Neither rumbles as his eye flickers open, he blinks away the blurriness. He then lets out a yawn as he sits up, before stretching forward; arching his back at the same time.
He then smacks his lips a few times as he sits up and licks the back of his paw. Then he rubs the side of his head a few times, before padding the ground a few times.
He then rumbles and purrs as he looks back, spotting Rocky sleeping peacefully on his bed. Neither leans over the bed and lets out a few low rumbles, but Rocky doesn't move.
He then huffs on Rocky, making the human grunt and push his head away. Rocky then nuzzles into his pillow as he curls into a ball.
"Lazy butt." Niether rumbles as he turns around and pads out of the cave.
The bright morning sun shines onto him as he shakes himself. He then stretches out again under the sun, letting out a loud yawn. He then walks over to the pond and starts to drink from it.
'I must still admit, becoming a dragon is still confusing for me.' Niether rumbles in thought. 'I hate not having disposable thumbs... or being small. I barely even fit on a ship, I have to squeeze through them, most of the time breaking the door frame.'
Niether stops drinking and looks up to the sky. He then opens his massive wings out wide, then takes off to the sky with a powerful flap. He flies to the ocean as he sees several other kinds of dragons flying about.
'Though I have to say, flying is pretty fun. And being able to breath plasma, is freaking sweat.'
Niether brings his wings together and dives into the ocean. He opens his mouth wide as he bites onto a few fish inside a large group. Then with a pumps of his powerful legs, he shoots up towards the surface.
He breaks through the water and shoots back up into the air. He rumbles as the fish in his mouth wiggle. He flies back towards the cave.
'Though Rocky is still human, and I'm a dragon. I feel like I do most of the work. Bah! Lazy human!'
He lands at the cave, just as Rocky walks out. The human yawns as he stretches. Niether drops the few fish in his mouth on the ground. Rocky smiles at Niether.
"Ah, thanks for breakfast."
Niether huffs at Rocky. "Lazy human."
Rocky looks at him in confusion.
A few hours later, Rocky is sitting on the beach with the Patrol Group, and Stinger. They all finished training and Rocky is catching his breath, as he leans against his dragon.
Suddenly they hear the chittering of a Gronckle. They all look back to see Grandma Drips flying to them. Rocky smiles as he stands up, and the Gronckle lands beside him and Niether.
"Grandma Drips, what brings you here?"
"I have a favor to ask you and Niether." Grandma Drips rumbles.
Niether lets out a warble as he tilts his head. "What kind of favor."
"Well, me and the Gronckles have a meeting to attend to a few islands away, but we need someone to watch the babies. And most of everyone wanted you two to do it. We'll be back by tonight though, so its just for today."
"Watch the babies?" Niether questions as he looks at Rocky.
Rocky shrugs at Niether, and turns to Grandma Drips. "Sure why not. But-" He looks over to the rest of the dragons.
"We'll be fine without ya." Mulic gives a low roar.
"Yeah, have fun dragon sitting~" Leafwisp chuckles.
"This will also let you watch over the three new hatchlings." Spine outs out.
"Hey!" Snips yells at her brother. "Vane can watch them... but if you two want to, you can also watch them."
"We shall be fine." Raincutter states.
Niether nods with a low roar. "Then we shall stay and watch the babies."
"Great!" Rocky smiles brightly.
Grandma Drips chitters. "Thank you two, we'll be leaving soon so if you want to head over to the resting area; that would be great."
Grandma Drips flies off, as Rocky crosses his arms.
"Baby sitting dragons, that'll be a little strange." Rocky looks at Niether.
"Indeed."
Stinger chirps as he zips over. "Oh, oh, I'll help!"
Neither lets out a warbled laugh as he lowers himself. "Thank you, Stinger."
"We should be heading off now." Mulic calls out with a roar, and flies off.
The rest of the dragons roar and follow after Mulic. Rocky watches them fly off. Stinger beside him lets out a small whine.
"I wish I had wings." Stinger complains, but then Niether's tail is set on his head.
