The sky was covered by dark purple, mixed with orange, afterglow, as the two creatures of the night, namely the two Night Furies, flew through it, maybe not at the top of their speed, but the velocity, not just one dragon could be envious of. There was not even a single cloud, not even a light wind, while the sun warmed up their scales, reflecting the dark navy and dark purple color on them, creating rather a pleasurable sensation for both.
As the smaller one, with widely extended wings, maintained herself in the gliding, having her eyes fixed forward, the other did the same just underneath her wing, although keeping the distance, so as to not disturb her with his rather enormous wing and uphold her at the range of his eyes. Since soaring into the sky, the silence was formed between them, but it wasn't anxious enough for either of them to worry, and because of this, they focused on enjoying the surroundings, precisely the beautiful panorama ahead.
Occasionally, the female would glance downward, as to see if the male was still there, and every time she would, she could observe the same view of his, either staring onward or at her, while she beamed, every time he would. At some point, her eyes stayed a little more on him, as he gazed toward the ocean, and she couldn't admire enough his eyes - their color of acid green, which combined with the sea shade, currently.
Months ago, it would have been unbelievable for her, to even wonder how would it be to fly side by side with such a mighty Night Fury he was, with the dragon that appeared in her worst nightmares, the thought itself would have, but now, it was the most ordinary reality. She couldn't get over the thought of why would she be ever afraid of him, why would she be ever terrified about the hearsays her folks announced when in reality, it took somewhere around two months before he became that incredible self; gentle self.
At one stage of her being lost in thought, she came round and just then noticed that Toothless was gaping at her, smirking and lifting his eyebrow, to which she reacted instantly, raising her head and goggling blankly forward, embarrassed. Catching the sight that she did, Toothless shook his head before reducing the distance between them cautiously, as he asked, the smirk never leaving his face.
"What did you think about?"
"Nothing," she replied, peeking at him, and once noticing his constant stare, added, "It doesn't matter."
"Doesn't matter?" he repeated, tilting his head up, so it almost brushed the side of the female's neck. "Don't be like that, just say."
"Why do I have to?" she inquired, avoiding his view at all costs, even at the cost of impacting her stomach into the sharp bone of his wing. "As I said it doesn't matter."
"If you insist," he summarised, tilting his body back to the side, staying quiet, until admitting, narrowing his eyes at her. "Just so you know, I was thinking about how beautiful you are, with such a colorful background behind."
"So that's why," she concluded, giving the male the swift once-over. "You're just seeking some compliments, aren't you?"
"Maybe," he confirmed, drawing his head the closest to her as possible. "Pretty please, sunshine."
Subsequently, squirming her eyes, she lowered her head to his, so they were inches from one another, before complimenting, "You are the most handsome, fearless, and strongest Night Fury I have ever met," as she bumped their noses together.
"That's the spirit," he replied and returned to his earlier position, as the realization hit him as well as his smirk slippered. "Hold on, the most handsome Night Fury you ever met?" he quoted her, while her grin only widened. "Have you ever met other Night Fury than me?"
"In fact, no I didn't," she answered, glancing at him, the proudest of herself he had ever seen her. "However, you wanted a compliment, so here you go."
"You are horrible," he snarled shortly, pushing his wings forward so as to level her. "How dare you even?"
"I have no idea," she giggled, glimpsing his offended self, before signing, gazing once more at the stunning surroundings. "It's beautiful here, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is," he agreed, as his wing brushed against the upper part of hers. "Even more, because nobody is bothering us."
"It's not my fault that you wouldn't take me earlier, unless with Astrid," she spotted, gazing at him with the side of her eye, wrinkling her nose. "I'm still upset with you about that, by the way."
"Believe me, I didn't want Astrid there myself," he groaned, before wearing the bright grin on his face. "Heather on the other hand…"
Hearing that, Hiccup's eyes widened, as she gazed at Toothless furiously, and growled, "You didn't say that," when he turned on his back and flew just underneath her, upside down.
