Chapter 9.
Hiccup tossed the last few tools into the box on the counter absently. A glance towards the window told him it was long past nightfall, much too late for a visit to Toothless's cove. He'd have to bring double feed tomorrow or that horse would be ignoring him for days straight.
With a heave he tossed a sack over his shoulder, a sack he'd filled with tools and leftover leather supplies for the saddle he hoped to craft for Toothless. He whistled for Pixie before grabbing a lantern off the shelf and stepping out the door.
Town was quiet, excluding the two saloons of town. Each of those buildings were emanating loud music and boisterous drunken laughter, making Hiccup wince on thought of the aftermath of such activities. Who knew what ruckus would happen in a few hours.
In some ways, he was glad he wasn't a deputy. In others, he worried that Snotlout was one of those idiots sitting in the saloon surrounded by barmaids.
Pixie settled on the porch step, worn and hollow from her many other naps taken there. Hiccup gave her head a little rub of affection as he stared down the door, hating the thought of entering the house.
He opened the door silently, grateful that the hinges seemed to be on his side that night. Crossing the threshold was proving a bit more difficult in heavy boots, but he hastily kicked them off at the mat before tiptoeing to the stairs.
Hiccup hastily shut his bedroom door and locked it once he made it to the safe confines of the room, breathing a heavy sigh of relief. He let the sack slide off his shoulder and onto the floor with a clatter. He figured he'd work on that in the morning and finish it up so he could go off to the cove later on in the day and give it another shot.
He first wanted to try bareback, maybe Toothless would be a mite more comfortable with that.
He flopped into bed with a grunt, staring up at the ceiling in thought. Trying to decipher his future was problamatic and confusing at the least, and thinking on it only resolved in depressing him.
So with an exasperated sigh Hiccup rolled over and doused the lantern.
…
"Knock, knock!"
Hiccup jerked his head up in alarm at the sound of Snotlout's voice just outside the Forge's entrance. He glanced to Gobber who lazily ambled to the door, guffawing a reply.
"Apparently the sheriff wants Useless." Snotlout relayed with a pop inside with his head. He eyed Hiccup doubtfully, sending Hiccup into a bout of panic.
"What for?" Hiccup croaked as he set aside his tools and tore off his apron.
"How should I know?" Snotlout grumbled. "All I know is that I am not a messanger boy, and that's how he's treating me."
"Finally." Hiccup mumbled as he stomped past his arrogant cousin, ignoring him entirely when he called out a few suggested commands.
He plowed past the others in the streets, trying to blend in and being surprised by the amount of ignorance he received. No one bothered with him, no one spoke to him. Unlike any other person would, he welcomed this response.
Entering the jail wasn't going to be as simple, he wagered.
The twins were shoving each other and wrestling when he finally arrived at the building, watching the so called deputies in discuss. Fishlegs was just across the street sweeping off the sidewalk before the post office, giving a little wave of greeting from his watching place.
Hiccup gulped nervously, and with a prayer that he survived he ducked inside the darkly lit building.
"What is it, sheriff?" Hiccup muttered with a short glance his father's way. The man was sitting behind the desk, hands folded and elbows resting on the wooden desktop.
He looked up quickly, beard twitching. "I need your assistance."
"Mine?" Hiccup asked sarcastically with a twirl tap of his fingers. "And for what? Slop bucket cleaner?"
Stoick frowned but didn't make any comment on Hiccup's sarcastic twits. "No, Alvin refuses to tell who's ordering the attacks. I thought you might have some ideas on how to get him to talk."
Hiccup looked towards the only two cells the town had, the one being occupied by a giant hulking lump on the bed, obviously Alvin. Glancing back to his father, Hiccup sighed and grabbed the ring of keys off the wall, apt on leaving the room as soon as possible.
"Alvin!" Hiccup called with a toss of the keys. The man on the bed jumped with a yelp, flopping off the scrawny cot and onto the floor.
"Oi, you?" Alvin hissed. Eyeing Hiccup carefully he shoved himself off the floor, towering over the young man by a good foot. "What is it, Stoick? Sent your little twerp to do the dirty work?"
