The riders all had butterflies in their stomachs. After searching for so long and nearly being killed several times they had found the Nightfury pack. Now they were to afraid to approach the dragon pack in fear of what they would do to them. Ula and Nissa were especially nervous considering they were Draconia Daypeaces, the kind of dragons that had forced this pack into hiding in the first place. Hiccup was anxious about how they would react to seeing one of their kind being ridden and Toothless was terrified they would reject him.
"What are we waiting for exactly, an invention? We didn't come this far to turn back now. Let's go introduce ourselves to the pack before they decide to chase us off for intruding on their territory," Snotlout said.
"I don't know they look pretty strong and there are more of them then us," Tuffnut responded.
"Maybe we should have the dragons go first and then join up with them," Ruffnut suggested.
"That sounds like a marvelous idea. I'm all for it."
"I don't think we should approach them without all of us together. There is safety in numbers."
"Toothless, what do you want to do bud? There your pack so we'll follow your lead on this one."
"Truthfully I'm scared to even get close to them. I don't know what will happen if we approach the pack or how they'll respond to our presence. We're accomplishing nothing by standing here waiting to see if they'll notice us. I suggest we fly over there and introduce ourselves. Let's hope they respond positively to us."
"I'm sure your pack would be happy to see you again Toothless. Unlike my former pack they seem very friendly."
"If your pack attacks we'll just turn around and fly out of there as fast as we can. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
"Let's go then."
As everyone got on their dragon Nissa and Ula debated with each other mentally if they should appear in their dragon form or ride on one the pack's as humans to avoid creating a scene. After a few tense minutes it was decided that Nissa would ride with Hiccup and Ula would appear in dragon form in case trouble arose. It was the best solution to protect the heir to Xanadu from harm. Slowly the group approached the pack hoping that everything would work out just fine for a change.
They had nearly reached the far side of the valley when the first patrols spotted them. In seconds the group was being circled by several Nightfuries; each who fired a warning shot at them. The group hovered in the air refusing to retreat. The patrol didn't like that coming closer at top speeds to knock them out of the sky. The riders scattered in different directions to avoid being harmed. The riders tried to get back in formation, but the Nightfuries wouldn't let them. The situation was quickly becoming more dangerous by the second.
"Toothless, you have to talk to them, convince them we're not a threat. If you don't I'm not certain what will become of us," Nissa pleaded with the dragon.
"What if they don't listen to me? They're body language says they won't have any problem forcing us out of the sky and attacking us on the ground."
"If you don't do something quick they're going to strike and we'll have no choice, but to defend ourselves. I don't think you want that!" Hookfang yelled, the Monstrous Nightmare was preparing to set himself a blaze. The other dragons were also preparing their special attacks; even little Lumina had her mouth wide open ready to blast the patrol with her white hot lighting. The teens were inching for their weapons.
Seeing this Toothless reacted quickly. He scanned the patrol and figured out who was the leader. A large male Nightfury with a scar on his right eye was commanding the others. Toothless fired a plasma blast getting his attention. The male bellowed in anger at him his eyes widening in surprise at the sigh of a human and Daypeace on his back. The leader snarled his teeth popping into existence. The leader was about to command an attack when Toothless flew at him knocking him back with his tail. "I don't want to hurt you, but I can't allow you to hurt my friends."
"Who are you and why do you disgrace us by allowing a human and Daypeace to be astride on your back? How did you find this hidden valley? Are you in charge of these other dragons in your pack? What is your business here? Speak now or I'll have the patrol attack with all our might before imprisoning you!"
"I'm called Toothless. These humans are my friends as are the rest of these dragons. I wouldn't call myself their leader. The Daypeaces mean you no harm; in fact they are here to apologize for their actions fifteen years ago. They helped me find this valley, I have been searching so long for my pack after I was separated during the conflict. We just want to have a chance to meet the rest of the pack, for me to find my family."
"A likely story, though I'm not inclined to agree with it! If you truly are one of us how come you haven't searched for us before?"
"Its a long story, one I wish to share with the entire pack. Please let us have a chance to defend ourselves before you pass judgement."
"What makes you think I'll allow you or your pack into our den for judgment? I can just kill you now and be down with it!"
"Roald, you know that Elder Mungo would want to meet him; if he's who we think then you know everyone would be glad to see him. I know I'm interested to confirm the rumors we've heard from out trips around the archipelago. None of them appear to be dangerous and the Daypeaces haven't done anything to us. They do appear sorry," a slightly smaller male with specks of white on his under wings, informed him.
"Don't get your hopes up Elvy, the chances of him being who you think are remote. Very well, your pack can come to our den, but let me warn you once. You show any hostile intentions and I will end you once and for all."
"Understood. Lead the way." The riders thanked Thor they weren't being attacked. They flew towards the bay area where the rest of the pack was assembled. The Nightfuries were resting on jetties of rocks or lounging on the beach. The youngsters were playing in the grassy areas. Dens made out of trees, rock, and mud dotted the area. The Nightfuries were all whispering amongst themselves as they spotted the riders. Everyone was nervous and excited.
"I hope they like us, you think they'll believe Toothless?"
"Don't worry, everything is going to be okay Hiccup."
Everyone dismounted and stood at attention as an elderly Nightfury with dull black scales exited his den. He was joined by a female Nightfury with plum purple scales with a white star on her forehead and a male with lighter black scales flanked him on the sides. Everyone bowed respectfully as the three approached them.
Nissa took a step forward keeping her head low. She removed something from her pocket laying it at the Nightfury's feet. It was a scroll covered in claw marks and scales. "Honorable Elder, I am Princess Nissa of the Draconia Daypeaces. On behalf of the people of Xanadu I offer up our sincerest apologize for what our pack did to you fifteen years ago. You will find our blood, scales, and claw marks of the members of the party on the scroll signifying we are at your mercy. Should you wish to carry out justice against us you only have to follow the scents to my people and they will willingly allow you to do what you see fit. I await your judgement."
"It is not often one sees a Draconia Daypeace willingly offer herself up to a Nightfury. I sense your sincerity in your words. We accept your apology and we'll seek no action against your people. Indeed I'm interested in why you and this Nightfury get along so well. Please share your story with us, Toothless was it?"
