A/N-So, this chapter is rather short, but stick around as the climax approaches...and also for those following my Book of Dragons, los of my laptop recently has delayed updates to that but as soon as I get it back I'll post the next entry.

Before we move on, a quick reply to a guest review:

THE FIRE KING: There are 6 books in the series, but while we are already more than halfway through Book 5, we have a long ways to go. I have yet to finish writing the final draft for Book 6, which is already 260 written pages and likely has at least 50-80 pages left before I wrap it up. There's a lot to cover in the ending tale...

Chapter 17

Suspense

When things don't start happening, the pressure of waiting builds up rapidly. Two days after Camicazi's secret became public knowledge (the reactions of which were side-splitting), there was still no word of what we knew to come, and the relaxed atmosphere I'd helped provide for the team with the party was beginning to wear off. Tension was rising again, and it was starting to affect us all once more.

Snotlout had become crankier than usual, lashing out at people for the littlest of issues, and it had become Fireworm's duty to pull him away before anything heated up too badly (ironic considering the kind of dragon Fireworm was). The twins were also becoming really rowdy. Up until that point they'd managed to mostly behave themselves, a shocking turn of events, but now they had pent up energy, and it was starting to leak out.

I caught the two of them behind Heather's temporary dwelling, laying out some sort of contraption I couldn't begin to describe. "You two realize she will hang you up by your toes off of Cliff Point if she catches you, right?" I quipped, causing both of them to yelp in shock as I materialized out of the shadows. "Yaahh! Aw, come on Hawken, we haven't had any decent fun in weeks!" Tuffnut complained. I shook my head and grabbed both of them, dismantling their would-be prank apparatus in the process and taking off, gliding over the village with the two hanging from my paws as I searched for their dragon.

Barfbelch, to his credit, was doing his part of help set up a canvas-covered space for the other tribes to meet and eat when the Great Hall crowded over. The Zippleback occasionally tagged along in his riders' mischief, but was far more level-headed by comparison. He looked up as I flared to land, and the expression on both heads immediately darkened. ::Where'd they get off to this time?:: the left head muttered tiredly. ::Something behind Heather's temporary residence, which has been dealt with,:: I responded. ::See if you can get them to direct their restlessness to something helpful for once.:: I dropped the two in the dirt, letting the Zippleback take over before turning and heading for the chief's house.

It wasn't the first time in the past few days Ruff and Tuff had been caught. I'd witnessed on three separate occasions either Barfbelch or Toothless dumping the pair in the harbor, something the latter certainly couldn't afford to be getting tied up with too often (probably why he just resorted to dumping them and calling their dragon). Hiccup needed the Night Fury, as fully half his time was now taken up breaking up the little quarrels that erupted between villagers and our allies as they grew restless. After all, they were Vikings who expected a war, and most if not all tribes in the Barbaric Archipelago were still working on getting over their general "shoot first, ask questions later" policy.

As I reached Hiccup's house, I glanced off to the west. Evening was already coming, though at this latitude the sun stayed up for a very, very long time, and the sky was cast in several interesting shades of blue and orange. Focusing back on the house, I caught snippets of Hiccup inside, venting off to Valka. Thornado was resting on top of the house, keeping watch for his wounded rider inside, and Toothless was lying next to the porch outside, looking somewhat concerned.

::Seems like he needs a little space at the moment,:: the dragon muttered. ::It's why I'm out here for now and not in there with him.:: I sighed and headed for the door anyway, nodding to show I'd heard him. "Yeah, I know, but I think he probably could use both of us to keep him level-headed."

I pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside, Toothless rising to his feet and cautiously following. Valka was leaning against Cloudjumper, the two of them looking on toward Hiccup sympathetically from next to Stoick's bed (which had been moved out into the main room so Sigrid and Valka could both check on him more easily). Hiccup himself was pacing fervently back and forth in front of the hearth, rambling away about the day's troubles. When Toothless and I stepped in, all three of them slowed for a moment and glanced our way.

