Toothless' Transformation

Chapter 1

« Is he the one who messed everything up in here ? »

Hiccup nodded saddly, looking down.

« I didn't want to put him outside and strapping him like this... I hated doing this, so much, but... I'm desperate Astrid ! I don't know what to do ! » Tiredness was now mixed with sadness and a hint of fear. « He's barely listening to me anymore. Sometimes he'll be more obedient than others, but most of the time he's just unbearable, he's overly excited all the time, he's full of agressive energy, and when he's actually getting into it, everything I try to calm him down is making him more agitated. I'm keeping him away from the other dragons, else he's always getting in fights, and not the playful kind. And last night... » Hiccup marked a pause, still looking down, before he grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up, revealing a long slash in his flesh, covered by a heavy set of bandage. Astrid immediately took a worried face and covered her mouth, and Hiccup continued. « Last night, he was getting into yet another of his crisis, and once again I tried to contain him... and, well, this happened. » They both staid silent a moment. « He calmed down right after he saw what he did. I saw that he was sorry, for the forst time in a while he was back to being the dragon I always loved, and... I still don't know if it was a good idea, but that's when I decided to put him in the state you saw him in. He didn't resist at all, he would let me put on the straps and everything. But I still feel guilty for doing it. » he finished looking right into Astrid's eyes.

She staid silent a moment, all trace of anger having left her. She was looking down as well, trying to come up with the best help she could provide to her friends. « Don't feel guilty, you're his friend and you care for him, everything you do is for his own good. I'm sure he knows you would never do something that would harm him. » She rubbed her forehead « Did you ask your mother about this ? » Hiccup's mother has been living with dragons for decades now, and would more than likely be the one to know what was wrong with Toothless. Yet Hiccup shook his head negatively.

« Mom is away for several weeks, she has to deal with things she wouldn't exactly tell me about, I think it's about dragons being threatened by humans in the south. Oh, by Thor, I just can't wait all this time for a solution ! » whined the chief with his face in his hands.

Astrid felt her friend's despair, but her mind was still running, trying to find any beginning of a solution. « Maybe the priest ? »

« He already came after people have complained about Toothless' behavior. Of course he said Loki took possession of him, like he does everytime something weird happens, but after he tried his stupid ritual Toothless was just even more pissed than before. I don't think he'll come back soon after having his beard turned to ashes. »

« You talked to Gobber about it ? »

Hiccup nodded « Yep, but he's as clueless as I am. He says Toothless must have caught some sickness, he advised me to feed him only cooked fishes, but nothing has changed since then. And Toothless doesn't like how cooked food tastes. »

Astrid was starting to run short on ideas. The best option was probably to wait for Valka, Hiccup's mom, to come back. But it could take a long time... maybe too long. Something bad could happen if nothing was done to try and fix the situation. Eventually she spoke up again.

« What about Jarrus the stockbreeder? »

Hiccup blinked and looked up to the blonde viking. « Uh... well, no I didn't ask him, but... »

« I don't see anyone else who could be able to help if Toothless is sick. He's used to take care of cows and horses when they're sick, and to heal them. They're almost as big as Toothless after all. And he also has to deal with a lot of feisty bulls every year, he must be experienced with your situation. »