A/N: I do not own HTTYD or any of its characters.
Special thanks to HurryPollo for editing and helping me with the art.
Updates are every Thursday evening or Friday morning.
As you may have noticed, the story art changed! Because I finally got around to finishing it. The full image can be found on my deviant art: darkmickyangel (surprise, surprise it's the same name)
The image should be pretty simple to find, its in my gallery. you can see more details, and even the labeling in my own crappy handwriting. If you want a direct link just ask, idk how to put urls up here. Oh, ignore the other art is from middle school. i look back and i kinda (.~_~.)
Reviews are welcome.
Ch. 12: Leaving the Nest
Hiccup and Toothless split up, Toothless to the woods, and Hiccup to the village. The ship hadn't docked yet, so Hiccup took this opportunity to head into the forge and pack his tools while Gobber wasn't present.
He took mostly the tools that belonged to him, and the ones that would be needed to repair Toothless' rig if it got damaged. He wrapped them in a bundle, and headed in the opposite direction of where everyone was headed.
"Hiccup," Astrid said, as he passed her, and she stepped out of the crowd, "the ships have returned," she said, then paused when she saw his singed clothes, "uh, did something happen? With that thing I'm not supposed to talk about?"
"What? Oh, no. Everything with that is fine," Hiccup said. He made sure no one was watching them, and had her follow him into an alleyway, "I'm headed out tonight," he said, adjusting the leather roll of tools in his arms.
"Oh," Astrid said, looking sad, "I see. You were waiting for your father to return."
"Yeah," Hiccup sighed, "Astrid, before I go I want to say something… I wanted to say thanks. You've been really understanding about this whole matter."
"You're welcome," Astrid said, standing up straighter, "I don't know exactly what I've done to deserve thanks though."
"Well, keeping the Zippleback away from me is one thing," Hiccup said, and Astrid smirked, probably at the memory of him being chased by the damn thing, "and keeping this a secret from the others, I know you don't like them. You've been a great friend."
"Well," she said, pausing, "thank you for being honest. I hope you find what you need, win this war of yours."
"I do too," Hiccup nodded, "I've got to go pack now, say hi to your mother for me," he said, giving a small wave and turning to leave, "goodbye, Astrid."
"Bye, Hiccup. Have a safe trip," she said, giving a sad wave and then turned to go meet her parents down at the docks.
Hiccup made his way up to his house, and began to pack. He could only fit one bag on Toothless, so he had to travel light. He put his tools at the bottom of the bag, and rolled up his sleeping blanket. He was folding what clothes he had when Stoick came into the house.
"Hiccup."
"I'm up here," Hiccup said, taking a deep breath, before walking down the wooden stairs, "welcome home."
"The Hofferman girl said I should meet you up here, is something wrong?" Stoick asked, putting down his bag of luggage and walking forward. The man looked worried
"Yes and no," Hiccup said, "Dad… I'm leaving,"
Stoick froze, and the surprise on his face made Hiccup's heart wrench.
"Is this about the curse?" he asked, face falling back to his usual stoic expression. Hiccup could tell it was a façade though.
"Yeah, Gothi told me where you and Mom went to prevent it," Hiccup said, coming down to the ground floor slowly, "she gave me a map."
"The priest told your mother that the blessing would only prevent it once, and not forever," Stoick said, "you won't find anything there."
"I know, but I have to try, don't I?" Hiccup insisted, stepping forward, "I'm only taking your advice. I'm not just going to sit here and- I have to do something."
Stoick sighed heavily, "You're right. I just wish all this wasn't happening... Which ship are you taking?"
"Actually," Hiccup said, preparing himself. This was going to be the hardest part of the conversation, and the reason why Hiccup would have been happy to leave and explain this via a note, "I'm not taking a boat."
"What do you mean?" Stoick asked, confused "You can't walk there, Son"
"No," Hiccup said, lifting his chin up, "but I can fly there."
"Fly?"
"Yes," Hiccup said, "on a Nightfury."
"WHAT?!"
"Calm down Dad, let me explain."
"You've been- Odin, help me! The Nightfury!?"
"He says he can take me to someone who might be able to tell me more about this curse," Hiccup said calmly, which seemed to make his father pause, "I downed him when I hit him with the boa, I've been talking to him."
"It can speak?" Stoick asked, sounding astonished.
"His name is Toothless," Hiccup stressed, "and yes, he can speak to me. It has something to do with the curse- we think."
"Because he's a demon that works in the night," Stoick said, "it's in its name for Thor's sake. We're trying to not turn you into some dark creature. For all you know it could be planning to- to steal you away."
"That's not going to happen," Hiccup said flatly, "I injured his tail," he stressed, "without me he can't fly."
Stoick seemed to pause at this, squinting down at him, "You mean the Nightfury is trapped on the island? It's vulnerable?"
"Don't even go there!" Hiccup yelled, realizing the train of thought his father was on. If there was even a chance the Nightfury could be taken down…, "If you kill Toothless, you kill any chance of me getting rid of this curse."
"So you know where it is?" Stoick asked, looking out toward the direction of the forest, as if he could see Toothless' hiding place.
"The Nightfury is helping me Dad, he's the best chance that I- which we-have right now," Hiccup insisted, grabbing his father's arm and making him look down at him "if you kill him, you might as well kill me as well. He's the only chance we've got at finding a cure."
Stoick and he stared each other down for a minute, and only the sound of the fire could be heard.
"Very well then," Stoick said, crossing his arms, "I can see you've made up your mind. No changing it now."
"Thank you," Hiccup said, relieved.
"Do you have to leave tonight?" Stoick asked, the sadness evident in his voice.
"The sooner the better" Hiccup said, "winter's coming, you know?"
