A/N: Okay, you all might hate this chapter or think it's boring, but I don't even care because I had SO MUCH FUN writing it. I've been waiting for this since the very beginning. So, like, a freaking year. Cheers! *clink*
Reader2 - What can I say, I'm a sucker for the classics. ;))
CHSHiccstrid - Perks of an AU story! I can bend everyone's life story to my will. MUAHAHAHA!
Disclaimer: Forgot to do this last chapter, so I'm doing double. I don't own it. I really don't own it.
HICCUP'S POV
"What's it like being raised in a dragon nest?" Heather asked, breaking the calm silence that had enveloped us for a few minutes. I was still tired and knew I should be using this time to rest, but I wasn't quite ready to fall asleep in the same vicinity as someone I'd just met. Toothless clearly felt the same way; his eyes were closed, but I could tell he was still antsy from being around an unfamiliar human. Part of me wanted to put out the fire since he and I both were more comfortable in darkness, but I didn't want Heather to be cold. She couldn't use Windshear's internal heat like I could with Toothless. Sharp-scales weren't exactly great for cuddling, not unless you wanted to risk losing a finger or two while you slept.
I shrugged at her question, even though she wasn't looking at me. "I don't know. It's hard to answer that when I have nothing to compare it to…" I hummed quietly, trying to imagine what it was like to grow up in a viking village. "It's safe there. We depend on each other, help each other. Alpha feeds the flock so there's never really a concern about going hungry." Out of my periphery, I noticed Heather turn her head to the side to stare at me with wide eyes, her mind clearly catching on the term "Alpha," though she didn't say anything. "I was never alone," I continued. "My mom taught me how to read and write, how to fight. Anything I needed to know to survive, really." I glanced over at Heather, impressed how neutral she kept her expression. Only her foot tapping incessantly on the ground gave away how much she was bursting with curiosity. "The dragons were just as involved in my upbringing, though, if not more. Sometimes…when I'm away from my mom for a while…I forget…"
"Forget what?" Heather demanded as politely as she could when I trailed off and got lost in my thoughts.
"How to be human, I guess," I responded, pursing my lips. It took effort to remember to speak aloud, which I mostly did for my mom's benefit. She never said it, but I knew she liked to hear my physical voice. There were also many times my instincts lined up with Toothless' rather than her own. Instead of words, I chose growls. Instead of a sword, I chose bare hands and teeth.
"I would love to live in a dragon nest," Heather sighed wistfully. "I've been to plenty of villages, but never a nest. Dragons are a lot better company than people," she said with a hint of snark. I nodded absentmindedly in agreement. She perked up and rolled over onto her stomach, glancing from the ground to Toothless then back again. "So, uh, when did you meet Toothless?" She asked, trying to sound nonchalant but failing spectacularly. I understood why she was so fascinated by him, as most humans didn't believe Night-wings were real, but it was still amusing.
"I was a baby, he was a hatchling. He knew that I was a dragon-soul; he could sense it somehow." I shrugged. I obviously had no memories that far back, but Toothless could remember every moment for the both of us. "He's been by my side ever since." I sat up and stretched out my tired limbs, then climbed onto my dragon's back to find a more comfortable position. I wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer.
"He's beautiful," Heather murmured.
I snorted at the description, lightly slapping Toothless' wing bone. *Hear that, bud? You're beautiful!* I teased, ignoring Heather's eye roll. Toothless curled his tail up and smacked the top of my head, making me yelp. "Hey!" I complained, rubbing my scalp.
Heather giggled at our antics. "Not what I expected," she muttered under her breath, but I didn't ask her to elaborate. A large yawn escaped me, and I decided to disregard my instincts toward "stranger danger" for tonight. I was with Toothless, the safest place to be.
"If you don't mind, I'm gonna resume where I left off before you so rudely interrupted," I declared, snuggling against the soft part of Toothless' wing. I couldn't see Heather's expression, but I could practically feel her death glare. A small smile crept onto my face without my permission.
She's not so bad, I guess…
"Hiccup, wake up," a voice urged. I frowned, not quite ready to open my eyes yet. Of course, the next moment I was being jostled and dumped unceremoniously to the ground. I grunted at the impact, groggily lifting my head and squinting against the sunlight to glare at my dragon, who was chortling with laughter at my expense. I bared my teeth at him in irritation, but the voice—Heather—cut in before I could properly form a plan of attack. "Hiccup. Wake up. Look."
I shook my head to clear it, maneuvering into a crouch, and followed where Heather's finger was pointing to the south. Not too far in the distance, the sky was dark, nearly black, and every few seconds lightning lit up the clouds. It was a nasty storm, and it was closing in fast. Already the wind was blowing strongly enough to knock me off balance.
Heather spoke up again. "You should get going. You're already gonna have to fly a little off course to avoid the storm. Wait much longer and you'll get stuck in it," she advised briskly. She was already double-checking her saddle straps on Windshear in preparation to leave.
"Damn," I sighed, standing up and running a hand through my hair. "I guess you're right. Where are you headed?" I asked curiously, wondering if I'd ever cross paths with her again.
