Flying over the ocean, Rocky lays in the large cage, next to the egg. While Raincutter carries the cage, with Niether and Leafwisp flying beside the cage. The sky is slowly turning orange, as the sun starts to come up.
Rocky rolls onto his side as he sighs and looks to Neither.
"Are we there yet?"
Niether lets out an annoyed sound. "Almost! Can you stop asking every five minutes!"
"Hey! You're not the one stuck inside a cage with a hot as the sun egg!"
"For a human, he sure does complain a lot." Leafwisp points out.
"Have you meet other humans?" Raincutter questions.
"Well, my brother did territories this one Viking, it was quiet funny. Had a weird name, snot-something. I had lots of fun watching."
"You are one weird dragon..." Neither points out.
"Says the near extinct dragon."
"Whatever..."
Soon Wyre island comes in sight and Rocky sighs in relief. Once they arrive, Raincutter sets the cage down, and Rocky quickly jumps out. He falls face first onto the sand and lets out a sigh.
"Oh, that's so much cooler." Rocky chuckles as he rubs the sand. "Never thought I'd be happy to see sand."
Leafwisp and Niether land beside the human, and Niether lowers his head to him. Niether's head then gets pushed away by Rocky as he pushes himself up.
He slowly stands up and leans against his dragon, then he looks to the egg in the cage.
"Well, what should we do with it?"
"Hmmm, we should talk to Grandma Drips about it." Niether points out.
Several thumps sound off to the side, making the two look over to see Snips, Spine and Mulic land nearby. They all walk over and quickly look to the massive egg in the cage.
"That's... a big egg." Snips points out.
"What kind of dragon could even give birth to this" Spine questions. "It's like, half my size."
"This is an odd egg." Mulic mutters as he slinks around the cage. "This was at the auction?"
Neither rumbles as he nods. "Yeah, but we just don't know what type of dragon it is."
"We should take it to that old lady."
Niether glances at Rocky and he just puts his hands up.
"That egg burned my hands, I ain't touching it."
Niether rolls his eye as he uses his tail to nudge the egg to the edge if the cave. It's warmth almost burns him, but luckily his scales are strong. Then once its at the edge of the cage, he grabs the egg with his paws.
Niether then pulls out the egg, and then spreads his wings and takes to the sky. Rocky climbs onto Mulic's back, much to the dragons annoyance. The group flies over to the Gronckle area of the island, and land in front of Grandma Drips resting spot.
She opens her eyes and chitters as she sits up, and stretches. She lets out a loud yawn, and turns to the group.
"How can I help you all this morning?"
Niether rumbles and sets the egg down in front of Grandma Drips. "We uh, liberated this egg from some Hunters."
Grandma Drips narrows her eyes as she looks over the egg, before growing concerned. "Hunters had this?"
"Yup." Niether nods as Rocky slides off Mulic and walks over to Niether.
"That's very concerning."
"Do you know the species of dragon this comes from?" Mulic questions with a rumble.
Grandma Drips hums for a moment. "An old species, I've never met its kinda. But my mother told me stories, and rumors."
"Does it have a name?" Leafwisp slinks over.
"Not a traditional name, but the humans called them Red Deaths."
Rocky and Niether's eyes widen and glance at each other. And have the same thought.
'Oh crap/Oh crap!'
"So, uh... what should we do with it?" Rocky nervously chuckles.
Grandma Drips glances over to him and Niether. "Well, we put it in a volcano."
"A Volcano/A volcano?" Rocky and Niether questions.
"Since this egg has been move from its original home, it won't hatch." Grandma Drips walks up to the egg and looks it over. "Only the heat of a volcano will let the egg hatch."
"Uh, are we sure that's a good idea." Rocky speaks up after Niether translates for him. "I heard these dragons are very aggressive and mean."
"It's not for us to decide the fate of the egg, only nature can do that." Grandma Drips starts flying and grabs the egg. She hovers in the air and looks to Neither and Rocky. "I ask that you two follow me."
"What about the rest of us?" Spine questions.
