"Norse"

"English"

==TST==

The next day, I climbed back into the village. I had thankfully been practicing the new words I had learned through a dumbed down Rosetta Stone, which was better than nothing.

Either way, I was recording more today.

"You know, I just happened to notice the book had nothing on Night Furies." Hiccup asked, while Stormfly prepared for an attack. "Is there another book? Or a sequel? Maybe a little Night Fury pamphlet?"

Stormfly fired at Hiccup's head. I hummed at him, enjoying this training session. Hiccup ran away from the Deadly Nadder.

"FOCUS Hiccup! You're not even trying." Gobber scolded.

"You're not even trying." I agreed, beaming to myself. Well...I'll admit that Hiccup was trying something. Unfortunately it was neither his hardest, nor was it Dragon Training.

"Today... is all about attack." Gobber explained to the teenagers. The others actually gave a damn, so they tried their damn best...I think. Cause if they were, this was disappointing. "Nadders are quick and light on their feet. Your job is to be quicker and lighter."

Fishlegs screamed from the maze beneath as he avoided Stormfly. My head tilted, matched with a look best described as 'I'm waiting'. "I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods."

Gobber continued talking, like no one had said anything. "Look for its blind spot. Every dragon has one. Find it, hide in it, and strike."

Stormfly chanced upon Ruff and Tuff. I sighed in sympathy.

"Do you ever bathe?"

"If you don't like it, then just get your own blind spot."

"How about I give you one!"

The twins fought, barely realizing that Stormfly was gearing for her second shot. (and also dodging it).

"Blind spot? Yes. Deaf spot? Not so much." Gobber commented.

I grinned down at him. Gobber was so cool.

"Hey, so how would one sneak up on a Night Fury?" Hiccup asked again.

"None one's ever met one and lived to tell the tale. Now get in there." Gobber scolded.

"I know, I know, but hypothetically-"

"Hiccup!" Astrid shushed. Hiccup quieted.

Stormfly landed by them, searching for them. They had learned from the mistakes of the Twins.

Astrid somersaulted into a blind spot. Snotlout and Hiccup followed. Unfortunately Hiccup's somersault was ruined by his own shield, smacking down loudly on the ground. Astrid pulled him away from Stormfly's sight.

Soon enough though, Astrid positioned herself in a place to strike. As she prepared to swing Snotlout jumped in her path.

I scoffed.

"Watch out babe. I'll take care of this."

"Hey!"

"I hope this idiot gets himself killed." I remarked, knowing well and good that nothing short of old age was gonna kill Snotlout. People like him tended to go on a decade or two beyond the others, didn't they?

Snotlout threw an axe. It missed Stormfly by a mile.

"The sun was in my eyes, Astrid." Snotlout excused to a disgusted Astrid. "What do you want me to do, block out the sun? I could do that, but I don't have time right now!"

Astrid ran away from the Nadder. Stormfly seemed to know who the better target was, chasing after her. Stormfly knocked down some of the walls while doing so.

"They probably take the daytime off. You know, like a cat." Hiccup remarked, unperturbed by the destruction going on around him. Even when the other vikings ran into him in a panic. "Has anyone ever seen one napping?"

"Hiccup!" Gobber scolded, gesturing towards the approaching Nadder.

Astrid leapt over one of the last walls, falling towards "Hiccup!"

She landed on top of him. I winced, glancing away. Still, the bluetooth in my ear let me hear what they were saying. Good for me I couldn't understand the twins!

Stormfly was closing in on them.

Astrid was trying to disentangle herself from Hiccup. It wasn't working well. Her axe was stuck fast in Hiccup's shield, not letting go.

"Just... let me... why don't you-"

Stormfly started to rush their way, screeching all the while.

Astrid had an idea. She pushed her foot into Hiccup's face, pulling the axe/shield away. She smashed into Stormfly's face at the precise moment of supposed death.

Stormfly whimpered. She limped away, hiding her face with a wing.

My heart went out to her. "Oh, you poor thing."

"Well done, Astrid." Gobber praised. He came into the ring to guide Stormfly back to her cell.

Astrid decided to take this time to rant at Hiccup. He avoided her gaze, with good reason. She was pissed right now. "Is this some kind of a joke to you? Our parents' war is about to become ours. Figure out which side you're on." She picked up her axe, storming off.

When he finally looked up, his eyes landed on me.

After a quick check that the hood was covering my face, I gave him a polite wave. With that done I ran off to the Pit.

==TST==

"And so then I asked if I could call him 'Mister Dragon'-"

"Uh-huh."

"But see, he didn't like that. He grumbled and walked away."

"Uh-huh."

