Back to the action! Finally! So, what was the plan the teens made last night? Find out here!
Guest: To this story? No, I don't think there will be, sorry.
Guest: Thank you very much! I'll take it as a complement. In fact, when I love something enough, I do exactly the same thing
Guest: No, It wasn't supernatural, sorry. I like to keep it believable to those who don't believe in that stuff. However, it was a cool theory that I really liked
Guest: Well, come on! Fishlegs is lovely, I like him and I have a few friends of whom he's their favourite character
Guest (I hope you can all tell who's who!): I'm glad I could give you that feeling, it means I'm succeeding in my ambition! Also, I quite like that too. I can't remember the technical term for it, though, when the audience knows something that the characters do not. Help, anyone? Sorry that 'recovery' was boring, it was boring to write too.
Guest: I don't think I have a chance to put it in, but I'll try. However, I'll ease your mind and say she didn't really care for Snotlout at all.
Ruffnut leant against a wall, watching the sky above her. The rain of the day before had cleared once again, leaving the air fresh, cool and clear, with little white clouds scudding across the crystal-blue sky. She was relaxing in the shade, having left the Infirmary once again, too bored to stay. Her lids drooped in the warmth of the day, taking deep breaths of the clear air.
Suddenly, something caught her eye. Something high above, in the sky, something that wasn't the right shape to be any kind of dragon she knew. She watched as it came closer, squinting and pushing herself upright, as if it would make her see more clearly. Before she could even make it out properly, she knew what, or rather who, it might be.
Kat flew, hard and fast, towards the centre of Berk. She was intent on causing as much damage as possible. Maybe she would raid the Armoury today, or the food stores, or perhaps some of the houses for any treasures. The chief's chest looked particularly enticing. Down in the square, she spotted a figure she recognised, running for the centre of town.
"Sound the alarm! Sound the alarm! She's back!" Ruffnut bawled at the top of her lungs, streaking through the street.
"Blueflame, take me down! This was meant to be a surprise attack and I'll not have her ruin it!"
Blueflame obeyed her command willingly, swooping down and allowing his rider to leap off, drawing her sword as she did so. She pounded after the twin, weapon raised, ready to strike. Ruffnut glanced back over her shoulder, snatching a glimpse of her pursuer. She put on a burst of speed, determined not to let her catch up, but Kat was furiously fast and light on her feet. A hot, burning pain was welling up in her back, slowing her down, making it hard to breathe.
"Fishlegs, now!" She heaved as she turned a junction into a small group of houses. Kat skidded to a halt as the hulking figure burst out of the shadows, hammer raised above his head, ready to bring it down upon her. Her sword flashed up in an instant, pointing straight at him. With a shriek, he recoiled, memories of the last time he met her still flashing through his mind, all too fresh. Her cold eyes bored into his. He staggered back as the sword flashed closer, pressing him back into the shadows from whence he came.
"Coward!" She snarled mockingly. "Stay back, or I'll slit the throats of everyone you love! You know I will!" Fishlegs gulped as she hissed like a cat. "Drop the hammer. Drop it, I say!" With a sword at his throat, there was nothing more he could do. He let it fall at her feet, narrowly missing her toes. Keeping her sword held high, she lifted the weapon and tossed it away, as far as she could throw it. Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and strode out across the street.
Stopping in the centre of the dusty road, she looked across to where the twin was leaning against a wall, catching her breath. "You're getting out of shape, Ruffnut," she taunted, "Look at you, heaving away; meanwhile, I've hardly broken a sweat."
"Yeah, well, that's your fault." She looked up from between her long braids, the shadow they cast on her face not enough to cover the dark rings under her eyes nor the hollow look within them. Her breathing was ragged and shallow, sweat beading her brow.
"So, how's it going, your healing? Not too painful, I hope." Her voice was sickly and smooth, like silk.
"What do you care?" Anger boiled up within the sister. "You don't care about anything. You haven't got a heart." She pushed herself upright, staggering towards her foe, a mean snarl on her face. "You disgust me. Hag"
Kat's eyebrows rose in a flash. "Say that again..." She dared, teeth bared in a furious snarl.