"Very well, it is a long story." For the better part of two hours the group shared their story. The dragons spoke of living under the control of the Red Death; being stripped of any form of identity and forced to raid Viking homes to feed the monstrosity. They spoke of being imprisoned in the kill ring being used as practice targets. Toothless spoke of how he lost his tail fin waiting for a slow painful death only to have Hiccup spare him. At that point Hiccup started talking surprising the Nightfuries with his mastery of Dragonese. The rider talked about how he and Toothless worked together to end the reign of the Red Death.
The hatchlings were bouncing all over the place as they heard about the adventures of the riders while the adults wondered how it was possible for humans and dragons to make strives towards a lasting peace. You could visibly see the tension as Nissa told the part of the rescue mission to Xanadu and the shock that Toothless would give his blood to save her life. The females of the group seemed impressed by hearing about the quest to find them. When the story came to an end Toothless waited anxiously to find out if the group accepted him.
"There's no doubt about it elder this Toothless has to be my lost child Trygve. He's the right age and he reminds me of Hadrian in his youth. He even shares our smell," Dagny said excitedly. Her eyes shone with tears of joy as she looked affectionately at Toothless.
"He has the inner strength of any Nightfury. His loyalty to this Hiccup shows what kind of dragon he is. Please Elder let him and the others stay with us. There are so few of us left and I'm sure the females would enjoy a chance to get to know him better. I know I wish to get to know my younger son once more. "
"These riders have shown us they mean no harm. Their connection with their dragons shows me they have the potential to be true friends to our kind. Indeed their ability to see the good in any dragon and take care of this Skrill hatchling lends credibility to their claim. As for the rest of you dragons you have formed a very unique pack, one I wouldn't want to separate. You may all stay with our pack for the time being. I'm sure Trygve would love to get to know his family again. We shall have a feast tonight and share our stories with you. Then tomorrow I think we'll have some fun."
"Elder you can't be serious! Even if this really is Trygve, I'm not conceding that fact, they are a danger to us. We have no real proof of their claims. The Daypeaces are trying to force us to lower our guard so they may finish us off! I strongly suspect they've formed an alliance with these humans for that purpose. Indeed the humans have weapons to slay us with! How can you be so certain that they haven't brow beaten these dragons into doing their bidding?" Roald snarled angrily. His yellow green eyes bore into the group. His hatred was toxic causing Hiccup to unconsciously hide behind Toothless for protection.
The rest of the pack howled in disbelief that Roald wouldn't trust the elder. They loudly voiced their own thoughts saying the proof of their voraciousness was right in front of them. Indeed the trolls wouldn't have gifted them with those necklaces if they were going to kill anyone. Elder Mungo silenced everyone with single plasma blast to the sky. "He has the right to voice his concern. Roald; you are a strong dragon and have done your best to protect our pack. I admire your courage and dedication, but my decision is final. They are not to be harmed unless they show intent to harm us. In the meantime I suggest you continue with your patrols. Dismissed."
Roald snarled, but flew away with some of his patrol. Toothless soon found himself being surrounded by his parents, his older brother Elvy and his little sister Elysia. She was a five year old female with purple scales with a white dotted underbelly who tackled him rubbing her head against his body purring in delight. Seeing that Toothless needed some alone time Hiccup joined the other riders in meeting the rest of the pack. Indeed it would take all his skill to keep an extra close eye on Lumina as she played with the other hatchlings.
"I always hoped I would get to meet my other big brother some day! Mother told me stories about you Trygve! She said that you were quite the mischievous hatchling."
"Indeed he was Elysia. I remember the time he followed me out of the nest with trying to keep up with me as I looked for some toys for him. He got so excited he bit my tail! Do you remember that little brother?"
"I don't remember much of my life before the Red Death I'm afraid. I sort of remember your voices and playing with other Nightfuries, but my most vivid memory is being separated by the storm. I know you tried to help me mother."
"We tried to find you Trygve despite the storm. We wanted to search all over for you, but the storm was getting worse and we needed to take shelter. When we searched for a safe place to live we kept our ears and eyes open for any sign of you."
"Had we known you were under the control of a monster we would have used the full strength of the pack to rescue you. I count ourselves lucky that you were able to grow into such a strong specimen. I'm sure the females will all be vying for your affections, though your tail might put some of them off. Was there anyway to salvage it? Royal Daypeaces blood has remarkable healing properties. Perhaps the Princess could use it to regrow the fin?"
"My tail fin was ripped clean off by Hiccup's weapon and its been to long for Nissa's blood to work. Don't look so upset father. Hiccup didn't mean to hurt me so badly. He's done so much to help me fly again. He even created a tail fin that I could control so I could fly on my own. I chose to destroy it because my friendship with him is more important then anything else."
"I'm confused by why you show so much love and loyalty to the human who harmed you. I mean your stories conveyed deep personal feelings for one another, still he's human and a Viking as well. Can they really be trusted not to harm us?"
"I know from your stand point little sister our bond seems strange even unnatural. I assure that Hiccup and his friends love us with all their hearts. We may disagree with one another or even play tricks on each other. In the end I know all the riders would sacrifice their lives for us and we do the same in return."
"Enough talk about that. Come with us to our nest Trygve. We'll remind you of what you've forgotten. We can start creating many new memories starting with my well prepared reindeer cod meal. I mixed the two meats together and sprinkled a few bits of honey on it to improve the flavor. You use to love to eat this when you were small," Dagny told her child as they entered the family den. Trees and bushes formed protective walls with warm stones and soft dragon nip on the floor. A small pool of water was nearby with plenty of sand to roll around in.
Toothless sniffed the carcase in front of him letting the smell fill his nostrils. It was the most delicious thing he'd ever smelled and it brought back hazy memories. He gulped down a huge chuck enjoying the rich flavor. Seeing how happy he was the others joined in. Soon the whole family was munching on their lunch happy to be together.
The hours passed quickly as Toothless got to know his family again. They insisted on calling him by his original name even when he asked to be addressed by his new one. Deciding to let it go for now he went on a tour of the Nightfuries home with Elysia being his tour guide. She showed him the cliffs were they stored food, the meadows filled with grass and flowers to roll around in, and the bay where several younger dragons swam around in to cool off or fish. She showed him her favorite tanning spot on the beach and the forest were she liked to sharpen her claws. It was truly a magnificent home. Also he enjoyed sparring with his dad and brother while also helping his mother out with rebuilding the den. Occasionally he saw glimpses of the riders talking or playing with other members of the pack. He also witnessed the rest of the dragons going on a hunt with one of the patrols. What he mainly noticed was that the females were all eying him trying to catch his eye.
