The picture is Isunder. The flat land on the bay is where the city is, and the southernmost part is where the Red Pine Forest is.
"Chief! Valka and another dragon have been spotted from the east!"
The Chief took the binoculars that were handed to him, pointing them in the direction. There, framed by clouds, was the distinct wing shape of Cloudjumper, followed by a small black dragon.
"Do not shoot, although be prepared for it. That person might have been chasing her," The Chief of Isunder finally replied after a moment of study. Valka was a good friend of his. Her dragon riding and peaceful mind have brought harmony to his city. He would do anything to protect her.
"Mom! What do we do when we get there?" Hiccup yelled over the whistle of the wind.
"Just land in the town square! I'll introduce you to a couple people and then we'll buy you some things."
Then, through the clouds, the island of Isunder appeared. It was large, almost three times the size of Berk. The center of the town was high up on cliffs, and then surrounded by tall mountains. The Great Hall was twice the size of Berk's and could easily fit the entire population of his previous home. There was also a huge training ring high up in the mountains that looked more like a coliseum that the Romans would build. Dense forest with tall reddish pine trees surrounded the unpopulated areas of the island. A few caves were seen high up in the mountains, surely home to large populations of dragons.
Hiccup decided that he would like this island. Isunder. Sounds nice.
Cloudjumper and Toothless landed in the town square. Immediately, the two were surrounded by Valka's friends until one thin, tall man stepped near. The crowd parted to make room for them.
"Valka! How nice of you to visit again!" The man exclaimed.
"Hello, Andreas. I want you to meet someone." My mom said, stepping aside to reveal Hiccup on Toothless. "My son. Hiccup."
Andreas's eyes widened, and he came over to greet the boy, towering over Hiccup's tiny form. "Hello there. Valka! You found him."
"Hi, sir." He whispered, quiet as a mouse.
"Nice to meet you, Hiccup. I'm sure you'll fit in nicely here," he held out a hand for Hiccup to shake, which Hiccup accepted tentatively. "Valka, I hope you'll find what you need here. Come say goodbye to me before you leave. I have a meeting with the Elite Council."
"Goodbye, Andreas. I'll be in the market if you need me," Valka smiled and waved the man off. "That was the Chief of this Isle, Hiccup."
"He seems... nice..."
Then, a group of girls about Hiccup's age ran up to them.
"Hi, welcome to Isunder!"
"Hi." Hiccup said, not really wanting the attention.
"Would you like us to give you a tour of the island?"
"No, thanks I'll just have my mom show me around. We were planning on leaving just after we buy some stuff anyways."
"Oh, ok."
"Hey look!" One of the girls shouted, pointing off to the side. "Luneah's over there!"
All of them laughed and ran over to torment the poor girl.
Hiccup looked in surprise over to his mother. "They're bullying someone."
His mother followed his line of sigh and her eyes lit up in recognition.
"Go help whoever they're targeting. Make some friends, too."
Hiccup walked over to where the girls he met earlier were shouting at someone.
"Orphan scum!"
"Her parents just left her because she's useless!"
"Useless!"
Hiccup had to give the girl that was being bullied some credit. She was just standing there, fists clenched at her side, ignoring all the insults thrown at her. Her head was tipped down and every time she tried to walk away, the girls would surround her and then close in tighter.
"Hey, hey! Stop!" Hiccup yelled.
All the girls stopped yelling at the girl and turned to Hiccup.
"Hey, you wanna join us?" One girl asked.
"In bullying someone? No. So why don't you all just leave this girl alone."
The girl's smile was wiped off her face immediately. She shifted her stance, sizing him up. She crossed her arms and spat at him. "And why should we?"
"Octavia! Don't mess with him, he's the boy with the Night Fury."
She looked past Hiccup and paled at the Night Fury behind him. She scurried away with her entire entourage following behind her.
Hiccup walked up to the girl. "Hi, I'm Hiccup."
"I'm Luneah." The girl said.
Hiccup found himself staring at her. She was pretty. Like, really pretty. Her brown hair cascaded just past her shoulders and shone in the morning sun. Her hazel eyes fit perfectly with her pale complexion, and Hiccup couldn't stop staring at them.
"Umm..." Luneah began, looking away awkwardly. "So, are you new here? I've never seen you before. Did you come on the latest refugee ships?"
