Defenders of The Wing
Part One – The Meeting
Ten days later; a few hours before noon,
There were six Hunter ships; sailing in formation, at first, but were now scattered. Stormfly shot between two of the boats, and around the prow of one. From her place on the dragon's back; Astrid spotted a wave of arrows coming toward them, "Stormfly: Twirl!"
Stormfly twirled, evading the arrows, and rose into the sky; she shot a volley of spines, to clear an opening, and then dove back toward the fight.
Toothless, meanwhile, landed atop a cage on a nearby boat. He launched a plasma- bolt; burning through the rope, that held the cage- door closed. The door swung open, and the Deadly- Nadder inside emerged; it squawked a 'thank- you', and took to the sky.
Stormfly shot past, a moment later; Hiccup waved, Astrid grinned and waved back. Hiccup nodded to Toothless, "Let's go!" – The Night- Fury spread his wings, and rose into the air.
On the next boat, Astrid and Stormfly found Snotlout and The Twins 'fighting' over a cage. "I can handle this," Snotlout insisted. "No; this one's ours," Tuffnut argued.
Astrid rolled her eyes, "Come on; Stormfly." The Deadly- Nadder moved closer, and launched a single- spine shot at the latch of the cage door; it swung open, and the dragon took to the sky. Snotlout and The Twins exchanged a look; Tuffnut said, "Oh…"
Stormfly again took to the air, rising away from the Hunter- ships; Meatlug tried to follow, but a grappling- chain from the nearest boat wrapped around a rear- leg. The winches were manned, and the Hunters began to reel Meatlug and Fishlegs in.
Another Hunter hurried forward, and fired two dragon- root arrows at Stormfly. Moments before they would've connected: Astrid spotted them, and gasped. She managed to kick the first arrow aside; the second got her in the leg, and she cried out in pain.
Scowling, Astrid plucked the arrow out; tossed it away, and turned to reassure Stormfly.
"A little help here!" Fishlegs called, to the others; then realized they were out of earshot. "Guess it's just you and me, girl… Blast the winches, Meatlug!" – Meatlug did, to no effect.
"Aw; I'm afraid the chains and the winches are dragon- proof, this time!" Ryker called up to them, chuckling.
Then Hiccup and Toothless arrived on the scene; Hiccup unsheathing 'Fury', and slicing through the chain. "Good to know, Ryker: We'll remember that, for next time!"
Toothless and Meatlug rejoined the others in the air; and, together, they turned to leave. Ryker slammed his fist on the handrail, glaring after them.
Early afternoon; 'the dome', on Dragon's Edge,
"How is she doing?" Hiccup asked, coming to join Fishlegs and Meatlug.
"You know; her feelings are hurt." Fishlegs said, turning to face Hiccup and Toothless. "You guys were cutting it a little close; minor wing- sprain, but she'll be fine."
Hiccup turned, and saw Astrid and Heather coming toward them: the latter supporting the former, a little. "Are you limping?" Hiccup asked, directing the question to Astrid.
Astrid averted her gaze, "No…" Before she could say more; Heather said, "She got shot in the leg."
Hiccup's eyes widened, "What?"
"A Hunter- arrow was going to hit Stormfly; so I blocked it," Astrid admitted.
"With your leg?" Hiccup asked, a little incredulously.
"It just grazed me; I'm–" Astrid paused, giving Hiccup an anxious look. "I will be fine."
Hiccup sighed. "Ok, fine… If it just grazed you, it shouldn't take long to heal; just… try to keep your weight off that leg: don't push yourself." Astrid nodded, relieved; took a few steps to the nearest supply crate, and sat down. Hiccup turned to the others, "Alright… Has anyone else been hurt, recently, who hasn't told me?" Astrid dropped her gaze, at this; Snotlout, Ruff and Tuff each raised a hand. Hiccup shook his head, "Oh, gods…"
"We all know the risks, Hiccup." Heather said, stepping forward.
"And lets not forget: We freed a couple dozen dragons this week," Astrid pointed out. "On top of our bringing down Viggo's dragon- auction!"
"But have any of you stopped to consider that Viggo could take advantage of your injuries, in future fights? By, say… Making it so you have to run, fast or far, with a leg injury." Hiccup asked, looking around; eyes widened, but nobody answered. Hiccup sighed, "Ok, guys, new rule: From now on–"
Before he could finish, a Terrible- Terror landed on the outstretched arm he'd raised, for emphasis. The dragon flew off, the moment Hiccup took the scroll; he unrolled it, and read the message in silence. His eyes narrowed.
"Talk to us, Hiccup…" Astrid said, as she and the others gathered around.
Hiccup looked up, "It's from Viggo: He wants to meet."
Shortly; in the map- room,
"He picked a spot in the middle of nowhere." Astrid said; pointing to the island Viggo had chosen, on a map. "Nice long flight, to tire out your dragon…"
"Ha-ha-ha; trap, that's definitely a trap." Snotlout said.
"Hiccup; he just wants you out there, alone, so his men can ambush you…" Astrid said; turning to her boyfriend, who stood to her left.
Hiccup shook his head; his eyes never leaving the map, "No… That's not his style."
"Hiccup's right." Heather said, nodding. "Viggo likes to outthink his opponents."
Hiccup nodded, "And that's his weakness." He looked around, at the others. "Look: Viggo will come after us, whether I meet him or not… I'm going."
"But not alone." Astrid said, placing a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "Please, Hiccup: don't go on your own."
Ten seconds passed in silence; then Hiccup turned first to Heather, and then Astrid. "You and Heather can come; circle above us, while I meet with Viggo: keep watch; don't do anything more, unless he does." Another, shorter, pause; then Astrid and Heather nodded.
Several hours later; approaching the designated location,
The island had appeared on the horizon some time ago; and it grew larger, the closer they got. Then, finally, they got their first good look at it: A series of tiered cliffs, descending towards the ocean, from a central stretch of level field; there were some bushes and plants, but no trees.
As the three dragons flew over a lone Hunter- ship, Heather pointed; "There's Viggo!" The others turned to look where she was pointing. There, in the middle of the open field, was a table and two chairs; Viggo sat in one of the chairs – alone.
"No place near him for men to hide," Astrid noted. "He'd be easy to pick-off, from here…"
"No, no…" Hiccup said: donning his helmet, but leaving the faceplate up. "I'm going to hear what he has to say. Keep an eye on that ship for me, but don't get too close." Toothless continued his descent, toward the island; Stormfly and Windshear began to circle, careful to keep to a safe height.
