The Night and the Fury:
In the academy was where all the riders were as usual. They were just about done; all that was left was to announce the next day's activities. Hiccup and Aric were in front of the board, a map hung up, when Hiccup got everyone's attention.
"Okay, gang, gather round. So, tomorrow's training exercise was actually Aric's idea, so I will let him explain it."
Everyone groaned, humans and dragons alike complaining.
"What?" Aric asked defensively.
"Your training exercises are so hard", Fishlegs complained.
"They are not", Aric denied.
"Hand to claw combat?" Astrid gave, exhibiting her bandaged hand.
"Spine dodging?!" Snotlout shouted next.
"Hot lava swimming?" Tuffnut followed.
"We never did that", Aric said.
"Yeah, but you should have", Tuffnut said. "Its way better than hand to claw combat."
"Well, this mission is easy", Aric told them. "Dragon Island. You just have to go from this beach on the east side…" he pointed, "…to this cave on the west side."
"Huh, okay."
"Yeah that's not so bad."
"At night", Aric added making everyone groan again. "With no camping gear."
"What?!"
"And, no dragons."
"Aw, what?! That's crazy! What's the point?!" Snotlout questioned.
"To work on our stealth skills and out wild dragon defense."
"Aric's right", Hiccup intervened. "We all know how strong we are with our dragons, but we have to be able to survive and defend ourselves if we ever get separated from them."
"Easy for you to say", Snotlout jabbed.
"Trust me, it'll be fine", Aric placated.
"Translation", Astrid butted in. "Someone's not making it."
""Awgh…""
000
The following night, the teens arrived on the eastern beach of Dragon Island. After they landed, each lit a lantern of their own, and Hiccup brought her new shield. It was about time she gave it a real test drive.
"Okay, one of us is going to have to skip the drill and take the dragons to the other side of the island", Hiccup said once everyone was ready to go. "That way they won't try and help us."
As if on cue, at that moment an apparently highly territorial Nadder came out from the forest screeching and trying to intimidate them off his territory. As expected, before any of the teens could react, their dragons met the Nadder's challenge Stormfly and Toothless each firing one warning shot before growling and approaching dominantly. The Nadder submitted and retreated.
"Just like that. Okay, so who's gonna watch the dragons?" Hiccup asked.
"I think the obvious choice is―"
"―Me!" Tuffnut interrupted Fishlegs. "I volunteer!"
"But, I have way more dragon knowledge?"
"Yeah. From a book. But I? I feel them. In here", he rebutted placing his hand to his heart. "No, wait. Is it? In…in here", Tuffnut readjusted placing his hand on his stomach. "Yeah, in my stomach. Besides, I did say, 'Me First'!"
Hiccup sighed. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but, Tuffnut is right. Fishlegs, no one can argue with your dragon knowledge. But if Alvin attacks with wild dragons, we need to be able to face them. Anytime of the day or night, on our own, without help."
"I hate it when you make sense", Fishlegs grumbled, Tuffnut snickering having won.
The teens then went to their dragons to bid them a one last farewell before their journey. This wouldn't be easy, especially for the dragons. And especially for Toothless.
"I have to come with you. What if you get hurt out there?" Toothless said worriedly.
"Then I'll have to deal with it", Hiccup responded. "By myself. Trust me. If I get into any trouble I can't get out of I'll use my call to call for help. From the other riders, or a nearby wild dragon willing. I'm sorry, but you can't help me this time, bud."
"But―"
"That's the whole point of the exercise. There might come times when you're not always going to be there to save me, Toothless."
Hiccup turned around and began to walk away to the forest to begin the exercise, but just as she was about to enter the forest she felt a snout nudge her.
"N-n-n-no, Toothless. I'm sorry, but you have to go with Tuffnut. I can't believe I'm saying this either, but, uh, he's the boss."
"That's right!" Tuffnut but in. "You heard that! Boss man. Head honcho. The big…boss…honcho…guy. The haunch boss."
"Shut up", Toothless growled. "You can't be seriously leaving me with him?" Toothless tried pleading once more.
"It'll be fine, Toothless", Hiccup answered.
"Hey, anybody know where this cave is?" Tuffnut then asked, making everyone's heads turn. "JUst messing with you. Or am I? Ha-ha-ha! Even I don't know."
"Hopefully", Hiccup amended, and had Toothless follow the others heading a different direction to the cave. He finally relented following Tuffnut and the other dragons. "Remember, this is about stealth, not speed", she then said to her friends just as they were heading in. "It doesn't matter how fast you get there. What's important is how you handle a wild dragon if ever you come across one. Understand?"
""…""
"Okay then. Good luck everybody. I'll see you back at the cave." Hiccup was about to move forward, when she noticed Fishlegs mumbling and griping behind her. One brow up, Hiccup turned her head to him.
"What?" Fishlegs said in defense. "I'm formulating a plan."
"Fishlegs, you can do this", she told him moving forward herself.
"Oh, man", she could hear Fishlegs growl. "I should have just stayed in my nice warm bed this morning, Meatlug peacefully licking my toes, but no…"
"Move out, Fishlegs!"
"Don't rush me! I'm having a moment!"
000
Of course Hiccup left them with the dumbest of the group. At least escaping should be easy, is what Toothless' thoughts were saying as everyone settled in the cave, a little fire going for Tuffnut.
"Alright. Who's up for an all nighter?"
"What?" Meatlug chirped.
"No one", grumbled Hookfang as he tried to curl up and sleep.
"You're gonna love my ghost stories."
"He's not shutting up", Barf started frustratingly, the Zippleback rising along with all the dragons.
"Is he", Belch finished.
"Nope", Stormfly answered.
"Hey, where are you going?" Shadowstar caught Toothless starting to make his way passed and sneak out.
"To protect my rider. Like all of us should be doing, instead of sitting here doing nothing", Toothless growled.
"You're worrying too much", Shadowstar growled back wanting him to sit back down.
"Am I?" he questioned.
"Yes."
"Am I?"
Shadowstar growled, but dropped it. She knew it was useless.
Toothless began to walk out from the cave, but just as he was about to reach the cave's entrance, Tuffnut caught him.
