FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

_ Prologue _

Large white sails stood out against the vibrant blue sky as a massive ship worked its way across the ocean. A tall thin man by the name of Trader Johann strolled across the deck. He sported a thick yet well-groomed silver beard and wore a turban upon his head. His nose and cheeks were covered with freckles and sunspots from the many years he spent traveling the open seas. Behind him walked an even taller man; his face still youthful and free of the sun's abuse. They both stopped at the railing and looked out over the endless waters.

"Aye son, this is exciting! With each trading expedition, we are venturing farther than any traders before us! Think of the new exotic goods we are going to procure for our people. They shall await our arrival to their ports with bated breath!"

"Indeed father, this is the first time I have ever accompanied you on trading business outside of the Archipelago. Whereabouts are we going?"

"Tis a place known as Reykjavik my dear Gersemi. We shall arrive well before sundown!"

As the seasoned tradesman had predicted, land came into view shortly after midday.

Upon reaching the docks, Trader Johann sent Gersemi into the market.

"See what goods are available will you son?"

"Aye father."

Gersemi ambled into the heart of the market. There were so many things he had never seen or could have possibly imagined before! Everywhere he looked, there were foreign devices, weapons, manuscripts, and trinkets. He could have spent many suns and moons exploring everything but there was no time to kindle the flame of curiosity that burned inside of him. With a final glance over his shoulder to his father who was still near the ship, Gersemi darted out of the market and towards the local mead hall.

_ Chapter I _

Darkness shrouded an elusive figure that stood alone in the corner of the mead hall.Gersemi scuttled through the shadows and worked his way towards the mysterious man. They both took their seats at a wooden table. It creaked in protest.

"Greetings Gersemi."

"Aye, and to you Baldur."

"Did you bring the map?"

Gersemi looked around nervously.

"Yes."

"Let's see it."

Gersemi laid out an old yellowed map of the Archipelago on the stained wooden table. The man gave an approved nod.

"Which one is Berk?" asked Baldur.

"Not until we discuss my terms." retorted Gersemi.

"Fine. Ten percent."

"Ten percent??"

"It's not your men on the line."

"I am sacrificing everything for this! I need thirty percent!"

"You are fortunate to be walking away with anything at all. I will give you twenty percent and you can keep what's left of the island."

"And the Night Fury? I am willing to take ten percent if I can lay claim to it."

"Do you take me for a fool? Don't even think about trying to take the Night Fury. It's mine. So again I ask, which one is Berk?"

A twinge of resentment shot through Gersemi. His father had known and been close to the chief of Berk for many years. That Night Fury should really be his and in years to come, it would undoubtedly become a prized family heirloom. He sighed as he nervously tugged at his vest.

"...the island you are looking for is right here."

"Ah, fine then. There is, however, one more thing I need from you."

Baldur handed Gersemi a small sealed scroll.

"Send this to the chief of Berk."

"What is this?"

"That's none of your concern."

Gersemi took the scroll. He hoped Baldur didn't notice his hands shaking slightly.

"Where do I meet you to get my cut?" inquired Gersemi.

"Come to the Isle of Berk in two weeks. By then we will have finished harvesting the dragon hides. You can collect your twenty percent there."

"Sounds fine then. I should warn you though, the chief of Berk and his Night Fury can be quite elusive and nothing short of formidable if provoked. They may be an issue for you."

Rather annoyed by the gangly young man's lack of confidence in him, Baldur abruptly stabbed a knife into the already scared up surface of the table. Gersemi jumped.

"I will have my finest dragon hunters stationed on every island between here and Berk. It doesn't matter if the chief is able to flee. That Night Fury has to land somewhere."

Gersemi nodded hurriedly. "...just don't forget our terms."

"Pleasure doing business with you."

With that, both men departed. Gersemi hurried back to the market hoping his absence went unnoticed by his father.

"Aye thank you. Splendid! These will do!"

Trader Johann began making his way back to his ship with several rolls of silk in his arms and a satchel of books about healing herbs over his shoulder.

"Ah, there you are son! Give your father a hand will you dear boy?"

He handed a couple of the large rolls of silk to Gersemi and together they carried their goods to the ship.

"Right then, I just need to collect a few more items and we will be off. Man the ship and prepare for our departure will you?"

"Aye father."

Trader Johann stepped back onto the docks and began to make his way towards the market but stopped at the sound of ropes being pulled. He turned and saw his son had removed the walking plank from the ship and was unfastening the docking ropes. The freed ship drifted away from the pier. Trader Johann ran to the edge.

"Son, wait now. I haven't finished my business arrangements!"

Gersemi stood up on the railing of the ship.

"Slight change of plans father! I have made my own arrangement that will ensure my prosperity for years to come. Enjoy your early retirement!"

As his son sailed out of the harbor, Trader Johann could do nothing but watch, mouth agape, as his ship grew smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared on the horizon.

_ Chapter II _

It was a clear morning with the sun bright and the air crisp. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was atop his ever faithful companion, Toothless, a fearsome Night Fury. The two had been together for years and in that time, an incredibly deep level of mutual respect, love, and understanding had been forged. Countless hours spent working and flying together had made the communication between dragon and rider seamless. Despite Toothless being unable to fly without the assistance of a rider to operate his prosthetic tail fin, even the most complicated aerial maneuvers were still executed with ease. Hiccup breathed in the fresh air and heartily patted Toothless.

"Aaaah, we haven't been out flying like this in ages bud!"

As chief of Berk, very little time was allotted to Hiccup for the boundless exploration and frivolous adventures he once enjoyed with his friend. Hiccup accepted this new responsibility as chief with gracious pride but he regretted not being able to spend as much time with Toothless as he did in years past. His guilt was slightly alleviated though as Toothless was the Alpha over all of the dragons. He in turn had many matters of his own to be concerned with which made their time alone together all the more scarce. Despite the sacrifices and slight displeasures they each had to experience in order to honor their own kind, both had grown considerably in character and in doing so, their connection deepened.

