CHAPTER 15

The trees that grew on Berk were very much like the people that lived there: tall, thick, and covered in scars. This was no exception for the poor trees that dotted the small clearing not far from the village. Long groves had been worn into the gnarled bark from hours of axe-throwing from a certain Viking teen. Astrid scowled as she trudged through the path that marked her daily journey. She was in a foul mood and she looked forward to hacking at the trees, imagining that they were a certain scrawny, auburn-haired boy.

Training had ended less than twenty minutes ago, and she was almost glad for it. Another second of being showed up by the town wreck would have set her off the edge. How had Hiccup gotten so good? Two weeks ago, he couldn't even swing an axe or use a shield and now he almost rivalled her with his stupid sword. And the dragons? Odin only knows what he had done. Suddenly, he could evade their teeth and have them fall at his feet with nothing more than a swing of his sword.

Astrid spat on the earth. No one got as good as he did without help. She stomped through the forest to her usual clearing, but when she got there, it was already occupied.

Nraseri sat on a fallen log in the clearing, eyes closed, his face upturned slightly as if listening to something she could not hear. He held his amulet around his neck loosely in one hand. The sun had broken through the dense foliage, lighting the clearing in dappled patches. One settled on him, making his dark unruly hair glow like raven feathers. He did not smile, nor did he make any sound at all. He was simply still. There was a deep peace to him. Sitting in that clearing, Nraseri was in harmony with the forest around him.

He hadn't noticed her, which was strange, having been used to Nraseri's uncanny ability to notice even the smallest details. It struck her that she had never seen him alone.

I shouldn't disturb him, she thought.

She backed away quietly. A twig snapped under her foot and Nraseri's head snapped up. He whipped around, wide-eyed to stare at her.

"How long have you been here?" he spluttered.

"I could ask the same about you," she said, a little embarrassed. "Training just ended. I was going to practice, but you're in my spot."

Nraseri blinked and looked up at the sun. "Already? I must have lost track of time." He stood and stretched. "I'll leave you to your axe-throwing. Although, I saw a flock of Terrors running around, so try not to agitate them. We don't want a repetition of what happened to Tuffnut."

Astrid bit back a smile. If she were, to be honest, she enjoyed having Nraseri around the village. She didn't talk to him nearly as much as she would have liked. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

"Oh, I was waiting for Hiccup."

Her mood soured. It didn't go unnoticed. Nraseri tilted his head to one side and frowned at her. "Is something wrong?"

She scowled. "No." He raised an eyebrow, suddenly all her frustration bubbled to the surface. "It's just, I've been practicing for this opportunity for years and when I finally get to use what I've learned, Hiccup comes and messes everything up. He's done nothing but avoid training all his life and suddenly he's amazing at it after two weeks and everyone loves him. No one's even looking at the rest of us."

"Maybe he wants to prove that he can do something to help."

"Do what, exactly? He's already going to be chief whether we like it or not. It's not like he can mess anything else up."

Nraseri frowned. "Don't take him too lightly, Astrid. Hiccup has the potential to be someone great. He just needs time and someone to show him that. He's learning to balance everything in order to become a worthy chief."

"And what would you know about being a chief?" she retorted.

Nraseri stopped and closed his mouth. For a long moment, he regarded her. "A lot, actually." He waved his hand in a dismissive manner when she tried to speak. "Not here, but my father was the closest person we had to a chief. When he died, my uncle took over until I was old enough. The clan was disbanded before I could take over, though. Still, the burdens of a chief—and an heir—are not to be taken lightly."

Astrid stared at him, aghast. "You're—"

He stopped her. "No, don't say it. I'm not a chief or an heir anymore so don't even think about telling anyone. If Hiccup knew, he'd kill me for not telling him. I'd far rather be known for me than my title, and I know he would want that too. Being in line for chief is not a walk in the forest."

It took her a moment to process the last piece of information. "Wait, so have you been training him?"

Nraseri shook his head. "I gave him a few tips and taught him the basics of fighting, but he's done the rest on his own. He's pretty resourceful."

"So, he's really as good as he looks?"

"Pretty much."

Astrid groaned in frustration. "That doesn't make any sense! Before all this, Hiccup couldn't even stay out of trouble. He messed up on every occasion. He couldn't do anything. And then you came along and suddenly, he's wonderful."

"Astrid, Hiccup hasn't changed since I've been here. He's the same as he ever was. Only now, people are taking notice. Just because he messed up a lot doesn't mean he's useless. And don't think I haven't heard what they called him before training."

"I didn't say he was useless," Astrid defended. Nraseri crossed his arms and stared at her. "I didn't," she said again with more force. "It's just, ugh!" She threw her hands in the air and started to pace. "I know he's smart, and he's funny, and I have no clue what he's talking about sometimes, but Hiccup isn't a fighter. He's never been a fighter. It's just not him."

