"Hiccup you're bleeding."
"So I am." Hiccup touched a new set of claw marks that wrapped around from his stomach to his back.
"Hiccup, Toothless may not be around one of these days to save you. You know that right?"
"Astrid." Hiccup chuckled and turned to face the girl next to him. "The day Toothless isn't there to save me is the day we both die. Think of Toothless like a child. Now I don't mean he's dumb like a child or foolish. He doesn't get hyper and is always in control of himself. Most of the time. Now think of me as that child's favorite toy, and his parents just took his toy away. Do you know what that child is going to do?"
"I. I don't know Hiccup? Throw a tantrum?"
"That's right he's going to throw a tantrum. Except for screaming and crying, it's going to be roaring and flames. Now do you know what happens when that same child breaks his favorite toy?" Hiccup asked.
"Well I know I would get a new one." Astrid replied smugly.
"Wrong. He's going to try to fix it himself. And if the damage isn't too bad it'll be just fine and the toy will be fixed. And finally do you know what would happen if that child's toy was stolen from them?"
"That one's easy. They would find who took it and get it back."
"And if that toy was beyond repair when they got it back?"
"They would beat the crap out of whoever it was."
"Exactly. Now escalate that up to the wrath of a dragon. Especially a Night Fury. Astrid the only reason Toothless hasn't wiped out entire villages is because he's so good at saving me. I couldn't even imagine the damage he'd do or the amount of people he'd kill. All because of a single misstep. The problem for him is that he's never messed up. And he doesn't get a do over or a second chance, he must be perfect every time."
Astrid shook her head trying not to reem Hiccup's neck. "Why put him that situation then? Why not take a few extra minutes to go around or find a better way, than going headlong into everything and hoping it's going to be okay? That's dumb Hiccup, you're going to push your luck and something is going to happen to you or to Toothless."
"Astrid do you see Toothless around?"
"No? Is he hiding or something. Is he going to try and scare me?"
"Astrid do you know what happens when a toy loses his child?"
"Hiccup? What are you saying?"
"They're put on a shelf or in a box and are forgotten. Do you know why I'm out here?"
"No I just saw you when Stormfly and I were doing some drills."
"I came out here to be alone, try to convince myself not to throw myself over this cliff, and drink until I black out. Then if I don't throw myself over the cliff. I'll go back into town stock up on mead, come back out here and do it again. I fucked up Astrid. And before you ask, no I don't know what happened. And no I don't want to find a better way than this to cope. I don't know what happened but I know it's my fault. And hey if I don't go over the edge maybe the mead will take me and winter is just around the corner, maybe I'll freeze to death when I black out. At least my last thoughts will be about better times. Astrid would you leave now, I'd like to get started."