Chapter Text
The wind nipped at Hiccups cheeks as he lowered his head behind Toothless' ears to avoid the worst of the turbulence. Tears slid down his face and then ripped away by the angry wind. Night was falling now; just hours ago he had left Berk.
He couldn't do it. Kill a dragon.
The idea was insane with what he knew now. They were intelligent creatures, not malevolent beasts capable of only malicious thoughts. No, it was better he leave before being faced against the Monstrous Nightmare. Hopefully the shock of him being gone would postpone the dragons death, but Hiccup had no plans to return to the village.
By now, Astrid would have spread the news of his leaving, and he would be exiled. Worse still, his father would have disowned him. He couldn't go back even if he wanted to.
That was for the better; he made his bed, now he had to lie in it.
He felt Toothless shift minutely under him, his ears pricking at a sound unable to be heard by humans.
"What is it bud?" Hiccup knew that even if Toothless couldn't understand his words, he could understand the meaning, the intention, behind them. How could anyone hate dragons with how intelligent they were?
A low, rumbling coo vibrated up from Toothless' chest as they started slowing and rose higher into the clouds.
Hiccup only had so much time to look up at the mass of flying dragons before he pressed further against Toothless' back. Where was Toothless taking him, and why?
-
Hiccup absolutely could not kill the Monsterous Nightmare. He couldn't. He couldn't kill Toothless and now he won't kill this dragon. It went against everything he had learned since he shot down the Nightfury. As soon as he heard he was next in line to kill the thing, he packed a quick bag and rushed to the cove, the sooner he and Toothless could leave, the better.
"We're leaving. Let's pack up. Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation, forever." He walked into the open space with the pack slung over his shoulder. Just when he was about to call for his friend again as he rooted through the pack he brought, he glanced to the side and jumped. "Ah, man... Aggh! What the-- What are you doing here?"
Astrid sat ominously on a boulder, sharpening her axe with attentive focus, "I want to know what's going on." She hopped from the ledge and began following him as he stepped away from her. "No one just gets as good as you do. Especially you. Start talking! Are you training with someone?"
He glanced to the side nervously and gulped, "Uh.. training?"
"It better not involve this!" She quickly gripped his shoulder pad before removing her hand, looking at him suspiciously.
Maybe he could salvage this mess, since she brought up his outfit..? "I know this looks really bad, but you see...this is, uh... You're right! You're right! You're right. I'm through with the lies. I've been making... outfits. So, you got me. It's time everyone knew. Drag me back. Go ahead. Here we go." He began to ramble as she continued to look around.
Fed up with his talking, she twisted his arm until he fell to the ground. " OW! Why would you DO that?!"
"That's for the lies," She cooly stated, then she dropped her axe handle on his head, "And that's for everything else.."
"Oh, man.." Hiccup groaned from the ground, in obvious pain.
A growl echoed in front of them, and Astrid made an audible gasp. "Come on! Run, Run!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him up, making him run with her to cover.
He wiggled his arm from her grasp and stepped between the two, his hands out in a way to garner peace. "No, no it's okay! He's a friend! You just scared him!"
"I scared him?! Who is "him"?" She looked shocked out of her mind, eyes wide like he'd never seen before. Toothless had calmed slightly, listening to Hiccups words but still weary of a new person. Toothless growled at her again, making her flinch back.
He thought a quick introduction might be best, "Astrid, Toothless. Toothless, Astrid."
She stepped away quickly, shaking her head. She turned tail and ran without another word.
Hiccup stared at her as she left, an exhausted look plastered on his face. "Da, da-da, we're dead."
At the presumed threat gone, Toothless huffed and left. "Woah woah woah woah! Where do you think you're going, bud?"
The look Toothless gave him screamed 'back to bed, why?'
"We have even more of a reason to leave now! She's going to tell the whole village; and I bet you and I would rather not be here for future Viking-ransacking-the secret cove-business soon to come."
At Toothless' further glare he continued, "Come on! They're a lot less nice than me! Lets go!"
The dragon finally gave in with a loud sigh, "Yeah, I'm not too happy with the swift leave either, bud, but we have to leave or I'm deader than a beef stick on my dads plate."
He strapped the bag to Toothless' back after being met by a curious trill. "No food in there today, sorry." Soon, Hiccup was buckled in to the saddle, he pushed back the peddle, and they were off.