A/N- So, next chapter. I took the advice of one of my reviews who suggested I jot out ideas for what to write for the next chapter, like ideas for jokes and how to describe things. In fact, I think that's how a lot of real authors start their stories, where as us FanFiction writers just dive right in without thinking much of it. Spoiler, I mainly used this technique for describing two new characters and the scenery surrounding Hiccup. Let's see how it turned out.

Call of the Dragons

Chapter 10

Written by Nightshade248

Co-written by thecoreofjustice

"You'll see soon enough," Valka said.

"I know this may not be the best time with your current condition, but since we are already on the topic, I might as well..."

Before Hiccup could even so much as react to her, Valka made some sort of growling sound. Like a dragon impressions, and a very good one at that. If Hiccup hadn't been looking Valka doing it, he probably would have thought that was a real dragon.

Setting his mother's talent aside, Hiccup raised an eyebrow at his mother in question. "What the heck was that? Mom, what are you-"

Halfway through Hiccup sentence, Hiccup heard another noise. The roaring of a dragon, a real dragon. Faster than a viper striking, something quite large came barreling into the cave.

A dragon. A dragon unlike any dragon Hiccup had ever seen. Orange-red, and white scales covered his body. And he'd seen a wide variety of different dragons on Berk alone. The most identifiable traits about this dragon were its owl-like head, and his wings. Long, strong and sturdy taking the shape of an "X". Every time it moved its wings, they batted in sinc, moving together as one. It's build was just as strong as his wings, tall, muscular, and intimidating.

This was also the first dragon Hiccup had ever seen that was walking on it's hind legs, rather than on all fours. The only exception to this would be the Deadly Nadder, but that dragon did not have front legs.

All Hiccup could do was stare at this dragon. He had never seen anything like it. Stoick and the other Hooligans would have a field day if they found a dragon that had yet to record. Stoick being the angriest that the very same dragon that supposedly killed his wife fourteen years before was even allowed to wonder free after what it had done.

Hiccup pushed Stoick out of his mind. He wasn't family anymore. He didn't have any reason to acknowledge him anymore.

Besides, he didn't have time for that, as the dragon began to advance towards Hiccup.

Hiccup flinched under his blanket as the dragon moved closer. He probably would have ran over to his mother of Hiccup didn't already know that this dragon had no ill intentions.

Any 'real' Viking would have been too close-minded by tradition and the influence of their elders to notice. Thor, Hiccup knew that Astrid would have charged the dragon (and most likely gotten herself killed in the process) the second she saw it.

But Hiccup knew better.

On the other hand, Hiccup being, well... Hiccup, was able to spot small details in the dragon's. Details that told him not to be afraid.

The dragon moved low, it's chest close to the ground, now walking on all fours, wings closed, in an attempt to make itself seem less threatening. It closed it's mouth to hide it's fangs. It moved towards Hiccup on a nonthreatening way.

Hiccup's emerald green eyes stared into the deep hazel ones staring back at him. Big, gentle, eyes like his mother. Unfilled with the supposed desire to steal and kill as Hiccup had been brought up to believe each and every dragon possessed.

Hiccup looked to his mother, not in fear, but question. Having no idea how to handle this, he had no choice but to turn to Valka, who did.

Valka was staying unusually calm for a mother who's child was dangerously close to a dragon. If Hiccup had to guess, she obviously knew this dragon wasn't going to hurt him.

The dragon was now within arm's length of Hiccup. It sniffed at Hiccup's shirt. Then at Hiccup's face. Then it butted it's head against Hiccup's small frame. Startled, Hiccup let out a, "Gah!"

The dragon let out a small growl. Not a threatening growl, but an apologetic one, like it didn't mean to startle Hiccup.

Slowly, very slowly, Hiccup raised his hand. Anticipation in his stomach, Hiccup carefully laid his hand on the dragon's snout.

Hiccup nearly let out another surprised shout when he heard the dragon purr.

Valka chuckled to herself. "He likes you," she said. "Hiccup, this is Cloud Jumper. Cloud Jumper, Hiccup."

"Uh... H-Hi," Hiccup stuttered, still a tat freaked out by being so close to a dragon.

"W-Wait, Mom, did you name him?" Hiccup asked in shock.

"Yep," Valka said cheerfully. "And he's not the only one."

"Not the only one?" Hiccup repeated in question. "What do you mean by "not the only one?""

"Are you sure you want to know now?" Valka asked Hiccup, probably in account that he was still sick. But Hiccup seemed to forget that little detail at the moment.

"Uh, yeah!" Hiccup said, gently trying to push the dragon, Cloud Jumper, away. It, or he, let out a small hum of disappointment. "You've been gone for almost fifteen years! I wanna know everything!"

Valka just nodded before calling Cloud Jumper off. Then, she helped Hiccup stand. He was a little wobbly on his feet, so he had to steady himself using Valka's shoulder. Valka wrapped her arm around Hiccup and led him out of the cave, beckoning Cloud Jumper to follow.

