Soul of a Dragon

Chapter Two; Aftermath

OKAY! 'This equals a thought' and ("this equals a flashback/memory")
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After a few minutes of flying, the dragons parted ways. The monstrous nightmare growled and roared at me, I think Toothless understood him because he nodded and roared back.
'So, dragons have their own language?'
The nightmare flew away leaving just me and toothless. I felt numbness take over, than exhaustion. I was tired, so tired. It seemed to come out of nowhere, I started to yawn and my eyelids were getting heavy. Toothless must have sensed it; he warbled to me as if to ask if I was okay.
"I'm fine bud, let's keep going-" my own yawn interrupts me. Toothless warbles something, then shakes his head to slap me with his ear.
"I'm awake! I'm awake! I'm fine bud, really!"
Apparently, I hadn't been very convincing, because the next island we came across he landed. I didn't put up much of fight in that argument, I was kinda tired.
I got off Toothless and stretched, yawning again. We landed outside a small cave, it didn't go too deep but was big enough for Toothless and I. I got the blankets out of the bag I had strapped to Toothless' saddle. Toothless made his bed while I made mine, but even with all the blankets I packed and the hood I was wearing I still shivered, it was a cold night and winter was coming soon. I kept tossing and turning, I guess I'm going to have to get used to this.
I heard Toothless warble something, almost like a groan. I roll over and see him staring at me. He rolled his eyes with clear annoyance, and lifted his wing. I squinted in confusion until he gestured for me to come over.
I manage to drag the blankets over, Toothless waited patiently until I was situated up against him.
He brought his wing down and there was just darkness. Darkness and warmth. The exhaustion overtook me, and I fell asleep almost instantly. I guess screaming about stuff you've held in for years, getting disowned, then running away after rescuing dragons takes a lot out of you.
"Thanks Toothless..." was the last thing I remember saying before I drifted off into a dreamless sleep. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Next morning, still Hiccup's POV~~~~~~~
I wake up to an ache in my back, I feel the ground beneath me, hard, like stone. I start to panic because this is definitely NOT my bed, where am I? Where's-...
Oh. Right.
("You're not a Viking. You're not my son.")
I let out a sigh, then sit up and scan the cave.
"It's empty, where's-?" I start to think out loud, "Toothless?" I wait but no one answers.
"Toothless?" I call out louder, causing a slight echo. Still no answer.
O-kay, now I'm panicking again.
"Toothless?!" I yell as I try to stand up, wrestling with the blankets I wrapped around myself to stay warm. I end up tripping myself and falling back on my butt. Ouch.
I ignore the slight pain and manage to throw the blankets off myself, I jump up and race outside the cave. I start looking around, scanning the area. 'Toothless can't fly without me, and he wouldn't just abandon me, right?' I run my fingers through my hair unconsciously, a horrible feeling starts to rise in my chest.
I hear branches move and the snap of twigs, I physically jump and spin around so fast it made me dizzy. As soon as my eyes saw black scales I relaxed, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
Toothless coos at me, his eyes looked curious and his mouth was filled with fish.
I laugh softly, as I feel my stomach grumble and twist.
"You just went to get breakfast." I laugh it off, feeling foolish. Toothless wouldn't leave me. Toothless isn't like them.
Said dragon tried to smile back, causing some fish to fall from his mouth. I walk over and scratch under his chin, which to my surprise causes him to drop all the fish.
"Huh, might need to remember that the next time a terror tries to steal our food."
I bend down and pick a fish.
"Alright, campfire. No problem." I state and go on a wood hunt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~small time skip~~~~~~
I poke the fire with my stick. I've eaten, rested, I'm hydrated.....
What now?
Toothless is in the background, chasing a butterfly.
What now?
There's a twisting pain in my chest, my throat is starting to hurt again, and I feel a tear roll down my cheek.
I've always had a goal set before me; do this so I don't get yelled at, do this so I can escape to my room and draw, do this or that. Survive the day.
That doesn't apply anymore.
After a while, the fire dies down, Toothless comes over and coos at me, probably curious why I'm poking hot ash. He nudges my arm, warbling.
By now, the pain has gone, just numbness remains.
What now?
Anything.
I can explore. No one to yell at me no one to pick on me. I'm free to draw and write and study. I'm free to do anything I want with no one telling me I'm "Hiccup the Useless".
"I....I think it's going to be alright." I say petting Toothless.
"I think we'll be alright."
------------------------------------------Back on Berk---------------
("Dad, look.... We don't have to kill them, and they don't want to kill us, they're just protecting themselves-")
Stoick pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut.
("-Toothless is just protecting me.")
His other hand balled into a fist so tight, that his nail dug into his palm.
("FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME!?")
He felt the lump in his throat, the pain in his heart.
'That boy is a traitor.'
'That boy threw his lot in with the devil.'
The voice in his head told him, the voice he always listened to. And strangely enough, didn't sound like his own voice at all.
'That boy-'
'That boy is my son.' His own voice booms in his head.
'That boy is small and weak yes, but also a skilled blacksmith. That boy is smart. That-....my boy....is gone'
("Toothless has cared for me more than ANY of you EVER HAVE!")
My boy, my son....
("I'm leaving and I am NEVER COMING BACK!")
