This is Berk. Normally it would seem hopeless and freezing, but today was actually a pleasant day. The weather was unusually warm and the cooks in the great hall actually didn't accidently put rocks in the soup for once. Little Astrid Hofferson ran towards the woods with her braids bobbing. Odin knows how her mother tried to keep the hair from sticking out, but to no avail. Those blonde braids stayed put. Astrid dodged the villagers with their laundry, bread and chickens, yes chickens, while they shouted remarks such as "Slow down!" "Don't run with that axe!" and "Herald, stop holding the chicken that way!" Astrid didn't bother to call back an apology, or even listen , she didn't want to be late meeting her best friend.
Astrid was a blonde, icy blue eyed, pretty girl at the young age of four and was pretty intelligent for her age. She was also a slight bit smaller than the other Viking girls usually were at her age, but nobody really minded. This gave her the advantage of agility and anyone who got on Astrid`s bad side knew she was stronger than she looked. She loved nothing more than fighting, and had always wanted an axe and was hoping to get one for her 5th birthday. Her parents were planning on getting her one, for she had the spark of a warrior in her eyes. She could take kids two years older than her down without as much as breaking a sweat. That's what Vikings call gifted.
Astrid ran to the clearing in the woods where she found her best friend waiting, sketching a flower that was in front of him. She cleared her throat and the boy jumped up and turned around. "Hi Hic." She said The boy relaxed and his eyes lit up. "Hey Astrid!" He exclaimed. Hiccup was very un-vikinglike boy. He was thin and small and not very strong. He also had something those Vikings didn't, intelligence. The boy was four and was already reading and writing. He used words most Vikings wouldn't even try to spell, let alone understand. His auburn hair hung over his forest green eyes, which took in everything in sight. He probably knew everyone better than they knew themselves. Unfortunately, none of these traits really helped as far as Viking-ness went.
The two Vikings began to chatter excitedly. It was about random things, The new limb Gobber lost, the prank the Thorson twins played on Astrid`s father earlier that week, the usual. As they talked, they walked deeper into the woods, dodging tree roots and fallen logs. They never worried about getting lost, Hiccup knew the woods like the back of his hand.
"You're crazy, a Skrill would totally win. It shoots out lightning! They're basically Thor dragons!" Astrid exclaimed. "Yes, but a Night Fury is lightning fast, the master of stealth, and never misses. Not to mention, they're smaller, so they're more agile. Like you and me." Hiccup countered calmly. "Well I …" Astrid began but was cut off by a rustling noise in the foliage.
"What was that?" Hiccup asked, his voice shaky.
"I don't know, but I wanna find out!" Astrid replied with a gleam in her eye and took off running in the direction of the rustling.
"Astrid!" Hiccup yelled. He contemplated following her. He grimaced, shook head and took off running… in her direction.
When Hiccup finally caught up to Astrid, he was out of breath. "Well," He panted, "What made the sound?"
"I'm not sure." She responded. "It could have left."
All of the sudden, the adventurous duo heard rustling behind them. They both turned around and Astrid grabbed a fairly large stick for protection. Hiccup tried to do the same, but only managed to grab a thin twig.
There was silence. No movement. Neither Viking dared to breath. Then, without warning, a small patch of green scales popped up from behind the foliage, and shot a small fireball towards the two.
In all their Viking glory, the pair promptly dropped their "weapons", screamed, and ran in the direction of the village.
Later, the two would tell their parents, and the other Viking children, of their sighting of a dragon, and how they managed to avoid being burnt to a crisp. Adults who overheard the story more than once would swear the dragon got bigger every time the story was told.