Note: please read the bottom of this chapter.
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
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(Cinderwing POV)
(The next day)
The first rays of dawn painted the eastern sky in hues of soft gold and rose when I awoke. After a thorough preening, a swift hunt that yielded a satisfyingly plump cod, and a long drink of cool spring water, my instincts drew me to patrol the perimeter of Dragon's Edge. As I soared along the coastline, the familiar sight of Astrid and Stormfly on their morning flight crossed my path, a brief nod exchanged before I continued towards Hiccup's hut.
Landing silently before the wooden door, I carefully nudged the latch with my snout, lifting it just enough to slip inside. The interior was dim, illuminated only by the faint light filtering through cracks in the walls. Toothless lay curled peacefully on his stone slab, his breathing deep and even. A mischievous impulse sparked within me. I padded softly towards him... and delivered a swift, playful slap to his head with my wing. His emerald eyes snapped open, wide with surprise. "Wake up, sleepyhead," I rumbled, keeping my voice low. "Don't tell me you've forgotten about training. Chop-chop, let's go."
"Okay, okay, I'm... up," Toothless mumbled, a wide yawn stretching his jaws. He blinked sleepily, his gaze settling on Hiccup, still deeply ensconced in his bedroll. "Shouldn't we wake Hiccup? You know I can't exactly fly solo."
"Nope," I replied, nudging him gently towards the door. "We're walking. Think of it as... endurance training. Besides," I added with a mental smirk, "a little ground work never hurt anyone." With a final glance at the still-sleeping Hiccup, we exited the hut, the wooden door clicking softly shut behind us.
(Scene break)
"Are we almost there yet?" Toothless grumbled, his tail twitching with impatience for what felt like the dozenth time, though I'd only counted three. I kept my gaze fixed on the path ahead, the dense foliage gradually giving way to a clearing. Familiar shapes began to emerge – shattered boulders scattered across the ground, their surfaces bearing the unmistakable signs of intense heat, now cooled and solidified into strange, melted forms. "Yes," I finally answered, my voice a low rumble as we stepped into the center of the clearing. "This is where I trained. Before you and the others came to Dragon's Edge."
"Alright, Toothless," I rumbled, my gaze sweeping over the familiar, scarred landscape. "Today, we hone your aim. Accuracy first, then we'll layer in the power. Look at that cluster of smaller boulders near that larger one." I gestured with my snout. "I want you to try and hit the very top edge of the tallest one. Just enough to chip it."
Toothless fixed his emerald eyes on the distant target. He took a deep breath, the familiar soft purple glow beginning to emanate from his mouth. A small, controlled blast shot forth. Thick! The plasma struck the boulder slightly below the top edge.
"Close," I encouraged. "Try again. Imagine you're etching a line into the stone. Precise and controlled."
He concentrated, his brow furrowed. Another controlled burst, and this time, a tiny chip of rock broke off the very top edge. A soft rumble of satisfaction emanated from him. "Excellent," I praised. "Now, let's make it smaller. See that tiny, pointed rock jutting out from the side of that larger boulder?" I indicated an even more challenging target. "I want you to try and snap just the tip off."
This required intense focus and minute adjustments to his aim. His first few attempts missed entirely. "Think smaller, Toothless," I instructed. "Feel the subtle movements in your jaw and throat as you release the plasma. Direct it with pinpoint focus."
He adjusted, his body still. A concentrated blast, barely wider than the tip itself, struck the target. Snap! The very end of the pointed rock broke clean off. His ears twitched with accomplishment.
"Impressive," I acknowledged. "Now, let's add power to that precision. Aim for that same snapped point. This time, put enough force behind it to send the broken piece flying."
Toothless focused on the tiny fracture. He charged his blast, the purple glow building with controlled intensity. Whumph! The plasma hit the weakened point, and the small piece of rock shot outwards.
"Good. Now, a moving target to test your tracking accuracy." I gestured to a series of thin vines swaying gently in a breeze near the cliff face. "I want you to sever the middle vine with a single, clean blast, without touching the ones beside it."
This demanded both accuracy and the ability to lead a moving object. Toothless took several attempts, learning to anticipate the sway. "Smooth movements, Toothless," I advised. "Follow the vine with your gaze before you fire. Imagine your plasma as a precise cutting tool."
