Hello peoples, here I am again, with yet another chapter. There's an important note at the bottom, make sure to read it!

Enjoy!

The Adventurous Adventures of Hiccup and Wrenlou

Consequences, Part V

When he came back and saw the healer leave Hiccup's cabin, he knew something had happened. So he abandoned the idea of more sword practice, dismissed the teens and chased after her, catching up with her just outside the Hall.

"Did something happen?" he asked, "is he alright?"

"To tell you the truth," she said while she turned to him, "no, he's not alright. He's been coughing up blood, his fever is still rising and his core temperature is still far too low. I don't even know if he'll make it through the night. If I were you, I'd speak with him now, before it's too late."

He nodded, not yet fully understanding the seriousness of her words. When they finally did sink in, he turned to the cabins, and went straight to the one where Hiccup and Wrenlou were. The moment he opened the door, Wrenlou looked up. He was sitting on the bed, holding Hiccup in his arms. Both Toothless and Snowflake were on the floor, Toothless had his head next to Hiccup's legs.

"It's your fault you know," Wrenlou said, his voice betraying his anger, "that he's sick. You did that. You made him run away."

"I was worried," Dale said while he came in and closed the door, "and why would it be my fault? I've mad at him before."

"You called him useless," Wrenlou said, "that's what everyone always used to call him. He told me that. You said that, and that's why he ran away. Your fault."

Dale looked down. He had called the boy useless, but he never really meant it. It was something he often said, to get the teens to do something, an exercise, or a chore. He knew Hiccup wasn't useless, he had seen him fly, the fin he had made for Toothless, his drawings...

"Wrenlou, I want you to go eat with the others," he said, turning to the bed.

"Is that an order?" Wrenlou asked, the defiant tone clearly audible in his voice.

"If you need it to be," Dale answered, crossing his arms, "and take the dragons with you, make sure they eat too."

"Fine..." Wrenlou mumbled.

Dale watched as he carefully put Hiccup on the bed again, tucking the blanket around him. Then he slipped onto the ground, causing a stir in the dragons. Snowflake was willing to go, but Toothless needed some more convincing. After a short while he also got up. As Wrenlou walked to the door, Dale opened it. Snowflake dashed out first, turning back to wait for her rider. Wrenlou shot Dale a dark glance in passing, then he left, reluctantly followed by Toothless.

The moment the door closed Dale turned to the bed. The cabin was quiet, and now he could hear how laboured Hiccup's breathing really was. He was almost gasping, occasionally coughing, seemingly not getting enough air. He slowly sat down next to the boy, stroking his cheek. He knew Wrenlou was right. But he hadn't known that a single word could have such a big impact on Hiccup.

It didn't take long before the boy woke up, his eyes filling with tears as soon as he saw Dale. He tried to move away from the man, but he was too weak and too out of breath.

"It's okay," Dale whispered, "I'm not here to yell at you again. I'm here to apologize."

He carefully dried the boy's tears, then pulled him in his arms. Hiccup was still crying a little, but he calmed down when Dale held him gently.

"Look, Hiccup," Dale started, "I was angry and worried, and to be honest, you know I had the right to be. But I had no right to yell at you like I did, to call you... useless..."

Hiccup choked back a sob when he heard the word, coughing slightly, but Dale hushed him softly.

"You're not useless Hiccup," he said looking down on the boy, "I know you're not. But you've been so closed about your past, I had no idea... you never told us anything. Maybe Wrenlou knows a little, but the rest of are completely in the dark. I had no idea that word would have such an effect on you, that it would make you feel this way, and I am sorry for it. I am truly sorry. Will you please forgive me?"

Hiccup nodded a little and nestles against Dale's chest. The man smiled and ruffled his hair a little.

"I want you to know that we value you for who you are," he said, "you're a damn good rider, your ideas are genius. You... may have to work on your fighting skills a little, but we can do that, together, okay? When you get better, and when we're in Dragoncity, I'll be your personal trainer."

"Y...you m..mean if..." Hiccup mumbled.

"No," Dale said, "I mean when. You will get through this Hiccup, and we'll be there for you. I'll be there for you. Like I should have been when you got back after everything that happened in that tunnel. It must have been scary, going after that dragon, not knowing what you'd find."