Hiccup wasn't vain by any means but he couldn't help admitting how much he admired his dragon. Toothless was so regal and always poised while still appearing formidable if not intimidating. Huge muscles laid attractively beneath layers of smooth black scales that shimmered in the light and cloaked the dragon in darkness. His favorite feature of his dragon,though, was his eyes. They were windows into his best friend's soul and were one of the only places Hiccup could look and see himself. They were a radiant green with streaks of gold and they were always ablaze with life and intelligence. Fortunately, the Night Fury had a disposition to match. Full of life and intelligence of course but what was most exceptional about Toothless was his capacity for almost human-like empathy and altruism.

Hiccup gazed at the foreign waters below him.

"It's interesting that Trader Johann is so far outside of the Archipelago. I never thought I would say this but, I'm actually very anxious to hear him tell the story behind his antics for once."

Hiccup chuckled but Toothless felt his rider grow tense. Although Hiccup had a habit of withholding his true feelings at times, the Night Fury had become adept at reading the young man. He turned his head to look up at Hiccup who simply offered a feigned grin of reassurance. The dragon gave him a final incredulous glare before turning back and dropping the issue.

Hiccup was very concerned though and was feeling extremely apprehensive about traveling so far away from the safe boundaries of the Archipelago. Unfortunately, he had learned that the world he once loved to explore as a boy was no longer the same. Other Viking tribes had ventured to its farthest reaches and nothing more than bloodshed had resulted.

We are the voice of peace.

Hiccup devoted himself to honoring that self-proclaimed philosophy. He no longer had the desire to see the rest of the world if conquering it first was a stipulation. The most prominent reason for not venturing too far outside of the Archipelago though, was just beneath him. Dragons were apparently nothing more than a myth to the rest of the world and Hiccup's intuition told him that they would not fare well if they were discovered.

Why else would the dragons vanish entirely from the rest of the world?

He refused to risk their safety for the sake of his own curiosity and desire to explore. Snapping his focus back onto the task at hand, Hiccup scanned the ocean once more in search of land.

"There it is. Let's go bud."

Hiccup cued his dragon to fly faster. Happy to comply, Toothless streamlined his entire body and with a powerful thrust of his wings, shot forward. The rich teal colored sea zipped below them as they approached the piers.

"Master Hiccup! Your arrival is such a splendid sight to behold! And quite fortuitous as I have been searching for a way to contact you!"

Hiccup landed Toothless next to Trader Johann who nervously took a few steps back. Toothless eyed the man mischievously and growled. He had come to enjoy taunting the tradesman over the years.

"Good day Trader Joh- wait... what do you mean you've been searching?"

Hiccup dismounted Toothless and reached into his saddlebag. He retrieved a small scroll and offered it to Trader Johann.

"Did you not send this message asking me to meet you here?"

Trader Johann took the scroll but barely glanced at it.

"Master Hiccup, I sent no such thing! When did you receive this?"

"About two weeks ago. It said to meet you here on miðvikudagur. It has taken me three days to get here."

"Hiccup, you need to get back to Berk immediately!"

"Wait, what's going on Trader Johann?"

Trader Johann tugged at his tunic rather sheepishly.

"About two weeks ago my son Gersemi stranded me here. He stole my ship along with all of my goods. I haven't the slightest inkling what he is up to but word from the locals is that he met with a foreigner. Apparently this man, along with his group of undesirables, is considered very dangerous and I'm afraid he made an arrangement with my son that has no regard for you or the dragons."

A wave of dread washed over Hiccup as he leapt back onto Toothless' saddle.

"Toothless, back to Berk, now!"

"What? Master Hiccup! Wait!! You can't just leave me here!"

"I'm sorry Trader Johann. I promise to come back for you."

At the lightest prompt from Hiccup, Toothless launched into the air.

_ Chapter III _

Hiccup and Toothless tore madly through the air. Hiccup's hands trembled as they clenched the saddle. The thought of three days travel back to Berk frightened him for he knew, the longer he was away from his people, the more danger they could be in. He urged Toothless to fly faster.

The duo flew on as the day became well spent and the sun began to set. The sky was painted with vibrant streaks of pink and purple as the sun gave way to the night. Hiccup saw a small island appear far below. He felt Toothless slightly shift course and head towards it. It was one of the islands they spent the night on when they were flying to meet Trader Johann. Hiccup pulled Toothless back.

"No, we're not stopping."

The air grew bitterly cold once the sun resigned its place to the moon and stars and the constant blast of wind in Hiccup's face from flying did nothing alleviate his discomfort. He sniffed and placed his cold numb hands on Toothless's neck. Toothless was always so warm no matter how frigid it was. The dragon started at the human's gelid hands on his neck but did not object and instead, offered a concerned whine. His human didn't tolerate the cold particularly well and he was rarely awake this long after sunset.

"Sorry, I'm fine. Just keep going."

At least this cold makes it easier to stay awake. If we press on, we can reach Berk tomorrow just before sunset.

_ Chapter IV _

Hiccup watched the dark sky grow lighter and noted that his dragon's large black head no longer blended in with the dark ocean below them. His bleary eyes welcomed the sun as it finally peeked over the horizon. Its warmth on his face was a relief from the icy night but his anxiety hadn't waned. It was stronger than ever. It energized and drove him forward.

The sun slowly made its procession across the sky as the day wore on. They had finally reached the outermost edges of the Archipelago and were at last in familiar territory. Hiccup could hear Toothless breathing heavily from flying so hard for such an extended period of time. Occasionally, he felt his dragon's entire body shudder and more than once, he saw him shake his head as if to keep himself awake. Hiccup was relentless though.

We're this close. We're not stopping now.

Despite the fatigue that was enveloping his body, Toothless listened to his rider's adamant requests and continued on.

Hiccup's lidded eyes brightened as Berk finally appeared on the horizon. Both dragon and rider were numb from the pain of exhaustion but relieved to finally see home again. Hiccup circled overhead and landed in the village square. He dismounted and surveyed the area.

Alright...things seem okay but oddly quiet. Where is everyone?

Not a single viking or dragon was anywhere to be seen. Toothless noted the odd silence as well and tested the air. A growl escaped his throat. He called out. Silence. Not a single dragon appeared or even called back. Toothless was far from a demanding Alpha but he expected a certain level of respect. When he called, other dragons were to answer if not come forward immediately. He called again, ears erect and straining for any possible sign that there were dragons present, but the only response he received was the sound of his own roar echoing off the rock faces behind the village.

