end of the week

hiccup's pov

"well here goes nothing" i said making sure the ropes were secure to the crates in the net "everything okay up there?" i yelled looking up.

"yep" both eret and dj yelled down from their dragons. i spend the whole day sick and most of the next morning too. it was just a normal sickness but with little sleep and the stress of everything going on it seemed a lost worse.

the same thing had happened when i first became chief, before the others offered to help out. but because of this i was forced to stay in bed by everyone.

dagur even left toothless a message 'if he gets up to do any work, sit on him' safe to say i didn't get out of bed until i felt better.

apparently from what dagur said astrid saved me using an almost perfect rescue protocol he jokingly said she seemed very determined to save me.

the wing maidens and the defenders of the wing had already left earlier today we told them about johann and to keep an eye out for him well we told mala and nadia that atali was too busy slapping and chewing out dj for lying to her to listen.

"alright" dagur said coming up to me pulling me from my thoughts "toothless and banshee's kids are airborne" he said just as bolt came flying by our heads chasing lightning.

"whoa" i said ducking as dagur laughed "so your sure your okay going back to berk?" he asked securing his saddle on sleuther.

"no, not really but what choice do i got? they all know where the island is and fishlegs will break easily under pressure and ...i hate to admit it but i want to see my dad again".

"nothing wrong with that" dagur said "but i feel like it should be!" i said angrily kicking the ground "15 years i didn't matter to him, the second i become good at 'fighting' dragons we're supposed to be all buddy buddy 'how are you son good to see you son' " i yelled.

i breathed heavily as a hand was placed on my shoulder "feel better" dagur asked "a little" i responded "good, because we gotta get the riders set for the journey" he said patting me on the back.

i sighed "I'm coming dad i said whether you accept me or not" i said turning and walking away.

astrid's pov

i smiled as i looked down at my breakfast two things had happened. i didn't have the nightmare last night and me and hiccup talked just the two of us

flashback yesterday

"fire" i yelled as stormfly shot her spines and hit every target "good job girl" i said patting her on the back of the head.

she squawked and purred we had no training today because it was only yesterday since hiccup had gotten better but he was told by dagur, eret and dj to take it easy today.

"astrid?" i heard from the arena doors i turned to see dj walking towards me "oh hi" i said "what are you doing here" he asked "oh nothing just practicing with stormfly" i said.

"okay" he said turning to look at the targets. "oh yeah you two are gonna make a good team" he said with a smile "thanks" i said "so why are you here?" "oh right hiccup wants to see you at his house".

"okay I'll get the others and-" "no just you" he said interrupting me "oh um alright" i said as i walked out of the arena following him to hiccup's home with stormfly right behind me.

it was at the top of the hill that over looked the village just like stoick's back on berk. but hiccup's was bigger and it had a large hatch on the one side of the roof 'must be for toothless' i thought.

dj opened the door and pointed up the stairs "he's in his study, first door at the top" dj said before leaving to go do something else.

i took a deep breath this would be the first time me and hiccup actually talked alone what was i gonna say, what was he gonna say. i closed the door behind me and looked around.

it was a nice house it had a table, fire place and a couch all in the downstairs part of it. it also had a few closed doors. 'fit for a family' i thought

i regretted thinking about that as i immediately blushed and smiled i continued looking around however my back bumped into something...fluffy?.

i turned around slowly and seen a large bear with black fur standing on his hind legs, his front paws up in a threatening motion and jaws open wide. i screamed and fell backwards. i closed my eyes and waited for the bear to attack but it didn't.

i open my eyes and seen the bear hadn't moved from it's spot beside the couch. i stood up still nothing. i then reached out and touched it...nothing.

i then heard laughter coming from the stairs i looked and seen hiccup standing there weapons drawn with toothless ready to fire "you thought it was real, didn't you" he asked sheathing his sword and putting his crossbow across his back i turn back to the bear.

