The Friendship

Chapter Eighteen | The Plan

~LITTLE HICCUP~

"Stay out of my way! I'm winning this thing." I sat, crouching behind one of many wooden barriers in the ring. A Gronckle buzzed overhead, searching for a human target.

Astrid held her axe to my throat, her eyes filled with pure hate and rage. I knew this wasn't the moment, but I couldn't help but notice that they were as blue and as endless as the sky itself. "Please, by all means," I responded politely to her previous demand. She sped off, closing in on the bulky creature.

I stood, and saw amidst the crowd my father, pride radiating off of him. He returned my glance, giving me a reassuring nod. Reassuring me that this wouldn't end well for neither me nor Toothless. I grinned half-heartedly as I adjusted my helmet, wishing I was never in this situation in the first place. A short distance away was Tufflout, giving me the same reassuring nod, but for a different reason.

That was when I noticed the sound of wings. The deafening sounds of cheering and chatter from the crowd had silenced the slight flutter of the dragon. Uh-oh. Turning around I came face to face with the Gronckle. Its breaths ruffled my hair slightly. As if a reflex, I scratched the dragon's head, itching its spot under the chin until it collapsed onto its side, legs twitching slightly. I stopped the dragon. Again.

"No! No!" I looked up to see Astrid. She was... well, let's just say angry was an understatement. I shrugged, trying to show that I hated this as much as she did.

"NO! NO! SON OF HALFTROLL RAT EATING MUNGE BUCKET!" She swung her axe I all directions, luckily away from me.

A clacking sound echoed throughout the ring. I peered up to see Gothi, the village elder. She tapped her staff for everyone's attention. Dad's booming voice could be heard from even far away. "Wait! Wait!"

I attempted to make my getaway. "So, later."

"Not so fast," Gobber snatched me by the scruff with his hook appendage.

"I'm kinda late for--"

"What?" Astrid pressed her axe to my neck once more, "Late for what exactly?"

All my dad needed to do to silence the village was raise his hands in the air. "Okay quiet down. The elder has decided."

Astrid and I stood side by side as Gobber held his replacement arm over Astrid's head. The whole village, myself included, held their breath. Please don't be me, please don't be me, please don't be me, I chanted inside my head. With a small shake of her head, Gothi denied Astrid the right to kill the dragon. My heart sank.

Goober pointed down to me, and Gothi nodded, aiming a finger in my direction. The crowds cheered, and I grimaced at the final results of dragon training. I glanced over to Astrid, who was seething so much you just might have been able to see the smoke coming out of her ears. Her glare could have scared any dragon away.

"You've done it! You've done it, Hiccup! You get to kill the dragon!" Gobber shouted, believing I was just as excited as he.

Dad's booming vice could be heard from across the ring. "Ha, ha! That's my boy!"

The recruits, save Astrid, of course, hoisted me up onto their shoulders, an easy feat for the muscular vikings. I cheered along with the village, pretending I had wanted this as much as my father.

"Heh, heh. Oh yeah! Yes! I can't wait. I am so... joyous on this wonderful occasion!" I exclaimed. The other teens gave me a strange look, but brushed it off. I was still Hiccup, the weird, skinny viking after all. I gazed up to where Tufflout stood. He urged me on as the rest of the Berkians did, though his eyes deceived his actions. They were so... calm, so reassuring. As if he knew that this would happen. As if it was all part of his plan. Either way, Tufflout wouldn't tell me any time soon.