AN: I'm very sorry about the delay, but as I'm hoping that you expected, it was the holidays and I had little to no time to work on this. Just to let you know, I recently went and saw The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and I ended up using a quote from it in this chapter.

Even with the delay, I fell in love with this chapter, it ended up being different than planned, but I really like the way it is.

I give you:

A Fury's Tribulation

Quintessence of Equilibrium

Part One

You learn a great amount when you gaze into the darkness. You see things that may have never been visible, until your eye adjusts to the correct dilation. It's in the dark, that beings show their true colors. The sky only shines with the hues of sapphires and violets on the darkest of nights, which bring out the shades that aren't visible in the light. A creature typically won't show their own colors until they are out of sight or in the dark.

The lights that shine down from the heavens are what we think of as symbols of eternal friendship, or acquaintanceship. Unfortunately, the myth that most dragons believe has its faults. I, for one, never believed that anything that was supposed to represent something so powerful and so immense, such as eternal friendship, could come from a graphic so transcendental.

I had always scoffed at the notion of something being such an easy coincidence, or leaving anything to chance. I had always thought that because the colorful display of lights randomly occurs on different nights, they didn't represent that two beings had created something intangible.

An eternal bond needed to have something behind it. It needed to have something to help hold it together. Just because two beings could stand to live with each other for a short period of time, didn't mean that they could be soul mates. You can balance with someone for one minute, and then be completely thrown off the next. An eternal bond needs to have the backing to make it last. It requires the commitment of each member to strive and make it take place. There needs to be qualities from each person that match the qualities and traits of the other.

Equilibrium.

It's the state in which opposing forces match up to create a distinct balance. It's the result of two influences working together to create stability; the perfect distribution that will invariably equal out. When one side falters, the other needs to be able to compensate.

I've tried numerous times over the years to accomplish equilibrium with other dragons. Being a Dark Sentry, it's easier said than done. It's easy for two Infernohides to balance their characteristics together simply because they can relate on many different levels. It's not so easy for something like a pathetic Knapper to balance with a dreaded Double-head. The beings must match in ways that can be beneficial to both.

So why did I suddenly feel like all of those myths about the lights were in fact, no longer myths? Why did I feel like the lights that were dancing before my very eyes truly were meant for the bond between Hiccup and I; potentially creating equilibrium?

It was inexplicable.

I could have never fathomed being attached to a being as much as I was at the moment. Hiccup meant more to me than any other person I had rested my eyes upon. The connection between us was almost tangible. The colors dancing before us were a testament that our friendship was, in fact, eternal.

It wasn't that I didn't want to believe that our bond was true to its core. It wasn't that I was afraid that if proven wrong, my heart would shatter. It was just that, what I had believed for so long, now seemed broken.

Myths and legends are just that, something that is passed down from generations to generation, to inspire and inform those who haven't experienced it for themselves. The myth about the waving illuminations in the sky was always the simple myth, as I wanted it to be. The truth was that I never believed someone could create such a powerful bond. I never believed that two beings would be able to stand each other long enough to remain together for eternity. I never believed that one dragon could completely change the outlook on my life.

I was so lost in the emeralds and crimsons above me that I didn't seem to notice the dragon in question eyeing me intently. I slowly brought my vision down to the pond that was before us, only to see the reflections of our bond still flashing momentously.

Hiccup came to my side and turned towards me. "What are you thinking about?" His tone was regretful, almost like he was apologizing for something. His question was so unpretentious, but little did he know the gravity of what was on my mind.

I sat quiet for a moment to think about what to tell him. Do I tell him the truth? Do I tell him that I think that what we have created is astounding? Do I try and explain why I have been so lost in the midnight sky, for hours on end? I was so lost from the mesmerizing sight, I couldn't come up with a decent answer.|| It's complicated. ||

The Sentry imitation shot me an annoyed expression and huffed. He knew that I was simply too indolent to give him a proper answer. "Do you really think that anything you say will be a surprise to me now? I mean, look at me: I'm a dragon, a Night Fury no less."

