[Just spent an hour typing up an awesome chapter. Getting into some deep Astrid-Dagmar talk and then the back button on the side of my mouse. Being so sensitive, it clicked. All gone. I'm pissed now. But I'll retype what I can. This is the second time tonight it's done this. The first I was lucky cause I had only typed a few words. But I had over a thousand words the second time.]

Hoffersons retreat

Hiccup sighed, he lay upon the guest bed in Dagmar and Birger's hut. He was contemplating about sleep. He didn't want to have the nightmare he had on the journey. But the clearing they trained in just brought back so many memoires. After a few minutes. Hiccup let sleep overcome him.

'AUNT!'

'RUN HICCUP!'

'I won't leave you'

'Go, leave before it gets you as well'

'AUNT!'

Hiccup rolled to the side. Sweat forming upon his forehead.

'DAD, DAD, DAD'

'Hiccup. What is it?'

Hiccup rolled to the side. silent tears fell to the bed below.

'AUNT NEEDS HELP. HURRY!'

'WHERE?'

Hiccup bit his lips.

'SISTER, ELINA?'

'OVER HERE DADDY'

'What happened?'

'Flying lizard attacked'

'Son, go to Gobber, now'

'Will she be ok?'

Hiccup awoke fast. Getting out of the bed, he made his way over to the door. He wasn't getting back to sleep tonight.

Walking out into the forest. Hiccup struggled to draw his mind away from the nightmare.

Spikes, spikes along it's body.

Hiccup shook his head in a failed attempt to knock himself out from his thoughts.

Deep red eyes.

Hiccup felt shivers go down his spine.

dry blood on its teeth and claws.

Hiccup clenched his fists.

Single spike for a tail.

Hiccup punched the nearest tree hard. Harder then he imagined.

Two legs. clawed feet.

Hiccup ignored the pain and blood emitting from his right hand.

large thin wings. Three claws on each wing.

Hiccup turned and leaned against the tree. Tears forming in his eyes.

Body was thin, long and deadly.

Hiccup slid down the tree trunk.

Small head, easily as large as a Monstrous Nightmare, perhaps bigger.

Hiccup brought his knees to his chest.

Purple and black scales. Purple overtook the body. Black placed in random places.

Hiccup hugged his legs and buried his head in his knees.

Claw marks and scratches decorated it's body.

Hiccup let tears fall.

It's glare was cold and fear creating.

Hiccup held in his anger.

A hunter. Natural at finding it's prey.

Hiccup shook. Anger now visible in his body movement.

It's growl, low but loud.

Hiccup lifted his head to the sky and let his anger out in sound.

"ARRRRR" Dagmar and Birger woke fast, the two glancing at each other before nodding in agreement. "I'll get Astrid. You go and get take care of Hiccup." Birger nodded and left fast. Dagmar walked down to Astrid's room.

Entering, she shook her awake. "Eh, mum, what time is it?" Dagmar shook her head. "Well deep sleeper. We need to talk about Hiccup and you. Now get up and follow me." Astrid sighed in defeat. Getting up, she followed her mother out the door.

Birger found Hiccup resting against a tree, his candle flickered in the slight breeze blowing through. He got a glimpse at his right fist. The blood had started to dry. Birger sighed and stepped forward. "Hiccup, you're safe, I'm here for you." Hiccup slowly allow himself to break free from his protective hold and met Birger's eyes.

"You ok?" Hiccup shook his head. Birger sighed. "Come, let's get your fist cleaned up and get you something to eat, and to take your mind away from that...dream" Hiccup nodded. The two passed Dagmar and Astrid on the way. The two females getting a glimpse at his fist. Astrid widen her eyes at the blood rolling down the fist.

The two soon came to the tree that Hiccup had punched earlier. Blood was stained upon the bark along with a decent sized dent. Astrid eyed the hole and widen her eyes in shock. "Wow, I didn't know Hiccup could do that." Dagmar chuckled. "I did say not to judge people by how they look now didn't I. Hiccup's strong in many areas. And that punch, it was fuelled by hatred for a dragon."

Astrid eyed her mother. "I'm sorry, I don't follow." Dagmar gestured to the spot next to her. Astrid too a seat as Dagmar began. "You and Hiccup are similar in many ways. Both of you lost family to dragons around the same time." Astrid sighed. "So, why can't he just get over it?"

"Hiccup, didn't have it easy when the dragons took his family darling. While you were inside, he watched as his mother was taken and his aunt killed." Astrid raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "He was there when it happened and didn't stop it?" Dagmar glanced up at the night sky.

"He was unable to do anything about it. He was but a baby when his mother was taken and four when his aunt died. He had no prior training in weapons before that, nor did he ever." Astrid already knew Hiccup didn't have any training in terms of weapons. Thus it wasn't new to her.

"So, first the Inferno King happens across three members of our tribe, and then this mysterious purple and black spiked dragon that Hiccup seems to have seen in person and lived. What's next. A dragon the size of a mountain?" Dagmar chuckled. "Astrid, Hiccup hasn't had it easy over his life. He's been on the very verge of going insane since his aunt was killed. But he has remained sane. Because of one reason."

Astrid, glanced up at her mother. "What reason is that." Dagmar smirked and looked at her. "You" Astrid's mouth dropped open. "Me?" Dagmar chuckled. "Yes you, you are his crush. A silent mentor if you would." Astrid shook her head. "No, that isn't right. You must've gotten something wrong. There's no way I'm..." Dagmar cut her off.

"Astrid, dear. That night the Night Fury landed. It was reading to fire upon your location. Hiccup made a loud sound that drew it's attention away from you and to the forge. You owe Hiccup your life." Astrid wasn't sure what to say. She was hoping she wasn't hearing it right.

"Did I hear you correctly?" Dagmar laughed. "You did." Astrid widen her eyes. "I owe my life to him." Dagmar nodded. "But he failed to fight the dragon or kill it?" Dagmar placed a hand upon her shoulders. "Astrid, if you were face to face with the Unholy offspring of lightning and death itself with no weapons to defend yourself with. You'd find it hard to kill something like that. Hiccup did the best he could. Most of us are surprised he came out of it with little to no injuries."

Astrid raised her left eyebrow up. "Not surprising, he didn't fight it." Dagmar looked at Astrid. "Astrid, that thing threw him into another building. He should be dead from the impact. But yet he lives. Don't you think he's more durable then we expect him to be in that body of his." Astrid thought long and hard. "I see your point mother."

"Astrid, what I'm trying to say is that, Hiccup would put his life in harms way if it meant to protect you or his village. I'm sure he would gladly fight against a Night Fury with nothing but his bare hands if it meant protecting his loved ones." Astrid glanced down. Her feeling of guilt had sprung up once more. "Maybe I should talk with him. Perhaps he isn't all we think him to be. Perhaps, perhaps he is more Viking then we are."

Dagmar chuckled. "That's more like it Astrid. You're getting there. But there's one more thing I want you to do tonight. Study your axe and the details in it. You might be surprised at who made it." Astrid nodded. The two stood up and headed back to the hut.

Linking a few previous Chapters already.

Last chapter, Dagmar said not to judge someone by their looks. She says that once more.

Foreshadowing once more in this chapter and a hint at what happens next chapter.

Warning-A tiny time skip will happen. But more so because going over ever stage of training and reading the same thing said in a different way can get irritating quickly. It's also more painful for the writer.

More hints at the dream and the fate of his aunt was revealed by Dagmar. Keep this dragon description in mind. It'll play a large part later on.

Astrid's nearly broken.