AN: Hey guys! Long time no see, eh? I don't even deserve to be here... Wow. Um... took me four months to write this chapter... that is unforgivable. I promise though that next week there will be a chapter by Tyira out on Friday and then one the next week by me. Once our school year starts back up though the updating pattern will change. I'm sorry that this chapter is so long. I don't really like this chapter at all. I felt so... strange while writing some parts of it, almost as if I was forcing the words onto the page instead of letting them just flow. Oh well what can I do. Tyira was mad enough at me for the lateness anyway, if she has a problem too bad! Haha... don't tell her I said that. I much like my head. I don't want to see it removed just yet. :P I wonder if anyone will understand that reference... Oh well onto the last Prologue chapter!
"Accept everything about yourself - I mean everything. You are you and that is the beginning and the end - no apologies, no regrets."
Henry A. Kissinger
"Hiccup!" somebody cried out in anger, their voice loud enough to scare away any creature in the surrounding area. Deep in the woods, the mist rolled around the feet of a broad man who looked anything but pleased. Hanging before him was the very object of his anger. A scrawny boy of nine years struggled futilely against the bonds that suspended him above the ground.
"Once again, you've managed to mess up the whole hunting trip. This is the last straw, Hiccup. From now on you won't be coming with me again. Ever!"
"But dad," the boy called helplessly, "just give me one more chance. I swear I got something this time! It just got away is all."
The burly man's face hardened over with a mixture of fury and pain. "No. You've messed up too many times now, Hiccup. At this rate you'll end up in the same place as your mother."
All of a sudden Hiccup's green eyes flooded with sorrow and his face contorted in pain. The young boy stopped struggling and went limp in the net that held him. "Dad..." Hiccup trailed off as his voice cracked in defeat.
"From now on, you won't be coming hunting with me. I'll see if my friend Gobber will watch you and if not... I'll figure something else out." The bearded man cut the rope that held the trap in the air and Hiccup came crashing down. Grunting and groaning, Hiccup pushed his frail frame off of the ground. The boy understood his father's anger, but he just wanted to help! Why shouldn't somebody be allowed to do something if they wanted to?
With renewed vigor Hiccup started again, "But dad, I only want to hel-"
"No. This is the last I want to hear of this. I won't lose you to the beasts as well. Now let's go home."
The day they left the woods was the last time Hiccup would set foot in the green arms of the trees for six years. And little did Hiccup's dad know but it would be in those woods that he lost his son.
The bell rang its ear-splitting cry as a panicked fifteen-year-old ran through the school's deserted corridors. Crap! How did I end up being late? I guess I should have paid more attention to the clock in the library. Those new designs of Gobber's were just too cool to leave, though, the boy thought hurriedly. Panting, the teen reached for the door handle and pulled. Inside the classroom he was met with the scornful stares of his peers.
"You're late, Haddock," his teacher, Mr. Agnarson, said, his voice filled with distaste.
"I can explain, Mr. Agnar-" Hiccup started, out of breath.
"I don't want any of your excuses, Haddock. This is your third tardy. Go take your seat and we will talk after class."
Hiccup frowned at his stuffed-shirted history teacher, but did as he was told. Walking to the back of the classroom, the teen heard sniggering coming from his classmates. Words such as "loser" and "screw-up" were mentioned quite frequently. Well, this is going to be a wonderful last period, Hiccup thought as Mr. Agnarson went on to lecture the students about the importance of arriving promptly to class.
For the next hour, the students listened to their teacher tell the tales of King Arthur and his knights. Even though the class was supposed to be a history class, Mr. Agnarson spent a lot more time on literature than anything else. Finally, the shrieking of the bell ended the boring lecture. Students scrambled to grab their things and sprint to the door now that school was over for the week. As the teenagers practically leaped over each other to get out Mr. Agnarson yelled, "I expect a two-page summary of everything you've learned today on Monday!" Hiccup picked up his notebooks and shuffled discreetly towards the door trying to avoid his teacher.
"And where are you going, Mr. Haddock?" the grey-haired teacher asked, his back facing the ninth grader. Hiccup sighed, closed his eyes, and slumped against the wall. "Do you know what you get when you get three tardies, Mr. Haddock?"
"After-school detention," Hiccup answered glumly.
"Then you know very well where you will be shortly, correct?"
"Yes, Mr. Agnarson," Hiccup replied as he left the room. His dad was going to kill him. Of course he could lie and say he had been studying at the school library. Or maybe even say he went to Gobber's to work on some of his ongoing projects. None of these would work, though. Stoick could read Hiccup like a book, so lying wouldn't get the boy anywhere. Hiccup sighed, rubbing his forehead in defeat, and made for the cafeteria for detention. Opening the door, he saw the schools' resident troublemakers: Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut. Oh, yes, this would be fun.
By the time Hiccup left the school, the sun was resting just above the waters that surrounded his home, the city of Berk. The boy hustled home, and by the time he entered his house, he was out of breath. His dad was nowhere in sight so Hiccup placed one foot stealthily in front of the other. He tried desperately to make his way towards the stairs, only to be stopped the voice of his father.
"Where were you?" the low voice questioned, back to the boy.
"I-I was-" Hiccup started before sighing and confessing, "I got detention for being late for class."
Stoick stiffened though his face remained a mask of grim calm. Hiccup fidgeted nervously in his spot by the stairs, avoiding Stoick's eyes. With a quick move, the rust-haired man stood and walked towards his son, his shoulders rigid. Hiccup tensed in anticipation for what was to surely come. Putting a large hand on the considerably smaller male's shoulder, Stoick said, "I'm going on a hunting trip. I'll be gone for two weeks during which you'll stay with Gobber. I expect a full explanation of this when I get back, but for now I don't have the time or patience to deal with your mess-ups."
Hiccup gulped, his green eyes staring at the face before him. His father's rough face was taut with tension and exhaustion, his eyebrows creased in a deep scowl. The air moved fluidly as Stoick brushed past and Hiccup felt the warmth fall from his shoulder. The fifteen-year-old's eyes stayed focused but unseeing on the spot his father's face had been even as the man left the house. Snapping back into reality, the brunette stepped away from his spot and moved towards the worn, wooden stairs. He climbed them pitifully and entered his room, flopping onto his bed, which made a quiet whoosh, and fell fast asleep.
The weekend went by in a blur. Hiccup brought the necessary supplies with him to Gobber's house and spent the rest of the weekend poring over mechanical designs in his second home. By the time Monday came around, Hiccup had already reviewed most of the designs made by his now long-time friend. It was surprising that the teen was the one making corrections on an older man's work. Gobber was a strange mixture of a carpenter and a mechanic. When people had home repairs to be done, he was the man to go to, and when they needed absolutely anything mechanical checked up on or built, he was your go-to guy. Over the span of the past six years Hiccup had become the man's apprentice, until he eventually surpassed him, and Gobber had become more of a father to Hiccup than Stoick.
