I Am Dragonblood: Secret Uncovered {Book Three} (HTTYD Fanfic)

Chapter Nine - Confiding

Berk. Cold, sunlit and absolutely packed. The crowds of Vikings and dragons jostled for what little space there was, causing arguments and property disputes. Brightly painted buildings littered the small island, some on stilts over the rough sea because of the overcrowding. 
    The riders were hailed as they swooped down, Vikings cheering at seeing their Chief again. Toothless roared, calling out to all dragons across Berk, and they roared back in response to their Alpha. 
    After they'd been greeted and settled the new dragons down, Hiccup cornered Gobber by the forge, which was mercifully empty for once. 
    'Hey, Gobber, could you do something for me?' He asked. 
    'Well, it depends, lad,' Gobber said, one eye on the Chief and one on a Hobgobbler that was staring at him with yellow irises. 'Y'know those things are a bad omen?'
    Hiccup stood in Gobber's line of sight, blocking his view of the small toadlike dragon. 'They're not a bad omen, it's just a small, slightly unnerving dragon,' he said, feeling the small, slightly unnerving dragon's eyes watching him. 'Look, do you think you could gather as many Vikings as you can into the Great Hall within fifteen minutes?'
    'Is this some kinda test?' The blacksmith replied, leaning to the side so he could look around Hiccup. 
    'No, I have an announcement to make.'
    Gobber stood straight, now with both eyes on Hiccup. Evidently the Hobgobbler had gone. 'Ahh, this sinkhole, hey? I'll do my best, laddie.' He limped past and headed into the crowds, calling out to any Vikings within hearing range to get to the Hall. 
    Hiccup sighed and turned around, nearly hitting the ceiling of the forge from fright when he found the Hobgobbler right there.
    'What?' He asked it.
    The dragon just blinked. 

***

Hiccup took a deep breath, trying to order his thoughts before he stepped out onto the stage like part at the back of the Hall. He could hear people talking, feet stamping and dragons growling. All normal, but it made him nervous. In just a few minutes time normalness would be shattered, and so would his secret. 
    Astrid sidled up to him and put her arm around his shoulders, trying to be comforting. 'It'll be fine, surely they wouldn't do anything to their Chief.'
    Hiccup looked at her. 'Not exactly comforting words,' he said. 
    'When have I ever been comforting?' She pushed him towards the stage, following behind for moral support. 'Go. They need to know.'
    He took a shaky breath and limped out onto the stage, the torches bathing him in their warm glow. Valka, Astrid and Arianwen stood behind him, alert for trouble and not at all distracting. 
    'As you know, I and my fellow riders travelled west to investigate a sinkhole,' he announced to the pale, upturned faces. 'What we found down there was astounding. A giant cavern that glowed with bioluminescence and supported many dragon species, had freshwater and places to fish. It was truly amazing to experience such a place. 
    'But on our flight home we encountered Dragon Hunters, a ship full of them. They were unprepared when we struck and we managed to free all the captured dragons. Including Galant there,' he pointed to the Crimson Goregutter, who was taking up most of the floorspace. 
     'But now,' Hiccup said haltingly. 'I... have something to tell you all that I should have said eleven years ago. I never had the courage to, then. But now... I have.' He swallowed, his mouth dry. 'I... I am a Dragonblood. That means I am part dragon, a human with a dragon's soul, as my mother once said. I can Shift into a dragon, and sometimes have the characteristics of them, too.' He took a few steadying breaths, trying to calm his heart rate. 'I'm sorry for not telling you this, especially when I became Chief. 
    'Do whatever you want to me, I sure deserve it.'
    Hiccup looked out over the crowds, forcing his eyes to become reptilian, waiting for the Vikings reaction. All he got back was stunned silence, although he was sure he spotted a few faces smiling at him. 
    With nothing happening he turned to leave the stage, certain that if he stayed any longer he would panic and do something stupid. Astrid caught his arm as he hurried past her and she pointed to the crowds, whispering, 'look!'
    He turned back and saw a teen climbing the steps up to the stage, her white hair orangey in the firelight and green eyes bright. On the other side of the stage a boy appeared, shorter than the girl but around the same age. They stopped in the middle of the platform, behind Hiccup, who had been pushed back out. 
    One by one more people trickled up from the crowd and formed a line behind him, all their eyes reptilian. There was at least a dozen people on the stage when at last no one else came forward. Hiccup looked along the line in amazement, seeing Valka and Arianwen joining the end, their pupils also slits. He stepped back into the line, between the white haired girl and the short boy, and felt a shift in energy as they all changed to their hybrid forms. Hiccup Shifted too, his Night Fury wings brushing flightmare and Boneknapper to either side. 
    A murmur rippled through the Vikings, like a breeze drifting over a field of shushing wheat. They looked at each other then at the Dragonbloods on stage, as if they expected their neighbours to suddenly change. 
    The grey and brown haired Boneknapper boy raised his hand, gaining the attention of the majority of the Vikings. With a quick, blue eyed glance along the line he yelled, 'we are Dragonblood!'
    A returning shout echoed throughout the Hall, rebounding on the stone walls. 
    'We are Dragonblood!'
    As one, they Shifted to their dragon forms. Flightmare, Boneknapper, Deathsong, Rumblehorn and many others crowding the Fury hybrid. Hiccup Shifted and roared loudly, prompting every other dragon and hybrid in the room to roar back, including Toothless. 
    His tribe certainly knew who he was now, there was no denying that.

1021 words.