Third person view
It was dark by the time Hiccup had returned to the village. He had gotten away from the cove soon after the Night Fury had spotted him but had spent the remainder of the day just wandering around the forest in thought before he remembered Gobber had requested the whole class meet him in the Great Hall at sundown to discuss something.
As he approached the doors, he could hear the other teens talking and laughing. Something that would surely end once he was inside.
He was right because as soon as he pushed the doors open, all laughing from the teens stopped as they replaced their smiles for frowns.
"Good now the whole class is here, we can get started" Gobber said with his hands on his hips as Hiccup cane forwards.
"Sorry, I'm late. Was exploring in the woods and lost track of time" Hiccup said walking towards an empty spot next to Snotlout however the bigger boy quickly moved into it.
Hiccup just sighed and went over to pick up his food.
"Now look I know everyone is a little down about what was said in training, but things like this happens all the time" Gobber said trying to cheer everyone up. However Fishlegs decided to speak up.
"No it doesn't. I've asked around and not even Stoick the Vast in his early days as Chief had to tell off every student in a-" he was then cut off once he seen all the looks he was getting from his fellow classmates.
"Never mind" he said shrinking in his seat while nervously twirling his fingers. Hiccup walked past the table now ignoring the shuffles to take up empty spots on the table to make sure he didn't sit with them and sat at a nearby empty table.
"Anyway, what he said was true. You all were pretty bad but you could redeem yourselves in the final test and the tests leading up to it but you lot need to live and breath this stuff" Gobber said pulling out as large leather bound book with a dragon with it's body in a spiral. He then moved some stuff off of the more crowed table before throwing it on said table.
"The Dragon Manual. Everything we know about every dragon we know of" he added before he became aware of the thunder outside and his face showed relief.
"Ah... No attacks tonight. Study up" he said leaving them to themselves. At this however Tuffnut shot up.
"Wait you mean read?" He questioned.
"While we're still alive?" His twin added on.
"Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?" Snotlout said slamming his hand on the table which made a bone fly.
"Oh! I've read it like, seven times. There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face. And-And there's this other one that buries itself for like a week-" Fishlegs said rambling while the other looked at him with bored and annoyed looks.
"Yeah, that sounds great. There was a chance I was going to read that" Tuffnut said.
"But now?" Ruffnut said in a bored tone.
"You guys read, I'll go kill stuff" Snotlout said getting up as Fishlegs, Ruff and Tuff followed, Fishlegs still talking about the different dragons from the book.
Seeing it was just Astrid now at the table, Hiccup gained the courage to walk up to it.
"So I guess we'll share-" he began until she pushed it towards him.
"Read it" she said following the group out.
"Uh, all mine then, wow. So okay then I'll see you uh-" he was cut off again, this time by the slam of the door
"Tomorrow" he finished before sighing and walking back to his table deciding to finish his supper before he began reading.
Timeskip
Once Hiccup was done eating, he was all alone in the hall as everyone else had left to go home or do their job as night patrol.
It was also very darker, the only source of light was two candles at the teen's table that held the book since the large fire in the middle of the room had gone out.
Hiccup sat down at the teen's table and opened the book.
"Dragon classifications. Strike Class, Fear Class, Mystery Class" he read before flipping the page to the first dragon. It had a large wide open mouth and a long thin tail with short stubby legs.
"Thunderdrum: This reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tide pools. When startled, the Thunderdrum produces a concussive sound that can kill a man at close range. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight" he read before flipping the page.
This dragon had large wings and a long neck with long straight horns with no legs or arms but had two hooks in its wings like the Nadder and Nightmare.
"Timberjack: This gigantic creature has razor sharp wings that can slice through full grown trees. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight" he read turning the page again.
This dragon had a large body and chin but a thin and long neck with small legs. At the end if it's long tail was a fish like fin.
"Scauldron: Sprays scalding water at its victim. Extremely dangerous-" Hiccup was cut off as thunder erupted from outside which startled him and caused him to turn towards the empty doors with a yell just as lightning flashed in the sky.
He then turned back to the book and flipped the page again.
"Changewing: Even newly hatched dragons can spray acid. Kill on sight. Gronckle, Zippleback, The Skrill, Boneknapper, Whispering Death" he read as his eyes went wide. For most of his life, he had never even heard about most of these dragons.
