After a couple of days Hiccup was back to his old self; cheerful, chatty, and full of questions. He never once mentioned the Nightmare. Stoick marvelled at how he seemed to have forgotten the whole ordeal. Stoick himself hadn't mentioned it to anyone; just thinking about what had almost happened made his heart skip a beat. For the first few days Stoick preferred to keep Hiccup in his sight which was relatively easy with the late winter weather keeping everyone indoors. There was the odd meeting but he postponed those till after Hiccup's bedtime when Stoick knew his son was safely tucked in. But the weather was getting warmer and the Chief knew he was going to have to head up to the high pastures to plan moving herds down to the village for spring. And the dragon raids. That was a day long job and there was no way of bringing his young son along. Hiccup would slow him down. Not to mention the stampede Hiccup had caused last time he was around the herds. The boy was still too young to be left alone for the whole day so Stoick had arranged for Gobber to watch him, as usual.
Sticking to the trees the Nightmare watched the Viking nest. She was ready to learn everything about caring for a Viking hatchling. She had noticed that her hatchling didn't have a mother within the first two days; it wasn't a Viking thing because the other Viking hatchlings had mothers. She also decided he was left alone too much for a hatchling, his sire left the nest most nights. She no longer felt guilty about stealing the little one. Hatchlings shouldn't be left alone unless absolutely necessary; his sire did a poor job of caring for him. She grumbled as she lay there watching the wooden nest. It would be so easy to break it and take her hatchling away. The Nightmare amused herself by imagining the sight: the crackling wood, the smoke rising into the dark sky, the way the walls would bend in and collapse as the flames ate them away. She could leave the Viking in the middle of the burning cave, wood was a foolish material when your enemies were dragons, or maybe she would break in when he was gone. Either way, snatching her hatchling would be easy. She didn't though. She was still learning about Vikings so he could be properly looked after.
Hiccup woke up early. The sun wasn't yet rising and it was cold in the room so he burrowed further under the covers. Listening to the familiar sound of his father's snores Hiccup tried to go back to sleep. Something felt odd about one of his front teeth. He pushed at it with his tongue and it moved, not much but it still moved. His top front tooth was finally loose!
"Dad! Dad!" Hiccup cried scrambling out of his bed. There was a thump as he hit the floor tangled in his blanket. Stoick snorted mid-snore,
"Wha- Hiccup?" Stoick pushed himself up in time for Hiccup to bounce onto the bed and jump on him. In a sleep induced fog Stoick grabbed Hiccup and held him close with his right hand and reached down for the hammer on the floor with his left.
"Dad my tooth's loose, look!" Hiccup said wiggling it to show his dad. Stoick was tense for another moment, still half asleep and expecting danger of some kind. Hiccup frowned, "Dad?"
Lowering his hammer Stoick focused on Hiccup. "Your tooth is loose?" He said slowly, still trying to register what was going on.
Hiccup bounced excitedly in Stoick's grip, "Yeah, look!" He wiggled it again. Stoick put the hammer back on the floor and repositioned Hiccup so he could see him better. Glancing out the window Stoick noted how dark it was.
"You couldn't wait till after sunrise?" He asked. Hiccup shook his head, bouncing on the bed.
"All the other kids already lost their front teeth and have their adult ones!"
It was too early for loud children. Stoick sighed and got up, there would be no more sleeping. Picking Hiccup up under the arms Stoick set him on the floor.
"Can you pull it out Dad?"
Gods it was too early for this. Stoick rubbed his face, "Let me wake up, Hiccup."
"Okay, and then you can check my tooth? How long will it take you to wake up?" Hiccup asked bouncing next to Stoick and hanging off his arm. Gods it was way too early. Herding Hiccup out to the main room Stoick grabbed the kettle and put it on to boil. Then, Stoick took out two mugs and bowls to set on the table. Putting the pot on for oatmeal Stoick glanced at his son. Hiccup was sitting at the table trying to be patient and quiet. His head rested on his arms, but he was kicking his feet furiously. However, he knew better than to try and get much out of his father before he had had his tea. Stoick got the tea leaves out and put them in his mug before pouring buttermilk in the other and handing it to Hiccup.
