WARNING: RACE TO THE EDGE SPOILERS!
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Hi.
So I'm early.
Again.
But I don't think you guys mind, do you? ;)
So, anyways, here it is! :D How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse! :D I hope you all enjoy it! Oh, and to those who were wondering what Hogwarts house I was sorted into...
*dramatic pause*
HUFFLEPUFF!
That's right! :D I'm a Hufflepuff! I took over ten quizzes online and got Hufflepuff each time. So, yeah. HUFFLEPUFF! ;D But I sort of wanted to be Gryffindor, because my older brother got me a Gryffindor sweater for Christmas...:/ Well, I was fifty percent Hufflepuff, thirty some percent Gryffindor, twenty percent Ravenclaw, and zero percent Slytherin. XD So, for those who wanted to know, that's it. XD
Okay! So, anyways, on with the story! :D Enjoy chapter 1! :D Love you guys! :D
It was nearing winter, and the sky was full of dark, heavy clouds that threatened snow and rain. Hiccup, Fishlegs, Astrid, the twins, and Snotlout were in the Clubhouse; their firepit was burning, and while Hiccup, Fishlegs and Astrid leaned over Bork's notebook, which they had obtained a few weeks previously, the twins and Snotlout threw arrowheads at a target hanging on the wall.
"Hiccup, these notes are incredible!" said Fishlegs excitedly, holding up the notebook. "Look at all this! I've never seen anything like this before, it's...it's amazing!"
"What about this?" said Astrid, pointing to words written at the bottom of the page. "'If you want a Nadder to leave you alone, throw it chicken.' Bork knew how much Nadders loved chicken before any of us did!"
Tuffnut's chicken, who had been sitting beside Tuffnut, gave a screech and raced away as fast as its two short legs could carry it.
"Come on, Chicken!" Tuffnut groaned, jumping to his feet to race after it. "They didn't mean it! I promise!"
"I'm bored," moaned Snotlout, swinging his arm lazily and throwing an arrowhead at the dart. The arrowhead hit the target, but then fell to the ground with a pathetic clink.
"Then go fly Hookfang," said Astrid distractedly, still looking straight down at Bork's notes.
"Okay, I will!" said Snotlout, almost challengingly, and he stormed to his feet and towards the door of the Clubhouse, calling to Hookfang as he went. When he opened the door, a gigantic gust of wind nearly knocked him over, but he managed to make it outside with Hookfang, slamming the door behind him.
"Wow," said Hiccup, lowering his hand from where he had raised it to shield himself from the wind. "Thoughts on the weather, Fishlegs?"
"I'd say we're bound to get some snow," said Fishlegs. "Maybe a little, maybe a lot, who knows."
"Yes!" said Tuffnut. "I love snow! We can make snow muttonheads!"
"Snow muttonheads?" said Astrid. "That's one I haven't heard before."
"It's when you make Snotlout out of snow," said Ruffnut. "We haven't tested it yet, actually-"
"But if it snows, we will!" said Tuffnut. "Mark my words, we will!"
Snotlout and Hookfang barreled into the Clubhouse, and another gust of wind swept through it. Hiccup, Astrid, and Fishlegs raised their hands to shield their faces. Snotlout and Hookfang, pushing with all their might against the doors of the Clubhouse, finally managed to shut them.
Snotlout leaned against it, panting heavily. "Okay," he said, gasping heavily for breath. He raised a finger and, after another few minutes of panting, spoke. "The Changewings are freaking out about something," he gasped, "in the forest."
This caught the attention of the other riders, and even the dragons, who had been either sleeping by themselves or in a heap with another, perked up and looked in Snotlout's direction.
"Define 'freaking out about something,' Snotlout," said Fishlegs. "Were they freaking out because you spooked them, or is there another reason?"
"There's definitely another reason," said Snotlout. "Do you think I would come all the way back here and lead you guys outside in the freezing cold wind for no reason?"
Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, and even the twins fixed him with a pointed look. After this, Snotlout's pride wavered, but his confidence didn't falter.
"Come on!" he insisted, waving his hand to motion them to follow.
"In the freezing cold weather, you mean?" said Tuffnut. "No thanks. Unlike you, we're not crazy."
"Or, at least our dragon isn't," said Ruffnut, jabbing her thumb over her shoulder. "He won't get up at all, lazy, stupid thing."
Barf and Belch were snoring; the only dragon who hadn't raised its heads at Snotlout's voice. Ruffnut gave the dragon an experimental nudge. Like she had expected, it still didn't move.
"There, see?" said Tuffnut.
"That's because they're not sleeping," said Fishlegs crossly. "They're hibernating."
"Oh, well, if they're hibernating," said Tuffnut, "why aren't your guys' dragons doing it?"
"Because not all dragons hibernate, obviously!" said Fishlegs. "Actually, only a few of the many species do!"
"Um, guys!" said Snotlout. "Go see what Changewings are freaking out about, explain hibernation to the clueless weirdos later!"
"Right," said Hiccup, "let's head out. Ruff, Tuff, you can stay here with Barf and Belch."
Ruffnut and Tuffnut nodded, smiling.
"And don't blow up the Clubhouse while we're gone," Hiccup added.
Ruffnut and Tuffnut's smiles faded.
…
Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, and Snotlout soared over the forest on their dragons, Snotlout in the lead and the others in tow. Hiccup rubbed his arms, trying not to shiver due to the cold blasts of wind gushing in their direction.
"How much further, Snotlout?" Astrid said; Stormfly was flanking Toothless with Fishlegs behind them.
"It should be riiiigghhht…" said Snotlout, looking down with an arm raised. "Um…"
"Preferably today, please, Snotlout," said Hiccup.