"Keep an eye out, those humans will most likely be angry after loosing this." Grandma Drips starts flying off. "We'll be back in a couple days."
Niether lets out a questioning roar as he looks to Rocky, who just shrugs. Niether then lowers himself to the ground, and Rocky climbs on. The dragon then takes off after the Gronckle.
Niether catches up to Grandma Drips in the blink of an eye. They fly beside her as she carries the large egg with no trouble.
"Where are we taking the egg?" Rocky calls out.
"You said volcano, there's no volcano near by." Niether points out.
"We're going to Magma Island." Grandma Drips informs with a chortle. "It's a hidden volcanic island, it's empty but the volcano is still active. So It should serve its purpose for this."
"So, we're just gonna drop the egg into the volcano and hope for the best."
"That is all we can do." Grandma Drips says as the group leaves the Dragon Isles territory. "Then she must survive on her own, build her own nest. For we must not interfere with the process, as its the way of her species."
"So, we're just gonna leave the massive dragon, that has gotten thousands of dragons and humans killed... alone?" Rocky questions with a raised brow.
"Is there something wrong with that?" Grandma Drips glances at the human.
"Just... seems dangerous. What if Hunters get the egg back?" Rocky asks after Niether translates.
"No Hunter will be able to set foot on this island, that's why its perfect for it." Grandma Drips looks down to the egg. "She might be one of the last of her species as well. If I can prevent an extinction of a species, I'll gladly do whatever I must, no mater the race."
"That's pretty noble of you." Niether points out.
Grandma Drips lets out a low rumble. "I have seen a few dragons go extinct in my life time, I'd rather not see another.
The group flies in silence for a few hours. Rocky lays on Niether's back as he draws in his journal. Before letting out a sigh and shutting it. He glances over to Grandma Drips.
"Hey, Grandma Drips. How old are you exactly?"
Grandma Drips chitters as she thinks for a moment. "Well, when I was young, Vikings weren't in the Archipelago. These waters were ruled by dragons, not humans."
"If I remember correctly, that was well over 400 years ago." Niether points out.
"Then I must be a very old dragon." Grandma Drips chuckles.
After while the group stopped at a small island for some lunch. The Egg is resting next to Grandma Drips as she chomps down on some rocks. Niehter is off to the side eating some fish, while Rocky is cooking a pair of fish.
Rocky looks up to the afternoon sky, and gets lost in thought. 'Stopping another plot of Sigewulf. The gold from that auction could've funded more ships, more Hunters.'
Rocky smirks to himself as he looks down at the blue and purple fire.
'Won't be long till your operation is sinking into the ground, Sigewulf.'
A few minutes later, Rocky is eating his fish next to Grandma Drips as she resting. Niether rumbles as he shakes himself and walks over. The purple dragons lays down next to the human and stretches out.
"So..." Rocky turns to Grandma Drips. "What was the Archipelago like before humans?"
Grandma Drips yawns as he stretches a little. "It was a bit more peaceful, but there were a lot more fights amongst dragons."
"Why was that?" Rocky leans against Niether.
"Not as many islands now as there were back then. And, there were nearly three times as many dragons. More dragons means less resources available. Everyone was fighting for space and food."
"That makes sense, many dragons prefer to live alone or in small packs." Niether points out. "Which would mean they would take up an entire island themselves."
Grandma Drips nods. "But when the humans came, many dragons... didn't survive. So resources weren't as scarce any more. But land was still as scarce, since the Vikings took quiet a few islands."
"But now you all sorta live together." Rocky munches on his fish.
Grandma Drips nods. "Yes, its taken many many years for dragons to start tolerating each other. But its now its for survival, a dragon who doesn't adapt, doesn't survive."
Rocky munches on his roasted fish. "Must be hard being a dragon."
"Must be hard being a human." Grandma Drips retorts.
"Eh, fair point."
After Rocky finishes eating, the dragons take back to the sky with the egg. Rocky draws in his journal and Grandma Drips looks over.
"What do you do in that little thing?" Grandma Drips questions.
