Author's Note: Well, I guess you guys have taken an interest in this story. Well I suppose I'll continue to update this story regularly, as long as the response is large enough. So far it's been great!

Now for the review responses.

Guest: *Returns Thorston twins headbutt*

Huidaman: Thank you for the kind words! I do review my work before publishing. I try to weed out minor errors and fill areas of the story that feel void.

Brenne: In a way I suppose Hiccup could be considered his pet, but I think Toothless will find him more of a best friend.

Kiriko the 22 tails: That's a question that you'll have to read to find out!

Edge of the World

Chapter 1

The Night Fury heard his father, the Alpha of the tribe, approach his little alcove among the trees by the way the Night Furies dwelling near all ceased their activities to respectively greet and welcome him.

He was six summers aged now and from that time, had learned that a visit from his busy father could only mean something solemn in matter.

He sighed, feeling a longing jolt to be with his human companion whom he had named Hiccup from the strange sounds he would sometimes make. It wasn't meant to be an insult. That human had turned out to be his closest friend! The entire tribe knew there was nothing that could tear them apart…but some still tried…

His father was close enough now for him to see. The tall Fury carried himself in that familiar air of importance, fully present and alert. When his radiant green eyes fell on him, there was a look of scrutinizing pride.

Once he entered the little alcove, the rest of the world was shut from his thoughts, a sign that said he was with his son and not to be bothered.

"Hard at work, son?" he asked, glancing at the little pile of wooden sticks stacked before the Fury lying on the stone floor. He moved his glance around the room in search for the human, saw he was not present.

"No," he sighed. "There's nothing to do around here."

His father's smile fell; he moved to seat himself next to the smaller Fury. "There's plenty to do here, son!" he assured. "You just need to leave this little hole and go."

The little green eyes turned to look at him. "May I go flying now, then?" he asked, hopeful.

"You may not." He said sternly. "Son, you are well aware of the dangers that exist for a young one such as you. Why don't you play with your human friend? What do you call him?"

"Hiccup," he said matter-of-factly. "And he's busy training with mother."

His father furrowed his brow in concern. "Why are you not there training with him?"

"Because I've already learned that lesson and mother says that I can't be there because I'm too distracting."

He detected the resentment in his son's tone, pursed his lips. Not even my beloved is freed from the burden this human puts on us. "Son, you must understand how a human living among our tribe impacts others."

The little Fury plopped his head into his paws sullenly, said: "Everyone hates him."

"Come now, son, you know that's not true. Our tribe…is just not used to living with one who is perceived to be the enemy."

"But they're mean to him and he hasn't done anything to them!" he protested, sounding physically hurt.

"And they will continue to be mean to him as long as you keep protecting him. You're just making him a target by doing that. Each of us must fight his own battle."

"But I have to protect him! They'll really hurt him if I don't!"

"Listen, son. One day you will be the Alpha of this tribe. And when that day comes you'll want to be in the good graces of your fellow dragons."

"I don't care!" he snapped. "If someone tries to hurt my best friend I'm going to hurt them! I don't care how mad they get."

"No," his father said sternly, voice rising. "You will not bring harm to a Brother of this tribe! I know you've been angry recently with one of the teens—"

"Broken-Scale's been mean to Hiccup, though!"

He shook his head at the youth. "I don't want to hear it, son! Now, you will go and make peace with that dragon and no further trouble will come of this. Understand?"

The Night Fury pouted, said: "Yes."

"I love you very much, son. But I think it's foolish to turn against your fellow tribe mates to protect a human of all things." With a loving prodding of heads he stood. A smile touched his lips: "Now I know it's foolish to ridicule you like this for such a negligent matter, you're smarter than all the other youths here. I know you'll make the proper decision!"

The young Fury forced a smile at his father, watched as he whirled and retreated out alcove, vanishing behind a boulder.

