A/N: Hello everyone! I gots a new chapter for you all! I hope you enjoy it, and happy readin'!
Hiccup couldn't sleep, the guilt was crushing him. What was he thinking, leaving a baby dragon out on its own and at such a young age? Poor Driller was probably scared out of his mind!
He looked over at Toothless, wondering how it must have felt when he had left him at the cove all because of Torch. He had promised himself he'd never do that again. Now, he'd broken that promise to an innocent hatchling.
He turned his head, blowing out the flickering candle next to his bed, in some hopes of sleep, and rested his head on his pillow, pulling the blanket over top of him. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't bring Driller back, he'd just wreck everything again! Besides, being behind cast iron bars in a cage probably wasn't any more fun. He shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts. No, Hiccup. Just sleep.
-0-
An hour later, nothing changed. He was still as wide awake as he was before, staring at the ceiling.
Finally he couldn't take it any longer. He sat up, and slipped his boot and prosthetic on, and grabbed the stick the doctor had given him so he could walk, and quietly whispered, "Toothless. Wake up, bud." Seeing how this did no difference, Hiccup stood up, and limped over to the sound asleep Night Fury. He patted him on the head, which gently woke him. The big green/yellow orbs that were his eyes were basically the only things that stood out in the darkness.
Hiccup looked out his window to see the moon in the night sky, surrounded by millions of stars. From the moon's position, he was guessing it was either 9 to 10 at night. Closer to 9.
"Come on, bud." He said, strapping on the saddle and prosthetic tail fin onto Toothless, which he alway kept in the corner of the room. Once he was done, he climbed onto his friend's back, placing the stick across the front of the saddle so it stayed. Toothless shook his head of remaining fatigue, then climbed up to the ledge of the window above Hiccup's bed, taking off silently.
Toothless's black wings covered his rider's appearance as they soared through the air silently. If any outsider were to look up, they would've seen nothing nor hear anything, but the occasional blackout of a few stars.
Toothless knew where his rider wanted him to go, and he flew without question. He was still slightly upset with his rider for do it to him the first time; leaving him alone at the Cove, but he had forgiven him completely. He knew he didn't want to do it again, and the guilt now was killing him.
Something else entered Toothless's mind: They were flying with ease. That was strange...shouldn't they be at least a little rockety?
He had that thought too soon.
Hiccup's leg had been fine from resting, but now he was using it again. He had no warning, no mild pain, nothing. Just suddenly his leg was enclosed with pain, and his foot fell from the stirrup. They had been casually flying over the village, but now they were having a screaming, free-fall, fest. Right to the edge of the woods. Toothless opened his wings, trying to straighten out, despite the fact that both his and his rider's screams weren't do much to help him concentrate.
Toothless's plan backfired, and his open wings only sent them into a spiral. The ground closed in on them, and they crashed, for the second time on one day.
The impact wasn't as bad, they weren't nearly as high up as they were before. But that doesn't mean they didn't get hurt. Hiccup flew out of the saddle, and landed on his back, whilst Toothless's impact was less terrible, as he managed to cover himself with his wings, and was on his side.
Hiccup tried to sit up, but the impact had taken his breath, his leg was throbbing in pain, and his head was terribly dizzy. Plus he couldn't find his walking stick in all the activity. Toothless recovered quickly, standing up and shaking himself off. The dragon looked up to see a familiar figure with a worried face run up to him.
Hiccup lifted his head, everything around him blurring from the motion. He put a hand on his forehead, and closed his eyes, opening them only to find the dizziness and blur remaining. In the midst of his vision madness, he recognized two figures running towards him. One of them was blonde and the other was shorter, like an animal, and midnight black, big eyes staring at him. "Astrid? Toothless?" he called out.
They approached him, and the blonde swung her fist at his shoulder, sending him back on the ground. "Did you seriously forget what happened today? The Cove? The crash? Nothing?" She shouted. Hiccup rubbed his shoulder. "No, of course I didn't forget. How could I?" She reluctantly grabbed his hand and helped him up. He immediately brought his other hand to his head, as a wave of dizziness overcame him. "So then why in the world would you think of flying?" she accused, letting go of him. He shook his head and blinked. "I don't know. There, you happy?" he said sarcastically. "Anyway, what are you doing out here so late?" he asked. She looked at him and held up her axe that she held in her right hand. "Training. Even though we ride dragons now doesn't mean I can't do it." she said, Hiccup nodded reasonably.
