Book: How To Train Your Dragon
Author: Cressida Cowell
Genre: Middle-grade fantasy
Prompt book chosen by Jett.
“So…you will walk quietly through the cave and each boy will steal one sleeping dragon.”
I closed Hattie’s wide open mouth by pushing up her bottom jaw up with my hand while Mr. Bobchin turned and faced the opening of the cave.
A roll of thunder taunted us from above.
“We can do this,” I whispered to Hattie through my side mouth.
She started to lower, her knees trembling with fear. I grabbed her by her thick leather sword belt to help her stay standing.
“Nope,” she breathed out. “This is not happening.”
Mr. Bobchin’s right shoulder lifted with a twitch. He cocked his head to the right. That was not a good sign. We all knew he had eyes in the back of his head, we just hadn’t seen them yet. But, he’d definitely seen Hattie nearly fall. Maybe even seen me close her mouth.
“Missus Persee, would you like to demonstrate to the rest of the group, how exactly one walks quietly into a cave and steals a sleeping dragon?” As he spoke, he turned, his face red with frustration, his eyes thinning into slits.
I couldn’t hold Hattie up with Mr. Bobchin’s beady eyes daggering at me. I had to let go of her belt. As soon as I did, she dropped to her knees, and covered her face. She shook her head vehemently.
A Shaker behind us let out a chuckle. I looked back to see who it was. I’d introduce him to my fist after.
Mr. Bobchin smiled, the curve of his lips reaching for his ears. “What happens to the stewdent whose Fear takes his Power?”
“Oh-oh! Me!” Billiem Bonham waved his hand wildly beside me. I threw an elbow between his ribs.
“Bonham?” asked Mr. Bobchin like he didn’t know the answer.
“Sir, well, sir, said person whose fear takes her power has to give up her sword, sir,” Billiem announced proudly. He wrapped his hand around the handle of his sword like he’d never let fear take him over and his sword get taken.
“That’s right,” Mr. Bobchin said, looking at Hattie who was a heap on the ground, sobbing as quietly as she could. Bobchin shook his head, his cheek curling in disgust. “There’s no crying in dragon stealing!” he said, leaning down to meet Hattie’s face.
“Stand up Hatchwin. Stand up right this instant,” said Bobchin.
Hattie sniffled, and finally took her hands from her face. “I will never surrender my sword,” she said, a crackle in her voice.
Don’t let him see you’re a girl! I thought, panicking. I needed to create a diversion. If Hattie’s true identity was discovered, the consequences would be dire, but what’s worse, our school would lose its fiercest dragon tamer.
VANESSA SHIELDS, writer 