AN: PLEASE READ! Okay, so I know-It's been a while. HOWEVER! You should probably know this about my story. I use strikethroughs VERY liberally, but problem is, on , they don't show through. It's... annoying. Especially since I use them to depict certain parts of a human mentality that isn't shown. THEREFORE! If you find any weird spots where there's a run-on-sentence thing or whatever, that's probably where a strikethrough should have gone, so please imagine it there, because this website is giving me a headache :')
Snotlout didn't know how long he hugged his mother for, but when her warmth started to recede, he gasped awake, a visceral panic taking hold of his mind.
"Mum!" he wheezed, grasping blindly in the sudden darkness for the warmth, "Mum–I–I'm sorry–Was it something I did? Did I do something wrong? I promise I'll stop–" the warmth continued to fade, "–Mum–" a choked sob tore from Snotlout's throat.
All of a sudden, all the pressure Snotlout had been accumulating–pressure from his father, pressure from Gobber, pressure from Hiccup, pressure from the Village–it all tipped over.
"Mum…" Snotlout whimpered, tears spilling from his angry, red-rimmed, puffy eyes, "I don't know what I did… Please don't go. Please."
The warmth seemed to pulse.
"Please."
The warmth pulsed one more time, and then disappeared altogether.
Snotlout was doused in complete and utter darkness.
O~O
Hiccup paced around his tiny room tensely. Even he could admit–for all of his resolve to cure Snotlout–to help him–he had absolutely no idea where to start.
Hiccup sat down at his desk–a messy piece of wood that Gobber had hastily put together so Hiccup would stop using the stone surface Gobber hammered swords on–and kneaded his forehead.
Dear Gods… Hiccup mentally groaned, Why am I still sitting here? I should be–I should be– Hiccup's eyes snapped open, "I should be in Raven Point." he breathed, "I should be looking for clues–or something!" Anything.
A beat.
"Or something." Hiccup repeated, a frown lining his face, before he snorted humorously, "Gods, I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, do I?"
A useless Hiccup, as always.
Still, Hiccup grabbed a dagger.
(For good luck)
O~O
Ruffnut and Tuffnut were Thorstons. They were Thorstons extraordinaire. By the Gods, they lived up to their family's name and reputation (even if that reputation was worth less than dirt in present-day Berk).
They were Chaos incarnate!
Proud devotees of Loki!
Unlike the rest of Berk, they–the Thorstons–understood the value of planning!
That being said…
"Wow." Tuffnut looked up at the dark peak of Raven's Point, "We did not think this through."
Ruffnut scoffed, "This was your idea, brother. Don't try and pin this on me."
Tuffnut gasped in mock-outrage, "How dare you, Ruffnut, how. Dare. You."
Ruffnut raised a single, tired brow.
Tuffnut smiled beatifically, splaying his arm out before him in a mock-benign gesture, "You deserve some of the credit as well!"
Ruffnut scoffed, before looking up at the mountain in trepidation again. "Tuff… Are you sure you want to do this?" she murmured.
Tuffnut shrugged, "Who can say?" Yes. "All I know is that an opportunity like this won't come by again."
That was true.
For years–literal years–the twins had been aching to climb Raven Point. Why? Well–asking for a reason why would be asking too much.
They were Thorstons.
(They thought climbing Raven Point would give them the recognition they deserved.
Recognition.
Respect )
By nature, Thorstons were pursuers of knowledge–of experimentation. Because of that, they were ostracized. Because of their need to know more–not from books, nor from another mouth–but to know more in front of their eyes, to see change happening before them, they were deemed insane and… less-than-desirable.
Barely any Thorston was able to become a warrior nowadays. And even fewer were able to get married.
(The House of Thorston was a dying clan.)
Perhaps that's why Tuffnut admires Gruffnut so much. Ruffnut mused, idly, He was able to make the choice to leave… To at least try and make something of himself beyond the appearance of a Thorston. To make it in a world of his own.
(Not that he would succeed, of course, Gruffnut was a pathological liar and a terrible person through and through… Ruffnut hates him.)
"Let's just go." Ruffnut rasped, prying herself away from her train of thought. (Nothing good could come out of thinking of… that)
Tuffnut nodded and stepped forward, humming along to a cheery tune–utterly oblivious to the turmoil within his sister's mind.
O~O
Gothi's nerves were alight with an excitement she hadn't felt in years. She knew she should probably bring a stronger Viking–someone like Gobber with her, but she couldn't risk it.
(If whatever was written in Angus's records was true, then Gothi figured that bringing Dragon-killing Vikings to a cove filled with dragons was, perhaps, not such a good idea)
Besides, Gothi couldn't help but salivate a bit at the thought of an adventure of her own. It'd been decades since she'd gone out on any expeditions, what with the Dragon Raids coming more often and more intense.
