This Is The Last Time (HTTYD)

Chapter Fourteen : The Stain of Ashes

"Um Chief?" Gober's familiar voice crept up his shoulder. "Listen, I'va been meaning to talk to you about somet'ing."

"Go ahead." Stoick welcomed his friend to speak his mind, expecting the question of, "What is the plan?"

"Well, not to bring up any bad memories or anything, but," he fiddled with his wooden hand and took a deep breath. "You need to hear this. Really hear this."

"Just spit it out Gober."

Gober's worried glance made Stoick's kind eyes harden slightly. It was a rare occasion when Gober was truly frightened to say something to him. "When you were in the cell with Ingrid and Spikelout, I had the chance to spend some quality time with Hiccup. I saw him working, leading like a true leader, and training people to ride dragons."

"He'd make a great chief."

He tensed up. "Aye chief, he would. But he's not going to be chief."

Stoick stopped in his tracks, and stared straight into his best friend's eyes. "What do you mean?"

Gober's eyes were filled with fright from angering the chief, but slowly a wall of stubborn courage was built over his orbs. "Hiccup isn't a little boy anymore. He's found his place, his calling. The gods chose him to be where he is, with the people who are with him. You can't take him away, and he won't stay wherever you try to chain him. I know you love him, and you want him to come home, but..." he looked down at his feet quickly before raising his head, catching a glimpse of Spikelout and Henrik who were fearing for his life. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is no more. Your son is gone. He left the day he jumped on the back of that dragon and flew off for ten years. All that remains is a strong, true leader, Hiccup Daengrus, who deserves to be respected."

And with a strange fire of passion, Gober turned and walked away from a speechless Stoick. Henrik and Spikelout didn't dare to move, and only watched as the elves they were following slowly turn around and question their lack of movement.

"Zhief Zoick? Iz t'ere a problem?" Ingrid's voice snapped him out of his trance and he quickly gathered his remaining pride and composure.

"No, no. Just catching my breath. A bit cold up here, yeah?"

Ingrid shrugged and kept walking, but Stoick felt the stupidity of his question as the other elves passed by in sleeveless tunics.

They walked for another few minutes, before the pointed roofs of wooden houses started to appear through the snow's dust. Their wooden boards were decorated with lavish symbols all painted in a pallet of pastel blues. Children were dancing on rooftops and running across the narrow fences.

In one yard, a little boy was running around with a large blanket flying behind him. He was yelling something that the Berkians couldn't understand, so they simply watched the other children spread their arms out and run around.

In another yard, a group of older children were kicking a ball around, bumping it on elbows, heads, knees, and expertly maneuvering it with their feet. One of them yelled and pointed across the street. Stoick followed their finger and saw an open window with another kid waving her arms around.

The girl who had control of the ball ran around the yard then threw her leg back to kick the ball. Her kick was off, and instead of sailing through the window, it crashed into Ingrid's head, and sent her to the ground.

The town literally froze as they watched Ingrid rub her head and slowly climb back to her feet. Two guards walked forward and seized the girl, forcing her to the ground in front of Ingrid.

Stoick inhaled and involuntarily held his breath. Ingrid glared down at the girl, and carefully examined her. She spoke in the girl's language and waved her hand to allow the girl to stand. Once she was standing, Ingrid grabbed her arm and squeezed it around the bicep before walking slowly around her.