A/N: Hi, guys and gals! :] Anonymous Noob the 2nd asked if there would be Hiccstrid in this story, and since I'm feeling generous, I'll tell you— OF COURSE there will be Hiccstrid! I love the friendship between Hiccup and Toothless, but I love Hiccup and Astrid's relationship just as much! But don't expect it anytime soon. Like, at all. Plenty of hoops to jump through before all of that. This isn't the movie where there's a nice flight and BING BAM BOOM they love each other. That would be too easy :))
P.S.— Once again, I didn't proofread. It's late. I'm tired. Sue me.
HICCUP'S POV
I was surprised to see Alpha waiting near the cliff edge when I got outside. He didn't often leave the water. Bewilderbeasts were too large to stay on land for too long since it puts a lot of pressure on their bones. The fact that he was going out of his way to say goodbye before I left made me grin uncontrollably as I approached.
It wasn't just him, either. An entire crowd of my nest-mates had gathered, some settled on perches to observe, others squawking and flapping their wings with excitement. My mom was standing off to the side, chewing nervously on her nail. Cloudjumper was behind her, providing a comforting presence if she needed it.
Once I was close enough to Alpha, I crouched until my hands touched the rock underneath me, bowing my head respectfully. In return, he dusted me lightly with an icy powder. I glanced up at him, noticing the mirthful twinkle in his eyes.
*Ready to leave, Hiccup?* He asked.
I stood back up on two legs, searching my surroundings. *Um, yes...as soon as I can find Toothless.* I drawled uncertainly, scratching the back of my head briefly. He should've been back by now.
Alpha huffed with laughter, the earth practically groaning as he shifted his weight. *Toothless! Exasperation. Enough fish.* He chided, amusement seeping through his words. A second later my dragon flew over the lip of the cliff, the speed of his ascent causing the wind to whistle shrilly past his wings. He circled us once before landing next to me. He had about a dozen fish in his maw, and was attempting to swallow everything down.
*Hungry, bud?* I teased, crossing my arms. Toothless paused, torn between embarrassment and indignation.
*You said to eat as much as I could!* He retorted defensively, hissing in irritation as one of the Tiny-wings, Perch, took advantage of his momentary distraction to snatch one of the fish right out of his mouth. The little dragon flew off before Toothless had a chance to swat him with his tail.
*I didn't think you'd eat the entire lake population.* I snickered, walking over so I could attach my satchel to his saddle. He quickly devoured the rest of the fish, his attention falling on my mom.
*Is she mad?* He asked hesitantly, lowering his ears.
I let out a deep breath, following his gaze. *She's not happy.* I mumbled, tightening the final latch and turning around. Looking around at all my nest-mates ready to send me off on my journey, I suddenly wanted nothing more than to stay right there forever. Toothless and I had gone out on our own plenty of times in the past, but never so far, and definitely not anywhere as dangerous as the southern Archipelago.
Alpha sensed my inner turmoil, his sharp gaze missing nothing. *Don't have to go. Can stay. Be with nest. Be safe.* He suggested, blinking with kind understanding. My mom looked between us hopefully, wringing her hands as she awaited my response. I sighed, hating to disappoint her but knowing I was making the right decision. As tempting as it was to accept his offer, I shook my head.
*Thank you, Alpha, but this is important.* I told him earnestly. *We'll be back, though. You probably won't even notice we're gone.* He appeared unconvinced by my statement, his eyes briefly sliding over to Toothless, but he nodded nonetheless.
"Hiccup," my mom called out, trailing off with an uncertain frown. I sent her my best reassuring smile, walking over and hugging her tightly. She returned the embrace, resting her chin on top of my head. For a moment I felt five years old again.
"You'll look after the nest?" I murmured.
"Of course. As long as you look after yourself," she added.
I pulled back with a half-hearted smirk. "Don't I always?"
She snorted, ruffling my hair. "No," she answered bluntly.
*Okay, okay, can we go now?* Toothless whined impatiently, stretching out his wings. He sauntered up behind me, ducking his head between my legs and launching me onto his back. I grunted with the sudden impact, adjusting my position so I rested comfortably in the saddle.
My mom laughed quietly, patting my leg. "Better leave before he throws a tantrum," she advised with a grin.
