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Chapter Text

A loud clatter thundered through the house. The plate smashed and pieces shattered over the ground, screaming in rage after being banished to the floor. Loud footsteps ensued after the smash, as if summoned by the loud noise. They shook and trembled the architecture, and fiending rats scurried around to hide above in the attic. The footsteps were loud, supporting a large mass of muscle and meat. They were menacing. Harsh.
The wooden planks creaked under the weight, whining and whinging under such pressure. The man stomped and stomped through his house, a tall, frightening looking home. It wasn’t frightening in the sense it was dark and haunted. It was menacing and powerful, with bones littering the overgrown garden and a rotting dragon head skewered onto the spike above the large arched entrance. The man of the house marched through the unsteady building. The worn imprint of boots marked an often-used trail through a dim hallway and to a distant door. The man growled, narrowing his eyes as he approached the wooden door.

There was a girl. She bit her lip and rubbed her arm nervously as she heard the daunting footsteps approaching. Her room was dimly lit by a single candle, casting eerie shadows on worn-out furniture and faded tapestries. The girl’s mind raced, searching for a way to navigate this situation. She couldn’t remain hidden in her room; the man’s anger was palpable, like facing a wild beast.

Pushing a lock of hair behind her ear with a trembling hand, she took a deep breath, attempting to steady herself so she wouldn’t pose as weak in front of the man. There was something that had driven her to stay in this god-forsaken place, it was something she could hardly explain to herself. Maybe she felt like it was a protection, or maybe she was still hoping deep inside her heart that she may one day prove herself and receive even an ounce of love.

The wooden door swung open, revealing the large figure of the man — her father. He was broad-shouldered with a shadowed face, anger etched into every crease in his forehead. His eyes locked onto his daughter, and the room seemed to suffocate the girl with tension and fear.

“Raca, stupid girl; what did you do?” his voice rumbled like a distant roar of a furious, erupting volcano.

You breathed in slowly, trying to steady your racing heart. Your fathers stare burned your body like a rapacious fire, eating at every inch of your flesh. “I don’t know, Father,’ you mumbled, feeling a wallowing, angry heat in your stomach.
The man’s brows furrowed and his features darkened. “You know what you did wrong.”

You sigh internally, feeling a slow and bubbling concoction of fear and anger churn inside your stomach. Why were you cursed with this man as your father? Though, you wouldn’t wish him upon anybody else.

The man's face twisted into a contorted snarl, his rage growing stronger as you avoided his eyes and didn’t speak.
“Raca, this is why I named you worthless.” he growled, before continuing in his unprecedented anger. He took an unsteady breath, “the dishes, they were dirty.”

You gulped, staring at your hands. “I washed them, Father.”

Your father slammed your door shut with such force it made the house quake. “After everything I've told you,” he fumed, his voice trembling with anger. “After every punishment, you still can’t manage a simple task?”

His voice felt like a raging earthquake, his presence a chronic virus. He was a plague — a horrible, despicable man. You fiddled with your fingers anxiously. “I don’t know.”

“I DON’T KNOW?” he screamed, punching the wall.

You flinched, gritting your teeth. His voice. His powerful, commanding voice echoed through the room. His voice felt like the lick of a flame — surrounding you — suffocating you.
“Why are you such a horrible person!?” you screamed, clenching your fists into balls. You could feel tears prick the corner of your eyes. Why did your anger always turn into crying? Oh, gods.

The man’s eyes widened ever-so-slightly. You were fueling his fire, and he was about to burst into flames.
“Do NOT, speak to me in that tone,” he growled, his dark eyes flaring like wildfire. “You-”

“-Let me guess, I’m not good enough?” you interrupted, “it’s not like you’ve told me that at least a million times!” You were crying now, tears streamed down your flushed cheeks. “Next time you make me cook dinner, maybe I'll poison your food and you’ll die like the greedy man you are!” you shrieked, anger burning in your glassy eyes.

That’s it. You’d done it. You had ignited his fire to its maximum — you had tipped him over the edge.

The room was silent with tension as your fathers face twisted with a mixture of murderous intent and disbelief. His face was shadowed by the dim lighting of your room, but it only made him more menacing. You gulped, waiting for something. For him to throw something. Strike you. Yell at you. But nothing came.

You looked up at him, and you felt your heart drop. His eyes, they stared at you. You could almost hear the many ways he was planning to hurt you, tear you apart, defile you until you weren’t recognisable — physically and emotionally. You could feel a suffocating lump in your throat. You could almost feel his hands around it. Gripping tightly. His dirty fingernails tearing into your flesh, piece by piece pulling the strings of your skin away. Your body temperature heightened, becoming hot and suffocating. Your heart pounded and whined, begging for you to flee, to run while you still could. But you stood your ground — you would not let him tear you down and push you around any longer.
Your father’s gaze before into you, the oppressive silence lingered in the room like a dark cloud. The weight of his rage and your own defiance hung heavy in the air.

“Raca. You useless girl,” the man spat.
You winced at hearing your name. It felt like a harsh breath of fire lapping at your face, greedily consuming every ounce of identity in you.
“You disappoint me, child.”

You looked at him with sarcastically raised eyebrows. “You disappoint me too, father,” you replied coldly. His eyebrows raised ever so slightly, his eyes burning with rage as he stared down at you. You glared at him back with ferocity, raising your chin up. Your father let out a deep, heaving breath. Suddenly, a sort of switch flicked on inside you, and you instinctively grabbed your sachet containing some of your things.

Suddenly, there was a loud, ear-piercing sound that made you flinch. Your window shattered to pieces, broken shards of glass scattering across your wooden floor. Your fathers gaze burned you as he stood with his fists clenched, one of which was dripping with blood. Panic crept into your face, the sight of blood making you feel like hurling. Your heart raced, mind buzzing with thoughts. He won’t hurt you anymore — you wouldn’t let him. “I needed some fresh air, Thank you Chief,” you said snarkily, standing tall even though you were shaking. He gritted his teeth, before his fists swung at you. You shrieked internally and ducked, before kicking him in the crotch and making a break for it. “Go to hell!” you yelled, a surge of adrenaline pulsing through your veins as your heart pounded vigorously; you were breaking free.

You dashed through the narrow, dimly lit corridors of the building. You could hear your fathers enraged shouts pursuing you relentlessly. But you ignored them, pushing yourself forward as you gritted your teeth. You wouldn’t let him control you anymore. You would be free from him, free from everything. The exit of the house loomed in front of you, practically waiting for you to burst open its hinges. But you needed to hurry, your father was following. His footsteps chased after you, sending chills running down your spine. The door drew nearer and nearer, before finally you burst through the door, a large, relieved grin coming to your face as the cold air of the night engulfed your sweat. Freedom. At last.

Chapter Text

A weary sigh escaped your mouth as you poked your head out of a cliff face. It still was raining heavily with flashes of lightning and the roars of thunder. “Oh gods, when is the weather going to stop?” you muttered sourly. Huffing, you shuffled back into the cave of the cliff. It had been many weeks since you had escaped from your old tribe. By now you have lost count of the days that have passed. Was or Thorsday? Or may even Sunday… you pondered the options back and forth, before finally rolling your eyes in defeat. You had to admit it : you were lost. Perhaps you should've had a plan before running away from your home. Grumbling quietly, you poked at the pile of fruit on the cave floor. It was an assortment of wild berries you had collected when the weather had eased up. There was a small forest nearby — mostly torn down to make room for trading stalls. Even though your stomach was growling with hunger, you had gotten sick of nature's organic cuisine.
You sat cross legged on the cold cave floor, your cheek rested against your palm. You could feel the weight of your eyelids and the hollowness of your stomach. It was uncomfortable. Although, you had decided that anything was better than being in your old, god-forsaken village. There was no way you’d ever go back. You took a deep breath as your gaze flickered to the left. In the corner of the cave sat your bow, unused and waiting. The weather was awful and cold, causing all the animals to hide deep in their burrows. There were no animals to kill and feast on.

Suddenly a large flash of lightning bolted across the sky and a great roar of thunder followed in suit. The natural occurrence drummed menacingly, before coming to a shaking halt. You sighed, feeling battered by the weather as you cuddled into your coat, growing more hungry and cold by the second. The pitta-patta of rain echoed through the cavern softly, having random spurts of energy every once in a while.

You huddled up the corner of the cave, feeling the effect of the elements on your thin body. It felt as if someone was tugging at your eyelids, making your eyes flutter shut as you slowly dived into slumber. The rhythm of the rain was comforting, easing you into deep sleep.

Your eyes flicked open, pulling you into consciousness. Letting out a groan, you slowly rose from the hard stone floor, rubbing your head sluggishly. The soft chirp of birds captured your attention, and relief flooded over you as you caught sight of the outside realm. The sun had risen high in the azure sky, shining down on the forest. You stretched your limbs as you stood up. The weather was finally level enough to venture out, and your mouth practically drooled at the prospect of some fresh meat. You grabbed your bow and slung it over your shoulder, the forest called for you.

Stepping out of the cave, you winced as the bright sunlight shone down onto the opening of the cliff. As you climbed down the mountain and walked into the forest, the tense weight on your shoulders lifted. The sun filtered through the canopy of trees, dappling the forest floor. The soft rustle of leaves echoed through the woodland, putting your nerves at ease. The air felt fresh and invigorating, a stark contrast to the previous days. You took a deep breath, feeling your lungs fill with crisp oxygen. Keeping a tight grip on your bow, you stalked through the forest, keeping your senses alert in case something you could catch appeared. The dirt mushed under your feet as you walked, and you looked back uncertainly at the trail you were making. Suddenly an unnatural rustle sounded behind you, and quietly you turned to peer at the shrubbery. A small mouse roamed through fallen leaves, unaware of the arrow pointed straight at it. The rodent began nibbling at something, and you seized the opportunity. Narrowing your eyes, you pulled the string back, carefully watching the mouse. A sudden yell in the distance made you jump and release the arrow, sending it straight to the ground just a foot away from the small rodent. You groaned at the loss, but quickly fled behind a tree in case you were being watched. Trembling slightly, you listened closely.

“Another ship has gone missing, that's the fifth one this month!” said a man angrily.
The other man sighed in exasperation, “That’s because the giant waterfall from old sailors' tales is true,” he said with a tone of amusement, “or, another Scauldron I suppose.”
Your eyes widened in surprise, a giant waterfall? Weird.
“You can’t seriously believe that Gerald?” said the stubborn man, “I mean, come on, sailors are known for their tales, and we’re screwed if that really exists!”
“Shut up Fred!” said the other man, suddenly filled with annoyance. “I mean, the dragons had to come from somewhere. It makes sense that they would come from a place at the end of the world!”
The rest of their blabber died down as your mind buzzed, a giant waterfall at the end of the world where dragons lived? That story was a long shot, but if it did exist it was sure to be a sight to behold.

Grabbing all of your belongings, you hoisted your bag over your shoulder and began walking to the shore. You had spotted the port from the cave, and that is where you were headed. You trekked through the forest carefully, making sure that unwanted attention wasn’t drawn to you. Walking past towering trees and weaving through bushes was quite the adventure to you as you had never really been allowed outside your village. You looked around at the nature surrounding you, a smile growing on your lips. Reaching your hand out, your fingertips brushed against a flower. You traced the petals, feeling fascinated by their shape and beauty. They were a bright violet with streaks of yellow. The nature around you was so beautiful, nothing could compare.

As you walked a bit further through the forest, you came across the small clearing where the blabbering men had been. There was a small fire, sending plumes of smoke into the sky. The air carried a scent, a delicious aroma that made you drool; roasted meat. Your stomach growled loudly, reminding you of your impending hunger. They had food – fresh game, no doubt – and you were in desperate need of a nice meal.
Slinking from tree to tree, you stealthily approached the campsite. Without a second thought, you quickly stalked into the clearing and began ripping a leg of the roasting chicken with some difficulty. After scoring a meal, you sprinted back into the shelter of the forest, a triumphant grin playing on your lips. You sighed in relief, delighted to have something other than berries and fruit to eat. Your teeth sunk into the large chunk of meat slowly, and you savoured its delicious flavour. It tasted like heaven, especially after being hungry for over so long.

With the words of the two blabbering men echoing in your mind, you set out to find the docks. Guided by your curiosity, and your passion for dragons. You navigated through the dense forest, each step bringing you one step closer to your destiny. With every stride, the symphony of the ocean grew clearer, a constant push and pull caused by the moon god.

You emerged from the woods onto the rugged coastline, where the salty breeze greeted you with a refreshing breath. Your eyes scanned the port, peering at the many ships anchored to the shore. Suddenly you saw it – a crew of men loading supplies onto a small ship, in preparation to leave. A grin spread across your face, perfect.

Its sails billowed in the wind, calling your name. For a second you halted, ‘oh, that’s right – i need a new name for myself’ you thought, making a mental note of it. There was no way you’d go by Raca Badden anymore, you had left that life behind. Your name: Raca, meant useless. With a sigh, you marched on, sprinting along the shoreline towards the docks. Your heart pounded with excitement and anticipation.

As you approached the wooden vessel, you jumped at the sight of the crew bustling about on the deck. Narrowing your eyes, you stood in front of the ship. Reaching into your pocket, you slipped something up your sleeve discreetly. Putting on your best innocent face, you stood waiting for someone to notice you.

“Hey, Kid.” a gruff voice spoke from behind you, making you flinch slightly. “What are you doing here?”
You turned around, gazing at the burly man with glazed eyes. He faltered under your stare, awkwardness spreading across his face as you began to sniffle.
“I’m so hungry!” you wined, “please, sir, could you find me something to eat?”
The man stuttered, pity glazing his eyes. “I-I, uh – sure, kid.” He finally submitted. Before turning to leave, he gave you an awkward look before hurriedly walking away. You rubbed your eyes in exasperation, what a fool…

Boarding the ship was easy, and once you were on you pulled out your bow. A few gasps sounded from around you. You held a pirate at arrowpoint. “Everybody, get off this ship if you want this man to live,” you yelled. The crew turned to stare at you with shock painted across their faces. “You wouldn’t dare,” a husky man growled from in front of you.
“Oh yeah? Try me.”
The man narrowed his eyes, before they filled with defeat. “Fine. Everyone off!”
You smirked, “wise decision.”

The crew of four retreated off the ship, watching with resentment as you sailed away in their boat. With a great sigh, you steered the mighty vessel for what felt like forever; heading for an aim out of grasp. You blinked slowly, before finally hitting the deck with a thud as you fell unconscious.

You woke up with a jolt, feeling your body being tossed around. You blinked furiously, looking around as your memories came flooding back. Rubbing your head sluggishly, you stood up and looked around at the endless ocean. The push and pull of the sea that had once provided you with comfort now made you feel uneasy, and the thought of drowning made your breath hitch. ‘Shoot.’ you thought wearily, how on earth were you supposed to find the Dragon Land? You had no clue where you were, all you knew is that you were floating on the sea in a small ship, lost. Sighing, you wished you hadn’t woken up, you had been peacefully asleep for a long time, unbeknownst to the situation you had got yourself into. It was almost evening when you drifted off, but now the sun was high in the sky at around midpoint. The ball of light beamed down at you, and its blaze filled your eyes, making you wince.

Sighing, you began rummaging through your bag before your fingers brushed against what you were looking for - the Dragon Book. With a small smile, you flicked through the pages of your work admiring your work. Everything you knew about the dragons you had encountered. This is the reason you were searching for the realm of Dragons. Exploring the archipelago and researching dragons had been your lifelong dream, making you hope that this Dragon Land was real. Running your tongue along your teeth, you felt bored sitting in a boat and waiting. Sighing, you brushed your fingers through your knotted hair and looked around. The sun had been shadowed by puffs of ash cloud, making the sky grow darker. It was a bit ominous, but you were thankful to not have the sun blinding you. You sat up and stretched before leaning over the rim of the boat and observing the water. The sea rippled slowly, and the blue aqua mirrored your reflection on its pearlescent surface. Smiling, you dipped your fingers into the water, flinching slightly as the icy cold creeped up your flesh. The water swirled around your fingertips, and you slowly dipped the rest of your hand in, relaxing into the cool sea.

Suddenly the sound of rushing water filled your ears, and you wrenched your hand out of the water, startled. You looked around frantically, spotting the tide ripple as if something was under it. Your body sat frozen as you watched the water, your breathing getting heavier and your sight going hazy. You knew what it was.

A low rumble came from under the water and you gulped, clutching the side of the boat tightly. Suddenly the sea was pulled upward and a sea green Scauldron emerged. Your jaw dropped and a scream escaped your throat as you shuffled away from the creature. The shrill noise made the dragon's eyes widen, its eyes glistening with curiosity. Your breathing halted as the Scauldrons head snaked toward you, observing you with its heart-wrenching yellow eyes. It seemed to be young, its eyes were peaked with curiosity and its body was smaller than you had seen before. You relaxed slightly, a small smile growing on your lips.
“Hey, little one,” you said gently, “you're just curious, aren’t you?”
It blinked slowly, before leaning closer and sniffing you. You breathed in calmly, letting the tension flow out of your body. The Scauldrons nostrils flared as it smelled you, it's hot breath hitting your face. You reached your hand out slowly to stroke its scales, they were smooth and soft – unlike what you would expect. Suddenly the dragon dove back into the water and you gasped as water splashed into your face. You quickly wiped away the droplets, feeling a sinking feeling in your stomach. Your body shook as your boat tilted, before speeding in a north-east direction. Another shriek left your mouth as you realised what the Scauldron was doing. Was it taking you to its family? Was it hungry for human flesh? Was it going to sink your boat then sink its teeth into you? You were utterly helpless as you raced along the water, watching as foamy splashes of water erupted from behind as the boat sped. Adrenaline tugged at your limbs, and you succumbed into its relentless pulling. Your eyes slowly fluttered shut as the power of fear took over.

You woke up with a start, your mind flashing with old memories. Gasping, you looked around frantically, your breath rapid and hard, and your mind felt hazy and jumbled. You blinked slowly, registering where you were and what was happening. The Scauldron was still pulling you along the water, and you had to admit you were impressed by its strength; you needed to write this down in your book…

Your eyes flicked to the sky and your jaw slowly dropped at the sight. You looked up and awe quickly spread across your face. Strung across the night sky were long smudges of green, purple and pink. It was like the painting of a dream. There were small plumes of clouds that faded into the mysterious sky. The colours faded into each other harmoniously, combining their hues to make a beautiful sky. You laughed softly, a wide smile spread across your face and curiosity shining in your eyes like the stars. A low rumble came from underneath the water, and a tiny gasp escaped your lips as the Scauldron made small hums. You relaxed onto the floor of the boat, but you could not tear your eyes from the oblivion above you. Suddenly a distant noise filled your ears, and you flicked your gaze to the ocean in confusion. The noise grew louder every dragon length, filling your ears mysteriously. Your eyes suddenly caught sight of something, and your jaw dropped like you had witnessed a Viking unable to kill a dragon. It was the waterfall.

Chapter Text

The rushing sound of a tumbling waterfall filled your ears, making the hair on your body prick up. Your jaw still hung open, completely bewildered by the sight. You gazed at it with a starstruck look, your mind racing. There was a huge gap in the ocean, with rushing water pouring down and splashing into giant rocks. A small ‘oh’ escaped your lips as you observed the giant aperture drawing closer and closer.

“Uhh,” you mumbled, unsure of what to do. “Hey, Scauldron? I don’t think this is very safe!” you called out to the dragon, fear trembling in your voice. The Scauldron let out a small rumble that reverberated in the water, making you jump slightly. You heaved a shaky breath, ‘why did I get myself into this?’ you thought to yourself. With a groan, you looked at the waterfall hesitantly; the very sight of it made your body feel light and numb, and your mind hazy and fragmented. This is the end, you thought. Great Odin, it was a beautiful end but an inevitable painful one too.

Suddenly something caught your eye, and you peered at it with curiosity. It was a wrecked ship – appearing as if it had been devoured by the hungry waves only recently. A low hum rumbled from underneath the water and distant roars echoed from the appendage. You let out a loud gasp as you pieced everything together; this is the dragon land! Feeling both fear and excitement pulse through your body, you looked around for any dragons. To your disappointment, yet also relief; there were no dragons in sight.

The boat slowly drifted to a halt a mere Deadly Nadder length away from the waterfall. You could feel the pull of the water tugging at the wooden vessel greedily. You gulped, anxiously wondering what was going to happen. As if reading your thoughts, the Scauldron emerged from the sea and let out a rumble, before snaking its head toward you. Water trickled down its scales, making you giggle as water droplets splattered across your face. The dragon slowly sunk its teeth into your jacket, pulling the cloth up. You gasped softly as you heard the slow rip of fabric tendrils. You fell back into the boat with a small thud, smiling slightly as you looked up at the confused dragon. It shook its head, trying to get the torn fabric off its fangs. You laughed as the dragon shook its head desperately, before reaching up and tugging the small piece off the dragon's sharp teeth.

The Scauldron blinked slowly at you, before sinking into the sea until its body was resting shallowly out of the azure liquid. Your brow furrowed in confusion and it looked at you expectantly, gesturing its frilled head toward the sea. You blinked slowly, before your mouth split into an ‘o’ as you realised. Hesitating, you crouched on your small boat, wondering what the right decision was. The Scauldron made an annoyed rumble, and you looked up in surprise. Its eyes were fixated on you, and you felt burning hot until its death stare. Gulping, you stood up and tensed your legs, before launching yourself over your boat. You let out a slight squeak as you leaped through the air, the wind rushing past you, making you feel as though you could fly. You landed on the Scauldron, your legs slipping around and your arms outstretched for balance. You quickly sat down, curling your legs around the Scauldrons large body. The ocean’s frosty mass surrounded you, making you shiver as water seeped into your clothes as your feet grazed the water. Breathing heavily, you let out a small laugh and the dragon rumbled with you. “Yeah!” you cried, “I'm riding a dragon!” Disbelief was evident on your face, but excitement and adrenaline rushed through your veins.

The sound of harsh rushing water drew closer as the Scauldron slowly swam toward the edge. You had to admit, you were scared; but the Scauldron had everything under control, right? You looked down the colossal appendage with fear, before you suddenly lurched forward and the foamy white water splashed over you, engulfing you in its waves. You let out a muffled shriek as you plummeted down, your arms wrapped around the Scauldrons neck tightly. The waves of water shot at you, soaking your clothes and making you shudder. You let out a deep, fear-laced exhale as you looked down at the jagged rocks. The Scauldrons wings flapped rhythmically as you glided through the thin fog, before it swooped down and you squealed as the falling water sprayed you. The frigid water droplets coated your body, making you shiver. You let out an exultant yell as you dived through into the fog, your stomach churning and as you plummeted into the giant cavern.

The fog engulfed you as you continued to plummet down. Suddenly you swerved harshly and slowly the mist thinned out before you emerged, and a gasp escaped your mouth. You looked around in fascination as you flew through the cavern, awe spreading across your face. The hidden world had an immense rocky ceiling with colossal stalagmites and stalactites towering from the stone surface top to the ground. The Scauldron flew through the cavern slowly, letting out small rumbles as you looked around in awe. “Thank you,” you said, smiling as you patted the Scauldrons scaly neck. It hummed in response, eliciting a small giggle from your lips. The aqua from the waterfall streamed through the bottom, weaving around the giant spikes before the water pooled into the rushing river that tumbled below.

The green dragon dived suddenly and you squeezed your arms around its neck as it zoomed through the cave, soaring around the rocks gracefully. Wind rushed past you, making your eyes squint and water as you flew into a gap in the cave face. A sigh of relief escaped your throat as the wind halted, wiping your eyes with a free hand. Your eyes flicked down, a small twinkle gleamed in your eyes as you parted your lips in wonder, observing the clear blue liquid beneath as you glided above the water. The Scauldron sliced its tail in the aqua, before sinking down and splashing in the clear blue water joyfully. You laughed, feeling water creep into your already soaking shoes before you took flight again and zoomed down the river. The water below shimmered, captivating your eyes. With an awestruck sigh, you reached your hand out and dipped your fingers in the water, breaking the peaceful surface. Suddenly you emerged from the tunnel, and you let out a gasp of surprise at the magnificent sight. The cavern glowed, literally. There were jagged spikes with luminous spots in various neon colours. The pearlescent water had a beautiful radiance, and it lit the rocks with a lapis hue.

You laughed in awe, before the Scauldron veered off and flew into a grossly fungus-like area. You peered at the spiralling growth with interest, feeling dumbfounded at its peculiar appearance. The Scauldron flew steadily through the cavern, before slowly coming down onto a lush green area. You gasped, your lips splitting into an admiring smile at the scene. There were large mushrooms that resembled something out of a fantasy tale, bright blue gills and a sickly-green cap. They sprinkled you with their sparkling blue spores, making you shield your eyes. The forest had towering trees that grew thick vines and oddly-shaped berries, and there were bright flowers sprouting from the walls of rock and the field of grass. The Scauldron let out a rumble as it landed on the ground, before you slid off its back and placed your feet on the ground carefully. You laughed, giving the Scauldron a hug and patting its scales. The dragon hummed, nuzzling its scaly head into your cheek.
“Is this goodbye?” you asked softly, feeling sad to depart from your new friend.
The Scauldron let out a soft mew, before slowly walking away toward the river.
“I hope we’ll get to see each other again, and thank you for bringing me here,” you said softly, “I haven’t given you a name yet..” you paused for a moment, before looking at the dragon with a smile. “How about Laharika?” The dragon rumbled softly, its piercing gaze resting on your face. Its eyes softened at your words, making you feel intrigued as you tilted your head, chuckling lightly. “It’s been fun with you, Laharika, don’t forget me, okay?” The Scauldron bowed its head as if to say ‘okay’. You waved to her as she turned and dived into the river, giving you one last look before making an exiting splash.

You were alone now. It was peaceful as you walked through the long blades of grass, observing the nature around you with interest. The large mushrooms felt sticky to the touch as you grazed your fingertips along its spine, a thin mucus dripped from your hand as you pulled away. Your brows knitted together as you frantically waved your hand around in an attempt to get rid of the slime. A peaceful breeze ruffled your hair gently, ‘odd, where had the wind come from?’ you asked yourself, before shrugging it off. As you took in your mesmerising surroundings, you found yourself growing anxious about the hostile dragons that resided in the huge cavern. With a deep sigh, you crouched down to the overgrown grass to inspect a growth of bright blue flowers. The petals were large and curvy, and in the centre were protruding pink tendrils with fluffy tips. You poked it lightly, flinching as it instantaneously closed up into a bulb. Your mouth parted in awe as you ran around and tapped the various types of flowers. Some closed, some didn’t react, and a singular one twirled around before making a popping sound and bursting. You giggled, excited by the various types of plants native to this amazing forest. ‘I need to get to high ground!’ you thought, determined to have a birds-eye view of the woodland. As you climbed a strange variant of tree, a gasp escaped your mouth as your foot slipped and ripped a piece of beige wood. Your fingers slipped off the branch you had been clutching, causing you to crumple off the ground. You panted, out of breath from the ground shock. Looking up, you realised that the tree sap seeping from the wounds of the timber was a bright blue liquid. You felt slightly nauseous but primarily awestruck as you watched the tree bleed azure.

After exploring the lush forest, you still hadn’t come across any dragons. You felt disappointed as you had wanted to observe them; probably not approach them for you suspected that they wouldn’t be as friendly as Laharika.

You found a small cave adorned with pink flowers and drooping vines. Since you were tired you decided to have a rest. Entering the cave, you were delighted to find a spacious area. A smile spread across your face as you pondered about making your home here – spending every day researching dragons. You found a dry corner of the cave and piled moss onto it, before laying down and closing your eyes. After a few long minutes, your consciousness finally slipped away.

Your consciousness was pulled into being, making your eyes flutter open. Yawning, you stretched your tense body, feeling sore from lying on a hard surface. You peered around at your new home before deciding to go out and look for some dragons. You got up and walked to the cave mouth, ducking under it and walking out into the glowing forest. You smiled as you strolled through the woodland, observing the surrounding area. It was peaceful.

Suddenly a crack broke the silence, and you looked around frantically before spotting a scaly white body weaving through the dense trees. You gulped, backing away the dragon slowly. Fear gripped your body, afraid of what the dragon would do to you. The creature growled softly, and you let out a small gasp and stepped back. A surprised grunt left your mouth as your foot caught on a branch knot, making you trip and land on the ground with a harsh thud. You groaned, rubbing your head before looking up. To your surprise, the dragon stood about a tree branch away from you. Your jaw dropped, eyes darting around the dragon as you inspected it. It had smooth white scales with faint gray stripes and markings. The dragon spread its dual wings and swished its tail, the appendages accented with darker hues. On its temple, it had a long crown-like head piece. You looked at it in awe, and it looked at you with curiosity.

The dragon was beautiful, and it licked its paw slowly white watching you intensely. “U-uhm, hello?” you mumbled feebly.
Your exclamation made the white dragon tilt its head.
“You want something to eat?” you asked nervously, reaching out to a bed of bright purple mushrooms. You plucked the largest mushroom out of the soil and offered it to the dragon.
“I'm going to call this the Yphelius Mushroom, I don’t know what it means but I like the sound of it,” you said with a light laugh. The mushroom rested on your outstretched palm, an offering you prayed to the Gods that the dragon would take. The creature sniffed the fungus, before widening its mouth and displaying its gums. “You’re toothless?” you exclaimed, brow furrowing in confusion. It looked to you and then to the mushroom, as if it was wondering what to do. Suddenly a slice split the air and the dragon had teeth. You blinked in confusion as it gently took the mushroom from your outstretched hand. You laughed softly, “Retractable teeth, huh?”

It was the day after your encounter with the dragon and you were eager to find it again. Yesterday it had run off after taking the mushroom you offered her.

You had spent the day looking around for the dragon but to no avail. Even though you had no clue what the time was outside of the cavern, you assumed it to be late as shadows crept into the forest. Hunger gnawed at your stomach and you sighed. As you approached the river you peered at its luminous ripples, watching for any fish. To your luck, a school of large sea life swam in sync with the current after around 10 minutes of waiting. You tighten your grip on the spear you crafted, eyes narrowing as you aligned the spike to your prey. After killing a sufficient amount, you suddenly wondered how you were going to cook it as you peered at the pile of fish on the bank.. You leaned against a tree, lost in your thoughts before your dissociation was interrupted by a faint rustling noise. You whipped around to see the dragon from yesterday sitting behind you, blinking slowly. You chuckle softly, turning to face the dragon. It stared at you with its icy blue eyes, before looking down at the fish next to you. Smiling, you grab a scaly fish and offer it to the dragon. The creature takes the food gently and gobbles it down, licking its lips as it lets out a satisfied growl. You laugh in amusement, making it peer at you with interest. Smiling, you shuffle toward the dragon, observing it with curiosity.
“Hm, what should I name your species?” you mused, thinking carefully. The dragon tilted its head, before rumbling and pawing at its nose. You shrugged before grabbing another fish and handing it to the dragon. “Are we friends now?” you asked, smiling up at the dragon. It leaned forward and sniffed you, before rubbing its cheek on yours. You gasped, your jaw dropping and excitement crashing over you. You scratched behind the dragon's ear, and it yipped happily. ‘This is absolutely amazing,’ you thought with glee.

“I should probably name you,” you exclaimed, feeling enthusiastic. “What do you think?”
The dragon seemed to be captivated by something else, for its eyes were fixed on the river. Suddenly it stalked toward the unwary fish in the river. After crouching by the water bank for a couple moments, it dived into the water before coming out with a mouthful of fish. Water dripped from the dragon as she trodded back to you, lying down and curling her tail toward her. The dragon placed the many dead fish in front of her, before looking up at you with pride gleaming in her eyes.
“You’re a good hunter,” you exclaimed with a smile. The dragon looked at your grin with curiosity, before attempting to return the smile as she showed off her gums. You giggled, thinking she looked adorable like that. Her mouth suddenly glowed purple, and you gasped as she shot a blast at a fish, roasting it. It sizzled as she nudged it toward you, making a grin tug at your lips. “Thank you,” you murmured, before taking the fish and sinking your teeth into it.

You leaned against a tree, observing the majestic dragon stalking a pile of leaves. You giggled as she pounced, making the fallen foliage wisp up into the air. Suddenly your features rose as an idea popped into your head. “How about I name you Leafchaser?” you asked, feeling proud at your naming skills. The dragon showed off its gums again, and you shot back a grin.
“I guess we’re buddies now, Leafchaser,” you said happily.
She blinked at you before nuzzling your cheek, reciprocating the friendship. You grinned, pleased to have made another dragon friend.

