How To Train Your Dragon One-Shots

Wherever You Are and Wherever You Might Be

This takes place in Race To The Edge before the gang finds out that Fishlegs has been slyly sending terror mail to a secret pen-pal on the sly. It's super rushed. I took about an hour to write it during lunch, but I love Heather and wanted to write something with her as the focus, and since I literally started law school yesterday I won't have much time to write going forward. Heather is one of my favorite characters and I connect with her so much. I just want her to be happy and to know she's loved by the other dragon riders. If you enjoy this story, please check out my creative writing podcast "Determination, Deliberation, and Dragons" where my friends and I workshop our original stories, interview authors, and chat about books and movies like HTTYD. Have an excellent day!

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They seem to really want me to stay, but...we all know that's never going to work. At least, it shouldn't, right? I mean, come on, it's me, Heather. When have I ever not been alone in some fashion? Alvin the Treacherous kidnapped my adopted parents and forced me to infiltrate Berk to learn more about the dragons and their riders. Then that disgusting deranged Berserker killed those very same parents. I've been island hopping with Windshear, never staying in any one place too long, never stopping to call a new place home. No place, no person, wants me. I don't want to be alone, but that's what I am. Alone.

Fishlegs has been sending me letters more frequently. I'm not sure why he started sending me letters to begin with. We were never that close. He was nice, sure, though I spent most of my social time talking with Hiccup, or talking with Astrid about Hiccup. Maybe he just wanted to be able to talk to someone who wasn't Snotlout or the Twins. Living with those three must an absolute nightmare. And Astrid wouldn't be interested in his topiary gardens or rock collection. She was too...warlike. Don't get me wrong, I love her, but it's sometimes a little difficult getting her to focus on anything other than her ax. On the other hand, Hiccup would be more than interested, but running the edge and being heir to the Chief of Berk had to be busy. Finding someone to really share his passions with must be hard for Fishlegs. I can relate. 

I have to admit that sometimes I'll day dream about what it might be like staying on The Edge for an extended period of time. Flying on Windshear above the clouds, I'll imagine having a wing-mate, or riding in formation with the others before scattering to sink a dozen Dragon Hunter ships. Our enemies would fire a net at me that would burst into flame as Stormfly shot it out of the sky. After our target was eliminated, we'd quickly recover Snotlout from the water before heading back to The Edge for a victory meal of yak chops (after throwing out whatever salt-encrusted terror the Twins had prepared for us). And then maybe I'd do a quick run in the boar pit, go for a late night walk around the island, and finish the night looking at the stars with Fishlegs from his meditation garden.

Of course, Windshear. You'd be there too. You'd have to be there.

But, of course, I'm not on The Edge. There are no other humans on this island. If there were, they'd probably have chased me away by now. I'm alone.

Back when I was imprisoned on Berk when Astrid discovered I had stolen the Book of Dragons, Stormfly, and was on my way to the Outcasts, I heard someone say something that stuck with me. I think his name was Grover. Gerard? Garbonzo? No, Gobber! That's it. He was talking to one of the Vikings guarding the cell I was being held in and said, "you know what my great great grandpappy used to say? First of all, don't listen to anthropomorphized weapons with cutesy names. But more importantly, wherever you are, that's where you are. And wherever you might be in the future, well, you have a whole lot of work ahead of you before you get there!"

That man, Gobber, was right. I'm here, on this dark, cold island, alone other than the dragon I found abandoned and injured. That's where I am, I guess, and The Edge is where Fishlegs and the others are. I'm not there, and they certainly aren't here. 

So then why does Fishlegs keep sending letters asking me to visit The Edge? Like Gobber said, I'm not there, I'm here. And yet, Fishlegs keeps asking. I mean, look at this one letter he wrote. "Dear  Heather, The Edge has a relatively small population if you think about it. Most Viking populations are quite small when you compare them to Rome or many of the places Trader Johan likes to monologue about, but even so The Edge is particularly small. There are only six humans here. There's plenty of space for one more. I know you've been feeling lost and like you have nowhere to go, but our island is open to you." Lost? I'm not lost. I know exactly where I am, Fishlegs. I'm on this island. I'm alone. I'm wishing I were with you.

What was it that Gobber had said again? Not the part about being where you are, but the part after that? That it takes work to get to wherever it is you'll be in the future? Well, that doesn't make sense. Not really. Wouldn't you just end up somewhere? I never thought I'd be here, I didn't "work" to get to this island. I just ended up here. 

I never tell Fishlegs the truth. Not the entire truth. I don't want him to know that I'm lonely, that I want to see him again, I really do. He'd just worry. Maybe he'd even search for me with the other riders. Thor forbid Snotlout be the one who finds me.

Maybe, maybe I should tell the truth. Or part of it. Let him know me a little better. It might be nice having a friend I can talk to. And maybe, if things go well, I might take him up on his offer to stay at The Edge for a little. I don't know anything for sure yet, but if I don't do something, then maybe I'll never know. Alternatively, if I start peeling back the layers now, even if only a little bit, then maybe nothing will also happen, but maybe something will.

What do you think, Windshear? It would be nice having some company, wouldn't it?