Hehe, where the heck have I been? Learning animation, mostly. Not really an excuse for leaving this poor story, but whatever. Anyway, want to thank user Breyannia for giving me a pep talk and getting me back in gear for this story! I don't think I'm really close to finishing it, so I might as well get started again.

As well, I'd really like to hear you guys' thoughts on this story so far! (Constructive criticism I can take, but please don't harp on it just because you want something to happen :) ) I know its not perfect, but it would be nice to hear why some of you even read this thing. So, it would be appreciated.

In other news I tried to draw a real cover for this thing, and...yeah, I'm not even slightly an artist. Not happening. XD

Enjoy!

"HICCUUUUP!"

The booming voice echoed through the woods, startling a few birds into flying from their perches and into the sky. A few Terrors who were hidden among the brush and branches of trees and shrubs, draped lazily around their nests, shot withering looks at the great man that headed the 'human pack' through the woods.

No creature nearby was going to get any peace, that was for sure. It had been a day too many for the Chieftain and worry for his missing son was, to put it lightly; eating him alive.

He had been searching for the last two hours, ignoring how his men, who had not been putting much effort into the rescue in the first place, were tiring and starting to slow. A complaint or two had also passed through the air.

It was also getting dark, and the thought of being about a mile from a good night's sleep (provided there were no dragon attacks) made them all the more miserable. Not that their leader's troublemaking son wasn't important, but…having him back, safe and sound, was not high on their priority list. No disrespect was meant, of course.

Stoick's mind seemed to be in an entirely different place. He didn't appear to have grown even slightly tired as he walked on as if each wearying step was his first.

"Chief…"

He turned as one of his men spoke, one eyebrow raised in response.

"It's been…" The man rubbed the back of his neck and stared cautiously forward, "Well, it's been a few days now. You'd think…if he was gonna be all right, that he'd've come home by now, eh…?"

Although the words had a soft tone, there was an unmistakable edge to them. A grim one that reminded why they were spoken.

The great chief stood there a moment, oddly faltering. The man that thundered commands at the drop of a helmet in the most life-threatening of situations on countless occasions had no words to say.

There was nothing to say. Although somewhere deep inside of himself a voice gently told him to accept what had more than likely happened, his mind and body refused to acknowledge the impossibility. Hiccup…couldn't be dead. He wasn't. The boy had survived so much that so many of his size and strength never could have.

Not now. Oh, Thor, not now.

"Go back without me."

There was the distinct cut of a demand there; it was not merely a suggestion. He needed to be alone. Now.

Without a second glance, his company trudged heavily back the way they came, a few lingering nervously at the prospect of leaving their Chief alone in the elements. One look from him sent them scurrying after the others, however.

After the sound of the crinkling underbrush had faded into the stillness of a mostly human-free wooded area, Stoick gently pulled his helmet off and held it to his chest, eyes staring as if lost in the direction of the setting sun.

It was beautiful. So…unlike the torment that was going on inside of him.

But unlike his own son, it would rise again. Every day, even past his own time. No-matter what happened, no-matter who was slain, and no matter what tragedies ensnared a human's soul, it would shine the next day. Nothing could change that.

And Hiccup, he feared, would never get to see it happen again.

Yes, the boy would never make anything of himself that their culture demanded. That was clear. But something about presuming that his boy would never again get to see the masterpiece that painted the sky every night and morning again made his chest stiffen with held-in grief.

It was a wonder that Hiccup had survived at all through the years, but why now? Why in this way?

He was forced to remember with a very slight wince how he had left so bitterly. Angry that his son hadn't come inside in time to see him off. Was it possible that whatever had happened to him had happened all the way back then?

Could he have saved him if he had just waited and then realized something was wrong that early?

'What if's and 'If only's' swirled through his head until he could barely stand it anymore. He had only felt so hopeless once, and he had hoped that it would never happen again. Fate, apparently, had other plans.

Stoick stood there in thought, mind hazy and unsure. Time slipped away like sand until he found himself standing in the first rays of moonlight.

