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

Chapter 56: Darkest Night

      It had been a couple of months, and Chroma was just short of being fully grown.  She was still dark purple-blue but had yellow spots on her wings.  

   Amber and Amythest had become young teens.  They were starting to learn to fly, but something was strange about them.  I couldn't quite figure it out.

   Stoick hadn't been told about Viggo yet...I didn't want him to know when none of the other Riders seemed ready to defend Viggo if he wanted to throw the former Hunter leader into the ocean.

   Speaking of Viggo, Viggo had started to become a little more of a normal thing at the Edge.  The Riders had gotten words of advice from him that had helped them defeat the Flyers on numerous occasions where they were stuck.  I was glad he was starting to become trusted.  I had made a little hut next to mine for him to stay in.  Viggo's random speeches were unsettling me, and I liked sleeping alone with Frostflake nearby.

   Viggo had finally been allowed to assist in creating plans, but the others seemed hesitant.  I was still hesitant about trusting him, too, but he had been willing to save them by sacrificing himself, so I had to try.

   We were planning to get Whiplash back when a Terrible Terror dropped off a letter at the clubhouse.  "Berk," I murmured, seeing the Berk crest on it.  Viggo raised a brow as I reached to hand the letter to Hiccup.  His face turned grave as he read it.  I glanced at Viggo, and he shrugged.

   "What is it?"  Astrid asked.  "Hiccup?"  "It's my dad."  Hiccup said lowly.  Viggo made another one of his weird unreadable expressions.  "He got ambushed on patrol."  I stiffened and bit my lower lip.  "And that is...not good."  I guessed.  "No Kiara it isn't.  Let's go, gang."  Hiccup said.

   "So what are we doing about him?"  Tuffnut asked, waving at Viggo.  "He's stayed here enough times, he can do it again,"  I said, mounting Frostflake.  I glanced sadly at the map we had been planning on.  "Kiara, you can't hide him from Stoick forever,"  Astrid said, putting her hand on my shoulder.  "Clearly I can,"  I said, pulling back.  Astrid sighed as we took off.

   When we got there, Viggo was there.  "Wha - how -?"  I stammered.  I face-palmed and sighed.  Astrid was already there, too.  "Oh.  You.  Of course.  I'm going to take a walk, have fun."  Frostflake and I took off to the forest where we had left the second time we had come to Berk.  To absolutely nobody's surprise, five minutes later Viggo approached.

   (P.S.  I'm watching Heather meet Viggo right now.)

   "For once can I sit on a cliff without you showing up?"  I asked with a drawn-out sigh.  Frostflake chuckled and growled slightly at Viggo.  Viggo chuckled.  "Astrid is right, you know."  I stiffened.  "Come ooooooooon."  I groaned.  "This again?"  Viggo let out another soft chuckle.  

   "We need to get Whiplash back."  I sighed, looking down the cliff edge.  Frostflake burbled and growled again as Viggo sat down next to me, putting his hand on my shoulder.  I stiffened tighter, glancing at his half-scarred face out of the corner of my eye.

   I sighed.  "Fine."  I got up and mounted Frostflake.  She growled at Viggo and took off.  I looked back to ask if he could walk, but he was already gone.  "Guess so,"  I muttered to myself, and we flew back.  

   When we got back, it was pretty dark, and the Riders were in the Great Hall with Hiccup stalking out.  "What's...wrong?"  I asked.  "Hiccup's pretty upset,"  Astrid said, rubbing one of her arms.  "Is Stoick ok?"  I asked.  "He's injured pretty badly..."  Astrid sighed.  "Great, Whiplash is still gone, we still don't have the fourth lens or have any clue where it might be, and Stoick is injured."  I sighed.

   "Perhaps I can be of assistance?"  I heard Viggo's voice and turned.  "Classic Viggo entrance,"  Frostflake muttered, growling slightly.  "I may also be able to help free a portion of the Singetails."  Viggo continued.  I glanced at Astrid.  "We can't go off and attack the Flyers with Hiccup in the state he's in."

   Viggo gave me a sly look.  I narrowed my eyes at him.  "You have a plan."