Toothless refused to let Hiccup wander the lair alone. Giving up the element of surprise, he followed a few pases behind.
Hiccup patted Toothless' head, scowling at the cavern. He walked to the desk and frowned. With gentle fingers, he flicked through the few papers laid out.
"There are fewer than before. And these only have sketches and notes on dragons."
Unwelcome frustration shot through Hiccup. What was he even expecting? A piece of paper that said 'I'm evil' or 'arrest me now'?
Stifling a groan, Hiccup left the desk and peered into the neighbouring cavern. Barrels lined the wall. Sniffing at one, Toothless growled, recoiling.
"What is it?" Hiccup murmured, peering into the barrel. A large, green plant was in it. "Some sort of root?"
Toothless' pupils formed thin slits. He moved towards him with jerky movements.
Hiccup's eyes widened and he closed the barrel. "Easy there, bud, it's okay! It's me."
Toothless shook his head, a low snarl escaping him. Taking a step back, Hiccup murmured a stream of reassurances. Toothless' pupil gradually dilated. Hiccup watched his motions closely. After what must've been only seconds, but felt like eternity to Hiccup, Toothless stopped snarling and returned to normal.
"You scared me there for a moment," Hiccup murmured. He glanced back at the barrel. "You should probably let me check the rest of these out."
Toothless roared in protest, flaring his wings.
Hiccup sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't like it either. But whatever Alvin's got in here can't be good, and there could be more of that dragon affecting root."
Toothless grumbled but stayed put by the entrance. Hiccup looked at the barrels and steeled his nerves.
It's not as if there'd be bones or something in there, he reasoned. Why would Alvin bother with that?
Hiccup shivered as grotesque images flashed through his mind. Shaking the thoughts away, he opened another barrel.
Fish.
Relaxing slightly, Hiccup continued through the rest. There was fish, water, bread, dried meat, dried fruit, torches and scrolls.
Hiccup joined Toothless, frowning. Even if he managed to get the councils to come down here, there would be no way to prove this was Alvin's doing. In fact, the whole base almost looked like a research station rather than a lair.
"Hiccup?" Astrid called, walking over. "We managed to get the caged dragons to leave their cells, but they keep expecting orders."
Hiccup hummed thoughtfully. "Alvin would probably control them with weapons. I hate to say it, but what if we try... try... um..."
"Using weapons to point in the direction they should go?" Astrid finished.
Hiccup nodded quickly. "Yes. Yes, that."
Astrid gave a loose smile before grabbing a spear from the weapons rack and returning to the other cavern. Hiccup watched her leave, an awestruck expression on his face.
Toothless cooed, brushing up against his side. Snapping out of it, Hiccup petted Toothless and went back to the desk.
There must be hidden compartments, Hiccup reasoned.
As Hiccup searched the desk, Toothless sniffed at the air. Traces of an odd, old scent lined the tunnel leading off from the lair. Curious, he followed the trail and paused at the entrance. It got stronger.
Hiccup noticed Toothless' movements from the corner of his eye but didn't focus on it. He pulled down on the underside of the desk, but nothing was loose. No secret section there. Biting his lip, Hiccup lifted the desk upwards and checked the bottom of each table leg. Nothing.
Hiccup grew uneasy. There had to be something. Anything.
Growing more and more desperate, Hiccup checked the sides of the desk. There was an line on the wood, perpendicular to the grain. Hiccup narrowed his eyes, hope flaring to life within him.
There was a small, rectangular outline on the side of the desk. Placing two fingers on either end of the shape, he pressed down. A compartment slid open.
Alvin's secret comparment.
Relief washed over him. He hadn't realised how nervous he was. Hiccup grabbed at the scrolls inside and pulled one open, vaguely aware was being rougher than he should be.
Target: Heather of Beserker Island
Risks: Very intelligent, sceptical, dismissive of traditions
Solution: Whispering death attack
Hiccup's heart thumped against his chest. He opened another scroll.
Target: Camikaze
Risks: Extremely skilled sword fighter, holds a grudge against me, hates foreign authority
Solution: Changewing ambush
Hiccup's fingers were shaking as he opened a third scroll.
Target: Hiccup Haddock
Risks: Far too intelligent, gets along with dragons, highly suspicious of me
Solution: Changewings failed Trapped with the night fury
Hiccup was trembling.
He knew, he always did, that Alvin was using the Dragon Games to filter the members of the Archipelago. But seeing his murder plans...
Fear shot through him. The Dragon Games were over. Was he... was he too late for some?
Hiccup felt numb.
Heather had to be okay, even though she had to return to the Dragon Games. She had Windshear! So these plans and - he shuddered at the phrasing - 'solutions' had to be outdated. From before the trial.
Maybe... maybe everyone was alright.
Hiccup pushed these thoughts out if his mind. If he didn't focus, Alvin would still have control of the Archipelago.
He took all the scrolls from the hidden compartment and glanced at Toothless. He was perched in front of a tunnel, head on his paws and sniffing the air.
"What is it, bud?" Hiccup asked.
Toothless' ears twitched but he otherwise didn't react. Hiccup's brows furrowed.
"Are there more dragons?"
Toothless bowed his head and looked up hopefully at Hiccup, letting out a small whine.
"I think that's a yes."
Hiccup made to mount Toothless. He hesitated, brushing a scroll with his thumb. This evidence was far more valuable than whatever else Alvin had down there. He felt torn. Was the freedom of a couple dragons worth risking the freedom of the Archipelago?
Toothless whined more urgently, flapping his tail fins. He peered into the darkness.
Hiccup faltered. "Okay... nothing too bad should be down there. But I'm giving some of the scrolls to Astrid."
Toothless placed his head back on his paws and swished his tail impatiently. Rolling his eyes, Hiccup went to Astrid.
She was using Stormfly as an example to prove she was friendly. Two nadders had left their cages, watching her closely. Hiccup felt a twinge of guilt at having to interrupt.
"I found the evidence we need," he announced, drawing Astrid's attention away from the dragons. "Toothless found a scent so we're going deeper to free the last couple dragons. Take a few scrolls just... if things go wrong and we somehow loose the others."
Astrid took the scrolls and pulled them open, jaw dropping. Her eyes landed on his, with a vulnerability in them he hadn't seen before. "Promise... promise me it won't go wrong."
Hiccup didn't hesitate. "It won't."
Hiccup turned to leave but felt a soft grip. Astrid took his hand. He fought against a blush, well aware he was losing that battle, as she avoided eye contact.
Astrid took a breath. "I mean it. Stay safe."
Hiccup nodded dumbly. When Astrid let go, he felt a sudden coldness. Ignoring it, he hurried to Toothless.
The dragon leapt up at his approach.
Hiccup mounted him. "Take us to this dragon."
***
Any ideas on what dragon(s) Toothless smelt?
Where would you hide "evidence" or something personal, like a diary, that you didn't want found?