He focused, tracking the swaying vine. A swift, controlled blast shot out. Sizzle! The middle vine parted cleanly, the ones on either side remaining untouched.
"Remarkable," I rumbled, a genuine respect growing for his quick learning. "You're mastering the art of pinpoint accuracy. Now, let's combine that with force. Aim for that same severed vine, and this time, try to burn the ends."
This required both precision in hitting the small target and sustained power to create the burning effect. After a few focused attempts, small wisps of smoke began to rise from the severed ends. Toothless let out a triumphant croon, his tail swishing with pride.
"Excellent, Toothless," I concluded. "You're learning that true power lies not just in the size of the blast, but in the control and accuracy you wield. A well-placed, focused strike can be far more effective. Remember this discipline."
"Alright, Toothless," I said, guiding him to a less cluttered area dominated by large boulders. "We're done with stationary targets for today. Now, you'll be aiming for me."
Toothless blinked, a bewildered expression crossing his face. "You? But... why not just use the barrels? They're what we always use for aerial practice."
"Barrels are predictable," I countered with a slight smile, taking flight and hovering a short distance away. "I'm not. I'm faster and more agile than any projectile the riders can launch. If you can learn to track and hit me accurately, even while you're grounded, tagging other dragons in flight will be simple." I nodded towards a flat-topped boulder. "Get up high. Let's see if you can tag me as I move around. Then, we'll make it a true test of your coordination – you'll try to hit me while you're moving too."
He stared at me for a moment, a mix of apprehension and a spark of excitement in his emerald eyes. He exhaled sharply, a determined glint appearing. "Alright, alright. Let's do this."
Toothless awkwardly clambered onto the flat-topped boulder, his claws scrabbling for purchase on the rough surface. He settled himself, his gaze fixed on me as I hovered in the air, circling slowly.
"Remember the focus you've been practicing," I called out, my voice echoing slightly in the clearing. "Track my movements. Don't just fire wildly. Wait for a clear shot."
He took a deep breath, the purple glow beginning to build in his mouth. He followed my movements with his eyes, his head swiveling smoothly. I made a sudden, sharp turn, testing his ability to react. His first blast followed too late, a burst of plasma dissipating harmlessly in the air behind me.
"Too slow," I observed. "Anticipate. Where am I going to be, not where am I now."
He tried again, charging his blast as I approached. This time, he fired a fraction earlier, but his aim was slightly off, the plasma streaking past my wingtip. The heat was still noticeable, a testament to the power he was learning to control.
"Better timing, but refine your aim," I instructed. "Think of that tiny point on the rock you were hitting earlier. Now, make me that point."
We continued this exercise for about a third of an hour. I varied my speed and direction, making sudden dives and ascents. Toothless struggled at first, his blasts often missing. But with each attempt, his tracking improved. He began to anticipate my movements, firing just as I changed direction. Several near misses sent jolts of heat through the air.
Finally, a well-aimed blast caught me. Not a direct hit, but a glancing blow against my side. The impact was enough to make me momentarily falter in my flight.
"Yes!" Toothless exclaimed from atop the boulder, his tail thumping against the stone with excitement. "I hit you!"
"You did," I acknowledged, circling back. "A good shot, Toothless. You're learning to lead your target. But that was a stationary platform. Now for the real challenge."
I landed gracefully beside the boulder. "Your turn to move. I want you to run along the base of this rock, keeping pace with me as I fly. Try to hit me while you're in motion."
Toothless looked at the boulder, then at me, a flicker of apprehension in his eyes. "Run and shoot? That's... going to be tricky."
"Indeed," I agreed. "It requires coordination and the ability to maintain your aim while your body is in motion. But it's a crucial skill for aerial combat. Ready?"
He took another deep breath, a determined glint returning to his eyes. "Ready as I'll ever be." He positioned himself at the base of the boulder, his claws digging into the earth. I took to the air again, flying parallel to the rock face. "Alright, Toothless. Let's see what you've got."
I kept my speed consistent, a steady pace parallel to the boulder. Toothless began to run alongside it, his powerful strides eating up the ground. He tried to fire his first blast while running, but the movement threw off his aim, the plasma erupting wildly to the side.
