How to Be a Dragon Star 1

Chapter Twelve - A Strange Father-Son Experience

"This is happening way too fast."

Hiccup plopped down on the dewy grass beside Estrella, who was napping against Toothless. It was very early in the morning; the sun had barely risen.

"What is?" the girl asked, opening her eyes. In response to his open mouth, she said, "I have to be alert for anything that happens while I'm sleeping, so my ears keep listening while I'm asleep. What's happening way too fast?"

"Everything," Hiccup groaned. "I was expecting more time..."

"Hiccup, tell me what's happening."

"The fight offs," Hiccup told her. "They're happening tomorrow. I've been learning so much with Toothless that I've been excelling in the ring, and apparently I'm good enough to join the fight offs. I'm facing up against Astrid, who might win under most circumstances, but if I lose, my dad will be furious."

Estrella sat still, contemplating. "But what's so bad about joining the fight offs?" she asked. She understood what they were, and what was at stake; Hiccup had explained some time before. "I mean, you can just subdue the dragon, win the praise of your dad, and be done with it."

"Good thought, but it's not that simple," Hiccup explained. "Whoever wins the fight offs will have the "honor" of killing their first dragon... in front of the entire village. Killing a dragon. Not just subduing it. I have to pick— either eventually kill a dragon, or face the wrath of my father. And if you put it like that, it sounds easy, but you've never met my dad. He's... intense."

Toothless raised his head and huffed.

"I know, I don't like it either," Hiccup sighed. "And there's more. In a couple hours, my dad is taking me out to the ring; one on one. And I'm supposed to show him how I do my magic."

"When did you hear about all of this?" Estrella wondered.

"Last night," Hiccup replied.

"Well, let's take this one problem at a time," Estrella suggested. "Let's get you through your father-son experience, before worrying about anything else."

"Okay," Hiccup said. "So..."

"Well, what are you planning to do in a few hours?" Estrella asked.

Hiccup shrugged. "Maybe just the same things I've been doing. You know, laser beams, chin-scratching, that weird grass that the dragons love..."

"Dragon-nip," she said, and shuddered with happiness at the thought of it.

"Dragon-nip, yeah. But the problem is, what am I supposed to do if he asks how I discovered them?"

"Just say you were tramping through the woods when you came across a bundle of grass that looked like it had the consistency that would subdue dragons."

"For dragon-nip?" Hiccup asked. "But he'll ask how I knew it would work, and if I had a back-up plan in case it didn't."

"I think only you can figure this out," Estrella said, gazing at Hiccup. Her eyes reminded him of a forest, wild and powerful. "He's your father; you would know what to say."

Hiccup blinked at her. "I... am going to leave. I'll come back after and tell you how it went." She nodded.

"Ah-ha! There he is!" Stoick exclaimed when Hiccup entered the house. "How are you, son? I didn't see you this morning."

"Just mentally prepping myself," Hiccup said, which was true. "I'm nervous for the fight offs, you know."

"Aw, I believe in you. Astrid is no match against you. And, speaking of that, are you ready to go?"