Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Prologue

Following the events of How To Train Your Dragon III...

Watching the last glowing embers dying down in the still smouldering remains of the carefully assembled campfire, the lanky, bearded man, reclining on the floor of the glowing blue, luminescent cave, (with his left knee bent upwards and his left arm draped across said knee.) picked up a thin stick and poked at the side of one of the charred logs.

There was a low, almost purring, growl of questioning from beside the Viking chieftain that broke the otherwise mostly silent cave. The man turned his shaggy, auburn-haired head with a wide smile, that parted his matching auburn-coloured beard, over at the dimly lit, bright green, feline-like eyes that regarded him with soft familiarity.

“No, it’s alright, Bud, I think it’s time we let it die out completely and get some sleep ourselves,” Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, Chief of the Hooligan tribe of New Berk, whispered across to the sleek, black, four-legged, bat-winged dragon curled up beside him. Before turning back to his work, repairing the prosthetic tail fin a thoughtless, fifteen-year-old boy…himself…had shot off so many years ago.

“Let me just finish up back here.”

It had taken years to perfect a tail the Night Fury could use to fly himself instead of having to rely on a mechanism that worked in tandem with Hiccup’s left foot when he rode astride the dragon…then by his own prosthetic metal foot.

Toothless, my Toothless…can I still call him mine? He’s more than my dragon now, after all, I gave him away to his mate and the wild…

The Night Fury. The only one whom Hiccup, and others who gained knowledge of dragons in recent times, had ever seen, or known, aged around thirty-one years old, like Hiccup himself would be in a month or so.

For six years Hiccup had feared his friend, his once greatest companion, who had saved his life and that of his tribe countless times, was alone, save for Hiccup and the other dragons of various species he was close to through the Berkian Dragon Riders.

All that had changed when the Light Fury appeared. Hiccup wasn’t quite sure even after ten years if the Light Fury and Night Fury were strike-type sub-species of one another from a common ancestor, or if they were both of the same genus, just a variation of one another. (Hiccup and Fishlegs Ingerman were still having a debate about this from time to time, not that much else was updated in the Book of Dragons recently, to be honest…)

Well, turns out they were compatible in more ways than just being physically similar, Hiccup thought with a proud grin as he looked across and over the slowly dying campfire, folding his arms over his simple, brown under-shirt. (His chiefly tanned yak leather over-clothing, fur cloak, arm-braces and belt discarded nearby.)

The sleek, pearlescent scaled, white, four-legged, winged dragon opposite Hiccup and her mate Toothless was curled up with her awning-like wings curled about herself. Brightless, (as Hiccup’s wife Astrid had nicknamed her as an inside joke to what Hiccup had tried to name her species almost ten year earlier. Though Hiccup had argued about ‘Luna’.) had one of her and Toothless’ three offspring resting between her white paws, one of the two little black and white ones.

Ruffrunner, I think, judging by those markings. Hiccup reasoned as he polished one of Toothless’ shed scales to attach to the tail-fin prosthetic.

Hiccup and Astrid had helped their two children come up with names for the little Night Lights, (Pretty sure that’s going to stick as their species name,) to help them bond with the next generation. After all, it would be their job in the future to guard the secret of the Hidden World of Dragons and pass it on through future generations.

Hiccup rested his hand on Toothless’ head, scratching under the scales as he knew his former close companion always loved, “You’ve done a good job, bud, your mate and children are incredible.” He whispered in Toothless’ ear.

Letting out another low, happy growl, Toothless nudged Hiccup with his muzzle and inclined his head purposefully just off to the side of Brightless and Ruffrunner, pulling a wide grin, just as he used to when he and Hiccup were younger.

Catching Toothless’ meaning, Hiccup let out a muffled chuckle as he turned his gaze in the direction of his former companion’s head incline with a proud nod of his own head, “Yeah, I guess we both did, huh?”

Snuggled up under several layers of fur blankets, atop a straw-filled bedding wooden pallet, was the wife, chieftess, and love of Hiccup’s life, Astrid Haddock, her blonde hair unbound, laying curled up with her arms around one of their two small children, their five-year-old daughter, Zephyr Haddock.

Stormfly, Astrid’s beloved former dragon partner, was nestled nearby with her head tucked under her feathery wing, Stormfly’s several feathered offspring tucked up under her wing with her.

Zephyr’s hair was unbound like Astrid’s, (a light-auburn closer to the colour of her late paternal-grandfather Stoick the Vast,) mostly fallen over her rounded, pale features, so like Astrid’s but with the freckles across her nose and cheeks like the long-since mostly faded ones Hiccup had as a boy.

The only girl Night Light, the other black-and-white cub, Dart, was curled against Zephyr, almost making a purring noise of contentment, her blue eyes resting shut as contentedly as Hiccup’s daughter’s own blue eyes. Judging by what he’d seen of Dart, both little girls' personalities seemed to be the same, curious but cautious.

In another time they may have been rider-compatible , Hiccup mused, tilting his head in fondness, perhaps Dart would still let Zephyr ride her occasionally, that could create a good bond for future friendships. And speaking of bonding…

Hiccup turned his fond gaze over to his youngest child, Nuffink Haddock, sprawled out on the other side of the straw-filled mattress, mouth open and blond-haired head, (the same light corn colour as Astrid’s,) tousled and mussed.

Hiccup knew that his son at three-year-old, (almost four,) was already physically his little doppelganger, (apart from inheriting Astrid’s hair colour and nose,) Nuffink had the same green eyes, narrow features, skinny build, and freckles.

But that emerging little personality quirk of Nuffink’s was showing that (unlike his older sister’s more sarcastic, receding attitude that was more Haddock,) he was more like his maternal Hofferson side, showing Astrid’s boldness and determination.

However, (like with Zephyr’s more cautious nature that came from her mother,) Nuffink also showed signs of his father’s adventurousness, happy to be tossed up in the air mid-dragon-flight, and ready to smack his forehead against any hard object.

Just like a Haddock…well, more specifically his grandfather…

As demonstrated by the fact that, after play wrestling together, the head-strong, almost all-white offspring of Toothless and Brightless, (with just the tininess of little black markings around his toes and back scales,) Pouncer, had fallen asleep along with Nuffink. The Night Light on his back as he rested atop Nuffink’s belly, the boy with both arms around the sleeping dragon.

Hiccup nudged Toothless, “Would you look at those four?” He whispered, the Night Fury letting out a low chuckle, “Why’d ya have to go have three babies, though? Now I’m going to have to have another one so everything is all balanced out, a Haddock each for a Toothless-clan member.”

Toothless let out another low laugh and nudged Hiccup's shoulder with his head encouragingly.

“Oh, easy for you to say, you haven’t been around Astrid when she’s giving birth. It’s a wonder I don’t have two prosthetic hands to match my missing leg.” Hiccup teased, tapping his below-knee metal prosthetic on his left leg for emphasis, before letting out a low sigh.

“But it’s all worth it, they’re beautiful…I’d have a dozen more if Astrid would agree, I love my family. I never liked being an only child.”

Toothless nudged his head under Hiccup’s arm, resting his head upon the man’s lap like he used to. Hiccup smiled as he placed his hand atop Toothless’ head, “You too, huh?” It was a blessing that they could still be like this, he was so concerned the previous day that Toothless had forgotten him while they were parted.

Hiccup knew he should have known better, but with how wild Brightless had been when they’d first encountered her…but, even then, she’d been so kind to him in return for his kindness, saving him from plummeting to his death in the aftermath of the battle with Grimmel. Even flashing him the same grin Toothless would from time to time.

…yeah, I should have trusted my old instincts, but nearly ten years is a long enough time to be doubtful, thank Thor it’s everything I hoped it would be…

“Da?”

Looking up, Hiccup saw Nuffink had crawled out of bed, rubbing his ruddy face sleepily as he padded barefoot over to his father and Toothless. Pouncer, being awoken from his warm, comfortable sleep against his new little human companion, rolled off the makeshift bedding and was stretching out his front paws, yawning widely, before bounding after Nuffink.

“Hey big guy, did we wake you up?” Hiccup questioned his son.

Nuffink shook his head as he crawled up onto Hiccup’s lap and shook his tussled, blond-haired head, the tiny braids at the back of his head (that Astrid had diligently braided ever since Nuffink’s hair was long enough.) slightly askew.

“Nah, was having a bad dream,” Nuffink responded in his clipped, accented little voice, snuggling up against his father with a yawn, “Uncle Tuffnut and Aunty Ruffnut was a dragon, kinda like a Zippleback, two heads and pointy teeth.” He snapped his teeth together in a gnashing action.

Hiccup chuckled as he wrapped his arms around his precocious son, watching as Pouncer crept up slowly to bat at Nuffink’s right bare foot, tapping away at the small appendage playfully, “I think I’ve had that dream too.” He commented, reaching up to smooth down Nuffink’s messy hair.

Staring up at his father, the youngest Haddock tilted his head, “Da, when will I grow a beard like you?” Nuffink questioned before giving a curious poke to his father’s right bearded cheek.