Stoick tensed, hoping if he held his breath the pain would die down, the threat of crying would go away. He felt his nails break the skin of his palm, and felt the warm blood trickle into his fist. He squeezed his eyes in vain, he felt the tears gather.
("'We don't have to kill them'")
He heard two voices that time. Hiccup and....
Stoick roared. He sprung up from his seat, flipping the table. Anger. Frustration. He panted, and just stood there, until the adrenaline wore off. Until all the anger burnt out, and all that was left was sadness. Empty sadness.
A cry escaped his lips, and his knees grew weaker. He was so much like her. So stubborn, couldn't sit still. He looked so much like her as well.
He wanted to blame the dragons, he did blame them, they were the reason for all the suffering, his own and his people's. But a small part of him told him otherwise. That he was responsible.
He felt the tears run down his cheeks, and for the first time in fifteen years, he let them flow freely.
It was different from when he lost Valka. He had a son and a village to take care of. He has nothing now.
He slowly slid down to the ground, his chest hurt so much, as if he'd been hit by arrows, then dragons fire, and now was being wrapped in chains, pulling tighter and tighter.
He let himself cry. He sobbed and yelled and screamed. He choked and cried out. Until he had no strength left in him.
He sat in the floor, throat sore and heart still aching. He was wet with his own tears.
It was different from when Valka left, because Hiccup went willingly.
He chose those beasts. Those murderous fire breathing devils, over his own tribe and family.
Why?
That's what Stock really wanted to know, why? Why would he betray them? Why did he even think to trust that dragon? WHY?!
.....
("You all hate me anyway.")
No. It's not true.
("Toothless has cared for me more than ANY of you EVER HAVE!")
He didn't really believe-....no it's not true.
("FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME!?")
Stoick would have cried if he had any left in him.
He did listen didn't he? He listened to his son when.....
'He didn't want to go to dragon hunting class'
'He had countless inventions and ideas'
'An invention he used to shoot down a night fury'
("It's not like the other times Dad, I actually hit it!")
'He shot down a nightfury and no one listened. Because he was Hiccup.'
("Toothless has cared for me more than ANY of you EVER HAVE!")
People made fun of him, I didn't do anything about it.
He remembers some Vikings yelling at him. People would avoid him like he was the plague. His own peers teased him endlessly, wouldn't let him even sit near them. His cousin might have beaten on him a few times.
Only a few time right? Nothing major.
Right?
Dear Odin how much had he missed?
("I don't want to fight dragons." He said, awkwardly hugging the heavy axe.
"Of course ya do." I replied, shrugging his behavior off.
"Okay, let me rephrase. Dad, I can't kill dragons.")
He hadn't listened.
Maybe if he had listened, maybe if he had sent the search parties to find that blasted dragon, his son would be safe at home, being honored as the Viking who shot down a nightfury.
Though Hiccup would never have killed it.
("Dad, I can't kill dragons.")
There was a knock on the door. His heart lifted, hoping and praying that his boy had come home. He tried to suppress the thought, but a small flicker of hope stubbornly stayed rooted in his gut. 
Stoick looked around, the table lying upside down, dishes from his dinner scattered around, shield paintings and other things on the floor, the house a mess from his rampage. He was still on the ground.
He did his best to compose himself, he stood to find his legs weak. He wobbled over to the door, took a deep breath before answering.
Gobber stood behind the door, his eyes red and puffy.
"I-...I figured ye might not want ter be alone." (A/N I cant do accents I apologize)
Stoick nodded, Gobber has been his good friend since...well, since he could remember. He was also close to Hiccup, his mentor. It must be hard for him too.
Stoick stepped aside and let Gobber in. His friend was a bit taken back by all the destruction and disarray of the house, Stoick felt slightly embarrassed by that.
There was a moment of silence.
"I should have listened." Stoick admits out loud, "if I had listened, then maybe..." he trailed off.
Gobber sighed.
"Stoick, I doubt even if ya listened about the nightfury, Hiccup wouldn't have killed it. But it wouldn't have hurt to give the lad the time of day." There was venom in the last words, Gobber in many ways, was like a second father to Hiccup.
"I know.....I know now..." Stoick sighed.
"Why did you really come here, Gobber?" Stoick questioned, he knew when his friend was up to something.
"Stoick....it's been a few days. I'm not against lettin' ya grieve but...." Gobber took a deep breath, "the village needs their chief."
Stoick was silent, thinking. He had come to a conclusion about it but he didn't want to say it out loud. His felt the piercing pain in his heart again, he had to accept it and move on, for the village. For his people.
"He won't make it out there." Stoick declared, Hiccup was too frail and weak. He won't be able to defend himself.
"Like yak dung he won't!" Gobber began to argue.
"He's Hiccup-"
"Aye, he's Hiccup! He's more bullheaded and stubborn than you ever were! And if I recall correctly, you said he flew off, on a Nightfury! He managed to tame a Nightfury! If anyone can make out there, he can." Gobber declared, crossing him arm.
Stoick sighed.
"Until that dragon gets hungry."
Gobber's face fell at his words.
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(A/N I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING! I had a few projects lined up and this story ended up on the back burner. Thank you all so much for reading!!!! I hope your still enjoying it! But I can't promise to update soon. And thank you to my friend Gallifreyan Jedi for proof reading it. It's probably going to be awhile before I upload again. Sorry😭