I woke with a slight jump. Gasping for air, I felt for the giant stoker dragon that usually slept next to me and found an empty floor. I sat up, sniffing the air quietly. My leg seemed alright, the swelling had gone down underneath the bandages although it still pulsed painfully underneath my leggings. Hiccup had gone, the remains of the herb-ish bowl sat at my feet, the fire had gone down drastically. I frowned and rubbed my eyes as I looked around the place.

Had he taken care of Bone yet? There were no windows so I couldn't tell, I guess they just let in the cold anyways. I wondered what was going on, he didn't seem to be anywhere. I walked through the house, finding my way around the small place with ease. Upstairs was a bedroom, a large bed in the middle with pelts and fur surrounding it for warmth. I crept through the door, finding myself inside before I knew it, it wasn't too large.

There was a variety of single boots on the ground, only for the one real foot I guess. There was a window up here, heavily packed in with cloth and tar to seal it from the cold. I glanced around at the neatly organized objects, a few books or journals were spread around as well as charred branches. He was an odd guy.

Something caught my eye though, a feminine article of sorts. There was a simple headband on the night table, and I couldn't help but grasp at it. It was simple, leather, and had a few small designs and triangles carved into the surface. It wasn't unused, the scratches along its surface seemed to reveal its longevity. There were a few pieces of blonde hair stuck to it, and I guessed that was his "Love's" or something like that.

I set it down and slunk around quickly, my knuckles touched the cold floorboards in a forward motion... I looked down at them, the skin slightly worn out from doing so. I opened and closed my hands timidly, flexing the stiff tendons in my fingers and staring… Do I always walk like this? Like a dragon? I must admit that its much faster, but how Hiccup walks, is that how humans walk all of the time?

Shrugging, I listened for footsteps and heard none. He still wasn't back. I still paced his room, sniffing around and poking through odds and ends, most of the mess in here were papers crumpled and thrown around. I slunk down again, peeking under the bed frame and something glistened back at me, making me freeze.

I slipped under the bed and snatched whatever it was. The leather was rough against my fingers and I traced the metal studs that held this thing together. It seemed to be a book, a giant one at that. It was almost as big as my whole forearm.

"So." I jumped, dropping the book and crouching low, backing away. I kind of cleared my throat and stood almost, still keeping a hand behind me and pressed flat in case I needed to stride away. Hiccup was tall, he honestly seemed to tower above me. I watched him stoop to get the book I had dropped and saw a small smile pull at his lips. He looked up at me under his lashes, "making ourselves at home now are we?" I swallowed, looking at him calmly although my heart was racing. He ran his hand over the cover of the book, looking at me all the while.

"Do you know what this is?" I blinked, trying to focus. Shaking my head, I slunk away a little, looking for an escape again, I couldn't be cornered.

I noticed his peg leg, how it seemed to be overly mechanical, but yet completely simple all at the same time. I stiffened, watching his eyes glance over me quickly before looking away.

He thumbed a few pages, "It's the book of dragons." I perked up a little. Dragons? A book? Did they know of any that I didn't? Competition for mine, I was going to become a dragon master, THE dragon master. This peg-legged chief will not take this away from me too.

All at once, everything happened. I slunk down quickly and snatched the book from him, diving beside him through the door and was downstairs before he was outside the doorway.

I laughed, wishing I could read the words inside, I never learned how. I felt my leg throb underneath me slightly and winced, I had forgotten it until now.

I opened the door and was out on a small porch quickly. I could hear the clip of iron on the stairs as he jumped down them and I panicked.

"Where is he, where is he, where is he…" I whispered as I looked around, hearing Hiccup come closer and closer, I was lost.

I felt tears running down my cheeks, I felt the wind on my face again and it reminded me of being on Bone's back, going somewhere fantastic and new. I felt the weight of this place on me, looking around and seeing that the dragons here were becoming sparse and most seemed to be losing their coloring almost completely. Nadders were no longer their regular green, blue or red, they were turning brown or an ugly green, Gronkles did not have their orange or blue spots, they were turning a darker brown than they even were… I couldn't quite place it…

I felt a hand on my shoulder whipping me around, hands snatched the book, which I let fall from my hands. I would get to look at it leisurely sooner or later, I swore by it.

"What are you doing? Get back inside," He said flatly, raising his hands in exaggeration. I wasn't looking at him though, I was staring at the gronkles, the nadders, the monstrous nightmares… I wasn't breathing.

He was talking to me, but I just gaped, trying to remember where I had seen this plague before.

"You can't be feeling well, let alone darting around on that leg- "I looked up at him fiercely, my gaze cutting him off.

"What's wrong with the dragons?" He seemed to notice why I was so unfocused. I watched his chest heave a sigh and he looked at me, gesturing for me to follow.

We walked inside, and I could see the worry in his face as we sat down where we sat yesterday.

"The dragons," he whispered, a look of sorrow drenched his features. "They've been like this for a while now, since the spring. Even Toothless has been a little lethargic, and that's something I've never seen before."

I frowned, looking around, studying the surroundings with haste. The kitchen table was crooked and chairs were slammed against the sides. There were a few dishes sitting out on a small counter, a large pot sat next to the stove where it had a thin layer of dust on it. It had been a while since a woman cooked in that modest kitchen.

I studied Hiccup, watching him mess with his thumbs quietly, his eyebrows furrowed together as he thought about something. His peg leg sat out ahead of him stiffly and I watched him, trying to pick apart his character.

He bit his lip when he was thinking, his hands had scratches on them from dragons or maybe from chief work, whatever that consisted of.

This whole being around people was the oddest thing I've ever done. Hiccup was a little scary, he was new. The people of Berk were rough around the edges, this wasn't like being eased into a lukewarm pool on a warm day, it was more like being pushed off the deep end…Naked.

I blinked, standing up to stretch my arms out. Hiccup looked over my leg, and I watched him again.

"I think I know what's wrong with the dragons…"

I definitely caught his attention.

Holy crap, a chapter?

Believe me, life has been hectic! The past year has been a rollarcoaster, but hopefully I'll be able to post more and more :) Its currently scholarship season and I've got my work cut out for me! SORRY that it has been so long! I'll be back more often :)

-Jos