Hiccup dwelled in his memories of his and Gobber's relationship as his sneakers made light scuffing sounds against the cold tile hallways. Some of his favorite memories of the man were when he did dramatic recounts of how he had lost his hand and foot. Each time the story was different, but they never ceased to entertain Hiccup. One of the stories was that a great bear had chomped the appendages clean off while another said a griffin had snapped the bone clean through and flown off with the body part. A slight smile graced Hiccup's freckled face at the bonfire tales and he became so lost in thought that he forgot to pay attention to where he was going. His feet seemed to know, though, so they guided him on the typical path only to lead him right into someone. The consequential smack was followed by two thuds in quick succession of each other along with the crash of books scattering.
"I'm so sorry," Hiccup started out with a slight stutter as he scrambled to gather his things. With his books now in a relatively neat pile, Hiccup looked up while saying, "I was just lost in thought and I wasn-" He stopped short at the sight of the girl on the ground before him. Her blonde hair was cut choppily and the majority of it was pulled back in a crooked braid. She wore dark leggings with a red skirt that was riding up due to her sitting position. Her top was a skin-tight striped shirt of varying shades of blue and she wore black wrappings on her arms. Hiccup studied her, his eyes wide. The girl wasn't particularly popular but everybody knew her. The blonde didn't have a curvy body that most would label as sexy but instead she possessed a ferocious beauty. The girl's name was Astrid Hofferson and Hiccup had had a crush on her since the third grade.
"H-h-h-hi Astrid. Hi Astrid. Oh, gosh. I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention and-" he was interrupted as the girl stood up and walked past him.
"Watch where you're going next time," was all she said as she moved down the hallway, blending into the crowd. The awkward teen stared at where she had disappeared for a few seconds before regaining his wits and scurrying off to his next class.
At the end of the day, Hiccup hustled down the steps at the front of the school. Once he cleared the concrete steps, Hiccup began to traverse the cobblestone main street of Berk, slowly making his way back to Gobber's house. As Hiccup approached a street corner, a group of teens were lounging about on some stacked fish crates. Berk was known for its large supply of fish after all, not to mention the rustic style it had maintained. Many people were intrigued by the Viking heritage of Berk but not much made it out there due to the cold weather the peninsula often had. The beautiful iconic sunsets were often the only reward for making the trip. Hiccup sighed as he recognized the group of high-schoolers: Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, and Astrid.
"Hey look, it's fresh meat!" Snotlout cried out when he spotted Hiccup.
The twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut turned to look, feral grins plastered on their faces. Fishlegs looked on with a sympathetic look. He was never one to pick on kids, really, but he somehow still managed to be a part of the little group. The final member of the group looked on with boredom. Hiccup gulped. This probably wouldn't end well if he didn't get to somewhere safe. His brown hair flapped back and forth as he looked around nervously. He had four choices: back towards to school, a mad dash towards Gobber's house, try to lose them in downtown Berk, or the forest. The most logical choice was to run to Gobber's house, but as Hiccup looked towards the woods a nagging sensation became apparent in his chest. Taking a last glance at the group of teenagers, Hiccup made a dash for the woods.
"Hey, where are you going?" the twins cried out. "Running away like a sissy?"
Hiccup ignored the insulting calls that came from behind him. Instead he focused on running. On breathing. If he had looked back though he would have noticed the seemingly passive girl sit up, her interest piqued. It wasn't until Hiccup felt the stinging of branches hitting his skin that he realized what he was doing. Slowing down, the boy placed his hands on his knees and gasped for breath. I broke my dad's rules. I should go back and just pretend none of this had ever happened, Hiccup thought as he calmed his breathing. If only things were that simple for the fourteen-year-old. The constricting longing he felt in his chest had grown once he entered the forest. Lifting his green gaze from the forest floor, he peered quizzically towards his left. A high-pitched mourning whine seemed to be flowing towards him as silk falls elegantly down a frame. Tentatively, Hiccup began moving towards the air waves. The spindly arms of trees wrapped around him, clogging the air and caused the corner of Hiccup's mouth to turn down.
Slapping a branch out of his way, Hiccup moved forward deliberately only to have said branch whack him in the back sending him tumbling ass-over-teakettle down a mossy slope. Hiccup sat up quickly once he came to a stop and rubbed feverishly at his watery eyes. Blinking several times, Hiccup scowled in disdain. The clenching in his chest had become painful at this point and he had no clue where he had come from. Based on the little light that streamed through the evergreen canopy, Hiccup guessed it was around five o'clock. It would be dark if he didn't make it out of the woods soon. Tearing his gaze away from the splotches of gradually darkening cerulean sky, Hiccup pivoted on the heel of his mud-splattered tennis shoes and his green eyes alighted on a giant creature that seemed to the be a lost chunk of the night sky itself. Gasping, the mechanic proceeded to flatten himself against the ground, eyes squeezed tightly closed. Cracking an eye open hesitantly, the Viking descendant peered quizzically beyond his immediate line of sight. There before him was a beast unlike anything he'd ever seen while in the woods. The biggest organism that the young Haddock had laid eyes on was a deer. Black as night, this thing was roughly four times the size of an average deer. Inhaling sharply, Hiccup pondered something. A beast this big shouldn't be just laying around for no good reason. Thoroughly bemused, it wasn't until Hiccup gave the being a second glance that his question was answered. It was trapped.
The splotch of night sky was tangled up in a mesh of ropes and weights cleverly designed by Gobber and set by the boy's father. Seeing no reason to not move forward, Hiccup gathered himself up and scurried toward the seemingly dead creature. Stretching his leg slowly out, Hiccup squinted as he poked it with his foot. The beast flopped over and that was when Hiccup began to distinguish what the frightening and heart-clenching creature was. Large wings, four legs, a long tail with a single fin, and as the animal opened its eyes, a pair of jade green cat-like orbs stared back at Hiccup. Seeing that the cat-eyed beast was alive, the boy scrambled quickly for his Swiss Army Knife. The portable utility knife was only kept on his body for the screwdriver and other tools, but for once, the knife portion could come in handy. Hiccup's green gaze flitted aimlessly around him as his elbows locked in place, causing the knife to shake uncontrollably in his grasp. The lime green eyes of the monster stared challengingly back, its eyes betraying the master's emotions. Hatred, shame, annoyance, self-pity, but overall an unyielding sense of awe-filled curious resignation. The beast narrowed its eyes at the scrawny boy and the knife before him, an unusual ache in his chest apparent. Realization dawned on him like waves against the shore. A sudden crash and everything changed. This boy who stood before him a shivering wreck was actually going to kill him. Never before had a human seen him so vulnerable, seen him so trapped physically and emotionally. Utter defeat washed over the beast of the night and Hiccup watched in slight awe and bewilderment as the creature moaned and flopped back on the ground, body filled with submission. Deep breaths did nothing to calm the erratic beating ache of the mechanic's heart. Hiccup knew he should kill the monster. The work of nature in front of him was a dragon, and dragons were the terrible beasts that Stoick believed killed his wife. Hiccup's mom had died at the claws of such a beast and so the belittled son wanted so badly to kill the magnificent dragon. He could make his dad proud, could impress Astrid and maybe even earn some more respect from Gobber, but as the fishbone of a boy was about to plunge the glittering metal into the creature's heart something stilled his hand. Call it fate, or destiny, but all that matters is that in that single moment, Hiccup's life became forever changed.
