45AN: I'm sorry this was posted twice. There were a few errors.
How to train your Dragon…
Eve of the Solstice
Chapter Two
Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD…
Previously in Eve of the Solstice…
She barreled into something hard and solid, sending her and whatever it was to the ground.
She groaned, wincing from the pain rolling through her in waves. Blearily she glanced behind her to see a dark figure stand.
Her heart stopped when it looked back at her, teeth bared.
She was looking into the eyes of a Night Fury.
The dragon in front of her growled menacingly, turning around, its huge body blocking out the light of the moon.
Hiccup gulped, visibly shaken. Her heart pounded in her chest and she thought, 'this is it…I'm going to die'. She tried to curl up on the ground, to make herself look even smaller as the Night Fury took a step closer.
She closed her eyes when suddenly they snapped open. Why was a Night Fury out here? Why wasn't it acting in the attack?
Hiccup turned, or rather tried to turn, but her injured wing stopped her and she whimpered from the blinding pain. The Night Fury growled louder and Hiccup looked at it with wide eyes.
Why hadn't it killed her yet? Any other Night Fury would've.
She looked closer at its eyes and her heart pounded. It had large, grass green eyes and they didn't hold even a sign of blood thirst like every other Night Fury. Instead, they only held anger and confusion.
"What..who.." Hiccup tried to speak, but the pain from her wing prevented her and she would gasp. "Why…why haven't you killed me…yet?"
The Night Fury looked shocked. Did it think she would have put up a fight?
"I can't…fight. Look…at me." She gasped out through clenched teeth. It probably wasn't the best thing to tell it. It could easily over power her.
The Night Fury took a step closer. "Why should I kill you?"
His voice was smooth, deep. He watched her through slanted eyes, shoulders tense, ready to pounce.
"I.." Hiccup couldn't speak. All the adrenaline had gone and she was left with the agonizing pain.
The Night Fury growled and before Hiccup could even blink, he had pounced. She gasped, breathing heavily as his paws slammed into the ground on either side of her head. Her heart pounded erratically in her chest and she whimpered.
The Night Fury above her opened its mouth. Hiccup clenched her eyes shut, waiting for the finishing blow…but it never came. Instead, the Night Fury slammed its paws into the earth with a thud and let out an ear piercing scream that sounded through the night. With a huff, he took off, dashing through the trees and into the darkness of the night.
Hiccup lay panting, eyes wide and ears ringing. She tried to stand and got maybe a few steps in before she fainted from the pain and shock.
Hours must have past because soon, it was daybreak. Hiccup groaned before gently pushing herself from the ground and onto her feet. She was lucky she hadn't broken a paw. She glanced back at her wing and her heart dropped. She was grounded. Her father's words echoed repeatedly in her head and she started to head home.
"A downed dragon is a dead dragon."
Hiccup frowned. She could only hope the Night Furies wouldn't attack again so soon… She had gotten extremely lucky. She hadn't been killed. However…if the Night Furies were to attack again…she knew she wouldn't be so lucky. She really would be dead.
She shook her head. Now wasn't the time to be thinking this. She had survived and all that she needed to focus on was getting home before the pain took over.
Hiccup walked slowly back to the caves, listening tentatively for sounds of fighting. When she heard nothing but silence, she continued on. It was day. The sun had started to rise minutes ago and Night Furies never stayed around when daylight hit. They were an easy target in the light of the sun.
She groaned when the gashes on her side stretched painfully. Hiccup was confused. Why hadn't that Night Fury killed her? Night Furies always went for the kill. They showed no mercy….So why had that one?
Hiccup glanced nervously at the tunnel leading towards her home and she took a deep breath. She was in for it this time.
She slowly walked through the tunnel, each movement slow and tentative. When she came out of the tunnel, she gaped in disbelief. This had to be one of the worst attacks yet. There was little to no vegetation left, only singed and burnt remnants. Most of the caves had collapsed in and piles of rocks littered the ground everywhere. However, that wasn't the worst part.
The worst part with the blood.
It was everywhere. It painted the ground, the rocks, and trees. Bodies of both Snow and Night Furies littered the ground, lying here and there. Hiccup closed her eyes and looked away as she past some of them. Her clan had taken heavy losses, it seemed.
Hiccup looked over to where her clan mates were gathered. She walked over, keeping to the back of the crowd.
"This is the last straw!" Her father's voice boomed out.
Hiccup looked up to where he stood on the rock. There was a scar on his left arm, a sure sign that Fritjof had left his mark. Fritjof never let his opponent go unmarked. Hiccup glanced back at her body and winced, her gashes stinging as she thought about the red eyed monster.
"The Night Furies have attacked us for the last time! It is time we struck back!"
