Disclaimer: All rights go to the marvelous Cressida Cowell and DreamWorks.
I wanted to say thank you to all of those who have favorite, reviewed, and followed my silly, yet sad, story. Thank you: malderon11119, , travelerofadifferentpath, Berna45, Lily-D13, Loki921, OmegaBeast27, Raven Kight, Comet Moon, imacatdontmesswithme,
And lastly, special thanks to Driscoll for being a great test-reader.
Now, onwards…
The tired boys practically fell out of the boat. It was well past midnight, and there was no reason for them to be up this late –none that the bleary-eyed boys could see at least. They were just coming back from their first fishing trip. Clueless had led the expedition, and unfortunately for the young boys, he was aptly named. Clueless had forgotten to account for the summer tide and the four hour long trip had been lengthened into a nearly twenty-four hour long catastrophe.
Hiccup shuddered as another breeze racked his small body. He looked around and noticed that Tuffnut and Fishlegs were likewise huddled against the cold; Snotlout and Dogsbreath had seemingly decided to test who was the manliest-seven-year-old by shedding their outermost cloaks and seeing who would be the first to complain about the cold.
"Right lads," Clueless clapped his hands to get the circulation flowing again. "sooner we get our catch unloaded, sooner we can get to bed."
The boys groaned. Despite the fact that Clueless was said to be the worst sailor to ever sail the archipelago, he somehow managed to be the best fisherman that Berk had ever seen. The young boys had managed to fill every barrel on their little boat long before they found their way back to the harbor. Clueless had insisted that the boys keep fishing, even after they realized that they were lost, and lo-and-behold the fish kept coming.
Hiccup and Fishlegs groaned as they trudged their way back onto the boat. Hiccup grasped one end of the net while his friend grabbed the other. Hiccup groaned again, this time in disgust. The rope had become slick and slimy from the small mountain of fish that it contained. Hiccup grimaced and tried to ignore the sticky residue that squelched beneath his fingers.
The two boys pulled against the weight of the net, only managing to lift either end partway of the deck while the middle still sagged and slid across the wood. The boys shuffled forward, their faces a mute red from the strain. Hiccup's arms began to shake and he could feel the net grate against his sore wrists as he curled them upwards in an attempt to keep moving toward the storage shed.
"Watch it, Useless," Snotlout rotated his shoulder and shoved his cousin as he carried a barrel into the shed. The slick net tore itself from Hiccup's grasp and spilled its contents across the deck.
"Ha! Can't even carry a fish!" Tuffnut yelled from the ship.
Like he was one to talk. Hiccup scowled. Tuffnut was being helped by Clueless. Clueless was the one doing all of the work really. He had hefted the net up into the air with one hand and was calmly making his way towards the shed while the blonde child was scrabbling at the deck with his feet in an attempt to keep his end of the net level with Clueless'.
Tuffnut was doomed to fail in this endeavor as Clueless was easily four heads taller than him, but Thor- bless-his-heart, he was trying his hardest. His arms swung drastically back and forth as the short boy tried to accommodate for his leader's gait, and he tried to stand on his toes so that his end could wobble slightly higher in the air.
"Pick 'em up," Clueless yawned as he quickly surveyed the scattered fish. "And Jorgenson, get the last two barrels. The rest of you can go home."
"But I didn't do anything!" Snotlout complained. "He fell! Why do I—"
"Because you pushed him," Clueless reached the storage shed and briefly disappeared. "I saw you do it."
Hiccup fought off a smile. Maybe Clueless wasn't so clueless after all.
"See ya' later losers," Tuffnut sneered, but ended up sounding more tired than annoying as he began the long walk back to his bed.
Dogsbreath quietly sat down at the edge of the pier; he was going to wait for his friend.
"Err… what's that?" Fishlegs had stopped his attempt at shoveling the fish back into the net. He was sitting back on his ankles with his head tilted at an angle while he quickly pointed at the sky.
"See?" The boy asked, leaning forward and squinting to get a better look.
"Get back to work, Ingerman," Clueless commanded.
