Another Nightmare book 2: To rescue a nightmare

Chapter 7

'...Yes. We met her earlier...'

...

'Really?' A slight hope rose in Hiccup. It had been the right ship. 'What happened to her?'

'The hunters brought her in yesterday morning,' the Changewing answered, 'but she was taken away already that same evening. The ship stopped at some Viking nest. They left her there.'

"At a village..." Hiccup mused to himself. 'Toothless, didn't you see lights of one earlier? Can we find it again?'

"What village?" Fishlegs interrupted.

"Those people took Shortclaw to some village yesterday. Bud?"

'It is easy enough to find it again. We didn't fly very far. I don't like the idea though. I'm worried enough about you going to a village to exchange furs. Vikings aren't just going to let you take a dragon from them.'

'We will figure something out,' Hiccup assured.

'Remember what happened on Berk the moment you even suggested letting their dragons go?'

'... I... I really thought that I could talk some sense into them after they saw the truth. I never thought they would twist it that much to keep their beliefs.' Hiccup stopped for a moment. 'If they didn't believe after seeing you... I'm not sure how to make people listen.' They hovered there in complete silence for a moment.

"You want to go to that village, right?" Fishlegs asked.

"Yes," Hiccup answered, "but I don't know what to do there. Last time I tried to convince people to release dragons, it was completely hopeless. We could just strike against them too, but that would be risky and wouldn't change what people think about dragons."

"Maybe you... maybe we should try taking things slower."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, showing people the truth is a good idea," Fishlegs said, "but it might be bit too much to throw everything you know at them and expect people to change their mind immediately. In Berk you really failed when you asked people to let the dragons go right there and then."

"They were going to kill Hookfang."

"I understand that, but people aren't going to change so quickly, especially not Vikings. The things that you know are simply too much for most people to believe at once, no matter how you present it. If you show things little by little it may be easier to change people's minds."

"You are probably right, but we have to ensure that Shortclaw is safe first." Hiccup turned his attention to the Changewing. 'Thank you... ?' Thoughts of the dragon entered Hiccup's mind. "Whiplash."

"What?" Fishlegs questioned.

"Our new friend. I finally figured what to call him."

"Is he coming with us?"

"Good question." Hiccup looked at Whiplash. 'What are you going to do now?'

'He should join the flock and swear loyalty to you as his alpha out of gratitude,' Hookfang butted in.

'You consider this Viking your alpha?' The thoughts didn't include the hostility that Hiccup feared from dragons when they first heard his status.

'Yes. He has the power and righteousness of an alpha. All of us owe our freedom to him and the Night Fury, just as you do.'

'Intriguing, very intriguing.' Whiplash directed his thoughts to Hiccup. 'Maybe I should stay around for a while, just to see what you will do.'