The angry crowd of Snow Furies roared in agreement. Hiccup glanced over and saw the teens of her generation. They were all pretty beaten up, not as bad as her of course, but still in rough shape; a sign that they had participated in defending the valley.
The hefty one with light brown eyes was Fishlegs. He was the one of the most intelligent dragons in the clan and looked to be a promising strategist in the near future. Beside him was a bulky dragon with ice blue eyes. Hiccup frowned. It was her cousin, Snotlout, who made it his job to be her personal tormentor.
There was a slight commotion and Hiccup looked over to see two lean Snow Furies tumbling on the ground. She rolled her eyes. It was the twin terrors, Ruffnut and Tuffnut. The dragon that went to break them apart was Astrid, the female Snow Fury that all the guys were after.
While Hiccup herself was lean with knobby joints, Astrid was well toned, agile, and the best at everything she did. Hiccup had seen the way her father had looked at Astrid with her parents with jealousy in his eyes. Astrid was the pride of the clan and no doubt did her father wish that she could be just like Astrid.
Hiccup sighed and looked back to her father who was shouting things to the crowd.
"We need to fortify the valley! A search party for the Night Fury Island will be sent out immediately! The Night Furies will pay for what they did tonight!"
Stoic's eyes swiveled over the crowd. Hiccup tried to shrink away, but his eyes found hers instantly.
"Hiccup!"
Hiccup winced as the crowd parted to show her. She gulped nervously before waving a paw.
"Hi…Dad?"
Stoic growled, jumping off of the rock, gliding down. "What were you thinking?!" He yelled, obviously infuriated.
Hiccup stuttered. "Well…I, um, you see…"
"You could have been killed!" He roared, looking over her body. "Why can't you follow the simplest orders?"
Hiccup looked to the ground. "Dad, I'm sorry. I was just trying to…"
"Trying to what, Hiccup?! Look at what Fritjof did you! You're lucky to even be alive! You can't defend yourself, Hiccup. You shouldn't have been out here."
Hiccup glanced to the side nervously. Everyone was watching the exchange, some gaping at the extent of her wounds. "I'm sorry, Dad. I…I just wanted to…"
"To what, Hiccup? What in Thor's name could have possibly made you want to go out into the fight?"
Hiccup opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off by her father's shake of his head.
"Go to the healer, Hiccup. Get that winged checked out." He turned to a dragon behind him who was missing its left front leg and right back leg. "Make sure she gets there. I've got this mess to clean up."
The dragon nodded and walked towards Hiccup, hitting her gently on the head with his tail.
"Come on, lass. Let's get you fixed up."
Hiccup followed after him, head low and ears flat. They passed her fellow teenagers and their laughter rang through her ears.
"Ignore them." The dragon turned, shielding her from them.
Hiccup offered a small smile of gratitude before walking on.
"He never listens, Gobber." Hiccup muttered, kicking at a rock on the ground.
Gobber frowned. "Well it runs in the family."
Hiccup paused, glancing back. "Do you…do you think he wishes that someone else was his daughter? Someone more dragon like?"
Gobber's look softened. "Now don't be thinkin' that, Hiccup. Your father loves you very much Hiccup. He's just a little overprotective, that's all. You're all he has left."
Hiccup frowned, saying nothing and they continued on to the healer's cave in silence.
She looked up when they reached it, noticing how it was one of the few caves that had survived the attack. Gothi, a small Snow Fury, was waiting for them at the entrance when they drew closer.
Gobber leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Freaky how she knows these things."
Hiccup nodded and they continued on. Gothi motioned for them to come inside when they arrived and they followed her into her cave.
The frail dragon examined her wing before shaking her head. She looked at Gobber and nodded.
Gobber sighed. "Looks like it's broken, Hiccup."
Hiccup frowned, looking back at her wing before yelping as Gothi smeared a green solution over it.
"What is that?"
Gobber looked at it. "It's a healing remedy. Works like a charm. You'll be good as new here soon."
Hiccup nodded and watched as Gothi worked, hissing every time the remedy was placed on her wounds. Soon, Gothi stepped back and nodded.
Gobber smiled and moved to the exit. "Well, looks like we're all done here. Let's go, Hiccup. You're father's holding a meeting down at boulder point for us adults. We need to get you home."
Hiccup nodded before turning to Gothi and giving a small thank you. Gothi nodded, offering a smile back.
Hiccup winced as she looked up to her cave. It was still standing, but her means of getting up there was going to be difficult.
Gobber stood beside her. "You can stay in the cave next to mine tonight. It's empty."
"Thank you."
"Anytime, Hiccup. I've got to go. Don't be gettin' into any more trouble, ya hear?"
Hiccup nodded. "I won't."
"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, your father awaits."
Hiccup watched him go before sighing. She turned back to look up at her cave before walking over to the cave next to Gobber's. She walked in and settled down, curling up, but not before making sure her wing wouldn't hit anything.
