A/N: So here's another quick update! I just wanted to say a special thank-you to every single person. I've grown a lot through this story, and especially in my writing skills. I know there have been bumps along the way and I sincerely apologize for that. So thank you for sticking with me this long and I hope that I can continue to live up to your streams of compliments that I so much appreciate! :)
(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)
They would stick together for as long as they could. Shadowclaw and Leafdapple were not as fortunate to have such a luxury - they had to stay back on the island where they had first landed with their group of Night Furies. That was the priority given to them, and that was where they had promised to stay at all costs. So the group had left them behind with small smiles and hushed goodbyes, going on to walk together until Raven's Point, where they would then leave Mistyeyes and Nightflight with their dragons.
But having the closeness of friends did not alleviate the tension strung around them. And it did not allow for any conversation at all. The most it did was offer company; maybe some solace as well. And that was certainly appreciated. Who would want to walk through the empty, barren-looking woods alone? Who wanted to walk to where they knew would be hostile singularly? Each footstep brought them closer to the village, and each snap of a twig in the background could mean danger. It was comforting to have friends at your flank. If only just a little bit.
Mistyeyes walked closely beside Toothless, the pair matching stride with one another as they brushed scales. Their tails intertwined together tightly behind them, and it almost seemed as if their breathing was in sync as well. Hiccup, who was walking on Toothless' other side, frowned sadly at the sight of them together. He reached up to cross his arms over his chest, ducking his head and trying to focus on other things. He couldn't concentrate on what had just happened with Astrid. Or on the fact that this might be the last chance that Toothless and Mistyeyes would have to be together. Or that he might not see Shadowclaw and Leafdapple again. And Nightflight took Hiccup's other side, ears erect and sniffing every once and while, silent as well.
They continued like that in silence, leading the other dragons on as they always did. They didn't offer any more encouragement, for all that they had to say had been said a million times over already. And they didn't offer any more smiles either. They were grim as they faced the situation at hand now, and they didn't bother to hide it. The other dragons tittered with nervousness at the sudden change in mood, but it was too late. Now that they were back on Berk there was no turning around or changing minds. And after everything that they had done so far, they were not about to lose it all for anything in the world.
It had started to rain by the time Mistyeyes and Nightflight separated into Raven's Point. Hiccup stood off to the side with his group of dragons, drops of water tinting his tunic a darker color as he watched Mistyeyes and Toothless separate with a dismal look. The pair stood together for a few moments, Mistyeyes suddenly looking much more concerned and worried than she had allowed herself to be previously. She had shifted a bit where she stood, leaned over to press her head underneath Toothless' chin. "…What if it doesn't work?" She had all but whispered, drawing back a moment to look at him with frantic blue eyes.
Toothless had offered her a smile. A kind, soft one that didn't exactly reach his eyes. "It will." The response had been immediate, without question. Forced. Hiccup turned away, to pretend that he wasn't listening. "I promise it will." The male had gone on. "Just follow Hiccup's instructions, and it'll all work out okay." The boy had cringed at this part. "He and I will get everything sorted out and then we'll come back to get you. And you've been a brilliant leader before, Mistyeyes; if anything goes wrong, then you'll know what to do."
"That's not what I'm worried about." Mistyeyes had sighed softly. Nightflight had departed the two without giving a proper goodbye, looping away to corral together their party. Mistyeyes glanced back at her then, wings trembling a bit at her sides. "I have a bad feeling." She went on uneasily. "I'm just worried that something will go wrong. Not only here, but with you." She looked back, eyes round and wide. "I can't lose you." She'd said firmly, leaving no debate. "So please take care of yourself. And Hiccup too. Don't let anything happen to him either."
Toothless had nodded. It was obvious that there wasn't a single question in his mind on whether or not to protect Hiccup. He leaned over, pressing his nose against Mistyeyes's forehead tenderly. "I promise." he murmured. "I'll come back for you." A pause, before he pulled away and smiled earnestly. "I love you." Mistyeyes had replied with the same thing before he could even finish his declaration. And then the gray dragon, glancing once more over to Hiccup, had turned around and fled back into the cove.
Toothless had turned to leave, shaking off the droplets of water quickly accumulating on his scales. "Toothless." The quiet voice had stopped him, and the male turned back curiously towards it. Nightflight stood a ways away, ears flicking back and forth. She had shifted, as if unsure. Then she ducked her head and said quietly, "Goodbye. I'm…thankful. For... for everything. I know it hasn't been easy. Or preferred. So…..thank you." Toothless had opened his mouth to reply, but she pressed on further. "I ask forgiveness. A final one. For the things I've done you blame me for."
