Dragonriders of Berk: The Legend of Atgeirr and Moon-Dancer
by Neoraichu
The Characters and intellectual property of Dreamworks: Dragonriders of Berk are not my own, although I hope that Atgeirr Oddvar and Moon-Dancer are my own OCs. This includes, but is not limited to Hiccup Haddock (and Toothless), Astrid Hofferson (and Stormfly), Fishlegs Ingerman (and Meatlug), Snotlout Jorgenson (and Hookfang), Tuffnut and Ruffnut Thorston (and Barf Belch), Stoick the Vast (and Tornado), Gobber the Belch, Mulch, Bucket, and Trader Johan.
Part 9: A Dark and Stormy Night
Hiccup took Atgeirr to the hole where he first befriended Toothless. Where he first found that a dragon was better as a friend than a trophy. It was the start of his trip from dragon slayer wannabe to dragon trainer. To have a dragon as a friend and partner. All because Toothless had a broken tail and couldn't get out of that hole in the ground. In a way, trusting a human was his only alternative to death by starvation. It was lucky that it was Hiccup who tracked the fallen dragon to that hole, as any other Viking would have most likely slain the Night Fury for the glory.
"So this is where it all began?" she asked as she looked down and around.
"Yep," he replied, "It all began here."
"I can see how Toothless is reluctant to visit this trap again," she observed, "Nothing but water to live on. No permanent bird population. Perhaps so seasonal migrants once a year, but that's about it."
"How can you tell that?" he asked.
"There are no birds here now," she replied, "and there's a small amount of remains of nests along the walls. Not enough to show a long term occupation, but only infrequent visits from migrant birds."
"Wow," he replied, "You're so observant."
"I've learned to pay attention to the seemingly least details out of my struggles to survive and evade... unpleasantness." She looked up and sniffed at the air before she continued, "Like right now, I smell a storm coming in from the west. It's coming tonight and it's going to be rather large. Your house is a good shelter and I'm lucky you're letting my dragon and me stay there with you."
"I hope I live up to your expectations," he replied.
She looked back at him, but said nothing. Then she looked back down the hole. Then she said at last, "I think I've lived all the charm of this hole. Perhaps it's time to collect our dragons and get back to your place before the storm strikes."
"I want you to feel like it's your home too," he replied.
She looked back again without comment. Then they started their trip back to collect their dragons.
...
They returned to Hiccup's home in time to beat the storm. It was just starting to rain by the time they got there. So even though bedtime was hours away, they went upstairs to make sure that curtains separated the two sides of the room the humans would be using. Stoick had brought up a folding cot so it could be set up on the other side of the room. In spite of her protests, he insisted that the guest take the bed. It was the only gentlemanly thing for him to do.
Toothless and Moon-Dancer were quite happy to share his loft. He was quite willing to act as her bed as long as they weren't trying to create some more Night Furies. It seemed that they were as happy as two dragons could possibly be.
Once that was established, they decided it was best to study the Book of Dragons and compare it to what Atgeirr's grandmother told her about them. After hours, they decided that they knew about the same amount of knowledge, but not everything was the same. They both held knowledge that wasn't known by the other.
"Are you two planning to stay up all night?" asked Stoick as he poked his head in the doorway.
"Maybe..." she replied awkwardly.
"Oh, we're about done," said Hiccup about the same time.
"Well call me if you need anything," he replied as he walked away.
"Sure thing," he answered, "but I'm sure nothing is going to happen before morning."
"All right," said the retreating voice.
"Do you want to go upstairs first?" asked Hiccup.
"If... it's not a bother..." she replied awkwardly.
"I wouldn't offer if it was," he replied softly, "I'll wait a while to let you get comfortable before I follow."
"That's terribly sweet of you."
"Just who I am," he answered with a grin.
"I hope that sound means they're getting the mating urges out of their system for tonight," she sighed.
He paused to listen and heard the creak of wood from upstairs. Fortunately, Toothless' loft was quite sturdy and not given to creaking or moaning even under his mass. He hoped it would hold up as well under the two of them, especially if they "got busy".
She smiled as she made her way up the stairs. He waited while he listened. Suddenly a scream made him jump from his chair. Fearing the worst, he rushed upstairs to see what the problem was. He plunged through the curtain to see Atgeirr covering her chest with the sheet as she look under the bed. Then she looked at him and screamed again.
A sidelong glance told him that the dragons were in fact mating again, and yet they suffered mate-us-interruptus from her scream.
"What wrong?!" he asked disregarding her screaming.
Much to his surprise, she ran over and hugged him as she wept. He placed his arm about her back and tried to comfort her by rubbing it.
"What's wrong?" he asked again.
"A rat!" she choked between sobs, "I HATE RATS!" She spent several moments weeping against his chest before she calmed down. Then she hugged him for several more minutes.
"So..." he said at last, "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes and no," she replied with a blush.
"So what's still wrong?"
"When I rushed over to hug you," she replied, "I... kinda dropped the sheet..."
If he wasn't in a leather vest, he would have realized much sooner that she was pressing her bare body against him. That made him blush as much as (if not more than) Atgeirr was. Then things became more awkward as Stoick charged in wearing a night shirt with battle ax at the ready.
"What's going?!.." he began, but stopped cold in his tracks as he said, "Oh my..."
"It was just a rat, Dad," said Hiccup, "Atgeirr said she hates them."
"Well..." he spluttered, "I guess everything is under control..."
"Dad!" protested Hiccup, "I swear nothing's going on here no matter what it might look like!"
"That's what I told Gobber the first time he caught me with your mother, and..."
"DAD!" he scowled, "I'll tell you about it in the MORNING!"
He turned and stalked back down the stairs. Turning, he saw he had torn down the sheet separating the two human sides of the room.
"I swear I'll close my eyes and stand right here until you say you're presentable," he offered gently.
"Okay," she sniffed.
He closed his eyes tightly and released her. While she moved quietly, he could barely hear her gathering up the sheet from the floor. A moment later, she said, "You can look now."
She had wrapped herself in the sheet once more. For the first time, he could see that her armor was laid out on the bed. She was apparently going to clean if when she spied the offending rat.
"Uhm..." he said slowly, "I'll just put the curtain back up. I guess I need to secure it better this time."
"Hiccup," she said softly.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for not trying anything just now," she replied.
"I couldn't!.. I wouldn't!.. I'd never!.." he protested as he restored the curtain between their bed areas.
She said nothing as she went back to cleaning her armor. After all, she was going to wear it all night as she was used to.
