𖣯 ✹ 🌷(úlfheðnar) ꏍ ！┈─❟
╰───►chapter thirty-five; hiccup
❝ defenders of berk! ❞

    HE WASN'T PARTICULARLY sure how he managed to get the others on the back of Scuttleclaws, or how he managed━or how any of them were not managing to fall right off them, but his crazy plan was off to a great (albeit rocky) start.

    Hiccup remembered the first time they all rode dragons, and he felt like he was fifteen all over again, telling Snotlout to straighten his back and for Tuffnut to hold on and not try to annoy his sister with stupid and dangerous tricks. All of them screaming and complaining, and Astrid telling them to "Shut up!"━yes, Hiccup very much felt like he was fifteen all over again, leading the group of them to Dragon Island to save Berk from getting killed by the monstrous Red Death. Except, his father won't be amongst them this time ... he wouldn't be there to pull him out of the water, and save Toothless instead.

    Hiccup was going to have to pull himself out of the water. He was going have to save Toothless without his father. 

    He knew the only thing keeping him from breaking down all over again was the adrenaline surging through him━the determination to reach his home before it was too late.

    "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

    Though, the one having the most trouble out of them, was Eret son of Eret.

    He clung on for dear life. Unable to stay on his Scuttleclaw's back, he held on like a baby mammal, legs and arms wrapped tight around the dragon's side as he slowly━ever-so-slowly━slipped underneath against the adolescent's underbelly. His dragon didn't seem to mind, bright and energetic, it zipped and zagged all through the icy caverns with his siblings.

    "Amateur!" Snotlout told him in passing before he screamed, too, having to pull his Scuttleclaw up at the last minute to avoid a face-full of snow and ice.

    "Amateur!" Yrsa teased salt into the wound, snickering as she dived her Scuttleclaw under Snotlout's and veered in front. The two's friendship hasn't really changed a bit since they were fifteen, that's for sure.

    "Shut up, Yrsa━"

    "I don't want to die━!"

    Hiccup took all of that back, wincing as Fishlegs slammed into the side of the cavern━they were all having an equal amount of trouble.

    "We can't fly these things!" cursed Tuffnut, one hand clutching his helmet tight onto his head and the other gripping one of the many fins along the Scuttleclaws spine.

    "Yeah━" Fishlegs slammed into a pile of snow. It took a few seconds for him to resurface, coughing up white, "━no kidding!"

    Yrsa managed to pull her bright orange Scuttleclaw up beside Hiccup, hair in quite a disarray from almost barging into a sheet of ice as soon as she had gone into the air. "This is as crazy as you've gotten," she told him, and he appreciated it━it managed to bring a small smile to his face. "And I mean it━this is it. And if you go over this, then I owe you a lot of money and a smack over the head."

    "But won't that Bewilderbeast just take control of these guys, too?" asked Astrid, frowning as she came to the same pace as them.

    Hiccup chuckled, shaking his head at the thought. "They're babies!" he told her over the roar of the wind. "They don't listen to anyone."

    "Yeah!" grinned Tuffnut. "Just like us━whoa━!"

    "This is━whoa━!" Gobber veered away from a ten foot tall geyser of ice, "━very dangerous━AAHHHHHHHH━!" his Scuttleclaw decided drop down under the pathway of ice by metres instead of dip under like his brethren.

    When Gobber returned, he managed to come in close to Hiccup to say, "Some might suggest━not me, but, uh, some━that this is poorly conceived!"

    "Well," Hiccup met his gaze, hair flying right off his face, "it's a good thing that I never listen!"

    They parted to avoid a stretch of ice that shot up right through the centre. "So!" Began Gobber in between the spaces of ice. "What is your━" he disappeared behind a third, "━plan?"

    "One━" Hiccup held up a finger, "━get to Berk. Two: get Toothless back. And three: kick Drago's━"

    "Whoa!" let out Ruffnut, mockingly horrified. "Language! Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, watch your tongue, mister!"

