𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐄, how to train your dragon ¹

xiv. Whispers of Death

Mulch quivered on the barrels he stood ontop. "Because I'm scared, too, Bucket!"

The trembling of the ground grew again, as did the whispers. Behind them, the Whispering Death resurfaced through a brand new hole, exploding forth in a mess of debris, rock, clay and dirt. Valkyrie shielded her face, gasping.

From beside Hiccup, Gobber looked like he wanted to run for the hills. "Ah, it looks angry," he leaned in closer to the chief's son. "Why don't you do that thing where you touch its nose and feed it grass?"

Hiccup set him a side glance, annoyed. "Okay━" he turned to the team. Their dragons fluttered their wings, skittish in the air with the Whispering Death. "Uh, Fishlegs, what do we know about the Whispering Death?!"

"Boulder Class," said Fishlegs amongst squeaks. "Razor sharp teeth, incredibly strong, hunts from underground."

"Cool!" exclaimed Tuffnut, not at all worried. Valkyrie didn't think his head could register that far into something. He covered Belch's ears again. "Now I really want one."

Snotlout growled, "So?" he squared his chest. "How do we deal with this thing?!"

"Stand back, everyone!"

Valkyrie hadn't even realised Soick had left. But now he was back, Thornado with him. The Thunderdrum snarled at the Whispering Death. The teens all shot to the ground, ready to hold their hands to their ears as the dragon let out a mighty roar━soundwaves echoing towards the Whispering Death.

It didn't seem to affect him all that much, just make him angrier. The Whispering Death glared at the chief and his dragon. He screeched.

"Uh, I don't think it's got its listening ears on," said Gobber unhelpfully. Hiccup clenched his jaw as if to say, No kidding?

Zephyr roared. He had had enough of this dragon and so had Valkyrie. Readying her posture for flight, she announced, "Okay! let's run this thing out of here!"

Leading the group of teens back into the air, they positioned themselves in a diamond formation behind Stoick. Zephyr reared back his long neck, ready to blast the Whispering Death back into its hole when out of it, returned Toothless. He roared and their dragons all balked.

"Whoa!" Valkyrie tried to regain control of Zephyr, but he refused to move, squawking.

Everyone else seemed to be having the same problem.

"What is Toothelss doing?!" cried Snotlout at the Night Fury who stood his ground in front of the Whispering Death.

"I think he wants us to back off..." muttered Astrid, startled.

"No problem here!" squeaked Fishlegs and pulled Meatlug away.

The spikes of the Whispering Death jutted out in seeing Toothless━his eyes narrowed in recognition. Valkyrie frowned, watching Toothless bare his teeth. She has never seen him this angry━not since that day in the arena where he faced Hookfang to protect Hiccup.

"Toothless━" his rider tried to stop him as he launched towards the mighty dragon, trying to close his jaw at the end of its spiked tail. The Whispering Death took flight, his rotating teeth spinning in defiance at the Night Fury below.

He roared and jumped again. His teeth latched around the Whispering Death's flank this time, and the both of them fell to the ground, rolling across the dirt. Valkyrie felt her chest cave in, worried that one of those spikes would slice Toothless's flesh.

The Whispering Death regain his advantage in the sky and Toothless fired shot after shot, desperately trying to hit the dragon that weaved back and forth. Growling in frustration, he flapped his wings, but couldn't get off the ground━not without Hiccup on his back.