Moments before they landed, Hiccup's eyes widened. "Toothless, wait; blue- oleanders!"
Toothless halted his descent: landing, instead, at the edge of the field. He growled, 'Blue- oleanders… Why does that not surprise me?'
Hiccup dismounted, and rested a hand on Toothless's shoulder. "You stay here, bud; if he makes a move, you know what to do."
Above them,
Heather frowned, "Why are Hiccup and Toothless splitting- up?"
Astrid, also frowning, pulled a spyglass out of Stormfly's saddlebags. A moment later; she cursed, "Blue- oleanders; they're poisonous to dragons… Viggo is forcing them to separate." She thought for a moment, "Lets make a lower pass; make sure that section of cliff is clear, then we'll come back up to where we are now."
Heather hesitated, then nodded; Stormfly and Windshear approached, cautiously: riders and dragons, both, alert for signs of trouble.
A few minutes later; at the table,
When Hiccup reached the table, the first thing that caught his attention was the Maces And Talons game board. His eyes narrowed, and he slammed down the 'Honorable Chieftain' game piece that Viggo had given him down. "I think you're missing a piece," he said coolly.
Viggo looked up, calmly. "You came; I'm surprised." – As he spoke; Hiccup walked around to the opposite side of the table, though he ignored the waiting chair.
Hiccup's eyes narrowed, "No you're not; otherwise you wouldn't be sitting in a field of flowers that are poisonous to dragons."
Viggo shrugged, raising his hands palm- up. "A man has to take precautions; I notice you arrived with friends."
"Like you said: precautions… I could have called for some Night- Furies, but I didn't want to trouble them." Hiccup shrugged, "What do you want, Viggo?"
"To compliment you, Hiccup." Viggo said, gesturing to Hiccup with both hands. "Your little group has won some… impressive victories, recently; put quite a dent in my bottom- line."
"Glad to hear it," Hiccup said. "Tell me: What did you think of that Night- Fury strike- force?" he smiled, a little, as he asked the question.
"Impressive," Viggo admitted. "I must admit, you caught me by surprise; I assumed your Night- Fury was the last of their kind."
"Hardly the last," Hiccup informed Viggo. "He is part of a colony, after all."
A full minute passed in silence; then Viggo continued, "You are a worthy adversary; and, as such; this battle between us could continue for years to come, or…" his voice trailed off.
Hiccup raised an eyebrow; and prompted, "Or… what?"
Viggo turned to look at him, "Or it could end today."
Hiccup raised an eyebrow, "Ok… Return the Dragon- Eye, and I'll accept your surrender."
Viggo chuckled, "Oh; it's good to see your sense of humor is still intact… The Dragon- Eye isn't part of the deal; but I am offering you a truce, with very generous terms." He knocked the game pieces aside, produced a map, and unrolled it over the board. "You stay to the south of this line," Viggo ran a finger along a line that ran all the way across the map, "and my men and I will stay above it… We never have to fight again." He stood, palms up. "Hiccup; I'm not unreasonable: I have no desire to rule the world, unlike… some people. I'm a businessman, and fighting is bad for business…" A brief pause followed this.
"I'm offering you a chance to save the lives of every dragon below that line, not to mention those of your fellow riders… I am willing to memorialize this deal now, and end the bloodshed." He produced a pen, signed a corner of the map, than held the pen out, to Hiccup. "Are you?"
"I'll need to think about it." Hiccup said, after a long moment of silence.
"Of course, of course; all leaders should receive council. But, in the end; it's up to us, isn't it?" As Viggo spoke, Hiccup rolled up the map. "Oh: How's Astrid's leg; healing well, I trust?" Hiccup turned, and started to walk away. "Time is of the essence, Hiccup; peace can be… such a fragile thing."
Hiccup stopped, and turned back; his eyes glowing green, "I said I would think about it, Viggo; but, to be honest: you need this more than I do, and far more than you might think … You've pushed your luck far enough, for one day."
Hiccup's eyes returned to normal; he turned, and walked away. He rejoined Toothless, clambered onto his back, and they rose into the sky. Leaving a wide-eyed, pale- faced Viggo Grimborn behind.
Ten minutes later; in the sky,
Once they'd flown some distance from the island; Astrid asked, "Hiccup: What did Viggo want?"
Hiccup sighed, "It's… complicated; I'll explain, back on The Edge." He was silent for a moment; then turned to Astrid, "Viggo also asked if your leg was 'healing well'."
Heather's eyes widened, "He knew about that?"
Hiccup nodded, and turned to Astrid; in a soft voice, he asked, "How is your leg, Astrid?"
Astrid managed a smile; "It's fine, thanks; I'll keep you posted."
Late afternoon; Dragon's Edge,
"A truce?" Heather asked, incredulously; as she and the others examined the map Viggo had given Hiccup. "You've got to be joking!"
"This is a very serious- looking map," Fishlegs commented.
"You're not actually thinking of doing this; are you, Hiccup?" Astrid turned to where she expected to find Hiccup, and then looked around the room. She found him in a corner, sitting over the Maces And Talons game board. "Hiccup; the map's over here."
"Yeah: but the answers are over here," Hiccup got to his feet. "You see: Viggo is a game- player; his moves, are never what they seem to be."
"Unless he knows that you know that he's a game- player," Tuffnut pointed out. "Then the deceptive move, would be to make the obvious move…"
"But he's also smart enough to know that Hiccup knows that he's a game- player," Ruffnut commented. "So the deceptive move is to actually make the deceptive move."
"Hiccup; would you please just tell us what you're thinking?" Astrid asked, before Tuffnut could speak.
"Viggo doesn't want a truce." Hiccup said, bluntly. "My first thought: He wants to keep us away from something on his side of the game board."
"You might be right," Astrid agreed. "But how do we find this thing?"
"I think I know." Hiccup told them, joining them at the map table. "That's what's bothering me: It's too easy … Viggo would never give up more territory than he had to; so whatever he wanted to keep us away from would be right on the edge of that line... here." He pointed to a volcanic island, near Viggo's line.
Snotlout frowned, "And… How is that 'too easy'?"
Hiccup turned to him, "Viggo knows we'd be suspicious of a truce; we wouldn't expect him to give- up territory he didn't have to, and that we'd want to know why he didn't want us there… He gave us the puzzle- pieces, knowing I'd put them together."
Heather's eyes widened, "You're saying Viggo wants us to go there; it's a trap!"
