So, yeah, I got really excited for this one, which is likley the main reason for this weekly update. I'll try to keep it this way. Weekly updates are just the best on the reading end, which is why I'd like to try to keep a consistent weekly schedule. We'll see what life brings.
Anyway, YAY! Aric the co-star actually gets an episode for a change! You'll see.
Free Scauldy:
" "Whoo-hoo!" " the twins whooped, flying Barf and Belch as if it were a fun outing. It wasn't.
"Guys, put a lid on it?" Aric told them. "We're looking for the Screaming Death, not on some field trip. Remember the meeting?"
"Yeah, but we had our own meeting", Tuffnut answered. "Ooh, dangerous pointy rocks", he pointed out, and the two dove down towards it. Aric shook his head.
"How did we get stuck with these two?" Fishlegs wondered.
"Well, it was either them or Snotlout", Aric answered.
"Mm, point taken", Fishlegs agreed.
The riders had split up into two patrol teams; while they were stuck with the twins, the girls were stuck with Snotlout. Aric absently wondered how they were handling that.
000
Hiccup, Astrid, and Snotlout circled Dragon Island as it was on their half of the map. As they were flying, Astrid noticed however, that Snotlout was staring at Hiccup more so than the island. It was a little unsettling. Snotlout was to Hiccup's left, as Astrid flew behind.
"Okay, nothing unusual on Dragon Island", Hiccup noted. "See anything guys?" she looked back to her, then to Snotlout. That's when he winked at Hiccup.
"Uh, Snotlout?" Hiccup said ever confused. "The island's down there."
"But your eyes are up here", he responded.
"W-what?" Hiccup stuttered, her ears flattening.
"Uh, yeah, what?" Astrid agreed, almost laughing at the absurdity.
"I just find it interesting that you chose me to come with you girls on the Screaming Death patrol, hmm?" Snotlout mused.
"I lost a bet and Aric got to pick― Snotlout are you feeling okay?" Hiccup interrupted herself, clearly as confused and weirded out as her, if not more so, by Snotlout's behaviour.
"I was just thinking, you see. I've realized my chances of being chief are basically over unless you somehow croak, so why not marry into it?" Snotlout nonchalantly explained, and Astrid's jaw dropped. He couldn't be serious.
"What?!" Hiccup exclaimed, just as shocked. "Snotlout, you're my cousin! Do you even realize?"
"It's not like it's uncommon?" Snotlout defended. "All the royals are doing it."
"You have got to be kidding me", Astrid voiced.
"Jealous, Astrid?" Snotlout looked back at her.
"Hardly", Astrid said, no hesitation needed.
"So, Hiccup", he turned back to Hiccup."What do you say?"
"I think, you've tumbled off the saddle one too many times", Hiccup said, before rushing ahead.
"She's digging me", Snotlout arrogantly stated.
"Right", Astrid sarcastically replied.
000
When the boys plus Ruffnut came to their next island, Fishlegs was not happy.
"Oh, great. Changewing Island", he groaned.
"Highly territorial, ill-tempered, and virtually invisible dragons", Aric surmised.
"So, we should buzz 'em!" Tuffnut exclaimed.
"Really rile them up!" Ruffnut followed suit.
"No, no one is riling anything up", Aric spoke sternly. "We're keeping our distance."
"I like the sound of that!" Fishlegs said happily, when a loud roar sounded alerting the dragons. "That, I don't like the sound of."
"Me neither", Aric agreed. Shadowstar seemed to be pulling towards it too. "Let's check it out", he decided.
"What happened to the keep our distance policy?!" Fishlegs yelled in protest, but followed anyway.
As they got closer, they caught sight of what made that roar, and Aric's eyes widened at the sight.
"That's a Scauldren", he voiced.
"What's it doing on land?" Fishlegs wondered, Scauldrens typically in the ocean.
"Catching some rays?" Tuffnut guessed.
"Taking some alone time?" Ruffnut followed.
"Lucky dragon", Tuffnut muttered.
"Hmm, or, maybe it's waiting for unsuspecting dragon riders to get too close, so it can blast them with it's scalding hot water?" Fishlegs put in. "Oh, just lovely."
Aric looked back to the Scauldren in thought. Scauldren's were typically in the water. They made their home there, they hunted there, why would the dragon be on the beach roaring out something that their dragons wanted to answer? Then that's when he saw it. There were boulders trapping it's wing.
"Actually, I think it might be hurt? We're landing. Now", Aric ordered. He led his team over the Scaldren, landing a good distance away from it on the beach. If Hiccup were here, she would have done the same.
"Whoa, he's huge", Tuffnut commented as they each dismounted.
"He could eat me in like, one bite", Ruffnut awed.
"Let's see!" Tuffnut exclaimed, before pushing his sister towards the tidal dragon, the Scauldren roaring. As Tuffnut laughed, Ruffnut kicked him in the gut, knocking him down to the sand. "Or maybe not."
