Chapter 3

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Thought / Dreams / Event from the past

[Voice from the past]

"Dialogue"

Letter

Emphasis

Dangerous Tone

"Search for him!" A huge man with red hair yelled to the people, "Search in the entire village and the woods, Hiccup should be around somewhere!".

The crowd immediately scattered to go and find the said boy, all the while wondering where the boy was and why he didn't come into the Kill Ring. Now, it wasn't uncommon for Hiccup to be late, he did it almost every time, but that day was the day Hiccup would kill his first dragon, so it's a surprise when they didn't see the boy get into the Kill Ring in time.

"Calm down, Stoick." A man with a prosthetic arm and leg said to him, "I'm sure Hiccup was just trying to calm his nerve, you know how nervous it be to kill a dragon for the first time in front of a crowd".

The man, Stoick the Vast, sighed heavily, "I know, Gobber." He said as he looked around to see if he could spot his son somewhere, "I just wish he would come and face his nervousness, or ask me for advise, instead of hiding like this".

Stoick had woke up that day filled with pride and excitement, his son would finally become a Viking like him, and he was ready to give his speech to his people about how proud he was of Hiccup. He had noticed that his son wasn't in home when he left for the Kill Ring, but he shrugged it off, thinking that the boy was already waiting in the arena to see the surrounding.

It's a normal thing to inspect the surrounding before a fight against a dragon, so that they could use whatever in there to their advantage, so he didn't think much about it. When everyone, save for the main reason they were in the Kill Ring, arrived in the arena, Stoick couldn't help but feeling mildly annoyed that his son would come late for an important day like that. An hour passed and no sign of his son was enough to get him worried, and so he sent the people out to search for Hiccup, in case the boy managed to get himself into another troublesome situation again.

"You can't blame him." Gobber told him with a pat on his shoulder, "Hiccup was seen as useless in the past that all he received from others were disapproving glare, it must be very nerve wrecking for him to kill a dragon in front of the whole village. Not to mention the people are expecting the best from him, you have to understand that he might be afraid that he couldn't meet the people's expectation and thus receiving the same treatment again".

Stoick sighed again and nodded, "I guess you are right." He said before walking to his house direction, "I will try to see if Hiccup is hiding in his room." He said as he walked away. Even though he said that, Stoick couldn't help but feel something in the air, a feeling that there's something was wrong and he dreaded it. He felt the same thing in the past, about 8 years ago, the day he lost he beloved wife to the dragons.

He really hoped that he wouldn't lose anyone else this time.

Stoick opened the door and marched to his son's room as fast as he could, too bad that he knock things over along the way that he was forced to slow down, or else he would break every fragile things in the house. He entered Hiccup's room and suddenly got a chill when he saw that the room was empty, everything was neatly placed and nothing was out of place. That was until he saw a folded paper lying on his son's bed. He walked to the bed and, with slightly trembling hands, he picked the paper up and unfolded it.

To Stoick the Vast,

Chief of Hairy Hooligans Tribe of Berk.

First of all, I want to apologize to you. I'm really sorry if I break your heart when you read this, but please understand that this is for the best for us. If you read this letter, then I would already be very far away from the village. Considering how fast I travel, I would already out of the island by the time you read this, so please take back any searching party that you sent for me. If you had send any, that is.

I have decided to leave the village, for I know that it would be the best decision for my current situation. Again, I apologize if you are saddened by the fact that I left you and the village, but I have my reason for this, one that would make me seen as a traitor. I can understand this, and I accepted it, so I decided to self-exile myself until the time when we can meet face to face once again. If that time comes, you can decide by yourself whether I can live in Berk once again of left for good. The reason is because I won't (not can't) kill a dragon. I know that you will frown when you read this part, so I will explain it.

Remember the night when I told you that I hit a Night Fury? You didn't believe me, oh well, everyone in the village didn't believe me then, but I must told you that I, in fact, did hit a Night Fury that day. I went to the woods to search for the Night Fury myself later that night, to kill it to prove myself to you that I can be a Dragon Slayer, so the people could finally accept me among them. Too bad for me, it's just like what you said, I'm many things but a Dragon Slayer isn't one of them.

When I found the Night Fury in the woods, being tied and couldn't move due to the bola I shot using my invention, I couldn't find it in myself to kill it. Call me stupid or anything, because I thought that I was stupid that time for doing it, but know that I never regret what I did that time. I never regret it that I decided to free the Night Fury instead of killing it.

