Dragons Pending 1

Chapter 1: More Than A Souvenir

Berk. Just north of Hopeless and a few degrees south of freezing to death, or so Hiccup liked to believe.

It was the worst storm, the coldest winter, Berk had seen in a while. A long while. Hiccup couldn't believe that when his father, Stoick, woke him with the news.

"Dad, that's not possible. It was perfectly sunny yesterday, for once," not warm. Berk was never warm.

"You think I don't know tha'?" Come outside and see for yourself!" Stoick slammed Hiccup's door behind himself, lumbering down the stairs.

Hiccup looked down at Toothless, his Night Fury and Best Friend, who was curled up on a rug beside Hiccup's bed. "I guess we'll just have to go look, bud," Hiccup sighed as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He quickly checked the bandages on his stump of a left leg before reaching over to get his artificial leg that completed it. When he looked, though, it wasn't where he'd left it. Hiccup looked at Toothless, who was up on his haunches, holding the aforementioned limb in the gummy grip of the currently toothless mouth that was his namesake. Hiccup held out his hands. The dragon complied and dropped Hiccup's new leg into them. The metal was cold and slobbery. Hiccup smiled crookedly at the Night Fury. "Gee, thanks Toothless," he said sarcastically before attaching the leg to his stump with a metallic click.

Toothless, either not catching his friend's irritation or simply choosing to ignore it, stood by the bed, allowing Hiccup to lean on him to help compensate for Hiccup's missing ankle. The team made their way down the stairs slowly and to the massive door. Hiccup took a deep breath, ready to be completely engulfed in cold when he opened the door.

To Hiccup's surprise, the door opened before he was ready. Wind assaulted the pair, causing Hiccup to cling tightly to Toothless both for warmth and so the wind wouldn't blow him back up the stairs. The door closed and Hiccup fell to the floor. Two right hands came into his view and Hiccup used them both to haul himself up. When he stood again the viking teen saw that the Thorson twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, stood before him, grinning like Loki himself.

"Sorry about that," Tuff said, chuckling a little, which only accented his terrible posture. "We can't get to our house and yours was the first one we could find in this mess," the twins walked over to a chair and both tried to sit in it at the same time. "I was here first, Troll face," Tuffnut incited.

"Nuh-uh," Ruffnut argued, scowling. "I was here first."

"Well I was born first!" Tuffnut shot back.

Ruff raised her fist to Tuff's face. "First in: first out," she growled.

"Guys, stop!" Hiccup shouted. The twins complied and quieted down, looking at their friend. During the distraction Hiccup had provided, Ruffnut took the chair. Tuffnut looked like he was going to start fighting again so Hiccup intervened once more. "I'll go get you a stool, Tuff." Toothless started to follow him but Hiccup stopped the dragon. "You'll just get it all slobbery."

Toothless dropped to the floor where he was, resting his head on his crossed front claws. Hiccup came back with a stool, put it by Tuffnut, and stood awkwardly until Toothless offered his back to lean against. Tuff sat on the stool, turning to the fire, attempting to get warm.

"So if it's so bad that you can't find your house then why did you go outside in the first place?" Hiccup asked.

"Xan's gone," Ruffnut looked at Hiccup. "We went looking for him."

"Gods! Did you find him?"

Ruff shook her head. "All of the dragons are gone. I guess they don't like the snow," she looked down. "And I was just beginning to connect with him, you know?" her voice cracked, though she showed no other appearance of emotion. She cleared her throat like nothing happened.

"The only reason Toothless' still here is because of his busted tail fin, I bed," Tuff said. "But other than him, we haven't seen any dragons."

Hiccup nodded. "Hmmm," he couldn't say he was surprised, he had suspected as much. Dragons, being cold-blooded, probably couldn't survive in a massive snowstorm. He felt bad for Toothless, not able to join his reptilian brethren: wherever they'd gone. "You guys can stay here until the storm clears or your parents come for you or whatever," Hiccup changed the subject, trying to lighten the mood. "Dad won't mind at all."

Tuffnut nodded as Hiccup led Toothless over to a shelf. He rummaged around for a second before pulling out a set of rune stones. Toothless lay in front of the fire and Hiccup got off the dragon, sitting himself down awkwardly and arranging his limps facing the twins.

"Anyone wanna play?" he asked.

Tuffnut put his hand to the wall but pulled away quickly as the wood had frozen from the temperature outside. "The storm's probably not quieting down any time soon," the blond said. "I'm in."

Ruffnut sat on the floor, crossing her legs. "Me too," she conceded. "But I'm totally going to win!"

