Last part of this story is here! A new one starts after this, so don't worry!

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The Adventurous Adventures of Hiccup and Wrenlou

Becoming Friends, Part VI

'Hiccup, get up!'

Hiccup grunted and sat up, rubbing his eyes. He yawned before he looked around. Wrenlou was standing next to the bed, Snowflake at his side. Toothless crooned from the other side of the bed, demanding attention. Wrenlou crossed his arms.

'Come on, we have tons of stuff to do today.'

Hiccup sighed. Packing. He didn't like packing. He didn't even know what to take!

'Can we at least have breakfast first?'

'Of course! Can't start packing without breakfast. Now get dressed, we'll be downstairs.'

Wrenlou mounted the white dragon, and they flew off. Hiccup yawned again, just sitting on the bed for a while. Then he quickly slipped into his clothes, and flew Toothless down to the plaza. The dragons ran away to get some fish, the boys went into the Hall. Once they had settled down on their usual table, Hiccup sighed.

'I don't know what to take.'

'Well, you need your sword, all of your clothes, the notebook, I can imagine. The saddle, the tailfin... Don't forget the dragon.'

'Now you're just stating the obvious.'

'Hey, you were asking what you needed to take, I'm telling you.'

'Very funny. But it was a serious question.'

'The first part was a serious answer. You need the sword, clothes, notebook. Anything else you want to take.'

'That's just it, I don't know what I want to take. I mean, should I like, take a dagger?'

'Do you have one?'

Hiccup shook his head. He had lost all his weapons when he had been captured by the strange men that nearly killed him. He had arrived on Night Fury Island with just the clothes he was wearing, and whatever was left in the saddlebags.

'Then we'll have to find you one.'

'Is that necessary?'

'To have a dagger? Yes. I have one with me at all times. It's not only a weapon, it's a tool. You never know when you need it.'

'Okay... I think I understand that. But what else? Do I need to take food? Or a blanket or anything?'

'No. no food, no blanket, that's all present in the bay.'

'Then... then I don't have much to take...'

'Oh don't worry about it, you don't have to. As long as you have everything you need. You might want to take some oranges though, we don't have those in the bay.'

'What? Why not?'

'The bay is really secluded. Everything we eat, we grow there, or hunt ourselves. So we eat a lot of fish, because of the dragons, you know? But oranges don't grow there, so we don't have those. If you want them, you have to take them.'

'I do want them. I love them.'

To emphasize his words he picked the orange from his plate. He had started to get handier in peeling the thing, but it was still a challenge.

'Okay.' Wrenlou said, putting down his cup. 'So we need to get oranges, and find you a dagger somewhere. Maybe the blacksmith can help with that. We can go ask him.'

Hiccup nodded, his mouth full of orange. After he swallowed the pieces, he put the rest down, picking up some bread.

'I was a blacksmith's apprentice before I left.'

'You... really?'

'Hard to believe, I know.' Hiccup looked at his arms. They didn't exactly look like he had worked in a forge before.

'That's how I was able to make Toothless' tailfin. And the saddle.'

Wrenlou's eyes widened. 'You made all that? Really?'

Hiccup nodded, suddenly feeling shy again. He quickly stuffed the rest of the orange in his mouth.

'You continue to amaze me, you know that?'

Hiccup felt his cheeks go red and he mumbled something intelligible. Wrenlou just laughed.

'Maybe you could go into apprenticeship in the city. Later, when we're done learning.' Wrenlou sighed, resting his head in his hands. 'Really, I wish I didn't have to take you there. Don't get me wrong, the place is amazing, and Dale is a great guy, but learning is such a bore...'

'I bet it's amazing.'

'Yeah sure, that's because you join us in our last year. Not even the whole year. We're just getting to all the fun stuff. You skipped the boring part.'

'Raising a baby dragon is boring?'

After sipping the rest of the juice from his cup, Wrenlou sighed and shook his head.

'That's not boring, that's hazardous. Especially when they discover their flame. Lots of things get burned when that happens. A single sneeze, and you're on fire if you're not careful. That's how this happened.' He gestured to the scar under his arm. 'Snow was climbing all over me, not fully aware of how sharp her claws were. And she scratched me.'

'Now I really wish I could have known Toothless as a baby.'

'It would have been different. But, are you ready?'

'Yes, I'm ready. Where are we going first?'

'The forge. Have I shown you the forge before? I don't think I have...'

'You didn't.' Hiccup said, stacking the plates. 'I don't even know where it is. It isn't on the plaza is it?'

'No, but it's close. Come on! Let's get you a dagger shall we?'

