Chapter 3

I almost die... again

The next morning comes faster than I want it to. Watching the sun rising over the island only brings one thought to mind: this is the day I start dragon training. Just a few days ago, I would have been ecstatic. I would have jumped out of bed and all but ran to the arena. Now, I don't want to get out of bed. How am I supposed to train to kill dragons when I know I won't be able to?

Well, there's no use in running from my problems. I push the covers of my bed back and stand up. Something falls off the bedside table. It's the small, stuffed Deadly Nadder my mom made for me as a baby. I know it sounds childish, but I always have it next near me when I sleep. Probably because it's the only reminder I have of my mom.

My mom died in a dragon raid when I was a baby. I don't remember much about her, and my dad never talks about her all that much. Every now and then he'll be reminded of her and share a fond memory with me. The person who's told me most of the stories I know about my mom is Gobber. Like how her cooking was terrible and how she used to call me Hicca. I bet we would have been really close.

One of the things I do know about her was that she wasn't fond of killing dragons either. We have that in common, I guess. Picking up the stuffed animal, I notice something written in small, faded letters. It's not my name, well, not really. In what must be my mother's writing is Hicca. I wonder why no one ever calls me that. Gobber and my dad sometimes call me Hicca, but it's only ever been them. It's a much nicer, and not to mention more feminine, name than Hiccup. Maybe if I ask, people will start calling me that.

I place the Nadder on the top of my bed frame and change from my night clothes to my usual brown pants and green tunic. After putting on my boots and vest, I head downstairs. At the bottom of the steps is the axe Dad gave me last night, leaning against the wall. I'm too nervous to eat anything, knowing in about an hour I'll be training with the other kids, who will no doubt try to make the day's events harder just for the fun of it. I'm not at all prepared for what's going to happen these next few weeks. In the past, people who are stronger and faster than I am have gotten seriously injured by the dragons used for training.

Well, I think to myself, no point in stalling.

Heaving the axe up into a comfortable position to carry, I head out the front door. I trudge through the village to the arena and keep my head down. No one gives me a second glance, but then again, they never do. A few yards ahead of me are the rest of the teenagers, heading to the arena as well. Ruff and Tuff are shoving and punching each other in the face. I'll never understand them, and I'm not sure I want to. Snotlout is a few paces ahead of them, walking alongside Fishlegs. And Asher is leading the pack, as usual. Not wanting to talk to them, I purposefully walk slow to avoid them. I'm going to be seeing enough of them these next few weeks.

After crossing one of the many suspended bridges and a short walk later, we arrive at the entrance of the arena.

Gobber is already standing at the entrance gate. "Good mornin'," he greets as our group gets closer. "I hope yer all ready."

No, I want to say, I'm not ready.

He then proceeds to lift the gate and gesture inside with his hook. "Welcome to dragon training."

Asher walks in first, of course, followed by the rest of us. Everyone but me is looking around the arena in awe, taking in this moment. With my brow furrowed and an awkwardly held axe, I enter the arena after them.

"This is it," says Asher while looking up at the metal bars and chains above the arena. "No turning back."

No kidding. I almost roll my eyes.

"I hope I get some serious burns," Tuffnut pipes up. His sister has a different view I guess. "I'm hoping for some mauling," she states. "Like on my shoulder or lower back."

I flinch. That's such a weird thing to hope for. Asher responds Ruffnut's statement, though. "Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it."

This I can't help but scoff at. The others turn at the sound of my voice as I continue walking inside. "Yeah, no kidding right?" My voice is laced with sarcasm as I speak. "Pain. Love it."

"Oh great, who let her in?" Tuffnut's words are sharp and I can't help but be a little saddened. Snotlout sniggers. Thankfully Gobber steps in.

"Let's get started," he booms. "The recruit that does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village." He twists his hooked hand at the word "killing" and I grimace.

"The useless wonder already killed a Night Fury, so does that disqualify her or…" Snotlout trails off with a smirk on his face as the twins begin laughing. Fishlegs doesn't laugh because he thinks it is funny, but he does give a half-hearted laugh, like he's doing it just to fit in. Asher rolls his eyes and brings his double-headed axe to sit on his shoulder.