Because of that, she had little time to take on an apprentice–thereby leading to all of Berk effectively stashing her away on the safest point of the island, farthest away from the dragon raids.
Ironically, the safest point of the island was also the closest point to Raven's Point.
Actually… Gothi mused, I did have an apprentice once. The Ingerman kid. Fishlegs. The edges of Gothi's lips quirked upwards.
Fishlegs Ingerman.
A good child.
The only Viking in a long time that'd been interested in the art of healing and conversing with the Divine.
Then, a particularly bad Dragon-Raid hit, and the Council decided to… urge all the children who weren't apprentices to warriors to swap out their apprenticeship and become so. With the exception of Hiccup, of course. No one wanted the chief to inevitably throw a fit when Hiccup dies gruesomely by dragonfire in a raid because he tries to do something stupid and brave for some inane reason.
(Gothi knew better. She always knew better)
The air had been changing for a while, she observed. The dragons seemed to be more intense–more frenzied in their attacks. Less organized. Something was likely changing in their nest area–she theorized.
Perhaps an important component of their nest had been taken away?
Or… perhaps, an important component of their nest was being added?
Gothi broke out of her musings when the early morning sun–most likely the only sun for the entire day–touched her skin with a frail, cold kind of warmth. A nudge.
She needed to get going.
This frail sunlight would not last long, and at the very least, she needed to be on Raven Point by the time it went out.
Before Gothi exited her hut, she hobbled over to Snotlout's wooden platform, and touched lightly at his shoulder wound. The moment her fingertips made contact, the Jorgenson's face screwed up in displeasure and discomfort.
Gothi grimaced.
The wound was spreading. While it wasn't as fast as it would've been, had Gobber not brought Snotlout to her when he did, it was still fast enough.
By her calculations, if she failed to return with the glowing dragons–or whatever Angus saw that night–then she'd need to amputate Snotlout's entire arm off by nightfall.
Maybe sooner.
Nodding to herself, Gothi steeled her resolve and adjusted her pack. She left silently–her feet soundlessly padding down the stairs and through the brush.
When Gothi crossed the dark tree-line that marked Raven Point, she was silent then, as well.
O~O
Snotlout didn't know how long he was hiding in the darkness, sobbing and crying like a baby. He just knew it was long enough that his father would be so disappointed in him.
And isn't that the finishing touch? Snotlout snorted, Even if I wasn't crying, he'd still find some way to be disappointed with me.
Snotlout didn't even know what he was doing wrong, at this point.
At first, it was the way he walked–a slight slouch along his back, acquired from having to constantly lean down to meet Hiccup's eyes. He fixed that.
Then, it was the way he talked. Sounding so naïve–so trusting.
Indulgent, was the word, no?
That also came from prolonged exposure in Hiccup's company.
He fixed that.
He kept fixing everything.
Every last piece.
All to hear those six words come out of his father's mouth.
Six.
Gods-forsaken.
Words.
Snotlout huddled in closer.
How pathetic.
"I am proud of you, son."
O~O
Hiccup had absolutely no idea what he was doing. He was in the forest. He was, presumably, wherever Snotlout ran to.
Hiccup shivered.
The trees of Raven Point seemed to loom before him.
Unbidden, memories of the Night returned to him.
All of a sudden, Hiccup was consumed with the single-minded desire to go home. Go home, find Gobber, whatever. Just leave.
Then, he blinked, and came back.
A bird tweeted high up in a branch.
Hiccup sighed.
Then, he paused.
That… bird…
That bird wasn't…
Hiccup craned his neck upwards, and sure enough, a juvenile Terrible Terror was up there–its wings too small to really take flight, and from the way it was tweeting…
It didn't have a pack.
Before he knew it, a plan was laid out before him.
A truly devious plan that even Alvin the Treacherous would blush at.
(Hiccup knew he would feel so damn guilty for this later, but right now, he had bigger problems to worry about)
He unsheathed his dagger, and sunk it into the tree trunk, making sure to make a loud crunch in the bark.
The Terrible Terror's tweeting choked off.
Step one. Complete.
Hiccup then hoisted himself up, and, using the years of experience he gained via running from Snotlout and the twins, he scaled the tree like a yak with arms.
Step two. Complete.
Hiccup gazed at the frozen Terrible Terror next to him emotionlessly, and reached forward. Before touching his hand to the Terror's snout, he reached behind, and grabbed it by the neck.
The Terror yelped and started squirming, shooting weak blasts of fire every which way.
Hiccup grimaced.
Then, he jumped down, rolling perfectly on the grassy ground, before grabbing his dagger and letting go of the Terror.
The Terror jumped backwards and bared its teeth.
