A/N: How to Train Your Dragon remains the property of Cressida Cowell and Dreamworks. This is set during Dragons: Defenders of Berk, after 'View to a Skrill'.

One.

Word went round the village of Berk like a tornado: someone had tried to kill the Chief. A dragon had fired at him out of the dark, the impact tossing him down the long flight of stairs of the great Hall and knocking all but unconscious. When he came to, all he found was the scorch mark that had missed him by a whisker. Gobber had been outraged and had called the Elders and the Academy but Hiccup had been worried. His father was the only constant in his life and was respected by the whole village. The thought that anyone would try to kill him was unthinkeable. Stoick had pushed his anxious son away, turning back to reassure his people that he was still strong and in control.

"I'm fine!" He announced. "It takes more than a little knock to finish me!" The roar of approval had run through the village and the Elders had stood behind him in a show of solidarity. But Hiccup had remained concerned and called Fishlegs to examine at the burn mark with him. He peered at the burn and frowned. Fishlegs was also puzzled. He gave a nervous little laugh.

"It looks like a Night Fury burn!" he said with a twitch. Hiccup frowned.

"That's not possible!" he said in a thoughtful voice. "Toothless is the only Night Fury and he was with me. We were working at the forge. It must have been another dragon, maybe one the Outcasts' ones…" Fishlegs gave another nervous laugh.

"But it really does look like Toothless's burn!" he repeated loud enough for the bystanders to hear. He gave a hysterical little laugh and hastily added "Maybe there is another one!" But Hiccup shook his head: his dragon would have known if there had been another of his kind around. In fact he would have known if there had been any unknown dragon around-and he had remained calm and relaxed throughout the evening. So he turned away, shaking his head.

"Not helping," he said in a low voice. He examined the scene twice more with Fishlegs but they found nothing extra so boy and dragon walked up the hill. Stoick was still speaking with the senior warriors and the boy felt abandoned. He really wanted his father at home with him, to speak to him and know he was safe. They had suffered a poor relationship for many years and now they were finally growing closer, Hiccup was terrified he would lose his father. Of course, he could never tell Stoick, for the burly Chief would laugh at his fishbone son, clap him on the back so firmly he would fall over and tell him that death was an occupational hazard. He rubbed his face wearily. Death was an occupational hazard for a Dragon Rider too, but Stoick babied him when he was worried about Hiccup and the boy wanted to return the favour. So he sat quietly by the fire with Toothless curled by him until Stoick returned home.

"I don't understand, bud," he murmured, stroking Toothless's head to calm himself. "There was no other Night Fury. And you didn't sense any other dragon-not even a feral one! So who...?" Toothless crooned softly and nuzzled hard against the boy. "I'd say Alvin but I know he's dead...and Dagur would send one of his men to kill Dad rather than a dragon..." He ran his fingers through his hair. "Is there someone else out there who did this? Someone I haven't met? Someone here on Berk? Oh, it's so messed up..."

"That's for sure!" Stoick said, entering with s wan smile, his heavy tread tired.

The boy looked up as he walked in and jumped to his feet, running to his father and grasping his hand tightly.

"Dad-are you alright?" he asked worriedly. His father patted his head then pulled his helmet off and sat heavily in his chair. Hiccup scooted off and brought him a beer before staring into his face. "I was worried," he admitted, his voice ashamed. He knew that his father would not approve of his worry but Hiccup couldn't help it. Stoick gave him a smile.

"I'm fine, son!" he assured Hiccup as he stared into the fire. "But we need to find out who attacked me. We can't have someone walking around planning this kind of thing!" Hiccup nodded worriedly. He stared at the fire for a long moment.

"But who would want to?" Hiccup asked him quietly. "You're the best Chief in Berk's history. You are respected all over the Archipelago. No one can match you in battle!"

"None of which would stop a sneak attack," Stoick told him. "And I have garnered enough enemies over the years. Even here, there are some who consistently grumble or complain about my leadership. Not everyone approves of the dragons, son!"

"Mildew!" Hiccup's tone was hard: he still couldn't forgive the old man for all the harms he had done to the boy.