'I had one... I made it myself. But I lost it.'

'When he...?'

Hiccup shook his head while they walked out of the Hall. 'When I met Toothless. He had me throw it in the lake when we first met. I forgot to retrieve it when I left.'

'I'm sure that once you become the blacksmith's apprentice, you can make tons of daggers if you like.'

Hiccup smiled weakly while they walked through the streets. He missed working the forge a little. Usually Gobber would have just given him something to do, and left him alone with his work. Even though it had been hard work, he had enjoyed it.

He heard the forge before he saw it. The sound of the hammer on metal rang through the air. As soon as the building came into view, he saw it was much bigger than the one on Berk. The smith was a large man with short brown hair, no more than a stubble. His bare torso was shimmering with sweat as he worked the pice of metal on the anvil. He stopped as soon as he saw them, placing his work in the fire again. After he had exchanged a few words with Wrenlou, he placed it back on the anvil.

'He said that he didn't have a dagger for you, but he's willing to make one for you.'

Hiccup nodded, hesitating a moment before he pulled Wrenlou's sleeve.

'Could... could you ask him if I can make it myself?'

'Make it yourself...?' Hiccup nodded. 'Are you sure?'

'Wren, I can do it. Trust me. All I need is some time. Please ask him.'

Wrenlou turned back to the man. As soon as he had uttered the question, the blacksmith looked at Hiccup and burst out in laughter. Hiccup clenched his jaw. The blacksmith said something to Wrenlou, shaking his head, still laughing. Hiccup turned his gaze to the ground. It hurt. The man was laughing at him, and it hurt. He looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He had expected it to be Wrenlou, but it was the blacksmith.

'You... make?' The man asked in broken Norse.

Hiccup nodded. 'I can do it, really. Please.'

The smith frowned and looked at Wrenlou, who quickly translated Hiccup's words. The man nodded slowly, eyeing the boy in front of him. Then he stepped aside, and with a wide arm gesture indicated the forge.

'You make!'

Hiccup looked up to the man. Did that mean...? Before he could say anything, the smith gently pushed him inside the forge. He handed him an apron which was two sizes too big, and showed him where the tools were. Then he stepped aside, staying just outside the forge.

He was all too aware of the eyes that were watching him. The blacksmith, he didn't even know his name, was standing at the entrance, his arms crossed. The man was watching his every move and it made him feel a little nervous.

Wrenlou had hopped onto one of the wooded tables, and was just sitting there, his legs swaying back and forth. He was also watching, but with interest and amazement, whereas the blacksmith just looked distrusting.

It had been a while since he had last been in a forge and it felt strange to have a hammer in his hands again, but after a few strikes, he picked up the rythm. A smile crept on his face while he hammered the metal into shape, although his arm started to hurt a lot sooner than it used to.

When he looked up, he found both Wrenlou and the blacksmith staring at him. The former was smiling widely, the latter was just staring, his jaw on the ground. He smiled sheepishly and quickly turned around, placing his metal piece back in the fire.

After a few hours of hammering and heating and hammering and heating, the metal started to take shape. Wrenlou had slid off the table, coming closer. Hiccup could see the fascination in his eyes. Somehow it felt good to be able to show his savior what he was capable of doing with metal, fire and a hammer. The blacksmith had also come closer, muttering under his breath.

He felt pride rise while he sharpened his newly made dagger. It had taken him half the day to get the thing done, but it was a work of art. It looked a lot like his old one, but was slightly bigger. He had engraved his initials, HHH, just below the hilt.

'Hiccup... that is bloody amazing.'

He looked up, his eyes meeting Wrenlou's. He smiled shyly, eyes shifting to the ground. He felt a hand on his shoulder and saw the blacksmith standing next to him, one hand out demanding the weapon. A little hesitant he placed it in the man's huge hands. The smith turned it around, trying to find some flaw, but finding none. He nodded in approval, and said something while he handed Hiccup the dagger back.

Two pairs of eyes staring at him like no one had ever looked at him before, made him feel really uncomfortable. They were looking at him with amazement, pride even. They were looking at him like he was worth something. They saw him and his abilities.

'I don't know how you just did that, but that was amazing. Really!'

'Thanks...' Hiccup mumbled.

He wrapped his arms around himself, staring at the ground. A hand lifted his chin and he looked into the eyes of the blacksmith.

'You make... good.'

A wide smile spread across his face as he felt pride wash over him. Someone acknowledged his work as good. He held the dagger with both hands, trying to stop them from shaking with excitement.

