Here's chapter three!

The plot thickens in this chapter and I'm looking
forward to writing the next few pieces! I have to
say, that one of you already guessed what's
happening to Toothless! As a side note, thank
you for all the reviews so far!

One more thing... I made the decision to
assume that dragons talk telepathically.
It seems simple and logical. They can make
noises like growls and roars but they
usually just talk to each other silently.

Enjoy! R&R!


Right Here All Along

Chapter Three

Written by Illuminate the Shadows


Four weeks. Four long, tedious, uneventful weeks.

It seemed like a lifetime to Hiccup.

He kept telling himself that it was for the best; that the Gods wanted and had planned this. Without the dragon around, he could focus on his life and other relationships – especially with Astrid. And that was really all he'd done for the past month; spend time with the female Viking. They went hunting, fishing, explored caves, climbed trees, swam in the lake. He showed her how to weld and she taught him to sew. He felt the affection slowly returning, as if it had just been masked all along. He couldn't help but wonder if Toothless had left with the very purpose of letting Hiccup and Astrid bond again.

But still, he was unsure of himself. Each morning, he would roll over in bed and gaze out the window to the spot where Toothless would bed down at night. He never slept in the nursery with the other dragons. He had been gone so long that the grass had begun to grow back. One afternoon, Hiccup went down and sat in that spot while he sketched. It made him feel close to his friend.

Between hunting, Astrid, wedding plans and the various other chores around the village, Hiccup had been busy enough to keep his mind from really missing Toothless. But nights were bad. The darkness reminded him too much of the NightFury. He felt weak, crying over a simple dragon. But then he reminded himself that Toothless was no ordinary dragon, and the bond they shared was stronger than any Viking on Berk or anywhere could ever understand.

Now, here he stood in the tailor's shop, being measured by the woman who would make his traditional leather and fur outfit. His sword and ring were on his dresser in his room, and they had practiced the ceremony over and over until he was sure it would be engraved into his brain forever. Tradition demanded that the bride and groom not see each other until the vows, so Astrid had retreated into her house.

"All set, dear," the woman murmured. "Now, go get a good night's rest. You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow."

He nodded and mumbled thanks, but the boy really had no intention of going home to bed. He knew he wouldn't sleep a wink.

And so, he wandered out into the center of town, seeing only a few Vikings still finishing chores. They smiled and nodded, but didn't speak a word, staying true to the vow of silence. There was a hush over Berk like there had never been before. Even the dragons were quiet in the distance. The stillness unsettled Hiccup. He sat on the edge of the fountain and gazed up at the starry night sky.

Not knowing where his friend was frightened him. What if Toothless never came back? The only other time he had run off was to retrieve Hiccup's lost helmet. He'd had a way of flying by himself then. And he had also only been gone for a few short days. Hiccup sighed, remembering his journey to the island on Meatlug. All the dragons had been there with their babies. His eyebrows furrowed. Why hadn't Toothless gone too?

Two answers immediately sprang to mind. The first was obvious; Toothless was a male dragon and he didn't need to lay eggs. The second was because Toothless didn't have another NightFury to mate with.

Hiccup's eyes widened. Was that where Toothless had gone? Had he left in search of a mate? Hiccup could only recall ever seeing a NightFury once in his lifetime before meeting Toothless. He had been eight years old. But who was to say that dragon hadn't been Toothless as well?

A sudden rustle in the bushes at the edge of the forest startled him out of his thoughts. Peering through the darkness, he wondered if it might be one of his friends, pulling a prank on him or trying to scare him. Was there another tradition he didn't know about? He squinted.

"... Stormfly?"

The blue Naddar took a few steps toward him on her hind legs and let out a loud roar. Opening his mouth to tell her to be quiet, Hiccup froze. There was something else moving behind her; something that Hiccup hadn't noticed before because it was so dark itself.

"... Toothless...!"

His yell broke the sacred silence that covered the town like a blanket. Hiccup's limping run just wasn't fast enough. No gait would have been fast enough. He smiled, running toward his long-lost friend.

Hiccup was only a dragon-length away when Toothless' legs gave out. With a low groan, he fell over onto his side. Hiccup's grin instantly fell along with his companion, and his eyes widened.

"Toothless...?"


It was a relief, to finally be in such a familiar place, with so many familiar scents surrounding him. Especially one in particular.

The very sound of the boy's voice warmed the cold-blooded reptile. But he was very weak. He had searched for a long time. It wouldn't be long now.

Hiccup had fallen to his knees beside the NightFury, gently probing and feeling his scaly body for injuries. Toothless knew he would find none. Others were beginning to crowd around the trio. He knew it was late and humans liked to sleep at night, but many of them looked exceptionally upset.

'Tonight there was a vow of silence,' the nearby Naddar answered his unvoiced question. 'Some sort of tradition before their wedding.'

So they hadn't been married yet. Toothless found it strange that he now felt well enough to sit up. The weakness in his body had subsided a bit.

"Maybe he's starving..." Hiccup turned, raising his voice from murmur to yell. "Somebody go get me a basket of fish!" Toothless nudged the boy's shoulder gently to regain his attention. Hiccup gazed into the light emerald orbs, and Toothless didn't like the concern there. He wanted to tell the boy not to worry. He needn't be afraid. He had his whole like ahead of him.


'We need to find a way to tell the humans.'

'How are we supposed to do that?' Hookfang shook the rain droplets from her scales, joining the dragons in the nook of the cave. The three were huddled together, away from the other dragons, save for Meatlug, who was asleep nearby. 'They don't speak like us.'

'Why're you so keen on Hiccup knowing, Storm?' one half of the Zippleback asked. 'Yeah, you know if the Fury isn't around, then your Astrid will have him all to herself,' the other chimed in.

'Huff, Puff, leave it alone.' Meatlug murmured from the corner. All three dragons looked at her, unaware that she was awake and listening to their conversation. 'Stormfly cares for Astrid as the Fury cares for Hiccup. I'm sure she realizes the consequences of their marriage are, and she will miss Astrid, as the Fury will miss Hiccup.'

'The Fury bought some time with returning tonight. I overheard the leader talking to Astrid's mother, and they're postponing the wedding.'

'Yeah, you ruined their sacred vow of silence,' Puff chortled.

'This is bigger than just us and a Viking wedding.' Hookfang's murmur was impatient. 'Toothless is the last NightFury we have. The last leader out there. We can't just let him die off like this...'

'Hook, you know that the Fury can't actually reproduce with the boy, right?' Huff snorted.

'Of course I know that! I'm just saying that if the Fury finds a mate... Remember what the elders used to tell us? The NightFury lives for more seasons than we will ever see and is still young.'

'Hiccup won't live that long.'

'We need to focus on now, Huff,' Meatlug chimed in once again, one eye open this time. 'The Fury needs Hiccup now. Since there are no other NightFury, the boy is the best bet he has. It will be interesting to see if the Fury can take him as his lifemate.'

'It certainly hasn't been done before.'

Meatlug raised her head. 'How right you are, Stormfly.' She stomped her foot once. 'Now, we must think of a way to tell the humans. And we must do it quick. The Fury doesn't have much time.'