Dark Despair (Book 2: Together Forever)

The First Rescue

Hiccup's POV

I was closing in on Grimmel's base. It was then that I saw the full extent of his armada. There were cages on every boat. Enough for every single dragon living on Berk and so many of the dragons in the Hidden World.

His base was situated on an island. I saw that the boats were all docked around this island and that some of the cages held dragons.

It was nearing nightfall. I would need that cover for my approach. It was while hovering over the armada that I realized that Toothless could be anywhere.

Shoot!

Guess I'm going to have to come up with a new plan.

I left for a nearby sea stack. I saw that it had a nice cave in it that made it possible for me to stay hidden while watching the armada.

What if I take out a ship every now and then. Send the dragons to Berk, with a message. Hmmm... I'll need to be careful. If Grimmel gets ahold of me it's all over.

A half of an hour later, I took off with the cover of night I dove into the armada and shifted upon impact with the deck.

I listened carefully. Nothing.

"Okay, are there any dragons here?"

"Yes, one in practically every cage, Scaleless." One voice called out.

"Why would you tell him that?" A voice called from behind.

"Haven't you heard of the legend of peace?" The first voice retorted.

"What? That old thing? It's just a myth. A legend. It's not real." A third voice shouted.

"I'll prove to you I won't harm you. I am part of the legend of peace." I called.

"SURE, you are." A fourth voice said.

"Yah! if peace really was coming then why are we all still in cages?" The second voice said.

"Because I'm here to free you," I called back. There was no response. Only silence. "You all are going to have to trust me. When I free you, you have to be quiet and some of you need to head West and some East."

"What's West and East?" The first voice asked.

"East is a village of people who love dragons. I changed their minds about all of you five years ago. West is the Hidden World. You'll be safe in either place I promise."

"The Hidden World's a myth and I don't trust vikings." Said yet another voice.

"Then head in a different direction."

"I will." The voice replied. The dragons soon split up who was going where, while I set them all free.

Eventually, I came across the boat patrol. I held my finger to my lip for all the dragons to be quiet. The guard became unsettled by the sudden silence that flooded over the ship. A dragon in a cage nearby blew out enough air through its nose to blow the lantern out.

The guard got a match out and before he relit the lantern I knocked him out cold. The dragons threw him into a cage that had just been emptied.

I got to the last cage and opened it. I took the muzzle off of the Dramillion and shifted. The dragons near me startled but quickly composed themselves.

I whispered, "Now."

All of the dragons passed the whisper on and took off. All of them flying all over the place.