He took a step forward, and fell to the ground again, his leg overcome by pain. She immediately caught his arm before he fell, and stood him upright. "And let me guess," she began, "you forgot to change the bandage wrapping when you got home as well, didn't you?" "Maybe..." She sighed. She felt like punching him in the arm again.
"So...have you seen my stick?" Hiccup asked, while still trying to stay balanced standing. "Your what?" "My stick. The doctor gave it to me to help me walk, and it disappeared in the crash. Have you seen it?" She shook her head, and pointed to the forest there were just outside of. "Will any stick work?" she asked. Hiccup shrugged. "I'm not sure. Doctor Bufian's pretty absurd about germs, being one of Gothi's apprentices and all." He explained. Astrid snickered, and brought his left arm over her shoulder, helping him walk to a boulder just inside the wood's tree-line.
"Thanks." Hiccup muttered, once he sat down. Astrid just shrugged it of, before leaning against a tree nearby. She picked up a small pebble and ran it across the blade of her axe casually, as if it was in any way casual. "So," she began, the quiet sound of stone against metal outlining her voice, "what brought you out at a time like this? I thought I was the only one who stayed up this late." she said. Hiccup frowned, "Guilt." was all he said. She stopped her sharpening and looked up at him, a worried expression etched across her face. "Guilt?" she said, brushing her bangs away from her face, "Why are you suddenly guilty?" Hiccup brought his feet onto the rock and pulled his knees up to his face, "So now you're the one who forgets the happenings of today?" he said sarcastically. Astrid lifted herself off of the tree and glared at him. Hiccup held up his hands as a sign of surrender, letting his knees drop.
"Driller." he muttered. Astrid tilted her head in confusion and walked over, sitting down on the rock next to him. "Explain." she said slowly. Hiccup sighed, then lifted his head and said, "I left Toothless alone in the Cove before, if you remember the Torch incident," he began. Toothless, upon hearing his name and Torch's in the same sentence, bounded over to the from where he was sitting, watching a stick bug try and blend into a tree's bark. "now the guilt of doing it again is all rushing back. Especially to a little hatchling!" Hiccup finished, his face in his palm of his hand in shame.
Toothless nudged his rider, partly because he was upset, and partly because he had been compared to an annoying baby Driller Dragon.
Hiccup lifted his head out of his hand and patted his dragon's head, reassuring him. Astrid put her hand on his shoulder, "Well," she began, throwing the rock she was still holding, and they watched it clank on the tree in front of them, "If it means much to you, we can go and see him, if you want. You know, to 'assure' you that he's fine." Hiccup lifted his head to look at her, and smiled. "Thank you, Astrid." she just shrugged again. "Hey, can you grab me that stick over there?" he said, pointing to a large looking stick next to the tree Astrid had been leaning against. "Sure." she said, and began to get up, But Toothless got up from his seat and raced to the sit before she could even move, and brought it back with a smile. Hiccup chuckled before putting the stick under his left arm, and attempted to stand up, with actual success this time.
"Which way's the Cove?" Astrid asked. Hiccup pointed northwest, and said, "That way." And on that note, they began the trudging journey, that should've only taken 15 minutes, to the Cove.
They were halfway there when Hiccup's leg wouldn't take the pressure any longer. Besides that, newfound pain from his lost foot was striking with the lack of medication attention Hiccup had been giving it in recent times.
He slipped, making his stick that hadn't been doing so well before, snap. "Ughhh..." he muttered as he lifted his face from the ground, clutching his prosthetic in pain. Astrid, who had been trudging along with the essence of sleep dwelling onto her, put her hands on her hips, "Well the, Drama Queen-" she began, "King." Hiccup interrupted faintly from the ground. She rolled her eyes, "Whatever. You do realize you have Toothless, right?" she accused. "But we can't fly." Hiccup muttered, still trying to stand up. "Who said anything about flying?" she pointed out, looking down at him.
Toothless, getting the memo, reached down and helped Hiccup up and onto his back, and began to walk. "Thanks bud." Hiccup smiled down at Toothless and patted his head, who smiled back.
Now Astrid had to sprint a bit to keep up with the dragon, and it didn't help with the tire of being up at 10. Hiccup finally noticed this after hearing her trip. He stopped Toothless and looked back to she her lift herself off of the ground and shake her head, rubbing her eyes. "You know, you can ride along as well, right? You just have to ask." Hiccup offered, with his hand outstretched. Astrid shook her head at him, "Gee thanks, you're such a gentleman." she teased as she climbed onto the Night Fury's back behind him. "I try." he said sarcastically, in which she just flicked him in the back of the head for.
