Wild Snoggletog
"Hey, Bud how about we go flying?"
Toothless looked up at him and titled his head to the side, as if to say: "Do you have to ask?"
Laughing Hiccup jumped up into the saddle and took off out of his hut and out into the first cool rays of dawn.
It was just like every other morning….except it was Snoggletog Eve!
This year he had a special gift in store for the one he loved.
Toothless grumbled as they few over the hills of Dragons' Edge.
"No not you bud….though I love you too."
Toothless made another grumble of acknowledgment and all but rolled his bright green eyes.
He knew who his friend was referring too. Jealousy over Astrid had only once swept through the Night Fury Dragon and he no longer harboured those feelings at all. Even when he did, it was before the young Viking girl had even fallen for his one legged friend. Heck! It had been before the battle of the Red Death!
Now, he accepted it with a grain of salt unbothered by the time he spent with the maiden and how at times his attentions where on her and not him…or flying!
Like now!
Toothless roared in alarm as Hiccup so lost in his musings that he stopped paying attention to where they were flying, to use to the instincts and care of his friend Toothless hadn't been invested in their surroundings either and there was a really big tree heading right for them!
"Arrr!"
With a dramatic thud and a few more screeches of dismay the pair of them crashed to the ground with a distinctive thud and tumbled into the small flakes of snow. Not enough to break their fall but enough to showed them in watery white fluff.
Breaking from the snow drift Toothless searched for his friend. With a sputter and a moan Hiccup sat up amongst the snow and looked Toothless sheepishly in the eye.
"Sorry?" He asked with a grin. For the umpteenth time that week Toothless grumbled.
Love-Sick-Viking!
He grumbled to himself.
Ever since he'd agreed to help Astrid on Hiccup's Birthday, his rider had been utterly distracted, it had caused too many a mishap over the months but honestly he couldn't neglect his friend the happiness.
It was a thrill to find they'd worked things out. Finally.
He might not understand Viking love but he understood a dragon's exasperation over Viking love.
..And now look where that had landed them! On the far side of the island with no back up!
Hiccup got up and dusted off the snow from his clothes and shrugged.
"I'll get the spare." He turned for the bag strapped to Toothless's saddle.
"I forgot to pack the spare." Hiccup groaned as he searched an empty satchel bag for the second tail fitting.
"Sorry, bud looks like we're walking back." Hiccup turned to face towards the camp and sighed.
It was more than a day's walk away!
He was going to miss Snoggletog!
He had the best ever gift for Astrid….okay, so not as good as her's had been to him on his Birthday but he felt sure he'd nailed it. She'd love it surely.
"Come on bud, the sooner we start back the sooner we'll get there…..to have Astrid throw an axe at me for missing Snoggletog." He added with a sarcastic grumble.
Toothless laughed.
/
The sun began to rise and fall as they walked, to pass the time Hiccup found himself remembering Snoggletog's of old.
The best ever had been the year they'd learnt the Dragons migrated south at the same time to hatch their babies.
Toothless on account of his tail hadn't been able to fly so Hiccup had made his best friend a tail he could use all on his own. The next three days hadn't been at all the best ever as Toothless had flown off and Hiccup hadn't know if he'd ever come back, but it turned out Toothless had been searching the whole ocean for his missing helmet that had been lost the day before. After a few misshapes, and unexpected trip to the island where the dragons had their babies, Astrid, of course, unwittingly blowing up the whole of Berk in his absence and one incredible kiss from her when he'd returned – grounded naturally by his father the Chief– Toothless had returned with his helmet.
The next day his best friend gave him something even better! He had dragged out the old tail that needed Hiccup to fly it. His Night Fury friend had smashed his new tail and silently declared he didn't want to fly alone and the two had taken off into the fierce clear blue winter skies.
It had been truly the best Snoggletog ever!
He mused as he kicked a stray pebble with his foot. They'd walked a great way in the hours that had passed but still camp was only to be seen at a seemingly endless distance down below.
"I can tell you what I'll be getting this year for Snoggletog, Bud."