"Aric, look!" Fishlegs called his attention. He pointed up to where it seemed there had been a rock slide. "There must have been an earthquake, and before he could get back to the water his wing got pinned", Fishlegs informed. Well that explained how the Scauldren got in this predicament, but how to get him out?
"We should go find Hiccup. She'll know what to do", Aric decided, turning around for Shadowstar.
"But, we don't know where they are?" Fishlegs pointed out, stopping him; their first randevu wasn't for another couple hours. "And a tidal class dragon can't stay out of the water for very long. If it's skin dries all the way out…well…" he trailed off.
Aric wanted to groan. This was just great. The one time he wasn't with Hiccup, and it was a dragon problem with a time limit.
"Can you tell how much time is left?" Aric asked.
"Mm… a couple hours? Maybe."
That wasn't a lot of time. And Fishlegs didn't even seem certain with that estimate; it could be more, or it could be less. There was no telling. But, Aric did know one thing. He wasn't about to leave this dragon high and dry. Besides, he was Aric Hofferson; he could handle one little dragon problem.
"Then we have to help it. Just us", he said.
"Just us", Fishegs repeated, but uncertainly. "Perhaps I need to remind you, Scauldren and boiling poisonous death that way", Fishlegs pointed to the Scauldren. "Changewings and acid spitting invisible death that way", he pointed to the forest. Branches and leaves shook, and Fishlegs ran behind Meatlug with a scream, when the twins popped out from the tree laughing.
"It's just the twins, Fishlegs. Come on out", Aric told him.
"How do you know we're not a Changewing?" Tuffnut asked.
"Guys, focus. Fishlegs, you said it yourself; the Scauldren doesn't have a lot of time, and I don't think Hiccup would appreciate it if we just left him here. If we're gonna figure out how to help him, we have to do it now. Everyone in?"
Everyone seemed to be on board.
"Good. Now what?" he asked, not really knowing where to go from here. This was usually when Hiccup would take the reins.
"Well, usually this would be the part where Hiccup would try talking to the dragon?" Fishlegs offered.
"Then, I guess that's what I'll do", Aric concluded. "Fishlegs, you'll be my translator." Fishlegs looked nervous by the job, but didn't run off. "Ruff, Tuff, look out for Changewings", he said, before he and Shadowstar started making their way to the Scauldren.
"Dibs on Shadowstar if you don't make it back!" Tuffnut exclaimed.
Shadowstar grumbled back at the twin as she walked with Aric. As the two approached the Scauldren, it's head reared up, the dragon growling with warning. Aric and Shadowstar didn't dare get closer.
"Hey", Aric started out. "Quite the situation your in, huh."
The Scauldren growled in answer. Aric looked back to Fishlegs for translation, and he quickly gave him the single to change the subject.
"Okay, uh, sorry, touchy subject. I get it", he tried to cool. "What's important, is that we get you out of here, right? What do you say?"
The Scauldren didn't seem to answer, no sound coming from it. Instead, his mouth filled with boiling water. "Run!" Aric yelled, and jumped behind a boulder, Fishlegs and the twins doing the same behind another as the dragon shot scalding water at them all.
"Okay. Not exactly the answer I was looking for", Aric commented, peaking out from behind his cover. He looked back to the group. "Any more ideas?"
"I have an idea!" Tuffnut exclaimed.
"Is it actually an idea?" Aric questioned.
"Of course. Wouldn't it be great if bread came already sliced? Then you could enjoy it a little bit at a time."
"Think of the sandwiches you could make!" Ruffnut amazed at the idea.
"Ideas on the Scauldren, guys", Aric said firmly.
"I say we just blast those boulders off his wing", Tuffnut suggested.
"That's too big a risk", Fishlegs declined. "We might hurt him more."
"Okay, then what if we just blast those boulders off his wing?" Ruffnut said. Aric and Fishlegs both looked at Ruffnut in amazement and confusion.
Aric was at a loss. 'What would Hiccup do?' he asked himself. She'd asked for suggestions, but he'd already done that and gotten no result. Maybe he needed to be more specific.
"Fishlegs, what do we know about Scauldrens? Is there any way to calm them down?" Aric asked.
"Well, they like things that remind them of home", Fishlegs offered. "Maybe if we got him wet, it might calm him down."
"Then let's do it."
"Or", Tuffnut butt in, "We could bla―"
Aric slapped his hand over Tuff's mouth. "Don't. Say it."
Gathering sea water into buckets, they tried dumping the water onto the Scauldren, but just as they were almost over the dragon, he swatted at Barf and Belch, who hit Meatlug, who tumbled into Shadowstar. They all fell to the ground, the water following their lead.
"Ugh. Great", Aric groaned, all of them soaking. Shadowstar stood and licked him. "The idea was to get the dragon wet. Not us", he griped.
"On the upside, being wet's made me feel calmer", Fishlegs said, Meatlug coming to nudge him up.
"Just made me feel wetter", Tuffnut commented.
"So what next?" Fishlegs asked, walking over to where Aric stood.
"I don't know", Aric admitted. "Unless anyone has another idea, I've got nothing."
"Well…"
"That don't involve blasting boulders off of wings!" he interrupted Tuffnut.
