Hey everyone, I'm back with a new chapter for this new story. We're at about the half-way mark with the First Movie by now. Hope you all enjoy, on with the show!
…
Brothers
Chapter 4: Reaching the Sky
Day's pass, Toothless kept trying to teach me how to fly. We were still in the cove, trapped there unfortunately. Soon enough, however, Hiccup comes back to us, this time with a saddle for the dragon! From my failed attempts at flying the Viking guessed I just didn't know how to do it yet, given my age and size. Toothless, meanwhile, was able to take off and fly through the cove to test the boy's invention. I watch from the ground, hoping they are successful at leaving the pit, but I cringed when I saw them fall over the pond.
I find it so amazing that Hiccup is making all these things to help the Night Fury. It kind of makes me wish I could help somehow…but: I can't talk to him, nor do I have thumbs, so I'm pretty much left just watching.
Soon enough, however, time passes by and I'm soon able to make my own progress!
"Lower your back more and then jump. Remember to keep your wings moving together in the same motion" Toothless instructed as I nod. I do as he says, and unlike the other times I'm able to stay in the air! This is it: I'm actually hovering a few feet off the ground! I smile gleefully, again with my tongue hanging out like a dog, while the Night Fury a few feet away congratulates me, "great job, Flint! You got it!" His face is full of delight, proud that his fellow fury is finally following in his footsteps.
I get too excited, though, and I lose my balance with my wings, slumping into the ground as Toothless looks away, "ouch…are you okay?" He asked, offering to help me up as I grab on to him to recover, "I'm fine, that felt really good!"
"Just you wait…it'll get better from here."
Not long after that, Hiccup returns with yet another invention. I still can't fly, and I really want to be up there with them…
And so, I nudge Hiccup's leg with my muzzle just before he gets on Toothless to take off, and he somehow knows what I want.
"Oh, sure little buddy, you can come with us!"
And so, we fly off! Toothless finds it odd that a human is riding on his back. To him, the thought of a human riding on his back brought humiliation…what would the other dragons think if they saw him right now? They would probably laugh at him! Imagine, the dreaded Night Fury…the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself…being used like cattle for humans. What he finds a little less odd, but still strange nonetheless, is me riding on his back behind the human as if I were human myself. Nevertheless, Tooth deemed it necessary to be doing this. In his heart he knew that he could never fly naturally again. So, for this boy to be giving him the gift of flight again he threw those negative, embarrassing, thoughts aside.
We managed to leave the cove for the first time in days. All looks good…until the change in the direction of the wind causes his artificial fin to malfunction, and as a result we crash into the grass below! Only that it wasn't grass…
Despite some initial pain from falling, I find myself experience an intense feeling of euphoria. I can't explain it, but I start rubbing against what I realize must be catnip or something similar. It's not just me either, Toothless had fallen into the same patch and is reacting the same way too! Hiccup, who had landed not too far away, enters the grassy area to find us both there, overwhelmed by feelings of bliss.
…
Like the other times before, my dragon friend continues teaching me how to fly as promised. With every failed attempt I get more and more devoted to getting everything down! I got the hovering right, now I just need to get moving in the air now. It proved harder than I thought…maybe I thought about it too much…still, bruises started showing up in some places as I kept falling in the air.
The teenage fury tells me to move by leaning forward, putting my arms and legs closer to my body. After so many attempts I start hovering like all the other times, but I actually lean forward and move just like he instructed!
"W-what, w-wait I did it?" I said in my usual high-pitched voice, looking to him over my shoulder: noticing that he is nodding. Obviously, that's a yes, "look at me, I'm moving!"
"Great job, now try coming to me, slowly." Toothless instructed as I nod. While in midair, I slowly turn, continuing to flap my wings as normal before I start moving to him. Unfortunately, I lean forward too much, and I end up falling backwards on top of him! Thing is, he stood on two legs and managed to catch me just in time! We both end up on the ground laughing together afterwards.
