Hiccup's POV
It's been a year since I realized dragons need to learn about humans if we want to have chance against them. At least against those who hurt us. We've never attacked first.
For first, my biggest achievement: my first raids were formed.
They had the same pattern but with different dragons they worked differently.
The main setup is:
- main troublemaker(s)
- behind the front
- back-ups, helps the troublemaker(s)
In my first raid I had my brother changewings Red, Blue, Green as behind the front scouts, the two deadly nadder Widow and Stalker were the best snipers according to a competition that we've hold, so they are the back-ups. We've haven't find the best troublemaker, but not long ago we found a young Screaming Death, who seems to be perfect, because nothing can be in his way, huge enough and has fire power and his siblings willing to join too!
However the good setup not enough.
Even with teamwork it's still nothing.
Pellet's old idea to dragons should learn Nordic wasn't a bad idea... because viking always yell their plans, believing dragons don't understand. Why shouldn't we use this to our advantage? And few more things that vikings believe dragons can't do?
So I taught them:
- a lot of Nordese so they now what the vikings planning,
- how to get out from traps
- teamwork
- basic tactics
- to save shots.
~ One day ~
I was on my usual patrol at night with Toothless we were roaming close to the water surface creating waves in our trail when we nearly missed a boat not far from us. We slowed down and went low profile sneaking close. We could do that because it was a moonless night. As we got near I finally recognised the flag. The Dragon Hunters! The ship was full of dragon goods, scales, skulls, bones, even eggs! And that smell... is fresh blood.... and death. I felt my friend is concerned too.
We took a few circle around the ship, always staying in incognito, and we took the weapons, flying away, throwing into the ocean than back. Now the most of the danger in a safe place under water, at least the ones that we could reach without taking any attention to us.
I took out my favourite weapon: the "Stunning darts". Darts with Speed Stinger's poison.
One.
Two.
Three.
Forth.
And the fifth.
On the surface there were only 5 of them, and now all of them is harmless, so we landed.
- Come on bud. Let's do this.
We approached the captain cabin slowly, I looked at Toothless we shared a nod than I opened the door, the captain had his back facing us.
- I told you not to disturb me idiots. I have to figure out how to get around the 'Traitor's territory!
He turned around as he said that his last words were only a faint whisper. I had my forefinger on my mounth, while I was pointing to behind me to Toothless. The man begin to shake, but said nothing. Good! And what a luck! I came in I gestured to his chair to sit down what he did without a word. Toothless somehow fit through the door so he settled down next to me.
- If you obey I let you and your mens go, we won't harm any of you. If you attack us we will defend ourselves, and I believe you know what I mean. - He nodded. Now he looks way too pale. - Do you have living dragons onboard? - He nodded. - Okay. Any eggs? - He nodded again. - I'll take them. The dragons and the eggs too. - His eyes widened, like he was expecting some kind of miracle, than he reached for his sword and took it out.
- I... I... I... ca-ca-can't le-let yo-you.
Toothless was about to shot but I signed him not to.
- Why? You'll die.
- I-I-I'm de-dead either way. I'm fighting where I know I have higher chance.
- Against a nightfury and me?
- Aye.
- Let me shot him.
- Chill bud.
- But why you need him? There's still plenty of them on the ship!
- No, we can't use anybody else. Captains always know more.
- ... so you really understand their language?
- ... yes. I see you pulled yourself together.
- ...
- Where are you bringing them?
- Even if I'd tell you, you couldn't do anything. They are transported to an other ship and they took them gods know where.
Toothless growled and he stepped backwards.
- Okay. Lets say I believe in you. Why are you so afraid from your employer?
- He isn't a human but a monster. He can tame the most feared dragons and men! Still better the death by a dragon than him! It can't be told it can be only seen what he can do!
- Than why don't you just run away?
- He would find me. Like he will find you!
I raised my eyebrow.
- How?
- He finds a way. He always does!
