Disclaimer: Not mine, if it were mine I'd be working on a screenplay for a sequel, rather than this bit of self-indulgent fun.

The flames were quickly followed by screams, both of anger and pain, floating up to the pair on the hilltop. Hiccup was stunned. This wasn't a minor hiccup (so to say) from one of the dragons. There were ships he didn't recognize entering the harbor with the evening mist. Quickly shaking off his shock he turned to finish harnessing Toothless. On the ground neither was at their best, Hiccup far less impressive than Toothless. Toothless certainly wasn't named Helpless. However, in the air together they were deadly.

Toothless almost danced in impatience, eager to get into the air to defend his home. Unfortunately that made it even harder to fasten buckles. Hiccup struggled to finish and was distracted and Toothless was distracted by the action in the village that neither one noticed the men approaching them until Hiccup was grabbed by two of them from behind.

A blade was quickly shoved beneath Hiccup's jaw as his arm was twisted up behind his back. Toothless reared, snarling, and turned to go after those who grabbed his rider, only to have nets thrown over his wings fouling them. Snapping at the ones who had thrown them ended up with iron spears jabbed at his face and sides, forcing him to back up. Ropes were thrown between men, further tangling the night fury.

Hiccup began to thrash about, desperate to reach his friend, only to feel the blade bite painfully into his throat, blood flowing freely. The scent of it must have reached Toothless as he suddenly ignored the men around him who were trying to tie him as well as threaten him to look at Hiccup. He screamed in rage, readying his fire.

"Ah, ah, ah, ya beast," the man holding the blade to Hiccup replied as the group manhandled him to where any attempts to fry them would end up with Hiccup receiving most of the blast. "From what we hear, ye don't want to toast this 'uns head now do ye?"

Toothless snarled, still struggling.

The man holding Hiccup's arms, twisted them further while hissing in his ear "Can ye get the beast settled or should we simply hack its head off now?"

The fear that the man would do as he threatened had Hiccup calling to Toothless "Easy bud, easy. Let's all calm down here."

The dragon gave him a look that clearly told him he believed the human had lost his mind. Given all that had happened so quickly Hiccup couldn't really blame him. However with Hiccup continuing to call out calming sounds the dragon settled a bit.

"Kin ye get him to follow peaceably?" The first man who'd spoken asked. Hiccup couldn't see much of him, as the man was mostly behind him, as well as almost all of the daylight had faded into dusk. He could see the typical dark bushy beard of one of his people, but no other characteristics.

"Maybe, but please don't hurt him." Hiccup begged, to the amusement of the men surrounding him.

"So long as no one does anythin' stupid, nobody will get killed." The man assured him. Hiccup noticed he said nothing of being hurt.

As the men dragged Hiccup down the side of the hill, Toothless followed snapping in his irritation at the men on the way. The partially fastened harness had been loosened during the struggle and fell off. It was ignored by the men as they herded boy and dragon.

The group eventually made their way down to one of the many coves along the edge of Berk. Most were ignored due to the lack of protection they provided from the seas during storms. A ship waited there with yet more men aboard. Several got off carrying chains and ropes, most focused on Toothless.

"Keep the beast calm, boy. We were told to be sure of having you, the dragon is just a bonus."

Hiccup begged Toothless to remain calm as chains were fastened to him. Some of the men with ropes approached Hiccup to better secure him. The two were then loaded on to the ship. Toothless was dragged below deck, his snarling and hissing resuming as Hiccup was lost to his sight.

"Easy job this, for all the warnings we got." Said one of the men congratulatory to the others, as he smacked Hiccup across the back of his head with the hilt of his knife.

Hiccup fell into darkness.

A/N: Hope everyone's enjoying this, I'm enjoying writing it.