Dragons did dream, Hiccup learned. Or had nightmares, as he unfortunately witnessed. In the depths of sleep it was so much harder to control his thoughts, to keep his anxiety at bay.

He stood in a dark field with damp air and swirling dark clouds as far as the eye could see. The grass beneath his feet was dead. When he called out for Toothless, the ground shook with a violent rage and dark vines sprouted from hell. He attempted to run, but was completely surrounded with briers that threatened to rip him apart. Huge thorns poked at his back and neck. Hiccup swallowed hard, hearing the low rumble of an approaching dragon. Fire licked at his chest from the inside, like something was trying to burn out his heart. The ground split in front of him, unleashing green flames from the dark.

A serpentine head emerged and stared him down with glowing green eyes. It's horns looked like twisted, gnarly branches and it's scales were midnight black, with just the faintish hints of violet around it's eyes and mouth.

"Are you a Soulsnatcher?" Hiccup asked with a husky voice.

"This body is mine." The dragon growled. Then it came toward him with a snarl and opened it's great serrated maw, a green fire flickering in the back of it's throat.

Hiccup woke with a start, gasping aloud. Toothless heard the noise and awoke as well.

"What's wrong?"

Hiccup was quiet and breathed, catching his breath and bringing himself into reality. "Nothing, I'm fine. It was just a nightmare."

The dragon came closer. "About what?"

"I-I….I don't know," he lied. He pulled his blanket up tighter and turned on his side.

He heard Toothless whine, before he went silent.

Hiccup didn't sleep the rest of the night.

Everyday, he found new things changing on his body. Scales and spines starting to grow, his teeth widening, and even his fingers getting longer. The more he changed, the less he wanted to be around others. But the more he avoided Astrid, the more she pursued him at every turn. He had done when to hide his changes, but he assumed Astrid and his father were starting to suspect something. Being the teen that he was, he began to fall back into old habits of hiding in the woods or in the forge. That's all good and well when he was fifteen, but when his girlfriend had a tracker class dragon, he had to become more cunning.

Desperate for some peace, he awoke the Nadder in the night at her stall.

"Stormfly," he crooned.

"Boy Prince?" She squawked. "What is wrong?"

"I need to talk to you about Astrid."

"What about my girl?" The dragon perked up at the name.

"I know she's worried about me, but I can't have her know about this yet. I have to figure out a way to tell her myself."

Stormfly cooed, "oh Hiccup. The sooner she knows, the better."

"I know, I know. I just…" He sighed, he didn't had an excuse. "Can you just give me some time? Can you…not find me when she goes looking?"

"And tarnish my reputation as the best tracker on Berk?" She squawked.

"Please Stormfly, for me."

The Nadder stared at him with her piercing yellow eyes, taking in the pleading on his face. "Alright, if you don't want to be found, then I won't find you."

"Thanks girl!" He scratched under her chin and she purred.

"You spoil us!"

With a smile he began to leave the hanger.

"But Hiccup…" she added, "don't forget. Astrid is your mate, you can confide in her."

He rested a hand on the doorway, thinking, then turned back slightly. "I know, but I don't want to break her heart."

It was nearing the end of the week, and Hiccup's campaign to solidarity was working. At least thus far. He took to retreating in the cove one evening after chief training. That day, the Henderson girl and the Svenson boy were getting married, for what would be the third time. While the couple was not much older then Hiccup and Astrid, they had already had two divorces in the last two years. Their first wedding was proper, at the beginning of the harvest, when food was bountiful and the party could last a week. Now that this was the third time around, the vows were memorized by the couple, and the only witnesses were the family instead of the the whole village, for which Hiccup was grateful, since he was performing the ceremony. He was just happy that the village liked to party, and tonight there would be a reception in the great hall.

The ceremony went well, and he only stuttered once. The paint he had put on his claws had done well to hide the black when he sprinkled the couple with blood. As soon as it was finished, he booked it out there, smoothing avoiding any critique his father had.

Now he was safely alone in the cove.

Or so he thought.

While he was tending the fire, he heard the squawk of the Nadder before Astrid and Stormfly landed in the area. He had just enough time to cover his hands.

"Hiccup!" She screamed.

He glared over at the Nadder.

"I promised I wouldn't look for you, I said nothing about looking for Toothless." She chirped.

"I didn't realize Nadder's were so clever." Toothless purred.

"You're not the only smart dragon."

The blonde dismounted and started storming towards him.

What could he do? Run? No, that wouldn't be fair to her, and she would surely overtake him if he tried to run. She stood with her hands on her hips.

"Hey Astrid! Uh….what's up?"

"Don't try to talk me out of it, we need to talk!"

"Uh…okay…" He made himself doing something, anything. He poked at the little fire.

"You've been avoiding me. And every time I get the chance, you shut me out."

Hiccup stopped what he was doing, as he could hear the desperation in her voice.

"We've been through so much together, and when you opened your heart to me, I couldn't get you to shut up! But now…we're getting married in a little over a month, and now you want to close up?" She knelt next to him and hugged him around the waist. "What did I do? Are you mad at me?"

He sighed, "no, I'm not mad at you. You didn't do anything wrong." He took his gloves off and covered her hands with his own. "You're perfect."

"Then what's going on?"

He was silent, just rubbing her hands gently. "Can you close your eyes?"

"Hiccup…"

"Please…?"

The girl sighed. "Alright."

He turned to her. Sure enough, Astrid had her eyes closed patiently. He took off his glasses, and took her face gently in his hands.

"Hiccup?"

"Shh…" he hushed her quietly. "I'm sorry. I know I've been aloof, and that's not fair to you. I've been punishing you for something you have no control over. Someday I will tell you everything."

She started to open her eyes, "Hic—…"

"No, keep your eyes closed!" He covered her eyes with his hands.

"Okay! They're closed!" She argued.

"I don't…I don't want to scare you."

She laughed mirthlessly. "You could never scare me. You're my Hiccup."

"And your my Princess." He leaned his forehead against her. "Gods Astrid, I love you so much."

"I love you too…"

"But…"

"But?"

"Astrid, there's something wrong with me. Very wrong."

The blonde swallowed and asked with a shaky voice, "was that what Stormfly noticed on you a few days ago?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"I…I don't want to give you all the details yet…but I have a parasite."

"Oh." She stated simply. "Like a worm?" She grimaced.

"No…not exactly."

"Then what?"

He sighed, and hugged her close. "I can't explain it. I don't understand it myself either. But…you'll know. It'll be obvious some day."

"Hiccup, you're weirding me out. More then usual."

"I know."

"Is it catching?"

"Uh…" He looked at the two dragons.

"I don't think so," Answered Toothless.

"Not if she doesn't step in an egg," supplied Stormfly.

Hiccup shook his head, "No, it's not."

"Okay," Astrid breathed a sigh of relief.

Hiccup took her face again and kissed her sweetly, careful not to poke her with his teeth.

When he finally pulled away, Astrid kept her eyes closed like she promised.

"Are you doing okay otherwise?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like I told you before, you go to this dark place, and then I have to pull you out."

"I'll be okay Astrid, I promise." He kissed her again.

"Then no more hiding from me?"

"I'll do my best."

The first week of his transformation had come to an end. Now things would only get worse.