Hi there! Didn't take very long before I published again, did it? I told myself that if I was to write another fanfic, that perhaps I should write the whole thing before publishing. You know. To avoid dragging the story on for 2 years as I've done previously. So here you have it.

Warning! Story energy warning. I know we all love the Hiccup!whump (our favorite on the menu), and I promise, there is (it's an unstoppable habit of mine). The story itself will mostly turn around Astrid's perspective of things. Not a POV (I hate those, never gonna write one). We just pretty much follow her the whole time.

Fun fact: I got this idea from a dream. And funny thing, I dreamed it the same night I published my last chapter for "Venom". I thought it was over. But no. My brain wouldn't let me rest. "No, gurl, you gotta write more..!" *sigh* Don't get me wrong, I love writing. And I love you guys.

Based off of Heartland (if you even know the show). Season 7, Episode 10 (if you're interested). But don't go check it out, moron. It'll spoil this story :(

NOW! Enjoy :)

"Think, Hiccup. Think, think, think," mumbled Hiccup, opening his eyes on the hollow over which he dangled.

He stared down, searching for solutions – anything at all - that would get him out of the messy web he'd gotten himself tangled into. His eye caught the metallic glare of his prosthetic and his eyes lit up. He looked back up at Inferno, still aflame and starting to melt the ice in which its blade was stuck. He didn't have much longer before it lost its grip. So he quickly went to work, grabbing the King of Dragons' egg and pressing it against the icy wall, holding it in place with the top of his head. With now one of his hands freed, he proceeded to detach his metal leg and immediately stick the sharp end into the cliffside. His sword gave out from the hot and cold exposure, cutting the blade in half. Hiccup grunted as he worked his way up, the sharp breaking of the ice echoing all the way down to the very bottom of the ice cavern. The sharp spikes of ice below seemed to growl at him dangerously, narrowing their eyes like a dangerous creature that refused to leave its nest. He was progressive, using both good and bad legs to climb back to the top. But his heart sank when his boot slipped against the icy surface, immediately dragging his body with it. He dangled sideways from one hand, catching the egg right on time as it plunged for the unseen bottom. He groaned at the effort, placing it back between the wall and his head. His arms were shaking from the tension, threatening to give out any moment now. He panted, his lungs hurting from the high demand of oxygen his muscles asked. He stopped, taking a moment to breathe and sighed upon realizing he was nearly up to the edge. Just a little more and he'd be safe.

Boy was he wrong.

"Bravo, Master Hiccup!" called out Johann and Hiccup's eye flashed wide open. The Dragon Rider felt his heart drop, quickly realizing he couldn't be in a worse position. "I didn't know you had that in you. You must see the delicious irony of your situation, Hiccup."

The weight on his head was lifted and Hiccup looked up while Johann observed the egg and put it down next to him. He then crouched before him with a smug smile stretched on his face. It was like all the effort he'd just put into saving this egg had been in vain. And there was no worst feeling than seeing it rest between your enemy's clutches.

"The final resting place of the champion of dragons will reside in the King of Dragons' birth nest," continued Johann, standing up and grabbing his Dragon Root-coated spear. He touched the sharp tip repetitively before pointing it down at Hiccup's face. Hiccup drew his head back, imagining the sharp end piercing his skin. "Sheer poetry."

The traitor lowered the spear down on Hiccup who looked both sides rapidly, searching for any sort of escape that would allow him to be spared. But there were none and he looked back at Johann, eyes filled with fright. He watched fearfully as Johann drew it back, ready to bring it down on him. The Rider shut his eyes tight, ready for the incoming pain, only for a plasma blast to blow Johann right off his feet, shredding his one-way ticket to Valhalla.

Hiccup looked back up, smiling. "Good job, bud," he said, confidence rapidly returning. "I knew you'd find me."

He heard Johann whimper and Toothless roar sharply.

"Easy, dragon," warned Johann as he slowly backed away, almost losing his balance on the edge of the cliff.

Hiccup climbed what remained of the cliff and grasped the edge. But what he saw didn't please him.

"Krogan!" he shouted as he watched the Dragon Flyer pick the egg off the ground and take off.

Toothless prepared his fire at Johann, ready to finish the traitor. But his Rider had other orders for him.

"Toothless, no!" shouted Hiccup from behind Johann. "Go after the egg." Toothless grunted in confusion, holding back his fire. He angled his head to the side, disbelieving his rider.

"By all means, dragon," said Johann, the slightest hint of fear in his voice. "Off you go! After the egg!"

Toothless looked back at the exit and then at Hiccup, snarling in concern.

"Toothless, go," pleaded Hiccup, gesturing the way Krogan had taken off to. "Protect that egg. I'll be fine."

Toothless backed away, still not sure whether to save his Rider or follow his orders.

"It's okay, bud," reassured Hiccup, hurrying him to leave. "Go. Go!" The Night Fury finally nodded and sped after Krogan, following his trail. Hiccup smiled as he watched him go, trusting his dragon would keep that egg safe.

"Such heroism…" said Johann through gritted teeth, turning around to face Hiccup. The Rider returned his eyes on him, frowning angrily at the man. "And for what?" There was a smile there that Hiccup knew meant Johann had one intention and one intention only. "For what?!"

He kicked Hiccup on the shoulder, making him lose his grip on the ice and sending him back dangling from the cliffside. His broken sword and prosthetic still stuck in the wall were the only two objects keeping him alive right now.

The Rider looked back up after recovering, his arms screeching in pain. "You don't have to do this, Johann," he said, a hint of pleading in his tone.

"Oh yes," was Johann's reply as he took hold of his spear once again, returning to where he'd left off. "Yes I do, Hiccup."

He lifted the spear above his head and Hiccup noticed his eyes shift from him to the hollow past him. To Hiccup's surprise, instead of bringing the sharp end down on him, he brought it down on the ice where his metal leg gripped. The end of the prosthetic was already barely holding on. Johann's spear broke the ice in which it was sticking out from, sending Hiccup rocking from his sword's handle as the piece of metal fell down and disappeared in the fog. Hiccup yelped, holding on from one hand. He stared fearfully beneath him, praying to the gods for a miracle. But by the time he looked back up at Johann, the traitor was already bringing his spear down on the ice his sword grasped.

"No," he gasped, trying to grasp the ice wall but to no success. The blows from the sharp end of the spear finally broke the ice and Hiccup's heart sank. "No. No!"

It was like his world had sharply slowed down. Hiccup felt himself being pulled like he was being dragged down to Niflheim. His stomach twisted as he kept falling, down and down. He saw Johann looking at him, no identifiable emotion showing on his face. Hiccup's mind didn't race in any way. No images flashed before his eyes like they said would happen moments before death. All he could really feel was defeat. And there was nothing else he could feel but the crushing weight of having failed. His world suddenly went blurry as he got swallowed up by the heavy fog bank hovering who-knew how high above the bottom. And anyway, it's not like there was any time left to ponder on that for he rapidly reached the bottom.

And all light suddenly seized to exist.

Apologies if reading this felt like a waste of time but I need a recapitulation that scene. I realized I probably wrote too much when reviewing it but TOO LATE it's already all written down and I'm not feeling like putting in the extra effort.

Now, just for fun, I wanna know... When reading httyd fanfiction, do you picture Hiccup the exact way he looks like in the series and films, or do you have a better, more lively version? Not regarding his character but the image itself. Is he very animated-like or a little bit more fluid? LET ME KNOW!