Snuffnut
Dragon's Edge was currently swamped with a flock of Changewings. They were migrating and had stopped on the island to take a break. They lounged about watch the Riders and their dragons. They stayed out of each other's way and went on with their daily activities. They watched one of the Twins run about in full body paint with wooden wings strapped to his back. He kept jumping out at the other Riders, and spooking them.
Tenor was sitting in his cave. Suddenly he heard someone approaching his cave, it sounded like Tuffnut. Tenor paused and listened. It sounded like Tuffnut was planning to sneak up on him. Tenor chuckled and hid in the darkest corner of the cave. He wrapped himself up in his wings and blended in with the dark. Tuffnut slunk around the corner and jumped into the doorway. He expected to find an unsuspecting Tenor in there, startled. But all he saw were heaps of animal bones, bird feathers, and the pile of prey Tenor had caught each night. Suspicious, Tuffnut entered the cave and looked around. He turned around to face the entrance, turning his back on Tenor. The dragon slunk up behind Tuffnut. He then let out the loudest roar. Tuffnut was so startled that he jumped around and fell on his bottom. Tenor burst out laughing.
"That was too easy," he said gasping for air. He then pulled Tuffnut to his feet.
"Man I did not see that coming," said Tuffnut. "Nice Lokiing Tanster, we should totally talk sometime. You've got to show me your moves."
"Sure," Tenor said, rolling his eyes. "Now off you go." Tuffnut turned around and ran out of the cave. Tenor went back to the corner and laid down. He pulled a roasted seagull towards himself and began chewing it.
He lay there quietly. Then he heard the sound of a Nadder landing outside. Astrid came in and spotted all the animal bones.
"You know you're never going to get a mate with your place looking like this," she said.
"I don't think I'll get a mate period," Tenor said. "I'm too odd looking." Astrid gave him a hard look.
"Have you ever considered that maybe the problem wasn't the way you look?" she asked him. "Maybe it's your attitude or your actions?" Tenor looked at her.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
"Well, you're always feeling sorry for yourself," said Astrid. "And you are a bit of show off." Tenor narrowed his eyes.
"Perhaps your right," he said, sadly.
"I don't say this to make you sad," said Astrid. Tenor took a deep breath.
"Very well," he said. "I'll try to not be such a show off." He yawned and stretched his wings. "I should get this cleaned up." He tossed the seagull back onto the pile, having lost interest in it. "After I take a walk." Astrid could still see that he was sad, but she didn't really blame him. He didn't have a whole lot left in his life; He'd lost his job, his home, his rider, and his two best friends.
Tenor left the cave and took off. He landed on the boardwalk and moseyed around the outpost. He watched the Changewings going about their lives. Astrid and Stormfly had flown back to the clubhouse where Hiccup, Fishlegs, and their dragons were lounging about. Changewings crawled all over the buildings.
Tenor was wandering through Fishlegs' topiaries when he spotted a ship entering the harbor. Had a black sail with an Eruptadon on it. Tenor spread his wings and flew down to see who had come. He circled the ship. There was only one occupant, which was Throck. Tenor swooped down and landed on the Eruptadon figurehead.
"Hello Throck," he said. "You seem far from home."
"Will you kindly let Hiccup know I've arrived?" Throck asked. Tenor nodded and took off again. He flew over the Changewings and landed outside the clubhouse.
"What do you need Tenor?" asked Hiccup.
"Throck is here," Tenor said. The Riders exchanged a curious glance. They hopped on their dragons and flew down to the docks, with Tenor following.
Down at the docks Throck was just pulling his boat in. He tossed his mooring line to Fishlegs who tied it to the dock.
"Throck, what brings you here?" asked Hiccup.
"I'm here to fulfill a debt," said Throck. "If you would kindly point me in the direction of Ruffnut Thorston." This shocked them. Throck jumped onto the pier. "I intend to pick her up off her feet."
"Don't you mean sweep her off her feet?" asked Hiccup.
"No, I will literally pick her up off her feet, put her over my shoulder, and take her back to my island," Throck explained. "Where I will make her my wife." For some reason this made Astrid loose her temper and rush at Throck with her ax over her head. Hiccup grabbed the ax and held her at bay.
"Fishlegs, I think this is your area of expertise," Hiccup said, grunting. He then escorted Astrid away trying to calm her down. Tenor took off and looked for something else to do.
He landed on top of the cliff and went back to wandering. He ignored the Changewings he passed. Suddenly he spotted Throck outside the Twins' front door with a big shrub in his hands. Fishlegs and Meatlug were hiding around the corner. Tenor glided down and landed next to Meatlug.
