Just like that, he was gone, Jack Frost and the massive rabbit, down a hole. Toothless stood still, waiting to see if either returned. After a moment, Toothless walked back towards Hiccup, nudging at his arm to be held. All Hiccup could manage was a small pat on his head. He knees grew weak, falling to the ground on his rear. What had just happened? Hiccup took a few moments to regain his mentality. Toothless approached his dragon tamer, sitting by him, still defensive, watching the trees.
"I think we're safe big guy." Hiccup said. Toothless laid himself on the ground, his head resting on Hiccup's lap.
After a moment, the leaves behind him rustled, he whirled around to see Astrid emerging from the trees with Stormfly close behind her. She seemed in shock as she ran towards Hiccup.
"Hiccup!" She bent over to examine him, and then turned to Toothless to do the same. "Are you alright?"
"What?" Was all Hiccup could come up with.
"I was flying with Stormfly, and then we heard it! The roaring, the blasting, the screaming...You're screaming." She pointed to Hiccup.
"That...That..." Hiccup couldn't lie; the evidence was all around him. The torn trees, the scratches on the ground. Astrid turned to face Hiccup with a serious face, she wanted the truth, but would she really believe him?
"Ok, but whatever I tell you, you have to believe me and promise not to think I'm crazy" He said pointing a finger at her. She seemed a little confused, but if it got Hiccup to tell her what went on, then she had too.
"I promise." She said.
"Ok. Here it goes...It started back at the grove."
The sound of crickets filled the air, the song of the birds silenced, grass tickled his hands and the back of his neck, and he smelled the sweetest scent. Jack opened his eyes to stare at the orange sky above him, stars began to appear. Lying down, he looked left and right; trees where everywhere, the greenest he has ever seen. He saw ruins, with beautiful green moss growing on them, reaching for the sky. He looked back up to see the moon staring at him. He closed his eyes to recall everything that happened. The memory of the dragon came to mind...And the memory of the boy. He opened his eyes. He knew where he was now, the Warren. Jack pushed himself up to a kneeling position, reaching for his staff. He looked to his right to find water and fruit laying there. Cottontail. Jack smiled as he extended his hand to get the small canteen of water. The feeling of the cool liquid calmed his body; the taste of the sweet fruit brought some peace into his bones. After a day of chaos, this was the first time he was able to relax. The sky began to lose its orange hue and turn dark. The Warren began to fill with light as the flowers carrying the egglings began glow.
"Just in time." Jack stood to his feet as the Warren came to life with light. The flowers of the trees lit the night, the grass with its glowing green hue. When Jack discovered this event, he would often times sneak into the Warren to see the magic happen, but it never ceased to amaze him. Fireflies took flight, floating around the Warren; the songs of crickets took over.
North was right. Dragons were really afraid of the Guardians; they would kill them on sight. What fear did Pitch put in them? What had happened? There was something in Berk that Pitch wanted to hide, something he didn't want the Guardians to get their hand on. Jack sat himself on a log, staring at the glowing Warren.
"Had to be the reason why Pitch aimed for the dragons." Jack thought. His mind reflected back to the boy. "Maybe…No, what am I thinking….I just ruined my chances of riding a dragon." After a while, Jack realized something was missing, someone rather.
"Bunny." He whispered. He didn't even know if the small battle left the rabbit wounded. He floated around the Warren, looking for ol'Cottontail. Between two trees he came across an eggling.
"Hey little guy," He knelt down to caress it in his hands, "Where's the big guy?" The small egg hopped in Jack's hand. As he put it to the ground, the eggling ran down the forest.
"Hey!" He chuckled. Following the eggling he came upon a river of water. Down at the end is where he spotted him, ol'Cottontail, sitting on a rock. The eggling hopped at Jack's feet. He bent over to pick it up.
