Greetings! I know what you're thinking. Another story? Well, rest assured, this story will not interfere with the other stories I am currently posting. This is a story I finished writing months ago, but never got around to posting, and as it entirely completed, I will not have to take time away from my other stories to write it.

This story is an adventure story, about three (four if you include Toothless, and you really should) adventurers as they go on a quest, each for their own reasons. The story is mostly from the point of view of both Astrid and Hiccup, but the hero of our story is undeniably Hiccup, as you will see.

We will start with Astrid to kick things off, as she travels through a wood, on her way on a quest of great importance, not knowing that her life, and her world, will change in more than one way in the events that will occur…

Astrid peeked out from under her fur lined hood. The air was heavy, moist and soulful. The clouds were beginning to brawl in the sky, the first few drops falling from the heavens to bless the earth with their presence. She quickened her pace, not wanting to get caught in the impending storm.

She smelled it first, the smell of smoke, pine, and fresh baked bread. Looking up, she could see a trail of smoke rising from the tree tops just ahead. A cabin, or inn of some sort. Perhaps she could find shelter there. She pulled the cloak closer around her, shivering. Although the air was almost hot with anticipation, she felt chilled. Used to this feeling, she hurried on without much delay.

A few hundred yards and she reached a small settlement. It was merely what appeared to be a tavern, with a stable and small homestead. There were a few men lounging outside on the steps, too drunk to sit properly, or see past their ugly noses.

She adjusted the hilt of her sword so as to reveal it properly, and walked forward towards the entrance. To her luck, the men were too incapacitated to pay her much attention, save a few lewd and confused glances.

She pulled the door open and stepped into the light, the heat of many fires and bodies hitting her like a slap. She stepped inside, gaining the attention of nearby customers.

She would never get used to the smell of unwashed men, no matter how many times she was forced to be near them. Tempted to sit in a dark corner, she chose somewhere in the light, well viewed by many. She sat at a table, and waited for the large bosomed woman to approach, slapping down a large pint of ale. "On the house," she said in a deep, husky voice. "Anything you'd like with it?"

"I have money," Astrid replied, reaching for her coin purse.

"No," the woman shook her head, "I don't want your money, girl. You've got enough problems to deal with," the woman nodded her head to the right, and Astrid looked over without moving her own head, at a few surly looking men leering at her from the other end of the hall.

"Ah," Astrid said, frowning.

"If they try to do anything ungentlemanly, just scream—although from your attire, I'd say you don't need to."

Astrid said nothing, waiting for the conversation to continue onto something else.

"So," the woman said, "Anything else? It'd be on the house."

Astrid smiled, "Some stew would be nice," she said. "And some bread."

"I'll come back with it shortly," the woman said. "The name's Grega by the way—and remember, scream if they bother you. We don't get many girls in here."

The woman walked away, her ample hips swaying. Astrid watched her go before turning her attention to the mug of ale before her. She lifted it off the table and took a tentative sip, the bitter-sweet taste welcome to her parched mouth. She would have preferred water, but she did not trust the drinking water here was pure. She eyed the men staring at her, automatically placing a hand on the hilt of her sword. She fingered the pommel, taking another sip, when a bowl and plate appeared in front of her.

"As requested," Grega said, "Stew, bread, and I added some cheese and a biscuit too."

"Aw, Grega!" a man shouted, laughing, from nearby, "Why don't you treat us like that?"

"Because you've got an ugly face," Grega barked back. "Enjoy, lassie."

As the barmaid walked away, Astrid eyed the food. It looked edible, and it would certainly be better than foraging for food another night. She tore a piece of bread off the loaf and dipped it in the stew, popping it in her mouth. She closed her eyes as she chewed. So long had it been since she had eaten home cooked food, it seemed a far off memory. She continued to eat with vigor, when she felt a shiver run up her spine. She looked up to see a set of eyes watching her. The eyes, clear blue and so pale they seemed translucent, belonged to the face of a gaunt, hungry looking man. Not hungry for food, he seemed, but instead for something else. The hilt of her sword again found its way into her hand, and her body tensed as the man rose and began walking towards her.

The door was thrown open, a wet wind blasting into the tavern, and the room fell silent for a moment before a few clamored to close the door after those who had entered.

Astrid stood, the gaunt man forgotten, as two men fell to the floor in front of the door.

"What happened?" the man who had laughingly shouted at Grega asked, bending over to peer at the collapsed men.

One struggled to his knees, and Astrid narrowed her eyes at the sight of him. Covered in grime and blood, most of which appeared to be his, he was shaking. The other man was in worse condition.

"What is going on?" Grega had returned, her booming voice echoing in the hall and silencing those who were murmuring to each other.

"These men just came in here from the storm, looking like death itself," the man who was inspecting them said.

"Is that so?" Grega peered down. "Well, don't just stand there, get them to a room. And someone call for the healer. She'll have to take a look at them."

"The beast…" the man kneeling said, shaking, "No one must go out—it shall devour you… wait it out… the night is dangerous…"

"Poor thing," Grega said softly, "he must have gone mad. Well, Chatley, take them away. And someone call for Elana. She won't get here if no one tells her to come."