Fishlegs bent back down and tossed another fish into the net, but he glanced back up into the sky. Their chaperone walked to the end of the dock and leaned out over the water. He tilted his head up to the sky and stared at the blinking stars. There had just been a raid last week. The beasts weren't due to come back this soon.
Clueless fixed his eyes on a patch of light. The stars twinkled calmly in the gentle night. He shivered, and folded his arms across his chest. The Ingerman boy had seen something. It was probably just a hawk, but one never could be too safe here.
"Great work, Useless," Jorgenson jeered at the chief's son.
"You hit me," Hiccup whined back. "You should watch where you're going."
A wrinkle of darkness slipped overhead.
"Raid!" Clueless bellowed and turned around. "Clear the fish then get to the shelter."
"Err…" The Ingerman boy stammered.
"Do as I say!" Clueless shouted. He quickly pulled his axe out from the small metal ring at his waist and charged towards the village.
"Raid!" He slammed his axe against a wall as he ran. "Raid!"
Hiccup, Snotlout, and Fishlegs scrambled to get the last few fish into the net. Dogsbreath ran towards them and grabbed a corner of the net. Together the four of them dragged the net the last few paces into the doorway of the shed.
Fishlegs dropping his corner. "Good enough." He mumbled.
The other three boys agreed, and dropped their ends as well. Hiccup slammed the door shut behind them while Dogsbreath and Snotlout pushed an empty crate to block Terrible Terrors from nudging the door open.
It's funny how raids do this, Snotlout thought. One moment you're about to toss your arrogant, good-for-nothing, useless cousin into the ocean, and the next you're working side by side to defend your food from monsters. The boys began running towards the nearest shelter. It was concealed half way up the cliff face, accessible only by climbing the long wooden ramp that wrapped its way up the nearly vertical slope.
Fishlegs stumbled and Snotlout hooked a hand beneath the smaller boy's armpit, dragging him back to his feet. Ahead of them the village suddenly erupted to life. Dragons swooped down, casting long bouts of fire onto the streets that illuminated the dirt paths in flickering flames; colossal braziers rose into the air revealing the swirling whirlwind of monsters that twisted and turned as they crawled their way through the once black night.
"We're almost there." Dogsbreath encouraged from behind Hiccup.
The boys reached the last building before the wooden ramp. A high pitched scream ripped its way through the air. Hiccup covered his ears and looked up fearfully into the black sky. A fireball exploded against a nearby tower, breaking apart into a wave of blue and purple. For a brief second, the tower hung suspended in the air while a gaping hole burned through its center. It creaked then shattered as the entire structure tumbled to the ground.
Fishlegs glanced nervously at the boys around him; the other boys had also gone to the ground in fright. They cautiously raised their heads, what the Hel was that? The scream sounded again, this time it was closer. It was coming right for them!
"Run!" Hiccup screamed.
The boys nodded vigorously and began the exposed climb up the cliff. The shriek ended and another tower fell. They were half way there. Just a few more seconds. The shrieking dragon tore its way over their heads and blasted the base of a brazier, causing the ball of fire to bounce across the ground and roll towards the ramp.
Fishlegs and Snotlout jumped into the safety of the shelter. The fireball crashed against the wood. Hiccup fell to the ground, Dogsbreath collapsed beside him. The ramp was on fire. Tendrils of flame began edging their way closer and closer to the cave's entrance.
The ramp shuddered again. The lower supports buckled and the wooden planks shattered as the tension caused them to snap in half.
"Jump!" Snotlout shouted. He and Fishlegs were standing on the platform by the cave's entrance.
Hiccup and Dogsbreath stumbled backwards. The ramp was sliding down the cliff, the wood scarped against the cliff and tore at the stone as it tried to cling onto the rock that had supported it for so long. A horrible screeching filled the air, Dogsbreath grasped Hiccup's collar and threw him into the air.
Snotlout and Fishlegs caught Hiccup's arms and fell backwards, pulling the boy to safety, and the platform gave way completely.
I shook my head, pulling myself from the tiring grip of Ginnungagap. That was not my hatchling either. The first hatchling I had tried had been one of its brood, and this hatchling… it had no relation to my hatchling. I was getting sloppy. No, that was not it. I was getting worried. My hatchling had not returned, and it was not sleeping. Something must have happened to it.
