Author's Note: Hello everyone and welcome back to "Sounds of Silence!" =D Chappie number twelve is riiiight down below, so I hope ya'll enjoy it. =D


Chapter Twelve: Crossing Into Enemy Lines

Never had he thought he'd feel bored while flying.

Clothed completely in black and under the cover of night, Hiccup and the Dragon Riders flew over the open ocean. Moonlight was their only guide as they soared over the vast blue sea. Stars twinkled like pins in the sky, and a chilling wind blew past. Silence accompanied Hiccup as he kept his eyes trained on the dark horizon ahead, wondering if his hearing would ever return. He couldn't hear the sounds of the ocean churning mysteriously below him, or the rushing howls of the wind that whipped past him. He couldn't even hear the sound of Snotlout and the twins complaining behind him…he didn't think he would actually come to miss their incessant groping.

Without sound, the world seemed empty. Unfulfilled. Like someone had taken the most important piece of a puzzle, leaving it incomplete. Normally when Hiccup flew with his friends, he engaged in conversation with them. They talked and joked. Laughed and conversed…Even the dragons butted in with their usual growls, snorts, or comments in Dragonese. But as Hiccup flew over the ocean surrounded by the rest of his friends, who were talking behind him, Hiccup couldn't join in. He couldn't hear them, and writing in a notebook and passing it around for everyone to see was tedious. Hiccup was despondent for most of the flight, but he hid his emotions and dealt with them silently.

The Dragon Riders continued to fly on in V formation. Hiccup was at the point, leading the Riders through the dark. He had the map helpfully attached to the saddle in the same spot he used to keep his cheat sheet when he was first learning to fly on Toothless. Now that he knew all of the tail positions by heart, the attachment area proved to be useful in holding a map in place. Once Hiccup had his bearing, he tucked the map away into his satchel, as well as reviewed the plan that he and the Dragon Riders had discussed before leaving Berk.

It was simple, but effective, and that was all the Dragon Riders needed and wanted. A get in, get out strategy that would surely work. The Riders only needed to spy in the camp and see if they could uncover anything that could incapacitate Hilmar and his army. They needed to look for weaknesses, plans, guides, maps, charts…anything that could assist in defeating him. Hilmar proved to be a worthy opponent, even though he hadn't exposed himself. But Hiccup knew that it would only be a matter of time until the Leader of the Dragon Slayers would reveal himself.

Hiccup hoped that time would come later than sooner.

Toothless glanced up at the young viking and snorted. Hiccup looked down at him, rubbing his scaly companion's head reassuringly. Toothless could sense Hiccup's unease and he wanted to quell his worry. Hiccup flashed Toothless a smile and patted his head, silently telling him that he was fine, despite his mix of emotions.

The man in prison whom Hiccup, Stoick, and Astrid interrogated had said that the best way into the camp was through the forest. The woods were thick, and because of its tangle of bushes and branches, the place wasn't as guarded as the rest of the island. But that meant it was left completely barren, but Hiccup decided to take his chances.

Hilmar's camp was large, and intensely guarded. Defenses and barriers were set up around the hideaway, soldiers and scouts did their rounds around the island constantly. One false move, and one could be shot out of the sky by one of the many catapults that surrounded the base.

Hiccup gripped the saddle nervously. Although he hated to admit it, he had been growing increasingly fearful as he and the Riders drew closer and closer to Hilmar's base. The young viking didn't know what laid ahead for him and the Riders, and that uncertainty gave way to fear. But despite that sense of apprehension, Hiccup was glad that the other Dragon Riders were by his side as they soared through the night. He wouldn't be alone going into the camp; they would all make it out just fine.

Up ahead, a dark shadow stood out against the night sky. It grew closer and closer until it began to take the form of a distant island. Their destination was up ahead. Hiccup's thoughts ceased and he geared his focus to the mission, squashing down the trepidation that twisted inside of him.

The island housing one of Hilmar's camps soon came into full view; the Dragon Riders hadn't seen anything like it. The land mass was almost completely round, and had a large, wide, deep crater. Smoke tendrils curled up from inside of it, and orange firelight danced against the stone. Around the rim of the stone hole were large lookout towers, each with their own catapult sitting on top of them. The place reminded Hiccup of the Cove back on Berk, but it was larger and far from peaceful.

