Green-eyed shadow
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the plot.
KEY
'Thoughts/memories'
Emphasis/yelling
(A/N: New year, new story, my next FF chosen by you. I decided to switch things up a bit for this one, kind of wanted to try something new with the Hooligans from Berk. OOC Stoick, but not in the way you'd expect. I'm going back to updates being sporadic, they shouldn't be more than a few months apart if I can form the plot.)
Chapter 1: Where are you?
Nar POV
Noon, the forge
Ping…, ping…, Gobber brought down his hammer down on the heated ingot, 'Ah, nothin' like beatin' iron inta' shape'. He raised it up and brought it down again, Baaah. "Euh!", Gobber inspected his hammer and tong attachment, 'Wha' tha'?'. Baaah, he looked passed his prosthetic attachment to see a small herd of sheep stampede pass his ordering window. The blacksmith swapped his hammer for his hook and hobbled towards the door, 'Wha' in Odin's name is goin' on?!'.
Berk's main square
Gobber hears yelling and rounds the corner to see a mob of villagers hollering at something, "Oi, wha's goin' on 'ere?". He shoves his way through the crowd and finally sees Mulch and Bucket standing between the mob and a cowering auburn-haired teen, ''iccup, oh wha's tha' lad done this time?'.
The smaller fisherman spots the blacksmith, "Oh Gobber, thank Thor yur' here!", Mulch said relieved.
"Stand aside you two", commanded Ack, "That troublemaker needs some discipline!"
"Aye!", screamed Burnthair, holding up a whip.
"Oi, 'old on ya' trolls!", Gobber shambled over to the two and turned to the mob, "Ain't ya takin' this too far?".
"Do you know what that runt did?!", Ack stepped forward, "His shenanigans not only broke Sven's fence and let out his sheep but nearly destroyed a catapult and my house!".
Gobber turned to his 'nephew', "I was trying to fix it, I swear I was only trying to help".
"Help?! You can help by staying locked up in your house, boy!", Burnthair spat.
The mob stepped closer to the group, "Now before ya' idiots try ta' discipline tha' boy, rememba' wha' 'appen last time someone 'urt 'iccup", Gobber warned. The crowd looked amongst themselves and shuddered, remembering what happen to Spitelout. The Jorgenson smacked Hiccup for accidentally spilling soup on him, leaving a mark on his fair skin. When Stoick found out, he found Spitelout and dragged him out to the square. The chief then proceeded to beat him senseless for hurting his son.
By the time enough guards arrived to pull him off, Spitelout's face was bruised and bloodied beyond recognition. Many of those who seen the fight agreed that if the guards were a minute or two late, the Jorgenson would have been crippled or worse. That day, everyone knew just how violently protective Stoick would be since Valka was carried off by the dragons.
"Exactly, now I'm gonna take 'iccup ta' Stoick fur' 'im ta' punish", Gobber hooked the boy by the scruff of his tunic and hobbled towards the chief's house. He Ignored the grumblings about how lightly Hiccup would get a slap on the wrist or likely just be grounded for a few days.
Haddock house
Knock-knock, Stoick opened the door and sees Gobber hoisting Hiccup by his scruff. Behind him was a mob of angry villagers, "What's he done this time?", he sighed.
Gobber drops the boy, who runs behind his father, "Chief, that boy of yur's need some discipline!".
"I couldn't agree more", Stoick looks down at his son, "Hiccup, go to your room and think about what you've done". He did as he was told and rushed up the stairs, which brought an indignant outcry from the mob outside.
"What, that's it!", Screamed Ack, "Give us the boy, we'll make sure he learns his lesson!".
"Aye", yelled Burnthair.
Stoick turned to the mob with a rageful glare, "You lay a hand on my son, you'll lose it to my axe", he growled out like a monster. The mob stepped back, Gobber patted the chief's shoulder to bring him back to his senses. Stoick cleared his throat, "He's my son, I'll deal with him".
Gobber shooed the crowd, "Ya' 'eard tha' chief, go on about yeh business!".
Stoick ascended the stairs and knocked on his son's door, "Hiccup, can I come in?".
He heard a low, "Yes", then stepped in.
The chief sees Hiccup holding a pillow to his chest, "Alright son, let's hear it".
"I noticed that the catapult was grinding every time it launched a boulder during the last raid. So, I tried installing a new bearing I designed in my shop but… but Snotlout and the twins took it from me and damaged it. By the time I got it back, Spitelout yelled at me to put it back in the catapult".
"And that's why it malfunctioned?", He nods, "Don't worry son, I'm not mad at you". Hiccup looked up at his dad confused, "You were thinking about helping the village, that's what matters".