"Ah-ah-ah! Not so fast Mr. Night Fury", Tuffnut scolded blocking his path. "Remember the mission. No dragon help. And that means you! Besides, I'm in charge", he said crossing his arms and closing his eyes confidently like his word was final and he could actually tell him what to do. Toothless relented for now, turning back around to the others. But, just for his own amusement, Toothless also swung his tail at the kid throwing him forward and into a stalactite, the teen stuck there from his horned helmet.
"I knew that was coming… Little―little help here? Help out your boss honcho?"
Toothless fired a single plasma bolt at his horn releasing Tuffnut, but also caused him to fall down to the floor of the cave. "Bet that hurt", he laughed.
000
Aric climbed and jumped over some large stones in his way to a clearing where a blue and red Nadder found him.
"Okay, a wild Nadder. Should be simple", he said as the Nadder approached him. "Move to the blind spot…" he thought out loud as he kept his position in the middle of the Nadder's beak. Probably a bad idea, cause due to forgetting dragons could understand humans, the Nadder caught on and got mad. With a shriek it turned its whole head to the right so its left eye could see him before he could have time to jump away. He tried to go in anyway for the next step of petting and scratching its chin, but that didn't work as the Nadder intercepted him with its tail at the ready to lash out. "Huh, playing the spine game, eh?"
The Nadder lashed out, multiple spines shot in his direction, but Aric dodged them all with a few simple acrobatics moves. And Snotlout said it was for girls. He'd like to see Snotlout make a Nadder rear back in shock.
"So, what do you want to do now", he challenged, but the Nadder just left with a final shriek to itself, and smirking, Aric ran off.
000
Bravely, Snotlout scaled the cliffs of the island. He swung his sword with valor ready for any opponent that may come his way. A super Viking, at home in the wilderness, and― slipping off a log bridge into the river. Minor setback really, as he easily climbed out. That's when three totally ferocious Terrible Terrors came his way. One orange, one purple, and one blue.
"Alright, bring it on, wild dragons!" he valiantly cried. "Okay", he said as the dragons came closer. "You want some? You want a piece of Snotlout? Bring it on, you little―AHH!" he screamed as he was suddenly attacked at the neck, pushed off the cliff and into the treacherous waters below.
000
With a spear and lantern in hand, Ruffnut carefully walked through the forest wary of every growl that her ears could catch. A loud growl was then heard behind her, and upon turning around she came face to face with a Monstrous Nightmare.
"Monstrous Nightmares. Fast in a straight line… Bad at turns! He's probably just as afraid of me as I am of him, right?" she asked herself as she backed away from the steadily approaching Nightmare. "Nope!" she exclaimed dropping her spear. "I'm definitely more afraid!" And she ran for it. The dragon now chasing her fired, and Ruffnut freaked out.
"Left! Left!" she shouted turning left of a tree followed by another left, coming face to face with the Nightmare. "AHH! Go Right! Right!" she shouted turning and going the other way this time. It still didn't work as the Nightmare was in front of her again. "It's like he's inside MY HEAD!"
Once again, she ran off, but the Nightmare didn't follow, instead cocking his head to the side.
000
Astrid moved from tree to tree in stealth. She hadn't come across any dragons yet, but that quickly changed when she heard a little chirp. Following the little cry for help, she found a little orange Terrible Terror laying soaking wet by a river looking like it was hurt.
"Oh, no", she said to herself seeing the rapids just before the calm stream behind the dragon. He must have gotten himself caught in it, and now she could see that he was trying to walk on three of his legs excluding his back right paw.
Seeing some berries beside her, Astrid took them as a peace offering to the Terror. "Hey there, little guy", she said as she stretched her hand out. "I'd just like to have a look at that leg of yours, okay?"
He took the food, sniffed her hand, and then allowed her to come closer to examine his leg. She picked him up and set him on her lap to take a better look.
"Hmm… well the good news, little guy, is that your leg isn't broken."
The dragon chirped happily.
"Bad news is it's probably fractured."
The dragon grumbled.
"It's alright, though. My brother and I have gotten these types of injuries before. I know how to deal with them. All I have to do is make sure the fracture won't become a break. And I can whip something up for the pain too. How's that sound?"
The dragon chirped again.
000
"Mm…I'm cold, and miserable…" Fishlegs whined as he trudged across the island, screaming and yelping at every little noise. He couldn't help it. The dark scared him enough, but being alone in a forest full of wild dragons? No thank you.
"Ah! What was that?! Who's there?!" he yelped out as he swore he heard a hissing sound very close by. "Thanks Aric. My death will be on your hands", he muttered as he walked along, turning to every angle. That's when he turned around. "AHHHH! TYPHOOOMMERAAANG!"
000
Hiccup threw a bit of quartz in the path of two quarreling Gronckles. They chased the rocks once they hit immediate sight, each having their own piece peacefully, and leaving her free to pass by with no chance of danger.
"Quartz", Hiccup chuckled. "You guys are so predictable." Her gaze then caught smoke in the distance. "What the―?" And with a closer look down below, she could see a contained orange glow to go with it. "A campfire?! Really? How's this stealthy?"
Spreading her wings, Hiccup flew down to where the orange glow led. She had a feeling she knew who'd be dumb enough to pull this.
000
"Just a few of these", Astrid murmured as she placed a few leaves of a particular plant into a piece of drift wood that could act as a bowl. "One yellow flower… Add just a hint of water, and done", she said when finished stirring the medicine.
Carefully, she took some of the paste and smeared it on the Terrible Terror's leg. "This should numb the spot a bit relieving the pain", she told him as she did so.
Astrid then wrapped the leg and stick up in a leaf made cast making sure the leg stayed set and wouldn't move as it healed. If it did, the fracture could only become worse. When she was done the Terror got onto his feet able to move now with no pain.
"Now. Until that leg is healed, I don't want you moving it, got it", she told him mocking her mother a bit who always said that to her when she was a kid and Gothi had just finished fixing her up.
The dragon replied with a happy chirp, and Astrid took it as a 'yes, ma'am'.