Toothless had paused a moment, as if considering whether or not to accept. Hiccup turned, eyes flashing a little bit as he tensed. He had almost started forward, to intercept the interaction. Nightflight had nothing to apologize for. And going into such a situation like this, they didn't need any more hateful ties. But the Night Fury had smiled gently before Hiccup could have done any such thing, giving a small nod of the head. "Of course, Nightflight." He'd said, speaking soft, as if to a long-treasured friend. "Of course I forgive you."
That had seemed so long ago. It was pouring now. Sheets of rain lashed at the recovering woods relentlessly, and the group had to plow their way through with hunched backs and disgruntled looks. But rain was better, Hiccup told himself as he picked his way through the mud and puddles that had already formed. Rain created a barrier, created cover. And it covered up any stray noise that they had the potential to make with such a group as big as this. Rain wasn't preferred, no. And it did nothing to boost morale. But it wasn't a total loss.
Thunder shook the island, and Hiccup cringed a bit at the ear-splitting noise. He hugged close to himself, looking up and trying to remember where they were, or how far away from the village they were. He had been gone for so long that for a scary moment, he was under the impression that he had forgotten the way. But no; he remembered that landmark. They were a few minutes away from the island on foot. They were getting close.
He beckoned the group behind him, wincing as he tried to find cover enough to hide the cluster of dragons. The island was still recovering from the past Raids. But there was a touch of relief as Hiccup realized that it was much farther along in the recovery process than it had been last time he had seen the place. There was enough undergrowth to at least conceal most of the dragons from view. And thanks to dim light supplied by the storm clouds, the dragons' naturally dark scales would blend in already. So they ducked off the path, taking to the slightly-dense foliage as they crept onward.
Toothless fell into step beside Hiccup. The dragon had been quiet for the most part ever since he had left Mistyeyes behind. But now he seemed recovered, focused in again as he looked over at Hiccup in concern. All thoughts were on what they were doing now; that, and Hiccup's safety, that much was for certain. "So how do we do this?" He whispered tensely, glancing around. "What if there's an ambush waiting for us?" He knew he shouldn't add the next part, but he couldn't stop himself. "Maybe you shouldn't have sent Astrid ahead of us. Now they all know something is going on."
Hiccup winced a bit, seeing a bit of crucial truth in the thought. But he shook his head firmly after a pause. "They'll know either way." He pointed out. "It doesn't make much of a difference." Toothless opened his mouth, as if to object. But he closed it nervously, letting out his breath instead in a small sigh. "Besides; I wasn't going to let them all think she was in on this when she isn't." Hiccup went on, tone a bit more bitter with this. "She's safer back in Berk, in her home."
"I suppose." Toothless relented a bit. He glanced back at the dragons behind them, doing a quick head-count as he had been doing ever since they had left the shore. Everyone was still there. A few steps behind, scared stiff, confused, but….still there. "But you still haven't answered my question." He pressed, trying not to notice Hiccup's additional wince as he pushed on ahead. "How are we going to do this?"
"I've got it all figured out." Hiccup said uncomfortably.
"Are you sure?" Toothless asked skeptically, eyeing the boy as he frowned.
"I'm sure."
"Because you don't sound all that sure." The dragon noted. Hiccup didn't respond. He just kept looking straight forward. Toothless sighed lightly, frowning as his ears flicked back and forth restlessly. Then he smiled a bit sympathetically, clearing his throat and offering help instead. He knew that Hiccup was getting strung-out recently. And though they needed him now more than ever, he realized that him being so patronizing all the time might not be helping. "We can scout out the area." He volunteered. "Then maybe you could go and talk to your father? I'm sure he would have calmed down by now. Maybe he'll even be happy to see you."
Hiccup smiled. Whether it was because the thought helped him or because he thought it amusing, Toothless was too afraid to ask. But then he shook his head to clear it. "We can't get too close. Not with all the others." He said in a small mumble, hardly audible above the roar of the rain. But with them being so close to the village now, there wasn't a safer volume than this. "So I was thinking that I would leave you behind and get close enough to look around. That way they'll have a leader still and I'll look alone." He shrugged lightly, his wet clothes sticking to him uncomfortably. "Either everyone will be inside or it'll be heavily guarded. It's a fifty-fifty change I guess."
"Maybe." Toothless said a bit uneasily. "But I can't help but wonder if we're supposed to-"
"Are we getting closer?" A plaintive wail sounded from the back of the group, and Toothless and Hiccup both stiffened at the loud volume that came with the wail. The pair of them spun around, eyes wide and shoulders stiff as they looked back at the source. It was one of the younger dragons, held tightly in the mother's jaws. She flailed her paws and tail wildly, the mother having gone rigid with surprise at the shout. She shot Hiccup an apologetic look, but she was too late to stop her youngling as it screeched again. "It's wet! I'm tired! I wanna go home!"
