The Dragon Games (HTTYD AU)

Twelve - Secrets and Plots

Astrid climbed onto Toothless behind Hiccup. Roaring, he took off, firing those odd beams. With incredible accuracy, he led them through the tunnels, avoiding all the stalagmites and stalagtites. 

Reflective glass from the sandbuster formed splodges along the walls. The blue material glowed eerily under the torch light.

Something roared up ahead.

Astrid adjusted her grip on her torch. "Still think that I should've left the axe behind?"

"Okay, fine, it would be useful, but how was I supposed to know that?" Hiccup responded, glancing over his shoulder. With a smug smile, Astrid rolled her eyes.

Toothless sniffed at a cave wall. Holding the torch closer to it, Hiccup strained to see. He could just about make out what looked like a glass tear.

Hundreds of the delicate shapes were scattered along the cavern walls and floors, forming a trail.

"Follow those tears, bud," Hiccup instructed.

Only the sounds of Toothless' wingebeats and their breathing could be heard. The darkness seemed endless, but they continued.

It didn't take long to find the sandbuster. Injured from the fight, it scuttled along much slower than before.

Landing, Hiccup shrunk in on himself to try to seem less intimidating.

"Easy there," Hiccup said, walking towards it.

Whipping around, the sandbuster snarled.

Hiccup stopped moving. "Woah! We don't want to hurt you."

Astrid remained on Toothless' back, watching closely. Taking a single step forward, Hiccup tested the dragon's boundaries.

Hissing, the sandbuster raised its wings. It prepared a blast.

Hiccup rolled to the side as the blast shot overhead.

Okay, so most dragons seem friendly, but definitely not that one.

Toothless roared, firing back. The sandbuster whined and vanished into the tunnels once more.

"I don't think it's going to give the dragons any more trouble," Astrid commented, getting off of Toothless.

A deep roar echoed across the caverns. Hiccup narrowed his eyes. It wasn't the sandbuster.

"Something else is down here."

Holding his torch with both hands, Hiccup led the way. His heart pounded.

Up ahead, there was a buzz of noise. It grew louder with each tunnel. Hiccup couldn't identify anything.

Was that a scratch? A snarl?

"Dragons?" Hiccup thought aloud.

Astrid nodded. "I think so."

Toothless paused every few steps, sniffing at the air and twitching his ears.

"You've never been this far, have you bud?" Hiccup petted Toothless' head reassuringly.

The dragons grew louder. Toothless stopped at a branching off tunnel and growled. He prodded at something, causing it to rattle against the floor.

Hiccup placed the torch near it and gasped. "It's a metal bar."

Astrid placed a hand on his shoulder. "We must be close. Come on!"

Following the now clearer dragon snarls, the trio navigated the tunnels.