"There!" said Snotlout, pointing wildly towards the ground, and Hookfang dove downwards, followed quickly by the other riders. The tree branches were practically bending over double due to the strength of the wind, and it took the dragons a few extra moments before they landed.
"Eyelicker!" Hiccup called, and he waited a few moments. The wind howled through the trees, whistling loudly. Hiccup cupped his hands around his mouth and called louder: "EYELICKER!"
This time, a tree shimmered, and a bright red Changewing appeared out of nowhere and leapt forward, towards Hiccup. Hiccup stretched out his hand, and Eyelicker nuzzled his head against it.
Within moments, the other seven Changewings from Eyelicker's pack materialized and strode forward cautiously, glancing back over their shoulders every few moments.
"This is weird behavior, even for Changewings," said Fishlegs.
"You're right," said Astrid. "I've never seen them so timid before. Usually, they walk right up to us."
"What were you hiding from, Eyelicker?" Hiccup asked, ignoring his friends for the time being and taking a chance at staring into the Changewing's eyes. Eyelicker, in response, raised his head and looked around again frantically, as if expecting to be attacked at any minute.
"Huh," said Hiccup, also looking around. "I don't see anything."
"But something's wrong!" insisted Snotlout, hugging himself, his teeth chattering. "Something's wrong, right? Please tell me I didn't come all the way out here again for nothing."
"Well, definitely not nothing," said Hiccup. "Strange...maybe the wind spooked them? I don't think Changewing island gets this kind of weather."
"Good point," said Fishlegs, nodding. "Changewing island is normally very sunny and warm. We should get the Changewings back into the Clubhouse, just until the storm blows over."
"Right," said Hiccup, and he looked back at Eyelicker. "What do you say we go up to the Clubhouse?" he asked, and at Eyelicker's slight nod, Hiccup turned away from him and mounted Toothless.
"Alright," Hiccup said. "Follow us!"
Toothless launched himself into the sky, followed by Stormfly and Astrid, Fishlegs and Meatlug, Snotlout and Hookfang, and finally, Eyelicker and his pack.
They had barely gained air before the dragons - all of them - screeched to a sudden halt and looked back towards the ground. Snotlout almost fell over Hookfang's head by the sudden stop.
"Hookfang!" he snapped. "Move your lazy tail, Hookfang! Come on! I know you never listen to me, but could you make an exception?"
"It's not just you, Snotlout," said Fishlegs. "Meatlug won't budge, either!"
Stormfly jerked and growled. "Steady, girl," Astrid said calmingly. "Steady...come on, Stormfly, let's go."
Toothless' eyes were focused intently on the ground, and after a moment, he, too, recoiled. "Easy, bud," Hiccup said. "What do you see?"
He focused down at the ground, squinting...then, he saw what looked like a small speck of green flying upwards, towards them. It was so small, Hiccup couldn't tell if it was actually flying, or if it was a leaf blown by the intense wind.
But then, suddenly, Hiccup was able to tell what it was. It was a small dragon, skinny like a snake and barely the length of his forearm, flying upwards towards them.
And it wasn't stopping.
The dragon flew up at them and, without warning, Toothless swerved, jerked, and shot out of the way.
But before he could move completely, the tiny green dragon raised a tiny talon and sliced through the red fabric of Toothless' tailfin, and before Hiccup had time to say anything more than, "Uh oh," he and Toothless were plummeting towards the ground.
"Hiccup!" Astrid shouted, and she swerved Stormfly to follow them down. The tiny green dragon went for Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the Changewings; the Changewings roared in unison and shot in the opposite direction, towards the Clubhouse. Meatlug dropped out of the air, spreading her wings just before hitting the ground, and Hookfang lit himself on fire ("NO, NO, HOOKFANG!" Snotlout shouted) and dove to the side.
The trees broke Hiccup and Toothless' fall, but Hiccup still blacked out for a second upon landing. When he opened his eyes and lifted his head, Toothless was also raising himself from the ground, looking dizzy and disoriented.
The tiny green dragon circled back around and landed on the forest floor, only feet away from where Hiccup and Toothless had landed. The dragon narrowed its tiny red eyes and opened its mouth to do who-knew-what.
Stormfly and Hookfang landed behind it to its unawareness, and Astrid leapt off Stormfly's back, as did Snotlout on Hookfang. They charged towards the dragon from behind.
"Snotlout, your helmet!" shouted Astrid, and Snotlout, without protest or question, yanked his helmet off his head and tossed it to her. Astrid caught it and lunged.
She slammed the helmet over the tiny green dragon, capturing it beneath the dome of metal. Even now, Hiccup could hear its angry growls and the sound of its tiny talons scraping against Snotlout's helmet, looking for a way of escape.
But he only focused on this for a moment.
Because so far, Toothless hadn't moved further.
"Toothless," Hiccup said, and he hurried towards the dragon and crashed to his knees, reaching out to steady Toothless' head. "You alright?"
Toothless tried to lower his head again; Hiccup didn't let him. "Bud!" he shouted. "Look at me, alright?"
Toothless focused his eyes on Hiccup's, but now, Hiccup's worry increased ten-fold. The dragon's eyes were unfocused, and even now, he seemed unable to realize Hiccup was right in front of him.
Meatlug landed beside them, and Fishlegs dismounted, hurrying over with Astrid and Snotlout hastening to do the same.
"Hiccup!" Fishlegs shouted. "What happened? What's wrong with Toothless?"
"I don't know," Hiccup said desperately. "Astrid, Snotlout, get Stormfly and Hookfang. Help me get Toothless back to the Clubhouse. NOW!"