"um is it not" i asked still looking at the bear "well he was when he was alive" hiccup said coming up next to me and looking at the bear.

"the guy called it being 'stuffed' I'm not too sure how his people do such a thing but i didn't ask" too many questions" hiccup said "where'd you'd get it" i ask still in amazement.

"i got it a few years back from a king as a reward when i saved him and three other clans in scotland from a rogue viking invasion" he said patting the bear on the chest.

i stood there shocked rogue vikings were ruthless killers we only plunged and pillaged when we needed too or when we were at war these guys just did it for grins.

"scotland?" i asked confused "ah" he waved his hand "outside the archipelago" i nodded as my mind drifted to the rogue vikings.

"okay, so um why'd you want to see me?" i said trying not to picture hiccup on top of a mountain of defeated rogue vikings... shirtless... sweaty 'snap out of it' i thought.

"huh?... oh right, well i just wanted to say thank you for saving me the other day" he said "yeah um no problem" i said.

"yep" he said as awkward silence filled the air "well that was all" he said "okay well thanks for that" i said going to the door "no problem" he said behind me i walked out and up to stormfly.

end of flashback

'okay so it wasn't the talk i was hoping for but it was something right' i thought.

"alright riders, listen up" hiccup's voice commanded as the doors flew open. we turned to see him, dagur eret and dj standing in the doorway.

"i know we've just got back from our little vacation bounty hunting. however certain situations have happened during the last few weeks that have caused us to go away again soon".

the tribe groaned and some shot us angry looks and mumbled things. we all found something interesting in our mugs avoiding their gazes.

"we will be leaving ryker and viggo in charge again until we return in a few weeks" hiccup continued while most of the tribe mumbled things that we couldn't hear. "those who don't like it can fight me for a different decision" hiccup added.

the tribe immediately changed their attitude cheering for hiccup and the others. he smiled and walked up to the chief's table with the others in tow.

"works everytime. good morning guys" he said sitting down "morning hiccup" gobber said "the supplies you guys will need to get through the winter months are ready to go" hiccup said "and again sorry for the destruction of the storage building".

"ah" gobber waved it off "if you hadn't i might not of had a reason to come find you". hiccup shugged and bit into his chicken. "fair enough, we will be leaving around noon-ish so we'll get to an island with hotsprings before nightfall" hiccup said.

"um?" heather asked raising her hand "why does the hotsprings matter" she asked weary. "yeah, you ain't trying to just sneak a peek are you mister" ruffnut said while batting her eyelashes remind me to kill her later.

i expected hiccup to blush and start to stutter like he used to. but he just smiled and shook his head "tell you what, ask me that same question when we get there if you can" hiccup said.

that comment caused us all to look at each other with concern looks but shrugged it off.

3 person view

"so...um... which way to the hotsprings" ruffnut said holding her back and leaning forward as the rest of the berkians did as well the only ones standing straight up were hiccup, dagur, eret and dj who just chuckled.

they were now three quarters of the way to berk and the berkians had found out the hard way what a long fly can do to a beginner.

dagur then pointed "the girls have their own over there and there's another one over this way" he said pointing the opposite direction. snotlout groaned but quickly shut up when dagur shot him a glare.

"alright just be back before it gets too dark we leave camp at first light" hiccup called as the girls went to their hotsprings and the guys started towards theirs.

as their humans did that the dragons all went off to do different things toothless and banshee just stayed in the camp as their kids ran around, titan went fishing and skullchrusher and sleuther went out and explored.

"come on" ruff said "no" astrid said "aren't you just a little curious to see what he's packing down there?" she asked with a grin walking in front of astrid.

she blushed at the thought of seeing hiccup in nothing but his underwear but suddenly remembered snotlout was with them and gobber. "ah no i really don't want to see snotlout like that" astrid said as the hotsprings came into veiw.

ruff stopped walking and huffed. heather was already in and undressed in nothing but her bindings and underwear when astrid came th the clearing but she stopped short of the springs and listened. silence.

she sighed deeply "ruff is gone, isn't she?" astrid asked already knowing the answer. heather looked around astrid and nodded "yep" she said great "now i gotta go" astrid said. "you coming?" she asked heather "you kidding we flew for over 6 hours on dragon back and i just got in, I'm staying" she said leaning back.

