Alright, this chapter is starting out with Toothless's point of view. Got it? Good. Hope you enjoyed the last chapter! Oh and do you guys think it would be a good idea for Toothless to be able to turn into a human at will? Please let me know. I want to know if you guys would like to see that in this story. I am also really sorry that this chapter has taken a while. I have been busy with this summer reading report and karate and trumpet lessons. Oh I have so much on my plate. Hope you guys aren't mad at me.
The True Meeting
I had just awoken from my sleep by a bird that had been pecking at my scales. My mind hadn't come off the girl that was here yesterday. Not 'the girl.' She has a name... which I seemed to have forgotten. Oh what was her name? Ah that's it, Hali. It was a strange name, kind of like another name that I can't quite put my talon on. Though it wasn't as strange as mine. Sklivacio. I forgot what it means.
The events of yesterday were still playing in my head. I had sensed the birthmark on her and it wasn't a typical birthmark either. I couldn't quite figure out where I had seen such a mark before. It was so familiar, yet so unrecognizable.
Even though she was a human, I had felt a wave of protectiveness over Hali when I sensed the boars coming towards us. The trouble I would get into for doing something like that. The Queen would be furious. I still remember feeling the fear radiating off of Hali. I had felt fear before, but never in the kind of connection I had with her. It was different than anything I had ever experienced before. I couldn't recall it.
I also had this amazing feeling when she gripped my paws when they were wrapped around her. It was completely different than anything that has ever happened to me. I can't explain it though. I sort-of felt like an electric shock of some sorts. I don't know. It was a strange feeling.
I had recently attempted to catch fish in the small lake in the center of the cove, but every time I attempted, I failed. It was annoying me and I was really hoping Hali would return very soon, hopefully with food. I was curled under the shade of a large tree, my tail wrapped in front of me.
Then, my nose caught a familiar scent: the girl! She had kept her promise and she returned. I slowly unraveled myself as I looked towards the direction of the scent. I soon saw the girl walk towards the walls of the cove. She was wearing the same thing as yesterday. A green tunic covered by a bearskin vest, dark brown pants and brown boots. She seemed to have things stuffed in her vest as well. Though my nose refused to find the scent.
She looked over her shoulder at me and smiled. I felt my heart skip a beat. There's that feeling again. What is it? It's driving me mad not knowing what this feeling is! Ignoring my battling mind, I smiled back at the girl. She giggled as she jumped off of the rock. Why do I feel like this towards her. Dear gods, tell me what this feeling is before I drive myself insane!
I watched Hali as she reached inside her vest and pulled out two cod. She held one of them out to me as if checking to see if I liked fish. I leaned forward slightly and I smelled metal. On instinct, I recoiled, my eyes turning to slits. Hali staggered backwards, frightened by my growl. I dilated my pupils, trying to show her I didn't mean to scare her. She reached inside her vest and pulled out a knife.
I growled lowly. Why was she armed? She seemed to get the hint as she dropped the knife onto the ground beside her. I felt a small amount of trust, but I wanted the knife out of her reach. I gestured to the pond with my head. She kicked the knife up with her foot and tossed it in to the pond. I heard it splash into the pond and I waited a few seconds, just to make sure it sunk to the bottom.
Once I was sure, I sat on my haunches and my pupils dilated completely. My ear twitched, waiting for her to make a move. She took a step forward, holding one of the fish outwards. I crouched and stalked towards the fish. I probably looked ridiculous doing that. I opened my mouth, apparently revealing my toothless gums.
"Huh. Toothless?" she asked, utterly confused about me not having teeth. "I could have sworn you had–" My teeth shot out. I took the fish between my teeth and chomped it twice. Then I swallowed. Hali took the other fish and tossed it to me. I caught it while flipping over. I heard Hali giggling. The laugh sort-of warmed me a bit.
I smiled at her. She smiled back. I looked over her and noticed just how thin she was. How long ago did this girl eat? I came towards her, sniffing her to see if she had any food for herself. She did not. Alright, this girl needs to eat, I thought as I backed her into a boulder. She seemed scared.
