makligr, httyd

xxiv. dragon's grudge

𖣯 ✹ 🌷(makligr) ꏍ ！┈─❟
╰───►chapter twenty-four; yrsa
❝ dragon's grudge! ❞

    OUTCAST ISLAND was deserted. Yrsa didn't believe it when they got the word until she saw it herself━standing on charred rock and staring, dubious at the smoke that curled out of homes on the toughest island other than Berk. They took a sweep of the island━searched every crevice and corner, and she and Astrid came back to Hiccup and the others empty handed, shrugging and scratching their heads. 

    Hiccup frowned. "Weird," he muttered once they returned. He glanced around, eyeing the smoke, rubble and charred stone. "I don't see any arrows or spears."

    They were looking for any chance of a Dragon Hunter attack━and Yrsa wondered what they would even want from the Outcasts. But they were coming up short on that matter, too. She crossed her arms as she came into stand beside Hiccup, and the two of them shared a troubled glance.

    Fishlegs landed back down. He slipped off Meatlug's saddle and sighed to inform: "No boulders from catapults."

    Hiccup's frown deepened, "This really doesn't seem like a Dragon Hunter attack."

    "Well, who attacked, then?" asked Astrid, her hands on her hips. "Whoever did it━they meant business━" she gestured around, and she wasn't wrong. Outcast Island was nothing but ruin━it would take months to rebuild and a lot of Berk resources to help them do so. 

    "Yeah," agreed Yrsa in a murmur. "'Meant business' is a light-term━who could make the Outcasts desert their own home without arrows, catapults...?"

    It didn't make sense, that was for sure. But the Twins, they had a few of their own ideas. They poked their heads up in unison from where they were 'checking' behind fallen rubble in the arena but the rest of them knew they were merely just playing a quick game of Hrungnir, Bragi and Odin in order to see who would have to clean their dragon's talons next when they got back. But at Yrsa's question, their attention was piqued once again━they ran over and brandished fingers of thought:

    "Mutton famine?!" suggested Tuffnut with a breath of horror. 

    "Bed bugs?" offered his sister. At their estranged glances, she quickly explained: "Once those things show up, you can never get rid of 'em."

    But something had caught Hiccup's eye. He left Yrsa and wandered over to the far side of the arena. Her gaze widened to see the largest scorch mark they have seen here, yet. A jagged strip of charred stone━almost like Thor had struck this ground with lightning. 

    "I think this has something to do with it..." murmured the Chief's son.

    Snotlout frowned. He pointed at it, and then to the rest of them. "Okay━but how did any of us not see that until now?"

    "Maybe you're blind," Astrid replied in a moody tone.

    "You're blind," snapped Snotlout, defensive. 

    Yrsa rolled her eyes and marched up to Hiccup, frowning at the mark over his shoulder. It looked familiar━in a chilling, dreadful way. And by the look on Hiccup's face, she knew he recognised it, too. 

    He glanced at her. "These scorch marks..." he began in a murmur, knowing she was thinking similar. "Do these look familiar to you?"

    She nodded, troubled. "Yeah..." she was growing concerned. "But ... that doesn't make sense because━well━nothing could get out of the pounds of ice we dropped on that thing, right?"