xliv. Maces and Talons

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renegadeschapter forty-four

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renegades
chapter forty-four


    "Wow ... they really wrecked this place?"

    The cave in which Snotlout admitted he and the Twins last spent with the Dragon Eye, instead of it being in Hiccup's chest back in his hut, was a putrid-smelling, ransacked and a horrifying sight to behold. I turned up my nose, arms crossed beside Hiccup as I tried to swallow my guilt and focus on what I should. But it was hard when he tried to hide how defeated he was; looking at this mess and throwing every ounce of blame onto himself. Doubting every inch of his being. I will tell him, I've decided, once this has passed.

     (We say that a lot: once this was over).

    Snotlout pursed his lips and fiddled with his fingers. Then, he shrugged. "This is pretty much how we left it."

     Revna frowned, "You're disgusting," she decided.

     Tuffnut examined their hideout before pointing, "Except, I don't remember that sword being there!" I glanced at the apple impaled on the sword inside the mouth of a stuffed boar. How do they find these things?

    "No, no, no," Snotlout shook his head. "Remember, we were playing Pirates versus Vikings and Bjorn was the Pirate Captain?"

    "Oh!" Laughed Tuff, it all coming back to him now. "Right! That is one great game!" His face fell blank. He shrugged, "Yeah, this is pretty much how we left it."

    Hiccup's glance that locked my gaze was incredulous, but there was a breath of relief, too. The Dragon Hunters and Harald hadn't taken everything; and perhaps one of the most important things. Tuffnut walked over to a broken set of crates and stools, picking up the Dragon Eye with sticky fingers. The artefact was a contraption of cylinders and lenses forming together to create a reflective light that showed a different part of a map each dragon class and flame. But right now, it looked disgusting with grease all over, food and chicken feathers.

    Hiccup blanched, "What on Earth is on there?!"

     "Boar rind grease," informed Tuffnut casually. "Don't worry, it'll buff right out." Spitting on it, he gave it a rub against his sisters back. She hunched up, disgusted. He pulled it back out; it didn't look any cleaner at all. Tuff winced. "See? Well ... takes a while."

     Hiccup grumbled and snatched the Dragon Eye back. "I can't believe you took this without telling me. You know, all you had to do was ask and you could've used it. It belongs to all of us."

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