Found again (HTTYD FF)

★19★

"There's something I should have told you a long time ago,"  the Bewilderbeast began as they returned to the nest and the new dragons settled in, slowly recovering. He summoned Hiccup to his side - he wanted to discuss something important with him.

"You may not realize it, but you are one of the most important members of our nest. Without you there wouldn't be many dragons here, without you the dragon hunters would have caught and killed many more of us. The whole nest, and indeed our entire species, should be grateful to you. You, Hiccup, are more important than anyone here realizes. You are the key to our flourishing and our bare survival."

Hiccup was taken aback. He never imagined he would hear words like these. It was, in his opinion, an undeserved honor. After all, he had caused as much trouble as any other dragon, more trouble than Toothless and the rest of the nest combined! He was constantly pursued by hunters, and so many times he and Toothless had almost led them to the nest! He was about to object, but before he could even open his mouth, the big Bewilderbeast continued.

"That is why you will never fly out of the nest again without my permission and a capable enough escort. We cannot afford to lose you. You're too important to everyone here - don't forget that."

Did this mean that now other dragons would accompany him and Toothless on missions, or was Toothless sufficient as an "escort"?

"But that's not all I needed to tell you. There's something you should know. It's time for you to learn something about yourself, about what and who you really are."

Hiccup gave him a puzzled look. How could the Bewilderbeast know anything about who he was? After all, he was supposed to be the first in dragon history to survive the transformation, wasn't he?

It was true, wasn't it? Or was there something he hadn't been told?

"The form you are in right now is not your true form. You, as a half-dragon, have two forms - this one, which is on the border between the dragon and human worlds, and the dragon form, which is your true face. The time has come for you to know your true form as well. I didn't know when the day would come for the really last part of your transformation, but it's here. I can feel it, and I know you can feel it too. It won't even be a few days before the final transformation begins, and I must prepare you for it as quickly as possible.

You know, you're not the first person with a dragon soul. Once upon a time, a long time ago, I knew someone like you. His story has been forgotten over time, and he himself fell into oblivion because he chose to live as a dragon, to give up his half-human form. Not many dragons knew of him, most of those who knew him thought he was just another, ordinary dragon. He came from a small nest where his existence was kept secret. I was lucky enough to meet him before he died. Poor thing, the hunters got him."

Hiccup stared at him in disbelief the whole time, stunned. He wasn't the only one, which could mean there was a chance he'd meet someone else like him. He couldn't believe it, after all, he was supposed to be the only one, he was supposed to be the first! Why was the Bewilderbeast keeping this from him? Did Toothless and the other dragons know? Why didn't anyone tell him?

"Wait... m-my transformation will still continue? I thought it was already finished?"

"No. This transformation - I don't know what the proper term is exactly - is much longer and more complicated than you think. You've already passed the first stage, it's relatively simple and safe. Provided, of course, that the individual is in the right care. The truth is, most of those like you don't survive the second part. It is much more complicated and by its very nature in most cases deadly - which is why I must prepare you. Without the proper knowledge, you have almost no chance of survival. You can never predict with any certainty whether it will succeed or not, even if one has been preparing for it all their life. But I believe you will be one of those who will not encounter many complications.