Arguing with Trauma

Let's take a pause in our story: All might be wondering where our overprotective brother is at this very moment. Well, let's take our story back, back to when Toothless leaves the cave that morning. Or should I say evening?

Hiccup gives me a ghosted smile as I leave. I stare at it a little longer before I force myself to look away. He changed. And I'm not exaggerating the saying when I say it did happen over night. It was beginning to scare me to Hell and back, and there's only one thing left for me to try.

Stormfly

Nothing could explain the rage I felt to know that, behind my back, she was telling him what it was like outside. He deserved to know, yes I won't deny it, but that would tempt him to leave and see it for himself, argo, putting himself in danger! I clench my teeth as the pain of It's call pulled at my conscious and I left, flapping my wings away from the cave. The same pain that put my precious brother in a three day coma. I actually had to get a healer to tell me he would wake up! All thanks to Stormfly's influence. I passed the fog and went through a hidden entrance through the mountain that led to It's den. Flapping my wings softly, I swung around the middle column and landed on my normal ledge, as far from It as possible. I waited for any unlucky dragon within vicinity of the nest to join me in waiting until there was enough to go collect food. Food for It.

I still have flashbacks to when my parents died. Both of their gruesome deaths spiking needles through my heart every time It shows it's face. Maybe years ago when it was still relatively dragon sized, we could beat it. But it didn't stop growing. It was too big to leave now and we acted as her servants, collecting her meals five times a day. One of those times is usually a No Scale nest. She likes the animals they have there. And when there's not enough food, she ends lives with the same fate my mother was given. She'd chomp her teeth around the poor dragon. Sometimes she'd chew just to show her power and dominance on us, to let us know what will happen should we fail to bring her her meals.

I shivered at the thought of my brother getting that same fate. How merely 2 weeks, he would've succumbed to the rest of our fate. I must have dazed for too long, because before I knew it, It raised its head from the pit. "I would care for fish and birds. Serve me my slaves, and too long will result in a shortage of the nest" she spoke. My mother's wing sticking out of her mouth appeared before my eyes. It has been a few years since I flinched from it. I eventually came to terms with their deaths; I had no choice. Hiccup's life wouldn't pause for me to grieve anymore and I couldn't waste time.

But it still haunts me. That image sent a chill down my spine and twisted my stomach. Sometimes my mind will go dark, and it will be Hiccup getting chomped down by that thing. I swore I would protect him from It though. And I will keep him inside until I die if I have to.

I let out a cry and a third of the gathered dragons called back. We set off. This morning would be an easy catch. It didn't matter which dragon brought how many of either fish or bird, so long the queen had enough not to eat them for food. I took my flock of dragons high into the sky, and soon we were high past the fog and into the brown clouds. We were nearing the exit, and I closed my eyes, ready to feel the clean air lacking ash. I was ready to feel the cool clouds that hovered in the skies and the winds that pushed gently against my wings. When my lime eyes opened, wavy blue water was below me, and a cloudless clear sky was above me. The Moon and all her stars shone brightly in their glory, high and safe above the world.

I looked at her with envy. She did not have to live our kind of torture. The horizon was spread vast around me, no islands in sight for miles. Only blue waters. We still had half of summer and all of fall before winter, so there wasn't much risk for frozen waters here. I could hear a few dragons split from the group, working independently to catch food. That wasn't abnormal, me and Stormfly would do that together to speed up the process so I could get back sooner and feed Hiccup. Back when he was a hatchling, he needed constant attention. And food.

I sighed at the memory. I had more free time then. It wasn't that big back then, and It could leave and get its own food. But as it grew, all of us had less time with our families and more on hunting. I brought my gaze down to look for the shimmer or sparkle that usually means a school of fish. The ocean was big, so it wasn't hard to find any. I charged a blast, the screaming sound it makes alerting the other dragons. One of the downfalls of being a Death Striker. If other dragons hear my cry or my charge, they know I found fish and they'll usually steal my catch. I wasn't in the mood to fight, so I let loose my neon blast and flew away as I heard the sound of rushing dragons fighting, clawing, and blasting each other, desperate to take my catch.

I flew away from the flock, asking myself again why they like to follow my lead, when I spot another school swimming away from my earlier blast. The other dragons were taking their fish and leaving, so I quickly charged another blast and stunned the fish below me. I ate a few myself, and took as many as I could into my paws to give back to our 'queen'. It gives itself that title. But will always be an It to me. I flew back and delivered my catch to It and waited on my ledge. To my complete and utter luck, Stormfly was there, waiting for me. I landed without giving her a second glance.