Hiccup nodded a little, breaking out into a coughing fit that seemed to drive all the air out of his lungs. Dale just held him, gently rubbing the boys back. When the boy finally calmed down again, his breathing was ragged, wheezing, and he struggled for every breath of air.

"Take it easy," Dale said softly, "just, try not to breath in too deeply. Do you want some water?"

Hiccup nodded and Dale took the cup from the nightstand, carefully tipping it at Hiccup's lips. After taking a few sips he pulled away, and Dale set the cup back on the nightstand.

"Hiccup," he said softly, "I want to ask you something."

Hiccup looked up. "W...what...?"

"Why did thy call you useless. You're far from useless."

"I... I was to them," Hiccup said, his voice raw from coughing, "i... if you hear t...the word viking, y... you probably think about b... big strong men with beards. I w... would never be such a man, t... therefor, useless to the village."

"That's a load of crap," Dale said, "what about your inventions, your ideas?"

"A...also useless," Hiccup said and he coughed, "v... vikings smash first, a...ask no questions. They use their muscles, not their head."

"I am really sorry," Dale said, "I didn't know. Listen, Hiccup, I can help you. We can help you. But you have to talk to us. If you can't talk to me, then Wrenlou. If we don't know about the things that happened in your past, I can't fully guarantee things like this will never happen again. If we don't know about the things that hurt you, we can't make sure they won't be said, or won't happen. Do you understand that?"

Hiccup nodded a little, and Dale smiled.

"We can talk about that later though. Right now, you need rest."

"W... will you stay?" Hiccup asked.

"If you want me to stay, I will," Dale said.

"I want you to..." Hiccup mumbled, already falling asleep.

"Then I will," Dale said with a smile, and he made sure the boy was comfortable in his arms.

He pulled the blankets around him as tight as he could, and as he looked down at the auburn tuft of hair that was poking out, he couldn't help but love the boy. Hiccup had a troubled past, and there were many things he did not yet know about him or his past, but he felt that he was on the right track of finding out.

He started humming softly, a sleep song that his mother had sang for him long ago. Hiccup nestled closer and he smiled. As he leaned back against the wall, still humming, he felt how the exhaustion of the day began to take over. The worry if Hiccup would even live combined with the stress of training had really taken its toll. Just before he could really fall asleep, the healer came in, and she smiled when she saw him with Hiccup in his arms.

"You're really just a big softie aren't you," she said smiling.

"I care for him, yes," Dale said, "the same way I care for all my students. They have been entrusted into my hands. Therefor it is my job to keep them safe. I made a mistake, and now he's sick, possibly dying, because of me."

"He will live," the healer said as she came closer, "the things I said earlier were slightly... exaggerated... so I would know for sure you went to talk to him."

Dale sighed. "Well, it worked," he said, "I talked with him."

"And made things right I see," the healer said as she sat down on the bed, pulling the blanket down some, to get a look at Hiccup's face, "you know, part of the fact that he wasn't getting better was because he had nothing to get better for. He believed you saw him as useless. Now that he knows that isn't true, he'll get better soon."

"That's good," Dale mumbled, looking down on the boy, "that's really good."

"You see him as a son, don't you," she asked suddenly.

Dale looked up. "Yes... I guess I do... I don't have children, never will, so..."

"So you rescue one?"

"Wrenlou did that," Dale said smiling softly, "but you're right. I guess I feel the need to protect him a little more than the others. He has no one except for us. We're his family. We need to look out for him. So yes, maybe I feel the need to look out for him. Is that really that bad?"

"No, of course not," she said and she stood up, "it's good. If he knows that someone is looking out for him, he'll be fine. He's in good hands with you, and I think he knows that. I'll be back tomorrow to check on him."

Dale nodded. "Alright. Good night. Hey, can you tell the kids to go to bed as well?"

"I will. Good night."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Okay, guys, listen up. I have decided to end the riddle game as the years ends. So the last riddle will be posted on the last Friday of December 2015. That means there will be about... 4 more riddles.

I have to say, last riddle was the hardest one it seemed. took quite some time before someone guessed it right. Anyway, the answer is your mind, and The Shadow Fright Dragon won this round! So, PM me, and we can talk details!

Alright, onto the next riddle. Here you go:

What can run, but never walks,
Often murmurs, never talks,
Has a bed but never sleeps,
Has a mouth but never eats.

Good luck!