"Dad, did you wake up yet?" Hiccup asked quietly, taking his milk. Stoick merely grunted a negative. Letting out a large sigh Hiccup started sipping the buttermilk. The kettle wasn't boiling yet but it was steaming and that was close enough for Stoick this morning. He poured the water. Letting his tea steep he put some oats in the pot and stirred them in. The porridge was left to thicken as Stoick took his seat and sipped his tea. Still no sign of the Thor forsaken sun.
Hiccup was staring. Stoick could feel his eyes; he drank his tea. Finally, he could take it no longer,
"Come here." He said in defeat. Hiccup jumped up with a huge smile and hopped over to his father.
"It's this one. Can you take it out?" Hiccup asked wiggling his loose tooth. Stoick gently moved it.
"No Hiccup. It's not loose enough yet." He said. The boy's face fell.
"Oh."
Stoick got up to take the porridge off the fire and put it on the table. Spooning it into their bowls and adding honey he said, "It'll get looser. Then it can come out." He put Hiccup's bowl in front of the boy and sat down with his own.
Hiccup poked at his oatmeal, "How long will that take?"
"I don't know Hiccup. It takes as long as it takes. Eat your breakfast."
Hiccup took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, "Is there anything I can do to make it faster?"
"Just be patient, Hiccup." Stoick said. He was going to need another cup of tea. There was silence for a while as they ate.
"Dad? Can I have a piece of Aunt Thistleface's fruit cake?" Hiccup asked.
The question caught Stoick off guard. "I thought you didn't like it." Neither of them did. It sat on a shelf collecting dust from Snoggletog till spring when Stoick would finally throw it out. It never went bad.
Hiccup wouldn't look at him, "I don't mind it."
Something was up, why would Hiccup all of a sudden want that cake? It was hard as a rock and tasted the same. He couldn't even bite it. Oh. "Not for breakfast. Finish your oatmeal."
Hiccup poured what was left of his milk into the porridge. "Can I have a piece for my midday meal?" He asked.
"You'll be with Gobber. You'll eat what he gives you." Stoick said. He got up and put the pot and his dishes aside to be washed later; he took Hiccup's empty mug too. Hiccup, meanwhile, was building dams in his porridge.
"We could bring him a piece."
Stoick snorted, "What do you think happened to his tooth? You'll eat what he gives you. Finish your breakfast."
Hiccup took a bite and made a face, "It's cold."
"And whose fault is that? Eat it don't play with it." Stoick said. He got himself ready for the day while Hiccup finished his oatmeal.
With Hiccup finally fed and ready to go Stoick slung his pack over his shoulder and took Hiccup's hand to keep him from darting out. It was a muddy, slushy mess. Great. Hiccup was bouncing next to him eager to leave the house.
"Are you going to be gone all day?" He asked. Stoick was surveying the hill. What would the driest, least messy way to the forge be? Hiccup tugged Stoick's arm, "Dad, will you be gone all day?"
Stoick grunted an affirmative sound as they started down. Dawn was finally here but the village was quiet still. Hiccup tugged forward but Stoick held his hand securely; it was too wet and slippery. He didn't want to leave Gobber with a wet, muddy eight-year-old all day.
"When will you be back? Will it be tomorrow? Is Gobber going to put me to bed? I like it when he does, he tells good stories. In one of them there's a woman who turns into a wolf. She kills these brothers because one of them wouldn't sell him the sword, Gram. Then, Dad, Sigmund, the last brother, kills the wolf! And to get revenge on the bad guys they, Sigmund and his son, Sinfjolti, they become outlaws and turn into wolves using wolf skins!" Hiccup slipped in the slush so Stoick lifted him up by the arm to keep him off the wet ground. "And Sinfjolti was the only son that Signy liked so she had Sigmund kill the others. Does that really happen Dad?" Stoick lowered Hiccup to his feet and kept going, watching out for ice patches. Hiccup tugged his arm, "Dad?"
"What?" Stoick didn't take his eyes off the ground.
"Do parents kill children who aren't good enough?"
Now Stoick was listening, "Where did you hear that?" He looked at Hiccup.
