Years later…
Valka smiled as she inspected the charcoal drawing her son had drawn. Written at the top in her son's shaky chicken scratch handwriting was the word Family. She smiled tenderly at the little figures her son had etched with his charcoal, recognizing herself flying atop of Cloudjumper with Hiccup in her arms, and though it wasn't a masterpiece and Valka wouldn't have been able to tell herself apart from Hiccup if not for the names above each figure, her son showed great promise as an artist. Yet another thing that would have set him apart from those who dwelled on Berk, as well as the fact that Hiccup favored to use his left hand rather than his right.
Valka suddenly frowned when she saw something amiss in the child's drawing: in the corner, far away from the others, Eret was sitting alone and something looked wrong with his face… really wrong.
"Hiccup… what's wrong with Eret's face?" She asked her eight-year-old son curiously, noticing that Eret's face was the only one without eyes, mouth or a nose but rather a crescent placed directly in the center.
Hiccup leaned over her shoulder, looking at his picture with a bitten lip, as though looking for any imperfections that his mother had caught. He seemed not to realize what his mother had found odd before he suddenly realized what she meant and beamed up at her with the innocent beam of a child. "I drew a butt on it," he said happily.
Valka blinked at that. "… And why did you draw a butt on Eret's face?" She demanded to know,
"Because he's a buttface."
Valka couldn't help but burrow her face into her hands when she heard Hiccup's rather casual statement; why had Odin cursed her with this predicament?
"Hiccup… You can't call Eret a buttface," she reprimanded her son. Where in Helheim had he even learned the word buttface? She certainly hadn't taught him that.
Hiccup looked ready to pout, "Why not?" He asked in a snarky whine as he crossed his arms in childish indignation. The child didn't really seem to know why his mother was so angry all of a sudden, Eret was a buttface and she knew it!
"Because it's rude," she chastised him. Valka had honestly hoped that Hiccup's jealousy over the older boy had started to fade as the seasons passed on and Eret no longer needed her full attention, which had been the reason why her son had been so jealous of the shipwrecked orphan. Hiccup had never had anyone to compete with for his mother's love and attention, but when Eret had appeared half dead Valka had done all she could to save the poor child's life, and in doing so Hiccup found himself being pushed aside for a little while, which the young child did not like in the slightest.
Their relationship had improved slowly as time went on, but often trouble arouse between the two, though it seemed to be nothing more than two brothers messing with one another.
Raising dragons is easier than raising sons, Valka thought to herself wryly.
Cloudjumper settled onto the ground, his warm breath apparent in the cool cavern. Valka jumped from her perch, groaning as her knees buckled beneath her. She stumbled and would have fallen had Cloudjumper not propped her up against his wing.
"Thank you, my friend." Valka said warmly, shivering from the cold.
Cloudjumper rumbled beneath her hand, his head butting her in the side gently. She grabbed ahold of one of his spikes and allowed him to guide her through the tunnel, wincing as the wounds began to ache. She would have to bandage some, though luckily none were dire for stiches. The trappers were rather slow and rarely managed to hurt her, especially since she was so small and agile, but occasionally they managed to scratch her.
She herself was fine, but her heart was troubled.
Valka and Cloudjumper had been away from the Nest for a day or so tracking a trapping ship from afar. They had followed the trappers to one of the sites where they laid traps for wandering dragons, but both parties had discovered that, whilst the traps had succeeded in trapping dragons, the trappers had left the traps out too long and their prey had died.
Some of them had bled to death from where their limbs were clamped shut by iron traps, whilst some lost their limbs altogether and died besides the trap. One dragon's wings had been severed so several by the thick iron cords that it had perished without access to the sky. The other dragons had starved to death, still trapped by the iron traps that Valka loathed so much.
The sight of the dead dragons and their horrible demises had broken something within her. She could easily imagine Cloudjumper trapped and dying alone in the snow, or even Hiccup and Eret if they stumbled upon a camouflaged trap. There had been times when unknowing humans, usually occupants of nearby villages, had unknowingly stepped into the deadly traps and had died as a result. The trappers always hastily buried their bodies to hide their crimes.
Valka doubted that she could hate anything else in the world as much as she hated the dragon trappers. The very thought of them seem to immerse her heart, soul and mind in an uncontrollable inferno of rage and hatred. It was a burning hatred that lingered in her, always alight, cooled down to small embers when left alone but could burn as greatly as any funeral pyre when provoked.
The rage had cooled down since she and Cloudjumper had fled from the wild lands that surrounded them, with a few dragons following them that were missing limbs or sported bleeding scratches from the trappers. But the rage was still present, burning within her softly, ready to be awakened when she set off onto another rescue mission. The rage had burned within her for as long as Valka could remember.
It had once been a silent, simmering rage directed towards Stoick and the villagers of Berk about their murderous intentions against the dragons that raided them. It had been a rage that she had kept to herself, nursed by brutality and bloodshed, but kept within save for a few violent outbursts when her temper had flared and her views spouted from her mouth in a whirlwind of accusations that had left many Vikings resentful and Stoick ashamed.
Now that rage had grown without anyone, whether it was Stoick or a pig-headed Viking, to trim. It had grown as she had learned that everything she had believed, everything that Berk had believed to be utter hogwash, was true. It had swelled in size as time went on and the threat of dragon trapping had become more prominent in her life. The rage had grown so large since she had been snatched by Cloudjumper that fateful night so many years ago, and had threatened to consume her– to make her a vengeful vigilante that knew nothing but violence and bloodshed with no hope for peace or reprise.
For now, Valka was content with her duty. Even though her entire body ached and burned from the numerous bruises and bleeding cuts that layered upon her pale skin like ugly blemishes, there was a certain feeling of content that came with the ache. A soothing pain that offered relief that seemed to numb her wounds.
"Mama!" Hiccup's shout of joy brought the woman out of her musings.
Her boy raced across the cavern and latched himself unto her, grinning from ear to ear. Eret came forward as well, grinning just as brightly as Hiccup. Valka wrapped an arm around the older boy and brought him closer, holding both of her sons in her arms as she held them tightly. "My sweet boys," she sighed happily, their presence invigorating her and making the exhaustion fade away.
Eret noticed the cuts and bruises first, if the widening of his eyes were anything to go by. Hiccup didn't seem to notice, he was too busy hugging his mother at the waist, smiling as she ran her fingers through his shaggy locks.
"I'll get the bandages," Eret said, eyeing a spot where her armor was splotched with red. Their bandages were nothing more than spare cloth that Valka had found whilst traveling, usually taken from trapper camps or shipwrecked ships. Valka couldn't use the same cloth that Gothi had used for her bandages due to lack of supplies, and had simply ripped old shirts and tunics into strips. It was crude, but it worked.
"Perhaps it is best if I wrap them, if you would kindly fetch them." She tussled Hiccup's hair, "The last time we let this one try and bandage up your arm when you cut it on a rock he nearly strangled himself with them." She and Eret both laughed at that, both remembering how the energetic Hiccup had somehow wrapped the bandages around himself like a cocoon instead of on Eret's bleeding arm.
Eret nodded his head and disappeared into a small crevice that was connected with a smaller network of tunnels than the main tunnels, and would eventually led him to the small cavern where Valka kept her dried herbs and bandages. Luckily they were close at hand, and at Eret's pace he would be back in no time.