She smiled and shrugged, jumping onto Windshear's back with practiced ease. "North. Maybe I'll come across that nest of yours. Think they'd take me in?" She joked, although there was a sense of longing in her words.
"I have no doubt you'd be a welcome addition," I chuckled, completely believing it.
Her expression turned slightly more melancholy. "Maybe one day," she responded quietly, then immediately plastered on a grin. "Good luck, Hiccup. And Toothless, watch his back, okay?" My dragon blinked in surprise at being directly addressed, then quickly snorted and looked away. I wanted to scold him for being rude, but Heather seemed more amused by his behavior than anything. "I'll crack him eventually," she assured me with a wink. "Bye!" She waved enthusiastically.
*It was nice to meet you, young Hiccup.* Windshear added, then leapt into the air, obviously feeling the pressure to get some distance from the storm before it was too late. I returned Heather's wave as they climbed higher into the sky, until their forms were shrouded by clouds.
*First the small one, now this girl?* Toothless exclaimed from behind me. I turned to face him, raising a questioning eyebrow. *The human females are all over you.* He shook his head as if in disbelief, but amusement was shining in his gaze.
*W-What? No, they aren't!* I spluttered, a blush heating my cheeks.
*Oh, Hiccup. So naive.* He sighed dramatically. I growled loudly in annoyance, charging at him while he was mildly distracted. My hands grabbed onto the right side of his jaw as I hopped clear over the saddle to his other side, my momentum successfully pulling him off balance. He toppled over, his wings flailing as he attempted to stop his fall, and I barely made it out of the way in time before he hit the ground. I grinned in triumph, jumping onto his chest before he could get back up.
*You were saying?* I laughed, dodging his paw as he swiped at me.
A booming clap of thunder interrupted whatever retort was forming in Toothless' head, and the volume of it caused me to flinch and flatten myself against him. He licked the top of my head reassuringly, then rolled over so he could stand, going slow so I could crawl onto his back without falling off.
*Time to go.* He announced, all playfulness gone. I planted my feet in the stirrups as he ran to the edge of the sea stack and took flight, his back paws pushing against the rock for a boost. The air was cold and misty, and the wind certainly wasn't helping. Hopefully we passed the storm soon. I really didn't want to spend the entire flight in such uncomfortable conditions.
For a long while, we traveled in silence, although it was hardly quiet. The mixture of thunder, rain, and the raging ocean below made for quite a bit of noise. Over time, the sun was devoured behind a blanket of gray, and it was impossible to tell the time of day. All I knew was that we'd been flying for a few hours. I hadn't seen so much as a rock since we left our sea stack, and I was starting to worry that we'd gotten more off course than originally intended. The map I'd brought along was useless until I had landmarks to figure out my location.
*Hey, bud, you see anything?* I asked, well aware that Toothless' vision far exceeded my own. I was concerned he was getting tired, but he showed no physical signs of exhaustion, even though he'd been fighting the wind almost the entire time.
*Not yet, but I'm sure we're getting close.* He insisted.
Close to what? I thought miserably, hunkering down to soak in more of his body heat. I wanted nothing more than to be curled up in our den at home, warm and dry. I'm sure he felt the same.
A sudden screech from above sent a wave of shock through me, and Toothless veered to the left. I instinctively matched his movement so he wasn't unbalanced by my weight, years of practice making it as easy as breathing. The split second after he moved, a fluffy shape—was that a…sheep?—fell past us, and a Spike-tail dove after it with a panicked squawk. Once she had recaptured her dropped prey, she leveled out, now flying almost directly below us but slightly off to the right. She hardly seemed to notice our presence at all.
Toothless tensed, and I looked away from the Spike-tail to see that dozens of dragons had descended into our airspace, each one carrying some sort of animal, some of which I didn't even recognize. None of them said a word, nor glanced our direction. They all seemed to be hyper-focused on their destination, and they were clearly all flying to the same place.
*Toothless?* I murmured uneasily, not liking the void expressions on the dragons' faces. They all had slitted pupils and blank stares, like they weren't even aware of where they were.
*I don't know.* He answered my unspoken question, his voice rigid. His head was on a swivel, making sure none of the dragons made any threatening movements. By this point, we were completely surrounded, and the only way to avoid a collision was to fly the same direction as the rest.
*Follow them.* I instructed quietly. Something about this situation was making me itch, and it wasn't just the fact that the dragons' minds seemed vacant. I needed to know where they were going and why they were so determined to get there. Plus, what was with all the animals? Almost all dragons prefer fish, and they certainly didn't save a meal for later. Something was pulling at the edges of my memory, but I couldn't quite grasp it.
Toothless didn't question my decision, but I could sense his discomfort. I patted his side, trying to convey confidence. I'm not sure I really pulled it off, but he did relax marginally.
Eventually, we came to a wall of heavy fog that automatically sent my heart into a faster pace. None of the dragons slowed, but Toothless' ears did perk up. As we were enveloped in the mist, I leaned down toward him in concern. *What is it, bud?* I wondered, noting absentmindedly that we were finally passing some sea stacks.