Leafchaser stretched her wings and gestured her head toward her back, signalling that she wanted you to hop on. A grin spread across your face as you stood up, feeling excitement pumping through your veins as you approached her. Carefully, you wrapped your legs around her body, holding onto her neck tightly. The dragon's wings began to flap, creating a rhythmic noise before she pushed off and you flew through the air. You gasped and watched with astonishment as you sped through the cavern, passing many different species of dragon in various areas of your new home. Leafchaser was fast, and her body could turn while her head stayed in the same position. You watched in fascination before a pang of fear shot through you as you were turned upside down. You held on as tightly as you could as her body flipped. You sighed in relief as she repositioned herself, before you stood up hesitantly. The Lightcutter let out an excited rumble as you carefully walked along her body as it moved, holding your arms out for balance. “Holy Thor this is awesome!” you yelled out, elation flowing through your voice. Leafchaser rumbled with you as you laughed, the two of you soaring through the cavern together.

Chapter Text

The sharp twang of your arrow making its mark echoed throughout the forest. The sound caused birds to flee from the trees, making leaves rustle and branches sway overhead. You looked up, brushing strands of hair out of your face, revealing a serene look that glazed your eyes.

You let out a long, contented sigh, embracing the life of the forest. Closing your eyes, you pictured the scene of the forest in your mind. Tall trees that were plentiful with leaves, long blades of grass, and blossoming flowers. The sun filtered through the canopy of leaves, casting a dappled light on the forest floor. You placed your feet carefully on the ground, facing where you visualised a large trunk. You swiftly loaded your bow and stretched the string back, taking in steady and concentrated breaths. Your brows furrowed slightly before your finger slipped back, releasing the arrow. The projectile sliced through the air and made a splitting noise that reverberated through the tree. A smirk tugged at your lips as you opened your eyes and blinked slowly. The arrow was wedged in the dead centre of a knot in the trunk. Feeling accomplished, you abandoned your archery and made your way to a large patch of berries.

“Leafchaser,” you cooed, peering around the bush. You looked around before spotting a sleek white body in the mass of thorns, gobbling away at the juicy berries. You suppressed a giggle, stalking around the bush slowly. You moved carefully, your steps in tune to the wind. You loomed behind the creature, taking in steady breaths before leaping onto her. Leafchaser let out a surprised yip before a toothy smile tugged at the edges of her mouth. She rumbled softly as you laughed, lightly tapping her scaly paws against your head.
“Enjoying the berries, huh?” you murmured, scratching the dragon's neck softly. Leafchasers’ berry-stained tongue lolled out of her mouth, and you chuckled as she rumbled in response.

"Feel like going for a ride?" you asked the dragon, who eagerly wagged her frilled tail in response. Smiling, you smoothly mounted Leafchaser, settling onto her saddle and securing the safety rope to your leg armor. After giving her a gentle pat, the dragon leaped into the sky, gliding effortlessly between the trees. The wind whipped through your hair and clothes as you shot upward, then spiraled down in a breathtaking dive toward the ground. Crouching low, you gripped the saddle tightly, heart racing as the earth rushed up to meet you. At the last second, Leafchaser swooped upward, soaring back into the clouds.

A whoop of exhilaration escaped your lips as she leveled off, flying upside down. Grinning, you released the handles, your feet firmly planted on the saddle, and reached out to touch the clouds. A cool shiver rippled from your hand down your spine. You stood tall, inverted, feeling the safety rope holding you in place as blood surged to your head, pressure building. Closing your eyes, you surrendered to the sensation of the wind and the clouds. A soft whistle escaped your lips, carried on the breeze. Leafchaser's ears perked at the sound, and with a graceful roll, she flipped back upright, leaving you to exhale in relief.

You and Leafchaser soared through the sky, weaving effortlessly through puffs of cloud. The wind tugged at your hair, and a wild whoop escaped your lips as your dragon twirled gracefully in the open air. Together, you raced across the sky, your eyes scanning the vast ocean below. Suddenly, a ship sailing through the waves caught your attention. Your heart tightened as your gaze locked onto it, and you instinctively clenched your teeth, narrowing your eyes in suspicion. “Stupid dragon hunters.”
You leaned forward, tapping Leafchaser's head twice, a deep, steady breath escaping your lips.
"Alright, girl, you know what to do," you said, a grin creeping across your face. With a fluid motion, you reached behind and grasped your bow, pulling an arrow from your quiver. Drawing the string back, your eyes narrowed as you locked onto your target. In one smooth motion, you released the string, watching with satisfaction as the arrow sliced through the air and struck its mark with deadly precision.
Leafchaser swooped low, her powerful wings slicing through the sky as she unleashed plasma blasts upon the ship. You followed her lead, firing arrow after arrow at the poachers below, your aim unerring as each shot found its target.
You leapt off your dragon, falling upside down but secured by the rope. You aimed your weapon at your target, eyes narrowing as you fired the arrow—killing the hunter with a swift blow. You smiled before pulling yourself back onto your dragon, who rumbled in approval.
“Thanks girl, you were great too,” you giggled, scratching the crook of her neck.

After you and Leafchaser had taken out the ships and Hunters, your dragon dived down and landed nimbly on the largest ship of the fleet. You touched down, giving the Lightcutter a nod. Leafchaser stood guard of the entrance as you opened a large metal trapdoor. The interior was blanketed by darkness, but a low rumble from below confirmed your suspicions. You looked back at Leafchaser, who blinked her icy eyes slowly. You slipped inside; tentatively stalked around the corridor. You walked down the wooden-floored hallway, and when you reached the end, you grimaced at the sight of cages. Stepping into the area cautiously, you peered around at the windowless room before feeling unease crash over you.

Suddenly, Leafchaser let out a panicked roar. With a gasp, you frantically looked around before realising nothing was there—it was a trap. Sprinting back through the corridor, you climbed out of the basement hurriedly, feeling fearful for your best friend. As you escaped the trapdoor, you looked up to see your dragon standing protectively in front of you, her wings outstretched and her teeth bared. You heard her growl, puffing smoke from her nose and readying a plasma blast in her throat. A group of men surrounded you and your companion, accompanied by swords and crossbows. You gritted your teeth as you brandished your sword—a bow would be no use in close combat.

“Back off, Trolls,” you hissed, “this won’t end well for you.”
The men laughed with one another, staring at you with menacing eyes. “No, girl, I think this won’t end well for you,” a man smirked.
Reaching into your green cloak's pocket, you wrapped your hand around a woven bal. Taking in a deep breath, you let out a high-pitched whistle and threw the object at the men, watching as their eyes widened. While they were distracted, you swiftly hooked the saddle rope onto you. Leafchaser leapt into the air, firing a small blast at the ball. The flax-woven grenade exploded instantaneously; the Monstrous Nightmare gel inside ignited. You let out a sig of relief, smirking as you made your exit.

Suddenly, a crossbow emerged from the haze of smoke. Time seemed to slow as you spotted the arrow, your eyes widening in panic. You yanked hard on the reins, trying to steer the Lightcutter away, but it was too late. The arrow whistled through the air, closing in with deadly speed. In an instant, pain exploded through your abdomen. Leafchaser let out a panicked roar, the sound reverberating through your bones as the impact knocked the wind from your lungs. Your vision blurred as you grasped at the wound, struggling to keep focus while the world spun around you. You inhaled deeply, biting your lip.
A choked cough escaped your lips, blood dripping from your mouth as you clutched at your side, the searing pain intensifying. Leafchaser let out a furious roar, her eyes wild with rage, nostrils flaring as she unleashed a torrent of plasma blasts toward the ship. In an instant, the vessel was obliterated, reduced to splinters. With a swift turn, Leafchaser rocketed away, soaring through the air at a terrifying speed.
As you flew across the ocean, your mind grew foggy, your breaths ragged and shallow. Each inhale felt like fire, sending waves of agony through your body. The arrow was lodged deep in your side, its sharp tip buried in flesh, and the world around you began to blur. You fumbled with Leafchaser’s saddle, panic gripped you as a sudden click echoed in your mind—the sound of the safety rope detaching.
Horror seized you as you realized you were no longer tethered to your dragon. Suddenly, you felt your body plummet, limbs flailing as you tumbled toward the sea below. Desperately, you called out to Leafchaser, your voice raw and strained, fear clawing at your chest as the ocean rushed up to meet you. Your dragon dived after you, letting out a strangled roar. In the distance, you heard the chaos of Dragon Hunters.
“Leafchaser… go,” you croaked hoarsely, just loud enough for your dragon to hear.
TheLlightcutter growled fearfully, her wings flapping furiously.
Pain gripped both your stomach and your heart. Oh great Odin, this was the end. You could hear the waves of the ocean below you, a sound that was once comforting. Before you could meet the unforgiving sea, a sharp whistle pierced the air. In an instant, you were jerked upward, your boots skimming the water's surface. You gasped–or croaked. Your eyes darted upward, and there it was—a Night Fury.
“Holy Thor,” you groaned.
“Hey, are you alright?” a soft male voice said, making you jump. Your chest instantly tightened at the sound of his voice, and you felt heat fill your face. Was it anger that flushed your face pink?
The man leaned over his black dragon. You gazed up to see a kind-looking brunette guy with bright green eyes. You stared at the man with a mixture of shock and relief. You opened your mouth to speak, before you were abruptly aware of your mind slowly drifting from your body. Your vision started to blur and you fell into darkness, the image of his green eyes still imprinted in your brain.

Chapter Text

You blinked your eyes open. Slowly, feeling comes back to your body along with memories. You let out a small whimper, the pain in your side throbbing painfully, like a rhythmic heartbeat that pulsed with rage. You took a deep breath before opening your eyes, wincing at the light that flooded your sight. You felt like you had just awakened from a surreal dream, feeling light and floaty and your mind all hazy. Finally, you regained full consciousness and noise slowly began to buzz in your ears. You were flying, you could feel it – the wind rushing past you, the scent of nature filling your nose as your hair billowed in the breeze. Huh? You let out a confused mumble, looking up at the scaley body of the Night Fury. The black dragon looked down at you, its mouth parted into a gummy smile identical to your own dragon. The Night Furies eyes were a bright viridian, just like the man who had saved you. Your eyes widened slightly, recalling the passionate sparkle in the man's eyes. You opened your mouth to speak but nothing came out. Inhaling a deep breath, you tried to speak again.
“Who are you!” you questioned hoarsely.
The man laughed, a sweet noise that filled your ears and made your eyes widen in bewilderment.
"Oh, hey, you’re awake!” he exclaimed, excitement filling his tone.
You felt surprised at his enthusiasm, considering he didn’t know you at all. Suddenly your throat felt suffocating and you coughed, spluttering blood into the air. A hand reached down from above – the hand of the man who saved you. Your eyes widened in surprise, gazing at the hand with uncertainty.
“Take my hand, okay?” he said gently, “I’m just here to help you, I swear.”
You could hear the sincerity in his voice, but even so you were gripped with doubt. This guy had saved you, and he had a dragon of his own too… maybe, just maybe… you could trust him. Hesitantly, you reached out and your fingers intertwined. He pulled you up carefully, a small smile plastered on his face. Your body felt hot again as he tugged you onto the back of his dragon, offering you a comforting gaze.
“Hold onto me,” he said, gently guiding your hand to his waist. You stared at him, hands clutching at his torso. Your stomach churned uncomfortably – and it wasn’t the arrow. Feeling weirded out by this new experience, you jumped to defensive mode.
“You didn’t answer my question!” you exclaimed, poking the boy in the back, “who are you?”
The guy blinked, turning his head to face you. Heat flushed your face as he gazed at you, inches away. The boy went pink and you leaned back, eliciting an awkward laugh from the man.
“Some like to call me Dragon Master, but you can call me Hiccup,” he said, amusement lacing his voice.
“Is this an amusing situation, Hiccup?” you hissed, feeling exasperated at this so-called ‘Dragon Master’.
“Sorry!” he replied, rubbing his neck awkwardly.
You huffed, looking around at your surroundings.
“Huh?” you squeaked, before your voice raised and anger filled your tone “where is my dragon?”
“Trying to murder us currently,” he replied, looking at you with a grin.
You suddenly became aware of the dragon pursuing you – your beloved Leafchaser. You heard the distant roars she let out, her voice filled with fear and rage. You could tell she would certainly murder Hiccup if she got the chance.
“Y’know, I’m actually surprised you're not dead…” Hiccup stated awkwardly.
You looked down at your wound, staring at the blood spilling from it.
“Right… I think my torso is numb,” you replied, feeling your anxiety grow.
“Don’t worry, we’re headed for a sheltered area where we can stop and treat you before going to my Village,” Hiccup informed you, his voice filled with something unfamiliar to you.
You furrowed your brow, how could this guy be so trusting toward you?
“You’re too trusting for your own good,” you said.
He smiled, looking back at you with a gentle intensity in his eyes. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”
“I-I, uhm…” you stuttered, fumbling with the words. It was hard to piece words together, probably because of the arrow wedged in your flesh. “You’re taking me to your village?” you asked, masking your anxiety with a defensive tone. Hiccup heard the fear in your voice, no matter how hard you had tried to hide it. “Yup!” he said, gesturing his shoulders in a dramatic way.
“Hell no, Dragon Rider or not, I’m assuming your village is full of Vikings,” you replied, your tone firm and aggressive, “am I right?”
Hiccup tilted his head, curious on what problem this girl had with Vikings.
“Well, yes… But I promise you they’re nice, we’ll get you a place for you to rest and heal-”
“No,” you cut him off. “I’ve been alone my whole life, I can take care of me and my dragon.”
Hiccup sighed. “Please, accept my hospitality. I promise you I won’t let any, erm – Vikings near you, just me, you and the healer, how about that?”
You thought for a moment. You looked back at your dragon, heart pounding in your chest at the thought of dying and leaving your best friend alone. “Fine, but I’m not staying,” you answered.
“Ah– okay,” the man said, his voice dripping with disappointment. You gazed at your dishevelled, tired face. Even after being hit with an arrow, you radiate beauty. Hiccup felt embarrassed at his thoughts, but he had to admit you were a sight to behold. “Er– if you don’t mind me asking, what's your problem with Vikings?” he asked.
“I have had bad experiences with people,” you replied, your tone signalling that you didn’t want to talk about it.
Hiccup blinked, looking down at you with curiosity. “I’m sorry-”
“Don’t,” you cut him off. “Don’t pity m-”
“I’m not pitying you, dragon girl,” he interrupted, lightly flickering your forehead.
You looked up at him in surprise, your tired eyes meeting bright green ones. He smiled at you, and you couldn’t help but give a tiny smile back, before looking away in embarrassment.

Leafchaser let out a feeble roar, sounding at the brink of collapsing. Your heart ached at her frantic rumbles, making tears well up in your eyes. A lump formed in your throat, exhausted from the blood loss. You wanted to scream, you wanted to yell that it was okay. You wanted to be with your best friend again.

“Hey, hold on there,” Hiccup said, breaking your thoughts. Suddenly your body lurched as you glided toward the ground. You sighed in relief, feeling like you had been flying for hours.

When the Night Fury gently landed on the ground, the movement sent a shockwave of pain through your abdomen. You hissed in pain, gritting your teeth. Hiccup picked you up off of the Night Fury, laying you onto the grassy forest floor. His warm body pressed against yours felt strange.

Suddenly a crashing sound echoed through the forest and you jolted your head up, too weak to move your body. Leafchaser stormed into the field of trees, nostrils flaring and teeth bared. She growled at Hiccup and his dragon, eyes flicking back and forth from you to the perceived enemy. She lunged for Hiccup, making the Night Fury growl and block her attack.
“Leafchaser, no,” you mumbled feebly. She trotted over to you and gave you a sniff, before letting out a sad rumble. She looked at you fearfully with her wide aqua eyes, and you stared back with a drooping gaze. Hiccup crouched down next to you, placing a hand on your shoulder. Leafchaser growled, hackles raised toward Hiccup.
“It’s okay, I’m here to help,” he reassured the dragon. Hiccup reached in his sacket and pulled out a vial of medicine and a bundle of bandages. “Hopefully this will help until we get to a healer…” he mumbled, dripping some of the medicine onto my wound. I whimpered, the liquid stinging your painful injury. Hiccup mumbled something to himself before hesitantly fumbling with your shirt. “Erm, I kind of have to cut your shirt to assess your injury,” he informed you, feeling awkward.
“Sure…” you hissed back.
Carefully, he used his dagger to cut away the fabric around your wound. He gently wrapped the bandages around your wound, avoiding the arrow as he treated you. You winced, feeling the pressure applied to your injury. Your eyes drooped, exhaustion taking over your strength.
“Hey? Hey, stay awake,” Hiccup said, pushing your shoulder gently. You opened your weary eyes again, looking at him with an exhausted expression. “Stay awake for me, please?” he said softly, brushing the hair out of your face.
“Mhm,” you murmured, fighting to keep your eyes open. It felt like you had been awake for a thousand hours, and your eyes begged to be rested, only for a minute. But you couldn’t, you knew that if you closed your eyes even for a second you’d fall into an eternal sleep – aka death.

Hiccup slid his hands under your back, picking your body up slowly. He carried you over to the Night Fury and placed you on his saddle, strapping some things over you to keep you in place. You heard his footsteps on the grass as he approached your dragon and inspected her injured wing.
“Crush a Nightshade petal with Lavender and Marigold, then mix some water in to create a salve,” you said hoarsely.
Hiccup turned to you in surprise, looking intrigued. “Do you have those plants?” he asked, approaching you.
“Yeah, in my bag,” you replied, slurring your words together a bit.
“You are full of surprises, aren’t you?” he said, grinning.
He rummaged in your bag and identified the herbs with your help, before going back to your dragon and applying the salve to her wing. Your mind was blurred and time seemed to fly in your fragile state. Before you knew it, you were on the back of the Night Fury, flying carefully through the breeze. Leafchaser glided beside you, the black dragon supporting her as they flew. You smiled slightly, pondering that maybe your dragon had finally found a potential mate.
“I forgot to tell you, this is Toothless,” Hiccup suddenly said, gesturing to his dragon and giving you a smile. Your arm was wrapped around his stomach as you leant onto his back.
“Toothless, hm?” you croaked, “because of the retractable teeth?”
“Yeah,” Hiccup replied.
You chuckled softly, leaning into Hiccup's subtle scent.

Chapter Text

Your head throbbed. Your mind felt like it was drifting into the clouds like the traces of smoke from a fire. Your body felt as if it had been attacked by a thousand punches. Your eyes were closed tightly, refusing to open. There was a comforting warmth pressed against you like the heat from a body, but whose? Your mind was blank, all you could think about was the overwhelming senses around you. The ringing noise of wind whistling through your ears and a buzz deep in your brain indulged your thoughts. The gale slapping against your flesh numbed you and sent shivers through your body. Your eyes looked around your eyelids, unable to remember how to open them. Panic shot through your body, before suddenly your lungs filled with liquid and something ripped you out of the depths of water. Your eyes shot open and your lungs heaved as you gasped for air. Relief suddenly crashed over you as the burning heat that travelled through your veins quickly evaporated. You blinked a few times, before looking around and finally remembering what had happened.
“You okay there?” a voice said softly.
You jumped slightly, looking up and into the man's eyes.
You coughed, before clearing your throat and taking a deep breath. “Yeah, yeah I think so,” you said, blinking slowly. You didn’t really understand how this stranger was being so nice to you, but maybe it felt good?
“You fell asleep, I tried to wake you up but you wouldn’t,” Hiccup told you.
“Oh, well I’m awake now,” you replied croakily.

Hiccup glanced at you with his bright green eyes, looking worried. Suddenly Toothless let out a happy rumble, and Hiccup looked back and steered the Night Fury swiftly. “We’re here, welcome to Berk!” he said, a smile spreading across his face. Your eyes darted around the scene as you passed a tall mountain and a village appeared in your vision. The village was filled with colourful houses, aqueducts, wing-inspired windmills and what seemed like Dragon Racing bleachers. Your eyebrows rose and your eyes widened – you were shocked. This was a utopia where dragons and Vikings co-existed, something you never thought was possible. Your flabbergasted face amused Hiccup, and he laughed while you flew through the air. Toothless purred with Leafchaser, both excited to get some rest. There were cliffs and hills towering around the village, surrounding the village with protection. There were luscious green fields with yellow paths branching throughout the village, occupied by bustling Vikings.

Toothless dived down and swerved around houses, before he glided down and landed on a stretch of grass outside a tall house overlooking the ocean. You blinked slowly, feeling a bit dazed from the flying mixed with your state. You wondered if you would dive into unconsciousness and not return for days, or maybe even ever.

Hiccup slid off Toothless, before turning around and offering you his hand. You clasped your palm over his and carefully got off the black dragon, wincing in pain as you moved around. Hiccup wrapped an arm around your shoulder and Toothless nudged your legs, pushing you upright. The brunette guided you to the door, before rapping it with his lightly knuckles and waiting. Your head buzzed loudly, ringing in your ears and pounding through your body. Your breath heaved out of your lungs, before the door finally opened and an old, short woman stood in the doorway. She had two white braids, a wooden staff and a shocked look on her wrinkled face. The woman ushered you and Hiccup inside, and you wobbled into the house with the brunette man's support. A low moan escaped your lips as you were pulled inside, making Hiccup gulp. You laid in his arms, too tired to move. The woman gestured to a bed and Hiccup slowly placed you on it, biting his lip as he looked at your unmoving body.
“She’s not going to die, right?” he murmured quietly, hope glistening in his eyes.
The woman, who was preparing a salve, looked up. She glanced from your body to Hiccup and shook her head. Hiccup’s eyebrows shot upward, and he looked surprised yet delighted at the prospect of your survival. The elder shot him a glare while spreading the clumpy mixture on your side, gesturing with her hand for him to leave.
“Oh, right,” Hiccup mumbled awkwardly, hurrying out of the wooden building.

The elderly woman treated you carefully. The arrow buried deep in your flesh was pried out, spilling your scarlet blood. The woman looked at you with sadness, but hope still sat in her chest. She bandaged your arm, applied medicine after medicine, determined to save your life. After two days, she succeeded in keeping you alive. Slowly but surely, you were getting better. Hiccup had been visiting you and assured you he was taking care of Leafchaser, despite the fact you were still unconscious.

You screamed. Your eyes shot open and oxygen filled your lungs. Your body trembled as you took deep breaths. The light of the sun filtering through the window blinded your eyes, and you closed them as everything sank in. The elder rushed into the room, before studying your body and sighing in relief. She treated you carefully, not uttering a single word. Feeling awkward, you pondered if the woman just didn’t speak.

Around an hour after you awoke – Hiccup entered the room. He offered you a smile, making your chest tighten. You greeted him with a small ‘hello’ as he sat next to your bed.
“Gothi said you went into a coma,” the man informed you, “but I’m glad you're awake now!”
You breathed in deeply, still sore from the whole ordeal. “Thanks,” you mumbled softly.
Hiccup gave you another smile, before heading to the exit. “Get well soon! I’ll bring you some food later”
You blinked, feeling surprised at the fact he cared.

These foreign feelings you experienced when around this guy made you feel weird. You were uncertain of what was happening…

The old woman entered the room again, handing you a cup of water. You sipped at it slowly, feeling uneasy about being in this Village.

Chapter Text

Wōdensday, Sunrise.
The morning was peaceful. Dragons chirped and Vikings clanked around, yet birdsong flowed through the breeze and the sun shone down on Berk with pride. A blonde woman swung her axe around in the training ring, hitting the target with precision. She smirked, feeling proud of her improvement.
“Hey, Astrid,” a voice spoke from the sideline.
Astrid looked back, a smile forming on her lips as she recognised the voice - Hiccup. “What’s up?” she asked, looking at the brunette boy with a strange glint in her eyes.
“Ahh, well,” Hiccup laughed, “I found another dragon rider-”
“You what?” Astrid exclaimed in shock. She’d never really thought about how it was possible there were dragon riders outside of Berk.
“Their name is- well, actually I forgot to ask,” Hiccup replied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, “but they have a Night Fury hybrid, it looks incredible, go tell the gang that we’ll visit it tomorrow.”
Astrid nodded, racing out of the training ring and started searching for their friends.

. . .
Thorsday, Noon.
You blinked your eyes open, feeling refreshed from your nap. You had been in Gothi’s house since Tiwesday, where she kept watch of you and your healing process. You were feeling better already, but you had a lurking feeling in your chest that you weren’t safe. Being in such an unfamiliar yet familiar environment, it scared you. You never thought you’d be back in a Viking village, not after you left your own. You had such a horrible past with Vikings that you just wanted to leave, maybe go to a cave in the mountain, far away from the people of this village but close enough that Hiccup could visit. Wait – no, you didn’t need his help! You felt slightly embarrassed for a minute, but shook the feeling away. It was weird, having people caring for you. Hiccup had come in with your requests for food : Bread, Meat, Berries. He was incredibly nice, and he made you brighten up with his awkward yet kind demeanour.

Suddenly the door opened and Hiccup appeared. “Hey, Mystery girl,” He said, smiling.
You returned a slight smile, watching him walk over to your side and take a seat on a stool.
“I have a group of dragon riders, and they’re eager to meet your dragon,” he said, “I won’t let them near you, but I was wondering if they could meet your dragon, y’know, document the species?” he asked, staring at you with his piercing green eyes.
You avoided eye contact as you thought for a moment, before hesitantly nodding. “She’ll get hostile, so make sure they keep their distance,” you said lightly.
Hiccup smiled, placing a hand on your leg and thanking you.
Suddenly something erupted inside you, a strange lurching feeling that made your body feel light when he touched you. The brunette rose from his seat, walking toward the exit and opening the door. He looked back at you and waved goodbye, “bye-bye,” he smiled, before the door closed.

You lay on your bed, positively dumbfounded at the experience you just had. You decided it was nothing, but even minutes after he’d left, your face still felt warm.
. . .
Astrid had met up with her friends - Fishlegs, Snotlout, Tuffnut and Ruffnut, and they ambled down a path through the village.
“A Night Fury Hybrid?” Fishlegs said with awe.
“Do you think we should take it? In the wrong hands it could be dangerous,” Astrid exclaimed, her brow furrowed.
“I vote yes!” Tuffnut said loudly, shooting his fist up.
“No, I vote yes!” Ruffnut said angrily, elbowing her brother.
Snotlout shrugged, before looking into the sky for a second with two fingers stroking his chin. “Actually, yes! We can add it to our defence and take out dragon hunters quicker,” he said confidently, nodding slowly.
“Guys, this is someone else's dragon! We can’t just take it,” Fishlegs intervened, “we can recruit the rider instead, he’s already staying at Berk so we have to assume he wants to join us,”
The group nodded in agreement, seeming a bit disappointed.
Astrid shrugged, looking over at her, “Yeah, you’re right.”
Tuffnut, Ruffnut and Snotlout yelled in agreement.
“I wonder how the dragon will react to us, but she is tame so maybe she’ll be friendly…” Fishlegs mumbled, deep in thought as he walked along the path soaked in sun.
Astrid sighed, before they turned a corner and were met with Hiccups home. It was a curved triangular house sat on shamrock grass, decorated with finely engraved patterns. A carved dragon head was perched at the rim of the roof, looking over the utopia that was Berk. Astrid fought a smile as she approached the Chiefs’ (and Hiccups) house, a generational home, the only building in Berk that hadn’t been rebuilt.
“C’mon guys! Let’s see the dragon!” yelled Tuffnut.

Toothless’ ears pricked up. He heard voices, and as they drew closer, he recognised them - Hiccup's friends. The Night Fury rose his head sleepily, blinking his green eyes and looking over at the dragon huddled in the corner. The white hybrid lay curled up with her ears alert, snoozing softly. Toothless tilted his head. He felt bad for the fearful dragon, her wing was wrapped in a support and Hiccup said she would be unable to fly for at least a couple more days. Toothless admired her relentless effort to protect her best friend, it was something they had in common. Hiccup meant the world to him, and the thought of his best friend made the black dragon show off his signature gummy smile.

He rose from his warm bed of sheep skin, trotting over to the fellow dragon and softly nudging her shoulder. Her eyes shot open and she jumped up, before blinking rapidly and relaxing as she recognised the dragon in front of her. Toothless hummed softly, giving her a reassuring stare that glistened with comfort. A small silence sat comfortably between them, before Leafchaser purred, rubbing her cheek against Toothless’. The Night Fury’s eyes widened slightly, before he melted into her touch and let out a happy rumble.

The door creaked open, and the white dragon whipped around to look in the direction of the noise, tense and ready to shoot a blast. Toothless nudged her, giving her a reassuring hum and walking toward the entrance of the house. She tilted her head, extinguishing the purple glow from her throat and watching as her new friend greeted the Vikings with a lick. Leafchaser let out a low growl, her eyes slitted and her nostrils flared as she watched the humans approach her cautiously. The gang exchanged glances, shocked at the hybrid's appearance – she was like nothing they’d ever seen before. Toothless let out a growl, beckoning the friends to back away. Astrid’s eyebrows furrowed, before her lips parted into a small ‘o’. “Aw, looks like someone has found a girlfriend,” she teased, laughing.
The gang broke out into ‘ohs’ and ‘awws’, observing the two Furies with interest. Leafchaser bared her fangs, looking around at the Vikings. Toothless trotted over to her and gave her a lick, making her double back in surprise. The black dragon gave her a reassuring purr, looking at her with his soft green eyes. Leafchaser blinked slowly, before cautiously hiding behind Toothless, whipping her drooping tail back and forth. Toothless looked back at her and showed off his gummy smile, and Leafchaser tilted her head curiously.
“Aren't they adorable?” Astrid laughed, and the rest of the Vikings nodded in agreement.
“Yeah!” Ruffnut exclaimed, grinning at the dragons.
“Where is Chicken? He needs to see this, Chicken needs to know everything,” Tuffnut said slowly, looking around for his pet chicken.
Ruffnut rolled her eyes, “Chicken is eating with Gobber.”
Tuffnut nodded and raced out of the house, a stupidly determined look on his face.
Astrid sighed, looking over at Fishlegs who was rapidly taking notes. Snotlout huffed, rolling his eyes at the dragon-crazed Viking.
“Hey guys, didn’t want to wait for me?” Hiccup said from behind, making Snotlout yelp. Hiccup and Astrid stifled their laughter, exchanging an amused glance.
“This is Leafchaser, she’s the new dragon rider's dragon,” Hiccup said, smiling. He approached Leafchaser, reaching his hand out to touch her. The white dragon shot him a glare, still hiding behind Toothless. Hiccup sighed, and Toothless looked from Hiccup and the Lightcutter with confusion in his green eyes.
“C’mon, I'm not going to hurt you, your friend is safe too,” Hiccup murmured, giving the dragon a reassuring smile. Leafchaser blinked, before slowly walking over to Hiccup and nuzzling his hand. The brunette boy grinned, and Astrid laughed from behind him.
“Good job, dragon master,” she said, giving him an approving stare.
Leafchaser growled at the blonde girl, making Hiccup look back at her, his brow furrowed.
“So, when can we meet this new dragon rider?” Astrid asked, tilting her head.
“Er, maybe never?” Hiccup replied awkwardly, shrugging.
“What do you mean?” Astrid asked, her brow furrowing.
“Well, she doesn’t exactly want to be here, she got injured and I took her here.”
Astrid sighed, “She could be an ally of the dragon hunters, remember Krogan?”
Hiccup shook his head. “No, she was fighting against them before she got hit.”
Astrid raised her eyebrows, nodding slowly. “Still, we shouldn’t trust her just yet.”
Hiccup looked at her, “I trust her,” he said in a level tone.
Astrid shook her head. “You’re too trusting, Hiccup.”
“She trusted me, so I trust her,” He said softly, performing his signature shoulder shrug.
Astrid looked dumbfounded, looking over at Fishlegs (who was rambling on about Leafchaser) as if she wanted him to back her up.
“Wait, where is everyone?” Hiccup asked, looking around with confusion.
Fishlegs looked up, “While you were talking they decided to try and find the dragon rider.”
Hiccup groaned, “Toothless, stay with Leafchasers,” he said, before racing out of the house quickly.

. . .
Thorsday, Late Noon.
You gulped, rising out of your bed and stretching cautiously. Deciding to read a book, you rummaged in your bag and picked out a thin book Gothi had given you. You flicked through the pages, unable to concentrate properly. Sighing, you placed the book on the table and stared at the ceiling, feeling bored.

