Author's Note: Here's the fourteenth chapter of my story. Hope you all enjoy it.
I don't own How to Train Your Dragon, only Hicca (female Hiccup), Asher (male Astrid), Bones (Boneknapper), Serpentina (Grapple Grounder), Mist (Scauldron), Blazer (Monstrous Nightmare), Etch (Whispering Death), Grabble (Smothering Smokebreath), Melt (titan-wing Changewing), Spinetail (Deadly Nadder), Laval (Fireworm Princess), Glint (Flightmare), Flame (Typhoomerang), Voltage (Skrill).
"..." Human p.o.v.
"..." Dragon p.o.v.
'...' Human thought.
'...' Dragon thought.
Hope you all enjoy. Be sure to review. Now on with the chapter.
Chapter 14: Frozen
One of the worst winters hits Berk and the riders are forced to stay inside the Dragon Academy, which the bunker has been rebuilt to hold all of the dragons including the larger ones, to avoid the blizzard. Hicca tries to cheer up the riders' spirits by teaching them some dragon lessons.
"So, as you can see by the chart, proper wing control can be achieved by…" Hicca tries to say when suddenly a ball of fire hits the stone board, right where Hicca was a few seconds ago. "Okay, okay, who shot that fireball?" She asks now clearly irritated.
Hicca goes into "scolding teacher mode" and stares directly at Snotlout, who is with Hookfang and Pain, "innocently" whistling, as if she didn't do it, even though it's obvious she did.
"Why are you looking at me?" Snotlout asks.
"Come on, guys, I don't want to be here anymore than you do. Can we just get back to training, please?" Hicca asks.
"I say we play 20 Questions instead. Anyone? Anyone? Asher, why do you love me so much?" Snotlout asks.
"Ugh." Asher says gagging.
"Me, me, me. Okay, I'll go first. Question number one." Tuffnut says but Snotlout signals Hookfang to hit Tuffnut with his tail, shutting him up for about two seconds. "How do you play 20 Questions?" He asks on the ground with Butt on his head.
"Uh, can we try to stay focused? Even for a second?" Hicca asks standing in front of her thirteen sleeping dragons, except for Laval, who was awake helping to keep the bunker warm with her body heat.
"We've been stuck inside for a week straight because of this crazy weather. We're all starting to go a little nuts." Asher says running his fingers across the blade of his axe.
"Ooh, Mr. Pinky, don't tell the others, but you are my favorite." Fishlegs says talking to Meatlug's toes.
"Barf and Belch just found out they have tails! And so did Scauldy!" Ruffnut says still with short hair from helping with Scauldy's splint. "And it looks like they really hate that idea." She says watching her shared Zippleback and her own Scauldron try and bite their tails.
"Yeah, I got the same way when I found out I had a tail. You can't hide from me forever, invisible tail! I'll get you!" Tuffnut shouts as he starts chasing his butt while Ruff walks over to Hicca.
"I may have told Tuff that he has a tail, too." Ruffnut whispers to her best friend.
"You can't hide from me for long!" Tuffnut shouts.
Just then the sound of wind blowing grows louder as Hicca looks to see her father entering the bunker and tries to close the door.
"Odin's ghost, it's cold out there! Worst freeze in the history of Berk! My-My beard is frozen solid." Stoick says looking at his frozen facial hair.
"So, father, what bring you to the academy?" Hicca asks.
"Trader Johann hasn't reported to port. If he's trapped out in this storm, he won't last the night. I was think-" Stoick begins to say.
Hicca is now practically bouncing on her feet, eager to leave the hole full of crazy that she's currently trapped in.
"Oh, yes, I can go! You know, Toothless can help find Johann's ship in the darkness. And Glint has a bright glow so if Johann spots us he can flag us down. They are the perfect dragon for the job." Hicca says as her Night Fury and Flightmare walk over to her hearing their names and purr.
"Ehh, I don't know…" Stoick begins to say.
"Please, daddy. If you ever cared for me at all, the way a father cares for his daughter, then you will let me leave." Hicca says as her father looks around to see the craziness of being trapped for a week straight has done to the other riders and their dragons.
"Bolt the door behind you when you leave, please and don't forget to keep your hood and facemask up." Stoick says leaving the bunker.
"Yes!" Hicca shouts excitedly tucking her waist long auburn hair into her hood and pulls it over her head while pulling the facemask up and then exits the bunker as she mounts her main dragon with Glint following.
