A/N: Hello, everyone and welcome to chapter 4. Thank you to FictionL0ver11, Kacper983, and Emeraldshard for the reviews, now onto the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD or any of the characters, Cressida Cowell and DreamWorks do.

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Hiccup waited outside of the chief's hall.

Soon, Idunnr emerged alone, her expression unfathomable.

"You may stay here in Father's hall, and your dragon can stay in the barn," she said, nodding toward a large barn a few buildings down.

"Actually, if it's alright with you, I'd rather stay with Toothless," Hiccup said, patting the dragon, who murmured contentedly at the touch.

Idunnr scowled.

"Very well," she sighed. "But before you do, Father would like a word with you in private."

Hiccup nodded and patted Toothless once more and left his dragon to return to the chief.

"What sort of skills do you have, boy?" Thorvald asked. "After all, I don't think you'd object to earning your keep 'round here."

"No, of course not," Hiccup answered.

"I have no problem with letting you stay," Thorvald said, eyeing Hiccup up and down critically, "But here everyone does their part, even the children."

"I…well, I'm fairly alright at blacksmithing. I was an apprentice back on…back home. I made that saddle and stirrup that you saw on Toothless."

"Toothless?" Thorvald laughed. "You named a dragon with fangs that sharp 'Toothless'?"

"His fangs can retract themselves," Hiccup explained. "Sort of like a cat's claws."

"Is that right?" Thorvald looked impressed. "How much do you know about dragons then?"

"Well, I know dragons hate the smell of eels. Sometimes just the sight seems to run them off. They get distracted by shiny objects, oh, and most of the ones I've seen all have a limited number of shots. Once they reach the limit, they have to wait for it to build back up."

"Alright then, we'll see what you can do," Thorvald said. "You start work first thing in the morning. Now, you go get a good night's rest, you'll have a big day ahead. You'll be smithing in the old forge, but I'll be expecting some proof of that dragon knowledge as well."

"Thank you, sir," Hiccup actually smiled. "I won't let you down."

"See to it that you don't," Thorvald replied.

When Hiccup led Toothless to the barn, he saw a mound of straw for Toothless and what looked to be a pallet for him.

"Well, this won't be so bad, Bud," he said cheerfully. "At least we'll have some shelter."

Toothless rumbled in agreement and settled down on his mound.

After an indeterminable amount of time, the doors to the barn opened and in walked Idunnr and a woman.

The woman carried a large basket filled to the brim with smoked fish, and Idunnr carried a wooden tray laden with a wooden bowl, some cutlery, a horn tankard, and a chunk of bread.

As the delicious smells wafted towards him, Hiccup could feel his stomach rumble, begging for food and it was then that he realized how long it had been since they had last eaten.

Toothless seemed just as eager to feed, for the moment the woman sat the basket before him hesitantly, the dragon pounced.

The woman cried out in surprise and jumped back, and Hiccup immediately stepped in.

"Sorry about that," he said, smiling awkwardly. "He's just really hungry. We haven't had much luck with finding food."

"You're certainly not from anywhere around here then," the woman replied, recovering her composure as she straightened her apron. "Even in the coldest winters, you can find something if you only know where to look."

"Here," Idunnr said, setting the tray down before him. Hiccup's stomach once again twisted as he laid eyes on the meal; bread, which smelled as though it had been freshly baked, a small slab of butter alongside the bread, a hearty piece of roasted pork and few slices of apple, and a bowl of what looked to be some kind of soup.

As he glanced at the soup, tiny white wisps floated above the bowl, stretching out to caress his nostrils. And the tankard was filled with mead, still steaming as well.

"This all smells amazing," Hiccup said, helping himself to a bit of the bread, careful not to burn his fingers.

As he bit into the loaf, the young outcast immediately groaned in appreciation.

"I take it that's a compliment," Idunnr smirked at the woman. "Well done as usual, Brenna."

