Nuffink Haddock's days had taken on a new rhythm. Every morning, while the village was still waking up, he would slip away, disappearing into the thick forests surrounding Berk. His mind was consumed with thoughts of the LycanWing, the mysterious and powerful dragon he had encountered days before. Each day, he searched and searched tirelessly, scanning the woods for any kind of sign of the creature. But it was as if the LycanWing had vanished into thin air, leaving no trace of its presence. Despite the lack of success, Nuffink remained determined. He felt a strange connection to the dragon, a pull that he couldn't explain.
Back in the village of Berk, the villagers were growing increasingly anxious. The Scourge, a ruthless force led by the tyrant Nijal Rune, had destroyed yet another tribe, leaving nothing but ashes and despair in its wake. The news of the latest attack reached Berk like a dark cloud, casting a shadow of fear over the island. Hiccup stood bearing the news with what felt like a stone in his throat as he addressed the village calming everyone down for the meanwhile.
"We can't ignore this any longer," Hiccup said, his voice heavy with concern as he addressed the original Dragon Riders. They were gathered in the Great Hall, the flickering firelight casting long shadows on the walls. "The Scourge is moving closer to us. We need to assess the damage for ourselves and witness an attack in person. Then we can think of a counter attack."
Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the others nodded in agreement, their expressions grim.
They set out by boat the next morning, the sea cold and unwelcoming under the overcast sky. The journey was silent, each rider lost in their own thoughts, preparing for what they might find. Hiccup stood at the front of the boat, looking for any sign of the scourge or village survivors.
When they finally reached the destroyed village, the sight was even worse than they had feared. Houses lay in ruins, reduced to smoldering piles of ashes. Nothing was left standing. Noone was heard. The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke, and the ground was scorched black. Hiccup's heart sank as he walked through the debris, his eyes taking in the devastation.
"This is… horrible," Fishlegs whispered, his voice trembling. "How could anyone do this?"
Hiccup stood silent taking in the damage with eyes of sadness and determination.
"Hiccup look at this!"
He turned to see Astrid with an expression he couldn't quite read just yet. He approached her slowly.
"They didn't just do this with weapons," Astrid said, her voice sharp as she knelt down to examine a massive claw mark gouged into the earth. "This was a dragon Hiccup."
Hiccup froze, his breath catching in his throat. He moved closer, his hand tracing the edges of the claw mark. It was enormous, far larger than any dragon he had ever seen.
"Look at this," Snotlout called out from a nearby pile of rubble. He held up a massive, charred scale, its surface still hot to the touch. "Whatever dragon did this, it's huge."
The realization hit Hiccup like a punch to the gut. The Scourge wasn't just using conventional weapons—they had a dragon, and not just any dragon, but one of terrifying size and power. He felt a cold wave of dread wash over him. How could they possibly fight something like this without their own dragons?
As they sailed back to Berk, Hiccup's mind raced. The decision to keep the dragons hidden had been made out of a desire to protect them, to keep them out of human conflicts. But now, with the Scourge's dragon threatening everything they had built, he began to doubt his choice.
That evening, Hiccup and Astrid sat together in their home, discussing the day's events. The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting a warm glow over the room. Astrid could see the turmoil in Hiccup's eyes as he stared into the flames.
"You're thinking about using the dragons, aren't you?" Astrid asked gently, her hand resting on his arm.
Hiccup sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to do, Astrid. If we don't use the dragons, we might lose everything. But if we bring them into this fight…?"
Astrid squeezed his arm, her voice firm. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, we have to focus on the immediate threat. If the dragons are our best chance at stopping the Scourge, then we have no choice but to consider it."
Hiccup nodded, though his worry remained. He wasn't sure he was making the right decision, but the thought of losing Berk—of losing everything they had worked so hard to build—was too much to bear.
Before they could continue their conversation, a faint sound reached their ears. Hiccup recognized it immediately—the creak of the roof above them.
"Nuffink…" Hiccup muttered, shaking his head with a small smile. He stood and walked outside, looking up at the roof. Sure enough, Nuffink was perched up there, peering through an old telescope.
"What are you doing up there?" Hiccup called out, his tone a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Nuffink looked down, grinning sheepishly. "Just… checking the stars. You know, making sure they're still there."
" I'm sure you are and I'm sure they're there like they always have been." He shrugged.
Hiccup climbed up to join his son on the roof, settling beside him. The night sky was clear, the stars twinkling brightly overhead. For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, enjoying the peacefulness of the night. Nuffink kept his eye on him with a feeling of unease. What was he about to say? What did they find on their journey?
After a while, Hiccup turned to Nuffink, his expression serious. "Nuffink, we need to talk." Nuffink almost jumped out of his skin.
" Look Dad, I'm sorry…"
" It's ok, I mean maybe you were right. The Scourge… they're using a dragon. A big one. I'm starting to think that we might have to use our dragons if things get bad."
