The boar pit, like everything else on Dragon's Edge, was new and still did not have any boars to speak of. However, being one chief deep and the floor space the size of a warship, it was the perfect place for a one-on-one fight.

Kneeling in the pit, Hiccup paused from his preparations to look up at the spectators. The twins had hastily created a scoreboard with the words "Hiccup" and "Tribe" scrawled on it and were nearly bouncing out of their tunics as they sat on the edge of the pit. Fishlegs hadn't stopped wringing his hands. Astrid was the only one standing, her hand resting on her axe handle. The dragons crowded around behind, intelligent enough to know something big was going down. There was Snotlout's fiery Monstrous Nightmare, the Twins' two-headed Zippleback, Astrid's spikey Deadly Nadder, Fishlegs's burly Gronckle, and of course, Hiccup's Night Fury, Toothless, who cooed encouragingly.

Tuffnut shouted through his cupped hands, as if there was anyone else on the island to take notice. "It's a beautiful day here on Dragon's Edge, and the crowds are going WILD for the big showdown. Jorgensen is stretching…or something. Haddock, in the other corner, is making some last-minute adjustments to his gear."

Ruffnut replied with a similarly grand voice. "How do you think things will shape up?"

"Well, Haddock has had fourteen consecutive defeats and not a single victory. And I don't mean fourteen fights. I mean YEARS."

"That's gotta be a record."

"Sure is. No one in the history of Berk has been that unlucky."

"Unless, of course, you're Hiccup," Ruffnut said with mournful resignation.

"But that's to be expected, what with his weak, frail body. I've seen a baby yak rescued from three months on the ice with more muscle on him."

Fishlegs chimed in. "There's no way a baby yak can survive that long without its mother."

Tuffnut leaned over. "I know. I just couldn't think of anything more fitting—Ow!" Tuffnut yelped as Astrid jabbed him in the side with the butt of her axe.

Hiccup tried to drown out the Twins' bleak yet accurate commentary by adjusting the shield on his arm for the fifth time and wiping a bit of dust off the metal face. He knew he didn't stand a chance against Snotlout. Unless… He fingered a tiny lever on the back of his shield, murmuring quietly to himself. "Only as a last resort."

As Snotlout warmed up on the far side of the pit by wildly swinging his sword about, Hiccup regretted not taking Astrid up on her sword fighting lessons.

"You know in a real fight I'd have a dragon," Hiccup said.

"Too bad this isn't a 'real' fight," Snotlout jeered back.

BONG! Ruffnut smashed a shield with the mace. "START!"

Snotlout charged, yelling at the top of his lungs. Hiccup took a step back. Right as Snotlout's sword was about to impact, Hiccup stepped out of the way. Snotlout was off-balance for only a moment before he swiveled and swung again. Hiccup raised his shield and squeezed his eyes shut.

CLANG! The impact of the sword on the metal plates of the shield rang out. Hiccup felt his shield quiver, his feet slip, then the hard ground at his back. But the attack didn't relent. He rolled back and forth as the sword cut up the dirt around him. Snotlout was silhouetted by the sun, making it even more difficult to watch for attacks.

I can't keep this up, Hiccup thought. He spotted Snotlout's boot. The sword swung at him again. He rolled out of the way and bent his leg so that it was on the outside of Snotlout's foot. He pulled his leg back towards him, but Snotlout guessed the strategy and moved his foot just in time.

"Ha! Trying to use my own move against me?"

Hiccup didn't respond. Instead, he sprang forward, rolled to his feet, and spun to face his opponent, shield at the ready. Snotlout whirled around, trying to keep up with the nimbler Hiccup. They stared each other down, panting, tuning out the cheers from the human and dragon bystanders.

Hiccup fingered the lever on his shield. This could be his year. He was still abiding by the rules of defeating his opponent in single combat. Snotlout lunged towards him. Hiccup narrowed his eyes. He had one shot.

At just the right moment, he pinched the lever. The shield boss in the center flipped open, and a bola shot out. Snotlout really should have known better—he knew the secret weapon Hiccup had built into his shield—but unfortunately for him, it worked like a charm. The ropes wound around his ankles, and he thudded on the ground. A moment later, Hiccup planted his boot on Snotlout's chest.

"I…I did it," Hiccup breathed. He looked up at the bystanders. Fishlegs and the twins were staring, mouths agape. Astrid beamed.