Suddenly the door burst open, and three Vikings entered the house. Your eyes widened and panic flooded over you as they looked at you with interest. There was a short, arrogant-looking black-haired man and a pair of twins. They peered at you for a moment, before the black-haired man spoke up. “I expected you to be a man…” he said, shrugging. You gulped, memories flashing through your mind, overwhelming your thoughts until your brain was a flat line. Your body and your mind went numb, and you stared at the three people with dismay.
“Uh, hello?” The raven-haired man said, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he waved in your face.
“Maybe she’s in a coma?” The male pair of the twins said, tapping his chin as he pondered the possibilities.
“You idiots, she’s obviously been traumatised by your uglyless,” the female hissed, rolling her eyes.
The two men gasped, and the male twin clutched his head in betrayal.
You giggled softly. The idiocy of these morons was amusing. You had gotten past the initial shock of these people barging in.

“Snotlout!” Hiccup yelled from a distance, before he came sprinting into the house. He panted for a moment, before taking a deep breath and holding the bridge of his nose with his fingers. “Will you three ever listen to me?” he said angrily, looking annoyed. Snotlout and the twins exchanged confused looks, but they obliged by awkwardly walking out of the house. Hiccup closed the door behind them, before walking to your side.
“Oh my gods, I am so sorry about them,” he said with exasperation, “They’re my friends – dragon-riders, like you!” You nodded slowly.

You bit your lip, closing your eyes and sinking into your bed. “They were kinda funny, I have to admit,” you mumbled, giving Hiccup a shrug. He smiled at you, and you studied his face for a moment before looking down. It was so weird to encounter Vikings since you had left your old Village. Maybe you had overreacted, because those guys didn’t look so bad.

Hiccup looked at you with curiosity. “Are you okay?”
You continued to avoid his stare, but shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“That’s okay, you don’t have to know,” he smiled, rubbing your shoulder.
You looked at him with wide eyes, a light blush settling on your cheeks.
Hiccup's lips split into a wide smile, his eyes soft as he admired you. “Are you finally ready to tell me your name?” he asked with amusement
You rolled your eyes and laughed softly, “Yeah, fine.” You looked up at Hiccup with a slight smile. “My name is Kira.” you said, reaching your hand out to shake his.
Hiccup laughed, “It’s nice to meet you, Kira,” he said as he shook your hand.
Hiccup and you chuckled softly, before you relaxed into your bed. You gazed up at the ceiling with a soft smile settled across your face. He looked at you for a while, his green eyes soft as they watched you.

You felt something floating in your stomach, like a nest of butterflies had hatched and flew around you. You could hear Hiccup's steady breathing next to you, and you took a deep breath before gently resting your head on his shoulder. You felt comfort within his presence, and you smiled happily as you rested against him. Suddenly, the world felt at peace. Maybe you could live without fear of your past repeating itself.

Chapter Text

The sky was dark and gloomy, hidden by dark plumes of cloud. There was no cheerful birdsong that weaved through the breeze, only the shrieks of lost souls and the rippling of water currents.

In the swirling ocean was a vessel that travelled through the icy water slowly. It was a large ship made from dark wood with a frightening amount of gunports. The appearance of the boat would have sent Vikings running for the hills, for its mere presence radiated a dangerous aura. The boat was decorated with weapons and blood red flags flapping in the wind, imprinted with a round dragon skull with cat-like eyes.

A person stood tall on the ship. They breathed in slowly, before exhaling frosty air. The figure - if human at all, didn’t flinch nor move as the icy wind shrieked at the ship, which caused it to drift to the side from the pressure. The figure lifted their chin slightly, walking slowly along the wooden panels. They stepped down from the quarter deck sharply, their footsteps echoing as they travelled. Suddenly the screaming gale halted, and the ship began to move forward again.
“Captain,” a man said tautly, “we will be arriving three hours before sunrise.” The man bowed to the Captain, his fingers fumbling with his pants.
“Thank you,” the masked person said with a smile, their expression inscrutable. The man nodded, still bowing to the Captain.
“On behalf of me and my crew, I must tell you that I am impressed with your defeat of the Titan Wing,” he said tremulously.
The Captain sighed with a tilted head, looking down at the man with piercing, narrowed eyes.
“Kill him,” the Captain ordered as they pulled a black-scaled mask onto their head.
The man's eyes widened greatly, and he let out a strangled cry as many men cloaked in black pulled him down a trapdoor, before the wooden hinge snapped shut.
The dead-man's crew busied themselves with bated breath, trying their hardest to look level.
“Do not be afraid,” the Captain said sweetly, “he made a mistake by saying that he was impressed with me.” The scaled figure finished their sentence with a charmingly dangerous voice, their ice blue eyes strangling the souls of the workers. The pupils in their blue eyes were slitted, so inhuman. The wind howled and cried in the background, only adding to the intensity of the situation. Suddenly a low rumble quaked the sea, and the Captain blinked, before the edges of their eyes wrinkled as they grinned a dangerous smile. A feeble scream followed by snapping reverberated through the inside of the ship.

. . .

The sun had begun to rise when someone knocked on your door. Luckily for them, you had been awake early from a nightmare.
“Hello?” you called, gazing at the door. The wooden entrance was swung open and a familiar person walked into the doorframe. Hiccup combed through his tousled auburn hair, sending you a bright smile. Your face lit up when you recognised him, and the oh too familiar bubbly feeling captured your senses.
“So, Kira,” Hiccup began nervously, “I’ve been thinking about something.”
“What?” you questioned, tilting your head as he approached you.
“Well, first of all the Chief – my father – would like to meet you,” Hiccup said, sending you a reassuring look “he's nice, I promise.”
You raised your eyebrows a bit, before reluctantly sighing, “Okay, that's reasonable.”
Hiccup smiled at you. “The second thing, if my father approves, and of course if you want to – well, you can come live with me,” Hiccup said, grinning sheepishly.
You blinked slowly, absorbing the offer that Hiccup had given you. “I… I wasn’t planning on staying much longer,” you said, a bit hesitant.
Hiccup looked slightly crestfallen, but his eyes twinkled with understanding. “Oh.. Right,” he said slowly, “but, it’ll only be temporary! Besides, you shouldn’t stay in the healer's house for so long.”
Sighing, you nodded in agreement. Even though you were reluctant, you supposed it would be nice to spend time with Hiccup and get out of this house. Your lips slowly split into a small smile. “I’ll think about it.”
Hiccup nodded slowly, his green eyes shining. “Great, I’ll be back by sundown at the lastest!” he exclaimed humorously, before turning to exit the house.
“Wait, are you leaving?” you asked, feeling taken aback. You didn’t want him to leave, you didn’t know why but you just didn’t.
The brunette looked back in surprise. “I can stay if you want,” he said softly, looking back at you with gentle eyes.
“Yeah, I’d like that.” you said, looking away in embarrassment.
Hiccup walked to your side, and you shuffled over to make room for him on your cushioned bed.
“Erm, so, what are your hobbies?” Hiccup asked, gazing down at you.
You looked to the roof for a moment as you thought, “I like flying with Leafchaser, archery, studying plants, befriending dragons, making things, writing… and I guess that’s mostly it.”
Hiccup looked at you thoughtfully. “Why don’t we take a joy ride with our dragons sometime?”
“Yeah, sure! I bet I could beat you in a race,” you grinned, giving Hiccup a jokingly smug look.
“Ohh! Ouch.” Hiccup gasped, putting a hand to his heart as if you had deeply hurt him. “How dare you assume you could beat me!” he cried defensively, pushing your shoulder gently.
You giggled, putting your hand over your mouth as it split into a toothy smile. Hiccup shook his head, laughing with you. “Bit cocky, are we, Dragon Master?” you countered with a smug grin. Hiccup rolled his eyes, a light blush resting on his cheeks.
“Do you want to go for a walk? You look like you need some exercise,” Hiccup joked, giving you a wide grin.
You breathed in slowly, the urge to immerse yourself in the breeze tugging at you.
“Okay,” you nodded, pushing yourself off your bed and brushing the hair out of your face.
Hiccup’s eyes lit up, but this went unnoticed by you, for you were assembling your bow.
“Uhm, are we going on a murder mission?” Hiccup joked, though sounding a bit concerned.
You laughed softly, looking back at the brunette with an amused expression. “No, but I always have to have protection.”
Hiccup nodded slowly, but still questioned you internally. “You don’t need any protection, I promise you,” he assured you, “besides, you might scare people with that bow of yours…”
You peered at him, eyes narrowed. Hiccup gulped, faltering under your intense stare. “Alright then,” you said, putting down your equipment.

You followed the brunette boy out of the house, and as soon as the sun hit your skin you sighed in relief. A gentle breeze swam past you, tousling you and Hiccup's hair. You turned to look at the brunette boy, an amused smile spreading across your face when you saw he was trying to flatten his upright hair. You giggled, going over to him and ruffling his brunette locks even more.
Hiccup gasped in offence, “Oh! How dare you!” he said loudly, giving you an amused stare.
You laughed, giving the man a shrug and stifling giggles. “What? I was merely helping the wind,” you grinned, brushing past Hiccup and walking onto a brown path.
Hiccup rushed to your side, shaking his head slowly and rolling his eyes. This time, it was your turn to gasp in offence.
“Did you roll your eyes at me?” you asked, peering at the brunette.
“No, of course not,” Hiccup affirmed sarcastically.
You and Hiccup quickly exploded into laughter, before straightening up and sneaking toward the forest.
The birds chirped and zoomed away at your arrival, and you looked around with interest as you stalked around Berk.
“Kira, I’m just warning you, we’re probably going to be seen,” Hiccup said, looking at you curiously.
You sighed, coming to a halt and turning to face the Brunette. “I know, and I’ll deal with that,” you shrugged. “Care to show me some dragons?”
Hiccup grinned, “Right this way m’lady,” he said, gesturing his hand for you to follow him.
Your eyes widened at the nickname, but you shook it off and pursued him. You walked through the village awkwardly, feeling eyes on you from all around. There were a couple of whispers and many curious looks, making you feel like something to gawk at.
Hiccup looked back at you, and his eyes softened as he saw your uncomfortable state.
“Hey, we can just head to the forest if you want,” he told you, looking slightly embarrassed.
“No, I'm fine,” you replied, forcing a smile on your face.
Hiccup laughed softly, shaking his head. “You can’t fool me. C’mon, we have a flock of baby Nadders!” he grabbed your hand and gripped it tightly, guiding you through the crowd of Vikings. “Coming through!” he yelled, ushering his village out of his path.
You giggled, watching the man as he dodged people and pulled you gently.

Finally, you had escaped the crowd. Hiccup grinned at you, and your eyes widened as you looked up at a tall perch made for dragons.
“Wow!” you laughed, giving Hiccup a surprised smile.
Hiccup shrugged, “I guess nearly dying changed the village for the better!”
You stopped in shock, “Wait, you nearly died?”
“Yeah,” he said, giving you a ‘it's not that big of a deal’ look. “That's how I got my peg-leg, Toothless saved me.” he gestured to his foot, which was made of a rather complicated looking piece of metal.
You sighed, silently thanking Toothless. “Well, I’m really glad you didn’t die.”
Hiccup smiled, before clutching your hand and leading you to a small flock of baby Nadders.
For a moment you were distracted, and you stared at your intertwined hands with a fluttering stomach. Suddenly Hiccup's fingers left yours as he crouched in front of the tiny dragons. You looked at your empty hand for a second, before a wide smile spread across your face as you looked down at the babies.
“Awww!” you cooed, crouching next to Hiccup with a light blush across your cheeks.
Hiccup looked at you, his green eyes glistening with something you couldn’t recognise. He stood up and watched the Nadders jump into your open arms with surprise. The baby dragons nuzzled your hand and chirped happily, making you giggled as you looked at the bird-like creatures with wide, loving eyes. Hiccup observed you with interest, a smile permanently etched on his face.
“Their eyes are so big and adorable,” you exclaimed sweetly, looking back at Hiccup with a very large, toothy smile.
Hiccup laughed, his eyes scanning your face. It was the first time you grinned like that. He noticed how the edges of your eyes smiled with you and how dragons practically loved you the second they laid eyes on you.

Hiccup felt happy around you. He couldn’t explain the automatic trust he developed in you, or his urge to assist you with whatever you need. He most definitely couldn’t explain the heat that rose to his cheeks when he saw your smile, or the giddy feeling he gets when he spends time with you. How did he feel this way after only 2 weeks of knowing each other? Hiccup shook his thoughts away, devoting his attention to you cradling the baby Dragons with a bright, motherly smile.

Chapter Text

It was the next day, and the morning sun filtered through the open window. The bright rays of light cast a golden glow over your room. You breathed out softly, cheek resting in your hand as you sat in your bed. It had been a little over three weeks since the incident, and your body was itching to go out and explore instead of being cooped up. Gothi had told you that you needed to find a place to stay within the next 3 days because she couldn’t do anything more and your wound needed to heal itself.
With a sigh, you gnawed at the bread Hiccup had brought you, lost in boredom. I glanced out the window where the village bustled with activity outside. Dragons soared through the sky, their playful roars carried on the breeze that wisped into my room. The outside world was a stark contrast to the stillness that enveloped me within these walls.

You thought about Hiccup – there wasn’t much else to think about anyway… He had offered to let you stay in his home, would that be temporary or permanent? Temporary, right? It’s not like you're going to stay here.

It was mid-day now, and you were engulfed with boredom and a strong sense of loneliness. You never really felt alone after befriending Leafchaser, but she was healing up someplace else since she had sprained her wing. You wondered what she was doing, was she playing with Hiccup and his friends? Was she missing you too? What if she didn’t need you anymore? Unease gripped your chest, the fear of losing your best friend itching at your skin. “She wouldn’t abandon me…” you muttered to yourself, rubbing the back of your neck anxiously.

Suddenly the door swung open and a smiling Hiccup appeared in the doorframe. “Hey, Dragon Girl,” he said, walking into the room. Surprise and relief plastered your expression, and you let out the air you had been holding in your lungs. “Hey, Hiccup,” you replied wearily, trying to return his smile.
Hiccup didn’t notice your enthusiastic demeanour as he continued to smile brightly. “So, have you given moving into my home any thought?”
You blinked in surprise, before rubbing your neck. “Oh, well… Maybe it's not such a bad idea,” you said softly, a light chuckle wavering in your voice.
Hiccup sighed in relief. “Perfect! Was that a yes?” he exclaimed, eyes searching yours for an answer.
“I guess…” you replied nervously, averting your eyes from the brunette.
“Great!” he replied enthusiastically. “I’ll help you get moved in when you’re ready.”
Your eyes widened in surprise. “Thanks, Hiccup, I appreciate it,” you replied, the knots in your stomach easing under his comforting presence.
Hiccup smiled. “Anytime,” he said, reaching out to gently pat your shoulder. “Just let me know when you’re ready.”
“I’m ready,” you said, determination lacing your tone.
Hiccup grinned in response. “Great! I’ll go let my dad know, meet me outside when you’ve got your stuff.”
You nodded in response, smiling at the brunette awkwardly.
He walked toward the exit, before halting at the door and giving you a short wave.
Your stomach fluttered, making you flinch at the weird churning sensation. You waved back as he walked out of the doorframe.

The midday sun painted the village of Berk in warm hues as you stepped out of Gothi’s hut. The ache from your wound had dulled, but it was still healing slowly. Gothi had been kind to you, but it was time for a change of scenery.
You jumped as Hiccup walked into the corner of your vision. “Hey, are you ready?”
His hair was windswept and his eyes were crinkled in a smile. “Ready?” he asked, gesturing to the heart of the bustling village.

You nodded, heart fluttering. You had spent forever cooped up, and now you were finally free from the dingy room. A feeling of unease gripped your chest as you looked at the body of Vikings. They didn’t look very menacing – not like your childhood village. Even though Vikings made you feel sort of unsafe, the fact that there were dragons everywhere made you feel better. The villagers bustled about, their voices blending with the roars of dragons overhead. Berk was a huge contrast to your old home.

As you walked through the village, Hiccup introduced you to all of Berk’s landmarks. There was the blacksmith's forge – where Hiccup himself was an apprentice. There were dragon stables and a huge Great Hall where councilmen held meetings. You listened with a small smile as Hiccup raved on about his home – he was clearly proud of it.
“Leafchaser will love it here, I’m sure!” Hiccup exclaimed, looking down at you with a smile.
You laughed lightly as your eyes scanned your surroundings. “This place sure is something,” you said in fascination. “Maybe it’s not so bad…”
Hiccup grinned, “I’m glad to see you’ve lightened up,” he said teasingly.
You shot him a look and elbowed his side, making him yelp in pain.
“Hey! What was that for?” he questioned, rubbing his torso.
“Don’t patronise me,” you said, your voice laced with a small giggle.
Hiccup rolled his eyes, still clutching the area you had hit.
A large home came into view – a sturdy wooden structure perched on a hill. “Here we are,” Hiccup said, gesturing to the large house. You blinked in surprise before Hiccup took you by the hand and pulled you to the door. He fumbled with the knob for a second before pushing the entrance open. You were immediately engulfed with warmth, a toasty feeling that your body absorbed quickly.
As you stepped in, you gazed around at the interior. There was a fireplace, sheep-skin rugs and tapestries hung on the walls. The house felt welcoming and cosy, something unfamiliar to you. Hiccup smiled at your awestruck face, before pulling you upstairs. “This is my space,” he exclaimed proudly as you walked into a large room. The walls were adorned with sketches of dragons – Hiccups handiwork, no doubt. A large table sat in the centre of the room, cluttered with maps, tools and work-in-progress inventions. Your eyes lingered on a drawing of a sleek dragon saddle, the intricate design well thought-out. You smirked up at the brunette, you looked at you with a smug face. “Interesting room, Dragon Master,” you teased, nudging Hiccup's arm.
Hiccup rolled his eyes, before leading you to another area of the house. “This will be your room!”
You rubbed the back of your neck, observing the space. It was relatively empty, other than a warm-looking bed on the left side and a desk to the right, as well as a small wardrobe near the door.
“Thank you,” you said softly, smiling up at Hiccup.
“You’re welcome, feel free to decorate it however you like!” the brunette responded as he patted your shoulder.
Your eyes widened slightly at the physical contact, but you forced yourself to relax. You mumbled an agreement and placed your things on the bed, before turning around to Hiccup, gazing deep into his green eyes. “Can I see Leafchaser?” you asked, hopeful to reunite with your best friend.
Hiccup smiled at you, “Of course.”

Chapter Text

You stood in your new room, surrounded by unfamiliarity. The walls threatened to close in on you – it all felt suffocating. You let out a deep breath, face in your cheeks as you breathed in and out, in and out. This hospitality was more than you deserved, you knew that. So, you had to face your fears and be grateful to Hiccup – without him, you and your beloved dragon would be dead. You looked around the room, it wasn’t big, nor was it small. There was a small skylight that poured light into your room, casting a glow all around. It was homely, but at the same time, it felt unnatural to be here.

You sighed, before unpacking the things you had out of your sachet. Since you were always on the move, you didn’t have much. Just a couple of different pieces of clothing, a spyglass, a journal, herbs, vials and potions. There was nothing really to make this room feel like home. You placed everything in respective areas and stepped back to get a good look at your space. Maybe you should fill it with plants, or blueprints and drawings like Hiccup has… Good plan!

You combed your fingers through your hair, pondering what to do next. Your eyes landed on the small pile of clothes you own sitting on your desk. ‘I should probably put this in the closet…’ you thought, walking toward the piece of furniture and opening its doors. Inside were a couple of different outfits hung up – presumably for you since they were for women… right? You sighed and shook your head, until you knew if they were given to you, you’d just wear your clothes.

You felt that is wasn’t appropriate to wear your fighting gear, and your normal clothes had gotten messed up. Your only option was a steel blue top and an ankle-length skirt. You liked the outfit, but it was so opposite to the fur coats that Vikings usually wear – you were going to stick out like a sparrow in a hawk nest. With a sigh of defeat, you began to rummage through the other clothes in the closet. There was a fur jacket, a vest and many other Viking-esque outfits. Hopefully, Hiccup and his Father wouldn’t mind you borrowing some clothes.

You settled on wearing a white top layered with a brown corset. The tight black pants in the wardrobe scared you, so you just put on your maxi-skirt to complete the look. You adorned yourself with jewellery and your outfit was complete! You smiled at yourself, feeling the most in touch with your identity since the accident. “I wonder if they’ll think I look like a pirate…” you muttered, thinking of Hiccup and Stoick. Whatever, it's just my style!

You sat down on your bed, sinking into the mattress with a sigh. Bustling villager voices sounded from outside, a mixture of both men and women. You perked up, hearing their chatter.
The loudest of them all was an obnoxious-sounding man, who was grumbling at the other people. “I want to meet this hot babe! Hiccup!” he yelled.

You chuckled softly. It was the short, weird-looking man who you could recall was named Snotman. Or was it Snotloud? Snotloud was definitely a more fitting name. Hiccup had told you bits and pieces about his friends; they were all dragon riders like him, sort of like a group. They were banging on the door because they wanted to meet you, and you ‘can’t hide from them any longer!’
Obviously, the only one banging on the door was Snotloud.
A female voice sounded, and a harsh ‘wack!’ rippled through the breeze. You suppress a laugh, connecting that the silence of Snotloud was that he just got punched in the face. Well deserved!

You got up from the bed and peered out the window, thankfully it gave you a good view of the group. Snotloud was clutching his face and whining, and the girl who had punched him looked smug. She was a blonde woman with fire, you liked her already!

Suddenly the door swung open and Hiccup emerged, hands on his hips.
“Hiccup!” a pair of twins exclaimed. One of them was holding a chicken – the brother. Wait, were they both boys? You sighed and strained to listen to their conversation.
“Stop banging on my door!” Hiccup groaned, his hand meeting his face in a small slap.
Lots of protesting arose from the twins and Snotloud.
A tubby man piped up, “I tried to stop them, Hiccup!”
Hiccup sighed and nodded at the horizontally tall man. “Astrid, next time please keep them away, especially since my father is home!” He said, speaking to the blonde woman. She nodded in agreement.

Astrid, huh? Maybe she was one person you could get around to meeting.
Eventually, the group retreated. You fell back onto your bed with a loud sigh, absorbing the warmth of the mattress.

Suddenly the door creaked open and you jumped. Hiccup stepped inside, wearing a smile as we made eye contact. You returned the gesture, before rising up from your bed. As you smoothed down your skirt, the brunette boy looked you up and down, taking in your outfit. The clothing outlined your figure, hugging your natural curves. Hiccup blushed, and you looked at him a bit confused but brushed it off as nothing.
“Hey,” he said, his voice warm. “Are you hungry? Dinner is ready if you want to come down to eat.”

Your stomach rumbled on cue, and Hiccup chuckled. You agreed gratefully, following after Hiccup as he led you through the house.

“How’re you feeling?” The brunette man asked, looking down at you with a grin.
You hesitated, unsure of what to say. “Nervous,” you admitted.
Hiccup nodded. “I get it, but you’ll find your place here.”
You looked up at him, observing his confident and reassuring smile. “Maybe…” you replied, still unsure if you were here temporarily or permanently.
The brunette chuckled, placing his hand on your shoulder and rubbing his thumb over your scapula. Your face heated up at the contact, making you feel flustered.
“By the way, my Dad is downstairs. I hope you’re okay to meet him,” Hiccup informed you.
You noticed a hopeful glimmer in his eyes. “Yeah, of course,” you laughed, “I mean, I am in his house right now.”
Hiccup chuckled, relief settling on his face.
Meeting the Chief was intimating for sure, but he had been kind enough to allow you to stay in his home and village. For that, you were grateful. Despite your past experiences with Vikings, you felt obliged to give Stoick a chance, especially since his village co-existed with dragons.

Hiccup led you downstairs, and you entered the common space and then the dining room. You caught a whiff of a delicious aroma, making your stomach growl. Hiccup put his hand on your back, making your stomach soar. Chief Stoick was busy placing platters of food on the table, his massive frame filling the room.
“Hey, Dad,” Hiccup spoke up, “this is Kira!”
Stoick looked up in surprise, not noticing us before his son interrupted the silence. You smiled awkwardly, unsure of what to do but determined to keep composure. His eyes locked onto yours, and you felt a shiver run down your spine. Suddenly, he smiled. You blinked in surprise, not expecting so much warmth from the burly man. “Welcome,” he said, his voice booming, “we’re glad to have you!”

You mumbled a thank you, feeling a mix of relief and surprise. Maybe this place wasn’t so bad after all. Hiccup guided you to your seat, before taking his place next to you and shooting you a smile. The food smelled amazing, you were practically drooling.

As you ate together, the conversation flowed more easily than you had expected. Thankfully, Hiccup had noticed your uncertainty and did most of the talking for you. By the end, you were comfortably full and happy, and the weight that had nestled in your chest was lighter. You thanked Stoick profusely for the food, at which he just chuckled.

Hiccup smiled, a glint in his eyes that told you he was up to something. You tilted your head, still holding the dishes you had been in the process of giving to the Chief. He grinned and you rolled your eyes in response, walking over to Stoick and handing him the dishes. He thanked you and you walked away, sighing in relief. You and Hiccup chattered your way up the stairs and to your bedroom, where Hiccup stopped and shot you a grin.
“I think it’s time you’re reunited with your dragon,” He said, warmth lacing his voice. “You can also meet mine – properly this time.”
Your eyes widened at his words, relief and happiness washing over you. “Thank you!” you exclaimed, lips parting into a toothy smile. You leapt at Hiccup, engulfing him in a hug that surprised the both of you. Your body had moved on its own, but you didn’t want to just pull away. You felt Hiccup's hot breath on your hair as he wrapped his arms around you, returning the hug. He chuckled, but you could hear the nervousness in his voice. “You’re welcome,” he said. You smiled and rushed into your room, tugging on your boots and pulling a furr-adorned jacket over your figure.

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the village and you and Hiccup walked through the village. There were fewer Vikings around now, as it was getting late. You made your way to the dragon stables, awaiting the moment you will be reunited with your dragon. The air smelled of hay and burnt wood as you approached the building. You had been away from Leafchaser for so long, and the anticipation of seeing her again made your heart face.

As you reached the stables, your breath caught in your throat.
Hiccup turned to smile at you, a warmth of warmth in his green eyes. “Are you ready?” he asked.
“What kind of question is that, duh!” you retorted, humour lacing your voice.
Hiccup chuckled as he pushed open the doors, revealing dozens of dragons dozing in their respective areas. There, nestled with Hiccups Night Fury was Leafchaser. The sleek white creature lifted its head, eyes locking onto yours. The dragon's ears pricked up and she leapt up, galloping toward you. Tears welled up in your eyes as you laughed, before being knocked to the ground by Leafchaser. She engulfed you with licks, eliciting a laugh from Hiccup and a rumble from Toothless. Your dragon nuzzled your cheek, emitting a low rumble of happiness. “I missed you, girl,” you mumbled in Leafchasers scales, voice choked with emotion. The dragon yipped, as if to say ‘i missed you too’.

Hiccup stood back, watching the reunion with a soft smile. His own dragon, Toothless, nudged his hand. But Hiccup's attention was on Kira – the way her eyes sparked, the way she laughed, the friendship you and your dragon had. He had never seen someone so connected to their dragon before – well, other than him. Toothless nosed Hiccup again, and he chuckled. “Yeah, bud, I know, you can say ‘hi’ soon.” He glanced at you, as you scratched behind Leafchasers ear. “She’s something else, isn’t she?” Hiccup said to his dragon, his voice filled with awe.
Toothless huffed, as if agreeing. Hiccup's heart pounded in his chest. Maybe this was fate. Him, you, your two dragons. Maybe you were meant to be here, with them.

Suddenly Toothless bounded toward you, making Hiccup sigh with amusement. The Night Fury licked your face, his mouth split into a gummy smile. You laughed, giving Toothless a scratch behind the ear. You straightened up, a mischievous grin on your face. “Hiccup,” you said, your voice determined, “let’s race.”
Hiccup raised an eyebrow, a grin spreading onto his face. “A Race? Are you prepared to get beaten?”
You rolled your eyes, “you’re the only one getting beaten today.”
Hiccup laughed, “You’re on, let's go down to the cliffside.”
You nodded, watching as Hiccup swung onto Toothless’s back. You did the same with Leafchaser, and the dragons took off, wings beating against the evening sky. The wind whipped through your hair as you glided through the breeze, following Hiccup as he soared toward the cliff. Toothless landed on the ground before Leafchaser followed suit much more gracefully.

The sun was gone now. A moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the village of Berk. You stood on the edge of the cliff, Leafchaser by your side. The cool air ruffled your ponytail as you gazed out at the sea below. It was breathtaking.

Hiccup smiled at the sight of your starstruck face gazing out into the distance. “Ready for a nighttime race?” the brunette asked, his voice filled with confidence. You nodded, your excitement building. You climbed onto Leafchasers back, shuffling into her saddle. Hiccup hopped onto his own dragon, before turning to you with a grin. “We’ll race around here,” he said, guiding his index finger over the course.
You followed his hand with your eyes, before shooting Hiccup a grin. “Right!” you exclaimed, feeling determined.
You felt your dragon's muscles tense beneath you, before with a powerful leap you were airborne. Toothless and Leafchaser raced side by side, their riders urging them on.

As you soared over the village, you glanced over at Hiccup. His eyes were alight with excitement, and for a moment, you forgot about everything else—the past, her doubts. It was just her, Hiccup, and the dragons, flying free. The night enveloped you, and you held on tight as Leafchaser sped through the sky. You laughed, exhilaration pumping through your veins. Below, the village lights twinkled like stars, and the dragons’ wings beat in a rhythm.

You flew over the forest, the trees a dark blur beneath you. You closed your eyes for a moment, embracing the rush of freedom. You forgot about your old life, the pain, and anger. Here, in the sky, you were weightless; untethered. You opened your eyes again before your face settled into a determined expression. You and Hiccup were neck-and-neck, fighting to overtake the other.
Leafchasers' dual wings flapped furiously, and you let out a whoop of elation. You soared across the forest, before speeding around a towering cliff and then circling back towards Berk. You and Hiccup fought for the leading spot before the end of the race neared and suddenly, you won! You cheered, unaware of the fact that Hiccup had slowed Toothless down at the last second to let you take the win.

You landed, breathless and laughing. Toothless landed after you, his rider defeated. Hiccup slid off the Night Fury, hands up in defeat. You collapsed onto the grass, and Hiccup laughed. He sat next to you, his green eyes glistening with something you couldn’t place your finger on. Your eyes connected, and for at least five seconds you just gazed at each other.
Suddenly, Hiccup broke the moment.
“You totally cheated,” he said, poking at your uninjured side.
Your jaw dropped and you let out an audible gasp. “What! I won fair and square,” you retorted, sending Hiccup a homemade gift of violence – a kick.
He doubled over in pain, groaning. “Ow! You win! Please don’t kick me again…”
You laughed, snugging into your dragon who curled up next to you. Toothless let out a rumble, which sounded oddly like a laugh. You giggled, “Even your dragon thinks it was funny.”
Hiccup glared at Toothless, mock betrayal in his eyes. The brunette laid down next to you, gazing up at the night sky. “Do you think you’ll stay?” He asked, his tone filled with hope.
You sighed, pondering the big question. You had been so stubborn, so opposed to staying here. But maybe, just maybe you belonged in Berk. You knew that Leafchaser liked it here, you could tell by the way she snuggled with Toothless that she had fought her ‘dragon-friend’. If your best friend wanted to stay, you couldn’t say no.
“Maybe…” you replied, your tone unsure.
Hiccup laughed, “That's better than nothing, I guess.”
At that moment, under the star-studded sky, you wondered if you had found a home after all.

