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Grumblegard was successfully trapped under a rock slide cause by the swiftwing, "You should've left my island alone." Grumblegard threatens, "You've made an enemy today."
"I'm not trying to make enemies, Grumblegard." Dak sighs, looking down at the older dragon "I'm just trying to feed some dragons."
In Huttsgalor the other Rescue Riders weren't having the funniest time, the baby Shriek Scales were still screaming like have been for the past four hours. The group of them had migrated outside of the roost as being in a building only made the sound louder, "I hate to complain," Cutter starts,
but it's hard to enjoy the quiet without, you know, the quiet."
In front of the four dragons, Leyla was still attempting the sleeping trick Marena had showed her
"I've gotta be able to do this." Leyla mutters, trying the same clapping trick over again, this time it did something. The two shrieking dragons stopped momentarily before starting right back up again.
"There goes any hope of quiet ever again." Cutter cries
"Actually, don't count on that." Dak cuts in, landing near the hybrid dragon.
"You found the bark?" Leyla asks
"Of course." Dak answers, "It was no troubl-" the boy shuts up at the faces of the two dragons, "Okay. Maybe it was kind of a lot of trouble."
"You found it on Hazard Island, didn't you?" Leyla guesses.
"I don't care where you found it." Cutter cuts in, "I'm just glad I can hear my own thoughts again." The hybrid stops for a moment to think before, laughing, "I'm so hilarious."
"Now we're down to just one problem today." Leyla sighs
"What's that, sis?" Dak asks.
"How to take care of six baby dragons."
"Uh, actually," Summer cuts in, looking out to sea, "we may have another problem on our hands."
"Grumblegard." Dak mutters, turning to the others, "He followed us."
"Uh, Dak, who's Grumblegard?" Leyla asks.
"Let me take a guess." Cutter starts, "That giant, angry dragon coming right for us?"
"Good guess, Cutter. You got it." Burple smiles.
"Why is he coming here?" Summer asks looking towards the three, "And why does he look so mad?"
"Well, we kind of sort of tricked him out of the Crimson Pine Bark on Hazard Island." Dak rambles.
"You tricked him?" Leyla yelps.
"Apparently, he didn't take it so well." Summer grumbles.
"Yeah, he's like that." Dak mutters.
"Quick. Get the babies inside." Leyla yells, rushing around with Summer and Burple.
"We'll try to hold him off out here as long as we can." Dak responds.
"Any idea how we're going to do that?" Winger asks.
"I'll think of something." Dak assures.
"I'll handle this." Cutter assures, flying up to face the much larger dragon, "He doesn't look so tough."
"No, Cutter!"
"Hey, Grumble-goon. Nobody wants to hurt you, so just back-" Cutter gets cut off by the dragon's power blowing him back towards the Roost, "Whoa!"
"Please. Stop!" Dak begs, flying up to face the dragon.
"It's a little late for "please." Grumblegard retorts,
"Why didn't you tell me he could do that?" Cutter yelps, flying back up from the ground.
"We tried." Dak yells. "You didn't let us finish."
"Next time, finish faster."
"The babies are safe." Leyla yells, flying up to be next to the others
"What does he want?" Summer asks
"You invaded my island. Now let's see how you like it when I invade yours." Grumblegard explains, before flying down towards the unsuspecting town.
"Guess that answers that." Burple mutters,
Grumblegard flew down into the village, sending a gust of wind towards the docks where Elbone was, the older man was checking the wind seeing if there was any "No wind today. Guess I won't be going anywhere." Grumblegard's wind set the ship shooting out to sea, Elbone looks down at his hand, "Why did you lie to me? I trusted you!"
Duggard was in front of the great-hall when it started, it didn't take anytime for Grumblegard to reach the village, "It's a hurricane!" Duggard yelps, "Or is it a dragon?"
"It's both, chief." Leyla answers, flying over the chief before going to chase the dragon again, "Take cover!"
Grumblegard blasts through the town, sending the stalls and carts flying. Winger and Summer were chasing right behind, while the other Rescue Riders were saving the people from flying objects.
"We have to do something, Wing." Dak yells.
"I'm about to." Winger assures, "Hold on, Dak." The swiftwing goes up facing the older dragon, "Stop attacking the people of Huttsgalor."
"You really wanna play this game with me?" Grumblegard threatens.
"No. I wanna play a different game." Winger answers, "Dak, prepare for a Mega Blast."
"Yes!" Dak yells, "I was hoping you were gonna say that."
"He's gonna do it. He's gonna do it!"
The blast fails spectacularly, sending the dragon rider off his dragon thankfully caught by the rockspitter before he can hit the ground.
"Winger!" Dak yelps,
"He didn't do it." Cutter mutters.
" Do you know any other jokes?" Grumblegard laughs, "I mean, seriously, I haven't laughed that hard in about a century."
"Hey, it's not nice to laugh at someone like that." Burple grumbles.
"I think it's pretty obvious he's not nice, Burple." Cutter sighs.
"Stealing from my island isn't very nice either." Grumblegard retorts, "That's my home."
"We just needed some bark." Dak tries to explain.
