So, here we are again, back on the old...well, stomping grounds, even though it hasn't been that long since last I visited...three chapters yesterday, guys, man, and I didn't even have my morning coffee! 0_0 Shout-outs:
Galaxy-Mitsuko-Pegasus: I think nearly ALL the chapters in this and SITC ended on cliffhangers...I don't know why I like cliffhangers so much. :D And yeah, three chapters yesterday, oh boy! :D
LunarCatNinja: It'll be like the Speed Stinger...only nothing at all like the Speed Stinger. It's like chess...except I don't know how to play chess...LOL!
HappyPup1: I know, right? You just want to jump into the story, shake the character back and forth, and scream all our knowledge into their faces so they never do anything stupid again. But alas...it does not work that way. :( XD
1 Fan: Thanks! :D And yeah, chapters...one chapter, two chapter, three chapter, four chapter...XD
StarFlight13: Sweet! Glad to hear! :D And like I said, don't worry about not reviewing every single chapter. I update way too fast. ;) "I don't know, and I don't like not knowing..." Awww yess...shifting through the fandoms...
Crystallion12: Yep! Hey, I like updating. :D
Martyn: Like I said, I already have the story planned out, so I don't think I'll be doing that, but maybe some other time! :D
ShadowSpirit020: Awww yeeeesss! :D
hiccupandtoothless294: Yeah, Tuffnut! You should know better than to jump Hiccup, seriously...XD
Charr2003: Yes...another cliffhanger...BUT I do update reasonably quickly, so at least you don't have to suffer on the cliffhangers for very long. :) Ooh yeah...I should make Astrid threaten to roast Tuffnut's chicken some time...that'd be hilarious. XD
SnivyDragon: No, Changewings, noooooooo! Yeah, Viggo's hilarious, but the dagger is longer than the reasonable length for a dagger, sooo...he must know what he's doing. XD
Carly Marley: The suspense! :D Don't die on everyone, Hiccup! :D
AquaticDragon: Thanks! :D
Iris Patton: Aww, thanks! I'm glad you enjoy it so much! :D
Jo: Yeah, three chapters on the first day of posting! :D Fun, right? :D And yeah, I suppose my chapters could be a bit longer, but a lot of stuff happens each chapter. :) And yeah, sore loser, Viggo! :D
The Berkian men were loading their ships full of all the necessary weapons they would need for war and hauling down the ship sails. Stoick was amongst the men, barking orders; they had only started that morning, and by this evening, were nearly ready to head out.
"Stoick, don't you think you're pushing the men a little too hard?" said Gobber, coming up behind the Berkian Chief.
"Astrid sent us an urgent message, Gobber," said Stoick. "Viggo and his dragon hunters are planning to attack their base. We need to go and give them whatever support we can offer."
"But didn't Astrid say they have 'reason to believe'?" said Gobber. "We don't actually know-"
"We're going," said Stoick. "We leave as soon as the men are ready, no matter the storm, the hour, or how hard we push the men. We need to get there before Viggo. You saw what he was capable of last battle. He chained Scauldrons and set them on our ships."
"But Hiccup trained the Scauldrons, didn't he?"
"Aye, that he did, but he almost drowned in the process," said Stoick. "We're not going to risk that happening again. Who knows what dragons Viggo has chained at his demand."
"Alright, Stoick," said Gobber. "The men are nearly ready, so I hear."
"Good," said Stoick. "We set out as soon as we can."
…
"Viggo, the men just spotted a group of Changewings headed towards their base!" said Ryker to his leader. "They should be arriving at any minute!"
"Good!" said Viggo. "My men and I will dispatch shortly. We wouldn't want to run into any Changewings on our way. We may only have one shot at this."
"If you let me do it, Viggo," said Ryker, "I'm sure I could-"
"No, you must let me do it," said Viggo. "How many times must I say it before you comprehend it? Hiccup is mine. It has to be me who finishes him off."
Viggo looked back towards the sky; he could see the faint outlines of the Changewings Ryker had spoken of, flying straight towards the Edge, searching for their lost comrade.
