started!" He looked up at Starfall, who was lying down, and freezing blades of grass with his nostrils. The dragon bat him an eye and went on to it's tasking. The sky was a beautiful, clear blue and the air was nice, crisp, and fresh.
Berk seemed to be in a lively mood, as it always is, with young kids frolicking about and even some older folk joining them. other older folk were busy laughing and talking. and there are a few smiths that can be seen hard at work. A few dragons can also be seen flying about. Starfall paid no attention to them, he just lied there, so lazily it made Wrakar chuckle. "How can something as great as you be so lazy?" The dragon snorted again as a reply. He smiles back and goes back to starring at the sky again.
Eventually some people showed up, with dragons, so it must obviously be the dragon tamers. He sluggishly got himself up to introduce them.
he looked at one of the older women first and stuck out his hand "Hello, my name is Wrakar, pleased to meet...who?"

 

[Shadicmaster]

Whisps of fog danged above the cresting waves of the sea, Menasa following the motion of the waves with his eyes until his gaze brought him to the cliffs, beautiful and lush, teaming with life. His expression remained stoic as in his mind's eye, he replayed the events of his parent's death, remembering how the sea swallowed all that was left of his family. Khozo growled and tensed up slightly as the boy was now gripping to the dragon's feathers a little too tightly, the tension and slight rumble of the beast beneath him alerting him to his misstep. Menasa quickly released his hold on his dragon and sat up a little more straight, bringing his hands down a bit lower to grasp the edge of the saddle he had made for his Feather-Hide. Khozo stopped growling and loosened up a bit, but brought his head up a bit to take a sidelong look at his rider, making a sort of huffing noise before going back to flying after their instructor, landing smothly upon a large stone pillar, it being made of a great ammasing of stones that had been worn away in such a way that they fit together, and with the weight of dragons landing atop it many times afore, it was securely wedged in its place, as if it were human made.

Menasa and Khozo listened intently as Valka explained the scope of their exersize for the day, they both shifting slightly in anticipation, sharing one mind and understanding without a need for words. The world slowed down around them in the seconds before Valka gave the go ahead, each crack and jingle of the bells and stones in her staff sounding loudly and clearly until the duo was released like the raging torrent of waters when a dam compromized. They had turned in only a moment's span of time, leaping off of the pillar and Khozo using an extra, strong downbeat of his wings to carry him and Menasa to the next pillar, moving along like this four more times before backflipping off a pillar and falling towards the dark waters. The boy gripped tightly to his mount's saddle, shutting his eyes, they pulling up and away from the water just close enough to where Khozo's claws could skim against the surface, they quickly manuvering, just barely above the water, weaving between the pillars in hopes that they would gain an advantage over Valka and her much larger dragon.