A storm is brewing outside. The great doors rattle on their hinges.

Gobber: Alright. Where did Astrid go wrong in the ring today?

"Absolutely nothing wrong she was flawless in the ring." Hiccup said as Astrid gave him a kiss on his cheek

"Thanks darling." Astrid said

The recruits are seated at a table, eating dinner by the glowof the fire pit.

Astrid: I mistimed my summersault dive. Itwas sloppy. It threw off myreverse tumble.

Eye rolls from the group.

Ruffnut(sarcastic): Yeah. We noticed.

"Sorry, Ruffnut but let Hiccup deal with sarcasm." Heather said

Snotlout:(grabbing Astrid's hand)No, no, you were great. That was so 'Astrid'.

"It took me hours to wash that hand after you touched it." Astrid said just as Hiccup picked up the same hand which made her look then he gave it a sweet kiss that made her smile

Gobber: She's right, you have to be tough on yourselves.

CREAK. All eyes turn to Hiccup, entering the hall, sheepishly. Gobber glares at him.

Gobber(glaring at Hiccup): Where did Hiccup go wrong? He tries to take a seat at the table...

"Why are you glaring at me Gobber, I was only outside?" Hiccup asked

"I was glaring because I'll have to deal with your stubborn arse when you end up sick in bed after being out in that storm." Gobber said

"Hey, I'm not that stubborn when I'm sick." Hiccup said

"I wouldn't be so sure about that darling." Astrid said

"What do you mean?" Hiccup asked

"While we were at Dragons Edge you would get sick very often after going out flying on toothless whenever it was raining which made you get sick and let me tell ya, you are the worst when you are in bed sick you would always try to get out of bed and do things and we always tell you to go back to bed to get better but you wouldn't do it so we had to use Toothless to drag you back to bed then we had to take you leg away so you could better, so yes you are stubborn when sick and it got worse when you became chief since you kept working." Astrid said as Hiccup sheepishly smiled and blushed while he rubbed the back of his neck

Ruffnut: He showed up.

Tuffnut: He didn't get eaten.

"Neither did you and we wondering why since you and your sister always fight each other when there is something dangerous in front of you and yet you survive somehow?" Dagur asked

... but the recruits keep closing the gaps. Rolling his eyes, Hiccup sits at the vacant table next to them.

"Now that's just mean." Mala said

Astrid: He's never where he should be.

Gobber: Thank you, Astrid.

Gobber stands.

Gobber: You need to live and breathe this stuff.

Gobber lays a giant book in the center of the table.

"Isn't that the same book we had in the attic?" Zephyr asked as she woke up

"Yeah." Hiccup said

"So that book wasn't Granpa's, it was Grand uncle's Gobber's book instead." Zephyr said

Gobber: The dragon manual. Everything we know about every dragon we know of.

"There were still dragons we didn't know about yet until after the dragon war then new species started to appear." Fishlegs said

A RUMBLE of thunder shakes the hall. Rain pours down outside.

Gobber: No attacks tonight. Study up.

Gobber exits into the storm, leaving the teens staring at the book.

Tuffnut: (you've got to be kidding) Wait, you mean read?

Ruffnut: While we're still alive?

"No, while you're dead in Valhalla." Heather sarcastically said as she rolled her eyes

"We can still read when we dead I thought Valhalla was a paradise but it's all a lie." Tuffnut dramatically said alongside Ruffnut

Snotlout: Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?

"Were we training the dumbest dragon killers back then?" New Berkian Viking asked

"Except for 3." Another villager said

"Oh yeah, Hiccup, Astrid, and Fishlegs were the smartest teenagers we had back then." First Villager said

Fishlegs: Oh! I've read it like, seven times. There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face. And there's this other one that buries itself for like a week...

"Fishlegs, the dragons you just said will be the one we encountered." Hiccup said

The teens stare as Fishlegs goes on too long.

Tuffnut: Yeah, that sounds great. There was a chance I was going to read that...

Ruffnut: ...but now...

Snotlout gets up to go.

Snotlout: You guys read, I'll go kill stuff.

The others follow, with Fishlegs in tow.

Fishlegs: Oh and there's this other one that has these spines that look like trees...

"Which dragon was that? Was it the Timberjack or was it something else?" Gary asked

Astrid is the last to go.

Hiccup: So I guess we'll share-

Astrid: Read it.

"OH! This would have been the perfect Hiccstrid scene you two reading the book of dragons together." Heather said

She pushes it toward him and leaves.

Hiccup: All mine then. Wow, so okay. I'll see you-

Slam.

Hiccup: Tomorrow. SIGH.

