A Dragon for a Babysitter

By Eagle Alchemist

It was a pleasant summers day on Berk. A gentle breeze that brought with it the scent of flowers, grass and trees drifted over the village. The people were going about their usual tasks, enjoying the warming sunshine and their dragon companions too were revelling in the beautiful weather. Gobber was busy making saddles, a line of customers stretching back to the base of the Great Hall steps. Valka was currently teaching some children about dragons she'd encountered during her twenty years with them, the small group were sat on the grass overlooking the village. Things were busy at the Haddock house also. Astrid was preparing the evening meal, cutting and cooking Salmon, while making a stew of the left overs. Hiccup and their other friends were sat by the fire discussing new lesson plans for the academy. Stormfly, Meatlug, Hookfang, Barf and Belch were all sleeping outside, while Toothless lay by his riders feet.

In the middle of all that, was Kitta. A toddler playing on the floor with a toy dragon made by her grandmother. With all the adults attentions elsewhere, the little girl pushed her way up onto her feet and waddled toward the back door of the house. The lure of the partially open door was too much to resist for a curious child and she wandered outside. One ear lifted on Toothless's head. Opening his eyes and looking in the direction of the sound, he noticed the small person was missing. He knew that Hiccup and Astrid would worry, so he got up and went to find the little girl. Finding the back door open, he went outside and looked around. Toothless caught site of Kitta's form vanishing into the tree line up the hill. At a trot, he took off after her. This tiny person needed protecting and he felt it was up to him to help his best friend do just that.

Astrid turned from her cooking and saw Kitta was gone. The plate she held slid from her hands and smashed on the floor, gaining the others attention. The twins joked about how clumsy she was. Fishlegs worried what might be wrong and Snotlout just puzzled over it. Wasn't like her to be clumsy. Hiccup got up and started toward her.

"Astrid? What's wrong?"

"She's gone..." She breathed finally "Hiccup our baby is gone!"

"What!?" He stopped dead.

Astrid began frantically searching the house, calling to her daughter over and over. Everyone began to help in the search, but the little girl wasn't in the house. Fishlegs spotted the back door was open, looking around he then realised the Night Fury was gone too. Hiccup was trying to calm Astrid, holding her close.

"Astrid, please don't worry. I think...Toothless might be with her." Fishlegs said.

"How can you know?" She replied tearfully.

"Toothless isn't in the house and the back door is open. Maybe she went outside and he followed her?" Fishlegs tried to explain.

"You can't know that for sure." Snotlout added.

That earned him a glare from Hiccup.

"Astrid, we'll find her, I promise." Hiccup tried reassure "Fishlegs has a point. You know how Toothless is with Kitta. If she wandered outside he probably went after her."

Everyone left the house and their dragons met them out back. Meatlug began to sniff around, using her keen sense of smell to try and pick up a trail. They all fanned out and began to search. Hiccup calling for his friend. When simply calling his name didn't yield anything, Hiccup used his dragon call. A moment passed and he received a reply. Following the sound, Astrid and Hiccup quickly moved through the trees. They could see where something large had walked, small twigs and bushes pushed back or snapped. Another call from the Night Fury had them turning right. Astrid knew this part well and fear gripped her heart.

There was a steep slippery slope up this way. Had Kitta fallen?

Clearing the trees, they stopped and Astrid felt the wave of utter relief wash over her. There bellow a huge tree was Toothless. And playfully climbing all over him was Kitta. Each time she ventured too close to something the dragon deemed unsafe, he would pluck her up by her clothing and set her back in front of him. Just hearing their child's laughter was enough to banish their fears for her well being.

"There you are sweetie." Hiccup said, kneeling close to his dragon.

Kitta looked up at her father and the bright smile melted his heart.

"Dahgon daddy." She said.

"Oh my Gods!" Astrid gasped in surprise "Hiccup...her first words."

Stroking his daughters hair Hiccup smiled proudly. Astrid scooped her daughter up and held her close.

"Don't you ever scare mommy like that again." She said, half sternly "But I am so proud of you, you said your first words."

Hiccup rubbed Toothless's head affectionately, earning a purr and a pleased look in those big green eyes.

"Good job Bud." He said "I knew we could count on you to protect Kitta."

"Yes." Astrid knelt and petted the dragon too "Thank you Toothless. Your one heck of a babysitter."

They both laughed. Toothless gave them an odd look. He didn't think of himself as a babysitter. He was just doing what he thought was right. Protecting the tiny human offspring of his best friend. After all, if Toothless had offspring he knew that Hiccup would do anything to help protect them. The family headed back toward the house, Hiccup calling out to their friends that all was well. When they emerged from the trees, the others were waiting for them. And they all got to hear Kitta repeat her first words. Wriggling free of her mothers hold, Kitta landed with a thud on the ground. Everyone held their breath as her eyes began to tear up.

But the tears were halted when Toothless came to her side and sat. Kitta made a happy little squealing sound and clambered up to her feet again. She barely reached the bend in his leg. She clung to it giggling, before toddling off across the grass, Toothless in hot pursuit. The group of friends all watched as the little girl would toddle and then fall, getting right back up again. For a moment they all panicked when the rest of the dragons joined in the fun. In all honesty they didn't worry with Toothless, he was gentle. But Meatlug was rather heavy and Hookfang was huge by comparison.

The fear and the worry vanished however, the moment they saw how tender and careful each one of their dragons was. Kitta had their full attention. If she tried to climb too high or risked falling, Toothless was right there to save her. Hiccup watched his daughter. Seeing the beginnings of what she could be when she grew up.

A great Dragon Trainer. Maybe, even better than himself.

With the decision to eat outside, the food was served and they watched as Kitta and the dragons played. Talking and joking together, like one happy extended family. They reminisced about their time as young kids and how they all did crazy stuff. There was even a moment where Kitta climbed all over her father, then gave each member of the group the very same treatment. As the day grew late, the light fading slowly into night, the stars came out and sparkled in the sky above. Heading home to their own children, Fishlegs, Snotlout and the twins left the Haddock family to enjoy their evening.

Sitting by the fire, Hiccup held Astrid close and they looked lovingly at their child. Kitta was now fast asleep between Stormfly and toothless. Her tiny body being kept warm by theirs. They were a happy family unit. Mother, Father, Daughter...and two Dragon Babysitters. Life couldn't be better or warmer.

The End