━━ chapter twelve
nocturnal predators
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━━"It's been one week and three days since we've seen the sunlight. Spikemoth is starting to miss annoying Mak and Erik. Ruffnut has convinced Tuffnut he has a tail. Fishlegs is ... well, we're all worried about Fishlegs. He's taken to it the worst out of us━"
"Hott, what are you doing?"
Valkyrie's brother looked up from where he sat beside his sleeping dragon. Val stood over him, arms on her hips and glowering down. He set aside his journal, "I am recording our experience, Valkyrie," he clipped her name very poshly. She rolled her eyes. "This is the longest freeze Berk has experienced in generations. I am documenting."
"If you say another word," Astrid snapped at him from where she sharpened her axe. She held it up. "I will lodge this into your head."
Hott stared at her, not at all scared, which was very unwise for him. He turned back to his journal. "Astrid has taken to be more aggressive than usual, which is saying a lot. I suggest she went outside, take some fresh air, maybe freeze her violent tendecies away."
She screamed and went to attack him, but Hiccup had Toothless fire a plamsa blast, stopping her. "Okay!" he announced. He gestured behind him to the stone board, "Can we get back to the lesson at hand?"
"I've taken to isolation by trying to shift my subconious to a separate world where it is always Summer," Tuffnut interrupted him. Hiccup glowered. He was lying against Belch, very still. "It requires complete concentration, absolutely no movement, and affirmations ... like this ..." he took a deep breath and closed his eyes before muttering, "I am the strongest warrior ... I will be the strongest warrior ... I am not afraid━"
Valkyrie arched a brow, "I ... I don't know what to say to that."
Hott wrote something out of his journal, "Scratch that, I am most worried about Tuffnut. He's officially lost his mind."
"Our Uncle Lars did it," argued Ruffnut, crossing her arms. Her hair was growing back very quickly, now at her shoulders in her mutliple, thick braids.
"Your Uncle Lars also was in love with his own helmet."
Hiccup sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He turned back to his charcoal drawing on the stone tablet. "Please," he begged them to listen. Valkyrie sighed and sat back down against Zephyr, trying to stay awake. "So, as you can see by the chart ... proper wing control can be achieved by━"
He froze as his notes were lit up with fire. The drops of embers littered to the ground, leaving a lack patch right where he had just written. Hiccup clenched his hands and spun around, "Okay, okay━" he propped his hands on his hips (Valkyrie hid her snickers), "━who shot that fireball?"
He set his gaze right on Snotlout who just whistled, looking away. At his elbow, Hookfang's maw was still smoking. The dragon narrowed his eyes, very pleased at Hiccup's displeasure. "Why you looking at me?" shrugged Snotlout.
"Come on, guys!" Hiccup crossed his arms, annoyed. "I don't want to be here anymore than you do. Will we just get back to training, please?"
Hott sighed, and wrote something else down in his journal. "Hiccup is turning into a mother, which, to be honest, we all saw coming."
"All right━" Hiccup snatched the journal right from Hott's fingers. He let out a whine, "━that's it. I'm confiscating this." Hott crossed his arms, slumping back against his Nadder and scowling at Hiccup who returned to the board, setting the journal down next to Toothless.
"I say we play Twenty Questions instead," offered Snotlout, bored out of his mind. "Anyone?" he searched their gazes before landing a certain blonde. "Astrid: Why do you love me so much, yeah?"
She gagged.
"Oooh!" Tuffnut forgot about his 'travlling to a different world' to reach out a hand, "Maybe me!" he fell forward on his face. "I'll go first," he told the dirt before pushing himself up. "Question number one: How do you play Twenty Questions?"
Valkyrie stared at him, incredulous. "Tuff, you just━nope, nope. I'm not going to," she turned back to Zephyr, settling her head on his saddle as a pillow while he slept.
Hiccup face-palmed. "Guys! Can we please just try to stay focused? Even for a second?"
"We've been stuck inside for a week straight because of this crazy weather," Astrid pointed to axe to the closed doors. "We're all starting to go a little nuts━"
Hott scoffed, "A little━hey!" he ducked her flying blade. He shot Astrid a glare. "That could have killed me!"
"Oh," she drawled, "how horrible..."
"She has a point," Valkyrie pointed to her left at Fishlegs who hadn't been paying attention at all. He was too busy tickling Meatlug's feet, muttering to himself. "Even I'm starting to lose it," she admitted. "All the flowers have frozen over! I have nothing to make flower crowns with!"
Hiccup sighed, exasperated.
"And I could have made Yaknog for everyone before the freeze came for the Snoggletog spirit," she went on, not hearing everyone gag and turn their noses in disgust. "But no, all of you didn't want me to!"
"You're Yaknog is disgusting," Hott told her straight-forward. "You made it with cabbage."
"That's what gives it its taste!" she argued back, offended. "I happen to love it! And so does Hiccup, don't you, babe?"
Her boyfriend froze. Quickly, he put a smile on his face, lying straight through his teeth. "Yeah! Yeah!" he nodded, rubbing his stomach with a pleasant hum. "Love it━so much."
