Another Nightmare Book 3: Facing Nightmares

Chapter 1

Greetings everyone. Today is the fourth anniversary of Another Nightmare, the first chapter of which was first published in Fanfiction.net on 4th of January 2015. To celebrate this day I present you the chapter one of:

Another Nightmare book 3: Facing Nightmares

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Toothless yawned and turned his head to check on his brothers. Sharpshot was sleeping on the table: Fishlegs had brought a small pile of soft moss for him to rest on. Hiccup was safely sitting against Toothless' side, wordlessly drawing the smaller dragon in a sketchbook. None of them was hungry, all of them were warm. Toothless glanced at Hiccup's bandaged stump. Well, at least most things were well, and Hiccup didn't feel quite as hot as he had before. It had been a long time since Toothless could just lay down with his family around him without worrying about threats that might take his family from him again. At least he didn't worry about it as much right there in that moment, as long as they were together.

Toothless' ears perked up as he heard footsteps in the stairs. Hiccup looked up from his drawing and turned towards Toothless' head with his hand on a black-scaled leg.

'I think it's that time bud. Someone should come soon.' Hiccup started pushing himself up. 'Let me see how your gear...'Hiccup paused when a strong leg with deadly claws pressed against his chest with gentleness that seemed impossible to it.

'Fishlegs will put it on. You rest,' Toothless told him. 'Until Ivar says you can go out, you rest.'

Hiccup relented and only turned around to lay on his mattress, elevated by a few pillows. Toothless stood up and pulled the blanket on Hiccup with his gums.

'I'm not too sick to do that bud,' Hiccup said. Toothless' only response was a lick on his face. Fishlegs came in sometime during that.

"Am I disturbing something?" Fishlegs asked.

"No," Hiccup answered, wiping saliva from his face. "Toothless heard you coming a moment ago. Time for his daily wing stretching eh..."

"And your lunch," Fishlegs added. He placed a plate with steaming stew next to Hiccup. "Who's coming today?"

Hiccup's eyes turned upwards as his thoughts reached inland.

"Hookfang is already flying this way."

"Oh, people are going to love that."

'That means they aren't going to cause trouble,' Toothless said, waiting for Fishlegs to put on his tailfin and flight gear. After a couple of repeated flights since Hiccup's rescue Fishlegs had started getting the hang of it, though he still had to cover the saddle with a pelt. Considering how violent Vikings could be many of them had a strange aversion to uncleanable bloodstains, even when it was the blood of enemies. When everything was in its place Toothless followed Fishlegs out of the room. He glanced back one more time to make sure Hiccup was okay before squeezing through the door. Hookfang had already landed in front of the forge by the time they got outside.

Toothless spread his wings, pushing them to their full span, blocking the whole front of the forge. His scales started slowly getting wet as snowflakes rained down and melted on them. He didn't mind the dampness, focusing on stretching everything he could. Night Furies weren't meant to lay around or survive inside a single room. If he could he would have until Hiccup was recovered, but Hiccup didn't allow that. Yet, even now Hiccup was already petting Sharpshot and listening to his surroundings more carefully in Toothless' absence. Toothless looked at Hookfang.

'I'm counting on you.'

'From you that is a lot. No harm shall come to little Viking while I live,' Hookfang answered. He looked around the small opening in front of the forge. Only a few people remained since the dragons arrived and they stayed at safe distance away. The old Viking might not like that if they stayed there too long. Toothless leaned forward to bring the saddle closer to the ground for Fishlegs.