A few minutes later the lone rider and her two dragons were flying over the ocean in search of the missing trader.
"It's pretty dark out here, boys. Do your thing, Toothless." Hicca says.
"Sure thing, Hicca. Stay behind me, Glint." Toothless says.
"You bet, brother." Glint says moving behind Toothless as he uses his echolocation ability allowing Hicca to see an amazing sight.
"Wow! Look at that. I've never seen the ocean frozen solid before. No wonder Trader Johann can't get to port. No one could get through this." Hicca says.
As they continue flying Hicca slightly clutches her head as they hear chirping and in front of them on the ice bridge a cloud of snow moves fast past the rider and two dragons hovering in the air.
"Whoa! I don't know what that was, boys, but I'm glad we're up here and it's down there." Hicca says.
"Hold on." Toothless says as he uses his echolocation and picks up on something.
"You found something? Let's take a better look." Hicca says.
Later that night, Hicca and her dragons continue flying over the ocean with Glint now lighting the way with his glow and Toothless still using echolocation. Hicca then looks to her right and then to her left as she spots Trader Johann's ship stuck in the ice.
"There he is!" Hicca shouts as they make their way towards the boat.
"Oh, mistress Hicca! You're a welcome sight for these weary eyes." Trader Johann says.
"Glad we found you, Johann. Now climb onto Glint and we'll get you to Berk." Hicca says as her Flightmare lands on the boat.
"Oh, I'm not much of a dragon rider, mistress Hicca." Trader Johann says hesitating to get onto Glint's saddle.
"Don't worry, Johann, Glint will be doing all the work. All you have to do is hold on." Hicca says watching Trader Johann settle on the saddle and soon the two dragons take off back to Berk.
"In all my years on the briny deep, I have never witnessed a freeze quite like this one. Ice as thick as Thor's hammer! I even considered abandoning my ship and traveling to Berk on foot." Trader Johann says gripping Glint's saddle tightly.
"Well, you won't have to worry about that now, Johann. Just enjoy the ride." Hicca says.
"Excellent. We shall pass the time with stories of my grand adventures that are sure to warm your heart and stoke the fires of your imagination. Did I ever tell you about the time I found myself up against the man eating metal masons of Minori Majore? Oh, it was spring. The smell of fresh jasmine was in the air." Trader Johann says as the sun starts to come up in the distance.
Morning had finally arrived and Trader Johann was still telling his stories which by this point Hicca, Toothless, and Glint were annoyed and bored out of their minds.
"But it was not a yak. It was his daughter! I could not believe. She looked like a yak, and her name was Yakmine. And that, Mistress Hicca, is how the king of Ennuden made me an honorary member of his royal court." Trader Johann says as Hicca looks forward and sees their destination.
"Oh, look, we're here. Thank Odin." Hicca says quietly.
"Yes, milady, thank the gods. I was about ready to drop this man into the ocean." Glint says.
"You and me both, brother, and I'm not the one carrying him." Toothless says to the Flightmare.
As they arrive on Berk, they find most of the island mysteriously silent and empty.
"Hmm. Not the welcome I'm accustomed to, but nonetheless." Trader Johann says.
"Where is everyone?" Hicca asks with worry in her voice.
"This reminds me of the time I landed on the island of the Red-" Trader Johann begins to say but Hicca stops him from finishing.
"Hello? Anyone?" Hicca asks but no answer was returned.
"What's that smell?" Toothless asks as he sniffs fruit wagon.
"I'm not sure. But it's got a slight familiar scent, I just can't place it." Glint says.
"Daddy?" Hicca asks running to her house but sees it is also empty.
Hicca, Toothless, Glint, and Trader Johann begin searching the village but find no one around. Hicca also goes to the academy to check on the other riders but discovers that they are gone too as well as her dragons but once she opens the bunker two small familiar dragons fly at her.
"Hicca!" Grabble and Sharpshot shout as they fly into her chest in a hug.
"Grabble! Sharpshot! Thank goodness you boys are okay." Hicca says hugging her two smallest dragons. "What in the name of Thor is going on? Where is everybody?" She asks.
"We don't know. It all happened so fast." Sharpshot says.
"We were attacked but were not sure by what. Sharpshot and I made it the academy during the skirmish." Grabble says.
