Chapter 9: Outside and Hardly Understanding
Thunder, it was a sound just has thunder was strumming the very earth. But closer, not as it was from the heavens, but just within and maybe even above the heads of whom heard. When the ground started, to shake, awaken both the boys up.
"What's going on?" Hiccup asked in worry, trying to get to his feet, only to fall when the ground shook.
Jack got to his feet, reaching for his staff, hovering a bit in air. He glanced to Hiccup to say. "I don't know. Stay by the tree, I'll be back as fast as I can."
Hiccup did as he was quivering told, watching the other takeoff for the sky. Faintly, hearing the shouts of Jack's voice, only for them to quickly be drowned out by; the rising gales.
For Jack, he kept getting higher, speaking to the wind, asking for reasoning for what was going on. But no replies were given. Only, for the gale swiftness bashing against him more and more, powerfully enough to send Jack down to the ground. For; soon leaving nothing more than a crater in its wake, as Jack tried to get out of it, returning hastily to go back to Hiccup. Blocking out the rattling that went on through the dome and having the thunder crashes growing louder to hear.
"Jack!"
When the other heard his name, the sudden feel of a body wasn't he thinking of running into, having Hiccup push him to the ground. With, a large shard of the dome's ceiling landing within inches from them.
The two quickly got to their feet, rushing to where the mountain ledge waterfall was, hoping to hide there, before, having the rest of the dome fallen on them. Barely missing each time, able to get to safety before, having a colliding of the dome's shards block them within the waterfall.
"Jack?"
Hiccup's voice broke Jack out his scared trance to look at the human, equally scared and much more out of breath than the other.
"I'm fine. How about you, okay?"
"I'll live." Hiccup answered back, sliding down wall of stone, his legs far to numb to hold him up anymore.
Jack copies the motion.
Both of them watched through the frozen waterfall, as the dome continued to fall around them. Faint shakes, loosen some rubble to fall on them, but it was able to handle than out there. With the dim glow of Jack's staff as light, they were alone in endless darkness.
"It's breaking." Jack said, in worry and yet the wonder wasn't far behind.
Hiccup glanced to the other, choosing not to say anything, but lean closer when another earthquake happens. Jack placed his staff in front of them, as a shield. Little it would do, but it brought a safety to them.
Hours went on, the dome slowly breaking away. But still far from over.
Jack took notice of how Hiccup was shaking, no doubt from the cold. Without much thought, Jack removed his cloak, draping it over the other, to give him a warmth. Smiling weakly when Hiccup gave him a look of confusing.
"Not much, it's something though, right?"
Hiccup wrapped the cloak closer to his being, nodding thanks back to Jack.
"D-d-did, the winds say anything to you?"
Jack shook his head, very upset of how, the only element of anything to he always talked to. Never spoke a word to what was going on. It sends an ache in his chest, rethinking about it.
"I'm s-sure t-t-there's an r-reason."
"I hope so."
Hiccup watched as Jack's shoulders sagged down in inner defeat. He only wrapped Jack in a side hug, pulling him closer, in a sign of understanding, that he too wanted the same thing.
"I don't think me being this close is going to keep you warm?" Jack weakly teased to the brown hair boy.
"You moping don't help us either."
Jack gave a smile, leaning more in, laying his head on the other's shoulder. Wary with every shake coming from Hiccup and outside, still he held out his staff, ready.
Somehow, they tried themselves to sleep. Though, short-lived, when something new; shook everything around them, with a sudden blast lightening the icy wall before them. An echoing of roars not far behind, as more blast came.
"Toothless!" Hiccup cried out in joy, soon calling out to the dragon to keep going.
"How did he find us?" Jack asked in wonder, flicking when the warm blasts came at them.
"He's my friend, he just knows."
Jack only gave a nod, joining with Hiccup to cry for the dragon.