One particular female with a mix of black and purple scales with gold eyes held his attention more then others. He noticed her when he gone to help his brother out. Elvy had introduced him to his mate Ava. She and Elvy were building a nest for their new clutch hoping this time they didn't crack to soon. Though certain dragons species were full grown by three years others like Nightfuries didn't reach sexual maturity until much later in life around eight or ten. The two of them had a few kids from previous clutches, but this time they were hoping the whole group would survive.
Ava noticed Toothless looking at the female gathering material for the nests with a twinkle in her eyes. It wasn't hard to see how amored Toothless was with the pretty female. When they returned to the nesting area with the material she called him out on it. "You like Orli? I'm not surprised she is highly attractable. She's Elder Mungo's granddaughter Many males including Roald have tried to mate with her in the past, but she refuses them all. During the time when we lived in the past trying to boaster our numbers she mostly took care of the hatchlings. She enjoys helping the other mothers out with nest building or playing with the babies. That's what she's doing right now by gathering material for her friend Ido's nest. Though her time as a free female is up. Elder told her she has to mate this year or else."
"She's very pretty however I'm not really into finding a mate right now. I just found my family and am learning more about this pack. Besides why would anyone want me as a mate? I'm damaged goods," Toothless replied quickly. He started digging into the sand forming a nice hole for the eggs to rest in. Elvy lined it with some pine needles and moss. After dropping some grass into the hole he looked up at his little brother.
"You're not damaged goods Trygve. Just because you are missing part of your tail doesn't mean you aren't attractive. You have such a strong body and we've all seen how fast you are. From what you've told us your one of the greatest fighters and loyal to your friends no matter what happens. Those are qualities a female looks for in a mate."
"I don't know, she hasn't even looked at me let alone had a conversation with me. How am I suppose to catch her eye if she won't interact with me?"
"Maybe you should ask your human for advice. He seems to have two mates so he must be quite the catch."
"Astrid is Hiccup's girlfriend and Nissa is his best friend. He doesn't have two mates!"
"Honestly Elvy stop teasing him."
"I'm just trying to help. Seriously Trygve if you want to get Orli's attention just put yourself out there. She prefers honesty and kindness over brute strength and domineering behavior. Tonight at the feast offer her something to eat. She enjoys fresh salmon if you can get it."
"Above all treat her with respect. She's not a prize to be won, but a companion whose company you enjoy being with."
"Alright enough shesh didn't I just say I wasn't looking for a mate? I'm going to go see how the riders are doing. See you later!" Toothless bounded off. His brother and his mate could only smile shaking their head at the antics of a young dragon in love.
The night sky had just fallen as the stars came out to play. The riders of Berk and their dragons had returned to the communal area with exciting stories and plenty of food to share. The dragons had returned with an abundance of food ranging from caribou to mounds of fish. Lumina was already drinking her berry juice with the other youngsters. The humans were content to cook their food over the roaring fire. Each of them was babbling about their experiences with the pack. The two Daypeaces were content to sit on a log looking a bit more relaxed then before.
"Its been quite a day for all of us hasn't it Princess? I never thought we'd be able to be in the presence of a Nightfury pack without fear for our lives. It goes to show how much can be accomplished through courteous behavior and being apologetic for their actions," Ula said as she bit into her fish.
"I know what you mean. Our opposites are not as cold heart or evil as we were taught to believe. I have spent the day showing that Daypeaces truly seek peace and cooperation above all else. I don't know if I made much of an impression, but the older generation seem to be warming up to me."
"They seem to warming up to all of us. We actually got to spar with some of them and they didn't hold back. It was the best fight of my life!" Snotlout exclaimed showing off his many cuts and bruises with pride. The twins were also displaying their burns with joy. Fishlegs was busy writing as fast as he could in the Book of Dragons updating the Nightfury pages. He was so happy that he nearly broke his charcoal pen in half twice.
Astrid was leaning up against Hiccup who was holding some fruit over the fire. The flames licked the fruit causing some of the juices to flow. Removing the smokey fruit he split it in half giving some to Astrid who playfully kissed him. Blushing he bit into his own piece enjoying the mix of sweetness and smoke. He felt someone nudge him in the back. "Hey bud, you have a good time with your family?"
"Yes, I really enjoyed spending the day with them. My younger sister has so much energy. She loves to play tricks on me. My brother was overprotective, but he gave me some good advice. My parents are very wonderful and loving. It feels good to be reunited though I'm having a difficult time with them calling me Trygve. The name doesn't feel as if it was a part of me. It was something literally from another lifetime. I'm not the small three year old associate with that. I'm Toothless not Trygve."
Hiccup patted his friend on his head assuring him that everything would be okay. He just needed to give it some time. Any further discussion was put on hold as Elder Mungo flanked by several of the older members entered the commune. After restarting the flames they formed a semi circle around the bonfire. This signaled the rest of the pack to draw closer as they found comfortable spots in the trees, on some rocks or the ground. Toothless tensed up as he felt someone move closer to him. He yelped in shock as Orli brushed up against him.
"Would it be alright Toothless if I sat next to you? Your spot has the best view and I'm curious to know more about your relationship with the humans?"
"Um no problem here let me warm it up for you," Toothless replied nervously. He blew some fire on baking the slight mound of earth next to him. He flattened it up a bit with his tail gesturing with his paw that she could join him. Orli gave him a gummy smile turning around a few times before settling down to listen to her grandfather. "You can settle down next to me if you want. I'm sure you would feel better reclining then sitting up so stiff. Don't be shy there's plenty of room."
Hiccup had to hide a smile as he watched his dragon nearly trip over his own feet as he settled down next to the female. "Remind you of anyone?" he whispered to Astrid. She playfully poked his head with two fingers. "Yeah you. I guess its true that your pet starts to take after you."
Elder Mungo cleared his throat and then launched a plasma ball into the sky joined by others. The colliding blasts created a mini firework show with dazzling colors and shapes of different dragons. Under the light of the moon the riders saw how stealthy yet elegant the Nightfuries could be. Several pairs sky danced for them. They flew high into the sky doing triple loops and tight turns never touching one another. They spun around one another creating infinity symbols. With shocking speed and precision the pairs came at each other clutching each other paws as they fell towards the ground. At the last second they broke apart skimming over the humans head before taking their rightful places among their family members. The last pair was of Dagny and Hadrian who came to settle to his right. Toothless felt someone jump on top of him. Turning his head he saw his little sister giggling. He nipped at her and she took cover on Orli's left side. He could smell his brother and Ava nearby enjoying his discomfort.
