The dance of the moon and stars (M/c x snotlout)

Forbidden flames

The pain defended the noise around me. It was a weird sort of peaceful. Snotlout squeezed my hand, repeatedly asking if I was ok. I stared blankly at the wood ceiling above me and nodded softly.

Someone pressed their hand to my forehead. Two someone's helped move me up against the wall. I thrashed and growled at them. They were hurting me and I could do it myself. I didn't need help.

"You son of a bi-" Snotlout yelled. Slamming his fists into the medal bars and making the last word hard to hear.

"She did it to herself." He shrugged and turned away leaving the room.

"Breathe." Fishlegs said to me, ignoring the other two.

"No." I said, my voice airy.

"Just breathe. Don't do anything else."

"The air is too thick. I don't want to." I gasped. I don't want to tear people apart. I would rather stop breathing. He looked questioningly back at Hiccup. Snotlout had come back to kneel next to me and the Twins watched in rare silence.

"Just try." Snotlout pleaded. The silence said the one thing I hated to hear: 'for me.' I can't do anything for anyone, I'm already working as hard as I can for myself.

I pulled my knees up to my face, pushing Fishlegs hand off my shoulder. and wrapped my arms around my legs, and then wrapped my wings and tail around that.

"Everyone just leave me alone. I'm fine. I'm fine and I don't need any help." I repeated these words a second time in the hopes I would believe myself.

"No." Astrid said so bluntly it made me look up in confusion. She paused for a moment to study my glazed eyes. "You are part of our group now, and we don't leave Anyone behind." I took in a shaky breath. "We're all in this together. Every wound, every tear, every battle. So let's figure out our escape plan." Even though her words were aimed at me, everyone seemed to be affected differently, their expressions matching their emotions, in some cases for their first time.

She held up a set of keys. The same keys that had slid across the floor in my fumble. Everyone looked at her with wide eyes. She tossed them to Hiccup. He met her eyes, and in a fizzle the thick emotions that had choked me and the others were gone. "I'm with you Hiccup. Whatever plan you have."

Confidence restored, Hiccup straightened his back and looked instantly relieved.

"First thing first, we need to get some rest. We will escape first thing in the morning." He paused looking over his team. "If we can open our cage early morning during the guard change, then we can free the dragons and fly out of here."

Everyone nodded.

-

Soon everyone had settled down to sleep. Fishlegs had handed me the blanket, with a slight complaint from Tuffnut that was quickly shot down by his argument of "She's injured and also possibly Heterothermic." Which he tried to explain ment "Part cold blooded." Whatever the hell that means. Snotlout Layed about a tail length away from me, but as soon as the last person fell asleep he quietly scotched closer, and stopped a hand length away.

"Hey, How are you doing?" He whispered and set his hand on my knee. I was still sitting with my legs up to my chin. I uncurled a little.

"I'm alright." I sigh.

"Your legs not hurting?"

"Oh yes it is." I laughed quietly. "Like hell."

"Oh. I'm sorry about that."

"Again. It's not your fault." I smiled, and in the dim light I saw him smile meekly.

"I'm cold." I shuttered and scooted closer to him so that our bodies were pressed against each other. He froze but I continued, raising up the tattered and torn blanket over us both and lowering it across our laps. He took in a breath and carefully brought his arm up around my shoulder. I relaxed my wings and brought my tail close to me. I turned my body towards him and pushed out slightly from the wall to look him in the eyes. He smiled and brought up his hand to touch my face.

"Your face is so beautiful." He whispered. I felt my face flush red, but in the dark I didn't know if he could see it, either way I didn't really care. He traced my face, running his fingers delicately across my scales, then he brought his hand up to run through my hair. I snuggled up to his chest and let out a deep breath and fell asleep.

-

I woke up with a start. Someone had shaken me awake. 5 teens stared at me as I raised my head and then slowly realized where I was- laying on top of Snotlout's chest. I jumped away from him and stood up, dusting myself off to avoid meeting anyone's eyes.

I heard a snicker, but when I raised my head I was unsure who it came from. Tuffnut and ruffnut were watching Snotlout with a knowing smirk spread across their face, even Astrid seemed amused, though I was unsure what about.

Snotlout pushed himself up and glanced at me before Hiccup nodded and signaled the twins to unlock the door.

Ruffnut walked to the cage door and leaned out and started talking. Just chattering, and talking and complaining and oh god I understand the plan. She was to annoy the guard on post, until he didn't suspect anything. With a disgruntled huff he walked off. And with that it was go time.

Ruffnut waited a moment before producing the keys from her sleeve. Everyone was fairly quiet as she fumbled to the right key and unlocked the door with a Cu-Lank. We streamed out, Ruffnut passed the keys to Hiccup and he swiftly unlocked Hookfangs door. The large monstrous nightmare exhaled with a huff of smoke and walked towards the hallway, blocking the entrance and exit. He settled down and turned his massive head to watch us unlock the other cages.

Hiccup hurried over to Nyx's cage to check on Him. The door opened with a clatter and they rushed forwards to each other. Hiccup ran his hand over the black dragon's scales, and Nyx purred with enjoyment.

"Human lover." I rolled my eyes. He responded with a muffled:

"I'm the Human lover?" Raising an eyebrow. "Uh huh."

"NYX!" I hissed through my teeth. He laughed.

"What?" Hiccup asked, unlatching his dragon's muzzle.

"Nothing. My brother's just being a bum!" I gave him an annoyed look and he laughed again.

The boat lurched.

"What was that?" Tuffnut asked.

"Probably the boat coming to a stop, stupid." Ruffnut rolled her eyes and mounted Barf. The dragon clicked and gargled, Belch lowering his neck so that Tuffnut too could climb on.

"That would be the logical explanation and we should probably hurry up and-"

"Leave." Astrid finished, fed up at Fishlegs long answer. "Let's get out of here."

I tossed Hiccup his sword.

"Where did you get this?"

"Stole it from Viggo." I shrugged with a smirk.

"Let's light this place up!" I spread my wings and darted down the corridor. The others followed closely with their dragons, though their wings were clamped shut, making them unable to open them fully to take off.

"We need to find the key to the wing clamps!" Strid hollered, her voice bumpy from her dragon's trot.

"The key ring doesn't have it?"

"Nope. That would make our escape too simple."

"I'll find it!" I glanced at the sky hole before changing course and diving down the hallway to Virgo's Office.

The hallway was dark. The Torches had yet to be lit and the boat was humid and cold.

If it wasn't made clear by the distinct smell of cod heads and sea water, with a hint of rotting seaweed and fresh sand. Then the noise of men shouting orders and boots against damp wood would let you know we were at a doc.

The ocean was quieter here, farther away from where all dragons came from.

Old tales tell stories of how dragons crawled forth from the sea- Vikings were fearful, but fought strong, trying to force us back to where we came. The Great War- called 'the war of beast and man', or for dragons; 'the war of beast and dragons' was a terrible time, for both man and dragons.

It was told to me as a small dragonling, and I don't remember much of it now, and I try not to. It reminds me too much of our parents. Dads growl, laced with static electricity. Moms long claws and large sweeping tail. Both long and sharp and powerful. I always felt safe with them.