I swiveled my head away from the wall of stone and looked back at the small body of water. I forced myself to climb down from my perch and take a break from my search. My hatchling was fine. It was safe. The two-legs would not hurt it and none of my own kind had been back since I lost my tail fin.
I forced myself to believe that it was safe. I repeated the simple truth over and over again, but it was no use. I could not bring myself to relax. My defenseless-little-two-legs was out there all alone, I just knew it. Somehow the other two-legs had found out about us. Somehow they were hiding him from me. Somehow they—
I plunged my head into the icy waves and gasped at the shock, sending a torrent of air-pockets to swirl up around my ears. I withdrew my head and snorted to clear my snout of dripping water. I took a deep breath and dived back into the water.
I had to repeat the process two more times before I felt satisfied that my head was cleared of my foreboding thoughts. I paced away from the looming wall and approached the old log that marked the place my hatchling and I had first played together. The ruts that we had drawn in the ground still marked the site as an almost sacred place. Their faint outline crossed and zigzagged their way around the wood marker in a random display of simple pleasure. I pressed my snout into their tracks and inhaled deeply. The scent of my two-legs filled my nostrils. The light yellow of joy tickled its way through my mind and sighed contentedly before coiling myself into a small ball next to the log. It was going to be safe.
I closed my eyes and felt myself relax for the first time all moon; it was safe. My hatchling would be back in the sun-rise. It would be back, and I could apologize to it then. If I could find it in the Ginnungagap then I would go to it, but if it did not…
I yawned. It was safe.
It was safe.
A Zippleback rolled in front of Hiccup, its left neck had a long cut running down its throat and it writhed on the ground, gasping for breath, while the right head snapped and spit sparks towards an unseen foe. Hiccup quickly pulled back on the wooden cart that he was pushing, grinding its wheels into the ground as he turned it to a stop. This was not the dragon he was after.
Gobber leapt into Hiccup's view and brought his axe down onto the monster's neck. Its head rolled onto the ground and the Zippleback's body wriggled in spasms, its remaining head flung itself to the ground with a soft moan of pain, before finally, it stopped moving.
The large blacksmith turned.
"Ahh!" He shouted, and swung his axe at his young apprentice who fell backwards and covered his head.
"What are ye doing here?" His mentor shouted at him, after having just narrowly avoiding hitting Hiccup's newest invention with his axe; a mistake that he was already starting to regret.
"I am going to kill that Nightfury," The boy quickly replied.
"Oh, really? And just how were ye planning on doing that?" The blacksmith folded his arms. He was already dreading his apprentice's answer.
"I made this," Hiccup gestured at his bola launcher. Well, it was a mere prototype right now. It sat within the confines of the cart, it looked just like one of the catapults that lined the village, except this one was smaller, so that Hiccup could operate it by himself, and it would fire four bolas, instead of one large flaming boulder. He hadn't planned on using it tonight, but he would never pass on an opportunity for field testing.
"Ye'r going to get yerself hurt."
"No I'm not, I'll be far away from it when I shoot it down and I promise I'll come get one of you to finish the job if it's not dead after I hit it," Hiccup defended himself.
"Ye'r too young for dragon killing," Gobber switched tactics. The boy was still young after all, maybe he would listen to that reason.
"No I'm not! I'm twelve now, and my dad killed his first Gronckle when he was eleven so—"
"I said no," Gobber stated firmly. He was not going to be the one responsible for Hiccup getting himself killed.
"But I have to prove that I'm not useless!" Hiccup shouted at his mentor. He was angry now. "I have to make up for what I've done!"
Gobber looked stricken. "So that's what this has been about," He almost whispered. "Nobody's blaming—"
A Gronckle smashed its way through the building on their left, spilling smoke into the street, before the monster shook itself off and tried to escape from the gaze of the two–limbed smith.
"We'll talk later," Gobber called as he charged after the wounded dragon. "Do not go anywhere."
