Author's Note: So, it seems a good number of you really liked the ficlet! Thanks, it really means a lot! I hope this second piece here does it justice. Decided to go more Valka-oriented this time 'round. Even went and fixed any smurfed ends in the last installment! hehehe I checked the HTTYD Wiki to make absolutely certain of Valka's reasonings for staying, and I'm pretty sure I got it across well enough. Keep faving and reviewing, and I'll keep flying-err, I mean writing!

Hail the Jumper of Clouds!

Cloudjumper's return from his flight had temporarily stirred the slumbering nest; hence the dragons that took flight for Valka to see. But now, peace returned to the bowl of dragons.

Valka sat perched on the edge of the ledge Cloudjumper had deposited her on, the beast himself hooked to the rock above and hanging bat-like as he slept. He had been watching her, so Valka had fainted sleep, mostly for his benefit, till he lost consciousness. At that point she'd silently perched, absently observing the dragons as she pondered her situation.

Valka sat—legs hanging, palms resting on the rock as she leaned forward, brow creased and lips tight—and she thought.

I'm all alone...miles away from Berk...Stoick probably thinks I'm...d-dead. Valka cringed and pursed her lips for a moment before taking shaky breaths. He'll be alone with Hiccup. Oh...my little Hiccup... She opened her eyes and looked up, trying to steady her breathing and keep from crying, lest she wake Cloudjumper. Valka knew the dragon cared about her, and already, she him. She preferred to avoid upsetting him.

He wouldn't be able to help her anyway... Cloudjumper wanted her here, in the nest, not back at Berk. He'd felt it too, the stark similarities between their souls.

If that was the case, Valka needed to find a way to make peace with her position.

I can't go back, Cloudjumper won't let me. But then...what am I supposed to do? Leave Stoick alone to...to raise our son on his own? Sure, he'd have help from the village, but... Valka sighed and hung her head, gripping the rock beneath her hands till her knuckles whitened.

Suddenly, a noise caught her attention, drawing Valka's gaze below the rocky shelf she sat on. Not far beneath her, a dragon hatchling had fallen, perhaps out of a clutch. She couldn't discern its breed—in fact she could barely see it—probably due to being in a different area than Berk. It amazed Valka, for a moment, there were such other breeds besides the Nightmares and such. She'd have to see what ones she could recognize from Bork's Book of Dragons tomorrow.

Valka was drawn out of her reverie when she noticed the hatchling that had tumbled was crying. A noise not that different from a human baby's, and thus, it tore at her, causing her to wince. Instinct demanded she tend the hatchling, but Valka hesitated. Surely the mother would hear? Valka sadly didn't know much about dragon mothers and their pups, but it was simple motherly instinct, wasn't it?

As the pup continued to cry, no dragon came to its aid, the other pups in the nearest clutch it probably fell from piling together and ignoring the hatchling's wails. Fed up with this cruel treatment, Valka pushed off the rocky shelf, putting her foot down on a small outcropping as she began climbing down. Luckily, she'd done plenty of climbing back on Berk when she was a young girl, childishly searching for dragon nests.

Valka never imagined she'd be climbing around in such a grand one as this.

She continued her descent, reaching for hold after hold with both hand and foot, never once losing her grip. Valka allowed herself a slight smirk of pride. She hadn't lost her touch. Valka finally alighted at the bottom, the pup's cries more unbearable now than before.

How could this pup be so blatantly ignored? She mused worriedly.

Valka quickly but quietly made her way to the pup, pushing aside some foliage, realizing the pup was a fair distance from the cliff. The hatchling was crying somewhat less than when it began, but it still sniffled and keened. Valka's heart went out to the pup as she approached. Once it came into sight, she noticed were it not for its crying, she'd have never found the pup.

Its entire body was black as night.

It was small, barely bigger than a human baby. Valka mused by its closed eyes and toothless mouth—and how very, very small it was—that the pup had probably just hatched that day. It was stuck on its back, futilely thrashing its miniscule legs, as if trying to get up. It tried to roll to, going back and forth, but its limbs were just too small to get it back up, and it couldn't seem to get its stubby wings to cooperate. The entirety of the pup was a rich black, every single scale on its body the same abyssal color.

