Hiccup and Toothless actually find other Night Furies. They can't believe it! However, Night Furies are quick to strike and slow to trust. Undaunted, they move on to train some Vikings to ride dragons. It turns out they're no better.
This story takes place a couple years after the HTTYD movie, following the events of my story, "Dragon Whisperer", but this can still be read as an independent work. I aim to keep the content pretty clean with occasional depictions of mild violence and no swearing. Well, Camicazi may swear once or twice but never in the presence of her mother; it only took one welt to learn that lesson.
Obligatory Disclaimer:
If you're some copyright lawyer looking for someone to bust, keep looking. I am totally gonna say that I don't own the HTTYD characters or elements. I dunno if this really is necessary, but I wrote it because everyone else does, too. Yes, bandwagon. Now, if you are a lawyer, then Barf and Belch are still arguing about which one owns me, so you can help them settle that dispute. I'm impartial because one of them stinks real bad and the other keeps shocking me.
Are you still reading this? Gods, who doesn't skip past these author notes?
The Dragon that Could
Cold, hard stone scraped against sturdy, sharp claws. A solitary dragon shuffled along the rocky beach. He craned his broad, stout neck around to see spikes on his tail drawing wavy lines in the thin layer of frost. Up ahead, only a few wingspans away, a two-legged form stood with his back turned in front of a tree that marked the threshold of a small, thin forest. This island was not very large, but it still had plenty of life to enjoy, to hunt, to eat. That was not why the dragon and his companion were here, though.
No, he was not just a companion. He was a friend.
A leader.
A rider.
Stalwart the Vast, his fellow land-striders called him. Well, the dragon came up with the "Stalwart" part. Stalwart had some other land-strider name that made no sense, but the dragon decided this name fit his personality. In everything he did, Stalwart gave every breath and motion a level of dedication that can only inspire others. He was a leader for his people, working tirelessly to organize their efforts and provide aid to those in need.
Not too long ago, Stalwart was one of those land-striders fighting for his life to protect his nest against the dragon raids. That was back when the dragons were all caught up in the mind snare of the demonic queen. She used them to feed her gluttonous mass, but the fish in the sea weren't good enough for her. She made them raid the land-strider nests because it amused her. It was fun to watch the dragons fight and bleed and die.
The dragons were only happy to please their queen. They loved her. They adored and revered her. They would die for her.
That is, until she was consumed in an explosive, blazing ball of hatred and arrogance.
When the dragons woke from the trance of the demon queen, they all had the same response to suddenly remembering a lifetime of humiliating servitude to such an evil creature. They fled. They fought. They grieved. They vented their anger and frustration.
Some of those newly-freed dragons drowned their grief and sorrows in the sea. Others flew wherever the wind would take them. The rest flocked back to the nest of the land-striders who took part in killing the demonic queen. It soon became apparent that while some dragons enjoyed having a rider, the sheer mass of so many hundreds of dragons could not instantly coexist with the land-striders, so those who had no rider ended up nesting on nearby islands.
One dragon in particular did something no other dragon had ever accomplished. Stalwart was very good at killing dragon's when he was at war with them, but he never felt comfortable at peace among them. It was this dragon who gave this land-strider his first flight and took him as a rider. Stalwart had to fight his reflex to brandish his shiny claw at the sight of scales, but he was getting better.
At the moment, said rider was standing only a wingspan away, in front of a tree, marking his territory. The dragon suddenly realized he was staring and flicked his head away with a casual snort. Land-striders were typically very squeamish about being seen doing things like this, probably because they make themselves more vulnerable at such times. Still, the dragon had to admire the forward-thinking of his clever rider to spread his scent before they took to the sky again.
{Good thinking, Stalwart! This will help us find our way back to our nest once we get what we came out here for.}
Of course, Stalwart couldn't hear what his dragon was saying, but that didn't matter. Projecting one's thoughts can help ensure that the body language communicates.
It was a well-known fact that land-striders have always been deaf to dragons. In theory, countless generations ago, they could all hear thought projections, but forgot how as they learned to think worth their lips and project thoughts on animal hide. Though they could learn to hear, it took time and concentrated effort to condition their minds to hear dragons. Very few actually have and Stalwart was not one of them.
Stalwart finished marking his territory and turned around, moving his lips to make those guttural, sing-song noises these land-striders use to communicate. What significance the fluctuations and nuances those sounds had went over the dragon's head. However, these creatures use this to focus the projections of their thoughts. Though they are deaf to dragons, it is only when they think with their lips that they actually project. It's all muddy and blurry most times compared to what a dragon projects, but with some help from his offspring, Stalwart has learned to focus and better define his projections when he speaks.
Even though Stalwart was not among the few land-striders who could receive projected thoughts, the dragon could pick up amusement from him as he projected this message: {Trust me, Skullcrusher, your back is no territory you want me to mark.}
The thoughts were stretched out and fragmented, but still there. Even with his improvements, Stalwart, along with all other land-striders, think in such strange ways. Dragons communicate with very discreet, defined, and obvious thoughts. Hearing a projected thought from another dragon was like getting hit by a rock. There is no doubt what it is that hit you and it is clearly defined.
