When Stoick and company returned from their uneventful hunt for the nest, he got an earful.

"I can't believe you would allow this!"

"He's a dragon sympathizer!"

"You need to fix your son!"

Stoick didn't know what to think of this news, so he turned to his confidant, Gobber. "What'd Hiccup do?"

Gobber shrugged, feeling helpless about the whole situation. "Nothing. Really. And that seems to be the problem. He's the only one his age not participating in Dragon Training."

"Really?" Stoick rolled his eyes. "They get mad when tries to help, and then mad when he doesn't. Can the boy get a break?"

"I think so," Amended Gobber. "Most days he's off in the woods. Then he's working on stuff in the forge. And Astrid comes 'round to talk with him sometimes."

"Astrid Hofferson?"

"Aye, he said she's helping him observe the dragons. But I think he's taken a shining to her."

Stoick grinned. This wasn't news. He wasn't blind. "So everyone knows what he's up to?"

"Nah, only rumors. Snotlout over heard them talking about an alternative solution to fighting dragons and assumed the worst."

"Ah, I see." Stoick said with a nod. "Did he tell you what he's doing?"

Gobber shrugged. "He only said he was embracing the fact that he can't fight and trying to find another way to help, with your blessing."
"Where is he now?"

"Off in the woods somewhere."

Stoick nodded slowly, and headed up to his house.

—

When Hiccup returned that evening, it was back to the forge. Toothless' tail was almost finished. It only needed a few more finishing adjustments, and then it would be perfect.

As he worked, he didn't notice the massive body squeezing through the door...until he knocked some papers off the shelf.

"Dad! You're back!"

"Aye," said Stoick, glancing at the leather mess on his desk. "Didn't see you at the docks. Gobber said you've been in the woods a lot lately."

Hiccup nodded, shrinking into himself again. "Yeah…"

Stoick sensed he was hiding something, but instead of demanding it, he decided to coax it out of him. "How goes your alternative solution?"

Hiccup cringed slightly, thinking about all the garbage that had happened since this whole thing started. "It's…going."

"Oh?"

"Yeah…"

"And?"

Hiccup was quiet for a moment, but eventually admitted. "I've been observing a dragon in the woods…"

"What kind of dragon?" Stoick pinned him with his green eyes, forcing the truth from him.

"…the Nightfury…"

Stoick frowned. "I thought you let it go?"

"I did. But I injured it when I knocked it out of the air. He…can't fly. And—And so he can't do anymore damage to the village! So I'm…training it."

Stoick's eyes widened and his eyebrows flew up to his hairline. "You're…training it? Like a pet?"

"Well…I'm befriending it?" He shrugged helplessly.

"Befriending a dragon…you are Val's son…" Stoick pinched the bridge of his nose. A little in anger and mostly in frustration. "And what are you going to do with a flightless dragon pet?"

"Well, first of all, I'm learning a lot from him. More than I'd learn from Gobber's lesson. And second..." he patted his new fin with pride. "He'll be able to fly again."

"You're going to trust that beast to fly and destroy our village again!?" Stoick's nostrils flared.

"No no!" Hiccup waved his arms frantically. "The tail fin wouldn't be able to work without me!"

Stoick furrowed his brows. "So...what? You plan to ride the creature?"

"I mean, yeah."

Stoick silently looked over the the drawings hanging on the wall while Hiccup continued rambling.

"Just think, dad, fire power at our disposal, the strength of twenty Vikings! Flight! There's so many possibilities!"

"Aye. There is." Stoick agreed, mulling it over. "But Berk is still not ready to accept dragons as friends. Even if you've befriended one. You're thinking way too far ahead."

Hiccup frowned and looked back at the tail fin.

"What did you name him?"

"His name is Toothless."

"Toothless? Not what I was expecting for a dragon, but if he responds to it…"

"So I can keep him?"

The chief snorted, "What? Like he's a baby bird?"

Hiccup smiled helplessly. "Please?"

"I'll tell you what. Tomorrow, I want you to show him to me. If he's helping you find a solution, and I think he's safe enough for you to be around, I'll allow you to continue to 'train' with him."

Hiccup released a sigh of relief.

"But, I need to see some proof of this being helpful. For all I know, you could just be helping the beasts rob us."

Hiccup shook his head vehemently. "No! Never! I swear! I already have an idea!"

Stoick took a seat nearby, and leaned forward in interest. "Alright then, lay it on me."