"ruff?" astrid whispered while stalking through the bushes she followed the trail ruffnut had made leading to the guys hotsprings and was now trying to get her attention. but she was focused on something that shut her brain right off.

astrid groaned and walked up to her "come on let's get out..." astrid then trailed off when she seen what ruffnut was looking at. hiccup's back was to them and it was covered in scars some looked like they were from claws but he also had some from whips, chains and daggers.

"whoa" astrid said quietly leaning against the tree trunk ruffnut was leaning on. reluctantly she pulled her eyes off his back and surveyed the rest of the group just to make sure dj or dagur wouldn't sneak up on them again.

but they all seemed to be there. hiccup suddenly got up from the water and was about to turn back towards them both ruff and astrid ducked down hoping not to be seen.

but that thought immediately left both their heads when they seen the front of him. he was definitely not a fish bone any more. he had a six pack of abs and a muscular toned chest which now sported a nightfury tattoo along with some more scars from claws.

the nightfury tattoo went upwards with it's head stopping just short of hiccup's neck, it's wings spreading over each of his pecs with it's tail ending above his belly button.

both girls watched as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey as he called and a bottle of mead for the berkians from his bag since they couldn't handle whiskey as well as the others and walked back to the pond. snotlout thought he'd try and impress some girls and down the bottle of whiskey back on the island. big mistake.

"glad i convinced you to come?" ruff whispered "shhhh" astrid said covering her mouth with her hand.

"so" hiccup said quietly while sitting back in the pool "all you guys see the girls over there, right" he asked as dj, dagur and eret nodded but the others just looked confused.

"what" snotlout asked "over my shoulder, 20 yards in the bushes, astrid and ruffnut are there" hiccup said pointing with his thumb "how'd you know that" tuffnut asked "seen them" hiccup said eret raised his hand "smelt them".

dagur raised his hand "same" he said looking at eret dj raised his hand "i can sense when any female is within fifty yards of me" he said taking the bottle from hiccup and drinking it.

"and I'm sure atali just loves that" dagur said grabbing the bottle dj fake laughed and pointed at dagur. "well they're probably here to see this show" snotlout said flexing his arms and smirking in their direction.

snotlout smiled until he heard muffled gagging in the bushes. tuffnut smirked "or they're here for the obvious reason" tuffnut said looking at hiccup. "yep" fishlegs said leaning back against the side. "oh come on he is still a fishbone" snotlout said annoyed "with a muscular chest, back and a black nightfury tattoo that probably gets every girl in a tavern drooling, am i wrong?" tuffnut asked.

dj, dagur and eret laughed "wow he got it all right" eret said "on the first try too" dagur said highfiving eret. "i got my moments" tuff said "ok- okay not every girl" hiccup stuttered "dude, in Italy you started a brawl between girls just by telling them the red death story" dj said.

"yeah i think a few of them knocked each other out over you" eret added as the berkians grew silent. hiccup was about to respond when he turned his head slightly.

"the girls are leaving" he said very glad they wouldn't hear this conversation. "so hiccup the lass" gobber said grinning "uh 'the lass' " hiccup said trying to act confused.

"hiccup" gobber said more sternly "okay, okay what about astrid" hiccup said. "wait what do you want with the future mrs jorgensen" snotlout said causing everyone from berk to look at him funny.

"you stopped chasing the lass for 2 years now" gobber said "I'm giving her space snotlout said she'll realize that if she doesn't act now ruffnut will be the future mrs jorgensen" he said.

"so what about astrid gobber?" dj asked avoiding an awkward conversation "I'm just wondering if the lad still is pining over the lass after all these years" gobber said.