Hiccup raised his hands, his face carefully blank. Then, exaggeratedly, he moved the hand with his dagger a bit.
The Terror snarled, fear alighting in its eyes.
Hiccup chose then, to break his mask. A soft smile took over his features, and he dropped the dagger, kicking it away the same way he did with Toothless. (Only, this time, there wasn't a pond, so he could actually get his dagger back).
The Terror gaped.
It looked at Hiccup. Then, at the dagger.
Then, Hiccup again.
It took a cautious step forward.
Hiccup abruptly sat down and extended his hand. The Terror leapt backwards once more, wings back up and teeth bared again in a snarl (that honestly looked more cute than deadly).
Then, Hiccup, hiding the trepidation in his heart, looked away from the dragon.
I swear. Hiccup thought tensely, I can literally hear my ancestors crying out their disappointment in me…
It stayed like that for a few moments, and Hiccup really thought, Oh gods, why did I ever think this would work, it's so–
Then, cool, soft scales met the palm of his hand, and Hiccup nearly sobbed in relief. Hiccup peeked back to gaze at the Terrible Terror, who seemed to be purring lightly against Hiccup's hand.
Step three. Complete.
Hiccup sighed, and fully turned to face the dragon. "Okay." he said tensely, "I'm going to feel like an absolute idiot if this doesn't work, and I'm sure my ancestors are either laughing at me or cursing me out right now–But can you understand me?"
The dragon's eyes opened, and Hiccup was nearly taken aback by the understanding in its eyes.
Then, it clicked.
Some dragons–especially pack dragons left their young behind if they couldn't follow. Most of the young that couldn't follow were deformed–largely in the wings and tail.
This wasn't a juvenile Terrible Terror–this was an adult Terrible Terror.
Its wings were just horribly shriveled up.
And, now that Hiccup really looked, he noticed that the Terrible Terror didn't have the characteristics that came with being a Terror from the Berkian Region.
There weren't any extra spines or frills–just smooth scales.
This was a Continental Terrible Terror. This dragon was no deadly pack-hunter–this dragon was a pet.
(That also explained the pitiful fire blasts he saw earlier)
"Oh…" Hiccup's face fell. He had absolutely no idea how to respond.
The Terror squirmed and bared its gleaming-white teeth again until Hiccup dropped it. The Terror glared at him and bared its teeth again.
"What?" Hiccup asked blankly.
The Terror huffed and paced around in an oval. Every time the dragon arrived before Hiccup, it bared its teeth, and when Hiccup inevitably shrugged, the dragon snarled and restarted.
It was almost as if…
"Your…" Hiccup leaned in, hesitating slightly, "Your name?"
The dragon nodded, huffing slightly.
Hiccup stared blankly, "F-Fang?"
The dragon glared at him before exhaling sharply–almost as if it–no, she–was disappointed in Hiccup's apparent intellect, but accepting the name all the same.
"G-Great." Hiccup said weakly, "Say, I don't suppose you know about wounds that tear people open and make black spiderwebs on their skin, yeah?"
The dragon glanced at Hiccup, completely and utterly confused.
Hiccup grimaced, "Okay wait–" he got up, and started miming at his body, "So, there's a wound… a, uh, hole? In my… friend's sh–shoulder?" –Do dragons even have shoulders– "And there are black… spiderwebs extending, I mean, coming out from it."
Throughout Hiccup's awkward speech, Fang's look shifted from confusion, to puzzled incredulity, before eventually settling on judgment. When the auburn-haired teen finished, he tried for a smile, before eventually falling into a grimace.
Fang rolled her eyes and grabbed Hiccup's clothed leg with surprising force, dragging him off into a direction. Hiccup yelped and followed.
For a time, Fang was just jumping around, sniffing at the ground and air intermittently, her wings fluttering on her back. Then, she turned around and bounded off.
Hiccup would be lying if he said he didn't trip over his feet to follow.
When he entered the clearing Fang had bounded off into, he noticed the Terror snarling at whatever was there. Carefully, Hiccup inched forward, his hand falling to where he kept his dagger–before abruptly remembering he kicked away the damn thing–instead opting to curl his fingers into a fist.
He peeked over Fang's tiny body, and his heart nearly stopped.
A squirrel.
A squirrel.
A squirrel whose insides were pierced through by a gods-damned flower.
Hiccup leaned forward a bit.
Black, web-like veins extended from the point of piercing. (Hiccup felt delirious).
Hiccup leaned closer.
The flower seemed to have a singular gray petal, with multiple pale purple stripes running down the sides of it. Both purple and gray were unnatural colors for flowers–especially in winter. Hiccup's head started to spin.
Hiccup leaned closer–
–and was abruptly dragged backwards by a human hand on the back of his vest.
