Today's morning was shaping up to be a rather gloomy day, when the first rays of sunlight were blocked by gray clouds, the wind blew the trees, scattering their needles around the whole island, and the rain poured, shrouding the soil all over with puddles of mud. Hence, Hiccup wasn't even capable of getting out of her bed, being tangled with her sheets and bearing soreness of her muscles that appeared after spending nearly the entire, yesterday evening on the fruitless attempts of flight.
The only thing she yearned, at that point, was to curl, wrapped by the warmth of the woolen cloth, and grab some shuteye, and thus, lose sight of everything, the matters, the world, the problems, having only darkness in her view. Alas, her desires couldn't be fulfilled, because once the sounds of raindrops, hitting the coverage of her window, vanished, being taken the place by the heavy footsteps outside the door of her room, she knew whose they were instantly, and she groaned, annoyed.
Almost directly, the entrance was outspread, and thought it loomed Stoic, wearing that stoical look of his, puckering his eyebrows when glimpsing the young woman, gazing at him drowsy as if she just wakened, what was the actual truth. Straight away, she was ordered to stand up, and when she didn't listen, even more, turned away from the source of the voice, her father made her by force, grinning satisfied afterward, as his daughter, swaying on her exhausted feet, glared at him, vexed.
Eventually, the man left, making it possible for Hiccup to dress, and while obeying that, as she pulled the leather, black pants on her legs, sitting by the bed, she leaned backward, plastering her back to the mentioned furniture, dozing off at the spot. What was supposed to be the quick, five-second-long close of her eyes, came about to be almost an hourly, sound snooze, by which end, she was left beyond surprised, by why she was even allowed for one.
The enigma solved itself when while coming down the stairs, rubbing her eyes, she did not glimpse even a peek of her father inside the lower part of their home, and instantly, assumed that the man must have gone for his daily, chief duties. At the reminder of those, she remembered her own, awaiting her, and then, having at the back of her head the idea of these, reluctantly she took care of her breakfast - the only thing she could've focused on, at that point.
After consuming the single, boiled egg, and one piece of bread, smeared with butter made from cow's milk, that somehow, tasted like soft, goat's cheese, she led the way to the arena, already late to begin with. Notwithstanding the fact, that it was that occasional day when she didn't have to ridicule herself in everybody's eyes, the notion of heading there wouldn't make her hurry much, rather the opposite, the concept of not being there on time was even pleasurable in her mind.
Ultimately, in spite of her sluggish gait, at last, she must have arrived at the spot, at once receiving Gobber's - her uncle's and mentor's - disapproving glare, proceeded by the words of lecture, followed by the firm grasp in her forearm that dragged her all the way to the arena's observing site. Hence, she watched the occurring action there, which was the group of young adults the age, more or less, similar to her, taking a fight with not just one, but a few of the spike-full dragons, resembling the one she dealt with just yesterday.
Although, unlike her, the quoted adults passed their training a long time ago, that was rather an usuality to witness them in the arena, rehearsing the confrontations, while owning the permission to engage in the dragon's raiding. That said, Gobber seamlessly would share the arena with them, for the simple permission for his students, she being his oldest, to observe them for learning reasons, but also, much to youngsters' enthusiasm.
Thus, from late morning, toward the evening, having to put up with the mocking of the teens, ignoring most of them, Hiccup must have watched the people, who regularly would have reminded her of every, life mistake ever made. Eventually, when the nail, that she had been scratching against the stone the whole time, broke, at last, she actually glanced at them, from one to the other, her eyes lifelessly ricocheting the various pieces of the arena.
It wasn't much of a surprise, that the first two that she noticed, were the pair of twins - Ruffnut and Tuffnut - mostly because they were infamous for drawing attention to themselves, by being incredibly childish for their age. Even currently, being at risk of being eaten alive by the dragon, what would be their main occupation was mocking each other, mocking the rest, but also, putting one another in the hazard, just for the sake of doing so.
The next person, that caught her sight, was Fishlegs, the boy that just a few years ago she had seen standing on the corner, telling multifarious facts about dragons, now the man, taking an active part in the fights. That was always strange for her, to witness him like that, recalling the times of her childhood, when the two of them would get excited over the tiniest things after, for instance, taking a Dragon Book from her home and reading it, which ended, when his parents ordered him to get better friends, or else they'd sent him to the family to the north.