"Burns its victims, buries its victims, chokes its victims, turns its victims inside-out. Extremely dangerous, extremely dangerous, kill on sight, kill on sight, kill on sight..." he began flipping pages quickly until he got to a blank one. He then seen writing at the top and the bottom. Barely a paragraph of words.
"Night Fury: Speed, unknown. Size, unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance: Hide and pray it does not find you" he read before curiosity got the better part of Hiccup and he turned the remaining page of the book.
"Skrill Fury: Size and speed both unknown. Rumored to be a hybrid between a Night Fury and Skrill, this dragon is extremely dangerous with the speed of the Night Fury and the viciousness of a Skrill. Shoots balls of lightning that explode upon impact. Never engage this dragon. If encountered, used whatever weapon you have... to kill yourself" Hiccup read with a paled expression.
"I may be the first one to ever say anything like this, but good thing I went for the Night Fury" he muttered returning to the first Fury's page before dropping his drawing next to the book to copy it.
As Hiccup entered his house, the first thing he seen was his brother sitting at the table holding a block of ice to his head and an empty mug in front of him.
"Hard day?" He questioned making his brother look up.
"After the training episode, I had to oversee some house repairs on the Gunderson house. After that, I had to send the hunting parties after a bear that ransacked the chicken coops last night before the dragon raid. As if dragons weren't bad enough" DJ said as Hiccup walked over and grabbed his brother's mug before walking over to a barrel of mead.
"After that I also had to listen the complaint of the week from Mildew" DJ said as Hiccup returned with a full mug.
"What's was it this time?" Hiccup questioned as his brother took the mug.
"Thanks. It was that the road from his hut to the village is too bumpy and is upsetting his cabbage. And after I told him that it wasn't really priority, he then went on a rant about how I'm too young to lead a village and that he would make the council put Gobber or someone older in charge" DJ said before downing half the mug before passing to breath.
"Heh, he couldn't have been more wrong about that" Hiccup laughed as DJ smiled and nodded.
This was his brother's forth time leading while their father was away, either on hunts for the nest or visiting other chiefs', and yes he was a little confused the first time but every job was always complete and everyone was alive when Stoick returned.
"Hey listen, don't really worry about what happened in training, it was your first day. You still got room to improve" he said putting a hand on his brother's shoulder before he put the ice block back on his head and looked back at the table.
As Hiccup turned and went to walk up the stairs, he stopped at the bottom before turning to his brother.
"Hey, DJ?" Hiccup said making his brother look up from the table and back at him.
"I was just wondering... what do you know about Night Furies?" He added coming back to the table.
DJ put down his ice block and sighed.
"Didn't Gobber give you guys the book? I swear I gotta do everything around here when father is away" DJ said getting to his feet ready to go and confront the blacksmith.
"No, no, no, he did, he did. But I noticed there wasn't anything really on them. Or Skrill Furies either" Hiccup said making his brother sit back down.
"Oh, well other than the book, I don't know much. I mean I know that the Skrill Fury has some streaks on it's body like a Skrill does just light blue instead of purple" DJ said.
"How do you know that?" Hiccup questioned, interested on how he got close to it.
" 'Bout a year ago,The Night Fury destroyed a catapult I was next to and in the blast I was able to see the Skrill Fury as it flew by. Honestly I think I'm the first one to get close to it" DJ said proudly.
"But as for the Night Fury, I'm sorry but I don't know much. Maybe try asking Gobber, he is the descendant of Bork so maybe he has some more papers that he didn't give you guys" he then added as Hiccup nodded.
"Okay. Thanks DJ" Hiccup said before he turned and began walking up the stairs. However he stopped when he heard his brother speak once more.
"Hey, dad's fleet is probably going to reach Helheim's Gate in the morning" DJ said as Hiccup nodded, knowing what he was saying and continued up the stairs.
Once he got to his bed, he kneeled down and sat on his legs. He then bowed his head and closed his eyes.
"Odin, great All father, hear my prayer. Please spare my father and the rest of the warriors on this voyage. He may be a great warrior worthy of your halls but he still has some fathering and teaching to do" Hiccup prayed.
He was about to get up when he thought about something else and sent out one more prayer to Odin, however this one was in his head as his brother was in hearing distance. After that, he then he got up and ready for bed.