"What in Loki's name do you think you're doing?!"
Hiccup dazedly looked up into Ruffnut's eyes. "H…hrrugh…?" he gurgled.
"Quick!" …Was that… Tuffnut…? "Check for any wounds! If he made contact with that flower, then I hate to say it, but we might actually be exiled off the island."
Before Hiccup could protest, Ruffnut flipped him over and started inspecting the back of his neck.
Then, an already-familiar snarling sound reached Hiccup's ears, and he suddenly realized–Fang.
He got up, deliberately smacking his head into Ruffnut's chin, before crawling forward, and hunching in front of Fang protectively.
"What the–you Gods-damned fishbone–What the hell did you do that for?!" Ruffnut snarled, rubbing the bridge of her nose, "This is the thanks we get for saving your life?!"
Tuffnut scoffed, "Yeah, it appears so. Who would've thought? The chief's son would be so…" he glared sharply, before faltering, "Wait, wait, wait a second–Hiccup, is that a dragon?"
Hiccup looked behind him woozily.
Yes it was.
"No."
Ruffnut stared at the auburn-haired teen flatly, "You are terrible at lying."
Tuffnut shrugged, walking forward, "Well, I mean, he's such a goody-two-shoes, so I suppose it's expected. Also, if he's ever caught lying… Well, he can't exactly take a beating like the rest of us."
Ruffnut snickered, "Yeah… He might fall over and die."
Hiccup couldn't find it in himself to refute. (Despite the fact that the twins had been generous in the past, given the blows they'd hit him with)
He just dipped his chin, and let a distinctly stubborn glint enter his eyes.
The twins' laughter died down.
"Okay, seriously, Hiccup, what the hell are you doing here? And why in Thor's name are you protecting a dragon?" Tuffnut hissed.
That was strange. The world around Hiccup seemed to be spinning… Did Ruffnut always have three heads?
"For…" He gasped, "For Snotlout…"
His knees started shaking.
Hiccup suddenly came to the realization that the tell-tale singing of adrenaline in his veins that was often associated alongside encounters with the twins was absent, meaning–
I'm not afraid.
Hiccup frowned, and a headache started pulsating across his head.
Then why the Hel are my knees shaking?
Ruffnut seemed to grab him by the arm and yell something unintelligible to her brother. Tuffnut joined in.
Then, to Fang's screeches, Hiccup blacked out.
O~O
When Hiccup came to, it was to the smell of burning, fragrant, wood. "Wha–"
"Stop." Tuffnut placed his hand on Hiccup's chest and shoved a jug in front of his face, "Drink."
Hiccup gazed at the jug blankly.
Tuffnut sniffed, "It's not going to poison you. I mean, unless you're allergic to water. In which case, it would be pitiful, embarrassing, and poisonous."
Hiccup grasped the jug gingerly and tipped its contents into his mouth. Once he was finished, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and looked around. A few hours seemed to have passed–the day was brighter than usual. (No rain yet, thankfully.)
Most likely around lunch time, by now, then.
"What… What happened?"
Ruffnut strode over, having watched the whole scene play out from a distance, and having now, apparently, chosen to inject herself into it, "Beats me." she shrugged, "I mean, we have a theory–"
"–two theories"
"A theory that you inhaled some pollen from the flower, and you're now suffering a bit of the aftereffects."
"Or! Or! Your genetics are slowly mutating you into some horrible were-dragon-beast-thing, and this–this passing out–is just the FIRST STEP!"
Hiccup leveled a flat stare at Tuffnut's dramatic flair, "Where did you even get that theory?"
Ruffnut snorted, "That Terror you've got, remember that?"
Hiccup's memory suddenly spiked, "Oh Gods–what did you do to her?"
Ruffnut shrugged, "Nothing. It's more of what it did to Tuffnut that ended with him being so salty about it." she paused, before jutting her chin to her left, "If you're interested, your pet is over there."
Hiccup turned, and sure enough, Fang was there, watching from a distance, her glowing yellow eyes a sharp contrast (and comfort) against the darkness of the tree cover.
"So, fishbone," Hiccup turned back to Tuffnut, as the blond male picked his teeth with a bone, "What do you know about the Wither Flower?"
Hiccup frowned, "Wither what?"
"Wither Flower." Ruffnut repeated, splaying her arms around in a 'duh' position, "Like, you know, the flower that was growing out of that squirrel's stomach?"
The mental image invaded Hiccup's mind, and he felt the sudden urge to puke (even though there was nothing in his stomach). "I… I was just looking for clues to help Snotlout."