GREAT HALL - LATE NIGHT

"You were in the Great Hall alone." Gobber said

"I wanted to read the Dragon Book alone and to do that was wait until the Great Hall was empty and let me tell you Gobber there were a lot of things I could get away with while I was alone while everyone was asleep or in the Great Hall." Hiccup said

"Is that how you got away with your secret Night Fury training?" Astrid asked

"Yeah, I waited until it was all clear and quiet before I did any of my projects." Hiccup said

Opening the massive book. Thunder booms outside. The hall is vacant and dark, but for the few candles he's pulled together.

Hiccup pours through page after page of strange and frightening dragons.

Hiccup: Dragon classifications. Strike class. Fear class. Mystery class.

"With all of our adventures we had over the years we have found more dragons and dragon classes than Borg ever did when he was still alive." Fishlegs said

Hiccup turns the page.

Hiccup: Thunderdrum. This reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tidepools.

"Dad's first dragon he trained after the Dragon War ended." Hiccup said

"So Skullcrashers wasn't the first dragon he trained." Valka said as Hiccup shook his head

Hiccup: When startled, the Thunderdrum produces a concussive sound that can kill a man at close range. Extremely dangerous. Kill on sight.

"More like make people deaf that's how loud they are even their babies who don't know how to control their roar." Fishlegs said

Hiccup's eyes drift to a lurid illustration of decapitated Vikings. Another page, another dragon.

Hiccup: Timberjack. This gigantic creature has razor-sharp wings that can slice through full-grown trees...extremely dangerous. Kill on sight.

"Those dragons are great chainsaws for cutting down trees but you need to move out the way so you don't get sliced as well." New Berkian said

The illustrations seem to take on a life of their own, shifting and squirming in the candlelight.

"Wait books can do that." Tuffnut said

"If they can we totally reading books from now on." Ruffnut said as people facepalmed at their studipty

Hiccup: Scauldron. Sprays scalding water at its victim. Extremely dangerous.

"Don't forget it has poison in it's teeth." Fishlegs said

The storm outside rages against the shuttered windows. Hiccup is startled, but presses on.

Hiccup: Changewing. Even newly hatched dragons can spray acid. Kill on sight.

"Invading their nest and bringing their eggs back to the village is also dangerous." Fishlegs said

He begins flipping through the pages. A blur of dragons...

Hiccup: Gronckle. Zippleback. The Skrill. Bone Knapper. Whispering Death. Burns its victims. Buries its victims. Chokes its victims. Turns its victims inside-out. Extremely dangerous. Extremely dangerous. Kill on sight. Kill on sight. Kill on sight...

"Ah! When was that book last updated?" Throk asked

"When Borg was still alive." Gobber said

Hiccup finally lands upon the page he's been looking for.

Hiccup: Night Fury.

It's BLANK - no image, save for a few, sparse details.

Hiccup: Speed unknown. Size unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself.

"The lightning part was right but the death part not so much." Hiccup said

"Did you figure out how fast the Night Fury can go?" Gary asked

"If Stormfly eats chicken that can make her match the speed of Toothless then again Toothless has the speed of 20." Fishlegs said

Hiccup: Never engage this dragon. Your only chance, hide and pray it does not find you.

"Really, Master Hiccup looks fine after encountering the Night Fury." Mala said

"We didn't know that until it appeared in the arena." Gobber said

Hiccup pulls his sketchbook out of his vest and opens it to his drawing of Toothless. He lays it over the book's blank page and considers it.

"What were you considering doing Hiccup?" Astrid said

"I was considering training the dragon." Hiccup said

Close on the drawing of Toothless...

HIGH SEAS - DAWN

A painted Dragon, with a sword run through it. It's the billowing sail of Stoick's ship.

Stoick hovers over the familiar nautical map - his eyes on the uncharted corner, swirling in mist and illustrations of dragons.

Stoick: I can almost smell them. They're close. Steady.

Stoick raises his gaze to...

An epic fog bank, towering from sky to sea like a bruised, daunting curtain, beyond which nothing is visible. The three ships drift alongside it, skirting its solid edge, looking for an opening.

"I knew Vikings were stupid but this is beyond stupid how are you going to navigate through the thick fog and the rocks sticking out." Mala said

"This was before we knew Dragons can guide us to the nest." Spitelout said

On deck the crewmen mill nervously, all too aware of what Stoick is considering.

"Even his men are afraid to enter the death trap." Throk said

Stoick Take us in.

The helmsman steers Stoick's ship into the fog. The men draw their weapons, prepping for the worst.

Viking: Hard to port... for Helheim's gate.

The first ship disappears into the whiteout, followed by the other two.

