The Other-worldly Protector

88. Back from the wizards

"You can't spell," she said flatly.

"Let me, then," Hiccup offered. Kiara gave them a thumbs-up, then turned and fled, leaving Hiccup with the job of explaining the exact details of their impromptu trip. No reason they both had to get yelled at again.

In her tired haze, she didn't get very far before walking face-first into a towering guy. "Fishlegs," she said, "Good to see ya, but I'm off."

"Kiara?" he exclaimed. "You're—"

Tuffnut shoved him aside and grabbed Kiara by the shoulders, yelling, "What happened to you? What were you thinking?"

"Not you too," Kiara moaned, rubbing her eyes with a finger and thumb. When she spotted Snotlout and Ruffnut just behind him, she attempted to turn away, but Ruffnut gripped her arm, pulling her back.

"Did you seriously go to Viggo?" Ruffnut asked sternly.

"I—"

"Without us?!" the twins said in unison. Kiara blinked, nonplussed. 

"I'm... erm, sorry?" she stammered.

"Girl, we're meant to be a team," said Ruffnut, "Don't go off and have all the fun without us!"

"How could you?" Tuffnut said, appalled.

"I... It was for stealth," Kiara attempted to explain. "The fewer the better..."

"So?" Snotlout cut in. "Ya still gotta tell us!"

"Snotlout's right, Kiara," said Fishlegs, "You and Hiccup shouldn't have left us in the dark. It was really dangerous."

"Isn't that the truth," Kiara sighed, shoulders hunched. "It would have been much easier for us to have you guys ready to help if we didn't make it out."

"Didn't make it out?" Snotlout repeated. "What happened exactly?"

"And what," Tuffnut gasped, pointing with wide horrified eyes, "did Viggo do to your dragon?!" Everyone's eyes latched onto the inelegant splotches of black, dark green and midnight blue that covered Whiplash. She hissed as she walked past them, muttering to Kiara, "you owe me so many belly rubs. And a whale."

"Hehe... Actually, I did that," Kiara said meekly. Their confused stares lifted from the dragon to land back on her.

"Okay seriously," Snotlout said, folding his arms, "tell us everything."

So much for leaving that job to Hiccup.

-

Later, the quintet of dragon riders sat around in the clubhouse, soaking in the morning sunlight and snacking on grapes and fresh bread thanks to Fishlegs. Kiara felt like her mind was knee-deep in exhaustion and sinking, but with the twins, Fishlegs and Snotlout all eagerly listening, she was urged to complete her account of the night. "You caused a landslide?" Tuffnut asked, eyes twinkling as he pictured the spectacle.

"We need to get on that," Ruffnut muttered. "I wanna cause a landslide."

"We did an avalanche once," he piped up.

"Oh yes!" She sighed fondly and reclined, kicking her feet up onto the table. "Good times."

"Back up one sec," said Snotlout, leaning towards Kiara. "So, Viggo got the Eye in the end?" Kiara let out a long breath and sunk deeper into her chair. Her bones felt like they might drag her through the floor. "...yes," she said.

"Damn it," he cursed. "We've got to stop playing hot potato with that thing and just destroy it."

"Don't we ever." She closed her eyes and tilted her head back.