What Hiccup saw blew his mind.

It wasn't the scenery around Hiccup that blew his mind. Even though it was amazing enough. Green grass and vines covering the rock and ice. Every dragon you could imagine flying about, mother dragons nesting with their babies. Hiccup couldn't even begin to describe how amazing it was.

But what was even more astonishing was the king dragon.

A dragon large as a mountain, two enormous tusks that could penetrate anything, even a mountain, sticking out of the sides of his mouth. White spikes tipped with black all along it's body. Deep, deep red eyes that had a look of order and leadership in them.

It carries itself like a true king.

"I-I..." All Hiccup could do was stutter, his eyes wide in awe, almost forgetting that he was sick with possible hypothermia.

"Do you like it?" Valka asked. Hiccup nearly forgot she was there, too.

"I-I don't... have the words," Hiccup said, still staring.

Valka chuckled and Cloud Jumper made a similar sound as several dragons came up to them, looking at Hiccup.

But, only one dragon caught Hiccup's eye in particular.

This dragon had big blue eyes and was a beautiful shade of sky blue, perfectly matching the blue sky. Green strip-like lines running along the length of it's sides that seemed to move as it moved, like eels swimming through a steam.

It had a serious look on it's face, examining Hiccup for possible threats and it swiftly trotted closer.

Hiccup saw it's tail. Long, tough, and in a firm position, like a dull arrow, flat and pointed.

Valka took notice of Hiccup's interest in the dragon. "It's okay, Grounded. It's alright, girl," She said, motioning for the dragon to come closer. "Come meet Hiccup."

Like Cloud Jumper, Grounded got close enough for Hiccup to touch her.

She sniffed at him in wonder, probably having never seen a non-violent human besides Valka in her life. Grounded looked at Valka, question in her eyes.

Hiccup felt ready to pass out. He'd never seen so many dragons all in once place before. This was far more than any raid Hiccup had ever seen. And there were so many different kinds, all varying in color, shape, and size, such as different shapes of teeth, different kinds and size of talons, different shape and color of eyes, different horns, if they had any at all, different kinds of wings, all the way to the different kinds of eggs the mother dragons kept safe. Not only was this far more overwhelming than Cloud Jumper, or the King Dragon, but it was also driving him insane not knowing which dragon was what kind. Having seen and studied ever dragon on and near Berk straight from the book, a Hiccup could think about was studying each and every dragon here, just to see what they could do. He began staring again at the vast groups of dragons flying overhead.

Grounded must have noticed that Hiccup was distracted. And she probably didn't appreciate that very much. Because the next thing Hiccup knew, he felt sharp teeth very lightly, very gently snap at his hand. They didn't even touch him, but they were close enough to feel the vibrations.

Hiccup was so surprised that he jumped back, tripped over the tail of a random dragon standing off to his side, and landed flat on his back onto the grass surrounding him.

Though Hiccup considered himself very lucky he didn't hit his head on a rock or tree root this time, he still felt stupid for embarrassing himself in front of his mother. Now she's realize he was a clumsy oaf and toss him aside like the rest of Berk had.

"Oh my, Hiccup, are you alright?" She asked, reaching out to help Hiccup up. Grounded, probably feeling bad for causing Hiccup to fall over, trotted around him to help too.

"You're... actually care if I'm okay?" Hiccup asked, looking at his mother like she had just shot a lava rock at the Great Hall.

Valka looked surprised. "Or course I care, Hiccup. Why wouldn't I?"

Hiccup didn't answer her right away. He stayed quiet for a few seconds before he said, "Well, no one'a ever cared before..."

"Hiccup, what on Earth do you mean by that?" Valka asked suspiciously.

Hiccup gave her another funny look as he thought about all the beatings, and yelling at...

"W-well, look at me, Mom," Hiccup said gesturing, for lack of a better word, "the all of him."

"Everyone on Berk is big and strong and a born fighter. And I'm..."

Hiccup's voice trailed off, having no idea on how to finish that sentence.

How do you tell your mother, whom you haven't seen since you were in the cradle, that you're the village screw up, the town punching bag? Hiccup had seen many mothers around Berk say to their children, "Don't you dare turn out like him, or I'll disown you," when they thought he wasn't listening. Why would Hiccup's mother wouldn't be any different?

Valka shook her head at Hiccup. "Son, I don't care if you're as strong as a mountain, or as scrawny as an eel," she said, causing some of the dragons, including Grounded, to reveal in horror. "You're still my son. Why would ever think I don't care because your small?" She sounded concerned.

"Well... Dad doesn't care." There, he said it. Now she'd realize how little Hiccup's existence was worth now that she knew his own father didn't give a heck about him.