"Well at least you two are safe." Hicca says as they settle on her shoulders. "Come on let's get back to the village." She says mounting Toothless. "Johann, anything?" She asks as Toothless lands in front of the trader.
"The whole town Mistress Hicca, its empty." Trader Johann says.
"I know. It's very weird. I only found two of my dragons. I don't know where the other nine are." Hicca says.
"I don't like this one bit." Trader Johann says as they make their way back to the town square. "There was one time I was on a trade run with a man who claimed to be a warlock and-" He begins to say but Hicca hears a clanking sound coming from a house to her right and sees someone quickly pass the open door.
"Let's go, Toothless. Johann, stay here. Glint, keep him safe. Grabble, Sharpshot, help out." Hicca says running to the house and looks inside but a few moments later she gets pummeled by something heavy.
"Hicca? Hicca!" Toothless' voice is heard as his rider comes around.
"Toothless?" Hicca asks but then Fishlegs suddenly appears in front of her. "YO! Don't ever do that again!" She shouts.
"Hicca! Oh, thank Thor! I'm so sorry I fell on you." Fishlegs says crushing the girl in a hug.
"Okay, Fishlegs." Hicca struggles to say in the hug.
"They're fast, really fast, too fast. Speedy. Oh, and there sting. Paralyzing sting." Fishlegs says covering her face.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on, Fishlegs. What are you talking about?" Hicca asks.
"Speed Stingers." Fishlegs simply says.
"Speed Stingers? Here?" Hicca asks.
"It all started just after nightfall. They don't fly but they're fast. Faster than any dragon I've ever seen, and they hide in the shadows. Scavengers, looking for anything they can find. One drop of their venom can paralyze a human or dragon in an instant. They move in a pack following a leader who directs them like a war chief and has a second in command. By the time Stoick ordered everybody to the cove the entire village had been overrun." Fishlegs says.
"Well, where are the Speed Stingers now?" Hicca asks.
"I don't know. The sun came up and they disappeared, but they'll be back. They come out at night." Fishlegs says warming herself by the fireplace.
"I don't understand, why did you come back here, Fishlegs, why not stay with everyone at the cove?" Hicca asks and a few moments later the girls and Night Fury outside looking on the roof of Fishlegs' house to see a paralyzed Meatlug in a fighting position.
"Just look at her up there, so majestic." Fishlegs says.
"How did I miss that?" Hicca asks in amazement at how she missed it.
"She tried to draw them away so I could escape. I just couldn't leave her." Fishlegs says as Trader Johann walks up with Glint, Grabble, and Sharpshot.
"How did we miss that?" Trader Johann says.
A few moments later they try to move the frozen Gronckle.
"So, she eats rocks, you say? That makes sense." Trader Johann says but then Meatlug suddenly farts in his face. "Oof. Oh, dear. That's quite an effect." He says and falls off the roof into a wheelbarrow.
"Movement, this is very good. It means the paralysis is only temporary. Come up and help, Hicca." Fishlegs says as Hicca and her dragons climb up to assist.
"Uh, where's Johann?" Hicca asks seeing the trader was no longer on the roof.
"I'm okay, ladies. I actually landed on me fluffy bits." Trader Johann says.
"Fishlegs, what's the deal with this paralysis? How long does it last?" Hicca asks.
"I don't know, Hicca. There's nothing about it in the Book of Dragons or Bork's papers." Fishlegs says and looks over the ocean. "How do you think the Speed Stingers got here? They can't fly." She says.
"If I had to guess I would say it was because the ocean is frozen solid, creating an ice bridge from island to ours. We need to get to the cove right away." Hicca says but then Meatlug begins to fall off the roof and unfortunately lands in the same cart as Trader Johann.
"Oh no. Oof. I'm alright." Trader Johann says.
The group is now walking over to the cove. As Hicca walks in she sees many Vikings frozen in place. One of them being her father, frozen into a fighting position, which greatly worries Hicca.
"Daddy." Hicca says and then hears a low growl and looks down to see Thornado.
"He did his best but it wasn't enough. I'm sorry, Hicca." Thornado says.
"It's okay Thornado." Hicca says petting the Thunderdrum.
"He gave as good as he got, Hicca. It took six of those Speed Stingers to freeze the poor bugger." Gobber says walking over
But then Stoick tries to say something that is not understandable. "You bet ya, Chief." He says like he understood him.