"I told you, the story Gobber told me last time you were gone for the night." Hiccup said as he hopped through the slush. It sprayed everywhere so Stoick lifted him off the ground again to put a stop to it. Hiccup giggled.
"No they don't." Stoick said. Oh, Gobber was going to have some explaining to do.
They started down the hill again. "Dad, what's 'incest'?" Hiccup asked. Stoick stopped short, accidently jerking Hiccup back.
"What?!"
Hiccup shrugged, "Gobber said that Sinfjolti was born out of incest but I should ask you what it means."
Stoick didn't know what to do, how to handle this. Gobber wasn't just going to explain he was going to pay. Hiccup was eight. Eight!
"Look Dad, a robin! That means it's Spring right?" Hiccup said pointing at the bird and tugging forward, spraying slush everywhere. Stoick didn't lift him off the wet ground this time. He was fuming. Hiccup didn't notice as he chattered on.
"Gobber!" Stoick called when they got to the forge.
"Aye, in here. Just lightin the place up. You're awful early today." Gobber came out with a cheery smile that disappeared when he saw Stoick's face.
"Hi Gobber. Look, my tooth is finally loose." Hiccup stood in front of his seething father and happily demonstrated.
"Well would you look at that." Gobber said, but there was less enthusiasm than normal. That went unnoticed by the child who grinned up at him. "What's up Stoick?" Gobber asked.
"What kind of stories are you telling him?" Stoick said carefully and evenly. He would not yell. He would not yell.
Hiccup looked up at his father, "I told you. People turned into wolves. Then,"
"I was asking Gobber, Hiccup." Stoick said placing his hands on Hiccup's shoulders and glaring at Gobber.
"Oh you know, Stoick. Jus' Hero Tales. Nothing the lad wouldn't hear in the Great Hall." Gobber said, drumming his fingers on the hammer attachment to his arm and not meeting Stoick's eyes.
"The story of Sigmund is not for children. It would be told late when they've fallen asleep. If it was told when they could hear it would be edited so they don't ask their parents inappropriate questions!" Stoick said. He was raising his voice a little and gripping Hiccup's shoulders a bit too tight. He needed to breathe, calm down. Hiccup was looking up at him with wide eyes. "He is eight, Gobber. Eight. He shouldn't be," Stoick paused glancing down at Hiccup. Placing his hands over his son's ears he continued quietly, "Shouldn't be asking if parents will kill their own children and he definitely shouldn't know the word 'incest'."
Gobber held his arms in surrender, "Alrigh' alrigh' I get it. No more stories with murder of children, incest, sex in general," Gobber said listing them off on his fingers. Hiccup was looking up at both alternatively, his hands grasping at his father's fingers covering his ears.
"I can still hear you." Hiccup said. Gobber stopped and both men looked down at the boy.
"Why don' ye go to the back room, Hiccup? There's some scrap paper I put aside for ya." Gobber said and Stoick gave Hiccup a little push in that direction.
"Okay, but I can still hear you from back there." Hiccup said as he walked to the back room. The two men looked at each other. Stoick raised his hand and pointed his finger in Gobber's face.
"No more inappropriate stories."
"Got it." Gobber said, "Have a good trip."
Stoick snorted, "Did you see it out there? I'll be back before supper. Goodbye Hiccup."
"Bye Dad." Hiccup called from the back. Stoick shook his head, gave Gobber another warning look and left.
"So Hiccup," Gobber called, "What're ya up to?" He walked over to the curtain and drew it back.
Hiccup looked up from his drawing. "Figuring out how to lose my tooth faster."
"Ah, well you be a good boy today and maybe I'll help ya out." Gobber said.
Hiccup smiled, "Really? Cause Dad wasn't much help."
"Sure lad, sure." Gobber walked back to the fire and stoked it a little more. He began working. Every now and then he checked on Hiccup who was content to sit and draw for most of the morning. When the lad started getting antsy and into stuff he should leave alone, however, Gobber said, "Hey Hiccup, I ever tell ya about Frost Giants from up North?"
Hiccup stepped away from the iron in the flames to come over to Gobber, "No."
Gobber stopped pounding on the sword for a quick moment to push Hiccup back from the sparks before continuing. "Well, most of 'em are okay, but others, eh not so much."