"I think Viggo wants something; but, for some reason; he can't get it on his own," Hiccup elaborated. "Whatever he wants may be on that island, as well as whatever's keeping him from getting it." He looked around, again. "We have to check- out this island, but we've got to be very careful… We don't know what we'll be flying into."
The following day; early afternoon,
They left The Edge early the following morning; bound for the island Hiccup had singled out, on Viggo's map. It wasn't an overly long flight; but they made a point of stopping, every so often, to rest their dragons. Not knowing what awaited them, they didn't want to take chances.
About an hour after noon, they saw an island, through a break in the clouds: below, and a little ways ahead of them. Hiccup checked the map, and nodded. "There it is."
"There's a village in the clearing, to the west!" Astrid noted, pointing, as the dragons began their descent.
Hiccup retrieved his spyglass from Toothless's saddlebags, and put it to his eye. "Strange looking buildings; not Viking or Hunter…" he commented. "And check- out that statue… Fishlegs; can you make-out what kind of dragon that's supposed to be?" He tossed his spyglass to Fishlegs.
Fishlegs caught it; after a brief silence; he said, "Looks like a boulder- class to me, but not one I've seen before." By unspoken agreement, the dragons slowed.
"Lets go ask them," Snotlout suggested; Hookfang began to speed up.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa; we don't even know if they're friend of foe!" Astrid said. "Lets do a little surveillance, first."
"Astrid's got a point," Hiccup agreed, turning to her. "You see that clearing, north of the village?" Astrid nodded; Hiccup continued, "You guys land there, do a little scouting on- foot. Leave the dragons in the clearing, as back- up; stick together, and stay in the area."
Astrid frowned, "Where're you and Toothless going to be?"
"We'll visit the village," Hiccup replied. "If they're friends, we'll come get you once we've explained why we're here; if not… well, like I said: stay in the area."
Astrid hesitated; then nodded, reluctantly. "Be careful."
The village; Hiccup and Toothless,
They circled the cluster of buildings several times, alert for any sign of a trap. Finally, Toothless set down in the village square. Moments after his claws touched the ground, fifteen figures; clad in black from head- to- toe, faces covered save for their eyes; emerged from hiding and surrounded them, clearly ready for a fight.
Toothless growled; Hiccup patted his neck. "Easy, bud." To the black- garbed figures; he said, "We don't want to fight you, just talk… Who's in- charge, here?"
For a long moment, no one spoke; then a woman's voice answered, "I am." The crowd parted, and the speaker came forward.
She was tall and fit; in her mid-to-late- twenties, her hair was a reddish- blond. She was clad in black, decorated with gold- trim; and wore shoulder- pads, also trimmed with gold.
The speaker reached Hiccup and Toothless; and continued, "I am Mala; Queen- Defender of The Wing. And you're clearly one of Viggo Grimborn's Dragon- Hunters; sent to attack us, and steal The Great Protector." Mala gestured to the dragon- statue, to her right; then turned to Toothless, "What kind of dragon is this; I've never seen its like, before."
"I am Hiccup Haddoc; son of Chief Stoick, of Berk." Hiccup replied; he gave Toothless a rub on the neck, "This is Toothless; he's a Night- Fury." Mutters of surprise moved through the crowd, Mala's eyes widened; Hiccup continued, "And, if you're enemies of Viggo Grimborn, then we have something in common."
"Do you take me for a fool?" Queen Mala demanded. "Aside from your names, that's exactly what the last spy sent by Grimborn said."
"Then Viggo told his spies what to say; so you wouldn't believe us." Hiccup said, looking the Queen in the eye. "Look, this is going to sound crazy, but… When Toothless and I met; three years ago, on Berk; a connection opened between us, a bond ... Toothless used it to learn our language, and I learned theirs: the language of the dragons."
Queen Mala's eyes narrowed, "You dare mock me to my–"
'He speaks the truth,' Toothless said, for all to hear. 'Hiccup can form a connection with almost any dragon, share this knowledge with them; he is our best chance, of a lasting peace.' For a full minute, nobody spoke.
"It's a long story." Hiccup said, giving Toothless a rub on the neck. "But we've been fighting The Hunters for months; Viggo knows I 'have a way with' dragons, but not the details. Yesterday, Viggo sent us a message; asking me to meet with him … He gave me this." Dismounting, he offered Mala the map Viggo had given him.
Mala took the scroll; unrolled, and examined it. "A map; signed in Viggo Grimborn's own hand…" A ripple of low mutters moved through the black- garbed figures.
"Viggo offered us a truce: He, and his Hunters, would stay north of that line; so long as my friends and I stayed south of it." Hiccup said, simply.
"Viggo offered you a truce…" Mala repeated, raised an eyebrow. She considered Hiccup for a long moment, "I find that hard to believe."
Toothless chuckled. 'Don't underestimate Hiccup, Queen Mala: Viggo considers him "a worthy adversary"; but, while you won't hear him say it, Hiccup is smarter.'
"Viggo didn't want a truce; but he knew we'd be suspicious of the offer," Hiccup explained. "He'd never give-up more territory than he had to; so whatever he wanted would be close to the line ... Viggo gave me the pieces of the puzzle, knowing I'd put them together: Either it was a trap; or he wanted to use us as a distraction."
"And the closest island to Viggo's line is ours; so you began your search here, expecting to find Hunters." Mala nodded, thoughtfully. "That means Viggo won't be far behind."
A moment later, another black- garbed figure hurried over. He muttered something to the Queen; Mala nodded, "Double the guard on The Great Protector, just in case." The new arrival nodded; gestured to several others, in the crowd, and they hurried off.
Mala turned to Hiccup, "My sentries have captured several intruders, in the forests north of here; your friends, I presume?"
Hiccup sighed, "More than likely; and, if your sentries have been following them, Viggo may have gotten his distraction."
Queen Mala nodded, "Come with me." She turned; Hiccup and Toothless followed, as did about half of the black- garbed figures.
Earlier; in the forests north of the village,
Stormfly, Windshear, and the other dragons landed in the clearing Hiccup had indicated. The riders dismounted; and, a few minutes later, set off into the forest.
About five minutes in, Snotlout stretched and yawned. Tuffnut turned; but Snotlout was gone, "Uh… Where did Snotlout go?" He turned back; and found that Ruffnut, too, had vanished. Tuff frowned, "Ok… I'm pretty sure I had a sister when we landed; or has it merely been me, in girls' clothes?" – An instant later; someone grabbed him, and he vanished into the trees.
A few minutes later; Fishlegs grinned, "Oh; blueberries!" He hurried toward the cluster of bushes; hands shot out, and pulled him off the path.
