So... another update for you guys. Why? Because I can, and I am very inspired for this one! So I expect to be able to update more often than once a week! Stay tuned!

Enjoy!

The Adventurous Adventures of Hiccup and Wrenlou

All I Remember, Part I

His head was pounding, and his eyes were so heavy that he couldn't get them open. He tried, but no matter how hard he tried, his eyelids wouldn't budge. He heard a door open, then close again and someone sat down next to him. He kept still when he felt how slender fingers unwrapped a bandage from his head he hadn't felt earlier, and something cold was pressed against his temple.

He groaned a little and someone hushed him, a voice that sounded familiar in the back of his aching head, yet somehow sounded like he had never heard it before. The man kept pressing the cold cloth against his temple for a while, then pulled it away again. His head was turned to the side, but he had no strength to turn it back, so he just lay still.

The fingers darted over his head, gently pressing down on his temple and he groaned again. The slight pressure made pain explode in his head. His head was bandaged again and then the man left, leaving him laying in the bed, slowly waking from unconsciousness.

He could now feel the blanket that covered him, the thin fabric warm around his bare chest. He felt how his arms were resting on his chest and he could feel his own heartbeat against his palm. When he tried to move, he found that his left arm was in tight wrappings, and he didn't need anyone telling him that he broke it. That combined with the bandage around his head was a clear indication that something had happened. The problem was, he didn't quite remember what.

He inhaled deeply, trying to get more oxygen in his blood so that his head would clear faster, but all he succeeded in doing was aggravating the headache that throbbed in his head.

He gave up on trying to get his eyes open, instead he just lay listening to the sounds around him. He could hear waves crashing on the shore, somewhere in the distance, creaking of wood a little closer. There were voices outside what he believed to be the door, but they were muffled and he couldn't understand them. The screech of a bird pierced the air, shortly and sharply, and he winced. The sound seemed to drive needles in his head, which already felt like it would explode.

He felt sleep come over him, and he exhaled slowly. If he slept, maybe his head would be clearer when he woke up again, and maybe he would be able to open his eyes. He relaxed, his body going limp as the sleep took him, and his head fell to the side. He was oblivious to the boy that sat next to the bed, watching him with sorrowful eyes, a black shape curled in the corner, two sparkling green eyes fixed on his still, sleeping form.

0-0-0-0-0-0

"How is he?" Dale asked softly, and the healer sighed, looking back at the cabin.

"He's seems stable for now. I don't believe his skull is fractured, but it is best to keep his head bandaged for a while, just to be sure. The wound was still bleeding a little when I just changed the bandage, but that is normal. Nothing to worry about. His arm is broken, as well as his hand, but I believe that will heal nicely with the proper care. What exactly happened?"

Dale sighed, running a hand through his hair. "There was an accident during flight training," he said softly, "somehow... something went wrong, and then he and the dragon went down. It seemed like he got crushed under the dragon, and when I got to him, he was unconscious, bleeding from that head wound."

The healer nodded. "In any case, I believe that you can take care of him with the help of your other students. Should anything change, anything at all, you can send for me again. Don't hesitate to do so, please."

"I won't. Thank you," Dale said as he escorted the healer back to the mans waiting dragon on the beach.

The man mounted the dragon, then turned to the other dragon rider. "It's what I'm here for, isn't it?"

With that, the Night Fury spread her wings and carried her rider up into the sky and back to Dragoncity. When the two were no more then a mere speck in the sky, he turned to the cabin where his injured student lay unconscious. Snowflake was curled outside, her head under her wing, but she looked up when he approached her. He gently stroke her iridescent white scales.

"It will be alright, you'll see," he murmured softly, "he will be okay."

The dragon crooned softly, then curled up again and Dale turned to the other dragon riders. They were standing in a semi circle around him, their dragons at their sides, and he took a deep breath before he spoke.

But the moment he opened his mouth, he found that he couldn't utter the words. Once again he saw how boy and dragon lost control and plummeted towards the earth, unable to stop the fall, the dragon's wings flailing to regain control, the small figure screaming as he was flung from the dragon's back. Once again he heard the cracking sound of breaking bones as dragon and rider hit the ground, the dragon practically rolling over the boy due to the momentum of the fall, and he sank to the ground.