"Good idea," I agreed, hooking my feet into the stirrups. Some of the dragons took flight, hovering around us in preparation to escort us out. I waved at the ones who remained grounded. *Bye everyone!* They roared and squawked. *Bye Alpha!* He blew cold wind into my face, causing my hair to whip against my cheeks. As Toothless bunched his muscles, about to leap, I sent one final glance towards my mom.
'You got this,' she mouthed, giving me two thumbs up. I relaxed, letting her words of encouragement wash over me, and the next moment we were airborne. Toothless shot up towards the icy ceiling faster than any of the other dragons could keep up with, releasing his own farewell roar that echoed throughout the nest. I stayed low to allow for faster speed, watching all the dragons follow behind us at a distance. As we made our way through the entrance tunnel, their shapes grew smaller and smaller, and eventually I lost sight of them altogether. I faced forward, adrenaline pumping through my veins.
I soaked in the feeling of the sun on my face and the stinging wind. There was no place I felt more alive than on the back of my dragon. Up here, we were one. Up here, we were free. We could go anywhere, do anything.
*It's you and me, bud.* I declared. Toothless met my gaze briefly, his bright green orbs sparkling with excitement.
*Always.* He confirmed, thrusting forward in a burst of speed.
This trip might be dangerous, but it most certainly promised quite a bit of adventure as well.
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I woke abruptly, my first sensations being warmth and comfort. I'd been in a deep and peaceful slumber, dreaming of blue skies and clouds, but now my mind was adjusting to the present moment. It didn't take me long to realize what had shaken me from sleep. Though it was pitch black, courtesy of being enveloped within Toothless' wings, I could feel the tension in his muscles as well as the vibrations of the guttural hiss that was growing louder by the second. Instinctively, I remained still, listening for what had my dragon on edge. He didn't speak, his entire focus on whatever threat he had detected.
My first guess was another dragon. The island we'd landed on for rest was small, closer to the size of a sea stack, but we hadn't done a thorough check for other dragons when we'd arrived. Both of us had been exhausted from flying for hours on end with very few breaks in between, so we'd simply found a safe place to lay down and I'd passed out pretty quickly after that. I was regretting that decision now.
I froze in shock when a soft, female, human voice cut through the silence. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," she soothed. I assumed she was talking to Toothless, who merely growled even louder at her words.
My curiosity grew to an unbearable level, and I nudged Toothless' leg. He didn't budge, and I held back a sigh. Overprotective reptile.
"My name is Heather. This is Windshear," the girl continued, her voice sounding closer. Wait, there are two of them? Great. By now Toothless was full on snarling, and I could tell he was holding back from attacking only because he wanted me to stay hidden. "I just want to talk, I swear. Windshear? A little help?" Heather pleaded.
*My human speaks the truth, Night-wing. She means you no harm—nor the boy you're hiding.* I shot up, my head smacking the underside of Toothless' wing. A dragon and a human together?!
"Boy?" The girl echoed with confusion at the same time I demanded *Toothless, let me out!* He grumbled, but obediently lifted his wing enough for me to crawl out. Thankfully it was still nighttime, so my vision didn't need time to clear. I moved around so I was crouched directly in front of Toothless, and he curled his tail around me.
The girl looked to be around my age, with black hair tied back in a braid and shiny armor that glinted in the moonlight. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was agape as she stared at me. My own expression probably held a similar awe. Never in my life did I expect to find another human-dragon pair. The dragon standing next to her, Windshear, was one I'd only seen once before—a Sharp-scale.
As I was processing what I was seeing, the girl's response finally caught up to my brain. She'd understood Windshear! *You can hear thought-speak?* I questioned in disbelief.
"You can use thought-speak?" She countered, equally as baffled. I didn't bother answering, instead turning my attention to her dragon. Windshear was relaxed yet attentive, clearly content to let the human take the lead.
*Why are you with a human?* I asked, attempting politeness but unable to withhold my complete and utter shock.
Luckily, Windshear seemed more amused than offended. *Heather is my person. I've known her since I was a hatchling. We protect each other.* She explained patiently. *Why do you look so surprised? You are a human with a Night-wing.* She added, sparing Toothless a short glance. His focus hadn't wavered from Heather, as he'd determined her to be the greater threat. I leaned back against him, tilting my head as I considered her words. For a few seconds, her comparison didn't make much sense to me, then I realized Windshear thought I was the same as Heather—just another human. The thought was laughable, and the corner of my mouth quirked up.
