"I Do.... NOT!!"

Chapter 4: Memories

                     ..... Hiccup's POV......

   "I can't. I can't do it anymore." I mumbled to myself, straining to reach the last crevice on the rock wall. I was doing my usual morning training- staying on top of things was everything in my pod. We were a bit of a misfit group, but we brought in enough kill to stay on the Queen's good side. That meant our dragonets were safe to grow and learn, and the rest of us could have some degree of safety in our sleep.

     I pulled myself up and scrambled onto the plateau with my last bit of energy, then flopped over onto my back, staring up at the blue sky. Being in human form felt strange. I hadn't bothered with it in a while, but I figured I should switch every now and again to be sure I wouldn't get stuck in limbo- or as one or the other. I loved flying... And I never wanted to give that up. But being human was nice to. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about Astrid since our meeting in the woods. I longed to see her, but at the same time the thought of vikings terrified me. I shoved down my fear and scrambled to my feet. I had to see her... at least to know if she was alright. She had grown even more beautiful since I'd last seen her as a normal viking on Berk.

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   Clouds and seagulls passed below me as I caught a warm draft of air and banked toward Berk. I veered down to the bottom of the rocky cliffs and hid, watching the small group of vikings in their fishing boat. As they moved around the bend I took a deep sniff and located a massive school of fish to my left. I let out a plasma blast of alert and waited for my pod mates. Soon they arrived, carrying a large net in their claws. Stormfly volunteered for watch and I dove into the frigid waters.

     After several dives and scoops with the net, our pod hefted a bulging net of fish. It was a trick I'd taught them my first few days with their pod. I was useful to them so they decided to keep me around so long as I kept hauling in big amounts of kill. Back to the nest, Hookfang rumbled. I grabbed a sagging corner of the net and we flew low, as fast as we could away from the mainland.

     We sorted our fish on a seastack awhile later, checking for any eels. Spiketail hissed and flew a distance from the seastack. Blasted eels! Get those demon spawn back where they belong. He growled. I sighed and swallowed down the revulsion rising in my throat, then quickly seized the two eels in my claws and flung them back into the ocean. My pod mates purred in relief and Meatlug nudged me on her way to put her edge of the net with Zev and Mya. Thanks Toothless. She said. I nodded and we hefted our net to bring back to the nest.

     Steam and sulfurous fumes rose from our partially inactive volcano of a nest. Dragons flew past us, hauling in their morning kills. I flicked my ears and motioned to the left- leading my pod to swerve and avoid a large group of particularly angry monstrous nightmares. We narrowly missed the leader, Brimstone who was flaming and roaring about  a missed prey opportunity at his pod. Just then, Spiketail whacked me over the head with a partially spined tail and snarled stay in your place night fury. I'm the pod leader here. You're the lucky runt we scraped off the forest floor. I fell back, struggling to control the anger rising inside me.

     Cut it out Spiketail! You forget we wouldn't have half the security we do without Toothless. You need him in your pod. You'd better act your age or we are done. I prefer our dragonets to have safety, and I'll find another pod if this one or it's prideful leader doesn't provide me that. Stormfly growled, her spikes raising on her tail. Spiketail started and ducked his head, grumbling an apology. I shot a smile and grateful look towards Stormfly, and she tipped her head in acknowledgement. She had always been the mother figure and peacemaker of our group... She was really the closest thing I'd ever had to a mother. As such I regarded her dragonets as my little siblings I was indebted to watch over and care for.