The first to know

Forbidden Friendship

A/N: I just learned that Haddock is actually a type of fish so Hiccups nickname 'Fishbone' is actually kinda clever anyway ...

Training was abysmal.

My brother nearly got killed... again. I guess Astrid took my ultimatum to heart and let out her rage on Hiccup which was entirely not my intention. The two of us were now running as fast as we could back to the cove hoping for better results today. 

I pulled aside the branches we had placed over the crag mouth and stumbled inside I uncovered the shield and handed it to Hiccup who took it mutely. I dipped my hand in and drew out the two fish, placing one in the arms of my brother and the other into my own I tucked the still threaded bone needle into my belt and grabbed the small assortment of herbs from my pouch I also tucked the hook next to the needle just in case they were still hungry.  

Hiccup went first seeing as he had the shield and slid down into the cove I followed clumsily behind. He walked forward and tossed the fish out, obviously trying to draw out the fire of the beasts just in case we were more unwelcome than we estimated. After waiting a minute for the blow it never came. Hiccup attempted to move forward once again... and got the shield stuck, he ducked under and I climbed over it but in the end we both ended up in the clearing side by side searching for the dragons with our eyes.

 There was a slight scrabbling sound, and the bigger one crawled down from a perch on a nearby rock making itself known to us through a low growl. I backed away out of instinct but Hiccup held his ground and reached out the fish to the reptile. 

The dragon crawled forward snuffling at the slimy morsel until he paused mid-step growling at my brother, of course Hiccup had common sense and kicked away a small dagger he had had previously stowed away in his belt. As soon as the gleaming metal disappeared into the clear still water of the pond next to us the creature immediately calmed, his original cat-like poise melted into an adorable kind of curious expression. He reached his neck out to most likely take the fish from my brother's hand.
Except he wasn't the same as I remembered.

 "Huh, Toothless." Hiccup said. "I could have sworn you had-" He must have waited too long because the dragons teeth popped out of his gums and he snatched the fish away much like Gobber had done with the book of dragons the day before. He licked his lips and immediately snuffled toward Hiccup ignoring me completely, which was fine with me because it gave me time to find his wounded counterpart, whom I had mentally named Scoot, because that seemed to be his main mode of travel while in his almost inebriated state. 

I walked for only a moment when I saw the black mass of his head and the pearly white spot of his nose peaking out from behind a small selection of boulders. I grabbed a flask I had thought of last minute, and backed to the pond filling it with water so that he didn't die of infection or dehydration. I walked back up to the sleeping beast quietly, hoping not to make a disturbance, of course his hearing is way better than that of man and my attempt at stealth failed miserably.

He opened one eye growled slightly before giving up and going limp again.

"Goodness the blood loss and hunger must be making you so weak." 

He grunted in response.

"I brought you a fish, do you think you can eat it?"

Scoot did his thing and shifted forward sniffing the air. I ripped off some of the fish and brought it to his open maw, just about as toothless as a newborn infant. I placed it on his tongue and watched as he swallowed thickly. I unscrewed the flask and poured half of it into his mouth hoping to lubricate his throat, to make swallowing an easier task. With every bite of fish he seemed to get a little bit stronger, but eventually the morsels I fed him ran out. His stomach growled in anticipation for more but I had no more, I fed him the rest of the water and watched him slump his neck back to the grass.

"Can I see your wound?" I prodded at his neck to get my point across. 

He groaned and shifted away. I drew my finger back and reached for my pouch which housed the herbs I had filched yesterday. I pulled out an assortment of cleansing plants and some willow bark, laying them in a row in front of the dragons nose, he sniffed at a bit of grass that looked suspiciously like cat nip and visible relaxed. I rubbed the plant between my fingers until my skin came away green. I slowly moved my hand toward his face, and waited, he didn't light me on fire so I placed my palm lightly on his nose, he took a big inhale and growled... no purred. 

He was actually purring.

I moved my hand to the right and he stayed with it obviously entranced by the herd. I shuffled backwards on my knees, and he followed. I picked up all of the things I placed down with my left hand, while my right remained in close contact with his nostrils. I backed all the way to the side of the pond. I stood slowly and examined the frightening amount of blood that trailed behind the beast.

"Can I see it now." I asked again. "You're gonna bleed out if I don't do something about it."

He snorted, in what I assumed was a half-hearted attempt at being sassy.

"Hush you know it's true." 

He huffed, tucked in his wings and rolled onto his side. 

"See, was that so hard?" he snorted again.

I quickly filled the flask and poured it down the wound, it was long but shallow enough to wear it hadn't hit any vital organs or blood lines. 

"Good, you'll live." I informed him. He didn't react besides shifting uncomfortably. 

I poured a couple drops of water into my mouth, and pressed the bark and herds into a pulp which I spit into my hand and placed onto a flat stone next to the pond. I stuffed some bark into the flask and shook it effectively making a cold willow tea which I read was a good pain killer, I shoved some of the cat nip impostor in there and shook it again.

"Good enough." I sighed and opened the flask. "Alright Scoot, open up." He obliged and drank half of the concoction. I then moved back to his side and poured the rest of it into the cut. I plucked the needle from my belt and rubbed it and the thread into the watery tea I had managed to get out of the bottom of the flask. 

I took a shuddering breath, touching the tip of the needle to his scales. He whimpered slightly but didn't move. I pressed the needle through the wound and out of the other side pulling it until I could tie the two ends together. I repeated this process again and again while my new friend grew more and more restless. 

At last I placed the last of the stitches and stepped back. My arms and front were drenched in blood, and looking at Scoot he wasn't much better off. I reached down and refilled the flask before dumping it down the wound, gently rubbing at any of the dried crust that the flowing water couldn't. Finally the now stitched wound was clean. I grabbed up the dried pulp I had made earlier and wet it in the pond, I then slathered it on the gash.

"Well that's that." I muttered

"You're not allowed to do any strenuous activity until this situation is all better, m'kay." 

He groaned in response. 

I waded into the pond and rubbed out the red until my clothes were only slightly stained and I slopped out of the water shivering slightly.

I sat down next to my friend and sighs rubbing my arms to pat down my goosebumps. To my surprise Scoot rolled over and plopped his head in my lap purring and warming my entire body.

"I'm gonna call you Scoot, is that okay." He purred louder in response

"Great, its getting dark, I'll see you tomorrow." I patted his head and on impulse poked his white nose and said "boop." 

I shook myself and giggled. I collected Hiccup, who looked wildly bewildered and we left the cove, chatting lightly about our separate but intertwined adventure.