I watched as more and more dragons dropped their catch of fish and birds to It, and let out a breath as every one of them had enough to please It. This time. "Toothless" Stormfly spoke. I ignored her. Despite needing her help, again, I could still show to her I'm still pissed. "Toothless, my mother and I need to talk with you". Yes, her older mother. She was reaching that time in her life where she could go at any minute. Because I respected her mother too much to ignore her request, I passed by Stormfly and made my way to her cave. Neither of us spoke a word the whole trip.

The graying blue and light yellow Spine Tail raised her head. This was Stormfly's mother. She has helped me with raising my brother, telling me things all mothers do with their hatchlings. I gave a respectful nod and looked at her expectantly. It was quiet for a few seconds. "My child, you need to stop doing this to us all" she said bluntly. That ran in her family. Never liked to beat around the bush, so they were very upfront. "I had a good reason to cut you both out. One I'm assuming you already know of" I told her with a passive aggressive voice. I looked to Stormfly, who just averted her eyes, hanging her head in shame. "Of course I know, Toothless. But even if my daughter didn't tell him about the outside world, he would've left on his own anyways". I snarled and looked away, refusing to believe that.

"You know you can't keep doing this to him" she spoke softly, crooning with worry. She's never met Hiccup before, but Stormfly loved to tell her about him. "Bluebell, I have much respect for you, but let me raise my brother. I can't let him be tortured like the rest of us" I told her honestly. She led out a sigh, and sat up more.

"Mother…"

"Hush child, I am alright"

She looked me in the eyes

"I understand your fear Toothless, but keeping him locked in a cave his whole life is a torture all in itself"

I didn't believe that living inside for your whole life was worse than what we go through.

"It's safer for him. How can I protect him if he's being used like the rest of us?"

"You cannot" she said upfront. I was going to yell at her. I was going to fight and ask how she dared question my abilities. She didn't let me, though.

"Child, your pain blinds you to what you're doing to him. He can't fight. He can't hunt. He can barely fly. And he's stuck in a cave. He's a sitting duck. If you do not let him grow and learn, he will die the minute he is left on his own out in the world"

"That's not true, and you know it!" I argued with burning fear.

"Toothless, do you think I have not been through this myself?"

I went quiet at the reminder of what they lost in the past year. It had decided teenagers with wings and fire would join the hunts. Indigo, Bluebell's mate and their last daughter Astrid had left for a No Scale nest. Neither had returned, assumed dead or dead-to-be. Bluebell was very protective of Astrid, her Last Hatch who was hatched into this life. She sheltered her very much. Not nearly to the extent I shelter Hiccup, but enough to be noticable.

"No, I know you have. I am very sorry for your losses, both of you, but...that's the exact reason why he can't leave. This way he won't die at the flame of a monster. I have lost everything but him. I can't let anything bad happen to him" I reply, blasting my anger into oblivion.

"What my mother is trying to say Toothless..." Stormfly started "...is that you can't keep him sheltered anymore. It's unhealthy for him, and sooner or later will result in him getting killed. One way or another" I huffed, taking in what she said, but my pride not willing to take it from her.

"You're one to talk! He almost got taken because you couldn't keep your mouth shut!"

"Don't you think I know that?! I was there, I helped drag him home! But that also shows that sooner or later something will happen!"

"He was put in a three day coma from the pain. Only the pain Stormfly! What will happen if he leaves and she tries to take him again?! It might kill him next time!" She went quiet. I was quietly seething with anger. I know they care for him, but none of them stepped up when my brothers and sisters were smashed by that thing. None of them stepped up to protect them, to sooth me, to help me when I needed them. At the end of the day, I will do what it takes to keep him safe. If that means shutting them out completely, I will.

"But…" Bluebell started "..what happens if he doesn't leave?". I looked at her. "Hatchlings need much friends and love to keep them sane and to keep them from losing themselves to the influences of Hell. They need light from a sun to fight fevers out of their system. They need fresh air to think properly. Being locked inside for long periods of time can lead to bad thoughts, my child, and can change a dragon mentally" she spoke.

I averted my eyes as she talked, looking at the stone floor that became suddenly interesting.

"It's already taking its toll on him mentally, isn't it?" she asked. I opened my mouth to protest, but words failed to come. Stormfly gave me a look of horror from the corner of my eye. "What's happening to him Toothless?" Bluebell asked me again. "I...I...I don't know. He broke down a while ago because I kept making sure he wouldn't try to leave. It was guilt for sure, but ever since then, he's just...not the same. He won't do the things he used to. He doesn't smile that much, he doesn't laugh. Playing isn't full hearted like it was, and…I don't know why" I tell them bitterly.

I don't know, with all of my life, what's wrong with him. I know him. He stutters when he's nervous. He squirms when he's lying. He pushes himself away when he's sad. He comes to me when he's scared. He jumps around when he's happy. He begs to hear stories at night. I raised him. I know everything there is to know about him. I know what his favorite fish is, I know where he's ticklish, I know what annoys him, what makes him happy, what makes him sad. Nobody knows him like I do.

