The Second Dragon Rider || Eret son of Eret ||

17. Snoggletog Surprise For Skyla

"Snoggletog is coming very soon and you know what that means." Astrid said as she, Ruffnut and Skyla walked through the village.

"Time for the dragons to have babies." Ruffnut said with a grin.

"Well I don't know if Starlight will even go with them this year at all." Skyla mumbled as she ducked to avoid getting hit by a beam some men were carrying.

"Why not? She has to go and find a mate." Astrid pointed out as they made their way to the food stalls. "She's gotta reproduce sometime in her life."

"I know but she's never really been comfortable with doing things without me." Skyla sighed as she stopped by a fruit stand and bought three apples to share with her friends.

"Well she's gonna have to go whether she likes it or not." Astrid said and bit into her apple.

"Hey so who's gonna be you Snoggletog sweetheart this year?" Ruffnut asked after she finshed chewing her apple and threw the core behind her,

"Snoggletog sweetheart?"

"Yeah it's when a girl gives a guy who she likes a gift and if he has a gift for her too, he has to spend the rest of the night with her at the party."

"I bet I know who it is." Astrid said playfully elbowing Skyla.

"Oh come on Eret and I barely know each other!" Skyla protested with a groan.

"We've seen the way he loos at you Skyla. He's in looooove." Astrid said batting her eyelashes and Ruffnut made kissy noises.

"You're both so immature!"

"Who's immature?" Skyla whirled around and saw Eret standing behind her with a basket of fish slung over his shoulder.

"Oh uh..." Skyla noticed Astrid walking off with Ruffnut, who was making kissing sounds and acting stupid. "Oh no one. Just Astrid and Ruff."

"I can see that." He chuckled. "I wanted to ask if you wanted to be my date at the Snoggletog dance. Hiccup said that it was required.

"D-date?!" Skyla sputtered. "

"You don't have to," Eret said quickly, "just asking."

"I'll.....think about it." Skyla mumbled and quickly hurried off to her home.

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"Mum is it required for everyone to bring a date to the Snoggletog dance?" Skyla asked Valka as she bathed.

"No it's not really. Why?" Valka asked as she poured a bucket of warm water over Skyla's head to rinse the soap off her head.

"Eret asked me and he said that Hiccup told him it was required."

"Did he now?" Valka asked raising an eyebrow.

"Huh?" Skyla asked looking nervous.

"Oh nothing dear. It's nothing." Valka said quickly and helped her out of the tub. They heard roars and Valka rushed to the window to see what was happening. "Oh the dragons are leaving already."

"Starlight too?!"

"Her too my dear. Looks like this year she wants to have a go at finding a mate. Don't worry."

"I hate it when you say that..." Skyla muttered and looked down at the soapy water.

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"Wow you look stunning actually." Hiccup said as Skyla walked down the stairs in a flowing blue dress that Valka lent her. It was a pretty light blue (Valka tied the left sleeve up to close the hole for her arm) and the skirt fell past her feet.

"Was that a compliment?" Skyla asked looking annoyed.

"Yes, yes it was." Hiccup answered. Skyla felt annoyed at her brother for trying to set her up on a date. It wasn't that she didn't like Eret, she was disliking that her own brother and everyone else was trying to make them something she didn't think she was ready for.

I hate you." She growled and brushed past him.

"Love you too sis." He said chuckling.

They hurried off to the party which had already started. The music was loud and lively much to Skyla's pleasure and everyone was chatting, dancing, eating and drinking. She saw the others gathered in a large group and they hurried over with Hiccup to join them.

"Dang you look hot." Snotlout commented when Skyla and Hiccup reached them.

"Oh shut up." She growled.

"Didn't expect you to dress so nicely for tonight." Eret said walking over to them.

"My mother made me. Din't have a choice." Skyla groaned.

"It still looks nice on you." He said with a grin. Skyla felt a blush creep into her cheeks and she heard Ruffnut and Astrid giggle.

"Oh stop it." She said turning her head a bit to glare at her friends.

"Why don't you take her to dance?" Astrid suggested, shoving her forward and knocking Skyla into Eret.

"I-i can't dance!" Skyla protested.

"Sure you can. I saw you dancing remember?" Eret said as Astrid and Fishlegs shoved them onto the dance floor.

"T-that's different! And I can't do any dances with one arm!"

"Just give it a try."

"Come on lass dance!" Gobber said grabbing her right arm and pulled her deeper onto the dance floor. Skyla looked to Hiccup and the others for help but they just laughed.

"I can't!" She protested as she was being tossed from one person and then landed in Eret's embrace.

"Well what a surprise." He chuckled.

"I hate you so much right now." She growled. "You, Hiccup, Snotlout and everyone else."

"Oh come on at least enjoy the fact that you aren't submerged in ice cold water and asleep."

"Y-you didn't tell anyone did you?" Skyla asked lowering her voice.

"Don't worry," Eret said lowering his voice, "I don't even plan to. Your secret is safe with me." Before Skyla could say anything, several dragins burst into the rooms.

"Dragons are back!" Someone cheered. Skyla quickly pulled away from Eret and rushed outside to go find Starlight.

After searching through all the dragins she began to loose hope when she felt something nudge her. "Starlight!" Skyla cried and threw her arms around her dragon. The Whispering Death hissed happily and licked her cheek with her warm tounge. "I missed you!"

"Uh Skyla she's not alone." Fishlegs said nervously. Skyla looked behind Starlight and saw several small Whispering Deaths milling around their mother.

"Y-you had babies?" Skyla asked in awe as she knelt down and got surrounded by the tiny dragons. The cooed happily and nuzzled her.

"Oh boy we got baby Whispering Deaths, again." Snotlout groaned.

"Best Snoggletog gift ever." Skyla said with a laugh.