[IC] How To Train Your Dragon: Spreading Wings

[AHeartlessNobody]

Ava stayed up in the tree, looking down below worriedly as the voices she heard began to draw closer. And all too soon the woman appeared again through the trees, and following behind her was a man who had to be this Hiccup she had spoken of. Hiccup....that name was so familiar. Why was it though? As she stood there on the branch, suddenly something came to her thoughts. Hiccup. That was the name of the man her father told her had killed her grandfather, Drago. If this was her father's enemy and he had killed her grandfather, then surely he wouldn't hesitate to kill her. That must of been why the woman seemed so shocked to see her there. She must have somehow recognized her as a Bludvist. More worry and fear coming to her face, she pressed against the tree more as another woman came through the trees, followed by two dragons that were very similar to Blizzard.

Castiel made it through the trees after her husband, looking around, signing what she wanted to say with her hands, as she and Hiccup over the years had learned to do with each other, "If she was with Blizzard then it has to be her. Blizzard would never let anyone but her ride him."

Sniffing the air, Aurora stood beside Toothless, the dragoness's sense of smell easily recognizing her son's scent. She looked up and could barely make out above the white underbelly of the dragon. But, the new scent, one that she faintly recognized as Ava's, was not with his, but surely above the ground. She grumbled softly to Toothless and began to sniff, trying to find the scent and very soon, she came to the tree the girl was in, making a small barking sound and when she did, she could barely make out above a young girl who looked very much like a young Hiccup once did. The girl's eyes widened at the dragoness finding her and was immediately searching for some route of escape, though there surely was none. No trees were close enough to jump to, and even if they were, even she knew she was too clumsy to jump from one branch to another.

Soon this had the whole groups attention and Ava drew her dagger, sparks coming off of it after she pressed the button, calling down from where she was, "Y-you all stay away from me!"

[Toothless]

His parents were here. Blizzard did not abandoned his camouflage despite their arrival though the clouds above assured that it happened anyway- shadows casting him back into the visible color spectrum. He grumbled and shifted on the highest branches of a nearby tree, spreading his wings to keep his balance. By this time it seemed his father had encouraged Hiccup to get onto his back.

Then again… He realized that it was actually Hiccup that decided on this course of action. It had been too many years since he had lost gotten to even see his daughter and staring up into the leafless winter canopy it was only clear she’d grown so much from that little girl. All this time he had missed- unable to reach her on the vast seas. He felt like a stranger as she drew the dagger and demanded with a voice quivering with fear that they stay back. It tore him apart again.

He immediately mounted Toothless with a desire to reach his daughter and… apologize. It was really all he could do. He had let her get taken away from them and all these years she’d been somewhere else suffering through who knew what. Words would probably never be enough.

The night fury ascended a nearby tree with several powerful leaps and stood across from the girl on a strong branch. Blizzard knew that he should say something before that dagger found a mark through fear. He transformed and nearly lost his balance, grasping the branch as he slipped off with a small gasp of surprise and then he called out: “Wait!” pulling himself back up onto the trees limb. Hiccup stopped short of getting any closer though he was already crouching of Toothless’ saddle, ready to step across to the girl. “She doesn’t really seem to remember anything of Berk.”

Hiccup frowned and addressed the girl soft and gentle: “Ava.” Full of hurt for what he hadn’t done for her. For how frightened she was now. “Please, you’ve been gone for so long… You’re safe now. You’re home.”

[AHeartlessNobody]

Ava grew very confused as she watched the people below. The woman with golden blonde hair seemed frozen in the shock of seeing her, hands over her mouth and tears trickling down her face. Why was she acting like that? She was, after all, the daughter of their enemy. So, why were all of these people acting as though she were some one they had been longing to see? There were still so many questions that needed to be answered and she wasn't getting many answers at all from the people talking to each other. All they were doing in their words was make it even more confusing and frustrating than it already was. She pressed her back against the tree more as she watched the man mount his dragon, the night fury hopping until he was too close for comfort from the branch Ava was on.

