Chapter Twelve
A/N: We're almost done! Just one more chapter after this one! Also, I found a book in the store a few days ago called "Scorched" (By Mari Mancusi). It's about a dragon and immediately reminded me of little Scorch! I'm reading it now... XD It's a really good book! I recommend you check it out if you're into time travel and dragons and all that.
Hiccup stares at the man in front of him. Merek, the leader of this tribe, is intimidating to say the least. Quite tall and well-built, with muscles that make Dagur look like a shrimp... His dark chestnut hair is swept back to reveal a broad forehead and stony, grey eyes. Those same eyes flicker back and forth between Stoick and his son, scrutinizing their odd clothing and strange, leather riding gear.
"Welcome," Merek says as he steps forward from the crowd. "And who might you be?"
Stoick steals a glance at his son, his eyebrow arched in a silent question. "I am Stoick the Vast, chief of the people of Berk." He motions to Hiccup and says, "This is my son, Hiccup."
"Berk...?" Merek echos, recognition gleaming on his face. "Yes, I was there once before. A beautiful island...and you're the cheif?"
Stoick nods.
Merek smiles and speaks up so his people can hear him. "Well, this is an honor. What have we done to deserve your presence here?"
"Well, actually-" Hiccup begins. He's cut off when one of the armed men from before pushes his way through the crowd and grabs Merek's arm, whispering something in his ear. Something that makes Cedany's chief go rigid.
"I'm sorry." Merek suddenly says. "But we'll have to talk later. Stoick," He flashes a daring smirk at Hiccup's father. "I hear the people of Berk are quite skilled at killing dragons...would you like to assist me with some troublesome ones my men found in the woods?"
As if on que, Hiccup hears the sound of several men tramping through the woods. They grunt under the strain of tugging something heavy behind them. Squinting through the darkness, Hiccup's face goes white as a sheet when he sees what's causing them so much effort. "Toothless...!" He gasps.
The Night Fury is trapped beneath a net, his legs bound by a bola. It takes three fully grown men to drag him into the town, where the villagers shriek in terror at the sight of him. Toothless's gaze immediately finds Hiccup within the throngs of people. Seeing him, he goes wild. Kicking and thrashing against his confines. He lets loose an enormous roar and tries to wiggle out the net. The men drop him. They flash each other dark looks before reaching for their weapons...
Hiccup's logical mind knows he should try to talk to Merek first. He is the leader after all. But his legs have other ideas. Before Stoick can stop him, Hiccup is sprinting through the crowd, shoving past shocked villagers in a desperate attempt to save his friend.
One of the men who are pulling Toothless, suddenly turns around and yells something at the dragon, probably to stop moving so much. He lifts his axe preparing to being it down on Toothless.
"STOP!" Hiccup screams as he dives forward, pushing the man away. The guard stumbles and falls flat on his back, staring at Hiccup as if he's gone mad. His weapon skitters, harmlessly away from him. "Don't hurt him!" Hiccup barks, placing himself between them and Toothless.
"Boy, have you lost your mind?!" Another man yells at him. "Turning your back to a Night Fury? Assaulting an armed guard?!" He reaches out to pull Hiccup away.
Seeing that, Toothless snarls and begins to struggle again. He flexes his wings, wanting so badly to just break free.
"Stoick, what is your boy doing?!" Merek demands. "He's going to get someone killed!"
"Move, boy!" Someone shouts. "That's a Night Fury! The unholy-"
"-offspring of lightning and death itself. I know." Hiccup rolls his eyes but doesn't move out of the way. "But trust me, this Night Fury isn't a threat to you."
"Not a threat?!"
"Are you insane?!"
"It'd kill us all if it got the chance!"
"No." Hiccup shakes his head. "He wouldn't."
Only then does Merek step forward, raising an arm to silence his followers. "And how can you be so sure?"
Hiccup smirks, nervously and steals a glance at his dad. "Because. He's my friend." He offers an impish shrug, knowing they probably won't believe him.
"Friend?" Someone asks, a tone of disbelief plain in their voice. "With a dragon?"
Hiccup nods, smiling when Stoick appears next to him.
"It's true." Stoick tells them. "The whole island of Berk has made peace with dragons."
While his father is talking, Hiccup kneels down and starts cutting the net with his knife. He whispers apologies to Toothless, breathing a sigh of relief once his friend is set free.
The whole town of Cedany simultaneously gasps when Toothless shakes the net the rest of the way off. They watch in horror, raising their weapons when he takes a little step toward Hiccup and opens his mouth. Surely, that child has lost his mind. His father too. But then-
"Haha, Toothless!" Hiccup laughs, quietly when the dragons licks the side of his face, leaving a trail of slobber. He reaches up to wipe it away, not realizing the whole town is watching him. He scratches under Toothless's chin, inciting a purr from him. It's only then that he notices the dead silence all around them. Hiccup turns around, grimacing at the sight of every pair of eyes in the place locked on him and the winged, fire-breathing lizard.
