Hello again everyone!

Welcome back to Return of the Nightfuries!

It has truly been a while. Life has been very odd for me these past few months and such strange days mean I haven't been able to update as much as I would like. Love, Life and Work have all conspired to keep me from uploading. yet that never stops me from thinking about these sagas. an update for scars and I, Alone should be up in the next couple of weeks as the summer has passed and I can get back to doing some hardcore writing!

I submit my deepest thanks to everyone who has keeping track of things and encouraging me during this time. to you all, thanks!

As before any comments reviews or PM's are greatly appreciated.

Enjoy!

Last time Hiccup and Toothless endured a harsh flight from Berk that left both Dragon and Rider suffering on many different levels.

Finally finding refuge on small Island ,Toothless cast a spell on Hiccup while he slept.

What were the affects and consequences of the spell?

Read on and find out!

The Return of the Nightfuries

Part 12 – Turn and face the strange

Warm.

That was how Hiccup felt as he slowly re-joined the walking world. He could feel the heat radiate out from the middle of his chest to the tips of his extremities. His black dreamless sleep was being pleasantly intruded upon by the inspiring heat of the risen sun that beamed powerfully down on him through the cave's entrance. It was warmth more than just actual heat but something that brought a feeling of well-being. Hiccup's mind simmered like a steadily boiling cauldron of contentment.

However, as the young Viking became fully conscious, his memoires of the previous day's heartbreak and turmoil snaked their way to the forefront of his mind. He winced as he recollected his beating at the hands of Astrid, the violent retaliation as Toothless ravaged the shield-maiden and then their exodus flight filled with mental and physical anguish.

Hiccup shuddered as the worst day of his life forced his eyes open. Even from his horizontal lopsided position, he instantly recognized the cave from yesterday, his travelling pack and Astrid's axe still lying in the corner where he had unceremoniously discarded them. The air was heavy with the smell of Myrtle Root, charred rock and the bitter aroma of raw fish.

It was this final smell that tickled the young Berkian's nose to the point he forced himself to up to a seating position.

'Where was it coming from? Hiccup thought 'This cave was a good distance from any kind of aquatic wildlife!'

As he rose up Hiccup felt his abused body moan in protest. The combined heat and drugs he had taken had done wonders to dull the pain of yesterday but now that he was becoming fully cogent, he could feel the discomfort resurfacing with a vengeance. Surveying his bandaged form Hiccup deepened his breathing to flex the muscles in his chest and began testing his other limbs to see how useless they still were.

Typically, his body and limbs did not disappoint.

"OUCH!...AH!...UGH!...OW!"

Hiccup immediately had to take shallow breaths as his bruised ribcage rubbed sorely against bandages he had wrapped around himself. Tightness flowed from his palms, still stiff from the cast iron grip he had held the saddle with. His left leg was still painfully sore from adjusting the tailfin during the seemingly infinite flight he had endured. To cap things off the throbbing in his head had started to return and he felt he had no longer awoken from a peaceful slumber, but from something more akin to that night in the Great Hall when he was 9 and Snotlout had forced him to drink all that Meade.

He had woken up to the worst hangover and most irate father a child could have possibly imagined.

Heat still coursed through the cave and Hiccup begged for its soothing properties once more to relax him. But he was awake now, senses on high alert for what his first day of exile might bring. Being ever practical, he eyed his traveling pack and dragged himself over to it. After another course of water and pain relieving Myrtle Root, Hiccup limped his way to the mouth of his make-shift encampment.

"uuggghhhhhh!" he groaned as he staggered shakily out of the cave, eyes adjusting more to the unrelenting sunshine.

The sight that greeted Hiccup was alien yet familiar. From his high vantage point, the island he looked down on reminded him of his former home. The dark foreboding trees he had seen the previous evening where now a lush a verdant evergreen forest that stretched undisturbed down to what looked like a beach of bright golden sand. The late morning breeze brought the aroma of saltwater mixed with the thick musty sent of the nearby pines. This new smell pricked Hiccup's senses with the more pleasant memories he had of Berk and the happy times he had exploring it.