"Keep your head steady, Toothless," I called out. "Focus on your target, not your feet. Try to time your shot between strides."
He adjusted his gait, trying to find a rhythm. He charged another blast, attempting to synchronize the release with a moment of relative stability between his steps. This one was closer, the heat washing over my tail as it passed.
"Better!" I encouraged. "You're compensating for the movement. Now, try leading me. Remember how you did with the vines?"
This proved even more challenging. Running and trying to predict my flight path required a significant amount of coordination. His blasts became more erratic, some shooting ahead of me, others lagging behind. He stumbled a few times, his focus momentarily broken.
"Don't get discouraged," I rumbled, slowing my pace slightly to match his efforts. "This takes practice. Feel the momentum of your run and try to project where I'll be when your blast reaches me."
We continued like this for a while, the only sounds the pounding of Toothless's paws on the earth and the whoosh of my wings. Slowly, painstakingly, he began to improve. A few more near misses, each one a testament to his growing control.
Then, finally, another glancing blow. This time, the plasma singed a patch of scales on my wing.
Toothless skidded to a halt, panting slightly, but a wide grin stretched across his face. "I... I hit you again! While moving!"
"You did, Toothless," I acknowledged, landing beside him. "That was excellent progress. Running and maintaining your aim is a difficult skill. You're learning to integrate your movements with your plasma blasts."
I nudged him playfully with my snout. "Perhaps all that 'endurance training' on the walk here was more beneficial than you thought."
Toothless chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. "Maybe you're right. So, what's next, aerial combat while doing barrel rolls?"
I considered his playful question for a moment, a thoughtful expression on my face. "Not today, that's something you'll need Hiccup for. But that... is an excellent idea for the future." My gaze then drifted towards the horizon, the sun climbing higher in the sky. "For now, I think we've pushed your limits enough for one morning. Let's head back. Hiccup will likely be awake and wondering where you've gone."
(Scene break)
(Time skip: a few days later)
The training with Toothless continued over the next few days, eventually involving Hiccup for flight practice, with Astrid and Stormfly joining in as well.
Now, the dragon riders were establishing the groundwork for a new watchtower. I, meanwhile, was enjoying a rapid descent down the snowy mountain, sliding on my belly like a penguin, the twins and their Zippleback close behind. "Whoo-hoo!" they yelled, riding precariously on Barf and Belch's necks.
"Here we go!" Ruffnut shrieked, as I tucked my wings tight against my body, accelerating. Barf and Belch mirrored my movement. "Oh, I love to cut through the fresh powder. Don't you sis?" Tuffnut added, "Yeah! Just like a warm knife through yak butter!" Ruffnut finished, as we hit a small rise, catching air briefly before slamming back onto the snowy slope.
Blast! Blast! Yeah! Zippleback, baby!" Tuffnut roared. Barf unleashed a stream of flammable gas, instantly ignited by Belch's sparks, triggering a growing avalanche.
I flattened my wings further, picking up speed and expertly navigating around icy rocks and uneven terrain, preparing to take flight.
A sudden scream from the twins made me glance back. Barf and Belch had hit a large bump, beginning a chaotic, uncontrollable roll downhill, flinging Ruffnut and Tuffnut into the air, where the other riders swiftly intercepted them.
Reaching the cliff edge, I spread my wings, soaring upwards just as the avalanche reached the precipice. Barf and Belch, however, were too low and tumbled over the side, caught at the last moment by Hiccup and Toothless before the crushing snow engulfed them.
We landed near the watchtower foundation, Toothless gently setting Barf and Belch on the snowy ground before touching down himself. Barf and Belch immediately began showering Hiccup with slobbery licks of gratitude. "Thank you for saving us. Yeah, thanks!" they rumbled in unison.
Hiccup, oblivious to the damage his prosthetic leg had sustained, dismounted Toothless. "Uh, Hiccup, I wouldn't do that if I were—" Astrid's warning came too late. His footing slipped on the icy surface, and he landed with a grunt. "Oh, right," he muttered as Barf and Belch carefully scooped him up by his arms with their surprisingly gentle jaws. "Oh, let us help! Yeah, we'll help you up!" they chirped enthusiastically.
