I Am Dragonblood: Alpha and Chief {Book Two} (HTTYD Fanfic)

Chapter Two - A Discovery of Hunters

They skimmed through what was left of a charred and blackened forest, Hiccup and Toothless first, with Astrid and Stormfly following behind. Smoke rose from the ashes on the ground, creating an eerie atmosphere. A foreboding feeling crept upon Hiccup. There was something wrong here, something very wrong. The trees did not look like the kind that had been savaged by a forest fire, but more like crisped to charcoal shells by dragon fire. They nervously flew around the hill and came to sudden stop, their eyes widening. Ahead there was ice, blue spikes that jutted high into the sky, with pieces of splintered wood stuck half into them. 'Stay close,' Hiccup said. They soared around the spikes, making out what they took to be pieces of houses. 'What happened here.'
'Hiccup!' Astrid hissed. He pulled up, a bolas only just missing him and Toothless. Stormfly wasn't quick enough, though, and the rope tangled around one of her wings. Astrid was thrown off, only to be promptly caught by the Night Fury. The Nadder, unable to fly, fell onto a remaining patch of uniced ground, people with ropes swarming over her like vultures to a feast. Toothless landed with a shriek, snarling at the people nearest.
'Stormfly!' Astrid yelled. Hiccup lit his sword and held it out before him, a warning to come no closer.
'Back again,' a man in a fur jacket said, stepping forward. He took a closer look at Toothless. 'That is a Night Fury. Thought they were all gone for good.' Toothless snarled even louder. 'Looks like our luck has turned for the better, lads. I don't think Drago has one of those in Dragon Army.'
'Dragon Army?' Astrid asked.
'Look, we don't want any trouble,' Hiccup told the fur jacket man.
'Ha,' the man scoffed. 'You should've thought about that before you stole all of our dragons and blasted our fort to bits!' He waved a hand at the fort, or the ice that had obliterated it.
'What are you talking about?!'
'You think we did this?' Hiccup said, unflaming his sword.
'Dragon trapping is hard enough without do-gooder Dragon Riders sneaking in to rescue them.'
'What do-gooder...' Hiccup started, then realisation struck. 'There are other Dragon Riders?'
'You mean, other than your thieving friend from last night, you tell me,' the man started pacing slowly. 'You may have an ice spitting dragon on your side, but we still have a quoter to fill. How do you think we explain this mess to Drago Bludvist.'
'Drago Whatfist?' Hiccup asked, waving his arms around again. 'Does anything you say make sense?'
'He's expecting a new shipment of dragons for his army,' one of the "lads" said. 'By tomorrow.'
'Drago don't take well to excuses,' another "lad" said.
'This,' the man pulled back part of his jacket, revealing a branded red burn. 'Is what he gave me last time I showed up empty handed. He promised to be far less understanding in the future.'
'Hey, look,' Hiccup said, trying to be reasonable. 'We don't know anything about a dragon thief, or an ice spitting dragon, or your lunatic boss and his dragon army, ok? Just give us back our dragon, and we'll go. Strange hostile person whom we've never met.'
'Oh, where are my manners,' the strange hostile person gave a slight, mocking bow. 'Im Eret, son of Eret.' Metal shinked as he pulled a short sword from a scabbard. 'The finest dragon trapper alive. After all,' he pointed the sword at Toothless, caused the dragon to roar. 'It's not just anyone who can capture a Night Fury.'
'And this is Toothless. He says we're going. Now.' What Toothless had actually said was something like this. ' ou m tt nh ad d m rd r rs!'
'Ha, they all say that. Rush 'em, lads!'
Arrows rained down from crossbows and bows above and the lads did indeed rush forwards. Toothless shot the base of an ice spike above the Hunters and it crashed to the ground, chunks of blue ice scattering everywhere. They dove for cover, shielding their heads with their arms, while Hiccup slashed the ropes holding the Nadder and the Riders made their escape.
'You will never hold on to them dragons!' Eret shouted after them, slashing his sword in front of him like he was fighting his way through bushes. 'Drago is coming for them all!'