"Nevermind."
"Fishlegs?"
"If it won't let us help it, what can we do?" Fishlegs asked. "Maybe…this is just one of those times where we have to let nature takes its course", he sighed in conclusion.
Aric sighed too, eyes downcast. This was a disaster! He was just a soldier. He wasn't some kind of dragon whisperer, nor was he any type of leader. For the first time in his entire life, Aric almost felt helpless.
"I'm sorry, Hiccup. I tried. I really tried", he mumbled to himself. He walked to his dragon, his head held down. "Let's go guys. There's nothing more we can do."
"But…we can't just leave it? Can we?" Ruffnut asked, suddenly showing real compassion for the dragon. "Can't you just figure something out? Hiccup always figures something out."
"Well, I'm not Hiccup, okay!" Aric practically blew up at her. Everyone was visibly taken back by it, Aric seeing the confusion, shock, and worry in their faces. He regained his composer. "Let's just leave before someone gets hurt. One dragon isn't worth our own lives." He prayed Hiccup never found out; that Fishlegs and the twins never told her about the Scauldren. To know that he'd failed this dragon was one thing, but to see her face at the knowledge that they left the dragon to die... And all because he was nothing without her. When did he become so incompetent?
One by one, they all got on their dragons, Ruffnut lingering for a small moment before mounting onto her dragon too.
"Let's go, Shadowstar", Aric said, but just as Shadowstar took off, the other's dragon's following, their dragons paused, starting to descend. "Whoa, what is it, girl?" Aric asked. The dragons all landed, no matter how much their riders pulled.
"What's wrong, girl?" Fishlegs asked Meatlug too. "Aric, I don't think the dragons want us to leave either."
"Just show them who the boss is! Watch and learn", Tuffnut said, but Barf and Belch threw them off instead, Ruffnut skidding to a stop right in front of the Scauldren.
000
Her brother riling Barf and Belch, their dragon threw them both off, Ruffnut landing right in front of the Scauldren. And way to close for comfort.
As she looked up, terror filled her. "Uh… hey", Ruffnut meekly said to it. She slowly stood up, the Scauldren glaring and hissing down at her.
"Ruffnut, do not move", Aric warned, a hint of fear edging his voice, and Ruffnut stopped still as she looked back to him.
"For the first time in my life, Aric, you have my full attention", she said through her teeth, absolutely terrified.
The dragon lunged down at her, Ruffnut fearing this was it, when it suddenly stopped to…sniff her hair? Barf and Belch didn't stop, however, roaring and growling somewhere behind her. The Scauldren fired, the water landing before them, stopping their race to protect her.
Shadowstar leaped in front of them, roaring at the two with tail barbs out. "Guys, stop!" Aric ordered in unison. "She's okay." Barch calmed down with his words, and the Scauldren went back to sniffing her.
"What's it doing?" Fishlegs hid behind Meatlug.
"I think its smelling her", Aric said.
"Haha, hey Ruffnut!" her brother laughed. "Looks like you finally got a date that's as ugly as you!"
Ruffnut tried to take her braid from the dragon, her hair getting sucked up by his nostril, only for him to follow it.
"Maybe now its gonna let us help", Aric said, but when her friend took a step forward, the Scauldren reared his head up and roared.
"Or not", Fishlegs worried.
Ruffnut looked back to see Aric getting ready for the Scauldren to fire, Fishlegs on the verge of panic behind him, and Tuffnut ready for the show, but the dragon didn't attack. Instead, he went back to sniffing her hair, and everyone behind her relaxed.
"What is it about her hair that the dragon likes so much?" she heard Aric ask Fishlegs. Ruffnut would have liked to know too. This was getting annoying.
"M-m-maybe its the color of it's mother's hair" Fishlegs stuttered, and while she may have come up with what the 'intellectuals' would call crazy theories in her past, even Ruffnut knew that theory was stupid. Everyone else seemed to agree as they looked at him funny.
"That doesn't make any sense, does it", Fishlegs seemed to realize. "Sorry! I-I'm still terrified from what just almost happened!"
"Why would anyone like her smelly old hair? It's full of fish oil?" Tuffnut said.
"Ruffnut", Aric called. "Do you put fish oil in your hair?!" he asked.
"Duh!" Ruffnut replied. "How else do you think I get this greasy unwashed look?"
"Okay, I'm not even gonna pretend to understand that."
"No, no, no, it makes sense", Fishlegs said. "Scauldrens are ocean dwelling dragons. Maybe the smell of fish reminds him of home?"
"Well, if the smell of Ruffnut's hair keeps that dragon calm, then I think we just found our way in", Aric said, sounding much more confident than he did before Ruffnut was thrown to this personal space breaking dragon. What changed?
000
"Huh, Aric's late for our randevue", Astrid wondered as she and Hiccup looked out from where they stood on the sea stack. "That isn't like him", she turned to Hiccup.