At the view itself of the figure, that was taking up a fistfight with the male type of Death Nadder - the species of each of dragons - Hiccup straightened, recognizing the man, that she had in common, and difference, a lot. Although Snotlout was her previous bully, that changed the moment he lost his father, who left his wife, daughter, and son on their own, and who also was the brother of her mother, who died by the same sentence - the dragon; after that, his remarks amended from the ridiculing, to serious.
Ultimately, all it took was a peek at the last woman, so Hiccup's stomach could've flipped, to the point where she must have sunk into the stone column having its placement next to her, wishing that she wouldn't be noticed by her. That was she exactly, who finalized their training, when holding an axe she readied herself to kill the red Nadder knocked out before her, and received Gobber's denial, followed by being thrown out from the arena, for taking on breaking the known rules, again.
Of course, Gobber couldn't do otherwise, and reminded everyone present about them, about the most significant one - the training dragons weren't for killing - that said, he must have also added that this rule didn't apply to Hiccup, sentencing her with a couple of glares. At last, that's how it always had been - no matter how hard she attempted to be imperceptible and unproblematic, someone had to point out that she existed, that she was some spoiled, under the head of the chief, brat, that she was, at every possible point, just useless.
Some time passed and the sky coated the combination of orange and purple colors, enclosing the island with the sunset, as Hiccup worked like nobody's business at the forge, the dark scarlet and sweat covering her whole face. Someplace behind her back, seeable was Gobber, having his best time at the rocking chair, sleeping soundly, for even trying to avoid the training ditching onto her head the entire village's blacksmith's job.
At some point, she leered at him, narrowing her eyes, although the smirk was plastered to her face, as the pile of the weapons was thrown before her. "Make yer job, properly this time," the harsh voice of Snotlout slipped through her ears, and at the very sight of his, she just nodded, obediently.
"Alright," she agreed, taking in the sight of the two axes, two spears, and a stone hammer, each being the belongings of the familiar young adults, standing just off. "Sayin' please wouldn't hurt ya, though."
"The last time ya took care of these, the metal barely pierced through the wood," he pointed out, boring the shady blue of his eyes into her. "Ya'll get a please when ya'll earn it"
"Jerk," Hiccup muttered to herself, glaring at the distancing figure of the man, despite knowing clearly the truth was over his side - she didn't even make an effort to deal with their weaponry.
Thereafter, her mind concentrated on the task at hand, which was the blades requiring sharpening being as dull as Gobber is after three beers, however, she found it hard to, while having the perfect hearing and sight of the group. Briefly, she managed to disregard them, fixing her eyes on the silver arrowhead over the grasp of her head, but the moment she heard her name being mentioned in their conversation, she must have pricked her ears.
"…is the one handlin' the forge?" Tuffnut groaned, laying with his back on the large boulder, his long blond hair being messed up against it. "She'll sooner burn it down, than do anythin' done."
"'s her job, so she's makin' it. Rather obvious," Snotlout stated, frowning his jet eyebrows at him, as he approached him. "Ya could cut a slack to that moanin', finally."
"Ya could cut a slack to that defendin' her, too," Tuffnut continued, turning up the corner of his mouth, mockingly. "It'd never been, and never will be adorable in yer performance."
Hearing that, also sensing everybody's present eyes on himself, Snotlout brushed his hair between his fingers, as he acknowledged, "How about this; quit that child's play, 'cause whenever ya'll like it or not, she's goin' to be yer chiefess," finishing his utterance, by sticking an eye at the not much-concerned man.
"Again that?" Ruffnut, akin to her brother, rolled her gray eyes at Snotlout, inching closer to him, her arms in the constant cross. "And so what if she's goin' to be chiefess? 's not like that'll hand her any strength over us."
"Not only she'll have that, but also the ability to get rid of ya, with the snap of the fingers," Snotlout endangered, snapping the quoted fingers as the warning. "What do ya think her husband will be for?"
"Assumin' that she'll ever get a husband in the first place," Ruffnut mumbled, so much so that even Hiccup heard her from the far, and clenched her jaw, vexed, "I doubt she'll ever go as far."
"And that's 'cause?"
"Godsdamnit, 'cause she's a fuckin' chickenshit," another voice barked, and at the very sound of it the shiver ran through Hiccup's back. "'Cause she's a screw-up, good for nothin' failure."
