The Dragon Master and The Lightning Rider *Hiccup Fanfic*

4. Tumbles and Screams

This is a month before HTTYD 2 which means Hiccup didn't complete his flight suit Invention. I mix up the movies and the series so don't get too confused.

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Hiccup woke up feeling sore. He recalled what had happened the previous night. (Y/n) and Sin, the lightning and the feeling like all of his nerves had been set on fire. 

He pushed himself up and off the bed, stretching his muscles as he looked around. The cave was empty - no Toothless, Sin, or (Y/n). After finding his shirt hanging on some wood, he put it on, shoved his boots on, and went to the entrance of the cave.  

The storm had cleared completely, and there was only the pink and oranges of the rising sun in the sky.

He could make out sounds of rustling and grunting nearby, and he decided to investigate what the dragons and (Y/n) were up to at the ass-crack of dawn. 

Just a few steps in and Sin popped from a thicket of trees, eagerly bounding up to greet him with wet, slobbery licks. 

"Hey, girl!" Hiccup smiled, scratching her neck. "Where are the others?"

Sin ran in the direction she came, and he followed her to a large clearing, where (Y/n) was doing pull-ups on a thick branch of a tree. Toothless was hanging upside down on another branch, watching her with his big green eyes. 

When Hiccup entered the clearing, it called her attention, and she dropped down with lightning speed. Her hand snapped to her sheathed sword. It took her a second to realize it was Hiccup approaching her from behind, and she huffed. 

"Someone's on high alert," he said, crossing his arms.

"I don't like to take any chances," (Y/n) replied. She gently tapped Toothless' snout as she passed by to snatch up her canteen and gulp down water. "If you'd been anyone else-"

"Let me guess - you'd kill them." Hiccup sighed. "Your first instinct is to stab." 

"Story of my life, really. How are you feeling?"

Hiccup ran his fingers through his soft hair. "Much better. Thanks."

"Better enough to, say, spar with me?" (Y/n) asked, hitching up her sword. 

Hiccup caught the playful tone in her voice, and bowed deeply. On the upswing, he drew his sword in a wide arc. "I'm the best swordsman on Berk." 

"Oh, so I'm expecting a challenge?" 

They began circling each other on the grass, and Hiccup didn't expect to see the glimmer of delight in her eyes - in the way they tracked his steps before sliding up to focus on his face. "You're an expert in sword fighting?"

(Y/n)'s lips crooked in a smirk. "You'll find out, won't you?"

With that, she charged at Hiccup and they both raised their swords. The blades clashed, and then they pulled back. She was swift, slashing at him treacherously easily, and he had to focus his efforts on dodging and blocking her striked. 

He was giving her too much ground. He had to push back. 

So, when their blades met again, he used his strength to shove her back and she stumbled a few steps. It gave Hiccup the chance to strike at her, but at the last second, (Y/n) parried, stepped aside, and elbowed his back. 

The breath was punched out of him as he fell. Hiccup made a quick roll back to his feet, and they went back to circling each other. 

(Y/n) was grinning, teasing his sword with quick, light strikes that was more testing. Hiccup studied animal species - like wolves - that when giving chase to its prey, would hold itself back. A prey that is slower, that would be caught anyways would be no fun if it was caught instantly. No, there was a thrill of the chase.