Valka began hushing the pup, making the softest and most reassuring sounds she possibly could, straining to keep them dragon-like. The hatchling picked up on her hushes, and thankfully reacted by calming down. It stilled its efforts, and instead probed with its dainty head, tiny ear-like appendages on its head quivering in rhythm with Valka's calming sounds.

Valka slowly reached for the pup, gently lifting it to her chest, where she held it close. The pup was indeed small. It thrummed—sounding oh so petite compared to Cloudjumper—and curled against her. She smiled gently as she watched the pup, amazed by how similar it was to her own Hiccup.

The hatchlings squeaked a couple of times and opened its eyes tentatively, probably for the first time since hatching. Its eyes were so very bright and green, the wide black pupils staring back at hurt. It squeaked a couple more times, and squirmed a little in her grasp.

Valka cringed. The pup needed to sleep. If it hadn't woken some other dragons already, it would soon. Unsure of what else to do, she waved her hand before the pup's eyes, it watching her movements. Suddenly the pup went limp, prompting Valka to gape slack-jawed in worry. But then she heard—and felt—the pup thrum, apparently pacified.

Valka let out a soundless chuckle of amazement at this discovery before taking the hatchling back to his clutch. Or at least, she thought it had been his. As she neared the small nest the other hatchlings lay piled in, none of them looked like the pup in her arms. Rather, they were young gronkles, their coloring slightly different than she was used to.

From on the ledge, Valka hadn't realized this. But now she was curiously aware.

With that nest not being the pup's, Valka turned and scanned the area, looking for other clutches. Each one was a different breed—all different from the one in her arms.

Valka gazed down at the hatchling in her arms, her brow furrowed in sympathy. No wonder no one came for you... You're all on your own. A practical hiccup.

Or so Valka thought, till a sudden thump caught her attention, tearing her gaze up and away from the pup. It was an adult dragon whom had landed as silent as a ghost before her. Like the pup, it was pure black, and all Valka truly saw of it were its large green eyes. They were thin and slit, much different than the pup's had been. Then Valka remembered back at her house, how Cloudjumper's pupils changed between thin and large.

It must indicate their demeanor... She mused.

The shadow dragon growled softly, its closed mouth muffling it. It hadn't moved, still staring at her. Finally, it clicked in Valka's head: it wanted the pup.

At first, Valka hesitated, worried the dragon wasn't the pup's parent. With a resigning gulp, she knew she had no choice, and slowly set the pup down on the ground. The shadowy dragon watched her every move. Valka watched as it gestured with its head: step away. Valka did as such, unimposingly stepping back, away from the pup, hands held up—palms outward—in a posture of submission.

Only when Valka was too far away from the pup to get to it quickly did the shadow dragon approach the pup. It looked down at it with an expression of such pure kindness—its pupils, indeed, wide with friendliness—and purred gently. The pup heard, rising from the stupor Valka had somehow put it in before squeaking with glee and leaping onto the dragon's head, scurrying to its neck and curling there.

The shadowy dragon, who Valka know knew without doubt was the hatchling's parent, regarded her one last time. Valka gave it a friendly smile, nodding to and even going so far as to bow before the dragon. Its eyes remained kindly at it watched her, returning her nod. It then lifted off, then and there, flying straight up and leaving the nest without the slightest hint of effort.

Valka stared after them, in awe of the dragon's speed and stealth and strength. Her face went blank, eyes wide and breathe short as it hit her. Pure black form, swift and capable flight, bright green eyes, not a single sound to be heard, and an ever present air of intimidation.

By the Valkyrie themselves...that was a Night Fury! I...I just met a Night Fury and its pup...

It took all her willpower to keep from fainting.

Following this extraordinary meeting, Valka returned to the cliff and climbed back to the top. Just as she pulled herself onto the rocky shelf, settling on her shins and dusting her hands off, she heard a ruffing sound, followed by a warm breath rolling over her shoulders. Valka turned around to be face-to-face with Cloudjumper. She leaned back, gulping as she returned his stare.

Valka peeked back over where she'd seen Cloudjumper hanging before, and sure enough, it was him.

She gulped again, then returned her gaze to the special Stormcutter. He tilted his head once she had, an inquiring glint in his eyes. Valka sighed and shrugged her shoulders, bearing the innocent expression of a half-smile and angled eyebrows.

"I know, I fooled ya into think I was sleeping... I was just thinking."

