Another Nightmare Book 3: Facing Nightmares

Chapter 19

Hello everyone sorry for being a month late on this chapter. In short it was unexpected difficulty of the chapter, increasing time pressure to graduate, corona since only working at home my concentration is worse than Toothless' patience when someone threatens Hiccup. Haven't gotten ill so far though.

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"She's just a little sensitive to this heat," Hiccup told a Wingmaiden while scratching under a Razorwhip hatchling's chin. "She should feel better if you can let her rest in a shadow during the hottest time of the day. Maybe take her for a swim before going to sleep."

He gave the little one back to her caretaker and wiped sweat from his forehead. A wooden cup of water appeared in front of him. Hiccup looked up to see Minden's face and her hatchling looking from behind him.

"Thank you," Hiccup said and took the cup.

'You should defend the island more often. She is like a different person since then,' Toothless said.

'You're just hoping people would give you more scratches,' Hiccup responded and looked at the dragon who was laying on his back, surrounded by four maidens giving him scratches. His single tailfin waved back and forth. The flight gear laid nearby. Toothless only responded with a very catlike purr.

"I see adult dragons like the same things as our hatchlings," Minden said.

"If you mean scratches, he'll never have enough of them. I could knock him out with scratching, but he'd still hope for more."

"Are you referring to the point under their chin?"

Hiccup blinked.

"You know about that?"

"Of course. It is the natural way to calm an unruly hatchling the same way their parents would. I wasn't sure if it works on adult dragons though. We don't get many chances to try it."

"Believe me, it does," Hiccup responded. "Not that either of us has needed help to get a good sleep since we arrived here."

"Removing stress can do that," Fislegs said. He came to join Hiccup and Minden with his unfinished Razorwhip book at hand. "Even in Fjoll you had a lot of things to worry about. I'm kind of surprised you don't seem to worry about how things are going with them and the Hunters."

"Thanks, I almost forgot about that," Hiccup deadpanned.

"Ummh, I mean I am sure Chief Hemming has everything under control," Fishlegs corrected. "He has become one of the most accepting people towards dragons in the village, after Ivar of course. He and Shortclaw are almost like you and Toothless."

"Yeah," Hiccup looked at the sky with a small smile on his lips. It flattened quickly as his eyes and thoughts focused on a specific direction. Maidens yelped as Toothless suddenly rolled back on his feet.

"What is she...?" Hiccup mumbled.

"Hiccup?" Fishlegs asked. Hiccup barely heard it, his thoughts literally elsewhere. He couldn't yet get clear thoughts from the approaching dragon, but the severity of her emotions was unmistakable. What could cause her to...? Where were...?

His eyes snapped to a different point in the sky when Toothless' better ones noticed Shortclaw in the distance. Hiccup closed his eyes, relying on his mind and Toothless' vision. They could see Shortclaw getting larger as she approached. Hiccup made sure to reach out to guide her towards the village. They could see her and sense her better every passing moment.

"Minden," Hiccup said quietly, "get the village healers."

There was a moment of silence followed by the sound of a Razorwhip hatchling's wings pushing against air.