Lifting his son’s chin, Hiccup pretended to inspect Nuffink’s plump features, “Hmm, looks like not for a long time yet, thank Thor,” he tapped the tip of his son’s nose teasingly. “You’re not ready for the responsibility just yet, I’ll let you know when you are.”

Nuffink looked down at Pouncer, who stared back up at the boy, the Night Light’s tongue hanging out as he gave the young Viking child an opened mouth grin, very reminiscent of his sire, making Hiccup smile at the resemblance.

Scrunching his nose, Nuffink glanced back up at his father, “I like being around dragons, now I know I’m nay going to be dessert. Well, I think Toof-less, an’ Pouncer, an’ Dart, an’ Ruffy, an’ Brighty, an’ Stormi, an’ Barfy an’ Belchy—”

Nuffink continued to count the dragons he’d met the previous day on his chubby fingers as Hiccup watched his son with a bemused expression.

“—an’ Hooky, an’ Meaty am not gonna eat me.” Nuffink finished with a firm nod of his head, looking up at his father with a smile. “And you and Toof-less won’t ever let that happen. An’ Grandpa Stoick is watching from Valhalla, and he was the bestest friend of dragons, he’ll protect me too.”

Hiccup hesitated, I know someday you’ll have to know the truth, my son, about everything, but for now… “Of course.” He answered simply, smiling as he watched Toothless gently nuzzle Nuffink’s cheek, eliciting giggles from the little boy and a delighted grin from the Night Fury.

Nuffink petted Toothless’ muzzle gently, the dragon letting out a slow hum of happiness, “Da, why did you haf’ ta send the dragons here?” He questioned solemnly, turning his green-eyed gaze up at his father’s identically coloured ones, narrowed in sadness.

“Well…it’s because some mean people out there in the world want to hurt the dragons,” Hiccup explained slowly, he’d already talked to Zephyr on this subject recently, but his daughter, being the overtly observant five-year-old she was, meant it had been a totally different type of conversation.

But Nuffink’s wide-eyed stare was even more innocent, as his plump, baby-fat features turned into a frown, looking thoughtfully down at Pouncer, who was nibbling on his bare toes. A low growl of warning from Toothless towards his mostly white offspring made the tiny Night Light stop his gnawing and trot over meekly to sit between his father’s paws with a huffing noise.

“An’ you had to make that choice to…um—” Nuffink stumbled over the words.

“Send them away.” Hiccup amended softly.

“Yep.” Nuffink began playing with the ties at the collar of Hiccup’s under-shirt, “Send the dragons away, ‘cause you’re the Chief and Toof-less is like a dragon chief, right?” He pointed out slowly.

Inclining his head, Hiccup sighed, “That’s right. Although you’d call Toothless an ‘Alpha.’” He explained, Nuffink continued wrapping the ties from Hiccup’s shirt around his fingers as he nodded again.

“Alpha. So, you made that choice ’cause you’re the Chief.” Nuffink sighed. “I don’t wanna do that, am glad Zephy is going to be chieftess.”

Hiccup smiled slowly, he knew it was unconventional since Viking chieftain was passed always to a male heir (through the marriage of the eldest daughter if there were no sons. Or if there were no chief’s offspring, to the closest male relative.) but Zephyr, a month ago, had promptly informed her parents that she wanted to oversee New Berk, and why shouldn’t she grow up to be chieftess?

Hiccup couldn’t see the argument much there, every bit of Astrid was oozing out of Zephyr’s folded arms, stance with legs slightly apart and her blue eyes narrowed in determination.

In fact, Zephyr reminded me of her paternal grandfather too, Hiccup almost chuckled at the memory but knew the succession could be challenged, invoking the Viking tradition which would see Nuffink as the natural heir, especially if his son in the future would challenge his father’s decision.

“You wouldn’t want to be Chief of New Berk like your dad?” Hiccup questioned curiously, knowing full well he was having a conversation with a flippant three- (almost four) year-old boy, who loved yak milk one day, and then decide the next that it was gross, then change his mind again a week later.

Nuffink shook his head adamantly, “Nah. I do what I want.” He announced proudly, poking Hiccup’s bearded right cheek with his finger again. “Can’t make me. ‘sides, Zephy made me promise.”

Hiccup sighed and ruffled his son’s already messy hair, “Nuff, you shouldn’t let your sister boss you around like that, just because she’s older, doesn’t mean she gets to tell you what to do unless it’s for your own safety.” He chided his son, who hesitated a moment, before nodding.

“’kay. I love Zephy, but I don’t like when she sets up her traps,” Nuffink patted the side of his father’s face, “’specially when they catch you, Da, or hurt you. I don’t like that, I’ll make her stop an’ protect you.” He snuggled up against Hiccup again.

Tears threatening in the corner of his eyes, Hiccup held his son a little tighter, resting his chin atop Nuffink’s head, “Aww, I’m okay, your sister’s just being inventive. But thank you, Nuff, you’re a good boy.” He assured his youngest child, before letting out a small, whispered yelp as Toothless felt fit to add his own reassurance, giving a slobbering, adoring lick to both father and son in one sweeping motion of his tongue.

“Ahh, Toothless…” Hiccup up let out a quiet hiss of amused dismay.

Pouncer flew up and add his own lick to Nuffink’s face, eliciting a sleepy giggle from the boy as he reached out to hug the flying reptile, Pouncer snuggling up against Nuffink with a happy cooing noise.

Smiling as he wiped the dragon drool from his beard, Hiccup sighed in contentment as he watched his son interact with the baby dragon.

Things may have changed, but at least I have this moment…Nuffink, Zephyr and Astrid can have this moment.

Peace is a nice thing to have, I wish I could stay in this moment forever. Just watching my son and Toothless’ son have playful interactions with each other, while my daughter and wife sleep watched over by Stormfly, Brightless and their children, and Toothless by my side.

Hiccup rested his left, weapon-calloused palm gently against the top of Toothless’ head, the dragon letting out a low hum as the chieftain closed his eyes in contentment.

Would it be so wrong for time to stop right here…?

Chapter I

(Thirteen Years Later, Isle of New Berk…)

With a wide yawn, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, eyes still shut, smirked to himself as he reached out with his sinewy arms to engulf his wife of twenty-three years in a close embrace.

All hopes of a pre-breakfast tumble were quickly dashed, however, when the forty-three-year-old Chief of New Berk grasped nothing but thin air.

Letting out a small grunt of confusion, Hiccup opened one green eye to observe his blonde-haired chieftess sitting at the table in front of her polished copper mirror, already dressed in a formal blue over-dress, embroidered in a darker blue, atop her white underdress laced at the neck.

Braiding her still fair hair around her head, Astrid Haddock glanced over her shoulder as she heard her husband of over two decades, let out a louder grunt of dismay, “I heard you the first time, you’re awake, good. Now get out of bed and find your nice clothes, we’ve got company coming.”

Hiccup sighed and sat up, rubbing his eyes before folding his arms across his white nightshirt covered chest, “It’s only Dagur, Mala and their children, why all the fuss?” He stretched out his arms pleadingly towards Astrid.

“Besides, they’ll be here in the afternoon. Come back to bed, M’lady, it’s cold, come warm me up.”

Rolling her blue eyes, Astrid walked around to Hiccup’s side of their bed and sat down beside him, letting her husband put his arms around her, looking mischievous as Hiccup kissed the back of her left hand, before working kisses across her shoulder to her neck. He loved how after their children Astrid had become curvier, but she remained as strong and fit as ever, from her training and teaching weaponry and battle to the younger generations. 

She's so wise and beautiful...gods, I love my wife more and more every day, if that’s even possible…

“Warm enough, yet?” Astrid questioned, tilting her head to plant a passionate kiss on Hiccup’s lips, before pulling away before he could press her down onto the bed in his embrace, standing up and straightening out her dress. “That’s all you’re getting, for now, Mister Chief of New Berk, we’ve got to start making preparations—”

Hiccup groaned again, pressing his head against Astrid’s middle, “Preparations for what? I’ve just gotten home from attending trade meetings. I just wanted a nice, quiet visit from our friends. Dinner, drinking, reminiscing, embarrassing our children…” his muffled voice complained.

Astrid laughed as she stroked down Hiccup’s bedhead hair, the dark auburn strands gliding through her weapon-calloused fingers. “You’ll have plenty of time for that tonight, I promise, but I’m pretty sure we're going to have something big to celebrate.” She teased.

Hiccup lifted his head, a heavy frown on his bearded features, “What? What’s this about? What celebration?” He pressed with confusion.

Astrid grinned, “You really haven’t been paying attention, have you, my love?” She folded her arms under her breasts with a knowing expression. “You didn’t notice during our last visit to Caldera Cay that our eldest daughter just happened to be slipping away every opportunity for walks with young Prince Oswald?”

Hiccup paused for a moment, furrowing his brow, “Well…Dagur was pretty wordy that visit, his pet project, that gigantic watchtower, was all he would talk about and—wait, what?” His eyes widened. “Zephyr and…wait…what…when did they—are you saying—?”

