𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 | hiccup haddock

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕

The Lycanwing snarled, stepping closer.

"Thor, go!" The girl pulled at the saddle as the Lycanwing got closer and closer.

Thor hesitated now, though. This dragon... it was desperate somehow. He felt a weird sort of... sympathy? For it?

He shook himself, spreading his wings. They needed to leave. Now.

Thor immediately took off, flying back towards Dragon's Edge, trying to put as much distance between him and the Lycanwing. Freya didn't dare to look back, instead keeping her eyes fixed on places in front of her, terror in her dark green gaze.

Hiccup was out, patrolling the western coast, when he spotted the two rapidly approaching.

"Freya! What's going on?"

Thor slowed down as he got near Hiccup, Freya looking at the guy with scared eyes. "Hiccup, t- there's a... Lycanwing." She said between gasps.

Hiccup's eyes widened. He faltered. "W-what? A Lycanwing? But, Freya, those are a myth!"

She looked behind her frantically. "It's coming."

Hiccup swivelled his head around. True enough, in the dark, he could make out a shiny, scaly dragon making its way towards them. Them, and the Edge. It's mouth was wide open, a fine array of teeth shown, while a low guttural screech made its way out of its throat. It was terrifying. And it was exactly what the stories said.

"How?"

He turned back to Freya. They had a bit of time before the Lycanwing reached them.

"Where did you find it? Or, him? Wait-"

"Just go, Hiccup! I don't want it to catch you." Freya looked at him, fear in her gaze.

"Wait! The Lycanwing- it's a man turned dragon, right? That dragon right there? It's a Viking, like us! We need to help him."

Hiccup had his stern, I-want-to-save-everyone, voice on.

"How are you supposed to save a bloody dragon that's about to kill us all? Are you going to do your traditional tame the dragon trick? I don't think it's gonna work this time, darling." Even in the midst of a deadly moment, Freya managed to be sarcastic.

Hiccup grimaced.

"Well, it should only last on the full moon, right? We'll lead him away from Dragons Edge, then see if we can find him tomorrow."

"Seriously?" She raised an eyebrow, one eye on the quickly approaching Lycanwing.

"Yes, seriously, you've known me long enough to know that I won't leave him here. Now, come on!"

Toothless swoops away, towards an island not far away. Hiccup just hopes the Lycanwing follows.

"Oh my lord, sometimes he can be so frustrating." Freya groaned, but nonetheless steered Thor to follow them. Naturally, he grumbled.

Thor flew faster, managing to catch up to Toothless. "So, what do we do? Just lead him away?" Freya asked.

Hiccup hummed in thought. "Yes, we'll lead him to that island, try to lose him, and make it back to the edge. Let's just hope he isn't smart enough to go back."

"Fine, boss, whatever you say." She grumbled, exchanging a glance with her dragon.

Thor snorted.

Behind them, the Lycanwing swooped, dived, turned and somersaulted in the air. It looked like a weird dance, crazy and wild. It was actually Vincent trying to hold back. He did not want to chase these dragon riders.

"Is the Lycanwing okay?" Freya thought it seemed vaguely familiar, but she pushed the thought to the back of her mind.

Hiccup looked back as Toothless flew. He scanned the Lycanwing. It was smeared in blood and dirt, but it was also wearing some weird... leather? Pouches and belts and... human things. "It looks like the Viking didn't manage to get everything off before... transforming. Look, it's wearing leather bags and belts." Hiccup said to Freya.

She narrowed her eyes. "Hmm..."

They landed roughly on the side of this island- Isle of Greyforest- and quickly made their way into the trees.

"If I die today, I'm blaming you, Hiccup." Freya muttered.

"Yeah, yeah, kill me in Valhalla, I hear this twice a week."

She scoffed, but a slight smile curled up the corner of her lips.

They successfully led the Lycanwing away, and escaped alive, and they circled back to the shore.

Coming out of the trees, they prepared to take off back to the edge when something caught Hiccup's eye.

He swivelled his head around to something shiny, lying in the sand.

"Hey, Freya, wait just a sec."

She turned her head back. "Hm?" A glint of something like metal caught her eye. Freya led Thor towards it, dismounting him to see what it was. She picked it up. "It's a dagger."

She felt like she had seen that specific dagger before, and suddenly, she made the link. "Oh..."

"What? " Hiccup asked.

"Do you recognize it?"

She hesitated before responding. "It's Vincent's."