Valkyrie huffed at her brother, nodding to say, see?
Suddenly, Barf and Belch snarled. They jumped up and started to chase their tails in a circle. Ruff let out a bark of laughter, pointing at them as the other Dragon Riders stop to stare. "HA!" she cried. "Barf and Belch just found out they have tails!" she arched a brow, frowning at their snarls. "And looks like they really hate that idea."
"Yeah," agreed Tuff. "I got the same way when I found out that I had a tail," he started to chase the air, around and around. Valkyrie sighed, yep, she will be going crazy very soon having to deal with all these mutton heads the past week. "You can't run from me for ever invisible tail!"
His sister cackled, walking up to Hiccup to whisper knowingly, "I may have told Tuff he has a tail, too."
"You can't hide from me for long!"
Valkyrie wasn't sure to be thankful or annoyed when the door to the pen-turned-bunker opened. Sheets of snow and wind blasted in, knocking some sense back into the Vikings for a few moments. Zephyr jumped awake, making Valkyrie fall forwards onto her face. The others laughed, especially Snotlout and Hott.
"Ow," she grumbled.
"Odin's ghost!" cursed Stoick as he pushed the door closed again. He shivered in his fleece and fur coats. Hiccup walked up to him, confused as to why he had made his way through the storm here. "It's cold out there! Worst freeze in the history of Berk! Look!" he held a hand out to his red mane, a little upset, "My beard is frozen solid!"
Valkyrie sat back up, arching a brow.
"So, father," Hiccup asked, "what brings you to the Academy?"
"Trader Johann hasn't reported to port," said the chief. "He's trapped out in the storm━he won't last the night. I was thinking━"
"Oh, yes!" Hiccup jumped to the chance, a bit too excited━not that the others noticed. Valkyrie was too busy shoving her brother and Snotlout for laughing at her fall. "I can go! Uh━" he dragged his dozing dragon to his feet, pulling him towards his faster, "━Toothless can find Johann's ship in the darkness. He━" he composed himself, nodding and puffing out his chest. Toothless helped with a gummy smile, "━is the perfect dragon for the job."
Stoick frowned at his son, remembering very well he once told him that Night Fury's were terrible in the cold. "Uh ..." he scratched his frozen beard, "... I'm not so sure━"
"Please, dad," begged Hiccup, clasping his hands together in prayer. "If you ever cared for me at all━the way a father cares for his son, you will let me leave━" he turned back to the group of teens. It was chaos. Barf and Belch had snagged their tails and were chewing very angrily, not realising yet the pain they'll experience. Hookfang joined in with Snotlout on his saddle, only making matters worse. The Twins were cackling, until Ruff shoved her brother to Valkyrie, in which she responded with a nasty push. Hott and Astrid were agruing over her axe almost taking off his head, while Fishlegs still sat by Meatlug, counting her toes and giggling.
Stoick winced. He sighed and turned to his son, practically on his knees, pleading. "Close the door behind you when you leave," he returned into the raging storm and Hiccup celebrated with a cry and punch of his fists in the air.
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━━At this point, Hiccup wasn't sure whether he'd prefer Tuffnut chasing his imaginary tail over Johann's stories the entire trip back to Berk. A whole night of listening to tales of squids and Scauldrons and how he was let into the king's court by calling his daughter a yak. Hiccup was beyond glad to finally see Berk in the horizon. He had no idea where Johann had the time to come up with all these ridiculous stories.
But there was something Hiccup was grateful for; the storm had settled around Berk, which meant everyone would be finally coming out after a whole week and three days. That meant, Hiccup could finally have a break from everyone━that's if Astrid and Valkyrie hadn't killed them all in the night he left them alone.
The snow was starting to thaw when they landed; still in heavy pillows, but Hiccup could see the dirt road of the plaza, and so he set Toothless down there. At first, he thought that maybe the village didn't realise the storm had stopped overnight, because where he'd thought they'd be rejoicing in coming outside again, there was no one around.
Johann hopped off next to him, glancing around a little confused. Hiccup started forward, trying to push away the worried churn in his stomach━he was being paranoid; everything was fine. They were all just still inside.
That was until Toothless growled, and Hiccup's worry sky-rocketed. He glanced at his dragon, holding a hand out. It was the only sound aside from the wind whistling in Hiccup's ears━he couldn't even hear people chatting inside their homes. It was silent; absolutely silent.
"Huh," let out Johann, coming to stand beside Hiccup. "Not the welcome I'm accustomed to, but nonetheless."
Hiccup ignored him, "Where is everyone?" he asked no one in particular.
"Oh! This reminds me of a time I landed on━" Hiccup held his finger up and was thankful Johann shut up immediately.
"Hello?" he called out, his worry crawling from his stomach up to his throat. This was his village━or will be one, day. His people. Was his father okay? Were his friends okay? Was Val okay? "Anyone?"
Toothless spotted some scattered apples from a nearby stall. The sacks of potatos and wagons were still filled with produce. Hiccup followed him, his fingers fiddling with the hem of his tunic sleeves. Something was wrong━terribly wrong.