I gave a small smirk and looked up into his eyes. His acidic, amber irises were shining particularly bright, from the reflection of the midnight sky above. His brows furrowed, morphing into a questioning state, but he smiled nonetheless. I breathed in a deep sigh and gave a subtle smile right back. || I'm not really sure how to explain it. It's actually about a myth regarding our kind. ||

His gentle smile gave way for an inquisitive stare. "You mean, a myth about Night Furies?"

I shook my head in response. || No, actually, it's about all dragons, and everyone else for that matter. They say that these lights that shine above us are a tribute to an eternal bonding. They- ||

"An eternal bonding of what? Dragons?"

I paused for a moment and stared at him in irritation. || Just let me tell the story. ||

He slouched down slightly and looked up apologetically. || Anyway, they say that when two beings have created a bond that is powerful enough to last an eternity, these lights appear. It's an old myth that has always been told to the hatchlings, to help lift their spirits…. It has never really been something that I believed in, but after what has happened tonight, it seems far more credible. ||

The Fury gazed at me for what seemed like an eternity, his pupils dilating significantly. "You think we're the reason that the lights above us are shining?"

I gave a small shrug, and turned back to what I had now dubbed the reflecting pond. || Like I said, I'm not completely sure about it. I just couldn't believe how coincidental it was, considering what had happened. I had always scoffed at the theory, but now- ||

There was a pause while the two of us gazed across the reflecting pond, both of us questioning what we thought was ludicrous. "It seems so plausible."

I slowly turned my head towards the Night Fury; I had decided that since he was no longer a mortal, but neither a Dark Sentry, I could refer to him as what he thought he was: a Night Fury. The acidic lenses of his eyes were glinting with integrity, while the moonlight was showing the true colors that he burned with. The jade streaks that lined his body seemed to glow against the midnight light, giving him the appearance of a contaminated dragon.

I gave him a once over and sighed. I gestured over to the ground beneath the foliage of the trees with my snout. || I think it's about time that we get some rest. You're not going to like what we have coming tomorrow, and you're going to regret not getting the sleep that your body so desperately needs. ||

He gazed at me in slight annoyance. "Even as a dragon, I'm told when I need to go to bed."

I rolled my eyes and huffed as I started making my way to my resting place. I inhaled deeply, and blew it out as a stream of viscous fire to make myself a heated bed. || Some rules are universal across all species. ||

He watched as I circled on my newly warmed bed and lay down for the night. "Yeah, well, I thought that maybe now that I'm a Night Fury, I could have a little bit of freedom."

I smirked at the young dragon, and closed my eyes as I wrapped my tail around myself. || Trust me, you will never gain the freedom that you so desire. It's just like the bonding and the lights, they're all myths. ||

There was a long pause which nearly gave me the opportunity to fall into the state of rest. Nearly. I was rudely interrupted by a slight pester at my side. I opened my eyes to see a certain desperate-looking Night Fury pathetically staring at me. || What now? I'm not going to stay up all night gossiping with you about how pretty the sky is at night. ||

He continued to look at me with his seemingly begging eyes, until he slowly started creeping towards me. I watched in confusion as he crawled underneath my wing and slid his body next to mine. Once he was finally settled into a comfortable position, I let out an exasperated sigh. || You really need to learn how to burn your own bed. ||

He remained silent and simply adjusted himself so he could be closer to the heat source,- in essence, me. I rolled my eyes once more, and laid my head down for the second time to finally get some rest.

"Toothless?"

My eyes shot open and revealed highly aggravated, refined slits. || WHAT?! Is it not normal to actually sleep when you go to bed? ||

There was a pause while I listened to the sound of our hearts beating. "I just wanted to say… thanks … for everything."

I breathed one last sigh, and closed my eyes for the third time to rest. I was beginning to debate whether or not I should have put up with the youngling. || You're welcome, and good night. ||

"Good night, Toothless."

The things that I have to put up with.

###

###

The feeling of wind was like ecstasy upon my obsidian wings. I was so utterly lost in the breeze that flowed across each of my wings and fins. Each of the black extensions were moving flawlessly through the air, making the movement glorious. I never had experienced something that was quite so incredible.

