Hey it's me again. Wow, if I keep working on this I might actually be able to complete this story. I already have a rough idea of how the rest of this is going to go. Fingers crossed that it actually comes out well. Sorry about the size of the words, Fanfiction is being weird. Disclaimer!
Disclaimer: We don't own crap.
Dissent in the Ranks: Chapter Four
Men shouted as their camp was lit ablaze. Dragons wild and trained screeched as men ran trying to regain some sense of order. Deep in the dungeons below their feet, five individuals ran through the tunnels.
"Do you even know where you're going?!" Fishlegs yelled from the back.
"Of course I do!" Eret shot back. "The exit is just down a few more corridors. Skullcrusher's waiting for us there!"
"How did all this happen?" Tuffnut asked. "I mean, the chaos is cool but how did it start?"
"Skullcrusher started it of course! All he needed to do was blast open a few of the wild's pens! Not that hard really."
"Wait, so you're telling me your dragon pulled off a distraction this big?" Snotlout said incredulously as they turned down another corner.
"Didn't I just say that it's not that hard?" Eret said with mild annoyance "You know, despite what you Vikings might think, dragons are very intelligent creatures. Ah! There it is!"
The moment they exited the tunnels several things were apparent. The shouts of the Riders as they and their dragons tried to control the wild dragons and the Rumblehorn that tackled Eret.
"Alright, Alright Skullcrusher that's enough! I missed you too old friend now get off!" The man laughed as he pushed the large dragon off him. He turned back to the Vikings.
"Alright Vikings I have good news and bad news."
"What's the bad news?" Fishlegs asked apprehensively.
"Skullcrusher may be a strong dragon but he can't carry all of us."
"And the good news?"
"There are plenty of dragons to choose from."
It was nearly a minute before what the man said sank in. Choose . . . a dragon? He wasn't serious. Was he?
"Are you insane?!" Snotlout shouted at the man. Clearly he was. He couldn't expect them to actually ride dragons was he?
"Take a look around you lad. The only way off this is on the back of a dragon."
The four of them looked around them for the first time. The entire camp, consisting of a few dozen tents, cages, and forges, sat on top of what was clearly a massive sea stack. Even from where they were they could tell the stack was hundreds of feet tall, higher than any of them could climb down fast enough to not be caught or to survive the drop to the water below. The only way off was to grow wings . . . or on a dragon. Snotlout cursed as he turned back to Eret.
"So what do we do?"
"Well, Skull can carry the twins-""I'm fine with this!" Ruffnut shouted as she clung to Eret's arm. "So you two will have to find a dragon," he continued, gesturing to Fishlegs and Snotlout.
"And how the hell are we supposed to do that?!" Snotlout shouted at him.
"Well normally it's a slow and carefully planned out process, finding which species works best for you, trying to match up their personalities to your own, building connections," they all ducked slightly as a forge exploded not far from where they stood, "but we're a little pressed for time so if you could make it quick that would be very much appreciated!" He hopped onto the saddle strapped to the Rumblehorn's back, Ruffnut and Tuffnut jumping behind him.
"Meet up with us just south of here."
"Wait you're just gonna leave us here?" Snotlout said panicked.
"ERET!"
"Can't wait gotta go!" with that he took off, a Timberjack close behind. "Baa!" "Phil!" They watched as the three humans, dragon, and sheep where chased off. Snotlout and Fishlegs glanced at each other before running into the still chaos filled camp. They ducked behind broken walls and burned wagons staying out of sight from the Riders. They watched as yet another dragon was wrangled into an awaiting cage.
"Chances of escape are dwindling. They've captured about half the dragons. We need to move fast."
"Any suggestions Fish?"
"Finding a single dragon that could hold both of us would save time. That would include species such as Raincutters-"Snotlout tuned out the larger Viking's rambling as he glanced around them. All around them, Riders and dragons ran across the camp, but he could see order was beginning to return. They needed to work fast but how could they train a dragon so quickly? What had that Eret guy said? Something about connections? A shriek caught his attention as he turned to the sound. Just across the yard from them there was a cage. Inside it was the same Nightmare he had seen from earlier. He had said something about connections.