"Maybe something's wrong", Hiccup worried. It really wasn't like him to be late. Even if he was with the twins. "You don't see them, do you?" Hiccup asked, directing the question to Snotlout. When she turned around though, she wasn't expecting him to be right in her face. "Whoa!" she startled.
"All I see is that we're alone. Just you, me, and my jealous ex", Snotlout said, Hiccup backing up a few paces to gain space back.
"We never dated", Astrid pointed out from where she stood, arms crossed.
"Shh, Astrid, I'm wooing at the moment, if you couldn't tell."
"Snotlout, are you serious?" Hiccup had to ask.
"Oh yeah. Maybe a little too serious", he spoke, still not giving it up. Hiccup moved passed him away from the ledge. "It had to happen eventually, babe."
"Oh my gods", Hiccup muttered. All day it was like this.
"Every week we face Berserkers, Outcasts, Screaming Deaths; the danger was bound to bring us together."
"You've been flying in the thin air again, haven't you", Astrid commented.
"Snotlout, I'm not gonna marry you, okay. So you can stop trying to woo me. Or, whatever this is", Hiccup tried, but of course no one ever listened to her. When Hiccup turned around to get to Toothless, Snotlout grabbed her hand, twisting Hiccup to face him again as he stood on one knee.
"Life, so fragile", Snotlout began, and Astrid twisted her hips from where she stood behind him. Hiccup got the message. "Like your fin―"
Twisting herself, her tail met Snotlout's face, the boy knocked to the ground. Hiccup wiped the hand he'd held on her dress.
"And so's your nose", Astrid jabbed with a smile. "Nice", she lightly nudged Hiccup.
"Come on", Hiccup wanted to move along. "We have to find Aric and the others. They could be in trouble", she said, her and Astrid heading for their dragons.
"Heh, I get it!" Snotlout voiced before the girls mounted, drawing their attention to the now standing boy. "You don't trust yourselves alone with Snotlout!"
Astrid picked up a rock. "Want to do the honors?" she asked, offering it to Hiccup.
Instead, Hiccup smirked as she picked her own up, and the two threw their stones together, two rocks hitting Snotlout's helmet and knocking him down. Then, honestly satisfied, Hiccup mounted on Toothless. "You know, that's actually kind of fun", she admitted, Astrid mounting Stormfly beside her.
"I know, right?" she replied.
"I'm coming!" Snotlout exclaimed from the ground.
000
Aric tried to get close, but every time he took one step forward toward the Scauldren, it hissed.
"Ugh. It's not gonna let us anywhere near it", he concluded. And it wasn't going to let Ruffnut go without getting mad. There was only one option now. "Ruffnut, you need to train the Scauldren", he called over.
"You want me to what?!" Ruffnut yelled back.
"Train the Scauldren!"
She looked back to the Scauldren standing before her, before calling back to them. "I can't do that!" she told him.
"Sure you can! You trained Barf?"
"That's half a dragon!"
"And let's be honest, I did most of the work", Tuffnut added in, sitting on a large rock behind Aric and Fishlegs.
"What about all the classes at the academy?!" Aric asked incredulously. Did she seriously not know how to train a dragon?
"We have classes?" she asked, and Aric couldn't believe that she was being serious.
"Yeah. You know, when Hiccup's standing at the front, talking about dragons?"
"She was talking to us?" Tuffnut asked. Evidently she was.
"Alright, forget it. Ruffnut, I'll talk you through training the Scauldren, okay?!"
"Aric, we need to hurry. The Scauldren is really looking dry", Fishlegs told him, and taking a look at the Scauldren, he could see it. It's skin was starting to get way too pale. There was no time to lose; no time to even think. "Okay, step one of dragon training, establish a bond", Aric quickly instructed.
"With who?!" Ruffnut asked.
"How―? With the dragon!" Aric yelled.
"Right", Ruffnut drawled. "How? Exactly?"
"You guys don't ever pay attention, do you", Fishlegs noted.
"Nope", Tuffnut affirmed.
"Okay, uh, try… giving it a name", Aric decided. He was almost, pretty sure dragons liked that.
"Okay. How about, Please Don't Kill Me", Ruffnut cowered.
"That's not a name. Try something else."
"I got one!" Tuffnut offered.
'This outta be good', Aric thought.
"Scalding Painful Death. The Dragon."
"Yeah, I don't think so", Aric stated. "How 'bout something positive?"
"Can I just go with... Scauldy?" Ruffnut asked.
"Perfect!"
Turning back to the Scauldren, Ruffnut spoke to the dragon. "Uh, hey there, Scauldy", she said. The dragon huffed with a curious look. "So…Scauldy, what brings you to Changewing Island? The tide, or… the tide? I've got nothing! Sorry guys." Ruffnut curled away from the dragon, but the Scauldren leaned his head in further, cocking his head to the side a bit.
"Did that just sort of work?" Fishlegs said astonished.
"I think so", Aric said just as amazed. "Okay, now talk to him again, Ruff, but this time, reach out your hand. Like this." Aric showed her, closing his eyes and stretching his hand to the side. It was the first thing Hiccup ever taught him, and would be the thing that solidified Ruffnut's training of the Scauldren. He stood like that for a moment or two, when he felt someone connect with his hand, but it didn't feel like Shadowstar's scales. It felt like skin. Aric opened his eyes, and what he found was Fishlegs' face against his palm. "AHH! Fishlegs?!" he pulled his hand back.