Suddenly a flash of light. A silhouette of a dragon. Hollers. Sounds of splitting and shattering wood. Plunges into the water. Another bright flash.

TRAINING GROUNDS - RING - DAY

Close on a Dragon painted onto a shield. Hiccup runs his finger over its outline.

Hiccup: You know, I just happened to notice the book had nothing on Night Furies. Is there another book? Or a sequel? Maybe a little Night Fury pamphlet?

Kablam! A blast takes the axe head off of Hiccup's hilt, leaving a smoking hole behind him. Hiccup yelps and runs

"Dad yelled at me for destroying one of the axes that I had to make him a new one." Hiccup said

Gobber: FOCUS Hiccup! You're not even trying.

Cut back to reveal a Deadly Nadder, loose in a maze-like arrangement of moveable walls. Gobber calls orders from above.

Gobber Today... is all about attack.

The Nadder hops from wall to wall, sending the recruits scurrying.

Gobber: Nadders are quick and light on their feet. Your job is to be quicker and lighter.

"Astrid is quick and light on her feet while with a weapon and Stormfly while also as she is quick and light doing other things." Hiccup said with a smile as Astrid blushed

The teens move in, stumbling over Hiccup and his unwieldy shield. The Nadder spots Fishlegs' ample rear hiding behind a wall. It whips its tail of spikes. Fishlegs screams and lifts an entire wall to shield himself from the spray.

Fishlegs: I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods.

"You questioning them now, I have been questioning them since I was being trained in the forge when I was young." Hiccup said

Gobber: Look for its blind spot. Every dragon has one. Find it, hide in it, and strike.

Ruff and Tuff rush in, diving and rolling up to the Nadder's nose. The Nadder sniffs the air - it can't see them. Tuff and Ruff are smashed together - too close for comfort.

Ruffnut(whispered): Do you ever bathe?

"Do you?" Heather asked

Tuffnut: If you don't like it, then just get your own blind spot.

Ruffnut: How about I give you one!

Ruff and Tuff shove each other, till their movement and noise gives them away. The Nadder attacks, snapping at both of them.

Gobber: Blind spot? Yes. Deaf spot? Not so much.

"My girl hates land noises." Astrid said as she rubbed Stormfly's snout

Hiccup wanders up to Gobber, while the others dart past.

Hiccup: Hey, so how would one sneak up on a Night Fury?

Gobber: None one's ever met one and lived to tell the tale. Now get in there.

"Grimmel disproved that by killing nearly the entire Night Fury population to extinct." Hiccup said

Hiccup: I know, I know, but hypothetically...

Astrid (whispered): Hiccup!

She puts her finger to her lips and gestures for him to hide. A moment later, the Nadder leaps over the walls, surprising them by landing in front of her. Astrid somersaults into its blind spot, confusing it. She rears back to strike - just as Snotlout LEAPS IN, protectively SWEEPING Astrid behind him.

Snotlout: Watch out babe. I'll take care of this.

Astrid: Hey!

Snotlout misses. Astrid glares at him.

Snotlout(defensive): The sun was in my eyes, Astrid. What do you want me to do, block out the sun? I could do that, but I don't have time right now!

"That was piss poor flirting Snotlout, Hiccup can do better." Heather said

The Nadder tears off after her, knocking down walls in pursuit. She leaps and dives like a highly trained gymnast.

Hiccup wanders up to Gobber again.

Hiccup: They probably take the daytime off. You know, like a cat. Has anyone ever seen one napping?

"Hiccup can you stop asking questions about the Night Fury and concentrate on the Deadly Nadder that is coming." Mala said

Gobber: Hiccup!

Astrid: -Hiccup!

Hiccup spins around to see the maze walls collapsing like dominos toward him. Astrid comes flying through the dust and crash-lands on top of him, laying him out in a limb-tangled mess.

Tuffnut: Oooh! Love on the battlefield!

Ruffnut: She could do better.

"Who, Snotlout and Tuffnut are both idiots, and Snotlout flirts with her all the time that she gets annoyed by it." Heather said

The Nadder closes in, emerging through the cloud of dust.

Hiccup: (struggling to untangle) Just... let me... why don't you...

The Nadder spins around and races back toward them like a Raptor.

Astrid untangles herself and tries to pull her axe from Hiccup's shield... which is attached to his limp, gangly arm.

She plants her foot on his torso and yanks the axe free, still burrowed into the shield.

"Dragon" DeBlois/Sanders Final Draft (Rev.19) 02-13-2010 36.

She spins and swings the axe and shield, scoring a direct hit on the oncoming Nadder's nose. It yelps and scurries off.