Friction and snapping disturbed the dragon's pitiful state. The ropes from Stoick's trap loosened as Hiccup sawed feverishly against the bonds, looking over his shoulder in constant fear that his father would suddenly appear. Glistening cat eyes peered anxiously down at the distressed boy. At a final snap, the weights and ropes became loose enough for the dragon to break free on its own. He did just that. In a swift movement the beast had Hiccup pinned down, all the dragon's previous anger boiling over. The black beast's snout pinched up in a snarl and the eyes which had seemed so defeated sparked to life again. How did it feel to be the one trapped? To have one's own life in another's hands? The dragon knew the answer and wanted nothing more than to make this feeble human pay. It would be so simple to just roast him or bite off his head and be on his merry way. He almost did it. Chomp and the frightened face of the boy would be gone, replaced instead with the sight of glorious, rich, raw, red blood on the green-grey stone. An ache, the very same ache that had filled Hiccup's heart, began to envelop the dragon's own. The snarl plastered on his face began to relate to his own feelings of self-loathing. He wasn't like humans. Nothing about him screamed pity. A moment past and Hiccup was still trapped beneath the talons of the dragon, feet kicking up mud in a feeble attempt to get free. Bringing in a deep breath, the dragon flared up his wings and let forth a concussive roar. Then, quick as lightning, he was gone. As Hiccup regained his wits, he saw the creature crashing wildly through the woods until it eventually fell out of sight. Standing up proved to be a struggle, for just as quickly as he did, Hiccup found himself collapsed on the forest floor again. It was going to be a long trip home for him.
Gingerly, Hiccup opened the decaying door of Gobber's home. Snaking his head of russet locks, Hiccup nervously scanned the area for his mentor, all the while gnawing on his bottom lip. The boy released his raw lip in order to let out a relieved sigh when his brain recognized the fact that Gobber was nowhere to be seen. Scampering quickly inside,he made for the stairs and was almost to the top when Gobber's voice stopped him.
"Hey Hiccup, I don't mean to be like your old man, but what took yah so long?"
The fourteen-year-old paused mid-step and pivoted his body to face Gobber. The expression on the older man's face was not so much judgmental but curious. Learning from his previous attempt at lying, Hiccup decided to go with the dramatic route.
"Oh, you know, just beating up one of dad's dragons and getting a quick bite to eat," he said, the sarcasm lacing his voice was a poison through wine.
Gobber's eyes hardened for the briefest of seconds, the change too short for Hiccup to catch, but then the blue eyes crinkled up in amusement and his lips broke to show a crooked toothed grin. "Oh did ya now? Do tell about this… beast."
Hiccup rolled his eyes before cracking a smile himself. "I was just at an after-school, uh, thing."
Gobber laughed and shooed the boy away while saying, "Aye, that's rich." Something about the way he held himself as he said it made it seem like he really meant it that way. As if he didn't believe Hiccup for a second. "Off with ya now, boy. Just let me know if you're gonna be late again. I'd much like to keep my head off your father's walls."
Said brunette nodded curtly, happy that the lie was believable and moved up the stairs. The grin on Gobber's face stayed as his eyes followed his best friend's son, but quickly vanished once Hiccup was out of sight. Gobber knew the boy was lying about the after-school activity and beating anything up just isn't Hiccup, but a nagging part of Gobber wondered, did the boy actually see a dragon?
The sun rose rapidly the next day but proceeded to advance leisurely the rest of this restless Friday. The kids in Hiccup's school were rowdier than usual and the scrawny teen found himself shoved constantly as he moved through the halls. The bell at the end of the day was the greatest relief he'd ever felt. The instant relief was ended abruptly when the incessant nagging in his chest from yesterday returned. It happened just after he walked down the front steps of his school. Hiccup found himself keeling over as the pressure on his chest increased causing him to clutch at the green fabric of his T-shirt. He couldn't remember it being like this even as he got closer to the dragon. The dragon. Hiccup bolted up in realization. He needed to find the dragon again. Scanning quickly left and right, Hiccup noticed nobody that would put up a problem as everyone was preoccupied with plans for the weekend. Quick as a bunny, he raced off for a swatch of woods behind the school that connected with the much larger forest of Berk. Perhaps if in his haste he had paid more attention he would have noticed a set of icy blue eyes watching him from among a group of teens.
Astrid had seen Hiccup suddenly grab at his chest as if he was in pain and she just dismissed it. She wasn't worried. Oh, no, Astrid wouldn't worry about something as dumb as chest pain. It was when he had bolted up right and looked around like a scared little rabbit that she became intrigued. Astrid had always respected Hiccup's father Stoick and when Hiccup failed at hunting she had taken his place. If not for school she would be on the hunting trip with him. This being said, Astrid also knew about Hiccup's ban from the woods, and also she knew all about the dragons that only Stoick and the three seemed to believe in. So why was Hiccup running off into the woods?
Hiccup's breath became erratic the longer he ran but he kept following the tugging on his heart strings. Branches snagged on his clothes and vines cut his face but he continued to run until he met a giant rock face that towered above the boy like a mythical beast. Knowing he had to get through to something beyond the wall, Hiccup scanned the stone face for any sign of a passage. His eyes alighted on a crevice. Books from school still in hand, he pushed his way through the stone faces. At first it was dark but then there was a light, a brilliant light, as if the sun had come out after a year in hiding. Hiccup found himself on a ledge overlooking a miniature lake surrounded by high rock faces, the damp, cold crevice behind him. The sunlight was a beacon to the weary traveler as it poured from the orb sitting comfortably among the vast cerulean and white speckled landscape. A sound. A brief stirring in the leaves was all the notice he had before a monstrous shape blotted out the light. In the next instant the sun was back and Hiccup was aware of snarls and the sound of claws on stone above him. The scrambling was a painful nails-on-chalkboard sound. The sound stopped and Hiccup's green eyes watched the ebony blob warily once it landed on the ground. The dragon from before shook its head angrily. He couldn't believe that he was still stuck in this God-forsaken hole. The beast spat purple out of its mouth. It was a strange combination of fire and lightning and as Hiccup watched he began to wonder why the dragon hasn't done that to his head. Snapping out of his wary-filled awe, Hiccup scrambled for the cheap sketchbook he always kept with him. Snatching up the spiral book, the teen began to sketch the magnificent creature before him. He knew he should fear this beast and want to kill it, but seeing as what happened before he knew he couldn't kill it, even if it would forever shame him in his father's eyes. Hiccup became so absorbed in his sketch that his hands began to stumble. Clitter clack smack. The pencil which had previously been held with steady hands was now on the ground, and the closed jade eyes of the dragon had pivoted to fix the Viking descendant in its quizzical gaze. A sheepish smile graced Hiccup's face and he gently lifted his hand in a wave. The dragon narrowed its eyes and turned away.