Hiccup didn't want to get too close to the base that he and the others would draw attention, so he led his friends to the west side of the island, where the forest was located. As they grew further and further from the base area, less and less soldiers appeared on the ground. By the time the Dragon Riders were soaring over the large forest, there were hardly any Dragon Slayers lumbering around.

Fortunately, there was an open clearing in the deepest section of the forest, but it was extremely far from the large camp, which was located far west. The Dragon Riders landed in this clearing, where the grass was taller than spears and the trees were thicker than boats. The forest clearing was perfectly hidden from the Dragon Slayer's detection, but it was still rather eerie. Moonlight poured through the thick leaves, which acted like a filter for the sparkling moonbeams. The pale light spilled on the ground in sections, so only some spots were touched by the moon. There was no other light source than the celestial body of night in the sky. If the Riders lit a torch, the smoke would alert the Dragon Slayers to their location.

Hiccup examined the area, finding that the forest was indeed thick. Rocks were scattered across the clearing; boulders bigger than huts. Vines squeezed the trunks of the trees and hung loosely from the stretching branches attached to them. The branches rocked and swayed ominously in the air, like dancer's arms. The atmosphere was dark and tense, a cold wind blew through the trees, adding on to Hiccup's already increasing unease. Toothless sniffed the air and narrowed his eyes; Hiccup wasn't the only one feeling anxious.

The young viking turned back to his friends, who were dismounting their also took a brief look around the area, getting a good look at their surroundings and pulling out their tools. Astrid wore her axe on her back and tightened the black bands that wrapped snugly around her arms and wrists. For extra stealth, the Dragon Riders dawned black clothing from head to toe along with sturdy armor in case they found themselves face to face with the enemy. Since the other dragons—except for Toothless—were brightly colored, they would be staying behind in the woods.

Hiccup wished that the other dragons could join him and the Riders on their way to the camp, but their colored scales would easily be spotted. The other Riders told their dragons to hide and stay low, which they excelled at thanks to their many years out in the wild. Stormfly, Meatlug, Barf and Belch, and Hookfang flew off into the night to find a place for refuge until the Dragon Riders returned. Toothless remained for the time being.

The woods stretched out in front of the Dragon Riders, but in the night, the trees looked like ominous, inky tentacles that reached out toward the Dragon Riders, seemingly tempting them to come in. Step inside…if you dare.

Toothless walked up to Hiccup's side, giving him a gentle nudge. The young viking petted his dragon's head, swallowing down his fear and faced the others behind him. They were armed and ready, looks of determination on all of their faces.

Hiccup nodded tersely. "I guess we go in."

And the Dragon Riders and Toothless entered the dense forest, darkness swallowing them whole.

Brave.

There were many things that came to Astrid's mind when she thought of that single word.

Vikings who valiantly sacrificed themselves in battle, fighting to the very end without showing any form of weakness or fear. People who dedicated themselves to a life of constant adventure, no matter what the danger or peril. Bork the Bold, who had purposefully put himself in front of many dragons in order to study them. Her uncle, Fearless Finn Hofferson, who had bravely faced the Flightmare with only his axe. Stoick the Vast, who was by far the best chief that Astrid ever knew. He always put his people first, tending to their needs in front of his own. He never put his village at risk and would do anything to protect those who lived in it. He was strong, brave, and bold. He was a warrior, through and through, and he never backed down from a fight.

And then there was Hiccup. He had to be the bravest viking that Astrid ever known. He had a big heart, which most vikings saw as a weakness, but it was actually Hiccup's greatest strength. If it weren't for his heart, he wouldn't have spared Toothless. He tamed a Night Fury—a Night Fury!—something that no viking had ever done or thought of ever doing. He had ushered in the peace between the dragons and vikings, and finally put an end to the 300-year war between them. Hiccup had faced troubles bigger than himself and was always ready to tackle new problems. He kept his mind open and eager, paying attention to every important detail, and coming to conclusions that not even Astrid could come to.

Hiccup was brave, but as Astrid walked by his side as the Riders ventured toward the Dragon Slayer's camp, she noticed that he looked distraught.

