Howling Echoes - A How to Train Your Dragon Story, The Echoes, Book 1

28: Sins of the Past

   I stood at the doorway, leaning on the frame and narrowing my eyes at Dagur.  Frostflake growled suspiciously.

   "Mm, this is so good!"  Dagur praised as he tore into a yak leg.  "And cooked to perfection!"  "Thanks,"  Heather said.  "Ha!  I should've known it was you, Heather!  Cooking is in our blood!  Ooh, I bet you would make a wicked berserker chicken!"  Chicken let out a squawk across the room.

   "Sorry, Boynut.  And, Chickennut.  It's just, we've been out there forever, we haven't eaten anything in days!"  Dagur explained.  I narrowed my eyes.  "Kiara, how have you been?"

   I stiffened as Frostflake growled.  "Calm down, Frosty."  He rolled his eyes.  Astrid and Hiccup exchanged a glance.  Dagur sighed.  "Why can't we go back to the way we were?"

   "Because then you'd be dead,"  I said hotly.  "Which I have no objection to, to be clear."  "Alright, alright, someone's gotta tell me what's going on here."  Astrid cut in.  Dagur opened his mouth and I gave him a dangerous look.  "Say it.  I dare you."  

   "We're engaged,"  Dagur said.  I promptly punched him in the face.  "Forcefully."  I quickly added.  "And he thinks I'm in love with him for some stupid reason."  Dagur glared at me.  "Dagur, what are you doing here?"

   "Whilst I was searching the world looking for Oswald -"  Dagur started.   "Wait a minute, you're looking for our father?"  Heather interrupted.  "Well, since I didn't kill him, and you didn't kill him, I figured he must be out there somewhere."  Dagur reasoned.

   "So what did you find?"  Hiccup pressed.  "I captured a Dragon Hunter, and he was the most wimpiest little thing, he was about - your size in build."  Dagur chuckled.  "Hm."  Hiccup narrowed his eyes slightly.  "No offense."  "So what did the hunter say about Viggo?"  I demanded.  "He told me where Viggo hides his gold!"  Dagur said triumphantly.

   Gasps filled the room.  "And if I remember correctly, some of that gold -"  Dagur started.  "Is Berk's gold!"  I finished.  "Bingo!"  "We can cripple Viggo, and get Berk's gold back all in one blow.  Let's ride everybody."  Hiccup said.

   "Don't forget the best part,"  Dagur added.  "If you don't mind, I'll be taking some of his gold for myself.  Heather and I will need it as we embark on an epic journey to find our father and rebuild the Berserker tribe!"  Dagur hugged Heather close, but she shoved him away.  "Pfft, yeah right Dagur, I think you've taken one too many to the head."

   "I'm serious, Heather, that's why I'm here,"  Dagur said.   "Are you -"  I was immediately held back from punching Dagur in the face again by Fishlegs.  Whiplash, who had been on my back the whole time, tugged my ear, and I shoved Fishlegs off and stalked away.

   When we approached the island, I was tense, all senses on alert.  "Diamond Formation everybody.  Remember, we're heading into Viggo's domain.  Expect the unexpected."  Hiccup ordered.  "No kidding."  I agreed.

   When we landed, the island was completely deserted other than a few ruins.  "Well, there's no one here.  Didn't see that one coming."  Snotlout said.  Fishlegs, meanwhile, was freaking out over the ruins.  I ran my fingers along one of the broken buildings.  "No touching!"  Fishlegs slapped my hand back.  "We're not here to destroy history, we're here to find the gold!"

   "Please, Fishlegs, if there was any gold here this place would be crawling with Dragon Hunters."  Snotlout said.  "Not necessarily."  I disagreed.  "That would only make it more obvious."  I wondered if the gold was in the ruins.  Knowing Viggo, that could very well be possible.

   "Tracks!"  Astrid called.  The beginning of the tracks were covered by a small pile of leaves.  "Ha!  This is so a decoy."  I laughed.  Everyone else was already following them.  "Alright, but you're wasting your time."  I followed.