Flying was something that seemed to be reserved for those who were deserving of it. I wasn't sure why I was suddenly so worthy of the magnificent implementation. It seemed like I was just speaking with Toothless about how we were going to repair his lost tail fin.

I started looking around from side to side, an almost blurred motion as I swept the horizon. I looked around myself trying to find the reclusive dragon who had gifted me with the ability of flight, but he was nowhere to be seen.

I tried to remember when I had last seen the mass of obsidian scales, but for some reason, I couldn't remember where the last place I had seen him was. The most recent memory I could access was soaring above the immense clouds as I was currently doing. I peered over my shoulder and looked past my solid black body in continuous search for the dragon.

Then it hit me.

My scales were not the solid black that encompassed my friend. My body was scattered with the acidic streaks that resembled scars from appalling lacerations. I tried to shake my head to rid myself of the inaccurate visual, but nothing happened. I continued to fly along with no control whatsoever over the situation.

I strained to piece together the puzzle that was my head. Why am I in Toothless' body? Why can't I control my movements? Where am I flying to- How am I flying? nothing about the present situation made sense to me. It was like I was dropped into some position without any notice or forewarning.

I only remembered the night before, when Toothless had informed me of what he assumed the purpose of the Aurora Borealis was. I only recalled falling asleep at his side, absorbing the emanating heat from his core.

It was then that I realized exactly what was happening; I was dreaming.

One of the hardest things to do is to try and remember what happened in a dream, and one of the oddest feelings is realizing that you are encompassed in one. It always seems that the dream completely falls apart, or turns into an entirely different direction. In my case, the dream simply went dark.

Even whilst being immersed within a confusing dream, morning seemed to come drastically sooner than I would have liked. It wasn't that I was afraid of what I knew the day was to bring, but everything seemed so much more calm in the night. Even as a human, I lived for the night. It was then that I was away from the daunting crowds and overbearing ridicule. At night, I could finally have the peace I needed to work on the things that I enjoyed most.

Each night, I would stay up late into the morning hours, either drawing, or thinking of new ways to enhance my reputation with the Vikings. The latter seemed hardly worth it, day after day. Any of the good inventions that I actually came up with were typically stolen from me and assumed to be conjured by a much more worthy Viking. It was seldom that I received any credit whatsoever for any sort of accomplishment.

I did, however, remember the one occurrence that seemingly made my life worth living. I had just finished designing a new weapon that would temporarily disorient a dragon's senses. It gave a loud explosion which would affect the dragon's hearing, and the remnants of dirt and debris could be directed towards the dragon's vision. The first times I used it, it worked flawlessly. The dragon would fall to the ground and start flailing whilst attempting to reorient itself with its surroundings. Of course, I never got to try the weapon out on a larger dragon though. The only chances that I ever had were with the Terrible Terrors, despite the limitation, it worked perfectly.

I called it, Ballista. Named after the Roman version, only mine used a different firing propellant than the original.

I had never been more proud to actually make something that worked. It was unfortunate that no one got to see my work as one day when showed up at the forge, my weapon was gone. Along with it were all of my blueprints for the design and any notes I had related to it.

I tried several times over to recreate the exploding device, but I was never successful. There always seemed to be some sort of issue that would go on when I would be working on a replacement. Either a dragon attack would destroy the forge, with all the contents along with it, or Gobber would suddenly have a drastic assignment for me to take care of. Each time, I would return to an empty storage closet. I asked the burly man over and over what happened to all of my work, but he always claimed to know nothing of it.

It was easier to put things in the past and look to the future, rather than trying to dwell on it. I knew that my ideas were usually good ones, just not always foolproof. I learned to love the trialling and testing of new inventions. There was always a sense of the unknown when firing a weapon for the first time. Granted, that's what probably got me the name Useless among my village, but it was something that I lived for. Even the bola-launcher that seemingly worked perfectly, I was proud to be the one who made it.

My success with the launcher was short-lived, obviously, but then again, I'm not quite so sure I would change it. I wouldn't have had the chance to meet the greatest friend that I have ever had. I might not have made the best first impression on Toothless, but he certainly warmed up to me, literally.