Hiccup hadn't heard him though. The young heir had fixed his entire attention on the flash of black that soared over the burning harbor, and towards the last two towers that stood as the beast's targets. The shriek of the Nightfury was calling him and he had to answer it. He had to prove that he could be a benefit to the village, he had to prove to his father that he wasn't a disappointment. But most importantly of all, maybe, just maybe, once he brought down the monster that had killed Dogsbreath all those years ago the angry knot of guilt would uncurl itself from around his heart.
As soon as his mentor left to kill the Gronckle, Hiccup began running towards the harbor, not even pausing as the Nightfury screeched a warning to stay away the instant before another tower exploded in a ball of plasma. That just left one tower. Hiccup tried to run faster, he had to get there before the last tower fell otherwise it would be impossible to see his foe in the darkness. Usually this wouldn't be a problem. Usually the dragon would land and then it could be fought and killed by axe or sword, but this rivalry was not usual. This dragon never landed, it never showed itself outside of the brief flash from its assaults, and this boy could not wield a sword, nor could he swing an axe. This was a rivalry that would not end in the hero facing the claws of death in a charge of valor, no. This story would end in a brief flash of vengeance.
Hiccup reached the edge of the wooden ramp that lead down to the docks. He quickly locked the wheels into place and pulled back on the small crank until the catapult creaked into firing position. All that was left to do was wait for the beast to attack the tower; then Hiccup would pull the small lever he clutched in his hand and it would all be over. The trap was set. All that he needed to do now was wait.
"Come on," He muttered. "Give me something to shot at. Give me something to shot at."
It was his mantra. If the Gods would just once let the beast show itself, then Hiccup knew that he could bring it down. Give me something to shot at. Give me anything to shot at. Give me something. Please, the boy begged. Please, give me something, anything that I could use to redeem myself.
The screech filled the air. A sound that had once filled his heart with fear now gave him a black hope. This could be the end. This would be the end. A flash of purple illuminated the sky. Hiccup jerked the bola launcher to the side, realizing too late that his design had not allowed him to compensate for the monster's speed. The launcher slipped to the side, sending its projectiles in a shallow arch over the harbor.
Most of the bolas landed harmlessly in the water, but one struck the mast of The Peregrine Falcon, Stoick's favorite ship, and snapped through the thick wood as if it were nothing more than a twig. The falling mast slammed against the shoreline and splintered again, its cross beam broke in half and the sail tore down its middle.
"No," Hiccup groaned. Why couldn't he do this? Why couldn't he kill a simple dragon?
"I thought I told ye to stay put," Gobber sounded cross.
Hiccup turned around slowly, dreading to see the ever-so-slightly disappointed scowl that his mentor would be wearing. His arm would be folded across whatever attachment his stump was currently using and he would be leaning back as he favored his remaining leg. It was a look that Hiccup had seen far too often; whether it was for ignoring the man's pleas for him to give up on killing dragons, or if it was for forgetting to clean the forge before leaving for the night. What Hiccup saw instead, was a look that wrenched his stomach more than that familiar frown ever could.
Gobber looked… sad. He finally saw what drove Hiccup to such lengths to kill the Nightfury. It tore at the large Viking's heart to finally know that there was nothing he could say or do to make the lad realize that he was not responsible for the death of Dogsbreath. Hiccup couldn't have done anything to save the boy. He told Hiccup this until the lad gave in and admitted the truth of the fact. But with this latest fiasco, Gobber recognized that Hiccup clearly still held himself wholly accountable for the incident and the grief it caused him was fueling a vengeance Gobber had never seen take residence in one so little. Gobber couldn't decide whose fault was greater: the boy for his deceiving his mentor, or his own, for not recognizing his apprentice's grief even after all these years. He was the only adult that didn't treat the lad like an annoyance. Sure he shouted at the boy, but no one else would even bother to give the little one a chance, and right then he felt like he failed the boy.
Hiccup cringed at the sight of his mentor's eyes. They seemed to stare through him. They did not see that he was trying his hardest. They did not see that Hiccup was doing everything he could to make Dogsbreath's sacrifice worth something. All that they saw was a failure.
"I just want to be like you guys." Hiccup whispered. Small tears were already forming at the corners of his eyes. He just wanted to be accepted by the village, that was all that he wanted, and that was the one thing he knew that he could never have.