This was something he and DJ started doing when DJ was nine and Hiccup was five, their father having left them with the Hoffersons and going on yet another hunt for the nest.
Hiccup woke up his brother in the middle of the night and expressed his worry for their dad after having a nightmare. So they began praying to Odin to spare their father's fleet from death.
They knew there father didn't need nor would he want the extra protection but it put Hiccup's mind at ease since then.
Yet another thing his brother had done for him.
Timeskip/Helhiem's Gate
DJ had called it, it was now morning with the sun high in the air and the fleet of ships was now just outside the fog bank where deep within laid the dragon's nest that vikings had been searching 300 years for. Stoick was in the lead ship, looking over the map with Spitelout standing next to him.
"I can almost smell them. They're close" he said to himself before turning to the left to look at the fog bank.
"Steady" he commanded as the trio of ships now sailed right beside the fog.
"Take us in" he then said to the man at the rear who was controlling the rutter.
"Hard to port for Helhiem's Gate" he said turning the ship as the others followed his lead.
The ships then sailed into the fog, disappearing from sight.
For a few seconds, it was silent. Until a fire blast from a dragon revealed the outline of a Nightmare, as it's roar mixed with the screams of the warriors.
Hiccup now stood in the arena with his sword and a shield. However he wasn't really interested in training as he was looking up at Gobber who was standing in the stands.
"You know, I just happened to notice the book had nothing on Night Furies. Is there another book? Or a sequel? Maybe a little Night Fury pamphlet?" He questioned until a blast of fire hit the wall behind him, almost hitting his sword as well.
"Focus Hiccup! You're not even trying today" Gobber said as Hiccup then seen a mostly blue and yellow Nadder with yellow eyes and some brown on the top of the wings charging towards him.
He quickly scrambled away and into the maze that now stood in the arena. The Nadder jumped up on top of the wooden planks that made up the maze but lost sight of Hiccup but it soon found Fishlegs.
"Today is all about attack! Nadders are quick and light on their feet! Your job is to be quicker and lighter!" Gobber said as the Nadder roared at Fishlegs before it's tail spiked up and it whipped it forwards, shooting several sharp barbs at him.
Fishlegs screamed and ran, using his shield to block a few barbs.
"I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods!" he yelled out as the Nadder began chasing Hiccup again but the twins ran down the path he had just come from and came face to face with the dragon.
"Look for it's blind spot. Every dragon has one. Find It, hide in it and strike!" he said as both twins got in the blind spot, which was right in front of it, with Tuffnut in front and his sister behind him. However this meant both twins were very close to each other.
"Ugh! Do you ever bathe?" Ruff questioned as they moved with the dragon head to stay in the blind spot. She then pushed his body closer to the dragon to keep in the blind spot but at the same time breath fresh air.
"You don't like it then just get your own blind spot!" Tuff said pushing his body back which then led to a standoff between the twins once more.
"How about I give you one!?" She said as they slammed their helmets together. A roar from the Nadder then alerted them that they had been noticed and quickly moved before a fire blast hit them.
"Blind spot, yes. Deaf spot, not so much" Gobber said resting his head on his hand. He then laughed as Snotlout and Astrid ran past him followed by Hiccup but he stopped.
"Hey, so how would one sneak up on a Night Fury?" He questioned as Gobber rubbed his head.
"No one's ever met one and lived to tell the tale. NOW, GET IN THERE!" He snapped as Hiccup walked backwards.
"I know, I know. But hypothetically-" Hiccup said.
"Hiccup! Get down!" Astrid said as he noticed that she and Snotlout were crouched down behind a corner of a plank.
Down the path from the corner walked the Nadder from around another coner. It sniffed around before looking down a different pathway then where the teens were.
Astrid then rolled from one corner to the other without the Nadder noticing as did Snotlout. Hiccup tried as well, but his shield was too heavy and he stopped mid roll which alerted the dragon.
He quickly scrambled to his feet narrowly avoiding a bite from the dragon which then jumped up onto the planks before coming down in front of Snotlout and Astrid, cutting them off.
Astrid prepared to throw her axe but Snotlout pushed her out of the way.
"Watch out babe, I'll take care of this" he said before throwing his mace at the dragon which he missed so badly the dragon didn't even have to move to avoid it.