"Oh. Uh, can you put me down, guys?" Hiccup requested, and the two headed dragon obliged, lowering him until he could lean on his Night Fury. Hiccup sighed, reaching for a pouch on Toothless's saddle. "And it's for moments like these that I always carry a spare." He retrieved a new prosthetic, quickly swapping it for the bent one, which he then stowed away. A dry, pointed glare was then directed at the twins.
"So, if that's all you need from us, then we'll just be going back to" Tuffnut began, he and Ruffnut already backing away slowly. "Toothless?" Hiccup interjected, his tone firm. "Got it." Toothless warbled in understanding and unleashed a plasma blast that landed squarely in their path.
"Hey, your dragon just shot at us." Tuffnut yelped, while I snorted, finding their exaggerated surprise amusing. "Yes, I know I told him to." Hiccup replied, his voice laced with exasperation.
"Not cool, T. Not cool at all." Tuffnut whined, earning an eye-roll from Toothless. "Anyway, since you two seem so eager to spend some time away from the group, you get to pull the first two shifts of patrol duty. And don't expect Cinder to cover for you." Hiccup continued, his tone leaving no room for argument.
My ears swiveled, catching their muttered complaints. "He's really become a tyrant." Ruffnut whispered. "Power'll do that to you." Tuffnut exaggerated.
We flew into the air, the dragon riders and I going to their huts, whilst the twins engaged in a comical tug-of-war with Barf and Belch's reins, trying to steer the stubborn Zippleback towards their patrol route. Eventually, with much yelling and flapping, they were on their way.
(Scene break)
I followed Hiccup and Toothless back to their hut, my curiosity piqued about whatever trouble Barf and Belch were brewing.
Hiccup dismounted with a grunt. "This leg needs to be filed down, it's pinching me." He heaved open the door, only to be engulfed by a sudden avalanche of fish, leaving just his head visible. "Oh, for the love of Thor! Who did this? He paused, then his eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute. Why am I even asking? Ruff? Tuff? Ohh, I got another shift with your names on it." He exclaimed, shaking fish from his arms as Toothless and I began to help ourselves to the unexpected bounty. "Really? You're eating the evidence?" Hiccup grumbled, looking at us.
"It's delicious." Toothless warbled around a mouthful. "Food is food." I rumbled, though a thought flickered through my mind. 'How did Barf and Belch manage to gather and stash this much fish without us noticing?'
Hiccup mounted Toothless, and they shot into the sky, me close behind, searching for the twins.
"All right, where are they?" Hiccup muttered. "Well I guess you could just look for a fire or any other catastrophe, they'll close by." He added.
"So, how do you think this will go?" I asked Toothless. He glanced at me. "Well... after the extra shift. Stable duty." Toothless replied. I hummed in response as we flew above the forest.
Our aerial search was abruptly interrupted. A chaotic blur of green and yellow slammed into Hiccup – Barf and Belch. They seized him from Toothless's saddle, the sudden impact folding Toothless's prosthetic tail fin, sending him spiraling. "Toothless!" Hiccup shouted. "Hiccup!" Toothless roared, struggling to stay aloft. "Cinderwing, help!"
I dove immediately, catching Toothless by his tail just before he slammed into the trees. "Got you!" I warbled. Toothless exhaled heavily. "Thanks."
"No problem. So... how's it hanging?" I called up, a smirk tugging at my lips. Toothless just gave me a flat look. "That was bad, even for you."
I rolled my eyes. Then, a panicked yell echoed above as Hiccup plummeted, landing with a thud on my back. I bucked slightly, regaining balance. He instinctively clung to me, his grip mirroring how he rode Toothless. My smirk vanished. "Just this once," I grumbled, before descending to land.
Setting Toothless down gently, I landed and deliberately shifted my weight to my hind legs unseating Hiccup with a surprised grunt.
before standing on my hind legs forcing Hiccup to fall off my back with a grunt.
"You all there, bud? I think I am." Hiccup sighed, dusting himself off. His gaze then fell on his bent prosthetic. "And I spoke too soon." He detached it with a click.
Toothless snorted softly as Hiccup hopped over to him, grabbing a spare leg from the saddle. "Oh, don't worry, bud. I always carry a spare for my spare." Hiccup muttered, quickly securing it. Just then, Barf and Belch landed before us, dropping a fresh pile of fish. "Hello, we brought more fish," Barf chirped.