Then, he saw the door of his home wide open. His heart dropped. "Dad?"
He broke out into a run, not waiting for Johann to catch up. Hiccup burst into his house, his heart pounding to see the fire still going and his father's drink fallen and spilt at his feet. He picked it up, looking around. He found himself short of breath━where was his dad?! He thought the worst, and his hands started to tremble. No ... he couldn't be. His father was Stoick the Vast. He couldn't die. He was still alive, somewhere, fighting whatever happened. He had to be. His father was invincible.
Hiccup took a deep breath. He couldn't lose it. He had to find out what had happened.
A second name came to his head. He set the drink down and rushed back outside. Johann had only just reached the top of the stairs and sighed, seeing the small boy run back down.
Hiccup jumped onto Toothless's saddle to be quicker, bounding down and outside Valkyrie's house. He knocked on the door, but didn't hear anything. She would be still in the Academy, but if he checked on her without checking on her family first, she'd be furious.
"Hello?" he called through, starting to feel more and more helpless. "Mallory? Asrifth?" he pushed open the unlocked door and peered inside. It was just as empty as his house; they were nowhere to be seen. He checked her brothers rooms to find them deserted, and then the Sanctuary━all the dragons were gone, their food troughs completely empty.
This was getting worse and worse.
He and Johann searched the entire village, peeking in through windows and around doors. There was no one in sight. Hiccup took deep breaths, trying to keep calm. Where were they?! Toothless purred at him, muzzling his hand and he clung on to the saddle for comfort. He left Johann to keep searching the town while he flew to the Academy. The others had to be still inside ...
But he had a terrible feeling they wouldn't be.
Hiccup should have never left them. What happened? Were they okay?
He raced to open the doors of the bunker. There was a shriek━
"AHH!" he fell back, shielding his face from the flock of their trained Terrible Terrors. Sharpshot swooped around him, terrified before flying off. Hiccup pushed himself to stand, peering in.
No one━no one. Nothing except his burnt drawing on the stone board.
Toothless warbled, just as scared as Hiccup. They were supposed to be here; his friends were supposed to be here, waiting for him so they could figure this out together. Valkyrie was supposed to be okay━to be here.
"What in the name of Thor is going on?" he breathed, fingers tightening around Toothless's saddle. He had to find them.
What if they were━?
No, Hiccup scolded himself as he perched himself back on Toothless's back. They were alive, just like his father and the rest of the village. They had to be.
He met back up with Johann by the merchants homes. He hit the ground running, skidding to a stop right in front of the tader, searching his eyes for an answer before he asked━and the one he receieved wasn't one he wanted. Still, he asked, "Johann, anything?"
He shook his head, "The whole town, Master Hiccup. It's empty!"
"So's the Academy," he murmured, pushing forward. Toothless and Johann followed. "This is very strange," he had to keep himself moving and thinking; it was the only way Hiccup could keep himself from breaking down. Where was his father? Where was Val?
"I don't like this one bit," whimpered Johann. "There was one time I was on a trade run with a man who claimed to be a warlock and━" they passed Fishlegs's house, and Hiccup froze to hear a clatter inside.
He looked over, his breath hitching with hope. Johann realised he had stopped and glanced back.
"Let's go, Toothless," Hiccup urged his dragon to the door of his friend's house. "Johann, stay here."
They ventured into the house to find it trashed. The fire was still going in the fireplace, but all the barrels, tailor work and tables of the Ingerman home had been upturned, like a whole plague of Terrors had come in with chaos on their minds.
"Fishlegs?" Hiccup hoped for the best. "You in here━?"
A shadow loomed over him. Hiccup gasped and looked up, seeing nothing but a large body before his head hit the wood, and he passed out.
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━━Hiccup's head hurt, as did his body when he woke up again. A pair of green dragon eyes peered down at him, and Toothless moaned, nudging him softly. Hiccup felt a real sense of deja vu and quickly glanced down. Good, he still has one leg attatched.
Then, another face juttered in.
Hiccup yelled, scrambling back at the wide-eyed, frantic face of Fishlegs stare him down. "WHOA!" he exclaimed, heart racing. "Don't ever do that again!"
"Hiccup!" cried Fishlegs, tearful in his relief. "Oh, thank Thor!" he pulled him into a bonecrushing hug. Hiccup grunted, desperate to break free but Fishlegs just squeezed onto him like a lifeline. "I'm so sorry I fell on you!"
"O━okay! Fishlegs!" he finally let go of him and Hiccup stumbled. He flexed his shoulders, relieved only to frown at his friend who paced, tugging at his cheeks. "Uh ... Fishlegs?"
"Fast, really fast!" he was saying, shaking. "Too fast! Speedy. Oh, and their sting, paralysing sting!"
"Whoa, hold on, Fishlegs," Hiccup held out his hands, trying to get the boy to stop and take a breath. He did, but it was more of a whimpering wheeze. "What are you talking about?"
The pudgy Viking approached him and in a terrifed whisper, as if scared someone would overhear them, said, "Speed Stingers."
