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

Chapter 42: Everyone's A Suspect...maybe

   "Ok, Viggo is alive, that's bad.  He's got the Dragon Eye, that too is bad."  Hiccup said, pacing in the clubhouse.

   I sighed.  "Let's try to look at this in a different way.  Let's try to make the yak bladder half-full."  "My yak-bladder?  Dry as a bone."  Snotlout said.  "At least Kiara's dad is back,"  Tuffnut said.  I bit my lower lip.  

   "Ok, Viggo thinks he has the only Dragon Eye."  Hiccup said.  "But as you all know..."  Hiccup pulled a brown cloth off a shape.  "OOoh, it's almost finished!"  Fishlegs squealed.  I studied the Night Fury head shape on it.  "Cool,"  I said.

   "Hey, hey, hey, and while we're at it -" Tuffnut continued.  "Kiara said she didn't know anyone, but she knows a bunch of people!"  "That she did brother nut."  Ruffnut agreed.  "They do have a point,"  Astrid admitted.  

   I sighed.  "Fine.  I just...didn't want to tell you in case you rejected me because I knew almost all Dragon Hunters."  I admitted.  "See, she has her reasons.  Now let's please continue.  I just need the gems for the light to filter through now."  Hiccup said.

   "Perhaps I can be of assistance?"  A man with several gems dotted along his clothing stood with a crate in his hands asked.  "Johan!  What are you doing here?"  Snotlout asked.  "I have a gift for dear Heather as an apology for her dreadful experience at the Northern Markets,"  Johan said.  

   "Woah, woah, woah, what happened at the Northern Markets?"  Hiccup asked.  "Johan found a man claiming to have seen Oswald alive.  It was a trap, and we traded Windshear for the Dragon Eye Lens on Heather's belt."  My eyes widened.  "That was a Dragon Eye Lens?"  "Windshear and Heather are ok though, right?"  Hiccup said at the same time.

   "Yes, and yes, I'm afraid,"  Johan answered.  "Back up now, Johan, to the part where you help me get the gems for the Dragon Eye."  Hiccup said.  "Ah, yes.  I can deliver the gems you seek in three to four moons."  Johan said.  "No, we can't wait that long, Johan."  Hiccup objected.  "Well, there is a slight chance of finding them at the Northern Markets, but we all the know the dangers that place posses."  Johan shuddered.

   "Toothless and I can protect you, Johan.  I need to get these gems."  Hiccup said.  "Ah, ok then,  I shall rely on you and the mighty Toothless to protect me,"  Johan said.  "I'm coming, too."  I declared.  I didn't know this 'Johan' guy, and he didn't know me...but he still didn't ask who I was.  And the more protection, the better.

   "While I appreciate the offer, perhaps a smaller party is a smarter party,"  Johan said.  "Pfft, when has THAT ever worked?"  Tuffnut asked.  "We're coming too.  We need to pick up a present for Chicken's birthday, I mean, you know how hard she is to ship for."  

   "Fine, come on."  Hiccup said. 

   While we flew, I had been wondering about how the Hunters knew that Heather had a Dragon Eye Lens on her belt when we hadn't.  We landed and Johan got two of the gems, somehow getting the twins to run off.  I wasn't paying attention, honestly.

   Next thing I knew, Johan was walking into a dark alleyway.  I rushed after them.  Suddenly, Dragon Hunters trapped us in the alley.  "My worse fears confirmed - Dragon Hunters!"  Johan gasped.  I drew my Gronkle Iron sword.  "Back off,"  I growled.  

   "If those dragons open their mouths to sneeze, shoot the peg-leg where he stands."  A Hunter growled.  Toothless' tail smashed the two Hunters I was facing into the wall.  The others shot arrows at Hiccup, but he blocked it with his fire sword.  A hunter reached for Johan, but Frostflake leaped on him.

   "We need to get the other gems, and get out of here."  Hiccup said.  Barf and Belch landed at the open end of the alleyway.  Ruffnut and Tuffnut glanced after the Hunters running away from the alleyway.  "What's their problem?"  Ruffnut asked.

   "Dragon Hunters, ambush."  Hiccup said.  "Wow, ambush sounds exciting,"  Tuffnut said, hopping off his head.  "Anyway, Johan, you were SO right about that store!"  He pulled out a golden necklace with a chicken beak on it.  "Look at this beauty I pecked out."

   "Ambushes imply planning.  Planning implies pre-knowledge.  Pre-knowledge implies -"  Ruffnut gasped, and I knew she had come to the same connection I had.  "There is only one explanation for what happened here."  She walked up next to Johan.  

   "There is a mole among us!"  Ruffnut declared.  "A spy in our group?"  Tuffnut gasped.  "A traitor in our troop!"  Ruffnut agreed.  I narrowed my eyes.  "Oh my Thor, I was so blinded by my chicken finery I didn't see the feathers for the spy!  There's a fox in our chicken house and he's been a very naughty fox."

   I dragged Hiccup over to the side while Johan watched the twins go over possible suspects.  "I know who it is,"  I whispered to him.  He nodded.  "I think I do, too."  Our gaze turned to the startled trader watching the twins meet each other with a sword and a...a fish. 

   We glanced at each other again.  "Johan."