"Great attempt anyway, Flint."
Hiccup seems to be really enjoying our company, watching us do stuff as he writes down what needs to be fixed and improved with the Night Fury's harness and saddle. Unknown to us he is also drawing our interactions in his journal. There's a drawing of Toothless and me play-fighting. I can't help but feel sad for him. I figure he must be a lonely person. I was never like this, and for some reason it's making me feel guilty for some reason…I shouldn't pity him though, for he seems like a good person. Hiccup IS a good person, and him and the other dragon are developing a close bond with one another too. We're honestly a trio by this point, all dependent on one another it seems like, and I can't help but like that for some reason. Though it does feel like I'm sometimes left out of their activities, but of course…they're 'older' than me and are bonding more like best friends than anything at this point so I understand completely.
Anyway, Hiccup found out, through me, that if you scratch a dragon like you scratch a cat or dog, it'll send them in a frenzy of delight. Let's face it, I never thought dragons could actually be bigger versions of pets from my world…I've said that so many times now, but it just gets more and more evident as time goes on.
Obviously, by this point in time, Toothless has allowed Hiccup to get close to me. That didn't mean the dragon wouldn't stand guard and carefully watch his every movement around me. Even with his trust in the boy growing with each passing day, the thought of anything happening to his only Night Fury companion would seriously bring nothing but misery to Toothless.
As soon as the Viking had hit a certain spot on my neck, it sent me into the ground…giving the other fury across from us a look of utter shock. He probably thought the kid had just used a secret Viking technique to bring me down forcefully! In response, he pounces on Hiccup, ready to strike him in retaliation.
"T-Toothless!?" Hiccup exclaimed in fright and bewilderment; however, the older Fury, at the last second, notices me on the ground: panting happily from the experience. His ears perk up as Toothless tilts his head in confusion, pupils becoming square again.
Feeling ashamed, the dragon moves aside, freeing Hiccup immediately afterwards. The latter can't help but try and soften the mood in the air, even with what just happened. And so, he starts scratching Toothless as well, "come here, bud."
The same effect happens to the much larger Night Fury: they collapse into the ground, overwhelmed by sheer delight.
Days and days go by, each with their own story to tell. To summarize: Hiccup continued adding more and more to Toothless's riding gear. He now wears a harness, a saddle and a stirrup: things you'd expect a broken horse to have on them.
Me, on the other hand, continued learning to fly, soon finding myself doing short glides across the pond while Hiccup and Toothless watched and supported me, both cheering me on. On some occasion, I attempted to swoop down and try to catch fish, but it always ended horribly and embarrassingly for me. I may never be able to do it honestly. Toothless probably could catch them easy if he wasn't in the state that he's in.
There was a day where the adolescent dragon told me of how Hiccup took him into the Viking Village…why? Well, he told me it's because they needed to fix the saddle and something else. I should have gone with them; I would have loved to see what Hiccup's home looks like. Though, it'd probably be a primitive settlement…I'd say…medieval for sure? If this is the world that I am familiar with…it must be somewhere between 600 – 1300 A.D.
It all adds up, especially since Vikings were more common around that time.
Anyways, the day came when Hiccup would put all his work on Toothless to the test: they would go on their first full flight together, and luck would have it I would come along for the ride.
I had to hang on for dear life, though, for my own flight experience is still limited. I end up holding on to Toothless, sitting right behind Hiccup as before.
It's a sunny day with sparse clouds in the distance all around us. To begin, Hiccup checks the stirrup that controls Tooth's brown tail fin, soon making rounds around the edge of the island. We're some hundreds of feet above ground and once he musters up enough courage, he shifts the gears on the mechanism like a car and Toothless takes a dive down toward the shore. I hang on as we descend rapidly before stopping just short of hitting the freezing water. I must say, watching Toothless perform flight maneuvers perfectly and gracefully really inspires me.
We approach some very tall pillars as Hiccup and I look up in awe. Toothless, meanwhile, gives a smug grin, thrilled that he can make these crazy stunts to impress others.
