A cry in the night
"Ever since I met Toothless I knew my life would never be the same. And yet things continue to change in ways I never expected. It is said those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. A lesson many still have yet to learn. Yet sometimes while we may forget the past, but the past doesn't forget us. It has a way of coming back to haunt you one way or another. So what's the best advice for that? Be prepared and be brave, yet don't let go of your fear either."
It was a peaceful autumn afternoon on the Isle of Berk. Things had been rather quiet for the last couple of days. Everyone seemed to just be enjoying the change of the seasons. Even if they were Vikings the little kids still got pleasure from doing what any normal child in the fall would be doing. For example they still took pleasure in playing tag, hide and seek, and just jumping into the piles of rich scarlet, golden amber and umber leaves. This was also special given their new dragon companions who also seemed to be in a playful mood. It seemed nothing could break this tranquil moment. Still even during these days the Riders knew they'd still needed to be on the alert. This is why at that moment the Riders were busy patrolling the southern end of their island, in search of trouble. But it seemed the only trouble that they could find was with each other.
Like usual things weren't going exactly according to Hiccup's plans. He was trying in vain to get his friends to be serious and all the twins and Snotlout wanted to do was race, and see whose dragon could blow up the biggest boulders. Snotlout's dragon Hookfang was indeed faster then Ruff and Tuff's dragon Barf and Belch, but their dragon's double heads won without difficulty when it came to blowing up things into smithereens. After all that what the twins liked best was major annihilation and just blowing things kablooey! Therefore as the Riders made their way from beginning to end of the sea stacks Ruff order her dragon head to blow up a twisted stack and her brother Tuff's head with pleasure decided to be of assistance. Consequently the next thing to occur was a downpour of large wet gray rocks and Astrid and Fishlegs having to intervene to make sure everyone got out before being crush to death.
"Wow! That was beyond cool! It was awesome! Let's do it again!" Ruffnut exclaimed euphorically high fiving her brother's hand. "Yeah that was beyond awesome! It was… it was…it was awesome!" Tuff agreed with his twin sister. As usual they may be spirited youths, but they still were exceedingly simple minded and just you're basic Viking dumb blonds. Yet if you're in need of fighting power they'd bring it.
"Hey! You two idiots nearly annihilated me and Hookfang! Not to mention you nearly destroyed my beautiful face! You two may be happy to remain as ugly as your dragon's butts, but a real warrior like me doesn't want his battle scars to come from someone else's stupidity!" Snotlout cursed crossly at the same time as Hookfang tossed him high in the heavens and caught him. Chuckling with a mile wide grin he licked his rider's face and used his long tail to wack the twins' dragon's double tails. Another airborne duel was about to start till Astrid's dragon Stormfly shot out its spikes which broke up the dueling idiots.
"Will you three just try for once to act your age? You know show a little maturity for once! Honestly! You're behaving worse then dragon hatchlings!" she yelled at the three knuckleheads furiously as she tossed her thick flaxen ponytail over her shoulder. She then leaned over and kissed Stormfly's right cheek. "You're a good girl, yes you are. You're way more mature then all those other dragons," she cooed quietly into her dragon's ear.
The others looked a bit hurt by Astrid's words. Or at least they did for a few moments. The only one who seemed really hurt might have been Fishlegs who was extremely affectionate to his dragon Meatlug. He cared for her more like she was his child then a friend or pet. It actually worried Hiccup a bit nevertheless he could relate to how Toothless was more then just his 'pet'.
"It's okay, girl, you're very mature too," Fishlegs whispered gently into Meatlug's left ear and kissed her tanned scaly head. The lumpy dragon just stuck out her tongue and lapped up a small amount of stray rocks and chewed happily. It was true she never met a rock she didn't like. "Go easy on the rocks, Meatlug; we don't want you to have a tummy ache later."
"Alright, guys, enough of the horseplay! We've got a serious job to do!" Hiccup reminded them as he adjusted his left prosthetic foot to angle Toothless's tailfin to glide easier in the strong autumn winds. "We've got a job to do in case you forgot. We need to make certain that Berk is out of harm's way plus still help out with the harvest. Wintry weather is coming fast and we've got to be ready for it!"