Yet, that was where the similarity ended. The topography of the land was different from Berk, foothills and forests gently sloping to meet the sea rather than ending in steep cliffs. There were birds he didn't recognize trilling and squawking in the air, strange plants scattered across the brush ground and even the ocean seemed to be a alien shade of azure blue compared the dull greys that usually swirled and coalesced around Berk. It uncomfortably reminded Hiccup he was no longer in a place he knew. He didn't know who or what lived on this island, who or what frequented the beaches, who or what might be hunting him from the shadows of the forest right now.

There could be unfriendly natives, wild animals, even hungry dragons!

"A beautiful sight! Is it not?" A deep and meaningful voice uttered close by.

"You're telling me, it really is beaut…wait…who's there?! What did you say?!"

Hiccup panicked, darting his gaze around to find the source of the voice that clearly wasn't his. He was further startled to land his gaze on his Nightfury companion who was still sitting inside the cave but had remained completely silent and unnoticed by the groggy young Viking.

Toothless was staring at him. Hard. His acid green eyes were slightly narrowed as if looking beneath his human skin to something deeper which made the boy slightly edgy.

"Toothless?" Hiccup cocked his head in confusion

The Nightfury slowly stood up and stalked to the mouth of the cave until he was only a foot away before he opened his large draconic jaws.

"I said. A beautiful sight. Is it not?"

Hiccup wasn't sure if he was still dreaming, or if he had taken the wrong medicinal root and was now suffering from some sort of mind bending hallucination.

"Uh..Toothless….did you just….."

"Talk to you Hiccup?" The black dragon interrupted cheerfully.

All Hiccup could do was nod

"Of course I did!"

All Hiccup could do was nod again

"Well finally!" the black dragon exalted bouncing on his forelegs "Something that has rendered Hiccup Haddock speechless! I never thought it would be possible! Ha ha ha!"

The dragon spun energetically on the spot and dived back into the cave seemingly not caring about his slack-jawed human. The Nightfury nosed about in the corner casually warbling away, "I didn't want to wake you so I went out earlier and caught some fish for breakfast! It's not really as nice as that 'Icelandic Cod' you humans have but it will suffice".

Toothless dumped two large fish at Hiccup's feet. The Nightfury looked down at them expectantly and back at Hiccup who still hadn't taken his eyes off of him. The black dragon tilted his head in bemusement at the silent boy who looked like he was no more than a statue.

"Well? Aren't you going to eat?" the Nightfury enquired incredulously.

"YOU CAN TALK?!" Hiccup didn't think a dragon could be frightened by a human, but the volume and sheer intensity of Hiccup's cry made Toothless jump back a few feet. In response Hiccup stumbled back and forth constantly daring to approach the Nightfury but always pulling back as a new disjointed thought over took his vocal chords.

"I mean….it's…. what the…..in the name of Thor….ah…ug..but….no this can't…how long did you…when did…..what is….I mean…HOW?!"

Toothless could not help let out a low draconic laugh and nuzzled his head into Hiccup's chest that stopped his boy's high pitched stutterings, uneven pacing and wild flailing arms. The gesture seemed the calm Hiccup's mind as well. Pulling back, Hiccup reigned his chaotic thoughts in as best he could and looked at Toothless again with worried eyes.

"Toothless, what happened? How….how am I able to understand you?"

"Come boy, Look at this." was all Toothless said as he gestured with his head.

Staring back into the cave, Hiccup saw that a large black circular scorch mark marred the floor. In the centre of it was the silhouette of the where he had been sleeping.

Hiccup and the dragon looked back at each other.

"Your dragon fire!..." Hiccup realised "…it did something…you did something didn't you?!"

"There is a lot more to dragons than you know Hiccup," Toothless intoned sagely, "Nightfuries especially. We possess certain abilities that are rarely spoken of and are not usually shared with other beings."

"Like what?" Hiccup whispered in awe.

"Dragon magic!" Toothless whispered with equal mystery in his tone.

"Magic? Are you kidding? I mean come on!" Hiccup moaned "oh Loki you must having a field day with this!"

The Nightfury couldn't help but smirk as Hiccup ran his hands through his chaotic hair trying to wrap his thoughts this startling development

'Yep one human mind definitely blown!'Toothless chuckled to himself.

