A How to Train Your Dragon fanfic fable.

Hello Fanfic Readers: Right from the get go I wish to give credit to P-Artsypants, SapphireDragon4437 and ShipMistress for unknowingly motivating me to write this story. I had at first approached these three excellent writers with a rough outline, but they all told me they didn't feel up to writing such a tale. So finally I took the plunge.

This is my first time ever publishing a story for public viewing. I was debating whether or not to call this an AU (Alternative Universe) but I think it's become more of a "What If" rendition. I believe it to be a unique and a hopefully educational "What if". I hope you "Likey". I have actually completed the story, but I will release it chapter by chapter as I proofread it. Even then I imagine some mistakes will slip by. If I miss something I am sure you will let me know. Those who wish to review and leave comments you are welcome to do so, but I won't ask at the end of each chapter. My guess is that those who feel it worth a positive comment or sincerely constructive criticism will do so anyway. Please keep in mind, I am not a professional writer and I am sure there will be many weak points to my story. If that's the case I expect to hear about it, but please refrain from useless cruelty.

A/N (Author's Note): This fable of mine is loosely based on personal experience. I don't claim to be a writer but I will give it my best effort. The last time I wrote a work of fiction was back in high school English, but apparently my little Sci-Fi story impressed my teacher.

Disclaimer: How To Train Your Dragon is the property of Cressida Cowell and DreamWorks. Of course I own nothing of this franchise.

Coping

A How to Train Your Dragon Fanfic fable

By

IpperDragon

Copyright © July 11, 2017

This story is dedicated to my wife who wishes to remain anonymous.

CHAPTER 1: THE LOSS

Berk: a large resource rich Island in the Northern sector of the Viking archipelago. 30° West of hopeless and 40° North of freezing to death. This is an area much like other coastal habitats with one significant difference. Where other communities deal with rats, mice, mosquitoes and blackflies, the pests of Berk are-Dragons!

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, was frustrated to high Valhalla. "Other people lose socks, helmets, even their daggers. Me! I manage to lose an entire dragon! Aahhhhh!" Hiccup screamed while scribbling out furiously the diagram in his notebook, then snapped it shut with his charcoal stick and put it in the inside pocket of his brown fur vest. "The gods hate me." he moaned despondently whacking away a branch only to have it whip him back in the face.

Instead of screaming again in exasperation, the back smack brought him to his senses. Suddenly he realized he was looking at damage to the flora ahead of him that resembled what could only be caused by a large heavy object…or possibly a falling dragon.

"I guess my trajectory calculations weren't as messed up as I thought after all." Hiccup pondered to himself. He may not be the brawniest Viking of Berk, but he had an intelligence that baffled his fellow Berkians, even to the point many didn't think he was all that sharp. Hiccup knew he was no "dummy", but his low self image would not allow him to see that he was actually something of a genius.

Following the trail of devastation to a trough, he climbed the slight incline, froze, gasped, and ducked back down in a hurry. The sight of a very black dragon, about the size of a muskox had panicked him.

Cautiously he peeked over the ridge to again sneak another look. He hadn't been seeing things. There it was. A black dragon. That explains why no one had ever seen a Night Fury before. You could hear their shrill whistling scream as they attacked, but the night would make them virtually invisible.

This black beauty had been entangled by his bola cannon. "No! Not beauty. Devil!" Hiccup had admonished himself. This beast had been responsible for so much damage to his village, but not any actual deaths. As he thought about that a little further he suddenly realized that any deaths that occurred were caused by indirect actions of the dragons. None that Hiccup could recall were as a result of a direct targeted attack by a dragon. "What am I thinking!". He berated himself. "They are dragons, and we are Vikings! We are sworn enemies!"

Hiccup descended to the black bulk below him to take a closer look. As he approached he was gratefully thinking that his father, and Gobber, his mentor in the forge could finally be proud of one of his achievements. His creation of the bola cannon had actually worked, and this dragon's heart would be his proof. The dragon was clearly immobilized and helpless before him, entangled in bola cords and weights.

Hiccup drew out his dagger, his first product of blacksmith training. Putting his foot on the dragon, Hiccup exclaimed, "I have brought down this mighty beast!" only to jump back when this mighty beast twitched and groaned.

Hiccup made several feeble attempts at threatening the black dragons life, telling it he would cut out its heart and bring it to his father. Hiccup raised his dagger threateningly only to see the dragon stare at him pleadingly, then close his eyes and lower his head in resignation, hoping this small human would make his death a swift one.

The fact that Hiccup was first able to see the beauty of this majestic creature should have been the tell tale that there was no way he could dispatch such a wonderful being.

Tears welled up in the eyes of Hiccup, and puffing out his cheeks with an exasperated sigh he began cutting the ropes of his own bola.

The dragon snapped his eyes open. What was this tiny Viking doing? His sworn mortal enemy was cutting the ropes that bound him. He had never heard of such a thing. A human showing mercy to dragon kind. Still he couldn't take a chance, he had to make sure to put this young-ling in its place in case he changed his mind.

As soon as enough of the ropes were loosened, the dragon pounced on Hiccup and shrieked in his face. The shriek was unlike anything Hiccup had ever heard before. It climbed up and down the frequency scale in an unnerving and disorienting blend of complementary and conflicting harmonics. He was momentarily stunned by the barrage of acoustics to his ears.

Once the Night Fury fled away, Hiccup proudly realized he hadn't soiled or wet himself. Blowing a raspberry of relief he stood up and started walking home and promptly fainted after three steps.

Only a few minutes passed before Hiccup came back around. This time he took it slowly and got up again. Once he was upright and confident he wasn't going to pass out again he surveyed his surroundings.

Hmmm. That's odd, Hiccup thought to himself, That Night Fury must have scared every living critter around including the bugs. It's really quiet.

Hiccup started walking back to his village and after about five minutes he halted. Fear was creeping into his belly. Looking down at his feet he took a few steps and panic began to set in.

He could feel the crunch of foliage under his feet, yet he couldn't hear his footsteps. A gust of wind gently pushed against him, and still he couldn't hear the rustle of the leaves of the trees around him.

He smacked the side of his head a couple of times hoping to clear up whatever was messing with his hearing. That had been a big mistake. He yelled in pain from the onslaught of a severe headache, and sharp pain in his ears. He realized again he could feel his voice but not actually hear himself. Tentatively he touched his ears and could feel a damp sticky substance. He looked at his fingers only to realize he had been bleeding from his ears.

"Oh gods!" He wailed. "I've lost my hearing!

Sign of the Chapter - Deaf: With the index finger of your dominant hand, touch the same ear and then your lips