"Uh. Oh, no! My mom is Valka. I came here with her."
"Seriously?" Luneah asked. "Do you ride a dragon?"
"Yeah, I actually do." He whistled and Toothless bounded over.
"Hey, bud. This is Luneah."
"Wow! What species is he?" She came closer to the dragon and stuck her hand out. Toothless willingly pushed his snout into it.
"I like this human," Toothless purred.
"I haven't seen anything like him! Well, then again, I did read the book of dragons and there was nothing about a Stormcutter." She bent her knees to get closer to the dragon and Toothless immediately took the opportunity, rubbing his snout against her cheek.
"He's a Night Fury."
Luneah stood up straight and faced Hiccup. "You're serious."
"Quite."
"Wow. A Night Fury!"
Hiccup smiled. "Yep. Wow indeed."
She continued petting along Toothless's head and smiled back at him. For a moment, the conversation came to a halt. But it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable like the conversations Hiccup had experienced in the past.
The moment was ruined when a nearby merchant dropped a crate of china, glass shattering and startling them both out of their stupor.
Luneah blinked before she regained her composure. She tilted her head shyly. "Would you like me to show you around?"
"Oh, sure!"
Hiccup followed the girl, whose short hair flowed behind her. She was very friendly. More friendly than Astrid and the other teens on Berk had been. More importantly, she was smarter, more composed, and much, much more than words could explain.
Hiccup liked Luneah already. And he hoped Luneah would grow to like him too. He had only been on this island for five minutes but he hoped he had already found a great friend.
Astrid collapsed into bed that night feeling exhausted from axe training.
Hiccup had been gone (dead) for three days, so she would be the next in line to kill the Monstrous Nightmare. In just four days, she would be put in that ring. Or at least that's what Gobber told her.
She didn't really see Gobber that much anymore. Ever since Hiccup left, Stoick slipped into depression and rarely left his house. As his best friend and most trusted confidante, Gobber took up the busy job as Chief with the help of Spitelout.
Oh, Astrid thought. Snotlout is the new heir.
That means that she would receive marriage contracts very soon. Marriage contracts filled with riches that could send her family out of the middle class and directly into the rulsing families. Both in wealth and status. She just hoped her parents wouldn't be blinded by the money.
Astrid turned her head into the pillow and thought about her future. More importantly, Hiccup.
She didn't think he was dead. No, Hiccup was too lucky and too good for an honorable death like that. Death by Night Fury. If anything, that boy probably hopped on that dragon and rode it off into the sunset. Thor knows he was probably capable of it.
Hiccup was capable of anything.
Trying to remember his face, Astrid closed her eyes and let her mind fade to black.
Luneah liked the boy standing in front of her. He was kind, intelligent, and cute. He may not have muscle, and may be a little short, but who cares? It's what's on the inside that counts.
And Hiccup had a lot on the inside.
Hiccup stood up for her even if he barely knew her. That was proof of his character. And he had a gods dammed Night Fury. One of the most elusive and intelligent dragons. He must have been smart enough to be able to befriend one.
She walked up to a building with Hiccup trudging behind her.
"This is the Great Hall."
"Really? Wow. It's huge!" Hiccup exclaimed.
"Yeah. It has to house the entire village during emergencies or feasts, so it has multiple levels."
Hiccup's eyes widened. "Are you serious? Multiple levels?"
"Yeah. Pretty cool, huh?"
"Very cool."
Luneah turned and walked down a large staircase carved into the stone. "I'll take you to the forge, where my best friend is working."
"Cool. I was the Blacksmith's Apprentice back where I used to live."
"You two will probably get along."
They both came up to a large stone building with wood around the windows and doorframes.
"Jay! It's me!" Luneah yelled into the open door, knocking on the frame.
Toothless galloped away, apparently finding a yellow butterfly more interesting than meeting new people.
"Luna! Come in!"
I waved my arm at Hiccup, inviting him inside.
"Hey Jeysannia!" She greeted, ducking her head to avoid a few tools that hung from the ceiling. The girl in question turned her eyes away from her drawing and looked up at Luneah.
"What's up?" She immediately turned her glance over to Hiccup and frowned. "Who's this? You know better than to bring random people into the forge."
"Calm down. Jeysannia, this is Hiccup. Hiccup, Jeysannia. Or, as I like to call her, Jay."
