AN: First thanks for all the views and reviews I'm getting on this *yay* :)
Second to 'Animals Rule' who asked me How do you pronounce Noche Oscura It's noh-che os-cur-ra (Spanish for Dark Night)
Third the chapters might be getting longer and a bit further apart, but I'll do my best to carry on updating :)
"Hiccup!" Stoick's voice called out from down stairs the next morning, making Hiccup's head ring "Come on son. Don't want to be late for the Semi-Final of Dragon Training do ya?"
Groaning, Hiccup made himself get up. He had been adding some tally's to the Talks-With-Dad-Lasting-More-Than-Two-Minutes list marking the talk he had had just last night when his dad came to see him in the forge to congratulate him on how great he was doing with the dragons, and gave him his own helmet which was made from half of his mother's breast plate.
"Still freaks me out every time I think of it," Hiccup said quietly as he placed it on his head, picked up his axe and went downstairs where his dad was smiling at how proud he was of Hiccup.
***A Dragon Soul***
After a quick breakfast, the Chief and his son went to the Dragon Arena where Hiccup and Astrid were the only ones let in because they were the ones the elder had to choose between.
"Well good luck son," Stoick said before he went up to stand next to Gothi.
Inside the arena the wooden hurdles were up scattered all around the ring and Astrid and Hiccup were told to walk to the center and wait for the dragon.
"This test, between Astrid Hofferson, and Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III," Stoick's voice boomed out to the crowd as the gate crashed shut and cheers began "Is to determine which young warrior will be chosen to kill the Monstrous Nightmare tomorrow. Good luck and may the luck of Thor be with you." he spoke to the teenagers.
With that the door to the Gronkle's cadge opened and it came flying out looking for what was disturbing her nap.
Right away Hiccup rushed to hide behind one of the hurdles and was joined by Astrid who took his axe and sternly looked him in the eye.
"Stay out of my way. I'm winning this thing," with that and a forward roll she went to another hurdle.
"Please," Hiccup said said giving her room "By all means..." sighing Hiccup stood up and turned to look at his dad. At how proud he was at him...
The him that was not him, but the him Stoick wanted him to be.
As he was thinking this over sighing to himself Hiccup was not paying attention to the Gronkle who had spotted him and began flying over.
Rock Eaters, although having poor eyesight, had a very good nose and was sure she spelt Night Fury, but there was not one there.
Confused she buzzed around looking for it then her nose picked up something else. The smell of that green stuff mixed in with it. Remembering where she smelt that before, from that strange Human who was kind towards Dragons and knowing that she could trust him, the Rock Eater flew towards it, feeling that she would be safe from all these creatures if she were with him.
(Astrid's POV)
After Astrid told Hiccup to stay out of her way, she went off to hide behind another hurdle and then another, gripping her axe tightly.
"This time," She said determined "This time for sure..."
Getting up Astrid began running forward, yelling a battle cry, her axe ready to fire if need be, jumping over the hurdles when needed, was just coming up to the beast when...
She saw it was already down in front of Hiccup.
"NO!" she screamed swinging her axe "SON-OF-A-HALF-TROLL-RAT-EATING..."
As Hiccup watched Astrid swear at how she lost to the runt of the village, all he could do is look to the dragon before him, and listen to everyone's cheers.
"Wait..." Stoick called out "Wait..."
"So later..." Hiccup said as he began to leave.
"Uh oh, not so fast," Gobber said hooking Hiccup back to the center of the ring, the dragon being taken back to it's cadge.
"Well I'm... err... kinda late for..." Hiccup said trying to think up an excuse.
"WHAT?!" Astrid asked holding her axe up to the boys chin. "Late for what exactly?"
'Oh you know seeing my best friend Toothless,' Hiccup began thinking a hint of sarcasm in his voice 'Getting away from all you lot, Trying to work out who I really am...'
"Ok quiet down," Stoick told the crowd "The elder has decided."
In the ring the teenagers turned to Gothi, Hiccup rubbing his neck and looking worried, Astrid looking firm and determined, Gobber coming up behind them first pointing to Astrid.
Slowly Gothi shook her head, earning many gasps from the crowd as they realized what that meant.
Slowly Gobber pointed to Hiccup with a 'Are you sure?' look on his face.
This getting a nod and a smile from the elder, and cheers from everyone else.