"What am I missing?" he asked in Dragontongue.
"Nothing yet," said Meatlug. "Throck's trying to win over Ruffnut." Tenor sat on his haunches to watch. The front door open and Throck shoved the shrub into Ruff's face. She was surprised and confused. Tuffnut was nowhere in sight. Throck recited a poem he'd made up. Ruffnut was moved by it.
"Hey don't you dragons recite poems to get a mate in Draconia?" Fishlegs asked.
"We sing songs," Tenor said. "I guess that's the same thing." Just then he heard Hiccup calling him.
"Tenor can you fetch my tool box?" he called. Tenor beamed at the opportunity to be helpful. He took off and headed for Hiccup's hut. He found the big tool box on the workbench and grabbed it. He then flew up to the clubhouse.
He found Hiccup, Astrid, and their dragons lounging about in the clubhouse. Tenor landed and folded his wings. Hiccup had the Dragon Eye 2 on the table in pieces. Tenor put the tool box on the table next to the bits and pieces.
"Thanks Tenor," Hiccup said. Tenor then went over to his fellow dragons and sat by them.
"I like being kept busy," he said. "Makes me feel better."
"Is it more or less then what you did at home?" Toothless asked.
"Less," said Tenor. "If you exclude fighting the bad guys." He watched Hiccup pick at the Dragon Eye 2 and talk to Astrid. Just then Tuffnut entered the room. He told Hiccup and Astrid what had happened between Throck and Ruffnut.
"Born together, live together, die together," he said, wrapping it up. "Is that great or what? And you should have seen the soul crushed look on Throck's face."
"Wow, I never knew you'd do that to your own sister," said Astrid.
"Do what?" asked Tuffnut.
"Get in the way of her chance at happiness," said Astrid, handing Hiccup a piece of the Dragon Eye 2.
"If Ruffnut does have feelings for Throck," Hiccup said, not really looking up from his project. "It means she could be passing up a lifetime of love and happiness." He set the Dragon Eye done.
"And same goes for you," said Astrid. "Wouldn't you want to find the right viking girl and start a life of your own?"
"Of course," said Tuffnut.
"And how would you like it if Ruffnut got in the way of that?" asked Astrid.
"She wouldn't, she's too good a sister," said Tuffnut. Suddenly he looked shocked. "I'm a monster." He ran out of the room. Tenor turned to his fellow dragons.
"That didn't sound right to me," he said in Dragontongue. "It didn't sound like Tuffnut did anything really, except eavesdropping I guess."
"I think Hiccup and Astrid can guess that Tuffnut plans to get in the way," Toothless said. "And they're stopping it before it happens."
"I suppose," Tenor said. "Well I'm going back outside, I'll let you guys be." He got up and left. He didn't feel going back to his cave so he found some dragonbrush and began grazing it.
Tenor was lounging in the shade of tree, hanging by his tail, when Tuffnut came running up to him with Chicken at his heals.
"Hey Tenor, I require your assistance," said Tuff. Tenor lifted his head.
"Speak," he said strongly.
"I have come to the conclusion that Ruffnut will never take her chance at happiness as long as I walk this earth," Tuffnut said. "So, I'm going to fake my death." Tenor tilted his head.
"I suppose I could assist," he said. "I've faked my death myself before. Mind you it doesn't last long." He crawled down from the branch.
"First we need to find a Changwing," said Tuffnut. Tenor followed him back towards the outpost.
A few moments later a loud cry rang through the air. Everyone stopped what they were doing and followed the sound. They all rounded a corner and found Tenor wrestling with a Changewing. They appeared to be fighting over a grey jacket that looked familiar. Chicken was clucking madly and flapping about. Ruffnut gasped.
"Those are Tuffnut's clothes," she said. "He never takes those off, and I mean never." The Riders exchanged shocked and disgusted looks. "The only time he would take them off, is..." Ruffnut gasped again. "The Changewing ate my baby brother." She ran at the two fighting dragons, roaring with rage. The Changewing saw her and dropped the vest. Tenor was knocked backwards. The Changewing roared and flew off. Tenor got to his feet, Tuff's jacket still clutched in his teeth. Hiccup looked at him.
"Tenor what happened?" he asked.
"I was going for one of my runs when I heard Tuffnut call out," Tenor lied. "I came running only to find that Changewing swallowing Tuffnut whole. I tried to save him but all I got was this." He held up the jacket. Toothless could tell at once that Tenor was lying. The Riders left, still dumfounded. Tenor glanced down at the chicken. She clucked smugly at him.