After a few struggled attempts at correcting the position of the artificial tail fin, which included accidentally hitting us against some rocks, Tooth starts climbing while Hiccup and I hang on tightly. I still don't know how to fly that well, so I'm screwed if I fall off! We get higher and higher; the ground gets smaller. We're so high my ears are popping, and I feel the air getting slightly thinner. The clouds, so white and moving past us rapidly, are blinding. My eyes start to water, "w-wow, this feels so great!" I chirped, tongue out of my mouth in excitement.
At this point, I'm giving in to my dragon self…even if I don't want to admit it, I felt myself give in to the thrill of flight and the rush that came with it.
"This is amazing!" Hiccup exclaimed with similar enthusiasm. I can't imagine what it feels for him. He lives in an era where mankind would not have the ability of man-made flight for a few centuries…it must be so alien yet so welcoming for him.
Amidst the howling wind and our cheers, Toothless and I soon hear the teenager yell sharply, "stop!"
The Night Fury does, and the sudden pause causes both Hiccup and I to move forward, enough that the two of us fall right off in front of Toothless! His eyes widened upon realizing what just happened, but it's already too late…
It all happened so fast that my brain takes a moment to process what is happening: we're suddenly falling through the sky! All three of us take a dive towards the bottom at break-neck speeds, all of us now in a deathly panic!
"Hiccup!" Tooth shouted from across him, a few meters above. He thrashes his arms and legs…without the human he can't fly. Hiccup is spinning madly, despite trying to position himself better in order to get back on the Night Fury. As for me, I am on the same boat, my wings are being thrown around by the fierce winds. I try to remember what the teenage dragon had taught me…maybe I can get to him at least…I have to try or else I'm dead!
As we approach the top mountain peaks, Hiccup is accidentally hit in the face by Tooth's tail, pushing him away. Thankfully, it doesn't knock him out, and he's close enough to get to Toothless.
"Flint!" He called out, sensing I am still farther away.
I close my eyes for a brief second, remembering what he told me about our wings. I fold them as tightly against my back as possible. My arms and legs are next, and I use the wind to drive me forward toward them like I'm skydiving.
Toothless, as Hiccup reattaches himself, is hopeful I'll be able to get to them on time! It's now or never! I flap my wings in short successions to give me small bursts of speed. By this point, we're only several hundred feet from becoming pancakes on the ground, right where a slope with evergreens is located.
Tooth has been positioned correctly and Hiccup is about to pull back to try and slow their speed. I'm barely a few meters away, but…time's up!
Before I end up a crater on the ground, the teen Night Fury turns to me, shouting, "spread your wings as widely as you can!"
I don't even second guess or question it, I do it. Soon enough, the two of us spread our wings, almost in synch, both of us yelling as the world speeds past us. I wouldn't say I'm flying, rather falling to my death still. Now that we've slowed down enough, Toothless has an opportunity to grab and hold me, clutching my sides tightly. Hiccup, in the meantime, throws away his guide sheet. With rock pillars fast approaching, the Viking shifts gear as the main dragon narrowly dodges the obstacles. He's still holding onto me, and I soon have the urge to spread my arms out like a superhero, catching the attention of Toothless. He gives a small smile of satisfaction before continuing to evade the obstacles. It's apparent that the three of us are having the time of our lives, despite the recent near-death experience. We cheer as soon as we finally clear the rocks and end up in open waters, having survived all that! We got such a rush from that I can't even explain just how jovial I felt…I thought we were done for, but I felt like we pulled some 'main character' stuff from a movie!
"Yea!" Hiccup threw his arms up. Tooth says almost the same thing, letting out a fire blast in excitement that creates a wall of fire that engulfs us.
Not to worry, we all survived…but Hiccup's hair…well…now it looks even more hideous than before.