"Forgive me if I'm interrupting something important," I said half-jokingly, stepping to the side and taking a seat by the table. Hiccup sighed and shook his head. "No, no, it's just been a long day," he said tiredly. "I mean, if something could go wrong, it already has. One of the armory beams was getting weak and cracked so we had to replace that, Angnar picked up a sword he thought was misplaced and it turned out to belong to one of the Peaceables which resulted in a fight, and this person thinks that person stole something, the other guy thinks this person isn't pulling his weight, and throw in the twins running around riling up everyone in sight it's just…ugh!"

He slumped down in one of the chairs next to me, and I chuckled, knowing how he felt. "Well, that's the burden of leadership for you," I reminded. "But you do have four chiefs that know what they're doing and I'm not seeing you utilize that as well as you could. After all Hiccup most of them have been at it for at least a decade; you don't have to do everything yourself." I turned and looked at him in the eyes. "I know your father has mentioned the subject to you once or twice: delegate, and spread the burden. Everything does get easier and done faster that way."

Hiccup sighed, closing his eyes for a minute before reluctantly nodding. "I know, I know, it's just…I feel like if I don't see to it personally, it won't get done." "I know that feeling well," I agreed, "but there's a point where you need to have a little faith. I dealt with the scouts for twelve years with the same issues, but sometimes things just have to be allowed to happen as they happen too. No one learns if it's always done right the first time, after all. You of all people should know that well enough."

"Oh, yeah, very funny," Hiccup quipped, trying to ignore the faint laughter coming from Toothless and Valka at my jab. Hearing them I turned to Valka, before standing up and walking over to the bed Stoick was laid out on. I could see him breathing slowly, steadily, his head wrapped in bandages and the sprain on his arm still bound as well.

"How's he doing?" I asked quietly. Valka sighed and placed her hand gently on Stoick's forehead. "No real change," she responded. "He's still in a coma, but not in immediate danger of death anymore. If he at least keeps stable at this stage Sigrid says he should eventually come around." She sat there, staring at her husband, before glancing up at me. "I never did really ask either: why weren't ye able to heal him?"

I shrugged. "Honestly I wish I had a solid answer for that myself," I admitted, sitting down at the edge of the bed. "The gifts I have are God-given, so if He has a different intention than I do, whatever I'm attempting just kind of…cuts off. It's only happened once before that I recall well; Ember had to come around on her own. Stoick apparently has to do the same."

I glanced toward the door. "On the beach I received the thought that maybe some healing takes time. Hiccup and Toothless needed their time apart before they could mend so this could be similar. Or, perhaps, the Lord wants us to focus on something else we have to learn right now. Maybe we have some growing to do, after all the easy path never results on a stronger character."

I looked over at Hiccup, who nodded. "I just wish we could learn it in some other manner," he muttered. I smirked despite myself. "I agree, but as one of my favorite songs puts it, healing comes through tears, and His mercies are often disguised. All we can do for now is wait and see, and be ready for whatever may come." My gaze fell back on Stoick again. "We're all still here, and I have no doubt we'll get through this."

"And we will all fight, Hiccup," Valka added, standing up and walking over to her son, placing her hand on his cheek. He smiled wistfully at the reassurance and leaned into her touch.

Suddenly a frenzied knock sounded at the door, before it swung open, making all of us jump. Camicazi poked her head in, followed by Stormfly, both of them wearing the same anxious expressions. "Sorry if I'm interrupting a moment," she apologized. "No, not at all," Hiccup returned sarcastically before he could catch himself. Cami shot him a deadpan look, before continuing. "Ember just came back in from a scouting mission. Jezebel and Drago's armies were spotted directly to the south of us, coming up through the archipelago straits. At the rate they're traveling they'll be at our shores within two days." She took in a breath, and looked at us with great worry. "Oh and, uh, Ember reported that half the ships were not made of wood. They were stone."

A/N-Alright, I've left plenty of snippets for the things to come, so I want to hear: what are your predictions? A lot is about to come to a head and I want to know what you think will come down...