On the other wing, when land-striders project thoughts, it's almost like getting splashed with water. The thoughts flow and stretch and divide. Yet, with their strange minds, they can take those scattered droplets of thought and, instead of gathering them together, take them and make them grow. Each little thought can be absorbed, enhanced, embellished, improved, and modified. It is a strange talent that these strange creatures have. Though dragons don't have such an amusing talent, Skullcrusher has learned to garner the gist of what a land-strider is saying.
Skullcrusher gave a snort as he extended a wing out toward the sea and flicked the tip indicatively. Stalwart knew they needed to go. For two days, they have been tracking a very special pair. They were the ones who freed Skullcrusher and the other dragons from the snare of the demonic queen. Skullcrusher knew that the black dragon, Toothless, could take care of himself. It was his rider, which the dragon had named Firefly, that was the main concern. Firefly had earned his name as one who mystifies and seemingly enchants dragons. He has earned the respect of all the dragons in his nest a thousand times over by helping Toothless destroy the demonic queen, but he always had this habit of doing silly things that put himself and his dragon at great risk.
{Skullcrusher, are they close? Can you smell them? Or sense them or whatever you dragons do?}
Skullcrusher made eye contact with his rider and nodded - a gesture he quickly learned to communicate with land-striders. Toothless and Firefly were here not too long ago. Their scent was strong. Skullcrusher could almost feel the mental hum of Toothless out there, somewhere. He could hear projected thoughts from farther away than most other dragons, but he couldn't even come close to comparing to Toothless, who had all those sensor lobes around the back of his head that amplified his range.
Stalwart jumped up onto the dragon's back and the two set off into the sky to find their charge. As they flew along, clear skies gave way to dark clouds that seemed to absorb the light of the moon. The icy mists soon made the rider uncomfortable, even under all his layers of hide and fur. Skullcrusher, though, enjoyed the deep breaths of freezing air through his large nostrils. The scent was becoming stronger. He could feel the mental hum of Toothless more clearly with each beat of the wings.
The deafening crack of thunder sounded from somewhere ahead. Skullcrusher flicked his head to the side to glance up at his rider, whose emotional hum and forward lean was all the dragon needed. Now was not the time for uncertainty. They couldn't turn back. Not now.
We're so close!
A flash of blue-white light assaulted their eyes, even through the clouds beneath them, and a loud crack followed almost immediately afterward. Stalwart leaned forward and the two dove down through the black clouds and into the dark air beneath.
Toothless was down there. His thought projections were strong. Even Firefly's weaker hum could be heard as well. They were scared, frightened, and angry, all at once. They were definitely fighting for their lives.
As he dove a little lower, Skullcrusher could see what was attacking them. It would have been almost invisible in the dark were it not for tiny arcs of lightning zapping between the spines along its back and tail. From nose to tail and wingtip to wingtip, it was very similar in size and proportions to Toothless with the exception that it had no forelegs. Skullcrusher had seen such dragons before, way back in the demonic queen's nest, before Toothless was ensnared and joined them. Lightning dragons were never more than purple-scaled sacks of hatred and contempt. This must be what was channeling all this lightning.
Skullcrusher veered off toward the lightning dragon, maintaining his altitude above. Stalwart voiced his agreement as he leaned into the turn. They had the element of surprise. It - no, the tone of the dragon's projected hum had a feminine quality to it - would not even know what hit her. Skullcrusher tried to silence his own thought projections so he wouldn't give away his advantage.
As he folded his wings to dive at the enemy, his rider mumbled something, projecting, {I wonder how many steps lead up to the Great Hall?}
Skullcrusher glanced back at his rider. Stalwart, you devious warrior!
It was at times like this that the land-strider really amazed Skullcrusher. The biped on his back could not hear the projected thoughts of a dragon if his life depended on it, but his insight into a situation and his perception of those around him sometimes make it seem like he could pull the thoughts right out of a creature's mind. Focusing on such a meaningless problem would keep his mind so busy his projections would be almost non-existent.
Skullcrusher focused on his memories of walking around and on those steps, trying to recall how many there were. It was a lot, to be sure. Some land-striders would be tired out just by walking up the steps. They often ran up and down to condition their bodies. It wasn't as many as the trees in the forest, but more than the number of dragons on the island for sure. Maybe it was less than the number of land-striders on the island, but not by much.
The enemy craned her neck around to screech at Skullcrusher just before impact, but it was too late. Skullcrusher could feel the carapace plates on his underside shift as they absorbed the shock of the impact. Trapped within the grasp of his claws, the enemy could do nothing to avoid her fate. She roared in anger, but with her wings pinned in tight, there was only one direction to go.
Wind whistled past them as they plummeted toward the ground. Skullcrusher kept the tips of his wings extended ever-so-slightly to control his descent against the thrashing of the enemy held in her scaly cage. He wanted to be sure she would land beneath him and his rider would stay above and not the other way around. Stalwart was tough, but still only a land-strider.
