This is where I belong ||httyd fanfic||

54. A mysterious ryder

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Their moment of silent reassurance was broken as a massive figure suddenly broke through the veil of clouds without any warning. A dragon unlike any that had been seen before flowed with powerful grace around them, its body almost twice the size of Toothless. Elongated spines jutted from its back all the way down to its tail and hooks emerged from the top of its wings. Its face, from the angle, appeared to be caved in with a natural crown atop its large, frilled head.

The rider was another story. Clad in armor that appeared to make this figure seem dragon-like opposed to human was the first thing Hiccup took. A helmet with horns and frills, combined with a tattered cape, a staff, and a shield painted in bright colors made for a figure clad further in total mystery.

The unknown rider, who was amazingly standing and maintaining its balance atop the dragon, raised its staff almost in challenge. The pose was perfectly maintained even as the dragon circled around and came to face them directly, giving both astonished flyers a direct look at its fearsome visage. Its two wings then, to the utter shock of the claimed Dragon Master, broke into four, each delivering a gust that parted clouds with the strength of a Gronkle's charge. For a moment one side stood in transfixed apprehension, the other in silent observation.

Until Hiccup finally regained his voice. "A-Alright, who are you? You're no Draakian rider; that much is for sure. State your business."

The figure said nothing, nor did her dragon.

"Answer! You some kinda spy or a traveler? Been letting this guy do your navigating?"

Again, the figure remained silent. Toothless gave a slit-eyed snarl, prompting the other dragon to do the same.

Hiccup gave another sigh, left with little patience, and shook his hands out. "Y-You know what? I don't have time for this – I've got an early morning crowd of paranoid Vikings about to wake up with a whole new batch of complaints any minute. So if you could just fly back to wherever it is you came from-"

Toothless had spied it mere moments before, but Hiccup was not so fortunate as once again out of nowhere, a dragon appeared and tackled him. The impact knocked him from his seat off of his dragon's back, tumbling down into the ocean. Without his rider to operate his mechanical tail fin, Toothless soon followed suit and with a mighty splash, both hit sea.

The frigid water bit at every inch of skin and broke through his armor's protection, the blood flowing through his veins beginning to drag slowly on. Cold flooded at every inch of his senses with every movement bringing another wave of it rushing through his whole form. Every second beneath the surface was another moment air and heat escaped him, reducing his body to an iron weight of numbness. Prying open his eyes, Hiccup could barely see Toothless ahead through the dark blue and swum to him with panicked speed.

The two resurfaced with heavy gasps, grabbing for oxygen by the gallons to fill their tightened lungs. They looked above to see the dragon rider and dragon staring down, now joined by a plethora of similarly unknown beasts. Each one stared down with no discernible emotion other than mild curiosity as they maintained their heights from the chief's point of view. Before long, they flew off – their forms quickly becoming little more than specks on the high horizon.

"Well, I'll say this." Hiccup growled in irritation. "That guy really makes an interesting first impression."

Toothless huffed in agreement.