Come Darkness, Come Light

Chapter 24 - Stealth Mode

It was deathly silent as Cloudjumper landed in a tiny clearing near the outskirts of the camp. Hiccup immediately jumped off his back, his feet hitting the ground with a quiet thud. I slid down Cloudjumper's wing, then ran my hand lightly along his jaw as I walked around to look him in the eyes. At my inquisitive expression, he gave me a slow blink of affirmation.

*I remember what I need to do. I'll be waiting.* He assured me, having been through the motions plenty of times. His role was just as important to the mission as mine or Hiccup's. I trusted him completely to carry out his part.

I nodded, patting his cheek and taking a step back. The next moment he was in the air, his wingbeats sending a rush of wind over Hiccup and me. He would go to the top of the mountain and wait for my signal. Then he'd implement the second part of the plan.

I gestured for Hiccup to follow, then made my way into the forest, the faint glow of torchlight in the distance leading my path. Hiccup fell into step beside me, his gaze focused ahead. He looked ready to kill with the sword on his back and the two daggers across his chest. He didn't hold the same regard for human life as I did, or at least that's what he told me. He'd never actually killed anyone, so it was hard to say for sure whether he could actually go through with it. Tonight would be a test for him.

Neither of us said a word the entire way. I didn't speak for fear of being heard, even at a whisper, and Hiccup simply had nothing to say. It didn't take us long to reach the edge of the camp. We crouched behind some bushes, waiting for the opportune moment. The goal was to get into the cave without being spotted. From there, we'd find the documents I'd been well-informed were in this camp (the trapper I'd beat it out of had been quite cooperative.) The cave was located on the side of the mountain on the other side of the clearing, which meant sneaking past the hunters. I counted the number of men in my head. Twelve. Plus two walking around the camp's borders—a patrol. If we timed it just right, we could use the scarce vegetation around the edges of the clearing as cover and the patrol would never see us. The other men wouldn't be a problem. They were too busy making weapons or playing games or drinking. I nudged Hiccup, nodding at the patrolmen. He followed my gaze, alert for any instructions. When the two men finally came around, I nearly rolled my eyes hearing their conversation.

"I'm serious! Just ask Duncan if you don't believe me," the first man grumbled, his words slurred. Was everyone in this camp drunk? If so, our jobs would prove to be easier than I expected.

The second, shorter man shoved the first with a throaty chuckle. "No man can kill a Monstrous Nightmare with his bare hands. You're a damn liar!" He protested. I glanced nervously at Hiccup, suddenly afraid their words might anger him to the point that he gave away our position. But my son was perfectly still, the slight rise and fall of his chest the only sign that he was even alive.

Luckily, the men passed by quickly, their voices fading the farther they walked. As soon as I was sure it was clear, I took off around the border of the clearing, Hiccup right on my heels. We stayed low, our hurried footsteps not making a sound in the soft dirt. Each time our forms were briefly illuminated by torchlight, I worried we'd be discovered.

But no one looked our way, and we made it into the cave without incident, running to hide around the corner of a tunnel. If my count was right, there should be six men somewhere inside. They'd most likely be split into pairs. I didn't expect to get to those documents completely unseen, but Hiccup and I would be able to take care of six men. The key was to find them before they found us.

*Should we split up? Cover more ground?* Hiccup suggested, leaning around me to glance down the main passageway. It was empty at the moment, but there were multiple tunnels throughout the cave. They could be in any one of them.