A New World, Complicated

Chapter 20: We Are a Family, Pt. 2 (Hiccup)

  I jumped as a Deadly Nadder slammed its head against its cage, all while Savage pushed me through the rows of dragon pens. Alvin hadn't explained where I was going, but from the moment we touched down on shore, I'd been separated from Toothless and Reign, and I couldn't stop worrying about them.

"Where is my dragon, Alvin? Where's Toothless, and Reign?" I demanded.

"You'll see them soon enough, don't you worry." The menacing tone of his voice convinced me otherwise.

"You know, I have to admit, luring me and Toothless to the Isle of Night, building a fake Night Fury... not bad." Alvin cackled at my words.

"'Not bad...' Says the one-legged boy in manacles," he taunted.

"But turning Mildew into an Outcast? Using him against us? Come on, Alvin. That's low-hanging fruit, even for you." I looked over at him, trying to tell whether or not he would take the bait. But instead, Savage just started laughing, as though I'd made some sort of hilarious joke, causing Alvin to reach back and hit him, in order to correct him.

"No one thinks you're funny, boy," he discouraged. "Now, keep moving." He pushed me yet again into a circle of dragon cages, loud screeches echoing off of the walls. I

looked over to my left to see two Outcasts holding out spears in front of a Whispering Death, who was tied down and thrashing against the restraints. It dug underground to make a tunnel, then shot up right beneath the Outcasts' feet, launching them into the air and roaring at them. They really weren't bright enough to pick up on the pattern here...

"You know it's gonna keep doing that, right?" I asked Alvin. "It is a Whispering Death."

I was caught off-guard by a sudden shove from behind me. Trying to catch my balance, I took a few steps, landing me right in front of the pen of a Scauldron. It drank water from a trough it had been given, then whipped around with an angry look in its eyes. I gasped as it shot out water at another Outcast, sending him flying back.

"A Scauldron... Impressive. You might wanna cut back its water." I hated that I was helping them, but if it got me closer to getting to Toothless and Reign, I would do it.

"Write that down," I heard Alvin mutter to Savage as the Scauldron roared again. Two Outcasts raced past me and entered one of the cages that appeared to be empty. They looked around in confusion, clearly not understanding what was going on.

"It's escaped again!" one of them proclaimed.

"Actually, no, it's right behind you. Changewing." Right then, the Changewing took off its camouflage and spat a tiny amount of acid from its mouth, causing everyone to duck. Thankfully, it just ended up hitting the bars, causing them to sizzle. "Wow... You guys really don't have a handle on these dragons, do you?" Alvin abruptly grabbed my shoulders.

"Well, that's why you're 'ere! Welcome to your new job, Hiccup!" He turned me back around and started to push me further through the pens.

"Uh, job? As inviting as that sounds, I have to pass." I needed to get Reign and Toothless out of here and home to Berk.

"Oh, Hiccup, Hiccup... Why do you always have to make things so difficult?"

"That's not the first time I've been asked that question."

He steered me toward a specific pen, and I expected to have to deal with some other sort of dragon- maybe a Thunderdrum or a Zippleback- but instead, a black dragon was suspended from a bunch of chains and ropes, head hung low. My heart dropped as I looked over the scene, eyes widening.