Ruffnut hummed… "Okay, so let's catch you up to speed–"
"Basically the Wither Flower's a death-flower that is absolutely terrifying and spreads its babies into flesh-and-blood bodies to use as a flowerpot so it may grow and feast on their insides." Tuffnut interrupted, before pausing thoughtfully, "Also, from my understanding, the bigger the body the flower's growing in, the bigger the flower's going to get. So, if we don't save Snotlout like we set out to do–"
"O-kay, I'm stopping you right there…" Hiccup felt a headache coming on.
Ruffnut smirked, "We've been working on an antidote." she boasted, "So far, we've got two petals–we just need one more, and then we're done."
Tuffnut scoffed, "Yeah, this would've been way easier, too, if the stupid book told us there was only one petal per flower."
Hiccup frowned, "What?"
Ruffnut tilted her head, "Yeah. Come on, Hiccup, get with the program."
Hiccup shook his head, "Right. Fine. Whatever." –Odd…– "Why are you looking for an antidote?"
Tuffnut gasped, "Are you implying that we do not care for Snotlout's existence?"
"Well, I don't–" Ruffnut muttered–
"Are you implying that I do not care for Snotlout's existence?!" Tuffnut interjected shrilly, "Because thou art wrong, future Chief, Haddock the Third!"
"What–No–" Hiccup groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose, silently praying to Odin for patience, "I'm not implying that, I'm just saying–you could wait for Gothi to come up with an antidote instead of looking for one yourself."
Ruffnut raised an elegant brow, and Hiccup was immediately reminded of Toothless in a holier-than-thou attitude, "You dare think I can control the Tuff of Nutt?" she questioned rhetorically, before grinning sharply, "I'm flattered."
Hiccup gazed at Tuffnut over her shoulder, silently widening his eyes as he watched the blond teen do… something that resulted in a tiny explosion. Then, he turned his gaze back to Ruffnut, and conceded, "Fair point."
Ruffnut's grin softened into something more natural. Still twisted–but it sat on her face better than the sharp grin did. "Well." she began, "I know I hate you, but given how you're the only other member of this group that doesn't have more than one screw loose or share half my gene pool, I'd rather we be on speaking terms just for today."
Hiccup didn't know why, but a grin spread across his face, "I don't have any screws loose!" he protested.
Ruffnut crossed her arms and looked at the skinny teen amusedly, "Fishbone, all geniuses have some degree of crazy in 'em."
O~O
Snotlout was tired. The darkness was oppressive. Snotlout wanted to leave.
Despite this desire, the dark-haired teen curled up further into his fetal position.
He was scared.
The darkness may have turned oppressive, but he found predictability in it. Just like dad. It brought him comfort as much as it did fear. He didn't want to leave.
Snotlout wasn't even sure if anyone would be waiting for him on the outside… At least in the darkness, he knew his dad was there.
Snotlout's shoulder twinged with pain for some unknown reason, and all of a sudden, he was consumed with a burning hunger to just get up.
So, he clenched his teeth and got up.
Immediately, the surroundings shifted.
A memory…?
Snotlout squinted. Yes. A memory. A recent one. One that warmed his heart, even when he knew it shouldn't have.
"I would give up the Chiefdom, if it meant you could be my friend once more."
Hiccup's tired eyes, his earnest words. Snotlout felt sick to his stomach.
He wanted to be Hiccup's friend–he ached for it so bad–but he couldn't go near his cousin. Not in good conscience.
Not when he knew some of the bruises on Hiccup's arms and torso came from him. Not when he remembered, with startling clarity, exactly how he painted Hiccup's body with his own pain using an unfair brush.
I want to be Hiccup's friend, Snotlout closed his eyes tiredly.
But I just can't.
O~O
"So, Tuff," Hiccup asked mildly, the name settling strangely on his tongue, "What's our next course of action?"
"I'm glad you asked!" Tuffnut crowed and set down a large map on a rock. Hiccup raised a single, impressed brow. The map was of Berk–and an astonishingly detailed one, too, at that. Although…
"What are these marks?" Hiccup pointed towards one such bright yellow-ish-green, circular marking in question.
Ruffnut groaned, "That." she answered morosely, "That is our next ingredient."
Hiccup's face scrunched up in confusion.
"Honey." Ruffnut elaborated, "It's honey."
Hiccup nodded, "O… kay…" he said slowly, "But what kind of honey?"
"Sorry, what?" Tuffnut wheezed, pushing his face against Hiccup's forehead, a disturbing note in his voice. (All of a sudden, Hiccup realized why Ruffnut mentioned the 'loose screws'). "There's more than one kind of honey?"
Hiccup looked around, finding comfort in Fang's glowing yellow eyes, before turning back to Tuffnut's own, hyperactive (slightly insane) pair, "Yes." he murmured, "There's more than one kind of honey. I… don't really know the intricacies and differences of each type, I just know that different kinds of honey are used in different kinds of tonics."