Snotlout reaction was instant, as he glared at the owner of the voice, who just lifted her blond eyebrow at him, and warned, "Do not speak about her like that," while the woman only lifted her chin.
"Why not?" Astrid snorted, mixing the dark blue of her eyes with his. "'s not like ya ain't agree with me. We've got examples of years for that."
"What was, was, and is a past now," he replied, gazing to the side, although sticking out his chest. "I'm just sayin', someday, ya'll get yerself in some shit; Stoic will hear ya, or other fuck."
"And?" Ruffnut snickered, curling the strand of her hair on her finger. "I ain't remember Stoic ever bein' bothered. Why he'd be now?"
"He might not be, but what about a future chief?" Snotlout pointed out, straightening, at the smirk painted on his face. "I doubt he'd take such an insult on his wife, calmly."
"Actually, there was once a situation like that one, when such an offendantion was punished with banishment," Fishlegs, whose grant body appeared behind Astrid's, declared, "It was about fifty years ago, also," and discontinued, sensing everybody's glare at himself, shrinking in size at these.
"Anyway," Astrid grunted, crossing board forearms over her chest, as she glanced from him, back at Snotlout. "I believe everybody should for respect, so why should she get any special treatment?"
"Because she's an heir."
"Bullshit," Astrid rasped, through clenched teeth. "As for me, she does the opposite of receivin' it."
"That again?" Snotlout groaned, giving a once-over to Astrid, who hardened her expression. "Years passed."
"And so what?!" Astrid mutter-shouted, the snarl escaping through her teeth. "Should I just forget that it ever happened?!"
"Well, ya should," Ruffnut remarked, sizing the taller woman up. "Even I think, ya exaggerate, and that means somethin'."
"I ain't even remember what I ate this mornin', and ya keep dwellin' on the accident from five years ago," Tuffnut sneered, receiving Astird's glare, which didn't bother him much. "Give it a break, and quit playin' the martyr."
As Tuffnut dared himself to snigger, that itself was Astrid's snapping point, in which she grabbed him by the collar, and held him firmly against the stone. "I'm not playin' the martyr, and such, how ya named it, accident, isn't ever forgivable," she muttered, and suddenly after, somewhere beyond the village's houses, sounded the loud explosion.
At once, each of their eyes fixed on the forge, and at the glimpse of their sharpened weapons being spaced in the linseed basket, they hurried after them, and as they got a grasp on each, they rushed toward the part of the village from were the disturbing racket came out. It was only Astrid, who was left behind, rather puzzled, taking in the sight of the location, although once having in view only Gobber's resting figure, she set off to the rest, catching with them after just a mere moment.
What Astrid was unaware of, was Hiccup, maintaining her stand just behind the corner of the oven, anxiously stabbing her fingernails into her palm, which would be covered by not just one stain of the prints of them. Her chest moved rapidly, after listening to the entire conversation, even witnessing with the corner of her eye, how Astrid glared in her direction, occasionally, as her body filled the feeling, which she'll never be able to ignore, or at least withstand - guilt.
Without her even realizing that Gobber woke up, at first clueless, although once hearing yet another explosion, he stood up from his seating, rather rapidly. "Lad, ye've heard that?!" he asked, once catching sight of Hiccup, after ricocheting around the whole space.
"An attack," she confirmed his thoughts, her wobbly legs leading toward the man. "So, the usual?"
"Prepare the oven - has to work to the very end," he ordered as he ran around the baskets, one of which upending in the meantime. "Ya'll handle the reparation, and I'll the production."
"Of course," she approved, gathering the scattered metal from the basket, and turning up the corner of her mouth at the agitated view of Gobber. "Ain't worry, boss. 's goin' to die out by the end of the evenin', as it always does."
"If there won't be any surprises, then for sure," he agreed, fixing the wooden storage, as the woman placed its possessions inside. "Let's hope for that."
Afterward, the sounds of eruptions, roars of various classes of dragons, the odor of burned wood, and the bellowing of the furious Vikings, enveloped the entire island, over which the sky transformed its shade from bright orange to dark blackness. One would think, that around dominated the fear and dread, but the actuality was the rule of anger, wrath, and rage, although, Hiccup appeared almost unbothered, concentrated on her job.
