So this is the third chapter! In my mind I never thought I would ever get this far. This is the longer piece, as promised, so I hope you enjoy it. For those wondering, Hiccup is basically the same Hiccup we all know and love, and I try not to stray far form canon. I apologise once more for any grammar and spelling mistakes, I am still in Comp (Middle school). Anyway, this is the chapter where Hiccup is essentially introduced, and I worked pretty hard on trying to picture myself as the characters in the scenes. Well, I should probably shut up now, so, Chapter 3!
(Hiccup)
'I'll be needing an extra pair of hands in the forge soon, Hiccup!' Gobber yelled out from where he was sitting in the Hall.
Over in the corner, Great Stoick The Vast's fishbone of a son picked at his tasteless broth from his corner as he yet a gain stared longingly at the other teens. It wasn't that he couldn't do anything, it was just everyone else was so much better than him. He was constantly being picked on by the others, especially Snotlout, who was by far the most looked up to. Fishlegs was pretty strong, but he had the brain of fifty Berks all together, maybe more, and the Thorston twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, were a good sport that could make any one laugh. No one could swing a battle axe better than Astrid, one of the strongest girls the village had ever seen, and Snotlout was well, Snotlout. While Hiccup was technically first in line for the chief's position, but Snotlout was just so much stronger, he had more of a status. He was the son Stoick would have wanted.
Hiccup slammed his bowl down in frustration. He couldn't stand it! They were all sitting together, laughing, doing impressions, enjoying themselves without him. He was constantly looked down on, never given a chance. The small room at the back of Gobber's forge served as a small office, where Hiccup kept many pieces of parchment that had on them designs and blueprints for new weapons and devices, but when the rare occurrence that he had a chance to show them to people came up, something always went wrong and the others would have to sweep up what he'd done, groaning. At this rate, he would be stuck like this forever.
He exited Meade Hall with clenched hands, and forcefully plunged his feet into the steps leading up.
'One day they'll be sorry, one day!' He muttered through gritted teeth.
'One day, I'll do somethi-' Hiccup was cut off by a surprising sight, which made him freeze in his steps. Something was moving on top of the mountain that loomed over Berk. Or rather Someone! As he focused harder on the mountain above him, he jumped back in surprise at the sight of a girl's figure, with long black hair streaking out behind her. When he looked again, the girl was gone, as if nothing was ever there.
Hiccup was spooked. No one on Berk looked like that. Could it have been a spy? From another village? Maybe they were preparing for attack! But it didn't look like that. Blindly stumbling down the rest of the stone steps, something inside told him not to mention it to anyone. After all, it could have just been his imagination!
He shook the distraction from his mind, it was just making him think more than he had to. However, a small stone in his stomach remained, and it wouldn't go away.
(Katia)
Two days later, Katia had found the dragon again, but hadn't yet approached it, seeing as it looked so stressed. It must have realised it can't fly. When she had found him, he had gotten himself stuck in the grove, and without his entire tail fin, no amount of jumping and flapping his wings frantically would get him out. She knew she had to help him, dragons can't just grow half a tail fin, she just didn't know how.
Now, she was walking by the river, hoping the gentle sound of the flowing water would give her some ideas. She had spent so long by its side, she didn't know whether she was going insane or she could actually hear it whispering to her. So far, nothing had come, and she had about as many ideas as a singed piece of fire log. Her heart was steady in its pace, and everything was right in her world again. This is the life she dreamed of once. She thought to herself if anyone in the world wanted exactly what she had. Her feet were turned out as she nimbly leapt over the stepping stones she often used. She hadn't yet redone her hair so it hung loosely about her shoulders. But she didn't need to worry about that. She did what she wanted in her own time.
Snapped from her thoughts, she heard something move in the trees. Unarmed, Katia stood her ground, knees bent for stability on the slippery stone. A frustrated yell rang about through the world around her, followed closely by a stick being clumsily launched across the stream. Katia didn't move. She was frozen in terror, not for the spear but the fact that there was another human within such close range.
"Always! Why does this always have to happen!" A male voice made Katia's head spin in fright, her breathing suddenly quickening.
"'I go about my business and there Snotlout is, talking with Dad as if he was his own father!" Katia's legs were now shaking so much she almost lost her over-the-years perfected balance. A young boy, maybe a little shorter than herself had appeared, but seemingly hadn't noticed her, or anything around him. His hair was of an auburn shade, short and messy covering a freckled face. He headed in the direction of his spear, still oblivious to the girl that was metres in front of him.
"I just wish someone would listen for- WOAHHHH"' A cry was let out as he fell into the stream. It was deeper than it looked and very powerful. Katia had found herself almost drowning once.