The weekend flew by with Hiccup cooped up in his room until Monday rolled in on a bank of clouds and somber moods. Nobody likes Monday and the dismal atmosphere didn't help at all. Hey, at least Hiccup was noticed more at school that day. If you call getting called out by the teacher for daydreaming being noticed. The scornful laughs he received from his classmates weren't the important thing that day. In fact it was the very thing that drew his idiot classmates' attention that proved vital. All weekend and up through Monday his thoughts had been plagued by the ebony-bodied beast in the woods. The dragon had appeared stuck in the cove he found and from Hiccup's view unable to get food. Maybe he would use his spare change and buy a fish at the grocery store for him.
"Mr. Haddock. Again with the day dreaming? I will not warn you again."
A swift snap as a head refocused on the current task. "Sorry Mr. Agnarson," he mumbled, refusing to cast his gaze around the room.
A curt nod was all he received from the history teacher.
Luck was on Hiccup's side that day it seemed. Class was fast and nobody stopped him on his way to the grocery store. Before he knew it Hiccup had found himself back in front of the rocks that enclosed the cove. After a little bit of exploring on Friday he had found an entrance that lead directly to the floor. He slinked through the passage, raw fish held in front of his body. As he came upon the pathway opening wider Hiccup found that the dragon was nowhere in sight. Moving forward slowly, a low grumbling alerted him of the beast behind him. Hiccup turned and connected green with green. The obsidian dragon moved off the rock it had been sitting on and moved warily towards Hiccup, his nose flaring as it smelled the fish. The mechanic quickly thrust the disgusting food in front of him, breathing becoming slightly shallow. The dragon wasn't so sure of the peace offering, but after three days of no food he was willing to eat anything, pride or not. Besides the boy was pretty pathetic from the curious stare he was being given. One thing bothered the dragon, though, and that was the shiny knife at the boy's waist. The night-colored dragon growled, the somewhat friendly look gone from its elegant face. Hiccup had no clue where the sudden change had come from. He made incoherent noises until his hand fell on the cool metal by his side. He picked the Swiss Army knife from his waist and held it before him with the fish. The dragon growled more and withdrew into itself.
"No, no, no," Hiccup said comfortingly and in one quick motion tossed the knife away. It made a plop as it hit the water of the lake and sunk.
Immediately the dragon sat up like a dog, tail thumping happily against the ground. His eyes had widened from menacing slits to friendly ovals. Hiccup held the fish out again. The ebony creature sniffed it and opened its mouth.
"Huh," Hiccup observed the dragon's mouth. "Toothless. I could have sworn you had-" Snap. The dragon's teeth appeared and snatched the fish away. Hiccup subconsciously cradled his hand as if it had been burned. "Teeth," he finished, his tone light. Toothless. Hiccup's stream of thoughts ended when the dragon turned towards him, the food gone. Slowly it began stalking towards Hiccup, a strangled gurgling coming from its throat.
"I don't have anymore," Hiccup said in fear as he fell backwards onto his rear end. He continued to scramble backwards as the dragon approached. The gurgling turned into a horrible heaving and half of the fish came back up right into Hiccup's lap. The beast sat back expectantly, its gaze flickering expectantly between Hiccup and the fish.
The realization clicked in the teen's mind and he let out a soft, "Aw, no."
Slowly Hiccup picked the fish up. Eyes watching the dragon carefully, he took a bite of the raw, slimy, partially-digested fish. He nodded his head vigorously while making noises of false enjoyment. Gulp. The dragon made a swallowing sound. The fish flopped back down into Hiccup's lap and an exasperated look passed over Hiccup's face. Slowly and with much pain, he swallowed the chunk of raw fish. He let a shiver pass while staring at the remains of the fish and then lifted his head to give a half-smile to the dragon. A second of confusion went by for the dragon before it gave an awkward smile. The corners of its mouth turned up showing his sharp teeth, but the center seemed almost stuck in place. Hiccup's eyes became filled with a sense of wonder, and out of curiosity the young Viking lad lifted up his hand. A small sensation, barely a spark, passed in the air between the two, as if their brains would suddenly become connected. Before Hiccup made contact with the dragon, however, the mighty beast's smile fell away and he crinkled up his nose. In a flutter of choppy motions the dragon was on the other side of the lake, curled up. How could he have let himself make contact with a human? Sure he wasn't that bad, Toothless could almost say he liked him, but that tingling was something that scared him. Maybe if he just let his guard down a little… Jade eyes swiveled to lock with a set of hazel green. When did he get there? Hiccup lifted up his hand in greeting. The obsidian creature rolled its eyes and brought its tail around, unfurling the fin to let it block out the human child. Hiccup stared at the appendage as if it were a foreign person. He reached out to touch the scaly flesh but before he could, the tail moved and revealed again those piercing jade eyes. Hiccup hastily stood up as if he had been that way the whole time. Whistling a simple tune, he walked away and sat on a rock. The emotions played across Hiccup's face but settled on slightly bored as he reached for a stick. Carefully, he made a sketch. He was halfway through it when he felt a towering presence behind him. Hiccup tensed, but continued to draw his sketch.
Toothless had wandered over to the boy when his curiosity spiked. He had watched, his head moving with the motions of the stick, as Hiccup drew a crude picture of Toothless himself. An idea clicked inside Toothless's head and he sat back on his haunches before he waddled away like a penguin. Hiccup had finished his sketch when he heard a great rustling and an almost sickening snap, as if someone had just snapped a bone. He turned his head to be rewarded with the sight of Toothless holding a gigantic branch in his mouth. The usually bored eyes of Hiccup's widened in fascination as he watched Toothless start dragging the branch across the ground. The branch – maybe it had been a tree before – hit Hiccup on his head as Toothless continued to draw in the dirt. Finally Toothless sat back in satisfaction of his work. Hiccup stood up, mystified of the sight before him. To get a better view he started forward but quickly stopped when a low growl sounded from behind him. Startled the boy stepped back and the dragon immediately returned to a docile position. Hiccup looked down and stepped again, his foot landing on the crudely drawn lines. Another growl erupted from his right. He lifted his foot. Once more Toothless stopped growling until again Hiccup put his foot on the line. Toothless leaned forward, his teeth bared and voice vicious. Lifting his foot Hiccup set it beyond the line and Toothless sat up straight, content expression on his cat-like face. Hiccup sent him a warm gaze and continued to step, avoiding Toothless' masterpiece. Another step backwards. To the left, to the right. Hiccup spun in circles as if following a dance until finally he felt a presence behind him. The Viking boy turned slowly and came face to face with Toothless. Jade met forest. A hand was brought up and a charcoal nose crinkled in distaste. The bony, pale hand retracted itself and the evergreen gaze lowered to the ground. In an instinctive move, the dragon touched its nose to Hiccup's hand. The rough scales under fleshy fingers was a whole new sensation, and one that they would never forget.
For several days Hiccup continued to bring Toothless one or two fish, but he couldn't help but wonder why he didn't just fly away. If he could fly he could catch his own fish. Realization dawned upon him as he sat in the forge at Gobber's house. Gobber made all his own parts for construction. Believe it or not, he was quite the one for tradition. Hiccup had been staring at the sketch he'd made for Toothless for a while now, trying with all his might to figure out why he couldn't fly. The only odd thing about the dragon that Hiccup could see was his tail. At first he had thought he had two fins but it turned out he only had one. Only one fin... That was it! Toothless was missing a tail fin. Hiccup jumped up excitedly and bolted for the door to the house.