"Sorry. Just, very nervous for Ruffnut", Fishlegs said nervously. "I'll...go keep an eye out for Changewings", he slunk away, Shadowstar walking up and rubbing her head against Aric's hand that had awkwardly touched his friend's face.
"Your turn", Aric told Ruffnut as he pet Shadowstar.
000
Very slowly and hesitantly, Ruffnut began raising her hand up to the Scauldren, but then freaked and retracted at her brother's voice.
"You can do it sis!" he distracted her. "But in case you can't, at least your death will be quick, mostly painless, and really cool to watch."
Ruffnut hesitated more, her hand going up again. Her hand was slow, her eyes shut tight and face pinched with fear. "So Scauldy, I'm guessing you're as freaked out as I am right now." The Scauldren growled, Ruffnut almost flinching away, but continuing to inch her way closer. "If you don't kill me, I would really appreciate it, and―"
Scales met flesh, and Ruffnut opened her eyes to see the Scauldren's snout against her hand.
"Whoa…" Ruffnut awed. "Hi", she said quietly and calmly, both her hands rising to hold the sides of his face. He looked at her with big gentle eyes. "Hey, Scauldy", she cooed softly. Scauldy growled, his eyes shifting up over her head, most likely looking to her friends. "I know, I know, Scauldy", she placated. "Aric can be kinda mean and bossy, but look, he's trying to help you. Trust me."
000
"Come on, guys", Aric prompted before walking towards Scauldy, the dragon now considerably calmer. As Aric continued to calmly and slowly walk closer to Ruffnut and Scauldy, Fishlegs spoke up.
"Shouldn't one of us stay back and look out for Changewings?" he asked.
"I know Fishlegs, but Changewings or not, it's going to take all of us to get those rocks off", Aric rebutted, and although reluctantly at first, Fishlegs followed his lead for the Scauldren.
"Besides, if there were Changewings anywhere near us, I would sense them", Tuffnut said confidently, before hopping off his rock and coming to help.
That's when Shadowstar roared. Alert, Aric turned around and saw them: Changewings. One spewed acid directly at Aric. He jumped out of the way, acid hitting the sand instead, before Shadowstar hit the dragon with a plasma blast.
Changewings were almost everywhere, Meatlug firing her lava blasts, Barf and Belch roaring as they hit the dragons away with their heads and body. Scauldy roared too, agitated and defensive against the Changewings that had been pushed back, but not deterred. Despite the dragons and humans in their way, the Changewings stalked towards them once more.
"Oh man, I must be dreaming", Tuffnut said happily beside Barf and Belch. "Because this is way cooler than what was happening minutes ago."
Aric unsheathed his ax from where it hung on Shadowstar's side, raising it in a defensive stance. Her tail was up, burrs pointed out and stance crouched. The Changewings charged, but just as Aric was ready to tell Shadowstar to shoot, a plasma blast fell from the sky before the Changewings. The Changewings disbursed from the attack, and Aric looked up, knowing that blast anywhere. Coming to their help and rescue was Hiccup, Astrid, and Snotlout. They fought and chased the Changewings away, protecting Scauldy when the dragons started circling the Scauldren. Scauldy was roaring, agitated and frightened, even after the Chanewings were gone, but Ruffnut eventually got him to calm down by gently telling him it was okay over and over.
"What have I told you guys about playing with wild Changewings?" Hiccup playfully said as she and Toothless landed. Aric ran up to her, so thankful she'd found them and was here.
"Well, we were trying to keep them away from Scauldy", Aric told her as he reached her.
"Scauldy?" Astrid questioned on Stormfly behind him.
"Well, it was that or, Scaulding Painful Death the Dragon", he explained.
"Mine!" Tuffnut called.
"Look, what we call him isn't important", he said, before fully turning back to Hiccup. "All that matters now is that you're here, and everything's gonna turn out okay."
000
"Why? What's wrong?" Hiccup asked, not understanding the overwhelming relief Aric was showing. She looked to the trapped Scauldren; it was clear that's what had been keeping him.
"I've been doing my best to help Scauldy, but…to tell the truth Hiccup, this just isn't my thing. I don't know what I'm doing, and I think it'd be better if you take the lead on this one. Like you always do", Aric seemed to confess.
Hiccup looked behind Aric to the Scauldren again. He seemed a little scared, but all around calm and content, Ruffnut seeming to keep him calm. Scauldrens were prideful and highly territorial dragons; they didn't take kindly to visitors. Hiccup knew Ruffnut couldn't have trained Scauldy on her own, but she did know exactly who led her.
"It seems to me you've had everything under control", Hiccup said, and a look of confusion crossed Aric's face.