"I don't think Toothless likes me, Mom."

"Uh-huh."

"Hey Mom did you talk to- Mom are you listening?"

"Uh-huh." My head shot up from the devices I was working on. "What? Oh! Yes. Totally listening."

Lilac glowered at me- as threatening as being glared at by a bunny. "You're not listening."

I sighed, putting aside the equipment I was using. "Lilac I am listening, okay? Everything is boring right now because nothing is happening. Nothing is going to happen until Hiccup starts training Toothless-"

"I know that." Lilac huffed. She crossed her arms, sitting back on her haunches. "Still boring."

"Well maybe you could try painting. I was able to work with the wood around here to make some charcoal." I pointed to a nearby lump, covering up by my cloak. "Not the best stuff, but hey! Charcoal."

Lilac pouted. "...charcoal sounds cool."

"It does!" I agreed.

Lilac brightened suddenly. "Hey! Maybe I can use the rocks as-" She paused, sniffing deeply. "Hiccup is here."

I blinked in surprise. "You can smell him?" I asked. "What does he even smell like?"

"Like you, but little." Lilac explained, which actually didn't help at all.

"You mean like...human?"

"Yeah!" Lilac beamed. She ran out of our cave, looking towards the lake.

I picked up my cloak, mindful of the small charcoal sticks I'd made. Guess she would use them later. Throwing the cloak on I walked out of the cave.

Sure enough, the small viking was walking along the wall of the Pit. There was a fish in his hands. He was sneaking along the grass, searching for Toothless.

The dragon spotted him first. Toothless was climbing up a rock to be ready to pounce. Hiccup yelped when he noticed him.

Toothless hopped down. He stalked up to Hiccup, looking excited for the fish. He stopped to hiss at the knife in Hiccup's belt.

I reached up at Lilac, stopping her where she was going. She looked at me in confusion. Yes I'm aware Hiccup would toss the knife away, that had nothing to do with it. This was a private moment between the two. Lilac and I couldn't interfere.

Hiccup pulled it out of his belt. He tossed it to the ground. As Toothless continued to growl, Hiccup picked it up with his foot to toss it in the water.

Toothless turned into the most precious puppy. He opened his jaw to reveal pink gums.

"Huh. Toothless. I could've sworn you had-" Hiccup commented just as the sharp teeth came out. Toothless bit down on the fish, pulling it away from the now stunned Hiccup. "Teeth."

Toothless finished off the fish. He turned to Hiccup, expectantly.

"Uh, no. No, I don't have any more." Hiccup replied.

Toothless walked towards Hiccup. The Viking tried backing away from him.

Lilac curled herself around my feet. The young dragon was making what dragons considered snorts. I relaxed my stance, tilting my head at Hiccup.

Toothless spat the fish head into Hiccup's lap.

Now I was smiling at him.

Hiccup stared at the fish. A long uncomfortable stare.

Toothless stared at Hiccup, waiting for him to eat. Lilac tilted her head.

It was clear to Hiccup what we wanted him to do. He grimaced in disgust. He looked down to the fish in his lap, then up at Toothless. I smiled toothily.

He gagged but took a bite.

It was disgusting to him.

But oh so funny to my daughter and I.

Still. Hiccup smiled when he was done.

Toothless copied him.

Hiccup stood up. He reached out for the dragon. Toothless glared, hissing. The dragon flew off to the other side of the Pit.

This flight, went around Lilac and I. Hiccup's gaze fell on us.

"You." He pointed at me. "I- I saw you, at training."

I tilted my head at him. "Lilac. Go to the cave."

"Ma-"

"Now." I instructed. My daughter ran off.

Right now, I had no notebook. Even if I did, I knew that it had nothing on what Hiccup was saying to me.

"You were watching us train." Hiccup continued on. "What- what are you saying? Were you just talking to a dragon?"

"Oh, poor viking. If only you knew how stupid and pointless this is." I sighed. "I could talk about anything I wanted right now, and you have no idea what I'm saying."

Hiccup blinked. "What was that?"

"What I wouldn't give for a TARDIS translation circuit right now..."

"And- and what kind of dragon did you have?" Hiccup asked in excitement. He pointed with the dragon-puked fish towards where Lilac had run off. "I've never seen one like that before!"

"You really are that brand of idiot, aren't you?" I asked.

Hiccup's excitement died down. In the universal language of expression. "And you have no idea what I'm saying."

I replied in the second universal language: sarcastic clapping.

The viking rolled his eyes.

Hiccup huffed. He walked by me, waving his hand. "Yeah, yeah. I get it."

So I continued to clap, while Hiccup went over to Toothless.