Chapter Text

Your eyes fluttered open, wincing at the light that filled your vision. You stirred in your bed, groaning softly as you stretched. The soft rustling of leaves sounded from outside your window, and the morning sun filtered through the branches, casting a warm glow on the wooden floor. Leafchaser, your loyal companion, lay curled up next to your bed; still fast asleep. You yawned, feeling refreshed from your slumber and excited for the day ahead.
Sluggishly, you emerged from your bedsheets and smoothed your long white night dress. After stretching your limbs, you got up and approached the wardrobe. Today's outfit would be more Viking-like, you decided. After scouring the clothes, you picked out more Viking-esque attire than yesterday – complete with fur boots and a braided hairstyle
[image]

You made your way downstairs, the stairs creaking underfoot. The common space was already bustling with activity. Stoick the Vast stood near the hearth, absorbing the heat from the crackling flames. His eyes met yours, and he nodded at you in acknowledgement. You smiled in return, before turning to the brunette boy you knew all too well – Hiccup. He looked up at you, a grin settled across his face.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” he teased, making you roll your eyes. Hiccup radiated the same warmth as the sun streaming through the windows – it was comforting. “Are you ready for another day at Berk?” he asked, as you sat down next to him.
You smiled at him. “Absolutely. What's on the agenda today, Dragon Master?”
Hiccup chuckled at the nickname. He leaned closer, “first, help yourself to breakfast!” He gestured to the table laced with food – smoke fish, bread and eggs. You practically drooled at the alluring aroma of the food. “Then,” Hiccup continued, “I was wondering if you were up to meeting some friends.”
You perked up at his words, looking into his eyes with hesitancy. It wouldn’t be so bad, besides you were living here – for now, obviously…
“Yeah, sure,” you accepted, offering Hiccup a smile.
The brunette blinked in surprise, but he was happy nonetheless. “Great!” he exclaimed, shooting you a thumbs-up that made you giggle.
“Remind me who your friends are again?” you said, thinking back to the obnoxious ‘Snotloud’.
“Well,” Hiccup started, “There is Fishlegs – he's a dragon nerd – Astrid is a warrior, Ruff and Tuff are the troublemaking twins and Snotlout is kind of preening.” He said, finishing off his sentence with a laugh. “They’re… unique, but you’ll get used to them.”
You nodded slowly before your face split into a smile. “Snotlout, huh? You chuckled, “I thought his name was Snotloud.” You giggled, covering your mouth with your hand.
Hiccup raised his eyebrows and began to laugh with you. “You should call him that, it's sure to annoy him.”
You nodded, smiling under the hand across your face.

Breakfast was a lively affair. Stoick had left halfway through to attend to his ‘chiefly duties’, as you and Hiccup put it. The brunette man geeked out about his encounters with dragons and his many inventions, and you listened. You were fascinated by his passion, his innovative nature as well as his kind heart. When you had finished eating, you slipped on your boots and stepped outside. The breeze had carried the salty scent of the sea and greeted you with the ocean aroma.

You and Hiccup ambled down the paths of Berk, chattering away to each other. As you reached the most crowded areas of the Village, you began to be approached by intrigued Vikings. You did your best to be nice, and to your surprise, most of the villagers were welcoming. Hiccup introduced you to various villagers – a fisherman, a weaver selling colourful textiles, and a group of children playing near the docks. You began to feel a sense of belonging, even though you had doubted you could fit into this tight-knit community.

Finally, you arrived at the blacksmith's forge. The air thickened with the scent of heated metal and sweat. Hiccup led you in, giving you a reassuring smile. “Hey, Gobber!” Hiccup shouted.
A gruff voice barked back. “Whad’ya want?”
You jumped at the sound but quickly regained your composure. A stocky man with a hook for a hand and a peg for a leg wobbled into view. His face was square-like and covered in soot, and his hair and beard were a dirty blonde, also covered in soot. “Ah!” he exclaimed as he laid eyes on you. “You must be the new dragon rider.”
You nodded awkwardly, and Hiccup patted your shoulder. “Yup! This is Kira,” the brunette introduced you.
“Yeh looks like a tough one,” Gobber exclaimed, eyes narrowing as he studied you. “M’ sure Astrid and her would get along.”
Astrid, the blonde woman who had punched Snotloud. You chuckled internally at his words. Hiccup mumbled an agreement before you both bid goodbye to the blacksmith and walked away. As the distance grew between you and Gobber, you heard him mutter a ‘finally’, making you giggle.

You and Hiccup walked across wooden platforms, along paths and past villagers until you reached your destination. The Great Hall loomed ahead, its massive wooden doors beckoning. Your heart raced as you stepped through the towering doors and into the large space. The air smelled of hearth smoke and anticipation. Hiccup led the way and you followed, boots echoing on the stone floor.
And there they were – Hiccups friends. Their eyes widened as they looked in your presence.
“Hey guys! This is Kira, the dragon rider.” Hiccup exclaimed, gesturing toward you. You stood there awkwardly, but to Hiccups’ group, you looked different. To them, your scars promised a fierce warrior but your stature invoked both beauty and strength. You rubbed the back of your neck nervously, wondering why Snotlout was staring at you with a starstruck expression. “Erm, Hello?” you said, offering a smile. As soon as you opened your mouth you were instantly surrounded by the twins and Snotlout throwing questions at you. Ruffnut and Tuffnut bickered but both held a smirk that promised chaos.

The short, raven-haired man was quick to introduce himself. You could tell from the way he held himself up – he was the egotistical type. The self-proclaimed ladies’ man leaned against a pillar, flexing his biceps. His chest puffed out, and he shot you a smouldering look. “Hey there,” he drawled. “I’m Snotlout. You’re lucky to have me around.”
You cocked an eyebrow up. “Lucky, huh?”
He gave you a confident grin, “Oh you have no idea.”
Your lips curved into a playful smile. “Snotlout, I’m wondering how you manage to stay upright,” you began, poking him in the head. “Y’know, with that inflated ego of yours.”
Snotlout blinked before he completely deflated. He walked away, head down, ego crushed.
Hiccup and Astrid chuckled, and you giggled into your hand.
“Good one,” the blonde warrior laughed.
You rubbed the back of your neck, your stomach churning from your nerves. “Oh, thanks,” you said, giving her a weak smile.
“I’m Astrid,” she said, offering out her hand. “And unfortunately these muttonheads are my friends.”
You chuckled, taking her hand and giving it a curt shake. “Kira,” you replied, muscles relaxing at Astrid's friendly demeanour.
“We’re glad to have you, it’s about time we got another girl in the gang…” Astrid exclaimed, her tone filled with fondness and exasperation.
“For real!” Ruffnut piped up.

Right… So Ruffnut is a girl. You giggled internally, looking over at Hiccup with a smile. You were amazed that they wanted you to join their group. You were nervous, but it was nice to have friends that were the same species as you – it's not like you don’t enjoy dragons' company, but…

Hiccup smiled at you, his eyes twinkling with enthusiasm. You grinned back, sending him the message that you were okay. The brunette nodded before you were suddenly interrupted by Fishlegs.
“Hello! My name is Fishlegs, and I was wondering if you could brief me on the species of your dragon,” he rambled, making you cringe in embarrassment. “It’s extraordinary that a crossbreed like her exists in our ecosystem, dragons truly are amazing and yours is just a wonder–”
You cut him off, feeling slightly overwhelmed by his babbling. “Er– right… How about we talk about this later?” you offered awkwardly.
Fishlegs nodded vigorously, “Right! Sorry!”
The twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, circled you like curious vultures. Their banter was rapid-fire, each trying to outdo the other. “So, Kira,” Ruffnut began, “what’s your weapon of choice? Axe? Sword? Or do you just glare enemies into submission?”
Tuffnut chimed in, waggling his eyebrows. “Yeah, and do you have any cool scars? Battle wounds?”
You laughed nervously. “Er– well I usually use a sword or a bow, and I do have a few scars.” You rolled up your sleeve, revealing a jagged mark on your forearm. “This is probably the most interesting one I have…”
Tuffnuts’ eyes widened. “Impressive! Do you like chickens?”
You glanced at Hiccup, who was trying not to laugh. “Uh– Love them...” you said, half weirded out, half amused by the twins.

To your relief, Hiccup came over and interrupted the conversation. “Well, Kira, we best be off now!” He said, placing his hand on your shoulder.
You nodded, “Yeah, it was nice meeting you guys!” you exclaimed, waving to the group as Hiccup led you away. Tuffnut and Ruffnut booed, Snotlout stood facing a beam and Fishlegs had disappointment evident on his face.

“Thank you so much,” I muttered to Hiccup, letting out a sigh of relief.
He chuckled in response, the arm wrapped around your shoulder pulling you closer.
You blushed and hid your flustered face by looking away. Why were you getting so embarrassed around him? Feeling exasperated, you let out a pent-up groan. “This socialising stuff is hard,” you whined, burying your face in your hands.
Hiccup laughed. “I know it’s a bit much, but you’ll get used to it!” he reassured you.
“Sure…” you replied sarcastically, but the warmth in your chest told a different story.
As you both wove through the sea of villagers, you realise that maybe, just maybe, you’d found your place among these dragon riders. And perhaps, you’d found something else — a fluttering feeling that had nothing to do with dragons and everything to do with a certain brunette boy.

Chapter Text

The nature was ripe and the weather clear, it was the perfect day for a Dragon Race! Berk was festively adorned with flags, banners and lively colours. It was early in the morning, when the sun had settled into the horizon and illuminated the village with golden hues.

You were awake and excited to start the day. It had been at least a month since Hiccup had rescued you, and finally, you were fully healed! As you slipped on your boots and gloves, you couldn’t help but wonder what Hiccup was doing right now. He was probably helping with the preparations, or off doing who knows what with Toothless…

Stepping outside, the crisp morning air filled your lungs and the scent of the sea mingled with freshly baked bread made you sigh. Everywhere you looked, villagers were bustling about, preparing for the Dragon Race. Children ran through the streets, their laughter echoing. Dragons swooped overhead, emitting low rumbles and high roars in celebration. The houses and shops were even decorated with dragon-themed banners, their colours vibrant against the wooden structures.

You wandered through the village, admiring the festive decorations. The energy was infectious, and you couldn’t help but smile as you watched a group of Vikings hogging seats in the stands. As you weaved through the crowd, you spotted Astrid near the armoury, adjusting the straps on Stormfly’s saddle.

“Astrid!” you called out, waving enthusiastically at the blonde woman.
She looked up and grinned, waving back. “Hey, Kira! Ready for the big race?”
“Duh!” you replied, walking over to her. “Have you seen Hiccup around? I haven’t seen him this morning.”
Astrid shook her head as she tightened Stormfly's saddle. “I haven’t seen him, but he’s probably somewhere off with Toothless, I wouldn’t worry about it,” she said, a hint of exasperation in her tone.
You sighed, before thanking Astrid and turning to leave. “Good luck in the race!” you called back, a grin spread across your face.
The blonde chuckled lightly. “Be sure to place your bets on me,” she replied, a confident smirk playing on her lips.
“Will do!” you laughed, before disappearing into the sea of Vikings. You found yourself heading toward the Dragon stables, hopeful to find Hiccup there. The stables were much quieter than the busy village square, the only sounds being the low rumbles of dragons and the rustle of wings. The familiar scent of hay and dragon scales enveloped you as you entered, and you spotted a familiar face. There, amidst the stalls, stood your brunette friend, his tousled hair falling into his eyes. He leaned against Toothless, scratching the dragon’s chin and speaking to him softly. Toothless purred in response, eyes half-lidded in contentment.

“Hiccup!” you called out, “I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” You sighed, making sure to put emphasis on the ‘everywhere’ when you talked.
Hiccup looked up, a broad smile spreading across his face. “Kira! I guess you found me,” he said, his voice filled with amusement.
You rolled your eyes, but Hiccup could see a glint of mischievous intent in your iris’. “Guess I did, oh Dragon Master,” you replied sarcastically, before your face split into a smile. “Are you excited for the race? It’s a big day!”
Hiccup's smile faltered slightly and he sighed. “Yeah, a big day for sure…”
Your eyes narrowed as you peered at Hiccup’s downcast face. “Stop being so gloomy, Hiccup! You’re ruining my vibe,” you teased, poking Hiccup in the side.
Hiccup yelped at your vigorous attack and steared your finger away from him. “You’re like a serial-poker or something…” he muttered, nudging your hand back to your personal space.
You started to laugh, making Hiccup chuckle a bit as he rolled his eyes. “A serial what?” you snickered.
“Oh shut up!” Hiccup groaned. Toothless laughed along with you, showing off his gums as he rumbled.
You walked over to your dragon, who was curled up nearby. Leafchaser opened her eyes and swished her tail as she recognised you, before letting out a sluggish rumble. You chuckled, crouched down to scratch your dragons ear.
“Anyway, what is with your downbeat attitude? Scared you’re going to lose the race?” you teased, but your eyes gave away your concern for the brunette.

Hiccup sighed, glancing at Toothless who then licked his face. You erupted into a fit of giggles, and Toothless looked over at you with a proud expression. Hiccup grimaced, wiping the slobber off his face. “Okay, get this. I woke up. The sun's shining. Terrible Terrors are singing on the rooftop. I saunter down to breakfast, thinking all's right with the world, and I get–” Hiccup puffs out his chest, making you cock an eyebrow up. “–Son, we need to talk,” he continued, mimicking his dads deep voice.
You smile and adopt Hiccup's sloppy slouch. “Not now, Dad. I've got a whole day of goofing off to get started on!” you exclaimed, walking around with exaggerated movements.
Hiccup breaks character to stare at you, grimacing at your impression of him. “Okay, first of all, I don't sound like that. What is this character? And second... what is that thing you're doing with my shoulders?” He questioned, contradicting himself by doing the exact same thing with his arms.
You giggled, jostling your shoulders as you mocked Hiccup.
The brunette groaned. “A truly flattering impersonation…” he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes at you. “Anyway, he goes – You’re the pride of Berk, son, and I couldn’t be prouder…” he continues, before being interrupted by your god-awful impersonation of him.
“Aw, thanks, Dad. I’m pretty proud of myself too!” you exclaimed, twirling around like a fairy.
Hiccup glared at you, wondering to Odin why you were prancing around during your impression of him. “Why have I ever done that with my hands? And also why are you dancing!?”
You laughed playfully, “You just did! And I’m dancing because you look like a fairy.”
Hiccup's jaw dropped, and he held you still by grabbing your arms. “Okay, just hold still. This is very serious,” he said in a mock-stern voice.
You try to stifle your giggling and keep a straight face, but you can’t help the bouts of laughter that escape your mouth.
Hiccup sighed in defeat, but continued on. “You’re all grown up, and since no Chief could ask for a better successor, I’ve decided to make you chief.”
You gasped loudly, startling Toothless and Leafchaser. “Eek! Run and hide Hiccup!” you exclaimed.
Hiccup chuckled at your remark. “Yeah, that’s what I’m doing.”
“Well, what did you tell him?” you questioned, fighting to get out of Hiccups tight grip.
“Nothing, by the time he turned around I was gone,” he replied, shrugging his shoulders.
You sighed, observing the doubt in the brunette's eyes. “It’s a lot of responsibility, you shouldn’t feel pressured to accept it when you’re not ready,” you said, speaking gently as you gazed at Hiccup.
The brunette met your eyes and finally released you, letting out a sigh. “Thank you. It’s just, no one else seems to understand how I’m feeling, y’know?”
You smiled, gesturing for him to accompany you as you sat down at the edge of the wooden platform. He settled down next to you, looking over at you for reassurance. You nodded, encouraging him to go on.
Hiccup takes a deep breath, his face serious. “It’s not me, Kira. All those speeches, and planning, and running the village… that’s his thing. I don’t know who I am yet.”
Your eyes softened, was this man going through an identity crisis? “You’re Hiccup,” you said, chuckling slightly. “You’re the renowned Dragon Master. You completely changed Berk. You are the bravest and most capable person I know. Berk would be honoured to have you as Chief! And, well, if you’re having trouble, you’ve got your friends to help you out, and your dad,” you whispered, nudging Hiccup with your elbow.
The brunette's eyes brightened at your words, and he turned to look at you.
“You’re not alone in this, Hiccup. You have me!” you stated cheerfully, shooting Hiccup a signature grin.
His eyes softened as he studied your pretty face, before giving you a smile. “Thank you, Kira,” he murmured, his spirits lifted by your reassuring words.
You leaned over and pecked him on the cheek, before quickly getting up and walking toward your dragon. Hiccup's eyes widened at the kiss, and he looked back at you with a flustered expression.

Unbeknownst to Hiccup, your internal thoughts were all – OH MY GOD I JUST KISSED HIM!

Hiccup walked over to you, and your cheeks burned a deep pink. “Hey,” he whispered, his voice soft.
You turned around to face him, and for a moment, you were lost in eachothers eyes. It seemed like the world around you went quiet as Hiccup leaned in and your eyes fluttered shut.

Suddenly a loud crash sounded from behind you, and you whipped around to see Toothless and Leafchaser staring innocently at you. You groaned, rushing over to the two dragons with your heart pounding so hard you thought it would explode. Hiccup followed after you, a nervous expression painted on his face.

Leafchaser licked your cheek and you sighed, processing what just happened. He was going to kiss you. Gods, Hiccup was going to kiss you. Did you want that? Your brain tried to deny it but your heart just kept yelling ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’
Everything was so confusing, especially this romance stuff… you thought, groaning internally. You had talked to Astrid about what you had been feeling, and she ended up non-stop teasing you – claiming you have a crush on Hiccup. Absurd!

But, you wouldn’t mind kissing him…

Did you say that? No you didn’t… You brushed it off, preferring to think about it later than now. You turned around to Hiccup, a weak smile across your flushed face. “How about we forget the festival for now? We’ll take our dragons and go explore. Just you, me, the dragons and the wind in our hair.”
Hiccup’s face was also flushed, and it made your stomach churn uncomfortably. “Sounds like a plan,” he said, before turning away, trying to conceal the fact his heart was pounding and his face was hot.
You took a death breath, still absolutely dumbfounded at the interaction you and Hiccup just shared. “Lets go!” you exclaimed enthusiastically, jumping onto your dragon with ease.
Hiccup smiled and got onto his Night Fury, and the two of you launched away from the ground and began gliding through the air. The dragon's wings beat rhythmically as you flew over Berk, every colourful decoration just a mere dot on a canvas.

Chapter Text

The crisp ocean breeze whipped through your hair as you and Hiccup soared about the endless expanse of water, leaving Berk far behind. The festival, with all its colours and excitement, felt like a distant memory. Up here, it was just you, Hiccup and your dragons, flying through the wind.

“Look at that!” Hiccup exclaimed, pointing down toward the ocean.
You looked down and gasped at the sight of Timberjacks. You turned your head to look at Hiccup, unable to suppress a grin. “Let’s join them!” you cheered, before swerving down and gliding toward the flock of dragons. Leafchaser let out a low, friendly roar and the Timberjacks turned to look at you and your dragon, before returning a rumble. Toothless swooped down next to you, and you looked over at his rider with a bright smile.

Hiccup gazed at you, admiring maybe just everything about you with his signature grin. Your smile, the way the wind whipped your badly tied bun, the way you loved dragons and the way you looked out into the ocean. He couldn’t help but wonder what your feelings were, he really did have to ask you soon…
You giggled, before diving down toward the sea and gliding just above the surface. Hiccup followed you closely, dipping, rolling and diving he they flew. You rolled your eyes. “Show off,” you muttered, but a smile was imprinted on your face.

For a while, neither of you spoke, content to let the peaceful sound of wind and waves fill the silence. It was a comforting lull, the kind shared between two people who didn’t need words to communicate. The sea below was filled with Thunderdrums soaring from the waves and then plunging back in with a splash. Hiccup was tucked into his riding position, pulling off daring manoeuvres and making them seem effortless. He let out an elated “Yeah!” as he and Toothless twirled through the air.

You giggled, watching Hiccup ride his dragon in his leather flight suit – he was in the process of making you one too! Hiccup looked back at you with a grin and pulled his helmet down, covering his face. You groaned, knowing what he was about to do as Toothless swerved up and sped toward the clouds. Leafchaser rumbled softly as she shot up after them, and you narrowed your eyes as the wind slapped your vision.

“What do you think, bud? Wanna give it another shot?” Hiccup asked his dragon, who grumbled in protest.
“Be careful, Hiccup!” you called out.
“It’ll be fine!” he yelled back, sending you a thumbs up.
You rolled your eyes, but truthfully you were excited to see if his flight-suit was working. “How about we flank them to make sure our dear old Hiccup doesn’t die?” you whispered to your dragon, who yipped in agreement.

Hiccup unhooked himself from the saddle and took in a breath of anticipation. “Ready?” he called out. Toothless snorted unenthusiastically, before suddenly Hiccup slid off Toothless.

“Lets go, girl!” you muttered to Leafchaser, you quickly dived down after Hiccup. You could hear the brunettes elated yells as he plummeted, making you giggle softly. You smiled as your dragon whirled through the wind, looking over at Toothless who was twirling next to you. Leafchaser suddenly spreads her wings and slows herself down, before circling around Hiccup and Toothless who were face-to-face, spiralling through the air. “Having fun?” you yelled at Hiccup, who whooped a yes back.

The brunette slides his forearms through two tucked leather flaps and pulls unfurling sheets of leather as he stretches his arms. The material snapped open like wings and sent him gliding – out of control. You grimaced as he stabilised himself, sighing in relief. “You’re flying!” you laugh, and Hiccup starts to laugh with you. Toothless unfolded his wings, catching up with Hiccup as they flew through the air, the very definition of free.
You grinned, excited for the day Hiccup would present you with your own pair of wings! Leafchaser glided below them, and you looked up at Toothless and his rider as they flew side-by-side. You plunged through plumes of cloud, feeling adrenaline coursing through your veins. Hiccup laughed from above you, and you chuckled before standing up on your dragon. Toothless rumbled in surprise, and Leafchaser yipped back. You let out an elated laugh, spreading your arms out to mimic flying.

Hiccup watched you with a smile, admiring you as you grinned up at him. Leafchaser carefully dived down, and for a second you were lifted into the air with a yelp before landing back on the dragon's back. Your feet fumbled a bit before you regained your balance, letting out a sigh of relief.

Toothless launched a couple plasma-blasts ahead of Hiccup, boosting him higher as the heat expands. You chuckled, thinking he looked kind of silly with his limbs splayed.
“This is amazing!” he yelled, and Toothless rumbled in agreement.
You smiled, patting Leafchasers head as she snorted in exasperation. Suddenly, you emerged from the clouds, and what you saw ahead made you gasp. The layer of fog fell away, exposing a towering rock formation – dead ahead. “Hiccup!” you yelled, and the brunette yelled back, “No longer amazing! Help!” He tried to steer himself away, but to no avail.
Toothless let out a growl, and you whispered a couple words to your dragon before leaping off of her and yelled out “Toothless!” The black dragon caught you on his back and let out a roar as you grasped the handles and began to steer him. Leafchaser sped after Hiccup as he hurtled toward the rocks, awaiting collision. Toothless shot a blast at the jagged rocks at the last second, just as Leafchaser wrapped Hiccup in her wings and flew through the debris.
“Crash Landing!” you heard Hiccup yell from a distance, making you groan as Toothless swooped down after them. The dragon landed on a small plateau, patting the Night Fury on the head before rushing towards the grumbling Leafchaser. Hiccup emerged from your dragon's wings, laughing nervously as you glowered at him. He swiftly switched his prosthetic riding foot to his walking foot and stored his leather wings back where they came from. “Haha… That really came out of nowhere, am I right?” He said, chuckling apprehensively.
Suddenly the blasted sea-stack collapsed behind them, causing a loud crash as it fell into the ocean. You, Toothless and Leafchaser glared at him, making him falter under the stares.
“Erm, work in progress?” he said, shrugging his arms with an awkward grin beneath his helmet.
You sighed, before laughing softly. Leafchaser nuzzled your hand, and you patted her head and cooed lovingly at her.

Hiccup turned to Toothless, who swished his tail disapprovingly. “We gotta work on your solo-gliding there, bud. That locked-up tail makes for some pretty sloppy rescue manoeuvres, eh?” Hiccup reeled his dorsal fin in
and pulled his helmet off, revealing a man framed with wild hair and a couple braids coiled into his hair.
“Ahem, I think you should be thanking someone?” you called out to Hiccup, staring at him with a raised eyebrow.
The brunette blinked at you slowly, before letting out an awkward laugh. “Right! Thank you, Leafchaser,” he said gently, scratching your dragon behind the ear. The Lightcutter yipped happily, and you gave Hiccup an approving smile. The brunette chuckled before walking to the edge of the cliff, taking in the new land. It stretched off into the horizon, tall cliffs and sea-stacks embellished with golden birch trees basking in the midday sun.

“Looks like we found another one, huh?” Hiccup exclaimed, looking back at you with a smile. You nodded, waking over to sit on the edge of the cliff. Toothless grumbled and snorted from behind you, and you chuckled as Hiccup rolled his eyes. The Night Fury sends his tail to wack Hiccup in the back of the head, making him gasp in offence. He looked back, and Toothless averted his eyes.
“Oh what? Do you want an apology? Is that why you’re pouting, big baby boo?” Hiccup teased, before tackling Toothless and attempting to put him in a headlock. “Well try this on!”

You and Leafchaser exchanged looks, before Hiccup starting talking again and you chuckled softly.
“Ya feeling it yet? Huh? Picking upon all my heartfelt remorse? Toothless simply stands on his hind legs, lifting Hiccup off of his flailing feet and dangling him over the cliff's edge.
You gasped in surprise, and Leafchaser rumbled a dragon laugh.
“Oh come on. You wouldn’t hurt a one-legged–” Hiccup started, before looking down at the deadly drop and yelping in fear.
You chuckled, “Drop him, Toothless!” you called out, and Toothless rumbled in agreement.
Hiccup glared in your direction, before yelling frantically at his dragon. “You’re right! You’re right! You win, you win!” A sudden ‘WHAM’ echoed through air as Toothless flipped him over and pinned his to the ground.
Leafchaser looked at you with a look that said, ‘should I step in?’ You giggled and shook your head, enjoying the show.
Hiccup squirmed under Toothless, throwing mock punches at the black dragon. The Night Fury playfully retaliates with taps and knocks to Hiccup's head. The brunette chuckled lightly before commentating the ‘battle’. “He’s down! And it’s ugly! Dragons and Vikings, enemies again, locked in combat to the bitter–” Hiccup let out a strangled noise as Toothless rested his head on his chest, knocking the air out of him. You giggled as Toothless began lapping at his face and covering him in slobber. “Gaaaaagh!” Hiccup groaned, fighting to get free before springing to his feet and hastily rubbing his face.
You sent a thumbs up to Toothless, who laughed, clearly pleased with himself.
Hiccup on the other hand wasn’t so pleased. “You know that doesn’t wash out,” he grumbled.

You smiled, kicking your legs through the air as they dangled off the side of the cliff. “Do you have your map?” you asked Hiccup, who grinned at you.
“Of course!” he exclaimed enthusiastically, reaching inside his chest-plate and pulling out a leather-bound book.
You nodded as he unfurled the book into a map, which was covered in pieces of added paper that revealed intricate drawings of different lands and areas. Hiccup peels a fresh strip of paper from a hidden fold in his flight suit and holds it out for Toothless to lick. The Night Fury coated the material in his saliva, and Hiccup places the slobbery side onto the map and nods approvingly.

You chuckled at his serious expression as he observed the compass on his forearm, and he glanced over at you and gave you a dirty look. You giggled, rolling your eyes at the brunette boy.
“So, what should we name it?” Hiccup asked you as he drew the outline of the island.
You looked over at Toothless as he gnawed under his wing. “I think Toothless has an idea,” you giggled, and Hiccup looked over at his dragon. He chuckled lightly, “Itchy Armpit it is,” he said. Toothless looked up from his arm, an innocent look glazed over his confused expression.
You giggled, staring off into the distance. “Who knows what we’ll find out there. Maybe a new species, maybe even a Lightcutter friend!” you nodded to Leafchaser, who rumbled in agreement.
Hiccup smiled. “Maybe we’ll finally track down another Night Fury,” he exclaimed, looking over at Toothless with a hopeful grin.
“You mean a lady friend?” you questioned, cocking an eyebrow up. Leafchaser grumbled disapprovingly and slapped Hiccup with her tail flukes. You looked over at her and gasped, “Oh my gods!” Toothless tilted his head, letting out a confused rumble. Hiccup started to laugh as your jaw dropped, and you exchanged surprised looks. “I wonder how a purebred and a hybrid offspring would turn out,” Hiccup exclaimed, staring off into space as he thought about it. “Um – adorable, duh!” you cooed, springing to your feet and rubbing Leafchasers scales gently.
Hiccup chuckled, before leaning closer to Toothless and muttering something to him. “Trust me, love is nothing but pain and misery,” he whispered, chuckling softly as you stared at him with a glowering expression.
You marched over and punched him in the guts, making Hiccup hunch over and groan. “Pain and misery my ass!” you said, your voice filled with exasperation.
“I think you just proved my point,” Hiccup said sarcastically, still gripping his stomach in pain.
You looked down at him in surprise, your brain buzzing with a million different ideas of what he meant. “Er– Uh– Right!” you stuttered, your face heating up.
Hiccup chuckled to himself as he looked up at your flustered expression.
Toothless and Leafchaser rumbled a laugh, making you glare over at them. Hiccup sighed softly and gave you a smile, before kneeling back down to finish off his map. You blushed, the odd tingling feeling rushing into you like a tsunami.
“C'mere,” Hiccup mumbled, gesturing for you to sit next to him. You rolled your eyes, before walking over and settling down onto the grass. You gave Hiccup a soft smile, which he returned.
“How do you feel exploring a bit more, M’lady?” The brunette asked you with a smirk, wrapping his arm around your shoulder and pulling you closer to him.
You blushed, but tried to play it cool by shooting him a grin. “I think you know the answer to that, Dragon Master,’ you responded, poking his side playfully.

Internally, you were screaming. You were sitting next to Hiccup, his arm was around you and your bodies were touching – OH, MY, GODS!
You sighed thoughtfully, gazing out into the sky. “What are you thinking about?” Hiccup asked, gazing at you with his bright green eyes.
You looked out at the flock of Timberjacks in the distance, their scales shimmering in the sunlight. “Maybe I belong here,” you whispered. “Maybe this is where I’m meant to be.”
Hiccup’s gaze softened. “Berk is your home now.” He said firmly, as if it was common knowledge. You smiled at him, and he returned a grin. “So, does this mean you’ll stay?” He asked, hope lacing his voice.
You sighed, a thoughtful expression imprinted on your face as you looked into the horizon.
“Wait… Hiccup,” you murmured, eyes narrowing at the horizon. “I think there's something out there.”
Hiccup looked at you with confusion, “What do you mean?”
You sighed and grabbed his cheeks, turning his head to face the sky. Hiccup's eyes widened at the sight of a distant trail of smoke rising from a valley. “What is that…?” he muttered, eyes narrowing. The both of you exchanged looks, mutually understanding what you were doing next.

Chapter Text

Leafchaser flew through the air, rumbling softly as you exchanged a worried glance with Hiccup. The brunette smiled reassuringly at you, and Toothless grumbled under his breath. As you glided through crimson and gold woodland, the autumn palate suddenly transitioned into charred timbers. You gasped softly, flying deeper through ash and wafting smoke.
“What happened…” you whispered, heart aching for the ruins of the forest below.
Hiccup sighed, “Be on guard!” he called to you, and you nodded.

You winded through sea stacks and scorched tree-trunks, before emerging from the smoke and letting out a gasp. In front of you was an explosion-like glacier of ice, an eerie marker of what used to be a trappers fort. You looked over at Hiccup, who had wide eyes. Leafchaser halted and flapped her dual-wings as she stayed stationed in the air, letting out an anxious whine. You patted her head, and an instinct of danger settled in your stomach. Toothless was fixed in the air, his prosthetic tail swishing anxiously through the air. “Hiccup…” you said cautiously. The brunette looked back at you, and you sighed before nodding.
“Stay close,” he called to you, before urging Toothless on and flying closer.
You followed closely, weaving around giant spikes of ice and passing broken pieces of wood frozen in place. “What happened here?” Hiccup murmured, looking around with a puzzled expression.
You gulped, anxiety growing with every second. You had seen some pretty harrowing and dangerous things during the time you spent hunting down dragon trappers – but this, this was something else… It wasn’t natural.

Toothless whined, and Hiccup patted him on the head. “Easy, bud,” he murmured.
You looked down and gasped. There were enormous dragon footprints stamped into the muddy shoreline below. “Hiccup, look!” you shouted, gesturing to the imprint in the ground. “I think we should get out of here.”
The brunette's eyes widened, before he nodded and looked back at you. “Yeah, let's go.”
As you wind past the ice formations, you suddenly spot a group of men on the frozen ship below. A gasp escaped your mouth, and you yelled out to Hiccup. “Watch out!”
Suddenly a man shouted, “Fire!” They launch a mounted cannon, the projectile unfurling into a net. Toothless roared in panic and swerved, leaving you in the crossfire.
“Kira! Look out!” Hiccup yelled, darting toward you.
Your eyes widened as Leafchaser tried to dodge, but her large wings got caught in the net and she started to spin uncontrollably. You unsheathe your sword and try to cut away at the net, but it doesn’t work. You yell out in panic as you hurtle toward the ground.