"My fellow pack mates tonight is unlike any other we've celebrated. A child we thought lost to us forever has returned triumphantly to our pack. Not only that he has helped do the impossible, uniting dragons and humans under the banner of friendship, he has brought a lasting truce with our opposites. Though many of us still harbor grudges for the events that unfolded that night fifteen years ago whose to say this isn't what was always meant to happen?"
The pack looked at each other in confusion? How could being forced on the run by Daypeaces be a good thing? The Vikings teens also had confused expressions on their faces as they tried to figure out what the elder meant. A booming laugh filled the communal space causing everyone to look at the elder wondering if his sanity was gone.
"I understand your confusion so allow me a chance to elaborate. The loss of Trygve was saddening enough. It felt as if the fates were against us when we discovered our ancestral refuge was washed away by a storm and then the Daypeaces showed up. The resulting conflict left many of us injured and scattered across the sea."
"Again I apologize for my people's action in this. We had come to this part of the world via a Gateway hoping to find someone who could help bring peace to the world. Fighting your pack wasn't suppose to happen and could have been avoided if we had talked instead," Nissa said regret etched on her features. "I was part of that fight and though I refuse to fight neither did I try to break it up. I should have done more to prevent the injuries and loss of life. It is because of our actions that Toothless was unable to find you for so long."
Mungo crooned at her shaking his head. The blame didn't lie entirely at her feet. They too could have done things differently that night. Avoided the pack or retreated instead of pressing it. That was in the past and the Daypeaces had inadvertently saved them as well. "After encountering your pack we knew the dangers of returning to our old home. We had begun the search for Trygve when we felt the pull of the Red Death trying to control us. Luckily some random shots from a passing Viking ship broke the spell. We decided to find a new home. Our search was long and difficult. Much like your quest I'm sure you've run into trouble along the way. At times we despaired ever finding a save haven for us. That is when we felt the familiar power that was in the wake of the Daypeace's constant appearances. We found this island and learned about the Gateway's powers."
"How long did it take you to learn to operate it without accidentally sending you to another time and place? Was it damaged when you found it or did that happen afterwards?"
"Silence human! We don't want to hear your voice tonight!"
"Roald, behave yourself. Curiosity is something to encourage," Mungo reprimanded the patrol leader with a hard tail whack. "The Gateway was functioning properly when we stumbled across it, but it took us a full two years to master it. Once we figured out how to slip back in time we made sure no one could come to our side of the island. We lived comfortably in the distant past, for several years. It was a utopia for us having a place to raise our hatchlings, hunt the bounty of prey and worry not about being hunted down. They about four years ago an underwater earthquake upset the island. The Gateway was damaged forcing us into the present."
Mungo closed his eyes, his wings and tail drooping at the memory of that day. There home had nearly been ripped apart by the magical energies leaking out. In his mind he could picture the frantic scramble as they attempted to save any many of the youngsters as they could only to watch them be washed away in a floor or buried under the rubble as the cave collapsed. He felt someone touch his nose sharing his memories. Opening his eyes he saw Nissa's hand on his snout, her eyes glowing as she used her Dragon Heart to link with the minds of her friends.
Toothless, forgot he was a ghost as he fought shadows of mythical creatures as they hunted the Nightfuries. He tried to strike down prey as it passed through him harmlessly. He listened to the sounds of misery and death all around him unable to do anything about it. He felt someone touch him and nearly sank his teeth into Orli as she tried to calm him down.
"It's alright Toothless, the chaos and confusion lasted only a forenight. Eventually the Gateway returned to semi normal operations. We tried to fix it, but our paws weren't delicate enough for that kind of work. It took the whole pack's effort, but we managed to secure a safe path to our side of the island on semi regular intervals in the present. We started patrolling the whole island after that. Defending it from intruders to prevent them from discovering us. We also made some friends and used our expand territory to our advantage. Everything is fine now and thanks to you bringing the humans here we have no more worries about invasions or surprises."
"Orli is right bud, the Nightfuries are safe here. No ones going to hurt them and the other dragons respect their territorial rights. With us at peace maybe they won't have to hide so far away. Just think if you hadn't been lost they might never found this place or we'd never become friends and the war would have gone on forever. It appears that everything happens for a reason huh," Hiccup said hugging his buddy letting him know it was okay. The others did the same thing with their dragons understand the point Elder Mungo was trying to make. Safety and peace was something everyone wanted.
It was getting late for the humans, Snotlout nearly falling into the fire pit because of how tired he was. Some of the elder members of the pack showed them the dens they had set up for the riders. They had created temporary ones by carving out some space in the trunks of trees and filling them with leaves. Because the space was so small only two members could sleep in each den. Not taking any chances Ula pair up Astrid up with Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Fishlegs, and Hiccup with Snotlout while the two Daypeaces would sleep together. As they were settling in the dragons were also curling up in a large cave den not to far away. It was the only place big enough for all the dragons, save Toothless, to sleep in. After heating up some rocks and arguing about sleeping pallets the dragons dosed off.
Toothless was sleeping with his parents and sister. He'd offered to join with the night patrol with his brother, but was gently told that it wasn't necessary. He should relax not feeling obligated to help out. There would be plenty time for that later. Toothless was understandably nervous when he heard that. He was restless as he tried to get comfortable on his rock circling around and flopping about as he tried to get comfortable, but his mind wouldn't let him rest. Not wanting to wake his family up he quietly crept out of the den heading to the bay to think.
The moon's reflection lit up the lake as the sounds of the frogs chorus filled the night air. He felt the breeze tickles his scales in the cold night air. Shivering slightly he lapped up the cold, clear water. As he wiggled around on the banks of the lake trying to find a comfortable spot he smelled someone approaching him. He got into a defensive posture baring his teeth and puffing up his wings to make himself bigger. His eyes widened in surprise as Orli landed softly in front of him. Her gold eyes shimmered in the moonlight as she crooned at him. "Couldn't sleep huh? I guess being reunited with your family and hearing the pack praise you made you to restless to sleep."