Lilac peaked out from our cave. I waved at her, motioning for her to go back inside and use the new pencils. My daughter nodded, crawling back inside the cave.

Once she was back in the cave I let myself relax.

Toothless snapped at Hiccup, making the Viking back away. Toothless curled up to ignore us properly.

Hiccup walked back over towards me, brushing dirt off his clothes in an effort to look unfazed.

"He really doesn't like visitors." Hiccup commented. I tilted my head. "A-nd you can't understand me. Great, just, great." He put his hands on his hips, grunting in when I took to be annoyance.

Hiccup glanced over at Toothless, then back to me. "Why hasn't he tried to kill you?"

I righted my head. There was no use sitting through this one-sided conversation. I ran around the pond back towards our little cave, ignoring Hiccup for something more important.

Lilac held up a rock, where I could see charcoal marks on it.

"Oh! What's that, Princess?" I asked.

"It's Hiccup!" Lilac answered. "Except he's flying with Toothless!"

"I see it now. Thank you!" I cheered.

==TST==

The sun was beginning to set. While the Pit kept out the harsh light of sunset, it able to pick up the orange/pink glow of the sky.

Lilac was drawing in the dirt. I sat back, Bluetooth in my ear while I mumbled Norse under my breath. In my lap was the script notebook. Toothless was hanging upside down on a tree, sleeping.

While we were drawing, Hiccup came up. I glanced at him from under the hood. He watched Lilac drawing in the dirt. She had been insistent that I be drawn, but she wanted to practice in dirt first.

Hiccup seemed to sense he was being watched. He turned his head to see me. I made no moves towards him, just watching. Like a lioness waiting for the right time to pounce.

Lilac paid him no mind. She continued drawing in the dirt as if he wasn't there.

"What are you doing?" Hiccup spoke up. He knelt by Lilac, following her stick with a keen eye. "Are you...drawing?"

Lilac didn't answer.

I cleared my throat.

Hiccup turned to me. "Just...Who are you?"

I blinked.

"Can you understand anything I'm saying?" He asked. "Why were you watching us train?"

"Whatever you just said, I'm guessing my answer is 'no'." I replied dryly.

"I got the 'no'."

"Hey! It's not the only thing I can say!" I argued...before realizing that maybe Hiccup wasn't saying anything insulting.

"...yeah I give up." Hiccup conceded defeat. He went back to looking at Lilac.

The small purple dragon had finished her drawing. She ran up to my side, grabbing my hand to pull me aside to see. After putting the book down and turning off the Bluetooth I let myself be led. I smiled at her, kneeling down to her side. I pulled back my hood enough to kiss her head unobstructed.

"Is it good, Mommy?" Lilac asked.

"It's beautiful, Princess." I kissed her head again. "When Hiccup leaves, I'll take a picture on my-"

"No. I'm gonna put it on a rock. Then you can take it home!" Lilac reminded, exasperated.

I laughed knowingly. "Right. Silly me." Rising to my feet I straightened out my cloak. "You just get on that."

Lilac smiled- and it was much brighter than any dragon smile I had ever seen. Yes I'm aware I'm a biased source. Fuck you.

My daughter ran past me. She grabbed a large rock, dragging it back to her drawing. All the while, Hiccup watched with an inquisitive expression. Lilac grabbed the stick she had been using, holding it out toward Hiccup.

I sat back on my boulder, putting the notebook back in my lap. Once it was situated I pretended to read. My focus was more on Hiccup, who hadn't taken the stick yet.

"Oh-kay." Hiccup took the stick, hesitantly staring at it. "I'm not supposed to eat this right?"

Lilac just continued to smile. She started to draw on her rock, using her tail to pat on the ground. Hiccup stared on, confused. Lilac patted down on the ground, then nodded to the stick in Hiccup's hands. When he still gave no sign of understanding, Lilac pointed at Toothless, patted the dirt, then back at the stick.

The Viking understood what he was supposed to be doing at Lilac's insistence. He began drawing in the dirt, using the stick as a brush. Lilac beamed- giving her focus to the rock that she'd be drawing me on.

"Hiccup." I remarked.

"Huh?" Hiccup looked up at me.

"You...Hiccup." I answered. "Your...is your…"

"...my name is Hiccup, yeah." He replied. "How do- right you don't know. Umm...uh...name. My name is Hiccup."

"Yes. Is your...name."

Author, I hope I was saying 'name'. Otherwise this would get awkward fast.

"And...your name?" Hiccup asked. His question was easy to figure out.

"Starfire." I stated. It was a name that Lilac and I agreed I would use.

It sounded cool, okay?

Don't judge me.