"Wait a minute, it was you guys? You left me all that fish?" Hiccup asked, surprised. "Yup, want some?" Belch rumbled, a fish still dangling from his mouth. Hiccup's brow furrowed. "Oh, okay, if you are here and the twins are Thor knows where, then who's patrolling the island?" He mused aloud, swinging onto Toothless. With a beat of our wings, we were airborne.
(Scene break)
Nearing the clubhouse, I spotted Ruffnut and Tuffnut mid-argument, their bickering ceasing abruptly as we landed before them. "Hiccup, you found 'em!" Tuffnut exclaimed, as they both rushed towards Barf and Belch.
"Where did you two go? You had us worried sick." Ruffnut said, briefly cupping Barf's snout before the Zippleback ambled back towards Hiccup. "Where'd they go? Well let's start with they filled my hut with fish, uh, crashed me and Toothless out of the sky. And for their finale, they broke my second spare... leg." Hiccup retorted, gesturing pointedly at his leg
Ruffnut crossed her arms. "So, if my calculations are correct, and they usually are..."
"That would mean that our dear Hiccup is on his..." Tuffnut chimed in, striking a dramatic thinking pose. "Last leg!" they declared together, erupting in laughter. "Get it? See what we did? It's because of your leg. You don't have anymore." Tuffnut elaborated, still chuckling as Ruffnut joined in. "I think he gets it." Ruffnut managed between laughs.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Listen." Hiccup said, a hint of exasperation in his voice as he dismounted Toothless. The twins approached, smirking. "Well, if you wanna flip the script, the new leg is slimming." Ruffnut offered with mock sincerity. "Not that you need to be slimmed. I mean, I think for your height, you're an ideal weight, healthy." Tuffnut added quickly.
"The four of you belong together." Hiccup declared, gently nudging Barf and Belch towards them. "Now, please, can you get back on patrol and, and try to keep these two— Well— Oh, just go." he gestured vaguely at the Zippleback heads, and hopped onto Toothless.
"Last leg" he muttered under his breath. Toothless and I rumbled with amusement. "Oh, don't laugh, Toothless, Cinder. You're above that." Hiccup retorted as they took off, leaving me on the ground.
"Whoa!" Ruffnut yelled. "Bad dragon!" Tuffnut echoed as Barf and Belch unceremoniously dumped them from their necks and took off after Hiccup and Toothless.
"Attitude!" Ruffnut shouted at her brother. "Cod livers! Tuffnut shot back, their earlier argument reigniting. I snorted, drawing their attention. ""Hey, C... fancy giving us a lift?" Tuffnut asked with a sly grin. Instead of answering, I launched into the air, heading towards Hiccup's hut. No way were they riding me. I headed towards Hiccup's hut, the Dragon Eye was in there, and even if I couldn't read the script, the images would tell me what I needed to know while Hiccup was... occupied.
The hut was a quick flight, the fish pile still blocking the doorway. Inside, the familiar array of Toothless's tail fins adorned one wall. A sturdy, locked chest sat before it. 'Hiccup likely secured this after the incident with Gustav,' I mused, examining the lock. My claws were nimble; The tumblers clicked softly as my claws worked within, a delicate counterpoint to the quiet interior. With a final click, the chest opened, revealing the Dragon Eye nestled amongst other belongings and several lenses. I swallowed the lenses – a common enough dragon ability – then secured the Dragon Eye in a spare pouch around my neck and slipping back outside.
—-
My den, still a secret, was a quick flight. Inside, past the dripstone columns, I reached a clear space. I nudged a small boulder against a flattened wall, setting the Dragon Eye on top and securing it. The lenses followed, regurgitated and sterilized with a controlled plasma blast.
Behind the Dragon Eye, my maw glowed, projecting its knowledge. Turning a lens, the images shifted through dragon classes until the Strike Class symbol appeared – a sleek silhouette reminiscent of a Night Fury. Cycling through the lenses revealed various Strike Class dragons, but nothing new.
Thoughtfully, I separated my tally-marked slabs, revealing the Lycanwing statue lenses. Swapping them in brought only more undecipherable runes. "What if..." I murmured, holding another lens before the Dragon Eye. An unfamiliar map filled the projection. A frustrated huff escaped me. "Well... at least it's something." I rumbled, reassembling the slabs and securing all lenses and the Dragon Eye before resting.