She clutched her dagger tighter, ready to fight for her life as the man crouched on the dragon's back, looking ready to jump over to her, when Blizzard suddenly transformed and spoke, saying she didn't remember Berk. Why would she? She had never been to this place before in her life. She had been stuck in her own village all her life, banned from ever leaving it. But then, how did this man know her name? And, why did all of this; this place, these people all around, and even Blizzard when she first met him, seem so familiar? Like they were all apart of some dream long forgotten?

She looked back to the man, who, now that she looked at him looked so much like an older version of, well, her, her green eyes confused and still slightly scared, her hand clutching her dagger so tightly that her hand hurt, knuckles turning white. She shook her head, "W....why.....I....how....What do you mean I've been gone? I don't understand! You have the wrong person! I've never been here before in my life! I've always lived in Magrion(we'll say thats her home village. you can say Hiccup knows thats where Dragos son lives or not. either way)!" Yet, why was it as she said this she didn't even believe it herself. She had never fit in there, and now, she was starting to under stand why. Because that wasn't her home. This place, Berk, it called out to her more than her village. But the question was, why did it? And why did these people seem to care about her so much? She watched the man, worry in her eyes as she slowly began to lower her dagger, "What do you mean by this is my home?"

[Toothless]

“You were born here.” Hiccup didn’t mind if he had to start from the beginning, it hurt but she was here now and there was time again. He would not allow himself to be angry over where she had been all this time because right now he was just so happy to see her again. Their daughter. This was all that mattered. “On the island of Berk. Freezing and miserable as it may sometimes be…” he joked weakly as he reached across to a closer branch to her. “This IS your home and that woman crying with tears of relief down there, she is your mother and you…, you are our daughter.” He breathed, glad that her could finally say that again.

[AHeartlessNobody]

She was born here? And these were her parents? She looked down to the woman below then to the man who was edging closer slowly, reaching across to another branch that was near the one she was on. They both did seemed very familiar. And she even looked very similar to the man, with just a few features for the woman. Was that why when she had sung that song with Blizzard she had that strange vision. No not vision, memory. Of people dancing and singing that song? It was possible. It could also explain why she had trusted Blizzard so easily. Because while she didn't remember him, she had trust for him implanted by her time here on Berk. Just like how she so did want to trust these people here.

Her worry and fear started to slowly edge away, but she stayed on the cautious side of not sheathing her dagger, though she had it completely lowered with the electric current turned off. She took a shaky breath. This was a lot to take in. She had just found out her whole life was essentially a lie. That she wasn't who she thought she was. And what of her 'father'? And her 'mother'? Einar and Gunilla Bludvist. How had they gotten her? Well, since they were always stating how dragon riders, and more importantly one named Hiccup, who she now was sure was her real father, was their enemies, sh could assume the way they had gotten her wasn't a good one.

Looking at her father, she spoke again, her voice a little shaky, "What happened? How did I end up in another village not even knowing you were my parents?"

[Toothless]

While Hiccup would like nothing more than for her to come down from this tree so they could be together as a family again, he understood that she had questions. After all everything she thought was true had just been turned upside down. This time he got no closer- sitting on the branch and running his fingers through his hair with unspoken distress. Who wanted to recall their failures? He exhaled and started on the story: "There was a raid, no one had saw it coming. A sudden storm had caused a whiteout that day, snow and ice and freezing temperatures that had most of the dragons holed up and those that weren't couldn't safely fly since the winds were so strong." Faint clashes of steel and shouts were the things most defined in his memory. Enemies were appearing from the white- rushing the village that rushed out to fend them off though they did so almost blindly. "No one could see more than a few feet ahead of them. In all the confusion one of them must have gotten to you. We didn't know until later..." Toothless cooed apologetically from the lower branches. "They had disappeared as suddenly as they appeared."