"Good", she replied, and then went back on her way to completing the drill.
000
When Hiccup landed in the campsite, she was surprised to see how much gear he'd smuggled with him. There was no one there at the moment, but judging by how the fire was burning strong, he was just hiding.
"Okay, come on out", Hiccup called. "Show yourself, Snotlout, and I will go easy on you. Ugh!"
She was just then tackled to the ground, and upon opening her eyes she saw the one pinning her down was―
"Dagur?" Of course of all the people she had to run into tonight, it had to Dagur.
The young man's eyes widened, and he grabbed her arms picking her up. "Hiccup, old friend! You're alright!" he exclaimed happily hugging and squeezing her tight. He then pulled her away still holding her up from the ground and laughing.
"Uh, last time I checked", Hiccup said sarcastically, still trying to act like they were friends. "So, uh", he finally put her down. "Haven't seen you since―"
"Since you saved me from that dragon attack back on Berk", he interrupted her, that smile not going away. It was actually starting to freak her out. "You fought off…a Night Fury."
"Oh. Yes, the dragon attack, heh-heh, well I am part Night Fury, so…"
"Oh. Yeah. Hey, why aren't you wearing your little cloak?" he asked waving and pointing at her wear with the point of this sword. "Haven't seen you without it since…well since I tried drowning you."
"Oh, uh, well the Night Fury…burned it during the battle. Yeah, it caught on fire, and I had to get rid of it. Secret's exposed! Haha…" Well it wasn't a total lie.
"That…sounds…AWESOME! The battle must have been ferocious! I mean when I was there you were like bam! Whah!"
Hiccup cringed a little as Dagur carelessly swung his sword in an over exaggerated reenactment.
"And then you were all, 'Dagur, save yourself!' and I was all like, 'What? Okay, I'm out of here.' But you stayed. And then you must have―
So, what are you doing here?" his tone shifted to menacing, his sword pointed directly at her face awfully close. Hiccup's hands rose up in automatic defense though her tone didn't match.
"What am I doing here?" she murmured nonchalantly.
"Don't answer that", Dagur quickly interrupted. "I know exactly what you're doing here."
"You―you do?" Hiccup asked with her ears going down.
"Oh, yeah. I do. You're here for the same reason I am, Hiccup. You're here…to hunt dragons", he said, his eyes and smile wide with insanity.
Hiccup said nothing for a moment, her eyes wide, but with fear. Then, she just laughed it off. "Okay. You got me. That's…what I am here for. ALL BY MYSELF!"
"So, whatever happened to that Night Fury, Hiccup", Dagur asked getting very close, and Hiccup stumbling backwards to keep some personal space.
"Oh, yeah… Well, bad news…uh… Got away."
"That's great news!" he grabbed her shoulders, causing her to go on her tip toes, and shook her.
"It is?"
"Yes! New plan." Dagur once again put her down, but only to wrap his arm around her and hold her to his side. "You and I are gonna hunt the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. We are going to take down that Night Fury once and for all."
"Uh…" Hiccup expressed as Dagur let go and moved away to the fire. "…okay that―ugh", she grunted being yanked down by her shoulder to her knees in front of the fire. She rubbed her pained shoulder with discomfort as Dagur howled like a wolf.
"Come on, howl with me. It feels good", Dagur sorta whispered to her before doing so again.
Hiccup tried to join him, but it came out weak from being so uncomfortable.
"Oh, come on, Hiccup, I know you can do better than that."
'Ohhh…', she thought. But, just to please Dagur, she stood up and released a real howl. Not a wolf's howl, but a howl. She sure hoped Toothless didn't think anything of it.
"Hahahaha! Now that was a howl! OOOWWWHOO-HOO-HOO…!"
"Heh-heh-heh…" Hiccup laughed uncomfortably. 'Oh boy.'
000
"Scratch… Scratch… Who stole my golden hook? Scratch… Scraaatch…! Then, he turned around and he says, 'YOU DID'!" Tuffnut pointed to Meatlug finishing up his not so scary ghost story.
"Was that supposed to be scary?" "That was terrible." "Is he done now?" "Can we just go to sleep?" several of the dragons spoke amongst each other.
It'd been like this for Toothless didn't know how long, but as Tuffnut wore himself out trying to scare the other dragons with his horrible stories, Toothless lightly napped. Once he let his guard down, Toothless would pounce. When Tuffnut finished his third story, it grew quiet, until Toothless perked awake with the sound of a Night Fury's howl. Hiccup. Did something happen to her? What if she was hurt? Technically the howl didn't say anything, but why would Hiccup roar or howl if there was nothing wrong?
More determined, he stood up and began to sneak out again. He looked back for a split second to make sure Tuffnut didn't notice, but when he was just about to step outside, he found the teen somehow in his way.
"What the―?!"
"Hey, going somewhere?!" Tuffnut rhetorically questioned.
Toothless rumbled with annoyance, but turned back around foiled again.
"Look, I get it. You're worried about your other half. I feel your pain. Well, not really. I kind of like it when Ruffnut's in emanate danger. One time she was on fire and I just watched for a while", he said with amusement. "Anyway. You can beat me with your tail. You can barbecue me with a plasma blast."
"He does realize Toothless might actually try that, right?" Shadowstar commented.
"You can lightly massage my shoulders and neck. You really could; I need it."
By this point Toothless had gotten tired of Tuffnut's ramblings and decided he'd just have to wait a little while longer before he could make sure Hiccup was okay. Maybe it wasn't as bad as he was thinking. Once again, now hanging from a stalactite like a bat, Toothless closed his eyes for another very light sleep.
"But, I will not shirk my responsibility to― Sleeping? You're all sleeping. Huh. Not a bad idea."
'Just a little longer…'
000
After the howling was done with, Dagur had them sit on a large log in the campsite. They sat in silence for a bit, Dagur fiddling with his sword before he spoke.
"You know, Hiccup. Ever since I left Berk, I haven't been able to stop… thinking about you."
"Oh, well that's…uh…" she subtly scooted away from Dagur. "Well, I'm flattered."
"Not you personally."
'Oh, what a relief.'
"You and that Night Fury."