The warmth that was emanating from his body was most likely the only thing keeping me alive. Even whilst having my body fashioned into the tightest form I could manage, the cold would still penetrate the scales that coated my flesh. The only comfort that I received was the fact that I was pressed up against the body of the Night Fury beside me, his wing a leathery blanket draping over my body.

There was much for me to be thankful of. It was no longer him simply protecting me from the bitter cold; he was willing to stay by my side and teach me how to exist as a dragon. Toothless wasn't the fearsome creature that so many thought of when someone mentioned the arrow-like dragon, as black as the night and as swift as the wind. He was simply a being trying to manage in the world around him just like every other being. It was strange to think that Vikings considered dragons so different to them, when they were, in essence, so similar- the beings known as Vikings trying to exist in their world, the beings known as dragons, in theirs. There was bound to be some overlap.

When I finally opened my eyes, I saw that the day was still young. The midnight sky was still present, but a faint glow could be seen on the horizon. I exhaled, my breath catching frost in the air and informing me how frigid the actual air temperature was. I slowly lifted my head, and glanced over to the dragon who was protecting me from the glacial weather.

Toothless was still ensconced in his slumber, his chest heaving ever so slightly with each breath. It was the first time that I had seen him actually asleep. He didn't appear as the dangerous and lethal creature that he was. The soothing reverberations that emanated from him gave him the physique of someone who was calm and protective. In truth, he was someone who was calm and protective; he had been patient with me ever since I fell into the cove. The way that he wrapped his tail around me was indicative of his defensive and shielding nature.

I was thrilled to finally have someone that I could open up to, someone who would listen to my thoughts and not judge me for them. He was someone that would go out of his way in order to see me succeed, someone that would be willing to put my needs before his.

Someone that I envied.

He had his faults just as everyone else in this world did, but he didn't let those problems get in the way of his progress. He didn't allow his difficulties get in the way of what he wanted to achieve.

He never saw me as someone who was of lesser worth than him. When he decided to try and execute me when we first met, it wasn't out of dominance, it was for protection. He was never for war, he was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I gazed over the open waters of our cove. War had always been a part of our kind, Viking or dragon. The war between our two races had always seemed as if it had a hollow shell. Even if the Vikings were strong enough to stop the dragons from coming back, what would they do next? The philosophy had always been that something worth having, was worth fighting for, but if they lost the species to fight against, they would simply fight themselves. They needed the dragons, whether they knew it or not.

|| The war is hollow on both sides. ||

I shook my head, and looked back to the dragon who was seemingly resting next to me. It still baffled me how he could hear my thoughts every now and then. "How is that? Weren't you guys just stealing food to feed you families?"

Toothless opened his eyes to reveal the emerald irises; his head still relaxing upon his paws. || The entire foundation of the war is flawed. Every other dragon that attacks your village, is under siege. If it were up to them, they would get their food from the sea like dragons elsewhere. If it were up to them, they wouldn't have anything to do with attacking the mortals. ||

I let out a deep sigh as I thought about his view on the subject. The war had always been a controversial subject, probably even more so with the dragons. "What do you think about it?"

He looked over to me, with his emotions showing so strongly. His eyes were set as refined slits, his ear plates were laid back against his head, and his strong deep breaths emphasized his opinion on the matter.

Toothless was always showing his emotions vividly. From the day we first met, his hatred and aggression were displayed intensely. Even from the previous night, his dilated pupils had given him an appealing presence, and the plates that shot to the sky in interest from the top of his head revealed the almost adorable standing that he pulled off so well. The dragon was excellent at displaying the feelings that were resonating throughout his mind.

He was one to wear his heart on his sleeve.