"I had tried to follow." Blizzard called from the nearby tree. "I lost the ship in the storm though." He was a strong flier and could make it through nearly any weather conditions these days but the wind had tore him off their trail back then. He'd lost them just a few miles off the coast. He wasn't the only one to see what had happened but the vikings could not move as quickly. No one was really sure who the culprit was though until now. Maybe they should have expected it but even if these had known more than the island's name, getting anywhere near there would probably be considered an act war. And if Ava hadn't been there it would have just lead to a bunch of deaths without purpose.

[AHeartlessNobody]

Ava frowned in hearing this story, and very soon pieces started to fit themselves together. Her father had always said to her that Hiccup and the dragon riders were the enemies. That she should never trust them and they needed to be killed before they and their dragons were sent to tear them apart. And of course, the story of how Hiccup had killed her 'grandfather' had been told to set that fear of them into her. But, what if that hadn't been the whole truth? What if the Bludvists really had taken her as revenge against Hiccup and had completely turned her against her real family and people? Not that it had worked very well. She had still turned out very different from the rest of her village. She guessed what little time she had spent here on Berk had already planted her dragon rider self inside of her. After all, she had so enjoyed riding Blizzard after the initial fear had worn off. And, while she did fear some dragons, she was open to at least trying to connect to them. That was more then she could say for anyone else in the village she had grown up in.

She looked over at Blizzard when he spoke, saying he had tried to follow them, but she could guess if the storm was as bad as they said it was, there was no way he could have been able to find them, much less do much on his own, "So...they just came and took me? " She paused and nodded, "I.....guess this really explains a lot now....why I was always so.....different. And why my 'mother' hated me so much. And why they never let me leave the village...it was because they took me." She looked back to Hiccup, "They told me you were the enemies. But in reality, they were the enemy this whole time...." She raked her hair out of her face as she took all of this new information in, "The Bludvists were never my family at all. They were my kidnappers."

[Toothless]

Hiccup nodded and looked down to where the nightfury was perched- watching patiently for the conversation to finish. "We should get you inside. You aren't dressed for our winters." He stepped down onto the black dragon and held out a hand to help her onto Toothless' back as well. Already a number of the villagers had gotten sick and he didn't want his daughter to be one of them, just because she had climbed one of these trees where the air was gusty and cold. "I can tell you more once we get you next to a fire and warmed up." He promised.

With things seeming closer to resolved Blizzard transformed back to his other form and dropped down from the branches into a snowy bank. Immediately popping up to shake himself off and approach his mother, rubbing against Aurora before nudging his nose into Castiel with a small sound of greeting. If Astrid was thinking how she had never known Blizzard had a human form too she wasn't saying- in fact she ran off right then to find Stormfly.

[AHeartlessNobody]

Ava looked down at her father as he climbed onto Toothless's back and at first was hesitant to climb onto the dragon with him, though in a moment she nodded and took her father's hand to step down onto the night fury as well before they took off for the village. Aurora purred slightly and cooed in greeting, overjoyed to see her son after he had been gone for a while. After he gave his greeting to she and Castiel, Aurora nudged him in the direction of the village and knelt to allow Castiel on her back so they could all head back to the village and to the house. Inside the village there was quite a bit o staring going on as well as excited whispers from the viking that were out an recognized the similarities between Hiccup and his daughter.

Before stepping int he house, Aurora shook the snow off of her and followed Castiel in before setting own next to her mate, rubbing her head against his and cooing happy that now both families were all together(well minus Charcoal and Dusk, but they visited more often than Blizzard had been lately so she hadn't been as worried about them as she had Blizzard).

Being brought into the village was a slightly scary thought, but she knew she would be fine now so she tried to not worry too much about it. Once inside, it was nice to be in the heat. he hand't been expecting to be faced with cold weather, so of course she hadn't dressed at all for it. The home was nice. It was a very peaceful feeling being here and she over all just loved it. Once the fire was lit, she sat down on the floor beside ad and looked over to her parents, Castiel hugging lightly onto Hiccup's arm, as happy as could be to have her daughter back. There were so many things Ava wanted to ask. To know about this village. About her home. She rubbed the back of her neck, trying to think of something to say or ask first, "Um.....does everyone here have a dragon? And are they all....safe to be around?"

