Hiccup silently crept over the edge of the ship, his small legs barely enough to reach the steps of the ladder. His basket over his shoulder, he ran up and over the sand dunes that separated the beach from the forest of this island, unnoticed by the Vikings restocking supplies and making camp for the night. This would make the perfect place for his new home. Even though he didn't have too much to boast of, he was sure that he could manage to live on his own.
Stowing away on the ship of the visiting tribe leader had been the easy part to his escape. The rest would have to come. Even at the age of six, he was smarter than most Vikings and had planned everything out. His father's map had shown him this island, largely unoccupied except for the native wildlife, and he had decided that he would live here. Away from everyone would call him different.
He found a nice cave in the center of the island, not too deep, and high enough that no one would find him. He started to unpack his small bag of equipment near the mouth of the cave. What he didn't realize was that it was already occupied.
At the back of the cave, a Night Fury dragon and her hatchling blended into their surrounding darkness, watching the small boy carry out his business. The large Night Fury growled lowly. Hiccup turned and saw a pair of bright green eyes staring at him and jumped slightly. She crept forward, curious as to why this tiny human was alone in her cave.
Perhaps more were coming? Did she need to prepare to take her hatchling and leave the safe cave? Hiccup didn't dare move, scared to anger the dragon. All Vikings feared and hated dragons, but Hiccup had always been slightly more fascinated by them than most. Still scared, for sure, but curiosity killed the cat. When she was close enough, she sniffed the human boy. The smells from his tribe were faint, so he had not been in contact with them for several days or more.
Comforted in this, she determined that this little one was not a threat to her young. In fact, she could smell the loneliness in his heart. She came close enough for Hiccup to touch him. He stepped even closer to her, too curious about this large dragon to do anything else. If he got eaten, so be it. He didn't have anything else to live for anyway. Maybe she would do it without pain. He closed his eyes and waited.
When she rubbed her cheek against his hair, a little spark of hope flared in Hiccup's tiny frail heart. He had been rejected by his own kind, hated by his own father. Maybe his father's enemy could finally be his family.