***

'Ahaha! Here he is! The pride of Berk!' Stoick hailed him as he and Toothless landed.
Great, he thought. Hiccup hurried into the forge where his father and Gobber were crafting saddles, Astrid not far behind.
'Ah, you finally decided to turn up for work,' Gobber said, poking him with a pair of tongs.
'Sorry, got held up.' He approached Stoick, who was near the serving hatch sorting through numbered pieces of wood. 'Hey, Dad, could I have a word?'
'So you're itching to tell me?'
'Er, not quite the itch you're thinking of, but yes.'
'Ahh, good man,' Stoick picked up a numbered board that was hanging on the wall. 'Lesson one: a Chief's duty is to his people. Forty-one!' He called to crowd outside the serving hatch. 'Forty-one!'
'Can we just-'
'That's me! That's me,' someone shouted, pushing through the throngs of Vikings. 'I've been here all day. I want one of them high seaters, lots of spikes, and a big storage compartment.'
'Absolutely!' Stoick said. He grabbed the leather needed for the saddle and told Hiccup to collect the small parts in a tray.
'Dad, this is just a little more important than building saddles.'
'Ah! Lesson two: no task is too small when it comes to serving your people.'
'Yeah, but-'
He was interrupted by Gobber yelling at his Hotburple, Grump, for letting the forge die again.
'Dad, I seriously need to tell you about this new land we came across,' Hiccup said, jogging after his father, who had thrown the leather over a wooden horse/dragon back so he could mark out the saddle shape.
'Another one?' Gobber asked, fitting a brush to his interchangable hand so he could brush his moustache.
'Any new dragons?' Fishlegs barged in. Literally.
'We didn't stick around to find out. These folks weren't particularly friendly.'
'Oh really,' Gobber said. 'Your Night Fury and Deadly Nadder didn't bring them cheering to the rooftops.'
'This was different,' Hiccup said. 'Not the standard run-to-the-hills-hoohar I've come to enjoy. These guys were trappers, dragon trappers.'
Astrid came in at this point. 'You should've seen their fort, all blown apart and stuck in giant spikes of ice, it was weird.'
'I've never seen anything like it, and worst of all they thought we did it.'
'You know,' Gobber said, switching the brush for a hammer. 'You two are going to get yourselves in trouble one of these days. Not everyone appreciates this way of life.'
'Gobber's right, son. Best we keep to ourselves. Besides,' Stoick moved to a table saw with the leather, pulling a lever to get the saw moving. 'You'll have more important duties.' He rubbed his hands, looking pleased. 'Once we make the big announcement.'
Hiccup pulled the lever so the saw stopped with a screech. 'They are building a dragon army.' He said, loud enough for people outside to hear over the racket of village life. 'Or the guy they work for is. Dargo Bloodyfist or something.'
Tuffnut, the male twin, appeared from the background. 'I'll bloody my fist in his face if he tries to take my dragon,' he said, glaring at his fist as if it had committed a terrible crime.
Stoick grabbed his son's shoulders in a vicelike grip. 'Bludvist? Drago Bludvist?'
'Er,' Hiccup said, trying not to wince at the grip's vicelikeness. 'Yeah. You know him, don't you?'
Stoick's gaze grew distant as a memory hazed his mind.

***

Third person PoV

A dark firelit hall, filled with people, Chieftains, chatting and laughing and drinking. A young Stoick, sat on a wooden throne carved from a single piece of oak, listened to the banter and laughing along with it. Suddenly the hall doors were thrown open and a stranger in a dragon skin cloak came in, the firelight playing horrendously on his scar ridden face. His voice was quiet, almost too quiet to hear. He said his name was Drago Bludvist, and that he was a man of the people, devoted to freeing mankind from the tyranny of dragons. He claimed that he alone could control the dragons and that he alone could keep the Chiefs and their tribes safe. But only if they chose to bow down and follow him. Everyone in the room laughed at that, thinking this person was just a mad bard from lands afar.
The stranger wrapped himself in his cloak and cried out. 'Then see how well you do without me!' Before stalking out of the hall, the doors creaking as they swung shut.
There was a crack of braking timber and the rooftops erupted into flames, the orange glow lighting up the stunned faces below. Armoured dragons descended, pouring out fire and burning the hall to the ground.
Only one Chief survived. A bruised and burned Stoick, who watched from a hilltop as the dragons that had caused so much death flew after a warship, the sea churning ahead of the vessel as if some great beast was beneath it.

1570 words, they're getting longer O.O

The picture at the top was meant to be gif, but it's turned into a still for some reason. I really have no luck with technology XD
Comments, as always, are welcome :D