Freya's Point of View
The first thing I knew was that it was cold.
My blanket had fallen to the floor again.
I huffed and buried my face into the pillow. But something was wrong. The air felt too still. The hearth was just embers.
And the big bed was empty.
I blinked.
No Papa.
No Mama Luna.
No Mama Astrid.
My eyes went wide.
...Where'd they go?
I rolled over, clutching my stuffed Nadder, and squinted around the cabin. The big chair was empty. The hearth was dying. And outside the window... I saw moving shadows.
Dragons.
Lots of dragons.
Oh.
I sat up slowly, feeling the floor's chill seep into my toes. My wings twitched at my back, still sore from too much playing yesterday. My tail flopped limply behind me.
I wanted to cry for a second.
No.
Papa said I was a little dragoness. Little dragonesses didn't cry just because they woke up alone.
So I puffed out my cheeks, clambered off the bed, and padded over to the door.
The moment I cracked it open, cold night air slapped my face. I shivered—but peeked out anyway.
And stopped.
The whole clearing was full of them.
Gronckles dozing in piles. Nadders perched on rocks. Nightmare wings glowing with embers in the dark. Even a huge Scauldron half-curled in the stream, steam rising gently off its scales.
They were...quiet.
But alert.
Their eyes tracked everywhere.
My tail twitched.
No Papa.
No Mamas.
Just dragons.
I swallowed.
"...Papa?" I tried, voice small.
A couple of heads turned.
The Nightmare closest to the door gave me a long, slow blink. Then it rumbled.
Not a roar. Not a threat.
A welcome.
I tilted my head, ears perked.
Another rumble. Shorter, softer.
I recognized it.
Little one.
I smiled, tail wagging.
"Hi," I mumbled.
He rumbled again.
Come.
I stepped outside barefoot, shivering in my nightdress, but too curious to care.
Instantly, they all turned.
The entire clearing of dragons.
They looked at me.
Not angry.
Not annoyed.
Watching me like...I was an egg.
Or...a hatchling.
Or...
Princess.
My face got hot.
A Gronckle huffed and wiggled closer, his big round eyes blinking expectantly.
"Hi," I giggled. I reached out and patted his nose. He purred.
Another Nightmare lowered his head so I could scratch behind his horn.
I did, and he growled softly, eyes closing halfway.
The Scauldron snorted a steam cloud that made me squeal and clap.
That made all of them chuff. Like they were...laughing?
I spun around, hugging my stuffed Nadder tight.
But then I remembered.
"Where's Papa?" I demanded. My lip wobbled. "Where's Mama Luna? Where's Mama Astrid?"
Silence.
They all shifted.
Barf and Belch—my favorite double-headed goofs—slithered closer. One head chirped. The other clicked in a reassuring shush.
They didn't talk in words.
But I understood.
Safe.
Fighting.
Protecting.
My throat felt tight.
"But...why'd they leave me?" I whispered.
The Gronckle let out a tiny whine.
Barf and Belch both pressed in, heads rubbing gently on my shoulders. Their green scales were cool but comforting.
Not left.
Guarded.
Ours.
I sniffled. "Really?"
The Nightmare rumbled. Ours.
The Scauldron boomed it, shaking water. OURS.
I wiped my eyes.
"Okay," I whispered.
Mine.
My dragons.
My tail wagged just a little.
Meatlug lumbered over, snorting steam with her usual sleepy huff. She sniffed me from head to toe like a worried momma hen.
Then she grunted, shaking her head.
Barf and Belch twisted around, chattering at her.
I squinted.
They were arguing.
Finally, Meatlug made a big, decisive snort.
She looked at me.
Barf. Belch. Yours.
The twin-heads perked up, tails wagging.
"Mine?" I asked, tilting my head.
They both rumbled.
Game.
Fun.
Keep busy.
I blinked.
"Wait..." I brightened. "Are you gonna play with me?"
Barf and Belch exploded in excited hissing clicks, both heads bouncing.
Meatlug grunted approvingly, settling back down like she'd made her royal decree.
I clapped my hands.
"Okay!" I squealed. "But you gotta listen! We're gonna play 'Cave Monster and Treasure' and you can't eat my stuffed Nadder!"
Barf and Belch chirped and snapped their teeth in agreement.
I giggled so hard I fell over.
The Gronckle rumbled a laugh.
The Nightmare actually purred.
And the entire clearing relaxed just a little.
Even without Papa.
Even without my Mamas.
I wasn't alone.
I was the princess of the cove.
And my dragons?
They'd protect me.
They'd play with me.
They'd wait with me.
Until Papa came home.
And when he did...
I'd tell him I was brave.