A small tugging at her armor-plated that was lined with spikes brought Valka's attention downwards, where she locked eyes with Hiccup.
Hiccup looked at the numerous scraps, cuts and bruises that layered Valka's fair skin with wide eyes, as though the sight of the dried blood and throbbing red cuts had struck him down. He saw the still bleeding spot on her armor that Eret had seen and had fetched a bandage to patch. He touch the spot with trembling fingers, inhaling sharply through his nose when he pulled back and saw the tips of his fingers smeared a crimson red.
Her son looked up at her with those wide green eyes, mirror images of her own, and Valka saw fear in them as clear as daylight. It was a look that was familiar for her, who had seen it on the faces of many children back in her past life: the look of a child realizing that their parent was not indestructible, not immortal but very much human with the same shortcomings as others. It was realization that his mother was mortal, that she could be struck down and hurt like any other. The realization that his mother could be taken from him by death.
"Are you hurt?" He asked her.
She couldn't lie to him, not when the answer was so obvious. "A little, but you and Eret here already make me feel better." She grasped onto his tiny shoulders, one hand rising to cusp his cheek. He looked up at her with bright green eyes that mirrored her own. His eyebrows were furrowed as her son thought deeply, but then he brightened as he removed himself from her grasp and grab onto her arm, looking at one of the cuts.
Hiccup's lips pressed against a still stinging cut; his touch as light a butterfly's wings.
Hiccup grinned when Valka rose a brow at him, confused by his actions. Her boy, always eager to speak his mind, happily explained.
"Whenever I'm hurt and I have a cut, you would always kiss it to make it better, and it always helped." Hiccup said brightly. "So if I kiss your cuts, you'll get better faster, right?"
Valka ruffled her son's shaggy auburn locks before she enveloped him in a tight embrace, clutching her beloved child closer to her. His scent calmed her; he smelled of smoke, dragon and of home; Hiccup's scent was almost euphoric to Valka. He smelled of safety and security, he was her son and Valka loved him more than anything in the world, he was one of the reasons she fought so brutally against the dragon trappers, Hiccup had to be protected as much as any other dragon.
Eret returned with the bandages and all three of them hurried back into their home.
Eret began to boil some water as Hiccup hurried to grab nettles for tea. Judging from the scraps of meat and bones that littered the rocky outcrop that served as their table, Valka's sons had been well fed. Valka had learned long ago that Eret was a proficient enough cook, but Hiccup was only capable of burning water. Whenever Valka had to leave the Nest for long durations of time, Eret was the one who would look after Hiccup and ensure that he was well feed and didn't get into too much trouble. Eret had been trying to teach his younger brother how to successfully cook something and ensuring that it was edible, but it seemed that Hiccup had inherited Valka's horrible cooking.
Soon enough all three of them sat at the flat rock that had been their table for countless years.
There was a camaraderie between Eret and Hiccup that Valka always seemed to notice when all three of them were together. It had been years since Eret had joined them, and Hiccup and Eret had become much closer. No longer did Hiccup feel jealousy towards Eret when Valka aided the older boy with his duties, and no longer did Eret belittle him and avoid his company.
Years together had forged a bond between them, just as Valka had hoped. They had become brothers, despite the different worlds they had hailed from.
The boys still fought all the time, as all brothers did. But now there was a love between the two sons of Valka, and no longer a hatred.
And so Valka couldn't help but smile as Hiccup energetically informed his mother on what he and Eret had been doing while she was gone. They had explored the caves with a few of their dragon friends, and had helped build nests for young hatchlings and had even gotten to climb up the spikes of the Alpha's back- with the Alpha's permission of course.
Eret laughed alongside the grinning Hiccup as the younger continued to tell their mother of their adventures, and how Hiccup got extremely annoyed when Eret tussled the boy's hair. Eret just laughed at the face Hiccup made, and Valka couldn't help but laugh at the annoyance on her youngest son's face as well. Valka ran a hand down the belly of Cloudjumper, who was curled up besides her and her sons, though he had already begun to eat into his own dinner of fish.
They were a family, all four of them, and Valka wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.
Two years later
Eret peered over Cloudjumper's side nervously, his brown eyes wide with anxiety as he stared at the clouds that floated far below them. The cold wind chilled his bones despite the thick fur parka Valka had made for him, but there was something about how his teeth chattered and his cheeks smartened from the frosty air that made him feel alive. He stared at the vast expanse of white clouds spread out before him, never-ending stretches of fog and the brilliant blue sky seemed to gleam as Cloudjumper soared freely through the sky.
Valka sat proudly on Cloudjumper's back, Hiccup sitting in front of the woman whilst Eret sat behind her.
Eret looked downwards and saw nothing but the dark ocean, mixed with various icebergs and patches of seafoam. He felt a bit nauseous from looking down from so high above, though Hiccup and Valka seemed not to mind the height at all.
Eret's brother turned in his seat to stare up at their mother with those bright green eyes that seemed to widen as he silently begged Valka for permission, though Eret did not know what.
Valka's lips blossomed into a wry smile, and she merely nodded her head and looked onwards, one hand gently tapping on Cloudjumper's scales. The silent conversation between mother and son over.
Hiccup crowed gleefully as he leapt to his feet to stand atop of Cloudjumper's broad shoulders to face the sun, arms widespread and his skinny knees bent as though he was about to take flight. Hiccup jumped. Eret leaned forward with horror, the fear of falling towards imminent doom making him cry out for the feral child whom Eret now saw as a brother. "Hiccup!"
But the boy hadn't fallen.
Instead he was crouched on the thick membranes of Cloudjumper's massive wings. The Stormcutter glanced at the child with amusement, allowing himself to glide so the boy wouldn't slip off. Hiccup, with an impressive amount of balance, began to roam the vast expanse of Cloudjumper's bronze wings, stretched out like sheets of taut leather. The boy was laughing gleefully, not at all afraid of the distance below him. In the air, Hiccup was an entirely different person.
Eret had noticed the same with Valka as well.
When they left the ground and flew through the sky, the worry in Valka's eyes ebbed away, the small frown that often plagued her from too many worries of dragon trappers and Vikings replaced with a brighter, cheerier smile. Her laughter was more common, and seemed to come straight from the heart and made her shoulders shake as she laughed without restriction. Even Hiccup seemed to change before Eret's eyes as they ascended into the clouds. He became calmer, but ever more eager. His smiles seemed even brighter, his eyes wide with curiosity and enthusiasm as he looked at the horizon, eager to explore and discover.
On the ground, they were different. Valka was more serious and often worrisome of oncoming dangers, and Hiccup just wasn't the same. It was as though the earth that they walked upon had placed shackles upon them, chaining them to the ground. It was as though flying broke the shackles, shattered the chains and rose them above the constricting tether that had held them down.
In the sky, they were free.
Eret loved that about his mother and brother, he loved to see them carefree and without any worries. He loved to see them happy, and he had never seen them happier than when they were in the air.