(Scene break)
Dawn painted the sky as I perched silently in a tree, observing two figures who'd clearly slipped onto the island unnoticed. 'The twins' incompetence, no doubt,' I thought.
"Those hides will fetch a high price at the northern markets." grunted the hunter whose face was entirely concealed by a helmet, his eyes glued to a spyglass. "Focus. That's not what we're here for." the other hunter, with only part of his face covered, snapped back.
"Well how are we supposed to take him if he's guarded by two dragons?" the fully armored one questioned, his voice muffled. "We wait until he's not guarded by two dragons." his companion replied, his tone sharp.
A mischievous glint entered my eye. Before they could disappear into the trees, I silently swooped down, snagging a shiny gronckle iron short sword in my teeth. Then took flight, heading towards the slumbering dragons in the stables – all except Toothless and the Zippleback.
Reaching the stables, I opted for a less conventional wake-up. Standing on my hind legs, the gronckle iron sword in my right paw, I roared, "Get up, you lazy lizards! Dragon hunters are on the island!" I punctuated my announcement by slamming the blunt side of the sword against the wooden columns.
Stormfly jolted awake, tail spines flared, then relaxed with a frustrated glare at my methods. Meatlug, startled, blundered into her stall door, forcing it open before her fear subsided. Hookfang, with a snarl, unleashed a blast of fire that narrowly missed me. "Rise and shine, sleepyheads. We have hunters to use."
"What's going on? Didn't the twins—" Stormfly began, then stopped, a look of weary resignation on her face. "Never mind."
"Surprisingly, it wasn't their fault," I noted.
"Really?" Meatlug asked, blinking sleepily.
"Yup. Barf and Belch owe Hiccup a life debt for the avalanche," I explained.
"Figures," Hookfang grumbled.
"Wait, really?" Meatlug pressed.
"Yeah, Snotlout and the twins cooked up a fake attack so Barf and Belch would try to 'save' Hiccup and repay it," Hookfang clarified.
"So, what's the play with the hunters?" Stormfly asked, her tone sharp.
"We let them nab Hiccup. Then, Barf and Belch 'rescue' him, debt paid," I answered. "Then we drive off the hunters."
Stormfly narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, then nodded. "Alright. What's the setup?"
"Meatlug and Hookfang, you two distract Barf and Belch. Stormfly, I'll send Toothless to you with the plan to make Hiccup an easy target. Then, after the 'rescue,' we move in on the hunters," I outlined.
"Sounds good, but what will you be doing?" Hookfang asked suspiciously. "Yeah, and the riders?" Meatlug added, concern in her voice.
"I'm... figuring out how to tell them," I admitted, wincing at the thought of the ensuing charades. "Let's move!"
Stormfly and I headed towards the Great Hall, while Meatlug and Hookfang lumbered off to find the twins' dragon.
(Scene break)
Communicating the intricacies of the plan to Astrid and Fishlegs required another exhausting session of charades, punctuated by my surprisingly accurate (if I do say so myself) drawings in Fishlegs' ever-present book, earning me a wide-eyed stare. Their initial hesitation, understandable given the risk to Hiccup, eventually gave way to reluctant agreement.
The others were filled in after the predictable fallout of the twins' "plan," which ended with Hiccup demonstrating his surprisingly effective right hook on Snotlout.
With Hiccup now strolling innocently through the forest, oblivious to the unfolding drama, I followed with practiced stealth. His passage near a thicket coincided with the sudden appearance of a flour sack over his head.
"Ah, oh, oh." Hiccup yelled, muffled, as he was dragged into the undergrowth. "Really, guys? What did I say? I said— ack. Come on, I'm serious." His frustrated shouts continued, clearly directed at the imagined twins. However, I saw the two hunters from earlier emerge, Hiccup slung over a shoulder.
"Would you let me go? No, seriously, just put me down! Hey! What are you doing?" Hiccup protested as the hunters bolted towards their ship.
I sped back to the clubhouse. A charged plasma blast shot into the sky, its echoing crack a signal for Hookfang and Meatlug to cease their Barf and Belch diversion, allowing Barf and Belch to play their heroic role.
