Heart and Soul of a Dragon Chapter 3: Nest Life, a how to train your dragon fanfic

So, I guess I'm sorry doesn't really cut it. The last half a year of my life has been crazy, I haven't been home in over six months and I've been exploring myself and the world outside of the bubble I was previously in. That said I still love this story and all of you reading it, I can't promise a timeframe or updates but they will still be coming. I love seeing when a new person likes, favorites, or follows this story and I hope I have not lost any of you due to my long absence. I want to thank all of you who have reviewed and encourage you to keep doing so, love the new chapter? Hate it? want to give me input? Please tell me all! Special thanks to sagemanexp for the line break help XD. Now, without further adieu, the next chapter!

2 YEARS LATER

Hiccup was curious, he was standing nearby his mother as she picked the yummy foods from the trees, and as he used the bush next to him to keep his balance he also gazed around at all the life in the nest. He was fascinated by how the grass felt under his feet instead of his knees, how his family all swirled overhead, how the branch he was holding had scratchy green stuff on it. As Hiccup looked around he noticed a patch of soil about a meter away that seemed to shimmer. Frowning he waddled along the bush and bent down to inspect. As he got close he realized that it was a small dragon.

"Hello!" he chirped, the little Changewing half shrieked as she came back into focus. "How you see me?" Wondered the little dragon.

"Saw the air looked funny" Giggled Hiccup.

"Shhh!" she hushed, "I'm hiding from my mommy, I don wanna have a bath."

"Yep," agreed Hiccup. "I won tell," he smiled happily pointing to himself.

"Thanks," she said smiling. "Whats your name?" "Iccpuh" he answered. "I Shimmer!" She beamed. "oops" she whispered, but too late.

Both younglings looked up as a shadow swooped in from above. The adult Blender landed next to the two with a huff.

"There you are!" She exclaimed at Shimmer. "I've been looking everywhere for you!" "Its time to go." "Awe, bu mama I made a friend!" Said shimmer, nuzzling a now sitting Hiccup.

Hiccup looked up as His mom came walking over. "Oh, have you found a friend Hiccup?" She asked. "Uh Hu" he said.

"Can Simmer stay?" He questioned his new friend's mother. "Pleeeasseee" they both begged. "Not today" she answered. "But perhaps another time," and with that she nodded at his mom, scooped up his new friend a took off. "Byeee!" Called shimmer.

"Can I play Simmer tomorrow mama?"

A YEAR LATER

Hiccup was now almost four years old and Valka was making lunch as she watched him crawl around the cave floor. At the moment he was busy playing with a small wooden wheel, normally he would be off playing with the young dragons, but for now he was waiting for food. She smiled remembering how nervous she had been at first when she found Hiccup with the other dragons. However despite her initial fears Valka had soon decided that there wasn't much she could do to stop it. It was part of her son growing up in the nest. The nest was amazing, a safe haven and a paradise.

Hiccups first three years were easy and care free, the dragons took to him in a way Valka still did not understand. When he was two Valka had turned around to carry him back up to their cave, only to find that he had already gotten a ride from a colorful Changewing. She rushed up to him but she needn't have, he was simply sitting there laughing and waving goodbye to his new friend. However she had been worried and kept a closer eye on her son.

Valka still believed that it had been the right choice, not returning to berk. Hiccup, with his dragon eyes, would have been scorned and most likely exiled from the tribe. Disowned and hated by his own people, his own father, that was no way to live.

Yes, staying was the right choice, and yet not a day went by that she didn't miss Stoic. Valka had not taken long to assimilate to the new way of life, she loved the dragons and had all that she could possibly need on the island. Although it was a pain she had gradually begun to learn the dragons tongue and had become close with the Stormcutter who's name she learned was Cloudjumper.

After Hiccups recovery Valka had ventured into some of the back caves to find that there were two directly off of the main one with another two branching off of the smaller of the two. After a few weeks of gathering leaves and and branches, and with the help of some of the dragons Valka had turned the first cave into a sort of living space and the second into a bedroom for herself and hiccup, figuring Hiccup could do as he liked with the back two caverns as he got older. While the main entrance cave served as both the entrance to their "home" and as a kitchen and eating space.

After about two months in the nest Cloudjumper came in and gestured for Valka to follow, leaving Hiccup asleep in the bedroom Valka followed her friend through the icy maze and to the outside and towards the waters edge where she found a crashed viking ship. It was old and had probably washed from miles and miles away, climbing aboard Valka had found some much appreciated supplies; some cloth and sewing needles to make clothes, some warm blankets, flint and steel (not that they really needed it with all the dragons), as well as several pots, pans, and knives. Bringing it all back served to make life in the nest truly comfortable. Valka was brought back to the present as she felt her son grab hold of her leg and tug as he asked for food in dragons tongue.

Valka answered her son in Norse, while she was happy for her son to speak the dragons language she did feel that it was important that he not lose his home language, plus Valka still couldn't speak the dragons language all to well. Hiccup had picked up on the language much faster than Valka and already seemed fluent in the language of warbles, clicks, and subtle movements.