Eret couldn't really claim the same. He loved flying, of that there was no doubt, but there was still a deep seated fear that had refused to be uprooted by Eret's new lifestyle, despite two years of living it. Eret still held fear in his heart, and Valka
"You must overcome your fear, Eret." Valka said plainly, Hiccup peering over her shoulder. "You do not fear the fall, Eret, you fear that Cloudjumper will not catch you."
"This cannot do, child. There is still a small piece of you, a piece of your heart darkened by the bitterness and hatred of man, that remains."
Eret couldn't deny it, although he wished he could. Despite now living with dragons and seeing them for what they truly were –beautiful creatures and not monsters- a small part of his heart remembered the warnings given to him by his father and those who had lived in the village he had been born in. Dragons were evil, dragons destroyed all forms of life no matter how small, and they would mean certain death if you did not take precautions. It was a simple 'kill or be killed' mindset that the villagers and his father had instilled within him and the other children, and it had been, and still was, hard to shake off what had been engrained within him since birth. There were times he awoke from nightmares of dragon fire and the attack that had taken his father's ship and the sailor down to a watery grave. Eret feared dragon fire greatly, the memory of the attack always fresh in his mind.
Eret looked up at Valka sadly, ashamed of his cowardly ways. I'm a coward, Eret thought to himself vehemently, hating himself for it. Despite all that they've done for me, taking me in and sharing their lives with me and giving me a purpose, I am not worthy of it. I still fear the very creatures that they love so dearly, and I hate myself for it.
He hated himself for awaking in the dead of night, screaming himself hoarse as he felt the phantom flickers of fire burn him, blinding him with its intense flames. He hated himself for sobbing when Valka tried to stop his screams by holding him close to her, shushing him with soft whispers and soft promises that he was safe here. He hated himself for flinching whenever he saw a dragon breathe fire, remembering how that fire that was used to make nests and give warmth to dormant eggs was capable of melting a man's armor and burning even the most sturdiest of ships into cinder.
He who had spent over two years living amongst dragons, who saw dragons as beautiful misunderstood creatures, who saw them as kindred companions, who wanted to spend his life alongside his brother and mother but was terrified of dragon fire.
Eret hated himself for that.
Hiccup had slowly scampered up the wings of Cloudjumper, pausing for a moment to wrap his arms around the Stormcutter's massive head in a massive hug, laughing when Cloudjumper purred and snorted a thick cloud of smoke from his nostrils, enveloping the boy in smoke.
Valka placed a gentle hand on Eret, though she kept her eyes on Hiccup as he laughed, and choked, alongside the purring Cloudjumper. There was a certain tenderness in her eyes as she saw her youngest son and greatest companion interact, it made her seem younger and much more carefree. Eret doubted that there was no greater joy to Valka than her children and dragon, not even flying could compare to the love that Valka held for them all. And that said something that burrowed its way into Eret's fearful heart and calmed it with a beautiful warmth.
"It's time for you to face the fears ingrained within you by humans, and it is time that you shed the burden placed upon you by others. Though I see that you might need help in this regard, luckily for us we both know someone more than happy to demonstrate." She nodded her head that was currently standing on Cloudjumper's head with his hands outstretched as though he had sprouted wings.
"Hiccup?" Valka asked aloud, looking down upon her son with amusement.
Valka's son visibly brightened at his mother's amused glance, the auburn-haired feral child grinning madly that made Eret wary. He knew that smile. It was always the harbinger of Hiccup causing chaos and trouble for the son of Eret. He didn't trust that smile. The boy rubbed his hand against Cloudjumper's scales, two fingers tapping lightly in some secret message that made Cloudjumper cock his head.
The boy scurried across Cloudjumper's broad shoulders and leapt up in the air as Cloudjumper suddenly lowered himself at the exact moment Hiccup's feet, and Eret watched with wide eyes as Hiccup hovered above them, falling slowly over Valka and Eret. He landed behind Eret, steadying himself with a graceful flailing of his arms and sat down behind Eret, grinning madly.
"Have fun!" Hiccup yelled jovially. "Try not to flail too much, it slows you down and makes you spin really fast and gives you a belly ache!"
…
"Wait, what?" Eret asked with confusion. Eret suddenly felt Hiccup's hand smack him on his back, sending him tumbling off of Cloudjumper's side and plummeting towards the earth.
"Aggh!" Eret screamed as he fell through the air, flailing wildly and flapping his arms like a featherless bird. "HICCUUUUUUUUUUUP!"
Hiccup, without any regret for pushing Eret off of a flying dragon hundreds of feet above the ground, looked up at his mother with eager, wide eyes that became adorably pleading. "Can I jump too?" He asked, looking unperturbed at the rapidly descending dot that was Eret flailing in the air, still screaming his lungs out.
Valka rolled her eyes at the antics of her son. "Only if you catch up to Eret and remind him to keep his mouth closed as he falls, otherwise he'll catch a mouthful of bugs on the way down."
With a joyful whoop of utter glee, Hiccup gave his mother one last beam before he leapt off the safety of Cloudjumper's back and began to plummet, gleefully screaming as he fell.
Rubbing her palm against the smooth scales of Cloudjumper, Valka leaned over towards the dragon's ear. "Well, my friend, shall we catch them?"
Cloudjumper rumbled out an amused laugh, turning around to stare at Valka with those warm amber eyes that filled Valka with a sense of security and love. She laughed as well, her tittering laughter mixing with the grumbling roar of Cloudjumper's laughter.
The two dove downwards, racing to catch up with their falling children.
There were a large amount of trappers, at least an entire dozen or so of them. They were gruff men and women, garbed in worn leathers and mangy furs, but their weapons were steel and they had shields. Valka noticed something that chilled her blood.
They were wearing horned helmets.
Viking helmets.
She struggled to see the sigils on their arms, terrified to see Berk's symbol, but she couldn't tell due to distance. She was reassured, however, when she saw no one familiar to her. They weren't Berkians.
But they were still Vikings… and to see Vikings trapping dragons instead of killing them, as they always did, was worrisome.
Valka watched them from the trees, hidden from sight. Her sons were by her side, Eret on her right and Hiccup on her left. The trappers had yet to notice them, they were too busy chaining a Monstrous Nightmare, some even stabbing the trapper creature to keep it down. Valka's fingers tightened around her staff, knuckles white.
She and her sons had flown further south, far from the Nest, alongside Cloudjumper and several dragons that had wished to accompany the three humans. Valka had heard rumors of dragon trappers migrating further south, in an attempt to avoid clashing with Valka and her dragon flock. Hiccup and Eret went with her, as Valka had believed them old enough to go with her.
Hiccup was eleven, and still smaller than a normal boy his age but Hiccup had gone with his mother on rescue raids a few times prior to this one and Valka knew that despite his small size, her son was rather good at surviving.
Eret was sixteen, and had grown up to become muscular and broad. Eret was a proficient warrior, having been trained by Valka for years. He favored a sword rather than an axe, favoring speed and quick attacks than brute strength.
Neither of her sons had yet to find their bonded dragons, so they had ridden on the other dragons accompanying them.
"I count at least twenty," Hiccup whispered, dark green eyes looking at the trappers chaining the Nightmare with wide eyes.
"That's more than usual." Eret whispered back, fingers curled around the hilt of his sword.
