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BlackRose108 — A VikingPunk Tale--Chapter 8 (part 2)
Published: 2013-09-01 06:30:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 1370; Favourites: 3; Downloads: 0
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Part One: We are Challenging FateChapter Eight: Tested and Dueled, Part 2 (Part 2)
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Hiccup went out into the arena, feeling like the sun was extra merciless that day, a heat sweat adding to his nervous sweat was already making the metal of his helmet smell but he kept a grip on his sword.
Alastair hadn't asked him why he had his sword but he knew that coming out with a dagger in hand was guaranteed to get him laughed out of the arena at first step. Still, he kept his dagger tucked away in a wrist pouch he'd placed under his arm guard. Hopefully Hiccup could go without it, but after hearing Snotlout's post-duel plans Hiccup took a bit more drastic measures. It was dirty play, to hide a dagger, but Hiccup was sure Snotlout would do it in a heartbeat—if he didn't already have one on him as well—too.
Vikings had no dueling etiquette, it was a bloody match of choice, in which the winner had the loser at their complete mercy and could either choose to spare them or kill them. Hiccup swallowed at the very thought of losing, not confident on whether Snotlout would really finish the job or not. Snotlout having him completely out of the question would help with his "plan" to woe his father., after all.
His blood boiled a bit. When Alastair had told him about what Snotlout had said it gave him an odd twinge. He had a hard time devoting total time an energy in the duel when around Toothless. Alastair had always told him he had a 'higher calling' and that he was better than the Viking society, but Hiccup couldn't stomach not inheriting the throne. Not getting back at all those who said he couldn't do it, not showing the entire Viking culture what he was made of. After-all…it was his birthright. Yet being around Toothless was…distracting, though there was something more when he was around the dragon.
A Viking King who not only was a hiccup, but ended the war between dragons and Vikings. The Gods had given him that gift to hear dragons thoughts for a reason, and he intended to use it. But he had goofed off, thought he could skip sleep, only practiced his forms during lessons with Alastair, but now he needed to focus. Every odd was against him, and to even keep his rights he had to beat his cousin….
Snotlout walked into the arena as well, smug and confident as ever. He had his cheerleaders but Hiccup gave one last look back at his own cheering section.
Alastair's hands were clasped together, apprehension in his eyes. Hiccup almost chuckled at how much of a mother Alastair looked like. Still, knowing he had someone rooting for his success despite losing respect for it was freeing in many ways. He took a deep breath and brought his attention back to Snotlout.
"You know the rules." Snotlout licked his lips.
"There are no rules." Hiccup muttered, shaking hands putting his sword in front of him.
"Except try not to cry after I beat you." Snotlout sniffled and took his stance, looking down at Hiccup's grip. "Ha, cursed hand…this fight will be over quickly." The referee banged the drum and off the duel went.
Hiccup faintly heard Alastair calling compliments out to him, but his heart pounded in his ears as the drum bang, everything was spinning as he saw Snotlout lung his sword towards him, he cut around it, barely missing getting jabbed, but on first strike the sword sliced through his shirt, leaving a line of blood on his arm.
Hiccup would've kicked himself if he could. Two seconds into the fight and he was already cut. Snotlout's laughs, and his fan's cheers rang even more in Hiccup's mind. His wrist seemed too stiff to make a formidable strike. Dodging and curving around the blade was his mode of dueling, something that gave him boo's and laughs. But they all registered as ringing.
Snotlout took another jab, and Hiccup locked his blade with and underhanded block, his wrist twisted while the dagger that lay beneath his arm guard stiffened his movement a bit, but he pushed through it. Snotlout's resistance was strong and he could feel the lock on his blade slipping.
What parts of his body were open? Hiccup thought quickly, his brain adjusting to the adrenaline and finally thinking of Alastair's suggestions during lessons. If he lost his lock on Snotlout, he could go for his stomach or his legs. Hiccup used the weight of Snotlout's push and lunged himself back a bit, and, of course, Snotlout came charging. He blocked every blow, each time metal hit metal, and the pound left his teeth over sensitive and chattering within him.
He had to make some strikes if he was going to leave the duel with any dignity, Hiccup thought. But Snotlout wasn't as forgiving as Alastair in lessons. And a sword was so harder to maneuver than a dagger. Without realizing, Hiccup missed a block and the sword whipped right passed his nose, taking off a thin layer of skin and even a few hair strands from his bangs fell in front of his eye, he gasped, and Snotlout simply laughed again, another roar of praises to Snotlout rumbling through Hiccup's body.
