A/N: The chapter that started it all.
Reisen (flight)= Toothless's name
Morder (murderer)= Stoick the Vast
Again.
Again!
AGAIN!
Reisen clawed at the rock, scrambling furiously as he tried to find purchase. But, like the dozens of tries before, he fell.
Again!
Reisen curled into himself and, looking to the sky, he sprung, shooting like a bullet and rocketing upwards. Unfurling his wings, he pumped furiously, gaining height with each flap. But it wasn't enough and he slammed into the rocky sides of the clearing. Clawing furiously, trying to gain freedom, he fell to the ground yet again.
He rolled over and looked back, glaring at his missing fin. He smashed his tail to the ground, sending a bolt of pain through is whole spine causing him to cry out in pain that sent birds fleeing from the trees. The sight of the flying birds, along with his injured tail, only served to fuel his anger more and he let a sonic blast loose into the rock wall that prevented his escape. There was a small measure of satisfaction derived from seeing the rock crumble and the 10 foot crater still smoldering. He shot again at the ground and obliterating the grass and dirt to ash. The third one he shot into the air and incinerating the top of a pine. He was prepared to release a fourth but the sight of the sky, the white clouds, the blinding sun, caused it to catch in his throat.
How much he wanted to be up there, to be soaring through clouds, dodging rocks and snatching birds on the wing. Something in him kept calling; part of that was the Kongen, the King, but another part was the blue expanse that looked down mockingly at his broken form. It teased him. "You are a creature of the sky, not the ground," it seemed to say "without the sky you are not a dragon; without the sky you are a meaningless creature, devoid of purpose and of life."
He hated these humans. He despised how they took over the land, driving out the prey until him and his kin were forced to steal their flock. He hated how many of his kind have been killed for trying to survive, especially by the one with the flaming mane of hair, Morder, the one that had killed the most of his kin. Hated how they took him from the sky. When he escaped he would find who it was that had broken him and take his revenge tenfold.
A splash came from the pond, disturbing his thoughts and reminding him that he hadn't eaten since he was ripped from the sky. He got up and walked to the edge, hunching down and waited for a fish to come near. He saw an opportunity and plunged his head in, but the fish was too fast and he was left with a mouth full of water. He sat in confusion, not used to things being faster than him.
A pang of fear clanged in Reisen gut, a cold resonance that rippled through his body. He was going to die, either through starvation or through one of the two legged monsters finding him and killing him to parade around their nest like primitive beasts.
Dejected, he wandered to a spot still warm from the sun. He warmed it more with a low energy stream then settled down for sleep, curling his wings around himself and bringing his legs in to conserve body heat. Another reminder that he was in the wrong place: he was always cold. In the nest, everything was suffused with heat. He missed his niche, the rock worn into a small depression and rubbed smooth, not too close to the opening to be eaten, but near enough to have an adequate amount of heat conducted to be comfortable. Twitching his tail closer, he closed his eyes and settled in for sleep.
The next day was filled with more failure. He was exhausted from constantly leaping and falling. Now, he was barely able to make it to the wall, falling to the ground when his wings gave out. His body was bruised and his wings were sore, the muscles close to tearing. His skin was raw and bloody from scrapping against the rocky surface.
Slamming into the ground, again, he stood and let off another blast. Breathing heavily as he steeled himself, Reisen leapt off the ground falling short of the wall and landing near the water's edge. A fin flicked the water, catching his attention and he sunk his head in, furiously snapping at the food just beyond his reach, just like everything else.
A small crack. The sound of something falling across the clearing caught his attention. Looking up, he saw him, the human from the forest. Reisen wondered for a moment whether he was here to finish him off, but then he remembered how this one had set him free. Locking eyes, they stared at each other until the young male backed away slowly, not turning until he was well within the opening. Reisen couldn't see him, but he could hear the human boy tripping over stones in his haste to get away.
He continued to look where the boy once stood but he didn't return and Reisen returned to his jumping and falling.
Resting after another day of battering encounters with the rock walls of his prison, Reisen laid panting on the ground. He was exhausted from a combination of over-exertion, hunger and depression. Every minute he became more and more apprehensive that the boy would bring more of his kind now that he knew where he was trapped.