"Better be ready." Hiccup warned, while they were still stopped. "Wait, why do I have to- AHH!" Astrid began, only to have to hold onto his shoulders as Toothless went into full speed to the rest of the way to the Cove, turning their long trip into a 3 minute long trip.
Toothless didn't stop running when they reached the Cove. He ran straight down the stone wall, and only stopped at the edge of the water. "Well then, Toothless." Hiccup said breathlessly, as he and Astrid climb off. Toothless just shook his head and chuckled.
"Driller!" Hiccup called out into the air. Nothing happened. Dread started to creep inside him and he jumped to the worst conclusion, when suddenly a whir of a drill responded him. Suddenly a small tree fell over, and Driller came running out from behind it, his drill covered in sawdust. "Driller!" Hiccup shouted in relief, as the hatchling ran to him, squealing. It skidded to a halt at his feet and put a paw on his good (and only) foot, growling with happiness that he wasn't alone anymore. Hiccup bent down and patted his head. Driller looked up at him expectantly, and Hiccup said, once he realized what the baby wanted, "Nope, no fish tonight. I'm sorry though." Driller grumbled in protest, but went back to purring anyway. Astrid and Toothless both watched the scene play out with smiles on their faces.
"Well, if you're done your little reunion, our parents are going to kill us for being out so late. So let's get a move on." Astrid said, gesturing back to Toothless. Hiccup smiled at them and said goodnight to Driller. That may have sounded a little strange, but come on...it's Hiccup. He walked back over and climbed onto Toothless, while Driller (now fully assured) went back to his fallen tree to sleep. Hiccup held out his hand to Astrid, but she swatted it away like the first time she was on Toothless. "I don't need help." she said, as she climbed on behind him. "Just trying to be a 'gentleman'." Hiccup muttered sarcastically with a smile. Astrid smirked and shook her head in response.
Before they left, Hiccup questioned, "Are you sure we can't fly back? It'll be faster." Astrid looked at him wide eyed. "No way! I don't feel like dying!" she said. "Alright then, your choice." Hiccup said with a shrug, before Toothless, without warning, threw himself into full speed and raced out of the Cove and through the forest. That normal fifteen minute trip took just as much time as it was supposed to, this time.
By the time they reached the edge of the forest, it was almost pitch black out, the moon being the only light. Everyone in town had blown out any fire or candles they had going. Astrid hopped off of Toothless and picked up her axe that she had (surprisingly) left next to the rock before they went after Driller. She turned back to look at them, and smiled. Suddenly she walked back to them, and hugged both of them, before shouting, "Well, goodnight, Hiccup! You too, Toothless!" as she ran back to her house, waving. Hiccup smiled after her and waved back, and Toothless waved his paw as well.
When she was out of sight, Hiccup slipped his prosthetic into the stirrup, ready to fly. Astrid's shouts and warnings ran though his head, along with a few of his own, and he actually started thinking twice. Toothless grumbled and looked up at him in confusion; were they going to fly home, or not? Hiccup patted his head and whispered, partly because of the sleeping villagers, "No flying tonight, bud. I think it's time I started listening to a few warnings. This time..." he muttered, looked down at his still slightly throbbing leg. Toothless shook his head as an agreement, and they ran back to the house, Hiccup still riding Toothless. They flew just a bit so they could go through the window into Hiccup's room, and landed silently on the base. Hiccup climbed off of Toothless as quietly as he could, his prosthetic squeaking a bit as he took off all of Toothless's flying tack, and put them away in the corner of his room.
Toothless yawned and lit a fire on his stone bed, and clambered up onto it, settling down to sleep. Hiccup, guilt now 90% gone, fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Little did they know that something had watched their little trip with the blonde girl, and had seen where they had kept the innocent hatchling. It's scales blending into its dark surroundings, completely camouflaged, the silent beast flew away in the night. I could've taken it... it thought to itself. I could've taken it away and this would all be over. But no...vengeance is something we need. Something they need to understand...
A/N: Cliffhanger? I guess. Not really, but...I guess.
Did you enjoy it? I tried detail in what was happening, and I'm not entirely sure how that turned out...so...review? Haha...ha..yeah. That's the best I could do. *chuckles* Sorry, I couldn't think of any other name for the doctor at the point in time...so...yeah. Man, I have a lot of awkward endings to my sentences, don't I?
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and that you have a wonderful rest of your day, viewers!
-catz4eva101