But even with the emotions that he managed to pour out of himself, there was a time when words were necessary, there was a time that words were needed to disrobe the raw feelings that one had towards the subject.

|| What do I think? What do I think?... I think that it's outrageous…. I think that it's ludicrous…. I think that it's ridiculous, disgraceful, appalling, atrocious, depressing, horrific, disgusting, murderous, injudiciously vulgar, vile, venomous, and I think it all with vicious vehemence! ||

The raging Night Fury had gotten up from lying upon the ground to hover over me with appealed, betrayed intensity. His eyes, as thin as the shadow of a hair. I could practically feel the hatred that he withheld towards the war that roared around us. || The beast responsible for this has destroyed so much more than anyone could have thought possible. It's not just the forcing of us to go to war, it's not just the constant threats to our lives, and it's not even the killing of a dragon every time she shows her wretched face. It's the fact that she has demoralized each and every dragon under her control. She has ripped away the quintessence of life from their very mindset. She has destroyed all ambition that the dragons once had, and replaced it with the slave-minded imitations that you have had the displeasure of seeing. The dragons are no longer dragons, not really; they are merely shells, airworthy shells with which she can wreak her havoc and not have to leave her post. ||

There was a pause while we both thought about the fate of not only our own species, but the other's as well. I suddenly felt so self-centered, not thinking about how much pain and suffering that we caused by brutally murdering the dragons who raided our village.

I gazed up at Toothless, who was staring down indignantly. || There is so much more than this meaningless war. We have been at war with one another for so long that neither side knows of their aims any more, except to eliminate any members of the other faction. We both have been turned into nothing more than mindless killing machines, our minds filled with the thought of the blood of our enemies flowing out into the grass, and little else. The dragons have so much more to live for that they have completely forgotten about. I know many of them personally who have families that never got to see their father or mother come home. They are so lost in this simulated world that they consider their life. They have lost the meaning of living that used to drive them so powerfully. They used to believe in something beyond the mind of a slave. They used to aspire to become better than who they were. They used to dream of a better reality. They used to see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel…. That is the purpose of life. ||

###

###

The brisk cool air traced shivers down my spine. I may have been a large burly man on the outside, but that does nothing against the brutal freezing air that plagued Berk this time of year. Winter was on our horizon, but even so, I was still lost in the present.

As my eyes peeled open, I once again saw the remains of the aftermath of a so called Night Fury. My blood began to boil as soon as I pictured the malicious reptile. I felt determination like I had never felt before. Determination to destroy what had taken a part of me. I lusted for nothing more than the head of that dead Night Fury mounted upon my wall, as I showed my dominance over the insignificant beast. I was so entranced in the thought of making sure that dragon wouldn't live to see another day, I was completely oblivious to the world waking up around me.

Gobber's trademark groaning was the first of the morning sounds to reverberate through my ears. "Stoick, why is that every time that I go off on some adventure with you, I end up sleeping on the cold, hard ground?"

I turned my head and gaped at the man with an aggravated stare. His comical attitude and frustrated face quickly disintegrated into a look of sorrow. "Oh, right."

I breathed in a deep sigh as I sat up and once again looked over the pile of tattered clothing and remnants of roping which was all that remained of my son. I wanted nothing more than to hold him in my arms and speak the words that I was always too shameful to admit to him.

I always thought the words went without saying, but now, as my last chance to do so has been stripped away from me, I realized how much they truly meant. My boy was the last of my family. I had no heir to pass my legacy along to. I had no son to pass down the right to chieftainship. The last hope of a great line of leaders, now ended with me. The last love of my life, was gone.

I now regretted every moment that I didn't take the chance to tell him. I wished so much that I could take back every hurtful thing that I had ever said to him and replace them with what I now felt.

I loved him.

He was my son. How could I not love him? How could I have treated him the way I did for so many years and not realize the harm that was being done? How could I not see the damage that I was causing and stop myself from the making the same mistakes time and time again?

I knew I had to make it right. I had to fulfill what my son had started and finish what needed to be completed. I knew in my mind that I was going to kill the dragon who slayed my son. He may have been the first Viking to down a Night Fury, but I just had to be the first Viking to eliminate the beast for good.

I looked back over to Gobber, who was still giving me the apologetic stare. I clenched my teeth together in anger as I imagined myself ripping the beast apart, limb from limb. "Gobber?"

There was a pause while he took a good look at me, trying to read my emotions. "Yes, Stoick?"

I nodded my head faintly. "We're taking down that Night Fury. I'm going to kill that dragon if it's the last thing I do."