If you are paled in fear when you read this, please remember that I'm still alive, so you can get the idea of the dragon killed me instantly out of your head. In Dragon Training, Gobber said to me that dragon always, always go for the kill. I believed so myself in the past, but I couldn't bring myself to believe it any longer, because Toothless (The name of the Night Fury that I gave him. Yeah, I named a Night Fury and call the dragon 'him' instead of an 'it', I couldn't bring myself to call Toothless an 'it' anymore) didn't kill me. Even after I clearly stomped on him in my excitement in the past, and I clearly told him that I would kill him, he spared me and let me go with just a roar (a very loud one in front of my face, my ears were ringing but at least I lived).

Now, you might scoffed at the idea of a dragon understand what we said, but I need to tell you that they really understand what we said, for Toothless had numerous times showed me that he understood what I said to him. Anyway, since I heard Gobber told me that dragons always go for the kill, I couldn't help but wondering why Toothless didn't kill me, and so I went to the woods again to search for him. I thought that he might already fly away, but he didn't.

I saw him in the . . . let's just say a secret place because it's my and Toothless's precious place that I don't want for other people to know. I saw him trying to fly but failed many times, I drew him in my book since no one except for myself ever seen a Night Fury before, and live to tell the tale, that's when I noticed the reason why he couldn't fly away. When I shot him down, his tail fin had been ripped apart from him, making him unable to fly.

Toothless noticed my presence that day, and he did nothing but stare at me before I left him. The next day, I went to the place again with a fish with me, since I saw him failed to catch fish by himself, too exhausted or still healing from the fall maybe. He was cautious of me at first, even growling when he noticed the dagger I had with me that time, but he relaxed once I kicked the dagger away from me (Crazy, I know, but I gained his trust that way), and he accepted the fish I offered to him.

This is the reason you will call me a traitor, for I befriended a dragon when I should be killing them. Again, I reminded you that I don't regret this decision. It was out of desperation at first, because it's not a secret that I didn't have a friend in the village until I showed a good progress in Dragon Training. I was lonely and desperate for some kind of affection, an acceptance for myself and not some false personality. The only one to accept me for me is Toothless, so I accept my fate as a traitor if it means I will always have him by my side.

A downed dragon is a dead dragon, I didn't want him to die because of me, and so I help him to fly again, to defy that saying. Long story short, I created a prosthetic tail fin for him and help him to fly again, and I discovered many things about dragons along the way. The progress I showed in the Dragon Training was nothing but tricks, all of them I learned in my time helping Toothless to fly again, and I tried them out in the Training with the other dragons to see if these tricks would work for the other dragons as well.

After seeing the other side of dragons, the way they acted when they weren't threatened, I couldn't bring myself to kill them. I never could in the first place, and learning about them only strengthens my resolve that I don't have to kill them. This is why I decide to leave and told you about Toothless and the fact that I befriending a dragon, I won't kill a dragon if I can help it, so I left to avoid having to kill the dragon in the Kill Ring.

Once again, I apologize for my action, and I can accept it if you decide to announce me a traitor. I stand for my words that I won't kill a dragon, that I won't let Toothless to be in danger any longer for having to stay in Berk because of me.

That was the first reason I left, the second reason is because I want to find out the reason the dragons keep raiding Berk, I want to stop this war once and for all without having to kill the dragons.

I don't know if you will listen to me or not about this, because you never listen to me anyway, just like I never listen to anyone all this time. I already told you the reason I decided to leave, so I want to suggest a few things along the way.

First, please don't hunt for the Nest anymore. I will find out the reason they raid Berk and solve it, so please stop this meaningless activity. Harsh words, I know, but it's the truth. You keep sending people to search for the Nest, and failed every time, and you will only making it worse. Please just have those people you send for the Nest to stay guard in the village, so that you can protect everyone better with more people on your side.

Last, please don't kill the dragons we have in the arena, I don't want you to regret it when (Yes, when, not if) I stop the war between Vikings and dragons. I don't know how long the time needed for me to accomplice it, but I give you my words that I will stop the war, and so there's no need for those dragons to be killed. Having those dragons become a punching bag for the Trainees is bad enough, I don't want for the dragons to be killed by them, first place or not.

Sincerely,

Hiccup.

Stoick sighed and rubbed his temple when he finished reading the long letter from his son, he felt many emotions when he read it that he got a headache.

He was saddened when he found that his son had decided to leave, even more so when he read the part about self-exile. It broke his heart when he thought about how he already lost his wife, and now he lost his only Son as well.