'Less of a relief.'
"It's like you―you knew that dragon", he said swinging his sword to her nearly coming to chopping her head. "You were inside its head, rattling its cage. And that, my scaly friend", he called her as he sheathed his sword, a small smile unconsciously lifted on Hiccup's face. "That's when I decided I needed to know about dragons too. So I came here. And I learned about them one by one." Reaching behind the log, Dagur brought out a Nadder's bur. "The Deadly Nadder? Got this in the leg. It was awesome", he said in a sing song voice.
"You do realize those things are poisonous?"
"I know! That's what made it all the more great. The Monstrous Nightmare?" he pointed to a skull hanging in a tree. "Look at it. Not so monstrous now, is it." Hiccup couldn't help but give a side ways glare. "And don't even get me started on the Gronckle", he continued bringing out a leg of meat.
"Uh, i-i-is that…?"
"No. It's…yak", he shrugged. "Anyway, those big boys are quicker than you'd think―"
A call was then heard, thankfully not Toothless', and Dagur responded to the loud roar by jumping up and aiming his crossbow to the forest looking left and right.
"Whoa!" Hiccup expressed trying to ease tension. "Nice crossbow", she decided to comment.
"My hunting weapon of choice. You carry a―hmm…just a...shield?" he asked suspiciously seeing it lying beside her.
"Yeah, yeah, just a shield…" she lied while fiddling with it. "Just a…plain old shield."
"Very ornate. My sister had one like that."
That comment surprised Hiccup. Dagur never talked about his sister. Not since the family lost her years ago. No one ever talked about her. Hiccup had never met her, didn't even know what her name was, but she knew she had existed purely from slip ups and mistaken comments.
"I, myself", Dagur continued, "have never felt the need to hide in combat. AAAHAHAAAA…!" Dagur screamed out like a mad man's cry, Hiccup rearing back in great discomfort with a face of confusion as to what in the name of Thor was wrong with him, when he suddenly just stopped, aiming his crossbow again at the ready.
"Yeah… So…just how long have you been out here, Dagur?" Hiccup had to ask, 'cause it seemed like Dagur was ten times worse than when she had seen him last time. How could someone become even crazier in just the span of a few months?
"Couple of days…" he turned around, speaking dramatically. "…weeks, maybe. Hard to tell. Its all a blur when you're on the hunt", he said walking around the campsite like he knew something was out there watching them. Hiccup, though, knew that roar was nothing more than a dragon's call and he could've put the bow down ages ago.
"Gotta keep focus…" Dagur continued, before shouting in her face as he grabbed the back of her head. "EYES FRONT, LITTLE MAN!"
"Ah. Dagur", Hiccup grunted, Dagur's hold on her hair actually hurting. "You know what, maybe you should take a little break. Take some of the edge off?"
"Not till I take out that Night Fury", he told her, still in her face, but at least he let go of her hair. Hiccup rubbed the spot to soothe it. "I know its on this island, Hiccup", he said standing up, turning his back to her, and staring out.
"How?" Hiccup questioned. "It could literally be anywhere?"
"Because! I feel it. Right. Here", he said placing his hand over his heart. He grew quiet then, before turning back to her and grabbing her hand. "You feel it too, don't you Hiccup", he told her placing her hand over his heart and then her own.
"Uh…no… Just really, really… awkward", Hiccup said unable to make eye contact. Dagur had always been very touchy-feely; it was like the concept of personal space was foreign to him, especially with her, but this was all a bit much.
Dagur's serious expression turned into a strange adoring smile, quickly transforming into a laugh that only became more crazed by the moment. He shoved her down, whether on purpose or accident she'd never know, and turned his back to her again clutching his stomach in hysterical laughter. "Oh! Oh, you bring the funny, Hiccup! I'll give you that", he said steadily calming down. "I'm gonna grab my gear. Then, we're gonna get us that Night Fury. Sister."
"Sister?" Hiccup asked with a voice of confusion.
"That's right. You and me", Dagur simply responded before heading off to do as he said.
"And…the awkwardness continues", Hiccup dryly said rolling her eyes.
As soon as Dagur was ready, Hiccup grabbed her shield and a lantern and went out with Dagur on a hunt for a dragon Hiccup hoped he'd never find.
As they moved stealthily between two cliff sides, Hiccup following Dagur, large foot steps were heard alerting him.
"Shh. That could be him", he whispered.
"No, that sounds too big", Hiccup told him, when a roar echoed out and Dagur pulled her down into the bushes with him. A Monstrous Nightmare's head then popped out from over the cliff shooting fire out, agitated for some reason, and flying out burning the ground below him.
Seeing no real threat anymore, Dagur stood up, and holding an arm in front of her backed them both up. "You're right", he whispered. "I'm taking it down anyway. Just for fun", he said all too giddy. He was just about to shoot, ready and aimed, and not knowing what else to do, Hiccup shoved him preventing the fire part. "How dare you!" he got in her face understandably angry with her.
"I-I had to", Hiccup tried to defend. "The-the Night Fury…would have…smelled it."
"They―you can do that?" Dagur stepped back. Hiccup had no idea how, but somehow Dagur actually bought that. Well, there was really only one thing to do. Role with it.
"Yep. Definitely. Excellent sense of smell. It would have sensed danger, and fled."
"Look at us!" Dagur suddenly burst out. "You, this little runt of a― uh― well, you know what you are. And me. Dagur the Deranged. Who would have thought we'd make such a formidable team?!" he again exclaimed grabbing and shaking her shoulders again. At this point Hiccup was wondering if Dagur had some thing about shaking her, because it was seriously starting to become ridiculous.
"Eh, not me. That's for sure", she responded anyway, once again unable to make eye contact. His entire face tonight just creeped her out, with that creepy smile and his wildly crazed eyes.
"Lets move out", Dagur said pulling her along again, and Hiccup just wished he would stay at least five feet away from her for more than only two seconds.
000
A light sleep soon turned into an actual sleep. Who knew worrying over someone could actually exhaust you? Toothless was woken up, however, when a roar echoed out. His eyes snapped open, and from his view on the stalactite, Toothless watched the outside of the cave. That's when a fiery Nightmare passed by and Toothless leaped down into action with a roar alerting everyone else.
