Hey guys! Bit of a shorter chapter, unfortunately, but I may or may not have twisted my wrist earlier while riding my bike, and then going and playing Moonlight Sonata on the piano for an hour after that didn't help at all. -_- But I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D Shout-outs:
wikelia: Red Rage! That sounds fun! :D I don't have a Tumblr, but I have a Pinterest, and I can so totally whisper it in my friends' ears! XD Sounds like a bunch of fun! :D Awesome! :D
ShadowSpirit020: Yeah, good thing Hiccup isn't there. :D Hiccup wouldn't be able to tolerate that level of stupidity. XD
Dimensional Girl: Yeah, poor Astrid and Ruffnut. :( And there will be Hiccup and Tuffnut bonding. I promise. ;)
Animals Rule: Aww, thank you! :D
Forever Me: Thanks! :D I'm glad you like it so far! :D
AquaticDragon: Haha, LOL, thank you! :D
DG-Agent37-Lover: Aww, thank you so much! :D I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying these fanfiction "episodes" so far! :D I update pretty quick, so you won't have to wait very long. XD I love writing about the twins! Haha, yeah, you got me there! XD The twins are normally such underestimated characters, but I really love them. :) Thanks for the review! I hope the rest of these episodes meet any expectations you may have! :D Thanks! :D
Charr2003: Yes, they have been separated! And so the story begins! :D I might do a side-story about Snotlout taking the axe someday...I bet it would be pretty funny. XD And I can promise Hiccstrid in this story too. :D YAY, SPRING BREAK! *fist pump* Thanks for the review! :D
SilverGhostWolf: And you don't have to wait any longer! :D
midnightsky0612: True that. ;)
Martyn: Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it so far! :D
SnivyDragon: Yep. It's all fun and games until they get separated. XD And seriously, Tuffnut, you could have left Macey behind...XD LOL! :D
RubyTheSkyWing: Let's hope they are! :D Thanks for the review! :D
1 Fan: Thanks! :D Glad you're enjoying it so far! :D
Poseidon'sWizardingGuardian: Thanks! :D
Tuffnut rolled down the hill, groping helplessly for something to stop his fall. But he couldn't find anything; he grabbed handfuls of snow and ice, but nothing was sturdy enough to keep him from plummeting.
He was rolling straight towards the edge of a large, deep crevice, and nothing he did could stop his fall. He realized where he was falling and scrambled for a hold, but amounted to nothing. He rolled right off the edge of the cliff-
-and Hiccup's fingers closed tightly around his wrist. Tuffnut had shut his eyes to brace himself for the fall, but now he looked up. Hiccup, teeth gritted, eyes narrowed, stared back down at him.
"Oh, thanks, Hiccup!" said Tuffnut, his legs and body dangling over the side of the cliff, Hiccup's grip being the only thing to keep him from falling.
"Don't thank me yet!" Hiccup said, his voice strained. He shut his eyes tightly and tried to pull Tuffnut from the ravine, but to no avail. He couldn't get a good enough footing to pull without slipping himself.
"Um, yeah, Hiccup," said Tuffnut, "but...if you could pull me up now, that'd be great...I'm all in for dark caverns and stuff, but this one looks especially dark…" He looked down the black maw of the ravine and shuddered. "Hiccup!"
"I'm trying!" Hiccup said back. "Just...hold-" He slipped, and before he could stop himself, he fell into the ravine. Just before he fell altogether, he just barely managed to grab the edge of the cliffside, his other hand still gripping Tuffnut's wrist.
"Oh, thanks a lot, Hiccup," said Tuffnut quietly. "Now we're both going to die."
"Hang on!" Hiccup shouted furiously, yelling to get his voice over the wind and trying to pull himself over the side of the cliff - but he couldn't even pull Tuffnut up earlier, much less himself and Tuffnut. "Just...hold on!"
"Don't mind me!" said Tuffnut. "I'm just...y'know, hanging around...literally…"
"Would you please-" Hiccup started, but froze when he heard a small crack. He, hardly daring to look, glanced up.
The chunk of ice he had grabbed onto to keep himself from falling was breaking.
"Uh oh," he whispered.
"Uh oh?" said Tuffnut. "Let me guess...the ice is cracking."
Hiccup's silent reply was all the clarification Tuffnut needed. Before Tuffnut could add anything, and before Hiccup could snap at him to be quiet, the ice cracked, and Hiccup and Tuffnut fell, screaming, into the dark crevice.
…
Astrid paced back and forth with Ruffnut doing the same beside her. The storm hadn't let up even slightly. It still blew in all its fury, waiting outside the mouth of the cave, like a cat waiting for its prey to come out of hiding before striking.
"This is awful," said Ruffnut, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "This is horrible. I used to think it was funny when Tuffnut was in imminent danger, but...this waiting to see whether or not he's actually alive...I can't...make it stop!"
She put her hands over her head, fingers digging into her scalp in desperation.
"Tuffnut will be fine," said Astrid, "he's got Hiccup with him."
