Chapter six already! More of Snotlout being sweet with Sophie now. I hope it's good enough for all those who might be critics! Also, I named the chapter. I wasn't going to, but I did! So there.
Guest: Why is everybody not obsessed with Rise of the Guardians?
Guest: Hmm, perhaps, but are the other teens even going to know about this?
HideousZippleback: Oh, whoops! Good spot. I was probably about to write something like 'the dragon's' or 'the Nightmare's' but then changed it because I used it in a sentence before or after that. Also, they're not sisters, but there is a connection. I'll let you work it out.
Snotlout perched on the edge of a log, staring into the stream that ran by his toes. The fish didn't seem to be afraid, swimming right up to the edge to get a better look at him, as if they knew he wouldn't hurt them. And, although when he lent in, they scattered like fallen leaves, when he sat back once again they returned, curiosity getting the better of them. The Jorgenson boy was quite enjoying his little game, until he heard, by his ear, a little tinkle of laughter and looked around to find Sophie watching him.
With a laugh of his own, he smiled, "This place is amazing. How did you find it?"
"Simple," She replied, "I just kept walking until I found a perfect place." She seemed so quietly sure of herself, Snotlout found a deep respect blooming somewhere in his breast.
"And if wild animals come to drink or fish, what do you do? Do you fight them off?"
"Of course not! What a suggestion!" Sophie stared at him incredulously. "You sit, very quiet and very still and you watch them. They aren't evil, Snotlout, they won't hurt you for fun. Would you honestly kill them for coming to eat and drink?"
"Well, I..." The boy found himself stammering under the young girl's strong gaze.
"No-one stops you going to the well or getting fish from your food store, right? So why should you have the right to stop them? That's what I think, anyway..." She turned away to stare into space, thinking deeply about something. The next few minutes were spent in silence, Snotlout watching her expressions change ever so slightly with every thought. He was finding himself more and more admiring by the minute.
Finally, Sophie broke the silence. "I think you're a nice boy, Snotlout, but I feel like you're holding something back from me. Is there anything else you'd like to talk about? I'm quite happy to listen."
"Well..." Snotlout thought about it. What was he holding back? "Ohh! Do you wanna meet my dragon?"
"Y-your dragon?" Sophie's eyes were opened wide, like saucers. "You have a dragon?"
"Yeah, of course! Wait... have you never heard about Berk training dragons?" When Sophie shook her head, Snotlout's eyebrows shot up. "You've never heard that story? I thought everyone had! Well, it was about three years ago, and it was Hiccup's idea, though I'm pretty sure I helped out..."
The whole story came pouring out, about Hiccup training Toothless in the forest, and how he kept it all a secret from the entire village. The Jorgenson boy focused mainly on the final battle, in which he recounted his role in defeating the Red Death, if a little elaborately, and then how they had spent the next three years learning from the dragons and training them. The lad was no great story-teller, but Sophie sat, enthralled throughout, her wide eyes staring straight at her now-found friend.
"And yeah, that's... basically it. You wanna meet Hookfang? He's pretty cool."
Sophie nodded, still stunned into silence as Snotlout turned his head and yelled: "Hookfang! Get your butt over here!" When he didn't immediately respond, the boy went charging off into the undergrowth and dragged the dragon out by his horns.
"Wow..." Sophie whispered, looking the mighty beast up and down. "He's really cool!"
"He's also really stubborn!" Snotlout clung on as his dragon tried to shake him off, snarling. "Hookfang, cut it out! Hah, he's not usually like this!" The boy was desperate for the dragon to stop struggling, but the more he fought, the more he wound the Nightmare up. Hookfang snorted and finally threw him off.
"Of course he's not. You're trying to show off." Sophie said matter-of-factly. Snotlout found the colour rising to his cheeks.
"Wh-what? Show off? What do you mean?"
"Well, you're obviously trying to impress me, when really, you don't need to, because you already have. In fact, what would impress me more is if you were kind to him. He seems like a nice dragon to me."
Snotlout stared. How on earth can she speak the truth like that? He thought to himself as he gathered himself up from the floor and walked over to his dragon. The flush in his cheeks had spread across his whole face, even up to the tips of his ears. Stretching out a hand, he whispered, "You're right... sorry. Come on, Hookfang, calm down."
"No, I'm sorry. I can see I've embarrassed you."
"Well, I think I probably needed to be embarrassed... sorry, Hookfang..." With a rumble, the Monstrous Nightmare dropped his head and nuzzled his rider's chest. "Come on, Sophie, come and meet him! He won't bite, promise."
Sophie carefully approached the dragon, looking nervous once again, but as soon as Snotlout took her hand and placed it on his dragon's nose, she relaxed, stroking the dragon's soft snout. The boy smiled, a flutter in his chest like nothing he'd felt before. A smile spread across his lips.
"Hey, are you hungry? 'Cos I make some mean grilled fish!" When Sophie grinned, he turned to the dragon. "Hey, Hookfang, catch us some fish, will you? I'll build a fire, and then we can get started!"
Sitting by the fire, their backs to the log, the two watched Hookfang sloppily snap up his last fish, swallowing loudly and licking his lips with satisfaction. Their own bellies were comfortably full, their bodies radiating warmth. Snotlout could feel his eyelids drooping as the darkness descended around them. The cool night air coupled with the warmth of the fire, the smell of fish oil still sizzling under the flames, the quiet noises of night animals waking around them, everything just felt so perfect.
But he found that he was wrong when Sophie shuffled closer and lent her head against his shoulder. He let one arm, previously supporting his neck, fall over her shoulders and bring her closer. Yes, now it was perfect, he thought with satisfaction. The heat of her body, the brush of her soft skin, he never wanted to let her go. Finally, after all these years, he'd finally found the one he wanted to spend his life with. He never wanted this moment to end. But end, it must... He thought dryly.
"Snotlout... won't your tribe be worried about you? It's almost dark," Sophie broke the silence between them. He hated to admit it, but again, she was right.
"You sure you'll be okay out here alone?" He asked quietly.
"Oh, don't worry, darling, I'll be fine, I always have been." She leant up to peck his cheek before wriggling out of his grasp and smiling. "Come on, you need to go."
Snotlout jumped to his feet, grinning from ear to ear, his cheeks flushed pink. "I can't wait to tell everyone about you-"
"Wait, no, you can't!" Suddenly, the girl looked horrified.
"What? Why not?"
"I... I don't want to be disturbed out here. If your village is as nice as you say, they'll all want me to come to them. I can't live with other people, Snotlout. They won't understand, but I know you will... You do, don't you?" The uncertainty in her voice left him with a pang of regret in the pit of his stomach.
The Jorgenson boy took a second to contemplate the suggestion, and then slowly nodded. "Okay, okay... I won't say a word."
"You promise?" Her eyes burned with pleading hope.
"I promise." Snotlout nodded, a small smirk tugging the corners of his lips, then turned and held out a hand. Hookfang responded to the gesture, crawling close and lowering himself to allow the boy to climb into the saddle. Snotlout took one last look at his new-found love, who stood, waving, a brave smile on her face, and then urged Hookfang into the air, towards home.
Too soppy? Not soppy enough? Let me know by reading and reviewing! Also, if you're thinking that they fell in love too quickly, just remember Snotlout has been desperate to find someone to love for a long, long time, and now that someone is finally responding, he is obviously going to leap into it with some vigour. Apart from that, any problems, let me know!