Hiccup huffed and then asked again, in Norse this time. Valka answered by setting him back on the floor and handing him the fish that she had just finished cooking. Cooking the fish was another of Valka's ways of clinging to their old way of life, Hiccup seemed to like them just as well raw. She had the steaming fish wrapped in a leaf when she set it down for him but he simply tore it away and grabbed greedily at the still probably scalding creature.

Valka had learned of her sons heat tolerance when he was just two years old. Hiccup had made his way over to their hearth and Valka had watched in horror from just barely too far away as he had reached into the flames and grabbed at a glowing chunk of coal. Lunging to is side she had swatted it out of his hands and rushed him to the stream to dunk his hands, however when the soot was washed away she had found his hands as good as new.

That had been the second to show of his dragon like traits, and not long after she had discovered another; as Hiccups teeth grew in they were not what she had expected. instead of normal toddler teeth his grew in as sharpened and distinctly dragon like. He had flat-ish teeth in the front but as the back ones grew in they became more and more sharpened.

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About two weeks after his teeth had come in Valka took him down to where the Dragon fruits grew. The Dragon fruits were large and red with purple veins of color. They grew from vines that had taken over a group of small Oak trees. Lifting Hiccup up onto her shoulders she told him to grab the fleshy fruit. With a grunt of effort he pulled one free and tumbled down into Valka's arms with his prize. Back on the ground he took his first bite, squealing in delight as the colorful juice poured down his face.

He immediately ran up to a towering Timberjack and offered the dragon a bite of his fruit. Smiling at her son's kindness Valka watched as the orange and grey streaked Timberjack bent his head to accept the fruit. He then said something to Hiccup who nodded vigorously and then clambered onto the dragons head.

"Woah Hiccup!" "please come down, thats not safe" she shouted to her son. "Na mama, more fruit!" exclaimed an excited Hiccup. And there was nothing Valka could do as she watched nervously from the ground.

"Be careful with him" she told the Timberjack. He made a rumbling noise as he pushed his head and Hiccup up to the ripest area of the fruits.

As Hiccup reached the fruits he laughed happily and cherupt at the residing terrible terrors. Then, as Hiccup reached for a lush dragon fruit, Valka watched as he was met with resistance. A young terrible terror had reached for the same fruit at the same time. As her son struggled against the small dragon he suddenly lost his hold and was sent tumbling backwards! Valka screamed out as she threw her basket to the side and lunged for the spot he was falling towards. She would be too late.

As Valka came crashing to the ground she realized that she was the only one to do so. She looked up frantically for her son, and there he was. Hovering in the air, supported by several older terrors. They floated him down to the ground and then settled around him.

A little terror, that she recognized by the blue streak along its spine as the one who fought with her son for the fruit, crawled down the tree and approached Hiccup offering him the fruit. Hiccup laughed happily and took a bite, then offered it back to the little dragon.

That had been the time that Valka truly realized that her son had nothing to fear in the nest, in fact he was more protected and loved here than it was possible to be anywhere else in the world. Valka smiled in memory as she watched her son in his small loincloth sitting there and picking apart his fish.

That silly little loincloth was all she could get him to wear. Valka had tried to put a shirt on him as well as a pair of booties she had made, but it was all to no avail. He would just fidget in the shirt and flat out refused the shoes. She sighed, suppose its best for his feet to just toughen up anyway. She watched as her son blew on his steaming fish, (he was not quite as fire proof on the inside as the outside) she couldn't help but smile and laugh as his face contorted into one of concentration.

After he had finished his fish Valka shooed him off to go find his friends, knowing no harm would come to him while in the nest. Hiccup ran over to the stream to wash his hands, ran to the edge of the cave and grabbed the wing claw of a Changewing that happened to be close by. While Valka, with Cloudjumper's help, had made a small path in the rock to get down to the nest floor Hiccup always preferred to be let down by a passing dragon. Valka smiled as she turned back to her work on the new shorts for Hiccup.

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Hiccup turned and thanked the Blender before tromping off towards the edge of the small forest. He had been exploring these trees for a few months now, ever since his mom had let him wonder by himself, and he loved all the new things he had found, today however he was going in hopes of finding Shimmer and his other friends. He liked his friends and had grown extremely close with several different dragons his own age. He liked playing with them, even though he usually lost at hide and seek and was almost always pinned in wrestling. The only one he could ever beat was Squeak the Tiny Terror and even then the small dragon usually got the better of him. Pushing that thought away Hiccup hurried forward as he saw his friends gathered at the edge of the treeline. There was his best friend Shimmer the Blender, Squeak, Bree and Bash the Two Head, Boulderdash the Boulderback, and Firefang the Flamescale.