"Hiccup!"

Toothless defensively spun around and jumped in front of Hiccup, wings opened and teeth bared. Upon seeing the familiar face of the large Stormcutter flying overhead though, he immediately relaxed and his snarl quickly transformed into a pleased hum. It was a relief to see another dragon. Valka landed Cloudjumper beside them and Hiccup ran forward into his mother's arms. She hugged her son close but her voice was hushed and almost frantic.

"We can't be here, especially you! They're waiting for you and any remaining dragons that may come to the island."

Hiccup pulled away.

"Wait hold on, what's going on Mom? Someone's here? Who and where is everyone? Are they safe?"

Valka grabbed her son's shoulders and pushed him towards his dragon.

"Hiccup, go now. I don't think they know you're here."

Hiccup jerked himself out of her grip and cut her off.

"No, where is everyone? We can't just leave them!"

"There's no time, we must go!"

"No! I will not abandon my people!"

Valka closed her eyes. Her heart and mind were in conflict. One said to honor her son while the other said to protect her son. She sighed deeply.

Before she could respond Hiccup leapt onto Toothless and took off.

"Hiccup no! Stop!"

As Hiccup flew over the large cliffs that separated the village from the vast forests of Berk, he spotted several large plumes of black smoke. They rose into the air carrying with them an acrid smell.

Oh gods....

He flew Toothless towards the smoke and landed nearby. Both eyed the enormous fires that surrounded them. Hiccup slid off of Toothless and ran towards the flames. It then dawned on him what he was seeing and he sunk to his knees. He couldn't believe it, but there was no denying what he saw. Despite the smoke burning his eyes and causing them to water, he gazed at the charred and burning bodies of his people. The people he was supposed to protect. The people he was supposed to lead. The people he loved.

Astrid...

He didn't scream, cry, or speak. He couldn't move, only stare. Toothless's disgusted snort brought Hiccup out of his trance. The dragon found the pungent stench of the burning corpses repulsive and it was proving difficult to get the smell out of his sensitive nostrils.

"Who...?" was all Hiccup could manage, his voice dry and quiet.

"I don't know." his mother replied from behind him as she dismounted Cloudjumper.

"No one knew who they were or where they came from. Anyone who tried to fight back was killed."

"What? Fight back? No! This is my fault."

Hiccup felt his anger mounting.

"I never should have left. I should have sent someone else. I can't believe I failed to see that the message from Trader Johann was a trap to lure me away! If I would have been here..."

"It would not have made any difference son and I thank the gods that you weren't. Hiccup, I know this is hard but we must go. They don't know you're here but they are still on the island waiting for you."

Hiccup clenched his fists at his sides.

"No! There was a reason for all of this! Tell me or... I will figure this out myself!"

"Hiccup no! You cannot be seen!"

But Valka was powerless to stop Hiccup as he leapt onto Toothless and flew into the air once again.

Toothless soared over the island and called out for the dragons. His typically commanding roars were now desperate shrieks as his summons were once again met with silence.

"Where are they..."

It didn't take Toothless long to find them though. As he doubled back towards the village they flew over the docks and what they saw made their insides run cold. Body after mangled body laid on the blood stained wooden decks. Several men walked around the dead creatures sporting large knives while others had already started cutting through the thick scales and were tearing away the skin. Despite the shock Hiccup was still in from discovering the remains of his people, he had desperately hoped Toothless would be spared from seeing such a similarly gruesome fate befall the dragons he was meant to lead and defend. No such fortune was granted to either man or dragon though.Toothless's reaction was not nearly as passive as his rider's. Instead of becoming paralyzed and remaining silent, he let out an infuriated roar and flew towards the carnage. Hiccup watched the blue glow that radiated off of his dragon's scales when he became enraged and was preparing to attack, grow brighter and brighter.

I couldn't agree more!

"Toothless! Dive! Multiple blasts! Take out those ships!"

The Night Fury was all too happy to oblige and with deadly accuracy, nailed a ship with three consecutive plasma blasts.

What the-?

As the smoke cleared, Hiccup noticed that the ship appeared untouched. Its reinforced construction made it seem impervious to dragon fire.

A growl of frustration escaped Toothless's throat.

"Again! Fire!"

Toothless circled back and shot at the ship twice more but again, despite receiving direct hits, the vessel sustained essentially no damage. The men on the deck had managed to regroup and a few of them pointed long metal rods at the large black dragon as it flew by. A series of bangs resounded and suddenly, the sea stacks around Hiccup exploded as shards of rock showered them; near misses of apparently invisible projectiles. They immediately took evasive action, using the large stone pillars along the coast as cover. Toothless knew danger when it was staring him in the face. These men were here to kill and had shown that they were capable of wiping out every dragon and viking on Berk. Despite sharing his rider's desire to fight, escaping while they still could seemed most wise. He set his sights out to the open sea and prepared to race to safety. Hiccup was furious though and had no thought of fleeing. Revenge might as well have been the blood that coursed through his veins.

These people have taken everything! Our land, our tribe, our dragons!

"Pull up bud! We'll regroup on the other end of those sea stacks and hit from the other side! These ships can't hold up forever!"

Reluctantly, Toothless rebounded in preparation to attack once more.

"Ready? Now!"

"Hiccup stop!"

Valka flew Cloudjumper directly in front of Toothless cutting him off and preventing him from firing.

Infuriated, Hiccup screamed in rage.

"What are you doing? Move! Get out of our way!"

"Hiccup listen to me! Listen to your dragon! Get out of here now! Leave while you still..."

Valka's Stormcutter suddenly howled in pain and jolted forward. Hiccup watched as the dragon and rider fell from the sky.

"Mom!"

Instinctively, Toothless dove after them. There was another bang and shards of rock from a nearby sea stack shot into his face forcing him to pull up. Toothless had seen enough. Cloudjumper was too big to catch, every viking and dragon he knew of was dead, and staying to fight was simply too dangerous. He turned and took off towards the open sea, a screaming Hiccup carried helplessly on his back.

"You worthless coward! Go back! How could you just leave them?! Go back!"

Toothless did his best to block out the heart breaking pleas of his friend. He tried to ignore the fists that relentlessly pounded on his neck. His only thought was to protect the only thing that was left; they still had each other.