"No, no, n–I don't have anymore!" she stuttered as she pressed firmly against the rock. I loomed over her. I churned my stomach until I found the fish. I then started hacking it up. I never really liked doing that, but this girl didn't seem like she ate at all in the past couple days. The fish slid onto my tongue and I let it slide into her lap. She turned a slight shade of green. I sat back down on my haunches, waiting for her to pick the fish up.
We sat in an uncomfortable silence. Didn't this girl know how to eat? Maybe she just didn't know that she was supposed to eat it. My eyes darted from her to the fish in her lap, then back to her. She sighed. She hesitantly brought the fish up to her mouth, then reluctantly took a bite. She chewed as she scrunched her face up. She looked up at me and hummed.
She did know to swallow, right? She hummed again. Swallow, silly girl, I wanted to say to her. Instead, I swallowed, showing her what to do. She gave me a look that said all too clearly 'are you kidding me?' She looked up, the squeezed her eyes shut. At first it looked like she was going to be sick but she finally got it down her throat. She shuddered.
I licked my lips, asking her if she thought it was good. She smiled sheepishly. I cocked my head to the side as I peered closer at her. There was a different emotion in this smile. It was shy instead of excited. Why was she shy? I don't bite. Maybe if I did the same thing, she would feel more relaxed.
It didn't seem so hard. Just pull at the corners of your mouth and retract the teeth. Not so hard. But I bet I looked ridiculous. Her smile loosened slightly, as if she were studying me. Slowly, she started standing up and she reached her hand out, as if to touch me. My 'smile' loosened as well when she started getting closer. She did seem unsure of herself. Her hand was just about an inch away from my snout until a deep violet Monstrous Nightmare flew into the Cove, screeching my name.
"Sklivacio! Move before that thing touches you!" she shouted at me. I saw the violet dragon forming a fire. I quickly moved in front of Hali and shielded her from being blasted with fire. Thank the gods for my fire-proof scales. I turned around, my wings covering Hali. I faced my former student who I trained for years. It seems like she's putting the training to use.
"Risandera, calm down!" I told her as I felt Hali start to cling onto me. "She is no threat t-"
"Yes, that th- wait, did you just say that thing has a status?" Risandera looked thoroughly surprised. Hali's grip loosened slightly.
"Yes I did! What, you thought that humans didn't have status?" Hali's grip fell. I turned around, wondering what made her loose her grip. She was clutching her back and she seemed to be in a great deal of pain that made me worry. "Are you alright?" I cooed.
Her head shot up. She stared wide-eyed at me. "I... uh..." she stuttered. I looked around her and her back seemed to be the source of her pain. I just barely nudged it and she collapsed. Her face was screwed up as she clutched her head, taking very large gulps of air. I nudged her shoulder, getting her attention.
"What happened?" I asked. I knew it was silly to be talking to a human, but I wasn't exactly thinking clearly. "Are you hurt?" That was when she did the unexpected. She slowly nodded, her eyes trained on me. I froze on the spot. Don't tell me this girl can understand me. It's impossible. There hasn't been a human to understand dragons for centuries. Unless... no way! That must be it! But I needed to make sure that it wasn't dumb luck.
"Can you... understand me?" I asked cautiously, stepping closer to her. Again she nodded, not taking her eyes off of me. I sat down net to her as she sat up. I allowed her to lean on me. "Why are you hurting?"
"Sklivacio, you mean that this girl can understand you? That's impossible." Risandera jumped. "Unless... unless the prophecy is true." That was why she could understand me and why she had the mark on her back. But sadly, I forgot it.
"Could you tell me the prophecy again?" If it is true, then I wanted to make sure.
"Alright." Risandera took a deep breath. "Ένα κορίτσι, ζουν για να αποθηκεύσετε την ημέρα. Μαζί με τον πρίγκιπα μαύρου παρελθόντος καρδιάς Κόλπο, αλλά και οι δύο ζουν με τίμημα. Ανάπηρος και απώλειες, καλές οι απώλειες έλλειψη. Το κοριτσάκι, ζει με το σημάδι πάνω στη ράχη. Ο Πρίγκιπας και πριγκίπισσα, και οι δύο θέλουν καλό. Θα έρθει μαζί και τέλος η αντιπαλότητα." I smiled.