Becoming deaf was something that not even Hiccup had been expecting. He had to navigate a new world, one that consisted of no sound. He saw things, smelt things, felt things…But he couldn't hear things. Astrid couldn't imagine how Hiccup felt; she couldn't imagine losing a sense as important as hearing. If she couldn't hear, she wouldn't be able to know if she was about to be attacked. She wouldn't be able to hear Stormfly's friendly chirps in the morning, or the satisfying thwack when her axe hit a bullseye. She wouldn't be able to hear Hiccup's kind voice, the voices of her own parents, or the other Dragon Riders. A world without sound seemed devoid and empty. Astrid didn't know if Hiccup would ever be the same again, taking into account the young viking's shift in moods and actions.

But he still was as stubborn as usual, and more than determined to stop Hilmar and the Dragon Slayers. He appeared stoic, but Astrid could vividly see the worry in his eyes. Several thoughts were probably running through Hiccup's mind in those few moments. Astrid wished that he'd be more open with them. She had tried her best to help him, to comfort him when he was upset, and it appeared to work. But even Astrid knew that no amount of comfort could give Hiccup his hearing back. There was a possibility—a slim chance that his hearing could return, but Astrid didn't know if that would happen. Still, she clung to the hope of Hiccup's hearing being restored. She longed to be able to speak with him like they used to again.

Astrid slipped out of her musings and looked around the area around her. The forest was thicker than she had originally thought. More than once had the Dragon Riders stumbled on rocks, rustled bushes, and snapped twigs. They applied as much of their stealth training as possible, but so far, the "stealth" part of the mission hadn't exactly been initiated. Thankfully, there was no sign of anyone in the woods, so the Riders proceeded.

Toothless kept his ears perked and eyes alert. His nose occasionally sniffed the air, searching for any sign of unwanted guests using his keen sense of smell. Astrid wondered how the other dragons were doing, and if they had found a place to hide. The shieldmaiden didn't want to risk her dragon getting captured, but she still missed her company.

So far, Toothless hadn't smelled anything anomalous, so Astrid let her grip on her axe loosen, and she sheathed it to her back.

"See anything interesting up there?" whispered Tuffnut.

"No," answered Astrid. "Just more and more trees."

"Darn," said Tuffnut. "It's so boring back here. All I have to look at is Ruffnut's hair. It's horrible."

Ruffnut scowled at her brother. "You do realize that we have the same hair color, right?"

"I don't put fish oil in mine, so mine's better," Tuffnut retorted.

Snotlout rolled his eyes. "How long have we been walking? My legs feel like sludge."

"About half an hour now," replied Fishlegs. "Although I do think we're making considerable progress. We should arrive at the camp in about—"

"SHHH!" Astrid ducked and pulled Hiccup down with her. The other Dragon Riders crouched in the bushes, and Toothless pressed himself against the ground, ears twitching. The Riders laid there in the bushes, picking up the gruff voices of men in the distance. Astrid held her breath when she heard the sound of footsteps march uncomfortably near to their hiding spot, and she subconsciously squeezed Hiccup's arm. The young viking didn't notice.

The footsteps stopped, and Astrid felt her heart thump against her chest. Please don't find us, please don't find us…

In a few short, but tense moments, the muffled voices and footsteps were gone.

The Riders rose from the bushes, all of them simultaneously letting out a breath.

"That…was close," said Hiccup as he dusted leaves out of his hair.

"You got that right," agreed Snotlout. Tuffnut Hiccup Speeched the words for the young viking, and he nodded.

"Those were probably Dragon Slayers," said Fishlegs, fiddling with his fingers nervously. "If we're starting to hear them, then we must be getting close."

As the Riders walked further and further east, the sound of men's voices grew louder and louder. The smell of something burning—fire pits, perhaps—curled under the Riders' noses along with the very pungent smell of sweat and other scents that Astrid couldn't label. The Dragon Riders had a few close calls, but they managed to duck or hide before they were detected by any of the men.

Hiccup led the Dragon Riders up a rocky hill, where a ledge overlooked the area. The edge gave a clear view of the forest and revealed the camp that the Dragon Riders were looking for.

"That's it," said Hiccup out loud. "Hilmar's camp."