"I knew it!" he roared.
"What! Knew what?! What is it?!" Shadowstar roared out having been startled awake.
"Huh?" Hookfang grunted waking up.
"We have to find our riders, now. I just saw a Nightmare on a rampage", Toothless quickly explained to them.
"Toothless, the rule was that we stay out of it. We have to trust that they can take care of themselves", Meatlug reasoned.
"I normally don't agree with pipsqueak, but she's got a point. The kids are tough. Well, most of them", Hookfang agreed.
"But what if they're in trouble right now, and they need us!" Toothless argued back.
"And what if they're not?" Stormfly but in.
"Do you really want to take that chance?"
There was silence as the dragons all looked to one another with worried glances.
"Well I'm not. Follow me or don't. Either way, I'm finding my sister."
With that Toothless ran out, and not a moment later the others followed.
000
Tuffnut was having this great dream about his sister being a cat and chasing his mousy self with a bludgeon. It was awesome as he thwarted every attempt to hurt him with her getting far more anguish instead. His dream was interrupted, however, when a rock broke off from the ceiling of the cave.
"Wa!" he startled awake before sighing. "What a great drea―"
That's when he noticed the dragons were gone.
"Oh. Really?" he spoke getting up. "That's how you're gonna do me? I don't think so…"
With haste Tuffnut lit a lantern and ran outside to get those backstabbing dragons back.
000
The hunt was so far ineffective, which was effective for Hiccup. As long as this kept going, just aimlessly walking around until she could find a window to bail out, everything would be fine. Her ears then picked up foot steps and light rustling. She supposed Dagur heard it too, cause pretty soon he was yanking her behind a rock by her tail.
"Ow", Hiccup quietly yelped.
"Shh, listen. Smaller this time. Could be the Night Fury", Dagur whispered as her head popped up to look over the rock too.
"Eh, that sounds more like a wild yak to me", Hiccup said, and that wasn't necessarily a lie. It was smaller, but too small. It could have been a yak, or a boar, or― a Snotlout stumbling through the bushes. "Eh, close enough."
Lowering his cross bow, an annoyed Dagur walked out from their hiding place with an unenthusiastic Hiccup doing the same.
"Hiccup!" Snotlout exclaimed. "Oh, am I glad to see you. You would not believe what I've been through. This place is crawling with wild dragons!"
"Yep. It's called Dragon Island, Snotlout", Hiccup replied trying to discreetly motion at Dagur's presence with her wing.
"Dagur!" Thankfully, it worked. "What are you doing here?"
Dagur rolled his eyes at Snotlout's question seeming less than happy with his presence. In fact he looked both board and annoyed at the same time. At least it was a change of pace from the wild and happy Dagur Hiccup was being super exposed to before.
"Snot-hat, is it?" Dagur sorta responded.
"Snot-lout. Snotlout", Snotlout corrected.
"Whatever. I thought you said you were here alone", Dagur murmured to Hiccup.
"I-I thought I was!" Hiccup saved. "Snotlout! I thought I told you to wait at base camp!" she approached him.
"Why?" Snotlout asked.
"While I am hunting dragons here in the forest?" she tried.
"You're doing what in the where?"
'Thor help me.'
"Not the sharpest arrow in the quiver is he", Dagur commented as he went on ahead.
"Not even close", Hiccup answered. As soon as he was ahead enough, Hiccup spoke to Snotlout again, but this time in a whisper. "Play along. We cannot let Dagur know about our dragons. He'll try to take them home and mount 'em on his wall."
"Wait. You mean…"
"Yes. Now come on. We don't want him getting suspicious."
000
Tuffnut walked and searched through the forest for the dragons he lost. How dare they trick him and disobey him like that. He said he was the boss. And as the boss, they had to listen to him.
Looking at the dirt, he spotted some dragon tracks. "Zippleback tracks", he said aloud. Following them, Tuffnut could see just ahead a curled up Zippleback. He smiled.
"Aha! Gotcha!" he yelled as he kicked the dragon's side. "Now, back to cave―What?"
Turns out that wasn't Barf and Belch. It was a wild green and blue Zippleback. But hey, it was dark. Could you really blame him?
"Hey… I thought, uh, I thought you were someone else. So… see ya!" He ran, and the apparently cranky Zippleback chased him. It fired at him, Tuffnut dodging it by doing a flip over some bushes. "Whoa! It was a simple misunderstanding. WOAOWW!" he screamed as it fired again practically barbecuing his backside.
That's when he saw la one tree in the middle of his path. Perfect. At the very last second, just as he was about to run into it, Tuffnut swerved right and the Zippleback was left hitting the tree between their necks.
"Heh-heh-heh. Dragon trainer, one. Wild Zippleback, zero. WHAA!" he startled and ran when the Zippleback spewed its gas at him.
000
Toothless led the charge to find their riders. Hiccup's scent was especially unique being mostly human with a hint of Night Fury. On top of that, she was also covered by his own scent. All he had to do was find that and he'd find her. For a little bit Toothless just ran blindly trying to pick it up.
"Do you even know where we're going?" Hookfang questioned when Toothless stopped.
"Give him a minute. Tracking a scent is hard", Stormfly defended.
Toothless sniffed the air in all directions, and that's when he found it. A faint scent that reminded him of his own, but had the same smell of metal and sweat all humans did.
"This way!" Toothless told them, before once again racing forward.
000
"AHHH!"
"AHHHH!"
"AHHHHH!
"AHHHHHH!"
"Fishlegs…." Hiccup interrupted with a trying but failing joyful tone, the screaming in terror of both Snotlout and Fishlegs when they had scared each other by mistakingly bumping into one another finished. "Why would you look at that? It's Dagur! Who-who is also out hunting dragons, just like us."
"Yes!" Snotlout exclaimed slamming his arms around Hiccup and Fishlegs. "We are dragon hunters. Out hunting dragons", Snotlout continued with extremely poor acting and the subtly of a rushing waterfall. If Hiccup could have face palmed, she would have.
