It was a bright, cheerful November morning. With a slight warm breeze. The new Chief of Berk, Hiccup, and his long lost mother, Valka, were out riding there dragons enjoying the nice weather, near Itchy Armpit.
"Alright… okay. That's it!" Valka shouts happily.
She was trying to teach Hiccup how to stand on Toothless while gliding. Hiccup slowly sat back down and said, "I don't know about this. Last time I did this I almost got both of us killed!" Toothless grunts remembering the first time he tried that.
"It's alright. I'm here. Relax. Remember dragon riding begins and ends with trust. Both of yours." "Hey! That's my saying!" He teased. They laugh and his mother shrugs. "Alright steady him and try again." Hiccup cautiously let's go of the saddle and half way stands and then stumbles back down.
"You know. I like to see you do this with one leg!" She laughs and stands. She lifts one leg up with ease. He huffs. "Show off." Hiccup says. "Well what about…doing that while barrel rolling?" Hiccup challenge her. "Alright I'll try."
Valka did a small series of clicks then Cloudjumper, her loyal Stormcutter, accelerated and did what he was asked. It was quite a funny sight.
The red dragon barrel rolled. It was a motion as if Cloudjumper's neck was a log in water and she was just rolling with it, walking with it. She tried with one leg then gave up.
"That was pretty hard." They laugh. "You know I never really heard the story…uh…about your…leg." Valka said nervously. "Un..unless you don't want to talk about it that's fine."
Valka wasn't to sure if he was sensitive on the subject. Although back at the Sanctuary, her previous home for twenty years, he seemed 'okay' with the loss of his leg.
"Yeah sure, I'm fine really. If anything it's just another thing that make me and Toothless closer. You know?" She nods. "And also another object for inventions, it just so happens to be apart of me. Maybe I can tell you over lunch?"
After a long, long meeting about winter and Chief duties Hiccup and Toothless called it a day. Once he and Toothless arrived at the house it was dark. He open the door and lead his dragon inside.
"Hey mom." "Hello Hiccup." She said setting the table. "You look pretty tired." "When do I not?" He said sarcastically. He went over to the chamber that held the ice and picked up a block. He rested it on his forehead as he plopped down into, what was once his father's, chair by the fire.
He groaned, closed his eyes and slumped deeper into the chair. Toothless came jogging over and nudged his riders hand. He opened his eyes. "Thanks Bud." The Chief said patting the dragons head. Toothless rolled his eyes and looked over to the bucket of fish and lick his lips. "Oh, of course. Fish. Ha! For a second there I thought you actually cared about me." He joked pushing himself out of the chair.
The dragon huffs and follows his rider. "You two I swear.." Valka chuckles. "What?" He asked her as gathered some fish. "Are the funniest pair I've ever seen. You two could be brothers." "Yeah sometimes I love him and thinks he's the best dragon in the world. Then sometimes he's just the most annoying butt ever." He points at him, "You know what I'm talking about..."
Toothless gave him the, 'What-did-I-do-I'm-just-an-innocent-dragon-that-would-do-nothing-to-upset-his-rider' look.
Valka laughs. Toothless looked down at the fish. He cooed and cocked his head looking up at his rider. "Yep you're going on a diet. Only about seventy for you today." Toothless huffs and smacks the back of Hiccup's head with his tail. "Hey!" He said rubbing the back of his head. The dragon just laughs and focuses on his meal.
Hiccup laughs and sits at the table, "His got some attitude today." She chuckles as she sets down the plates.
"I made some Fish stew with some meatballs, bread and a little cheese. Is that enough?" "Mom, this is more than enough. Thank you." He said gratefully taking the plate. Valka sits on the opposite side of him.
"So what did the Chief do today?" He took a bite of bread. "Where should I start?" "Well you disappeared after lunch." "Oh yes. Alright." He cleared his throat.
"After lunch I had to settle a land dispute between Silent Sven and Mulch. One hour give or take. After that, a rogue dragon fight, but thanks to Toothless no one got hurt. Ruff n' Tuff yak tipping again. Worked in the forge. Some new saddles and stuff. Someone thought they spotted a Typhomerang just off-"
"A Typhomer-what?" She cut in. " A Typhomerang. I spins like a Typhoon and comes back just like a boomerang. It's a dragon with huge reddish orange wings and black sharp talons, colors vary between dragon. There face is mostly gray. Two black horns on both side of it's head. Kind of like a Yak's. And guess what?" "What?" "Typhomerang's eat eel! It's quite a magnificent dragon." Hiccup said taking a bite of one of the meatballs and almost gagged. Valka sat back in her chair, "Wow. I have never seen one like that." He quickly swallowed it, knowing full well he would regret that later.
"Yeah we haven't either. Until about five years ago a baby one ended up here. I brought him back her and we named him Torch. Toothless and him didn't really get along that well." Toothless growled from behind him. Hiccup looked over his shoulder at him and shrugged, "What?" Toothless gave him a 'really?' look before he began to paw at the front door. "Alright hold on,"
Hiccup smartly took one of the meatballs with him. He open the door and sneaked two meatballs into the dragons mouth. After Toothless swallowed the meatballs he trotted off into the village.
"Mmm.. what's in those meatballs?" Hiccup said sitting back down. "Oh, just some fish eggs, liver, beets, onions, flour, yaks stomach and kidney." Valka said. 'I'm so sorry, Toothless' He thought to himself.
"Wow. That's -uh- interesting. So where was I?" "Typhomerang." "Oh yes, a few villagers thought they saw a few a them on the far side of the Island, down by the beach. After checking that out I spent the rest of my day, about nine hours, down by the stables. Made about fifteen new one's and we're almost done with a small area for the new baby dragons."
He rested his elbows on the table and rubbed his temples. Sighing, not looking up, he said, "Do you mind if I can take this up to my room? I have a bunch of paper work to do." "No please, go ahead." He yawned, "Thanks mom." Hiccup grabbed his plate and made his way upstairs. Halfway up Valka says, "And gets some sleep while your at it, will you?" He sighed, "Alright. I'll try." he mumbled the last part.
He opened the door and dragged himself in. He set down the plate on his desk and sat down. Before he could fall asleep right then and there he pushed himself up and walked over towards his bed, hitting his metal leg against his dresser on the way. A hard sharp pain made his way up his leg.
He cursed and plopped on the bed. The wood creaked. He took it off and chucked it hard against the opposite wall. It made a loud clang against the wood and hit the floor. "Stupid leg…" he mumbled.
"Hiccup? You okay in there?" He huffs, "Never been better!" He said harshly. Moments later he realized how 'mean' he sounded. "Sorry mom." He said, but not loud enough for her to hear.
His brain hurt from thinking all day. He had a few little cuts on his hands and arms by working in the stables.
His stump hurt more than anything.
He gave up on thinking about doing all that paperwork on his desk waiting to be done, and lied down. His wooden bed never felt more comfortable against his aching back. He didn't even care to take off his Flight Suit.
He soon drifted off to a land of dragons and Astrid, and that's where it all started.