CHAPTER 2

*Hiccup's POV*

When I finally woke up, my head was pounding. I tried to remember what happened, and why I was laying on the forest floor.

The sun was beginning to set in the sky, making the shadows in between the trees more prominent.

Somewhere, it sounded like it was in the direction of the north end of Berk, a dragon roared and sent a chill up my spine.

Dragon. Dragon, Dragon, Dragon.

I shot up with a gasp. The Night Fury! "Oh gods. Oh gods." Running hand through my hair, I thought over what had happened this morning. The knife, the rope, the dragon.

I let him go.

I fell back against the cool ground again with a groan. "Oh gods, Dad is going to kill me." Probably should be getting home before anyone comes looking. As I stood up, my stomach growled, and I smiled sheepishly. "Probably should get some food too."

"Ren?" I spun around to find Liv walking around a tree towards the village. "What are you doing out here?"

"I should be asking you that." I grumbled. "Why do you still call me that?"

She smirked, amber eyes mischievous. "Because it makes ya annoyed." Her mouth softened into a smile. "Besides, I am not calling you Horrendous, and I hate calling ya Hiccup all the time, because yer not one. Ren, short for Horrendous." She kept walking towards Berk. "Now I'm hungry, so lets go get food, and you can tell me what happened on the way."

Would she understand? Or would she be angry? She was never one to openly hate dragons, but she never stopped others from killing them either.

She's your best friend.

I sighed, resigned myself to my fate, and followed. "It's a long story… kind of." She raised one eyebrow and motioned for me to continue. "You remember the Night Fury I shot down last night?"

"You mean the one that ended with my fighting the Nightmare?" She asked innocently. "Yes."

I frowned at the reminder, suddenly wondering how she got out of that. "Were you okay after that? Dad never told me."

"Maybe because he never asked." She snorted. "Just a few scratches. Nothing that won't heal shortly." I narrowed my eyes, wondering if she was telling the truth or not. "But enough about my adventures – I wanted to hear yer's."

"Anyway," I continued, making a mental note to ask her again later. "I went looking for it, and I found it."

Maybe it was my imagination, but she seemed to frown as she asked her next question. "And what did you do, kill it?"

"No."

She looked up from the ground at me, surprised.

"I couldn't kill it, Liv." I suddenly became scared that my secret would get out. "Please don't tell anyone, Liv. If Dad found out, he would disown me. If the rest found out… I don't know what I'd do, but it would be bad. Please."

She raised both hands air. "Calm down, Hiccup. I won't tell." Kicking a rock off the path, she glanced at me again, although this time she didn't look as reserved. "What did you do?"

"I let it go," I shrugged.

"Why?"

"It was just as scared as I was." I said. "He was intelligent. He was living. I don't know." My nerves came back, and I wondered again if I would regret letting the Fury go. "Did I do the wrong thing?"

Liv paused mid step and turned to fully see me slowly, face thoughtful. "Sometimes," She looked like she wanted to say more but was holding back. "Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is wait, and trust that you made the right decision." Her eyes burned with wisdom I didn't know she had. "Trust your gut, Hiccup. It'll never lead you wrong."

"Who told you that?"

Her smile turned somber. "An old friend." She shook her head. "He was a trader, and I knew him and his son before I met you."

"What happened to him?"

"He's still alive, last I heard. But he hasn't come back here in a long time."

I was curious, because we were both fifteen, so if she knew him then I might to. "What was his name?"

"I promised I wouldn't tell their family name, to keep them safe," she licked her lips. "But his first name was Vali."

The name didn't ring a bell, but something else she said caught my attention. "What trouble were they in?"

"I can't tell you." She shrugged. "I'm sorry."

We were almost at the Great Hall now, and I had answered her questions about my being in the woods, so I figured I could get one of mine answered. "Why were you in the woods? I didn't see you and I walked all over."

"You wouldn't have seen me – I was on the mountain by the North Sea." She answered then pushed the door open. "See you later, Ren."

She never answered the question.

I remembered the roar I woke up to, and how it came from that direction.

What were you doing on the mountain in the first place? I asked silently.

I had a feeling I wouldn't get an answer.

Successfully managing not to make any noise as I shut the front door, I jumped over the first step and started up the stairs hoping my dad was –

"Hiccup."

Hope crushed. "Dad!" I jumped, surprised. "What, uh, what are you doing up still?"

Dad rubbed his hands together, looking for all the world like he wanted to be somewhere else. "I need to speak to you, son."

Oh no. Great Odin, he knows. I felt the blood rush from my face as he stared down at me.

I felt like a bug. A very insignificant bug – like a roach. Or a beetle.

"Yeah," My voice came out squeaky and high pitched, and I coughed to clear my throat. I wondered how long it would take to get to the door if he got angry. "Yeah. What's… What's up, Dad?"

