12-第四章：更大的麻烦(21)

and Toothless is the B-B-BEST ONE…’ ‘Don’t you worry, little Juiceless,’ said Stoick, with ponderous, awkward sympathy, poking one of his fingers through the bars of the cage, and stroking the trembling, miserable little dragon along his back. ‘Your
Master Hiccup may be dead, but we will look after you…’ But how would Stoick be able to do that once Alvin was crowned King? How could he and Valhallarama protect Toothless, or the Silver Phantom, or any of these dragons who had remained faithful to the humans’ side, and were now waking up, and wheeling above their human Masters’ heads right here, right now, in Grimbeard’s Castle? These dragons were prepared to go into battle with their Masters, to lay down their lives in order to protect them. Was their loyalty to be rewarded with their own extinction? Alvin’s mother the Witch Excellinor bounded up on all fours like a big white bony dog, her long white hair dragging behind her in the mud. ‘Patience, Alvin my sweetest,’ she purred.