I'm back, long weekend I had, works christmas party saturday night and was completely hung over sunday but got a good amount of this done, just to keep you on the update, I'm still doing brother nightfury but not as much as this, there are so many ideas for this one I can't resist it. Anyway this was going to be longer than the last chapter however if I did that then this wouldn't have been up till next christmas lol. Anyway dragon training time while I sip my coffee. And before you ask no I'm not sharing my coffee :P
Chapter 8: Dragons always go for the kill
Normal POV
"No turning back now" Astrid says while walking into the killing arena with the other teens.
"yeah I hope I get some serious burns!" Tuffnut follows on as he joins his fellow teens looking around the arena wall and chained roof.
"I'm hoping for some mauling, like, on my shoulder or lower back." Ruffnut says pointing to one of her shoulders then her lower back to show where she would have a mauling.
"Yeah only fun if you get a scar out of it" Astrid replies looking impressed.
"Oh yeah pain, love it" Hiccup responds sarcastically knowing that every Viking dreams of having a scar to prove their toughness.
Whereas Astrid, Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Fishlegs all didn't mind Hiccup being there, Snotlout and his gang didn't.
"Oh great who let the runt in here?" Snotlout shouts out as he points towards Hiccup who at the moment is carrying in a several shields, unbeknownst to the others Astrid was giving several expressions at once:
Anger towards Snotlout for calling Hiccup a runt.
Impressed that Hiccup can carry that many heavy shields at once.
'Guess all that training paid off' she thinks to herself.
And finally obsession for looking at Hiccup's bu...
"and why is the runt carrying those shields in the first place?" Snotlout continues break Astrids stare at Hiccup, blushing a little hoping no one saw.
Hiccup, being the witty kind of thinker he is, gives a pretend surprised look at Snotlout before speaking.
"Oh these? In my arms? of I forgot to tell you I'm going to use them to fly around here" he said to Snotlout, dripping with so much sarcasm in that one sentence you could drown in it.
As Hiccup places the shields down in certain areas of the ring he speaks out with only two words "you'll see" turning towards Astrid with an evil grin.
Astrid knew why he was grinning, they being trained by Gobber and after the things Hiccup told her, one phrase came to mind.
"learning on the job"
After that, she grinned knowing what to prepare for.
"ok new recruits welcome ta dragon training!" Gobber shouts out as he hobbles into the arena standing next to the teens "now are there any question?".
Snotlout step forward feeling smug about what he had to say "yeah I got one, why is useless here? I mean come one he won't last a few minutes!", he says to the group to which his gang applaud him for.
The others however, were not impressed.
especially Gobber and Astrid.
As Astrid glared daggers at Snotlout, Gobber decided to walk up to the idiot and smack him around the head 'gods help if he ever became chief' Gobber thought to himself before speaking towards everyone in the ring.
"Fer ye information Jorgenson, Hiccup turned down dragon training to help me out..." but stopped before turning to Hiccup and giving him a sly wink "and be ye teacher too".
This shut up the once goby Snotlout realising that Hiccup and Gobber were in charge of them.
"Carrying on, the recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village" Gobber says as he points toward the rattling doors of the Monstrous Nightmare.
"Firepower fifteen" Fishlegs starts rambling on.
"Bu before tha ye must ge acquainted wit the other dragons we have..." stops and points towards Hiccup to name the other dragons as Fishlegs blurts out the stats.
"The Deadly Nadder..."
"Speed eight, armour sixteen..."
"The Hideous Zippleback..."
"Plus eleven stealth, times two..."
"The Terrible Terror..."
"Attack eight, venom twelve..."
"will you stop that!" Gobber shouts getting annoyed.
Hiccup walks toward the last door and says "And we have the Gronkle" before backing towards Gobber who at the point has his hook on the lever of the Gronkle cell.
"Jaw strength eight." Fishlegs finally finishes but like the other teens see where Gobber was and panicked a bit.
"Hold on your not going to train us?" Snotlout protests.
Gobber looks at Snotlout then towards Hiccup "care ta tell what my motto is Hiccup?" he says with a grin and Hiccup returned it back before looking at the teens.
"his motto is 'learning on the job'" he says before backing away as the Gronkle bashes through the unlocked doors and towards a pile of rocks, eating them .
"Today is about survival. If ye get hit ye dead so quick! whats the first thing ye need?" Gobber blurts out as the teens look around at the Gronkle in panic.
"A doctor?" Tuffnut blurts out
"Plus five speed?" Fishlegs nervously
"A shield!" Astrid confidently shouts as she dashes for the nearest one.