Heather glanced back, and noticed that the others were gone. "Astrid; I have a bad feeling–"
Astrid turned to her, "You want a worse feeling; look up!"
Heather looked up, and her eyes widened; several figures, armed with dart- guns; stood in the branches of a tree, some distance ahead of them. Both girls raised their hands in front of them; Heather called, "We come in–"
An instant later, the first darts were in the air. Astrid managed to grab two, before they hit her. Then Heather was hit; Astrid was distracted, and the third dart connected.
"– Peace…" Heather finished; then she and Astrid lost consciousness.
Some time later,
When Astrid regained consciousness; she found herself on her knees, her hands tied behind her back. She sighed, "Great."
"What the–" Heather exclaimed, as she regained consciousness. Fishlegs was whimpering, somewhere just behind them. Then Snotlout asked, "Who are these guys?"
Twenty figures, clad in black with only the space around their eyes visible, stood before them. At the sound of Snotlout's voice, a man came forward; the only person present who wasn't dressed in black. He had reddish hair cut short, a green tunic and brown pants. Over which he wore shoulder- pads, and a thick belt. He glared down at them, "I am Throk."
The sound of approaching footsteps reached their ears; Throk, and their other captors, turned and bowed. "All- hail Mala; Queen- Defender of The Wing!" They straightened, a moment later; Throk added, "Who is he; and what is that?" – As he spoke, many of the black- garbed figures tensed.
A woman's voice answered, "It seems we have new allies; in our fight against Grimborn, and his Hunters: He brings advance- warning of an impending- attack ... Hiccup Haddoc; this is Throk, my Captain of Guard." A moments' pause, "The dragon is a Night- Fury; it would seem Hiccup possesses a… unique ability to befriend dragons. The details will have to wait."
The speaker, Queen Mala, came into view: Hiccup and Toothless following, close behind.
Hiccup paused, and turned to Toothless. "Could you get the other dragons, and bring them here; they'll be getting worried, by now." The Night- Fury nodded, and took off.
"Advance warning, you say?" Throk turned, nodding to Hiccup. "Well, then… Perhaps these Hunters can build on what you know." He turned, nodding toward his captives.
"They aren't Hunters, Throk; they're with me." Hiccup said, moving forward; he cut Astrid's bonds, and helped her to her feet. "This is my girlfriend; Astrid Hofferson…" A ripple of awkwardness moved through the captors; Hiccup continued, "Our friend, Heather…"
He moved from rider to rider; cutting their bonds, and introducing them; then he turned to Queen Mala, "How do you want to do this?"
Queen Mala raised an eyebrow, "Summarize what you told us about Viggo's plan; the rest can wait."
Hiccup nodded, turned to Throk; "Thirty second version: Viggo set us up, with a fake truce- offer, to investigate territory he tried to claim, in his truce ... You thought we were Hunters; we expected to be ambushed by Hunters, since Viggo lured us here. This," he gestured to his friends and the black- garbed figures, "is exactly what Viggo wanted: to use us as a distraction; drawing your people away from their posts, clearing the way for his Hunters!"
Ten seconds passed in silence; Throk cursed, and turned to the guards. "Sentries, back to your posts; the rest of you: sweep the forests … Move!" The black- garbed men and women dispersed: melting back into the trees. Throk, meanwhile, retrieved his battle- axe; a full-length staff, with an axe- blade one end.
Half an hour later; in the village,
"That is the Temple of The Wing." Queen Mala said: pointing to a building, as they passed. "And next to it is our Healing Center; where both man, and dragon, can be treated."
"You can heal dragons!" Fishlegs asked, visibly excited.
Mala smiled, "Of some injuries; yes–" A sudden commotion, from inside the Healing Center, caused her to break off. A Gronkle hobbled outside; holding her front right paw off the ground, to keep her weight off it; she was followed, moments later, by a man.
"What's wrong with her?" Mala asked, urgently.
"I don't know…" the man shook his head, bewildered. "We found her, whimpering, with a fair- sized cut on her paw: figured she stepped on a sharp rock. We brought her in, cleaned and bandaged the cut; the moment she put her weight on it…" he gestured to the Gronkle.
Hiccup hurried over to the Gronkle, "Grrr-gralph; scrah-gra-gralph rrrggg-grrah grahl?" The Gronkle blinked at him, moaned, and replied. Hiccup winced, "Yeah; that would hurt…"
He turned to the man, "Well: You were right about the sharp rock; but then she stepped on a small pebble: it's still in there, wedged into the deeper part of the cut. Now that it's bandaged closed, every time she puts her weight on it…" – Everyone winced, in unison.
Mala turned to the healer, "Would you look into it?" The man nodded; and, after a little coaxing; he got the dragon to follow him back into the healing center.
Four minutes later, they emerged: The Gronkle walking normally, with fresh bandages on her right forepaw; the man had a miniscule pair of tweezers raised triumphantly before him, a tiny red stone between the tips. He also had a 'very interesting' hairdo; souvenir of the Gronkle's 'thank you'- lick.
Throk shook his head, "Well… I'm impressed."
Mala smiled, and shook her head. "You do have a connection to dragons, Hiccup Haddoc; I don't understand it, but I cannot deny it."
'You might understand it better, by seeing the world as we do.' Toothless spread his wings, 'I can show you, if you'd like.'
"No… Such a thing is forbidden." Queen Mala said, firmly. She glanced up at the sky, a little wistfully. Toothless nodded, and folded his wings against his body.
"Uh… Your Majesty; what dragon is this?" Fishlegs asked, gesturing at the statue.
"That is our Great Protector: the Eruptadon," Mala replied. "He eats lava from the volcano, to keep us all safe. Otherwise all of this," she gestured around them, "would burn to the ground."
"It eats lava?" Ruffnut asked; as she, Tuff, and Snotlout caught up with them. "Awesome!"
"I knew it was a boulder- class!" Fishlegs said, grinned; he opened his notebook, and beginning to draw a sketch of the statue.
"Yeah... Uh; I think your Great Protector is asleep on the job." Snotlout said, pointing.
The others turned; and saw a column of smoke rising up, from the volcano. A moment later, exclamations from other parts of the village reached their ears. Mala's eyes widened, "That should not be!"
"Let us check it out for you." Hiccup said; turning, "We can be there in just a few–"
"No, Hiccup Haddoc." Queen Mala turned to him, "While you are here, I ask that you respect our ways… You may come with us, on foot."