_ Chapter V _

Valka's Stormcutter crashed to the ground, throwing Valka from his back. The sandy beach broke her fall though and she clambered to her feet.

"Cloudjumper! Are you okay?"

Cloudjumper sat up and shook the sand from his body. His large tough scales had done their job. Although he had a bleeding wound on his left shoulder that clearly bothered him, he seemed fine otherwise.

"Thank Thor you're okay."

She agilely swung herself onto his massive neck and watched as her son's dragon tore across the sky away from Berk.

"We have to follow them. Come on Cloudjumper!"

The Stormcutter trained his eyes on the rapidly disappearing silhouette of the young viking and his dragon. With a less than graceful leap into the air, he took off after them. Cloudjumper's injuries, along with the superior speed of a Night Fury, made keeping up impossible though. Valka watched Toothless disappear into the distance. Her dragon moaned in concern.

"Easy Cloudjumper, it will be alright. Look at those clouds."

The sky was indeed beginning to darken.

"There's a storm coming so they'll have to land in due time. Just keep going and we'll find them soon enough."

_ Chapter VI _

Hiccup felt the cold air blow through his thick dark hair as his dragon flew above the zaffre colored ocean. Clouds that shimmered pink and gold filled the sky around him. He closed his eyes and swallowed. He didn't know what to feel or think. Many different emotions battled to stay at the forefront of his mind. Anger, confusion, fear...but remorse seemed to be winning out for the time being.

"I'm sorry Toothless."

The dragon perked his ears slightly at the sound of his name. Hiccup rubbed the side of his dragon's neck. He tried to keep his emotions in check but after seeing everything and everyone he loved and was supposed to protect so violently torn away from him, it was difficult.

"You are not worthless or a coward. I shouldn't have called you those things. You were only trying to protect me. That's what you do. That's what you've always done..."

He bit his lower lip to keep his voice from cracking but his efforts were for naught.

"...and I'm sorry I hit you."

Through tear laden eyes, he guiltily looked down at his hands as he continued to stroke Toothless's neck. Perhaps if he gently caressed it enough times, it would erase the many strikes his fists made during his mindless fit. Toothless whined. He rarely heard Hiccup cry but when he did, it always made him feel lost and uneasy. It was troubling not being able to fully understand his rider at times, but when something hurt his boy to the point of tears, it was beyond uncomfortable. He felt so powerless which was a rare feeling for the Night Fury. Grief seemed to be one of the very few things in this world he was unable to fully protect Hiccup from. The bright clouds gradually began to diminish as expansive dark ones started to dominate the sky.

Well that's just great, a storm. Probably best if we don't try to fly through it. Looks like we're going to be grounded for a bit

Hiccup saw an island far off in the distance.

That'll do. Besides, we both are in desperate need of rest and obtaining some provisions. Trader Johann! After this storm, we should go back for him.

He set his dragon on course towards the island. Of the two them, Toothless was in the most need of recovering. Hiccup knew his friend would fly to the ends of the Earth and back for him without ever expressing any sign of discomfort or weakness but the tax of flying for over two days now without any sleep, food, or water was starting to show. They landed in a wide grassy valley that was flanked by large rocks and some trees. Hiccup surveyed the area looking for a good place to rest that would also shelter them from the elements. He felt Toothless suddenly stiffen. The dragon tested the air and looked around warily. A deep growl was all Hiccup received as a warning before his dragon leapt into flight.

Whoa, okay then. Clearly we aren't staying there. It was rather open so not the best for providing shelter against a storm anywa

"Hey hey, easy!"

His dragon ignored him though as he cleared the trees. Hiccup pulled on Toothless.

"We are staying on this island. Slow down."

The dragon continued to dismiss his rider's requests though. He shook his head, effortlessly knocking Hiccup's grip loose, and flew towards the ocean.

"Fine, you leave me no option then."

Hiccup pressed on the stirrup that controlled the tail fin causing it to partially close. Toothless gave a betrayed hiss and steadied himself as he was forced to descend. They landed on the top of a large bluff. It was at the edge of a forest and overlooked the sea. Hiccup dismounted and got to work trying to appease his friend.

"We're safer up here. We'll be able to use those trees as shelter but can easily take flight if there's any sign of danger."

Toothless growled and trotted to the edge. He peered down the face of the cliff at the swirling ocean far below. He looked at Hiccup and pawed the ground anxiously. Hiccup had his back turned though and was looking into the forest. Gigantic pine trees stretched far out into the vast horizon with marvelous snow capped peaks standing in the distance. Their purple and blue shade complimented the deep evergreen hue of the forest. Hiccup couldn't help but gaze at the scenery admiringly. He sat down and beckoned his assuredly tired friend to rest beside him.

Although fatigued, every fiber in Toothless's body was screaming at him to get as far away from this island as possible; he had caught the scent of unfamiliar humans when they were in the valley. His trust in Hiccup was predominantly unwavering, but he grimly remembered what happened the last time he ignored his better judgment and allowed Hiccup to do as he pleased in a dire situation. It had cost Hiccup a dear price, the life of his father. Toothless refused to let something so abhorrent happen to Hiccup or himself again. He winced at the mere thought of what had occurred that day. He knew Hiccup loved him unconditionally but things had been different between them ever since he killed...since Stoick died. Although Hiccup insisted it wasn't his fault and that he didn't blame him for what had happened, the guilt still lived inside of the dragon as a malaise, festering and chronically gnawing at his conscious.

His plight was further intensified when Hiccup would seek him out for comfort yet subconsciously show signs of trepidation. Toothless couldn't begin to count the many nights they spent curled up together after yet another nightmare but then, he also couldn't help but notice how Hiccup would sometimes flinch when the dragon looked his way or moved towards him too quickly. It really hurt knowing that a small part of his boy would always fear him but Toothless did not blame him. He couldn't. Hiccup had stared death right in its green, slitted, unseeing eyes that day. That lethal shot was meant for him but trust had kept him from fleeing and love from striking. Blinded by the delusional belief that his dragon would never hurt him, all the terrified man could do was slowly back away as he desperately begged for the unrecognizably horrid beast before him to stop its slow yet death ensuring attack.

