Disclaimer: I do not own How to Train Your Dragon and do not own any of the character. Halla and Ash are based on character from the movie, but have been modified for my story

Since it is my first fanfiction reviews would be nice thanks enjoy

thought '...'

speaking "..."

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. School left me no time for updates, but I hope that with winter break I can add a few more chapters before school starts up again.

Halla's point of view

I stood there numb, the elders all seated from their high table to look down at us. If I didn't feel judged before I do now. Stoick stood next to me so close that his arm was brushing mine and yet instead of comfort, all that I felt was dread.

"It is good to see you all in one piece Stoick" Elder Gothi says, tilting her head in a slight bow.

"It is good to be home" Stoick says, "However, it would have been nice to see Halla come into her roots."

"Yes your daughter has caused quite" Elder Gris waved his hand in the air "a stir I guess you can say. After all it wasn't that long ago that she was here. Was it lass?" He sneered down at me probably remembering how I didn't fold to their will on my weapon.

I could feel my fist clenching and for a moment my numbness was replaced with anger. "I thought that matter was put to rest Elder Gris." I hissed, glaring up at the elder.

"Your father should know about your choices," he says, stressing the word choices.

"You mean my mistakes." I snap, my eyes narrowing.

Stoick was looking at me and then at the elders, trying to figure out exactly where they and I stood. "Stoick you must have heard the story of your daughters first kill." Exclaimed Elder Gris.

"I have bits and pieces. " He replies, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Halla why do you not tell your father of your first kill. Surely he would be proud to hear it." I could feel my lips twitch, my face wanting to express a snarl.

"I don't think now is an appropriate time." I try to explain only to be interrupted by Elder Gil.

"Nonsense Halla you were such a good storyteller the day you brought us to Scarface's body. It would be a shame to keep your father from hearing the story from your own mouth."

My anger switched to fear so quick I was a bit winded. 'Lie.' I thought 'you've done it before you can do it again.' As I took a deep breath I could feel my tongue swelling, remembering that Gabriel helped lie with me, that he was there to help me. As everything was racing in my mind, I got startled when my father put his hand on my shoulder.

"It's alright Halla take your time." He says with a smile, but I could tell he desperately wanted to hear me tell the story. Taking a deep breath I looked up squaring my shoulders and say "No."

"No" Elder Gothi repeated.

"Because you don't want to hear my story, you want to criticize my choices. Hanging out with my aunt, training with outsiders, destroying my weapon, and most of all not caring that each of my choices go against your orders." I say scanning the room. Elder Gil had an eyebrow raised. Elder Gris had his lip pulled back in a snarl. Elder Gothi and my father had a guarded expression. "So no I will not stand here and recount my story for you to pick it apart. I will tell my father my story in private. Right now we are here to discuss my possibility of reentering dragon training."

Elder Gris looked like he was about to shout something, but Elder Gothi beat him to it. "Do you truly feel we are here to pick you apart, Halla?"

"I don't know Elder Gothi, everything you do is for the best of this village that much I know. However, when it comes to me as an individual, I don't think you are out to get me, but you aren't here to help me." I was proud that my tone was steady and that I wasn't tripping over my own words, but I knew that I was getting a talking to when we got home.

"Rest assured Halla we are not here to attack you." Gothi explained.

"No just decided my future." I muttered, not really sure where this newfound courage was coming from.

"It seems while I was away, Halla learned to speak her mind." Stoick exclaims with a chuckle. I wanted nothing more than to roll my eyes, 'when haven't I spoken my mind' I thought. "But Halla is right we are getting away from the issue at hand. Halla should be allowed to reenter dragon training?"

"And why is that Stoick? Because she is your daughter?" questioned Elder Gil.

"Because as my daughter has pointed out the tribe has criticized all of her choice, they don't trust Halla's ability to be a Viking chief. Let them see her in the ring where her ancestors trained and killed their first dragon. Let them see her fight in the ring. Let them see her strength, and courage." He says stepping forward his words coming out steady and strong. "Let them all know that Halla can follow in her ancestors footsteps. Let them truly see her." There was a pause in the hut. The Elders eyes focused on my father.

It was Gil that spoke first "And what of the trainees. Do they not deserve the chance to prove themselves as well? Their ancestors trained in that arena as well. Their ancestors were all given the chance to show off their skills. Why should your daughter, who has already killed a dragon, be allowed to take this honor for someone else?"

Elder Gothi nodded "Halla was honored enough to kill a dragon before any other trainee, she was also honored in killing her mother's killers, Halla's has been honored by the gods more than most."

'Honored' I thought, internally screaming 'you call guilt eating at me almost everyday called honored. You called hating what I've done, wishing I could take it back only to see the skin of my mistake everyday an honor.'

"Halla did what I could not and for that I will always be proud." Stoick stops talking to look at me, sending me a gentle smile that makes me feel like the worst human being on the planet. "While I was away she has grown so much. She avenged her mother, she killed a dragon, and she changed some of the tribe's opinion of her. You are right Elder Gothi, my daughter was truly blessed by the gods. What I ask, is that you let the warriors that are still blinded by their past judgments to see what the future could hold with her leadership." Stoick turns to me, extending a hand towards me. Hesitating I take it, feeling him gently bring me forward to his side to stand closer to the elders. "Allow Halla to rejoin dragon training so that our tribe can witness just how strong their future leader is."

