Really sorry for the long wait - thanks to the people who haven't given up on this story. I know what I want to happen in this story, but getting it down on the page is proving difficult. This chapter is really short, but I should have another one up soon because I'm feeling pretty inspired to write at the moment.

Disclaimer: It's called fanfiction instead of just fiction for a reason.

thinking

::dragon speech::

Hiccup woke to see a Deadly Nadder staring curiously at him. He jerked back, hitting his head on the rocks above him and grimacing. ::Be still, fledgling,:: he heard, and looked around wildly for the voice. ::I will not harm you.:: Hiccup froze, then his eyes turned back towards the dragon.

::Did… did you just talk?:: he asked. Eloquent as always, Haddock.

::I did, fledgling. You need not be afraid. I know of your plight.::

::My...my plight?::

::You do not yet know how to be of the People,:: said the Nadder seriously. ::It has been left to me to teach you.::

::But how did you know I was turned into a dragon?:: asked Hiccup.

::The People can always feel when a human is changed to People.::

Hiccup paused. ::You mean. . .this has happened before!?::

::Of course. What the humans call 'Night Furies' are all of their own people. They are born of lightning and death.::

::I'm sorry, but I'm confused,:: said Hiccup, shaking his head slightly. ::I've heard the 'lightning and death' part before, though.::

::Sometimes, when a human is near death, the Unholy God will change them into People. The Unholy God sends down a lightning bolt and strikes the human as they begin to leave their body. Their soul is placed inside the body that the Unholy God creates. It is a very rare thing for a human to become People. Our last Lightning Person - Night Fury, you would say, was born ten-and-five winters ago. He was a newborn human when he was changed to People. Some say that only special humans are changed to be People. They are the People that change the fate of the world.::

::But I'm not dead,:: said Hiccup. ::I'm right here.::

::You are alive here,:: said the Nadder. ::But you're human body has been left behind.::

::Do they all think I'm dead, then?:: asked Hiccup, realisation dawning on him. That must've been why everyone looked so grim back in the village.

::Yes, fledgling. The People removed your body from your Confining-Shelter-Tree - you call them…ah- How-ses, I believe? - So that the Unholy God could reach it with his lightning. The humans found your body just inside the forest, I believe. From what I could gather, they thought that the People killed you.::

Hiccup lowered his eyes, still trying to process all this new information. The Nadder backed up and allowed him to come out of the hole where he had slept. She cocked a head at him. ::What is your name, fledgling?::

::I'm -:: Hiccup found himself at a loss for words. He struggled for several minutes, before he realised that the dragons didn't have a word for hiccup. It was a strange feeling. He knew the word in his head, but couldn't seem to get it onto his tongue.

::Take your time, fledgling,:: the Nadder told him patiently. ::There is not always an easy translation.::

::I am. . .I am. . .I am Sharp-Intake-of-Breath,:: Hiccup finally decided.

::Welcome to the People, Sharp-Intake-of-Breath,:: said the Nadder. ::I am Blue-Scales-Ocean-Hunter.::

Hiccup smiled.

So, like I said, that was a really short chapter. I would've liked it to go for longer, but that seemed like a good place to end it. I'll try and get another chapter out really soon.

Please leave a review - suggestions, comments etc. :)