'T...thank you... for letting me use the forge.'

Wrenlou had to translate, but as soon as he had, the smith started laughing. Not the condescending laugh from before, but a warm, openhearted one.

After bidding the man goodbye, they left, walking back to the plaza. Wrenlou was shaking his head while he looked at Hiccup.

'I have said it before, and I will say it again. That was amazing! How do you do that!'

'I... I don't really know... why did he let me use the forge? He didn't know me at all.'

'Because I convinced him to trust you. Can I see that?'

Hiccup handed him the dagger and Wrenlou studied it from all sides. He shook his head again.

'I can't believe you made this in so little time. It's incredible. You would make a good blacksmith one day. I have one question thought. What does HHH stand for?'

'My full name. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock.'

Wrenlou raised an eyebrow. 'Horrendous...?'

'Don't say it. Let's just stick with Hiccup please.'

'Don't worry. I will never call you Horrendous. Who names their child Horrendous...'

'Vikings do. Don't ask. What else do I need to pack?'

'Right... packing...' Wrenlou handed Hiccup the dagger again. 'Clothes. Notebook. What's in your saddlebags?'

'Em... I'm not sure... there was a canteen with water in there, a bowl, a spoon...'

'Good. All very essential. Add some bandages to that, and you have the basics right there.'

'Basics?'

Wrenlou nodded and stepped out of the way when a Night Fury dashed through the street, followed by another.

'We must have a few things in our saddlebags at all times. Water, bandages, a bowl, a spoon, a second knife. If I hadn't brought all that, you would have bled out on your way to the city.'

'But I don't have a second knife yet.'

'Don't worry about it. Alright. You go up to your room and start collecting everything. I'll go get a bunch of oranges.'

Hiccup nodded and started walking across the plaza. Then he turned around to Wrenlou.

'Bring lots!'

Wrenlou waved a hand at him and Hiccup smiled. He was almost at the door that led to the stairs to his room, when he remembered Toothless was still somewhere on the plaza. He looked around the mass of dragons, but finding a black dragon among black dragons, was really hard. He sighed and was about to give up, when he spotted a speck of white. He called out to the white dragon, and as soon as she spotted him, she bounced over. Toothless was right behind her.

'Toothless! There you are. I think you should wait here for Wrenlou, okay?'

The white dragon bobbed her head and turned away from him. Hiccup jumped on Toothless back and quickly flew up to his room. Somewhere at the back of his head a nagging voice kept repeating that he wasn't allowed to fly, but he didn't even care anymore.

His clothes were quickly gathered, he didn't have that many. He was sketching when Wrenlou flew in, Snowflake shaking her wings before she sailed down to the plaza again. Wrenlou threw a bag on the bed, some oranges rolling out.

'Here you go. All I could find. They won't last for six months, but you can survive without them, right?'

Hiccup nodded. He couldn't resist to pick one up to eat it. He looked up when Wrenlou sat down next to him.

'Got everything?'

'I think so. Got my clothes... My dagger... Oh! Sword!'

He jumped up, some of the oranges rolling of the bed. He picked the sword from the chair and walked it over to the bed, putting in next to his clothes. After picking the oranges from the ground and stuffing them back into the bag, he sat down again.

'What do we do now?'

'Wait. We could go to the Hall, hear more music. Walk around the city some more.'

'Can't we leave now?'

Wrenlou shook his head. They expect us tomorrow. So we have to show up tomorrow.'

'Okay. Can we go to the Hall?'

'Absolutely. We're going to have to take the stairs though.'

'I don't care. Will you take you violin to the Hall? Play there?'

'Eh...' Wrenlou ran a hand over the still visible welt from the broken string. 'I prefer not. I don't play well with an audience. And the strings still have to settle. I really, really, don't want this to happen again.'

He gesture to his face while he opened the door. Toothless crooned and trotted after them, but Hiccup stopped him.

'You stay here bud. I'll bring you some fish. Get some extra rest. Tomorrow the lazy days are over again.'

The dragon wailed, but his wail turned into a yawn and he sauntered over to the bed, curling up on the ground next to it. Hiccup softly closed the door and followed Wrenlou down the stairs. He was excited about tomorrow, and yet he was somewhat scared.

He had no idea what he would find, and that scared him.

But he would be with other riders, learning new things, and that excited him.

When he stepped onto the plaza, excitement won from his fear. He had Toothless. He had Wrenlou. His new life was about to start, really start, he would make sure he enjoyed every moment of it.

Alright! That was the second story! Starting the third after this. Hope you enjoyed it, please let me know!