"Not exactly, I mean yes I'm still reeling from the shock of actually finding my family once more. I am amazed by how accepting everyone was. I feared that they would reject me because of my lack of ability to fly and me bringing humans and Daypeaces to the island. I'm elated that everything has worked out so well."
"Then what is the problem Toothless? Why can't you sleep?" Orli questioned. She walked over and sat down right next to him, their wings cloaking one another. Toothless tried to ignore the pounding of his heart. It was taking every ounce of self control not to react to her intoxicating scent. Amused Orli gently placed a paw over his enjoying how Toothless tail started wagging back and forth. "Are you having trouble sleeping because your separated from your human friend? Nothing is stopping you from bringing him into the family den. I'm sure your parents and sister won't mind."
"Hiccup is sleeping and I don't want to wake him up. He's had a long hard day, they all have. Having a chance to meet with other Nightfuries and learning all about them has tuckered him out. I have never seen someone so in love with dragons before. He constantly takes risks putting himself in harms way to protect us or learn more about us."
Orli nodded her head in understanding. Hiccup and the others weren't the same as other Vikings. They had noble dragon qualities that they displayed to the pack. She recalled seeing the twins rough housing with the youngsters earlier that day not minding the nips and scratches. Indeed Snotlout had gone out of his way to be part of the spars among the males to display his dominance. No matter how many times he got burned he got right back into the fray showing he wasn't a coward. She let out a giggle as she recalled Fishlegs tenderly helping with the nest building for the eggs acting more like a mother then any of the females. Astrid and Hiccup had also worked themselves to the bones fixing dens not minding the hard labor. "Your pack is diverse, but strong. They care for one another deeply. I admire your altruism for taking in the little Skrill. No hatchling should feel unloved."
"If living with humans has taught me anything; it is the importance of looking out for one another even when your different. That's why I can't sleep. I love being with my family and the chance to stay here forever is tempting, but..."
"You don't want to abandon Hiccup and your pack. They're as much part of you as we are. Everyone assumes your going to stay here except I see how much you want to go back. Berk sounds like a lovely place to live even if the dangers there are overwhelming at times," Orli said. She rubbed her head against his in an affectionate gesture surprising Toothless. "You may have noticed I have no mate. My grandfather wants me to mate to help our species survive. I want to be a mother really I do. The problem is none of the males here display the traits I want in a mate. Sure many of them especially Roald are tough, strong, and capable mates, but their personalities are lacking. Roald sees everyone as a potential threat, he would have us conquer the entire island instead of being satisfied with what we have here in this hidden valley. I've seen his cruelty to others. He is not a dragon I would chose as a mate."
"Are you saying that you like me as a potential mate? Why I'm damaged, I live with humans and..."
"You are loyal and kind. You forgave Hiccup for injuring you even risking your life for him. I see that kind of compassion as noble. You protect your pack while being friendly to many different dragon species. I have seen how smart, generous, and loving towards other. The fact that you were willing to risk so much to find us tells me you are worthy partner. If you'll have me I would be honored to become your mate Toothless."
Toothless smiled at her with happiness in his eyes. He had noticed Orli's qualities admiring her devotion to others and her willingness to accept the humans. She was a tease at times. He liked how wise she was, her empathy being a great asset to her. He would have her as his mate. As the two got ready for a little foreplay the night was shattered as he heard Hiccup screaming for his life in the forest. "HICCUP!" He dashed past Orli at full speed heading to the forest with her on his tail.
Hiccup was shoved against a tree bleeding from a head wound. He tried to use his knife to cut his attacker, but couldn't reach it. He kicked his legs feeling his prosthetic buckling under the strain. "Get off me, I'm not here to hurt you! I wouldn't kill a dragon!"
"I'll make certain of that once you are gone!" the dragon hissed. In the cover of the trees the moonlight was blocked making it nearly impossible to see who the attacker was. Hiccup was to frightened to recognize the voice. He feared his life was over as the jaws came towards his head when someone tackled the Nightfury off of him. Gasping for air he blinked trying to figure out what was going on. "Toothless be careful! Ahhh." The teen felt his prosthetic give out as he sank to the ground. His lungs felt like they couldn't get enough air in them. He tried to move out of the way of the two dragons only to have someone gently drag him to safety seconds before Toothless was tossed against the tree he had been up against.
"Are you alright? I smell blood," Orli asked hurriedly. She licked the blood from his face trying to get the wound to stop bleeding. Her eyes darted from the teenager to the fight. Toothless had recovered rearing up on his hind legs and slashing with his front claws. The attacker ducked under snapping his jaws at Toothless's underbelly only for him to jump backwards. He whipped his tail around smacking the other dragon in the head. Though dazed the attack had the presence of mind to flick dirt into Toothless's eyes blinding him. Taking advantage of this the leapt on top of him trying to rip apart his wings. Toothless rolled onto the ground over and over trying to shake him off. He flipped his opponent off as the trees scattered their leaves over the two combatants. Growling in anger he fired a series of plasma balls which clashed with his foes causing a mini explosion. Panting hard Toothless got ready to defend himself once more as his foe took to the sky only to be brought down by the Berk dragons.
Orli let out a sigh of relief as her pack along with the humans descended on the scene. Nissa rushed over to tend to Hiccup's bleeding head as Orli informed her grandfather about what she had seen. Her story was interrupted as Stormfly and Hookfang dragged their captive towards the group. The fight had destroyed the tree tops letting the moonlight in. It wasn't as much of a shock as they all saw Roald being held between the two dragons.
Mungo was not pleased at all barring his teeth and roaring loudly. He allowed Toothless family members to go check on him and tend to his open wounds as he stormed over to Roald. "What possessed you to attack our guests Roald? Did you believe that you could go against my wishes? Not only have you broken our word, you insulted our honor and abandoned your patrol! What do you have to say for yourself?"
"That human was going to kill us! He left the den heading into the woods. I saw him sharpening his weapon. He was heading back towards the hatchlings. He would have slaughtered them. I had to stop him!"
"Hiccup would never attack a group of hatchlings!"
"I wouldn't do that! I was answering the call of nature and got lost. I only took out my knife because I was nervous. I thought I heard something then you came out of nowhere and tried to kill me!"
"Likely story slayer!"
"Don't you dare threaten my friend or..."
"You'll do what pet? Face it you don't belong here Trygve. Your a lapdog not a Nightfury! You don't deserve to be part of this pack!"
