Hiccup, battered after another disastrous day in the ring, studies the remnants of the discarded bola, revealing that he's back at the scene of the crime.

"So...why didn't you?"

He drops the bola and presses on in the direction it flew off. He drops into a rocky crevice and follows it to an isolated cove complete with a pristine spring pool. He scans the high stone walls, then notices a single black scale on the ground. He crouches and picks it up, studying it.

"Well this was stupid."

Suddenly, the night fury blasts past him. Hiccup recoils, watching the massive beast struggle to climb the walls. It flaps violently, then peels away to a rough landing. The dragon is trapped. Hiccup grins, excited to see it again, and slips closer. He watches as the dragon, exhausted and frustrated, leaps into the air, beating its wings furiously. Again and again, it rolls uncontrolled and crashes heavily. As if remembering to snap a photo, Hiccup pulls a leather-bound book and flips past drawings of weapons to a blank page. He sketches the dragon quickly, desperate to record the image. The Fury claws at the steep rock walls, trying climb out of the cove. It slips and falls hard, crushing several saplings. The Fury rolls back to his feet and slowly crawls to the water's edge. He spots fish in the shallow water and snaps at them... but comes up empty. He lowers his head, looking weakened.

"Why don't you just...fly away?"

Hiccup spots the problem. He adjusts his drawing, carefully erasing one half of the dragon's tail. He accidentally drops the charcoal stick. It rolls off of the rock outcropping that hides him from view and bounces into the cove. TINK. TINK. TINK. The Night Fury raises his head, spotting Hiccup. They exchange a profound, unflinching stare.

Inside the Viking's Hall at night. A storm is brewing outside. The great doors rattle on their hinges.

"Alright. Where did Astrid go wrong in the ring today?"

The recruits are seated at a table, eating dinner by the glow of the fire pit.

"I mistimed my summersault dive. It was sloppy. It threw off my reverse tumble."

"Yeah. We noticed."

"No, no, you were great. That was so 'Astrid'."

"She's right, you have to be tough on yourselves."

Hiccup enters the hall, and all eyes turn to him, sheepishly. Gobber glares at him.

"Where did Hiccup go wrong?"

"He showed up."

"He didn't get eaten."

"He's never where he should be."

"Thank you, Astrid."

"You need to live and breathe this stuff."

Gobber lays a giant book in the center of the table.

"The dragon manual. Everything we know about every dragon we know of."

A rumble of thunder shakes the hall. Rain pours down outside.

"No attacks tonight. Study up."

Gobber exits into the storm, leaving the teens staring at the book.

"Wait, you mean read?"

"While we're still alive?"

"Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?"

"Oh! I've read it like, seven times. There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face. And there's this other one that buries itself for like a week..."

"Yeah, that sounds great. There was a chance I was going to read that..."

"...but now..."

"You guys read, I'll go kill stuff."

The others follow, with Fishlegs in tow.

"Oh and there's this other one that has these spines that look like trees..."

"So I guess we'll share?"

"Read it."

She pushes it towards him and leaves.

"All mine then. Wow, so okay. I'll see you... tomorrow."

Opening the massive book. Thunder booms outside. The hall is vacant and dark, but for the few candles he's pulled together. Hiccup pours through page after page of strange and frightening dragons.

"Dragon classifications. Strike class. Fear class. Mystery class."

"Thunderdrum. This reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tide pools. When startled, the Thunderdrum produces a concussive sound that can kill a man at close range. Extremely dangerous. Kill on sight."

"Timberjack. This gigantic creature has razor sharp wings that can slice through full grown trees...extremely dangerous. Kill on sight."

"Scauldron. Sprays scalding water at its victim. Extremely dangerous."

"Changewing. Even newly hatched dragons can spray acid. Kill on sight."

"Gronckle. Zippleback. The Skrill. Bone Knapper. Whispering Death. Burns its victims. Buries its victims. Chokes its victims. Turns its victims inside-out. Extremely dangerous. Extremely dangerous. Kill on sight. Kill on sight. Kill on sight..."

And finally, he found it.

"Night Fury."

"Speed unknown. Size unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance, hide and pray it does not find you."

Hiccup pulls his sketchbook out of his vest and opens it to his drawing of Toothless. He lays it over the book's blank page and considers it.

A painted dragon, with a sword run through it. It's the billowing sail of Stoick's ship. Stoick hovers over the familiar nautical map - his eyes on the uncharted corner, swirling in mist and illustrations of dragons.

"I can almost smell them. They're close. Steady."

Stoick raises his gaze to an epic fog bank, towering from sky to sea like a bruised, daunting curtain, beyond which nothing is visible. The three ships drift alongside it, skirting its solid edge, looking for an opening. The crewmen mill nervously, all too aware of what Stoick is considering.

"Take us in."

The helmsman steers Stoick's ship into the fog. The men draw their weapons, preparing for the worst.

"Hard to port... for Helheim's gate."

The first ship disappears into the whiteout, followed by the other two. Suddenly a flash of light. A silhouette of a dragon. Hollers. Sounds of splitting and shattering wood. Plunges into the water. Another bright flash.

Inside the training grounds. Hiccup runs his finger over its outline.

"You know, I just happened to notice the book had nothing on Night Furies. Is there another book? Or a sequel? Maybe a little Night Fury pamphlet?"

KABLAM! A blast takes the axe head off of Hiccup's hilt, leaving a smoking hole behind him. Hiccup yelps and runs.

"Focus Hiccup! You're not even trying."

"Today... is all about attack."

The Nadder hops from wall to wall, sending the recruits scurrying.

"Nadders are quick and light on their feet. Your job is to be quicker and lighter."

