Meet Me At the Halfway Point

Much to Learn

(year one: spring, day 2)

Hiccup and Toothless settled near the fireplace inside the cottage as the moon grew higher into the sky. The crackle of the fire sparked away as Hiccup rested against Toothless stomach while writing and drawing in his notebook, finally relaxing after a full day of teaching.
Thinking back from earlier in the day, Merida was now one hundred percent comfortable with Toothless, as Hiccup showed her more from the Book of Dragons. He showed her the Strike class, which is the same class Toothless was apart of, and one other dragon called the Skrill. As much as Merida enjoyed learning more about Toothless, she wasn't too fond of the Skrill.
"A dragon that can shoot lightning bolts? A stupid dragon of ya ask me." She commented.
"How can someone hate on a dragon they haven't even seen yet?" questioned Hiccup, "Well," he then decided, "There's still tons of dragons to show her, maybe she'll come around," closing his book. "Come on, Toothless, Merida said she'd be back early tomorrow, let's try to catch some sleep." Toothless sighed in a tried growl. Sitting everything aside, Hiccup closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep, but his mind couldn't help but think of Berk, how everyone must be doing, if Astrid was running the academy ok, or if any Berk enemies were close by.
Hiccup had to keep reassuring himself that even if he was far from home, it was in all good reasons of course, and Berk will be just fine with him away. Listening to the crickets outside was soothing enough for Hiccup drift into sleep.
The next morning, Hiccup awoke on the floor with a full night's rest. Rubbing his eyes he was curious where Toothless had gone off too, from the small window he could see that Toothless was already waiting outside. Yawning he rose to his feet leaving the cottage, and stepping into the cold morning air. "Hey bud, you're up early."
Excitedly Toothless grunted towards his saddle that was placed in the horse's stall that night before.
"Oh-yeah, right, your morning ride... well I don't know bud, you have to remember Toothless, DunBroch would be pretty surprised to see a dragon flying around, best to play it safe so no morning rides while we're here ok?"
Disappointed Toothless grunted and looked away. Hiccup walked over and starched behind Toothless ears until his dragon friend felt better, "Come on bud, you'll feel better after you'd have some breakfast- here..." Reaching into his fur vest, Hiccup took out his notebook.
"Merida drew us a map that takes up to a small river- it's not far, the sooner we find food the better we'll both feel."
Toothless flares his nostrils in saying ok, as Hiccup climb onto Toothless back and both step into the woods. By wings it would have taken them at least a minute to find the river but only by walking they found it in 20 minutes. When they finally found it, the sound of fresh water with food nearby, Toothless couldn't wait any longer as he high jump right into the water taking Hiccup with him.
Dripping wet, Hiccup climbed out of the river, "Yeah thanks for the cold wake up bath Toothless" he said sarcastically. But Toothless was too busy hunting for breakfast. Hiccup began to dry off his vest when he heard a strange noise coming his way. For a moment Hiccup panic, if he was discovered by a soldier, he had nothing to defend himself, and what if Toothless attacked? A sigh of relief came over him seeing it was Merida on Angus. "Oh good, had a feeling ye would both be here 'n' – why are you wet?"
"Answer that to Him," pointing to a splashing Toothless. "For a second I thought you were one of your dad's guards."
Merida jumped off Angus saddle "Hiccup don't be silly, no one travels this way, yer safe-trust me."
Hearing that did make Hiccup feel better.s
Merida ruffled his messy wet hair, "Well it's a good thing you are already wet 'n' messy."
"Why? What are you planning princess?" Asked Hiccup, not totally on board with a messy concept.
Merida eyes narrow and gave him an evil smirked "Well that depends on you small Viking."
"Depends on what?" Hiccup asked frowning.
"If ye can control Angus on horse riding today, then you shouldn't have a problem."
Hiccup swallowed a lump in his throat, "Horse riding?"

What's the difference between trying to ride a dragon and a horse? Turns out... many things.
Hiccup was of course clueless when riding a horse, there are no horse's back on Berk, just sheep and cattle.
Riding a dragon was one thing, but a horse was another, and with one working leg, Hiccup didn't know what to do with his metal foot until Merida tied it down to the strap of the saddle, and began to teach him the basics.
Toothless loved Merida, but Angus hated Hiccup, Angus would throw him off whenever given the chance, until Merida gave him a good talking too. Then later as Hiccup learned how to controls the rings of the saddle, Angus began to listen, and only threw Hiccup off when running at full speed.
It was the end of a long day, as Merida rode around Toothless back, and could see Hiccup finally had a control of Angus at least she thinks so.
"Congratulations Hiccup, I think you've got it down," said Merida unlacing the strap on his metal foot.
With the strap coming undone Angus took advantage of that and shook Hiccup off, leaving Merida to break his fall both landing in a big whoop of more dirt.
"But next time," said Merida pushing him off "I'll bring other horse for ya, but you should consider yourself lucky Angus rarely lets anyone ride on his back." Giving a hand, she helped Hiccup up.
Hiccup getting up from the ground, he gave a weak groan with pain coursing all around his body, "Oh aren't I the poplar one." he said.
Merida looked towards mountains and could see the sun falling behind them, "Well the sun will be down in about two hours but I'll be back with leftovers and a surprise" smiled Merida climbing back onto Angus and turning to head home "see ye soon."
Hiccup weakly wave goodbye while his other arm was holding back the pain of his side, once she one out of sight he turned to Toothless, "Alright bud let's go back to the river and get this dirt off of me."
Toothless roared in laughter as both walked into the woods. "You try trying a horse bud!"