"Well, now you got some bite." Grumblegard responds, "You dragon riders don't leave this island before sundown tomorrow, I'll be back and I'll blow this entire village and everyone in it, into the sea."
***
After a while, once they were all sure the dragon was gone, everyone started cleaning up the town again. Dak and Winger went out to sea to fetch Elbone, whose ship gone blown miles out to sea.
"Thanks, Rescue Riders." Elbone sighs, "The only problem with living on a boat is that your house can float away. Or rock back and forth. Or sink. Or... Actually, there's a lot of problems with living on a boat."
The town got the worse of Grumblegard's anger, thankfully no one was injured but on the other hand the town was left shambles, Leyla and Summer were finishing fixing Hannahr's stall back up when Duggard walks over.
"Sorry about the mess, Chief Duggard." Leyla mutters.
"That was one angry dragon." Duggard responds, "What did he say to you before he left?"
"Grumblegard said if we don't leave," Leyla starts, "he's going to come back and blow Huttsgalor into the sea."
"What?" Someone yelps from above, a second later Magnus comes falling out of one of the trees. Quickly jumping up, pointing a fingur at the girl, "I told you these so-called Rescue Riders were nothing but trouble."
"Now wait just a minute, Magnus." Duggard starts, trying to calm the man down.
"This is what happens when you invite dragons to live on your island." Magnus continues, starting to draw a crowd of people, mu
"But now, now." Duggard begins, "They've also done a lot of good for this town. We've seen it with our own eyes."
"That is true."
"Oh, yes, of course, chief. If by "doing good, "you mean bringing an angry dragon to our shores bent on revenge," Magnus yells, "I think the answer is clear, the Rescue Runts must go!"
"Magnus is right."
"I agree with him."
As the villagers the continued their debates the Rescue Riders took their chance to get back up to the Roost, the babies were let out from the nest, chasing after a rock they found.
"I don't wanna go." Burple mutters, "This is our home."
"There won't be much of a home left if Grumblegard comes back and finds us still here." Leyla argues.
" I hate to say it, but for everyone's safety," Dak starts, making a face before his next words, "I think Magnus Finke might be right."
"Forget Magnus Finke." Duggard cuts in, walking up to them with Hannahr and Elbone, "I welcomed you to stay before, and that offer still stands. It was the best decision I've ever made."
"Only decision he ever made." Cutter laughs.
"But what about Grumblegard?" Leyla asks.
"If there's one thing I can say about Huttsgalor, we are a proud people." Duggard explains to the twins, "We will never be bullied, by Viking nor dragon."
"The chief is right." Hannahr agrees, "You're a part of this village now. And nothing can change that."
"Yeah," Elbone smiles, "and if you leave, who's gonna rescue me every other week?"
"We want to stay, chief," Leyla sighs, "but we don't know how to stop Grumblegard."
"No matter." Duggard interjects, "Huttsgalor stands with the Rescue Riders. We will go prepare our defenses."
Once the three were out of ear shot, Dak starts talking again, "We can't let the town fight this battle for us. There's gotta be something we can try. Something we haven't thought of yet."
As Huttsgalor prepared their defense the Rescue Riders were planning, the six of them were huddled around the main level of the Roost shouting out ideas.
"What if we get the slinkwings to attack him." Dak suggests,
"There's no way they would," Leyla grumbles, "And if they did, they'd have their own plan to do something."
"Like take over Grumbleguard's island." Cutter groans, looking around, "Any better ideas."
The room filled with silence, Grumblegard could counter everything they tried, the discarded papers with plans on them were starting to pile up over the floor.
"Five people want us to stay, and the rest want us gone." Dak mutters, breaking whatever silence was happening
"We aren't listening to Magnus!" Burple yelps, "Are we?"
"Putting it in perspective, us leaving makes some sense." Leyla mutters, "The village will be safer again."
"Imagine his ego boost if we actually leave," Dak mutters.
"It would give him enough confidence to become chief if he could," Leyla laughs, coming out more as a broken sob, "What in the world are we going to do?"
Dak moves to be near his twin grasping her hand, "We'll figure it out," he assures, "Weather we stay or go."
"We can't let Grumblegard blow Huttsgalor into the sea," Summer cuts in, "No matter how much Duggard thinks we can fight."
"So what do we do?" Cutter asks, looking around the room, "Oh come on! One of us has to have an idea!"
"What's your idea?" Dak asks the hybrid.
"I don't have one!" Cutter yelps, "I'm not the planner here!"
"We leave," Leyla mutters, looking around the room at the faces of the others, "For the safety of Huttsgalor… It's all we can do."
"We take only what we can carry," Winger cuts in "Nothing more,"
"We leave before sunrise," Dak mutters.
"I said make a plan to fight not a plan to run away," Cutter yelps, "We aren't actually going to leave right?"
"We have no better ideas," Summer sighs.
***
Finn and his mother, Freya were returning from a visit to the northern part of the island were more of their family lived. By the time they returned home it was long past sunset. Their hut was in the outer area of the town, more in the forest than anything. Making the two people waiting for their return
"What's going on?" Freya asks, once her son was inside.