"Hiccup-he wasn't the only one," Stoick told his son. "Vikings are not good at change. And they are swift to anger and jump to conclusions..." Hiccup awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. That last part worried him more than anything.

"Dad-did you hear what Fishlegs said?" he asked worriedly. Stoick nodded.

"Son-we all did!" he admitted heavily.

"You don't think that I or Toothless would try to hurt you?" he asked in an anxious tone. Stoick smiled at his son.

"No," he assured the scrawny boy sitting before him, the Night Fury parked neatly at his back.

"But Fishlegs was right-it does look like one of Toothless's plasma blasts," he said thoughtfully. "I need to find out what dragon made it and why?" Stoick grasped his shoulder.

"Don't be concerned, son," he assured the boy. "I could never believe that you would do anything like this! And I know you will get to the bottom of this!"

But that night, he was groaning and growling in pain. His gut was gripped by spasms and he felt cold and sweaty. Roused by his distress, Hiccup came down to find him and realised his Dad was ill. He tried giving him more to drink but when Stoick doubled up, the boy frantically went in search of Gobber-not always a safe option but one he managed mostly unscathed. The blacksmith took one glance at at the white and pain-wracked Chief and went straight to Gothi, the village elder. She was grumpy but came immediately and her sharp features fell as she saw the Chief. Hiccup watched her in fear as she examined his father. Then she scratched some runes on the floor and Gobber raced out to fetch some herbs. The boy watched from the stairs as she brewed a drink and fed it to his father. The man gave a groan and collapsed onto his tumbled bed, his groans quietening. Then Gothi stared around the room and sniffed various items, then picked up the mug of beer that Hiccup had given his father. She sniffed and her brows dipped. She held it up to Gobber.

"That?" Gobber asked. Hiccup stared at him in shock.

"What is it?" he asked .

"He's been poisoned!" Gobber told him. Hiccup felt his heart grow cold.

"P-poisoned?" he stammered. "How-how?" The blacksmith held up the mug.

"His drink!" he announced. Hiccup felt his jaw drop open and he backed away a step.

"No..." he murmured. "No…You can't think…I wouldn't…Gobber…please…" He tried to get to his father but Gobber held him back.

"Let him sleep, Hiccup," he said. "I'll watch over him..." Hiccup stared up at him with a hurt expression.

"He's my Dad!" he protested gently.

"It's for the best, lad," he assured the boy. Staring at him and reading suspicion in his eyes, Hiccup turned away. He was feeling sick, not just because of his father's sudden illness but because Gobber was acting as if he was responsible. He slowly walked up to his room and sat on the bed, staring at Toothless.

"It's OK, bud," he murmured as the dragon nuzzled against him. It could tell the boy was distraught. He stared at the stairs down to his father. "But they couldn't believe I would harm him?" he murmured, disbelieving. The dragon crooned slightly and Hiccup hugged him gently. "I don't know," he whispered. "Gobber's known me since I was born. He made my diapers! He's been my boss for ever. He stood by me when I was Useless and despised by everyone else. How can-can he believe this?"

But there was no answer, no comfort available from the worried dragon and the boy felt his entire body shiver with foreboding. He couldn't sleep a wink and spent all night, listening for his father's breathing.

The next morning, Stoick was feeling better and he smiled at his son as Hiccup ran down the stairs to check on him. The Chief stretched his hand out to his son and Hiccup pushed past Gobber and flung himself into his father's arms. His face was relieved. "Dad," he said gratefully. "How are you?" Stoick gave a smile.

"It felt like Thor was flinging his thunderbolts in my guts!" he told his son. Hiccup shook his head desperately.

"They said you were poisoned," he said quickly. "Dad, I..." Stoick grasped his shoulders tightly.

"I do not believe that you tried to hurt me," he said gently. "Someone must have poisoned the barrel..." Hiccup found himself breathing hard in shock.

"Why?" he murmured, disbelieving. Stoick gave a grim smile.

"I guess they want a new Chief," he said simply.

Hiccup headed for the Academy and faced his friends. They were all there and he looked pale and haggard as he arrived. He tried a smile.

"Hey, guys!" he said.

"Wow-he looks even worse than the Chief!" Tuff exclaimed.

"How is your father?" Astrid asked him, ignoring the male twin. He shrugged.