Back at the clubhouse, I retrieved the stolen sword, its gronckle iron gleaming dully as I held the point forward in my teeth. Now, we simply had to wait for the Zippleback's inevitable distress call, as dusk turned to night.
"You actually think this is going to work, and won't end with Hiccup in a cage?" Snotlout scoffed. "It has to." Ruffnut insisted. "Yeah, we need our insufferable, neck-cracking dragon back." Tuffnut added, surprisingly subdued.
Suddenly, the sound of an explosion shook the air. "That's Barf and Belch!" Tuffnut exclaimed. "That's their distress signal." Ruffnut added worriedly.
The explosion spurred us into immediate action. Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and I, along with their dragons, launched towards the signal. The twins' bickering faded behind us as they and a reluctant Toothless eventually followed.
En route, we were forced to make a sharp ascent as Barf and Belch, with Hiccup clinging to their backs, hurtled past. "Whoa! That was a close one," Meatlug rumbled.
Screams from behind made me glance back. A chaotic collision: Toothless and the twins had slammed into Barf and Belch, knocking the twins off and sending both dragons plummeting. "Hiccup!" Astrid cried out, worried.
"Toothless!" Hiccup yelled as Toothless twisted, allowing him to grab the saddle and deploy his prosthetic tail just before they hit the water.
The twins, Barf and Belch splashed into the sea, but the hunters managed to snag the Zippleback before they fully submerged.
Moments later, a triumphant Ruffnut and Tuffnut burst from the waves, riding a sputtering Barf and Belch. "Yes!" Ruffnut shouted. "Back in the saddle, baby!" Tuffnut echoed, before they flew to join us.
"Let's get these hunters away from Dragon's edge!" Hiccup commanded as we swooped towards the ship.
—
The twins whooped as twin blasts obliterated ballistae. "I missed this!" Ruffnut's gleeful cry echoed. "You can say that again, sister." Tuffnut roared back.
"Take out the catapults!" Astrid yelled, Stormfly twisted through the air, avoiding heavy stone projectiles.
I dove, the wind screaming past my scales, and slammed onto the slick deck. My tail cracked like a whip, sending surprised hunters sprawling into the dark, churning water. The ship shuddered with each fiery impact as the others demolished the catapults, the smell of burning wood acrid in the air. "My sword!" a familiar voice yelled, the hunter charging with desperate fury.
Iron met Gronckle iron with a jarring clang, then a sickening snap. His blade lay in two pieces. His face registered utter disbelief at the sight of a dragon wielding a weapon. With a satisfied glint in my eye, and a flick of my tail, he joined his comrades overboard. I launched back into the air.
"Get us out of here!" Dagur's panicked shriek was punctuated by the sizzle of his burning hair before a falling plank knocked him unconscious with a dull thud.
We hung in the smoky air, watching the crippled ship drift away. A wide smile stretched my jaws. "That was exhilarating!" I roared, the taste of ozone and salt on my tongue. "Not since tangling with that Titanwing Monstrous Nightmare have I had such fun!" I added.
"You fought the Titanwing? I barely won against him." Hookfang's voice was a mix of awe and apprehension. "Yea. His... territorial disputes were rather disruptive," I replied, turning towards home.
"And your methods of establishing dominance on this island were?" Stormfly's tone held a hint of amusement. "Naturally. A bit of spirited competition strengthens the flock," I countered smoothly.
"Unlike the Titanwing's... methods," I added pointedly.
"Try any 'spirited competition' that involves my hide, and you'll find out just how spirited my response can be," Stormfly growled, though a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes. "Tempting," I chuckled, the thrill of the fight still coursing through me. "But perhaps another time, sweetheart."
"Ugh, feelings," Barf groaned dramatically. "Gross," Belch agreed.
"Enough, you two," Toothless interjected, his wings beating faster. "Let's hurry up so we can go sleep."
—————————————
Finally finished. Sorry that it took so long, I was having trouble putting some thoughts into words.
Anyway I will publish a third book. This book will be for story/chapter concepts. From things like transformers, kung fu panda, Jurassic Park/World, monsterverse or even chapters for my current stories that wouldn't fit in the current timeline yet still be canon.
Let me know what you think of it.