"Good one Astrid, a shield! Go!" Gobber shouts as the other teen scramble around the ring for shields Hiccup placed on the floor.
The other teens quickly gather a shield each except for the twins who decided to want the same shield, even though there were plenty all over the floor.
"Get your hands off my shield!" Tuffnut yells at his twin.
"There's like a million shield!" Ruffnut yells back
"Look take that one, It has a flower on it. Girls like flowers" he said point at a shield with a pink flower on it.
Ruffnut responds by pulling the shield out of her brother's hand and bashes him over the head with it. "oops! Now this one has blood on it"
The Gronkle sick of the twins arguing decided to blast the shield out of her hand.
After that they ran off into a corner as Gobber shouts "Ruffnut, Tuffnut, ye out!".
"now all dragons have a limited shot limit, how many does a Gronkle have?" Gobber asks the remaining teens.
"five?" Snotlout says
"no, six!" Fishlegs corrects
"correct Fishle..." Gobber suddenly stopped talking when the Gronkle got in front of Fishlegs and stared at him.
Next thing you know, Fishlegs dropped the shield and ran away screaming towards the gate.
"I guess he's out too" Hiccup said to Gobber who decided to face palm himself.
"I guess ye right" Gobber said in a deadpanned voice before turning back to the remaining teens.
"now the best now tha ye got ye shields, make lot's of noise, keep the beast out of focus" Gobber shouts as the remaining teens bang their weapon against their shield causing the Gronkle to lose focus on its target.
Snotlout however decided that was the time to flirt with Astrid.
"you know, I just moved into my parent's basement, you should totally come by and workout some time, you look like you do" I think at that point Astrid nearly threw up just by the sound of his voice.
That was until the Gronkle decided it didn't like the sound of his voice either as it fired three shot towards Snotlout and his gang who for some reason didn't spread out but stayed close to Snotlout.
When all three shots found the teens shields, they all ran out but not before anciently running into Astrid who at the time was focusing on the dragon, knocking both her axe and shield across the other side the arena floor, leaving her defenseless and trapped as the gronkle ready to blast her with its final shot.
"ASTRID!"
Hiccup panics, runs towards Astrid picking up a shield along the way.
Whereas the others were looking at the Gronkle charging up its blast, they don't see the panick in Astrids eye's.
Hiccup however did.
The Gronkles blast at full charge it starts to release it, Gobber notices Hiccup running towards Astrid and panics for both.
"HICCUP! ASTRID!" he shouts but it's too late.
The Gronkle fires.
Dust from the floor rises everywhere, clouding everyone's vision.
Except the two teens and the dragon, who starts staring at the boy who ran towards this girl ready to defend her, and successfully did, even though the shield is now splinters, the shield took most of the blast, only knock the couple back a few inches.
But whats caught the Gronkles attention was the boy's eye's.
Forest green, a look that has not been seen before since the dragon got captured thirteen years ago when it saw it in the eye's of one other dragon.
The night fury.
Even smelling that dragon on the boy too, but not blood.
But before the dragon could think any further a hook grabs the side of its mouth, twirling it around to look at the blond moustached man with the hook arm.
"alright you're all spent, now go back ta bed ye overgrown sausage!" Gobber shouts as he throws the dragon back into its cell before locking the door.
Everyone looks at the two teens on the floor, Hiccup still in defense mode with the broken shield in his left arm while his right is holding Astrid who had her face buried in his chest.
All were gobsmacked.
Well when I say all, I really meant Snotlout and his cronies.
Gobber gave a thumbs up to the couple.
Tuffnut and Fishlegs just shrugged like they were expecting it.
But Ruffnut was smirking in triumph, like she won something, I wonder what she was thinking?
Astrid POV
I can't believe what just happened.
One minute I was standing my ground with my axe and shield in my hands, the next those idiots run into me knocking my weapons out of my hands leaving me defenseless while this Gronkle still had one shot left.
One shot aimed for me.
I closed my eye's waiting for fire and pain, even death.
But it didn't come.
The blast came, I heard it but nothing.
No fire, no pain and I feel alive.
I decide to open my eye's and I can't believe what I was seeing now.
Hiccup crouched in front of me holding whats left of a shield in his left hand while his right arm was holding me.
He saved me.
He was willing to risk his life so I wouldn't get hurt.
That Idiot.
My idiot.
I didn't care who was looking at this point, I buried my face in his chest, let them stare.
