CHAPTER ONE

UNACCUSTOMED BRIGHTNESS

Hiccup raced through the village, shoveling bread down his throat, not bothering to thoroughly chew. The earth beneath his bare feet was concealed under a blanket of white snow that sent chills through his entire body. He shivered violently, but endured the frigid air and proceeded to his destination. He was always concerned about poor Toothless, being forced to hide away in complete isolation. But on this particular day he was much more worried, for fate may not spare Toothless in this dreadful blizzard.

Snow was pouring from the sky. The unaccustomed brightness of the infinite white sea before him stung his eyes. Still Hiccup tread on as briskly as he possibly could without bursting a lung.

"Oi! You! Boy!" Hiccup halted and searched for the owner of the voice.

"O'er here!" He spun his head to the right, where the cry seemed to be from and saw the silhouette of a tall, bulky man.

"Come 'ere!" The man shouted over the roar of the storm. Hiccup was beginning to sink into the deep layer beneath him.

"I can't!" He shouted, and his voice was abundantly more high-pitched than the man's. "I have to do something important!"

"No! You must come inside! You'll get yerself buried alive in this abominable downpour!" Hiccup was willing to take the risk. If he turned back now, there was no doubt that Toothless would not make it.

As he scrambled on the flakes were no longer flakes, but they were microscopic daggers being thrown towards him. They scraped across his face and left stinging cuts. He imagined what Toothless must be doing. Howling in pain and freezing to death. The frightening image caused Hiccup to accelerate in speed.

Before long he found his way to the hidden arc alongside the mountain and ducked through it, admittedly quite anxious to find what was on the other side.

"Toothless!" He called immediately with his hands cupped around his chapped purple lips. He scanned the area and finally spotted the dragon. He sat behind a bush facing the rigid stone wall with his wings wrapped around his body in attempt to preserve heat. Hiccup leaped over to him and ran his fingers down his freezing spine.

"You okay, buddy?" He asked, his breathing heavy and chest tight. A rumble came from Toothless's throat, for that was the only noise his body was able to project at the moment.

"It's okay," Hiccup assured both the dragon and himself. "We'll get out of here soon. We'll be warm." He imagined himself curled up with a moth-eaten blanket near the fireplace with a mug of steaming tea. He imagined Toothless being there, lying with him, nuzzling his nose into Hiccup's neck.

"What exactly are you doing?" The voice startled Hiccup. He jumped and lashed his head back and forth in panic. Even Toothless had responded to the unwelcome visitor, his face was no longer buried in his wings but was facing in the opposite direction, his bright green eyes narrowed. How had somebody discovered their hideout?

"Who's there?!" Hiccup bellowed.

Without hesitation Jack spilled from the tree, landing on his feet much like a cat. He stared at the amazing sight before him, a dragon!

"The name's Jack Frost," he informed, strutting towards the two proudly. "And I believe that I asked you a question first, pal." He nudged Hiccup's shoulder playfully.

"What am I... well, I'm saving my dragon!" Hiccup explained, and for some reason this stranger was irritating. He was nothing like Hiccup had ever seen in the village, or anywhere for that matter. His hair was gleaming white and messy, his clothes only an ice blue hoodie and beige pants that were baggy on his knees. He carried a wooden staff that was crooked at the top.

"Now if you'll be so kind as to excuse me," Hiccup dismissed himself through gritted teeth. Jack laughed.

"Don't tell me you're planning on trudging all the way back through that snow!" He asked, still chortling. "You'll never make it! You're already weak enough as it is." Hiccup ignored him and continued to aid Toothless in defrosting his wings.

"Let me help you," Jack offered. Hiccup scoffed.

"Uhm, yeah, no thank you," he denied. Jack rolled his eyes and watched as the dragon struggled to waddle towards his owner.

"Come on, it's the least I can do. I'm the one who caused this storm, after all." Hiccup stared at Jack.

This guy is crazy! He thought.

"You 're telling me that you caused this blizzard?" Hiccup repeated. "Whatever. Humans can't control the weather. Why don't you head on back to the nut house?" Jack laughed. Why was he laughing?

You're not supposed to laugh when you're being mocked!

"Well, you see, I'm not exactly 'human'." Hiccup couldn't take much more of this nonsense. He needed heat, and quickly.

"Well then what exactly are you?" He asked, becoming impatient.

"I'm a Guardian," Jack exclaimed, motioning to his staff. "A Guardian of fun!" Hiccup had heard of the Guardians before, but only in legends and storybooks. He thought that the concept was only a tale and nothing more. How wrong he was.

"So," Jack began, running his thin fingers through his hair. "What do you say we have some fun?"