A/N: I attempted to write a How To Train Your Dragon fanfic many years ago, and I managed to reach about two hundred words before I ran out of ideas. So, I suppose this story is an improvement. Also, this is totally random, but I love reading people's Beta profiles. I just find them interesting for some reason. I applaud those who are willing to help struggling writers. (I'm personally too controlling to have a Beta reader, but I respect their work ethic nonetheless.)

I was adding some plot lines to this story's outline the other day, and I realized it will end up having a lot more chapters than I originally intended. Young Hiccup's life (meaning pre-adulthood) could be considered the first arc, I guess. I can't really say more than that because I refuse to spoil future plots. I like to keep all of you on the edge of your seats ;) So I hope you like this story, because I'm just getting started, folks!

gajeel-of-iron and AdamantJackal — Lol, sorry about the cliffhanger. I hate writing them as much as you hate reading them, but I was too tired at that point to write more, and I wanted to post the chapter as soon as possible to get rid of the horrible number 19 ;))

P.S. —To those of you who have made suggestions in reviews, thank you! I may have an outline written, but the plot is malleable for the most part, and I find your ideas incredibly helpful and interesting!

P.S.S. —Sorry for the long author's note.

Disclaimer: I'm still not sure if a disclaimer is required, but everyone else does it. \_('-')_/ I don't own HTTYD.

HICCUP'S POV

"Crap..." I muttered.

Camicazi whirled around, automatically taking a step back so she was directly beside me. Her breathing had picked up as she searched for the source of the growl, and her gaze flickered over to her sword multiple times. She was obviously regretting her decision to throw it out of reach now. I quickly placed the Tiny-wing back on the ground behind us, taking care not to jostle her injured limb. I definitely wanted two hands for whatever came next. The small dragon grumbled in protest.

*I'm sorry. I just have to deal with something really quick.* I apologized, scratching under her chin before standing back up. Cami was clenching and unclenching her fists as she stared into the trees, but I could sense her fear.

"Hiccup, you make a run for it," she whispered without looking my way. "Get help. I'll hold it off," she declared. I raised an eyebrow at her words, impressed by her courage. She was willing to risk her life to save mine. Of course, I was at no risk at all, but she didn't know that. My mother had told me plenty about the bravery of vikings, but seeing it firsthand was something else.

I placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to flinch out of her frozen state and look at me with wide eyes. "He won't hurt you," I promised, putting every ounce of sincerity into my voice as possible. She blinked a few times as she processed what I had said, then an expression of disbelief crossed her face.

"He?" She repeated loudly, and I gave her a sheepish smile in return.

"Toothless!" I called, looking over to where he was hiding in the canopy. While Cami had yet to see him, I'd spotted him instantly. Hide and seek was one of our favorite games.

Immediately, he leapt from the branch he'd been resting on, extending his wings to glide to where we were standing. Camicazi gasped and stumbled backwards, actually falling in the process. I suppose I could understand her reaction. To the outside eye, he looked like a lethal predator swooping in for the kill. The Tiny-wing looked unsettled, which is what I'd expected. Dragons are territorial, and most wouldn't hesitate to kill a Tiny-wing in their path if they considered it an intruder.

As Toothless landed in front of us and Cami scrambled to her feet, I turned to the little dragon in distress. *He's a friend. You're safe.* I assured her, relieved when she seemed to calm down a bit. I didn't want her dying of a heart attack before we reached the nest.

"Hiccup!" Camicazi hissed in panic, staring at Toothless as he extended forward to sniff her. His actions were merely curious, but I quickly stepped in front of him, pushing his nose away. He lowered his head obediently and sat back on his haunches, letting her have some space.

"She's not comfortable around dragons, bud. Go slow," I advised gently. His ear twitched in acknowledgement. Camicazi's gaze was flitting between us in shock. I was slightly concerned at the lack of color in her cheeks.