He stood straighter and took a deep breath. "I think its time you learn to fight dragons."

Both of us were still, enough to where I heard the laughter from the Great Hall down the street. My mouth hung open in shock. Not what I expected but…. not much better.

"…. What?"

"You get your wish." He clapped his hands together in finality, and I could feel the air leeching the last of the warmth from my small body. "Dragon training – You start in the morning."

"Dad." My father started walking towards the door. "Dad, - Dad! I was actually thinking – I love working with Gobber so much." I was panicking, trying anything to get out of this situation. "I was thinking maybe I could just, you know, keep working in the smithy – be his right hand?"

"You'll need this," Dad suddenly spun and handed me his axe. I dodged around the blade and tried reasoning with him again.

"Do we really need more warriors? We have most of the village." I pleaded. "Maybe I could even train under Gothi instead."

"You need to bring pride to your family, Hiccup, and this is how."

"Dad, I really don't think this is a good idea."

"Dragon training is the first step to becoming a viking." Dad dropped the axe in my arms and they trembled under the weight. "This is your last chance to prove you have what it takes to be the next chief."

Oh Hel, he was pulling out that card. "Dad, I really can't kill dragons."

He froze and glared down at me. "This is serious, son!" The axe in my hands suddenly felt a lot heavier. "When you hold that axe, you will hold all of us. You talk like us. Think like us. No more of …. this." With his hand, he gestured in my general direction, and my heart fell to my feet.

For the second time in two days, I felt the weight of everyone's jeers on my shoulders. "But… you just gestured to all of me."

"Deal?"

I looked down at the weapon in my hands and thought back to what Liv had told me the other night. What she told me today.

Why do you feel like you need to change yourself for them? They've done nothing for you.

Dad pushed my shoulder, and I stumbled backwards into the stairs. "Deal?"

They don't deserve you, Hiccup.

"….deal," I told him quietly.

It was the first lie I told my dad, and it wouldn't be the last.

"Good," He declared, and grabbed his helmet and bag. "Train hard. I'll be back." The door creaked as it was opened. "Probably."

"And I'll be here," I called. The door shut. "Maybe."

Trust your gut, Hiccup.

Tomorrow I would be paying a certain Night Fury a visit.

*Liv's POV*

Our house was still a burnt pile of rubble, so Mother and Father, as well as Saga, my older sister, were staying in the Great Hall again. Lukas had moved in with the Hofferson's, as he was engaged to Signy Hofferson – Astrid's older sister.

I was staying on the mountain.

During dinner, my mother had confronted me and informed me that I was beginning dragon training the next day, and to clean up beforehand.

She had also told me the pair was leaving in the morning for another search, and to listen to my siblings and the chief.

The snow crunched under my leather boots as I walked towards the small cave.

I would have to tell Hiccup eventually, but after ten years of secrecy, it was hard to open up to anyone.

A small chest sat in the back of the cave, safe from the elements. With a creak, the top fell open and I smiled, happy that everything was still in order. Inside was a set of ivory colored full body armor. Sitting on top of the pile was an ebony and ivory full face mask, with only two holes cut out for the eyes.

"I don't know why," I called. "but I have a feeling we'll be needing this soon." Looked over my shoulder, I smiled through tight lips.

Beside the armor was a hooded cloak. I fingered the edges of the scarlet gift, the heavy fabric built for durability and warmth. After snapping the clasp around my neck, I shut the lid to the chest. I caught the faint smell of the salty ocean and spices, and the scent brought back memories of a small black haired, grey eyed boy.

My eyes raked over the snow. Now that night had fallen, small snowflakes had begun to fall, starting to obscure any views. The cold penetrated my cloak, and I shivered. "Let's go ahead and get to bed. I need to be up early tomorrow."

I strolled over towards the section of snow covered trees, following the thin, razer sharp, interlocking ivory scales as the long tail widened into a thick hide. Four strong legs tipped with ebony claws were curled under the massive body, and the long sturdy neck wrapped around towards me. The massive head tilted curiously, large red eyes blinking innocently. Two ebony horns stuck out from the back of the head like a fan. The chin was wreathed in small fins, and a wide grin revealed thousands of toothpick like teeth.

When I reached the beast's side, one of the large wings stretched over me, the membrane shielding me from the wind and snow, as I laid down to sleep.

"Goodnight, Bones," I whispered to my dragon. "I love you."

He let out a deep rumble, his throat glowing a crimson red as he raised his body temperature. Warmth soaked into my body, and I felt safe. Sleep tugged on my mind, luring me closer.

I sighed, content, as I reclined against my best friend.

My dragon.

My Bones.

And my biggest secret.

Intuitions are not to be ignored John.

They represent data processed too fast

for the conscious mind to comprehend.

Sherlock Holmes