How To Train Your Dragon 3 - A Tale of Two Tails -

Chapter Seven: Where's Toothless?

"Toothless?! TOOTHLESS!"

"I still can't believe you lost T, chief."

"Oh for Thor's-- Tuffnut! I didn't lose him! I woke up and he was gone!"

"Tsk, tsk," he tutted as if he were scolding a child, "Oh, chief. How could you?!"

"After everything we've been through with Toothless!" Ruffnut cried and sobbed into her arms.

Hiccup groaned at his friends' dramatic nature.

"Remind me why we're still stuck with the twins this round, Fishlegs?" Astrid yelled against the wind.

"Because it was either them, or Snotlout!"

"Guys! Focus! The last time Toothless ran away in the middle of the night, he..." Hiccup said before he faltered.

The rest of the search party fell into a silence as they recalled the Whispering Death that had challenged the Night Fury in the past.

"Hiccup," Astrid began gently as she usually would whenever he worried himself into a frenzy, "I'm sure Toothless is okay. He can't even fly off the island. Besides, the dragons seem at peace. If their Alpha was in trouble, you'd think they'd be acting up, wouldn't they?"

Sure enough, the dragons were flying rather peacefully, occasionally letting out a squawk or screech to each other.

The viking chief took a deep breath and let his shoulder droop down in defeat.

"I suppose you're right. C'mon guys, let's round the island one more time!"

"That's nice," Barf hissed.

"So who's our next Alpha?" Belch screeched casually.

"BELCH," everybody scolded.

The head recoiled at everyone's sharp roar.

"Jeez, you guys are too uptight... I just hope it isn't Hookfang."

"Wait, I think Stormfly's picking up on something!" the blonde said excitedly, "Take us to him, girl!"

"Aww, man," Belch purred.

•

"Ugh, what is with him?!" Hookfang muttered.

"He's young," Cloudjumper said with a shake of his head, "They're supposed to be out and exploring at this age--"

"Blah blah blah," the younger dragon cut him off rudely, "I'm the same age as him and I don't just up and leave! ... Wait how old is he again?"

"Uh, hormones kicking in?" Skullcrusher offered tiredly.

The two dragons stared at him, surprised that the silent dragon had spoken up.

"I guess so. But really, I feel like there's something more to this," the Nightmare growled with a frown.

"How so?"

"I mean, him and Hiccup crash-landed yesterday. He ran away in the middle of the night today. You think he hit his head too hard?"

"Maybe--"

He was cut off from an exasperated scoff from Eret.

"Nothing! You'd think after searching this long we'd find a trace of the Night Fury, no?"

"Calm down, lad. Maybe Hiccup and Astrid's lot already found him."

"Or," Snotlout began as he squinted at something away from them, "Maybe they're headed right towards us-- AHH!"