His brain pounded with his heart as he looked for good places to strike. Know your target, Alastair would say. Snotlout kept his stomach guarded, his legs always moving, his arms always in a good movement with his sword. Everything checked off, he certainly was more skilled in proper form than him. There were small areas of open, but nothing Hiccup could get at with a sword.
He twisted around Snotlout's blade again, going directly behind him and trying to swing his sword around and maybe catch him off guard, but he was met with similar results as anything else. Blade met blade again, and more cheers from the crowd.
His hands began to shake again as he begin to feel the watery blood on his nose leaking down to his lips, trying to get out of his mind that he was tasting his own failure.
No…Hiccup told himself. None of that talk. He couldn't afford losing the battle, if he did he might as well just be dead.
He tried so hard to remember Alastair's words, every word he had told him about dueling, about being calm, about conjuring up all of his motivations and releasing them through his weapon. He took a wild jab forward, barely missing Snotlout's lower arm, but at least he almost made contact. Another wild stab in the dark, not even trying to have proper form and not caring how desperate he looked at that point. A gangling little prince taking wild jabs at his dueling opponent was probably enough to entertain anyone, but, again, he couldn't think like that. It was win or die…those were the only options.
"Just give it up." Snotlout breathed out, blocking all of Hiccup's rouge strikes like it was all child's play. They locked blades again, and Snotlout smirked. "The crowd can see you're just desperate now…."
Hiccup's eyes widened, the words came as no surprise, but for some reason they still left a dent in his stomach, and push in his ribs. They lunged back and ran at each other again, blade hitting blade every few seconds, wild circles, metal, blood, and sweat circulating everything. Hiccup only saw spinning at that point, but he kept lodging anyways, letting out sorting groans as he did so.
"Getting angry?" Snotlout breathed out a laugh. Hiccup willed himself not to listen, it was just bait, but his ears opened to it, and all the crowds hecklings ran through his listening range. He missed the pound of his heartbeat compared to hearing all the discomforts of the crowds cheers in favor of Snotlout, and all the insults directed towards him.
His legs buckled as he ran towards Snotlout again, sword first, and took one swing as his legs gave out. Snotlout gave a round of his blade, bringing it back and almost twisting Hiccup's wrists back before he felt his grip slip completely. He let out a million curses in his mind as his hands felt naked without the sword in them. Naked and surely dead.
He lost his footing on burnt out legs, falling forward and meeting straight with Snotlout's blade.
Defining moment…face to face with his cousin's blade. His own sword too far away for him to make a run for it without getting stabbed. He looked up at his cousin, nose still bleeding, arm still bleeding, helmet askew, and eyebrows knitted tightly together. Almost daring Snotlout to just finish him.
"Finish him off!"
"Put Berk out of it's misery!"
The crowd yelled. And yet among them was one encouraging scream.
"Don't listen to them, Prince Hiccup, you know what to do now, I know you can do it!"
Hiccup felt the stiffness under his arm guard, His dagger was still there. Being at that angle, Hiccup began to see all the openings he could go for, and smiled a bit.
"Can't make up your mind, Snotlout?" Hiccup probed and Snotlout looked caught off guard with the question. "Allow me to make it for you," Hiccup took the dagger from his guard and took a knee up off the ground, running past Snotlout and slicing him with the dagger. The contact of skin to blade, make his stomach churn, though, eerily reminding him of his first encounter with Toothless. He swallowed. He couldn't get soft now, he had to follow through, just this once…
Snotlout looked at his cut shoulder, the crowd growing even more silent at a loss for words, before he saw the wild fire burn in Snotlout's eyes. Being embarrassed wasn't something Snotlout knew how to handle, and he ran towards him, sword ready to swing before Hiccup locked it against with his dagger, unlocking it and moving his wrist down quickly around to get one of the smaller openings, jabbing at his shoulder.