"Blah, blah, blah! Geez! Can't you stop being such a stick in the mud?" inquired Snotlout rudely making an even ruder face. "We've done a lot of junk already since you tame the dragons. You shouldn't worry so much! Just have some fun once in awhile! Stop being such a sourpuss!"
"Snotlout, I don't know how you can stand yourself sometimes. I mean yes, we've done a lot of cool things with our dragons. Still, we have to know the time and place to have fun and when hard work is needed. So can't you just meet us halfway?" Hiccup asked hopefully to the Viking jock.
"Whatever! So what do you want us to do oh great and powerful Hiccup?" Snotlout replied in a mocking tone. "I mean to say you are supposed to be the Hope and Heir to our tribe. But you're still never gonna be some great Viking. A real Viking would always wipe the floor with you!"
"Yeah, Hiccup, you may've helped us get to ride these killer dragons, yet you're still a scrawny and you still can't even be a real Viking!" the twins laughed as they butt heads. Laughing gleefully they almost fell off their dragon. Astrid flew underneath them and slapped them both with her battle ax to get them right-side up. She glared nastily at the others who all but Fishlegs seem to be laughing as if Hiccup was still the village disappointment.
"Cut it out you, guys. We're all Viking even if Hiccup is more of a brainy then a brawny sorta person, he still gonna be Chief of the Tribe one day. And he'll be whoever he's meant to be. Whether we think he's a 'real' Viking or not," she shot back heatedly at the other Riders as she defended her boyfriend. True, it wasn't too long ago she too wasn't that impressed with Hiccup's poor performance of the 'traditional' Viking. However she on no account taunted him, other then telling him to 'choose his side' when they still thought the dragons were evil.
Hiccup tried to let their teasing roll off his back; nevertheless he was still a bit hurt by their harsh words. He may not have admitted it out loud before, but he still felt the some pain from the past. Back when he was still the village disappointment and failure as a Viking, before he found his true place as being a Dragon Trainer, not a Dragon Slayer. Even despite the fact that the other Vikings had been over the moon he'd killed the Red Death, and that brought peace between the Vikings and Dragons, there were still moments he felt sad and depressed. He knew he'd never be a Viking in the way his father Stoick the Vast was. His father was every bit of the traditional image of a Viking and sadly Hiccup wasn't that. Yet whenever he got sad he remembered the first time his father had said he was proud of him. All the same he didn't like being teased or mocked. No-one did really. So while he tried to not show he was upset he fooled everyone but his girlfriend.
Astrid flew right next to him and Toothless her big blue eyes etched with concern. "Hiccup, don't let them get to you. Everybody knows you're an excellent leader; furthermore you're a good Viking in your own way. Beside that you've many excellent attributes that make you an even better person. You're a good, honest, brave and loyal person, very selfless and you have a good heart. You'll make a great Chief one day; I don't doubt that one bit. Everyone wants to hear you and your ideas. You already made big changes to the tribe by helping us all see it matters what's on the inside and that don't jump to any assumptions. So you should be proud of that."
"I am, Astrid. Really I am and I know what you say is true. Nevertheless I do have that reminder from other people that I'm not Viking material. And it just hurts that sometimes people don't accept that I'm not a big brawny and unintelligent Viking. Nonetheless you're right. Things change and we have to just roll with the punches."
"You two lovebirds done with the touchy feely crap? Because if you're done I'd like to get this patrol over with so I can get home and have some yak steaks for dinner!" Snotlout demanded in his rude tone for a second time. He acted like he was about to throw up and even wiggled with disgust. What Astrid saw in Hiccup he didn't think he ever understand at all. After all he was still scrawny, clumsy and weak Viking. Whether he was in fact bigger and better and more adapt to the lifestyle of a Viking then he could fight with swords and maces all which Hiccup couldn't even pick up. So he was defiantly disgusted by how Astrid and Hiccup were close.
"Yum! Yak Steaks! That sounds delicious! We could have some fresh honey poured over them as well!" Tuff comment dreamily as he rubbed his belly and Ruff licked her lips too.
"Yeah let's go find a beehive and get some! I hope we get stingers in our butts! That's so joyfully painful. It hurts but it just feels so good too!"