Hiccup's hand clapped over his mouth, rushing through the crowd of dragons towards her, who quickly parted to allow the human passage. The mother dropped her bundle quickly, reaching over and soothing the daughter with rushed licks to her scales. "Shhhhh, shhhhh; you must be quiet, please!" The female pleaded in a sharp whisper, intended to quell the little one's troubles, but only succeeding in fueling the anger.
"I'm wet! I'm cold!" The little thing yelled, stomping its feet and throwing out bursts of sparks and embers. "I've been walking for forever and I'm tired! I wanna sleep! I wanna go to bed! I'm hungry!" Hiccup flew down to his knees, reaching over wildly to clamp the little girl's mouth shut. She wriggled, flailing and yelping louder and louder at the attempts. "I'm sick of going everywhere! I wanna go home! I wanna go home! I wanna go home! I wanna go home!"
Hiccup finally managed to snap her mouth closed. He grimaced a little bit; he'd meant to be a bit more gentle with it. But he let out a gusty sigh, stomach clenched as he tried to calm down the little scrap. "Shh!" He snapped quickly, eyes wide. Toothless was looking back and forth in the forest now, alert for any change after the loud squalling that had taken place. "We are going home, okay?" He pressed in a whisper. "We're going to your brand new home!" He forced his voice to appear upbeat and happy, stifling his new burst of panic. "But you have to be quiet, okay? You have to be super quiet if you want to get home, right? You have to be quiet if you want to have a nice, warm bed and some food waiting for you. Okay? Can you be quiet? Huh? Please? Just be quiet for a little bit longer?" He begged.
"Hiccup!" Toothless hissed suddenly, the boy freezing as he whirled around to look at him over his shoulder. He yanked his hands back at the shout, the other dragons catching onto the frantic air as they exchanged tense glances. "Hiccup, I think there's someone out there!" Toothless whispered harshly, rigid as he looked at the human desperately through the rain. "I hear something coming our way!"
The mother jerked, looking horrified as she tugged her youngling closer to her. "I'm so sorry!" She gasped, her volume nearly as loud as her child's had been. Hiccup's hands flew up to dig his nails into his skull, teeth on-edge. Everyone was shouting! Then, as if realizing her mistake, the mother lowered her voice significantly, shrinking backwards. "I'm so sorry." She whispered unevenly, breathing picking up as she curled around her daughter protectively. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble…"
"Everyone get back!" Hiccup hissed sharply, hands flying out to gesture widely at the group. "Find cover! Now!" The dragons' eyes widened as they stumbled, trying to find their footing against the slippery ground. They looked around wildly, trying to find a suitable spot for them all to hole in. But they didn't have time to survey the area! Hiccup shot up to his feet, pointing wildly to the nearest clump of foliage and lichen. "There!" He snapped. Even he could hear the footsteps now. "Just try to fit in there!"
Already his plan was going awry.
The group followed blindly to his pointed finger, tripping over themselves in a frenzy to hunker underneath the overhang of leaves. Lightening flashed, illuminating the landscape as it threw bright light over everything, a clap of thunder following not a second after it. In the light, Hiccup stiffened as he caught sight of movement to the far left; he couldn't make out anything specific, but he didn't need to. There was no other group that was supposed to be out this far. Unless one the dragons had gotten lost on the island, there was no other friendly person that could be out there making the movements. Unless it was Astrid. But Hiccup refused to consider such an option.
Wrapped up in his own panicked thoughts, Hiccup found himself suddenly standing alone in the clearing. The dragons had all beaten him into the spot. Feeling a tug on the collar of his shirt, Hiccup gasped sharply as he was suddenly pulled backwards. White-hot surprise and fear sank into the boy as his feet were tugged out from under him, and he opened his mouth to scream for Toothless. But he found himself collapsing back into the very same dragon, the familiar green eyes looking down at him with worry and concern. "Stay back!" The dragon whispered softly, pulling him back with the other dragons.
It was cramped in their hiding spot - but that was what you got when you tried to squeeze over ten dragons into a small alcove of plants. Hiccup was pressed against Toothless' chest, breathing sharp and ragged with suspense and confusion as he tucked his knees tightly into him, trying to make himself as small as possible. He peered through the rain, eyes narrowed as he looked past the small screen of leaves that separated them and the clearing outside. It wasn't enough cover, he knew. And some of the dragons were already sticking out as they were losing their balance, shuffling back and relying on the group to hide them instead. This was a badly-chosen spot. And it wouldn't last for very much longer.