The Night Fury huffed, his paws tired and his head hung low in exhaustion, uncaring to hear his friend's sarcastic remarks.
Toothless lifted his front paw and seemed to limp. As if to say "Is it blistered feet?'
'Aww, okay Bud we'll stop for the night."
Around them the darkness had grown and the beautiful stars and moon began to shine over the countryside. Creating ghostly shadows within the trees and making the snow covered mountains to the north of them seem bigger and scarier and yet still hauntingly magnificent.
On a secure patch of dirt beneath a big tree Hiccup tugged a blanket from the satchel bag and draping it over his shoulders, he sat down.
Toothless hadn't needed any more incentive the moment Hiccup had suggested they rest. The Night Fury had plonked right down where he stood, for-going his usual warming of the ground beneath him and was almost asleep before Hiccup had taken the blanket out.
"I'm sorry bud." He placed a soothing hand to the top of T's head and leant back against the tree. As he did something jabbed into his back, turning around he saw that a hard wooden box had fallen out from the blanket when he'd taken it out of the saddle bag.
It was Astrid's gift.
Cradling the cracked box in his hands, he sighed a deep sigh of relief when he found the dagger inside was undamaged.
He hadn't wanted to let this out of his sight for fear it would be lost, broken or discovered by Astrid.
"You know I could have made a new tail out of this blanket were it not for the connecting rod." He needlessly told Toothless as his friend drifted off to sleep. In an almost reflex motion Toothless lifted his tail and then placed it back down on the ground covering his scaly face.
"Too bad there isn't an Outcast blacksmith shop in sight, hey bud." Hiccup jested recalling the time they'd crashed on Outcast Island and had to break into the blacksmiths shop to fix his tail.
Toothless sleepily grumbled. Clearly too tired to walk down memory lane with his friend.
"Hey, at…at least I've … brought her the perfect gift….to kill me… with,…a new … a new dagger…" Hiccup muttered as sleep slowly stole over him as well. He knelt his head back against the tree and soon fell asleep the small wooden box containing Astrid's long ago asked for dagger. With a shining iron casted handle with painted carvings of wood at the hilt and the blade full length of it made of Gronckle iron.
Only Fishlegs knew of its existence and that was only because he'd been unable to hide it when he'd stole into the section of camp one night that housed the Gronckle iron supply. Fishlegs had been surprised to find him sneaking and had said as much, Hiccup had been forced to say he wasn't hiding from Fishlegs but in fact from Astrid because it was for her.
Fishlegs had seen the hand crafted handle and inscription upon it. He had seen instantly what the dagger meant then bounded up and down on the spot with muffled bouts of glee.
Hiccup had groaned regretfully but had felt sure Fishlegs wouldn't let it slip, after all, they knew that Astrid was the one hard pressed to keep such secrets secret…only once had she been able to and really it hadn't taken her long to let it slip either. Just like with his Birthday.
So Fishlegs had kept a look out and they'd secretly been able to complete the gift.
It hadn't left his side since.
/
"Come on Astrid! Lighten up, your boots are wearing a hole in the floor boards." Snotlout teasingly leered as Astrid passed the Club House floor once more. It was nearly midnight and Hiccup and Toothless had yet to return, they were due hours ago.
Worry wasn't really something in her vocabulary…but…. okay fine! She was worried.
Worried as hell!
"Shut it, Snotlout." She muttered, in no mood to be soothed or smothered as in the case was with Snotlout.
"He's right, Astrid." Heather pitched in from across the table.
"Wow, never thought I hear you say that!" Tuff added needlessly.
Heather shot him a kind but firm smile then turned back to Astrid.
"He'd just like you probably lost track of time, I mean it's in the name Astrid, Night Fury. They…be fine…"
Fishlegs trailed off into a tone that didn't sit well with Astrid, she stopped pacing and turned on him.
"What? Fishlegs! Say it!"
Fishlegs shied back and made a mimicking sound to his dragon Meatlug as the pair embraced.
"Just that I recall saying the same thing to Hiccup when you'd been…lost at sea."