She starred out into the clearing of the valley. Dragons were at work, cleaning up the damage.
Hiccup knew she should be out there helping, but her mind was heavy with thoughts of the Night Fury she had ran into in the woods.
She saw his green eyes every time she closed her and she couldn't get his voice out of her head.
"Why should I kill you?"
"Why didn't you kill me?" She whispered, laying her head on her paws. "Why?"
The healing remedy seemed to be in effect because soon her wounds were completely numb and tingling. She sighed. At least a dragon's body healed fast.
Groaning, Hiccup became restless. "What am I doing?" She asked herself as she got up and walked back out into the clearing.
Her legs seemed to have a mind of their own and they took her to the tunnel. Glancing nervously behind, she made sure no one was watching before she slipped through the tunnel and into the forest.
Hiccup trudged through the forest, biting her lip. "Why am I out here?"
The only sound in the forest was the chirping of birds. This was a dangerous place and she knew that. All kinds of rogue dragons could be lurking about. If they found her, she wouldn't be able to escape…so why was she out here?
Her feet took her to a canyon, or a cove as her mother called it. Nostalgia coursed through her as she admired the tall rock walls and cascading waterfall. Hiccup remembered this place.
Her mother used to bring her here sometimes to "just get away" as she named it. Hiccup smiled at the memory of her mother. It had been so long since she had been to this place that she had nearly forgotten that it existed.
Hiccup slowly padded over to the pond. She leaned down and started to drink from it. The sound of the water calmed her and she relaxed. However, there was a slightly odd feeling tugging at her gut. Hiccup sat back and stared at her reflection in the pond. She frowned.
In her eyes, a weak Snow Fury stared back. She growled, smacking the water with her tail.
"Why do I have to be like this?"
Hiccup glanced back down at her reflection and her eyes widened. Her heart beat sped up and she had trouble controlling her breathing.
Beside her reflection in the pond, was a darker one. Gulping, Hiccup slowly turned and breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed nothing was there.
"Just my imagination." She breathed.
However, she failed to notice the black scale that lay innocently on the ground beside her and the eyes that watched her from a far.
Hiccup groaned, watching the fish swim around innocently in the water. "Why do I have to be so different?"
"I don't think the water's gonna talk back."
Hiccup swiveled around and her eyes widened. A Night Fury lay on a ledge, its tail flicking as it watched her. Hiccup growled lowly when it jumped from the rock and slowly stalked towards her.
"Who. Are. You?" She bit out, low on her haunches, ready for an attack. She may not be able to win if it came to a fight, but at least she wouldn't make it easy for it to kill her.
The Night Fury chuckled. "Who am I? Now that's an interesting question."
"Answer me."
The Night Fury frowned. "You wouldn't like the answer."
"Try me."
"Who are you?" He bit back, sitting low on his haunches, mirroring her actions.
Hiccup frowned. "Why haven't you attacked me?"
The Night Fury raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"I said, why haven't you attacked me yet? Why haven't you killed me?"
"Why should I kill you?"
Hiccup gaped at the answer, looking at the darker dragon with wide eyes. "You." She breathed.
"Me?"
"You're the dragon from the woods this morning."
The Night Fury's eyes widened. "Then you're…" He trailed off, seeming to finally take notice of her bent wing and gashes.
"Why?" She whispered, gaining his attention once more. "Why didn't you kill me?"
"Why haven't you attacked me yet?"
Hiccup looked up, startled at her own words being thrown back at her.
"Well?" The Night Fury asked.
Hiccup bit her lip, looking at the ground. "Even if I did attack you, I couldn't win. I'm the weakest dragon in my clan. You see these scars? Some of them are from just falling down the side of a mountain." She laughed bitterly, looking back at him.
"I'm not like the others."
Hiccup tilted her head, confused.
"I don't kill for fun." The Night Fury stated, his eyes hardened. "I don't kill without reason."
"Then why are you here?"
"I'm supposed to be spying on your clan."
Her heart stopped. "What? Why are you telling me this?"
The Night Fury tilted its head. "You asked me who I was, didn't you?"
Hiccup nodded. It felt like her heart was going to explode out of her chest as it was beating so hard.
The Night Fury smirked. "I am Fang, son of Fritjof, heir to the Night Furies."
AN: I don't know...I'm kinda disappointed in this chapter. I tried so many ways to make the meeting work, but...was it enough?
Oh well~
(Sorry if there was any grammatical errors...I must have been blind to them)
So far, this story has gotten really good reviews and that's really encouraged me to write! I think this is the fastest I've ever updated for a story. Encouraging reviews really encourage me I guess.
If you guys keep them coming, I may even have the next chapter up tomorrow or the next day. Who knows~Eep! Just so exited for this story!
~Scarlet