"Then you haven't been looking hard enough," he said, sharply. "Hiccup's been fighting all his life. For his father's attention, for your attention, for this entire stupid village to look up and notice him for once."

"Why would he want to get my attention?"

He stared at her. "You really don't see anything beyond the blade of your axe, do you?"

What was that supposed to mean?

"Look, I get it. You're frustrated, but you can't keep barrelling ahead and swinging your axe without first understanding who or why you're fighting, or why you're angry." Nraseri picked two blades of grass. "There are two ways to end a war, Astrid." he held up one. "You can fight tooth and nail until everyone is dead, or—" He held up the other blade of grass. "—you can go the more difficult route."

"And what's that?"

"You've got to listen to both sides. Everyone's fighting for something, and most of the time that something is not the same as yours. The only way to do that is to sit down and talk. That's why I like Hiccup. He sees both sides and he asks questions and he's genuinely interested in what people have to say. But that's because he knows what it's like to not be heard."

Nraseri set the two blades of grass on the log and looked at her. "The two of us, we're alone. I don't have a family, and Hiccup feels isolated from his whole tribe. That's why we understand each other so well. The difference is that family is gone and he is right here, and if I can help him feel less alone around them then I'll do it. Even if it means giving him a little push."

Astrid had no words. How could she respond to that?

At that moment, there was a snapping of twigs and Hiccup appeared, his sword tightly wrapped in his spindly arms. He stopped short when he saw Astrid, his face turning bright red. "Oh, uh, hi, Astrid. What—what are you doing here?"

Astrid's brow creased, but she forced herself to smile slightly and straighten her shoulders. "It was nice talking to you, Nraseri." She glanced at Hiccup before turning her back and walking off.

Hiccup watched Astrid go, a love-struck expression painted on his face.

Toothless rolled his eyes. "Come on, Loverboy, I've got some things to show you." he picked up his satchel and started walking further into the forest. Hiccup followed.

"What were you two talking about?"

Toothless shrugged. "Not much. She just wanted to know how you were getting so good."

"And what did you tell her?"

"I just gave her a few pointers," Toothless said. And they might have worked, given the thoughtful look on her face when she'd seen Hiccup.

He'd decided to forgo the cove for training, instead leading Hiccup to one of the numerous beaches around Berk. The sand was a good place to practice footing when working with a sword. The last thing a warrior needed was to be tripped up by sand in the middle of a fight.

They trained on the beach until the sun began to set. Hiccup built a fire on the beach while Toothless caught a pile of fish to cook. They would take the leftovers back to the village. There was never such thing as too much food, especially when each raid made a sizable dent in their winter storage.

After the fish had been cooked and eaten, Toothless found a perfect patch of long grass and lay in it with a sigh of contentment. Beside him, Hiccup did the same. They watched at the dying sun for a while, content with each other's company.

Out of the corner of his eye, Toothless looked at Hiccup. He was frowning thoughtfully. Toothless had entered Hiccup's life only a few short weeks ago, but it seemed like a lifetime ago that he had saved him from the Nadders.

This is how it should be. Not hiding away in the forest or the caverns.

But you're still hiding, a small voice said. And you will be until you tell him the truth.

He shoved the small voice away. He didn't need it ruining his evening.

Hiccup sat up. "Hey, Toothless?" he asked.

"Mhmm?"

"If you…." his voice died away. "Is it possible to, I don't know, train a dragon?"

Toothless choked. "What?" Did he hear that right?

Hiccup ducked his head, embarrassed. "Never mind, it was a stupid thought."

"No, no," Toothless said hastily. "You just caught me off guard. Why would you try that?"

Hiccup hesitated, then just shrugged. "I don't know. I was just thinking about what you did to that Gronckle a few days ago, and with the Terror. You tamed them. That's what you do."

Oh, boy. He'd have to be extremely careful about what he said next. "Taming a dragon is different from training it. Sure, I know tricks and ways to get them to listen to me, but they're wild creatures, not domesticated beasts."

Then he stopped. He looked at Hiccup, really looked. "This isn't just about the training, is it?"

Hiccup was silent for a long while. "I keep seeing the Night Fury whenever I'm alone in the forest. It never attacks, never comes too close. It just watches me as if it's as curious as I am. A few days ago, it came really close and now all I can think about is what it would be like to reach out to it like you did."

He turned his gaze toward the horizon, the sunset lighting his eyes like beacons. "When we first started training, Astrid asked me which side of the war I was on. I keep asking myself if I'm on the right side, but now, being here, I think I know. The village once told me that I wasn't a Viking that I was too much like my mother, too kind-hearted, too soft. I think I'm okay with that. I've had dragons sit on my lap, I have a Night Fury following me." He laughed, but it was dampened. "If Vikings have spent three hundred years fighting creatures that they don't care to understand like you do, then I don't want to be like them. I'm asking because if there's a way to end this war, I'm going to find it."

