The Snow Wraith - Chapter 2

The snow breathily covered everything within a square mile of the encampment destroying any evidence of there being a large scale attack on said ground.

No scorch marks, No massive shards of ice, Hell there wasn't even blood, All that was left of the encampment were massive spears holding up shredded Viking Beserker flag that floated easily in the breeze.

"And your sure it was a dragon? Gobber?" A young stoic asked confused by the strange situation they now found themselves in.

"I know what aye' saw stoic, It was MASSIVE easily the biggest dragon aye' ever seen! and it ate them up like dragon kibble" Gobber stated gesturing massively with his hands to show just how big it was.

"Really? and uh...This dragon happened to posses the dexterous hand muscles to shove spears into the ground?" He asked gesturing towards the jutting berserker flags with a scoff.

"Of course not! the berserkers put those up before the battle!" He said waving him off with an annoyed scoff "The dragon consumed the entire encampment and kicked the snow so hard that it caused an avalanche big enough to swallow the entire encampment!" He said gesturing with his hands, Clearly not realizing exactly how crazy he sounded.

"Sure, Just another crazy tale to add onto the list of things you've said over the years" he said rolling his eyes as he stared at the snowy plain with slight distrust knowing that if gobber was lying there could very well be some unwanted guests on the island his father had decided to take over.

"I-I'm serious this time stoic! I saw it with my own two eyes!" He said peeling his eye socket back to show him just how serious he was.

"That's disgusting gobber put that back where it belongs!" He shouted clearly not used to gore and the likes quite yet unlike his future self.

"Hehe, still the squeamish big fella huh?" Gobber said with a grin.

"Whatever! if your so serious about this I suppose we should take a look" He said with annoyed grumble as he slowly unsheathed his sword and began to tread softly towards the wooden spears to check the encampment.

"I'll lead! if you don't mind" He stated struggling to move the already 6'8 and growing man by the shoulder.

"Whatever gobber just don't get us lost!" He grunted out following the other teen quietly.

They began to follow a trail of destruction filled with the bone chilling stench of death, And carnage that slowly began to lead up to a massive summit that easily overlooked the chipped and shredded houses that lined the entire encampment.

"Seems more like a village than an encampment?" Gobber stated quietly overlooking the village as a chill ran up his spine.

Stoic simply grunted and continued walking up the long steps that gradually became a massive statue of what appeared to be a huge dragon with long massive tusks and huge yet small for its frame wings.

"Woah! that's what attacked the encampment! I'm sure of it!" Gobber shouted staring up at the statue with slight shock.

"...They worshiped the dragon" Stoic stated with narrowed eyes, and slight disgust.

"WH-WHO GOES THERE!" A scratchy voice shouted causing both gobber and stoic to point both sword and axe towards the voice as the shimmering and clicking of what sounded like the rattling of a snake echoed in the mountainous peak.

"I-I am stoic! Son of B-Kroger the conqueror!" He shouted holding the sword slightly nervously remembering the tales of women shaped like snakes that consumed men in the throws of combat up in the east.

"Kroger? the conqueror of a thousand men? your his son?...What business do you have here?...As you can see we've already been conquered...Although not by human hands as you can tell" The 'women' grumbled out seemingly angry.

"Rea-reveal your form to us demon!" Stoic shouted slightly shakily.

"What the hell are you on about friend?" Gobber asked flabbergasted by his strange behavior.

"Indeed? What are you on about?" The women asked stepping out from behind the door with a confused look.

"R-reveal your legs as well!" He shouted out beginning to calm down slightly realizing she might not be a monster.

"Ok?" She said still looking confused as she stepped out completely from behind the door.

"Sorry I thought you were a foul monster" Stoic said relaxing as though that were a completely normal assumption.

"Child, What foul dust have you been smoking for you to believe there's such things as monsters?' She asked looking annoyed.

"Daft women! We live in a society where fighting and killing fire breathing dragons is common practice! So don't lecture me on simply being cautious!" He huffed out with an angry look.

*Scoff* "Dragons aren't monsters you ash smoking barbarian they're animals with a special gland hidden in the back of their throat that causes them to release fire...Or ice" She stated smartly while saying the last bit almost quietly near the end.

"Gobber she speaks utter nonsense! What in odins great name is a 'Gland' perhaps it would be best for us to simply put the old women to rest, I'm sure the trauma of losing her entire village is taking its tole on her...Lets send her off with a pyre" He stated almost snarkily with an angry snarl.

"Now, Stoic we didn't come here to kill anybody, We're here to check the village and nothing more?" Gobber said hesitantly trying his best to calm him down.

"You seem like a more reasonable youngster, What's your name? Mine's gothi? now would you mind helping me move some of my stuff out of my former hut?" She said quickly with a disarming smile as though they were already friends.

"Uh...Sure where yah' headed off to?" He asked confused by her sudden shift in attitude.

"Back with you lot' of course!" She said with a smile.

"Women! You can't come back with us! you weren't born in our village?" Stoic shouted heatedly.

"Dumb child, I was there when your great great, grandfather made a settlement on that island you call home! heck I visit every few months, If I do say so myself" She stated pridefully with a scoff.