His dagger went in a deeper than he thought, and Snotlout let out a scream, rearing back. Hiccup removed the dagger quickly, and stepped back as well. Snotlout's arm dangled a bit and he dropped to his knees…the fire in his eyes burning like hel but his panted in exhausting. He stood again, running towards Hiccup but his grip was sloppy, the shoulder Hiccup had punctured bleeding heavily. Hiccup turned around the blade, a few strands of hair falling again, but he took a sly step, coming right up to Snotlout back accidently and throwing caution to the wind, he turned the dagger at its side, the flat end of the dagger against his injured shoulder, The bone felt tender, and Snotlout let out a hiss of pain while Hiccup took the opportunity to knock him to lock an arm around his neck and hold the dagger against the thick flesh. Snotlout gagged a bit as Hiccup held on so tightly it was making him light headed, but he knew any looser a grip and Snotlout would break away in a heartbeat.
The crowd went completely silent. The odds were in Hiccup's favor, and now he had the choice.
Snotlout panted, Hiccup could feel the anger pouring out of him, and sweat collected against his arm as Snotlout's anger intensified.
"Can't…" Snotlout choked. "Make…up your mind…Prince Hiccup?"
Hiccup breathed out. The thought of slitting Snotlout's neck didn't appealed to him, not even then. He deicded…killing wasn't how he would want this to end.
He tightened his grip, turning to Snotlout. The confidence he felt boiled a fire within him. He stood proud and tall, the sun on his back hot and thriving. "I won't be made a fool by you anymore…" he told Snotlout. "And I won't let you take my birthright. I suggest you keep being a warrior duke and learn your place towards your superior."
And with that, Hiccup let go of his cousin, and he dropped down on his knees, gripping his injured shoulder.
Hiccup went up and grabbed his shoved aside sword, and placed his dagger back in the wrist pouch.
The crowd was still silent as Hiccup walked away, and he went right up to Alastair, not knowing whether to smile or wait for a response. Alastair's eyes were wide, but he looked proud.
He just stood before him, not knowing what to say or do either. Together they just fell in stride, walking back to the palace as the crowed thinned out to let them pass.
And if Hiccup finally telling Snotlout to learn his place and beating him at a duel wasn't good enough, the look he saw on Arte's face in the crowd was enough to make him smile.
0o0
Alastair took Hiccup back to his room, sitting him on his bed while he went out to get some medical supplies. Hiccup took off his shirt, and sighed, removing the wrist pouch and leaning back on the bed. The raw pain and his aching muscles finally settling in. All the blood felt like it was rushing to his cuts, his head pounded and his arm throbbed. But…he had won.
Hiccup still laid on his bed, a immovable smile plastered across his lips when Alastair returned. There was the still a thick silence as Alastair cleaned off the cut on Hiccup's arm, but Hiccup's smile remained.
"I'm glad you're happy." Alastair finally said, cutting through the first thicket of silence. Hiccup still didn't answer right away though. "You arehappy, right?" Alastair cut a little deeper in the silence.
"I am." Hiccup said, yet it wasn't as enthusiastic as his tongue prepared. He hissed while Alastair pressed at his cut with a hot towel and looked up at him, Alastair bit his lip, a million thoughts running across his eyes.
"I hope you can handle all the attention you're going to get…" Alastair said, instead of asking all the questions Hiccup anticipated. He chewed on the words. The Kill Ring was silent as he left, only the steps of people going to assist Snotlout pattering. But people were swingers. Going to whichever side benefitted them, whichever side was on the good edge of the things. No one ever wanted to be the one who stuck up for the losing side…except for Alastair, of course.
"Thank you." Hiccup said, disregarding Alastair's other statement.
"You're welcome." Alastair answered instead of the anticipated 'for what?' "Lesson number one, right?" Alastair smiled, finishing up on bandaging Hiccup's arm and taking the hot towel again to move to Hiccup's nose.
"Yeah…" Hiccup laughed a bit, though swallowed when Alastair leaned over him, and scrubbed at his nose with the hot towel. He hissed again, but didn't squirm.
"You lodged him pretty deep in his shoulder…" Alastair said. "Snotlout probably won't be able to use it for a while."
Hiccup frowned. He remembered how unsettling it was just jabbing at Toothless when they first met, hearing the dragon in the hall that night get stabbed and carried off. But there was nothing worse than feeling the blade of his dagger sink into Snotlout's shoulder, one wrong move could sever something, drag right through to the other side…it made him want to yak, but his stomach settled when he looked up at Alastair smiling at him.