The thought made Toothless sick. He owed Stoick his life as he would have never been able to live with himself if he had succeeded in killing Hiccup. Now, he could at least spend the rest of his life trying to forgive himself for what he had done to his best friend. He still couldn't see why Hiccup came back for him that day. He deserved to live and inevitably die under the hand of Drago Bludvist, the tortuous and unfeeling man who was responsible for this entire ordeal.

Forsaking Toothless and condemning him to a life of enslavement wasn't a thought Hiccup ever considered entertaining though. His entire life had been turned around and every wonderful thing in it was thanks to that dragon. Toothless was what finally brought Hiccup and his father together after years of misunderstanding and rejection. It was because of him, Hiccup finally found acceptance within his tribe and love from Astrid who, in time, became his significant other. It was because of him, Hiccup and his father were reunited with Valka, Hiccup's mother and the love of Stoick's life whom they had both long thought to be dead. It was because of him, after twenty years, they were all together as a family again and Hiccup could finally know what it felt like to truly enjoy one's life.

Even though Hiccup reminded Toothless of all these things often, the dragon still couldn't understand how Hiccup could still possibly love him as it was also because of him, Hiccup's newfound life and his family were shattered forever. As with all wounds though, time had been the best remedy for bringing the two back together. Just hours before, they both saw their lives mercilessly ripped apart. As tragic as that was, bearing such trauma together brought them closer than they had ever been since Stoick's death.

"Toothless, hey, are you alright?"

The young man's voice snapped the Night Fury out of his pensive state. He hastily trotted over to Hiccup and butted him with his head imploring him to get back on his feet. Hiccup paid the dragon's requests no mind though and pushed his massive head away.

"Stop."

He patted the ground next to him.

"Here, lie down."

As it was clear they weren't leaving anytime soon, Toothless stifled a growl of protest and reluctantly sat beside his rider with his head low and eyes narrowed in worry and frustration. Hiccup felt the large dragon shaking against him. He couldn't decide if it was from fear, anger, or exhaustion. It was likely a combination of all three with the latter taking precedence. Regardless, he didn't call attention to it as his dragon had a proud streak. He rested a reassuring hand on Toothless's side and stroked the warm ink-black scales. He enjoyed the heat that always radiated from his dragon's body and now was no exception. After what he experienced today, he relished any form of warmth and comfort. The kind gesture slowly began to calm the dragon. He sighed deeply and closed his brilliant eyes. He leaned into Hiccup and the two sat nestled together in the setting sun. Despite Toothless's avid objection to staying on this island, there was nowhere else in the entire world he would rather be than quietly sitting with his closest friend. They used to sit together like this all the time but now, these silent moments together were few and far between. A low rumbling purr emanated from Toothless expressing his contentment. Hiccup looked up at the large reptile and suddenly felt a pang of guilt shoot through him.

"Oh Toothless..."

Toothless opened his eyes and peered down questioningly at the young man.

Again, I have hurt you.

The dragon's face was riddled with cuts that were caked with dried blood. Hiccup was painfully reminded that they hadn't survived the attack on Berk unscathed.

If I would have left Berk when my mother and you urged me to, she would still be here and you wouldn't have gotten hurt trying to save her.

Hiccup reached up and gently rubbed his hand over the dragon's face. Toothless hissed and twitched his head in discomfort. Hiccup bit his lower lip and snapped his hand away.

_"_Sorry."

The dragon purred again and nuzzled his rider. Clearly he felt there was nothing to forgive. The sun was barely peeking out from behind the large dark clouds and a cold wind started to pick up. Hiccup knew they had to find some sort of shelter soon before the storm hit. He got up and patted Toothless on the shoulder.

"Let's make our way into those trees and find a place to bed down for the night. What do you say to that bud?"

Toothless jumped up anxious to depart but stumbled to the side as his head spun. He hissed and shook his head. Hiccup reached out to steady him.

You're exhausted and need water and something to eat. I'm feeling pretty miserable myself and I wasn't even the one who flew mile after mile with a human on my back.

But the stubborn dragon simply groaned and shoved his head into Hiccup causing him to fall over his neck. Hiccup grasped the leather straps to keep from falling over the side and righted himself in the saddle. He looked to the skies but didn't bother opening the tail fin. Toothless turned and stepped to the edge of the cliff. He roared and impatiently reared onto his hind legs with his wings outstretched. They felt stiff and unwilling but he beat them anyway.

"Enough!"

Hiccup jerked on Toothless and turned him back towards the trees.

"We aren't going anywhere. This storm is probably going to be massive and although your pride makes it hard for you to accept this, you aren't strong enough to fly through it."

To Hiccup's surprise, Toothless's streak of defiance no longer showed itself. Toothless intently stared down at the ground. A glimmering red dot had just appeared in the grass a few inches away from his right front paw. It quickly trailed up his leg, shoulder, and then neck. He whipped his head back and forth trying to follow it but to no avail. It came to a rest on top of his head and glistened against his black scales. Hiccup started and swatted at the red dot, hitting Toothless a little harder than he intended. The dragon growled in annoyance.

"Sorry bud."

Bewildered, Hiccup noticed that the dot remained where it was. This time, he slowly reached out and grabbed it firmly in his hand. To his continued astonishment, instead of being inside his hand, the dot appeared on his skin.

"What the..?"

Toothless, with his curiosity getting the better of him, tilted his head and had, what Hiccup could only imagine, was a puzzled look on his face. The dragon warbled curiously as if asking what on earth his rider was looking at. Hiccup continued to stare at the dot as it shone on his hand. Not appreciating how his rider was ignoring him, Toothless stepped to side, forcing Hiccup to grab onto his dragon's neck to avoid sliding off. He quickly regained his balance though and eyed the dot as it slid down the dragon's neck and rested on the front of his chest.

"There, look! It's on your chest."

Toothless anxiously craned his neck so one large, glowing, chartreuse eye could peer at his chest. Indeed there was a bright red dot hovering right over where his heart would be. Slightly amused, he playfully swiped at it several times with his paw. The dot did not leave. Somewhat frustrated by how this game wasn't working out, he swiped at it again a little more aggressively. Again, the dot remained in place. Toothless lifted his head in defeat and with his ears slightly pinned, he let out a huff of air expressing his exasperation. Fed up with the entire situation, he abruptly leapt to the side in an attempt to rid himself of the pesterous dot.

