A red-scaled adder slithered through the grass, flicking its forked tongue as it honed in on the scent of a potential meal. Three rats were approaching a bush and started to forage on its sprouting berries. For the rodents, their desire to satiate their craving overwhelmed their cautionary for danger. The adder was downwind and the engulfing shadow of a nearby cedar tree seamlessly shielded it from prying eyes. It began to curl its body for a striking position and all it needed next was to pierce its venomous fangs into one of the rats' furry hide. Everything seemed going well for the hungry snake, until a gigantic soaring spear cleaved its body, killing it and forced the rats to flee the area. Hiccup severed the adder into two pieces when he recovered the spear before he picked up the carcass and allowed the owl to perch on his shoulder so she could vigorously consume his kill.

"I guess it's been a while since you filled your belly with snake meat, huh?"

The owl did not respond since she was ecstatic in gobbling down the adder carcass. Hiccup beamed and remained still until his feathered companion decided to take to the sky once more. The Wenja chieftain shielded his eyes with his right hand when he glared at the sunlight peeking from the canopy of trees ahead of him. It was almost noon and he had yet to find any sign of the missing villager.


Hiccup's search had taken him to a somewhat more frigid terrain as the surrounding vegetation were drained of their green coloration and thin vapor started to billow from his nose and mouth. The cold air was creeping onto his hands, and he knew that he would need to fire soon to prevent freezing.

Before long, the owl emitted a screech as she glided towards a flock of ravens feasting on a distant elk carcass. Upon landing on the ribs, she raised her wings and made an intimidating hiss at the smaller birds. It was only Hiccup's arrival that prompted the black flock to scatter with perturbed caws. Hiccup knelt and examined the bones that had been almost completely stripped of meat.

"It must have been here for a day or two," he murmured to himself. He then turned to the ground and noticed human footprints that were heading further north where snow still resided over the sloping soil. Hiccup smiled when the owl landed and hopped continuously where the footprints were, for she made it easier for him in tracking down the missing person.

The uphill trailing of footprints impelled Hiccup to continuously crouch so he would not constantly exhaust himself from changing postures. However, the tracks ended when Hiccup looked up and uneasily spectated the mouth of the Bone Cave that vaguely resembled a pair of gaping jaws due to the pair of stalagmites and stalactites on each corner of the entrance. Although he remembered Sayla's warning about its interior, the owl encouraged him to enter by simply standing next to the infamous cave and tilting her head with a blink and a hoot. Hiccup chose to swallow his fears with a deep inhale and exhale so he would not be intimidated when the Bone Cave devoured him. He then ignited his spear with animal fat and took his first illuminated steps in the shadows.

It was quite of a large cave, and the height of the ceiling was not far off from the one Hiccup was living in. The tales of the surviving Wenja were proven true by the numbers of bones that were scattered across the floor. Pillars that held the ceiling were marred with great claw marks. Flames from Hiccup's spear augmented the Bone Cave's warmth, but there was no telling on what he would find in this dark territory.

All of the sudden, the meek groans of a man could be heard echoing from an unexplored part of the cave. Hiccup picked up the pace of his walking speed as his spear continued to light the path. The noise grew louder and Hiccup noticed that it originated from a narrow fissure within one of the cave's walls. He was filled with relief when he saw Manoo lying down on the fissure's floor, bleeding but alive.

"Chief Hiccup!"

"Manoo! It's going to be okay. I'm here."

Hiccup instantly remembered the healing technique Sayla taught him and began to grab a handful of special green leaves from his bag before giving them to Manoo. The villager chewed the leaves and regurgitated them to his hand before spreading them on the three red slashes on his right arm with an aching grunt.

"What happened?"

Once the pain subsided, Manoo regained his bearing and divulged his story.

"I was gathering meat from a dead elk when Udam hunters showed up with their bows and arrows. They did not hurt me because something else chased them away when I ran into this cave. It was dark because I had no fire and I managed to enter this crack just as the beast gave me this wound. Thank the spirits that it eventually lost its interest and walked away. Though at times I could hear its snore when it was sleeping, and I knew that I would never be safe if I try to leave."