He had to go home. There was nothing else left for him to do.

With a finality that almost made him feel worse, he whispered, "Goodbye, Hiccup. I…I'm sorry." And turned to walk all the way back to his village to do his job.

Maybe if he distracted himself, the pain would go away; just like last time.

A little brown-haired head was barely visible as it bobbed through the woods, most of the surrounding bushes and plants covering it from wild-life view.

If it had been said once, it had been said a thousand times; Hiccup was not to go into the woods unattended. Especially now that at the age of eight he had become an apprentice to the Blacksmith and was needed at odd times. But no words could ever stop the young heart from wanting to explore the wild without the over-bearing eyes of an adult on his back.

When it was just him, roaming free, picking up rocks, and climbing things, there was a definite difference to when his father was following him around whether he really acknowledged it or not. He was never purposefully trying to be bad whenever he casually wandered away…it just kind of happened.

Even now as he plunged through the underbrush, he hadn't even a single rebellious thought in his mind. In some ways, he had completely forgotten that he had ever been told to not do what he was doing.

Normally, he would have brought a little book along that he would draw disproportioned sketches in, but right now he was more interested in another activity:

He was a dragon.

No, scratch that; an enormous dragon. With the ability to blow fire and ice that would scare away all the other much smaller dragons. Oh, he was a fearsome creature, indeed. With teeth, claws, and wild eyes that made everyone who saw him tremble and flee.

He swooped through the forest with ease, looking for prey and letting the world know of his greatness. In fact, he was a whole new species of dragon altogether. A mysterious, undiscovered one that made everyone gawk as he flew by. What was this beast? Had Odin himself placed it on the Earth in this untamed state?

Perhaps there was a-

But at that moment the 'great beast' tripped and tumbled to the ground in a flurry of limbs and fur from his coat. He came to a rest on his back, large hazel eyes staring up at the sky. Normally, as he wasn't at all hurt, he would have laughed.

But the fall had broken his character and thus his pride was somewhat damaged as he didn't believe that dragons tripped. Not that he'd seen, anyway.

Rolling sideways, he got to his feet and sighed, reaching up to try and rub his face free of the dirt that now covered it. Then he walked back to the small offending stone that had caused it all and gave it the most intense frown that he could manage.

But he couldn't possibly stay mad for long. There were too many other things to do and see.

Just as he turned to head off in another randomly selected direction, a raspy voice called out to him, "Hey!"

He ground his feet in the earth and turned, partially nervous as he wondered if he'd just been caught by an adult.

However, there was no-one in sight. Had he been hearing things? His eyes scanned the bushes and, concluding quickly that the area was vacant, began his walk again.

"Child, wait! Do…don't go!"

Ok, now this was getting weird. There had to be someone there. Biting his lip, he began a walk around, searching for the owner of the voice.

Finally, he lifted a bushy branch from the ground and discovered, with a slight jump, a small Terrible Terror laying there. Its wing appeared to be sprawled out at an odd angle, and its eyes shone at him with pain. The bright green that had most likely once colored its body had paled; the sign of a hurt or sick dragon.

Hiccup hesitated, fearful. He remembered all too well what had happened the last time he had listened to and communicated with a dragon. Since then he had done his very best to ignore any comments he had heard made with the deadly language, but it was difficult.

The frail creature had curled itself into a tighter ball of flesh when he had drawn back its cover, but it still watched him with dim eyes, "Child, p-please…help me."

"I…I want to, but-"He swallowed, "…Dad says I can't talk to you guys."

Its eyes relit with wonder as its own tongue was spoken right back to it, "You know m-my language…how strange…"

The boy nodded sadly, head drooping and wishing it wasn't so.

"Do…don't l-look so disheartened…you…" It swallowed and twisted itself gently sideways to get a better look at him, very curious, "-You may do great things with that someday."

"Yeah, like make Dad madder than he already is."

It chuckled, tongue flicking briefly out of its mouth, "Humans ge-generally don't understand good things…when they have it. Tell me…what is the name you harbor?"

