AN: Wow, I'm actually alive? And writing things? Even I find this shocking. But don't you worry, I have my reasons (read: excuses)! I'm gonna list them off, and sound really whiny and annoying, so you can just skip to the chapter. If not, well then here we go: I had terrible writers block, had to study for exams, applied for jobs, got hired, started working, and I also had this one day where I couldn't think of the right word, and I couldn't think about anything else, and so I couldn't write. Heh heh.
Anyways, here's the next chapter, picking up where we left off with Hiccup after the second day of training.
I ran out of the arena faster than I ever had before. I knew myself – I could only hold a reckless idea for so long, even if it would turn out for the best, and I had to hurry to find the Night Fury, and the answers that came with it before the adrenaline wore off. I quickly reached the harbour and snatched a fish before carrying on. Hopefully, the dragon would prefer the fish, and wouldn't eat me immediately.
As I began to reach my house, and the forest behind, doubts started crawling into my mind. What am I even expecting to find? And what will I do with what I find, whatever it may be? Is it really worth getting killed for? I glanced back and forth between my house the forest further on. My lungs began to burn, and I slowed my pace. My run turned into a jog, a walk, and finally, a complete stop, just steps away from my house.
I looked towards the forest again, remembering the Night Fury's curious eyes. I couldn't shake the thought that the dragon seemed like an innocent creature. I was still unsure of what caused it to shoot down our buildings, and cause such mass destruction. I didn't know why any of the dragons did any of the things it did. And I still had the tiny voice in my head nagging me, saying that these creatures, none of them, deserved death. But I didn't know why.
Perhaps the Night Fury would reveal something. Anything. And I was desperate for that reassurance. But there was another voice inside begging me to stay out of it, to not get myself killed, to just suck it up, and to become a decent Viking, choose the easy way out. My words from only two days ago rang through my head. "I solemnly swear to be the change that both the Hairy Hooligans and the dragons need." I realized that I also had to be the change I needed.
I ran into my house, quickly grabbing a shield from inside, and slid out the back door. I ran into the forest, and didn't slow until I saw the cove.
I stopped, trying desperately to catch my breath. Once I could properly breath again, I stepped forward, raising my shield instinctively.
I moved towards the stone entrance, and slowly peered over my shield. I lifted up the fish, and gingerly threw it inside the cove. I looked inside.
No dragon.
I moved forward, to fully enter the cove, but was stopped abruptly. The stone walls had converged to a width smaller than that of my shield, and, to put it simply, it was stuck. I tried to push the shield out to no avail. I internally groaned, and ducked under it. I tried to pull it out, which worked about as well as the pushing had. I sighed, only slightly concerned about my lack of defense.
I leaned forward and picked up the fish. I moved around, trying to find the dragon. Where was it? I took a few more steps before the sound of a large pair of wings opening, and an unnerving chuffing noise pierced the silence I had before been oblivious to, and stopped me dead in my tracks. I turned slowly, greeted by the Night Fury perched on a rock formation, ready to pounce.
The dragon slowly descended from it's place, never taking it's eyes off of me. It seemed to sniff the air, catching the scent of the fish, and its pupils dilated slightly.
I held out the fish, extending my arm to it's fullest. The Night Fury prowled towards me. Its eyes dilated even more, and it opened its jaws to receive the fish, but then it shrunk back, and begun to growl.
I tried to contain my fear as I realized what the dragon had noticed. I pulled my vest out of the way, displaying the short dagger I had in my belt. The Night Fury glared at me, and I cautiously moved my hands towards the knife. The second I touched it, the dragon snarled again. I jumped back in a mixture of surprise and fear.
This was about the moment I truly realized that I might actually die trying to find answers from this Night Fury, and it will probably end up amounting to nothing. I really thought I had found something when the dragon looked at me curiously yesterday, but I started thinking I was wrong. The Night Fury had only shown me aggression today. The name 'unholy offspring of lightning and death itself was starting to make sense.
This dragon could very well kill me. Right here. Right now.
And all because of that stupid knife.
That stupid, stupid knife I had used to save the dragon that might very well kill me.
I picked it carefully out of my pocket, and dropped it at an arms length away. The dragon motioned with its head to throw it out further. Without breaking eye contact, I flicked it onto the top of my boot, and kicked it into the lake.
