First Friends

Chapter 20

I nudged Hiccup's shoulder, trying to rouse him. I looked at where the beast had flown off to, grabbed his dagger, tucked it away in a pouch on my harness, then wiggled under him, carrying him back to the village. He came to half way there and told me to stop. I set him down under a tree and began to lap at a brook that ran nearby.

"Tiger, c'mere," I heard him say. I trotted over to where he sat, leaning against the tree. He scrubbed my head and ears with his hands, bringing our foreheads together as we stared into each others eyes. I closed my eyes and pulled away long enough to give him a big, wet lick. "Eugh!" He laughed as he wiped the spit from his face.

I stiffened as a scent caught my nose. I put a gentle paw on his stomach, telling him to stay low and stay put. I stalked around before spotting it: a wild boar about Hiccup's size, but deliciously fat. I crouched and waited for the right moment. The boar began rooting around the tree, snuffling something about truffles or somesuch, and I knew it was time to act. I rolled my shoulders and got even lower, tail twitching in anticipation. I leapt and dug my claws into its thick hide in one fell move. It squealed and ran around as though it were a chicken with its head cut off. I bared my teeth and sank them into the back of its neck, feeling and tasting hot blood fill my mouth. I jerked my head from side to side, breaking its neck so it fell in a lifeless heap. I roared triumphantly and heard an answering call from the direction the creature had flown off to. The fur on the back of my neck stood on end: the creature was a hunter too! I grabbed as much of the boar as I could and made my way back to Hiccup. He looked up as I entered the clearing. I growled and nudged him to his feet before grabbing my kill and slinging it up onto my back. I glanced at him and we both trotted back to the village. The sun was going down and had nearly set by the time we got back to town. I dropped off my boar at the butchers and returned home with Hiccup. We entered the house and both froze like rabbits under a predator's watchful, hungry gaze.

"Hiccup," Stoick said as his son tried to sneak upstairs.

"Dad! Uh...I have to talk to you," he said. Instantly the air was filled with the sharp, heavy scent of nervousness.

"I need to speak with you too, son," Stoick replied. They both took deep breaths and said their bits at the exact same time. I didn't understand what was said, but I knew that they wanted different things.

"What?" they said at the same time. I chuckled then set about grooming myself, washing the blood from my face and paws.

I didn't pay attention to what was said until Stoick took an ax from under me and gave it to Hiccup. He continued speaking but I returned to my cleaning, rolling my eyes skyward. "No more of...this," I heard Stoick say.

"You just gestured to all of me," I heard Hiccup reply in a tired, worn-out tone with just a touch of annoyance. I was licking my lips so I didn't hear what was said after that. All I heard was Hiccup say, "And I'll be here...maybe."

When Stoick closed the door after himself Hiccup set the ax down with a sigh. Then he noticed my bloody muzzle and paws. "C'mere, Tiger. Let's get washed up, then we'll have supper, okay?" he said, grabbing a bucket of warm water and a damp rag that was already red from the numerous times he'd washed my face and paws. It was our nightly ritual, and something we both kind of looked forward to. I didn't know why Stoick was so disappointed in Hiccup. He saved my life, thus giving the village a natural hunter, and he was quite a quick learner and a bright youngster. I guessed it was because he wasn't as strong as the others, but that just meant he got extra attention from me. I licked his hair as he worked on my back paws, which were also muddy. Then he made us supper and after eating, we went straight to bed. He lay his head on my side and I put my nose close to his hands so I could keep a sharp nose out for him. I licked my lips slightly, then swallowed and kissed his hands before finally, and gratefully, falling asleep.