"Stop it, guys! You're making me hungry too! Furthermore when I get hungry I can't fly Meatlug right since I start thinking with my stomach and not my head! However while we're on the subject of dinner, a few smoked salmon would be great too." Fishlegs murmured with a longing sigh. "Oh I'm getting so ravenous! C'mon, Hiccup! Let's cut this patrol short and get something to eat! I mean none of us had any lunch anyway, in view of the fact that you insistent we do this extremely long patrol."
"Yeah, dork! I mean come on! We've done the impossible many times! I mean we've not seen any signs of danger from either Alvin and his Outcasts or Dagur and his tribe in over week. Let's just take some time off to enjoy ourselves with freshly grilled yak steaks already!"
"Is that all you guys can think of? Filling your bellies when we might be attacked at any second? Do you really think we can just assume we're safe?" Hiccup challenged to his friends. He was trying to guilt trip them. It may be slightly dishonorable, but he wanted the Riders to understand it was important to make sure their home and their families were safe.
"We've gone in every directions three times already! I mean we've been up, down, left, right, and every which way in between. From being upside-down and even inside-out, Hiccup. I think we done an adequate job of patrolling for the day. Maybe we could cut this short and go home for some dinner?" Fishlegs urged hopefully.
"They've got a point, Hiccup. It won't hurt us too much if we go home from some dinner. We've done enough for one day. Even a Viking or Dragon Rider and their dragons need to rest once in awhile." Astrid remarked kindly as she touched Hiccup's left hand. She had a pleading look in her vibrant blue eyes.
Hiccup looked like he was stewing it over in his mind. Finally he let out a sigh and said, "Alright, we'll cut this short and go back home for dinner. But tomorrow we do double the time to make sure everything is okay, got it everyone?"
"Yeah we got it, Hiccup!" they all replied and turned their dragons around. Even the dragons seemed very happy that they're going home to eat their own dinner. They had big appetites that much was for sure. So each of them bellowed a fireball up in excitement and gladly took their rider back home.
"We'll take the shortcut through Thor's Woods. That will get us home faster! Just stay with in earshot and make sure to be watchful!" yelled Hiccup to the other Riders and they banked left to head home. Sighing he petted Toothless who made his gurgling smile with his teeth missing. "You're good aren't you buddy? When we get home I'll make sure you get some great dinner to eat."
Almost immediately one and all were in another race home. "Last one home is a Hiccup!" Snotlout chortled as Hookfang flamed up and took off with great speed. Close behind was the twins, with Astrid and Fishlegs in last place. Only Hiccup didn't race home in joy. He was still feeling confused and worried. Feeling mixed up wasn't a good feeling. So he rode home in silence. Everyone else was almost out of sight when he heard something.
"Help me! Help me! I'm scared and alone! Help me!" called out a faint child's voice. He and Toothless immediately came to a screeching halt. He hovered for a moment trying hard to listen for the voice again. To make sure his ears weren't playing tricks on him. Listening to the wind he tried to be absolutely silent to make sure he heard that voice once more.
"Help me! Help me please! I'm scared and alone! Someone please help me!" cried out the child's voice for a second time.
"I'm coming! C'mon, bud! We've got to go help that child!" and they took off east to follow the voice. In next to no time they too were out of eyesight. They couldn't hear or see the other Riders and it didn't seem they noticed at first that they're gone. They're too concerned with their empty stomachs.
Hiccup's excellent flying skills that he'd hone to perfection helped the pair easily navigate the dense woodland. He kept trying to listen to the child's voice. He even had Toothless try to use his echolocation to make an effort and locate where the voice was coming from. Dusk was falling fast and it was getting chiller by the minute. Still Hiccup was determined to find this child and help them out. All of sudden they had to pull up fast or risk smacking into a pair of intertwined trees. They scarcely missed it however Hiccup lost his grip on his prosthetic foot and tumbled off Toothless. The Night Fury only just had enough time to get to the ground to catch his best friend. Hiccup up was shaken but alright.
"I'm alright, bud. Nothing to worry about. Everything's okay. Now where in Odin's name are we? And where is this child?" he wondered out loud. He knew right away he was in a place he didn't recognize at all. He'd in no way in his life been to this part of the Berk Island. In fact as far as he could tell not a soul had been in this particular part of the woods in forever or longer. It was just totally desolate as well as quiet. Still he knew he needed to work swiftly and unearth this child and get home before the hoarfrost set in for the night. So he carefully began to tread lightly and carefully making his way all the way through the dense forest to the voice. Toothless seemed a bit edgy but kept close behind.