Astrid kissed her baffled husband’s forehead, “Yes. I have no doubt Oswald will be asking you a certain question in a few hours,” she tugged on Hiccup’s bearded chin. “Now get dressed, this is a big moment in your daughter’s life, and in all of ours, so I want you to at least look like your clothing is put together.”

Placing a quick kiss on her stunned husband's lips, Astrid glided out of their bedroom, leaving Hiccup alone with his perplexed thoughts. Turning back around, Hiccup thumped his head back, a little harder than he intended, against the intricately carved bedhead of his marriage bed—

“Marriage.” Hiccup let the word slip from his shocked lips.

My Zephyr…and Dagur’s son?! How…no, when did that happen?

“Astrid!” Hiccup yelled loudly, jumping out of bed, and rushing after his wife, landing with a thump on the wooden floor, the chieftain groaned and reached under the bed, pulling out his recently made prosthetic leg. Gone was the old metal design to storage, this one was lightweight wood and metal, which Hiccup had designed to fit a normal boot. Apart from a slight limp, it was hardly noticeable at all.

Grabbing a nearby pair of his dark brown brók (breeches) and pulling them on, Hiccup grumbled to himself as he did so, “Nobody tells me anything. I’m forty-three, almost forty-four, a chieftain of a whole Hooligan tribe, a father...and I found another grey hair in my beard two days ago! And still nobody, nobody bothers to tell me anything!” He rolled up his left brók leg and grabbed his prosthetic leg, quickly latching it to the stump below his left knee.

“The ‘Tamer of the Alpha’ they used to call me…! The ‘Dragon Conqueror’, yeah that’s another one! ‘Champion of Dragons’…well that was Johann, a trader in one more ways than one…but my point still stands!”

Hiccup rolled down his brók leg over his prosthetic before jumping to his feet and running over to stick his head out of the open bedroom entrance, resting one hand against the door-frame.

“‘Pride of Berk’, remember that one?!” He yelled downstairs.

“Yes, dear!” Astrid’s voice shouted back from the direction of the entrance hall.

Hiccup folded his arms as he stepped out into the hallway, “That was my Father! My Father called me that! When did it suddenly become that all the respect I earnt from my family, my peers, and the people of Berk seem to have vanished overnight?” He grumbled.

Feeling a skinny pair of arms around his lower waist, Hiccup looked down to see a grinning young girl, her slightly freckled face missing one tooth on the left side of her wide smile, “I respect you, Dad! Good morning!” the girl chirped, her dark-auburn hair in two long braids and her blue-green eyes wide.

Hiccup smiled and picked up his eight-year-old daughter, pulling her into a hug, “Thank you, Valika, and good morning to you,” he placed down the girl, bending down to adjust the belt on the formal, dark green embroidered dress Valika was wearing. “Where’s your sister?”

Valika thumbed behind her, “Zeph’s still deciding what dress she’s going to wear,” she pulled a face. “She’s singing, and she can’t sing…well, she can, just not good.”

Hiccup rolled his eyes, “That she gets from my side of the family,” he nudged Valika. “Go help your ma.” He smiled as he watched his youngest child rush down the hallway towards the stairs.

Valika had come as a surprise, he and Astrid had always wanted more children, but since Zephyr was almost ten and Nuff turning eight, they thought it wasn’t going to happen, then, surprise, another daughter.

Hiccup headed down the hall to the bedroom Zephyr shared with Valika, the door was open, and he stuck his head inside, a twisting feeling occurred in his stomach, along with a pang in his chest, when he saw the sight in front of him.

Standing in front of her large copper mirror, Hiccup’s eldest daughter, My firstborn, had her thick, light-auburn hair pinned back in two braids at the back of her head. Clad in her white underdress, Zephyr was pressing one dark blue dress against her five-foot-nine frame, then she then reached over and picked up a dark red one from her bed.

Looking over at her father, a wide smile parted Zephyr’s pale features, “Good morning, Dad, great timing, what do you think?” The eighteen-year-old young woman offered out each of her dresses for a decision. “The blue or the dark red?”

Hiccup cleared his throat, trying to be nonchalant as he folded his arms and leant against the door frame, “Oh…err…the blue one, it goes better with your eyes and your hair, but they’re both pretty, you’re going to look nice in either one,” he added quickly.

Zephyr laughed, “It’s alright, Dad, I like the blue one better too,” she put the dresses down on the bed and turned to her father. “And before you keep up this act, I heard you yelling ‘Pride of Berk’, and I’m happy to tell you everything, Dad.” Zephyr raised an eyebrow. The eldest of Hiccup and Astrid’s children was alike to her mother physically, in height and facial features, but her hair and attitude had always been so similar to her late paternal grandfather.

Hiccup sighed, “Alright, alright. You and Prince Oswald…you’ve been talking, huh?” He questioned, Zephyr nodded. “And I suppose it’s about…” he swallowed, “…a betrothal?”

Inclining her head, Zephyr smiled up at her father as she put her hands on her hips, “Yes, Oswald mentioned it last time we talked, and…well, we need to make it formal,” she replied, a slight blush on her face before she cleared her throat.

“Dad, before you start, I’m eighteen, you and Mother were betrothed around my age, and Oswald first asked me back when I was sixteen and he was eighteen, and I said yes, but that you and Mother would probably want me to wait,” Zephyr added breathlessly, before taking in a deep breath.

“Please be nice to Oswald, Dad, I love him.”

Hiccup sighed, running his left hand through his head, “Ahh…yes, alright. I like Oswald,” he conceded, smiling as Zephyr practically bounced over to him and threw her arms around him. “But you know what this means, right?” Hiccup looked seriously down at his eldest daughter as he pulled her back.

Zephyr inclined her head as she stepped back, folding her arms under her breasts with a serious expression, “Yes. Oswald and I discussed this, we know how these things work. With the combined tribe of the Defenders of the Wing and the Berserkers, I would be their queen.”

Hiccup rubbed his bearded chin thoughtfully, “And we’re not going to combine New Berk into your future tribe. Dagur, Mala, and I discussed it once, but with how notorious we are, and to protect the dragons, that just can’t happen.” He shook his head. “So, by marrying Oswald, you know what this ultimately means.” Hiccup narrowed his eyes.

“Where is your brother?”

Zephyr sighed heavily, “I heard Nuff sneak out just before the dawn.” She paused. “Dad, all our lives so far, I know I’ve been so determined to prove myself a worthy heir and learn all about being chieftess, I know I’ll use those lessons well as a queen. But Nuff, you made sure he was with us for those lessons as well, he’ll be ready.”

Hiccup sighed and rested his hand on Zephyr’s slender right shoulder, “Nuff may have been with us for some of those lessons, but not for everything,” he took in a deep breath. “I just don’t know how he’s going to react to this new development…”

***

Slowly drawing back the string of his bow, the slender, fair-haired youth rested the fletching feathered end of his arrow shaft near his lips, his fingers balancing the nock of the arrow carefully against the string.

Letting out a cloudy breath in the late-winter morning, sixteen-year-old Nuffink Stoick Haddock waited just mere seconds, before letting the arrow fly, the simple, rough-carved training arrow’s head landing with a pleasing thump into the old hazel tree trunk.

The smell of elm from the flat bow was a comforting scent, a familiar, favourite smell for Nuffink, reminding him of when he’d first been using it to carve under the watchful eye of his mentor, Eret Son of Eret, a couple of years ago.

Bow and arrows were not a staple of Hooligan tribes, the axe was the chosen weapon. It was Nuffink’s mother’s chosen weapon, and both his maternal and paternal grandfathers, and generations of men and women Vikings before him wielded it. Nuffink’s father preferred swords, as most modern Vikings did, and Nuffink was also proficient with swords, but there was something about the bow and arrow that was most comfortable.

It may have been a classic weapon, but Nuffink had heard stories about modern horse-archers, riding upon horses, (an animal he had never encountered, only ever seen images of,) and more recently the archers of England, being instrumental in battle, developing new types of stronger, more efficient bows.

Nuffink reached into his woven, yak leather quiver, a gift from Hiccup, and pulled out another training arrow, about to balance the nock against the string, when he heard a clearing of a throat behind him.

Turning around, Nuffink smiled quickly up at the looming figure standing a few feet behind him, “G’morning Eret,” he promptly greeted, the only son of New Berk’s Chieftain’s still youthful voice had finally started settling into its lower register. Which is far better than the squeaking it was still doing last year, Nuffink thought grudgingly, as he turned back around, re-balancing his arrow.

The looming, Finnish-born, one-time dragon-trapper turned dragon-rider and now the head blacksmith and weapon-smith of New Berk, (Gobber having finally retired five years earlier…well, semi-retired, still hanging about the forge giving his two copper pieces to Eret and Nuffink about their work at least a few hours every day.) Eret Son of Eret, tapped his weapon-calloused fingers against his tan-shirt-covered, muscular upper arms.

“Your father’s looking everywhere for you,” Eret informed his apprentice bluntly, his once completely dark hair was liberally streaked with grey. Two of which he would often, and openly, blame on Nuffink having nearly tumbled off the side of a cliff when he was eight.