"Sorry girl." Astrid said as she patted the same area as the scar

Gobber: Well done, Astrid.

Gobber hobbles off to wrestle the Nadder back into his cave. Hiccup gets to his feet - all eyes are upon him. He turns to find Astrid glaring at him, winded.

Astrid: Is this some kind of a joke to you? Our parents' war is about to become ours. Figure out which side you're on.

"What you said got me thinking if our parent's war is going to be our war then our children will be their war so I had to do something to end this war before our village or any other Viking Village that will get wiped off the map." Hiccup said

She grabs her axe and stomps off. Hiccup watches, stung.

A fish... being thrown into the cove. It hits the ground and slides. A moment later, Hiccup peeks through a gap in the rock, looking around cautiously. Nothing. Hiccup squeezes through and enters the cove. A beat, then Hiccup hears a snort from behind him. Hiccup turns to see the Night Fury, crouched on a rock like a stealthy panther. It descends, approaching him... ready to pounce. Hiccup swallows his fear and offers the fish.

"Did you just overcome your fear of dragons by facing one down?" Gary asked

"Yes I did, I was going to quit Dragon Training due to my fear of Dragons but after being with Toothless I'm glad I didn't." Hiccup said

Doing so reveals the dagger at his waist. The dragon sees it and hisses. Hiccup reaches for it, eliciting a growl. He pauses, carefully lifts it by the handle, and tosses it away. The dragon calms. As it approaches the fish, Hiccup notices that it's missing teeth.

"I thought the Dragon had teeth when it growled at you but now they gone." Dagur said

"Now you know why I named him Toothless due to his ability to hide his teeth." Hiccup said

Hiccup: Huh. Toothless. I could've sworn you had...

A set of razor-sharp teeth emerge from its gums to grab the fish. Toothless snatches and gnashes it up, swallowing it.

Hiccup: ... teeth.

The teeth retract again. Toothless presses closer with an expectant look. Hiccup retreats nervously.

Hiccup: Uh, no. No, I don't have anymore.

"That was stupid of you only giving Toothless one piece of fish." Mala said

"That's why on my next trip I brought a basket of fish." Hiccup said

The Fury backs Hiccup against a rock, placing himself the same position as before. The dragon closes in over him, staring blankly. A tense moment passes... then Toothless regurgitates a chunk of fish onto Hiccup's lap. They exchange stares. Hiccup realizes what Toothless wants him to do. Hiccup crouches slowly and squeamishly picks it up.

"Don't tell me you are going to do it." Heather said

The dragon waits expectantly. Hiccup gags and gnaws off a bite of the slimy fish.

Off-screen the girls ran to the toilets to empty their stomachs after seeing what Hiccup did then after they finished they came back out and sat back down

He forces a smile. Toothless mimics him.

"Awww! Every girl squealed

Amazed, Hiccup sits up and tries to touch him. Toothless hisses and flaps off to a crash on the other side of the cove. He blasts the mossy ground to a red-hot temperature... and curls up on it like a giant dog. He turns to find Hiccup seated beside him. Toothless tolerates his persistent presence... until Hiccup tries to touch his damaged tail. Toothless SNAPS at him. Hiccup takes the hint and leaves.

It's magic hour. Toothless wakes, hanging upside down from a tree. He spots Hiccup sitting on the other side of the cove. Sketching in the sand.

Close on a sketch of Toothless. Hiccup draws with a stick, minding his own business. Toothless appears behind him, watching carefully. Aware of his presence, Hiccup continues, trying not to scare him off. Toothless walks off. A moment later, he reappears with an entire sapling, drawing lines in the sand. He rushes here and there, making haphazard lines in every direction. Finally, Toothless drops the tree and inspects his work. He seems pleased.

"Did Toothless just draw a picture?" Mala said in shock as Hiccup nodded

idd"Yeah this was his first time drawing and you'll see him draw again." Hiccup said

Hiccup stands and takes in the sprawling scribble, amazed by it. He accidentally steps onto one of the lines, eliciting an instant growl from Toothless. He steps on it again. Toothless growls again. Realizing how sensitive he is, Hiccup steps carefully between each line, turning round and round until he unwittingly bumps into Toothless. Toothless snorts. Once again, they're face to face. Hiccup slowly extends his hand. Toothless hesitates. Hiccup turns his head away and closes his eyes. To his amazement, Toothless bridges the gap and presses his muzzle against Hiccup's hand. In a flash, the dragon is gone, leaving Hiccup astounded.

"What were you thinking after you did that Hiccup?" Atali asked

"I was thinking that I made friends with our worst enemy and that everything about dragons was wrong." Hiccup said as they faced the screen again to watch the next part