Author's Note: Hello everyone and welcome back to "Sounds of Silence!" =D Sorry for the late update, but I was wrapping up this story and I was a bit busy over the past two days. X) Despite it being late, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! =D
Chapter Nineteen: Ready or Not
His father had approved of the plan. Now all they needed to do was prepare.
The Dragon Riders headed back to the Academy to train. They practiced attacks, shot at targets, and reviewed over many maneuvers that they would use during the battle. Rin had been amazingly helpful by providing the Dragon Riders with information about how her father liked to attack and what formations he'd most likely use. She pointed out their strongest points, their weakest points, and the areas that were best to stay wary of. She was more than serendipitous to the Dragon Riders and Berk in their effort to stop her father. Hiccup still found it hard to believe that she had turned away from the only family she had left to aid vikings that she hardly knew into stopping her father. The young viking was more than glad for her help, and he hoped to repay her one day for her efforts.
Hiccup watched as the Dragon Riders practiced some new attacks that they had recently invented. Stormfly's nadder spikes when lit by Hookfang's fire and blown toward the targets was a worthy attack. And Fishlegs had even created a new type of hovering which allowed him and Meatlug to move stealthy over the water and fire lave at the hull of ships.
Hiccup and Toothless decided to use their usual battle techniques, but only the most efficient ones. The Riders and Berk still didn't know what they were going to face when Hilmar arrived. Of course, there would be dragons and his armada of ships, but what devious plans did they have in store for them? What if Hilmar was hiding a secret weapon of some sort, and before the Berkians knew it, Berk was incinerated?
Hiccup tried not to let these worries nag him too much; he was confident that he and the Dragon Riders would be victorious in the end, and that Hilmar and the Dragon Slayer's crazy plot would be put to rest. As the young viking mused, he simultaneously adjusted Toothless' saddle, which had come loose due to all of the adventuring that the Dragon Riders had been on. He tightened the straps and used a sewing needle to resew the seams that had come undone. The connecting rod that allowed the two to move faster stayed in its place, but Hiccup tested it to make sure that it was still operable.
Rin walked up behind the two, watching as Hiccup's hands skillfully worked. She hadn't walked into a forge for so long, for unwanted memories of that sullen night arose whenever she did. But she watched curiously as Hiccup made adjustments to his dragon's saddle, his movements almost automatic as they fluttered this way and that.
The young woman had always admired Hiccup's craftsmanship; it was incredibly to think that he had invented Toothless a working mechanical tailfin when he was only fifteen. He had added many adjustments to it over the years, and Rin sometimes wished that she was just as innovative as Hiccup when it came to constructing things. The only traits that she possessed was knowledge of war, stealth, battle, and defense; traits that not all people found admirable.
Rin tapped Hiccup's shoulder, and the young viking looked up. The black-haired woman pulled out a notebook from under her belt along with a charcoal stick and scribbled across the parhemet. Hiccup took it when she handed it to her. When Rin wrote with charcoal, her handwriting was less fluid than with a feather and ink.
Thank you, Hiccup for coming up with a better plan, Rin had wrote. I do want my father to come to the light and embrace this new world with dragons, but I'm afraid he's not the easiest of people to sway. I, sadly, speak from experience.
Hiccup stood up and placed a hand on Rin's shoulder, then he wrote out a reply for her in the notebook.
I promise, Rin. We'll get your father back, Hiccup had written. I'm sure once he sees that dragons aren't a threat, then maybe he'll finally come to accept them.
I wish I could believe you, replied Rin. But Hilmar is as stubborn as he is determined. It could take months, perhaps even years before he learns to accept the dragons.
No matter how long it takes, we'll get him to accept them, wrote Hiccup determinedly. Rin seemed unsure, but she nodded. The two walked into the middle of the Academy to review over the plan.
Hilmar would be coming with an armada and army of Dragon Slayers armed to the core. The Foreverwing would be with them, chained up and defended. Rin told the Dragon Riders that her father always had the Foreverwing put in chains whenever they brought it out from its cage. The chains were either normal, everyday chains, but sometimes her father would use dragon proof chains to assure that no one would be able to break through them.
