Lost and Found - A Snotlout Love Story (HTTYD/RTTE)

15. Snack Time

"Alright, that's enough of..that," Astrid joked, gesturing to Snotlout and Melanie. She then went on to announce, "I think I have a plan." Everyone gathered their attention to her as she began to explain.

"And you think that Eret guy is just gonna lead us to Drago?" Fishlegs questioned in an unsure tone.

Astrid looked from Fishlegs to Melanie and smirked, "no..but I get the feeling Mel can convince him."

"Me?" Melanie was just as shocked as the rest. But after a moment of deep thought, a lightbulb lit in her mind. She then talked to herself as she thought out a situation, "oh..oh yeah..yeah that'll work.....alright, I'm in."

"Care to share your plan with the rest of us?" Snotlout asked suggestively.

But Melanie simply shook her head and climbed onto Bones, "nah, you'll figure it out." Then, she and the boneknapper were off.

Tuffnut and Ruffnut snickered at the sight of Snotlout's baffled face. Then the others all took flight after her. When they reached the ship, Bones swooped down and grabbed the leader, Eret, who let out a scream as the ground shrank below him. Melanie laughed wildly as Bones tossed him into the air.

Astrid then grabbed him with Stormfly and demanded he take them to Drago. When he refused, Stormfly tossed him to Hookfang, then to Barf and Belch, and finally back to Bones.

"You won't get a word out of me," Eret shouted.

Melanie patted Bones on the neck and sighed, "guess he's right...snack time, boy!" She just barely caught a glimpse of sheer horror on Eret's face before he was tossed into the air once again. The other riders watched in shock as Bones opened his jaws wide and caught the dragon trapper in them.

"Well, guess we'll need a new plan," Tuff observed.

But Eret continued to shout, proving that he was not, in fact, eaten. Melanie flew Bones back to the sea stack and landed, closely followed by the others. Snotlout watched in disgust as Bones let the man slide out of his mouth.

Eret stumbled and slipped on the dragon saliva, gasping for air with wide bug eyes. "You know, I'm staring to think the dragon is just as crazy as the rider," Tuff muttered to his sister, who nodded her head in agreement.

"You..are insane," Eret gasped, "all of you..you're crazy."

"So..you'll help us?" Astrid asked with a crooked grin. Eret sighed in defeat and hesitantly nodded.

"Yes!" Snotlout yelled, punching the air. He put a hand of approval on Melanie's shoulder and praised, "that's my girl."

Melanie gave him a wide, innocent smile. "But next time," Astrid began with an amused look, "a little heads up before 'snack time.'"

"Sure thing," Melanie responded happily. Eret was still on the ground processing that he was just inside of a dragon's mouth. But soon the team was off again, on their way to Drago with Eret as their guide.

• • •

Upon their arrival at Drago's base, the dragon riders were ambushed. Darts were shot at the dragons from all directions and within seconds, they were all down; even Bones was hit through a small gap in his armor. Soon, they were surrounded. Snotlout stood in front of Melanie protectively, but eventually, each of them had their hands tied and were being herded harshly toward the docks.

Melanie squirmed in the arms of her cature, trying to get a glimpse of her dragon and best friend. "Bones!" She yelled in horror.

"Stop moving around," the man who held her growled, tightening his grip on her shoulders, "or we'll stick you, too."

"Then you'll wish you hadn't," Snotlout snarled at him, a look of fury in his eyes that Melanie had never seen before. Surprisingly, it was enough to shut the man up.

Soon they'd reached the docks were a massive man in a dragon skin cloak stood; Drago. Eret began to explain himself but was immediately shut up by a hand to the throat. The dragons were then wheeled in on a large cart.

Melanie watched in horror as Drago approached the half conscious dragons. He grabbed Bones by one of his larger teeth and moved his head around carelessly, as if to examine it. "Don't touch him!" She shouted.

"What are you doing?" Astrid chimed in angrily.

"Get away from them!" Tuffnut ordered.

But, of course, the man didn't listen. "Boneknapper," he observed with an evil grin, "docile on their own; but under my control, it'll be quite the addition."

"My thoughts exactly, Sir," Eret tried to redeem himself.

The menacing man glared at Eret and ordered of his men, "get rid of him; get rid of all of them."

Melanie, who'd stopped trying to break free, decided to start again. She slammed her head backwards, knocking her captor out. She then raced over to the dragons and bit one of the ropes holding them. It snapped, but she was immediately grabbed by a large hand. Drago held her head in his hand and pointed her face up at him.

But the look of impression on his face disturbed even Melanie. He shouted for one of his men, "such ambition.. what a waste."