Infernal Responsibility

Cherished

Stoick rubbed a hand down his face in frustration.

"What a mess!" Gobber voiced his thoughts.

"Aye," he looked over the Outcast men who looked unsure of what to do. "Who'd have thought it'd come to this?" He spoke up. "My friends, I don't know what the plans are, but you are welcome to stay here until we find out."

Mwaba returned to the group, his eyes teary. "We steh just long enough da find out what de chief wants us da do."

The men nodded and began to unpack the ship. Berk men helped.

"Dontcha think it's interestin' how protective Toothless was?" Gobber asked.

"I wasn't thinking about it."

"Well, you should."

"Gobber, the chief of the tribe we just came to peace with got stabbed by his general. The last thing I'm thinking about is the behavior of my son's dragon."

"If you're worried about Spitelout, I'm sure if he was going to kill you, he would have done it by now."

"Oh that just instills me with confidence." He began to make his way up the ramp, seeing the work under way. "Besides, if you wanted me to analyze Toothless' behavior, we can say that he has been so influenced by Hiccup, that he hates any kind of violence."

Gobber gave him a funny look. "You don't actually think that, do you?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"Well, I think you're turnin' a blind eye to a possibility in an effort to not be disappointed."

Stoick shook his head and hurried up the ramp. "I think you're getting your hopes up in an impossibility."

"So you're doubtin' all evidence?"

Stoick came closer and spoke in a hushed voice. "You think that Wart is Hiccup?"

"I'm fairly certain."

"Have you been paying attention? This man is the leader of the Outcasts. Before that, he was a slave."

"How long was he in slavery?"

"I don't know, a long time."

"And a long time could be many years or a few months."

"But this man is so much bigger then Hiccup."

"Growth spurt."

"He acts different."

"You would too if you went through what he did."

"He has two legs!"

"I don't have an answer for that."

"Ha! You're just hoping that he's coming back!"

"Aren't you?"

"I—..." Stoick stopped and swallowed. "What makes you so sure?"

"That boy 'as a way with metal and leather craft, did you see the chief's suit?"

"He may not have made that himself."

"He hasn't shown his identity."

"He already explained that, and even so, maybe he has other reasons. Maybe a scar or something."

Gobber nodded his head, agreeing to an extent. "Well, Toothless let him pet him."

"But if he was Hiccup, Toothless would have tackled him. You've seen him do it before."

"I didn't think about that."

"I'll admit, there is evidence that he is Hiccup, but that doesn't explain why he would have gone this long without revealing himself to us."