000
Aric didn't understand what Hiccup was talking about. Only a moment ago, all Helheim was about to break loose thanks to those Changewings, of which he should have been keeping a better eye for. Only by Ruffnut's ability to keep Scauldy calm had he not started shooting everybody.
"I know Ruffnut didn't train that Scauldren on her own", Hiccup told him. "Someone must have helped her. Led her into being able to do it. And you, Aric, are the only person I know who could have done it", she said, and realization began to hit him.
The only reason Scauldy wasn't being hostile anymore, the only reason Ruffnut was able to keep him under control was because of him. He helped her to train Scauldy. He led her. All this time he knew exactly what to do next, and he didn't even realize it.
Aric looked at Hiccup with a bright smile, and she smiled back, before nodding to the Scauldren. He understood the message. Turning back to the riders, he spoke.
"Alright people, those Changewings could be back any moment, so let's get to work on moving those boulders! Ruff, you need to keep Scauldy focused on you, not us! Everyone else, on your dragons."
"Wait! How do I do that?!" Ruffnut called, Aric and his team, spare Tuffnut as he couldn't ride Barf and Blech without Ruffnut, taking off on their dragons. He and the riders circled over the Scauldren, everyone waiting for his cue.
"Do your stupid Hiccup impression!" Tuffnut suggested from the large rock he again sat on.
"Oh, yeah! Good idea!" she responded. Ruffnut's voice pitched up into an exaggerated high almost squeaky nasally voice. "Hello nice dragon, you can be my friend. My leg fell off. All of the dragons are my friends", she impersonated, and Aric had to admit, it was pretty spot on. He had to keep himself from bursting into laughter. Astrid wasn't as composed, bursting into a fit of giggles. Hiccup wasn't as amused.
"I don't sound like that!" she matter of factly called down. "And p.s. my leg didn't fall off. Try something else!"
"Like what?!" Ruffnut asked.
"Try one of those songs mom used to sing to you when you were little and were afraid of the dark", Tuffnut teased.
"You were afraid of the dark, not me!" Ruffnut protested. "I was afraid of you!"
"Just sing!"
And so she did. "Hush little Viking, don't you cry, or the Berserker will stab you in the eye", she sang the lullaby to Scauldy, and Aric had Shadowstar dive for one of the boulders, picking one up and off Scauldy's wing. Everyone behind them followed suit.
000
"Don't let the enemy see you afraid, or he's gonna gut you with a rusty blade", Ruffnut continued to sing, her friends freeing Scauldy's wing as she did. "If that dragon hears your moans, he's gonna mash up all your bones. Ooh, sorry", she apologized, realizing the bad timing of that line. Scauldy simply huffed, and Ruffnut sang one more line, petting the dragon as she did. "I promise, Scauldy if you don't kill me, my friends and I will get you out to sea", she sang softly, and after Stormfly took the last boulder, his wing was free.
000
Scauldy's eyes widened at the sudden loss of weight on his wing, but when he moved it to try and get back to the ocean, he suddenly screeched in extreme pain.
"Oh no!" Fishlegs exclaimed seeing the break.
"Oh, I see it too", Hiccup said, as worried as Fishlegs, as she looked down at the wing. Toothless landed beside the wing, and Hiccup knelt next to it to get a closer look. "The wing is broken. Scauldy can't swim, or fly", she announced.
"So we― we did all this for nothing?" Ruffnut asked, hugging Scauldy's face.
Stormfly hovering over, Astrid jumped and landed next to the wing, inspecting it. "It looks like a simple break; we might be able to fix it", she assured.
"With what?" Snotlout jested. "A giant dragon splint?" he laughed.
"Exactly", Astrid responded.
Snotlout stopped laughing. "I knew that. That's why I said it...'cause it was my idea."
Aric shook his head with an annoyed roll of his eyes.
"Anytime now!" Ruffnut yelled, Scauldy's head nearly crushing her as he laid on top of her.
"Alright, we'll need rope. The biggest you can find", Astrid said.
"And we'll need something to secure the splint. Vine perhaps?" Fishlegs suggested, sitting on Meatlug as she hovered over the wing.
"Right", Astrid agreed. "Aric?" she asked.
"On it", he said, and he took off with Shadowstar.
"We can use the rope from my shield too", Hiccup offered. "Ruffnut?"
"I know! I'm on stupid dragon sitting duty", Ruffnut griped before immediately taking it back, although only to Scauldy. "I didn't really mean that", she muttered only for his ears to hear.
"Hey, what am I supposed to do?" Tuffnut asked.
Hiccup threw her shield, Tuffnut catching it. "Start pulling out all the rope from the grappling hook and the bolas", she said, taking out the extra bolas she had stored in Toothless' saddle bag. "But be very careful of the― Mini catapult" she cringed, Tuffnut now on the ground.
Meanwhile, Astrid stayed by the wing, inspecting the place it was broken and mulling over how they were going to lift the limb without Scauldy panicking when they had to place and secure the second half of the splint under his wing. Even if Ruffnut could distract and keep him calm, Astrid wanted some insurance. Taking off on Stormfly, she started looking for the ingredients.
