Hiccup's Secret

Part 20~Sudden Visit

Without thinking, I swung my legs over the edge of the cliff. I smiled down into the cove, sighing slightly. I winced at the pain that seered through my system.

Dagger had gone on the run, I directed him to the riders so that they could help him train Shadow Master, as he called the Gronkle who helped him.

However, he took a very similar approach to Mum when I had to play the kidnapped act and had broken my leg and given me a black eye.

Dad now wouldn't let me out of his sight, I had to get Gobber to distract him and run for my life. It will take about an hour before he works out. I am missing so I should be dragged back any minute now.

Taking a calming breath, I looked back out at the scene, I could see Toothless hiding in the side cave fast asleep and a few Terrible Terror up in the trees. It seems so peaceful, it was slightly weird with the last few weeks I've had.

I jumped up and swung back when something covered my eyes. Falling to the ground, I took heavy gasps while looking for the reason for my sudden attack.

"Woah! Calm down, Hic." I felt someone squeeze my shoulder, lifting my head up to look up at him. "It's been a while, huh?"

"Ave? Avery!" I tackled Avery into a tight hug, letting out my wings and tail I purred happily into his chest. Wait, since when could I purr?

I heard Avery laughing as he wrapped his own wings around me. He pulled me into his chest, running his hand through my hair. "I'm glad to see, too. What happened to your eye?" Avery brought his hand to press against the bruise.

I let out a low hiss, flinching back slightly which caused Avery to worry. "It's fine, I just got 'kidnaped' again and they had the same method as Mum when letting me go home."

Avery nodded hesitantly, not sure if he quite understood. His eyes widened when he noticed the thing hanging around my neck. "Your wearing my necklace." Avery lowered his hand to brush against the necklace he gave me as I blushed.

"Would you like it back now?" I started to remove the rope from my neck but Avery stopped me.

"I gave it to you, you can keep it." Avery let go of my hands and lifted them up to brush away a stray hair that got into my face.

I jumped away from Ave when a fake cough came from behind us. I could see Eret standing by Mum and Heather with a hand over his mouth.

Heather was snickering under her breath while Mum shook her head.

Titling my head I double checked the members, wasn't Dagger meant to be with them? "Where is Dagger? I thought he was the reason you were here."

"Can't I just come to see you?" Avery tilted his head, pulling me back into his arms.

"Of course you can! I just worried about him. I broke his reality."

"Why am I not surprised?" Heather sat down besides us, crossing her legs while Wind Shear curled around her.

Eret collapsed uncermenily along with Skull Crusher. Mum sat against Cloudjumper's chest who rested his eyes after the long flight.

"No, we haven't seen Dagger, whoever that might be," Mum said with a soft smile.

"If you see him, keep him safe. He is riding a green Gronkle called Shadow Master." I gave a happy smile to mum who nodded.

"Where's Toothy?" Avery looked around, eventually laying eyes on the cave.

"He's asleep, Ave."

"Can anyone else hear that?" Eret stood up, unsheathing his sword.

Straining my ear, I could hear Dad's voice echoing through the forest. guess my hour of peace is up. I hopped out of Avery's arms and hid my dragon features. "I believe that is Dad calling my name."

"Why? He's never done that before," Mum said teasingly, placing her hand on her chin as if this was a great mystery.

"He's a little paranoid now I keep getting kidnapped," I joked, rolling my eyes at dad's great over reaction.

I started to walk away, feeling slightly bad that I probably won't be able to see them again because I doubt Dad will let me sneak off again.

"Hiccup! There you are! You can't go sneaking off like that!" Dad grabbed my arm and started to drag me to the house. "You've already been kidnapped twice, I am not letting that happen again."

"I think I was safer there than I am here," I mumbled under my breath to make sure Dad didn't hear me. "Dad, I am not a child. I will be fine. It's not as if I'm going anywhere near the beach and even if I've gotten out of two kidnap situations."

Dad grumbled something under his breath before throwing open the door and chucking me inside. "I can't believe this Hiccup. Hiccup, you keep getting kidnapped, you start defending dragons, you keep disappearing despite everything I tell you, it's like you've changed since that first time. Like I don't even know you. You're hiding things from me, you're not talking about what happened, you are always running late for the forge! Hiccup.... what happened when those beast took you." Dad collapsed into his chair as I stood frozen.

I couldn't think, my mind was running a hundred miles an hour, I couldn't tell him the truth, but he knew something was wrong. "Dad... I... I'm not ready to talk about it. I don't want to talk about it."

"Why? Hiccup, I know we have never been close but I want to help you, so sit and talk." Dad gave me a stern look and motioned to the chair next to him.

Slowly, I sat in the chair, gingerly perching on the edge, ready to make a quick escape if I needed to. Taking a deep breath, I slowly opened my mouth.