Weeks passed, and day by day, Toothless started to feel like he truly belonged, he started to, almost forget about going home to Berk. He had found the last of his kind, the last of the species he believed would go extinct with his death, and found a land he only dreamed of and heard rumors about. The birthplace of the Nightfury, their Ancestral home; he was supposed to leave this? Leave and go back to Berk, and maybe never find Nïghtheart again?
It was something he struggled to think about, going back home seemed like the most logical and, well, the right choice, but at the same time to him it felt so wrong. It wasn't that he didn't miss Hiccup or Berk, he wanted to see them again so bad, but going home now felt, almost selfish, just as selfish as staying felt. How could he go home? How could he just fly back, land on Berk when they all thought he was dead?
Yet, how could he stay here, live his life in happiness and acceptance and leave Hiccup and the Dragons without closure. Didn't they atleast deserve to know he was alive?
The nightfury growled and kicked at a stone in his path, walking on aimlessly in the night. He was exploring what little of the island he had left to see, a place Lea had recommended he visit when the Moon was high in the sky, as, according to him, that was the best time to visit this particular valley. He could see why..
The glass-like texture of the ground in this area reflected the Moonlight beautifully, giving an almost crystalized feel to the land as it sparkled and shimmered, and Toothless couldn't help but stare in awe. Midgard had some beautiful places hidden away admist the rest of the Realm, and Nïghtheart was easily one of them. Along all his travels with Hiccup, and even the years before, he hadn't come across one that quiet matched the mystical element of Nïghtheart.
While Berk had the odd gem in its beauty, namely, the Cove where he and Hiccup first bonded, and seeing the village from certain angles, it didn't compare to some places he had seen, even at a passing glance. What he would give to take Eclipse to see some of those places.
The valley stretched on for atleast a mile or two, with a deep lake running along the full length of the eastern side, small glass spines protruding from the water surface and casting the Moonlight glow around them. From every part of Nïghtheart he had seen, this was easily his most favourite, and he doubted there was anywhere else on Midgard that could capture the mystery and magic of dragons like this valley did.
"Beautiful, ain't it?" Toothless, startled by the new voice, turned to see Eclipse descending behind him, taking extra care when she landed. He nodded and turned back to admire the valley. "You definitely saved the best part of Nïghtheart for last."
"It was Lea who suggested it." Toothless informed, continuing his walk. All the other thoughts, the internal debate on whether to stay here or go back home to Berk had all been pushed to the back of his mind.
"Let me guess, he told you to come when it was night?" Again, Toothless simply nodded. "I'm glad he did.. The Valley is beautiful in the daylight too, but at night its just..."
"Magical?" Toothless offered, turning to face her, to which Eclipse nodded softly.
"Yeah, magical." She sighed, stepping into line besides Toothless and walking with him throughout the Valley in a comfortable silence.
"Eclipse?" The male stopped and whispered the while she continued for a few steps.
"Yeah?" She stopped and turned back to Toothless. "What is it?" Toothless gestured with his head towards something just to his left, and she followed his gaze to something new to the Valley. She couldn't hold in the little excited scream when she saw it.
A glass flower. She hadn't ever seen one before, but she had always heard the older dragons talk about them. Only a rare few would bloom every couple years in this valley, a flower but with Petals made up of the same crystal glass that was scattered heavily throughout the valley. The petals reflected the Moonlight, creating an almost mesmerising pattern on the ground around the flower.
She had to hold herself back from getting any closer, as she remembered hearing about how fragile their Petals were, and she didn't want to ruin the only one she had ever seen. Toothless noted that she was keeping from getting to close to the flower, and he chose to do the same. While he had never seen, or even heard of these before, he could tell they were something rare and special even here, based on her reaction.
"I've never seen one of these before. Almost twenty years on this island and U thought I'd seen everything it had to offer.. Then this." She took a step away, using her tail to wipe a lone tear that threatened to fall. In all this time, she had never seen one, and now she was able to witness one that had only just bloomed. She couldn't ask for anything better.
The two dragons did their best to remember where this flower roughly was, before walking onwards deeper into the valley. After a few seconds, Eclipse couldn't help herself when she quickly tackled Toothless into a hug, nuzzling into his neck in joy. The male, caught heavily off guard only laughed nervously as she did so. "Thank you.." He gave her a confused look; she was acting like the flower bloomed because of him.
"What for?"
"For.. Alot.. You've.. Since you came into my life you've been a great friend to me.. You've made life around here more fun.. Don't get me wrong, I love Falcon and Autumn to bits but 'birdboy' gets me into trouble more often than not, and Autumn usually isn't much of the playful type."
"Really?" Toothless did the equivalent of raising an eyebrow, "Autumn joined in alot of the times we've played games."
"Trust me, T.. Thats not usually her. She's usually more of a keep to herself kinda girl. If its just me and her, then we really don't do much besides talk, and I love her to pieces but.. I don't know. I'm glad you turned up though, you've bought her out her shell aswell... Not to mention.. You're actually one of the few new friends I've made whose actually made an effort with Lea.." She nuzzled into the males neck again, and Toothless closed his wings around her to return the hug.
"Eclipse, I'm, glad you think I was such a good friend to you."
"Toothless? Are. Are you going to leave us?"
"Wh-what?" He looked at her, already having an idea of what she was talking about, and he could see the faint traces of pain and worry in her eyes.
"Le-leave and go back to your old home? I remember you saying you're an Alpha... Are you going to leave?" She did her best to look him in the eyes and mask her emotions. In truth, she was scared he would leave her. He may have been her newest friend, but he was already one of her closest and one of the most fun to hang out with. Autumn was a great talker and listener, and she'd only come out of her shell into being more playful because of Toothless.. Whose to say she wouldn't retreat back into it without having him around to confidence boost her.
He had that effect, she noticed. He'd give off such a calm and welcoming aura that you'd feel more safe and confident around him. She certainly did, and she didn't want to lose that. She snapped back to the present when she heard him sigh sadly.
"I.. I don't know Eclipse." He sighed, and hugged his wings around her tighter in reassurance. "I don't know.. I want to stay here, I really do, but I'm still an Alpha, and I still have a flock of Dragons to care about.. I don't want to go back and leave you guys, but.. I.." He sighed and wrapped his tail around hers when he felt small droplets of water landing on him, and he noticed then that tears were starting to form.
"I'm sorry.. I'm just being selfish.. You need to think about the flock.." She whimpered and got up to leave, but Toothless didn't let her.
"You're not being selfish.. I WANT to stay here, I really do; they deserve closure though, atleast.. They all think I'm dead.. They atleast deserve to know the truth." He sighed. She lay there in his comforting embrace, contemplating the fact that he was right. His flock, in the very least, atleast should know he was actually alive.
Nuzzling into his chest, she felt safe when admitting her fear that he wouldn't return, admitting she was scared that he'd leave.. Not come back and everything on Nïghtheart would just go back to how it was before him, boring and less opportunity for any fun. Toothless sighed.
"I promise, on my Firesoul.. That if I do go back home.. I will come back and see you again. You have my word." To add to the sincerity of his promise, he opened up his Firesoul to her and let her Sense it, something he had, for the most part, been keeping dragons away from doing. It seemed to do just what he hoped, let Eclipse believe and trust him.
She smiled a soft smile and nuzzled back into his chest, and Toothless lay there for a couple minutes before realising she had drifted off to sleep in his makeshift cocoon. Carefully shifting his weight around, he managed to wiggle his body out from underneath and gently lay her down on the grass, before draping a wing over her for warmth and curling his other one to his side.
