Chapter 4

So here's chapter 4! And FYI, there is most likely going to be a flashback in a lot of chapters! Just so you guys know!

I woke up later on the evening, maybe a few hours later, and even though it wasn't a long amount of time, it was the best rest I had in forever. I rubbed my eyes and blinked to adjust to the candle light in the room.

I looked over to my right to see Stoick, sound asleep in the chair next to me. I let a smile show, he had his arms crossed and was slumped forward, his helmet tipped down. It was a nice change to see a man look so, vulnerable. I realized I was watching him sleep when my stomach growled and I was reminded that I was starving.

I didn't want to wake him just for my needs and he looked rather peaceful. On the other hand though, I didn't want to hear him asking me later about why I didn't wake him up. So I went with option one and decided to wake Stoick up. I pushed myself up until I was sitting up and hesitantly reached over until my hand rested on his arm and I shook him lightly.

He became conscious nearly immediately, blinking his green eyes until they rested on me," Aurora, you're awake, how do you feel?"

"Well it's only been a few hours but...I woke up because I'm kinda hungry," I told him my voice quieting at the last part.

"Oh, of course, I told you I would get you food," He said pushing himself to stand and walk out of the room.

I wait for about ten minutes until Stoick came back in the room holding a plate and a mug filled with water. He set the mug down on the table next to the bed and handed me that plate of food. I thanked him before beginning to eat, I was starving.

As I ate though I glanced over at Stoick, who looked as if he wanted to ask me something and I figured that, despite my uneasiness, I would probably have to force myself to tell Stoick about Toothless.

"Uh, Stoick?" I said quietly and he looked over at me," I uh, didn't get here by boat."

"What do you mean?" He asked me his brow furrowing.

"Before you say anything just hear me out," I said setting the plate on the table," I...I ride...a dragon."

Stoick looked at me for a moment, his expression unreadable," What?"

I swallowed hard and nodded," It's true."

"You...ride...a dragon?" He asked me with disbelief.

"Yes, my dragon, he been staying right around your home, watching me and protecting me," I told him.

"Are there any other lies you would like to clarify?" He asked me sitting up straight.

"Probably, but...I don't think it's things you need to worry about," I told him," And before you even insinuate anything, no, I was not sent here by anyone, nor am I here to do any harm to your village."

"I want to trust you, so I'm going to trust for now," He said to me, still seeming a bit uneasy about what I had just told him.

"Thank you Stoick," I said to him, feeling relieved," Could you help me outside?"

"Why?" He questioned.

"I need to go see Toothless," I said.

"Who?" He asked, confused.

"That's my dragon, his name is Toothless," I explained.

"Oh, I see, alright come on, I'll help you," He said to me, helping me up.

When I stood, I felt my legs searing with pain. One ankle had been badly bruised, possibly sprained, most likely from when Toothless and I crashed. I immediately tensed when I felt Stoick's arm wrap around my waist to support me so that while I walked I didn't fall. No one else had ever been so physically close to me other than Alvin.

Obviously Stoick felt me tense up," Are you alright? I didn't hurt you did I?"

I shook my head," No you're fine Stoick, just a little nervous to be walking."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine, I'm right here," Stoick said in a calming tone.

Those words echoed in my head and I remembered that Alvin had said those same words to me when he first found me and was nursing me back to health.

Flashback

I laid in a bed, sweating and coughing hard. I shifted my blurred gaze over to Alvin who was putting a wet cloth on my forehead to try and get rid of my fever.

"W-why are you...helping me..?" I asked in a quiet raspy tone.

"Well, we couldn't just leave a beautiful women like yourself to just die out there," He said to me his voice quiet.

"Th-thank you..." I muttered.

"Of course, I'll be right back, going to get more water," He said and I felt fear sink in and I called out to Alvin.

"No..! Wait...please...don't leave..me," I said slowly.

