I do not own How to Train Your Dragon, Tangled, or anything. Dreamworks and Disney, respectively, own them.
"Itchy Armpit?" The words were blunt as Cassandra's face, which gave a deadpanned stare at Hiccup and Toothless.
After some delicate interrogation, courtesy of Astrid, it was only a short trip by dragon to the aptly named island, Itchy Armpit. The skies cried as the dragon riders flew at full speed.
The chief shrugged, unable to see what was the matter as his friends agreed. They nodded their heads as the winds blew past them, probably making the most sense with its rushing sound as Cassandra looked at the map again.
"You named an island Itchy Armpit?" Cassandra reiterated with more snark this time.
"Don't blame me. I asked Toothless and that what he said," Hiccup quipped. Toothless warbled something with tones of groaning and frustration like a human. "Toothless, don't give me that. It's not my fault you decided to lick your armpit."
The black dragon groaned again but, this time, smirked. With rapid bobbing dives and soars, he soon took his rider for a trip as he performed a series of acrobatics.
"Seriously?! You're made about this?" Hiccup held on tight, surprised at his best friend's response than the acceleration from a long plunge.
The other riders chuckled as they watched the chief and his dragon argue. Despite the seriousness of the mission, the ride over was refreshing. This was always the case, like the calm before the storm as they flew over, the boy dropping any playfulness when they neared their destination.
From behind Astrid, Cassandra watched Toothless's aerial gymnastics. She hummed, turning her attention to the others, patting Stormfly with a free hand. The blue spiky dragon chirped questionably, tilting her head to the side.
The new girl took notice of the distinctive features of each dragon. From Hookfang's ferocious and traditional design to the chunky, boulder-like shape of Meatlug, it began to dawn in her how each reptile was different.
Some had been obvious, such as the two-headed dragon the twins rode, while Eret's ride needed a double check to see it had a somewhat insect-like shell at the front. Each form held its share of advantages, leaving a question that escaped the girl's mouth before she realized she had been thought about it.
"How come there's only one of...whatever Toothless is?"
Cassandra's question ended the fun as she heard the nearby riders give a slight gasp. Astrid was silent, focusing on the flight. There was no way she'd answer.
This left the others, but Snotlout was busy whistling as Eret unintentionally joined along.
The girl stared at Fishlegs, who was stammering with only the twins to speak.
"Oh, that's right, you're not from around here," Tuffnut broke the silence, chuckling as it an old had been told.
"Yeah, I was wondering when she'd notice," Ruffnut added.
"Notice what?" Cassandra glared, never sure of what to think about the twins. Their time was short, but she could sense a daredevil when she saw one, especially ones as wild as the nuts.
Hiccup sighed, reigning in Toothless as the two braked briefly, returning into formation. His green eyes could be seen staring back from the holes in his helmet.
Cassandra did not know if she had asked a forbidden question. The air tensed, but not enough to diffuse the alarm. If anything, she would describe the atmosphere as awkward, like someone just crashed through the door with cake, bright colors, and overflowing positive energy.
That was one birthday she'd never forget.
She wanted to ask but decided against it as Itchy Armpit appeared. It was like any other island, full of rocks, trees, and other details the girl did not care to observe or list. To her, the topology of the archipelago islands was useless, even as she watched from above as the riders flew past the riocky borders, reaching the forest edge, and landed at the nearest opening, dismounting immediately.
Surprisingly, the forest seemed burnt or scorched, like a war had occurred. That much was obvious. Squinting her eyes, Cassandra could swear they looked like small spikes.
Astrid walked to the lumber, rubbing her hand against the exposed heartwood, counting the rings absentmindedly.
"Timberjacks," she said, looked at the cut from the side. "The slice is too clean."
"I can see that," Hiccup walked up, counting the remaining stumps, all slashed similarly. "But why cut like this?"
"Maybe they were sending a message," Tuffnut commented from atop Belch, swinging his legs as he glanced at the woods. "I mean, it's not a smart idea, but that seems to be the case."
