It's actually been pretty different without Luna around, I honestly didn't think much would change but I was wrong. It's somehow not as lively on the Edge so we've been taking every opportunity to go other places, today we were invited to see off the old Great Protector with the Defenders of the Wing but once we got to their island...well, I could've sworn I saw a familiar figure hiding in the trees.
"Thank you for the invitation, Mala," Hiccup greeted the Queen of the Defenders.
"No thanks needed, Hiccup Haddock, it was our pleasure to invite you today," Mala said.
Well, I think it's safe to assume there was trouble, the twins caused it this time but once it was all resolved, we had a great time with the Defenders.
"Hey, Mala? You haven't happened to see a girl with wings like a Night Fury around, have you?" I asked.
"What? No, that'd be ridiculous, who ever heard of a girl with Night Fury wings?" Mala was thoroughly confused.
"Well it's actually not that ridiculous if you meet her," Hiccup said and held my hand, "she's a great person and not at all dangerous unless you threaten her or any dragons which I know you wouldn't do the latter."
Mala opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by Throk, "My Queen, it appears someone has snuck into the Nest," he said.
"What? Who would do such a ridiculous thing?" Mala stood.
"I have two- no, three guesses as to whom it may be," Ruffnut said and stood as well before looking beside her, "Oh, well there's guess number two."
"What?! How am I not your first guess?" Tuffnut seemed quite offended.
The rest of us followed Mala to the Nest to see a Defender feeding stones to the Gronckles in the cave but she wasn't in the Nest. She also had something large and covered in cloth strapped to her back.
"That's a good boy," she cooed, "you really like the slate, don't you?" she giggled and gave the dragon a couple more pieces of slate before noticing us, those golden eyes were familiar. "My Queen? Did you need my help with something?"
"I heard that someone had snuck in here so I came with the dragon riders to investigate," Mala said.
"I haven't seen anyone in here other than the dragons," the Defender said, she seemed to be avoiding looking at us and kept her eyes only on Mala or a dragon, "I suppose the way I entered could have been considered sneaking, I...well I will be honest, I was slipping away from my foraging duties to visit the dragons and feed a few, I do hope that I did not cause you any trouble."
"None at all, I can understand not being able to resist visiting the dragons, they are magnificent creatures after all," Mala smiled and reached out, patting the Gronckle on the side. He turned to Mala and accidentally knocked the Defender into the Nest where she was immediately surrounded by Speed Stingers.
"Oh no!" I raced to the edge but the dragons weren't attacking her yet, they were circling her first, we had to get her out of there fast.
She looked up at me in fright but it didn't look like she was scared for her life, she looked scared of something else but then she looked down and closed her eyes. The Speed Stingers started running around, kicking up dust and dirt until we couldn't see anything and when the dust cleared, all that we saw was the cloth that was wrapping whatever was on her back, she was nowhere to be seen.
"Where did she go?" Hiccup waved the dust away from his face and looked around, "Did you see what happened, Astrid?"
"No, there was too much dust to see anything," I replied.
"No, I mean did you see what the Speed Stingers did? Normally, they'd sting a person almost right away, they didn't even go near her, and there was a growl, it was soft but definitely unmistakable," Hiccup said and helped me up.
"That had to be Luna, in disguise of course!" Ruffnut chimed in, "But why doesn't she want to see us or talk to us?"
"She still feels like she betrayed us, I bet," Fishlegs sighed.