"Starfire?" Hiccup repeated. Oh thank the Author, names didn't give a Shut about language. I was worried for a minute there. "Wow...that name is cool."

I grinned- recognizing the compliment in his tone.

Hiccup went back to his drawing.

After a few moments, Toothless climbed down from the tree. I watched with the same lioness poise while the Night Fury approached.

Toothless peered over mine and Hiccup's shoulders to see the drawing. Hiccup stayed calm, continuing to draw. The Night Fury got the idea far quicker than his future Rider. He waddled away to grab a small tree.

It made me chuckle to watch him do that.

Toothless dragged the tree along the dirt. He used his tail to brush away Lilac's dirt drawing of myself, which really was fine. Lilac hadn't even reacted, just continued drawing on her rock. Toothless drew lines in awful zigzag patterns, occasionally glancing back at Hiccup.

Soon enough the drawing was complete.

It...was a good try.

Toothless beamed like a proud child.

Hiccup stood up from the rock to get a better view of his portrait. He tried to walk out from the portrait, only to hit a line. Toothless growls. Hiccup moves his foot away. He tried it again- Toothless answered with a growl.

Hiccup learned his lesson. He stepped over the lines, being careful to avoid accidentally stepping on one.

I walked out, with much less fanfare. Lilac watched her fellow dragon and his rider with childlike curiosity.

During the dance, Hiccup was backing up towards Toothless. I watched Hiccup's face when he realized he had backed into a dragon. The viking turned to face the dragon. Hiccup held his hand out to Toothless. The dragon paused. Hiccup turned his face away, but kept his hand outstretched.

Toothless pushed his nose against Hiccup's hand, holding still against Hiccup's touch.

Hiccup turned to his hand, staring in shock at the non-violent interaction between human and dragon.

My own head reached down, brushing on Lilac's head fin. My daughter pushed her head up into my hand.

Hiccup and Toothless just stood in the clearing, letting the moment exist between them. I knelt by Lilac's side, holding her closer to me. My daughter returned the hug, humming in content.

It was when Hiccup pulled his hand away that the moment ended, but not the connection. Toothless dashed away. Hiccup watched him go. He then stared down at his hand in shock.

My hand brushed on Lilac's head again.

The sun was setting faster. Hiccup seemed to snap out of whatever had been going on in his head, though still looking out towards Toothless.

"Hiccup." I called him out of his headspace.

Hiccup turned to me.

I held out my hand to him, pulling my other hand off of Lilac to push my hood back. "Night." I insisted.

Hiccup nodded, expression stuck under 'stunned' to really react to my face. "Right, right. Yeah."

"Don't worry." I assured. "Not dead."

"Yeah...you're right." Hiccup nodded. "I'm not dead."

"Yes." I grinned. "Go back to bed, Hiccup."

The viking- in the beginning stages of shock- agreed. He moved to the rocky wall of the Pit, climbing up. Lilac and I watched him go. We waved him goodbye once he reached the top.

"Mommy?" Lilac began.

"Yes, dearie?"

"Is Hiccup gonna be okay?"

"Nope. He's gonna be freaking out until he wakes up tomorrow. When he builds Toothless' tail."

"But he'll be okay?"

I leaned down to kiss her head again. "In the long run, yeah." Ruffling her head fin, I soaked in the sound of her giggles. "Now...how did your rock drawing go?"

Lilac's face broke out in a beam. She went over to pick up her rock.

As she did this, I was aware that Toothless was watching us from the tree he was dangling from. Now I had no understanding of what dragon-speak was, I was aware there was some silent messages sent. Toothless could tell that Lilac and I were a unit- that there was a bond between us that couldn't be broken by anything he would do.

Or, maybe he didn't want a repeat of what happened the last time he rushed at me. I had hit him pretty hard with the Asgardian spear.

Maybe...maybe now he wanted this. Wanted a human-dragon bond like our's.

And he was observing, learning.

All that mattered was that I could enjoy some time with Lilac.

She ran up to me, holding up the rock in her hands. I sat down on the ground, holding out my hands for that.

"Does it look like you, Mommy?" Lilac asked.

"It's beautiful." I replied. "Can I put this up on the fridge back Home?"

Lilac laughed. She leapt at me, pulling me in for a hug. "Yeah Mommy. But it won't stick under a magnet. It's too big."

"It will if I make it a magnet." I countered. "Super easy to do. It's gonna look awesome."

Lilac loved that idea.

Not long after, the two of us walked back towards our cave. It was dinner time. We were having stew tonight- big surprise there.

I did put out a bowl for Toothless though. Heavy on the fish.

Which he took, ages later.

It was a start.