Strangers

Part 10: Old Friend

A loud thud woke me from my usual nightmare. "What now" I groaned as I saw Max who was throwing a bucket around the room. "You really don't have smarter business to do than waking me up, do you?" he looked at me confused. I sighed "Nevermind" after I finished my morning routine I went outside. It was sunny and quiet. Then I realized it's too early, everyone is still sleeping. What am I supposed to do now? I can't go back to sleep. Max came and stood next to me. "You want to fly around?" He nodded happily as I said. I jumped on his back and he lifted up from the ground. The wind was blowin in my face. I like this kind of mornings, it felt like the wind will take my worries away, but it never happened. As we flew above the ocean I saw a ship. It had familiar sail. Dragon hunters. What are they doing here so early? "Come on, let's look closer" Max shook his head.

"Come on we need to see what are they planning" He still didn't move closer to a ship. I sighed "When we get back you will get extra fish, how that sounds" I noticed he tilted his head closer. "So, we have a deal?" He looked at the ship then at me and purred. I smiled "Good, now go closer to that ship" He flew down, closer to a ship. The hunters didn't see us what is good. It clearly wasn't Jayden's ship, but was one of his.

"Don't let them see you.. " I jumped on the back part of a ship so they wouldn't see me. Max flew closer to the water. I could hear them talking, but I wasn't sure about what. Voices became cleaner. "Are you sure it's a good idea?" "I'm not sure in anything. It's Jayden's command" My fist clutched when I heard his name, but I had to stay hidden. I could crush them in any moment, but I need to know what are they talking about. "Who knows, maybe it will work this time" "It surely will, he has secret weapon. There's no way they can go against it. We will win this time" My brain was trying to realize what he said. Secret weapon? Jayden is smart. Who knows what he has in mind now. He will do anything to get what he wants.

I stayed a little longer, hoping to hear more, but nothing. Nobody spoke after that. Just when I was about to leave I heard one of the men saying "New plan, we're attacking now", "But Jayden said-" "He will be there any minute" my eyes widened. It was clearly that they were talking about Dragon's Edge. I couldn't stay any longer. I whistled for Max who came same moment. I jumped on his back and went back on Dragon's Edge.

Everyone was awake. "Wow Hayden slow down" Willow said as I run to them "Jayden..he's coming!" her eyes widened and as I could see other's too. "Let's go!" Hiccup said and jumped on Toothless. Everybody is coming. "Hiccup, they said Hayden has a secret weapon.." he looked at me and asked. "Secret weapon?" I nodded "I don't know what it is, but they seemed very self convinced about winning", "Then we will show them they're wrong" Tuffnut said.

Soon we saw the ship, the same I was on. The hunters saw us and laughed. "What are you laughing at?!" Ruffnut yelled. "You don't have a chance!" one of the hunters yelled back. "Oh yeah? We'll see that!" she yelled again. Snotlout jumped on the ship and started fighting with them. Twins did the same. Something isn't right. My senses were telling me to go back, but I couldn't. We have to stop this. "Well well, who we got here? Isn't it our old friend?" I didn't have to turn to know it's Jayden. His voice bit my ears and I could feel my blood boiling inside my veins. I turned and looked at him. He was on his ship while his men were pointing their weapons towards us. "Jayden" my voice sounded dark.

"Long time no see.." He smiled. "Not long enough" I replied. Others seemed surprised. I know what they are thinking. How do I know him? Well that story will have to wait. "What a shame. So you came to accept my offer or your heart is still not cold enough?" I growled under my breath "I'll never accept it!" he looked at others and laughed then again at me. "As you wish, but I won't answer for the consequences. Shot them down!" in that moment his men began to shot arrows on us, from both ships. We avoided, but not for so long. At the moment everybody was on the ship fighting. Jayden was nowhere to be seen. Then I noticed that Willow is missing. "Show yourself you coward!!" I commanded. I heard laugh, his laugh. "Looks like you lost one of your friends.." I turned, he held Willow against him tightly, pointing a knife at her neck. This scene, it was too familiar, I felt like everything is happening again. "Let her go.." everybody stopped fighting. "Or what? You can't do anything and you know it" I started to feel dizzy.

I can't let him to kill her. "Join me and I'll let her go", "No!" Willow yelled, but he pushed a knife closer her neck "Hush!" I looked at the others, we were surrounded. I sight, I couldn't lose another person. I have to give up. "So?" he asked "I'll join you..." I looked down as he smiled. "Take him on his new home" few of his men came to me "You have me, now let her go.." he let her go and his men hurriedly lead me under the deck. It was dark, but I was able to see. Dungeons, of course. They pushed me into a cell and locked it. As they left I tried to hear what was happening outside, but for some reason I couldn't. It was too quiet. Later I heard footsteps coming my way. Jayden, it was my first thought. But then I realized it was more than one person. The hunters. They pushed a person in a cell next to mine and left. Keys were too far to reach. "Hayden..." my eyes widened when I heard person's voice. It was Corinne.