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

Chapter 52: Familial Love

   We sat around a fire.  Whiplash was snoring.  Toothless was growling.  Frostflake was sleeping.  Viggo was picking some bones out of a fish.  Hiccup was watching Viggo pick bones out of a fish.  I was...reading, as silly as it sounded at the time.

   "The truth is, I can't exact my revenge without one of you, or your dragons." I closed my book and looked up.  "Why should we help you?"  I challenged.  "After all you've done, all the people you've hurt, you expect us to believe you?" Hiccup added.  "We will never help you."

   "Shame.  Hiccup, do you know what Red Oleander is?" Viggo asked.  "Of course." Hiccup said.  "Harmless to dragons." I immediately cut in, narrowing my eyes at Viggo.  "Tell me, how do you expect to defeat Kogan and Johan when you don't even know their plan?" Viggo asked.  I lifted my head, and Hiccup did, too. 

   I hesitated.  Hiccup got up and turned away.  "Hiccup..." I said, reaching out a hand to him.  "Call me crazy, but if we help Viggo and find out Johan's plan..." Hiccup sighed.  "It's a win-win."  Hiccup turned with a grunt of annoyance.  "I hate it when you're smart." He muttered.  "No, you just hate it when I side with my da - enemy." Viggo quirked an eyebrow but said nothing to my slip up.

   Hiccup gave me a strange look, then sighed and turned to Viggo.  "What's the plan?"  "We infiltrate their base and steal their Dragon Eye and Lenses, making Johan worthless to Krogan, and they will destroy each other."  I patted Frostflake's head.  "Wake Whiplash up."  "You're crazy," Frostflake commented, but she got up and nudged him awake anyway.

  Viggo rode with Hiccup, which I couldn't be happier about.  

   Ok, fine, maybe I could, but not by much.  

   "Fly to that mountain top." Viggo pointed at the top of a snowy mountain.  When we landed, the wind was so strong we almost were flung off the mountain.  Whiplash had fallen back and was waited below, at the foot of the mountain, as he could barely breathe up there.

   "Viggo what are we doing here?"  Hiccup demanded.  "Other than freezing to death!"  I added, my voice raised above the wind.  "In ancient times, the Singetail was one of the most feared dragons. However, there was one dragon, whose powerful blast could neutralize the Singetail's fire. Meet our Accomplice, Hiccup, Kiara. The Singetail's only predator;  the Skrill."

   "Are you insane!?"  Hiccup yelled as a Skrill appeared out of the winter-like wind.  It reminded me so much of where I grew up I wanted to find a small cave at the foot of a tree and sleep there, or dig one out if I couldn't find it.  But we had no time.  "That's been established!"  I yelled back.  "Do either of you have ANY idea how territorial the Skrill is!?"  Hiccup demanded.  "Believe me, yes!"  I called back, my tone slightly grimmer now.

   "If you think we're going to help you capture, and torture this dragon for your revenge, then you've got another thing coming!"  Hiccup yelled.  The Skrill roared and came closer, but Viggo lifted a dagger.  The Skrill seemed enchanted by it, and the lightning along its spine and wings calmed down.  "That's right,"  Viggo said in a calm voice.  He sheathed his dagger and put a hand on the Skrill's snout.  "We are not enemies.  There is no way I would torture this dragon."

   I blinked in surprise.  "I'm not going crazy, right?"  I murmured to Frostflake.  She shook her head slowly.  "No...but it's still strange."  A small growl slipped out of her mouth.  "Wow - I never thought I'd hear you - say - that."  Hiccup stammered, clearly as astonished as I was.  "Are you ready to fly?"  Viggo asked.  Hiccup and I both nodded.  "Good,"  Viggo said.