The eternal quest of the individual human being is to shatter his loneliness.

-Norman Cousins

Sometimes, when it is quiet, I sit still and wonder.

Why do I stay here? Why don't I up and leave? It really is none of my business. I shouldn't have to deal with this kind of thing—I don't deserve it, as a Shadow-Blender—but still I stay. I have no idea why and it kills me.

The unanswered questions made me want to scream; every single day, they sneak into my brain like tiny little parasites. Of course, making any noise at all would cause unwanted attention. If a lone dragon standing in broad daylight on a cliff, wings half-open, wasn't drawing enough of it, anyways. I was stuck in a sick dance, constantly flexing my wings, readying myself to jump and leave this gods-damned place behind…but then something inside me would force me to retreat, almost like a reflex.

I stared at the ocean waves, opening my wings again. I wanted to jump. I wanted to jump so bad. Even if my wings snapped shut midair, at least I would be free of this place. At least it would offer relief from this hell that has become this nest.

But you can't leave them…

My wings, on their own accord, slapped firmly against my back. I gritted my teeth so hard it hurt.

For about an hour, I continued to do this: open my wings, doubt myself, shut them, get angry, open them again, and on and on. It was finally broken when I heard a soft flutter and a click as a dragon landed behind me. I didn't turn around to greet them, as was customary. They waited for several seconds before saying dully, "It is not wise to stand in the open like this. Even if we are at our nest."

I snorted and stretched my shoulder muscles again. The sound my wings made as they opened was something similar to leaves rustling. "Go away."

It either ignored or didn't notice my glum mood. "Her Majesty wants to you to come back in and stop standing here."

As it spoke, I leaned into a takeoff position, hope burning fiercely in my chest that I was actually about to jump into the air and finally leave. A sudden wave of nausea hit me after the dragon finished and I stumbled, backing up a little so I didn't fall off for real.

Cringing, I finally turned around to look at it. It was completely motionless, almost as if it were trying to become one with the cold stones around us. Its eyes were glazed over and blank, staring at me but not really seeing me. I turned around halfway, stopped, and looked again at the ocean. My whole body ached to fly out over it, never looking back.

I wilted. "Do…you ever feel like you want to see what's out there?"

"No."

My heart thudded heavily in my chest, and I squeezed my eyes shut, brows lowered. "Not once? You're content living here forever?"

"Yes." I turned my head towards the dragon. It suddenly unfroze, its mindless limbs sluggishly regaining motion. Apparently deciding that I was following it, it began to turn towards the gaping, pitch-black hole that I had exited the nest from. "Her Majesty wants you to come back in," it said again.

The powerful words edged me away from the cliff. I hung my head, my back to the ocean, but still refusing to walk back into that horrible cave. "You just want to serve her forever?" I pleaded desperately.

The dragon looked over its shoulder at me. "Yes," it said, and was swallowed whole by the darkness.

"Right," I whispered, hunching over. "I thought so."

Hey, guys!

After debate with myself, I decided to put this up for two reasons: to add more depth to I Hear Him Scream, and to fill in the huge gaps between updates. These shorts will center on the events during and before the story. They will have spoilers in them, so I'll put a warning on top of the oneshots that do.

This takes place about seven-ish years after Toothless starts to live in the nest with the Green Death. About fifty years will pass before the events of IHHS happen. There's a lot of symbolism, though it's pretty obvious. The dragon isn't described at all for a reason, too.

Hope you guys liked this little tidbit, and the ones that are going to come after it!