When the last blast hit, slicing through the ice, burning the stone above their heads, a large black claw raked through the remaining ice. Enough for both boys to climb through, Jack having let Hiccup go first, not wanting an unknown animal to attack him.
Hiccup did just that, calming down the cuddling beast, happy to have his partner back. But Toothless soon stopped when seeing Jack starting to crawl through the small opening, hunching and ready to attack, giving a light warning to the other.
"No, Toothless, he's a friend. Be good, come on buddy." Hiccup called out, trying to reason with the dragon, when seeing that Jack duck back in the hole, when the dragon growled at him.
"Has he calmed down?" Jack's voice echoed within the opening.
Hiccup eyed Toothless, who only gave a subtle comply back.
"Yes, it's okay."
Slowly and wary, Jack climbed out. Sliding the staff last, as he turn to face with a much closer dragon his face, having his back bumped the icy walls. Knees becoming a bit a bent, shaking slightly, when the dragon lowers his head down, ending up being eye level with the white hair boy.
"Toothless, he's a friend." Hiccup started out with, looking to Jack to say. "Drop your staff . . . he thinks you're a threat."
Jack flanged his staff as far as he could, without another thought, only if it meant not to end up as dragon food. With his hands resting near his side, looking at the dragon's demonic tinted green eyes, as his fearful blue ones, sent a silent plea not to eat him.
His body ending up going still when the dragon started to sniff him, once again pleading for not getting eaten. Eyes closed tightly, not wanting to see if that was going to become the outcome. Only to end up on the grown, from the sudden hit from the dragon's tail.
Yet, Jack was cheering on the inside, that he didn't get eaten. So, he calming got to his feet, tuning out as Hiccup was spouting displacement to his dragon for doing such an act.
"H-Hiccup, its fine, far better than what was I thinking was going to happen."
Hiccup looked to Jack, pushing his dragon back when seeing Toothless wasn't going to get petted anymore.
"If you're really sure about that, Jack, because he . . ."
"Really, don't mind at all. Getting knocked down by Wind so much as it is. Nothing that needs to vastly be bothers about at all." Jack stated back, carefully going to grab his staff, soon facing the odd pair that was rider and dragon.
Ending up to cocking his head to side at the sight, giving a confused smile: but smiled none the less.
Hiccup quickly noticed it, and had to ask. "What's with that look?"
"I thought he would be bigger, but you're both the same. Tiny!" Jack answered, ending with small snicker when finishing.
Both rider and dragon stilled at the word that Jack laughed out, both showing some ire about it. Hiccup just crossed his arms, as Toothless looked to the side, mirroring of same looks as the other without knowing.
Having only Jack laugh even harder at the sight, trying to calm down, with little working through his body to do just that.
"Are you done?" Hiccup asked, seeing that Jack had somewhat calmed down.
"Yes . . ." Jack went silent, biting his lower lip to keep from more laughter to get out.
"Good, we better head back then. The village must very be worried for how long I been gone."
Hiccup taking the chance to hop on Toothless's back, checking the gears for anything that could be out-of-place, a slight wind bothered his sight for a bit, but was able to see everything was fine. Glancing back to Jack, seeing the other wasn't follow to stand near him.
"Are you coming?"
"I-I can't. Well not now?"
"Did the winds say something?"
Jack nodded, getting ready to go off in the opposite way Hiccup was going.
"We'll come with then."
Jack stopped, quickly facing the other.
"N-no, you go back. Wind says I have to go alone."
"Are you sure?"
Jack gave a grin before saying. "Not really, but Wind says when it's over. We'll find you."
"But . . ."
"Hiccup go back home. A simple winter spirit like me has kept you long enough. Go."
Yet, before Hiccup could say thing anything back, the winds picked up, blocked his sight. He called out to other, but soon seeing, where Jack once stood, was empty. All of the matters for Hiccup to leave now, head back and hopefully meet the sprite again soon.
"Come on, buddy, we need to get back."
Not long they were off in the sky, Toothless guiding them both back safety.