"If it's used in tonics," Ruffnut interjected hastily, before her brother could spiral off into a tangent, "Then we don't need to search for anything. Gothi will have it."
"Yeah," Hiccup conceded tensely, "But from what I know, Gothi keeps multiple kinds of honey. I don't suppose your antidote-page-thing has a guide to the type of honey that should be used?"
Tuffnut shook his head, "It was so damn useless! Ha! Just said 'honey'– I mean, how stupid is that? What kind of book doesn't specify which honey to use?!"
Ruffnut slapped her forehead, but didn't say anything.
"Okay, stop." Hiccup shook his head, "What? Just–why don't you tell me the recipe. Now."
"Main ingredients are water, honey, death-flower-petals, and powdered willow bark." Ruffnut answered, shaking her head, "We've already got the priority ingredient. And I remember the antidote saying the fresher the petals are, the better–or something like that." she crossed her arms and leaned back, as if to say, I already know what I want to do. What do you want to do?
Hiccup pondered the thought for a moment, ignoring Tuffnut's dramatic lamentations, "We should go back to Gothi's hut."
"Seriously?" Tuffnut howled, "You're just asking for Snotlout to die!"
"Damn, fishbone, didn't think you had it in you." That was Ruffnut.
The teen flinched, "I can explain!" he yelled, throwing his hands up in a feeble attempt to block whatever Tuffnut would've thrown his direction, "We already have the priority ingredient. Like you said. Gothi already has everything else, so who cares?"
"Yes, Hiccup. That's great." Tuffnut drawled sarcastically, suddenly having calmed down, "Because, obviously, Gothi just loves us. She revels in our presence, you know? And she'll totally listen to us whenever we have something to say."
Hiccup blinked, slightly put off by Tuffnut's sharp mood swings, "You know…" he hazarded, "Gothi would probably let us use her stuff if we had a lead to helping Snotlout." he paused, "Besides, we have 'til nightfall, and, uh, I don't know about you, but I don't want to be in this forest once the sun goes down."
As if on cue, an ominous rumble-screech-sound echoed from the peak of Raven Point, all the way to the bottom.
Tuffnut sprang up, a tense smile on his face, "Well! What are you waiting for! Let's go!" and he walked off.
Ruffnut grabbed her brother's shirt, and pulled him over, "Other direction," she said gruffly, "Gothi's hut is in the other direction."
O~O
It's official.
Gothi was lost.
Gothi turned her map over, then upside down, and shook it a little.
Nothing.
The old healer resisted the urge to crumple up the map and throw it to the ground. The useless thing–
Instead, she sighed, and folded the parchment away into her satchel. Then, she looked around, a look in her critical eyes.
She'd made it around the base of Raven Point, and was now halfway up the mountain. That's where she got lost.
Though… It was to be expected. Vikings were so terrified of Raven Point, that the farthest they'd gone on Raven Point was around the base. The only map of Raven Point that had some vague discernment of what was actually on Raven Point was far, far outdated.
(By a few thousand years, at least)
Gothi understood. She did.
(That didn't stop her from attempting to pull her hair out of her scalp)
The old healer exhaled sharply through her nose and looked around again. The trees were tall, and their leaves thick. Not even a single ray of what little sunlight Berk got during winters was able to make it through.
Despite that, Gothi could see with absolute clarity.
The old woman hobbled over to a random tree, and rubbed her hand on the trunk. It came back a glowing purple-blue.
(Gothi didn't know much about dragons, but she knew a draconic territory-marking when she saw one)
She curled her fingers into her hand in an attempt to keep the sudden chill from freezing her fingers off, and stepped past the glow.
(...past the point of no return)
O~O
Snotlout felt numb everywhere, now. It was truly pitiful.
"I would give up the Chiefdom, if it meant you could be my friend once more."
"Shut up." Snotlout whispered.
"I would give up the Chiefdom, if it meant you could be my friend once more."
"Shut–"
"I would–"
"STOP!" Snotlout barely registered the heaving of his chest in the empty space. The tears tracing tracks down his cheeks.
"Why won't you take my offer?" Hiccup's voice whispered in a voice that wasn't Hiccup's.
"What–" Snotlout gasped.
"You know I'm the only one that cares about you. The only one that really gives you time of day. Although, when even your father doesn't pay attention to you…" the Hiccup-not-Hiccup apparition tapped a finger to his chin in mock-thought, "...I suppose my efforts are just a waste of time."
Snotlout didn't know what to say.
"I should stop–"
"No." Snotlout rasped, a foreign panic rising up in his throat.