"Careful bird," Tenor said just as smugly. "You taste good." He scooped the chicken up in his talons and flew over to some bushes near the Twins's boar pit. He dropped the chicken into the bushes where Tuffnut was hiding. He then laid down on a flat rock and watched the Riders gather around the boar pit. Ruffnut read off Tuffnut's will.
Hiccup and Toothless spotted Tenor on the rocks. Tenor looked back at them, and gave a subtle gesture to the bushes where Tuffnut was hiding, because Tenor hated lying to Hiccup. Hiccup gave him an approving nod. Tenor felt better.
When Ruffnut finished, she left with Throck. When they were out of earshot Tenor took off and swooped over the bushes. He plucked Tuffnut out of the bushes, and flew him down to the other Riders. Tuffnut was dropped in front of Hiccup and Astrid. Tenor landed beside Toothless. They all looked down at Tuffnut, who had painted his face green. He looked up at them. Hiccup and Astrid didn't look surprised.
"Don't be alarmed mortals," Tuffnut said in a very fake spooky voice. "I am the spirit of Tuffnut."
"Tuff, we know you're not a ghost," said Hiccup.
"How do you know?" Tuffnut asked, waving his fingers in front of their face. Astrid punched him in the shoulder. Tenor laughed. "Okay fine I'm not dead, but you can not tell my sister that."
"What are you talking about?" asked Hiccup.
"If she wants to go with the Trock man then I want her to make that decision on her own," said Tuffnut. "You said it yourself, she deserves a lifetime of happiness. And if it means forever haunting the moors of Berk, then so be it."
"This the worst idea in the history of worst ideas," said Hiccup.
"Look just give me 24 hours," said Tuffnut. "That'll give them the time to find out if romance is in their future." Tenor shook himself.
"May I be excused?" he asked.
"Yes, thank you for telling me Tenor," Hiccup said. Tenor gave a short bow, and flew off.
Later that night Tenor was looking for prey near the shore. He soon spotted a wild sheep and dove at it. It ran but didn't get far. Tenor pinned it down and killed it with his venom. He then burned away the wool. He then picked it up in his talons and flew back to the outpost. He flew passed the Twins' hut and found Throck and Fishlegs outside it. He landed next to them, still clutching his kill. He heard Ruffnut banging around inside. Fishlegs spotted the dead sheep, he didn't recognize it at first.
"What is that?" he asked. Tenor held up the sheep.
"That, that's lunch," he said. "A perfectly cooked sheep." He clamped the sheep's hoof in his jaws and took off again.
He landed on the runway in front of the stables and dug into his meal. Just then the Changewing he'd wrestled with earlier came out of the stables. She spotted Tenor and went over.
"That was some impressive sparing today," she said. "It must take a lot of restraint to not bite an opponent with those teeth."
"It's not as hard as it used to be," Tenor said. "I pretty have control now." He ripped off a chunk of meat. "But when it comes to hunting, I let myself loose control, it allows me to get a more successful kill."
"I suppose hunting at night helps wth that too," the Changewing said. Tenor nodded.
"How long you guys staying for?" he asked.
"A few more days," said the Changewing. "We're refueling still."
"You liking it?" Tenor asked. The Changewing shrugged.
"It's fine," she said. "These humans aren't that much of a problem."
"They're harmless, most of the time," Tenor said. The Changewing yawned.
"I'm turing in," she said. "See you latter." She turned and went back into the stables. Tenor went back to his meat.
Ruffnut went passed him into the stables. A few minuets later the rest of the Riders, Throck and Toothless came running up.
"Tenor did Ruffnut come through here?" asked Hiccup.
"Yeah, why?" Tenor asked.
"We think she's going to kill the Changewing," said Astrid. Tenor followed them into the stables. They found Ruffnut crouched over a box, the Changewing was looking at her suspiciously.
"Ruffnut stop, killing that dragon won't bring Tuffnut back," said Astrid. Ruffnut looked at them.
"I would never kill this dragon," she said, holding up a paint brush. "My brother lives in him." Upon closer inspection, they saw that she had painted a picture of Tuffnut on the Changewing's chest.
"I thought you said to leave the Changewings alone," said Snotlout to Hiccup. "This looks like the opposite of that." Ruffnut went over to the Changewing, who turned invisible.
"I intend to make Snuffnut my partner," said Ruffnut. Tenor gave the Changewing a look of sympathy. She smiled gratefully back at him.
"You can go back to your lunch if you want to Tenor," Hiccup said. Tenor nodded and went outside. He picked his sheep back up and went to his cave. He stayed at the entrance and at his lunch. He went to sleep shortly afterwords.