    Hiccup was going to say something back to her, until he saw what was coming for them. He winced at the two ledges of ice coming together to form a jagged bridge with merely a breath of a squeeze to get through. "And that thing..." he let out.

    Passing through, he heard Gobber fly straight into it.

𖣯 ✹ 🌷(úlfheðnar) ꏍ ！┈─❟

    HICCUP HAS flown towards Berk many times. Each time, he was astounded by its beauty━by the tall cliffs, the elegant streams and the glaciers of his home. But most importantly, of the dragons and the Vikings that lived on it. That was made his heart warm every time he returned after a long week of adventure, a month at Dragon's Edge, or just after a long day. He'd feel safe, relaxed━knowing that he had a place with warm food, a roof over his head and a bed to sleep in with a father who missed him more each time he left.

    But passing through he mist of day, cold and shivering, Hiccup didn't feel that way coming into sight of his home. Instead, he felt his heart drop into the very pit of his stomach, and something worse than anger fill up the gaping hole it left behind.

    It was a sight of disaster.

    His home, covered in shards of ice━jets of crystal that shot up and through homes, walkways and the docks, shattering boats and shattering houses into ruins━shattering the place he grew up into ruin. The Bewilderbeast stood over Berk, circled by the dragons he commandeered at the Sanctuary, and now from Berk. Hundreds, thousands of dragons, swooping and soaring overhead in a dangerous trance. And Hiccup could see Toothless amongst them, forced to have Drago ride his saddle. The people of Berk cowered behind the remaining houses and shards of ice, holding their children close.

   Hiccup surged with more fury. A Chief protects his own, and he let this happen to his people. He was their leader now, and they were in danger━he did that. And now, he was going to save them. He was going to stop Drago and fix his mistakes. He used to joke that he'd be chief of the Useless: of the forgotten, and the left behind━the sick and the young and the elderly. But now, he had to protect all of them. The strong, the capable, the weak and the small. He had to protect Berk━protect everything his father built and left for him.

     "He took all the dragons," murmured Fishlegs, horrified.

     Hiccup gritted his teeth. "Distract the Alpha," he told his team. They nodded. "Try to keep his focus off of Toothless." 

     "Uh ..." Tuffnut raised a hand. "How?"

     Eret let out a smug scoff. He had finally managed to sort of master riding a Scuttleclaw━he was in fact now on the back of the dragon, so ... "Have you forgotten who you're riding with?" He puffed out his chest, gesturing a thumb to his left bicep. "There isn't a dragon alive that I can't wrangle━wait, no━ah!" They dropped down again, and there was a distant: "Except for this one...!"

     "Amateur!" both Snotlout and Yrsa called down this time. 

     Then, they split up. While Yrsa, Astrid, Snotlout, the Twins, Fishlegs, Gobber, Valka and Eret soared towards the cowering town, Hiccup turned his Scuttleclaw right to the Alpha. There were cheers from the villagers as they neared. Drago turned around, his staff lowering in surprise that they had made it back. It gave Hiccup some satisfaction. 

     But he just set his gaze on Toothless, his best friend. Eyes slitted, ears flickering━he gazed at nothing in particular; he became nothing more than a tool, a weapon, something to be used and to be thrown aside. Hiccup had to help him━he had to save him. The dragon that had killed Hiccup's father, that wasn't him, that wasn't even a dragon━that had been Drago, and Drago was going to pay. But first, the young chief needed his best friend back. 

     The Bewilderbeast set his gaze upon Hiccup, and he tried not to meet it. A dragon's gaze like that━it made one dizzy and dazed, unable to truly understand where he was. He tried to control the Scuttleclaw Hiccup rode, but his attempt turned frail as he realised it wasn't working.

     Hiccup placed a hand on the dragon's flank, reassuring him but also grateful for an adolescents stubbornness for once.

     The Alpha kept trying━perhaps he had no choice, Hiccup didn't think he wanted to know. But then, out from below, came a━

      "Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!"