"Is that a challenge? Then I accept. Tomorrow you and I will finish this fight and if I win you will apologize to my friend or be exiled."
"When I win your life and your companions will be forfeited!"
In the dawning light everyone was anxious as Roald and Toothless squared off in the meadow. Ula had begged for Mungo's help demanding he call off this challenge only to have him refuse her. He insisted that this challenge was the only way to end the conflict between two rivals. His only concession to the fight was that Hiccup was allowed to ride Toothless so he could fly. The other riders were forbidden from interfering with the fight.
The astriction in the athier was altiudinous. The entire pack was whispering among themselves as they wondered who would win this fight. The stillness was broken when Roald made the first move by charging forward blasting away. Toothless ducked under the shots firing his own only to have his foe leap over them. His teeth popped out of his jaw as he whipped his head around going for Toothless throat. Not having enough time to dodge instead he hit him with the flat side of his tail ruining his aim so he missed. Roald hissed in anger rearing up on his haunches taking jabs at Toothless who met him in turn. Hiccup was holding on for dear life trying his best to avoid the claws.
Seeing he couldn't win the fight on the ground Roald flared his wings taking to the foggy sky above. He looked behind him as he watched the duo come streaking after him. All he had to do was remove the scrawny human from his back and then that sorry excuse for a Nightfury would plummet to his death. He spun around firing plasma balls before looping around to avoid being caught in his opponents crossfire. Smirking he flew higher into the cloud cover getting ready to set up an ambush.
"He's leading us into a trap bud, be careful."
"Don't worry about me I can handle anything he does. Just try to stay safe and protect my tail from being ripped off." That being said the duo pursued their quarry into the clouds ready for anything. Toothless's perked his ears up and took a deep breath trying to scent his prey. His eyes were tracking the clouds as he looked for the outline of his prey. He needed to remain focused and calm if he wanted to win this fight.
His ears are what saved him as he heard the faint sounds of wings flapping towards him. He barrel rolled out of the way as Roald came from behind claws slashing. He wasn't able to escape completely as a slight cut appeared on his flank. He twisted in mid air raking his own claws as Roald came back for another pass and was reward as he managed to land a hit on his chest. Hiccup opened his tail fin more allowing for the duo to speed up as the two Nightfuries engaged in hit and run tactics trying to land critical blows. It was all Hiccup could do to hang on and not get caught up in the fighting.
"You're doing great bud we just need to find his weak spot and exploit it. Come on think, what are the weak spots in a Nightfury ahhhhhhhh!" Hiccup screamed as Roald shoved him out of the saddle. Toothless struggled to remain aloft but without someone working his tail he couldn't. Soon he was dropping through the air at an alarming rate. Roald refused to relent as he dove after the two of them to continue his attack making their deaths painful as possible.
Toothless and Hiccup were falling side by side being spun around by the air currents. The teen tried to reach for the saddle only it was just out of reach. Toothless was spreading his wings trying to control his descent hoping to glide only to let out a yelp of pain as a plasma ball scorched his right wing. It appeared neither one of them was going to survive. As they looked at each others faces something happened. They both refused to give up having come to far to be defeated. They couldn't and wouldn't allow this bully to beat them. Apart each of them would fail, but together there was nothing they couldn't do. Hiccup's emerald necklace started to glow and in seconds the shine engulfed both rider and dragon.
Down below in the meadow the Nightfury pack was greatly agitated as they hissed and growled at the sight of seeing the duo fall. The riders and their dragons had to be physically restrained along with Toothless family to prevent them from going up there to rescue them. They prayed to their Gods hoping for a miracle and were rewarded as they watched in disbelief as the two were engulfed in the light show. When they could see again everyone gasped in amazement.
Hiccup was once again half human and half dragon. He had Toothless's wings, eyes and ears, and fully functional tail. His fingers were now claws with hard scales covering his underbelly and legs. Only it appeared that it was more then a fusion of the two of them. Hiccups human parts seemed to have increased in muscle size and his mind was now one with Toothless. They both were in synch as they worked in one body to battle Roald as they collided in mid air.
"That is the coolest thing ever! I can't wait until that happens to me!" Snotlout shouted. He pumped his fist in the air cheering his cousin on as he watched the hybrid stab the challenger with his knife.
"They've fused together into some kind of ultimate dragon warrior," Fishlegs said.
"The amount of pain they can bring to Roald is unbelievable," Ruffnut added.
"Yeah there's nothing they can't do now. This is in the bag!" Tuffnut exclaimed
"Hold on a minute didn't the fairy queen say something about this power being limited?" Astrid questioned.
"She did Astrid, I have a feeling this power up has a time limit or worse the injuries in this form will affect both. They need to end this fight quickly," Nissa whispered in fear.
In the sky above the hybrid of Hiccup and Toothless were discovering the difficulties of having two minds in control of the same body. Toothless who had much more experience flying was trying to control the wings and tail while Hiccup worked to defend themselves. Every time they fell out of synch the transformation almost fell apart, but they held it together. Zipping around at high speeds they tried to draw Roald closer to the ground so they could force him down hopefully trapping him in a tree or something, but he wasn't having it. If anything seeing the hybrid infuriated him even more.
"You make a mockery of what it means to be a Nightfury! We are the greatest dragons ever, the masters of this island! Ever since you came here everything has fallen apart. I will not let you win this fight Trygve nor will I let you mate with Orli. She is mine!"
"We are not a mockery, we're a symbol of what it means when human and dragon become one! Also Orli is not a prize to be won!" The hybrid duo tackled him mid air using their leverage to flip him and tear Roald's body. The knife was driven deep into wing joint drawing blood. In this much pain Roald would be forced to land, but not before he played a foul trick.
"If I can't win then I will ensure that my pack is not tainted by you! They will suffer for allowing you into the fold!" Roald spun around and unleashed a rapid fire of plasma blasts, but instead of aiming them at the hybrid he aimed them at the terrian. One blast ripped apart the cliff walls causing a landslide heading straight for the youngsters and hatchlings, who had been told to stay in a cave out of the way of the fighting, and was going to bury them! Another blast struck the den area setting it a blaze as a third fire ball ripped open a pathway for the lake water to come flooding towards the nesting area for the eggs. A forth shot set the meadow on fire as the remaining blasts aimed to destroy the hunting grounds. The entire valley was about to be wiped out!
"No! What are you doing? There your family, your pack!"
