Vikings of Berk: Rise of the Dragons

The Viking and the Night Fury

For 300 years, Vikings and dragons have fought each other; both sides locked in what seemed would be a never- ending war. But all of that was about to change: When a young Viking and a dragon form a bond, a friendship; the world begins to change, in ways that no one could have predicted.

Week One of Dragon Training; Astrid

Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruff, Tuff, and Snotlout had finally started Dragon Training. It began as one might expect: Astrid was focused and determined; and the others were doing their best, and achieving... 'Varying' levels of success. Hiccup seemed to be doing all he could just to stay alive; at least, at first.

Then something changed: Hiccup started appearing in the right place, at the right time. And; as soon as Dragon Training finished for the day, he'd disappear into the woods. The others didn't seem to notice, or care, but Astrid was getting suspicious: The Zippleback, the Gronkle, and the Terrible Terror... No, something else was going on.
Astrid would've confronted Hiccup directly; but, as always, he'd disappear before she could corner him.

The one time she'd so much as glimpse him was by accident; when she'd been practicing her axe- throwing in the woods. She'd heard a sound from behind her, and spun around. Their eyes had met for perhaps five seconds, and then he was gone: leaping between two boulders, down a shallow slope.
By the time she'd reached the boulders, he was gone; but she had no idea where he'd gone.

She'd started out as being annoyed and curious; now it was just getting annoying, 'What are you up to, Hiccup?'

Week One of Dragon Training; Hiccup,

Since the afternoon that Hiccup had chanced upon Astrid in the woods, he'd been using extreme caution, as he made his way through the woods. His destination: the cove where he'd been spending every afternoon, this past week; and where his new friend waited.

The extra time he was taking gave him plenty of time to reflect over everything that had happened that week, and a lot had happened...
It had begun one evening, a few days before Dragon Training would begin; not that Hiccup would be allowed to join in. The not- uncommon cry of "Dragon attack!" had been sounded, and Hiccup wanted to prove himself, as always – and despite: One, being a 'hiccup'; and Two, having been giving orders from Chief Stoick, his father, "not to get in the way".
Hiccup knew better than to fight a dragon directly, but he'd built countless devices to help... though they didn't always work like they were supposed to. That night, he'd set his sights on the highest prize of all: The elusive Night Fury; A dragon no- one had ever seen... except for those who'd been killed by one, if that counted. That night, it had worked: The net had launched and snared its target… Then the rope had broken, and he'd heard the dragon veer away; heading inland. Just like that, his proof was gone, and he was back to square- one. However, he'd been allowed to join Dragon Training. He knew no- one believed the Night- Fury 'story' but... it was something.

He'd reached the boulders that hid the entrance to the cove, and slipped between them. As soon as he was through, Toothless was on him, licking his face. Grinning, Hiccup extricated himself from under the Night Fury; already remembering the afternoon he'd found this dragon.
He'd spent all of the following morning, and most of the afternoon, trying to find where the Night Fury had fallen. So far: Nothing. He'd almost given up, then he saw several broken trees; forming a 'path', of a sort; leading off to one side. Eagerly, he'd followed it. Until he found the cove; and the Night Fury...
He'd meant to kill it; he'd even unsheathed his knife. Then he had looked the dragon in the eye, and something... Something happened: For a moment, he felt... connected to this dragon. He'd lowered his knife; already knowing that he couldn't kill it. Instead, he used his dagger to cut through the net, freeing the dragon.
Then the dragon was on its feet, staring at him. Again their eyes met, and again Hiccup felt a presence touch his mind: examining it, learning. Minutes passed, and then the dragon's mind began to withdraw. Before it broke the connection, a voice said, 'Thank… you… for… freeing… me.'
Hiccup had returned every afternoon, since, staying until sunset. The dragon was there, every day. Hiccup had a feeling that it stayed for the same reason he kept returning. Somehow, a bond was beginning to form, between them.
On the third afternoon, the dragon 'drew' a maze of crisscrossing lines in the dirt. Whenever Hiccup stepped on a line, the dragon growled until Hiccup raised his foot. Understanding, the young Viking devoted his full attention to the maze. When he finished, he froze – aware that the Night Fury was standing right behind him. Forcing himself to remain calm, he turned – keeping his gaze lowered, and reaching one had back – stopping a half- foot from the dragon's snout. A moment later, the dragon rested its head in his palm...

A 'voice' jolted Hiccup back to reality; 'What are you thinking? … You do not seem yourself.' Toothless's ability to 'speak' had improved exponentially, since their bond had fully established itself. He'd even been amused by the name that Hiccup had given him; which he'd unknowingly earned when he'd retracted his teeth, during Hiccup's first visit to the cove.

"Astrid spotted me, yesterday, as I made my way here… I've been a little on- edge, since then." Hiccup sighed. He'd explained the dangers of their being discovered, several days earlier, so Toothless merely nodded his understanding.

'I can't be kept secret forever, though.' Toothless pointed out. 'And it would be best if the information came from you… a controlled revelation. I have learned much from you and you from me, but perhaps there is something else I should teach you: How to imitate a Night Fury call.' Seeing the stunned expression on Hiccup's face, Toothless chuckled, and continued. 'I know of no other Night Furies, so I wouldn't mistake you for another, and it would be good for you to have a means to contact me; if the need should the need ever arise.'

Toothless demonstrated, and Hiccup tried to imitate him. He got it, and after a surprisingly short time, too. "Another perk to having a bond with a Night Fury, I'm guessing?" Hiccup was grinning.

'One of many,' Toothless agreed, smugly.

When the sun was beginning to set, Hiccup and Toothless said their goodbyes. Then Hiccup set off on the return- trip to Berk, and Toothless rose into the say, wheeling towards the ocean, to catch his supper.

As with the previous nights, Hiccup was able to quietly slip into his house without drawing too much attention. – Though it was getting harder, as news of his accomplishments in Dragon Training spread. 'Toothless is right,' Hiccup thought to himself. 'This won't stay a secret forever.'

To be continued…