(Eret catching the adventurous boy by his left shirtsleeve when Nuffink was attempting to fly off the side of the highest edge of Berk, using the device he’d invented years earlier: several baby-Gronkles tied to a backpack.)

Sighing, Nuffink glanced back over his right, grey-furred cloak-covered shoulder, his thick, shoulder-length dark-blond hair, half-braided in the back with simple yak leather ties, gliding back over his left shoulder as he regarded his mentor with a cautious look in his green eyes.

“Is this about me taking his old flight-suit? Because I don’t think Da noticed I borrowed it, and I was going to—”

Eret raised a still very dark eyebrow in suspicion, “What?” He interrupted. “What are you talking about?”

Nuffink looked chagrined, “Oh…nothing…” he flashed an almost perfect replica of his father’s crooked grin and watched on with quasi-amusement as Eret groaned and pointed up at his hair.

“You see these grey streaks? I swear by Thor they’re because of the last time you tried to fly off a cliff not astride a dragon, and now you want to repurpose your father’s old flight-suit? I’m not going to go completely grey because you want to crack your skull open doing something stupid.” Eret scolded gruffly.

Nuffink re-nocked his arrow, still looking over at Eret as he drew back the string, “Well, my Dad always said the flight-suit worked,” he let the arrow fly without watching, the arrowhead landing a perfect bull’s eye, centimetres off from the previous arrow.

Eret rolled his eyes at Nuffink’s amused stare, “Show-off.”

“Agreed. And yes, the flight-suit worked. And when it didn’t, your dad had Toothless to catch him when things went wrong,” a voice apprised from behind Eret.

Nuffink glanced over at where his father was approaching them up the snowy path.

Hiccup’s arms were folded across his chest, covered in his good, finely woven yak leather chest plate armour. His dense, dark-brown chieftain cloak attached to his shoulders via beaten silver medallions bearing the engraving of a Night Fury (in the image of Toothless, of course,), and heavy, dark brown fur-lined boots were shin-high, half-covering his thick, woollen breeches in a darker burgundy colour.

Though his father had always been sinewy and evenly muscular, unlike the bulky, hulking usual type the Hooligan tribe men (and sometimes women,) were known for, Hiccup had his own type of imposing presence that instantly drew people’s gazes. It was a calm confidence.

When he’d been little Nuffink hadn’t quite figured out his father’s real power, he’d mostly just seen him as an adored, slightly goofy, parental figure, who always had a pair of open arms and fantastic stories about all different types of dragons.

All that had changed by the time Nuffink was nine, when the village teacher, Fishlegs, had calmly sat the school-aged children down and told them the truth of everything. That Stoick had not tamed dragons through his right of might, as was told during Snoggletogg every year, no.

A fifteen-year-old boy, who had been trying to prove himself to his father the chieftain, had been aiming to shoot down a Night Fury, but had clipped his tail fin instead and injured the beast. Heading out to the forest to try and find a trophy as proof of his kill, the boy instead found a very alive Night Fury who was missing part of his tail.

By the time Fishlegs got to the part when the boy turned his head away and offered out his hand, Nuffink knew.

Stoick in the stories had looked the beast squarely in the eye, but…Nuffink’s father, the son of Stoick…Nuffink remembered being on a ship at three years old, when he was scared Toothless was going to eat his father, the way Hiccup held out his hand and looked away…it was his father who had found a way to tame the dragons, not his grandfather.

Zephyr had been particularly dismayed, confronting Hiccup the moment they got home. Nuffink instead had sort of lingered behind his scowling sister, peering over at his father with new, wide eyes as Hiccup confirmed everything was true. Astrid, eight months pregnant at the time, assured her two eldest children that there were more stories they would tell them as they got older, and this time it would be the truth.

Hiccup explained Gobber missed his friend and wanted to make a story so that the children would remember Stoick, but admitted it had gotten out of hand, but in a way Hiccup, a little selfishly, liked the way the revisionist story made the village children admire Stoick more.

“I loved my Dad, your grandfather, very much, just like I love Gobber. So, at the time…it’s foolish in retrospect…I let the story run a little wild.” Hiccup had commented, rubbing the back of his neck.

“But I won’t let it happen any more, Gobber’s had his moment to tell tall tales, this year’s Snoggletogg Pageant will tell the truth, and will do so from now on.”

Although Zephyr's reaction was to be very pleased with the truth being portrayed at every Snoggletogg since, Nuffink’s reaction was different, he was glad to know the truth, but it was overshadowed by how he now viewed his father.

Hiccup wasn’t a goofy father any more in Nuffink’s young, wide eyes, no. Hiccup was a warrior who’d ridden dragon-back into battle with a flaming sword he’d invented, clad in an armour made of shed Night Fury scales. Hiccup had been a chieftain since the age of twenty, he’d tamed a dragon who would become the alpha of all dragons, and he’d made countless inventions to improve life for his people and to fight battles.

All while fighting back against the prejudice his whole people had against him for his physical and perceptual difference from them.

Nuffink was even now still in awe of his father, seven years after he’d learnt the truth of everything that had happened prior to his and his siblings’ births. Although Hiccup would still have embarrassing moments of reminding Nuffink that he was still his father over the years, (mostly by nooging his son or pulling him into a one-armed hug in front of people,) those had grown fewer and far between, especially since Zephyr’s training over the past four years had required taking her for trade talks overseas for sometimes weeks at a time.

Since he was eleven Nuffink had started spending more time with Eret at the forge as an apprentice, while Zephyr was spending her time tailing after their father, learning all about becoming the future chieftess.

Not that Nuffink was never by his father and older sister’s side, for formal visits and such he was there as expected. And Hiccup would also occasionality duck into the forge, checking on his son’s work and sometimes working himself during busy times, as he’d been a blacksmith apprentice also during his early to mid-youth.

Nuffink knew Zephyr was to have that closer relationship with their father, he’d known since he was a little boy what being the heir meant, and he didn’t mind. Eret taught him everything about weaponry and being a warrior, as well as seafaring, which was all to Nuffink’s liking, he wanted to travel and see the world, leave New Berk, and spend time with the dragons in the Hidden World.

Zephyr wanted to be chieftess and that suited Nuffink just fine, not being bound by his family’s heritage.

However, despite the little time they’d spent together over the past five years, Nuffink knew his father well enough to see there was a significant look on Hiccup’s face today, caught somewhere between pride and concern, as he looked him up and down.

“What is it?” Nuffink questioned the peculiar look on Hiccup’s face.

Hiccup offered a lop-sided smile, “Nothing, just wondering when you started getting so tall that I couldn’t carry you around anymore.” He sighed. “When did that happen?”

Nuffink rested his bow across his shoulders, shrugging, “I don’t know, you probably still could if you really tried.” He responded with a light smirk.

Eret chuckled, “Nuff’s not wrong, Hiccup. He’s still so skinny, however, I don’t think you’d have to try that hard,” he eyed Nuffink’s sarcastic facial expression he shot his teacher with further mirth. “I bet I still can. Shall I toss him over my shoulder and carry him down the mountain for you?”

Hiccup shook his head, “No...” he darted his eyes as he added under his breath, “...maybe in a few minutes I might need you to...”

Nuffink raised an eyebrow, “What was that?”

“Err...you’re already in formal dress, Nuff?” Hiccup quickly changed the subject.

Hiccup’s sixteen-year-old son was clad in a cream-coloured, long-sleeved tunic laced at the neck, belted at the waist with a wide, dark brown belt with a large silver belt buckle, engraved with the head of a Night Light, (that Nuffink had made himself the year prior.) light grey breeches, and dark brown coloured, white fur-lined shin-high boots.

A knee-length, grey and black fur cloak completed Nuffink’s outfit, pinned on each shoulder with matching Night Light head engraved medallions (made by Hiccup as a gift last Snoggletogg.)

Nuffink rolled his green eyes, “Zephyr cornered me before I could sneak off earlier and told me I’d better ‘dress nice’ today for Uncle Dagur and Aunt Mala,” he replied with a sigh. “I don’t know what so special—”

“Hiccup! Eret! And is that little Nuffink?!” An overly enthusiastic voice called out, cutting off Nuffink mid-sentence, as a burly, red-haired figure in a black fur cloak and silver-wrought armour came barrelling up the hill with a yelp of delight, sending a flurry of snow as he ascended.

Seconds later Nuffink found himself in a huge embrace from the Chieftain of the Berserker tribe, who lifted the slender teen off the ground in his enthusiasm.

“Oh, look at you! You’re getting so big! You’re just like your father at the same age, but with blond hair, and I think you’re a little taller than—”

Letting out a wheeze, Nuffink repeatedly tapped Dagur’s muscular arm in an effort to make him let go, “Can’t…breath…ribs…cracking…” he managed to breathe out, the brawny Viking chieftain finally letting him go, Nuffink thumping to the snowy ground as he inhaled deeply.