Every moment, someone would drop their wrecked weaponry at her feet, which she would take, while Gobber would replace the destroyed with the brand new, leaving Hiccup with the obligation of repair, so as not to waste even a gram of the useful metal. Even though only mere moments passed since the beginning, Hiccup was depleted already, having her hands filled with corns, her face coated in sweat, and trembling knees, desperately being in appetite for a break.
As she lasted in her job, at some point, she parted some axe's handle from its blade, by a wooden stand, which corner she must have grasped, when hearing the noise, which resulted in her heart losing a beat. That was the downright, terrifying sequence, which began with a screeching swish, followed by an alarming load, continued for a deafening roar, and finished with the resounding explosion.
Ensuant shouts weren't as they were before - the battle cries, that warded off the enemy - but rather horrified screams of spooked people, because no matter the age, every being on the Berk, knew what meant that sequence. It meant, that after five, lengthy years, the dark demon, the lightning offspring, the creature from her nightmares, returned, Hiccup realized and froze, as the actuality clouded before her eyes.
Thereby, she was unable to comprehend anything, dazed by the sequence, which repeated itself in her mind, not sensing any of her limbs, while everything around lost its importance, apart from the view, outside of the window. Beyond it, seeable was the sky, previously bright orange, currently dark jet, having the aura of the fire at the bottom, and the black monster somewhere, in between the microscopic, although bright stars.
At one point, Gobber shook her shoulder, his eyes narrowed on her, with an expression, that looked crossed by concern, fetching her back to reality. "Ye're alright, lad?" he questioned, straightening as noticing, that she listened, finally.
"Aye," she confirmed, avoiding the sight of the dark mass, hugging her forearms in the meantime. "Ye've heard that too, haven't ya?"
"Alas," he sighed, patting her shoulder, as his eyes drilled at the spot, which Hiccup despised at that point. "Night Fury," he snorted at the quoted name itself. "I hoped that wild, Dragon Hunter was proper when sayin' that these went extinct."
"He must have missed one, then," she stated, daring herself to gaze outside. "So, my father was right about him, all along."
"He's got a nose for that business like nobody else does," he joked and squeezed her shoulder, having in mind how tensed she was. "There is no point in dwellin' about it, now. Let's just focus on what's the matter."
In the meantime declaring that, he handed her over the crafting tool made out of stone, at which glimpse the smile plastered to Hiccup's face, and after taking which she managed to gather the necessary certainty. Afterward, both went back to their matters, although occasionally glanced at the battleground, impatiently awaiting any sign of the invisible dragon, that appeared to disappear for a time, through came back before either could've felt relieved.
As the racket of the familiar sequence reached her ears, Hiccup dropped anything that she might have been doing, which was sharpening the sword, and her eyes maintained on the picture outside, and widened at the occurrence. What she could've seen there, was the collapsing of the grand catapult tower, never endangered by any kind of dragon, currently half of it plunged into the water, while the other half was coated in the flames and remains of the purple plasma.
Her eyes stayed on the field for a moment longer after that, although she regretted, having to witness the destruction of the three, nearby houses, the man, whose arm was charred, and the corpse, which she could only hope wasn't dead. At once, she clapped her hands at her mouth, the tears covering her view, although from the corner of her eye having a sight at Gobber, who seemed to be just as devastated at the same view, as she felt.
"My gods, I ain't remember the last time we've got such trouble with the raid," Gobber remarked, and inhaled, before running around the forge, while wearing his axe prosthesis, declaring, "I'll go help them. Ya'll handle the forge."
"Gobber, no," Hiccup disagreed, although once the man didn't even flinch at her response, seeing him rush toward the entrance, yelled, "Gobber!"
"Hiccup, that one dragon might burn the whole village by itself!" he pressed, halting by the frame of the door, having to scratch his neck with the edge of his weapon at the worried sight of hers, and acknowledged. "I'll be fine, and ya'll just as well."
It had to another moment to pass, before ultimately, twisting her fingers behind her back, Hiccup nodded, and glimpsing so, Gobber loosened his tensed neck, turning it around and grinning widely, before yelling as he rushed toward the battle. Thereafter, she watched the direction in which he disappeared, a while after, although at last, gazed at her workspace, before locking her eye at the dark sky, the image of the Night Fury from years ago dimming her vision.
