The End of the Beginning (Hiccup x OC) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 1

I herded the sheep quickly into our barn as Vikings shouted around me. "Come on sheep!" I commanded, giving a sturdy push against the last sheep's butt with my stick. It bleated at me as I did so. "Get in!" I closed the gate and latched it.

"Marish!" a voice called.

Mother.

"Coming!" I shouted back, closing the barn door quickly and running outside. A swooshing, crackling sound. Flying fire hit the house next to ours, lighting the roof on fire. It's glow burned my eyes and the heat singed my skin. I screamed, running blindly away from it.

"Marish, over here!"

I searched the crowd of running Vikings for my mother's face. A swooshing sound over head, a dragon close enough to grab my hair with its claws. I fell to the ground face first, heart beating out of my chest and the shepherd stick falling out of my grip. A hand grabbed my arm firmly, pulling me to my feet.

"Come. This way." The voice sounded different, but my eyes burned from the smoke, blinding my vision and hiding the person's identity. The hand dragged me at a run, my legs stumbling beneath me. The battle cries of the Vikings began to fade and the fire of the dragons no longer burning my skin.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, the burning sensation in my eyes slowly dying away.

The hand released my arm and I looked to see the identity of my savior, but they had disappeared before my eyes found their face. A black silhouette ran down the hill they had brought me up and shouted, "Stay there until the dragons leave!"

The command rung in my ears as I watched the dragons attack Berk. This happened often, but never quite this intensely.

The village was enveloped in flames as Vikings fought against the dragons and helped douse burning houses with water. I felt like I should help, but couldn't bring myself to run down the hill. I sat down on a rock and watched helplessly as Berk burned.

A moaning sound of one horrible dragon grew and the whole village was led into chaos as they sought shelter. The moaning grew and grew until the dragon swooped across the sky lighting fire to another house. I rushed behind a boulder, scrunching into a ball.

Night Fury.

The most dangerous of all the dragons. No one knew anything about them. No one had ever captured one. No one had seen a Night Fury up close and lived to tell the tale.

I peeked over the boulder to get a better look. Suddenly, the sound of someone catapulting a bola reached my ears. A brave move. But the bola flew passed it, just missing its right wing. The dark night was a cover for the Night Fury and the fires lit up the sky, revealing its black body. Shivers ran down my spine.

       I can't just huddle here, can I? I'm a Viking for Thor's sake and I have to help my people. After all, one of them just helped me so shouldn't I return the favor? I got up, about to run down the hill when the dragons suddenly flew off in a hurry as if they were finished with their fun and decided it was time to go home.

They disappeared into the dark sky, leaving the village in flames behind. I ran down the hill toward the group of Vikings that had crowded around the chief, Stoick.

"This isn't a joke, Hiccup!" the chief shouted at his son. I squeezed in between two big men and poked my head through their arms so I could see. "Why can't you follow the simplest orders?"

His son, who was a skinny thing compared to his brawny father, stared at the ground. "I can't stop myself." He looked up. "I see a dragon and I have to just . . . kill it, you know?" He met his father's strict gaze with his own. "It's who I am, Dad."

"You are many things, Hiccup. But a dragon killer is not one of them." My heart went out to the boy as many nods of agreement came from the surrounding Vikings. "Get back to the house." I removed my head and squeezed out from between the men as Hiccup hung his head and left the circle with Gobber, the local blacksmith, following.

"Make sure he gets there. I have his mess to clean up." Stoick turned and walked in the opposite direction.

Hiccup followed Gobber through a line of vikings, hanging his head in shame. While he passed, the clan mumbled insults beneath their breath as they dispersed to fix the damage.

My mother ran to me and took my arm, pulling me away from the scene. "Where did you go? I've been looking for you the whole time!" Her eyes were full of relief.

"Someone grabbed me and led me up that hill," I pointed to the hill which seemed much taller than it had before. "They saved me from a Monstrous Nightmare attack."

She hugged me tightly. "I'm glad you're safe. I am much in debt to them." I hugged back, though slightly embarrassed. I'm alive, aren't I? What's with all the emotions?

"Can we just go home?" My eyes sagged from lack of sleep.

"Might as well." We walked back to the house and I went to the barn. I usually went to count the sheep after a dragon attack. The dragons came for food and sheep were highly valued on their menu. I opened the barn door and walked over to the pen.

The littlest sheep bleated at me and I picked it up, holding it close. "Hey, Wooly!" I laughed and rubbed the lamb's head playfully. It bleated again and I started counting the sheep. "Let's see, Wooly, is everyone here?" My eyes scanned the group. "One, two, three," I pointed at the sheep as I counted until the number had reached thirteen. "Yup, looks like everyone is present and untouched by dragon claws." I held the sheep under one arm. "Let's go to bed."