How To Train Your Viking

Chapter 19 - Loss and Gain

"Hiccup! Hiccup! Son?!" I heard repeatedly over and over and over. Hiccups father came into view, out of the ash and smoke. "Hiccup." He coughed as he ran over to me. He fell to his knees in front of me. "Oh son. I did this." He sighed. I rolled slightly, trying to stop the burn on my back from burning more. I breathed heavily, still catching my breath from the fight.

A ton of people came into view. Astrid ran straight to the front but stopped when she saw me, her eyes widening. The other dragons appeared from behind them, looking to see what all the commotion was. "I'm so sorry." The large Vikings eyes caught mine. He looked so sad. I guess he was the one who got us into all this mess. But as I usually do, I feel guilty after an apology so I unwrapped my wings.

"HICCUP!" He's alive! You brought him back alive!" The Viking cheered in tears. He took hiccup from my grasp and held him in his arms.

"Well, you know, most of him." The blond moustache Viking walked up beside him. Way to point it out blacksmith...

"Hiccup! Oh dear Thor!" Astrid raced over, skidding on the dragon stone as pebbles went flying everywhere as she landed on her knees in front of the two Vikings. "Ahh! Oh my gods, his leg Stoick!" She looked up to the Viking. So that must be his name.

"I know Astrid." He sighed.

"Gobbler, you have to help him!" She begged to the other.

"I'll do my best Astrid but, I don't think there is anything there to mend.

"Just do something!" She begged, patting hiccups head.

"Alright, Gobber take Astrid and hiccup back to Berk quick, I'll gather what we have left of the ships and sail." Stoick ordered.

"Come on Astrid, quick!" Gobber took Hiccup in his arms as Astrid ran behind him. "Wait!" Gobber stopped dead in his tracks as Astrid slammed into the back of him. "How are we going to get there?" Gobber looked at her.

"Oh we got that covered." The scruffy dark haired Viking smoke up. "Wanna ride on 100 pounds of flaming muscle?!" He boasted as Thorn stood behind him, flaming himself up.

"I think a gronkle would be a safer flight, Snotlout." Another boy spoke up, smiling.

"No way fishlegs, a zippleback is much more handy." Another spoke up.

"Plus it's got two heads!" The girl who looked awfully similar added as they high fived.

"Oh, this is to much for my brain to grasp." Gobber looked so confused with all this dragon change.

"Gobber, ignore them. I've got us covered. STORMFLY!" Astrid yelled before she let out a high punch whistle. Stormfly? Crystal landed behind her with a squark.

"Stormfly?" Gobber looked at her.

"Well I had to give her a name." Astrid smiled before climbing onto her, Gobber behind, hiccup still in his arms. "Go girl!" She ordered as they took off. Gobber handing on for dear life, also holding Hiccup.

"Oh gods! What has happen to the world?!" He yelled as they went into the distance. I snorted in reload before standing up carefully. Shaking the soot from the fire off me and stretching.

"Come on Toothless." Stoick smiled.

~

His eyes fluttered open slightly. Yes? I wagged my tail back and forth fast. I nudged him with excitement.

"Oh, hey toothless." He started groggy. "Okay, okay. I'm happy to see you to bud, now just- ahh!" He complained as I accidentally stepped on him. Sorry about that. I was so happy he was awake. I jumped around, usually knocking things over. "I'm in my house. Your in my house! Does my dad know your here?" He worried. I just smiled in response. I was to happy to answer. "okay, okay! No toothless! Oh come on...." He stopped there as he pulled the covers off. He gulped and breathed in deep, taking in the moment. With a big sigh he moved his feet off the bed. Well, foot.

The clank of his now metal left leg hit the floor. I sniffed it, feeling really bad that I damaged it. I looked up to him with the biggest sorry face I could give. Maybe he would forgive me? He braced himself on the bedpost before trying to stand. With another deep breath he took his first step, only to fall on me. I pushed him back up before turning to help him out the door.

"Thanks bud." He smiled. We walking slowly towards the door. So after all this, we did loose one thing. But we gained another, friendship. I might be missing a left tail wing and him a left leg but in the end we got something more.

Hiccup opened the door where Hookfang suddenly appeared. "Ahh! Toothless stay here." He told me before opening the door again.

"Come on guys get ready! Hold on tight here we go!" Snotlout yelled before flying away on said Hookfang. Seems after all this we did end up with new names. We don't mind so much though. Before hiccup could walk out and close the door I stopped it with my head so I could watch what was going on. Hiccup looked around, completely shocked at what he saw.

"I knew it, I'm dead." Hiccup said in shock.

"No but you gave it your best shot. So, what do you think?" Stoick put his arm around him. "Turns out all we needed was a little more of, this."

"You just gestured to all of me." Hiccup smiled and Stoick nodded back.

"Well, most of you. That's bits my handiwork. With a little hiccup flare thrown in. You think it will do?" Gobber pushed his way through the crowd to point to hiccups leg.

"I might make a few tweaks." Hiccup smiled. A few he says. Well I can see where this is going. From the back of the crowd I saw Astrid storming her way through. The anger practically pouring out of her. Not sure what she was angry about. Once she passed the twins she gave hiccup a hard punch in the arm.

"That's for scaring me!" She frowned.

"Ow! What?! What, is it always going to be this way?! Cause..." Astrid grabbed him by the shirt and pressed her lips against his, stopping him from finishing his sentence. Gees humans are weird. Especially Astrid, I just don't get her at all. The only thing we have in common is our awesome death glare, if I do say so myself.

"...I could get used to it." Hiccup smiled a really cheesy smile.

"Welcome home." Gobber gave him the new tail I begged him for (well told him I would blow him to bits if he didn't make it)hehe. It seemed boring without me out there. I nudged the door open and pounced out.

"Nightfury! Get down!" I bounced on spite lout before he fell over letting me land in front of Hiccup. Before I could say another word I was saddled up and ready to go. Hiccup clocked his new leg into the saddle to check if the tail worked and it had never worked better. With dragons everywhere I felt at home. Home in one place.

This is Berk. It snows nine months of the year and hails the other three. The fish here are tough and tasteless. The people here are even more so. The only upsides are the dragons. While other places have nadders and nightmares. I am a night fury!