Another Nightmare book 1

Chapter 5

Hiccup was out of breath by the time he reached the cove. After long detour home from the kill ring he had to carry both a large basket full of fish and the new tail fin. It took a lot from his small body. Getting all of that past the shield still stuck at the entrance to the cove didn't help the matter.

He was just about to call toothless when his eyes were pulled to the spot where said dragon was lying. Somehow he could tell that Toothless was on that exact spot without looking. Larger green eyes of the dragon were also open and following Hiccup's every move. Hiccup could tell that Toothless was happy to see him again and had already smelled the insides of the fish basket. How Hiccup knew what the dragon was feeling, he had no idea.

"Hey Toothless. I brought you something to eat." Hiccup said dropping the basket on the ground. He kicked it over spilling its insides. "Okay that's disgusting."

Hiccup had to resist temptation to hold his nose, but Toothless didn't seem to share his opinions. The dragon had gotten up and approached the pile of fish sniffing it eager to devour the smelly pile.

"We got some salmon, some nice Icelandic cod and a whole smoked eel."

Suddenly Toothless noticed the eel and backed of snarling. Hiccup pulled the slimy creature out of the pile causing the dragon to back of some more with his wings spread.

"No, no, no!" Hiccup threw the eel to the pond, "Yea, I don't really like eels either."

He was expecting Toothless to go back to eating now that the eel was gone, but the green dragon eyes were focused on at him. Hiccup didn't need his new-found ability to sense dragon's feelings to know that Toothless was feeling anger when his eyes narrowed to slits. The night fury pushed past his first real meal in days approaching Hiccup, never taking his eyes of the boy.

"Uh Toothless, is everything okay", Hiccup asked with slight worry while slowly backing away from the approaching dragon.

He didn't understand why Toothless was suddenly acting like that. Just a moment ago, the dragon had looked so happy to see him again. It couldn't be because of the eel. Hiccup had gotten rid of it immediately when Toothless showed he didn't like it. It also didn't help that Hiccup didn't notice a small rock on the ground and as a result ended up falling on his rear end unable to back any more. Hiccup was starting to get bit worried when he suddenly became aware of other feeling he was sensing besides anger, worry.

Toothless' snout was no less than half a meter above Hiccup's face, his eyes concentrated on a single spot on left side of the boy's face. The same side Astrid had punched him. It was bit sore and probably had a visible bruise by now. Hiccup's eyes widened from realization but that was only reaction he had time for before half of his face got covered in dragon saliva. He wasn't sure how to react to what was happening, and didn't notice the remaining pain being dulled until a moment later.

"Oh Toothless" Hiccup tried to push the large black head away, but stopped his struggling after noticing still serious look on the dragon's eyes, as it kept sniffing him all over.

"Don't worry. I'm okay, just some bruises", Hiccup tried to keep his voice as calm and soothing as possible. Slowly he seemed to get through to the dragon, whom nudged his snout at Hiccup's chest one more time crooning quietly.

"Thanks Toothless", Hiccup thanked him, "Now you should really go eat." Hiccup pointed at still waiting pile of fish. Toothless didn't need to be told twice. He strolled to the pile and started devouring the fish like only starving dragon could.

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Toothless was ecstatic to finally eat, though he still made sure to memorize the scent he found on his Hiccup. The bruise could still have been an accident. His hatchling might have had an amazing mind that had somehow blocked the queen's thoughts, but his body was so very fragile. Toothless would have to keep an eye on Hiccup in the future for other injuries, and if those also came with the same foreign viking scent...