Book 6 - Mystery of Shadow Mountain - Chapter 5: Home, Sweet Home

Chapter 5

Home, Sweet Home

         Annabeth climbed up the boulder and gently slid down it.  The Skrill still has not noticed us.

         Cazi made sure to inform, but in a whisper, “Annabeth.  Be sure that when you get his attention, be assertive.  But don’t s-p-o-o-k him.  A spooked Skrill is the last thing we need.  Just walk up to him like he is Electic and you should be fine.”

         “Key word, ‘Should,’” added Dawn.

         “I’m fine,” Annabeth assured.

         Cazi gave one last piece of advice, “And don’t get blasted.”

         Annabeth chuckled, “Thanks.  That is probably the best pointer you gave.”

         “Because who wants to talk like Snotlout,” Cazi paused and then shivered at the thought of when Snotlout talked like after being shocked in the head with the lightning blast.

         Annabeth crept her way along until she came within arm’s reach of the dragon.  She then spoke softly and enough to be heard, “Hey, big guy…”  Annabeth paused for a split second and then corrected, “Oh wait, big girl, sorry.”

         The Skrill had been looking menacingly at the Changewing for the past several minutes; the Skrill whirled its head to see where the voice came from.

         “Hey now,” Annabeth calmly said.  “Take it easy.  I’m not here to hurt you.  What’s your beef with the Changewing?”

         The Skrill looked a bit confused yet at the same time looked like it could strike either the Changewing or Annabeth any moment.  I took another glance at the Changewing and recognized it.

         I thought knowing for sure one thing, “I do know that guy.”

         “Annabeth,” I stated monotone so as to not distract the Skrill’s gaze on Annabeth.  “That Changewing is Fira’s.”

         Dawn said under her breath, “That’s important cause-.”

         I continued, “The Changewing is blind.  Not doubting its abilities, but it could not withstand a direct attack, especially by a Skrill.”

         Annabeth worked her away to now be in between the Skrill and the Changewing; both about twenty yards apart.  She looked at the Skrill and then looked at the Changewing a couple of times.

         “To be honest,” Annabeth stated.  “I don’t think the Skrill is mad at the Changewing.  The Skrill’s gaze is not on the Changewing, but something further away.  I can’t tell and I have my hands full.”

         While grabbing for my eyepiece, I quipped, “Your hands don’t have anything in them.  It is not like you are standing in front of an angry Skrill or anything.  If you were, this would be totally different.”

         I could see Annabeth roll her eyes as I brought the eyepiece up to my left eye to look out in the bushes further to the right.  I did not see anything other than the Changewing starting to move further away and not be a factor.

         “I know it is not the Changewing,” Annabeth plainly said.  “The Skrill has her left leg caught in a dragon trap.”

         It did not take a detective to know what we all instantly felt.

         “Be careful, Annabeth,” I said concerned.

         Annabeth acknowledged, “I will be.”

         Steadily, Annabeth walked up to the Skrill.  She is slightly hunched over in a stance ready to duck or roll out of the way if something happened.  Not until now did I notice the Skrill is breathing very heavy.  It must have struggled to just break the trap with brute strength and now is worn out; almost to the point of giving up, yet without a fight.

         “I’m not here to hurt you,” Annabeth said and then stood up straight, held out her right hand, and stared down the Skrill.

         We all wait in angst for something to happen.  It is so still you can hear ocean’s waves and the Skrill’s breathing.

         The Skrill looks like it thinks Annabeth is going to do something, regardless if it is to it or not.  Annabeth stood her ground.  Annabeth waits for the Skrill to make the call.  I also stand waiting to protect, but I also stand back in faith.  Faith in both Annabeth’s ability and faith in how dragons truly are.

         What feels like ten minutes is only a fraction of that time, the Skrill finally made a decision…

         The Skrill rested its snout on Annabeth’s hand!

         Annabeth did not flinch at all, which could have spooked the dragon.  The Skrill suddenly went limp and knocked Annabeth over.

         I started to say, “Annabeth-!”

         “I’m alright,” she replied holding her left hand up to stay back.  “I believe our new friend finally let go of the anger, at least for the time being.  Poor thing, it looks exhausted.”