Jay held out her hand to shake, and Hiccup took it, smiling as he did. Her hands were covered in soot and calluses like Hiccup's. He already felt a sense of camaraderie with this girl.
"Are you the smithy here?" He asked. She only seemed to be around his age.
"Yeah, but only the apprentice."
"Cool! Me too!"
Luneah tried to stifle a laugh watching the two. Keyword being: tried. Her friends were both Blacksmiths! What a coincidence.
"Where are you from?" Jay asked, flicking her long brown bangs out of her eyes.
"Berk."
"Oh, really? The same place as Valka, right?"
Hiccup bit his lip and wondered if he should answer. "...I'm actually her son."
The girl's jaw dropped wide open. "Do you ride a dragon?"
Why did everyone ask that? Hiccup looked to Luna as if saying, 'should I tell her?'. In response, Luneah just shrugged.
"I ride a Night Fury."
"Hahahah. You're funny." She said, turning back to the design on her desk. "I ride a Razorwhip, what about you, Luneah?"
"No, I'm serious."
Jay rolled her eyes. "Prove it."
Hiccup shrugged again and whistled out the door. A large black shadow hopped down from the roof, and landed right outside.
"Hey, Bud!"
"What happened?" The dragon asked.
"That's cool, but I'm honestly terrified."
"Just... hold out your hand. He's only aggressive if you threaten him or me."
Jay took a deep breath and stepped closer to the dragon, who tilted its head in confusion. She held her trembling hand out and looked away. It felt like forever until she touched a warm, scaly surface. In reality, it was only around three seconds.
"See! You're a natural!"
"Cool," she said, continuing to rub the dragon's head in long strokes.
"Ok," Luneah said, interrupting the two. "Hiccup, do you want to stay here, or I'll show you around a bit more."
"Oh, sure. I'll go with you. Bye, Jay."
The two walked out of the forge and continued down a path. Toothless trudged behind, head up proudly while some little kids threw him fish to eat.
"That's the Chief's hut."
"Wow." Hiccup stared at the huge and ornately decorated house in front of him. It was about twice as large as his home on Berk. Then again, almost everything here is two times the size that he's used to.
Apart from the people. Hiccup was used to large, muscular, too-wide-for-their-height Vikings. These people were tall, thin, and muscular. They weren't completely buffed-out, but were still obviously very strong.
He glanced back up at the forge. He liked the people here, very much. He felt a connection to Jeysannia, who has the same job he did. She seemed creative, smart, cunning, and was also very pretty in her own way.
Her and Luneah looked alike. But Jeysannia's brashness gave way to Luneah's guardedness and ease. Jay's impulsivity contrasted against Luneah's steady ease. He thought she was beautiful. Luneah was friendly although she was constantly bullied. She was trusting yet guarded. She had a certain... air about her.
"Luneah!" Hiccup said, stopping the girl in her tracks. She turned around and Hiccup walked the few steps until he was in front of her. "The names here are kind of weird... no offense but... Luneah? Jeysannia."
Luneah laughed and Hiccup was struck by the lightness of her voice. "Well, not all our names are Norse. There are a lot of people from all over the world here. Isunder is one of the few middle-ports between the Viking isles and the rest of Europe."
"Europe? Viking isles?"
"...oh dear me, you've never left the Viking isles before, have you?"
"No... never."
She nodded her head in understanding. "The world is a lot bigger than you think it is. There are lands you've never even dreamed of and people who don't look like anyone you've ever seen before. Jay's parents were from a faraway land. So were mine."
"And... your name? Luneah. Like the moon?"
"Correct. My culture revolves around the sun and moon. The sun is masculine, while the moon is feminine."
"That's it? So why isn't everyone named Luneah?"
She chuckled and smiled down at the ground. "I was born on the day of a Bloodmoon Eclipse. I was born right in the middle of it, when the moon was still red and the sky pitch black. It's kind of a big deal here. I'm something like a 'holy child'."
"I was born on the 29th of February. It only comes once every four years," he said. "If I were born any other day I would be almost sixteen but—"
"—so you're four years old."
Hiccup laughed, throwing back his head. He wondered when was the last time he laughed this freely in another person's presence.
"C'mon. Let's head back to my mom. You can tell her what you think about my birthday yourself."
.