The rest of the afternoon passed quietly with Gobber telling Hiccup all about Frost Giants. After that he explained some simple smithing processes. "Alright lad," Gobber said after putting his tools aside and wiping his hand on his apron, "Let's see that tooth." He picked Hiccup up and sat him on the table.
"It's this one." Hiccup said wiggling the tooth for Gobber.
"Aye, tis loose." Gobber said after testing it, "Not enough to pull yet." Hiccup's face fell. "But I have an idea."
"Really?" Hiccup asked, brightening up again.
"Yup." Gobber said with a smile and a wink, "Wait here for a sec."
Watching from the forest had its downside; the Nightmare was limited to the outskirts of the Viking nest. Early that morning she had been woken by the sound of her hatchling chattering. Blinking in the early morning light she lifted her head to see the Viking walking down into the nest with her hatchling. He held the little one's hand to keep him at his side. She couldn't see that far into the nest which agitated her. The Viking came back to the empty space and was soon joined by a few others; they left the nest. So her hatchling was somewhere deep in the nest where she couldn't see. That was fine; okay, she still had a lot to learn. For the day she contented herself with learning what she could of the Vikings. She saw them washing their strange coverings and guessed that the coverings were important. They also had to maintain their individual nests to keep out the elements. Vikings must be pretty weak to things like rain and snow. It was a warm day and the Nightmare found herself dozing in the sun; it felt so good on her scales after the cold winter. She decided to go back to her cave to doze out in the open and spread her wings to soak in all the warmth. She had seen all she was going to see here today.
Stoick, on the other hand, had had a miserable day. The sun may have been out warming everything up but it also turned all the snow to slush and all the slush to mud. Going up to the far fields to check the herds was awful work on these days. The sheep and yaks were wet and muddy, and smelled worse when wet and muddy. Stoick himself was wet and muddy due to all the trudging around. He was looking forward to picking up his son and relaxing for the evening; listening to Hiccup chatter about whatever took his fancy. As Stoick neared the forge he heard Gobber's loud voice,
"Ya ready lad?"
Ready? Ready for what? Stepping into the dim light of the forge Stoick saw his son standing in front of a cupboard with a string in his mouth. A string that was also tied to the door of the cupboard which Gobber was about to slam closed.
"What are you doing?!" He shouted. Stoick rushed over and grabbed the string to steady it as Gobber slammed the door in his surprise.
"Stoick. Hey," Gobber said rubbing the back of his neck. Stoick was very tempted to pull the door off its hinges by the damn string.
"Hey? Hey? What are you doing?" Stoick shouted. He needed to calm down. He pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Trying to get rid of my tooth." Hiccup said, "Gobber tied this string on and when he slammed the door it was supposed to pull the tooth out but you ruined it."
Taking a deep breath Stoick looked at Hiccup. The boy didn't know any better, Gobber, however, he should have more sense. Stoick took the string off of Hiccup's tooth and glared at Gobber who had the decency to look ashamed.
"Do you have any idea how much it would have hurt?" Stoick asked Hiccup. The boy shrugged,
"The tooth would be out though."
Stoick squeezed Hiccup's shoulders, "Why don't you go wash up and head to the Great Hall. I'll meet you there. Gobber and I have to have a little talk." Stoick narrowed his eyes at Gobber over Hiccup's head.
"Alright." Hiccup said.
"Stay out of the mud. And leave your tooth alone." Stoick said as Hiccup left.
Hiccup started up the hill to the Great Hall moping about still having his tooth. He snapped out of it pretty soon; all the puddles caught his attention. The rest of the way was spent jumping from puddle to puddle avoiding the raging fires all around him. By the time Hiccup reached the steps to the great hall his boots were soaked through.
"Hey guys," He called when he saw the other kids on the steps ahead of him. Fishlegs waved but the others ignored him. "Guess what, my tooth's finally loose. I'll lose it soon."
"Aw is the baby finally going to lose his tooth?" Snotlout taunted, "Big deal, we all lost our front teeth a long time ago. In fact I lost mine three years ago." He titled his chin up with his hands on his hips looking down at Hiccup.
