In retrospect, cutting the Night Fury loose had not been a good idea. But on the same note, one could argue that nothing Hiccup did was ever a good idea.

Once again the boy had forgotten at the most important of moments how his life hung from such a thin and delicate thread as he pulled the old dagger from his coat and crouched at the side of the dragon. The one he had shot down just hours before and had searched for with the full intention of tearing its heart from its body and carrying the treasure proudly back for his father and the whole village to see.

Finally to prove that he was worth more than the talking fish-bone he was constantly compared to.

But it had all been a cruel illusion. Suddenly his whole life of striving to become someone was tossed into an endless pit. It seemed as though this had been the god's chance for him to make something of himself. Their way of saying, 'We're sorry you're such a loser; here's a one-in-a-life-time shot at life.' And he, being the person he was, had blown it.

Over what? Feeling sorry for the beast. As Hiccup had raised the weapon into the air, he had made one critical mistake which was opening his eyes a fraction on the terms of curiosity in the reaction of his first victim. He had seen the dragon's own piercing eyes, staring back at him; accepting it's fate with a sad yet fierce dignity. It had made him realize that he was about to actually end a life. That he was practically stripping freedom from the Night Fury and if the deed was done it would never fly free again. No matter how much fear seized the village when its name was called, he felt truly miserable for grounding it like this.

He just couldn't do it. Didn't have it in him.

That was when he began to cut the ropes. Suddenly, it was his one and only mission in life. But…he was still frightened. It looked so weak and had barely moved since he had gotten here, surely he could cut it loose and leave safely?

It was his only hope as the last bind fell limp and he teetered back unsteadily, ready to run.

But obviously not ready enough.

Within seconds, two enormous black clawed paws slammed into the human's chest and pinned the small body to a nearby boulder. Hiccup didn't even have time to yell before he was once again staring into the dragon's eyes, only they were now triumphant and deadly. Now they held the power to doom its captor.

Heart pounding like a drum, Hiccup gasped for breath, unaware of his bodies' wild and fearful convulsions. It was obvious that he was going to pay for his actions; for not killing the thing. He was going to die right here and now, there was no doubt in his flickering mind.

The pressure of the dragon's paws was lifted from his chest as it slowly reared up on two powerful back legs, mouth opening for what could be the death blow…

…But something else happened instead. Not something much better than the alternative, but as the boy curled into a fetal position, he took a last glance up at the Night Fury.

It was horrifying to say the least when he saw one of those paws coming down straight for his face. He couldn't do anything about it, though. He didn't even get to squeak before the world lurched and swirled around him, turning the colors of the forest as black as the pelt of the dragon.

Hiccup slipped into a deep state of unconsciousness; completely unaware of anything that happened next.