The teens move in, stumbling over Hiccup and his unwieldy shield. The Nadder spots Fishlegs' ample rear hiding behind a wall. It whips its tail of spikes. Fishlegs screams and lifts an entire wall to shield himself from the spray.

"I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods."

"Look for its blind spot. Every dragon has one. Find it, hide in it, and strike."

Ruff and Tuff rush in, diving and rolling up to the Nadder's nose. The Nadder sniffs the air - it can't see them. Tuff and Ruff are smashed together - too close for comfort.

"Do you ever bathe?"

"If you don't like it, then just get your own blind spot."

"How about I give you one!"

Ruff and Tuff shove each other, till their movement and noise gives them away. The Nadder attacks, snapping at both of them.

"Blind spot? Yes. Deaf spot? Not so much."

Hiccup wanders up to Gobber, while the others dart past.

"Hey, so how would one sneak up on a Night Fury?"

"None one's ever met one and lived to tell the tale. Now get in there."

"I know, I know, but hypothetically..."

"Hiccup!"

She puts her finger to her lips and gestures for him to hide. A moment later, the Nadder leaps over the walls, surprising them by landing in front of her. Astrid somersaults into its blind spot, confusing it. She rears back to strike - just as Snotlout leaps in, protectively sweeping Astrid behind him.

"Watch out babe. I'll take care of this."

"Hey!"

Snotlout misses. Astrid glares at him.

"The sun was in my eyes, Astrid. What do you want me to do, block out the sun? I could do that, but I don't have time right now!"

The Nadder tears off after her, knocking down walls in pursuit. She leaps and dives like a highly trained gymnast. Hiccup wanders up to Gobber again.

"They probably take the daytime off. You know, like a cat. Has anyone ever seen one napping?"

"Hiccup!"

"-Hiccup!"

Hiccup spins around to see the maze walls collapsing like dominos toward him. Astrid comes flying through the dust and crash-lands on top of him, laying him out in a limb-tangled mess.

"Oooh! Love on the battlefield!"

"She could do better."

The Nadder closes in, emerging through the cloud of dust.

"Just... let me... why don't you..."

The Nadder spins around and races back toward them like a Raptor. Astrid untangles herself and tries to pull her axe from Hiccup's shield... which is attached to his limp, gangly arm. She plants her foot on his torso and yanks the axe free, still burrowed into the shield. She spins and swings the axe and shield, scoring a direct hit on the oncoming Nadder's nose. It yelps and scurries off.

"Well done, Astrid."

Gobber hobbles off to wrestle the Nadder back into his cave. Hiccup gets to his feet - all eyes are upon him. He turns to find Astrid glaring at him, winded.

"Is this some kind of a joke to you? Our parents' war is about to become ours. Figure out which side you're on."

She grabs her axe and stomps off. Hiccup watches, stung.

A fish... being thrown into the cove. It hits the ground and slides. A moment later, Hiccup peeks through a gap in the rock, looking around cautiously. Nothing. Hiccup squeezes through and enters the cove. Then Hiccup hears a snort from behind him. Hiccup turns to see the Night Fury, crouched on a rock like a stealthy panther. It descends, approaching him, ready to pounce.

Hiccup swallows his fear and offers the fish. Doing so reveals the dagger at his waist. The dragon sees it and hisses. Hiccup reaches for it, eliciting a growl. He pauses, carefully lifts it by the handle, and tosses it away. The dragon calms. As it approaches the fish, Hiccup notices that it's missing teeth.

"Huh. Toothless. I could've sworn you had..."

A set of razor sharp teeth emerge from its gums to grab the fish. Toothless snatches and gnashes it up, swallowing it.

"...teeth"

The teeth retract again. Toothless presses closer with an expectant look. Hiccup retreats nervously.

"Uh, no. No, I don't have any more."

The Fury backs Hiccup against a rock, placing himself the same position as before. The dragon closes in over him, staring blankly. A tense moment passes... then Toothless regurgitates a chunk of fish onto Hiccup's lap. They exchange stares. Hiccup realizes what Toothless wants him to do. Hiccup crouches slowly and squeamishly picks it up.

The dragon waits expectantly. Hiccup gags and gnaws off a bite of the slimy fish. He forces a smile. Toothless mimics him. Amazed, Hiccup sits up and tries to touch him. Toothless hisses and flaps off to a crash on the other side of the cove. He BLASTS the mossy ground to a red-hot temperature... and curls up on it like a giant dog. He turns to find Hiccup seated beside him. Toothless tolerates his persistent presence... until Hiccup tries to touch his damaged tail. Toothless SNAPS at him. Hiccup takes the hint and leaves.

Later that day, Toothless wakes, hanging upside down from a tree. He spots Hiccup sitting on the other side of the cove. Sketching in the sand. Hiccup draws with a stick, minding his own business. Toothless appears behind him, watching carefully. Aware of his presence, Hiccup continues, trying not to scare him off. Toothless walks off. A moment later, he reappears with an entire sapling, drawing lines in the sand. He rushes here and there, making haphazard lines in every direction. Finally, Toothless drops the tree and inspects his work. He seems pleased. Hiccup stands and takes in the sprawling scribble, amazed by it. He accidentally steps onto one of the lines, eliciting an instant growl from Toothless. He steps on it again. Toothless growls again. Realizing how sensitive he is, Hiccup steps carefully between each line, turning round and round until he unwittingly bumps into Toothless. Toothless snorts. Once again, they're face to face. Hiccup slowly extends his hand. Toothless hesitates. Hiccup turns his head away and closes his eyes. To his amazement, Toothless bridges the gap and presses his muzzle against Hiccup's hand. In a flash, the dragon is gone, leaving Hiccup astounded.