"They outnumber us, even with Cloudjumper and the other dragons here. We thought that there would only be five or ten trappers like up north, but they don't look like normal trappers. Look at the size of them!" Hiccup looked at several of the trappers, who seemed to be more bear than man. They were massive.
"Those aren't normal trappers," Valka said grimly, aware that her sons were looking at her in confusion. "Those are Vikings."
Her sons' eyes widened at that, they both looked at the trappers with renewed interest. Hiccup looked confused, "Mother, you said that Vikings killed dragons, not trap them." He watched them force the Monstrous Nightmare into an iron cage, many of its scales had been torn off and blood seeped through many wounds, he felt nauseous as he watched.
"They do, or at least they did." Valka looked as confused as her son, as though unable to comprehend the thought of Vikings not taking the chance to slay a dragon, but to capture it. It was considered cowardly to not kill a dragon if given the chance. The only reason Berk held dragons in the Killing Ring was to ensure the next generation had the chance to slay a dragon, and even then the dragons forced in there were the ones who were shot down during raids.
Valka quickly surveyed the situation. Twenty Vikings, all armed. Several cages: one with the Monstrous Nightmare, another with a Hideous Zippleback, and two Deadly Nadders. There was another cage, but unlike the others there were no bars that allowed her to see the occupant, instead it was one of the metal traps that reminded Valka of jaws, made of solid iron, that trapped the dragon within like a giant upside down bowl.
"We do this as quickly as possible. Hiccup, you'll be atop of Brightscales," Valka told her youngest son. Hiccup was still too young to join his mother and brother on the ground, but he was a talented flyer and had great aim with the Deadly Nadder, whose spikes would be just as useful as any axe or sword. "If any of the Vikings flee, which is doubtful as they're too damn proud to retreat, make sure you kill them. We can't let them return to Drago and let him know that we're aware of his trappers down south."
Hiccup nodded his head at his mother, looking determined. Valka turned her attention to Eret.
"Eret, you'll cover me as Cloudjumper makes the distraction. Once they all turn their sights upon him, you will leap from the trees and attack anyone who gets in your way. Keep an eye on your brother, if there are any archers with bows, slings or javelins, I want you to get rid of them as possible. We can't let them hurt Hiccup or the dragons in the air." She knew Eret would watch over Hiccup when she could not, she trusted the boy who had become her second son and loved him as much as she loved Hiccup.
Eret nodded his head, glancing over at his brother who nodded back. They all looked out for one another. They were a family.
Valka put on her mask, while her sons put on their own masks. They each wore identical masks, which had been fashioned in their King's likeliness, save for the paint color. Valka had opted for a soft blue, the color of the sky. Eret had chosen a darker blue, nearly identical to the hue of his tattoo. Hiccup had chosen white, wanting to make it further resemble their Alpha's stark white scales.
Valka looked at her sons with approval; they looked truly fearsome when their faces were hidden behind masks of what many would think monsters.
"Stay safe, watch out for one another." Valka said, imparting her last message to her children. She ignored the small flutter of nervousness of what was to come; not death, for she did not fear the end, but she the fear losing her sons or of her sons losing her. Valka placed a gloved hand one each of the shoulders, gripping them tightly as though to convey the love she held for them in that simple moment. They knew the gesture and –despite the mask's that hid their features- they placed their own hands atop of hers, all three of them conveying their love for one another silently.
It was Hiccup who left first, slipping down the tree trunk like a nimble squirrel, his tanned leather armor blended with the dry dirt of the ground. Valka watched her youngest son race through the underbrush silently, heading to where he knew Brightscales was awaiting him.
Eret left next, heading towards the opposite side of the clearing to cut off any Vikings from moving in that direction.
She waited for several minutes, simply sitting besides Cloudjumper and a score of dragons, simply waiting. Slender fingers traced the grooves of her staff, one finger idly following a splash of blue paint left by a young Hiccup's overeager hands. She closed her eyes softly, listening to the rhythmic breathing of Cloudjumper and the soft twittering of various birds flittering through the woods on swift wings. Valka opened her eyes suddenly, before turning towards the warm amber eyes that were staring at her.
"Are you ready, my friend?" She placed her forehead against his snout, nimble fingers lightly trailing the scales of his cheek, she looked up into those warm amber eyes that held her soul in captivation. Cloudjumper rumbled softly, his whole form shaking slightly, affirming that he was ready.
"They're Vikings," she whispered, all too aware of how the Stormcutter's shoulders tensed and how his tail coiled around her body protectively. "Be careful, will you?" She laughed a little at her worry, well aware that she was mother henning Cloudjumper. "Of course you will, no Viking could ever survive a fight against you."
Cloudjumper flashed her a toothy grin, eyes full of love and compassion that made Valka's heart swell even as the memory of a hulking red-haired Viking came to mind. She shoved the thought, and the feelings, of that Viking away, focusing on what mattered now, the present.
This was her duty. This was her life. Saving those who could not defend themselves against the tyranny of man. She would lay down her life for Cloudjumper just as readily as she would lay down her life for Hiccup or Eret. She would give her life for their King, their great Alpha. She protected dragons against her own kind: humans. She protected them because no one else would, save her sons, because other humans only saw dragons as terrible monsters rather than beautiful misunderstood creatures. Humans were the monsters in that regard, because never once did they ever stop to wonder if the beasts they so readily killed were indeed mere beasts, never once did they regret end the lives of such beautiful creatures, but rather celebrate and glorify such needless killings.
The reminder of Berk killing so many of the creatures that Valka now viewed as her family, her people, filled her with anger. It burned within her, nestling itself within her heart when she reflected on what she had abandoned eleven years ago. The years had begun to pass by as time continued onwards, and Valka had begun to find it exceedingly difficult to remember fond moments of her life prior to Cloudjumper snatching her away from that life with Hiccup in her arms. Her memory of familiar faces seemed to fade away with each passing year, and the faces that she had once dearly loved had begun to grow murky when she thought of those she had left behind. Gothi, Gobber and… and Stoick were the only ones she had loved dearly during her lifetime spent on the isle of Berk. But even still… she couldn't clearly remember Gothi's voice, or Gobber's bellowing laughter, and even Stoick's face had begun to fade away from her memory.
Do they still remember me when they think of me? Valka wondered as she and Cloudjumper treaded through the thick underbrush, the warm breath of her beloved dragon seeping into her back. She cleared away the musing with a vehement shake of the head; it did not matter anymore what anyone who called Berk thought. If they saw me now, if they knew what became of me and what I had become… I would simply be a stranger wearing a familiar face to them all. They all believe I died that night, and maybe in a way I did.
The thought made her weary, though Valka did not know why.
Cloudjumper's low croon brought the woman out of her thoughts, and distracted her from the heavy weight in her heart. She shook her head to clear out the troublesome thoughts and stalked through the underbrush silently, her footsteps muffled by the soft, powdery snow.
The Vikings camped before her made the woman pause behind the underbrush that concealed herself and Cloudjumper from their eyes. She stared at them for several moments, soaking in the familiar fur tunics, axes and horned helmets. They were gathered around the caged dragons and merrily chatting with one another with their thunderous voices, beating their fists against another's back as they congratulated one another for the fine catch. They were loud, obnoxious and brash. They were Vikings, of that Valka held no doubt.
