Chapter 2

The motley crew walked through the village without much attention from the other Vikings. Dragons roaming freely around Berk had become commonplace, never mind them accompanying their human riders which is what most people simply assumed was occurring just then. Not even the sight of another Night Fury was enough to stir up a fuss although, Hiccup suspected that that would change once it became known just how they had found said new dragon. As they strolled past buildings and made their way to his father's house, Hiccup found that he had misjudged just how 'easy' it was to control his new anatomical parts. Sure, he could walk okay, but there was the small matter of his new wings and tail to deal with. The latter seemed to have a mind of its own and he gave up trying to stop it whipping back and forth excitedly. His wings though, were a different story. For his part, he had tried to keep them folded neatly on his back, but he couldn't isolate the muscles used to keep them that way. With every step of his two forelegs, his wings shifted their positions, occasionally springing straight up into the air like large, black sails and he was growing tired of pulling them back into submission, grumbling under his breath each time he had to do so.

His human companions snickered every time he did this, the whole muttering under his breath thing was just so Hiccup. It was easy to forget that he was now a creature that could bring a whole fleet of boats to its knees in just one night, he was still the same person they'd come to know and respect. Although, they doubted very much that he'd have the first clue how pull off that kind of feat anyway.

After once again pulling a disobedient leathery flap down onto his back, Hiccup snapped at it with unsheathed teeth as if to scare it into compliance, making his friends', both human and dragon, chuckles gain volume.

Toothless finally took pity on him and clicked at him a couple of times. The young man turned dragon stopped walking, astonished, as the meaning of the clicks were clear as day to him.

Stop walking like two-legged. Relax shoulders. Wings stay folded.

It wasn't exactly speech, at least not by human definition. This dragon speak was more universal, and much less limited than any human language. Each click, or grunt, or growl, could be used in inexhaustible combinations to mean entirely different things; it was a mechanism comparable to the human tone of voice, only with much more variety. Hiccup suddenly understood.

He didn't even have to think about the sounds, they seemed to flow from his voice box as if this was the language he had been raised speaking, instead of Norse.

I see. Four-legged now. This right?

He implemented the technique he thought Toothless had been describing and received an approving nod accompanied by a proud smile from the larger dragon. Hiccup's heart swelled with his own pride and an incredible, sudden love for his friend. This was unlike anything he had felt before. Of course he loved Toothless, but this was intense. Do all dragons feel emotions this deeply?

Hiccup felt the need to express this swelling love somehow, he didn't know how he would cope with it otherwise, his heart felt like it was going to burst.

He moved closer to Toothless as they began to walk again and nuzzled his head against his flank while making soft cooing sounds.

Love you, elder brother.

Toothless stiffened, before letting out a great, barking laugh. And playfully licked Hiccup on the side of his face.

Love you, younger brother!

This was so weird, but it felt right to Hiccup and he couldn't keep an expansive, goofy grin off his face. Despite Toothless being a part of the family since they'd killed the Red Death, this was the first time he'd viewed Toothless as his actual brother. It was probably due to his transformation, but it felt good, amazing actually, to have a relationship so unlike any of the others he already had. The closest thing Hiccup could liken it to was that it was like being your father's best friend, but that description didn't do it justice. And, based on Toothless' reaction, he'd clearly felt that way for a long time. Hiccup couldn't help but feel guilty that it had taken him this long to come to the same realisation himself.

He turned his head to look back over his shoulder when he realised that he and Toothless were now walking alone. His friends were all staring, gaping at the pair.

Hiccup chuffed.

What?

"Did you – did you just talk to Toothless?" this question, surprisingly, came from Snotlout. Hiccup shrugged his shoulders.

Kinda.

Ruffnut was whispering something in Astrid's ear as he and Toothless trotted back to the group, Hiccup's wings finally staying put thanks to the training session he'd just undergone.

"Are we sure that Toothless is a boy dragon? They looked quite cosy there for a sec," she grinned wickedly, only to have the grin cut short by Hiccup's tail whacking her over the head.

She glared at him but Hiccup looked unapologetic, although he had not made it do that himself. Still, they didn't need to know that. As if to prove her wrong, Astrid wrapped her arms around Hiccup's neck and he nuzzled her cheek gently, laughing silently. He couldn't believe that Astrid was jealous of Toothless of all people. It wasn't as if he could explain the new dynamics of their relationship though, nor would they understand even if he could, so he simply settled for calming Astrid's fears with a quick cuddle.