"What? You forgot that I know other humans besides you one?" he reminded, raising his eyes as she lowered hers, locking them on each other's. "She would actually appreciate me taking her to such a show, you know?"
"How dare you?!"
"Two can play that game, sweetheart."
"I swear, I'm going to kill you if you won't spit these words," she threatened, as her nostrils flared and her eyes burned with rage. "Right now."
The male didn't reply to her at first, just turned up the corner of his mouth, before challenging, "You've got to catch me, first," and after shortly licking her jaw, tilting his body backward, so it dived fast toward the ocean.
Not wasting any second more, Hiccup hurried after him, and as she did, the salty air smacked her face, mostly her eyes, although that didn't discourage her, rather the contrary, as it did, she was hit by the adrenaline, and that only motivated her to push forward. Eventually, she approached the tip of Toothless's tail, but also the surface of the ocean at which sight the idea appeared in her mind, the fear of impacting into it, which refrained her from any more diving.
As she glid upward, she observed Toothless still going, making her wonder why wouldn't the male stop himself, but then it was explained, once he opened his wings just inches from the water, gliding gracefully just over it. Rolling her eyes, the female barked at his obvious attempt at impression, before racing after him, and, not long after appearing just behind him, gliding over the surface of the sea, with the reflection of an astonishing sky on it.
Even so, she didn't mind it much, maintaining her focus on catching up with Toothless, who currently glanced back at her and smirked ominously, making her more than certain that, whatever was on his mind, wouldn't be good for her. As she thought, was, because it didn't pass a moment that he tilted his body to the side, submerging the tip of his wing in the water, agitating it and sending it straight into Hiccup's face.
Surprised, the female didn't react much, just closed her eyes at once, opening them when she heard the male in the front chuckle, as to glare at him, having her whole face soaking with the transparent liquid, causing the larger Night Fury's greater amusement. Afterward, he repeated his earlier doings, and Hiccup attempted to dodge it ineffectively, however, as she tilted her body, water would reach her anyway, and Toothless watched her useless tries, satisfied and entertained.
Ultimately, she couldn't take it anymore, using all her strength to get ahead of him, and as she did, she made an effort to splash him with water just the same, but in the end, once she submerged her wing in the sea, it exerted the force on her, which threw her backward, almost into the ocean. As she managed to balance herself after the occurrence, glimpsing how the amusement never faded from the male's face, she, not just once, repeated her doings, without much effect on either of her tries.
Each time Toothless would just observe her motionlessly, unbelieving that after so many attempts she couldn't have still made it, and as he once even acknowledged his thoughts, something inside Hiccup snapped. Immediately, she took on the try one more time, this time submerging more than just the tip of the wing, resulting in the force of the push being so strong, that it landed her straight in the water.
The first that came was the shock after the impact, just then the realization of her being surrounded by the dark ocean, and finally, even panic, when trying to swim upward it proved to be different in the dragons' case. As it turned out, the heaviness of her wings as well as her tail, increased by the water resistance, was pulling her deeper into the ocean, and while trying to save herself by swinging her paws, they weren't strong enough to oust her upward.
Not knowing what else to do, she roared, despite understanding the sound wouldn't travel through the thick liquid, although somehow, it seemed that Toothless had heard her because just after a second, he submerged after her. At first, confusion overtook his face, as he observed her difficulty, and then, glimpsing how she struggled with even moving her wings, he widened his eyes as the realization transformed him.
Immediately after, he swam toward her, and being just next to her, he instructed her to grip him, afterward, having her on his back, he hurried to the top, and within the moment, they broke the surface, panting as they did. Subsequently, Toothless glid, not much away, but also not much close to the ocean, shaking his head out of the water, while Hiccup remained on him, soaking in startle, also stabbing her claws into his skin.
Eventually, the dried male, tilting his head to the side, gazed at the female from the corner of his eye, and asked, "Are you okay, sunshine?" staring at her, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm okay," she replied, taking a rather deep inhale, and loosening the hold she had on him, thereafter. "Thank you, love," she added, as she leaned closer toward him and licked the side of his head.