"Gobber, I'm starting a new project. I hope you don't mind!" he called in.
"I don't, but might I know what it is?" Gobber hollered back.
"Just something for school. Don't worry about it. I'll make sure everything is where it should be when I'm done."
"Okay, Hiccup," replied Gobber, suspicion reflected on his countenance.
With that, Hiccup began his project. He slaved all through the night on it. He was so tired the next day that he almost received after-school detention for the second time. His energy level peaked once he was running off through the woods with a basket of fish over one shoulder and his project in the other. Hiccup figured that Toothless was going to need more than just a few fish a day to get by.
"Here you go, buddy," Hiccup called out once he entered the cove. The fish fell out of the basket and Toothless launched himself at them. Once his face was thoroughly buried among the fish, Hiccup moved around behind Toothless. Carefully, he unfurled his project in all its glory. The leather straps seemed sturdy enough and the material Hiccup had used for the fin was very sturdy. It took a little bit of wrestling, but Hiccup managed to tie down the new fin to Toothless's tail. Sitting back, Hiccup didn't notice that the dragon had recognized the unnatural - or once again, natural - weight on his tail. Hiccup was completely absorbed in admiring his handiwork and it took Toothless taking off of the ground to snap him out of it. Unfortunately Hiccup's hard work was in vain. The tail fin didn't fan out like he'd planned it to. The pair was loosing altitude fast. Frantic, Hiccup grabbed the fin and pulled it wide. The two took off in a flash. Toothless was happy to be flying again, but why was the human hatchling there? The dragon maneuvered itself and flicked Hiccup off of its tail. Hiccup went skipping across the water and Toothless just kept going on. That is, until the fin closed again and he plummeted down into the water with Hiccup. Even if the experiment didn't work the way he wanted to, Hiccup was still ecstatic. He jumped up and down in the water while Toothless just lay there miserably.
When Hiccup got home he immediately set off to making a little something to help with the flying. He hammered, measured, and sewed. All the while Gobber watched silently from the door, prosthetic arm crossed over real. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Hiccup had seen a dragon. Gobber had always sensed something special in Hiccup, and now that special had changed. It was almost as if Hiccup had found his better half, a half of himself he'd been missing his whole life. Gobber snapped out of his pondering and went back into the house, leaving Hiccup to his own devices. Oh, what Stoick would think.
Hiccup held up the saddle with a smile. Toothless stared at the piece of equipment challengingly and then proceeded to jump away. The lanky boy sighed in aggravation and began to chase after the fleeing beast. Once the saddle was settled on Toothless' back they took off, a rope in Hiccup's hand to hold the fin open. Determination was set on the fifteen-year-old's face as he yanked hard on rope. The fin opened, but in the wrong way. The teen was sent flying forward off of Toothless. Together the two crashed down to earth.
Back in Gobber's workshop Hiccup tested the strength of the cord that would hold his newly made riding vest to the saddle. Satisfied, Hiccup took his new contraption to the lake where Toothless was living. This time he decided that it would be best to try keeping the fin open with a rope tied to his foot. While this didn't work out well it was the idea that mattered. Hiccup thought about this as he sat up from his dizzying fall. Now it was just a matter of getting back to the shop.
Toothless sat there eating merrily as Hiccup attached his final contraption. Over the course of the week Hiccup and Toothless had become surprisingly close. When they were away from one another the tugging at their heartstrings would return. It was because of this closeness that Toothless didn't mind Hiccup crawling all over him attaching the new device. Once in place the two moved up to a cliff where Hiccup attached them to a long dead stump. Using the ever-present wind, Toothless and Hiccup learned how to fly together. A sudden strong gust of wind ripped the pair away from the cliff and sent them rolling several yards back into the woods. Toothless stood, yanking Hiccup along with him.
"Oh great," Hiccup mumbled as he tested the connector cord to find it stuck in place.
For the week that Hiccup had known Toothless there had been someone else observing his actions, and that person wanted answers. Astrid Hofferson stepped with confidence through the lamp-lit cobblestone streets. She had stayed at school late to do some end-of-year studying. The particular route she was on took her through the town's outskirts, and as chance would have it, by Gobber's house. She was passing in front of the carpenter's workshop when she heard a clatter. She spun around, skirt fanning and book bag spinning. It was late and she knew older Gobber went to bed early. That left one option as to who was in the shop.
"Hiccup?" she called out, moving towards the building.
A series of clatters ensued. A mop of brown hair appeared along with its lanky body.
"H-hi Astrid. Hi Astrid. Oh gosh," he stuttered out.
A pair of blue eyes surveyed him carefully, watching as he smoothed out his work apron. "You've been acting strange, Hiccup. All this sneaking off into the woods, daydreaming more than usual in class. What's going on?"
Hiccup faltered. Astrid watched as he grunted and slowly slid up the window. The blonde's eyes widened as he finally disappeared behind the shutters. Rushing forward, she threw open the shutters. Empty. Hiccup was nowhere in sight. Slamming her fist down in frustration, Astrid turned away and continued home.
"Okay there, bud, we're going to take this nice and slow. Position three - no, four," Hiccup said, looking carefully down at his sheet of tail positions. With a click, they were off and flying. Hiccup tested the cord and looked back at the fin. So far, so good.
"Alright, it's go time," he mumbled to himself.
Together, the two dove down towards the water. The shimmering blue rose up to meet them in white crested waves before the dragon and its ride pulled up. The tips of Toothless' charcoal wings skimmed the water.
"Come on, buddy, come on, buddy," Hiccup chanted as they pulled up a little higher.
Hiccup squinted as the wind ripped at his face, cold and merciless. Jagged spires of rock jutted out of the waves before them. The very essence of Hiccup's small, home isle was captured in this moment. Harsh, brutal, but beautiful. Seagulls scattered when the huge beast came soaring through a rock arch. Hiccup glanced up at the sky. It was so blue and now covered in white specks of birds as well as the tufts of clouds that floated about. The Viking boy double-checked the fin. It was still firmly in place.
"Yes! It worked!" he cheered.
Shifting his gaze forward again, he pulled up short in order to avoid crashing headlong into another tower of stone. It didn't work.
"Sorry," Hiccup called to the dragon. They reoriented themselves only for Toothless to smack belly-first into more rock.
"That's my fault," Hiccup said. After all, he was the rider. He should pay attention to where he was going.
Toothless whipped his head around, managing to smack Hiccup in the head with his ear. The two seemed to be able to communicate with each other, even if they couldn't use words.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it. Position one - er, three," the dragon rider replied to the wordless command. He checked his foothold and the mechanics of the device before switching positions. Together the two climbed. The pulsing of their hearts became one with the beat of Toothless' wings as they flew the feeling was unlike any other on earth. Together like this the two felt truly free.
"Yeah, baby! Oh this is amazing, the wind in my-" the wind ripped Hiccup's guide off the saddle, "cheat sheet!"
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The buckle that held Hiccup in place came free as he reached forward to grab his cheat sheet, and just like that they were falling.
