HALLI | How to Train Your Lira

Hard Work and Healing

Lira Halli woke up under a heavy fur pelt. The bed next to her was empty. She walked out of her and Jack's room into the kitchen where her mother had laid hard bread and soup she must've made last night. Thinking of it- she hadn't eaten since she was on the boat. Her stomach growled and she pulled the seat out to sit quickly. Her mother and father stared at her but it was Jack who spoke, "You were out pretty late."

Lira shot him an ugly look, "Callum, Hiccup, and Astrid went to go find an injured dragon and I went with them."

"You missed dinner," Your mother said coldly, "Did you greet the chief?"

Lira took another bite and looked down, "To busy running off with his son to say hello and thank him for letting us come back?"

'I waved at him."

"I waved at him? That's it. We're going to get kicked off the island."

"Calm down, Mary. We're not going to get kicked off the island. She spent all night with his son, I'm sure we're fine," Her dad reasoned and cleaned his plate. Lira beamed at him.

"Oh that reminds me I am supposed to meet Hiccup," Lira stood and put her bowl on the counter. Jack followed.

"Be back for dinner tonight!"

"Dinners in the hall today, Mary."

Mary gave her husband a nasty look.

Lira saw Hiccup and Toothless when she walked out of her house, "Hey Hiccup!"

"Lira, hey," Hiccup smiled, "We'll just go to Gobber's shop and get your present."

"Ooh," she nudged his shoulder, "Is it any good?"

"No. I made it bad on purpose."

"Good, that's exactly how I like my presents" she giggled. The shop was crowded with people asking Gobber for all sorts of things, mostly for their dragons.

"C'mon," Hiccup pulled her into the back corner of the shop.

"I'm not gonna lie, this is a little scary."

Hiccup chuckled and picked up a circular shape covered in ratty cloth. He pulled the cloth from it once he'd turned around. Large plates of wood held together by a dark silvery metal; the same metal made up the boss. Lira took it from him slowly, "Wow, Hiccup."

Her hands ran over the materials lightly, she took in the bumps and nails Hiccup had placed in the wood to make it. She flipped the shield over in her hands. On the back were two sturdy leather strips.

"The medal is gronckle iron."

"It's beautiful. I would guess you made it yourself?"

Hiccup looked down and rubbed his neck, "Yeah, I had some spare time before you came."

"I love it." Lira smiled wide and set it down to hug Hiccup.

"Thanks, Hiccup."

"Of course."

Hiccup suggested that they start to socialize Blue so that his wing can heal easier; Lira agreed and they started the walk to Hiccup's house. Lira slipped the shield over her forearm. Hiccup smiled at her. On the way to Hiccup's house, they discussed types of dragons. Lira figured she should write some of this down when she could and she made a mental note to write it all down later. He told her about the classes and basic types of dragons until they reached. Fishlegs was waiting at Hiccups house when they arrived.

"Hi, Fishlegs," Hiccup inquired.

"I heard from Astrid that you found a dragon. A hurt dragon."

"Yeah, a Nadder. His name's Blue," Lira informed the large boy. Fishlegs looked stuck between excited and sad.

"He's already been named?"

"Yeah, Lira named his yesterday. They seemed to have a real connection." Hiccup looked at her while he spoke, she smiled. Fishlegs made a squealing noise.

"Alright well, he's resting in the back." Hiccup lead the small group around the house to a small stable-like area a little bit away from the back of the hut. Inside a blue ball was curled up in the hay. Fishlegs went to go initiate with him but Hiccup stopped him, "I think we should let Lira go first, Blue will probably be her dragon when he's better."

Fishlegs nodded in understanding and Lira walked toward the sleeping dragon. She clicked her tongue a bit and he awoke, "Hi Blue."

"Lira." she turned and Hiccup gestured he was going to throw a bit of chicken to her, she nodded and he tossed it gently. She caught it and held it up. Blue stood and tilted his head looking at the chicken in Lira's hand.

"Hey baby," Lira spoke softly holding the chicken up to the dragon. He gurgled low, "You want a treat?"

She took a step closer; Blue looked her up and down and growled low. Hiccup leaned towards them giving Toothless a be-ready-to-grab-her look.

"Back up Li." Hiccup called nervously from behind her. She slid her foot back and dropped her shield a few inches behind her. Fishlegs gasped.

"I just wanna be your friend," Lira said softly, keeping a good amount of space between them. Blue rested his tail spikes. Lira took a step forward and Blue reached over to grab the chicken from her hand.

"There you go..." Lira leaned towards him and he also bent down and grabbed it gently from her. Then he whipped his head up and gobbled it down. When he finished his tail spikes lifted and Lira could hear Hiccup shift nervously toward her and Fishlegs gasp again. Blue shook a bit and stretched his wings, which made him finch but he seemed to recover quickly and laid the spikes back down. Lira smiled a bit letting her happiness slip through and losing the seriousness of confronting a wild dragon. He folded his wings and legs to lay in the hay with his crystal blue eyes still focused on Lira. She stepped forward to him again and saw him tense up. Back again.

Hiccup and Fishlegs focused hard on the girl taming the dragon. Lira had a plan; she lowered herself slowly to his level, which was on her knees, and slowly inched forward again with her hand outstretched. Blue's head stayed completely still, he didn't look at her hand he stayed focused on her hazel eyes. She inched forward more, another inch, another inch, another inch. Her hand was pulling back as she moved forward. Blue tilted his head and then pushed his head against her forearm. Lira gasped; Blue kept his head near her and she pushed her palm over his cool nose. She turned around and Hiccup smiled at her and nodded a bit. Lira turned back to Blue, "Hello my baby Blue. It's nice to make your acquaintance."

Blue gargled back at her.

Hiccup and Fishlegs came forward, both of them letting Blue smell them first and then continuing around to his damaged wing.

"There's no way we're gonna be able to fix this without stitches," Fishlegs concluded. Hiccup made a clicking noise. Toothless came up next to Lira and smelled Blue. He gargled pleasantries and Blue returned them.

"There's no way we'd be able to do that while he's awake. Ask Gothi if she has anesthesia for a dragon." Hiccup said to Fishlegs his fingers rubbing his chin in contrasting. Fishlegs nodded, said his adieu and left to Gothi's. Hiccup walked back over to Lira who was sitting on the ground with Blue's head in her lap.

"He's taken to you quickly."

"Yeah," She smiled down at the large sky-blue head, "I can't wait for him to get better and then I can learn to fly."

"I bet Astrid will let you practice on Stormfly, Blue's a bit smaller than her but since they're the same type of dragon you should be able to transition smoothly."

"Sounds good to me," Lira nodded.

"I'll go ask," Hiccup said not wanting to pull her away from her new partner.

"I'll come with you."

He looked at her bit shocked, "You can stay with Blue if you want."

"He needs rest. Plus I'll be back, and he's not going off the island unless he catches a boat off."

Hiccup chuckled a bit, Lira stood and linked her arm in Hiccup's.

"Plus I'd love to spend some extra time with you and Toothless," She mumbled.

Hiccup blushed, and so did Lira although it didn't seem much different under her rosacea.