HTLANF AU: How to Raise Your Night Furies

Part 1 ~ Chapter 5

About a week later, Dragon Training was coming to a close and the semi-final was upon them. The remaining ones in the fight were Hiccup and Astrid, who hid side by side behind a barricade as the Gronckle searched for them in the arena.

Astrid tightened her grip on her axe as she peeked around the barricade, then looked at Hiccup.

"I'll win this thing. Try not to get caught." She said, knowing full well that Luna was helping him learn how to tame dragons or at least show them he was one of them.

"Good. Please, by all means." Hiccup said as he nodded as his way of agreeing to try his hardest to not get caught.

She nodded back then rushed to another hiding spot.

"You got it Astrid!" A Viking in the crowd shouted.

She took a deep breath as she prepared herself, but as she was rushing to knock out the Gronckle, she stopped and lowered her axe with wide eyes. Before her was a knocked out Gronckle with a nervous Hiccup standing over it. Astrid gave him a deadpanned look which he returned with one of fear as the realization of his actions sunk in.

Astrid sighed and rubbed between her eyes as Hiccup slowly started to back away to the entrance.

Stoick took notice of his son backing away and stood. "Wait! Wait!"
"So, later." Hiccup said as he went to bolt out the arena.

Gobber noticed this and grabbed him by the back of his tunic. "Not so fast!"

"I'm kinda late for–" Hiccup tried to explain as Gobber dragged him to the center of the ring and released him, but before he could get out another word, Astrid covered his mouth with her hand and gave him a glare that screamed 'If you keep talking, you are going to spill everything about your daughter. Zip it!'.

Hiccup stiffened up and nodded slightly as she removed her hand from his mouth and he swallowed and looked up at his father.

Stoick gestured for the tribe to quiet down as he and Elder Gothi stood near the dome. "Okay, quiet down. The Elder has decided."

Gobber motioned to Astrid, but Gothi shook her head. He then motioned to Hiccup and she smiled and nodded in approval. The boy deflated as his fears were set in stone and Astrid gave him a sympathetic look as the tribe cheered and Gobber began shaking the poor lad.

"You've done it! You've done it, Hiccup! You get to kill the dragon!" The blacksmith exclaimed.

"Ha, ha! That's my boy!" Stoick cheered, very proud of his son.

"Heh. Oh, yeah! Yes! I can't wait. I am so..." Hiccup said sarcastically, trailing off as he was able to get out of Gobber's hold and make his way out of the arena.

Astrid grew worried and rushed after her best friend, knowing he was about to make a huge mistake.

~~~HTRYNF~~~

"...LEAVING! We're leaving." Hiccup said heatedly as he was able to finally finish his sentence as he set down the basket of his belongings to pick up his daughter as she rushed to him excitedly when he entered the cove.

Luna came up to the two of them as he kissed his daughter's head with a curious yet worried look. "What do you mean by that young one? What happened that has made you so upset to want to leave your home like this?"

Toothless came over and tilted his head to the side, curious about what Hiccup would say.

Hiccup sighed and glared at the ground as he adjusted his hold on Kala. "I accidentally won the semi-final and I'd much rather leave than deal with my dad when I don't do what he and the rest of the tribe thinks I will in the final tomorrow. So I wanna leave."