A small smile crept across his face as he exhibited a mischievous look. "And I will be right beside you, if it's the last thing I do."

The wail of a dragon echoed throughout the forest, announcing itself to the rest of the world, and to its predator.

Gobber quickly scanned the edge of the forest and turned back to me. "The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only hope is to hide, and pray it does not find you."

I turned my head from the edge of the forest and back to Gobber. "I suppose we will have a lot more to document about this dragon once we have its head on display and its heart raised on a sword."

He nodded tentatively and started to remove his hook hand replacing it with a much more formidable weapon. "I doubt we will ever hear of another Night Fury coming around this island by the time we are finished."

Another roar reverberated from a distance not too far away. They said that war does not determine who is right, only who is left. I did not know if I was in the right, but I knew that I wouldn't be the one who was lost. I planned on being the one who was left.

I quickly scanned the horizon, and pinpointed roughly where the sound had come from. I looked back to Gobber and gave him a reassuring nod. "Well then, let's get to it."

###

###

I rested my eyes upon Hiccup with ease. His acidic streaks seemed to glow as the reflection of sunlight glinted brilliantly upon them. He was curled into a ball, with his tail tightly wrapped around him. His breathing was soothing and consistent.

I was starting to imagine him as a useful dragon. With the right amount of training and effort, he could be stronger than any of the other dragons. He simply needed guidance.

I heaved a weary sigh, and made my way over to where he was laying. || Are you ready to learn how to be a dragon? ||

He brought up his head and lifted his ear plates in curiosity. "Of course. I've been waiting all morning for you to say that."

I brought up a small smile, and gestured with my head to the shore of the pond. || Ok. First thing you need to learn is how to walk. ||

He made an annoyed face, and flattened his ears upon his head. "What are you talking about? I know how to walk. How do you think I made it here? I want to learn how to fly."

I rolled my eyes and slapped my tailfin across his face, resulting in a loud whine from my trainee. || Flying is way farther down the road than what you're ready for. Besides, didn't you fall into this cove while you were supposedly walking? ||

He brought his paw up and rubbed his nose while he scoffed at my interpretation. "Well, I know how to walk. Just watch."

He raised himself to his feet and started making his way over to the pond. Every other step, he would raise one of his rear legs until it touched his hip, then stomp it on the ground below. || Wrong! ||

He quickly turned around and stared at me in exasperation. "What, what did I do that you didn't?"

I shook my head and rolled my eyes once more. This is going to be a long day. || No one walks like that. || I proceeded with my imitation of his so-called walking. Slightly exaggerated, of course. || I could be wrong, but I have never seen a dragon walk with his hind legs moving up and down in such a massive motion. A simple step is all that is necessary. ||

He watched as I showed the proper way to walk along the shoreline, my steps being taken in even and consistent increments. I trotted down to the far side of the cove and walked at a normal pace on the way back, in order to give him a better view of what he should be doing. || It's not that difficult, and it can't be too different that walking as a mort- a human. ||

He gave me an almost delighted smile when I finally referred to his prior race as humans rather than mortals. "Alright, so like this?"

He started towards the other side of the cove, turned, and returned, feet out of sync the entire way. || That was better, but you need to walk with your legs in synchronization. You look like an idiot trying to take an individual step per foot. It's much simpler than you're trying to make it. You need to walk with opposing corners in sync. So, your front right with your back left, and your front left with your back right. Just watch me again. I'll go slowly so you can see what I'm talking about. ||

I gradually walked along the shoreline, emphasizing each step to show precisely when to take it. Once I returned he stared at my feet with a confused look. "Why can't you just walk with one side then the other?"

I huffed and rolled my eyes as he thought through the process in his head. || Why don't you try it like that and see how you like it. ||

He gave me a questionable stare then proceeded to attempt his theory of walking. His first few steps went fine, although a bit bouncy. Then his steps became very substantial until finally, his front foot slipped out from underneath him, leading to an inevitable face plant into the ground.

I happily trotted my way over to him and towered over him with a face that said it all. He looked up at me and groaned. "Don't say it."