"Shut up, Alvin." Hiccup grumbled. shoving the keys into the lock he swung the door open and stepped inside, knowing in the back of his mind that this wasn't the brightest idea.
"Oh, now what is it?"
"We need to know who, where, and when your "boss" is, Alvin." Hiccup said calmly and evenly, keeping his voice level. "You're going to tell us. Care to share before this gets tough?"
"I turned down your father." Alvin laughed with a slap of his knee. "You think your puny shape's gonna make me talk?"
"No. No I don't, Alvin." Hiccup smiled leisurely. He turned back to the door, only to catch Stoick watching them carefully.
"Which is why I'll offer you a free drink at the best bar in town. I'll even give you one to the Corset…" Hiccup twitched an eyebrow, knowing that the thought of women was enticing to the disgusting man.
"You're ridiculous." Alvin chortled. He leaned against the bars of his cell, arms crossed. "I'm not saying anything even if you offered my all the gold in town."
"Then what would you say to a hanging?"
The room fell silent, and had a pin dropped it would reverberated throughout the space. Alvin's jaw gaped, while Stoick half stood in protest.
"Son, we need him alive-" Stoick growled.
Hiccup looked to him, glare livid.
"Yeah, you wouldn't dare. I'm your ticket to information." Alvin laughed, but it was weak.
"Stoick told me to do what I had to, and since you're not up for answering questions, seems you're worthless." Hiccup picked at his fingers leisurely, trying to look unbothered by this situation.
"Shut your trap." Alvin growled.
"If you want to live, tell us the name of the guy behind the raids." Hiccup demanded shortly, slamming against the bars. "Tell me, or I'll sign the petition for a hanging."
Alvin sneered, rotten and broken teeth only inches away from Hiccup's face. "I will not tell."
Hiccup waved a hand towards his father, who grumbled again before pulling out a filing paper, dunking his pen in the ink well and beginning to scrawl words across the page.
"You sure you don't want to talk?"
Alvin watched with obvious fear, before hissing quietly. "If ya think it's a man, you're wrong."
"So you're working under a woman, then?" Hiccup cracked a grin as he stepped away. "I'm surprised, Alvin."
He merely grit his teeth.
"What's her name?"
"We call her Red." Alvin muttered under his breath.
"Last name?"
Alvin shoved away from the cell door, marching back to the cot. "How should I know!? She's never told us!"
"What's her plan? Why the raids?"
Alvin fell silent. With a heavy sigh he slouched onto the cot, shrugging. "Mideviel Renewel is what she calls it, but that's all I'm saying." he fell back and crossed his legs, closing his eyes.
Hiccup looked to his father who nodded gratefully. He'd scrawled the information on the paper so it was not to be lost.
Hiccup tugged at his stetson, shoving it back onto his head. He turned to the door where Snotlout was now leaning, piece of grass in his mouth.
"Leaving so soon?" Snotlout snorted. Hiccup shoved passed without emotion or care, figuring it to be too much trouble to give him notice.
"Hiccup!"
He paused and turned back, staring stony faced at his father.
Stoick gestured towards the cell where Alvin pouted, flashing a little smile. "Thanks for the help."
Hiccup blinked, then nodded with a tip of his fingers to the rim of his hat. His eyes were trained on his father even as he began walking down the sidewalk.
"That was strange." Hiccup murmured subconsciously. He rubbed the back of his neck, but didn't stop. Continuing he made it back to the Forge where he picked up the work, hoping for extra time to finish the saddle.
...
It was two days later by the time Hiccup slid into the cove, newly crafted saddle in his arms. Toothless trotted up instantly, although gaze weary when he caught sight of the tack.
"Hey, Bud!" Hiccup greeted cheerily. "Ready to try this again?"
Toothless huffed and gave himself a harsh shake, sending dust and dirt poofing in the air.
"Oi, watch it." Hiccup teased. He gave the horse's head a pat before carefully lifting the blanket, well prepared this time should Toothless spook again.
