How to train your dragon

To The Night Furies

"No, no, you were perfect. That dive was so 'Astrid'." Snotlout said, obviously trying and failing to flirt with Astrid.

"She's right; you have to be tough on yourselves and only then you'll get better. Where did Hiccup and Hicca go wrong in the ring today?" Gobber then asked noticing the Haddock twins arriving. This question set off the usual taunts as Hicca and Hiccup had to sit at a nearby table when the others didn't give them room to sit next to him.

"Uh, they showed up?" Ruffnut sneered.

"They didn't get eaten or burned?" Tuffnut suggested.

"They're always at the wrong place, at the wrong time." Astrid said annoyed.

Before Gobber could say anything, Hicca, hurt and frustrated at Astrids' comment, spoke up. "Uh, Gobber? Back to where Astrid went wrong, I'd like to add another thing. Astrid left us to fend for ourselves against the Gronckle instead of giving us a warning. Hiccup nearly got killed back there if you didn't intervene. It should be noted that Astrid has a tendency to abandon people whenever she wants to and it makes her completely unreliable." This caused Astrid to glare daggers at her, which she returned, while Hiccup looked at his sister with awe and admiration and Raeda, who got up from her seat to join the Haddock twins, gave her a thumbs-up as she sat down. The others just stared at Hicca with shock not expecting that at all. Wanting to avoid another potential argument, Gobber then spoke up bringing a book with him. "Uh, thank you Hicca. Like I was saying you need to live and breathe this stuff. The Dragon Manual. Everything we know about every dragon we know of."

As he set a thick book on the table, he was then interrupted by the sound of thunder. Realizing that it was still raining, he then announced before leaving "Definitely no attacks tonight. Tonight's assignment is to study up."

This surprised and disappointed the Thorston twins and Snotlout.

"Wait, you mean, read?" Tuffnut asked in disbelief

"While we're still alive?" Ruffnut asked in equal disbelief.

"Ever seen a dead person read?" Hicca muttered.

"Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?" Snotlout asked, not to happy about the idea of studying.

"This is important. You need to know your enemies weaknesses so that you can make a plan based on that. Otherwise you're fighting blindly." Raeda argued.

"Oh! I've already read it like, seven times. It is so fascinating! There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face." Fishlegs said enthusiastically.

"Scauldron." Raeda said.

And-And there's this other one that buries itself for like a week-" Fishlegs continued to explain excitedly before being cut off by Tuffnut.

"Yeah, that sounds really interesting. I was definitely planning on reading that..."

"...But, now..." Ruffnut added, bored by this.

"You guys read this boring book, I'm going to go kill stuff." Snotlout boasted before he left with Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Fishlegs in tow, leaving Astrid, Raeda, Hiccup and Hicca.

"So I guess all four of us will read it together?" Hiccup started to offer before Astrid dismissed him

"Read it" she simply said.

"Of course you did, Miss 'Perfect-star-pupil." Raeda taunted. Astrid turned around, looking like she wanted to attack the Henderson girl but she decided not to. Hicca and Raeda were the only ones who would dare to speak anything against her to her face. Hicca, because she knows the real Astrid and is not afraid of her and Raeda because, although she's not a fan of fighting, can match up to the tough Hofferson whenever she wants in combat. So Astrid decided to just leave, slamming the door behind her.

Raeda then turned to Hicca and Hiccup "Nice job, standing up to Astrid, Hicca. Hiccup you can definitely learn something from your sister." Hiccup just smiled, proud of his sister for standing up for herself while silently agreeing with what Raeda said.

"Thanks Rae. So I guess the three of us will share?" Hicca asked

"Oh, I've already read it. Actually I was thinking of doing some training right now. Training with this thunderstorm might help me be more alert for tomorrow." Raeda said.

"Be careful out there. And if you're free tomorrow, then maybe the three of us can hang out at the forge or something." Hiccup said, wanting to make up for ditching his only friend. Hicca nodded in agreement with the same thoughts.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Raeda agreed and then left.

Afterwards, when everyone else left, Hiccup and Hicca brought lighted candles and then opened the dragon manual to start their study night.

They decided to take turns reading each chapter. Hiccup then started reading "Dragon classifications. Strike Class, Fear Class, Mystery Class. 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 then let Hicca read.

"Timberjack: This gigantic creature has razor sharp wings that can slice through full grown trees. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight."

"Scauldron: Sprays scalding water at its victim. Extremely dangerous."

"The one Fishlegs and Raeda mentioned." Hicca commented before taking the book. "Changewing: Even newly hatched dragons can spray acid. Kill on sight. Is there chapter here that doesn't have 'kill on sight' written on it." Hicca wondered while Hiccup continued to read

"Gronckle, Zippleback, the Skrill, Boneknapper, Whispering Death. Burns its victims, buries its victims, chokes its victims-"

"Turns its victims inside-out!?" This made both of them shudder. They made a mental note never to cross path with that dragon! Hiccup then continued.

"Extremely dangerous, extremely dangerous, kill on sight, kill on sight, kill on sight..." Then an almost blank chapter made him stop and stare along with his sister. "Night Fury: Speed, unknown. Size, unknown"

Hicca then took over reading "The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance, hide and pray it does not find you."

This made the two stare at each other in shock, before Hicca spoke up. "Well we sure defied that order."

Hiccup then pulled out his journal, turned to the page which had the drawing of the female Night Fury, and set it on top of the Night Fury chapter which had no drawings of its own.

"We're going to be seeing a lot more of those Night Furies aren't we?" Hicca asked, knowing the answer. Hiccup only nodded in reply.