Suddenly, not only her eyesight was dimmed, but also her hearing, as it was overtaken by the noise of the dreadful roar, prefaced by the swish and load, ending the sequence just as always with the explosion, followed by the various shrieks. The limit must be six, so the three had lasted for it, she counted at some point, having to bear not only the fear of her people but the spasm in her hand, which resulted after the constant squeeze of it.
Notwithstanding the fact she had no evidence that the dragon was the same from these years back, she felt otherwise, having in mind all of these truths, for instance, the last time the village witnessed the Night Fury, was the day when she captured one. What was certain, was one thing - there was a probability that it was the same, that it came for revenge after such a time, and with it, there was a probability she could've retained the eventual flow of the blood, somewhat.
Within a moment of realizing that, Hiccup found herself hurrying up the hill, the place where she once shot the dragon down, having to listen to not only the dragon blasting but also preventing her Vikings, whom she wouldn't bother to even glance at. In the rush, the only weaponry she seized was a silver sword, with which she planned to achieve what should've been done years ago - she'd kill that demon, she believed, the wood in her hold stabbing her palm with the splinters.
At that point, even the reminder that she wasn't any near being a promising fighter wouldn't lead her out of her target, the sense of revenge was only pushing her forward faster and surer, as she ran past other people, forcing her back. Two remained, she kept the count, hearing the sequence a fourth time now, while she had stepped into the opening, emptied from anything, and stared at the black horizon beyond the cliff, at which she was standing.
The view was almost identical as if not the same, from the one that she would have witnessed almost every evening, and which even currently, raised emotions inside of her - the bare hope being one of them. Tensing the grip she had on her sword, she straightened and stepped back, shocked that just after a mere moment, instead of viewing the Night Fury, in front of her appeared another of its kind dragon - the Monsterous Nightmare.
Immediately after landing, the creature extended its red-scaled wings, at which tips visible were the claws, and waved them, in the imitation of being much larger, although without a necessity to, being already thrice her size. Eventually, when Hiccup remained at her spot, holding up the sword that shook in her grasp, the Nightmare barked from between its sharp, numerous fangs, as its skin ignited itself, causing even a mere touch of it unbearable.
Throughout the moment, when the dragon pounced at her, with her eyes widened in horrify, Hiccup observed how the creature was at one point just inches from swallowing her, and at the other, laying unconscious, just to the side. At first, she was left confused, although glimpsing the purple afterglow of the Night Fury's blast, at the spot where the flammable dragon was previously, the circumstance explained itself, and she understood that it was just them against each other, now.
Instantly after, the black dragon emerged from the darkness, almost fading with it, while the creature's acid, bright green eyes were the first of its appearance that she caught, which having their orbs in slits, presented the rage of the beast. Hysteria was beginning to sink into her, when after each step the dragon made, the view of its size cleared, and the woman realized that it was way worse than she could've ever feared, and the monster changed through these past years.
Having in sight the dragon's sharp teeth, Hiccup quickly drew her sword in front of herself, only to have the force of the creature's last fiery blast knock the blade out of her hand and burn her palm, leaving a red mark over it. Despite its relatively weak strength, the strike had also managed to bright her down to the ground, and laying there, she was confronted by the Night Fury's menacing growl, also could only watch as the creature glared at her with hatred, awaiting her sentence.
At that point, she was only able currently, to inch backward, although much ineffectively, because with each of her movements, the dragon was following her, until both stopped, once Hiccup's back met a stone wall. That itself ensured her, it was all over for her, and realizing her fate, panting from between clenched teeth, she narrowed her eyes as she gazed upward at the sky, longing for the last time to obtain the peace of the soul.
What would provide her with the latter glimmer of hope, was her father's voice, coming from the side, together with the outraged cries of the group of Vikings, at which sight, Hiccup was immensely relieved, until having noticed, that the Fury spotted them, just as well. The dragon, at once, roared at them, although gazing at the lack of their hassle, also at the circumstances of being surrounded, without much of the other options, abruptly, it stabbed claws in her cloth and skin, before flying away, up the dark sky.
One would never believe the situation, in which Hiccup found herself, so how her mind could've even comprehended it, being enveloped by the horror and panic, the adrenaline shrouding her body, stripping her from any feeling, even pain. Notwithstanding having the two, mighty claws jabbed into each of her sides, and being lifted kilometers over the earth, she neither screamed nor cried, in a state of pure apathy, which refrained her from any measures.