"Nuh-uh! I'm going to win!"

"You couldn't win Noughts and Crosses if your life depended on it!"

"I'll show you, butt elf! I'll win and you'll be kissing my feet!"

"Loser has to run around Hiccup's house five times?"

"You're on! Best four-out-of-seven!"

Hiccup sighed. Why did I even get out of bed this morning? he moaned to himself.

The twins were tied three-to-three and Hiccup had won the last two games, making them agitated. They stared at each other, scowling, as the three tossed their runes down all at once. Before they could look at the faces, however, the door opened, scattering the stones in all different directions and blowing out the fire, leaving the teens in darkness.

The teens felt their way to Toothless and huddled around him for warmth as a great mass closed the door behind itself. The room cooled very quickly and, all too soon, everyone was paying attention to the heaving, white breath of the figure who loomed in the dark. The man (Hiccup figured that it must be a man) threw something to the floor. A rather large something, in fact. A large, wet something.

"Relight the fire, son," the voice of Stoick came from the mass, hugging himself. "Don't just stand there staring!"

Hiccup moved quickly, lighting the fire before his fingers froze off. Once he could see again Hiccup looked up at his father. "Where have you been, dad?"

"Where have I been? I've been making sure our whole village doesn't freeze to death, that's what! But, just when I'd gotten al the children inside, I see this idiot out on a boat in the middle of the storm of the century!" Stock gestured to the large, wet something he'd thrown to the floor.

Turning his attention to the person, for only a person – a stupid person, mind you – would be on a boat, Hiccup indeed noticed that it was moving slightly, as if it were breathing shallowly. Hiccup went up to the person, unable to distinguish any physical featured, as Stoick had let them land ever so gracefully on their face. With the help of the twins, Hiccup rolled the newcomer over, onto their back.

The boy was about Hiccup's age with black hair, an athletic build and minimal acne, though his chin supported a fancy goatee. He was soaked and smelled strongly of sea water.

"I'm going back out," Stoick said, putting another fur on his vast frame ("Vast" wasn't just a title, after all). "I'll be back soon in case anyone needs anything."

"But dad, what about –" but Stoick was already outside, sending another cold wave through the house and pummeling the fire to within an inch of its life.

The three conscious teens surrounded the boy. Tuffnut pocked his face unceremoniously but it failed to rouse him. Tuffnut poked him again, which earned a weak moan from the unconscious victim. They crowded closer around the stranger, leaning over curiously and looking at him.

Ruffnut sat up abruptly, holding his dagger. "He's a Meathead!" she whispered harshly. The dagger's hilt was engraved with a boar's head, the symbol of the Meathhead tribe. Hiccup's eyes widened. While the Meatheads and the Hooligans weren't enemies whey didn't associate very often. It was a rare occasion when they interacted in any way other than passing, especially since the Hooligans had defeated the Green Death.

Hiccup stared at the dagger, admiring the craftsmanship. Every detail seemed placed for a specific purpose, whether it be for grip or simply for aesthetics, it every element fit perfectly in place with the others.

The three Hooligans stared a little longer before Hiccup, taking initiative, shook the stranger harshly enough to wake him up. Soon enough the boy sat up, coughing some extra salt water out of his lungs. He attempted to stand but couldn't, letting himself lean against the wall nearby. After taking a few seconds to catch his breath, the stranger looked at the Hooligan teens.

"Who're you?" he asked, his voice rasping from all of the salt he'd no doubt swallowed. Receiving no answer, he went for his dagger, to find that it wasn't in this scabbard anymore.

Ruffnut twirled the dagger around her fingers, smiling. "Looking for something?" she asked.

The Meathead went to lunch but Toothless got in the way. The Night Fury bared his teeth, growling at the stranger.

"Woah; calm down. She's going to give it back," Hiccup turned to Ruffnut. "Aren't you?"

"Only when we find he's not here trying to kill us," she stared the Meathead down.

"Why would I do that?" he asked. "I have no reason to attack the Hooligans, especially when I'm at a disadvantage like this."

"You are kinda dumb, bein' in a boat in a snowstorm like this," Tuffnut snarled. "Maybe you're dumber than you look."

The stranger narrowed his eyes, scowling. "My name is Thuggory. I'm the heir to the Meathead tribe and I'm here to make sure that my fiancée, a Hooligan, is alright."

Hiccup's head fell to the side in awe. "Who is it?"

Thuggory looked confused. "Well…if she hasn't told you then she probably doesn't want you to know…"

"C'mon, bro," Tuffnut smiled, looking at Ruffnut. "Is it this Nadder-face, here?"