"Wa! Umph!"

At the sound of Hiccup hitting the ground, Toothless quickly stepped over and worriedly nudged him. The young viking grinned and shoved at the dragon teasingly.

"What was that for you useless reptile?"

Toothless lowered his head and whined apologetically. Hiccup couldn't help but chuckle.

"It's fine bud."

He sat up and placed an appreciative hand on Toothless's head.

Amazing, you are able to make me laugh even after everything that has happened. It doesn't matter what I'm going through, you always manage to...

But their moment was cut short. Hiccup heard what sounded like thunder. His heart sank.

What happened next occurred in less than a second but felt like eternity. There was a soft hissing sound followed by a deep thud that Hiccup would later come to realize was the sound of flesh, muscle, and organs being torn apart along with the distinct cracking of bone as it shattered into countless tiny shards.

_ Chapter VII _

A searing pain shot through Toothless's entire body. He shrieked and lurched violently to the side before slamming to the ground. Despite being practically blinded by the pain, he managed to look down at his chest. Where the forgotten red dot once was, there was a large wound with dark blood pouring from it onto the grass. Hiccup jumped to his feet.

"Toothless!"

With adrenaline surging through his body, the dragon's senses kicked into overdrive. He righted himself and protectively leapt up in front of Hiccup with his wings outstretched; protecting him from whoever or whatever was out there. He let out a fierce roar and shot multiple plasma blasts into the general direction from which he heard the sound in the hopes that one of his shots would connect with its unseen target.

The pain; it was almost unbearable. It surged through Toothless's body with each and every heart beat. He ignored it though and fought the urge to fall to the ground. He had to protect his rider, his Hiccup, the very last thing he had left and the living soul that meant more than anything else to him. That boy gave him his purpose in life. As far as he was concerned, as long as his heart continued to beat in his chest, nothing was going happen to Hiccup.

Speaking of Hiccup, he was not having any of this. He refused to cower behind his friend and do nothing. He knew he had to act fast if he wanted to save Toothless. His dragon was by no means the largest in the Archipelago but he was still an impressive size especially while standing with his wings flared outward. Despite the Night Fury's large stature though, Hiccup could see blood sliding down both of his dragon's legs and staining the grass all around them. He shoved past Toothless's protective wings and examined his friend's chest. This wound was like nothing Hiccup had ever seen before. The scales were savagely ripped and the laceration looked extremely deep. In a futile effort to stop the profuse bleeding, he placed both of his hands on the wound and pressed the torn sides back together. He leaned into Toothless's chest with his entire body weight but the blood splurged out between his fingers and ran down his arms coloring his sleeves a deep maroon.

Gods, his blood is so thick and dark. Usually it's watery and bright red just like mine.

Realizing how terrible an idea using his hands was, Hiccup quickly ran to Toothless's side and reached into one of his saddlebags. He pulled out an extra tunic and used that to cover the large injury. His hopes rose for a moment as the bleeding finally seemed to stop but they were extinguished almost immediately. Within seconds the tunic became saturated with blood.

As it was clear that his rider was foolishly refusing to stay behind him, Toothless folded his aching wings to his sides. Feeling surprisingly drained, he allowed his head to droop. He inhaled deeply and looked down at Hiccup. Their eyes met. Despite the excruciating pain Toothless was in, a wave of fear was the strongest thing he felt. He had never before seen such desperation in his rider's deep forest green eyes. Tears were streaming down Hiccup's face and that frightened the dragon even more. Toothless realized that he was clearly injured but surely it wasn't anything his Hiccup couldn't fix. His rider was always there for him. He always had an idea, he always had a plan, and always the solution; always he stayed loyally by his side. The amount of trust Toothless placed in Hiccup was incomprehensibly vast; therefore, he wholeheartedly believed that nothing would happen to him as long as Hiccup was there.

Even though blood continuously seeped through the tunic, Hiccup pressed it even harder against the wound. He felt Toothless sway and noticed that his wings were resting on the ground. With the adrenaline wearing off and the acute loss of blood, Toothless was weakening. He allowed his head to hang even lower than it was before. He looked solemnly at his rider, his vision softening. He watched Hiccup as he desperately tried to get the incessant bleeding to stop. Although immense, the pain Toothless had been experiencing seemed to dull. Instead, he noticed an irritation in his nose and gave a weak sneeze. Hiccup felt something dripping on the back of his neck. He quickly looked up.

"No...no no gods please no!"

Blood was seeping from his dragon's nose. It ran down his face and onto Hiccup. Startled by the strange sensation and Hiccup's alarmed voice, Toothless snapped his head upwards. The pain returned with a vengeance as well as a huge wave of nausea. He attempted to raise his wings to maintain his balance but was unable to do so. Panicked, he reared up onto his hind legs which gave under his weight. He shrieked in pain and confusion as he stumbled backward. Still dazed, he lunged forward as he desperately tried to will his body to comply and remain standing. His efforts were for naught though as he staggered forward and despite Hiccup's best efforts to hold him up, Toothless crumpled to the ground. Hiccup moved to the side just in time to avoid being fallen on.

"Oh Toothless..."

His voice cracked. Rather annoyed at the pain he was experiencing, Toothless quickly picked his head up and glared at his rider. The annoyance faded almost instantly though as he saw his human fall to his knees sobbing. Forgetting about his pain, anger, and confusion, Toothless crooned comfortingly and leaned forward, pressing his head into Hiccup's chest; blood still dripping from his nostrils and covering the young man's shirt.

Chapter VIII

They sat together like that for what felt like hours but in reality, it was only for a few moments. Toothless breathed deeply. He knew what was happening. He was dying. He felt himself growing weaker with each passing moment and knew he didn't have much time. Whoever was on this island would be coming soon so it was imperative that Hiccup was as far away from here as possible. He had no doubt that Hiccup would put up a valiant fight but he knew the young man didn't stand a chance against these new violent people. Furthermore, Toothless couldn't bear the thought of watching Hiccup get killed as he laid there unable to defend him. Seeing that and knowing he had ultimately failed to protect Hiccup would likely kill the dragon in place of his injuries. It was so painful to think about parting ways with his dearest friend and he knew it would be hard for Hiccup to cope with the idea of living alone without him but at least he would be living. That's all that mattered to Toothless. He closed his eyes and tried to convince himself that he would not regret what he was about to do. Hiccup heard a soft growl coming from the large dragon he was holding in his lap. He gently rubbed his neck.