“Air…Thor, I love air…”

Dagur laughed, “A chip off the old block, brother, but he sounds a lot like your dad,” he playfully punched Hiccup’s upper left arm, the younger man nodding his head as he rubbed his left arm ruefully.

“Oh, yeah, must skip a generation, and Nuff’s not exactly like a younger me with blond hair, he has Astrid’s nose...and her temper,” Hiccup commented blithely, watching on with a raised eyebrow as Eret hoisted Nuffink to his feet. The youth pulled away from Eret, brushing the snow from his breeches with a long-suffering expression towards his father, who shrugged with a grin.

“So, Dagur, why the rush up here? We were going to meet you formally at the port.”

Dagur put his arm around Hiccup’s shoulders, “I know, I know, but I just couldn’t wait for us two fathers-in-law to celebrate!” He glanced over at Eret. “Oh, you’re here too, hello Eret son of Eret!”

Eret held up his hand in silent greeting while Nuffink looked sharply over at his father with a surprised expression, Hiccup smiling apologetically.

“Fathers-in-law?”

“I guess your sister didn’t tell you. Nuff, Zephyr and Oswald are going to formally announce their betrothal today,” Hiccup explained the situation, his gaze again affixing on his son with that same look of concern Nuffink had noticed before.

“Isn’t it exciting?!” Dagur chimed in, squeezing Hiccup closer in his enthusiastic embrace. “Our eldest children are getting married! Oh…here come the tears again.” He sniffled, “They’re all growing up so fast…that reminds me, Nuffink, my daughters have been saying all voyage how excited they are to see you again, heh heh.”

Nuffink grimaced, “The triplets…?” He muttered under his breath. “…oh no…”

Hiccup pulled out of Dagur’s one-armed embrace, “Whoa, Dagur, you’re already gaining one of my children today, Nuffink’s too young for you to start matchmaking, and your daughters are even younger—”

“Oh, on the contrary, brother,” Dagur held up his hands in defence, “I’m just giving your boy something to think about, after all, isn’t he going to be your heir now—?"

Nuffink’s high-cheekboned face drained of some of it’s colour, “What…?” He managed to choke out, his green eyes narrowed up at his father, who cringed a little, affixing Dagur with a withering stare as the Chieftain of the Berserkers continued talking.

“—he’s going to have to find himself the right partner to be chieftess—”

Hiccup placed his hand on Dagur’s shoulder firmly, “Hold it, brother. Nuff—” He interceded with practised skill, smiling comfortingly over at his son, attempting to lessen the shock revelation that had been revealed out of Dagur’s over-enthusiastic ramblings.

“What is Uncle Dagur talking about?” Nuffink interrupted his father, looking uneasy, “What does he mean, I’m the ‘heir’…that’s Zephyr’s role, she always wanted it.”

Hiccup spread out his arms, Dagur looking suitably puzzled by the situation and Eret rested his hand over his mouth in concern.

“Well, Zephyr’s decided that the work of being queen and chieftess of two tribes by marriage wouldn’t work well with additionally being New Berk’s chieftess. And also since myself, your Aunt Mala and Uncle Dagur have agreed in the past that New Berk should remain independent of an alliance—”

“Because of the connection to the dragons that might attract unsavoury types, we all agreed New Berk needs to remain independent and safely hidden as much as possible.” Dagur interrupted helpfully.

“—yes, that’s exactly it.” Hiccup affirmed, looking sternly over at Nuffink. “Which brings everything back to you, Nuff, and your new position as heir to the New Berk chiefdom.”

Nuffink hesitated a moment, before taking in a deep breath, “No…no, you always promised me that my life would be my own to choose, Zephyr was supposed…I can’t be the heir!” He threw his bow down onto the snowy ground.

“I’m reckless and independent, I’ll make a lousy chief. Find someone else!”

Hiccup grimaced, “Nuff…” he trailed off, glancing between a sympathetic-looking Eret and Dagur. “Can I have a moment alone with my son?” He requested of his two friends.

Eret inclined his head, looking poignantly at Nuffink, (who was continuing to stare down at his bow lying in the snow with a heavy scowl.) before the Finnish man turned and headed back down the hill with a sigh, “I feel another grey streak coming…” he muttered under his breath, crunching the snow under his heavy steps as he departed.

Dagur rested his hand on Hiccup’s shoulder, leaning in to whisper in the taller man’s ear, “Go easy on him, brother, that’s a difficult age and a heavy burden he’s just been given. I’m sorry I jumped the crossbow, I just thought you’d—”

Hiccup reached up and patted his friend’s hand, “It’s all right, you didn’t know, and I’ll try my best, thank you, brother,” he pulled away and inclined his head in farewell.

Dagur also nodded, shooting an empathetic look briefly over at Nuffink, before following behind Eret down the mountainside, calling out after him: “Eret son of Eret, have you had a chance to look over my plans for new watchtowers on New Berk?!”

Hiccup almost smiled as he shook his head, before turning his gaze back over to his scowling second-born, walking over slowly and giving Nuffink’s shoulder-length hair a gentle tug, “Thinking about a haircut sometime soon?” He teased lightly.

Nuffink scoffed and stepped away from his father, “No. Why are you doing this?” He questioned quietly, “You know I don’t want this, I never wanted this. You’re trying to make me duty-bound—”

“I am doing no such thing!” Hiccup suddenly snapped, not liking the sulking tone in Nuffink’s voice. “By blood you are my son and the natural heir to New Berk, but if you refuse it…but I don’t want you to refuse it. Would you, by doing so, force your younger sister to take your place in the succession?” He questioned in a slightly less exasperated tone, trying to keep his temper in check.

A scowl deepened Nuffink’s features, “Have you asked Valika?”

“Nuffink Stoick Haddock!”

“Well, have you?”

Hiccup gave a matching scowl to his sulking son, “She’s eight years old, Nuff.”

“So? You made Zephyr heir at that age.” Nuffink pointed out, bending down to pick up his bow.

Rolling his eyes in frustration, Hiccup pointed down at Nuffink with narrowed eyes, “Don’t be facetious with me, boyo, you know that was different, we were all younger then and her training had to start—”

Nuffink tucked his right arm through his bow and shrugged as he straightened, “So, start again with Valika. You can’t make me do anything,” He began to march away in the direction of the heavily wooded forest. “I refuse to be chief of New Berk!”

Hiccup stomped his booted left foot into the snow, kicking up a furious flurry as he yelled after his son, “Nuffink! You get back here young man!” He shouted, letting out a groan as Nuffink picked up a fast pace to escape him. Hiccup muttered under his breath as he raced after his obtuse offspring into the snow-boughed pine tree forest.

“Why, why did he have to get Astrid’s stubborn streak? I was happy to be the heir…heck, it was the only privilege I had for my first fifteen years…”

***

Pouncer, as named by the Haddock humans, the Night Light, middle-hatched of the current only clutch of eggs from Brightless the Light Fury and the Alpha Toothless the Night Fury, (also named by Haddock humans.) was lying on his back on the sand, his four white legs up in the air as he wiggled his black tipped toes boredly.

Yawning loudly, Pouncer’s wide mouth exposed his pink gums, hiding his retractable teeth, he clacked his tongue as he blinked his large, green eyes lazily up at the blue sky marked with thick, fluffy clouds. Another peaceful day on the Hidden World...and Pouncer was bored.

His two sisters had shooed him off about half an hour earlier, growing tired and annoyed by his antics, Dart and Ruffrunner had told him to go play by himself and had flown off with a warning huff to not follow them.

Pouncer rolled over and rested his head between his paws, rolling his eyes to the side he found a discarded stick half-embedded into the damp sand near the ocean and grinned to himself as he pulled it out with his teeth. Pouncer remembered his father showing him and his sisters how to draw in the sand, he furrowed his scaly brow in concentration as he thought about what to draw. Pouncer’s eyes widened as he had an idea. The Haddock humans!

It had been nearly two years since they had last visited, Pouncer especially missed the boy, Nuffink, he thought with a sigh. Nuffink would play with him, wrestle and jostle in a way that his sisters would grow tired of, and Nuffink would ride on his back as they both grew bigger, which was fun to hear the human boy laugh and tell him how great he was. The human girls, Zephyr and Valika, would also compliment him, as would the great Chief Hiccup and Chieftess Astrid.

It was nice when they visited, Pouncer was old enough now to understand why they couldn’t always be here or visit all the time, but it still didn’t stop him from being sad. In a few years when he would be fully grown, Pouncer was secretly making plans to be able to fly to New Berk whenever he wanted to be with Nuffink and his human family.

He could be careful, Toothless wouldn’t have to growl and grumble at him any more, Brightless wouldn’t croon and snap angrily about his safety.

Pouncer began dragging his stick in the sand, making shaky lines to the approximation of a human body, then slowly making a circle above the top of the vertical line, with much concentration he slowly made squiggles of hair on the outside of the circle.

He then tapped the inner circle to make eyes, then slowly dragged the stick end to make a half-circle. Pouncer gave a matching smile to his depiction of Nuffink, spitting out the stick as he leaned in to study his work, tilting his head from side to side, he came to the conclusion it wasn’t quite as good as his father could do, but it was still a good likeness of his skinny, human companion.

