Howling Echoes - A How to Train Your Dragon Story, The Echoes, Book 1

8: Trickery, Part 2

   I was sharpening my Gronkle Iron sword when Tuffnut came into the clubhouse, where we were hanging out.

   "Bad news everyone, I - er, Gruffnut - has left, is gone.  He had something really important and cool he had to go do!"  Tuffnut announced with a few coughs.

   "Uh, Tuffnut, did you sleep we -"  I started before Ruffnut cut me off.  "Of COURSE he did!  That's what he ALWAYS does!  Just wanders into our lives every few years, gets you to worship him again, then disappears."

   "Well, why wouldn't I -" Tuffnut said in a rawer voice.  "Do you need some water?"  I asked, but once again was talked over.  As usual.  That was getting annoying.  "Why wouldn't I worship him?  Gruffnut is awesome."

   I sighed and signaled to Frostflake to get up.   "I'll go on patrol!"  I called over my shoulder, but no-one was listening.  I shook my head and ran off the side of the clubhouse.  Frostflake swooped under me and caught me.  

   We flew around the island, then again, because I liked to make sure nothing changed.  On the second trip, I saw Ruffnut pointing Macey at Tuffnut.  "What in the name of - come on, Frostflake.  Let's make sure they don't get hurt."  When we flew closer, Frostflake suddenly halted with a small roar.  A Dragon Hunter boat!  What were they doing?

   "They're people you owe money to, right?"  I heard Ruffnut yell at Tuffnut.  "You always were the smart one."  Now I understood.  That wasn't Tuffnut speaking - that was Gruffnut!  Ruffnut was exposing him!  No wonder Frostflake was so on edge earlier.  But, as usual, nobody paid attention to us.

   "Flattery has NO effect on me!"  Ruffnut snapped, still pointing the mace at Gruffnut.  "Mainly because I don't hear enough of it in the first place!"  "Don't make me do things the hard way, Ruffnut!"  Gruffnut yelled.  "I do EVERYTHING the hard way!"  Ruffnut yelled back.

   Fair point.

   We dove after Barf and Belch as they were spun closer to the water (because, physics?).  Ruffnut and Gruffnut were struggling against one another to push each other off, so it seemed, but it looked like Gruffnut was winning.  A moment later Tuffnut came hurling through the air.

   He missed Gruffnut and shot towards the sea.

   Ruffnut and Gruffnut froze, looking down at him.  Gruffnut settled back with his arms crossed and a pleased look on his face.  "Admit it, that was awesome."  Tuffnut came back up with Hiccup's flight suit on and kicked Gruffnut to the Zippleback's back.  "Admit it, that was painful."

   Tuffnut looked like he was having a hard time against Gruffnut as well, blocking punches and kicks but apparently barely able to throw one himself unless it was on his sister.  Because logic?

   "How do we hit Gruffnut without hitting Tuffnut?"  I yelled.  It didn't help that Gruffnut looked like Tuffnut and vice versa.

   "We can't."  Hiccup replied.

   After a bit more fighting, Gruffnut was thrown onto the deck of the hunter ship and Tuffnut was back in the saddle.  The twins grabbed Gruffnut and flew off to who knows where.

   I rubbed Frostflake's head.  That was enough excitement for one day.  "What were they doing out here?"  I called.  "Going on patrol."  Hiccup replied. 

   I felt a rock squash my triumph at Tuffnut beating Gruffnut.  I was doing that, but nobody cared, and because of that, Gruffnut had managed to lure Ruffnut out to the boat.  Someone would have figured it out before they had to go on a mission or something, and none of this chaos would have happened.

   Maybe...maybe I really don't belong here.