Then I half-heartily start banging my fists Hiccups chest "you idiot Hiccup! You could have gotten killed!" I mumbled as my face was still in his chest, but if I knew Hiccup, he's smiling now.
I punch his right shoulder as I do usually "that's for risking your life!"
I then gently grab his face, making him look at me and I plant a quick but passionate kiss on his lips, like I said I don't care who's looking now.
"and that was for everything else" I said in a loving tone making his smile go to it's more goofy look, the one I love the most out of all his smiles.
*COUGH*
I look towards Gobber who trying to get everyone's attention.
"right lad's an lasses here's one lesson yer all been taught today an that is if yer got a choice between a bladed or blunt weapon an a shield, always go fer the shield, bes weapon in any situation" Gobber said to the class while pointing towards me and Hiccup who was still holding the broken shield.
Fishlegs and the twins nodded in agreement to what Gobber said after witnessing firsthand at how a shield saved me and Hiccup.
The others weren't even bothering to acknowledge what Gobber said, if I know them they'll still pick any other weapon than the shield, like I said before, idiots.
Snotlout however was looking but he was looking at Hiccup, daggers in his eye's. He still thinks he has any chance with me.
Hell no, even if I wasn't in love with Hiccup I still wouldn't go out with him.
Gobber saw Snotlout glaring at Hiccup and if I know him, especially with that evil grin on his face, he'll teach them a lesson.
"Hiccup, while we're all ere why don' ya give yer view on what the others did wrong" Gobber said gesturing towards Hiccup then the other.
Now for the fun part.
Hiccup POV
Smiling, I stood up and looked at all the teens in the ring pointing at each one as I told them on what they did wrong.
"Hmm lets start with Fishlegs. Your knowledge on dragons is good, however you ran away screaming as soon as it came face to face with you, you need to learn to be braver and face the physical stuff head on"
"Ruff and Tuff, I know they say two heads are better than one but so are two shields, squabbling over then same shield when there are plenty to go around causes distractions which would leave you vulnerable to attack from both man and beast"
"Astrid, not many bad things to say about you when it comes to defense and concentration on your target, but saying that, concentrating on that one target leaves the focus of what might be coming the other way, leaving you to get knocked down by some idiot..."
I didn't want to sound harsh especially to Astrid but I needed to give them pointer on what needed to be said.
But my main rant is the four sniggering in the corner, that is until I gestured to them
"or should I say, Idiots!" that shut them up
"Ugthug that shield is used for defense and offense, not to scratch your bum with, respect the weapon in your hands as it would save your life one day!"
"Samson, hiding behind the weapons rack won't keep you safe, and neither will hiding behind others either!"
"Angelica, you weren't even focused at all, all you were doing was ogling Snotlout, concentrate, and the same goes for you too Snotlout! Chatting up Astrid did you no favors since the Gronkle knocked your shield out with ease, in fact all four of you shouldn't have been huddled together like that when unprepared, but running around like lunatics knocking everybody and everything in your way is a good way of getting someone killed! and nearly did!"
Taking a deep breath I finally calm down, but I wondered where that voice came from?
Meh I'll figure it out later.
"well apart from all that it was a good first lesson, back to you Gobber" I say to him who looked a little taken back most likely wondering the same as me at what happened.
Normal POV
Everyone in the ring looked shock at how Hiccup had the courage to point out their mistakes.
Astrid, Fishlegs and the twin took Hiccups words about them seriously and knew he was right.
The other teens however just looked shock at what was he said about them, but took no notice, after all in their minds Hiccup was still useless and anything he said wasn't worth taking in.
Gobber knew Hiccup was right too but was amazed at how confident he did it. Shaking his head he walked back into the centre of the ring to address everyone.
"right, thank ye Hiccup, valid points there fer ye all te think about, bu before we finish for today, a little tip a reminder to go by, dragons always, always go fer the kill" and with that everyone started heading out of the arena and back to the village.
Well except Hiccup and Astrid who were thinking about what Gobber just said.
Astrid looked at Hiccup knowing what he was thinking.
"I know what you're thinking babe, and I just thought about it too" Astrid said to Hiccup as she put her hand on top of his shoulder.
Hiccup looked at her and gave her a confused look before answering.
"it shouldn't make sense though, the Night fury didn't kill me even though they say it's the most deadliest dragon around and even that Gronkle stopped after it looked at me" He said to her who was shocked at the Gronkle bit, after all she didn't see that since her face was in his chest.
She looked at him and gave a warm smile "so what are you going to do now?"