"What did he say?" Hicca asks.
"No clue. Don't want to make him feel worse than he does." Gobber says.
"I should have been here. Toothless, Glint, and I could have helped." Hicca says.
"Nonsense, lass. There were too many of them. Nothing would have mattered. Tell you one thing, those Stingers would be dining on smoke sturgeon and yak jerky tonight, if it weren't for your father." Gobber says but then Stoick tries to say something but it comes out unintelligible, again. "Couldn't agree with you more, Stoick." He says.
"Hicca!" Asher shouts as he runs up to Hicca and pulls her into a hug.
"Oh, Asher. Where are my dragons?" Hicca asks.
"Well, Bones, Mist, Etch, and Torch have set up a perimeter around the cove to keep everyone safe." Asher says pointing to Hicca four largest dragons that were standing on the cliff edge surrounding the cove. "Serpentina and Laval have been making fires to keep everyone warm." He says gesturing to Hicca's Grapple Grounder and Fireworm Princess that were making small fires for the villagers. "But unfortunately not all your dragons came here unharmed." He says turning his right allowing Hicca to see a horrifying sight.
"Melt! Spinetail! Voltage!" Hicca shouts running to her frozen Changewing, Deadly Nadder, and Skrill. "Oh my poor boys." She says rubbing their heads and snouts. "Okay, how's everyone else?" She asks
"Everyone's fine. Well, except for-" Asher begins to say gesturing to the twins, who are currently messing around with a paralyzed Snotlout.
"Stop hitting yourself." Ruffnut says taking Snotlout's right hand and slaps it across her face.
"Stop hitting yourself Stop hitting yourself. Stop picking your own nose. Stop scratching yourself." Tuffnut says doing various things with Snotlout's left hand.
"Actually, when you think about it, it's really not so bad." Asher says smiling.
"Oh, come on. Your face isn't that ugly." Ruffnut says and then a loud smack is heard making the other cringe. "Oh, wait." She says making Hicca sigh with a smile.
The sun begins to set as Hicca sits next to her father and frozen dragons while drawing a Speed Stinger in the dirt.
"It's going to be dark soon. The Speed Stingers will be back for the rest of the food. Everyone wants to know what we're gonna do." Asher says.
"Gather the other dragon riders. We're heading out." Hicca says as Asher nods and leaves to gather them while Hicca brushes away the drawing in the dirt.
"Okay, we're ready." Asher says walking over with Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut.
"Guys, these dragons only come out at night, so we need to find where they sleep during the day. The only problem is we need to find their nest before sundown or-" Hicca begins to say.
"Can we not think about the "or", please?" Asher asks.
"Yeah, they came out of nowhere like a pack of wild badgers, scavenging and-and-" Fishlegs begins to say.
"And "Badge-ge-ging."" Tuffnut says as everyone stares at him. "What? That's what a badger does. It badges." He says.
"Well, thanks for that. Uh, let's go." Hicca says.
"Hold up! You're not going on a Stinger hunt without me." Snotlout says now able to move her head and talk, tries to stand up and she ends up leaning forward and standing perfectly on his frozen feet.
"Whoa. That is seriously creepy." Tuffnut says.
"Her paralysis is wearing off. Lucky us." Fishlegs says rolling her eyes.
"Snotlout unless you plan on flying Hookfang with your teeth, you're not going anywhere." Asher says and walks away with the other.
"What do you mean? I'm fine." Snotlout says as she tries to take a step and falls over. "Stupid arms and stupid legs." She says as Gustav walks by and looks at the girl. "Hey, Gustav, get your butt over here." She says.
A few minutes later Snotlout appeared to have walked over to were the other riders were preparing to go hunting.
"Snotlout Jorgenson, reporting for duty." Snotlout says performing a salute.
"What the-" Asher begins to asks confused as to what was happening until Hicca looks below to see Gustav assisting Snotlout in moving.
"I'm Snotlout's arm and legs, Hicca. And together we are-" Gustav begins to say.
"Gust-lout!" Snotlout and Gustav both say as Gustav makes Snotlout perform jazz hands.
"Stop with the hands." Snotlout whispers and the boy stops. "Hicca, you need as much dragon power as you can get. You're down four dragons." She says.
"I can't believe I'm actually about to say this but she's right." Asher says.
"You're kidding, right?" Hicca asks.