A man hurried out the door, and the man kneeling on the ground began to shriek.

Astrid walked forward. "Where did you come from?" she asked, kneeling before the man. "Who did this to you?"

"The beast…" the man said, trembling. "A terrible creature, a monster… a dragon of some sort."

Astrid raised her eyebrows.

"A dragon?" Grega boomed. "How preposterous. He's lost his mind."

"It turns into a man during the day—but at night, at night it ravages the woods, looking for victims," the man said breathlessly, as he was picked up and dragged away. "Don't venture into the night—it shall devour you!"

Astrid stood, watching as the two men were taken away.

"What a load of hogs wallop," Grega said, as the men disappeared up the stairs.

Astrid frowned. "What do you think could of done that to them?" she asked.

"Hel if I know," the woman replied.

The marks on them were nothing like Astrid had ever seen, and although the thought of dragons still existing was as preposterous as Grega had claimed, she had seen enough bite and claw marks to know that those were nothing of any creature she had come across or known about so far in her life.

She took in a deep breath, adjusting her cloak. "I'm going out," she said.

"Out?" Grega turned to look at her, "In this storm? You'll catch your death."

"While I doubt it's a dragon that turns into a man, or perhaps a man who turns into a dragon, something did attack them. And if it attacked them, it may attack again. Someone's got to stop it."

"And you think that person is you?" Grega asked, staring at her. "Those men are strong, healthy, hardy lads. You think you could defeat something that nearly tore them to shreds?"

Astrid placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. "I may look weak," she said, "But I pack quite the punch. I'll be fine."

Grega sighed. "At least finish your food," she said. "You'll need strength if you're going to go out into the storm and fight some beast."

Astrid looked at her food, and nodded. She did not want to waste time, but the woman had a point. She sat back down and ate the rest of her food slowly, avoiding the ale. She needed her wits about her.

When she was finished, she stood from the table, the hall growing quiet as she did. Grega approached, holding a lantern. "To see with," she said.

"I don't need it," Astrid replied.

"It's pitch black out there," the woman huffed. "You're going to catch your death, you might as well see where you're going."

"The beast will have a harder time tracking me in this weather," Astrid said, "I'm not going to ruin that opportunity by shining a light where it could see me."

Grega's muscular arm lowered slightly. "Aye," she said, "You have a point, I suppose. Well, be on your way, lassie. Come back, if you survive. I'd like to see your pretty face again."

Astrid smiled, nodded, turned, and walked out the door into the torrential, ominous rain.

The rain had done a good job washing away the blood trail, but the footsteps were still visible enough for her to track. There was little light, and for a moment she wished she had accepted the lantern, but she knew that the opportunity to sneak up on the beast was too good to pass up. She did not fancy dying tonight, however noble her intentions were. She had too much to live for.

The trail led her deep into the woods. The air was heavy, and she was already soaked to the bone, despite the heavy canopy of trees above her. Finally, she found what she was looking for. Tracks that belonged to nothing she had ever seen. For a moment, she believed that it could be a dragon, but she shook that thought from her head. Dragons did not exist. If they did, it had been hundreds of years since they could have last been seen. It was some predator that hid in the woods, coming out at night, terrorizing travelers.

She followed the tracks for a few yards, until suddenly they disappeared. The ground here was heavily torn up, as if something had landed from a great height and velocity. She frowned, standing, looking around, but the heavy underbrush prevented her from seeing where the beast could have jumped from. She sighed in irritation. She could not leave this place until she slew the beast—she would not condone another innocent to the fate of those two men, or worse. She took another step, ready to scout out and re-find the tracks, when she heard a rumble. She stiffened, hand flying to her sword. She spun around, peering into the wet darkness. Pale green eyes peered back at her, seeming to glow in the night, pupils constricted into angry slits.

She drew her sword, the sound clanging and echoing into the night. The beast growled, a flame erupting from its mouth.

Astrid's sword arm lowered in shock for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise, as the beast moved forward with expert grace, and she was blasted with wind. She lifted her sword in time to block a swipe of claws, but did not seem to make much impact on the beast. In the darkness she could barely see anything of the creature, only the sounds from its throat and the ground moving beneath it. A swipe of her sword and the beast howled in pain, though she could tell she barely landed a hit, and a small whimper escaped its lips. She did not have time to ponder this moment of frailty, for as she lifted her sword above her, ready to bring it down upon the creature's head, something hit her sharply and with force in the back of her own.

To be continued…

This is not a "High Fantasy" story. It's a little too satirical and farcical for that ;)

As with all my stories, the chapter length varies from chapter to chapter.

And here is my dutiful disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD or any of its IP and franchises.

I hope to post chapters with some regularity, since this story is already written. However, I cannot promise a perfect update schedule, and as I have a life and troubles of my own, there may be weeks of no updates. But, like I said, I will try my hardest to post regularly.

Thanks for checking out this story! I'd love to know what you thought of it so far and if you'd like to see more :)