The Hiccup-not-Hiccup apparition paused, and his face twisted in something darker than happiness–an expression he'd only seen on his father when he was killing dragons. A look that deemed them little more than beasts.
(What did that make Snotlout, then?)
"No?" he repeated, "Do tell me, why not?"
Snotlout couldn't bring it in himself to say anything. (Not when, deep down, he knew Hiccup-not-Hiccup was right)
Hiccup-not-Hiccup's eyes flashed with a sadism that looked so out of place on his face. "I see." he murmured, "I wonder what your father would think when he realizes that you have not even half the bravery he beat into you." he-it–leaned in closer. Almost tauntingly, "Not enough to face me yourself, now is it–?"
"Please leave me alone," Snotlout sobbed, curling into himself further. "P-Please."
Hiccup-not-Hiccup smiled, "How can I?" he mocked, "When you keep bringing me back? I'm just your thoughts about yourself, Snotlout. You can't hide from me–and I–" Hiccup-not-Hiccup bared his teeth, too many and too sharp to be human, "–will never leave you."
O~O
"Where's Gothi?"
"Not here–"
"Holy mother of Thor, why does Snotlout look like a half-boiled yak?!"
"Tuff, shut up–"
"Found willow and honey–"
"What happened to Gothi?!"
"She's not here–"
"–Guys, just shut up and start brewing!"
"Our prospects are not lookin' good–"
"Shut up and start brewing–"
O~O
"Please go away," Snotlout begged.
(A small piece of him was repulsed by how readily he begged…
That same part of him… sounded eerily like his father…)
The voices that Hiccup-not-Hiccup had eventually melded into continued whispering. Whispering what?
Snotlout couldn't hear.
And yet he felt so hated.
"You can't be serious."
Snotlout looked up.
A dim light, nearly miniscule in nature pulsed before him. Its voice was warmer than the others, and had a note of distinct familiarity that both warmed and hurt Snotlout's heart.
"Wha…?"
"You can't be serious." the light pulsed irritatedly, "You can't just be willing to fall over. To just give up! It's stupid!"
Snotlout sniffled, and something welled up within his throat. "Then what do I do?"
Fight.
Keep fighting.
Until you're dead.
That's the only thing we can do.
The only thing we are worth.
"The desperate dragon is always the most dangerous, as Valka said." the light pulsed wryly.
Snotlout paused, and squinted at the pulsing light. Now, with his eyes clear, and his mind focused, he could vaguely make out a face within the glow.
Hard lines and cold, gray (silver) eyes. A face lined with scars, but softened with emotion. Hair–a long, hazel mess atop her head, tied back into a harsh bun, with only a few strands escaping.
"Mom?"
O~O
The floor of Gothi's hut was scorched black, withering in some spots, and totally missing in others. Though, none of the teens cared.
Snotlout's breathing pattern was starting to turn erratic. Random deep breaths, all at different moments, and slurred words occasionally escaping his throat.
"Remind me again," Hiccup murmured, placing another wet cloth against Snotlout's forehead, and another on his shoulder, "How long does this take?"
"As long as it will," Tuffnut grumbled, staring at the cauldron.
Ruffnut rolled her eyes and smirked, "Are you sure we did it right?"
Tuffnut glared at his sister.
"Guys." Hiccup sighed, "It's alright. We just… we need to wait." he paused, biting his lip, "But if it takes too long…"
"Then we take a leap of faith!" Tuffnut laughed with a tense half-shrug.
Ruffnut scrutinized her brother for a moment, before sighing and throwing her arms back, "Wake me up when it's over."
Hiccup nodded and swapped out the cold cloth.
O~O
"Mom?" Snotlout edged closer, "What… Where did you go? What happened?"
"I can't tell you." she murmured.
"Please tell me." Snotlout begged.
His mother's eyes hardened, "Don't beg. It's pointless and does nothing."
Snotlout wilted.
His mother's eyes softened, "There are other ways to fulfill your desires." she promised.
"Like… what?"
"See Valka's boy."
"Val…ka?"
"Have you forgotten already?" His mother snorted, "I've left you, your father's a fool, and Stoick doesn't care enough about you to do anything, and your Aunt–seems like you have forgotten her–is dead.." she leaned in, "The only one who cares about you is being served to you on a silver platter–willing to give up so much power for your worthless presence, and you abandon him? Real intelligent." she snorted, "You're definitely Spitelout's son."
Snotlout didn't say anything.
"...Really, though, it's surprising," she continued, "That Valka's son is still alive."
Snotlout's blood ran cold. "What?"
His mother's face twisted, "I'm saying," she enunciated, "That we both know–my dear sister-Valka's son wouldn't last even a second beyond the boundaries of Berk." she grinned, "He'd be killed. Possibly by a boar–hey! Or maybe even a rabbit, as you always say!" she laughed, "How stupid… Perhaps when he dies the chiefdom will go to you… You'll finally have the power you crowed so much about all these years."