Since my father knows that you'll put up a fight, he'll most likely be using dragon proof chains to prevent you from freeing it, said Rin. There will be a large line of ships to break through to get to the dragon, so some of you will have to defend while the others set out to liberate the Foreverwing. Obviously, Hiccup will be one of the ones heading out to free the Foreverwing sinc he's the only one who can properly communicate with it.
I'll come too, volunteered Astrid. She rested her axe on her shoulder and lifted her chin determinedly. Stormfly's fire is extremely hot, so she can easily burn through the chains.
Rin nodded. And I'll join you two. If we do end up facing my father, maybe I can prevent him from harming us.
Uh, what about the rest of us? Tuffnut asked.
"You guys will stay here ad help defend the island," answered Hiccup. "The A-Team is still new, and they'll need help navigating around the battle. You guys have experience in that, so you'll be their guides."
Don't get anyone killed, alright? Astrid said. I still have a bunch of exercises that me and the A-Team haven't gotten to yet.
Snotlout waved his hand dismissively. Relax, Astrid. We'll handle everything.
Despite the reassurance coming from Snotlout, Astrid relaxed.
Hiccup nodded. "Good, then we're all set. For now, we'll continue to prepare, and when the time comes, we'll make Hilmar wish that he never tried to mess with Berk."
The Dragon Riders grinned. Rin crossed her arms, an impish smirk on her face. Hiccup smiled as well, his friends' confidence rubbing onto him. With the Dragon Riders, he felt stronger, like he could defeat whatever crossed his path. They were a team, and not only did teams support each other, they strengthened each other.
And they would need all the strength they could get for the dangers they were about to face.
…
The Dragon Riders spent the rest of the afternoon training in the Academy. The more the prepared, the more confident they felt that they'd defeat Hilmar. The Auxiliary Riders dropped by, and the Riders gave them tips on how to defend themselves in battle. Both Riders and dragon had to fight together—work together—in order to survive the fight. The Dragon Riders along with the A-Team did a few more exercises until evening rolled around. The A-Team headed home for the evening as well as Fishlegs, the twins, and Snotlout. Astrid and Hiccup stayed behind with Rin, whom they had pulled aside to talk to.
Though she didn't have a dragon, Rin had watched every exercise that the Dragon Riders performed, and Hiccup could tell by the look in her eyes that she had picked up majority of it. When it came to analyzation, Rin was able to do so very effectively. She could easily spot mistakes and could examine things close enough so she could gain a better understanding of them. Hiccup and Astrid found this to be useful, and they wanted to offer Rin something that was not only for the mission, but perhaps a little bit for herself to.
When the last of the dragons and their Riders had flown off, Rin walked up to Hiccup and Astrid, who were standing in front of the dragons stalls of the Academy. Stormfly and Toothless stood loyally behind them, and Rin paused in front of the four, looking around questioningly.
"You wanted to discuss something with me?" questioned Rin.
Astrid nodded, and she turned to Hiccup, who encouraged her to continue. "Hiccup and I both think that it would be beneficial for you to have a dragon on this mission. We're going to need all the firepower we can get to destroy those dragon proof chains."
Rin was taken aback. "A-A dragon? Me?" she crossed her arms in defiance. "You two must be mistaken."
"No, we're pretty serious," said Astrid, gesturing to the doors behind them. Growls and sniffs came from the closed doors. Rin looked a little uneasy. "These are the dragons that we thought would fit you best." Astrid placed her hands on her hips. "Hiccup picked them, if that makes you feel any better," she added gaily.
Rin managed a smile, but she still looked wary. "Are you sure about this? I could always ride on one of your dragons—"
How Hiccup knew the right time to pop into a conversation, Astrid and Rin didn't know. Sometimes it seemed like he wasn't deaf whenever he spoke up on time. "Rin, we know this might be a little nerve-wracking, but don't worry. We wouldn't offer you a dragon if we knew you weren't ready for one. They make great companions too, so if you ever feel…well, lonely, your dragon can accompany you."