Brenna chuckled as Hiccup took a generous helping of the pork and apples before dipping the bread into the soup, all the while sighing gratefully.

"You eat just like my Horik," she said. "It doesn't matter how much that boy eats, he acts like he's starved to death nearly anytime he catches so much as a whiff of food. Mind you, it doesn't matter how much he eats either, he always manages to stay just as small and skinny as you."

Hiccup flinched slightly, hoping neither of the two noticed.

Brenna surely meant nothing hurtful by her words, but they had stung anyway.

No matter how hard he had tried, he never could bulk up. Did this Horik child struggle the way he had on Berk? Forever mocked for something he couldn't help.

But then, he noticed the way Brenna spoke; her tone wasn't brusque or disappointed, and her expression was one of maternal fondness, not a frown or a scowl.

Not like the way his father looked at him.

Idunnr was smiling as well, her previously cold expression now one of unmistakable warmth and tenderness.

"I saw him earlier today," she was saying to Brenna. "I take it he's doing better?"

"Oh, much better," Brenna answered, sounding relieved. "Scared me to death, he did."

Hiccup didn't mean to listen in, but he couldn't help it. These two didn't speak of this Horik with a hint of disdain or hostility.

"You ought to come see him soon," Brenna said, placing a hand on Idunnr's shoulder. "I know he'd like that."

"I will," she promised. "I'll make time."

Brenna nodded her thanks and turned to Hiccup.

"If ever you find yourself needing something more, feel free to ask," she said. "Especially if you're going to be staying around a while."

Hiccup, who's mouth was currently filled with the last chunk of bread, merely nodded in reply.

Brenna chuckled and took her leave.

"Guess you're already making a good impression," Idunnr remarked when the woman was gone.

"If the rest of her food is anything like this, she's a great cook," Hiccup shrugged before taking a long sip of the remaining soup broth. It was thick and creamy, but the taste itself was very light. Different herbs and the salty tang of dried meat danced on Hiccup's tongue as the soup ran over it and then down his throat.

"She is," Idunnr agreed. "She's trying to teach me. But a healer's work is never done, so there's not always too much time for it."

As soon as she said this though, Idunnr's cheeks flushed a slight pink.

"Well, I'd better get back," she said, turning and heading for the door.

It was not long after she left that Hiccup heard the wind outside pick up. Soon, the wind was howling, coming in through the cracks in the barn, and blowing all around the building.

Just as he felt Toothless's wings wrapped around him protectively, the doors to the barn flew open and in raced Idunnr, a fur cloak wrapped around her and a hood over her head.

"Hurry!" she shouted, racing toward the pair. "You must go to my father's hall!"

"I told you-" Hiccup started, but Idunnr immediately cut him off.

"The dragon can come if it means you'll be out of this barn!" she snapped. "Now, move it!"

Hiccup and Toothless were on their feet in seconds and followed Idunnr. At first, it was difficult as Hiccup found his vision impaired by the snow flurries that seemed to be everywhere, making it almost impossible to see.

At last, they had reached the chief's hall.

Idunnr threw the door open and ushered the pair inside before slamming the door and bolting it.

"What's happening?" Hiccup looked worried.

"Fortune smiles on you, lad," Thorvald stated, smirking grimly. "A storm's hit."

"There's no way to build a proper fire in the barn," Idunnr said breathlessly. "You'd both have froze to death before first light. That dragon of yours either would have set the whole barn ablaze, or he'd run out of fire. Either way, you'd be dead."

Hiccup could feel a heavy sense of dread fill his chest.

"I guess it's a lucky thing Idunnr found us, huh?" he asked Toothless.

Toothless didn't look entirely happy, but his gaze softened a bit this time when he looked at Idunnr, who did not return the sentiment.

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Alright, this chapter was a bit short, but I promise the next one will be much longer. Come chapter 5, the real fun begins, but you will have to wait until Monday, September 21st to see it. Until then, everyone.