"well he has left toothless at the house a few times when he's gone to bathe" eret said causing the others to laugh. hiccup just stared eret down until everyone stopped laughing.

"so hiccup how'd you get those scars?" fishlegs asked sensing hiccup wanted out of this conversation. "well the chains and whips on my back are probably pretty explanatory" he said.

"and the ones from claw marks are from trial and error from training dragons especially the ones who were abused, the rest are just from fights and battles" hiccup said slowly moving his arms off the side and into the water.

but it was too late, tuffnut had noticed them "hey how'd you get them?" "uh i just told you" hiccup said avoiding eye contact. "no, the ones on your wrists" tuff said.

"i uh i really don't know what your-" he was cut off when gobber who was the closest to him had enough and lifted hiccups right hand out of the water.

everyone now seen what tuffnut had seen. all along hiccup's wrist and forearm up to his elbow were cuts they looked like they were made by a dagger. but as far as the berkians knew that wasn't a form of torture.

"hiccup.." gobber started but couldn't finish. hiccup sighed as eret, dagur and dj looked away "just a dagger and some time alone on berk" hiccup said as the berkians paled.

"hey, you know it's getting late I'm gonna turn in" hiccup said getting out of the water and walked back towards the camp. the others sighed as the berkians looked down at the water.

eret and dagur nodded at dj he nodded back and got out of the water and went the same way hiccup did. "where's he going?" gobber asked "to make sure hiccup doesn't do anything he'll regret later" dagur answered.

"but he wouldn't do that again, would he" fishlegs asked dagur just stared at them as eret talked now "you lot really have no idea how hard this is for him or how badly you treated him do you?"

"i mean you treated him like hell and dung for years and he finally gets away from it all, he lived his life how he wanted to exploring the world, he builds a dragon riding tribe from the ground up with only us and a few others. he's happy and then BAM. you all turn up and pretty much leave him no choice but to return".

"now hang on" snotlout said "we're not forcing him to-" "no but you are leaving him with no choice"eret said cutting him off "if you go back now your tribesmen will try and kill your dragons. how exactly would you tell everyone without revealing hiccup is alive, that you managed to tame and ride dragons".

the berkians all thought for a moment then looked down into the water. "exactly" eret said hopping out "it is getting late we should head back".

hiccup's pov

i sighed as my feet dangled over the cliffs edge. "gold coin for your thoughts" a voice from behind said as dj joined me on the edge.

"you good?" he asked looking out to sea "if they sent you here to make sure I'm not going to cut again you can leave" i replied "i quit that".

"yeah only cause me and dag threatened to beat the crap out of you if you didn't" dj laughed i chuckled at that and followed his gaze. "why is this so hard man, i could make the dream I've been having for five years come true. vikings and dragons living side by side".

i turned to the side "but every inch i get closer to berk i just want to turn, run and hide". dj sighed "look, I'm not gonna pretend i know what's going on with you and berk. my parents are dead and i beat up everyone who looked at me funny".

i laughed and looked at him "but me, eret and dagur will be with you every step of the way. same with toothless, banshee, titan, skullchrusher-"

"okay, okay i get it" i said patting him on the back he smiled and did the same he then stood up and was about to walk away but stopped and kneeled down.

"hey have uh you decide what to do with..." he trailed off "what" i asked confused he looked around to make sure no one was around.

"your condition" he said i knew what he meant then. "i...i can't i said if they knew what i was i wouldn't have to worry about being accepted. i would have to worry more about not being blood eagle or lynched".

dj sighed and nodded before standing up "i understand" he said "just remember" he said as i looked up "it's nothing to be ashamed of" his face then changed into his vampire form and walked back towards camp.

i sighed and lifted my hand up and watched the moonlight bounce off it i then closed my eyes and opened them.

my hand and forearm started to change. black scales replaced white skin and my fingernails turned into inch long claws. "I'm not ashamed" i said to no one as i changed my hand back to normal and made my way back to camp.