CHAPTER 29

A warm breeze ruffled his hair and he groaned slightly at the aching and stiffness. Another puff of wind battered his face and he caught the scent of fish. Slowly, the sound of loud huffing and an impatient growl reached his ears and he cracked his eyes open. Two great green eyes stared at him through the darkness, only it wasn't darkness, but a black scaled head.

"Hey, Toothless," he croaked. The Night Fury gave him a gummy smile and nudged him happily, cooing loudly and Hiccup tried to bat the dragon away. "I'm happy to see you too, Bud." Toothless hummed, butting him with his head and promptly stood on his stomach. Hiccup sat up with a grunt of pain that died away as he looked around his house.

"Uhh…I'm…in my house." He looked back to Toothless who was practically shaking with excitement. "You're in my house."

Unable to contain himself, the dragon leapt happily around the room, knocking over a chair and a few empty pots. Hiccup watched him, very confused and a bit worried. "Does my dad know you're here?" Toothless bounded back over to him before leaping onto the rafters.

"You're awake! He's awake!"Toothless let out a roar so loud that Hiccup was sure that the entire village heard it. It didn't even occur to him that he had understood the dragon's words.

"Toothless—oh come on!" Hiccup pulled the covers back and stopped, his next words dying in his throat. He pulled the blanket off and his chest tightened painfully. Toothless landed gracefully on the floor and came over to him, sympathy evident in his eyes. Hiccup took a deep breath and slowly swung his legs off the bed.

His left leg ended just below the knee. Where his foot had once been, a metal prosthetic took its place. It creaked under his weight, and he stared at it, his heart pounding wildly.

Toothless lowered his snout to the metal and huffed before looking up at Hiccup. "We did what we could, but it was too late. The amulet could only do so much."

Hiccup let out a shuddering and disbelieving breath. He'd known that it was bad when he had seen it and in the back of his mind, he had known that this was a possibility, but he hadn't really considered it. And now it was gone, and he'd never get it back.

With great difficulty, Hiccup pushed the thought aside for the moment, unwilling to dwell on it. The more pressing matter was the dragon that had spoken.

"It's really you," he breathed, almost terrified that he was wrong, that the entire battle with the dragons had been a sick dream. "Nraseri."

Toothless bowed his head almost guiltily. He took a few steps back and closed his eyes. Before Hiccup's eyes, the Night Fury changed, his scales thinning and paling and the wings and tail disappearing as if by magic. After a few moments, the boy he had come to know stood before him. Toothless shifted from one foot to another and gave Hiccup a tentative smile.

"I know that I've got a lot of explaining to do, Hiccup, and I will tell you everything. That's a promise I won't break."

Hiccup was silent, his mind reeling with questions. His best friend really was a dragon, he really had been captured, and he really had lost his foot. He really had no idea where to start. So, he started with something easier. "Who are you really?"

His friend took a deep breath. "My name is Toothless, born Taelos, and I am the last member of the Nraseri clan. Or as you call us, the Night Furies." He touched the amulet that rested in its rightful place around his neck. "This amulet was given to me so that I could help guide the one who was to unite our worlds. Someone who had the heart of a chief and the soul of a dragon. That was you."

"So, you're both dragon and human?"

A pained look crossed Toothless' face. "The amulet was damaged. I took it off for too long or maybe it's because it's now split between us, but I can't hold this form for as long now. I will always revert back to myself. But I can still talk to you, and you will always be able to understand me. And the rest of my kin. The amulet has gifted that to you just as it did its first human."

Amulets, gifts. It sounded like something straight out of the stories of the gods. But it sounded…right. As if this was how it was meant to be.

"It was you at Merchant Point, wasn't it? You've followed me ever since."

Toothless let out a nervous laugh. "I was afraid you'd die of fright the first time we met. I followed those boys all the way through the forest before I intervened. I didn't mean to be seen as a dragon."

"So, you backtracked in this form," Hiccup finished. He frowned. "You said 'unite our worlds.' What do you mean?" He swore he saw Toothless hide a grin.

"It's unclear at this moment. Time will tell."

For once, Hiccup was happy with that response. Right now, he was itching to get outside, and it would take practice to walk properly again. Hiccup took a deep breath and stood. He took a tentative step, grunting at the dull ache. The metal was heavier than he had expected. How did Gobber move so well with one? Maybe the weight difference counted for something. And years of practice.

He took another step, putting his full weight on the prosthetic. His leg buckled underneath him, and he pitched forward. Toothless shot forward without a word and caught him before he fell. Hiccup nodded his thanks and limped towards the door, his friend keeping his balance.

He pulled the door open only to see a dragon fly past. He shut the door quickly, his heart hammering in his chest. He looked at Toothless, who shrugged, his face blank, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Slowly, Hiccup opened the door again. The dragon was still there with Snotlout balanced on its back! Dragons of all sizes flew around the village, chirping and squawking as if they'd always been there. And the Vikings took no notice.

"I knew it. I'm dead," he said.

There was a booming laugh, and his father was standing next to him. He patted Hiccup on the shoulder. "No, but you gave it your best shot. Both of you." His father smiled down at them. "So," he motioned to the village. "What do you think?"

Hiccup gazed out at the village in wonder as they descended the few stairs, Toothless supporting him.

"Hey, Hiccup's awake!" someone shouted. Suddenly, he was swarmed by villagers, all laughing and cheering.

"You did it, Hiccup," Toothless said, grinning. "The war is over."

"I don't understand. What happened?"

"You did," his father replied. "Nraseri told me everything once we got back to Berk. About you, about the dragons, how you chose to listen instead of fight. It turns out all we needed was a little more of this," he said, motioning to Hiccup.

Hiccup's eyebrows shot up, incredulous. "You just gestured to all of me." His father nodded, pride sparkling in his eyes.

"Well," Gobber said, limping forward with a bundle tucked under his arm and gesturing to Hiccup's prosthetic, "most of ye. That bit's my handiwork. With a little Hiccup flair through and through. Ye think it'll do?"

Hiccup inspected the prosthetic as if considering. "Ehh, I might make a few tweaks."

A ripple of laughter ran through the crowd.

Someone punched him in the shoulder. "That's for scaring me," Astrid said. And then she kissed him. "And that's for everything else."

He grinned, dumbfounded. His father let out a booming laugh.

Gobber handed him the bundle. "We found some of yer sketches. Nraseri here finished them while I worked on that leg of yours."

It was a saddle. His saddle. He looked at Toothless, surprised.

"Had to do something with that leather," Toothless said with a grin. "My old one was in need of a replacement. Besides, every dragon rider needs a saddle."

Dragon rider. The words sang and it was like the last piece of the puzzle fit into place. He let out a laugh, smiling so hard his face hurt.

His father clapped him on the shoulder. "Welcome home, son."

Toothless gave him a sharp-toothed grin. "Welcome home."