Chapter Fifty-Nine: What lurks beneath the water -Part 2-
Toothless was way faster than lightning.
At least Hiccup felt like he was as the dragon shot only inches over the ground towards where the screams had come from.
He still thought it was too slow.
The bad feeling in his stomach made him sick.
Another helpless scream, high and familiar yet Hiccup had never heard it before.
Toothless shot around a corner and reared back. Hiccup hold onto the saddle and the dragon landed with a heap.
The sight in front of him burned itself into Hiccups brain.
The beach was a mess. The sand was churned; parts of the cliffs lay all around. The sea seemed more restless.
But it was the dark shade that just as Hiccup arrived disappeared under the water and the sight of Nightlight and George standing fire-spiting and with his sword drawn over something in the sand which, as Hiccup realized with great horror, was Kate.
He was off Toothless's back before the dragon had settled down and rushed next to Kate's side.
She was lying on her side, clenching her left shoulder.
Hiccup felt the blood leave his face when he saw the blood that covered her arm, her shoulder, her chest and about everything of her.
He pushed her hair out of her face and made soothing noises.
Her eyes were dilated and glassy. Sweat covered her brow.
"Kate…Kate! Can you hear me?" he called frantically.
She made strange strangled noises in the back of her throat and her eyes rolled wild in their sockets.
Carefully he moved her hands aside to see the real damage.
He felt the sickness rise in his stomach but he forced it down. Kate needed him.
The wound didn't look like much at the first gaze.
Three puncture wounds arranged in a triangular, blood oozing from them.
But it was the green substance that came out with it and he couldn't judge how deep they were.
Without thinking Hiccup tore stripes off his tunic, wrapping them tightly around the bleeding shoulder.
He threw a glance over his shoulders at George, who was still standing with his sword drawn a few meters behind him should the thing decide to come back to finish what it had begun. "What happened?" he asked with a slightly shaking voice.
"I'm not entirely sure. It went all very fast. One moment we were inspecting this pass and the next second something shoots out of the water and tackles us. All I know is we go down and then I hear Kate scream. Nightlight was shooting fire when I got up. I ran to help Kate but she was already down." "What attacked you?" "I couldn't see it clearly. But it was huge, black and really, really nasty." "Is that all?" "I just saw how it lunged itself at Kate. What's the matter? Is she alright?" "She's bleeding. I think whatever attacked her bite her. Help me get her onto Toothless."
For once the two boys didn't disagree. Mutual concern for their wounded member and friend pushed all differences aside.
Within seconds Kate was seated in front of Hiccup and he had laid one arm protectively around her. "You have to take Nightlight. Think you can manage that?"
It wasn't a real question. He would leave George here to get Kate into safety and they both knew it.
George swallowed hard but nodded, his eyes darting back to Kate.
"Okay. See you in a few." Hiccup said, already rising up.
Halfway back he met up with Josh. He too had heard the screams but it had taken him longer.
His eyes widened when he saw the bloody Kate in Hiccups grip and his hard face.
"What in God's name happened?" he asked silently as Zhang turned sharply and now flew next to Hiccup.
"Something attacked Kate and George. She's hurt. Please tell me there is some kind of safe cave where we can tread her!"
Josh looked uncomfortable.
"It's only a hole in the cliff-side and on ground-level and will fill up with water when the flood comes but it should do. Speaking of which, where is George?"
"That's okay for now. Only something that provides some kind of security. And George…Hopefully somewhere behind us with Nightlight." Hiccup answered.
Josh nodded and took the lead.
Josh was right. A hole in the side, barley big enough for them all, the cave was nothing more.
But Hiccup didn't care.
"Bring me her bed-roll!" He ordered Josh. "And that small brown bag that hangs on my saddle. And take one of the shirts and tear it into long stripes." He added as he carried Kate over to the wall.
Josh did as told and Hiccup carefully laid Kate down.
She was shivering, still conscious but her eyes, which pointed two different ways, were all glassy and she mumbled incoherent things and hang on to Hiccups arm.
He stroked her hair, whispering nonsense to calm her and carefully unwrapped the makeshift bandage.
Josh fell down next to him, not only carrying his bag but also water and the bandages.
"Thanks." Hiccup mumbled and tore the bag open and turned it around out rolled a crystal the size of his thumb and formed like tear.
Frigg's Tear.
He rolled the tear between his fingers and held it over the wound.
"What are you doing?" Josh asked.
"Hush!" Hiccup mumbled and concentrated.
The stone started glow and Hiccup wanted to burst into tears, when the glow suddenly faded and the crystal turned black.
It grew colder and colder and suddenly, without any warning, it shattered in his hand! Broken into million little pieces.
"NO!" he whispered shell-shocked.
Panic rose in his chest. Without the tear…
Okay, calm down, he ordered himself. How? Your friend is dying, answered the small panicked part of his mind.
You can do this. Remember what Gouthi taught you all and what Gobber said, he told himself.
He opened his eyes, which he hadn't realized, he had closed.
"Josh, I need my satchel." Josh nodded and returned only moments later with it. Hiccup opened it.
Inside was a variation of dried herbs he had taken with him just in case of emergencies.
