A.N. - I just wanted to let you guys know that I've changed songs, mostly because I didn't think that the rest of the song in the beginning matched what happened in this chapter, also I think that this one fit it better for the progress of Hiccup learning about Toothless, and becoming his friend. Anyway, I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter!
"Oh, the power to be strong,
And the wisdom to be wise,
All these things will
Come to you in time."
My heart was pounding hard in my chest as my feet flew across the ground, I'd tried to get to Gobber before he headed to the arena but; as my luck would have it he had already left his house. Biting my lip, I booked it across the bridge and almost ran right into the wall if Gobber hadn't grabbed my collar. My feet left the ground for a second then found it again as he set me down.
"I had no idea yeh'd be so eageh to get to trainin'!" I look up at Gobber panting, red-faced and ready to collapse. He chuckled and patted my back, walking me forward. Shaking my head, I gasp for the breath that eluded me; swallowing big gulps of air, I try to explain my rush.
"Gobber…I…" I take another deep breath, "I…need…to…"
He chuckled again as he lead me inside, "S'okay lad, no need to explain. The others should be along any minute."
Hobbling away, he left me standing in the arena. Groaning I leaned against the wall, frustrated that he wasn't even going to listen to me. My mind swirled with all the questions that the book didn't answer. I'd read the book forward and backward, carefully and I still didn't find anything that helped. Just hide and pray that it doesn't find you, but in my experiences so far he hasn't even tried to attack me…well…okay the first time I found him he did…but I really couldn't blame him he had just been tied up for hours, probably starving and then I tried to kill him…only to let him go finally. After putting up with all that, I'd be angry too. 'Did I just…' I shake the thoughts that flooded my mind.
"Okay, le's get started! Now tha' yer all accounted for!"
Blinking out of my daze, I realize that the others had indeed arrived, thankfully no one jabbed me with an insult. Maybe I should just stay back here…it'd be better than getting insulted. My eyes roved around the arena, and I just noticed that the arena had been changed into a maze. Quirking my brow, I wonder how I didn't notice it before. The others had already headed into the maze, axe, hammers, spears and shields in hand.
"Bes' be on yer toes todeh, 'therwise yeh migh' no' have them at the end."
Gobber chuckled. I look to where the voice was originating from, to find it was coming from above me. Gobber was standing outside, observing the training from above. 'Makes sense, he wouldn't be able to see it with all the walls here.' I jog up to where he was; He glances down at me when I approached him.
"Yeh bettah get in there Hiccup."
"Yeah I know…" I lick my dried lips trying to find the words. "You know what I was trying to say earlier…I just happened to notice..."
"No' now Hiccup! Yeh need to focus!"
'Focus…I can focus…' Acting like he didn't' say anything I continue. "Hey, you know I just happened to notice that the book had nothing on Night Furies…" He places his face in his palm and gazed down at me, a look of boredom stuck to his face, "Is there like…another book…or like a sequel," He runs his hands down his face, " Or a little 'Night Fury' pamphlet…Wah!"
A blast came out of no where and threw my arm backward, the force of it almost knocking my shoulder out of it's socket. I look at my now much lighter axe-less stick. My heart dropped as I turned my head toward where it came from.
"FOCUS HICCUP!" Gobbers' voice thundered at me.
'Oh Thor all mighty…why didn't he say that he'd already released the dragon!'
My mind racing a million different ways, it tugs me to the right then at the last moment, I back pedal and start running toward the left. Feet carrying me further away from the dragon, heart having been launched in my throat made it hard to breathe. Hearing a clattering sound, I realized that the dragon had stopped chasing me, so I take chance and veer to the right.
"Todeh is about; ATTACK!" I roll my eyes. 'Of course the second day is attack…wait…that reminds me!' I start to make my way back to where Gobber was. "Nadders are light and quick on their feet; your job is to be quicker and lighter!"
It didn't take long to hear Fishlegs yelp, "I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods!"
'You and me both buddy…' I groan as I try to remember which way it was to Gobber. Furrowing my brows I come across Ruffnut and Tuffnut, who were trying they're best not to get caught by the dragon. As they veer around the corner, they come to a complete stop.
"Look for it's blin' spot…every dragon has one! Find it; hide in it, and strike!"