"long story short, a dragon attacked saying if the Rescue Riders don't leave by sunrise he'd blow the town into the sea." Duggard explains, "Doesn't really make sense to us either."
"Are they leaving?"
"We tried reasoning with them earlier, but I don't know what they're planning." Duggard mutters, "It doesn't help that Magnus got on their case about everything."
"Of course he did, he's been trying to get them off the island longer than they've lived on it," Hannahr cuts in.
"If one of you watch Finn for me, I'll go try a reason with them," Freya sighs.
"I'll watch him," Hannahr cuts in.
The Rescue Riders in a state of panic packing, they wanted to leave the island before sunrise. When Freya arvied not one of the Rescue rider's noticed. too busy trying to get off the island as soon as possible.
"Where are you all going?"
"H-hey Ms Borgamon," Dak greets, hiding his bag behind his back, "Why are up at this time at night?"
"I could ask the same of you," Freya responds, looking around at the group collecting and packing things, "What are you guys doing?"
"We're leaving," Dak answers, "Its the only way to protect Huttsgalor,"
"I'm sure there's some other way," Freya argues,
"When you figure one out, make sure tell us." Leyla mutters, turning back to her bag that she was stuffing books into. Freya walks over settling a hand on the girl's shoulder making her stop packing.
"Listen, I won't stop you." Freya sighs, "If this is what you two believe needs to happ-"
"It's not," Dak mutters
"Are you listening to Magnus then?"
"No-" Leyla answers,
"So you are?" Freya sighs, "Why are you listening to Magnus all of the sudden?"
"Because Magnus got over half the village to want us to leave," Dak answers.
"He what!" Freya yelps, "When did this happen?"
"A while ago, I'm guessing you weren't in town." Leyla responds,
"Me and Finn weren't."
"Well at least Finn didn't see it," Dak mutters, silence fell over the yard
"So your leaving?"
"It's the only way to keep Huttsgalor safe." Leyla mutters, "Keep you and Finn safe."
"And your leaving in the dead of night because?" Freya asks.
"Because if we in the morning, that means goodbyes." Dak responds, stuffing more things into his saddle bag, "And leaving at night doesn't."
"Your plan was to just disappear, not telling anyone!?"
"Wouldn't be the first time," Leyla mutters.
"Again I'm not going to stop you," Freya sighs, beginning to walk way, "This is you guys choice, but Huttsgalor stands with you no matter what Magnus says."
When Freya was gone, the group of kids stopped everything they were doing. Silence covered the yard again, "Is she right?" Burple asks, interrupting everything, "Do we not need to leave?"
"If we don't leave then what happens with Grumblegard?" Cutter wonders
"And Magnus," Dak cuts in.
"This might be for the best still," Leyla sighs, burying her face in her hands "I don't know anymore,"
"Well we still don't have any better ideas." Dak grumbles, looking down at Huttsgalor, "If Grumblegard finds us here tomorrow, Huttsgalor will be gone,"
"Our only option really is leaving?" Burple asks.
"Pretty much," Summer grumbles, the decision was made, again. Quietly none of them agreed to it, but they all knew it was all they could do.
So they left, the only possible choice in the end, is what the oldest attempted to convince himself. All Dak knew was, if he stayed away from that stupid island. They'd still have a home.
***
By the time the sun rose over Huttsgalor the dragon riders were long gone, Duggard was the first one to realize when none of them came down from the Roost that morning. Traveling up to the roost with Hannahr only allowed them to find the note left by the group
Sorry about this Duggard, this is for the safety of everyone
"I didn't think they're were actually going to leave," Duggurd mutters, looking around at the abandoned building plenty of stuff was left behind by the group, "They were definitely trying to leave as soon as possible."
"I mean I would too," Hannahr sighs, "Leave before everyone wakes up, no goodbyes, no complaints, no Magnus."
"I mean I guess it makes sense."
"So what now?" Hannahr asks
"I honestly have no clue," Duggard responds, the two of them somehow made their way to the Borgamon house. Freya was already outside, seemingly waiting for the two.
"Dak and Leyla left?" Freya asks once the two get in ear shot.
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Duggard asks.
"They left something here for Finn," Freya answers, "A basket with stuffed animals and a note."
"I honestly didn't think they'd have anything like that," Hannahr mutters.
"Neither did I," Freya sighs, "Finn's still sleeping, he has no idea what happened last night."
"Might be for the best." Duggard responds.
Finn woke up not long after Duggard and Hannahr arrived finding a basket set on the bottom of his bed, no doubt put there by his mother, but it definitely wasn't from his mom. It was filled with a note and four stuffed animals that had a shocking resemblance to the dragons of the Rescue Riders.
Hey Finny, we're gonna be gone for a little while, mind looking after these for us?
We'll be back soon
Was all the note said, Finn recognized the handwriting he knew it from dragon day, Leyla had helped him write in his dragon diary the entire day, her handwriting mixing with his on the pages. The rescue rider scratching out soon on the note wasn't an accident, and deep down he knew it. Something happened the day before while they were gone, something bad.