"B-but everyone's mad at me", he winced.
"Aye, not everyone's gunna like you", Stoick sat down beside Hiccup.
"Everyone loves Snotlout", the teen muttered.
"Bah, I never hear the end of it! Every other day someone tells me how much that boy is a better Viking, how I should disown you and take him as heir to Berk", Stoick looked over to his son and sees him tense up. "Don't worry, I always tell them to sod off", he wraps his massive arm around Hiccup, "You're my son, the greatest gift Valka ever gave me, Odin rest her soul".
"B-but".
"Now son, you tried to fix the catapult, work in the forge to keep everyone's weapons ready, you do everything to protect the tribe. What does that boar-headed brat of Spitelout do… nothing but laze about, hanging out in the great hall spouting on and on how great he is and how worthless you are. He thinks of nothing but himself, doesn't put the tribe before his selfishness. You know how a chief should think, how they should act", Stoick leans down and kisses the crown of Hiccup's head, "That's what makes me so proud to call you my son".
He gets up and walks to the door, Hiccup kicks off his shoes and pulls his blanket up, "I love you dad".
Stoick stands in the doorway and smiles back, "I love you too, goodnight son". Hiccup waits a few moments after his door closes, then looks out his window.
He sees the sky full of stars, one of which streaks across, 'I know about those, what did Gobber call them… shooting stars'. He remembers what his godfather told him about them, 'If you see one and wish hard enough, your prayer will be granted'. The teen shuffles over to his window and prays, 'Odin above, I wish for strength so I can be accepted by my tribe'. He thought back to when his last friend, Fishlegs, left him so that he could be part of the crew, 'If I'm strong enough then maybe someone would want to be my friend'. Hiccup blew out his held breath and snuggled into his bed, 'I hope Odin heard my wish'.
One week later
"No, I'm not gonna do it!", Hiccup stepped back from Snotlout holding a bucket.
"Now, now, you lost fair and square", the Jorgenson smugly corrected.
"Fair, you cheated!", Hiccup squealed. 'Why… why did I trust him?!', he thought back to when Snotlout offered him a chance to be part of the crew. A simple footrace, if Hiccup won, he could hang out with him, the twins and Fishlegs. If he lost, he'd have to do one request given by Snotlout. Hiccup's lean build gave him a tremendous advantage over his bulky opponent, that is until he 'tripped' over a bucket that rolled in his path, "Tuffnut threw a bucket!".
"I didn't see it-", he turned to the other twin, "Did you, Ruff?".
She shrugged, "Nope, all I saw was Hiccup tripping over his own two feet like usual".
"See, now take this and you know what you have to do", Snotlout held out the bucket he snatched from the great hall, filled with rancid fish guts he left to stew over a couple days.
"Astrid will LITERALLY kill me if I dump this on her!", Hiccup knew how volatile his crush was. She broke Snotlout's nose countless times for just flirting with her, so her killing him wasn't improbable.
"Oh well", the bigger teen shrugged, "Now take it!". Hiccup took a few steps back, "Ugh, looks like you need some help", he groaned. Snotlout looked back to the twins, "Ruff, Tuff, why don't you-", the sound of retreating footsteps made him turn back to where Hiccup was. He scowled when he saw the fleeing teen disappear into the forest, "Hey, get back here Hiccup!". The three took off after the fleeing Haddock boy.
Deep in Berk's forest, near raven point
"You're only making this harder on you!", Snotlout kept catching glances of Hiccup before a branch or bush broke his line of sight. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were right behind him, struggling to keep the quick footed teen in sight.
Hiccup came to a skidding halt after emerging from the tree line, an overhanging ledge was before him. He looked around trying to find a way to escape, below was a deep chasm whose bottom was obscured by thick mist. The sound of branches being shoved aside made him turn around, "No".
"Whew, gods you're quick", Snotlout gasped out, "But you can't run anymore".
"Please, don't make me do it!", pleaded Hiccup.
"Sorry, a deals a deal", he held out the pungent bucket. The Haddock took a step back every time the smug teen stepped forward, "C'mon, at worst she'll probably beat you into a coma", the twins snickered behind him, "She won't kill you since you're the chief's son".
"P-please", he shuffled away, getting closer and closer to the edge. Snotlout kept advancing, knowing he couldn't escape. Crack, the sound made everyone stand still.
"What… what was that?", asked Tuff, Cri-crack.
"Oh no", Ruff screamed, "Get back here you guys!". The ledge under their feet gave way, Snotlout tossed aside the bucket and jumped. He clawed the ground as he felt his feet dangle, Ruff and Tuff leapt over and grabbed his hands.