Eventually Hiccup ran out of steam and breathing heavily, rested his hands on his knees to stop himself from passing out. The Viking boy had an open mind which was rare and sometimes dangerous, but even this seemed too much to take in. The idea dragons could communicate was nothing new to him but magic? That was new and it frightened the boy as his open mind strained to process what he thought he knew.

'Magic was a dark force if the storytellers and seers where to be believed. To use magic was to trade away one's soul for otherworldly powers that eventually made you vile and corrupt. And that was just humans. Toothless was a dragon, a Nightfury and he was claiming he could wield those same supernatural forces like there was no price to pay?!'

Hiccup began to tremble as feelings of violation, betrayal and paranoia sped his mind up to racing a mile a minute making him sweat and pant even harder as adrenaline coursed through his body.

"you...you changed me!…while I was sleeping!...what else did you do?!..." Hiccup said accusingly, regarding Toothless with wide suspicious eyes and suddenly took a step back, trying to gage how far he could get if he turned on his heel and bolted to the dark safety of the forest down the slope.

Immediately Toothless, using his 'true sight' realised the boy's apprehension.

"Hiccup you need to calm down! I haven't done anything bad to you!" Toothless tried to sound reassuring, "Dragon magic is unlike anything you know and I only ever use it for good!"

"I…it's all too much…" Hiccup stuttered, "...I can't believe it!"

"Hiccup please believe me, I only did it to help you! please let me explain", Toothless intoned taking a step toward him.

"No wait stay back!" Hiccup defensively held his hand up, flinching. Worried he had maybe gone too far, Toothless sat back on his haunches and cooed softly, his eyes downcast, his shoulders and wings slumped as Hiccup gulped loudly through his heaving breaths, clinging on to his last shreds of decorum

"Magic is just a myth" Hiccup rasped out between breathes, "stories told in the old sagas!"

"Hmmmmmm, And what do you think this is then human? Some deleted passage of Beowulf perhaps?!"

The dragon's sudden blatant sarcasm drew an unbidden wry a smile from the Viking boy who took another step back to regard the ebony dragon in a way he had only really done once before. That wondrous moment when Toothless had first made physical contact with him in the cove. Everything was strange and frightening yet somehow new and comforting.

And like before, Hiccup was amazed beyond words.

He had been the first to see yet another hidden side to dragons that no other Viking had been privileged to witness. However mixed in his wide green awestruck eyes was a beckoning doubt and fear of this new unknown depth of dragon power.

Toothless could see Hiccup was still desperately trying to analyse the situation, his ever rational, logical mind trying to pull this revelation apart and put it back together again like some sort of invention or puzzle. Trying to reassure him more, Toothless spoke very softly and tenderly.

"Hiccup, the only thing I used my magic for was to give you the ability to understand the language of my kind. It is called Dragoneese. Now you can understand any dragon you wish! You are still you! That was all I did. By the great Mother and Father spirits I swear!"

The boy seemed to relax a bit but stilled seemed on edge, his questioning eyes boring into the dragon's soul. The Nightfury shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny before tilting his large head upwards to the unspoilt blue oblivion that was the sky.

"Up there…." Toothless uttered, "we were finally free but….you were so unhappy ….. I couldn't tell you we would be alright… to be unable to comfort you…I felt so….useless…...I wanted let you know you aren't alone….that I will always be there for you from now on….Are you…..are you alright with that?"

At first Hiccup didn't respond. He seemed to be assimilating what the dragon was saying. Toothless began to worry he had finally broken his boy when he saw Hiccup's unblinking eyes burst, tears flowing down his cheeks as Hiccup openly wept, dropping his head.

"Oh no! Hiccup what's wrong?!" Toothless barked as he came closer wracked with concern and guilt.

"Nothing's wrong!" Hiccup cried as his head snapped up, a vibrant smile on his face as he lunged at the Nightfury. Toothless was startled by the intensity with which the boy threw his arms around his scaled head and hugged him tightly. "Thank you!" Hiccup blurted through his joyful sobbing, "This is this...amazing Toothless….it's too much for words!"