"Hiccup", Dagur voiced gaining their attention, "You're definition of alone and mine are very different. But perhaps, this one can help us―"
"Hunt dragons", Snotlout loudly interrupted slamming his arms around Hiccup and Fishlegs again. "Cause that's that we are doing. Hunting."
"Dragons", Hiccup dryly finished rolling her eyes.
"Okay. Got it", Fishlegs whispered, thank gods. Any more of that and Hiccup was sure Dagur was gonna catch on. He wasn't that stupid. Was he?
000
Coming to a cliff, Toothless suddenly stopped.
"Why are we stopping?" Shadowstar asked.
"I lost the trail. Hold on", Toothless replied.
He sniffed the air again, but that's when he caught the pungent smell of dragon blood and human. He growled at it with distaste and hatred, the scent reminding him of when that Dagur teen came to Berk. That scent was most definitely not Hiccup.
"Hoho… Forward…" a voice then carried to his ears. But that most definitely was. She didn't sound sincere or happy, though. What if it was the bad scent!
"Come on! I think Hiccup's in trouble!" Toothless roared jumping down.
Hookfang sniffed the air for a moment, wrinkling his nose afterwards. "He's right! Its that kid who we scared off of Berk!"
"Ugh", Stormfly shook her head in distaste. "I'd know that smell anywhere. Hiccup had it clinging to her for days."
"Well then what are we waiting for? Toothless, wait up!" Shadowstar roared out as the dragons flew out.
000
"You know, we're a lot alike, Hiccup", Dagur suddenly started up.
"Really. How's that?" Hiccup couldn't help but bite.
"Well, we're both leaders."
"Oh yeah, he's right about that", Fishlegs cut in.
"Heirs of chiefs", Dagur continued.
"Yeah, that's true", Hiccup stated with a shrug.
"Who had to be eliminated, so we could gain control."
"Yes… Wait what?!" Hiccup's eyes widened with horror. "No. NO!" she stopped the trek turning to him. "My dad hasn't been eliminated from anything!"
"But he could! Easily. Just say the word and Ngh!" He fired an arrow in Fishlegs direction catching on his lantern and sticking it in a tree.
"Yeah…" Hiccup drawled a little horrified. "That's…something to think about."
Something rustled in the bushes behind her, and Dagur knelt down holding his fist up for quiet and steadiness, Hiccup doing the same.
000
"Aric?" Astrid asked as she came across him knelt behind some bushes.
"Shh…", Aric shushed her, before pointing to what was going on beyond the bushes. Sitting next to her brother she saw Hiccup, Dagur, Snotlout, and Fishlegs all kneeling down with a single fist up. Why Fishlegs and Snotlout were giving that signal when to their knowledge there was no one behind them was a mystery to her, but Astrid didn't fail to notice it looked like Dagur was aiming to shoot whatever was about to come out from that bush in front of them.
"I've been following them since they found Fishlegs. Dagur's dragging them along on some kind of dragon hunt", Aric began explaining.
"And Hiccup can't stop him because of the whole keeping the peace", Astrid surmised.
"Right."
"Okay. So what do we do?"
000
It was only a few seconds, but felt like forever of his fist being held up like that. That's when Snotlout felt a hand on his fist, and when he turned around found it to be Astrid holding a finger to her lips.
"Wow", he voiced placing his other hand on top of hers, of which ended up in a punch to the face. After that Astrid just ran off flipping over the bushes in utter silence.
000
"I'm pretty sure I said warn, not punch", Aric lightly reprimanded when Astrid returned.
"Oh please, you would've done the same", Astrid defended. "Now, come on. I think I know a dragon that can help."
"Really?" Aric asked as he rose.
"Well... If I can find him, that is."
Aric sighed. "Of course."
Nevertheless, he followed Astrid anyway.
000
Hiccup knelt with her shield covering most of her form, the wait of just what was beyond those bushes killing her.
Dagur sighed, however, probably getting board. "Which one of your 'friends' is it going to be this time?" he drawled.
"It's hard to say", she answered honestly.
That's when Toothless' call rang out. It was meant to send out a sense of relief and safety, but it only managed to strike Hiccup with fear. A plasma blast was shot hitting at Dagur's feet of which he jumped away from. Hiccup stood up with horror at the sight of Toothless behind the burnt hole he had made at the top of the bushes.
"The Night Fury!" Dagur exclaimed. "Hiccup, my sister", he continued grabbing onto her shoulder once again and shaking her, but it barely registered in her frozen terror. "You've done it! You've led me right to it!" And that only made Hiccup's mind whirl more.
Toothless growled at Dagur with hatred and challenge looking ready to face off Dagur right there and then thinking he'd be protecting her.
"Arrow, meet dragon."
Not this time though.
"Dragon, meet―"
"No, no, no, Dagur, wait!" Hiccup exclaimed interrupting Dagur's murmuring and aim.
This time she needed to protect him.
"I-I would…like to do it", she told him as he turned to her looking very annoyed.
"I saw it FIRST!" he yelled like he were still a child.
Hiccup yanked the crossbow out from his hands anyway. "But I led you to it."
"But I brought the crossbow!" he yelled yanking it back. "All you brought was that useless ornate shield! Now stand aside!" he then pushed her back.
He walked up again aiming his arrow right at Toothless' exposed head, when three Terrible Terrors, one orange one with a cast, suddenly came out of nowhere attacking Dagur. He misfired hitting the tree next to Toothless, and while Dagur was distracted with the small purple, blue, and orange Terrors, Hiccup waved her right hand a little to the right telling Toothless to go. Thankfully he listened and fled the scene.
"What's wrong with you?!" Astrid acted out, she and her brother both walking in and acting angry.
"We almost had those Terrible Terrors! They were right in our grasp!" Aric followed.
"Terrors shmerrors", Dagur turned around to them. "We're hunting a Night Fury here! Did you leave anyone back on Berk?" he then complained to Hiccup.
"Heh-heh. Ah… Very funny, Dagur."
As Dagur went to get his arrow, Hiccup stepped up to the two Hoffersons who just saved her butt.