The entire group stiffened as wet footsteps sounded above the drone of rain. Even the little one that had yelled before was scared-stiff enough to fall silent. Hiccup shrank back a bit at first, wincing into Toothless as he tried to draw courage from his friend like he had in the past. But then he stopped himself, taking in a slow and deep breath. No, he had to do this himself. He was the one who brought the Night Furies to Berk; he couldn't be just as scared as they were. He had to make sure that they were safe; it was what he had promised them.
Taking in a slow, albeit shaking breath of air, Hiccup leaned over and pushed aside one branch of leaves, looking out and trying to make sense of what was going on. Toothless murmured in protest, making a move to try and drag his friend back. But Hiccup waved him off, turning his head to listen in better. There were voices, he realized. They were underneath the noise of rain; the boy had to strain to catch even a snippet of the conversation over the sound of the raindrops against the ground.
"….have to be on look-out." One voice sounded, gruff and tense in each syllable it uttered.
"Do you really think that…?" Another voice. Hiccup struggled to hear the rest of the sentence, but it was no use. He sighed in frustration underneath his breath; there wasn't much to be gained from this. But the sounds of the voices and their footsteps were too close now. If the group were to turn around and attempt to leave, they would surely be spotted. If he had to guess, he would have thought that the people in question were a few yards away, and heading for them. Their only hope was for the people to pass them. Not to look hard enough to spot them hiding.
"Didn't you see the girl?" It was the angry voice again. "You think she came here alone?"
"You never know. What if…?" Again, the softer voice faded out. It was certainly easier to hear the first one. With how angry it was, and the livid tone that it took, it was much louder than the latter. Hiccup closed his eyes in order to hear better. Although he had only heard two voices separately, he could hear a surplus of footsteps. Of slapping branches as people shoved them aside as they walked. There seemed to be more than just two people walking out there. And that didn't help much as the teenager's forehead creased with desperation.
"All I know is that…." A new voice. Which confirmed Hiccup's growing suspicion.
"But still…"
"Look, I just want this all to be over. There's only one way to make that happen."
Hiccup's heart froze over at that. What one way? He could already tell the topic of conversation- it didn't take much of a genius to get to that conclusion. Turning, the boy looked back at the group of dragons behind him. They mirrored his own expression: a mingled sense of confusion and terror. They didn't know what to do. They were lost, and every pair of eyes was trained to the teenager as they all asked the same silent question: What are we supposed to do now?
"You shouldn't have…" The same voice that Hiccup could never seem to listen fully to sounded again, much closer than it had been a moment before. They were heading their way quickly; normally a group as big as that would be slowed by the rain, but certainly not a group of people from Berk. Hiccup cursed mentally, curling up even tighter to himself if that was all possible. His heartbeat thudded rapidly in his ears; he was surprised that the Vikings couldn't find them just by listening to the heavy beats. Toothless shifted over him, every bit as nervous as his breathing slowly got out of control. But then again, he was always calmer than the boy could ever be in situations like these.
"We weren't getting anywhere following Stoick." The louder voice came again, and Hiccup thought he could recognize it over the roar of rain. It was….Spitelout, wasn't it? That didn't help things much. And at his father's name, Hiccup went rigid all over again. "This way is much easier. Now we can…." Risking it entirely, the boy leaned forward even more, narrowing his eyes against the water and peering through the dim light to the walking figures. They weren't that far - it was easier than it probably should have been.
They were armed. Raindrops landed dully on the metal, making soft 'plink'ing noises in their collision. Hiccup cursed again, aloud this time as he whispered underneath his breath. He pulled back. Glanced at the Night Furies behind him. They were still hunched awkwardly in the too-small space. If the group got any closer, their chances of staying hidden as a group were severely minuscule.
He could see near the back that a few of the dragons were already becoming far too distressed and unbalanced. One of the Night Furies, Leap, he thought her name was, wobbled precariously, eyes wide and frantic as she struggled to maintain her footing. The female had been near the back, having stepped back to allow room for the mother and the youngling. And now she was on the very edge of the group, having to use her tail for balance as she struggled to stay underneath the cover of the brush. She staggered, starting to slip as she whined high in her throat.
Brightsky was standing beside her, gasping as she leaned over to try and tug her back into position. "I've got you!" She whispered too loudly, righting her friend, who puffed gratefully as she sent a smile her way. Hiccup's hands had returned to grip his head, and heat flooded through his freezing body as a sudden shout was caused from the noises and whispers.