"Okay, you've got to kind of angle yourself," Hiccup called to Toothless as they continued to free fall. The dragon just kept spinning in a panicked circle, losing altitude. The ebony dragon's tail came swiveling around just as they got close to recovering and smacked Hiccup away. The wind rushed past him and filled his ears with its concussive sound. Hiccup scrambled through the air trying to get close to Toothless. Finally his hand closed around the saddle. He shoved the cheat sheet in his mouth as he reconnected himself to the saddle and placed his feet in the stirrups. Both hands gripped the leather for dear life as he pulled up. Toothless spread his wings wide and they caught the air saving the two from impaling themselves on the trees. The paper flapped in Hiccup's face. Pillars of rocks spread out before the pair as Hiccup tried to see what position to switch to. Seconds rolled by. The paper flew in the wind, lost forever in the forest behind Hiccup. A click. Toothless swerved to the left. Then the right. They rolled and dove together as if connected since birth. Through the rocks and fog, they went until finally the sunlight broke through. Hiccup raised his arms in joy.
"Yeah!" he hollered. Toothless replied in his own way by shooting a ball of flame forward. The heat hit them in a wave. "Aw, come on."
"What happened, boy? You look like you've ran through a fire," Gobber asked that evening.
"Oh, nothing, just got a little too close to the forge while working. No biggy," Hiccup replied, chomping into his fish on a stick.
"Good luck explaining that at school."
"I'll try my best," Hiccup joked. A silence followed.
"You know, your father comes home this Saturday. You only have tomorrow left with me," Gobber stated.
Green eyes widened and pale skin turned pasty white. "I'd forgotten about that." Hiccup set his fish down. "I'm going to bed. 'Night, Gobber."
The carpenter watched as his best friend's son walked off down the hall. He continued to stare long after he'd heard a door slam. He was absolutely positive of it now. Hiccup had not only seen, but had tamed a dragon. And not just any based on the markings on his face. The Night Fury.
Astrid had absolutely had it. Today she was going to find out what Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was up to, and nobody was going to stop her. As it was Friday, her teachers deemed it fit to not give any homework so she fled the class right as the bell rang in order to catch Hiccup as he was leaving. She made it out the front door of the school but she was too late. Hiccup's back was already disappearing around a corner towards the woods. Most would have given up, but she was a Viking descendant and she'd be damned if she didn't uphold their stubbornness issues. Furious, she stormed after him.
"Okay, we're leaving. Let's pack up. We're taking a little vacation. Forever." Hiccup let go of his bag with a sigh. His father was coming back. How else was he supposed to deal with this besides run away?
He turned around but quickly stumbled back. Sitting on a rock was Astrid fingering a knife.
"What the-" he caught himself. "What are you doing here, Astrid?"
"I want to know what's going on. All the daydreaming, all the running off into the woods. You and I both know your father banned you from ever coming in here, so start talking," she said pointing the knife accusingly at him.
"Um... uh... well... you see, I…" he started.
"It better not involve all of this," Astrid said, taking Hiccup's vest in a fist.
"I know this looks really bad, but the truth is I've been hunting. Yeah, making traps and stuff. Go ahead, take me home tell my dad all about his I'm sure he'd love to know," Hiccup said, taking her hand and as if to drag her back instead. He soon found his wrist bent back. "Ow, why would you do that?" he called up from the ground.
Her foot stomped on his chest. "That's for the lies," she said and shoved her heel into his hand, "and that's for everything else."
She stood up and looked around the lake, scanning for any sign of him telling the truth. Behind her Hiccup stood up. A dark shape moved out of the corner of her eye. At this point Hiccup was standing tall beside her. Not for long.
"Get down," she called, tackling him to the ground. She grabbed her knife and charged at the black creature that had appeared. The beast growled and leaped forward.
"No!" Hiccup screamed tackling the knife from Astrid. "Whoa, it's okay, it's okay. She's a friend," Hiccup said, standing in between the two opposing forces. "It's okay," he said, this time speaking to Astrid, "you just scared him is all."
"I scared him?" Astrid questioned in disbelief. "Who is him?"
"Astrid, Toothless. Toothless, Astrid," Hiccup said. The ebony dragon growled and Astrid ran. "Da-da-da, we're dead." Toothless merely smirked smugly and stalked off. "Whoa, where do you think you're going?"
Astrid ran through the woods, arms pumping as fast as they could go. She stepped on a fallen log preparing to land on the other side when a pair of strong claws wrapped around her.
"Oh, gosh. Oh, God," she screamed as she frantically gripped the large paw in an attempt to not end up falling. The ground flew past as she continued to scream. The next thing she knew she was flying through the air and left to hang on a branch. Toothless landed on the top of the tree next to her, Hiccup on his back.
"Hiccup! Get me down from here!" Astrid yelled at him.
"You have to give me a chance to explain," he began.
"I am not listening to anything you have to say," the blonde snarled back.
"Then I won't speak. Just let me show you."
Astrid hung there warily as she contemplated a course of action. Using all her strength she pulled herself up next to Toothless. Tentatively, she climbed on.
"Now get me down," she commanded.
Hiccup nodded. "Toothless, down. Gently."
Ebony wings unfurled slowly. "See? Nothing to be afraid of." The charcoal creature took off from the branch and began climbing rapidly higher. Astrid's screams echoed all around.
"Toothless, what are you doing?" Hiccup yelled, leaning forward in his seat. Astrid was about to fall off when she grabbed on to Hiccup's shoulders, pulling him away from his position.
"What is wrong with you? Bad dragon!"
The teen regained his hold on the saddle and began his apology. "He's not usually like this. Oh, no." Hiccup watched as Toothless banked steeply, bringing them down toward the waves. The three crashed in and out of the water. "Toothless, what are you doing? We need her to like us!" Hiccup berated. The dragon paid no heed to his rider's words though and continued wildly. He ascended rapidly straight up and began to corkscrew.
"And now the spinning," Hiccup said dully over Astrid's screams. "Thanks for nothing, you useless reptile."
Astrid held on to Hiccup for dear life, her face against his shoulder and eyes closed to block out the mayhem. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Just get me off this thing."
Instantly Toothless calmed down and began to glide smoothly through the air. Astrid's grip loosened and she opened her eyes to glance around. Her eyes, two tiny blue oceans, became mystified by the sights around her. The clouds were painted pinks and yellows by the sunset and the water below them reflected the sun's golden rays. She extended a hand as if wanting to catch the clouds. The vapor trickled through her fingers like light. Blonde tresses fell back as she leaned freely in joy. The sun went down and the stars began to speckle the sky but the three still flew through the open air. Above them the northern lights flickered into existence. Purples, blues, and greens painted the sky. The Viking girl sighed contently and leaned her head against Hiccup's shoulder. They flew through the towering spires of rock that surrounded Berk. The stone faces of their ancestors were lit with fire that night that was reflected in the crashing foam below. The outcrop that Berk rested on was peaceful, something that couldn't normally be said about it.
"Alright, I admit it. This is pretty cool," she said. "It's amazing. He's amazing."
