Following his father's death Hiccup is determined to do Stoick proud and fill his shoes in Berk. And he does... by slowly chipping away at himself. Sensitive Toothless knows his boy is getting lost but that's not the only troubling thing happening...
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SQUAWK!!
"Stormfly," I called back, "Jealousy does not become you."
Toothless glanced back at my gorgeous sky blue Nadder, and stuck his tongue out. She glared back with narrowed eyes but didn't do anything. He was after all, the Alpha.
"Ugh you two. There's got to be an easier way to do this."
I used my Hiccup voice "Well sure there is, Astrid! I just need to ride my own dragon! I mean, after all, he is my best friend so it just makes sense that he would cause trouble if I don't spend enough time with him."
I studied the ring on my finger. Toothless heaved a sad sigh. I patted him on the neck, then fondled my beautiful ring. "Me too, pal."
Alighting the stables we were met by Valka. A lot of people had a hard time with my mother in law and vice versa. Relearning how to be part of a community was not coming easy, but she found respite in the company of the dragons.
"Morning, Valka! How are you today?"
She paused from grooming a flame whipper. A good sign. Grooming a dragon meant she was getting along acceptably with the other villagers. Being buried in baby dragons meant the day had been rough. Or that she was simply covered in baby dragons. That was a fifty-fifty.
Both she and Cloudjumper, ever at her side, cocked their heads. "You... had a good time?" She asked; knowing I didn't seem happy but unable to find the words she was looking for.
"It was alright."
"Yes? Alright is good but not so much."
"I don't know. I think Stormfly is getting annoyed. Sunrise rides used to be our thing."
"Yes," she approached Stormfly and scratched her head, looking into her eyes. "Yes."
I got a brush and started working on Toothless. Stormfly looked sorrowfully at me and began trilling all sorts of things to Valka.
"Oh, is that so, beautiful?" Valka scratched all up and down her neck. My Nadder couldn't help but stomp her foot.
"What did she say?"
"That you're too busy taking care of the things my son should be taking care but won't because he's too busy doing what his father did and his father really should have had more of a support group than just Gobber but he didn't because he was too proud and so is Hiccup and so are you."
I turned around. "You got all that out of a trill?"
"Paraphrased."
I laughed.
"Your dragon is right, my dear. You and Hiccup are young, inexperienced, and taking care of a village is hard."
"I know. But like Stormfly said the person you need to talk to is your son."