Hiccup came in later that evening, his patchy, over-sized brown trousers that had been acquired during a raid, flapping as he hopped excitedly, rubbing his head on the younger Night Fury's in greeting. "Toothless! Toothless! I want to show you what I learned today!" he exclaimed.

The Fury smiled at his companion. He always loved his enthusiasm, how it always shone when he completed his mother's lessons. He had to laugh at his voice though—a much higher pitch than any other Night Fury could ever hope to reach. It would probably deepen as he got older, but he'd most likely never reach the deep voice a dragon possessed.

Giggling, he said: "Show me, Hiccup."

The human got down on all fours—a thing his mother had relentlessly vetted out of him because it was obvious a human wasn't supposed to move that way—he squared his shoulders and expelled a noise that crossed between a squeaking mouse and a growling puppy.

The alcove went silent as the human stared expectantly at the Fury, "Whatddya think of my roar?" he asked sounding proud of himself.

As soon as he said 'roar' the Fury burst into laughter. "That's what that was?" he asked in disbelief, nearly rolling onto the floor from the hilarity.

Hiccup deadpanned, a slight annoyance curving his lips. "My roar is good!" he insisted, though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.

The dragon sobered from the laughter, said: "Sorry, Hiccup, but you can't roar." He said, still chuckling.

"Oh yeah? Well your mother thought it was good!"

The Fury furrowed his brow, "Oh yeah?" he questioned, smirking.

"Yeah! She was smiling and she let me leave early because it was so good!" His bottom lip pushed his upper to the nose to emphasize his satisfaction.

"Hiccup, she just felt sorry for you and was trying not to laugh."

"Not true!"

"It is." He retorted confidently.

Hiccup heaved his chest, "Well your growl isn't any better!"

The dragon's eyes went wide in mock surprise. "You dare make fun of my growl? I guess we'll just have to settle this like real dragons!" he leaped mid sentence, playfully pouncing on the boy with mock growls.

The human's eyes came alight at this familiar action, he returned the smile, "I'm too tough for you, Scaly!" he jokingly retorted, hands pressing against the large black paw pinning his chest.

They rolled across the floor of the alcove, Fury on top of Hiccup, Hiccup on top of Fury. They wrestled, swung playfully at one another; the Fury even engulfed Hiccup's shoulder in his mouth, teeth retracted of course, and lightly shook him. Hiccup tried to reciprocate, but he quickly learned his mouth was much too small.

Despite his shortcomings, Hiccup was still surprisingly strong. He could actually push the Night Fury off of him, even though it was still a small Fury being pushed off, and said Fury could've, at any time, used his talons to tear at his exposed torso to stop him. Still it was surprising to the Night Fury to see the progress this human was making and the thought of what he could accomplish in the future was a bright object poised alluringly in his mind.

Exhausted now, the two rolled away from each other, panting and laughing as they lay sprawled about the stone floor.

"I won." Hiccup declared after a moment of no words.

The Fury snorted, "Ha!" but didn't say anything else.

The sounds of panting resumed. Hiccup once again broke it, "Toothless—"

"You know you can't call me that, Hiccup." He informed cautiously.

"Toothless! Toothless! Toothless! Toothless! Tooth—"

"Okay! Okay!" he said, now rolling back to Hiccup's side. "But don't call me that in front of my father!"

Hiccup smiled victoriously, "Fine." He said, nuzzling warmly against the dragon beside him. He purred happily into the warm, welcoming side, pressed his eyes closed in relaxation. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but a mighty yawn escaped instead, causing his entire body to stretch out like a feline.

Toothless smiled at his friend, rested a cheek against his auburn hair. "So," he whispered, "Did you see Broken-Scale today?"

The boy shifted, in a nod. "He stared at me. I don't like it." He opened his eyes now, stared into the dragon's with a pleading spark. "I don't want to come back alone anymore! I felt better with you."

Toothless curled around him tighter. "I'll come with you tomorrow, buddy human. Broken-Scale's just an over-sized hatchling!" He cooed.

