Hey guys! Unfortunately, no shout-outs this chapter. I know, I'm sorry. :( NEXT chapter! :D I'm busy today, and I wanted to get at least ONE chapter out...
I'll be gone all day today...I'm going bowling! I've never actually been bowling before, so it's exciting. :D I'll probably end up being terrible at it. :P So, enjoy chapter 15! :D
"THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!" a villager shouted. "THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A TALKING DRAGON!"
The other Berkians started shouting in agreement. Stoick raised his hands to silence them all, but it only worked for so long before they continued.
"Our heir has lost his mind!" shouted another villager. "What are we to do now!?"
"We are without a heir!" someone else screamed.
"SILENCE!" Stoick ordered, and the crowd quieted almost instantly. "Hiccup is still the rightful heir of the Hooligan tribe, and nothing is going to change that!"
"But Stoick, the lad's gone crazy!" shouted another villager.
"Listen to yourselves!" Snotlout shouted, stepping forward. No one expected him to speak, which resulted in their silence. "This is Hiccup we're talking about!" Snotlout paced in front of the villagers, glaring at each and every one of them specifically. "Hiccup, who saved your skins when you didn't listen to him about the Red Death! The Hiccup who ended the three hundred year war between vikings and dragons! He was right about dragons, and when you didn't listen to him, people suffered! People died in the battle against the Red Death, when you thought you were all high and mighty trying to stupidly take down the nest on your own!"
No one spoke, listening to what Snotlout was saying, their full attention on him.
"We're all scared right now!" said Snotlout. "I am too, but we can't let our fear cause us to see past the truth! If Hiccup says that there is a talking dragon, then you had better believe we should trust him!"
"But what if it is delirium?" said a villager. "What if the lad really is going crazy?"
"Then there's no harm done!" said Snotlout. "The only way we are ever going to get to the bottom of this thing, is if we go out there, and take down this...Gemsho, as Astrid called it. I say we get a search party set up, and then head out, to find this monster!"
"Are we all in agreement?" said Stoick, stepping forward, standing in between Astrid and Snotlout.
"Well, yeah," said a villager.
"I didn't hear you," said Astrid mockingly. "ARE WE ALL IN AGREEMENT OR NOT!?"
"YES!" the Berkians chorused. "WE AGREE!"
"Then we are gathering up a search party!" said Stoick. "Astrid, did Hiccup say anything about where to find the...Gemsho."
"He said it attacked him and Avril at Raven Point," said Astrid. "If that thing is still on this island, then Raven Point is our first target."
"Okay, then," said Stoick. "Who volunteers to be members of the search party?"
"I'm going for sure," said Astrid. "It's personal, and no one can stop me. This...this monster is making my sister suffer. It's slowly and painfully destroying Hiccup. I deserve to be able to destroy this beast for myself." Stoick nodded, and Astrid moved over to stand somewhere else.
"I'm going with her!" Snotlout stepped up and stood beside Astrid. "Hiccup is my cousin, and no one can hurt my cousin without having to pay the price." For emphasis, he drew his sword and held it over his head, the blade glistening in the candlelight that lit up the room.
"And us!" said Ruffnut and Tuffnut in unison, stepping forward, their spears swaying at their sides as they walked to stand beside Astrid and Snotlout. Astrid looked at them both, not expecting them to volunteer.
"Hiccup's my friend," said Tuffnut.
"And Avril is like a little sister to me," said Ruffnut. "We're going with Astrid and Snotlout as well. We don't care how dangerous it gets."
"Thanks guys," said Astrid as they stood beside her.
The villagers kept shouting their own responses, until there were fifty members of the search party in total, all standing in a straight line.
"Alright then!" said Stoick. "The search party will go out tonight, since that is when the Gemsho attacked the first time. You all have until then to make yourselves ready. Grab your weapons, supplies, or anything else you need, and meet up back here as soon as the sun sets. All other Berkians are dismissed, and do not need to show up tonight when the search party is sent out! Meeting dismissed!"
While people filed out, the search party members started gathering their supplies. Astrid found Snotlout, and approached him in a fast jog.
"Snotlout!" she called. He turned around, just as he was shouldering a satchel.
"What?" he asked, his voice flat and absent of emotion.
"I just...I just wanted to tell you thank you," said Astrid. "Y'know, for standing up like that when everyone was doubting me, and...well, it meant a lot. I'm sure that they never would have believed anything I was saying if you hadn't backed me up."
Snotlout shrugged off-handedly. "Well, you're welcome," he said. "And thank you, too."
Astrid raised an eyebrow in confusion. "You're thanking me?" she asked, and Snotlout nodded. "Why?" she asked. "For what? What did I do?"
"Just the fact that you've been taking care of Hiccup," said Snotlout. "Don't try to deny it, either, because I know you have been. I spoke with Valarie, and I saw you with him when I told you to come to the meeting."
Astrid shut her mouth, finding that it was hanging open awkwardly.
"Yeah, so...yeah, thanks for looking after him," said Snotlout. "I know, it probably sounds strange, me thanking you for taking care of my cousin when I really don't act like I care about him at all. So..." He looked up at her, and smiled. "Thanks."
"You're welcome, Snotlout," said Astrid, a bit taken back by the fact that he was thanking her. It was one thing for Snotlout to show his caring side, but it was a completely different thing for him to openly thank someone. Normally, he wouldn't ever actually thank a person for what they did. He would always brush it off, because he was too prideful. "Let's finish getting ready," said Astrid, changing the subject. "We have a Gemsho to find."