Megatron landed heavily, and he winced. He padded slowly into his cave, ducking his helm and narrowing his eyes at the dragonlets that romped around his claws like fleas. He flicked them off into the nest, then focused on the sleeping bodies of his clan. He huffed and moved around the bodies, his tail dragging over a muzzle and paw that curled at the sensation of scales over the claws.

The heavy mech settled down in his usual place, his optics slowly closing as he huffed. Dragonlets mobbed him, pounced on him, and squeaked happily while they fanned him with their tiny, pathetic wings. He shook himself, roaring for silence. The others around him barely stirred, but the dragonlets settled down and fell asleep all over their sire. He lowered his head slowly and he sighed, curling his tail around to lay over his muzzle, and then his red eyes closed.

The intruder moved slowly, so slowly and so softly that Megatron questioned his instincts. He lifted his head, three dragonlets laying on his head. They were fast asleep. He stared at the entrance, seeing a torch and a dark figure. He growled and shook the dragonlets off him and onto the slab of stone he had been laying on. Then he bounded to meet the intruder, stopping when the human didn't run.

He could scent it was a female, and he growled down at her, his white dagger-like teeth bared and his red eyes burning with rage, but she only watched him with scared, sad eyes. His eyes softened and his lip slowly uncurled and dropped over his teeth. He lowered his helm, prodding her for weapons with his snout. There were none, and then he looked up.

Sundance stood behind the human, his head lifted in a proud way. Megatron bared his teeth slightly in frustration, but he turned around and let Sundance lift the female and carry her into the heart of the Decepticlaws.

ooo

Twenty years later...

Hiccup looked down at Toothless, who was snoring on his back. He kicked his side gently as he got up, and the black dragon jumped away from the bed, blinking green eyes at his human. He wagged his tail and lowered his head to the ground in an offer to play, but Hiccup pushed him away and walked to the window.

"She died today, bud," he said softly. He looked back at the dragon, who was still staring at him with cat-like eyes. His wagging tail dropped with a thud, and then renewed when he saw Stormfly. Hiccup shrugged off his sorrow and nodded at his mount, who swept him down the stairs and out the door.

ooo

Megatron watched the human, sighing gently. She was scratching his back and ribs, and every so often she would scratch his itch and his back leg would thump a rhythm against the stone slab he liked to sleep up.

"Tired, you old mech?" She pushed against his shoulder. He whistled and laid his helm down, his eyes closing. "You're so old," she teased.

His eyes slitted open and he glared at her before he got up. She scurried up on his shoulders and clung to his scales and spikes there. She pressed herself to his body as he bounded out of the cave and threw himself into the arms of the wind.

His wings unfurled with a snap and she stood as he coasted above the clouds. He was careful not to lose this little flea that had somehow grown on him, and she was careful not to give him any ideas. She walked to his tail and balanced there for a bit before she walked back and tickled his sensitive scales on his hindquarters. He shook himself a bit and looked back at her, but she was sitting in her usual spot. He scowled, though he didn't mean it.

"You know you love me," she scoffed with a tap on his head. She saw a tiny village clinging to the cliffs and Megatron had an amusing thought of a kitten trying not to get wet. He licked his lips at the thought of the kitten. "Go...go a little lower," she said softly.

He obeyed her, hesitantly at first, and then full heartedly when he saw sheep.

ooo

Toothless wasn't into flying. He was always glancing up at the sky and getting distracted. Hiccup had to pat his head and shake him gently to get his attention back. "Where's your head at, bud?"

And then he roared. It wasn't angry, or aggressive. It was fearful. Hiccup looked up.

A large, silver dragon was descending on the village, its red eyes glittering when it saw the sheep. It landed for a moment, and then roared as it tore up into the sky.

Hiccup only saw the creature's back for a moment, but he saw someone on its back and he looked back at his friends, but they were already chasing the dragon, and not by their will. Their mounts were territorial, and the silver dragon had invaded.

"Go on, then," he said and he pressed himself against the black scales of his mount as he took off into the sky.

ooo

Megatron was bigger, faster, and older than those following him, and he escaped quickly, leaving them bewildered in the clouds while he landed and shook the human off his back. She landed heavily on her butt.

"Look, I'm sorry. Stupid idea, I know."

His upper lip curled up as he walked closer to her, his claws digging into the earth as he backed the tiny being into a corner in front of the cave. He wasn't pleased, and he made sure she knew it.

There was a small mew and they both turned their heads to see the newest dragonlets standing in the mouth of the cave, their eyes wide and their wings rigid in fear.

Megatron threw the human one last glare before he got up and walked back to the cave, nosing the dragonlets inside as he sighed and waited for the human to join him.

Sundance threw himself at Megatron's paws, pawing at the larger mech's chest and neck as he purred. Dragonlets were clinging all over the golden dragon, and when Megatron dipped his head to sniff them, they were on his face and all over his neck like jewels strung on string. He walked over the still sleeping bodies and he laid down on his stone slab, watching the human stand where she had when she first arrived.

She gave them disgusted looks. The Decepticlaws were lazy during the day, and through most of the night. Only rarely would more than four dragons head out at any single time. It was because of humans closing in on their territory. They had less and less room to grow and stretch, and since Megatron was so big, he could only go out every few weeks.

Her disgusted look disappeared and she sighed gently. Then she put on a determined face and she grabbed the nearest dragon by the horns.

It was Starscream, one she hadn't tamed and hadn't wanted to. He rose to his paws, yawning and stretching while she scrabbled onto his back and sat on his shoulders. She angled him towards the mouth of the cave, and dug her heels into his ribs.

He yelped and collapsed. She tumbled to the floor and shook herself off, looking over at Megatron, who was grinning at her and laughing. He stopped when she marched over to him and pointed at him. He got up and walked to the mouth of the cave, helping her onto his shoulders.

And then he was in the air. He didn't bother looking around for the smaller dragons, but she did. She was wary, but they landed without incident on an island.

Megatron shook himself and licked the sand, sputtering and shaking his head afterwards. He flicked his tongue out and growled his frustration. And then he caught scent of a passing ship that would surely see him. He pushed off the island and didn't stop flapping his wings until he was above the clouds.

ooo

Hiccup didn't give up. He led his bands of misfit friends until they had to land on an island. Toothless and Stormfly took off, kicking up sand as they played their little game of tag.

The twins argued about something or another before Astrid called Hiccup over and they knelt by deep dragon claws in the sand.

"Now what?" She looked at him. "Unless you know where he's going, we've lost him."

Hiccup's eyes widened. "Actually, I do know where..."

ooo

Megatron landed as he sighed softly and he let his mount rub his leg and pat his chest. They had landed on an icy island that had tunnels and caves strewn all over it and under it. He gave it his approval by clawing into the ice and leaving his scent. And then he pinged for his clan to come to his location.