"Did you hear that!?" Spitelout shouted loudly, both Hiccup and Toothless whirling to look in the direction of his voice. "Over there! There's something in that direction!" The group changed their pace, picking up speed as they veered over towards the direction in which the group had taken cover. Brightsky hissed, whispering a fervent apology to Hiccup, but there was no point to it. If the Vikings were coming this way, there was no way that they could get away or stay out of sight. They would find them if they tried to run; they would find them if they remained where they were. And they were all armed individually.
Hiccup turned quickly, looking back at Toothless, who looked like he was in the middle of racking his brain for ideas. "I'm going to trust you to take care of them all." Hiccup hissed, whispering softly as the footsteps got louder and louder over the drumming of water. Toothless stiffened, looking down at the human with a bemused look. The dragon opened his mouth to ask something, but Hiccup went on before he could try and get anything out. "Take them back to Mistyeyes. Okay? Keep them safe there. And if something else happens, double back to Shadowclaw and Leafdapple."
Hiccup was under the impression that Toothless would object, point out the danger and plead with him to stay. It was what he was entirely prepared for, and he already had a comeback in mind for it. But all that Toothless managed was a quiet: "I promised I would protect you." Hiccup's mouth closed, and he blinked as it fell ever so slightly into a downcast expression. Toothless shook his head a little desperately. "I promised Mistyeyes I would. And I promised myself." There was a pleading sort of tone to his voice, as if he were asking Hiccup to reconsider whatever he was planning. But they both knew that there wasn't much room for questions.
"There. In there." Came the angered voice, the sound of scraping metal signaling that a weapon was being drawn.
Hiccup had to get to Stoick before anyone else did. Before any dragons could be seen and the wrong would manifest. That was the least that they could figure out to do without Nightflight and her powers to work out. And that was all that they could try and retain. So the teenager just shook his head helplessly, wet hair clinging to his forehead. "Get them back to Mistyeyes." He said simply. The footsteps were much too close now. And they were heading straight for where they were sitting. They didn't have time.
He didn't wait for Toothless to agree, or give even a nod in response. Instead, the teenager ducked his head for a moment, closing his eyes and sucking in a deep breath of air to steady himself. Then he pushed himself out of the mud with breakneck speed, flying out of the brush and tearing in the opposite direction that they had come from, going as fast as he could towards the Village.
The dragons stayed put, and the leaves caved back in almost as soon as Hiccup had torn himself out of the shelter. The group of Vikings were shocked at not only the sudden entrance, but at the fact that the sudden entrance was staged by Hiccup, who had been missing for ages now. The teenager glanced quickly over his shoulder as he ran, feeling his stomach clench as the group immediately turned to track him. It was what he had wanted, of course, but it still did not help the mind to calm down when pursued in the first place.
The group was made up of five Vikings in all. Spitelout was at the head, leading the party. He had worn a disgruntled expression before, but Hiccup's skin burned as the slightly irritated expression morphed into a much more furious one as Hiccup suddenly came into view. Others followed closely behind him. Mulch, Speedifist, Bucket, and Clueless, all with their own sort of weapon, were jogging after the boy now. The bush fell behind them, and Hiccup turned back fully as he came to be sure that they wouldn't stop to inspect the place.
"Hiccup!?"
"Come back!"
"Get back here!"
"Hiccup, stop now!"
The teenager's heart froze and panic flooded through every inch of them as he realized how angry that they all were. Even Bucket and Clueless, whom he had spent many an evening with talking about anything at all, had their voices sharpened as much as their swords and knives. The forest was ravaged and burned out from the fire, but it had recovered in the time that he had been away. Had Berk not recovered yet? Had it done the opposite and gotten worse?
The mud was making it hard to run. And Hiccup's lungs were burning by the time that Berk started to come into view. The others were gaining quickly. Hiccup had never realized the fact that his lack of sleep and overload of stress might be working against him - his body felt like lead, and his legs were already weakening in their strides. He started to trip, literally feeling every inch that he was losing ahead of the shouting Vikings. He had to get back to Berk. He had to get back to his father. He had to apologize. And he had to make him see the light as best he could. As quick as he could. He had to, he had to, he had to…
"Hiccup!" Spitelout's yell reverberated in the boy's ears, ringing in his mind and only helping to further slow him as cold claws gripped at his heart. He sounded angry. Furious. Fit to kill. He tried to speed up, to get farther away. But he could do nothing of the sort. Please Thor, don't make me lose it all now. I have to get back…..please, please, please. "Hiccup, get back here!" The man repeated, voice clenched and roaring with fury. "Don't let him get to the village!" It was like he was some kind of criminal! The thought entered his head with an incredulous tone, one of disbelief and almost anger. But…was that really what the village thought of him, now? Was that what he turned into as soon as he'd left with the rumor of more Night Furies coming back to Berk?
