Chapter 1: The Hide Out

{Hiccup's POV}

Toothless and I had just returned from a successful test flight, which had been an amazing experience. We had landed back in the clearing area near the cove, and I patted his neck, hopping off the saddle upon his back and turned to him with a broad grin, watching the black dragon shake himself out, behaving like a cat as I took in a deep breath.

"Okay, now that was amazing!" I stated as I collapsed upon the ground, sighing, content with the time I had spent with the Nightfury.

Glancing around, I huffed, sitting up, knowing that letting my guard down in this area would be horrible, seeing as we were exposed, and anyone who came this way would see us. I looked to Toothless, smiling as the dragon came towards me, giving me his typical curious look.

"Bud, we've got to find a new place to hide you. We're too exposed out here, and if anyone finds out, you and me are both dead," I explained as he tilted his head before seeming to understand as I was nudged and took the hint.

Before too long, we were back in the crisp air, flying around Berk's coast side in search of a better place to hide Toothless. It was a bit difficult, finding somewhere that would be hard to find, and safe; however, after two hours of searching, I glanced down and spotted what appeared to be the entrance to a cave on the side of a cliff near us. Getting Toothless' attention, the two of us began to lower ourselves down until we were able to land, and wander into the cave, finding to be rather large. It was a good place, and was thankfully high enough that the water wouldn't flood the cave during high tide.

Satisfied, I smiled, turning to face the mouth of the cave, noting that it seemed to be quite deep. Glancing back to Toothless, we both seemed to be thinking the same thing and he gave me a nod as we started to head into the cave, walking for a few minutes, we found ourselves at a small opening in the cavern wall with a slight bit of light peeking through it. The opening was definitely to small for Toothless to get through, but not for me; therefore, I ducked through the small gap and found myself in a portion of the forest, letting me know that I had found an exit for the cave. Another smile breached my features as I slipped back through the aperture and looked to the black dragon, sitting there with a curious look upon his face as I put my hands upon my hips and he shifted happily, granting me his gummy smile.

"Well bud looks like we found our new hide away." Walking along the wall, letting my hand graze across it, investigating the area as I saw more of the faint glow that caused me to raise an eyebrow.

Rubbing the area, I noticed the light grew even more and frowned, reaching into my satchel – which I had started carrying with me to keep tools on hand since I had gotten stuck on Toothless's saddle – and pulled out a small hammer, beginning to gently tap around the wall until the source of this gleaming light popped out of the rough wall and I caught it, raising an eyebrow as I turned it this way and that, noticing that it kept shifting to different luminescent color. Transfixed by the odd stone, I kept glancing at the sight of the odd gem and soon felt Toothless nudge me with his nose and I laughed, shaking my head before looking to him.

"Sorry bud, I just think this stone is pretty interesting. I've never seen one like this before," I told him as I sat down while the black dragon laid beside me whilst I turned my attention back to the stone, examining it more, trying to figure out what it was. Shrugging, I sighed and put it in my satchel, glancing at the Nightfury.

"You think someone else might know what this is?" Toothless tilted his head as I sighed, stretching as I said farewell and pet his snout before exiting through the entrance of the cave.

The walk was somewhat long, but as I headed back towards the Great hall, where I could potentially ask about the stone I had found, my mind began working through something that had started bubbling forth, and I started to worry a bit. It all went down to my dad being back from his search for the dragon's nest, and I began to wonder how I could tell dad about Toothless. Letting out another sigh, and I decided I'd cross that bridge when I came to it. Finally arriving at the Great Hall, I headed up the stairs approaching the door as I heard the laughter and talking of the villagers, reaching into the satchel where I pulled the stone out, looking at it before I headed inside, seeing others eating and chatting, telling stories or jokes, while I went unnoticed by the others, heading towards where my dad, Gobber, and my uncle Spitlout were having a conversation; however, as soon as Gobber saw me, he smiled broadly in his toothy way.

"Oh! If it isn't the top teen Viking!" I chuckled, a bit sheepishly as my dad smiled, giving me a pointed look.