"You're fine as is, you're our little speedster." Niether looks down at the Speed Stinger. "Cause if any Hunters somehow make it onto the island, it'll be up to you to stop them."
Stinger lets out a low roar. "I'll stop any of them before they even touch the sand."
Niether gives a low chuckle. "Good."
Rocky pats both Stinger and Niether on the head. Then he walks into the forest as Stinger and Niether follows after him. They calmly walk though the forest with Stinger jumping around the two of them.
Soon they reach the basalt outcrop just in time to see all the Gronckles fly away. But all the babies are running and playing. He walks onto the little outcrop and some of the baby Gronckles run up to him and roar at him.
He laughs as he kneels down and rubs their heads, before sending them on their way. A few Gronckles run up to Stringer and roar at him, before running off. Stinger gives a chirp before jogging after them.
"There are a lot of babies around here." Niether points out as he looks around.
"Well, this island is dominated by Gronckles." Rocky points out.
The two reach Grandma Drips resting spot, and Rocky sits down. Niether sits on his hunches beside the human. They look out to the babies watching them play. Stinger is chasing a few of the babies around with happy roars.
Rocky then looks down to the side and sees the Old Thunderdrum, Wavebite, resting on top of the water. He smiles and pulls out his journal, and starts sketching the sleeping dragon.
Niehter rumbles as he looks over Rocky's shoulder. He tilts his head as he watches the human draw the Thunderdrum. Then the dragon looks off to the side, and sees Stinger on the ground, exhausted, as dozens of baby Gronckles lay on top of him.
"Ugh..." Stinger whines as he tries to shift, but the baby Gronckles all whine, so he stops.
Niether lets out a warbled laugh. Rocky shuts his journal as he walks over to Stinger. He gently waves a hand in the air above the babies, and they all get entranced. He flips his hand a few times, and the babies all roar and hop off Stinger and crowd around him.
Rocky continues to wave his hands in the air, before matching off. All the baby dragons follow after him, roaring. Even the others that were playing, run over and follow him.
Rocky laughs as he marches around the Basalt outcrop, with all the babies Gronckles following him. They roar as they run and bounce around him. Niether lets out a rumble of question as he shifts over beside Stinger.
"What is he doing?" Stinger questions as he sits up.
"I... have no idea this time."
Rocky continues to march around the outcrop, waving his hands through the air, before stopping at a jut out in the area. Rocky then grabs his sword sticks it in a crack, then he tugs to the side.
The little jut out breaks off and falls onto the ground. The rocks break apart and all the babies roar as they start eating. Rocky nods to himself as he puts his hands on his hips.
Niether rumbles as he and Stinger walk over. Rocky looks to them with a smile.
"What was that?" Niether asks as he sits on his hunches.
"What was what?" Rocky tilts his head at Niether.
"The hand... thing?"
Rocky perks up. "Just a little trick I learned, seems to make dragons pay attention. And it also calms them down."
"Oh, oh, try me!" Stinger smiles as he shifts.
Rocky glances at the purple dragon, who then quickly translates. Rocky smiles as he walks over and kneels down to Stinger, as he gently waves his hands through the air. Then he twirls his hand above his nose.
Stinger then rumbles, before he suddenly falls over, and lets out a few happy rumbles. Rocky chuckles as he rubs Stinger on the nose, he then notices a few red scales on his head flap.
'Strange...' Rocky mutters in thought.
Niether rumbles as he tilts his head. "There's no way..."
Rocky glances at him. "Maybe its the gently hand motion and my calm demeanor."
Niether shakes his head. "Impossible. Try me."
Rocky slowly crouches towards Niether. He gently waves a hand through the air and Niether watches the hand. Niether rumbles as he suddenly becomes entranced, Rocky waves and twists his hand through the air a few times. Then suddenly falls to the ground with a happy rumble.
Rocky looks at his hand and chuckles. "I am like a... Dragon master... Dragon Whisperer? Dragon... Eh, whatever."
Rocky rubs Niether on the head.