"It's true...!" Someone gasps.
"The dragon didn't kill him...!"
"Did you hear it purr...?!"
"Increadible...!"
Stoick smirks down at his son and slowly shakes his head. He should have known that those two would manage to win them over as well. After all, they did it in Berk. He chuckles and turns to look at Merek, who is staring, wide-eyed at them.
"Well?" Stoick asks him, motioning to his son and his dragon.
Merek looks truly blown away. He shakes his head as well. "Why have you two come here...?" He asks in a low voice.
Hearing that, Hiccup stands up. Toothless nudges his Rider's waist, affectionately. He reaches back and pats the dragon's snout, muttering something to him. "We're here because of-" But his words die on his lips. "Ambereyes..." He gasps.
"Who?"
Hiccup spins around to face the armed men. "Were there any other dragons in the woods?" He demands, fear roiling in his gut. They wouldn't have...would they?
One of them nods. "We saw a Needlemouth but it managed to escape." He motions to Toothless and says, "We don't know why he stayed."
Because Toothless can't fly without me. Hiccup reminds himself. "Did you see where she went?"
They shake their heads. "It disappeared into the clouds."
Hiccup frowns. I hope Ambereyes and Scorch are okay...
Stoick touches his son's shoulder, reminding him to stay focused on the task at hand. They can always look for Ambereyes later.
Hiccup frowns, nervousness eating away at him. Surely, some of the village doesn't know not to attack dragons. What if they get caught in fire again...? What if they get hurt? "We're here to convince you to stop killing dragons." Hiccup says, shortly. "By attacking them, you're beginning to drive them out of their nest and a couple of them even showed up on Berk. Ambereyes attacked our village because she had no way of feeding her hatchling."
A rumble goes through the crowd. Stop killing dragons?
"Why should we?!" Someone yells. "You say we're finally driving them out? Good! We can get rid of them once and for all!"
"Yeah!" Someone else agrees.
"No!" Hiccup barks. "Trust me, if you try to empty their nest, you're going to have more dragons than you can handle. This whole place will be destroyed! You're best hope is to stop fighting them all together!" He jabs a finger at Toothless. "This is what happens when you befriend them! Dragons are loyal and protective! If you treat them right, they'll stick by you no matter what!"
As if to emphisize this, Toothless coos, loudly and nuzzles his head against Hiccup's. Even under the circumstances, Hiccup grins at him.
"We can help you! On Berk, we train them!" He continues. "You can too!"
The people of Cedany exchange wide-eyed looks. Low whispers roll through their masses until, finally, Merek steps forward. He folds his arms and stares at Hiccup and Toothless for a moment. "I don't know what to say." He admits. "For hundreds of years, we've been battling the beasts...now you say we don't have to? We can...train them?"
Hiccup nods, eagerly.
Merek sighs and looks back to his people. "Everyone return to your homes. We will have a meeting regarding this in the morning at Square. For now, get some rest...Thor knows you need it."
After a second of hesitation, the people do as they're told and begin filing toward their homes. A few kids linger in the doorways for a moment, eyeing Hiccup and Toothless with mixed expressions, ranging from horror to excitement. After a while though, even they disappear inside.
Merek plants his hands on his hips and looks back to Hiccup and Stoick. With an uneasy smile, he says, "Stoick, you're boy's got quite a way with words..."
Stoick nods. "That he does."
Hiccup blushes but doesn't look away. He's been firm up until this point, why back down now? As if sensing his Rider's determination, Toothless remains perfectly still as well. His emerald eyes staring up at Merek, a curious spark hidden within.
Merek pretends not to notice the five-hundred pound beast. "My people and I will have a meeting in the morning. But until then, you should return home. We'll send a ship out within the next few days to give you our answer."
Hiccup gulps. What if they say no? What will happen to Ambereyes and Scorch and all the other dragons living here?
But Stoick only nods. "That seems reasonable. Thank you." He places a hand in the center of Hiccup's back and ushers him toward the tree line. Toothless follows them, occasionally glancing back at the strange town they're leaving behind. Within minutes, they're back where they left the dragons. There are obvious signs of a struggle, where the men captured Toothless.
Hiccup breaks away from his father and sprints into the clearing. Flashing his gaze all around the sky, he calls, "Ambereyes! Scorch!"
He gets no response.
"Ambereyes!" He shouts, even louder. "Scorch! Are you there?!"
Nothing.
Stoick sighs and pats his son's shoulder. "Don't worry." He tells him. "They're probably waiting for us in the clouds. Or back on Berk."
Hiccup frowns, worry shining in his eyes.
"They're perfectly capable of protecting themselves." Stoick reminds him. "And now the people of Cedany know not to kill them. They'll be okay, son."
Toothless purrs against Hiccup's waist, reassuring him as well.
"Yeah..." He mutters, quietly. "You're probably right..." With that, they both hop onto Toothless and ascend into the sky, eyes open for any sign of the missing Needlemouths.