I walked over the table to pretend I was examining the map, but Toothless knew me way too well, he no longer aimed to the scared man. I saw a family picture, harshly drawn. Poor man. The captain though it's his chance so he striked to me, but before anything could happen Toothless shot his blade out of his hands.
- What about a deal? - I looked at him he was terrified, I believe he pissed in to his pants. - Don't look at me like that. Yap, you survived a plasma blast, but he didn't meant to kill you. So umm where was I? Oh yes. What about a deal? - he didn't answered but didn't refused either. - I'll take you from the ship, we can pretend you die but you tell me everything you know. ... I basically offer you I'll save you from his hands. We can take your family too.
- Leave them out of this!
- They are prisoners like you, am I wrong?
- ...
- So what? I take the dragons either way. If you die now I assume he won't need your family anymore, same fate or worse. If you come with me I can't promise anything, but you have chance to free yourself and your family. Of course, only if you tell me what you know. You can do it afterwards but I only need information. Looots of them.
- ...
- ... so...?
- ... than what? He will find me than...!
- You can stay on my island, but I have my rules.
- ... slavery to slavery?! No!
- Slaves...? Nope. Just my island my rules. But you know what? Here's my knife. - I throw it to him. - If you'd rather die you can always choose this easier way. Until than let me show you what is it like living on my lands. Just don't harm any dragon or I won't hesitate to kill you.
- ...why are you doing this?
- What do you mean?
- Why didn't you kill me like you always do?!
- ...what? No. I only kill if I can't make them harmless other way.
- But the attack three days ago...!
- I just stunned them by poison. The effect remains for a day than it disappear like you've never had it. I saw the ship reach a habited island. The one the ship is headed by the way.
- There wasn't any ship at the docks, it burnt down!
- Than they lied to you. I made sure the boat reach an island before the storm, my suit is still soaking wet.
- ...
- ... you choose. You said yourself you die either way. I offered you a knife if you change your mind, but say out aloud if you come with me or not.
- .............. ok. I'll go with you.
- Really? Just it? You take him with us?!
- Yap. If he tries to betray us, we can take him out anytime, or the oh mighty nightfury wouldn't be able to do that?
- Heh. Anytime! Come on lets go!
- As for you... what type of death you'd like to present?
- ....
- Stay here than... and don't dare to turn on our backs.
- Aye sir.
With that, Toothless stepped out, and I followed him to the fresh air, I didn't realized the cabin was filled with alcohol scent until now. Pfu.
- Come on. Lets finish here so we can go home and eat!
- Can you even think anything else than food?
He slapped me with his tail, than we headed to an other door, which I guessed lead down. I placed my ears to the wooden door, but I only heard faint talking somewhere far. I have so much luck with me today! We entered, it was a bit smaller room, I guess its for the dragons who tries to escape won't get through here, because it's looks way too simple and there's a staircase. Oh and a chest in the corner, a fireproof one.
I walked over to it, I picklocked, which barely made any sound, than I opened up. Dragon eggs. Looots of them! Poor kids.
- We've got to take with us.
- It wasn't even a question. Lets go.
I shut back the chest, than we went to the stairs, I snuck down, and hid behind a box, Toothless was keeping his feral eyes on me waiting for act. I peeked out, there were at least twenty guard here! And even more dragons! I took out my darts, I took a deep breath than I aimed: 5 shot in row, when they finally saw me, I run back up to Toothless,
and I shot the first three arriver when I had to throw it away and I took out my normal sword and fight!
The sight of a night fury made their fighting moral nearly disappeared, especially when he knocked out seven of them while I only got two. When only three of them remained they surrendered by releasing the hold of their weapon.
- Go and open the cages, and I won't harm you.
They didn't budge.
- We said GO!
Oh if a dragon asks them they are more willing to obey? :3
They run down, we followed them. In the cages the prisoners were looking at us with shining eyes, but they were concerned about the vikings.
- Take down the ropes and the chains too.
The three human looked at us more nervously than before. I nodded, to make sure they will do it. When the first one were opened, and the nadder were finally free, he was about to attack.
