Ch: 14 Cause I Said So

I don't own HTTYD or any of their characters. I can make OOC, but that's about it.

I got a plan tentative as it may be. But all my planning means nothing if I still can't move.

Before we could head out I need to become strong enough to walk on my own, but I will need some support for that.

For obvious reasons I can't just walk into a village leaning on Toothless, so once I 'm able to I begin carving a cane/crutch I could us to walk. I also made myself some warmer clothe and food from the remains of the bear.

I spend four day on the island before I'm ready to head out. I should be waiting till I'm stronger and more self-sufficient but waiting longer can only works against me.

I become grateful to the ice again when I realize that my need to see a healer is more plausible now since the news about me still hasn't spread.

I noticed it when I was reaffixing my bandages, something that made me worry. I couldn't see out my left eye. Probably has something to do with how Spitlout pulled out my eyeball and had me watch what they did to me from some impossibly weird angles.

The thought makes me toss out my stomach several times when I think about it. Seeing my own eye watch my other eye just barely connected to that pinkish thin strand my innards, it was unsettling and just plain horrible to remember.

So with me half blind and barely walking, we fly to find the nearest village that wasn't Berk. All I have are my best friend, Gobbers knife, some bear skins, and a little bear meat.

If I need to trade to get what I need I can use the spare skins I have, but it won't get me more than two days food and water. It's a start at least.

For anything more I'd probably need to find some short term work, definitely at a forge if my condition allows.

Well my shopping plans have to wait a bit cause we found a village. I can worry about things when I get there. I've never seen this place before so it's as good place as any. The village from a distance looks similar in set up to Berk just smaller.

"Hey bud, take us quietly to the other side of the island. Better they don't see us. Ok." With an affirmative like bark we bank to the side and swing to the other side of the island landing on a snow covered beach.

On the ground despite my best efforts to try and jump off his back, Toothless does his best and manages to keep me on his back. "Let me off. I need to walk on my own. It'll be good for me."

Growl. 'You're not strong enough yet. Don't worry I'll carry you to the human village. You can do what you need and I can keep a close eye on you. You said they won't know you're hunted so if we just sneak about and lay low we can steal what we need. But it would be best to do it at dark.'

I continue explaining to him. "I know what you're thinking but walking on my own is good for me. I need to get used to walking with this crutch I made. I also need to work my body back into action, I've been laying down for too long. I need the exercise, so let me off."

With another growl. 'You have a hard enough time walking with two eyes, I can't imagine how many times your face will meet the ground with only one useable eye, even with that third leg you made.'

"I don't know why but I feel like you just insulted me. Stop worrying, I can make it on my own. You're the one that could use some rest."

'I wasn't insulting you, just pointing out facts. Maybe if you could actually run in your condition I wouldn't worry so much, but as you are well I doubt they would even consider you an escape risk if they do chase after you.'

"Toothless let me off. Unless you can pass yourself off as a horse with wings, then then you're not going in the village!"

'I am not a horse or cat or whatever! I'm carrying you. That's final.'

"Let me off!"

'No!'

We're not getting anywhere. Both our conversation and our walk. He's not putting me down and I'm not going like this. Yeah this is basically what happens when a stubborn dragon meets an equally stubborn human; deadlock.

You know that idea of disguising him might be something I do later. I don't have that time for that now, but I might think about it more when I have the time and materials to do so.

"This isn't going to work."

'Hey you're the one that said he needed stuff. '

"Oh come on just let me off."

'No.'

"Buddy I know you're worried about me, considering all that's happened it's only natural. But you are not carrying me like a baby for the rest of my life no matter how worried you are."

'It wouldn't be for the rest of your life, just till your strong enough to move on your own.'

"Ok how about this, we compromise. Let's find somewhere we can make camp before we do anything. It only midday so I guess we can take some time to figure this out. What do you say?"

He considers it and relents. So with him still carrying me we explore the island to find a good place to make our camp. We walk for a while until we find ourselves at the bottom of a large widely spaced and mostly frozen waterfall in the forest.

"Oh this'll do. What do you say to a bath buddy?"

'Yeah sure I'll just toss you right in. Not like I need to get wet.'

"Eh it's too cold anyways. So now may I get off?"

When he lies on the ground I'm finally able to climb off. However once my feet meet the ground I slip on a patch of ice that was right where I climb off and I land hard on my back.

'Told you that would happen.' Toothless give me a look while laughing at me on the ground. He then moves and plops down next to me, still keeping his eyes on me.

"Ok it's official you are being way to overbearing of me. It's not like I almost died or anything. I just went thru the worst hell of my life."

'….. Really? That's going to be your argument?' Is what his raised dragon brow told me.

"Ok, not my best choice of words but I'm being serious. The way you keep watching over me make me feel like I'm just gonna drop dead at any moment."

'If that was something that could happen, I would never let you out of my sights again.'

"Buddy we both have things we can do, for ourselves and for each other. But the way you keep hovering over me just makes me feel like I'm just a burden on you. This is something I can do for both of us. Let me do this myself. I can you know. I need to."

He looks at me with his eyes full of concern. 'You're not a burden to me. I just don't want anything to happen to you again. I almost lost you, and it was my fault. I'm here to protect you that's all. I know you said that we have time before the human hunters come for you, but that doesn't mean it's entirely safe. I know from experience that some will attack without any reason at all. That's happened plenty to me.'

"Toothless I don't want to be a burden hiding behind you. I want to be your brother standing next to you. And if I ever get the chance I want to protect you like you've always done for me. Even if it's just once."

'You don't have to prove yourself to me. It's not like you haven't already. You went thru all that pain because of me, remember.'

"You probably think I'm doing this to prove myself to you, but I'm not. This is for me. I need to see that I can do this, that I have changed and that I'm ready to face the world that's coming for us. We have a second of peace for now because of the frozen sea. But once it thaws anything could happen to us, bad or good. I need to make sure that I'm ready for it, and I don't just mean the stuff we need. I'm talking about seeing if I really am someone who can do what it takes to make it in this world. Astrid was right about one thing; despite how bad it was in Berk for me, it was still a place that I somewhat safe and protected, even if it was just an obligation or sucking up. But now it's just the two of us. And as excited as I am to see the world, I need to know that I can handle it. For us."

Toothless watches me with contemplation in his eyes about what I said.

I'm weak. It's a fact but I don't mind. I just need to know that if the moment requires it, I can at least pretend to be strong.

'Fine. You can do what you need. Just remember that you don't need to do it yourself. I'm here for you when you need help. So ask when you need it.' He lays his head down and closes his eyes acknowledging that I can do what I want.

"Thanks bud. I promise I'll bring you some fish when I get back." I pick myself off the frozen ground and support my wobbly self on the makeshift crutch that I made. It had a long shaft that was strapped to my arm to make it more stable and to make sure it doesn't slip from my grip.

With my cane in hand I slowly shuffle off to the direction of the village. I know I'll make it their regardless of how slow I go, but for now I just wanna get used to walking like this.