Hello everyone, and welcome to the annual Snoggletog story.

Normally these get published in the week leading up to Christmas, but after the weirdness that was 2020, I decided to post a chapter each week till the 25th of December.

For those who are reading one of these festive stories for the first time, I must explain that several years ago, I turned Astrid into a werewolf. It was only meant to be for one story but it seems to have become a new Snoggletog tradition (the wolf Astrid does not appear in my other stories though).

Nothing more to say than read on, enjoy, and please don't judge me too harshly.

How To Train Your Wolf

Chapter 1

Twas the night before Snoggletog and all across Berk
The Vikings all partied (Snotlout danced like a jerk)

The stables were cleaned (you could eat off the floor)
Because new dragon hatchlings would soon come through the door.

From far Dragon Island the parents would come,
And be all welcomed warmly with fife, horn and drum

"AAHHHHRRRGG! I'm so boooooored" Ruffnut complained "Can't we go and do something fun? Normally at this time of year you're all about jokes, pranks and cool stuff like that."

"I'm afraid you must now do such childish things on your own my noble sibling" Tuffnut replied "It appears I have matured somewhat since the last festive season. Therefore all I want to do right now is to finish my Ode to Snoggletog; my Magnum Opus."

"Opus?! It took you the entire morning to write six lines, and they're all total garbage... although I do like the part about Snotlout dancing like a jerk" Ruffnut smirked.

"I write what I see" Tuffnut said smugly.

"I don't know about that fife, horn and drum garbage though" Ruffnut sneered, bringing a terse response from her brother.

"It had to rhyme with the last bit."

"And you didn't even consider writing something about a dragon biting Snotlout's bum? That would have been the perfect rhyme" Ruffnut suggested.

"Far too juvenile" Tuffnut waved off the idea.

"Too juvenile?" Ruffnut gasped before taking her scornful sneer up to new heights of disgust "It's like I don't even know you anymore."

"Maybe you don't" Tuffnut said with his nose in the air "I see myself now as a prime example of a true Renaissance Viking."

Ruffnut stormed out of the Thorston household and slammed the door behind her, leaving her brother to his artistic work.

Outside the house, Ruffnut found Berk to be a hive of activity. Most of the dragons had already left for Dragon Island, including her own, but she could see Hiccup giving last minute instructions to Gustav and his small team of riders.

"Now what are you going to do if and dragon hunters turn up to steal baby dragons?" Hiccup asked.

Young Gustav gave an obvious sigh, having been through this line of questioning many times since he was chosen to protect the hatchlings this Snoggletog season.

"First we get an accurate count of how many ships and an approximate number of hunters. Then I send that information back to you in Toothless's saddlebags before setting up a perimeter above the beach to fire on the hunters before they come ashore. If they do manage to land before you arrive to take command, I let the wild dragons defend the island while the Berkian dragons and their riders protect the nests and the hatchlings."

"And if the hunters do manage to get away with some baby dragons?" Hiccup checked.

"I take all the riders to pursue the ships, except for one who will remain to let you know what directional heading the hunters fled in" Gustav said proudly.

"Well done" Hiccup smiled "I doubt you'll have any trouble but it's good to be prepared."

"Can I go then?" Gustav said impatiently "Fanghook is getting anxious and if we don't leave soon, he may just take off without me."

"Go" Hiccup agreed "and good luck."

"I won't let you down boss" the young rider declared as he mounted his dragon's saddle and flew off to get the rest of his team.

As Hiccup started to wander back to the warmth of his home, Ruffnut continued to look for something or someone to amuse her, and the next promising sign came from Fishlegs Ingerman. He appeared to be holding back the tears as he waved goodbye to his beloved Gronkle.

"Come on Fishy" Ruffnut said encouragingly as she slapped the young man hard on his back "It's only for a few days."

"Oh... hi Ruff. I know it won't be long but it's so hard to see her go."

"But when she gets back" Ruffnut started to tickle her friend "tiny widdle dwagons, oh so cute and cuddly."

"HA! Stop that" Fishlegs protested.

Ruffnut did as requested and just watched with Fishlegs as the Gronckle grew smaller and smaller in the distance.

"Well... watcha gonna do now" Ruffnut asked as she nudged the Gronkle riders shoulder.

"I thought I'd take a walk along the coast trail" he replied.

"What would you say to some company?"

"I'd say... hello company" Fishlegs grinned.

As the Berkian people went about the business of preparing for the upcoming time of celebration, three longships sailed several leagues off the islands northwest coast, inevitably making their way towards the home of the Dragon Riders. One of the occupants of these ships was once a resident of Berk, but he could never quite accept the presence of the dragons.

"This had better work Mildew, or you may find yourself spending Snoggletog at the bottom of the ocean" the captain of the flagship threatened.

"Oh rest assured Lord Sorell, the village of Berk is always vulnerable at this time of year."

"And the dragons will be gone?"

"Yes milord; and they won't be back until well after midnight" Mildew grinned in a way that even disturbed the pirate captain.

"And by then we should be lost to them on the dark seas" Sorell chuckled.

"So how we gonna go about this business Captain?" the scowling first officer asked.

"We'll put ashore well away from the village and I'll take half our men ashore. We'll make our way around Berk to the high ground behind the village. When the sun has set and Stoick's people have started their celebration, we attack with flaming arrows and set fire to as many buildings as we can on the high side of the village.

As soon as you see fires, make your way to the dock and Mildew will lead you to where the Berkians hide their gold. Get as much as you can back onto the ships while we keep Stoick and his forces busy. When you're done, retreat while setting fire to every building close to the dock to cover your escape, and finally burning the dock itself with their ships. While the Berkians try in vain to prevent their village from becoming little more than a black smouldering pile of ash, retreat back to the place you put us ashore, where you will pick us up again.

Then after leaving Berk with no ships or dragons to pursue us with, we'll disappear into the night with enough treasure to buy our own island base."

"Sounds like a wonderful plan Captain" the first mate sneered "but are you sure this Mildew character's information can be trusted?"

The pirate captain stared at Mildew with a look of distain.

"If it turns out to be somewhat incorrect, kill him!"

Mildew shivered at the threat, knowing his life now depended on his knowledge of Berk security; he just hoped that knowledge wasn't out of date and obsolete.

'

Welcome back to any of my regular readers.

If any of you are waiting for the next book in the Return of the Dragons series, the good news is I've been working on it all year, but the bad news is it is going very slowly because it is rather a complex story. I will try to get the first act ready to publish as soon as I can, but don't hold your breath because I'm guessing it won't be till the second half of 2021.

Back next Friday, Marty (and Boo Cat)