"Don't mention it," he responded, turning his head in the direction of their course, faking a small smile on his muzzle. "All that matters is that you're alright."
As he declared, Hiccup tilted her head at him, before inching just closer to him, brushing her snout into the spot under his ear, feeling underneath herself how tense the body of the male was. Finally, Toothless revealed his perception, purring sadly, what she always translated as That's my fault, to which she responded by licking the same area she caressed and purring herself - That's okay.
Ultimately, seeing his honest smile, Hiccup returned it, before gazing at the sun, which was half covered by the water, and acknowledging, "Beautiful," glancing from the sun to Toothless, and back.
Before responding, he gaped at her face, into her dark green, brightened by the reflection of the sun, eyes, and agreed, "The most beautiful," his eyes never leaving the sight of hers.
Surrounded by the dark, forest flora of some island distanced from the Edge, where the only light was the one created by the, currently very bright, moon, Toothless and Hiccup lay in a rather tall grass, in the opening encircled by the fragrant pines. Embracing with his wing the female, Toothless had his paw, and even jaw on her, maintaining her as close to himself as it was possible, while Hiccup allowed him for that, pressing her snout in the scales of his chest.
They appeared there some time ago, at the time when the sun hid behind the horizon, and thirsted for a break after a rather tiresome, although enjoyable, flight, finalized at the same time the last light disappeared. As it did, it didn't take them long to find that land, having no trace of any life, neither human nor dragon, making it the perfect location for a quiet rest that they longed for, for so long.
The time wasn't very much feeling long, rather the opposite, being in a state in between slumber and reality, the time seemed to quicken, and within no moment the bright evening changed into the dark midnight, having not even a mere whisper around. Being tickled by the soft grass, surrounded only by the sounds of their breathing, which at the same time would lull them, the two were relaxing, after everything, after the incident, after Hiccup's overworking, after any thing possible.
It could be seen that everything was perfect, and it actually was, at least until Toothless's ear twitched, and then lifted itself as the snarl left his chest, forcing Hiccup, currently next to it, to open her eyes, not very much pleased with the occurrence. When the male even took off his warmth of her, she must have glanced up at him, and glimpsing how his eyes were moving around, even his jaw was constantly opening, as if he wanted to swallow the air itself, she raised herself and asked.
"Love, what's wrong?" she tilted her head at him, and her eyes squinted, noticing the tiny, microscopic fly, buzzing around Toothless's muzzle, as if escaping from and attacking him. "Is that about the fly?"
Without receiving any response from him, Hiccup had to conclude herself, but when she watched how furious he looked, how his eyes narrowed in slits, how the growl escaped his mouth, that all at the sight of the insect itself, the answer was rather obvious. Rolling her eyes at him, Hiccup poked his head with her paw, distancing him from the harmless fly, afterward earning Toothless's glare, as if she had taken away the meal from him he was yearning for.
"What? It's only some bug, have some heart," she persisted, ignoring his annoyed look, before the realization transformed her muzzle. "Or maybe, the insects are for dragons just the same as birds? Because they're tiny and can hurt you, or something like that?"
"Close, but it's more like an individual thing," he clarified, following with his eyes every movement the fly made, gnashing his teeth at it. "I hate these little, fucking worms. They're impossible to get rid of, they thrust illogically, and on top of that, make that irritating sound," he explained, and then smirked, adding, "Like someone I know."
"Hilarious," she commented, sizing him up, as he grinned only brighter, before declaring, "You know, if you stopped complaining around all the time, maybe you would finally notice wonders surrounding you."
At first, Toothless just blinked at her, confused, but then, after shaking her head at him, Hiccup lifted her paw, and as gently as she could, she managed to poke the little fly, which started glowing suddenly, at which sight the male's eyes widened. Observing so, the corner of Hiccup's mouth quirked up, peeking at him with the side of her eye, afterward together, they stared at the bug, shimmering in the colors of acid green and yellow, that, for whatsoever reason, decided to settle itself on Toothless's nose.