      Launched up into the air, a sheep painted with a bright, red target spun, eyes wide and limbs flailing. She bleated at Hiccup, terrified. The Alpha's eyes crossed, incredulous by this small creature that had propelled out of nowhere. 

      The sheep dropped down, caught by the ready arms of Eret son of Eret. The team had gathered up the racing sheep launcher, and every ew they could find from Sven's farm. Yrsa lugged a second into the basket, glancing up to lock gazes with Hiccup. She nodded, letting him know: you can do this. 

     Hiccup felt a little braver knowing that she believed he could win. 

     "Keep them coming!" called Ruffnut as she pulled the trigger. The second sheep flung up, shrieking. 

     "Look at this━" Snotlout held up a ew covered in dark wool; the prized sheep, "━Black sheep, baby!" he chucked it towards Tuffnut who cackled, enjoying this far more than he should. 

      The Alpha roared in fury, breath rattling as he draw forth an icy fire━until a distant horn sounded. He blinked, stopping to glance over, very confused. Nothing else followed, and so he shook his head, huffing mist right in Hiccup's face that turned the edges of his hair to ice. 

     He took this chance to veer around, nearing Toothless and Drago who watched with a sneer upon his lip. 

     The Bewilderbeast bellowed in defiance. He was met with a flying black sheep. The poor animal soared up and over in a tremendous arc, landing━perfectly━on the dragon's nose. 

     "Haha!" called Snotlout, throwing his fists up to celebrate. "Yeah! Ten points!"

     Their plan didn't last for much longer. Blowing the sheep off his maw, the Bewilderbeast's anger grew at the second horn that sounded, letting loose a blast that rocketed the island with more ice; a wave of frozen crystal that enveloped the conch horn. Hiccup saw Fishlegs jump and roll away just in the nick of time. 

     "I'M OKAY!" he shouted. 

    But Hiccup had made it where he wanted to. He now stared━eye-to-eye━with his dragon. Toothless growled, like he had back in that break in the forest with Hiccup pinned to the rock under his claws. But even then, there was nothing hollow in that powerful snarl he had then; right now, Toothless looked like a shell of the dragon he was. 

     He wouldn't give up on him.

    Hiccup let out a breath that turned to mist in front of him. I can do this, he told himself. I have to be able to do this. 

     Drago sneered down at him, "You certainly are hard to get rid of, I'll say that."

     He ignored him. He placed every bit of attention on his best friend, hoping that he could get to him━praying. "Toothless..." he started, voice hesitant. He gently hovered the Scuttleclaw closer. "H━hey ... It's me, bud." He took another breath, starting to hold out his hand. His dragon made no notion that he even knew who was before him. "It's me. I'm right here, bud. Come back to me..."

     Drago let out a low chuckle. "He's not yours, anymore," he held sick amusement in his gaze, not even trying to stop Hiccup━for who could speak through the curse of a Bewilderbeast? "He belongs to the Alpha. But please, O Great Dragon Master," he bowed mockingly from Toothless's saddle, "try to take him. He will not miss a second time."

     Hiccup's jaw ticked at those words. He will not miss. Like his father was a casualty; someone who didn't matter. Just another death to say oh well, let's try again. Hiccup's father had been more than that. Hiccup's father still is. 

     He wanted to shout, he wanted to throw himself at Drago, but Hiccup didn't. Hiccup kept his eyes fixed onto Toothless's, hoping that he'd see those wide irises, and that gummy smile. Hoping that he'd see his companion, his best friend. 

     Swallowing back tears, Hiccup's hand stretched out further, itching towards his dragon's snout. "It wasn't your fault, bud," he said, voice cracking. Toothless growled as he got closer━he didn't let it stop him. "They ... they made you do it." 

     His gaze started to flicker. Hiccup's heart jolted. Come on, bud, he begged. Come on, fight it. I'm here. I'm right here. 

     "I'm sorry," choked Hiccup, unable to stop the tears that brimmed in his eyes. "Please━please, Toothless, I need you to come back to me."

     Toothless's growl turned guttural. He shook his head━and there, there it was ... his eyes widened, and for a moment, he was there. He was still there. He was fighting. 