Snotlout grabbed Fishlegs' shoulder and dragged him across the yard. When they approached the Nightmare's cage, he shoved Fishlegs behind a stack of barrels. "Stay here!" He stalked over to the cage, weary of the creature inside. When the dragon noticed him he growled lowly, his exposed teeth showing even more prominently. Snotlout gulped and took a deep breath. He stood directly in front of the cage.
"Hookfang." Hearing it's the name the dragon's growling lessened slightly. "We need your help." Snotlout didn't know what he was doing. Talking to a dragon, this was crazy! Another explosion reminded him he didn't have a lot of options. "Look, I know you lost your rider. That's probably like losing something very close to you. I can sympathize with that," he said as he rubbed his patch. "But we need your help. These guys are going to put you down, do you want that?" By this point the growling had stopped completely. The dragon eyed him curiously. Can a dragon be curious? "If you help us get out of here, I swear you won't be hurt." Hookfang continued to look at him, almost as if he was considering his offer. The dragon's head nodded so slightly that Snotlout almost didn't see it. He gestured Fishlegs to come over and opened the cage. At first, he expected to be bitten in half, but he was pleasantly surprised he wasn't. The dragon, Hookfang Snotlout told himself, walked out of the cage, eyeing the both of them. He lowered his head before them, an invitation they realized. With Fishlegs on the dragon's back and Snotlout right behind his head, they took off, leaving behind the chaotic campsite.
Five minutes passed. Snotlout was in awe. Sea stacks passed them, each one of them hundreds of feet tall. The waves crashed against the rocks beneath him, the wind brushed past his face. Was this what it was like to be a dragon? To soar through the skies of Midgard with no restrictions or ties to the earth below . . . it was strangely freeing.
"Amazing isn't it?" For such a large dragon, Rumblehorns are surprisingly quiet flyers.
"Yeah, it is," Snotlout said in awe. How could he not? If only the Vikings back at Berk could see this. He turned his attention to the dragon flying beside them. "So where are we going?"
"Something tells me the chief won't like that we're on dragons," Fishlegs said from his spot on Hookfang's back.
"Then it's a good thing we're not going to Berk then. Follow me; the chief will want to have a word with you."
-0-
"Where are you taking us?" It had been only half an hour since Astrid and Gobber were taken captive. By that time, the ice valley was miles behind them.
"We're taking you to our camp. You need to talk with the chief," the Rider, Heather stated.
"And who exactly is that?" Gobber asked from the back of the Raincutter.
"You'll see when we get there. You should be able to see it right about . . . now."
Astrid and Gobber both looked up in awe. Just in front of them was a mountain. Not just some ordinary mountain, the entire thing was made of this strange green ice. It was . . . unnatural.
"What kind of thing could do that?" Gobber asked when he found his voice.
"The Bewilderbeast," the Rider on the Raincutter answered. "This was its nest."
"Was?" Astrid asked.
"It's gone now," Heather whispered. The two Riders both cast their gazes downward. Their expressions were solemn and almost sad. None of them said anything as they flew through one of the tunnels into the mountain. Astrid's breath caught in her throat. It was beautiful. Hundreds of dragons, all of them different shapes and colors flew around a lush green sanctuary. Clean and clear waters flowed; lush, green grass blew under the dragon's wings. At the bottom of the sanctuary dozens of wooden house sat under the light that filtered through the top of the mountain. People went about their daily lives, farming and building without a care of the creatures flying above them, some of them even standing beside them. There was a certain tranquility in the air, as if there were no problems. Nothing outside this mountain mattered. Eventually they landed right outside the largest building. It reminded Astrid of the Great Hall. The doors were decorated with images of intricately carved dragons and the walls perfectly crafted of the finest wood. The inside was just as grand. People laughed and joked as they ate; dragons eating at large feeders filled with fish. Maybe not completely like the Great Hall. Conversations and laughter ceased when they were noticed. People and dragons alike stared as they were led past them. Astrid couldn't help but shiver. The other Rider left them as Heather continued to guide them. They walked up a stairwell in the back of the tavern.
"The chief will be in the war room, this way."
Astrid didn't know what to expect. Who would be a chief of dragon riders? What kind of person would people like that follow? Astrid imagined a giant of a man, larger than her own chief. Someone who could do more than crush mountains and tame seas. Someone who could master the chaos of nature itself. As they entered the room at the end of the hall, that is not what Astrid saw.
"Hiccup?"
Waiver: Love really loves his cliffhangers. Review please!