Chapter 1
Chapter 1: The Board.
Disclaimer I own neither HTTYD or Watership Down.
(The scent of Primroses, Kingcups, and Watercress drifted on a lazy breeze, towards the edge of the wood, where the ground became open towards a towards an old fence and a brambly ditch beyond. One the other side of the fence, in the field was full of rabbit holes. In some places the grass had been eaten to the dirt all together. Clusters of dried droppings were everywhere. A hundred yards away, at the bottom of the slope ran a Brook, no more than three feet wide, a cart path crossed by the brick culvert and climbed back up the opposite slope towards a five bared gate in the thorn hedge. The gate led into a lane.)
(The sky was red with the last light of the brilliant May sunset. There was still at least an hour to an hour and a half of light left for the day. All around the slopes , rabbits dotted here and there, some nibbling contentedly on the grass and dandelions near their holes. One or two more we're still heading further down, in search of a Sow thistle the others might have overlooked. Here and there, one stood on their hindlegs, ears erect and noses alert. But a lone black bird singing undisturbed in a wild cherry tree nearby let them know all was well. The Warren was at piece.)
(On the outskirts of the top of the bank, close by the cherry tree the black bird was roasting in, two rabbits stood in the mouth of their hole, one noticeably larger than the other. At length, the larger exited, a second later the smaller one followed. Together the two slipped along the cover of the brambles on the bank and into the field.)
(Here the larger one paused in a patch of fading sunlight and scratched one of his ears with rapid movements from his back leg. While he was only a year old and underweight, he lacked the harassed look all together too common in the outskirters. On the contrary, he carried himself with a rather shrewd and buoyant air, like he could take care of himself, and was more clever then one would expect. His fur was a warm reddish brown and his eyes a bright, intelligent green. He rubbed his nose with his front paws, looked around, saw all was well and set to nibbling at the grass.)
(In contrast, the smaller one looked far less at ease. His fur was black, and his eyes were green like his companion. He constantly raised and turned like he was worried he could be attacked at any moment. A bumblebee flies humming past his ears. He jumped will such a start , that three rabbits grazing close by panicked and scurried for the nearest holes.)
(One of the rabbits, a chubby, brown furred buck with black tips on his ears and darker brown fur on his face, saw who started and immediately relaxed. He resumes feeding.)
Black tipped Buck: (calling to the others) Oh, it's just Toothless, jumping at bees again. (to the other Buck) Come now, Speedifast, what were you telling me?
Speedifast: (curious) Why's he called Toothless?
(The third rabbit, a sandy furred doe hopped further along to nibble on a patch of sage grass.)
Black tipped Buck: Well, when he was born , it took longer for his teeth to come in, so his siblings called him Toothless. He was also the runt of the litter and the youngest, and with his black fur they say he's been touched by the Black rabbit. It's amazing nothing has gotten him by now, but I guess he can look after himself well enough.
(Toothless hopped closer to his larger companion on his long hind legs. He has an air of nervousness.)
Toothless: Come on, Hiccup. Let's go down towards the brook. I feel something is off with the warren this evening.
Hiccup: (looks at Toothless) Ok, Toothless, and while we're down there, let's see if you can find us a Sow thistle. Been days since I had anything good to eat. If you can't find one no one can.
(The two head down to the brook. The water moves slowly. The two set to nibbling and searching.)
(It didn't take Toothless long to find what they sought. Sow thistle was a delicacy among rabbits, and this one hadn't bloomed yet. It was half hidden by the long grass.)
Hiccup: (eager) Look, Toothless. Sow thistle! Finally something good to eat!
(Both rabbits crowd around the plant. There's a sudden call from behind them
Voice: Oi! You two, you know the rules!
(From the grass behind them, two more rabbits emerge, and come towards them. Both were larger than Hiccup and Toothless, and a privileged air about them.)
Rabbit #2: Sow thistle is reserved for members of the Owsla. Don't you know that?