Hiccup's stomach lurched, "Speed Stingers? Here?"
It didn't make sense. This wasn't their climate; they didn't inhabit Berk━thank the gods. But now they're here? Oh, gods; Hiccup has heard the stories.
Fishlegs explained what happened, still pacing. "It all started just after nightfall," he began in an omnious voice. "They don't fly, but they're fast. Faster than any dragon I've ever seen, and they hide in the shadows. Scavengers, looking for anything they can find. One drop of their venom can paralyise a human or dragon in an instant. They move in a pack following a leader who directs them like a war chief. By the time Stoick ordered everybody to the Cove, the entire village had been overrun."
Hiccup was shivering; but not from the cold. "W━well, where are the Speed Stingers, now?"
"I don't know," sighed Fishlegs. "The sun came up and they disappeared, but they'll be back━" he turned to the flames dying down in the brackets, the light illuminating his face in a terrifying glow, "━they come out at night."
"I━I━I don't understand," Hiccup followed, trying to make sense of the situation. So far, it would seem no Viking or dragon had been killed, and by the look on Fishlegs's face, no one Hiccup cared immensely about. "Why did you come back here, Fishlegs? Why not stay with everyone at the Cove?"
Fishlegs met his gaze, tearful. He led him back outside and pointed to the top of his roof. Hiccup's eyes widened, startled at the sight of Meatlug frozen in attack, perched on the tip of the roof amongst the snow.
"Just look at her up there," cried Fishlegs, "so majestic."
But Hiccup had other worrying thoughts, "How did I miss that?"
"She tried to draw them away so I could escape. I just couldn't leave her."
Johann saw them outside and made his way over. He jumped in seeing Meatlug's frozen statue, "How did we miss that?" he asked.
Hiccup shrugged, bewildered too. They were both weary from the trip back, but it was Johann who had been scouting the village. Though, Hiccup couldn't blame him. He wouldn't exactly look up ontop of houses for the first glance.
With a sigh, the group of them started to work to get Meatlug down from the snowcapped roof of Fishlegs's home. Hiccup was getting impatient, wanting to just head straight to the Cove and check on everyone, but he knew that if it was Toothless up there, he would have done the same thing. The good thing out of all of this, was that they learnt the paralysis musn't be pernament, considering Johann got a whiff of Meatlug's flutulance, making him fall right back off the roof and into a wagon below.
Not the most elegant way to find out, but it was a relief. Hiccup took his place, climbing up the roof and examining Meatlug's state. "Fishlegs, what's the deal with this paralysis? How long does it last?"
"I don't know, Hiccup," said his friend miserably. "There's nothing about it in the Book of Dragons or Bork's papers." He glanced out to the ocean. "How do you even think the Speed Stingers got here in the first place? They can't fly."
Hiccup rememebered his flight to find Johann; the answer came to him. "If I had to guess, I would say it was because the ocean is frozen solid, creating an ice bridge from their island to ours. We need to get to the Cove right away."
They decided to push Meatlug right off and into the wagon, forgetting Johann was still inside it. Hiccup winced to hear his strangled cry, waiting a moment before he heard, "I'm all right!"
Carting Meatlug in the wagon all the way to the Cove, Hiccup's nerves were returning. What would he find? Fishlegs hadn't said anything about his father or their friends being hurt, but he couldn't help but feel something terrible in his gut. What would he do if they were? Hiccup rushed through the boulders, coming to a familiar view.
But it was far from tranquil.
All around the centre pond was a litter of frozen Berkian Vikings. They were stuck in poses of absolute shock or fear, some with their weapons held up high. Poor Bucket had been trying to defend himself with his hook, and was frozen mid-strike. Hiccup clambered down, Toothless at his side. The other two took a little while to get down with Meatlug, but he paid them no mind, pursuing through the lines of frozen Vikings.
It was haunting; chilling him to the bone to see them so pale and still, like statues. His heart was in his throat as he searched them for anyone he knew well. He saw Starkard frozen in a pose like he was shouting, one foot up and arms sprawled, but none of his friends or his family yet━
Hiccup had spoken too soon.
He first saw Thornado, slumped on the grass with a mournful cry. He had deflated himself; something Thunderdrums did as a way to get out of tight spaces; turning themselves completely flat, but Thornado had done it out of grief for his rider ... Hiccup's father.
Looking up, Hiccup staggered.
There stood his father; his invincible father, frozen in mid-fury. A hero, a warrior, for sure━but lifeless. "D━dad?" Hiccup stammered. Something inside of him fell; his heart, his stomach, all of his hope and determination? It made him want to drop down. His father was alive, he knew that, but looking up at him, Hiccup felt alone. He had prayed his father would be still going along, that he would know what to do.
But he wasn't.
Hiccup was alone, and he had no idea what to do. He glanced down at Thornado again, who looked away from Toothless's concerned purs. Hiccup pursed his lips and crouched to his knees, bring a gentle hand down the Thunderdrum's snout to try and comfort him.