I stayed silent, but decided to bring my tail around to slap him across the face once more. || Are you going to question what I tell you any longer? ||

He looked up at me and let out an unamused huff. "Just show me how you did it again."

I leaned back and presented him with a toothless smile just before I started walking diligently before him. || Front right, back left. Front left, back right. It's easy once you get used to it. I'm sure you didn't need to think about it as a human, it will be the same as a dragon. Just takes a little bit of time. ||

Once I returned to his side, I gestured with my snout for him to try it again. He heaved a deep sigh, and gradually started to take individual steps just as I had shown him. He carefully thought about which foot needed to be placed at the right time. Once he made it to the far side of the cove, he started returning, but with a much improved pace. || That's more like it. Just continue to walk around until you get a feel for it. ||

I watched as he gingerly sauntered around the depths of our cove, trying to perfect his routine. He progressively gained speed until he was trotting along the shoreline with ease. Eventually he managed to start and look up as he was walking, instead of staring at his front paws the entire time.

His pace had finally grown to the point in which I thought it would be suitable for the next step. || Alright, you can come over here and learn what to do next. ||

He circled around me and kept walking along the shoreline towards the opposing side of the cove. "Just once more, I think I have it almost perfect."

I smirked and sat back down on the ground as I watched him tread his way around the cove. He continued past the point in which he normally would turn around and approached a tree that jutted from the floor surface. He slowed his pace and looked down at his feet as he negotiated each tree root with excellence.

I observed as he circled the tree and started coming my way once again. Suddenly he stopped in place and started flailing his forelegs. He started wailing as he tried to fight off something near his face. In fear that something was actually attacking him, I sprinted over to him in a few easy bounds. || Hiccup! What's wrong? What are you doing? ||

He leapt away from the tree and desperately started rolling in the grass, all the while shouting in terror. "Get it off! Get it off!... Toothless, help!"

He finally swiped his paw across his face and smashed it on the ground before him. He quickly got to his feet without releasing the paw from the ground. Slowly, he lifted the paw and peered underneath it to make sure he captured whatever it was that was terrifying him. I got down close to the ground and observed as he lifted his paw.

Underneath, the remains of squashed spider laid sprawled out in a sticky mess. I brought my head up and gave Hiccup a very irritated expression. || You were freaking out over a spider? ||

He removed his paw, and started to wipe away the rest of the spidery mess on the grass nearby. "Spiders are dangerous. They're so small that you never know what kind they are. If the right one bites- "

|| It's a freaking spider! That insignificant little arachnid couldn't hurt you even if it wanted to! ||

He looked at me, almost offended as I stared down at him in frustration. "You don't know that! Some of those spiders have really long fangs that inject veno-"

|| IT'S A FREAKING SPIDER! You really think that a tiny little fang will penetrate your dense scales? ||

He slowly lost the insulted expression and turned to one of confusion. "Are you sure?"

I dropped to the ground and threw my paws over my eyes. || You have got to be kidding me. ||

###

###

I sat by the edge of the pond, rubbing the edge of my nose with my paw. Toothless was kind enough to repeatedly smack my snout with his half-tail.

|| I heard that! ||

I rolled my eyes, and turned myself to face the pond directly. My nose was aching from the number of hits that Toothless had laid on it. I didn't think that I was completely wrong about being scared of the spider. I mean, if I had been a human, I could have died if the spider was venomous. At least I now knew that they were insignificant, but my snout was still rather irritated. I did, however, manage to get him back though. On his final smack, I opened my mouth and clamped down upon his tail. After all of the irritating lashings of his tail, it was glorious to hear his high pitched yelp in agony. It was nice to give him a taste of his own medicine. Needless to say, he was now massaging the aching spot on his tail.

I was satisfied.

The morning drifted into the afternoon as the sun slowly meandered up to the highest point in the sky. I heard Toothless walk up behind me and sit down. I turned my head to get a full view of him. "Is there something you want to say?"

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. || If you really think I'm going to apologize for hitting you in the face then you've got another thing coming, namely my tail. ||

I was just about to open my mouth to make a sarcastic comeback when Toothless cut me off. || And if you ever bite my tail again, I'm going finish the job that I started with you. ||

I raised my head, being supercilious, and huffed. "We're even."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. || Anyway, I think it's time that we work on running. ||

I looked up at him in confusion. "Running?"