Not knowing what to do about that fact, the male froze, attempting to glimpse the insect, at the same time making cross-eye, resulting in the female's giggle, disrupted when he sneezed, sending the fly straight in the air, causing it just to vanish from their view. As it did, they traded, at first, serious, puzzled glances, which rather quickly transformed into amused ones, before Hiccup narrowed her eyes at an idea and drew her snout to the ground, fluttering the grass by shaking it.
Subsequently, from between the greenish flora escaped at least a dozen other of these shining bugs, that scattered themselves around them, at which view they started looking around, both astonished as in awe. At some point, even Toothless shuffled the thicket with his paw, releasing another bunch of those, having his eyes darting as if he was a child, who just discovered that he could walk around.
Catching sight of so, Hiccup could only beam joyfully before the smirk was brought on her muzzle, and she stood up, much to Toothless's confusion which wasn't unraveled when he tilted his head at her, questioningly. Instead of so, Hiccup paced around his laying form, until she was just next to his farther ear, which she pulled, mildly biting on it, before racing forward, opening her wings and pressing them to the ground, sending out another wave of the glowworms.
Without any question asked, Toothless hurried after her, the bliss never leaving his face, just the same as her, extending his wings, with a smile observing how the little lights were traveling through his skin, enlightening it with various tones of colors. Eventually, he gazed ahead at Hiccup, who had been staring at him throughout the entire time, and glimpsing that he was looking at her, without stopping, she slammed the tip of her tail into the grass, casting the bugs straight into his muzzle, wearing the expression he could've read only one way - Revenge, asshole.
As he got rid of these, shaking his head, he bored his eyes into her, before closing his wings, hastening as to catch up with her unaware, laughing self, and managing so, without any warning, he pounced on her, resulting in their rolling. In the final, the female ended up just underneath him, as the male had his paws at the two sides of her head, growling at her playfully, while the smirk formed itself at his muzzle, before he inquired, lifting his chin.
"Now, who's on top, sweetheart?"
Hearing that, Hiccup rolled her eyes, before thrusting her head under his chin, toward his neck, caressing it with the side of her cheek, purring loudly while doing so, to which Toothless couldn't stay indifferent, and the purr shook his chest. Just after a mere second, he returned the favor, snuggling his snout into the crook between her back and neck, having his chin plastered to Hiccup's top of the head, which sensed his warmth against itself, pleased.
The moment couldn't be gotten any more perfect, but again, it was interrupted, once the female, having her back soaking in saliva after the licks the male bestowed onto her, smelled something that wasn't Toothless's scent under her nose. Freezing at once, Hiccup drew herself farther from him, before turning around on her stomach, to which Toothless nohow reacted, continuing cuddling his body to hers, while she narrowed her eyes ahead, asking at some point.
"Do you smell that?" she glanced at him and glimpsing him being absorbent in doing the same thing, she nudged his nose away from herself, receiving his attention, finally. "Toothless, I think something is wrong. I smell smoke, and nobody was supposed to be here, right?"
Immediately, listening to her, Toothless hardened his expression and straightened, taking a rather deep breath, afterward growling, having his eyes in slits, as he leaned closer to her, standing in his defensive position. At the same time, Hiccup didn't say much, just stared forward, and catching sight of the gray cloud floating from the dense forest, she crawled out from underneath him, stepping closer to the front, to see better the view.
Eventually, she gazed at him, pointing with her head to the spot, inviting him to follow her, and as he fought with his thoughts, the concern overtaking his face, ultimately, he succumbed to her, rather quickly catching up with her, covering her back with his half-unfolded wing. They didn't walk long, because, as it turned out, the place of the whole fuss was even dangerously nearby them, and hearing loud laughers, followed by some barking, they loomed closer to the ground, as to cover themselves behind bushes, widening their eyes at the view they witnessed beyond them.
