Chapter Nine

A/N: Wow, here we are already, last chapter! Thank you guys so much for all your support and bearing with me through this. I love you guys to death! You're all soooo awesome!

The Wold Raven: Oh wow! Thanks so much :D I'm always really happy to hear when people enjoy my stories! And sorry about your feels but that's an occupational hazard... XD

Bones McCoy: Oh, if you insist! :D

Stoick is flat on his belly, army-crawling through the narrowest point in the tunnel. That's the only way the large man can fit. His Thunderdrum doesn't have it too hard, though. Thornado is able to flatten himself out like a flouder and follows his Rider with ease, nose skimming the floor as he reads Hiccup's scent.

It's getting stronger, they're close. Very close.

Toothless is in a state of panic. He stares at Hiccup's motionless body, a horrified expression on his face. Whimpering, he nudges the boy for a third time. But he still doesn't move.

In the faint, blue light, Toothless can see that his Rider's skin is unnaturally pale. Actually, it's white. Like the snow that trapped them in here. Frost has settled on his hair, even his eyelashes. His lips and fingers are blue... And it...it doesn't look like he's breathing anymore... He looks like death.

The poor dragon whines a heart-broken moan, and tries once more to wake his human. But it doesn't work.

Heart thundering in his chest, Toothless whips his gaze around the cave. His eyes settle on the wall of ice that seperates them from getting help for Hiccup. Furiously, he rears back on his hind legs, throat screaming as his mouth glows purple. That's it. They're LEAVING! Now.

He opens his mouth to fire.

But...

Why...

Why doesn't it work? He couldn't have reached his shot limit, he hasn't fired in hours! So why...? Toothless's eyes grow wide and he looks down at himself, dripping wet from falling in the lake. A wet dragon can't light its fire... That fact, even a Night Fury isn't immune to.

He shrieks in frustration and turns back to Hiccup, grimacing at just how still he is. It isn't natural. He needs help... But what can Toothless do now? If they can't get out, he won't be able to save him!

For a moment, he seems to pace, looking conflicted and scared. The Night Fury's ears are folded against his head. Low, petrified rumbles going through his throat. He has to save Hiccup! He has to!

So, with a new determination, he runs across the snowy bank to the wall of ice. Stretching his talons, he snarls. He'll claw through it, if that's what it takes... Jumping up onto his hind legs, the Night Fury digs in his claws, ripping through as much ice as he can.

But only a little bit breaks off. It feels more like iron than just condensed snow... It would take an army to break this down. With another furious growl, he tries again anyway, tearing away at the barrier, this time chipping off a few hunks.

But still not making a dent.

The dragon shrieks in outrage, bristling as he struggles to charge a plasma blast, only to find his throat too wet to light any fire. The most he can make is a few sparks and some smoke.

With an expression that contains both blinding fury and heart-wrenching sadness, Toothless glances over his shoulder. His pupils dialate once more as the last of his adrenaline burns itself away. He's exhausted...

Hiccup is still laying perfectly motionless in the snow, his eyes closed. There are flakes of slush in his bangs, which Toothless finds oddly disturbing. He remembers the way his human used to reach up and swat such annoyances away...but now, Hiccup doesn't even notice them. He just lays there...not moving and breathing so shallowly it's hard to tell he's taking any breaths at all.

Maybe he isn't. Maybe that's just Toothless's desperate mind playing tricks on him. But regardless, the dragon coos at his friend, nuzzling the boy's cold cheek with his nose. Of course, Hiccup doesn't respond.

With a sad whimper, Toothless lays down beside Hiccup, curling his body around the boy in a vain attempt of retaining any body heat he might have left... The Night Fury leans his head in his Rider's lap and closes his eyes.

Once more, he's reminded of all those mother dragons who refused to leave their dead young. And for the first time, Toothless truly understands what they felt... It's not that they've given up on life because their child is dead...it's because they refuse to admit the fact that their hatchling is really gone, that they're never coming back.

And while Hiccup might still be alive...he won't be for long.

Toothless doesn't know how long it's been since he first laid down. He hadn't bothered to keep track of the time. He isn't even entirely sure if he had fallen asleep or not. Everything feels like a blur, like a dream. Because this can't possibly be happening. Not to him...not to Hiccup...