"Thanks little guy." Jack said. He prepared himself for his confrontation with the rabbit; he knew Bunny wasn't going to be so happy. As he walked over, he saw the rabbit dipping his foot into the crystal clear stream. He could notice a few scratch marks, but nothing too severe. Jack stopped a few inches from where the hare was sitting. Though he knew Jack was there, Bunny did nothing to acknowledge him at all. Jack stood there a few moments before the eggling hopped out of his hand and down to its caretaker. Bunny smiled and greeted his googie taking it into his paws, still not acknowledging the Winter Spirit. Jack let out a small cough.
"You doing okay?" He began. Bunny laid down his eggling and continued to dip his feet into the stream.
"No thanks to you, mate." Bunny said. His voice was dry; he did not turn to face Jack. The Winter Spirit lifted his hand; rubbing his neck...He had to break the ice.
"...Glad to see your doing good then..," Jack responded. No reaction. "Umm...Thank you...For everything..." He added. Bunny took out his foot and gently stood up. He swung his boomerang pack across his shoulders.
"I warned you mate." Bunny said dryly. Jack cringed, here it comes, the speech, the scolding, the older brother persona.
"...I..." Jack began.
"No. Don't even talk. I warned you didn't I. I told you knew nothing of dragons, anything of what lies in Berk. I warned you about everything! I told you it was no place for us! Why is it that every time I trust you, you fail me!" Bunny yelled. The Warren echoed with his voice.
"Bunny...I am so sorry. I didn't...I didn't want any of this to happen...I thought dragons would..." Jack began.
"That dragons what? Would welcome you with cookies and want to braid your hair!" Bunny finished. Jack turned his face, wanting to hide the annoyed look on his face, although he knew the rabbit was right.
"Okay, I'll admit, I was wrong." Jack said.
"It's not just about being wrong, kid. It's about how you put your life in danger because of the thick ice that you have up there!" He smacked Jack behind the head. The Winter Spirit hit Bunny on the arm, but it was no use, the rabbit was as solid as a rock.
"All Pitch wanted could've happened today! All because you thought you were a little hot shot!" Bunny screamed.
"Alright already!" Jack said angrily. "I was an idiot! There I said it, you happy! Yes, I didn't know what I was getting myself into; I ignored you and Santa's warning! All because of my selfish ambition! I thought, that maybe, if I could just ride a dragon, that maybe...It would have changed the things between us, the things Pitch put between us...But...I guess I lost sight of that...I really am sorry!" Jack screamed. Bunny was taken by surprise; the kid actually figured out his stupidity on his own. The hare crossed his arms, looking down at Jack.
"Well looks like the old snowman isn't "that" thick after all." Bunny commented. Jack's eyes narrowed at the rabbit. Why did he want to hang out with the rabbit so much if he would annoy the nerves out of him? Why did Bunny treat him the way he did? It's like he really does care for me, Jack thought. He leaned on his staff.
"Why did you let me go? If you knew something like this would happen. Was it what I said earlier...I'm sorry for that too..." Jack said. Bunny lowered his head. What really did cause Bunny to let Jack go straight into danger? It was hope. Hope that Jack was the one to mend to bond between the dragons and Guardians again, the hope that Jack then could restore the light in Berk. Restore the mess Pitch caused, like he has done before. It was the way the kid looked at him back in the woods. Bunny extended his arm, placing his paw on the shoulder of the small Winter Spirit.
"Let's just say you have a lot of potential you're not even aware of kid." Bunny said. Jack looked at the rabbit and smiled.
"Did you follow me? Is that how you found me?" Jack asked. Bunny withdrew his paw from Jack's shoulder. His expression became soft; how could he explain.
"I just knew…You wouldn't have stayed out of trouble. You're Jack Frost after all, just typical." Bunny said dryly. Jack couldn't help but let out a giggle. Cottontail was trying to act tough as usual; it didn't fool Jack.
"I know there's something more, but I won't push it. Don't want to ruin your ego after all." Jack said sarcactically. Bunny shot him an annoyed glanced. It was late, the day was rough as it was anyways.