[Toothless]

It’d been awhile since he last saw his parents and Blizzard playfully batted his father on the nose as they sat there just within the circle of the fire‘s light. Sure he disappeared for long stretches of time but Berk was too friendly- hands always trying to gain his approval when he had no desire to be touched by them. His patience level was not the best. Sometimes he was fend up and he had to leave but most of the time he just enjoyed traveling enough that it was the only excuse he needed… and he’d taken it upon himself to search for Ava since no one else dared to stray out as far as he did. He didn’t know if that was his true reason for leaving the island for such long journeys or if it was the joy of finding new places. But it didn’t matter, right?

He was watching the girl now as she sat near the fire and her parents sat close to one another. Hiccup touched Castiel arm to signify that he was getting up and then got to his feet. He took one of the furs off the armchair and carried it over to drape it across Ava’s shoulders before crouching down besides her. “Every villager in Berk has a dragon. Not all of them ride theirs, the elder for example… has a flock of terrors as her pets.” He smiled at her “and I’m pretty sure that Blizzard has waited all this time to be your dragon.”

Blizzard stuck his nose up at this and turned his head away causing Hiccup to laugh and glance over at Castiel with an amused smile because the truth was obvious when they had waited for years for Blizzard to accept a rider- only for him to refuse every one. The only person he ever let ride him was Ava. “But yes. These dragons have been living with us for over a decade. Occasionally one does throw a tantrum but it’s no different than living with your average Vikings. Things get wrecked sometimes.”

[AHeartlessNobody]

Ava tensed slightly when Hiccup moved over to her and then relaxed when she felt the fur being draped over her shoulders and he knelt next to her, answering her question. Every person on Berk had a dragon, though not everyone rode them. Considering how small some dragon breeds were she could see that. At the word that Blizzard had been waiting for her to come back so he could be her dragon, she glanced over at him and huffed in annoyance when he turned his nose up at the statement, "I think I might want a more well behaved dragon. Blizzard doesn't seem to listen or behave very well at all. He's rude. Pushy. And unpleasant to talk to." Though she said this, it was obvious she didn't mean it. She was annoyed with him right now, yes, but these words were just that annoyance picking at him. They were nothing serious, and if she were honest, she kind of already considered him her dragon anyway.

Castiel laughed silently when Blizzard stuck his nose up and Hiccup grinned at her. Seemed Blizzard and Ava were having a rough start, but what viking and their dragon didn't? She moved over to sit on the other side of her daughter with Hiccup. She went to sign tot he girl that she was glad to have her back home, though after she did, she remembered the girl had somehow lost her memory and would no longer remember the sign language she had taught her when she was young. Ava gave her a little bit of a confused look, seemed to recognize some of the signs, but not all, so the piecey language went over her head. When Castiel saw this she just decided to show her what she mean by reaching over and giving the younger girl a hug and gently brushing her brown hair from her face with a smile. At first, Castiel thought that the girl might react badly to this but it seemed she didn't and maybe even enjoyed getting attention from her mother, as she obviously hadn't gotten any attention like that from the Bludvists, that was for sure.

It was still hard for Castiel to believe she was here with them again after so long, and she was so grown. She looked so much like her father. She wondered if her personality would turn out to be anything like her fathers as well one she grew more accustomed to Berk. She smiled at her husband, thinking about how wonderful it was to have their whole family back together.

[Toothless]

Blizzard huffed as to say that he didn’t find her to be all that great himself and stalked off to grab the bag from where Ava had abandoned it upon entering. Leaving as mother embraced daughter.

It really only made sense that Ava would not remember the sign language if most things had been forgotten but maybe it would all come back to her eventually? If not they would have to teach her again. He’d do that a hundred times though if it meant having her back. Smiling softly at the two as Castiel hugged their daughter. He didn’t even know where to start- they had years to catch up on but before he had to think to much about it Blizzard had come back into the room, human and clothed.