Inching forward I watch as Ruffnut and Tuffnut sway with the dragons head, as it tried to get a glimpse of them again. I knew it wasn't gonna end well so I start inching away from them, my self preservation kicking in. It didn't take long before I could hear them bickering, Shaking my head as I then hear them yell.
"Blind spo' yes...deaf spot…eh not so much."
Hearing how close his chuckle was, pushed me to where he was. That whole blind spot spurred on another question, "Hey, has anyone ever snuck up on a Night Fury?"
He quirked a brow at me and gave me a look like I just asked him where the Meade Hall was while standing right in front of it. Pinching the bridge of his nose he shakes his head at me.
"No ones ever done so and lived to tell the tale, NO' GE' IN THERE!"
"Yeah, yeah…I know…but…hypothetically…" 'Right…hypothetically…sure.' I shake my head, a slight hiss of my name pulled my attention away from the unhelpful Gobber, then I see Astrid crouching behind her shield, axe in her right hand, her blonde hair falling in her face. I couldn't help but follow her orders, because the next thing I knew I had my back pressed against the wall.
I lean forward enough to see her peek her head around the corner, then press her back firmly back against the wall, a slight gurgling sound caught my ears and I too pressed my back against the wall. I shift as I watch her look again, then fluidly roll the entire way, quietly pressing her back against the other wall. Why am I always astounded that she is so fierce and yet so graceful at the same time.
Snotlout then did the same thing, a little sloppy, but he made it across the way, it was my turn. My heart pounding, I try to copy what Astrid did, curling myself up I rolled yet sadly I didn't factor in the weight of the shield and it pulled me down with it.
The loud clang resounded, in my ears and all my warning signs going off. 'Oh man why me?' I flew off the ground, dragging my shield to protect me from the snapping jaws of the Nadder. I jog and veer around the corner to avoid it, glad that the 'quicker and lighter' part came easily to me.
"Hey?" I stopped and almost turned around when I heard Astrid shout, but the crowing of the Nadder kept me going the other way. I did not want to be caught in the jaws of the Nadder, or even come close to it.
'Oh man, what is it with me, why am I always almost getting killed?'
Then the Night Fury flooded my mind again, for some reason he just wouldn't stay out of my mind very long. Furrowing my brows I had to know, was I the only one that has gotten that close to a Night Fury and live. Has anyone ever really snuck up on a Night Fury, has anyone ever survived a Night Fury attack, why was I spared? Why didn't he kill me? Are they not as dangerous as we think they are? My legs found them selves taking me toward where Gobber was again. I stop short under him, he was chuckling at the panicked gasps and screams of some of his pupils.
"Hey Gobber, I was just wondering if anyone's ever gotten close to a Night Fury?"
Sighing he tilts his head down at me, an exasperated look on his face. I tilt my head to the side, trying to get the sun out of my eyes. "You know like around night time!" I didn't even notice people coming at me until they started shoving forward and backward. "You know…ha…has anyone seen one napping?" Then Gobbers face shifted from mine, a look of shock on his face…that wasn't good.
"Hiccup!" He shouted at me, turning around I start to see the walls toppling over. 'Oh, no…' I then see a figure leaping from the wall top to wall top. The panicked shout told me who it was.
"HICCUP!" I freeze as Astrid ran ourt of wall, and jump straight toward me. The force of her impact knocked us both to the ground, he axe imbedded in my shield and her arms and legs tangled with mine. Had this been any other situation I would have been happier, but not with a dragon on the loose.
"Ohhh….love on the battlefield…"
"She can do better."
Their conversation barely registered to as I was trying get Astrid in a sitting position.
"Wait…why don' you…just let me…" I tried to help her, but she pushed her self off me. Ignoring everything I said, glaring down at me a thump pulled her attention away from me, her beautiful face contorting in a look of panic. Frantically trying to pull her axe out of the shield, almost pulling my arm out of my socket, which hurts.
"Wait…ow, ow…OW!" It slipped off my arm, and finally being free I curled into the fetal position. As she launched her self off me and a loud crack followed by the dragons pained groaning alerted me to the fact that the initial threat was over. Panting I swallow my heart back into my chest.
"Well done Astrid."