This wasn't going to work.

Granted, Hiccup knew that if anyone figured out that he was the one that came up with it, no one would listen to it. So having Stoick take credit for it was a wise idea.

Problem was, waving eels around instead of weapons during a raid didn't sound like something the chief would devise.

"I'm not saying to go into a raid unarmed," Stoick was shouting to the yelling crowd. "Just to take eels with you!"

Hiccup hung in the back of the room, trying to stay as far away from this madness as possible. But he did scan the room, taking in the angry and confused faces.

But all attention was diverted as Astrid stood on a table and shouted. "Listen to the chief!"

Of course, everyone should listen to Astrid. She was the most promising candidate to come out of the dragon training Gobber had been conducting. She had started capable, as most were, but slowly her skills emerged and she dwarfed the other students in comparison. Then, one day, she started using tricks within the ring to make the dragons nearly fall at her feet. She was a true warrior, blessed with knowledge from the gods.

But of course, that didn't have anything to do with her evening visits with Hiccup. No sir.

"Dragons hate eels!" She shouted again. "I've seen it myself!"

Of course, this was a foolish plan. Hiccup had mentioned it to keep Stoick on his and Toothless's side. But he didn't know for sure if the eels would work. Astrid had tried it in training, and the Zippleback had recoiled just as Toothless had. But that didn't mean that all the dragons would do the same.

But it was all he had.

Finally, with Astrid's endorsement, Stoick got most people on board with the idea of taking eels in with them to battle. Those that didn't, well, it's not like they were going in empty handed.

Stoick wasn't so sure how much faith he had in this plan himself. Of course he loved his son, and of course Hiccup was wickedly smart…but eels? Really?

For now, he would have to trust that Hiccup knew what he was doing.

—

True to his word, the next time Hiccup attempted to go into the woods, Stoick was there. He even helped carry the basket of fish.

"So, what is this? An offering?"

"No, it's just some food. Without being able to fly, Toothless can't catch any fish. So I bring him something to eat."

They travelled past Raven's Point and over to a little cove. Stoick had travelled these woods many times in his youth, but couldn't remember ever seeing this place before.

Hiccup dropped the basket and looked at his dad. "Okay, I have a few rules."

Stoick raised his eyebrow. "Rules?"

"Please," Hiccup begged, holding out his hands. "I don't want either of you to hurt each other."

"Are you saying he'd hurt me?"

"Yes, if you bring a weapon in there, or you raise your voice, he will see that as a sign of aggression and try to protect me by taking you down."

Stoick scoffed. "I'm not leaving my weapon behind if I'm facing a dragon."

"Fine, then you don't get to meet him."

"Hiccup…" Stoick said with authority.

Though he was nervous by his father's gaze, Hiccup met it and frowned. "I'm not relenting. Not about this."

Stoick had to admit, he was impressed. "Alright. No weapons." He removed his many knives and his axe from his belt and left it all in a pile outside the cove. "Any other rules?"

"Just…keep calm."

Slowly, he led both of them into the cove and called softly, "Tooooothless…I have some fish for you!"

Stoick saw a black blur out of the corner of his eye, and turned quickly. A smallish black dragon was hiding in the brush, his eyes dilated and his tail swishing back and forth. He was watching them.

"It's okay bud." Hiccup was speaking. "This is my dad, he's come to say hi."

Stoick fought against every instinct that told him to charge, or to scoop up his son and run. Instead, he exhaled and let his fists relax. "Ah, hello…dragon."

The Nightfury slunk out of it's hiding place and carefully snuck closer. Then once he realized there was fish and no threat, he came bounding out, tongue hanging out like an overgrown puppy.

"There's my bud!" Hiccup said happily as Toothless nuzzled him in gratitude before tearing into the fish.

"He doesn't have any teeth?" Stoick asked, noticing the naked gums as Toothless pranced around.

"He does, they retract."

Toothless demonstrated as he smiled and bared his teeth.

"'Es a lot smaller than I was expecting for a Nightfury. I assumed he'd be a great big dragon…not that shooting this down is any less impressive."

Hiccup shrugged. He didn't count shooting him down as an achievement anymore anyways.

"He might be small, but he's got a lot of speed and fire power."

Toothless stood proudly, his head raised as Stoick glanced him over.

"Go ahead," beckoned Hiccup. "Give him a scratch." He pointed under his chin. "Right here, he likes it."