Blizzard walked over to sit closer to the fire than his parents because the cold was much more bothersome in this thin hide form. “And to think you were shouting and raving about how much you didn’t want to go anywhere near dragon riders.” And now Ava was huddled together on the floor with her parents looking content and very much alive. Not all a hostage or a corpse as she seemed to think would happen when they landed on Berk. “Which by the way… wasn’t part of that promise I made. Never said a word about keeping you away from them.”

With a small huff he discarded the matter “but that’s water under the bridge now. I would like an apol-” That’s as far as he got, at that moment his father came over and shoved him over, dragging his tongue across his face. “Great spirits!” Blizzard shoved at Toothless’ snout. “That doesn’t come off!” Which really only seemed to encourage the night fury to do it more. “Don’t make me change back old man!”

Toothless spread his wings and roared in his son’s face shaking the windowpanes and making Hiccup laugh. Blizzard had gone an interesting shade of white and satisfied the night fury returned to his mate, licking her muzzle instead.

[AHeartlessNobody]

Ava gave the boy a look that said she by far was not pleased with him bringing up the fact she had been so against coming here, "Well, considering the fact I was told lies about the dragon riders, why would I have wanted to come here?" She had indeed thought she would end up dead if she had come anywhere close to the dragon riders. That was what Einar had told her anyway, "But...now I see they're not bad at all. So, I have no reason to 'rant and rave' anymore." Though, when he started speaking, she knew what he was going to say just before his father knocked him over licking him. He wanted an apology. And he wasn't about to get one. Yes, he had brought her back to her family and she internally thanked him for that. But as far as how he had been acting while bringing her here, she felt she had no reason to apologize.

She jumped slightly, going wide eyed at the night fury's massive roar, shrinking back a little closer to her mother for a moment before she realized the night fury was just doing that to show up or get onto his son. He left the white haired boy pale on the floor for a moment, going over to the female dragon and licking her muzzle, causing the female to purr and make happy clicking sounds, licking him back. Ava smile at these signs of affections between the small dragon family. She could only hope her family could be like that one day.

She laughed slightly at Blizzard's face and grinned at him, speaking jokingly, "Wow, shown up by your father. That's embarrassing."

[Toothless]

“Shut it.” Blizzard growled in recovering from his scare. Rolling himself over to sit upright once more and glare daggers at her. “Let him roar in your face and see how you feel.” From the far end of the room Toothless emitted a gurgling laugh causing Blizzard to flush rather than pale.

“Don’t feel bad. First time I met Toothless he had done that to me and I, well… fainted.” Hiccup offered with a small chuckle. “Then again I also thought he was going to blast me so…” Toothless bounded over right then, nudging his rider repeatedly. “But things had changed a lot since then and now he’s nothing but a big pussy cat.” The dragon took to sniffing at Ava and purring with happiness. “The dragons are apart of Berk, it wouldn’t be home without them.”

“My father is alpha of these dragons so while you’re here none of them will hurt you.” Blizzard assured. “Not that any of them will want to.”

[AHeartlessNobody]

Ava glared back at Blizzard when he told her to shut it. Yeah, that attitude of his was going to get him no where in Ava's book. Yes, she may have been small and weak, but that didn't mean she wasn't stubborn, and being a stubborn viking, she didn't like being told to 'shut it'. She looked over as Toothless laughed and decided to just let it go. She didn't feel like arguing with the hot headed dragon/human anyway. She looked to her father, and was a bit surprised when he said he had fainted when he first met Toothless, "Really? You fainted?" She could never think that looking at him now. He seemed so brave in her view. She could never see him doing something like fainting. But, she supposed he as young once, and might not have been like he is now when he was young.

