Chapter One

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The Dragon Race was underway and the crowds were unrelenting in their excited outcries. It was a racing tradition for each rider and their dragon to adorn matching face paint designs and since Revna and Amethyst didn't participate in the races, Astrid let the ravenette paint her face. If nothing else, Revna enjoyed watching the races and cheering all her friends on. She stood by her Uncle while he sat in his grand chair and Gobber occupied his opposite side. They watched on in excited anticipation as Meatlug carried a painted sheep in her claws while holding Fishlegs' immense weight on her back. The heavy-weight rider cheered in victory, unaware of Snotlout and Hookfang, a Monstrous Nightmare, approaching from the side. Cheers erupted when the pair side-checked Fishlegs and Meatlug, stealing their prize.

Snotlout laughed as he held the sheep close to his chest. "Oh, I'm sorry, Fishlegs! Did you want that?"

"No, Snotlout! That was mine!" Revna rolled her eyes at the boys' childish antics. They haven't grown at all in the last five years. Confusion and growing annoyance overtook the crowd as they watched Snotlout toss the sheep to Ruffnut- again. She sneered at something Snotlout said before moving Barf, one part of a Hideous Zippleback, away as he spewed flammable gas from his mouth. As they rode away, Tuffnut rode forward on Belch, the other half of the twins' dragon, and Belch ignited the flame. An explosion sounded, shaking the stands and Snotlout was left in the cloud of smoke. Each rider had a designated basket with pictures of their dragon on the backboard, and as the Zippleback soared past the main bleachers Ruffnut dropped her sheep into their basket. Unsurprisingly yet annoyingly, the Barf/Belch basket was nearly filled with sheep. 

Chief Stoick stood from his chair and joyously bellowed, "Haha! That's nine for the twins, Astrid lags at three, and Fishlegs and Snotlout trail with none!" The crowds cheered and Revna was no different. As she clapped, she gazed over at Hiccup's empty basket and realized that he wasn't in the race. In fact, she hadn't even seen him today.

Stoick noticed this as well. "And Hiccup is... nowhere to be found." Despite this realization, the race continued and the people of Berk paid no mind to the young man's absence.

Gobber, Stoick's best friend, chortled, "Scared him off with the big talk, didn't ya, Stoick?"

Revna's brows drew at Gobber's words. "What talk, Uncle?"

"Becoming Chief," Stoick answered his niece. He was a man of very few words, but Revna understood perfectly and her eyes grew wide. She knew her uncle wanted to retire, but she didn't think it would be so soon. Revna wondered if Hiccup was ready for such a responsibility. Though she believed in him immensely, she feared he didn't want to be chief, which only made Uncle Stoick's worry increase. Deciding it best not to dwell on something she had no control over, Revna brought her attention back to the race, watching her friends search the village aggressively for sheep. Sometimes she wished she could race with them, but knew it would be futile since Amethyst didn't quite get the concept.

"It's time, Gobber," Stoick declared with a nod. Gobber nodded and moved forward for his announcement. Revna clapped excitedly, silently hoping that Astrid caught the black sheep that's worth ten points so she could win.

Gobber inhaled before announcing loudly, "Last lap!" A horn blared, signaling the black sheep being readied into the launcher. Revna loaded the sheep into the catapult that she helped Hiccup build. Gobber was stationed at the lever, waiting for the perfect time while the black sheep chewed a piece of grass, none the wiser.

"This is your big moment," Gobber said to the sheep, "Have a nice flight!" As if realizing his predicament, the sheep's eyes widened and his body tensed. But before anything else, Gobber pulled the lever and the sheep flew into the air. Revna cheered, watching Astrid and Stormfly close in on the winning prize. But out of nowhere, Meatlug and Fishlegs snatched the sheep at the last second. Revna huffed but became confused once again when Fishlegs threw his prize to Ruffnut. What was happening?

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