She reached down and rubbed Toothless affectionately. Even if she was quite taken by Toothless she still felt some amount of strange hatred. She'd figure it out eventually, she supposed, but for now she wanted to enjoy the moment.
"Hiccup, what are you going to do? You know your dad is coming back tomorrow. How are you going to keep him a secret? Your dad," she lowered her voice to whisper in his ear, "hunts dragons. There's no way he won't find him in the woods."
"I know. I can't let anything happen to Toothless. I feel like if I lose him, I lose myself. I probably sound stupid to you, but it's true. When I found him tangled in my dad's trap I knew I needed to kill him. Everything in my body said, 'Kill it. You'll make your dad proud. You'll have freedom again.' But my heart said no. 'Kill him and you kill yourself.'"
"If it makes any difference, I won't tell your dad. I'll help in any way I can."
"Thanks, that means a lot."
Conversation gave way to serene silence and together they flew home.
Hiccup woke early the next day in order to feed Toothless. He figured this was the best way to feed the dragon. As he crept out of the house he double checked that Gobber was still snoring away in his room. Then, quick as a rabbit, he left the house. Might as well get as much time in with his best friend before it could all come crashing down.
A shadow fell over Gobber as he sat at the table drinking his morning cup of coffee. A big hulking figure entered the room and pulled a chair out from under the table. The carpenter stood up and grabbed another mug from a cupboard and poured the figure a cup of coffee.
"So, how was the hunting trip? Did you get anything?" Gobber asked, taking a gulp of his coffee.
A bag landed on the table, opening just wide enough for its contents to be visible. Nothing.
"Oh. Bad trip then, eh?" Gobber asked trying to lighten the mood.
"You could say that," Stoick replied.
"Ah, well you should know that Hiccup's been a lot better. Been working in the shop a lot. Given him lots of time to think. Not to mention his staying late after school to study 'n' stuff. Boy's gotten motivated. I swear every day he comes home and tells me some tall tale about a new adventure he went on. I think he's even gotten a handle on that little girl of his. Your little pupil Astrid. He came home last night swooning all over the place!"
Stoick nodded, his mood slightly lightening. "That's good to hear. Where is he now?"
Gobber paused with his mug halfway to his mouth. "Uh, I don't know actually. Wasn't here when I woke up. I figured he must've gone off to the library or something. He's a smart kid, ya know."
As much as Stoick would have wanted to believe Gobber, something wasn't sitting right with him. Gobber was always a late riser so it was easy to see how Hiccup could have gotten out before him, but why would Hiccup leave when he knew Stoick was coming back? The red-haired man stood up abruptly, almost knocking his chair over in the process, and made for the door.
"Where are you going now?" Gobber asked. "It's still early!"
"I'm going to find my son," Stoick said, "and Gobber, it's 11:25 in the morning." The conversation ended with a slam of the door.
Astrid was woken by the sound of someone banging on the door. Groaning, she covered her head with her pillow but when the banging persisted she got up, put a robe on, and made her way downstairs. She passed by a clock during her trip a sneaked a peak at the time 1:07 pm. Who would dare to wake her up so early? Stupid teenage hormones. Yawning, she opened the door.
"Mr. Haddock! What are you doing here?" she questioned.
"Astrid, I'm looking for Hiccup. Have you seen him?" the man responded with a question of his own.
She just looked at him. It was a look that asked "Are you stupid? Do I look like I know where he is?" Instead of saying that though she politely gestured to herself. "Sorry, but I don't think I look like I would know anything. Check the library. He loves it there."
Stoick ignored the girl's snarky remarks. "I already did, but he wasn't there. I've looked around all the usual places but I can't find him."
Astrid sighed, blowing her bangs out of her face in the process. "Well, maybe he broke your rule and went off into the woods. I'm sorry Mr. Haddock but I really don't know. If I did, I'd tell you."
Stoick stiffened at her teasing comment. Hiccup wouldn't do that… would he? Astrid realized her mistake too late.
"Wait, uh, Mr. Haddock there is no way Hiccup would do that. Hey!" she called out to the retreating figure. She knew she needed to do something, and fast. Slamming the door shut she raced upstairs to get ready for some forest exploration.
Long after Stoick had left, Gobber sat at the table, thinking. Hiccup was a companion, of this he had no doubt, and that girl, Astrid, seemed like one as well. The only problem was his best friend. Gobber knew where Hiccup and his dragon were and he had a sinking feeling that his friend would find out soon as well. When that happened it would be as if the gates of Hell itself where opening. Gobber realized that he was going to have to stop the two before anything serious happened. With a sigh, Gobber turned his gaze towards the window. The sun was already setting. Hopefully Stoick hadn't found Hiccup just yet.
Astrid huffed as she raced through the woods towards the lake. Several times she almost fell and she knew she'd have some major bruises in the morning, but she didn't care. All that was on her mind right now was warning Hiccup. At last she burst through the undergrowth and into the cove. Scanning quickly, she found Hiccup and Toothless just lying together. Mustering the last of her energy, she sprinted over to the pair where she finally collapsed.
"Hiccup," she panted, "your dad. He's back and he's looking for you. You and Toothless have got to leave. I don't know what he'd do if he-"
"Found his son and pupil all friendly with a dragon? Yes, I wonder what he'd do as well," a gruff voice came from behind Astrid.
The girl froze in place, a hand over her heart to calm the beating. Toothless had stood up, his wings now flaring and his face a mask of anger. Hiccup stood beside the dragon, eyes wide in fear as he stared at his father.
"Dad…" he whispered.
"Move, Hiccup. Take Astrid and leave. This beast," he spat the word beast, "is mine."
A presence invaded the back of Hiccup's mind. It was like another person, another being, was worming its way into Hiccup's thoughts.
Don't leave me, it seemed to say. The voice sounded ancient, as if it hadn't been used in ages, but at the same time young and playful. It sounded like…
"Toothless…" Hiccup muttered.
"What did you say?" his father asked.
"Toothless. His name is Toothless and he's my friend. I won't let you hurt him. If you want him you'll have to go through me."
"And me," Astrid's voice chimed in. She stood up, fully recovered from her run, and positioned herself so she was shielding Toothless.
"You two really think you can defy me? That thing is the devil's spawn! It doesn't deserve to live. Hiccup, they killed your mother. How can you even stand living if you're living to protect one?" Stoick questioned, anguish in his voice.
"Because it's his companion," a new voice interrupted. Three heads turned to look at Gobber as he hobbled in. "You can't kill the dragon, Stoick, or you run the risk of losing your son. Is revenge really more important than life?"
The last rays of sunlight faded in that instant leaving only the moonlight to illuminate the encounter. Stars reared their shiny heads into existence one by one. Nobody dared move, the weight of the questions affecting them all. For what seemed like hours, they all stood there, barely moving.
"No, it isn't," Stoick said shattering the silence. He slumped to the ground and stared at the sky. A few specks of light shot across the expanse of black, like bullets. A meteor shower. Everyone turned to stare at the pinpoints of light that began to blanket the night sky. Suddenly a much brighter one appeared. It was redder than the others, and it didn't seem to be as high, nor going in the same direction. Instead it seemed to be heading right at them…
"Move!" Astrid screamed at them. The meteor crashed on the far side of the lake. Everything in its vicinity was either crushed or burning, neither of which was a good thing.