Astrid rolled her eyes and went up to the Great Hall with Fishlegs, who hated confrontation. Hiccup crossed his arms.
"You're also older than me. Of course you lost your front teeth before me."
"Well we're only five months older than you and we both lost our front teeth last year." Ruffnut said jabbing her finger into Hiccup's chest. He tried to swat her hand away but she flicked his nose before he could.
"Yeah," Tuffnut added from behind his sister, "You're such a baby." The twins high fived and Snotlout rolled his eyes; they could be so lame.
"No I'm not." Hiccup said.
"Yeah you are. You haven't even lost your front teeth yet." Snotlout gloated smirking.
"My tooth's loose so I'll lose it soon." Hiccup said.
"But you haven't lost it yet." Ruffnut said. She elbowed her brother.
"Yeah, little baby Hiccup still has his baby teeth." Tuffnut sing-songed while shoving his sister. This started a shoving match which led to them chasing each other up the stairs to the Hall. Leaving Hiccup alone with Snotlout.
"See, you're just a wittle baby." Snotlout said.
"Yeah, well at least I didn't cry at the end of Beowulf." Hiccup said. He smirked, that was more babyish than still having baby teeth.
"I did not cry!" Snotlout said, "You're lying." He started down the steps towards Hiccup.
"Yes you did." Hiccup said with a smile as he backed up and then around so he was going up, towards the Hall and people, "You totally cried."
"You take that back you little runt." Snotlout said. He was approaching faster now and looked angrier.
"I could take it back but it would still be true. You cried." Hiccup said retreating backwards up the stairs carefully. Snotlout roared in his rage as he advanced on Hiccup. The younger boy's eyes went wide when he realized just how angry Snotlout was. Perhaps he had pushed a little too far. Hiccup turned to run up the stairs but Snotlout was faster and shoved him hard. There was too much force for Hiccup to break his fall with his hands. They slid forward on the step, getting scraped, and his chin was jolted as it connected with the stone. Hiccup curled into himself, covering his face as the pain thrummed up his chin to his nose.
"I did not cry!" Snotlout shouted but Hiccup didn't respond. He stayed down holding his face. "Hiccup?" Snotlout said, "Hiccup are you okay?" Snotlout knelt down next to his cousin and saw the blood. "Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Hiccup, are you okay?" Snotlout pulled Hiccup up to a sitting position and tried to pull Hiccup's hands off his face to see. "Hiccup?"
Hiccup spit blood on the step when Snotlout had moved his hands, "I'm okay." He said. The throbbing was dying down as he didn't feel quite so dizzy. Then he felt his teeth with his tongue. "It'th gone!"
"Oh no. Oh no. I am in so much trouble." Snotlout was saying. "Wait what's gone?"
"My tooth! It'th gone!" Hiccup smiled but with a bloody nose and a bloody mouth Snotlout only freaked out more.
"Okay, okay. You stay right here, I'll be back with some water, okay?"
"Thure, thure." Hiccup mumbled, feeling around where he had spit the blood for his tooth. Snotlout scrambled up the stairs and into the Hall to get some water and a rag, hoping to hide the evidence and avoid getting in trouble. Before he got back though, Hiccup saw his dad and Gobber coming up the stairs.
"Dad! Dad look it came out! My tooth fell out!"
"Odin's beard lad, what did ye do?" Gobber said as they came up the stairs. Hiccup sat on the same step Snotlout had left him on, covering his nose with one hand and holding up his tooth with the other. There was a lot of blood, Stoick thought, too much blood for his liking. He knelt down a step below Hiccup and pulled the boy's hand away from his nose to see if it was broken. Not broken, just bloody.
"What happened?" Stoick asked. He tilted Hiccup's head forward a bit and pinched the boy's nose. Hiccup showed him the tooth again.
"My tooth wath knocked out."
"Yes, I see that. Why are you bleeding?"
Snotlout had come back out and seen his uncle already with Hiccup and Gobber hobbling up to them, he paled. He was in so much trouble. Hiccup hadn't told on him yet though, he had a chance.
"He, uh, tripped. Going up the stairs. I ran in to get something to clean the blood." He said. All three looked up where Snotlout stood with a pitcher of water and a rag. Gobber raised an eyebrow but Hiccup shrugged.