The next was betrayal, he couldn't believe that his son befriended a dragon, a Night Fury no less. Anger and betrayal. He was angered by the fact that his son would befriend a dragon, the creature that had taken his wife right in front of his eyes. He felt like his son had betrayed him, because they had a deal about how Hiccup would change and stop acting different from Vikings.

But when he read the explanation, he couldn't help but feel ashamed and a bit of understanding. He was ashamed that he never noticed how Hiccup really felt, he always disappointed in his son that he was failed to notice that Hiccup only wanted an acceptance. He remembered the night when he told Hiccup how relieved himself that Hiccup didn't become the worst Viking anymore, he winced as he imagine how badly his words hurt Hiccup that particular night. He could understand how desperate Hiccup would be after years of loneliness and longing for acceptance, and the fact that no one in the village ever gave him a chance only made it worse. He just didn't understand why his son would seek comfort with their enemy, the most dangerous one at that, the boy could die the second he confront the dragon.

When he read the part when Hiccup told him that he never listen to the boy, he realized that he was, indeed, never listen to what his son said to him. He felt guilty about it, if only he listened more, maybe all of this would never happen. He remembered the day he told Hiccup that he would entered the Dragon Training, Hiccup tried to tell him something, about how he couldn't kill a dragon, but he insisted that Hiccup could and would. He regretted it that he didn't listen to his son, and thus forcing the boy to enter Dragon Training and learn how to fight dragons when the boy didn't want to.

The strongest emotion he felt when he read the really long letter was confusion. He was confused about what Hiccup meant by other side of dragons, he thought that dragons were nothing but mindless creatures, but here Hiccup said that they understand what people said to them. One question began filling his head, could it be that the dragons really act different when they didn't feel threatened? If that's so then maybe, just maybe, the dragons really weren't as dangerous as what they thought.

The war with the dragons had gone for too long for their believe to be shaken so easily, but if what Hiccup believed was true, that there's a reason why the dragons keep raiding Berk, they might be able to stop the war without any more bloodshed. Considering how confident Hiccup was about this matter, something that he rarely showed, his plan might really work this time.

Stoick sighed as he glanced at the letter again, he had never listened to Hiccup, and now he regretted it. He sighed again as he closed his eyes briefly, I will listen to you this time, son. He thought as he reopened his eyes and head out of the house, Don't make me regret this decision.

He went straight to Gobber to tell the man about Hiccup's decision, his best friend was already like a second father for Hiccup, and he deserved to know the truth. The same thing couldn't be said about the rest of the village though, so he need to think first before he act this time, or he might raise suspicion.

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Astrid couldn't help but thought that Stoick hid something from everyone, aside from Gobber since the two were very close with each other, his sudden change in mind about finding the Nest and the change in Dragon Training's graduation ceremony said it all.

Something that frustrated her was the fact that only her noticed that Stoick hiding something, the rest of the Tribe didn't even think that something was up with the Chief. It's not a secret that Stoick was obsessed in finding the Nest, to suddenly say that he lost interest was absurd, something clearly change the Chief's mind about it. Stoick also said that he didn't want for the Trainees to get stressed having to kill a dragon in the Kill Ring, under the expectation of the people, but it's a common knowledge that the Trainees were excited about it, aside from Hiccup of course. Yet none of the others found it to be strange.

Speaking of Hiccup though, Astrid was reminded about the book she found in the cove, the book that was currently in her hands. She didn't tell Stoick about how she saw Hiccup flew away on a dragon's back, something in her mind telling her that it would be best to keep her knowledge about how Hiccup left a secret, and she guessed that Stoick already knew that Hiccup had ran away. She had seen the man looking longingly at a paper when no one was watching, maybe Hiccup wrote something to him before he left with the dragon. She was also curious about the content of the book, after witnessing Hiccup flew away on the back of a dragon make her thought that maybe she could do the same, it would be a great if they could get the dragons to fight alongside them instead of against them.

"Let's see what he wrote in here." Astrid said to herself as she flipped the cover and the first page over to enter the first chapter.

How to Train Your Dragon

Chapter 1

Everything is based on Trust.

Before you can train a dragon, the first thing you should do is gain their trust. A relationship between a dragon and a person is based on trust, mutual trust, mind you. The stronger the trust you have for each other, the stronger your bond will be.

A dragon normally wouldn't attack unless they feel threatened, so the first step to gain a dragon's trust is to show them that you won't harm them. Approach a dragon without carrying a weapon, it the easier way to show them that you won't attack them, they would feel less threatened if you don't carry a weapon around them before you gain their trust.

