The Shadow #1: The Shadow Has Claws ✓

Chapter 2

Two weeks had passed since their initial encounter, and Hiccup found himself again in the secluded cove. A lone fish soared through the air, landing with a thud on the ground before sliding a short distance. Hiccup cautiously peered through a narrow gap in the rocks, surveying the area for any signs of danger. Satisfied that the coast was clear, he squeezed through the opening and entered the cove.

As he moved further into the cove, a sudden snort caught Hiccup's attention, and he spun around to find the Night Fury perched atop a rock like a silent predator. The dragon approached him, its movements akin to a stealthy panther, ready to pounce at any moment. Hiccup swallowed his fear and extended a hand, offering the fish to the dragon. His concealed dagger became visible in doing so, drawing a hiss from the creature. With a calculated move, Hiccup reached for the weapon, provoking a growl from the dragon. Pausing momentarily, he gingerly lifted the dagger by its handle and tossed it away. The dragon's aggression subsided.

Approaching the fish, Hiccup noticed that the dragon was missing some teeth. "Huh. Toothless. I could've sworn you had..." he mumbled, only to witness razor-sharp teeth emerging from the creature's gums as it snatched and devoured the fish. The teeth then retracted once again. Toothless inched closer to Hiccup, wearing an expectant expression, while the young Viking retreated nervously. "Uh, no. No, I don't have anymore," he squeaked, but Furien, a giant dragoness watching from a distance, approached and placed herself alongside Toothless, eyeing Hiccup with reproach. Luna, as she was called, directed her question toward Toothless. "Why are you giving half-eaten food to a scavenger?" she inquired, her tone laced with curiosity. Toothless smiled and gestured towards Hiccup with his appendages. "He's different," he responded. Luna raised an eyebrow, seeking further clarification. "Different, how?" she pressed.

Toothless explained, "He let me live after he found me here. I'm injured and can't fly, but he didn't come down and kill me." Luna snorted dismissively. "He's small; he can't do much damage with that little knife I saw him throw. Face it, Toothless; you spare him because you can see him in yourself," she remarked, leaving a momentary silence in their conversation. Luna wagged her tail before continuing, "Really? Can you?" Toothless nodded, feeling a sense of embarrassment, and Luna let out a sigh before settling down. "Well, go on with what you were doing. Don't mind me," she said, curling her tail around herself as she observed the two dragons.

Toothless rolled his eyes at Luna's comment and returned to Hiccup, who had yet to eat the fish. The dragon nudged Hiccup with his nose, silently urging him to partake in the meal. Understanding Toothless' intention, Hiccup muttered, "Oh boy," as he cautiously crouched down and picked up the fish. Toothless watched him expectantly, mirroring the forced a smile on Hiccup's face. Luna, unimpressed, frowned and bit her lip to stifle a snort.

Stunned by the unexpected events, Hiccup sat up and attempted to touch Toothless, disregarding the immense dragon behind him. However, Toothless hissed and swiftly moved away, crashing onto the other side of the bay. He blew hot air onto the mossy ground, causing it to heat up, and curled up on the warm spot, resembling a giant dog.

Hiccup sighed, then turned his attention to Luna, who regarded him with weariness in her eyes. Yet, she stifled a yawn as her jaws opened wide, revealing her formidable set of teeth. Luna positioned herself among the branches, attempting to make herself inconspicuous despite her large size and wingtip protruding into the open air. When Toothless noticed her presence, Luna deflated, lifting her head and slowly crawling down from the high cliff to join them on the ground. She looked reproachfully at the human before addressing Toothless with a hum, "Why are you giving half-eaten food to a scavenger?" she repeated her earlier question. Toothless smiled and waved his appendages toward Hiccup, remarking, "He's different." Luna raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Different, how?" she inquired.

Toothless proceeded to explain the unique bond that had formed between him and Hiccup. He shared how the human had spared his life despite the vulnerability he displayed when they first encountered each other. Luna couldn't help but snort dismissively. "He's small; he can't do much damage with that little knife I saw him throw. Face it, Toothless; you spare him because you can see him in yourself," she pointed out, her words hanging in the air. A brief silence ensued, and Luna wagged her tail before prompting, "Really? Can you?" Toothless nodded, his embarrassment evident. Luna sighed, resigned to the situation, and settled down, curling her tail around her massive form as she observed the unfolding events.

Toothless, rolling his eyes at Luna's remark, returned to Hiccup, only to find the human still hesitant to consume the fish. He nudged Hiccup with his nose again, silently conveying his desire for the human to eat. Finally comprehending Toothless' intention, Hiccup muttered, "Oh boy," as he carefully crouched down and picked up the fish. The dragon eagerly awaited his response. Hiccup, somewhat bewildered, gnawed off a piece of the slimy fish, forcing a smile to appease Toothless. The dragon mirrored his actions. Meanwhile, Luna frowned and bit her lip to hold back a snort.

The magic hour arrived, and Toothless awoke, hanging upside down from a tree. He spotted Hiccup and Luna on the other side of the bay, engrossed in drawing something in the sand. Luna, still tired, lay with her back turned to the human, her face hidden within her claws and wings, making it challenging to discern her expression. Toothless hopped down from the tree and glanced at Luna before approaching Hiccup.

Hiccup focused on sketching Toothless, unaware of the dragon's proximity. Toothless quietly observed, trying not to startle the human and drive him away. After a brief moment, Toothless walked away, only to return soon after with a young tree in his grasp. He drew lines in the sand, occasionally darting off to create random markings in various directions. Luna, who the sounds had roused, groggily opened her eyes and stretched her wings, freezing in place as she beheld what Toothless was doing.

Luna sat up, her gaze fixed upon the lines etched in the sand, while Toothless inspected his artwork after dropping the tree. Satisfied with his creation, Toothless seemed pleased with himself. Hiccup, standing by, marveled at the sprawling scribble before accidentally stepping on one of the lines, provoking a growl from Toothless. Luna, comprehending the significance of their game, lashed out with her forked tongue, expressing her understanding.

It was a game that Luna remembered dragons playing back when she was awake all those years ago in her homeland. Hiccup carefully maneuvered between each line, turning around and around until he inadvertently bumped into Toothless. The dragon emitted a snort, and once again, they found themselves face to face. Hiccup slowly extended his hand, and Toothless hesitated. Closing his eyes and turning his head away, Hiccup awaited Toothless' response. To his amazement, the dragon closed the gap and pressed his muzzle against Hiccup's hand.

Luna's jaws dropped open; disbelief etched across her eyes. She could hardly fathom the sight before her—a dragon forming a bond with a human. Among all the extraordinary things she had witnessed in her existence, she had never once considered this possibility. In her homeland, dragons and humans were peculiar enemies, never allies. One would typically be the demise of the other. Yet, here she was, bearing witness to an unprecedented connection. She thought this could be a historic moment if only anyone would believe her. Nevertheless, she knew better than to engage socially again, fearful of the consequences that her newfound power might bring.

She watched as Toothless vanished in a flash, leaving Hiccup in astonishment. Luna kept her gaze fixed on the young human for another moment before quietly retreating to a shadowy corner of the bay. She would not leave Toothless unattended. With a graceful movement, she curled up again, succumbing to the embrace of sleep.