The Cove and the Night Fury

Outside the Berk Dragon Training Arena...

Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruff, Tuff, and Snotlout were now a week into their Dragon Training. It began as one might expect – Astrid was focused and determined. The others – Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruff and Tuff – were doing their best – achieving... 'Varying' levels of success. Hiccup seemed to be doing all he could just to stay alive –– At least... at first.

Then something changed. Out of nowhere, Hiccup started appearing in the right place – at the right time. To top it off, as soon as Dragon Training finished, he'd disappear into the woods. Most of the villagers didn't seem to notice – or care, but it was making Astrid suspicious. –– The Zippleback, the Gronkle, and the Terrible Terror... No, something else was going on. Astrid tried to puzzle out what was going on, but... no luck. Finally – after almost a week, she'd had enough. She wanted answers.

The six of them were crossing the stone bridge, leading away from the Dragon Arena. Hiccup was walking ahead, and the other four were trailing after him – looking for tips. Hiccup said something about 'needing to go back to the arena for his axe.' Astrid knew he was trying to sneak away again, so she moved forward, and pushed Hiccup against one wall of the bridge – as he tried to move past her, "Ok – out with it."

"Out with what?" asked Hiccup – feigning ignorance.

"Nobody just 'gets' that good at dragon fighting – especially you. So... What? – Are you training with someone?" Astrid wanted answers, and she wanted them now. The rest of the group turned to Hiccup – surprise turning into interest in an instant.

"Uh... Wha – What... training? No, no." Hiccup seemed... on edge, now.

"Then...?" Astrid pressed – she was close now, she knew.

"I don't have to say anything," Hiccup wasn't backing down. "Besides, you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Then show us," Astrid insisted.

Hiccup looked around at the others, then back to Astrid. He sighed, and said, "Fine – I just need to get a few things." He started to walk back towards the village – and the rest of them followed eagerly.

Half an hour later...

Hiccup's first stop was the village docks – where he filled a basket of fish. At Astrid's insistence, Hiccup gave the basket for Snotlout to carry – it they didn't get 'there', neither would the fish. Hiccup rolled his eyes, but he didn't argue.

Then they stopped at Hiccup's house – where Hiccup retrieved a cloth- and- metal bundle. When asked, he said only that it was "a project I've been working on." Unlike the fish, he insisted on carrying it himself – so that it wouldn't get damaged.

Turning to the rest of the Viking teens, Hiccup said, "We've got a bit of a walk ahead, so – if anyone's hungry, now's the time." Everyone was 'good', so Hiccup lead the way into the woods.

About an hour later...

Hiccup next stopped at the top of a shallow slope – a place that Astrid recognized. This was where she'd been practicing her axe- throwing, and where she'd seen Hiccup – briefly, the previous afternoon. Turning back to face Astrid and the others, Hiccup said, "We leave our weapons here – or this is as far as we go." As he spoke, he placed his dagger on the rock next to him.

This was followed by a brief staring- contest between Hiccup and Astrid, which ended when Astrid set her axe and shield down on a near- by rock, and nodded to the others. Somewhat reluctantly, the others followed suit. Hiccup nodded in approval, than lead the way down a path – a path that would have been invisible unless you knew where to look. After about fifteen minutes, they found the way ahead blocked by two boulders – with just enough space between for them all to slip through, one at a time.

Hiccup was about to go through, when Fishlegs spoke up. "Uh – Hiccup... Just who is your friend? And how does he know much about dragons?"

Hiccup paused, and grinned, "If you want to learn about the Outcasts – find an outcast. If you want to learn about Vikings – find a Viking." With that, Hiccup slipped between the boulders, and vanished from sight.

Without bothering to consider what Hiccup had said, Astrid said, "He's trying to give us the slip! Come on!" Astrid slid through the gap – shortly followed by the others.

They found Hiccup waiting for them – at the edge of a large, sheltered cove. As soon as the five of them had had a chance to take- in their surroundings, Astrid rounded on Hiccup. "Start talking."

Hiccup seemed entirely at ease. "I'm guessing you all remember my story about shooting down a Night Fury, last week?" Snotlout sniggered – along with Ruff and Tuff, but Astrid only nodded curtly. Hiccup continued, "I spent most of the next few days trying to find where it had landed. Finally, I found this clearing – and the Night Fury."

Hiccup pointed to a mound of dirt that looked like something big had slammed into it – plowing a trench into the earth until it had come to a full stop. Astrid stared at the trench, then she spotted the remains of the net Hiccup had launched...

"It got out!" Astrid began to back up towards the gap they'd come through.