Just like a real dragoness.
Hiccup's Point of View
The world exploded into motion.
Charfang didn't wait for words. He lunged with jaws wide, flames leaking from his blackened throat, eyes burning with murderous glee.
I met him halfway.
Our collision shook the field, dirt billowing in a smoky cloud. My claws scraped along his scales, tearing ragged gashes, but he twisted, his tail whipping hard at my ribs.
I barely moved.
I felt it—an ache, not pain.
He blinked at that.
I let him see my teeth.
"Pathetic."
My fist cracked across his jaw, the same side I'd broken before. Bone crunched. His roar cut short in a wet gag as he staggered back, spitting blood and flame.
But he wasn't done.
Charfang roared—deep and ragged—and belched a torrent of fire straight at my face.
I didn't dodge.
I walked through it.
My coat blackened. My hair singed. My gauntlet glowed dull red.
My eyes never left his.
When the flames died, I was already moving, claws raised.
I crashed into him, tackling his massive body. Together we rolled through dirt and grass, ripping deep furrows in the field.
We smashed through a cart.
A fence.
A stone wall.
Berk's outskirts loomed.
He threw me off with a furious twist. I skidded back, boots tearing furrows.
"Come on," I growled, voice low, vibrating with emerald fire.
He howled and charged.
We met in the village itself.
Dragons scattered. Humans screamed.
We didn't care.
I drove him back with a series of brutal, precise strikes, gauntlet claws leaving deep furrows in his scales. He snapped at me once—caught my side.
Teeth scraped.
I bled.
Barely.
He realized it too late.
I didn't even flinch.
My smile was feral.
"That all?"
I slammed my forehead into his snout. Bone cracked.
He reeled, roaring.
We smashed through another house, walls splintering, roof collapsing. I was on him instantly, pinning his throat with one hand.
The rubble fell around us.
Dust. Smoke.
I rose first.
Charfang heaved himself out, coughing blood.
He was shaking.
I was breathing evenly.
My back bulged and cracked with raw strength, demon back on full display, casting me in monstrous silhouette against the burning wreckage.
I spoke.
But not in human words.
I snarled at him.
Roared.
Chirped.
Threat.
Dominance.
Promise of death.
He hesitated, eyes wide.
He understood.
But he didn't yield.
Good.
I flexed my claws.
"Let's finish this."
He bolted.
Not in cowardice.
Not in surrender.
He wanted space.
I gave it to him.
He ran for the tree line.
And I followed.
The village fell behind us, fires flickering in the dark.
And the other dragons followed too—mine in perfect formation, his rogues slithering, wings rustling, watching.
Hungry to see how it would end.
⸻
Luna's Point of View
I watched them go.
My beloved. That thing that dared to challenge him.
Their bodies smashed through the forest edge like meteor strikes, trees splintering, the ground shuddering.
The air was thick with smoke and blood.
My tail lashed.
I felt my fangs bare.
He was mine.
Only he got to kill that filth for what it said to us.
But I wasn't blind.
Behind us, the humans scrambled.
Berk's warriors.
Weapons clattered. Orders barked.
Insignificant.
Pathetic.
But dangerous if they followed.
I turned slowly, letting the moonlight catch my eyes—silver slits of warning.
Dragons shifted around me.
Fang. Veil. Razorwind. Torrent. Thrash.
Our pack.
Our family.
I growled low, the sound a command.
"Some of you. Stay behind."
They rumbled back—confused.
I clicked my teeth sharply, tail cracking against a fallen log.
"The humans can't follow."
They understood.
Veil melted into the shadows immediately. Razorwind took to the skies, wings cutting moonlight. Torrent twisted back toward the stream with murderous purpose.
Fang watched me carefully.
I met his eyes.
"These...insects. They aren't tonight's prey. Let them scuttle back to their hovels. They'll die soon enough. But not tonight."
He rumbled agreement, smoke leaking from his nostrils.
"They'd only get in the way," I added, voice dropping to a purr. "Only my beloved gets to kill that thing. For what it said. For what it dared."
I turned, claws digging into the dirt.
The rest of the pack surged after Hiccup, tails lashing, wings half-spread in anticipation.
But I felt the other dragons too—the rogues that had followed him, the one who dared challenge our Alpha.
They slunk behind us at a distance.
Watching.
Waiting.
Deciding.
Good.
Let them see.
Let them learn.
Because when this was over...
Our numbers would grow.
They'd bow.
Or they'd burn.
Either way, my beloved would have his pack.
And I would stand at his side, queen of monsters.
I bared my teeth in a cold, hungry grin.
"Follow," I commanded, voice like silk over razors.
And we vanished into the trees after him.