How to Be a Dragon Star 1

Chapter Three - Dragon Training

"Welcome to dragon training!"

Gobber threw the heavy, barred door up and it recoiled into its holder. He walked purposefully forward onto the claw marked metal floor— a metal no dragon's fire could melt.

Five teenagers followed him. Astrid came first, eyes slitted, silently taking in the view all around her. Snotlout and Fishlegs followed, staring around, obviously amazed. Ruffnut and Tuffnut came last, grinning mischievously at the chance placed in front of them.

The five teens and Gobber were standing in a huge, enclosed arena with a metal foundation and a spider web of thin-but-tough mesh covering all holes.

The teens were all talking excitedly.

"I hope I get some serious burns!" Tuffnut cackled, grinning at the thought.

"I'm hoping for some mauling, like... on my shoulder, or... lower back," said Ruffnut, his sister, with relish.

"Yeah," Astrid said through a sigh, "but it's only fun if you get a scar out of it."

"Yeah, right?" said a half-hearted, sarcastic voice behind them. All the teens turned in sync to see Hiccup, walking more slowly into the arena, dragging his axe. "Pain. Love it."

"Oh, who let him in?" asked Tuffnut in disgust, glaring at him.

"Let's get started!" Gobber cried, ignoring Tuffnut's comment. "The recruit who proves the best will receive the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village."

"Uh, Hiccup already killed a Night Fury, so, does that disqualify him or something?" Snotlout asked in a would-be-curious voice.

"Can I transfer to the class with the cool vikings?" Tuffnut asked as the teens turned back around to face a number of rattling doors.

"Don't worry," Gobber said to Hiccup as the teens lined up. "You're small and you're weak. That'll make you less of a target! The dragons will see you as sickly and weak and go after the more viking-like teens." He gestured smartly to the others, apparently he was under the impression that this would help.

"Now!" Gobber continued, stepping forward in front of the locked doors, most of them trembling ominously. "Behind these doors are just a few kinds of dragons that you will meet. "The Deadly Nadder—"

"Speed eight; armor sixteen," Fishlegs said quickly.

"—the Hideous Zippleback—"

"Plus eleven stealth times two!" Fishlegs interrupted.

"—the Monstrous Nightmare—"

"—firepower fifteen—"

"—the Terrible Terror!"

"Attack eight; venom twelve!"

"CAN YOU STOP THAT!" Gobber exploded. "And... the Gronckle."

Fishlegs, unable to contain himself, whispered just quiet enough so Gobber couldn't hear, "Jaw strength eight." As he ended his recital, Hiccup was sure he saw Fishlegs's eyes quickly flick to Astrid and back to Gobber, who put his hand on one of the doors to unlock it.

But Snotlout blurted out, "Whoa, whoa! Aren't you gonna, like, teach us anything first?"

"I believe," Gobber said calmly, "in learning on the job."

And he opened the door.

The lumpy Gronckle came shooting out, furious at being caged. It spotted some rocks at the far edge of the arena and buzzed toward them, scooping them up into its huge mouth, and then whirled around to find someone to kill.