"You heard what Gobber said. There are hundreds of them." Asher says.
"Oh, all right, fine." Hicca says.
"Yes! Move my arm. Yes!" Snotlout shouts as Gustav does a thumbs up sign.
"Let's split up and search for possible Speed Stinger hiding spots." Hicca says.
"Okie-dokie, Hicca. Come on. Little bit further. Move with me." Gustav says grunting to get Snotlout to Hookfang.
"This is hilarious to watch." Hookfang says.
"Fishlegs, how's Meatlug doing?" Hicca asks.
"She's raring to go Hicca. Look at her." Fishlegs says gesturing to her now slightly able to fly Gronckle.
"So, what's the actual plan?" Asher asks.
"Fishlegs, you said they follow their leader in a giant pack, right?" Hicca asks.
"Exactly. That's what I saw." Fishlegs confirms.
"So the plan is: find the Speed Stingers, capture their leader, use it to lure them away." Hicca explains.
The riders begin their search of Berk for the Speed Stingers with Asher and Stormfly searching the underground tunnels. Fishlegs and Meatlug were searching the forest but Meatlug was drooling uncontrollably and struggling to fly properly.
"It's okay. It's okay, you're doing your best." Fishlegs says but then Meatlug spins out of control and Fishlegs crashes into a tree branch and falls off the saddle.
The twins search the village and it's houses, each time entering dramatically. Tuffnut then enters a house and goes in slowly until he feels something poke him on his butt.
"I've been stung! I can't feel my tail!" Tuffnut shouts laying on the ground rubbing his butt as he looks to see Ruffnut laughing revealing she's the one who poked him. "When this paralysis wears off, you're dead." He says.
Meanwhile Snotlout, Gustav, and Hookfang were searching the rocky terrain area.
"Okay, up, up. Up is where the sky is, down is where the land is." Snotlout says.
"I can't see, Snotlout. Your head's too big." Gustav says and then gets an idea as he taps Hookfang's neck.
"I get it." Hookfang says as he does a loop causing Snotlout to slip off the saddle and land head first into the sand.
"There will definitely be repercussions for this." Snotlout says unaware of the cave near her.
The riders then gather at the town square to talk about what they've found.
"So, anything?" Hicca asks.
"Not a single Stinger." Asher says.
"Us neither." Fishlegs says.
"I got stung." Tuffnut says.
"No, you didn't." Ruffnut argues.
"Have we checked every cave?" Hicca asks but Snotlout tries to look away, making a face that clearly says, "Busted" and she notices. "Snotlout, did you check your caves?" She asks.
"Really? I'm insulted, Hicca. Of course I did. Do you think I fell off my dragon and spent hours trying to get out of the sand?" Snotlout asks laughing. "I didn't." Snotlout says.
"She fell off his dragon and we spent hours trying to get her out of the sand." Gustav reveals.
"Gustav, make me punch you." Snotlout says angrily.
"Never gets old." Tuffnut says laughing with his sister.
"Well, then, we know where to look. Let's go." Hicca says and they take off.
The sun gets closer to setting and the riders make their way to the cave Snotlout didn't check with Stormfly carrying a large cage.
"Thanks, Gustav. You stay here with Snotlout and Hookfang." Hicca says.
"Right. Hey! I did that all by myself." Snotlout says moving her arm and gives a thumbs-up but Tuffnut shoves Snotlout's still-extended arm into her nose.
"Okay, gang, we have to move fast, because it will be sundown soon, and we need to get that lead Stinger out of there. Without him, the pack is useless." Hicca says as she enter the cave with Toothless and Fishlegs and sees the pack of Speed Stingers sleeping.
"Hicca, there they are." Fishlegs says pointing to the lead Stinger hanging by its tail on a stalagmite.
The dragon is green and resembles a featherless theropod Raptor/dinosaur. It had sail-like appendages on its head, back and legs, it does have wings, but they're very small and useless. It was slightly bigger than the rest of the pack but the leader has red stripes and highlights. It has muscular back legs and has red stingers.
Hicca aims her shield at the dragon and releases bolas wrapping the dragon up in them.
"Got it." Hicca says.
"My turn." Toothless says and moves fast to the cave wall and grabs the lead Speed Stinger and brings it to the ground.
