renegades, httyd

xxxv. The Mudraker

renegades
chapter thirty-five

"Should I ask about the new development in yours and Hiccup's ... should I say relationship? Friendship? Courtship━"

"No," I cut Skulder off, rather amused as we trekked up the slope towards the wetlands where he had camped. Winglash followed, sniffing and keeping an eye out for any wayward, wild dragons. Her head twitched, side to side like every other Nadder in order to see past her blindspot. "In fact, it's not something we should talk about at all. No one's really supposed to know."

"And why's that?"

From a distance, in coming to the island, I didn't realise how dense the marshland actually was until I walked through it. Skulder told me there was a clearing up ahead beside a small lake where he had set up camp, but so far, I didn't see a clearing anywhere.

"Well..." I shrugged, not too sure how to explain it. "There's just a lot of things happening right now. And it's not like we see each other all the time. He's at Dragon's Edge and I'm at Berk."

"Why not just stay at the Edge?" Skulder pushed a few bushes aside, letting me walk through first before he and Winglash followed.

"Because my team is stationed in Berk," I answered. "He has his team, and I have mine. We agreed on that way back last year. Especially now ... it's important to be in both places."

"Ah, yes," hummed Skulder, understanding. "Those pesky Dragon Hunters, I've heard."

I nodded with a sigh. The dense wood was slowly thinning━finally. I pushed aside a small branch, ducking underneath. "You haven't happened to find anything on your end, have you?"

Skulder shook his head, "Nothing much━or anything, at all, really. I was once at the markets in these travels, right before I set out here on my sailing boat to pack up on resources. I asked around for the Dragon Egg market, who might be selling, who is buying. Came up dry."

I frowned, confused. "That's odd," I said, "because Johann said he found the crate that turned out to have the Groncicle egg inside from a salesman at the markets."

"Indeed, but the only trade I found was that of your esteemed enemies hunt for. Dragon eggs hold no value unless they are frozen, the babe inside dead and the outside shell having bright patterns. But they tell me nothing of that sort has been around for a decade at least."

"And I don't think this person wants these eggs for decoration," I murmured, rubbing my forehead, frustrated. "Thanks, though, Skulder. Really. The markets can be dangerous place to ask questions if you're not careful."

"You're thanking me by helping me with this endeavour," stated Skulder, beaming brightly again as we finally stretched from the woods and out towards the wetland. The clearing surrounded for achres of land before expanding up into mountains and forest-cliffs. The small lake Skulder spoke of situated under the closest rocky slope, waters a little muddy but still glistening under the sinking afternoon sun. I could see caves within the stone━perfect habitat for the Mudraker.