"Dispatch!" shouted Viggo to the team of his ten men, and instantly, the anchor was raised from the shore and loaded onto the ship, and the ship was rowed by Viggo's men, five oars on each side of the ship while Viggo stood at the bow, overlooking the tumultuous waves.
The dagger remained at his belt, sharpened, waiting for its moment.
It wouldn't be long now...
…
"We're dead, ooohh, we're dead, we are so, so, so-"
"DEAD!" Tuffnut leapt out from behind the panting, terrified Fishlegs and tackled him. Fishlegs let out an almost inhuman shriek.
"Shut up!" Astrid finally snapped. "Listen! Can't you hear that? The Changewings are here!"
"That's why we're dead!" moaned Fishlegs, putting his hands over his head as if ducking for cover of an explosion. "Oh, who knows what the Changewings will do to us, oh, oh, oh-"
"Fishlegs, relax!" Hiccup hissed. "The Changewings'll hear us!"
Fishlegs shut his mouth after that, and they waited in silence. Eyelicker must have realized his pack of Changewing brethren were near, because he perked up excitedly and growled at the door.
Fishlegs began panicking again.
"No, no! If he growls they'll be able to hear us! Please don't growl!" Fishlegs pleaded.
Eyelicker looked at Fishlegs funnily, his head tilted to one side. Fishlegs turned his head away from the Changewing's gaze and put his hands over his head once again.
"Do you hear that?" Hiccup whispered.
"Hear what?" said Snotlout. "All I can hear is how loudly Fishface is breathing-"
"LISTEN!" snapped Astrid, and everyone fell silent.
They listened closely, and for a while, yes, all they could hear was the sound of their own breathing and an occasional growl from Eyelicker, but then, out of nowhere, a loud THUMP issued from above.
Hiccup clamped his hand over Fishlegs' mouth before he could shriek again. "Shhh!" he hissed, and then, he lowered his hand.
"But Hiccup-"
"I know, I know!"
The Changewings were on the roof.
"This is bad, this is bad, this is really, really bad," whispered Fishlegs, looking up at the roof. "Hiccup-"
"I know it's bad," said Hiccup. "Just...shh!" He slowly stood up and looked up at the roof. He couldn't see through the cracks in the wood like he normally could, as the entire Clubhouse had been covered in a large shell of Gronckle Iron, but he could hear small stomps and thumps as the Changewings moved across the roof, no doubt looking for a way inside.
"I don't like this," said Fishlegs, shaking his head.
"We know you don't, already!" snapped Snotlout angrily. "Honestly!"
"So, wait a minute," said Tuffnut. "Did we put the Gronckle Iron over the Clubhouse so the Changewings wouldn't come in?"
He and Ruffnut looked at each other, and then back at the ground.
"I feel so cheated," said Ruffnut, and she sounded hurt.
"Guys, please!" said Hiccup. "Let's focus! Does everyone have a weapon? The Gronckle Iron ones?"
Astrid held up an axe; Fishlegs and Snotlout held up swords; the twins held up their spears, and Hiccup looked down at his belt, where his own sword was sheathed.
"Alright," said Hiccup. "And remember, we don't want to hurt the Changewings. Maybe if they realize we're taking care of Eyelicker, they'll figure out that we're friends, not foe."
"Right," said Snotlout, nodding. "And what happens when they don't realize we're taking care of Eyelicker and destroy us all, huh? What then, genius?"
There were more thumps and stomps; the Changewings had found the door of the Clubhouse, which Hiccup and the other riders had smeltered shut from the inside upon entrance, and now, they spat green acid at it continuously, slowly, but surely, melting their way inside.
"That's-"
"If you say it's bad one more time, Fishlegs," said Snotlout, "you are going to regret it."
"Shields, now!" said Hiccup, and the riders grabbed their spare shields from the corner of the room and raced back, shields covering their bodies.
"And what do we do when they break in?" said Snotlout.
"They're not here to fight us," said Hiccup. "They're here for Eyelicker. If we don't threaten them, they shouldn't bother us."
"SHOULDN'T!?"
"SHHHHH!"