"Can I transferred into the class with the cool vikings?" Tuffnut asks mockingly as they walk away. The rest of the teens, but not Asher I notice, laugh and turn around to continue to walk to the center of the arena. I sigh and follow them with my head hanging, my eyes averted to the floor.

"Don't worry, Hiccup." Gobber speaks as he puts a heavy arm around my shoulders and urges me forward. "You're small and weak, that'll make you less of a target! They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more viking-like teens instead."

I scowl but nod, and a sudden thought cross my mind.

"Hicca," I manage to get out. "I want to be called Hicca." For a brief moment, his eyes soften.

He smiles. "Well alright Hicca, I hope yer ready for training." And with that he pushes me into a line with the rest of the group. We're faced toward the massive locked doors that hold different types of deadly dragons. Fishlegs, who is standing next to me, practically trembles in anticipation and is barely containing his squeals of excitement.

"Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight." Gobber addresses all of us as he walks slowly in front of the doors, announcing what dragons are behind each of them.

"The Deadly Nadder."

"Speed eight, armor sixteen." Fishlegs has obviously done his studying.

"The Hideous Zippleback."

"Plus eleven stealth times two."

"The Monstrous Nightmare."

"Firepower: fifteen."

"The Terrible Terror."

"Attack eight, venom twelve!"

"Can you stop that!" Gobber yells at Fishlegs. He regains his composure before speaking again.

"And," he begins while grabbing the lever to open the next door. "The Gronckle."

Fishlegs tenses up and leans towards me slightly. "Jaw strength: eight," he whispers. My eyes widen.

"Woah, wait aren't you going to teach us first?" Snotlout bursts out of the line with a scared look in his eyes. If I wasn't so scared myself I would laugh.

"I believe in learning on the job." And with that, Gobber pulls the lever. The wooden log holding the door in place is pulled up by a metal chain. Almost immediately, an angry Gronckle barrels out of its cell and towards us. I turn and run in the direction opposite the dragon and the rest of the recruits scatter.

The Gronckle slams into the wall on the far side of the arena, its small wings moving fast to keep it suspended as it picks up and eats a few rocks on the ground.

"Today is about survival," I hear Gobber say from my position away from him and the dragon. "If you get blasted, you're dead."

That's reassuring.

"Quick, what's the first thing you're going to need?" Gobber asks us from where he is standing near the door of the Gronckle's cage.

"A doctor?" I respond.

"Plus five speed?" Fishlegs asks.

"A shield." Ding ding, Asher is right once again.

"Shield, go!" We all follow Gobber's orders and run to a pile of shields in the middle of the arena.

I get to the pile just as Ruff and Tuff are arguing over a shield. Choosing to ignoring and focus on my impending doom, I grab the closest shield and struggle to adjust it on my arm properly. Gobber is suddenly next to me. "Your most important piece of equipment is your shield," he calls out. He helps me with the shield and shoves me in a direction away from the Gronckle. "If given the choice between a sword and a shield, take the shield."

The twins are still trying to pull the shield out of each other's hands when the Gronckle fires, hitting the shield and sending them to the floor.

"Ruff, Tuff, you're out!" Gobber yells out to them. Both of them look dizzy and disoriented and look up at Gobber with questioning looks.

"Those shields are good for another thing. Noise. Make lots of it to throw off a dragon's aim." Those of us remaining start hitting our weapons against our shields. Almost immediately, the dragon shakes its head, its eyes going in and out of focus. For a few moments we keep it confused, circling around the dragon and throwing off its balance.

"All dragons have a limited number of shots," Gobber continues his insane method of teaching. "How many does a Gronckle have?" The Gronckle manages to fly forward and we all jump out of the way.

"Five?" Snotlout guesses. I run behind a large piece of wood leaning against the stone wall of the arena and crouch under it, waiting for the Gronckle fly in the other direction.

Fishlegs raises his shield as if raising his hand. "No, six!" he says proudly. Gobber nods. "Correct, that's one for each of you." Fishlegs' proud smile is wiped off his face when the Gronckle fires and knocks the shield off his arm.

"Fishlegs, out!" Fishlegs doesn't need to be told twice and runs away from the dragon, yelling with his arms in the air. That's two shots.

"Hicca! Get in there!" Gobber yells. I try to move out from under the board, but I shrink back when fire passes inches from my face and hits the wall. That's three shots.

