Atlas could see the fire, burning and crackling, as red as her hair. She heard the panicked shouts. And then, a voice:
"Think that's a good entrance? Get a load of me! Ah! Ah! Ahhhh!"
Atlas rolled her eyes as Snotlout realized his butt was on fire, and then promptly fell off of Hookfang in an effort to put it out.
"I knew it! More demons!" The dragon trapper yelled.
Atlas jumped down from the cage she had been standing on.
"Actually, that's just an idiot who forgot to fireproof his butt." She said.
The man screamed. "Another demon!"
Atlas snorted. "Well you're not very bright, are you?"
The Barf and Belch came into view.
"Guys, no, not yet!" Snotlout yelled.
Then came the explosion.
Ruff and Tuff emerged.
"Behold, your worst nightmare."
"Behold!"
"Along with his sister, who insisted on coming." Tuffnut said.
Ruffnut flipped her mask up. "That's my intro?"
"Guys, too soon," Hiccup said. "You always come in too soon!"
Then Fishlegs crashed onto the deck.
"Sorry! Still getting the hang of my wings."
"Fishlegs, again with the baby?" Hiccup asked, irritated. "This is a raid!"
Fishmeat gurgled happily.
"I couldn't find a sitter!"
"Demons everywhere!" The Hunter yelled. "It's the end of the world!"
Then something blue emerged from behind, banging the man against a cage. He fell to the ground. Astrid stretched.
"Astrid!" Hiccup said nervously. "I had him right where I wanted him!"
Atlas snorted. "Sure you did."
Hiccup glared at his sister.
"And now he's right where I wanted him!" Astrid said. "Let's get to work."
"Okay, we screwed that up," Hiccup said. "But, at least nobody else knows we're here."
"Don't jinx us." Atlas said, heading off to a nearby cage.
- - - - - - -
Atlas slid open the door to the cage. She gasped when she realized what type of dragon it was.
"Crimson, it's a Whispering Death! Maybe it's your cousin or something."
The Whispering Death growled at her.
"Easy boy, it's okay." Atlas advanced slowly, holding out her hands. "I'm a friend. I won't hurt you."
Crimson growled encouragingly, and the Whispering Death looked tentatively at Atlas' outstretched hand.
After a few seconds, he put his head against Atlas' hand.
"Alright!" She whispered as loudly as she dared. "Come on boy, let's get you out of here."
She walked out of the cage. The Whispering Death followed.
Atlas began leading him out into the open area of the deck, with Crimson encouraging him. She stopped when she saw Ruffnut pulling against a cage.
"Ugh! Why can't I get this cage open?"
Astrid walked up and pushed a bar. "It slides."
Ruffnut scoffed. "Obviously."
Atlas snickered.
"ATTACK!" A voice yelled.
"Get the rescues out of here!" Hiccup yelled.
"Get that Night Fury!"
A man came at Atlas, and she ducked as he swung his axe at her. She then retaliated by effortlessly swinging her leg in the air, kicking him in the face. He fell over, unconscious. Atlas grinned.
A few more came her way, and Atlas grabbed her sword. However, the men backed off as they saw what was behind her. She turned around, and saw Crimson and the Whispering Death growling ferociously.
"Thanks, guys." She said.
She ran over to where Hiccup and Astrid had just gotten rid of a few men.
"Atlas, good, you're here." Hiccup said. "Toothless just went off to get the rest. You and the others are clear to go."
Atlas nodded. "Thanks."
Then she ran over to the others, where the twins were standing in awkward positions and Snotlout was somehow hanging from the top of a cage. "Come on guys, clear out!"
She jumped onto Crimson, and looked behind her at the Whispering Death. "Come on, time to go, boy."
"I'm gonna headlock every last one of you," Tuffnut said as Barf and Belch carried him and Ruff up and away. "I might even leg-lock you."
Ruffnut laughed.
"Amateurs!" Snotlout yelled as Hookfang picked him up. "I was just getting started."
Fishlegs jumped overboard, landing on Meatlug. "Wooooo!"
Atlas smiled. She was going to take a nice long nap on the way back. She deserved it.
A/N: Wooooo, part two is officially out! Thank you guys for 700+ reads! That means a lot to me.
XOXO,
arosy