Suddenly there was a burning pain in his ankle, the teenager letting loose a sharp cry as his leg immediately buckled underneath him. He'd been hit with something. Something sharp, and deep enough to feel his clothes warm with blood. Falling out from underneath himself, the boy hit the ground hard, with enough force to knock the wind out of him. He bounced back up, like a limp rag doll as he found himself rolling down the steep hill leading to the village square. The young Viking picked up speed as he went further, gagging as he struggled for air to reach his lungs, which had suddenly decided to stop working.
The others raced after, calling out loud warnings to those already below. Screams of shock and yells of bewilderment rose all around Hiccup as he skidded, but the boy was too busy trying to make sense of the world to try and see whether or not his father was anywhere around him. Clutching and grasping desperately, Hiccup tried to dig his hands into the earth in an attempt to stop the world from spinning in front of him, and to stop vanishing into blurs of blacks and grays. But his fingers slipped easily through the slick mud, and his leg screamed with pain every time that it was knocked against the tough ground. Through the nausea that the rolling was causing him, and the pain vibrating up and down his limb, he could hardly separate one thing from another.
Gradually, though, he slowed down bit by bit. And eventually, the boy came to a final skid, going straight against a stone path for a few feet before finally coming to a full stop. His green eyes were wide as he rasped unevenly in and out, the air scraping against his throat on its way down. He could hear whispers, could hear his name tinged with things like anger or surprise or confusion or anything and everything in between. He could see the people of Berk, fully outside, fully drenched, all gathering around to stare at him. To glare at him. To look at him with odd expressions he couldn't even fathom at the moment.
He tried to focus on getting his breath back as quick as he could, and to let his head stop reeling enough for him to get up. He had to find his father. He had to get up and run again before the party from before could catch up to him. He'd no idea what Toothless was doing, whether or not the dragon was having any problems of his own. He had limited time in that sense, and with so many dragons counting on him, and so many bright futures for the humans as well, he couldn't stop now.
Hiccup started to push himself up, to fold his legs underneath him and leap up to his feet again. But he'd forgotten about his new injury. Agony folded itself tightly around his ankle as he tried to move it, and the boy hissed immediately as he turned back to look at it, propping himself up on shaking arms. Sure enough, blood was coated around the appendage, a cleanly-cut slice into his leg showing that it had come from a sword or a knife. He reached back with a small cry, attempting to press down on it and stop the blood from rushing out of the wound so quickly. With everything else going on, he couldn't be worried about blood loss.
But as soon as he pressed the palm of his hand against the wound, which was slowly being washed clean by the downpour, Hiccup found himself being slammed against the ground suddenly, hand being ripped away painfully as he yelped. Back pressed into the hard ground, Hiccup's breathing picked up as he found himself staring straight up into the furious gaze of Spitelout. He cursed under his breath, shrinking back underneath the sharp glare.
"Where have you been?" Spitelout snarled before Hiccup could make a single sound. Again, though, he did not allow space for an answer. There was a large crowd now, all watching the scene unfold in front of them without a single word or regretful look. They merely stood, eyes trained on the pair on the ground and the party that encircled them. Hiccup tried to find Astrid in the crowd, or Snotlout, or Fishlegs, or anyone with the possibility of being friendly. But he couldn't find a single happy face. "Where are your dragons? We know that they're here somewhere! Fishlegs reported more Night Furies, and they've got to be with you!" His words were accusing, almost hurtful. And the crowd tittered with nervousness at the mention of Night Furies.
Hiccup went rigid, trying to get his breathing under control again. But with the way that Spitelout was pinning him down, his legs pinned painfully underneath the man, it made it more difficult. "I have to talk to my father." He gasped eventually, cringing at the white-hot feeling spreading through his injured limb. "Please." He tried, resorting to begging as he tried to get out from underneath him, but to no avail. "I can explain everything, but I can only do it with-"
"You'll explain where the dragons are!" Spitelout snapped, cutting him off as Hiccup snapped his mouth shut. The boy's eyes narrowed angrily, and Spitelout scowled even more at the prospect that brought. He turned, grabbing his sword tightly in his hand and bringing it closer. Hiccup went stiff as the man pressed it against the sensitive skin underneath his chin, the blade pressing threateningly against his throat and causing his blood to run ice cold. The teenager's eyes widened and his breathing hitched again as he shrank backwards even more. Spitelout's eyes flashed at the reaction, a grim look settling over his face. "You've been considered a traitor to Berk ever since you first left." He growled, voice curling with anger and held-in fury. "Don't think that you can come back and ask for a calm welcoming, because you surely won't find one with the people you abandoned."
