MDM's Version of How to Train Your Dragon
A/N: This actually came out sooner than I thought. This chapter was a huge pain in the neck to get down, though. But we now come to the most important scene of How to Train Your Dragon.
To TafaniG, I like your newest OC. But, I won't make him curse and cuss as often as you described him, because I don't curse or cuss either.
Chapter 10: action!
Chapter 10
Forbidden Friendship
Soon, the Misfit Trio arrived back at the cove. Ragnar and Juno brought their satchels and Hiccup had brought a shield and a large cod that he swiped from the docks. They managed to find a path from the entrance into the cove that brought them down to ground level.
Hiccup peeked over his shield timidly and tossed the fish. Nothing.
"What's the matter?" Ragnar teased. "Are you chicken?" His response was an elbowing in the ribs from Hiccup and a slap upside the head from Juno.
Hiccup tried to go forward, but the shield was too wide for the narrow opening. "You could've not brought the shield." Juno said.
Hiccup rolled his eyes and ducked underneath it, his friends following him. They tried to pull the shield out, but it wouldn't budge from its place.
"Maybe we didn't need to bring this." Ragnar said.
"Now you mention it." Hiccup quietly hissed as he picked up the fish.
The Misfit Trio took careful steps as they surveyed the cove. The Night Fury could be anywhere.
Suddenly, they got the suspicion that they were being watched. They slowly turned over to the side, and gasped as they all jumped back when they saw him.
The Night Fury was perched behind a boulder, low enough to still be seen. When he saw that the Misfit Trio was aware of his presence, he crawled out and sauntered down like a cat to the ground. He gave them a warning glare with a low quiet rumble.
Hiccup brought out the fish and offered it to him. The Night Fury carefully went up to grab it, but he backed away quickly with a growl. Hiccup moved his vest to uncover his knife tucked in his belt. He brushed his fingers against it, which resulted in a snarl.
"You might as well." Ragnar whispered.
Hiccup quickly and cautiously pulled out the knife and dropped it next to him. The dragon snarled, still not satisfied. Juno nudged Hiccup, and he lifted up the knife with his foot and tossed it into the lake. The Night Fury calmed down and he gave the Misfit Trio a curious expression. He looked kind of cute like that, his pupils dilated.
Hiccup tried again and held out the large cod. The Night Fury slowly crawled towards him and opened his mouth to show… only pink gums.
"Huh. Toothless." Hiccup said, slightly surprised. "I could've sworn you had-"
Suddenly, teeth popped out as the Night Fury snatched the fish out of his hands, making the Misfit Trio jump back at the action. "-Teeth." Hiccup finished nervously after the Night Fury swallowed the fish in one gulp.
He then got closer to the Misfit Trio, making them back away from him nervously. He managed to get Hiccup against a rock, while Ragnar and Juno were on either side of him. "Uh, I-I don't have anymore." Hiccup stammered.
The Night Fury then began making a strange guttural sound, coming from his throat. Soon, he coughed up a piece of pre-swallowed cod onto Hiccup's lap. The Misfit Trio all shuddered with disgust.
The Night Fury then sat on his hind legs, looking like he was sitting. He looked at the fish, then back at the scrawny boy. Hiccup looked down at the disgusting fish tail, then back at the Night Fury, horror written on his face when realization hit him.
Ragnar and Juno were shaking their heads frantically, trying to stop him. But, wanting to not make the dragon angry, Hiccup raised it up and took a chunk of the raw fish into his mouth. His friends looked away, feeling grossed out and ready to toss out their lunch.
The Night Fury looked at Hiccup, who was looking green as well. He held the fish out to him, trying to sound enthusiastic. But the dragon made a swallowing sound to tell him to swallow it. Hiccup groaned, but begrudgingly swallowed the vile-tasting cod with a shudder. Juno and Ragnar were trying to hold back the bile rising up in their throats.
Hiccup gave the Night Fury a small smile. The dragon curiously looked at the gesture, then slowly pulled the corners of his mouth to give him an attempt of a gummy smile. The Misfit Trio were in awe of this creature's intelligence.
Hiccup slowly reached out a hand towards the dragon, but he just snarled cautiously at him and then flew lopsidedly to the other side of the Cove. "Well, that was… interesting." Ragnar said, clutching his nauseated stomach.
"Please give us some stomach medicine before our insides leap outside." Juno pleaded.
Ragnar quickly dug into his satchel and pulled out a small vial. He uncorked it and took a small sip. Instantly, the nausea deceased. He then passed the vial to Juno. She took a sip, then handed it to Hiccup. After he took some, he corked the vial, gave it back to Ragnar, and quietly walked towards the Night Fury.
The dragon was lying down, about to catch a nap, when he saw Hiccup sitting next to him. He looked away with both annoyance and disinterest and covered his face with his tail. Hiccup scooted closer to the dragon's tail, but he lifted it up and caught him in the act. Hiccup quickly headed back to his friends, while the Night Fury went to the top of a tree and hung upside down from his tail to sleep.
