Chapter 1.
A stiff wind blew around the five flying figures as the Dragon Riders flew out for their daily patrol around Berk. Hiccup, as per usual, was having a difficult time getting Snotlout or the twins to do anything he told them to. The twins were perpetually fighting about something, and this morning was no different.
"I'm telling you, my mace prank with Gobber was the best! He jumped right out of his stump leg." This was the fifth time that Tuffnut had bragged about what was now known as the Gobber-mace incident – this flight alone! But, twins being twins, Ruffnut was not better; in fact, the girl's voice might've been even louder (if such a thing were possible) than Tuffnut's.
"You're wrong, bro," Ruff hollered at her brother. "Mrs. Ack turned, like, three shades of green and two yellows when she saw the fish guts! It was epic!"
Snotlout was beyond frustrated at this point. "Do the two of you ever stop?!"
Tuffnut replied to that. "I don't know, Sir Lout. Do we ever stop, Sister Nut?" But before Ruff or anyone else could say anything, Hiccup cut in.
"Alright that is enough, the three of you!" The one-legged Viking was quite tired of their seemingly endless bickering.
"Astrid, you and the twins pair up and go east. Snotlout," Hiccup glared at Snotlout, "you go west with Fishlegs. Me and Toothless will go south, and we'll all meet back up at Hermit's Rock in an hour, got it? Okay, go!:
With that, everyone split up and flew in their respective directions, the twins already muttering about their next prank.
"Enjoying the silence, eh, bud?" Hiccup scratched Toothless behind the ears as he mused out loud, mostly to himself. Truthfully, the twins were not only a constant source of annoyance but also one of amusement. But the dragon only purred in response. What else could he say?
Hiccup sighed. "Sometimes I wish I could understand you, bud. That would make things a whole lot easier." Toothless chuckled in agreement, and then gave a low growl.
Instantly on the alert, Hiccup stiffened in sync with his dragon's action. "What do you see out there, Toothless?"
Having much better eyesight than his human companion, the obsidian-coloured dragon was able to see, nearly three miles away, a small black cloud, approaching rapidly.
"Should we take a closer look?" Hiccup had only just finished his inquiry when Toothless sped up and fired his special echolocation blast. After receiving the feedback, the Night Fury shook his head in confusion.
"You okay there, bud?" Hiccup patted his dragon's head. I can't see anything, can y–" Some sort of black projectile suddenly swooped up and knocked Hiccup out of the saddle.
"TOOTHLESS!"