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 want to warn anyone reading this story that due to school starting I may not be writing as much as I used to, but give me time and I will update I don't plan on ditching this story ever. I will update when I can.

Also I am starting to revise, review, and correct the starting chapters because yes I did reread them and some of them have errors I can't ignore, so I will be updating as I correct chapters.

Sorry for the long wait for some reason fanfiction was not allowing me to upload new chapters, but everything finally seems to be in order

Halla point of view

I was so sure that Gabriel was going to say yes, but I was shocked when he shook his head. "No" I whisper, feeling disappointed.

"No" he repeated, I could feel my shoulder's sag. "At least not today?" I perked up. "You're freezing right now," he says "can you even feel me squeezing your hand." I looked at out hands, no I couldn't.

I opened my mouth to say yes, but I closed it when I saw Gabriel's face. "No," I say, refusing to look at him.

"Okay then no more flying" I open my mouth to argue, "until you have the proper gear to keep you warm."

"I can live with that," I say before turning to Toothless "How about you bud think you can live with that." He roared probably in irritation, but not in disagreement. "So rain check then."

"Definitely," he says smiling, and I was glad. Even though he wouldn't tell me what was going on with him, I was happy to have helped make him happy, after all, it's the least I could do for all the times he cheered me up.

"So," he says guiding me back to Toothless. "Tell me how you finally got this to work." We sat down in front of Toothless, who decided to move so that he could wrap around me, his whole body radiating warmth. Gabriel let go of my hand so I could sink closer into Toothless who was better than any blanket, and I told Gabriel about every failure and every success.

I was close to the end of the story when something fell from the sky. Gabriel and I jumped only to see a large shadow loom overhead. I took a sigh of relief when I realized it was Scarlet. "Odin Scarlet give us a warning when you decided to drop…" I tried to see what she dropped, but it was too far "What did she drop?" I asked Gabriel.

"Looks like a moose." Gabriel answers turning to face Scarlet.

Scarlet swooped down, taking the spot across from us, but still close to her kill. She roared and Toothless responded. "Alright Alright, I can take a hint," I said getting up, letting Toothless walk over to the fallen moose so the two could start eating. Toothless taking pleasure in the red meat "guess everyone gets tired of fish eventually" I say watching at the two dragons shared such a small meal.

"Can I ask you a question?" Gabriel asks, looking towards the two dragons.

"Sure"

"How long does dragon training usually last?" I blinked at him confused, we had two large dragons in front of us, I just showed him I could ride one, and that's what he decides to ask.

"It would have ended after my father came back. The chief must be present at to declare the elders choice for…"

"For the nightmare killing." I nodded my head. "But without a nightmare, it still keeps going."

"We won't have to wait long," I said, images from my nightmare resurfacing. Ash covered in blood, the chanting of Vikings, the dying roar of a dragon.

"Why is that?"

"Winter is coming and with it comes dragons."

"So raids increase and so does the likelihood of capturing another Nightmare." I nodded my head.

"The first one caught will be killed in a matter of days."

"When do you think winter will get here?" He asks, a burst of wind roaring at us as if to tell us soon.

"Don't know for sure. Why do you ask?"

"If the ice sets in we can't leave until spring. I'm not sure when our captain will give us the order to set sail."

"Auntie isn't a fool, she knows our winters. It's probably too late to leave. Best case you have enough strong wind to push you out through the ice that may have already be set, worst you get stuck out there and have to walk back. My father may not like my aunt, but he's not that cold hearted to let you leave."

"She hasn't said anything to the crew about it."

"I don't think she even knows-" I was cut off by a loud horn noise. That instantly froze me.

"What is it?" Gabriel asked, confused.

"That's the horn for incoming dragon raids. We need to go know." Not wasting time I stood up, tugging at Gabriel's arm to stand with me. He follows, his face going serious, no doubt remembering the last dragon raid we were in. By this time Toothless and Scarlet had stopped eating tilting their heads towards the skies, listening to the loud horn as well and I couldn't help, but wonder if they knew what those horns meant. "You two stay out of trouble, we will be back as soon as we can." The dragons said nothing, their heads still tilted towards the sky. However, with none of them moving I was confident that they would stay.

Gabriel and I rushed to the village as fast as we could. The horn still blaring, but no roars or Viking battle calls could be heard. 'Were the dragons that far away?' I thought, ducking a branch as I tried my best to keep up with Gabriel. 'I knew a strike was imminent, but why now? What today? Today was suppose to be a good day.'

We finally reached the edge of the forest, the horn no longer blaring. Gabriel and I looked at each other for a moment, my heart thumping like crazy. I expected the village to be in a panic, fire burning our new buildings, dragons flying up above, but when we exited the forest, there was nothing. The building stood where they were, no dragons, no fire, but there weren't any Vikings either. We cautiously made our way into the village.

The random cheer that broke out nearly gave me a heart attack as we made our way to the center of the village. A crowd was formed, Vikings celebrating, chatter filling the once silent village. As we got closer I could see Gobber coming towards us.

"There you are lass," He says a smile on his face.

