úlfheðnar, httyd

xxxvi. Dragon Master

𖣯 ✹ 🌷(úlfheðnar) ꏍ ！┈─❟
╰───►chapter thirty-six; hiccup
❝ dragon master! ❞

     HICCUP COULD FEEL his heart pounding. It burst against his ribcage, making him breathe heavily as he tightened his grip around the handle-bars of Toothless's saddle. He settled properly, twisting his boot against the stirrup━he tested the joint of his prosthetic. He was nervous; he could feel it. As he brought Toothless up higher above the village of Berk, manacled to almost nothing but a town of ice, the reality of the situation started to hit him. 

     He wasn't just protecting this village as Hiccup, the dragon trainer ... he was protecting them as their chief. And they all cheered as they saw him rise up with Toothless, all put their faith in him to get them out of this. To win. 

     He had to win. 

     He imagined what his father would tell him right now: A chief protects his own, son.

      (And that was exactly what he had to do).

      "Come on, Toothless," he whispered, veering his body to the side and they swooped around through the mazes of ice shards. Even from this distance, Hiccup could feel the breath of the mighty Bewilderbeast tickle the stubble of his beard. Those hypnotising eyes followed him, and as soon as they fixed their contact, Toothless whined, thrashing his head. 

      Hiccup kept a hand on his head, telling Toothless he was here as he examined the dragon. Hard of hearing, small eyes, small nostrils━a Bewilderbeast relied on its tusks for damage, but its dragons for defence. But if he ever got into range of that icy blast, or those eyes, Hiccup knew they'd be gone in a matter of seconds. 

      What was more dangerous, however, was the man standing on the king's tusks, striking the creature with his staff, "DO SOMETHING!" he bellowed. 

      Hiccup set his jaw. He leaned in closer to his saddle, setting himself ready for a high-speed flight. He locked his elbows. "We need to get those two apart," he told Toothless who huffed, agreeing. 

      But how could he get Toothless close without the risk of him being taken under the Bewilderbeast's control again?

      They were passing the arena. The stands were a shattered mess of wood, splinters and ice. The flag-poles from the recent race still stood; some were knocked down, others broken in half, but Hiccup saw a red Haddock flag, stripped, but still flying━it was almost symbolic. 

      He had an idea. 

      Hiccup locked Toothless's tail in and they spun down into a dive. With a grunt, the new chief stretched his fingers dangerously close to the jagged flag-pole edge. He grasped the torn fabric and ripped it off. 

      They darted out of there for the cover of Gothi's mountain. Hiccup dived Toothless in between homes, missing the crystal ice following them like a deadly wave by just inches. The edges of Hiccup's hair froze. But they made it, jetting around the rock fissures and weakened staircase; enough cover for Hiccup to do what he needed to do. He slowed Toothless down and sat up, untwisting and continuing to rip the flag into what he needed. He stared at the Night Fury emblem sewn into it and took a deep breath. Closing his eyes for a second, Hiccup prayed to his father. Give me strength, Dad, he whispered. Give me all the strength you have. 

     Toothless bellowed, shaking his head. He clenched his eyes shut, the quivers of his ears and fins starting to tremble.

      Hiccup had to act fast. "I know, bud, I know." He spread out the red fabric. "We gotta block him out, Toothless." Hiccup held out the fabric for Toothless to see. His dragon slowed to a soar, gazing up at him, unsure. "I know," he murmured. "Do you trust me, bud?"