He came back over next to my bedside, a soft look on his face, and he took my hand in his," Don't worry, you'll be fine, I'm right here."

It was during those times that I actually trusted Alvin, before I knew how he really was.

"Aurora? Aurora!" I looked up at Stoick to see a worried look on his face as he called to me.

"Uh ya, sorry, what?" I replied after a moment.

"Do you know where...Toothless, is?" He asked me.

"Um, yeah, he's behind your house," I told him as we walked out the door.

"Great, there's been a dragon taking up refuge behind my house," He muttered.

"Don't worry Stoick, he wouldn't have hurt you, not with me there," I told him as we arrived to the back of his house.

We stopped and he released my waist but held his hand out for me to balance on," Toothless bud! Come down here, please!"

I watched for a moment until in the moonlight I saw his head poke up and his green eyes were illuminated.

He hopped down from the cliff side in three swift motions. He rounded clear of Stoick growling at him, probably not sure if he was any threat to himself or me.

"Don't worry bud, he won't hurt us," I said glancing back and forth between the two," Toothless, this is Stoick, and Stoick, this is Toothless."

"He's...a Night Fury?" He said in disbelief.

"Yes, the only one as far as I know," I told him going over to Toothless rubbing his head affectionately.

"How long have you had him?" Stoick asked me, slowly approaching Toothless who growled at him.

"About 11 years maybe? That sound right Toothless?" I asked him and he made a noise in reply.

"Wow, long time," He said studying the beast.

"Yeah, I don't know what I would do without him," I said softly patting his head lightly.

"All these years I spent thinking that dragons were always our enemies, then you show up, with you as a pet," He said stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"I don't consider him to be a pet, he's my best friend, he's the only one who's ever always been there for me...protected me from those who wouldn't," I regretted the last part immediately, I knew my heart yearned to tell someone about my past and what's happened to me, but I've only known Stoick for a day. Maybe once I've come to know him better...maybe.

"What do you mean?" He questioned.

"Nothing, I just saying, he's the only one," I said then changed the subject," Well, bud, let's look at your tail."

I limped around Toothless, using his body for support and got on my knees to inspect his tail. I found that it was badly bent and torn a bit.

I frowned knowing that Toothless and I couldn't leave until it was fixed," Well, his tail is pretty messed up...I'm gonna need to repair it."

"Well, if I'm gonna let you use our forge, I'm going to have to tell the village about Toothless," He told me crossing his arms.

"What...what if they try to hurt him?" I asked uneasily.

"They may not like it at first, and I'm not promising that they won't treat all that great, but I'm sure they would warm up to you," Stoick told me his face lightening.

"I wouldn't have thought for them to think any other way," I told him, my shoulders slumping at the idea that I would be hated again. I was just now starting to like how nice Stoick was to me, guess that was too good to be true.

I looked up and saw Stoick reach forward to me, a blank expression on his face. I instinctively flinched at the movement and his face became confused," Did I...do something?"

I just stared at him unable to speak," Did you think...I was going to hit you?"

I was frozen and I couldn't speak but I knew I had to say something, so I forced myself to talk," N-no, of course not! I...I don't know, I just instinctively moved...I guess."

"Well...alright...if you're sure, then let's go inside," He said to me still unsure.

"Okay...uh, Toothless, just stay out here bud, it would be safer for both of us," I said to him stroking his head affectionately, he groaned in reply and nudged me gently.

I chuckled quietly before turning back to Stoick who was standing there watching me. I smiled slightly at him before he realized that he had to help me back into the house. He shook himself out of his daze before bounding over to me and wrapping his arm back around my waist. I slipped my around as far around his waist as I could, grasping onto the large belt that was there.

Once inside the house I figured out that it was fairly late still, so when I got on the bed with Stoick's help I laid back closing my eyes and drifting off. I could sleep a little better now knowing that Toothless would be alright and that soon we could get off this island before the inevitable happened and I became attached.