He grunted and looked towards the house on top of the hill, We should get going.

Astrid nodded, her smile falling from her face slightly, understanding his gesture. Chief Stoick had done the most dramatic about-turn in his opinion of dragons in the history of the world, but no one was sure how he would react when given the news that is only son and heir had actually become one.

It had to be done though and, with a collective deep breath, the small group of friends started up the hill to the Chief's house.

Astrid gave the door a hesitant knock. It was so unlike her usual confident, somewhat demanding one when she came calling for Hiccup that the chief was actually surprised when he opened it to find her standing in front of him.

"Astrid! What a surprise! Hiccup is nae here lass, but I thought ye were together in the Training Ring?" Stoick's booming voice was one that would be used by a regular person when shouting to her from across the room, but this was simply the way he spoke to people two feet in front of him.

Astrid gave him a sheepish grin, one that Stoick couldn't help but chuckle at. It was Hiccup's grin. His boy was definitely rubbing off on her, that much was clear.

"Actually, chief Stoick, there's something I have to tell you about Hiccup," she looked off nervously to the side where the rest of the group was standing just out of sight around the corner of the house.

At the mention of his name, Hiccup peered out from around the corner. Chief Stoick had also stepped out into the sunlight to better speak to Astrid seeing as she seemed to not want to enter the house, although he had invited her in with a gesture. He saw a large black shape come into view out of the corner of his eye and turned to face the dragon. Hiccup's pupils narrowed to slits. Uh oh.

Stoick just laughed, "Toothless! What are ye doin' around there ye ridiculous reptile?"

Seems like Hiccup had been rubbing off on his father as well.

He gestured with a large, meaty hand for Hiccup to go stand by his side. Hiccup sighed and, resigned, trudged over to the pair. His father was wearing the apron that he had asked Astrid's mother to sew for him and had clearly been cooking. Again. Since the Red Death's death (try saying that five times fast) he had thrown all his energy into his chieftainship, his relationship with Hiccup…and cooking. Yes, Stoick the Vast was a very different man indeed.

What was even weirder though, was that Hiccup could now smell it on him. He had been experimenting with mutton and pears.

Interesting choice, Hiccup thought approvingly. He had to give his dad credit, although still dismal, his cooking skills were slowly, but steadily improving. Toothless had not been turning his nose up at the latest fish dishes that Stoick had tried his hand at preparing at any rate, which…didn't really say much. The large dragon was always hungry, but in the chief's eyes it was a major win.

Astrid pinched the bridge of her nose and glared at Hiccup, who had sat next to his father like a domesticated house pet, waiting to see how she would explain their situation. He cocked his head and looked at her innocently. She glowered at him before taking a deep breath and looked Stoick straight in the eye.

"Sir, something has happened to Hiccup."

The large man's face immediately fell and his expression darkened, "Tell me Astrid. Now."

The poor girl and Hiccup winced simultaneously at his father's tone and he got up and planted himself next to Astrid instead, looking up at his father seriously. Stoick didn't seem fussed by "Toothless'" sudden switch of allegiances however, he merely folded his arms over his chest and eyed Astrid solemnly.

Astrid looked at the corner of the house again, "Toothless!" She called.

"Come here."

Stoick's expression faltered for a moment and then completely gave way to bewilderment when another Night Fury rounded the corner of his home. He let his arms fall to his sides as Toothless sat down next to Hiccup, and looked from one identical face to the other, his brow furrowing.

After studying the pair, he realised that they weren't exactly alike. The second Toothless was slightly bigger than the first one and their eyes were two different shades of green. Although, Stoick shuddered, both pairs were unnervingly familiar. He bent over to look them in their faces and realised why the second Toothless' eyes were so familiar. It was because that one was Toothless.

Then, what was the first one?

The dragon in question suddenly had a smile that Stoick could only describe as sheepish spreading across its wide mouth and the chief gasped when he saw its tail reach around to rub the back of its neck.

This was a nervous habit he had seen countless times, but only on one person. Well, his arm was usually the limb that rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, rather than the – tail, but he knew why the forest green eyes were so familiar.

He bellowed, "HICCUP?!"

Well this was certainly unexpected.

It was dinner time in the Haddock household and Toothless was happily attacking a basket of raw fish that he had caught underneath the kitchen table, oblivious to the bizarre father son conversation that was occurring just over his head.