*I'm not one of them. I'm a dragon-soul.* I told her good-naturedly. She took the information in stride, simply nodding once in acknowledgement, though with a bit of awe in her gaze. Her counterpart, however, waved her hand side to side as she shook her head.
"Hold on a second, what? Can someone please tell me what in Thor's name is going on here?" She pleaded, looking between all of us impatiently. "Who are you?" She demanded, her eyes finally settling on me.
"My name is Hiccup. That's Toothless," I introduced in the calmest voice I could muster. "Now that that's settled, you wanna tell me why you were sneaking up on us in the middle of the night?" I retorted.
She scowled at my wording. "I wasn't sneaking up on you! I just saw—" She paused, her brows furrowing—"...um...Toothless...and wanted to meet him. He's a Night Fury, right? I thought they were a myth," she rambled, excitement leaking into her tone. "I've studied a lot of dragons, but never a Night Fury!" She exclaimed, clasping her hands together as she barely contained her squeal.
This girl was certainly not like other humans I'd met. Even Cami had been rightfully wary of Toothless, but this girl went out of her way to try and approach him. She didn't seem to fear him in the least. It was oddly satisfying to find someone whose first reaction to seeing a dragon wasn't to run away or brandish a sword. I found myself letting down my guard a bit more. Toothless lost some of his tension, but I could sense that he still didn't trust the strangers in the slightest.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to wake a sleeping dragon?" I scolded playfully, standing to my feet so I could gather some kindling from the small batch of trees to my left. Heather grinned at my sudden joviality, happy to play along.
"I've never been very good at listening to my elders," she returned, cocking her hip and crossing her arms.
Toothless followed behind me as I picked up any sticks I could find, insistent on protecting me at all times. As tempting as it was to roll my eyes at his behavior, I knew I'd act the same way if I thought he was in danger. As it was, Toothless himself was the most dangerous thing on the island, so I had no reason to worry.
"What brings you to the middle of nowhere?" I asked once I'd finally found enough wood to start a decent fire. I dropped the sticks in a pile a few feet away from Heather. At my silent signal, Toothless shot a tiny blast, lighting them instantly and causing a burst of flames to rise high above our heads before it simmered down to a normal level. I squinted briefly as my eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness.
Heather had flinched when Toothless had released the blast, but quickly recovered and sat next to the warm fire. Windshear lay down nearby—close enough to intervene should something happen, but not so close as to be in Heather's space. I took a seat on the other side of the fire, but a bit off to the side so I could still see and talk to Heather. Toothless, of course, curled up at my side. Part of me wondered if he would fall back asleep or if he'd stay up to keep vigil.
"I didn't really have a destination in mind," Heather shrugged, answering my earlier question. "Windshear and I never settle in one place too long. We were just here to rest for a bit. What about you?" She wondered, picking at the grass absentmindedly.
I bit my lip, debating how much I should tell her. "We're headed south," I replied vaguely. Heather waited, clearly expecting me to say more, but I remained silent.
"Okay," she drawled. "Well, be careful. The vikings down there aren't exactly dragon-friendly," she warned, glancing over at Windshear. The Sharp-scale was already snoozing, completely at ease and not interested in making conversation.
"Yeah, I'm aware," I snorted bitterly, though I appreciated her concern.
Heather regarded me for a moment. "It sucks, doesn't it?" She murmured. "Living around people who hate dragons," she elaborated. My jaw clenched slightly at the all-too-accurate statement. "That's why Windshear and I are always on the move. It's not safe for her to stay in one place too long," Heather admitted, ripping the next blade of grass out with a little more force than necessary. My heart twinged in sympathy. I might understand how tough it is being around vikings, but at least I had a home, somewhere I could sleep without looking over my shoulder constantly. Plus, I had plenty of support. Heather and Windshear appeared to be completely on their own.
"How did you and Windshear meet?" I asked, partly out of curiosity, partly to shift the conversation to a brighter topic. It seemed to work, since Heather smiled as she remembered that particular memory.