The acid on the door was glowing now. Hiccup was beginning to think that locking themselves down in the Clubhouse wasn't such a good idea. Then, at the last minute, he had an idea.
"Alright!" he said. "The Changewings don't want to fight us, right? So, the minute the doors open, Barf, Belch, Hookfang, Meatlug, Stormfly, and Toothless! Roar at them with all your might, do whatever you can, and scare them off! While they're regrouping, we'll move."
"But you said we can't let them get to Eyelicker, Hiccup," said Astrid shortly. "Eyelicker won't survive if he goes back with him-"
"I know," said Hiccup, "which is why we need to camp out around the Clubhouse while the Changewings regroup and try to do our best to gain their trust. If we can get them to trust us, they'll understand why we can't let Eyelicker leave."
"And what happens if we can't gain their trust?" said Fishlegs quietly.
"Theeeeeeeeen," sang Ruffnut and Tuffnut, "we're dead, dead, dead, dead, dead-"
"QUIET!" shouted Snotlout, but then, the doors of the Clubhouse banged open, and the Changewings camouflaged themselves into their surroundings.
"NOW!" Hiccup shouted, and the dragons roared; the Changewings materialized out of nowhere, roared in shock and confusion, spread their wings, and shot back into the sky from whence they had come.
"Come on, hurry!" Hiccup shouted, racing for the door. "Seal the doors behind you! Everyone out!"
He waited by the door, doing a silent headcount - Astrid, Stormfly, Snotlout, Hookfang, Fishlegs, Meatlug, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Barf, Belch, and finally, Toothless. Hiccup ran out after the others and pulled the door shut again, leaving Eyelicker, once again snoozing, inside. Toothless and Stormfly sealed another spare sheet of Gronckle Iron over the door, and then, the riders took to the sky.
"Spread out!" said Hiccup. "Everyone! Guard the Clubhouse doors, make sure the Changewings don't try and get in again! But don't hurt them or threaten them, no matter what! We need to gain their trust!"
It was easier said than done. It was hard to keep the Changewings from approaching without threatening them in some way, but somehow, they must have managed it - they didn't gain the Changewings' trusts, but they did manage to keep the Changewings away. Unfortunately, without posing as a real threat, the Changewings only kept coming back.
It went well.
Right up until Ruffnut and Tuffnut used their spears. In their defense, it hadn't been their fault; the Changewing had appeared from behind them, and the twins spun around, spears in their hands.
The Changewing roared at them, and the twins stared back, straight into-
"DON'T LOOK AT THE EYES!" Hiccup shouted, but it was no good. For a few moments, the twins remained mesmerized, staring into the hypnotic eyes of the Changewing, and then, they stepped backwards, dropped their spears, and looked around.
Then, the Changewing spread its wings and soared in the opposite direction.
"What happened!?" called Astrid, looking down at Ruffnut and Tuffnut, who were still looking around stupidly. "Are they okay?"
"I don't know," Hiccup said, and he soared Toothless down to make sure the twins were alright. He leapt off Toothless' back and approached them; they looked at him and blinked.
"Hey, you guys okay?" he called.
"Fine!" said Ruffnut, and she looked around again.
"Well, good!" said Hiccup. "Pick up your weapons, then! We need your help!"
Ruffnut and Tuffnut looked at each other.
"You want us to fight?" they said.
"Well, not fight," said Hiccup. "Defending yourself is more like it-"
"We're not fighting," said Ruffnut and Tuffnut, crossing their arms.
"Why not-oh." Hiccup suddenly understood. "Right...the Changewing must have hypnotized you into not fighting…" Then, suddenly, he froze. "Ruffnut, Tuffnut...you guys are geniuses!"
"Yes!" the twins said, and they slapped each other's hands in a high-five. "But wait! What did we do?"
"You just gave me an idea!" said Hiccup, and he mounted Toothless. "Stay here, or, if you're not going to fight, get somewhere safe!"
"Okay!" Ruffnut and Tuffnut called, and Toothless took to the sky.
"Astrid!" Hiccup shouted as soon as he had gained air. "I need to borrow your axe!"