As expected, Toothless sidestepped uncertainly. Hiccup quickly grabbed his halter and held him steady. "Whoa, boy, hold it. Is just a blanket, I swear it won't hurt you."
Toothless quivered, but his head lowered ever so slightly. Ears flicked cautiously, gaze stern and unsure.
Hiccup grinned reassuringly. He tried it again, carefully lowering the blanket onto Toothless's back. He flinched but didn't jerk away like Hiccup had been dreading. The outcome was better then he'd hoped.
"Good boy…" Hiccup smiled and pat the horse in praise. "See? Told you it wouldn't hurt."
Toothless eyed him critically, then turned to sniff the saddle. It was clear that piece would be a different story entirely.
"Ready?"
His expression clearly stated No.
"Too bad, we have to do this eventually." Hiccup picked up the saddle, so light that even he didn't have trouble carrying it about. Weighing a little over fifteen pounds, it was a good ten pounds lighter than the average saddle.
Hiccup let Toothless give it a good smell over, and thankfully he didn't seem to disturbed by it. So with a quick prayer Hiccup flung the piece of leather over his back.
It was so quick Hiccup didn't have time to register what just happened. One moment Toothless is there, sniffling quietly and the next he's zipping away at the other end of the cove, leaving Hiccup in the dust.
He coughed weakly in disbelief.
"Well, you still don't like that, do you?" Hiccup guffawed with a cross of his arms. Toothless whinnied proudly.
Hiccup tipped back on his heels thoughtfully, trying to think of some way to let the stallion get used to weight on his back without… taking off like that. His mind wandered back to Astrid and her hard core ways of breaking a horse.
Seemed to be his last resort.
So with firm tug on his vest, Hiccup stepped forward fearfully towards the black horse against the wall. He was watching Hiccup in puzzlement, not at all intimidated by his louder walking.
"Alright." Hiccup waved a finger. "Now, Toothless, listen here. I'm about to jump on your back like the idiot I am, so please try not to get me killed if at all possible. If you decided to throw me, do it in the grass, rather than that rock over there. Okay?"
Toothless appeared to be laughing, or considering the offer. Hiccup wasn't certain.
So with only a slight hesitation, Hiccup grabbed a handful of Toothless's main. With two light skip from the neck towards the back, Hiccup jumped aboard.
He unintentionally gave a cry of alarm when Toothless bolted, sending him slipping to the side. Grappling desperately for Toothless's main Hiccup clung on for dear life, marveling in the feeling of the powerful muscles pumping beneath him, carrying them swiftly across the ground.
Toothless whinnied shrilly in panic or enjoyment, again, Hiccup couldn't tell. He looked up sharply, and it was his turn to scream in panic at the sight of the cove wall growing closer.
"Toothless!" Hiccup cried.
The horse was wild in fury, and without even faltering Toothless leaped, stumbling up the lean wall and suddenly, Hiccup found himself surrounded by endless prairie.
He hung on fiercely, hands in a death grip on Toothless's main. He wasn't about to let go anytime soon with the speed they were pursuing. Much faster and he wondered if they'd take off for the skies.
Toothless was huffing, his legs pounding, and his head bouncing up and down as they ran. It was so surprisingly smooth, that Hiccup began to relax, feeling the strength and courage to lift his head and take in the scenes around him.
It was truly breathtaking.
Toothless was galloping so fast that the grass and like objects were zipping by in a blur, but the feeling… the feeling of freedom around them was amazing. Like nothing Hiccup had experienced before.
Right now he felt like he was on top of the world. Like nothing could get in their way.
Toothless screamed in clear enjoyment, picking up even more speed. With a whoop Hiccup joined the call of the wild.
"Ahhh this is amazing!" Hiccup called, waving his hand in the air. He closed his eyes, breathing in steadily as the smile refused to leave his face.
So this is what true happiness felt like.
A/N: My apologies for the short chapter. I just feel bad for not updating in awhile so thought I'd drop this off here. I love you guys, thanks so much for the feedback!