         Annabeth began to rub the Skrill’s head and neck.  The dragon closed her eyes and continued her purr.  Annabeth then worked her away around to the left side of the dragon, out of our sight, and began to work.

         Cazi questions, “What kind of trap is it?”

         Annabeth answers, “It is a launched chained bola which wrapped around the leg.  The reason the dragon could not just fly away is because the bola is anchored nearby on a large stake in the ground.  Also, the rocks on the chain bola are wrapped so tightly around the leg that they are basically locked in place.”

         “Could you pry them off?” suggested Dawn.

         “Possibly,” Annabeth said.  “But to use any known weapon to that of a dragon, might be unwise.  Could maybe start a spark with some Zippleback gas and blow them off the leg.”

         Dawn interjected, “Don’t know if that would be any better than just prying them off.

         Annabeth continued, “Jarl?  Do you have some gas?”

         I took my right hand, made a fist, and used the top of it to tap my chest, “A little bit, a little bit.”

         “Oh, yak ribs,” Annabeth sighed.  “You know what I mean.”

         I chuckled, “Yes, I do.”

         Annabeth stood up to see me.  I tossed her a Zipple-Bomb from my belt.  Catching it, she then went to work.  We still cannot see her as she works, but I would assume she would somehow lodge the bomb inside the bola chain between it and the Skrill’s leg.  Then she would set the bomb off, stand back, and...

         Boom!  A small explosion occurred on the other side of the dragon.  This for sure spooked the Skrill and caused it to pounce on Annabeth, pinning her to the ground with its paws and claws around her.

         “Annabeth!” I yelled.

         But as we took a first step to jump to the rescue, the Skrill right then looked at her left leg.

         Cazi exclaims, “She notices she is free.”

         Flexing her leg, the Skrill moves its claws a little before setting it back down.  The Skrill backs off of Annabeth and stares at her.  This time, the dragon looks night and day different than before.  The Skrill looks quite pleased.  Yet, the Skrill reached its snout down to Annabeth, nudging its nose into Annabeth, and then tossing Annabeth up and over its head; Annabeth landed on its neck.

         Annabeth exclaimed, “Hey look, I’m riding a Skrill!”

         Cazi folded her arms, “You’re not the first.”

         We walk over to be greeted by a snarl by the Skrill.

         “It’s okay, Ultra Violet,” Annabeth said, reaching down with her right hand to pat the Skrill’s neck.  “They’re friends.”

         With Annabeth’s calming voice and pat, Ultra Violet downgraded to a wary look in her eyes.

         Asvord asks, “You already named it?’      

         “It is not every day you get to stare down a Skrill and still stay in one piece,” Annabeth quipped.  “When you dare not move for several minutes, several things run through your mind.  I had the time, so I thought of a name to keep me calm.”

         “Good thinking,” I said.

         “Hey,” Annabeth spoke like she thought of something.  “Now that I can ride the Skrill, what do you guys think about me going back for help?”

         The girls nodded as Asvord added, “I wouldn’t see why not, sounds like a great idea.”

         “We’d only get rescued one day early,” I pointed out.  “But, I want to sleep in my own bed again,” I then put my hands behind my back to stretch it.  “I don’t think my achin’ back could take anymore.”

         Asvord retorted, “Oh, you, big wimp.”

         I smiled, “At least I know your sarcasm is still working properly.”

         “Who said I was being sarcastic?” Asvord asked like that was not what she meant.  “Joking maybe, but being sarcastic?  Have I ever stooped that low?”

         Annabeth then replied from atop Ultra Violet, in the air, “To now know what it is like to have a brother, yes, I am sure you have.”

         Asvord nods and agrees, “Fair point.”

         “See you all in a little while,” declared Annabeth as she flew off with her newly trained friend.

         The girls walked back first as I stayed behind for a minute.

         Dawn responds with her own sarcasm, “Had I known there was going to be the prize of training your own Skrill at the end, I would have set a few more traps or tried to slow you guys down.”

         I could hear Cazi reply, “Traps?  This isn’t Dragon Racing.”