"Yeah, a stupid case. I mean, what, are they trying to warn us or something?" Ruffnut mocked from Barf's head.
"Whatever it is, be careful." Hiccup walked carefully, signaling the riders to do the same. "Perhaps a change in tactic could work."
"Something new? What's that supposed to mean?" Snotlout interjected but was ignored by his chief, who was lost in thought.
Toothless warbled, conversing with the dragons as he tapped Hiccup with his tail. He showed extraordinary restraint, hitting the man's shoulder with the same force as one finger, showing dexterity that few people would have. Pointing to the rocks, the alpha gurgled something before running in that direction as the dragons followed, but not before Hiccup pulled at the mechanism on his saddle.
"Good call. We'll take the front," Hiccup replied as a click was heard. As the dragons left, he led the riders and Cassandra through the woods. The Vikings listened without question, but the new girl stared at the chief as they walked. Everyone had one hand on their weapons.
"What was that?" Cassandra asked.
"What was what?" Hiccup kept his head forward, looking for anything out of the ordinary.
"That...with Toothless. He...made...dragon noises, and you...you understood him?" Cassandra heard some riders, mainly Snotlout and the twins, snicker. Her glares did nothing to stop their mirth. She knew better, but her habits would not allow her to stop working out of habit.
"It's something you learn as you ride a dragon," Eret said, pointing to Hiccup. "And Hiccup and Toothless have this friendship that allows them to communicate without words. It''s amazing, like going into battle and fighting seamlessly with another."
The new girl tilted her head. Her face was befuddled with uncertainty as the Vikings walked past. She shook her head, and the black hair girl soon followed, glancing over her shoulder to see the dragons walk along the cliffside.
Snotlout, unable to keep his thoughts to himself, complained about the idea of separating from the dragons, but no one bothered to pay attention or care. He grumbled and whined but relented, ensuring everyone he'd shove this in their face when this idea went south.
The deforested woods seemed more like a battleground. Each stump jutted out like the bottom of a pitfall, almost like they were threatening the group to trip. Some were like branches stuck in the ground, with others more like century-old trees with so many growth rings that Cassandra wondered how far into the sky they grew.
The pale dirt barely made a sound as she walked, noting how pale it was in comparison. Though there were patches of rich brown here and there, the scorched colors everywhere else served to make the atmosphere eerie. Each step taken felt like it sprung a trap, festering brawling fists.
Cassandra always had her hand on her blade, looking around like a cat on guard. The silence did not sit well with as she moved steadily with the group, standing tall with the hunched Vikings.
Hiccup paused, swiftly lifting a hand to stop the group. A low groan of uneasiness came from him before standing up and looking around. "Something isn't right," he whispered.
"Well of course something isn't right," Tuffnut's voice rose as he batted his mace against his hand. Leaning against one of the tree stumps, caution pushed back against his as he continued to speak. "We haven't crushed anyone with our awesome Viking might—"
"Or seen anyone?" Ruffnut added, flicking a finger between her brother's eyes.
"Seriously?" Cassandra was about to mouth the twins off, but Astrid held her shoulder. She tried to force her way out, but the latter overpowered her, dragging the former.
The shieldmaiden said nothing, searching the graveyard of a forest as she walked forward with Cassandra still in tow, struggling to break free.
"Where is everyone?" Fishlegs asked, dropping his guard. The husky Viking's curious is Ty got the better of him as he investigated.
Looking back, everyone saw quivers full of arrows and bows leaned against stumps. Hiccup walked up to one and traced a finger along the back of one of the bows, seeing no sign of dust.
Cassandra, now free of Astrid's grip, also inspected one of the weapon sets left behind.
"Why would someone leave perfectly good weapons lying around?" She thought out loud, taking one of the bows and quivers for her own much to the ire of the Vikings.
"What?" Cassandra looked back with an incredulous face. "They're just lying there, with dozens spread out."
Hiccup noted with a nod, humming as he glanced down. For a moment, he was a statue filled with his thoughts as Astrid walked up to him.