"Big words," Toothless said quietly, his mind still wrapping around what Hiccup had just said. Baby steps. "I think it's possible, but it would be dangerous, but possible. Just don't try anything crazy without me, okay?"

Hiccup hummed in agreement. "I don't think I can do anything until training's over. Everyone's watching me." he paused for a moment. "I'm going to let Astrid win."

"How are you going to do that?"

"I don't know yet. But I'm not going to kill that dragon. I never want to kill a dragon."

Toothless was quiet for a moment. "I don't think our tribe will be very happy with that."

"I don't care. I'll leave if I have to. I'll explore the Archipelago and find out things on my own."

"You'd leave Berk?"

"There's not much here for me anyway. You're the only real friend I've got."

Toothless made up his mind then and there. "Then it's settled," he said. "After training, whether or not it goes sideways, we can go exploring."

Hiccup brightened. "Really? You'd let me tag along?"

"Why not? If you're serious about learning more about dragons and finding a way to end this war, then we'll do it together."

And I finally won't have to hide.

Hiccup grinned. "Sounds like a plan."

They sat in silence as the sun began to dip beneath the waves. A heron soared high above them, its wings flapping lazily in the wind.

"What do you think flying's like?" Hiccup asked suddenly, his gaze fixed on the heron.

A smile crept onto Toothless' face. "Amazing, probably."

"Do think… do you think that anyone's ever ridden a dragon? N-not that I'd try that," he stuttered, sitting up, his face reddening slightly. "Why would I ever try that…?"

"…should I be worried?"

"No?"

Toothless eyed him suspiciously. "Well," he chose his next words very carefully. "I know of one or two people who have ended up on the backs of dragons during raids, but I don't think I've met anyone who would willingly get on the back of one." Except for Camicazi, of course, but Hiccup didn't need to know that. "But if for some reason, someone was to find themselves on the back of a dragon, they'd better pray to the gods that it's not in a bad mood."

Gobber was getting ready for bed when Toothless got back to the forge. They'd decided to leave the Gronckle Iron at Hiccup's house. The last thing they needed was for Gobber to start asking questions or smelt it by mistake.

"I was wonderin' where ye two were off to. Where'd ye go?"

"Fishing at the beach, we brought some back for the storage."

"Ah good, good. No such thing as too much fish, not with all the celebrating and the end of training right around the corner." Gobber chuckled to himself. "I think the outcome is going to be interesting given how Hiccup's improved in such a short span of time."

Toothless smiled widely, a little unnerved by the Viking's pointed look. "It's strange, isn't it? Well, it's been a long day. Good night." trying to seem unfazed, Toothless made a beeline to make his way to his room.

"Ah, ah, hold on just a moment. I want to have a word with ye."

Toothless winced and turned.

Gobber stood with his arms crossed. "I'm not as oblivious as people think. I know ye've been helping Hiccup. I don't know how ye've done it, considering how many times we've tried in the past." His face softened. "But I want to let you know that I'm grateful for that, I really am. He's a good lad.

"I know Hiccup's under a lot of pressure. I've watched him try to please people all his life with no luck, and I know that sometimes his father is too hard on him."

He sighed and shook his head. "Stoick is a stubborn man. He's what every Viking wants to be. But if there's one thing I know, it's that he loves his son more than anything. He's just not so good at showing that. He wants Hiccup to follow in his footsteps because he knows that he'll make a fine chief. But he does know how to reach 'im. No one really understands what goes on in that boy's head. I gave up years ago. I try my best to help him, but I'm as lost as Stoick.

"He was so lonely. Until ye showed up. Yer a good friend, Nraseri. He's lucky to have ye. We all are. We'll be sad to see ye go, but ye'll always be welcome here." He patted Toothless' arm awkwardly. "Just, ah, thought I'd tell you that."

Toothless smiled. "Thank you, Gobber."

"Okay, I'm off to bed. Good night."

"Night."

Toothless closed the door behind him and pulled off his shoes. He pulled the blanket to cover himself, all the while thinking of Gobber's last few words.

"Ye'll always be welcome here."

He thought of Silfr and Nira and his family. Of his time spent with the Bog-Burglars and Camicazi, and finally, the years on Berk, first in secret, then among the Vikings that lived there. He thought of Hiccup and his fascination with the unknown, and of Astrid and the other teenagers, and of the many caves and the cove and the beaches that he no longer had to explore alone.

Soon, he thought. Soon this could be my home too.

Toothless closed his eyes and slept.