"Ok; we'll do this your way," Hiccup said; nodding. "It's just… I've got a really bad feeling about this." Without another word, they set off toward the volcano.
At the base of the volcano,
"The Great Protector has never let the lava get this high before!" Queen Mala declared. She turned, "You three: Start cutting down this line of trees, before the fire spreads too far into the forest!" The guards she'd indicated nodded; and hurried off, axes in hand. "The rest of you; come with me, to the den of the Great Protector!"
Some time later; nearing the summit,
"Wow… Look at all these gifts they leave for the Eruptadon!" Heather commented; nodding at the potted flowers, and various gold objects, placed alongside the path.
A massive stone arch rose, ahead of them; Mala came to an abrupt halt, "There should be guards here!" She and Throk broke into a run, the others following close behind.
They crossed a flat stretch of stone, past several decorative arches, and beneath another: this one emitting a reddish glow.
The cavern they entered was a fair size. Halfway across, the floor dropped away, into a pit; streams of lava flowed in the far wall, and into the pit. Across from the entrance, on the far side of the pit, a rocky ledge extended out from the wall. It was empty.
Queen Mala turned to them; gesturing toward the empty ledge, "The Protector is gone!"
"Couldn't he just be on a different part of the island?" Hiccup asked.
"No; he never strays far from his food source." Mala replied, shaking her head.
"Hiccup…" Astrid picked up a dragon- root arrow: holding it up, for them to see. She wiped the arrowhead with two fingers; tasted, and spat. "It's fresh; I think Dragon- Hunters took the Eruptadon!"
Queen Mala's eyes widened; dismay clear on her face, "I should've just let you fly up here!"
Astrid hesitated, "Hiccup: the Dragon- Trance; do you think…?"
"Dragon- trance?" Mala asked; looking from Hiccup to Astrid, "What…?"
"My bond with the dragons: taken to one of two deeper levels," Hiccup explained. "There's … a lot I haven't had time to explain, yet… I can't guarantee it'll work, but I can try; I'll need to concentrate, though."
A long moment passed in silence; than Queen Mala nodded, "Try."
Hiccup closed his eyes; ten seconds passed, then twenty. Then, suddenly, his eyes snapped open: glowing green, the same color as Toothless's eyes. The blue lines traced their pattern across his armor. A chorus of gasps rose from the black- garbed guards; Mala and Throk just stood there: wide- eyed, and gaping.
"The Eruptadon's presence is strong, here; that will make him easier to track." Hiccup commented; his eyes narrowed, in concentration. There was another pause; then, "His trail leads north-northeast, across the island ... I suggest you move quickly."
Part Two – The Great- Protector
As suddenly as it happened, Hiccup's eyes returned to normal; he staggered, Astrid shot to his side: steadying him until he regained his balance.
He nodded a silent 'thank you' to Astrid, and glanced around the cave. "Ok … I'll take a wild- guess, and say that it worked… What've we got?"
"Apparently the Hunters are taking the Eruptadon north-northeast, across the island." Astrid explained. "And we need to hurry."
Hiccup nodded, and turned to Queen Mala; "We'll go get the Eruptadon, and bring him back; I'll also leave some people here, to help fight the lave…" gesturing with one hand, he continued, "Heather's a survivalist; she's dealt with lava before. Also: Ruff and Tuff … Oh, come on, guys…"
Everyone turned to Tuff examining one of the guard's dart guns: bringing it to his mouth, the wrong way up, and shooting himself in the tongue. When Snotlout thumped him on the back, he spat the dart out: it hit Ruffnut, who'd been standing directly in front of him.
A moment later, both Twins fell to the ground, Tuff muttering that he was 'Ok'. Snotlout looked down at them, then around the chamber; rolling his eyes in exasperation.
"Yeah; Ruff and Tuff should probably stay here, too…" Hiccup turned back to Queen Mala, who took a deep breath. "They … have a lot of experience cleaning up stuff."
"I'll accept your offer," Queen Mala decided. "On one condition: I must travel with you, to save our beloved dragon." Several of the guards gasped, and exchanged surprised glances.
"I… thought you didn't fly on dragons," Hiccup said.
Queen Mala squared her shoulders, "I'll do whatever it takes to save The Great Protector." She took several steps toward Hiccup and Toothless.
"What happened?" Tuff asked, as he and Ruff rose unsteadily to their feet. "I had a very vivid dream that I choked on a stun- dart; lost control of my vocal- (clog-gag-gag)." – Ruff started to laugh, again.
Heather sighed, "Ugh… Come on; it's up to us to stop the lava flow!" – She gripped each of The Twins by a shoulder, and led them out of the cavern; "Thor help me."
The rest of the black- garbed guards moved to follow them; Throk paused at the entrance, "We shall not fail you, My Queen!" Then they were gone.
As they exited the cave, Hiccup turned to Mala; "You can fly with me and Toothless. We'll start by canvassing–" he stopped suddenly; Toothless and Stormfly growled. "Get down!" – Seconds after the words left his mouth, the first Hunter- arrows whistled into view; the arrows missed, by several feet. Mala drew her sword, ready for a fight.
"Dragon- Hunters!" Astrid called.
"Take to the air!" Hiccup called, already moving toward Toothless; Astrid to Stormfly. When Astrid was into place, Stormfly rose into the air: ready for action.
"Get us out of here, Hookfang!" Snotlout said, clambering onto his saddle. Just then, a Hunter- arrow shot past the Monstrous- Nightmare's head; he lurched back, and Snotlout was sent flying. He landed, in a dazed heap, a few feet in front of Mala.
Hiccup turned, just in time to see an arrow speeding toward Queen Mala; and shouted a warning. Seconds before the arrow would've connected; a dazed Snotlout got to his feet, and the arrow was deflected off of his helmet.
Mala clapped Snotlout on the shoulder, and charged toward the bushes the Hunters were using for cover; launched herself into a flip, and landed behind the bushes. Several voices cried out, in panic, and they heard the sound of fighting.
Less then a minute later, Mala reappeared: pushing two dazed Hunters ahead of her, into the open, and then shoving them to the ground.
"She is definitely coming with us!" Snotlout declared; he turned to Hiccup, "And to think you didn't want her to come, Hiccup." – Everyone ignored him.
Astrid dismounted, and marched over. "Which way did they go? Tell us!" The two men glared up at her, but said nothing. Toothless padded forward, and roared: giving them a 'good look' at his teeth, as he did.
The two Hunters stumbled back; the one on the right said, "No! V-Viggo went north, with your dragon!"
