King of Shadows HIATUS

Chapter 19

"Toothless led me there" Hiccup continued. The teens have now arrived in the cove, sitting in their normal places around the fire pit they have dug for their bon fires. The other teens were yelling at him when he revealed that he had been to the nest without telling anyone or taking them with him. He was positive that Astrid almost punched him. After he had calmed them down with the promise that he will tell them more when they get to the cove, they had raced to the cove. He had told them that he will tell them more when they get to the cove because this is a dangerous thing to say at the open when they were so close to the village but it was actually because he needed the time to get his story together. 

He thinks he has made a pretty believable story, now he just has to perfect the execution. "I figured, since Toothless wasn't a mindless killer then other dragons must not be as well so there must be a reason why the dragons attack us" Hiccup said, making sure to look at everyone's eyes. He used to be a horrible liar but years of weaving lies had made him pick up some tricks and he got better at it. Rule number 1 is to look at peoples eyes. 

"so I asked Toothless to take me there, " said dragon was laying down a few feet away from them, sunbathing, though, he was growling at the mention of the nest "and at first he didn't want to but he caved eventually," Hiccup paused, as if he was afraid, "and he was weird when we neared there, like he was disoriented, and so were the other dragons, it was like something was pulling them" Hiccup observed what the teens looked like and he knew his lie was working, they were enthralled.  "We entered the nest and the dragons aren't even eating their loot, they were just throwing it in this pit at the middle of the nest," 

"Maybe that was their way of preparing for winter?" Fishlegs interrupted, his notebook already out and his pen scribbling all over the page. Hiccup shook his head

"I thought so too but I was wrong, a gronkle came and it wasn't carrying anything, it just regurgitated a small fish to put in the pit, but a roar came from the deapts and the gronkle was swallowed hole by the head of a massive dragon came out from the pit" Hiccup paused, to let them process the information. The other teens were quiet, even Fishlegs' pen stopped scribbling, they were all shaken, like the reality of the situation is just making itself known. 

"so, if they don't raid, they die" Astrid said slowly and calmly, with anger just trying to burst out of the bottle, even if what she said was worded as a question, they knew it wasn't. 

Hiccup knew this was Astrid's 'I am trying not to explode' voice, so he placed a hand on her shoulder. The other teens were not much better, Fishlegs looked like he was going to puke, Snotlout was looking at a wall like he was trying to convince himself that reality wasn't what this is, even the twins looked sullen. They had all grown fond of dragons but they did not love them like Hiccup has, they cannot when dragons raid their village every other week and only Toothless has not tried to kill them, but now that they learned that dragons are victims too, the quiet little mantra that they have been chanting every time they see a dragon get killed in the raids, because its not always zero casualties, saying that it was not fine but it is necessary has become quiet. 

Hiccup looked around him once more and was hit with a sudden feeling of guilt. He had lied to his friends and now they are greatly affected, he didn't mean for his determination in keeping his secrets regarding his mark to affect his friends in a way like this, he did not mean to reach a point where they feel lost. Hiccup needs to stop. He needs to stop lying, truthfully, most of these people had bullied him for most of his life but they have help him for years now, it's time to trust them. At least, a little bit. 

"In the next raid, I want to show you guys something" Hiccup said, praying to gods that got him into this mess that this was a good idea. 

"but for now, lets talk about what the Silver tongue tribe wants to do" Hiccup said, relieved that he no longer has to talk about his lie, now he can tell them the truths that he can tell. "it would not be enough" Hiccup started, the teen looked at him worriedly, "what do you mean not enough?" Snotlout said, looking at Hiccup like he was stupid, "their gonna rally all the tribes in the archipelago, how is that not enough?!" he continued, standing on his feet and approaching Hiccup as if he was about to punch, but one growl from Toothless and he was back on his seat. Snotlout was obviously more shaken with the news that Hiccup thought and is lashing out because of fear. Honestly, Hiccup wants to do the same. 

"and how many of those tribes are going to actually believe him?" Hiccup asked, and the teens' worry turned to dread. They realize that he was right, they believed the Silver tongues because they trust Hiccup, their tribe believed the Silver tongues because they believe in their chief, and their chief believed the Silver tongues because he has seen the damage at their fleet. But that fleet is going to be restored before they go to rally the other tribes, so those other chiefs would not see the evidence. 

There is no guarantee that they will receive the help they need.