"What cha thinking about?" Astrid asked.
"I'm thinking...if whoever was here left all these weapons..." Hiccup's green eyes blinked, widening in surprise. "Then that might mean they got what they came for!"
Hiccup ran full speed ahead as Cassandra and the Vikings followed without hesitation. The sea of stumps soon stopped, presenting a fleet of ships docked to the side along a camp.
"This definitely wasn't here last time." Astrid gripped her axe tight as she pulled it out. The smell of metal, wood, and smoke entered her nostrils as everyone gathered around to observe.
The entire facility had been built into the remains of previous raids. Craters and caves had been dug in and covered with wooden fortifications, making them fortresses. An iceberg Hiccup recognized had been altered, the ruins of a previous attack already repaired and altered to adjust for the new surroundings. The rough and ready camp gave off an eerie feeling as the warriors crept closer.
Into the waters, many ships, each bearing a fist logo on its sails, are docked at the piers, loaded with dragon hunters.
"Well what do ya know? The guy at the fortress, sent us to another fortress. What a surprise." Ruffnut's voice cut through the silence as her brother joined in.
"Indeed. Though to be honest forts are the only thing that can survive here, especially when you consider how things get violent—"
"Sometimes by us."
"—brutal—"
"That would be the endless winter."
"—or even—"
"Will you two shut up!?" Snotlout nearly yelled as he inserted himself between the twin, pushing them apart. "We're at another dragon hunter camp and for some reason, Hiccup had us dismount and go on foot! So shut it!"
Astrid and Fishlegs hummed in unison at Snotlout's lecture. After a silent moment, they nodded with a slight cringe. It was odd how the shortest and short-tempered Viking could sometimes be reasonable.
Cassandra recognized the hunters from the bone, stone, and metal they wore; their barbaric aesthetic was unique to them, even in the Northern Archipelago.
"At least these guys are in uniform," Cassandra snarked as she watched men patrol the grounds. Tiny details separated identities, but to the girl and the Viings, everyone could be the same person, only with a different voice.
"What's a uniform?" Tuffnut asked but did not get an answer as Hiccup gestured for everyone to follow.
To Cassanadra's shock, the entire group was led into the
"Can someone remind me why we got off our dragons and walked to the camp?" Snotlout voiced his complaints in a whisper as they neared large wooden barbs.
Carefully, the Vikings tiptoed around nearby hunters, synchronized in movement. Everyone communicated with their hands, signaling where to go as their improvised path took them closer to the facility's heart, sometimes moving as one without a sign.
Cassandra found herself lost, unable to read the Vikings or their movements. She felt a pang of weakness haunting her heart as she recalled the ship that brought her to the archipelago and the moment it was attacked.
To her, it was as if the same men from that night were in front. However, their backs were turned, giving way to a target mark that could be projected from her eyes. The grip on her sword tightened, and her breath hitched.
Hiccup and Astrid noticed this. The former walked over and laced a hand on Cassandra's. The warm touch snapped her out of the daze, but the girl jolted back in response, almost knocking over Fishlegs behind her, if not for the twins at his back.
"What'd you do that for?" Fishlegs cried out in a whisper, controlling his emotions. Only a rough huff was replied.
"Cass, is everything—"
"I'm fine." Cassandra glared at Hiccup, eyeing their surroundings. None of the hunters noticed the group. However, luck was not something to be pushed.
The sentiment became shared as Astrid gripped her axe tighter, and Fishlegs shivered slightly. The group hid behind a nearby lodging, undetected and silent, as they swiftly crept over. No patrols were here, but everyone kept moving as Hiccup and Astrid took the lead, scouting ahead for hunters.
"What are we looking for?" Cassandra asked, turning her head to the sides as she took a few steps forward. Astrid's hand stopped her, alerting her to the group's focus on the ships.
The vessels were gargantuan compared to Viking longships, adorned with spikes, ballistas, and catapults. This would be a warship in Corona, but it was just like any other here. Carts of supplies were pulled onto the deck via ramps, but people in chains accompanied food and water.