Rin took that to mind, and after a few moments of thought she nodded. Turning to Astrid, she asked, "Where do I start?"
Astrid smiled and she gestured behind her. "First, you have to pick your dragon, but the dragon also has to pick you."
Hiccup opened the stable doors and three dragons walked out. There was a brown colored Gronckle, similar looking to Meatlug; a dark purple Deadly Nadder, who was very interested in her tail; and a dark blue Monstrous Nightmare, who was eyeing Rin suspiciously. The young woman gulped.
"Just take it slow," said Astrid. She pointed to the Gronckle, who was smiling uncontrollably. "Try starting with the Gronckle. They're very gentle."
Hesitantly, Rin walked up to the friendly looking Gronckle. She approached it slowly, but the Gronckle took notice of her anyway. The boulder-like dragon growled at first, but it seemed to take a liking to Rin. It liked her outstretched hand, eliciting a laugh from the curly-haired woman.
"I think she likes you," commented Astrid from behind, watching the two interact. Rin nodded.
"She's sweet, but…I don't think she's the one," said Rin, giving the dragon a scratch on the head before approaching the Deadly Nadder. The purple Nadder was still chasing its tail but stopped upon spotting the woman approaching it. The Nadder growled and shot a flurry of spines in Rin's direction. She easily rolled out of the way before they could hit her. The Deadly Nadder returned to chasing its tail. Rin brushed her hair out of her eyes.
"Ah…I think he prefers his tail over me," remarked Rin.
"Try the Nightmare," suggested Hiccup. "Maybe you'll have better luck with her."
Rin eyed the blue dragon warily, but she nodded. The woman stood up and approached the dragon slowly, as she was instructed by Astrid. The Monstrous Nightmare stopped looking around, and its amber eyes locked with Rin's gray ones. Rin squinted, her lips forming words that Astrid couldn't hear. Suddenly, the woman gasped, and she stepped away from the Monstrous Nightmare, shock written across her face.
"What? What's the matter?" asked Astrid frantically.
"That dragon…" breathed Rin, clutching her cloak. Her open hand trembled. "I've seen her before. I know this dragon."
"Well if you know it…bonding shouldn't be so hard, right?" said Astrid.
Rin shook her head. "I'm afraid we had a rather…unpleasant introduction."
Astrid didn't know what Rin was referring to, but Hiccup appeared to have a hunch. He walked up to Rin and gestured to the Monstrous Nightmare, whose eyes were narrowed at the black-haired woman threateningly.
"This is your chance to make up for the past," said Hiccup. Rin chewed her lower lip and nodded, taking tiny, tentative steps toward the Monstrous Nightmare. It was then Rin realized how beautiful she was. Her scales were as blue as the sea and sparkled like sands on a beach. The dragon's eyes were a piercing amber with a burning fire inside of them, very much similar to the storm that raged in Rin's grey eyes. She couldn't believe that this was the same baby Monstrous Nightmare that she encountered in the woods on that long ago winter's night. She had grown so much…Her mother was probably long gone now.
Monstrous Nightmare recognized Rin too; the little girl who had taken her mother's eye. She growled viciously and Rin stumbled back in fear. She wanted to turn around, but Hiccup said otherwise.
"Try talking to her," said Hiccup. He and Toothless stood behind Rin in case anything went wrong. Rin turned back around, facing the Monstrous Nightmare, and she gulped, holding her hand out.
"Hello," she said quietly. The dragon snarled, and Rin's heart beat in her chest. "You…um…must remember me from all those years ago, huh?"
The Monstrous Nightmare stopped growling, and she listened. Her defensive stance didn't waver.
Rin continued to step towards the dragon, hand outstretched. "I know what I did was unforgivable, and I wouldn't forgive myself either for what I did…I can't change the past, but I can atone for it now. That is…if you give me a chance…"
Rin was standing right in front of the Monstrous Nightmare now, her hand inches away from the dragon's snout. The blue dragon's eyes widened as she stared at Rin's open palm. The woman turned away, and closed her eyes.