"Yeah, right you barley look a day over 40 winters!" Stoic said angrily with annoyance.

"Why thank you, If you weren't such a complete and utter brat I'd take that as a compliment!" She shouted dropping her luggage in gobbers two large hands causing him slump forward because of the weight of the luggage.

"You daft old hag! I think I'm about finished talking to you we're done here gobber! Come!" He shouted over his shoulder angrily.

"I-I'm comin' stoic give me a minute to carry all her luggage" He gasped out breathing heavily causing his breath to come out in large puffs of smoke because of the cold air.

"Drop that luggage and lets leave this insane women to her ramblings!" He said now looking extremely pissed off.

"My my, such a strong young man, You wouldn't leave this poor women to carry all her things to the ship now would you" She said rubbing his shoulders with a 'soft' smile staring down at the slouched over teen.

"A'course not! stoic I'll be a minute!" He said with a dopey smile and a 'gentlemanly' bow nearly causing him to fall over under the weight of the luggage.

"Gobber! She's over a 100 winters something old! I highly doubt her forge is as warm as it was 40 winters ago now drop it and let's go!" Stoic said with an annoyed scoff as he began to walk through the village towards the ship.

"I'll have you know youngster I-" She began to ramble angrily as an argument between the two began stirring all the way back to the ship.

...

...

...

4 hours Later

"The fact that you even feel the need to call me a youngster proves to me your simply far to old to even consider fighting!" He said with an angry scoff as he crunched through the snow heavily.

"You think just because your younger that your entitled to some form of respect from me!? Well sorry to burst your bubble young man, But its the other way around you rotund pile o- *GRAAOOAH* a snapping roar cut them both off.

A low hissing forced them to turn their attention to the right as well, Noting the smaller creature that spread it's stubby wings in a threatening display.

"QUICK!" She shouted with speed bellying her age practically shoving the two young men twice her size inside a large pile of snow near the dock.

"What in odins sweet name is that!?" Gobber shouted quickly noticing the large creature cloaked in white scales, That appeared more like armor or some kind of strange flesh-like snow.

"That...Is a snow wraith...Though I have no idea what it's doing so far out of it's home region?" She said quietly shoving him deeper into the snow, in order to hide his thicker body.

"It must have awakened during the destruction, And waited until the other dragon left" He deduced scratching his growing red beard.

"Makes sense, Wait until the bigger guy finishes off all the prey...And then come in for the scraps...Kinda like our relationship aye' stoic?" Gobber noted with a grin shifting the snow around to turn towards his partner.

"...Comparing me to a dragon of all things?...Really gobber?" He asked shaking his head in annoyance.

"Chuckle heads, Keep your eyes on the 13 feet long ice spitting dragon boys" She said thumping them both across the skull with a staff.

"OW!?" Stoic grunted out as a huge roar echoed out once again in bloodlust.

"Welp, Guess he found us...No use hiding anymore?" Gobber stated with a grin easily stepping out of the annoyingly clumpy snow that practically glued his feet to the ground with it's sheer weight.

"...Break left gobber, Take out it's legs with your club, I'll go for it's head" He stated unsheathing his two double-headed axes to kill the beast and it's small child.

"On it!" He shouted quickly rushing forward to take out it's legs.

"Wait! You two, I was going to explain it's weakness, Ju-" She tried explaining but the two vikings completely ignored anything she had to say, Under the deep call of battle that practically forced them to fight it.

"RAAGH!" He shouted sliding across the snow cleaving to the right taking it's right leg, Forcing it to stumble to the left, Where stoic came charging forward planning on cleaving it's head off.

"REAAAAAAAHHK" The smaller dragon suddenly sprinted forward on two shaking stubby legs head-butting the man in the leg, Causing him to miss only inch from dealing the killing blow, Forcing him to hang up high with his axe buried in it's left flank.

"Your hanging on pretty tight there friend? Maybe I should give you two some alone time" Gobber stated with a deep amused laugh, Holding his stomach in deep laughter.

"Enough squabbling gobber! I need your help?!" He shouted hanging onto his axe for dear life, knowing if he let go the dragon would kill him.

"...Just like I needed your help with the old women's baggage?" He asked with a scoff.

"W-what?! I'M SERIOUS GOBBER HELP ME!?" He shouted as the dragon began to snap at his hanging legs in growing rage.

"...Apologize?" He stated firmly crossing his arms.

"YOU'D NEVER EVEN ASKED FOR HELP, YOU MUTTON CHEWING MAN-CHILD!" He screamed out in rage.

He held out an hear mockingly "Oh, I'm sorry was that an apology?...I don't think I heard one?" He said with a grin.

"I'M SORRY! *Snap* I'M SORRY! *Snap* I'M SORRY! *Snap*" He shouted shoving his legs up with each regretful apology.

"...All I needed to hear friend?" He said with a grin rolling his shoulders in preparation for a shout.

"OVER HERE YAH' BIG GRUMP! COME AND GET YUR' PRIME VIKING BEEF RIGHT HERE!" He shouted rushing towards the dock.

As the dragon seemingly noticing him released a deep earth shaking roar as it charged ignoring the Viking hanging off its limb.