"He gave as good as he got, Hiccup," Gobber's voice made him glance over. The blacksmith was still kicking, making his way over and holding his free hand to haul him back up. Hiccup took it, slumping. "It took six of those Speed Stingers to freeze the poor bugger."
Hiccup's breath hitched to hear his father say something through his paralised lips; but he couldn't make it out. Gobber nodded, "You bet, Chief."
"What did he say?" asked Hiccup, breathless.
"No clue," shrugged the blacksmith. Then, he leaned in and whispered, "Don't want to make him feel worse than he does."
Hiccup looked back up at his father, feeling as deflated as Thornado. "I should have been here," he mourned. "Toothless and I could have helped."
"Nonesense, boy," Gobber told him gently. "There were too many of them. Nothing would have mattered. Tell you one thing, those Stingers would be dining on smoke sturgeon and yak jerkey tonight, if it weren't for your father," he nodded to the food stock piled by the rocks. His father tried to say something else, but all that came out was incoherent grumbles. "Couldn't agree with you more, Stoick." He shrugged at Hiccup.
He sighed, hanging his head. How could he help everyone now? He knew they'd be expecting it of him, but what could he do that his father would? How could he come up with something to help them all? Only one Stinger would take Hiccup down, not six. He wasn't his father; he never could be.
"Hiccup!"
The familiar shout made his eyes snap up. Hiccup spun around, feeling something in him flutter with hope to see Valkyrie running to him. Behind her were the entirity of the Sanctuary dragons and her family━they were all okay.
She flung her arms around him and Hiccup clung on tight, stumbling a little from the force. Something in him settled to know she was okay, and with him. Hiccup was lost without his father, but if he was without Val, too? He was sure he'd be as good as stuck in quicksand, constantly sinking. Hiccup let his head fall into the crook of her shoulder.
"Oh, thank the gods you're okay," Valkyrie sighed.
"My Dad..." he croaked.
"I know," she said, holding onto him tighter.
When she pulled away, Hiccup wished she hadn't. But he knew they had other things to worry about. "How ... how is everyone else?" he asked.
"Everyone's fine," she assured, then back-tracked. "Well, except for ..."
She jutted a thumb behind her. Hiccup looked over and winced to see the Twins jeering a frozen Snotlout. Ruff and Tuff held a hand each, slapping his face back and forth.
"Stop hitting yourself━"
"━Stop hitting yourself! Stop hitting yourself! Stop picking your own nose! Stop scratching yourself..."
Valkyrie crossed her arms, arching a brow. "Actually," she changed her mind, "when you think about it, it's really not so bad."
Hiccup arched a brow.
"Oh, come on! You're face isn't that ugly━" slam! They all winced. "Oh, wait."
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━━The afternoon was fading into dusk, which meant they were running out of time before the Speed Stingers returned. Valkyrie had been giving Hiccup space, knowing he wanted it to be alone with his father, sitting by his frozen stature with Toothless and Thornado lying beside him. Val kept glancing over, her chest heavy with worry. She was torn between letting him be, or going over and sitting with him. Should she say something? Did he need her to? Or want her to?
But it was getting later, and the team were asking her what they were planning on doing. And Valkyrie knew she had to say something.
Carefully, she walked over. Stopping a few paces away, Toothless met her gaze. He seemed to know, and with a gesture of his head, told her to sit down. She smiled, feeling more confident that the Night Fury wanted her to talk to him. With new confidence, Valkyrie stepped in around Thornado's tail and sat down next to Hiccup under the shadow of his father. She watched him miserably drag the stick in the dirt, tracing out the Speed Stinger with a frown on his face.
She didn't say anything at first. She just did what she always did; something that came naturally to her whenever he was upset. She shuffled in close and started to braid the hair at the nape of his neck.
Valkyrie waited for him to say the first thing, and there was a breath of relief to her chest when he leaned into her touch and whispered, "I should have been here."
Val continued her braid, tenderly brushing the strands of hair that seemed to calm him down enough to settle against her arm. "And leave Johann out there to perish in the storm?" she countered, knowing she was right━Hiccup knew, too, in the way he sighed and hung his head.
"Hiccup, you can't be everywhere at once," she said.
"Someone else could have gone after Johann," Hiccup said, settling down the stick and glowering at the Stinger picture. "I should have been here to help with Toothless. Maybe then my dad wouldn't be frozen."
Val glanced up at Stoick, finishing the braid and holding it between her fingers. She pursed her lips and focused back on his son. "You're here now," she told him. "Could you have done something? Maybe, who knows. Maybe we would be in the same position; or worse━you could have been stung, too, or Toothless. But there's no point frowning over what could have happened. That'll get nowhere, and you know that."
She let the braid go and cupped Hiccup's cheek so he would look at her. "The best thing we can do now? Is fix this."
"Val," he murmured, shaking his head. "I━I don't know how."
