The sky shrouded the tints of the various colors, just as if the rainbow wrapped the earth's background while bypassing the white clouds, whereas the two, mighty Night Furies flew through it, gradually. In the meantime, the sun brightened the ocean underneath, also their scales, reflecting the shades - navy for the male and purple for the female - which differentiated them, outside of their size and the pigment of their eyes.
Having his eyes foremostly on ahead, Toothless kept glancing at Hiccup by his side, who didn't return the favor, drilled her eyes into the cloud's shadows around, whilst being rather ignorant of him, neglecting even. At some point, the male must've had enough, because he'd glid tighter to the female, brushing the internal part of his wing with hers, although not making any impression on her with it, before he started, rather bashfully.
"Would you talk to me finally, please?" he questioned, locking his eyes at her, whereas she'd turned her head away, her brows knitted as being vexed. "Look, I am sorry for not revealing that, earlier, really. I swear, everything will explain itself when we will get there."
"Toothless, I have been thinking the matters through for so long, making the fool out of myself, while you have had the solution, all this time," she replied, glaring at him, shortly. "Do not be shocked, that I am mad, okay?"
"Honestly now, I have not told you this, only because I have thought of it as the last resort, the last option," he admitted, and the female gazed at him for more than seconds, at last. "Besides, be mad, you have every right to it. I would be actually shocked, only if you were not mad."
"Glad to hear," she grumbled and inched away from him, sliding to the side, her expression empty, indifferent. "If so, leave me be, then."
"I could not do that, you already know it," he stated, then, by every inch she'd distanced herself, he'd drawn nearer, quickly. "I would not be myself, then."
Consequently, she'd groaned, glowered at his grinning self, before sighing, "You are so annoying," narrowing her eyes forth, stubbornly.
Afterward, having his expression ponderous, he'd just stared at her, must've thought of a way of making her feel any better, and finally, came out with the worst idea possible, judging by the growing smirk. Accordingly, notwithstanding her reticence, he'd been circling her, appearing by her sides, over her, even underneath whilst being upside down, taking as much attention as possible, although that didn't lure her as she'd stared forward, only.
Therefore, he'd changed his tactic, and, when being beside her, coated her wing with his, before thrusting his own down sharply, hence hers, refraining her off balance, momentarily although same dangerously. Even so, she'd not reacted, her muscles tightened slightly, however, once the case repeated itself, only now at the other side, also merely stronger, she snapped, and gazed at him while her eyes burned with a vengeance.
Subsequently, having the worst interest, she'd endeavored to recreate what he'd done, alas, she'd not been able to even stir his wing, all the more, she'd only slipped herself, what itself caused the male's rather loud laughter. Ultimately, the sound, that outright, revolting noise, finalized Hiccup's patience, and she'd taken on to fucking smack him, although missed after he'd only just disappeared into the clouds, his exuberant ego perceptible in the air.
Consequently, their race began, saturated by Hiccup's groans and curses, whereas Toothless laughed while being perfectly camouflaged in the whiteness of palls, despite the blackness of his scales, surprisingly. Eventually, being influenced by the joyful atmosphere, the cheerful frolicking, at last, the slight smile welcomed itself at Hiccup's face, and sooner than later, her laughter appeared to oversound his own.
That was unbelievable, how that male was able to fetch such a change of humor into her, without even much trying, without any bother, as if he'd done it naturally, as if it'd been in his nature all along, always. Before long, she'd forgotten the reason why she'd been even mad, allowed the air to glide her freely, the wind streaming through her face, and wasn't shocked, when Toothless appeared just underneath, again upside down, being face to face with her.
Neither then, albeit it's nothing new, took an eye off each other, staring as if they'd needed the sight to merely breathe, smiled brightly, however, out of the blue, Hiccup flew to the side, vanishing from Toothless's range of view. Ultimately, before he could realize the cause, the pain traveled through his head as he smacked it into the tree's bark behind, fell on the branch while hearing Hiccup's giggle, who watched his curved self, amused.
"And that is what the tail is for - turning," she teased, her grin brightened whereas he'd glared at her, annoyed, "something you may want to learn."
"Funny!" he growled, grinning ironically, also clumsily standing on the piece of wood, before continuing, "As for me, it is rather-," and being cut, just as the branch broke underneath him.