"I guess there's a first time for everything," Hiccup said with a sheepish grin.

"Maybe," Snotlout growled, "but it's not today!" He swept his bound legs at Hiccup's one standing leg. Hiccup fell and, before he could regain himself, was face-to-blade with Snotlout's sword.

"Say it," Snotlout said with a grin.

Hiccup sighed and looked away.

"I yield."

The sun was just touching the horizon when Astrid and Fishlegs helped a bruised and groaning Hiccup out of the pit. The scoreboard read, "Tribe, 5. Hiccup, 0".

"You did considerably better than last year," Fishlegs offered. "In fact, with your recent growth spurt, I'd suggest using your—"

"Thank you, Fishlegs," Hiccup interrupted. He winced and grabbed his side as Astrid helped him to the ground. Fishlegs gave her a worried look. She shook her head.

"And that makes fifteen!" Ruffnut shouted. "Time to pay up."

Astrid noticed the reluctance with which Tuffnut presented his helmet to his sister, who triumphantly balanced it on her own helmet and marched off.

"You bet on Hiccup winning?" Snotlout asked.

Tuffnut shrugged. "What can I say? I like an underdog."

The twins, Snotlout, and their dragons wandered toward the clubhouse to cause more mayhem.

Snotlout called over his shoulder. "At least we know the tribe's strong."

Toothless snarled, and the little man scampered off.

Fishlegs reached out towards Hiccup, but Astrid motioned for him to stop. He looked one more time at his friend before trudging back to his own hut, his trusty dragon waddling beside him.

Astrid took a seat next to Hiccup, their feet dangling into the pit, and looked out over their idyllic island. The ocean sparkled in the sunset like it was on fire. A flock of local wild dragons fluttered about before retiring to their own caves for the evening. She breathed a contented sigh. Sunsets on the Edge were especially beautiful, but they were always better when she could share it with Hiccup.

She glanced at him now. His wiry frame sagged, and his chestnut hair was even more frazzled than normal. His deep green eyes stared unflinchingly at the setting sun.

Finally, she broke the silence. "Don't let them get to you."

He straightened. "Get to me? Why do you think that would get to me?! It's only been the same humiliating show since I was three years old!" He softened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go off on you like that. It's just that, since I met Toothless, people saw me differently." He patted Toothless's neck. "I…thought I was different." The Night Fury cooed and nudged his wide head closer.

Astrid put her hand on his shoulder. "Ahh!" Hiccup winced. Immediately, she pulled back and frowned. His extra-flexible arms were always getting yanked out of place. Better to fix it now before the swelling got worse. Adjusting her grip, she grabbed his shoulder and POP!

"OWOWOW!" Hiccup wailed.

"You're welcome," she offered with a smile.

"Thank you," he grumbled, rubbing his relocated shoulder.

"You are different," she said. "Maybe you won't win Stack the Yack, but there's more to you than that. You're compassionate and selfless and brave to a fault." She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "And that's what I love about you."

"Thanks, Astrid," he mustered, his cheeks glowing. "I wish I could believe it myself." He decided to shift the focus. "Or that my dad could."

"Are you kidding? He thinks you can do anything!" She leapt up and took comically oversized steps, swinging her arms wide. In a deep Scottish brogue, she bellowed, "Hey everyone, here's my boy, the one who killed the Red Death." Despite Astrid being a petite Viking lady and his dad being a seven-foot, bearded giant, the impression was spot on. Hiccup chuckled and then winced again, holding his ribs.

"Ow…"

Astrid laughed and patted Toothless. "Take care of him for me?" Toothless gave a happy growl as she walked back toward the huts and curled his tail around his human, the red fabric tail fin fanning out on the green grass.

Hiccup was still holding his bruised ribs when Toothless nudged him. The legendary offspring of Lightning and Death itself and the runt son of a Viking chief. What a pair they were.

"At least I have you." Toothless closed his eyes and cooed softly as Hiccup rubbed his head in the dwindling daylight.

Author's Notes:

While I stick very closely to the HTTYD movie/TV show lore, I take liberties with the LoZ elements. Please read with an open mind, as if this were a new game.

New chapters on Wednesdays. The whole thing, 30 chapters plus Prologue, is written and will be posted!

Thanks to Ari Lewis, ValiantQueenLu, and Luke for beta reading!