Thinking fast, she leapt forward from her stationary position, instincts kicking in, and followed the strange boy down the stream. A hand shot up from the water as he took a blind attempt to take a breath. Katia took this as a chance to aid him, and her own arm flicked outwards to grab hold of his, while she wrapped the other around the closest tree within reach. She strained her arm to drag him upwards and outwards, digging her feet deep into the damp ground. Once she had certain grip on him, she hauled him up with both hands, leaning back for balance. The boy gasped, spluttering up water with a raspy coughing sound. He groaned deeply, and rolled onto his side. Katia had stepped back nervously, trying to hide herself from him. He was definitely from Berk; he had the crest stitched onto his tunic. However, the trees were still new and weren't very thick, and so they provided little to no camouflage. He turned his head to face his rescuer, when a pair of leaf green eyes snapped open, as bright as emeralds. The girl from the mountain.
Katia took a small step towards the boy. Still afraid and unsure, but something deep inside told her not to hide, that he wouldn't hurt her.
Still astonished at the fact that what he had seen in the earlier days had actually been real, he tried to stand up, but ended up falling against a tree.
'You're the, I mean, you're the, the girl that I saw, aren't you!' He said, his face cocked to one side, an eyebrow raised. He looked understandably unsure, and stepped back nervously.
A small sound escaped her; she was equally as confused. Had he seen her?
'From the mountain peak. Aren't you?' He gave further information, but in a more questioning manner. Another step back.
So he had seen her.
"Uhhhh, yeah," She replied slowly. Her voice sounded different out loud to when it rang out inside her head normally. She was now more anxious over whether or not he knew anything else about her.
"Hmm. You seem pretty friendly. Can I trust you?" He found his feet and confronted the girl he had seen days before, staring up into her eyes, almost in a glaring fashion.
"Yes." A simple answer, staring back into his eyes. This satisfied and proved to the boy that she was, indeed, trustworthy.
"Hiccup. The name's Hiccup."
"Katia." Her name came smoothly, yet still slowly. She lifted her face so that it was level with his and, to her surprise, she fell backwards, blue eyes open wide in an expression Hiccup couldn't quite make out.
"Hiccup. Hiccup?" She repeated his name, broken up softly, as a flashback of memories washed over her.
She remembered running from a forest-green eyed boy through the trees, splashing through puddles, her giggle echoing. She remembered his laugh that followed. They were kids. She was Katia, the girl who hadn't a family. He was Hiccup, the chief's son. Hiccup. The name bounced off every wall inside her head. She knew him. She remembered him.
"Katia." He whispered the name slowly, and it seemed that he to was remembering is side of the story. He remembered finding a dark haired girl sitting in a secluded area behind the houses, curled up and crying. He had sat down beside her, and hugged her tightly, recalling how he felt sometimes when he thought about his mother.
They had only been children at the time, apparent friends. Seeing each other so much older shocked the both of them.
He pulled her to her feet and into a warm embrace that lasted for some time. His arms wrapped around her, and comforted her seeing as she hadn't had any human contact for the last nine years. Katia stiffened, but didn't shy away. It was his sweet nature to comfort people. And she had forgotten the feeling of warmth from another person.
"But, how did you live?" Hiccup asked quietly, breaking away.
Katia gave him a confused look, still shocked and feeling anxious.
"You were drifting away, until one day you were just, gone. Everyone back on Berk thinks you were taken by dragons! How did you escape and survive on your own? I mean, you were five at the time! How does a five year old manage on their own in the wild?" He questioned, pressing his gaze deep into her eyes. This was a lot to take in, for the both of them.
"Well, to be honest I don't really remember most of it, but the dragons have never hurt me. I stayed close to the village stealing small items first, before I moved away for good. I guess I kind of just learned from trial and error. I gave myself basic defence lessons, and just, went from there." Katia shrugged, still not used to the whole 'conversation' thing.
The sun was closing in on the horizon, a low pink light slowly spreading over the skies like milk.
"I should be going then," Hiccup said, removing his hands from her back. "Meet me at the edge of Berks' closest forest tomorrow morning."
A small nod was performed in agreement, before she said "Will you be okay to get back on your own?"
"I'll be fine. What about you, though?" He asked.
"I've done this for the last eight years, I think I'll be okay." She replied, a hint of sarcasm tinting her voice.
Hiccup took a small step backwards with a small smile, before turning around and returning to Berk. Katia stared at where he had been standing for quite some time before she shook herself out of it. But that didn't stop the gleeful look on her face from leaving as she headed back to her camp.
It had been enough to take in for one day, and the thought of the night fury pained her. Hiccup was still there though. The only one, ironically the chief's son, who cared not for wealth status. The only one who had been there for her. But she'd had to go, driven out by the rest of Berk's population.
Still, it was a heck of a lot for her. First the night fury, and now Hiccup? Boy would she have a good thinking to do that night.
That was the third chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it, it makes me so happy when I get positive feedback, so please review, and if you did like it, come back, as unless I actually say that I'll stop writing this, I won't! If you have anything you would like to suggest, please leave that too, because, as always, all criticism is taken into account, but flames are ignored, so don't even bother.
I guess I'll be back in a few days then, and let me know if you would like more frequent posts, as that is possible (I write mostly on the school bus and when I can't sleep), but I write for my personal enjoyment so as long as it doesn't cut into my separate school work and other hobbies, it's fine!
I feel like I've cleared quite a bit up now, so bye for now! :D