Currently, she would only observe the clouds, being just inches from her face, even brush her fingers through them, unbothered by the frigid sensation, and gaze over the point, where the ocean met the island's soil - the horizon which she would've never crossed. As she feld back her head, she scanned the trees' crowns, which she would pass by, and which she would glimpse for the first time, for once being at such a height, although remembering the predator, having his stand just over her, for last.
Eventually, Hiccup shrieked, as the creature flung her in the air, only to hook her by her shoulders, and once they've lost on the height, lightening its grip on her, it landed her at one of the trees's branches. Afterward, dashing above her, the Night Fury settled itself at the safer side of the same branch, nearer the tree's bark, from its chest leaking the snarl, as its eyes narrowed at her, and she managed to capture the grin from his side.
It was quite apparent that taking a look down would not even be necessary - the height was enough to make one's stomach churn, moreover, any attempt to escape the situation seemed futile, as the attacker was undoubtedly far faster than her, given his nature. Ultimately, having no other choice, no other alternative, feeling the swaying of the branch, clinging her legs around the wood, also her hands before herself, Hiccup faced her attacker, attempting to maintain, at last, a facade of confidence.
"You are fucked," the deep, male voice echoed in her ears, although the absence of anyone other than them, "and it is a pity for me, that you cannot even know how much I enjoy that."
"It would be a pity-," Hiccup responded, however, paused, as to take a breath, and straighten her back, "if it was not for yer freakin' yammerin'."
After Hiccup spoke her mind, the Night Fury squirmed his eyes at her, almost as if analyzing her figure, at which she drew away, before the creature snorted barely, and asked, "Why did you do that?" folding his wings, calmly.
"Why, why," she ridiculed him, faking his low voice, acquiring the slip of his smirk, which gladdened her. "Maybe, 'cause I just could. It played off yer ego, didn't it?"
At once, the dragon gnashed his teeth, while they rattled against each other when the growl broke out of his mouth. "You are so fucked," he threatened, as he punctured the branch with his talons.
"I stood up for my village," she proclaimed, lifting her chin, to which he reacted by closing up his expression. "If the death was the cost of it, then that was worth it."
For a moment longer after, he had been gazing at her, wordlessly, before the realization transformed his face, vexed. "Not what that is about!" he countered, plastering his ears to his skull, irritated.
"Then, what is?" she inquired, although snickered before he could even reply. "Actually, that isn't the matter. What matters is, why did ya do that to me?"
"Me?!" he hissed, his orbs slit to the point, which shouldn't be even attainable. "What I ever did to you?! It is you, who have some issue with me!"
"Oh, quit that nonsense. Both of us know, what the issue is," Hiccup droned, crossing her arms over her chest, glaring at the Fury, furiously. "Godsdamned, cursed beast!"
"Inane, the fuck, called me cursed," he sniggered before the anger crossed his muzzle. "Of course that I am cursed, by you!"
"Me?!" she yelled and at once, the branch shook, for what she must have regained balance, before continuing. "Ye're thinkin', that I am capable of makin' such a thin'?!"
Looming closer, the dragon snarled into her face, and pointed out, "It is your race that is playing with abnormal witchcraft!" which didn't make any impact on Hiccup, who turned her face to the side, annoyed.
"Ye're livin', bewitched creatures! Dragons aren't even materially probable!"
"But the chimps, without hair, are?"
"Ye're breathin' with fire! How's that possible?!"
"It is answerable, in difference of your thumbs, hypocrite!"
"Right, 'cause ye're such an ideal, ya blasted, fuckin', asshole."
For a while yet, they've been glaring at each other, the bitterness flooding from them, when at once, the dragon's expression was dawned by the recognition, and he demanded, "Hold on, for now," his nostrils flared, when she sneered.
"What? Have ya run out of claims?"
"Shut the hell up, you hag," he endangered, although Hiccup didn't unnerve much, only gazed at him, lifting her eyebrow at him in the meantime. "If neither you nor I caused that hex-,"
"Maybe I didn't, but how can I be sure ya didn't also?"
"Because I am saying that I did not, you deafness," he opposed, rolling his eyes, being at the edge. "If neither you nor I caused that hex, then who did?"
Consequently, the revelation came at them both, and as they stared at each other, wordlessly, neither knowing the answer to the query, puzzled, and before they comprehended what was happening, came the cracking sound, shortly followed by the break of the branch underneath.