The next morning he flew over the outpost getting the cramps out of his wings. He spotted Fishlegs, Snotlout, and Throck in Fishlegs' topiary garden. Meatlug and Hookfang were lounging nearby. Tenor swooped down and hovered over them.
"What are you guys up to?" he asked.
"We're doing topiaries," said Fishlelgs. "You can join us if you want." Tenor considered.
"No thanks Fishlegs," he said. "I'm not really the artsy type, especially with flammable things." He turned around and flew off.
He went past the stables where he heard Ruffnut talking to the Changewing who was being held in a stall. Tenor felt kind of bad for the Changewing. He sped off and soon spotted Hiccup and Toothless heading for the Twins' hut.
"Hey guys," Tenor said as he landed next to them.
"Hi Tenor," said Hiccup. "I'm going to talk some sense into Tuffnut, before this gets worse."
"I'll come too," Tenor said. "Since I kind of help start this mess."
"Thanks Tenor," Hiccup said as they continued walking. "I appreciate your honesty."
"Let's face it, I'm a terrible lier," Tenor said. They reached the Twins' hut and found Tuffnut talking to his pet chicken. Hiccup looked up at him with his arms crossed.
"Okay, this is getting out of hand," he said. "You need to tell Ruffnut you're alive before one of those Changewings really do eat someone."
"Be realistic Hiccup, dragons don't eat humans," Tenor said. Hiccup ignored him. Tuffnut jumped down from his hideout. He mounted Tenor, Hiccup got on Toothless and they headed for the stables. They suddenly saw several wild Changewings rip off roof shingles and Snuffnut charged out through the roof, with Throck on her back. The other Changewings bombarded them, and Snuffnut tried to buck off Throck. Toothless and Tenor flew into the stables and landed.
"What's going on?" Hiccup asked.
"Well Throck and Snuffnut had different opinions on his training," Ruff panicked. "And now all the Changewings are attacking Throck."
"Well that was pretty stupid," said Tuffnut. Ruffnut shrieked.
"Tenor, look out Tuffnut's ghost is here!" she shouted.
"Yeah and he keeps kicking me in the sides," Tenor said.
"I'm not a ghost, I'm just me," said Tuffnut dismounting.
"That's exactly what a ghost would say," said Ruffnut. While they argued Tenor, Hiccup, and Toothless looked up at the Changwings.
"Permission to engage," Tenor said.
"Granted, we'll be right behind you," Hiccup said. "Just keep them off Throck." Tenor took off and charged at the Changewings. Snuffnut was still trying to get Throck off. Soon the other Riders joined in.
"If we push them to the edge of the reef, they'll move onto the next island," said Hiccup. They began herding the Changewings away from the island. Tenor circled Snuffnut and Throck.
"Would you like some help?" Tenor asked the Changewing.
"Yes please," she said. But then she managed to throw Throck off her back. Tenor dived after him and caught him. Snuffnut joined the other Changewings and Tenor rejoined the Riders with Throck on his back. They all watched the Changewings. They turned invisible, but they noticed that Snuffnut couldn't cloak herself completely with the painting of Tuffnut on her chest. They all roared.
"Get that thing off her, she'll bring danger to the whole group," said the leader. At once they spat acid at Snuffnut. Her skin was acid proof, so it caused her no pain. But the paint wouldn't come off. Snuffnut panicked.
"They won't migrate with him unless he can fully cloak, it's too risky for them," said Fishlegs.
"That's a she, FYI," Tenor said. Just then the Twins rode forward on their Zippleback. They charged at Snuffnut and got her to chase them. They led her through the waterfall, and she flew right after them. They were out of sight for a few minuets. Then they came back out, soaking wet. The water washed the paint off of Snuffnut's scales and she could disappear completely. She flew back to her fellow Changewings and they seemed happy to have her back to normal. They all turned and flew away from the Edge.
The Riders landed and Tenor splashed into the water to cool off. He watched Throck pack up his ship and Ruffnut soon joined him.
"I've realized something," said Throck.
"What's that Throck?" asked Ruffnut.
"I realized that I can't separate you and Tuffnut," said Throck. Tenor dove underwater before he could hear anymore. He caught a few small fish until he needed to resurface. He came out of the water in time to see Throck's ship sailing away. Tuffnut came up beside his twin.
"Hey, you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah," said Ruffnut. "I feel kind of guilty though, poor guy."
"What do you mean?" Tuff asked.
"I was never going to go with him," Ruffnut assured him. Having heard enough, Tenor spread his wings and lifted off the water.
"Thanks for wrestling that Changewing for me," Tuffnut called up to him.
"That was your only freebe," Tenor said. "From now on I don't do anything without Hiccup's approval." He then headed back towards his cave.