"Did he say…hunting a Night Fury?" Aric whispered to her in a worried tone.
"Yep, that's exactly what he said."
"But Toothless is―"
"I know", Hiccup interrupted Astrid. "And if he's loose, then so are the other dragons. You guys need to find Ruff and Tuff, grab your dragons, and get out of here."
Her friends all looked to each other in worry.
"Hiccup, we're not just gonna leave you here with that…that―", Astrid told her lost on what to label Dagur as.
"Maniac?" Hiccup guessed. "Don't worry. Trust me, Dagur won't hurt me. I'm his sister―oof."
Dagur just suddenly slammed into her wrapping his arm around her. "Come Hiccup! While the trail is still fresh!"
"I-I can't hunt with an entourage. Go back to Berk, leave us to our business!" Hiccup ordered them as Dagur led her away with her forced close to his side. That would keep them from following. They'd never risk blowing her cover.
000
'Sister?' Aric questioned in his head. That was new. As far as he knew Dagur and Hiccup were anything but friends. And now she says Dagur wouldn't hurt her?
"That's just great!" Snotlout interrupted his thoughts behind him. "How are we supposed to find our dragons?!"
Aric smirked.
"Actually", Fishlegs beat him to it. "It shouldn't be that hard."
Hookfang ruffled Snotlout's hair with a huff through his nose, and Snotlout turned to find all their dragons, spare Barf and Belch, right there before them.
000
Like the smart dragon that he was, Toothless continued to run away from her and Dagur as he chased him, and she chased Dagur.
"I don't get it!" Dagur voiced. "Why doesn't it fly away?!"
"Maybe it wants us to follow", Hiccup gave as an answer.
"You mean a trap?"
"Ex…actly. Yes. Maybe we should turn back."
"Ohhh sister, don't you know that a trapper's trap can trap the trapper?"
"What does that even mean?"
"I don't know!" he exclaimed before laughing out wildly and jumping down from the small cliff.
000
"Heh-heh-heh-heh", Tuffnut silently laughed when he found another Zippleback, this one wearing two saddles. "The Tuffnut sneaks up on the Zippleback to teach him a lesson…"
His hands out in front of him ready to spook the dragon, he was suddenly interrupted by a foot kicking his butt. "Ow!" he yelled.
"What are you doing out here?" Ruffnut questioned.
"Uh… I'm looking for you. I thought you were lost, so I came to save you."
"Ugh, no. And what are Barf and Belch doing here?"
Said dragon woke up, and now stood behind Tuffnut who tried to come up with another excuse.
"Um… They uh… They were both hungry. For…out-door food… The dragons ran away, you happy?!"
"No, I'm not happy. And what, did you tell them your stupid scary stories?"
"No", he denied. "Maybe… Not… Yes", he admitted with defeat.
"Come on! Lets find the others!"
"Uh, we're right here", Aric whispered, the rest of the team right behind him. "Could you guys argue any louder?"
"SURE, YEAH! BUT WHY WOULD―" Aric slammed his hand over Tuffnut's mouth.
"Shh."
"HE DIDN'T LEARN ANY―" He did the same for Ruffnut, rolling his eyes.
000
The chase continued, Dagur firing aimlessly when they stopped for a brief moment, Hiccup exhausted and panting.
"You're not gonna hit anything like that", she told him.
"I know that. I'm just trying to keep him running in that direction", he responded before lighting one of his arrows on fire and shooting up into the sky.
"What was that?"
"To be honest, Hiccup, I didn't exactly come here alone either."
About four or five arrows came firing back.
"Dagur, Night Furies are very lethal. A few more men won't make a difference", she tried to deter.
"Really. You think so? Lucky for us, I brought the armada along and like a bazillion armed Berserkers!"
Just as he said that, thousands of arrows were fired into the sky, some landing near them where Hiccup had to shield herself from the few stragglers.
"Yeah, that might actually make a difference", Hiccup conceded.
"Oh, yeah. We're gonna drive that beast right to them, and they can finish him off."
"Not exactly sporting."
"I don't care about sporting! I care about killing that Night Fury and wearing its skull as a helmet!"
With that one statement it was as if Dagur had struck her with one of his arrows, a spike of fear going right through her heart. Behind the rocks in front of them, she could hear Toothless roar for help. He was trapped!
Her eyes narrowed, and fist closed. War or not, this had gone on long enough.
"Okay, that's it! I am not going to let you kill that dragon!" she declared.
"Ugh. This again? Fine… You saw it first. You can take home a wing or something…"
"No, I'm pretty much gonna take the whole thing." Hiccup then let out her call, Dagur turning back to her with confusion.
000
Just as Dagur was gonna fire again, he heard a roar/howl and turning around he saw it to be Hiccup. What exactly was she doing?!
Turning back he saw the Night Fury up on the rock roaring down at him, the beast then jumping over to stand in between him and Hiccup hissing.
His eyes widened. Hiccup had called the Night Fury to them. Why hadn't she just done that before? That's when his eyes traveled to what was on its back.
"Is that a―?"
"Saddle?" Hiccup interrupted. "Yes, Dagur, that's exactly what it is", she answered getting in front of the Night Fury.
He couldn't believe his eyes. This whole time… "So I was―"
"Right?" she interrupted again, that little brat mounting the dragon. "All along. We do not hunt dragons on Berk." Something clicked and the dragon turned to him with a snarl. Two pairs of black wings were furled out. "We ride them."
"You're father lied to― YOU LIED TO ME!" Dagur screamed at her, but Hiccup looked unfazed speaking calmly.
"He was trying to keep the peace between our tribes. So was I."
"BY MAKING A FOOL?! OUT OF ME?!"
"You don't really need a lot of help with that, Dagur", she shot back.
That especially made him angry. She was insulting him. She never did that! It was like...she was this whole new person. He went for his sword to teach the runt a lesson, when her dragon stopped him with his snarl.
"Your move", Hiccup challenged confidently.
Something snapped at her sudden hostility with the dragon towards him. The notion was clear. "You could've been my sister, Hiccup! Now, you're my enemy", he said darkly.
