Lost and Found

Chapter 7: Memories of Fire and Echoes of Screams

When the trio returned to the nest, Valka had to see some juvenile dragons, leaving the young adults alone again. Y/n had offered to help her, but the older woman shook her head, insisting she could take care of it. Relenting, y/n wandered deeper into the nest with Hiccup trailing behind her.

She glances over her shoulder at the brown-haired Viking, "I suppose you'd like a proper tour this time instead of my life story." She jokes since the last time she was supposed to show him around, they just sat down and talked. "Well at least while we still got a bit of light." The h/c haired dragon rider glances up at the ceiling where the dimming sunlight shines through the ice.

"I-I wouldn't mind." Hiccup shrugs with a lopsided grin.

Y/n feels her own smile tugging at her lips. "Prefect. Let's go!" Hiccup walks next to her as they venture around the walkways in the nest. "And if you have any questions feel free to ask!" y/n states.

Hiccup nods, and they continue on. As they pass, the pair both nod to the Bewilderbeast. The great dragon regards the young humans with mild interest before laying back down to sleep.

"So you both have lived here for twenty years?" Hiccup asks as they pass a group of Nadders preparing their nest for rest.

Y/n nods. "Yes, well not here specifically." She gestures around to the large nest. "Our nest has grown in recent years and sometimes trappers find us so we've had to move a few times, but we've managed. We're as much a part of this hive as any other dragon, so every nest has always had a little cut out where Valka and I live mostly." She turns and gestures to the ledge behind them that looks over everything.

Hiccup looks back too. Valka stands on the edge, watching them. The older woman raises her hand in a wave, and both return it.

"But really, we can go wherever we please in the nest," Y/n explains as they keep walking. As the nest grows steadily darker, some dragons begin to nest for the night. Hiccup and y/n pass a small nest of Scuttleclaws too hyper to rest. The h/c haired girl chuckles as the young dragons hop out of the nest to greet the two humans. With a smile, y/n leads the babies back to their nest.

"Come now, little buggers." One of the babies jumps up, landing in her arms. "Oh! Well, aren't you getting bigger." She laughs. Setting the little purple Scuttleclaw back into the nest, y/n strokes the baby's head softly to calm her. Noticing the attention, the other babies rush over, tripping over each other in their haste to return to the nest where Y/n was giving out attention.

Hiccup watches in fascination as the woman stokes the nose of each of the babies until they grow drowsy and begin dozing off in a heap. Her face is alight with a cheerful glow as she hums a soft tune. Her e/c eyes sparkle as she gets the last dragon down for bed.

With a satisfied nod of her head, y/n backs away from the nest and turns toward Hiccup. He flushes slightly when he realizes he was staring at her the whole time. Avoiding eye contact, Hiccup glances around. Praying to Odin, he hopes she didn't notice the heat on his cheeks.

When Y/n turns back toward Hiccup she notices the slight blush on his face as he avoids eye contact. With a silent chuckle to herself, she approaches him, and they move on. A peaceful quiet settles around them as they walk side by side. Hiccup glances downward as he notices the carved dagger on y/n's thigh. She can practically see the question forming in the boy's mind. When he asks, it doesn't surprise her.

"Your dagger, is it a dragon tooth?" Hiccup glances at her as the pair stop by a little stream.

Y/n unsheaths her dagger and holds it out in the limited light. "It is." She nods once, tossing it in the air to flip it and catch it by the blade. She holds it out toward Hiccup, and he grabs the leather-wrapped hilt, looking at it with interest.