         “But it’s still racing-,” Dawn’s voice became too far out of ear shot for me to hear anything further.

         I just wanted to study the bola apparatus a bit more and noticed a Dragon Hunter symbol on the stake.  As I did, I hear a noise behind me and whirl around.

         “Good to know you have hearing,” came Fira.  “Maybe you aren’t so useless after all.”

         Standing up and folding my arms, “Who said I was useless?”

         “Now, now,” Fira held up her arms.  “I did not come to pick, I came to apologize.”

         “Apologize?” I echoed.

         “Yes,” Fira answered.  “I wrote you guys off too soon.  Seeing your friend train that dragon, something I have been trying to do with the Changewing, that was amazing.  I heard rumors of a Dragon Conqueror training dragons.  I just never had much success with it.”

         I added, “Amazing things can happen when you have faith and believe in the right things.”

         “There might be a place where both of us can work together, find common ground,” Fira stated.

         “That would be welcome,” I said.

         Fira waves her hand and walks away, “See you around soon, Jarl.”

         “What makes you think we’ll see each other again soon?” I ask, though already knowing the answer.

         “I just do,” Fira replied.  “I am a woman after all.”

         “And a viking at that,” I added.

         Fira nodded in acknowledgement and walked away.

         Actually, coming out and saying someone -is- a viking is always a big statement.  A true viking is someone to be trusted, revered, or have faith in.

         Ran back to catch up with the girls.  A few minutes afterwards, we arrived back at camp.  The obvious question was asked that of where Annabeth is.  We gave them the simple answer, though they are still shocked about how she went about going to the trouble of training a Skrill to go for help.  Relaying this information caused everyone to become excited to get off this rock.

         Mother had breakfast nearly ready and we all ate freshly roasted Brown Trout.  After breakfast and for the next few hours, we spent it all just biding our time until Annabeth’s return.

         Taking only four hours for her to return with all of our dragons, plus Kesu, Cullan, Tory, and Thoreous, came.  The other two “minding the store” at Mystery while we are gone are Faith and Repteil.

         We all mounted our dragons to start our trip back to Mystery.  Before we went out of sight of the island we were shipwrecked on, I looked back to watch the island become smaller behind us.  I want to think of something to say, but I moved on and stayed focused on getting back to our Edge of Mystery.

         Just three and a half hours later, we are back at Mystery.

         Cazi took in a deep breath, “Ah, home, sweet home.”

         “A home,” Dawn added.  “That won’t try to kill you.”

         Annabeth took a deep breath as well, “Depends on what day you come on Mystery.”

         A few of us chuckled as we unpacked what belongings we had with us away in our rooms.

         It is getting late in the evening and everyone is worn out and ready for an early turn in for the night… Everyone except Annabeth and I.

         After another great supper from my mother, grilled salmon, fried apples, and fresh salad, everyone else went to their rooms to just collapse on their beds.  Mother and Father would stay overnight as well as the six that were watching our island while we were gone.

         I suggested to Annabeth for us to get our dragons and go out for a sunset ride.  Annabeth readily agreed.  We raced to get our dragons… Annabeth won…, we saddled our dragons with their normal saddles, and then flew off westward.

         As we are flying, I asked Annabeth, “Follow my lead?”

         “Sure,” she smiled.

         “Try to keep up,” I said as I sped Fredrick up a bit.

         Annabeth caught up to me and she mirrored on Anora any maneuver I made Fredrick do.  As I banked right, she would do the same.  Bank left, straight ahead, loop, and into a straight climb.  The climb caught her off balance a bit, but transitioned it nicely into a climb opposite of me.  We are both facing each other but climbing straight up at the same time.  After going several couple thousand or so feet in the air, I gave Annabeth a look and made my dragon rolled back over to start a loop.  Instead of fully completing a loop, Annabeth starts a wide circle in a looping fashion.  I did an opposite curve to the loop and we gradually crisscrossed each other as we glided down to sea level.

         We are not going anywhere in particular, but I pointed to a nearby sea stack to set down.  Looking at Annabeth, she agreed.

         Landing and dismounting, I quickly go around to the left side of Anora to help Annabeth off her dragon.  Offering both hands, Annabeth grabs them and jumps off her dragon.

