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

Chapter 66: Trap This

      Chroma (who had officially adopted Viggo) slid Viggo onto her back and took off toward the rapidly closing stable doors.

   Toothless and Hiccup, Frostflake, and I followed.  Astrid and Stormfly followed Hiccup while Amber, Amythest, and Ruby tried to follow but failed to be fast enough.

   "Hiccup!"  I called, turning back into a human on Frostflake.  "What's going on?"  "There are these Trappers - led by Drago Bloodfist."  Hiccup quickly explained.  Where had I heard that before?

   "Then let's go blast them into oblivion!"  I cried.  Chroma and Frostflake both roared in agreement, while Stormfly and Toothless burbled agreeably.  "Let me guess, we're going to 'talk some sense' into him, aren't we?"  Astrid called.  "Uuh...yeah!"  Hiccup said.  "Aaaaand you're dragging us into it,"  I added.  "Technically, no, WE dragged us into it."  Chroma amended.  "Except for Viggo, which was all you."  I pointed out to her.  Chroma rolled her eyes.

   "Just trust me."  Hiccup said.  "Like that's gone well in the past,"  I muttered.  "Kind of how I got caught by Hunters in the FIRST PLACE."  What started as a mutter rose to a snappy comment, pointed at Hiccup.  "Can we just go?  Please?" He asked, speeding up.  I huffed.

   "So...what do you think has a better chance of getting killed?"  I called.  "A human, or a dragon?"  "Neither!"  Hiccup called.  "Very funny, Hiccup!"  I yelled back.  "It's one or the other!"  "Just - be quiet, please."  Hiccup said.  I sighed and jumped off of Frostflake, turning into a dragon.  

   We approached a ship with a strange sign on it.  I narrowed my eyes as Toothless and Stormfly landed.  "What are you doing?"  Toothless burbled to Hiccup.  "No idea, but it's weird,"   Stormfly replied.  "Shut up."  Toothless muttered.  

   Chroma, Frostflake and I hovered around the ship.  A couple of the Trappers pointed at Viggo and muttered something to what seemed to be the lead Trapper.  "Viggo Grimborn!  Is this your catch?"  He called.  Viggo narrowed his eyes.  "Yes."  He called, rather convincingly, I had to admit.  

   "We just want to talk to Drago."  Hiccup said.  "That's gonna go well.  HE'LL KILL YOU!  AHEM!  AHEM AHEM AHEM!  I THINK I HEARD STOICK SAY DRAGO WAS A MADMAN!  HELLO!"  I roared.  Hiccup gave me a dead inside look.  "We're going to talk to him and change his mind."  Hiccup said.  I scoffed.  "No, you won't."  I shook my head and saw a twinkle of amusement in Frostflake's and Toothless's eyes.  

    "You won't be changing any minds around here."  The lead Trapper chuckled.  "I can change yours."  Hiccup said, reaching for where Toothless's tail unfolded.  "Right here, right now."  The red tail fin unfolded.  "May I?"  

   Suddenly, Hookfang snatched up Hiccup by his shoulder.  "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"  Hiccup screamed.  I laughed and joined the Riders.  "Thanks, Hookfang!"  I roared to the Monstrous Nightmare.  "No problem!"  He chuckled back.  Suddenly, nets started flying.  "Ah, what is it with all the nets?"  Tuffnut asked.  "Hey, watch it that was cloose -"  Ruffnut suddenly was caught off guard as she looked at the lead Trapper.  "Oh for all the - Ruffnut!"  I butted her out of the way of a net.

   "Put me down, Snotlout!  Wha - what are you doing!?"  Hiccup cried.  "SAVING YOUR REAR!  LITERALLY!"  I roared.  "So, plans or?"  Frostflake asked.  "Nope,"  I replied.  "Looks like Stoick's got it under control."  Skullcrusher, the first and only Rumblehorn I'd ever seen, landed behind one of the sails.  "Silence!"  Skullcrusher roared.  Hiccup broke free of Hookfang and landed on the boat.  

   "What are you all doing here!?" Hiccup cried.  "We're here to rescue you!"  Gobber said, landing on the ship with Grump.  "I don't NEED to be rescued -"  Hiccup started.  "Enough!"  Skullcrusher and Stoick said at the same time.  Stoick dismounted him and stalked toward his son.  "Well didn't you just land on the wrong ship, eh?"  The Trapper started, walking in front of the chief.  "I am Eret, son of -"  Stoick shoved Eret towards Gobber by his face.  "I -"  Gobber hit him in the head with his hammer and moved Grump on him.  "Get this thing -"  Eret started in a horse, breath-stripped voice.  "off me."  "Anyone else?"  Gobber asked.  "That's what I figured."

   "You, saddle up.  We're going home."  Stoick told Hiccup.  "Why do we have to go to war!?"  Hiccup asked.  "Because war is what he wants, son!"  Stoick snapped.  I growled, gently landing on the boat.  "Years ago, there was a great gathering of chieftains to discuss the dragon scourge we faced. Into our midst came a stranger from a strange land, covered in a cloak made of dragon skin. He carried no weapon and spoke softly, saying that he, Drago Bludvist, 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 us safe... if ...we chose to bow down and follow him."

   Laughing broke out across the boat.  Even I laughed.  "Pfft."  I chuckled.  Viggo stayed silent, as usual, however, as did Gobber, which was strange.  Frostflake scoffed and Chroma chuckled.  "Imagine,"  Tuffnut chuckled.  "Stupid."  Snotlout scoffed.  "Aye, we laughed, too,"  Stoick said. "Until he wrapped himself in his cloak and cried out, 'then see how well you do without me!'. The rooftop suddenly burst into flames, and from it, armored dragons descended, burning the hall to the ground. I...was the only one...to escape."   

   Frostflake and I glanced at each other.  "Men who kill without reason cannot be reasoned with,"  Stoick said.  "I have to try."  Hiccup mounted Toothless.  "Hiccup!"  Stoick started, but he already took off.  

   I became a human and mounted Frostflake, then took off, but I didn't hear any wingbeats follow, which probably meant that Stoick had stopped Astrid and Viggo from following.  Or maybe Viggo just didn't want to follow.  Probably the latter. 

   After a while of flying in the clouds, Hiccup randomly cried out and laid on Toothless's back.  "Are you ok?"  Toothless asked.  "Don't worry, bud.  I won't let anything happen to you.  I promise."  Hiccup vowed.  I patted the side of Frostflake's head.  Suddenly, Toothless and Frostflake both started growling.

   "What is it, girl?"  I asked.  Suddenly, a masked figure with spikes coming out of the top of her blue-and-brown mask came out of the top of the clouds.  "A Wingmadien?"  I asked before realizing she didn't have wings.  "Ok..."  Hiccup said as she vanished again.  "No sudden moves."