"Only those of pure Nightfury grit will emerge from the chaos. With me as leader I will ensure that we never have to hide again. We'll rule over all the other packs and slaughter the humans as they have done to us!" Roald roared before continuing, "What are you going to do about it? You can't stop me and save everyone at the same time."
"We trust our friends will do whatever it takes including give their lives if it means saving the pack. You on the other hand are going straight to Hel!" There was no emotion in their shared mind only ultra focus as they knew what had to be done. Sparring only a quick glance to see the other riders reacting the hybrid flew forward into battle ready to kill their second dragon.
The riders had acted quickly despite the chaos. As the entire pack shouted and flew about in confusion about what disaster to handle first they automatically responded to the threat they could handle the best. Snotlout urged Hookfang to fly as fast as he could towards the landslide hoping he could melt it back into the cliff face or at least redirect it away from the youngsters. The twins and their Zippleback tried to put the fire in the meadows saving the confused Nightfuries below at the same time Astrid, Fishlegs, and their dragons rushed to save the den and nesting grounds. Ula went with one patrol to put out the fires on one end of the valley as Nissa tried to evacuate the Nightfuries to safety. At the moment none of them cared if they lost their lives as long as the pack and valley were saved.
Snotlout heard the sound of wings beating near his head and ducked as Lumina passed by him in a desperate dash to get to the caves. The little ones were to frightened and scared running around in circles as their cave started to collapsed on them. She fired a a bolt of lightning disintegrating some of the rubble and getting the little one's attention. "Lumina; guide them out of there as fast as you can! Hookfang and I will try to stop the landslide best we can!"
"On it Snotlout you can count on me!" Lumina shouted as she zig zagged between the rubble and managed to land near the cave entrance. Her eyes rapidly scanned the group doing a head check. "Come on we need to get out of here! That landslide is going to be here any second!"
"Nix's wings stuck! We can't leave her behind!" A hatchling wailed. Indeed a tiny little Nightfury had her right wing trapped under a fallen stalagtight. She hurried over joining in with the others trying to shove the rock off our pull her out. The cave was collapsing all around them and the dirt was making it hard to see. Lumina refused to give up slashing and gnashing until the rock was broken and the hatchlings wing was free. Lumina scented for the cave entrance only to end up confused. "Where's the exit?"
"Hold on we'll echolocate. Pingggggg! There this way!" The group hurried to the exit jumping and flying through the entrance in mad scramble to get out of the danger. The little Skrill urged the frightened hatchlings to follow her down the cliff into the trees, but the landslide was coming to fast. They couldn't outrun it or out fly it with their little wings. They were doomed!
"No ones going to perish or my name isn't Snotlout Jorgeson oi oi oi!"
"Let's show them the power of a Monstrous Nightmare!"
For the first time ever Snotlout and Hookfang were acting in perfect harmony which activated their opal necklace. The purplish glow surrounded them lighting up the sky. In a burst of swirling fire the hybrid of the two emerged. Hookfang's tail, wings, horns and mouth, along with several rows of scale covered a buffer Snotlout who was now more nimble and flexible. The hybrid set himself on fire as he turned himself on his side.
His burning talons cut a deep trench into the side of the mountain swallowing up much of the landslide, still a good portion continued on its path towards the valley floor. Using their combined brain power the hybrid cast a steady stream melting the rocks and earth turning into sludge. As its speed slowed down slightly he whipped around in a atom like pattern gathering the mess into a giant ball that harden quickly. Using all his strength he rolled the ball onto his horns and flung it over the cliff walls onto the far side of the island. Exhausted the hybrid clumsily landed on the ground reverting to their separate forms. The cheering youngsters piled on top of both of the shouting praise for saving their life.
Meanwhile in the distance Stormfly and Astrid were doing their best to save the den area. Stormfly attempted to create a firebreak to prevent the spread of the blaze. At first it seemed to work as the fire stopped spreading towards the dens. That's when the strong winds streaming across the valley sent embers flying all over the foliage and rocks. Astrid ordered Stormfly closer hoping to use her wings to dispel the oxygen only to have a burst of fire send them careening backwards. "We need to put those flames out quickly or those dens are going to go up in smoke!"
"Agreed let's do it together!" The sapphire shine spread across the two as they merged into one being. In a sparkling dazzle the hybrid emerged with all the pride found in a Deadly Nadder. Besides the tail and wings, the hybrid sported the bony crest combined with Astrid's long flowing hair. Her legs ended in large powerful talons as her human chest expanded to allow more air. The scales protected her face from the leaping sparks of fire.
Their minds as one Astrid/Stormfly snatched mounds of dirt with their talons dumping it on top of the flames smothering them. Whipping her tail about the spikes tore through the air taking several of the burning tree tops with them towards the bay area. Seeing a minor success they caged in the flames with the spikes slowly smothering them as more dirt and then sea water was throne on top of them. Landing on the ground the hybrid used their massive wings and talons to beat the rest of the flames out. At last the dens were safe and the two blissfully separated smiling at a job well done.
While Astrid and her dragon had been saving the dens the hybrid form of Fishlegs and Meatlug were busy using their girth and jaws to cut a trench for the flood to bypass the nesting grounds and into the bay. It was an unusual hybrid nature as Meatlug's wings had doubled in size to accommodate Fishlegs girth and his arms had become thinner though still retaining their strength so he could manipulate his tiny dragon claws more easily. Seeing that the flood was still coming to the nest the duo decided to try a different strategy.
Gathering as much sand and rock into their dragon mouth as possible they fired six lava globs into the water creating a thick cloud of steam evaporating most of the water. With the flood's power greatly reduced the hybrid spun around like a corkscrew using their tail to create a line of sinkholes for the remaining water. At last the flood was contained and after making sure the nests weren't damaged the duo relaxed as the topaz yellow glow turned them back into two separate entities.
The Twins and their dragon were discovering the strangeness of being a hybrid as the aquamarine glow vanished. They kept the long necks and jaws of the Zippleback along with one arm each of the twins on their wide chest. They were still connected through the wings and tail, but they found for a few brief moments they could separate into separate beings, though flight became unstable. The twins realized that their gas and sparks would just worsen the problem with meadow being on fire. As much as they liked mayhem and destruction they didn't plan on leaving the Nightfury's homeless.
"Tearing up the grass is only slowing the fire down its not stopping it," Ruffnut wailed as she tried to smother the flames with their tail. She yelped in pain as the fire burned through the scales towards the bone.