Toothless's collapse was just like Hiccup's reaction to it - harsh and fierce - hence, as the male glared from the mud at the female in the air, who laughed her ass off, she'd not noticed the same burn for vengeance in his eyes, until it'd been too late. Suddenly then, he'd jumped at her, like the predator attacking his prey, and before long, they'd both landed on the ground of that tiny, merely significant island - Toothless having his weight all over her, while Hiccup giggled, continuously.
"What about now? Is it still funny?" he asked, pinning her body to the soil, rather strongly even.
"You bet your ass," she replied, grinning whereas he'd returned the favor, eased finally, and then, narrowed her eyes at him, although remaining the playful expression. "I am still mad at you, you know that?"
"I know," he confirmed, although stayed rather confident, despite all, as he added, "yet, you are smiling," and melted her heart, at once.
"Sunshine, are you okay?" Toothless asked, his brows knitted, just when her lids seemed to plaster to each other as if glued by resin of some sort, by the exhaustion itself, and she nodded, solely. "Stay awake, we are almost there."
These last words, although having logical, rational sense, hadn't touched her much, after all, they'd both been shrouded, for a few hours already, by the dark night, as well as the fog, which refrained any light, any stars from reaching them, hence she'd just wished that - rest. Yet, at the very least, she would've been consoled, would've been awakened, just when viewing his quick grin, when receiving the light nudge, when so, she'd inhaled, gazed at him, even merely smiled, what seemed to be enough for the male, somehow and anyhow.
Truth be told, since the time when the day transformed into the night, Toothless came off very uptight, maybe even before so, even before the very flight, however, Hiccup wouldn't point out the case, hoping he'd name his concerns himself, finally. She'd known he would, she'd been sure he would, thus, when his previous grin altered back into an uncertain grimace, she'd not asked, just flew nigher to him, what he must've noticed, and stayed close, stayed safe.
"I am sorry, just drained," she apologized, wasn't surprised when Toothless glanced at her, concerned. "I wonder if we could just-,"
"There is no need to stop. I am serious when saying, that we are close," he pressed, his expression overtaken by a feeling, which Hiccup could've described as this - the rather blend of graveness and anxiety. "Listen, I cannot really prepare for what is about to happen, but still, I need to state a few matters, just in case."
"Sure," she replied and glided just underneath his wing, her constant focus on the male. "I am all ears."
"You know already, that we are heading to the nest. What you must know, when we get there, we might get separated," he explained, what itself troubled the female much, who gazed at him, confused. "When so, you must stay wherever is that. I will find you, I promise and-,"
"Wait, wait, what do you mean separated?" she questioned, her startle melding with vexation. "How? Are you planning on leaving me alone, or anything-?"
"No, no, of course not," he interrupted, gazed forth, along their way, and gnashed his teeth, remorseful. "I do not have much time to explain it, now."
"You have got the entire flight to explain it," she pointed out, the fright clouding her features, ultimately. "Why you have not mentioned it, then?"
"It is not the easiest to explain. I hoped to show you-,"
"Well, and I want you to tell me now, can you not?" she inquired fiercely, then suddenly, her ears overtook the whistle, the high-pitched screech, which seized her attention. "Toothless, what is that sound?" she asked, rather puzzled than raged at that point, and gazed at him as he'd not responded, confounded. "Toothless?"
The second she'd taken sight of him, she'd known that something was wrong, what she'd inferred from his slit eyes, his fixed posture, and his attitude, sunken and blank, which she couldn't recognize in him. Afterward, she'd tried to rouse him from that state anyhow, by nudging him, appearing in his eye range, and talking to him, yet he seemed to gaze through her as if she'd been invisible, as if everything were invisible, outside of whatever, that was on his mind.
Thus, she'd rather surrender, although, once by once, ricocheted at him, desiring that he'd come round, that he'd spoken to her, but before that, she must've figured what was happening, in spite of the newest circumstances. Alarmingly, rather than staying alone as previously, they'd started being surrounded, by dragons of various breeds, the amount of which she could've ever imagined, which increased with fog's dispel, each being in the Toothless's state.
Eventually, every being around appeared to fly in the same direction, and so Hiccup too, who followed the group, rather aghast, until finally, they'd reached the place - the island, deprived of any color, any flora, any life, the stony landfill. At that point, she'd just focused on having her eyes on the male, not getting lost through the way, especially if his scales blended into the depths of fog, everybody's velocity increased, and she'd been near to smack into the Hideous Zippleback, luckily near only.