The anger that had burned within her for so many years continued to rise in its intensity. Valka allowed the anger to course through her, using it as a weapon against her most bitter enemy: the Vikings.
By the gods did Valka hate them. She loathed them with all her heart and soul, because she knew how cruel Vikings were, and how ignorant they were of things they chose to not understand. She hadn't seen any Vikings for over a decade, and yet here they were, sprouting back into her life like pestering weeds.
She had thrown away everything when Cloudjumper had snatched her. She had given up everything that had belonged to Valka Haddock: her friends, her home, her possessions, her companions, her people, her village, her life, Stoick.
She didn't regret any of it.
The only thing that she had not given up had been her only child, Hiccup. But Valka did not believe her son had ever been a part of her life as Valka Haddock, but rather had become a fixture in her life as Valka, just Valka, who wanted to save dragons.
Valka did not regret any of the choices she had made.
Even though the thought of a red-haired Viking still sent pangs through her heart, a painful reminder of loss, Valka regretted nothing.
"Come Cloudjumper," Valka said softly, walking silently across the freshly fallen snow without nary a sound; Cloudjumper and the other dragons following her closely, their warm breath tickling her back.
"Now!" Valka cried out as she burst into the clearing, whirling her staff high in the air as Cloudjumper and a number of dragons streamed out behind her, snarling and sputtering flames of various heat and size. On the other side Eret appeared with his own flock of dragons, and across from them Hiccup came swooping out of the trees atop of Brightscales, a protective Deadly Nadder.
The Vikings didn't even pause in their surprise, already they had grabbed ahold of their weapons and charged towards the three vigilantes with great enthusiasm. War cries erupted from their lips, shouting various phrases about honor and glory to Vikingkind that made Valka want to roll her eyes at. She rushed at the closest one, and smacked him in the face with her shield, before quickly swinging her staff at his head.
Cloudjumper leapt into the fray, barreling into two Vikings with his massive horned head. He stayed near Valka protectively, using his spiked tail to wham into any Viking that came too close to himself and his rider.
The clearing broke into utter chaos as dragons emerged from the sky and woods, surrounding the Viking trappers on all sides. The Vikings, always armed to the teeth, roared war cries that held almost the same magnitude as a dragon's roar, and charged at the beasts they so greatly loathed.
"Kill the demon lovers!" One of the Vikings howled, holding up his axe high. "Kill 'em all!"
Valka attacked him immediately, spinning out of the axe's way easily. She swung her staff and it hit the back of his head with a satisfying crunch. The Viking fell to his knees, swearing like a sailor, his huge hand rubbing his neck. It was a bit annoying -really it was- of how thick-headed Vikings were. A trapper up north, those who had no Viking blood in them, would have died immediately upon such an attack, but the Viking acted as though he had been swatted in the side, though he looked to be in pain.
"You dragon whore!" The red-haired Viking stood up on shaky feet, looking positively furious. But then he fell back onto his knees as a Nadder spike impaled itself in his shoulder, right below the armor piece where it sunk into unprotected flesh. Valka glanced up to see the attacker and was pleased to see Hiccup atop of Brightscales, a female Deadly Nadder, with a vindictive look on his young features.
"Don't call my mother that, you overgrown hog!" Her son yelled down from before flying off atop of Brightscales to assist Eret, who was tussling with a young Viking lad that was easily a head taller than Valka's eldest.
Valka, Hiccup and Eret fought valiantly against the trappers; all of them with a specific duty in their hearts: saving the trapped dragons and removing trappers from their lands.
Hiccup flew above them atop a Deadly Nadder, surveying the chaos and ensuring that none of the trappers escaped to warn Drago Bludvist of the vigilantes. Whenever a man escaped, the young boy and his Nadder companion would shoot them before they reached the thicket, but Hiccup and the Nadder found themselves dodging thrown spears and rocks by angry Vikings, as few had fled when the ambush had begun. They were too prideful to run away from a fight, even when so severely outnumbered and outmatched; Vikings fought till the death, only when the Valkyries took them to the Halls of Valhalla did a true Viking stop his fight.
Valka lost sight of Hiccup as more Vikings leapt at her, swarming her like devouring locusts. All she saw was axes and swords and shields and bloodthirsty snarls and deadly eyes that reminded Valka of Berk and its occupants.
The woman dodged a swing of a sword and whisked her staff around to smack the attacker in the face with her staff, before shoving her shield into his gut that forced him to his knees. Behind her, Cloudjumper released a torrent of bright flame at several Vikings that had been charging at Valka's unprotected back.
A smile found its place of Valka's lips, though it was hidden behind her mask. This was her duty. This is what she had been born to do, and what she had prepared her sons for. Defending and saving dragons was their life goal, and attacking those who dared harm the creatures was a boon in Valka's heart. She enjoyed seeing the men and women who so callously trapped dragons with such brutish traps in pain, as it was nothing more than what they deserved.
"You no good vigilantes," a Viking woman snarled as she threw her axe at Valka, who dodged it by rolling. "May Thor damn you and send you and your companions to Hel!"
Valka said nothing as she attacked, swiping at the woman's head with her staff and hearing the staff crack against the Viking's head. Vikings might be a sturdy people, but were rather slow. Hel, Valka was almost certain that Vikings were so slow because they wanted to be hit, if not to ensure that no one could call them cowards than to get a wicked battle scar to show off during feasts in the Great Hall. Yet another reason the dragon vigilante was glad she had raised her sons to be better.
"You will pay for what you have done here, Viking." Valka declared as she continued to attack. She took a moment to glance around and found Cloudjumper flinging trappers with his tail, before setting a tent on fire with his breath. "You all will…"
Hiccup dodged brawling Vikings and dragons with a nimble grace. The small boy jumped away from flashing swords and spinning axes, dodging danger with a cocky grin. He saw Eret on the other side of the clearing by his mother, locked in combat with a trapper covered in dirty furs.
He saw the lone cage that had yet to be opened and raced towards it-
"Ack!" Hiccup chocked out as he felt pressure around his neck.
A hand suddenly grabbed him by the back of his jerkin and tugged him into the air. Hiccup twisted violently to escape, but the hand held onto his jerkin with unyielding strength.
A large, brutish man clad in iron armor and thick furs was leering up at him as the Viking held him in the air like a newborn kitten. Hiccup coughed as he felt his collar press against him, chocking him.
"Dragon spawn!" The Viking spat in his face, spittle and blood flying from his mouth that revealed several missing teeth. "What type of man fights alongside devils? Have you been hoodwinked by their demonic gaze?"
Hiccup struggled against the grip, trying to free himself, but the Viking held on with a terrifying amount of strength. The young child glared at the attacker, though his frown was hidden by his mask.
A hand that was bigger than Hiccup's head grabbed the spiked mask off of his face and tossed it aside. The man stared up at the face of a scowling child, for a moment looking surprised by Hiccup's age. The surprise faded away, leaving only a weariness that was etched within the wrinkles near his eyes and freckled forehead.
"A child… You're nothing more than a child…"
The man seemed saddened by this fact, as though it weighed heavily in his heart like an iron weight.
"Let me go!" Hiccup screamed, thrashing about wildly in the man's iron-tight grasp. All Hiccup could think of was of a fish flopping on the ground, away from the safety of the sea, slowly dying despite its best effort, completely weak and useless.
