Dragons: Secrets of Berk

(Home) Part 2

The next morning, Heather was up and out of bed by the time Hiccup and Toothless woke up.  They went down for breakfast to find her at the table writing, Stoic sitting beside her.  "Morning, Dad," said Hiccup coming over.  "Morning, Heather.  You feeling any better?"  Heather looked up at him and nodded, then pet a sleepy Toothless as he walked up to her.
"She's still not talking," said Stoic.  "Has no problem writing, though.  She's telling me what happened that got her out here all alone."  Just then, Heather nudged his arm.  "Are you done?"  She nodded, and he looked at the paper.
"Well, that's...  progress...  I guess," said Hiccup.  He sat down on the other side of her.  "Hey, wanna...  go to the academy with us today, see the others?  I'm sure Snotlout missed you."  Heather held her nose.  Hiccup laughed.  "Yeah...  Can't really argue with you there."
"Oh, my..." Stoic breathed.
"What is it, Dad?" said Hiccup.  His father said nothing, but handed him the paper.  Hiccup read it, then turned pale white!  "Oh, my gods!"
After breakfast, Hiccup, Heather, and Toothless went outside.  "I-I don't blame you for not talking," Hiccup said as they got on Toothless' back.  "That must've been...  Gosh..."
Heather looked down, then her eyes were brought up by the feeling of something landing on her head.  A second later, Hiccup felt it, too, then Toothless!  Hiccup looked at his dragon.  "Aw!  Baby terrors!" he said.  Heather took the one off her head, and smiled petting it.  Toothless groaned, then his eyes widened as he saw ahead of him.  "Ah, no..." said Hiccup seeing the same way.  Before any of them could think, they were covered in a swarm of babies, all seeming to be chatting away at once!  "Uh...  Okay!  Little less cute now."
"I see you guys met our guests," said Astrid landing in front of them.
"Astrid!" said Hiccup.  "Where did all these baby terrors come from?"
"Beats me!" said Astrid.  "But they're running amuck everywhere.  Gobber's already at his wit's end over at the armory."
"Aw, great!" said Hiccup.  He looked down, and was just able to grab his metal leg before one of the babies made off with it!  "Hey!  Give that back!  I need it!"  Heather laughed a little, then reached forward and gently grabbed the baby, and stroked its back.  It cooed, releasing the leg, and she handed it back to Hiccup.  "Thanks, Heather."  He put it back on.
"So, what do we do?" said Astrid.
Hiccup thought for a moment.  "Round up the others, get some adult terrors, and we'll get all these guys down to the beach.  Their pack can't be too far off, right?"  Toothless growled, swatting at one that was chewing at his saddle strap with his tail.  "And hurry!  I think some of these guys might be teething!"
Rounding up all the babies proved quite a challenge.  There seemed to be terrors in almost every house on Berk!  The little dragons were in homes, barns, shops, and one had even managed to get under Bucket's bucket!  By the time they finally got them all out to the beach and Snotlout and the twins left to find the pack, Toothless was too exhausted to even care about being jumped on.
"Oh, my Thor!" said Astrid covering her mouth when Hiccup told her what had happened to Heather.  "Their whole village?!  Just..."
"...  Destroyed..." said Hiccup.  "She's the only one who..."  He sighed.
"Any idea who did it?" asked Astrid.
"She's not sure," said Hiccup.  "She just remembers a...  guy with a tattoo over his eye laughing.  He's the one that, uh...  h-her parents."
"Hang on!" said Astrid.  "A guy, with a tattoo over his eye, who seems to enjoy causing people pain.  That sound like anyone we know?"
"You think it was Dagger?" said Hiccup.
"Wouldn't surprise me," said Astrid.  "I mean...  he killed Oswald.  What's a village full of people he doesn't know?"
"Killed Oswald?" said Hiccup.  "Astrid, he just..."
"...  Retired?" said Astrid.  "Hiccup, tell me you don't really think Oswald would willingly put that lunatic in charge of the Berserkers!"
"Well, that's...  a...  really good point," Hiccup admitted.
Astrid sighed, then smiled as she looked over at Heather, sitting quietly feeding some of the babies.  "She...  seems to have a bit of a way with dragons, huh?" she said.
Hiccup looked over.  "Yeah," he said smiling.  "Yeah, I guess she does."
"Your dad have any idea what to do with her?" asked Astrid.
"Not exactly," said Hiccup.  "But he told her she's welcome to stay on Berk if she wants to...  if nothing else works out."
Astrid nodded, still watching Heather.  "You know, she...  wouldn't make a half bad Dragon Rider, I don't think," she said.
"Maybe," said Hiccup.  "But the whole...  You know, not talking thing might be an issue.  Plus, she doesn't...  You know..."
"...  Have a dragon?" said Astrid.  "I think that'll be a pretty easy fix.  I mean, look at her."
Hiccup giggled as they saw one of the terrors jump onto Heather's head, curl up, and fall asleep.  "Yeah...  She probably won't have much trouble finding a dragon of her own," he said.  "Let's just...  see what happens first.  And...  let her get settled.  Okay?"
"And hope she bonds with something a little bigger than a terrible terror," said Astrid with a laugh.