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

16. The War Begins

As Drago released her head to pass her off to the next guard, Melanie kicked her foot out and tripped the smaller man. He fell to the ground, his head hitting the wooden docks with a crunch. Melanie then spun around and bit Drago's arm as hard as she could. The leader cried out in anger and pain as yet another guard came to rip her from him.

When Melaine was pulled away, Drago was bleeding. She spit the blood that was in her mouth onto his face. Drago growled and slapped the back of his had across her face, sending her to the ground.

"Melanie!" Snotlout shouted. He tried to lung at Drago, but was held back by two men.

"Take them, now!" Drago yelled furiously. Melanie was lifted from the ground and escorted by three men, to make sure she couldn't act again.

"Melanie, are you okay?" Snotlout questioned in worry as the guards began to walk the seven away.

There was blood around her lips from biting Drago. Her eyes looked disoriented from the harsh smack, but eventually rested on Snotlout. She spit more blood onto the ground and nodded and growled, "if he hurts any of our dragons, I'm gonna rip him to shreds with my bare hands."

Everyone was shocked by the chilling tone the usually happy girl spoke in. But there was pure honestly in her voice. She was going to destroy that monster of a man; she wasn't going to let these guards throw her and her friends out to drown in the ocean. Not even she knew how, but Melanie knew they would escape. And her determinated gaze gave everyone hope.

And sure enough, they lived. Eret ended up realizing that helping the riders were right; so with his help, they escaped. Melanie was about to run off to find Bones, but was quickly grabbed by Snotlout. He held her hand while the others raced off. "Snotlout, we need to go," Melanie whimpered.

"I know, I'm coming with you," Snotlout asserted.

Melanie cocked her head and frowned. "Don't you need to find Hookfang?"

Snotlout looked torn, he didn't want to lose either of them. "Mel, I-I can't let you go on your own," he worried.

"Snotlout," Melanie smiled a bit, and suddenly everything felt okay again. She pulled him into a kiss by the collar of his shirt. His eyes fluttered shut for the moment, and the world seemed to stop. When she pulled away, he felt re-energized. "Get Hookfang," she urged him, "I'll be fine. I'll have Bones."

Finally, Snotlout nodded. "You come right back to me when those traps open," he ordered. Melanie smiled and agreed, then the two went their seperate ways.

Melanie found Bones immediately by blowing her whistle and waiting for his roar in reply. Climbing into the trap with him, she sat down and waited. She held his head in comfort, worried about her friends and Snotlout. It was odd to her; she'd never felt such raw fear before, not even in the numerous times she almost died doing reckless things before coming to Berk.

The suspense of just waiting in the trap with Bones was enough to make her want to go crazy. Melanie wanted to break out and find Drago, she wanted to run him through with his own sword and watch him choke on his own blood. But that wasn't the plan, so she sat in silence.

When the traps finally opened, she mounted Bones and let out a battle cry before erupting into the sky. A rainbow of dragons, species she'd never seen before, rained down from a mountain of ice. They focused their fire on Drago's men and his traps, while Melanie went to find Snotlout. Before long, she spotted the familiar monsterous nightmare.

"Melanie, oh thank Thor you're okay," Snotlout expressed his relief with a wide grin.

"You really thought I wouldn't be?" Melanie asked challengingly.

Snotlout shook his head and responded, "no; no I know you can handle yourself..I just worry."

"Awe," Melanie cooed, making Snotlout blush. She then looked back to the men on the ground and yelled, "let's do this!" Together, Bones and Hookfang dove to the ground, breathing streams of fire across the army.

When the bewilderbeasts began their fight, the war became more rough. Bones was knocked out of the sky by a large armoured dragon, sending Melanie crashing to the ground as well. She rushed over to her dragon; he was unconscious, but breathing. But now, Melanie was downed, and her advantage was gone. Before she knew what was happening, Drago's bewilderbeast began to roar in victory.

But she wasn't ready to give up. Grabbing a sword from one of the fallen men, Melanie raced toward the one man who's death could end it all. She attacked Drago from behind, slicing his shoulder and getting his attention. But when he turned, he only grinned. Melanie swung again and again, but he would only block, not trying to make his own moves.

Suddenly, Melanie realized why. She watched Drago glance toward the bewilderbeast. Following his gaze, she found the giant creature to be staring right at her.