As he approached they all greeted him, "where have you been?" asked Bree, "yeah we almost started without you" finished Bash. "I was eating" explained Hiccup, "I'm here now though, what are we playing?" asked Hiccup. "Hide and seek" answered Shimmer, "Bree and Bash are it first." "Everyone gets one minute to hide" said Shimmer. "Alright, ready, set, GO!" We all scattered as Bree and Bash began to count. It wasn't long before their counting turned into arguing. Good, thought Hiccup at least with them I have a chance. As Hiccup moved further and further into the dense trees the sounds of his squabbling friends grew fainter and fainter and was replaced by another softer, sadder sound. He thought it sounded like a dragon crying for help. Curious, Hiccup followed the sound until he came upon the culprit, a small dragon about his own age, it was jet black and looked to be all alone. As Hiccup approached he could also see that it seemed to have a hurt leg. Calling to his friends he moved over to it and tried to get its attention.

By the time his friends reached them they found Hiccup and the new dragon staring intently into each others eyes. "Ahem" said Firefang, "hope we aren't interrupting." "Oh what, no no" said Hiccup turning towards his friends "I just found him here, I think he is hurt, will you go get my mom?" "I will!" said Squeak and he scampered off.

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As Valka approached the first thing that she noted was that her son was not in any danger, Squeak had said as much but she still worried, instead she found him trying to help a small jet black dragon. The poor hatchling couldn't have been more than a few months old. "Who is this Hiccup?" Valka asked. "He is hurt mommy" replied a worried looking hiccup, "can we help him?" "We can take him to the king" offered Valka, "come along Hiccup." With that she bent over, scooped up the small black shape and headed out of the woods with Hiccup in tow.

"King" began Valka, "Hiccup has found a young injured dragon in the woods, I do not know what it is." She laid the young dragon before the king who looked down and then gave a start upon realizing what it was. "My dear, that dragon is a Night Furry," you found him in the woods?" the king asked, now turning his attention to hiccup. "All alone?" "Yes" Hiccup twittered, "and his name is Toothless!" said Hiccup. "Well" said the king, "it would not surprise me if this young one was abandoned, Valka do you have room for one more in your home? It seems your boy and the young Night Fury have taking quite a liking to each other." Valka having missed some of what the King said turned to her son who looked up at her with pleading eyes and asked in Norse "can he stay mom? Pleeeease." "Oh," said Valka, understanding now, she looked down at her pleading son and then to the small black shape at her feet. The little dragon was staring up at her with huge green eyes and seemed to be pleading in the same way as her own son. Looking at those two faces and two pairs of imploring green eyes she caved, "I suppose" she relented, then smiled as her son made a happy cherup like noise.

Toothless and Hiccup became inseparable, they were best friends, and constant companions. Toothless' wounds healed quickly enough and he had soon joined Hiccup and the others in their games. Toothless quickly proved that he was by far the quickest of the group and also quite good at hide and seek, bested only by Shimmer. They were all good friends, however it was easy to see as the months passed that Hiccup and Toothless shared something special. Toothless and hiccup became more than just friends, they were brothers.

The year passed quickly and as the young ones grew their playing became more and more rough. Valka worried sometimes when her son would come back and have a new scratch, or bump (never a burn). But her son healed quickly and seemed to be perfectly happy, that paired with Valka's complete trust in her nest mates to keep the young ones safe allowed her to simply be happy for her son.

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Hiccup sunk low to the ground and let out a low but menacing growl. He slowly began circling his opponent as he watched and waited for an opening, he didn't wait long. Squeak was impatient and in a burst of speed lunged towards his friend. Hiccup was ready, he spun from his crouch and twisted around his friend, grabbing his tail as he did so. Now behind Squeak and with a firm hold on the little terrors tail, Hiccup pulled with all his might. As the little airborne dragon sailed backwards towards his friend Hiccup threw himself down on top of his friends struggling form pinning him sollidly agains the grass.

"Ha!" screeched Hiccup, "I did it!" The defeated Squeak stopped struggling and began grumbling at Hiccup to let him up. "Lucky grab" he mumbled at is friends, all of whom were laughing. Squeak only managed to stay sour for a few more seconds however before he grudgingly joined in the laughter.

Next up was Shimmer against Bree and Bash, Hiccup watched as his Blender friend outmaneuvered the twins. Then he was up against Boulderdash, a fight that ended up with him on his back struggling underneath 800 kilograms of boulderbutt, lucky for him his friend still held most of that weight. Then Toothless went up against Shimmer, close but Toothless came out victorious.

This is how the days passed, roughhousing, playing, learning, growing. Life in the nest was good.

Alrighty! Hope you guys liked it! The reason this was so late was because a lot of this was written more recently than what I have in the next chapter, I keep feeling the need to go back and rewrite or add to ideas! Anywho please review even if you're reading this at a way later date (I will continue to check back on old chapters and such). One question. Should I use bold or italicized for when they are speaking in dragon tongue? For now it seems kind of obvious. Valka speaks mostly Norse (for now) understanding some dragonese and Hiccup speaks norse with her (unless otherwise specified XD) and dragonese with his friends. That about wraps up my spiel, thanks again to everyone! love you all