"Have it your way. But remember, we have dragons. And we're not afraid to use them", Hiccup firmly responded. No hesitation. No stutter. His face twist with hurt and anger. Did she even care?! "Let's get out of here, bud", she then said, and as he heard that something else snapped.
As she and her dragon began to fly away, he took out his bola.
000
"You know, that actually felt really good", Hiccup said when she and Toothless hit the open air.
"So, you're not mad?" Toothless asked.
"Honestly, I'm just glad this whole night's―"
Hiccup and Toothless both roared in distress as a bola wrapped around the Night Fury bringing them both down crashing to the ground, Hiccup tossed off Toothless and across the ground upon impact.
Toothless roared out again with a hint of anger at their attacker. With a mad cry, Dagur threw another bola silencing him. As Hiccup began to rise shaking her head, Dagur unsheathed his sword and ran at the dragon's head with the sword raised above his own.
With speed nearly matching Toothless' own, Hiccup raced to Toothless' aid, and just as Dagur swung his sword down, he was met with Hiccup's Gronckle Iron shield and a very angry pupils slit Hiccup. If Dagur thought he could try taking away her world again, he had another thing coming.
The brute pushed harder trying to break through her defense, but when that didn't work he suddenly withdrew his sword and kicked her directly causing Hiccup to be flung away. She lied on the ground face down for only a few moments, though, unwilling to let Dagur win this battle.
Just as Dagur was about to strike her brother's head again, Hiccup threw her shield with a precise spin to it. The shield hit the sword as planned, flinging it out of Dagur's hand, and when the angered Beserker looked at her, the shield came back with her catching it.
That's when he thrust daggers at her, the daggers bouncing off the metal of her shield she'd instantly raised in front of her. Quickly, out of innate curiosity, she looked at the state of the shield. Not one dent.
'Thank you Gronckle Iron', she thought. But then the heard the swoosh of daggers flying through the air again, and lifted her shield again to protect herself. She tried moving away, but the daggers just followed. Dagur laughed as they came one after the other in a non-ending onslaught, until Toothless used his tail to hit Dagur causing the boy to fall flat on his face. Right next to his crossbow.
'Oh great.'
In on swift move, Dagur took his crossbow and rolled to a standing position. "Your move, Hiccup", he said tauntingly as he armed his bow and then fired hitting the tree she quickly spun behind.
Looking to Toothless, he struggled in the bolas' ropes growling and thrashing. She had to get to him, and in a impulse move she tried, only to bend backwards to stay where she was when another one of Dagur's arrow whizzed by. As long as he was firing that crossbow, she'd never get to Toothless. Two more hit the tree, followed by him firing three at Toothless who rolled away.
"Hiccup!"
Hiccup's eyes narrowed, pupils slit, with a determined growl to top it all off. Her back to normal eyes turned, and she looked to the arrows stuck in her tree.
"You can't hide forever", Dagur taunted again.
In one swift move, Hiccup took an arrow and jumped out into a hover with her shield in hand.
"I don't plan to", she said in response, and her shield unfolded into a bow with her loading the in one motion. When she fired the arrow, Dagur jumped out of the way to behind some bushes.
"Nice try, sister."
"Oh, and by the way", Hiccup started as her feet touched back to the ground. "I'm not your sister." Her shield back in it's original state, she aimed the cap towards the branch above Dagur and released the lasso inside wrapping around the branch.
"Ha-ha-ha! You missed!"
"Did I?" Mustering all her strength, Hiccup snappily pulled, and the massive branch broke off landing on top of Dagur.
"Augh, I have got to get me one of those ornate shields", she could hear Dagur state as she used the opportunity to quickly cut Toothless' ropes. As she sawed them with her knife, however, wishing she had claws, Dagur pushed the branch off of himself and ran at her. Seeing him coming, she took her shield, but didn't have time to move before he slammed into her tackling her to the ground.
On top of her, Hiccup tried to push him off, but Dagur used the shield in between them as his advantage as well pushing it down on her trying to crush her with it.
In the background she could hear Toothless roaring and shrieking for her, until she heard the sound of a plasma blast being fired. The blast hit Dagur throwing him off of Hiccup, and she raced as fast as she could. Toothless lifted his tail for her to cut the remaining ropes around him, and with one good tug they were cut. By the time Dagur got back to his feet and grabbed his sword, Hiccup was already on a freed and angry Toothless. The dragon took to the air, lunging at him, and fired with Dagur now running away scared. He was pushed off the rocks falling down to the beach, and then ran for his ships not to far away.
"DRAGON ATTACK!" he yelled.
"We better go now", Hiccup said with haste to her friends that were behind her. She should have known they wouldn't leave. "His men are on the way."
"Come on. We can take them!" Snotlout countered, but Hiccup shook her head.
"Not today. Dagur will be back. And when he is, we'll be ready."
000
Hiccup having gotten away, Dagur had his men set a course for home. And as they sailed away from Dragon Island, Dagur glared at the retched place where Hiccup had betrayed him.
"So, Berk does train dragons", one of his soldiers started causing Dagur to turn around. "Heh, I should kill that freak for lying."
"NO!" Dager snapped pushing that man to the mast and holding him there. "No one…hurts Hiccup. NO ONE! Except me…" he let the man go. "And not until after I have her Night Fury. And I will have it", he smiled.
Oh, yes, Hiccup would get her punishment. But first, he had to get that Night Fury. And once he had it, Hiccup would regret ever thinking to side with those beasts in the first place.
000
Meanwhile, Hiccup looked back to Dragon Island with a glare. Never would she ever be able to return to that place the same, tainted now with the memory of her night spent with the one person she hated. When Dagur came back, she'd be ready. And there was no way in Hel she'd ever let him come close to killing Toothless again. He wasn't going to break her world. Not again.
I'd just like to say, while I do like the Dagcup ship as a kinda guilty pleasure, Dagur and Hiccup's relationship will always be purely platonic. If you want to, you can view Dagur's actions as a romantic interest like many have done with the actual show; I didn't stop that. I just don't want anyone getting their hopes up.
Nowhere in this series will Hiccup and Dagur's relationship become romantic, or remotely of that nature. Sorry.