…
Sunset is here. We had traveled to an island not too far from the main one. With help from Toothless we managed to catch a few fish from the shore. As a thanks for all the hard work in helping the dragon fly again, he shares his regurgitated meal with Hiccup. The boy subtly refuses, instead cooking his by a fire the dragon had made. I'll probably never get used to eating like how the Night Fury eats, and I instead beg cooked food from the human.
The teen fury can't help but scoff, though, "why would you want to eat it cooked? You look like a pet…"
"It tastes better," I say, eating a chunk of cooked fish, "besides, we are his pets by now…" I chuckle.
"No" he gives a small growl of denial
"That offends you?" I smirked, repeating what he had said to me a while back when we met.
He snorts in retaliation, smoke seeping from his nostrils, "we are his friend, and we are still dragons. You are the one still doing things that humans do…and it's quite strange to say the least…it seems like you were brought up by them..."
I almost choke on my food, looking away. He notices and can't help but raise a scaly brow at my reaction. I remain silent, swallowing my food, but then a thought reminds me of what he said earlier, "are we, though…friends?"
He rolls his eyes to me, "o-of course! Why wouldn't we be!?"
I pace my eyes back and forth as if I'm trying to avoid a confrontation, "if…if things were…say…different…and I wasn't like how I am now…would you STILL consider me a friend?"
"Well, that depends…" he begins, "why are you asking this question if I may ask?"
I feel like…he may not be ready for what I have to tell him…I decide to drop the discussion suddenly.
"All in all, if you want my honesty…I am glad I met you, Flint."
"The feeling's mutual, I guess" I respond back.
"I can't imagine doing this alone…perhaps I could have…maybe it could have just been Hiccup and I doing all this, but you help bring back good memories of my younger life."
"I do…huh?"
"Since I was a hatchling like yourself, my dream was to be reunited with another member of my kind" he answers, "my dream came true not too long ago" he said fondly. I look away…somehow feeling guilty by this…
"Are we really that rare in this world?" I asked softly.
"Possibly, Flint."
"If-if you don't mind me asking…what happened to your parents?" I added.
"I was about eight, I lived on a rather small island not too far from here. There were a dozen Night Furies on our island. We all lived in caves, only coming out at night. Not all of us were related…we were, in fact, a small community. There weren't many of us left, so we had a very close bond. As time went by…one by one members of our group began to disappear…suddenly as if they vanished. My father was the first…he was the strongest in our flock, but he never came back one sunrise. Soon enough, when there was only half a dozen of us left on the island, disparity grew…my mother took me away. She and I never saw them again. By the time I was ten years old…the same age as you are now, there came a time when a big snowstorm hit our small den. Mother went out to investigate strange noises near our home. She told me to stay inside, because she thought she heard a Night Fury above, possibly one of our old flock members, and wanted to confront them. She never came back…" I could see his eyes water as he looks away, feeling that crying only brought weakness and not strength.
I just sit there, letting it all in…could those furies…were they…hunted down? They must have been…otherwise why would they have left so unceremoniously? And, they couldn't have been picked up by the Queen because then they would be with her and Toothless told me he's the ONLY known Night Fury in the area…other than myself.
"I wept for days…I never felt so alone in my life afterward…but I was taught to expect the day…the day a hatching such as myself would leave the nest to fend for themselves…and by that time I was ready. I left our dwelling in search of mother…but after days of searching I never found her again. I stayed by the domain for a while, but I decided to leave, figuring that perhaps she would be farther by the human settlements. Eventually, however, I came under the influence of the Queen…she promised I wouldn't have to be alone again…that she would help find my fellow Night Furies again…but…she used me. Years passed on and here we are…" he ended his story as I look away.
Jeez…how do I even react to such a tale? No wonder he felt so much joy from seeing me the first time…I'm the first Night Fury he's seen since his mother disappeared. But I'm not really a Night Fury…I'm-I'm just a fake one. H-how would he even react if I told him…told him that: I'm not…oh…how can I even bring myself to tell him? I can't live my life not telling the truth to him. Eventually I must tell him. All I know is that…it's going to hurt him, but it's better that he knows! I have to tell him…right here…right now…this is the moment! I'm sorry Toothless, but…I have to say it.