"Hiccup." He answered simply, barely aware of the insult so cruelly curled around the title yet.

"Ah, an odd human name…." Its eyes suddenly slanted, "You-you know, you don't have to live with them if you d-on't want to. With your…talents, I'm sure we could find an, um…'place' for you within our ranks." Then it proceeded to give him its most pleasant dragon smile, which turned out to be not so pleasant at all.

Hiccup frowned at the strange offer, unsure as to why he was being asked this, "Sorry, but I gotta stay here." He puffed up his chest a bit to look a bit bigger and prouder, "I'm an apprentice now."

"What if I sa-id that your talents would be very ap-appreciated by us dragons?" It blinked at him, sizing him up, "Look at you; your human tribe will be done with you within a few short years due to your size. There's no place for ones like you there."

Well, as much as that hurt it was true. He'd been told that a lot lately by the other kids especially and as much as he'd tried to ignore or deny comments he had heard when he was much younger, the words were now beginning to plant themselves in his head. And he was starting to believe them.

It was obvious that he was different from the rest. He didn't even like to wrestle or play fight with the others. Not only because he always lost, but because he just didn't want to. Somehow difference was an open door for accusations and judgments. Ones that were starting to sting as of late.

"B-but, if I try hard-"

It cut him off with a hissy laugh, "Try hard? L-listen to yourself – if you aren't one of-of them now, then chances are that you will…never be. Now if you come with usss, then I guare-ntee you that…that you will live a much better life. We…we want you."

Now that sounded good. Someone wanted him.

But…he couldn't just leave everyone and everything he knew on account that he had met a sick dragon in the woods that had told him to.

As he thought, the ground under him gave a light shake; enough for him to notice. He glanced down and then back at the dragon, whose body language had changed drastically from relaxed to tense. It apparently knew something he didn't.

Giving the air a quick sniff, the Terror shrunk down, "Get aw-ay from me, child, quick! R-run!"

The urgency in its voice gave Hiccup the motivation to immediately obey. He scrambled back the way he had come and stopped just behind a large tree, worried for the other and wanting to see why he had been told to go.

That question was answered within the minute.

A large red beast slid through the forest, tail thrashing back and forth while it searched for something. A Monstrous Nightmare…they didn't usually prowl the woods by day.

A shrill screech came from the Terror when the larger suddenly threw its claws forward and shredded its hiding place with a look of disgust on its face, "Why do you even bother hiding, hm? Now your days are numbered, this being the last of them." After a pause, a deep growl made its way from its throat, "And I smell a human…well, let's label treachery on you as well. You must be working with Koodvin, are you not?"

"N-no…"

"Don't lie! Did this human speak in our tongue or not?" Its large teeth neared the other, bared in ferocity, "I didn't spend the morning tracking you down for nothing .Your suspicious absence was noticed."

"I-I won't sa-"It shrieked in pain as the teeth dug into its back in a flash, "Y-YES! Ye-s…"

The nightmare drew back with a sneer, "As I thought. Now listen to me; if that child dies at the claws of Koodvin and not the Queen, then all of those like you who follow him will be slaughtered mercilessly. The Queen demands it and those loyal will obey, understand?"

Shaking hard, it managed a weak nod.

"Good. Now, I will leave you here. Maybe if any of your friends come along you can warn them. It would be the wise thing to do…and if you somehow live, don't bother coming back to us, because we will find you and finish you off for good." With a snarl, it turned and began to slink back the way it had come, seeming far too preoccupied in its own thoughts to smell the small human nearby.

Hiccup didn't even have the guts to return to the injured Terror; He was shaken and wanted to go home.

With as much stealth as he possessed, he made his way back to the village, vision blurred with held tears. He felt sick just thinking about what he had seen and heard.

They couldn't have been talking about him. He hadn't even slightly wanted that poor little dragon to suffer.

But try as he might, he was not unintelligent. There was no question who they had been talking about. It just…left so many other questions that his young mind couldn't or didn't want to process.

Maybe he should wait a few days before going outside alone again.