000
Over the course of time it took to gather everything needed to fix Scauldy's wing, dark clouds had covered the sky. Everyone had returned to the beach with all the supplies just as Astrid was finished with whatever she was mixing.
"Good job, everyone", Hiccup praised looking down at the logs, vines, and ropes that were piled on the sand.
"Here ya go", Tuffnut gave Hiccup her shield back.
"Sorry about the catapult thing", she apologized.
"Eh, it's okay. Sort of a hair trigger. I tightened it up for you so―" Tuffnut fell to the floor again, the mini catapult triggered. "Just…take it." Hiccup did, when she spotted Astrid walking up to Ruffnut with a large cup.
"Um, Astrid, what is that?" she finally asked.
"Just something to make sure Scauldy stays calm while we work with his wing. Gothi taught it to me; said she uses it on some of the more stubborn Vikings", Astrid giggled as she gave the cup to Ruffnut. "It should work for dragons too. But, just to be sure, I also added just a hint of Dragon Nip. It won't make him sleepy, but it will make him less alert."
"How long will that last?" Fishlegs asked.
"Not long", Astrid stated, then Ruffnut got Scauldy to drink the concoction.
"Okay", Aric brought everyone's attention. "Someone needs to be on the lookout for Changewings, while the rest of us work on the splint", he said.
"I'll go", Hiccup volunteered. She wanted Aric to stay in charge of this, and she knew Astrid, Fishlegs, and Ruffnut were needed here.
"Uh, me too!" Snotlout jumped in right after. "We'll go together", he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, Hiccup's expression a deeper annoyance than usual, though Aric didn't notice as his back was turned pushing one of the two logs towards Scauldy.
"Knock yourselves out", he predictably said, not knowing her cousin's ulterior motives. Oh, but if he knew…
"What?" Snotlout asked in that flirty voice again. "Just saying what you were thinking?"
Hiccup crossed her arms and clicked one word. "Toothless?" Her dragon immediately knocked him off with his tail, the boy flying some good feet away. "Thanks, bud", she pet his head gratefully.
000
As Ruffnut kept Scauldy's eyes on her, Aric and Shadowstar pushed the first log up against his wing. "Good job, girl", he praised.
Barf and Belch laid down the other where Astrid directed. She picked up one of the vines from the pile, and a look of concern crossed her face at the length of the vine and the quantity of the pile.
"Aric, I don't know if we're gonna have enough vines and rope", she expressed her concern, but they couldn't waste any more time the Scauldren had finding more.
"This will have to be enough", he said, and tied the first vine.
000
Flying over the perimeter of the area, Hiccup tried to conduct business as usual.
"You see anything?" she checked in, but Snotlout just didn't know when to quit.
"Just two of the most beautiful eyes in the world: yours", he responded, Hiccup groaning.
"Okay, that's it", she grumbled. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Relaxing her features, Hiccup looked back to Snotlout, trying to look as utterly smitten as possible. "You've won me over, Snotlout", she said softly. "Let's do this."
"Do what?" Snotlout seemed confused.
"Be a couple", Hiccup said as if it were obvious. "You, and me", she enunciated. "Together. Forever", she clasped her hands, drawling the words, and leaning in the saddle towards him, eyes wide.
"Huh? What are you doing?" he asked.
Toothless was simply chortling underneath Hiccup. He'd been getting sick of Snotlout's advances all day too.
"Seeing you as if for the first time", Hiccup said, as Toothless circled over top Snotlout and under Hookfang, landing back to where they'd been next to him before. It helped that she was imagining Aric being the one there and not Snotlout.
"Stop it! You're freaking me out!" Snotlout exclaimed, clearly not liking this one bit. It filled Hiccup with a sort of sick joy, similar to when she and Astrid had thrown those stones at him, only better. Hookfang got into the fun too, shaking Snotlout from the saddle so he hung upside down. Toothless got Hiccup closer so she could continue messing with her cousin.
"But", she took his upside down head into her hands. "The clouds are reflected so beautifully in your bright blue eyes", she said.
"Clouds?! What clouds?!" Snotlout was freaking out.
"That one", she said innocently, as if completely oblivious to Snotlout's decreased comfortability. "Right…", she looked around for a moment, before choosing the ones in front of them. "There", she pointed. However, upon further inspection, that formation didn't look like a cloud. For one thing, clouds didn't move like this one was.
"I don't think that's a cloud", Snotlout said urgently, and he was right.
"You're right", Hiccup said, now seeing the red coloration and wings. "It's a herd of Changewings! And they're heading right for the beach! Let's ride, lover boy!" she exclaimed, Toothless and Hookfang flipping Snotlout back onto the saddle.
000
The splint was nearly finished, just one point needing to be secured, but they used up all their rope and were down to only one vine. Fishlegs was having a hard time tying it too, the vine barely long enough. Meanwhile, during the procedure Ruffnut had decided singing to Scauldy would help. But she soon ran out of lullabies.
"Hurry up guys and fix that wing!" she sang. "Because I've run out of things to sing! Hello?!"