At first Valka spoke freely, as if under the impression the dragon before her would understand. She realized this, causing herself to hesitate. Back on Berk, if she tried to converse with a dragon, she'd have been scoffed at for a fool. But she wasn't on Berk. She was surrounded by none but dragons, the one crouched before her—still eyeing her curiously (and the slightest bit concerned)—having taken Valka for the sole reason of relating to her.

Valka sighed, her eyes downcast and brow furrowed, thinking hard once again. Cloudjumper merely sat back and waited, no doubt being fully aware of her precarious situation.

Maybe I shouldn't go back...Stoick will be a wonderful father. He'll have plenty of able helpers among the villagers—he's the chief, after all. B-besides...

Valka closed her eyes and pursed her lips.

They...they'll be better off without me. I'll only put them in danger with my caring for dragons.

This brought about another change in Valka's disposition as she opened her eyes once again, brow now bunched by a steadfast realization.

No...I should stay. They will be better off without me. I'll only get in the way of their blasted, stubborn prejudices against the dragons. No, better I stay here, where I'm wanted.

Valka looked up at Cloudjumper, a big smile rising as she noted his patient expression. The crested fins behind his head rose as he noticed her smiling at him. Cloudjumper laid down and ever-so-gently rested his rugged chin on her lap. Valka returned the gentleness as she caressed his jaw with her hands, pausing as she eyed a gash on his great crest. She knew how that gouge in the bony crown got there.

It was from Stoick's own axe.

Cloudjumper didn't seem to recall, probably due to the raging flood of reflexes and instincts enflamed when Stoick had stormed in. He didn't seem to remember her husband throwing that axe at he—the Stormcutter; likely with the foolish thought it was assaulting her or Hiccup. Valka had just stopped Cloudjumper from retaliating, pulling the axe free from his crest before he'd grabbed her and flown off.

Yet more proof to back Valka's decision.

"Cloudjumper...you were right," Valka began, Cloudjumper himself blinking curiously while waiting for her to continue.

"You were right to bring me here. I didn't belong there, on Berk. The Vikings hate dragons...hate you all, foolishly, stubbornly."

She scowled and gave an exasperated sigh before continuing. "I'd been trying for years, trying to get them to stop...they wouldn't."

Valka looked into Cloudjumper's eyes, and he right back. She smiled, loving the look of pure tenderness in the Stormcutter's eyes.

What fools those Vikings be...

Valka hugged Cloudjumper's head, resting her forehead on his plated nose. "I belong here...with dragons, and with you, my mighty Cloudjumper."

The Stormcutter had waited and listened patiently as his precious scaled two-leg—Valka—spoke. He understood her words to the simplest extent he needed to. She was merely realizing her place was here, among fellow dragons. While Cloudjumper would always feel a tinge of guilt for separating his Valka from her pup, it would not make him waver in this decision. Especially not now that Valka herself found good reason within it.

As she finished speaking, hugging his head, Cloudjumper smiled softly. Slowly, he brought his primary wings around and carefully lifted Valka, understanding all the while her delicacy compared to the other dragons. Valka did not stir as he moved, only held his head tight and staying close.

Cloudjumper took deliberate carefulness as he returned to his previous hanging perch. Valka continued her contented silence as he did so. Keeping her upright the entire time, Cloudjumper settled himself into a new dangling position: he hung anchored by his feet and primary wings, the claws on them hooked into the rock, appearing not unlike a hanging bed. Valka stretched comfortably 'cross his chest, arms wrapped around his neck, nuzzling into him.

Cloudjumper smiled once more, snuggling back with his chin before relaxing into sleep, his dearest scaled two-leg resting comfortably upon him, wrapping her in his secondary wings like a pair of leathery blankets.

Unbeknownst to the Stormcutter, that was the best night's sleep Valka had had in her entire life.

Author's Note: Ta-da! Hope ya enjoyed the second installment here! As long as you all keep showing interest, I shan't dare relent in exploring these two. I'm having a heck of a lot of fun delving into what Valka and Cloudjumper's first days together were like. I might be taking advantage of these pieces to live out my fantasy of being with my own "Cloudjumper". So do pardon me if little cutesy fantasies like that creep in: such as how Valka and Cloudjumper ended up sleeping. hehehe...hehe... Anywho, keep reading, reviewing and faving, and I'll keep writing! Also...yes, that Night Fury hatchling is who you think it is. hehehehehe