Hiccup was staring at his father, an irritated look on his face, while those merry apple cheeks were flushed with mirth and the large man cried his eyes out with hearty laughter, pounding one hand on the table top as if to accentuate his uncharacteristic jolliness. The humans had left to return to their own houses for dinner after explaining his predicament to his father, and then leaving him with no means of actual, human communication.

At first he had thought that his father had been drinking, but he sniffed the air and couldn't smell a drop of alcohol on the man.

"I'm so-sorry Hiccup, but ye just look so FUNNY wi' tha' expression on yer face! It-It's just so YOU!" Stoick was breathlessly trying to get his words out, but one look at his son's face again crippled him with wheezing laughter.

Hiccup slumped his head on the table top and waited for his father to calm down, closing one eye so that he knew he was being judged.

Stoick let out a final wheeze before straightening himself up in his chair and gazing at his draconic son with a fond smile on his face.

He placed a heavy hand on Hiccup's head, much to the boy's surprise, and he lifted his head slightly, the frills on the side of his face splaying out slightly and his ears swivelled towards his father.

Stoick began to speak, "Look son, this will surely not last very long. Based on Astrid's description, this – er – change o' yer's seems to be gods-willed. So what I would do would be te try an' find out what it is exactly that you are supposed to learn from this experience." He finished off with a wink.

It was all Hiccup could do to keep his jaw from dropping open. Never had he heard such words of wisdom come from his father's mouth. It was mildly disturbing.

Stoick now scratched the hollow behind his son's ear, cringing slightly at the bizarreness of the situation, but his warm, fatherly smile never faltered, "Hiccup. No matter what form ye take, you will always be my son. And I am so proud of you – you need to know that."

Without warning Hiccup lunged at his dad, knocking him off his chair and onto the floor. The dragon boy shoved his head into his father's strong chest and nuzzled him with more vigour than all the personal contact the two had ever given each other in their lives combined. Stoick gave another hearty laugh and pressed his face against his son's, closing his eyes and revelling in the moment. Hiccup would have never done something like this had he been human. The boy chalked it up to the amplification of dragon emotions, but he vowed that he would try to do this kind of thing more with his dad when he was back to normal.

It felt so real. Screw Viking 'manliness', he loved his father.

Stoick tried to get up, but Hiccup refused to let him. He laid himself across his father's abdomen and went limp, like a dead weight. There was no hope for even the largest Viking to get up with a dragon of Hiccup's size sprawled across him like a throw. Hiccup smirked and chirped.

Heh heh, who knew that the day would come that I'd be heavier than Stoick the Vast.

Toothless barked a little chuckle back at him, understanding only some of what he'd been thinking, but enough to know what he meant. He clearly agreed, too.

"Who could have thought that the day would come when you, little Hiccup, would be heavier than yer dear ol' dad."

It would seem that Stoick did as well.

Toothless, now finished with his meal, looked over to the father-son heap and decided that he would prefer some attention from this family too and promptly lay himself across Stoick's legs.

The usually formidable man roared with laughter again at what a ridiculous sight the trio must have been. He was not uncomfortable. He was, after all, a hardy man and it would take more than two dragons to cut off his air supply.

"So I'm sleepin' down here tonight, am I?" Hiccup turned his head towards his father and nodded, pleased with himself.

"Well, can I at least go sort myself out for tomorrow and get a pillow?" Stoick beamed at his son, pride shining from his eyes. Hiccup snorted good naturedly and climbed off his dad, Toothless following his lead. The two dragons chuckled with each other, while the man stomped up the stairs shaking his head in disbelief at the events that had transpired that day.

While they were waiting for Stoick to return, Hiccup had curled into a ball to think about what his father had said just a short while earlier. Toothless had taken to 'grooming' his 'baby brother' again, but Hiccup didn't mind too much this time. The regular rhythm was quite soothing for his thought process actually.

What I am supposed to learn from this experience...hmm. Never thought about it that way, but he does have a point.

Toothless paused occasionally to listen to the non-intelligible growls and mutterings his brother was making but when he found he couldn't make sense of them, he continued his therapeutic licking.

Then, all at once, both dragons fell silent and their heads shot up simultaneously. It would have been an eerie sight had someone been around to witness it.

Toothless growled softly.

Stranger here. Smell not good.