Hiccup: Toothless found it, Dogsbreath.
Dogsbreath: (sneering) And we'll eat it. How else do you expect us to keep you pathetic outskirters safe? (threatening) Move along.
Hiccup: (sighs) Lets go, Toothless.
(Toothless in fact had already left. Hiccup lopped after him. Dogsbreath and the other Owsla member start to nibble on the Sow thistle.)
Dogsbreath: (mouth full) Ungrateful outskirters eh, Wartihog?
(Hiccup catches up with Toothless.)
Hiccup: (bitter) You know the rules. I'm sick of the rules. There's barely enough good food around, with Owsla like Dogsbreath stealing from us. (imitates Dogsbreath) These are my claws, so this is my Sow thistle. These are my teeth , so this is my burrow.
(Hiccup then looks at Toothless.)
Hiccup: But…let's try to enjoy the rest of the evening. Let's go over the brook, unless you feel it isn't safe?
(It was a question. But Hiccup's tone suggested he really would know whether or not it was safe.)
Toothless: (shakes his head) No, it's safe enough. I'll let you know if I sense danger, but it's all good at the moment. What I feel …it's more oppresive then danger…like thunder. I can't tell you what, but I'm worried. But I'll still cross with you.
(The two rabbits dash across the brook, past Wartihog and Dogsbreath. The grass is wet and thick under their paws. The two look for dryer ground. Much of the hill is shrouded in shadow as it's sunset. Hiccup wanted a sunny spot. The two keep moving until something odd stops Hiccup in his tracks.)
Hiccup: Hello. What's this? Come look, Toothless.
(Ahead of the two rabbits, two mounds of disturbed earth are arranged in piles around two wooden posts jammed in the ground. Straight and square and tall as a Holly tree. Nailed to the top was a rectangular white board. There were letters the rabbits couldn't read. There was a hammer and nails leaning against one of the posts. The rabbits wrinkle their noses as the scent of the dying ends of cigarettes reach their nostrils.)
(Toothless stares at the board for a second. Suddenly he starts to cower and shake in terror.)
Toothless: (terrified) Oh! Hiccup! The awful feeling I've been having! It's coming from here! Something terrible is coming! Danger!
Hiccup: (startled) What are you going on about? I thought you said there was no danger?
Toothless: (trembling and crying) I don't know, but there's a danger coming! I can feel it, it's not here at the moment, but it is coming! I can feel it like a wire around my neck!
(Toothless looks across the field. All around he can see blood coming down the grass hills.)
Toothless: (shudders) Hi…Hiccup…look. The fields.. they're..co…covered in blood!
(Hiccup looks around. All he can see is the light of sunset growing longer.
Hiccup: It's…only the light of sunset, Toothless.
(Toothless doesn't speak again, he just sits trembling and crying. Shaking in fear but unable to run. At last Hiccup nudges him.)
Hiccup: Toothless, we can't just sit here while you cry. Let's head back to the burrow, it's getting dark.
Toothless: (horrified) NO! Hiccup! We can't go back to the warren! There's danger!
(Hiccup frowns. He's heard enough.)
Hiccup: (firm) Now stop it, Toothless! Don't be silly, just listen and let me look after you for now. Whatever this feeling troubling you is, surely it can wait until tommorow!
Toothless: (scrabbling) No, can't wait! The Threarah! We have to see the Threarah!
(Hiccup doesn't seem to listen. He starts nudging Toothless back towards the warren.)
Hiccup: Wait. If this feeling persists tommorow, we'll go see the Threarah.
(Toothless stops stammering. He still mutters fearfully as he and Hiccup head back to the warren.)
(If only they could read, they would have seen the board read this.)
THIS IDEALLY SITUATED LANDSCAPE. COMPOSE OF SIX ACRES, SOON TO BE THE SIGHT OF THE BERK TOWN HOMES.
That's chapter one of my Retelling of WATERSHIP DOWN will how to train your dragon Characters.