Chapter Eight:
"Oh my gods, is that what I think it is?" Astrid asked as Valka swung open the door and Gobber hobbled inside carrying the juvenile white dragon. It was whining in pain and fear. His back leg was badly broken, a cheap tactic for Dagur to lure the mother Bewilderbeast to him.
"Get outta the way. This thing innit as light as it looks."
"Dr. Haddock!" Snoutlout shouted.
Valka smiled and calmly responded, "Y'know, Snotlout, you should try talking in volumes other than utter despair and alarm. It will make whatever argument you have much more compelling."
Snotlout chose to ignore her. "What were you thinking? Of all the crazy ideas! Couldn't you pick a dragon that doesn't spit ice and have parents that are the size of the Empire State Building? This thing is definitely NOT trainable."
"How do you know? Have you tried?" Hiccup smirked.
"No! Because I happen to like living."
"Quit yer yapping. Move outta the way. I'm gonna put this thing on the table. We need ta set its leg."
As Valka cleared the table, Hiccup and Fishlegs trailed behind her, excited about the Bewilderbeast. Flurries of "I didn't think they existed" "I didn't know Hammond made Bewilderbeasts." "They weren't on the first island" "I wonder how big they get" and "Do they have a homing beacon like the Red Death" spewed from the over-eager dragontologists' lips.
Astrid and Snotlout stayed out of the way. The twins stood on their tiptoes to try to see over the adults' shoulders. Valka barked orders to Gobber, who was struggling to restrain the infant. "I need some morphine o' somet'ing, Val. He's struggling somet'ing fierce." He pulled his belt off and used it to create a makeshift muzzle, which effectively silenced the infant.
Valka opened up the human first aid kit and then her veterinary one. She slipped on the latex gloves and then grabbed a needle and the morphine bottle from the veterinary first aid kit. "We don't know what his metabolism is, so let's just start with this dosage. Hiccup, grab the portable ultrasound machine from the vet kit." Hiccup handed his mother the ultrasound machine as she stuck the infant Bewilderbeast with the needle. Almost immediately the infant calmed. Valka bit her lip, worried she may have given him too much of a dosage.
Valka took the ultrasound from her son and rubbed it over the leg. "Ah look there's the fracture. We can set a splint nice and easy."
"Hey Hiccup…" Tuff started but Hiccup waved a dismissive hand as he tried to help his mother with the baby Bewilderbeast. Tuff stomped his foot on the ground, "Hiccup!" Again, he was dismissed. Ruff glanced outside and saw it too. She took her shoe off and threw it at Hiccup's head.
"Ow! What in all of Valhalla was that for?" Hiccup shouted, rubbing the back of his head. Tuff pointed out the window of the overly cramped camper to the dragons. They were all on edge and Toothless was pawing at the door. Hiccup glanced at Astrid.
Meanwhile Valka and Gobber struggled to maneuver around the mass of people to help the juvenile Bewilderbeast. Finally Valka said, "There's too many people in here. Either make yourselves useful or get out." She pushed the group out of the camper.
Toothless and the other dragons nudged at their riders. They knew that this was a bad plan. Hiccup put his hand on Toothless' snout. "I know, bud. I'm trying to think of a plan."
"Well think of it in the air. We've got company!" Astrid pointed to the pack of Speed Stingers heading their way. "They all look full grown, Hiccup. I don't want to know how deadly their stings are."
Hiccup nodded. "Mount up." The riders did so without hesitation.
As the dragons hovered in the air, Ruff pointed to the trees, "What is that?"
"A High-Hide," Snotlout replied. After seeing the confused faces of his companions he elaborated, "A High-Hide. You know you go high and you hide. A High-Hide. It's one of BioSyn's, I think."
"We should totally hide in there with the dragons!" Ruff said. "That is the dumbest idea I've ever heard. I hereby disown you!" Tuff announced almost instantaneously.
"Actually, I kind of like that idea…" Hiccup started.
"Welcome back to the family," Tuff clasped his hand on his sister's shoulder. She promptly grabbed his hand and twisted it backwards.