With the bonfire in the center, the group of armed men, which had Dagur, even the man, famous for the strength of his grasp that Hiccup had felt on her neck constantly, were spread around - the leaders standing by some wooden table, while subordinates keeping the guard over them. Darting her eyes around, they managed to get even wider, once glimpsing that, just behind them, was formed some kind of base, having at least dozens of other soldiers around, surrounded by the pseudo-stone buildings.
"How, the fuck, we didn't notice it," Hiccup asked, not even glancing at Toothless, guessing his expression was resembling hers - baffled. "How we didn't notice the entire navy as we flew here?"
"I would like to say you, but I don't know how," he confessed, and Hiccup felt how his side clung to hers.
Thereafter, they didn't get any much longer for speculation, because suddenly, Dagur snickered, crossing his arms, as he stank an eye at the man by the other side of the table, and asked, "Why aren't we discussin' it with Viggo, Ryker?" leaning over the furniture, supporting himself by slamming his palms into the wood.
Not even lifting the brown of his eyes at him, which were currently staring at the paper unfolded on the surface, Ryker explained, "Because there is no need to," as he studied it, applying to it a caliper.
"Sure, sure," Dagur crooned, raising his chin, smirking as he squirmed his eyes at Ryker. "Or maybe, because brothers Grimborn can't stand their own presence. If that's the reason, heck, I may be yer mediator for sake."
Consequently, Ryker glanced at him with a lifeless gaze, straightening his back as he suggested, "If I were you, I would be shut," having a closed-up expression.
"Why so?"
Rapidly, Ryker pulled one of his swords out from his leather carrier on the back, pointing with its tip Dagur over the table, as he growled, "There is no Viggo," from between gnashed teeth.
"Correct, but alas, there is a little, tiny, mere problem for you, beau," Dagur began, lifting his hand in the air, continuing as he pointed with his fingers to the man himself. "Ya can't kill me."
"I have no idea, why that cretin insists so much on keeping you here," Ryker growled, correcting the grip he had on his sword, and turning it around in his hold. "Maybe you entertain him, or maybe he's entertained by the idea itself of annoying me with your presence, but let me tell you this," he guessed, circling the table, before stopping just inches from Dagur and snarling straight at his face. "Once he gets bored with you, I'll gladly be the one who'll slit that fucking throat of yours."
Despite rather threatening words, Dagur didn't flinch, even more, he smiled at him, pouting, as he cackled, "'s nice to know, that we share our dreams," drawing closer to him, almost laying himself against his chest.
"Lunatic," Ryker muttered, hiding the sword that was, just mere moments ago, hairsbreadth from Dagur's stomach, before sighing as he returned to his previous spot. "Get back to work."
"Gladly, although you could, damn it, say what it is, at first," Dagur groaned, scratching the side of his beard, annoyed. "Viggo dropped off that map, with some fuckin' mark, and what?"
"We're going to choose the troops and attack there," Ryker clarified, writing something around the quoted, red mark before the corner of his mouth quirked up. "That's not anything requiring thinking, so you should be perfect for the job."
"Yet, what are we attackin', what for?" Dagur hummed, attacking, leaning his forearms on the wooden material. "Perhaps to go there, and to nicely smile. If so, then I don't know if ya, suit the job, with that the face of yers."
"I know why we're going there," Ryker yapped, breaking the pencil in his hand, after squeezing it in his fist, "and that's enough."
The conversation lasted a bit longer afterward, but Hiccup no longer would listen to it, like she did throughout the entire time, having her eyes fixed on the paper, that at some point stopped being in the center of their attention, as they walked to some of their underlings. Not willing to give them time to return, Hiccup stepped forward, as quietly as the rustle of the grass allowed her, to glimpse the paper better, hoping to unravel some of the answers to the questions that just appeared inside her skull.
"Hiccup!" Toothless called after her suddenly, watching her moving toward the danger, although as she turned her head at him, noticing the determination shining in her eyes and realizing he couldn't lead her out of it, he inhaled. "Be careful."