Hiccup looked around while doing hand gestures before answering.
"well something stupid"
Astrid smirked "you already did that" she said pointing at the broken shield on the floor.
Hiccup thought about before smiling "then something crazy" he said running out of the ring.
"that's more the Hiccup I know" she said before running after him.
An hour later in the forest Hiccup POV
"hmm, so why didn't you kill me?" I said picking up the damaged bola as I look around where the Night fury crashed, hoping to spot it, but to no luck.
Lucky enough that Astrid followed me.
"hey Astrid, how have your tracking skills doing?" I said to her remember what she told me about her and Alfsted going on hunting days once a month, and him teaching her how to track animals.
She looked kind of confused at first but smile as she caught on what I was implying "they're quite well" she said as she crouched down to where the Night fury crashed, looking for any sort of clue about where it went.
After several minutes she stood up and point in the direction it went in, that way looked familiar I thought to myself as we walked in that direction hoping to find more clues about where that dragon went.
After several minutes of walking we stopped as we came to a familiar opening.
"the cove!" we both said at the same time, kind of weird that, cute, but weird.
Taking a risk I decide to go in first hoping that dragon hasn't destroyed mine and Astirds special place.
To my relief nothing had been touched since we were last there, the training dummies still laid out in line, mine and Astrids training gear, heh funny how these weight straps help build the strength I needed to speed up my swordsman's skills, even the camp fire and our shelter I built three months ago haven't been tampered with.
So the biggest question remained.
Where is the Night fury?
Suddenly a black blur flew over our heads as it crashed on the other side of the cove.
It's the Night fury!
"we need to get to higher ground" I said to Astrid as I point up to one of the tall rocks near us.
She look confused but shrugged and nodded as we started to climb.
From here we could see the whole of the cove, it looks even more amazing the higher up you go, it makes me wonder what amazing view we could have if we could go higher, maybe even fly.
Well that was a stupid thought, I mean come on, a Viking? Flying? never happen not as long as I have two legs.
But back to the matter at hand, the Night fury seems to be trying to escape the cove, but not fly out, more of clawing its way up the sides.
I take this opportunity to get out my sketchbook and start to carefully draw the dragon as it attempts to try to escape.
"that's strange" I say out loud.
Astrid upon hearing me say that looks at me and ask's "what's strange?".
"if it wants to leave then why doesn't it fly out?" I ask her, who starts to understand what I mean when we look at the Night fury again.
After several more failed attempts at escaping the Night fury finally gives up and stumbles towards the lake, sticking its head in as it tries to grab a fish and fail at that too before giving up and collapsing on the ground.
Thats when I noticed it.
"Astrid look" I say pointing at the dragons tailfins, or should I say tailfin.
Astrid spots it too and is surprised as me at that.
Where the left tailfin is suppose to be is missing.
I wonder if that's the reason it can't fly.
Looking at my drawing of the Night fury, I decide to rub out the left tailfin too.
Then Loki decided to have a laugh at me as my pencil rolls off the rock me and Astrid were on and fall down to the ground making a noise as it hit.
unfortunately the Night fury saw heard it too and looked right at us, looking into those forest green eye's again, but didn't make a move for us, it just slumped back down and fell asleep.
Me and Astrid thought now would be the best time to leave.
And not a moment too soon as it starts to rain.
Perfect, the gods must really hate me today.
Astrid POV
As both me and Hiccup run through the forest to head back to the village, two thought came to mind about what we discovered:
One, taking down a certain part of a dragon makes it unable to fly
And two, those dragons eye's if it weren't for the fact that they were dragonic I would have sworn it was Hiccup looking at me.
That last one was very strange, I'll have to find out more about it later.
As we finally made it back to the village, the rain pours harder as we head to the great hall.
By the time we get into their we both look like drowned yaks as I squeeze my hair dry before me and Hiccup heading towards the teens and Gobber.
Remembering what happened today in dragon training how the others saw me kiss Hiccup, nows my chance to show them that we are a couple as I take hold of Hiccups left hand in my right and we walk slowly towards the table.
As usual a few glares from Snotlouts gang and a well angry Snotlout to boot.
Best thing when you can really piss him off.
The others however were, smiling, Ruffnut more than the others.
Sitting down next her I decide to ask her why.
"hey Ruff, can I ask why you were smirking back at the arena and you lot seem to be smiling here too, is there something I need to know?" I asked her trying not to sound intimidating.
Then Ruff starts to laugh before standing up and sliding in between me and Hiccup before patting us on our back.
