Tip the Dragon Scales

Chapter 6

"-and with one twist, he took my hand and swallowed it whole," Gobber says dramatically. "I saw the look on his face. I was delicious!"

Ragnar chews at a piece of slightly charred fish as he listens to Gobber tell the story of losing his limbs. It's far from the first time he's heard it. The blacksmith will tell the story to anyone willing to sit still long enough- especially when he's a few tankards of mead in.

Still, it is the perfect sort of tale for a night spent around a fire.

"He must've passed the word because it wasn't a month before another one of them took my leg," Gobber goes on, holding the peg leg in question out with a gesture.

The majority of his audience is awed and amazed.

Hiccup is staring blankly at the fire, mind clearly focused on something far different.

Ragnar, after deciding to leave Hiccup to brood about his dragon (for now, at least), rolls his eyes. Amputations aren't exactly uncommon on Berk. He's seen more than his share and has helped Gothi during the process more than once.

He's not impressed by a missing limb. All he can think about when he sees it is the damage done and the long-term effects of an amputation.

Ragnar shakes his head at the smiles on the other teens' faces. He remembers the comments they made about wanting a 'cool' scar from training which, stupidly, means they're probably entertaining the idea of losing a limb of their own and half-wishing it would happen.

They better hope the gods aren't bored, he thinks with a wry smile.

After all, an answered prayer will almost always be more dangerous than an unanswered one.

Fishlegs, however, seems to have something far different on his mind.

"Isn't it weird to think that your hand was inside a dragon?" he asks. "Like, if your mind was still in control of it, you could've killed the dragon from the inside by... crushing his heart or something."

Astrid, after dodging a hit from Fishlegs' wildly gesturing arms, gives him a look, obviously weirded out. Even Ruffnut and Tuffnut are looking at him in something like disbelief.

Ragnar sighs and twirls his now-empty skewer between his fingers. "That's not how limbs work," he says flatly. "For a number of reasons."

Snotlout completely ignores the healer as he takes the opportunity to suck up to their teacher and (hopefully) impress Astrid. "I swear, I'm so angry right now. I'll avenge your beautiful hand and your beautiful foot," he swears. "I'll chop off the legs of every dragon I fight. With my face."

Ragnar groans and tilts his head back to look up at the night sky. "Odin, give me patience 'cause if you give me strength, I'm gonna kill him."

"Hey!" Snotlout exclaims in offense while the twins start to snicker.

Gobber smirks at the comment before he shakes his head and makes a disagreeing noise. "It's the wings and the tail you really want," he informs them, tearing a wing off the whole chicken attached to his prosthetic hand for emphasis. "If it can't fly, it can't get away. A downed dragon is a dead dragon."

The others make sounds of understanding while Ragnar looks at Hiccup. His friend is staring at the fire with wide eyes, fully realizing for the first time what a missing tailfin means for the Night Fury.

"In most cases," Ragnar says quietly.

Hiccup is the only one who hears him. He turns to meet a familiar knowing look, plans and ideas already spinning through his mind.

Gobber stands up with a yawn. "Alright. I'm off to bed. You should be too," he adds. "Tomorrow we get to the big boys, slowly but surely making our way up to the Monstrous Nightmare. But who'll win the honor of killing it?" he asks dramatically.

"It's gonna be me," Tuffnut declares as the blacksmith leaves. "It's my destiny. See?"

Fishlegs gasps when the other blond shows them his arm. "Your mom let you get a tattoo?"

"It's not a tattoo. It's a birthmark."

Ragnar and Hiccup ignore the ensuing conversation about Tuffnut's supposed birthmark as they slip away. Astrid is the only one who notices, frowning to herself as she sees their empty spots.

She stands up and watches them hurry down the staircase, Ragnar reaching out instinctively to grab Hiccup's arm when he steps a little too close to the edge. She starts to step forward only to shake her head and turn back to her seat.

Astrid plans to be the best Viking in their Dragon Training class. She plans to be one of the best- if not the best- shieldmaidens in Berk. She doesn't have time to go chasing after the village outcasts.

Meanwhile, the two outcasts in question quickly make their way to the empty forge.

"What are you thinking, Hic?" Ragnar asks.

Hiccup pulls out his sketchbook and lays it on his drafting table, open to his drawing of the Night Fury. He grabs a charcoal pencil and sketches the missing side of the dragon's tailfin in silent answer.

There's a moment of silence before Ragnar shakes his head with a low whistle.

"You know, if you were anyone else, I'd think you were crazy," he tells him.

Hiccup gives him a curious look. "But because it's me...?"

"I know you're crazy," Ragnar says simply. He grins at the eyeroll it earns him. "I also know it'll work."

Hiccup sighs. "It has to. I mean, I- I was the one who did that to him, you know? It's my fault."

Ragnar can almost feel his face soften. "Things happen for a reason, Hiccup," he reminds him. "The Norns work in mysterious ways."

"Yeah," he scoffs. "This coming from the guy who literally sees the future."

"I don't See everything," he points out. "I don't know everything. I See what the gods will and that's it."

Hiccup sighs again. "I know. I know," he mutters. "I just- I- and everything is- gah!"

Ragnar nods in understanding. "You said it, Hic." He reaches out and claps him gently on the shoulder. "I'm gonna head out and leave you to it. I'd say not to stay up all night, but I know you better than that," he adds dryly.

"You do indeed," Hiccup agrees with absolutely zero shame. He starts to reach for his supplies, more than ready to get started, when he pauses and gives Ragnar a suspicious look. "Wait. What are you up to?" he asks. "Why are you so eager to get out of here?"

Ragnar stops in the doorway and turns on his heels to look at him. "You're about to make a dragon a new tailfin which will, inevitably, lead to other ideas," he explains.

"Meaning...?"

"Meaning I'm gonna go say a prayer and see what I can, well, See."

He walks away without another word, leaving Hiccup to stare at the empty doorway in something a bit like wonder. He knows Ragnar is a seer. He knows his seidr and connection to their gods is something unheard of before.

Still, it never gets any less odd to hear Ragnar talk about it, mainly because he also knows he means it when he mentions communicating with the gods.

Hiccup shakes his head and refocuses on the task at hand. Now is not the time for marveling over his best friend. He has a tailfin to build for his (hopefully) new friend.