As Pouncer studied the drawing, a loud: “Trill!” noise came from over the direction of his left shoulder.

The young dragon glanced across to see a large, slender head of a dragon he didn’t know. It smelt like a female of whatever species it was, it was serpentine in body, with four short, thick legs. Her head was almost like a Monstrous Nightmare, but broader at the forehead. Large, glowing silver eyes peered out from overshadowed brows.

The scales of the dragon shimmered from blue-green to an almost purple under the mid-winter sun, she had two sets of medium wing-span wings, split in two, which were folded against her back.

Pouncer blinked in surprise at the much larger dragon, at least the size of a Monstrous Nightmare, but much longer in length, almost like a serpent, who didn’t seem unfriendly just...unusual.

The unknown dragon trilled again in her melodious voice, announcing herself as Oilliphéist, or rather an Oilliphéist, for that’s how humans had called her, so she supposed that was what type of dragon she was. Lowering her head to the drawing, the Oilliphéist dragon peered back up at Pouncer, tilting her head curiously to the side, enquiring as to what it was.

Pouncer explained to the Oilliphéist that it was his friend, Nuffink Haddock, who he missed very much and would like to see soon, he then told her all about their history and how special the tribe of New Berk was. The Oilliphéist smiled kindly to the younger dragon and asked if that’s where Pouncer truly wished to be right now, with his friend.

Puzzled, but seeing no harm, Pouncer agreed he would like to be able to see Nuffink and New Berk, it had been many years, but as he was about to add that it would be impossible and dangerous at this time of the year, there was a bright flash of light and Pouncer had disappeared from the foreshore. Leaving only the Oilliphéist and the lapping waves.

With a light trill, the Oilliphéist herself dove back into the water from where she came, pleased at her good deed, she pondered, while lazily treading the current of the water, if she herself should see this special tribe that had lived alongside dragons.

As for herself, she was the last of her kind and had not stepped a scaly toe in the waters of her homeland in almost a century.

Yes, the Oilliphéist was resolved, she would visit this ‘New Berk’ and see how that young dragon interacted with humans, perhaps things had changed since her younger years, perhaps humans and dragons could co-exist peacefully.

So...hi. This is my first How To Train Your Dragon fic, but I’m a very, very old hand at this fanfiction thing, and I've been a fan for years now of HTTYD. The next chapter should be along soon. Thank you for reading.

Chapter Text

Unbelievable,” Nuffink huffed as he stomped his way across the snowy forest floor, crunching the ice, twigs and frozen undergrowth in his hard footsteps, wilfully ignoring his father’s distant shouting from further back in the forest.

“First Zephyr keeps her betrothal from me, and now Dad just dumps being the heir on me. Real nice of my own family to casually try and rope me into their plans: ‘Oh here Nuffink, here’s the future chiefdom of New Berk, enjoy all the responsibilities you were never prepared for!’” Nuffink growled under his breath as he lightly kicked a stray pine-cone out of his way.

“Doesn’t anyone tell me anything?!” Nuffink shouted in frustration, glancing aside and kicking the pinecone he’d kicked out of the way earlier harder, sending it into a nearby clump of bushes with a thump against something. “I’m nearly seventeen...well in a few months...I’m practically an adult and they still want to treat me like a—oof!”

Nuffink’s rant was cut short, when was knocked off his feet and onto the cold, wet ground, by nearly six metres of pure muscle and purring enthusiasm, equipped with a long, wet tongue, that proceeded to lick the youth’s face with a happy growl.

Recovering his senses, Nuffink blinked his green eyes up at the larger set of green eyes peering down at him over a large, scaly white muzzle, with a wide mouth upturned in a happy grin, as he crooned happily in a low rumble.

“Pouncer?!” Nuffink exclaimed in surprise, crawling out from under the Night Light to stare over at the dragon in shock, before throwing his arms around the creature affectionately. “Oh, Pouncer. Pal, what are you doing here?” He pulled back from Pouncer in confusion.

Letting out a low hum, Pouncer straightened and lifted up his front right paw, gliding it above Nuffink’s head as if measuring, letting out a yowl of amusement, making his human companion laugh at the dragon’s antics.

“Yeah, I’ve grown a bit since we last saw each other, Pounce, so have you. What are you doing here?” Nuffink looked around the forest clearing, “Are the rest of your family here, pal?”

Pouncer shook his head and motioned with his front paws, seemingly looking around for something, Nuffink watched him with contemplation, before hearing footsteps approaching.

“Nuff! Look, we really have to talk about this, it’s not that bad...!” Hiccup’s voice was getting closer, and Nuffink chewed his lower lip, looking over at Pouncer contemplatively, the dragon tilting his head as his human friend thought of something.

“Pounce, could you hide in the bushes for a few hours? And don’t show my Dad that you’re here?” Nuffink rested his hand against Pouncer’s scaly left side as the dragon crooned in confusion. “I’ll be back at sundown. Could you do that for me, pal? I know you’re still the best at hide and seek.”

Nodding his head, Pouncer gave a look of assertion to Nuffink, giving his cheek a customary lick of confirmation, before waddling back into the bushes, holding his head over the top to give a last croon of questioning. Nuffink walked over to scratch under the head-scales of the dragon.

“I’ll bring you a whole basket of trout when I come back, just stay low,” Nuffink whispered, Pouncer growled, but obligingly lowered his head, tussling the bushes as he did so.

“Nuff!” Hiccup’s relieved voice called out, slightly out of breath as he caught up with his son in the forest clearing, he took in a deep breath as he looked around, before affixing his gaze on his plain-faced son, who had his arms folded, attempting to look casual.

“You really need to calm down about all this, it’s not—” Hiccup paused as he stepped closer to his son, eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Is that a twig in your hair?”

Nuffink reached up to pull the offending twig out of his blond braid, “Huh, yeah, I guess?” He observed.

Hiccup looked his son up and down, “Your cloak also has some dirt and twigs.” He observed with a raised brow.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Nuffink darted his eyes to the side, “I...err, slipped in the snow,” he covered up, offering a shrug to his father. “Well, you found me. Are you going to call Eret to carry me down the mountain, or are you going to do it?”

Hiccup rolled his eyes, “Odin help me, why did you get the Haddock sarcasm? Neither of your sisters did.” He shook his head. “Maybe it’s only the men…” Hiccup looked suspiciously at the side of Nuffink’s face. “...is that drool?”

Touching the side of his face, wiping off the remnants of Pouncer’s affectionate licking, Nuffink blinked innocently, “Err...I hit the side of my face when I fell, I hope I didn’t lose a tooth, can you see?” He opened up his mouth to his father, Hiccup obligingly tilted Nuffink’s chin.

“All still there, but maybe you’d better let Eret or Gobber check if you’ve got any pain,” Hiccup dropped his hand and sighed. “Please at least come with me for your sister’s sake, Nuff, Zephyr would never forgive either of us if you weren’t there for her betrothal.”

Nuffink rolled his eyes in an almost perfect imitation of his father, “Fine. But this discussion isn’t over,” he conceded, Hiccup motioned ahead and his son walked ahead of his father, Hiccup following after.

Glancing back over his shoulder, Nuffink saw a white head, with little black nubs at his crest, peer over the bushes, the blond youth grimaced and motioned with his hand.

Hiccup caught his son’s gesture, but Pouncer had already ducked back down. Hiccup had noticed the bushes rustling, however.

“What was that?” The Chief of New Berk questioned openly.

Nuffink cleared his throat, “Oh, err, I think it was a deer, I saw some tracks earlier, I was checking it out when you found me,” he offered a crooked grin. “Pity, might have been a great meal for the feasting table tonight.”

Hiccup nodded, “With your skills, you probably would have bagged it, Eret’s taught you well,” he nudged Nuffink with his right shoulder playfully, as they continued down the densely snow-packed forest path.

The Chief of the Hooligans tribe took note of Nuffink letting out what appeared to be a sigh of relief as they departed, and raised a suspicious eyebrow as he glanced back into the clearing, his gaze falling to the snow-covered ground upon what looked like indents that belonged to no deer.

“Nuff,” Hiccup brought up quietly, his youthful son glancing up at him quicker than what would be considered natural, with a cautious expression.

“Yeah, Dad?”

Hiccup reached over to adjust one of the Night Light medallions on his son’s cloak, “Make sure to beat out the dirt and twigs from your cloak before we leave for the Great Hall, or your mother will fuss,” he reminded Nuffink, who visibly relaxed again.

“Sure, yeah, I’ll clean up my boots too,” Nuffink assured his father, who nodded.

Keeping his suspicions to himself, Hiccup absently pulled out another twig from Nuffink’s hair as they walked, a small, exasperated frown on his face, wondering what he was going to do when all of New Berk would be waiting for him to announce his unwilling, adventurous son as the new heir.

***

Toothless had been sent by his mate to find their son, after their daughters had admitted he had been missing for a little while. Dart had mentioned Pouncer had headed in the direction of the cove on the left side of the island, not too far from where their family cave was located.