All he knows is, at some point, he begins to hear a sound off in the distance. His ears perk up even though he doesn't really care anymore at this point. He's beyond hope at this point...

But the sound is there, nonetheless...

Like...like something is dragging on the ice. He hears a voice too... It's too muffled to recognize or hear what they're saying. But it's a voice, alright. A man's voice.

"HICCUP!" Stoick shouts as he hurries through the tunnel. Thornado is acting highly skittish. They must be getting close! "HICCUP! TOOTHLESS!" He can see an odd, bluish light at the end of their tunnel.

Toothless lifts his head, keeping his paws wrapped around Hiccup. Now he knows he hears a voice. He glances at the wall of ice, his pupils narrowing suspciously. It's coming from outside?

He watches in awe as several silouhettes appear on the other side. More voices join the first one and, from what Toothless can tell...they appear to be...trying to break the ice. Despite himself, his heart begins to flutter excitedly. Have their friends finally come to save them after all?!

But as more of the wall is removed, slowly digging into the cave where Toothless and Hiccup lay defenseless...it becomes more and more obvious...

These people are not their friends.

Finally, a hole is made and bright, warm sunlight spills onto Toothless's chilled body. The soliders before them take a step back, slipping their axes back into their waistbands. They stare at the two with a range of expression from smugness to fear.

A familiar voice ushers them aside.

"Ahhh, it seems you were right, after all! Well done," Alvin smacks Savage across the back, donning a vicious grin. "I knew I implimented those scouting missions for a reason."

Toothless hisses at them, wrapping himself around the prone form of his little Hiccup. He won't let Alvin take him!

"Now, now, dragon..." Alvin tuts. "If you kill me, then who's going to save 'iccup?" He motions to the boy with a scarred, meaty hand.

But Toothless isn't buying it. Why would Alvin want to save Hiccup?

The Outcast leader sighs, realizing that his enemy's Night Fury isn't listening to him. "I'll tell you the truth, dragon." He growls. "I need 'iccup alive so he can train my dragons! You need 'im alive because he's your friend...or something. That means we have a common goal."

Toothless just snorts, trying not to admit how enticing that sounds under the circumstances. But Alvin has an armada, hundreds of soliders...he must have a way of treating injuries...maybe even a way to save Hiccup's life. And if he doesn't...well...they're not worst off than they were before.

"Well? What do you say, Toothless?" Alvin purrs, failing to hide his menacing chuckle. "Your Rider doesn't have to die today..."

And that's the last tiny push that shoves Toothless over the edge. With a little, conflicted whimper, he unfolds his wings, revealing the half-frozen body of his best friend. When he looks up at Alvin, the man is grinning at him.

He shouts for his men to come over. Immediately, they surge into the cave and surround Toothless. Snapping on chains and a muzzle in a blink of an eye, they drag him toward the ship that is expertly hidden among tall rocks. Toothless is too tired to fight them but he does look back at Alvin, growling beneath his restraints.

"Of course, I can't have you taking off and telling Stoick where his son has gone... You're coming with us too, Night Fury." With that, he orders his men to take Hiccup on board. "Make sure he stays alive! The one who lets him die won't live to see the shore!"

So in a flurry of motion, the unconscious boy is taken to the ship and immediately they go to warming him up. Alvin sets their course and grins at Savage. "Next stop, Outcast Island!"

As Stoick bursts out of the tunnel and into the cave, he slows his steps and gapes at what he sees before him. A natural spring almost entirely frozen over, save a huge crack down the center and the remains of a wall of ice, chipped and broken down.

Thornado grumbles and goes to a spot near the exit, sniffing the ground. He whines and looks back at Stoick with an aplogetic expression.

Stoick grimaces, closing his eyes against the horror of the realization. They're too late. Hiccup and Toothless left here hours ago...

End.

A/N: THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL! Please don't rage-quit on me! XD The next story will be called Fire and should be out some time within the next week or so... Just keep an eye on my profile for updates, as usual.

Ps. Yes, Hiccup and Toothless were taken by Alvin HOURS before Stoick showed up. A bit of a time-skew there, sorry if that was confusing to anyone.