In Lieu Of A Tail

15. Stoick Is An Idiot And Gothi Gets Mad

AN: Please read the AN at the end! Thanks!

A voice rang out across the battlefield. "No, Dad, STOP!".

Aurora cursed in dragonese, no one noticed, too focused on the owner of the voice who had landed in the square. Astra retreated from the swords carefully, following the most stealthy route to Aurora, who was watching Hiccup in dismay.

Hiccup kept an eye on his sisters, and an eye on the Vikings, a few who moved towards him. He dismounted his dragon, knowing the manoeuvrability it provided would serve him well if he needed to get to his sisters. Toothless emitted a low growl of warning and Hiccup's hand moved straight to the hilt of his sword, grasping it as he scanned the crowd for the threat. He was startled to discover it was Stoick.

"Remove your mask." Spitelout ordered, somehow able to speak despite the vice-like grip of tenseness the whole village could feel.

The boy removed his mask slowly, tilting his face down, watching all around, as though searching for an escape – to be fair, he was. His olive eyes caught the light and his auburn hair caught the wind. The pale scar on his chin could just barely be made out in the twilight, Stoick's eyes widened.

"Hiccup?" His father breathed, some odd emotion flickering in his eyes.

He didn't answer, glancing around at anything but his father – catching Aurora's eye and noticing she had mounted Astra, and was safe. He inclined his head very slightly, mouthing the word Fury. Fury was a tactic the group used as a distraction when they needed a way out. She nodded back, and they took off, Astra's wings creating the classic Fury screech that was rightfully feared. All the Vikings ducked instinctively, turning to watch where the dragon flew, it gave Hiccup five seconds to mount Toothless and launch into the air, or it should have.

His father turned back after three seconds, just in time to see his son's emerald eyes almost glowing in the pale moonlight as their eyes met.

"I'm sorry," Hiccup whispered, barely audible, "for everything." His dragon launched into the sky, his whistle joining his sister's.

Stoick stood for a moment, dumbfounded, before his face hardened and he made his decision.

"Shoot those dragons down!" He hollered.

"I'm starting to like your father less and less, Hiccup!" Aurora yelled as bolas began flying.

"He isn't exactly growing on me either!" Astra added.

"Can we please talk about this after we are out of this ridiculously dangerous situation?!" Hiccup groaned in exasperation.

"Watch out!" Astra roared, seeing a bola headed straight for her brother and throwing herself at it, planning to blast it to pieces. But she couldn't fire fast enough. She was caught and fell from the sky, Aurora cursing all the way.

The dragon plummeted, panicked roars reaching the village's ears. It landed with a thud, and the sound of a snap resonated around the village. A weak groan sounded, followed by panicked growls and trills. Astrid moved towards the reptile carefully, watching it twitch in what could only be pain. One of its wings were curled around its body, the other stuck out and twisted at an unnatural angle. The dragon squirmed, trying to break free. Astrid and the other young warriors circled it and pointed their weapons in warning, it curled up further – whimpering.

Stoick stepped forward, before being blown back by a plasma blast impacting the ground before him. The Night Fury landed solidly behind Ruffnut and Fishlegs; they turned to face a charging fluorescent blast, which rocketed them off their feet upon impact.