Ruffnut punched Tuffnut in the back of the head and he went down for a second. Before he could retaliate, though, Toothless sat on both of them.

Thuggory laughed a little. "No, it's not…"

"Ruffnut Thorson," Ruff smiled. "This idiot is Tuffnut. Or, I like to call him, the Bride of Grendel," she turned to her brother, who stuck his tongue out angrily.

"I'm Hiccup, son of Stoick the Vast and heir to the Hooligan tribe," Hiccup extended his hand. "This is my dragon, Toothless," the Hooligan smiled.

"I thought it seemed…domesticated," Thuggory eyes Toothless warily.

Toothless growled at the Meathead, who flinched a little.

"Not domesticated," Hiccup laughed nervously, scratching the Night Fury under the chin, causing him to purr and collapse happily, "just friendly."

Thuggory's eyes widened as he smiled. "I see," he whispered as not to disturb the dragon. "I do need to be going, though," he stood up slowly.

"He's just a Meathead, Hiccup," Tuffnut grunted, shifting under Toothles. "Let him go get himself killed if he wants to."

"I can't do that," Hiccup stared at Thuggory. "It's not safe for anyone out in this storm!"

"You're very kind, Hiccup: Hooligan heir and tamer of dragons, but I need to find my fiancée," Thuggory pushed past the brunette. "If you'd be so kind as to tell me which way Astrid Hofferson's place is from here, I'd be in your debt," Thuggory reached down, taking his dagger back from Ruffnut before turning to Hiccup. "Well? You wanted to know who my fiancée is, right?"

Hiccup stared at the Meathead heir, completely speechless, blinking much more than usual.

"Fine," Thuggory turned to leave. "I'll just find Astrid myself!" he slipped out the door as quickly as possible.

Everyone was silent for a few minutes. Hiccup stared at the door and everyone else stared at Hiccup Ruffnut nudged her brother as much as she was able with Toothless still sitting on them.

"Hiccup?" Tuffnut ventured warily. "Are you okay?"

Hiccup squeaked quietly in distress before his eyes rolled back in his head as he fell to the floor.

Hiccup sat up, feeling his head. Before he could reorient himself a warm tongue made its way up Hiccup's face. "Augh! Toothless," the boy cried, pushing the dragon away, wiping away the dragon slobber. The Thorson twins were sitting by the fire, their backs to Hiccup. "Hey guys," he said, how long have I been on the ground for?"

Tuffnut turned around. "About five minutes, tops," he shrugged. "That Thuggory guy's probably an ice cube by now."

"When the snow melts and we find the body; I call his dagger," Ruffnut grumbled. "I took it from him fair and square."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Well I'm going after him," he got up carefully, leaning on Toothless, who followed Hiccup to the door. "You're coming too?" the human smiled at the dragon, who blinked as if to say Of course. "If you say so, bud, Hiccup grabbed as many layers of fur as he could, putting them on quickly. "See you guys later," Hiccup said to the twins, who waved as the Hooligan heir went out into the storm.

It's much worse out here than I thought, Hiccup groaned internally, squinting his eyes, pulling his fur hood tighter around his face. "Thuggory!" he called, though he could barely hear himself over the raging winds. "Thuggory!" he called as loud as he could, looking around. Though he was right in front of his house, Hiccup could barely see it when he turned around. Everything else was just white, snow and ice blowing in all directions, completely bombarding Hiccup's senses.

The Viking blindly reached to his right and, sure enough, Toothless was there, the only tangible thing at that moment. Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief. Toothless rumbled a little and though the human couldn't actually hear the dragon, he knew that his friend was whining. Hiccup rubbed Toothless a little, trying to soothe him before taking a step forward. Hiccup realized, though, that he couldn't move very well, as his artificial leg was caught in the snow, not wanting to come up easily. When Hiccup finally pulled it free Toothless rubbed against Hiccup's thigh. The Viking took the hint, sitting on the dragon's back. Hiccup patted Toothless' shoulder blade in thanks.

Toothless walked forward slowly, tilting his head away from the wind. They'd not gone thirty feet before they found themselves completely lost. Both human and dragon looked frantically in every direction, trying desperately to figure out where they were. Toothless walked in one direction the whole time, trying to keep a course while Hiccup repeatedly called for Thuggory.

Without any warning Toothless' foot slipped and they both toppled down a ledge that neither of them could have seen. Hiccup hadn't set up the harness before going out but, even so, doubted that Toothless could possibly fly in such conditions. Soon Hiccup fell off his dragon and lost track of everything. All he could see, hear, feel was white, white, white.