"We've got to put out that fire," Hiccup said, mounting Toothless.
"Wait. That wasn't a meteor," Gobber said. His eyes filled with worry, something you rarely see on such a man.
"Well, what was it then?" Stoick asked.
"A dragon." Four sets of eyes trained themselves on the crater left by the crash, and four eyes widened in fear as a gigantic creature unfolded itself from the hole.
"What is that?" Astrid whispered.
"It's called the Green Death. It's one of the Legendary Dragons, just like the Night Fury over there," Gobber gestured. "They say it has an unsustainable appetite. Back in ancient lore it was said to eat whole villages in a night. No doubt that still holds true." When Gobber finished explaining all heads turned back to the beast.
"That means that…Oh, no. It's going to destroy Berk!" Astrid cried. The two adults nodded their heads in agreement.
"No, it's not. I'm going to kill that thing. I won't let anyone in our town get hurt," Hiccup said, his eyes showing an unrivaled determination. In one gust of wind, Toothless and Hiccup took off. Three pairs of eyes watched in fear and fascination as the companions dove head first into an unwinnable battle.
"Alright, buddy let's do this." Hiccup and Toothless flew high, observing the recovering beast. From the looks of it the creature relied on hearing and smell, not on eyesight. It appeared unable to fly due to its large body size, but a pair of wings rested snugly on its back.
"That thing has wings. Huh. Alright, let's see if he can use them!" Hiccup cheered to Toothless.
Toothless screeched in agreement and together they dove. A shrill whistling sound was all the notice the beast had before it was hit by purple flames. The dragon roared and swiveled its mighty head to search for the one responsible. Its eyes landed on the only flying beast in the sky. With great effort, the Green Death opened its wings and lifted off the ground.
"Alright, so he can fly. You got any ideas, bud?" Hiccup asked.
Hiccup felt a mental shrug from Toothless. "Figures," Hiccup mumbled.
The two zoomed off into the sky as the Green Death pursued them. A burst of fire shot by them but they were able to avoid getting burned. Still they climbed higher. Hiccup and Toothless maneuvered around to avoid another burst of fire. It was then that Hiccup got an idea. He urged Toothless forward and the Night Fury shot another blast of fire at the gigantic dragon. In a fit of rage, the creature shot fire in an arc around itself.
"Come on, buddy, come on!" Hiccup chanted. They tried to avoid the flames but Toothless' tail got caught up in the onslaught. "Okay, time's up. Let's see if this works."
A black blob shot towards the ground followed quickly by the Green Death.
"It's okay, bud," yelled Hiccup over the fierce wind. "Just hold on a little longer."
Toothless seemed panicked but nonetheless listened to Hiccup. By now the tail fin was mostly burnt up. Hiccup heard a loud suction sound from behind him but still chanted, "Hold."
Finally when it seemed down to the last possible second Hiccup let go. "Now!" he shouted. Toothless whirled around and shot a burst of flames at the giant cloud of gas in the Green Death's mouth. It caught instantly. The ground was almost upon them now. Toothless spread his wings and was swept away from the beast but they weren't in the clear yet. Hiccup tried to change position but the fin was fully fried. A loud crash echoed from below and flames were gaining on them fast. They were almost there. Smack. The great clobber-like tail wacked Hiccup out of his seat. Toothless faltered and screeched for his lost friend. He turned and followed Hiccup towards the ground and into the inferno.
The three pairs of eyes that had watched in awe were now accompanied by three voices, all shouting, "Hiccup!" Astrid, Gobber, and Stoick all searched around the crash site of the Green Death but nothing. The two blondes stood together in defeat, their eyes downcast. Stoick refused to give up, though. At long last, through the dust that clouded the air, he spotted a black blob.
"Hiccup!" he shouted.
The father rushed forward and knelt on the ground before Toothless. The dragon was curled into itself, a scorched wire winding its way down the charcoal body.
"Hiccup," Stoick sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I shouldn't have. Maybe then Hiccup would still be…"
Toothless watched with cold, calculating jade eyes. In a swift motion he unfolded his wings revealing his paws in which was the unconscious body of Hiccup.
"Hiccup!" Stoick shouted. He picked up his son and cradled him to his chest. "You brought him back alive."
Gobber and Astrid approached from behind and watched as Stoick held his son close. Astrid brought her hands to her mouth.
"Yeah well, most of him, anyway," Gobber said.
Hiccup woke up to a pair of Jade eyes staring playfully at him. "Oh, hey, bud what are you - oof." Hiccup gasped as Toothless landed on his stomach. His forest green eyes quickly scanned his surroundings.
"I'm in my room. You're in my room. You've got to go; my dad will kill you if he sees you!" Hiccup shouted at the dragon lounging in his rafters. Sighing, Hiccup moved to get out of bed only to pause. Toothless jumped down and approached the bed, a purr sounding from his throat while a breath escaped Hiccup's. He stood up and tried to take a step only to stumble. Toothless caught him, preventing him from hitting the ground.
"Thanks, bud."
Together the two left Hiccup's room, one without a leg and one without a tail.
A chorus of cheerful voices greeted him as he entered his living room. Standing there was Gobber, Stoick, and Astrid, all looking very relieved to see Hiccup was awake.
"I'm sorry, son. All this time I've been too hard on you. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I let my needs get ahead of yours. That's not how a father is supposed to act. But I'm not going to be your father figure for very much longer. Now I'm handing you over to someone I know I can trust to keep an eye on you. He's a great guy," Stoick said. He rested his hand on Hiccup's shoulder as if saying goodbye.
"Damn right I'm a good father figure! I swear, I practically raised the boy half his life," Gobber joked from behind the father and son.
"Wait, what's going on?" Hiccup asked. Everyone else in the room seemed to understand the circumstances but the teenager was totally lost.
"You and little miss Astrid over here are gonna come with me. Both of you are going to be part of the Society! It's pretty obvious what your companion creature is but I'm not so sure about Astrid, although I have my suspicions," Gobber exclaimed.
"The what?" Hiccup questioned.
Astrid approached Hiccup. "We'll explain it all on the way. Bottom line is, we're leaving Berk." She stopped talking and took a step back. Raising her arm she balled her hand and punched. "That's for worrying me," she snapped. Hiccup looked at her confused but his face soon turned to shock and bewilderment when she stepped forward, grabbed his shirt, and pressed her lips against his. "And that's for everything else."
"We're going to leave once you two get out of school. Watch yourself Hiccup, you don't want to be messing with that leg too much," Gobber said.
"I'll make sure to be careful," Hiccup replied.
"Oh also, here I made this for you. Figured you'd need a replacement," Gobber said handing over a bundle. Hiccup unwrapped it and looked at the red fin.
"Thanks, Gobber."
"No problem. Anything for the hero of the town. Everybody believes that you saved them from destruction by forest fire. Keep it that way. Now enjoy your last few weeks in Berk."
Hiccup smiled. Of course he would. As long as he was with Toothless nothing could go wrong.