Another Nightmare book 2: To rescue a nightmare

Chapter 17

Shortclaw stretched her neck to face Hiccup and Ivar at the edge of the ring. Ivar kneeled, holding his arm up. Shortclaw soon responded to the familiar gesture, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

'What do you want this time?' She asked Hiccup.

'The big man standing on the edge behind you is one of the leaders of the hunters that captured you. No don't! Don't do anything.' Hiccup had to momentarily put force behind his thoughts. 'We can't fight here, and the Chief wants us to show him how you really are.'

'I'd like to show him the inside of my stomach.'

"Is something wrong?" Ivar asked. "She seems tense."

"I told her who Ryker is."

"Oh," Ivar said and brought out his other arm. He held both his hands on the sides of Shortclaw's head for a moment. Their eyes seemed to meet.

'I think I know what you want. Don't expect it to become a habit,' Shortclaw told Hiccup. Then she turned and lowered her head slightly in front of Ivar. Both boys smiled.

"You first," Hiccup said.

"Are you sure?" Ivar glanced over the ring towards his father and brother... and Ryker.

"They wanted a show, and this is the quickest way to try and make people think. I doubt it helps with the hunters, but your father needs to learn faster," Hiccup said and nodded towards the dragon. "Get on. Hold onto the horns if you need to."

After a second Ivar nodded back and bent under the railing. He held tightly on it with one arm wile bringing his leg over Shortclaw's neck. She waited with unusual patience as Ivar settled down. They could hear gasps even from across the arena. Chief Hemming, still down in the ring, stepped away from his staring warriors and walked closer to Shortclaw. Hiccup kneeled to bring his hand on Shortclaw's snout for a moment and then followed Ivar under the railing. He settled behind Ivar. Shortlcaw stepped away from the wall and brought her head back nearer to the ground. The chief came even closer. Hiccup put his hands on Ivar's shoulders.

"I'll go calm down your dad. Enjoy the ride and try not to fall off."

"Wait what?" Ivar asked, but rather than answer, Hiccup turned sideways and slid off. After a few steps he turned to briefly face Shortclaw, holding his hand on the dragon's snout for the people to see.

'Have fun you two. Be nice.'

She puffed hot air on Hiccup's hand and lifted her head out of his reach, with Ivar still on. His eyes were wide and he kept a tight hold of the horns. As Shortclaw stopped moving he seemed to relax little by little. After two flights on a Night Fury this couldn't be that bad.

"Ivar?" Chief Hemming said, now almost next to Hiccup.

"Don't worry about him," Hiccup said. "They've gotten along well from the start and dragons tend to have strong protective instincts. It is Ryker you should be worried about. I gave the demonstration as you wanted, but I doubt that it's going to help with him."

"I didn't quite expect this."

"Is it so hard to believe after everything else you've seen at the training. I hadn't planned to go this far so soon, but hopefully at least your villagers are open minded enough to learn something." Hiccup turned around to look at Ivar above them. He had let go of one horn and waved to his father.

"Ivar," Hiccup raised his voice, so the other boy would hear. "Remember to put her back in after you've had enough. I'll see you later."

"Are you serious?" Both Ivar and his father said at almost the same time.