Before she could realize that, the entire herd flew inside the mountain, the volcano, having its placement at the very center of the aisle, and soon, the heat, which Toothless had mentioned once, hit her face, as well as an overall fright. The nest, from what had she seen, was small, packed, and tight, the dragons fought for the seats on the stone ledges, which hovered over the ocean of darkness, while conquered dragons must've dangled from the walls, stabbing their class into the rocky surface.
Ultimately, after she'd viewed everything, she'd realized that she'd lost sight of Toothless, however, before she could've horrified even further, she caught a glimpse of him, seated at the slim ledge, fortunately. Immediately after, she'd dashed to him, landed just beside him brutally, and just as she'd been about to loosen, noticed the Death Nadder beside, who growled at her, visibly unsatisfied with her presence here.
Even if so, Hiccup didn't allow to be pushed away and growled at the male, her eyes slit, her teeth gnashed, nonetheless, that didn't do much, because the Nadder just roared, unnerving her while she didn't show it. Subsequently, she'd stepped away, bumped into motionless Toothless's side, and hid underneath his massive wing, only then did the distance appear agreeable to the dragon because he'd backed away, gazed to the center, unbothered.
Afterward, the world, for the female, had been just it - Toothless's wing membrane, coating her whole, while she'd panted, poked him occasionally, until ultimately, allowed the loose, hence the exhaustion overtake her. Just when the sleep was about to capture her, take over her, she'd caught a fleeting glimpse of Toothless, which she'd ignore, if it wasn't for the matter, that he'd been turning his head, as if searching - thus, she'd spoke.
"Toothless?" she began, and so, the male flinched surprised, gazed at her whilst she'd grinned, awkwardly. "Hi."
"Hi. What are you doing here?" he asked and sized her up, perplexed. "Under my wing?"
"Well, that…that's because-," she tried explaining, although paused, imperceptibly pointed her head at the Nadder, and sank in herself. "I was scared."
Hearing that, at very first, Toothless stared at her, acknowledging a few matters, realizing the terrify she'd gone through, and therefore, when he'd glared at the Nadder, the dragon noticed it, although wasn't eager to undergo. Consequently, the two males started growling at each other, the sound of which the female feared, shrinking into Toothless even further, ultimately though, the Night Fury came out successful in the quarrel, while the Nadder fled, overwhelmed.
Whereas it'd happened, the Fury straightened, visibly pleased with itself, and in a moment, gazed back at Hiccup and soothed, "He is gone, now," smiling, reassuringly.
"Thanks," she replied whilst inching away, making herself comfortable, when having the space for that, finally. "You did not have to scare him away, though."
"Happy to help either way," he responded, the curve of his wing sustained over her back, and sighed as he watched her tense self. "I am, again, sorry for not explaining it earlier, but you see how it looks. How could I describe just suddenly appearing in one place?"
"Appearing?" she repeated, furrowed her brows at him. "You do not remember flying here?"
"No," he answered, bored his eyes at her, intrigued. "Do you?"
"Of course," she affirmed, her sight turning to the nest. "I remember everything, is that not normal?"
"Well, all I know is that I crossed the Helheim's Gate, and then suddenly, stand here, as well as every other dragon," he stated, following his gaze at the herd ahead. "Although, that has some sense."
"How?" she asked, but before he could clarify, added whilst watching the odd scene. "What is happening?"
Immediately had Toothless knew what she'd meant, as they'd both eyed the circumstances, which were dragons of various breeds, tossing food, dead animals, fish inside the pit at the bottom, whereas the same, loud shriek accompanied them.
"They are bestowing the queen - the reason why we are here," he illustrated before she could see more, his expression hardened. "She is an alfa dragon, although a very cruel one. Her shriek drives the fear into our hearts, forces the instinct to take over, which seeks the safest place - the nest, her nest."
"And she is down there?" she inquired, stepping away from the edge merely, and later, the sudden realization transformed her face. "You believe, me not having instinct, saved me from being taken advantage of?"
"That is good news because that applies to every other mind control, which you are immune to, apparently," he remarked and gazed at her shortly, smiling lightly. "I always knew, you were such a stubborn hatchling, not even allowing others to control you."