"I'm so sorry for what I did to you," whispered Rin, her voice barely audible. "If I could take it back…I would."
The Monstrous Nightmare stared at Rin's warm, inviting palm. Hiccup and Toothless stood behind her, frozen in tension. Astrid and Stormfly stood a few feet away, watching the scene before them. It was time to see if the Monstrous Nightmare would accept Rin as a rider. If it didn't—
A soft croon broke through the silence. Rin's breath caught in her throat when the Monstrous Nightmare pressed its snout into her hand. Rin opened her eyes and turned around; a few tears glistened in her eyes. Hiccup grinned and Astrid laughed in relief. She was still confused on how Rin knew the dragon, but she didn't ask any Hiccup or Rin would explain to her later.
"Now all you have to do is name her," said Hiccup. "Then she's all yours."
Rin didn't hesitate. "Clarity," she said. "Her name is Clarity, for she forgave my wrongdoings of the past."
…
On one of the many cliffs that surrounded the Isle of Berk, Hiccup and Astrid were sitting down together, enjoying the beautiful sun set. An invisible hand had taken a paintbrush and stroked the sky with beautiful hues of pink, purple, orange, and blue. The sun, shining its last for the day, sunk deeper and deeper into the horizon, casting a golden glow on the waters in front of it.
Beside Astrid, Hiccup leaned into the warm wind that brushed by, his eyes closed in bliss. Astrid realized this was the first time in a long time that Hiccup looked completely content. The young viking's features were smoothened and calmed. No worry tightened his brow, and his smile—oh, his smile—sparkled just as bright as the sun before them. Astrid wasn't afraid to admit that she had quite missed Hiccup's lopsided grin; he hadn't smiled much in the past few days as Berk prepared for war. Behind the two, Stormfly and Toothless were frolicking through the grass, initiating a game of chase with each other as they ran after each other's tails.
Astrid nudged the young viking with her arm, and Hiccup slipped out of his state of contentment and turned to Astrid. He flashed her a lopsided grin, and Astrid couldn't help but smile back. She pulled out a notebook that she had brought with her along with a charcoal pencil and began to write.
You know…I'm really proud of you, Hiccup, wrote Astrid. You've not only managed to handle this situation well, but lost your hearing.
Hiccup shrugged. Well, I don't really have time to mope around…and I'm actually pretty nervous myself. The young viking sighed. I know I said that we'd manage to free the Foreverwing but…what if something goes wrong? I would never forgive myself if something happened to you or the others.
We'll be fine, Hiccup, Astrid reassured. We're Dragon Riders, freeing dragons is our thing. The Foreverwing is just another dragon that needs saving, and we've saved hundreds during our time as Riders.
Hiccup nodded. You're right…As long as Hilmar and the Dragon Slayers are defeated and we keep the dragons and people safe, then it doesn't matter how this battle ends.
Astrid smiled and she pressed a small kiss on Hiccup's cheek. A blush dusted across his face, only causing Astrid to smile widened.
Whatever happens…I'll be glad to have fought by your side.
And Hiccup beamed, hoping that the odds would be in their favor.
…
Night had fallen, and the vikings of Berk were wrapping up the last of their work and heading for their beds. Some carried weapons to their rooms, and dragons protectively positioned themselves in front of their owner's homes. Children stayed near their parents, still in fear about the battle yet to come. Still, all was reasonably quiet around the isle, but the air was thick with apprehension.
Stars dotted the elegant night sky. Hiccup and Toothless had flown to their house and landed in front of the building. Toothless smirked at Hiccup's hysterical-looking smile that stuck to his face as he walked up the door. His hand was still pressed to his cheek where Astrid had kissed him, and he hadn't stopped fingering it since. Toothless rolled his eyes, following his rider inside, wondering if Hiccup realized how ridiculous he looked at the moment.