*It's…* His right ear twitched and his eyes narrowed. *It's a command call. Like Alpha's, but slightly weaker.* He explained hesitantly. My eyebrows furrowed at the revelation. Does that mean there's an Alpha dragon nearby? It couldn't be another Bewilderbeast, since we were too far south and they only dwell in arctic waters. I'd never heard of another Alpha species. Nevertheless, I didn't doubt Toothless' keen hearing.
My eyes caught on something floating up against a pile of sharp rocks below, and I gasped. *Toothless, look!* I pointed to the wrecked viking ship, studying it closely as we flew over it. Its paint was faded and it was broken in half, but the way it'd been broken…it almost looked like it had been stepped on by something big. Really big.
As we flew deeper and deeper into the fog, a buzzing sound grew in volume until my eardrums were practically ringing. I winced, slapping my hands over my ears in an attempt to block it out. This must be what Toothless had heard. How he wasn't losing his mind, I had no idea. As the buzzing intensified, I squeezed my eyes shut, suddenly seeing flashes of images behind my lids.
Sharp, sword-like teeth, extending over me.
Dragons flying around in chaotic patterns, screeching in panic and anger.
Buildings on fire and people screaming.
"Agh!" I choked out painfully, struggling to focus on just one thing.
*Hiccup!* Toothless shouted worriedly. I wanted to answer him, but my mind was too muddled and the images just kept coming.
Biting, slashing, blood flowing into the dirt.
Big humans charging forward with ferocious screams.
Three eyes full of hunger.
*Fight it, Hiccup! You have to block it out!* Toothless instructed, barely able to fly straight with all his attention on me. I panted with exertion, trying to cling to his voice. I needed anything to distract from this horrible buzzing.
"I-I can't!" I groaned, feeling like my head was going to explode.
*Yes, you can!* He argued fiercely. *Listen to me. Tune it out. It's just you and me. Ignore everything else.* I pried my eyes open, hoping that no tears escaped. *You're here with me, Hiccup. I'm not leaving you.* I released a sort of gasping sob that I'm sure I'd be embarrassed about later. For now, I laid both hands against Toothless' neck, using the direct contact to anchor myself.
"I'm here with you," I repeated, my voice weak and breathy. The buzzing receded to a bearable level, and I was finally able to hear myself think.
*Good. Stay with me.* Toothless implored, relief evident from his tone and the way his flight steadied. I wanted to ask what the hell that was all about, but I didn't have a chance. All the dragons around us crowded in so tightly that we wouldn't have been able to escape even if we wanted to, and a mountain that I hadn't noticed before was looming ahead of us. I held on as we were bumped into from all directions, then we were entering a tunnel that smothered us in darkness. Luckily, it was only a few seconds before the tunnel opened up into a large, lava-lit cavern. The dragons around us branched out, all of them dropping their prey into the smoky abyss below. Toothless quickly swooped up and to the side, finding a secluded ledge to settle on. It was the first rest he'd had in hours, and his body slightly sagged as he landed. As I watched with utter confusion as all the dragons discarded their meals pointlessly, Toothless turned his head to check on me.
*Are you okay?* He questioned, crooning with fear and concern.
I nodded slowly. The buzzing was still there but wasn't nearly as loud as earlier. *What happened?* I asked, barely able to keep the whimper out of my voice.
He nuzzled my cheek as I leaned in close to him. *It was the call. It didn't affect me since I'm a Night-wing, but you're vulnerable to it.* He explained sympathetically.
*But I'm human.* I frowned in confusion.
*Which is why you were able to block it out, unlike the other dragons here, but you're also a dragon-soul. You're susceptible to a command call.* He elaborated. Well, isn't that just a pain in the ass?
*Wait, so the other dragons are under an Alpha's influence? That's why they're acting so strange?* He nodded in confirmation. *Well, then where's the Al—* During our conversation, a Flame-scale with a busted wing had flown to the middle of the cavern and dropped in a few fish, then had struggled to remain airborne. Before I could finish my sentence, a loud roar shook the entire mountain and the next moment a giant, scaly head was lunging out of the smoke. A large maw snapped shut around the Flame-scale, then the head sunk back out of sight.
Toothless' head had whipped around as my breath hitched at the scene, and now he stepped backward, hiding both of us in the shadows. A rumbling hiss traveled from the pit up through the stone, and every dragon hunched down on their perches.
*I can smell you, Night-wing.* The words were like gravel in my brain. They held a similar power to Alpha, but weren't quite as loud. Toothless froze, realizing hiding in silence wasn't going to help us now.
*I have no control over you, yet you still brought me a snack.* It commented darkly, causing a shiver to run down my spine. Toothless snarled reactively, flaring his wings. All at once, every single dragon turned its blank gaze to us, and my heart dropped to my stomach.
*Eat eel!* Toothless cursed it, anger rolling off of him in waves even as he took note of the dragons around us.
A grating sound—was that a laugh?—echoed through the cavern.
*I think I'd rather eat you.* It declared.
Then the dragons swarmed.
