Another Nightmare Book 3: Facing Nightmares

Chapter 20

Haven't still quite gotten to be as productive with non thesis things after finishing that as I hoped, but at least this month now has its chapter. 

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Hiccup looked after Minden until she disappeared out of sight and then got up. He stood still for a while with Toothless next to him. Fishlegs kept looking between him and the direction Minden had disappeared to. A moment later he focused on Hiccup.

"So... what should we do next?"

"Long term... I still don't know," Hiccup answered. "Right now, I want to get back to the flock and wait to hear from Atali. I'm not sure how she is going to react to the issue you just brough up. They don't want to be involved and I don't want to cause them any more trouble, even if all help would be good. What a mess I've gotten us into."

'Don't start blaming yourself or I'll slap you,' Toothless said. Hiccup sighed, almost smiling.

"We can't do anything before Ivar recovers. He's in good hands so we should give the Wingmaidens some space to choose what they want. They aren't hurting anyone. We shouldn't try to change how they want to live."

"I agree. I just hope the damage hasn't happened yet. It is bad enough what is happening in Fjoll. The Maidens are much too few in numbers if the Hunters target them."

"They might kick us from the island, but hopefully not before Ivar recovers," Hiccup said.

"That isn't even the worst thing that could happen. What if they are divided by this like Fjoll is with dragons?"

Hiccup stared at Fishlegs for a moment and rubbed his forehead.

"Even if that is a possibility," he paused for a moment, "right now we can only make things worse. We should go back to the flock. I want to know what they think about all this. Want a ride?"

Hiccup turned around and put his hand on Toothless' head. He paused, looking at the dragon's empty back and missing tailfin.

'It is still in the village.'

"Seems we'll have to stop by the village after all."

They walked back to the village. It wasn't really a problem since Hiccup hadn't come that far from it. Maybe they could get the gear on and leave before Minden finished talking with Atali. Hiccup soon forgot those concerns as they approached, and he noticed he was still sensing Shortclaw right where she had landed in the middle of the village and her emotional state wasn't great.

'We forgot her completely with Ivar's injuries,' Hiccup thought.

'Yes,' Toothless responded. 'Well, fixing her head is your job.'

'I guess it is.' Hiccup sighed and looked at Fishlegs. "Can you get Toothless' fin on? Seems like I may have a Nightmare problem on top of everything else."

Fishlegs nodded and glanced at Toothless. As they arrived in the village the few Wingmaidens present didn't seem concerned but gave space as two boys and a dragon walked past, concerned looks on their faces. Shortclaw was laying right where she had landed. Fishlegs picked up the tailfin but Toothless wasn't paying him enough attention to cooperate with putting all of the gear on.

He and Hiccup were focused on the larger dragon in front of them. She dragged her head against the ground just enough to face them. The dominant emotion on her face and top of her mind was soul wrenching grief, but it was merely a lid over bubbling mess of contrary emotions that even Hiccup couldn't make sense of with his abilities.