At the sound of the door creaking open, Stoick looked up from his seat in the middle of the room. A fire was flickering in the heart, casting a soft, comforting glow around the room. Hiccup was still smiling, and Toothless was internally chortling at his rider's goofy expression. Stoick noticed the love-drunken smile on Hiccup's face as well, and he looked up from sharpening his axe, beckoning for Hiccup to walk over. The young viking complied, seating himself in the chair that sat a few inches from his father's.
I assume that the talk with Astrid went well? Stoick predicted in the notebook that he had pulled from the table beside him. Hiccup's cheeks brightened and he fumbled with the pencil in his hand as he wrote.
H-How did…How did you know where I was? Hiccup asked in surprise.
Stoick tapped his helmet. Did you forget? Nothing happens on this island without me knowing about it. But the twins flew by and were talking about how you two were 'flirting' on a cliffside.
Hiccup blinked. We weren't…I wasn't…You didn't actually believe them, did you?
Of course I didn't! Well, not the flirting part anyway, said Stoick.
Well to answer your question…yes. The talk went well, Hiccup wrote, awkwardness emitting from his words. Stoick laughed, remembering how he was nervous to talk about his love life with Valka to his own father. While the two hadn't admitted their feelings for each other yet, Stoick saw the clear devotion that Hiccup and Astrid had for each other. The two would make a great couple one day, and Stoick couldn't wait for the day when the two promised to look out for each other for the rest of their lives.
Hiccup yawned across from him, indicating that he was tired after a long day. You should get some sleep, said Stoick. We have to keep our energy up for when Hilmar attacks.
Hiccup nodded drowsily. That we do. Goodnight, dad.
Sleep well, son, replied Stoick. Hiccup patted Toothless on the head and the two trudged up the stairs. Toothless shot a stream of fire onto his stone slab, heating it up to just the right temperature before laying himself on top of it, his mouth wide with a yawn. Hiccup removed his armor and slipped into his own bed as well, snuggling under the covers and placing a hand under his head. He mumbled a quick goodnight to Toothless before getting ready to fall asleep.
Toothless' ears suddenly perked up and he jerked to his feet. The Night Fury ran up to the window and narrowed his eyes, his lips curled back in a growl. A sinking feeling rested in Hiccup's gut as he walked up to his dragon's side by the window. What he was unsettling.
There were ships on the horizon. A large, hulking mass being pulled behind them. Vikings were already storming out of their huts, weapons in hand. When Stoick came upstairs and rested a hand on Hiccup's shoulder, the young viking already knew what was happening.
Hilmar and the Dragon Slayers had arrived.
…
It was time.
Attaching Toothless' saddle to his back as swiftly as he could, Hiccup, his dragon, and Stoick were soon out the door, watching the line of dots in the distance sail closer and closer to Berk. A large shadow loomed over them, a shape that Hiccup could recognize to be the Foreverwing. There were several chains bound around its large form, though it didn't seem like it would try to escape. The sea rippled and foamed around it as it trudged through the water, as if it were walking through quicksand. The same ship that Hiccup had ventured on to to retrieve the two maps was in the front of the triangle formation, where catapults, harpoons, and more dangerous looking weapons lined the deck.
Stoick touched his shoulder, and Hiccup looked down at his father, who was wearing a look of seriousness on his face. Determination burned like fire in his eyes but Hiccup could see the faint traces of concern weaved into his expression. Stoick squeezed Hiccup's shoulder, and he quickly wrote out one more message for him before heading into the village.
If you're going to go through with your plan, you best do it now, Stoick wrote. Hiccup nodded, and he watched as his dad stormed through Berk, commanding the Berkians to get into position, grab their weapons, and prepare for battle. Hiccup and Toothless flew off to find the other Dragon Riders, glazing at the bustling village below. People were already positioning themselves in front of the catapults that had been erected earlier, and final adjustments were being made to the barricades that lined the surrounding area of the village. Hundreds of vikings poured from their homes, standing in the middle of the paths, ready to protect their village. The wounded had been moved to the Cove much earlier, and the children and elderly were hurriedly being guided to the Whispering Death tunnels where they were being safe.