Groaning I started to pull my self from the fetal position, "Is this some kind of joke to you?" I tilt my head up to see Astrids' burning blue eyes were angrily aimed at me. 'Joke…what?'
"Our parents' war is about to become ours…" She curls her lips into a snarl and aims the tip of axe with the broken wooden pieces of my shield at my face. "Figure out which side you're on." The chills ran down my spine as if someone had dumped icy water on me. Not sparing me a second glance she brushes her hair out of her face and stalks off, Snotlout and the twins following after her.
Sighing, I pick my self up, feeling as numb as I did when my dad left. I stare at the broken pieces of my shield, then I follow the wreckage around the arena. It looked like someone threw a stone boulder in here. The finely structured walls now lie in shambles around him. 'A war huh…' We'd been fighting dragons ever since I can remember, they steal from us, kill us and destroy our houses. It makes sense to try to stop them from taking so much from us. My shoulders slumped, I didn't even think that this was a recruiting training for a war that seems to keep going in a vicious circle.
'Dragons killing us, us killing dragons, and for what? To protect what's ours? To prove whose stronger?' AGH! Nothing makes sense anymore. Frustration took me over and I ran out of the arena. Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, had I taken training earlier I would have chosen to be with the Vikings…but…now…the Night Fury had swung my entire world upside down. He decided to let me go, and then he just watched me curiously at the cove instead of straight out attacking me. Yet I've been taught my entire life that dragons were dangerous and should be killed on sight or they'll do it to you.
Slamming the door to my house shut I lean against the door, mind swirling with everything that I had been taught since I could talk started clashing with what the Night Fury had shown me. Grabbing my head, I slide down the door.
"Oh, nothings making any sense…"
'Figure out which side you're on…' Why is this suddenly so difficult? I should want to side with my village….but something keeps tugging me toward the Night Fury, his eyes glowing in my minds eye.
"He's not like the other dragons…he's different…somehow…" I stand up as the image of the Night Fury over powered everything else. Nothing made sense, questions flew through my mind, but the only thing that I seemed to understand was that the Night Fury wasn't the mindless killing machine they make him out to be. Thinning my lips, I decided that I was going to find out once and for all, then…then I would make up my mind.
Swallowing, I grab another shield and burst out the back door. This is probably the craziest idea I've ever had…but…I know it would keep nagging at me until I do. I was about to reach the forest until I slow my pace to a halt, 'What am I gonna do when I get there? I can't just approach him…that'd be stupid…' So what then, what do I do? Biting my lip I rack my brain to try and think of what I could do to try and approach him.
'Oh great, this is awesome. I have this awesome idea to go and confront a dragon that may or may not be different from the others.' Sighing I plop down on a rock putting my face in my hands, trying to rub the agitation away. Placing my cheek in my hand I gaze around me, trying to figure out what in Odin's name I was doing. Brushing my fingers through my already tousled hair, my gaze drifted over a pond, my eyes got stuck there for a second before I noticed a splash, out of the corner of my mind.
The glisten water reminded me of how I saw the Night Fury delve his head into the pond, probably trying to catch…
"Fish, that's it!" I run down to the lake and I hear another splash like something landing in the water. Glancing over I see a Viking sitting a few feet away, obviously he hadn't heard me because he was reeling his fish in with long hefty grunts. Then my eyes were drawn to a basket, which held fish in it. Two of them lay side-by-side one was full and the other appeared to be empty. Licking my dry lips I place my shield on the ground so as not to have it clang against anything, then I start inching toward the basket.
Now I don't normally steal from people, but I really didn't want to go back to get my fishing pole and basket, and he had conveniently filled one basket full, he wouldn't know if I took one. Biting my lip as I got closer, to the basket my eyes twitching between the Viking and the basket. Reaching my hand out, I grab one by the tail and slides out and flops onto the ground.
Freezing I glance at the Viking again, he still hadn't noticed anything, so I grab the fish and turn around and run, heart beating erratically; adrenaline coursing through my veins pushing my feet faster. Stopping just a moment so that I could grab the shield I left behind, then I ran the direction I knew the cove was.