Suddenly, you’re disconnected from your dragon and you plummet through the air, watching as your dragon roars out to you. “Hiccup!” you yelled, panic filling your voice.
Just in time, Toothless swoops in and grabs you by the arms. You cry out in fear as Leafchaser lands on the ship deck with a crash, men surrounding her instantly. She roars out in anger, shaking off the net and baring her teeth. A man abruptly appears and tackles Leafchaser to the ground by headlocking her. You gasp, anger filling your veins as you watch your beloved dragon get manhandled. Leafchaser growls and slashes her tail around, knocking the dragon-trappers to the ground. She unfurls her wings and gets out a guttural roar, making a couple men flee. “What kind of monster are you!” a raven-haired trapper yelled as he tried to subdue your dragon.

You and Hiccup sped past on his Night Fury, sending a loud banshee scream ringing through the air.
Toothless suddenly streaks across the sky and landing in front of the trappers with a ferocious roar.
“Stop!” Hiccup yelled, before sliding off of Toothless and lighting his dragon-blade – a fiery sword that managed to wow the trappers.
“What the hell!” you shouted, unsheathing your own sword and brandishing it in front of the men. “Leafchaser!” you called, and your dragon – who was fighting off a couple of men bounded toward you. She halted next to Toothless, who was growling at the men with flared nostrils.
“Back again?” one of the men questioned. Suddenly he stepped forward, eyes fixed on Toothless. “Soil my britches... that is a Night Fury. Thought they were all gone for good.” He said, looking around at his men. “Looks like our luck's had a turn for the better, lads! Don't think Drago has one of those in his dragon army.”
His men sounded in agreement, and your eyes widened. You looked over at Hiccup, who shared the same surprise.
“Dragon army?” you questioned, eyes narrowing at the men. “Hiccup we should get out of here…”
Hiccup nodded to you, giving you a side-ways glance that said ‘I need to find out what they are talking about’. “Look, we don’t want any trouble,” he said, gesturing his arms.
The raven-haired man threw his head back as he laughed. “Ha! You should’ve thought of that before you stole all of our dragons and blasted our fort to bits!” he roared, gesturing to the wreckage amidst the ice.
“What are you talking about?” you questioned, exasperation lacing your voice. You and Hiccup looked around at the icy destruction, putting the pieces of information together.
“You think we did this?” Hiccup asked, gesturing to the ice.
Dragon trapping is hard enough work as is, without do-gooder dragonriders sneaking in to rescue them.” The raven-haired man roared.
Hiccup looked over at you with a confused expression. “What do-gooder– Wait, there are other dragon riders?”
You rolled your eyes, nodding to Hiccup. Uhm, duh? You thought internally, wondering if Hiccup forgot that you weren’t from Berk.
The black-haired man glowered at you and Hiccup. “You mean, other than your thieving friend from last night? You tell me.” He said, approaching you slowly.
Toothless snarls protectively, and Leafchaser stands in front of you.
The leader continued on. “You may have an ice-spitting dragon on your side, but we still have a quota to fill. How do you suppose we explain this mess to Drago Bludvist?”
Your eyes widened as he stated ‘ice-spitting dragon.’ A dragon did this? That’s crazy… you thought, looking over at Hiccup.
The brunette man rolled his eyes. “Drago what-fist? Does anything you say make sense?”
An elf-looking man walking forward, brandishing his weapon. “He's expecting a new shipment of dragons for his army by tomorrow.” He said angrily.
“And Drago don't take well to excuses.” a boar-looking man said from next to the black haired man.
Your eyes narrowed. Drago Bludvist, huh? You couldn’t help but feel like you had heard the name before.
The raven-haired guy parts his tunic, revealing a large branding-iron scar on his chest, in the shape of a dragon skull, split by a sword.
You gasped. “Hiccup, I’ve seen that mark before,” you whispered, and Hiccup looked at you with a grimace.
The man continued on. “This is what he gave me last time I showed up empty-handed. He promised to be far less understanding in the future.”
Hiccup gestured his hands around. “Look, we don't know anything about a dragon thief, or an ice-spitting dragon, or your lunatic boss and his dragon army, okay?” He said, sounding exasperated. “How about we just leave? Strange, hostile person whom we’ve never met.”
The raven-haired man bows playfully. “Oh, where are my manners? I'm Eret. Son of Eret. Finest dragon trapper alive,” He said, before continuing. “After all, it's not just anyone who can capture a Night Fury, and whatever beast that is.” Eret pulled a dagger from behind his back, waving it around. Suddenly, his men ready their weapons and net cannons.
You rolled your eyes. “How about you rethink that title to – A very cocky dragon-trapper, who was unfortunately killed by yours truly,” you growled, pointing your sword at the man. Toothless roared a warning and Leafchaser growled.
Hiccup narrowed his eyes. “And this is Toothless. He says we're going. Now.
“Heh. They all say that.” Eret chuckled, “Rush ‘em, lads!”
You hurled a metal ball at the men, before jumping onto your dragon. Eret lunged at you before Toothless sent a blast toward the ball, causing an instant explosion.
Hiccup threw his leg over Toothless and took to the air, quickly followed by you and Leafchaser.
You looked back and your eyes widened as you saw Eret emerge from the smoke, his arm badly burnt. “YOU WILL NEVER HOLD ON TO THOSE DRAGONS, YOU HEAR ME?! DRAGO IS COMING FOR THEM ALL!” he screamed, waving around his sword.

“Thor, that guy has some anger issues,” you muttered, and Hiccup nodded with a sigh.
“Let’s head home,” Hiccup replied, looking back with an anxious expression.
“What kind of dragon can do that…?” you whispered, gazing at the ice sculpture that grew further away with every second.
“I don’t know, and I think I'd prefer not to find out,” Hiccup chuckled, but his voice had an apprehensive tone.
“Wow, really?” You asked, surprised. Hiccup nodded. “Right, well how about we land back at that cliff? I need to tell you something,” you exclaimed, looking over at the brunette with weary eyes.
He nodded, a puzzled look on his worried face.

You glided over the charred forest and over the autumn-coloured woodland, before finally returning to the small plateau you had been at just recently. Leafchaser landed on the grass swiftly, quickly followed by Toothless. Hiccup slid off of his Dragon, planting his foot on the ground with a small ‘thud’. “So, what did you want to talk about?” he asked, walking over to you with a glimmer of anxiety in his eyes.

You took a deep breath before sliding off your dragon. You glanced at Hiccup, who was watching you with concern, his green eyes reflecting his emotions. You sighed, gesturing for the brunette to sit next to you as you settled onto the grass. Hiccup obeyed and seated himself, before looking over at you with an expecting expression.
“I know you always wondered where I came from, even though I never told you…” you began, resting your cheek in you hand.
“You don’t have to tell me if you’re not ready,” Hiccup murmured, staring at you with concern.
A smile tugged at your lips. “I know, it’s fine,” you said calmly, pressing your finger to the brunette's mouth.
“When I was young, I ran away from home. My father was the Chief of a cruel village, one that believed power and strength above all else.” you started, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Drago Bludvist was one of his closest friends. He was the person who taught my father how to break and control dragons. I remember the roars of tortured dragons, their wings and tails being clipped…” you trailed off, voice wavering.
Hiccup gazed at you with wide eyes. “What was it like for you?” he asked gently.
You sighed. “That doesn’t matter–”
“Of course it matters, Kira,” Hiccup interrupted, placing an arm around your shoulder and pulling you closer to him.
You smiled weakly, leaning into his scent. “I’ll tell you later, what matters now is that I tell you this.” Hiccup nodded, and you continued on. “I’ve seen that mark on the dragon trappers before – burned into their skin. It’s his symbol.”
Hiccup's face hardened as he listened. He assumed that Drago was a threat, but hearing Kira’s firsthand experience made him feel more obliged to stop him. “If Drago is out there, and he’s building an army, we need to be prepared! We can’t just ignore this.”
You nodded, agreeing that Drago had to be snuffed. “But, Hiccup, you need to understand this. Drago is not like any other threat you’ve faced, he’s ruthless. He won’t stop until he gets what he desires, and he won’t hesitate to kill anyone who stands in his way.”
Hiccup sighed. “We have to face him, we need to keep peace.”
You smiled, “Oh yes, your self-appointed duty to establish peace,” you said sarcastically, rolling your eyes.
Hiccup chuckled lightly. “Just like your self-appointed duty to destroy every dragon-trapper you see.”
You grinned mischievously. “What can I say? I’m an activist.”
Hiccup laughed, “So am I,” he countered humorously. The brunette gazed deep into your eyes, and a smile played on your lips.

Despite your feelings, you couldn’t initiate anything with Hiccup, not now after learning of the threat that loomed ahead.

And despite that, you couldn’t stop yourself from giving Hiccup a sneaky kiss on the cheek. His face instantly flushed pink, and you squirmed under his arm, fighting to free yourself.
“Oh no you don’t! Not this time!” he exclaimed with a laugh, wrestling you back to the ground.
You giggled, writhing under Hiccup's tight grip. “Leafchaser!” you cooed in a sing-song voice.
For the split second before Hiccup was thrown off the cliff – you saw his face split into an expression of defeat as he heard your words. Toothless roared in shock, and Leafchaser let out a guttural laugh before diving down after the plummeting Hiccup. You chuckled, before standing up and brushing the debris and dirt off of you.

Leafchaser came back into view, flapping her wings as she hovered above the cliffside with a groaning Hiccup hanging from her mouth. You giggled, “Good girl,” you cooed. “Now put him down.”
Instead of putting Hiccup down gently, Leafchaser chucked him onto the grass and he hit the ground with a ‘huff!’

You erupted into a fit of giggles, rushing over to Hiccup's side and crouching down. The brunette groaned, splaying his limbs on the grass. “Cheater,” he grumbled, making you flick his forehead in response.
“You tackled me!” you exclaimed, crossing your arms defensively.
“You kissed me!” Hiccup responded, eyes wide and his face flushed.
“Hm? I did what?” you teased, cocking an eyebrow up.
Hiccup rolled his eyesHiccup rolled his eyes. You grinned and held out your hand, an offer to help him get up. Hiccup couldn’t help the smile that came to his lips as you pulled him up. He couldn’t help admiring your blushing face and your beautiful eyes.
“So, what did I do again?” you asked teasingly, knowing you were annoying your brunette friend.
Hiccup shot you an exasperated look. “This,” he whispered, before leaning in and pecking your cheek with his lips. Heat instantly filled your face, and your eyes widened. Hiccup smirked as he pulled away. “That was payback,” he chuckled, smiling as you buried your blushing face in your hands. He stepped closer and pulled you into a bear hug. You grumbled softly, but leaned into the hug nonetheless.
“Hiccup,” you whispered, looking up at the brunette with an awkward smile.
“Hm?” he mumbled, gazing down at your face which was framed with your messy hair.
“I think you’re forgetting about Drago Bludvist…” you said gently, an apprehensive chuckle escaping your lips.
Hiccup's eyes widened. “Oh, Thor, you’re right!”
You nodded slowly as he released you from his grip. “Yup,” you exclaimed with a laugh.
Hiccup smiled to himself as he swung himself onto Toothless, connecting his prosthetic foot to the saddle with a ‘click!’
You got onto your own dragon, who rumbled softly at you. You giggled, “I know, girl.”
Toothless snorted in exasperation, and Hiccup looked at him with confusion. You chuckled, and Hiccup rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” he muttered, shooting you a smile before taking off on his Night Fury. You would face this threat, together.

Chapter Text

As you glided through the wind, the Village of Berk slowly faded into view. The cold breeze sent shivers down your spine. You glanced over at Hiccup, who shot you an uneasy look. Leafchaser rumbled softly as she touched the ground with a soft thump. You slipped off swiftly, letting out a sigh as your boots hit the ground. The crowd erupted into noise at you and Hiccup's return, and Stoick pushed through the sea of villagers. “Haha! There he is!” He roared, “Huh? The pride of Berk!”
Hiccup grabbed your hand and pulled you with him as he approached his father with urgency.
Gobber raised an eyebrow at Hiccup. “Who finally decided to show up for work. Yay.”
Your brunette friend rushed past Gobber, who swung his hooked hand at him. “Sorry. Got held up.” He exclaimed, pulling you over to his father, “Hey, Dad, could I have a word?”
Stoick chuckled heartily, placing his beefy hands on Hiccup's shoulders. “Something you're itching to tell me?”
Hiccup chuckled nervously, “Er– Not quite the itch you're thinking of, but yes.”
Stoick handed him an apron and guided him to the front desk. You sighed, trailing behind them.
“Good man! Now, lesson one. A chief's first duty is to his people. So…” Stoick exclaimed, changing the rune on the "being served" placard. “Forty-one? Forty–”
Hiccup looked back at you with a ‘help me look’, and you shrugged in response. “Could we just talk in private for–” He began, before being interrupted by a villager.
“That's me! That's me! I'm next!” The man yelled, pushing his way through the crowd. “I was ahead of you! Excuse me, I've been here all day.” He reached the counter, giddy with excitement. “Okay, I want one of those high seaters, with lots of spikes and a big stowage compartment.”
Stoick nodded. “Absolutely! You got it, sir.” Stoick suddenly spun Hiccup around, steering him back into the shop. You groaned, following after them.
“Dad, this is actually a little more important than building saddles.” Hiccup whispered nervously.
Stoick slapped his back enthusiastically. Ah-ah! Lesson two. No task is too small when it comes to serving your people.” He boomed, stepping over the tail of a large, snoring oaf of a dragon, stirring him awake with a fussy start. “Excuse us, Grump.”

Gobber called out from afar. “Grump! You let the forge die down again!”
Grump coughed a lump of molten lava into the forge and it splattered everywhere, igniting multiple fires. Hiccup side-stepped them as Stoick gathered materials in the back of the stall.
Gobber pulled the fire extinguisher, dumping water everywhere. “That's it, Grump. You're going up for adoption!”

You chuckled softly, before deciding to cut to the chase. You approached Stoick and Hiccup with a disgruntled expression. “Excuse me, Stoick? I think it would pay to listen to your son,” you said, tone low and exasperated. Hiccup sighed with relief.
Stoick looked back at you in surprise, and Hiccup seized the opportunity to explain what happened.
“We really need to tell you about this new land we came across,” Hiccup began.
“Another one!?” Gobber intervened.
As if on cue, Fishlegs walked in, followed by the Twins and Snotlout. “Any new dragons?” Fishlegs asked, eyes bright with enthusiasm. .
Hiccup sighed, giving you a sideways glance of exasperation. “We didn't stick around to find out. These folks weren't particularly friendly.”
Gobber snorted. Oh, really? Your Night Fury and Lightcutter didn't bring them cheering to the rooftops?”
“No, this was different. Not the standard run-for-the-hills hoo-ha I've come to enjoy. These guys were trappers. Dragon trappers.” Hiccup explained, a hint of urgency creeping into his voice. “And Kira knows that man they’re working for.”
Stoick raised an eyebrow, eyes flicking between you and Hiccup.
“You should've seen their fort, all blown apart and stuck in giant spikes of ice. And to make matters more interesting, they claimed a dragon did it!” You exclaimed, and Hiccup nodded.
“I've never seen anything like it. And worst of all, they thought we were to blame!” The brunette said, a hint of annoyance in his tone.
Gobber grimaced. “Y'know, you two are gonna get yourselves in serious trouble one of these days. Not everyone appreciates this way of life.”
Stoick nodded in agreement. “Gobber's right, son. Best we keep to our own. Besides, you'll have more important uses for your time–” He said in a sing-song voice. “Once we make the big announcement!”
“Please, listen to me,” you said loudly. “They are building a dragon army. Their leader – Drago Bludvist, you must know him. He was a close friend of my father's back at my old village and I've seen what kind of man he is – we’re all in danger if he’s around.” You looked around at the people listening, eyes alight with urgency.
Silence filled the stall, and Stoick's eyes widened and he turned to Gobber with a growing alarm.
“I'll bloody his fist with my face if he tries to take my dragon!” Tuffnut yelled confidently.
“Or mine.” Ruffnut piped up.
Tuffnut grumbled in annoyance at his sister.

Stoick turned to you, panic painted all over his face. “Drago Bludvist?” he questioned.
You nodded slowly, glancing over at Hiccup who looked anxious.
The Chief took a deep breath. “What was the name of your village?” He asked you.
A lump formed in your throat as you thought back to your childhood. “Drangar,” you responded firmly, watching as Stoick's eyes widened with panic.

“Drangar?” Hiccup questioned, putting his hand on your shoulder. “You mean the tribe of murder from the other side of the archipelago?”
You nodded. “Yup.”
Snotlout interrupted. “Didn’t that burn down?”
You smirked, clearing your throat. “I wonder how that happened,” you exclaimed in mock curiosity, earning wide stares from everyone in the room.

Stoick's eyes narrowed in a mix of anger and alarm. He turned to Gobber, “Gather the council. We need to strategize. And send word to the other villages, if Drago’s on the move, they need to know.”
Gobber nodded. “On it, Chief.”

Stoick rushed down a circular stone staircase into the vast, bustling cave that housed the dragon stables. You and Hiccup exchanged a look before running after him. His orders boomed across the stables. “Ground all dragons!” he commanded, his voice unwavering.
You exchanged a bewildered look with Hiccup as you ran, footsteps pounding against the stone floor.
“What? Dad!” Hiccup called out, desperation lacing his voice as he tried to catch up.
Ignoring his son, Stoick continued barking orders. “Seal the gates! Lower the storm doors!”

The village erupted into a frenzy of activity. Massive storm doors rattled as they were lowered into place. You were confused – why wasn’t the Chief doing anything about Drago?

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait! What is happening?” Hiccup pleaded, his eyes darting between the bustling villagers and his father.
One of the villagers shouted over the chaos. “You heard the man! Lock it down!”
Stoick's face was etched with grim determination. “No dragon or Viking sets foot off this island until I give the word!” he declared, his tone inviting no argument.
Hiccup's heart raced. “What do you mean! We need to find Drago and put an end to this–”
Stoick turned to face him, his expression grave. “Drago Bludvist is a madman, without conscience or mercy. If he’s built a dragon army… Gods help us all.”
Your jaw dropped. They were just going to hide and hope things passed over? “He is a madman, and that’s why we need to stop him!” you yelled, trying to reason with the stubborn Chief.
Stoick ignored you, throwing demands all around. Your blood boiled as he paid no mind to you. Poison and fury surged through your veins, pumping you full of adrenaline. How dare he?
Hiccup’s mind whirled with the implications, feeling a surge of frustration at his father. His determination flared, and he sprinted to catch up with his father. “Let’s ride back out there, we’ll follow those trappers to Drago and talk some sense into him!”
Stoick stopped and turned to face Hiccup, his face as hard as stone. “No. We fortify the island.”
Hiccup’s frustration suddenly boiled over. “It’s our duty to keep the peace!”
Stoick's face toughened. “Peace is over, Hiccup. I must prepare you for war.”
His words hit Hiccup like a punch to the gut. “War? Dad, if Drago’s coming for our dragons, we can’t just wait around for him to get here! Let’s go find him and change his mind.”
Stoick shook his head. “Some minds won’t be changed, Hiccup. Berk is what you need to worry about. A chief protects his own.”

You stood behind the father and son, panic gripping your chest. You had to get out of here – if Berk wasn’t going to do anything about Drago, you would take matters into your own hands. Your face hardened as you looked around for an exit. Hiccup glanced over at you, his expression defeated but his eyes still shone with determination.

“Are you up for a new mission, M’lady?” He asked with a hopeful expression, to which you clenched your jaw and nodded. “Let’s go,” he whispered, jumping onto Toothless.
You hopped onto your dragon, following behind Hiccup closely as you sped through the air.
“HICCUP!” Stoick roared.
You gasped as the door you headed for sealed shut. “Come on!” you called to Hiccup, gesturing to another storm door. The Night Fury sped behind you as you rushed toward the lowering gate. You dived through the gap and let out a deep exhale as the wind hit your face.

You and Hiccup soared over the ocean, the waves below glinting in the sunlight. The wind whipped around you, carrying the salty scent of the sea. Toothless let out a low, concerned rumble as Hiccup glanced back at the island of Berk, now a fortified village preparing for war.

“Hiccup, what just happened?” you asked softly, glancing over at the disgruntled Hiccup.
The brunette sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair. “My dad… he’s terrified. Drago Bludvist will be unlike anything we’ve faced before. My father thinks we can’t win by facing him head-on.”
You looked at Hiccup, your eyes filled with determination “At least now you know just how bad this guy is,” you murmured. “But hiding won’t solve anything. Drago won’t stop until he’s conquered everything. We need to defeat him before he wreaks havoc on everything, and we need to free those dragons!”
Hiccup nodded, his face relaxing as he observed your determined expression. He was so glad you were on the same page as him – that you were by his side through everything. “Thank you, Kira,” he whispered, a small smile appearing on his lips. You returned the gesture, before tilting your head slowly.
“You know, Hiccup,” you began, eyes searching Hiccups. “You’re a huge mediator.”
The brunette sighed lightly. “I just don’t want any conflict. It doesn’t hurt to try.”
You nodded slowly. “ We can try to persuade Drago to call off whatever he’s doing – but the truth is there’s a huge chance he’ll just refuse and then skin us alive.”
Hiccup shuddered. “Thank you for the visual,” he exclaimed sarcastically.
You chuckled, “We might have to use violence to end this, Hiccup,” you said gently, looking over at the brunette's ‘deep-in-thought’ face.
“Yeah, but whatever happens – I’m hoping we’ll just end up neutralising him and that we won’t have put harm to any dragons…” he murmured, gazing at you with his bright green eyes.
You smiled. “Me too, Hiccup. But whatever happens, I’ll be by your side ‘till the very end.”
Hiccup's face softened and his stomach fluttered. “I know,” he said softly.

Chapter Text

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Hiccup?” you called out, your voice carried away by the salty wind.
The brunette boy turned to smile at you, his green eyes sparkling with confidence. “Trust me, this will work,” he assured.
You rolled your eyes. “As if…” you muttered under your breath.

In the distance, a small boat rocked on the ocean surface, its hull unmistakably marked by a dragon trapper insignia. Narrowing your eyes, you pointed toward the faraway vessel. “Hiccup, over there!” you called out. The brunette nodded, leaning forward to steer his dragon through the sky. As you grew closer, you recognised the face of Eret – the egotistical guy you had encountered earlier. Your eyes widened slightly, noticing the fresh, angry burns on the right side of his arm. You smirked, eyes narrowing in concentration as you outmanoeuvred the nets streaking through the air. Leafchaser touched down on the boat with a clatter, swiftly followed by Toothless.

“And here I was worried we might turn up empty-handed,” Eret gloated, a smirk plastered on his face. You glared daggers at him, wishing to Odin that you could punch the smug look off of his face. You turned to look at Hiccup, who held his hands up in surrender.
“Nope. It's your lucky day, we give up,” he said, making you mentally face-palm. “That’s one Night Fury, one Lightcutter, and…” He paused, dismounting Toothless and chucking a net over you. “...Two of the finest dragon riders west of Luk Tuk. That ought to make the boss happy, right?”
“Hey!” you grumbled, struggling under the weight of the net. You shot a glare at Hiccup, who was smiling foolishly.

Eret and his men exchanged bewildered glances as Hiccup placed a gentle hand on the curve of your lower back, guiding you to an open trapdoor.
“Excuse us,” Hiccup exclaimed as he led you down the ladder. You glowered at him, clearly disapproving of the plan.
“What are you doing, Hiccup?” you questioned, a groan tinging your voice.
Toothless attempted to follow you, but Hiccup held him back. “Toothless, stay,” he ordered, making the Night Fury tilt his head in confusion. Leafchaser whined at you, to which you gave her a reassuring smile.

Hiccup flipped the latch, lowering the grate as Eret watched, dumbfounded. “The dragons don't really care for cramped spaces, so they'll just hang out with you. They won't be any trouble,” Hiccup explained, a small smirk playing on his lips.

The crewmen nervously pointed their swords and spears toward Toothless, who snarled in response. “Unless you do that. Wooden boat, big ocean. How's your swimming?” Hiccup asked, humour glinting in his green eyes.
One of the dragon-trappers sighed in defeat, “Not good,” he admitted. Eret rolled his eyes in exasperation. The raven-haired man looked back with an apprehensive expression, wincing as your dragon spread her enormous wings threateningly. You giggled, “Those fur coats make you look like prey!” you called out in a mocking voice. Some of Eret’s men yelped in fear and hastily threw off any furry clothing they had.

Suddenly a burst of flame erupts from the trapdoor, causing the crewmen to jump back. Hiccup throws his Dragon Blade through the opening in the grate. He hit his forehead with his hand, acting out ignorance. “Oops, almost forgot. Can’t have armed prisoners!” He exclaimed.
You sighed exasperation clear in your tone. “What kind of plan is this?” you questioned, your eyebrows knitted together in annoyance. Hiccup smiled and shot you a ‘trust me’ look, his eyes twinkling with foolish confidence. A groan escaped your lips as the brunette retracted his blade and offered it up. A crewman cautiously takes it, eyes narrowing as he flips it over in his hand. The pommel of the hilt expelled green gas, making the men grimace and step back.
Hiccup started to monologue, doing his signature shoulder gestures as he talked. “Just what every dragon trapper needs. One end coats the blade in Monstrous Nightmare saliva. The other sprays Hideous Zippleback gas. All it takes is a spark and…”
The crewman clicked the lighter, igniting the gas with a loud whoosh.
Hiccup ducked as the explosion swept across the boat, plumes of smoke rising into the air. He chuckled, “Oh, yeah, there you go!”
You smiled weakly as Toothless and Leafchaser pawed at the embers like curious puppies.
“Once they see you as one of their own, even the testiest dragons can be trained, right, bud?” Hiccup exclaimed, smiling at his loyal Night Fury.
Eret gritted his teeth, obviously fed up with Hiccup's antics. “Give me that!” He growled, snatching the dragon blade and hurling it toward the ocean. Leafchaser mewled in excitement and bolted after it. “What game are you playing?” Eret questioned, his hard expression falling as Leafchaser dropped the blade at Erets feet like a dog. The raven-haired man threw the weapon again, frustration creeping into his face. Leafchaser bounded after it, before returning just as quickly, her tail hitting crewmen as it wagged.
Hiccup smiled. “No game. We just want to meet Drago.”
You faked a cough. “Er– you,” you corrected him.
Hiccup rolled his eyes, pushing your head back with his hand.
Eret stared at Hiccup incredulously. “Why?” he questioned, his tone laced with scepticism.
“Because I'm going to change his mind about dragons.” Hiccup exclaimed with unwavering determination.
Eret and his crew erupted into laughter, their voices echoing across the deck.
You poke your head out of the well, a small smirk on your lips. “He can be really persuasive. But if that doesn’t work, I’ll just kill him,” you said cheerfully, your tone contradicting the seriousness of your words. Eret looked at you with a disbelieving expression, his laughter fading.
Hiccup chuckled as he pets Toothless. “Once you've earned their loyalty, there is nothing a dragon won't do for you.” He said, his voice filled with warmth.

Eret scoffed. “You won't be changing any minds around here.” He looked back at his crew, who shook their heads as they laughed in agreement.
Hiccup exchanged a glance with you, a spark of determination in his eyes. “I can change yours. Right here. Right now.” he said confidently. The brunette set Toothless' tail in the locked, splayed position, revealing the dragon's prosthetic tail fluke. Eret sneered, suspicion plastered on his face. Hiccup stepped out of the grate, gesturing toward Toothless with a grin. “May I?”

Suddenly, Hiccup was snatched into the air and a flurry of wings blurred past, ripping through the sail. You gasped, panic surging into your chest as you scrambled out of the cage. Toothless reacted instantly as he leapt up the mast, a guttural roar erupting from his throat before it faded into uncertainty. He tilted his head, puzzled. You followed his gaze and sighed in annoyance. In the sky were the dragons that belonged to your friends. You mentally facepalmed – of course, they found you…

Hiccup groaned in the sky, trying to escape the grip of Hookfang. “Put me down! Snotlout! What are you doing?”
Snotlout, who was riding Hookfang, ignored Hiccup and looked back to see if Ruffnut witnessed the save. “See how well I protect and provide?” he called out, trying to impress her.
Ruffnut grumbled at his incessant courting, her face plastered with disgust. Suddenly a flying net whizzed past her head, narrowly avoiding her.
“Argh! What is with all the nets?!” Tuffnut yelled, swerving his two headed dragon to avoid the capture devices.
“Hey, watch it! That was close…” Ruffnut trailed off as she spotted Eret firing nets from the deck of the ship. Her jaw dropped as she admired Eret’s glistening biceps flexing as he blasted the net cannon. “Oh, my.” she gasped, smirking as the net unravelled. “Me likey…” The mesh enveloped her as she yielded to it, a blissful expression on her face. “Take me!” she declared, surrendering herself.
You groaned, facepalming as you watched your friend submit to the net. Leafchaser nudged you, letting out a confused rumble. You patted her head, feeling exasperated by the chaos around you.

Meanwhile, Hiccup managed to escape the grip of the Monstrous Nightmare and kicked off. He pulled out his wing-suit flaps, making his glide through the air with concentration.

“Hey!” you yelled, sending a harsh kick at Eret as he took aim at Hiccup. Eret yelled out in pain, throwing off the shot. Hiccup flew unsteadily towards the ship and collided with its sail. He slid down the canvas and dropped to the deck with a thud. Toothless landed behind him, his viridian eyes wide with confusion. “Uh, what are you guys doing here!?” He called out to his fellow Berkians. You rushed to his side, glaring at him with an ‘I told you so’ look. Hiccup sighed, placing his hand on your shoulder as a gesture of comfort.

Suddenly Grump landed on the deck, scattering Eret's crew. “We're here to rescue you!” Gobber exclaimed, pointing his weaponized hand to Hiccup.
The brunette rolled his eyes. “I don’t need to be rescued!”
The bow dipped down heavily as Stoick touched down on Skullcrusher. He dismounted, his face livid and his towering frame casting a long shadow over the deck.
Eret blocks Stoick's path, his stature cocky and confident. “Well, didn't you just pick the wrong ship, eh? I am Eret, son of–”

Before he could finish, Stoick shoved his face aside, sending Eret slamming into Grump. Before he could react, Gobber clubled Eret on the head, sending him collapsing to the deck. Grump sat on him, smothering him into submission. You stifled a giggle, nudging Hiccup who nodded at you with a weak smile.
Eret groaned. “Get... this... thing... off... me!”
Gobber turned to the other crewmen with a smile. “Anyone else?” He asked.
Eret's men eyed the Vikings, who were armed and flanked by their dragons. Reluctantly, they set down their swords in defeat.
“That’s what I figured,” Gobber chuckled.
Stoick turned to Hiccup, his voice stern. “You. Saddle up. We're going home.”
Hiccup glared at his father, defiance plastered on his face. “No.”
The Chief gritted his teeth, his frustration boiling over. “Of all the irresponsible–”
“–I'm trying to protect our dragons and stop a war! How is that irresponsible?” Hiccup interrupted, exasperation lacing his tone.
“Because war is what he wants, son!” Stoick thundered, his voice shaking the very air.
Hiccup looked away, clearly frustrated. You placed a hand on his shoulder, providing him with some silent support.
Stoick sighed, realising that he needed to explain. “Years ago, there was a great gathering of chieftains to discuss the dragon scourge we all faced. Into our midst came a stranger from a strange land, covered in scars and draped in a cloak of dragon skin. He carried no weapon and spoke softly, saying that he, Drago Bludvist, was a man of the people, devoted to freeing mankind from the tyranny of dragons. He claimed that he alone could control the dragons and that he alone could keep us safe, if we chose to bow down and follow him.”
Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the Twins snickered.
“Stupid,” said Ruffnut.
Tuffnut chuckled “Good one.”
You looked over at Hiccup, who met your eyes with a still-determined gaze.
“Aye. We laughed, too…” Stoick continued, his voice heavy with regret. Until he wrapped himself in his cloak and cried out, ‘Then see how well you do without me!’ The rooftop suddenly burst into flames, and from it, armoured dragons descended, burning the hall to the ground. I... was the only one to escape.”
The Twins, Snotlout and Fishlegs exchanged spooked glances.
Your close friend, Astrid, met your gaze, and she gave you a stare that said, ‘what are you doing?’
You grimaced, responding with ‘I couldn’t let him go off on his own,’ look as you gestured to Hiccup. She nodded, unspoken understanding glistening in her eyes.
Stoick turned to Hiccup, his expression serious. “Men who kill without reason cannot be reasoned with.
The brunette man pulled you by your arm as he stomped away. “Maybe.”
“Hiccup…” Stoick said, his voice low and agitated. You sent an apologetic shrug to your friends, who exchanged glances of apprehension.
“I'm still going to try.” Hiccup said with a determined expression. He nodded to you as he jumped onto Toothless and locked eyes with his father. “This is what I'm good at. And if I could change your mind... I can change his too.”
You hopped onto Leafchaser, giving the dragon a reassuring pat on the head as you and Hiccup took to the air. The Lightcutter spread her wings and took flight, leaving everyone below stirring in awkward silence.