         Anora shoots me a look as if to say, “I see what you are trying to do, but that wasn’t necessary.”

         I wanted to say, “Yeah, well, it was the courteous thing to do.  Those are usually the extra little things that normally don’t need to do, but for the special someone, you do them anyway.”

         As I proceed with Annabeth, Fredrick and Anora proceed play with each other in the background.

         With my right arm around Annabeth’s waist, her left around mine, we walk to the center of the sea stack.  It is a fairly large sea stack with a large flat top.  I grab Annabeth for a hug and we start slowly dancing to nothing in particular.  I forget how “Nothing in Particular” goes, but I did my own variation of it.

         Annabeth’s head on my left shoulder and my head gently resting on the right side of her head.  Half hugging, half dancing, we go in slow circles while waiting for the sun to get closer to the horizon.  As I notice the orange glow off of Annabeth’s dark purple hair, we both look up to a beautiful sunset.  Shades of red, orange, pink, and blues with hints of purple and yellows, we sit on the edge of a step like rock structure near the side of the sea stack.

         With her head leaning on my right shoulder and my head learning on hers, adjacent arms wrapped around the other, we sit and look out across the ocean to watch the reflection of the sunlight and up in the sky with the refraction of the colors from the sun in the clouds.  Time is ambiguous at this point.

         Just as the sun peaks its final rays over the horizon and dips below it, Annabeth softly says, “I love you, Jarl.”

         “I love you too, Annabeth,” I answer back.

         I then turn my head to Annabeth.  She looks at me.  I kiss her.

         Within a few minutes, I feel Annabeth’s left arm slip a bit around me.  Turning my head to look at her…

         Annabeth is asleep.

         All I could do is smile.

         Then it dawned on me, “How is she going to get back to her hut?”

         As I finished that thought, another one came.  It is an idea.

         I already have my right arm around her side under arms, so all I do is kneel, face Annabeth, and put my left arm under her knees.  I check to make sure when I stand up I will not teeter and lose my balance.  Picking up Annabeth, I make sure I have a good grip and stance.

         “You thought I was asleep,” Annabeth said with her eyes closed.

         “Even if you weren’t,” I responded walking over to Fredrick.  “You are pretty close to it right now.”

         Annabeth smiled, “Maybe I fake it so you would pick me up.”

         Walking that short distance and stand next to my dragon, while holding Annabeth, the strain in my arms is real.

         With slight struggle, I manage to say, “Totally my plan.”

         Within a few seconds, I problem solve my idea I have.  I sit Annabeth down on Fredrick’s saddle, from the right side, with Annabeth leaning on me and then I mount Fredrick myself.

         Something I barely if ever notice what I do, I take the safety straps from my belt and hook them in place.  They are long enough, so I stretch them out so Annabeth, while leaning on my left shoulder with her head and both arms wrapped around me, is secured fairly good.  Now I can start the gradual trip back to Mystery.

         Before I lift off with my Thunderdrum, I give Anora the hand signal to lift off as well and follow me.  I do not push the pace, but nudge Fredrick enough so as to where he has to do the least number of pumps with his wings.  This allows for the smoothest ride.

         The small trip back to Mystery took about twenty minutes or more.  Right after the start, Annabeth for sure went to sleep.  I did not realize how far we had come.  Then again, at the pace I am going, just barely past fast enough to stay in the air, any seemingly short distance would take relatively longer at the slower pace.

         Once near Mystery, I flew directly towards Annabeth’s hut.  I dismount my dragon with care so as not to wake up Annabeth, pick her up again, and walk to her hut.  Opening the door even while carrying Annabeth, I start to walk in.  I quickly corrected for the fact I nearly bumped her head on the side of the door frame.  I caught it in time and went in sideways instead of front ways.  Going to her bed, I gently let Annabeth lay down on her bed.  I slowly pulled my arms away to accomplish this.  Just before I leave, I give Annabeth a soft kiss on the forehead.

         As I leave her hunt, I whisper, “Goodnight, my love.”

The censor allows spooked but not s-p-o-o-k ?  Spooked is just the past tense of the word.  I can only shake my head.