"I wath running up the thtairs and thlipped." He said.
Stoick sighed, "Keep your hand on your nose like this," He placed Hiccup's hand over the boy's nose and had him pinch it. He then reached for the water and rag Snotlout had brought. "Show me your mouth." He ordered.
"Why?" Hiccup asked.
"Just let me see, Hiccup." Stoick said. Why must the boy question everything. Why couldn't he just do as he was told? Hiccup opened his mouth and sure enough his gum was bleeding. The tooth had not been ready to come out. Stoick tore a piece off the rag, wet it, and put it in the gap applying pressure.
Hiccup pulled back, "Dad, that hurtth."
"I have to stop the bleeding, Hiccup. Hold that there." Stoick said. He wet the rest of the cloth and wiped the blood off Hiccup's face. That's when he found out Hiccup's chin had been split open, "Thor above child," He muttered as he applied pressure to that too.
"So he tripped, eh?" Gobber asked Snotlout.
"Ye-yeah. He was running up the stairs. Saying something about his tooth when he slipped. Banged his face on the step." Snotlout said. He wouldn't meet Gobber's eye and that made the man suspicious. It did sound like Hiccup. But shoving Hiccup on the stairs sounded like Snotlout. Gobber decided to keep an eye on the boy. He was possibly getting too rough.
"What have I told you about running on the stairs?" Stoick asked Hiccup.
"Not ta do it." Hiccup said around his fingers which still held the rag to his gums. "But my toof came out."
Gobber laughed, "You'd a' been better off letting me go through with my idea, eh Stoick?"
Stoick ignored his friend and focused on his son, "Anything else hurt?" He asked. Stoick wasn't really worried about a concussion; it looked like the boy had only hit his chin. It was Hiccup though, and Stoick could never be too careful. Hiccup shook his head.
"But my stomach doesn't feel good."
"Ah ya prolly swallowed too much blood." Gobber said as he sat next to Hiccup on the step. Hiccup looked up at him with wide eyes.
"Is dat bad?" He asked. Stoick angled Hiccup's head down again.
"Well, draugr drink blood. Doesn't hurt them. Though, they are dead." Gobber said. Stoick caught his eye and Gobber shrugged, "Inappropriate?" He asked.
"Yes." Stoick said. He turned to Hiccup, "It can make you nauseous, maybe throw up."
"Bu' I don' wanna drow up." Hiccup said. The glee about his tooth was dissipating and he was starting to notice the pain. His hands stung and his chin was throbbing again.
"You might not." Stoick said as he checked the cut on Hiccup's chin. It wasn't as bad as he had thought, probably wouldn't even scar. It was still bleeding though, so he put pressure on it again. "Now you know better than to run on the stairs."
Snotlout began to edge away feeling guilty. He really didn't feel like supper now but he went up anyway. He was going to have to make it up to Hiccup somehow, especially for covering for him. He didn't like feeling indebted to his little cousin.
"Let me see your nose," Stoick said. Hiccup took his hand away. The bleeding seemed to have stopped but it could start again. "Now your mouth." Hiccup opened his mouth wider and took the rag out. Still some bleeding. Stoick gently felt the gums in the gap for the adult tooth but it didn't seem ready to come down for a while.
"That hurtth." Hiccup said.
"That's a good thing, means nothing's damaged." Stoick told him. He rinsed the bit of rag and replaced it. "Hold it again."
"Wha' do 'ou mean damaged?" Hiccup asked. Gobber ruffled his hair.
"Nothing Hiccup, you're fine." Stoick said. He stood up then pulled Hiccup to his feet, holding him steady in case he was light headed. Content that Hiccup was fine Stoick offered a hand to Gobber to help him up. "Hiccup, why are you wet?" Stoick asked taking in the state of Hiccup's pants and boots for the first time.
"Der were fires, Dad. I had to ge' drough dem." Hiccup replied, his hand still holding the rag to his gums. Stoick ran his hand over his eyes. Why had he thought he would be relaxing tonight?
"I told you to stay out of the mud."
"I did. I went from puddle to puddle, not in de mud."
Gobber's snickering only tried Stoick's patience more, "Just go inside."