"Hey bud, it's okay. I'm right here."

Toothless growled louder. Afraid he was somehow hurting him Hiccup stopped petting him.

"Toothless?"

The dragon lifted his head and shoved Hiccup back. Confused Hiccup got to his feet and nervously looked around.

"Who's there? Show yourself!"

He turned back to see if he could tell where Toothless was looking but the Night Fury was staring directly at him. His menacing teeth gleamed as he snarled at the viking.

"Hey now, easy, stop that."

Hiccup bent down and reached for his friend. Toothless lunged forward and snapped at him.

"Augh! Toothless!"

Hiccup jumped back and gripped his forearm. His heart was what started to bleed more than his arm though. He looked at Toothless and saw the hurt and shock he felt reflected back towards him in his dragon's eyes. Toothless immediately stopped growling. He couldn't believe he just bit Hiccup. He turned away as he couldn't bring himself to look at his other half who was still standing there holding his bleeding arm in stunned silence. He meant to snap at Hiccup to push him away but he never intended to actually bite him. Hiccup then realized what was his friend was trying to tell him and he felt his world come tearing down and fall to places he never knew existed inside of him.

"No Toothless, no! I am not leaving you here to die alone!"

He ran forward and grabbed Toothless around the neck and held onto him as tightly as he could. Toothless attempted to growl once more but all that came out was a moan that tapered away into a whimper. He should have known better. Hiccup would never leave him. He was foolish for even trying to drive him away. He turned his head and tried to look at Hiccup but was unable to see him as the young man was still clinging to him tightly with his face buried in the side of his neck.

The dragon closed his eyes and allowed his head to rest in Hiccup's lap. It was truly remarkable. Having failed Hiccup in a multitude of ways with the death of Stoick and Valka as well as the tragic loss of Berk and its tribe, Toothless seemingly had engendered a rift between himself and Hiccup. These were all unintentional, albeit, Toothless still felt responsible. He had always hoped to never experience the anguish of losing his boy; now, it had become a reality. It loomed in the air heavier than the thickest of fog though as Toothless never imagined this hope would become a reality in such a premature and painful fashion. Soon, he will have failed Hiccup entirely by leaving him here utterly alone in this world yet, there Hiccup stayed, holding onto him as though his very life depended on it. The dragon could do no wrong in the young man's eyes. Toothless let out a long slow breath in an attempt to block out the pitiful sounds of his rider. It was clear his friend was denying the fate Toothless had already come to accept.

Chapter IX

"I'm so sorry Toothless." Hiccup managed in a shaky whisper. "I did this."

Toothless opened his eyes and looked up at Hiccup. He could see the blame and regret written all over his face but couldn't see how any of this was his doing. He managed to lift his head and rubbed it against the young man's tear stained cheek. Hiccup couldn't help but grin sadly. He found it astonishing how Toothless always put him first especially now when he was in so much pain and so close to...

No

Determined not to let his best friend just die here on this God forsaken island, he rose and urged his dragon to do the same. He looked out over the sea before turning back to Toothless.

"Come on, we have to get out of here."

Flying was out of the question but some small seed of hope in Hiccup's mind ludicrously thought that walking would be possible.

If I can get Toothless on his feet, we can try to find a place to hide until he is strong enough to fly again. Perhaps someone will happen to cross this island and if they manage to find us, they might help us.

Hiccup was willing to tell himself just about anything if it would convince himself and Toothless that they were going to brave this nightmare and live through it together.

"Toothless, you have to get up."

The dragon looked up at him rather forlornly. The urgency in Hiccup's voice began to morph into desperation.

"Those hunters are out there and I can't do this alone. Please...I need you."

Hearing Hiccup beg like that was heartbreaking but Toothless knew, especially now, that Hiccup didn't truly need him anymore. Over the years, he had watched his boy grow into a strong, wise, yet kind man who could easily make his way in the world. The inability to let something go was a trait they both shared but now, as hard as it was for Toothless to finally accept, the young man's life depended on him learning that lesson. As though Hiccup could read Toothless's thoughts, he lived up to his headstrong reputation and continued to beseech his friend to stand.

"I'm sorry. I know it hurts but I'll help you. Please, just try."

Toothless closed his eyes and moaned out of pity for Hiccup. He could barely hold his head up let alone stand. Surely his typically discerning rider could see that. Regardless, he attempted to get his feet.

"That's it bud, come on."

Hiccup leaned into Toothless's shoulder and braced himself against the dragon's massive weight. Toothless couldn't tell which was more prominent at this point, the pain or the numbness that had enveloped his entire body. As Hiccup regrettably expected, he watched as his dragon barely managed to lift the front part of his body off the ground before his legs gave out. Despite using his entire body to give Toothless something to lean against, Hiccup was immediately overwhelmed by the dragon's weight and was knocked to the side as it fell to the ground.

The impact knocked what little wind Toothless had out of him and he started to heave and cough. Hiccup quickly knelt down next to his head and lifted it up off the ground the best he could. Blood and saliva came gushing out of Toothless's mouth and onto Hiccup.

"Please, no...Toothless!"

With strings of blood and saliva still dangling from his mouth, Toothless pulled away and looked at Hiccup in the hopes that the viking would see what the dragon already knew. The once seemingly invincible Night Fury had indeed become a heart-wrenching sight to behold as he laid helplessly on the blood soaked ground. His bright green eyes were now dim and almost lifeless. His pale tongue lolled out of his mouth as he panted heavily before allowing his head to drop to the ground.

Hiccup refused to give up while there was even the slightest hint of life left in his best friend's body though. He grabbed Toothless around the neck and pushed as hard as he could against the dragon in a vain effort to help it stand.

"Please buddy. Don't do this. I can't lose you too...gods help me...get up Toothless! Please, you have to get..."