A little while later, Rocky is laying between a sleeping Niether and Stinger; as all the babies are sleeping on and around them. Rocky looks up to the sky with a smile. He glances around, seeing all the sleeping dragons.
He then gets an idea and slowly gets up. Then he slowly steps away, careful not to wake any dragons. he then stops a little ways away, and sits on a small rock. He then pulls out his journal and starts sketching.
Soon Niether wakes up with a rumble and looks around in confusion. He then spots Rocky a little ways away, sketching. He quietly pads over and looks over Rocky's shoulder.
The dragon lets out a low rumble as he sees a sketch of all the dragons sleeping. He smiles as he sits on his hunches.
Niether then perks up as he looks off to the forest. Rocky glances over and calls out.
"What?"
"Remember we meant to check on the Nadder Siblings." Niether looks down at the human.
"Oh right, well uh..." Rocky motions to the sleeping baby Gronckles, and Stinger.
"Good thing we have two bodies." Niether points out. "I'll go check on the kids, you keep an eye on the babies."
Rocky looks at all the baby dragons, then to Niether. "Don't take too long... I'm not exactly too good with dragons, without your help."
Niether rumbles as he trots off into the forest; leaving Rocky behind. The large purple dragon moves through the forest silently, making almost no noise.
He then soon comes across a small clearing, with a bunch of trees trunks in a ring, and in the middle lies a massive nest, made from Nadder Spines, twigs, hide and ship parts.
And sitting in the nest is Vane, with his three children beside him. The children run around and on him, as he sits in the nest watching them. Vane's nose then twitches as he looks towards Niether.
Vane goes on alert as he holds his wings out and goes low to the ground, keeping his tail up. Niether shakes his head as he stops outside the ring of tree trunks.
"I'm not here to start a fight, I'm just here to check on the kids." Niether calls out.
Snoots, Slips and Stine all bark and run over to Niether. The three run and jump onto Niether, biting at him. The purple dragon doesn't seem to mind. Vane lowers his tail and wings, but stays on alert.
"Why are you here, Purple One?" Vane questions as he shifts.
"Like I said, I'm just here to check on the kids." Niether shakes himself and the three kids fall off him.
Snoots jumps back onto Niether's back, and she starts biting at him again. Slips and Stine run around Niether as they chase each other.
"Did Spine sent you up for this?" Vane questions. "I can handle the kids perfectly fine!"
"No he didn't.... Well he did but these babies are also apart of my family. So I wanted to see them." Neither lowers himself as the three babies jump in front of his face.
"I heard your kind were pack dragons, protector of nests." Vane mutters as he watches Niether play with the babies. "So I guess it makes me feel rather nice that you're around."
Niether gives soft coos at the babies. Then he glances at Vane.
"I have a question Vane." Niether sits up, using his tail to play with the babies. "Why does everyone call you, Vane the Coward?"
Vane shifts in nervousness. "I uh... Um..." Vane lets out a low sigh. "I always ran away from Hunters. From any fight including then, and it... gotten a lot of dragons hurt. It even got Snips hurt, which left me with major guilt. I'm just glad she wasn't made at me."
Niether rumbles as he shifts his paws up, as Stine and Slips run under him. "But why?"
Vane stares down at the nest. "I... When I was but a hatchling I watched my whole family get butchered..."
Niether lays down as Vane shifts. The three siblings jump onto his back and run around it.
"We used to live days away from her, on a small island. It was just me, my three sisters, Mother and Father. It was just a simple life, but one day I was just chasing a butterfly through the clearings. But when I arrived back, my parents in where a panic. They started hiding us, but only I managed to get in the hiding spot in time, before the Hunters arrived..."
Vane glares at the ground.
"Then they... slaughtered my whole family in front of me. There was so much, blood... It was..." Vane lets out a long sigh. "Do you know what that does to a dragon? Watching your whole family get killed in front of you. I can't help but see my dead family any time I see Hunters."
Niether sits up as Vane looks to him. The two stare each other.
