Tales of the Dragon Riders

There is another

"I think we're doomed." Heather whispered.

"No, we're beyond doomed." Hiccup whispered back.

Eret stepped forward. "Well, didn't you just pick the wrong ship, eh?" he said. Stoick didn't respond. "I am Eret!" Eret said, offended by being ignored. "Son of-"

Stoick put his hand over Eret's face and shoved him backwards without even looking at what he was doing. Gobber hit him on the head with his hammer, and once Eret was on the ground, Grump laid on top of him. Eret tried wriggling away, but it was useless.

"Get...this...thing...off...me!" Eret panted, breathless.

"Anyone else?" Gobber asked. No one said anything. "Hmm, that's what I figured."

Stoick pointed at Hiccup, and then moved his finger to Heather. "You two. Saddle up. We're going home."

"No," Hiccup said without missing a beat.

Heather could almost see the anger rolling off his father's in waves. "Of all the irresponsible-" Stoick started.

"I'm trying to protect our dragons, and stop a war!" Hiccup defended himself. "How is that irresponsible!?"

"Because war is what he wants, son!!" Stoick shouted.

Hiccup lowered his gaze, looking as though he would rather say a million things than stay quiet and yet had nothing to say.

Stoick sighed heavily, and then began to explain. "Years ago," he began, and Heather and the others kept silent in order to listen, "there was a great gathering of chieftains to discuss the dragon scourge we all faced. Into our midst came a stranger from a strange land, covered in scars and draped in a cloak of dragon skin. He carried no weapon, and spoke softly, saying that he, Drago Bludvist, was a man of the people, devoted to freeing mankind from the tyranny of dragons. He claimed that he alone could control the dragons," Stoick continued, "and he alone could keep us safe, if we chose to bow down and follow him."

At that, the twins, Snotlout, and Fishlegs laughed.

"Stupid," Ruffnut cackled, shaking her head.

"Ah, good one." Tuffnut said, wiping a tear away from his eye that fell due to how hard he was laughing.

"Aye," Stoick nodded. "We laughed too. Until he wrapped himself in his cloak and cried, Then see how well you do without me! The rooftop suddenly burst into flames," Stoick went on to say, "and from it, armored dragons descended, burning the hall to the ground."

"I..." Stoick continued sadly, "was the only one to escape."

That shocked everyone. Drago Bludvist, this new enemy, killed an entire hall full of Chiefs. If he could do that back then, then there was no telling what else he was capable of.

"Men who kill without reason," Stoick said, "cannot be reasoned with."

In their mind, it was all the more reason to go after him now, before he attacked Berk.

"Maybe," Hiccup said, turning back towards Toothless.

"Maybe not," Heather agreed, turning and striding towards Windshear. Her husband felt the same way she did about this situation, and she knew it.

"Hiccup...Heather-" Stoick began warningly.

"We're still going to try," Hiccup said. He jumped on Toothless' back, and Heather mounted Windshear. "This is what we're good at," Hiccup said. "And if I could get you to change your mind...I can change his, too." He patted Toothless' neck. "Come on," he whispered.