As you and Hiccup darted through the air, the wind was the only thing making any sound.
“Hiccup…” you broke the silence, your voice laced with uncertainty.
The brunette sighed. “I know what you’re going to say, but I need to at least try!” He exclaimed, looking over at you with wide, determined eyes with unwavering tenacity.
You shook your head as you chuckled. “There is no changing your mind, is there?” You asked, already knowing the answer.
Hiccup looked out at the vast expanse of sea with a stubborn expression. “Nope,” he affirmed. “Are you still with me?”
You grinned, heart swelling with bubbly feelings. (Go away, not the time! – Kira’s mind) “Obviously! There is no way I’m letting you do this alone.”
Hiccup returned a smile, feeling comforted that you were by his side with unshakeable support. Toothless rumbled knowingly, making Hiccup roll his eyes. You soared through the sky, ready to face Drago Bludvist.

Chapter Text

The light of day was dimming. You gazed up into oblivion, mesmerised by the pinks and oranges strewn across the sky. Hiccup turned to smile at you, watching with awe as he stared at the colours reflected in your eyes. You turned to grin at him, and he looked away quickly – he had been staring... Leafchaser rumbled happily, her dual-wings flapping through the puffs of cloud as you soared through the wind. You sighed, it was peaceful up here.

“The sky is very beautiful tonight. Right, Hiccup?” You exclaimed. The sunset reminded you of all things peaceful, like Leafchaser. You smiled softly, eyes crinkling as you bathed in the depleting sunlight.
The brunette shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah,” he responded, “But not as beautiful as you…” Hiccup trailed off at the end, his voice going quiet and embarrassed.
“Huh? What’dya say?” You questioned, tilting your head in curiosity.
Hiccup blushed and looked away. “Er– Nothing.”
A bright smile spread across your lips. You had heard him perfectly well.

Leafchaser and Toothless rumbled to each other, gaining height with every flap of their wings. Soon enough, you flew through the wet clouds and rose above them. You smiled; it was beautiful up here. Hiccup took in a deep breath, slumping backwards into Toothless’ saddle. He groaned, pressing his hands to his face in exasperation. You raised your eyebrows, half exasperated and half concerned.
“What’s up?” you asked curiously.
Hiccup sighed. “My dad just doesn’t understand,” he said begrudgingly.
You blinked slowly, raking your hand through your tangled hair. “No, he doesn’t. But you’re also not understanding him,” you said gently, shrugging your shoulders.
Hiccup's face softened. “I guess so…” he grumbled, confliction stirring in his stomach. Hiccup sighed, closing his eyes in thought. “Don't worry, bud. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. I promise.” Toothless rumbled happily at his words.

Leafchaser’s ears pricked up and she glanced over her shoulder, a low growl creeping into her throat. You turned to look behind you, eyes narrowing at the disturbance in the clouds. A surprised gasp escaped your mouth as a strange, masked warrior rose from the veil of fog. They stood on something unseen, appearing to the eye like they were floating. “Hiccup!” you exclaimed, springing up into a crouch as Leafchaser growled.

Hiccup groaned and sat up. “Aw, come on, Dad! Really?” He whipped his head around, expecting his father but was met with the stare of the unknown person. The brunette froze, mouth agape as the warrior tilted their head in curiosity.

Something about the masked figure seemed familiar to you, though you couldn’t place your finger on it. It was something about the way they moved – animalistic and graceful. Or was it their armour? You didn’t know why, but your instincts told you not to attack. Before you could say anything, the warrior dipped back into the clouds. The fluffy veil engulfed them until they disappeared, leaving both you and Hiccup in shock.

Hiccup gave you a sideways glance. “No sudden moves,” he murmured to Toothless, who growled. Suddenly, the warrior exploded out of the clouds, standing atop of a large dragon. You gasped – It was a Stormcutter! Leafchaser rumbled curiously, tilting her head at her large kin. The Stormcutter cooed softly as it circled you and Hiccup, its giant wings driving the clouds away.

“Wow,” you breathed, seeing just how large the purebreed was compared to your hybrid. The warrior pointed a staff toward Hiccup, before slowly directing it to you. Your eyes widened, heart beating in your chest rapidly.

“Hold on, hold on,” Hiccup exclaimed nervously. Toothless growled a warning, earning a small screech from the Stormcutter. A flurry of wings rushed past you and you gasped a panicked “Hiccup!” The brunette was plucked off of Toothless, large claws ensnaring his hands. You felt your heart tighten as your friend was carried off.. “Toothless!” Hiccup yelped before he faded into the clouds. You urged Leafchaser to go after him, but your dragon was fixed on the Night Fury plummeting through the air.
Leafchasers roar echoed through the icy wind as she dived after Toothless. The Night Fury thrashed through the air before crashing through the layer of ice on the ocean floor. He roared in desperation, wings slicing through the frigid water. Panic gripped your heart and you prayed to the Gods that Toothless and Hiccup would be okay.

You were distracted.

A scream left your mouth as you were suddenly lifted off your dragon, claws clamping around your arms. Leafchaser let out a bloodcurdling roar, panic filling her wide blue eyes. She flapped her wings furiously, speeding toward your fading figure. Suddenly, a large, scaly dragon rammed into the Lightcutter. You let out an alarmed cry. Leafchaser’s roar turned into one of agony as she flailed in the air. You watched in shock as your best friend fell into the ocean with a ‘splash!’

“Leafchaser!” You screamed, fighting against the tight grip of the dragon. With a swift pinch, its talons loosened and you pulled yourself up onto the creature. It rumbled in curiosity as you stood up on its back, shooting you an inquisitive look with it’s amber eyes. You gazed out into the darkening sky. What the hell were you going to do?

Eventually you caught up with Hiccup and the masked warrior. Anger was plastered on your face as you yelled. “Who the hell are you! Let us go!” you spat with vexation. The warrior offered no response, leaving you shaking from both anger and the cold. Your brunette friend looked back at you, panic etched into his handsome face. Wait, what?

As you glided through the fog, you gasped at the giant ice formation in the distance. It was jagged, spiked and many times the size of the glacier in Erets fort. The pack of dragons divided into its overlapping skewers, weaving through the formations before they slowed down at a chamber made of ice and columns of basalt. The area was heavily populated with dragons of all kinds looming in the shadows. You and Hiccup were thrown into the centre, knocking the air out of you. The brunette scrambled to his feet, calling out to the darkness. “We have to head back for my dragon!”

You clutched your side as you slowly rose up, pain stabbing the healed wound on your abdomen. A hissing dragon closed in, leering with aggression. Hiccup was swift to react as he sheathed his dragon blade, waving a blade of fire around himself. The dragon paused and watched hypnotically as Hiccup pacified him with sweeps of the fiery sword. You grimaced, noticing the warrior watching keenly from the shadows.

A curious Sniffehunch growled at you, and you approached it slowly. You got down to its level, bowing your head as averting your eyes to tell it that you weren’t a threat. You scratched under its jaw and it rumbled happily. A smile split across your face as many other dragons approached you, sniffing and nudging.
In the background, several aggressive dragons closed in behind Hiccup. Hearing their hisses, he quickly stowed the blade, replaced a cartridge in its hilt and then flipped it around and doused a perimeter of Zippleback gas around himself. He clicked the lighter, igniting a ring of fire. The dragons recoiled, the flames illuminating their wide eyes. Hiccup reached through the smoke, offering his open hand. The dragons re-approach, sniffing him with calmed curiosity. You grinned as you looked over at your friend, he was so flashy – a show off!

The warrior lurked in the shadows, watching you intently as you were swarmed with eager dragons. Hiccup piped up, breaking the silence. “Who are you? The Dragon Thief? Drago Bludvist?” He questioned, his eyes narrowing as the warrior circled him in silence. “Do you even understand what I'm saying?” Hiccup was growing frustrated, you could tell.

The warrior whirled around their staff before slamming it against the ground. In response, two large dragons emerged from the veil of darkness. You gasped, relief flooding your body. Leafchaser and Toothless were dumped onto the ground, sopping wet and confused. “Toothless!” Hiccup exclaimed, rushing toward his Night Fury. You weaved through the dragons, collapsing onto your knees in front of your best friend. You stroked her head soothingly, and she cooed in response. You turned to smile at Hiccup, who was muttering to Toothless and he rubbed his scales. “It’s okay. I’m glad to see you too, bud. You really had me worried there,” Hiccup murmured, his voice filled with relief.

The warrior, watching from a distance, rattled their staff at another dragon. In response, it and the surrounding dragons exhaled a collective breath of firelight, casting a glowing spotlight on you, Hiccup and your dragons. The warrior set down their staff and shield, approaching Hiccup cautiously, moving with an animal-like grace. You watched with narrowed eyes as the warrior passed you with a tilt of their head, before stopping in front of Hiccup. Toothless snarled, circling his human defensively. The warrior quickly extended a hand and had Toothless sprawled across the hard floor in a state of bliss. Your eyes widened as you met Hiccup's gaze, who looked equally as startled as you. You were both astonished at the demonstration of skill.

The warrior’s hand moved towards Hiccup's face. The brunette recoiled slightly, but the warrior persisted, fingers finding the faint scar on Hiccup's chin, which glinted in the firelight.
The warrior gasped and retreated a few steps, her voice trembling with a mixture of shock and emotion. "Hiccup?" she whispered, her tone shaken. "Could it be? After all these years? How is this possible?"
Hiccup’s eyes widened in confusion and curiosity. "Uh, should I... should I know you?" he asked, uncertainty lacing his words.
"No. You were only a babe..." she responded, her voice filled with emotion.
Slowly, the warrior removed her mask, revealing a woman of about forty years. Her eyes met Hiccup's, both equally wide-eyed.
"... but a mother never forgets," she finished softly.
Hiccup's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the woman who stood before him. Your jaw dropped. “That's your Mother!?” you exclaimed, feeling confused and surprised.
Hiccup stammered, unable to find any words.
“Come…” The woman said, before retreating into the shadows.

Chapter Text

You recoiled in surprise, eyes widening as you absorbed the new information. This dragon warrior woman was Hiccup's mother? Well, now you know where his knack for dragons came from.

You glanced over at Hiccup, worry circulating in your stomach. How was he going to take this? Hiccup had a perplexed look on his face, mouth open for words he couldn’t utter. “Hiccup…” you whispered, walking over to the brunette.
He sent you a fleeting glance before grabbing your hand. You looked down at your intertwined fingers with widening eyes. Without warning, Hiccup pulled you with him as he ran after his mother. You let out a startled noise, feet stumbling as you tried to balance yourself.
“Hiccup!” You exclaimed through gritted teeth. “Be rational about this.”
“When am I not rational?” He countered, weaving through narrow spaces and ducking under spikes.
Despite all the dodging and winding, he never once eased the grip on your hand.

You could see Hiccup's mother ahead of you. She used her staff for mobility, which you made a mental note of. It was striking how much Hiccup resembled her – auburn hair, green eyes.
“Hold on! Wait just a minute! Come back here!” Hiccup called after her.
The warrior looked back for a moment, smiling gently. “This way. Come.” She made an ushering gesture to Hiccup.
You looked back at Toothless and Leafchaser following behind you, an exasperated look on your face.
“You can't just say something like that and run off!” Hiccup exclaimed, out of breath. “You're my mother?! I mean, what the – do you grasp how INSANE it sounds?!” The brunette finally let go of your hand to make a dramatic gesture of his hands. “ I have questions!”
“Yeah, no kidding.” You muttered under your breath.
The warrior used her staff to climb up the terrain. “Come, Quickly!”

Hiccup chased after her, attempting to claw his way up a steep slope of basalt; but was ultimately unsuccessful. You chuckled and leapt up the stone, turning to smirk at your brunette friend. He rolled his eyes. Toothless nudged Hiccup up, causing him to land on his back with a grunt. You offered your hand to him, and he took it with a small smile. This action turned out to be a mistake, as Hiccup wouldn’t let go of you… again.

“Where have you been all this time?” Hiccup yelled, pulling you through the r0cky area. “What've you been doing?! They said you were dead! Everyone thinks you were eaten by…” Hiccup trailed off as light hit his face.
You gasped, looking around at the large chamber. There were plants, waterfalls and thousands of dragons.
A large group of them were circling a large spike of ice, while others flew around freely or nestled in plants.

You looked over at Hiccup with awe plastered on your face. The brunette returned your amazed look, before his face fell in defence. Toothless snarled at something behind you, and Hiccup gasped as he turned to look. Valka clung to a basalt overhang, watching him intently.

You stood back, detangling your fingers from Hiccup. It was best to give Hiccup and his mother space. It must be pretty crazy to be kidnapped by some dragon lady and then find out it’s your long-lost mother…
Hiccup, however, had other ideas.
As soon as you drew your touch away, he quickly snatched your hand back and held it tightly. You sighed, getting the message.

"This is where you've been for twenty years?" Hiccup questioned, looking around the cavern with disbelief. Valka nodded from her perch.
"You've been rescuing them," Hiccup continued, awe creeping into his voice. Valka nodded again, this time with a smile.
"Unbelievable," Hiccup whispered, shaking his head.
Valka's eyes softened as she looked down at her son. "You're not upset?"
Hiccup hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "What? No. I don't know. It's a bit much to get my head around, to be frank. It's not every day you find out your mother is some kind of crazy, feral, vigilante dragon lady."
You looked from Hiccup to his mother, unsure what to do. Perhaps the best idea was to keep quiet…

Valka chuckled and, using her dragon's wing, lowered herself to the ground skillfully. "At least I'm not boring... right?"
Your eyes brightened in curiosity, watching Hiccup's mother move gracefully.
"I suppose there is that... one... specific... thing..." Hiccup's voice trailed off as he glanced around the dragon-filled cavern. The brunette's voice was tinged with an edge.
Excited dragons rushed up to greet you, Hiccup and Toothless. The brunette man hesitantly stroked a green dragon that nuzzled him.
"Do you like it?" Valka asked, her voice filled with pride and a hint of worry.
"I don't have the words," Hiccup replied, shaking his head in amazement. You nodded in agreement, squeezing your friends hand softly. He smiled, squeezing your hand back. You felt your heart flutter and this simple action.

Toothless snarled in annoyance as the curious dragons sniffed every part of him. You laughed, gently nudging a dragon's nose away from your face.

Hiccup's mother approached you slowly. “And you, I think I know who you are,” she exclaimed, studying your face and stature. You felt awkward under her stare. “Many like to call you the Queen of Dragons,” Valka murmured thoughtfully.
You shrugged your shoulders. “I prefer just Kira,” you responded with a weak smile.
Hiccup shot you a playful grin, and you glared back (a gesture that was more affectionate than annoyed). Valka looked between the two of you, a small smile growing on her face. Her eyes glanced down to your interlocked fingers, eyes widening.
“Ah…” she exclaimed. “you’re Hiccup’s girlfriend, no?” Valka tilted her head. “Or wife?” she added.

Your jaw dropped lower than your dead mother. Leafchaser cooed happily, nodding her head up and down. “W-What!” you stuttered, face red from embarrassment as you quickly wrenched your hand away. You looked at Hiccup, who gave you a wide-eyed, flustered look. Toothless nudged the brunette, rumbling softly.
Valka looked from you to Hiccup, her expression filled with amusement.
“You’ve got it all wrong! It’s not like that!” You exclaimed frantically, rubbing the back of your neck.
You noticed Hiccup's face fall and felt a tinge of regret. (He knew that you hadn’t talked about it… but still, he felt a bit hurt at how quick you were to deny it.)

Hiccup's mother nodded slowly. “I see,” she said. “I apologise for assuming.” She smiled, walking over to your dragon and slowly giving her a pat on the head. Leafchaser rumbled, shaking Valka’s hand off. You glanced over at Hiccup, who was kicking his feet nervously. A small wave of emotion washed over you, making you sway on your feet a little. He looked so… pretty. Was pretty the right word to call a man? You giggled to yourself. It was definitely the right word to call Hiccup.

You were suddenly snapped out of your trance when Valka spoke up. “I’ve never seen a dragon like this one before,” she exclaimed, looking back at you with a curious smile.
You nodded slowly, finding the words to speak. “Yeah, she’s not from land,” you chuckled. Valka sent you a confused look, and Hiccup wasn’t paying attention. “Her name is Leafchaser, she’s a Lightcutter,” you explained, gesturing your hands a little. Hiccup suddenly noticed how you were copying his overdramatic movements, making him smile.

“A Lightcutter, hm?” Hiccup's mother hummed, observing Leafchaser closely. “A Stormcutter hybrid?”
You nodded, glancing over at Valka’s dragon, who tilted his head.
“This is Cloudjumper,” She introduced, giving her friend a light pat.
A grin spread across your lips, and you looked over at Hiccup with a bright face. He returned a weak smile before quickly looking away. A small hint of hurt wallowed in your stomach.

Leafchaser and Cloudjumper cooed to each other. You chuckled, reaching up to brush the pads of your fingers on the Stormcutter’s scales. Cloudjumper rumbled, her large eyes soft and curious. You grinned, rubbing your thumb over her cheek. Hiccup watched you with a gentle smile, glaring at Toothless when the dragon laughed at him.

Valka reached out a hand toward Leafchaser, attempting to sedate her with the same move she used on Toothless. Your dragon growled, swatting Valka with her tail. You gasped, rushing to help Valka as she stumbled. “I’m sorry, she doesn’t like new people,” you apologised, sending Leafchaser a disapproving glare. She cooed innocently, ruffling her wings. Hiccup's mother gave you an understanding smile. “No worries, dear.”

Valka walked over to Hiccup's Night Fury, eyes wide with awe. "Can I... ?” She asked, to which Hiccup nodded. “He's beautiful!" Valka exclaimed, reaching out to stroke Toothless, who purred at her touch.
You watched in awe as Hiccup's mother examined Toothless. "Incredible. He might very well be the last of his kind," Valka murmured. Toothless rolled onto his back, nuzzling her. You chuckled, recalling how differently Leafchaser had reacted.

Hiccup's mother checked the nubs under the Night Fury’s chin. "And look, he's your age! No wonder you get along so well," Valka said as Toothless squirmed happily under her touch.
Hiccup smiled slightly, astounded by Toothless's affection. He looked over at you with a hesitant smile, and you nodded back encouragingly. Valka checked his teeth, which receded into his gums at her touch.
"And retractable teeth? Ah! How did you manage to—"
"—I found him in the woods," Hiccup interjected. "He was shot down and wounded."
Valka sighed and offered a sympathetic nod as she stood to caress a few of her own rescued dragons. "This Snafflefang lost his leg to one of Drago Bludvist's iron traps. This Raincutter had her wing sliced by razor netting. And this poor Hobblegrunt was blinded by a tree snare... then left to die alone and scared."
Your heart clenched. You really wanted to give this guy a lesson, now.
Valka turned back to Toothless, her eyes narrowing at his tail. "And what of this? Did Drago or his trappers do this, too?"
Hiccup chuckled hesitantly, a hint of guilt in his voice. "Heh. Well, crazy thing is... I'm actually the one who shot him down."
Valka's glare turned confused. Hiccup shrugged. "It's okay though. He got me back. Right, bud? You couldn't save all of me, could you? You just had to make it even. So... peg leg!" He gestured to his prosthetic leg with a goofy smirk. Toothless cooed happily, nudging Hiccup only his back. The brunette scratched his neck and the Night Fury rumbled. Valka observed their playful friendship with curiosity. You smiled at Hiccup, your shoulders relaxing as he became his usual self.

"What did your father think of your Night Fury friend?" Valka asked slowly, crouching down and letting Toothless sniff her hand.
Hiccup sighed. "He didn't take it all that well," Valka muttered in agreement. "But then... he changed. They all did. Pretty soon everyone back home had dragons of their own." Hiccup brightened up, gesturing his hands like he always did.
Valka looked surprised for a moment before she went back to smiling at Toothless. "If only it were possible."
"No, really, I—" Hiccup started, before being interrupted by his mother.
"—Believe me, I tried, as well. But people are not capable of change, Hiccup. Some of us... were just born different." Valka stated firmly, looking over at her dragon, who roared and took flight.

You stepped forward, eyes blazing with determination. "But Hiccup's right! I’ve seen it. The people of Berk live with dragons now. They ride them, they care for them,”
Valka's eyes softened at the sight of your earnest face. "Perhaps... perhaps it is possible," she murmured.
You sighed. “Look, I always thought they were incapable of changing too. But, Hiccup changed my mind, they all did.” I smiled, placing my hand on Toothless’ head.
Hiccup’s expression softened and he slipped off his Night Fury, landing in front of you with a stupid smile.

Valka sighed. “Berk was a land of kill or be killed, but I believed peace was possible. It was a very unpopular opinion,” She exclaimed, before continuing with a grave expression. “One night, a dragon broke into our house, finding Hiccup in the cradle. I rushed to protect you, but what I saw... was proof of everything I believed. This wasn't a vicious beast, but an intelligent, gentle creature, whose soul reflected my own.”
Hiccup’s face softened, and he glanced at you. You gave him a reassuring smile.
Valka sighed, looking at Hiccup with remorse. “You and your father nearly died that night, all because I couldn't kill a dragon.” Her gaze drifted to the ground, eyebrows furrowing.
Hiccup chuckled. “Yeah, it runs in the family,” he said with amusement, patting Toothless.
Tears rimmed Valka’s eyes. “It broke my heart to stay away, but I believed you'd be safer if I did.”

You felt sympathy for Hiccup's mother. Some people, and some decisions, just aren’t fair. You glanced around the cavern and then settled on Hiccup. His face was a mix of strain and empathy. For his sake, you wanted to stay. You wanted him to reconnect with his mother – you really did. But, Drago Bludvist was still active. You needed to stop him, and soon.

Hiccup spoke up, puncturing your thoughts. “How did you survive?”
Valka chuckled. “Oh, Cloudjumper never meant to harm me. He must’ve thought I belonged here–” She exclaimed, quickly brightening up.
Valka began walking toward the edge of the platform you stood on, glancing back at you and Hiccup with a ‘come on’ look. The brunette man gave you a smile, which you returned happily. The worry in your stomach eased, making you sigh internally. Hiccup placed a gentle hand on your back, lightly pushing it to get you moving. You shot him a playful glare and he rolled his eyes.

As you grew closer to the edge, you let out a surprised gasp. The terrace overlooked the steamy oasis with hot spring waterfalls. Half-submerged in the lake below, a colossally large dragon rested. The creature was white with mammoth-like tusks and spikes protruding from the back of its neck.

You breathed out a ‘wow’. The dragon was incredible, you’d never seen anything like it.
“–In the home of the great Bewilderbeast. The alpha species. One of very few that still exist,” She looked over at Hiccup with a smile. The brunette returned an awe-struck look. You heard the creature growl lightly. A grin spread across your face, revering to the beauty of the Bewilderbeast's den.

"Every nest has its queen, but this... this is the king of all dragons," Valka exclaimed, speaking with pride in her voice.
Dragons descended from the sky, their wings beating softly as they landed and bowed to the Bewilderbeast. Valka gestured her staff toward the spiked ice ceiling above them. "With his icy breath, this graceful giant built our nest. A safe haven for dragons everywhere," she explained.
You looked up, mouth parting as you looked around in awe. You turned to smile at Valka, “Incredible… An ice-breathing dragon,” you breathed. The curious part of you yearned to find out how the Bewilderbeast had that type of ability.
Hiccup's mind raced as he pieced together the story. "Wait, that's the ice-spitter? He's responsible for all that destruction?" He furrowed his eyebrows as he spoke, looking back at you and then at Valka again.
Valka's gaze softened, a small smile appearing on her face. "He protects us. We all live under his care, and his command."
As you strolled past a heavily green area, baby dragons darted out to greet you, their excitement causing chaos. They yipped and squealed, making you giggle. Leafchaser growled at the babies, ruffling her wings in disdain. Toothless found himself overwhelmed by the manic picking and scratching, while Cloudjumper roared, sending the little ones scattering. You chuckled, feeling amused at the baby dragon's antics.
"All but the babies, of course," Valka continued with a chuckle. The hatchlings clambered onto the Bewilderbeast, playing on his massive tusks, squealing playfully.

Valka's laughter rang out. "...who listen to no one," she added as the Bewilderbeast let out a frosty snort, sending the babies off to spread more mischief.
The Bewilderbeast, now fully awakened, raised his gargantuan head to take a closer look at you and Hiccup, coming eye to massive eye. Valka and Toothless bowed in his presence, showing their deep respect. You gazed into the beast's eyes, which were an icy blue. You smiled, bowing your head in appreciation.
"I've lived among them for twenty years, Hiccup," Valka said, her voice filled with years of wisdom. "Learning their ways, discovering their secrets..."
The Bewilderbeast acknowledged Hiccup with another icy snort, slicking back his hair in a frosty hairstyle. You erupted into giggles, brushing away the small bits of ice that clung to your hair. Hiccup sent you a ‘not-so-amused’ glare. You placed your hand on Hiccup's head, ruffling it until the frost was out. The brunette blushed, distracting himself from you by turning back to the Bewilderbeast. You elbowed him affectionately, to which he smiled.
"He likes you," Valka said with a bright expression.
"Wow," Hiccup breathed, his eyes shining with awe.
Valka chuckled, sharing in his amazement. "You must be hungry," she said.
"Uh, yeah. I could eat," Hiccup admitted, his stomach growling. He turned to you, raising his eyebrows. You nodded slowly, tilting your head with a smile.
"Good. It's feeding time," Valka announced.
Hiccup wrapped his arm around your waist, bringing you with him as he followed his mother. Your chest constricted, butterflies fluttering around in your stomach. Leafchaser cooed, nudging the back of your leg gently. You chuckled, sending your playful dragon an embarrassed smile.

Hiccup gazed at you with puppy eyes, a shadow of blush on his cheeks. When this was all over, you definitely had some things to figure out…

Chapter Text

Leafchaser was now wing to wing with her Night Fury friend, both battling to emerge victorious. The two dragons twisted and turned in the air, performing intricate loops and dives that left their riders feeling slightly sick.

“First to the baby's nest!” You exclaimed, shooting Hiccup a competitive grin.
The brunette nodded, eyes furrowing in concentration like he always did. "You're on!" Hiccup replied.
The two dragons surged forward, their powerful wings cutting through the air. Your laughter echoed around them as Leafchaser pulled ahead, but Toothless was right on her tail. The wind whipped through Hiccup's hair, and he felt a rush of exhilaration.
As you neared the giant ice glacier, you glanced back at Hiccup, eyes twinkling. "Looks like I'm winning!" you teased.Once your bellies were sufficiently full, you made your way back to the dragon sanctuary.

Hiccup glided through the wind on Toothless, a wide smile etched on his mouth. Toothless let out a happy rumble, and Hiccup chuckled, patting the Night Fury’s head. “Yeah, bud, this is perfect,” he murmured, his gaze drifting over to his left.

You soared through the clear blue sky of the archipelago, a grin spread across your sun-kissed face. Leafchaser cooed from beneath you. Toothless responded with a dreamy rumble, flexing his dorsal blades in an attempt to impress her. You began giggling at the Night Fury’s half-lidded eyes and gaping mouth. Hiccup rolled his eyes, giving you an amused look. A wide, toothy grin appeared on your face. It crinked the edges of your eyes and showed off the small smile lines at the edges of your lips. Hiccup's face fell, and suddenly he felt like the fool Toothless was being. His eyes softened, his mouth parting as he evaluated your features. Your cheeks darkened under his intense stare, and you looked away. The brunette blinked slowly, gulping as he tore his eyes off of you and your b̶e̶a̶u̶t̶i̶f̶u̶l̶ face.

Valka trailed behind you, observing you and Hiccup with a small smile. Cloudjumper grimaced, letting out an exasperated rumble. Hiccup's mother chuckled, shaking her head slowly.

You turned to Hiccup, a flash of mischief in your eyes. “You wanna race, Dragon Master?” You asked playfully, cocking your head to the side.
Hiccup grinned. “Sure, m’lady,” he answered casually, tightening his grip on Toothless’ saddle.
Your eyes narrowed, heat rising to your face. You were too distracted to realize the Night Fury had sped off. Luckily, Leafchaser had the sense to zoom after him, flapping her large dual wings intensely. You narrowed your eyes, a light hue of pink on your cheeks.
“That was unfair play, Hiccup Haddock!” You called out.
The brunette looked back at you with a cheeky smile. “Full name, huh?” He exclaimed teasingly.
You rolled your eyes, urging Leafchaser on. “You stand no chance anyway,” you said with a small smile.
Hiccup laughed, nudging Toothless. "You hear that, bud? She thinks she can beat us."

Hiccup smirked. "Not for long!"
Leafchaser sped across the sky, gliding around the ice and darting through a small opening. Hiccup narrowed his eyes, guiding his Night Fury through another path.

You weaved around ice spikes and through basalt corridors before you emerged into the tropical-like sanctuary. A small grin played on your lips until you spotted Hiccup sliding off Toothless below. He smirked, shrugging his shoulders in a teasing way. You glared daggers at him, to which he chuckled. Leafchaser touched down on the grass, rumbling in annoyance, while Toothless gave her a happy smile. Hiccup extended a hand to help you down, but you ignored it, planting your feet firmly on the soft earth.
"I swear, you must have cheated," you muttered, crossing your arms over your chest.
Hiccup laughed, shaking his head. "No cheating involved, just skill and experience," he teased.
“Yeah, yeah. I think you’ll find I have more skill; you can take the experience,” you exclaimed, combing your fingers through your tangled hair.
“Sure, I’ll give you that,” he said gently, patting Toothless affectionately on the head.

You sighed, your adrenaline seeping out of your body. The sounds of chirping baby dragons grew louder as you approached them, and soon you found yourselves surrounded by a flurry of tiny wings and curious eyes. You smiled as a small purple one nibbled at your fingers. Toothless and Leafchaser were surrounded by curious babies, pestering them endlessly. Hiccup fell into step beside you, the two of you sharing a comfortable silence. You kneeled down, reaching out to stroke the head of a small, blue-scaled dragonet. It cooed happily, nuzzling into your hand.
"They're so adorable," you murmured, glancing up at Hiccup with a thoughtful smile.
He gazed down at you with gentle features, a small grin playing on his lips. “Yeah, sure,” he replied, kneeling down beside you. Hiccup decided that teasing you about your mood switch was not a good idea. Why? Because it would probably result in a new delicacy called Hiccup stew. Very rare.

Hiccup felt a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the humidity. You stood up, turning to face him with a relaxed expression. Hiccup smiled, placing one hand on your waist and the other on your cheek as he pulled you in. Your eyes widened, and every sense you possessed disappeared in an instant. Your faces were so close—his hot breath fanned on your face, making you flush a deep red. You gazed into his eyes, your own softening as you admired Hiccup. At such close proximity, you could see the detail in his irises. They were bright green with a deeper ring around them… They reminded you of the forest.

You could feel your heart racing, the thumping echoing in your ears. It was as if time had slowed down, each second stretching into eternity. Hiccup's thumb gently caressed your cheek, sending shivers down your spine. You took a shaky breath, trying to steady yourself—but the moment made it impossible.
His gentle gaze stayed firmly on your eyes, not so much as straying from you. Hiccup leaned in closer, his lips now just a whisper away from yours. The world around you seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you in this perfect, fleeting moment.
"Hiccup," you murmured, barely able to form the words. Your voice trembled, betraying the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside you.
“Kira,” he replied. His voice felt like a song. The greatest song you could ever hear. It made you feel faint; it made your heart race even more. You felt like you were going to explode. Maybe even implode.
“We…” You gulped, the words getting stuck in your throat. “We need to hurry and find Drago Bludvist.”
Hiccup nodded slowly, pulling away. You felt alone without his touch, almost incomplete. You grabbed his hands, clasping them firmly in yours. He managed a faint smile, cheeks flushed in embarrassment. You rose onto your tiptoes, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. (Sufficient enough, you thought.) As you settled back onto your heads, you released his hands—Hiccup, however, did not approve of that. You smiled softly as he pulled your hand to his lips, placing a tender kiss on your smooth skin. He never tore his gaze away from your eyes. Not even for a second. You flushed a deep pink, butterflies fluttering in your stomach.