"Hiccup Haddock, what do you mean Stoick doesn't care?!" Valka shouted, now angry. "And while we're on the topic, why were you on ma boat, and not back home? And what in the name of Thor happened to your eye?!"

Hiccup instantly remembered his eye and used his hand to cover the upper left side of his face in an attempt to hide his scar, fear bubbling in his chest. But this did no good. Valka was already well aware of it. It had probably been on her mind all day, even. Grounded growled slightly, causing Hiccup slightly back away from her, although it sounded more like a concerned growl rather than an angry growl.

"Hiccup," Valka said in a gentle, but stern tone that mothers often use when they want to get some sort of information out of their children, scaring Hiccup in the process.

"Uh, w-well, Mom, I-I guess you could say I... ran away..." Hiccup whispered the last part, too scared to really admit it to his mother.

"Ran away?!" Valka yelled, nearly scaring the dragons, causing Hiccup to nearly jump while Grounded, probably feeling that Hiccup was threatened, started growling louder.

"Hiccup, as happy as I am to see you, why you you run away from home?! That's very, very serious, son"

"Well, it was either that or go along with the torture," Hiccup said. The look Valka had on her face made Hiccup snap.

"Mom, you had the right idea leaving Berk. It's like a torture cell over there! I'm always trying to build something to help Berk, but it never goes right, usually through no fault of my own! I'm getting ridiculed constantly, yelled and shouted at! Half the people on Berk say I'm going to get them all killed, and the other half think I should have never been born!"

Valka looked taken back by this, but Hiccup kept going before she could say anything.

"Everyone on Berk hates me! My 'loving' cousin, Snoutlout and his idiotic sidekicks beat me on a regular basis, and the only other people my age who don't physically hurt me just waltz on by like I'm nothing! And, in their minds, I am nothing!

"Honestly, Mom, I don't know how you were able to deal with those people! Especially with Dad! You were married to that-that Stoick the Vast!" Hiccup spewed his father's title like it was venom, and was dangerous to say out loud. "How in the name of Odin did that even happen?! He's a terrible father! He ignored me every second of every day! And when he's not ignoring me, he's lecturing me, telling me what to do, or scolding me! Mom, he even punched me in the face! I don't care that he's a Viking! What father does that?!"

Hiccup had tears streaming down his face, all of the pain and frustration in his heart resurfacing. Hiccup had never been able to rant like this before, and it felt good to get it off his chest, but he was still devastated, burying his face in his hands. Grounded gently nuzzled his cheek, feeling sorry for the boy. Hiccup didn't notice or care when his mother come up to him and wrap her arms around his shoulders. He just leaned into her touch as she comforted him, rubbing his back and running her hands through his brown hair.

"It's okay, honey," she said. "No one will be able to hurt you here.

After Hiccup's breakdown, Grounded must have decided she liked him, because she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him to her nest, which was... weird.

No, being in her best wasn't the weird part. It was what her nest was that was off.

Hiccup was expecting a dragon's best to be similar to a bird's nest, with sticks and straw, only on rocks instead of in a tree. Instead, Grounded's nest was in the ground.

Not a long network of tunnels like Whispering Deaths. It was a round hole in the ground layered with dryer grass and vines.

Hiccup and Valka, who had followed them, sat while Grounded knitted at the grass, trying to get comfortable, before she rested her head on Hiccup's lap.

Valka had explained earlier that Grounded was a Sky Digger. Sky Diggers used their oddly shaped tails to dig holes in the ground for their nests. And they also used their tails to preform magnificent tricks when flying.

Valka had fallen asleep next to Hiccup, snoring lightly while resting against Hiccup's shoulder.

Hiccup gently pet Grounded's head.

'I could get used to this,' he thought. 'Me, Mom, and a ton of dragons. Never a dull moment.'

XxXxXxXxXxXx

(One Year Later)

Hiccup felt ready to thrown up. He was close to regurgitating his lunch right now. He wanted to punch himself and hope this was a bad dream.

After all, it isn't every day he found a torn up Berserker ship on the island.

Just a few minutes ago, the now fifteen-year-old Hiccup felt free, flying through the air on the back of Grounded. Zipping and zagging through the air, light as a feather. Diving down towards the ground to pull up at the last second. Hiccup didn't even feel the cold that came with flying to high, he just felt happy. He was certainly happier than he ever was on Berk.

Until he saw it. A boat on the other side of the ocean. At first, Hiccup though that he was just seeing his boat that he used to get here, and they never bothered to get rid of.

But it was in a different place, on the opposite side of the island it was on before. And it was bigger, and had a flag.

A Berserker flag.

Hiccup knew things were about to get complicated.

I've said it once, and I'll say it again; Toothless IS going to be in the story. He's just going to come in much later. That's why I created Grounded. She's like a temporary Toothless. It feels forced, but this is how it's going to be for the time being. And just for the record, I am not going to kill her off when Toothless comes in. It might seem that way, but Grounded will remain in the story.