The dragon immediately lost its ferocity, and sat up like a dog. Maybe it won't kill me… I held out the fish to it. The Night Fury squinted quizzically and cautiously approached me. The dragon opened its mouth to receive the fish and…
…it didn't have any teeth?
"Huh," I muttered, "Toothless. I could've sworn you had-" I was the interrupted by the sudden emergence of the dragon's teeth. The Night Fury quickly gobbled up the fish.
"Teeth."
The dragon's eyes returned to slits. It sniffed my waist, and pressed forward, warbling curiously as I desperately retreated. I internally muttered some profanities.
"Uh, no. No, no," I protested as it backed me into a boulder, "I don't have any more." The dragon's eyes rolled back, and it began to heave. What in Thor's name, I thought, thoroughly creeped out. The heaving ended, and half an eaten fish rolled from the Night Fury's mouth onto my lap. I groaned in disgust. It sat back, staring at me expectantly. I stared back uncomfortably for a moment. The dragon seemed unfazed, continuing to stare at me with that same expression.
I shifted my gaze, hoping to easy the awkward-ity. The dragon gestured at the fish still sitting in my lap. I stared at the fish and then back at him in disbelief. No. No, no, no. I sighed. The unholy offspring of lighting and death itself wants to share a slimy fish with me? I caved in, and took a repulsive bite of the raw, slimy, saliva covered fish.
The dragon continued to gaze at me, cocking its head, as if he were asking me, "Did you like it?" I reluctantly grunted some 'mmm's, answering the Night Fury that, yes, of course I liked it. The dragon responded by giving a very pronounced swallow.
In that moment, I gave up any chance of salvaging some dignity. I knew my only options were to swallow the vile mess that was this fish, or die. To be honest, the latter was seeming more enticing by the second.
I sighed, and swallowed the goop. Before it had even reached my stomach, it raced back up my throat. I forced it back down again, and trust me, it was worse then. I shivered, partly from the disgusting feeling from my mouth to my stomach, and partly for the extreme lack of dignity I had left in me.
The Night Fury licked his lips in satisfaction, seemingly completely oblivious to the attack he just made on my taste buds. But I had to admit, this dragon was starting to grow on me. I smiled at him, hoping he would take it as a sign of peace. He seemed confused at first, but then…
...he started mimicking me?
I was completely amazed. The dragon had just copied my smile, and judging by how awkward it looked, it wasn't something dragons usually do.
He seemed so… different. I had only seen the Night Fury a few times, but he didn't "go for the kill" like Gobber said a dragon always would. He seemed so curious, and so was I. My want to find answers only increased from this encounter.
I reached out my hand to touch the dragon, I couldn't stop myself. The dragon growled, and flew away, but it only made me more curious. Why would the dragon share food with me, but not let me touch him?
The Night Fury blazed the ground around him in a half circle, and settles himself down on the marking. I sat down beside it, not even fully knowing what I was doing. A bird sounded, getting his attention, and his eyes soon fell on me. I gave him a curt wave, unsure of how he would respond. Extremely annoyed, he faced away from me, and wrapped his wings and tail around himself. My eyes quickly met his missing tailfin – or rather, where it was supposed to be. I shuffled closer, and reached out to meet his leathery skin. The Night Fury didn't appear to happy about that, as he immediately raised his tail out of my reach, giving me a look that definitely said 'go away.'
I quickly obliged. I shuffled off, and the Night Fury slouched away. I looked back at the black dragon. I suppose I had crossed a line, or it was too much in too little time, but I was still so curious. I sat down against the rock wall, resting for a while. I didn't know exactly what I wanted, but I wasn't leaving without it.
AN: So, how was it? I didn't get it edited by anyone by anyone except myself (which really is not a good idea) so this is probably full of typos. I was also in a bit of a rush to get it out, because I will be without my computer for about a week and a half to two weeks. I feel like that would make the time before updates a *little* too long. That's also why the chapter ends in a weird place. I still will write the rest of the Forbidden Friendship scene, just not in this chapter.
Also, fun fact: Sunday is my one-year anniversary of being on this website, and of writing fanfiction. Was I dumb to post my first attempt right away?
Anyways, how did you like it? Please comment! I might not see it for a while, but I still love reading them! And remember to check out my Instagram: googlegravityfanfics