"I let it out," Hiccup corrected. "I was going to kill it, but... when I saw it, it looked as scared as I felt. It... It's a long story..."

There was a sudden sound, as something shifted, and an instant later – a jet black dragon leapt from a ledge in the cliff beside them! The next thing Hiccup knew, he was flat on his back – and the dragon was licking his face. "Ok, ok! It's good to see you, too – now let me up, will you? We've got guests."

Extricating himself from under the Night Fury, Hiccup set his 'project' down and retrieved the basket of fish from Snotlout. As soon as Hiccup had upended the basket and backed away, the dragon leapt on the fish with such enthusiasm – Hiccup's explanation was almost unneeded, "Apparently, dragons only eat fish. –– And don't ask me what they do with the animals they take – I've got no idea."

Surprisingly, Fishlegs was next to speak, "Is that... really a Night Fury?"

As they watched, one of the fish started to move oddly – as though trying to make a very late escape- attempt. A second later, a Terrible Terror – one of the smallest species of dragon – appeared from the pile. Before it could escape with its prize, the Night Fury snatched the fish out of its jaws and swallowed it – before making a sound that... seemed to be laughter.

"Yes," said Hiccup – answering Fishlegs's question. "Meet the 'Unholy offspring of lightening and death, itself.'" The dragon shot him a look, and Hiccup said, "Hey – I'm just repeating what's in the Book of Dragons. We... don't know much about you – obviously."

The Terror stalked toward the larger dragon, growling angrily – before breathing out the gas that it would then ignite to breathe fire. Before it could, the Night Fury casually raised its head – and shot a short burst that ignited the gas, and propelled it back into its owner. The Terror seemed to triple in size – than landed with a defeated 'thump', a short distance away. Grinning, Hiccup picked up a smaller fish, and tossed it to the Terror – "Not so fireproof on the inside, are you?" –– The smaller dragon wolfed down the fish, then walked over to Hiccup, who'd sat down next to the black dragon.

Snotlout spoke next, "I want a dragon!" Ruff and Tuff agreed – which in itself was a rare occurrence.

Astrid remained in a stunned silence. She'd gotten her answers, but she had been completely unprepared for what they were – and what they meant. She looked over at Hiccup, and... something in the way she saw him – as a person – seemed to... shift. When she finally did speak, Astrid said, "We were wrong about them – the dragons – aren't we?"

Hiccup grinned, "You have no idea." Hiccup picked up his mystery- project, and said, "Hey, Toothless – you want to show them our little project?" The dragon leapt to his feet, swinging his tail around to where Hiccup stood – and allowing the young Viking to begin working with buckles and straps.

"What did you call him?" Astrid was sure Hiccup had said 'Toothless' – but this dragon obviously had teeth.

"Toothless," Hiccup repeated – finishing with the tail, and now buckling on a saddle – complete with lines connecting to the prosthetic tail. "Night Furies can retract their teeth – like he'd done when I first saw him. The name sort of... stuck, after that."

A minute later, Hiccup swung into the saddle – and dragon and rider shot into the sky.

The remaining five Vikings watched from the ground – while Hiccup and Toothless tested out the new saddle design. Before long, though, they returned to the ground – though the dragon didn't seem to be overly pleased with their return to solid ground.

"I can't wait to do that with my own dragon!" Snotlout was ecstatic. Everyone else – Astrid included – had really warmed to the idea of having a dragon of their own.

"We have to be careful," Hiccup cautioned. "The rest of Berk still thinks of dragons as our enemies – and it may be hard to convince them otherwise. Maybe we could..." He trailed off, thinking.

"Well? Could what?" Snotlout demanded.

"It's risky," warned Hiccup. "But... maybe we could try to train the dragons that are kept locked- up in the arena. We've got five there... if Ruff and Tuff shared the Zippleback – one head each..."

Astrid looked both eager, and worried. "We wouldn't be able to keep that secret forever..."

"We wouldn't have to – just long enough to train them." Hiccup assured them. "Then we can show the others how we can coexist – but we have to be careful."

"Couldn't we just bust them out? – Make it look like they escaped, and keep them here?" Snotlout suggested.

"I like Snotlout's plan!" Ruff chimed in.

"Yeah! We could blow stuff up!" Tuff agreed.

Hiccup shook his head, "Gods, am I talking to myself, here? We need to be careful!"

It took some time, but eventually Hiccup was able to make the others swear not to so much as speak to anyone else about their pending plans for the dragons unless they were all together in that cove. As he left, Hiccup prayed that he hadn't just made a huge mistake my telling his friends about his secret.

To be continued...