This is where I belong ||httyd fanfic||

34. what Selardalr looks like now.

.................................................................

"So, why does this seem so impossible?" Hiccup asked his own thoughts.

The only answer came in the form of Toothless, who came up to his side and nuzzle his arm. His Night Fury had undergone some growth of his own over the years: even kneeling on all fours he could reach up to Hiccup's chest. His body had gotten longer, larger, and more developed, his muscles more powerful and more prominent spines growing along the backs of his legs and his head and tail. His wingspan had gotten much greater, and his tailfin could cover a small child like Alvis completely with just one fin. Spending so much time with Hiccup had also enlightened him to more human mannerisms, shown in how he suddenly gave a light, playful 'punch' with his clenched claws.

'I didn't think stuff like this would faze you, compared to everything else you've gotten through.' He said in a rumble.

Hiccup sighed and plopped himself down on the ground, laying his head down on the grass. "I guess I'm just... bummed out we didn't have more time for stuff like... this." What he could define as 'this,' if he could put it all into words, was everything: flying, exploring, childhood things. He had to admit, the sadness and isolation he felt while he was on Berk didn't give him much of one. He felt like his life had actually begun on that day he came back to Selardalr, beaten from the battle with the Red Death. And he had so little time to figure things out ever since.

"Toothless, just who am I?" He had to wonder. He wasn't the cold stone of a man his father was, and he never knew his mother since no one ever told him about her. In fact, any kind of mention of her left people in a bad mood and more willing to avoid him than usual. All he wanted was answers.

'You're Hiccup, the Dragon Whisperer, Savior of Dragons, leader of men, and my best friend.' Toothless warbled, laying his large head down on Hiccup's chest, just looking at him with those adoring eyes.

Hiccup just looked back at him and rubbed his head absentmindedly. "You really think I'm ready for this, bud?"

'I know you are.' Toothless' look spoke for him, and right out of the blue, he started showering him in a barrage of slobbery dragon licks, a small one on the chin before the onslaught began. Hiccup groaned in frustration and rolled out of the Night Fury's grip, landing on his feet and shaking off the drool.

"You KNOW that doesn't wash out!" He complained, with Toothless giving a throaty dragon laugh in response. He swatted the dragon spit right onto Toothless' face before climbing back in the saddle with Toothless cleaning himself and licking his paw again.

"All right then," he said with a sigh, "if it's a one-legged dragon rider they want for a chief, it's a one legged dragon rider they'll get." Toothless's eyes sparkled and he let out an excited bark. His best friend Hiccup, chief of a human tribe; who would have thought? He spread his wings wide and they took off again, making their way back to the village on Selardalr.

As Hiccup and Toothless were flying across the ocean to get back home, he briefly wondered how Berk was doing. He tried not to think about it much, mostly because remembering such bitter times there just gave him a headache. They all figured he would have reached the pinnacle of his potential once his title changed to 'Useful.' Sure he got recognition there for a little while, but that was only when they figured he was finally starting to be like them; it sickened him to know how they frowned on individualism. If someone wasn't a bloodthirsty killer like them, they might as well have been an insect.

"They probably threw a party when I left," Hiccup said out-loud, bitterly, tightening his grip on the saddle bar. "I bet they were all so glad to have me out of the picture. Especially Dad."