This was an emergency!
"I need boiling water. Give me that mug."
Hiccup grabbed the mug with water and his hand caught fire. Within seconds steam rose from the water and he put it down.
"Apply pressure on the wound. I need both hands for this." Josh nodded.
And suddenly George was next to them.
"What can I do?" he asked. Hiccup handed him some leaves. "Crush them and put them into the mug."
Hiccup didn't know much about healing but what he knew was basic enough to deal with all kind of injuries at least for a while. It was a standard thing in Dragon-Training if you lived on an island where you could get burned and bitten every few meters. He also knew how to basically deal with poisons since there were a lot of poisonous dragons.
He silently thanked Gobber who had drilled these things into his head from an early age on.
George nodded and set to work while Hiccup instructed Josh to wash Kate's wound with some of the other water.
Hiccup himself sprinted back to his many sadly bags and started rummaging through them. He grabbed a spoon and turned around to Josh. "Please tell me you still have those wild peas you found back on that one island." "Those disgusting small yellow things? Maybe. Check out the small side-pockets." Josh said and pointed at his own bags.
Hiccup nearly cried with joy when he found the relatively dry yellow peas.
He hurried back where George was stirring the herb-water mixture.
"Josh have you cleaned the wound?" he asked.
"Yes. But there's still this green something in it." "Then hold her down, this is going to hurt her, you too George. Fix her legs and arms so she won't punch me. And hand me that."
He took the mug and the other two boys took their positions.
"I'm sorry Kate." He whispered and carefully poured the steaming liquid over the three puncture wounds that still bleed and oozed green slime.
Hopefully the herbs would slow down an infection or even prevent it and calm the agitated nerves and dull the pain.
Kate buckled underneath their grip and cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Hiccup forced himself to not look at her face.
He didn't use the entire brew but saved a small rest; he put the peas inside and started smashing them with the spoon and mixing it all to a thick paste.
He glanced at the others that were still holding Kates limbs. George was talking to her and had put one hand on her forehead while Josh had changed the cold wraps he'd made around her legs against the fever. She struggled weakly against them.
For a brief second their eyes met.
Green in green and Hiccup was sure that even through her fever clouded, foggy mind she could see him clearly.
There was a silently plea in her eyes.
Help me.
The she shuddered and gasped for breath, breaking their connection.
He snapped out of his daze and hurried back to her.
"I'm sorry Kate but it'll make you feel better." He silently only for him added: I hope.
As softly as possible he applied the paste on the three holes and Kate flinched under his touch, tensing and whimpering.
Unconsciously he made soothing noises and talk to her. Little, meaningless things. About how she kicked his ass every time they sparred, how they had escaped her dads palest, how dumbfound he'd felt when he'd discovered who she was.
He thought he felt her relax more and more.
"Hand me a few of those bandages." He mumbled and started wrapping her shoulder.
When he was finished he smiled at her and carefully helped her sip at some cold water.
"Sleep Katie. We'll be here. You did great."
She was asleep as soon as he finished his sentences.
Sighing the three leaned back and breathed for what felt like the first time since the attack.
The adrenalin faded.
Josh was shaking.
"What do we do now?" George asked.
Hiccup sat back on his feet and took a deep breath.
"Honestly? I'm not sure."
George scoffed. "That's so typical." He grumbled and leaned against the cave-wall.
"I mean I'm not sure if we can with Kate in this condition." Hiccup snapped.
"Why, what do you have in mind?" Josh asked, trying to ease the tension between the two.
"We need to find a healer. Or someone else good enough to heal Kate. She's pretty sick and I think bite was poisonous. This won't do for long."
"And how do you think we'll do that?" Josh asked calmly.
Hiccup sighed. "While you flew left and right your ways, I went up. The wind is horrible and it's pretty dangerous. But I think once the wind calms it should be easier to make it over the pass."
"Should?" Josh asked.
"Well, it's still very far up and there's always a constant current flowing around the edges."
There was silence.
"When are we going?" Josh finally asked, knowing there was no other way. Hiccup was right. They couldn't waste time trying to fly along the coast-line. Kate didn't have this time.
"Tonight." Hiccup said. "Or more: As soon as the flood comes."
There was stunned silence.
"That is madness." George hissed.
"That is what we have to do." Hiccup shot back.
"What tells you the wind won't be worse?"
"Nothing but it's the only thing we can do. At least if you don't want to drown it is. We just have to hope and have faith."
"So you want to sit around and wait for the wind to calm down so we can fly over the pass?" George asked with gritted teeth.
Hiccup shot him a cold look. "If you have a better idea, please share it with everybody, we're all listing." He hissed.
George stayed silent but his fists were clenched.
He made a step towards Hiccup who instantly went into a defensive posture.
But George only help his finger under Hiccup nose and said through gritted teeth: "Because Kate's dying. You better not get us all killed Haddock!"
"You better not slow us down. We won't stay behind for you!" Hiccup hissed back.
Josh had to step between them or the two would have killed each other then and there.
AN: Oh no poor Kate! What will happen now? I'll speed things up a bit but don't worry, I'll make sure it'll all make sense.
Reviews please!
Love, peace and out, Kate!