Calling the place a "camp" seemed like an understatement. It looked like a miniature village, but it wasn't the place that any viking would want to settle in. Down below in a large, crater-like gorge was an entire, civilized base with several different buildings inside. They were all made of metal to ensure durability and were decorated with the most frightening of items. Some buildings had dragon skulls mounted proudly on the top of them, and others were decorated with spikes and staircases and platforms wound deeper and deeper into hole. Carts wheeled up and down the ramps and platforms, filled to the brim with weapons and other dragon killing tools. At the very bottom was a large fire pit; the orange flames illuminated the stone walls with an eerie-orange hue.

Several men wearing black and gray carried weapons of all different shapes and sizes. They lumbered around the camp like giants while others were positioned at the top of the lookout towers that surrounded the gorge. Catapults were planted on top of each of these towers, and in between each tower were arrow launches equipped with arrows, ready to be thrown. Men stood in front of each of these launches, waiting for anything that came into shooting view. The Dragon Riders stared in awe. This place was just as big as the man in the prison had said it was.

Toothless growled, his claws digging into the stone. The place emitted ill-intent, and the Night Fury didn't like it. He could smell the hundreds of dragons that were trapped in the horrible place, and he wanted nothing more but to blast it to pieces.

"Wow. Hilmar's gotta be rich to afford a camp like this one," said Tuffnut.

Hiccup turned around. "You guys all remember the plan, right?" he asked.

Everyone nodded. The twins gave the young viking a thumbs up.

Hiccup nodded, satisfied, but he went and reviewed the plan with them anyway. "Remember, we aren't here to attack or capture. We're only here to investigate. See if you can get into any of those buildings and find something that can help us beat these Dragon Slayers. Take notes on what you see or find so we can find out what we're up against. And whatever you do, don't get caught."

The Dragon Riders nodded once again. Even though they had gone over the plan several times before, it was reassuring to hear it one last time.

Hiccup turned to Toothless and kneeled down in front of him. "Toothless, I want you to stay nearby, but make sure you don't get discovered. If anything goes wrong, I'll let out a dragon call, and you'll have to go and alert the other dragons, okay, Bud?"

Toothless licked Hiccup across the face and the young viking groaned. But he knew that his dragon meant yes. Toothless gave Hiccup an affectionate nuzzle for good luck, and bounded down the hill and into the woods.

The Dragon Riders went down the hill and made their way to the base. They soon found themselves standing at the edge of the gorge, where a winding staircase led down inside. Materials and other items were being hauled in by carts, and a man was positioned at the beginning of the wooden staircase, checking the carts for anything suspicious.

Hiccup and his friends ducked behind a cluster of boulders.

"How are we going to get past them?" whispered Astrid.

Suddenly, Hiccup ran out from behind the boulders and ducked beside a moving cart. He kept himself hidden beside it as he walked. The man did a quick check over the cart, not noticing the auburn-haired boy hidden on the other side, and he sent the man hauling the weapons down into the base. Hiccup was still crouched beside the cart and continued to walk with it. He turned around, beckoning for the other Riders to follow his example.

"I guess that's our answer," said Ruffnut with a shrug. One by one, as a cart wheeled over, the Riders hid on its side, going unnoticed by the person checking them and the man hauling the cart. Once they were deep enough in the base, and then left the cover of their carts, completely undetected. No one had spotted them…

All except one.

A hooded figure watched as the clothed strangers began to make theri way down into the base. The slender figure recognized one. One whom she had encountered not too long ago.

She tightened her hood and walked away, blending in with the shadows surrounding her as she followed the group inside.


Author's Note: Ooooooooooh, OC alert! =D She's a bit of a key character in this story. I had a lot of fun designing her character, and I hope you guys like her too! She'll make her introduction in the next chap. =D

Oh, and something I realized a while ago...300-year war between the dragons on HTTYD. 300 years of solitude for Jack Frost in ROTG...What's up with all the 300 years? XD Just something I thought I'd point out. X) I love making connections between my two favorite movies. =) Another one that I especially love is that Jack Frost is actually based off of the Nordic legend Jokul Frosti. =D I already have a few HTTYD/Jokul Frosti outfit designs in mind for him along with a dragon, haha. XD

Okay, I'll stop fangirling now. X) I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in the next one! =D

Until the next chapter!

~BeyondTheMoon1203