"What in Thor's name does that mean?" Hali exclaimed. I turned around to her as she did the same. It made us hit each others head. We both looked away quickly to rub the injured spot.
"Sorry," we both said at the same time.
Risandera chuckled. "A girl shall live to save the day. Along with the prince past Black Heart Bay, but both shall live with a price to pay. A cripple and loss, good the losses lack. The girl shall live with the mark on her back. Prince and princess, both wanting good. They shall come together and end the feud." Hali seemed to be having trouble understanding why this was so important. I decided to explain it to her.
"Hali, it means that you are the princess that is destined to help me end this war." I told her softly. She thought for a moment longer before her hand dropped into her lap. An instant later, she was on her feet.
"What?!" she cried. "Me? Stop a war? That's ridiculous!" She lost her balance, but I was right behind her. Her weight fell on my head and it was fairly light like I had expected. What I didn't mean to happen was her hand falling on my head. It was like an electric shock flowing through me. Memories from her started moving. A boy beating on her, being bullied by many of other people, but there was one that startled me the most. I saw Hali standing in shock and watching a woman fall to the ground. I saw Hali being dragged away from the woman as she screamed "Momma!" Her mother had died only when she was little.
The memories left almost as soon as they had come. I looked up at her to see the same expression on her. I had never known she had suffered the same loss as I had. But how can she be bullied. Her of all people. She was one of the kindest creatures ever to walk this earth! Whoever was bullying her will pay.
"Are you alright?" I asked as she slowly regained her balance.
"Y... yeah, I'm fine." she whispered. I laid down, using my tail to make her lie down as well. She seemed to be having trouble taking all that in.
"But, Risandera, I can't fly," I showed her my tail at her confused look.
"Well, yes, that could be a problem." She rubbed her head with her wing.
"Oh, bud, I am so sorry!" Hali said. I turned my head around. "I didn't think that my contraption took your tail. I didn't mean to hit you in the first place. I-" I placed my head on her shoulder.
"It's okay, Hali," I told her gently. "I know you didn't mean to hit me. I understand. Accidents can happen. I forgive you." She looked up at me, her eyes showing me that she was truly sorry. I rubbed my head gently against hers. I wasn't mad at her. At the time when it came off I was, but now, I had no feeling of anger towards her.
"Thanks... uh... I can't pronounce your name." She scratched the back of her neck, her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink. Oh I forgot about that. Dragon names are impossible to pronounce by human tongue. "Can I just give you a nickname?" At my confused expression she added, "A nickname is basically a different name from your real one. And sometimes, people need to make the nickname cute."
I looked towards Risandera who seemed ready to go. "Sorry, but I need to go back and tell the recruits that you found her." With that, she took into the sky. I shrugged and looked back at Hali.
"How about... Toothless?" she asked. "You know, for your retractable teeth." I understood. I can be known as Toothless. Sweet!
"Sure." I responded. She practically yipped with excitement. She reached for my neck and wrapped her arms around it. At first I tensed because I was not expecting her to do that, but I relaxed when I realized she was hugging me. She had shown me affection, even though she had only known me for a couple of days. I slowly wrapped my wing around her, not sure if I was doing it right. I felt her smile against my scales.
When she released, which I did not want her to do, she looked at the sky and nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh gods! I need to get back before Gobber notices!" Turning back to me she added, "I'll be back tomorrow. And I will see what I can do about your tail." She kissed me on the cheek and then ran towards the Cove walls. I sat there shocked. I watched her climb out of the Cove, not exactly believing what just happened. I smiled as I laid down and went to sleep with only Hali on my mind.
Okay, that was quite a chapter to write. Also, do you guys think it would be a good idea for Toothless to be able to turn into a human at will? Let me know if you guys want to see that in this story. Bye! See you in the next chapter!