She giggled lightly when the night fury began to nudge him playfully like a big pussy cat as her father had described him, and she smiled brightly, petting him and scratching behind his ears, "Hehe, I see that. He really is amazing. Nothing like I ever thought a dragon could be." She stated, which was true. If you had asked her jut a few days ago, she would have said dragons were evil beasts that wouldn't hesitant to bit off your hand if you even so much as touched them. Now, through the dragons she had met, she was proven wrong. She smiled as the night fury purred and she continued to scratch him a little ore before Aurora approached as well, seemed to want to inspect the member of the family that had been gone so long, she sniffed at and nudged the girl, finally at one point, just knowing her down to lick the girl just a Toothless had down to Blizzard before bouncing ff to stand beside her rider again, letting out her own dragoness laugh.

Ava sat up and attempted to wipe the dragon spit off of her, laughing quietly, "I take it that means she likes me?"

[AHeartlessNobody]

[Toothless]

“Yes.” Blizzard replied simply.

Given the look his daughter offered in response to his earlier comment Hiccup thought an explanation might be in order. “When I was younger I wasn’t exactly the picture of ‘vikingness’. On the contrary-” He started to say when a new visitor in the house made themselves known.

“He was Hiccup the Useless.” Astrid announced herself shamelessly as she shook the snow from her boots. “He was the scrawniest, most worthless Viking in the whole village. Every time he tried to help someone’s house blew up. He was a disgrace to this entire village.” She said with the faintest ghosting of her old attitude, swinging her axe to rest it against one shoulder. “If the dragons weren’t bad enough!”

“Astrid…” Hiccup mumbled, not wanting it in that much detail.

“But-” She added suddenly “he was the first Viking to ever ride a dragon, to take down a dragon queen, to stop the raids and save our village from this misunderstanding. Dragons were never the evil beasts.”

“That’s not true Astrid. My mother was the first Viking to ride a dragon.” He paused “speaking of which, has she returned with Cloudjumper yet?”

Astrid shook her head “not yet. Hiccup,” she said a little sterner a little quieter but then seemed to reconsider given the current company. Hiccup had gotten up though to step out with her, noting the air of seriousness and they stood out front in the freezing cold to discuss the matters caused by it. “The Scarlin’s youngest has fallen ill. That’s the fifth so far and it seems to be spreading quicker now.”

“I’ll consult the healer, we’ll get this sorted out…”

[AHeartlessNobody]

Ava listened to her father carefully when he said he was once not as viking as he was now. Well, even now he was exactly to the norm of 'viking' but he was still lean and strong. He as going to continue on saying how he was when he was younger when the woman from before stepped in to describe that for him. And honestly the description she used for her father kind of....reminded Ava of herself. Well, minus the destroying houses part. But in the village she grew up in she was always the smallest. Not strong enough to do anything. It was only when she discovered her knack for building inventions at the early age of seven that she found her place, but even then she hadn't been very popular in her village. In fact, she was fairly sure her inventions were the only reason they had put up with her for so long.

But, besides that, she noticed how Hiccup talked about his mother and blinked in surprise. His mother? So, her grandmother? She had a grandmother? A grandmother that rode dragons as well? She straightened in curiosity, but nothing more was said other than the woman hadn't returned yet and her father went outside to talk to to this woman. She sat back down and things were quit for a moment before Ava looked to her mother again, "When I was here before, did I even ride dragon too?"

Castiel smiled and standing up she took one of the notepads from a nearby shelf, writing on it, "Yes, a lot actually. When you were younger your grandmother used to take you on her dragon and when you got to be two years old, Blizzard started letting you ride around on him. You were the only one he let ride him. You two were quite the team."

Ava nodded, "And....where is grandmother now?"

Castiel shrugged her shoulder, "Out flying with dragon Cloudjumper." Then, suddenly deciding maybe she should go outside and see what the problem was the two were discussing, she held up a figure to tell Ava to hold on a moment before going to the door and closing it behind her. When she stepped out and heard Astrid say 'it's spreading quicker now' she immediately knew what the two of them were talking about. When Hiccup said he would consult the healer, Castiel looked at him and signed she would go as well. After all, it was she who went out to gather herbs for the healer most of the time anyway. Surely there might be some plant that could help take this illness away. With that, she went inside and signed for Aurora to stay int he house for now with Blizzard and Ava, and picking up the notepad again, wrote that she and Hiccup would be back very soon. She gave her daughter a hug goodbye before leaving out.