Niether translates for Rocky, and he stops doodling, and looks over to the old dragon. "Mainly drawings of dragons, little doodles of the islands we come across. And sometimes I write down my thoughts."
"Humans are strange." Grandma Drips mutters.
Rocky rolls his eye as he shuts his journal, and puts it in his satchel. He then lays back on his dragon and sighs.
"How much further is this island." Rocky calls out.
"We still have some hours ahead." Grandma Drips informs.
Rocky lets out a whine after Niether translates. His dragon them rumbles as he glances back at him.
"You're not the one flying." Niether points out.
Rocky sits up as he crosses his arms. "Yeah, but don't forget this isn't a comfortable saddle."
Niether rolls his eye as he rumbles.
A few hours pass as the sun sets on the horizon. Rocky is laying forward on Niether's back as his arms hang limp off the sides. He hums a simple tune as he stares down at the empty ocean.
He sees a few water dragons move along the surface, before disappearing under the surface. He lets out a sigh as he sits up and cracks his back. He then stretches out his arms, and lets out a moan.
He then scratches his chest and looks up to the evening sky. Suddenly Grandma Drips lets out a chitter.
"There it is."
Rocky peers over Niether, and the two lets out a gasp. In the distance they see a massive active volcano. Lava pours and pours from the top of the volcano, covering the entire massive island.
"Woah/Woah." They both mutter.
The group reaches the island and they circle around it.
"I can see why Hunters could never set foot on the island." Rocky starts.
"It's covered in lava." Niether finishes.
The two dragons stop and hover high above the active volcano.
"This volcano has been active for a very long time." Grandma Drips informs. "Ever since the Eruptodon that used to live here, died. And it never gave birth to a successor."
"Why?" Neither glances at the old dragon.
"When I was young, this was a place was one of the first Viking settlements. And for some reason or another, they didn't kill the Eruptodon, they revered it. But after a hundred years, half of the group split off and moved somewhere else, I believe it was a a split because of bad leader ship. But one day another Viking clan raided and destroyed everything, not leaving a single person alive. And in its grief, the Eruptodon never gave birth, nor ever left. She just... gave up. Slowly starved to death. Their main food source is lava, but she, just gave up, let the volcano take over the island. And starved to death within the volcano itself."
"That's... horrible...."
Grandma Drips sighs. "I believe there is only one left. But it is protected by a large group of humans, as long as their around, the species will never die."
"I kinda want to meet a lava eating dragon." Niether rumbles.
Rocky chuckles as he pats Niether on the neck. "Maybe on day we will." He looks to Grandma Drips. "So now what?"
Grandma Drips starts to slowly lower down towards the Volcano. "Since this egg was taken from its nest, it doesn't have the heat of its mother to hatch. These egg can only hatch under extreme heat, so this place is the safest to do so."
Niether lowers himself to right above the volcano, as Rocky wipes sweat away from his forehead. They watch as Grandma Drips lowers into the volcano, not bothered by the heat at all. Some lava spurts onto her back, but just slides off, and she doesn't even bat an eye.
She finds a large rock-like pedestal in the bottom of the volcano. She slowly lowers the egg onto it, before letting go. She moves to the side and watches the egg for a few moments, before chittering and flying back up.
She hovers right beside Niether and Rocky as they all look down to the volcano.
"So, that's it?" Niether questions as he glances to the Gronckle.
"Yes, now we hope it'll hatch. She'll then make this place her home and gather dragons to command. But that'll be, a very long time from now." Grandma Drips then flies off. "Let's head back."
Niether rumbles as they follow after her.
Hours pass as moonlight shines down onto the two dragons and human as they stopped for the night. Rocky tosses a few rocks into Grandma Drips mouth, and she chomps down on them.
Niether chews on a large bone behind the human. Rocky then looks at the campfire beside him, before reaching into his satchel, and pulling out his large map. He rolls it on the ground, and starts drawing the islands they came across.
Grandma Drips looks over as she chews. "What's that?"