Panting as I reach my little entrance, I pause. 'How am I supposed to get down there?' Furrowing my brows I search for another way in, preferably one that didn't include me climbing down…I'm not even sure how I would even accomplish it with a shield and a fish. 'Oh man, this is great, I get all the way down here, and I don't even have a way in…' Kicking a stone, I watched it roll. Tilting my head, I watched as it rolled down an incline at an angle. 'Hmmm….I wonder…' Hope scratching it's way down into my heart, I slowly edge down this incline. Inching around branches and leaping of boulders, I finally came to clearing at the bottom.
I look back to see that the incline followed the stonewall that surrounded the valley, I tilted my head to see the tip of a tree drape it's self of the top. Scanning the stonewall, I noticed a small slit in the rocks. Inching forward, I peeked around the corner; it was a rocky passageway that lead…straight into the valley! I could see the waterfall from here.
My breath hitched and my heart felt like it stopped, 'This is it…this is what I came all the way down here to do.' Wetting my dry lips, I place the shield in front of me and slowly start to inch forward.
'There's only one way to know for sure! I have to get closer to him.' He hadn't attacked me before so with that as a small comfort I walk forward toward the little entrance I found. Heart racing and hands sweating...or maybe that's just the slime off the fish I'm clutching onto for dear life. Taking a few deep breaths, to try and calm my nerves, I look over my shoulder to check to see if I was being followed.
'Of course not.' I thought, as I looked forward once again, 'No one usually ever does.'
Shaking that depressing thought from my mind, I slowly inch forward, shield in front of me. My heart beat rapidly in my chest the closer I got causing my hands tremble and my legs determination I'd felt slowly earlier slowly started to evaporate. Running my tongue over my dry lips, for the fourth time, I mentally try to hold onto the resolve I'd found earlier.
'I'm already here, I didn't get this fish and lug this shield all the way down here for nothing!' I mentally remind my self. 'Although it wouldn't be so far out of the norm if I did…' Shaking my head, I mentally slapped myself for that comment. I am a Viking after all...an unusual...non-dragon killing Viking but a Viking nonetheless! Squaring my shoulders and taking a deep breath I edge closer toward the valley that held the Night Fury.
Taking deep breaths to try calm my fast beating heart, which I'm sure that everyone back in the village and the Night Fury could hear. Every warning in my head was telling me that this was a stupid idea, that I should just go back to the village and finish my training to become a full-fledged Viking. Yet everything in my gut told me that this was right, that's what kept my feet inching forward.
'Maybe this is trick…' My steps falter just before the entrance. I stare ahead, wondering what lies ahead for me. Is it death? I shudder glancing down at the fish in my hand. My confidence started slipping through the cracks of my false bravado.
The fish's dead eyes started at nothing. Death had taken its sight, along with everything else. Its mouth slightly agape, no longer gasping for air that it no longer needs. Seeing the fish like this made me wonder, we catch lure fish with false bait then catch them, suffocating them until they no longer move. Made my mind wonder, what if this is what the Night Fury is doing! Trying to lure me and then at the last second pounce on me and feast on me like we do the fish. I shudder at the thought.
Turning around fully preparing to run all the way back to the village and not toward certain death. Only getting a few steps away I stop. Looking over my shoulder at the valley, that nagging feeling in the back of my mind working it's magic. What I regret not looking? Would I regret it?
Biting my lip, I squeezed my eyes shut. All my life I'd been running. Running and hiding from the threat until it had passed. All my life I'd had everyone else save me. What kind of Viking am I? I don't want to hide in the shadows anymore…besides I would be crazy to turn down such an opportunity such as this. Especially since I came all this way, I will do this…I can do this. Swallowing hard I could feel my stomach churn.
'If I never try, I guess I'll never know.'
Turning to face the entrance again, I start toward it. 'Besides he didn't kill the other times when he clearly has the speed and the power to do so. Maybe just maybe...I'm right this one.' Taking a deep breath, I find my resolve once again, eyeing the cove that rested beyond the rocks.
"I have to know!"
I start to walk further through the entrance, the shield in a firm grip in my right hand and the fish draped over my left hand. My green eyes stayed looking forward into the valley that held the Night Fury, anxiousness, excitement, and dread all swirled around in my stomach.
'No matter how this ends one thing is for sure; my life is never going to be the same.'
A.N. - Thanks for staying with me so far guys! I'm so happy and grateful for those of you who stayed with me! Next up; Forbidden Friendship! I thought that it deserved it's own chapter.