11. Bored Again and Unwelcome Guest

Since the winter was coming to an end, I was left wondering how to get to Berg. After all this training and playing around with Caniyo, Devyn and Gylfi, my stamina and flying skills were greatly improved.

My endurance now allows me barely over ten minutes of high speed flight with constant pressure on my wings. This however, doesn't mean that I increased my capacity ten times. In truth, it was more like seven times as quite a bit of my improvement came from better flying technique.

I still kept the base form of flight, inspired by planes or jets as this felt most intuitive to me, but I polished it around the edges and adopted some tricks from Skrills, they helped mostly with navigating storms, but were largely universal in their application.

I knew from Tyrfähl that this would likely happen, but I was dying of boredom right now.

About a week ago, he came to us and said that in a few days Caniyo and the rest will be needed for storm wall maintenance, because it got really rainy this spring and they need to send more Skrills to the Gronckle sanctuary to bring back or disperse all the clouds that were gathering there.

Thus, I've been trying and failing to entertain myself for the past two days. Right now I was sitting on top of a cliff, watching the gate as it swirled around. 'Maybe it's just how it was supposed to be. After all, I did say I wanted to tour the archipelago and look for Berg.'

'It would be nice to find Toothless, before he gets himself killed or Hiccup does. This way, I don't have to fly around so much to look for Night Furies to-... ... ... The hell was I thinking just now?! W-what even was that?! When? Where? I'm not that desperate. I mean, this never was the case, even before...'

I was now well and truly panicking. This was a very not like me thought, at least I didn't want to believe it was. 'There has to be a reason! Think, think Zoya. What can it be? It's unlikely to be, just because I know we are likely the last Night Furies there are since I never felt that way before that and I thought about looking for Toothless before...'

'There were moments where my new instincts made me do weird things, but they never affected my thoughts this openly. The only thing that I know of and don't know how it works is...' My tail subconsciously touched my belly, my eyes following the touch.

'I mean, it's not like I was moody or anything lately and Caniyo was pretty adamant that this is universal for basically all dragons. She wasn't this sure even about the first egg being faulty...' As I was thinking, my tail started to rub my belly. 'Maybe... it's something like me subconsciously knowing and wanting a partner, I read that some animals actually do that, if they are to territorial to live together normally...'

'I think, there is no need to panic just yet, but looking out for it might be wis-' I stopped what I was thinking as I saw someone flying through the storm wall. What caught my attention was the fact that they clearly flew into the wall and were now lost in it and fighting to stay in the air.

Curious, I decided to go and check what was going on. The storm wall was still dangerous and flying through it was not something I would risk, but if it was just to take a peek, my flying skills after this winter were more than enough.

Even from all the way out here, I could see it was a Deadly Nadder, but what shocked me was that there was actually someone riding it. 'I should probably chase it away or just get rid of the rider... Why do I feel like my moral compass got reconfigured to treat dragons like I did humans and humans like I did animals?'

Regardless of my thoughts, I flew over just to see the Deadly Nadder crash into a local downburst that took the rider off of them and flung the already disoriented dragon outside the wall. "...-strid!"

"Huh?" I was about to leave when I registered the sound that likely came from the silly dragon that tried to fly through the wall just now. 'Did I hear that right?'

Still curious about the intruder and still thinking about finding Toothless, I dove down into the sea and dragged the now unconscious human. 'I probably need to get her off this island soon. Skrills may accept draconic guests, but they are quite hostile to human ones.'

I looked at the limp lump of flesh that was Astrid, hanging from my paws. 'I can't believe that's how I met the first character from the movies... Hiccup is one lucky sparrow. The films did her no justice... Not like I can truly appreciate that, my aesthetics have long been that of a dragon, or Night Fury to be exact.'

I dragged her to the pit over which I still sleep and tossed her into the alcove that Skyshot used, gently of course. I was about to leave for the main mountain to tell the Skrills about her when I noticed her shivering. "I should probably keep her warm, seeing how drenched she is."

I walked over and used my plasma like a propane torch and heated the rocks around her with it. After they were hot enough to work as proper heaters I left for the mountain.

I landed on the platform and called out. Not long after a sound of beating wings reached me and I saw Tyrfähl landing next to me. "As always, it is nice to see you, Zoya. I do hope however, that you are aware of the lack of time that our sanctuary is currently experiencing."

I smiled, seeing it was actually Tyrfähl that answered. "I will not keep you here for long. A Deadly Nadder with a rider tried entering the island just now, but failed and the rider fell into the water. The dragon in question expressed quite a bit of distress over the loss of her human companion, so I decided to help her."

Seeing Tyrfähl's expression change, I continued quickly. "Since I was planning to leave shortly anyway, I fished her out of the sea. Since you don't want humans on your island I wanted to discuss it with you first. I will take her off this island shortly, but it would be better to have her awake and dry when I do so."

"Yes, I checked for the smell of dragon blood on her and nothing came up." I added, when he frowned. We stayed like this for a while and I was about to buckle under his gaze when he sighed and said. "You may keep her here for a day or two, Zoya, but no more than that."

"Thank-" But he cut me off. "She is not to leave your side for a moment and she can't travel the island. Can you promise me that?" I nodded frantically, a little scared of his different demeanour. "Yes! Yes, of course. Thank you."

He looked me in the eyes for a few more moments and finally relaxed as a smile crept onto his face. "You are such a good child to want to help humans even after all that happened."

That's when it hit me. 'I didn't think of that! How am I going to explain that?!' "Well, she didn't smell anything like them and the dragon that brought her here seamed genuinely scared for her."

I tried explaining myself, but he just laughed at my attempts like a caring grandfather. "Do not worry, Zoya. For I am not belittling your decision. On the contrary, it is refreshing to see such innocence in your eyes, even after everything you went through."

We got to know eachother a little when I was here so it was quite embarrassing to be called innocent by him. "Now, it would be proper for you to go and watch over this human. You are still responsible for all of her actions here." I nodded and left, not forgetting to thank him once again.