"Did you really think you could keep that a secret from me? Nothing happens on this island without me finding out about it. Speaking of which, you and I need to have a talk about you keeping your actual strength quiet," he stated as I laughed a bit.

"Er… I know dad, but I didn't come to talk about keeping secrets, I just kinda wanted to ask something." I received a confused look as I placed the stone onto the table, and pointed to it.

"Do any of you guys know what this is?" the sheer shining gleam of the stone seemed to slowly get people's attentions, and they slowly started to gather around, Gobber looking at the stone with a curious and excited expression.

"By my beard! It's a stone of good fortune! My great uncle's wife's brother told me of its powers," Gobber said in an amazed tone as a Viking behind me asked a question.

"I thought his uncle's brother was mute?" Gobber looked to the Viking.

"Oh, he was, until he found the stone. Then we couldn't shut him up… anyways, Hiccup, this stone brings good luck to whomever comes into contact with it," he explained as I smiled, hearing that I might be getting some good luck for once; however, everyone soon began to swarm me, and I hopped onto the table, grabbing the stone to avoid them, but it didn't work as well as I had hoped as they could still grab me. But thank Odin, my dad was able to break the crowd up, looking to them.

"ENOUGH! The stone belongs to my son, and what he does with it will be up to him!" I sighed in relief, hopping off the table as I turned to my father.

"Thanks, dad," I said as he gave me a smile.

"No problem my boy. But we still need to have a little chat later, alright?" I was about to reply but people starting bidding for the stone, offering me yaks, chickens, sheep, and Missus Larson even offered her first born son Gustov alongside twenty sheep, which I quickly dismissed the offers, walking out of the Great Hall while the other teens followed me.

"You're turning down twenty sheep, and Gustov Larson? Come on, what do you want for it?" Snotlout asked me.

"It's not for sale Snotlout. I found it and I'm keeping it." He rolled his eyes.

"Oh, well, I guess you forget. When Snotlout wants something he just takes it." He then made a hand grab for it; however, I pulled away, causing him to trip and fall down the steps. I then looked at the stone, a bit surprised by the situation.

"Wow… I guess this stone really is good luck."

After that situation occurred, I headed towards the forge, deciding to find the best means to carry the stone and how to handle whatever it was my father was wanting to talk about, even though I had a pretty good idea. as I set to work, my mind began processing how to handle keeping the stone on my person, and thinking about it, I decided on the easiest option by making a small cage-like pendant with a lock, and put it together in little time before braiding some leather and knotting it before I put it around my neck. As I sat there thinking, the stone now taken care of, I decided to think of a solution to help Toothless fly on his own in case of an emergency, but I wasn't quite sure how to do it. Sighing, I grabbed a one of the nearby axes, and began sharpening them, hoping it would help me think of what would work. However, three minutes into it as an idea started to sneak up on me, I heard the frustrating voice of Snotlout come into the forge with him.

"Hey Cuz, how about I make you a deal. You give me the stone and I'll give you Astrid." I looked at him as if he were crazy.

"What do you mean?" I inquired.

"Well, ya see… me and Astrid have a thing going on and if you give me the stone I'll give the thing to you." I sighed and rubbed my temples at this insanity.

"First of all, you and Astrid don't have a thing. Second of all you can't just give a thing like that away, and third, I told you my stone is not for sale." He gritted his teeth.

"Fine, taking it, it is then."

Snotlout made another grab for the stone now around my neck, but I avoided it as he became frustrated and attempted to land a punch, but once more I dodged it before I jumped out of the window, the axe still in my hand as I ran down to the town center, my cousin behind me. However, as I reached the town square, and I noticed people leaving the hall, including my father just as I heard Snotlout yell at the top of his lungs.

"GIVE ME THAT STONE YOU RUNT."

As he started nearing me I glanced down at the axe in my hand, and decided to do something, I never thought I would. Adjusting my grip on the axe before I swung my arm back and then threw the weapon, aiming for just passed Snotlout's head. I watched as it went flying passed his head, causing his expression to become one of horror as his complexion became white while the axe buried itself into the house behind him as I turned my attention to the now startled Snotlout.

