Fury (A How to Train Your Dragon Fanfiction)

Chapter 16: My Choice

Thora's POV

"Enjoying the view?"

I glance over my shoulder. Hiccup stands behind me, a small smile on his lips. Toothless sits behind him looking rather proud, but I would too if I'd just become Alpha of dragons.

A sigh lifts my frame for a moment as I cast my gaze back to the ocean. I don't want conversation right now. In fact, I'm feeling rather straight to the point right now.

"I'll be gone by tonight," I say, my tone flat. I must admit, that way of speaking is only because I'm trying to hide my emotion.

I hear him exhale. "Thora-"

I turn around, becoming slightly startled when he's much closer than I expected. He looks down at me with an almost longing in his green eyes, his lips twitching minimally as he tries to find words.

"Please don't try. It's done. My mind is made," I say, my voice softer now. "There's no reason for me to be here. You can become chief, I can go back to flying across the sea. No one will miss me too much."

"I'll miss you," he admits. He swallows, still thinking too much. "Is there really...nothing that would make you stay?"

I close my eyes, feeling his hand grasp my own. "I'm sorry, Hiccup, but I don't belong. I don't...know how to fit in here."

His fingers brush my chin as he makes me look up at him. He drops his hand once I'm looking, his face a canvas of emotion. He's still searching for something. I can tell.

I look past him to see Nightstar sitting in front of Toothless. Her nose is against his, her scaly lips moving only slightly. He looks crushed. She looks impossibly miserable.

Something seems to shift in me. How can I be this selfish? Here I am, standing before the only other Night Fury that my dragon has seen in what feels like forever, and I'm going to rip her away simply because I feel restrained?

No. I can't do that to her.

"Hiccup, I..." I swallow. "I'll stay...but I'll stay for Nightstar. She loves Toothless. I think she needs him more than me..."

My voice must sound sad at the idea of that, seeing as Nightstar and I have always depended on one another, but this is part of getting older. She needs someone else too.

Hiccup smiles, pulling me into a tight hug. I shut my eyes and return it, feeling him lift me up a tiny bit. I may not feel like I fit in, but there's something about hugging him that's always inviting.

"I'll do my best to help you," he murmurs.

"Thanks."

He grasps my hand and pulls me back towards the jovial crowds. Nightstar and Toothless follow, Nightstar's eyes already more lit up. It's like she already knows that I chose to stay because of her.

I release myself from his hold as we approach the crowd, stepping back. Gothi, the elder, emerges from the crowd of Berkians and taps his leg. When he gives her his attention, she gestures for him to kneel. He does so respectfully.

She reaches down in the soot smudged dirt, getting some of the blackness on her shrivelled fingers. She traces a Viking symbol onto Hiccup's forehead and bows. He rises, meeting Gobber's proud, smiling eyes. Gobber turns to the silent crowd and throws up his arms.

"The chief has come home!" he hollers.

The Berkians erupt with cheers and applause as Hiccup takes in the moment. I clap for him too, although I can't bring myself to cheer. There's too much on my mind.

Toothless and Nightstar throw back their heads and shoot into the air in celebration, spurring all other dragons to follow suit, lighting up the sky in a spectacular display.

I walk up to Hiccup as the crowds mingle and chatter amongst themselves once more. I smile a tiny bit as I poke his chest.

"See? I told you it was in here," I tease lightly, making him laugh.

"Yeah, I've got to hand that one to you," he replies, still smiling at me.

We glance towards our dragons. Nightstar nuzzles Toothless' neck with her nose, her eyes shut. Toothless returns the gesture, rubbing the bottom of his head against the top of hers as their tails sweep in and touch.

"You must really love her," Hiccup says. When I look up at him, he smiles. "You know, to do this for her."

I shrug, my mouth being tugged upwards at the corner by an imaginary string. "Wouldn't you do the same for Toothless?"

He nods. "In a heartbeat."

We watch our dragons again, happy to see them so content in one another's strange sort of embrace. Somehow, I feel a sense of peace wash over me. Maybe life on Berk won't be so bad after all.