"Hiccup," she choked out. "What...is going...on?" She demanded in a raspy voice, still struggling to bring in proper amounts of air.

I fiddled with the edge of my tunic, rocking back and forth on my heels. "Um...this is Toothless. He's a Night Fury," I smiled nervously, using the human term for his species to avoid further confusion.

"He's a dragon!" She blurted out, gesturing towards him as if I wasn't aware of the fact.

My eyebrows furrowed. "Well, yes...Night Furies are a type of dragon—"

"Hiccup!" She interrupted, grabbing her head with both hands in exasperation. I pressed my lips together, feeling extremely awkward. "Why is there a Night Fury here?! Why is it named Toothless?! And why are you so calm about this?!" She rambled, starting to pace subconsciously. At least she wasn't running away.

"Well, technically, he's supposed to be on the other side of the island with my mom," I mumbled, casting an irritable glance towards my dragon. He rolled his eyes with an expression that screamed 'Whatever, human, I do what I want.' I held back a sigh. "As to your other questions, he's named Toothless because of his retractable teeth, and I'm calm because he's my best friend and I have no reason to fear him," I explained. Might as well be honest now. The truth is out.

"Best friend?" Cami's face scrunched up, then just as quickly smoothed out with a sudden realization. "So this is it, then? The big secret you've been hiding!" She exclaimed, appearing almost triumphant.

"You can see why I was reluctant to tell a stranger," I remarked dryly, crossing my arms.

She laughed without humor, waving me off. "Oh no, pal. We're hardly strangers anymore. Not after this!" She argued, pointing at Toothless. She cocked her head to the side in thought. "In fact, I'd call myself your confidant," she added smugly.

I scowled. "That's a big word for a viking," I drawled, if only to get under her skin. It had the opposite effect, though. She grinned, then shrugged with playful nonchalance.

"The Bog-Burglar Tribe is more well-read than most," she replied. The relaxed air soon turned tense again as she glanced over Toothless once more. He'd been waiting in patient silence so far, trusting me to take the lead. That didn't make his powerful presence any less frightening to her, though. "Hiccup, who are you?" She asked quietly, running a hand through her wild blonde hair. "First the Terrible Terror, now this?" She pointed out. "What are you, some kind of keeper of dragons?" She mused, shaking her head at the idea.

I grimaced. "No...but I do live on an island with them," I admitted.

Camicazi raised both eyebrows. "What, like, with them?" She reiterated.

"Like...raised in a nest of dragons," I elaborated shyly, inching closer to Toothless. He read my discomfort easily and hopped up, padding over to nuzzle my cheek. Cami took a step back as soon as he moved, reaching for a sword that wasn't there. Toothless purred, the vibrations of it relaxing my muscles and sending a wave of tranquility through me.

Cami observed our interaction with a scrutinizing gaze, not missing a single detail. She never did. "You're one of them..." She murmured, her eyes sparkling with wonder. "That's why you act the way you do. Back in the village...how wary you are around people," she remembered. "When's the last time you were in a village?" She questioned, already guessing my answer.

"This is my first time," I responded self-consciously, holding Toothless' head against mine. I avoided her gaze, instead focusing on the slight shimmer of light reflecting off some of his scales.

I listened to the muffled sound of her footsteps on the grass as she resumed pacing, though she didn't seem as frantic as before, more...contemplative. Toothless continued to purr as I held him, knowing it would soothe my nerves. I sent a quick glance towards the Tiny-wing, but she wasn't paying attention to any of us. She was licking at her wing, her eyelids drooping as she fought sleep. I looked back at Camicazi when I heard her come to a stop.

"So...the Night Fury—Toothless...is he like the Terrible Terror? You know, docile?" She asked, biting her lip.

The corner of my mouth lifted at her word choice. "I wouldn't say docile..." I objected lightly, letting go of Toothless so I could see his face. "He's just as wild as the next dragon. But he won't hurt you, if that's what you mean," I reassured her. She gulped and nodded, then took a hesitant step forward.