"So everyone may blame me, call me weak or a coward. But I don't care." Vane lets out a low rumble as his children look to him, then run over and crowd around him. "But my kids... I will die for them, no matter my fear." He looks to his kids. "No matter my fear for Hunters, if they get close to them, I tear them to shreds. Even if it costs my life."
Vane looks to Niether again.
"So I don't care what you think of me. But I will mind my business as long as these kids are safe. That's my priority."
Niether lets out a low rumbled laugh. "You are an interesting dragon Vane." He sits up and shakes himself. "Well, I got what I wanted, I hope you have a nice day now."
Niether trots off, leaving the Deadly Nadders behind. He trots back to the Bastal outcrop and comes to a strange sight. He stops and tilts his head as he sees Rocky barriered in a pile of baby dragons. Stinger moves side to side as he tries to help Rocky, but exactly can't.
Rocky looks over, and gives a weary smile. "Uh, a little help?"
Neither lets out a warbled laugh as he trots over.
Several hours later, the evening sun shines down onto Rocky, as he holds his hand out and pets a baby Gronckle. He smiles tiredly as sleeping baby Gronckles around him.
Niether and Stinger are laying a little ways away, sleeping as well. Rocky then pulls out his journal as he starts drawing, but then notices his charcoal pencil is empty.
He lets out a sigh as he closes his journal, and shoves it back into his satchel. He looks to his dragons, Niether and Stinger as they sleep side by side. But then a dragon roar echoes out, making the dragons wake up.
Rocky looks to the sky and sees Grandma Drips and the Gronckles flying back. He smiles as he stands up and the dragons all land about the outcrop. All the baby dragons wake up and run over to their parents.
Grandma Drips chitters as she flies over and lands in front of Rocky. Rocky walks up to her and pars her side as she smiles.
"Thanks you two." Grandma Drips chitters as Niether walks over. "I hope you two didn't have a hard time."
"Other then babies have a lot of energy, not much." Niether rumbles.
Grandma Drips chuckles, as she lays on her resting spot. "Well, I'll have to reward you two someday. Given how hard you work in protecting the isle, and doing favors."
Rocky waves a hand. "No it's fine, we don't need anything."
Grandma Drips rumbles. "Well, then at least take another day off soon."
Niether chuckles. "We will, but now your all back. We gotta catch up with the others."
Rocky climbs onto Niether's back. "Have a good day, grandma Drips."
"Have a good day!" Niether calls out.
Niether flies off and Grandma Drips watches them go. She smiles as he lowers her head onto the ground.
"Those two... they'll make history for sure..."
Far away with the Vanquisher Fleet. Sigewulf stands at the front of his ship, bags under his eyes. He clenches his hands behind his back as he looks down at the bubbling water.
Several Hunters walk up behind him. He glances back at them.
"Tell the Forward Post to being the plan. We need to draw the kids attention away from the island."
"Are you sure this will work sir?" A Hunter calls out.
Sigewulf looks back down to the bubbling water as a low roar shakes the ship. "When Rocky finds that base, he will bring everything he can to take it down. Which means he will leave his home mostly defenseless."
"How do you know he will?"
Sigewulf turns around and walks up to the Hunters. "Because that's how he thinks. He'll see how big and menacing the base is, and realize how close it it to his patrol route. He'll bring everything he can to take it down."
Sigewulf chuckles darkly as he walks past the Hunters.
"And that's when we'll strike. We'll destroy those islands, destroy all the dragons. Then we'll take down the boy and his dragon." Sigewulf's dark chuckles turns into a maniacal laughter. "Then we'll take this damn serpent-" The boat shakes as a low roar rings out. "-And we'll take out Berk! We'll own the seas, and rule as we see fit!"
Sigewulf stomps into his quarters and slams his door shut. He takes several deep breaths, before chuckling. He looks over to the table where his maces and Talons pieces lie on the map.
"The battle for Dragon isles is just around the corner Rocky. I hope you're ready."
The torch behind the Dragon and Accomplice piece burns brightly. But the torch behind the broken Chief piece, goes out.
7-23-2026
3200 words