Snotlout felt something ugly well up inside him. Resentment…? "Shut up." he hissed, "You don't get to talk about him like that."
"What?" his mother scoffed in disbelief, "After you've talked the same way for so long?"
"Shut up," Snotlout snarled, "Shut up! You don't get to talk about him like that!"
"And you are?!"
"Shut up!"
"Ha! Look at this kid! Thinking he can go against one of his parents!" his mother shook her head condescendingly, and her face shifted into something grotesque, "What are you going to do, huh? Stop me? Stop me from hurting your precious cousin?" her voice built into an unholy shriek.
The whispering voices also increased in the corner of his mind, too.
"Yes!" Snotlout roared, guilt and desperation clawing at him, "He's–He's–" He's all I have. "I'll spend the rest of my bloody life atoning for what I did, but you–you don't get to talk about him like that!" He's all I have.
Silence. And then–
"How disappointing."
Snotlout jerked, and looked at his mother before him. He swallowed thickly, and then nodded–not an ounce of regret in his heart, "I know."
His mother watched him for a few moments, her face unreadable, before it shifted into an emotion that made Snotlout's heart hurt. Pride.
"That's my son…"
O~O
Hiccup jolted when he smelt a fragrant wisp–almost like snowdrops–permeate the air. He stood up gingerly, carefully setting another cloth on Snotlout's forehead whilst cataloguing his condition.
(Snotlout's breathing pattern had evened out… and he became paler.
He was so still–Hiccup wasn't sure if his cousin was alive or dead)
The scrawny teen tore his gaze away, and walked over to the cauldron where the antidote was cooking.
Sure enough, the petals were slightly faded, the color having been absorbed into the water. The solution was a clear, smooth gray that had more the texture of liquid Monstrous Nightmare fire rather than the tonics Gothi normally created.
Hiccup grabbed a pair of tongs and a bowl, using the tongs to scoop up a generous amount of the antidote.
"Uurgh… It's done?" Ruffnut gurgled, having been woken up by the sound.
Hiccup hummed, "Think so. Just in time, too. Don't think Snotlout has much time left."
Ruffnut turned and looked at the dark-haired teen in the cot skeptically, "I don't know, Hiccup." she hedged, "I think I could've slept a bit longer…"
Hiccup glared at her, and Ruffnut threw her hands up in mock-apology.
"Jeez, fine–stupid, Useless…" –Hiccup flinched– "No need to be so touch-touch-touchy. Imma go wake up my brother."
Hiccup watched as Ruffnut kicked her brother awake, yelling incomprehensible gibberish at him, and he at her in return.
Before long, the twins made it over, Tuffnut essentially vibrating in carefully-contained excitement, and Ruffnut yawning with intense spiteful looks being shot at Hiccup every so often.
(Hiccup didn't care)
The auburn-haired teen carefully dipped the tips of his fingers into the thick solution, and spread it over and into the wound on Snotlout's shoulder. Hiccup couldn't resist a slight shudder once his fingers made contact–Snotlout really did not have much time left.
The flesh around and in the wound was all hard and black, almost like a corpse. Or like shed dragon scales. It was disgusting.
Hiccup generously dipped his fingers in further and smeared the gray fluid all over the wound. Then, he brought the bowl forward and tipped the rest down Snotlout's throat, Tuffnut carefully elevating Snotlout's head so it would go down easier.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Hiccup sat down at the table, and dunked a cloth in water.
Ruffnut went off to peek through Gothi's stores (it seemed that not even the threat of Gothi's stick was enough to deter the young woman from attaining what she wanted).
Tuffnut continued watching Snotlout tensely.
For another moment, nothing happened.
Hiccup started tapping against the table. A deceptively calm, steady beat that spoke of a steadiness of mind (that Hiccup did not have-).
Moments turned into minutes, and nothing happened.
Then, Snotlout started coughing.
And he kept coughing.
And blood spilled out of his mouth.
A black-tinged red color, Hiccup thought faintly, Is blood supposed to look like that?
Tuffnut jumped forward and hit Snotlout's back twice, firmly. More blood spilled out of his slackened mouth.
Snotlout's eyes were open, but dazed (like he wasn't fully there).
His skin had seemed to pale further (if it was even possible).
(Hiccup had a bad, bad feeling–)
Then, Snotlout crumpled, and stopped moving altogether.
It was at that moment, in the clouded glow of the sunset, that Gothi opened the door.
AN: Whoooo! *cue author getting up and stretching in YET ANOTHER chapter without substantial Hiccup and Snotlout interaction* What a doozy! Well, have fun! :-]