Chapter Text
Chapter 1:
CLANG! The pot of charcoal falls to the ground, narrowly missing the many unfinished copies of Hiccup’s map.
“Odin’s undies!” he jumps in surprise, turning around to see what he accidentally knocked off his table. Toothless tries to put his head in through the window, only to quickly end his attempt when he hears wood creaking.
Hiccup smiles at him, and says, “It’s all good, bud, just a couple pencils,” while reaching down for them. As he puts them back on the desk, his mind runs through all the islands they’ve found recently, thinking of the exciting possibility of a new one today.
His metal leg clunks against the floor as he leaves his study, maps strewn all over the floor. The door shuts, trapping the musty smell of paper in the small room.
Toothless jumps around on the small balcony, eager to get going.
“Alright, alright, calm down, bud.” Hiccup grins as he jumps up on the saddle, “Let’s go.”
~ ~ ~
After hours of flying above unbroken waves, the wind rushes through Hiccup’s messy hair, under Toothless’ wings, whistling as it goes. The blue-green water stretches on and on and on, unending in its width. Not only is it so incredibly vast, but it is also blinding, with the sunlight shining through non-existent clouds, bouncing off the ocean in a spotty pattern. On the horizon, a small dot breaks the monotone of blue.
“See that, Toothless?” Hiccup yells over the heavy wind, “Another one to add to the map!”
Toothless lets out a celebratory roar, pushing his already tired wings faster to see the new island. As they get closer, the two can see that the trees are similar to birch, except all the leaves are purple, and the wood patterns are silver…
Unbothered by this fact, Hiccup asks, “What should we call this one?” In response, Toothless itches his underside with his back foot, jostling Hiccup a little.
“Sore belly.” Hiccup remarks, “Such a dignified name.”
The two continue onwards to the island, which is gradually getting larger and more defined as they come closer.
“Okay, Toothless, see that little cliff there?” Hiccup points towards a small ledge. “We’re gonna land over there, okay?”
Toothless lets out a rumble in acknowledgement, folding his wings as Hiccup helps point his tail in a curve towards the outcropping. As perfectly synchronised as ever, the two successfully land without a sweat.
“Whew!” laughs Hiccup as he hops off Toothless’ back, “that was one long flight.” Toothless rumbles his laughter, and starts to walk off into the purple forest. Hiccup runs after him, accidentally turning it into a race. As they run through the forest, both are unable to notice due to their joy, that the eye-like patterns on the trees are following their movements, and that the forest is becoming denser and denser, until they stumble out into a clearing.
Hiccup and Toothless stumble to a halt, their laughter instantly dissipating into awed silence, for in front of them is a large gaping cave, full of stalactites and stalagmites made of crystals in varying shades of purple. The light fractures off the crystals not hidden by shadow, creating hypnotising patterns on the cave wall.
Toothless lets out a quiet rumble full of awe, and in turn, Hiccup mumbles his agreement, “Woah…”
In almost perfect synchronisation, the friends start walking into the cave, following an unclear path, with crystals jutting out haphazardly here and there. Outside, every single eye pattern on every single tree are all looking towards the cave, the winds calling through the silver branches, in a frenzied excitement. The Scalebinder is waiting...