The sun gets closer to disappearing as the two girls and dragon pull the lead Stinger out of the cave. The girls hear growling and look behind them to see if the dragon was awake but see it's not and sigh in relief unaware of the pack waking up showing their red slitted eyes. Fishlegs looks back and sees something unsettling.
"Um, Hicca?" Fishlegs says as Hicca turns to see the red slitted eyes to the lead Stinger and looks back to see the rest of the pack wake, chittering, and slowly making their way towards them.
"Get this Stinger into the cage right away." Hicca says pulling fast but the lead Stinger breaks free from the bolas howling and tries to sting Hicca but Toothless fires two Plasma Blasts at it.
The lead Stinger howls to the rest of its pack but a stream of fire blocks them.
"That's right. Snotlout, Snotlout! Oi! Oi!-" Snotlout shouts now able to move her arms but the lead Stinger hops up and stings her on the butt. "Oh, come on!" She grunts as she freezes up again.
Toothless and the lead Speed Stinger circle each other ready to fight.
"It's too fast, Hicca." Fishlegs says.
"Not for a Night Fury." Hicca says as she watches the lead Stinger front flip and try to sting Toothless but miss and Toothless tries to blast the Stinger but misses as well.
Hicca holds up her shield but the Stinger strikes it with its tail and flings it away.
"Catch!" Toothless shouts catching the shield and throws it back to his rider.
"Thanks, sweetie." Hicca says catching the shield.
Toothless tries to corner the Speed Stinger, but it orders its pack to desperately come and help it.
"Asher, follow us!" Hicca shouts mounting Toothless and takes flight with her crush and his main dragon following.
"I think I know where you're going with this." Asher says as he watches the lead Stinger follow Toothless closer to the cage. "Stormfly, time to spike that Stinger." He says as Stormfly fires spines at the lead Stinger forcing it into the cage and Toothless fires a Plasma Blast to the door of the cage making it lock shut.
"Yes! Got it!" Hicca shouts but unfortunately the rest of the pack starts to swarm them.
"Hicca there's just too many of them. We're surrounded." Asher says but them multiple fire blasts as well as a lightning blast, burst of water, a veil of smoke, acid blast, and a sonic blast scattering the pack.
Hicca looks up to see the rest of her dragons as well as her father on Thornado coming towards them.
"Daddy, you're okay. Melt, Spinetail, Voltage, you three are okay too." Hicca says happily to see her father and dragons.
"You didn't think I let you have all the fun, did you?" Stoick asks walking up to the caged lead Speed Stinger. "Remember me? Now get this dragon off my island." He says.
"You heard the chief." Hicca says smiling.
"With pleasure." Asher says as Stormfly picks up to cage.
Asher grabs the cage and lures the entire pack of Speed Stingers' while Toothless provides cover. One Speed Stinger jumps to the cage and stabs Stormfly, they crash into halfway of the frozen bridge.
"Stormfly!" Toothless shouts watching his love get stung and go down.
"We'll get the cage! Ruff, Tuff, cover Asher!" Hicca says as Toothless picks up the cage.
"Incoming!" Tuffnut shouts as they circle.
"Here we go!" Ruffnut shouts as Barf releases gas.
"Yeah!" Tuffnut shouts as Belch ignites the gas causing a circle of fire to appear around Asher and Stormfly as he watches the Speed Stingers jump over the flames or go around them.
The pack continue to follow Hicca and Toothless and one of the Speed Stinger attempts to sting Hicca but striker her metal foot instead.
"Weren't expecting the old metal leg, were ya?" Hicca asks. "There, the ice bridge." She says pointing forward.
One of the Speed Stinger manages to strike Toothless' prosthetic tail and rips the fabric.
"Oh come on." Toothless says.
"Toothless, we're going down!" Hicca says as they making them crash and the cage crashes hard into the ice bridge causing a hole to form and the cage sinks with the lead Speed Stinger still inside. "No, no, no! Okay here goes nothing." Hicca says and dives into the hole.
"Hicca!" Toothless yells in shock as the rest of the Speed Stingers gather on the other side of the hole before the ice begins splitting apart.
Hicca struggles against the cold water as she swims to the cage. The lead Speed Stinger sees her and watches in awe as she unlocks the cage and begins to swim them both back to the surface. Hicca struggles to pull a heavy dragon through the water but somehow manages to break the surface and get the lead Speed Stinger on the ice bridge.
