The Dragon Boy - Part 9 - Gronkles and Nadders
Frostcup fanfic
Authors note: hey guys don't have much time so this is only going to be quick. Next chapter is up tommorow enjoy this one and pleeeeeease leave a review^^ that's all- enjoy^^
The "something" that Hiccup had wanted to show Jack earlier turned out to be a large, leather-bound book, with a dragon emblazoned on the front.
"The Book of Dragons." Fishlegs announced, reverently, as he placed it in front of them. "Everything we know about every dragon we know of." he added, echoing Gobber's words to the riders last year.
Jack skipped to a random page- the Deadly Nadder.
"So... What does it say?" Jack asked, looking embarrassed. Hiccup mentally berated himself, if Jack didn't even have a name, then he obviously wouldn't be able to read.
"Oh- sorry." he apologised, and started reading the first passage, "The Deadly Nadder is not to be underestimated because of it's beauty. It has poisonous spikes, projected from it's tail, and is said to have the hottest fire of the dragon world. Nadders are incredibly vain and can often be seen preening- Do not insult one, it may be the last thing you ever do." Hiccup stopped as Jack started laughing.
"Yeah, you do not want to do that. I angered a few, a while back- ten years later, I still can't visit their side of Hatchling Island.
"Hatchling Island?" Hiccup repeated.
"It's the island where most dragons go to breed every winter-" he told him.
"I know!" Hiccup broke in, excited. "I went there just this winter!"
He pulled out a smaller book, which folded outwards to reveal a map. It was incomplete, only the middle bit was drawn in, but Hiccup had started to expand it outwards.
"There!" he said, pointing to it.
"Hey, yeah..." Jack said, looking at the rest of the map. "... And that's Cave Mountain Island, Ice Spike Island- love it there, Angry Man Island- awful place, Open Nest Island and Magma Island- not too fond of there either." As he spoke, he pointed to the islands labelled: "Dark Deep", "Shivering Shores", "Outcast Island", "Dragon Island" and "Fireworm Island".
"Yeah, only here have different names for them... I guess you made up your own names, huh?" he guessed.
"No, those are the common dragon names for them." he informed.
How does he know? Hiccup so desperately wanted to ask, but he didnt doubting he'd get an answer, even if he did ask. Still, a part of him couldn't help wondering- Who is this boy, who understands the world of dragons like he was a part of it? It's probably just from living in the wilderness so long, he told himself. But why did he have the feeling that wasn't all there was too it?
"So what's Berk called, then?" He wondered outloud, pushing his thoughts aside. Jack thought for a moment.
"Craggy Viking Mountain." he announced. Hiccup laughed
"Yep, that about sums it up-"
"So, what could we put in about the Deadly Nadder?" Fishlegs, focussed, as always, on his precious book, interrupted the conversation. Hiccup blushed at having gotten distracted, and folded the map away.
"We already know they're fierce and hate to be insulted." he pointed out. Jack almost looked disappointed, not to have been of any help.
"But we didn't know they could hold on to grudges, for as long as ten years!" Hiccup said, exagerating his voice slightly. Jack grinned.
"Their whole lives ,actually. Mine's one of the shorter ones."
Hiccup could tell Jack was enjoying throwing them off guard with the impressive knowledge and facts he considered ordinary, it was like a mental smile that never reached his face.
As Fishlegs scribbled that down in the book, Hiccup attempted to make conversation, for the umpteenth time that morning.
"So, you've been to the breeding island." he said, Jack looked confused.
"Oh, you mean Hatchling Island! Yeah, I go over there every year. Well not this year, but, every year except this year." Hiccup couldn't help but notice how he skipped over that bit a little too quickly, like he didn't want to dwell on it. That was nothing to arouse suspicion on it's own, but the way his smile became forced when he said it made Hiccup wonder what had happened this year.
"The kids are great fun!" he hurriedly continued. "We'd play all day long." he smiled as he reminisced, the whole "last year" thing forgotten... or ignored.
"Even the baby Nadders would sneak away to come join the fun."
"Didn't their parents, you know, like... try to burn your head off or something?" Hiccup asked.
"The Nadders never found out, the others were just glad for the peace. I've pretty much baby sitted, the last, what?..." he paused as he counted. "Eight years of dragons; and every year, without fail, Target Practise was the favourite game."
"Target Practise?" Hiccup asked, curious.
"That was the deal I made with the older dragons, I could play with the kids as much as I want, so long as I taught them a few things, now and then." As he spoke, his gaze slowly wandered to Meatlug, who was sat at the other side of the arena. He tilted his head to one side, Hiccup could almost hear him thinking:... I wonder...
"In fact." he continued out loud, standing up.
Without warning, he threw a considerably-sized chunk of ice across the arena. Meatlug's eyes lit up when she saw it, and she spat out a blast of fire at the ice. Causing a mild, but harmless, explosion in midair. Meatlug turned to find the thrower. Then, shaking with excitement, she charged at Jack, who- not the the least bit fazed by the charging dragon- laughed as she bowled him over.
She butted and rubbed him with her head, in a giddy like display of happiness.
"Hey girl! I remember you!" Jack was scratching her at the back of the head. "You were at my first year, right?" Meatlug was too lost in the land of scratching bliss to answer, as she rolled onto her side.
"He knows her special spot." Hiccup heard Fishlegs whimper, the beginnings of panic in his voice. But Hiccup wasn't worried, Jack wasn't going to take away his dragon. This was just a long overdue reunion.
"Good aim, there." Jack was saying. "You've been working on that, haven't you!" The dragon nodded, enthusiastically. Hiccup couldn't help but smile at the two of them, but at the same time, he was aware that Fishlegs was panicking about losing his little princess.
As though Jack had heard his thoughts, he whispered something into Meatlug's ear and patted her side. She charged at Fishlegs, who received just as enthusiastic a "Hello" as Jack did. Hiccup chuckled as Meatlug gave her rider a couple of dragon kisses, reassuring him that she was still his girl.
"Well, that's something to get in the book, Fishlegs." he grinned. "Gronkles have an excellent memory, and bond for life."
Jack who had gotten up from the snow, seated himself between Hiccup and Fishlegs. "You been eating enough hard rocks?" he asked, playing the fussing parent, as he lifted a hand to scratch her side once again.
"Hard rocks?" Hiccup repeated, he seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.
"Yep, soft rocks like limestone and sandstone and all that, they don't agree with you, do they?" he said to Meatlug, who shook her head in response.
"Harder rocks, though..." he continued. "... you love them, don't you!" She nodded quickly. Jack fished out a small pebble from under the snow, and threw it for her, she licked her lips appreciatively.
Fishlegs had finally gotten over his dragon's charge and was sitting up again. His helmet knocked clean off, his hair standing up at odd angles.
"Do you wanna get that down, Fishlegs? About the hard and soft rocks." Hiccup offered, struggling to contain his laughter. Fishlegs, still dazed, just nodded and took up the pencil.
Meatlug was pestering Jack to throw more ice for her.
"Maybe later, girl... Perhaps the twins would like to throw some for you. I'm sure if you asked nicely, they'd do target practise with you." he suggested. He was sharper than he looked, Hiccup noted, he'd obviously seen the twin's faces light up at the explosion. Meatlug flew over to the twins, who were scrabbling to get some ice from the floor, eager for more kaboooms.
"So." Hiccup said, for what felt like the thousandth time that morning. "Nadders, Gronkles... Who shall we do next?"