"We heard the horns…" I say, stilling looking at the happy Vikings confused.

"Ah yes, one of the fellas got a bit too excited. No raid." Gobber says, still happy. "But we caught ourselves a Nightmare." He says, his grin expanding. My stomach hits the ground.

I open my mouth to say something, but Gabriel beats me to it. "What do you mean you caught a Nightmare?"

"The boys say a pack of Nightmares on the eastern side. One of the lads thought it was the beginning of a raid, so he ran back to warn everyone. Which is why the horn was blown, but the skies are clear of any other sky devil."

"What do you mean a pack of Nightmares? I thought they hunted alone?" Gabriel asks, far more with it than I am at the moment.

"Aye they usually do never seen a Nightmares hunt in a pack, but times are changing. So are the dragons." He says, the corners of his smile falling for a second.

"The Nightmare" I heard myself whisper, "What happens to the Nightmare?"

Gobber chuckles "Well lass it seems like dragon training can now come to a close. The honor will no doubt go to Ash, but that will be decided tomorrow. Right now I have to get the beast's cage ready." He says the Gobber grin still on his face as he pats my shoulder and heads to the arena.

I can feel the lack of air in my lungs and it was starting to make me dizzy. Gabriel grabs both of my shoulder forcing me to look at him "Breathe, Halla you need to breathe right now." I nod, but no matter what I did, it was still hard to breathe. "Look at me" I was "Deep breath in" he takes a deep breath, waiting for me to copy him, I do. "Deep breathe out," he says, exhaling with a loud sigh. I do my best to copy, but the breath gets caught in my throat when I hear my father's voice.

"Settle down everyone settles down." I'm no longer looking at Gabriel, but rather my father who was standing above all of the Vikings. "I don't need to tell you what this captured Nightmare means" a cheer from the people below him. "Tomorrow the trainees will compete for the honor of slaying this beast in front of the entire village. There first kill witnessed by all, the honor of our people." My father scanned the crowd, his hand guiding the crowd's attention to where Ash and the others stood. Grins stretched on all their faces except Ash's who seemed to be in deep thought. "In two days we will no longer have trainees, but full fledge Vikings ready to join their fathers, their mothers, brother and sisters in battle." The crowd erupted in cheers, some raising their weapons high, and they started to chant. "ASH ASH ASH." I could see Snotlout and Tuffnut patting Ash's shoulders, trying to get him to do something, to respond to the crowd. Ash stared at the crowd around him and lifted his axe high above his head, still no smile on his face. The crowd erupted in cheers.

My father lifted his hand silencing the chant. "Yes yes we all know the likely candidate, but tradition is tradition." He says, scanning the crowd once more his eyes locking on me a small smile on his face "The right to this honor is equal to all trainees." My father said softly. I could feel my head shake itself no. "Which is why I ask the elders to reconsider their decision and allow my daughter to compete for this honor." Ice flooded my veins, and not even dragon's fire could unfreeze them.

"Please" I whispered, "please don't do it." I knew he couldn't hear me, but it's all I could do as my father started to speak.

"My daughter did a great thing. She killed her mother's killer, something I was not able to do. However, the proof, his skin hanging in the center of our village, still leaves most of you unconvinced. So I ask not only the elders but also everyone here to allow my daughter to compete. Allow her to show you what she can do. Let her show you all, those who still doubt her skill that she can uphold out tradition. That she can kill a dragon. That she can be a Viking." The crowd was hushed now, a few whispers passing amongst the crowd. Until someone started chanting "ASH ASH ASH." However, the cheers were not as loud as they were before.

"Let the girl fight" a voice broke out. Everyone turned to find the source until one man shifted his way towards my father. It was Skulluim he slowly made it towards the podium, most of the Vikings getting out of his way. Both of Skulluim legs were crushed under the pillar, he was walking on crutches, his legs bandaged. I had checked on him sometime after the raid. Well not on him per say, more like I asked about him from one of the healers. They were sure that Skulluim would never walk again. That didn't stop the man from being any less of a Viking. He started training with the archers, practicing shooting while he sat down. Gabriel had offered to help the man, but Skulluim was still prideful and now more than ever filled with rage, needless to say, it did not go well. "I will be the first to say that I didn't believe in the girl. I thought her weak, unfit to lead," he says his voice strong as he struggles to stand straight "the worst Viking ever born." He took a breath, fiddling with his left crutch "That said most of you weren't here when she entered the raids. You didn't see the fire in her eyes. You didn't get to see her strength. Let the lass fight. Let her show you that she can do this."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to tell them to shut up. I didn't want this. I didn't become strong for this. "Halla lets go," Gabriel says, grabbing my hand. For a moment I thought he was shaking, but after a moment I realized it was me. "Halla come on we don't need to be here." He was tugging at my hand, but I felt trapped. Before I knew what I was doing I ripped my hand out of his and ran. "Halla" I heard him shout, but I didn't turn back. I ran, I ran as fast as I could away from it. Away from the village, my father, Vikings I didn't want any of this. By the Gods, this wasn't supposed to happen.