"Then we'll figure it out," she offered, taking his hand and squeezing it. "Hiccup, you may be the son of a chief and a leader, but you don't have to come up with all the answers. We're a team. I ... I know that you feel lost without your father to help you," Valkyrie squeezed his hand again and Hiccup's eyes widened, letting her know she had been right in her assumption. "But ... but I believe in you, and so does he." She nodded up at the chief they sat in the shadow of. "We all do, even if some of us don't show it━" she not-so-subtly jutted her head back at the frozen state of Snotlout, still being jeered by the Twins and now Mak and Erik. "And we're here for you. All you have to do is ask."
"So?" she smirked as she came to the words; words she's says many times before, and knows she'll continue to say. Hiccup breathed a chuckle, knowing exactly what she was doing. But it worked; she saw a determination flash in his green eyes. "What are we going to do about it?"
Meeting her gaze, Hiccup had a small smirk on his face, "Eh, you know me ..." he shrugged. "Probably something stupid."
Valkyrie's smirk turned into a smile, "Most definitely something crazy," she finished. "That's us."
Hiccup had a tender look in his eyes; holding her with such gratitude and appreciation, she blushed. He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek as a thank you, before he stood up. He didn't let go of her hand as he turned back to the team. Walking over, Valkyrie was light in her chest to feel him link their fingers together━they were in this together.
"Gang," he announced and they all looked up. Astrid breathed a small smile to see him back, and as stubborn as ever. "I have a plan." They stood up, attentive. Well, aside from Snotlout━he couldn't move. "These guys only come out at night, so we need to find where they sleep during the day. The only problem is we need to find their nest before sundown, or━"
Astrid grimaced, "Can we not think about the 'or', please?"
"Yeah," agreed Fishlegs, "they came out of nowhere like a pack of wild badgers, scavenging and, uh━and━"
"Badge━ge━ging," Tuff finished for him. They all arched a brow at him. "What?" he shrugged. "That's what a badger does. It badges."
"Well, thanks or that, Tuffnut," Hiccup squeezed Val's hand. "Let's go━dragons, everyone."
"Hold up!" Snotlout's voice made them freeze, surprised. They all turned, shocked to see his head moving, but nothing else. "You're not going on a Stinger hunt without me!" with a lot of effort, he managed to stand up from the rocks.
Tuff's eyes widened, "Whoa..." he murmured. "That is seriously creepy."
"His paralysis is wearing off," explained Fishlegs with a roll of his eyes, "lucky us."
Val sighed, "Snotlout, unless you plan on flying Hookfang with your teeth, you're not going anywhere."
"What do you mean?" he argued. "I'm fine!" he tried to step foward, only to fall over.
Valkyrie took this as an answer and they all split up to ready their dragons. She whistled for Zephyr. She would be frozen, much like many others if it weren't for him. He got her and her family out of there before the Stingers attacked━being able to sense them, even from miles away. It was something she never knew Zephyr could do; but maybe his small eyes meant he relied on his hearing and smell better.
Maybe that was why he's always found her so well when they've been separated.
Later on, she should tell Hiccup that and add it to the book. Windstrikers? Glorious sense of smell.
They met back up with the others in the Cove. Her brother was at her side, eager to get back out there and stop the Speed Stingers. They were ready to leave when another body joined them, despite what Val said.
"Snotlout Jorgensen, reporting for duty!"
She looked over, amazed to see Snotlout on his feet, even being able to salute. "What the━?" then she noticed the pair of legs behind him. She sighed, "Gustav."
The boy poked his head out from under one of Snotlout's arms, grinning at them. "I'm Snotlout's arms and legs," he said, very proud to be appointed the duty. "And together we are━" he darted in behind and shook Snotlout's arms dramatically as they said together: "━Guslout!"
Snotlout glared at his hands, "Stop with the hands!"
Gustav dropped them back down, reappearing to give another smile.
"Hiccup, you need as much dragon power as you can get," went on Snotlout. Hiccup sighed, hefting up his shield.
Astrid pursed her lips. She hoisted her axe out of the barrel she had been testing its sharpness on, "I can't believe I'm actually about to say this ..." she grumbled before taking a deep breath, "but he's right."
"What?" Val let out, shocked.
"What?" frowned Snotlout.
"What?" the others expressed.
Hiccup turned to her, "You're kidding, right?"
"You heard what Gobber said," she told him, "there are hundreds of them."
He clenched his jaw, knowing she was right. "Oh, all right, fine."
"Yes!" grinned Snotlout. His eyes moved down to Gustav━it was weird to see him express so much without being able to move any other part of his body. "Move my arm!" Gustav made a thumbs up with Snotlout's arm and he repeated, "Yes!"
"Let's split up and search for possible Speed Stinger hiding spots," Hiccup said. "What we do know from the Book of Dragons is that they're nocturnal predators, which means they'll be sleeping somewhere secluded and dark. Astrid, you and Hott search the southern caves. Gustav, take Snotlout and Hookfang to the caves by Dragonscale Cliff. Ruff, Tuff, search the farms. Val and I will scout the East. Fishlegs, you take the northen woods." He turned to the pudgy Viking, "How's Meatlug doing?"
"She is raring to go, Hiccup! Look at her!" he pointed to the Gronckle. She was able to fly, but couldn't lift her heavy tail, which was still paralysed. So, instead, she dragged herself along the grass with happy clatters.