"Thanks, bud." Hiccup said, giving Toothless a pat on the shoulder, before clambering into his saddle. "Saddle up; come on, Mala."
Mala waited until several of her guards had led the captured Hunters away; then she shook her head. "No… I will not be flying with you, Hiccup Haddoc; I will be flying… with him." She nodded to Snotlout.
A long moment passed, in silence; Snotlout chuckled, as though Mala was kidding. Then his eyes widened, "Me?"
Hiccup and Astrid exchanged a look; Hiccup said, "Oh… good, yeah."
Shortly; in the air,
After twenty minutes in the air, Hiccup called back to Mala; "It's quite a rush, isn't it?"
"Indeed." Mala agreed, her expression wistful. She turned her attention to Snotlout: eying his shoulders, and then lightly slapping his lower arms.
Snotlout frowned, "Uh… why do you keep doing that?" No response. "You're freaking me out, lady, ok… It's called 'personal space'."
"I think, with a little less mutton and a little more exercise, you'll be perfect…" Mala said, finally.
"Uh … 'perfect' for what?" Snotlout asked.
"To be my king," Mala replied.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa…" Snotlout said, turning in his saddle. "Did you just say 'king'? Hold on: I thought I heard 'king'." – Up ahead: Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs and their dragons exchanged incredulous looks.
Mala nodded; "It has been foretold that a man from afar would come to my island and save me on the field of battle, and that man will become my king. Snotlout, you are that man."
Snotlout's eyes widened, he whooped; "Oh, my Thor: this is awesome! You hear that, Hookfang; finally, someone who recognizes my worth!" He continued on like that, but the other riders and dragons tuned him out.
Shortly,
"There he is!" Astrid said, lowering her spyglass.
"Viggo and the Eruptadon travelling without any backup," Fishlegs noted. "That's weird, right?"
"Yeah it is, Fishlegs." Hiccup agreed. "He's up to something…" Toothless slowed, and pulled alongside of Hookfang. "Why don't you two hang back; something doesn't feel right, and," he turned to Mala, "you're not used to aerial- combat." Mala looked like she wanted to argue; instead she took a deep breath, nodded; Hiccup turned to the others; "Ok, guys: lets ambush them before they can react!" – Toothless, Stormfly, and Meatlug shot towards the boat; which sailed below, and about half a mile ahead of them.
A few minutes later,
Toothless's first plasma- blast slammed into the deck; Hunters shouted to one another: some leveled crossbows; others rushed to man their other defenses.
Hiccup lowered the visor of his dragon- helm; "We're going to take a closer look." The black- dragon, and rider, shot forward. Hunters shouted, and fired arrows. Toothless dodged them with an ease that was open- mockery of the Hunters' attempts.
They circled the boat, then rejoined Stormfly and Meatlug. "I don't see Viggo or Ryker; they must be down below."
"Then we're going to need to clear the deck," Astrid called back. Hiccup nodded, and they pressed their attack: Toothless in the lead, blasting openings in the Hunters' defenses; Stormfly and Meatlug following, taking full advantage of every opening they made.
"Hiccup and his dragon are amazing!" Mala commented, craning her neck for a better view; following the fight closely.
"Yeah; he's ok, I guess…" Snotlout agreed, reluctantly. "I don't see it."
"I've never seen anything like it!" Mala continued, clearly not paying attention.
"Yeah, but remember: I'm the guy who saved you back on the field of battle, right?" Snotlout said, turning in the saddle. "About 'the person foretold in the story' thingy?"
"The way those two fly through the air in perfect harmony," Mala added. "It's magical."
Snotlout wracked his brain, "Did you know Hiccup's armor is made of Night- Fury scales?"
Mala blinked, her eyes widened; she turned to Snotlout, "What?"
Hookfang rolled his eyes. 'The ore Hiccup used, to forge his armor, was given to him by a Night- Fury Elder; soon after Hiccup helped establish the alliance between Berk, and The Night- Fury Colony.' He hesitated; then added, 'It'd be best if Hiccup explained the rest, when events allow; there is much he didn't have time to tell you.'
Mala's eyes widened, "A colony… A Night- Fury Colony?" She turned back to the fight, which was now almost over. As she watched: Toothless, Stormfly, and Meatlug landed on the deck of the Hunter- ship. Meatlug had backed up against the side rail, leapt overboard; moments later, they jumped overboard.
Snotlout glared down at Hookfang, lowering his voice to an angry whisper; "Whose side are you on, anyway?"
'You brought up the armor…' Hookfang pointed out, speaking so only Snotlout heard. 'We're trying to make new allies, remember?' – Snotlout scowled, but said nothing.
Below them; on the ship,
"High- alert, bud." Hiccup turned to Astrid and Fishlegs. "We're going below; keep an eye out for an escape- hatch." Lowered the visor of his helm, he and Toothless approached the hatch that led to the lower deck.
"Hiccup…" Astrid began, taking a step forward.
Hiccup, who'd begun to lift the hatch, turned and nodded; "I know… we'll be careful." He lifted the hatch the rest of the way, and stepped through, closing it behind them.
Twenty minutes later,
Hiccup and Toothless returned to the main deck just as Hookfang touched down; Snotlout and Mala clambered down from his back. Hiccup shook his head, "We searched everywhere: No Viggo, no Eruptadon… the Hunters he left behind, on the island, were another misdirect." Mala bowed her head, visibly disappointed; Hiccup sighed, "Well … if Viggo wanted us to go north, then he is definitely heading south; I just hope Heather and The Twins are having better luck with the lava."
Meanwhile; the island of The Wing,
They'd begun work on the trench; to divert the lava flow away from the village; just after Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout and Mala had left, to rescue the Eruptadon. Now it was done, and the lava was bearing down on their position.
At Heather's direction, Windshear chopped down two large pine trees; creating a funnel, into the trench. A few minutes later: the lava reached the trees, flowed between them, and into the trench. It had worked.
The crowd began to cheer, then they saw Barf and Belch flying toward them; Ruff and Tuff on their back, and a large boulder clutched in their clawed feet. Comprehension dawned, eyes widened; they began shouting 'No!' and waving their arms.
The Twins misunderstood, their dragon dropped the boulder: crushing a section of the logs. The lava melted the boulder, burned through the damaged barricade; and continued on its original path: straight toward the village.
"That's it!" Heather called, rising into the air on Windshear's back. "You two are grounded!"
"What?" Ruff asked, incredulously.