Hiccup chuckled at this, a smile on his face as he closed his eyes and drifted into slumber. And it wasn't long before Toothless did as well.

The next day, Toothless fulfilled his promise. He walked down the valley with Hiccup to his mother's cave and waited until he got out. He could tell by the relieved look on the human's face when he exited the cave that he was happy to see him.

"Buddy!" he greeted, licking the boy's face and nuzzling him.

"Toothless! I worked on my growl! I'm better now!" He yelled, returning the lick.

"Cool!" Toothless exclaimed. "We'll see whose is better when we get back."

This excited Hiccup and he began walking quickly away from the cave. "Let's go!" he said not even turning back to check on the dragon's position.

Toothless just laughed and darted to meet up with the boy. Without him his life was empty!

They walked for a while, conversing wildly about their skills and arguing about who was strongest.

"I've got wings!" Toothless said. "There's nothing you have to fly."

"So?" he stubbornly questioned. "I can just…uh…"

"See? There's nothing that can beat flying!"

"Well I could—" he suddenly stopped walking, causing Toothless to nearly trample him.

"What is it?" Toothless asked, eyes questing in alert.

Hiccup pointed to the left, "Broken-Scale." He whispered.

The jet black dragon stared at them from his lying position, the mere stillness of his eyes were threatening to them!

Toothless nudged the boy to keep moving. "Just ignore him." he informed.

Hiccup nodded and met Broken-Scale's stare, narrowing his eyes at the dragon. You can't hurt me while I'm with Toothless! He remarked mentally.

But Broken-Scale did a strange thing—he smiled! It was a strange smile that sent shivers down Hiccup's back. And then he got up and began walking their way.

Hiccup pressed his head urgently into Toothless' neck, whispered frantically: "He's coming! He's coming!"

Toothless felt a moment of panicked anger cross him, turned to face the larger dragon. As he turned around he felt a forceful head ram his side, sent him sprawling across the grass.

Broken-Scale got right up in Hiccup's face, snarling with his teeth fully visible, and eyes forcing him onto all-fours.

"You think you can mock me, little runt?" he growled.

Other Night Furies in nearby were staring now, assuming a fight was about to transpire.

Hiccup felt a fear so heavy in his stomach that he thought it was going to weigh him down. His arms and legs trembled as he stared at the large dragon in his face. But there was a strange feeling inside him, one that forced him to say: "You hurt my friend, you over-sized hatchling!"

The dragon's pupils went thin in Fury and steam vented from his nostrils. He let loose an earth-trembling roar as he spun around.

Hiccup had no time to react, that large tailfin whipped him right in the face, knocking him, disoriented, onto the ground. Tears stung his eyes from the painful strike, and he weakly tried to get up. But the Fury darted over him snarling angrily. "I'll kill you, human!" he roared. He prepared to send his teeth into him when a force knocked the dragon from him.

Freed, Hiccup shakily got to a seated position, the errant tears from his eyes mixing with the line of red flowing from his nostril and from a bust on his lower lip. The first thing he saw was a heated battle between two Night Furies. He saw Broken-scale on top, snarling over and snapping his jaws at…Toothless!

Seeing his best friend in danger, he fought back the pain and rushed up to Broken-Scale, bit down forcefully on his tail.

Broken-Scale howled to the sky as Hiccup's teeth sank through the scale-less skin. He immediately went to attack the human when Toothless lashed upward, grabbed the Fury's neck in his mouth and rammed him to the ground. Once he was on top, Toothless roared furiously into Broken-Scale's face, holding it out until the dragon submitted.

They jumped off of him as Broken-Scale stood and sent them a murderous glare. He then turned and limped off.

Toothless was at Hiccup's side in an instant, supporting his shaken friend with an outstretched wing. "Bud, are you all right?" he asked frantically, licking at the tears and blood on his face.

Hiccup nuzzled into his side, said through a trembling voice: "We fought him off! He's gone!"

But Toothless shook his head, grimly. "No. He's going to tell my father…"