Hiccup sighed, but they did need everyone they could gather. Astrid propped a hand o her hip. "So," she asked, "what's the actual plan?"
Hiccup sent Val a small, grateful smile. She met it with a proud one of her own. "Fishlegs, you say they follow their leader in a giant pack, right?"
"Exactly, that's what I saw."
"So the plan is: find the Speed Stingers, capture their leader, use it to lure them away."
He gave a final glance at his father and Thornado as they set off. Valkyrie led Zephyr over to him, ready to go at his command. Hiccup met her gaze and she gave him an encouraging nod.
Then, Hiccup stepped forward and tugged her in for a kiss.
She was so surprised, she froze up. Hiccup held her around the waist with his free arm, keeping her close as he kissed her. Valkyrie's stomach and chest lit up with flutters, and she finally managed to settle her hands on his chest before he pulled away.
It took her a moment to catch her breath, blushing under his gentle gaze. "What was that for?" she asked.
"I just realised that I may have been taking you a little for granted," he mumbled. Valkyrie's shoulders slumped, eyes wide. "I wouldn't be here, alive or able if it weren't for you. I can't do this without you."
She was a bit flustered by his words. "I ..." she found herself tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "Yes, you could."
"Yeah, but I don't want to," Hiccup smiled.
Valkyrie's gaze shot to his again, startled. Her cheeks heated up even more, and she was as red as her aurburn hair. "I━I━" she hated how flustered she was. Hiccup could do that to her; a strong, vicious Viking, and she melted like putty in his hands━and she wanted to. She liked it. She liked being held, and doted on, and smiled down at with his gorgeous eyes sparkling. It was frustrating, but gods she wanted nothing else.
She cleared her throat, trying to get her head to stop buzzing and focus on what was at hand, "Speed Stingers."
Hiccup grinned, amused. He let her go, and off they went, ready to save Berk yet another day.
✿✼:*ﾟ:༅。.。༅:*·ﾟﾟ·⭑
"So, anything?"
They met up back in Berk as dusk grew closer and closer. Valkyrie and Hiccup had returned dry, but they weren't ready to give up. But sadly, everyone else shook their heads.
"Not a single Stinger," sighed Astrid.
Hott shook his head, "No where."
"Us neither," mumbled Fishlegs.
"I got stung," grumbled Tuffnut.
Ruff scoffed at him, "No, you didn't."
He glowered back at her, suspicious.
"Have we checked every cave?" Hiccup asked, turning to the final Rider yet to speak. He set his gaze on Snotlout and Gustav, brow arched. Snotlout refused to meet his gaze. He sighed, "Snotlout, did you check your caves?"
Snotlout scoffed, frigid still from his paralysis. "Really? I'm insulted. Hiccup, of course, I did. Do you think I fell off my dragon and spent hours trying to get out of the sand?" he laughed, but it was weak. "I didn't."
Valkyrie pinched the bridge of her nose.
Gustav peered around, "He fell off his dragon and we spent hours trying to get him out of the sand."
"Gustav! Make me punch you!"
Gustav answered by using his hand to smack Snotlout's face instead. The Twins barked out in laugher.
"Never gets old," Tuffnut said in between cackles.
"Well," Hiccup refused to let this get them down. Valkyrie smiled. "We know where to look, then. Let's go!"
The group took off, steering to the caves Snotlout and Gustav were supposed to check. They set down into the small cove, surrounded by jagged rocks. The sky had turned to dusty pinks and peaches, and while Valkyrie used to find it beautiful, right now, staring at the entrance to the cave, it only brought her worry.
Hiccup took a deep breath, nodding to himself. "All right. Thanks, Gustav," he told the young boy. "You stay here with Snotlout and Hookfang."
At first, Val thought the thumbs up Snotlout gave them was from Gustav, but at the surprised look on his face, she realised it had been him. "Right━hey!" he grinned. "I did that all by myself!"
The moment was ruined when Tuffnut shoved his hand in passing, and his thumb got stuck up his nose.
Val winced.
"Okay, gang," continued Hiccup, staring down the dark tunnel, "we have to move fast, because it will be sundown soon, and we need to get that Lead Stinger out of there. Without him, the pack is useless. Fishlegs━" he glanced at the pudgy Viking and he whimpered from Meatlug's saddle.
"Oh, why me?"
But he followed Hiccup into the cave, and the others waited outisde, ready for a fight. Valkyrie watched the sun get closer and closer to the horizon, heart in her throat. It wasn't long before the boys reappeared, tugging a sleeping Speed Stinger━larger than the rest with strikes of red along his scales━out of the cave.
She grinned, happy━
Until the dragon opened his eyes.
"Oh, no," muttered Hott.
Valkyrie felt Zephyr bounce his neck, nervous as the other Speed Stingers started to wake, sensing the fear of their leader. They prowled forward out of the dark cave with their gleaming, red eyes into the sunset light.