The riders studied the new flesh and blood, noting the cotton and coats they were. They wore not a shard of metal or armor, and it was apparent how these people had ventured up the archipelago like Cassandra.
Only now, the riders wondered how many people were taken.
"This changes...a lot," Hiccup commented.
Astrid turned to Cassandra. "Say, Cass, was the ship you came on the only one?" she asked.
Cassandra opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out. She could only recall posters for the New Frontier, with rumors and gossip spreading like wildfire into neighboring towns and colonies. It was how she heard of the ship in the first place, bringing her to her chaotic predicament of Vikings and dragons.
"I think they've been advertising the ships coming up for months." Cassandra shrugged, now speaking. "But I only saw the one ship."
"Just the one?" Fishlegs mulled to himself. "From where I'm looking, I'm guessing it could be a fleet." He continued, looking over Hiccup's shoulder, staring at the people. "Though dusty, their colors are all mixed and matched, like they're coming from all over Midgard. Whatever is going on, there has to have been at least more than one ship."
"Well, all I heard were ships leaving for the New Frontier-the archipelago. So you might be right." Cassandra ran a hand through her black hair, keeping a calm mind as she watched for any hunters that could come around the corner.
"Then we better start getting some answers. And we'll start with the people being brought aboard." Hiccup turned to the group, where Tuffnut and Ruffnut were already holding daggers as Astrid gripped her axe.
Feeling the rush of battle coming, Cassandra began to smile, not just from the adrenaline but from the prospect of coming answers. However, not all of the Vikings were on board with a fight.
"Uh, Hiccup, I hate to remind you, but our dragons are not here!" Snotlout harshly whispered, pointing at the ground in exaggeration to his point.
"He has a point, Chief." Eret was not usually the one to point out the obvious, but at this point, his nerves were beginning to shake. "What exactly are we waiting for?"
Hiccup said nothing, opening a compartment on his belt and picking out a small metal capsule. Without warning, he tossed it a distance.
The casing hit one fo the roofs, bouncing off as its random path against the roof. A crack was made as green zippleback gas trailed behind, leaving a spiderweb that soon attracted the guards.
"What is that?" One of the hunters held his nose as others joined him. "It smells worse than...than..."
Before the statement was finished, Hiccup threw Inferno into the smoke. The explosion was instantaneous and expansive, scorching the nearby lodges as the hunters jumped back before gathering. And to follow up, a roar was heard as Toothless flew in with the other dragons, blasting at the fortifications as everyone scrambled to their catapults and arrows.
A horn was sounded as the ships began undocking.
"That, would be what we're waiting for," Hiccup said as he brought out his shield. "Alright everyone, take out as many as possible while returning to your dragons. Ruff, Tuff, cut off the ships' route. Eret, Snotlout, provide back up. Fishlegs, cover us. Astrid, you and Cass are with me."
Cass ran with Viking as soon as Hiccup gave his order, running over to retrieve his sword. Her blade sliced in the air at the unsuspecting hunters, aiming at leather as steel attempted to clash and defend, adrenaline kicking in as she smiled. The rush of battle was intoxicating as she fought back-to-back with the Vikings.
The dragons dove to the ground, showing off their aerial acrobatics as they barrel-rolled before skimming the earth by feet. The Berkian jumped on as they made their way high into the air, and out of range of the hunter's arrows. With their target in sight, the riders stormed to the boats as they saw sails let loose.
"Everyone, aim for the sails!" A high pulse sound followed Hiccup's command as Toothless's mouth glowed with purple fire. The other dragons did the same as their mouths erupted in flames.
But this fight was not to be so simple as steel domes on the ship opened to reveal more balistas. The hunter ship had transformed into the Viking equivalent of a modern-day dreadnought battleship, and the volley of bolts came out as fast.
"Scatter!" Cassandra did not know who said that, but it did not matter as Stormfly twirled in the air as the group scattered. The girl held onto dear life as the dragons dodged every oncoming spear.
