The Clue of the Missing Socks - Chapter 7

The Clue of the Missing Socks

Chapter 7

          “I knew Alvin would try an attack on this side of the island!” exclaimed Stoick.  Though I thought to myself, “This side of the island didn’t have any catapults before and there is a steep cliff on this side with only one small pathway leading to a beach below.  What would Alvin gain by attacking this side of Berk?  Even if we didn’t build any catapults here, the Outcasts would have one major problem.  How would you take out Berk successfully by sailing in where you have zero cover?  Even if you make it to the beach which doesn’t lead anywhere, how could you make it up the cliff with an army of Outcasts soldiers?  There is only shrubbery at each end of the island.  The only way to get to Berk is the come up the small path.”

          Although we they had just started building the catapults earlier in the afternoon, we did have three small catapults built.  Just then, several arrows were fired from the Outcast ships.

          “Everybody get down!” Stoick cried out.  All of the arrows ended up just below the cliff.

          “Load the catapults!” cried Stoick.  “Ready… Aim… Fire!”

          Three medium sized boulders were sent plummeting through the air right at the four Outcast ships.  Two of the boulders crashed through sinking the ship next to Alvin’s flag ship.  The other boulder took out the mast of the ship on the left side of Alvin’s ship.

          Just before Alvin’s flag ship was about to touch the beach and Stoick, the rest of the vikings plus Hiccup and the Academy, were about to go attack mode when all of the sudden Alvin started waving a white flag.  Alvin then yelled, “Stoick!  I just came here to talk to you.  If you don’t attack me or try to capture me, I won’t try to do the same to you.  Also, if I don’t return to Outcast waters before sundown, Dagur and his armada will then come and lay siege to Berk.  Meet me on the beach down here and come alone.”

          Stoick was getting ready to go down and meet Alvin when Hiccup came over and said, “Dad you cannot go down there.”

          “I have to see what he wants.  He might attack anyway if I do not go down there.”

          “Just be careful Dad, it smells like a trap to me.”

          “It probably is, but I will be careful. You wait here.”

          Stoick then walked down the path.  I noticed Hiccup had a worried look on his face.  I then said, “Hiccup.  You want to go down there with your dragon and make sure your dad will be safe.”

          “That is exactly what I want to do.”

          My sisters wanted to go too, so we rode with the Academy trainers to help keep an eye on Hiccup’s father.  I rode with Hiccup while Elsa rode with Fishlegs and Asvord rode with Astrid.

          Hiccup made a wide half circle to go down to the edges of the beach without being seen.  The rest of the trainers followed.  It also helped that there were thick vines and plants growing down the side of the cliffs to assist us from being spotted.  We rested on a ledge near the foot of the cliff next to the beach behind the plants and vines.

          “Keep your eyes peeled for anything.  I have a very bad feeling that there is a trap set for my dad,” Hiccup whispered.

          We couldn’t quite hear what Alvin and Stoick were talking about, but it sounded as if Alvin was actually just stalling for something.

          “Hiccup, Alvin sounds like he is stalling for something, so there is definitely something array,” Astrid whispered to Hiccup.

          Several minutes had gone by when Fishlegs suddenly whispered in a surprised tone, “Look!”

          We all saw a small boat coming around behind a rock formation that was on the opposite side we were.  In that small boat was Dagur!  I told Hiccup that we need to get over to Alvin’s ship fast.

          “Ok.  Jarl you come with me.  The rest of you stay here,” ordered Hiccup.

          Hiccup and I crawled our way through some underbrush which was growing across the beach near the water.  When we got to Alvin’s boat I figured we should wait a bit to see what Dagur was up to and also to hear part of the conversation between Stoick and Alvin.  I could see on Hiccup’s face he knew what Dagur and Alvin were planning on doing.

          “Alvin, why would you risk coming to Berk to settle a dispute about the fishing waters to the Southeast of Outcast Island.  We have disputed that region for decades.  I thought we decided that those waters were to be left alone until we came to an agreement,” said Stoick in a rather irritated tone.

          “Why Stoick, I just wanted to come here and see if we could come to an agreement.  I saw the other day some very good fish just swimming around waiting to be caught.” Alvin uttered.

          Stoick and Alvin continued to go back and forth when I noticed Dagur’s boat stopped.  From my angle Hiccup and I could see him but we both noticed that Dagur could not be seen from the other vikings atop the cliff.

          Hiccup then said with a very worried tone, “We need to signal my dad somehow.”

          Hiccup was trying to think of something quick when I saw Dagur stand up.  He had in his hands what looked like his crossbow.  I had to do something quick, so I climbed up the side of Alvin’s boat before Hiccup could stop me.  Just as I caught a glimpse of Alvin, Dagur at the same time fired his crossbow.  I jumped and pushed Stoick out of the way.

          But after I did that, everything went black.

Here is a link to my next two chapters:  http://forum.schoolofdragons.com/content/clue-missing-socks-chapters-8-and-9