Chapter Two: Fork in the Road [!]
'Was the coast clear?' the Rogue thought as he snuck a peek outside of the stables. He was holding onto his bow, ready to loose a Dragon Root Arrow anywhere. The boy stepped outside, off-guard. As his dragon followed him, he spotted a Viking standing by a Monstrous Nightmare.
The boy let his arrow rip through the air, planting itself into the Nightmare's left foot. As the dragon screamed in pain, he quickly sprinted over and landed a powerful punch on the Viking's nose. He was knocked unconscious, tripping to the ground.
The Rogue observed the rider more closely, coming to a realization to who the person was. Getting up from his crouched position, he flung the Viking's leg over his shoulder - with his dragon carrying the Nightmare - and slowly strolled to the infirmary.
He mentally sighed at who he had hit. Did it really have to be this specific Viking? He kicked a cloud of dust into the air, with Snotlout's head dragging on the rough ground. The Zippleback lingered over the water, for Hookfang was spewing lava in his unconscious state.
The Rogue just grumbled an insult meant for the unconscious Snotlout before arriving at the nicely finished Infirmary a handful of seconds later.
The wind felt amazing in Astrid's face. Like a breeze that enveloped her with chilly air. She really didn't care how cold it was. The last few days at Berk were painstakingly hot to bear. As amazing as it felt, Astrid was also enveloped in a bed of dread. She was still shaky about exploring because of the 'Bewilderbeast Incident' a few months back. Her mind lingered on the moment she thought Hiccup had died in a teal encasing of steel-like ice. Oh, how frightened Astrid was.
And afraid was the right word to think.
As the group neared Eel Island, Hiccup began a checking if everyone was present.
"Of course, there's me and you, bud," Hiccup whispered to Toothless before continuing.
"Astrid and Stormfly?" Hiccup asked.
"We're here."
"And how about the Twins and Barf and Belch?"
There was nothing heard from the twins, but the dragon warbled, indicating it was there.
"So that's that," Hiccup muttered to no one in particular.
"Fishlegs and Meatlug?"
"We're right here. Uh, above you!" Fishlegs stammered.
"What are you doing up-" Hiccup started before looking up. As he angled his head above, he saw that Meatlug was sleeping. Typical behavior of Gronckles.
"And finally..." Hiccup hesitated, expecting to find some showing off-ing or bragging about how amazing he was to Ruffnut. "Snotlout."
No answer.
"Uh, Snotlout?"
Still none.
"SNOTLOUT! IF THIS IS A-" Hiccup turned around to see Snotlout or Hookfang for miles. Nothing was there. Except for the rare rising of a pod of Seashockers, breathing in air.
Hiccup sighed mentally, thinking Snotlout had gone ahead of the group, in one of the shortcuts he told everyone to follow. Of course, no one paid any attention to it at all - except the Twins - and kept flying. Maybe one of those 'shortcuts' was actually a shortcut. Either way, he'd probably be at Eel Island.
'If he's not there, and actually hiding, I'm gonna... well, never mind.' Hiccup thought as they raced to the Island.
A very sharp whistle could be heard a few seconds later, but it wasn't from Toothless. It was something that probably would kill the group without a second thought.
Also, guess what? A thunderhead was approaching.
Snotlout moaned at how much his face hurt. His nose too. The nose hurt a lot.
He opened his eyes groggily, expecting to see Hookfang's scales that he'd been sleeping on, or maybe a clear blue sky. Instead, all he saw was a thick, consistent shade of brown. Like logs.
But he wasn't at Berk.
Snotlout could clearly remember leaving Berk with the rest of the team. If he wasn't at Berk, then where was he?
The beefy Viking tried to recall places with a surplus of wooden constructions:
Berk? Obviously not. This place was built in a different pattern.
Outcast Island? Thought that place had been destroyed by a Skrill that had gotten free of its icy prison.
A Dragon Hunter Ship? No, he would feel seasick.
Valhalla? Thought it would be more... majestic.
An Unknown Area? No, he recognizes this build.
The Ed-
Was he really there? It looked painfully familiar, and he was in this one room with a giant dragon bed, along with a rider bed for injuries. Snotlout couldn't believe he had ended up in the place he despised building the most. Its not like he was hurt or ever hurt, right?