- DON'T!
He had him under his claws.
- Give me a good reason!
- He won't harm you anymore, no point of you becoming one of them!
- Ts.
He huffed into the viking's face than released him; the human was speechless. All the three of them.
- Come on!
They immediately began to work again, now with everyone of them were less frightened. The freed ones walked to me, after the end of the process I had three terrible terror and a night terror on me, and a pack of dragons around me.
- Than we shall go, shouldn't we?
We turned around and we saw the captain, he really wet his pants now I can smell it, and he were looking at us with worry.
- I've put the pieces together! I heard the story that they told us, but now I was thinking about it I know what happened!
- Tell me!
- Gladly! I was awake on that day, I was the nightguard there three days ago! I saw you flying away, I recognise the tailfin. I didn't understand why it was reddish. Now I know. I was on the right side of the mountain where it's looks like there's no guard spot!
- Oh I knew I saw something there!
- I thought that dragon burnt down the ship... but you couldn't be the one. I only saw one dragon, but the ship had monsterous nightmare marks, but there wasn't any there. At least not nighttime! I would have seen that! There wasn't any nightfury blast hole! I've seen them a few times, but there wasn't any. The ship must have been damaged at the docks, because in that state couldn't have sailed in! And the burns were way too fresh! The bastards! I had my brother on that ship! I couldn't imagine that they were lying to me!! But it would explain why they weren't even tring to escape! They were stunned!
Now I was stunned too.
- It... it ... means, I killed them? No... no way...
- What? I just said otherwise!
- .... but I was the one who pulled the boat in. I thought I saved them! It was storm time, but my friend were onboard and I didn't want to wait! But now they died!
- Shh... it's not your fault! You did what you thought was the best!
- But they were innocent! They surrounded! They could have live!
- I'm sorry, but now you have to deal with it, we have to go!
- I know... i know. Will you be okay? - I looked at the three conscious viking, but they didn't even realized I'm talking to them. - Hey you! Do you really want to stay on the ship? They might kill you too if you stay...
- What? You are concerned about us?!
- Who else? The dragons are free now and they only have a few minor injuries, they can get away safety.
- Heh. Like we can do anything else...
- You can come with us.
- This joke sucks.
- I wasn't joking. Now I have enough dragon to transport all of you. I assume captain you'll join me, but you three have to decide of the fate of everyone.
- I still can't take it seriously....
Quick like a snake bite, I reach to my pocket, I throw a knife from it, right next to his head but on his side of his face now he has a clean cut.
- If you don't take me seriously I make sure you will, and I can promise you won't like it. It's up to you...
He gulped, an other one answered.
- Okay! Okay! So you really offer US to get away?
- You heard too. It isn't my goal to kill everyone or rule on everyone, just don't harm dragons, that's all I wish.
- I'm afraid. If they really burnt down that ship, than they won't show mercy to us either. Die by dragons seems to be more pleasant death!
- ... why all of you think I'd kill you? Nevermind. But I have to ask all of you to cover your eyes. Get a blindfold somewhere, than we take the ship.
- Take the ship...?
- Yap. We have enough dragons. Come Toothless lets get some fish to the new ones. - I turned around and the dragons were looking at me. Oh. Right. I forgot they don't understand Nordic. - Sorry, I translate. It's not only you who needs to be saved right now, it happened to be these humans are prisoners like you, so I offered them a ride.
- What?!
- Yes, I did. Oh However I also told them: one wrong move and I'll be the one who takes their head for it, and I promised I won't be as gentle as a dragon.
- Ohhhhhhh.
Good. They calmed down. I sighed.
- What about some fresh food? We go and get some fish. I'll need your strength! We need to get this ship to my place!
They couldn't care less about the work they were excited about being finally free and about the food. I smiled to myself and everyone went up.
What an eventful day.
They and some of their relatives now live on my island with the dragons... and now they all ride dragons and protect them, they are the mighty, brave Dragon Riders.
Oh... and since than I've never dared to use my stunning darts ...