Niether stops chewing and gives Rocky a quick translation, before going back and chewing on the bone. "It's a map of Dragon Isles and its surrounding territory. I keep track of everyplace we go, and I do my best to map it out."
"That seems interesting." Grandma Drips walks over and looks over the map. "There's a lot of detail on this "map". So this must be how humans remember locations."
"Well mine, might not be fully accurate, since I've uh... never done maps." Rocky chuckles as he sweat drops.
Grandma Drips hums as she looks over the map. Then she walks off and lays down, as Rocky continues to draw on the map. Niether then tosses his bone to the side, and walks over to Rocky. Then he lays down behind the human and rolls onto his side.
"So, what kinds of dragons are extinct?" Rocky looks over to the Gronckle.
Grandma Drips hums in thought before speaking. "Buffalord, Dramillion, Foreverwing, Light Furies."
Neither rumbles as he glances over. "I've only heard of one of those."
Grandma Drips rolls onto her side. "Buffalords were hunted for the cure to a disease that swept through the Archipelago. Though it only effected humans, it did kill a lot of them. But they found that the Buffalords held the cure to it... a shame it was, I was friends with a few."
"Kinda dumb to hunt all the dragons that hold the cure to a disease." Niether points out.
"Vikings aren't the smartest." Rocky points out.
"Eh, I guess you're right."
Grandma Drips continues. "Then the Dramillions were hunted by a fierce order. A Viking family though hunted them non-stop. Though there are rumors they're actually hiding, but who knows if its true."
"Wow, nearly one family sent sent an entire species to extinction." Niether rumbles in shock.
"Sheesh, I hope to never meet them, they sound dangerous." Rocky rolls up his map and stuffs it in his satchel.
Grandma Drips rumbles. "Now the Foreverwing, I'm not exactly sure they're extinct, I'm just assuming. No one has seen one in centuries."
"A weird name." Rocky leans back against his dragon, as the fire in front of him crackles.
"Then what about Light Furies, they sound similar to Night Furies." Neither questions.
"They are a pretty similar species, but also very different at the same time. I haven't seen one in a very long time, nor has anyone in the Archipelago. But who knows, they're could be one left like the Night Furies."
Rocky puts his hands on his chest as he looks to the night sky. "Now I wonder how many dragons species there are that haven't been discovered yet."
Grandma Drips lets out a yawn as she closes her eyes. "The world is a big place child, there are plenty of corners that haven't been explored by human or dragon. Now go to sleep, we got a long flight ahead of us tomorrow."
Niether rumbles as he nuzzles into the ground, as Rocky leans onto him. The two close their eyes as they quickly fall asleep, having been up for nearly two days.
But as the morning sun starts to rise, the three are already on their way back to Wyre island. Rocky yawns as he stretches out on Niether's back.
"Ugh, it's to early!" Rocky complains with a yawn.
Niether lets out a yawn, before shaking his head. "Couldn't we sleep in a little."
Grandma Drips looks over. "I wanted to arrive before the sun hits its peek. Now stop whining, I was up before you two."
Both Niether and Rocky let out a whine as they yawn. The three then spend the next few hours fly. Then they finally arrive back at home, and as they land at the beach, the Patrol Group and Stinger is waiting for them.
Mulic rumbles as he walks over. "And the old lady hasn't died from old age yet."
Grandma Drips chitters as she walks past him. "I won't die of old age any time soon, Mulic."
Grandma Drips walks into the forest, leaving the group behind. Rocky slides off Niether as Stinger speeds up to him. Rocky chuckles and pats the small dragon on the head.
Everyone starts walking down the beach as they talk amongst each other. Rocky looks out to the ocean as the Afternoon sun shines down onto him.
'I wonder if that egg will ever hatch...'
Far over on the volcanic island, the volcano rumbles as more lava spews from it. But deep inside the volcano, the lava rises up to the base of the egg. The egg remains undamaged, but it now has a deep red glow to it. The volcano rumbles again as the lava raises slightly.
But then everything goes silent and still. Until a crack suddenly appears on the surface of the egg.
7-18-2026
3100 words