Ava watched as her mother left and it was quiet again for a long moment until she looked over at Blizzard, raising an eyebrow, "So, wouldn't let anyone ride you except me, huh? Why is that?" After all, why would he not let any of the experienced adult dragon riders get on him, yet let a young child ride him? It seemed strange to her. And more so, why wait all these years just to find the same rider he had before when there were so many riders who would want to ride on him here in Berk?

[AHeartlessNobody]

Ava listened to her father carefully when he said he was once not as viking as he was now. Well, even now he was exactly to the norm of 'viking' but he was still lean and strong. He as going to continue on saying how he was when he was younger when the woman from before stepped in to describe that for him. And honestly the description she used for her father kind of....reminded Ava of herself. Well, minus the destroying houses part. But in the village she grew up in she was always the smallest. Not strong enough to do anything. It was only when she discovered her knack for building inventions at the early age of seven that she found her place, but even then she hadn't been very popular in her village. In fact, she was fairly sure her inventions were the only reason they had put up with her for so long.

But, besides that, she noticed how Hiccup talked about his mother and blinked in surprise. His mother? So, her grandmother? She had a grandmother? A grandmother that rode dragons as well? She straightened in curiosity, but nothing more was said other than the woman hadn't returned yet and her father went outside to talk to to this woman. She sat back down and things were quit for a moment before Ava looked to her mother again, "When I was here before, did I even ride dragon too?"

Castiel smiled and standing up she took one of the notepads from a nearby shelf, writing on it, "Yes, a lot actually. When you were younger your grandmother used to take you on her dragon and when you got to be two years old, Blizzard started letting you ride around on him. You were the only one he let ride him. You two were quite the team."

Ava nodded, "And....where is grandmother now?"

Castiel shrugged her shoulder, "Out flying with dragon Cloudjumper." Then, suddenly deciding maybe she should go outside and see what the problem was the two were discussing, she held up a figure to tell Ava to hold on a moment before going to the door and closing it behind her. When she stepped out and heard Astrid say 'it's spreading quicker now' she immediately knew what the two of them were talking about. When Hiccup said he would consult the healer, Castiel looked at him and signed she would go as well. After all, it was she who went out to gather herbs for the healer most of the time anyway. Surely there might be some plant that could help take this illness away. With that, she went inside and signed for Aurora to stay int he house for now with Blizzard and Ava, and picking up the notepad again, wrote that she and Hiccup would be back very soon. She gave her daughter a hug goodbye before leaving out.

Ava watched as her mother left and it was quiet again for a long moment until she looked over at Blizzard, raising an eyebrow, "So, wouldn't let anyone ride you except me, huh? Why is that?" After all, why would he not let any of the experienced adult dragon riders get on him, yet let a young child ride him? It seemed strange to her. And more so, why wait all these years just to find the same rider he had before when there were so many riders who would want to ride on him here in Berk?

[Toothless]

Blizzard knew it’d be brought up from the moment they first spoke of his preference but that didn‘t stop him from becoming defensive the second she asked. “You think I’d let any human mount me like some common mule?” He had certain specifications… qualities he had sought within a rider. Of course, he had no idea what exactly they were but he was a dragon first and foremost and trusted his instincts. He averted his gaze with a small grumble of: “There had to be a connection.”

The healer regarded them after stepping out of her cabin, a few rattling coughs still heard from within. She would not allow them near the patients in fear of it spreading further but with her she did bring out a worn book and show them a page with a small flower inked out on the old parchment “this plant use to grow on a small island to the south of here. This winter may have kept any from maturing to full bloom. Perhaps it would be a good idea if you search there for there is only one other place it is recorded to grow.” The woman did not elborate any further. “If you would be so kind Castiel, as you have been in the past. I would like you to check the island. Perhaps you will find it there.”