"I was just six years old. I was on some unknown island in the middle of nowhere, barely surviving. My parents and I had been on a trip—I don't know where—and we got thrown off course by a storm. We shipwrecked on the island. My parents didn't make it..." I opened my mouth to offer my condolences, but she waved me off. "That was a long time ago. I barely remember them anymore, or anything about my life before Windshear, to be honest. Sometimes I dream of them, but I can't see their faces. I-I didn't mean to forget, I just...I don't know, I guess my mind decided to move on, so I wouldn't hurt as much." She pursed her lips, her expression troubled. Perhaps this wasn't the best conversation starter after all...
Sensing my thoughts, she quickly gave me a reassuring smile. "I found Windshear on the island. She was just a hatchling then, small enough for even a six year old to carry. She'd been abandoned by her mother. I figured our situations were kind of similar, you know? We only had each other. We helped each other survive. After she grew large enough to ride, we moved on. We've been hopping from place to place ever since. She is my family," Heather finished, her expression content.
Her story made me feel less alone, somehow. My mom had spent as much time with dragons as I had, but she'd already been an adult by the time she was integrated into the nest. Living with dragons was all I'd ever known, and being with Windshear was all Heather could even remember. We might be strangers, but I understood her situation better than anyone else could. My walls lowered a bit more, and my mouth was moving before my brain had a chance to catch up.
"I was raised in a dragon nest," I blurted. Heather's eyebrows rose, but I continued before she could say anything. "Toothless and I have been together my whole life. I have my mom and the other dragons, but Toothless is my other half. So...I get it. You and Windshear...I get it." I gulped, petting the top of Toothless' head so I didn't have to see her reaction. He purred in satisfaction, leaning heavily against my thigh.
"Raised in a dragon nest...That's a new one," Heather muttered with a shrug. "Is that why you can use thought-speak?" She asked. I nodded, hesitantly raising my eyes to meet her interested gaze. Her face lit up with sudden amazement. "Cool," she breathed. "I wish I could do that. I mean, I'm glad I can hear dragons at all, but it would still be awesome to talk with my mind," she gushed.
I laughed at her enthusiasm. "You should come see our nest sometime. Talk about awesome!" I boasted.
Her jaw dropped. "Is that an actual invitation? Because if so, I humbly accept," she stated in a mockingly serious tone.
I was surprised to find I did want her to see my home. She clearly wasn't a threat to dragons, if having a Sharp-scale at her side was any indication, and she genuinely seemed like a good person—someone who could be trusted. I had a gut feeling that she would never endanger the nest, not on purpose. Maybe after my mission in the Archipelago was complete, I could invite her to meet my family.
"You'd really want to?" I asked shyly.
"Are you kidding?" She gasped, realizing I was actually considering letting her into the nest. "Of course! I've spent years studying dragons! To see a whole nest of them..." She trailed off, her gaze becoming distant. "It would be a dream come true," she sighed happily.
"I think my mom would like you," I said without thinking. Heather smiled softly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Thanks, Hiccup. You, uh, mind if I ask you something?" She ventured.
"Just did," I teased. She rolled her eyes, chucking a handful of grass in my direction which I artfully dodged.
"Ha ha," she grinned, but it quickly fell away. "Why are you going south? If you know how dangerous it is, why would you risk going down there?" She wondered.
I bit my lip, picturing blood and death and suffering from humans and dragons alike. "Dragons and vikings are killing each other. It has to stop," I answered simply.
Heather looked dubious, rightfully so. "And what exactly are you gonna do?" She pressed.
I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. "Eh, probably something stupid. Maybe a little crazy. Whatever it takes, really. I haven't exactly made a firm plan...or any plan," I corrected with a slight chuckle.
"Okay, well...I think you're insane for even trying, but good luck," Heather remarked. "I'd offer to help, but..." Her gaze slid back to Windshear, and her reason was pretty obvious.
"I know," I assured her softly. "Thanks."
"If you survive, I hope I see you again, Hiccup. You're kind of the most interesting person I've ever met. Besides, I really wanna see that nest of yours," she said wistfully, shifting so she was lying on her back with her head resting on her arms. I followed her lead and laid back against Toothless, staring up at the clear night sky. The stars winked at me, and I liked to think the gods were sending me a bit of their own luck.
"I'll survive," I whispered, too low for Heather to hear. *We'll survive.*