i dont really have a lot to say about this chapter except, im sorry if you dont like the ending. i was in a hurry when i wrote it and i didnt know how to end the chapter so i just wrote something down i hope you like it.

chapter 7.

"Oh guts!" my heart pounded while I quickly thought of what to do next. "Is it too late to turn around and make a run for it?"

"Hiccup!" Astrid broke into a sprint.

"Aahh!" I yelped and quickly pushed Toothless into a bush we were standing by.

"Hey!" he yelled.

"Sshh! Just hide, ill explain later"

Toothless didn't respond, he just gave me a skeptic look and sunk into the leafy branches of the overgrown hedge.

"Oh my gosh, Hiccup were have you been?" Astrid said worriedly. "I expected you to come back down with Toothless last night"

"oh, well...um"

"speaking of Toothless, were is he?" she said looking around.

"He's uuuu..still sick" I said trying to look more sad then nervous. She bought the 'sad puppy eye' look "aw dang it! Now what are we going to do about the race?"

"I really don't know" I shrugged.

"Oh well, lets not worry about it right it at this point, now lets go! We were just about to start a game of bashie ball!" Astrid said punching me in the shoulder. Then all of a sudden Toothless leaped out of the bushes. "HEY!" he screamed. Astrid recoiled a bit. She wasn't expecting a small boy in a blanket jumping out of a shrubbery at her. I grabbed him before he could tackle her.

"Who..is that?" she said still uneasy.

"Oh him, he's...my cousin!" I blurted out

"but I thought Snotlout was your cousin?"

"Snotlouts from my dads side but this guy here is from my moms side!" I said, with quick thinking at my side. A million answers to questions she might ask were buzzing in my head."so because he's from my mom side, he isnt from here" I gave a shaky laugh. Astrid just stared at me for a while "yeah...sure..ok" the she directed her attention down to Toothless.

"So what's your name?"

He looked confused, for he was pretty sure he remembered when Astrid learned his name. "Im T.." before he could answer I slapped my hand over his mouth "his name is...is Erik..r..Erikr, like that one hero! Yeah.." I could feel the sweat starting to bead on my forehead. What if she didn't buy it and demanded the truth? Should I give her the truth or just make up another lie? I held my breath and waited for a response. Then she spoke

"you... are the weirdest guy in Viking history, you know that Haddock?" she laughed. "So are you coming or what?"

I took a huge sigh of relief "naw, I gotta get back to the house"

"fine, suit yourself!" and she ran off towards the direction she had come. I stood there for a second, lost in my thoughts. Then something warm touched my hand, then a stabbing pain shot through my palm. "Ouch!" I realized my hand was still over Toothless's mouth and I quickly retracted it. "You bit my hand!"

"No I didn't!" he protested "I licked it...THEN I bit it."

I sighed "what ever, lets just get back to the house before anyone else sees us."

By the time we got back it had started pouring down rain. I had to hurry to get inside before my prosthetic leg got too wet and muddy. Last time I let it air dry all the connecting bolts rusted. It took me a whole week to make new ones and rebuild it. I waited for Toothless to trudge through, then I bolted the door shut, trapping the harsh winds outside and the hear from the fireplace in. I didn't have to worry about Stoick because he was off on a trip and wouldn't be back for a few days.

"Wow! Its so big in here now!" Toothless said peeling off the old blanket and stretching his wings. Even though he had been wearing the blanket he was still soaked. "Hey, you should really change out of those clothes." I said "wait here, I think I might have something." I raced upstairs and dug through a trunk of my old stuff. After finding some clothes that I thought would fit him, I took my dagger and cut 2 holes in the back for his wings and one in the pants for his tail. I ran back downstairs and gave him everything he needed. "You can just change in my room, come back downstairs when your done."

"Ok!" he replied, and ran up the stairs. Every few steps he would flap his black , leathery wings to help him get up faster. Once I heard the door shut I peeled off my sopping wet clothes and slipped into a dry tunic and pants. While I hung the wet things by the fire I heard a loud *Bang!* upstairs, then Toothless came down wearing what I had given him.

"What happened up there?" I asked

Toothless turned red "I kinda fell down trying to put on the leg things"

I help back a small laugh then tried to sound supportive. "That's ok...happens to me all the time." it felt good to tell the truth for once today even if that's what it was.