Just before slamming into the stony ground, Skullcrusher extended his wings to reduce the impact, mainly out of consideration for his rider. Fortunately, Stalwart knew to lean back. It had taken only one hard landing when he was leaning forward to learn a very important lesson. How these land-striders ended up with such a major design flaw that left their most sensitive organs exposed to the cold were it not for their animal coverings, that would always be one of life's great mysteries. They were even placed in a most inconvenient spot for creatures that rely solely on their legs to move about. It was especially inconvenient for dragon riders.
A cloud of snow billowed up on impact. Stalwart slid off the dragon's side and landed in a crouch with his large shiny claw pulled out and ready for action. Both rider and dragon were unsure of what to do, though. Toothless and Firefly were nearby, but they seemed to be hurt. There were a couple other black dragons of the same species as Toothless. One of them appeared to be dead.
Skullcrusher's attention was jolted back to his enemy as a jolt of lightning arced through him. It was weak, though. She was quite expended, but the shock was enough to cause Skullcrusher to jump back without giving his body permission to do so and he felt a tingling sensation along his entire lower side.
The enemy half-limped and half flew away. Even in the dark, crimson droplets could be seen splattered on the snow. The enemy had been hurt by more than just the fall. She would not get far before Skullcrusher could claim vengeance for her attack on his friends.
However, his heart plummeted to his stomach as he realized where she was flying off to - it wasn't that far away. With one swift landing, Toothless' rider, the one who saved the dragons, the precious little Firefly, was laid out on his back. An instant later, his body was clutched in the jaws of the enemy. With one leap and a flap of her wings, the two went airborne.
Stalwart jumped on his dragon's back faster than he ever had before. His roaring for them to take off and give pursuit was unnecessary as the two were quite like-minded in what course of action was needed. Skullcrusher leaped into the air, beating his wings as hard as he could. However, the enemy was faster. She ascended up toward the stormy clouds, where her lightning could be restored. Skullcrusher was falling behind despite his best effort.
As he beat his wings with all his might, he listened for anything coming from Firefly. Any suggestion or clue or command. That little land-strider's ability to focusing his thought projections so that the dragons could clearly understand him has been improving recently. He was starting to project thoughts as clear as if he were a dragon and without having to move his lips. He must have some idea to get himself out of this situation.
Firefly was clever. Firefly was devious. Firefly was never without an unexpected idea to solve any problem for which his insubstantial stature alone was insufficient. Maybe he had some instructions to give.
Even when clenched in the maw of a dragon that was spitting mad.
Skullcrusher groaned at what he heard, though. Firefly's emotional hum was radiating regret and defeat. He acknowledged that he was completely powerless and had nothing to live for. He begged the enemy to be merciful and grant him a quick death. He pleaded to let his own death spare Toothless' life.
Skullcrusher howled his frustration.
Firefly cannot die!
This cannot be the end!
This is not the way Firefly would respond to any situation. He was always calm and collected. He had this incredible ability to reign in his emotions and analyze a situation. Skullcrusher had seen images and memories projected from the other dragons showcasing Firefly's control over himself. He had stared down Toothless on that first day they met, even when pinned against a rock, under the dragon's paw, completely powerless to escape. When Toothless was taken by Firefly's fellow land-striders to lead them to the demonic queen's nest, Firefly showed such determination when he released all the caged dragons at his nest. He had no reason to expect cooperation from them, yet he approached them without fear and persuaded them to help through sheer force of will.
This was not a creature who would give up and beg for death!
Suddenly, the enemy convulsed and twitched for an instant. She barely started to screech in pain before going completely limp. Her wings flailed aimlessly, tossed by the wind as she started to fall. Stalwart leaned as they angled to intercept.
Skullcrusher tucked his wings in, leaving just enough extended to control his descent. He could tell that Stalwart had a plan and so positioned him against the falling enemy that still held Firefly clutched in her jaws. Grunting could be heard from above. The ground was approaching fast but Skullcrusher would not extend his wings until Stalwart told him to do so.
Finally, Stalwart straightened in his saddle and roared for Skullcrusher to land. He flared his wings in the cloud of snow that was kicked up by the falling enemy's impact. The wind nearly tore his wings right out, but he held himself together and managed to bleed off enough speed that their landing wasn't too hard.
Stalwart cried out as he forgot to lean back. Skullcrusher couldn't help but chortle in amusement at this most unfortunate design defect these land-striders had.
The dragon listened for anything as he cautiously walked toward Toothless. The black dragon would want to be with Firefly and had every right to spend time with him. Firefly was in bad condition, that much was clear. The other black dragon - the one that was still alive - bolted off toward the enemy, presumably to make sure she was thoroughly dead. Skullcrusher could hear Toothless projecting his concern for his rider, asking how he was, but had no answer.
However, as they reached Toothless, Firefly's thought projections could be heard.
{I'm alive, friends. I'm alive for now.}
Both dragons let out a deep sigh of relief. Skullcrusher owed a lot to Firefly for his past deeds and had no doubt that Toothless would simply go insane if he lost his rider. Those two had such a close bond that it would be an insult to compare it to anything else. Firefly clearly had been badly hurt, even before he was clamped in the enemy's jaws, but he was always pretty durable for his size.
For now, he was alive. That would have to be good enough.