Hesitantly, Stoick scratched the dragon and Toothless melted into a pile of purring goo.

"I never saw a dragon so tame and...cute before."

"Want to go for a ride?"

Stoick looked at him surprised. "Ah, no. That's where I draw the line."

Hiccup frowned and Toothless warbled.

"But, I trust you and your pet."

The duo smiled at each other.

"And we'll see how this eel thing works. Maybe he won't be need to be a secret forever."

"We can hope. I'll keep working to see if I can come up with something better. And…dad?"

"Yes, Hiccup?"

"Thanks for being so understanding."

Stoick rested a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for being honest with me." His hand came up and cupped his cheek. "You're my only family left, son. And I don't want to lose you."

"Dad…"

"That's a big reason why I'm…okay with the dragon, with Toothless. Because I know you'll never be safer with anyone else. And I don't mean against other dragons, either. You are my heir, that makes you a target for other tribes. Outcasts, Berserkers…they're out there. And they won't wait around forever."

This was a lecture he had received a few years ago, when he was old enough to understand, but his father hadn't mentioned it much in the wake of the dragon problem. Like he needed another thing to worry about.

"You really think anyone would try to kidnap me?"

"Yes. Absolutely." Stoick said firmly. "Because I would pay any amount of gold or goods to have you returned."

Hiccup couldn't help but smile. Stoick wasn't that affectionate of a man, and rarely declared his love. This was as close as it got.

"I'm proud of you, Hiccup. For always trying and persevering against all odds. And despite what all the others have to say, I'm proud to call you my son."

Hiccup wiped the back of his hand across his cheek. "Thanks dad, that means a lot."

—

Despite what Hiccup and Stoick feared, the eel plan actually went off without a hitch. At first light, the sentries noticed a flock of dragon's coming from the North and sounded the alarm.

Many folks just grabbed their axes and swords, preparing for the worst, while many more still ran to the docks to retrieve an eel or two from the catch.

Hiccup watched in awe as angry dragons came screeching down from the sky, only to flounder in the air and turn around as fast as possible at the sight of the eels.

Once those with only weapons got a load of the eel's power, they too dropped their swords and rushed to find their own.

All in all, a two to three hour raid was over in 15 minutes. Nearly all livestock was accounted for as well.

"Stoick! Stoick! Stoick!" The village chanted. It seemed like a miracle had just occurred. Was this truly the end to it all?

The chief waved his arms and settled the crowd down. "Alright everyone, I know we're all excited about this little development. But I need to give credit where credit is due." He gestured to the back of the crowd. "Hiccup, would you come up here please?"

The crowd broke out in whispers as Hiccup wormed his way through the throngs of people, occasionally bumping into them. "E-excuse me, sorry, pardon me…"

"Hiccup, though he may be the smallest among us, has been doing his best from the beginning."

Hiccup finally climbed the stairs and stood next to his father. The weight of the suspicious gazes of the village fell on his shoulders and he instinctively hunched his shoulders. Stoick's heavy hand fell on him, however, and rooted him to the spot.

"We all remembered the disasters that came whenever Hiccup tried to do things the traditional way. Right?"

There was a murmur of agreement.

Hiccup wanted to die.

"Well, after a prosperous talk that utilized fantastic problem solving skills, a skill that every great chief needs, Hiccup found the best way to help our clan. Through his vigilant observation, he was the one to discover that the dragons hate eels."

Dead silence.

Stoick gave him a little pat on the back. "Go on, say something."

Hiccup swallowed. "Uh…the eels are just the tip of the iceberg. There's…so much more to learn…"

"Speak up!"

"We can't hear you!"

He clenched his fists and damn near shouted. "There's still so much to learn and discover!"

The crowd was quiet and listened.

"The eels will work for now, but I'm working on a more permanent solution. Hopefully one day, we'll never have to worry about dragons raiding us, but we won't have to sacrifice our families to do it." He stood pensively still as the village took in what he had to say. Then, they clapped, awkwardly, and murmured in positive tones. Finally, they dispersed without much else to say.

"Oof," said Astrid, coming to stand by him. "Sounds like success is a handful of claps, huh?"

"Yeah, well it's better than them wanting to throw me into the sea."

Stoick patted his back again. "Ya did good son. They might not show it, but the village is grateful. Especially at the thought that they might not lose any more family members in battle."

Astrid nudged him. "Things might even start turning around for you, 'dragon sympathizer.'"