"I didn't tell North, like the honest guy I am." Bunny said sharply. Jack sighed, lowering his head to the ground; his mind fixed on something else.
"Will he remember?" Jack asked.
"Remember what?" Bunny said.
"The boy….Will he remember me? You know, if I ever see him again." Jack responded. Bunny's ears sloped, his expression soft, shaking his head.
"I don't know mate. If Sandy is able to spread his dreamsand around Berk, he just may very well think it was all a dream." Bunny responded. His mind then shifted thought.
"Wait…You weren't planning on going back?" Bunny asked. Jack avoided the rabbits stare, piercing his lips. He had actually.
"Jack, you can't. If after tonight the dragon remembers anything, he'll hunt you down like a pack of wild dogs. Exactly what Pitch wants." The rabbit stated. Jack nodded, understanding where the hare was going.
"I promise." Jack said.
"It be best if you go home now, mate. Get some rest." Bunny said, giving Jack a warm tap on the shoulder.
"Okay." He said. With a hop, the rabbit sprinted into his Warren. Jack stood in place for a moment. Go home. He did promise after all. No, he had something else in mind.
"You're crazy." Astrid said as they landed in the grove. Hiccup quickly dismounted his dragon, taking off his riding gear. He turned to see Astrid storming off with Stormfly close behind her.
"Astrid wait!" Hiccup called. He turned to Toothless as he nestled him in his small nest. "I'll see you tomorrow okay Buddy. Good night." Toothless licked Hiccup goodnight as he ran after Astrid. He knew she would think he was crazy, he knew she wouldn't believe him.
"Astrid, I'm serious. Jack Frost was right here. I saw Toothless attacking him this morning!" Hiccup exclaimed. Astrid lifted her hand to silence Hiccup, attempting to push him away.
"Hiccup there is no such thing as Jack Frost. I can't believe I let you take me as a fool!" She yelled. The woods were silent, nothing but the sound of owls and crickets filling the air.
"Well, what about the huge rabbit? He came to protect Jack Frost, then they disappeared." Hiccup stated.
"Enough!" Astrid yelled, "I will not be taken as an idiot Hiccup! I was so scared when I heard you scream, worried sick! And you just make fun of it." Astrid yelled. Berk was silent, its people were asleep. Upon arriving at her house, Astrid turned to look at her dragon.
"Be safe." She whispered. With that Stormfly took off into the air, making its annual visit to the dragons nest. She stared after her dragon until it was out of sight. She turned settling her gear in the shed, not acknowledging Hiccup.
"Astrid…" He whispered. She closed the shed shut and walked up the stairs to her home.
"I'm not lying. The Legends, they're real!" He paused for a moment as his mind returned to his thoughts from the earlier day. "Astrid, what if this is the next big thing for us, for Berk! What if dragons where just a small part of it!"
"Stop it!" Astrid screamed as she spun to face Hiccup, looking at him square in the eye. "We are not kids anymore. We don't believe in this stuff, we know better...Grow up!" She march up her stairway and slammed the door on his face. Hiccup stood there, staring silently up at Astrid's house. He let out a small sigh and turned to walk home.
He opened the door silently; he could hear that his dad was sound asleep. He quickly changed into his sleepwear, opening his window, Hiccup lay in bed staring up at the night sky. He knew what he witnessed today, and it was all real. The giant rabbit...Jack Frost. The night grew late as he lay in bed, his thoughts keeping him awake. Jack Frost. He tossed and turned, throwing the covers over his face. The name continued to repeat in his mind, with the image of the Winter Spirit. The snow, the white hair, the icy blue eyes. Hiccup stared at his ceiling. It all seemed surreal. Turning out to face the night sky, the moon and the stars began to grow fuzzy as his thoughts lulled him into a deep sleep. He dreamed, not a nightmare, but a dream. It was that very night, for the first time in a long while, that dreams filled Berk.
