Hiccup
As I walked away from Astrid, I prayed to the gods that she would listen to me and stay there. She didn't know I was Night Rider, I'd tell her after we left the Markets.
After walking for a few minutes, I was able to see the Markets through the trees, so I stopped, changed form, put my hood and mask on, and slid into the shadows, where I was least likely to be noticed.
I walked silently through the Market, never leaving the shadows, until I finally found the merchant I was looking for. He was always full of gossip, and only sailed between the trappers' main base and the Northern Markets. If Daystrid had been caught by the trappers, he'd know.
"Alden," I said as I walked up to the front of his stand, finally leaving the shadows.
Said merchant jumped and turned around. "Night Rider! It's been awhile hasn't it?" I only nodded, keeping to my seen not heard policy. "I assume you're here for information on Durin's trappers."
I nodded again, this time speaking as well. "I was wondering if you had heard anything about a Halfling by the name of…" Crap, what was her fake identity? "...Flame Rider."
"Ah, yes. I remember hearing about her. Dresses in blue, friends with a Monstrous Nightmare?"
"Yes, that would be who I'm looking for."
"As far as I know, she is still alive, and Durin is trying to get information out of her. It sounded like she wouldn't talk, though."
"Okay, thank you, Alden." I turned on my heel and disappeared into the shadows once more. Honestly, the guy only cooperated with me, and didn't tell the trappers about me, because he was scared of me. I'd threatened him the first time I'd gotten information from him, as he wouldn't talk.
Suddenly, an arrow pierced the wall in front of me; I stopped just in time for it not to hit me. I knew the green, black, and white pattern on the shaft, it was a trapper arrow.
"Rider!" About five of Durin's trappers were running towards me. All thought of staying in the shadows left my mind as I ran for it. Not wanting to lead the trappers back to Astrid and our dragons, and being unable to take off because of the tree cover, I took a route through the woods that would take me beside the clearing we had landed in.
Shortly after I had passed the clearing, I caught sight of a cliff up ahead. I called to Toothless, hoping to join up with him there. "Toothless!"
"What?!" was the only response I got.
"Being chased, could use a little help! It's all right if Astrid follows you, just make sure they're out of range!"
Toothless didn't respond, but I knew he'd gotten the idea of what I wanted him to do. Just before I reached the cliff, I saw him dive over it next to me, as well as a blue dragon dart into the air.
I jumped off the cliff, where Toothless caught me, then entered his tattoo. I flew up, my staff starting to spark due to the lightning I had channeled into it. The trappers did their best at attempting to shoot me down, which didn't happen unless I wanted it to.
I managed to evade all of their arrows and nets until I was out of range, before pointing my staff down towards them and shooting lightning at them. This caused an explosion where my lightning had hit the cliff, and all five trappers were most likely dead. It wasn't like I cared. They can't go back and tell Durin that I'm coming then.
"H-hiccup?" Crap, I was so caught up in fighting the trappers, I forgot Astrid was here.
I took my mask down as I turned to face her. "Uh… hey, Astrid."
"Did you forget I was here?"
"Uhhh, yeah… yeah I did." Toothless left his tattoo, and I changed back to my human form, landing in the saddle.
"So… who were those guys? And why were they chasing you? And-"
"Can we get farther away from the island before I answer your questions? I'll answer them, but I would like it less likely for somebody to be able to eavesdrop."
"Fine."