"Objection; your Heather," Tuff argued. "The 'Defense' purports you to be out of said jurisdiction." Heather glowered at him; and he added, "But we will agree to a short recess." Barf- and- Belch drifted in for a landing, a few hundred feet further down the slope.
Windshear landed, and a crowd gathered around them; Throk took a deep breath, "Why couldn't Hiccup have taken those two with him?" Several others nodded in agreement, muttering to one another.
"Hiccup's the smartest person I know, but he has to work with what he's got: The Twins are his … 'wildcards'," Heather sighed. "They mean well, try to help, but," she nodded to the ruined barricade, "would you really want them trying to save the Eruptadon?"
The muttering stopped, the defenders exchanged glances; Throk nodded, "Fair points … what now?"
"We need to give Hiccup, and the others, as much time as we can." Heather took a deep breath, and exhaled. "That's really all we can do: If this is a continuous lava- flow; it'll build up behind every barrier we make, until it reaches the top … or the barrier gives."
A long moment passed in silence; then she added, "The logs Windshear chopped down slowed the lava a little; we'll do what we can up here … buy you some time to start building something further down. We'll join you when we're done here."
Throk nodded, and gestured; "You four: Stay here, help Heather position the logs; the rest of you are with me!" – The groups divided; Windshear had four trees on the ground before Throk and the others were out of sight. Heather, and her four, got to work.
Miles away; in the darkening sky,
They'd been flying, in silence, for almost an hour; when Stormfly pulled up, to Toothless's left. Astrid caught Hiccup's attention, and pointed toward Hookfang. Hiccup turned, and immediately understood; "Are you 'ok', Mala?"
Mala; whose head was bowed, her eyes half- closed; started, and turned to face him. "Yes, I'm… fine." Her voice caught, as she said the words.
"If you're feeling airsick; we'll be landing soon, to water the dragons." Hiccup informed her.
"He's hungry; Hiccup," Mala said, in a rush. "The Eruptadon… he must constantly eat lava, or… he will die." – A long moment passed in silence, following this revelation.
"When I was just a little girl, there was an earthquake that disrupted the lava flow; it wasn't long before the Eruptadon was frantic, and starving … he became so weak, he wasn't able to fly to another food source. Only deep prayer, for the lava to return, saved our beloved dragon; but now…"
"Mala, look: A starved dragon, is no good to Viggo," Hiccup pointed out. "He has our Dragon- Eye; he must know this, about the Eruptadon. In the meantime, that can help us: we'll fly over active- volcanoes until we spot him."
"If only it were so easy," Mala lamented. "The Eruptadon doesn't need an active volcano to eat… its appetite is insatiable, and its desire immense; so much so, that it'll eat through the crust of a dormant volcano until it erupts!"
"Oh, Thor…" Hiccup's eyes widened. "The snow- capped peak at Dragon's Edge is a dormant volcano; classic Maces And Talons move: Viggo's going to use the Eruptadon to destroy our base!"
Mala's eyes widened, and then narrowed; "Then our job just became twice as important."
The island of The Wing,
The defenders stood along the tops of the cliffs, rising to either side of the path that ran up from the village to the volcano: pushing boulder after boulder over the side, in an attempt to at least slow the lava flow.
It was to no avail: The lava flowed over the boulders, melting them in seconds. Heather and Throk; who stood at the foot of the path, gazing up at the approaching lava; exchanged dismayed glances.
Heather shook her head, "We can't stop it; it's going to reach the village… I am so sorry."
Throk's eyes widened, realizing she was right. He hurled his last boulder into the lava, and gave a wordless below; his shoulders slumped.
The lava flow was so close, now; they had to back up to avoid it. Then a loud crashing sound, from behind them, made Heather and the defenders turn. Eyes widened, they scrambled out of the way; moments later, the pedestal supporting the statue of the Great- Protector collapsed. The massive statue fell squarely across the entrance to the pathway up to the volcano; the lava reached it … and stopped.
Heather and the defenders turned, and saw Ruff and Tuff: cringing, as though expecting someone to shout at them. Then, tentatively, Tuff said; "Uh … we told them to do that?"
Next to them, their Zippleback butted its two heads together.
Heather and Throk exchanged a look; Heather shrugged, "I told you they were wildcards." She turned to the others; "That'll slow the lava for a while, but it won't stop it: We need to get more of … whatever kind of rock that is, and build the wall higher!"
Throk turned, and began shouting orders to the other defenders; many were cheering, but they were quick to heed Throk's call.
The Dragon's Edge,
"Ok… the fastest way to the volcano, is straight over the island!" Hiccup said, as they sped toward their base.
"Uh, Hiccup…" Fishlegs interjected, "I don't think we can go straight over the island!" He pointed, and the others turned to look: The Hunters had commandeered The Edges' defenses. Catapults had been rolled into place; Hunters stood ready, with arrows notched.
A voice below shouted "FIRE!" and a wave of boulders were sent hurling their way. All four dragons dodged the boulders; Hiccup's eyes narrowed, "We'll have to try to fly around The Edge!"
"I don't think that'll work either!" Fishlegs said, pointing. The others turned to look, and saw several Hunter- ships sailing towards them. Then the archers, on the boats, opened fire.
"We're totally overpowered!" Snotlout called, as Hookfang evaded the arrows.
Hiccup gritted his teeth, then heard Astrid calling his name; he turned to look where she was pointing: two more boats were closing in, from yet another direction.
Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Mala, and the dragons turned to him; Hiccup's eyes narrowed. Then, to their surprise, he smiled; "I've got it: Fly as close as you can to the Hunter- ships!"
Snotlout's eyes widened, "You want us to do what?"
Hiccup turned, in his saddle, to face them; his eyes glinted, "Trust me." Toothless surged forward, Astrid and Stormfly followed without hesitation; Fishlegs and Meatlug close behind them. Snotlout and Mala exchanged a look, then Hookfang shot after them.
The dragons sped toward the nearest Hunter- ships; the catapults, on The Edge, fired; the archers on the boats fired arrows, which missed. Then they turned, just in time to leap overboard, before the boulders from the catapults crashed through the deck.
The dragons rose into the sky; Fishlegs was grinning widely, "Hiccup: your gamesmanship makes me proud to call you my friend!"
Below them; on another Hunter- ship,
Viggo lowered his spyglass, seething; "Clever, Hiccup; very clever."
"Brother; is everything alright?" Ryker asked, a note of amusement in his voice. Viggo clenched his teeth, and shot his brother an irritated look.