"Still…I'm proud of you." Alastair reminded him, dabbing his nose with an herb, it stung and Hiccup hissed again.
"Geez, Alastair…" Hiccup's nose burned at that point, and he could feel the chai of it sinking into his taste.
"Stop being a baby, the cut on your nose isn't bad, I put a remedy on it to protect it for a few hours and help it close up."
"You just know how to do everything, don't you? You're like a warrior and a mother all wrapped up in one." Hiccup laughed, but Alastair simply closed up the medical supplies. He never really took too much favor to being called a mother, but Hiccup couldn't really help but feel more like he had a parental figure following him around than a warrior at that point.
He leaned back against the pillows, letting out a sigh of relief and his smile returned. He felt sore yet empowered and even though all his body told him to do was rest his mind was reeling for feeling the high of exhilaration.
Alastair stood, putting his gloves back on and Hiccup sat up, lifting a brow.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"We're going to see Toothless now, right?" Alastair asked nonchalantly, tinkering with the ending threads of his gloves. Hiccup's lips curved more upward and jumped up and headed for the door, going outside, before Alastair called him back in.
"Your shirt," Alastair reminded him, throwing his tunic over to him that he had ran out and forget he wasn't wearing.
"Oh," Hiccup blushed. "Right."
0o0
The evening was young but dark shadows began to paint the forest as Hiccup and Alastair made their ways to the cove after gathering the flying apparatus from the hollow tree.
Hiccup couldn't help but smile at how Alastair knew he was going to go see Toothless. Though it was beginning to get dark out, Hiccup couldn't pass up a celebratory flight. And Toothless probably wouldn't think he was such a weakling if he knew he'd won a duel.
'Toothless!" Hiccup called out once reaching the bottom of the cove, both in mind and audibly. Toothless rested underneath the shade of the tree, blinking an eye open when he heard Hiccup coming. Hiccup could still tell that the name Toothless gave him a slight annoyance, but it was growing on him, that was for sure. And he would answer to it, now, with no hesitation.
:: Your mood is better than last night, :: Toothless noted, seeming calmed by that fact, himself.
:: Well…I won the duel! :: Hiccup could barely stop smiling, trying to seem stronger than like a little boy excited by an accomplishment, but there was really no tricking a dragon who could read his mind.
Instead, Toothless just gave his congratulations, and nudged against his arm. It was tentative, the shows of affections, but despite the ability, Hiccup had to remind himself that Toothless was still a dragon…an animal. Animals didn't smile proudly at their friends, or give them a slap on the back. They touched, the nuzzled, and even though so much contact was always unsettling to Hiccup with just about everyone, it was simply something that would help their bond grow stronger.
He could only laugh to himself again, not knowing any other human that had to deal with such thoughts. Still, that boost of confidence still pulsed through him, and Toothless seemed to sense it.
:: You think that I'll consider you stronger because of this? :: The night fury asked. When Hiccup had first mentioned his duel, Toothless had a strong doubt in his mind, though of course the kinds of 'duels' Toothless was probably used to were more or less tooth-and-nail to the death kind of battles. But the question wasn't really a mock, it was more of a true question.
Hiccup swallowed. :: Well, I guess I had a hope you would. I know you still think I'm just a weakling. ::
Toothless was silent, his mind too quiet for Hiccup to read.
:: But… :: Hiccup just continued. :: I'm glad I got to prove myself, not just to you but to a lot of people. I'm not sure how things will turn out, but at least people know what I'm capable of… :: His mind trailed off as he communicated, and Toothless sat, listening intently.
:: Your heart is strong, :: Toothless chose to say after a few moments of silence. Hiccup's eyes widened. His heart…? He supposed that was a dragon's form a compliment, for he didn't feel any spite in the comment itself. He pet Toothless head gently and smiled.
:: So, how about we go flying? :: Hiccup asked, already pulling out the rigs.
:: As long as we don't spend the night attached again. :: Toothless snuffed.
:: Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad. ::
:: It was when your friend put you through such horrible thoughts. :: Toothless turned while Hiccup attached the saddle and rigging, but he paused when he realized the nature of what Toothless was saying. He remembered when Alastair told him of Snotlout's plans, how Toothless growled at him when Alastair reached for him. He was too bogged down in his own self pity to really pay attention to what Toothless was thinking, but he knew that if depressing thoughts were so turbulent in his own mind, what must it have been like for Toothless.