"That was a warning! If you try and take my stone again, the axe will go in your head," I told him. As the words left me, I heard footsteps and turned to see my dad, Gobber, and uncle approaching with amazed and shocked looks upon their faces, as my blacksmith teacher hobbled over.

"What in blue blazes is going on?!" I glanced their way.

"I was working in the forge when Snotlout came in, and offered Astrid up like livestock for the stone, and tried to take it from me when I told him no. then, he attacked me, and I jumped out the window with the stone around my neck, and the axe I was sharpening still in my hand. I kind of snapped when he called me a runt I guess." I finished my explanation, my father glancing towards Snotlout, who looked the tiniest bit worried.

"Did you really do all of that?" he questioned

"Of course not, uncle Stoic." My father merely sighed.

"Your right eye twitches when you lie, and you only call me uncle Stoic when you're scared about someone noticing you're lying. You're in trouble for attempting to steal from and attacking my son, not to mention offering up Astrid where you had no right to." Snotlout made a faint noise of defeat as uncle Spitlout took him away, my dad heading over to the axe I threw, pulling it from the side of the house as he examined it before he looked at me in questioning before smiling a bit.

"I don't know whether to be angry because you put a hole in someone's house, or proud because it wasn't a bad throw." I smiled in my usual nervous manner.

"Don't worry dad, I'll fix the hole tomorrow after dragon practice," I said as he nodded.

"Good." With that, I retrieved the axe and returned to the forge, deciding to work on Toothless's tail piece, working on it for an hour before I was satisfied before I packed it up under my desk and returned home for some sleep, keeping the stone on my person the entire time.

{Morning}

I awoke to the sun shining through my window, noticing as I looked outside that it was fairly early, so I would have some time to waste. Therefore, I grabbed my helmet, and ran downstairs, grabbing a piece of bread to munch on as I ran towards the forge, planning on getting some work done before dragon training. Upon arrival, I set to working on a few ideas I had for my new little hideaway for an hour or so before finally leaving to head towards the arena. Upon arrival though, I found a rather large crowd waiting outside the arena, while Astrid was awaiting within it. As I entered, class began and Gobber released a Gronkle, causing us to use our shields to hopefully stay alive while we used the wooden blocks to hide or dodge attacks. Rolling to the side and behind one of the covers, I glanced to Astrid who was nearest to me.

"Stay out of the way, I'm gonna take this thing," I told her in a nervous voice.

"Okay, by all means." Astrid then rolled to another cover, which gave me the chance to approach the Gronkle.

Using the tactics I had learned from spending time with Toothless, and quickly took the chance to subdue it, allowing the dragon to be returned to his holding cell while everyone cheered, save for Astrid, who swung her axe around in frustration at the action of me holding the Gronkle back without even needing to use the weapons given to us. However, I was more eager to leave and spend time with Toothless, and decided it was time for me to clear out.

"So, are we done here? Because I really need to –" I was immediately cut off when Astrid held her axe just under my chin and sent me an angry glare.

"What?! What do you need to go do?!" she snapped as I swallowed nervously.

"Um… fix the hole in the house I made?" Gobber laughed, walking up towards us as Astrid lowered her axe.

"Well that can wait."

I gave him an anxious look as he held his hook hand over Astrid, and looked to Gothi who shook her head, he then put his hand over my head, and she smiled, nodding. Everyone cheered before Gobber picked me up and put me on his shoulders, announcing that I would be the one to kill the dragon. I faked my best cheering, knowing that this would be a terrible situation. A bit later, once I was free from the cheering crowds, I snuck away, grabbed a basket of fish for Toothless, and snuck into the forge before grabbing the fin I had made last night and finally, rushed off to the hide out.

Knowing what was happening, I decided to be abrupt and quick with what I was doing. Sighing, I slung the fish basket down, laying the equipment down that I had worked on, preparing face what the people of Berk were expecting of me now that I had been chosen to fight the dragon.

"Leaving! We're leaving! Come on, we're taking a little vacation forever." Toothless walked up to me with a curious look before I sighed and turned my attention to him.

