13 In The Dark

13. IN THE DARK There it was again, the sound. With trembling fingers, Hiccup drew his sword. It shook in his hand. 'HELLO?' said Hiccup, his words sounding very loud in that darkness. Silence. Hiccup had never known a darkness like it. It was so thick about him that it choked the throat and clogged the nostrils and stuffed the ears like a smothering cloak. And it came with a sense, an instinct that Hiccup couldn't put his finger on, that he was sharing the tree with something overpoweringly evil.

Another rustling noise, and to Hiccup's petrified imagination it seemed like something might be moving towards him, and so he shouted wildly, 'I HAVE A SWORD!' The rustling stopped abruptly. And then a voice in the darkness came hissing like a serpent at Hiccup. 'And so,' said the voice, 'do I…' 'I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU!' announced Hiccup, as loud as he could to give himself confidence. 'Ohhh, yes you are,' spat the voice. 'And you are right to be.' An old voice, a female voice, a voice with

an icy edge of purest evil to it. Hiccup lay quaking in the dark, his left hand holding his sword, his right protecting the limp little body of Toothless. 'Who are you?' hissed the voice. 'And why didn't I see you coming?' 'How could you see me coming?' stammered Hiccup. 'You are in the dark.' 'I am a witch,' said the voice. Ohhhhhhhhhhh great. 'Who are you?' repeated the voice. Hiccup thought fast. For some reason he didn't want to tell her his real name. 'My name is Fishlegs.' Which was the first name that came into his head. 'Who are you?'

'My name is Hogtrude,' replied the witch. (Hiccup had a feeling that wasn't her real name either.) 'Why are you here?' asked the witch. 'I was sent here by UG,' replied Hiccup. 'UG normally comes himself, and alone. Why did he send you?' spat the voice. Toothless's floppy body hung heavy in Hiccup's hand. In a stroke of pure inspiration Hiccup thought, Well if she's a witch* maybe she can help Toothless. *A 'witch' or a 'wizard' at that time was wise in the use of herbs, medicines and potions. They acted as 'witch doctors' to the Tribes, as well as looking into the future.

'I am bringing a dragon for you to heal,' he said. Silence again. 'Where is the dragon?' hissed the voice. Hiccup held Toothless up, and bony fingers came creeping out of the darkness, and felt Toothless's little limp, moaning, drooping body. 'HA!' snapped the voice. 'Does UG think I'm a miracle worker? This dragon is as good as dead already.' 'Isn't there ANYTHING you can do?' asked Hiccup desperately. 'UG is very very fond of this dragon, and he said he would give you anything you needed, anything at all…' 'Herbs, poisons, needles-and- thread,' creaked the voice, muttering resentful noises to itself. 'He'll give me these but he won't give me my freedom… Oh I'm

telling you, when UG comes here to ask for his Fortune, I tell him pretty lies but if UG only knew what a Fortune I was weaving him…' Shivering at the sheer savagery of the voice's tone, Hiccup kept silent. He cradled Toothless in his arms, stroking his ears and horns, and trying to keep him comfortable. Toothless had lost so much weight that he was a little bag of bones, but his belly was horribly swollen and distended. 'What's wrong with the dying dragon?' asked the voice, when it had finished its muttering. 'He ate a spoon,' said Hiccup, 'and a magic stone… and other things I expect.' 'A spoon…' repeated the voice longingly. The witch didn't have a spoon.