He heard stones rubbing against each other and he flicked his ears; they were coming though the entrance. His worse fears had been realized and his heart surged with adrenaline. Sure enough, the boy appeared carrying a shield and, Reisen's nose picked up, a fish? Also, there was no one else. Nevertheless, he quickly ducked behind a rock, climbing up and laying low. The boy worked his way down awkwardly, trying to navigate the rocks while holding the shield and fish. Eventually he made it down and entered the clearing with the fish. Still no other humans had come. The boy was alone with food. Reisen silently begged that he would wander toward his hiding place. When he did Reisen prepared to attack. He wouldn't kill the boy, in return for saving his life, but the fish was his.
He saw his chance and came down from his perch, slowly approaching the boy as he did so. To his surprise, the boy extended the fish. Cautiously, Reisen opened his mouth, withdrawing his teeth so he wouldn't hurt the boy by accident. But then he remembered the gleaming tool and how it cut his restraints with ease. He extended his teeth and retreated. The boy opened his vest, revealing the sharp weapon. Reisen prepared to fight the boy as he drew the blade but, again with the surprises, he dropped it to the ground then kicked it away into the water.
The boy was disarmed and he was offering him food, everything a human wasn't supposed to do. Reisen approached with caution and opened his mouth to get the fish. The human said something but Reisen was too preoccupied with finally getting a meal. Instinctively his teeth extended and he snatched the fish out of the boy's hands. He swallowed the large fish whole but his cavernous stomach wanted more and he turned to the human, sniffing to see if he had anymore food hidden away within his odd coverings. The human was babbling away as he sank down and against the rock. Not smelling anymore, Reisen regurgitated half of the fish, though his body wanted it all, and gave the customary half of the meal onto the boys lap. It took a little while, and not without cajoling, but the boy did eat the thank you offering, if only a bite. No matter, Reisen would finish the rest.
The boy made his own odd gesture, splitting his lips and revealing his teeth. Since the boy complied with Reisen's custom, he was all too willing to engage in this human's rituals, however strange. He retracted his teeth, not wanting to offend the one who had just gave him food, and attempted to imitate the human; very odd indeed.
Then the boy extended his claw, a threatening gesture, a challenge. Reisen growled, his teeth popping out, and he glided to the other side of the clearing though it wasn't far before his wings gave out. His stomach finally had something to digest and he heated another patch of grass. A bird called from a nearby branch then flitted off, filling Reisen with envy and longing. He followed the bird's process as it flew until he spotted the boy sitting near him. Why this human insisted with his relentless behavior, Reisen did not know. He curled his tale around to shield him from view and he heard the boy scooting closer, too close. He moved his tail and glared warningly at the obstinate human. The boy got the hint and quickly wandered off. Reisen decided he needed a bit more privacy so he found a sturdy branch to hang from.
Just as he was starting to nod off, Reisen heard something scratching in the dirt. Blinking open his eyes, he saw the boy digging in the dirt with a twig. Curious, Reisen wandered over. The boy paused for an instant, but resumed his scratching as if nothing had happened. Reisen watched in fascination as what appeared to be random lines quickly turned into a likeness of himself. What fascinating creatures these humans were. They're killers but also saviors; destroyers as well as creators.
Reisen, inspired by the boy's drawing, ripped a sapling up from the ground and began drawing. Twisting and turning and spinning, soon the ground was scored with Reisen's work. Reisen looked at his handiwork with pride. The boy got up, stepping on one of his lines. Reisen growled. How dare this boy defile his work when he took care not to ruin the boy's? The boy continued to step on and off the line, causing Reisen to snarl more each time. Why wouldn't this boy take the hint? Eventually, though, he did. The boy walked over, taking care to not to defile any of his work. Eventually, either by accident or by design, Reisen couldn't be sure, the boy had made his way close to him. Reisen was surprisingly accustomed with the boy's closeness, something that caught him off guard.
But the boy reached out with his claw again. Reisen snarled a warning but he cut it short when he realized something. Perhaps this wasn't hostile. The boy could hardly hurt him with that sad excuse for a claw. Maybe this was the same as offering the fish, carried the same meaning. The boy took back his hand but held it out again, not quite touching, waiting for Reisen to decide whether or not to take it the rest of the way. It was Reisen's choice.
Reisen realized he had grown fond of the boy, despite himself and his initial fear. He realized that not all humans were ruthless killers; some of them were capable of kindness and civility.
"He needs a name," Reisen thought. "Not just boy or human but something… significant, noteworthy."
Reisen closed his eyes and lightly touched his nose to the boy's claw.
Frelser. Savior.
That would be his name. This human who defied his species, who saved him from the trap, who saved him from starvation, who saved him from himself.