Desperate to feel closer in this moment, Toothless shook Hiccup off his face, reared up and wrapped his paws and wings around his boy, eager to not only share his warmth but also his relief in Hiccup not rejecting him for his actions.

"I hope it's not too much for words!", the Nightfury intoned fighting back his own tears, "I used a lot of my magic to able to speak to you human, I don't want it going to waste if you are going to shut up now!"

Hiccup laughed in haggard breaths, wiping away his tears making the Nightfury's heart flutter in relief. "looks like I'm going to have some competition in the sarcasm department!" Hiccup chuckled as he drew back holding his dragons muzzle, stroking his scales vigorously.

Toothless purred deeply and gave him one final nuzzle before returning to the fish that still lay at their feet.

"Well, how about I use my fire for something tastier this time?" The Nightfury grinned his gummy smile at his rider.

"Sure bud I'm starving!" was all Hiccup could manage.

And eat they did, sharing much needed words of comfort and reassurance. Toothless vowed he would never use his magic on Hiccup again without the boy's consent while Hiccup promised he would maintain an open mind especially when it came to the more mystical aspects of the dragons. The trust and brotherhood that existed between them seemed to become even stronger as they ate with hundreds if not thousands of questions fighting to rip their way out of the Young Viking's head.

Strangely though, Hiccup was able hold back his rampant curiosity and limited himself to asking how Toothless felt during his time spent back on Berk in the cove. The young Viking seemed obsessed with apologizing for shooting the Nightfury down in the first place, to which the dragon would always respond to by saying, it was 'the worst and best thing that had ever happened to him'.

When Hiccup asked repeatedly what the Nightfury meant, Toothless would just smile wryly and utter the phrase "You will see soon enough my boy!"

They spent the remainder of the day casually exploring the base of the mountain, sharing jokes and stories, Hiccup asking about other dragon species and Toothless happily regaling him with whatever he knew and then resting until night and sleep engulfed them once again. Only this time Hiccup slept peacefully in the snug embrace of his best friend, happier than he had ever been.

Little did the boy know, this would be the happiest he would ever be for long time.

Meanwhile, somewhere on the high seas.

"I'm telling you Barbo I saw it!" The shorter of the two men declared desperately, "It wasn't just a dragon, it was a Nightfury! Think of it! What if we caught it or even killed it! Think of the gold its hide would bring, the glory it would attract to our name! The fear you would wield as the villages and ships we raid realise who we are! Just give me more time!"

"For the last time I said no Eovard!" The taller man barked wearily as he strode up the deck of the long-ship passing catapults and warriors at their rowing benches. "I said I'd give you two days and we be finding nothing!" Barbo continued, hoping to further silence his belligerent first-mate, "We've wasted enough time on this blasted dragon hunt of yours. I don't care what you might have seen in that spy-glass, there isn't an island around for miles for a dragon to land on and we have to find a port to make berth for the winter!"

"But captain please!" Eovard said more forcefully. He knew he had seen a Nightfury a few days ago. It had been heading straight for them. It would not have stood a chance. But then at the last minute it turned tail and flew off in a different direction. Eovard was sure of it. He was sure they would find it. He was willing to bet his life on it.

He wanted that dragon.

"THAT'S ENOUGH EO!"Barbo yelled, drawing the attention of every crewman both above decks and below as no-one had heard Eovard's name shortened in such a disrespectful way before. "You want to continue this insanity then take a row boat and go off by yourself! You'll not lead my men to misfortune and death, not while I'm in command!"

A few moments of silence followed as the captain continued to stare down his first mate. The younger man's life long Nightfury obsession had been difficult enough to deal with in private. Now he was threatening to infect the entire crew. Barbo hoped he could quell it this time like he had before. The silence passed when Eovard unclenched his jaw and let out the breath he was holding.

"…..Very well….." Eovard bowed his head in contrition at the clear sign of authority that came from his older brother, captain and Viking pirate lord.

Barbo grunted in recognition and began to stomp away feeling a pang of guilt in his gut for having to discipline his own brother and first mate in front of the crew so forcefully. However the pang seemed to grow more painful as the seconds ticked by and when he instinctively looked down he realised why. Protruding from his aforementioned guilty gut was a foot and a half of razor sharp steel. As his body began to collapse in on itself, he heard the cold mournful voice of the man he had just turned his back on, cut through the fresh sea air.

