renegades, httyd

xxxvi. Uncovered Truth

renegades
chapter thirty-six

     "Are you sure this is safe?"

     "It'll be fine!"

     Skulder glanced back at me from the lake's edge, holding his chisel and hammer awkwardly out towards the water. The look on his face told me he didn't believe me, and I didn't blame him. I ... wasn't too sure whether this was safe, either. In fact, I am pretty sure this is really dumb and idiotic and completely over the edge.

      "Look," I tried to sound reassuring, "it's obvious Muddie doesn't want to hurt you. And Winglash and I are away enough he shouldn't feel threatened. It's going to work!"

      "How do you know what?" called back Skulder. "How can hitting two objects together draw this dragon back to train him?"

      "Because I figured it out," I said. "A Mudraker has really small eyes, right? Which means they rely on hearing and smell. He dwells in the water and in caves━one in which echoes and the other which vibrates. Sound travels through the water, and the Mudraker can sense it. Muddie uses sound to track! Whether it be food, predators, us━a Mudraker is a Tracker Class dragon! You told me he first came when you were working with a chisel and a hammer━he must find some comfort in that sound. We can use that to gain his trust, and for you to form a bond with him."

      I had to admit, I was excited. I couldn't wait for this to work, nor could I wait to let Hiccup and Fishlegs know of this new and extraordinary discovery we had made. Almost everything we know about Mudrakers has changed. We now had a class, an updated visual, knowledge of the way they hunt and move━and after we train one, we could learn common personalities! Eating habits! Sleeping habits━so much was on the verge of being discovered. 

      "And if he does happen to attack," I went on, calm even though my heart was racing, "Winglash and I are also ready here to help. Everything is going to be perfectly fine!"

      Skulder pursed his lips. I gave my best encouraging smile and thumbs up. With a sigh, he turned back to the water, held up the tools and brought them together for a mighty, long-calling clang! It echoed across the lake, rippling the surface of the water. In the ringing silence that followed, we waited for Muddie the Mudraker to return. 

     He didn't resurface.

     "Go on," I urged at the sight of Skulder's disappointment. His uncertainty came back. "Try again."

     Skulder took a deep breath and brought the tools together again. A louder noise echoed across this time, expanding out to the edges of the lake in hopes that Muddie could hear and wasn't too shaken from his encounter with Winglash earlier.