"I said you're a hag! Are you deaf?" Ruffnut's voice rose to a shout. She tossed her braids out of her face, eyes narrowed.
"I may be a hag, but I won't soon be dead!" With a furious war-cry, Kat charged. Ruffnut's face fell from angry to afraid in a matter of moments. She turned to run, but there was no-where to go. Tall walls stretched up all around her. Ducking a vicious swing, she skittered away, searching again for a weapon, but there was nothing around her. Fishlegs was still searching for his hammer, oblivious to the situation behind him. Spinning about, she caught sight of Kat coming for her again. The sword flashed in the sunlight, heading straight for her breast.
Time seemed to stand still as the sword descended, swiping through the air. Tilting her head back, the twin closed her eyes, preparing to take her last breath, knowing there was no way out of this. All of a sudden, at the last minute, she was swept aside, dumped roughly on the ground. She heard the clash of metal on metal, looked up bemusedly at the sight of her brother, sword-to-sword with their sworn enemy.
"Don't touch my sister!" He roared. Their weapons parted, clashing together again.
"I'll do as I wish!" she threw his blade away, trying to bring hers back to his neck before he could block, but was too slow.
"If you touch her, I'll gut you and then give you to Snotlout. He'll gut you again!"
Kat pulled back, pacing away, circling like a vulture, her sword still up and ready. "Oh dear, and how is my little Snotty-poo? Is he still hurting?"
"You wish!" Tuffnut shot back. He glanced down momentarily, seeing that his sister was gone, but, as much as he wanted to, he couldn't take his eyes off Kat for a second, in case she struck.
"Your delightful little sister is cowering away over there." The runaway gestured with her sword.
"As long as she's away from you, I don't care where she is." His words were icy and sharp. She scowled at him meanly.
There was a moment of lull, where Tuffnut was almost convinced that Kat was going to just turn and walk away, that she would forget the whole thing, that she would fly away on Blueflame and never return. However, it was not to be, as in a second, she jumped forward, feigning right, then brought her sword about, far too quickly, and dragged it straight across his stomach.
The white-hot pain was blinding. He dropped the sword with a cry, doubling over, clasping his stomach, retching as the blood wormed its way between his fingers. Kat twisted her sword and struck again, slamming the flat of the blade into his cheek, sending him crashing to the floor. The runaway loomed over him, disgust written all over her features. His anguished moans had no effect on her, her cold, heartless eyes showing no flicker of emotion.
His sister, thinking fast, shot forward, snatched up her sibling's fallen sword and threw herself at their foe, intent on driving the blade straight into her heart. Kat recoiled, only just managing to dodge out of the way as she was caught by surprise. Another swipe took the sword from her hand.
"What's the matter, Kat? Run out of steam?" Ruffnut snarled, glaring. Without a single word, the runaway dashed to pick up her weapon again, storming down the street as she was chased off by a vengeful twin. However, it was only a matter of moments before Ruffnut gave up completely and rushed back to her brother's side.
"Tuff, speak to me!" She yelled, dropping to her knees. Fishlegs was already there, a tangle of bandages in his hands pressing firmly down on the wound to stop the bleeding.
"That little rat! Odin's beard!" He exclaimed. Ruffnut breathed a silent sigh of relief. If her brother could sit and curse to the heavens, he couldn't be too badly hurt.
"That was pretty impressive, both of you!" Fishlegs applauded, letting the sister take over. He checked Tuffnut's temperature and colour, then lifted the bandages momentarily to check the depth of the wound. "I don't think it's that deep, so it should be fine, but we still need to get you to the infirmary. Same with you, Ruff, you're looking pale."
"Oh, shut up, I'm fine!" She complained. In reality, there were just too many things causing her slight ill-feeling to name. Rapidly, the sister changed the subject. "At least that's the first stage over with, right?"
"Yeah," The plump Viking nodded knowingly, heaving Tuffnut to his feet with her help, "let's just hope the others can finish the rest of the plan quickly..."
I'm very sorry for the wait on this chapter. I won't say it's writer's block, because it's not really, I just have a bad case of business and procrastination. Anyway, it's here now, and there is a one-shot on the way to look out for too. Thanks to all!