"You are damn right," she agreed, letting a quick smirk slip onto her face, and straightened, at last. "If she is so cruel as you say, why are you even feeding her? After all, she is only leading you here.
When she'd asked, Toothless stared at her with an empty gaze, his eyes telling a thousand stories, brutal stories, and then, glowered forth, at the abyss of Helheim itself, at the darkness which reflected inside his eyes.
"Because we must."
At some point, they'd caught a glimpse of Gronckle, having the colors of pure magenta, being barely an adult herself, who just entered the mountain and headed downward, toward the hidden queen, empty-handed.
"Because we must, and for that excuse only we steal from your own. We live for obtaining food."
Finally, the female appeared just over the fog's density, and when so, opened widely her mouth, spitting out the cod, being rather of the poor measure, which evaporated into the dark, leaving behind itself the salty scent only.
"Because if we do not fetch the monarch, the dictator the food she yearns for,"
Suddenly, underneath the dragonness sounded the loud, mighty roar, and before either being inside could react, the Gronckle was flanked by the massive jaws, the length of the horde, and disappeared inside them.
"then we become the food ourselves."
Afterward, dread encompassed the nest whilst possessing the presence of the majesty herself, and each being stepped away, honoring the potency and superiority of their alpha, including the irritated Night Fury. Only then had he noticed something was wrong, because the female, stunned by the fear, didn't move a muscle, stabbed her claws hard into the stone, and stared at the colossus capable of swallowing her whole, maintaining the hastened, uneven breath.
"Hiccup?" Toothless called her, although she'd not reacted, not even stirred an eyelid. "Easy, sunshine. You are safe."
He'd known that she'd not listened, he'd known that she'd fallen into hysteria, and he'd known that he'd been to blame, for taking her here, for forgetting about the fear that he'd driven into her, for being ill-advised, narcissistic. In the meantime, Hiccup's head swathed the one image - the yellowish fangs, the size of the tree, the individual scales, the color of lava the queen's been hiding in, the stare of the amber, enormous eye, which drove them shaking.
"Hiccup, I'm begging you here. Whatever happens, whatever is going to be," he started, his voice, in his head, as faint as a whisper, "do not move."
He'd known that she'd not heard, he'd known that she'd been opening her wings already, and he'd known he'd do nothing, while she'd flown upward, panicked, petrified, and he'd only watched, only the observed, like a coward, a polecat. In the meantime, Hiccup's focus swathed the one experience - the odor of the foul breath, which heated her back, the feeling of the pointed maw, which brushed her tail, the portrayal of the night's darkness, which swallowed her, rescuing her from the single, yet potent roar.
One says that dozing off feels like falling from the sky, and also, that after dying, without the privilege of ascending Valhalla, one's losing even the awareness of itself - Hiccup's been feeling the very opposite of that, at this point. The events of the previous day seemed to circle her heavy skull, reminded her of the details, that she'd never wanted to remember, that she'd do everything to forget, yet not even the void of the slumber couldn't hide her from them.
Sore, she'd woken up, having the mud in between her claws, the dust inside her nose, and opening her eyes, she'd viewed only the blurry picture of the dense grass, as well as the ocean horizon, which stretched behind it. When lifting her head, the pain jolted her, and she must've gnashed her teeth to withstand it, groaned even, until finally, she'd managed to get on her feet, and, sustaining the wobbly gait, moved onward.
Eventually, her feet slipped as she reached the cliff's edge, scanned the unbeknownst waters that she couldn't identify, the islands that she'd not ever seen, and the lack of knowledge buried her into uneasiness. Having the remnant of hope, she'd taken in sight of the forest behind, the deserted paths, the oak broken in half, which she must've smashed into, judging by the squashed grass underneath that she laid onto, and when seeing nothing familiar, nothing known, distressed.
"Toothless?" she called the male, barked merely, expecting he'd not left her, expecting he'd be nearby, but he wasn't. "Toothless!" she roared, however, once again, the silence answered her, providing her heart with fright, panic, and longing.
Hey guys, first of all, I want to apologize for such a wait, however, I got myself an art block, I found myself a new flat to live in for next college year, and also, I have now a cat, so… a lot has been happening.
I won't promise the next chapter will be faster, but I'll do my best to keep track of the time for this one.
Sooooo, see ya laterrr.