"Toothless…I'm…"
Before I can confess, suddenly we hear what appears to be screeching and cries above as we look up. I don't believe it! There are these small lizards with wings that quickly swoop in and land near us. They-they're dragons! In haste they make it to us, wanting to steal the food we spent so much time gathering for themselves. Toothless retaliates, giving a warning growl in defense, especially when they start getting too close to me.
"Leave!" he snarled at them.
When one quickly grabs the tail of a fish I'm eating, Tooth springs into action, driving away the other critter; however, one remains defiant…preparing to attack! The Night Fury, though, thinks it's a joke, and he gives a confident smile.
"Give us your food, we're hungry!" The 'alpha' of their pack cries out, taking a defensive stance. Them talking makes me jump a little, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised…I guess all dragons in this world can talk to each other. Their high pitch wailing irritated Toothless, who with his deeper voice demanded respect from the puny reptile. They surrounded us like a street gang ready to make our day terrible.
"Can you just go…" I mutter, not realizing that I too am growling like them.
Ultimately, my request falls on deaf ears and the small dragon stands up on two legs and gathers gas in its mouth. Uh oh…this looks bad…
Across from me, the other Night Fury seems unmoved by the action, instead giving the same smug grin in return: he's about to embarrass this critter in front of his whole group. Hiccup pulls back slightly as the fury releases a very small burst of dragon breath, a fraction of his power, into the small lizard…stopping it in its tracks!
Ouch!
Admitting defeat, the slippery reptile walks away from us as Hiccup silently mutters to himself, "not so fireproof on the inside, are you?"
Thinking back on how hungry Toothless and I were days ago, and not thinking much about it, he throws a piece of fish for the small dragons across from us.
"H-Hiccup!?" Toothless jolted back in surprise, but finally decides to let it go, figuring that his show of superiority toward the Terrible Terrors, which is what they are called as I will soon find out, was enough. One of them decides to crawl to me, much to Tooth's insistence.
I decide to share some of my food with them, "you know you guys could have asked first…instead of…you know…threatening us and all that" I chirp to them as they nod back.
The first terror, having eaten the food given to him by the human, decides to curl up beside the human as a show of gratitude. The kid, at that very moment, realizes something everyone else in his tribe has yet to know: "everything we know about you guys, is wrong…"
I pull away, walking toward the edge of the island which isn't far away. I stare at the sun, which is just sinking under the sea. I give a long, winded, sigh…
Am I here to bring Vikings and Dragons together…is that my purpose? If that's true, then w-what happens after that? I just wake up and feel like this is all a bad dream? What if I sleep tonight and I wake up in the warmth and comfort of my bed at home? I can't leave now…maybe I'm here to reunite Toothless with his family?
Speaking of which, the big dumb reptile just had to show up just as I was thinking of him.
"What's wrong, Flint."
Then I remember what I was about to say to the dragon before we were interrupted. Toothless looks back a few times to make sure the terrors weren't doing anything mischievous around Hiccup. I was about to open my mouth to tell him again…but I stopped…I don't know why I just…now I have my doubts. I shake my head, looking up to meet his green gaze:
"Nothing, nothing's wrong. Actually, I think things are looking great for us."
Was it though…that was the ultimate question? I had to believe that everything would work fine for everyone, I just hope I'm right.
Toothless didn't say anything, he knew I didn't mean by what I said, at least all of it. He studied my face, he knew I was thinking of something else…but he decided to drop it once he saw me rejoin Hiccup. He just looks on with a concerned face, but seeing the now happy atmosphere, the dragon decided to return to his usual jovial ways.
…
Phew! That's another chapter done for this week! I hope you all enjoyed this recent chapter. If you like the story so far, please be sure to leave a review down below. Thanks and take care!
