Chapter 3

Faith

Toothless stood outside in the snow watching his boy cleaning the cloths in the icey creek out back of the house. His own little hut was covered in ice which was being beaten off by Rai. For some reason she thought it was the neatest job to have to beat back all the ice. She quoted it as beating the weather to a pulp. She loved snow, and always loved the chance to come outside and toy around in it.

Toothless didn't know what all the fuss she made over the feather light liquid solid. He just thought it was…well a waste of an element. Just what sort of damage could snow do? That was until it was explained to him just how much trouble one little snow flake could do if it was packed together with zillions of others, while falling down a hill at a speed that could break solid trees. "

Toothless! Bring that firewood over here and we can get your house warmed up!" Rai yelled that smile on her face, the chapped skin around her lips and eyes made Toothless think of just how sick Hiccup was after the green death.

'You should really be inside female. You will get sick.' Toothless said throwing a mouth full of wood onto the fire and spat the small pieces out. Rai smiled and nodded.

"I know hun I'm just gonna go fetch Hiccup I'm sure he's much more colder then I am. He's playing around in creek water." Rai said running off toward the creek where she could hear Hiccup splashing around in it.

'My Hiccup is accustomed to cold water here female.' Toothless said and used his own flame to light the little fire. Rai just waved over her head in response to this and jumped through the trees surprising Hiccup.

"Tada!" She said and looked at him with a wet shirt in his white knuckled hands. "Hiccup…your freezing. Come on we've just built a fire up there why don't you come on up." She said holding out her hand to help him up the bank.

"Nah I wanna get this finished before dark and its two hours till then and…" He heaved forward sneezing all over the nice…now cleaned shirt.

"Come on now…Toothless will coddle you if you get sick sweetspark." Rai said and picked him up cleaning the dirty cloths on the ground, the wet cloths on the trees and a small dragon staring on in wonder. That terrible terror had been waiting around for fish as usual from Hiccup. Apparently Hiccup had fed the thing once and always seemed to come around for more when he was near this river bank.

"Looks like you've acquired a little friend there Hiccup." Rai said allowing for it to land on her shoulder and purr in her ear.

"Do you have connections with any other dragons besides Night Fury?" Hiccup asked scratching the little thing around the top.

"None what so ever. I guess we're just dragon people. I do have my wings I guess it just thinks I'm a weird dragon or something." She said with a shrug. The little dragon crooned as he saw Toothless walk up as it began to snow harder making it harder to see home.

'Come, its not safe here anymore. Even this close to home it Is easy to get lost.' He said moving Hiccup with his snout helping him back up the embankment. The boy found it hard to get up the hill with only one leg since the squishy ground tried to eat his metal one whole.

Toothless however began to slip and slide down the muddied hill. With a final roar he fell and slid all the way down and into the water scattering clothing everywhere.

Toothless looked back up the hill at Hiccup who was hobbling his way back down, concern on his face. Rai was giggling as she slipped, ran, skidded, and then stopped at the riverbank.

'Is it that funny female?' He asked Rai giggled and walked into the water and began to splash the mud off his scales.

"Its really funny Toothless." Rai said Hiccup began to help wash Toothless, but was baffled why Toothless stood up and brandished his tail splashing mud onto Rai. Rai gasped, but smiled at the play.

'Ah…now I see the humor.' Toothless said as he laughed. Hiccup looked at the two baffled at there actions and then joined in to the mud ball fight. When they were all finished and trudged back up the bank it was hard to see the house from all the snow that had fallen. They were dripping wet, and cold. Even Toothless was shivering a bit.

"Lets hurry up and get inside before we catch our death." Hiccup said. Toothless' ears perked up at this notion.

'Catch…death. But I assumed mother already did away with him.' Toothless wondered.

"No no its just a notion, a saying we say which means we'll die if we stay out here to long." Hiccup said.

'Useless notion, its an obvious one too.' Toothless complained. Hiccup just began to chuckle as they walked into the house and shed there wet cloths next to the fire.

"Yes it is pretty obvious I suppose. But its common and said a lot here. We sometimes say it without thinking." Hiccup explained sitting on the floor next to the fire. Toothless lay down nearer to the fire watching as Rai pulled a blanket around Hiccup whose lips were turning blue.

"I'll go put some tea on that should warm us up quick. Oh and soup…soup sounds good." She said and began to busy herself around the kitchen. Hiccup sighed laying back against Toothless' warm scales.

'Is anything wrong brother?' Toothless asked and looked down at his human. Hiccup however didn't answer he was fast asleep against his warm belly. Rai walked in with the tea then spotted Hiccup sleeping. Rai softly smiled at the boy and pulled the blanket up higher to keep the chill away from him.

"Poor thing. Must have been exhausted." Rai said and kissed the boys forehead like a mother would and looked at Toothless.

"Take care of him…as if I have to say it. I know you will." Rai said and giggled when Toothless puffed out his chest more in pride.

'I will always protect what is mine.' He said and sniffed the soup and then scuffed at it.

'I don't want that.' He said sticking his nose up at it. Rai just laughed and set a bowl full of salmon down for him.

"I figured as much. The soup was for Hiccup, but…I suppose he can have it when he wakes." She said before walking upstairs to get a blanket and pillow for herself.

Hiccups dad was out on another one of his quests…probably to pillage another peaceable fishing boat or perhaps a huge roman ship. All she knew was …its in the water.

Rai lay down next to Hiccup, pulling the blanket up over herself and sighed attempting to fall asleep when she felt Toothless' wing envelope them. There were times when Toothless was downright mean, some when he was really sneaky, and there were times when she just wanted to give him a big hug for his thoughtfulness. She smiled at him and curled into his wing.

'Thank you.' She whispered to tired for words.

'Sleep well…my mother.'