Author's Note:

Hello all and welcome to chapter two. First off I just want to state that this story isn't the sequel to the one with the witch, I will be writing one of those at some point but it is going to be set during RTTE whereas this one is during Riders of Berk. Thank you all for your support of the first chapter and I hope you enjoy this one.

I own nothing.

Diagnosis

Stoick frantically shook trying to get a response from the unconscious boy.

Nothing happened and he looked around trying to spot Gothi and saw her hobbling over as fast as possible. He swiftly moved aside so she could examine the teen but he hovered by her shoulder watching fearfully.

He could barely believe how quickly it happened. Snotlout had been completely fine to begin with but in the short time it took to give the speech the boy had rapidly declined and collapsed, Stoick himself had only just noticed something was wrong right before the teen went unconscious and hadn't quite been quick enough to catch him. Fortunately the fall itself hadn't caused any serious damage but the cause of the fall was very worrying indeed.

Gothi examined Snotlout as surrounding Vikings looked on anxiously with some muttering their speculations to their neighbours, suddenly a shocked look slapped itself across her face and she instantly began scribbling in some dirt that had been thrown onto the floor for her. Gobber quickly read the symbols and his face turned white and he looked fearfully at Snotlout before turning to Stoick. The blacksmith hesitated until the chief spoke at him with frantic impatience, "What is it Gobber? What's wrong!?"

The man answered with uncharacteristic quietness.

"Poison Stoick. Snotlout's been poisoned."

Gothi's hut was silent despite the fact it was currently quite crowded.

Snotlout had been swiftly moved there away from the uproar caused by the revelation that he'd been poisoned. It wasn't hard to work out where the poison had come from as Snotlout had only had the one sip of mead just before he collapsed and no one else had touched it as well. Of course that meant it wasn't a great leap of logic to assume that the actual target for the poison had been Stoick himself and many had already reached this conclusion.

For his part Stoick was more concerned about Snotlout than an attempt on his life but the chief part of his mind reminded him that an assassination attempt had to be dealt with swiftly. For the moment his focus was on Gothi and her ministrations to the boy, Mr Hofferson and Mr Ingerman were down in the village keeping the uproar under control while their chief stayed with his nephew. Hiccup was sat alongside him his face fearful as he stared at his cousin, behind him was Toothless whose expression mirrored that of his rider with a small amount of confusion evident as well. As close to Snotlout's bed as he could get was Hookfang, the Nightmare had determinedly got his large body into the hut to be near his rider and was not going to budge for anyone unless it would help Snotlout get better. Gobber was with Gothi acting as assistant and translator and he nodded to where the elder was currently pouring some concoction down the boy's throat, "It may not be much but we're lucky that the lad only had a sip, if he'd had as much as ye do in one shot Stoick then he'd already be dead."

Hiccup gave a small gasp but Stoick kept his emotions controlled as he spoke quietly, "What's Gothi doing?"

"Giving him a special mixture to help with the poison." The blacksmith answered.

Gothi left Snotlout's side and began using her staff to write on the floor, Gobber quickly began translating to the rest, "She says that she's got the effects of the poison under control for now but it's just a delaying tactic, without a cure Snotlout will still slowly decline and die."

"So what is the cure?" Stoick's voice betrayed a small amount of desperation and Gothi sighed sadly as she reluctantly wrote out her answer.

Gobber briefly closed his eyes as he translated it, "She doesn't know." The man's voice trembled slightly as he continued, "There wasn't enough poison in the cup for her to create an antidote and it's not one she's ever come across before. The only way to save Snotlout is to find out what poison it is and get more from its source so she can make an antidote."

Hiccup shot to his feet, "Then we'll head out right now and start searching!"

Gobber shook his head, "It's not that simple lad, if Gothi doesn't know what the poison is then it likely comes from beyond the Archipelago. Even if ye knew exactly where to find it ye'd never get there and back in time, Snotlout has days left and even with dragons that's not enough time."

Not intending to give up Hiccup furrowed his brow and began pacing, "Then we find it some other way." His eyes lit up in excitement, "We find the poisoner! He probably has more of it than he used in case he needed it. We find him, we find the poison." He began running for the door, "I'll get the other riders and we'll start searching right away…"

"No Hiccup!"

Hiccup stopped dead and stared at his father in disbelief, "But Dad! It might be the only way to save Snotlout!"

The chief moved forward, "I know Hiccup but this isn't a dragon that can be trained or a straight out attack, this is a murderer who'll have no qualms about killing you if you get in his way."

"But Alvin…"

"Is much more likely to keep you alive to further his own goals than kill you." Stoick explained, "He wants to conquer Berk and he'd prefer to have as many people alive as possible so he can rule them. A murderer only kills and the motives of this one are far too unclear to tell what he truly wants. He's tried to kill me but that is all we know and that could be all he wants but something tells me he's after more." He strode towards the door, "I'll take some of our warriors and look for him myself."

"Dad I…"

Stoick placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder, "I need you to stay here with Snotlout and look after him. Have Fishlegs look through some of our old medicinal records and see if they have anything about this poison in them, there might be something from long ago that we've forgotten."

Hiccup looked ready to protest further but he instead sighed, "Yes Dad."

Stoick gave him a small smile, "We'll save him son, you'll see."

The chief left the hut and Hiccup sighed again. Gobber shuffled over and briefly gave the boy's shoulder a squeeze, "Ye stay here with yer cousin. I'll let the others know what's happening."

Hiccup nodded and slowly made his way to beside Snotlout as Gobber shuffled out. Sitting in a chair at the younger boy's bedside he idly began petting Hookfang's head as Toothless placed his in his rider's lap. The dragon let out a low rumble and Hiccup answered, "I know bud, I want to do more than this too."

Gothi placed something in his hand and he realised it was a damp cloth, knowing what it was for he began bathing Snotlout's forehead with it to try and cool his fevered brow. As he did so he took in his cousin's condition.

Snotlout was worryingly pale with his skin almost deathly white, he was shivering constantly even as he sweated from his fever. He'd not been conscious since he'd collapsed in the Great Hall and it was likely he wouldn't be again unless they got the antidote, occasionally Snotlout would twitch or move as if he was reacting to whatever dreams that were caused by his fever. Hiccup had never seen his cousin look so ill before and he hated not being able to do much about it.

Refreshing the cloth's coolness in a nearby bucket of water Hiccup reapplied it to Snotlout's forehead determined to do something for him even if it was very small.

PS-Yes it was poison but it was kind of obvious. Please let me know what you thought and I'll update soon.