"Come on bud, let's back up. we're leaving," I stated as he gave me a nudge, making me stumble a bit.

"Hey! Come on! The only other way to avoid tomorrow's exam is to release the dragons, but then someone will be in trouble for that. I wish you could free them while I'm with my dad so he wouldn't suspect anything."

Another huff left me and I looked to the things I'd brought with me, raising an eyebrow as an idea came to mind and I went to the prosthetic, and Toothless approached, and I took off his old one, replacing it as he tested it out, opening and closing his tail, leaving me to smile, satisfied that it worked the way I had planned for it too.

"Okay bud tonight fly to the arena and release the other dragons by blasting their cages open and if possible bring them here okay." He looked at me curiously, and I slapped my hand to my face as I realized how ridiculous this was, as he didn't quite understand me.

"Alright, let's show you where the arena is and what you need to do."

I then put his riding gear upon his back adjusting it and then hopped on, the two of us flowing out of the entrance that faced the sea as we went around the cliff near the arena where we could still see everything clearly. I quickly pointed out the cage, explaining to Toothless what he needed to do as he let out an approved huff that I smiled at before further informing him that he would need to lead the other dragons to the cave once they were free, which gave him another huff that I smiled at.

A few moments later, we returned to the cave, where I decided to spend the remainder of the day with Toothless, choosing to go over what he had to do once more, by the end of the day, I was certain that he understood, and by night I came to switch the fins and told the Nightfury good luck before I departed for the great hall, the darkness making it a tad hard to get through to the village, but, my stone of good fortune lit the way for me. Upon returning to the village after five minutes of walking, and headed for the great hall where once I entered, I was swarmed by my fans, and people who still wanted my stone. Thankfully, my father cleared them away for me, and once they were gone, I sighed, and he smiled at me in a curious manner.

"And where have you been all day?" he asked me.

"Out in the forest practicing my manoeuvres for my first dragon slay tomorrow." He gave me a proud smile.

"Oh, I just can't wait to see you fight, and slay the nightmare tomorrow," he told me as I gave him a sheepish smile.

"Neither can I dad! And when I'm done I want the head to be mounted over my bed." He hugged me, happily as I internally sighed.

"I'm just so proud of you! And your mother would be proud to." I smiled at him, preparing to respond, but before I could, the doors burst open with Bucket and Mulch running in screaming. My father putting me down quickly and turned to them, and asked in a serious voice.

"What's wrong lads?" he questioned.

"Well we were cleaning up the arena like you told us to for tomorrow when we heard the roar of a Nightfury." Bucket nodded.

"It blasted through the chains and released all the dragons and lead them away." I saw my dad's face turn red as he let out an ear-splitting scream.

"That blasted Nightfury ruined my son's first dragon slaying that was meant to happen tomorrow!" I let out a fake sad sigh.

"Aw man now I have to wait tills the next dragon raid to slay a dragon." Dad put a comforting hand on my shoulder at that.

"Don't worry Hiccup another opportunity will present itself to you." I let another fake sigh and said.

"I'm going to head towards the woods for tonight. I think I need some time alone," I explained as he gave me an accepting nod, and he turned around to inform the tribe about what had happened whilst I left the hall and as soon as I was out of the Great hall, a smile split my features as I ran away and into the forest, back to the hideout where Toothless and the other dragons awaited me.

When I finally arrived at the hideout, I carefully entered, finding Toothless waiting with the dragons from the training arena. I slowly approached each of them, and one by one I worked to earn their trust through the night. It wasn't instantaneously, and I would be lying if I said I didn't like these dragons more than the villagers already. I smiled as finally the dragons seemed to trust me, and I turned my attention to Toothless.

"Well bud looks like we have some new friends and you have some new cave mates. He tilted his head at me before lying down with his wing open and waiting for me, and I took the hint, lying down against his body while Toothless's wing covered me, and I watched the other dragons curled up, embracing the sweetness of slumber themselves before finally closing my eyes, drifting off to sleep.

AN:Hey guys this is my first How to train your dragon fanfic so please be nice with your reviews.