Hiccup grinned with satisfaction. He turned to his Night Fury, giving him an affectionate scratch below the jaw. “Well, bud, we can't wait around for Drago to attack this place. We've gotta find him first.” The brunette turned to you with a determined expression. “Let's go.”
Suddenly, a thick hand clamped down over Hiccup's face—muffling his surprised scream.
Your reflexes sprang into action as you drew a dagger from your belt, brandishing it threateningly. Your eyes widened and your arm dropped as you realized who it was—Stoick. Leafchaser snarled and Toothless looked between you and the Chief in confusion.
Stoick gave you an expectant look. “Easy now,” he said, releasing Hiccup from his grip.
Hiccup spluttered. “Are you kidding me? How'd you get in here?
“The same way we're getting you out.”
“We?” Hiccup questioned with exasperation.
Gobber appeared in the arch of a tunnel behind Stoick. “All clear!”
Your eyebrows knitted together in annoyance. Leafchaser grumbled, mirroring your emotions.
Stoick glanced at you. “Toothless, Kira. Come.”
You sighed, quickly following after Hiccups retreating figure. The brunette stumbled a bit as he got dragged by his father. “Dad! There's something you need to know!”
“Yeah, yeah, tell me on the way,” Stoick responded.
“This isn't an on-the-way kind of update, actually,” Hiccup exclaimed, gesturing his arms.
“I've heard enough, Hiccup,” his father responded, growing agitated.
“... more of the earth-shattering development variety,” Hiccup continued without paying mind to his father.
You grimanced from behind them, annoyed to be caught up in their family drama. Toothless looked back at you with wide viridian eyes.
Stoick grumbled. “Yeah, just add it to the pile.”
Hiccup rushed after his dad as he stormed ahead. “Dad, unlike most surprises I spring on you, this is one you'll like. I promise! You just have to handle it delicately, so…”
Toothless couldn’t fit through a tight corridor of basalt, retreating from the pillars sadly. You smiled, squeezing through. As you rounded a tight bend in the corridor, you saw Gobber staring blankly at something unseen in the next chamber. He shuffled past Stoick and Hiccup, dazed. “Uh, you might want to take this one. Oh, boy.”
You hastily walked over to Hiccup, giving him a concerned look. He gave you a reassuring nod, following after his father. Stoick drew his sword with a clean slice, then marched into the chamber ahead.
“Er, Dad, can you put the sword away… please?” Hiccup said apprehensively.

You heard Stoick gasp and drop his sword with a reverberating clatter. Valka stood some twenty paces ahead of him, blocking the path. Gobber and Hiccup stepped into the chamber, a look of hesitancy on their faces. You stood next to Hiccup as he shifted his weight between his feet nervously. Stoick removed his helmet slowly as Leafchaser and Toothless approached from behind.

Finally, Valka spoke up. “I know what you're going to say, Stoick. How could I have done this? Stayed away all of these years. And why didn't I come back to you? To our son.” Her voice was rattled and shaken as she spoke.
Stoick stepped towards her, wide-eyed and speechless.
Valka continued. “Well, what sign did I have that you could change, Stoick? That anyone on Berk could? I pleaded so many times to stop the fighting, to find another answer, but did any of you listen?”

Gobber leaned in closer to Hiccup. “This is why I never married. This, and one other reason.”
You pursed your lips, trying not to let out a small laugh since this was not a very humorous situation.

Stoick continued to close the gap, seemingly enchanted with the scene in front of him. With every step, Valka became increasingly flustered. She backed into an ice wall, with nowhere to go, and Stoick was just a few paces away. “I know that I left you to raise Hiccup alone... but I thought he'd be better off without me. And I was wrong, I see that now, but…” Valka craned her head away from the approaching chief. “Oh, stop being so stoic, Stoick. Go on... shout, scream, say something!”

Stoick gently reached a hand toward her face, gently placing it on her cheek. “You're as beautiful as the day I lost you.” His words snuffed Valkas retort, rendering her speechless. She softened despite herself, yielding her cheek to his palm. He caressed her skin as a tear ran down her face. Slowly, Stoick pulled Valka into a kiss.

Your stomach churned uncomfortably. You felt embarrassed, as if you were intruding on a family you didn’t belong in. Your gaze shifted over to Hiccup, who was too busy grinning at his reuinted parents. You blushed, tearing your eyes away.

Chapter Text

The sound of trickling water and the low hums of dragons reverberated through the cavern. Toothless and Cloudjumper hovered for scraps while Stoick and Valka prepared skewers of fish. Valka looked rather overwhelmed; lost in her thoughts, and covering it up poorly. You narrowed your eyes, observing the scene before you from a distance. A quiet sigh left your lips as you leaned back on Leafchaser’s curled body.

Hiccup’s excited voice filled your ears and pulled you out of your thoughts. “Mom, you'd never recognize it! Where we used to make weapons, we now build saddles, wing slings—we even fix dragon teeth! You wouldn't believe how much everything's changed!” Hiccup exclaimed gleefully as he gathered a basket of fish.
“Our son's changed Berk for the better! I think we did well with this one, Val,” Stoick said proudly.
Valka offered Hiccup a skittish half-smile and handed him a plate.
Hiccup smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”
Stoick placed his hands on Valka's shoulders, causing her to flinch and drop her plate. Cloudjumper swiftly gobbled up the fish before Toothless could get to it. The Night Fury whimpered, and Cloudjumper tilted his head. After a moment, he regurgitated the fish so Toothless could have his share. You glanced at Leafchaser in disgust, who looked at you with wide innocent eyes.
“I’m... a little out of practice,” Valka said with a nervous smile.
Stoick chuckled. “Well, y'know... I didn't marry you for your cooking,” he assured her.
Gobber piped up. “I hope not. Her meatballs could kill more beasts than a battle axe.” Hiccup handed him a plate of skewered fish with a small smile. “I've still got a few knocking around in here. Haha!”
Gobber took one bite of Valkas fish, gagged, and proceeded to offer them to you with raised eyebrows. You chuckled apprehensively, shaking your head. Gobber shrugged and dumped the plate of fish into Grump’s mouth, tossing one to Leafchaser.

“And once you move back in, with all of your dragons, Drago won't even stand a chance. Everything will be okay!" Hiccup exclaimed happily, a bright smile on his face. He was getting carried away with the whole ‘complete family’ thing.
Stoick rested a hand on his son's shoulder. “Slow down, son. It's a lot to take in.”
Hiccups smile fell. “Oh. Gotcha.”

Valka crossed the room to fill a flask with water; her back turned to the group. Stoick gazed at her, pursing his lips as he began to whistle a tune. Valka's eyes widened as she recognized the melody.
“Oh, I love this one!” Gobber exclaimed.

Hiccup walked over to you, sitting down beside you with a grin. You gave him a wearyy smile in return. His expression faltered a bit, and he inched closer, draping an arm over your shoulder. You sighed, closing your eyes and leaning into his warmth with slumped shoulders. Hiccup’s face brightened as you rested your head in the crook of his neck. He was so close. His scent of warmth and nature engulfed your senses and left you euphoric and giddy. You really hoped you weren’t radiating as much heat as you felt. Though, you were sure that if he looked at you, he’d mistake you for a tomato.

Stoick approached Valka slowly, each step carrying the burden of memories. “Remember our song, Val?”
Hiccup watched curiously, his chin placed on top of your head.
“I'll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne'er a fear of drowning. And gladly ride the waves of life, if you will marry me.” Stoick sang through the first lines of an old Viking courting song. His voice was low and hopeful, filled with weight.
Valka avoided his gaze, wallowing in a mess of emotions.
“No scorching sun, nor freezing cold, will—”
Gobber suddenly cut Stoick off. “—will stop me on my journey!” He stopped, faltering under Stoick's glare. “Sorry.”

Hiccup shot Gobber an annoyed look. You chuckled, leaning closer into the brunette. He squeezed you lightly. “Dad used to sing this to himself when I was a kid,” Hiccup whispered.
You smiled. “Wow,” you breathed. You both quieted down when Stoick continued singing.

“If you will promise me your heart...” Stoicks voice began to waver. “And love…” He paused eagerly, awaiting Valka’s words, but instead she closed her eyes, rejecting his invitation. He let out a heavyhearted sigh. After a long, droning moment, Valka piped up. “And love me for eternity…”
Stoick’s eyes widened.
“My dearest one, my darling dear, your mighty words astound me. But I've no need of mighty deeds when I feel your arms around me.” Valka brushed past Stoick, setting into the center of the chamber and holding her forearm aloft in invitation. Stoick crossed his forearm against hers, initiating a dance to accompany the song.
“But I would bring you rings of gold. I'd even sing you poetry, (Oh, would ya?) and I would keep you from all harm if you'd stay here beside me.” Stoick boomed, his voice strewn with happiness.
Valka laughed, guided by Stoicks hand as she twirled. “I have no use for rings of gold. I care not for your poetry. I only want your hand to hold. I only want you near me.”

Gobber begins to tap his wooden leg to the tune, letting out a joyous cry.
Valka and Stoick began to sing together. “To love and kiss, to sweetly hold. For the dancing and the dreaming. Through all life's sorrows and delights, I'll keep your love inside me.”

Hiccup is amazed by the sight of his giddy parents, spinning and laughing in each other's arms. He grinned, subconsciously increasing his grip around you. You giggled, exchanging a sweet look with Hiccup. The couple dancing in front of you was pure love—you could tell that much. You didn’t know a whole lot about relationships and romance, making your situation with Hiccup all the more confusing. But now, watching Hiccups parents, you think you know what love looks like. You sighed contently, resting your cheek on Hiccups shoulder.

Gobber, Valka, and Stoick now sang in unison. “I'll swim and sail through savage seas, with ne'er a fear of drowning. And gladly ride the wave of life, if you will marry me!”
Gobber carried the last note, making Toothless paw at his ears in discomfort. “I’m still going!”
Hiccup rolled his eyes. “Gobber!” He hissed.
Gobber chuckled. “Im done.”
Valka and Stoick slowed to a stop, winded and laughing.
“Ah... I thought I'd have to die before we'd have that dance again.” Stoick remarked.
Valka smiled, rolling her eyes a bit. “No need for drastic measures.”
They both chuckled.
“For you, my dear... anything.” Stoick said gently.
Valka smiled sweetly, and Stoick's eyes weld up with emotion. He slowly got down on one knee, proposing to her anew. “Will you come home, Val? Will you be my wife once again?”
Hiccup gives you a soft smile, slowly getting up and walking over to his parents. He looked back at you with a ‘come on!’ gesture. You shook your head with a light smile, leaning back on a snoozing Leafchaser.

Toothless nudged Valka closer to Stoick. They laughed as Hiccup joined them. Stoick threw his arm around Hiccup.
“We can be a family! What do you say?” Stoick asked.
Valka, between tears and laughter, stroked Toothless as he cooed. “Yes!”
Gobber grabbed your arm, pulling you up to your feet as he marched over to Hiccups family. He popped his head in their circle, a grin on his face. “Great! I’ll do the cooking!”
You chuckled, glancing at Hiccup. He smiled at you with a warm expression.
Stoick laughed heartily. “Thank Odin you didn't listen to me, son. We never would have found each other.” He turned to you. “And thank you for keeping my son alive long enough for us to be here right now.”
You blushed, feeling all eyes on you. “Well, you know... Someone had to make sure he doesn’t get himself killed in his crazy adventures.”
Hiccup shook his head, chuckling lightly. A silence fell between you and the brunette as Stoick and Valka walked away, arms locked. You smiled weakly at Hiccup. He gazed at you with a starstruck expression, similar to the one Toothless makes when hes around Leafchaser. You felt your face heat up under his stare, a familiar sensation pooling in your stomach.

Suddenly, Toothless and Cloudjumper perked up, sensing something unheard. Leafchaser blinked away sleep, her ears twitching.
Hiccup’s brows furrowed. “Toothless?”

Dragons swarmed through the chamber, racing toward some unknown disturbance. Your eyes narrowed, and your senses flared.
“What's happening?” Hiccup exclaimed, his voice raised in panic.
His questions were answered by subsequent heavy booms that reverberated through the icy fortress.
You jumped to your feet, face twisting in frustration. Valka rushed toward a gap in the ice. Stoick ran after her, and Hiccup grabbed your arm and pulled you after his parents. You gasped as sunlight hit your face. An armada—undoubtabley Drago Bludvists—sat in the lagoon below. His forces of thousands lined the snowy beach.
“Oh no…” you breathed.

Chapter Text

Your heart lurched. Drago Bludvist was here. You winced as his army launched capapults and ballistas. Small shards of ice flew in every direction.
You heard Hiccup draw a nervous breath from next to you. “Oh, gods.”
This was bad. Very, very bad. You turned to Hiccup, your eyebrows stitched together in worry. His face was painted with panic. The gruff voice of Stoick filled your ears, cutting through the tension. "Val! It’s alright; it’s all right. We’re a team now.” He gestured to everyone—including you. “Now what do you want to do?”
Valka’s voice was strained with anger and grief. “We have to save the dragons.”
“Aye, you got it!” Stoick responded firmly. He followed after Valka as she dashed back into the ice. “Come on, son.”

Hiccup guided you through the entrance, then suddenly stopped. “Kira, are you okay? You look sick,” he said, his voice seeming distant, like an echo from somewhere far away. His concern felt sharp, almost suffocating. “Kira!”
You flinched, snapping back to reality. “Oh, sorry.”
His brow furrowed deeper, eyes full of worry. “Drago—he’s attacking. We need to go, now.”
You inhaled deeply, trying to force the fear down. “Yes. Yes, let’s go.”
His gaze lingered on you for a moment longer, hesitation flickering across his face. Then, without warning, he reached down and took your hand. The warmth of his touch sent sparks up your skin, igniting a storm of emotions inside you. “Kira–” he began, his voice soft, as if he wanted to say something important. But before the words could leave his lips, an earsplitting explosion ripped through the air.
“No time, Hiccup. We need to defend the dragons!” You turned away, rushing to Leafchaser. “Let’s go, girl,” you muttered. Leafchaser sprang into the air, racing out of the chamber.

From high above, you circled the battlefield like a hawk, eyes scanning the chaos below. Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through your thoughts.
“You okay, M’lady?”
You turned to see Hiccup flying beside you, his mask concealing his face but not the warmth in his voice.
A determined smile crept across your lips. “Better than ever, Dragon Master.”
He gave a quick nod, his smile hidden beneath the mask. “Ready?”
Your grin widened. “Let’s give him hell.”
Without another word, the two of you shot forward, speeding across the sky. Leafchaser and Toothless twisted and dove through the air in perfect sync, their movements fluid and precise. Below, a cloud of gas swirled around one of Drago’s dragon traps, only to ignite moments later in a fiery explosion.
Your friends soared upward, bursting through the smoke—Snotlout, Fishlegs, Astrid, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and... Eret? Together, they tore through the battlefield, freeing dragons one after another, the air alive with the sound of wings and fire. Drago’s furious roar echoed beneath you. You smiled, a surge of pride and exhilaration filling your chest as you watched your friends fight back.

Astrid and Eret clung tightly to Stormfly, expertly dodging blasts as they weaved through the chaos of battle. But then, out of nowhere, a massive chunk of ice came crashing down from above, plummeting toward them. before the ice could smash into them, it exploded into shards, shattered by a well-aimed blast from Toothless. Through the flames, Gobber and Stoick emerged.

Hiccup veered away from you, soaring across the sky with a sharp, commanding whistle. You couldn’t help but watch in awe as Toothless unleashed a plasma blast, expertly toppling one of Drago’s net launchers. Moments later, Stoick charged in, slicing through the trigger line, sending the catapult flying and capturing a cluster of Drago’s soldiers in its grasp.

Grinning, you surged forward on Leafchaser, racing through the sky and blasting through dragon traps one after the other. “Take that, you munge buckets!” you yelled triumphantly, your voice carrying across the battlefield. In one swift motion, you pulled out your bow, nocking an arrow. With precise aim, you shot down three soldiers in a single, powerful strike. Your eyes narrowed as you scanned the chaos below, and then you saw him—Drago, standing amidst his army. He glanced up, hearing the unmistakable banshee-like scream of Toothless. Without hesitation, Leafchaser dipped her wings and followed after Toothless.

You caught up with Hiccup, who was flying next to Stormfly. “Welcome aboard, dragon rider!” He said cheerfully, nodding to Eret.
“Thanks. I think.” Eret responded, looking uncertain.
Hiccup caught a glimpse of your figure. He turned his head, a glowing smile on his face. “Hey, stranger.”
You flashed him a smile back. “Hiccup, Astrid, and Uh– Eret.” You nodded to each of them. Eret’s face screamed, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing here.’
Astrid’s fierce gaze flicked between the two of you. “Where have you idiots been?”
You chucked lightly, shrugging your shoulders. You sent Hiccup a cheeky look.
“Oh, y'know. Catching up with Mom,” Hiccup exclaimed with a grin.
Astrid shot him a confused glare, but Hiccup simply nodded towards the sky. Following his gaze, Astrid and Eret looked up to see Valka soaring gracefully, clad in full warrior gear as she rose from the towering ice spikes.
“Whoa…” Eret murmured.
The ground rumbled beneath you as an earth-shaking roar followed, the massive form of the Bewilderbeast emerging behind Valka.
Astrid's jaw nearly hit the ground. “That's your mother?!”
Hiccup grinned, sliding his mask back over his face. “Well, now you know where I get my dramatic flair.” With that, he swooped down, vanishing from sight.
Astrid turned to you, wide-eyed. “I’ve missed a lot, haven’t I?”
You couldn’t help but grin. “More than you can imagine.” You both dove down to avoid the ice showering down upon you. Astrid veered off toward the others while you kept your focus forward. Your gaze hardened as it locked onto your target—Drago Bludvist.

“The Alpha! Now we have a fight!” He bellowed, his voice echoing through the icy air.
You saw Cloudjumper ensnared by a net and crash into a blanket of snow. Valka swiftly cut herself free, skidding to a halt in front of Drago. A wicked grin spread across his face. “I’ve waited a long time for this!”

You clenched your jaw. Before you met Hiccup, you wouldn't have hesitated to end him. But, now… “Leafchaser… Shoot.” The Lightcutter obeyed, her mouth parting with sizzling firepower as she shot a blast. It struck the ground at Drago’s feet, sending him flying into the frosty ground. Valka’s eyes widened in surprise as you soared above her, guiding Leafchaser in a sharp dive. Your dragon landed with agility beside Drago. She opened her wings threateningly, her throat glowing with purple. Valka appeared at your side just as you slid off your dragon; her staff raised threateningly towards Drago’s throat. “You cannot take our dragons! They are controlled by the Alpha!” Drago staggered to his feet, his eyes cold. You swiftly drew your sword and brandished it at his heart, daring him to make a move.

“Then it's a good thing I brought a challenger,” he sneered, his voice as deep as bloodshed on a battlefield. He grabbed his weapon and swung it over his head, his yells tearing through the air like a battle cry. Under the surface of the water, something stirred.

You stumbled back, eyes wide with shock, as the grinding of heavy chains being released reverberated in your ears. The water’s surface shattered as the creature beneath surged upward in a cascade of seawater. Rising from the depths, a second Bewilderbeast emerged—larger and more fearsome than you could’ve imagined. Its hide was a patchwork of grays, covered in battle-worn scars, rough and weathered from years of captivity. Massive iron cuffs, once binding it, clattered away from it’s huge tusks. It let out a thunderous, bone-chilling roar, the sound echoing off the cliffs as its tusks slapped the water, sending waves crashing toward the shore.

Valka gasped, instinctively stepping back, her eyes wide with terror. Your heart sped up, thrumming against your chest like a drum. Your grip tightened on the hilt of your sword. This was bad, really bad. “Oh gods,” you breathed.

Chapter Text

Your chest churned with a storm of emotions—empathy, terror, and anger swirled in a chaotic mix. Drago had to be stopped, and no matter what Hiccup believed, you were going to handle this your way. The gray Bewilderbeast stepped onto the beach, its massive, thunderous footsteps crushing everything in its path, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

From the corner of your eye, you saw Valka backing away, her eyes wide with fear. "No..." she whispered, her voice trembling. "No..."
“Come on! Take down the Alpha!” Drago’s voice echoed across the battlefield, a twisted sneer curling his lips as he spurred his monstrous beast forward. The malice in his eyes sent a shiver down your spine, and you clenched your sword tightly, trying to steady your breath. A cold realization struck you like a blade: if Drago's Bewilderbeast managed to overpower Valka’s, if it killed it… you couldn’t finish the thought. You couldn't let that happen, no matter the cost.

Valka lunged forward, swinging her staff at Drago with every ounce of strength she could muster. But Drago was quicker, knocking her to the ground with a brutal swipe of his weapon. She gasped, winded, as he pressed his boot into her chest, pinning her down. With a malicious grin, he tore her mask off with a flick of his weapon, revealing her pale, strained face.

“No!” you screamed, panic gripping your heart as you surged forward. Without thinking, you drove your sword into Drago’s shoulder, the force of your blow driven by sheer desperation. The sound of metal slicing through flesh should have brought some satisfaction, but it didn’t. Drago staggered back, surprised, but there was no pain in his eyes, not even a flicker of it. You stared in disbelief at your sword—clean. Not a drop of blood. Your mouth went dry. “What…?” you murmured, your voice barely a whisper.

Before you could react, Stoick the Vast charged into the battle, tackling Drago to the ground with the force of a charging bull. Stoick's face was set in grim determination and anger. he offered a hand to Valka, who was still recovering on the ground. She looked up at him with relief flooding her face. “Thank you,” she breathed, her voice trembling.
Stoick gave a dark chuckle, his eyes softening for a brief moment. “For you, my dear… anything.”
Dragos face twisted with raw hatred as he threw off his cloak and rose to meet Stoick head-on, gripping his weapon tightly. He circled Stoick, eyes wide with an anger like your father – like a brewing volcano. Meanwhile, his Bewilderbeast confronted Valka's, their giant forms locked in a display of dominance, each roaring in defiance. The air was heavy with the tension of their imminent clash, and you felt the vibrations of their steps through the soles of your boots.

"Val, do you think you can stop them?" Stoick asked, not taking his eyes off Drago.
Valka didn’t hesitate. She ripped the remaining nets from Cloudjumper, freeing her dragon. “I’ll do my best! Come on, Cloudjumper!” she shouted, leaping onto her dragon's back. Together, they soared toward the battling Bewilderbeasts.

Stoick turned to you, his face grim. “Go, kid. Now.”
You shook your head, frustration boiling inside you. “No! I’m staying. Let me help!” You gripped your sword tightly, your knuckles turning white. You couldn't just leave them.
Before Stoick could respond, Drago lunged at him with a snarl. “You... I watched you burn!” Drago's voice dripped with venom as their weapons clashed violently, the sound of steel against steel slicing through the air. They were locked in a deadly dance, their blows fierce and unrelenting. You stood frozen, your feet rooted to the ground as fear coursed through your veins. You had never felt so powerless, staring down the embodiment of your worst nightmare.
Stoick growled in defiance, blocking Drago's strikes with expert precision. “It takes more than a little fire to kill me!” he spat, shoving Drago back. “Kira, go find Hiccup,” He commanded, his voice rough.
“But—” you started to protest.
“Go!” he barked, his eyes flashing with urgency.
With a frustrated clench of your jaw, you swung your legs over Leafchaser's back. Your dragon responded instantly, launching into the sky with powerful strokes of her wings. The battlefield quickly became a blur beneath you as you soared higher, the wind whipping through your hair. Below, the two massive Bewilderbeasts clashed, their roars shaking the heavens. You prayed with every fibre of your being that Valka's Bewilderbeast would win.
“Hiccup!” you called out, your voice strained with desperation. “Hic—” Your cry was cut off as a sickening sight unfolded below you. Drago’s Bewilderbeast slammed into Valka’s with terrifying force, its tusks plunging deep into the white beast’s body. The agonized roar of Valka’s Bewilderbeast tore through the air, only to be silenced as its massive body crumpled to the ground.

You gasped, feeling a lump form in your throat as nausea churned in your stomach. The snow around the fallen Bewilderbeast was stained crimson. Drago’s beast roared in victory, its bloodied tusks gleaming in the pale light. Around you, the skies filled with dragons—dragons that flew to the feet of Drago’s Bewilderbeast and bowed in submission. Terror gripped you as you whispered, “Odin, help us...”

Chapter Text

You circled back to Drago, your heart aching with raw anger. The Lightcutter's wings beat with a low growl beneath you. Below, Drago grinned with cruel satisfaction, as though he believed himself untouchable. Your jaw clenched, fingers trembling as you reached for another arrow, carefully nocking it with practiced precision. A poison-tipped arrow. It had to end here. It had to.
“STOP!”
A familiar voice cut through the storm of your thoughts, and you flinched in surprise. Your fingers slipped on the bowstring, the arrow tumbling from its place to fall uselessly to the ground. Drago’s gaze snapped up, locking onto you with a predator's focus. His eyes narrowed into slits, a cruel smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. You could see the realization dawning on his face—there was no way you could get him now.
Hiccup soared through the air and glided next to you, pulling his helmet over his head. “Kira… I know that all you want to do if kill him right now, but please…” His eyes, once so magnetic, now just looked empty. They no longer held his playful spark. “Killing him isn’t answer.”

Your heart clenched, and your grip tightened on the bow as a sour taste filled your mouth. You bit down on your trembling lip, fighting back tears that threatened to spill. Why were you being so weak? “If this goes any more wrong, it’s your fault, Hiccup,” you spat, bitterness seeping through your words before you could stop it.

You watched as the words struck him like a blow. His expression faltered, hurt flashing across his face. Gods, you didn’t mean it—you didn’t even know why you were lashing out. Everything you said felt like venom, yet the anger wasn’t really aimed at him. Guilt settled in your chest, your heart aching as you saw the pain in Hiccup’s eyes. You were just so confused, so hurt and terrified… and you managed to push away the ONE person who cared about you.
You watched with glazed eyes as Hiccup nodded solemnly.
“It won’t, I promise,” he said gently, flicking his mask back on before diving down to greet Drago.

Your stomach churned with a strange mix of emotions—fear, anger, and something else that made it hard to breathe. You circled the area anxiously, keeping your eyes trained on the two men below.

“Stop!” Hiccup yelled. Hiccup landed Toothless a few paces from Drago and brazenly removed his helmet.
Drago eyed him increduloulys, then began to chuckle. “This... is the great dragon master? The son of Stoick the Vast? What shame he must feel.”
Toothless snarled, ready to blast him to smitherines, but Hiccup calmed him with a hand gesture.
“All of this loss, and for what? To become unstoppable? To rule the world?” Hiccup questioned.
Drago smirked and turned away from Hiccup.
The brunette continued, “ Dragons are kind, amazing creatures that can bring people together.”
“Or tear them apart,” Drago laughed mockingly. His hand grasped his shoulder – the arm you had stabbed, and removed it.
You gasped, seeing the stump at his shoulder.
Drago sneered at Hiccup. “You see, I know what it is to live in fear. To see my village burned, my family taken.” He reattached his false arm, circling Hiccup menacingly. “But even as a boy, left with nothing, I vowed to rise above the fear of dragons and liberate the people of this world.
Hiccup looked taken aback. “Then why a dragon army?”
Drago grinned smugly, speaking in an incredulous way. “Well, you need dragons to conquer other dragons.”
“Or maybe you need dragons to conquer people,” Hiccup retorted. “To control those who follow you… and to get rid of those who won't.”
Drago chuckled. “Clever boy. He slowly walked toward Hiccup, who backed away in suit.
You urged Leafchaser down, circling them lower to the ground. You gritted your teeth, watching Drago closely.
“The world wants peace. And we have the answer, back on Berk. Just let me show you,” Hiccup pleaded.
Drago growled. “NO! Let ME show YOU.” Drago let out harsh roar, swinging his bullhook around wildly.
Your eyes widened as the Bewilderbeast approached Drago with slitted eyes.
Drago jabbed his bullhook into the ground commandingly. The Bewilderbeast flinched and halted, submissive to him. “No dragon can resist the alpha's command. So he who controls the alpha, controls them all.” Drago pointed his staff to Toothless.

The Bewilderbeast stared at Toothless with slitted pupils, which dilated and undilated sporadically, forcing Toothless to cower under his command. Toothless struggled against the alpha, writhing and grinding his head against the ground.
“Toothless? You okay, bud? What's going on?” Hiccup questioned his beloved dragon.
Leafchaser suddenly squirmed beneath you, pawing at her ears as if something were piercing her mind. She began to thrash, unrestrained, before bucking you off. The world spun as you tumbled through the air and landed with a painful thud. For a few agonizing seconds, you lay there, gasping for breath, your chest heaving as you struggled to draw in air. You clutched at your chest, your fingers curling into the fabric of your cloak as you tried to steady yourself. Leafchaser thrashed through the air before falling into the blanket of snow.

To your left, Toothless fought the command, shaking his head in protest. But, the Bewilderbeast persisted, with a mesmerizing glare and a low, throaty grumble until Toothless finally succumbed to its control. The Night Fury raised his head, his stare vacant and deadly as his pupils narrowed to slits. Drago then pointed to Hiccup with his staff. The Bewilderbeast responded, hissing at Toothless commandingly
Drago grinned. “Witness true strength. The strength of will over others. In the face of it, you are nothing.”
Toothless slowly turned to face Hiccup, slowly approaching him with a deadly gaze.
Hiccups face was plastered with confusion. “Uh, what did he just tell you?”
Despite his plees, Toothless continued to advance.
“Toothless, what's the matter with you? What're you doing?” Panic crept into his voice.

Hiccup. You couldn’t lose him… Gathering all your strength, you rose to your feet, weezing heavily. Hiccup was backed against fallen ice, with Toothless advancing mindlessly, and nowhere to run. Toothless growled menacingly.
“Knock it off! Stop! Snap out of it!” Hiccup yelled, his face painted in horror.
You ran toward Hiccup desperately, sliding to a halt next to him. You grabbed his arm, putting yourself between him and Toothless. If this was your final act, you would be okay with it. Great Odin, you were sorry for everything.
“Toothless! No, Kira, get out of the way!” Hiccup pleaded, trying to shove you, but you stood rigid. “Toothless! Don't!”
You couldn’t string a sentence together, no words could come out of your mouth, only a choked out. “I’m sorry.”
From a distance, you could hear someone approach.“Hiccup!” Stoick yelled.
“STOP!” Hiccup cried out as he desperately tried to remove you as his human shield.
Stoick yelled again. “Son!”
You glanced side-ways at Stoick. You couldn’t make sense of the situation – it was all a blur.
“‘KIRA! DAD! NO!” Hiccup screamed in anguish, holding his hand out toward his father in a ‘stop’ motion.

Suddenly, the world slowed down as Toothless opened his mouth, the familiar purple glow seeping into his throat. Next thing you new, a ringing echoed through your ears and you tumbled to the ground, entangled with Hiccup. You blinked open your eyes, watching as flames drifted into the air. “No…” you whined. Tears were spilling now, streaming down your cheeks. Hiccup shook himself, his body still protected by your own. He breathed in and out heavily, slowly getting up. He was unsteady on his feet.
“Hiccup…” You whispered, your voice breaking in two.
“No,” Hiccup murmured. He ran toward his the body covered in ice debris – Stoick the Vast. He shoved the ice off of him, tugging at his arms as a feeble attempt to get him up. “Dad!” He cried in anguish.
Valka ran onto the scene, her face crestfallen. She laid her heart on her lovers heart, closing her eyes tightly. She glanced up at Hiccup, her gaze telling him everything he needed to know.
Small cries escaped your mouth, watching the scene unfold in front of you. Your heart cried for Hiccup. It should have been you. Leafchaser approached you unsteadily, the pain had warn off. She cooed sadly, nuzzling her nose into your cheek.
“No… you…” Hiccup breathed, tears welling up in his eyes.
Satisfied, the Bewilderbeast turned away, releasing Toothles of the trance-like state. Toothless blinked, his pupils dialting as he regained control. He looked back with wide, confused eyes as the rest of your friends landed on the snow. Astrid instantly rushed toward Hiccup, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Gobber followed, taking his helmet off in shock at his lost friend.