Bright blue eyes suddenly widened even more. "You speak…?" The warrior said this wonder, as though taken off guard by Hiccup's ability to speak a civilized tongue. "And here we thought you damned dragon servants capable of only growls and snarls."
Hiccup found it harder and harder to breathe; dark spots flickered in his vision.
"Why are you doing this?" Hiccup gasped out, the pressure against his neck suffocating him. "Why are you hurting dragons?"
"Because we must." The Viking stated without hesitation. "I would not expect you to understand, for you are nothing more than dragon spawn, a mere pawn controlled by vile creatures that plague our skies and homeland.
Hiccup thought of Cloudjumper and the feeling of safety and love whenever he was near; he thought of his friends that he had always played with, games of tag and hide and seek that were full of laughter and joy; he thought of the benevolent Alpha that guarded them all from harm and kept them safe and happy. What did this man know of dragons?
"You don't know anything about dragons!" Hiccup said without hesitation, just as the man had been when he had answered Hiccup's question. He wanted to explain to this Viking of the love that dragons shared, of the kinship, of companionship, and so much more!
But it wasn't to come, because at that very moment the Viking grabbed a sword from his hilt, and held it up close to Hiccup's vulnerable flesh, cutting into the dyed leathers.
Dread set within him, panic boiling his blood as Hiccup began to struggle again.
Suddenly the massive man smiled sadly, looking remorseful, as he held up his sword so Hiccup could see it. "I should have expected this from someone the likes of your kind, and the kind you serve. But I never imagined that your loyalty would be so unwavering, so strong that it is obvious that it cannot be broken. The spell that has entranced you is too strong to be broken by reasoning and logic. I…" he looked so sad as he paused, as though struggling to find the correct words to say, "… see that you cannot be saved…"
The Viking held up his sword and placed it against the tender, vulnerable flesh of Hiccup's stomach.
"I'm sorry, young one…." The Viking did indeed look mournful, even though his eyes were cold with determination to fulfill the deed he had set before him.
Hiccup tried to scream for someone to help him, for his mother to strike down this awful person, for Eret to tackle him to the ground, for Cloudjumper to engulf the Viking in flame, but it was caught in his throat and came out as a strangled yelp. "D-Don't," he whispered.
"Rest now, child. I shall free you from their control," he swore solemnly.
Hiccup screamed as he thrashed wildly in his grip, "Let me go!" but the Viking held on.
The Viking shook his head somberly, as he sadly stated, in a tone of utmost grief, "Poor child. You poor, deceived child. Are you even a human, or have you lost all sense of humanity by being alongside these dragons? They have warped you, converting you to their side with illusions and tricks."
Hiccup bit back the retort that threatened to come from him. How dare this man, this Viking, say such things on matters he did not understand?
Hiccup remembered his mother's warning of humans and of Vikings. Valka had always cautioned her son to beware of any human that called themselves a Viking, to never trust them and to never underestimate them. A Viking, she had always told him with a face like stone, wouldn't understand what their lives were. Vikings were dangerous, that was what his mother had always told him. Vikings were bad people, they would kill him if Hiccup trusted them, just as readily as they would kill dragons without first wondering why.
Hiccup had always wondered of his mother's grim warnings, a small part of him protesting that maybe she was wrong and that maybe she had misunderstood. But the man holding him down with a sword in his hand, a sad smile but cold eyes that forewarned of what dark intentions lingered within those dark orbs, made Hiccup realize that his mother had been right. Hiccup didn't see a fellow human being in the Viking, he didn't see anything that reminded him of the only humans he knew: his mother and brother. All Hiccup saw was death.
Terror overcame him, swarming his body with pure, undiluted fear. But with that fear came an instinct held by all humans: flight or fight. And Hiccup choose the obvious.
Hiccup bit down hard on the man's hand. He felt blood pool into his mouth, warm and salty as he heard the Viking yell out. The grip on his jerkin vanished as the man instinctively clutched his bleeding hand; Hiccup fell to the snowy ground and quickly began to crawl away from the howling man.
"You beast!" The Viking stormed forward, face set in a deep scowl as he held his sword tightly as blood dripped from his hand. "You wretched little monster." He spat out, towering over Hiccup like a goliath. Hiccup felt so little before the Viking, like a Terrible Terror before the Alpha, he felt weak and helpless. And Hiccup hated it. He hated this feeling of weakness; he hated how helpless he was. He hated it. He hated it!
Hiccup proudly -though most would call it foolishly- glared up at the blond-haired Viking with what he hoped was an awe-inspiring glare akin to his mother whenever she faced a trapper. Be strong like mother, Hiccup thought as he glared at the Viking with such odium it made the Viking pause for a moment, momentarily taken aback by the pure rage in the young child's eyes. But then the Viking scoffed at the thought of the eleven year old being threatening and drew closer, his monstrous weapon held in his hand.
Hiccup stood tall, unwavering in his furious defiance. He wouldn't let this Viking hurt anymore dragons; Hiccup wouldn't let him anyone or anything ever again. He swore it as he glared at the approaching Viking.
"I won't let you hurt anymore dragons ever again!" Hiccup declared.
Around the two, the sounds of battle raged on. Hiccup could see his mother dodging a sword and smacking a trapped atop the head with her shield, making him fall lifeless upon the crunched snow. Eret was further away, pressed against the edge of the forest with a Nadder by his side as they both fought nail and claw against the trappers. The sight of his brother and mother brought a fierce pride within Hiccup; a burning feeling that filled his entire being with conviction that what they were doing was the right and just thing.
They just don't understand, Hiccup realized. But is it because of their stubbornness or is mother right when she says that Vikings cannot change?
"Die!"
Hiccup saw the axe raise, he saw the deadly look in the Viking's eye, and prepared to move.
But then suddenly all Hiccup saw was a sudden flash of bronze scales as the Viking was suddenly thrown aside like a limp doll. The man rolled onto the snowy ground, his armor smashing the fresh powder into stamped sleet, and Hiccup became aware of the towering form that stood between him and the Viking protectively, massive wings raised menacingly as a somber face with smashed nose-plating looking over at him with luminous amber eyes alight with great concern.
Hiccup beamed up at his savior, and hailed him with great relief, "Cloudjumper!" He had never been happier to see the dragon in all his life.
The proud Stormcutter looked down at him with worry, slit-like pupils darting from his face to the rest of him to assure himself that Hiccup was fine, before a dark fire seemed to catch alight behind his eyes as the Stormcutter turned his massive head towards the Vikings that had slowly regained his senses and had been trying to stand. Cloudjumper bared his monstrously massive fangs at the Viking before roaring so loudly it took all of Hiccup's self-restraint to refrain from clamping his hands against his throbbing ears.
The Viking slowly stood up on shaky legs, swaying precariously despite the sturdy ground. Hiccup had to give Vikings a bit of credit; they might be close-minded and rather blunt, but they had great durability. "I see…" those dark blue eyes flicked from a grinning Hiccup to the snarling Cloudjumper. "A beast protecting its pet."
No, Hiccup thought to himself, a friend protecting another.