Fishlegs finally made the knot, now trying to tighten it so it stayed. "I think it's gonna work!" he exclaimed, as it wasn't breaking.
"Coming in hot!" Snotlout's voice rang, and Aric looked up to see Snotlout and Hiccup diving towards them.
"Oh, this can't be good", he said.
Snotlout landed first, Hookfang coming to an extreme abrupt halt in front of Aric. Snotlout looked distraught and confused.
"I don't understand women", he whined; why, Aric had no clue.
"Changewings behind us", Hiccup urgently said, Toothless landing much more gently. "About five minutes out."
"How many?" Aric asked.
"Enough that they aren't bothering camouflaging themselves."
"Fishlegs?!" he called, hoping he was done, but Fishlegs was still trying to tighten that last vine. He struggled more, but then yelled out with triumph.
"Got it! No! It broke!" he then shouted, the vine having snapped.
"No!" Ruffnut exclaimed.
"Here, let me", Astrid stepped in. Grabbing the two pieces she tried pulling them back together, but soon enough a frustrated shout came. "Ugh, it won't reach now!" she yelled. "We need more rope!"
Changewings could be seen over the tree tops, and Fishlegs panicked, running to Meatlug screaming that they were coming over and over. There was no way they could fight all those Changewings off. Aric didn't want to leave Scauldy to the Changewings, but if they had any shot of making it out themselves, they no longer had a choice.
"Ruffnut, we have to go", Aric made the call, but Ruffnut still clung to Scauldy.
"No!" she protested. "Can't we all lift Scauldy?!"
"Even if we could, it wouldn't do any good. The dragon can't swim!"
000
Ruffnut knew Aric was making sense, but she just couldn't leave Scauldy. She couldn't bare the thought of him falling prey to those Changewings, unable to defend himself from them. She laid her head against his snout, the dragon crooning. They spent too much time trying to help him; they couldn't just stop now.
"Ruffnut…" Hiccup even insisted, but Ruffnut refused.
"No! I am not leaving him here!"
"Look, sis…" Tuffnut too tried convincing her, but she was beyond convincing.
"Whatever we're going to do we have to do it now", Astrid said, the Changewings getting closer.
But Ruffnut didn't want to leave him; she couldn't. Then even Scauldy pushed her away, as if he was telling her to go too. Ruffnut tugged on her braids, mind and heart torn. She didn't know what to do! When she saw the splint though, that's when she knew.
"Wait! I have an idea!" she exclaimed, and took out the dagger she kept in her vest.
000
Ruffnut's plan was actually ingenious, Aric had to admit. Cutting her braids off, she used them as rope to connect the broken vine, and they were able to get Scauldy off the island before the Changewings even got to the beach. Now, Scauldy was swimming beneath the sea, as the riders flew above, Ruffnut's hair shorter than Hiccup's. And speaking of which… he turned to Hiccup.
"Sorry for sticking you with Snotlout today", he apologized, knowing how Snotlout could get under her skin.
"It wasn't that bad", Hiccup brushed off. "Watch this. Hey, Sweety Pie?!" she leaned over towards Snotlout, Aric ever confused as he looked over to Astrid for a moment in question. "Hunny Bunch? Snotty-kins…!" Hiccup continued to call.
"Would you stop it already?" Snotlout practically begged, looking as if he was gonna puke. "You are grossing me out!"
"Yeah, you're kinda grossing me out too", Aric said, uneasy himself.
"I'll explain later", Astrid promised.
Hiccup simply laughed, then flew Toothless over towards the twins. "Ruffnut, you did good down there", she said. "You too", she turned to Aric, a genuine smile just for him. He smiled in return.
"You really did!" Fishlegs exclaimed in reference to Ruffnut, catching both Aric and Hiccup's attention. "I mean, that was awesome!"
"Do you know what would have been more awesome?" Tuffnut asked.
"Yeah!" Ruffnut punched Tuffnut's shoulder. "If it would've eaten me?!"
"I love it when you read my mind, sis", Tuff said, then the two butt their heads together.
000
"You guys ready to head home?" Hiccup asked, and while she normally would've been on board, Ruffnut still had one more thing to do.
"Hang on a moment", she responded. Barf and Belch flew down closer to the ocean, Ruffnut leaning over from Barf. Scauldy rose his head from the water looking better than ever, and touched his head to Ruffnut's hand. "I'm gonna miss you, Scauldy", she said, Scauldy sounding to agree. "But, hey, anytime you wanna visit, I'll just kick Tuffnut out to make room. No problem, okay?"
Scauldy responded with a happy sounding roar, and dived back into the sea. Either that was a yes, or he was just happy to be free. Either way, he was happy.
"Bye", Ruffnut muttered as he swam off, hoping to see him again. Someday.
"Has anyone ever told you you look like a boy?" Tuffnut then took her attention.
"Has anyone ever told you?"
All's well that ends well, everyone returned home.
Let me know what your favorite part was. Mine's the scenes where Hiccup gets a taste of what it's like to be Astrid. Hahahaha! I think its safe to say Snotlout's never touching that plan ever again.