The Gronckle gets distracted by Snotlout and Asher. Snotlout seems to be trying to prove himself a better recruit, but Asher has his eyes focused on the coming dragon. As the dragon gets closer Asher flips out of the line of fire. Somehow, Snotlout doesn't seem to notice a dragon twice his size barreling towards him. Then again, he's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.

The Gronckle sends a ball of fire at Snotlout. The shot hits the shield in front of his chest and sends him flying backwards. "Snotlout, you're done!" Gobber calls.

Four shots down, two more left.

Asher lands in a fighting stance right next to me. Oh great.

"So, it's just you and me, huh?" I manage to get out awkwardly. Asher still has his eyes on the dragon. He suddenly stands up straight. "Nope, just you." And with that he sprints away right as the Gronckle fires and knocks the shield off my arm.

"One shot left!" I hear Gobber yell but I'm too busy regaining my balance to pay him heed. The shield rolls away and I run after it, not paying attention to whether the Gronckle is following me or not.

"Hicca!" Gobber yells. The Gronckle must have decided to follow me and not the "viking-like" Asher. Fantastic.

I run with my arms outstretched, trying to grasp the shield, but it rolls in a different direction and my body's momentum pitches me forward and makes me stumble. I manage to take a few more steps before losing balance completely and fall down, turning my back against the wall. The Gronckle closes in and stops mere centimeters from my face. I pant heavily as the angry dragon backs up just enough to open its mouth. And for the second time in two short days, I see the back of a dragon's throat that's meant to kill me.

I squeeze my eyes shut and push closer to the wall, waiting for the Gronckle to fire. The shot comes, but the dragon misses and hits the wall just above my head. I bring my arms up to cover myself from the small pieces of falling rock and open my eyes. Gobber's extended hook prosthetic is lodged in the Gronckle's mouth as he pulls it away from where I am crouched against the wall.

"And that's six," he says as he continues to heave against the dragon. "Go back to bed, you overgrown sausage." He manages to fling the dragon back into it's cave-like cell and closes the door quickly.

I sit trembling slightly on the floor when a shadow looms over me. It's Asher, holding a hand out to me. I grab it with my own shaking one. He pulls me up to my feet, and walks away without a word. Men.

We all gather in the center of the arena once again, panting and bruised and shaking. Well to be fair to everyone else, I'm the only one shaking. We wait in silence as Gobber makes his way back towards us.

"Don't worry, you'll get your next shot in the morning," he says to all of us. "But don't forget," he continues. "A dragon will always," he turns to face me, "always go for the kill." I flinch slightly at his words.

"Well, see you all at dinner." Gobber turns away from me and heads toward the gate. Soon after, the other teens follow suit. They're too tired to even mention me failing miserably in the first day of training. I guess that's a good thing.

I spot my axe lying haphazardly on the floor next to the pile of shields. I walk quietly to retrieve it and then walk out of the arena. Gobber's words are still playing over and over in my head.

A dragon will always go for the kill.

I furrow my brow. It doesn't make sense. The Night Fury didn't kill me yesterday, so his statement can't be entirely true.

This thought bugs me the entire walk back to my house. I trudge through the dirt path leading to the house and climb up the steps to the door. I prop the axe against the wall and plunk down on the rug near the fire pit.

Maybe a walk will clear my thoughts. I get up off the ground and quickly run upstairs to grab my journal from my night stand. Tucking it into my vest pocket along with a charcoal pencil, I make my way down the stairs and out the door once again.

I don't pay attention to where I'm going until I find myself at the clearing where I found the Night Fury. The pieces of rope from the bola are still on the ground. I bend down and pick up on of the ripped pieces of rope.

"So why didn't you kill me?" I ask softly, as if the dragon could hear me.

I drop the piece of rope and stand back up again. I head in the direction I saw the dragon take off in. Something catches my eye on the ground as I come closer to a small cove in the woods. Bending down I find a black dragon scale. As I pick it up to get a closer look, a large shadow shoots up out of the cove right next to me and I stumble back in surprise.

The Night Fury.

A/N

Hey everyone! I'm so sorry this took more than a week to update. I got really busy with the holidays and getting ready for a trip to Rome in a few days. Hopefully I can update again before I leave! Thanks for being patient :) Don't forget to review!

With love,

Estelle