Chapter Text
A lone figure crept through the still woods, the slight crunch of leaf litter underfoot the only noise piercing through the thick silence.
For Hiccup Horrendous Haddock, Hope and Heir to the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, was currently an Outcast. Not just a regular Outcast, for that would have been too easy. No, Hiccup was currently the most hunted Outcast in the entire Archipelago. Vikings and dragons alike were chasing him down, strangely united in their effort to take down the traitor.
Meaning even the smallest of mistakes would lead to the capture of not only him but also the 3 dragons trailing after Hiccup; Windwalker on his left as they limped in tandem, leaning against eachother for support. Toothless and the Wodensfang were both flying just past Hiccup's ear, swooping in occasionally to whisper their own sort of nonsensical help.
'T-Toothless hungryyyy,' The little dragon whined. 'How m-m-much further?'
Hiccup peered around, squinting in the gloom. 'I'm not entirely sure. I thought we were closer to here,' he gestured towards a sparsely wooded area nestled between the woods and the shore, unfolding a map in the process. 'but it seems we're closer to maybe here…' He trailed off.
'Which is not good.' He decided. 'As I have heard rumour of … witches in these parts.'
'Witches ?!' Toothless screeched, trying his best to stay quiet under his panic. 'T-T-Toothless not like witches.' He shakes his head furiously.
The Windwalker and Wodensfang glanced nervously at eachother.
'Neither do I Toothless.' Hiccup hummed. 'And, I'd like to hope they are just rumours, but, knowing my luck: they're not.'
The rag-tag group was decidedly quiet after that, taking even more care to be the quietest possible as they continued their trek.
'Hiccup. There is something ahead.' Wodensfang whispered, wrapping his scrawny body around Hiccup's neck like a scarf to reach his ear. 'To our left slightly. There is light.'
Hiccup nodded, turning to peer into the inky gloom.
There was something there. The tiniest glow, only really visible to dragons, or very perceptive, dragon-like boys.
'T-T-Toothless not like the l-looks of that. Could be witchess …'
'It's okay Toothless, we're just gonna take a little look. It could be someone in trouble, maybe another trapped dragon.' Hiccup headed in the direction, the 3 dragons reluctantly trailing behind. 'Besides, if it's too dangerous, we can always walk away.'
Toothless grumbled. 'As if stupid m-master has ever walked away f-f-from danger.'
A greenish hue tinged the light, becoming more apparent the closer they got.
'I have a bad feeling about this.' whispered the Wodensfang.
They emerged into a strange circular clearing. Faint rays of light illuminating the area from the crescent moon hung overhead. What was strangest though was the thing in the centre of the clearing.
Some sort of hunched figure emitting a sickly green glow was crouched, leg bent backwards as if caught in a trap. Looking for all the world, like a covered corpse.
The Windwalker shrunk back. 'I don't like the look of this.'
The figures head snapped over at the sound, and within a second the clearing was lit in a flash of light.
Boy and dragons alike cried out as their vision exploded in green.