"You saved me. Even after everything I did. Why?" The lead Speed Stinger asks in a male voice.
"Because no one deserves to perish like that." Hicca says.
"You understand me. You're the human female every dragon has been talking about." The lead Speed Stinger says but then watches as Hicca begins to shiver. "You're cold. Diving into that icy cold water was risky but after hearing everything about your legend it appears to have all been true." He says as he turns to his herd. "I know this is sudden but I've chosen to stay with this human. I pass the leadership onto you my beta. Return home and hopefully I'll see you all again someday." He says to his herd as they nod and run down the ice bridge. "Don't worry, I'll help keep you warm." He says as hecovers Hicca with his body to help proved heat.
"Thank you, Rush." Hicca says to her new Speed Stinger.
"Rush?" The lead Speed Stinger asks.
"I gotta call you something don't I?" Hicca asks smiling.
"I like it." Rush says as the other riders and Hicca's dragons arrive and see the scene.
"Good work, everybody." Hicca says as she is surrounded by her dragons helping to warm her up.
"Ha! No problem, Hicca." Snotlout says but gets pushed off the saddle and hangs upside down from it.
"Yeah, no problem, Hicca." Gustav says with his arms crossed.
"Hey! Put me down! Repercussions! Repercussions!" Snotlout shouts as they begin making their way back to Berk.
As the worst freeze in Berk disappears, most of the paralysis present is now gone and Berk's residents return to the village, as Stoick and Gobber repairs the damages.
"Nasty creatures, those Speed Stingers." Stoick says moving a large piece of wood that had fallen over.
"Aye, but at least there's only one Speed Stinger here now. Besides, we have a few nasty creatures of our own around here." Gobber says looking at the twins and Gustav messing with a still frozen Snotlout.
"You better start running now, because when my leg wakes up I'll-" Snotlout begins to say but Ruffnut pushes her helmet over her eyes. "Hey! Stop that!" She shouts as they spin her around while Hicca, Toothless, Rush, who is riding on Toothless, and Glint return Trader Johann to his boat.
"Thank you again for the rescue, Mistress Hicca." Trader Johann says.
"No problem, Johann. I'm just glad everything's back to normal. And I got a new dragon for my collection." Hicca says scratching Rush's chin.
"Oh, that's the spot." Rush purrs with his leg thumping.
"Hey! Quit thumping! I know Hicca has the magic touch but your sharp claws are digging into my back." Toothless says.
"Oh, before you go, I have something for you. A little token of my appreciation. Pure squid ink, wrestled from the colossal squid of the Northern Waters." Trader Johann says handing the girl the bottle of ink.
"Wow, thanks, Johann. Now I can update my picture of me and my dragon herd." Hicca says.
"Yes, there is actually a wonderful story that goes along with that bottle. Ten summers ago, deep under the currents of the Northern Waters, I was staring directly into the black eye-" Trader Johann begins to say.
"Hey, boys, what do you say we get out of here?" Hicca says as they take off.
"Wait, where are you going? I haven't finished my story yet. He was about to ingest me. I-Great big teeth!" Trader Johann shouts.
Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned for the fifteenth chapter, A Tale of Two Dragons, where Hicca will discover something new about her abilities. The next chapter will be out soon.
Hicca's dragons: Toothless (Night Fury), Bones (Boneknapper), Serpentina (Grapple Grounder), Mist (Scauldron), Etch (Whispering Death), Grabble (Smothering Smokebreath), Melt (titan-wing Changewing), Spinetail (Deadly Nadder), Laval (Fireworm Princess), Glint (Flightmare), Sharpshot (Terrible Terror), Torch (Typhoomerang), Voltage (Skrill), Rush (lead Speed Stinger).
Asher's dragons: Stormfly (Deadly Nadder), Blazer (Monstrous Nightmare), Sneaky (Terrible Terror).
Snotlout's dragons: Hookfang (Monstrous Nightmare), Pain (Terrible Terror).
Fishlegs' dragons: Meatlug (Gronckle), Iggy (Terrible Terror).
Ruffnut's dragons: Barf and Belch (Hideous Zippleback), Head (Terrible Terror), Scauldy (Scauldron).
Tuffnut's dragons: Barf and Belch (Hideous Zippleback), Butt (Terrible Terror), Flame (Typhoomerang).
Gustav's dragons: Fanghook (Monstrous Nightmare).