:: I'm sorry, :: Hiccup felt it right to apologize. :: I didn't realize that me being depressed had an effect on you too. ::
:: In many ways we're just one mind in two different bodies. :: Toothless added. :: But the bodily difference is a wide chasm. ::
:: More dragon philosophy… :: Hiccup thought more than he tried to communicate to Toothless, though he knew the night fury heard it anyways. It was getting easier to decipher Toothless's thoughts into a dialect he could understand. Going by hearing other dragons, their words and sentences were choppy, elementary. And although Toothless's intelligence was always a one up from the other's the more they spoke, the easier it was to create their own language that fit them both.
Hiccup finished the rigging, checking to make sure the connectors were at least secure. He hadn't had time to really fix the problem with the connectors since he went straight to bed the previous night, the connectors were loose, but he wanted to fly. He'd deal with a problem if one should arise if it arose.
The sun was sipping lower and lower, and Hiccup knew a good half hour of flying was probably all they could squeeze in before he had to head back to the palace. But as long as he got his flyer's high out of the way, it was fine.
He mounted Toothless and looked back at Alastair, who quietly watched them at a careful distance by the pond.
"Alright…position four." Hiccup muttered to himself as they took off, willing himself to work with Toothless long enough so that they at least wouldn't fall.
The wind whipped through his hair and nose as usual, though the wind washing in his ears and lips was beginning to become a common state for him. They leveled just over the trees and he switched gears, gliding gently over the tree tops. The wind wasn't too violent, and it was easy enough to just ride the current.
:: We're doing much better. :: Toothless noted as well, a little flip of joy in his words. Hiccup could feel him holding back, trying not to seem too excited, though he knew that for Toothless—or any dragon for that matter—flying after being on the ground so long was probably more freeing than…Hiccup defeating his cousin.
They had been so focused on practicing, they hadn't really flown. Toothless probably flew all through the clouds, over the water, higher than the stars when he was free. A pang of guilt went through Hiccup, and he looked up at the clouds, lit at the bottom yet being bathed in night over top, he knew all the positions, and their bond was getting stronger, it probably wouldn't be too much of a disaster to at least try an actually fly that didn't involve step by step easiness.
:: Do you think we're ready for that? :: Toothless asked, referring to Hiccup's want to go into the clouds.
:: We'll never know until we try, and all this easy gliding must be boring for you, right? ::
Toothless mulled over the thought a bit, but Hiccup could already feel the longing within him to fly as he used to. It was still a bother for Toothless, having to rely on Hiccup to fly, being grounded until he could get to the cove, being a pawn in Hiccup's little plan to end the war. The dragon's engraved pride was crumbling, leaving him feeling like a tool rather than a free agent.
Hiccup frowned tightly before looking up into the clouds, still being covered in the night but he switched to the third position.
He felt a gust whack his neck and he immediately closed his mouth as they reared upwards. Hiccup dug his palms into the reins of the saddle, and made sure his legs were secure while they hoisted. It was a workout to say the least. He had to keep his legs bent, his bottom elevated from the saddle as he couldn't just sit, but Toothless's wings seemed to flap in a strong rip while elevating. The wind called to him, and Toothless's tongue wagged out in a high of finally getting that breeze of flight flowing back through his nostrils.
Hiccup felt it too, it was newer, to feel it through himself yet through Toothless at the same time. He switched back to the first position and they leveled out, gliding over the currents. They were more turbulent higher up, a flow that went up and down and the jostling made it hard for Hiccup to get his stomach to level…
:: A weightless gut is common… :: Toothless mentioned, cutting his eyes up to Hiccup while he swerved a bit.
:: Thanks for the update :: Hiccup's throat expanded before shrinking again, his stomach—as Toothless said—did feel weightless, like it was just hovering in him and it wouldn't stay in place until they were down on the ground. Hiccup looked down…the ground was so far down, a little too far down. He gulped but decided to stare forward instead.
They almost leveled before a loud caw sounded in Hiccup's right ear. He grid his teeth as a bird shoved its wing right passed his face, the bird spiraled and before Hiccup could even contemplate what a bird was doing flying so high up he felt himself being pushed back too far in the saddle. The weight of his head cranked his neck back, and his spin seemed to buckle under the pressure.