The Elders looked towards one another "If all you want it your daughters skill seen, then let her show them in the dragon raids to come. As winter hits so will the dragons." Elder Gil says his eyes narrowed, as he looks me over.

"As your daughter as also mentioned she is being trained by the outsiders. The moves she uses in the ring are not those of our ancestors. The honor should go to a true Viking." Elder Gris says, his nose sticking fly in the air.

"Halla has the ability to be a true Viking. I'm sure we can all agree on that." Gothi says side glancing the two older men beside her who neither agreed nor disagreed. "It is also a shame that no one was around to witness her righteous killing. However, you stand before us Stoick afraid that the warriors that were traveling with you will be blinded by the village's past's opinions on Halla. You wish to show her strength. Then let her enter the ring." My eyes widened, as did the other two elders. Elder Gris looked like he was about to argue. "Let her show her strength, but she will not be in the running for the dragons death. Strength can be seen in many different ways, Stoick, but stealing an honor from another student is not one of them."

I could tell that my father was about to argue; the hand that was still clenching mine was starting to tighten his grip. "I agree," I say, stepping in front of my father. "The trainees worked hard to show their skills and if allowed to do more then put out fires on raids I'm sure one of them would have killed their own dragon as well." I turned to face Stoick. "I understand what you want for me" and I really did "But I killed my dragon," hopefully the last dragon I will ever have to kill "I'm willing to let another grab the honor of the ring slaying." I would gladly let another take the honor. I looked back to the elders. "I agree with your decision. If I want to prove myself to the rest of the tribe, then I have to earn it outside of the ring."

"Well said Halla" Elder Gil added nodding his head.

"Stoick is there anything else you would like to discuss." Elder Gothi says. I could feel him let go of my hand. I watched as he straightened his stance.

"Yes there is, but Halla doesn't need to be present. I'm sure she has better things to do then to listen to us talk." I'm sure my father tried to make that sound as nice as he could, but it didn't stop me from feeling dismissed.

I nodded my head at the Elders trying to show my respect while scurrying out as quickly as I could. As I exited the hut my father never once made eye contact with me. As I stepped further away from the hut I could feel myself breath easy again. Gabriel was the only one still waiting outside the hut.

"How did it go?" He asked. I shrugged my shoulders. "Good, bad give me something?"

"I don't know. The elders got what they wanted, I won't be in dragon training, but I'm sure I disappointed my dad again."

"Why?"

"Cause I agreed with them." I said, looking at the sky. I should have time to swing by Toothless and Scarlet, if I'm lucky and with Gabriel's help I might even get some fish out to them. "I turned on my dad in there, but I won't go back into that ring."

It wasn't until Gabriel grabbed my hands that I realized how cold it was outside "Hey you stood up for yourself. That's more then you ever did before your dad left. You've grown Halla, that's not a bad thing."

"You sure about that?" I asked, the wind picking up my hair being whipped around my face, a chill running down my spine as goose bumps started to appear on my skin.

"Winter is coming" Gabriel says, dragging me away.

I looked up at the sky, the clouds were grey and with the wind blowing pretty hard. I couldn't help, but think that snow might fall by the end of the day. 'Early snow' I thought, 'could lead to a harsh winter.' Gothi's words started to ring in my ears. 'As winter hits so will the dragons.' More dragon raids increase the chances of capturing a Nightmare. Gabriel started to lead me to my house, which I was glad because I didn't want to deal with anyone right now. Gabriel stopped walking.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"Nothing why?" I say my head tilted in confusion.

"Your shaking" I looked down at out hands and sure enough my hand was shaking not much, but enough for Gabriel to notice.

"Just cold." I heard myself say, as I try to stop my hands from shaking. Gabriel doesn't look convinced.

"Then lets get you warmed up." He says as he continues walking. I bite my lip as guilt starts ripping me apart my thoughts drifting to the fate of the next captured Nightmare. The only thing I could picture was Nightmare lying died in the arena blood staining the ground. The tribe cheering for the victor, my father sitting on his seat looking pleased, the Elders looking proud. In my mind there was only one person that could be in the ring. Only one person capable of killing a Nightmare out of all the trainees, my mind pictured Ash standing over the fallen dragon. Blood covering his clothes and splattered across his face, his axe painted red still dripping from his first kill as he raises it high above his head, the tribes shouts getting louder.

I jumped when I felt something being draped over my shoulder. I blinked a few times focuses on my surroundings. I was in my house, sitting on the couch in my living room. Gabriel was adjusting the blanket on me. "You must really be cold, you were shaking like a leaf." He says, sarcastically, his finger wiping something wet off my cheek. I realized I was crying.

"Yah I was." I said, biting my lip wrapping the blanket tighter around me.

Gabriel shook his head. "I'm going to make you some tea and then we can go see you know who, maybe they can make you feel better." He says standing up, and heading to the kitchen.

'That's right' I thought, letting out a shaky breath 'because out of everything that happens, the only thing that matters is Toothless safety.' I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. 'I just need to get stronger to protect what I value the most. Simple' I thought, getting up to try and help Gabriel with the tea. As I stood up my foot slipped on the blanket and I went crashing to the ground. 'Or not.'