My hands rubbed over the taught skin of my belly. It was still flat as a board right now but I knew that soon I would be forced to become a dragon and remain that way for aproximately seven months to let my child grow within me. I closed my eyes. I knew Toothless was happy to be mated to me and have a proud claim on me so other males could only dream but we hadn't even discussed children. I looked out the window where Toothless was helping Hiccup carry a chunk of iron to the smithy.

He was strong and handsome as far as males go. His black hair danced in front of his face while his pircing lime green eyes shifted from dragon to human with the strain of his load. He was muscular but not overly so as most of the citizens of Berk (not including Hiccup) were. He walked with a minor limp but it couldn't be helped after all half of his tail fin had been ripped off.

The sweat glistened on his brow as the boys set the chunk of iron on the table under the awning at the smithy. Gobber walked by picking up the iron as if it weighed little more than a few Terrors. They looked at him then at each other and laughed before turning and walking off to the cliff. I knew they were going to go flying. It was among the only times they could spend together and they relished every second of it. I didn't mind. I knew what it was like to be free and feel as though you and your rider were the only thing in the world. Kilan and I had felt it all the time and Astrid and I would often feel it now.

His body transformed to the slick black Night Fury and he and Hiccup took to the sky. I smiled watching him flying as high as the clouds. I touched my stomach and smiled. I didn't know how to tell him or when to tell him but I knew that I would tell them. I had to. I closed my eyes again and laid back on my bed. The furs tickled my skin. I remembered how they had felt on my nude body as I was being mated the first time. I knew that this is where our little baby would sleep with us the first few months and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would keep this hatchling. I rolled over and heard a knock at the door. Astrid. I stood and made my way down to the first level of the house.

"Come on in," I called. The door opened and the blond Viking girl walked in. "Hey, Astrid. What's up?"

"Not much. Just wondering if you were gonna go flying with the boys today."

"I get the hint," I joked rolling my eyes. "I'm ready when you are." We ran outside the Deep Magic turning me as we ran.

X

That night Toothless and I were sitting in our house snacking on some fresh fish (raw of course) and talking about nothing in particular. Suddenly Toothless's hand lighted on mine.

"Anju, is something wrong? You've seemed sorta out of it all day and you have hardly touched your fish." It was true. Only one bite was missing out of the side of the fish. I looked down. I felt his caloused, yet gentle hand under my chin, lifting it to his own gaze.

"Anju," he breathed, making my will melt.

"How do you feel about children?" I asked, trying hard not to let my voice crack.

"Kids? I love 'em. They are so cute, a little rambunctious but still sweet and inocent. Why?"

"Because in seven months...a little hatchling will be running around the house," I said, holding my breath. A look of shock drifted over Toothless's face. Dread welled in my stomach.

"Anju, are you sure?"

"I am."

Suddenly a great pair of arms wrapped me in a lung crushing hug. The Night Furry let out an excited gasp.

"Oh, Anju! I am so happy. I'm gonna be a father!" he whooped. I smiled and placed a hand over my abs. His hand soon followed. "A little baby is just what we need to seal our mating. I think it is perfect." He pulled my lips into his for a passionate kiss. He gently broke away looking into my eyes.

"Were you scared?" he asked, tracing the now evident tear trails from my face. I nodded.

"Of what?"

"That you wouldn't want the child. That you would hate me for it." He pressed his forehead to mine.

"Anju, your crazy if you think I wouldn't want our child. Why would I not when I chose you to be my mate? Isn't that one of the reasons of mating is to bring a child into the world?" He kissed my nose.

"Relax, Anju. We will have a beautiful little baby and together be a great and joyous family," he said, burrying his nose into my hair. Before setting me back on the bench and thrusting my fish and the rest of his in my hands.

"Here. You're eating for two you need all the nurishment you can get." I smiled and rolled my eyes before throwing his fish at him. He laughed before picking me up and swirling me around.

"I love you, Anju," he said.

"I love you, Toothless," came my reply.

"When are we gonna tell the others?" I laughed and pushed away.

"Way to ruin the moment," I snickered.

X

We told the rest of Berk the next day. We got congradulated and everyone drank and was joyous. Hiccup and Toothless went and talked about God know's what while Astrid took up my time talking about the changes that would have to be made. I just smiled and nodded as she described Human changes. There is a huge difference between a human and a dragon baby. A dragon doesn't turn human until they learn Deep Magic which is usually in their teen years. The baby would hatch inside me and then be birthed as a dragonette or hatchling.