Tuffnut used his clawed human foot to stomp as much of the fire out, but the smoke was starting to choke the both of them. "We can't do this alone. We need more help. Hey if any of you Nightfuries are still in the area we could use the help! Not waiting for a sign of acknowledgment the the duo separated rolling all over the place smothering flames and ignoring the burns as they reconnected. The Nightfuries must have heard them because Toothless family were using their tails and wings to smoother the flames. At last the meadow was no longer a ranging inferno and the Twins could become two people again as they started to attend to Barf and Belch's wounds.
Nissa was flying through the air using the power of her amethyst necklaces to boost her magical strength. After evacuating most the elderly dragons she called on her magic to cast rainbows across the valley. Everything touched by her light healed or stopped burning as the light extinguished the blaze. Through her Dragon Heart she felt Ula and the patrol finish their battle with the blaze. Sinking to her knees she was caught by Elder Mungo who helped her stand. Before she voiced thanks a blur of black and violet streaked past her into the air. "What the Orli? What is she doing?"
"Putting an end to the traitor Roald and saving her chosen mate I presume."
In the skies above Roald and the hybrid of Toothless and Hiccup had their talons locked together biting each other. The duo was trying to blast fire into Roald's mouth, but he wasn't going to fall for the same trick. Head butting the hybrid he pushed off from him lining up a shot to take them out once and for all when a blur spun around. Ignoring the dizziness he tried again and again only for the same results. "Who dares defy me and ruin my claim to victory?!"
"You will not claim victory cheat nor take another life! You have endangered the back and dishonored us all! The only reward for you is death!" Orli screeched firing a plasma blast at him burning a whole in one of his wings.
That was the opening the duo needed. Using the last of their strength the fired their own blast into Roald's screeching mouth causing him to combust. Unfortunately that was the last of their power and the duo reverted back to their natural forms. Hiccup managed to grab onto Toothless saddle and the two flew down to the cheers of the whole pack happy that everything had worked out so well.
It was nightfall by the time the clean up effort was done. Much of the valley had been destroyed however enough had been saved so they didn't have to move. It would take time to rebuild, but the Nightfuries were confident their Valley of Night would be a paradise once more.
As the victory celebration got into full swing Elder Mungo called for attention. "Today has been an event full day. We were betrayed by one of our own and nearly lost are home. We owe our eternal gratitude to the Riders of Berk for saving us. Trygve, I know it was not easy taking another life, but know that what you did saved many more from being lost. You are a hero."
"Thank you Elder Mungo. I only did what anyone else would have done."
"Don't be so modest Trygve. You were every bit a true Nightfury today," Hadrian told his son proudly as he placed a gently claw on his shoulders.
"I never imagined that so much would happen when my baby returned. I'm glad that your safe and sound now," Dagny purred as she licked his wounds closed and gave him an affectionate head rub.
"You're a tough role model to live up to big brother. I hope I can become a hero just like you," Elysia said as she also hugged him.
"Can't believe you also scored one of the pretties females around as your mate. Before you two get busy your going to have to help me on patrols as my second. You've earned it," Elvy told his brother, but noticed his frown. All of Toothless's family, the entire pack could sense something had changed. They waited patiently as Toothless gathered his thoughts before speaking.
"Mom, Dad, brother and sister; everyone it has a been a dream come true finding you. I am so happy to be welcomed among you and know that I'm accepted among you. I wish I could stay forever with you, but I can't," Toothless said as he looked at each of them. Their hurt and confusing was plain so he continued. "I'm not the same little Trygve you lost fifteen years ago. My name is Toothless and my life and heart is on Berk that is where I belong. The peace on Berk is new, but tentative. It has a chance to succeed only if Hiccup and I remain together. Please understand that I'm not doing this to hurt you. I promise to visit often and your welcome on Berk anytime."
Elder Mungo nodded in understanding. "You have lived a life separated from us, but know that you will always be apart of this pack. You shall be our ambassador to the humans and open the line of communication. It is time for us to take are place once more as protectors and friends to all dragons. We will protect this island and it's inhabitants from harm, we shall attempt to make peace with other packs. No matter what happens we will never wage another war unless absolutely necessary."
"We shall miss you Try I mean Toothless, but we'll visit often. We hope that you and Orli will be happy on Berk."
"We will mom I promise."
"Ah this calls for a show and song. I know just the one. Give me a beat," Nissa said as the dragons and humans started playing the tune she gave them. Using her Dragon Heart she linked the entire pack and projected their memories as images in the firelight. She started dancing a bit as the firelight shone around her. The first image appeared in the light showing Toothless and Hiccup meeting as she opened her mouth and started singing, "The Great Divide."
Ooh-ooh
La-Da-Da Da-Da
I never knew I lost ya till I found ya
And I never guessed how close you were to me
And now I wanna throw my arms around ya
Tell a thousand tales that will astound ya
Everything about you tells me this was meant to be
Don't you see
The images shifted showing Toothless and Hiccup stopping the Red Death, the events from Snoggletog, them starting the Dragon Academy with their friends.
I'm on your side
Let's take this ride
And together we're facing the world
Doing things nobody's done before
And the great divide
Doesn't seem so wide anymore
Naaaa
The riders and dragons were captivated as Nissa danced about pulling them into the dance. The dragons bobbed their heads back and forth crooning back up as the images showed their adventures on Berk so far.
I can recall life was like without ya
and now it feels like thou
we never been apart
Tell me every time you think about ya
anything you say i'll never doubt ya
Were meant to be together
I can feel it in my heart
Its just the start
I'm on your side
Let's take this ride
And together we're facing the world
Doing things nobody's done before
And the great divide
Doesn't seem so wide...
Hiccup recognized the scenes of the adventure to Xanadu, the aerial battle, the peace between. He watched as the riders stole the Book of Dragons back. Nissa smiled as she came to stay on the island and start her peace mission. As she sank on the images started to show their quest for the Nightfuries.
And if you'll be there beside me
when i fall
(and you'll be there beside me)
And when it every come
we'll take it all inside
I'm on your side
Your great divide
doesn't seem so wide
The last images showed the events of the last two days as everyone sang the chorus one more time united in harmony.
I'm on your side
Lets take this ride
And together we're facing the world
doing things nobody done before
And the great divide
Doesn't seem so wide anymore.
