When Snow Meets Lightning (Httyd x Male!oc)

part 4

"Oh, the gods hate me. Some people lose their knife or their mug. No, not me. I manage to lose an ENTIRE DRAGON?!" Hiccup muttered to himself in disbelief. "At least Ludic saw me shoot it down. Maybe he doesn't think I'm such a baby anymore."

Following a trail of broken branches, Hiccup cautiously approached the fallen dragon, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and excitement. Ducking behind a rock, he spotted the sleek black form tangled in his bola and instinctively drew his knife, ready to confront the creature.

"Oh, wow. I did it. I really did it!" Hiccup exclaimed triumphantly as he cautiously stepped closer to the seemingly lifeless dragon. "These changes everything! Yes! I have brought down this mighty beast!"

Before he could fully comprehend the situation, the dragon suddenly stirred. With surprising strength, it pushed Hiccup away, causing him to stumble and fall backwards. "Whoa!" Hiccup cried out in surprise; his bravado momentarily shaken.

"I'm going to kill you, dragon. I'm gonna cut out your heart and take it to my father. I'm a Viking. I am a VIKING!" Hiccup declared, trying to muster the courage to follow through on his words. However, as he looked into the dragon's frightened eyes and saw it lying there defenseless, his resolve wavered.

"I... I did this," Hiccup murmured, grappling with his conflicting emotions. Finally, he decided. With a sense of urgency, he began cutting the ropes that bound the Night Fury.

The dragon stirred again, its eyes opening. In a swift motion, it rolled over Hiccup, roaring fiercely in his face. Hiccup flinched, expecting an attack, but the dragon merely lopsidedly took flight, leaving him unharmed but deeply affected.

Hiccup's bravado melted away, leaving him trembling and overwhelmed. He whimpered softly and overcome by the intense emotions of the encounter, he collapsed, fainting from the adrenaline and the weight of what had transpired.

A few days later Ludic wandered through the woods, his mind heavy with sleeplessness that plagued him for days. "I just want to rest," he muttered to himself, feeling the weight of exhaustion pulling at his limbs. A sense of being watched prickled the back of his neck, and he spun around, catching a glimpse of a faint white shimmer darting away.

He sprinted after it, crashing through the underbrush, but the elusive figure vanished without a trace. "Dumb dragon. YOU KNOW IT'S RUDE TO STALK PEOPLE!" Ludic shouted into the darkness, frustration seeping into his voice. Despite his best efforts, he found nothing but the silent forest around him.

Returning to the village, Ludic ignored the nagging feeling of footsteps following him. He halted at the forest's edge, pausing as he sensed the presence behind him. "I suggest you go back into the forest, Frostbite. I won't harm you, but the other Vikings here might," he warned firmly, glancing over his shoulder towards where he sensed the dragon's presence.

A soft coo reached his ears, barely audible yet distinctly present. Ludic turned around to find nothing but the stillness of the woods, the ghostly image of the white dragon lingering in his mind as he walked towards the dragon training arena.

"Welcome to Dragon Training!" Gobber's voice boomed across the arena as Ludic sat atop the stands, looking down at the scene unfolding below.

"No turning back," Astrid declared, her confidence palpable.

"I hope I get some serious burns!" Tuffnut exclaimed eagerly.

"I'm hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder or lower back," added Ruffnut, earning a laugh from Ludic.

"Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it," Astrid agreed, her gaze briefly meeting Ludic's before she looked away, her cheeks flushed.

"Yeah, no kidding, right? Pain. Love it," Hiccup chimed in with a smug attitude, drawing a smirk from Ludic. "What an idiot," he muttered under his breath.