Hiccup then turned his attention to the bones that were dispersed all across the cave. Sayla's warning came back to him and it caused him to gain an alarming grasp on what he was currently in. The Bone Cave was not just a cave. It was a den, and he and Manoo were trespassing.

"Manoo, did you at least managed to take a glance at this beast? Any small detail could help."

"No, I could not see through the gloom, no matter-"

The conversation was interrupted when a massive roar resonated from the far entrance of the cave. Hiccup readied his flaming spear as he placed himself between Manoo and whatever that was prowling in the shadows. Both men listened to the sound of clattering bones that turned brassier with every second. An ominous growl drowned the fire's crackling just as the light welcomed the crimson eyes and the maned visage of a great white lion.

Hiccup stood his ground and steadied the grip on his spear when the lion let out a thunderous roar that made the entire cave tremble. The lion swiped his claws inches from the burning tip of the spear, though the beast barely took one step forward due to the chieftain's courage. A shout leaped from Hiccup's mouth as a means of intimidation, but the lion merely growled with discontent and forced the two of them to circle each other. Manoo remained silent and still in the fissure despite his injury and the presence of a large, powerful, and dangerous animal.

Whenever either Hiccup or the lion took a step forward with an aggressive movement, their opponent forced them to hop back to continue the spinning circle of standstill. Eventually, the lion timed move correctly by swiping the spear away from its wielder's hands. Hiccup attempted to reclaim his weapon, but the lion lunged to it first and kicked it away with his hindlimb, waning the light in their side of the cave. Hiccup swiftly reached the knife on his belt and narrowly avoided the lion's pounce, forcing him to run with the great beast hot on his trail. The Wenja chieftain's need to retrieve the flaming spear was sidetracked by the lion's teeth and claws. Pillars of the Bone Cave acted as obstacles and shelter for both combatants. Outmaneuvering the lion was Hiccup's priority in obtaining the spear, but the lion always cut off his path and efforts.

After an hour or two, the intense pursuit was starting to wear out both Hiccup and the lion, evidenced by the echoing sighs and pants. Hiccup eventually mustered all that was left and made a run for the burning spear, but the lion also did the same and pinned the smaller human onto one of the cave's walls. A rush of adrenaline allowed Hiccup to pry the lion's left paw when he noticed a tiny thorn jutting out from its largest pad. Before the lion could use his jaws to tear Hiccup's throat apart, Hiccup swiftly used his fingers to pull the thorn out from the lion's paw. The action caused the beast to yelp in mild pain, and Hiccup made a swift second distraction with a piece of meat from his bag that he tossed out to the mouth of the Bone Cave. The young chieftain used this moment to retake the spear and help Manoo out from the fissure.

Just as the two Wenja exited the cave, they found the lion waiting for them outside with the colors of dusk endowing all of Oros. Sunlight aided Hiccup in gaining a better view of this majestic creature. His white coat of fur was adorned with grey stripes, but the coloration of his legs and the tuft of fur on the tip of his tail resembled those of ash. The lion's crimson eyes locked with the green of Hiccup's as the latter gave his singed spear to Manoo. Silence conquered the air as neither beast nor man showed any sign of aggression in the staredown. Eventually, the lion started to lick his left paw to soothe the tiny wound that the thorn inflicted. Hiccup exhaled with relief since his previous action seemed to benefit both of them. He felt tense again when the lion gently strode towards him, sniffing and chuffing with curiosity.

It was as if the narrow proximity between Hiccup and the lion was slowly shutting the chasm of differences to reveal something else. Unlike the wolves, Hiccup felt a sensation that was more powerful and unusually familiar. He turned his head away with an instinctive and leisure pace with eyes closed and right hand extended. A comfortable scent of warmth drifted into the great feline's nose as the human's hand and fingers reached out to him with a tender motion. Hesitance gradually shifted into trust when the lion closed his eyes and bridged the gap.