"And what about Hiccup?" said Ruffnut, lowering her head further, yanking at her hair. "They could both be in imminent danger, and we can't do anything about it! With wind like this, a million things could have happened! There could have been an avalanche, the weather outside has to be somewhere below twenty degrees, the snow isn't helping, it's a blizzard, the Snow Wraiths could have gotten the wrong idea and migrated here-"
"Ruffnut, please stop," Astrid said, shutting her eyes to try and get the images of Ruffnut's worst case scenarios out of her head. "You're not helping."
Ruffnut shut her mouth and looked sadly back towards the mouth of the cave. "I hope they're okay," she said.
Astrid swallowed hard. Her silence told Ruffnut that she hoped the same thing.
…
Berk was as sunny as it could be that day when Snotlout and Fishlegs flew in from the sky and Gobber arrived by Berkian ship. The Murderous Tribe's ships were already moored in the Berkian waters, and the Chief of the Murderous Tribe, named Murderous (coincident or not, no one would ever know), was shaking Stoick's hand.
"Here we are," said Snotlout. "Thank Thor we got out of that stupid training exercise."
"I don't know, Snotlout," said Fishlegs quietly, almost silently. "I'd take a hike to Frost's Peak over dealing with the Murderous Tribe any day."
"Oh, come on, Fishface!" said Snotlout. "It can't be that bad. I mean, I know me and the heir of the Murderous Tribe aren't exactly compatible, but that shouldn't matter! We're Hooligans, Fishlegs, Hooligans! Act like one!"
Fishlegs swallowed hard. "Oh, Thor…" he whispered. Meatlug licked him, but Fishlegs, for once, wasn't comforted. The dragons circled around Berk and landed behind Stoick, where Astrid's A-Team and their dragons were standing.
"What are you doing here, Gustav?" said Snotlout as he dismounted Hookfang. Gustav and Fanghook looked over at him, made sure Murderous wasn't listening, and then leaned in closer.
"Stoick put us on lookout," he said, "to make sure none of the Murderous Tribe members try and wreak havoc. Apparently, last time they were here, they started a fistfight in the Great Hall that resulted in...well...let's just say, the peace treaty almost wasn't signed."
"In which case," said Snotlout, "that's probably what we're here for, too-"
"Ah, Snotlout!" came Spitelout's voice, and Snotlout, mentally groaning, turned towards his father. "I was hoping you'd show up, boyo!" said Spitelout, wrapping his arm around Snotlout's shoulders and leading him forward. "The Chief's son is itching to see you again!"
"I'm sure he is…" Snotlout moaned.
"But this time, Snotlout," warned Spitelout in Snotlout's ear, "let's make a good impression, shall we? No more stealing axes that aren't yours."
Before Snotlout could answer, he was propelled forward, and his father stepped up beside Stoick, holding Snotlout by his shoulders.
Chief Murderous was a boulder of a man with large muscles to rival Alvin the Treacherous' and numerous scars littering his face and arms. His eyes were so narrowed Snotlout, for a moment, thought they were closed, and his scraggly gray beard obscured most of his face.
The Chief's son stood beside him, with the same toned muscles and deep scowl. He was Snotlout's height and age, with dusty gray hair like his father's and deep, assessing eyes.
Snotlout swallowed hard. Hiking up to Frost's Peak appealed to him for a moment.
"Chief Murderous!" said Spitelout. "You remember my son, Snotlout."
"Eh...heh heh...hi," said Snotlout, smiling fakely and raising his hand in embarrassed greeting. Chief Murderous looked at him skeptically.
"Unfortunately, I do remember him," said Chief Murderous lowly, his voice a deep grovel, and Snotlout dropped his hand back to his side. "And I'm sure Snotlout remembers my son, Colborn."
Murderous' son, Colborn, nodded coldly at Snotlout. "Snotlout," he muttered in half-hearted greeting.
"Colborn," said Snotlout in the same muddled, irritated voice, and Spitelout released Snotlout's shoulders to step back.
Murderous looked around, his squinted eyes staring blankly at the empty spot opposite of Stoick. "Where's that son of yours, Stoick?" asked Murderous lowly.
"Hiccup will not be joining us today, I'm afraid," said Stoick.
"Ah, I see," said Murderous, nodding slowly. "He oddball he is, I didn't exactly expect him to show up."
Snotlout glared harshly. He knew Stoick would be glaring, too, if he hadn't been in the process of signing a peace treaty. "Shall we go?" said Stoick, motioning towards the Great Hall.
"We shall indeed," said Murderous. "And while we are signing the treaty, your nephew can show Colburn around, I am sure, without anymore thefts?"
"He will," said Stoick.
"He better," said Spitelout.
"Oh, Thor, I'm done for," moaned Snotlout quietly to himself.
Colburn sighed heavily, examining his fingernail idly. "If they won't bore me," he said, "I am perfectly fine with it."
Snotlout crossed his arms. He'd show Colburn boring. If it was adventure he wanted, it was adventure he would get.
"Perfect!" said Murderous, patting Colburn on the shoulder. "In which case, Colburn, if they do bore you, don't hesitate to let me know."
Colburn nodded. Snotlout wanted to facepalm. He looked back; Fishlegs was doing his best to keep himself concealed behind Meatlug, peaking over the Gronckle's side to see if Colburn was looking in his direction.
Snotlout sighed.
Well, if he was going to be dealing with Colburn all day, he might as well drag Fishlegs into it, too.
