Stoick had many of the bravest and strongest Viking warriors gathered around the central hearth of the Great Hall. He was discussing his plan to seek out the dragons' nest and drive them away.

"Either we finish them or they'll finish us! It's the only way we'll be rid of them. If we find the nest and destroy it, the dragons will leave. They'll find another home!" Stoick picked up a knife and stabbed it through the body of a dragon that was drawn onto the map of the Barbaric Archipelago, "They won't seek out the life of our heir any more. Nor will they ever raid us again! One more search. Before the ice sets in."

"Those ships never come back!" a Viking protested.

"We're Vikings!" reminded Stoick, "It's an occupational hazard. Now, who's with me?"

No one spoke.

"Very well," said Stoick, "Those who stay will look after Hiccup." Just as Stoick was finishing his sentence, every Viking in the room raised their hands."

"That's more like it." nodded Stoick.

"Right," said Gobber, "I'll go pack my things."

"No, Gobber," said Stoick, "I need you to stay here and train our recruits."

"Right." replied Gobber in a sarcastic tone, "And while I'm busy, Hiccup can cover the stall. Molten steel, razor-sharp blades, lots of time to herself. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Ugh," groaned Stoick, "What am I gonna do with her, Gobber?"

"Put her in training."

"No. I'm serious."

"So am I."

"She'd be killed before you let the first dragon out of its cage. Or worse..."

"You don't know that."

"I do, actually."

"No you don't."

"I do."

"No, you don't!"

"Listen." sighed Stoick, "You know what she's like, Gobber. From the time she could crawl, she's been... different. She doesn't listen, she has the attention span of a sparrow, she keeps using her powers, I take her fishing and she goes hunting for trolls!"

"Trolls exist!" exclaimed Gobber, "They steal your socks. But only the left ones... huh. What's with that?"

"When I was a boy,"

"Oh. Here we go."

"my father told me to bang my head against a rock and I did it. I thought it was crazy, but I didn't question him. And you know what happened?"

"You got a headache."

"That rock split in two. It taught me what a Viking could do, Gobber. He could crush mountains, level forests, tame seas! Even as a kid, I knew what I was, what I had to become. Hiccup is not that kid."

"You can't stop her, Stoick." explained Gobber, "You can only prepare her. I know it seems hopeless, but you won't always be around to protect her. She's going to get out there again. She's probably out there now."

Stoick thought about what Gobber had said. He was right.

Hiccup observed the map of the island that she had drawn in her sketchbook. Most of the island was dotted with x-marks that revealed where she had searched. She looked up at an area she had not yet searched.

Nothing but brush and trees.

Hiccup sighed in frustration, marking the area. She was so frustrated that she violently scribbled on the entire map.

She groaned and put the sketchbook back into the pocket in her fur coat.

"Oh the gods hate me."

She kicked a few rocks along the dirt as she walked miserably through the forest.

"Some people lose a knife or a mug. Not me! I just manage to lose an entire dragon along with half the village's sheep!"

The was a branch in front of Hiccup. She slapped the branch out of her way. But the branch got the last laugh as it slapped her back.

"Ow!" screamed Hiccup.

Hiccup looked at the tree, about to set it on fire. But she realized that the tree looked broken-at the trunk. There was no way an axe could make a tree trunk split in two.

Half of the trunk was bent down, reaching along a deep, round trench. All grass was missing and only dirt and rocks remained.

Hiccup followed the trench to a small clearing, where a giant, black dragon was lying. Hiccup hid herself in the trench, in case the dragon was awake.

She pulled out a small knife. Her only form of defender that she was allowed to use.

She ran from the trench to a boulder. She peered around the boulder, slowly leaving her hiding place.

The dragon remained still.

Why isn't it moving? Hiccup wondered to herself. Was the dragon dead? It wasn't moving. It didn't look like it was breathing. Its eyes were closed.

"I….. I did it." she said at last. "Ohhhhh yes. Thi-this fixes everything!"

Hiccup out one foot on the dragon's shoulder in a heroic style, "I have brought down this mighty be-"

Hiccup felt the dragon's shoulder move a little. The Viking girl jumped backwards in surprise. She pointed her knife at the black dragon. She spread her wings to fly away in case the dragon attacked.

She edged forward, towards the head. She saw that the dragon's eyes were wide open. The dragon stared at her. She had no idea what to do.

"What are you waiting for?" asked the dragon, "Make the move. Kill me. It'll save me the death that awaits me back home."

Hiccup panted. He's messing with your head. she thought, He's making you pity him so he can kill you when you cut him lose.

