Stormbound

Scene 7: Dragon's Edge

The rain had stopped sometime in the night. Fishlegs's luck with the twins had run out much sooner.

As soon as the lightning had started, they'd made a beeline for the base. When he called for them, their only response was "time to get the Snot!" But of course, when Fishlegs told Snotlout to stand watch with him, he'd laughed and slammed the door in Fishlegs's face. Then Fishlegs had tried the twins again, but their hut was empty. He finally found them barricaded in Hiccup's hut because theirs "smells worse than Ruffnut, and that's saying something!" When he told them to come out, they suddenly fell silent. So Fishlegs waited, but the only sounds were some muffled squawks and an "is he gone, Chicken?" Finally, Fishlegs accepted he wasn't going to get anywhere with the twins, and flew off to keep watch by himself.

He'd spent the night in a watchtower, struggling to stay awake as everyone else, even Meatlug, dropped off to sleep. At least it was sheltered from the rain, he'd thought.

He must've fallen asleep, though, because he jerks awake to the sound of a horn and bright sunlight beating down on his face.

Meatlug jumps and almost knocks him off the tower.

"Meatlug!" he cries, clinging on for dear life and whimpering when he sees the drop below him. She pulls him up, an apologetic look on her face.

"It's alright girl," Fishlegs hugs Meatlug, and the dragon wags her tail/butt, "I know you didn't mean it!"

Fishlegs shades his eyes and surveys the surroundings, eyes catching almost immediately on the lone dragon hunter ship. He yelps and stumbles backward, crashing into Meatlug.

"Dragon Riders!" shouts a voice from the ship that sounds an awful lot like Ryker.

Meatlug growls.

"Send out your best man! We need to talk."

Fishlegs whimpers. Hiccup had put him in charge, but without him or Astrid, how was he supposed to defend the Edge? He leans over the side of the watchtower to look for his friends, and sure enough, both Snotlout and the twins are leaning out the window or looking out the door.

"Come on, girl," Fishlegs scrambles on his dragon as she buzzes back towards the Edge.

The other three are already in the clubhouse when he arrives.

"I vote Snotlout as tribute!" Tuffnut declares.

"I second that motion!" Ruffnut raises her hand, "all in favor say aye!"

"AYE!" Tuffnut shouts, waving his hand in the air. Even the chicken squawks.

"Majority rules," Ruffnut cackles.

Tuffnut brushes his hands together. "Well, my fine fellow, the council has spoken. We thank you for your years of mediocre service and-"

"Tuffnut, we're not sending Snotlout," Fishlegs interrupts, cutting off whatever obituary he was about to spout.

"Yeah, send Fishface," Snotlout insists, pointing.

"You guys aren't SENDING me anywhere-" Fishlegs starts, but is interrupted almost immediately by Tuffnut.

"I know, right? Fishlegs isn't nearly-"

"I'm GOING there," he finishes.

Everyone turns to look at him. There's a pause. Then everyone bursts out laughing.

"What?" he protests.

"Fish...legs..." Tuffnut's laughing so hard, he's wheezing and clutching his throat.

"Good one!" tears of laughter stream down Ruffnut's face.

"Best man... Fishface?!" Then Snotlout considers. "Actually, I should go, since I AM the best man."