"AUGH!" Astrid turned on her heel and stormed out of the Club House.
"Good one fish-face" Snotlout mumbled his arms folded over his chest.
"Yeah, way to calm the girl down." Ruff quipped.
"Sorry!" Fishlegs exclaimed with both hands raised. "It's true!"
Heather sighed, laid a comforting hand to Fishleg's shoulder then stood.
"I best go talk to her, make sure she doesn't try to go off on her own to find him.'
At the stables that was exactly what Heather found Astrid about to do.
"Whoa! Hold on you can't go out there alone now, I'm sure he's fine Astrid, he'd be with Toothless and they probably just decided to rest for the night, you should probably get some sleep too."
Astrid stopped filling her saddle bag with supplies and sent a leering glare at her friend.
"You don't know that, and any way I'd never get any sleep."
She sighed resigned to the fact Heather was right it was foolish to go out, now at least.
"Astrid, I get it, you're scared and worried, I'd be the same if it was Fishlegs…" Heather trailed off leaving in the cool night air what they all knew to be true.
"No you wouldn't, you'd already be on Windshear and out of here before any of us could stop you."
Heather laughed.
"True."
"I use to be like that." Astrid said with an acute sadness to her voice. She missed her implosive, wild and devil-may-care old ways.
What had she given all that up for anyway? Worry? Fear? That gripped her far greater than any danger on the battle grounds ever could? For long, sleepless nights waiting, not knowing?
Astrid sighed.
Yep…all that and more.
Heather stepped closer to her friend and placed a supportive arm around her shoulder.
"I'll tell you one thing." Astrid mused, almost to herself.
"I'm going to kill him when I do see him. And Toothless."
Heather laughed as the pair walked back to the Club House.
Astrid wasn't fooled, Heather was worried too, all jokes, musings and practicalities aside they were all worried, and that's how those of Dragon's Edge were, all night riddled with worry and in Astrid case, irritated, resenting her helplessness and chewing at the bit to get her hands around the neck of her infuriating one legged Viking!
/
"AR!" Hiccup woke with a start.
Unclear as to what had awoken him he rubbed at his sleepy eyes and realised he couldn't have been asleep for more than a few hours as the moon still floated high in the sky, no sign of dawn on the horizon.
'What th-?"
He sat further up with a panic. He searched all around him and felt his heart grow wilder with every beat.
The dagger was gone!
Just then there came a rustling in the bushes and Hiccup leapt up abruptly, stumbling against the tree when he realised the dagger wasn't the only thing that had mysteriously vanished.
His metal leg was gone too.
Toothless roared disgruntled from sleep then bolted full awake with a start at the stake his friend was in.
No gift box, no leg!
Just then Toothless looked at his tail to find the busted shard remains of his tail were gone and so had his saddle.
"What is going on bud?"
Toothless growled not having a clue!
The rustling grew lauder and the pair of them spun round to face the sound, for sure this was the culprit to their missing items.
Tense moments filled the night air and Toothless stood on guard his teeth bared, hobbling to a rock Hiccup braced himself against the tree and held the large rock as a weapon high above his head.
The rustling grew and just then a small grey rabbit jumped forth from the bushes.
Toothless frowned and stood at ease tilting his head confused. Hiccup dropped the rock and sagged against Toothless's back.
"Well, I don't know about you bud but I don't think this little guy is our suspect."
Thor knows who was!
Hiccup felt devastated and panic stricken, he couldn't see the dagger anywhere nor his leg.
Just then Toothless wondered off a bit gently tugging Hiccup along with him.
"What is it bud?"
A few steps later they saw his metal leg laying on its side in the moonlight. Hiccup bent to pick it up bemused and turned it over in his hands. It seemed to have scratches on it. Though it seemed intact, he put it back on his leg and enjoyed the freedom of being able to stand again.
Now if only they could find Astrid's gift!
/
"Forget it Heather, you can't stop me this time, I tried it your way, Hiccup and Toothless are still missing, I'm going out there." Without a further word she jumped into the saddle on Stormfly's back and was gone.