Toothless nodded in affirmation. || Yes, you need to learn how to run in case we are ever in danger. Even if you know how to fly, running is still more important. You can almost always run, but you can't always fly. ||

I heaved a deep sigh in vexation. Running was not my strong suit. I could hardly do it as a human, much less a dragon. "Do we really have to?"

He raised his tail and pulled an irritated face towards me. I gave an exaggerated sigh to emphasize my displeasure with the activity, and motioned for him to continue. He nodded and proceeded to get into his running stance. || Alright, you need to know that running is different than just quickly walking. You start to use your front legs at the same time and your hind legs at the same time. It's crucial that know when to thrust with you rear so that you can carry your momentum over your front. The front legs don't actually do much pushing; it's mainly for balance. ||

He leaned back upon his hind legs and stretched out his front far forward of himself. He made the motion slowly, clearly indicating how he was going to push with his rear legs. After a few more motions, he started to thrust himself across the cove. Each time, he would stop and show me the correct time to force downward with his legs.

He continued the demonstration, getting faster and faster with his strides, showing how effective his hind legs were at propelling him forward. Once over to the edge of the cove he leapt on top of a rock then bounded off to the side, skidding across the grass as he struggled to quickly get back to his feet, shrieking violently in the process. "How graceful of you."

He snarled back at me and slowly advanced on the rock once again. With my curiosity piqued, I trotted over to his side. He immediately unfurled his wing to stop me from progressing any further.

With his heavy breathing and his heart beating fiercely, I could tell that he was frightened of something on the other side of the rock. || Don't go any further, it could kill you in an instant. ||

I slowly peered around the edge of the rock and saw the creature that he was supposedly so afraid of. "What's wrong? It's just a little garden snake."

He looked at me as if I had said something preposterous. || Those serpents are the dragon's most feared enemy. Their venom has the pow- ||

I cut him off mid-sentence and leapt beside the most feared enemy. I unsheathed my claws and swiped it across the snake, successfully propelling it into the pond not too far away.

|| Are you insane?! One drop of that snake's venom could stop your heart. You should never be so reckless around something so deadly! ||

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "I don't see what the big deal is. I have killed hundreds of them. Their meat is actually quite tasty. There's nothing to be really afraid of as long as you're quick to move it with your claw."

He narrowed his eyes and stared at me, unimpressed. || Says the one who was afraid of a spider. ||

I returned the observation with a near exact imitation of his face. "Yeah, well, at least you can see a snake."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head in aggravation. He quickly turned and started trotting away towards the pond.

I slipped a short snicker and narrowed my eyes slowly. Toothless laid by the pond, watching the water ripple gently as he closed his eyes for an interlude. I heard a ruffling sound, the sound of branches cracking, a quick shuffle of brushing. I assumed it to be nothing. My vocals resounded, coming off as a rumble. I closed my eyes, the time ostensibly well for relaxation.

The movement of branches continued to sound, seemingly closer than before. "I know you're trying to mess with me, Toothless. I can still bite other parts of your body, you know."

I kept my eyes closed in wait. When I felt no sharp slap of a tailfin against my snout, I opened my eyes little by little. Toothless was still resting by the pond, his own eyes hidden under the obsidian lids that kept out the light. "What was that sound, then...?"

I waited quietly, my eyes alert in attention. I turned towards the other side of the cove, looking around closely for anything that might have caused the disruption.

A rustling of the leaves. A shuffle of feet. A draw of breath.

A human breath.

A quick flash of metal caught my eye high upon the rim of the cove.

Ballista.

Immediately, as I saw the weapon and its wielder, I felt my heart drop.

"Toothless look out!"

###

AN: Ummm... yeah, I guess I could have mentioned something about that in the first author's note, but it was more fun this way. Well, what did you think? Did you enjoy it? Was it as good as I thought, or am I just completely off with it? Please leave your comments as a review. I don't know what you think unless you let me know.

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