I cringed, reading her intentions. "You shouldn't try to pet him, though," I said quickly, hoping I didn't offend her. She paused, unable to hide her disappointment. "I'm sorry, he's just...he's very particular about who touches him. Not just with humans, but with other dragons, too. I think it's a Night Fury thing," I shrugged, my cheeks tinging red. It would be much easier to convince her that dragons could be kind creatures if my own dragon was cuddly like the Tiny-wing. But I had to respect Toothless' boundaries.

Camicazi forced a smile. "It's fine, I get it. I'm just some random human, right?" She reasoned. "I wouldn't want some weirdo getting all up in my business, either." I snorted in amusement, and this time she sent me a genuine grin.

"You're taking all of this remarkably well," I noted. I expected at least one attempt on my life by now. Maybe if she had her sword...

"Eh, I'm only eight. I haven't seen enough of the world to really be afraid," she joked.

"I'm glad. Like I said earlier—dragons aren't mindless killers. Isn't that right, bud?" I nudged Toothless' shoulder, and he warbled in agreement, giving both of us a gummy smile. Cami laughed at the odd sight, all the tension slipping from her body.

"Now that's cute!" She giggled.

I pursed my lips, moving towards her slowly. "You won't tell anyone, right? About me? About Toothless?" I asked hopefully.

She scoffed, shaking her head. "Of course not. I'm your confidant, remember? Besides, no one would believe me. Night Furies aren't supposed to be real," she pointed out. Oh, right...My mom told me about that. Humans thought Night-wings were just a legend. It was almost sad to think—Night-wings were so rare that the humans didn't even believe they existed. Finding more of them would be next to impossible. But someday I would try…for Toothless.

I walked over to Camicazi's discarded sword and picked it up, marveling at how she managed to swing it around without effort. It was as heavy as it looked. I preferred a lighter weapon like my dagger. I went back to Cami, holding the sword out to her. She eyed it warily, as if she expected Toothless to lunge at her if she attempted to grab it. His gaze was trained on the Tiny-wing now, though. The little dragon noticed his stare and raised her one good wing, gathering fire in her jaws as a warning. Toothless huffed at the meaningless threat, shifting his body so he faced away from her.

Cami took the sword from me and quickly slid it into the sheath on her hip. "Are you leaving already?" She questioned worriedly. "There's so much I want to ask you!"

I shuffled over to the Tiny-wing, just as reluctant to leave. Talking to Camicazi took so much weight off my shoulders—finally, a human I could talk to that lived on the outside, who lived in the human world and had a fresh perspective. Her unexpected acceptance of my lifestyle was a gift that I wanted to enjoy. There just wasn't time, though. I had to get this Tiny-wing back to the nest, or at least back to my mom. Her bones would start to set incorrectly if I waited too long.

I picked up the injured dragon, and she immediately snuggled into my arms, happy to get off the ground. Her eyes closed as she allowed her tired body to rest in my safe embrace. It felt amazing to have a dragon's trust—one of the best feelings in the world, really. It was something I would endeavor to have throughout my life.

"I have to go. She needs my mom's help." I lifted my arms slightly, showing her the Tiny-wing. Cami gave her a sympathetic glance as she approached us.

"Can I at least walk you back to your mom?" She pleaded, clasping her hands together in front of her chest.

"You'll do that?" I wondered, hoping the answer was yes.

Cami rolled her eyes, letting her hands drop. "Are you kidding? You're the most entertaining person on this island!" She retorted. "I'd rather hang out with you than go pick-pocketing, and that's saying something!"

I laughed at the exaggeration, but gestured for her to follow as I began walking towards the forest. Toothless bounded ahead, impatient to get going. "In that case, how could I refuse?" I teased. Cami squealed, running after me.

Once she caught up, she bumped me with her shoulder, letting out a contented sigh. "I knew I liked you," she commented lightly.