So far, so good, thought Hiccup as he circled over the village. He first started at the Forge, which was alive with light and several vikings were lined up in front of and slipped off of Toothless before the dragon touched the ground. With his Night Fury following behind him, Hiccup cut through the line and headed to the entrance. Gobber was standing at the window, passing various weapons to vikings. He wasn't surprised to see Hiccup; Rin had been staying in the extra room in the shop during her time on Berk.
"Gobber, is Rin here?" asked Hiccup in a rush. "We need to get into position."
Gobber pointed behind Hiccup, and the young viking turned around. Rin and her dragon, Clarity, had just landed in front of them. The young woman pulled down her hood and beckoned for Hiccup to join them in the air. She was clearly ready for battle, as she was not only wearing her cloak and hood, but her metal shoulder guards and arm guards. In the torchlight, her jeweled cutlass flashed.
Hiccup and Rin bid Gobber farewell and hurriedly shot into the sky. Astrid and the A-Team were already waiting at the meet up point, which was a cliff that overlooked the entire island and its defenses. The twins, Snotlout, and Fishlegs arrived shortly afterward, carrying their weapons and their dragons battle-ready. Hiccup nodded in satisfaction, and he pointed down below, where the ships were nearly touching the shores.
"Alright, gang. I know you probably already know the plan, but I'm going to say it again anyway," said Hiccup. "Our first line of defense is the dragons, meaning that we'll be in charge of clearing out Hilmar's first wave. Burn down as many ships as you can and try to slow down the Dragon Slayers on their way to the village. We all went over the weak points in Hilmar's armada, so make sure you target those first. Once the ships lose their defenses, we'll be able to fly in and them down. If we fight hard enough, we'll survive the night. Good luck."
Everyone nodded in understanding, and the Dragon Riders and Auxiliary Team took off and divided toward the village and ships. Hiccup ordered Toothless to fire, and the Night Fury opened, sending a plasma blast at the nearest ship. A hole was drilled into the deck, but the boat was still defended. It sent waves and waves of boulders and arrows in Hiccup and Toothless' direction, but they dodged them expertly thanks to their training. Astrid swooped in, blasting the wood on the deck, eventually causing the ship to start sinking. Slowly, it turned around, and began to retreat. Hiccup sent Astrid a grateful smile before flying toward another ship.
The Riders and A-Team took to heart all of Rin's suggestions. The strongest spots on Hilmar's ships were, apparently, behind them instead of in the front. The Dragon Slayers weren't only defending themselves, but the Foreverwing behind them as well. Hundreds of men ran around the decks, firing arrows, harpoons, and everything that they had at the Dragon Riders in fury. Hiccup couldn't hear the noises of battle around him, but he could feel the heat. It burned as hot as fresh iron, and the young viking had to force his thoughts to stay sharp and focused instead of wallowing in his fears.
The Dragon Riders and A-Team destroyed several ships. Hiccup briefly spotted Rin a few times during the fight; she fought ferociously on the back of her dragon despite being new, but she looked nervous as she gripped Clarity's horns, commanding her to fire. Still, Rin fought with all her might, her curly black hair blazing behind her like fire as she and Clarity swooped and swerved between ships, pouring flames on the ships below.
They continued to attack, and when Hiccup surveyed the damage that they've caused he came to realize that he and the others had only destroyed five of the twenty ships that had come. The young viking grunted in frustration; they had given all they got on the first five ships, but they had barely made a dent in Hilmar's armada. The Dragon Slayers countered the Berkian's dragons with seething, boiling rage. They blasted and destroyed anything and anyone that came too close, and soldiers were already forcing their way through the barricades and entering the village.
The war with the Berserkers had been one thing, but this was a battle on a whole new level. Dragon Slayers had marched into the village of Berk, and while some were caught in the traps and winding maze of walls that had been set up, many were able to break through and head into the heart of the village. The plaza was swarmed with Berkains and Dragon Slayers as they fought and attacked each other. Swords swept through the air, hammers collided with heads. Spiked maces made contact with stomachs, and axes slashed through flesh. There were battles taking place in the air and on the ground, but Hiccup couldn't see how his father was doing down below.