The hunters below began to aid their forces as the last two ships added their ancient missiles to the barrage. It was a deadly storm where one wrong move could turn the riders into shishkabobs, and the fight was not turning to their advantage as the main ship finished loading, now taking off.
Hiccup and Toothless tried to power through, but the sharp rain would not let up. Soon, the riders were suspended in circles as the other ships began to sail off. Balistas and catapults from below were still firing as the dragons reformed, soaring into the sky.
"Hiccup!" Fishlegs cried out, panting feverishly as he collected himself. "There's way too many of those balistas! We can even get close!"
"And the further they get away, the harder it'll be to find answers. We know Fishlegs!" Astrid commented.
"Then what's the plan!?" Cassandra held onto the shieldmaiden, looming her head over the pilot's shoulder. "This can't be a dead end!"
"No." Hiccup's words cut through the tension as he peered at the ships. With a loud sigh, he turned to Eret and Skullcrusher. "Eret, take Snotlout and the twins. Stay close, hidden, and unseen. If we don't catch up with you in time, send a terror mail."
"On it, chief," Eret replied with a salute. Snotlout would have complained, but he knew time was short and kept his thoughts inside as the four Vikings flew off on their three dragons.
"Astrid, Fishlegs, Cass, you're with me. We're gonna end things here. We don't want Drago to have a hunter lodge stationed here."
Fishlegs and Astrid nodded as they drew weapons. Cassandra looked at the ships, wanting to reach out and grab the vessel. A tear almost formed in her eye, but she controlled her emotions, shallowing her grief. She'd get answers, just not now.
Diving down, hiccup led Foishlegs and Astrid across the camp as they set the buildings ablaze, terrifying the hunters as their facilities were torched to the ground, leaving only ashes and smoke. Astrid led Stormfly ahead of any strangers, directing the dragon in firing her tail spines, fencing some of the runaways as she flew towards a balista, slicing its string with a swing of her axe.
Cassandra scoured the remnants of the camp. The boats had been the muscle behind the attack; without them, the station was significantly weakened. She almost wished things would be this easy but knew her karma would not allow it.
Looking to the sea again, she saw something kicking in the waters: a man floating nearby on a piece of wood. It seemed the man had jumped off the ship but barely survived the cold waters as he shivered, frantically kicking his feet to reach the shore.
"Hey, there's someone in the waters!" Cassandra cried out, pointing towards the sea.
Astrid and Stomrfly instantaneously dove towards the waters. Fishlegs and Mealug provided backup as they lava blasted the last house. Scaring off the remaining hunters as they fled. in one fell swoop, Stormfly fished the man out of the cold sea, bringing him to land and dropping him.
The escapee was scruffy, his clothes in attest, and he almost seemed senile despite his young age. His black hair was ill-kept, partially singed at the ends, with dirt all over him that the waters hadn't washed. Or the dirt could be from him kissing the ground, worshipping his freedom as he prostrated.
The Cikings stared at the rescue like he had lost his sanity, but Cassandra wasted no time and dismounted when Stormfly was close to landing.
"Hey, you!" Cassandra cried out, running over.
The man hummed, tilting up as he turned to the girl. He briefly stared at one of his rescuers but screamed as his eyes widened at Cassandra.
"Ah! It's the Traitor of Corona!" he screamed.
Cassandra froze in her steps, her breath hitching as she heard the man.
"What did he say?" Astrid asked as Stormfly walked over.
And another chapter, FINALLY! Pardon the year-long wait, but after finishing up Brave Contests, there was no outline for the coming chapters. Anyway, that's done, somewhat, and so the story can continue. Next Time, Cass thinks about the past and gets some Viking advice.
Thank you all for your patience and reviews! Expect the next chapter much, much sooner than a year.
Reviews:
Jebest4781: Thanks!
Mortal18: Hard to say. Cass will learn about dragon saliva soon.
RonaldM40196867: At the moment, there's no plan for a sequel, but the story won't end with Cass finding her father. Toothless will always be my favorite!