"Well, she sure told you." Snotlout joked from behind her. Heather didn't need to say a word before Windshear had flicked her tail harmlessly are Snotlout causing him to shriek – remarkably like a girl – and fall down backwards.
"Bravo! Encore!" The twins cheered and gave each other a high five.
Heather didn't pay them any attention. They couldn't let Astrid go out there alone before they knew it they'd all be missing!
She was now left with the impossible task of dictating which of them would stay behind in case either of these love-sick mutton heads returned.
"I mean seriously! She didn't even take a Terrible Terror with her would have been handy to send word back if she found them! But nooo! Smart Astrid had to go off like a rouge …..a rouge …."
"Dragon Rider?" Fishlegs supplied helpfully from beside her.
"Yes, thanks Fishlegs I was looking more for a word to describe, those, reckless, brainless, blurred visioned, mutton heads that can't seem to get their feelings in gear and leave the rest of us with no choice but to go on out in the cold when they go gallivanting off like this!"
Heather snapped unemotionally. Then sighed. The Gang around her was mute, Tuff counted on his fingers then added.
"Actually that's thirteen words, milady."
"Thirty-five, Tuff, and yes, I'm sorry Heather how about you and I go after her while the Twins and Snotlout keep an eye on things here?"
Heather raised an eyebrow at his implied notion they leave Snotlout and the Twins in charge!
"Yes, yes I heard it too, but we have to do something. Besides they can't get into trouble here by themselves."
Tuff nudged his sister.
"They keep forgetting that empty room."
"You two are mutton heads," Snotlout pointed to the Twins then at Heather and Fishlegs. "And so are you two" Snotlout shrugged his shoulders dismissively.
"Second of all I don't know about you but I'm going to bed. Snotlout. Is. Outlout! I'm not wanting to be awake when Oden brings our gifts, need I remind you its Snoggletog Eve?"
They all looked at him and eventually he relented.
"Fine! But you own me a new set of tights, all mine have burn holes in the butt cheeks!"
/
"Come on, bud we best be getting back."
The continued their journey back musing over the creature that had taken Astrid's gift and his leg!
"Thor, almighty that was strange bud." Hiccup exclaimed as they meandered down the side of the slight hill.
It was a great relief to see Dragon's Edge growing nearer and nearer. It had been a long night, and they'd not found Astrid's gift. Which, needless to say, had Hiccup in a foul mood.
Just then the very same kind of rustling from the bushes came again and Hiccup and Toothless froze.
Probably another rabbit.
This time, however the rustling was different, the creature evidently bigger, and greater in numbers?
Lots of rabbits?
Hiccup wondered suddenly apprehensive.
The noise grew even louder and then in a big shadowy blur the creature leapt out of the forestry and pounced right on Hiccup's chest. The force knocked him backwards to the ground with a light thud.
He had a mind to scream in terror, were it not for the three adorable wolf pubs licking his face.
Hiccup's fear melted away into a fit of laughter. Relief flowed through him as the pups scrambled all over him tickling his neck with their slobbery tongues, at least wolf breath wasn't as bad as dragon breath! Hiccup laughed recalling the countless times Toothless had smothered him.
Clambering to his feet he collected the pups and held them out to Toothless to inspect. The Night Fury dragon nuzzled the little creatures and readily accepted the intruders and thieves.
"These must have been the ones to take our things, hey bud. Guess the wood and metal were too much for their little fangs."
Just then the skies opened up and began to rain down on them in harsh pelting droplets that stung the skin and scales.
"Where in the name of Thor did that storm come from?" Hiccup exclaimed sheltered beneath Toothless' wing, cradling the squirming pups in his arms.
"We need to find shelter bud."
Toothless grumbled in agreement and then went about using his plasma blasts to detect through the storm which way to go.
They found a cave shortly after the storm began and huddled down in the warmth of the dark cave. Toothless lit a fire in the centre of the cave with one blast and instantly they knew there were not alone.
A deep growl sounded from behind them, deeper in the cave and though it was weak it was fierce.