It was about this time when the other Riders were almost home when Astrid become conscious to the fact that Hiccup wasn't with them. She turned back to ask Hiccup if they could've dinner together and enjoy it by eating outside watching the sunset. It startled her big time when she saw that Hiccup wasn't with them anymore. Instantaneously she had Stormfly shoot her tail spikes at the other Riders.
"What the hell?! What's going on, Astrid?!" demanded a livid Snotlout as he turned to face the fair-haired Viking beauty.
"Guys! Hiccup's missing! He's not behind us anymore. We've got to circle back and find him! Hurry before it gets any darker! It's not safe to be alone at night, even if your dragon's a Night Fury!" she ordered them sternly as she took off back towards Thor's Woods.
"Do we have to do this? Hiccup can find his own way home!" moaned Snotlout loudly, but he did turn around to go back towards the woods. The other Riders glared angrily too for they really wanted to eat, but they followed Astrid too back to the woods.
Hiccup pulled his fur vest tighter around his body as he and Toothless made their way through the harsh terrain. The hours of darkness were approaching faster and he could already see their breath frozen in the air. It wasn't easy to maneuver because of the thick bushes and uneven ground. All this time Hiccup kept following the sound of this child's voice. Eventually the pair found a small cavern just beneath them. As they approached Hiccup swore he could smell lilacs, yet that was impossible, in view of the fact that each and every one the flowers were already dead for the season. Still the sweet scent of fresh lilacs filled his nose.
He circumspectly climbed down the side of rocky outcrop to the cavern's entrance. Toothless screeched a warning. Hiccup gazed his dark green eyes into the golden ones of his best friend. "Don't worry, Toothless! I'm okay! Just stay put, okay?" Hiccup said comfortingly as he eased his way to the cavern. Taking a deep breath he swung on a tree root and jumped down to cave. It wasn't a very big cave. A full grown Viking like his father or Gobber won't fit, but himself being diminutive along with skinny he shouldn't have a problem. The scent of the lilacs was even stronger now. Picking up a small branch he held it up, "Toothless? A little light, please?" Toothless ignited the branch and Hiccup began to cross the threshold into the cavern. "Hello? Anyone here? I've come to help! Hello?"
The inside of the cave was extraordinarily spine-chilling. It had an eerie phantomlike green glow to it, and it looked again like the rest of the surroundings, as if it hadn't ever seen human or dragon life before. Water droplets dripped steadily. Yet that strange scent of lilac was more prominent then ever. "Hello? Hello! Anyone here?" he cried out again. Then he heard it. Someone was crying, but they'd stop abruptly he heard a voice call out to him, "Hello? Am I no longer alone?"
"No, I'm here to help you! Where are you? Tell me where you are!" he cried out for a second time. Then all of sudden he was blinded by radiant whitish lilac light. It filled the cavern and he fell hard and fast. It was so bright that the other Riders saw it fill the night skies as bright as day. Toothless let out numerous plasma blasts in an effort to get the other Riders there.
The other Riders in next to no time arrived and Astrid quickly calm down Toothless before making the trek to find Hiccup. She found him lying seemingly unconscious on the cave floor. Though too her at least he looked untouched. Like there was no visible reason for him to be unconscious. He didn't have a bruise on his head like when the Red Death's tail had smacked him. And there wasn't a way for him to be hit by lighting like the other time he'd been knocked out. She called for the other Riders to come and help her get her and Hiccup.
"We need to get him home! Something really wrong! I can feel it in my bones on this one! I'll ride Toothless. Stormfly? You'll have to fly on your own back home. Can you do that girl?" Astrid asked her dragon who simply bowed her head and the Riders took off for their village.
Yet a distant voice called out after them as they disappeared into the horizon. "Hey! Hey guys! Don't leave me! I'm right here! Hey! Toothless! Astrid! Guys?! Anyone! I'm still in the cave!" It was Hiccup's voice yet they couldn't hear him. And now standing at the mouth of cavern was a glowing orb of green energy.