Nuffink's eyes widened with excitement and relief, but he quickly tried to hide it. "Really? You think I was right?"
" Well, kind of, maybe, yeah I think you are."
" So does this mean eventually we'll all have to get a dragon of our own too?"
"Only if things start to go really wrong," Hiccup said firmly. "I don't want to drag the dragons into this unless we have no other choice. But… if it comes to that, I'll make sure you're part of the plan."
Nuffink's face lit up with a small smile. He wanted to be able to tell his secret but he didn't want Berk to have to deal with the scourge to do it. But what other choice did he have. "Deal."
The next day, Nuffink resumed his search for the LycanWing, his determination stronger than ever. He spent hours combing through the woods, his eyes scanning every shadow, every rustle of leaves. Just as he was about to give up for the day, he spotted something moving in a small clearing ahead.
"There you are."
Crouching low, Nuffink crept closer, his heart pounding. There, lying in the clearing, was the LycanWing. But something was wrong. The dragon's sleek, dark form was marred by fresh wounds, its breathing labored, and it was ridden with burna all across its body.
"Oh no…" Nuffink whispered, his stomach twisting with concern. He could see that the dragon had been in a fierce battle, and it was clear that it had barely escaped with its life. But what had happened?
Taking a deep breath, Nuffink approached the injured dragon slowly, his hands held out in a gesture of peace. "Easy there… I'm not going to hurt you," he murmured, his voice soothing.
The LycanWing growled low in its throat, its eyes narrowing in warning, but it didn't move away. Nuffink could see the pain in its eyes, the exhaustion in its movements. He knew he had to help.
Carefully, Nuffink pulled out a small satchel of supplies. He had brought bandages, salve, and other basic medicinal items, just in case. "I'm going to help you," he said softly as he began to clean and dress the dragon's wounds. The LycanWing watched him warily, but it didn't resist.
Over the next few days, Nuffink returned to the clearing, bringing food and tending to the LycanWing's injuries. Slowly but surely, the dragon began to heal. It no longer growled when he approached, and its eyes followed him with a curious, almost thoughtful gaze.
One afternoon, after ensuring the dragon was comfortable, Nuffink snuck back into the village. He knew exactly what he was looking for—his mother's old dragon saddle. He found it tucked away in a storage room, dusty but still in good condition. He held it high and smiled.
" I am going to assume you know that's a saddle and not some sort of underwear."
He turned to see his mother stepping into the room.
" Why would I…?
She laughed. " Come on tiger, I'm only messing with your head." She tousled his hair and he laughed. " So… are you going to tell me what type of dragon it is or is that a secret too?"
He looked at her in shock. He knew mothers had an intuition about these things but wow.
" W..What are you talking about? Dragon? What Dragon?"
"She tilted her head amused. " Ok fine, we'll play this game." She turned to leave. " But make sure you come back before sunset, and don't feed it anything eel or eel like. Also make sure the saddle is good and tight before you ride so it can't just shake you off and lastly, eventually you're going to have to tell your father. But being the cool mom I am, I'll let you decide when the time is right." She looked back at him briefly smiling at his shocked expression just before she walked out of the door.
Returning to the LycanWing, Nuffink approached cautiously, the saddle in hand. "Alright, boy… let's see if we can make this work," he said, his voice calm but filled with determination.
But the LycanWing wasn't as cooperative as Nuffink had hoped. The moment it saw the saddle, the dragon snarled, backing away with a fierce glare. Nuffink spent the entire day trying to get close, talking to the dragon, offering it food, but each time he moved forward, the LycanWing would snap at him or move away.
"Come on, I'm not going to hurt you," Nuffink pleaded, his voice tinged with frustration. "We're in this together, remember? I helped you out, help me out!"
The LycanWing huffed in irritation, its eyes flashing with defiance. It was a battle of wills, one that tested Nuffink's patience and resolve. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the forest, when Nuffink finally managed to slip the saddle onto the dragon's back as it took its evening rest. He practically cheered as he danced about with pride just before tightening just as his mother advised.
"There we go," Nuffink whispered, securing the straps with trembling hands. The LycanWing didn't resist this time, though it let out a low growl of annoyance.
Nuffink couldn't help but grin, his heart swelling with pride. He had done it. He had bonded with the LycanWing, and though the dragon was stubborn and rebellious, he knew they would make a great team.
"I'm going to call you Stormshadow," Nuffink said, patting the dragon's neck. "What do you think?"
StormShadow huffed again and bumped him hard enough for him to fall flat on his butt. He then shook but didn't shake the saddle off. Nuffink took that as a good sign. As he stood back to admire his work, the dragon settled into a comfortable position, the saddle now firmly in place.
Exhausted but satisfied, Nuffink scooted beside the dragon, resting his hand on its smooth, dark scales. "We're going to do great things together, StormShadow. I just know it."
The dragon's eyes softened, and for a brief moment, Nuffink felt a deep connection between them. This wasn't just about riding a dragon—it was about forming a bond.
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