"You've packed?" Stoick asked, and Hiccup could hear him getting into 'chief' mode. Stoick may be awkward when it came to parenting, but he knew how to be prepared.
"Nearly" Hiccup said, "do you want to check over my bag?"
"Bring them down" Stoick said "I'm not having you go on an adventure, just to starve to death"
Hiccup nodded and retrieved the bag from his bed.
"These blankets are too thin for winter, without a shelter" Stoick said, and opened the storage room. He tossed several thick furs onto the table, "use these instead, when spring comes, you can trade them for coin to buy lighter gear, if they aren't in bad condition. Did you pack some food, water?"
"Yes," Hiccup said, "I also have my tool set from Gobber's incase I need to repair anything."
"If you ever need coin, your blacksmith training is probably the best thing to fall back on," Stoick said, "blacksmiths are nearly always looking for hands, especially experienced ones. How much food did you pack?"
"Toothless and I can catch fish easily," Hiccup said, "the lighter I travel, the better. So I just have some fruit-"
"Take crackers and salted meat," Stoick said, waving his hand over to the cooking area, "You can't live on fish and fruit alone. Take some salt as well, I'll get more tomorrow. You have your sword, and here's some string and a need. It never hurts to have those on hand."
Hiccup took the items, and packed them into his bag beside the salt and spice jars, with the thicker furs and his spare clothes the bag was almost full, "Is that it?"
"How much money do you have?" Stoick asked, and Hiccup blinked.
Berk was a small village; almost everything was either traded, or added to the general village supply. They had the typical bullion system, but Hiccup hadn't ever had to use it before.
"I have some coins," he said, frowning, he hadn't thought of money, "maybe two or three copper pieces?"
"Here," Stoick said, and turned around, messing with something by his bed stand. When he turned around he had a small purse in his hand, he gave it to Hiccup.
"This is… silver,"* Hiccup said, astonished to find the round shaped coins, alongside some gold ones inside the small bag.
"Aye, put that around your neck, and don't ever hang it on your belt, that makes you a target to petty thieves."
"I can't take this," Hiccup said nervously, holding out the bag, "its town money isn't it?"**
Stoick laughed, throwing his head back. The reaction just made Hiccup feel more uncomfortable.
"Son, I know it may not seem like it, but the Haddock family had been one of the more prominent families since the Harry Hooligans were founded," Stoick said, after he had stopped laughing, "that," Stoick said, indicating the bag, "is only a small portion of our family's fortune."
"Oh," Hiccup said, feeling rather stupid now, he looked down at the coins, they were round with the tribe emblem stamped into them, "I didn't realize…"
"That's a good thing," Stoick said, pointing at him, "I raised you the way my father raised me. If I wanted something, I had to earn it myself. If I want something, I work toward it. Even today. Because wealth isn't what's in your pocket, it's in your life. Here on such a small island wealth doesn't mean much, but you there you'll need money for supplies and emergencies. Every coin is exactly a gram. So don't worry about scales."
"I see. Thank you," Hiccup said, tying the leather string around his neck, and slipping the leather bag underneath his shirt.
There was a knock from the front door, making both of them look up.
"Are you two arguing again?" Gobber asked, stepping into the house.
"No," Stoick said after a pause, "is something the matter?"
"Yeah," Gobber said, "everyone is waiting to start the return party, and you aren't there," he said, "is something the matter here?"
Stoick and Hiccup shared a look, "We're just about finished. I'll be up in the hall soon, go ahead and start without me."
Gobber narrowed his eyes, looking between the father and son. His gaze drifted to the bag on the table "What's going on Stoick?"
"I'm leaving," Hiccup said, before his father could say anything. Stoick glared at him, "what? He's going to find out when I don't show up for training tomorrow, everyone's going to know by tomorrow evening."
Perhaps earlier, depending on how soon people realize the dragons are missing, Hiccup thought, nervously.
Gobber stepped in, closing the door behind him, and crossing his arms, "Explain."
Stoick nodded, and Hiccup turned to Gobber "I've been cursed. I'm going to find a cure."
The blond raised his eyebrows, and he turned to Stoick, who placed his hands on his hips, "Gothi's given her blessing. He's headed out tonight."
"Why are you just telling me this now?" Gobber asked Hiccup, and Hiccup felt guilty for not telling him.
"We were hoping I would be here for a while longer," Hiccup said, "but it doesn't look like I will be. Sorry, I should have told you."
"It was the Nightfury, wasn't it?" Gobber said, his eyes widening, and Stoick and Hiccup looked at each other, surprised. "It cursed you, didn't it?"
"Not quite," Stoick said stiffly, "Freda warned me this could happen when he was born. But Val and I didn't think it would actually happen. We were fools."
"It would be better to tell everyone it was the Nightfury," Gobber said, shaking his head, "that way other people won't start thinking they're cursed 'cause they were born in winter. You know how sensitive these things are."
"I know," Stoick sighed, "Hiccup, I'm going to have to lie to people about why you're leaving. Do you understand?"
"A little, yeah."
"You'll understand one day," Gobber said, "just repeat what Stoick says and you'll be fine. Come on then, let's get going." He turned and opened the door.
"Leave your bag here, you can get it later," Stoick said, placing a hand on Hiccup's shoulder, and once Gobber was out of ear shot he continued "sorry, but your new friend is about to become a scapegoat."
"Where are we going?" Hiccup asked, worriedly, not quite liking how things were going.
"To your farewell party, where else?" Stoick laughed, but his eyes were sad, "Come on, Son," he patted him on the shoulder, and followed Gobber up to the great hall.
A/N:
*Vikings had a bullion economy, meaning that currency was often based off precious metals, usually silver.
**A small town like Berk probably had all its currency centralized at the head of the village. Stoick, as chief, would buy things for the town, which would be earned from the town's profits.
