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

35: Freedom!

   I checked that nobody else was around, then flashed into my dragon form.  

   I'll grab him, and I'll MAKE him tell me why I'm like this!  I vowed, tugged at the door with my teeth.  After a few hours of fire and biting, the door finally came free.  "I'm sorry I can't save you all,"  I told the Singetails, then raced off the landing platform at the stables.

   I took off, wondering why I didn't do this on the Hunter ships.  Or when I was surrounded by Viggo's Hunters.  Or just more often in general.  "Frostflake, Whiplash, and Chroma probably fled with the others,"  I muttered.  

Hiccup-

   I sighed, putting the spyglass in my hand to my knee.  "Great.  Fishlegs AND Kiara are missing.  Well, bon voyage, Kiara!"  Snotlout commented from behind me.  That was followed by several "ow ow ow"s and a yelp of pain, which I assumed was Astrid.  

   "Snotlout!"  I looked behind me at him.  "What?  I'm just calling it as I see it!  Kiara has put herself and us in danger more times than I can count.  She can clearly get herself out!"  Snotlout waved at an orange-and-red shape flying toward us...following by Singetails.

   "Please tell me that's just Whiplash..."  Snotlout said.  "Nope, those are flyers, mount up everyone!"  I mounted Toothless and lifted into the air.  The Fire Wraith roared at us.  "We can't understand you!"  Snotlout shouted at her as we dove forward and tried to blast a flyer.  He jerked his green Singetail up so it would take the hit.

   Kiara chose Toothless to land on.  "Where's Frostflake and Whiplash?  And Chroma?"  I shook my head.  "Not with us,"  Kiara growled and flashed back into a dragon, then dashed back toward the island.  Surprised, the Singetails parted a path for her.  "Kiara, wait!"  I called, but she was already gone.

Kiara-

   I flew back to the stables and checked every cage, then saw a few Singetails lowering Frostflake into the stables.  I whirled around and braced myself, baring my teeth.  Viggo stepped between the cage and me, running a finger over the bars.  "Kiara!"  Frostflake roared.  "What are you doing?"

   Saving you, you dingbat, so be quiet.  I thought, gathering fire in my throat.  "I wouldn't do that if I were you,"  Viggo said.  I narrowed my eyes and raced at him, energy pulsing underneath my scales.  

   I rolled away from a net that came down in Viggo's place after he stepped aside.  I leaped at him and grabbed him in my claws.  I opened the cage door and handed Viggo to Frostflake, then turned back to a person and mounted Frostflake.

   "Whiplash and Chroma should be on the other side of the island!"  Frostflake told me.  "Then we'll go there first.  Come on!"  I urged.  She put on a burst of speed, quickly losing the flyers that tailed us in the forest.  "I'm going to say it again,"  I growled.  "And I want a real answer this time.  Why can I talk to dragons?  Why can I turn into one?  What's so different about me?  Oh, and come to think of it, if you're really my father, you would know my brother and sister's names."

   Viggo chuckled.  "Yournsky and Itali."  I blinked in surprise.  "That only answers one question."  I patted Frostflake's neck, and she flew above the volcano.  "So, are you telling me, or you getting reacquainted with the volcano?  I blinked in surprise as a flash of gold caught my eye.

   "Did you see that?"  Frostflake asked.  "Definitely."  I nodded.  Viggo quirked a brow.  "I already told you."  "You held out a shiny ball that left me with more questions than answers.  Actually, nevermind, it gave me no answers, all questions."

   "In time I will reveal everything,"  Viggo said.  "Funny."  I jerked Frostflake higher.  "That's exactly what you said with the Shell Shocker.  Instead, you went and died."  I turned my voice and gaze cold to hide the strange grief I had had.  "Or, well...vanished, anyway."

   "Kiara, look, there's Whiplash!  And he's cornered!"  Frostflake roared, flicking her tail at where Whiplash was trapped against the side of the volcano by three green Singetails.  I glared at Viggo.  "Agh, come on."  Frostflake dropped Viggo off on a ledge, then dove toward the Singetails.

   Frostflake blasted frost at the Singetails, making them jump back in surprise.  "Whiplash, move!"  I ordered.  He instantly snatched Chroma up from under him and darted into the skies.  Frostflake and I spiraled back to the ledge, but Viggo was already gone.  "Ugh!"  I growled.

   "Viggo or no Viggo, we need to get out of here!"  Whiplash called.  Six Flyers tailed us.  "Yup, alright, forget Viggo, let's fly!"  I agreed.  Frostflake shot away, Whiplash as close on her tail as possible.  He used his tail to help keep the Flyers at bay as the four of us flew to where we found the Riders earlier.

   This time Fishlegs was there.  "Kiara, are you ok?"  Fishlegs asked.  "I could ask the same to you,"  I said, jumping off Frostflake just before she landed.  She hit the ground with a soft growl.  I scratched the side of her neck and she immediately forgave me.  

   "We can't just give them the Edge, Hiccup!"  Snotlout declared.  "Help me remember.  Was it three months ago you said 'I'm not too attached to this place, let it burn to the ground' or was it 'it was nice knowing you island, Snotlout is Outlout'?"  I asked. 

   "Shut up, Kiara."  Snotlout muttered.  "I have to agree, though,"  I said.  "We can't give up the Edge without a fight.  Besides, there are things in each of our huts that are too important to let them get their hands on."  

   "So we're going to escape the Edge, then attack the Edge, then either win or die.  Do I have this correct?"  Snotlout asked.  I shoved him off Hookfang's neck, and Astrid had her foot waiting, causing him to trip mid-fall.  We fist-bumped.

   "The Edge is our home.  We're defending it."  Hiccup decided.  "Ga-reat."  Snotlout said sarcastically.  "Aw yeah!"  Ruffnut cheered.  "So...we're attacking our own island?"  Tuffnut clarified.  "No, we are attacking the people that stole our island, so....yeah, I guess we are.  Huh."  Ruffnut agreed.

   "Muttonheads,"  I muttered, rolling my eyes.  "Whiplash, you stay here with Chroma.  Let's go!"