There was a hand on his shoulder, and Broghan was standing next to him, tears shining in his brown eyes. He knew that Dale blamed himself for what had happened, even though it wasn't his fault. But he couldn't offer him words of comfort. Nothing he said would be believed. It wasn't Dale's fault, but whenever something went wrong, the man would believe he had failed to protect his students, and blame himself.

0-0-0-0-0-0

He felt almost paralyzed when he woke up, his muscles not working at all. He lay still for a while and the sleep wore off until he was able to twitch his fingers. Then he tried opening his eyes again, and this time he managed to open them just a little. It was enough to see the room he was in, the thatch roof, the wooden walls and he stared at the dark boards for a while. His head was still throbbing with a pulsing pain that came in waves, but if he lay still, he found that the pain was bearable to a degree.

The door opened and closed and someone moved next to him, almost recoiling when he saw him awake. The man leaning over him looked kind, his dark eyes tender while he smiled softly. He just looked up at him, unsure of what to do, confused and sure he didn't know this man.

"Just lay still," the man whispered as he gently began to unwrap the bandage from his head, "I should be done in a moment, okay? It may hurt a little."

"What..." he started weakly, his voice raspy and raw, but the man, probably a healer, placed a gentle finger on his lips.

"Don't speak. Save your strength. You must rest, you're still recovering. I have to say, I'm glad you're awake. I was starting to get worried you wouldn't wake up."

He blinked a few times while the man was cleaning the wound on his temple, carefully rubbing away dried blood that somehow found it's way to the surface. He winced when he put something on it that stung, and the man hushed him softly, caressing his cheek before rebandaging his head and carefully laying his head back down on the pillow, then he stood up. He left without another word, but shortly after someone else came in, and he opened his eyes wearily, seeing the blurry shape of a boy he didn't know before him.

"I'm so glad you're awake!" the boy said, his voice trembling, "you had such a horrible fall. You've been unconscious for nearly a week! The healer was starting to fear you wouldn't wake up again."

He frowned. He could swear he didn't know this boy, in fact, he couldn't remember ever seeing him before, but the boy spoke to him as if he knew him, as if they were friends.

"Can I get you something? Some water perhaps? Your throat must be dry as a desert."

He just nodded slightly. His throat did feel parched, and even if he didn't know the boy, he needed some water. He heard the sound of water trickling from a pitcher into a cup, and with a sigh he closed his eyes.

A cup touched his lips and instinctively he opened his mouth to allow the cool water to fill his mouth. He savored the cool liquid against his dry lips. As soon as the cup was empty, he opened his eyes again, just in time to see the boy return to his bedside. Gathering all his strength, he managed to push himself up on his elbows, but a hand on his shoulder prevented him from getting up completely.

"Easy, relax. As I said, you had a horrible fall and you hit your head really hard. For a few days the healer thought your skull might be fractured. Luckily, that wasn't the case. You did break you hand though, and your arm. But with enough rest, you should be back on your feet in no time, you'll see!"

"But..." he protested weakly. Why was this boy here with him? Where was his father?

"Shh, it's okay. You'll be okay. Hang on, I'll just go get..."

He grabbed his arm and the boy turned to him, looking down on him with worry and concern. His hand slipped from the boy's wrist, unable to hold the grasp and the boy took a step towards the bed. His lip trembled and he could feel how his eyes filled up with tears, and before he knew it, he was crying. He closed his eyes, whimpering when he felt a hand on his hair, soothing him gently.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain? Can I do something?"

He opened his eyes to the soft voice, turning his head to the boy at his side. The boys eyes were gleaming with unshed tears as they stared at each other.

"Who are you," he whispered miserably, "where am I."

The boy's eyes grew wide, tears spilling over. "W... what...?"

"I don't know who you are," he cried out, "I don't know where are I am. I don't know who I am," he looked at the boy next to the bed, "who am I...?"

It was just a whisper, but he could practically see the boy's heart breaking right in front of him. He brought a trembling hand up to his mouth as the tears slipped from his eyes while he stared down at him.

"Oh gods..." the boy muttered, then his legs gave out from under him and he stumbled back against the wall, "oh gods..."