"Then allow me to relieve you of your command…captain."

With a violent tug the blade was gone. Barbo crashed to the deck looking up into the face of the man he had sailed the seas with for most of his adult life. Barbo's eyes, wracked with shock and betrayal met Edward's calculating and greedy expression as the life blood poured out the fallen man's body, staining the deck.

"….Eovard!?...Brother!?..." Barbo coughed in shock as his blood began flood his lungs.

"Sorry….captain….but the crew needs better pickings than the rather meagre fare you be offering!" Evoard intoned.

"Damn you Eo!…you'll…never find the Nightfury…they…be gone….they all be gone!"

"We both know that's not true!" Eovard snarled at the dying man beneath him, "They will only be gone after I'm done gutting them from head to tail!"

Barbo wanted to say more. He wanted to order his men to take revenge. He wanted to beg the Valkyries for a warm welcome into Valhalla. But mostly he wanted to curse this damn cur and implore Loki to ensure his traitorous brother died in the most excruciatingly painful way the god of mischief could conceive. But all that came out was a series of incomprehensible gurgles and splatters of blood from his now overflowed lungs.

With the fallen man now dead, Eovard turned to the still silent crew that stared at him, each man harbouring agendas and desires that Eovard knew lurked in the minds of every Viking raider.

"Anyone care to object to my promotion?!" his voice rang out clearly across the ship.

A burly crewman shifted on his feet, hand moving to the hilt of his sword. The hand promptly slipped back to his side as the impact from the knife embedding in his skull rendered his entire body unresponsive and limp.

Edward stomped over and yanked out the blade he had thrown, causing shards of bone and brain to spill on to the deck.

"Anyone else?"

The communal shaking of heads signalled that he had solidified his position as the captain of the ship.

"Then best pass the word along!" Eovard declared darkly, "The fleet has a new captain and we be sailing on a new course! Have the other ship-masters and their first mates meet me in me quarters after dark!"

The crew remained still as Eovard stooped to pick up and sheave his brother's sword beside his own. He turned his gaze back the Vikings before bellowing.

"Go on! Get to work you lazy swabbies!"

At that the crew sparked to life as some returned to their regular duties as if nothing had happened while others began signalling to the other long-ships that sailed nearby. Eovard marched purposefully up the deck to where an equally grizzly and scarred Viking was manning the rudder oars.

"Flail!" Eovard barked jovially, "you be my new first mate! Get some men to throw those sacks of meat overboard!"

"Aye aye captain!" Flail chirped and passed the rudder to him, eager to please his new captain. From his position Eovard could see the ship returning to its natural rhythm, a manic smile splitting his weather beaten face.

"Aye lads! We be going in search of glory that will put us down in history forever!" He yelled triumphantly, "We be going off the edge of the map boys! We be going to find monsters! And if any of ye be feeling faint of heart, there be plenty of room in the sea beside my brother and his ilk!"

At that the crew cheered in response. Eovard knew his day had finally come as he saw all the men respond to his words not just with cheers but also with wide eyes and fear induced productivity. The best kind of productivity he knew.

He knew he would find that Nightfury, wherever it went.

He knew he had 20 ships filled with the archipelago's fiercest pirates under his banner now.

He knew he would have to kill a few of the other captains who were loyal to his brother or fancied themselves strong enough to lead.

He knew his name would be remembered forever as the greatest Viking pirate ever.

For no-one and nothing would ever stop the now pirate-lord 'Eovard the Blackbeard!'

There you are my friends!

Hiccup and Toothless share a nice moment of respite before diving into a new adventure and a new character has entered the game. I know the real Blackbeard the Pirate didn't turn up for many centuries later but this guy does have a role to play in this story and me and Zyonzillia figured it would be cool to have some other wildcards in the mix outside of the regular dragons rogues gallery.

The next chapter will deal with Hiccup and Toothless continuing in their journey and believe me, there is still much they have to talk about!

As always, any comments reviews or PMs are greatly appreciated!

Until next time

Take care of yourselves and each other!