The pain in his nose denied that in an instant. His mind slowly succumbed to the thought of defeat.
He was at the Dragon's Edge infirmary. The place where the twins usually spent their week at, getting hurt. But him? No. He had tried to be strong for Astrid, even though it was obvious that she and Hiccup were already together. He had tried to get her to at least notice him. Snotlout had tried, time and time again. He even stopped falling for Ruffnut. Just because he wanted Astrid to be proud of him.
But that day hadn't come yet. He thought it would never come.
Hookfang's jaws against his chest sent him spiraling back to reality. His dragon was whining, not in an annoyed way. In a hurting way. He had noticed Snotlout's eyes start to become a little misty, with even one trickle spilling out. Add that to the pain of an arrow lodged in the dragon's leg. It sort of - does a number to one's personality, even if it was subtle.
Snotlout's tears came spilling out, with no resistance.
"If only," Snotlout said with a sniffle. "If only she would at least acknowledge my existence. No, she pretends to think of the world as everybody else. The only sign she gave me that she knew I was there was an elbow to the ribs, or a hostile motion."
Hookfang crooned, worried for his rider. He had experienced these feelings before, when he had been separated from his family when he had been captured and imprisoned the year before he met Snotlout.
Snotlout looked at his worried dragon and hugged his snout. He would have to thank this person here for allowing him to realize his true feelings. Feelings for Hookfang, his dragon. How he had saved Snotlout and others countless times, even when Snotlout mistreated him. How he endured his rider's belligerence. And for being such a good friend.
Flash. Flash. Flash. Flash.
Lightning bolts streaked the sky with intense heat. Hiccup and the others had been dodging these bolts for about a minute or two already. Hiccup had yelled, "Skrill!" right after the first lightning bolt stretched out of the sky. It was kinda' amazing how fast he could identify dragons.
Especially from just their fire. But then again, what other dragon shot lightning bolts?
Astrid and Stormfly easily dodged the burning white fire.
Suddenly, another bolt came out. Not from the north. From the south.
'Maybe the Skrill just swerved to fire from a different direction, to catch us off guard,' Astrid thought hopefully.
Her thoughts were easily dashed, as the firing from the north continued, accompanied by the constant burn of the southern Skrill's bolts.
It was undeniable now. There were two Skrills. Two Skrills! 'The second to the Night Fury' multiplied by two.
Firing from the north ceased in a blink of an eye. The southern bolts followed suit in a matter of seconds.
"Okay. That was unexpec-" Hiccup was cut off as four Skrills lowered their heads above the clouds. A family of Skrills. Two were adults, one was juvenile, and a Skrill youngling accompanied them.
"Oh, PERFECT!" Ruffnut screamed. "They can help us do more destruction!"
"Not if they kill us first! Then we wont get to witness the decimation unfold!" Tuffnut shouted. For once, he had some common sense drilled into his head and spoken out loud like a champion!
For a Thorston. That was barely acceptable in Jorgenson standards, and that barely touched the bottom of the Hofferson's status. Astrid even maybe the Ingermans would be ashamed of them. But in the Thorston world, that was pure gold.
Flash. Flash. Flash. Flash.
All Astrid felt was a bed of air surround her before the striking [!] cold of the deep water pierced into her flesh, to her very bones. No one would be that scared, that frightened for something even like getting killed by a dragon. But facing four Skrills, not on the back of your dragon - who you'd grown attached too - in the deep ocean in an instant was something to be scared of.
Even scarier than a Flightmare. [!]
[!] The Title refers to how Snotlout gets split from the rest of the gang.
[!] Get it? Striking? Skrills are Strike Class? Oh, forget it.
[!] Flightmares are known for 'freezing you in fear'.
Author's Note: Things are starting to heat up now! Snotlout missing, Snotlout opening up, and one big happy Skrill family. Except that they're not happy. They're mad at the dragons. Why? Can't tell you right now. Hope you guys are having a good time reading, as I am writing.
A Shout-Out to LE3 101, who gave me the idea to go to Eel Island.
Should I have to put a Disclaimer? When will people learn.. I DO NOT OWN HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON! There. There, its out of the way.
Until Then,
- Dilo.
