Darkness. Ash. Quiet.
That's what Stoick saw and heard seconds after the great dragon fell. Moments before he had seen his son on his dragon with the monstrous beast tailing after him, not quite quick enough to catch him.
Now he saw nothing.
He ran, yelling for Hiccup. Nothing but echoes and the sound of his own footsteps.
There, the dragon! Lying on his side, exhausted but alive and breathing deeply.
"Hiccup!"
He moved closer and noticed that Hiccup was not there. Fear took hold of him.
He looked closely at the dragon and noticed that his artificial tail and other things were not there. Burned off during his fight.
Stoick started breathing deeply.
He knelt down and just looked at the dragon.
"Oh, son… I did this."
At his words, the dragon lifted his head and blinked a few times; narrowing his eyes slightly at the sight of Stoick.
Still breathing deeply, Stoick said "I'm so- I'm so sorry." Unsure if he was talking to the dragon or to his son, who was surely dead.
The dragon watched him a moment, eyes widening. And started to unfold his wings.
"Hiccup!" There was Hiccup being held tightly by his friend.
Stoick rushed forward and grabbed him and started checking him trying to see if he was alive, finally chucking off his helmet and listened for a heartbeat.
"He's alive! You brought him back alive!" Excited cheers erupted from behind him.
He gazed into his son's face and felt a powerful feeling of emotion explode in him and gratitude for the dragon that saved him.
He gently touched the dragon who rumbled and kind of moved his head upward in a way that suggested he was feeling the same thing. Happiness.
"Thank you for saving my son." Stoick told him.
Gobber moved up beside him. "Well, you know, most of him."