"Didn't….I didn't abandon anybody." Hiccup whispered in a ragged breath, squirming underneath the blade. "Please…everything I did, I did with the best interest of-"
"Of yourself." Spitelout growled. "And the dragons who slaughtered half of the village!" Hiccup grimaced at this, turning his head so that his cheek was flush against the pavement as he sucked in a quick breath of air. He had to find his father. "You can never let things be." Spitelout growled when Hiccup made no move to stand up for himself further. He pressed the blade further against the teenager's skin, eyes narrowing into slits. "You can never let things be the same when they're doing just fine. You always have to bring in more." He paused for a moment, eyes flashing in the quiet. He had the full attention of the entire clearing by now, and he knew it fully. "Is this what you wanted?" He asked quietly, in a condescending tone. "Because this is what you caused "You always think that you're the best person to make decisions."
Rage boiled in his blood, and before Hiccup could stop himself, he whipped his head back around quickly to glower up at the man. "I am the best person to make decisions here." He spat through gritted teeth, beads of blood dying themselves against the metal of the sword as it gradually started to cut through his skin. "I'm better for it than you are." He went on thickly, hands balling into tight fists at his sides. The crowd murmured with surprise at the sudden flash back, and Spitelout tensed in fury at the jab. He increased pressure on the weapon, the boy writhing in the pain that it produced. Spitelout couldn't kill him. Not in front of everyone. Not in the middle of the clearing. Not when he hadn't gotten to his father yet. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was supposed to be able to prevent all of this, not die before he could get a word in edgewise.
"Spitelout!" The yell came from close by, and Hiccup coughed in relief as the blade was yanked backwards and away from him. The pressure on his throat was alleviated, and despite the fact that there were small drips of blood there, he was perfectly fine. Not dead at least. Hiccup's eyes snapped open again, and he looked over towards the person that had saved him, allowing himself frank stupidity for a moment as he thought that it had been the person he had been looking for. That his father had seen him struggling and rushed over to save him before he could be injured or worse. But it wasn't his father.
"What are you doing?" Gobber yelled angrily, holding the man's sword an arm's-length away as his eyes blazed with disbelief. His eyes flickered down to Hiccup, taking in the teen's state with a wave of surprise and concern, thick enough to swamp him there and then. The boy looked as if he had been through a deal. There were dark purple circles ringing underneath his eyes, the boy looking as if he had lost weight from his already-skinny previous state. Blood welled at his throat and leg, and exhaustion was written in every joint and limb on the ground. Clearly he posed no threat, did nobody else see that?
"I'm dealing with the traitor like we always do." Came Spitelout's thin reply. He stood up quickly to meet Gobber's glare fully. Hiccup felt the absence of pressure, immediately starting to scramble up to his feet himself. But Bucket and Clueless grabbed him before he could do any such thing, holding both of his arms and keeping him standing in one spot point. It helped to keep pressure off of his injured leg as he was hoisted up, but the boy hung his head anyway. Where was Stoick? "Have you forgotten what this boy has done?"
Hiccup winced, bracing himself for the reply.
"I remember a certain young boy bringing all these dragons into Berk in the first place!" Gobber snapped, Hiccup blinking as he looked up in surprise. But the man wasn't looking at him yet. "Have you gone and lost your mind, Spitelout? Have all of you went and gone crazy? Have you forgotten who you're attacking? Let him go, Bucket, Clueless! Can't you see that-"
"He brought the Night Furies here." Spitelout spat, cutting the man off. Gobber had started towards Hiccup as he spoke, reaching out as if to grab him away from the men holding him back. But Spitelout stepped quickly to the side with this, blocking his way with a deep scowl. "He brought them all here in the first place and made Berk a target. We were willing to forgive for that." He turned back, pinning Hiccup once again with the icy look. "But he did it all over again now, and he's trying to mess things up again. We haven't even gotten a chance to recover from losing half of the island and he's brought them all back. If they aren't crawling the island now, they're circling near it. So step back, Gobber. He's only going to bring more danger."
"You've got it all wrong!" Gobber yelled again, fruitlessly.
"We don't want them here!"
"Take him away!"
"Somebody check for more dragons!"
"How could you come back with them again?"