Back in the air,
Toothless and Stormfly shot towards their base; Astrid called, "We're going in!" Stormfly shot towards the nearest catapults; Hiccup surveyed the scene, looking for possible dangers. Then he saw the Hunters who manned the rotating- ballistae, which Astrid had built, taking aim at the Deadly- Nadder and her rider.
Seconds later, the ballistae- bolt was in the air. When Astrid saw it, speeding towards them; her eyes widened. But a familiar wailing shriek had filled the air; then Toothless shot into view: Hiccup, his eyes glowing green, snatching the bolt out of midair.
He glared down, at the Hunters manning the ballistae. When they spotted him, their faces turned the color of snow; Hiccup tossed the bolt aside, his eyes returning to normal.
Astrid and Stormfly; who'd abandoned their offensive; pulled up alongside Hiccup and Toothless. Astrid took a deep breath, "Thanks, Hiccup, Toothless; that was too close."
Hiccup smiled, and nodded; "Just try to be more careful, ok?" Astrid smiled, and nodded.
Hookfang joined them a moment later, Snotlout and Mala on his back. The latter called, "Hiccup; we're running out of time!"
"It's suicide, Hiccup… We'll never get passed that ballistae; Astrid built it!" Snotlout added.
"Yes, we will…" Hiccup considered the problem, and then turned to the others. "Ok: this is what I need you to do…"
A few minutes later; Viggo,
Viggo had been watching the Eruptadon dig at the side of the dormant volcano; now he panned across the sky, and chuckled. "Another rider is retreating!" He lowered the spyglass, and turned to Ryker. "Sad, really; for things to end like this…"
Astrid's voice drifted down to them; "We can't get close enough!"
"One hit by that ballistae, and we are dead!" Fishlegs's voice reached them next.
Then Toothless drew up alongside them, and Hiccup called; "I'll worry about the ballistae; you guys fly west, and draw the catapult fire!" One of the other riders must've tried to argue; because he added, "Just do it; we'll be fine!"
With apparent reluctance, Stormfly and Meatlug flew west; the catapults fired, and the dragons dodged. Hiccup and Toothless, meanwhile, shot towards the ballistae; the weapon rotated to face them, and the Hunters manning it prepared to fire.
Viggo lowered the spyglass, and held it out for Ryker; "Such courage: bear witness! Bear witness, big brother!" Ryker took the spyglass, and raised it to his eye.
Toothless blasted toward the ballistae, then suddenly swerved to one side; Mala vaulted off of the Night- Fury's back, and landed on the platform where two Hunters operated the weapon. Moments after she'd landed, the two Hunters had been sent flying into open air.
Ryker turned to Viggo; "I'm sorry, brother, what was that you were saying? Something about our troubles being ova-ach–" His sentence was cut short, when Viggo grabbed him by the throat.
A nearby Hunter shouted, "Incoming!" A moment later, a ballistae bolt shattered against the mast; though neither Viggo nor Ryker seemed to notice.
Viggo released Ryker, spun around, and left the main deck: hands clasped behind his back. Ryker watched his brother go; his amusement, at Viggo's 'various' reactions as the battle unfolded, undiminished.
"Now's our chance!" Astrid called. Stormfly and Meatlug moved in: destroying several catapults, and sending the Hunters running.
"Let them go; we need to get to the Eruptadon!" Hiccup called. The dragons' rose into the sky, following Toothless; Mala leapt onto Hookfang's back, as he shot past the platform.
They reached the mountaintop a few minutes later; Hiccup dismounted, and approached the dragon. He spoke several lines, in the language of dragons; the creature turned, roared, and then returned his attention to the mountaintop.
"He's in a feeding- frenzy: Nothing will stop him!" Mala came forward, her eyes on the Eruptadon.
Astrid shook her head, "We can't lose The Edge!"
"I'm more worried about all the other dragons on the island," Hiccup said. "There's no way we could evacuate all of them in time; we have to do something…"
Mala sighed, "The good of the many outweighs the good of the few; but with all of this knowledge you have; what good would it do for one starving dragon?"
"Starving dragon…" Hiccup murmured; his eyes widened. "That's it: We're not going to kill the Eruptadon; we're going to feed it." He turned, "Meatlug!"
Fishlegs's eyes widened, "Of course! Come on: spew that lava, girl Spew!" Meatlug tried, but nothing happened. "Oh no; she used up all her lava in the battle!"
Hiccup nodded, "'Meatlug; help me call the other Gronkles, on The Edge!" – The Gronkle nodded, and she and Hiccup went to work. Before long, a flock of Gronkles had gathered: all spewing up 'fresh hot lava', for the Eruptadon.
The Eruptadon was quick to take notice of this much- more- accessible feast. He turned, and began to eat. After about ten minutes, the lava- eating dragon seemed to relax.
He turned to Hiccup, and growled something; Hiccup smiled, shrugged, and replied.
"What did he say?" Mala asked, her tone reverent.
Instead of answering, Hiccup grinned; he turned, and asked the Eruptadon a question. The dragon considered him for a long moment, and then nodded. Hiccup extended his hands, and the Eruptadon rested his snout against his palms.
Hiccup and the dragon closed their eyes; for a long moment; neither moved. Then Hiccup backed away, gestured to Queen Mala; and said something else, in the language of dragons.
The Eruptadon turned to the human- queen, and a new voice spoke. 'I told him I was sorry for what I said, before; I'm not myself, when I'm hungry…" He snorted. 'Well… I am still hungry, but I've eaten enough to last me for the trip home … if we hurry.'
Mala considered them, riders and dragons, for a long moment; "It seems we have a lot to talk about, Hiccup Haddoc."
Hiccup nodded, "But first things first: Lets get this guy home."
Later; at The Wing,
"It is a good day…" Mala was saying, to her gathered people. "A day we shall always remember: The Great Protector has been returned, and endowed with the gift of 'speech' … for want of a better word; the village is safe, once more; and the Defenders of the Wing have new allies in our fight against Viggo Grimborn … Hiccup, and the Dragon- Riders!" – The crowd cheered; Hiccup grinned, and waved.
Hiccup had spent the better part of an hour explaining about his armor, the Night- Fury Colony, and everything that came with it. Now it was a relief to just stand and wave. (His account left the crowd visibly awed, and intrigued.)
Mala continued to talk; telling her tribe about the (possible) 'King Snotlout' development; Astrid kissed Hiccup on the cheek, and whispered, "Looks like you did it again."
Hiccup put an arm around her; and, keeping his voice low; said, "We, Astrid; we did it again."
To Be Continued…
