Growing Pains

Chapter One: Hushed Voices

This is Berk.

We may be small, but we are strong. And I'm not just talking about the dragons we adopt into our families. We have a full armory all ready to retaliate if we get attacked. We have hundreds of men and women trained in combat just in case something happens.

But strength is about more than brute force. Strength isn't always something you can see on the outside. The strongest man in the world can appear to be small and clumsy. And the weakest can have bulging muscles. Our strength comes from within. It comes from those we love and our willingness to stand for what's right.

Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to forget that fact. And it's up to all of us to remind them of what it means to be strong. Even if they don't want to hear it.

CLANG!

Fearless Finn Haddock jumped back instinctively as sparks flew from the sword he was fixing. He peered intensely at the weapon in his hand, trying to figure out if he was finished getting it in the right shape or if he needed to pound it some more. He was getting better at making that distinction but the smoke and the heat from the fire was making him feel a tad lightheaded. Shaking his head in an attempt to clear it, he peered at the red hot metal until its light started to put a giant blue splotch in the middle of his line of vision.

Anyone else in Finn's position would have taken a well deserved rest. But not him. The boy had been up since dawn and he hadn't set foot outside the forge except to use the outhouse. And whenever he did that, he had to squint to block out the exceptionally bright rays beating down on him from the hot sun. And then it was back to work, his body dripping with sweat, his hands covered in bandages to protect them from the many dangerous tools he worked with day in and day out, his undershirt sticking to his skin almost like it was glued there.

And Finn simply loved it. He loved the loud sounds of the crackling fire, bubbling water and metal, clanging of the tools... honestly, if his parents didn't make him take weekends off, he'd be here every single day.

"Well I see you're in the zone. Again." came a voice from across the room. "Don't come over here, I'll carry these ridiculously heavy boxes all by myself."

Finn, used to his mentor's sarcasm, hastened over to help lighten the load. Gobber smiled appreciatively at him.

"You're all right, Fearless Finn." he said cheerfully, ruffling the boy's hair and then making a face at the sheer amount of sweat dripping off his fingers.

Finn grinned impishly at his mentor's look of disgust. "Don't worry, I bet it's good for your skin."

"Don't sass me." Gobber retorted, looking rather amused. "Like father, like son."

"Not really." Finn said hastily. "I'm much better at this than he ever was."

"Ahh you've got the muscles for it." Gobber patted Finn's shoulder. "But you could do with a bit more ingenuity. Now why don't you take a break?"

"A break?" Finn acted as if this comment had offended him. "You're crazy. I just got started!"

"It's two in the afternoon!" Gobber narrowed his eyes at his apprentice.

"Yeeees." Finn stretched out the word, his grin widening.

"So eat lunch." Gobber insisted. "Or I won't let you come in tomorrow."

Finn grumbled but obeyed, grabbing his bag of food and walking across the room with it.

"Ah ah! Outside!"