Chapter 8

Author's Notes: Hello, all I'm sorry for the delay between chapters its been hectic with the last week of school and finals. This is has been a horribly busy time with school, work and home remodeling going on its been impossible to get to a computer to write much less post anything! Here is the next chapter only about two or more left to go..unless people send me ideas for a chapter they want! Yes it will be dedicated to the one with the idea….

Sorry for the wait!

Meet & Greet

Astrid sighed as the healer finally finished her work and told them to just let him rest and that all they could do was wait. Wait? Oh how Astrid now officially hated that word- waiting wasn't something she did easily and this waiting having to do with whether someone lived or died made it ten times worse.

Astrid left the house, but as soon as she opened the door she ran into a large black form- almost tripping over its tail.

"Toothless!" she exclaimed catching herself just barely from hitting the stone steps.

The Night Fury gave her look, that somehow managed to seem depressed. Astrid sighed- she wasn't the only one who cared for the boy fighting for his life in the house she had almost forgotten completely about the dragon. Astrid shook her head how had she managed to do that?

"C'mon Toothless we have to wait and see how he is in the morning. Let's get you some food?" she offered.

Toothless nodded and started behind her- it was almost comical the sight they presented. As she walked closer to the town square she noticed how all the villagers moved away from her- until she realized it wasn't her it was the dragon following meekly behind. They were still afraid of the most dangerous dragon they had ever known. She shook her head- they trusted all of the others now, well to a point at least, but this one probably had caused the most destruction.

Astrid slowed down as she came to the steps leading to the Great Hall and noticed the crowd that followed them behind. She shook her head exasperated until she noted the teens waiting in the doorway to the Great Hall.

Astrid went up to the Hall and was greeted by the teens, Fishlegs spoke first,

"What are you doing with that?"

"He needs to eat too or did you forget he is part of what saved all our lives?" Astrid rebuked gently but even still the teen flinched slightly.

"Did you forget that's one of the main reasons we have practically new buildings every year?" Snotlout shot back.

Astrid gave him a look- "Hiccup befriended him and look how tamed he is, look!"

They all glanced down to where Toothless was laying curled in a ball on the ground waiting like a faithful dog.

"I need to get him some food, come on down." Astrid suggested.

Everyone recoiled a little but realized she was serious. They watched open mouthed as she entered the Great Hall and came back a few moments later with a basket of fish. She headed down the stairs loaded down from the fish. Astrid felt the weight lift as Snotlout grabbed the basket, the others joining in to help. Everyone paused at the bottom as they neared the Night Fury.

"Oh come on you guys, he won't kill you…I hope." Astrid muttered as she remembered the first meeting she had with the Night Fury.

She dumped he fish out of the basket and Toothless jumped up all but diving into the basket of fish.

Astrid laughed and saw the others smiling.

Once Toothless was done he finally noticed the other teens and his ears flattened as he started growling- these were the ones who were mean to Hiccup!

"Toothless whoa!" Astrid pushed his head back but she was no match for the strength of the Night Fury, who continued moving forward as though she wasn't even there.

He stopped in front of Tuffnut who stared back as he tried to stop his knees from shaking.

Toothless sniffed and snorted as he recognized the smell of a Zippleback on the boy.

'This was one of the ones who had helped Hiccup defeat the Green Death?'

Toothless sniffed again and the boy looked back a little more steadily as he realized that the dragon hadn't eaten him.

With one final snort Toothless moved on to the next one and Fishlegs started muttering the Night Fury's stats as the dragon looked him over carefully smirking a little as he leaned forward and snorted in his face causing the boy to start shaking.

"Toothless, take it easy you aren't doing yourself much good if you scare them all off." Astrid warned coming over to Toothless' side.

The dragon snorted at her seeming to not really care whether he scared the other teens or not.

Astrid shook her head, "If you're going to stay here with Hiccup then you have to play nice with the people here."

Toothless growled low in his throat and attempted to shake Astrid off where she was clinging on.

"You want to stay here with Hiccup don't you?"

That made the dragon stop and sigh rolling his eyes as he flopped into a sitting position.

"Okay you guys it'll be okay he won't bite." Astrid assured and motioning forward the others slowly began to move forward towards Toothless.

"You sure he won't bite?" Snotlout asked as he got nearer to Toothless.

"He'll behave, otherwise Hiccup will yell at him." Astrid assured giving Toothless a look that clearly said, 'and I'd tell him.'

Toothless backed away from the teens a little but when Ruffnut touched his nose and started rubbing gently he melted and slowed laid down.

That encouraged the others to come forward and start petting the dragon as well.

"For being a Night Fury he sure is docile." Tuffnut remarked.

"He's been hanging around with Hiccup for the last few weeks, if he isn't used to humans by now then he'd never be able to stay here. I think Hiccup and Toothless got to be good friends." Astrid commented back.

The boy nodded his head as he kept rubbing and petting the Night Fury.

Fishlegs however was standing back and looking over the large sleek black figure.

"Night Fury, the first we've ever seen and he's laying on the ground like a happy cat." the teen kept looking over the dragon and shaking his head in wonder and bemusement. Astrid happened to look over just in time to see the teen shake his head again. She caught his eye and tipped her head towards the dragon, grinning. Fishlegs nodded before throwing her a amazed look, mouthing,

'how did Hiccup do this?'

Astrid could only shake her head with her own befuddled look.

Toothless had long since melted under the constant pets and rubs until finally he was rolled onto his side eyes half shut purring happily.

Astrid finally could no longer hold it in and started laughing, trying to not disturb Toothless. However that could not be helped and the Night Fury, realizing who she was laughing at got up shaking the teens off and huffed stalking away towards Hiccup's house.

"I think you made him mad." Ruffnut laughed.

"He'll get over it, all those pets were heaven- so he'll be sure to come back for more. Besides he likes me anyway so I know he'll forgive me, at least at some point." Astrid shook her head in wonder.

"I know what you're thinking and I agree I never would have even imagined the day that we all got along, much less with a Night Fury." Snotlout said.

"And Hiccup did all of this, let's hope he wakes up soon to see it." Astrid sighed. They all got up and went in search of the other dragons, fish in hand, so that they could cement the friendship that had already been started.