Hiccup's pleading was cut off by another thunderous sound in the distance. There was a sharp thud and dirt sprayed up into his face. Apparently he was the new target. He didn't care though. While he realized he could very easily be killed and that his friend's suffering could end, there was a part of Hiccup that selfishly refused to give up hope that Toothless would somehow survive this ordeal despite his rapidly deteriorating condition. Toothless was the very last piece of his family, his life, himself, that he had left to cling to. He laid the dragon's head on the ground and quickly ran forward, guarding him.

Toothless opened his eyes and watched Hiccup. He couldn't help but admire the young man's bravery. He easily could have run and sought safety, and Toothless desperately wished he would, but he knew nothing could ever bring Hiccup to abandon him. That rare beautiful piece of selflessness he saw in Hiccup, no matter what he faced, was what allowed such a deep level of trust to grow between them and in turn, solidify the bond they both shared. Realizing that he could likely witness the slow and painful death of his rider while he laid there helplessly caused another shot of adrenaline to surge through Toothless's body. With what newly bestowed strength he was granted, he staggered to his feet. His legs quaked under the enormous weight and within moments, he realized he was powerless to do anything to protect his rider. The young man was standing a fair distance in front of him and it took everything he had to just remain standing somewhat upright let alone move forward and defend Hiccup. Unable to advance any closer, Toothless bared his teeth and snarled. The irony of his name amused the dragon for a slight moment. Hearing the sound, Hiccup turned to look back where he had left Toothless laying on the ground.

"Toothless!"

The surprise and elation shined on his face but it was short lived. Toothless watched Hiccup's face change from excitement to pure dread. He cocked his head curiously at the sudden change in facial expression. Unbeknownst to him, the red dot had come to a rest on his head. Dragon and rider made eye contact, taking in what they somehow knew would be the very last time they would see each other again.

Why couldn't time just stop...

Hiccup's thoughts were precipitously interrupted though as another deafening barrage rang out, cutting the air like a knife. Toothless's mouth shot open as he reeled backward. His entire body became rigid and he clenched his eyes and jaws shut in agony as he collapsed to the ground and, to Hiccup's horror, disappeared over the edge of the cliff.

Chapter X

Hiccup bolted to where the footing ended and dropped to his hands and knees. He watched Toothless plummet down the side of the cliff. Chunks of broken rock shot outwards as the dragon's large lifeless body slammed into them during its descent. Hiccup was unable to move or make a sound as he watched for what seemed like an unbearably long amount of time, as his dragon's broken and bloodied body finally came to a rest at the base of the cliff. Debris that had been knocked free showered down on him. Rain began to pour from the now ominously colored sky. It relentlessly beat down on Hiccup but he was numb to everything. He continued to stare down unmoving at Toothless's motionless body. The dragon's black patterned scales made him almost invisible amongst the dark jagged rocks.

Dusk was upon the young man and the dark storm clouds blocked out what little sunlight remained. The tide was starting to rise and Hiccup suddenly realized that in short time, his friend, the very last thing he had left, would be taken from him entirely. He pondered climbing down but knew it would be futile. The agony of being denied any closure, any solace, any type of good bye finally broke him of his silence.

"Toothless!"

Hiccup could do nothing but helplessly watch as the frigid dark waters that surged far below slowly worked their way closer and closer to his friend's body.

Why wouldn't I just listen to him? He didn't trust Drago and I lost my father. He tried to flee the hunters' raid on Berk and I lost my mother. He wanted to leave this island and now...

My pride and ignorance have cost me everything.

Astrid, one of the few people he truly loved and felt connected to, appeared in his thoughts. Her words from when the Night Fury was captured after saving Hiccup from the Monstrous Nightmare in the kill ring, echoed in his mind.

"You've lost everything. Your father, your tribe, your best friend..."

Hiccup finally managed to speak.

"A chief protects his own. I failed my father...my mother. I failed my people. I failed you Toothless. I'm sorry bud."

Hiccup closed his eyes and breathed in the cold salty air and with that, he stepped over the edge of the cliff.

Chapter XI

Yet another island appeared in the sea far below as Valka and Cloudjumper continued their pursuit of Hiccup and Toothless. Like all the others, she cued her dragon to fly closer so she could look for any signs of her son or his Night Fury. Visibility had become quite poor from the heavy rain and darkening sky. As they approached the island, she managed to spot a ship with an unfamiliar crest on its sails working its way along the coastline. Her eyes moved up from the vessel to the top of a large cliff face where she saw the small figure of Hiccup standing through the falling rain.

"HICCUP!"

But with the torrential rain and howling wind, she remained unseen and unheard. Valka watched in disbelief as her only son, the son she had lost for twenty years, the son she had finally found and was able to love again, began to plummet down the face of the cliff.

"HICCUP!"

Valka could do nothing but watch though. Cloudjumper was simply too far away for her to do anything and with his injuries, the dragon would not be able to dive fast enough to catch and carry the young viking to safety. Speaking of dragon...

"TOOTHLESS!"

She screamed his name in the desperate hopes that Hiccup's ever loyal protector would selflessly grab her son from the air like he had done countless times before; but Toothless was nowhere to be seen. He would come though! He just had to! He would never let Hiccup fall. The only way Toothless would ever let Hiccup fall was if...if...well that was just it. He simply would never allow anything happen to his boy even at the expense of his own life. It had to beyond his power. He had to be...

As her son fell, he made no attempt to stop himself with his flight suit or to grab hold of one of the many crags along the cliff. The sickening realization of what had happened to Toothless and what was now happening to her son finally came to fruition in her mind. Toothless was not going to come and Hiccup, after losing everything and everyone he had ever loved in his life...

Tears began to stream down her face as she watched her son vanish in the tumultuous sea below.

Epilogue

The sun dazzled brilliantly in the sky as a ship sailed across the sea leaving far behind it, a burned and bloodied island that would soon be forgotten. A young man stood on the sun drenched deck. He was the son of a trader. He was tall and his face was youthful and free of the sun's abuse.

His eyes trailed admirably along the piles of dragon skins that laid before him. A complacent smirk made its way to his face as he adjusted his cloak. He caressed his shoulder and relished in the smoothness of the ink-black scales that shimmered in the sunlight and that would cloak the man in darkness. With a final gaze out to the sea before him and piles of skins around him, the young man strode across the deck and disappeared behind the heavy wooden doors of the cabin.