Sniffing around on the foreshore of the cove, Toothless let out a low hum of curiosity as he spotted some indented marks in the sand. Lowering his scale-covered black head, Toothless’ large green eyes glanced over the deliberately made etchings with a surprised growl.

It was of a human, well an attempt at one, and given that the Alpha dragon had been the one to teach his children how to draw, Toothless had a good guess that this was probably made by one of them, and likely Pouncer, since he was not as skilled as Ruffrunner, but slightly better than Dart.

Further observation of the drawing, given the lack of a beard, meant that it was probably one of Hiccup’s hatchlings, perhaps the boy one, Nuffink, since Pouncer was particularly bonded with him.

Sniffing the air, Toothless couldn’t catch the scent of his son’s departure, but it was windy, so it was entirely possible to dismiss that evidence, and rely on the drawing to assume Pouncer had grown bored with being ignored by his family and went off to cause mischief by going to New Berk.

Rolling his eyes, Toothless opted to take flight and head towards the island of his former rider, gliding up into the air, he planned to bring back home Pouncer within the next few hours, so that Brightless would be less likely to worry about her missing son in the meantime.

Letting out a worried sigh as he flapped his wings, Toothless vowed to keep a closer eye on his son, he was becoming way too independent to rely upon staying in the Hidden World unless accompanied.

***

“Such a handsome boy. Astrid, you and Hiccup really do have the prettiest children,” Queen Mala patted the side of Nuffink’s cheek, as Astrid proudly looped her arm through her son’s arm, just below eye-level with the still-growing youth.

“Don’t we just? And so do you and Dagur, I can’t wait to see our adorable grandchildren,” Astrid commented with delight, Nuffink forced himself not to roll his eyes as the Chieftess and Queen continued to chat about the upcoming nuptials. He tried to slip away from his mother’s grip with a polite smile, but Astrid just locked him in harder in her grasp, glancing briefly up at him when Nuffink sighed.

“Did you say something, dear?” Astrid questioned with a raised eyebrow, Nuffink forced a smile.

“No, Ma, nothing,” Nuffink assured his mother, who beamed and patted his hand, turning back to the tall, fair-haired Queen of the Defenders of the Wing and the Berserkers. Sighing, Nuffink glanced around the room as he half-listened the chatter between Astrid and Mala.

Hiccup was over the far end of the great hall, caught between Dagur, Gobber, Tuffnut Thorston, Snotlout Jorgenson and Fishlegs, he was sipping at a stein while Dagur was loudly telling a story, being interrupted every so often by Snotlout, who appeared to be correcting whatever was being reminisced about.

“...you know Oswald always had Zephyr on his mind, but we did reach out to several other princesses on the mainlands,” Mala mentioned to Astrid, swirling her goblet of mead casually.

“You don’t say?” Astrid nodded in curiosity. “Any princesses of note?”

“Oh, a few…”

Nuffink looked over at where Zephyr and Prince Oswald were sitting at the head table, talking enraptured to one another with their heads pressed close together. The tall, fair-haired Oswald was like a male version of his mother, missing just about all of Dagur’s appearance, but Nuffink knew he hid Berserker tattoos under his fine Defender clothing.

“...and then there was the Irish princess, the youngest sister of King Dohmnail. She’s a lovely child, just turned sixteen years, but the tragedy she’s already...”

Nuffink had always liked Oswald, seeing him as a big brother figure and a friend, he was pleased about the betrothal in so much as having Oswald as a brother-in-law, but now knowing what would be coming...he wished he’d had a chance to talk to Oswald and Zephyr, however during the opening ceremonies and now the pre-ceremony, Astrid had clung to her son’s side, especially after Hiccup had been dragged away by Dagur.

Nuffink knew it was his mother’s way of coping with Zephyr’s engagement, he’d always been close with Astrid, and he could read her better than Hiccup. Astrid was dealing with her daughter’s betrothal in her own way...and was also casting a wary eye over every single young woman, who were now eyeing up Nuffink. Now he was the potential heir, village mothers were nudging and encouraging their daughters to try and get Nuffink’s attention.

“...so tragic, Astrid. And then the stories they’ve been spinning...”

Still, Nuffink wished his mother would let him mingle, he wasn’t a child or a fool, and he wasn’t going to fall for any pretty eyes with intentions of being chieftess someday. Especially since none of the village maidens had ever shown much interest in him before, being that they were either several years older or several years younger...although some of the younger girls had started giggling behind their hands, over the past year or so, whenever he’d walk through the village.

“...but surely they can’t be against the girl because of a vision?” Astrid commented to Mala’s tale in surprise.

“You wouldn’t think so in our worlds, but there is a new, dominant religion on the mainlands, one that arrived via Italy and Constantinople centuries ago. Bohemia as well as the Nordics have now been converted for some time, and so they no longer think well upon such things as we do...”

And then there was Dagur’s thirteen-year-old triplets, Talia, Kalia, and Dalia, the three red-haired, boisterous princesses, clad in dresses blue, green and dark red respectively, were desperately trying to get Nuffink’s attention every time they caught sight of him in the crowd. Their large blue eyes were wide and their faces, all more delicate female versions of their father’s visage, set in wide, toothy grins.

“Nuffink! Oh, Nuffink!” They called out collectively, before Kalia boisterously shoved her sisters aside to lean over the main wooden table, and waved encouragingly before Talia knocked her out of the way and waved herself, and then Dalia came in and knocked all three of them over the long wooden bench to the ground with a cry of:

“No! He’s mine! I won Nuffink the last time we had a flounder-catching competition! Mine was the biggest...!”

“...Ireland, England, France, and Scotland, also a part of this religion, Astrid. Although, do you know of the Scots and some Irish having an uncanny ability...”

Nuffink cringed and leaned across to his mother with an uncomfortable expression, I need to go hide...“Uh...Ma, I’m going to go get something to drink,” he kissed Astrid’s cheek, “I’ll be back later.”

Astrid nodded, “Okay...mind yourself,” she patted his arm as Nuffink smiled and departed from the Queen and Chieftess, heading in the direction of the drinks table to fetch some watered-down mead.

As he reached for a goblet, Nuffink felt a strong hand clutch his shoulder, and he looked up into the grinning, clean-shaven face of his future brother-in-law, Oswald’s gleaming green gaze seemingly the only physical feature he’d gotten from his boisterous father.

“Nuff!” Oswald greeted, pulling the younger male into a hug, before pulling him back. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk before. You’ve grown again, lad! You need to come to visit us more often, especially after we’re in-laws, we’ll go hunting.” He put his arm around Nuffink’s shoulder as he leaned down to his ear level to whisper.

“Your sister was a bit worried about things, she thought you might want to talk to me about all this.”

Nuffink smiled, “Zeph’s pretty perceptive, but why would she...oh,” he tilted his head to the side, “right. Male bonding through inherited duty.”

Oswald raised an eyebrow, “Being the heir of a combined tribe is tough enough, but you’re going to be pulling double duty, protecting the whole Hooligan tribe and protecting the Hidden World,” he folded his arms as he continued talking in a low voice. “Of course, Zephyr and I will do our best to assist you as time goes on, we are family now as well as future leaders—”

Nuffink shook his head, “I’ve not agreed to any of this, Os, I know that hereditarily this burden is supposed to fall on me but,” he sighed, “I’ve not been prepared for anything. It was Zephyr’s duty, and I’ve been training for other things, I’ve been promised my freedom.”

Oswald chewed his lower lip thoughtfully, “I understand, Nuff, I’m probably not the best example, since I was born first, I was born with this duty, but I know you care for your family and your people as I do.” He spread his hands. “And you won’t always be alone, you have your family, your friends, and in time, a wife, the future chieftess.”

Nuffink’s expression turned sour, “Even having a support system still ties me to this island, Os, I, don’t want this—”

“Nuff!” An exuberant voice cut off the troubled youth, and Nuffink looked down to see his youngest sister’s skinny arms around his waist. “Save me from Hooklout! He keeps trying to pour honey in my hair!” Valika wailed.

Sighing, Nuffink picked up his sister and placed her on his hip, “It’s okay, I’ll protect you,” He promised, Oswald leaned over and ruffled Valika’s dark-auburn hair kindly.

“Don’t worry, future little sister, you’ve got two brave warrior brothers to protect you from all the bullies,” Oswald assured Valika, who giggled and grinned up at Oswald, before turning seriously to Nuffink.

“Hooklout has a big mouth, he and the other kids were saying a lot of things about you,” Valika played absently with the Night Light pin on Nuffink’s cloak thoughtfully, raising her blue-green eyes to stare at her older brother with a frown.

Nuffink narrowed his eyes, “What sort of things, Val?”

Valika folded her hands on Nuffink’s shoulder and rested her head upon them, “They were saying that you're going to be chieftain after Dad, and that you were ‘cooked’...whatever that means...and that every Mom and Dad in the village wants you to marry their daughter, and you’ll never ever leave New Berk again, except ta go the Hidden World or Caldera Cay.” She looked up at her brother’s frowning face after her jumble of words.

