First Friends

Chapter 36

Once I finished cleaning, I fluffed Hiccup's pillows and headed downstairs for some much needed sleep.

When I woke up at dawn the next day, I headed outside because something was telling me something was wrong. All the dragons in the village were gathered over the head of a dragon that quite frankly looked like a porcupine crossed with a Gronckle. That sight in and of itself wasn't nearly as terrifying as what the dragons were saying: "ALL HAIL THE ALPHA!"

I shivered, my eyes scanning the flock instinctively. They lit on the dragon closest to me and my heart leapt to my throat.

"Toothless?" I said. Then the man riding him spoke.

"Your chief, is DEAD!" He roared. Any quieter and he would be fluent in Dragon and Jaguar. "Nothing can save you now."

Something about Toothless' voice caught my ear. He faltered slightly when the man riding him said "dead."

"All h-hail the Alpha," he said.

He's fighting for control over his own body and mind! I realized. I decided to help him a touch. I reached down inside of myself and brought up a challenge that dwarfed the one I had screamed at him before.

"Get rid of that lint fleck," the Alpha said bored.

I bit my tongue, keeping my opinions to myself. My challenge worked and Toothless followed me. I ran into the forest and leapt up, snagging a treetop again. I dragged it down and waited. I reused my other tactic that had chased him off. He seemed to understand and flew toward me, right into my trap. I released the bark and tucked aside as the tree slammed into Toothless' face, knocking him out of the sky and his passenger. I ran up to Toothless and swatted him on he head with my claws sheathed.

"Wh-wha? Tiger! Thank Gertkura and Thor! The Bewilderbeest is powerful. You need to help me," he said to me as he came out of the mind control.

"Gladly," I said. I jumped up into his saddle, fighting the nerves that made my stomach do somersaults.

"Get off that dragon, pest," the tall, bulky man said. I dug my claws in and snapped at him when he swung at me and I leaped over the pointy stick. He tried four more times to get me off, but to no avail. Finally he waved me off. I made room for him, just to keep up appearances. We rose in the air and flew back towards town. Toothless was significantly smoother this time, knowing I wasn't comfortable in the air.

Toothless explained to me what had happened, and I asked, "Did you have a choice?"

"No. I tried to stop myself, but I've never dealt with that before. I need you to help me get back to Hiccup," said he. A slight shudder ran through him and I swatted his back with my claws out. He stiffened but didn't complain. When we were over the village I crept up Toothless' back to just behind the man riding him. We were over the tusk of the dragon that Toothless told me was called a Bewilderbeest when I decided to act. I sank my fangs into the man's leg.

He screamed and cursed, but was caught off guard so I just tipped him off the edge of the saddle. He landed with a huff on the tusk, while Toothless and I fell screaming from fear. I soiled myself from fright, but managed to mimic what I'd seen Hiccup do many times when he was riding him. I put my right back paw in the pedal and pressed it. Then used my left paw to move the metal rod forward while my front left paw gripped the handle of something and pulled it closer to me. I heard the telltale click of the tail fin working, then closed my eyes to suppress a gag. Toothless and I flew around a bit, me hitting him when necessary. That stopped when the Bewilderbeest whirled around, hitting us with his tail and sending us careening off into the mist. I howled in fear, then turned my ear towards a distant sound. I glanced down at Toothless and he looked up at me.

"Did you hear that?" we asked at the same time.

"Let's go check it out," I suggested. He seemed a bit nervous, but we did. Several figures emerged from the fog, one of which we both recognized. "Hiccup!"

"Tiger?" Hiccup asked. He'd recognized my growl. "Toothless?! How-? What-? Afdhe. Huh???"

We both laughed. A sudden pocket of empty air caught us off guard and we fell a bit, making both of us give a yelp. Hiccup jumped onto Toothless' back and I gladly inched back for him.

"Err... Sorry for the mess," I said to him. "I got scared." I said this in response to him curling his nose slightly.

He turned around and scratched head. He seemed to know and understand that I had a weak bladder when I was afraid. "Thank you, Tiger, for getting Toothless back," he said. I rubbed against him.

We banked and headed back for Berk. Twice on the way back I yelped and latched onto Hiccup. My stomach gurgled and I leaned over Toothless' side. Licking my lips when I had finished I rested my head on Hiccup's peg leg and groaned. He put a comforting hand on my head. I sighed with relief when we drew close to Berk. I swatted Toothless again when he started to become brainwashed again.

"Hey! Tiger that was mean. Say sorry," he ordered. I shook my head. He shifted and I lost my balance. I screeched as I fell from Toothless' back. I hit an ice structure the Bewilderbeest had made. I slid down the flow and skidded to a halt at the edge of the main square. I got to my feet and bolted to the front of the village.

"Tiger!" Hiccup called.

"You okay, fluff?" Toothless yelled. I nodded exaggeratedly so they could see I was okay.

"Fine! You two take care of them! I'll keep the villagers back!" I told them. Toothless nodded and flew off into battle again. I began pacing back and forth in front of the villagers, driving them back. Once they were about fifty feet back something heavy fell to the ground behind me. I whipped around, expecting to see Hiccup and Toothless on the ground. They skidded to a halt as they landed, sending up a dust cloud. I stalked toward the dark man who heaved himself off the ground.

"Hold him there, Toothless. It's all over now," Hiccup said. Toothless growled an affirmative.

"Or is it?" the dark man asked. I yelped when the Bewilderbeest breathed a column of ice at Hiccup and Toothless. I ran up to it and began digging at the ice.

"No! Hiccup, Toothless! Not now! Not after everything we've been through!" I roared pleadingly. A woman landed beside me and began beating at the ice herself. She was a stranger, but seemed to care about him very much. I later learned her name was Valka and that she was Hiccup's mother. A glow began to shine through the ice and instinctively I herded the woman back. I covered my face and ears with a paw when it exploded. Toothless was curled around Hiccup, protecting him from the ice. Dumbfounded I gawked at Toothless, whose back was glowing like Arvendale's Fire.

He screamed a stream of profanities at the Bewilderbeest. Once again I was grateful that no one else could understand Dragon. Hiccup backed away on his hands and feet, and got to his feet with some assistance. He scratched me and I used my notebook and pencil to write him a note.

Toothless asked me to hit him. Helped him stay free.

"Odd," Hiccup said. I rubbed against his legs, thankful that he was alright.