"That's definitely a very interesting habit." Ragnar pointed out, seeing how interesting it was to see this bat-like behavior in a dragon.
He then turned over to his friends. "Stay for a while?" They both nodded.
"We might as well." Juno replied.
She sat down on a nearby rock, reached into her satchel, and pulled out a beautifully carved but worn out lute. The carvings all over it were very intricate designs; swirls, squiggles, and other shapes. Her name was carved into the body of the lute in a fancy writing, like calligraphy.
When she pulled it out, the boys walked up to her. "You brought your lute?" Hiccup asked.
Juno shrugged. "I might as well practice here. No one will hear." She said as she plucked a string.
Ever since she was little, she loved music, which was a strange interest for Vikings, but not for Romans apparently. Vikings only have music around holidays and celebrations. However, Juno loved to play music almost all the time rather than learning how to fight. She only started to take training more seriously with the bargain that she could practice her music after she finished daily training.
She wanted to share her talent, but due to her reputation as a misfit, that dream is seemly impossible. So she would practice in secret. The only ones who know are Hiccup, Ragnar, and Gobber; who taught her how to play in the first place after her parents died.
"I've been working on something." Juno added, pulling out a sheet of parchment from her satchel. :No lyrics yet, but, while we're here, I could maybe get something started."
"Sounds good to me." Hiccup replied, sitting down next to her.
"We wouldn't want you to get out of practice so soon." Ragnar teased as he sat down on the opposite side of her.
Juno smiled and began to pluck the strings, starting the melody. The song was an easygoing and catchy tune. As she played, none of the Trio noticed the Night Fury listening with a calm expression in his eyes. He never heard anything so beautiful.
When it finished, Juno grabbed a charcoal pencil from her satchel, along with another piece of parchment. "I think I may have something."
She spent the next five minutes writing on the sheet, then handed it to the boys. "What do you think?"
They quickly skimmed through it, then smiled. "I like it." Ragnar said, making her face grow warm.
"Try it." Hiccup added.
Juno started playing the song again, singing the new words she had thought for it. The Night Fury fell asleep, feeling more peaceful then he ever felt, listening to the song.
When he woke up a couple of hours later, the Night Fury saw that the Misfit Trio were still in the cove, each doing their own thing. Ragnar was studying the fauna in the cove and writing down his observations in his notebook. Juno was sitting on her rock, modifying some things to her song.
He then saw Hiccup sitting on another nearby rock, drawing something in the dirt with a stick. He went up to him to get a better look. Hiccup tensed up for a second when he sensed the Night Fury sitting close to him, but he just resumed drawing. It was a very accurate drawing of the dragon.
The Night Fury was curious about the human's actions, and very impressed by Hiccup's accurate drawing. He then stood up on his hind legs and sauntered away, getting the Misfit Trio's attention. Nothing could prepare them for what happened next.
The Night Fury tore off a large tree branch and began drawing squiggles in the dirt. He was copying Hiccup's drawing actions. He continued dragging the tree around until he stopped, let it go, and went to admire his work.
The Misfit Trio stared at the huge doodle. "What do you think it is?" Juno asked.
"I'm not sure." Hiccup answered.
"I think it's supposed to be Hiccup." Ragnar said. He looked at his foster brother, then back at the doodle. "It's actually a good likeness." He teased. Hiccup gave his foster brother a dry glare, and Juno lightly punched him in the shoulder.
As he tried to move out of the picture, Hiccup stepped on one of the lines, which resulted in a growl from the Night Fury. Hiccup flinched, then lifted his foot up. The dragon became calm again. He decided to test something.
Step on, snarl. Foot off, coo.
He then placed his foot away from the line and gave the Night Fury a smile. Hiccup then began to dance around the lines, careful not to step on any of them. He then froze when he felt a warm breath blow on top of his head. He stepped back and saw that he was face to face with the Night Fury.
Hiccup slowly reached out his hand towards the dragon, but he still gave him a low growl and he retracted his hand. Ragnar and Juno held their breaths, watching the scene silently with bated breaths.
Hiccup took a deep breath, looked away from the dragon, and stretched out his hand again. The Night Fury looked amazed by his bravery by putting his full trust in him. Slowly, he pressed his snout into Hiccup's palm.
The young Viking tensed when he felt something warm on his hand. But then he looked at the dragon, who soon removed his snout from his palm. He then snorted and went back over to his spot, leaving Hiccup alone to take in the depth of the moment. He looked over at Ragnar and Juno, who were just as awestruck as he was.
A/N: Whew! This was probably the longest chapter I wrote since I started this. When it came to Juno's dream, what do you think? It is kind of strange, for a Viking to have that passion. I don't know much about Viking traditions, but I do know that they're probably too tough for things like music to be an interest.
Well, I'll see you guys in Chapter 11, whenever that may be, since school will be starting soon. More in-depth background information of Ragnar and Juno will be revealed. Hopefully, it will be soon!
Got to fly! ;)