Inner Dragon

Chapter 5 - Rough Melody

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the edited plot, my OC's, and my original dragon species.

I also do not own this episode. Only my original scenes. If I owned RTTE, then...yeah, I've got nothing.
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Hiccup gazed out to sea, standing on the cliffs overlooking the edge of Berk. Stoick and the other rider's families standing a small distance behind him.

A small breeze blew up the cliffs and ruffled Hiccup's hair like an old friend. He grinned. The sweet smell of salt and freedom was calling to him, and now he could finally answer.

After telling his father and the Berk council about the Dragon Eye and Harvard's journal, from what Fishlegs had read. He had managed to convince his father to actually let him go and explore. For the good of Berk anyway.

He turned back to his dad with the other families and approached him. "Again. I can't thank you enough for this." He breathed. "Thanks, Dad."

Stoick took a shaky breath and scooped him up into his arms. "Anything for you, son."

Hiccup grunted at first at the unexpected gesture. Then cautiously returned the hug. His father was not usually the emotional type apart from anger and concern, but he supposed all people had their limits.

After a shaky exhale, Stoick released him and composed himself somewhat. "Hiccup. Stay safe out there. I can't lo-" Stoick cut himself off, withholding his breath. Then released it with a sigh. "Just. Stay safe."

"I'll be okay, Dad. I have Toothless with me." Hiccup motioned towards said dragon who warbled in response.

Stoick sighed. "I know." He turned to Toothless. "Dragon. As I said before, keep him safe."

Toothless gave an affirming warble and nudged Stoick's side.

Stoick nodded and gave Hiccup one last life squeezing hug. Hiccup wheezed. All oxygen escaping his body. "I'll miss you too Dad. Air."

"Oh. Sorry, son." Stoick dropped him as Hiccup coughed, managing to take in blessed oxygen back into his lungs.

As he got his breath back. He glanced around to the rest of the riders who were with their respective families.

Langer was hugging Astrid not too far from them. "I'll miss you little sis'." He ruffled her hair teasingly as she death glared him.

"Never. Do that again." She growled.

"No promises." Langer chuckled.

Looking at the twins, Hiccup frowned. "Are you guys going to be, okay? You don't have to go, you know."

The twins looked up from their respective place on the ground, crouched next to Snifflenut. Lecturing their father about teaching Snifflenut his first prank before his birthday next year, since they didn't have the time to teach him anymore.

"What? No! We'd never miss an opportunity like this!" Ruffnut cried.

"We're just making sure Snifflenut has the next best teacher for pranks if it can't be me." Tuffnut replied.

Ruffnut scowled. "Hey, I thought it was going to be me!"

Tuffnut scoffed. "No. You made that decision without me, sister. Not a chance it's going to be you after you dishonored our agreement. It will be me!"

Ruffnut reared up a fist. "Why you!"

Hiccup winced and backed towards Toothless as Ruffnut's fist met Tuffnut's helmet. He really didn't want to get caught up in that one.

"Oh, this means war, sister. War!" Tuffnut gave a war cry, lifting up Macy from who knows where and charged Ruffnut.

Brittlenut simply lidded his eyes, both the working and cloudy one. He grabbed both of their helmets. Shoving his hands together, he clunked them. The ringing nose resounding across the clearing.