A/N:I'm aliiiiiiive! Sorry about how delayed this chapter is, guys! I had mid semester exams. So I wrote an extra long chapter for this one. We're looking at mostly-fluff at the moment, but from here I'm going to start moving into some character development and plotting goodness!
To Whitefang333: Thanks for your review! I'm sorry if it was hard to believe. I was basing the moment loosely off of a recent event with my niece. She's 8, and she got a minor "booboo" the other day; she was upset to start with but a few minutes later she'd completely forgotten. That's what I was aiming for in the last chapter, but I understand if it wasn't explained enough. With regards to Toothless, he wasn't far away from adulthood and independence, so being on his own isn't too much of a big deal. However, he hasn't actually dealt with the loss of his mother, which is something we're going to explore in later chapters. Angst will abound, don't you worry! ;-)
I think I might be dying.
My stomach is so full my belly actually bulges. I ate so many fish that it is almost painful, and I feel like sleeping for a week. Hiccup barely ate one and he looks as though he feels the same. Which is ridiculous. He'll never grow if he's going to eat so little!
It takes more effort than I like to drag myself to the back of our little crevice and warming the stone with my fire is almost beyond me. But it's finally done, and I curl up on my gently flaming bed with relish. The heat licks pleasantly along my scales and I feel my eyelids grow heavy. I peel one eye open to check on Hiccup and find that he is still sitting exactly where I left him, watching me. What in the name of the Skymother is he doing?
I'm almost concerned enough to move; but really, if he is too silly to go to sleep then that is not my problem. Perhaps hatchling Skinchangers sleep during the day, and not at night? Maybe he's going to be awake all night. Maybe he's going to want me to be awake all night. Not happening. I snort at him, just to make sure he knows that I'm not impressed by his antics. I sweep my tail around so my fins hide my face from view and then slowly allow my eyes to close.
The cave is silent, peaceful, and I am just beginning to drift away…
There is a scuffle close by as a small body shifts and then tiny Skinchanger claws dance across my sensitive tailfin. I flick them away from the irritating touch and a moment later Hiccup wraps the entirety of both paws around the tip of my tail. Outraged, I lift my tail and Hiccup squeals as he too is lifted from the ground, dangling a few inches in the air above. His grip slips and he lands with a thump on his rear. Teach you to touch things that aren't yours, little terror. I snort at him, curling my tail around the other way and out of his reach. Hiccup blinks at me, and for a moment I worry he is going to get upset. But he seems to decide the short drop was not painful enough for be worthy of fuss and I let out a quiet sigh. I have no idea why, but for some reason it really disturbs me when Hiccup is upset. Must give me gas or something.
I grow tired of the staring rather quickly. With my tail safe, I shift so a little more of my back is facing my hatchling and close my eyes. I think tomorrow I will go hunting. Despite the fullness of my stomach, I look forward to stretching my wings properly. Breakfast will never have tasted better. And perhaps I am wrong, and Mother will come back tomorrow. I hope she doesn't eat Hiccup. The sleepy thought is nearly enough to worry me, but I am warm and comfortable and -
Ow!
Little paws are pulling on my ear and this time it hurts. My eyes snap open and Hiccup is leaning over my head, both his paws wrapped around one ear. He gives my ear another tug, and for the love of the Skymother I have no clue what he wants from me. Do Skinchangers never sleep? Frustrated, I jerk my ear from his grasp and get to my feet. I extend my teeth and carefully grip the back of Hiccup's loose thing. He doesn't scream when I lift him, so I can only assume it is not connected to him in any way, as I had thought. I carry Hiccup across the cave, holding him high so his legs don't drag. I'll just put him against the other wall and maybe he'll understand that's where he sleeps while I sleep over on the other side. Away from mischievous Skinchanger paws. Halfway across the space, the weight in my mouth suddenly disappears and there is a quiet thump.
Hiccup has slipped right through his covering and sits at my feet in all his pale, fleshy glory. I drop the now useless hide and it lands on his head, drooping down over his eyes. Hiccup giggles and lifts the hide enough to be able to peer up at me. Skinchangers. I don't want to risk hurting the hatchling by carrying him without the loose hide for protection, so I leave Hiccup where he sits and return to my space. I briefly contemplate reheating the rock, but I am tired and so I simply collapse in an ungraceful heap.