It then turned back to them and made a laughing sound as Astrid glared at Snotlout who noticed.
"The sun was in my eyes, Astrid" he defended as Astrid took off running while he immediately followed avoiding a blast from the dragon.
"What do you want me to do, block out the sun? I could do that, but I don't have time right now!" He said as they ran with the dragon in hot pursuit.
Snotlout then turned down a different pathway as the dragon headed straight for Astrid. Fortunately she turned down a different pathway at the last second but unfortunately the dragon slide when it turned to follow her which knocked down some planks causing a domino effect.
"-You know has anyone ever seen one napping?" Hiccup questioned ignoring the teens who ran past him to get away from the falling planks.
"Hiccup!" Gobber said both out of annoyance and to warn him about the falling planks.
Astrid then jumped up on top of the planks and kept avoiding the Nadder's jaws which kept snapping behind her.
"Hiccup!" Astrid called out as she was forced to jump towards him as all the other planks were already fallen and the dragon was still behind her.
When the dust cleared Astrid was on top of Hiccup with her axe embedded in his shield and their legs tangled. From behind a fallen plank to the side, the twins peeked out and began laughing.
"Ooh, love on the battlefield. I thought his brother said to wait till after the fight to 'sheath his sword' " Tuffnut said.
"She can do better" Ruff said as Astrid finally got her legs untangled from his and stood up.
The Nadder then threw the debris off of it and roared at the two teens. Astrid gasped and tried to get her axe, however it was deeply embedded in the shield.
Finally she had enough and wrenched the shield free from Hiccup's arm and swing it into the dragon's face, only feet from them.
The hit destroyed the shield but it had the desired effect of making the Nadder walk away shaking it's head.
"Well done Astrid" Gobber said as Astrid panted. However she then became angry before turning to Hiccup.
"Is this some kind of joke to you?! Our parents war is about to become ours and your brother isn't going to be around to protect you forever. Figure out which side your on!" she said pointing her axe at him before she turned and began walking away.
However while she was turned, she couldn't see Hiccup's jaw clench tight along with his fists.
"I think if anyone should be answering that question it's you."
Those words made Astrid freeze dead in her tracks and made the rest of the group of teens looked shocked and scared. The blonde girl turned to Hiccup who was still on the ground but was now looking down right at the ground with his fists clenched.
"What was that?" She questioned stepping towards him.
"Lass-" Gobber began however she interrupted him.
"No, Gobber he wants to talk to my back, he can talk to my face! Speak up, Useless!" She said expecting him to run away. However he slowly got up and stared her down with hatred in his eyes that she hasn't ever seen in him. Ever.
"I said if anyone should be answering that question it's you. Giving how you already switched sides once, I don't want it happening again when I'm chief" he said. Astrid was confused at his words however she was mostly mad.
"I have never switched sides!" She yelled. By now a few villagers had heard yelling and had come to the edges of the ring to see what was going on.
"Yes you have! Did you forget?" He questioned stepping forwards making her step back slightly and tighten her grip on her axe.
"Back when we were eight and we were all friends and then one day, they weren't. You stayed with me. For a month. After that I noticed you started to pull away. I seen you one day with them and when I walked by, you tripped me and laughed with them but even after that I shrugged it off because you had stayed with me for a month and had given me hope that you would be my only friend!" he yelled in her face as her eyes went wide.
She and the rest of the class were in a stunned silence. Even the bystanders were shocked and quiet. Hiccup usually never raised his voice, to anyone.
"But after a while of the teasing, the name calling, the tripping and hitting, I realized that I had nobody left with the exception of my brother. And I wished and prayed for years that our father would make him heir so that I could be married off and get off this Thor forsaken rock! Or at the very least go 'exploring' by myself and then just sail and never look back! But I know that's not going to happen. So like I said: I know I haven't done much for our side but I've never switched sides on anyone ever. You have" Hiccup said before he walked passed a shocked group of teens and ignoring the stares he got from the bystanders, he walked towards the forest.
However the more he thought about Astrid's words, the more he thought about the Night Fury. What if he could switch sides, or at the very least learn more about theirs and at the same time, the Night Fury itself. He knows it's hungry and it seems to have a taste for fish.
So Hiccup quickly made his way to the market to get a fish, a big one.