Cloudjumper roared again; a roar that echoed throughout the entire clearing and seemed to overcome all sounds of battle that raged on around them. Hiccup saw his back become taut as Cloudjumper hunched over to rest on his forelimbs. He was about to pounce. The gentle Stormcutter turned slightly, one eye gazing into Hiccup, and the young boy understood what his mother's greatest companion wanted from him. Cloudjumper wanted him to flee into the chaos of the battle, away from the Viking that had tried to hard to kill him. Cloudjumper wanted him to free the rest of the dragons.
"Be safe," Hiccup whispered to Cloudjumper, a lump growing in his throat as he thought of the strength in the Viking's hands and how wickedly sharp his axe was.
There was a tiny curl of Cloudjumper's lips, revealing sharp, serrated teeth that looked like a furious, animalistic snarl to the Viking, but for Hiccup it was a well familiar smile that brought comfort and a sense of safety.
The young boy turned his back to Cloudjumper and the unknown Viking and raced away, ducking back into the fray of battle, dodging the fighting Vikings and dragons, avoiding axes and swords, ducking under shields and swung maces. Hiccup flittered through the battlefield like a leaf in the wind, untouched but guided by nothing but instinct. Brightscales, the Deadly Nadder who he had flown on previously, spotted him with a squawk and rushed to his side, aggressively flinging spikes at anyone who even tried to get close.
Most of the traps had already been taken care of by either his mother, brother or a dragon. Some of them had been opened by a human as evident by the moved levers, while some traps had been burnt to cinder or reduced to splinters by a dragon's teeth and claws. There was only one cage left. The one made entirely of metal, hiding the dragon that was trapped within.
Hiccup saw the lone occupied cage and raced towards it, Brightscales rammed into any Viking that tried to get close to Valka's son. The Deadly Nadder found herself facing against another Viking and she launched herself at the human with an indignant squawk. Hiccup, recognizing Brightscales' movement as a sign for him to continue, raced towards the lone trap.
He faintly saw Eret ducking as a massive axe came swinging by a howling Viking, he faintly saw his mother disarming another as Cloudjumper unleashed a torrent of fiery flame against another trapper that had been trying to sneak up behind the woman.
Hiccup arrived at the iron trap, its occupant hidden underneath cold layers of iron, and quickly began to search for a way to open it. His mother had taught Eret and himself everything there was to know about the traps set by the humans, including how to reset them into opening. He climbed up the iron half-sphere, his nimble fingers digging into small scratches in the iron created by dragon claws. He cursed silently to himself when he reached the top, seeing the trap shut tightly. The two halves of the trap that were shut together were serrated to meld into the other when closed; it reminded Hiccup of sharp teeth clenched together.
He faintly saw Eret tackle an archer to the ground when the man had been aiming at a dragon flying above them.
Aha! Hiccup crowed to himself triumphantly as he spotted a lever hidden between two sockets. He slid down the trap as though it were an icy ridge, his boots landing firmly in the dry snow. He grabbed ahold of the lever, which was nearly as tall as he was, but found difficulty in moving it.
His hands were slick from perspiration and water from the snow, making it quite difficult to grasp a firm hold on the lever. He wiped them on his pants hurriedly, all too aware of the battle that raged on around him. He tried to grab the lever again and struggled vainly to budge it. The stupid lever was stuck!
For the love of Thor…. Hiccup thought as he pushed his entire body weight against the lever, his feet slowly and steadily moving backwards that created a small trail in the snow.
It took a while, but soon there was a resounding click followed by a low groaning of moving metal that told Hiccup that he had managed to open it. He scrambled up the metal plate, his leather soles slick on the cold metal, and stood on top where there was an opening in the trap.
Hiccup peered into the darkness of the half-opened trapped, wondering what dragon had been trapped within. He saw nothing but darkness, nothing but shadows; he saw nothing. No sign of any dragon. Disappointment filled him to his core.
He nearly fell backwards when a pair of green eyes suddenly opened in the trap.
Hiccup stared down, hands clenched against the ridge of the jaws of the iron trap, as serpentine eyes gleamed in the darkness like green fire. They stared up at him, unblinking, and Hiccup couldn't help but stare back.
For a single moment the cacophony of savage war cries of humans and harsh shrieks of dragons faded away, the sound of battle ebbing away into nothing. For a lone moment, all Hiccup was aware of was those luminous green orbs that looked up at him.
He reached down towards those eyes, fingers outstretched, though he did not seem to realize what he was doing; he was too entranced by those serpentine eyes… and those eyes were just as entranced… Hiccup saw the eyes get bigger as the dragon got closer to his outstretched fingers. He reached out as far as he could, still staring down with wonder.
The touch of warm, smooth scales pressed against Hiccup's pam, and Hiccup smiled. A thrill of warmth enveloped him as though he had been bathed in fire that didn't burn him, but rather wrapped him up in a blanket of warmth,
Something impacted against his back with the force of a rampaging Rumblehorn. Hiccup shrieked in pain as he was flung backwards, his gaze ripped away from the gleaming eyes, and began to roll violently down the half-opened trap, only to land on the snowy ground with a dull thud. Hiccup saw stars flash in his eyes as pain blossomed around the small of his back. Harsh, sharp pain throbbed with every second passing, and Hiccup had to fight back the tears that pooled as he shuddered with each breath, the wind had been knocked out of him when he had fallen and the pain made breathing near impossible. He clenched his eyes shut. Every small movement was utter pain, every second it felt as though something was crushing down on his chest, threatening to break him in two. Hiccup tried to will the pain away, but the pressure on his chest refused to lessen, if anything it only gained strength.
Hiccup opened his eyes, and immediately wished he hadn't.
The oppressive pressure that threatened to crush his ribcage belonged to a dirty boot that was stepping right on his chest. One of the Vikings, possibly the largest of them all, was stepping on him with a deadly sneer. The man's once vibrant blond hair had been seared away from dragon fire, leaving only singed fringes remaining and a blistering burn on his neck. But despite this, the Viking still smiled as he forced his foot down harder, grinning widely as Hiccup screamed.
Hiccup heard a snarl, low and guttural roughened by an animalistic fury, and saw a black blur descend upon the Viking that had tried to kill him by crushing him. Hiccup tried to sit up, but cried out in pain.
Green eyes flickered towards him, wide with concern. But then the pupils grew thin as they dilated into small slits as the dragon stared down at the Viking trapped beneath its paws like dead prey.
Hiccup saw a blue light emit from the dragon's mouth, and he heard the beginning of what sounded like a ghostly shriek. He turned away.
A shriek resonated within the bloody clearing. Long and eerie, it hung in the air, echoing throughout the woods like a ghostly wail. The Vikings paused, Eret froze, Valka hesitated and Hiccup was nowhere to be seen.
Valka felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise, sensing that something was wrong. She felt it in the frigid air, silent but full of anticipation.
There was a black blur in the air, a mere flash of dark color against the bright blue sky. For a moment, Valka wondered if she had imagined the sight, but then a cage exploded in a flash of bright purple light and splinters.
Another flash of a dark wing, another cage exploded just as violently and suddenly as the last. The flash was gone, leaving the sky open with no intruder in sight.