"Aaahhhhh!", they see Hiccup falling into the chasm, chunks of stone and rock falling around him.
The twins pull the shocked Snotlout back up onto solid ground, "Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods".
"We are so dead!", Ruffnut held her head in her hands.
"Calm down, just calm down", Snotlout collected himself.
"Calm down? We just killed Hiccup!", screeched Ruff.
"The chief's gonna blood eagle us!", Tuff screamed out.
Snotlout grabbed him by the shoulders, "Listen, it was an accident!".
"How?!", Tuffnut shot back.
"Did we push Hiccup off the ledge?", Tuff shook his head. He looks to the other twin, "Did we break the ledge?", she shook her head. "Exactly, we didn't cause anything on purpose", he lets Tuffnut go. "If the adults ask, we don't know, okay?", Snotlout glances between the two. "We don't know where he is, or if he is dead", he takes a deep breath, "Why… because we don't know what happen to Hiccup, got it?". Ruff and Tuff look at each other and walk into the forest, Snotlout turns back to the jagged edge of the cliff. He sighs and follows the others away.
A few days later
Gobber was working in his forge, when Stoick barges in, "Gobber, have you seen Hiccup?!".
He dunks the axe into a water filled barrel, "I was gunna ask yew' if 'e was still grounded, I 'aven't seen 'im in a couple o' days".
"Gobber, Hiccup hasn't been home for a while now", the news shocked the blacksmith. "I was hoping he was with you like he normally is", Stoick paces the forge as he pulls on his hair.
"Stoick, calm down", Gobber guides him to sit on a barrel, "Wha' should we do now?".
The chief's still shaken up but manages to compose himself, "We'll send a search party, comb the surrounding forest".
"There's our chief", he patted his shoulder, "Ya' wouldn't want ta' make 'iccup upset, seein' 'is fatha' so distressed". Stoick gathered the village and broke them the news that his son was missing, many spoke up saying the boy needed to be left out there to teach him some discipline. The baleful glare from the chieftain shut them up, he sent them off to different parts of the forest.
Hours later
One by one, search parties returned to the village, none managed to find a clue where Hiccup was or what happen to the boy. Stoick's group arrived, the father more distraught than when he had left. He sees Gobber hobbling over to him, "Please tell me you found him".
"Sorry Stoick, none o' tha' groups found a trace o' 'im".
"CHIEF!", Hoark came running out of the forest entrance.
Stoick and Gobber met him halfway, "What is it, did you find my son?!".
The man caught his breath, "I…I don't know what to tell you". The chief and blacksmith looked at each other, "Come, I'll show you".
Deep in Berk's forest
They followed Hoark through the forest, occasionally scanning the trees and shrubbery. Stoick's nose picked up the faint stench, one which sent a dreaded chill up his spine. The foul odor of rotten flesh became more pungent as the trio neared a clearing, 'Oh gods no!'.
Gunther Hofferson spots Hoark arriving with Stoick and Gobber in tow, he excuses himself from his search party, "Chief".
Stoick grabs him by his shoulders, "Please tell me you haven't found Hiccup dead".
"We didn't find him, we found something… something else", Gunther waves them to follow him. He leads them to a large mound covered by a huge canvas sheet, the source of the rotten smell. Gunther nods to the pair of men standing beside the sheet, "Alright boys", they pull it off.
"Oh gods, tha' smell", Gobber holds his nose as the buzzing of flies filled the air. The dark red patches of exposed flesh poked out of the brown matted fur. One by one, the men pulled boars off the pile and lined them up. Nearly twenty pigs lied in rows, each torn up in a different manner.
"What could've done this?", asked Stoick, as he and Gunther walked up and down the rows of mangled hogs. "What kind of dragon hunts like this?", he turned to the Hofferson.
"I don't think it was a dragon", he motioned around the clearing, "We found no scorch marks whatsoever".
"Must be a bear then?", neither possibility made him less worried for the safety of his son.
"Couldn't be", he lifted a fold of torn hide, showing the untouched thigh meat. Gobber overheard them, then examined the unusual claw mark on the body of a boar. He ran his hand down the wound, seeing it line up with his fingers, 'This… this wasn't made by a bear' .
"I don't get it", Stoick frustratedly groaned, "All these boars were mauled differently".
"Aye, the only thing they got in common is their heads missin'", Gunther interjected. Him being an experienced hunter for the village, knew the signs of wolves or bear attacks, "And neither me nor the other hunters work these grounds".
"Hiccup, where are you?", Stoick wanted his boy safe back home.
(A/N: The first chapter done, short and setting the start. I'll update the summary as the story goes on, to keep it interesting at least.)