After you showed them that you don't have any weapon, you need to show them that you trust them. You need to get the dragon to calm down first before trying to show them that you trust them, try talking softly to them. Dragons are intelligent creatures, they understand what you are saying to them, that's why you can calm them down with words and soft tone. Dragons can also feel your emotion, so it would be useless to calm a dragon if you feel agitated yourself. Then, once you get the dragon to calm, show them that you trust them. The easier way to show them that you trust them is to look at the ground and raise your hand to the front of their shout, it's a gesture that telling them that you trust them to not bite your hand off. You need to be calm and confident when approaching a dragon (confident, not arrogance), since the dragon wouldn't believe that you trust them if they feel fear from you. Once the dragon understands that you won't harm them and trust them, they will show you that they trust you not to harm them by touching your hand with their snout.

Note : You need two people to approach a Hideous Zippleback, since two heads mean two riders.

Astrid raised an eyebrow when she finished reading, she would never thought that the content would be like that, she thought that training a dragon was to dominate them. "Trust, huh?" She mumbled as she closed the book, she need to head home before her parents get home, they liked to ask questions if she come home late.

She stood up and began walking to her home, her mind wandering about how Hiccup wrote that dragons understand what humans said to them. If that was true, then they weren't mindless creatures like what they believed. If Hiccup was right, she couldn't help but wondering how much of their knowledge about dragons that was wrong?

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"What do you think about this spot, Toothless?" Hiccup asked his dragon companion as he looked around the clearing they found in the forest.

They had arrived in the island at night and went right to sleep due to exhaustion, with Hiccup being covered by one of the dragon's wings. After they woke up, Hiccup fished their breakfast before they began exploring the island where they would live on. They had found a small lake and saw some boars, meaning they wouldn't need to worry about clean water and he can hunt the boars for their pelt to be traded, then they found a big clearing, a good place for them to sleep.

Toothless looked around before giving him his toothless smile, "We only need to find a stone slab for you to sleep on, and built something like a roof for when it's rain." Hiccup said with a smile as well. He had once slept in the cove with Toothless in the past, and he found it quite comfy. So he thought that it wouldn't matter if he didn't have a house, he can sleep anywhere as long as he had his dragon with him, and certainly Toothless didn't mind it one bit that he sleep leaning on him and covered by his wing.

"Oh, right." Hiccup said to himself as he remembered about his self appointed mission, he looked at Toothless and found the dragon looking at him curiously, "Toothless, I was wondering about why the dragon raids Berk." He explained as he sat across his dragon, "Is there a reason behind all those raids?" Toothless nodded at him, "Do you think you can tell me what it is?".

Toothless's eyes widened a bit in surprise before he motioned to his saddle, "You will show me?" Hiccup guessed, the dragon nodded in answer, "Alright." He stood up and climbed onto the saddle and secured himself before patting Toothless at the side of his neck, "I'm ready." He announced.

Toothless shot up to the sky and Hiccup adjusted the prosthetic tail fin according to the dragon's lead, their flight was a quiet one since Hiccup can felt how tense his dragon was, and he could only guess that the reason behind the dragon raids was a serious one.

It wasn't long before Hiccup noticed that they were heading for the Helheim's Gate, the thick fog was the clear give away about their location, and Hiccup noticed that there were so many dragons around them. He gulped and lay down on Toothless's back, he could do nothing but trust his friend to know what he was doing.

Hiccup gasped when he saw an island with a volcano ahead of them, all of the dragons seemed to be heading for the volcano carrying their kill. Toothless silently following the rest and immediately hid in a cave where they can see what's going on but couldn't be seen by the others, Hiccup watched as one by one the dragons dropped their kill into a big hole, he frowned in confusion. "What's going on?" He whispered as he watched what was happening.

Toothless growled softly while moving his head to a Gronckle, as if telling him to stay quiet and watch, the Gronckle had just dropping a small fish into the hole. Hiccup's eyes widened when he heard a loud growl, he noticed that the other dragons in there were cowering in fear. He saw the reason not a second later as a huge, really huge, dragon head emerged from the hole and swallowed the Gronckle in one go.

"What in Odin's name is that?" Hiccup hissed in fear, and he was panicked when the huge dragon sniffed the air before looking at their direction, "Alright, bud, we need to get out." He said urgently.

Toothless didn't need to be told twice, he flew as fast as he could away from the volcano, barely missing the huge thing's jaw snapping on them, with the other dragons also flying away to cover for them.

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To be continued . . .

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