Shouts and chaos started to unravel quickly from the gathered people, some throwing ridicule and others openly fretting. Gobber tried to speak above the shouts and cries, but he couldn't be heard even by Hiccup, who was being held just a few feet away. Desperately, seeing his entire plan start to disintegrate, the boy yelled, yanking against the pair of arms keeping him rooted. "Please!" He pleaded, eyes wild with panic once more. "Please, I can explain everything! You can't be like this! You have to-"
Spitelout whirled around, eyes like daggers that sank into the boy. "Don't waste your breath." The Viking said lowly. "Just tell us where the dragons are!" The yells and shouts quieted a bit at this as eyes returned back to them, the people warming Hiccup underneath their gazes. He shifted, wincing as he accidentally put weight onto the injured ankle. "Tell us where the Night Furies are and we may reconsider where you stand on the ordeal." He showed the palms of his hands, as if in surrender. "It's simple. Just tell us where they are."
Hiccup was gasping for air again. He turned, searching the crowd. His eyes went back to Gobber, looking pleadingly at the older man. Suddenly he felt like he always had before. A scolded child looking for comfort or solace…some support that usually came from his mentor most of the time. It was like that again now, and he could tell that the thought was also running through the blacksmith's mind as well as the man made another attempt to walk forward and intercept what was happening.
Where was his father? Where was Fishlegs? Or Snotlout? Or the twins? Or Astrid?
Hiccup closed his eyes tightly, grimacing as he answered softly. "No. I won't."
Spitelout was ready for the refusal. "Then you're a traitor to Berk and everyone on it!" He shouted in the teenager's face. Hiccup flared visibly, hands clenching into fists as he locked his jaw backwards. "One time was enough for causing the Night Furies to come here, but to willingly bring them back a second time is too far! You always think that you know everything when you're just a teenager! But whenever anybody tries to tell you this, you don't even listen!" Don't do it. "Unless you tell us where you've hidden the Night Furies then we'll have no choice but to take action ourselves!" It's what he wants you to do. Everyone's watching and he knows that. "Bucket. Clueless. Take him down to the Dragon Stables. Make sure that he can't leave." DON'T. "Then we can-"
Hiccup ripped out of the men's grip, the two having not expected the sudden burst through as their grip had slackened just enough for the teenager to wrench himself out. He flew at Spitelout in a blind anger, fueled only by desperation and despair. He had come this far; he couldn't let Spitelout keep talking down at him, he couldn't let the man ruin everything. So he jerked at him wildly, only meaning to cut him off long enough to explain, to elaborate. It was all he could think of doing in the moment.
But he couldn't even land a blow onto the older Viking - he had been expecting the attack. The man lifted an arm and swiped Hiccup to the side almost uncaringly, the boy being backhanded back into the ground in a heap. His cheek stung like fire from the blow, and he tried to push himself back up. But Bucket and Clueless swiped him back again, jerking him roughly up to his feet with enough force to rattle his brain. Spitelout spoke again, his tone cold and frigid now. "Lock him away." He growled. "We're going to find the dragons either way."
Thunder roared overheard, almost drowning out Hiccup's scream of objection. Bucket and Clueless started to drag him back towards the old training ring, the teenager digging his heels into the ground in an attempt to slow his taking. His ankle screeched in protest as it was forced to press down into the mud, but Hiccup paid no heed. He was crazy now in the realization of what was to happen now, eyes wide as he tried frantically to get out of the men's hold. But it was pointless.
"Stop!" He screeched at the top of his lungs. Spitelout turned, gathering part of the crowd closer to discuss movements from here on out. The other part of the village stood still, watching Hiccup being led away as he screamed and fought as hard as he could. "Please! Stop! They won't hurt you! They're friendly! They're willing to change - just like the others! Please listen to me! Don't do this!" He jerked rapidly, nearly looking insane in his movements. "Gobber!" The boy all but sobbed, trying to see his old mentor over the people in the clearing. "Gobber please! Tell them! Tell them to let me go! You know this is wrong! Don't let them kill them! Please! I'm begging you!"
There wasn't a response.
He kicked out, still struggling. "Please!" He screamed hoarsely, eyes burning more and more with each cry. "Please don't do this! Let me explain! If you just let me talk!" He couldn't do this. He couldn't lose everything from this one little flaw. He couldn't be locked away and be forced helpless as the Night Furies were hunted down. This couldn't be happening. It was a nightmare, it was a never-ending horror. "Listen to me!"
But all that answered him was another burst of thunder that drowned out his words. Smothered them and rendered them inaudible. Unable to be heard.
As if anyone was listening anyway.
(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)
A/N: To the crowd I was crying out.
In your place there were a thousand other faces.
I was disappearing in plain sight. Heaven help me…I need to make it right.
You want a revelation? You wanna get it right?
But it's a conversation I just can't have tonight.
No Light, No Light – Florence + The Machine