“Is it true, Nuff?”

Oswald caught the look in Nuffink’s eye and cleared his throat, “Kids, you know they half-listen to everything the grown-ups talk about and they make up the other—”

Nuffink lowered Valika to the ground, “Val, why don’t you show Oswald the new dance Uncle Tuffnut taught you,” he glanced aside. “I’m going to go get some fresh air.”

Valika and Oswald watched on silently as Nuffink pushed his way through the crowd to exit via one of the side doors, a few other eyes saw the only son of the Chieftain of Berk depart, but didn’t think of it with as much concern as they got back to their previous interests.

Kicking a snow drift, lit up by the roaring torches dotted around the village and lighting up the late twilight of the evening, Nuffink held back a yell as he side-eyed the Haddock residence, just a few metres away from the Great Hall. He turned and started marching towards his home residence.

They’re not going to make me. I’m sorry Val to leave you to be the heir, but I’m not going to give up my future life, I’m going to start living it right now.

***

Hiccup stared moodily into the remnants of his mead goblet, his green eyes narrowed, only half-listening to the conversation from his male companions gathered around their chief, he was pleased with Zephyr and Oswald’s engagement...but was mulling over the consequences and future.

Nuff. Just be honest, it’s about him. Where did I go wrong? When did we get so distant? I know I’ve spent a lot of the past five years negotiating trades with Zeph, and Nuff’s been at the forge with Eret and Gobber...just like my Father used to leave me...but I’ve always been supportive, and not like Dad was when I was his age...I mean, I’ve told Nuff’s how he’s already so good with weaponry, just like Astrid, he’s going to be an amazing warrior...wait...I’ve never trained with him. I never even showed him how to hold a sword…

“...I mean, Spring must be in the air, did you see my Hooklout trying to put honey in Valika’s hair, Hic?” Snotlout’s boisterous voice interrupted Hiccup’s furrowed brow musings, as the Chieftain’s shorter, distant cousin slapped a meaty hand on his shoulder. “I think someone’s got a crush.”

Hiccup shot Snotlout a withering stare, “He was trying to do what?” He questioned in a low voice, and Snotlout held up his hands defensively with a shrug.

“He didn’t actually do it, I promise I’ll tell him off later,” Snotlout assured Hiccup, who grunted in response. “I figure you’ve got bigger problems then my kid annoying your youngest, anyway, now that every parent in the village with a daughter over thirteen is going to be at your doorstep soon, chasing after Nuffink.”

Eret rolled his eyes, “Oh joy. They’ll probably be coincidentally finding time to fawn over Nuff in the forge, and bringing lunches in baskets to try to lure him away for picnics...it was bad enough that some of the younger ones had started noticing the boy, now the older ones are also going to be on a hunt.” He chugged down the last of his mead. “Poor Nuff.”

Hiccup folded his arms, Oh... “I hadn’t thought—“

“Oh,” Gobber, his once fair hair and long moustache now turned completely white, let out a sniffle, interrupting Hiccup. “To think I’ve lived long enough to see four Chiefs of Berk already, and I helped raise one of them, and have now helped to raise yet another, my little Nuff,” he dabbed his careworn eyes with a handkerchief, and Dagar sympathetically patted Gobber’s shoulder.

“He’s still a wee babe! How could he already be looking at a future bride?”

Eret cleared his throat, “With all respects, Gobber, Nuff’s no baby, he’s not that far off from being a man—” he began, but Gobber just let out a louder wail in response and threw his arms around Tuffnut. The younger man patted the old man’s back, a comforting smile under his thin blond moustache.

“There, there, we must all respect the passage of time, dear Gobber. Sunrise, sunset,” Tuffnut sang in an attempt to comfort the older Viking, Gobber’s body continued to wrack with sobs as the endearing Tuffnut hummed and rocked him.

Hiccup sighed patiently and pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes, “Guys, calm the farm, Nuffink’s not getting betrothed anytime soon, at least I’m not going to make him, he’ll let me know when he’s ready,” he shook his head.

“I’ve got bigger problems with Nuffink, anyway, he keeps telling me he doesn’t want to be chief.”

The gathered group suddenly fell silent, and all pairs of shocked eyes turned on their Chief, who sipped from his almost empty goblet in an effort to calm his nerves.

“What do you mean he doesn’t want to be chief?” Snotlout broke the silence with an astounded expression on his scruff-covered features.

Fishlegs rested a hand on Hiccup’s shoulder, “Maybe Nuffink's just nervous, you should send him around to my house tomorrow, I’ll dig up the scrolls on the great deeds of the Chiefs of Berk—“

“I don’t think that will help, Fish,” Eret interrupted quietly, “the boy knows those tales well. I think,” he turned his serious gaze to Hiccup, “this can only be resolved with conversations that need to take place between father and son.”

Hiccup matched Eret’s expression with a nod of agreeance, “You’re right. By the way...who taught Nuffink how to handle a sword?” He questioned absently.

Eret, ever observant, read that simple question with levelled sympathy, “I did, Hiccup.” He admitted. “Why? Are you finding fault with Nuffink’s ability?”

Hiccup opened out his mouth to confer with his son’s mentor, when there was a loud bang as the large doors of the front entrance to the Great Hall flung open. A gust of cold, winter wind blew in and the crowd let out a gasp as Hiccup’s eyes widened in surprise at the source of their shock and awe.

“Toothless what…?” Hiccup questioned in astonishment, then cleared his throat as he called out louder. “Toothless!”

The mighty, ebony-coloured Night-Fury stood almost statue-like in the doorway of the Great Hall with one raised paw, but his careful green, glowing gaze darted about as he located the call of greeting from his former flyer and devoted companion.

Letting out a low growl, Toothless took to the air, flapping his bat-like wings as he glided over the top of the awed crowd of gathered New Berkians to the corner of the hall where Hiccup was waiting for him. The crowd parted to allow the Alpha Dragon space to land, and Hiccup rushed over to Toothless in concern.

“Hey bud, what are you doing here?” Hiccup rapidly questioned. “Is there danger in the Hidden World?” Toothless shook his head. “Has something happened to another dragon?” Hiccup watched as Toothless let out a low growl and lifted his paw, shaking it from side to side.

“Maybe...is it Brightless or one of your brood?”

Toothless nodded.

“Brightless?”

A quick head shake.

“Dart? Ruffrunner..?”

Another two head shakes.

“...Pouncer?”

A quick head nod, and Toothless made a running gesture on the spot, unfurling his wings slightly, Hiccup nodded, realising what his former flying companion was expressing.

“He’s run away, and you don’t...wait…” Hiccup’s eyes narrowed and he smacked his forehead. “those tracks in the clearing...I knew it! Nuff, I’m going to...well, I’ll think of some sort of punishment later. C’mon, bud, I think I know exactly where...or rather who Pouncer is with right now.”

Hiccup mounted Toothless’ back and the dragon took to the air, the crowd letting out a collective gasp as their chieftain glided over them, calling out behind him, “Astrid! Take care of the ceremonies, for now, I’ve got to give our son an earful of a lecture! Zeph, I’m sorry, I’ll be back soon!”

Astrid stared up at her husband and the Night-Fury darting through the large, open window in the rafters of the high ceiling and into the night, shaking her head with a sigh as she looked over at Mala and Ruffnut, who was dawdling a two-year-old little girl, Perchnut. (The girl’s ten-year-old brother, Troutnut, busy butting heads with Hooklout.)

“Things change, and yet they still manage to stay exactly the same,” Astrid sighed with an easy shrug of her shoulders.

***

“...we’ll head over to the mountains, I’m pretty sure they’re probably scheming in the forest.”

Gliding over the village atop Toothless, Hiccup folded his arms across his chest, with long practised skill being able to keep his seat on Toothless even bareback, despite them both being older and broader than the last time they did so.

“‘Girls are so much more difficult than boys’ anyone ever told you that one, bud?” Hiccup questioned with a snort of derision. “Liars. They’re exactly the same, and once they hit puberty boom, twice the size and twice the problems!”

Toothless growled low in his throat in agreeance and the Night Fury nodded.

“See, bud, we don’t nearly talk enough nowadays. All this time we’re busy making new trade alliances and keeping our dragons all under control we just don’t make time to…” Hiccup trailed off when he saw lantern light from the storage building beside his house and blinked.

“Oh no, he wouldn’t...he would, I would have...I did. Bud, detour time, down to the homestead.”

Toothless tilted his head in curiosity, but complied with Hiccup’s direction and they guided down to the snowy ground, landing with a light thump and Hiccup dismounted Toothless, rushing into the open storage building. He grabbed the torch from beside the door frame and looked inside.

“Oh no.”

His old leather dragon-saddle...Toothless’ old saddle...was gone from its place of honour against the back wall, along with several other survival supplies.

“Oh, Nuffink Haddock…” Hiccup hissed under his breath in worry, as he pushed back his hair from his forehead with a deep sigh of frustration. “...why did you have to inherit my recklessness?”

(Thank you for all the reviews and kudos, I'll try to get the next chapter along as soon as I can.)