Hiccup glanced at the High-Hide and back to the group. "Okay, here's the plan…we're going up into the High Hide so we're away from all these Speed Stingers and the dragons won't get too tired from flying too long carrying us. We'll send them to hide as well and Fishlegs will use his dragon calling expertise if we need a fast getaway."
"How long are we waiting?"
"Just until my mom and Gobber are finished splinting the baby Bewilderbeast. I don't want to take any chances."
"This is a mess. Your mom and Gobber have a baby Bewilderbeast that's injured. Hiccup, you know the stories about Bewilderbeasts better than anyone. And the Speed Stingers on the ground are going to prevent them from getting out of the camper. Remember what happened to Heather in the Maintenance Shed on Site A? The camper's doors aren't as reinforced," Astrid said.
"Thank you for summing that up," Hiccup sighed.
"Uh, guys, I hate to be the bearer of worse news," Fishlegs squeaked, "But mommy is very angry." Fishlegs pointed across the horizon. There was a path of ice. The mother Bewilderbeast was destroying everything in its path as she searched for the infant. In the distance they heard the Bewilderbeast roar. The lead Speed Stinger squawked and the pack raced off. They knew the Bewilderbeast was angry and the flightless dragons didn't want to be around when she took her anger out. "Yep," Fishlegs concluded. "Very angry."
"Toothless," Hiccup called out to his Night Fury who arrived almost immediately. Astrid grabbed his arm before his tried to jump out of the High Hide. "I have to warn my mom, Astrid." Astrid nodded. She pulled him in for a quick kiss before releasing him. Hiccup jumped onto Toothless' back. "Don't worry, I'll be careful."
Astrid shot him a glare. "Just make sure you don't lose your other leg. Last time you went up against a colossal dragon you came back to me missing limbs. I don't think you'll make a good pirate with two peg legs."
"Leg jokes, always funny. Don't worry, milady, I'll be careful. Always am."
As he took off, Fishlegs leaned over to Astrid, "Um, he's…"
"…Not ever careful when it comes to dragons. I know," Astrid snapped.
Before Hiccup could get close enough to the camper with Toothless to warn his mother, the Bewilderbeast landed on the ground, shaking it. Inside the camper Gobber and Valka grasped onto the table to steady themselves. Valka peered outside and upon seeing the huge white legs of the mother Bewilderbeast, she gasped. "We need to set this splint quickly. Something pliable that will break off as he gets older. And fast, mommy's here. And I don't think she knows that we're helping her baby."
Gobber nodded and continued to hold the baby down. The mother Bewilderbeast knocked the camper with her tusks, rocking it slightly. She sniffed the camper. Valka and Gobber stayed completely still. "This isn't hunting behavior, Gobber. She's searching for her baby."
"Well let's not disappoint 'er then," Gobber responded. He pulled the muzzle off of the juvenile Bewilderbeast, and the dragon immediately began to cry out for its mother again. At the sound of the cries the mother Bewilderbeast roared and nudged the camper again. Gobber slowly hobbled down the stairs and presented the juvenile to the mother. Her eyes dilated at the sight of her baby. Once Gobber placed the infant on the ground, it climbed onto its mother's tusk. The mother flew away.
In the camper, Valka and Gobber breathed a sigh of relief. Hiccup collapsed onto the back of Toothless and rubbed the palms of his hands in his eyes. The nubs on Toothless' ears twitched. Hiccup's mobile phone rang. He answered it, surprised that the ever-malfunctioning phone even received service here. On the other line was Astrid. "Hiccup? Hiccup! You gotta get your mom and Gobber outta there! The Bewilderbeast is coming back. And she's mad! Fishlegs tried calling…Snotlout shut up! Fishlegs tried calling for the dragons but there's no sign of them yet."
"Oh gods," Hiccup sat up and looked down at the forest. The Bewilderbeast was trampling trees and freezing everything in its path. Once she approached the camper she froze one side of it, effectively barricading the door and locking Gobber and Valka inside. The mother dragon roared and knocked the camper, lifting it onto two wheels. Hiccup watched helplessly from the air. As the camper slammed onto the ground, the entire power supply was knocked out.
[a/n] I suppose it's kinda mean to leave you with a slight cliffhanger. I hope you enjoyed it anyway. And you got two chapters in the same week. Next chapter should be up before Thanksgiving. J