A/N: Happy 5 Year Anniversary for The Hidden World. I strategically wanted to release this on this day in particular. This is my first fanfiction. I'm honestly surprised that not many others have visited a story on Zephyr. This takes place 10 years after the events of the Hidden World Epilogue and Homecoming. I am also using their Homecoming ages because it's just easier. Please leave reviews to help me improve.
I don't own How To Train Your Dragon. Rights remain with Cressida Cowell and Dreamworks. I do, however, own the original characters that are included in this story.
Anyways, enjoy.
Chapter 1: When One Shows Up
The darkness of night comes over New Berk. Zephyr Haddock sits outside the back of her family's house, seemingly waiting for something. She's now 18 and a very beautiful young woman. Her auburn hair is pulled back into one long braid and her light blue eyes look through the night sky. Her eyes suddenly manage to look at something in the sky. She can barely see it but she can barely make out an image of a giant bird. It comes closer and Zephyr stands up, seemingly finding what she was waiting for.
A dragon flies in from the sky, it is almost all black with slight white spots, but its piercing blue eyes shine through the night sky.
"Dart!" Zephyr exclaims, seemingly knowing the dragon. Dart lands and quickly rubs her mighty head against Zephyr.
Dart purrs surprisingly gently, showing a true connection between the two of them.
"How are you doing, girl? Did anyone see you leave?" Zephyr asks her with a very soft voice.
Dart looks back up into the sky before making a grunting sound, No.
Zephyr answers with a simple "Good" before pulling something out from behind the bush she was in front of, a saddle. She seamlessly places it and hooks it to Dart's back before hopping on it herself. "Let's go," she whispers to Dart. Dart spreads her wings before the two of them take off into the night sky.
The two of them soar through the night sky. They fly over buildings and the island, having a great time together. They end up landing in a secluded spot on the far side of the island, the spot where they commonly would play together outside the view of the rest of the village and especially Zephyr's father, the chief. They also chose this spot because it is one of the only spots on the island that isn't hit by the village's night patrol. Well, except for one person.
Suddenly, they hear a sound, a hum, a familiar hum. "Oh No," Zephyr whispers.
The hum only belongs to one man, Eret, Son of Eret. He is always the most attentive of the night patrol, which is why Zephyr and Dart never meet on his patrol day. But this is supposed to be Snotlout's day, Zephyr thinks to herself.
Quickly, she flips into the nearby bushes while Dart does the same, but they weren't quiet enough.
"Is someone there?" Eret shouts before he slowly begins approaching towards the bush.
Zephyr gives Dart a quick hand signal before Dart disappears. Zephyr can hear the footsteps of Eret approaching as she begins thinking up her excuse for being out on this side of the island at this time.
Eret finally makes it to the bush, but as he's about to peer through it, a very loud crash is heard in the distance, alerting Eret. Eret quickly rushes towards the disturbance as Zephyr gives a sigh of relief that she didn't get caught. Dart soon reappears, as she was the one to cause the massive disturbance.
"We better get back now," Zephyr says to Dart. She quickly mounts her and they take back off into the sky.
They land back behind Zephyr's house. The sun will be back up in a few hours so Zephyr takes off the saddle and tells Dart "I'll see you another time." Dart flies off as Zephyr sneaks back into the house.
Zephyr soon wakes up with the sun shining through her window. She rolls out of her bed to officially begin her day, with everyone in the village, but her, not knowing any of her actions from the previous night. She walks out of her bedroom to the kitchen to eat breakfast where she sees the rest of her family.
Hiccup and Nuffink, her father and her brother, are already sitting at the table as Astrid, her mother, arrives after she's done cooking with her food.
"Thank you milady" Hiccup says as Astrid gives him his breakfast. Hiccup notices Zephyr walking in.
"Good morning Zephyr, you slept in this morning."
"Yeah, I just couldn't get out of bed this morning." Zephyr replies in a tired voice. She sits down at the table next to her brother and begins eating her food. She looks up to notice Hiccup whispering something inaudible in Astrid's ear before she nods in agreement.
"Um," Hiccup begins before clearing his throat. "Zephyr, it's about that time," Zephyr's head springs up as Hiccup continues. "That you should begin learning how to become chieftess of the village."
A wave of emotions rush through Zephyr's mind. She would be the first chieftess of the Hooligans that wasn't married into the family. But was she really fit for the role? She had grown up with the idea that her younger brother would become chief, but he had dreams of exploring the unknown. So her parents decided that she would be better suited for the role. She understood that she needed to do it but she didn't think she was ready and didn't know how the people of New Berk would react to a female chief.
Without saying a word, Zephyr stood up and walked away, garnering a disappointed look from Hiccup and prompting Nuffink to chase after her.
"Ah I should've done it better, this is the exact response I didn't want," Hiccup explains to Astrid. Astrid looks back at him with a face of understanding.
"I mean, you reacted the exact same way, I guess it just runs in the family." Hiccup looks back at her, his face now showing his disappointment with himself.
"But that's exactly what I didn't want to happen. I want to train her earlier than my father did in case something happens again. I mean, you remember my first year as chief, it was trial by fire… and plasma blasts. I mean Thank Thor I had Toothless or we would have all been…"
Astrid cuts him off. "Hiccup, you are a great chief, and I guarantee that Zephyr will learn great things under your wing. Just give her some space for a bit and she'll come around." Astrid gives Hiccup a quick kiss on the cheek before standing up. "Now, we have to get to doing our duties." She leaves Hiccup sitting at the table, still deep in thought.
Zephyr is sitting at her desk in her room that is very similar to the one Hiccup had at Gobber's shop in Old Berk. She is drawing a picture on an old piece of paper when she spots Nuffink at the doorway.
Nuffink is 3 years younger than Zephyr at 15. He has a tall and lanky figure with messy blonde hair and sharp green eyes. He also has a few small braids placed there by his mother.
"Hey Nuff." She quickly places the drawing into her desk drawer before Nuffink, in a heavy Scottish accent like that of his grandfather, Stoick, answers.
"Why aren't you excited? You get to become the leader of the village." Zephyr looks back at him with a hesitant look on her face.
"I just don't think I'm ready. I mean it's just a lot to take in." Nuffink enters the room and stands next to Zephyr.
"Zeph, if there is anyone who can lead this village, it's you. And if you ever need any help being the leader, I will hear your call from beyond the edge of the world as I will be the first viking to jump off the edge of the world and return."
Zephyr cannot help but chuckle at her younger brother's remark.
"What's so funny?" He asks his now-smiling sister.
"Jump off the edge of the world? Do you even hear yourself?" Zephyr answers.
Nuffink smiles back at her but soon a smirk emerges on his face. "Well, I got you to smile," Nuffink says as he's leaving the room. Zephyr realizes that she is and silently thanks her brother before pulling the paper back out. But she adds something to the drawing before sticking it into her bag and leaving her room.
A/N: Thank you for reading chapter 1. I want to continue on with this story so I'll probably have the next chapter out by next Saturday. Please leave some recommendations and I might put them in the story.