The Dragon Riders fought and fought; their dragons blazed with burning courage and bravery. There were many close calls, but no one had been shot out of the sky yet. Eventually, the Dragon Riders managed to incapacitate the first two rows of ships in Hilmar's armada, and Hiccup spotted an opening to the Foreverwing. There were still ships firing at them below, but if fast enough, the defenses could be passed. Astrid and Rin swooped to Hiccup's side, valiance on their faces. They were ready, and so was he.
"Keep defending the island!" Hiccup shouted to the others behind him. "We're going in!"
Though Hiccup couldn't hear the responses he was giving, he was sure that the A-Team, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins wished them well. Astrid, Hiccup, and Rin circled around the ships below them once before making a beeline for the Foreverwing.
Arrows, rocks, and many other projectiles were fired from down below, but Hiccup, Rin, and Astrid were not only dead set but determined, so they dodged, rolled, swerved, and looped out of the way of everything that was thrown at them. The Foreverwing's form became clearer and clearer as Hiccup and his friends drew near it. Hiccup leaned into the saddle, gripping the saddlehorn tightly as Toothless barrel rolled out of the way of several arrows. The young viking's emerald-eyes narrowed, audaciousness burning in his eyes. Almost there, almost there…
The Foreverwing was hidden, but it was chained up to the last five ships in the armada. Now that Hiccup was up close, he could truly bask in his glory. The dragon was beautiful, huge, and much larger out in the open than it was locked away in his cage. The Foreverwing looked like a living, breathing island that had been birthed from the sea. One of Mother Nature's children. The only thing that clashed with his elegance were the multiple scratches and bleeding wounds that were scattered across his body. The Foreverwing's eyes glistened with pain, and even though Hiccup couldn't hear, he knew that the dragon was moaning. His heart dropped like a stone at the condition that the dragon was in.
Getting to the Foreverwing proved to be a challenge. Hiccup, Rin, and Astrid were close enough to examine it, but they weren't close enough to try and free it. The Dragon Slayers down below continued to fire at them, and one of the ships managed to loop chains around Clarity's leg, dragging her and Rin down like a squid tentacle. Hiccup and Astrid hurriedly blasted the chains away and continued to fly toward the Foreverwing.
Like comets, Rin, Astrid, and Hiccup dashed for the Foreverwing. Soon, they were sailing over him, circling the dragon's head as they scrutinized him. The Foreverwing was in poor condition and needed to be released and treated. Astrid, Rin, and Hiccup looked for the chains that were holding it to the ships, but they seemingly disappeared somewhere on the dragon's body. Hiccup looked at Rin, but she shrugged. She didn't know the exact location of the chains.
Fortunately, the Foreverwing spoke again. A low growl filled Hiccup's ears, which he recognized was the Foreverwing. He didn't know how he could hear words from the draconic noises, but the young viking listened intently as the Foreverwing instructed him what he and his friends needed to do.
The chains are wrapped around the many trees that line my body, said the Foreveriwng. Majority of them are on my back, and since the Dragon Slayers are already suspicious of you, it'll be best to destroy them on me than in the open. I'll stay as still as I can.
Hiccup nodded, although he didn't know if the dragon could see him. So he sent a mental, Thank you to the Foreverwing before flying to Astrid and Rin.
"The chains are wrapped around the trees on the Foreverwing," explained Hiccup. Astrid and Rin listened attentively. "We need to fly onto his back and find them on foot so we're not too exposed."
Astrid and Rin nodded, and the trio made a dive for the forest of trees that laid on the Foreverwing's back. The Foreverwing steadied himself, just as he said, allowing for Hiccup, Rin, and Astrid to have a steady landing on his back. They slipped off their dragons and looked around, already spotting the glistening chains that constricted the trunks of several trees.
Looks like we got our work cut out for us, thought Hiccup. The dragons were already on it, and they ventured through the trees to get to the chains. Hiccup, Rin, and Astrid followed them, eyes peeled for more.
Hilmar was nowhere in sight.