With heavy breaths, Hiccup did her best to sound intimidating, "I'm gonna kill you dragon. Then I'll….. I'll cut out your heart and give it to my father." She closed her eyes and whispered, "I'm not a dragon.". She raised her voice and yelled, "I'm a Viking!"

"Then stop hesitating." said the dragon, "Just kill me."

Hiccup nodded and held her breath. She raised her knife above her head. She looked into the dragon's eyes to observe its fear. And she saw a lot of fear in the dragon's eyes.

Hiccup shook off any pity that entered her mind and raised the knife higher. She tried to force the knife into the dragon's flesh. But her arms resisted. She tried harder. But her arms wouldn't cooperate with her mind. Part of her held her back.

She was a dragon. Just like the one in front of her. She couldn't bring herself to kill her own kind.

She gave up. She rested her hands on her head. She looked at the Night Fury, then the knife in her hand.

Hiccup sighed, "I can't."

The dragon didn't answer.

Hiccup turned to walk home.

She stopped and looked back at the Night Fury. She couldn't just leave it here. It would be killed.

She shook her head at her own stupidity, My dad would kill me. I can't believe I'm about to do this.

She knelt down next to the dragon, and began to cut the ropes. She had cut the third line when the Night Fury suddenly pounced on her, pinning her against the boulder.

Hiccup didn't even bother to fight back because she knew it was pointless. The dragon was bigger and stronger than her. It was also the deadliest dragon known to man.

The Dragon's paw pressed against Hiccup's chest with such force that Hiccup could barely breathe.

She forced herself to look at the dragon's eyes. There was nothing but fury and triumph in them.

"I knew you couldn't do it." the dragon smiled wickedly, "You don't have what it takes."

"So you're just gonna kill me?" questioned Hiccup, trying to sound bold but failing badly, "After I let you live? I helped you dragons at times."

"Those were accidents. You hate your dragon side."

"Because it's the reason I'm hated by everyone!"

"You can't be on both sides, human,"

Hiccup was surprised at the dragon's statement. He was the first to refer to her as "human".

The dragon continued, "You should've picked a side long ago."

Hiccup closed her eyes. The dragon was about to kill her.

"Actually," figured the Night Fury, "you could be useful…. If you really want to help. I want you to tell this 'great leader' that I have a message for him."

Hiccup looked at the dragon.

"Tell your chief," he said, "that if he wants the raids to stop, he'd better give my master what he wants: for you to be where you belong."

The dragon drew back his head and roared at the Viking girl before he leapt into the sky and flew away.

Hiccup breathed long sighs of relief and watched the dragon. It almost looked like he was having troubles flying.

Okay, she thought, barely able to hear her own thoughts over the loud ringing noise, that could've been worse….. She stood up and began to walk home. But she was so shocked by the event that she fainted after a few steps.

Hiccup walked into her home. Her father was standing in front of the hearth. He's gonna kill me.

Hiccup speed-walked to the stairs.

"Hiccup."

Hiccup flinched. "Dad! Uh… I have to.. talk to you dad."

Stoick turned to face Hiccup, "I need to speak with you too."

Stoick stated, "I think it's time you learned to fight dragons." But at the same time, Hiccup said, "I've decided I don't want to fight dragons." Both father and daughter asked in unison, "What?"

"You go first." suggested Stoick.

"Uh, no no." said Hiccup, "Uh…. You go first."

"Alright." began Stoick, "You got your wish. Dragon training. You start in the morning."

"Oh man." stammered Hiccup, "I should've gone first. Because we have a lot of dragon-killing Vikings…. But we don't have a lot of bread-making Vikings. Or small home-repair Vikings."

Stoick threw an axe into Hiccup's arms, "You'll need this."

Hiccup grunted with effort as she held the axe, "But I don't wanna fight dragons."

"Oh come on," chuckled Stoick, "yes you do."

"Rephrase. Dad, I can't kill dragons."

"But you will kill dragons."

"No I'm very, extra sure that I won't."

"It's time, Hiccup-"

"Can you not hear me?"

"This is serious, Hiccup."

Stoick was confused. He knew that Hiccup wanted more than anything to prove she wasn't dragon. But why wouldn't she take the chance that she was being offered?

"When you carry this axe," explained Stoick, "you carry all of us with you. Which means you walk like us, you talk like us, and you think like us. No more of… this."

"But you just gestured to all of me."

"Deal?"

"This conversation seems very one-sided."

"Deal?"

Hiccup sighed. It was obvious that she wasn't winning this argument. "Deal."

"Good." said Stoick, picking of a basket and putting on his helmet, "Train hard. I'll be back. Probably."

"And I'll be here….." said Hiccup nervously, "maybe?"

Stoick closed the door behind him as he left.