"maybe it's something you two need to know" she says looking at me the Hiccup "we know".
"know what?" I questioned her getting really frustrated.
"that you two have been a couple for a while now" Ruff said still with that smirk on her face "and I won the bet".
That last sentence confused me, Hiccup looked confused too.
"what bet?" I ask
This it was Fishlegs turn to talk "w-well you see we knew something was going on between you two for a while but we didn't know if you were a couple or not s-so we made a bet. Tuffnut betted you're not a couple till after dragon training was done" he said pointing at the make twin who at that point was trying to pick his brain out with a wooden spoon "I bet that you only became a couple only recently and Ruff here bet that you've been a couple after you kicked Snotlout in the err...how to say it..." Fishlegs never likes to swear or say too many rude words so I wasn't surprised when Tuffnut spoke up.
"..In the bollocks!" Tuffnut charmly said earning himself a smack round the head by his twin who climbed over the table just to do that.
"Tuff don't be such an impolite arsehole!" Ruff shouted, wow talk about pot calling the kettle black.
Fishlegs, after taking his hand away from his face after he smacked it carried on "anyway, we didn't know when it happened until we ask Gobber just after training and he told us then" he finished by chucking a gold coin towards Ruff who caught it in mid-air.
So these guys betted if were a couple yet? What is with these guys?
Then Ruff nudged into me to get my attention.
"between you and me Astrid, Hiccup is kind of hot, even if he is thinner than most guys" she said to me leaving me to blush.
We were interrupted, thank Thor, by Gobber who was holding a large book in his hand as he gets our attention.
"alright ye lot as well as the physical side of dragon killing, ye must learn the in's an out's of the dragons, an no Ugthug that does not mean cutting them open to look inside them" Gobber said glaring at the dimwitted teen in question.
"now in this book ye will learn all there is ta know about dragons" he carried on putting the book in question on the table "The dragon manual, everything ya need to know about them is in this book".
*Thunder rumble*
"no attacks tonight. study up" he said as he walks towards the doors leaving behind the others who were moaning.
"wait, you mean read?" Tuffnut protested
"while we're still alive?" Followed by Ruffnut
But as usual Snotface had to be the one to protest more "Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?"
I was just about to give him a piece of my mind when suddenly
"because if you don't know what they're going to do to you by reading up on them, you'd have thirty three percent chance of survival, for example there's this water dragon that can shoot boiling water at your face and another dragon that can bury itself for weeks. And that's all in the book, trust me I read it like seven time now" Fishlegs said to Snotlout, Odin's beard since when did he grow a pair?
"Yeah if there was any chance I was going to read that...but no" Samson butted in before walking off with a frustrated Snotlout in toe followed by the others in their gang.
The twins decided to take Fishlegs home who by now was frozen in place realising what he just did.
All that was left was me and Hiccup, who at this point decided to place the dragon manual in front of him.
I decided to join him, sitting next to him as close as I can without jumping into his lap.
Although that might not be such a bad idea.
"right babe what you looking for in there?" I asked him knowing he's looked through that book dozens of times.
"just keeping myself updated on how Viking describe dragon's" he replies back as he starts scrolling through certain words "Dragon classifications. Strength Class, Fear Class, Mystery Class. Thunderdrum: This reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tide pools. When startled, the Thunderdrum produces a concussive sound that can kill a man at close range. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight".
"wow sounds pleasent" I said sarcastically, wow I'm even starting to sound like him. I look at a description myself "Timberjack: This gigantic creature has razor-sharp wings that can slice through full-grown trees. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight".
This carries on for several pages each one the same pattern.
Gronkles, Zippleback, the Skrill... Boneknapper... Whispering Death... Burns its victims, buries its victims, chokes its victims, turns its victims inside-out... Extremely dangerous, extremely dangerous... kill on sight, kill on sight, kill on sight.
Then suddenly...
"aha!" I hear Hiccup shout as he turned the page to one particular as he carries on reading "Night Fury. Speed unknown. Size unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance: hide and pray it does not find you".
This page was the only different because there nothing on the Night fury in particular, no drawing, no mention of shot limits, no weaknesses, nothing!
"so babe, we're the first to actually seen one close up, not even Bork the Bold has never seen one, that could make history" I say to him smiling to which he smiles back before taking out his sketchbook to the page he drew the dragon on before turn to a whole new drawing I never saw before.
One where the Night fury was staring at us, remembering those eye's.
*Thunder claps, lightning flashes*