She gasped and quickly jumped off the saddle, rushing forward and helping the boys tug the Lead Stinger out to wards the cage. Toothless and Zephyr snagged the rope with her, and they pulled desperately as the pack drew closer and closer.
Until he managed to break free.
His stinger could not only just spike the skin of Vikings and dragons, but could also cut threw his bola ropes. He reared up, roaring with anger. Valkyrie grabbed her mace from her saddle just in time, intercepting the Stinger's tail from jabbing Hiccup in his shoulder.
For a second, they were both surprised she managed it. Valkyrie was stunned to see the stinger stuck in the wires she usually kept her flowers.
She quickly recovered. "Yeah, that's right," she grumbled at the Lead Stinger, pulling her mallet back. He managed to unhook his stinger, but the effort sent him stumbling to the left, giving the group of them enough time to put space between them and the dragons. Valkyrie hopped back onto her saddle.
Scrambling back onto his feet, the leader screeched for the aid of his pack, but before they could get out, Snotlout and Gustav were up in the air, shotting a line of fire to keep them back.
"Yeah! That's right!" cried Snotlout triumphantly━he could now move his arms. "Snotlout, Snotlout! Oi, oi, oi━OW!"
One Stinger had managed to jump up and strike him in the back━and he was frozen in mid cheer. Before he could lose the ability, he grumbled out a, "Oh━come on!"
Gustav took over, having Hookfang fire. Hott joined up with them, using Spikemoth's magnesium blast to add to the firepower. Meanwhile, Toothless circled the Lead Stinger, growling.
"He's too fast!" stressed Fishlegs.
But Hiccup shook his head, "Not for a Night Fury!" setting up a stance next to Zephyr and Valkyrie, his sheild at the ready.
It was a dance of jumps, blasts and shrieks. Toothless could keep up with the Lead Stinger, leaping from rock to rock. When Hiccup's shield was flung away from the sting, Toothless was there to catch it and fling it back. Hiccup caught it, in awe.
Some of the pack managed to jump over the flames and to their leaders side. And it wasn't long before the others realised the could follow. Valkrie gasped and covered her head desperately as they jumped over her. Everyone crouched low, keeping themselves small and as protected as they could in the stampede.
Hiccup managed to reach Toothless and jump onto his saddle, "Astrid!" he shouted.
She understood, "I think I know where you're going with this━" they took to the air. "Stormfly━time to spike that Stinger!"
She and Hiccup led the Lead Stinger with blasts and spikes towards the cage, tricking him into leaping inside. With a sonic blast, the cage door slammed close and the lock secured down.
"Yes!" cried Hiccup. "Got him!"
They set back down as the pack faltered, a little confused to see their leader caged. Astrid landed on top, having Stormfly snag the cage up in her claws. But it didn't take long for them to recognfigure. Another stampede commensed, and this time, Zephyr wasn't so lucky. In his attempt to protect Valkyrie, he caught a sting to his leg.
"Zephyr, no!" cried Val, anguished as he fell down, frozen. Valkyrie reached for her mallet, standing over him and desperately trying to fight the Stingers from her dragon. She swung left and right, "Leave him alone!" she screamed. "Don't hurt him!"
"Hott!" Hiccup shouted, eyes wide. "Cover Val and Zephyr━"
"I can't!" he tried to reach her, but balked back at the jumping dragons. "There's too many of them! We're surrounded!"
A sonic boom came to their rescue. Valkyrie and the others covered their ears just in time as Thornado screamed a bellow that made her ears ring. The Stingers all shrieked and darted away, some fell back, dazed from the mighty shriek of Thor's dragon.
Stoick landed next to Valkyrie and Zephyr. She looked up, grinning with relief to see him cover her. The chief sent her a smile.
"Dad!" exclaimed Hiccup. "You're okay!"
"You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you?" replied his father gruffly. He hopped off his saddle and told Thornado to stay, protecting Val and Zephyr as he approached the Lead Stinger with a dangerous glower. "Remember me?" he snarled at it, and the dragon snarled back. "Now, get him off my island! I'll get Zephyr and Valkyrie back. The rest of you finish this."
Hiccup grinned, beyond happy. "You heard the chief!" he told the teens.
Astrid smirked. She pulled Stormfly up and the cage ascended. "With pleasure!"
Valkyrie sat down, watching the pack of Stingers follow their leader away from Berk. She turned to her dragon and hugged him around the neck. She felt a hand on her shoulder and Stoick smiled down at her.
"Thank you," he told her, "for what you told my son."
Val flushed, realising that while Stoick had been frozen, he could still hear their conversation. "I━uh━he just needs a reminder sometimes ... he's a great leader."
Stoick nodded, agreeing with her. "One day, Hiccup will make a great chief. This past year, he's proven it. And I was a fool for not realising." He squeezed her shoulder. "And you help him. You're good for him, Valkyrie. Remember that."
✿✼:*ﾟ:༅。.。༅:*·ﾟﾟ·⭑
a/n: *cough* trAiTor *cough* Johann
some cute val and hiccup moments!!!!!!! (getting closer to the end of this book *sobs*)
what do you guys hope to see in httyd 2 and httyd 3?