Hiccup agreed. There was a new smell in the village, one distinctly human and clearly not Berkian. It was too clean to be someone of Berk. The Vikings Hiccup had grown up with were hard-working, honest people and, even without his dragon nose, they had always smelt of a combination of sweat and their respective profession. Heck, even Hiccup knew he smelt of sweat and metal from working in the smithy all day.

This smell though, was unfamiliar, and Hiccup didn't like it. He didn't realise it, but his pupils narrowed slowly into dangerous looking lines, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He looked positively menacing. This was the sight his father clobbered down the stairs to. The wide smile was wiped off his face when he saw his scaly son's expression.

He seemed to know what the matter was though, having lived with dragons for almost half a decade now.

He kept his voice low, "What's wrong, lad?"

Hiccup gestured to his nose and then pulled his face into a grimace. It didn't really have the same effect on a dragon face, but he got his point across.

"Strange smell?" Stoick's own eyes narrowed and he looked almost as intimidating as the two dragons he shared the room with.

Hiccup straightened himself out and huffed at the other two before slinking out the front door. The message was clear to anyone. Stay here, I'm going to check it out.

Hiccup's elders looked at each other with the same weary expression. They both knew how stubborn Hiccup was, but there was no way they would let him out there alone with potential danger in the immediate future. After exiting the house, Toothless extended a wing to Stoick, who accepted the invite without hesitation. He climbed onto Toothless' back and whispered into his ear.

"Let's follow my boy."

They took off into the night sky.

Hiccup had, in fact, not actually flown anywhere on account of him not knowing how to. That was an instinct the gods had not blessed him with when he had gotten this body. He was satisfied with creeping around the forest in the dark though, where he had tracked the unfamiliar scent to. It couldn't have been later than the tenth hour of the night, but there was no moon out and the canopied environment he stalked around in now had been plunged into utter darkness.

Not that this was a problem for Hiccup though, as he soon found out that Night Fury eyes were unlike any other. They had amazing night vision which, if you thought about it, made quite a lot of sense. For any other animal unlucky enough to be wandering the woods at the same time though, had Hiccup been a real, wild dragon, they would have not stood a chance. Death, in the form of the dragon, would have snuck up on them silently and swiftly, and they would only have seen eerie, green eyes luminesce the last moments of their life.

Hiccup crouched lower though, when he saw light dance across the trees just to his right. The way the light flickered, Hiccup suspected that it was fire coming from at least two torches in the clearing he was slowly approaching.

Reaching it, Hiccup blew out a breath of irritation. He had been right about the torches, but the sudden distraction of the light had made him neglect his sense of smell and, instead of finding a dangerous intruder, he had found – of all people – Snotlout, carving holes into a piece of wood.

The dragon boy was about to turn back and try to pick up the scent again, when he heard a melodious, an unexpected, sound coming from his cousin. A surprised Hiccup noted that the piece of would the boy had been fiddling with had now been turned into a beautifully constructed wooden flute. And, judging by the expert way Snotlout's stubby fingers found the little holes he had carved into the instrument, he had been playing for a long time. How often, Hiccup wondered, did the teenager come out into the woods in the dead of night to play his music only where no one else would hear him.

Snotlout had begun to play, lulling a mesmerised Hiccup into a sitting position, a lonely, melancholy tune that, inexplicably, gave the dragon the urge to shower his cousin with comforting licks and nuzzles. He squashed that urge immediately. But still he remained to enjoy the melody.

The flute sounded jaw-droppingly beautiful, especially to his Night Fury ears. He could hear every woody undertone as well as the breathy overtone that Snotlout was gently coaxing from what had once been a lifeless stick of wood. The musician himself was sitting cross legged on the ground, his eyes closed and his emotions free for once, to contour his face and mould it into something other than the permanent, but apparently fake, smirk he wore during the day.

Hiccup chuffed dreamily, shocked but extremely pleased to have seen this side of his cousin, and who better to do so than him?

In his current state, it wasn't like Hiccup could tell anyone else about this 'embarrassing secret' which he was sure was the reason Snotlout only played in the dead of moonless nights deep in the forest surrounding the village.

The serene, yet heart-wrenching melody was cut off abruptly, snapping Hiccup out of his happy daze as well. He immediately honed in on his senses, his ears swivelling this way and that, his nose trying to pick out what had startled his cousin into this sudden silence.

When he found the scent, it was all he could do to hold back a vicious snarl.

The oddly clean smell from before. It was here.