I have no sooner lain down when I hear Hiccup moving once more and I let loose a long sigh. I have long grown tired of this game and I am beginning to contemplate some method of keeping him in one place. Perhaps I could wrap him in vines? Or perhaps just his paws. Really, I had never considered that having a Hatchling could be this difficult. Hiccup appears in my line of vision, covered once more by his baggy outerskin. I watch warily as he reaches out and grabs the edge of my wing; he pushes at it, making little huffs of exertion. He's not strong enough to move it against my will, and so I obligingly lift it. Perhaps if I give him whatever it is he is asking for, he will leave me to sleep. Hiccup crawls underneath and a moment later I feel his small frame tuck up against my side. He squirms for a moment longer against my ribs and then falls still.
I wait, but Hiccup does not move again and I eventually hear his breathing settle into a deep, steady rhythm. Asleep, finally. I drape my wing over his tiny form and close my own eyes. I sincerely hope this is not the ordeal I will face every night; I like sleep far too much for that.
~x~
The following morning finds me swooping low over a choppy ocean. The wind moves strongly around me today, and I relish the challenge. My scales are wet and smell of salt, my nostrils filled with the delicious smell of fish. My claws are full, my arms uncomfortably strained to hold onto my substantial catch of the morning. Normally, I would simply eat fish as I catch them. It's not the most time efficient method of hunting, but Skymother it is fun. Today, though, I have to think of my icky little Skinchanger. Icky because I'll probably have to use my fire on his fish again, and who really eats their food flamed? No self respecting Dragon would be caught eating charred food.
Hiccup was still sleeping when I left, a fact I find unsurprising given how long it took for him to fall asleep. I hope he is still asleep, but it has been quite some time since I left and so I doubt it. I skim over the waves, spluttering when a particularly high one slaps me in the face with salt water. The cliff face is in sight now, and my sharp eyes can pick out the slitted opening of our home. I pump my wings, lifting up and away from the water; the wind whistles in my ears as I fight my way upwards. I am not far from the cliff, anticipating a filling breakfast, and I can see Hiccup at the edge now. He is chasing a bird, arms outstretched, mouth stretched wide in a laugh.
"Not so lonely anymore, you seem much happier than before!" The bird calls and I realise it is the same one from before.
I am contemplating shooting my fire at the infernal creature just on principle when Hiccup trips. There's a shriek of sound, a moment where I think everything slows down, and then his small form teeters over the lip of our cave. The wind catches him almost gleefully, spins him wildly about like a leaf caught in a hurricane. I fold my wings and dive after him, my eyes narrowed against the wind. There's a roaring in my ears and it takes a moment for me to realise it is me. Fish drop forgotten from my grasp and the bird dives after my hard earned catch. I pay them no attention, my wings pumping as I dive for my hatchling. Hiccup is screaming, and I think maybe I am too and my vision is filled with the rocky shore below.
It takes far too long for my claws to catch on my Skinchanger's outerwear, and even longer for him to be securely within my grasp. I try to be gentle as I wrap my claws around his skinny limbs, but my heart beats wildly in my chest and I am not calm enough for rational thought. I tug Hiccup against my chest, wrap my front legs firmly around him. He clutches at me as best he can, and I feel his blunt claws scrabbling over my scales. He shakes uncontrollably and I don't blame him. I fight to pull out of our dive, my wings snapping open. The wing swells the membranes and snaps us upwards. It tugs at me, pushing and pulling. I'm off balance and too close to the cliff face; for a moment, the world spins dizzyingly. Hiccup screams again, the sound snatched away by the wind and just barely audible. The cliff looms closer as I desperately fight against the wind. Too close, too close!
Pain blooms in my shoulder as I bodily strike the rock, fiery shards that radiate out along my side. I push off awkwardly with my hind legs, frantically beating my wins to counteract the pull of the wind and finally, finally, our flight levels out.
I dive into our cave, snapping my wings closed just before they scrape against the edges of the opening. Landing is awkward; I don't want to let Hiccup go, and he seems even less inclined to let go of me. I drop onto my hindlegs, wobbling as I try to stay upright. Hiccup is keening softly, the sound bruising to something inside of me. I stretch out on my side, carefully holding his fragile body against me and curl both wings around us. My shoulder throbs, but I find the pain easy to ignore. It pales in comparison to the fear raging through my veins.
Too close. Is my first thought, followed quickly by that bird is dead. My heart rate is only now beginning to slow while Hiccup's thunders against my chest and there is wetness against my scales where he presses his face. Clearly, caves are not a good home for a young Skinchanger. I hadn't thought on what we would do for today, but it seems my decision has been made for me. We will search for a new home.
For now, neither of us are inclined to move and everything else can wait.