"He's going to be fine," he said in a relieved voice. Then he sagged. "He was poisoned as well! Someone put something in his beer." Astrid stared at him.

"Hiccup!" she said anxiously. "Only you live with Stoick."

"I know," he said in a very anxious voice. "My Dad doesn't believe I would hurt him but Gobber..." He couldn't finish the sentence and the hurt in his eyes was obvious. He gave little brave smile. "C'mon, guys- we need to get training." But the riders kept stopping to discuss the attempts on Stoick and who could profit from his death. And every time Hiccup heard the discussion, he felt himself cringe. Because he was the person with the most to gain from the loss of the Chief. Though they never recalled he also had the most to lose. He sat miserably at the side of the arena and watched the others doing their exercises, a sick feeling in his stomach. Toothless watched him with a gentle croon as the boy scuffed his heel back and forth on the floor. Astrid sat beside him.

"They don't mean anything," she told him. "No one believes that you would hurt your Dad!" Hiccup stared at the floor.

"Some people do," he said heavily. "I saw their faces as they walked up to see my Dad. They were looking at me..." His shoulders sagged. "This Berk after all. There are no secrets here-only copious gossip!"

"But Gothi has cured him now," Astrid said. Hiccup shrugged.

"But someone had tried to kill him twice and they may try again!" he said quietly. He managed a slight smile. "I think Gobber will be watching me like a hawk now!"

When he returned home, he was horribly aware of the eyes upon him. Word of the attempted poisoning had gone round the village and everyone stared at him as Toothless landed as if he was about to run screaming at his Dad with an axe. He slipped off and walked up to his house, turning to see the villagers glaring at him. Toothless walked to his side and he stroked the dragon gently. Then he pulled his shoulders back and walked into his home. As soon as he was in, he closed the door and leaned back against it, closing his eyes and breathing hard. The hostility had really shocked him and he stared into the room to see the house empty. He started forward in anxiety.

"Dad?" he called, staring into the gloom. The fire had died down and he fed the flames automatically then stared at the dragon. "Where is he?" he asked softly. Then he emerged again and threw himself into Toothless's saddle. "Find Dad, bud!" he said and grasped the saddle as they leapt into the air. Stoick was on his dragon and Hiccup was concerned that he could still be in danger. He hadn't found that strange dragon from last night! But as he circled round, he saw Stoick landing low down the village, hanging into his dragon for grim death. Hiccup soared round and landed a few yards from his Dad, who was stomping into the forge to see Gobber.

"My saddle broke!" he said angrily. "I thought you had fixed it!" Gobber looked up at him in mild surprise.

"I had," he said and then went out to inspect the saddle. Hiccup ran up his father.

"Dad!" he said. Stoick stared at him, his face still locked in anger. "What happened?" he asked the Chief. Stoick scowled at him,

"My saddle broke while I was riding, just as Thornado was turning!" Stoick told him, his tone angry. The Thunderdrum gave a little growl behind him, equally upset as Gobber crawled under him to inspect the damaged kit.

"But, Dad-what were you doing on Thornado?" Hiccup asked him, concerned. "I mean after last night. I wouldn't have thought you would be..."

"Up to flying? Your Chief is made of sterner stuff than that!" Stoick told him loudly.

"And my Dad?" he murmured. Stoick stared down at his son, still small, just reaching his chest and clearly concerned.

"You have nothing to worry about!" he told the boy gruffly.

"This saddle has been cut!" Gobber announced. He held up the saddle and demonstrated where the strap had given, a neat slice concealed low down under the saddle. "It was done by someone who knows where to hide the damage." Stoick stared at him in shock but he trusted Gobber implicitly.

"Who could have done such a thing?" he murmured as the Elders arrived, followed by half the village.

"Maybe we should give the obvious answer, the one that Stoick has been so unwilling to even consider!" Lars suggested. Stoick stared at him.

"What answer?" he demanded.

"Who gains most from your death? Who owns a Night Fury? Who lives at your home and has ample opportunity to poison your drink? Who knows more about dragon saddles than anyone except Gobber?"

"Me," Hiccup said in a faint voice. "He's saying I must have done this, Dad."