Subsequently, she nodded at him, grinning weakly, while Toothless returned it, before concentrating on the two men nearby, narrowing his slitted eyes at them, as if he was on the lookout, which Hiccup took as rather worthwhile, even calming. Consequently, maintaining her attention on the, currently very mysterious, map, Hiccup fought her way through the bushes that scratched her skin, halting her steps just by the barrier of the greenery, upholding the natural coverage at herself.
Whirling her head around, Hiccup looked for the position, where her eyes could read at least a bit of the flatly placed paper, and after twisting her neck another several times, she managed to see some useful information, finally. First of all, it was all about some deserted island, which was empty of any buildings, hence, any villages. Second of all, if about dragon hunting, they must've craved some unknown breed, as the island lacked forests from where most of the common species were. As for the third, she couldn't have detected it correctly, being distracted once Toothless ordered.
"They're coming. That's it for now."
"Just a moment," Hiccup asked, afterward hearing how Toothless exhaled, both furious and anxious. "I have to see what's the direction from their base."
"Why?!"
"So that to know where to head when we'll go there."
In response, Toothless just gritted his teeth, ricocheting his eyes around, although didn't do anything to prevent her from her decisions, only inched a little nigher, relying the corner of his wing on her tensed back. Grateful about that Hiccup, as to show her appreciation, brushed her tail against his leg, and while she returned her attention to ahead, she almost jumped, observing Ryker being front-to-front with her.
Fortunately, the man didn't seem to notice her, keeping his eyes on the map, and calming down her panting, Hiccup gazed at the map, exhaling when she caught sight of the painting of their base as well as of the compass in the top corner, raising awareness in her. Thereafter, not waiting any more second, she was drawing away, much to Toothless's uneasiness decreasing, which returned to its previous level, even higher, when he stepped accidentally on the branch behind.
Immediately, they froze, although uselessly, because Ryker at once, hearing the sound, lifted his eyes toward them, and Hiccup could've felt how they drilled into her, only hoping that the dark green of hers would help her blend with the bushes. Thus, her hopes went into ruins, when Ryker abruptly snatched the bow, from next to the table, and drew three arrows into it at once, sending them straight at the bushes, and causing them to disappear behind the green.
Subsequently, the apathy overtaking his face, Ryker paced unhurriedly to the motionless leaves of overgrowth, and standing just before them, as he opened them, extending their branches, the man only glimpsed the three, stuck in the ground arrows, and nothing else. Knitting his brows together, he gathered them, hearing already the chuckle of the main reason for his recent irritation, ignoring the smirking Dagur who sneered, once Ryker moved to one of his officers
"Huntin' some cute rabbits, aren't we, Ryker? Are ya afraid of them, or somethin'?" Dagur mocked, leaning himself on the shoulder of the soldier, who stunned gaped at the Ryker. "Nothin' surprisin' then that ye're runnin' after dragons with that tiny bow of yers. Ya wouldn't handle a fistfight with the dragon, surely."
"Search the area. At least ten miles around the base border," Ryker ordered the solider, who saluted, before disappearing, while Dagur grumbled, losing the foothold, and Ryker loomed closer to him and growled, "I would even fight a dragon while being in its throat, kid."
After bestowing on Dagur a rather frightening stare, Ryker moved away, while the man was disgusted, and muttered, "And who's lunatic now?" to himself only.
Thereafter, they split, as Ryker went on the search with his people, without knowing that the reason for the search itself, namely the two Night Furies, were already in the air, invisible, blended with the dark sky of the night. As they circled in the air without direction, Hiccup panted, still startled by the earlier occurrence, while Toothless studied her whole, from the tail to wings and muzzle, looking for any trace of injury, crooning in worry.
"Are you got hit?"
"No, I'm okay, just nervous," she stated, licking his head when he was within reach of doing so. "Let's just go home."
"Of course, sunshine," he agreed, floating with his wing over her, as they traveled in the mentioned, settled direction.