The connectors on his vest went taut and Toothless tried to level on his own, but his fin was still locked in ascending position. The flight seemed to slow mid-ascend, and while Hiccup was dangling back on moment he was cast up, looking at Toothless below him as he was dislodged.
He could only imagine what Alastair's nagging would be: "You should've fixed the connectors before you flew!" Hiccup wished he had.
He fell in a completely similar yet more terrifying rush of wind. Toothless let out a screech, not being able to get his body under control. It was a frustration more than a fear, but the way Hiccup's heart pounded irregularly as his body flipping and twisted through the clouds made him want to let out a yell himself.
"Oh Gods! Oh Gods!" Hiccup called out over and over, flipping to try and grab hold of Toothless wing when it was in his reach, but he only hit the side with his face. His cheek and jaw slacked as the whack just sent him spiraling down even more.
:: Get it together. :: Hiccup kept hearing Toothless say, though it was never directed towards him. It was always Toothless chastising himself. Any thoughts regarding Hiccup were always one and the same. :: Get it together…so you can save your human. ::
His human.
Hiccup wasn't sure why he felt the need to smile. To waste such valuable time smiling over a dragon being possessive of him. But he did. His heartbeat slowed, his body calmed, and instinctively so did Toothless's. They fell into a deep dive, head first, but they were side by side, catching a glance mid-turn in the air. Hiccup looked at Toothless, smiling, and the night fury did something extraordinary.
He smiled as well.
All gums.
Hiccup reached out as Toothless spin, narrowly missing being whacked by his wing to grab hold of his saddle and he whipped his head over, throwing it against the heavy current of the wind. His neck ached but he was able to twist himself to get back on.
Though their time was gone, and rocky entrance to the water was coming right at them, and there was no way to turn quickly enough to avoid its wide expanse.
:: Time to see what we're made of… :: Both Hiccup and Toothless thought together, their minds were one…now they had to see if they could transfer that into riding…
Or else they'd both die.
0o0
Toothless had given Hiccup some wise advice that day.
:: Don't observe when you're flying…feel when you're flying. ::
Something without eyes can fly…so Hiccup let his instincts take over. His instincts to trust Toothless's natural ability of flight to lead them through the thick of rocks. Toothless knew which way to bank, which way to twist. If he was independent, a rock forest would be more of a work out to him.
Hiccup was weighed down with that responsibility, to rely and be able to have that channel open enough so that they both could fly. He couldn't use his eyes, even as the rocks seemed to be so close, he couldn't think with his vision, he had to think with connection. Their connection.
West bank. East spiral. Ascend. Rear back. East bank.
Hiccup relied, his foot moving on a candle flicker.
Position three. Position two. Position Three. Position four. Position six.
And the next thing Hiccup knew…the weightlessness in his stomach was settling. It dropped heavily into him and he felt the need to hurl, turning his neck so that it landed—somewhat—in the ocean.
Toothless would've complained more if his own nervous gut didn't yak as well…though, of course, Hiccup meet firsthand what a dragon's nervous habit was. Fire.
He looked up and whipped the side of his mouth, seeing a ring of smoke and fire in front of him, and soon it was all over his face.
0o0
:: Well your droppings got on the side of my wing, so you shouldn't be that angry. :: Toothless tried to reason, but Hiccup's face was too numb for him to let it slide.
:: A bit of throw up on your wing doesn't equal the same type of damage as you BURNING MY FACE! :: Hiccup yelled, his stiff lips feeling stretched and too raw as he screamed.
:: I didn't do it intentionally :: Toothless snuffed, almost with an innocence, Hiccup simply chewed the inside of his cheek. His face felt bloated and chewing made his molar gums feel a bit more in use.
Another catch wiggled on his line and he lifted it up, placing the fish in the pile of Toothless's dinner. They had to catch fish outside the pond whenever possible…or else the fish count in the cove would go down…
Another screech sounded and Hiccup almost snapped up in the bitter reminder of the bird that had ruined their flight, only to see that it was much worse. A small pack of wild terrible terrors flew in, smelling the pile of fish and surrounding Toothless and Hiccup.
Hiccup bit his lip, but Toothless simply growled. He considered them as children. Annoying children.
:: Searching for food for days…give us! :: The terrors demanded.
