A/N: Everything's kind of...strange in this chapter. You have been warned.
Raven's Point Forest, Hiccup. Focus.
I put the brakes on. "Toothless isn't in the forest…"
I'm the one who has him, am I not?
I hesitate.
He will die.
I start running again, picking up speed, the world a blur around me as I race to the forest. The moment I'm in the trees, I instantly feel my head clear a little.
It feels better now.
Left.
I turn left.
You're coming to a fork in the road soon. Go straight when you come to it.
I nod. "Okay. Okay."
When I reach the fork, I go straight and when I get to a clearing, I see the Venom Wind.
But where's Toothless…?
I walk towards the Venom Wind. "Okay, you've had your fun. Give me my dragon or you'll really regret it."
What are you thinking? My common sense demands. You can't take on this thing!
My common sense needs to take a hike.
The dragon eyes me. Hello, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III.
"What…where's Toothless?" I force myself to speak.
Oh, he isn't here. He's still at the girl's house. I'll deal with him presently.
I start shaking slightly. "What…"
Walk slowly towards me.
"Why do you want me?"
You need to learn your place.
"I…." I can't form a coherent sentence or thought…I'm…in shock. And I'm also really, really angry with myself.
I can't believe I was stupid enough to actually believe the Venom Wind!
Come here.
"No."
The Venom Wind takes a step towards me. Be reasonable, Hiccup.
"How do you know my name?" My heart beats fast, but I will not tremble. I will just stare up at those deadly silver eyes, the color of a blade.
I will simply look at him, and I will not break his gaze because if I do, I will be showing weakness.
"Leave Toothless alone!" I tell him. "You stop hunting down Night Furies!"
The dragon begins laughing in my head and the sound is like a thousand steel knives being sharpened at once.
I wince at the sound and he abruptly stops laughing.
Who are you? He hisses, taking a step closer to me. You have a fondness for dragons and hear them in your head…How do you do it?
"I don't know," I gasp.
Tell me.
"I don't know!" The cry pierces the still afternoon air like a crack. I know I can call for Toothless and he will hear me, but I can't put him in danger like that.
How?
"I don't understand it." I'm not afraid; just scared for my dragon. What if he comes here and sees and…?
My common sense crushes my fear and I'm nearly calm again.
"I don't understand what I do to hear the dragons. One day, I just heard Toothless in my head."
The Venom Wind, dissatisfied, blows a careless fireball at me.
I dodge it quickly, but not quickly enough; my sleeve catches fire and I quickly pat it out.
The Venom Wind chuckles sinisterly. You tell me you don't know?
"That's what I'm telling you," I tell him firmly.
There's a silence.
Then he carelessly lets loose with another blast.
I try to dodge it, but this one gets my arm before the flame dies.
I wince and fall to the ground, holding my arm. I groan and will the burning away.
You no longer carry value for me. It's best to lie quietly and let me finish you quickly.
Who knows? Maybe I'll let you die painlessly…
I hiss in pain and examine the burn on my arm; it's a shiny pink color. The dragon's tongue flicks out like a lizard's. Come and it will be painless.
I hold my burned arm and glare into those cruel silver eyes. "No way."
My last stand will be a stand of defiance; I'm not going to surrender. I told this beast he would have to go through me first and I'm going to make it hard for him.
C'mon, Hiccup. Come to me.
There's a silence as I slowly shake my head. "No."
His voice sounds strange; like anger and spite and…something else.
Something strange, that I can't quite place.
Why don't you make it easy on yourself, Hiccup? What can you do to protect the precious Night Fury, anyway?
I push myself to my knees, then slowly, to my feet. "I'm not listening to you. I'm not letting you kill me."
The Venom Wind whispers my name, just once, the promise of death.
And that's the last thing I hear before everything starts going black.