Slowly Hiccup turned to see a wounded she-wolf curled up in the deepest groves of the cave her hind-leg bleeding badly.
Hiccup gulped at the dark angry eyes of the wolf and somehow instinctively knew this wolf must have been the one that attacked Snotlout and Tuff months back. There was scratches all over her and her dark grey fury and markings made Hiccup feel oddly certain it was the same wolf. Which would mean she'd likely hold a grudge.
"Hey, girl….sorry to gate crash your cave." The puppies scrambled from within his coat and a few of them poked their heads out to see what all the fuss was about.
The mother wolf instantly relaxed and a smile almost turned her lips. No longer snarling Hiccup could see the beauty in the creature.
Then again when did he not ever see the beauty?
The pups bounded out of his coat and clambered up to their mother nuzzling her snout affectionately.
Digging into his satchel bag Hiccup tore a bit of his blanket apart and slowly made his way to the injured wolf.
She instantly snarled again and he stepped back. Toothless bared his teeth and growled in response.
"Easy bud, she'd just hurt and scared." Toothless stood back with a warning glint in his eyes as he watched Hiccup edge closer to the wolf. The pups were playing around her, play fighting each other and tripping over their mother's tail.
Tentatively Hiccup held out a hand to the nose of the wolf, closed his eyes and turned his head.
Here's hoping this tactic works with wolves as it usually dase with dragons.
The cave seemed deathly quiet as Hiccup's heart started to beat faster. A moment later a stark dry noise bushed the palm of his out stretched hand and then he felt the fur of her snout as she gently grazed her head against his hand in acceptance.
Hiccup turned back to see her close her eyes and all but sigh in pain.
"That's it girl we'll have you fixed up in no time, and then when this storm is over we'll get you all back to the edge, till you're better. You're in no fit state to defend yourself or your babies."
/
Astrid held her arm up to the pelting rain and tried to scour the landscapes around her. It had been hours, she was cold and tired and furious.
A part of her was terrified he was in danger, had fallen of a cliff or been captured again by Dragon Hunters. Or worse!
It all tangled around her heart and squeezed.
But anger was her ally.
She used it like she always did like a shield around her emotions, but the shield could not keep at bay the pelting rain.
"Astrid! We have to go back!"
Heather flew beside her having caught up with her and tired, unsuccessfully. To get her to turn back.
That had been nearly three hours ago, she had to concede she was right this time.
That did nothing to loosen the crushing hold around her heart.
Just before dawn Astrid sat on Hiccup's bed her head in her hands, cold but uncaring for her soaked clothes. Worry was like a furnace and it occupied her whole mind and overrode common sense. Just as it had done when she'd fool-heartily gone out to find them.
"Hiccup!" She harshly called, all her exasperation and fear in the harsh whisper that still seemed to echo off the walls of his hut. Overwhelmed she stood abruptly and knocked a book from his bedside, it tumbled to the floor with a thud and fell open to the page that read it was Hiccup's journal.
Intrigued against her better judgement she bent to pick it up.
Her blurred eyes skimmed the smooth skilful handwriting as she turned the pages. The dates went as far back to the day he'd fought the Red Death. It spoke of his hidden anguish over the loss of his leg and the fact he didn't feel like a whole Viking anymore.
Astrid almost wept at the pain in his words as she continued to flick through the pages. There was an entry to the day she'd been struck down with the scourge of Odin.
He was terrified that he'd loose her and he-
"Astrid! Hiccup and Toothless are back!"
Instantly the journal was forgotten and she slammed it shut and raced down the stairs and out the door, she jumped upon Stormfly and was at the Club House in seconds.
"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third where in Thor's name have you been!?"
Hiccup felt his checks heat with embarrassment and a hint of sheepishness.
"I crashed and didn't have a spare tail for Toothless so we had to walk."
He shrugged and then sighed happily.
"I tell you it's a real long walk when you can't fly!"
"That's it?" Astrid all but shrieked. Her relief over whelming her, as all her emotions do when it came to him, that her anger instinctively retaliated in defence.