:: There's a whole ocean beneath you, have a feast. :: Toothless answered.
:: Come on Toothless, give them a little… :: Hiccup sighed.
:: I do not submit to such younglings… :: Toothless hissed, but Hiccup just rolled his eyes. Grabbing the fish he was cooking and threw it at a terror.
It ate it happily and Toothless sighed a bit, sliding over three fish to the smaller dragons. They all gnawed happily.
:: This consideration isn't a normal tact for us. :: Toothless reminded.
:: I know…but you're with me, you've got to practice a little bit of human tact too. ::
Toothless didn't answer, but the thought seemed to both annoy him and intrigue him.
The terror Hiccup had fed first burped out a little fire before meeting his eyes. Terrors were simple dragons, their thoughts primal, their loyalty reliant on circumstance and sensory. The terror immediately connected Hiccup with food and happily snuggled at his side, sleeping soundly with a full belly.
Hiccup stiffened a bit as he realized he was completely surrounded by dragons, and yet, he was still alive. In fact, he felt more accepted right at that moment than he'd ever had among humans.
It was a funny thought….
"Prince Hiccup!" Hiccup heard a boat bang into the shore, and Alastair hurriedly got out from it, knees scrapping on the hardened shore.
Hiccup grinned when Alastair dropped to his knees before him, panting.
"Prince Hiccup!" Alastair gasped again and Hiccup still let a laugh rumble behind his lips. Alastair was always quite amusing while worried. The boy reached forward but stopped himself and simply sat on his feet.
Alastair must've seen them falling and went after them. Probably expecting to find them stranded in the ocean somewhere.
"Before you freak out, me and Toothless are clearly fine. We've just got a full house here" He said, referring to the little band of eating terrors around them, one completely asleep against Hiccup's side. He picked up the extra fish he had cooking over the fire and handed it to Alastair. "Here, have a fish."
Alastair looked at the food for a second, still looking like he wanted to nag, or yell but instead Alastair took it and sat down, across the fire, looking intently at the scene before him as he ate.
:: Is there something wrong with the sun-haired one? :: Toothless asked as he chopped on some fish, looking over at Alastair, but instead of looking away like he usually did, Alastair just looked right back at him, still staring. :: I can't tell what your friend is thinking…. :: Hiccup noted the frustration in Toothless's voice. He'd probably gotten too comfortable being around him so much, it felt odd not to see a human and immediately know them like he did with Hiccup.
"What's the matter, Alastair?" Hiccup asked. "You're making Toothless nervous."
:: Nervous isn't the phrasing I'd use… :: Toothless snuffed.
"I'm making him nervous?" Alastair laughed a bit. "He's not a snake, that whole 'they're more afraid of us than we are of them' thing doesn't apply."
"Okay…" Hiccup shrugged it off, not going there. Alastair chewed on the fish a bit more.
"I think…you can end this war." He finally said, and Hiccup raised a brow to him.
"You always say you believe in me, Alastair." Hiccup said, not meeting his eyes. But the fact that he could say so in such casualty made Hiccup a little happy.
"I know, but, seeing you two together…seeing you right now…with all these…I thought this would just be a deal, but you're really becoming friends. You're really…meant for this."
Hiccup's eyes went wide. But then he looked over the day that was now setting over the horizon. He'd work up with a pit in his gut and everything to lose. But now he'd won the battle against Snotlout, he could continue with his plan, he could fly on Toothless with agility. He now had everything to gain.
:: What did she say? :: Toothless asked, confused at Hiccup's expression, even when his eyes softened and he smiled.
"It just boggles me every time…" Alastair continued. dragons are supposed to be monsters…"
Hiccup gulped, knowing that Alastair meant his brother.
"Well, that's why we're doing this…so nothing like that ever happens again." He smiled at Toothless. "All three of us…we're all going to end this."
:: …as friends… :: Hiccup finished.
Toothless's ears perked up, and as he gnawed on another fish, his throat vibrated, making a gagging noise. Hiccup reared towards him, not knowing what to do about a choking dragon. Luckily, he wasn't choking…but unluckily Hiccup discovered a new way dragons showed affection.
He tried to keep an appreciative attitude as Alastair chuckled, and Toothless beamed at the regurgitated fish head he had plumped in Hiccup's lap.
:: Eat up, human friend. :: Toothless said happily.