     Hiccup urged onwards. He didn't let Drago stop him. He wouldn't let the Alpha's song humming below keep him away from his dragon. Toothless needed him, just like Hiccup needed him. 

     "You'd never hurt him," he continued, voice heavy with emotion. "You'd never hurt me."

      His palm brushed the scales of his best friend's snout. Hiccup extended his fingers, settling down on the cold surface━a surface that had brought him comfort; brought him change and a purpose all those years ago in the Cove. Where he could look into his best friend's eyes, and see a mirror into himself. 

     And like that, Toothless's gaze softened. It turned wide, his teeth retracted into his gums, and he peered back at Hiccup with an uncertain whine━scared and confused. Hiccup bit back a sob of relief. 

     From his dragon's saddle, Drago leaned forward, shocked, "How are you doing that...?"

     Hiccup shut him out. He brushed his thumb across Toothless's snout. "Please," he felt a tear fall down his cheek. "You are my best friend, bud." His gaze flickered again, but Hiccup knew he was there; he had to come back. "My best friend." He said again, soft and slow, a promise: he'd never let Toothless go again; he'd never let someone hurt him like this ever again. 

      Toothless huffed. He snorted. He pulled his head back and shook it, eyes clenched closed. Hiccup's hand flinched back, thinking that for a moment, he had failed━that he had lost his best friend forever. 

      Until he opened his eyes again. Until his gums lifted━and Toothless gave him a wide, delighted beam. And for a second, Hiccup wondered whether there were tears in his eyes to.

      Hiccup's heart lifted. His breath hitched. A grin stretched onto his face. "Yes!" he cried, tears streaming down. "Attaboy! That's it!" Toothless wagged his tail. He bounced his head. He cried out guttural purrs and whines━you came back! He said. "Yes! Yes! I'm here!" sobbed Hiccup in reply. "I'm here━"

     "Enough!"

     Drago swiped his staff across Toothless's jaw, jarring him from Hiccup's palm. The Night Fury snarled. Hiccup watched as Drago tried to strike him again, furious, but Toothless caught his staff in his teeth, and with a roar, threw his jailer from his saddle. 

     Toothless looked back up, and met Hiccup's gaze with another smile. He laughed with relief, hands throwing up in celebration. "Yeah!"

     Without someone on his saddle, his dragon started to tip. He cried out as he dropped down, and Hiccup didn't waste a second. He jumped up onto the back of the Scuttleclaw, "Hang on!" and dived.

      Down to Berk he pummelled. He, Toothless and Drago fell past the ice, past the morning sun and through the tusks of the great Bewilderbeast gazing on. The wind soared through Hiccup's clothes, chilled his cheeks that stung as ice nipped them. But he stretched out his arm towards his flailing dragon, fingers groping for the saddle that was only inches away. 

    Drago managed to cling onto one of the Alpha's tusks. Hiccup and Toothless shot down past him. 

     "Almost there, buddy!" shouted Hiccup, fingers grazing the leather of his saddle. "I'm almost there━"

     He grasped the handle. With a cry, Hiccup used all of his strength to pull himself onto his dragon's back. He settled onto the saddle and forced his feet into the stirrups. His metal leg clicked in━

     Hiccup pulled them back. 

     The water parted below as they shot upwards. Toothless let out a mighty bellow━a cheer to the world, to all the gods, that he couldn't be taken; that he couldn't be controlled. He was free, and he was going to stay that way. 

     Hiccup cheered with him, feeling better back in the saddle. 

     He got Toothless back━and the two of them were back where they belonged: at each other's side. And together, they were going to protect their home. Together, they were going to make Drago wish he never messed with the Hairy Hooligans of Berk. 

𖣯 ✹ 🌷(úlfheðnar) ꏍ ！┈─❟

     a/n: I've said this many times, and I'll say it again: the scene with them all falling through the tusks? beautiful cinema, and a beautiful parallel shared between all three films. 

     (not edited)