𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍'𝐒 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆 - httyd

07| The Imbecilic, Cretinous Dunderhead

Clink.

Clank.

Clonk.

The Night Fury froze at the echoing sound and averted its attention from the school of terrified fish to the two terrified Vikings who stared back in horror—the terrified Vikings being me and Hiccup.

We watched its calculating gaze while remaining unmoving, the fear taking such a hold that we were left paralysed. The dragon dared us to move, but we didn't. Its expression shifted from a cold and cautious scowl to something resembling the look plastered across my face when I found something curious.

Hiccup noticed this strange change in the dragon's demeanour and tilted his head to the side, ever the intrigued Viking. His eyes were a window into his soul, revealing the twisting cogs and words that knitted together in his mind while he pondered the Night Fury's nature. The Night Fury mimicked Hiccup and tilted its head to stare back inquisitively.

It behaved so strangely. Dragons were murderous beasts with a particular taste for Vikings and our livestock. That's all the books had ever taught us, and it was the same message our ancestors had embedded into our souls as a warning.

They were terrifyingly powerful creatures with many impressive and exciting traits, like Thunderdrums, which emit a deafening growl, or the Whispering Death, who can breathe rings of fire. Moral of the story: We should avoid these animals at all costs, except when they try to steal our food.

That said, the dragon here, listed as one of the most dangerous, remained peaceful and unbothered by us. It didn't growl. It didn't snarl. It didn't even roar at us!

It was so strange.

I didn't dare to speak because I was afraid anything sudden, whether it's movement or a sound, might snap the dragon back to its senses and have it scaling across the clearing to devour us. After more tense moments with the Night Fury's gaze locked intensely on Hiccup and me, I let myself relax. Mostly.

The Night Fury eventually turned away and returned to trying to snatch up fish for lunch. I whispered to Hiccup that we should get going because it was already beginning to get dark, a standard gift from Berkian weather and its narcoleptic tendencies (especially in winter). He whispered that I should stay where I was.

I hadn't voiced any intention of doing otherwise. So, to such a ridiculous and unwarranted statement, I asked what Hiccup meant. Without so much as a hushed murmur back, my bumbling moron of an accomplice ran off on me again!

Hiccup decided he'd rather be a fleeting, imbecilic, cretinous dunderhead than a Viking who avoids needlessly risking his life—wow. I didn't realise I knew so many synonyms for stupid. Hiccup's acts were finally taking a mental toll on me! He silently climbed down the ledge I remained stationary upon and then crept towards the Night Fury.

The Night Fury wasn't stupid. It immediately noticed the soft thumps Hiccup's boots made when he stepped across the cove towards it. If I chose to get up and charge at the Night Fury with my dagger ready to do some harm, we'd both likely end up blasted into oblivion or chewed on. Instead, I did the next best thing.

I shut my eyes and pleaded for Odin to use his mighty power to keep Hiccup safe, whispering an apology for how reckless he was currently being...and how disobedient I had been. The only signs I received of Odin hearing my pleas came as a fluttering gust of wind with leaves dipping like boats leaving the harbour.

Was that a good sign?

Hiccup tested the waters, wading deeper, which only angered the dark dragon more. He was only three metres away when the Night Fury suddenly shot up. It rounded on Hiccup and shot a plasma blast at his feet. Hiccup screamed shrilly as the blast exploded into a vicious display of sparking purples and blues. The Night Fury crept closer and passed through the creeping flames, so...Hiccup dove into the water.