Toothless rumbled in confusion, and approached Hiccup. He sniffed and nudged Stoicks hand, before Hiccup shoved him away. “ No! Get away from him!”
Toothless recoiled, his green eyes wide with sadness.
As the dragon tried to reapproach, Hiccup yelled, “GO ON! GET OUT OF HERE! GET AWAY!”
Toothless retreated like a scolded puppy, his head hanging low. Leafchaser whined at him, approaching the Night Fury with a comforting nudge.
Valka watched Toothless leave with a sad look. “It's not his fault. You know that.”
You stood up shakily, your heart racing a likely unsafe rate.

Suddenly, the Bewilderbeast bellowed a roar. Meatlug, Stormfly, Hookfang and the others took flight to follow the alpha. You cried out in panic as Leafchaser departed, your stomach twisting with fear. “Leafchaser!” You called, but she seemed not to hear you.
You heard Valka whisper to Hiccup. “Good dragons under the control of bad people do bad things.”
Toothless whined in the distance, and you looked up to see Drago flying away on Hiccups Night Fury.
Drago grinned in triumph. “Gather the men and meet me back at Berk!” He yelled.
“Toothless!” Hiccup yelled, running toward his dragon, but Valka held him back.
“No, don’t!” She cried.
Hiccup watched, powerless, as every dragon flew away.
You glanced back at him, your face etched with pain, the weight of your guilt heavy in your eyes. They were bloodshot, streaked with tears, and the burns from Toothless' blast marred your skin. Hiccup’s eyes widened at the sight of you. Without hesitation, he ran forward, englufing you in a desperate hug. You closed your eyes tightly. “Im so, so sorry, Hiccup,” You whispered. The brunette just hugged you even tighter, silent sobs wracking his chest. You combed your fingers through his air gently as he nuzzled his face into your neck.

The next hour was a blur.

The sky was painted with the golden light of dusk. It was beautiful, but the air was cold with loss.

"May the Valkyries welcome you, and lead you through Odin’s great battlefield. May they sing your name with love and fury, so that we might hear it rise from the heights of Valhalla… and know that you’ve taken your rightful place at the table of kings,” Gobber exclaimed solemnly. He approached Hiccup, handing him a set of arrows, his eyes filled with sympathy for the young man standing before him. "For a great man has fallen," Gobber’s voice trembled with emotion. "A warrior. A chieftain. A father. A friend."

Hiccup dipped the arrowhead into the smoldering wreckage, igniting the pitch that coated its tip. He drew his bow, the weight of his grief bearing down on his heart as he released the arrow. It soared through the air, landing on the deck of the ship where Stoick lay, motionless on the pyre, his axe placed upon his chest as he was honored for his final journey.
You raised your bow, the flame on the head dancing graceffully. You and he others followed Hiccup’s lead, your arrows filling the sky with flaming streaks. As they dived over the lagoon, the ship caught fire, engulfed in a blaze that signaled the end of a great Chief.

Hiccup stood still, struggling to contain the storm of emotions raging inside him. But the battle was lost, and tears welled in his eyes. "I’m sorry, Dad," he whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of his regret. He stared at the burning ship, its glow reflected in his tear-filled eyes. "I’m not the chief you wanted me to be," he continued, his voice faltering. "And I’m not the peacekeeper I thought I was. I don’t know…"

Valka watched her son with a heart full of sorrow, unable to bear his pain. She stepped forward, her eyes filled with maternal love. "You came early into this world," she began softly, her voice soothing. "You were such a wee thing. So frail, so fragile. I feared you wouldn’t make it."
Hiccup’s gaze dropped to the ground, but Valka gently lifted his chin, forcing him to meet her eyes.
"But your father," she said, her voice growing stronger, "he never doubted. He always said you’d become the strongest of them all." She paused, letting her words sink in. "And he was right."
Hiccup’s great-striken face faltered for a moment.
"You have the heart of a chief and the soul of a dragon," Valka told him, her voice filled with love and pride. "Only you can bring our worlds together. That is who you are, son."
Hiccup met her gaze with doubt. He turned back to the ship, watching the flames as they consumed the last remnants of his father.
"I was so afraid of becoming my dad," Hiccup confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Mostly because I thought I never could. How do you become someone that great? That brave? That selfless?" He paused, the answer slowly forming in his heart. "I guess you can only try."
You approached the brunette slowly. “Hiccup, you are everything your father wanted you to be,” you said gently. “You may be reckless sometimes, and maybe you do put blind faith into people who don’t deserve it, but that is because you are the most stubbornly kind and loyal person I have ever had the fortune of meeting. You are the heart of all of us, without you, we couldn’t do this. I– we, need you, Hiccup.” You gazed up at Hiccup with a warm gaze.
The brunette stared at you with doting eyes, his face twitching in a smile. Though he said nothing, his eyes reflected more words than he could’ve ever uttered.

With newfound determination, Hiccup turned to the others. "A chief protects his own. We’re going back."
Tuffnut piped up, "Uh, with what?"
"He took all the dragons,” Ruffnut added.
Hiccup flashed a small grin.. "Not all of them."

Chapter Text

As Hiccup explained his plan to everyone, you couldn't help thinking it was slightly ridiculous. You stood by his side, keeping your eyes fixed on his determined face. "Hiccup, I'm not sure about this. Even if the babies aren't controlled by the Alpha, they're still babies..." you said, not feeling very energetic like everyone else. In fact, you wanted to curl up in your bed and cry. You knew that it was selfish, but you were so tired and deflated. You missed your best friend.
Hiccup turned to you with a spark in his eyes. "I'll try anything to get Toothless back," he said firmly.
"I'm with him, who else!?" Tuffnut yelled, raising his fist.
Everyone gave a cheer, and Valka gave Hiccup an approving pat on the back.
Hiccup smiled, but you could see the sadness in his eyes. You never had a good relationship with your father, so you wouldn't understand how he felt. "Hiccup..." you whispered.
The brunette turned to you, taken by surprise by your arms wrapping around his neck. "Hey," he murmured, hands settling on your waist.
You lifted your head to look into his eyes, moving your hands to cup his cheeks. Your faces were so close, you could feel his hot breath on your skin. His green eyes were so soft as he gazed at you. "You're going to be a great chief, one that will make your father proud," you whispered, "And I'll be by your side through everything, I swear."
Hiccup smiled sheepishly, his ears turning pink. "Thank you, Kira. For everything." He paused for a moment to bathe in your beauty. "We're going to get our dragons back, I swear it."
You took a deep breath, "I'm so sorry for what I said earlier. Nothing was your fault, Hiccup."
Hiccup leaned closer and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, "You already apologised for that, when you tried to sacrifice your life for me," he pulled away and began pokeing you in the chest, his brows furrowing.
You felt so flustered that you almost didn't register what he said. The touch of his lips still lingered on your skin.
Don't get distracted, Kira!
The moment had almost slipped your mind. Almost. You recalled the way you stood in front of him like it was your dying wish. Oh, right. It was. You had been too busy mourning Stoick for Hiccup's sake. However, there was an unmistakable sadness weighing on your heart. Stoick had given you patience, a home, and a tribe. You prayed he knew how grateful you were for that.
"I'm sorry," you said weakly.
Hiccup's gaze was gentle as he looked at you, "Why are you apologising? I think from now on, we need to ban apologies," he said firmly.
You let out a disbelieving laugh. "You're banning me from saying sorry?"
Hiccup nodded with a smile.
Valka, who was observing you and Hiccup from a distance, couldn't help but smile. "You two, we need to get going now," she called.
You felt your face heat up in embarrassment.
Hiccup laughed awkwardly, swaying his shoulders like he typically does. "Yeah, coming!" he replied hastily. The brunette man turned to you with a determined smile, "Let's get our dragons back," he said, pausing for a moment before continuing. "Do you trust me?"
You gazed up at him with the love of a thousand hearts. "More than anyone."
. . .
Let's just say it was difficult to wrangle the baby dragons.
A screech escaped your lips as you narrowly swerved past an icicle. The tiny dragons were very unpredictable. Many of your friends had crashed or almost been bucked off at least once. You hurtled through narrow ice channels, clutching onto the baby dragon for dear life.
"We can't fly these things!" complained Tuffnut!
"Yeah, no kidding!" Fishlegs replied, before barreling into a snow bank.
Astrid flew unsteadily behind you. "But won't that Bewilderbeast just take control of these guys, too?"
"They're babies!" Hiccup laughed, "They don't listen to anyone!
After obstacles, crash courses, and complaints, you and your friends finally made it out to sea. By the time you made it to Berk, the sky was growing light. Berk's village was encased in spikes of ice, and a swarm of their dragons hovered over Drago's Bewilderbeast. Virtue filled your veins. You needed to protect your new village and retrieve your best friend!
"No..." Hiccup whispered.
"He took all the dragons!" cried Fishlegs.
Hiccup looked over at you with a mixture of anger and determination.
You put on your bravest face for him. "We'll get them back," you said firmly.
The brunette's expression toughened, as if you had given him renewed strength. "Distract the Alpha!" Hiccup ordered, "Keep his focus off of Toothless."
"Uh, how?" questioned Tuff.
"Have you forgotten who you're riding with? Eret exclaimed brazenly, "There isn't a dragon alive that I can't wrangle!" On cue, as if the gods were mocking him, Eret's dragon dived to the sea. "Except for this one!" he cried as his voice faded into the wind.
Snotlout scoffed. "Ametuer."
The baby dragon beneath you gave an ear-splitting screech as you clung to its neck, barely managing to fly straight. Before you, the Bewilderbeast was massive, and coming so close to it, you felt very small.
"Hiccup!" a voice shouted from the cliffs.
You looked over and saw the Vikings of Berk stepping out from behind icy spikes. Their cheers filled the air, echoing through the frigid air. For a moment, it almost felt like coming home.
"What?" Drago barked, turning to see your group cutting across the sky.
You looked at Hiccup. His jaw was tight, his eyes locking onto Toothless.
"Let's give them something to look at," you muttered.
Eret launched a sheep. It soared up, hung there for a second, then plopped straight down into Ruffnut's launcher.
"Keep 'em coming!" Ruffnut called, cackling as she fired.
Snotlout tossed another sheep up. "Black sheep, baby!" he shouted.
You raised an eyebrow and fought back a laugh. "Seriously? Go get him, Ruff!"
"Ten points if it hits him in the eye!" Tuffnut hollered.
The Bewilderbeast growled, clearly done with the games. It sucked in a breath — then—
HOOOOONK!
The sound echoed through the air, breaking the massive dragon's concentration.
You glanced around and caught a glimpse of Fishlegs scrambling behind the horn, giggling like a madman. A second later, an icy blast encased the platform.
"I'm okay!" Fishlegs yelled, flopping off just in time.
You laughed under your breath — leave it to Fishlegs.
Your gaze flicked to Hiccup. He was already heading toward Toothless, flying right into the Bewilderbeasts' line of fire. Your heartbeat pounded in your ears as you watched your friend — sorry, your complicated not-so-much-a-boyfriend friend fly straight into danger.
"Hiccup!" you called. "Kick his sorry butt!"
The air turned sharp with tension. You pulled your baby dragon back, circling above as you watched Hiccup hover in front of Drago and Toothless.
"You certainly are hard to get rid of, I'll say that," Drago growled from atop Toothless.
Hiccup didn't answer. His eyes were locked on Toothless, and you could hear him even from where you hovered.
"Toothless?" Hiccup said gently. "It's me, bud. It's me. I'm right here. Come back to me."
Drago laughed mockingly. "He is not yours anymore. He belongs to the alpha!" He sat back in the saddle, his arms open in invitation. "But, please, oh great Dragon Master, try to take him. He will not miss a second time."
Hiccup maintained eye contact with Toothless, reaching out to touch him. "It wasn't your fault, bud. They made you do it."
Drago's amused face dropped as Toothless stirred. There was a flicker — just a flicker — in Toothless's eyes. His pupils began to dilate, before slitting again, and again.
"You'd never hurt him," Hiccup said, his voice raw. "You'd never hurt me.
Drago watched with agitated amazement. "How are you doing that?"
Hiccup never broke his gaze on Toothless. His eyes were glazed over as he spoke, "Please. You are my best friend, bud."
Close by, the Bewilderbeast roared.
"My best friend..." Hiccup continued.
You held your breath as Toothless' pupils jittered, then dilated fully. His mouth splits into a toothy smile as he recognises Hiccup. The tension in his body changed — like a wire slowly uncoiling.
"Thatta boy! That's it! I'm here!" Hiccup cries in delight, straightening up with joy.
Drago goes from astounded to alarmed. He raised his weapon and attempted to strike Toothless, but he clamped down on Drago's bull hook and yanked hard, sending Drago flying off his back.
"Yes!" you shouted, pumping a fist in the air.
But then Toothless dropped, wings folding in. Hiccup didn't hesitate before diving after him.
"HANG ON!" Hiccup's voice rang out.
You watched from above, your senses in overdrive, as you watched in fear. He was going to make it, right? Hiccup plummeted through the air with an outstretched hand, reaching for his best friend. Your knuckles turned white as you clenched your fists, watching with anticipation before he finally caught up, and the two of them locked into their familiar rhythm. Toothless's wings snapped open, catching the wind just before they could hit the ocean. They soared back into the sky, wind slicing past them like nothing had happened at all.
You let out the breath you'd been holding and circled higher, letting your dragon glide like a toddler on dragon-nip.
Below, Drago fell onto the tusk of his Bewilderbeast.
"We need to get those two apart," Hiccup muttered as he flew past you.
"I can try to draw its fire!" you called out. "Just get close!"
Toothless curved around a flagpole, and Hiccup grabbed a strip of fabric. You watched, mouth open, as he blindfolded Toothless.
"What the—" you began, watching with curiosity.
"Do you trust me, bud?" Hiccup asked softly.
Toothless cooed.
You blinked. "He blindfolded him?!" A smile slowly spread across your lips. Classic Hiccup.
"Not the weirdest thing Hiccup's done," Astrid said, flying past you.
Hiccup and Toothless vanished around the mountain.
You steadied your baby dragon and took a breath. You weren't done. You weren't anywhere near done. Not until you had Leafchaser back.

Chapter Text

Drago’s voice ripped through the air. He held a note of panic in his voice, which made you proud. “Take control of it!” He yelled at his Bewilderbeast. The great beast's hiss became a furious roar, but to no avail.
Hiccup held his hands over Toothless’ ears, shutting out the alpha’s commands. “Shut it out, Toothless!”
“STOP THEM!” Drago shouted.
The Bewilderbeast opened its jaws and released a flurry of ice.
“Now!” Hiccup yelled. Toothless suddenly pulled up and raced over Dragos' head. Drago let out a victorious laugh before pausing with wide eyes. As Toothless climbed inverted through the sky, the blindfold fell free, and the Night Fury had an empty saddle.. Drago whirled around, wide-eyed, to meet Hiccup barreling toward him, his wing-suit deployed, and his Dragon Blade trailing Zippleback gas. Drago swiped but missed him. Hiccup clicked the lighter and ignited the gas, blasting Drago off his Bewilderbeast with an angry scream. Drago plummeted, breaking his fall against his massive dragon's spines and landing hard on the ground, his bullhook landing just out of reach. The Bewilderbeast whipped its tail, trying to swat down Hiccup.
“Not again,” Hiccup groaned. “TOOTHLESS! IT'S NOW OR NEVER!” Toothless tensed his spine, making his dorsal blade open before he raced skyward, rejoining Hiccup just before colliding with the alpha's tail. You sucked in a deep breath of anticipation. “Go, Hiccup!” you yelled.
A grin flashed across the brunette's face. “Come on, bud!” Together again, he and Toothless sped along the length of the thrashing tail.
Hiccup’s face tensed into concentration. “Hold on!” he yelled, before shooting past the tip of the tail, narrowly making it. “Yeah! We did it!” Hiccup yelled.
You felt your body relaxing at the sight of Hiccup's success. Your baby dragon began whining, and you fluttered to the ground before you pressed your boots to the ground.
Hiccup and Toothless sped through the sky and landed a few paces from Drago, kicking up a trail of dust. Drago was battered and weary as he reached for his bullhook. Hiccup extended and fired up his Dragon Blade, before hurling it like a javelin. The flaming weapon speared into the ground between Drago and his weapon, singeing his outstretched hand.
Drago let out a furious yell.
“Hold him there, Toothless!” Hiccup commanded.
Toothless snarled a warning, his throat glowing purple threateningly.
“It's all over now,” Hiccup said.
As the cloud of dust settled, the looming figure of the Bewilderbeast rose behind Hiccup.
“HICCUP!” You screamed, immediately sprinting in his direction.
Drago grinned. “Or is it?”
Hiccup spun around and panic flashed over his face as a rush of water thundered up the Bewilderbeast's throat. “Oh, no!” He yelped.
“Hiccup!” You cried, watching as the Bewilderbeast breathed an icy blast straight at him. Panic surged through your veins, being too far away to do anything. You caught a flash of black rushing at Hiccup —Toothless. The freezing explosion enveloped them, leaving ice spikes stretching across the battlefield. Drago laughed to himself as you felt your world crumble around you.
You rushed to the block of ice. Your boots skidded across the frost-cracked earth as you ran, breath punching out in clouds, your heart clawing up your throat. All you could see was ice—sprawled out in wicked tendrils across the battlefield, jagged and glittering under the low light. There was just ice where Toothless and Hiccup had been moments before.
“No,” you whispered, voice hoarse and breaking as you stumbled forward. “No, no, no—”
Your fingers hit the frigid surface, burning with cold. You pressed your palms flat to it, shaking, searching desperately for movement, for breath, for any sign of life. The ice clung to your skin like it wanted to steal your warmth, your hope—Hiccup.
You pounded your fist against the ice.
“Come on!” you screamed, voice cracking into the open air. “Come on! You said you were going to change the world, idiot—you can’t leave me now!”
It echoed across the field. Distantly, the sounds of dragons quieted. The wind paused.
Valka was at your side. You barely noticed.
Your heartbeat had turned to static. You couldn’t feel your hands anymore. Couldn’t feel anything but the weight settling in your chest like stone. Like grief. Tears welled in your eyes.

Suddenly, a banshee whistle pierced the noise. A faint glow within the heart of the ice grew brighter and brighter with every passing second. You and Valka quickly backed away with wide eyes. A choked laugh escaped your lips in both disbelief and relief. There was a thunderous blast, and the ice shattered into a thousand glistening shards. From the storm of debris emerged Toothless, glowing with electric blue. Hiccup was curled safely beneath his wing, a look of shock on his face. Your knees nearly buckled as the sight crashed into you, relief flooding your veins like fire meeting frost. Toothless was practically steaming, his black skin glowing blue with rage, his split dorsal blades seared with a blue glow, and a lapis light emanated from his flared nostrils. He turned back to Hiccup with an excited face to check if he was unharmed, before turning his full attention back to the Bewilderbeast. Toothless soared upward in a blur of black and blue, landing atop an ice spire, before letting out a powerful roar. The Bewilderbeast bellowed in fury at the affront, but Toothless was already moving, releasing a barrage of plasma blasts straight into the Alpha’s face. Each shot lit the battlefield like lightning.

“He's challenging the alpha!” Hiccup said in amazement.
“To protect you,” Valka exclaimed.
The Bewilderbeast roared in anger. Toothless fired back continuously; no longer under the alpha’s control. Furious, the Bewilderbeast swung its massive tusks through the frozen ground, trying to crush him. But the Night Fury moved like lightning, jumping from spire to spire as he continued his unrelenting attack.

You glanced up—and your heart skipped. All around the battlefield, the swarm of dragons broke out of the Bewilderbeast’s control. They amassed behind the Night Fury as Toothless landed protectively next to you and Hiccup, and roared for the dragons to shift sides.
Seeing his plan crumble before him, Drago panicked and rushed toward the Bewilderbeast. “No, no, no, no! Fight back! Fight! FIGHT!” Drago shouted, clambering up the Bewilderbeast's tusk. “What's the matter with you?”
The Berkians swelled to show their unified support. Drago fumed as Hiccup swung himself onto Toothless and together and they flew up onto an ice spire. “Now do you get it?” Hiccup shouted. “This is what it is to earn a dragon's loyalty. Let this end now.”
“Never! Come on!” Drago yelled back, hammering at the Bewilderbeast, spurring it into a charge. Toothless called over his shoulder, commanding the dragons to ready themselves. He then blasted the Bewilderbeast. Suddenly, Skullcrusher fired. Followed by another, and another. Hiccup looked around, amazed to see the flock of dragons opening fire on Drago and his Bewilderbeast. Tears glazed your eyes when you spotted your beloved Leafchaser amongst the dragons. Her blue eyes brightened when she saw you, and she glided down to meet you. You rushed forward, wrapping your arms around her scales. She cooed gently before gesturing to her saddle. A smirk spread across your lips.

Leafchaser touched down on a jagged icicle beside Toothless, her wings folding in as she released a flurry of plasma blasts. You turned toward Hiccup, heart still pounding. Your eyes met, and the world could’ve gone quiet if you weren’t in the middle of a dragon war. A breathless smile broke across your face, and Hiccup grinned back, eyes shining.

Drago was forced to duck behind the towering spines of the Bewilderbeast’s crown, shielding himself from the storm of fire. “FIGHT! BLAST THEM!” he bellowed, desperation cracking his voice. But in the chaos, one of his own armoured dragons turned against him—its blast catching him off guard. His prosthetic arm was torn clean off and sent far away. The Bewilderbeast reared with a guttural roar, preparing to unleash a sweeping wave of ice. But Toothless struck first, a blinding bolt of plasma slamming into its face, followed by a relentless barrage from Leafchaser. A final, brilliant-blue fireball collided with the alpha’s skull, knocking its massive head backwards. As the smoke curled into the sky, one of its great tusks tumbled to the ground, sheared clean off. Drago turned, seething, locking eyes with Toothless—just as the Night Fury reared up and let out a triumphant roar that echoed across the battlefield, sealing the end of the fight.
“The alpha protects them all,” Hiccup said.
Overwhelmed and overpowered, the Bewilderbeast yielded to the new alpha and heeded Toothless' command, retreating back into the sea with an explosive splash. The Berkians around you erupted into cheers, their voices rising in a wave of victorious relief. As the smoke finally cleared, all that remained on the water’s surface were rippling bubbles—no trace of the Bewilderbeast… or Drago. It was over. Toothless leapt down from the spire, his body steaming as he finally cooled off, muscles relaxing for the first time since the battle had begun. All the dragons—Berk's, Valka's, even Drago's—landed around Toothless. Cloudjumper bowed to Toothless, beginning a wave of bows, acknowledging their new alpha. Toothless looked around, surprised, before letting out a powerful roar. The assembled dragons joined in, roaring in tribute to the Night Fury.

Chapter Text

It was over. You looked around in delight, eyes scanning over the dragons and Berkians all joining in celebration. There was ice everywhere and curling smoke, yet the air buzzed with laughter and roaring joy. You felt at home. You were home. Leafchaser cooed happily. You jumped off her back and threw your arms around her head. “I missed you,” you whispered. Leafchaser let out a rumble and nuzzled your cheek in response, which you took as ‘I missed you too.’
Next to you, Hiccup and Toothless shared a heartfelt reunion. “You never cease to amaze me, bud,” He said, pressing his forehead to Toothless’. “Thank you.”
Toothless gurgled and raked his tongue over Hiccup's face. Hiccups stumbled back, trying to get away, but he couldn’t escape Toothless’ flurry of licks. “Toothless! You know that doesn’t wash out!” The brunette complained.
Everyone around you erupted into laughter. You watched Hiccup with a smile that hurt your cheeks, giggling quietly. You looked around, seeing your tribe began to reunite with their dragons.
Astrid ran toward her dragon “Stormfly!” she cried, laughing as Stormfly bounded into her.
You turned your head and caught Snotlout sobbing dramatically into Hookfang’s shoulder, Fishlegs burying his face into Meatlug, and Ruffnut squeezing Barf a little too tight.
You smiled—until your eyes flicked toward Skullcrusher.
The Rumblehorn had no one to return to. He approached Hiccup quietly, as though unsure where he fit now. Your heart ached at the sigh. You stepped closer, pressing your hand gently against Skullcrusher’s snout.
Eret approached Hiccup. “That was some pretty fine dragon wrangling back there. You'd make a good trapper,” he greeted the brunette. Before Hiccup can respond, Skullcrusher began to nuzzle Eret affectionately. Eret chuckled and gently stroked him. You shot Hiccup a pointed look.
He nodded subtly, smiling. “Y'know, Skullcrusher's gonna need somebody to look after him now.
“Me?” Eret said in suprise.
Hiccup nodded reassuringly.
Eret looked at Skullcrusher, pausing for a moment to consider “I'd be honoured,” he said.

Valka walked up to her son, bursting with pride. “Your father... he'd be every bit as proud as I am,” she said, her voice spilling with happiness
“Thank you,” Hiccup responded. “I’m really glad you're here, Mom.”
Valka smiled. “And here I'll stay.” Toothless pressed his head into her shoulder, and she scratched his neck fondly.

You stood next to Hiccup, hand still resting on Leafchaser, but your eyes were fixed on Hiccup. You hadn't spoken since the battle. You had fought beside him, but there hadn't been time to say what mattered most. Now there was. He caught your gaze, and Valka stepped back knowingly.
“Hey,” he said, coming to face you.
“Hey,” you responded softly, smiling at the brunette. You sucked in a breath, your chest tight. “Hiccup, I know you don’t want me to say this, but I’m sorry—”
Hiccup cut you off by pressing a finger to your lips. “You talk too much,” he chuckled.
You smiled. Hiccup’s eyes bore into you as if he could see your soul. The thought of it didn’t scare you. He reached out and cupped your face, tilting your chin up gently. “I’ve been waiting,” he whispered, forehead leaning toward yours, “so long to do this.”
Your heart pounded in your chest and your eyes fluttered shut. Then, his lips pressed against yours. Your hands clutched the front of his armour, pulling him closer, as his arms moved to wrap around you. The kiss was soft yet passionate, as if he’d been holding it in for years. As if you were the thing he’d needed most in the world. When the kiss broke, his breath mingled with yours, warm and uneven. His eyes searched your face, as if memorising every inch. “Truth is, I didn’t expect to fall this in love with you,” he said with a grin.
You smiled, before whispering, “I love you too.”
Hiccup laughed heartily before pressing a gentle kiss on your forehead. You leaned into him, closing your eyes and embracing the moment. For the first time in your left, you felt like you belonged somewhere.

Vikings around you began cheering and laughing, the joy rippling like waves across the smoky air.
“About time,” Gobber said with a chuckle.
You laughed, breathless, and still reeling from the kiss. Hiccup gave you a glance—soft, warm, full of everything unsaid—and then Gothi stepped forward, tapping his shoulder with her staff. The crowed quietened Hiccup turned to face her, straightening as she gestured toward the scorched ground. Understanding, he dropped to one knee, the sunlight catching in his auburn hair. Using ash from a heap of burnt wreckage, Gothi traced a Viking symbol onto Hiccup's forehead. Then, she bowed. Hiccup stood tall, meeting Gobber's proud, smiling eyes. He turned to the crowd and threw up his arms. “The chief has come home!” Gobber cried.
The Berkians erupt with cheers and applause as Hiccup takes in the moment, acknowledging the weight of responsibility now upon him. Toothless threw back his head and let out a plasma blast in celebration, spurring all other dragons to follow suit, lighting up the sky in a spectacular display.

Hiccup turned toward you in the chaos, and despite everything—the noise, the lights, the future rising up to meet him—he looked at you like nothing else mattered. You smiled, cupping his face and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “You’re going to be a great chief,” you whispered to him.

. . .

The whole Drago fiasco was now thirteen days ago. Things were slowly going back to normal. Berk still bore the scars of battle—scorched eath, half-built homes, and shards of ice—but every morning brought the sounds of hammers and laughter. Dragons hauled logs through the village while children painted them with bright patterns before they were even nailed into place. The air no longer smelled of smoke and fear, but of fresh timber, sea salt, and warm bread.
Your hands were calloused, your arms sore from hauling stone and mixing clay, but you welcomed the ache. Each day, you worked side-by-side with the villagers—helping Gothi mend her roof, guiding the younger folk, even laughing with Tuffnut when he declared his new “beard oil business” using yak milk and eel slime.

Hiccup had been busy with his chieftain duties, but he still managed to find time for you. Some days he’d walk with you in the early morning, his tain entangled in your hand. Other times, you’d find yourselves perched above Berk, watching the sun slip behind the sea, saying nothing at all. This was still new.

You stood at the edge of the cliffs one afternoon, the sea breeze threading through your hair, the crash of waves steady and familiar below. Behind you, Berk stirred with the rhythm of rebuilding; axes swung, carts creaked, children shouted gleefully as they chased Terrible Terrors around half-constructed huts. The village wasn’t perfect—roofs still needed thatching, and soot still clung to some walls—but it was alive.

You leaned against a newly built post, calloused fingers brushing the grain of the wood. Leafchaser lay nearby in the sun, her long limbs stretched out, wings draped like sails across the grass. She blinked slowly at you, content. You remembered the silence you’d once lived in. The fear. The solitude. The aching distance between yourself and the world. Now, there was warmth. Now, you had friends who laughed with you, worked beside you, asked how you were and meant it. A deep breath filled your lungs, and for once, there was no weight pressing down on your chest. No urgency. No running.

Astrid approached, hands on her hips, hair sticking to her forehead.
“Not bad,” she said, nodding at the beam. “For someone who wasn’t raised on this island.”
You smirked. “You say that like I haven’t been pulling twice the weight Snotlout has.”
Astrid laughed. “Yeah, but that’s not exactly a high bar.”
You both glanced across the clearing where Snotlout was dramatically flexing while Ruffnut rolled her eyes and dropped a bucket of nails dangerously close to his foot.
“You doing okay? Hiccup told me you’ve decided to stay for good,” Astrid said, a little more seriously this time, brushing her gloves off on her pants. “Hopefully we don’t make you regret that.”
You paused, then gave a small smile. “Yeah, I’m good. I’m glad to be here,” you said, “Berkians are very loud, but, you’ve all accepted me. For that, I’m grateful.”
Astrid gave you a playful shove with her shoulder, and you bumped her right back.
“Come on,” she said, turning back toward the pile of supplies. “We’ve got a whole roof to finish before Gobber comes over and starts giving helpful suggestions.”
You groaned, preparing to leave before—

“Kira,” Hiccup called out.
You turned to see him jogging over, his auburn hair windswept.
Astrid stepped aside with a knowing smile. “I’ll go make sure Snotlout hasn’t set something on fire again,” she said, before leaving the two of you.
Hiccup stopped in front of you, catching his breath. “Sorry to interrupt,” he said. “I, uh, I’ve been looking for you.”
You wiped your hands on your pants. “What’s up?”
He scratched the back of his neck, clearly trying to look casual but not doing a great job. “I wanted to ask if you’d come with me. Just for a bit. There's something I want to show you.”
You tilted your head, curious. A smile spread across your lips. “Yeah, sure.”
He reached his hand out. You hesitated only a second before taking it, letting him lead you past the bustle of rebuilding, through narrow stone paths and grassy slopes until the noise of the village faded behind you. The wind tugged gently at your clothes, salty and cool. Ahead, the cliff side opened to a breathtaking view—the ocean stretching out endlessly, with the sun hanging low in the sky, casting golden light over the waves. Hiccup halted and you stopped to look at him. Hiccup released your hand and stepped ahead, turning to face you with a half-smile.
“I used to come here all the time,” he said, eyes scanning the horizon. “When I needed to think… or breathe. Or just… stop.”
You nodded, quietly taking a seat on the shamrock grass. Hiccup sat down close to you, your shoulders brushing.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Hiccup said gently. “I just wanted you to know. That I’m glad you’re here. That you stayed. With us. With me.”
You reached out, brushing a strand of hair from his face. “I’m not going anywhere.”
His breath caught.
You leaned in at the same time, slowly, like the air between you had pulled you both forward. Your lips met in a dance, and his hand found yours, fingers weaving together naturally. When you pulled away, the world felt a little quieter. You smiled at him. “I never thought I’d say this, but, I’m really glad I was shot by an arrow,” you said with a hint of laughter, “Because I met you.”
Hiccup grinned. “We are very corny, aren’t we?”
You returned a smile. “So, what?”
The brunette wrapped an arm around you, pulling you closer. You rested your head on his shoulder, sitting in a comfortable silence, watching as the waves ripple the sea.