"Oh you've done it," Gobber said to Hiccup smiling "You've done it Hiccup, you get to kill the dragon."
Trying to cheer with everyone else Hiccup didn't pay attention when the rest of the class came in and Fishlegs lifted him on to his shoulder, or when his dad said proudly "That's my boy" or when Astrid walked off in a huff, or the smirk Gothi had on her kind face, as if she knew something no one else did.
"Oh yeah..." Hiccup said drearily "I can't wait. I am so excited." he said.
After a bit longer Hiccup was let down and was advised by the older Vikings that he should rest up for the big day tomorrow.
Agreeing with them, just so he could leave Hiccup raced out of the arena, up to his house, and packed up all he thought he would need for a vacation that lasted forever. Then he went down to the forge collected all the up to date plans and sketches to Toothless' tail while burning the old ones so no one could find them, collected his black-smiting tools, double checked everything, put on his flying harness and set out to the cove.
***A Dragon Soul***
"Hey Toothless we're leaving," Hiccup called out as he got there looking around for the dragon.
"We're leaving! Let's pack up. Looks like you and I are taking a little vacation... Forever."
After not finding his friend Hiccup thought he would just wait for the dragon to come out on his own and set the basket down to once again check he had everything.
Standing up when he heard the sound of footsteps and looked up to see Astrid sharpening her axe sitting on the boulder before him.
"Wha?" he said jumping back "What the? Uh... uh... What are you doing here?" he asked looking around causally pretending to talk about the cove but was really looking for Toothless.
"I wanna know what's going on," Astrid said dropping the stone and getting down "No one just gets as good as you do. Especially you. Start talking."
Over in the cave Noche was staying in the shadows eyes narrowed, teeth ready to come out, and claws ready to rip that female to pieces if she does anything to hurt his brother.
"Are you training with someone?" Astrid questioned.
"Training?"
"It better not involve this..." she continued grabbing hold of Hiccup's flight suit.
"I know this looks really bad... You see there's this uh..." he said trying to get away from her.
Noche moved forward slightly just so he could still see the two of them making a noise that caught Astrid's attention and she dropped Hiccup making him fall to the ground and began to walk over to hit.
"Err... You're right, you're right," Hiccup said trying to get her attention again "I... I'm through with the lies. I... I've been making... Outfits," he said, this getting Noche to roll his eyes at the excuse.
"So you got me," Hiccup said making sure he was blocking her view of the cave and his friend.
"It's time everyone knew. Drag me back go a head. Here we go..."
While he was rambling on Astrid grabbed his hand and bent it back, with no care in her eyes when he said "Ow... Why would you do that?"
Then standing over him she said "That's for the lies. And That's..." she said dropping her axe's end on him so it bounced back up "For everything else."
Ok now she was on thin ice... Noche thought as he made himself known to the girl. The next thing she did that would hurt Hiccup...
"Get down!" she said grabbing him and flooring the both of them.
'OK that's it!' Noche said as he came charging towards the girl.
"Run, run..." Astrid said as she got back up and readied her axe, only to be pushed back down by Hiccup and her axe pushed out of her reach.
"No, no," he said getting in between the two of them. "It's ok, it's ok... She's a friend..."
At that Toothless calmed down a bit, but was still ready to attack if need be.
"You scared him," Hiccup said placing a hand onto Toothless' head and trying to hold him back.
"I scared him?!" Astrid asked loudly then seeing what was there asked. "Who... is him..?"
"Err... Astrid, Toothless," Hiccup said smiling "Toothless, Astrid."
'That's the 'Astrid' you like so much?' Noche asked eyes narrowed to the girl and teeth showing as he snarled a bit.
All Astrid did was shake her head and began to turn and run back to the village to tell everyone that Hiccup's turned against them.
"Duh duh duh. We're dead," Hiccup said in a slightly uncaring voice.
'Humph good riddance...' Noche said turning around and walking to the basket.
"Whoa whoa whoa whoa," Hiccup said turning to the dragon "Where do you think you're going?"
'You said we're leaving remember?' Noche said nudging the basket and then stretching his wings to say he was ready.
"We can't now bud we need to go after her and stop her from telling everyone what she saw..."
Not understanding why, but getting the feeling of worry from his brother, Noche gave a big sigh and came back over.
"Thanks bud," Hiccup said as he climbed on and they took off to hunt down Astrid.