But they didn't know that and I was the first female to get pregnant on Berk out of the dragon class so I let them think what they would. That night when we got home Toothless gave me the "pregnant rule list."

1. no reckless flying

2. no heavy lifting

3. no fighting

4. nothing he though was romotely dangerous to me or the baby.

I rolled my eyes. He was already acting like a doting father-to-be. He made me snicker at him whenever we passed a dragon or sometimes even a human who got to close to me and he growled possessively at them. He'd never growl at Hiccup or Astrid though. He'd even let them touch the slight buldge that was my belly when it started to grow.

Then one day it happened...just as I knew it would. About a month after I realized I was pregnant I woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat and shaking.

"Anju?" Toothless said, groggy from just waking up. I jumped up and started to run outside as fast as I could. Toothless wasn't far behind.

"ANJU!" he called. I slid to a stop outside finally letting the flames dance accross my skin and turn me into a dragon. I sighed and collapsed onto the ground. Toothless's hand rested on my heaving side. "It is time to stay a dragon isn't it?" he asked. I nodded. He leaned forward pressing his human lips to my dragon ones.

"I'll stay with you," he said, turning dragon, too. He nestled down by my exhausted body and covered me with a wing just as he did the first night I knew him, to keep me calm, warm, and comforted. I snuggled as close to the Night Furry body as I could and let out a soft pur of clam bliss before drifting off to sleep again.

X

It went like that for the next six months. The more I began to show the more possessive Toothless got. And no one wants to argue with a two ton dragon daddy-to-be. One day we were walking to the fish feeders that were set out for dragons who prefered their natural form (and those of us who were prego) when I felt the first shock of pain running down my spine. I ignored the first couple as the little hatchling (they hatch along the third month) liked to kick and stretch. I knew that it was due any day now but it didn't quite register that it was ready to be born...until I fell to the ground as the contractions worsened.

"Anju!" Toothless roared, immeadeatly jumping to my side. "What's wrong?"

"The baby's coming!" I hissed. He looked around and got Fireworm's attention. The Nightmare transformed and helped him pull me into the shelter. I was gasping for breath now as the little baby was fightning to get to the light. To get out of her mother's womb. Fireworm returned to her human form and was joined by several other females who, by instinct, knew what they were doing.

"It's crowning!" I heard.

"No shit!" I roared, hissing in pain. Toothless cooed in sympathy and lowared his head to rest on my claw. I groaned before another contrction made me roar in dreadful pain.

"Easy, Anju. It's coming. Come on girl. One, two, three, PUSH!" I pushed with all my might. I felt someone pulling on the baby now that it's head was free. After about another three hours of that torture I felt relief.

"It's a girl!" Fireworm said, I turned to the little hatchling. She was a pitch black Night Furry...just like her father. I licked the afterbirth from her and nuzzled her close to my side. Toothless shifted to human form and curled by my side pulling the little baby into his lap. Big blue eyes blinked open at us.

"Purrrrr," she gurrgled, making Toothless beam with pride. I looked at him and changed, too.

"She has your eyes," I heard, Toothless say rocking her back and forth.

"But she looks like you." I said stroking her black head. I smiled when she nuzzled into my touch.

"What should her name be?"

"Well she, like her father, is the color of the midnight sky. How 'bout Midnight?"

"I like Rose," he said.

"Hmmm," we thought and at the same time said, "Midnight Rose!" Little Midnight Rose cooed at that tossing her little paws around. Toothless set her down and she lay there looking up at us pleadingly.

"You have to learn to stand," I said sitting on my knees. It was a bit harsh by human standards but dragons learned to walk very soon after they were born. The little girl stood on wobbly legs and started to shift her wings trying to figure out what to do with them before taking unsteady steps toward me. She fell once and Toothless and I both jumped up to help her. She looked up at us with those big blue eyes and we knew that no matter what we would pobobly never be able to say no to her.

Toothless picked her up and started cuddling her before looking at me.

"Come on, Anju. Let's go home," he said. We stepped into the sunlight out of the barn and was greeted with 'aws' and 'congradulation' mixed with a cheer of pride. Astrid and Hiccup stroked her head until she let out a pur of satisfaction and began to fade into sleep. They smiled at us. I closed my eyes and leaned into his grasp. His warm breath tickled my neck. I looked into his eyes.

"We did it, Anju," he whispered, "We have a hatchling."

"I just hope we can be a truly good parents." He lifted my chin, his lips to mine.

"We will," he whispered, before pulling my lips close and he smiled. "I promise we will."