"I've been looking for you for nearly two days!" She exclaimed as she jabbed a finger into her shoulder.
"Yeah, she'd been out of her mind." Tuff informed him.
"Yeah, took off in a hail storm to find you." Ruff added. Astrid turned on them and glared.
'It wasn't raining when I left, that storm came out of nowhere!"
Hiccup agreed but felt saddened that he'd made Astrid so worried. Yet it made his heart do funny things within his chest to know she cared so much.
"Come on Astrid, it's no big deal, we're fine-" Just as the words left his mouth the air hissed with the sound of her axe being hulled passed his head and ending up imbedded in the pole of the Club House behind him.
"Wow," The gang exclaimed as Astrid heaved in and out deep angry breaths.
"Look, Astrid, I'm really sorry I wanted to be here for Snoggletog, I really did. I-"
Then his top made a sleepy growl.
"What is that?" She exclaimed as the soft whimpering growl seemed to be coming from Hiccups shirt behind his winter coat.
"That is your Snoggletog gift."
He replied with a smile. The Twins share a sniggering grin and Hiccup sent them a fierce scowl.
Otherwise ignoring the Twins suggestive antics he reached inside his coat for the three puppies.
Astrid instantly lost all her aggravation and smiled softly as she took a pup from him, Heather did the same, each taking a pup and cooing affectionately over them.
Hiccup had to admit they were really cute, the pups weren't bad either.
Astrid turned to face Heather and playfully moved the pup's paw to swat at the other in Heather's arms.
Hiccup grinned, sure he'd been forgiven. Hey, hadn't he been right about her throwing an axe at him?
The gang sufficiently distracted, Hiccup stepped up behind Astrid and placed his arm around her and hugged her close, whispered softly by her ear.
"I have another gift for you but it kind of lost its box."
With his other free hand he held out in front of her the inscribed dagger and kissed her cheek. Relieved, didn't begin to describe how profound his season of ease had been when he'd discovered the dagger as a chew toy in the cave. Not too badly damaged...except for the box, that had been destroyed.
Astrid gasped as she hugged the pup with one hand and accepted the gift with the other.
"Hiccup!" She breathlessly cried unaware the rest of the gang had left them alone on the Club House ledge. Misty eyed she read the inscription and noted the fine Gronckle iron blade.
"For my courageous warrior. Love Hiccup H.H the third."
"Though to be far it ought to say 'worrier'" He teased only to receive a thump in the chest before she turned in his arms and dragged him close.
"I love it!"
Hiccup laughed. "I'm glad to hear it."
The pups in their arms squirmed playfully but they took no notice as the pair embraced lovingly, the dawn light breaking across the skies.
It was Snoggletog morning, Hiccup was home, and suddenly Astrid's anger was, completely, utterly, gone.
END
Eliana Robinson
31/12/16
CREATION DATE –15/9/16
PUBLISH DATE – 5/1/17
RE-EDITED DATE – 12/1/17
RE-EDITED 2 DATE – 24/12/17
Wild Snoggletog Disclaimer
WILD SNOGGLETOG - is a Fanfiction of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON I do not own the characters or original plotline.
PLOTLINE: It's Christmas at the Edge and Hiccup and Toothless are missing.
Having lost his tail T and Hiccup start the long walk back to the Edge but there are untold dangers in the bushlands of the island. Finding themselves hunted by an unknown creature, a creature back for revenge. Though surely the master trainer of all Dragons can tame a ….wolf?
Can Hiccup and Toothless find their way back home before Snoggletog Morning and what gift can the Viking bring forth his Beloved?
Perhaps the Edge is about to be overrun with Pets!
This story is NOTfor official publication or profit.
WILD SNOGGLETOG is a short tale in an unofficially link series between all my HTTYD fanfics and is purely meant as entertainment.
CREATION DATE –15/9/16
PUBLISH DATE – 5/1/17
RE-EDITED 2 DATE – 24/12/17
Part of the "Dragon Adventures" Series By Eliana Robinson
HAPPY SNOGGLETOG!