Yet, I don't know what's happening to him. And it scares me.

"What…when…how…why didn't you...when did this happen!?" Stormfly all but screeched. I might know him better, but she definitely loves him just as much as I do. "I just told you!" I snapped at her. "No! I mean, how could you let something like this happen?! Of all dragons, you let him…"

"Stormfly! Enough" Bluebell shouted. Something rare for her to do.

"I can't tell you what's changing him, but I do know you need to let him stretch his wings. Teach him about the world, slowly. Keeping him inside will only lead to disaster".

I exhale a breath, letting memories of the ones I love being taken from me flash my mind. What Bluebell told me echoed through my head, but the pain of loss overwhelmed me, and I don't think I could lose anyone else. "I...I can't…I…after…that thing…no, I can't! I can't lose him too" I whispered out. Bluebell, for the first time in who know how long, stood, and walked over to me. "I know child. But keeping all this from him, telling him lies…you just might lose him"

Me and Stormfly flew back in silence. She demanded to come back with me, and I didn't argue. Whatever might be going on with my brother, we'll find out. The very last thing I need is to lose him because of something he won't let me help him with. Or from something I caused. The familiar fog approached, and I realized how late I was returning home. Everything was graying, meaning a new sun had hatched and passed over the sky since I left. 'Hiccup must be worried by now' I thought.

The two of us landed when we reached the cave. "Hiccup!" I called when I walked in. But I froze when the smell of ash and soot hit my nose. I heard a gasp and looked back at Stormfly. "What? What is it?" She was looking at the wall behind me, so I turned. And regretted it. In black char, the outline of a Flame Skin was printed on the wall. "...no…" I said. "HICCUP!" I screamed, jumping farther into the cave. I checked the ledge, finding nothing but the faint smell of my brother and the three intruders. Looking through the cave, I found further evidence of a fight. A pile of stone in the middle of the floor with Death Striker blast marks, spines of a purple and orange Spine tail, and a few Rock Dragon scales. "Hiccup!" I cried again, not believing he was gone. "Brother, answer me!" I cried again, this time desperate.

"Toothless!" Stormfly called. I shot over to her, hoping she found something. "I can track his scent. He left the cave, come on!" She said. We stayed close to the ground until we got to the same place I found him not two weeks ago. "He went up!" she said. We flew up until his scent stopped at a small hiding spot. A log pinched between two stones. "His scent is strong here. He must have hidden here for a while". "Hiccup!" I called. Still no answer. I stomped on the ground, frustrated. Everything bad that could happen to Hiccup flashed through my head. Getting eaten by another, starving dragon. Getting crushed by a bunch of rocks falling down the mountain. Poison gas spraying his face. A group of dragon bringing him to It.

Fear beyond anything I've felt before welled up in my chest, and tears welled in my eyes. "No, Toothless, don't give up! There isn't any sign he's hurt. Come on, that might not be true for long!" she said. 'She's right, we need to find him first before anything. Don't worry brother, I'll protect you from harmful skies, and Hell's fire! Just promise me you're unharmed and alive' I thought in a panic. We flew up again until we reached the top of the volcano. Looking down, I could see the pit where it resided, and prayed Hiccup had not fallen. Or even seen what was down there.

We continued on until we reached a spot where three dragons laid, unconscious.

I looked around them to see some blood.

Hiccup's blood.

It wasn't much, but it was there. I looked at the three dragons, identifying them as the ones who attacked my cave.

'And probably your brother'

"If you have so much as laid a claw on him, I swear it will be the end of you" I whispered darkly to the three.

"Toothless!" Stormfly called. I shot over to her.

There was more blood.

"His sent lifts here" she said in a wavering voice. She was as unnerved by the blood as me.

"It...lifts?" I questioned fearfully.

She nodded.

I prayed she was lying. That that wasn't true, that my brother was still around here somewhere.

"Toothless…" she called quietly.

I clenched my eyes shut, not wanting to hear it.

"Scents only lift when you take off"

My heart dropped to my stomach as I looked up.

"He flew away…." I said breathlessly.

"He's out there….alone…" I spoke.

Tears poured out of my eyes as I looked out to the open sky.

My brother flew away into the world.

By himself.

"Skies help him" I begged quietly.

This was my worst nightmare come true. I don't know where he is. He's hurt, alone, and out in the world. On. His. Own. Somewhere I can't keep him fully protected from.

My tears dried as I heard the moan of a Rock Dragon behind me.

Both me and Stormfly looked at the rousing, fully brown dragon.

I stalked up to him, looking him dead in the eyes.

I waited for him to open his.

Once he did, I charged.

Author's Note: Hey! One of this story's rare POV change! Hope you like it and, LET THE SUSPENSE CONTINUE!