The shriek returned. It was a truly haunting sound, like an eerie whistle that resonated throughout the now silent clearing. Even the dragons froze as they heard the ghostly wail keen in the distance. The sound became louder, closer. And the vigilantes and the Vikings understood that it was about to strike again.
One of the Vikings figured it out first. His face paled and his mustache began to quiver as he recognized the disturbing wail from the stories of old- a forewarning of attack, and the herald of a fearsome beast that all Vikings feared. The one dragon that had never been slain by a Viking. The one unbeatable foe that had thrived on the fringes of myth and legend. The Offspring of Death and Lighting Itself. A-
"Night Fury!" The axe-wielding warrior screamed out, his voice breaking.
The ground under the Vikings' feet exploded in a shower of snow, rubble and bodies. Blood fell downwards like warm rain, splattering across the trampled snow.
The remaining trappers that had not fallen to the vigilantes and their dragons screamed as shots of explosive fire rained down upon them, uprooting trees and enveloping them in flame. The Vikings, stubborn and pig-headed to the bone, who knew not the understanding of retreat immediately began to scatter like headless chickens, fleeing into the underbrush with their tails tucked behind their legs and the horrifying sound of the Night Fury echoing in their heads.
The unseen dragon did not let them escape so easily. Most of them were killed as they ran, reduced to nothing as explosions erupted from the silent blasts of light.
Only a few Vikings managed to escape its blasts. Maybe only two or three out of the several dozen that had been trapping, the rest were torn asunder as they were shot by the blasts.
"Eret!" Valka called out to her eldest son, a hand outstretched towards him. The son of Eret raced over to her, wide eyed and terrified. "Where's Hiccup?" She asked sharply, grabbing her son by the shoulders as they both looked at the battlefield that was strewn with bodies.
Eret looked positively terrified, "I-I don't know." He scanned the battlefield for his brother, but could find no trace. "Mother…" he began, voice shaking. "I can't find Hiccup."
A heavy weight seemed to sink Valka's heart as thick fingers of fear wrapped itself around her throat, making it nearly impossible to breathe.
But then the harsh whistle returned, Cloudjumper raced towards her side, and suddenly there was an explosion in the snow as a dragon crashed to the ground.
Valka, for the first time in her life, saw a Night Fury. She was speechless, heart caught in her throat, and unable to move due to simple shock.
The dragon was beautiful.
Sleek black scales melded into darkened flesh, its wide wings spread outwards, the dragon bared its rounded fangs at those who remained, its luminous green eyes burning into the gaze of Valka and Eret. The wings slowly tucked themselves at his side.
Curled up by its paws was Hiccup.
Valka made a move towards her son, a lone hand outstretched as though to grab him and bring him to the safety of her arms, but the Night Fury snarled menacingly, its black wings unfurling from its back and wrapped around the boy's form.
Valka paused immediately, as though struck by sudden realization as she stared at the snarling dragon that crouched besides Hiccup, his inky-dark wings covering the boy in a familiar gesture. It reminded her of Cloudjumper and how he would cover her with his wings whenever he felt threatened, instantly resorting to shielding her with his own body.
The Night Fury was protecting Hiccup.
The Night Fury's serpentine eyes gleamed darkly, full of a fearless wile that showed that this dragon was wild, but yet the dragon made no move to blast Valka and Eret with its blasts. Did it smell Hiccup's scent on them? Was that why it wasn't attacking? Or was it just the Vikings the Night Fury was after?
Hiccup began to stir, slowly uncurling his small form. His armor made of dried leather had several scuffs on it, but he looked to be in good health. The Night Fury immediately tore its eyes from Valka's and gazed down upon the young vigilante as Hiccup looked up to meet its gaze silently.
Hiccup seemed to freeze as he stared into the dragon's eyes, enchanted by something that Valka and Eret did not spy in those bright green orbs. The Night Fury stared back, just as enchanted as the boy.
They're… Valka thought numbly, staring at the sight of boy and dragon, enraptured with one another. She could see it in their eyes, she could feel it in their hearts, just as she had felt it so many years ago when she had first stared into the eyes of Cloudjumper. She watched as the boy and dragon, two separate creatures, formed an unbreakable bond, their two souls transforming, uniting into a harmonious one.
They're bonded, Valka thought, a broad smile gracing her face as she watched the two, just as entranced as the two.
Valka was entranced at the sight, Eret moved closer to her, not understanding the awe in her smile and the wonder in her eyes.
"Mother, what….?" Eret trailed off when Valka raised her hand, silencing him.
"Look…." Was all she said.
Eret looked.
And he saw.
And Eret understood.
Hiccup stared into those wide eyes, captured by the beauty and spirit of the dragon before him. He felt something thrum in his heart, making it flutter and become lighter. Unknown to him, Hiccup slowly began to raise his arm, his palm outwards to face the dragon.
The Night Fury cocked its head to the side, looking at Hiccup's small palm curiously. It sniffed his palm, inhaling the scents of dragon and human. The boy smelled funny, neither dragon nor human but a mix of both.
The Night Fury pressed his snout against the palm, purring at the touch as their hearts seemed to sing out and beat at the same tempo. Two hearts: joined. Two souls: united. They were no longer two, but One.
Hiccup trailed his fingers down the Night Fury's snout, tracing the warm scales with awe.
"Hi…"
The Night Fury cocked head head to the side curiously, leaning forward to sniff the boy. A purr came from the dragon, and Hiccup couldn't help but grin up at the dragon, somehow comforted by the sound. It was as though it was Cloudjumper, rather than a random dragon. But it wasn't a random dragon, and it wasn't the same as it was with Cloudjumper. It was something else in its entirety.
It was something more.
Hiccup smiled brightly up at the dragon.
"Do you wanna be best friends?"
The Night Fury's maw opened to reveal a toothless mouth, and the corners of the dragon's lips began to curl into a gummy smile that matched Hiccup's.
The boy latched himself onto the dragon's neck, hugging him tightly as he laughed in delight and joy. The Night Fury warbled in a way that could only be described as laughter, mixing in with the human boy's laughter.
"I'll take that as a yes!" Hiccup declared happily, laughing as he felt a massive tongue lick him in the face. "We're going to be the best of friends!"
And judging by the toothless smile on the Night Fury, and his warbling laughter of joy, the dragon seemed to have the same idea.
"Best friends…" Hiccup sighed into the dragon's neck, warmed at the contact and his heart thrumming with glee. "The very best…"
Well 11,837 words and 27 pages later and we have finally met Toothless, though he has yet to have gained that name. This chapter was a toughie, but I'm rather pleased with it, though I might change a thing here and there if I don't like the look of it. Finally all three of them are vigilantes! Even though Hiccup is on the bench for most of the fights, he still manages to get into trouble. Now the only one who has yet to find their bonded dragon is Eret, but he will find that dragon sooner or later, though I won't say who will become bonded with him. You can guess it if you want, but I can confirm that the dragon has appeared in one of the films, so it is an officially known dragon. Some scenes seemed a bit rushed too me, but I really wanted to update this chapter before I left on vacation with my family. I really hope you guys liked this chapter, especially after I spent so much trying to perfect it.
So please, please please leave me a review telling me what you loved, liked or hated about this chapter, though I do prefer positive reviews. They are the lifeblood of this story and serve as my main motivation to continue writing this story.
Until next time!
